PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-11923621-B2
Application Number: US-202117338463-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Radio-frequency modules having high-permittivity antenna layers

Abstract:
An electronic device may be provided with a phased antenna array on an antenna module. The array may include low band antennas and high band antennas that radiate at frequencies greater than 10 GHz. The module may include antenna layers, transmission line layers, and ground traces that separate the antenna layers from the transmission line layers. The low band antennas and the high band antennas may have radiators patterned onto the antenna layers. The radiators may be fed by transmission lines on the transmission line layers. The antenna layers may have a dielectric permittivity that is greater than the dielectric permittivity of the transmission line layers. This may serve to reduce the lateral footprint of the low band and high band antennas, which allows the antennas to be interleaved along a common linear axis in the phased antenna array, thereby minimizing the lateral footprint of the antenna module.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device comprising:
 a dielectric substrate having a first set of dielectric layers with a first dielectric permittivity and having a second set of dielectric layers with a second dielectric permittivity that is greater than the first dielectric permittivity; 
 a ground trace on the dielectric substrate that separates the first set of dielectric layers from the second set of dielectric layers; 
 a phased antenna array having a first set of patch elements embedded in the second set of dielectric layers and having a second set of patch elements, wherein the first set of patch elements is configured to radiate in a first frequency band that includes frequencies greater than 10 GHz and the second set of patch elements is configured to radiate in a second frequency band that is higher than the first frequency band; 
 radio-frequency transmission lines having signal conductors embedded in the first set of dielectric layers, wherein the signal conductors are communicably coupled to the first and second sets of patch elements in the phased antenna array; and 
 fences of conductive vias in the second set of dielectric layers and coupled to the ground trace on the dielectric substrate, wherein each patch element in the first set of patch elements is separated from an adjacent patch element in the second set of patch elements by a corresponding fence of conductive vias in the fences of conductive vias. 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the first dielectric permittivity is less than 4.0 and the second dielectric permittivity is greater than 4.0. 
     
     
       3. The electronic device of  claim 2 , wherein the second dielectric permittivity is between 6.0 and 8.0. 
     
     
       4. The electronic device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one opening in the ground trace; and 
 conductive interconnect structures that extend through at least some of the first set of dielectric layers, the at least one opening, and at least some of the second set of dielectric layers, and that couple the signal conductors to positive antenna feed terminals on the first set of patch elements. 
 
     
     
       5. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the first set of patch elements are interleaved with the second set of patch elements. 
     
     
       6. The electronic device of  claim 5 , wherein the second dielectric permittivity is greater than 6.0. 
     
     
       7. The electronic device of  claim 6 , wherein the first dielectric permittivity is less than 4.0. 
     
     
       8. The electronic device of  claim 7 , wherein the first frequency band comprises a frequency between 24.25 GHz and 29.5 GHz and the second frequency band comprises a frequency between 37 GHz and 43.5 GHz. 
     
     
       9. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the second set of patch elements comprises a patch element laterally interposed between first and second patch elements in the first set of patch elements. 
     
     
       10. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the first set of patch elements comprises a patch element laterally interposed between first and second patch elements in the second set of patch elements. 
     
     
       11. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein a center of each patch element in the first and second sets of patch elements are aligned along a common axis. 
     
     
       12. The electronic device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 beam steering circuitry configured to steer a first signal beam produced by the first set of patch elements in the first frequency band and configured to steer a second signal beam produced by the second set of patch elements in the second frequency band. 
 
     
     
       13. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein each patch element in the first and second sets of patch elements is patterned onto a common dielectric layer in the second set of dielectric layers. 
     
