PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-11177566-B2
Application Number: US-201815898164-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Electronic devices having shielded antenna arrays

Abstract:
An electronic device may be provided with a dielectric cover and a phased antenna array for conveying millimeter wave signals. A conductive pocket may be mounted to the cover. The pocket may include a conductive rear wall and conductive sidewalls that extend from a periphery of the rear wall to the cover. The array may be mounted to the rear wall and may convey signals through the cover. The sidewalls may extend from the cover at non-zero angles with respect to the normal axis of the cover. The shape of the pocket and the cover may be selected so that the pocket is non-resonant at frequencies handled by the array, to mitigate destructive interference within the pocket, to block surface waves from propagating along the cover, and to tweak the radiation pattern of the array to exhibit a desired shape and directionality.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device comprising:
 a conductive pocket; 
 a dielectric cover layer mounted over the conductive pocket, the conductive pocket and the dielectric cover layer defining a cavity, wherein the conductive pocket comprises a conductive rear wall and conductive sidewalls extending from the conductive rear wall to the dielectric cover layer, and the conductive sidewalls are affixed to the dielectric cover layer; 
 transceiver circuitry configured to generate radio-frequency signals at a frequency greater than 10 GHz; and 
 a phased antenna array mounted to the conductive pocket within the cavity and configured to transmit the radio-frequency signals through the dielectric cover layer. 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device defined in  claim 1 , wherein the phased antenna array comprises a substrate, a plurality of antenna resonating elements on the substrate, and a ground plane that is embedded within the substrate and interposed between the plurality of antenna resonating elements and the conductive rear wall. 
     
     
       3. The electronic device defined in  claim 1 , wherein the dielectric cover layer has a curved shape. 
     
     
       4. The electronic device defined in  claim 3 , wherein the conductive rear wall has a curved shape, and the conductive rear wall has a first radius of curvature and the dielectric cover layer has a second radius of curvature that is equal to the first radius of curvature. 
     
     
       5. The electronic device defined in  claim 1 , wherein the conductive pocket and the cavity are non-resonant at the frequency, the conductive pocket is configured to mitigate destructive interference of the radio-frequency signals within the conductive pocket, the conductive sidewalls extend from the dielectric cover layer at a non-zero angle with respect to a normal axis of the dielectric cover layer, and the phased antenna array is mounted to the conductive rear wall, the electronic device comprising:
 a housing that includes the dielectric cover layer; and 
 a display mounted to the housing. 
 
     
     
       6. The electronic device defined in  claim 1 , wherein the dielectric cover layer has a first normal axis, the conductive sidewalls comprise a first conductive sidewall and a second conductive sidewall that is shorter than the first conductive sidewall, and the conductive rear wall and the phased antenna array have a second normal axis that is oriented at a non-zero angle with respect to the first normal axis. 
     
     
       7. The electronic device defined in  claim 1 , wherein the conductive sidewalls have a continuously curved shape from the conductive rear wall to the dielectric cover layer. 
     
     
       8. The electronic device defined in  claim 1 , wherein the conductive sidewalls comprise a local perturbation configured to mitigate destructive interference of the radio-frequency signals within the cavity. 
     
     
       9. The electronic device defined in  claim 1 , wherein the conductive rear wall has a lateral outline selected from the group consisting of: a circular lateral outline, an elliptical lateral outline, a rectangular lateral outline, and a hexagonal lateral outline. 
     
     
       10. The electronic device defined in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a heat spreader coupled to the conductive rear wall using a conductive interconnect structure selected from the group consisting of: thermal paste, solder, a weld, and a conductive screw, wherein the heat spreader is configured to dissipate heat away from the conductive pocket. 
 
     
     
       11. The electronic device defined in  claim 1 , wherein the cavity and the conductive pocket are non-resonant at the frequency. 
     
     
       12. The electronic device defined in  claim 1 , wherein the conductive pocket is configured to mitigate destructive interference of the radio-frequency signals within the conductive pocket, the conductive sidewalls extend from the dielectric cover layer at a non-zero angle with respect to a normal axis of the dielectric cover layer. 
     
     
       13. The electronic device defined in  claim 1 , wherein the conductive sidewalls are connected to the dielectric cover layer at a non-zero angle with respect to a normal axis of the dielectric cover layer and the phased antenna array is mounted to the conductive rear wall. 
     
     
       14. An electronic device comprising:
 a conductive pocket; 
 a housing that includes a dielectric cover layer, the dielectric cover layer being mounted over the conductive pocket, and the conductive pocket and the dielectric cover layer defining a cavity, wherein the conductive pocket comprises a conductive rear wall and conductive sidewalls extending from the conductive rear wall to the dielectric cover layer at a non-zero angle with respect to a normal axis of the dielectric cover layer; 
 transceiver circuitry configured to generate radio-frequency signals at a frequency greater than 10 GHz; and 
 a phased antenna array mounted to the conductive rear wall and within the cavity and configured to transmit the radio-frequency signals through the dielectric cover layer, wherein the conductive pocket is configured to mitigate destructive interference of the radio-frequency signals within the conductive pocket. 
 
     
     
       15. An electronic device comprising:
 a conductive pocket; 
 a dielectric cover layer mounted over the conductive pocket, the conductive pocket and the dielectric cover layer defining a cavity, wherein the conductive pocket comprises a conductive rear wall and conductive sidewalls extending from the conductive rear wall to the dielectric cover layer and the conductive sidewalls are connected to the dielectric cover layer at a non-zero angle with respect to a normal axis of the dielectric cover layer; 
 transceiver circuitry configured to generate radio-frequency signals at a frequency greater than 10 GHz; and 
 a phased antenna array mounted to the conductive pocket within the cavity and configured to transmit the radio-frequency signals through the dielectric cover layer.

