Interface connector supporting millimeter wave wireless communication

Abstract

Aspects described herein relate to at least portions of a connector configured to support wireless communications, the connector including a plurality of chambers, each chamber at least partially surrounded by a continuous isolation structure to provide electrical signal isolation and defining an inner surface. At least one terminal in a first chamber of the plurality of chambers is configured as a first interface and at least one terminal in a second chamber of the plurality of chambers is configured as a second interface.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This patent application claims priority to Provisional Application No. 62 / 843,215, entitled “Interface Connector Supporting Millimeter-Wave Wireless Communication,” filed May 3, 2019, and U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 863,874, entitled “Interface Connector Supporting Millimeter-Wave Wireless Communication,” filed April 30, 2020, the entire contents of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference. Background Technology

[0003] This disclosure generally relates to wireless communication systems, and more specifically, to interface connectors for supporting wireless communication.

[0004] Wireless communication systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content, such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, and broadcasting. These systems can be multiple access systems capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing available system resources (e.g., time, frequency, and power). Examples of such multiple access systems include Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) systems, Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) systems, Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) systems, Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) systems, and Single Carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access (SC-FDMA) systems.

[0005] These multiple access technologies have been adopted in various telecommunications standards to provide a common protocol enabling different wireless devices to communicate at the municipal, national, regional, and even global levels. For example, fifth-generation (5G) wireless communication technology (which may be referred to as 5G New Radio (5G NR)) aims to expand and support a wide range of use cases and applications associated with the current generation of mobile networks. In one aspect, 5G communication technologies can include: enhanced mobile broadband, addressing human-centric use cases for accessing multimedia content, services, and data; ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC) with specific latency and reliability specifications; and massive machine-type communication, which allows for the transmission of a very large number of connected devices and a relatively small amount of non-latency-sensitive information.

[0006] In some wireless communication technologies, such as 5G, millimeter-wave (mmW) spectrum can be used to enable wireless communication between nodes. Currently, devices use board-to-board (B2B) connectors to connect the printed circuit board (PCB) portion of the RF front end. These B2B connectors are designed for both DC and digital signal connections. Due to the power / frequency requirements of mmW spectrum communication, using existing B2B connectors, based on their design, can lead to leakage in various parts of the device associated with its radio frequency (RF) front end. This can also cause interference with signals received and / or transmitted by the device, such as LTE or GPS radios below 6 GHz within the device. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The following is a simplified overview of one or more aspects to provide a basic understanding of these aspects. This invention is not a comprehensive overview of all anticipated aspects, nor is it intended to identify key or essential elements of all aspects, nor to depict the scope of any or all aspects. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more aspects in a simplified form as a prelude to a more detailed description that follows.

[0008] According to an example, a plug is provided configured to support wireless communication. The plug includes: a plurality of chambers, each of the plurality of chambers being at least partially surrounded by a continuous isolation structure and defining an inner surface; at least one terminal within the inner surface of each of the plurality of chambers, wherein at least a first terminal in a first chamber of the plurality of chambers is configured for a first interface, and wherein at least a second terminal in a second chamber of the plurality of chambers is configured for a second interface. Providing a plurality of separate chambers allows for isolation of the chambers to mitigate energy leakage (and thus interference) occurring between the chambers and / or outside the connector, including the plug coupled to the receptacle, from the associated interface. This can improve the signal quality of the terminal and / or the signal quality of electronics near the connector within the device.

[0009] In a further example, a method for manufacturing a printed circuit is provided, the printed circuit being configured to support wireless communication. The method includes: forming at least a portion of a connector having a plurality of chambers and at least one terminal in each of the plurality of chambers, wherein each chamber is at least partially surrounded by a continuous isolation structure; coupling at least a first terminal in a first chamber of the plurality of chambers to a first line on the printed circuit for a first interface; and coupling at least one second terminal in a second chamber of the plurality of chambers to a second line on the printed circuit for a second interface. Providing a plurality of separate chambers can allow for isolation between the chambers to mitigate energy leakage (and thus interference) from the associated interface occurring between the chambers and / or outside the connector, including the plug coupled to the receptacle. This can improve the signal quality of the terminals and / or the signal quality of electronics near the connector within the device.

[0010] In another example, a socket is provided, configured to support wireless communication. The socket includes: at least two terminals configured for a first interface and a second interface; and an isolation portion that at least partially surrounds each of the at least two terminals within a corresponding cavity, wherein the isolation portion forms part of a continuous isolation structure when coupled to a plug having at least two different terminals coupled to the at least two terminals. Providing multiple separate cavities allows for isolation between the cavities to mitigate energy leakage (and thus interference) from the associated interface occurring between the cavities and / or from the outside of the connector, including the plug coupled to the socket. This can improve the signal quality of the terminals and / or the signal quality of electronics near the connector within the device.

[0011] To achieve the foregoing and related objectives, one or more aspects include the features fully described below and specifically pointed out in the claims. The following description and drawings set forth specific illustrative features of one or more aspects in detail. However, these features indicate only a few of the various ways in which the principles of each aspect can be employed, and this description is intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Attached Figure Description

[0012] The disclosed aspects will be described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are provided for illustrative purposes and not for limiting the scope of the disclosure, wherein like reference numerals denote like elements, and in the drawings:

[0013] Figure 1 Examples of wireless communication systems according to various aspects of this disclosure are shown;

[0014] Figure 2 This is a block diagram illustrating examples of a UE according to various aspects of this disclosure;

[0015] Figure 3This is a block diagram illustrating examples of socket and plug structures according to various aspects of this disclosure;

[0016] Figure 4 This is a block diagram illustrating further examples of socket and plug structures according to various aspects of this disclosure;

[0017] Figure 5 This is a block diagram illustrating another example of a socket and plug structure according to various aspects of this disclosure;

[0018] Figure 6 This is a block diagram illustrating another example of a socket and plug structure according to various aspects of this disclosure;

[0019] Figure 7 This is a block diagram illustrating another example of a socket and plug structure according to various aspects of this disclosure;

[0020] Figure 8 This is a block diagram illustrating examples of flexible printed circuits according to various aspects of this disclosure;

[0021] Figure 9 This is a flowchart illustrating examples of methods for manufacturing printed circuits according to various aspects of this disclosure; and

[0022] Figure 10 This is a block diagram illustrating an example of a MIMO communication system including a base station and a UE according to various aspects of this disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The various aspects will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth for illustrative purposes to provide a thorough understanding of one or more aspects. However, it will be clear that these aspects can be practiced without these specific details.

[0024] The described features generally relate to improved connector designs for board-to-board (B2B) assemblies in wireless communication devices to minimize radio frequency (RF) leakage. The connector may include one or more of a plug for a flexible printed circuit (FPC) or a corresponding socket on a printed circuit board (PCB) that can receive the plug for connecting multiple PCBs via the FPC. For example, the connector may be fully (or at least substantially) shielded by a continuous isolation structure. For example, the continuous isolation structure may include a continuous ground reference. This can provide minimal mode mismatch between the FPC and PCB modes. Furthermore, the connector can allow FPC designs to have fewer edge fields of mismatch with FPC interface wiring compared to conventional connector / FPC designs. In one example, the connector may include multiple chambers, each chamber surrounding one or more terminals, wherein each of the multiple chambers may include a continuous isolation structure surrounding one or more terminals. This continuous isolation structure can mitigate RF leakage from the corresponding terminals and can allow for the provision of RF connectors compliant with electromagnetic interference (EMI). For example, as described herein, the continuous isolation structure may be connected to a ground reference to provide a continuous ground structure for isolating electrical energy.

[0025] In a specific example, the connector may include a first chamber at least partially surrounding a first intermediate frequency (IF) terminal, a second chamber at least partially surrounding a second IF terminal, and a third chamber at least partially surrounding other terminals. The other terminals in the third chamber may include control terminals, such as battery terminals, voltage terminals, digital terminals, etc. The terminals may be arranged, positioned, mounted within the respective chambers, or may otherwise reside within or be at least partially surrounded or enclosed by the respective chambers. The chambers may be provided with a shielding material such as plastic, and / or may be at least partially surrounded by continuous isolation between the terminals. Furthermore, a continuous isolation structure may be additionally or continuously provided along the exterior of the connector (e.g., outside the chamber or around the chamber). This structure can facilitate isolation between the terminals themselves and the exterior of the connector to mitigate RF leakage interference. In a specific example, the connector may be used to connect the baseband and IF portions of a device and / or to connect mmW antenna PCBs and mmW chips, etc.

