PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-11025285-B2
Application Number: US-202016854771-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Electronic device with millimeter wave antennas

Abstract:
An electronic device may be provided with wireless circuitry. The wireless circuitry may include one or more antennas. The antennas may include phased antenna arrays each of which includes multiple antenna elements. Phased antenna arrays may be mounted along edges of a housing for the electronic device, behind a dielectric window such as a dielectric logo window in the housing, in alignment with dielectric housing portions at corners of the housing, or elsewhere in the electronic device. A phased antenna array may include arrays of patch antenna elements on dielectric layers separated by a ground layer. A baseband processor may distribute wireless signals to the phased antenna arrays at intermediate frequencies over intermediate frequency signal paths. Transceiver circuits at the phased antenna arrays may include upconverters and downconverters coupled to the intermediate frequency signal paths.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device comprising:
 a housing having a dielectric housing wall; 
 a display mounted to the housing; 
 a first phased antenna array at a first location in the housing; 
 a second phased antenna array at a second location in the housing, the first and second phased antenna arrays being configured to transmit and receive radio-frequency signals at a frequency greater than 10 GHz through the dielectric housing wall; and 
 control circuitry configured to:
 determine that the first phased antenna array is being blocked by an external object, and 
 responsive to determining that the first phased antenna array is being blocked by the external object, switch the second phased antenna array into use. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 responsive to determining that the first phased antenna array is being blocked by the external object, switch the first phased antenna array out of use. 
 
     
     
       3. The electronic device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 transceiver circuitry coupled to the first and second phased antenna arrays and configured to transmit radio-frequency signals at a frequency greater than 10 GHz using the first and second phased antenna arrays. 
 
     
     
       4. The electronic device of  claim 3 , wherein the transceiver circuitry is configured to receive radio-frequency signals at the frequency greater than 10 GHz using the first and second phased antenna arrays. 
     
     
       5. The electronic device of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a printed circuit board substrate, wherein the transceiver circuitry and the first phased antenna array are mounted to the printed circuit board substrate. 
 
     
     
       6. The electronic device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 sensor circuitry configured to gather sensor data indicative of whether the first phased antenna array is being blocked by the external object, wherein the control circuitry is configured to determine whether the first phased antenna array is being blocked by the external object based on the sensor data gathered by the sensor circuitry. 
 
     
     
       7. The electronic device of  claim 6 , wherein the sensor data comprises sensor data selected from the group consisting of: proximity sensor data, antenna impedance measurements, and signal quality measurements. 
     
     
       8. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the dielectric housing wall opposes the display. 
     
     
       9. The electronic device of  claim 8 , wherein the housing comprises peripheral conductive housing structures, the dielectric housing wall and the display being mounted to the peripheral conductive housing structures. 
     
     
       10. The electronic device of  claim 8 , wherein the first and second phased antenna arrays comprise patch antennas. 
     
     
       11. The electronic device of  claim 10 , wherein the first phased antenna array comprises four patch antennas. 
     
     
       12. The electronic device of  claim 11 , wherein the second phased antenna array comprises two patch antennas. 
     
     
       13. The electronic device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a dielectric layer, wherein the first phased antenna array is on the dielectric layer; and 
 transceiver circuitry on the dielectric layer and coupled to the first phased antenna array. 
 
     
     
       14. The electronic device of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 an additional dielectric layer, wherein the second phased antenna array is on the additional dielectric layer. 
 
     
     
       15. The electronic device of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 additional transceiver circuitry coupled to the second phased antenna array; and 
 a baseband processor coupled to the transceiver circuitry via a first transmission line path and coupled to the additional transceiver circuitry via a second transmission line path, wherein the baseband processor is configured to receive, from the transceiver circuitry and via the first transmission line path, first intermediate signals corresponding to radio-frequency signals received by the first phased antenna array, the baseband processor being further configured to receive, from the additional transceiver circuitry and via the second transmission line path, second intermediate signals corresponding to radio-frequency signals received by the second phased antenna array. 
 
     
     
       16. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the display comprises a touch screen display. 
     
