Crimped millimeter wave waveguide tap connector

Abstract

The present invention relates to crimped millimeter wave waveguide tap connector. Embodiments include a sensor node, a method of forming a sensor node, and a vehicle having a communication system including a sensor node. A sensor node includes an interconnect having an input connector, an output connector, and an opening on one or more sidewalls. The sensor node also includes a package having one or more sidewalls, a top surface, and a bottom surface, wherein at least one sidewall of the package is disposed on the opening of the interconnect. The sensor node can have a control circuit on the package, a first millimeter wave transmitter on the package, and a sensor coupled to the control circuit, wherein the sensor is coupled to the control circuit with a cable. The sensor node can include the at least one sidewall of the package crimped through the opening and adjacent to and coplanar with an inner wall of the interconnect.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments relate to semiconductor packages. More specifically, the embodiments relate to semiconductor packages having a crimped millimeter-wave waveguide tap connector. Background Technology

[0002] As more devices become interconnected and users consume more data, many applications, such as automotive and data center interconnects, demand higher data rates over relatively long distances. To support these required data rates, traditional electrical connections are becoming increasingly expensive and power-intensive. For example, extending cable range or a given bandwidth may necessitate the use of higher-quality cables or advanced equalization, modulation, and / or data correction techniques, which increases system power consumption and latency. Furthermore, implementing multiple channels (and therefore multiple cables) to meet data rate requirements results in greater weight and more challenging cabling.

[0003] Alternatively, optical interconnects and solutions can be employed. Optical interconnects have lower alignment tolerances, which leads to significant assembly and manufacturing challenges. Furthermore, vibrations from various sources in the automotive environment necessitate special precautions in connector design to avoid impacting performance and increasing the risk of failure. Finally, optical interconnects are typically associated with high power consumption and increased cost. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In one aspect, a sensor node is disclosed, comprising: an interconnect having an input connector, an output connector, and an opening extending through one or more sidewalls of the interconnect, wherein the opening exposes an inner wall of the interconnect opposite to the opening; and

[0005] A package having one or more sidewalls, a top surface and a bottom surface opposite the top surface, wherein at least one sidewall of the package is disposed within the opening of the interconnection, and wherein the at least one sidewall is press-fitted to the inner wall of the interconnection.

[0006] In another aspect, a method for forming a sensor node is disclosed, comprising: forming an interconnect having an input connector, an output connector, and an opening extending through one or more sidewalls of the interconnect, wherein the opening exposes an inner wall of the interconnect opposite to the opening; and providing an encapsulation having at least one sidewall within the opening of the interconnect, wherein the encapsulation includes one or more sidewalls, a top surface, and a bottom surface opposite the top surface, and wherein the at least one sidewall is pressed against the inner wall of the interconnect.

[0007] In another aspect, a vehicle including a communication system is disclosed, comprising: an electronic control unit (ECU); a plurality of interconnects, wherein a first interconnect is communicatively coupled to the ECU; a plurality of sensor nodes, wherein a first sensor node is communicatively coupled to the ECU via the first interconnect, and wherein each subsequent sensor node is coupled to each other in a ring architecture via an additional interconnect, wherein each sensor node includes: an interconnect having an input connector, an output connector, and an opening extending through one or more sidewalls of the interconnect, wherein the opening exposes an inner wall of the interconnect opposite to the opening; and an enclosure having one or more sidewalls, a top surface, and a bottom surface opposite to the top surface, wherein at least one sidewall of the enclosure is disposed within the opening of the interconnect, and wherein the at least one sidewall is press-fitted to the inner wall of the interconnect; and a plurality of sensors, wherein each sensor communicates with the ECU in a different frequency band. Attached Figure Description

[0008] The embodiments described herein are shown by way of example and are not limited to the various figures in the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference numerals denote similar features. Furthermore, some general details have been omitted to avoid obscuring the inventive concepts described herein.

[0009] Figure 1A It is a cross-sectional view of a block diagram of a car that includes multiple sensors and other peripheral components that are communicatively linked to an electronic control unit (ECU).

[0010] Figure 1B It is a block diagram of an automotive system that includes multiple sensors and other peripheral components that are communicatively linked to the ECU.

[0011] Figure 1C It is a perspective view of a dual-connector system that includes an input connector, an output connector, a package, radio frequency (RF) control circuitry, and a sensor.

[0012] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of a crimped millimeter-wave waveguide (mm-wave) connector system according to one embodiment, including an input connector, an output connector, a package, RF control circuitry, and a sensor.

[0013] Figure 3 This is a block diagram illustrating a crimped millimeter-wave waveguide connector system including an input connector, an output connector, RF control circuitry, and a sensor according to one embodiment.

[0014] Figure 4A This is a perspective view of a crimped millimeter-wave waveguide connector system according to one embodiment.

[0015] Figure 4B This is a plan view of a crimped millimeter-wave waveguide connector system according to one embodiment.

[0016] Figure 4C This is a cross-sectional view of a crimped millimeter-wave waveguide connector system according to one embodiment.

[0017] Figure 5A This is a perspective view of a vertically crimped millimeter-wave waveguide connector system according to one embodiment.

[0018] Figure 5B This is a plan view of a vertically crimped millimeter-wave waveguide connector system according to one embodiment.

[0019] Figure 5C This is a cross-sectional view of a vertically crimped millimeter-wave waveguide connector system according to one embodiment.

[0020] Figure 6 This is a plan view of a vertically press-fit millimeter-wave waveguide connector system with interconnect housings according to one embodiment.

[0021] Figure 7 This is a schematic block diagram illustrating a computer system utilizing a device package with a crimped millimeter-wave waveguide connector according to one embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0022] This document describes systems including crimped millimeter-wave waveguide (mm-wave) taper connectors. Specifically, crimped millimeter-wave waveguide connector systems with patch-based connectors, slot-based connectors, etc., are described below, along with methods for forming such systems by merging (or crimping) two connector structures into a single connection structure. As described herein, according to some embodiments, these systems include dielectric waveguides and / or metallic waveguides that are communicatively coupled to sensor nodes and electronic control units (ECUs) (also known as main control units (MCUs)) in a ring architecture used in autonomous and / or automated driving vehicles.

[0023] In the following description, terms commonly used by those skilled in the art will be used to describe various aspects of the illustrative embodiments in order to convey the essence of their work to others skilled in the art. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this embodiment can be practiced using only some of the described aspects. Specific figures, materials, and configurations are set forth for purposes of explanation in order to provide a thorough understanding of the illustrative embodiments. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this embodiment can be practiced without specific details. In other instances, well-known features have been omitted or simplified so as not to obscure the illustrative embodiments.

[0024] Various operations will be described as a series of discrete, sequential operations in a manner most conducive to understanding this embodiment; however, the order of description should not be construed as implying that these operations are necessarily sequentially related. In particular, these operations do not need to be performed in the order presented.

[0025] As used herein, when the terms “top,” “bottom,” “upper,” “lower,” “lowest,” and “topmost” are used for one or more elements, these terms are intended to convey a relative rather than an absolute physical configuration. Therefore, when the device is inverted, an element described as the “topmost element” or “first element” in the device may alternatively form the “bottommost element” or “first element” in the device. Similarly, when the device is inverted, an element described as the “bottommost element” or “first element” in the device may alternatively form the “topmost element” or “first element” in the device.

[0026] According to some embodiments, crimped millimeter-wave waveguide connector systems (referred to herein as "crimped connector systems") can use patch-based connectors and millimeter-wave closed or open waveguides (e.g., in the 60-120 GHz band) to achieve extremely high data rates and low electrical losses. These embodiments of crimped connector systems help provide reduced electrical losses for automotive environments, which will further help reduce latency and equalization requirements.