[0026] The following text will refer to Figures 1 to 10 To present the described features in more detail.

[0027] As used herein, the terms “component,” “module,” “system,” etc., are intended to include computer-related entities such as, but not limited to, hardware, firmware, combinations of hardware and software, software, or software being executed. For example, a component can be, but is not limited to, a process running on a processor, a processor, an object, an executable file, an execution thread, a program, and / or a computer. For illustration, an application running on a computing device and the computing device itself can be components. One or more components may reside in a process and / or an execution thread, and components may be located on a computer and / or distributed across two or more computers. Furthermore, these components can be executed from various computer-readable media on which various data structures are stored. Components can communicate in a local and / or remote process manner, such as according to a signal having one or more data packets, said data packets being data from a component interacting with another component in a network such as the Internet, such as a local system, a distributed system, and / or across other systems in a signaling manner.

[0028] The technologies described in this document can be used in various wireless communication systems, such as CDMA, TDMA, FDMA, OFDMA, SC-FDMA, and others. The terms "system" and "network" are often used interchangeably. CDMA systems can implement radio technologies such as CDMA2000 and Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (UTRA). CDMA2000 encompasses the IS-2000, IS-95, and IS-856 standards. IS-2000 versions 0 and A are often referred to as CDMA2000IX, IX, etc. IS-856 (TIA-856) is often referred to as CDMA2000lxEV-DO, High Rate Packet Data (HRPD), etc. UTRA includes Wideband CDMA (WCDMA) and other variants of CDMA. TDMA systems can implement radio technologies such as the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM). OFDMA systems can implement technologies such as Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB), Evolved UTRA (E-UTRA), IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi), IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX), IEEE 802.20, and Flash-OFDM. TMRadio technologies such as UTRA and E-UTRA are part of the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS). 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE) and LTE Evolution (LTE-A) are newer versions of UMTS using E-UTRA. UTRA, E-UTRA, UMTS, LTE, LTE-A, and GSM are described in documents from an organization called the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). CDMA2000 and UMB are described in documents from an organization called the Third Generation Partnership Project 2 (3GPP2). The technologies described herein can be used in the aforementioned systems and radio technologies, as well as in other systems and radio technologies, including cellular (e.g., LTE) communications sharing radio spectrum bands. However, the description below describes LTE / LTE-A systems for illustrative purposes, and the terminology LTE is used in most of the following description; however, these technologies are applicable beyond LTE / LTE-A applications (e.g., to fifth-generation (5G) New Radio (NR) networks or other next-generation communication systems).

[0029] The following description provides examples and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or examples set forth in the claims. Changes may be made to the function and arrangement of the elements discussed without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Various procedures or components may be appropriately omitted, substituted, or added to the various examples. For example, the described methods may be performed in a different order than described, and various steps may be added, omitted, or combined. Furthermore, features described with respect to some examples may be combined in other examples.

[0030] Various aspects or features will be presented according to the system, which may include multiple devices, components, modules, etc. It should be understood and appreciated that various systems may include additional devices, components, modules, etc., and / or may exclude all devices, components, modules, etc., discussed in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Combinations of these methods may also be used.

[0031] Figure 1This is a diagram illustrating an example of a wireless communication system and access network 100. The wireless communication system (also referred to as a wireless wide area network (WWAN)) may include base station 102, UE 104, evolved packet core (EPC) 160, and / or 5G core (5GC) 190. Base station 102 may include macro cells (high-power cellular base stations) and / or small cells (low-power cellular base stations). Macro cells may include base stations. Small cells may include femtocells, picocells, and microcells. In this example, as further described herein, base station 102 may also include gNB 180. In one example, some nodes of the wireless communication system may have transceiver 202 and RF front-end 288 for transmitting signals to other nodes. UE 104 is shown as having transceiver 202 and RF front-end 288, but other nodes may also have such components, such as base station 102. In this example, RF front-end 288 may include one or more PCBs connected via an FPC that uses connectors (e.g., combination plugs and sockets) described herein to mitigate radio frequency leakage.

[0032] Base station 102 configured for 4G LTE (which may be collectively referred to as Evolved Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN)) can interact with EPC 160 via backhaul link 132 (e.g., using the SI interface). Base station 102 configured for 5G NR (which may be collectively referred to as Next Generation RAN (NG-RAN)) can interact with 5GC 190 via backhaul link 184. Among other functions, base station 102 can perform one or more of the following functions: transmission of user data, radio channel encryption and decryption, integrity protection, header compression, mobility control functions (e.g., handover, dual connectivity), inter-cell interference coordination, connection establishment and release, load balancing, non-access stratum (NAS) messages, NAS node selection, synchronization, radio access network (RAN) sharing, multimedia broadcast multicast service (MBMS), user and equipment tracking, RAN information management (RIM), paging, location, and warning delivery messages. Base stations 102 can communicate directly or indirectly (e.g., via EPC 160 or 5GC 190) with each other via backhaul link 134 (e.g., using an X2 interface). Backhaul link 134 can be wired or wireless.

[0033] Base station 102 can wirelessly communicate with one or more UEs 104. Each base station 102 can provide communication coverage for a corresponding geographic coverage area 110. Overlapping geographic coverage areas 110 may exist. For example, a small cell base station 102' may have a coverage area 110' that overlaps with the coverage areas 110 of one or more macro base stations 102. A network that includes both small cells and macro cells can be referred to as a heterogeneous network. The heterogeneous network may also include a Home Evolution Node B (eNB) (HeNB), which can provide services to a restricted group, which may be referred to as a Closed Subscriber Group (CSG). The communication link 120 between base station 102 and UE 104 may include uplink (UL) (also referred to as reverse link) transmission from UE 104 to base station 102 and / or downlink (DL) (also referred to as forward link) transmission from base station 102 to UE 104. The communication link 120 may use multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna technologies including spatial multiplexing, beamforming, and / or transmit diversity. The communication link may use one or more carriers. Base station 102 / UE 104 may use a spectrum with a bandwidth of up to Y MHz per carrier (e.g., 5, 10, 15, 20, 100, 400, etc. MHz), which is allocated on carrier aggregation of up to a total of Yx MHz (e.g., for x component carriers) for transmission in the DL and / or UL directions. Carriers may be adjacent to each other or not. Carrier allocation may be asymmetrical relative to DL and UL (e.g., more or fewer carriers may be allocated to DL than to UL). Component carriers may include primary component carriers and one or more secondary component carriers. The primary component carrier may be referred to as the primary cell (PCell) and the secondary component carriers may be referred to as secondary cells (SCells).

[0034] In another example, a specific UE 104 can communicate with each other using a device-to-device (D2D) communication link 158. The D2D communication link 158 can use DL / ULWWAN spectrum. The D2D communication link 158 can use one or more sidechain channels, such as the Physical Sidechain Broadcast Channel (PSBCH), Physical Sidechain Discovery Channel (PSDCH), Physical Sidechain Shared Channel (PSSCH), and Physical Sidechain Control Channel (PSCCH). D2D communication can be achieved through various wireless D2D communication systems, such as FlashLinQ, WiMedia, Bluetooth, ZigBee, Wi-Fi based on the IEEE 802.11 standard, LTE, or NR.

[0035] The wireless communication system may also include a Wi-Fi access point (AP) 150 that communicates with a Wi-Fi station (STA) 152 via a communication link 154 in the unlicensed 5 GHz spectrum. When communicating in the unlicensed spectrum, the STA 152 / AP 150 may perform a free channel assessment (CCA) before communication to determine whether the channel is available.

[0036] Cell 102' can operate in licensed and / or unlicensed spectrum. When operating in unlicensed spectrum, cell 102' can use NR and the same 5GHz unlicensed spectrum used by WiFi AP 150. Using NR in unlicensed spectrum can improve coverage and / or increase the capacity of the access network.