     
       14. The electronic device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a radio-frequency integrated circuit mounted to the first set of dielectric layers, wherein the radio-frequency transmission lines are communicably coupled to the radio-frequency integrated circuit, the first set of dielectric layers with the first dielectric permittivity has first and second opposing surfaces, the first surface of the first set of dielectric layers faces the ground trace and the second set of dielectric layers, and the radio-frequency integrated circuit is mounted directly to the second surface of the first set of dielectric layers.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     This relates generally to electronic devices and, more particularly, to electronic devices with wireless communications circuitry. 
     Electronic devices often include wireless communications circuitry. For example, cellular telephones, computers, and other devices often contain antennas and wireless transceivers for supporting wireless communications. 
     It may be desirable to support wireless communications in millimeter wave and centimeter wave communications bands. Millimeter wave communications, which are sometimes referred to as extremely high frequency (EHF) communications, and centimeter wave communications involve communications at frequencies of about 10-300 GHz. Operation at these frequencies can support high throughput but may raise significant challenges. For example, if care is not taken, the antennas might occupy excessive space within the electronic device or might exhibit insufficient radio-frequency performance. 
     It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide electronic devices with improved wireless communications circuitry such as communications circuitry that supports millimeter and centimeter wave communications. 
     SUMMARY 
     An electronic device may be provided with wireless circuitry. The wireless circuitry may include a phased antenna array formed on an antenna module. The phased antenna array may include low band antennas that radiate in a first frequency band greater than 10 GHz and high band antennas that radiate in a second frequency band higher than the first frequency band. The antenna module may include antenna layers, transmission line layers, and ground traces that separate the antenna layers from the transmission line layers. 
     The low band antennas and the high band antennas may have antenna resonating elements that are patterned onto the antenna layers. The antenna resonating elements may be fed by transmission lines on the transmission line layers. The antenna layers may have a dielectric permittivity that is greater than the dielectric permittivity of the transmission line layers. The antenna layers may, for example, have a dielectric permittivity that is greater than 6.0. This may serve to reduce the lateral footprint of the low band antennas and the high band antennas. This may allow the low band antennas and the high band antennas to be interleaved along a common linear axis in the phased antenna array, thereby minimizing the lateral footprint of the antenna module. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a front perspective view of an illustrative electronic device with wireless circuitry in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG.  2    is a rear perspective view of an illustrative electronic device with wireless circuitry in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG.  3    is a schematic diagram of an illustrative electronic device with wireless circuitry in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG.  4    is a diagram of an illustrative phased antenna array in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG.  5    is a diagram of illustrative wireless circuitry in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG.  6    is a perspective view of an illustrative antenna having one or more patch elements in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG.  7    is a perspective view of an illustrative antenna module in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG.  8    is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative antenna module having high-permittivity antenna layers in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG.  9    is a top view showing how an illustrative antenna module having high-permittivity antenna layers may include interleaved high band and low band antennas in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG.  10    is a plot of antenna performance (return loss) as a function of frequency for an illustrative antenna module having interleaved high band and low band antennas in accordance with some embodiments. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     An electronic device such as electronic device  10  of  FIG.  1    may contain wireless circuitry. The wireless circuitry may include one or more antennas. The antennas may include phased antenna arrays that are used for performing wireless communications and/or spatial ranging operations using millimeter and centimeter wave signals. Millimeter wave signals, which are sometimes referred to as extremely high frequency (EHF) signals, propagate at frequencies above about 30 GHz (e.g., at 60 GHz or other frequencies between about 30 GHz and 300 GHz). Centimeter wave signals propagate at frequencies between about 10 GHz and 30 GHz. If desired, device  10  may also contain antennas for handling satellite navigation system signals, cellular telephone signals, local wireless area network signals, near-field communications, light-based wireless communications, or other wireless communications. 
     Electronic device  10  may be a computing device such as a laptop computer, a computer monitor containing an embedded computer, a tablet computer, a cellular telephone, a media player, or other handheld or portable electronic device, a smaller device such as a wristwatch device, a pendant device, a headphone or earpiece device, a virtual or augmented reality headset device, a device embedded in eyeglasses or other equipment worn on a user&#39;s head, or other wearable or miniature device, a television, a computer display that does not contain an embedded computer, a gaming device, a navigation device, an embedded system such as a system in which electronic equipment with a display is mounted in a kiosk or automobile, a wireless access point or base station, a desktop computer, a portable speaker, a keyboard, a gaming controller, a gaming system, a computer mouse, a mousepad, a trackpad or touchpad, equipment that implements the functionality of two or more of these devices, or other electronic equipment. In the illustrative configuration of  FIG.  1   , device  10  is a portable device such as a cellular telephone, media player, tablet computer, portable speaker, or other portable computing device. Other configurations may be used for device  10  if desired. The example of  FIG.  1    is merely illustrative. 
     As shown in  FIG.  1   , device  10  may include a display such as display  8 . Display  8  may be mounted in a housing such as housing  12 . Housing  12 , which may sometimes be referred to as an enclosure or case, may be formed of plastic, glass, ceramics, fiber composites, metal (e.g., stainless steel, aluminum, etc.), other suitable materials, or a combination of any two or more of these materials. Housing  12  may be formed using a unibody configuration in which some or all of housing  12  is machined or molded as a single structure or may be formed using multiple structures (e.g., an internal frame structure, one or more structures that form exterior housing surfaces, etc.). 
     Display  8  may be a touch screen display that incorporates a layer of conductive capacitive touch sensor electrodes or other touch sensor components (e.g., resistive touch sensor components, acoustic touch sensor components, force-based touch sensor components, light-based touch sensor components, etc.) or may be a display that is not touch-sensitive. Capacitive touch sensor electrodes may be formed from an array of indium tin oxide pads or other transparent conductive structures. 
     Display  8  may include an array of display pixels formed from liquid crystal display (LCD) components, an array of electrophoretic display pixels, an array of plasma display pixels, an array of organic light-emitting diode display pixels, an array of electrowetting display pixels, or display pixels based on other display technologies. 
     Display  8  may be protected using a display cover layer such as a layer of transparent glass, clear plastic, sapphire, or other transparent dielectrics. Openings may be formed in the display cover layer. For example, openings may be formed in the display cover layer to accommodate one or more buttons, sensor circuitry such as a fingerprint sensor or light sensor, ports such as a speaker port or microphone port, etc. Openings may be formed in housing  12  to form communications ports (e.g., an audio jack port, a digital data port, charging port, etc.). Openings in housing  12  may also be formed for audio components such as a speaker and/or a microphone. 
     Antennas may be mounted in housing  12 . If desired, some of the antennas (e.g., antenna arrays that implement beam steering, etc.) may be mounted under an inactive border region of display  8  (see, e.g., illustrative antenna locations  6  of  FIG.  1   ). Display  8  may contain an active area with an array of pixels (e.g., a central rectangular portion). Inactive areas of display  8  are free of pixels and may form borders for the active area. If desired, antennas may also operate through dielectric-filled openings in the rear of housing  12  or elsewhere in device  10 . 
     To avoid disrupting communications when an external object such as a human hand or other body part of a user blocks one or more antennas, antennas may be mounted at multiple locations in housing  12 . Sensor data such as proximity sensor data, real-time antenna impedance measurements, signal quality measurements such as received signal strength information, and other data may be used in determining when one or more antennas is being adversely affected due to the orientation of housing  12 , blockage by a user&#39;s hand or other external object, or other environmental factors. Device  10  can then switch one or more replacement antennas into use in place of the antennas that are being adversely affected. 
