Patent Description:
A common type of an antenna array used in a user equipment today for ultra-high frequency (UHF) wireless communications, such as 3rd Generation Partnership Project Long-Term Evolution (3GPP LTE) wireless communications that transmit signals at frequencies ranging from <NUM> megahertz (MHz) to <NUM>, is a patch array module. Implementing the patch array module into the user equipment introduces performance and design issues to the user equipment. As an example, construction of the patch array module may limit the use of materials such as metal, chemically strengthened glass, or ceramics due to high signal-penetration losses. As another example, space limitations may require that a transceiver of the user equipment is located remotely from the patch array module. Separating the transceiver from the patch array module in such a fashion can lead to losses in signal fidelity or amplitude for a signal propagating between the transceiver and the patch array module. Signal interference scenarios may also require a design that incorporates multiple patch array modules at multiple positions throughout the user equipment. For example, a user equipment can mitigate signal blockage resulting from a hand, body, walls, foliage, or other obstruction by switching amongst multiple patch array modules, beamforming using one or more of the multiple patch array modules, or a combination thereof. However, and in addition to exacerbating the aforementioned design challenges, the use of multiple patch array modules increases manufacturing costs and consumes valuable space of the user equipment.

In general, the aforementioned performance and design issues render patch array modules undesirable for antennas that may transmit and receive mm-wave signals. For <NUM> NR wireless communications, improvements in antenna technologies are needed.

<CIT> relates to a mounting module, an antenna apparatus, and a method of manufacturing a mounting module.

<CIT> relates to network hardware devices organized in a Wireless mesh network (WMN) in which the network hardware devices cooperate in distribution of content files to client consumption devices in an environment of limited connectivity to broadband Internet infrastructure.

<CIT> relates to a microwave antenna coupling apparatus forming an eWLB package.

<CIT> relates to systems and methods for distributed phased array multiple input multiple output (DPA-MIMO) communications.

<CIT> relates to a circuit element mounting portion provided on a dielectric substrate configured so as to mount a high-frequency integrated circuit element, and including a ground land and a plurality of high-frequency signal lands.

<CIT> relates to antenna package structures to implement wireless communications packages.

The present disclosure describes one or more aspects of surface-cell patch antenna arrays integrated into an electromagnetic-transparent metallic (ETM) surface of a user equipment (UE). Such a surface may include decorative features in a housing of the user equipment.

In some aspects of the present invention, a user equipment is described in claim <NUM>.

In other aspects not forming part of the present invention, a structure is described. The structure includes a surface-cell patch antenna that is formed at an outer surface of a housing that has a substrate formed from a dielectric material. The structure includes a vertical-polarization signal feed post that is electrically coupled to the surface-cell patch antenna and passes through the dielectric material to an inner surface of the housing, where the inner surface of the housing is opposite the outer surface of the housing and is parallel to the outer surface of the housing. The structure further includes a horizontal-polarization signal feed post that is electrically coupled to the surface-cell patch antenna and passes through the dielectric material to the inner surface of the housing. A transceiver module, including a transceiver device and a flexible printed circuit board, is disposed proximate an inner surface of the housing. The flexible printed circuit board includes a trace that electrically couples the vertical-polarization signal feed post to a vertical-polarization signal output of the transceiver device and another trace that electrically couples the horizontal-polarization signal feed post a horizontal-polarization signal output of the transceiver device.

In other aspects of the present invention, a method performed by a user equipment is described in claim <NUM>.

The details of one or more implementations are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the following description. This summary is provided to introduce subject matter that is further described in the Detailed Description and Drawings. Accordingly, a reader should not consider the summary to describe essential features nor limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

This document describes details of one or more aspects of surface-cell patch antenna arrays integrated into an electromagnetic-transparent metallic surface that is used as part of a user equipment housing. The use of the same reference numbers in different instances in the description and the figures may indicate like elements:.

The present disclosure describes one or more aspects of surface-cell patch antenna arrays integrated into an electromagnetic-transparent metallic surface that is used as part of a user equipment housing. As part of integration, surface-cell patch antennas are formed from surface-cells that are part of an electromagnetic-transparent metallic surface proximate an outer surface of the housing. The surface-cell patch antennas, in turn, form a surface-cell patch antenna array. A transceiver module, disposed proximate an inner surface of the user equipment housing, includes a transceiver device and a flexible printed circuit board having traces that electrically couple the transceiver device to the surface-cell patch antenna array. The described aspects alleviate manufacturing and design challenges that are associated with use of patch array modules.