[0037] Whether it's a small cell 102' or a large cell (e.g., a macro base station), base station 102 can include an eNB, gNodeB (gNB), or other types of base stations. Some base stations, such as gNB 180, can operate in the conventional sub-6 GHz spectrum, millimeter wave (mmW) frequencies, and / or near-mmW frequencies for communication with UE 104. When gNB 180 operates in mmW or near-mmW frequencies, gNB 180 can be referred to as an mmW base station. Extremely high frequency (EHF) is a portion of the RF spectrum in the electromagnetic spectrum. EHF has a range of 30 GHz to 300 GHz and wavelengths between 1 mm and 10 mm. Radio waves in this band are referred to as millimeter waves. Near-mmW can extend down to frequencies of 3 GHz and wavelengths of 100 mm. The ultra-high frequency (SHF) band extends between 3 GHz and 30 GHz and is also referred to as centimeter waves. Communication using mmW / near-mmW radio bands has extremely high path loss and short range. mmW base station 180 can be used with UE 104 in conjunction with beamforming 182 to compensate for extremely high path loss and short range. Base station 102, as referred to herein, may include gNB 180.

[0038] EPC 160 may include Mobility Management Entity (MME) 162, other MMEs 164, Serving Gateway 166, Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) Gateway 168, Broadcast Multicast Service Center (BM-SC) 170, and Packet Data Network (PDN) Gateway 172. MME 162 may communicate with Home Subscriber Server (HSS) 174. MME 162 is the control node that handles signaling between UE 104 and EPC 160. Typically, MME 162 provides bearer and connection management. All user Internet Protocol (IP) packets are transmitted through Serving Gateway 166, which is itself connected to PDN Gateway 172. PDN Gateway 172 provides UE IP address allocation and other functions. PDN Gateway 172 and BM-SC 170 are connected to IP Service 176. IP Service 176 may include the Internet, intranet, IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), PS streaming service, and / or other IP services. BM-SC 170 can provide functions for MBMS user service provisioning and delivery. The BM-SC 170 can serve as an entry point for MBMS transmission by content providers, authorize and initiate MBMS bearer services within a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN), and schedule MBMS transmissions. The MBMS gateway 168 can distribute MBMS services to base stations 102 belonging to the Multicast-Broadcast Single Frequency Network (MBSFN) area for broadcast-specific services, and can be responsible for session management (start / stop) and collecting eMBMS-related charging information.

[0039] 5GC 190 may include Access and Mobility Management Functions (AMF) 192, other AMFs 193, Session Management Functions (SMF) 194, and User Plane Functions (UPF) 195. AMF 192 may communicate with Unified Data Management (UDM) 196. AMF 192 may be a control node handling signaling between UE 104 and 5GC 190. Typically, AMF 192 can provide QoS streaming and session management. User Internet Protocol (IP) packets (e.g., from one or more UEs 104) may be transmitted via UPF 195. UPF 195 may provide UE IP address allocation and other functions for one or more UEs. UPF 195 connects to IP service 197. IP service 197 may include the Internet, intranet, IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), PS streaming service, and / or other IP services.

[0040] A base station may also be referred to as a gNB, NodeB, evolved NodeB (eNB), access point, base transceiver station, radio base station, radio transceiver, transceiver function, basic service set (BSS), extended service set (ESS), transmit / receive point (TRP), or some other suitable terminology. Base station 102 provides UE 104 with access to EPC 160 or 5GC 190. Examples of UE 104 include cellular phones, smartphones, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) phones, laptops, personal digital assistants (PDAs), satellite broadcasting, GPS, multimedia devices, video devices, digital audio players (e.g., MP3 players), cameras, game consoles, tablets, smart devices, wearable devices, vehicles, electricity meters, air pumps, large or small kitchen appliances, healthcare devices, implants, sensors / actuators, displays, or any other similarly functional device. Some of UE 104 may be referred to as IoT devices (e.g., parking timers, air pumps, toasters, vehicles, heart monitors, etc.). UE 104 may also be referred to as a station, mobile station, subscriber station, mobile unit, subscriber unit, wireless unit, remote unit, mobile device, wireless device, wireless communication device, remote device, mobile subscriber station, access terminal, mobile terminal, wireless terminal, remote terminal, mobile phone, user agent, mobile client, client, or some other suitable term.

[0041] In the example, using the RF front end 288 with the connector described herein can allow for mitigation of RF leakage in mmW communication.

[0042] Turn now Figures 2 to 10 An aspect is described by referring to one or more components and one or more methods that can perform the actions or operations described herein, wherein the aspects shown in dashed lines may be optional. Although the following text... Figure 9 The operations described herein are presented in a specific order and / or performed by example components; however, it should be understood that the order of actions and the components performing the actions may vary depending on the implementation. Furthermore, it should be understood that the actions, functions, and / or components described below may be performed by a specially programmed processor, a processor executing specially programmed software or a computer-readable medium, or by any other combination of hardware and / or software components capable of performing the described actions or functions.

[0043] Reference Figure 2 An example of an implementation of UE 104 may include a variety of components, some of which have been described above and further described herein, including components such as one or more processors 212 and memory 216 and transceiver 202 communicating via one or more buses 244, which may operate in conjunction with modem 240 to transmit signals in a wireless network.

[0044] In one aspect, one or more processors 212 may include modem 240 and / or may be part of modem 240 using one or more modem processors. Therefore, various communication-related functions may be included in modem 240 and / or processor 212, and in one aspect, may be performed by a single processor, while in other aspects, different functions may be performed by a combination of two or more different processors. For example, in one aspect, one or more processors 212 may include any one or any combination of a modem processor, or baseband processor, or digital signal processor, or transmit processor, or receiver processor, or transceiver processor associated with transceiver 202. In other aspects, some communication-related features of one or more processors 212 and / or modem 240 may be performed by transceiver 202.

[0045] Furthermore, memory 216 may be configured to store data used herein and / or a local version of application 275 executed by at least one processor 212. Memory 216 may include any type of computer-readable medium or at least one processor 212 that a computer can use, such as random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), magnetic tape, magnetic disk, optical disk, volatile memory, non-volatile memory, and any combination thereof. In one aspect, for example, when UE 104 is operating at least one processor 212 to execute application 275 or various instructions related to communication with base station 102 and / or other UE 104 or other devices, memory 216 may be a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more computer-executable codes and / or data associated therewith.

[0046] Transceiver 202 may include at least one receiver 206 and at least one transmitter 208. Receiver 206 may include hardware, firmware, and / or processor-executable software code for receiving data, the code comprising instructions and stored in memory (e.g., a computer-readable medium). Receiver 206 may be, for example, a radio frequency (RF) receiver. In one aspect, receiver 206 may receive signals transmitted via at least one base station 102. Additionally, receiver 206 may process such received signals and may also obtain measurements of the signals, such as, but not limited to, Ec / Io, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), reference signal received power (RSRP), received signal strength indicator (RSSI), etc. Transmitter 208 may include hardware, firmware, and / or processor-executable software code for transmitting data, the code comprising instructions and stored in memory (e.g., a computer-readable medium). Suitable examples of transmitter 208 may include, but are not limited to, RF transmitters.

[0047] Furthermore, in one aspect, UE 104 may include an RF front-end 288 that can communicate with one or more antennas 265 and transceiver 202 to receive and transmit radio transmissions, such as wireless communications transmitted via at least one base station 102 or wireless transmissions transmitted via UE 104. The RF front-end 288 may be connected to one or more antennas 265 and may include one or more low-noise amplifiers (LNAs) 290, one or more switches 292, one or more power amplifiers (PAs) 298, and one or more filters 296 for transmitting and receiving RF signals.

[0048] On one hand, the LNA 290 can amplify the received signal at a desired output level. On another hand, each LNA 290 can have specified minimum and maximum gain values. On yet another hand, the RF front end 288 can use one or more switches 292 to select a particular LNA 290 and its specified gain value based on the desired gain value for a particular application.

[0049] Furthermore, for example, the RF front-end 288 can use one or more PAs 298 to amplify the signal for RF output at a desired output power level. In one aspect, each PA 298 can have specified minimum and maximum gain values. In another aspect, the RF front-end 288 can use one or more switches 292 to select a particular PA 298 and its specified gain value based on the desired gain value for a particular application.

[0050] Furthermore, for example, the RF front-end 288 may use one or more filters 296 to filter the received signal to obtain the input RF signal. Similarly, in one aspect, for example, a corresponding filter 296 may be used to filter the output from a corresponding PA 298 to produce an output signal for transmission. In one aspect, each filter 296 may be connected to a specific LNA 290 and / or PA 298. In one aspect, the RF front-end 288 may use one or more switches 292 to select the transmit or receive path using the specified filter 296, LNA 290, and / or PA 298 based on the configuration specified by the transceiver 202 and / or processor 212.