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 may support high bandwidths, but may raise significant challenges. For example, millimeter wave communications signals generated by antennas can be characterized by substantial attenuation and/or distortion during signal propagation through various mediums, can generation undesirable surface waves at medium interfaces, and can generate an excessive amount of heat. 
     It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide electronic devices with improved wireless communications circuitry such as communications circuitry that supports millimeter wave communications. 
     SUMMARY 
     An electronic device may be provided with wireless circuitry. The wireless circuitry may include one or more antennas and transceiver circuitry such as centimeter and millimeter wave transceiver circuitry (e.g., circuitry that transmits and receives antennas signals at frequencies greater than 10 GHz). The antennas may be arranged in a phased antenna array. 
     The electronic device may include a housing having a dielectric cover layer. A conductive pocket may be mounted within the housing and secured to the dielectric cover layer. The conductive pocket and the dielectric cover layer may define an enclosed cavity. The conductive pocket may include a conductive rear wall and conductive sidewalls that extend from a periphery of the conductive rear wall to an inner surface of the dielectric cover layer. A phased antenna array may be mounted to the conductive rear wall within the cavity. The conductive sidewalls may be oriented so that the conductive sidewalls extend from the dielectric cover layer at a non-zero angle with respect to the normal axis of the dielectric cover layer. The non-zero angle may accommodate a radiation pattern envelope of the phased antenna array. A heat spreader may be coupled to the conductive rear wall using thermal paste for dissipating heat away from the conductive pocket and the phased antenna array. 
     The phased antenna array may convey radio-frequency signals at frequencies between 10 GHz and 300 GHz (e.g., millimeter and centimeter wave signals) through the dielectric cover layer. The dimensions and shape of the conductive pocket may be selected so that the conductive pocket and the cavity are non-resonant at the frequencies handled by the phased antenna array. The dimensions and shape of the conductive pocket may also be selected to minimize or mitigate destructive interference of the radio-frequency signals within the cavity due to reflections between the interior surface of the dielectric cover layer and the conductive pocket. 
     As examples, the conductive sidewalls may be curved, the dielectric cover layer may be curved, the conductive rear wall may be tilted with respect to the dielectric cover layer, the conductive rear wall may be curved, the conductive cavity may be formed from an integral portion of a conductive device housing wall, the periphery of the conductive rear wall may have any desired number of straight and/or curved edges, and/or local perturbations may be formed on the conductive pocket. The conductive pocket may also block surface waves generated at the interior surface of the dielectric cover layer from escaping the cavity and may tweak the radiation pattern of the phased antenna array to exhibit a desired shape and/or directionality. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of an illustrative electronic device with wireless communications circuitry in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIGS. 2 and 3  are perspective views of an illustrative electronic device showing locations at which phased antenna arrays for millimeter wave communications may be located in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram of an illustrative phased antenna array that may be adjusted using control circuitry to direct a beam of signals in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of illustrative wireless communications circuitry in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an illustrative patch antenna in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  is a side view of an illustrative patch antenna in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative antenna module mounted behind a dielectric cover layer in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative antenna module mounted within a conductive shielding pocket behind a dielectric cover layer in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 10  is a diagram of illustrative antenna radiation patterns associated with antenna modules of the types shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9  in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative antenna module mounted within a conductive shielding pocket having curved walls in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative antenna module mounted within a conductive shielding pocket behind a curved dielectric cover layer in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative antenna module mounted within an angled conductive shielding pocket for pointing the antenna module in a particular direction in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 14  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative antenna module mounted within a conductive shielding pocket formed from an integral portion of a conductive electronic device housing wall in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 15  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative antenna module mounted within a conductive shielding pocket having localized perturbations for mitigating destructive interference in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIGS. 16-18  are top-down views of illustrative conductive shielding pockets of the types shown in  FIGS. 9 and 11-15  in accordance with an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Electronic devices 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 handling millimeter wave and centimeter wave communications. Millimeter wave communications, which are sometimes referred to as extremely high frequency (EHF) communications, involve signals at 60 GHz or other frequencies between about 30 GHz and 300 GHz. Centimeter wave communications involve signals at frequencies between about 10 GHz and 30 GHz. While uses of millimeter wave communications may be described herein as examples, centimeter wave communications, EHF communications, or any other types of communications may be similarly used. If desired, electronic devices may also contain wireless communications circuitry 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 devices (such as device  10  in  FIG. 1 ) 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 (e.g., a wireless router or other equipment for routing communications between other wireless devices and a larger network such as the internet or a cellular telephone network), a desktop computer, a keyboard, a gaming controller, 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. The above-mentioned examples are merely illustrative. Other configurations may be used for electronic devices if desired. 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram showing illustrative components that may be used in an electronic device such as electronic device  10 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , device  10  may include storage and processing circuitry such as control circuitry  14 . Control circuitry  14  may include storage such as 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. Processing circuitry in control circuitry  14  may be used to control the operation of device  10 . This processing circuitry may be based on one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, baseband processor integrated circuits, application specific integrated circuits, etc. 
     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 wireless personal area network protocols, IEEE 802.11ad protocols, cellular telephone protocols, MIMO protocols, antenna diversity protocols, satellite navigation system protocols, etc. 
     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, 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, 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 communications circuitry  34  for communicating wirelessly with external equipment. Wireless communications circuitry  34  may include radio-frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry formed from one or more integrated circuits, power amplifier circuitry, low-noise input amplifiers, passive RF components, one or more antennas  40 , transmission lines, and other circuitry for handling RF wireless signals. Wireless signals can also be sent using light (e.g., using infrared communications). 
     Wireless communications circuitry  34  may include radio-frequency transceiver circuitry  20  for handling various radio-frequency communications bands. For example, circuitry  34  may include transceiver circuitry  22 ,  24 ,  26 , and  28 . 
     Transceiver circuitry  24  may be wireless local area network transceiver circuitry. Transceiver circuitry  24  may handle 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands for Wi-Fi® (IEEE 802.11) communications or other wireless local area network (WLAN) bands and may handle the 2.4 GHz Bluetooth® communications band or other wireless personal area network (WPAN) bands. 
     Circuitry  34  may use cellular telephone transceiver circuitry  26  for handling wireless communications in frequency ranges such as a low communications band from 600 to 960 MHz, a midband from 1710 to 2170 MHz, a high band from 2300 to 2700 MHz, an ultra-high band from 3400 to 3700 MHz, or other communications bands between 600 MHz and 4000 MHz or other suitable frequencies (as examples). Circuitry  26  may handle voice data and non-voice data. 
     Millimeter wave transceiver circuitry  28  (sometimes referred to as extremely high frequency (EHF) transceiver circuitry  28  or transceiver circuitry  28 ) may support communications at frequencies between about 10 GHz and 300 GHz. For example, 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, 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 u  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, circuitry  28  may support IEEE 802.11ad communications at 60 GHz and/or 5th generation mobile networks or 5th generation wireless systems (5G) communications bands between 27 GHz and 90 GHz. If desired, circuitry  28  may support communications at multiple frequency bands between 10 GHz and 300 GHz such as a first band from 27.5 GHz to 28.5 GHz, a second band from 37 GHz to 41 GHz, and a third band from 57 GHz to 71 GHz, or other communications bands between 10 GHz and 300 GHz. 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.). While circuitry  28  is sometimes referred to herein as millimeter wave transceiver circuitry  28 , millimeter wave transceiver circuitry  28  may handle communications at any desired communications bands at frequencies between 10 GHz and 300 GHz (e.g., transceiver circuitry  28  may transmit and receive radio-frequency signals in millimeter wave communications bands, centimeter wave communications bands, etc.). 
