Patent ID: 12261359

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

One or more specific embodiments will be described below. In an effort to provide a concise description of these embodiments, not all features of an actual implementation are described in the specification. It should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers' specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it should be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure.

When introducing elements of various embodiments of the present disclosure, the articles “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. Additionally, it should be understood that references to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” of the present disclosure are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. Use of the terms “approximately,” “near,” “about,” “close to,” and/or “substantially” should be understood to mean including close to a target (e.g., design, value, amount), such as within a margin of any suitable or contemplatable error (e.g., within 0.1% of a target, within 1% of a target, within 5% of a target, within 10% of a target, within 25% of a target, and so on). Moreover, it should be understood that any exact values, numbers, measurements, and so on, provided herein, are contemplated to include approximations (e.g., within a margin of suitable or contemplatable error) of the exact values, numbers, measurements, and so on. Additionally, the term “set” may include one or more. That is, a set may include a unitary set of one member, but the set may also include a set of multiple members.

This disclosure is directed to wireless data transmission within an electronic device and reduction of radiation associated with the data transmission. An electronic device may include one or more antennas that transmit signals and one or more other antennas that receive the signals. The signals may travel through free space between the antennas, which may lead to signal attenuation (e.g., a loss in signal strength). Additionally, the signal transmission and reception may emit small amounts of radiation within and from the electronic device. Amounts of signal attenuation between the antennas and radiation emitted from the electronic device may depend on a frequency of the signals. For example, signals transmitted at 60 gigahertz (GHz) may experience greater signal attenuation and emit more radiation than signals transmitted at 3 GHz. Certain geographical regions may regulate radiation emission from certain electronic devices that emit signals at higher frequencies (e.g., 60 GHz), such as electronic devices used for commercial purposes. However, transmission of signals at the higher frequencies may enable more efficient communication between the electronic device, other electronic devices, base stations, and the like.

Embodiments herein provide apparatuses and techniques to improve transmission of signals between antennas of an electronic device while reducing radiation emitted from the electronic device. To do so, the embodiments disclosed herein include an electronic device having a first set of antennas, a second set of antennas, and a slip ring disposed between the first set of antennas and the second set of antennas. The slip ring may include a waveguide that provides a pathway for radio frequency signals transmitted by the first set of antennas and received by the second set of antennas. In particular, a diameter and a length of the waveguide may enable efficient transmission of the signals between the sets of antennas by reducing signal attenuation. The first set of antennas may be disposed at (e.g., adjacent to) a first end of the waveguide, and the second set of antennas may be disposed at a second end of the waveguide. The first set of antennas and/or the second set of antennas may be disposed apart from the slip ring (e.g., apart from the first end and second end of the slip ring, respectively). For example, a gap between the first set of antennas and the slip ring and/or a gap between the second set of antennas and the slip ring may be sized to reduce radiation emitted from the waveguide and the electronic device generally. Distances between the first of antennas and a housing of the electronic device and between the second set of antennas and the housing may also be sized to further reduce radiation emitted from the electronic device.

Each end of the slip ring may be mounted to different (e.g., opposite facing) surfaces or portions of the electronic device. For example, the first end of the slip ring may be mounted or coupled to a first surface of the electronic device, and the second end of the slip ring may be mounted or coupled to a second surface of the electronic device. The slip ring may include a stator and a rotor disposed in the stator. The waveguide may extend through the rotor, such that the first set of antennas and the second set of antennas are disposed on opposite ends of the rotor. The first set of antennas and/or the second set of antennas may be disposed apart from the rotor by the gap described above, such that the rotor may rotate relative to the first set of antennas and/or the second set of antennas. Accordingly, the slip ring may provide wireless data (e.g., data signals) transfer between the first set of antennas and the second set of antennas, while reducing radiation emitted from the electronic device.

