Antenna structures for wireless communications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016351996-A1
Application number	US-201615014602-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 3, 2016
Priority date	May 26, 2015
Publication date	Dec 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices are described for wireless communication using the mmW spectrum. In particular, an antenna structure may be designed to integrate with an external housing of a wireless communication device. For example, the external housing may include a cavity that facilitates reception and/or transmission of radio frequency communication signals by an antenna element of the antenna structure. Such an antenna structure may be designed to be relatively compact to deal with the limited real estate available on modern wireless communication devices (e.g., cellular telephones).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A wireless communication device, comprising:
an external housing; a substrate supporting an antenna element and disposed adjacent an inner surface of the external housing; and a cavity formed in the external housing, the cavity aligned with the antenna element such that the antenna element receives and transmits radio frequency communication signals through the cavity during operation of the wireless communication device.

2 . The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the external housing comprises a metallic material.

3 . The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the external housing comprises a plastics material, further comprising:
a metallic material disposed on a wall of the at least one cavity.

4 . The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein a wall of the cavity is tapered to slope towards the antenna element.

5 . The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the cavity has a rectangular cross-section and defines a first pair of opposing walls that are tapered to slope towards the antenna element.

6 . The wireless communication device of claim 5 , wherein the cavity defines a second pair of opposing walls that are tapered to slope towards the antenna element.

7 . The wireless communication device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a dielectric material that fills the cavity.

8 . The wireless communication device of claim 7 , wherein the dielectric material comprises a plastics material.

9 . The wireless communication device of claim 1 , further comprising:
an auxiliary cavity formed in the substrate and aligned with the antenna element and the cavity.

10 . The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein:
the antenna element comprises a plurality of antenna elements of an antenna array; and the cavity comprises a corresponding plurality of cavities, each of the plurality of cavities aligned with one of the plurality of antenna elements.

11 . The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the external housing includes a first portion and a second portion, the cavity formed in the first portion of the external housing.

12 . The wireless communication device of claim 11 , wherein the first portion is insertable into the second portion to form the external housing.

13 . The wireless communication device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a layer of material on an exterior surface of the external housing, the layer of material covering the cavity formed in the external housing.

14 . The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the antenna element comprises a millimeter wavelength antenna element.

15 . A wireless communication device, comprising:
means for housing the wireless communication device; means for supporting an antenna element, the means for supporting disposed adjacent an inner surface of the means for housing; and a cavity formed in the means for housing, the cavity aligned with the antenna element such that the antenna element receives and transmits radio frequency communication signals through the cavity during operation of the wireless communication device.

16 . The wireless communication device of claim 15 , wherein the means for housing comprises a metallic material.

17 . The wireless communication device of claim 15 , wherein the housing comprises a plastics material, further comprising:
a metallic material disposed on a wall of the at least one cavity.

18 . The wireless communication device of claim 15 , wherein a wall of the cavity is tapered to slope towards the antenna element.

19 . The wireless communication device of claim 15 , wherein the cavity has a rectangular cross-section and defines a first pair of opposing walls that are tapered to slope towards the antenna element.

20 . The wireless communication device of claim 5 , wherein the cavity defines a second pair of opposing walls that are tapered to slope towards the antenna element.

21 . The wireless communication device of claim 15 , further comprising:
means for filling the cavity.

22 . The wireless communication device of claim 21 , wherein the means for filling comprises a plastics material.

23 . The wireless communication device of claim 15 , further comprising:
an auxiliary cavity formed in the substrate and aligned with the antenna element and the cavity.

24 . The wireless communication device of claim 15 , wherein:
the antenna element comprises a plurality of antenna elements of an antenna array; and the cavity comprises a corresponding plurality of cavities, each of the plurality of cavities aligned with one of the plurality of antenna elements.

25 . The wireless communication device of claim 15 , wherein the means for housing includes a first portion and a second portion, the cavity formed in the first portion of the means for housing.

26 . The wireless communication device of claim 11 , wherein the first portion is insertable into the second portion to form the means for housing.

27 . The wireless communication device of claim 15 , further comprising:
a layer of material on an exterior surface of the means for housing, the layer of material covering the cavity formed in the means for housing.

28 . The wireless communication device of claim 15 , wherein the antenna element comprises a millimeter wavelength antenna element.

29 . A method of fabricating a wireless communication device, comprising:
providing an external housing for the wireless communication device; forming a cavity in the external housing; and assembling a substrate supporting an antenna element to the external housing with the substrate disposed adjacent an inner surface of the external housing and the antenna element aligned with the cavity such that the antenna element receives and transmits radio frequency communication signals through the cavity during operation of the wireless communication device.

30 . The method of claim 29 , wherein:
providing the external housing comprises providing a first portion and a second portion; forming the cavity in the external housing comprises forming the cavity in the first portion; and assembling the substrate to the external housing comprises assembling the substrate to the first portion, further comprising: assembling the first portion and the second portion together to form the external housing.

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Ou Yu-Chin

Classifications

• H10W90/724

  between a chip and a stacked insulating package substrate, interposer or RDL · CPC title

• H10W44/248

  for antennas · CPC title

• H01Q13/02

  Waveguide horns · CPC title

• H01Q23/00 Primary

  Antennas with active circuits or circuit elements integrated within them or attached to them · CPC title

• H01Q21/065

  Patch antenna array · CPC title