Communication device and a method in a communication device

Abstract

A communication device comprising: a millimetre wave antenna arrangement comprising a distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating element and a corresponding fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating element; a Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit; wherein the fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating element is arranged together with the Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit on a first substrate; wherein the distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating element is arranged on at least one second substrate spaced apart from the first substrate; and a switching arrangement configured to selectively connect either the fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating element to the Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit or the distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating element to the Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit. An associated method in a communication device, and an associated computer program product.

Claims

1. A communication device, comprising: a millimetre wave antenna arrangement comprising a distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating element and a fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating element; a Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit; a flexible transmission line; a first substrate, wherein the first substrate is a rigid substrate, the fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating element and the Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit are fixed on the first substrate; a second substrate, spaced apart from the first substrate, the second substrate is connected directly to the first substrate by the flexible transmission line, wherein the distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating element is fixed on the second substrate; a switching arrangement configured to selectively connect the fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating element to the Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit or the distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating element to the Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit, and the switching arrangement is configured to selectively connect the distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating element to the Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit by the flexible transmission line; and a housing, comprises a front, a back cover and a surrounding frame which mounts the back cover to the front, wherein the millimetre wave antenna arrangement, the Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit, the first substrate, the second substrate, the flexible transmission line and the switching arrangement are arranged in the housing.

2. The communication device according to claim 1, further comprising: a main Printed Circuit Board arranged in the housing, wherein a processing unit comprising a baseband processor is fixed on the main Printed Circuit Board.

3. The communication device according to claim 2, wherein the main Printed Circuit Board is spaced apart from the first substrate and the second substrate.

4. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the communication device further comprises: a plurality of flexible transmission lines including the flexible transmission line; and a plurality of second substrates including the second substrate; and wherein the millimetre wave antenna arrangement comprises, a plurality of distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating elements including the distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating element; a plurality of corresponding fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating elements including the fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating element; and wherein the plurality of second substrates are spaced apart from one another, and each second substrate is provided with at least one distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating element of the plurality of distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating elements, and each second substrate is connected with the first substrate by one flexible transmission line of the plurality of flexible transmission lines.

5. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating element is connected to the switching arrangement by the flexible transmission line.

6. The communication device according to claim 4, wherein the switching arrangement comprises a plurality of switches, wherein each switch is configured to connect a distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating element to the Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit while disconnecting a fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating element from the Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit, and wherein each switch is configured to disconnect a distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating element from the Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit while connecting a fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating element to the Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit.

7. The communication device according to claim 6, wherein the Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit comprises a plurality of Radio Frequency channels, and wherein each Radio Frequency channel is connected to a switch of the switching arrangement.

8. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the switching arrangement is fixed on the first substrate.

9. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the communication device comprises a plurality of Radio Frequency Integrated Circuits and a plurality of modules including a first module arranged in the housing, each module of the plurality of modules comprising a millimetre wave antenna arrangement, a Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit and a switching arrangement, wherein the second substrate of the first module is arranged adjacent to the surrounding frame.

10. The communication device according to claim 2, wherein the processing unit is configured to control the switching arrangement to connect a distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating element and disconnect a fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating element when a change of a user scenario is detected.

11. The communication device according to claim 10, wherein the change of the user scenario is the blocking of the fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating element by the user's hand or body.

12. The communication device according to claim 10, wherein the change of the user scenario is the change of an orientation of the fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating element in relation to a base station antenna to which the communication device connects.

13. A method for a communication device, comprising: connecting a fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating element to a Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit, wherein the fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating element and the Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit are fixed on a first substrate, wherein the first substrate is a rigid substrate; detecting a change of a user scenario; disconnecting the fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating element from the Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit and connecting a distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating element to the Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit, the distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating element is fixed on a second substrate spaced apart from the first substrate, wherein the second substrate is connected directly to the first substrate by a flexible transmission line, and the distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating element is configured to be connected to the Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit by the flexible transmission line, wherein the fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating element, the distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating element, the Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit, the first substrate, the second substrate, the flexible transmission line and the switching arrangement are arranged in a housing of the communication device, and wherein the housing comprises a front, a back cover and a surrounding frame which mounts the back cover to the front.

