Communication device
11605879 · 2023-03-14
Assignee
Inventors
Cpc classification
H01Q21/28
ELECTRICITY
H01Q5/307
ELECTRICITY
International classification
H01Q5/307
ELECTRICITY
H01Q21/28
ELECTRICITY
Abstract
A communication device for wireless communication includes a housing having a front dielectric cover, a back dielectric cover, a metal frame circumferentially arranged between the front dielectric cover and the back dielectric cover, and an aperture. The metal frame forms a first antenna that is configured to radiate in a first set of frequency bands. The communication device further includes a circuit arranged inside the housing. The circuit is electrically isolated from the metal frame and includes at least one first feed line coupled to the metal frame and configured to feed the first antenna with a first set of radio frequency signals in the first set of frequency bands. The communication device further includes a second antenna arranged inside the housing and configured to radiate in a second frequency band non-overlapping with the first frequency band.
Claims
1. A communication device comprising: a housing having an aperture, and comprising: a front dielectric cover; a back dielectric cover; and a metal frame circumferentially arranged between the front dielectric cover and the back dielectric cover; a first antenna formed by at least a portion of the metal frame, wherein the first antenna is configured to radiate in a first frequency band, and wherein the first frequency band is in a first interval from 400 megahertz (MHz) to 10 gigahertz (GHz); a second antenna arranged inside the housing; and a circuit arranged inside the housing, wherein the circuit comprises a first feed point coupled to the metal frame and configured to feed the first antenna, and a second feed point coupled to the second antenna and configured to feed the second antenna, wherein the second antenna is arranged in close proximity to the first antenna, wherein the second antenna comprises one or more radiating elements configured to radiate through the aperture, wherein the second antenna is configured to radiate in a second frequency band, and wherein the second frequency band is in a millimetre Wave frequency band.
2. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the aperture is positioned in the metal frame, and wherein an inner part of the metal frame extends inside the housing.
3. The communication device according to claim 1, further comprising a Printed Circuit Board (PCB), wherein the one or more radiating elements of the second antenna are arranged between the metal frame and the PCB, and wherein the circuit is arranged on the PCB.
4. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the second antenna is separated from the metal frame within 5 mm.
5. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the second antenna is arranged within 5 mm to the first antenna.
6. The communication device of claim 1, further comprising a first dielectric inside the housing and positioned between the metal frame and the second antenna.
7. The communication device of claim 1, further comprising a first dielectric arranged between the front dielectric cover and the one or more radiating elements, or between the back dielectric cover and the one or more radiating elements.
8. The communication device of claim 1, further comprising a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) of the second antenna, wherein the second feed point is connected to the RFIC of the second antenna, and wherein the RFIC is configured to feed the one or more radiating elements.
9. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the first frequency band is a cellular frequency band in a third second interval from 698 MHz to 5,800 MHz.
10. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the aperture comprises a plurality of slots arranged in a row.
11. The communication device of claim 8, wherein the one or more radiating elements and the RFIC are arranged on a monolithically integrated module connected to the circuit.
12. A communication device comprising: a housing having an aperture, and comprising: a front dielectric cover; a back dielectric cover; and a metal frame circumferentially arranged between the front dielectric cover and the back dielectric cover; a first antenna formed by at least a portion of the metal frame; a second antenna arranged inside the housing and separated from the metal frame, the second antenna is arranged in close proximity to the first antenna; and a circuit arranged inside the housing, wherein the circuit comprises a first feed point coupled to the metal frame and configured to feed the first antenna, and a second feed point coupled to the second antenna and configured to feed the second antenna, wherein the second antenna comprises one or more radiating elements positioned adjacent to the aperture, wherein the first antenna is configured to radiate in a first frequency band, wherein the first frequency band is in a first interval from 400 MHz to 10 GHz, wherein the second antenna is configured to radiate in a second frequency band, and wherein the second frequency band is in a millimetre Wave frequency band.
13. The communication device of claim 12, wherein the second antenna is separated from the metal frame within 5 mm.
14. The communication device of claim 12, wherein the aperture is configured in the metal frame, and wherein an inner part of the metal frame extends inside the housing.
15. The communication device of claim 12, wherein the first frequency band is a cellular frequency band in a second interval from 698 MHz to 5,800 MHz.
16. The communication device of claim 12, wherein the second antenna is arranged within 5 mm to the first antenna.
17. The communication device of claim 12, further comprising a first dielectric inside the housing and positioned between the metal frame and the second antenna.
