Antenna device including antenna and substrate generated with non-opaque material

An antenna device includes a substrate, a feed line and an antenna. The substrate is formed with a non-opaque material. The feed line is disposed at the substrate and has a first terminal and a second terminal. The antenna is disposed at the substrate, electrically connected to the first terminal of the feed line, and is used to access a wireless signal. The second terminal of the feed line is electrically connected to a chip disposed on the substrate.

BACKGROUND

As the demand of wireless communications increases and the technology advances, the requirements related to antennas also grow. For example, a common application of wireless communications is related to portable devices.

A portable device often includes a display panel and a set of antenna(s). The size and weight of a portable device are usually limited, and it is difficult to reduce the overall volume of the device after the antenna and the display panel are installed together.

In addition, since the position of the antenna is difficult to be adjusted on the device, it becomes a hard task to improve the antenna (radiation) pattern.

A solution for reducing the size of the device without affecting the transceiver ability and deteriorating the antenna performance is in need in the field.

SUMMARY

An embodiment provides an antenna device including a substrate, a feed line and an antenna. The substrate is generated with a non-opaque material. The feed line is disposed at the substrate and has a first terminal and a second terminal. The antenna is disposed at the substrate, electrically connected to the first terminal of the feed line, and used to access a wireless signal. The second terminal of the feed line is electrically connected to a chip disposed on the substrate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In order to reduce the whole volume of the device, improve the flexibility of disposing the antenna(s) and avoid deteriorating transceiving performance, embodiments may provide antenna devices as followings. In the text, when an element A (hereinafter A) is described to be disposed at an element B (hereinafter B), it means A may be disposed on the surface of B or be embedded inside B. When A is described to be disposed on B, it means A may be disposed on the surface of B. When A is described to be disposed in B, it means A may be embedded inside B. In the text, when an element or material is described to be non-opaque, it means the element or material can be transparent or translucent.

FIG. 1illustrates an antenna device100according to an embodiment. The antenna device100may include a substrate110, a feed line120and an antenna130. The substrate110is generated with a non-opaque material. The feed line120is disposed on the substrate110and has a first terminal and a second terminal. The antenna130is disposed on the substrate110, electrically connected to the first terminal of the feed line120, and used to access a wireless signal S1. The wireless signal S1has a wavelength less than 100 millimeters. In other words, the wireless signal S1can be used for millimeter wave (mmWave) communications such as the Fifth Generation (5G) communications. The second terminal of the feed line120is electrically connected to a chip180disposed on the substrate110. InFIG. 1, the chip180includes a die181and a plurality of solder balls182; and this is merely an example instead of limiting the scope of the embodiment. The chip180is used to process the wireless signal S1.

As shown inFIG. 1, the chip180and the feed line120are disposed on the same face of the substrate110. In other words, the feed line120can be formed on the surface of the substrate110so as to integrate the antenna130, the substrate110and the chip180.

The number of antenna(s) of the antenna device100can be one or more. For example, as shown inFIG. 1, there can be another antenna135electrically connected to the chip180through the feed line120or another feed line. The couplings and functions of the antenna135and the antenna130may be similar, so it is not repeatedly described.

FIG. 2illustrates an antenna device200according to another embodiment. The similar portions of the antenna devices100and200are not repeatedly described. However, inFIG. 2, the substrate110has a first layer111and a second layer112. The feed line120is disposed between the first layer111and the second layer112; in other words, the feed line120can be embedded in the substrate110. As shown inFIG. 2, the antenna device200can include conductive vias121and122. The conductive via121can be formed in the first layer111and coupled between the antenna130and the first terminal of the feed line120. The conductive via122can be formed in the first layer111and coupled between the chip180and the second terminal of the feed line120. As shown inFIG. 2, the chip180may include a substrate183between the die181and the solder balls182to fan out and route the conductive paths between the die181and the solder balls182. As shown inFIG. 2, the chip180and the antenna130are disposed on the same side SD1of the substrate110.