     Antennas may be mounted at the corners of housing  12  (e.g., in corner locations  6  of  FIG.  1    and/or in corner locations on the rear of housing  12 ), along the peripheral edges of housing  12 , on the rear of housing  12 , under the display cover glass or other dielectric display cover layer that is used in covering and protecting display  8  on the front of device  10 , over a dielectric window on a rear face of housing  12  or the edge of housing  12 , over a dielectric cover layer such as a dielectric rear housing wall that covers some or all of the rear face of device  10 , or elsewhere in device  10 . 
       FIG.  2    is a rear perspective view of electronic device  10  showing illustrative locations  6  on the rear and sides of housing  12  in which antennas (e.g., single antennas and/or phased antenna arrays) may be mounted in device  10 . The antennas may be mounted at the corners of device  10 , along the edges of housing  12  such as edges formed by sidewalls  12 E, on upper and lower portions of rear housing wall  12 R, in the center of rear housing wall  12 R (e.g., under a dielectric window structure or other antenna window in the center of rear housing wall  12 R), at the corners of rear housing wall  12 R (e.g., on the upper left corner, upper right corner, lower left corner, and lower right corner of the rear of housing  12  and device  10 ), etc. 
     In configurations in which housing  12  is formed entirely or nearly entirely from a dielectric (e.g., plastic, glass, sapphire, ceramic, fabric, etc.), the antennas may transmit and receive antenna signals through any suitable portion of the dielectric. In configurations in which housing  12  is formed from a conductive material such as metal, regions of the housing such as slots or other openings in the metal may be filled with plastic or other dielectrics. The antennas may be mounted in alignment with the dielectric in the openings. These openings, which may sometimes be referred to as dielectric antenna windows, dielectric gaps, dielectric-filled openings, dielectric-filled slots, elongated dielectric opening regions, etc., may allow antenna signals to be transmitted to external wireless equipment from the antennas mounted within the interior of device  10  and may allow internal antennas to receive antenna signals from external wireless equipment. In another suitable arrangement, the antennas may be mounted on the exterior of conductive portions of housing  12 . 
       FIGS.  1  and  2    are merely illustrative. In general, housing  12  may have any desired shape (e.g., a rectangular shape, a cylindrical shape, a spherical shape, combinations of these, the shape of a wearable or head-mounted device such as goggles, a helmet, or glasses, the shape of a peripheral electronic device such as a gaming controller or remote control, etc.). Display  8  of  FIG.  1    may be omitted if desired. Antennas may be located within housing  12 , on housing  12 , and/or external to housing  12 . 
     A schematic diagram of illustrative components that may be used in device  10  is shown in  FIG.  3   . As shown in  FIG.  3   , device  10  may include control circuitry  14 . Control circuitry  14  may include storage such as storage circuitry  20 . Storage circuitry  20  may include hard disk drive storage, nonvolatile memory (e.g., flash memory or other electrically-programmable-read-only memory configured to form a solid-state drive), volatile memory (e.g., static or dynamic random-access-memory), etc. 
     Control circuitry  14  may include processing circuitry such as processing circuitry  22 . Processing circuitry  22  may be used to control the operation of device  10 . Processing circuitry  22  may include on one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, host processors, baseband processor integrated circuits, application specific integrated circuits, central processing units (CPUs), etc. Control circuitry  14  may be configured to perform operations in device  10  using hardware (e.g., dedicated hardware or circuitry), firmware, and/or software. Software code for performing operations in device  10  may be stored on storage circuitry  20  (e.g., storage circuitry  20  may include non-transitory (tangible) computer readable storage media that stores the software code). The software code may sometimes be referred to as program instructions, software, data, instructions, or code. Software code stored on storage circuitry  20  may be executed by processing circuitry  22 . 
     Control circuitry  14  may be used to run software on device  10  such as internet browsing applications, voice-over-internet-protocol (VOIP) telephone call applications, email applications, media playback applications, operating system functions, etc. To support interactions with external equipment, control circuitry  14  may be used in implementing communications protocols. Communications protocols that may be implemented using control circuitry  14  include internet protocols, wireless local area network protocols (e.g., IEEE 802.11 protocols—sometimes referred to as WiFi®), protocols for other short-range wireless communications links such as the Bluetooth® protocol or other WPAN protocols, IEEE 802.11ad protocols, cellular telephone protocols, MIMO protocols, antenna diversity protocols, satellite navigation system protocols, antenna-based spatial ranging protocols (e.g., radio detection and ranging (RADAR) protocols or other desired range detection protocols for signals conveyed at millimeter and centimeter wave frequencies), etc. Each communication protocol may be associated with a corresponding radio access technology (RAT) that specifies the physical connection methodology used in implementing the protocol. 
     Device  10  may include input-output circuitry  16 . Input-output circuitry  16  may include input-output devices  18 . Input-output devices  18  may be used to allow data to be supplied to device  10  and to allow data to be provided from device  10  to external devices. Input-output devices  18  may include user interface devices, data port devices, sensors, and other input-output components. For example, input-output devices may include touch screens, displays without touch sensor capabilities, buttons, joysticks, scrolling wheels, touch pads, key pads, keyboards, microphones, cameras, speakers, status indicators, light sources, audio jacks and other audio port components, digital data port devices, light sensors, gyroscopes, accelerometers or other components that can detect motion and device orientation relative to the Earth, capacitance sensors, proximity sensors (e.g., a capacitive proximity sensor and/or an infrared proximity sensor), magnetic sensors, and other sensors and input-output components. 
     Input-output circuitry  16  may include wireless circuitry such as wireless circuitry  24  for wirelessly conveying radio-frequency signals. While control circuitry  14  is shown separately from wireless circuitry  24  in the example of  FIG.  3    for the sake of clarity, wireless circuitry  24  may include processing circuitry that forms a part of processing circuitry  22  and/or storage circuitry that forms a part of storage circuitry  20  of control circuitry  14  (e.g., portions of control circuitry  14  may be implemented on wireless circuitry  24 ). As an example, control circuitry  14  may include baseband processor circuitry or other control components that form a part of wireless circuitry  24 . 
     Wireless circuitry  24  may include millimeter and centimeter wave transceiver circuitry such as millimeter/centimeter wave transceiver circuitry  28 . Millimeter/centimeter wave transceiver circuitry  28  may support communications at frequencies between about 10 GHz and 300 GHz. For example, millimeter/centimeter wave transceiver circuitry  28  may support communications in Extremely High Frequency (EHF) or millimeter wave communications bands between about 30 GHz and 300 GHz and/or in centimeter wave communications bands between about 10 GHz and 30 GHz (sometimes referred to as Super High Frequency (SHF) bands). As examples, millimeter/centimeter wave transceiver circuitry  28  may support communications in an IEEE K communications band between about 18 GHz and 27 GHz, a K a  communications band between about 26.5 GHz and 40 GHz, a K a  communications band between about 12 GHz and 18 GHz, a V communications band between about 40 GHz and 75 GHz, a W communications band between about 75 GHz and 110 GHz, or any other desired frequency band between approximately 10 GHz and 300 GHz. If desired, millimeter/centimeter wave transceiver circuitry  28  may support IEEE 802.11ad communications at 60 GHz and/or 5 th  generation mobile networks or 5 th  generation wireless systems (5G) New Radio (NR) Frequency Range 2 (FR2) communications bands between about 24 GHz and 90 GHz (e.g., FR2 bands N257, N258, and/or N261 between about 24.25 GHz and 29.5 GHz, FR2 bands N259 and/or N260 between about 37 GHz and 43.5 GHz, etc.). Millimeter/centimeter wave transceiver circuitry  28  may be formed from one or more integrated circuits (e.g., multiple integrated circuits mounted on a common printed circuit in a system-in-package device, one or more integrated circuits mounted on different substrates, etc.). 
     Millimeter/centimeter wave transceiver circuitry  28  (sometimes referred to herein simply as transceiver circuitry  28  or millimeter/centimeter wave circuitry  28 ) may perform spatial ranging operations using radio-frequency signals at millimeter and/or centimeter wave frequencies that are transmitted and received by millimeter/centimeter wave transceiver circuitry  28 . The received signals may be a version of the transmitted signals that have been reflected off of external objects and back towards device  10 . Control circuitry  14  may process the transmitted and received signals to detect or estimate a range between device  10  and one or more external objects in the surroundings of device  10  (e.g., objects external to device  10  such as the body of a user or other persons, other devices, animals, furniture, walls, or other objects or obstacles in the vicinity of device  10 ). If desired, control circuitry  14  may also process the transmitted and received signals to identify a two or three-dimensional spatial location of the external objects relative to device  10 . 