14. A computer program product comprising computer-executable program instructions that are stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, wherein the program instructions, when executed by a computer or a processing unit, cause the computer or the processing unit to perform the operation comprising: connecting a fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating element to a Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit, wherein the fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating element and the Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit are fixed on a first substrate, wherein the first substrate is a rigid substrate; detecting a change of a user scenario; disconnecting the fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating element from the Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit and connecting a distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating element to the Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit, the distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating element is fixed on a second substrate spaced apart from the first substrate, wherein the second substrate is connected directly to the first substrate by a flexible transmission line, and the distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating element is configured to be connected to the Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit by the flexible transmission line, wherein the fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating element, the distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating element, the Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit, the first substrate, the second substrate, the flexible transmission line and the switching arrangement are arranged in a housing of the computer, and wherein the housing comprises a front, a back cover and a surrounding frame which mounts the back cover to the front.

15. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the second substrate is not configured with any integrated circuits, and the flexible transmission line is configured to transmit radio frequency signal between the Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit on the first substrate and the distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating element on the second substrate.

16. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein, when the fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating element is connected to the Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit, the distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating element is not connected to the Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit; and when the distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating element is connected to the Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit, the fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating element is not connected to the Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit.

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein the second substrate is not configured with any integrated circuits, and the flexible transmission line is configured to transmit radio frequency signal between the Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit on the first substrate and the distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating element on the second substrate.

18. The computer program product according to claim 14, wherein the second substrate is not configured with any integrated circuits, and the flexible transmission line is configured to transmit radio frequency signal between the Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit on the first substrate and the distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating element on the second substrate.

19. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating element and the Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit are fixed on opposite sides of the first substrate, wherein at least part of the fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating element is fixed directly opposite the Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit.

20. The method according to claim 13, wherein the fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating element and the Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit are fixed on opposite sides of the first substrate, wherein at least part of the fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating element is fixed directly opposite the Radio Frequency Integrated 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:

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention with the communication device housing excluded;

(3) FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of an embodiment of the communication device according an embodiment of to the present invention;

(4) FIG. 3 is schematic illustration of an embodiment of the communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

(5) FIGS. 4a-4c are schematic block diagrams illustrating an embodiment of the communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

(6) FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating aspects of the method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) The communication device 102, 202, 302 herein disclosed may be denoted as a user device, a User Equipment (UE), a mobile station, an internet of things (lIT) device, a sensor device, a wireless terminal and/or a mobile terminal, enabled to communicate wirelessly in a wireless communication system, sometimes also referred to as a cellular radio system and especially a LTE or New Radio (NR/5G) radio system. The UEs may further be referred to as mobile telephones or cellular telephones with wireless capability. The UEs in the present context are for example portable, pocket-storable, hand-held, computer-comprised enabled to communicate voice and/or data, via the radio access network, with another entity, such as another receiver or a server.

(8) FIG. 1 schematically illustrates aspects of the communication device 102. The communication device 102 includes a millimetre wave antenna arrangement 104. The millimetre wave antenna arrangement 104 includes three distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating elements 106, 108, 110 and three corresponding fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating elements 112, 114, 116. However, the millimetre wave antenna arrangement could also include only one distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating element and only one fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating element. The number of distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating elements and fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating elements can be chosen in dependence on the desired application. The communication device further comprises a Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit, RFIC, 118. The fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating elements 112, 114, 116 are arranged together with the RFIC 118 on a first substrate 120. In this embodiment the RFIC 118 and the fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating elements 112, 114, 116 are arranged on opposite sides of the common first substrate 120. Two of the distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating elements 106, 108 are arranged on a second substrate 122 spaced apart from the first substrate 120. The third distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating element 110 is arranged on another second substrate 124 spaced apart from the first substrate 118 and the second substrate 122. The first substrate 120 and the second substrate 122 are rigid, whereas the other second substrate 124 is a flexible substrate, e.g. a Flexible Printed Circuit, FPC. The second substrate 122 may be connected to the first substrate 120 by means of a flexible transmission line 121, e.g. an Intermediate Frequency, IF, cable. Further, the communication device 102 includes a switching arrangement 126 configured to selectively connect either the fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating element 112, 114, 116 to the RFIC 118 or the distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating element 106, 108, 110 to the RFIC 118. Each substrate 120, 122 may be a dielectric substrate. In this embodiment, the switching arrangement 126 is arranged on the first substrate 120.

