PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-10665959-B2
Application Number: US-201715658141-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Millimeter wave antennas having dual patch resonating elements

Abstract:
An electronic device may be provided with millimeter wave transceiver circuitry and an antenna having a ground and a resonating element. The resonating element may include first and second patches symmetrically distributed about an axis. The antenna may be fed using an antenna feed having a first feed terminal coupled to both the first and second patches and a second feed terminal coupled to the ground. The first feed terminal may be coupled to the first patch at a side closest to the second patch and may be coupled to the second patch at a side closest to the first patch. The first and second patches may be shorted to the ground if desired. Antenna currents on the first patch may be 180 degrees out of phase with antenna currents on the second patch. The antenna may be arranged in an array of antennas with different polarizations.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A millimeter wave antenna, comprising:
 a ground plane; 
 first and second conductive patches separated from the ground plane by a height and distributed symmetrically about an axis; and 
 an antenna feed having a first feed terminal formed at a conductive trace, coupled to the first and second conductive patches, and configured to convey antenna signals for both the first and second conductive patches, and a second feed terminal coupled to the ground plane, wherein the ground plane is interposed between the conductive trace and the first conductive patch, the ground plane has an opening, the first feed terminal is directly coupled to the first conductive patch using a first conductive structure that extends through the opening, and the first feed terminal is directly coupled to the second conductive patch using a second conductive structure that extends through the opening. 
 
     
     
       2. The millimeter wave antenna defined in  claim 1 , wherein first conductive patch is configured to convey a first antenna current and the second conductive patch is configured to convey a second antenna current that is 180 degrees out of phase with respect to the first antenna current. 
     
     
       3. The millimeter wave antenna defined in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a transmission line having a positive signal conductor coupled to the first feed terminal and a ground conductor that includes a portion of the ground plane. 
 
     
     
       4. The millimeter wave antenna defined in  claim 3 , wherein the first conductive structure is coupled to a first point at a first end of the first conductive patch, the second conductive structure is coupled to a second point at a first end of the second conductive patch, the first conductive patch has a second end that is separated from the first end of the first conductive patch by a given distance, and the second conductive patch has a second end that is separated from the first end of the second conductive patch by the given distance. 
     
     
       5. The millimeter wave antenna defined in  claim 4 , wherein the first end of the first conductive patch is interposed between the first end of the second conductive patch and the second end of the first conductive patch. 
     
     
       6. The millimeter wave antenna defined in  claim 5 , wherein the first conductive patch has third and fourth sides that extend between the first and second ends of the first conductive patch and that are separated by the given distance, and the second conductive patch has third and fourth sides that extend between the first and second ends of the second conductive patch and that are separated by the given distance. 
     
     
       7. The millimeter wave antenna defined in  claim 5 , further comprising:
 first impedance matching notches in the first conductive patch that are configured to match an impedance of the first conductive patch with an impedance of the first conductive structure; and 
 second impedance matching notches in the second conductive patch that are configured to match an impedance of the second conductive patch with an impedance of the second conductive structure. 
 
     
     
       8. The millimeter wave antenna defined in  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a third conductive structure that shorts the second end of the first conductive patch to the ground plane; and 
 a fourth conductive structure that shorts the second end of the second conductive patch to the ground plane. 
 
     
     
       9. The millimeter wave antenna defined in  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a first parasitic antenna resonating element, wherein the first conductive patch is interposed between the first parasitic antenna resonating element and the ground plane; and 
 a second parasitic antenna resonating element, wherein the second conductive patch is interposed between the second parasitic antenna resonating element and the ground plane. 
 
     
     
       10. The millimeter wave antenna defined in  claim 1 , comprising:
 a stacked dielectric substrate having a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer, the second layer being interposed between the first and third layers, metal traces on the second layer forming the ground plane, and metal traces on the third layer forming the first and second conductive patches, wherein the first conductive structure extends through the second and third layers, and the second conductive structure extends through the second and third layers. 
 
     
     
       11. The millimeter wave antenna defined in  claim 10 , wherein the first conductive patch has opposing first and second sides, the second conductive patch has opposing first and second sides, the first conductive structure is coupled to a first point at the first side of the first conductive patch, the second conductive structure is coupled to a second point at the first side of the second conductive patch, and the first side of the first conductive patch is interposed between the second side of the first conductive patch and the first side of the second conductive patch. 
     
     
       12. The millimeter wave antenna defined in  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a third conductive structure coupled between the second side of the first conductive patch and the ground plane; and 
 a fourth conductive structure coupled between the second side of the second conductive patch and the ground plane. 
 
     
     
       13. The millimeter wave antenna defined in  claim 10 , wherein the stacked dielectric substrate has a fourth layer, the third layer is interposed between the second and the fourth layers, and the millimeter wave antenna further comprises:
 metal traces on the fourth layer that form a first parasitic antenna resonating element for the first conductive patch and a second parasitic antenna resonating element for the second conductive patch. 
 
     
     
       14. The millimeter wave antenna defined in  claim 1 , wherein the first conductive patch has a length and a width, the second conductive patch has the length and the width, the first conductive patch has a first side closest to the second conductive patch, the second conductive patch has a second side closest to the first conductive patch, the first feed terminal is coupled to the first conductive patch at the first side of the first conductive patch and coupled to the second conductive patch at the second side of the second conductive patch. 
     
     
       15. The millimeter wave antenna defined in  claim 1 , wherein the first conductive patch has first and second opposing edges, the first edge being interposed between the second edge and the second conductive patch, and the second conductive patch has third and fourth opposing edges, the third edge being interposed between the fourth edge and the first conductive patch, the first conductive structure directly coupling the first feed terminal to the first edge, and the second conductive structure directly coupling the second feed terminal to the third edge. 
     