     Spatial ranging operations performed by millimeter/centimeter wave transceiver circuitry  28  are unidirectional. If desired, millimeter/centimeter wave transceiver circuitry  28  may also perform bidirectional communications with external wireless equipment such as external wireless equipment  10 ′ (e.g., over bi-directional millimeter/centimeter wave wireless communications link  31 ). External wireless equipment  10 ′ may include other electronic devices such as electronic device  10 , a wireless base station, wireless access point, a wireless accessory, or any other desired equipment that transmits and receives millimeter/centimeter wave signals. Bidirectional communications involve both the transmission of wireless data by millimeter/centimeter wave transceiver circuitry  28  and the reception of wireless data that has been transmitted by external wireless equipment  10 ′. The wireless data may, for example, include data that has been encoded into corresponding data packets such as wireless data associated with a telephone call, streaming media content, internet browsing, wireless data associated with software applications running on device  10 , email messages, etc. 
     If desired, wireless circuitry  24  may include transceiver circuitry for handling communications at frequencies below 10 GHz such as non-millimeter/centimeter wave transceiver circuitry  26 . For example, non-millimeter/centimeter wave transceiver circuitry  26  may handle wireless local area network (WLAN) communications bands such as the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi® (IEEE 802.11) bands, wireless personal area network (WPAN) communications bands such as the 2.4 GHz Bluetooth® communications band, cellular telephone communications bands such as a cellular low band (LB) (e.g., 600 to 960 MHz), a cellular low-midband (LMB) (e.g., 1400 to 1550 MHz), a cellular midband (MB) (e.g., from 1700 to 2200 MHz), a cellular high band (HB) (e.g., from 2300 to 2700 MHz), a cellular ultra-high band (UHB) (e.g., from 3300 to 5000 MHz, or other cellular communications bands between about 600 MHz and about 5000 MHz (e.g., 3G bands, 4G LTE bands, 5G New Radio Frequency Range 1 (FR1) bands below 10 GHz, etc.), a near-field communications (NFC) band (e.g., at 13.56 MHz), satellite navigations bands (e.g., an L1 global positioning system (GPS) band at 1575 MHz, an L5 GPS band at 1176 MHz, a Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS) band, a BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) band, etc.), ultra-wideband (UWB) communications band(s) supported by the IEEE 802.15.4 protocol and/or other UWB communications protocols (e.g., a first UWB communications band at 6.5 GHz and/or a second UWB communications band at 8.0 GHz), and/or any other desired communications bands. The communications bands handled by the radio-frequency transceiver circuitry may sometimes be referred to herein as frequency bands or simply as “bands,” and may span corresponding ranges of frequencies. Non-millimeter/centimeter wave transceiver circuitry  26  and millimeter/centimeter wave transceiver circuitry  28  may each include one or more integrated circuits, power amplifier circuitry, low-noise input amplifiers, passive radio-frequency components, switching circuitry, transmission line structures, and other circuitry for handling radio-frequency signals. 
     In general, the transceiver circuitry in wireless circuitry  24  may cover (handle) any desired frequency bands of interest. As shown in  FIG.  3   , wireless circuitry  24  may include antennas  30 . The transceiver circuitry may convey radio-frequency signals using one or more antennas  30  (e.g., antennas  30  may convey the radio-frequency signals for the transceiver circuitry). The term “convey radio-frequency signals” as used herein means the transmission and/or reception of the radio-frequency signals (e.g., for performing unidirectional and/or bidirectional wireless communications with external wireless communications equipment). Antennas  30  may transmit the radio-frequency signals by radiating the radio-frequency signals into free space (or to freespace through intervening device structures such as a dielectric cover layer). Antennas  30  may additionally or alternatively receive the radio-frequency signals from free space (e.g., through intervening devices structures such as a dielectric cover layer). The transmission and reception of radio-frequency signals by antennas  30  each involve the excitation or resonance of antenna currents on an antenna resonating element in the antenna by the radio-frequency signals within the frequency band(s) of operation of the antenna. 
     In satellite navigation system links, cellular telephone links, and other long-range links, radio-frequency signals are typically used to convey data over thousands of feet or miles. In Wi-Fi® and Bluetooth® links at 2.4 and 5 GHz and other short-range wireless links, radio-frequency signals are typically used to convey data over tens or hundreds of feet. Millimeter/centimeter wave transceiver circuitry  28  may convey radio-frequency signals over short distances that travel over a line-of-sight path. To enhance signal reception for millimeter and centimeter wave communications, phased antenna arrays and beam forming (steering) techniques may be used (e.g., schemes in which antenna signal phase and/or magnitude for each antenna in an array are adjusted to perform beam steering). Antenna diversity schemes may also be used to ensure that the antennas that have become blocked or that are otherwise degraded due to the operating environment of device  10  can be switched out of use and higher-performing antennas used in their place. 
     Antennas  30  in wireless circuitry  24  may be formed using any suitable antenna types. For example, antennas  30  may include antennas with resonating elements that are formed from stacked patch antenna structures, loop antenna structures, patch antenna structures, inverted-F antenna structures, slot antenna structures, planar inverted-F antenna structures, monopole antenna structures, dipole antenna structures, helical antenna structures, Yagi (Yagi-Uda) antenna structures, hybrids of these designs, etc. If desired, one or more of antennas  30  may be cavity-backed antennas. Different types of antennas may be used for different bands and combinations of bands. For example, one type of antenna may be used in forming a non-millimeter/centimeter wave wireless link for non-millimeter/centimeter wave transceiver circuitry  26  and another type of antenna may be used in conveying radio-frequency signals at millimeter and/or centimeter wave frequencies for millimeter/centimeter wave transceiver circuitry  28 . Antennas  30  that are used to convey radio-frequency signals at millimeter and centimeter wave frequencies may be arranged in one or more phased antenna arrays. In one suitable arrangement that is described herein as an example, the antennas  30  that are arranged in a corresponding phased antenna array may be stacked patch antennas having patch antenna resonating elements that overlap and are vertically stacked with respect to one or more parasitic patch elements. 
       FIG.  4    is a diagram showing how antennas  30  for handling radio-frequency signals at millimeter and centimeter wave frequencies may be formed in a phased antenna array. As shown in  FIG.  4   , phased antenna array  36  (sometimes referred to herein as array  36 , antenna array  36 , or array  36  of antennas  30 ) may be coupled to radio-frequency transmission line paths  32 . For example, a first antenna  30 - 1  in phased antenna array  36  may be coupled to a first radio-frequency transmission line path  32 - 1 , a second antenna  30 - 2  in phased antenna array  36  may be coupled to a second radio-frequency transmission line path  32 - 2 , an Mth antenna  30 -M in phased antenna array  36  may be coupled to an Mth radio-frequency transmission line path  32 -M, etc. While antennas  30  are described herein as forming a phased antenna array, the antennas  30  in phased antenna array  36  may sometimes also be referred to as collectively forming a single phased array antenna (e.g., where each antenna  30  in the phased array antenna forms an antenna element of the phased array antenna). 
     Radio-frequency transmission line paths  32  may each be coupled to millimeter/centimeter wave transceiver circuitry  28  of  FIG.  3   . Each radio-frequency transmission line path  32  may include one or more radio-frequency transmission lines, a positive signal conductor, and a ground signal conductor. The positive signal conductor may be coupled to a positive antenna feed terminal on an antenna resonating element of the corresponding antenna  30 . The ground signal conductor may be coupled to a ground antenna feed terminal on an antenna ground for the corresponding antenna  30 . 
     Radio-frequency transmission line paths  32  may include stripline transmission lines (sometimes referred to herein simply as striplines), coaxial cables, coaxial probes realized by metalized vias, microstrip transmission lines, edge-coupled microstrip transmission lines, edge-coupled stripline transmission lines, waveguide structures, conductive vias, combinations of these, etc. Multiple types of transmission lines may be used to couple the millimeter/centimeter wave transceiver circuitry to phased antenna array  36 . Filter circuitry, switching circuitry, impedance matching circuitry, phase shifter circuitry, amplifier circuitry, and/or other circuitry may be interposed on radio-frequency transmission line path  32 , if desired. 