While features and concepts of the described systems and methods for such antenna arrays can be implemented in any number of different environments, systems, devices, and/or various configurations, aspects are described in the context of the following example devices, systems, and configurations.

<FIG> illustrates an example operating environment <NUM> in which various aspects of surface-cell patch antenna arrays integrated into an electromagnetic-transparent metallic surface can be implemented. The operating environment <NUM> includes multiple UE <NUM> (UE <NUM>), illustrated as UE <NUM>, UE <NUM>, and UE <NUM>. Each UE <NUM> can communicate with base stations <NUM> (illustrated as base stations <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM>) through one or more wireless communication links <NUM> (wireless link <NUM>), illustrated as wireless links <NUM> and <NUM>. For simplicity, the UE <NUM> is illustrated as a smartphone but may be implemented as any suitable computing or electronic device, such as a mobile communication device, modem, cellular phone, gaming device, navigation device, media device, laptop computer, desktop computer, tablet computer, smart appliance, vehicle-based communication system, or an Internet-of Things (IoT) device such as a sensor or an actuator. The base stations <NUM> (e.g., an Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network Node B, E-UTRAN Node B, evolved Node B, eNodeB, eNB, Next Generation Node B, gNode B, gNB, ng-eNB, or the like) may be implemented in a macrocell, microcell, small cell, picocell, or the like, or any combination thereof.

The base stations <NUM> communicate with the UE <NUM> using the wireless links <NUM> and <NUM>, which may be implemented as any suitable type of wireless link. The wireless links <NUM> and <NUM> include control and data communication, such as downlink of data and control information communicated from the base stations <NUM> to the UE <NUM>, uplink of other data and control information communicated from the UE <NUM> to the base stations <NUM>, or both. The wireless links <NUM> may include one or more wireless links (e.g., radio links) or bearers implemented using any suitable communication protocol or standard, or combination of communication protocols or standards, such as 3rd Generation Partnership Project Long-Term Evolution (3GPP LTE), Fifth Generation New Radio (<NUM> NR), and so forth. Multiple wireless links <NUM> may be aggregated in a carrier aggregation to provide a higher data rate for the UE <NUM>. Multiple wireless links <NUM> from multiple base stations <NUM> may be configured for Coordinated Multipoint (CoMP) communication with the UE <NUM>.

The base stations <NUM> are collectively a Radio Access Network <NUM> (e.g., RAN, Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network, E-UTRAN, <NUM> NR RAN or NR RAN). The RANs <NUM> are illustrated as an NR RAN <NUM> and an E-UTRAN <NUM>. The base stations <NUM> and <NUM> in the NR RAN <NUM> are connected to a Fifth Generation Core <NUM> (5GC <NUM>) network. The base stations <NUM> and <NUM> in the E-UTRAN <NUM> are connected to an Evolved Packet Core <NUM> (EPC <NUM>). Optionally or additionally, the base station <NUM> may connect to both the 5GC <NUM> and EPC <NUM> networks.

The base stations <NUM> and <NUM> connect, at <NUM> and <NUM> respectively, to the 5GC <NUM> through an NG2 interface for control-plane signaling and using an NG3 interface for user-plane data communications. The base stations <NUM> and <NUM> connect, at <NUM> and <NUM> respectively, to the EPC <NUM> using an S1 interface for control-plane signaling and user-plane data communications. Optionally or additionally, if the base station <NUM> connects to the 5GC <NUM> and EPC <NUM> networks, the base station <NUM> connects to the 5GC <NUM> using an NG2 interface for control-plane signaling and through an NG3 interface for user-plane data communications, at <NUM>.

In addition to connections to core networks, the base stations <NUM> may communicate with each other. For example, the base stations <NUM> and <NUM> communicate through an Xn interface at <NUM>, the base stations <NUM> and <NUM> communicate through an Xn interface at <NUM>, and the base stations <NUM> and <NUM> communicate through an X2 interface at <NUM>.

The 5GC <NUM> includes an Access and Mobility Management Function <NUM> (AMF <NUM>), which provides control-plane functions, such as registration and authentication of multiple UE <NUM>, authorization, and mobility management in the <NUM> NR network. The EPC <NUM> includes a Mobility Management Entity <NUM> (MME <NUM>), which provides control-plane functions, such as registration and authentication of multiple UE <NUM>, authorization, or mobility management in the E-UTRA network. The AMF <NUM> and the MME <NUM> communicate with the base stations <NUM> in the RANs <NUM> and also communicate with multiple UE <NUM>, using the base stations <NUM>.