FIG.1is a block diagram of an electronic device10, according to embodiments of the present disclosure. The electronic device10may include, among other things, one or more processors12(collectively referred to herein as a single processor for convenience, which may be implemented in any suitable form of processing circuitry), memory14, nonvolatile storage16, a display18, input structures22, an input/output (I/O) interface24, a network interface26, and a power source29. The various functional blocks shown inFIG.1may include hardware elements (including circuitry), software elements (including machine-executable instructions) or a combination of both hardware and software elements (which may be referred to as logic). The processor12, memory14, the nonvolatile storage16, the display18, the input structures22, the input/output (I/O) interface24, the network interface26, and/or the power source29may each be communicatively coupled directly or indirectly (e.g., through or via another component, a communication bus, a network) to one another to transmit and/or receive data between one another. It should be noted thatFIG.1is merely one example of a particular implementation and is intended to illustrate the types of components that may be present in the electronic device10.

By way of example, the electronic device10may include any suitable computing device, including a desktop or notebook computer (e.g., in the form of a MacBook®, MacBook® Pro, MacBook Air®, iMac®, Mac® mini, or Mac Pro® available from Apple Inc. of Cupertino, California), a portable electronic or handheld electronic device such as a wireless electronic device or smartphone (e.g., in the form of a model of an iPhone® available from Apple Inc. of Cupertino, California), a tablet (e.g., in the form of a model of an iPad® available from Apple Inc. of Cupertino, California), a wearable electronic device (e.g., in the form of an Apple Watch® by Apple Inc. of Cupertino, California), and other similar devices. It should be noted that the processor12and other related items inFIG.1may be embodied wholly or in part as software, hardware, or both. Furthermore, the processor12and other related items inFIG.1may be a single contained processing module or may be incorporated wholly or partially within any of the other elements within the electronic device10. The processor12may be implemented with any combination of general-purpose microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors (DSPs), field programmable gate array (FPGAs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), controllers, state machines, gated logic, discrete hardware components, dedicated hardware finite state machines, or any other suitable entities that may perform calculations or other manipulations of information. The processors12may include one or more application processors, one or more baseband processors, or both, and perform the various functions described herein.

In the electronic device10ofFIG.1, the processor12may be operably coupled with a memory14and a nonvolatile storage16to perform various algorithms. Such programs or instructions executed by the processor12may be stored in any suitable article of manufacture that includes one or more tangible, computer-readable media. The tangible, computer-readable media may include the memory14and/or the nonvolatile storage16, individually or collectively, to store the instructions or routines. The memory14and the nonvolatile storage16may include any suitable articles of manufacture for storing data and executable instructions, such as random-access memory, read-only memory, rewritable flash memory, hard drives, and optical discs. In addition, programs (e.g., an operating system) encoded on such a computer program product may also include instructions that may be executed by the processor12to enable the electronic device10to provide various functionalities.

In certain embodiments, the display18may facilitate users to view images generated on the electronic device10. In some embodiments, the display18may include a touch screen, which may facilitate user interaction with a user interface of the electronic device10. Furthermore, it should be appreciated that, in some embodiments, the display18may include one or more liquid crystal displays (LCDs), light-emitting diode (LED) displays, organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays, active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) displays, or some combination of these and/or other display technologies.

The input structures22of the electronic device10may enable a user to interact with the electronic device10(e.g., pressing a button to increase or decrease a volume level). The I/O interface24may enable electronic device10to interface with various other electronic devices, as may the network interface26. In some embodiments, the I/O interface24may include an I/O port for a hardwired connection for charging and/or content manipulation using a standard connector and protocol, such as the Lightning connector provided by Apple Inc. of Cupertino, California, a universal serial bus (USB), or other similar connector and protocol. The network interface26may include, for example, one or more interfaces for a personal area network (PAN), such as an ultra-wideband (UWB) or a BLUETOOTH® network, a local area network (LAN) or wireless local area network (WLAN), such as a network employing one of the IEEE 802.11x family of protocols (e.g., WI-FI®), and/or a wide area network (WAN), such as any standards related to the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), including, for example, a 3rdgeneration (3G) cellular network, universal mobile telecommunication system (UMTS), 4thgeneration (4G) cellular network, long term evolution (LTE®) cellular network, long term evolution license assisted access (LTE-LAA) cellular network, 5thgeneration (5G) cellular network, and/or New Radio (NR) cellular network, a 6thgeneration (6G) or greater than 6G cellular network, a satellite network, a non-terrestrial network, and so on. In particular, the network interface26may include, for example, one or more interfaces for using a cellular communication standard of the 5G specifications that include the millimeter wave (mmWave) frequency range (e.g., 24.25-300 gigahertz (GHz)) that defines and/or enables frequency ranges used for wireless communication. The network interface26of the electronic device10may allow communication over the aforementioned networks (e.g., 5G, Wi-Fi, LTE-LAA, and so forth).

