Waveguide device, communication module, method of producing waveguide device and electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9270004-B2
Application number	US-201213984135-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 7, 2012
Priority date	Feb 18, 2011
Publication date	Feb 23, 2016
Grant date	Feb 23, 2016

Abstract

An electronic device includes a central control unit and a waveguide device. The waveguide device includes a high-frequency signal waveguide for transmitting a high-frequency signal emitted from a communication module having a communication function, and an attachment/detachment unit capable of attaching/detaching the communication module so that coupling between the high-frequency signal waveguide and the high-frequency signal is possible. The communication module includes a communication device and a transfer structure configured to cause the high-frequency signal emitted from the communication device to be transferred to the high-frequency signal waveguide of the waveguide device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A waveguide device comprising:
a high-frequency signal waveguide comprised of one or more transmission paths configured to guide one or more high-frequency communications signals;
wall units on a surface of the waveguide device that define one or more channels at the surface of the waveguide device, the one or more transmissions paths being within the one or more channels;
an attachment/detachment unit at an end of at least one transmission path, the attachment/detachment unit removably receiving therein a module that emits one or more of the communications signals so that the module is coupled to the waveguide when received in the attachment/detachment unit, the attachment/detachment made of the wall units that define a recessed receptacle region at the surface of the waveguide device within which receptacle region the module is received; and
a controller that controls operation of the waveguide device by recognizing a type of the module and controlling transmission of data in accordance with the type of the module.

2. A waveguide device comprising:
a high-frequency signal waveguide comprised of one or more transmission paths configured to guide one or more high-frequency communications signals;
an attachment/detachment unit at an end of at least one transmission path, the attachment/detachment unit removably receiving therein a module that emits one or more of the communications signals so that the module is coupled to the waveguide when received in the attachment/detachment unit, the attachment/detachment made of wall units that define a recessed receptacle region within which the module is received; and
a control unit configured to recognize a type of the module coupled to the high-frequency signal waveguide, and to control data transmission according to the type of the module.

3. The waveguide device according to claim 2 , comprising a plurality of attachment/detachment units wherein the attachment/detachment units are provided at a plurality of positions along the waveguide.

4. The waveguide device according to claim 2 , wherein:
the waveguide includes a plurality of transmission paths; and
each transmission path ends at the attachment/detachment unit.

5. The waveguide device according to claim 4 , wherein transmission paths do not come in contact with each other at the attachment/detachment unit.

6. The waveguide device according to claim 2 , wherein the waveguide includes a plurality of transmission paths at least two of which end at the attachment/detachment unit with a gap therebetween so as to be decoupled from each other.

7. The waveguide device according to claim 6 , further comprising a relay module that relays at least one of the one or more communication signals, which relay module is provided in the attachment/detachment unit in which the high-frequency signal waveguide is decoupled.

8. The waveguide device according to claim 2 , wherein the high-frequency signal waveguide includes a plurality of independent transmission paths.

9. The waveguide device according to claim 8 , wherein some of the transmission paths are provided in parallel.

10. The waveguide device according to claim 8 , wherein:
the plurality of independent transmission paths are provided in members laminated together.

11. The waveguide device according to claim 10 , wherein:
the members constituting the plurality of independent transmission paths have different permittivities, a wall layer of permittivity different from any of the permittivities is arranged between members constituting adjacent transmission paths, and an opening is provided in a part of the wall layer, or
the members constituting the plurality of independent transmission paths have different permeabilities, a wall layer of permeability different from any of the permeabilities is arranged between members constituting adjacent transmission paths, and an opening is provided in a part of the wall layer.

12. The waveguide device according to claim 2 , wherein waveguide has a predetermined planar shape or a three-dimensional shape.

13. The waveguide device according to claim 12 , wherein a basic shape constituting the planar shape or the three-dimensional shape is a regular triangle, a regular square, or a regular hexagon.

14. The waveguide device according to claim 2 , wherein the module is powered wirelessly.

15. The waveguide device according to claim 2 , wherein the control unit is configured to sense where the module is positioned along the high-frequency signal waveguide.

16. The waveguide device according to claim 2 , wherein the control unit is configured to sense whether the module has been positioned on the high-frequency signal waveguide.

17. An electronic device comprising:
a high-frequency signal waveguide comprised of one or more transmission paths configured to guide one or more high-frequency communications signals;
an attachment/detachment unit at an end of at least one transmission path, the attachment/detachment unit removably receiving therein a module that emits one or more of the communications signals so that the module is coupled to the waveguide when received in the attachment/detachment unit, the attachment/detachment made of wall units that define a recessed receptacle region at a surface of the waveguide device within which receptacle region the module is received; and
a control unit configured to recognize a type of the module coupled to the high-frequency signal waveguide, and to control data transmission according to the type of the module.

Assignees

• Ohashi Sho
• Komori Kenji
• Takeda Takahiro
• Sony Corp

Inventors

• Ohashi Sho
• Komori Kenji
• Takeda Takahiro

Classifications

• Y10T29/49016

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• H01P5/107 Primary

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• H01P5/00 Primary

  Coupling devices of the waveguide type · CPC title

• H01P11/001

  Manufacturing waveguides or transmission lines of the waveguide type · CPC title

• H01P1/047 Primary

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