Furthermore, within the environment <NUM>, the UE <NUM> may wirelessly communicate with the base stations <NUM> via the wireless communication links <NUM>, during which electromagnetic waves, or signals, are transmitted or received by one or more antenna arrays that are part of the UE <NUM>. In an instance where the UE <NUM> is communicating with transmission of a signal by the UE <NUM>, in certain instances, the UE <NUM> may employ one or more surface-cell antennas of a surface-cell patch antenna array to perform a beamforming operation. Such a beamforming operation may, via principles of constructive and destructive interference, form a directional path of the signal or an amplitude of the signal.

<FIG> illustrates an example device diagram <NUM> for a UE (e.g., the UE <NUM> of <FIG>) that can implement various aspects of surface-cell patch antenna arrays in accordance with one or more aspects. The UE <NUM> may include additional functions and interfaces that are omitted from <FIG> for the sake of clarity.

The UE <NUM> includes a housing <NUM> that includes one or more surface-cell patch antenna arrays <NUM> that are formed from respective pluralities of surface-cell patch antennas. A plurality of surface-cell patch antennas is formed from surface-cells of an electromagnetic-transparent metallic (ETM) surface of the housing <NUM>. A corresponding extremely-high frequency (EHF) transceiver module <NUM>, including a transceiver device and a printed circuit board, is disposed proximate the surface-cell patch antenna array <NUM> such that components of the UE <NUM> might independently control the surface-cell patch antenna array <NUM> and such that signal losses between the surface-cell patch antenna array <NUM> and the EHF transceiver module <NUM> are reduced due to short trace lengths.

The surface-cell patch antenna array <NUM> can be tuned to, and/or be tunable to, one or more frequency bands defined by communication standards and implemented by the EHF transceiver module <NUM>. As an example, the surface-cell patch antenna array <NUM> and the EHF transceiver module <NUM> may be tuned to frequency bands defined by <NUM> NR communication standards. The surface-cell patch antenna array <NUM> and/or the EHF transceiver module <NUM> may also be configured to support beamforming for the transmission and reception of communications with a base station (e.g., the base station <NUM> of <FIG>) or another mm-wave compatible device. Furthermore, antennas of the surface-cell patch antenna array <NUM> may transmit a vertical-polarization signal (e.g., an electromagnetic wave having an electric field vector that is perpendicular to the Earth's surface) as well as a horizontal-polarization signal (e.g., an electromagnetic wave having an electric field vector that is parallel to the Earth's surface).

The UE <NUM> also includes one or more Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) antenna(s) <NUM> that may be disposed at various locations throughout the UE <NUM>. One or more UHF transceiver modules <NUM> are also included in the UE <NUM>. The UHF transceiver module <NUM> may be a module that generates and/or receives electromagnetic waves at frequencies ranging from, for example, <NUM> to <NUM>, encompassing wireless communications associated with 3GPP LTE wireless communication standards and service providers.

In a fashion that is different than the structure described above (e.g., the surface-cell patch antenna array <NUM> having the corresponding EHF transceiver module <NUM>), the UHF transceiver module <NUM> may be electrically coupled to more than one UHF antenna <NUM> and may further be spaced apart from the UHF antenna <NUM> to which it is coupled. The UHF antenna <NUM> can be tuned to, and/or be tunable to, one or more frequency bands defined by communication standards that are implemented by the UHF transceiver module <NUM>. As an example, the UHF antennas <NUM> and UHF transceiver modules <NUM> may be tuned to frequency bands defined by 3GPP LTE communication standards. The UE <NUM> also includes connector(s) <NUM> that connect, respectively, the EHF transceiver module <NUM> and the UHF transceiver module <NUM> to one or more modem(s) <NUM>.