FIG. 3illustrates an antenna device300according to another embodiment. The antenna devices200and300may be similar; however, the antenna device300may further include a feed line320and antennas330and335. As shown inFIG. 3, the chip180is disposed on a side SD1of the substrate110. The antenna330is disposed on a side SD2of the substrate110. The feed line320is disposed in the substrate110between the side SD1and the side SD2. The side SD1is opposite to the side SD2. For example, the sides SD1and SD2may be an upper side and a lower side.

As shown inFIG. 3, the antennas130and135may be regarded as a first group G1, and the antennas330and335may be regarded as a second group G2. The chip180may be used to process signals accessed by a plurality of groups of antennas. InFIG. 3, the two groups G1and G2of antennas are disposed on two different sides; however, according to embodiments, different groups of antennas electrically connected to the chip180may be disposed on the same side of the substrate110.

InFIG. 3, the first group G1including antennas130and135may access wireless signals related to a first radiation direction, the second group G2including antennas330and335may access wireless signals related to a second radiation direction, and the first radiation direction can be different from the second radiation direction. In other words, the groups G1and G2may be regarded as two different antenna systems having different radiation patterns and are used for accessing wireless signals of different radiation directions.

Take antennas130and135inFIG. 3as an example, like the antenna130, the antenna135can be coupled to the chip180via a feed line125. For example, the antennas130and135can form an antenna array to access the same wireless signal. In another example, the antennas130and135can access different wireless signals, and each of the signals may have a wavelength less than 100 millimeters. According to another embodiment, two antennas of one antenna array can be coupled to the chip180via the same feed line, and the feed line can be disposed on the substrate110or in the substrate110.

FIG. 4illustrates an antenna device400according to another embodiment. The similarities of the antenna devices400and200are not repeatedly described. As shown inFIG. 4, the chip180is disposed on the side SD1of the substrate110, and the antenna130is disposed on the side SD2of the substrate110. The sides SD1and SD2are opposite to one another. The feed line120is disposed in the substrate110and perpendicular to the side SD1and the side SD2.

FIG. 5illustrates an antenna device500according to another embodiment. The antenna devices400and500may be similar. However, in the antenna device500, the substrate110may have a first layer110and a second layer120, and the antenna130is disposed between the first layer111and the second layer120. Like the antenna130, the antenna135can also be embedded inside the substrate110. In other words, the antennas130and135can be embedded inside the substrate110. The feed line120can be disposed in the substrate110.

FIG. 6illustrates an antenna device600according to another embodiment. As shown inFIG. 5, the chip180is disposed on the side SD1of the substrate110. The antenna device600has antennas132,134,130and135, where the antennas132and134are of a group, and the antennas130and135are of another group. The antennas130and135can be disposed on the side SD2of the substrate110, and the sides SD1and SD2can share a common edge. For example, when the substrate110is a part of a glass screen of a mobile device, the configuration shown inFIG. 6may improve the flexibility of disposing antennas and assembling the components.

As inFIG. 3, inFIG. 6, the antennas132and134may form a group corresponding to a first antenna pattern and are used to access wireless signals of a first radiation direction; and the antennas130and135may form another group corresponding to a second antenna pattern and are used to access wireless signals of a second radiation direction.

FIG. 7illustrates an antenna device700according to another embodiment. Compared to the antenna devices mentioned above, the antenna device700may further include conductive elements710and720. The conductive element710can be disposed on a side SD72of the substrate110. The conductive element720can be disposed inside the substrate110. Each of the conductive elements710and720can be used to reflect the wireless signal S1for improving efficiency of accessing the wireless signal S1. The chip180can be disposed on another side SD71of the substrate110. InFIG. 7, the sides SD71and SD72are opposite to one another; however, this is merely an example instead of limiting the scope of the embodiment. For example, the sides SD71and SD72may share an edge according to obtained antenna performance.FIG. 7merely provides an example, it is allowed to only use the conductive element710, only use the conductive element720or use both of the conductive elements710and720according to embodiments. Each of the conductive elements710and720may be a plate or a strip. For example, the conductive elements710and720and the antenna130inFIG. 7may form a structure similar to a Yagi antenna.