     Radio-frequency transmission lines in device  10  may be integrated into ceramic substrates, rigid printed circuit boards, and/or flexible printed circuits. In one suitable arrangement, radio-frequency transmission lines in device  10  may be integrated within multilayer laminated structures (e.g., layers of a conductive material such as copper and a dielectric material such as a resin that are laminated together without intervening adhesive) that may be folded or bent in multiple dimensions (e.g., two or three dimensions) and that maintain a bent or folded shape after bending (e.g., the multilayer laminated structures may be folded into a particular three-dimensional shape to route around other device components and may be rigid enough to hold its shape after folding without being held in place by stiffeners or other structures). All of the multiple layers of the laminated structures may be batch laminated together (e.g., in a single pressing process) without adhesive (e.g., as opposed to performing multiple pressing processes to laminate multiple layers together with adhesive). 
     Antennas  30  in phased antenna array  36  may be arranged in any desired number of rows and columns or in any other desired pattern (e.g., the antennas need not be arranged in a grid pattern having rows and columns). During signal transmission operations, radio-frequency transmission line paths  32  may be used to supply signals (e.g., radio-frequency signals such as millimeter wave and/or centimeter wave signals) from millimeter/centimeter wave transceiver circuitry  28  ( FIG.  3   ) to phased antenna array  36  for wireless transmission. During signal reception operations, radio-frequency transmission line paths  32  may be used to convey signals received at phased antenna array  36  (e.g., from external wireless equipment  10 ′ of  FIG.  3   ) to millimeter/centimeter wave transceiver circuitry  28  ( FIG.  3   ). 
     The use of multiple antennas  30  in phased antenna array  36  allows radio-frequency beam forming arrangements (sometimes referred to herein as radio-frequency beam steering arrangements) to be implemented by controlling the relative phases and magnitudes (amplitudes) of the radio-frequency signals conveyed by the antennas. In the example of  FIG.  4   , the antennas  30  in phased antenna array  36  each have a corresponding radio-frequency phase and magnitude controller  33  (e.g., a first phase and magnitude controller  33 - 1  interposed on radio-frequency transmission line path  32 - 1  may control phase and magnitude for radio-frequency signals handled by antenna  30 - 1 , a second phase and magnitude controller  33 - 2  interposed on radio-frequency transmission line path  32 - 2  may control phase and magnitude for radio-frequency signals handled by antenna  30 - 2 , an Mth phase and magnitude controller  33 -M interposed on radio-frequency transmission line path  32 -M may control phase and magnitude for radio-frequency signals handled by antenna  30 -M, etc.). 
     Phase and magnitude controllers  33  may each include circuitry for adjusting the phase of the radio-frequency signals on radio-frequency transmission line paths  32  (e.g., phase shifter circuits) and/or circuitry for adjusting the magnitude of the radio-frequency signals on radio-frequency transmission line paths  32  (e.g., power amplifier and/or low noise amplifier circuits). Phase and magnitude controllers  33  may sometimes be referred to collectively herein as beam steering or beam forming circuitry (e.g., beam steering circuitry that steers the beam of radio-frequency signals transmitted and/or received by phased antenna array  36 ). 
     Phase and magnitude controllers  33  may adjust the relative phases and/or magnitudes of the transmitted signals that are provided to each of the antennas in phased antenna array  36  and may adjust the relative phases and/or magnitudes of the received signals that are received by phased antenna array  36 . Phase and magnitude controllers  33  may, if desired, include phase detection circuitry for detecting the phases of the received signals that are received by phased antenna array  36 . The term “beam,” “signal beam,” “radio-frequency beam,” or “radio-frequency signal beam” may be used herein to collectively refer to wireless signals that are transmitted and received by phased antenna array  36  in a particular direction. The signal beam may exhibit a peak gain that is oriented in a particular beam pointing direction at a corresponding beam pointing angle (e.g., based on constructive and destructive interference from the combination of signals from each antenna in the phased antenna array). The term “transmit beam” may sometimes be used herein to refer to radio-frequency signals that are transmitted in a particular direction whereas the term “receive beam” may sometimes be used herein to refer to radio-frequency signals that are received from a particular direction. 
     If, for example, phase and magnitude controllers  33  are adjusted to produce a first set of phases and/or magnitudes for transmitted radio-frequency signals, the transmitted signals will form a transmit beam as shown by beam B 1  of  FIG.  4    that is oriented in the direction of point A. If, however, phase and magnitude controllers  33  are adjusted to produce a second set of phases and/or magnitudes for the transmitted signals, the transmitted signals will form a transmit beam as shown by beam B 2  that is oriented in the direction of point B. Similarly, if phase and magnitude controllers  33  are adjusted to produce the first set of phases and/or magnitudes, radio-frequency signals (e.g., radio-frequency signals in a receive beam) may be received from the direction of point A, as shown by beam B 1 . If phase and magnitude controllers  33  are adjusted to produce the second set of phases and/or magnitudes, radio-frequency signals may be received from the direction of point B, as shown by beam B 2 . 
     Each phase and magnitude controller  33  may be controlled to produce a desired phase and/or magnitude based on a corresponding control signal S received from control circuitry  38  of  FIG.  4    over control paths  34  (e.g., the phase and/or magnitude provided by phase and magnitude controller  33 - 1  may be controlled using control signal S 1  on control path  34 - 1 , the phase and/or magnitude provided by phase and magnitude controller  33 - 2  may be controlled using control signal S 2  on control path  34 - 2 , the phase and/or magnitude provided by phase and magnitude controller  33 -M may be controlled using control signal SM on control path  34 -M, etc.). If desired, control circuitry  38  may actively adjust control signals S in real time to steer the transmit or receive beam in different desired directions (e.g., to different desired beam pointing angles) over time. Phase and magnitude controllers  33  may provide information identifying the phase of received signals to control circuitry  38  if desired. 
     When performing wireless communications using radio-frequency signals at millimeter and centimeter wave frequencies, the radio-frequency signals are conveyed over a line of sight path between phased antenna array  36  and external wireless equipment (e.g., external wireless equipment  10 ′ of  FIG.  3   ). If the external wireless equipment is located at point A of  FIG.  4   , phase and magnitude controllers  33  may be adjusted to steer the signal beam towards point A (e.g., to form a signal beam having a beam pointing angle directed towards point A). Phased antenna array  36  may then transmit and receive radio-frequency signals in the direction of point A. Similarly, if the external wireless equipment is located at point B, phase and magnitude controllers  33  may be adjusted to steer the signal beam towards point B (e.g., to form a signal beam having a beam pointing angle directed towards point B). Phased antenna array  36  may then transmit and receive radio-frequency signals in the direction of point B. In the example of  FIG.  4   , beam steering is shown as being performed over a single degree of freedom for the sake of simplicity (e.g., towards the left and right on the page of  FIG.  4   ). However, in practice, the beam may be steered over two or more degrees of freedom (e.g., in three dimensions, into and out of the page and to the left and right on the page of  FIG.  4   ). Phased antenna array  36  may have a corresponding field of view over which beam steering can be performed (e.g., in a hemisphere or a segment of a hemisphere over the phased antenna array). If desired, device  10  may include multiple phased antenna arrays that each face a different direction to provide coverage from multiple sides of the device. 
     Control circuitry  38  of  FIG.  4    may form a part of control circuitry  14  of  FIG.  3    or may be separate from control circuitry  14  of  FIG.  3   . Control circuitry  38  of  FIG.  4    may identify a desired beam pointing angle for the signal beam of phased antenna array  36  and may adjust the control signals S provided to phased antenna array  36  to configure phased antenna array  36  to form (steer) the signal beam at that beam pointing angle. Each possible beam pointing angle that can be used by phased antenna array  36  during wireless communications may be identified by a beam steering codebook such as codebook  40 . Codebook  40  may be stored at control circuitry  38 , elsewhere on device  10 , or may be located (offloaded) on external equipment and conveyed to device  10  over a wired or wireless communications link. 
     Codebook  40  may identify each possible beam pointing angle that may be used by phased antenna array  36 . Control circuitry  38  may store or identify phase and magnitude settings for phase and magnitude controllers  33  to use in implementing each of those beam pointing angles (e.g., control circuitry  38  or codebook  40  may include information that maps each beam pointing angle for phased antenna array  36  to a corresponding set of phase and magnitude values for phase and magnitude controllers  33 ). Codebook  40  may be hard-coded or soft-coded into control circuitry  38  or elsewhere in device  10 , may include one or more databases stored at control circuitry  38  or elsewhere in device  10  (e.g., codebook  40  may be stored as software code), may include one or more look-up-tables at control circuitry  38  or elsewhere in device  10 , and/or may include any other desired data structures stored in hardware and/or software on device  10 . Codebook  40  may be generated during calibration of device  10  (e.g., during design, manufacturing, and/or testing of device  10  prior to device  10  being received by an end user) and/or may be dynamically updated over time (e.g., after device  10  has been used by an end user). 
