Abstract:
A consumer electronic device having distributed form factor millimeter wave receiver and transmitter comprising a first motherboard part including a baseband module; a second motherboard part including a receive (RX) active antenna, wherein the RX active antenna is connected to the baseband module using a pair of cables; and a third motherboard part including a transmit (TX) active antenna, wherein the TX active antenna is connected to the baseband module using a pair of cables.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation application of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/536,941, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,509,709. The Ser. No. 12/536,941 application claims the benefit of US provisional application No. 61/086,924 filed on Aug. 7, 2008, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to transmitting and receiving millimeter wave signals. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    The 60 GHz band is an unlicensed band which features a large amount of bandwidth and a large worldwide overlap. The large bandwidth means that a very high volume of information can be transmitted wirelessly. As a result, multiple applications, that require transmission of a large amount of data, can be developed to allow wireless communication around the 60 GHz band. Examples for such applications include, but are not limited to, wireless high definition TV (HDTV), wireless docking station, wireless Gigabit Ethernet, and many others. 
         [0004]    In order to facilitate such applications there is a need to develop integrated circuits (ICs), such as amplifiers, mixers, radio frequency (RF) analog circuits, and active antennas that operate in the 60 GHz frequency range. Such circuits should be fabricated and packaged as a single IC (chip) that can be assembled on a printed circuit board (PCB). The size of the package may range from several to a few hundred square millimeters. In addition, there is a need to solve problems resulting from the current assembly of electronic devices, such as laptop computers in order to enable efficient transmission and reception of millimeter wave signals. 
         [0005]    A prime example for such a problem is illustrated in  FIG. 1 , which shows a typical assembly of a laptop computer  100  having radio transmission capabilities. A motherboard  110  of the computer  100  includes a RF module  120  that receives and transmits RF signals through a receive antenna  130  and a transmit antenna  140 , which are located in the lid  150 . Signals from the RF module  120  to antennas  130  and  140  are transferred over wires  160 . The motherboard  110  is assembled in the base part of the computer  110 , which is relatively cooler than the lid  150 , therefore the RF module  120  is installed therein. 
         [0006]    The form factor of the assembly illustrated in  FIG. 1  cannot be adapted to enable the integration of 60 GHz communication applications in consumer electronics products, primarily because transferring high frequency signals over the wires  160  significantly attenuate the signals. Increasing the power of the signals at the RF module  120  would require designing complex and expensive RF circuits of the module  120 . Thus, such assembly is not feasible for commercial uses in consumer electronics products of 60 GHz communication applications. 
         [0007]    It would be therefore advantageous to provide a solution for assembling a computing device having a form factor suitable for use in at least the 60 GHz band. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0008]    Certain embodiments disclosed herein include a distributed form factor millimeter wave radio apparatus. The apparatus comprises a first motherboard part including a baseband module, wherein the first motherboard part is mounted on a first plane of a portable computing device; a second motherboard part including a first millimeter wave radio module configured to receive (RX) and transmit (TX) millimeter wave signals; and a third motherboard part including a second millimeter wave radio module configured to receive (RX) and transmit (TX) millimeter wave signals, wherein each of the second motherboard part and the third motherboard part is mounted on a second plane of the portable computing device which is distributed from the first plane, wherein the second motherboard part is connected to the baseband module through a first cable, and the third motherboard part is connected to the baseband module through a second cable, wherein each of the first and second cables is coupled at each of its ends to a resistor-capacitor (RC) network. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    The subject matter that is regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a typical assembly of a laptop computer having radio transmission capabilities. 
           [0011]      FIGS. 2A and 2B  are schematic diagrams of a laptop computer assembled in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating the interface between a baseband module and an active antenna as implemented in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0013]    The embodiments disclosed by the invention are only examples of the many possible advantageous uses and implementations of the innovative teachings presented herein. In general, statements made in the specification of the present application do not necessarily limit any of the various claimed inventions. Moreover, some statements may apply to some inventive features but not to others. In general, unless otherwise indicated, singular elements may be in plural and vice versa with no loss of generality. In the drawings, like numerals refer to like parts through several views. 
         [0014]    Certain embodiments of the invention comprise a distributed form factor of a motherboard and active antennas that enables the efficient transmission and reception of signals in at least the 60 GHz band. A form factor of a motherboard typically determines the specifications for its general shape and size. It also specifies what type of case and power supply will be supported, the placement of mounting holes, and the physical layout and organization of the board. 