(9) With reference to FIG. 2, the communication device 202 further comprises a housing 204. The housing 204 accommodates the millimetre wave antenna arrangement 206, the RFIC 207, the switching arrangement 212 and a processing unit 214, wherein the RFIC 207 is connected to the processing unit 214 via a cable 215, e.g. an IF cable. The communication device 202 comprises at least one module. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the communication device 202 comprises two modules 216, 218. Each module 216, 218 includes a millimetre wave antenna arrangement 206, an RFIC 207 and a switching arrangement 212. The processing unit 214 may comprise a baseband processor (not shown) on a main Printed Circuit Board, PCB 220. The processing unit 214 is configured to control the switching arrangement 212 of each module 216, 218 to connect a distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating element 226 and disconnect a fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating element 234 when a change of a user scenario is detected and vice versa. The change of the user scenario may be the blocking of the fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating element 234 by the user's hand or body. However, the change of the user scenario may also be the change of the orientation of the fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating element 234 in relation to a base station antenna to which the communication device 202 connects. In the example of FIG. 2, each millimetre wave antenna arrangement 206 comprises four distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating elements 226, 228, 230, 232 and four corresponding fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating elements 234, 236, 238, 240. The fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating elements 234, 236, 238, 240 are provided on the first substrate. The distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating elements 226, 228, 230, 232 are provided on at least one second substrate. The main PCB 220 is separated from the first and second modules 216, 218, and thus also separated from first substrate and the second substrates.

(10) With reference to FIG. 3, an example of the arrangement of the modules including distributed and fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating element is schematically illustrated. The housing 304 of the communication device 302 comprises a front 306, a back cover (not shown) and a surrounding frame 308 which mounts the back cover to the front 306. The surrounding frame 308 has four corners 310, 312, 314, 316. The first substrate 318 of a first module 320 is located at a first corner 310 whereas the two second substrates 322, 324 of the first module 320 are spaced apart from the first corner 310, but are connected, e.g. by an FPC, to the first substrate 318. The first substrate 326 of a second module 328 is located at a second corner 314, whereas the two second substrates 330, 332 of the second module 328 are spaced apart from the second corner 314, but are connected to the first substrate 326 of the second module 328, e.g. by an FPC. The second substrates 322, 324, 330, 332 of the first and second modules 320, 328 are arranged adjacent to the surrounding frame 308, and can be placed on either the display side/front 306 or on the backside of the communication device 302. The first substrate 326 of the second module 328 is located at a corner 314 diagonally opposite the first corner 310. Each second substrate 322, 324, 330, 332 includes a plurality of distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating elements. Each first substrate 318, 326 includes at least one RFIC and a plurality of fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating elements. It is to be understood that other locations of the modules are possible. The first substrates of the first module and the second module, respectively, may e.g. be placed in two adjacent corners of the communication device. Placing the first substrate of a module close to a side or a corner is advantageous because of a lower risk of blockage of the antenna elements by the user's hands or head.

(11) FIGS. 4a-4c schematically illustrate the switching in an embodiment of the communication device. The switching arrangement 402 comprises a plurality of switches 403, 404, 405, 406. Each switch 403, 404, 405, 406 is configured to connect a corresponding distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating element 412, 414, 416, 418 of the millimetre wave antenna arrangement 419 to the RFIC 408 while disconnecting a corresponding fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating element 422, 424, 426, 428 of the millimetre wave antenna arrangement 419 from the RFIC 408. Vice versa, each switch 403, 404, 405, 406 is configured to disconnect a corresponding distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating element 412, 414, 416, 418 from the RFIC 408 while connecting a corresponding fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating element 422, 424, 426, 428 to the RFIC 408. Hence, for each pair of fixed and distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating element a corresponding switch is provided.

