Reconfigurable antenna systems with ground tuning pads

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018337458-A1
Application number	US-201815982155-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 17, 2018
Priority date	May 18, 2017
Publication date	Nov 22, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

Reconfigurable antenna systems with ground tuning pads are provided herein. In certain configurations, an antenna system includes a module substrate including a ground plane and a ground tuning pad configured to receive a ground voltage from the ground plane. The antenna system further includes an antenna element and a tuning conductor that is spaced apart from the antenna element and operable to load the antenna element. Furthermore, a switch is electrically connected between the tuning conductor and the ground tuning pad, and operates to selectively connect the tuning conductor to the ground plane by way of the ground tuning pad to provide tuning to the antenna element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An antenna system comprising:
a first antenna element; a first tuning conductor spaced apart from the first antenna element and operable to load the first antenna element; a first ground tuning pad configured to receive a ground voltage; and a first switch electrically connected between the first tuning conductor and the first ground tuning pad, the first switch operable to selectively connect the first tuning conductor to the ground voltage by way of the first ground tuning pad to thereby tune the first antenna element.

2 . The antenna system of claim 1 wherein a state of the first switch is operable to tune a bandwidth of the first antenna element.

3 . The antenna system of claim 1 wherein the first ground tuning pad includes a plurality of metal regions of different widths, the plurality of metal regions having an impedance that modifies a resonant frequency of the first antenna element when the first switch is closed.

4 . The antenna system of claim 1 further comprising a second ground tuning pad configured to receive the ground voltage, a second tuning conductor adjacent to and spaced apart from the first antenna element and operable to load the first antenna element, and a second switch electrically connected between the second tuning conductor and the second ground tuning pad.

5 . The antenna system of claim 4 wherein the first tuning conductor and the second tuning conductor are positioned along different sides of the first antenna element.

6 . The antenna system of claim 1 further comprising a second antenna element, the first tuning conductor spaced apart from the second antenna element and operable to load the second antenna element.

7 . The antenna system of claim 1 further comprising a second antenna element, a second ground tuning pad configured to receive the ground voltage, and a second switch electrically connected between the second tuning conductor and the second ground tuning pad, the second tuning conductor spaced apart from the second antenna element and operable to load the second antenna element.

8 . The antenna system of claim 1 wherein the first switch is operable to ground the first tuning conductor in a first state and to electrically float the first tuning conductor in a second state.

9 . The antenna system of claim 1 wherein the first antenna element is a patch antenna, a dipolar antenna, a ceramic resonator, a stamped metal antenna, or a laser direct structuring antenna.

10 . The antenna system of claim 1 wherein the first ground tuning pad and the first switch are integrated on a module substrate.

11 . The antenna system of claim 10 wherein the module substrate includes at least one conductive layer including a ground plane, the first ground tuning pad configured to receive the ground voltage from the ground plane.

12 . The antenna system of claim 10 wherein the first antenna element and the first tuning conductor are integrated on the module substrate.

13 . The antenna system of claim 10 wherein the first antenna element and the first tuning conductor are integrated on a glass substrate that is coupled to the module substrate.

14 . A radio frequency module comprising:
a module substrate including a ground plane; a ground tuning pad configured to receive a ground voltage from the ground plane; a via in the module substrate, the via configured to couple to a tuning conductor that loads an antenna element; and a switch electrically connected between the via and the ground tuning pad, the switch operable to selectively connect the via to the ground plane by way of the ground tuning pad to thereby tune the antenna element.

15 . The radio frequency module of claim 14 wherein the ground tuning pad and the ground plane are formed on a common conductive layer of the module substrate.

16 . The radio frequency module of claim 14 wherein the ground tuning pad includes a plurality of metal regions of different widths, the plurality of metal regions having an impedance that modifies a resonant frequency of the antenna element when the switch is closed.

17 . The radio frequency module of claim 14 wherein the antenna element and the tuning conductor are implemented on a common conductive layer of the module substrate.

18 . The radio frequency module of claim 14 wherein a state of the switch is operable to tune a bandwidth of the antenna element.

19 . A mobile device comprising:
a power amplifier configured to generate a radio frequency transmit signal; an antenna element including a signal feed configured to receive the radio frequency transmit signal; a tuning conductor spaced apart from the antenna element and operable to load the antenna element; a ground tuning pad configured to receive a ground voltage; and a switch electrically connected between the tuning conductor and the ground tuning pad, the switch operable to selectively connect the tuning conductor to the ground voltage by way of the ground tuning pad to thereby tune the antenna element.

20 . The mobile device of claim 19 wherein a state of the switch is operable to tune a bandwidth of the antenna element.

Assignees

• Skyworks Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Rodríguez René
• Hoang Dinhphuoc Vu
• Modi Hardik Bhupendra

Classifications

• H05K1/165

  incorporating printed inductors · CPC title

• H01Q9/0442 Primary

  with particular tuning means · CPC title

• H01Q9/30 Primary

  with feed to end of elongated active element, e.g. unipole (H01Q9/44 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H05K2201/1003

  Non-printed inductor · CPC title

• H01Q9/28

  Conical, cylindrical, cage, strip, gauze, or like elements having an extended radiating surface; Elements comprising two conical surfaces having collinear axes and adjacent apices and fed by two-conductor transmission lines (waveguide horns or mouths H01Q13/00; slot antennas H01Q13/00) · CPC title