[0027] Automotive environments typically use systems with two connectors per node (e.g., such as...). Figure 1B and Figure 1C As shown), this leads to an increase in connector, sensor shape factor, and other potential points of failure. According to some embodiments, to overcome these problems (i.e., reduce the total number of connectors, etc.) and provide improvements in these (or other relevant) environments, crimp connector systems facilitate the consolidation of systems with two connectors per node into systems with one connector per node (e.g., as shown). Figure 2 (As shown). Thus, these embodiments of the crimp connector system help to allow connectors to be mechanically crimped into a single / primarily unconnected continuous waveguide (i.e., instead of using two separate input and output waveguides and connectors, a single waveguide crimps both the input and output connectors into a continuous structure), which reduces the number of connectors per node by half and reduces the form factor of the entire system.

[0028] In some embodiments, the crimp connector system includes a single unconnected waveguide and a single connector per node (e.g., as shown in the image). Figure 2 and Figure 4A-6As shown), it enables a faster installation / assembly process and reduces overall cost. Additionally, according to these embodiments, the crimp connector system also facilitates the maintenance of automotive systems because adding (and / or replacing) sensors is relatively cost-effective, uncomplicated, and simple (e.g., sensors can be added by directly accessing the waveguide). For example, some embodiments of the crimp connector system may allow for later repair of the waveguide(s) if it is necessary to remove(one or more) sensors or attach(s) sensors(s) to different locations using, for example, conductive epoxy.

[0029] Furthermore, as mentioned above, currently available interconnect solutions (i.e., cables and fiber optics) do not meet the data rate, power consumption, latency, and cost targets required by autonomous and / or self-driving vehicles (e.g., cars, trucks, trains, ships, aircraft, and any other autonomous transport / freight vehicles). Therefore, the embodiments described herein include crimped millimeter-wave waveguide interconnect solutions. In one embodiment, the crimped millimeter-wave waveguide may include at least one of a metallic waveguide and a dielectric waveguide, the metallic waveguide using one or more metallic materials as a conductive shield (or housing), and the dielectric waveguide having a coated or uncoated low-loss dielectric material, wherein these crimped millimeter-wave waveguides are designed to operate in the millimeter-wave or sub-THz frequency range. According to one embodiment, instead of setting (or forming) two waveguide connectors on a package, a crimped connector system provides a single waveguide connector, wherein the package is integrated / crimped into the waveguide, separating one end as an input connector and the other end as an output connector (e.g., as shown in the image). Figure 2 (As shown)

[0030] Furthermore, millimeter waveguide cables offer a low-power, low-latency, high-speed, and low-cost solution when using short to medium-length cables (e.g., 0.5–15 meters or more). In particular, power consumption is significantly lower than that of alternative fiber optic interconnect technologies because the signal does not need to be up-converted to an optical signal. Similarly, in short to medium-length cables, error correction (EC) may not be necessary due to the very low bit error rate levels achieved (e.g., below 10E-12). Therefore, implementations of crimp connector systems can achieve significantly lower latency compared to conventional electrical interconnects, especially at high data rates where EC is required.

[0031] Accordingly, the implementation of the crimp connector system also reduces the overall weight and cost of the vehicle because it reduces the number of interconnect connectors required to connect multiple sensors to the ECU. For example, each sensor typically requires a dedicated interconnect line with two connectors, and when additional sensors are needed, each additional sensor requires only one additional connector instead of two additional connectors per additional sensor (which increases the overall weight and cost of the system).

[0032] Figure 1A This is a cross-sectional view of a block diagram of an automotive system 100, including multiple sensors 102 communicatively linked to the ECU 105 and other peripheral components 103-104. The automotive industry is rapidly moving towards the production of autonomous and / or self-driving vehicles. Autonomous vehicles utilize numerous sensors that generate data about the vehicle's position relative to surrounding objects such as roads, other vehicles, traffic signals, lane markings, pedestrians, etc. Figure 1A As shown, vehicle 100 may include any number of sensors 102, video cameras 103, and positioning systems 104, such as a Global Positioning System (GPS). For example, sensors 102 may include video sensors, image sensors, ultrasonic sensors, radar sensors, lidar (LIDAR) sensors, etc. Data generated from these components needs to be processed to determine how the vehicle needs to react. Thus, the generated data is transmitted from peripheral components to ECU 105 via multiple interconnects 107 (e.g., millimeter-wave waveguides). Therefore, the additional peripheral sensors and other components required for autonomous and / or self-driving vehicles result in a significant increase in the amount of data transmitted within the vehicle.

[0033] Currently, autonomous vehicles under testing use data transmission rates between approximately 1.0 Gbps and 1.5 Gbps, employing four different Low-Voltage Differential Signaling (LVDS) channels to allow a total data rate between approximately 4.0 Gbps and 6.0 Gbps. However, the data rates required for subsequent generations of autonomous vehicles are expected to increase to approximately 10 Gbps or higher (i.e., approximately 2.5 Gbps using four differential LVDS channels). This increase in data rates far exceeds the data rates of existing systems currently available in vehicles. For example, the standard for multimedia and infotainment networks in vehicles, the Media-Oriented System Transport Bus (MOST), has a data transmission rate of 150 Mbps.

[0034] Some solutions for providing high-speed interconnects include electrical interconnects and optical interconnects. However, both have significant drawbacks when used in the automotive industry. Electrical connections, such as Ethernet, can be used to achieve the required bandwidth by employing multiple channels (i.e., cables). However, this is becoming increasingly expensive and power-intensive to support the data rates required for short to medium (e.g., 5m-10m) interconnects in the automotive industry. For example, extending cable length or a given bandwidth on a cable may require using higher quality cables or employing advanced equalization, modulation, and / or data correction techniques. Unfortunately, these solutions require additional power and increase system latency.

[0035] Accordingly, optical transmission via fiber optics can support the required data rates and distances for autonomous and / or self-driving vehicles. However, the use of optical connections can lead to power and cost losses, especially for short and medium distances (e.g., 0.5m-15m), due to the need for conversion between optical and electrical signals. Furthermore, precise alignment of the optical interconnects is required. This has proven difficult in automotive applications due to vibrations and other environmental conditions that can alter the alignment of the optical interconnects, thus reducing their reliability. Similarly, each optical interconnect typically requires two connectors per sensor, thus increasing the overall form factor. Therefore, neither technology (traditional electrical and optical, especially dual-connector optical interconnects) is optimal for autonomous and / or self-driving vehicles requiring lightweight, high-data-rate, low-latency, and low-power interconnects between peripheral sensors and the ECU.

[0036] Figure 1B This is a block diagram of a vehicle system 110, which includes multiple sensors 102 and other peripheral components 103 communicatively linked to multiple interconnects 107 leading to an ECU 105. Note that... Figure 1B The car system 110 is similar to Figure 1A The vehicle system 100, however, includes multiple connectors 111-112.

[0037] The automotive system 110 can use millimeter-wave closed or open waveguides 107 in the 60-120 GHz frequency band. As mentioned above, the automotive system 110 can also support very high data rates and has very low power loss, which helps reduce latency and equalization requirements. However, one limitation of this automotive system 110 is the need to connect multiple nodes 102-103 (e.g., cameras) in series. Figure 1B As shown, the automotive system 110 typically uses two connectors per node (including input connector 111 and output connector 112) to connect the ECU 105 in series with multiple nodes 102-103, thus requiring a total of eight connectors for four nodes. Therefore, the system requires multiple connectors (i.e., two connectors per node, etc.), which increases the sensor shape factor and introduces additional potential points of failure.

[0038] Figure 1C This is a perspective view of a dual-connector system 120, which includes an input connector 111, an output connector 112, a package 120, radio frequency (RF) control circuitry 130, an interconnect 117, and a sensor 102. Note that the dual-connector system 120 is similar to... Figure 1B Any node (e.g., sensor 102 and camera 103).