[0051] Thus, transceiver 202 can be configured to transmit and receive wireless signals via RF front-end 288 through one or more antennas 265. In one aspect, the transceiver can be tuned to operate at a specified frequency, enabling UE 104 to operate with, for example, one or more base stations 102 or one or more cells associated with one or more base stations 102. In another aspect, for example, modem 240 can configure transceiver 202 to operate at a specified frequency and power level based on the UE configuration of UE 104 and the communication protocol used by modem 240.

[0052] In one aspect, modem 240 may be a multi-band, multi-mode modem capable of processing digital data and communicating with transceiver 202, enabling the transceiver 202 to transmit and receive digital data. In another aspect, modem 240 may be multi-band and configured to support multiple frequency bands for a specific communication protocol. In another aspect, modem 240 may be multi-mode and configured to support multiple operating networks and communication protocols. In one aspect, modem 240 may control one or more components of UE 104 (e.g., RF front-end 288, transceiver 202) to enable the transmission and / or reception of signals from the network based on a specified modem configuration. In one aspect, modem configuration may be based on the modem's mode and the frequency band in use. In another aspect, modem configuration may be based on UE configuration information associated with UE 104 provided by the network during cell selection and / or cell reselection.

[0053] In one aspect, the RF front end 288 may include one or more components that are connected to each other and / or to the antenna 265 via B2B connectors. The one or more components may include multiple PCBs. The B2B connector may include a socket on the PCB and a plug on one or more ends of the PCB connected to the FPC. The FPC may include multiple wires connected to the plug to facilitate communication between the PCBs via the multiple wires when the plug is coupled to the socket. For example, the multiple wires may be formed of a metallic material and may carry signals from multiple terminals on the PCB, including one or more IF terminals and / or control terminals, wherein the control terminals may include battery terminals, voltage terminals (e.g., 1.8 volts), digital terminals, etc.

[0054] On one hand, processor 212 can correspond to the combination Figure 10 The UE describes one or more processors. Similarly, memory 216 may correspond to a combination of Figure 10 The memory described in the UE.

[0055] Figures 3 to 7Examples of plug and socket combinations are shown, which can provide an EMI-compliant RF / IF connector capable of supporting mmW communication (e.g., for 5G network equipment). In each example, multiple chambers can be defined by a shielding material or structure and / or can be at least partially surrounded (e.g., around or otherwise) by a continuous isolation structure (e.g., at least when the plug and socket mate). "At least partially surrounded" can mean partially or completely surrounded, such that the multiple chambers can be defined by a shielding material or structure and / or can be partially or completely surrounded by a continuous isolation structure (e.g., at least when the plug and socket mate). The continuous isolation structure can be formed of a metallic material capable of providing a continuous ground structure when coupled to a ground reference. Furthermore, one or more terminals can be provided in each chamber to provide the desired isolation between the terminals and the outside of the connector. The provided isolation can allow for mitigation of RF leakage between chambers and / or outside the connector. Additionally, for example, the entire connection or at least all defined chambers can be surrounded in the same or different continuous ground references (e.g., on the plug and / or on the socket) to mitigate RF leakage outside the connector.

[0056] Reference Figure 3Examples of a receptacle structure 300, a corresponding example plug structure 302, and mating receptacle and plug structures to form a connector 304 are shown. For example, the receptacle structure 300 may include an IF signal tension pad 310, which, when connected to the plug structure 302, may receive a corresponding IF signal tension pad 312 of the plug structure 302. Receiving the corresponding IF signal tension pad 312 may include physical contact with the pad 310, proximal non-contact positioning to facilitate energy transfer (e.g., receiving energy from it), etc. For example, the IF signal tension pads 310 and 312 may include metallic materials or other materials that promote conductivity to allow them to be activated / deactivated to transmit signals. Furthermore, in the various examples described herein, the tension pads may be formed as structures and / or flexible materials that provide resistance when one tension pad mates with another to connect the plug structure to the corresponding receptacle. For example, when mating (e.g., when a protruding tension pad mates with one or more other protruding tension pads or into a groove formed by one or more other tension pads, as shown in the various examples herein), resistance can be provided by a spring or bending action in the structure or material of the tension pads. The receptacle structure 300 may also include a metallic ground 314, for example, that may surround various terminals (e.g., IF signal tension pads 310, 312 and peripheral signal tension pad 328) to shield against RF leakage. In this particular example, the metallic ground 314 may surround or define the outer periphery of the receptacle structure 300 to prevent RF leakage to the outside of the connector. Furthermore, the plug structure 302 may also have a metallic ground 316 that can contact the metallic ground 314 of the receptacle structure 300 during coupling. The ground may also be made of a metallic material. Additionally, at least the metallic ground 314 of the receptacle may include a connector for electrical coupling to a ground source on the device.

[0057] The plug structure 302 may also include a plastic support 322 that can contact a plastic support 324 on the socket structure 300 to allow the plug structure 302 to be guided into insertion and / or mechanically coupled to the socket structure 300. Furthermore, for example, the metal ground 314 on the socket structure 300 may include a pressure foot 326 to hold the plug structure 302 in the socket structure 300 using mechanical force (and / or ensure contact between the metal ground 314 of the socket structure 300 and the metal ground 316 of the plug structure 302 to form a continuous isolation structure therebetween). In this example, the socket structure 300 may also include a peripheral signal tension pad 328 that can receive a corresponding peripheral signal tension pad 330 of the plug structure 302 when coupled to it.

[0058] As shown, for example, the metal ground 316 of the plug structure 302 can define chambers 350, 352, 354 shielded by a continuous grounding structure (e.g., a continuous isolation structure coupled to a ground reference), which, as described above, can mitigate RF leakage to the exterior of each chamber 350, 352, 354 and to the exterior of the connector. In this example, chambers 350, 352, 354 can define an inner surface of the metal ground 316 to provide the chambers. Signal tension pads 312, 330 are disposed within the inner surface. When connected to the metal ground 314 of the socket, chambers 350, 352, 354 can effectively isolate energy from the signal tension pads 310, 312, 330, which are respectively surrounding them. The signal tension pads 310, 312, 330 can also be provided with terminals to facilitate electrical connection (and may also be referred to herein as terminals) between the socket structure 300 and the plug structure 302. Specifically, in the example, the metal ground 316 of the plug structure 302 can be coupled to the ground pad 320 of the socket structure 300, which can provide a continuous grounding structure for the chambers 350, 352, and 354. This can prevent energy leakage to different chambers and / or complete disconnection from the connector (e.g., additionally by grounding the entire plug structure 302 and socket structure 300).

[0059] Reference Figure 4 The diagram illustrates an example of another receptacle structure 400 and corresponding example plug structures 402, 404, and 406. For example, the receptacle structure 400 may include an IF signal tension pad 410, which, as described, may receive a corresponding IF signal tension pad 412 from one or more of the plug structures 402, 404, and 406. For example, the IF signal tension pads 410 and 412 may include a metallic material or other material that promotes conductivity to allow them to be activated / deactivated to transmit signals. The receptacle structure 400 may also include, for example, a metallic ground 414 that may surround, for example, the IF signal tension pads 410 and 412 and the peripheral signal tension pad 428 to shield against RF leakage. In this particular example, the metallic ground 414 may surround or define the outer periphery of the receptacle structure 400 to prevent RF leakage to the outside of the connector. Furthermore, the plug structures 402, 404, and 406 may also have a metallic ground 416 that may contact the metallic ground 414 of the receptacle structure 400 during coupling. Furthermore, in one example, the plug structure 402 may have a grounding pad 418 that can be coupled to a corresponding grounding pad 420 of the socket structure 400. Various grounding methods may also be made of metallic materials. Additionally, the socket's at least metallic grounding 414 may include a connector for electrical coupling to a grounding source on the device.

[0060] Plug structures 402, 404, and 406 may further include a plastic support 422 that can contact a plastic support 424 on the socket structure 400 to allow the plug structures 402, 404, and 406 to be guided into and / or mechanically coupled to the socket 400. Additionally, for example, a metal ground 414 on the socket structure 400 may include a pressure foot 426 to hold the plug structures 402, 404, and 406 within the socket structure 400 using the mechanical force of the socket structure 400 (and / or ensure contact between the metal ground 414 of the socket structure 400 and the metal ground 416 of the plug structures 402, 404, and 406 to form a continuous isolation structure therebetween). In one example, the socket structure 400 may also include a peripheral signal tension pad 428 that can receive a corresponding peripheral signal tension pad 430 when coupled to one or more of the corresponding peripheral signal tension pads 430 of the plug structures 402, 404, and 406.