Also included in the UE <NUM> is switching circuitry <NUM> that, in certain instances, may provide switching functions to switch from one of the surface-cell patch antenna arrays <NUM> to one or more of the UHF antenna(s) <NUM>. For example, the UE <NUM> may be connected via the wireless link <NUM> to the 5GC network <NUM> of <FIG> (e.g., a <NUM> NR network operating at frequencies corresponding to mm-waves) and then connect via the wireless link <NUM> to the EPC <NUM> network (e.g., a 3GPP LTE network operating within the UHF electromagnetic wave spectrum). In such an instance, the switching circuitry <NUM> may switch from the surface-cell patch antenna array <NUM> to the UHF antenna <NUM>. In another example, the switching circuitry <NUM> may relocate transmission or reception regions associated with locations of either the surface-cell patch antenna array(s) <NUM> or UHF antenna(s) <NUM> based on signal interferences the UE <NUM> may be experiencing from a hand, body, walls, foliage, or other obstruction.

The switching circuitry <NUM> may also include double-pole double-throw (DPDT) circuits that switch amongst surface-cell patch antennas of the surface-cell patch antenna array <NUM> as well as the UHF antenna(s) <NUM>. Switching may, in certain instances, alter transmission or reception patterns of the UE <NUM> and augment beamforming functions of the UE <NUM>. In other instances, switching may relocate transmission or reception regions associated with locations of either a surface-cell patch antenna array <NUM> or a UHF antenna <NUM>.

The UE <NUM> further includes one or more processor(s) <NUM> and computer-readable storage media <NUM> (CRM <NUM>). The processor <NUM> may be a single-core processor or a multiple-core processor composed of a variety of materials, such as silicon, polysilicon, high-K dielectric, copper, and so on. The computer-readable storage media described herein excludes propagating signals. CRM <NUM> may include any suitable memory or storage device such as random-access memory (RAM), static RAM (SRAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), non-volatile RAM (NVRAM), read-only memory (ROM), or Flash memory.

CRM <NUM> stores executable instructions of an antenna manager application <NUM>. Alternately or additionally, the antenna manager application <NUM> may be implemented in whole or part as hardware logic or circuitry integrated with or separate from other components of the UE <NUM>. In at least some aspects, the antenna manager application <NUM> (e.g., the processor <NUM> executing the instructions of the antenna manager application <NUM>) may configure the surface-cell patch antenna array <NUM>, the EHF transceiver module <NUM>, the UHF antenna <NUM>, the UHF transceiver module <NUM>, or the switching circuitry <NUM> in accordance with switching or beamforming operations performed by the UE <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates example details <NUM> of various mosaic patterns of surface-cells that may be used to form surface-cell patch antenna arrays in accordance with one or more aspects. The surface-cells may include an ETM surface of the housing <NUM> of <FIG>. The housing <NUM>, as illustrated, is a housing of the UE <NUM> and is illustrated from a perspective corresponding to a backside of the UE <NUM>.

Details <NUM> illustrate several example mosaics patterns of surface-cells, including a diamond pattern <NUM> of multiple diamond-shapes surface-cells, a block pattern <NUM> of multiple block-shaped surface-cells, and a honeycomb pattern <NUM> of multiple hexagon-shaped surface-cells. The illustrated mosaic patterns of surface-cells are by way of example only, as many other mosaic patterns of surface-cells may be created using alternate surface-cell shapes (not illustrated).

A metal material that is suitable for transmission and reception of high-frequency electromagnetic waves (e.g., mm-waves associated with <NUM> NR wireless communications), such as aluminum, stainless steel, or copper, may form surface cells of a mosaic pattern of surface-cells. From the mosaic pattern of surface-cells, a designer or manufacturer of the housing <NUM> may select a subset of surface-cells to form a surface-cell patch antenna array <NUM>. In general, the surface-cell patch antenna array <NUM> is proximate an outer surface of the housing. In this context, the term "proximate" may mean that the surface-cell patch antenna array <NUM> is at the outer surface of the housing. Alternatively, the term "proximate" may mean that the surface-cell patch antenna array <NUM> is nearer the outer surface of the housing than the inner surface of the housing. Furthermore, an area of the surface-cell patch antenna array <NUM> may correspond to a first generally planar region proximate the outer surface of the housing (illustrated by the dashed line in <FIG> encompassing the four surface-cell patch antennas of the surface-cell patch antenna array <NUM>). This first generally planar region, in some instances, may have a curvature associated with an outer surface of the housing <NUM>.

As illustrated, a surface-cell is electrically isolated from an adjacent surface-cell by gaps in a dielectric material. For example, the dielectric material might include one or more of a thermoplastic material, a polycarbonate material, or a non-metallic substrate. The gaps in the dielectric material might allow propagation of other electromagnetic waves and be "transparent" to the other electromagnetic waves. The other electromagnetic waves might have wavelengths that are greater than <NUM> in length and be associated with 3GPP LTE wireless communications, inductive charging of the UE <NUM>, or the like.