[0039] like Figure 1CAs shown, the dual connector system 120 includes an input connector 111 and an output connector 112 disposed on a package 120 (typically at opposite ends), wherein each connector 111-112 may have a connection point 119 for receiving and / or outputting signals to interconnect 107. The package 120 can be any substrate / package, such as a printed circuit board (PCB), high-density interconnect (HDI) board, ceramic substrate, or organic semiconductor package substrate. Additionally, RF control circuitry 130 is formed on the package 120, wherein the package 120 is communicatively coupled to the sensor 102 via interconnect 117 (e.g., a standard cable, such as a coaxial cable). Typically, the dual connector system 120 is communicatively coupled to interconnect 107 (e.g., a millimeter-wave waveguide interconnect). Figure 1C As shown, some of the problems encountered by this dual connector system 120 are that the system requires (i) an increased form factor, (ii) additional components (i.e., additional connectors, connection points, additional surface areas for packaging, interconnection, etc.), (iii) a slower installation process, and (iv) increased total weight and cost.

[0040] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of a crimped millimeter-wave waveguide connector system 200. According to one embodiment, the crimped millimeter-wave waveguide connector system 200 includes an input connector 211, an output connector 212, a package 220, RF control circuitry 230, interconnects 217, and a sensor 202. Note that the crimped millimeter-wave waveguide connector system 200 (or crimped connector system) is similar to... Figure 1B Any node (e.g., sensor 102 and camera 103).

[0041] As used herein, a “crimp-fit ​​connector system” (also referred to as a sensor node) refers to an interconnect having an input connector, an output connector, and an opening in one or more sidewalls of the interconnect; and an encapsulation having one or more sidewalls, a top surface, and a bottom surface opposite the top surface, wherein at least one sidewall of the encapsulation is disposed (crimped, inserted, merged, pressed, etc.) over the opening of the interconnect. Specifically, as used herein, a “crimp-fit ​​connector system” refers to a system having both an input connector and an output connector that are mechanically crimped (merged or pressed) into a single non-connected continuous waveguide. Note that, as described herein, a “crimp-fit ​​connector system” has a coaxial (in-line) connector structure that may have an input connector at one end and an output connector at the opposite end (i.e., even if the input connector and output connector are described separately, these two connectors are crimped together to form a coaxial connector structure (e.g., Figure 2 As shown).

[0042] Furthermore, "crimp-fit ​​connector system" also refers to a package that is positioned (i.e., crimped, merged, or pressed) between the input and output connectors of a single waveguide. A "crimp-fit ​​connector system" allows one end (or sidewall) of the package to be positioned / crimped (inserted and / or pressed into) an opening in a single waveguide (e.g., an opening can be formed by cutting the shield / shell of the waveguide). Therefore, a "crimp-fit ​​connector system" can allow one end to be pressed against the inner wall of a single waveguide (or pressed very close to the inner wall of the single waveguide based on the desired package design and / or application (e.g., based on the desired insertion loss (dB) and / or isolation (dB), which is a function of the spacing between the inner wall of the waveguide and the top ground plane (and / or sidewall) of the package).

[0043] In one embodiment, package 220 has a top surface and a bottom surface opposite the top surface, and package 220 also has one or more sidewalls (or ends). According to one embodiment, package 220 can be crimped / pressed between input connector 211 and output connector 212, which are crimped together to form a single waveguide 207 (also referred to as an interconnect). Note that interconnect 207 can be a single continuous interconnect (e.g., a metallic (or metal-coated) waveguide, a dielectric waveguide, etc.) that is coaxially communicatively coupled to the input connector 211 and output connector 212 of each node (e.g., sensor 202) of an automotive / data center system (or any other system requiring a crimped connector system).

[0044] In one embodiment, package 220 may have a sidewall that is pressed into the opening 223 of interconnect 207, and thus this sidewall presses against the inner wall 222 of interconnect 207 (i.e., at least one sidewall of package 220 is adjacent to and coplanar with the inner wall 222 of interconnect 207). Note that, as described above, the sidewall of package 220 may be completely pressed against the inner wall 222 of interconnect 207, or there may be a small gap between the sidewall of package 220 and the inner wall 222 of interconnect 207, wherein the effect of the small gap on system 200 is negligible. Accordingly, package 220 is thus mechanically pressed and disposed between input connector 211 and output connector 212. Furthermore, RF control circuitry 230 is formed (or disposed) on package 220, wherein package 220 is communicatively coupled to sensor 202 using interconnect 217 (e.g., coaxial cable). For example, interconnect 217 may be any suitable cable, such as biaxial cable, etc. According to one embodiment, RF control circuitry 230 is communicatively coupled to sensor 202, and RF control circuitry 230 can upconvert the low-frequency data stream generated by sensor 202.

[0045] In one embodiment, the RF control circuit 230 receives the input RF signal from the connection point 219 of the input connector 211 (also known as a patch-based transmitter, a slot-based transmitter, or any other millimeter-wave signal transmitting structure), and then uses a duplexer (e.g., Figure 3 The duplexer 301 divides the input RF signal according to frequency and feeds it to the transceiver (e.g., Figure 3 The in-band signal of the millimeter-wave transceiver 302 is fed out through a power combiner (e.g., Figure 3 The power combiner 303 outputs an RF signal (which may include a combination of out-of-band signals and RF output signals from the transceiver) to connection point 219 of output connector 212, where the output feed (or output RF signal) thus introduces minimal delay into system 200 (due to the addition of more connectors). Therefore, the RF control circuitry 230 on package 230 sends the output RF signal to connection point 219 of output connector 212, and then transmits it to other connectors / nodes via interconnect 207. Note that below... Figure 3 The RF control circuit 230 is described in more detail below.

[0046] According to some embodiments, package 220 may include, but is not limited to, a package, a substrate, a printed circuit board, and a motherboard. In one embodiment, package 220 is a PCB. In one embodiment, the PCB is made of an FR-4 glass epoxy substrate with thin copper foil (not shown) laminated on both sides. In some embodiments, a multilayer PCB may be used, wherein prepreg and copper foil (not shown) are used to fabricate additional layers. For example, a multilayer PCB may include one or more dielectric layers, wherein each dielectric layer may be a photosensitive dielectric layer (not shown). In some embodiments, holes (not shown) may be drilled in package 220. In one embodiment, package 220 may also include conductive copper traces, metal pads, and holes (not shown).

[0047] In some embodiments, interconnect 207, input connector 211, and output connector 212 are metal waveguides and connectors with metal and metal-coated waveguide structures, which may include rectangular, circular, polygonal, elliptical, and other shapes. Additionally, these metal waveguide structures may include hollow members, members with conductive and / or non-conductive internal structures, and hollow members partially or completely filled with dielectric material. In one embodiment, interconnect 207 has a metal coating (not shown) to provide electrical shielding for the waveguide. In some embodiments, the metal coating may serve as a power line. For example, power may be applied to the shield along the waveguide(s) (or cable)(s). Although a single interconnect 207 is shown extending to and from connectors 211-212, it should be understood that a bundle of two or more interconnects may be coupled to connectors 211-212.

[0048] According to another embodiment, interconnect 207 can be inserted into an ECU (not shown) and coupled to other sensors (not shown) (e.g., such as...). Figure 1B As shown, however, a crimp connector is used for each sensor / node. Additionally, it should be understood that any number of sensors can be used, as long as they do not exceed the bandwidth of interconnect 207. In one embodiment, interconnect 207 may be adapted to propagate millimeter-wave signals. In one embodiment, interconnect 207 includes a dielectric waveguide made of a coated or uncoated low-loss dielectric material designed to operate in the millimeter-wave or sub-THz frequency range. For these other embodiments, interconnect 207 may be any suitable dielectric material, such as liquid crystal polymer (LCP), low-temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC), high-temperature co-fired ceramic (HTCC), glass, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), expanded PTFE, low-density PTFE, ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), polyether ether ketone (PEEK), perfluoroalkoxyalkane (PFA), combinations thereof, etc. In one embodiment, interconnect 207 may have a cross-section of any shape, including but not limited to rectangular (with or without rounded corners), square, circular, elliptical, etc. Although referred to as a single interconnect / waveguide, it should be understood that interconnect 207 may include multiple different interconnects / waveguides. For example, according to some embodiments, vehicles (such as...) Figure 1A The device (as shown) may have a communication system including a first interconnect that couples the ECU to a first sensor node among a plurality of sensor nodes, and a subsequent interconnect 207 that couples each subsequent sensor node 202 (camera or other peripheral component) to each other in a continuous ring architecture.