[0061] As shown, for example, a plastic support 432 may also be provided to at least partially define and / or isolate chambers 450, 452, 454. In this example, chambers 450, 452, 454 may define the inner surface of a metal ground 416 or a plastic structure 432 to provide the chamber. Signal tension pads 412, 430 are disposed within the inner surface. Furthermore, the metal ground 416 of plug structures 402, 404, 406 may at least partially surround chambers 450, 452, 454 and may provide a continuous isolation structure. When connected to the metal ground 414 of the receptacle, the continuous grounding structure of chambers 450, 452, 454 can be implemented for the connector and can effectively divert energy with the respective surrounding signal tension pads 410, 412, 430 (also referred to herein as terminals). This can mitigate energy leakage into the different chambers and / or from the connector entirely (e.g., additionally based on shielding the grounding of the entire plug structure 402, 404, 406 and receptacle structure 400).

[0062] For example, plug structure 402 may include a grounding pad 418, which, when connected to grounding pad 420 of socket structure 400, can provide a continuous grounding structure for chambers 450, 452, 454. As described, this can mitigate RF leakage to the exterior of each of chambers 450, 452, 454 and to the exterior of the connector. The pressure foot 426 can also achieve a continuous grounding structure by coupling two metallic grounds 416 of plug structure 402. In plug structure 404, the grounds 416 surrounding chambers 450, 452, 454 may remain partially open at the distal end based on the metallic grounds 416. However, this design allows for simplified manufacturing by providing a single grounding wire that can be shaped to form chambers 450, 452, 454. In plug structure 406, chambers 450, 452, 454 may also remain partially open based on the metallic grounds 416, but can be closed upon contact with metallic grounds 414 (e.g., and / or the corresponding pressure foot 426). In the design of plug structures 404, 406, when connected to the grounding pad 420 of socket structure 400, metal ground 416 can provide a continuous grounding structure for chambers 450, 452, 454, as described, which can mitigate RF leakage to the outside of each chamber in chambers 450, 452, 454 and to the outside of the connector.

[0063] Reference Figure 5 The diagram illustrates an example of another receptacle structure 500 and corresponding example plug structures 502, 504. For example, the receptacle structure 500 may include an IF signal tension pad 510, which, as described, may receive a corresponding IF signal tension pad 512 when coupled to one or more of the corresponding IF signal tension pads 512 in the plug structures 502, 504. For example, the IF signal tension pads 510, 512 may include a metallic material or other material that promotes conductivity to allow them to be activated / deactivated to transmit signals. The receptacle structure 500 may also include, for example, a metallic ground 514 that may surround, for example, the IF signal tension pads 510, 512 and the peripheral signal tension pad 528 to shield against RF leakage. In this particular example, the metallic ground 514 may surround or define the outer periphery of the receptacle structure 500 to prevent RF leakage to the outside of the connector. Furthermore, the plug structures 502, 504 may also have a metallic ground 516 that may contact the metallic ground 514 of the receptacle structure 500 upon coupling. Various grounds may also be made of metallic materials. In addition, the socket’s at least metallic ground 514 may include a connector for electrical coupling to a ground source on the device.

[0064] The plug structures 502, 504 may further include a plastic support 522 that can contact a plastic support 524 on the socket structure 500 to allow the plug structures 502, 504, 506 to be guided into insertion and / or mechanically coupled to the socket structure 500. Additionally, for example, the metal ground 514 on the socket structure 500 may include a pressure foot 526 for using mechanical force to hold the plug structures 502, 504 in the socket structure 500 (and / or ensure contact between the metal ground 514 of the socket structure 500 and the metal ground 516 of the plug structures 502, 504 to form a continuous isolation structure therebetween). In one example, the socket structure 500 may also include a peripheral signal tension pad 528 that can receive a corresponding peripheral signal tension pad 530 when coupled to one or more of the corresponding peripheral signal tension pads 530 of the plug structures 502, 504.

[0065] As shown, for example, a plastic support 532 may also be provided to at least partially define and / or isolate chambers 550, 552, 554. Furthermore, the metallic ground 516 of the plug structures 502, 504 may at least partially surround chambers 550, 552, 554 and may provide a continuous isolation structure. When connected to the metallic ground 514 of the receptacle, the continuous grounding structure of chambers 550, 552, 554 can be implemented for the connector and can effectively divert energy with the signal tension pads 510, 512, 530 (also referred to herein as terminals) that surround them respectively. This can mitigate energy leakage into the different chambers and / or from the connector entirely (e.g., additionally based on grounding that shields the entire plug structure 502, 504 and receptacle structure 500 (e.g., the periphery)).

[0066] In plug structure 502, the ground 516 surrounding chambers 550, 552, 554 can remain partially open based on the metallic ground 516. In this example, chambers 550, 552, 554 can define the inner surface of the metallic ground 516 or the plastic structure 524 to provide the chambers. Signal tension pads 512, 530 are disposed within the inner surface. However, this design allows for simplified manufacturing by providing a single ground wire that can be formed to create chambers 550, 552, 554. In plug structure 504, chambers 550, 552, 554 can also remain partially open based on the metallic ground 516, but can be closed upon contact with the metallic ground 514 (e.g., and / or the corresponding pressure foot 526). In the design of plug structures 504 and 506, when connected to the grounding pad 520 of socket structure 500, metal ground 516 can provide a continuous grounding structure for chambers 550, 552, and 554, as described, which can mitigate RF leakage to the exterior of each of chambers 550, 552, and 554 and to the exterior of the connector.

[0067] Reference Figure 6 The diagram illustrates an example of a receptacle structure 600, a corresponding example plug structure 602, and mating receptacle and plug structures to form a connector 604. For example, the receptacle structure 600 may include an IF signal tension pad 610 that, when coupled to the plug structure 602, can receive a corresponding IF signal tension pad 612 of the plug structure 602. Receiving the corresponding IF signal tension pad 612 may include physical contact with the IF signal tension pad 610, near-end non-contact positioning to facilitate energy reception therefrom, etc. For example, the IF signal tension pads 610 and 612 may include a metallic material or other materials that promote conductivity to allow them to be activated / deactivated to transmit signals. The receptacle structure 600 may also include a metallic ground 614, for example, that may surround various terminals (e.g., the IF signal tension pads 610 and 612 and the peripheral signal tension pad 628) to shield against RF leakage. In this particular example, the metallic ground 614 may surround or define the outer periphery of the receptacle structure 600 to prevent RF leakage to the outside of the connector. Furthermore, the plug structure 602 may also have a metallic ground 616, which, when coupled, can contact the metallic ground 614 of the socket structure 600. The ground may also be made of a metallic material. Additionally, at least the metallic ground 614 of the socket may include a connector for electrical coupling to a ground source on the device.

[0068] The plug structure 602 may also include a plastic support 622 that can contact a plastic support 624 on the socket structure 600 to allow the plug structure 602 to be guided into insertion and / or mechanically coupled to the socket structure 600. Furthermore, for example, the metal ground 614 on the socket structure 600 may include a pressure foot 626 to hold the plug structure 602 in the socket structure 600 using mechanical force (and / or ensure contact between the metal ground 614 of the socket structure 600 and the metal ground 616 of the plug structure 602 to form a continuous isolation structure therebetween). In the example, the socket structure 600 may also include a peripheral signal tension pad 628 that can receive a corresponding peripheral signal tension pad 630 of the plug structure 602 when coupled to it.

[0069] As shown, for example, the metallic ground 616 of the plug structure 602 may define chambers 650, 652, 654, which are shielded by a continuous ground structure that at least partially surrounds the chambers 650, 652, 654. A plastic support 632 may also be configured to at least partially define and / or isolate chambers 650, 652, 654. In this example, chambers 650, 652, 654 may define the inner surfaces of the metallic ground 616 and / or the plastic structure 632 to provide the chambers. The plastic support 632 and / or 624 may also allow signal tension pads 612, 630 to engage with the guide of pad 610. The signal tension pads 612, 630 are disposed within the inner surface. When connected to the metal ground 614 of the socket, chambers 650, 652, and 654 effectively isolate energy from the surrounding signal tension pads 610, 612, and 630 (also referred to herein as terminals), thereby mitigating RF leakage to the exterior of each of chambers 650, 652, and 654 and to the exterior of the connector, as described. As described, a single ground wire 616 simplifies the manufacturing process. Furthermore, this connector structure prevents energy leakage into the different chambers and / or from leaking entirely out of the connector (e.g., additionally based on grounding that shields the entire plug structure 602 and socket structure 600).