     
       17. An electronic device comprising:
 a housing; 
 a display mounted to the housing; 
 a first phased antenna array at a first location in the housing; 
 a second phased antenna array at a second location in the housing; 
 control circuitry configured to:
 determine that the first phased antenna array is being blocked by an external object, and 
 responsive to determining that the first phased antenna array is being blocked by the external object, switch the second phased antenna array into use; 
 
 baseband processor circuitry configured to produce intermediate frequency signals; 
 first transceiver circuitry coupled to the baseband processor circuitry and configured to transmit radio-frequency signals corresponding to the intermediate frequency signals using the first phased antenna array; and 
 second transceiver circuitry coupled to the baseband processor circuitry and configured to transmit radio-frequency signals corresponding to the intermediate frequency signals using the second phased antenna array, wherein the radio-frequency signals transmitted by the first and second transceiver circuitry are at a frequency greater than 10 GHz. 
 
     
     
       18. The electronic device of  claim 17 , wherein the first transceiver circuitry is configured to receive radio-frequency signals at the frequency greater than 10 GHz using the first phased antenna array and the second transceiver circuitry is configured to receive radio-frequency signals at the frequency greater than 10 GHz using the second phased antenna array. 
     
     
       19. An electronic device comprising:
 a housing; 
 a display mounted to the housing; 
 a first phased antenna array at a first location in the housing; 
 a second phased antenna array at a second location in the housing; 
 control circuitry configured to:
 determine that the first phased antenna array is being blocked by an external object, and 
 responsive to determining that the first phased antenna array is being blocked by the external object, switch the second phased antenna array into use; 
 
 transceiver circuitry coupled to the first and second phased antenna arrays; and 
 a baseband processor coupled to the transceiver circuitry via a transmission line path, wherein the baseband processor is configured to receive, from the transceiver circuitry and via the transmission line path, intermediate signals corresponding to radio-frequency signals received by the first and second phased antenna arrays. 
 
     
     
       20. The electronic device of  claim 19 , further comprising a dielectric layer, wherein the transceiver circuitry and the first phased antenna array are on the dielectric layer.

Description:
This application is a continuation of patent application Ser. No. 16/138,881, filed on Sep. 21, 2018, which is a continuation of patent application Ser. No. 15/499,745, filed on Apr. 27, 2017, which is a continuation of patent application Ser. No. 15/097,868, filed on Apr. 13, 2016, which claims the benefit of provisional patent application No. 62/149,430, filed Apr. 17, 2015, which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. 
    