(12) With reference to FIG. 4a, all four fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating elements 422, 424, 426, 428 are connected to the RFIC 408, whereas all four distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating element 412, 414, 416, 418 are disconnected from the RFIC 408. This can be considered as a starting point of a switching scenario sequence, when the user has the communication device in his pocket and is called up. The user grabs the communication device with his right hand to answer the call and then holds the communication device next to his head.

(13) When the user is talking into the communication device, the processing unit 214 receives information that two fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating elements 422, 424 are blocked. The two fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating elements 422, 424 may be blocked by the user's head or hand. Thus, the processing unit 214 controls the switching arrangement 402 to disconnect said fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating elements 422, 424 from the RFIC 408 and instead to connect two distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating element 412, 414 to the RFIC 408. This scenario is shown in FIG. 4b, where two fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating elements 426, 428 are still connected to the RFIC 408, and two distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating elements 416, 418 are still disconnected from the RFIC 408.

(14) When the user ends the conversation and hangs up, he grabs the communication device with his both hands to watch a video or read something on the screen of the communication device. The processing unit 214 receives information that the two fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating elements 426, 428, which still are connected, are blocked. The two fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating elements 426, 428 may be blocked by the user's hands. Thus, the processing unit 214 controls the switching arrangement 402 to disconnect said remaining fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating elements 426, 428 from the RFIC 408 and instead to connect two distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating element 416, 418 to the RFIC 408. This scenario is shown in FIG. 4c, where all four fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating elements 422, 424, 426, 428 now are disconnected from the RFIC 408, whereas all four distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating element 412, 414, 416, 418 are connected to the RFIC 408. It is to be understood that alternative switching scenarios and alternative millimetre wave antenna arrangements are possible. With reference to FIG. 4c, the RFIC 408 may comprise a plurality of Radio Frequency, RF, channels 430, 432, 434, 436. Each RF channel 430, 432, 434, 436 is connected to a switch 403, 404, 405, 406 of the switching arrangement 402.

(15) With reference to FIGS. 4a-4c, the millimetre wave antenna arrangement may, e.g., comprise fewer or more fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating elements compared to FIGS. 4a-4c. The millimetre wave antenna arrangement may comprise fewer or more distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating elements compared to FIGS. 4a-4c. The number of switches of the switching arrangement 402 can be chosen accordingly.

(16) With reference to FIG. 5, a schematic diagram illustrates aspects of the method according to the invention. The method in the communication device comprises the operations of:

(17) Connecting, 501, a fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating element which is arranged on the same substrate as a RFIC to the RFIC;

(18) Detecting, 502, a change of a user scenario (which can be a scenario disclosed above);

(19) Disconnecting, 503, the fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating element from the RFIC and connecting, 504, a corresponding distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating element which is arranged on a seperate substrate as the RFIC to the RFIC.

(20) Provided is also at least one computer program product directly loadable into the internal memory of at least one digital computer or processing unit, comprising software code portions for performing the operations of the above-mentioned method when the product is/are run on the computer or processing unit.

(21) It is to be understood that the millimetre wave antenna arrangement may include a plurality of distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating elements including the distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating element. It is to be understood that the millimetre wave antenna arrangement may include a plurality of corresponding fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating elements including the fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating element. It is to be understood that the millimetre wave antenna arrangement may include a plurality of second substrates including the at least one second substrate, the second substrates being spaced apart from one another. Each second substrate may be provided with at least one distributed millimetre wave antenna radiating element.

(22) The fixed millimetre wave antenna radiating elements may be have a broadside radiation pattern and/or an end-fire radiation pattern.

(23) Each of the above-mentioned antenna radiating elements may e.g. be a patch antenna, a printed antenna, a dipole antenna or a slot antenna etc. Different mixtures of the mentioned antenna versions, and others, are possible.

(24) The features of the different embodiments of the communication device, method and the at least one computer program disclosed above may be combined in various possible ways providing further advantageous embodiments.

(25) 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.