<FIG> illustrates example details <NUM> of a surface-cell patch antenna array in accordance with one or more aspects. The surface-cell patch antenna array may be the surface-cell patch antenna array <NUM> of <FIG> as formed into the housing <NUM> of <FIG>.

As illustrated, the housing <NUM> includes an outer surface <NUM> and an inner surface <NUM>. The inner surface <NUM> is opposite the outer surface <NUM> and is separated by a thickness of a dielectric material <NUM> that forms a substrate of the housing <NUM>. The inner surface <NUM> and the outer surface <NUM> are, in general, parallel to each other and may in some instances have a curvature.

A surface-cell patch antenna <NUM> is disposed proximate the outer surface <NUM> of the housing <NUM>. The surface-cell patch antenna <NUM> includes a vertical-polarization signal feed post <NUM> and a horizontal-polarization signal feed post <NUM>. The vertical-polarization signal feed post <NUM> and the horizontal-polarization signal feed post <NUM> pass through the dielectric material <NUM> to the inner surface <NUM> of the housing <NUM>.

Multiples of the surface-cell patch antenna <NUM> form the surface-cell patch antenna array <NUM>, where an area of the surface-cell patch antenna array <NUM> defines a first generally planar region proximate the outer surface <NUM> of the housing <NUM>. As illustrated in <FIG>, the surface-cell patch antenna array <NUM> is exposed to an environment surrounding the user equipment. Alternatively, the surface-cell patch antenna array <NUM> may be coated with a protective material (not illustrated) through which an electromagnetic wave can pass.

A transceiver module (e.g., the extremely high frequency (EHF) transceiver module <NUM> of <FIG>), including a transceiver device <NUM> and a flexible printed circuit board (PCB) <NUM>, is disposed proximate the inner surface <NUM> of the housing <NUM>. In this context, the term "proximate" may mean that the transceiver module is at the inner surface of the housing. Alternatively, the term "proximate" may mean that the transceiver module is nearer the inner surface of the housing than the outer surface of the housing. The flexible PCB <NUM> includes a trace <NUM> that electrically couples the vertical-polarization signal feed post <NUM> to a vertical-polarization signal output <NUM> of the transceiver device <NUM>. The flexible PCB <NUM> also includes a trace <NUM> that electrically couples the horizontal-polarization signal feed post <NUM> to a horizontal-polarization signal output <NUM> of the transceiver device <NUM>.

The EHF transceiver module <NUM>, including the transceiver device <NUM> and the flexible PCB <NUM>, is disposed in a second generally planar region that is parallel to, and corresponds with, the first generally planar region that is defined by the surface-cell patch antenna array <NUM>. Additional elements of the EHF transceiver module <NUM> that are not illustrated may include resistors, switches, capacitors, filters, or the like. Furthermore, the EHF transceiver module <NUM> may be affixed to the dielectric material <NUM> with the assistance of an adhesive material <NUM> disposed between the flexible PCB <NUM> and the dielectric material <NUM>. As an example, the adhesive material <NUM> might be an epoxy underfill material.

In one example instance, and as illustrated, the transceiver device <NUM> may be an un-encapsulated integrated-circuit (IC) die, in which instance the vertical-polarization signal output <NUM> and the horizontal-polarization signal output <NUM> are pads that may be used for flip-chip interconnects, stud-bump interconnects, wire bonding interconnects, or the like. In another example and alternate instance (not illustrated), the transceiver device <NUM> may be a package component (e.g., the IC die is encapsulated as a package component), in which instance the vertical-polarization signal output <NUM> and the horizontal-polarization signal output <NUM> are lead terminals of a package component such as a ball grid array (BGA) package component, a quad-flat-pack (QFP) package component, a thin small outline (TSOP) package component, or the like. In either instance, the vertical-polarization signal output <NUM> and the horizontal-polarization signal output <NUM> may be electrically coupled to corresponding circuitry of the IC die. Furthermore, and in certain instances, the transceiver device <NUM> may transmit and receive mm-wave signals (e.g., signals within an electromagnetic spectrum associated with <NUM> NR wireless communication standards).

