Control of an integrated beamforming array using near-field-coupled or far-field-coupled commands

• US 7,742,000 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2006
• Issued: 06/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TiaLinx, Inc.
• Original Assignee: TiaLinx, Inc.
• Inventors: Mohamadi, Farrokh
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; HoangAnh T
• Application Number:
  US11/550,789
• Publication Number:
  US 20070080888A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,343 Days
• Field of Search: 343/700.MS, 343/772, 343/795, 343/853
• US Class Current: 343/700.0MS
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0025 Modular arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0087 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing antenna arrays manufacturing waveguides H01P11/00

Abstract

In one embodiment, an integrated circuit antenna array includes: a substrate, a plurality of first antennas adjacent a first side of the substrate; and an RF network adjacent a second side of the substrate, the RF feed network coupling to a distributed plurality of amplifiers integrated with the substrate and to a distributed plurality of phase-shifters also integrated with the substrate, each phase shifter being associated with a receptor to receive a beam-forming command, wherein each receptor is configured to receive the beam-forming command through either a near-field coupling or a far-field coupling.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit antenna array, comprising:

a substrate,

a plurality of first antennas adjacent the a first side of the substrate; and

an RF network adjacent a second side of the substrate, the RF feed network coupling to a distributed plurality of amplifiers integrated with the substrate and to a distributed plurality of phase-shifters also integrated with the substrate, each phase shifter being associated with a receptor to receive a beam-forming command, wherein each receptor is configured to receive the beam-forming command through either a near-field coupling or a far-field coupling.

2. The integrated circuit antenna array of claim 1, wherein each receptor comprises an integrated inductor formed in metal layers adjacent the second side of the substrate such that the beam-forming command is received through a near-field coupling with the integrated inductor.

3. The integrated circuit antenna array of claim 1, wherein each receptor comprises a second antenna arranged on the first side of the substrate such that the beam forming command is received through a far-field coupling with the second antenna.

4. The integrated antenna array of claim 1, wherein the RF feed network and the distributed plurality of amplifiers are configured to form a resonant network such that if a timing signal is injected into an input port of the RE network, the resonant network oscillates to provide a globally synchronized BY signal to each of the antennas.

5. The integrated circuit antenna array of claim 1, wherein the substrate is a semiconductor wafer substrate.

6. The integrated circuit antenna array of claim 1, wherein the RF feed network is implemented using waveguides selected from the group consisting of microstrip waveguides, coplanar waveguides, and planar waveguides.

7. The integrated circuit antenna array of claim 1, further comprising a waveguide adjacent the second surface of the substrate, wherein each receptor is a T-shaped antenna configured within the waveguide such that the beamforming command is received through a near-field coupling with the T-shaped antenna.

8. The integrated circuit antenna array of claim 7, wherein the waveguide is formed in metal layers adjacent the second side of the substrate.

9. An integrated circuit antenna array, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate having a first surface and an opposing second surface;

a plurality of heavily-doped contact regions extending from the first surface to the second surface;

a plurality of antennas formed on an insulating layer adjacent the first surface, each antenna being coupled to corresponding ones of the contact regions by vias;

driving circuitry formed on the second surface of the substrate, wherein the driving circuitry is configured such that each antenna corresponds to a oscillator, each oscillator being coupled to a receptor configured to receive a beamforming command through either a near-field coupling or a far-field coupling.

10. The integrated circuit antenna array of claim 9, wherein each receptor comprises an integrated inductor formed in metal layers adjacent the second side of the substrate such that the beam-forming command is received through a near-field coupling with the integrated inductor.

11. The integrated circuit antenna array of claim 9, wherein each receptor comprises a second antenna arranged on the first side of the substrate such that the beam forming command is received through a far-field coupling with the second antenna.

12. The integrated circuit antenna array of claim 9, wherein each oscillator comprises a phase-locked loop.

13. The integrated circuit antenna array of claim 9, wherein the substrate is a semiconductor wafer substrate.

14. The integrated circuit antenna array of claim 9, further comprising a waveguide adjacent the second surface of the semiconductor substrate, wherein each receptor is a T-shaped antenna configured within the waveguide such that the beamforming command is received through a near-field coupling with the T-shaped antenna.

15. The integrated circuit antenna array of claim 14, wherein the waveguide is formed in metal layers adjacent the second side of the substrate.