     Control circuitry  38  may generate control signals S based on codebook  40 . For example, control circuitry  38  may identify a beam pointing angle that would be needed to communicate with external wireless equipment  10 ′ of  FIG.  3    (e.g., a beam pointing angle pointing towards external wireless equipment  10 ′). Control circuitry  38  may subsequently identify the beam pointing angle in codebook  40  that is closest to this identified beam pointing angle. Control circuitry  38  may use codebook  40  to generate phase and magnitude values for phase and magnitude controllers  33 . Control circuitry  38  may transmit control signals S identifying these phase and magnitude values to phase and magnitude controllers  33  over control paths  34 . The beam formed by phased antenna array  36  using control signals S will be oriented at the beam pointing angle identified by codebook  40 . If desired, control circuitry  38  may sweep over some or all of the different beam pointing angles identified by codebook  40  until the external wireless equipment is found and may use the corresponding beam pointing angle at which the external wireless equipment was found to communicate with the external wireless equipment (e.g., over communications link  31  of  FIG.  3   ). 
     A schematic diagram of an antenna  30  that may be formed in phased antenna array  36  (e.g., as antenna  30 - 1 ,  30 - 2 ,  30 - 3 , and/or  30 -N in phased antenna array  36  of  FIG.  4   ) is shown in  FIG.  5   . As shown in  FIG.  5   , antenna  30  may be coupled to transceiver circuitry  42  (e.g., millimeter wave transceiver circuitry  28  of  FIG.  3   ). Transceiver circuitry  42  may be coupled to antenna feed  48  of antenna  30  using radio-frequency transmission line path  32 . Antenna feed  48  may include a positive antenna feed terminal such as positive antenna feed terminal  50  and may include a ground antenna feed terminal such as ground antenna feed terminal  52 . Radio-frequency transmission line path  32  may include a positive signal conductor such as signal conductor  44  that is coupled to positive antenna feed terminal  50  and a ground conductor such as ground conductor  46  that is coupled to ground antenna feed terminal  52 . 
     Any desired antenna structures may be used to form antenna  30 . In one suitable arrangement that is sometimes described herein as an example, stacked patch antenna structures may be used to form antenna  30 . Antennas  30  that are formed using stacked patch antenna structures may sometimes be referred to herein as stacked patch antennas or simply as patch antennas.  FIG.  6    is a perspective view of an illustrative patch antenna that may be used in phased antenna array  36 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  6   , antenna  30  may have a patch antenna resonating element  58  that is separated from and parallel to a ground plane such as antenna ground  56 . Patch antenna resonating element  58  may lie within a plane such as the A-B plane of  FIG.  6    (e.g., the lateral surface area of element  58  may lie in the A-B plane). Patch antenna resonating element  58  may sometimes be referred to herein as patch  58 , patch element  58 , patch resonating element  58 , antenna resonating element  58 , or resonating element  58 . Antenna ground  56  may lie within a plane that is parallel to the plane of patch element  58 . Patch element  58  and antenna ground  56  may therefore lie in separate parallel planes that are separated by distance  65 . Patch element  58  and antenna ground  56  may be formed from conductive traces patterned on a dielectric substrate such as a rigid or flexible printed circuit board substrate or any other desired conductive structures. 
     The length of the sides of patch element  58  may be selected so that antenna  30  resonates at a desired operating frequency. For example, the sides of patch element  58  may each have a length  68  that is approximately equal to half of the wavelength of the signals conveyed by antenna  30  (e.g., the effective wavelength given the dielectric properties of the materials surrounding patch element  58 ). In one suitable arrangement, length  68  may be between 0.8 mm and 1.2 mm (e.g., approximately 1.1 mm) for covering a millimeter wave frequency band between 57 GHz and 70 GHz or between 1.6 mm and 2.2 mm (e.g., approximately 1.85 mm) for covering a millimeter wave frequency band between 37 GHz and 41 GHz, as just two examples. 
     The example of  FIG.  6    is merely illustrative. Patch element  58  may have a square shape in which all of the sides of patch element  58  are the same length or may have a different rectangular shape. Patch element  58  may be formed in other shapes having any desired number of straight and/or curved edges. 
     To enhance the polarizations handled by antenna  30 , antenna  30  may be provided with multiple feeds. As shown in  FIG.  6   , antenna  30  may have a first feed at antenna port P 1  that is coupled to a first radio-frequency transmission line path  32  such as radio-frequency transmission line path  32 V. Antenna  30  may have a second feed at antenna port P 2  that is coupled to a second radio-frequency transmission line path  32  such as radio-frequency transmission line path  32 H. The first antenna feed may have a first ground feed terminal coupled to antenna ground  56  (not shown in  FIG.  6    for the sake of clarity) and a first positive antenna feed terminal  50 V coupled to patch element  58 . The second antenna feed may have a second ground feed terminal coupled to antenna ground  56  (not shown in  FIG.  6    for the sake of clarity) and a second positive antenna feed terminal  50 H on patch element  58 . 
     Holes or openings such as openings  64  and  66  may be formed in antenna ground  56 . Radio-frequency transmission line path  32 V may include a vertical conductor (e.g., a conductive through-via, conductive pin, metal pillar, solder bump, combinations of these, and/or other vertical conductive interconnect structures) that extends through opening  64  to positive antenna feed terminal  50 V on patch element  58 . Radio-frequency transmission line path  32 H may include a vertical conductor that extends through opening  66  to positive antenna feed terminal  50 H on patch element  58 . This example is merely illustrative and, if desired, other transmission line structures may be used (e.g., coaxial cable structures, stripline transmission line structures, etc.). 
     When using the first antenna feed associated with port P 1 , antenna  30  may transmit and/or receive radio-frequency signals having a first polarization (e.g., the electric field E 1  of radio-frequency signals  70  associated with port P 1  may be oriented parallel to the B-axis in  FIG.  5   ). When using the antenna feed associated with port P 2 , antenna  30  may transmit and/or receive radio-frequency signals having a second polarization (e.g., the electric field E 2  of radio-frequency signals  70  associated with port P 2  may be oriented parallel to the A-axis of  FIG.  5    so that the polarizations associated with ports P 1  and P 2  are orthogonal to each other). 
     One of ports P 1  and P 2  may be used at a given time so that antenna  30  operates as a single-polarization antenna or both ports may be operated at the same time so that antenna  30  operates with other polarizations (e.g., as a dual-polarization antenna, a circularly-polarized antenna, an elliptically-polarized antenna, etc.). If desired, the active port may be changed over time so that antenna  30  can switch between covering vertical or horizontal polarizations at a given time. Ports P 1  and P 2  may be coupled to different phase and magnitude controllers  33  ( FIG.  3   ) or may both be coupled to the same phase and magnitude controller  33 . If desired, ports P 1  and P 2  may both be operated with the same phase and magnitude at a given time (e.g., when antenna  30  acts as a dual-polarization antenna). If desired, the phases and magnitudes of radio-frequency signals conveyed over ports P 1  and P 2  may be controlled separately and varied over time so that antenna  30  exhibits other polarizations (e.g., circular or elliptical polarizations). 
     If care is not taken, antennas  30  such as dual-polarization patch antennas of the type shown in  FIG.  6    may have insufficient bandwidth for covering relatively wide ranges of frequencies. It may be desirable for antenna  30  to be able to cover both a first frequency band and a second frequency band at frequencies higher than the first frequency band. In one suitable arrangement that is described herein as an example, the first frequency band may include frequencies from about 24-30 GHz whereas the second frequency band includes frequencies from about 37-40 GHz. In these scenarios, patch element  58  may not exhibit sufficient bandwidth on its own to cover an entirety of both the first and second frequency bands. 
     If desired, antenna  30  may include one or more additional patch elements  60  that are stacked over patch element  58 . Each patch element  60  may partially or completely overlap patch element  58 . The lower-most patch element  60  may be separated from patch element  58  by distance D, which is selected to provide antenna  30  with a desired bandwidth without occupying excessive volume within device  10 . Patch elements  60  may have sides with lengths other than length  68 , which configure patch elements  60  to radiate at different frequencies than patch element  58 , thereby extending the overall bandwidth of antenna  30 . 