    
     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 communications bands. Millimeter wave communications, which are sometimes referred to as extremely high frequency (EHF) communications, involve communications at frequencies of about 10-400 GHz. Operation at these frequencies may support high bandwidths, but may raise significant challenges. For example, millimeter wave communications are typically line-of-sight communications and can be characterized by substantial attenuation during signal propagation. 
     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. The antennas may include phased antenna arrays each of which includes multiple antenna elements. The phased antenna arrays may be used to handle millimeter wave wireless communications and may perform beam steering operations. 
     Phased antenna arrays may be mounted along edges of a housing for the electronic device, behind a dielectric logo or other antenna window in a rear face of the housing, may be mounted in alignment with dielectric housing portions at corners of a housing, or may be incorporated elsewhere in an electronic device. A baseband processor may distribute wireless signals to the phased antenna arrays at intermediate frequencies over intermediate frequency signal paths. Transceiver circuits at the phased antenna arrays may include upconverters and downconverters coupled to the intermediate frequency signal paths. This arrangement allows path losses to be minimized by distributing signals to the phased antenna arrays at intermediate frequencies and locally converting the intermediate frequency signals to radio-frequency signals for the antennas. 
     A phased antenna array may include one or more arrays of patch antenna elements. With one suitable arrangement, a phased antenna array may have first and second patch antenna arrays supported by dielectric layers that are separated by an interposed ground layer. Transceiver circuit components may be mounted to one of the dielectric layers to form an integral antenna array and transceiver circuit module. This type of phased antenna array may be mounted at the corners of an electronic device housing and may operate through the front and rear surfaces of the device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device with wireless communications circuitry in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of an illustrative electronic device with wireless communications circuitry in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device showing illustrative locations at which antenna arrays for millimeter wave communications may be located in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram of an illustrative electronic device with wireless circuitry that allows radio-frequency signals to be distributed to phased antenna arrays in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a diagram of an illustrative electronic device with wireless circuitry that includes intermediate frequency signal paths for distributing antenna signals within the device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a diagram showing how an intermediate frequency signal may be shared among multiple radio-frequency transceivers each of which is coupled to a respective antenna element in a phased antenna array in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  is a diagram showing how intermediate frequency signals may be distributed individually to each of the antennas in an antenna array over parallel intermediate frequency signal paths in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 8  is a diagram showing how antenna signals may be distributed using a ring-shaped signal distribution topology in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of an illustrative integrated phased antenna array in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 10  is a side view of the illustrative integrated phased antenna array of  FIG. 9  in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 11  is a side view of another illustrative integrated phased antenna array in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional side view of a corner portion of an illustrative electronic device in which a phased antenna array has been mounted in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 13  is a diagram of a portion of a phased antenna array having a dipole antenna in accordance with an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     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 handling millimeter 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 10 GHz and 400 GHz. If desired, device  10  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 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 wrist-watch device, a pendant device, a headphone or earpiece 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, 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, 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  14 . Display  14  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  14  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. 
     Display  14  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  14  may be protected using a display cover layer such as a layer of transparent glass, clear plastic, sapphire, or other transparent dielectric. Openings may be formed in the display cover layer. For example, an opening may be formed in the display cover layer to accommodate a button such as button  16 . An opening may also be formed in the display cover layer to accommodate ports such as a speaker port. Openings may be formed in housing  12  to form communications ports (e.g., an audio jack port, a digital data 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 . 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 an antenna (or set of 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 an antenna (or set of antennas) into use in place of the antennas that are being adversely affected. 
     Antennas may be mounted 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  14  on the front of device  10 , under a dielectric window on a rear face of housing  12  or the edge of housing  12 , or elsewhere in device  10 . 