18. The communication device of claim 12, wherein the aperture comprises a plurality of slots arranged in a row.
19. The communication device of claim 12, further comprising: a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) of the second antenna, wherein the second feed point is connected to the RFIC of the second antenna, and wherein the RFIC is configured to feed the one or more radiating elements; and a Printed Circuit Board (PCB), wherein the one or more radiating elements of the second antenna are arranged between the metal frame and the PCB, and wherein the circuit is arranged on the PCB.
20. The communication device of claim 19, wherein the one or more radiating elements of the second antenna and the RFIC are arranged on a monolithically integrated module connected to the circuit.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) The appended drawings are intended to clarify and explain different embodiments of the present invention, in which:
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
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(13) The metal frame 110 further forms a first antenna configured to radiate in a first set of frequency bands FB1. The communication device 100 further comprises a circuit 170 arranged inside the housing 102. The circuit 170 is electrically isolated from the metal frame 110 and comprises at least one first feed line 191; 192 coupled to the metal frame 110 and configured to feed the first antenna with a first set of radio frequency signals in the first set of frequency bands FB1. Therefore, the metal frame 110 is configured to emit radio frequency signals of the first set of frequency bands FB1.
(14) Furthermore, the communication device 100 comprises a second antenna 150 arranged inside the housing 102. The second antenna 150 comprises one or more radiating elements 330; 340 (shown in e.g.
(15) In embodiments of the communication device 100 according to the invention all frequency bands of the first set of frequency bands FB1 are non-overlapping with all frequency bands of the second set of frequency bands FB2. Hence, the first antenna and the second antenna 150 have no frequency bands in common and will radiate in different frequency bands. In one such embodiment, each frequency band of the first set of frequency bands FB1 is in the interval from 400 MHz to 10 GHz and each frequency band of the second set of frequency bands FB2 is in the interval from 10 GHz to 100 GHz. Therefore, the first antenna may support a first radio technology such as LTE whilst the second antenna 150 may support another radio technology, such as 5G new radio (NR). Also, other combinations of radio communication technologies are possible.
(16) The second antenna 150 may be arranged inside the housing 102 either separated from the metal frame 110 or fully or partially integrated with the metal frame 110, as shown in the two different embodiments in
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(18) The circuit 170 may be arranged on a PCB board 230 (shown in
(19) Feeding, grounding and impedance loading of the first antenna may be provided with one or more connection points 191; 192 arranged between the circuit 170 and the metal frame 110. The metal frame 110 is acting as emitter of the first antenna while the circuit 170 is acting as or does provide a ground for the first antenna. The first antenna may support N×N (where N is a positive integer) Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) transmissions operating at multiple cellular frequency bands, e.g. from 698 MHz to 5800 MHz. Such MIMO antenna may operate at overlapping frequency bands, enabling carrier aggregation support, e.g. in LTE and LTE advanced. In embodiments, the first antenna may include monopole antennas, slot antennas, inverted-F antennas, multi-feed antennas, T-shape antennas, antennas with capacitive or with inductive feeding, antennas with capacitive or with inductive impedance loading, antennas with tunable impedance loading and all their derivatives. The first antenna may further be configured to effectively radiate electromagnetic energy at multiple cellular frequency bands, e.g. from 698 MHz to 5800 MHz. The first antenna may further be configured to have mutual isolation better than 10 dB within said frequency bands and envelope correlation coefficient (ECC) which is less than 0.2.
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(21) The first dielectric 160 may be a composition of polyamides—glass fiber (GF), polycarbonate (PC)—GF, polycarbonate (PC)—acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT)—GF, or similar materials. The first dielectric 160 may be formed via nano-molding technology generally based on GF-reinforced compositions. Alternatively, the first dielectric 160 may be formed as injection molded part based on resins such as Polyphenylene ether (PPE), PC, Polypropylene (PP), Polyethylene (PE) and Polyphenylene sulphide (PPS).
(22) Properties of other parts of the communication device 100 shown in
(23) In the embodiment shown in
(24) In some embodiments, the aperture 120 is filled with a second dielectric 122 (shown in
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(26) In some embodiments, the first array of radiating elements 330 are end-fire radiating elements 330, e.g. waveguide antennas, slot antennas, monopole antennas, inverted-F antennas and their derivatives. Feeding of end-fire radiating elements 330 is provided using signal feedline vias 331, grounding is configured using multiple ground lines 332. The second array of radiating elements 340 are broadside radiating elements 340, e.g. single or dual-polarization patch antenna elements, stacked patches or their derivatives. Feeding of broadside radiating elements 340 is provided using signal feedline vias 341. Feedline vias are connection points to antenna elements, wherein the feedline vias are configured to match antenna impedance.