     Wireless communications circuitry  34  may include satellite navigation system circuitry such as Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver circuitry  22  for receiving GPS signals at 1575 MHz or for handling other satellite positioning data (e.g., GLONASS signals at 1609 MHz). Satellite navigation system signals for receiver  22  are received from a constellation of satellites orbiting the earth. 
     In satellite navigation system links, cellular telephone links, and other long-range links, wireless 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, wireless signals are typically used to convey data over tens or hundreds of feet. Extremely high frequency (EHF) wireless transceiver circuitry  28  may convey signals that travel (over short distances) between a transmitter and a receiver over a line-of-sight path. To enhance signal reception for millimeter and centimeter wave communications, phased antenna arrays and beam steering techniques may be used (e.g., schemes in which antenna signal phase and/or magnitude for each antenna in an array is 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. 
     Wireless communications circuitry  34  can include circuitry for other short-range and long-range wireless links if desired. For example, wireless communications circuitry  34  may include circuitry for receiving television and radio signals, paging system transceivers, near field communications (NFC) circuitry, etc. 
     Antennas  40  in wireless communications circuitry  34  may be formed using any suitable antenna types. For example, antennas  40  may include antennas with resonating elements that are formed from loop antenna structures, patch antenna structures, stacked patch antenna structures, antenna structures having parasitic elements, inverted-F antenna structures, slot antenna structures, planar inverted-F antenna structures, monopoles, dipoles, helical antenna structures, Yagi (Yagi-Uda) antenna structures, surface integrated waveguide structures, hybrids of these designs, etc. If desired, one or more of antennas  40  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 local wireless link antenna and another type of antenna may be used in forming a remote wireless link antenna. Dedicated antennas may be used for receiving satellite navigation system signals or, if desired, antennas  40  can be configured to receive both satellite navigation system signals and signals for other communications bands (e.g., wireless local area network signals and/or cellular telephone signals). Antennas  40  can be arranged in phased antenna arrays for handling millimeter wave and centimeter wave communications. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , device  10  may include 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, metallic coatings on a substrate, 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.). Antennas  40  may be mounted in housing  12 . Dielectric-filled openings such as plastic-filled openings may be formed in metal portions of housing  12  (e.g., to serve as antenna windows and/or to serve as gaps that separate portions of antennas  40  from each other). 
     In scenarios where input-output devices  18  include a display, the display 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 screen electrodes may be formed from an array of indium tin oxide pads or other transparent conductive structures. The display 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. The display may be protected using a display cover layer such as a layer of transparent glass, clear plastic, sapphire, or other transparent dielectric. If desired, some of the antennas  40  (e.g., antenna arrays that may implement beam steering, etc.) may be mounted under an inactive border region of the display. The display may contain an active area with an array of pixels (e.g., a central rectangular portion). Inactive areas of the display are free of pixels and may form borders for the active area. If desired, antennas may also operate through dielectric-filled openings elsewhere in device  10 . 
     If desired, housing  12  may include a conductive rear surface. The rear surface of housing  12  may lie in a plane that is parallel to a display of device  10 . In configurations for device  10  in which the rear surface of housing  12  is formed from metal, it may be desirable to form parts of peripheral conductive housing structures as integral portions of the housing structures forming the rear surface of housing  12 . For example, a rear housing wall of device  10  may be formed from a planar metal structure, and portions of peripheral housing structures on the sides of housing  12  may be formed as vertically extending integral metal portions of the planar metal structure. Housing structures such as these may, if desired, be machined from a block of metal and/or may include multiple metal pieces that are assembled together to form housing  12 . The planar rear wall of housing  12  may have one or more, two or more, or three or more portions. The peripheral housing structures and/or the conductive rear wall of housing  12  may form one or more exterior surfaces of device  10  (e.g., surfaces that are visible to a user of device  10 ) and/or may be implemented using internal structures that do not form exterior surfaces of device  10  (e.g., conductive housing structures that are not visible to a user of device  10  such as conductive structures that are covered with layers such as thin cosmetic layers, protective coatings, and/or other coating layers that may include dielectric materials such as glass, ceramic, plastic, or other structures that form the exterior surfaces of device  10  and/or serve to hide internal structures from view of the user). 
     Transmission line paths may be used to route antenna signals within device  10 . For example, transmission line paths may be used to couple antennas  40  to transceiver circuitry  20 . Transmission line paths in device  10  may include coaxial cable paths, microstrip transmission lines, stripline transmission lines, edge-coupled microstrip transmission lines, edge-coupled stripline transmission lines, waveguide structures for conveying signals at millimeter wave frequencies (e.g., coplanar waveguides or grounded coplanar waveguides), transmission lines formed from combinations of transmission lines of these types, etc. 
     Transmission line paths in device  10  may be integrated into rigid and/or flexible printed circuit boards if desired. In one suitable arrangement, transmission line paths in device  10  may include transmission line conductors (e.g., signal and/or ground conductors) that are 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). Filter circuitry, switching circuitry, impedance matching circuitry, and other circuitry may be interposed within the transmission lines, if desired. 
     Device  10  may contain multiple antennas  40 . The antennas may be used together or one of the antennas may be switched into use while other antenna(s) are switched out of use. If desired, control circuitry  14  may be used to select an optimum antenna to use in device  10  in real time and/or to select an optimum setting for adjustable wireless circuitry associated with one or more of antennas  40 . Antenna adjustments may be made to tune antennas to perform in desired frequency ranges, to perform beam steering with a phased antenna array, and to otherwise optimize antenna performance. Sensors may be incorporated into antennas  40  to gather sensor data in real time that is used in adjusting antennas  40  if desired. 
     In some configurations, antennas  40  may include antenna arrays (e.g., phased antenna arrays to implement beam steering functions). For example, the antennas that are used in handling millimeter wave signals for extremely high frequency wireless transceiver circuits  28  may be implemented as phased antenna arrays. The radiating elements in a phased antenna array for supporting millimeter wave communications may be patch antennas, dipole antennas, Yagi (Yagi-Uda) antennas, or other suitable antenna elements. Transceiver circuitry  28  can be integrated with the phased antenna arrays to form integrated phased antenna array and transceiver circuit modules or packages (sometimes referred to herein as integrated antenna modules or antenna modules) if desired. 
     In devices such as handheld devices, the presence of an external object such as the hand of a user or a table or other surface on which a device is resting has a potential to block wireless signals such as millimeter wave signals. In addition, millimeter wave communications typically require a line of sight between antennas  40  and the antennas on an external device. Accordingly, it may be desirable to incorporate multiple phased antenna arrays into device  10 , each of which is placed in a different location within or on device  10 . With this type of arrangement, an unblocked phased antenna array may be switched into use and, once switched into use, the phased antenna array may use beam steering to optimize wireless performance. Similarly, if a phased antenna array does not face or have a line of sight to an external device, another phased antenna array that has line of sight to the external device may be switched into use and that phased antenna array may use beam steering to optimize wireless performance. Configurations in which antennas from one or more different locations in device  10  are operated together may also be used (e.g., to form a phased antenna array, etc.). 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of electronic device  10  showing illustrative locations  50  at which antennas  40  (e.g., single antennas and/or phased antenna arrays for use with wireless circuitry  34  such as millimeter wave wireless transceiver circuitry  28  in  FIG. 1 ) may be mounted in device  10 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , housing  12  of device  10  may include rear housing wall  12 R (sometimes referred to as wall  12 R, rear housing portion  12 R, or rear housing surface  12 R) and housing sidewalls  12 E. In one suitable arrangement, a display may be mounted to the side of housing  12  opposing rear housing wall  12 R. 