     Patch elements  60  may include directly-fed patch antenna resonating elements (e.g., patch elements with one or more positive antenna feed terminals directly coupled to transmission lines) and/or parasitic antenna resonating elements that are not directly fed by antenna feed terminals and transmission lines. One or more patch elements  60  may be coupled to patch element  58  by one or more conductive through vias if desired (e.g., so that at least one patch element  60  and patch element  58  are coupled together as a single directly fed resonating element). In scenarios where patch elements  60  are directly fed, patch elements  60  may include two positive antenna feed terminals for conveying signals with different (e.g., orthogonal) polarizations and/or may include a single positive antenna feed terminal for conveying signals with a single polarization. The combined resonance of patch element  58  and each of patch elements  60  may configure antenna  30  to radiate with satisfactory antenna efficiency across an entirety of both the first and second frequency bands (e.g., from 24-30 GHz and from 37-40 GHz). The example of  FIG.  5    is merely illustrative. Patch elements  60  may be omitted if desired. Patch elements  60  may be rectangular, square, cross-shaped, or any other desired shape having any desired number of straight and/or curved edges. Patch element  60  may be provided at any desired orientation relative to patch element  58 . Antenna  30  may have any desired number of feeds. Other antenna types may be used if desired (e.g., dipole antennas, monopole antennas, slot antennas, etc.). 
     If desired, phased antenna array  36  may be integrated with other circuitry such as a radio-frequency integrated circuit to form an integrated antenna module.  FIG.  7    is a rear perspective view of an illustrative integrated antenna module for handling signals at frequencies greater than 10 GHz in device  10 . As shown in  FIG.  7   , device  10  may be provided with an integrated antenna module such as integrated antenna module  72  (sometimes referred to herein as antenna module  72  or module  72 ). 
     Antenna module  72  may include phased antenna array  36  of antennas  30  formed on a dielectric substrate such as substrate  85 . Substrate  85  may be, for example, a rigid printed circuit board. Substrate  85  may be a stacked dielectric substrate that includes multiple stacked dielectric layers  80  (e.g., multiple layers of printed circuit board substrate such as multiple layers of fiberglass-filled epoxy, rigid printed circuit board material, ceramic, plastic, glass, or other dielectrics). Phased antenna array  36  may include any desired number of antennas  30  arranged in any desired pattern. 
     Antennas  30  in phased antenna array  36  may include antenna elements such as patch elements  91  (e.g., patch elements  91  may form patch element  58  and/or one or more patch elements  60  of  FIG.  6   ). Ground traces  82  may be patterned onto substrate  85  (e.g., conductive traces forming antenna ground  56  of  FIG.  6    for each of the antennas  30  in phased antenna array  36 ). Patch elements  91  may be patterned on (bottom) surface  78  of substrate  85  or may be embedded within dielectric layers  80  at or adjacent to surface  78 . Only two patch elements  91  are shown in  FIG.  7    for the sake of clarity. This is merely illustrative and, in general, antennas  30  may include any desired number of one or more patch elements  91 . 
     One or more electrical components  74  may be mounted on (top) surface  76  of substrate  85  (e.g., the surface of substrate  85  opposite surface  78  and patch elements  91 ). Component  74  may, for example, include an integrated circuit (e.g., an integrated circuit chip) or other circuitry mounted to surface  76  of substrate  85 . Component  74  may include radio-frequency components such as amplifier circuitry, phase shifter circuitry (e.g., phase and magnitude controllers  33  of  FIG.  4   ), and/or other circuitry that operates on radio-frequency signals. Component  74  may sometimes be referred to herein as radio-frequency integrated circuit (RFIC)  74 . However, this is merely illustrative and, in general, the circuitry of RFIC  74  need not be formed on an integrated circuit. Component  74  may be embedded within a plastic overmold if desired. 
     The dielectric layers  80  in substrate  85  may include a first set of layers  86  (sometimes referred to herein as antenna layers  86 ) and a second set of layers  84  (sometimes referred to herein as transmission line layers  84 ). Ground traces  82  may separate antenna layers  86  from transmission line layers  84 . Conductive traces or other metal layers on transmission line layers  84  may be used in forming transmission line structures such as radio-frequency transmission line paths  32  of  FIG.  5    (e.g., radio-frequency transmission line paths  32 V and  32 H of  FIG.  6   ). For example, conductive traces on transmission line layers  84  may be used in forming stripline or microstrip transmission lines that are coupled between the antenna feeds for antennas  30  (e.g., over conductive vias extending through antenna layers  86 ) and RFIC  74  (e.g., over conductive vias extending through transmission line layers  84 ). A board-to-board connector (not shown) may couple RFIC  74  to the baseband and/or transceiver circuitry for phased antenna array  36  (e.g., millimeter/centimeter wave transceiver circuitry  28  of  FIG.  3   ). 
     If desired, each antenna  30  in phased antenna array  36  may be laterally surrounded by fences of conductive vias  88  (e.g., conductive vias extending parallel to the X-axis and through antenna layers  86  of  FIG.  7   ). The fences of conductive vias  88  for phased antenna array  36  may be shorted to ground traces  82  so that the fences of conductive vias  88  are held at a ground potential. Conductive vias  88  may extend downwards to surface  78  or to the same dielectric layer  80  as the bottom-most patch element  91  in phased antenna array  36 . The patch elements  91  in each antenna  30  may be patterned onto respective dielectric layers  80  of antenna layers  86 . 
     The fences of conductive vias  88  may be opaque at the frequencies covered by antennas  30 . Each antenna  30  may lie within a respective antenna cavity  92  having conductive cavity walls defined by a corresponding set of fences of conductive vias  88  in antenna layers  86 . The fences of conductive vias  88  may help to ensure that each antenna  30  in phased antenna array  36  is suitably isolated, for example. Phased antenna array  36  may include a number of antenna unit cells  90 . Each antenna unit cell  90  may include respective fences of conductive vias  88 , a respective antenna cavity  92  defined by (e.g., laterally surrounded by) those fences of conductive vias, and a respective antenna  30  (e.g., set of patch elements  91 ) within that antenna cavity  92 . Conductive vias  88  may be omitted if desired. Substrate  85  in antenna module  72  may have thickness T 1 . 
     It may be desirable for phased antenna array  36  to cover/handle multiple frequency bands. For example, phased antenna array  36  may cover a low band (LB) (e.g., at frequencies between about 24.25 GHz and 29.5 GHz to cover at least FR2 bands N257, N258, and N261 and/or other bands) and a high band (HB) at higher frequencies than the low band (e.g., at frequencies between about 36 GHz and 43.5 GHz to cover at least FR2 bands N259, N260, and/or other bands). In some scenarios, each antenna  30  in phased antenna array  36  includes a respective first patch element  91  that radiates in the low band and respective second patch element  91  that radiates in the high band and that is stacked over (e.g., overlapping) the first patch element. While stacked patch arrangements such as these may minimize the lateral footprint of each antenna  30  (e.g., in the Z-Y plane of  FIG.  7   ), these arrangements may also lead to excessive thicknesses T 1  for antenna module  72 . 
     In other scenarios, phased antenna array  36  includes a first set of antennas  30  that radiate in the low band and a second set of antennas  30  that radiate in the high band. However, if care is not taken, the footprint of the antennas in this example may be relatively large, causing the first and second sets of antennas to need to be distributed across multiple rows in phased antenna array  36 , thereby causing the phased antenna array to exhibit an excessively large lateral footprint itself. In order to mitigate these issues to minimize both the lateral footprint of phased antenna array  36  and the thickness T 1  of antenna module  72 , the antenna layers  86  in substrate  85  may be configured to have a higher dielectric permittivity than the transmission line layers  84  in substrate  85 . 
       FIG.  8    is a cross-sectional side view showing how antenna module  72  may be provided with antenna layers that have greater dielectric permittivity than transmission line layers  84 . As shown in  FIG.  8   , the patch elements  91  of the antennas in phased antenna array  36  may be formed on (e.g., embedded within) antenna layers  86  (e.g., on a common one of the dielectric layers  80  in antenna layers  86  or on different dielectric layers  80  in antenna layers  86 ). Ground traces  82  may separate antenna layers  86  from transmission line layers  84  in substrate  85 . 
     In the example of  FIG.  8   , phased antenna array  36  includes at least two antennas  30 L that radiate in the low band and at least two antennas  30 H that radiate in the high band. This is merely illustrative and, in general, phased antenna array  36  may include any desired number of antennas  30 L and/or  30 H, or any other desired antennas  30  for radiating in any desired frequency band(s). Antennas  30 L and  30 H need not be patch antennas and may, in general, be any desired type of antenna (e.g., patch elements  91  may be replaced with dipole antenna resonating elements, Yagi antenna resonating elements, slot antenna resonating elements, monopole antenna resonating elements, inverted-F antenna resonating elements, etc. 