(27) The radiating elements 330;340 may be monolithically integrated within the second antenna 150 and the number of radiating elements 330;340 within the second antenna 150 is implementation dependent. Any specific number of end-fire radiating elements 330 or broadside radiating elements 340, as well as their respective allocation topology, are within the scope of the invention. The second antenna 150 may be fabricated using Printed Circuit Board (PCB), low temperature co-fired ceramics (LTCC) or any other monolithic multilayer technologies, utilizing any dielectric materials. Also, the circuit 170 may be fabricated using PCB, LTCC or any other monolithic multilayer technologies, utilizing appropriate materials.
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(30) The communication device 100 comprises dielectric parts and conductive parts which are configured to form the electromagnetic coupling of the second antenna 150 to the aperture 120 of the metal frame 110. The dielectric parts of the communication device 100 comprise e.g. the front dielectric cover 131 (e.g. front glass), the back dielectric cover 132 (e.g. back glass), the first dielectric 160 (e.g. insert molding parts), a dielectric filling 140 (e.g. plastic spacers), as well as ceramic inclusions and related dielectric parts. The conductive parts of the communication device 100 comprise, e.g. the circuit 170, the screen 180, metal frame 110, as well as PCB, shielding structures and mechanical metal structures and related conductive parts. The dielectric parts of the communication device 100, and the conductive parts of the communication device 100 are configured to support traveling wave propagation from antenna elements towards the free space. Thereby, reflections of electromagnetic waves at structure discontinuities are minimized hence providing better radiating characteristics. Direction of the energy flow is generally along the surface of the communication device 100, typically along the surface of the front dielectric cover 131 and/or the surface of the back dielectric cover 132. Thus, radiation pattern of the second antenna 150 is generally directed along the surface of the communication device 100.
(31) In some embodiments, the radiating elements 330; 340 of the second antenna 150 are configured as traveling wave antennas with phase velocity of the traveling wave v.sub.1. The traveling wave antennas may be either slow wave structures or fast wave structures.
(32) When slow wave structures of the traveling wave antennas are used, beamforming in second antenna 150 is configured to radiate along the communication device 100, sometimes called end-fire direction. Thus, the metal frame 110 structure, the dielectric parts of the communication device 100, and the conductive parts of the communication device 100 form a slow wave structure having phase velocity of the traveling wave equal to or less than the speed of light in free space, i.e.: v.sub.1/c<1; c=300,000 km/sec. Radiation into free space is performed at outer surfaces of the dielectric parts of the communication device 100, and the conductive parts of the communication device 100, i.e. at discontinuities, curvatures and nonuniformities of said parts. Therefore, frequency bands and beamforming properties are defined by geometrical parameters of the structures shown in
(33) When fast wave structures of the traveling wave antennas are used, beamforming in second antenna 150 is configured to radiate at an angle to the surface of the front dielectric cover 131 and/or the surface of the back dielectric cover 132 or generally perpendicular to the surface of the front dielectric cover 131 and/or the surface of the back dielectric cover 132, sometimes called broad-side directions. Thus, the metal frame 110 structure, the dielectric parts of the communication device 100, and the conductive parts of the communication device 100 form fast wave structures having phase velocity of the traveling wave higher than the speed of light in free space, i.e.: v.sub.1/c>1. The metal frame 110 structure, the dielectric parts of the communication device 100, and the conductive parts of the communication device 100 are configured so that the second antenna 150 is radiating electromagnetic waves into free space in small increments per unit length along the surface of the aperture 120 in the metal frame 110, the surface of the front dielectric cover 131, or the surface of the back dielectric cover 132. As the electromagnetic wave travels along the communication device 100 structures from the PCB-based coupling elements towards free-space, it leaks electromagnetic energy throughout the dielectric filled aperture 120. The beam radiation angle θ.sub.1 from normal direction is defined as sin θ.sub.1=v.sub.1/c, indicating the angle where the maximum of the major lobe occurs. Therefore, the frequency bands and beamforming properties are defined by dielectric properties of the metal frame 110 structures, the dielectric parts of the communication device 100, and the conductive parts of the communication device 100.
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(36) The second antenna 150 may be affixed in proximity to the aperture 120. In the embodiment shown in
(37) According to embodiments the circuit 170 may comprises a second feed line 241. The second feed line 241 may be connected to the RFIC 240 of the second antenna 150 and configured to feed the RFCI 240 with data, power and control signals. Furthermore, the second feed line 241 may also comprise a shielding connected to the metal frame 110, wherein the shielding is configured to ground the first antenna to a ground of the circuit 170. Hence, the second feed line 241 works as ground for the first antenna, as well as signal source for the second antenna 150. This embodiment provides minimum volume required for the first antenna and the second antenna 150. Antenna volume is effectively reused for radiation at all frequency bands, including the second set of frequency bands FB2.