     
       16. An electronic device, comprising:
 a ground plane for an antenna; 
 first and second conductive patches for the antenna that are separated from the ground plane by a height and distributed symmetrically about an axis; and 
 an antenna feed for the antenna having a first feed terminal formed at a conductive trace, coupled to the first and second conductive patches, and configured to convey antenna signals for both the first and second conductive patches, and a second feed terminal coupled to the ground plane, wherein the ground plane is interposed between the conductive trace and the first conductive patch, the ground plane has an opening, the first feed terminal is directly coupled to the first conductive patch using a first conductive structure that extends through the opening, and the first feed terminal is directly coupled to the second conductive patch using a second conductive structure that extends through the opening.

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 are often 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 communications at frequencies greater than 10 GHz. 
     SUMMARY 
     An electronic device may be provided with wireless circuitry. The wireless circuitry may include an antenna and transceiver circuitry such as millimeter wave transceiver circuitry. 
     The antenna may include an antenna ground and an antenna resonating element. The transceiver circuitry may transmit and receive antenna signals between 10 GHz and 300 GHz using the antenna. The antenna resonating element may be formed above the antenna ground and may include first and second conductive patches symmetrically distributed about an axis (e.g., the first and second patches may have the same dimensions and may be mirrored about an axis running between the first and second patches). 
     A transmission line may be formed from a conductive trace and a portion of the antenna ground. The antenna may be fed using an antenna feed having a first feed terminal coupled to the conductive trace and a second feed terminal coupled to the antenna ground. The first feed terminal may be coupled to both the first and second patches. Antenna signals may be conveyed by the transmission line and over the first and second patches through the first feed terminal. For example, the first feed terminal may be coupled to the first patch at a side of the first patch that is closest to the second patch (e.g., over a first conductive via) and may be coupled to the second patch at a side of the second patch that is closest to the first patch (e.g., over a second conductive via). When configured in this way, antenna currents that flow over the first patch may be 180 degrees out of phase with respect to antenna currents that flow over the second patch. If desired, the end of the first patch farthest from the second patch and the end of the second patch farthest from the first patch may be shorted to the antenna ground using conductive vias. 
     The antenna may be arranged in a one-dimensional array with other antennas having pairs of patches that are symmetrically distributed about the same axis. In order to enhance polarization diversity, multiple one-dimensional arrays of these antennas may be provided at different orientations on a substrate. In another suitable arrangement, the antenna may be arranged in a two-dimensional array with other antennas having pairs of patches that are symmetrically distributed about a perpendicular axis. Control circuitry may perform beam steering operations using the arrays. 
    
    
     
