Patent ID: 7223924

Claim:
A flexible circuit having vias disposed to minimize discontinuity in a ground plane separating opposing transmission lines, said flexible circuit comprising: a first type of electrical connection pad array disposed on a first surface of said flexible circuit, wherein at least one pad of the first type of electrical connection pad array is electrically coupled to a first transmission line that lies along the first surface; a second type of electrical connection pad array disposed on a second surface of said flexible circuit and offset from the first type of electrical connection pad array, wherein at least one pad of the second type of electrical connection pad array is electrically coupled to a second transmission line that lies along the second surface and wherein said second type of electrical connection pad array is arranged to have a higher areal density than said first type of electrical connection pads; and an intermittent ground plane arranged substantially parallel to and interposed between the first and second surfaces of said flexible circuit, said flexible circuit configured with vias that pass entirely through the flexible circuit and arranged along an axis substantially orthogonal to the first and second surfaces, the vias disposed proximate said first type of electrical connection pad array and extending through breaks in the intermittent ground plane to electrically couple said first transmission line and said second transmission line, such that said vias minimize discontinuity in said intermittent ground plane and wherein the at least one pad of the first type of electrical connection pad array is collocated with a respective via.