Integrated phased array antenna

• US 7,619,567 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2007
• Issued: 11/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HRL Laboratories LLC (The Boeing Co.)
• Original Assignee: HRL Laboratories LLC (The Boeing Co.)
• Inventors: Brewer, Peter D., Lynch, Jonathan J., Hunter, Andrew T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Owens; Douglas W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alemu; Ephrem
• Application Number:
  US11/809,175
• Publication Number:
  US 20070229388A1
• Time in Patent Office: 902 Days
• Field of Search: 343/700.MS, 343/850, 343/852, 343776-778, 343/771, 257/728, 257/678, 257/679
• US Class Current: 343/700.0MS
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/24137 the bodies being arranged next to each other, e.g. on a common substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73267 Layer and HDI connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/20 Structure, shape, material or disposition of high density interconnect preforms
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• 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 2924/12032 Schottky diode
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1305 Bipolar Junction Transistor [BJT]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/14 Integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0093 Monolithic arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/065 Patch antenna array
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 23/00 Antennas with active circuits or circuit elements integrated within them or attached to them
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0457 electromagnetically coupled to the feed line

Abstract

An integrated communication device having a substrate layer of substantially electrically nonconductive material with two substantially parallel surfaces, an antenna element disposed on one of the surfaces, a ground layer of substantially electrically conductive material disposed on the other surface and having an opening formed therethrough opposite from the antenna element, and a transceiver device mounted to the ground layer to transmit and/or receive electromagnetic energy through the opening.

Claims

1. A communication device, comprising:

a substrate layer of substantially electrically nonconductive material having two substantially parallel surfaces;

an antenna element disposed on one of the surfaces;

a ground layer of substantially electrically conductive material disposed on the other surface and having an opening formed therethrough opposite from the antenna element; and

a transceiver device mounted in direct contact with the ground layer to transmit and/or receive electromagnetic energy through the opening.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the transceiver device comprises a monolithic microwave integrated circuit.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the substrate layer is formed of material selected from the group of materials comprising Aluminum Nitride and Sapphire.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the antenna element is a patch antenna.

5. A communication device, comprising:

a substrate layer of substantially electrically nonconductive material having two substantially parallel surfaces;

an antenna element disposed on one of the surfaces; and

a transceiver device mounted in direct contact with the other surface to exchange electromagnetic energy with the antenna element.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the transceiver device comprises a monolithic microwave integrated circuit.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the substrate layer is formed of material selected from the group of materials comprising Aluminum Nitride and Sapphire.

8. The device of claim 5, wherein the antenna element is a patch antenna.

9. The device of claim 5, wherein:

the antenna element comprises a plurality of antenna elements; and

the transceiver device comprises a plurality of transceiver devices, each mounted in direct contact with the substrate layer to exchange electromagnetic energy with a respective one of the plurality of antenna elements.