       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 rear perspective view of an illustrative electronic device showing illustrative locations at which antennas for communications at frequencies greater than 10 GHz may be located in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram of illustrative transceiver circuitry and antenna in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative antenna having a resonating element with dual patches that are fed over a single feed terminal in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a top-down view of an illustrative antenna having a resonating element with dual patches that are fed over a single feed terminal in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  is a top-down view of an illustrative array of antennas of the type shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6  in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative antenna having a resonating element with dual patches that are fed over a single feed terminal and shorted to ground in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 9  is a top-down view of an illustrative antenna having a resonating element with dual patches that are fed over a single feed terminal and shorted to ground in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 10  is a top-down view of an illustrative array of antennas of the type shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9  in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 11  is a diagram showing an illustrative radiation pattern for antennas of the type shown in  FIGS. 5-10  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 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. 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 wristwatch device, a pendant device, a headphone or earpiece device, a virtual or augmented reality headset device, a device embedded in eyeglasses or other equipment worn on a user&#39;s head, or other wearable or miniature device, a television, a computer display that does not contain an embedded computer, a gaming device, a navigation device, an embedded system such as a system in which electronic equipment with a display is mounted in a kiosk or automobile, a wireless access point or base station, a desktop computer, a 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. 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, openings may be formed in the display cover layer to accommodate one or more buttons, sensor circuitry such as a fingerprint sensor or light sensor, ports such as a speaker port or microphone port, etc. Openings may be formed in housing  12  to form communications ports (e.g., an audio jack port, a digital data port, charging port, etc.). Openings in housing  12  may also be formed for audio components such as a speaker and/or a microphone. 
     Antennas may be mounted in housing  12 . If desired, some of the antennas (e.g., antenna arrays that may implement beam steering, etc.) may be mounted under an inactive border region of display  14  (see, e.g., illustrative antenna locations  50  of  FIG. 1 ). Display  14  may contain an active area with an array of pixels (e.g., a central rectangular portion). Inactive areas of display  14  are free of pixels and may form borders for the active area. If desired, antennas may also operate through dielectric-filled openings in the rear of housing  12  or elsewhere in device  10 . 
     To avoid disrupting communications when an external object such as a human hand or other body part of a user blocks one or more antennas, antennas may be mounted at multiple locations in housing  12 . Sensor data such as proximity sensor data, real-time antenna impedance measurements, signal quality measurements such as received signal strength information, and other data may be used in determining when one or more antennas is being adversely affected due to the orientation of housing  12 , blockage by a user&#39;s hand or other external object, or other environmental factors. Device  10  can then switch one or more replacement antennas into use in place of the antennas that are being adversely affected. 
     Antennas may be mounted at the corners of housing  12  (e.g., in corner locations  50  of  FIG. 1  and/or in corner locations on the rear of housing  12 ), along the peripheral edges of housing  12 , on the rear of housing  12 , under the display cover glass or other dielectric display cover layer that is used in covering and protecting display  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 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 WPAN protocols, IEEE 802.11ad protocols, cellular telephone protocols, MIMO protocols, antenna diversity protocols, satellite navigation system protocols, 5 th  generation mobile networks or 5 th  generation wireless systems (5G) 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 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 (WLAN) transceiver circuitry. Transceiver circuitry  24  may handle 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands for WiFi® (IEEE 802.11) communications and may handle the 2.4 GHz Bluetooth® communications band. 
     Circuitry  34  may use cellular telephone transceiver circuitry  26  for handling wireless communications in frequency ranges such as a communications band from 700 to 960 MHz, a communications band from 1710 to 2170 MHz, and a communications from 2300 to 2700 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 5 th  generation mobile networks or 5 th  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., 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 WiFi® 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 over these short distances that travel between transmitter and 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 patch antenna structures (e.g., symmetric dual patches that are fed using a single feed terminal and that are optionally shorted to ground), loop antenna structures, inverted-F antenna structures, slot antenna structures, planar inverted-F antenna structures, monopole antenna structures, dipole antenna structures, helical antenna structures, Yagi (Yagi-Uda) antenna structures, hybrids of these designs, etc. If desired, one or more of antennas  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 one or more antennas such as antennas arranged in one or more phased antenna arrays for handling millimeter and centimeter 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  20 . Transmission lines in device  10  may include coaxial probes realized by metal vias, microstrip transmission lines, stripline transmission lines, edge-coupled microstrip transmission lines, edge-coupled stripline transmission lines, waveguide structures, 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. 
     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 antennas or 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 antenna or phased antenna array may be switched into use. In scenarios where a phased antenna array is formed in device  10 , 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. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of electronic device  10  showing illustrative locations  50  on the rear of housing  12  in which antennas  40  (e.g., single antennas and/or phased antenna arrays for use with wireless circuitry  34  such as wireless transceiver circuitry  28 ) may be mounted in device  10 . Antennas  40  may be mounted at the corners of device  10 , along the edges of housing  12  such as edge  12 E, on upper and lower portions of rear housing portion (wall)  12 R, in the center of rear housing wall  12 R (e.g., under a dielectric window structure or other antenna window in the center of rear housing  12 R), at the corners of rear housing wall  12 R (e.g., on the upper left corner, upper right corner, lower left corner, and lower right corner of the rear of housing  12  and device  10 ), etc. 