The network interface26may also include one or more interfaces for, for example, broadband fixed wireless access networks (e.g., WIMAX®), mobile broadband Wireless networks (mobile WIMAX®), asynchronous digital subscriber lines (e.g., ADSL, VDSL), digital video broadcasting-terrestrial (DVB-T®) network and its extension DVB Handheld (DVB-H®) network, ultra-wideband (UWB) network, alternating current (AC) power lines, and so forth.

As illustrated, the network interface26may include a transceiver30. In some embodiments, all or portions of the transceiver30may be disposed within the processor12. The transceiver30may support transmission and receipt of various wireless signals via one or more antennas, and thus may include a transmitter and a receiver. The power source29of the electronic device10may include any suitable source of power, such as a rechargeable lithium polymer (Li-poly) battery and/or an alternating current (AC) power converter.

FIG.2is a functional diagram of the electronic device10ofFIG.1, according to embodiments of the present disclosure. As illustrated, the processor12, the memory14, the transceiver30, a transmitter52, a receiver54, and/or antennas55(illustrated as55A-55N, collectively referred to as an antenna55) may be communicatively coupled directly or indirectly (e.g., through or via another component, a communication bus, a network) to one another to transmit and/or receive signals between one another.

The electronic device10may include the transmitter52and/or the receiver54that respectively enable transmission and reception of signals between the electronic device10and an external device via, for example, a network (e.g., including base stations or access points) or a direct connection. As illustrated, the transmitter52and the receiver54may be combined into the transceiver30. The electronic device10may also have one or more antennas55A-55N electrically coupled to the transceiver30. The antennas55A-55N may be configured in an omnidirectional or directional configuration, in a single-beam, dual-beam, or multi-beam arrangement, and so on. Each antenna55may be associated with one or more beams and various configurations. In some embodiments, multiple antennas of the antennas55A-55N of an antenna group or module may be communicatively coupled to a respective transceiver30and each emit radio frequency signals that may constructively and/or destructively combine to form a beam. The electronic device10may include multiple transmitters, multiple receivers, multiple transceivers, and/or multiple antennas as suitable for various communication standards. In some embodiments, the transmitter52and the receiver54may transmit and receive information via other wired or wireline systems or means.

As illustrated, the various components of the electronic device10may be coupled together by a bus system56. The bus system56may include a data bus, for example, as well as a power bus, a control signal bus, and a status signal bus, in addition to the data bus. The components of the electronic device10may be coupled together or accept or provide inputs to each other using some other mechanism.

With the foregoing in mind,FIG.3is a schematic diagram of a wireless data transfer system100of the electronic device10ofFIG.1, according to embodiments of the present disclosure. The system100may include a slip ring102(e.g., a slip ring assembly), a first set of antennas104(e.g., a first antenna assembly, an antenna in package (AIP) module, and so on), and a second set of antennas106. The slip ring102, the first set of antennas104, and the second set of antennas106may be disposed in a housing108of the electronic device10. In particular, the first set of antennas104may be mounted to a first surface or portion110of the electronic device10, and the second set of antennas106may be mounted to a second surface or portion112of the electronic device10. In some embodiments, the first surface110and/or the second surface112of the electronic device10may be rotatable or actuatable to rotate to, for example, enable one or more components of the electronic device10to rotate. The slip ring102may include (e.g., form) a waveguide120extending from a first end of the slip ring102to a second end of the slip ring102. The waveguide120may guide and provide a pathway for signal (e.g., wireless signal, radio frequency signal) transmission between the first set of antennas104and the second set of antennas106. For example, the first set of antennas104may emit signals, and the signals may travel through the waveguide120and be received by the second set of antennas106.

