Method and system for a distributed leaky wave antenna

• US 8,787,997 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2010
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rofougaran, Ahmadreza, Rofougaran, Maryam
• Primary Examiner(s): Wendell, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US12/751,782
• Publication Number:
  US 20100311363A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,574 Days
• Field of Search: 455/39, 455/41.2, 455/66.1, 455/550.1, 455/575.1, 455/90.2, 455/90.3, 455/575.7, 455/128, 455/129, 257/499, 257/510, 257/534, 257/635, 257/638, 257/678, 257/734, 257/750, 257/798, 438/106, 438/800, 716/100, 716/137
• US Class Current: 455/575.7
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/06 Systems determining position data of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10316 using at least one antenna particularly designed for interrogating the wireless record carriers antennas in general H01Q1/22
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73204 the bump connector being embedded into the layer connector
• 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 2924/13091 Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor [MOSFET]
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2283 mounted in or on the surface of a semiconductor substrate as a chip-type antenna or integrated with other components into an IC package
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/20 Non-resonant leaky-waveguide or transmission-line antennas; Equivalent structures causing radiation along the transmission path of a guided wave
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/22 Longitudinal slot in boundary wall of waveguide or transmission line H01Q13/203 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/006 Selective devices having photonic band gap materials or materials of which the material properties are frequency dependent, e.g. perforated substrates, high-impedance surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/0066 said selective devices being reconfigurable, tunable or controllable, e.g. using switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/23 Combinations of reflecting surfaces with refracting or diffracting devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/06 using refracting or diffracting devices, e.g. lens radome H01Q1/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0458 Arrangements for matching and coupling between power amplifier and antenna or between amplifying stages matching circuits in general H03H
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/24 for communication between two or more posts wireless communication networks H04W

Abstract

Methods and systems for a distributed leaky wave antenna (LWA) are disclosed and may include communicating RF signals at one or more frequencies via distributed LWAs in a wireless communication device. The distributed LWAs may be integrated in one or more multi-layer support structures. The RF signals may be communicated at the one or more frequencies via a plurality of cavity heights in the distributed LWAs or via a plurality of sections of the distributed LWAs with different partially reflective surfaces. The distributed LWAs may be configured to transmit the RF signals at a desired angle from a surface of the multi-layer support structures. The distributed LWAs may include microstrip or coplanar waveguides where the plurality of cavity heights of the one or more distributed LWAs may be configured based on distances between conductive lines in the waveguides.

Claims

1. A method for communication, the method comprising:

communicating RF signals at one or more frequencies via one or more distributed leaky wave antennas in a wireless communication device, wherein said one or more distributed leaky wave antennas are integrated in one or more multi-layer support structures in said wireless device; and

adjusting a cavity height of at least one of said one or more distributed leaky wave antennas by causing a deflection of at least one reflective surface of the at least one of said one or more distributed leaky wave antennas to cause the at least one of said one or more distributed leaky wave antennas to transmit at least one of said RF signals in a plane of at least one of said one or more multi-layer support structures.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising communicating said RF signals at said one or more frequencies via a plurality of cavity heights in said one or more distributed leaky wave antennas.

3. The method according to claim 1, comprising communicating said RF signals at said one or more frequencies via a plurality of sections of said one or more distributed leaky wave antennas with different partially reflective surfaces.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said one or more multi-layer support structures comprise one or more of:

an integrated circuit, an integrated circuit package, and a printed circuit board.

5. The method according to claim 1, comprising configuring said one or more distributed leaky wave antennas to transmit said RF signals at a desired angle from a surface of said one or more multi-layer support structures.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said one or more distributed leaky wave antennas comprise microstrip waveguides.

7. The method according to claim 6, comprising controlling said plurality of cavity heights of said one or more distributed leaky wave antennas by adjusting distances between conductive lines in said microstrip waveguides.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said one or more distributed leaky wave antennas comprise coplanar waveguides.

9. The method according to claim 8, comprising controlling said plurality of cavity heights of said one or more distributed leaky wave antennas by adjusting distances between conductive lines in said coplanar waveguides.

10. The method according to claim 1, comprising configuring a beam shape of said communicated RF signals by tuning a frequency of a signal communicated to said one or more distributed leaky wave antennas.

11. A system for enabling communication, the system comprising:

one or more circuits disposed in a wireless device comprising one or more distributed leaky wave antennas,

wherein said one or more leaky wave antennas are integrated in one or more multi-layer support structures in said wireless device, and

the one or more circuits are further configured to adjust a cavity height of at least one of said one or more distributed leaky wave antennas by causing a deflection of at least one reflective surface of the at least one of said one or more distributed leaky wave antennas to cause the at least one of said one or more distributed leaky wave antennas to transmit RF signals in a plane of at least one of said one or more multi-layer support structures; and

said one or more circuits are operable to communicate said RF signals at one or more frequencies via said one or more distributed leaky wave antennas.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to communicate said RF signals at said one or more frequencies via a plurality of cavity heights in said one or more distributed leaky wave antennas.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to communicate said RF signals at said one or more frequencies via a plurality of sections of said one or more distributed leaky wave antennas with different partially reflective surfaces.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more multi-layer support structures comprise one or more of:

an integrated circuit, an integrated circuit package, and a printed circuit board.

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to configure said one or more distributed leaky wave antennas to transmit said RF signals at a desired angle from a surface of said one or more multi-layer support structures.

16. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more distributed leaky wave antennas comprise microstrip waveguides.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to control said plurality of cavity heights of said one or more distributed leaky wave antennas by adjusting distances between conductive lines in said microstrip waveguides.

18. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more distributed leaky wave antennas comprise coplanar waveguides.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein said one or more circuits is operable to control said plurality of cavity heights of said one or more distributed leaky wave antennas by adjusting distances between conductive lines in said coplanar waveguides.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to configure a beam shape of said communicated RF signals by tuning a frequency of a signal communicated to said one or more distributed leaky wave antennas.