     In configurations in which housing  12  is formed entirely or nearly entirely from a dielectric, antennas  40  may transmit and receive antenna signals through any suitable portion of the dielectric. In configurations in which housing  12  is formed from a conductive material such as metal, regions of the housing such as slots or other openings in the metal may be filled with plastic or other dielectric. Antennas  40  may be mounted in alignment with the dielectric in the openings. These openings, which may sometimes be referred to as dielectric antenna windows, dielectric gaps, dielectric-filled openings, dielectric-filled slots, elongated dielectric opening regions, etc., may allow antenna signals to be transmitted to external equipment from antennas  40  mounted within the interior of device  10  and may allow internal antennas  40  to receive antenna signals from external equipment. In another suitable arrangement, antennas  40  may be mounted on the exterior of conductive portions of housing  12 . 
     In devices with phased antenna arrays, circuitry  34  may include gain and phase adjustment circuitry that is used in adjusting the signals associated with each antenna  40  in an array (e.g., to perform beam steering). Switching circuitry may be used to switch desired antennas  40  into and out of use. Each of locations  50  may include multiple antennas  40  (e.g., a set of three antennas or more than three or fewer than three antennas in a phased antenna array) and, if desired, one or more antennas from one of locations  50  may be used in transmitting and receiving signals while using one or more antennas from another of locations  50  in transmitting and receiving signals. 
     A schematic diagram of an antenna  40  coupled to transceiver circuitry  20  (e.g., transceiver circuitry  28 ) is shown in  FIG. 4 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , radio-frequency transceiver circuitry  20  may be coupled to antenna feed  100  of antenna  40  using transmission line  64 . Antenna feed  100  may include a positive antenna feed terminal such as positive antenna feed terminal  96  and may have a ground antenna feed terminal such as ground antenna feed terminal  98 . Transmission line  64  may be formed form metal traces on a printed circuit or other conductive structures and may have a positive transmission line signal path such as path  91  that is coupled to terminal  96  and a ground transmission line signal path such as path  94  that is coupled to terminal  98 . Transmission line paths such as path  64  may be used to route antenna signals within device  10 . For example, transmission line paths may be used to couple antenna structures such as one or more antennas in an array of antennas to transceiver circuitry  20 . Transmission lines in device  10  may include a coaxial probe realized by a metal via, coaxial cable paths, microstrip transmission lines, stripline transmission lines, edge-coupled microstrip transmission lines, edge-coupled stripline transmission lines, waveguide structures, transmission lines formed from combinations of transmission lines of these types, etc. Filter circuitry, switching circuitry, phase adjustment circuitry, amplifier circuitry, impedance matching circuitry, and other circuitry may be interposed within transmission line  64  and/or circuits such as these may be incorporated into antenna  40  if desired (e.g., to support antenna tuning, to support operation in desired frequency bands, etc.). 
     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 . 
     In some configurations, antennas  40  may be arranged in one or more antenna arrays (e.g., phased antenna arrays to implement beam steering functions). For example, the antennas that are used in handling millimeter and centimeter wave signals for wireless transceiver circuits  28  may be implemented as phased antenna arrays. The radiating elements in a phased antenna array for supporting millimeter and centimeter wave communications may be patch antennas (e.g., antennas having a resonating element with symmetric dual patches that are fed using a single feed terminal and that are optionally shorted to ground), dipole antennas, dipole antennas with directors and reflectors in addition to dipole antenna resonating elements (sometimes referred to as Yagi antennas or beam 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 if desired. 
       FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative antenna  40  (e.g., a patch antenna having a resonating element with dual symmetric patches that are fed using a single feed terminal). As shown in  FIG. 5 , antenna  40  may include a ground plane  102  and a resonating element  104  that is separated from ground plane  102 . Resonating element  104  may include conductive patches  106  separated from ground plane  102  by distance H 1 . Patches  106  may sometimes be referred to herein as conductors  106 , planar conductors  106 , or resonating element portions  106 . Patches  106  and ground plane  102  may each have lateral surface areas in the X-Y plane of  FIG. 5 . The lateral surface area of patches  106  may extend parallel to the lateral surface area of ground plane  102 . In the example of  FIG. 5 , resonating element  104  includes two symmetric patches  106 - 1  and  106 - 2 . Patches  106 - 1  and  106 - 2  may sometimes be referred to herein as dual patches  106 - 1  and  106 - 2  and resonating element  104  may sometimes be referred to herein as dual patch antenna resonating element  104 . 
     Ground feed terminal  98  of antenna feed  100  ( FIG. 4 ) may be coupled to ground structures such as ground plane  102 . Resonating element  104  may include conductive paths such as conductive paths  110  that are used to couple signal feed terminal  96  of antenna feed  100  to patches  106  of resonating element  104 . Conductive paths  110  may be used to couple the same feed terminal  96  to multiple terminals (points)  136  on patches  106  so that antenna  40  is fed using transmission line  64  having a positive conductor coupled to terminal  96  and thus terminals  136 . 
     In the example of  FIG. 5 , a first conductive path  110 - 1  may couple feed terminal  96  to terminal  136 - 1  on patch  106 - 1  whereas a second conductive path  110 - 2  couples the same feed terminal  96  to terminal  136 - 2  on patch  106 - 2 . Antenna currents may be conveyed over patch  106 - 1  via feed terminal  96 , path  110 - 1 , and terminal  136 - 1  and may be conveyed over patch  106 - 2  via feed terminal  96 , path  110 - 2 , and terminal  136 - 2 . When arranged in this way, the antenna currents flowing over patch  106 - 1  may be approximately 180 degrees out of phase with the antenna currents flowing over patch  106 - 2 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , antenna  40  may be formed on a dielectric substrate such as substrate  120 . Substrate  120  may be, for example, a rigid or printed circuit board or other dielectric substrate. Substrate  120  may include multiple dielectric layers  122  (e.g., multiple layers of printed circuit board substrate such as multiple layers of fiberglass-filled epoxy) such as a first dielectric layer  122 - 1 , a second dielectric layer  122 - 2  over the first dielectric layer, a third dielectric layer  122 - 3  over the second dielectric layer, a fourth dielectric layer  122 - 4  over the third dielectric layer, a fifth dielectric layer  122 - 5  over the fourth dielectric layer, and a sixth dielectric layer  122 - 6  over the fifth dielectric layer. Additional or fewer dielectric layers  122  may be stacked within substrate  120  if desired. 