In some instances, the dielectric material <NUM> may be a dielectric material, such as a thermoplastic or polycarbonate material, while the surface-cell patch antenna <NUM> may be a metal material, such as aluminum, stainless steel, or copper. The flexible PCB <NUM> may include a glass-reinforced epoxy laminate material such as FR4 glass epoxy. As part of the flexible PCB <NUM>, a trace <NUM> and a trace <NUM> may be formed from a conductive material such as copper, aluminum, or the like. Additionally, the flexible PCB <NUM> may be including multiple layers and have traces other than the trace <NUM> and the trace <NUM>.

A connector <NUM>, in the form of a flex-cable or other mechanism capable of conducting multiple signals, may connect the flexible PCB <NUM> to another device of the UE <NUM>, such as a modem (e.g., the modem <NUM> of <FIG>). Additional traces and interconnect mechanisms (not illustrated) may electrically couple the connector <NUM>, through the flexible PCB <NUM>, to the transceiver device <NUM>. Such additional traces and interconnect mechanisms would be dependent on a pinout of the transceiver device <NUM>, where the pinout would identify interconnect locations for electrical signals that might be associated with data input or output, power, ground, enablement, disablement, or other functions used for operating the transceiver device <NUM>. The transceiver device <NUM> may down-convert the EHF to Intermediate Frequencies (IF) to reduce the insertion loss in the flexible cable at EHF.

<FIG> illustrates example details <NUM> of multiple surface-cell patch antenna arrays in accordance with one or more aspects. The multiple surface-cell patch antenna arrays may correspond to the surface-cell patch antenna array <NUM> of <FIG> and include aspects of <FIG> as well as <FIG>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, multiple surface-cell patch antenna arrays <NUM>-<NUM> through <NUM>-<NUM> are formed from groups of surface-cell patch antennas. The groups of surface-cell patch antennas, in turn, are formed from subsets of surface-cells comprising an ETM surface of the UE <NUM>. As illustrated, the multiple surface-cell patch antenna arrays <NUM>-<NUM> through <NUM>-<NUM> are formed from a respective subset of four "diamonds" selected from a pattern of diamond surface-cells comprising the ETM surface of the UE <NUM>. The surface-cell patch antenna arrays <NUM>-<NUM> through <NUM>-<NUM> may correspond to the surface-cell patch antenna array <NUM> of <FIG>. Furthermore, a diamond of the surface-cell patch antenna arrays <NUM>-<NUM> through <NUM>-<NUM> may correspond to the surface-cell patch antenna <NUM> (including the vertical-polarization signal feed post <NUM> and the horizontal-polarization signal feed post <NUM>).

A transceiver module (not illustrated) is disposed underneath the surface-cell patch antenna array. The transceiver module may correspond to the EHF transceiver module <NUM> of <FIG>. Furthermore, the transceiver module may include the transceiver device <NUM> and the flexible printed circuit board <NUM> of <FIG>, having the traces <NUM> and <NUM> that couple feed posts of the surface-cell patch antenna array (e.g., feed posts corresponding to the vertical-polarization signal feed post <NUM> and the horizontal-polarization signal feed post <NUM>) to the transceiver device <NUM>.

A modem <NUM>, which may be used for modulating or demodulating signals associated with wireless communications to and from the UE <NUM>, may be contained on a logic board of the UE <NUM>. Furthermore, the modem <NUM> is coupled to the transceiver module via respective connectors <NUM>-<NUM> through <NUM>-<NUM>. The connectors <NUM>-<NUM> through <NUM>-<NUM> may be, for example, a flex cable that includes dedicated down-converted vertical-polarization IF signal and horizontal-polarization IF signal conductors for a surface-cell patch antennas of a respective surface-cell patch antenna array that is managed by the respective transceiver module.

The multiple surface-cell patch antenna arrays <NUM>-<NUM> may perform, either independently or in unison, beamforming operations <NUM> as part of wireless communications to and from the UE <NUM>. The example configuration provides the UE <NUM> with diverse electromagnetic mm-wave wireless communication capabilities, including multi-channel multiple-input / multiple-output (MIMO) capabilities, carrier aggregation capabilities, and the like.

<FIG> illustrates an example method <NUM> for fabricating a surface-cell patch antenna in accordance with one or more aspects. The surface-cell patch antenna may be the surface-cell patch antenna <NUM>, including the vertical-polarization signal feed post <NUM>, and the horizontal-polarization signal feed post <NUM> of <FIG>. The surface-cell patch antenna may be used as part of the surface-cell patch antenna array <NUM> of <FIG>. Complementary to the method <NUM>, <FIG> illustrate details <NUM> of fabricating the surface-cell patch antenna as part of the electromagnetic-transparent metallic surface in accordance with one or more aspects.