[0049] In one embodiment, the vehicle (not shown) may include any number of sensors 202, video cameras (not shown), and positioning systems (not shown), such as GPS. For example, sensors 202 may include, but are not limited to, video sensors, image sensors, ultrasonic sensors, radar sensors, lidar (LIDAR) sensors, etc.

[0050] Additionally, although shown as being disposed on the top and bottom surfaces of package 220, it should be understood that connection points 219 and connectors 211-212 can be formed anywhere within package 220 (as long as the connectors are crimped into a continuous waveguide). In the illustrated embodiment, connectors 211-212 are shown without a protective housing to avoid obscuring the figure. However, it should be understood that connectors 211-212 may include multiple different package substrates, protective housings, overmolding, thermal management solutions, and / or other desired components. Similarly, RF control circuitry 230 may be packaged on package 220 and may be substantially enclosed by a protective housing. Furthermore, although RF control circuitry 230 is shown as a single module, it should be understood that RF control circuitry 230 may include any number of discrete dies, interconnects, and / or other components (as shown below). Figure 3 (further details are provided below).

[0051] According to these embodiments, and for example Figure 1A Compared to the dual-connector system shown, one advantage of the crimp connector system is that it can use a single, unconnected, continuous waveguide to communicatively couple each sensor and other peripheral components to the vehicle's ECU. Therefore, multiple interconnects are not required to directly couple each sensor and peripheral component to the ECU (i.e., each node requires two interconnects to couple to the ECU) (as shown). Figure 1A As shown), the crimp connector system 200, as in a single ring architecture, enables the ECU to be coaxially coupled with the vehicle's sensors and peripheral components.

[0052] Note that, depending on the required packaging design, the crimp connector system 200 may include fewer or additional packaging components.

[0053] Figure 3 This is a block diagram illustrating a crimped millimeter-wave waveguide connector system 300 according to one embodiment, which includes an input connector 211, an output connector 212, an RF control circuit 230, and a sensor 202. Figure 3 Is it like this? Figure 2 A more detailed schematic diagram of the RF control circuit 230 is shown. Note that one or more well-known features may be omitted or simplified to avoid making the illustrative embodiment difficult to understand.

[0054] According to some embodiments, RF control circuitry 230 is communicatively coupled to sensor 202, input connector 211 (“input feed”), and output connector 212 (“output feed”). In one embodiment, RF control circuitry 230 may include, but is not limited to, duplexer 301, transceiver 302 (or millimeter-wave transceiver), and power combiner 303. Note that RF control circuitry 230 may be shown with dashed lines because the schematic circuitry can be modified or rearranged to include one or more additional electrical components based on the desired application. According to one embodiment, transceiver 302 may include, but is not limited to, RF input 311, baseband output 312, baseband input 313, and RF output 314.

[0055] In one embodiment, RF control circuitry 230 receives an input RF signal from input connector 211. RF control circuitry 230 can also receive the input RF signal at duplexer 301, where duplexer 301 can be connected via a main waveguide (e.g., Figure 2 Interconnect 207 receives signals from another sensor, peripheral component (e.g., camera), or ECU, containing the desired frequency for communication with sensor 202. Therefore, duplexer 301 frequency-divides the input RF signal into an in-band signal transmitted to the RF input 311 of transceiver 302. Similarly, while duplexer 301 frequency-divides the input RF signal, it also transmits an out-of-band signal to power combiner 303. Furthermore, transceiver 302 demodulates the in-band signal received at RF input 311, and then baseband output 312 transmits the demodulated data (or signal) to sensor 202 via interconnect 217. In one embodiment, sensor 202 uses interconnect 217 to transmit data / signals to baseband input 313 of transceiver 302. For example, a signal from sensor 202 can be transmitted to baseband input 313 of transceiver 302, where transceiver 303 up-converts the signal to a millimeter-wave RF signal. The up-converted signal can then be transmitted to the power combiner 303, where it can be combined with the out-of-band signal received from the duplexer 301.

[0056] For example, transceiver 302 can perform RF modulation on the signal transmitted by sensor 202 and received at baseband input 313. In one embodiment, after RF modulation, the RF output 314 of transceiver 302 transmits the signal (i.e., the up-converted signal) to power combiner 303. According to some embodiments, power combiner 303 receives the out-of-band signal and the up-converted signal and combines these two signals to transmit the output RF signal to output connector 212, thus introducing minimal delay into the system due to the addition of more connectors. In one embodiment, output connector 212 and the transmitter can then be connected along a single unconnected waveguide (e.g., Figure 2The interconnection 207) propagates the combined signal of the power combiner 303.

[0057] As mentioned above, it can be packaged (e.g., Figure 2 The RF control circuit 230 is fabricated on a package 220. The package can be any suitable substrate and may include a housing or other protective covering (not shown). In the illustrated embodiment, the RF control circuit 230 is connected to the sensor 202 via an interconnect 217 (e.g., a cable). However, it should be understood that the RF control circuit 230 and the sensor 202 can coexist on the same package, and therefore the interconnect 217 can be omitted. According to the embodiment, the RF control circuit 230 includes only passive components. Therefore, no additional power is required to process the RF signal and along the metal (and / or dielectric) waveguide (e.g., Figure 2 The waveguide 207 propagates them.

[0058] In one embodiment, as described herein, the RF control circuitry 230 is coupled to a single unconnected waveguide and connector for each node (e.g., Figure 2 The interconnect 207 has crimped continuous connectors 211-212. Input connector 211 and output connector 212 can be crimped as a single unconnected waveguide. Input connector 211 and output connector 212 may include hardware for physically coupling the single unconnected waveguide to RF control circuitry 230 and a transmitter capable of transmitting millimeter-wave signals and auxiliary millimeter-wave signals propagating along the single waveguide. The transmitter can be any known transmitter used to initiate millimeter-wave propagation or receive millimeter waves, such as a patch transmitter, slot transmitter, stacked patch transmitter, microstrip-to-slot converter transmitter, leaky wave transmitter, etc. (e.g., Figure 4A-6 These transmitters and some of the embodiments are shown in the image. Similarly, as... Figure 2 As shown, the output connector 212a is basically similar to the input connector 211.

[0059] According to embodiments, the size of the RF control circuit 230 may depend on the operating frequency. In embodiments, the signal may include multiple frequency bands occupying multiple frequencies, for example, between approximately 30 GHz and 300 GHz. Some embodiments may include a frequency band providing a data rate, for example, between approximately 1 Gbps and 10 Gbps. For example, at an operating frequency of approximately 60 GHz, the physical area required for components such as duplexer 301 and / or power combiner 303 may be approximately 3 mm × 3 mm or less. Therefore, the space occupied by the RF control circuit 230 is not large relative to the overall size of the vehicle (and / or data center). In one embodiment, one or more components of the RF control circuit 230 may be designed using passive components such as hairpin patterns, zigzag patterned transmission lines, coupled microstrip lines, etc. Further embodiments may include open-loop resonators for designing duplexer 301 and / or power combiner 302. In embodiments, the package substrate 350 may include multiple dielectric layers. In one embodiment, one or more dielectric layers (not shown) may be used for forming Figure 3 The transmission line layers of the components shown are separated. For example, the dielectric layer can be any suitable layer and can have a thickness between approximately 10 μm and 300 μm.

[0060] Note that, depending on the required package design, the crimp connector system 300 may include fewer or additional package components.

[0061] Figure 4A This is a perspective view of a crimped millimeter-wave waveguide connector system 400 according to one embodiment. Additionally, Figure 4A A three-dimensional (3D) view of a crimp connector system 400 is shown, which includes an input connector 211, an output connector 212, a package 220, and an interconnect 207 (or waveguide). Note that... Figures 4A-4C The crimp connector system 400 is similar to Figure 2 and Figure 3 The crimp connector systems 200 and 300. It should also be noted that one or more well-known features may be omitted or simplified to avoid making the illustrative embodiments difficult to understand (e.g., additional feed circuitry, RF control circuitry, etc. are not shown for clarity).