     With this type of arrangement, antenna  40  may be embedded within the layers of substrate  120 . For example, ground plane  102  may be formed on a surface of second layer  122 - 2 , and conductive patches  106 - 1  and  106 - 2  may be formed on a surface of fifth layer  122 - 5  (e.g., distance H 1  may be equal to the sum of the thicknesses of the layers  122  between patches  106  and ground  102 ). Distance H 1  may be between 0.1 mm and 10 mm, as an example. In general, adjusting distance H 1  may serve to adjust the bandwidth of antenna  40 , for example. 
     Antenna  40  may be fed using a transmission line such as transmission line  64 . Transmission line  64  may, for example, be formed from a conductive trace such as conductive trace  112  on layer  122 - 1  and portions of ground layer  102 . Conductive trace  112  may form the positive signal conductor for transmission line  64 , for example. A hole such as hole  114  (sometimes referred to as slot, gap, or opening  114 ) may be formed in ground layer  102 . Conductive structures  110 - 1  and  110 - 2  may be, for example, conductive vias extending through layer  122 - 2 , hole  114 , and layers  122 - 3 ,  122 - 4 , and  122 - 5  to terminal  136 - 1  on patch  106 - 1  and terminal  136 - 2  on patch  106 - 2 , respectively. In other arrangements, conductive structures  110 - 1  and  110 - 2  may include conductive traces or other vertical conductive structures such as metal pillars, metal wires, conductive pins, etc. 
     Transmission line  64  may convey antenna signals for antenna  40  (e.g., to and from transceiver  20 ) such as antenna signals at frequencies between 10 GHz and 300 GHz (e.g., millimeter wave antenna signals such as signals in a band between 30 GHz and 300 GHz, signals in a band between 57 GHz and 71 GHz, etc.). Corresponding antenna currents may flow over feed terminal  96  through vertical conductor  110 - 1  to patch  106 - 1  and through vertical conductor  110 - 2  to patch  106 - 2 . Patches  106 - 1  and  106 - 2  may each have the same lateral length D 1  extending from terminals  136 - 1  and  136 - 2 , respectively. Length D 1  may, for example, be approximately equal to (e.g., within 15% of) one half of the wavelength of operation of antenna  40  (e.g., a wavelength corresponding to a frequency between 10 GHz and 300 GHz such as a centimeter or millimeter scale wavelength). If desired, length D 1  may be equal to one half of the wavelength of operation of antenna  40  divided by the square root of the dielectric constant of the material used to form layers  122  (e.g., length D 1  may be inversely proportional to the dielectric constant of substrate  120 ). 
     If desired, antenna  40  may include parasitic antenna resonating elements  108  such as a first parasitic antenna resonating element  108 - 1  formed over patch  106 - 1  and a second parasitic antenna resonating element  108 - 2  formed over patch  106 - 2 . In the example of  FIG. 5 , parasitic antenna resonating elements  108 - 1  and  108 - 2  may be formed on a surface of dielectric layer  122 - 6  and may have lateral surface areas extending in the X-Y plane. Parasitic  108 - 1  and  108 - 2  may be separated from patch elements  106 - 1  and  106 - 2 , respectively, by vertical distance H 2  (e.g., the thickness of layer  122 - 6 ). Distance H 2  may be less than, equal to, or greater than distance H 1 . Some or all of the lateral area of parasitic element  108 - 1  may overlap with the outline (footprint) of patch  106 - 1  whereas some or all of the lateral area of parasitic element  108 - 2  may overlap with the outline of patch  106 - 2  (e.g., in the X-Y plane). 
     Parasitic antenna resonating elements  108  may sometimes be referred to herein as parasitic resonating elements  108 , parasitic antenna elements  108 , parasitic elements  108 , parasitic patches  108 , parasitic conductors  108 , parasitic structures  108 , patches  108 , or parasitics  108 . Parasitic elements  108  are not directly fed (e.g., elements  108  are not electrically connected to any transmission lines  64 ), whereas patches  106 - 1  and  106 - 2  are directly fed via respective vertical conductors  110 - 1  and  110 - 2 , a common (shared) signal feed terminal  96 , and a common (shared) transmission line  64 . Parasitic elements  108  may create a constructive perturbation of the electromagnetic field generated by patches  106 - 1  and  106 - 2 , creating a new resonance for antenna  40 . This may serve to broaden the overall bandwidth of antenna  40  (e.g., to cover the entire frequency band from 57 GHz to 71 GHz). The example of  FIG. 5  is merely illustrative. If desired, a single parasitic element  108  may be formed over patches  106 - 1  and  106 - 2 . Parasitic elements  108  may be omitted if desired. 
     Conductive patches  106 - 1  and  106 - 2 , parasitic elements  108 - 1  and  108 - 2 , and/or ground  102  may be formed from conductive (metal) traces on the corresponding layers  122  of substrate  120 . The example of  FIG. 5  is merely illustrative. If desired, additional layers  122  may be interposed between traces  112  and  102 , and additional or fewer layers  122  may be interposed between traces  102  and traces  106  and/or between traces  106  and traces  108 . In another suitable arrangement, substrate  120  may be formed from a single dielectric layer (e.g., antennas  40  may be embedded within a single dielectric layer such as a molded plastic layer). In yet another suitable arrangement, substrate  120  may be omitted and antenna  40  may be formed on other substrate structures or may be formed without substrates. If desired, parasitic elements  108 , patches  106 , and/or ground plane  102  may be formed from other conductive structures such as stamped sheet metal, metal foil, electronic device housing structures, or any other desired conductive structures if desired (e.g., in scenarios where substrate  120  is omitted or other substrates are used). 
       FIG. 6  is a top-down view of antenna  40  of  FIG. 5 . In the example of  FIG. 6 , parasitic elements  108 - 1  and  108 - 2  and dielectric substrate  120  are not shown for the sake of clarity. As shown in  FIG. 6 , patch  106 - 1  and patch  106 - 2  of antenna  40  may be symmetrically distributed about central (lateral) axis  137  (e.g., patch  106 - 2  may be identical to patch  106 - 1  but mirrored about axis  137 ). Patches  106 - 1  and  106 - 2  may both have a width W perpendicular to length D 1 . Width W may, for example, be approximately equal to length D 1  (e.g., patches  106 - 1  and  106 - 2  may have square outlines). Width W and length D 1  of patches  106 - 1  and  106 - 2  may be approximately equal to one half of the wavelength of operation of antenna  40  or less by a factor determined by the dielectric constant of substrate  120 . 
