TRANSMISSION LINE FOR RADIOFREQUENCY RANGE CURRENT

Abstract

A transmission line for transmitting radiofrequency range current between a first conductive element and a second conductive element, the transmission line comprising a signal current line and at least one return current line, the signal current line and the return current line(s) extending in parallel. Each current line comprises at least one first segment and at least one second segment. Each first segment is partially aligned with at least one adjacent second segment, aligned segments being separated by a first dielectric gap, and each aligned first segment and second segment forming a capacitive coupling across the first dielectric gap. This solution enables a transmission line which provides only small capacitive loading onto its surroundings, and which therefore can extend, e.g., through an antenna element without significantly affecting the performance of the antenna element.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. An electronic device comprising: a first conductive element and a second conductive element separated by a non-conductive volume; a first antenna and a second antenna configured at least partially within the non-conductive volume and/or the second conductive element; a first transmission line connecting the first conductive element to the first antenna across the non-conductive volume; and a second transmission line connecting the first conductive element to the second antenna across the non-conductive volume, wherein the second transmission line comprises: a signal current line; and at least one return current line; wherein the signal current line and the return current line(s) extend in parallel; wherein each of the signal current line and the return current line(s) comprises at least one first segment and at least one second segment, wherein each first segment is partially aligned with at least one adjacent second segment; wherein a respective first segment and a respective second segment are separated by a first dielectric gap and form a capacitive coupling across the first dielectric gap.

17. The electronic device according to claim 16, wherein the first segment(s) and the second segment(s) are arranged in a first plane, wherein each first segment partially overlaps with at least one adjacent second segment, and wherein two segments which are aligned and overlapping are separated by the first dielectric gap in a first direction within the first plane.

18. The electronic device according to claim 17, wherein each overlap between a respective first segment and a respective second segment generates an electromagnetic coupling enabling transmission above 10 GHz frequencies, and wherein electromagnetic isolation is provided between the respective first segment and the respective second segment below 10 GHz frequencies.

19. The electronic device according to claim 16, wherein each first segment and each second segment has a longitudinal extension of λ/16 to 3*λ/4, wherein λ is a wavelength within the radiofrequency range.

20. The electronic device according to claim 16, wherein the first segment(s) further extend in a second plane and the second segment(s) further extend in a third plane, wherein the second plane is parallel with the third plane, and wherein the second plane and the third plane are perpendicular to the first plane.

21. The electronic device according to claim 20, wherein each first segment is separated from an adjacent first segment by a second dielectric gap in a first direction within the second plane, and each second segment is separated from an adjacent second segment by a second dielectric gap in a first direction within the third plane.

22. The electronic device according to claim 20, wherein the first segment(s) of the signal current line and the first segment(s) of the return current line(s) extend in parallel in the second plane, and the second segment(s) of the signal current line and the second segment(s) of the return current line(s) extend in parallel in the third plane.

23. The electronic device according to claim 16, wherein the second transmission line has only one signal current line and one return current line.

24. The electronic device according to claim 16, wherein each of the signal current line and the return current line(s) has only one first segment and one second segment, wherein the respective first segment is additionally separated from the respective second segment by a third dielectric gap in a second direction within the first plane, and wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction.

25. The electronic device according to claim 16, wherein the second transmission line comprises one signal current line and two return current lines, wherein the signal current line extends between the two return current lines.

26. The electronic device according to claim 16, wherein the signal current line and the return current line(s) are connected by the first conductive element and the second conductive element, wherein a transmission line gap extends between the first conductive element and the second conductive element, wherein the transmission line gap divides the second transmission line into a first transmission line part and a second transmission line part, and wherein the first conductive element and the second conductive element form an inductive coupling between the first transmission line part and the second transmission line part.

27. The electronic device according to claim 16, further comprising: a display; wherein the first conductive element is a device chassis or a printed circuit board; wherein the second conductive element is a metal frame; wherein the display and the metal frame at least partially surround the device chassis and the printed circuit board; and wherein radiofrequency radiation generated by the first antenna and the second antenna is transmitted through a dielectric gap separating the display and the metal frame.

28. The electronic device according to claim 16, wherein the first antenna is a sub-6-GHz antenna.

29. The electronic device according to claim 16, wherein the second antenna is a millimeter-wave antenna, and wherein a millimeter-wave antenna module is arranged between the first conductive element and the second conductive element.