     Antennas  40  (e.g., single antennas  40  or arrays of antennas  40 ) may be mounted at locations  50  at the corners of device  10 , along the edges of housing  12  such as on sidewalls  12 E, on the upper and lower portions of rear housing wall  12 R, in the center of rear housing  12  (e.g., under a dielectric window structure such as a plastic logo), etc. In configurations in which housing  12  is formed from a dielectric, antennas  40  may transmit and receive antenna signals through the dielectric, may be formed from conductive structures patterned directly onto the dielectric, or may be formed on dielectric substrates (e.g., flexible printed circuit board substrates) formed on the dielectric. In configurations in which housing  12  is formed from a conductive material such as metal, slots or other openings may be formed in the metal that are filled with plastic or other dielectric. Antennas  40  may be mounted in alignment with the dielectric (i.e., the dielectric in housing  12  may serve as one or more antenna windows for antennas  40 ) or may be formed on dielectric substrates (e.g., flexible printed circuit board substrates) mounted to external surfaces of housing  12 . 
     In the example of  FIG. 2 , rear housing wall  12 R has a rectangular periphery. Housing sidewalls  12 E surround the rectangular periphery of rear housing wall  12 R and extend from rear housing wall  12 R to the opposing face of device  10 . In another suitable arrangement, device  10  and housing  12  may have a cylindrical shape. As shown in  FIG. 3 , rear housing wall  12 R has a circular or elliptical periphery. Rear housing wall  12 R may oppose surface  52  of device  10 . Surface  52  may be formed from a portion of housing  12 , may be formed from a display or transparent display cover layer, or may be formed using any other desired device structures. Housing sidewall  12 E may extend between surface  52  and rear housing wall  12 R. Antennas  40  may be mounted at locations  50  along housing sidewall  12 E, on surface  52 , and/or on rear housing wall  12 R. By forming phased antenna arrays at different locations along housing sidewall  12 E, on surface  52  (sometimes referred to herein as housing surface  52 ), and/or on rear housing wall  12 R (e.g., as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ), the different phased antenna arrays on device  10  may collectively provide line of sight coverage to any point on a sphere surrounding device  10  (or on a hemisphere surrounding device  10  in scenarios where phased antenna arrays are only formed on one side of device  10 ). 
     The examples of  FIGS. 2 and 3  are merely illustrative. In general, housing  12  and device  10  may have any desired shape or form factor. For example, rear housing wall  12 R may have a triangular periphery, hexagonal periphery, polygonal periphery, a curved periphery, combinations of these, etc. Housing sidewall  12 E may include straight portions, curved portions, stepped portions, combinations of these, etc. If desired, housing  12  may include other portions having any other desired shapes. The height of housing sidewall  12 E may be less than, equal to, or greater than the length and/or width of rear housing wall  12 R. 
       FIG. 4  shows how antennas  40  on device  10  may be formed in a phased antenna array. As shown in  FIG. 4 , phased antenna array  60  (sometimes referred to herein as array  60 , antenna array  60 , or array  60  of antennas  40 ) may be coupled to signal paths such as transmission line paths  64  (e.g., one or more radio-frequency transmission lines). For example, a first antenna  40 - 1  in phased antenna array  60  may be coupled to a first transmission line path  64 - 1 , a second antenna  40 - 2  in phased antenna array  60  may be coupled to a second transmission line path  64 - 2 , an Nth antenna  40 -N in phased antenna array  60  may be coupled to an Nth transmission line path  64 -N, etc. While antennas  40  are described herein as forming a phased antenna array, the antennas  40  in phased antenna array  60  may sometimes be referred to as collectively forming a single phased array antenna. 
     Antennas  40  in phased antenna array  60  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, transmission line paths  64  may be used to supply signals (e.g., radio-frequency signals such as millimeter wave and/or centimeter wave signals) from transceiver circuitry  28  ( FIG. 1 ) to phased antenna array  60  for wireless transmission to external wireless equipment. During signal reception operations, transmission line paths  64  may be used to convey signals received at phased antenna array  60  from external equipment to transceiver circuitry  28  ( FIG. 1 ). 
     The use of multiple antennas  40  in phased antenna array  60  allows 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 , antennas  40  each have a corresponding radio-frequency phase and magnitude controller  62  (e.g., a first phase and magnitude controller  62 - 1  interposed on transmission line path  64 - 1  may control phase and magnitude for radio-frequency signals handled by antenna  40 - 1 , a second phase and magnitude controller  62 - 2  interposed on transmission line path  64 - 2  may control phase and magnitude for radio-frequency signals handled by antenna  40 - 2 , an Nth phase and magnitude controller  62 -N interposed on transmission line path  64 -N may control phase and magnitude for radio-frequency signals handled by antenna  40 -N, etc.). 
     Phase and magnitude controllers  62  may each include circuitry for adjusting the phase of the radio-frequency signals on transmission line paths  64  (e.g., phase shifter circuits) and/or circuitry for adjusting the magnitude of the radio-frequency signals on transmission line paths  64  (e.g., power amplifier and/or low noise amplifier circuits). Phase and magnitude controllers  62  may sometimes be referred to collectively herein as beam steering circuitry (e.g., beam steering circuitry that steers the beam of radio-frequency signals transmitted and/or received by phased antenna array  60 ). 
     Phase and magnitude controllers  62  may adjust the relative phases and/or magnitudes of the transmitted signals that are provided to each of the antennas in phased antenna array  60  and may adjust the relative phases and/or magnitudes of the received signals that are received by phased antenna array  60  from external equipment. Phase and magnitude controllers  62  may, if desired, include phase detection circuitry for detecting the phases of the received signals that are received by phased antenna array  60  from external equipment. The term “beam” or “signal beam” may be used herein to collectively refer to wireless signals that are transmitted and received by phased antenna array  60  in a particular direction. The term “transmit beam” may sometimes be used herein to refer to wireless radio-frequency signals that are transmitted in a particular direction whereas the term “receive beam” may sometimes be used herein to refer to wireless radio-frequency signals that are received from a particular direction. 
     If, for example, phase and magnitude controllers  62  are adjusted to produce a first set of phases and/or magnitudes for transmitted millimeter wave signals, the transmitted signals will form a millimeter wave frequency transmit beam as shown by beam  66  of  FIG. 4  that is oriented in the direction of point A. If, however, phase and magnitude controllers  62  are adjusted to produce a second set of phases and/or magnitudes for the transmitted millimeter wave signals, the transmitted signals will form a millimeter wave frequency transmit beam as shown by beam  68  that is oriented in the direction of point B. Similarly, if phase and magnitude controllers  62  are adjusted to produce the first set of phases and/or magnitudes, wireless signals (e.g., millimeter wave signals in a millimeter wave frequency receive beam) may be received from the direction of point A as shown by beam  66 . If phase and magnitude controllers  62  are adjusted to produce the second set of phases and/or magnitudes, signals may be received from the direction of point B, as shown by beam  68 . 
     Each phase and magnitude controller  62  may be controlled to produce a desired phase and/or magnitude based on a corresponding control signal  58  received from control circuitry  14  of  FIG. 1  or other control circuitry in device  10  (e.g., the phase and/or magnitude provided by phase and magnitude controller  62 - 1  may be controlled using control signal  58 - 1 , the phase and/or magnitude provided by phase and magnitude controller  62 - 2  may be controlled using control signal  58 - 2 , etc.). If desired, control circuitry  14  may actively adjust control signals  58  in real time to steer the transmit or receive beam in different desired directions over time. Phase and magnitude controllers  62  may provide information identifying the phase of received signals to control circuitry  14  if desired. 
     When performing millimeter or centimeter wave communications, radio-frequency signals are conveyed over a line of sight path between phased antenna array  60  and external equipment. If the external equipment is located at location A of  FIG. 4 , phase and magnitude controllers  62  may be adjusted to steer the signal beam towards direction A. If the external equipment is located at location B, phase and magnitude controllers  62  may be adjusted to steer the signal beam towards direction 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 is 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 ). 
     A schematic diagram of an antenna  40  that may be formed in phased antenna array  60  (e.g., as antenna  40 - 1 ,  40 - 2 ,  40 - 3 , and/or  40 -N in phased antenna array  60  of  FIG. 4 ) is shown in  FIG. 5 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , antenna  40  may be coupled to transceiver circuitry  20  (e.g., millimeter wave transceiver circuitry  28  of  FIG. 1 ). Transceiver circuitry  20  may be coupled to antenna feed  96  of antenna  40  using transmission line path  64  (sometimes referred to herein as radio-frequency transmission line  64 ). Antenna feed  96  may include a positive antenna feed terminal such as positive antenna feed terminal  98  and may include a ground antenna feed terminal such as ground antenna feed terminal  100 . Transmission line path  64  may include a positive signal conductor such as signal conductor  94  that is coupled to terminal  98  and a ground conductor such as ground conductor  90  that is coupled to terminal  100 . 