     Terminal  136 - 1  may be coupled to patch  106 - 1  at a first end (side) of patch  106 - 1  (e.g., the side of patch  106 - 1  closest to axis  137  and patch  106 - 2 ). Terminal  136 - 2  may be coupled to patch  106 - 1  at a first end (side) of patch  106 - 2  (e.g., the side of patch  106 - 2  closes to axis  137  and patch  106 - 1 ). Patch  106 - 1  may include impedance matching notches  132 - 1  on either side of terminal  136 - 1 . Patch  106 - 2  may include impedance matching notches  132 - 2  on either side of terminal  136 - 2 . Notches  132 - 1  may define leg  130 - 1  of patch  106 - 1 . Notches  132 - 2  may define leg  130 - 2  of patch  106 - 2 . Notches  132 - 1  may serve to adjust the impedance of patch  106 - 1  to match the impedance of vertical conductor  110 - 1  and transmission line  64 . Notches  132 - 2  may serve to adjust the impedance of patch  106 - 2  to match the impedance of vertical conductor  110 - 2  and transmission line  64 . Antenna signals may be conveyed to and from patches  106 - 1  and  106 - 2  via vertical conductors  110 - 1  and  110 - 2  and the same feed terminal  96  coupled to transmission line  64  ( FIG. 5 ). Currents I corresponding to the antenna signals may flow over patch  106 - 1  through terminal  136 - 1  and leg  130 - 1 . Currents I′ corresponding to the antenna signals may flow over patch  106 - 2  through terminal  136 - 2  and leg  130 - 2  (e.g., in a direction opposite to currents I in patch  106 - 1 ). 
     Currents I may be identical to currents I′ (e.g., because both currents are conveyed over the same feed terminal  96 ). However, currents I may be 180 degrees out of phase with currents I′ (e.g., because patches  106 - 1  and  106 - 2  are symmetrically distributed about axis  137  and currents I flow through terminal  136 - 1  and over patch  106 - 1  in a direction opposite to currents I′ flowing through terminal  136 - 2  and patch  106 - 2 ). Currents I and I′ may generate (or be generated by) corresponding wireless signals (e.g., wireless signals at frequencies between 10 GHz and 300 GHz such as wireless millimeter wave signals) conveyed by antenna  40 . The phase difference between currents I and I′ and the symmetric geometry of patches  106 - 1  and  106 - 2  may, for example, configure antenna  40  to exhibit a wider radiation pattern than would otherwise be achievable by other patch antennas (e.g., patch antennas formed from a single patch having sides that are as long as the wavelength of operation). The example of  FIG. 6  is merely illustrative. Patches  106 - 1  and  106 - 2  may other shapes (e.g., shapes with curved and/or straight edges) or orientations if desired. Terminal  136 - 1  may be coupled to patch  106 - 1  at the side of patch  106 - 1  closest to patch  106 - 2  (e.g., terminal  136 - 1  may be coupled to patch  106 - 1  exactly at the edge of patch  106 - 1  or may be offset from the edge by a margin such as at a location on arm  130 - 1  while still being considered to be coupled to patch  106 - 1  at the side closest to patch  106 - 2 ). Similarly, terminal  136 - 2  may be coupled to patch  106 - 2  at the side of patch  106 - 2  closest to patch  106 - 1  (e.g., terminal  136 - 2  may be coupled to patch  106 - 2  at the exact edge of patch  106 - 1  or may be offset from the edge by a margin such as at a location on arm  130 - 2  while still being considered coupled to patch  106 - 2  at the side closest to patch  106 - 1 ). 
     If desired, multiple antennas  40  of the type shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6  may be arranged in an array such as a phased antenna array.  FIG. 7  is a top-down diagram showing how multiple antennas  40  of the type shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6  may be arranged in an array. As shown in  FIG. 7 , multiple antennas  40  may be arranged in a first one-dimensional array  140 - 1 . Each antenna  40  in array  140 - 1  may be symmetrically distributed about vertical axis  144  (e.g., axis  137  as shown in  FIG. 6 ). Each antenna  40  in array  140 - 1  may be separated from one or two adjacent antennas  40  in array  140 - 1  by distance X 1 . Distance X 1  may be equal to or greater than length D 1  and/or width W. For example, distance X 1  may be approximately equal to half of the wavelength of operation of antennas  40  in free space (e.g., distance X 1  may be greater than length D 1  in scenarios where antennas  40  are formed on a substrate  120  having a dielectric constant greater than 1.0 that reduces length D 1  to less than half of the wavelength of operation). 
     Each antenna  40  in array  140 - 1  may exhibit a single (e.g., linear) polarization. Array  140 - 1  may therefore also exhibit the same, single polarization. If desired, the number of polarizations covered by device  10  may be increased (e.g., to enhance polarization diversity for wireless circuitry  34 ) by arranging multiple antennas  40  in an additional one-dimensional array such as array  140 - 2  that is rotated at a non-parallel angle with respect to array  140 - 1 . In the example of  FIG. 7 , each antenna  40  in array  140 - 2  is symmetrically distributed about horizontal axis  146 . Axis  146  may be rotated at a non-parallel angle such as 90 degrees with respect to axis  144  of array  140 - 1 . Each antenna  40  in array  140 - 2  may be separated from one or two adjacent antennas  40  in array  140 - 2  by distance X 1 . 
     Because each antenna  40  in array  140 - 2  is rotated 90 degrees with respect to the antennas in array  140 - 1 , each antenna  40  in array  140 - 2  and thus array  140 - 2  itself may cover an additional polarization that is orthogonal to the polarization of array  140 - 1 . In this way, wireless circuitry  34  may cover two orthogonal linear polarizations using multiple antennas  40  arranged in multiple one-dimensional arrays such as arrays  140 - 1  and  140 - 2 . Control circuitry  14  ( FIG. 2 ) may, if desired, control phase shifter and amplifier circuitry coupled to each antenna in array  140 - 1  and/or array  140 - 2  to perform beam steering operations using arrays  140 - 1  and/or  140 - 2  (e.g., arrays  140 - 1  and  140 - 2  may collectively form a single larger array that covers multiple linear polarizations). 
     If desired, arrays  140 - 1  and  140 - 2  may both be formed on the same substrate  142  (e.g., a stacked substrate such as substrate  120  of  FIG. 5 ). The example of  FIG. 7  is merely illustrative. If desired, multiple vertical arrays  140 - 1  and/or multiple horizontal arrays  140 - 2  may be arranged on substrate  142  (e.g., to form a larger array that includes any desired number of one-dimensional arrays  140 - 1  and  140 - 2 ). Antennas  40  may be arranged in other patterns if desired. Antennas  40  may be arranged in the same array with other types of antennas or other antennas having different structures or architectures if desired. 
     If desired, patches  106  of antenna  40  may be shorted to ground  102  (e.g., patches  106  may be folded downwards to short and end of the patches to ground  102 ). This may serve to further widen the spatial radiation pattern of antenna  40  and to reduce the lateral footprint of antennas  40 , for example.  FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional side view of antenna  40  having patches  106  that are shorted to ground  102 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 8 , patches  106 - 1  and  106 - 2  may be formed on a surface of dielectric layer  122 - 4  or another dielectric layer in substrate  120 . Resonating element  104  may include vertical conductive structures  150 - 1  coupled between the end of patch  106 - 1  opposing terminal  136 - 1  and ground  102 . Similarly, resonating element  104  may include vertical conductive structures  150 - 2  coupled between the end patch  106 - 2  opposing terminal  136 - 2  and ground  102  (e.g., structures  150 - 1  may short an end of patch  106 - 1  to ground  102  whereas structures  150 - 2  short an end of patch  106 - 2  to ground  102 ). Vertical conductive structures  150 - 1  may include one or more conductive vias extending through substrate  120  (e.g., through layers  122 - 4  and  122 - 3  to ground  102 ). Vertical conductive structures  150 - 2  may include one or more conductive vias extending through substrate  120  (e.g., through layers  122 - 4  and  122 - 3  to ground  102 ). Patches  106 - 1  and  106 - 2  may be formed at a distance H 3  above ground plane  102  in this example (e.g., vertical conductive structures  150 - 1  and  150 - 2  may each have a length H 3 ). 