[0062] According to one embodiment, the crimp connector system 400 has an interconnect 207 that crimps with a package 220, wherein the interconnect 207 has an input connector 211 and an output connector 212 for receiving and outputting data transmitted by the interconnect 207, respectively. Note that for illustrative purposes, the input connector 211 is formed above the package 220, while the output connector 212 is formed below the package 220; however, connectors 211-212 are not limited to the shown orientation (i.e., the input connector 211 may be formed below the package 220, while the output connector 212 may be formed above the package 220).

[0063] like Figure 4A As shown, interconnect 207 is a rectangular metal waveguide with metal connectors 211-212. However, interconnect 207 and connectors 211-212 can be formed of a dielectric material (or a combination of dielectric and metal materials) and have any desired shape (i.e., elliptical, triangular, etc.). In one embodiment, package 220 is inserted into opening 223 and pressed against the inner wall 222 of interconnect 207.

[0064] In one embodiment, the crimp connector system 400 has one or more patch emitters 219 (or connection points) stacked on each side of the package 220, with each side of the package 220 isolated from each other using a ground plane 410. Figure 4A As shown, the black dot on the surface mount transmitter 219 can indicate a point where an RF signal is received (e.g., via feed point) by the input connector 211 of interconnect 207 and transmitted / propagated (e.g., via feed point) to the output connector 212 of interconnect 207. In another embodiment, ground plane 410 may include one or more ground planes formed on package 220 (i.e., for illustrative purposes, in...). Figure 4A In this embodiment, package 220 has a single ground plane 410, but may include more than one ground plane. For some embodiments, the outer metal walls of interconnect 207 (and its connectors 211-212) may be electrically coupled to the ground plane 410 on top of package 220 using a conductive adhesive or solder material (not shown) to improve coupling and isolation between input connector 211 and output connector 212. Alternatively, conductive adhesive (or epoxy) and / or solder may be used to press the top and bottom surfaces of package 220 tightly against the opening walls 223 of interconnect 207, minimizing the spacing between package 220 and interconnect 207 (note that this also helps improve insertion loss and isolation [dB] of system 400).

[0065] Note that, as Figure 4A As shown, the crimp connector system 400 may include fewer or additional packaging components, depending on the required packaging design.

[0066] Figure 4B This is a plan view of a crimp connector system 400 according to one embodiment. Additionally, Figure 4B A top view of a crimp connector system 400 with interconnects 207, a package 220, and a patch 219 is shown. Note that one or more well-known features may be omitted or simplified to avoid obscuring the illustrative embodiment. Figure 4B As shown, package 220 is crimped into interconnect 207, pressing against the inner wall 222 of interconnect 207 (note that this top view shows a small gap between package 220 and inner wall 222, but crimp connectors can also be formed without a gap). Note that based on the desired package design, such as... Figure 4B The crimp connector system 400 shown may include fewer or additional encapsulation components.

[0067] Figure 4C This is a cross-sectional view of a crimp connector system 400 according to one embodiment. Additionally, Figure 4C A side view of a crimp connector system 400 with interconnects 207, a package 220, and connectors 211-212 is shown. Note that one or more well-known features may be omitted or simplified to avoid obscuring the illustrative embodiment. Figure 4C As shown, when package 220 is pressed against the inner wall 222 of interconnect 207, package 220 is pressed into the opening 223 formed on interconnect 207.

[0068] In one embodiment, package 220 has a ground plane (e.g.) Figure 4A As shown), it can be used as the outer metal housing of the electrically coupled package 220, the interconnect 207, and the connectors 211-212. Furthermore, as... Figure 4C As shown, package 220 is press-fitted into interconnect 207, but small gaps may be formed between the top and bottom surfaces of the package and interconnect 207 (note that this side view shows small gaps, but the press-fit connector 400 may also be formed without gaps or enclosed (and / or coupled) with a conductive film or any similar conductive material). Also note that, based on the desired package design, such as... Figure 4C The crimp connector system 400 shown may include fewer or additional encapsulation components.

[0069] Figure 5A This is a perspective view of a vertically crimped millimeter-wave waveguide connector system 500 according to one embodiment. Additionally, Figure 5A A 3D view of a crimp connector system 500 with an input connector 511, an output connector 512, a package 520, and an interconnect 207 is shown. Note that... Figures 5A-5C The vertical crimp connector system 500 can be similar to Figure 2-4CThe crimp connector systems 200, 300, and 400 are described, but crimp connector system 500 has a vertical structure and uses one or more tapered slot-based emitters (also known as traveling wave emitters). It should also be noted that one or more well-known features may be omitted or simplified to avoid making the illustrative embodiments difficult to understand.

[0070] According to one embodiment, the vertical crimp connector system 500 has an interconnect 207 crimped with a package 520, wherein the interconnect 207 has an input connector 511 and an output connector 512 for receiving and outputting data transmitted by the interconnect 207, respectively. In one embodiment, the package 520 is inserted into an opening 523 and pressed against the inner wall 522 of the interconnect 207. Figure 5A As shown, the vertical connector system 500 has an opening 523 formed only on one wall of the interconnect 207 (as shown in the figure). Figure 4A The three walls of the interconnect 207 shown are compared.

[0071] In one embodiment, the vertical crimp connector system 500 has one or more tapered slot-based emitters 510 adjacent to each other on the package 520. For example, the vertical crimp connector system 500 may include two tapered slots connected back-to-back and vertically crimped into the interconnect 207. In other embodiments, the tapered slot-based emitters 510 are shown in straight lines, but one or more other types of tapered shapes may be used to optimize the performance of the system 500 (e.g., stepped tapered shapes, exponential tapered shapes, quadratic tapered shapes, elliptical tapered shapes, etc.).

[0072] In some embodiments, with a resonant patch-based transmitter (e.g., Figure 4A Compared to the surface mount 219 (which requires a thick package to provide good bandwidth), the tapered slot 510 is formed on the package 520 to achieve increased / wider bandwidth on a thin package. However, for other embodiments, surface mount emitters can be easily modified to achieve dual polarization using standard packaging processes compared to tapered slot emitters (which require advanced packaging technology to support dual polarization). Therefore, based on the desired package design and / or application, resonant surface mount emitters (e.g., Figure 4A The crimp connector structure / system described herein is implemented using at least one of a patch 219 and a tapered slot transmitter (e.g., tapered slot transmitter 510) or any other type of related millimeter-wave signal transmission technology.

[0073] Note that the vertical crimp connector system 500 is shown as having a vertical structure (including a formed tapered slot-based emitter 510); however, the vertical crimp connector 500 may include other types of emitters (e.g., patch-based emitters) and have any orientation that the vehicle may require (e.g., horizontal orientation). Also note that, based on the desired package design, such as... Figure 5A The vertical crimp connector system 500 shown may include fewer or additional packaging components.

[0074] Figure 5B This is a plan view of a vertical crimp connector system 500 according to one embodiment. Additionally, Figure 5B A top view of a vertical crimp connector system 500 with interconnect 207, package 520, and tapered slot emitter 510 is shown, and the signal from interconnect 207 is received at input connector 511 and propagated to other sensors (not shown) at output connector 512. Note that one or more well-known features may be omitted or simplified (e.g., for illustration purposes). Figure 5B A top view of the conical slot emitter (the top wall of interconnect 207 is transparent / omitted) to avoid making the illustrative embodiment difficult to understand.

[0075] like Figure 5B As shown, package 520 is pressed into interconnect 207, abutting against the inner wall 522 of interconnect 207. Furthermore, the slot emitter 510 can be electrically coupled to a ground plane (not shown) and interconnect 207. In some embodiments, the slot emitter can be formed to have one or more different shapes and / or sizes. Note that, based on the desired package design, such as... Figure 5B The vertical crimp connector system 500 shown may include fewer or additional packaging components.