At <NUM>, manufacturing operations remove, from a first side of a member comprised of a metal material, first portions of the metal material to form signal feed posts that extend from the member. As examples, the metal material comprising the member may be aluminum, stainless steel, or copper. In certain instances, the manufacturing operations at <NUM> may include one or more techniques that incorporate a computer numerical control (CNC) machining process, an electrical discharge machining (EDM) process, a lithography/etching process, an engraving process, or the like.

As illustrated by the top view and the section view at <NUM>, first portions of material have been removed from a first side <NUM> of a member formed from a metal material to form signal feed posts (e.g., the vertical-polarization signal feed post <NUM> and the horizontal-polarization signal feed post <NUM>).

At <NUM>, manufacturing operations remove, from the first side of the member, second portions of the metal material to form an outline of a surface-cell patch antenna. The manufacturing operations at <NUM> may be the same as or different from the manufacturing operations at <NUM>.

As illustrated by the top view and the section view at <NUM>, the outline <NUM> of a surface-cell patch antenna has been formed by the removal of second portions of metal material. In this instance, the removal of the second portions of metal material removes the second portions of the metal material to a "depth" of the member that is greater than the depth of the removed first portions of the metal material.

At <NUM>, manufacturing operations provision, to the first side of the member, a dielectric material. Provision of the dielectric material is such that the dielectric material covers the signal posts and the outline of the surface-cell patch antenna. As examples, the dielectric material may be a thermoplastic or polycarbonate material. In certain instances, the manufacturing operations may include one or more techniques that incorporate an injection molding process, a thermo-compression process, a laminating process, a dispense process, a three-dimensional (3D) printing process, or the like.

Continuing with the example and as illustrated at <NUM>, a dielectric material (e.g., the dielectric material <NUM> of <FIG>) is provisioned to the first side <NUM> of the member such that the dielectric material <NUM> covers the vertical-polarization signal feed post <NUM>, the horizontal-polarization signal feed post <NUM>, and the outline <NUM> of the surface-cell patch antenna.

At <NUM>, manufacturing operations remove, from a second side of the member that is opposite the first side, third portions of the metal material to expose the surface-cell patch antenna. In certain instances, the manufacturing operations at <NUM> may include one or more techniques that incorporate a grinding process, an electrochemical polishing process, an etching process, or the like.

Continuing with the example and as illustrated at <NUM>, third portions of the metal material have been removed from a second side <NUM> of the member that is opposite the first side <NUM>. Furthermore, the third portions of the metal material are removed such that a surface <NUM> of the surface-cell patch antenna (e.g., a surface of the surface-cell patch antenna <NUM> of <FIG>) is exposed.

At <NUM>, manufacturing operations remove, from the first side of the member, portions of the dielectric material to expose surfaces of the signal feed posts. In certain instances, the manufacturing operations at <NUM> may include one or more techniques that incorporate a grinding process, an electrochemical polishing process, an etching process, or the like.

As illustrated by the ongoing example at <NUM>, portions of the dielectric material <NUM> have been removed to expose surfaces <NUM> of the signal feed posts (e.g., the vertical-polarization signal feed post <NUM> and the horizontal-polarization signal feed post <NUM>). As illustrated at <NUM>, the member has been inverted to illustrate the surface <NUM> of the surface-cell patch antenna <NUM> and to further correspond to orientation of the surface-cell patch antenna <NUM> as depicted in <FIG>.

<FIG> illustrates an example method <NUM> performed by a user equipment in accordance with one or more aspects. The user equipment may be the UE <NUM> of <FIG> and incorporate elements of <FIG>.

At <NUM>, the UE <NUM> receives a signal via the surface-cell patch antenna <NUM> of the surface-cell patch antenna array <NUM> that is proximate the outer surface <NUM> of a housing <NUM> of the UE <NUM>. The surface-cell patch antenna <NUM> is formed from surface-cells of an electromagnetic-transparent metallic surface of the housing <NUM>. The signal may be in the form of an electromagnetic mm-wave that is transmitted by a base station (e.g., the base station <NUM> of <FIG>) or another device capable of transmitting the electromagnetic mm-wave in compliance with Fifth Generation New Radio (<NUM> NR) wireless communication standards. Examples of signal content include a signal including an instruction or command for the UE <NUM> to execute or a signal including video content for streaming. As another example, the signal may be in the form of an electromagnetic wave that has a wavelength that is less than <NUM> in length and is associated with another wireless communication protocol (e.g., a Sixth Generation (<NUM>) wireless communication protocol).