30. The electronic device according to claim 16, wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are configured at least partially within the second conductive element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] In the following detailed portion of the present disclosure, exemplary aspects, embodiments and implementations will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawings, in which:

[0029] FIG. 1a shows a schematic cross-sectional illustration of an electronic device in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0030] FIG. 1b shows a schematic top view of the embodiment of FIG. 1a;

[0031] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the planes of an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0032] FIG. 3a shows a perspective view of a transmission line in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0033] FIG. 3b shows a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 3a;

[0034] FIG. 3c shows a top view of a part of the embodiment of FIGS. 3a-3b;

[0035] FIG. 3d shows a top view of a further part of the embodiment of FIGS. 3a-3b;

[0036] FIG. 4a shows a perspective view of a transmission line in accordance with a further embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0037] FIG. 4b shows a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 4a;

[0038] FIG. 4c shows a top view of a part of the embodiment of FIGS. 4a-4b;

[0039] FIG. 4d shows a top view of a further part of the embodiment of FIGS. 4a-4b;

[0040] FIG. 5a shows a perspective view of a transmission line in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0041] FIG. 5b shows a top view of a part of the embodiment of FIG. 5a;

[0042] FIG. 6a shows a circuit model of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 3a-3d and 5a-5b;

[0043] FIG. 6b shows a circuit model of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4a-4d;

[0044] FIG. 6c shows a circuit model comprising a transmission line in accordance with a further embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0045] FIG. 7 shows dimensions of the embodiment of FIGS. 3a-3d.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] FIGS. 1a-1b shows an electronic device 14 comprising a display 19, a first conductive element 2, a second conductive element 3, a first antenna 16, and a second antenna 17. The first conductive element 2 may be a device chassis 2a or a printed circuit board (PCB) 2b, and the second conductive element 3 may be a metal frame. The display 19 and the metal frame 3 may at least partially surround the device chassis 2a and the printed circuit board 2b. Radiofrequency radiation generated by the first antenna 16 and the second antenna 17 may be transmitted through a dielectric gap 20 separating the display 19 and the metal frame 3.

[0047] The first conductive element 2 and the second conductive element 3 are separated by a non-conductive volume 15, the first antenna 16 and the second antenna 17 are configured at least partially within the non-conductive volume 15 and/or the second conductive element 3. A first transmission line 18 connects the first conductive element 2 to the first antenna 16 across the non-conductive volume 15, and at least one second transmission line 1, described in more detail further below, connects the first conductive element 2 to the second antenna 17 across the non-conductive volume 15. Each second transmission line 1 introduces a parasitic capacitive load below 0.2 pF to a space formed by the non-conductive volume 15.

[0048] In one embodiment, the first antenna 16 is a sub6-GHz antenna, and hence the first transmission line 18 is a sub6-GHz feed. In a further embodiment, the second antenna 17 is at least one millimeter-wave antenna. A plurality of second antennas 17 may form an antenna array. A millimeter-wave antenna module 21 may be arranged between the first conductive element 2 and the second conductive element 3.

[0049] The above-mentioned transmission line 1 is adapted for transmitting radiofrequency range current between the first conductive element 2 and the second conductive element 3. The transmission line 1, shown in FIGS. 3a-6, comprises a signal current line 4 and at least one return current line 5, the signal current line 4 and the return current lines 5 extending in parallel. The transmission line 1 introduces a very low capacitive load to the first antenna 16 which enables feeding the second antenna 17, the millimeter-wave antenna, without degrading the performance of the first antenna 16, the sub6-GHz antenna, allowing both antennas to coexist within the same space.

[0050] Both the signal current line 4 and the return current line 5 comprises at least one first segment 6 and at least one second segment 7, arranged such that each first segment 6 is partially aligned with at least one adjacent second segment 7, and such that aligned segments are separated by a first dielectric gap 8. Each aligned first segment 6 and second segment 7 forms a capacitive coupling across the first dielectric gap 8. The return current line 5 is part of the ground used for the second antenna 17. Conventionally, return current line 5 are not provided with dielectric gaps since such an interruption in current is undesired due to it generating unintentional radiation which reduced the efficiency of the element comprising the return current line 5. However, in the present solution, such radiation forms part of the radiofrequency radiation generated by the first antenna 16 and the second antenna 17.

[0051] The first segments 6 and the second segments 7 may be arranged in a first plane P1, the planes referred to below being best shown in FIG. 2. Each first segment 6 partially overlaps at least one adjacent second segment 7, such that aligned and overlapping segments are separated by the first dielectric gap 8 in a first direction P1a within the first plane P1. Each overlap between a first segment 6 and a second segment 7 may generate an electromagnetic coupling enabling transmission above 10 GHz frequencies and which generates electromagnetic isolation, between the first segment 6 and the second segment 7, below 10 GHz. This is achieved by minimizing the common mode capacitance of the transmission line 1, which is done introducing series capacitances<0.05 pF, i.e. dielectric gaps, to the transmission line 1. The above-mentioned millimeter-wave antenna 17 array may have 4 to 8 transmission lines, in which case the parasitic capacitance of each transmission line should be below 0.1 pF to 0.2 pF.