[0076] Figure 5C This is a cross-sectional view of a vertical connector system 500 according to one embodiment. Additionally, Figure 5C A side view of a vertical crimp connector system 500 with interconnect 207 and package 520 is shown. Note that one or more well-known features may be omitted or simplified to avoid making the illustrative embodiment difficult to understand. Figure 5C As shown, when package 520 is pressed against the inner wall 522 of interconnect 207, package 520 is pressed into an opening 523 formed in a wall of interconnect 207.

[0077] In one embodiment, package 520 has a ground plane (e.g., as shown in the image). Figure 4A The ground plane 410 shown can be used for the electrically coupled package 520 and interconnect 207, as well as connectors 511-512 (such as...). Figure 5A and Figure 5B The outer metal casing (as shown). Furthermore, as... Figure 5C As shown, the package 520 is press-fitted into the interconnect 207, and an epoxy resin mold can be used to fix the package 520 to the interconnect 207. Epoxy resin molds are relatively inexpensive, but reprocessing and modification can be relatively difficult. Thus, the vertical connector system 500 may include one or more mechanical support components (such as… Figure 6 As shown in the figure, it allows for easier reprocessing and adjustment.

[0078] Note that this depends on the required package design, such as Figure 5C The crimp connector system 500 shown may include fewer or additional encapsulation components.

[0079] Figure 6 This is a plan view of a vertical connector system 600 having an interconnect housing 620 according to one embodiment. Additionally, Figure 6 A top view of a crimp connector system 600 having an input connector 511, an output connector 512, a package 520, an interconnect 207, and an interconnect housing 620 is shown. Note that... Figure 6 The vertical crimp connector system 600 is similar to Figures 5A-5C The vertical crimp connector system 500, and can be similar to Figure 2-4C The crimp connector systems 200, 300, and 400 are described. However, the crimp connector system 600 also includes an interconnect housing 620, which acts as a mechanical support component, allowing for easier reprocessing and adjustment of the nodes. Note that one or more well-known features may be omitted or simplified to avoid obscuring the illustrative embodiments.

[0080] According to one embodiment, the vertical crimp connector system 600 has an interconnect 207 that is crimped to a package 520, wherein the interconnect 207 has an input connector 511 and an output connector 512 for receiving and outputting data transmitted by the interconnect 207, respectively. In one embodiment, the package 520 is inserted into an opening and pressed against the inner wall 522 of the interconnect 207. Figure 6 As shown, the vertical connector system 600 may have an interconnect housing 620 to surround (and / or enclose) at least a portion of the interconnect 207, connectors 511-512, and package 520.

[0081] In some embodiments, the interconnect housing 620 may include a detachable snap-fit ​​module, mechanical supports, and any other mechanical housing that can be press-fitted together with the package 520 into the interconnect 207 (and its connectors 511-512). In one embodiment, the interconnect housing 620 may be formed in any shape and conductive material, depending on the desired package design and / or application. For illustrative purposes, the interconnect housing 620 is shown on both sides of the interconnect 207; however, the interconnect housing 620 may be used entirely around the interconnect 207, connectors 511-512, and portions of the package 520 that are inserted into openings formed in the interconnect 207 and the interconnect housing 620. In one embodiment, the interconnect housing 620 makes it easier to rework and adjust nodes, and also provides optimized ground continuity between the ground of the package 520 and the ground sidewall of the interconnect 207.

[0082] Note that, depending on the required package design, the vertical crimp connector system 600 may include fewer or additional package components.

[0083] Figure 7 This is a schematic block diagram illustrating a computer system 700 employing a device package 710 with a crimped millimeter-wave waveguide connector according to one embodiment. Figure 7 An example of a computing device 700 is shown. The computing device 700 houses a motherboard 702. In one embodiment, the motherboard 702 may be similar to... Figure 2 and Figure 4A-6 Encapsulation (e.g., Figure 2 and Figure 4A-6 The motherboard 702 may include multiple components, including but not limited to a processor 704, a package 710 (or a press-fit connector package / system), and at least one communication chip 706. The processor 704 is physically and electrically coupled to the motherboard 702. In some embodiments, at least one communication chip 706 is also physically and electrically coupled to the motherboard 702. In other embodiments, at least one communication chip 706 is part of the processor 704.

[0084] Depending on its application, computing device 700 may include other components that may or may not be physically and electrically coupled to motherboard 702. These other components include, but are not limited to, volatile memory (e.g., DRAM), non-volatile memory (e.g., ROM), flash memory, graphics processor, digital signal processor, encryption processor, chipset, antenna, display, touchscreen display, touchscreen controller, battery, audio codec, video codec, power amplifier, global positioning system (GPS) device, compass, accelerometer, gyroscope, speaker, camera, and mass storage devices (e.g., hard disk drive, optical disc (CD), digital multi-purpose disc (DVD), etc.).

[0085] At least one communication chip 706 implements wireless communication for transmitting data to and from computing device 700. The term "wireless" and its derivatives can be used to describe circuits, devices, systems, methods, technologies, communication channels, etc., that transmit data over non-solid media and by using modulated electromagnetic radiation. This term does not imply that the associated devices do not contain any wires, although in some embodiments they may not contain any wires. At least one communication chip 706 may implement any of a plurality of wireless standards or protocols, including but not limited to Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11 series), WiMAX (IEEE 802.16 series), IEEE 802.20, LTE, Ev-DO, HSPA+, HSDPA+, HSUPA+, EDGE, GSM, GPRS, CDMA, TDMA, DECT, Bluetooth, its derivatives, and any other wireless protocols named 3G, 4G, 5G, and later. Computing device 700 may include multiple communication chips 706. For example, the first communication chip 706 can be dedicated to short-range wireless communication, such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, while the second communication chip 706 can be dedicated to long-range wireless communication, such as GPS, EDGE, GPRS, CDMA, WiMAX, LTE, Ev-DO, etc.

[0086] The processor 704 of the computing device 700 includes an integrated circuit die packaged within the processor 704. The device package 710 may be, but is not limited to, a package substrate, PCB, and motherboard. The device package 710 has a press-fit millimeter-wave waveguide connector system for the computing device 700, which includes patch-based connectors, slot-based transmitters, etc.—or any other components from the figures described herein. According to some embodiments, the device package 710 includes two connector structures press-fitted into a single connection structure, which enables dielectric and / or metallic waveguides to be communicatively coupled to sensor nodes and ECUs in a ring architecture, which can be used in autonomous and / or self-driving vehicles (and / or data centers). Furthermore, the device package 710 reduces the number of connectors per node and the overall form factor of the computing device 700.

[0087] Note that the device package 710 can be a single component / device, a subset of components, and / or an entire system, because materials, features, and components can be limited to the device package 710 and / or any other component that requires a crimped millimeter-wave waveguide connector.

[0088] In certain embodiments, the integrated circuit die may be packaged together with one or more devices on a package substrate to reduce the z-height of the computing device, wherein the package substrate includes a thermally stable RFIC and antenna for wireless communication, as well as a device package as described herein. The term "processor" may refer to any device or part of a device that processes electronic data from registers and / or memory to transform that electronic data into other electronic data that can be stored in registers and / or memory.

[0089] At least one communication chip 706 also includes an integrated circuit die packaged within the communication chip 706. In some embodiments, the integrated circuit die of the communication chip may be packaged together with one or more devices on a package substrate, the package substrate including one or more device packages as described herein.

[0090] In the foregoing specification, the embodiments have been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments. However, it should be remembered that all these and similar terms are associated with appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient notations applied to these quantities. It will be apparent that various modifications can be made therein without departing from the broader spirit and scope. Therefore, the specification and drawings should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive.

[0091] The following examples relate to further embodiments. Various features of different embodiments can be combined in various ways, including some features and excluding others to suit a variety of different applications.