     A schematic diagram showing illustrative components that may be used in device  10  is shown in  FIG. 2 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , device  10  may include control circuitry such as storage and processing circuitry  30 . Storage and processing circuitry  30  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 storage and processing circuitry  30  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. 
     Storage and processing circuitry  30  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, storage and processing circuitry  30  may be used in implementing communications protocols. Communications protocols that may be implemented using storage and processing circuitry  30  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, cellular telephone protocols, MIMO protocols, antenna diversity protocols, satellite navigation system protocols, etc. 
     Device  10  may include input-output circuitry  44 . Input-output circuitry  44  may include input-output devices  32 . Input-output devices  32  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  32  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, a connector port sensor or other sensor that determines whether device  10  is mounted in a dock, and other sensors and input-output components. 
     Input-output circuitry  44  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  90  for handling various radio-frequency communications bands. For example, circuitry  34  may include transceiver circuitry  36 ,  38 ,  42 , and  46 . 
     Transceiver circuitry  36  may be wireless local area network transceiver circuitry that may handle 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands for WiFi® (IEEE 802.11) communications and that may handle the 2.4 GHz Bluetooth® communications band. 
     Circuitry  34  may use cellular telephone transceiver circuitry  38  for handling wireless communications in frequency ranges such as a low communications band from 700 to 960 MHz, a midband from 1710 to 2170 MHz, and a high band from 2300 to 2700 MHz or other communications bands between 700 MHz and 2700 MHz or other suitable frequencies (as examples). Circuitry  38  may handle voice data and non-voice data. 
     Millimeter wave transceiver circuitry  46  may support communications at extremely high frequencies (e.g., millimeter wave frequencies from 10 GHz to 400 GHz or other millimeter wave frequencies). 
     Wireless communications circuitry  34  may include satellite navigation system circuitry such as Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver circuitry  42  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  42  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 WiFi® and Bluetooth® links 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  46  may convey signals over these short distances that travel between transmitter and receiver over a line-of-sight path. To enhance signal reception for millimeter wave communications, phased antenna arrays and beam steering techniques may be used. 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, inverted-F antenna structures, slot antenna structures, planar inverted-F antenna structures, helical antenna 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 include phased antenna arrays for handling millimeter wave communications. 
     Transmission line paths may be used to route antenna signals within device  10 . For example, transmission line paths may be used to couple antenna structures  40  to transceiver circuitry  90 . Transmission lines in device  10  may include coaxial cable paths, microstrip transmission lines, stripline transmission lines, edge-coupled microstrip transmission lines, edge-coupled stripline transmission lines, transmission lines formed from combinations of transmission lines of these types, etc. 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  30  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 . 
     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  46  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, or other suitable antenna elements. Transceiver circuitry can be integrated with the phased antenna arrays to form integrated phased antenna array and transceiver circuit modules. 
     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. Accordingly, it may be desirable to incorporate multiple phased antenna arrays into device  10 , each of which is placed in a different location within 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. 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. 3  is a perspective view of electronic device showing illustrative locations  50  in 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  46 ) may be mounted in device  10 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , antennas  40  may be mounted at the corners of device  10 , along the edges of housing  12  such as edge  12 E, on the upper and lower portions of rear housing portion  12 R, in the center of rear housing  12  (e.g., under a dielectric window structure such as plastic logo  52 ), etc. In configurations in which housing  12  is formed from a dielectric, antennas  40  may transmit and receive antenna signals through 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 ). 
     In devices with multiple phased antenna arrays, signal paths such as paths  100  of  FIG. 4  (e.g., transmission lines) may be used to distribute millimeter wave signals to antennas  40 . In the example of  FIG. 4 , wireless transceiver  46  may be used to transmit and receive millimeter wave signals (i.e., radio-frequency signals at RF frequencies such as 60 GHz). Paths  100  may be used to distribute these radio-frequency signals to antenna arrays such as phased antenna arrays  40 A and  40 B. Gain and phase adjustment circuitry  106  may be used to adjust the signals associated with each antenna  40  in array  40 A and to adjust the signals associated with each antenna  40  in array  40 B. As shown by the illustrative configuration of array  40 B in  FIG. 4 , paths  100  may include multiple parallel paths  100  each of which is connected between a respective transceiver  46  and a respective antenna  40  in phased antenna array  40 B. Gain and phase adjustment circuits  106  may be used to individually adjust the signals associated with each antenna  40  in array  40 B (e.g., to perform beam steering). If desired, RF signals (e.g., 60 GHz signals) may be distributed to coupler (splitter  102 ) in a phased antenna array such as phased antenna array  40 A via a single one of paths  100  and distributed by coupler  102  to respective circuits  106  and antennas  40  in phased antenna array  40 A. Received signals may be supplied to path  100  via circuits  106  and coupler  102 . 