     Any desired antenna structures may be used for implementing antenna  40 . In one suitable arrangement that is sometimes described herein as an example, patch antenna structures may be used for implementing antenna  40 . Antennas  40  that are implemented using patch antenna structures may sometimes be referred to herein as patch antennas. An illustrative patch antenna that may be used in phased antenna array  60  of  FIG. 4  is shown in  FIG. 6 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , antenna  40  may have a patch antenna resonating element such as patch element  110  that is separated from a ground plane structure such as ground  112  (sometimes referred to as ground layer  112 , grounding layer  112 , or antenna ground  112 ). Patch element  110  and ground  112  may be formed from metal foil, machined metal structures, metal traces on a printed circuit or a molded plastic carrier, electronic device housing structures, or other conductive structures in an electronic device such as device  10 . Patch element  110  may sometimes be referred to herein as patch  110 , patch antenna resonating element  110 , patch radiating element  110 , or antenna resonating element  110 . 
     Patch element  110  may lie within a plane such as the X-Y plane of  FIG. 5 . Ground  112  may lie within a plane that is parallel to the plane of patch element  110 . Patch element  110  and ground  112  may therefore lie in separate parallel planes that are separated by a distance H. In general, greater distances (heights) H may allow antenna  40  to exhibit a greater bandwidth than shorter distances H. However, greater distances H may consume more volume within device  10  (where space is often at a premium) than shorter distances H. 
     Conductive path  114  may be used to couple terminal  98 ′ to positive antenna feed terminal  98 . Antenna  40  may be fed using a transmission line with a positive conductor coupled to terminal  98 ′ (and thus to positive antenna feed terminal  98 ) and with a ground conductor coupled to ground antenna feed terminal  100 . Other feeding arrangements may be used if desired. Moreover, patch element  110  and ground  112  may have different shapes and orientations (e.g., planar shapes, curved patch shapes, patch element shapes with non-rectangular outlines, shapes with straight edges such as squares, shapes with curved edges such as ovals and circles, shapes with combinations of curved and straight edges, etc.). 
     A side view of a patch antenna such as antenna  40  of  FIG. 6  is shown in  FIG. 7 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , antenna  40  may be fed using an antenna feed (with antenna feed terminals  98  and  100 ) that is coupled to a transmission line such as transmission line  64 . Patch element  110  of antenna  40  may lie in a plane parallel to the X-Y plane of  FIG. 7  and the surface of the structures that form ground (e.g., ground  112 ) may lie in a plane that is separated by vertical distance H from the plane of patch element  110 . 
     With the illustrative feeding arrangement of  FIG. 7 , a ground conductor of transmission line  64  (e.g., ground conductor  90  of  FIG. 5 ) is coupled to ground antenna feed terminal  100  on ground  112  and a positive conductor of transmission line  64  (e.g., signal conductor  94  of  FIG. 5 ) is coupled to positive antenna feed terminal  98  via an opening in ground  112  and conductive path  114  (which may be an extended portion of the transmission line&#39;s positive conductor). Conductive path  114  may be implemented using conductive pins, solder, welds, conductive wires, conductive springs, conductive through-vias, and/or any other desired conductive structures. Other feeding arrangements may be used if desired (e.g., feeding arrangements in which a microstrip transmission line in a printed circuit or other transmission line that lies in a plane parallel to the X-Y plane is coupled to terminals  98  and  100 , etc.). To enhance the frequency coverage and polarizations handled by antenna  40 , antenna  40  may be provided with multiple feeds (e.g., two feeds) if desired. These examples are merely illustrative and, in general, the patch element may have any desired shape. Other types of antennas may be used if desired. 
     Antennas of the types shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7  and/or other types of antennas such as dipole antennas and Yagi antennas may be arranged in a phased antenna array such as phased antenna array  60  ( FIG. 4 ). If desired, phased antenna array  60  may be integrated with other circuitry such as transceiver circuitry  20  to form an integrated antenna module. 
       FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative phased antenna array  60  formed from a pattern of patch antennas (e.g., antennas  40  of the types shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 ). As shown in  FIG. 8 , multiple antennas  40  may be arranged in phased antenna array  60 . Patch elements  110  of antennas  40  in phased antenna array  60  may be formed over ground  112  at different locations across the lateral surface of substrate  120  (e.g., across the X-Y plane of  FIG. 8 ). 
     The example of  FIG. 8  is merely illustrative. In general, any desired number of antennas  40  may be formed in phased antenna array  60  and may be arranged in any desired manner. Other components such as transceiver circuitry may also be mounted to substrate  120  to form an integrated antenna module if desired. Patch elements  110  may be replaced with any desired antenna resonating elements such as dipole antenna resonating elements, Yagi antenna resonating elements, etc. 
     Substrate  120  may be, for example, a rigid or printed circuit board or other dielectric substrate. Substrate  120  may be a stacked dielectric substrate that includes multiple stacked dielectric layers (e.g., multiple layers of printed circuit board substrate such as multiple layers of fiberglass-filled epoxy, rigid printed circuit board material, flexible printed circuit board material, ceramic, plastic, glass, or other dielectrics). Patch elements  110 , ground  112 , and/or other components such as parasitic elements in phased antenna array  60  may be interposed between or formed on the dielectric layers of substrate  120 . 
     Conductive traces or other metal layers on or embedded within substrate  120  may be used in forming transmission line structures such as transmission line paths  64  of  FIGS. 4, 5, and 7 . Conductive traces for forming transmission line paths  64  may be interposed between the dielectric layers of substrate  120 . For example, conductive traces used in forming transmission line paths  64  may be embedded within a set of dielectric layers in substrate  120  (sometimes referred to herein as transmission line layers) located below ground  112  (not shown in  FIG. 8  for the sake of clarity). Respective transmission line signal conductors  94  from transmission line paths  64  may each couple a corresponding patch element  110  to transceiver circuitry  28  ( FIG. 1 ). Transmission line ground conductors (e.g., ground conductors  90  of  FIG. 5 ) may couple transceiver circuitry  28  to ground  112  for each antenna  40  in phased antenna array  60  (e.g., ground  112  may be shared between antennas  40  in phased antenna array  60 ). 
     In order to protect phased antenna array  60  from damage, dust, water, and other contaminants and for the purposes of mechanical reliability of the antenna assembly, a dielectric cover layer such as dielectric cover layer  122  may be formed over phased antenna array  60 . Dielectric cover layer  122  may sometimes be referred to herein as cover layer  122 , dielectric cover  122 , dielectric layer  122 , or radome  122 . Dielectric cover layer  122  may, for example, be formed from a dielectric portion of housing  12  of device  10  such that exterior surface  126  of dielectric cover layer  122  forms an exterior surface of device  10  (e.g., within regions  50  of  FIGS. 2 and 3 ). Dielectric cover layer  122  may be formed from a dielectric housing wall of electronic device  10  or from a dielectric antenna window within a conductive housing wall of electronic device  10 . In another suitable arrangement, dielectric cover layer  122  may form a display cover layer for a display of electronic device  10  (e.g., a display cover layer through which the display emits light and/or receives a touch input from a user and that may extend across some or all of the lateral face of device  10 ). If desired, a conductive layer such as a conductive housing wall for device  10  may be attached to interior surface  124  of dielectric cover layer  122 . 
     Other components such as components  128  may be mounted within the interior of electronic device  10  (e.g., adjacent to or surrounding phased antenna array  60 ). Components such as components  128  and other components within device  10  (e.g., components beneath phased antenna array  60  of  FIG. 8 ) may be sensitive to interference from radio-frequency signals conveyed by phased antenna array  60 . Similarly, these components may also generate electromagnetic signals that interfere with the operation of phased antenna array  60 . If desired, a conductive shielding layer such as shield layer  130  may isolate phased antenna array  60  from electronic components within device  10  and beneath phased antenna array  60  (and vice versa). 
     The dielectric properties and the geometry of dielectric cover layer  122  may affect the radiation characteristics of phased antenna array  60 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , dielectric cover layer  122  may be separated from patch elements  110  of phased antenna array  60  by a gap such as gap  118  (e.g., patch elements  110  may be located at a distance G from interior surface  124  of dielectric cover layer  122 ). Gap  118  may be filled with a dielectric material such as plastic, foam, air, etc. Dielectric cover layer  122  may be formed from any desired dielectric materials. As examples, dielectric cover layer  122  may be formed from plastic, glass, ceramic, fiber composites, polymer, a combination of two or more of these materials, or any other suitable materials. 