[0092] The following examples relate to further embodiments:

[0093] Example 1 is a sensor node including an interconnect having an input connector, an output connector, and openings on one or more sidewalls of the interconnect; and a package having one or more sidewalls, a top surface, and a bottom surface opposite the top surface. At least one sidewall of the package is disposed over the opening of the interconnect.

[0094] In Example 2, the subject matter of Example 1 may optionally include: control circuitry on the package; a first millimeter-wave (mm-wave) transmitter on the package; and a sensor communicatively coupled to the control circuitry. The sensor is communicatively coupled to the control circuitry via a cable.

[0095] In Example 3, the subject matter of any of Examples 1-2 may optionally include: at least one sidewall of the package is adjacent to and coplanar with the inner wall of the interconnect, and at least one sidewall of the package is press-fitted through the opening of the interconnect.

[0096] In Example 4, the subject matter of any of Examples 1-3 may optionally include interconnects as waveguides. The input and output connectors are waveguide connectors. The waveguide is coupled to the package via the waveguide connector. The waveguide is communicatively coupled to a first millimeter-wave transmitter using one of the waveguide connectors. The waveguide is communicatively coupled to a second millimeter-wave transmitter using the other waveguide connector.

[0097] In Example 5, the subject matter of any one of Examples 1-4 may optionally include: the first millimeter-wave transmitter and the second millimeter-wave transmitter are monolayer resonant patch transmitters, stacked patch transmitters, conical slot transmitters, leaky wave transmitters, or microstrip-to-slot conversion transmitters.

[0098] In Example 6, the subject matter of any one of Examples 1-5 may optionally include: the waveguide is at least one of a metallic waveguide and a dielectric waveguide.

[0099] In Example 7, the subject matter of any of Examples 1-6 may optionally include control circuitry, which includes a duplexer, a power combiner, and a transceiver. The transceiver includes a radio frequency (RF) input, an RF output, a baseband input, and a baseband output.

[0100] In Example 8, the subject matter of any of Examples 1-7 may optionally include an input connector communicatively coupled to a duplexer. The duplexer is communicatively coupled to a power combiner and a transceiver. The transceiver is communicatively coupled to a sensor and a power combiner. The power combiner is communicatively coupled to an output connector.

[0101] In Example 9, the subject matter of any one of Examples 1-8 may optionally include: a conductive layer disposed between the opening of the interconnect and the outer surface of the package that is press-fitted to the opening of the interconnect; and an interconnect housing coupled to the interconnect. The interconnect housing surrounds the interconnect, the input connector and the output connector, and at least a portion of the package.

[0102] Example 10 is a method of forming a sensor node, comprising: forming an interconnect having an input connector, an output connector, and openings on one or more sidewalls of the interconnect; and providing an enclosure, at least one sidewall of the enclosure being over the openings of the interconnect. The enclosure includes one or more sidewalls, a top surface, and a bottom surface opposite the top surface.

[0103] In Example 11, the subject matter of Example 10 may optionally include: further including: setting control circuitry on the package; setting a first millimeter-wave transmitter on the package; and using a cable to communicatively couple the sensor to the control circuitry.

[0104] In Example 12, the subject matter of any one of Examples 10-11 may optionally include: at least one sidewall of the package is adjacent to and coplanar with the inner wall of the interconnect, and at least one sidewall of the package is press-fitted through the opening of the interconnect.

[0105] In Example 13, the subject matter of any of Examples 10-12 may optionally include interconnects as waveguides. The input and output connectors are waveguide connectors. The waveguide is coupled to the package via the waveguide connector. The waveguide is communicatively coupled to a first millimeter-wave transmitter using one of the waveguide connectors. The waveguide is communicatively coupled to a second millimeter-wave transmitter using the other waveguide connector.

[0106] In Example 14, the subject matter of any one of Examples 10-13 may optionally include: the first millimeter-wave transmitter and the second millimeter-wave transmitter are single-layer patch transmitters, stacked patch transmitters, slot transmitters, or microstrip-to-slot converter transmitters.

[0107] In Example 15, the subject matter of any one of Examples 10-14 may optionally include: the waveguide is at least one of a metallic waveguide and a dielectric waveguide.

[0108] In Example 16, the subject matter of any one of Examples 10-15 may optionally include control circuitry, which includes a duplexer, a power combiner, and a transceiver. The transceiver includes a radio frequency (RF) input, an RF output, a baseband input, and a baseband output.

[0109] In Example 17, the subject matter of any of Examples 10-16 may optionally include an input connector communicatively coupled to a duplexer. The duplexer is communicatively coupled to a power combiner and a transceiver. The transceiver is communicatively coupled to a sensor and a power combiner. The power combiner is communicatively coupled to an output connector.

[0110] In Example 18, the subject matter of any one of Examples 10-17 may optionally include: further comprising providing a conductive layer between the opening of the interconnect and the outer surface of the package that is press-fitted to the opening of the interconnect; and coupling the interconnect housing to the interconnect. The interconnect housing surrounds the interconnect, the input connector and the output connector, and at least a portion of the package.

[0111] Example 19 is a vehicle including a communication system, comprising an electronic control unit (ECU), multiple interconnects, multiple sensor nodes, and multiple sensors. A first interconnect is communicatively coupled to the ECU. A first sensor node is communicatively coupled to the ECU via the first interconnect. Each subsequent sensor node is coupled to each other in a ring architecture via an additional interconnect. Each sensor node includes: an interconnect having an input connector, an output connector, and an opening on one or more sidewalls of the interconnect; and a package having one or more sidewalls, a top surface, and a bottom surface opposite the top surface. At least one sidewall of the package is disposed over the opening of the interconnect. Each sensor communicates with the ECU in a different frequency band.

[0112] In Example 20, the subject matter of Example 19 may optionally include: each sensor node further includes control circuitry on the package. The control circuitry includes a duplexer, a power combiner, and a transceiver. The transceiver includes a radio frequency (RF) input, an RF output, a baseband input, and a baseband output; a first millimeter-wave transmitter on the package; and a first sensor among a plurality of sensors, communicatively coupled to the control circuitry. The first sensor is communicatively coupled to the control circuitry via a cable. Each sensor is communicatively coupled to a different control circuit.

[0113] In Example 21, the subject matter of any one of Examples 19-20 may optionally include: at least one sidewall of the package is adjacent to and coplanar with the inner wall of the interconnect, and at least one sidewall of the package is press-fitted through the opening of the interconnect.

[0114] In Example 22, the subject matter of any one of Examples 19-21 may optionally include interconnects as waveguides. The waveguide is at least one of a metallic waveguide and a dielectric waveguide. The input connector and the output connector are waveguide connectors. The waveguide is coupled to the package via waveguide connectors. The waveguide is communicatively coupled to a first millimeter-wave transmitter using one of the waveguide connectors. The waveguide is communicatively coupled to a second millimeter-wave transmitter using the other waveguide connector.

[0115] In Example 23, the subject matter of any one of Examples 19-22 may optionally include: the first millimeter-wave transmitter and the second millimeter-wave transmitter are monolayer resonant patch transmitters, stacked patch transmitters, conical slot transmitters, leaky wave transmitters, or microstrip-to-slot conversion transmitters.

[0116] In Example 24, the subject matter of any one of Examples 19-23 may optionally include a first interconnect communicatively coupled to an input connector. The input connector is communicatively coupled to a duplexer. The duplexer is communicatively coupled to a power combiner and a transceiver. The transceiver is communicatively coupled to a sensor and a power combiner. The power combiner is communicatively coupled to an output connector. The output connector is communicatively coupled to at least a first and a second interconnect of a plurality of interconnects.

[0117] In Example 25, the subject matter of any one of Examples 19-24 may optionally include: a conductive layer disposed between an opening in the interconnect and an outer surface of the package that is press-fitted to the opening in the interconnect; and an interconnect housing coupled to the interconnect. The interconnect housing surrounds the interconnect, the input connector and the output connector, and at least a portion of the package.