     At high RF frequencies (e.g. at 60 GHz or other millimeter wave frequencies), signals can be attenuated on the paths between transceiver circuitry  46  and antennas  40  more strongly than at lower RF frequencies. To help minimize attenuation, it may be desirable to distribute antenna signals within device  10  at intermediate frequencies (IF). The intermediate frequency signals IF in device  10  may, as an example, be signals at 5-15 GHz, whereas the radio-frequency (RF) signals in device  10  may have higher frequencies such as 60 GHz or other millimeter wave frequencies. Internal distribution path attenuation will generally be lower at intermediate frequencies IF than at radio frequencies RF, which may allow the antenna arrays in device  10  to be located farther apart without introducing excessive signal path attenuation. 
     An illustrative configuration for device  10  in which signals are distributed at intermediate frequencies is shown in  FIG. 5 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , each antenna  40  (e.g., each phased antenna array) in device  10  may be provided with circuitry  46 B. Circuitry  46 B may include radio-frequency transceiver circuitry (e.g., 60 GHz transceiver circuitry) with upconversion and downconversion capabilities. Each block of circuitry  46 B of  FIG. 5  may, for example, include an upconverter that upconverts IF signals from baseband processor  46 A on an associated one of IF paths  108  to RF signals (e.g., signals at 60 GHz). These RF signals may then be provided to antennas  40  (e.g., phased antenna arrays) via one of RF signal paths  100  and transmitted over the air to a remote millimeter wave receiver. RF signals that are received by each phased antenna array may be supplied to circuitry  46 B via a respective path  100 . A downconverter in circuitry  46 B may then downconvert the received RF signal to an IF signal. An associated one of IF signal paths  108  may be used to convey the IF signal to baseband processor  46 A. 
     An illustrative circuit diagram for a phased antenna array for device  10  is shown in  FIG. 6 . In the example of  FIG. 6 , the phased antenna array has been formed from an array of antennas (antenna elements)  40 . Intermediate frequency signals IF may be conveyed to the phased antenna array over intermediate frequency path IF. Coupler (splitter)  110  may provide the IF signals to respective transceiver circuits  46 B. An upconverter in each transceiver circuit  46 B may upconvert the IF signal to a corresponding RF signal that is provided to a respective antenna element  40  to transmit wirelessly. Each antenna element  40  may be associated with a respective adjustable circuit  112 . Each adjustable circuit  112  may include an adjustable gain output amplifier and an adjustable phase shifter for controlling the RF signals supplied from circuit  46 B to antenna  40 . 
     Another illustrative arrangement for distributing IF signals to a phased antenna array is shown in  FIG. 7 . The phased antenna array of  FIG. 7  includes an array of antennas  40  each of which is coupled to an associated adjustable circuit  112  (e.g., an adjustable gain amplifier and adjustable phase shifter). Intermediate frequency signals IF may be distributed to transceiver circuits  46 B using respective parallel intermediate frequency signal paths  108 . 
     In the example of  FIG. 8 , wireless signals (e.g., IF signals) are being distributed using a series of IF signal paths  108  that are coupled in a ring. Each node of the ring has one of circuits  114 . Circuits  114  may each include RF transceiver circuitry for transmitting and receiving signals via an associated one of phased antenna arrays  40 . Each circuit  114  may include a splitter that splits an incoming IF signal into an outgoing IF signal and a tapped IF signal. An upconverter in each circuit  114  may be used to locally upconvert the tapped IF signal in that circuit  114  so that the signal can be transmitted via the antenna array  40  that is coupled to that circuit. Incoming RF signals that have been received by each antenna array  40  may be received by the RF transceiver circuitry in an associated circuit  114  and downconverted to corresponding IF signals by a downconverter in that circuit  114 . Signals paths  108  may be coupled between respective circuits  114  to form a ring-shaped distribution path for IF signals in device  10 . If desired, RF signals (e.g., 60 GHz signals) may be distributed using a ring-shaped arrangement of this type. The illustrative configuration of  FIG. 8  in which the ring formed from paths  108  is used to distribute IF signals is merely illustrative. 
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view of an illustrative phased antenna array of the type that may be used for handling millimeter wave signals (e.g., 60 GHz signals) in device  10 . In the configuration of  FIG. 9 , phased antenna array  40  includes multiple antenna elements  40 ′ (e.g., patch antenna elements). There may be, for example, a square array of four elements  40 ′ on the front face of antenna array  40  and a square array of four elements  40 ′ on the opposing rear face of antenna array  40 . The use of a phased array of elements such as elements  40 ′ allows the radio-frequency signals of antenna array  40  to be steered using beam steering techniques. Elements  40 ′ may be formed from metal traces on dielectric substrate layers  118  (e.g., rigid printed circuit board material, ceramic, plastic, glass, or other dielectric). Metal ground layer  116  may be interposed between layers  118  and may serve as a signal reflector. Electrical components  122  (e.g., transceiver circuitry such as circuitry  46 B, circuitry  114 , etc.) may be mounted on substrate  120 . Substrate  120  may be integrated with the other components of array  40 . For example substrate  120  may be an extended portion of one or both of layers  118  or may be attached to layers  118  to form an integrated transceiver and antenna array module. 