[0052] In one embodiment, each first segment 6 and each second segment 7 has a longitudinal extension, with lengths optimized to compensate for the series capacitances within the pass band. In one embodiment, the lengths are between λ/16 and 3*λ/4, λ being a wavelength within the radiofrequency range of the millimeter-wave antenna 17. The series capacitances are compensated by the comparatively short dimensions of the first segments 6 and the second segments 7. In some embodiments, the operating frequency range of the millimeter-wave antenna 17 is within the 24 GHz to 70 GHz range. For example, the longitudinal extension of each first segment 6 and each second segment 7 may be 0.5 mm to 2 mm for the frequency bands 24 GHz to 29.5 GHz.

[0053] The first segments 6 may further extend in a second plane P2 and the second segments 7 may further extend in a third plane P3, the second plane P2 being parallel with the third plane P3, and the second plane P2 and the third plane P3 being perpendicular to the first plane P1.

[0054] In some embodiments, each first segment 6a is separated from an adjacent first segment 6b by a second dielectric gap 9a in a first direction P2a within the second plane P2, and each second segment 7a is separated from an adjacent second segment 7b by a second dielectric gap 9b in a first direction P3a within the third plane P3.

[0055] The first segments 6 of the signal current line 4 and the first segments 6 of the return current lines 5 may extend in parallel in the second plane P2, and the second segments 7 of the signal current line 4 and the second segments 7 of the return current lines 5 may extend in parallel in the third plane P3, as shown in FIGS. 3a-3d and 4a-4d.

[0056] FIG. 7 indicates approximate dimensions for the different elements of the transmission line 1 shown in FIGS. 3a-3d, which dimensions are explained in more detail in the table below.

TABLE-US-00001 Dimension Length Description M1 <λ/4 Short inductive transmission line compensates for the introduced capacitance. M2 ~λ/8-λ/50 Coupled segments between transmission lines will affect the capacitive loading introduced and will define the insertion loss at mm-wave frequencies. M3 ~λ/4 Distance between coupled segments in different planes will determine the capacitive loading introduced and will define the insertion loss at mm-wave frequencies. M4 ~λ/4 Inductive sections period. M5 — Width of each line. Defines the differential mode impedance and common mode capacitance. M6 — Distance between the lines. Defines differential mode impedance.

[0057] As shown in FIGS. 3a-3d and 5a-5b, the transmission line 1 may be a balanced transmission line 1 without a ground plane, comprising one signal current line 4 and one return current line 5. FIGS. 3a-3d show an embodiment where both current lines 4, 5 extend in both planes P2 and P3, which planes are arranged in parallel. FIGS. 5a-5b show an embodiment where the current lines 4, 5 extend in one plane P1 each, the two planes P1 extending in parallel.

[0058] As shown in FIGS. 5a-5b, each current line 4, 5 may comprise one first segment 6 and one second segment 7, the first segment 6 being additionally separated from the second segment 7 by a third dielectric gap 10 in a second direction P1b within the first plane P1, the second direction P1b being perpendicular to the first direction P1a. Such an embodiment may be a so-called n-stage inter-digital capacitor.

[0059] In one embodiment, shown in FIGS. 4a-4d, the transmission line 1 comprises one signal current line 4 and two return current lines 5, the signal current line 4 extending between the two return current lines 5. The arrangement may be symmetrical, but is not balanced. This embodiment may be a so-called coplanar waveguide transmission line (CPW).

[0060] FIGS. 6a-6c show circuit model of the different embodiments, all models comprising, except for the elements indicated by reference numerals, a ground, a stripline, and at least one balun. FIG. 6a shows a circuit model of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3a-3d and 5a-5b, and FIG. 6b shows a circuit model of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4a-4d.

[0061] FIG. 6c shows a further embodiment wherein the signal current line 4 and the return current line 5 are connected by a first conductive structure 11 and a second conductive structure 12. A transmission line gap 13 extends between the first conductive structure 11 and the second conductive structure 12, such that the transmission line gap 13 divides the transmission line 1 into a first transmission line part 1a and a second transmission line part 1b. The first conductive structure 11 and the second conductive structure 12 together form an inductive coupling between the first transmission line part 1a and the second transmission line part 1b. Both the signal current line 4 and return current line 5 include reactive matching segments, configured for impedance matching of the lines with the conductive structures and reduction of the return loss within the frequency pass band. The reactive matching segments are implemented as planar or interdigital capacitors.

[0062] Various aspects and implementations have been described in conjunction with various embodiments herein. However, other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed subject-matter, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. In the claims, the word “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measured cannot be used to advantage.

[0063] Reference signs used in the claims shall not be construed as limiting the scope.