[0070] Reference Figure 7 The diagram illustrates an example of a receptacle structure 700, a corresponding example plug structure 702, and mating receptacle and plug structures to form a connector 704. For example, the receptacle structure 700 may include an IF signal tension pad 710 that, when coupled to a corresponding IF signal tension pad 712 of the plug structure 702, can receive the corresponding IF signal tension pad 712 of the plug structure 702. Receiving the corresponding IF signal tension pad 712 may include physical contact with the pad 710, near-end non-contact positioning, to facilitate the reception of energy from it, etc. For example, the IF signal tension pads 710, 712 may include a metallic material or other material that promotes conductivity to allow them to be activated / deactivated to transmit signals. The receptacle structure 700 may also include, for example, a metallic ground 714 that may surround various terminals (e.g., IF signal tension pads 710, 712 and peripheral signal tension pad 728) to shield RF leakage from reaching the outside of the receptacle structure 700.

[0071] Furthermore, the metallic ground 714 may have a structure forming separate chambers 750 and 752 for IF terminals and a chamber 754 for other terminals (e.g., corresponding to the peripheral signal tension pad 728) by forming IF isolation chamber walls 756 and 758. This provides isolation within the chambers to prevent interference across the chambers. Additionally, the plug structure 702 may also have a metallic ground 716 that can contact the metallic ground 714 of the socket structure 700 during coupling. In an example, the metallic ground 716 may have a structure forming separate chambers 751 and 753 for IF terminals and a chamber 755 for other terminals (e.g., corresponding to the peripheral signal tension pad 730) by forming IF isolation chamber walls 757 and 759. The ground may also be made of a metallic material and may be connected. Furthermore, at least the metallic ground 714 of the socket may include a connector for electrical coupling to a ground source on the device.

[0072] The plug structure 702 may also include a plastic support 722 that can contact a plastic support 724 on the socket structure 700 to allow the plug structure 702 to be guided into insertion and / or mechanically coupled to the socket structure 700. Additionally, for example, the metal ground 714 on the socket structure 700 may include a pressure foot 726 to hold the plug structure 702 in the socket structure 700 using mechanical force (and / or ensure contact between the metal ground 714 of the socket structure 700 and the metal ground 716 of the plug structure 702). In the example, the socket structure 700 may also include a peripheral signal tension pad 728 that can receive the corresponding peripheral signal tension pad 730 of the plug structure 702 when coupled to it.

[0073] As shown, for example, a metallic ground 714 of the socket structure 700 may define chambers 750, 752, 754 and / or a metallic ground 716 of the plug structure 702 may define chambers 751, 753, 755. The metallic ground 714 may form a continuous isolation structure for chambers 750, 752, 754 on the socket structure 700, and the metallic ground 716 may form a continuous isolation structure for chambers 751, 753, 755 on the plug structure 702. When the socket structure 700 and the plug structure 702 are joined to form a connector 704, the metallic ground 714, which can be connected to a grounding source on the device, may contact the metallic ground 716, and chambers 751, 753, 755 may thus be completely shielded by grounding and grounded with a continuous isolation structure as a continuous grounding structure. A plastic support 732 may also be provided to at least partially define and / or isolate chambers 751, 753, 755.

[0074] In the example, chambers 751, 753, and 755 may define the inner surface (or one or more inner surfaces) of a metallic ground 716 (e.g., in conjunction with metallic ground 714) and / or a plastic structure 732 to provide the chamber. Plastic supports 732 and / or 724 may also allow guided engagement of the IF signal tension pad 712 with the IF signal tension pad 710. The IF signal tension pads 712 are disposed within the inner surface of their respective chambers 751 and 753. When metallic ground 716 is connected to metallic ground 714 of the receptacle structure 700, chambers 751, 753, and 755 can effectively isolate energy from the surrounding signal tension pads 712 and 730 (also referred to herein as terminals). As described, grounding wires 714 and 716 may be a single grounding wire to simplify the manufacturing process. Furthermore, this connector structure can prevent energy leakage into the different chambers and / or complete leakage out of the connector (e.g., additionally based on grounding of the entire plug structure 702 and receptacle structure 700).

[0075] Furthermore, when the socket structure 700 mates with the plug structure 702 to form a connector 704, tension pads 710 and 712 may contact each other to form an IF terminal 770 and / or tension pads 728 and 730 may contact each other to form other terminals 772 (e.g., for peripheral signals, as described).

[0076] Figure 8 Examples of FPC 800, including plug structure 302 and cable portion 802 attached thereto, and FPC 804, including plug structure 602 and cable portion 806 attached thereto, are shown. As described, plug structures 302, 602 may include IF signal tension pads 312, 612 and peripheral signal tension pads 330, 630 for coupling to corresponding pads on the receptacle. In the example, IF signal tension pads 312, 612 may be electrically coupled to IF lines 812 on the cable portion 802, and peripheral signal tension pads 330, 630 may be electrically coupled to peripheral lines 830 on the cable portion 802. FPCs 800, 804 may include another plug structure at the other end of the cable portions 802, 806 to facilitate connection of two or more PCBs via corresponding receptacles. In this example, IF line 812 can carry an IF signal between IF signal tension pads 312 and 612 on the plug structure, and peripheral line 830 can carry control signals (e.g., battery signals, power signals, digital signals, etc.) between peripheral signal tension pads 330 and 630 on the plug structure. The structure of the example plug described above allows for a simplified wiring interface for FPCs 800 and 804 on cable sections 802 and 806. Although shown and described for... Figure 3 and Figure 6The plug structures 302 and 602 are acceptable, but the FPC 800 may also be used substantially with any of the socket structures disclosed and described herein (e.g., socket structures 402, 404, 406, 502, 504, 702) or other conceivable socket structures based on the disclosure herein (e.g., any plug structure having continuous metal grounding and / or terminal chambers, as described herein).

[0077] Figure 9 A flowchart illustrating an example of a method 900 for manufacturing a printed circuit having at least a portion of the EMI-compatible RF connector described herein.

[0078] In method 900, at block 902, at least a portion of a connector having a plurality of chambers and at least one terminal in each of the plurality of chambers can be formed, each of the plurality of chambers being at least partially shielded by a continuous isolation structure. In one aspect, apparatus for producing printed circuits such as PCBs or FPCs can form at least a portion of the connector as described, wherein this portion of the connector may include the aforementioned plug or receptacle portion. For example, when manufacturing a PCB, this portion of the connector may include a receptacle, while when manufacturing an FPC, this portion of the connector may include a plug, and / or vice versa. For example, as described, the manufactured receptacle and / or plug may include... Figures 3 to 7 One of the examples described herein may be formed as other sockets / plugs comprising multiple chambers shielded using a plastic structure and / or a continuous grounding reference.

[0079] In method 900, at block 904, at least one terminal of a first chamber among a plurality of chambers can be coupled to a first line on a printed circuit for use as a first interface. Furthermore, in method 900, at block 906, at least one terminal of a second chamber among a plurality of chambers can be coupled to a second line on a printed circuit for use as a second interface. In one example, at least one of the first and second interfaces may correspond to an IF interface. For example, this may include connecting IF signal tension pads 312, 612 to... Figure 8 The IF line 812 is shown in the diagram.

[0080] In method 900, at block 908, at least one terminal of a third chamber among a plurality of chambers may be coupled to a third line on a printed circuit. In an example, the third line may include a perimeter line for controlling signals surrounding an IF signal. For example, this may include connecting perimeter signal tension pads 330, 630 to... Figure 8 The outer perimeter is shown as 830.