     When configured in this way, patch  106 - 1  and patch  106 - 2  may each have a lateral length D 2  that is less than length D 1  of  FIGS. 5 and 6 . Length D 2  may, for example, be approximately equal to distance H 3 . Length D 2  and distance H 3  may, for example, each be approximately equal to one quarter of the wavelength of operation of antenna  40  or one quarter of the wavelength of operation divided by the square root of the dielectric constant of substrate  120  (e.g., length D 2  and length H 3  may be inversely proportional to the dielectric constant of substrate  120 ). 
     Antenna signals may be conveyed for antenna  40  over transmission line  64 . Corresponding antenna currents may flow through feed terminal  96 , conductor  110 - 1 , patch  106 - 1 , and may be shorted to ground  102  over path  150 - 1 . Similarly, antenna currents may flow through feed terminal  96 , conductor  110 - 2 , patch  106 - 2 , and may be shorted to ground  102  over path  150 - 2 . Redistributing a portion of the antenna currents over vertical conductors  150 - 1  and  150 - 2  in this way may, for example, serve to pull some of the radiation pattern of antenna  40  towards ground  102 , thereby widening the coverage of antenna  40  relative to the arrangement of  FIGS. 5 and 6 . Similarly, distributing the resonating length of antenna  40  across patches  106 - 1  and  106 - 2  and vertical conductors  150 - 1  and  150 - 2  may serve to reduce the lateral length of patches  106 - 1  and  106 - 2  (e.g., from length D 1  to length D 2 ) and thus the overall lateral footprint of antenna  40  relative to the arrangement of  FIGS. 5 and 6 . This may, for example, serve to reduce the amount of space required to form antenna  40  within device  10  relative to the arrangement of  FIGS. 5 and 6 . 
     Conductive patches  106 - 1  and  106 - 2  may be formed from conductive (metal) traces on the corresponding layers  122  of substrate  120 . The example of  FIG. 9  is merely illustrative. If desired, additional layers  122  may be interposed between traces  112  and  102  and/or additional or fewer layers  122  may be interposed between traces  102  and traces  106 . If desired, parasitic elements  108  such as elements  108 - 1  and  108 - 2  may be formed over patches  106 - 1  and  106 - 2  in the arrangement of  FIG. 9  (e.g., on a surface of layer  122 - 5 ). In another suitable arrangement, substrate  120  may be formed from a single dielectric layer (e.g., antennas  40  may be embedded within a single dielectric layer such as a molded plastic layer). In yet another suitable arrangement, substrate  120  may be omitted and antenna  40  may be formed on other substrate structures or may be formed without substrates. In these scenarios, patches  106  and/or ground plane  102  may be formed from stamped sheet metal, metal foil, electronic device housing structures, or other conductive structures and vertical structures  150 - 1  and  150 - 2  may be formed from metal pillars, metal wires, conductive pins, other conductive structures, or integral portions of patches  106  that are folded downwards and shorted to ground  102  using solder, welds, conductive adhesive, or other conductive interconnect structures. 
       FIG. 10  is a top-down view of antenna  40  of  FIG. 9  having patches  106  that are shorted to ground  102 . In the example of  FIG. 6 , dielectric substrate  120  is not shown for the sake of clarity. As shown in  FIG. 6 , patches  106 - 1  and  106 - 2  may both have a width W and a length D 2  that is greater than width W (e.g., patches  106 - 1  and  106 - 2  may have rectangular outlines). Width W may, for example, be approximately equal to one half of the wavelength of operation of antenna  40  or less by a factor determined by the dielectric constant of substrate  120 . Length D 2  may, for example, be approximately equal to one quarter of the wavelength of operation of antenna  40  or less by the factor determined by the dielectric constant of substrate  120  (e.g., length D 2  may be approximately half width W). 
     In the example of  FIG. 9 , three vertical conductive structures  150 - 1  (e.g., three conductive vias) are used to short patch  106 - 1  to ground  102  and three conductive structures  150 - 2  are used to short patch  106 - 2  to ground  102 . This is merely illustrative. If desired, one, two, or more than three conductive structures  150 - 1  may be used to short patch  106 - 1  to ground  102  and one, two, or more than three conductive structures  150 - 2  may be used to short patch  106 - 2  to ground  102 . In another suitable arrangement (e.g., in scenarios where dielectric  120  is omitted or confined to the space between conductors  150 - 1  and  150 - 2 ), vertical conductive structure  150 - 1  may be a single piece of metal extending across width W and between patch  106 - 1  and ground  102  and vertical conductive structure  150 - 2  may be a single piece of metal extending across width W and between patch  106 - 2  and ground  102 . In this scenario, vertical conductive structure  150 - 1  and patch  106 - 1  may be formed from a single bent or folded piece of metal and vertical conductive structure  150 - 2  and patch  106 - 2  may be formed from a single bent or folded piece of metal. 
     When arranged in this way, resonating element  104  of antenna  40  may have a smaller lateral footprint (e.g., as defined by dimensions W and D 2 ) than the arrangement of  FIGS. 5 and 6 . Antenna signals may be conveyed to and from patches  106 - 1  and  106 - 2  via vertical conductors  110 - 1  and  110 - 2  and the same feed terminal  96  coupled to transmission line  64  ( FIG. 9 ). Currents I corresponding to the antenna signals may flow over patch  106 - 1  through terminal  136 - 1  and leg  130 - 1 . Currents I may flow over patch  106 - 1  and may be shorted to ground  102  over conductive structures  150 - 1 . Currents I′ corresponding to the antenna signals may flow over patch  106 - 2  through terminal  136 - 2  and leg  130 - 2  (e.g., in a direction opposite to currents I in patch  106 - 1 ). Currents I′ may flow over patch  106 - 2  and may be shorted to ground  102  over conductive structures  150 - 2 . 
     The phase difference between currents I and I′ and the symmetric geometry of patches  106 - 1  and  106 - 2  and conductive structures  150 - 1  and  150 - 2  may, for example, configure antenna  40  to exhibit a wider radiation pattern than would otherwise be achievable by other patch antennas (e.g., patch antennas formed from a single patch having sides that are as long as the wavelength of operation). Distributing some of currents I and I′ over vertical conductive structures  150 - 1  and  150 - 2 , respectively, may serve to further widen the radiation pattern of antenna  40  relative to the arrangement of  FIGS. 5 and 6 . The example of  FIG. 9  is merely illustrative. Patches  106 - 1  and  106 - 2  may other shapes (e.g., shapes with curved and/or straight edges) or orientations if desired. 