FIG. 8illustrates two antenna devices810and820disposed on a non-opaque element830according to an embodiment. Each of the antenna devices810and820may have features of one of the antenna devices described inFIG. 1toFIG. 7. As shown inFIG. 8, each of the antenna devices810and820can be disposed on a corner of the non-opaque element830. The non-opaque element830may be a part of a display, a liquid crystal display module (LCM) or a non-opaque back cover.

For example, when a user holds a mobile phone by hand, the configuration shown inFIG. 8can avoid the hand from blocking the signals. The performance of accessing the signals can be kept.

InFIG. 8, the non-opaque element830may include the substrate110mentioned inFIG. 1toFIG. 7. In other words, for example, each of the antenna shown inFIG. 1toFIG. 7may be disposed on a corner of the substrate110from a top view.

Regarding the antenna device810, a chip, a set of antenna(s) and a set of feed wire(s) may be disposed at a corner (e.g. an upper-left corner) of the substrate110. Regarding the antenna device820, another chip, another set of antenna(s) and another set of feed wire(s) may be disposed at another corner (e.g. a lower-right corner) of the substrate110. In other words, the antennas of the antenna devices810and820can be disposed at the same substrate110to be integrated with the same non-opaque element830.

FIG. 9illustrates an antenna device900according to another embodiment. The antenna device900may be similar to the antenna device100shown inFIG. 1; however, a coating layer910can be formed to cover the antenna130and is used to improve efficiency of accessing the wireless signal S1. The coating layer910may be formed with a meta-material or an electromagnetic band-gap (EBG) material. On a top view, the antenna130is disposed in an area, where the area may be fully coated with the material (e.g. the meta-material) of the coating layer910, or the coating layer910may form a pattern of array in the area. For example, the coating layer910may be used to improve the radiation pattern or the antenna gain.

FIG. 10illustrates an antenna device1000according to another embodiment. The antenna device1000may be similar to the antenna device900ofFIG. 9; however, in the antenna device1000, the coating layer910is disposed in the substrate110. As shown inFIG. 10, the substrate110can include a first layer111and a second layer112. The coating layer910can be formed between the layers111and112, and be used to improve efficiency of accessing the wireless signal S1. In this case, the coating layer910may overlap the antenna130in a projection direction.

According to embodiments, the coating layer covering the substrate110and the antenna130and another coating layer embedded inside the substrate110can be used alone or together.

FIG. 11illustrates an antenna device1100according to another embodiment. The antenna device1100may be similar to the antenna device100inFIG. 1; however, the positions of the antenna can be different. As shown inFIG. 11, the substrate110has a side SD1, a side SD2opposite to the side SD1, and a side SD3having a common edge with the side SD1and another common edge with the side SD2. The chip180can be disposed on the side SD1. The antennas130and135can be disposed on the side SD2. As shown inFIG. 11, the feed line120can include a first section on the side SD1, a second section on the side SD3and a third section on the side SD2.

InFIG. 1toFIG. 11, according to embodiments, the non-opaque material of the substrate110can have a dielectric constant between 3 and 4. The non-opaque material can have a loss tangent less than a predetermined value.

InFIG. 1toFIG. 11, according to embodiments, the non-opaque material of the substrate110may include glass, copper clad laminate and/or liquid crystal polymer (LCP) to be integrated with a (conductive) feed line and an antenna, and be integrated with a display and/or a non-opaque back cover.

According to embodiments, inFIG. 1toFIG. 11, the chip180can be bonded onto the substrate110with a plurality of solder balls182of the chip180. A plurality of conductive interfaces can be formed on the substrate110for the solder balls182to be bonded and electrically connected to the feed line(s) coupled to the antenna(s).

In summary, by means of the antenna devices provided by embodiments, the antennas and feed lines can be better integrated with a non-opaque substrate. The flexibility of disposing antenna(s) and feed line(s) can be improved. The whole volume of the system can be reduced, and the antenna performance can be enhanced. The antenna radiation coverage can be increased. A solution is provided to solve the problems of the field.