     The transmission lines for antennas  30  may be embedded within transmission line layers  84 . The transmission lines may include, for example, conductive traces  94  in transmission line layers  84 . Conductive traces  94  may form the signal conductor  44  ( FIG.  5   ) of one, more than one, or all of radio-frequency transmission line paths  32  ( FIG.  4   ) for the antennas  30  in phased antenna array  36 . If desired, additional grounded traces within transmission line layers  84  may form ground conductor  46  of the transmission lines ( FIG.  5   ). 
     Conductive traces  94  of  FIG.  8    may be coupled to the positive antenna feed terminals of antennas  30 L and  30 H (e.g., positive antenna feed terminals  50  of  FIGS.  6  and  7   ) over vertical conductive structures  96 . Vertical conductive structures  96  may extend through a portion of transmission line layers  84 , holes or openings in ground traces  82 , and some or all of antenna layers  86  to patch elements  91 . Vertical conductive structures  96  may include conductive through-vias, metal pillars, metal wires, conductive pins, or any other desired vertical conductive interconnects. 
     In order to minimize the lateral footprint of patch elements  91  while still allowing patch elements  91  to cover the desired frequency bands of interest (e.g., the low and high bands), antenna layers  86  (e.g., each of the dielectric layers  80  of  FIG.  7    in antenna layers  86 ) may be formed from a dielectric material having a relatively high dielectric permittivity DKH. Relatively high dielectric permittivity DKH may be defined by the particular material used to form antenna layers  86  and may be, for example, between 6.0 and 8.0, between 6.5 and 7.5, between 5.0 and 9.0, greater than 4.5, greater than 6.0, greater than 5.0, or any other desired permittivity greater than that of transmission line layers  84 . In one suitable arrangement, antenna layers  86  may be formed using low-temperature co-fired ceramics (LTCC) or other ceramics, dielectrics, or printed circuit board materials having dielectric permittivity DKH. 
     At the same time, transmission line layers  84  (e.g., each of the dielectric layers  80  of  FIG.  7    in transmission line layers  84 ) may be formed from a material that has a relatively low dielectric permittivity DKL (e.g., a different material than is used for antenna layers  86 ). Relatively low dielectric permittivity DKL is less than relatively high permittivity DKH and may be, for example, between 3.0 and 4.0, between 2.0 and 5.0, between 3.3 and 3.7, less than 4.0, less than 4.5, between 2.0 and 4.0, or any other desired permittivity less than permittivity DKH. In one suitable arrangement, transmission line layers  84  may be formed using low-temperature co-fired ceramics (LTCC) or other ceramics, dielectrics, or printed circuit board materials having dielectric permittivity DKL. 
     Increasing the dielectric permittivity of antenna layers  86  relative to transmission line layers  84  may serve to minimize the thickness T 1  of antenna module  72  as well as the lateral footprint of each of the antennas in phased antenna array  36 , while still allowing the antennas to cover frequency bands of interest. This may allow phased antenna array  36  to include a first set of antennas  30 L for covering the low band and a second set of antennas  3011  for covering the high band that are interleaved with the first set of antennas  30 L within a single row or column of the phased antenna array. Antennas  30 L may sometimes be referred to herein as low band antennas  30 L. Antennas  30 H may sometimes be referred to herein as high band antennas  30 H. 
       FIG.  9    is a top-down view (e.g., as taken in the direction of arrow  97  of  FIG.  8   ) showing how low band antennas  30 L may be interleaved with high band antennas  30 H within a single row of phased antenna array  36 . As shown in  FIG.  9   , each high band antenna  30 H may have one or more corresponding patch elements  91  that radiate in the high band and each low band antenna  30 L may have one or more corresponding patch elements  91  that radiate in the low band. 
     Antennas  30 H and  30 L may be arranged in a single row. In other words, the center of the patch element(s)  91  in each low band antenna  30 L may be aligned with the center of the patch element(s)  91  in each high band antenna  3011  along a common linear axis (e.g., extending parallel to the Y-axis of  FIG.  9   ). High band antennas  30 H may be interleaved with low band antennas  30 L in the row. For example, all but one of the low band antennas  30 L may be laterally interposed between a respective pair of high band antennas  30 H and all but one of the high band antennas  30 H may be laterally interposed between a respective pair of low band antennas  30 L in phased antenna array  36 . 
     Forming antenna layers  86  from material having relatively high dielectric permittivity DKH ( FIG.  8   ) may reduce the length  68  of each antenna ( FIG.  6   ) required for the antenna to cover its corresponding frequency band of interest relative to scenarios where lower dielectric permittivity materials are used. For example, the patch element(s)  91  in low band antennas  30 L may have length  68 L and the patch element(s)  91  in high band antennas  30 H may have length  68 H, each of which is shorter than the length would otherwise be in scenarios where the antenna layers have relatively low dielectric permittivity DKL. Forming antenna layers  86  from material having relatively high dielectric permittivity DKH ( FIG.  8   ) therefore also reduces the lateral footprint of each high band antenna  30 H and each low band antenna  30 H (as well as the required distance between the center of adjacent low band antennas  30 L and between the center of adjacent high band antennas  30 H), thereby allowing both low band antennas  30 L and high band antennas  30 H to fit within the same row of phased antenna array  36  without undesirably interfering with each other. 
     In scenarios where the antenna layers have relatively low dielectric permittivity DKL, low band antennas  30 L would need to be arranged in a separate row than high band antennas  30 H in order for both sets of antennas to fit within antenna module  72  to cover the low and high bands, respectively. Reducing the lateral footprint and thickness of antenna module  72  using high dielectric permittivity antenna layers  86  may allow antenna module  72  to fit into spaces within device  10  that would otherwise be unavailable to the antenna module, such as a location for radiating through the inactive area of display  8  ( FIG.  1   ), for radiating through apertures in peripheral conductive housing structures for device  10 , etc. 
     The example of  FIG.  9    in which phased antenna array  36  includes four low band antennas  30 L and four high band antennas  30 H is merely illustrative. In general, phased antenna array  36  may include any desired number of low band antennas  30 L and any desired number of high band antennas  30 H. If desired, phased antenna array  36  may include additional sets of antennas for covering additional bands. Each antenna may cover multiple bands if desired. The antennas may be arranged in any desired pattern and need not be interleaved. Patch elements  91  may have other shapes (e.g., cross-shapes, non-square rectangular shapes, etc.). 
       FIG.  10    is a plot of antenna performance (return loss) as a function of frequency for the antennas in phased antenna array  36 . Curve  98  plots the return loss of low band antennas  30 L. Curve  100  plots the return loss of high band antennas  30 H. As shown by curve  98 , low band antennas  30 L may radiate with response peaks in low band B 1  (e.g., at frequencies between 24.25 GHz and 29.5 GHz). As shown by curve  100 , high band antennas  30 H may radiate with response peaks in high band B 2  (e.g., at frequencies between 37 GHz and 43.5 GHz). The antenna performance of low band antennas  30 L and high band antennas  30 H would be significantly deteriorated (e.g., the response peaks of curves  98  and  100  would be greatly diminished) in the low band and the high band if the antennas are interleaved in a single row of the phased antenna array while forming the antenna layers from materials having relatively low dielectric constant DKL. The example of  FIG.  10    is merely illustrative. The antennas may radiate in any desired frequency bands greater than 10 GHz. Curves  98  and  100  may have other shapes in practice. 
     Device  10  may gather and/or use personally identifiable information. It is well understood that the use of personally identifiable information should follow privacy policies and practices that are generally recognized as meeting or exceeding industry or governmental requirements for maintaining the privacy of users. In particular, personally identifiable information data should be managed and handled so as to minimize risks of unintentional or unauthorized access or use, and the nature of authorized use should be clearly indicated to users. 
     The foregoing is merely illustrative and various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The foregoing embodiments may be implemented individually or in any combination.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20210603
Publication Date: 20240305
Grant Date: 20240305
Priority Date: 20210603
Inventors: WU, JIANGFENG
YONG, Siwen
BEGASHAW, SIMON G.
JIANG, YI
ZHANG, LIJUN
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H01Q5/35", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q3/34", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q21/0037", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q5/35", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q21/30", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q9/0414", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q9/0435", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q5/42", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q3/34", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/243", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/40", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/38", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q3/34", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 84285421