Wireless antenna array system architecture and methods to achieve 3d beam coverage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016181703-A1
Application number	US-201514754305-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 29, 2015
Priority date	Mar 11, 2008
Publication date	Jun 23, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Embodiments of wireless antenna array systems to achieve three-dimensional beam coverage are described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

First claim

1 - 20 . (canceled)

21 . A millimeter-wave (mm-wave) communications assembly, comprising:
a first mm-wave antenna on a first substrate, wherein the first mm-wave antenna is configured to provide antenna coverage in directions substantially perpendicular to the first substrate; an second mm-wave antenna on a second substrate, wherein the second mm-wave antenna is configured to provide antenna coverage in directions substantially parallel to the first substrate; and an integrated RF circuit that is flip-chip mounted to the second substrate that includes the second mm-wave antenna, wherein the integrated RF circuit is coupled to the first and second mm-wave antennas, and wherein the integrated RF circuit comprises a receiver, a transmitter, or a transceiver and is configured to process mm-wave signals.

22 . The mm-wave communications assembly defined in claim 21 , wherein the first mm-wave antenna comprises a broadside mm-wave antenna and wherein the second mm-wave antenna comprises an endfire mm-wave antenna.

23 . The mm-wave communications assembly defined in claim 21 , wherein the first and second substrates lie in respective first and second planes, wherein the first plane is substantially parallel to the second plane; wherein the first mm-wave antenna is configured to provide antenna coverage in directions substantially normal to the first plane, and wherein the second mm-wave antenna is configured to provide antenna coverage in directions substantially parallel to the second plane.

24 . The mm-wave communications assembly defined in claim 21 , wherein the first mm-wave antenna comprises a planar patch antenna.

25 . The mm-wave communications assembly defined in claim 21 , wherein the second mm-wave antenna comprises a Yagi antenna.

26 . The mm-wave communications assembly defined in claim 21 , wherein the second mm-wave antenna comprises a slot antenna.

27 . The mm-wave communications assembly defined in claim 21 , wherein the second mm-wave antenna comprises a Vivaldi antenna.

28 . The mm-wave communications assembly defined in claim 21 , wherein the second mm-wave antenna comprises a dipole antenna.

29 . The mm-wave communications assembly defined in claim 21 , wherein the first and second substrates comprise Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramic antenna grade core material.

30 . An apparatus for about 57-66 GHz band wireless communication, comprising:
a planar antenna on a first substrate; an endfire antenna on a second substrate; an integrated radio-frequency (RF) circuit that is flip-chip mounted to the second substrate; and an interconnect that couples the planar antenna to the integrated RF circuit to carry a millimeter wave (mm-wave) signal between the planar antenna and the integrated RF circuit.

31 . The apparatus defined in claim 30 , wherein the planar antenna comprises a planar patch antenna.

32 . The apparatus defined in claim 30 , wherein the planar antenna is selected from the group consisting of: a patch antenna, slot antenna, spiral antenna, monopole antenna, and a dipole antenna.

33 . The apparatus defined in claim 30 , wherein the endfire antenna comprises an antenna selected from the group consisting of: a Yagi antenna, a slot antenna, a Vivaldi antenna, and a dipole antenna.

34 . The apparatus defined in claim 30 , wherein the endfire antenna is selected from the group consisting of: a quasi-Yagi-Uda antenna, slot antenna, Vivaldi antenna, dipole antenna, and low-profile-horn antenna.

35 . A wireless communications assembly, comprising:
a plurality of planar antennas configured to operate in a communications band at about 57-66 GHz; a plurality of endfire antennas configured to operate in the communications band at about 57-66 GHz; and an integrated RF circuit connected to the plurality of planar antennas through a number of vias and to the plurality of endfire antenna through a number of feed lines.

36 . The wireless communications assembly defined in claim 35 wherein the plurality of planar antennas are together configured to at least receive or transmit signals at about 57-66 GHz in directions substantially normal to a common plane.

37 . The wireless communications assembly defined in claim 36 wherein the plurality of endfire antennas are together configured to at least receive or transmit signals at about 57-66 GHz in directions substantially parallel to the common plane.

38 . The wireless communications assembly defined in claim 37 wherein each of the plurality of endfire antennas is configured to at least receive or transmit signals at about 57-66 GHz in a unique direction that is substantially parallel to the common plane to provide antenna coverage for the wireless communications assembly in at least an approximate semi-circle that extends out from the wireless communications assembly.

39 . The wireless communications assembly defined in claim 37 wherein each of the plurality of endfire antennas is configured to at least receive or transmit signals at about 57-66 GHz in a unique direction that is substantially parallel to the common plane to provide antenna coverage for the wireless communications assembly in substantially all directions that are coplanar with the common plane.

40 . A wireless communications assembly, comprising:
a plurality of planar antennas configured to operate in a communications band at approximately 60 GHz; a plurality of endfire antennas configured to operate in the communications band at approximately 60 GHz; and an integrated RF circuit connected to the plurality of planar antennas and to the plurality of endfire antennas to provide an antenna array with coverage normal to the planar antennas and at least one direction parallel to the planar antennas.

41 . The wireless communications assembly defined in claim 40 , wherein each of the planar antennas comprises a planar patch antenna.

42 . The wireless communications assembly defined in claim 40 , wherein each of the planar antennas is selected from the group consisting of: a patch antenna, slot antenna, spiral antenna, monopole antenna, and a dipole antenna.

43 . The wireless communications assembly defined in claim 40 , wherein each of the endfire antennas comprises an antenna selected from the group consisting of: a Yagi antenna, a slot antenna, a Vivaldi antenna, and a dipole antenna.

44 . The wireless communications assembly defined in claim 40 , wherein each of the endfire antennas is selected from the group consisting of: a quasi-Yagi-Uda antenna, slot antenna, Vivaldi antenna, dipole antenna, and low-profile-horn antenna.

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Choudhury Debabani
• Roberts Richard D
• Karacaoglu Ulun

Classifications

• H01Q9/0407

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

• H01Q21/24 Primary

  Combinations of antenna units polarised in different directions for transmitting or receiving circularly and elliptically polarised waves or waves linearly polarised in any direction {(circularly polarised patch antennas H01Q9/0428; circularly polarised horns H01Q13/0241; cross-polarised horns H01Q13/0258; polarisation converters H01Q15/242; cross-polarised rear feeds H01Q19/136; crossed polarisation dual antenna H01Q25/001)} · CPC title

• H01Q1/38

  formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support {(patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface  H01Q15/142)} · CPC title

• H01Q3/26 Primary

  varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture ({H01Q3/12,} H01Q3/22, H01Q3/24 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01Q21/205

  providing an omnidirectional coverage (turnstile aerials H01Q21/26) · CPC title