     If desired, multiple antennas  40  of the type shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9  may be arranged in an array such as a phased antenna array.  FIG. 10  is a top-down diagram showing how multiple antennas  40  of the type shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9  may be arranged in an array. As shown in  FIG. 10 , multiple antennas  40  may be arranged in a two-dimensional array  160  (e.g., an array having rows and columns). Each antenna  40  in array  160  may be separated from the adjacent antennas  40  in array  160  by distance D 3 . Distance D 3  may be greater than or equal to length D 1 , width W, or twice length D 2 . For example, distance D 3  may be approximately equal to half of the wavelength of operation of antennas  40  in free space (e.g., distance D 3  may be greater than length D 1  in scenarios where antennas  40  are formed on a substrate  120  having a dielectric constant greater than 1.0 that reduces length D 1  to less than half of the wavelength of operation). 
     Array  160  may include alternating antennas  40  oriented about vertical axes  144  and antennas  40  oriented about horizontal axes  146  (e.g., horizontally-oriented antennas  40  may be located in the odd numbered columns of the odd numbered rows of array  160  and in the even numbered columns of the even numbered rows of array  160  whereas vertically-oriented antennas  40  may be located in the odd numbered columns of the even numbered rows of array  160  and in the even numbered columns of the odd numbered rows of array  160 ). 
     The horizontally-oriented antennas  40  in array  160  may cover a first linear polarization and the vertically-oriented antennas  40  in array  160  may cover a second linear polarization orthogonal to the first polarization. When configured in this way, array  160  may cover both polarizations for polarization diversity. Each antenna  40  in array  160  may occupy less lateral space than antennas  40  in arrays  140  of  FIG. 7  and array  160  may occupy less lateral area than arrays  140  of  FIG. 7 , for example. Control circuitry  14  ( FIG. 2 ) may, if desired, control phase shifter and amplifier circuitry coupled to each antenna in array  160  to perform beam steering operations using the antennas of array  160 . 
     If desired, each antenna  40  in array  160  may be formed on the same substrate  162  (e.g., a stacked substrate such as substrate  120  of  FIG. 8 ). The example of  FIG. 10  is merely illustrative. If desired, array  160  may include any desired number of vertically-oriented antennas  40  and horizontally-oriented antennas  40  arranged in any desired pattern (e.g., antennas  40  need not be arranged in a grid of rows and columns). Antennas  40  in array  160  may be formed on different substrates if desired. Array  160  may include additional antennas of other types or architectures if desired. 
       FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional diagram of an exemplary radiation pattern that may be exhibited by antenna  40  (e.g., where the lateral surfaces of patches  106  lie in the X-Y plane of  FIG. 11 ). Curve  176  may represent the radiation pattern of a patch antenna having a resonating element with a single conductive patch and sides with lengths equal to the wavelength of operation. As shown in  FIG. 11 , curve  176  exhibits relatively strong coverage (e.g., relatively high gain) at angles between about +40 degrees and −40 degrees. However, curve  176  exhibits relatively low gain at angles between +40 degrees and +90 degrees and at angles between −40 degrees and −90 degrees. As such, an antenna corresponding to pattern  176  may provide insufficient coverage (e.g., may exhibit relatively low gain) when communicating with external communications equipment located around +90 and −90 degrees with respect to the antenna. 
     Curve  174  may represent the radiation pattern of antenna  40  of the type shown in  FIGS. 5-10 . As shown in  FIG. 11 , radiation pattern  174  exhibits relatively strong coverage at angles between +40 degrees and +90 degrees and at angles between −40 degrees and −90 degrees. Shorting patches  106  to ground  102  (e.g., in the arrangement of  FIGS. 8-10 ) may serve to further widen the radiation pattern of antenna  40 , as shown by arrows  172  (e.g., because the antenna currents also flow down vertical conductors  150 - 1  and  150 - 2  to ground  102  in this scenario). In other words, antenna  40  may provide improved coverage at wider angles such as angles between +40 degrees and +90 degrees and angles between −40 degrees and −90 degrees relative to other patch antennas, thereby allowing device  10  to communicate with external communications equipment located at relatively wide angles with respect to antenna  40  (e.g., with satisfactory link quality). Other types of antennas may be formed in the same array (e.g., array  160  of  FIG. 10  or arrays  140  of  FIG. 7 ) as antennas  40  of the types shown in  FIGS. 5-10  in order to further enhance coverage for wireless circuitry  34  around 0 degrees, if desired. 
     The example of  FIG. 11  is merely illustrative and, if desired, curve  174  may have other shapes. As shown in  FIG. 11 , curve  174  illustrates the cross-sectional radiation pattern of antenna  40 . However, in general, curve  174  may be rotated around the Z-axis to give a full three-dimensional pattern for the antenna. 
     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: 20170724
Publication Date: 20200526
Grant Date: 20200526
Priority Date: 20170724
Inventors: PAULOTTO, Simone
NOORI, BASIM H.
MOW, MATTHEW A.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H01Q9/045", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q21/0025", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q21/28", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/243", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q5/385", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q21/22", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/48", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q21/08", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q5/335", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q21/065", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/38", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/242", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q21/24", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q21/0025", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/243", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q21/08", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/48", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/242", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q9/045", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q21/28", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q21/065", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q5/385", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q21/22", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q21/24", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/2266", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q5/335", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/38", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/2266", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q5/385", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q9/045", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q21/08", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/2266", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/243", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/38", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q21/24", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q21/28", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 65023297