[0118] In the foregoing specification, the methods and apparatus have been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments. It will be apparent that various modifications can be made thereto without departing from the broader spirit and scope. Therefore, the specification and drawings should be considered illustrative rather than restrictive.

Claims

1. A sensor node, comprising: An interconnect having an input connector, an output connector, and an opening extending through one or more sidewalls of the interconnect, wherein the opening exposes an inner wall of the interconnect opposite to the opening; and A package having one or more sidewalls, a top surface and a bottom surface opposite the top surface, wherein at least one sidewall of the package is disposed within the opening of the interconnection, and wherein the at least one sidewall is press-fitted to the inner wall of the interconnection.

2. The sensor node according to claim 1, further comprising: The control circuitry on the package; The first millimeter-wave (mm-wave) transmitter on the package; as well as A sensor, which is communicatively coupled to the control circuit, wherein the sensor is communicatively coupled to the control circuit via a cable.

3. The sensor node according to any one of claims 1-2, wherein, The at least one sidewall of the package is adjacent to and coplanar with the interconnected inner wall, and is press-fitted to the at least one sidewall of the package through the opening of the interconnect.

4. The sensor node according to claim 2, wherein, The interconnect is a waveguide, wherein the input connector and the output connector are waveguide connectors, wherein the waveguide is coupled to the package via the waveguide connector, wherein the waveguide is communicatively coupled to the first millimeter-wave transmitter via one of the waveguide connectors, and wherein the waveguide is communicatively coupled to the second millimeter-wave transmitter via the other waveguide connector.

5. The sensor node according to claim 4, wherein, The first millimeter-wave transmitter and the second millimeter-wave transmitter are single-layer resonant patch transmitters, stacked patch transmitters, conical slot transmitters, leaky wave transmitters, or microstrip-slot conversion transmitters.

6. The sensor node according to claim 4, wherein, The waveguide is at least one of a metallic waveguide and a dielectric waveguide.

7. The sensor node according to claim 2, wherein, The control circuit includes a duplexer, a power combiner, and a transceiver, wherein the transceiver includes a radio frequency (RF) input, an RF output, a baseband input, and a baseband output.

8. The sensor node according to claim 7, wherein, The input connector is communicatively coupled to the duplexer, wherein the duplexer is communicatively coupled to the power combiner and the transceiver, wherein the transceiver is communicatively coupled to the sensor and the power combiner, and wherein the power combiner is communicatively coupled to the output connector.

9. The sensor node according to any one of claims 1-2, further comprising: A conductive layer is disposed between the interconnect opening and the outer surface of the package that is pressed against the interconnect opening; as well as An interconnect housing coupled to the interconnect, wherein the interconnect housing surrounds the interconnect, the input connector and the output connector, and at least a portion of the package.

10. A method for forming a sensor node, comprising: An interconnect is formed, the interconnect having an input connector, an output connector, and an opening extending through one or more sidewalls of the interconnect, wherein the opening exposes an inner wall of the interconnect opposite to the opening; and A package is provided in which at least one sidewall is located within an opening in the interconnect, wherein the package includes one or more sidewalls, a top surface and a bottom surface opposite the top surface, and wherein the at least one sidewall is press-fitted to the inner wall of the interconnect.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising: A control circuit is disposed on the package; A first millimeter-wave transmitter is disposed on the package; as well as The sensor is communicatively coupled to the control circuit using a cable.

12. The method according to any one of claims 10-11, wherein, The at least one sidewall of the package is adjacent to and coplanar with the inner wall of the interconnection, and the at least one sidewall of the package is press-fitted through the opening of the interconnection.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein, The interconnect is a waveguide, wherein the input connector and the output connector are waveguide connectors, wherein the waveguide is coupled to the package via the waveguide connector, wherein the waveguide is communicatively coupled to the first millimeter-wave transmitter via one of the waveguide connectors, and wherein the waveguide is communicatively coupled to the second millimeter-wave transmitter via the other waveguide connector.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein, The first millimeter-wave transmitter and the second millimeter-wave transmitter are single-layer patch transmitters, stacked patch transmitters, tapered slot transmitters, or microstrip-to-slot conversion transmitters.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein, The waveguide is at least one of a metallic waveguide and a dielectric waveguide.

16. The method according to claim 11, wherein, The control circuit includes a duplexer, a power combiner, and a transceiver, wherein the transceiver includes a radio frequency (RF) input, an RF output, a baseband input, and a baseband output.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein, The input connector is communicatively coupled to the duplexer, wherein the duplexer is communicatively coupled to the power combiner and the transceiver, wherein the transceiver is communicatively coupled to the sensor and the power combiner, and wherein the power combiner is communicatively coupled to the output connector.

18. The method according to any one of claims 10-11, further comprising: A conductive layer is provided between the opening of the interconnect and the outer surface of the package that is pressed against the opening of the interconnect; as well as An interconnect housing is coupled to the interconnect, wherein the interconnect housing surrounds the interconnect, the input connector and the output connector, and at least a portion of the package.

19. A vehicle including a communication system, comprising: Electronic control unit (ECU); Multiple interconnects, wherein a first interconnect is communicatively coupled to the ECU; Multiple sensor nodes, wherein a first sensor node is communicatively coupled to the ECU via a first interconnect, and wherein each subsequent sensor node is coupled to each other in a ring architecture via an additional interconnect, wherein each sensor node includes: An interconnect having an input connector, an output connector, and an opening extending through one or more sidewalls of the interconnect, wherein the opening exposes an inner wall of the interconnect opposite to the opening; and An encapsulation having one or more sidewalls, a top surface, and a bottom surface opposite the top surface, wherein at least one sidewall of the encapsulation is disposed within an opening of the interconnect, and wherein the at least one sidewall is press-fitted to the inner wall of the interconnect; and Multiple sensors, each communicating with the ECU on a different frequency band.

20. The vehicle according to claim 19, wherein, Each sensor node also includes: The control circuit on the package includes a duplexer, a power combiner, and a transceiver, wherein the transceiver includes a radio frequency (RF) input, an RF output, a baseband input, and a baseband output. The first millimeter-wave transmitter on the package; and The first sensor of the plurality of sensors is communicatively coupled to the control circuit, wherein the first sensor is communicatively coupled to the control circuit via a cable, and wherein each sensor is communicatively coupled to a different control circuit.

21. The vehicle according to any one of claims 19-20, wherein, The at least one sidewall of the package is adjacent to and coplanar with the inner wall of the interconnect, and is press-fitted to the at least one sidewall of the package through the opening of the interconnect.

22. The vehicle according to claim 20, wherein, The interconnect is a waveguide, wherein the waveguide is at least one of a metallic waveguide and a dielectric waveguide, wherein the input connector and the output connector are waveguide connectors, wherein the waveguide is coupled to the package via the waveguide connector, wherein the waveguide is communicatively coupled to the first millimeter-wave transmitter using one of the waveguide connectors, and wherein the waveguide is communicatively coupled to the second millimeter-wave transmitter using the other waveguide connector.

23. The vehicle according to claim 22, wherein, The first millimeter-wave transmitter and the second millimeter-wave transmitter are single-layer resonant patch transmitters, stacked patch transmitters, conical slot transmitters, leaky wave transmitters, or microstrip-slot conversion transmitters.

24. The vehicle according to claim 20, wherein, The first interconnect is communicatively coupled to the input connector, wherein the input connector is communicatively coupled to the duplexer, wherein the duplexer is communicatively coupled to the power combiner and the transceiver, wherein the transceiver is communicatively coupled to the sensor and the power combiner, wherein the power combiner is communicatively coupled to the output connector, and wherein the output connector is communicatively coupled to at least the first interconnect and the second interconnect of the plurality of interconnects.

25. The vehicle according to any one of claims 19-20, further comprising: A conductive layer is disposed between the opening of the interconnect and the outer surface of the package that is pressed against the opening of the interconnect; as well as An interconnect housing coupled to the interconnect, wherein the interconnect housing surrounds the interconnect, the input connector and the output connector, and at least a portion of the package.

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