At <NUM>, the UE <NUM> propagates the signal to the transceiver device <NUM> via a trace (e.g., the trace <NUM> or the trace <NUM>) of the flexible printed circuit board <NUM> that is disposed proximate to the inner surface <NUM> of the housing <NUM>.

At <NUM>, the UE <NUM> propagates the signal to the modem <NUM> that is part of the UE <NUM>. The signal is propagated via the connector <NUM> that electrically couples the flexible PCB <NUM> to the modem <NUM>.

At <NUM>, the UE <NUM> demodulates the signal via the modem <NUM>. At <NUM> the UE <NUM> performs an operation, where the operation is performed via a processor based on the demodulated signal (e.g., the processor <NUM> of the UE <NUM> performs an operation based on the demodulated signal).

The example method <NUM> may include or more additional operations performed by the UE <NUM>. Additional operations may include, for example, filtering the signal (via a band-pass filter device of the UE <NUM>), down-converting the signal to a frequency that corresponds to a different wavelength (via the transceiver device <NUM>), amplifying the signal (via an amplifier device of the UE <NUM>), or the like.

The aforementioned configuration of the UE <NUM> has multiple variations. As a first example variation, in some instances the transceiver device <NUM> may be an un-encapsulated integrated-circuit (IC) die that includes a redistribution layer (RDL) on a surface of the IC die. In this first example variation, the RDL of the IC die may perform as a substitute for the traces <NUM> and <NUM> that couple feed posts of the surface-cell patch antenna array (e.g., feed posts corresponding to the vertical-polarization signal feed post <NUM> and the horizontal-polarization signal feed post <NUM>). Electrical interconnections that include flip-chip bumping (interfacing the IC die to the surface-cell patch antenna array <NUM>) or wire bonding (interfacing the IC die to the connector <NUM>) may obviate the need for a flexible printed circuit board (e.g., the flexible PCB <NUM>).

In a second example variation, the surface-cell of a mosaic pattern of surface-cells including an electromagnetic-transparent metallic (ETM) surface of the housing <NUM> may be configured to perform as a surface-cell patch antenna. Such a second example variation may render the entire ETM surface to be configurable as several surface-cell patch antenna arrays.

It must be noted that although the surface-cell patch antenna array <NUM> structure has been described in the context of <NUM> NR wireless communications, the surface-cell patch antenna array <NUM> structure can be used to support wireless communications having frequencies that exceed those of <NUM> NR. Such wireless communications (e.g., <NUM> wireless communications) may, for example, require antenna structures that support frequencies in excess of <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A user equipment (<NUM>) comprising:
a housing (<NUM>) having an outer surface (<NUM>) and an inner surface (<NUM>), the inner surface (<NUM>) parallel to the outer surface (<NUM>) and separated from the outer surface by a dielectric material, the dielectric material having a thickness and forming a substrate of the housing;
a surface-cell patch antenna array (<NUM>) formed into the substrate of the housing (<NUM>) nearer the outer surface (<NUM>) than the inner surface, the surface-cell patch antenna array (<NUM>) comprising a plurality of surface-cell patch antennae each comprising:
an exposed surface along a first generally planar region proximate the outer surface (<NUM>);
a vertical-polarization signal feed post (<NUM>) that passes through the dielectric material to the inner surface; and
a horizontal-polarization signal feed post (<NUM>) that passes through the dielectric material to the inner surface;
a transceiver module (<NUM>) disposed in a second generally planar region that is parallel to the first generally planar region and that is located proximate the inner surface (<NUM>), the transceiver module (<NUM>) comprising:
a transceiver device (<NUM>); and
a flexible printed circuit board (<NUM>) having traces (<NUM>, <NUM>) that electrically couple the transceiver device (<NUM>) to the vertical-polarization signal feed posts (<NUM>) and the horizontal-polarization signal feed posts (<NUM>) of the surface-cell patch antenna array (<NUM>); and
a connector (<NUM>), the connector (<NUM>) electrically coupling the transceiver module (<NUM>) to a modem (<NUM>) contained on a logic board of the user equipment (<NUM>).