     In the example of  FIG. 7 , dielectric cover layer  122  has a uniform thickness T across the lateral area of phased antenna array  60 . Thickness T may be defined by interior surface  124  and exterior surface  126 . Interior surface  124  may sometimes be referred to herein as internal surface  124 , inner surface  124 , or lower surface  124 . Exterior surface  126  may sometimes be referred to herein as external surface  126 , outer surface  126 , or upper surface  126 . 
     Surfaces  124  and  126  may lie in parallel planes with respect to a surface of patch elements  110 , a surface of substrate  120 , and/or a surface of ground  112 . In another suitable example, interior surface  124  and/or exterior surface  126  may be curved to minimize destructive interference between radio-frequency signals that are transmitted by phased antenna array  60  and reflected versions of the transmitted signals that are reflected at surfaces  124  and/or  126  (e.g., due differences in the dielectric constants of gap  118 , dielectric cover layer  122 , and the exterior of device  10 ). Surfaces  124  and/or  126  may be continuously curved across the lateral area of phased antenna array  60  or may include local cavities (curves) each located over a respective antenna  40  in phased antenna array  60 . Distance G of gap  118 , thickness T of dielectric cover layer  122 , and/or the dielectric materials used to form dielectric cover layer  122  and gap  118  may be selected to further minimize destructive interference effects (e.g., based on the wavelength of operation of phased antenna array  60 ). As one example, thickness T of dielectric cover layer  122  may be approximately equal to half of the effective wavelength of operation of phased antenna array  60  (e.g., half of the free space wavelength of operation modified by the dielectric constant of dielectric cover layer  122 ). 
     Radio-frequency signals transmitted by phased antenna array  60  may reflect off of interior surface  124  towards conductive shield layer  130 . Conductive shield layer  130  reflects this light back towards dielectric cover layer  122 , as shown by arrows  134  of  FIG. 8 . If care is not taken, the radio-frequency signals that reflect off of conductive shield layer  130  may destructively interfere with radio-frequency signals transmitted by phased antenna array  60  over some transmit angles. This destructive interference may reduce the gain of phased antenna array  60  over these transmit angles, leading antenna  40  to exhibit an undesirably non-uniform radiation pattern across the hemisphere above phased antenna array  60 . 
     While the presence of conductive shield layer  130  may isolate phased antenna array  60  from internal components below conductive shield layer  130 , components  128  located towards the sides of phased antenna array  60  may still interfere with or be affected by radio-frequency signals conveyed by phased antenna array  60 . Radio-frequency signals handled by phased antenna array  60  (e.g., millimeter and centimeter wave signals) may also generate surface waves such as surface waves  132  at interior surface  124  of dielectric cover layer  122 . If care is not taken, low angle signals conveyed by phased antenna array  60  and surface waves  132  may interfere with adjacent components  128  within device  10  and may escape out of the sides of device  10 , where the signals may undesirably interfere with external equipment and/or may be undesirably absorbed by a user&#39;s body. Operating at relatively high frequencies such as centimeter and millimeter wave frequencies may also generate an excessive amount of heat within gap  118 . 
     In order to mitigate these issues, phased antenna array  60  may be mounted within a conductive pocket below dielectric cover layer  122 .  FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional side view showing how phased antenna array  60  may be mounted within a conductive pocket below dielectric cover layer  122 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 9 , device  10  may include a conductive pocket  140  below dielectric cover layer  122 . Conductive pocket  140  (sometimes referred to herein as conductive cavity  140  or conductive bucket  140 ) may include a conductive rear wall  142  and conductive sidewalls such as walls  144  and  146  that extend from conductive rear wall  142  towards dielectric cover layer  122 . 
     Phased antenna array  60  may be mounted to conductive rear wall  142 . While  FIG. 9  shows a cross-section of conductive pocket  140 , conductive sidewalls such as sidewalls  144  and  146  may extend around all sides of cavity (volume)  150  (e.g., to surround the lateral periphery of phased antenna array  60 ). In this way, conductive pocket  140  and dielectric cover layer  122  may completely enclose or encapsulate phased antenna array  60  within cavity  150  (e.g., the edges of cavity  150  may be defined by conductive pocket  140  and dielectric cover layer  122 ). 
     Conductive rear wall  142  of conductive pocket  140  may be positioned so that patch elements  110  in phased antenna array  60  are separated from interior surface  124  of dielectric cover layer  122  by distance G. Ground  112  for antennas  40  in phased antenna array  60  may be formed from conductive traces embedded within substrate  120  and/or from conductive pocket  140  (not shown in  FIG. 9  for the sake of clarity). Conductive rear wall  142  may be shorted to ground traces in substrate  120  and may be held at a ground potential if desired. Phased antenna array  60  may be mounted to conductive rear wall  142  using adhesive, screws, pins, welds, solder, clips, or any other desired fastening structures. If desired, additional substrates may be interposed between substrate  120  and conductive rear housing wall  142 . Conductive rear wall  142  may include holes for conveying transmission line structures for phased antenna array  60  between the interior and exterior of conductive pocket  140 . 
     Conductive pocket  140  may be affixed, attached, or connected to dielectric cover layer  122 . For example, conductive pocket  140  may be in direct contact with interior surface  124  of dielectric cover layer  122  (e.g., conductive pocket  140  may be secured to dielectric cover layer  122  using screws, pins, clips, or other fastening structures) or may be secured to dielectric cover layer  122  using adhesive (e.g., a layer of conductive and/or dielectric adhesive interposed between the top surface of sidewalls  144  and  146  and interior surface  124  of dielectric cover layer  122 ). In another suitable arrangement, conductive pocket  140  may be unattached to dielectric cover layer  122 . For example, conductive pocket  140  may be pressed against interior surface  124  of dielectric cover layer  122  using biasing structures (e.g., springs, foam, clips, magnets, etc.) or may be separated from interior surface  124  by a gap. 
     In one suitable arrangement, conductive sidewalls  144  and  146  may extend at a vertical angle between conductive rear wall  142  and dielectric cover layer  122 . In another suitable arrangement, conductive sidewalls  144  and  146  may extend at an angle of elevation or angle of inclination Ø with respect to interior surface  124 . In the example of  FIG. 9 , conductive sidewalls  144  and  146  both extend at the same angle Ø with respect to interior surface  124 . This is merely illustrative and, if desired, conductive sidewalls  144  and  146  may each extend at different angles with respect to interior surface  124 . 
     Conductive pocket  140  may serve to block radio-frequency signals conveyed by phased antenna array  60  from escaping cavity  150  towards the interior of device  10 . Similarly, conductive pocket  140  may serve to block other electromagnetic signals from interfering with the operation of phased antenna array  60 . Surface waves at interior surface  124  (e.g., surface waves  132  of  FIG. 8 ) may be blocked from propagating beyond cavity  150  by sidewalls  144  and  146 . This may prevent the surface waves from escaping out of the side of the device and being absorbed by a user and/or interfering with external equipment, for example. 
     Angle Ø may be selected to accommodate the radiation pattern of phased antenna array  60  (e.g., between 10 degrees and 30 degrees, between 15 degrees and 45 degrees, between 30 degrees and 60 degrees, or any other desired angle between about 80 degrees and 10 degrees). For example, in scenarios where phased antenna array  60  is capable of beam steering to relatively low angles above the lateral surface of phased antenna array  60 , angle Ø may be relatively small. Similarly, in scenarios where phased antenna array  60  is only capable of beam steering to relatively large angles above the lateral surface of phased antenna array  60 , angle Ø may be relatively large. In this way, conductive pocket  140  may serve to isolate phased antenna array  60  from components  128  and the components below phased antenna array  60  and may serve to mitigate surface wave propagation out the sides of device  10  without blocking or limiting the radiation pattern of phased antenna array  60 . 
     If desired, cavity  150  may be non-resonant and may not have cavity modes that are excited by antennas  40  in phased antenna array  60  (e.g., in contrast to cavity antennas having resonant cavity modes excited by a probe within a cavity). For example, the dimensions of conductive pocket  140  may be selected so that cavity  150  is not resonant (non-resonant) at the frequency of operation of phased antenna array  60  (e.g., where the dimensions of cavity  150  are selected so that nodes of the electromagnetic waves within cavity  150  do not align with the conductive walls of conductive pocket  140 ). 
     In order to dissipate heat associated with performing wireless communications at millimeter and centimeter wave frequencies (e.g., heat generated by phased antenna array  60 , components on the transmission lines coupled to phased antenna array  60 , and/or transceiver circuitry  28  of  FIG. 1 ), a heat spreader structure such as heat spreader  148  may be coupled to rear housing wall  142  of conductive pocket  140 . Heat spreader  148  may include metal or other materials having a relatively high thermal conductivity. Heat spreader  148  and may serve as a heat sink for the heat generated by phased antenna array  60  (and may therefore sometimes be referred to herein as heat sink  148 ) or may serve to convey or dissipate heat from cavity  150  and conductive pocket  140  to other portions of device  10  (e.g., portions of device  10  far from transceiver  28  of  FIG. 1  and phased antenna array  60 ). 
