CONTACTLESS COMMUNICATION UNIT CONNECTOR ASSEMBLIES WITH SIGNAL DIRECTING STRUCTURES

• US 20170033818A1
• Filed: 10/11/2016
• Published: 02/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Molex LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Keyssa, Inc.
• Inventors: McCormack, Gary D., Sovero, Emilio, Sweetman, Eric, Zivanovic, Bojana
• Granted Patent: US 9,954,566 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/6677 for antenna, e.g. antenna included within housing of semiconductor device
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/131 with a principal constituent of the material being a metal or a metalloid, e.g. boron [B], silicon [Si], germanium [Ge], arsenic [As], antimony [Sb], tellurium [Te] and polonium [Po], and alloys thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16245 the item being metallic
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32227 the layer connector connecting to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45099 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48227 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48245 the item being metallic
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3107 the device being completely enclosed
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/4952 the additional leads being a bump or a wire
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49541 Geometry of the lead-frame
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/66 High-frequency adaptations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/13 of an individual bump connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/16 of an individual bump connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/32 of an individual layer connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/48 of an individual wire connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00012 Relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/014 Solder alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15311 being a ball array, e.g. BGA
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 : Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/123 : using adaptive balancing or compensation means adaptive filter circuits and algorithms H03H
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 : Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 : for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Contactless extremely high frequency (EHF) signal directing and blocking structures are disclosed herein. The EHF signal directing structures may focus EHF signal energy along a desired EHF signal pathway. The EHF signal blocking structures may minimize signal propagation through substrates such as circuit boards. Focusing EHF signal energy and selectively blocking the EHF signal energy can minimize or eliminate crosstalk and enhance data transmission speed and integrity.

Claims

1-48. -48. (canceled)

49. A contactless communications device, comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of contactless communication units (CCUs) mounted to the substrate, each CCU comprising a transducer operative to selectively transmit and receive contactless signals to and/or from a counterpart CCU associated with a device other than the contactless communications device; and

beam directing structure coupled to the substrate and positioned adjacent to the CCUs such that the beam directing structure establishes signal-shaped pathways for the contactless signals being transceived for each CCU in a manner that reduces cross-talk among the CCUs and with counterpart CCUs associated with the device other than the contactless communications device.

50. The contactless communications device of claim 49, wherein the signal-shaped pathways enhance signal strength of the contactless signals being transmitted between the CCUs and their counterpart CCUs.

51. The contactless communications device of claim 49, wherein the beam directing structure comprises:

a signal guiding structure that guides contactless signals along the signal-shaped pathways; and

a signal blocking structure that blocks contactless signals from traveling along undesired paths.

52. The contactless communications device of claim 51, wherein the signal guiding structure is constructed from a dielectric material, and wherein the signal blocking structure is constructed from at least one of a conductive or absorptive material.

53. The contactless communications device of claim 49, wherein the beam directing structure comprises a mezzanine structure.

54. The contactless communications device of claim 49, wherein the signal shaped pathways limit contactless signal energy to a cross-sectional area smaller than transverse dimensions of the transducer'"'"'s radiation field.

55. The contactless communications device of claim 49, wherein the beam directing structure is constructed from at least two materials selected from transmissive materials, reflective materials, and absorptive materials.

56. A contactless communication device comprising:

a substrate;

a contactless communication unit (CCU) mounted to the substrate, the CCU comprising a transducer; and

a beam shaping reflector that partially enshrouds the CCU, wherein the transducer is operative to selectively transmit and receive contactless signals along a signal-shaped path at least partially defined by the beam shaping reflector, wherein the signal-shaped path focuses a radiation pattern of the contactless signal.

57. The device of claim 56, wherein the beam shaping reflector comprises a curved portion operative to reflect contactless signal energy, wherein the radiation pattern is characterized by the reflected contactless signal energy.

58. The device of claim 56, wherein the reflector comprises:

a concave portion that defines a volume, wherein the transducer is contained in the volume.

59. The device of claim 58, wherein the concave portion comprises a beam focal region, and wherein the transducer is positioned in the beam focal region.

60. The device of claim 56, wherein the beam shaping reflector comprises first and second outer surfaces, the beam shaping reflector further comprising:

a first conductive plate mounted to the first outer surface; and

a second conductive plate mounted to the second outer surface, wherein the first and second conductive plates are operative to define the signal-shaped path.

61. A device, comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of contactless communication units (CCUs) mounted to the substrate, wherein each CCU is characterized by a CCU radiation field when transmitting or receiving contactless signals in free space; and

a mezzanine beam guide operative to guide contactless signals in a direction perpendicular to a CCU mounting surface of the substrate, wherein the mezzanine beam guide limits the contactless signal transmitted or received by each CCU to a cross-sectional area smaller than transverse dimensions of the CCU'"'"'s radiation field to mitigate lateral and multi-path crosstalk among the plurality of CCUs.

62. The device of claim 61, wherein the mezzanine beam guide further comprises a beam-forming directing structure mounted on top of the mezzanine beam guide.

63. The device of claim 62, wherein the beam-forming directing structure comprises a superstrate and a plurality of wave-guiding tuned metal structures.

64. The device of claim 61, wherein the beam directing structure is constructed from at least two materials selected from transmissive materials, reflective materials, and absorptive materials.