(38) In some embodiments, the thickness of the metal frame 110 with the second antenna 150 is below 1.5 mm and the thickness of the second antenna 150 is below 1 mm.
(39) The communication device 100 according to the embodiment shown in
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(42) The radiating elements 330; 340 may be monolithically integrated within the second antenna 150 and the number of radiating elements 330; 340 within the second antenna 150 is implementation dependent. Any specific number of end-fire radiating elements 330 or broadside radiating elements 340, as well as their respective allocation topology, are within the scope of the invention.
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(44) The embodiment shown in
(45) Beamforming characteristics of the second antenna 150 is herein explained for the embodiments using dielectric structures for electromagnetic coupling of the second antenna 150 to the at least one aperture 120. End-fire radiating elements 330 are emitting electromagnetic energy towards the metal frame 110, and the aperture 120 is configured to effectively couple that electromagnetic energy into free space which leads to beamforming in the horizontal direction. Broadside radiating elements 340 are emitting electromagnetic energy towards the dielectric filling 140 under the back dielectric cover 132 and substantially beamforming in the vertical direction. Phase-adjustment for signals fed to end-fire radiating elements 330 relatively to signals fed to broadside radiating elements 340 results in beam tilting in the vertical plane for any arbitrary angle. Phase control for neighboring elements within the first array of end-fire radiating elements 330 and within the second array of broadside radiating elements 340 enables beam tilting in the horizontal plane (i.e. along the metal frame 110 line).
(46) Beamforming characteristics of the second antenna 150 is herein explained for the embodiments using conductive structures for electromagnetic coupling of the second antenna 150 to the at least one aperture 120. Beamforming of the second antenna 150 is performed by phase-control and switching of different antenna elements. End-fire radiating elements 330 are utilizing the contact surface 411 for electromagnetic coupling with the aperture 120 of the metal frame 110. In this case, beamforming is generally directed in the end-fire direction along the communication device 100. Broadside radiating elements 340, e.g. single or dual-polarization dipole antenna elements, slot antennas, waveguide antennas and their derivatives. Broadside radiating elements 340 are exciting currents on the metal frame 110 and adjacent metal parts, such as a screen, internal conductive structures and surfaces of related components. In this case, an air-filled gap between the PCB of the circuit 170 and the metal frame 110 form part of the beamforming structure of the communication device 100. In embodiments, the second array of broadside radiating elements 340 are located at each side of the second antenna 150, as shown in
(47) The communication device 100 herein may e.g. be denoted as a user device, a User Equipment (UE), a mobile station, an internet of things (IoT) device, a sensor device, a wireless terminal and/or a mobile terminal, is enabled to communicate wirelessly in a wireless communication system, sometimes also referred to as a cellular radio system. The UEs may further be referred to as mobile telephones, cellular telephones, computer tablets or laptops with wireless capability. The UEs in the present context may be, for example, portable, pocket-storable, hand-held, computer-comprised, or vehicle-mounted mobile devices, enabled to communicate voice and/or data, via the radio access network, with another entity, such as another receiver or a server. The UE can be a Station (STA), which is any device that contains an IEEE 802.11-conformant Media Access Control (MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY) interface to the Wireless Medium (WM). The communication device 100 may also be configured for communication in 3GPP related LTE and LTE-Advanced, in WiMAX and its evolution, and in fifth generation wireless technologies, such as New Radio.
(48) Moreover, it is realized by the skilled person that embodiments of the present communication device comprise the necessary communication capabilities in the form of e.g., functions, means, units, elements, etc., for performing the present solution. Examples of other such means, units, elements and functions are: processors, memory, buffers, control logic, encoders, decoders, rate matchers, de-rate matchers, mapping units, multipliers, decision units, selecting units, switches, interleavers, de-interleavers, modulators, demodulators, inputs, outputs, antennas, amplifiers, receiver units, transmitter units, DSPs, MSDs, TCM encoder, TCM decoder, power supply units, power feeders, communication interfaces, communication protocols, etc. which are suitably arranged together for performing the present solution.
(49) Especially, the processor(s) of the communication device 100 may comprise, e.g., one or more instances of a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a processing unit, a processing circuit, a processor, an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a microprocessor, or other processing logic that may interpret and execute instructions. The expression “processor” may thus represent a processing circuitry comprising a plurality of processing circuits, such as, e.g., any, some or all of the ones mentioned above. The processing circuitry may further perform data processing functions for inputting, outputting, and processing of data comprising data buffering and device control functions, such as call processing control, user interface control, or the like.
(50) Finally, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but also relates to and incorporates all embodiments within the scope of the appended independent claims.