     Heat spreader  148  may, for example, include fin structures to maximize the surface area of heat spreader  148  that is exposed to air (e.g., to maximize cooling rates for phased antenna array  60 ) or may include any other desired heat spreading structures. If desired, heat spreader  148  may be coupled to rear wall  142  using adhesive, thermal paste, screws, pins, and/or any other desired interconnecting structures. Heat spreader  148  serve as part of the ground for antennas  40  if desired. The example of  FIG. 9  is merely illustrative. In general, heat spreader  148  may have any desired shape or configuration, may be coupled to conductive sidewall  144 , may be coupled to conductive sidewall  146 , etc. Heat spreader  148  may be omitted if desired. 
       FIG. 10  shows a cross-sectional side view of illustrative radiation patterns (e.g., radiation pattern envelopes) of phased antenna array  60 . As shown in  FIG. 10 , curve  153  illustrates a radiation pattern envelope of phased antenna array  60  without conductive pocket  140  (e.g., as shown in  FIG. 8 ). As shown by curve  153 , the radiation pattern envelope for antenna array  60  may exhibit local minima (troughs) and maxima (peaks) at different angles above the X-Y plane. The minima in curve  153  may, for example, be generated by destructive interference at some angles (e.g., destructive interference due to radio-frequency signals  134  of  FIG. 8  that reflect between interior surface  124  of dielectric cover layer  122  and conductive shield layer  130 ). 
     When phased antenna array  60  is provided with conductive pocket  140  ( FIG. 9 ), conductive sidewalls  146  and  144  may change the angle (phase) of the radio-frequency signals reflecting back towards interior surface  124  so that the reflected signals are not out of phase with the radio-frequency signals transmitted by phased antenna array  60 . This may minimize or eliminate the destructive interference associated with signals  134  of  FIG. 8 . Curve  151  illustrates a radiation pattern envelope of phased antenna array  60  with conductive pocket  140  ( FIG. 9 ). As shown by curve  151  of  FIG. 10 , phased antenna array  60  may exhibit a more uniform radiation pattern envelope (gain) across all angles relative to curve  153  (e.g., because of the elimination of the destructive interference associated with signals  134  of  FIG. 8 ). This minimization of destructive interference, as well as the optimization of isolation and the mitigation of surface wave propagation beyond cavity  150  provided by conductive pocket  140  of  FIG. 9 , may serve to increase the overall gain of phased antenna array  60  across the hemisphere above the X-Y plane of  FIG. 10  relative to scenarios in which conductive pocket  140  is omitted, for example. 
     As shown in  FIG. 10 , angle of elevation Ø of conductive sidewalls  144  and  146  ( FIG. 9 ) may be approximately aligned with the minimum angle above the X-Y plane of radiation pattern envelope  151 . Angle of elevation Ø may, for example, be defined by the beam width of radiation pattern envelope  151  (e.g., a beam width defined by a predetermined amount of the electromagnetic energy associated with radiation pattern envelope  151  lying within cone  155 ). If desired, angle of elevation Ø of conductive sidewalls  144  and  146  may be increased beyond the upper limit defined by cone  155  (e.g., angle of elevation Ø may be extended to within the radiation pattern envelope of phased antenna array  60 ) to tweak the radiation pattern envelope to exhibit different shapes or to direct the antenna gain in different directions. 
     The example of  FIG. 10  is merely illustrative. In general, radiation pattern envelopes  151  and  153  may exhibit other shapes. The radiation pattern envelopes shown in  FIG. 10  illustrate a two-dimensional cross-sectional side view of the radiation pattern envelopes. In general, radiation pattern envelopes for antenna array  60  are three-dimensional. 
     The example of  FIG. 9  in which conductive sidewalls  144  and  146  of conductive pocket  140  have the same length, shape, and angle of elevation is merely illustrative. If desired, conductive sidewalls  144  and  146  may have a curved shape.  FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional side view showing how conductive sidewalls  144  and  146  may have a curved shape. 
     As shown in  FIG. 11 , sidewalls  144  and  146  may be curved from conductive rear wall  142  to dielectric cover layer  122 . Conductive sidewalls  144  and  146  may be continuously curved from conductive rear wall  142  to dielectric cover layer  122  or only a portion of conductive sidewalls  144  and  146  may be continuously curved. Conductive sidewalls  144  and  146  may have the same radius of curvature or may have different radii of curvature. Conductive sidewalls  144  and  146  may meet dielectric cover layer  122  at an angle normal to interior surface  124  or may meet display cover layer at another positive or negative (e.g., non-zero) angle with respect to the normal axis of interior surface  124 . 
     Conductive rear wall  142  may be planar or may be curved if desired. In scenarios where conductive rear wall  142  is curved, substrate  120  or an additional substrate below phased antenna array  60  may have a lower surface that is curved to mate with conductive rear wall  142 . If desired, substrate  120  may be flexible or may curve to mate with conductive rear wall  142 . In this way, cavity  150  may have curved sides defined by one or more of conductive walls  142 ,  144 , and  146  of conductive pocket  140 . 
     Providing conductive pocket  140  with curved walls may tweak the reflective properties of conductive pocket  140  (e.g., to adjust the amount of destructive interference between transmitted and reflected signals within cavity  150 ), may tweak radiation pattern  151  of phased antenna array  60  ( FIG. 10 ) to exhibit a desired shape and/or directionality, and/or may allow conductive pocket  140  to conform to the shape of other components such as components  128  within device  10 , as examples. 
     If desired, dielectric cover layer  122  and conductive rear wall  142  may both have a curved shape.  FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional side view showing how dielectric cover layer  122  and conductive rear wall  142  may both have a curved shape. 
     As shown in  FIG. 12 , dielectric cover layer  122  may have a curved shape (e.g., interior surface  124  and/or exterior surface  126  may be curved with the same radius of curvature or with different radii of curvature). Providing dielectric cover layer  122  with a curved shape may, for example, allow the dielectric cover layer to conform to a desired form factor for device  10 . For example, dielectric cover layer  122  may be used to form some or all of curved housing sidewalls  12 E of  FIG. 3  (e.g., in scenarios where some or all of device  10  has a cylindrical shape). 
     Conductive rear wall  142  may have a curved shape (e.g., a curved shape having a radius of curvature equal to that of dielectric cover layer  122  or having a radius of curvature different than that of dielectric cover layer  122 ). In another suitable arrangement, conductive rear wall  142  may be planar or may have other shapes. In scenarios such as the arrangement shown in  FIG. 12  where conductive rear wall  142  has a curved shape, phased antenna array  60  may be curved to conform to the curved shape of conductive rear wall  142  (e.g., substrate  120  of phased antenna array  60  may be a flexible substrate or may be a rigid substrate formed in a curved shape). 
     Conductive sidewalls  144  and  146  may extend from ends of conductive rear housing wall  142  to dielectric cover layer  122 . Conductive sidewalls  144  and  146  may meet dielectric cover layer  122  at angle Ø (e.g., an angle between about −80 degrees and +80 degrees with respect to the normal axis of interior surface  124 ). Conductive sidewalls  144  and  146  may meet dielectric cover layer  122  at the same angle Ø or may each meet dielectric cover layer  122  at different angles. 
     The example of  FIG. 12  in which dielectric cover layer  122  and conductive rear wall  142  are continuously curved is merely illustrative. If desired, dielectric cover layer  122  and/or conductive rear wall  142  may have planar and curved portions or may have any other desired shapes. If desired, conductive sidewalls  144  and/or  146  may be curved (e.g., as shown in  FIG. 13 ). In this way, conductive pocket  140  may allow phased antenna array  60  to be placed within a device having curved housing walls such as a cylindrically shaped device while also minimizing surface wave propagation, destructive interference within cavity  150 , and heat within cavity  150 . 
     If desired, conductive pocket  140  may be oriented (tilted) at an angle with respect to dielectric cover layer  122  (e.g., so that phased antenna array  60  points in a desired direction).  FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional side view showing how conductive pocket  140  may be tilted at an angle with respect to dielectric cover layer  122 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 13 , dielectric cover layer  122  may have a normal axis  160 . Conductive rear wall  142  of conductive pocket  140  and phased antenna array  60  may both be tilted with respect to dielectric cover layer  122  such that conductive rear wall  142  and phased antenna array  60  each have a normal axis  161  that is tilted at a non-zero angle A with respect to normal axis  160  of display cover layer  122 . When arranged in this way, conductive sidewalls  144  and  146  may have different lengths (e.g., conductive sidewall  146  may be shorter than conductive sidewall  144 ). Conductive sidewalls  144  and  146  may meet dielectric cover layer  122  at angle Ø. If desired, conductive sidewalls  144  and  146  may meet dielectric cover layer  122  at different respective angles. 