The system100, as well as the electronic device10, may emit radiation associated with the transmission of signals between the first set of antennas104and the second set of antennas106. Certain geographical regions or entities may regulate the amount of radiation emitted from electronic devices (e.g., commercial electronic devices), such as the electronic device10, using certain transmission frequencies (e.g., 60 GHz). For example, signals having a frequency greater than 960 megahertz (MHz) may be limited to 46 decibel microvolts per meter (dBμV/m) when measured 3 meters from an electronic device emitting the signals. However, signal transmission at frequencies greater than 960 MHz, such as 60 GHz, may provide certain benefits. The first set of antennas104may emit signals at a frequency of 60 GHz, which may facilitate data communication and transfer between the first set of antennas104and the second set of antennas106relative to lower frequencies (e.g., 600 MHz, 700 MHz, 2.5 GHz, 3 GHz, 10 GHz). In additional or alternative embodiments, the first set of antennas104may emit signals at any suitable frequency while maintaining emission below the regulatory limit of 46 dBμV/m (e.g., 20 GHz or more, 30 GHz or more, 50 GHz or more, 60 GHz or more, 80 GHz or more, 100 GHz or more, and so on).

The waveguide120along with the positioning of the first set of antennas104and the second set of antennas106relative to the waveguide120, may reduce radiation emitted from the electronic device10. As described in reference toFIG.4, a first gap between the first set of antennas104and the waveguide120and a second gap between the second set of antennas106and the waveguide120may be reduced (e.g., less than or equal to 1.5 millimeters (mm)), thereby reducing radiation emitting from the waveguide120and the slip ring102generally. Reduction of radiation emitted from the slip ring102may reduce radiation emitted from the electronic device10. In particular, distances140between the first set of antennas104and the housing108and between the second set of antennas106and the housing108may be relatively small (e.g., 0.5 mm, 1 mm, 1.5 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm, 5 mm), such that reduction of radiation emitted from the slip ring102may enable the electronic device to emit radiation below the regulatory limit of 46 dBμV/m.

In certain embodiments, the slip ring102may include a stator160and a rotor162that rotates while disposed in the stator160. The rotor162may enable the first surface110of the electronic device10to rotate relative to the second surface112of the electronic device10(e.g., and the waveguide120). In certain embodiments, the rotor162may remain stationary relative to the stator160, and/or the entire slip ring102may rotate relative to the first set of antennas104and/or the second set of antennas106.

The rotor162may form the waveguide120, such as within an inner channel (e.g., pole) extending through the rotor162. Additionally, the first set of antennas104and/or the second set of antennas106may be disposed apart from the rotor162(e.g., the waveguide120), such that the rotor162may rotate relative to the first set of antennas104and/or the second set of antennas106. As such, a first interface between the first set of antennas104and the waveguide120and/or a second interface between the second set of antennas106and the waveguide120may be wireless. Accordingly, the slip ring102may wirelessly transmit, via the waveguide120, data between the first set of antennas104and the second set of antennas106.

FIG.4is a schematic diagram of a slip ring and antennas of the wireless data transfer system100ofFIG.3, according to embodiments of the present disclosure. As illustrated, the first set of antennas104may be disposed a bottom gap distance (Gap bot)130from the slip ring102. The bottom gap distance130may be 3 mm or less, 2 mm or less, 1.5 mm or less, 1 mm or less, and so on. In certain embodiments, the bottom gap distance130may be 0 mm. For example, the first set of antennas104may be coupled (e.g., non-rotatably coupled) to the slip ring102(e.g., the first set of antennas104may be coupled to and rotate with the rotor162of the slip ring102). The second set of antennas106may be disposed a top gap distance (Gap top)132from the slip ring102. The top gap distance132may be between 0.1 mm and 3 mm. In certain embodiments, the top gap distance132may be 1.5 mm. By reducing the bottom gap distance130and the top gap distance132, the wireless data transfer system100may reduce radiation emitted from the waveguide120due to signal transmission between the first set of antennas104and the second set of antennas106, while enabling the first set of antennas104and the first surface110of the electronic device to rotate with respect to the second set of antennas106and the second surface112of the electronic device.