[0081] Figure 10This is a block diagram of a MIMO communication system 1000 including base station 102 and UE 104. The MIMO communication system 1000 can be shown in reference. Figure 1 The wireless communication access network 100 described herein. Base station 102 may be a reference. Figure 1 Examples of aspects of the described base station 102 are provided. Base station 102 may be equipped with antennas 1034 and 1035, and UE 104 may be equipped with antennas 1052 and 1053. In the MIMO communication system 1000, base station 102 can simultaneously transmit data on multiple communication links. Each communication link may be referred to as a "layer," and the "level" of the communication link may indicate the number of layers used for communication. For example, in a 2×2 MIMO communication system where base station 102 transmits two "layers," the level of the communication link between base station 102 and UE 104 is two.

[0082] At base station 102, transmit (Tx) processor 1020 can receive data from a data source. Transmit processor 1020 can process the data. Transmit processor 1020 can also generate control symbols or reference symbols. Where applicable, transmit MIMO processor 1030 can perform spatial processing (e.g., precoding) on ​​the data symbols, control symbols, or reference symbols, and can provide output symbol streams to transmit modulators / demodulators 1032 and 1033. Each modulator / demodulator 1032 to 1033 can process the corresponding output symbol stream (e.g., for OFDM, etc.) to obtain an output sample stream. Each modulator / demodulator 1032 to 1033 can further process (e.g., convert to analog, amplify, filter, and up-convert) the output sample stream to obtain a DL signal. In one example, the DL signals from modulators / demodulators 1032 and 1033 can be transmitted via antennas 1034 and 1035, respectively.

[0083] UE 104 can be used as a reference. Figures 1 to 2Examples of aspects of the described UE 104. At UE 104, UE antennas 1052 and 1053 can receive DL signals from base station 102 and can provide the received signals to modulators / demodulators 1054 and 1055, respectively. Each modulator / demodulator 1054 to 1055 can adjust (e.g., filter, amplify, down-convert, and digitize) the corresponding received signal to obtain input samples. Each modulator / demodulator 1054 to 1055 can further process the input samples (e.g., for OFDM, etc.) to obtain received symbols. MIMO detector 1056 can obtain the received symbols from modulators / demodulators 1054 and 1055, perform MIMO detection on the received symbols if applicable, and provide detected symbols. Receive (Rx) processor 1058 can process (e.g., demodulate, deinterleave, and decode) the detected symbols to provide decoded data for UE 104 to the data output and to provide decoding control information to processor 1080 or memory 1082.

[0084] On the uplink (UL), at UE 104, transmit processor 1064 can receive and process data from a data source. Transmit processor 1064 can also generate reference symbols for a reference signal. Where applicable, symbols from transmit processor 1064 can be pre-encoded by transmit MIMO processor 1066, further processed by modulators / demodulators 1054 and 1055 (e.g., for SC-FDMA, etc.), and transmitted to base station 102 according to communication parameters received from base station 102. At base station 102, UL signals from UE 104 can be received by antennas 1034 and 1035, processed by modulators / demodulators 1032 and 1033, detected by MIMO detector 1036 where applicable, and further processed by receive processor 1038. Receive processor 1038 can provide decoded data to data output and processor 1040 or memory 1042.

[0085] Components of UE 104 may be implemented individually or collectively using one or more ASICs adapted to perform some or all of the applicable functions in the hardware. Each of the mentioned modules may be a device for performing one or more functions related to the operation of the MIMO communication system 1000. Similarly, components of base station 102 may be implemented individually or collectively using one or more ASICs adapted to perform some or all of the applicable functions in the hardware. Each of the mentioned components may be a device for performing one or more functions related to the operation of the MIMO communication system 1000.

[0086] In the example, various components of UE 104 can be coupled to modulator / demodulator 1054 and 1055, respectively, using EMI-compatible RF connectors such as antennas 1052 and 1053 as described herein.

[0087] The detailed description above, illustrated in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, describes examples and is not intended to represent the only examples that may be implemented or that fall within the scope of the claims. The term "example" as used in this description means "serving as an example, instance, or illustration," and not "preferred" or "superior to other examples." The detailed description includes specific details used to provide an understanding of the described techniques. However, these techniques may be practiced without these specific details. In some cases, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form to avoid obscuring the concepts of the described examples.

[0088] Information and signals can be represented using any of a variety of different technologies and techniques. For example, data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, symbols, and chips referred to throughout the above description can be represented by voltage, current, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or particles, light fields or particles, computer-executable code or instructions stored on a computer-readable medium, or any combination thereof.

[0089] The various illustrative boxes and components incorporated herein can be implemented or performed using specially programmed devices, such as, but not limited to, processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), ASICs, FPGAs, or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof, designed to perform the functions described herein. A specially programmed processor may be a microprocessor, but alternatively, it may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A specially programmed processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, such as a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors combined with a DSP core, or any other such configuration.

[0090] The functions described herein can be implemented in hardware, software executed by a processor, firmware, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software executed by a processor, these functions can be stored on or transmitted to a non-transitory computer-readable medium as one or more instructions or code. Other examples and implementations are within the scope and spirit of this disclosure and the appended claims. For example, due to the nature of software, the above-described functions can be implemented using software executed by a specially programmed processor, hardware, firmware, hardwired, or any combination thereof. Features implementing the functions can also be physically located in different locations, including being distributed such that portions of the functions are implemented in different physical locations. Furthermore, as used herein, including in the claims, "or" as used in a list of items beginning with "...at least one of..." indicates a separate list, such that a list such as "at least one of A, B, or C" means A or B or C or AB or AC or BC or ABC (i.e., A and B and C).

[0091] Computer-readable media includes both computer storage media and communication media, wherein the communication media includes any medium that facilitates the transfer of a computer program from one place to another. Storage media can be any available medium accessible to a general-purpose or special-purpose computer. By way of example and not limitation, computer-readable media can include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disc storage, disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store the required program code in the form of instructions or data structures and can be accessed by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer or a general-purpose or special-purpose processor. Furthermore, any connection is appropriately referred to as computer-readable media. For example, if software is transmitted from a website, server, or other remote source using coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, DSL, or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave, then coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, DSL, or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave are included in the definition of media. As used herein, disks and optical discs include compact discs (CDs), laser discs, optical discs, digital versatile discs (DVDs), floppy disks, and Blu-ray discs, where disks typically reproduce data magnetically, while optical discs use lasers to reproduce data optically. The combinations described above also fall within the scope of computer-readable media.

[0092] The foregoing description of this disclosure is provided to enable those skilled in the art to make or use this disclosure. Various modifications to this disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the common principles defined herein may be applied to other variations without departing from the spirit or scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, although elements of the described aspects and / or embodiments may be described or claimed in the singular, the plural form is contemplated unless expressly stated to be limited to the singular. Moreover, unless otherwise stated, all or a portion of any aspect and / or embodiment may be used in conjunction with all or a portion of any other aspect and / or embodiment. Therefore, this disclosure is not limited to the examples and designs described herein, but is accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

[0093] The following provides an overview of further provisions of the invention:

[0094] 1. A plug configured to support wireless communication, the plug comprising:

[0095] A plurality of chambers, wherein each of the plurality of chambers is at least partially surrounded by a continuous isolation structure and defines an inner surface;

[0096] At least one terminal is located within the inner surface of each of the plurality of chambers, wherein at least a first terminal in the first chamber of the plurality of chambers is configured for a first interface, and at least a second terminal in the second chamber of the plurality of chambers is configured for a second interface.

[0097] 2. The plug as described in Clause 1, wherein the plug is used for flexible printed circuits (FPCs) and is configured to support millimeter-wave (mmW) wireless communication.

[0098] 3. The plug according to clause 1 or 2, wherein the continuous isolation structure is a continuous grounding structure.

[0099] 4. The plug according to clauses 1 to 3, wherein the first interface includes a first intermediate frequency (IF) interface, and wherein the second interface includes a second IF interface.

[0100] 5. The plug according to Clause 4, wherein at least a third terminal in the third chamber of the plurality of chambers comprises one or more control terminals.

[0101] 6. The plug as described in Clause 5, wherein the one or more control terminals include at least one of the following: a battery terminal, a voltage terminal, or a digital terminal.

[0102] 7. The plug according to clauses 4 to 6, wherein the first IF interface and the second IF interface are configured to carry millimeter-wave signals.

[0103] 8. The plug according to clauses 1 to 7, wherein one or more of the plurality of chambers have an opening in the continuous isolation structure.

[0104] 9. The plug as described in Clause 8, wherein when the plug is coupled to the socket, one or more of the plurality of chambers form a closed, continuous grounding structure.