     By tilting phased antenna array  60  in this way, the radiation pattern of phased antenna array  60  may be pointed in a desired direction (e.g., with a maximum gain in a direction that is tilted A degrees with respect to normal axis  160 ). For example, phased antenna array  60  may be oriented towards an expected location of external wireless equipment given an expected usage scenario for device  10 . Tilting phased antenna array  60  and conductive rear housing wall  142  in this way may also allow conductive pocket  140  to accommodate the shape of other components  128  adjacent to conductive pocket  140  if desired. 
     The example of  FIG. 13  is merely illustrative. In general, phased antenna array  60  may be pointed in any desired direction (e.g., in three dimensions). Conductive sidewalls  144  and/or  146  may be curved (e.g., as shown in  FIG. 11 ), conductive rear wall  142  may be curved, and/or dielectric cover layer  122  may be curved (e.g., as shown in  FIG. 12 ). 
     If desired, conductive pocket  140  may be formed from a continuous and integral portion of a conductive housing for device  10 .  FIG. 14  is a cross-sectional side view showing how conductive pocket  140  may be formed from an integral portion of a conductive housing for device  10 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 14 , device  10  may include conductive housing wall  170  (e.g., a conductive portion of housing  12  of  FIGS. 2 and 3 ). Conductive housing wall  170  may form an exterior surface of device  10  or may be covered by a thin layer of dielectric material such as a protective and/or cosmetic coating. Conductive sidewalls  144  and  146  of conductive pocket  140  may be formed from a continuous and integral portion of conductive housing wall  170  that has been angled downwards (e.g., by angle Ø). Conductive rear wall  142  of conductive pocket  140  may be formed from a continuous and integral portion of conductive housing wall  170  that extends between conductive sidewalls  144  and  146 . Dielectric cover layer  122  may be formed over phased antenna array  60  in conductive pocket  140  to enclose cavity  150  between conductive pocket  140  and dielectric cover layer  122 . Dielectric cover layer  122  may have the same thickness T as conductive housing wall  170  or may have a thickness different than that of conductive housing wall  170 . Exterior surface  126  of dielectric cover layer  122  may lie flush with the exterior surface of conductive housing wall  170 , may protrude from conductive housing wall  170 , or may form an indentation in conductive housing wall  170 . 
     Forming conductive pocket  140  from an integral portion of conductive housing wall  170  may optimize the structural (mechanical) integrity of device  10  and conductive pocket  140  and/or minimize manufacturing cost and complexity for device  10 , as examples. The example of  FIG. 14  is merely illustrative. Conductive sidewalls  144  and  146  may extend towards the interior of device  10  at any desired angle or at different angles if desired. Conductive sidewalls  144  and/or  146  may be curved (e.g., as shown in  FIG. 11 ), conductive rear wall  142  may be curved, dielectric cover layer  122  may be curved (e.g., as shown in  FIG. 12 ), and/or conductive rear wall  142  and phased antenna array  60  may be tilted to point in a desired direction (e.g., as shown in  FIG. 13 ). 
     If desired, one or more walls of conductive pocket  140  may include local perturbations for tweaking destructive interference within cavity  150 .  FIG. 15  is a cross-sectional side view showing how conductive pocket  140  may include local perturbations. 
     As shown in  FIG. 15 , conductive sidewall  144  may include a localized perturbation such as bump  180  and conductive sidewall  146  may include a localized perturbation such as hole or dimple  182 . Perturbations such as bump  180  and dimple  182  may tweak the boundary conditions (dimensions) of cavity  150  and conductive pocket  140  to help to ensure that radio-frequency signals reflected off of interior surface  124  of dielectric cover layer  122  do not destructively interfere with the radio-frequency signals reflected off of the walls of conductive pocket  140 . 
     Perturbations such as bump  180  and dimple  182  may have any desired convex and/or concave shapes and may have any desired sizes (e.g., as selected to minimize destructive interference within cavity  150 ). Perturbations such as bump  180  and/or dimple  182  may be formed in conductive rear wall  142  if desired. Zero, one, or more than one perturbation may be formed in each wall of conductive pocket  140 . 
     The examples of  FIGS. 9 and 11-15  are merely illustrative. In general, dielectric cover  122  of  FIGS. 9 and 11-15  may have any desired shape (e.g., interior surface  124  may be curved or may include multiple localized curves or cavities, exterior surface  126  may be curved or may include multiple localized curves or bumps, thickness T may vary across the lateral area of dielectric cover layer  122 , etc.). Any desired combination of the structures shown in  FIGS. 9 and 11-15  may be used. For example, conductive sidewalls  144  and/or  146  may be curved (e.g., as shown in  FIG. 11 ), conductive rear wall  142  may be curved and/or dielectric cover layer  122  may be curved (e.g., as shown in  FIG. 12 ), conductive rear wall  142  and/or phased antenna array  70  may be tilted to point in a desired direction (e.g., as shown in  FIG. 13 ), conductive pocket  140  may be formed from an integral portion of conductive housing wall  170  (e.g., as shown in  FIG. 14 ), and/or localized perturbations such as bumps  180  and dimples  182  (e.g., as shown in  FIG. 15 ) may be formed in one or more conductive walls of conductive pocket  140 . The shapes and arrangement of these structures may be selected to tweak destructive interference within cavity  150  over different angles, to point the radiation pattern of phased antenna array  60  towards a desired angle, to conform to form factor and space consumption requirements for device  10 , and/or to exhibit a desired radiation pattern envelope (e.g., a desired radiation pattern envelope shape), while concurrently optimizing radiation pattern envelope uniformity across the hemisphere above phased antenna array  60 , blocking surface waves (e.g., surface waves  132  of  FIG. 8 ) from propagating outside of cavity  150 , and sufficiently dissipating heat away from phased antenna array  60 . More than one phased antenna array  60  may be mounted within conductive pocket  140  if desired. 
     The examples of  FIGS. 9 and 11-15  are cross-sectional side views of conductive pocket  140 . In general, conductive pocket  140  may have any desired lateral outline or footprint (e.g., within the X-Y plane of  FIGS. 9-15 ).  FIGS. 16-18  are top-down views showing how conductive pocket  140  may have different lateral outlines or footprints. 
     In the example of  FIG. 16 , conductive pocket  140  has a rectangular (e.g., square) lateral outline or footprint (e.g., in the X-Y plane of  FIG. 16 ). In this scenario, conductive rear wall  142  has a rectangular outline (periphery). Four conductive sidewalls  200  (e.g., four conductive sidewalls such as conductive sidewalls  144  and  146  of  FIGS. 9 and 11-15 ) extend from conductive rear wall  142  towards dielectric cover layer  122  of  FIGS. 9 and 11-15  (e.g., in the direction of the Z-axis of  FIG. 16 ). Phased antenna array  60  may be mounted to conductive rear wall  142 . 
     In the example of  FIG. 17 , conductive pocket  140  has an elliptical or circular lateral outline. In this scenario, conductive rear wall  142  has an elliptical or circular outline and a single continuous conductive sidewall  202  extends around the periphery of conductive rear wall  142  and towards dielectric cover layer  122 . In this type of arrangement, conductive sidewalls  144  and  146  of  FIGS. 9 and 11-15  may represent opposing sides of the same continuous conductive sidewall  202 , for example. 
     In the example of  FIG. 18 , conductive pocket  140  has a hexagonal lateral outline. In this scenario, conductive rear wall  142  has a hexagonal outline (periphery) that is coupled to six conductive sidewalls  204  extending towards dielectric cover layer  122 . Phased antenna array  60  may have a hexagonal shape that conforms to the hexagonal outline of conductive rear wall  142  if desired. 
     The examples of  FIGS. 16-18  are merely illustrative. In general, conductive pocket  140  may have any desired lateral outline (e.g., a triangular outline, a pentagonal outline, a polygonal outline, an outline having any desired number of curved and/or straight edges, etc.). Different lateral outlines may allow conductive pocket  140  to conform to different space requirements or device form factors, may tweak the destructive interference within cavity  150 , and may optimize the uniformity and directionality of the radiation pattern for phased antenna array  60  in any desired manner. Phased antenna array  60  (e.g., substrate  120 ) may have any desired outline that conforms or does not conform to the shape of conducive rear wall  142 . Any desired number of patch elements  110  may be formed within phased antenna array  60  in any desired arrangement or pattern. In general, any combinations of the arrangements of  FIGS. 9 and 11-18  may be used if desired. 
     The foregoing is merely illustrative and various modifications can be made to the described embodiments. The foregoing embodiments may be implemented individually or in any combination.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20180215
Publication Date: 20211116
Grant Date: 20211116
Priority Date: 20180215
Inventors: WU, JIANGFENG
ZHANG, LIJUN
YONG, Siwen
JIANG, YI
PASCOLINI, MATTIA
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H01Q1/42", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/526", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q21/065", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q21/22", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/243", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/526", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/38", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q19/106", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/026", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/026", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/026", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/526", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/243", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q21/22", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 71516919