The waveguide120, and/or the slip ring102generally, may extend a length L. The length L may be 5 mm or less, 10 mm or less, 15 mm or less, 17 mm or less, 20 mm or less, 30 mm or less, 50 mm or less, 50 mm or more, or other suitable dimensions. Additionally, the length L may depend on a width D of the waveguide120. The width D may 3 mm or less, 3.2 mm or less, 3.5 mm or less, 4 mm or less, 4 mm or more, or other suitable dimensions. In certain embodiments, the width D may be 3.5 mm, which may correspond to a length L of 17 mm. For example, the width D of 3.5 mm and the length L of 17 mm may facilitate signal transmission between the first set of antennas104and the second set of antennas106at certain frequencies, such as 60 GHz. In particular, these dimensions of the width D and the length L may enable the waveguide120to provide a pathway for signal transmission between the first set of antennas104and the second set of antennas106while reducing signal attenuation and/or radiation associated with the signal transmission. The first set of antennas104may receive an input signal from one or more wires168, and the second set of antennas106may send an output signal (e.g., wireless received from the first set of antennas104) to one or more wires170.

FIG.5is a perspective semi-transparent view of the wireless data transfer system100ofFIG.3, according to embodiments of the present disclosure. The first set of antennas104may be disposed at a first end of the slip ring102and the waveguide120, and the second set of antennas106may be disposed at a second end of the slip ring102and the waveguide120. As illustrated, the first set of antennas104may include a circularly polarized patch antenna. In certain embodiments, the first set of antennas104may include a linearly polarized patch antenna. As illustrated, the second set of antennas106may include a linearly polarized patch antenna. In certain embodiments, the second set of antennas106may include a circularly polarized patch antenna.

FIG.6is a diagram of frequencies that may be transmitted via the wireless data transfer system100ofFIG.3and relationships between the frequencies (e.g., in GHz) and group delays (e.g., in nanoseconds), according to embodiments of the present disclosure. The width D of the waveguide120may be determined based on the diagram ofFIG.6and a desired frequency of signals transmitted between the first set of antennas104and the second set of antennas106. For example, signals transmitted at 60 GHz may be associated with a particular group delay. The group delay may include a measure of delay of a signal after it has been emitted by the first set of antennas104and received by the second set of antennas106(e.g., as compared to that originally emitted by the first set of antennas104), and may correspond to a range of dimensions of the width D of the waveguide120to efficiently provide a pathway for signals transmitted at 60 GHz. In particular, the group delay may be defined as a rate of change of transmission phase angle of the signal with respect to frequency. For example, the width D of the waveguide120may be greater than or equal to 3 mm for signals transmitted at 60 GHz between the first set of antennas104and the second set of antennas106. Accordingly, the width D may be sized to facilitate signal transmission through the slip ring102. As such, the width D may be any suitable width that enables signals of a desired frequency to be transmitted between the first set of antennas104and the second set of antennas106(e.g., 3 mm or less, 2 mm or less, 1 mm or less, greater than 3 mm, greater than 4 mm, greater than 5 mm, greater than 1 centimeter, and so on). Although a smaller width of D is preferred for product design, the group delay variations in the frequency range of interest may be a key factor to consider to determine the width of D. For example, inFIG.6, a 3.5 mm width of D180may have lower group delay variations than a 3 mm width of D182.

The specific embodiments described above have been shown by way of example, and it should be understood that these embodiments may be susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms. It should be further understood that the claims are not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed, but rather to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

The techniques presented and claimed herein are referenced and applied to material objects and concrete examples of a practical nature that demonstrably improve the present technical field and, as such, are not abstract, intangible or purely theoretical. Further, if any claims appended to the end of this specification contain one or more elements designated as “means for [perform]ing [a function] . . . ” or “step for [perform]ing [a function] . . . ,” it is intended that such elements are to be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f). However, for any claims containing elements designated in any other manner, it is intended that such elements are not to be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f).

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