[0105] 10. The plug according to claims 1 to 9, wherein at least the first terminal includes a tension pad for electrical coupling with a corresponding tension pad on the socket to facilitate electrical contact with the corresponding tension pad.

[0106] 11. The plug according to Clause 10, wherein the electrical coupling comprises physical contact or proximal non-contact positioning between the tension pad and the corresponding tension pad on the socket to facilitate the transfer of energy.

[0107] 12. The plug according to clauses 1 to 11, wherein the continuous isolation structure is a continuous grounding structure formed by a single grounding wire wound to form each of the plurality of chambers.

[0108] 13. A method for manufacturing a printed circuit, the printed circuit being configured to support wireless communication, the method comprising:

[0109] The connector comprises at least a portion having a plurality of chambers and at least one terminal in each of the plurality of chambers, wherein each chamber is at least partially surrounded by a continuous isolation structure;

[0110] At least a first terminal in the first chamber of the plurality of chambers is coupled to a first line on the printed circuit for use as a first interface;

[0111] At least one second terminal of the second chamber in the plurality of chambers is coupled to a second line on the printed circuit for use as a second interface.

[0112] 14. The method according to Clause 13, the method further comprising coupling at least a third terminal in a third chamber of the plurality of chambers to at least a third line on the printed circuit, wherein the at least the third terminal in the third chamber includes one or more control terminals.

[0113] 15. The method according to Clause 14, wherein the one or more control terminals include at least one of the following: a battery terminal, a voltage terminal, or a digital terminal.

[0114] 16. The method according to clauses 13 to 15, wherein forming the at least portion of the connector includes forming at least the first terminal as a tension pad for coupling with a corresponding tension pad on the receptacle to induce electrical coupling with the corresponding tension pad.

[0115] 17. The method according to clauses 13 to 16, wherein forming at least a portion of the connector comprises forming the continuous isolation structure using a single ground wire, the single ground wire being wound to form each of the plurality of chambers.

[0116] 18. The method according to clauses 13 to 17, wherein the at least part of the connector is a plug or a socket.

[0117] 19. A socket configured to support wireless communication, the socket comprising:

[0118] At least two terminals are configured for use with the first interface and the second interface;

[0119] An isolation portion, at least partially surrounding each of the at least two terminals in a corresponding chamber, wherein the isolation portion forms part of a continuous isolation structure when coupled to a plug having at least two different terminals coupled to the at least two terminals.

[0120] 20. The socket as described in Clause 19, wherein the socket is used to couple to a printed circuit board and is configured to support millimeter-wave (mmW) wireless communication.

[0121] 21. The socket according to Clause 19 or 20, wherein the first interface includes a first intermediate frequency (IF) interface and the second interface includes a second IF interface.

[0122] 22. The socket according to clauses 19 to 21, wherein the insulating portion is a metal grounding portion and the continuous insulating structure is a continuous grounding structure.

[0123] 23. The socket according to clauses 19 to 22, the socket further comprising one or more control terminals, wherein the isolating portion at least partially surrounds the one or more control terminals in another chamber.

[0124] 24. The socket as described in Clause 23, wherein the one or more control terminals include at least one of the following: battery terminal, voltage terminal, or digital terminal.

[0125] 25. The socket as described in Clauses 19 to 24, wherein the insulating portion includes a pressure foot to mechanically retain the plug in the socket.

[0126] 26. The socket as described in Clauses 19 to 25, the socket further comprising a connector to couple the isolating portion to a ground source of the device to provide a continuous grounding structure.

Claims

1. A plug configured to support wireless communication, the plug comprising: A plurality of chambers, wherein each of the plurality of chambers is at least partially surrounded by a continuous isolation structure and defines an inner surface; as well as At least one terminal is provided within the inner surface of each of the plurality of chambers, wherein at least a first terminal in a first chamber of the plurality of chambers is configured for a first interface, and at least a second terminal in a second chamber of the plurality of chambers is configured for a second interface. The continuous isolation structure of each of the plurality of chambers forms a continuous grounding structure that completely surrounds the chamber, the continuous grounding structure being formed by a single grounding wire wound to form each of the plurality of chambers, wherein the continuous grounding structure is configured to be grounded via mechanical contact with the metal grounding foot of the socket. At least the first terminal includes a tension pad for electrical coupling with a corresponding tension pad on the socket to facilitate electrical contact with the corresponding tension pad. The electrical coupling includes physical contact or proximal non-contact positioning between the tension pad and the corresponding tension pad on the socket to facilitate energy transfer.

2. The plug of claim 1, wherein the plug is used in a flexible printed circuit (FPC) and is configured to support millimeter-wave (mmW) wireless communication.

3. The plug according to claim 1, wherein the first interface includes a first intermediate frequency (IF) interface, and wherein the second interface includes a second IF interface.

4. The plug according to claim 3, wherein at least the third terminal in the third chamber of the plurality of chambers comprises one or more control terminals.

5. The plug according to claim 4, wherein the one or more control terminals include at least one of the following: a battery terminal, a voltage terminal, or a digital terminal.

6. The plug according to claim 3, wherein the first IF interface and the second IF interface are configured to carry millimeter-wave signals.

7. The plug according to claim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of chambers have an opening in the continuous isolation structure.

8. The plug of claim 7, wherein when the plug is coupled to the socket, one or more of the plurality of chambers form a closed, continuous grounding structure.

9. A method for manufacturing a printed circuit, the printed circuit being configured to support wireless communication, the method comprising: The connector comprises at least a portion having a plurality of chambers and at least one terminal in each of the plurality of chambers, wherein each chamber is at least partially surrounded by a continuous isolation structure; At least a first terminal in the first chamber of the plurality of chambers is coupled to a first line on the printed circuit for use as a first interface; as well as At least a second terminal in the second chamber of the plurality of chambers is coupled to a second line on the printed circuit for use as a second interface. The continuous isolation structure of each of the plurality of chambers forms a continuous grounding structure that completely surrounds the chamber, the continuous grounding structure being formed by a single grounding wire wound to form each of the plurality of chambers, wherein the continuous grounding structure is configured to be grounded via mechanical contact with the metal grounding foot of the socket. The at least portion of forming the connector includes: forming at least the first terminal as a tension pad for coupling with a corresponding tension pad on the socket to facilitate electrical coupling with the corresponding tension pad. The electrical coupling includes physical contact or proximal non-contact positioning between the tension pad and the corresponding tension pad on the socket to facilitate energy transfer.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising: At least a third terminal in a third chamber of the plurality of chambers is coupled to at least a third line on the printed circuit, wherein the at least the third terminal in the third chamber includes one or more control terminals.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more control terminals include at least one of the following: a battery terminal, a voltage terminal, or a digital terminal.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least portion of the connector is a plug or a socket.

13. A socket configured to support wireless communication, the socket comprising: At least two terminals are configured for the first interface and the second interface; An isolation portion, at least partially surrounding each of the at least two terminals within a corresponding chamber, wherein, when coupled to a plug having at least two different terminals coupled to the at least two terminals, the isolation portion forms a portion of a continuous isolation structure. The isolation portion of each of the respective chambers is a metal grounding portion having a pressure foot configured to contact the plug using mechanical force and provide a continuous grounding structure for the respective chamber, the continuous grounding structure being formed by a single grounding wire wound to form each of the plurality of chambers. At least the first of the at least two terminals includes a tension pad for electrical coupling with a corresponding tension pad on the plug, to facilitate electrical contact with the corresponding tension pad. The electrical coupling includes physical contact or proximal non-contact positioning between the tension pad and the corresponding tension pad on the plug to facilitate energy transfer.

14. The socket of claim 13, wherein the socket is used to couple to a printed circuit board and is configured to support millimeter-wave (mmW) wireless communication.

15. The socket of claim 13, wherein the first interface includes a first intermediate frequency (IF) interface, and the second interface includes a second IF interface.

16. The socket of claim 13, further comprising one or more control terminals, wherein the isolating portion at least partially surrounds the one or more control terminals in another chamber.

17. The socket of claim 16, wherein the one or more control terminals include at least one of the following: a battery terminal, a voltage terminal, or a digital terminal.

18. The socket of claim 13, wherein the isolation portion includes a pressure foot to mechanically retain the plug in the socket.

19. The socket of claim 13, further comprising a connector to couple the isolation portion to a ground source of the device to provide a continuous grounding structure.

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