     A cross-sectional side view of phased antenna array  40  of  FIG. 9  is shown in  FIG. 10 . As shown in  FIG. 10 , antenna elements  40 ′ may be located on opposing sides of ground layer  116 . The thickness of layers  118  may be selected to space elements  40 ′ on one side of layers  118  by a half of a wavelength from the elements  40 ′ on the other side of layers  118 . During operation, only the elements  40 ′ on a first side of array  40  may be used (e.g., the left side of layers  118  in the orientation of  FIG. 10 ), so that antenna signals may be transmitted in direction  126 , only elements  40 ′ on the opposing side of array  40  may be used, so that antenna signals may be transmitted in direction  124 , or the elements  40 ′ on both sides of layers  118  may be used (e.g., to simultaneously handle antenna signals on both sides of layers  118 ). 
     If desired, components such as components  122  may be mounted within a cavity formed between two sandwiched substrates  118 , as shown in  FIG. 11 . With this type of arrangement, layers  118  may be attached to each other using dielectric layers  118 ′, thereby forming a system-in-package structure that incorporates both antenna circuitry  122  (e.g., transceiver circuitry  46 B, circuits  114 , etc.) and antenna elements  40 ′. Two ground (reflector) layers  116 A and  116 B may be provided in this type of configuration to help shield components  122  from radio-frequency antenna signals that are being handled by antenna elements  40 ′ on the opposing outer surfaces of array  40 . 
       FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of device  10  near one of the corners of housing  12  showing how a phased antenna array such as array  40  of  FIGS. 9 and 10  or array  40  of  FIG. 11  (e.g., phased antenna array and transceiver modules) may be mounted within device  10 . As shown in the illustrative configuration of  FIG. 12 , antenna array  40  may be mounted so that elements  40 ′ on the top side of array  40  transmit and receive antenna signals  128  through display cover layer  132  (i.e., a glass layer, plastic layer, or other protective dielectric layer for display  14 ). Elements  40 ′ on the lower side of array  40  may transmit and receive antenna signals  130  through dielectric layer  12 ′. Layer  12 ′ may be a housing portion such as a dielectric antenna window formed within an opening in a metal housing  12  (as an example). 
     As shown in the top view of antenna array  40  in the illustrative arrangement of  FIG. 13 , antenna array  40  may include a ring-shaped ground reflector such as ground reflector  116 ′. Dipole antenna elements  40 ′ may protrude through openings in ground ring  116 ′. In a configuration in which antenna array  40  is mounted in a corner of device  10 , two of the edges of antenna array  40  may be adjacent to two respective edges  12 E of housing  12 . Antenna windows may be formed on these edges (e.g., plastic windows formed in openings in a metal housing). Antenna array  40  may have dipole elements  40 ′ that run along each of these two edges. If desired patch antenna elements (see, e.g., elements  40 ′ of  FIGS. 9, 10, and 11 ) may be included on an antenna array in addition to dipole elements of the type shown in  FIG. 13 . 
     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: 20200421
Publication Date: 20210601
Grant Date: 20210601
Priority Date: 20150417
Inventors: OUYANG, Yuehui
JIANG, YI
MOW, MATTHEW A.
NOORI, BASIM
PASCOLINI, MATTIA
CABALLERO, RUBEN
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H01Q21/28", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B2001/0408", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B1/04", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q21/065", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q21/0025", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B2001/0408", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q21/065", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q21/28", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q21/0025", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B1/1081", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/2266", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/2266", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q21/062", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/243", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B1/03", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B1/04", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B1/1081", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q21/062", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/22", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q21/28", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q21/0025", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/2266", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B1/03", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q25/005", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/243", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/2283", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/243", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q21/065", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B2001/0408", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B1/03", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q21/28", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B1/1081", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/243", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q21/062", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q21/065", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q21/0025", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B1/04", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/2266", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 55806867