         [0015]    A schematic diagram of a laptop computer  200  assembled in accordance with the teachings of an embodiment of the invention is shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B . In accordance with an embodiment of the invention the form factor of a motherboard is spread between the base  202  and lid planes  205  of a laptop computer  200 . Specifically, the motherboard consists of three parts  210 - 1 ,  210 - 2  and  210 - 3  which receptively include a baseband module  220 , a receiver (RX) active antenna  230 , and a transmitter (TX) active antenna  240 . As shown in  FIG. 2B , the part  210 - 1  is in the base plane  202  of the computer  200  and parts  210 - 2  and  210 - 3  are in the lid plane  205 . In one embodiment of the invention the RX and TX antennas are of the same type and only one antenna is used for reception and transmission of signals. 
         [0016]    Referring back to  FIG. 2A , two cables  250 - 1  and  250 - 2  are utilized to transfer signals from and to the baseband module  220  and the active antennas  230  and  240 . These signals include power, control, baseband, and local oscillator source (LO). The baseband signals transferred to each of the active antennas  230  and  240  include two I and Q signals having the same frequency but shifted in phase. Thus, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention five signals are transferred from the baseband module  220  to each of the active antennas  230  and  240 . It should be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that the baseband and LO signals are characterized as low frequency and low power radio signals. For example, the baseband signals are in the range of approximately 900 MHz, while the LO signal is in the range of 7-8 GHz. In certain embodiments of the invention, the I and Q baseband signals are replaced with intermediate frequency (IF) signals. 
         [0017]    The RX active antenna  230  integrates an antenna  231  and an RF circuit  232  mounted on the motherboard part  210 - 3 . The antenna  231  receives high frequency (e.g., 60 GHz) signals, which are down converted, by the RF circuit  232 , to I and Q baseband signals using the LOs. The control signals control the RF circuit  232 . Similarly, the TX active antenna  240  includes an RF circuit  242  for at least up converting I and Q baseband signals using the LOs to high frequency signals which are transmitted through an antenna  241 . It would be appreciated that only low frequency signals are transferred between the lid plane  205  and the base plane  202 , therefore the attenuation of these signals is significantly less than of high frequency signals. Thus, the RX and TX active antennas  230  and  240  do not need to compensate on gain losses. In other embodiments of the invention, the RF circuits  232  and  242  are integrated in a single chip that performs tasks mentioned above. 
         [0018]    In accordance with certain embodiments for practicing the invention, a cable  250 - 1  or  250 - 2  comprises a pair of coax cables for transferring five signals.  FIG. 3  shows an exemplary diagram illustrating the interface between the baseband module  220  and the TX active antenna  240 . The I-baseband, control and power signals are simultaneously transferred over a coax cable  310 , while the Q-baseband, control and LO signals are carried over a coax cable  320 . The signals are combined and separated by means of frequency diplexers  330  and the RC networks  340 . The frequency signals are combined by using diplexers  330  while the DC power and control signals are combined by means of the RC networks  340 . Other analog devices, such as Ferrites and inductors may also be utilized for this purpose. 
         [0019]    A diplexer  330  is a passive device that implements frequency domain multiplexing. Input signals are multiplexed onto an output signal. The input signals occupy disjoint frequency bands can coexist on the output signal without interfering with each other. For analog signal the diplexer  330  can de-multiplex an input signal to output signals (e.g., I-baseband, control signals and LO signals or Q-baseband, control, and power signals). A similar interface is implemented between the baseband module  220  and the RX active antenna  230 . 
         [0020]    It is important to note that these embodiments are only examples of the many advantageous uses of the innovative teachings herein. Specifically, the innovative teachings disclosed herein can be adapted in any type of consumer electronic devices where reception and transmission of millimeter wave signals is needed. Moreover, some statements may apply to some inventive features but not to others. In general, unless otherwise indicated, it is to be understood that singular elements may be in plural and vice versa with no loss of generality. 
         [0021]    All examples and conditional language recited herein are intended for pedagogical purposes to aid the reader in understanding the principles of the invention and the concepts contributed by the inventor to furthering the art, and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions. Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles, aspects, and embodiments of the invention, as well as specific examples thereof, are intended to encompass both structural and functional equivalents thereof. Additionally, it is intended that such equivalents include both currently known equivalents as well as equivalents developed in the future, i.e., any elements developed that perform the same function, regardless of structure.