Antenna module and electronic device comprising same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11936115-B2
Application number	US-201917419128-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 27, 2019
Priority date	Dec 28, 2018
Publication date	Mar 19, 2024
Grant date	Mar 19, 2024

Abstract

The disclosure provides an electronic device comprising an antenna module and a wireless communication circuit. The antenna module comprises: a printed circuit board comprising a first surface extending in a first direction and a second surface extending in a second direction opposite the first direction; a first area comprising a first antenna array; a second area comprising a second antenna array and at least partially overlapping the first area; a third area comprising a third antenna array and not overlapping the first area; a fourth area comprising a fourth antenna array and at least partially overlapping the third area; and a ground layer. The wireless communication circuit is electrically connected to the plurality of antenna arrays and transmits and/or receives a signal having a frequency in a range of about 3 GHz to 100 GHz.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a housing comprising a first plate, a second plate facing away from the first plate, and a side wall surrounding a space between the first plate and the second plate, and coupled to the second plate or integrally formed with the second plate;
a display visible through at least a portion of the first plate;
an antenna structure disposed within the housing, the antenna structure comprising:
a printed circuit board comprising a first surface extending in a first direction and a second surface extending in a second direction opposite to the first direction;
a first area comprising a first antenna array comprising a plurality of first antenna elements formed within the printed circuit board or on the first surface;
a second area comprising a second antenna array comprising a plurality of second antenna elements formed closer to the second surface than the plurality of first antenna elements within the printed circuit board, or on the second surface, wherein when viewed from above the first surface, the second area at least partially overlaps the first area;
a third area comprising a third antenna array comprising a plurality of third antenna elements formed within the printed circuit board or on the first surface, wherein when viewed from above the first surface, the third area does not overlap the first area;
a fourth area comprising a fourth antenna array comprising a plurality of fourth antenna elements formed closer to the second surface than the plurality of third antenna elements within the printed circuit board, or on the second surface, wherein when viewed from above the first surface, the fourth area at least partially overlaps the third area; and
a ground layer disposed between the first antenna array and the second antenna array within the printed circuit board, wherein when viewed from above the first surface, the ground layer at least partially overlaps the first area and the second area; and
at least one wireless communication circuit electrically connected to the first antenna array, the second antenna array, the third antenna array and the fourth antenna array, and configured transmit and/or receive a signal having a frequency in a range of about 3 GHz to 100 GHz.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first antenna element and the second antenna element comprise a patch antenna.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the antenna structure comprises at least one first conductive patch which, when viewed from above the first surface, at least partially overlaps the first antenna element between the first surface and the first antenna element.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the antenna structure comprises at least one second conductive patch which, when viewed from above the second surface, at least partially overlaps the second antenna element between the second surface and the second antenna element.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first antenna element comprises:
a first conductive plane;
a second conductive plane disposed in a layer different from the first conductive plane, wherein when viewed from above the first surface, the second conductive plane overlaps at least a partial area of the first conductive plane; and
at least one conductive via electrically connecting the first conductive plane and the second conductive plane.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the second antenna element comprises:
a second conductive plane;
a third conductive plane disposed in a layer different from the second conductive plane, wherein when viewed from above the second surface, the third conductive plane overlaps at least a partial area of the second conductive plane; and
at least one conductive via electrically connecting the second conductive plane and the third conductive plane.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the third antenna element and the fourth antenna element comprise a dipole antenna.

8. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the third antenna element or the fourth antenna element comprises a first conductive pattern and a second conductive pattern which are physically isolated.

9. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the first conductive pattern and the second conductive pattern are electrically connected to the wireless communication circuit.

10. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the first conductive pattern is electrically connected to the wireless communication circuit, and the second conductive pattern is electrically connected to the ground layer.

11. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the first conductive pattern is electrically connected to the wireless communication circuit, and the second conductive pattern is disposed to be physically isolated from other conductive elements.

12. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first surface of the printed circuit board faces the first plate, and the second surface of the printed circuit board faces the second plate, and
the third area and the fourth area are disposed closer to the side wall than the first area and the second area.

13. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication circuit is configured to:
set a current supplied to the first antenna array and a current supplied to the second antenna array, to be out-of-phase, and
set a current supplied to the third antenna array and a current supplied to the fourth antenna array, to be in-phase.

14. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication circuit is configured to:
set a current supplied to the first antenna array and a current supplied to the second antenna array, to be in-phase, and
set a current supplied to the third antenna array and a current supplied to the fourth antenna array, to be out-of-phase.

15. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the ground layer is electrically connected to the wireless communication circuit.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
• Postech Res & Business Dev Found

Inventors

• Kim Yeonwoo
• Hong Wonbin
• Kwon Wonpyo
• Park Sehyun
• Yun Sumin

Classifications

• H01Q21/28 Primary

  Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems {(multiple beam H01Q25/00)} · CPC title

• H01Q1/24

  with receiving set · CPC title

• H01Q9/0407

  Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna (dipole H01Q9/285; monopole H01Q9/40) · CPC title

• H01Q21/0006

  Particular feeding systems · CPC title

• H04B1/40 Primary

  Circuits · CPC title