Antenna design with segmented metal cover

Abstract

Various exemplary embodiments relate to radio frequency communications. A device may include: a substrate layer including at least one antenna cavity having at least one antenna element; and a metal capping layer including a plurality of metal segments separated by a dielectric material, wherein the width of the plurality of metal segments on the inner surface of the metal capping layer facing the substrate layer is less than the width of the plurality of metal segments on the outer surface of the metal capping layer facing away from the substrate layer.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Various exemplary embodiments generally relate to the field of wireless communication. Specifically, some exemplary embodiments provide an antenna design for a device with a metal cover. Background Technology

[0002] Millimeter-wave (mm-wave) antennas are one of the components used to enable high-speed data connections over wireless channels. It may be necessary for the antenna to operate in different frequency bands and support dual-polarization, high isolation, and good gain. Furthermore, it may be necessary to implement the antenna within an all-metal industrial design of the device. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This invention provides a brief overview of some concepts, which will be further described in the specific embodiments. This invention is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0004] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention enable the desired antenna radiation beam tilt, thereby improving the performance of wireless communication. The above and other benefits can be realized through the features of the independent claims. Other implementations will be apparent from the dependent claims, the specification, and the accompanying drawings.

[0005] According to a first aspect, an apparatus for radio frequency communication is provided. The apparatus may include: a substrate layer including at least one antenna cavity having at least one antenna element; and a metal capping layer including a plurality of metal segments separated by a dielectric material, wherein the width of the plurality of metal segments on the inner surface of the metal capping layer facing the substrate layer is smaller than the width of the plurality of metal segments on the outer surface of the metal capping layer facing away from the substrate layer. This approach integrates the metal capping layer as part of the antenna, thereby enabling a reduction in the antenna volume at the substrate layer, for example, to reduce the thickness of the antenna design.

[0006] According to a first aspect, in a first possible implementation of the device, the device further includes a conductive pad layer between the substrate layer and the metal capping layer, wherein the conductive pad layer includes at least one hole aligned with the at least one antenna cavity. This approach improves antenna operation by grounding the metal capping layer.

[0007] According to the first aspect itself or the first implementation of the first aspect, in a second possible implementation of the device, the base layer includes a conductive surface, and the conductive pad layer is used to make galvanic contact with the conductive surface of the metal cap layer and the base layer. This solution improves the grounding of the metal cap layer.

[0008] According to the first aspect itself or the first or second implementation of the first aspect, in a third possible implementation of the device, the substrate layer includes an antenna cavity having multiple antenna elements. This approach makes antenna design implementation easier.

[0009] According to the first aspect itself or the first or second implementation of the first aspect, in a fourth possible implementation of the device, the substrate layer includes multiple antenna cavities having corresponding antenna elements. This scheme improves antenna operation by isolating adjacent antenna cavities.

[0010] According to the fourth implementation of the first aspect, in a fifth possible implementation of the device, the metal capping layer includes at least one cavity wall for separating the plurality of antenna cavities. This approach improves antenna operation by enabling a second resonant mode (dielectric resonator antenna (DRA) mode). It can increase the operating bandwidth and also improve isolation between adjacent antenna cavities.

[0011] According to the fifth implementation of the first aspect, in a sixth possible implementation of the device, the outer surface of the metal cover includes grooves along the at least one cavity wall to form groove-formed segments on the outer surface of the metal cover, wherein the size of the groove-formed segments corresponds to the size of the plurality of metal segments on the outer surface of the metal cover. This solution can conceal the antenna implementation while maintaining isolation between adjacent antenna cavities.

[0012] According to the first aspect itself or the third or fourth implementation of the first aspect, in a seventh possible implementation of the device, the plurality of antenna cavities are used for different frequency bands. This scheme enables the implementation of a multi-band antenna.

[0013] According to the seventh implementation of the first aspect, in an eighth possible implementation of the device, the plurality of antenna cavities include at least one low-frequency antenna cavity for a first frequency band and at least one high-frequency antenna cavity for a second frequency band, wherein the second frequency band is higher than the first frequency band. This solution enables the implementation of a dual-band antenna or antenna array and reduces the antenna volume on the substrate layer.

[0014] According to the eighth implementation of the first aspect, in a ninth possible implementation of the device, the electrical volume of the at least one low-frequency antenna cavity is greater than the electrical volume of the at least one high-frequency antenna cavity. This solution enables the antenna to be tuned to the desired frequency band.

[0015] According to the ninth implementation of the first aspect, in the tenth possible implementation of the device, the size of the metal segment of the metal capping layer aligned with the at least one high-frequency antenna cavity is equal to the size of the metal segment of the metal capping layer aligned with the at least one low-frequency antenna cavity, and the height of the at least one high-frequency antenna cavity is less than the height of the at least one low-frequency antenna cavity. This solution enables the low-frequency and high-frequency antennas to be tuned to the desired frequency bands, while also making the manufacturing of the metal capping layer easier.

[0016] According to the ninth implementation of the first aspect, in the eleventh possible implementation of the device, the height of the at least one high-frequency antenna cavity is equal to the height of the at least one low-frequency antenna cavity, and: for the width of the plurality of metal segments, the width of the metal segment aligned with the at least one high-frequency antenna cavity is less than the width of the metal segment aligned with the at least one low-frequency antenna cavity; for the width of the gap between the plurality of metal segments on the outer surface of the metal capping layer, the width of the gap between the metal segments aligned with the at least one high-frequency antenna cavity is greater than the width of the gap between the metal segments aligned with the at least one low-frequency antenna cavity; or for the thickness of the plurality of metal segments, the thickness of the metal segment aligned with the at least one high-frequency antenna cavity is less than the thickness of the metal segment aligned with the at least one low-frequency antenna cavity. This solution enables the low-frequency and high-frequency antennas to be tuned to the desired frequency bands, while also making the fabrication of the substrate layer easier.

[0017] According to any one of the fourth to eleventh implementations of the first aspect, in a twelfth possible implementation of the device, the substrate layer includes a plurality of low-frequency antenna cavities and a plurality of high-frequency antenna cavities having corresponding antenna elements. This scheme enables a dual-band antenna array and reduces the antenna volume on the substrate layer.

[0018] According to the twelfth implementation of the first aspect, in the thirteenth possible implementation of the device, the plurality of low-frequency antenna cavities are arranged in a first row along the metal capping layer, and the plurality of high-frequency antenna cavities are arranged in a second row parallel to the first row along the metal capping layer. This scheme improves the beam control performance of the dual-band antenna array.

[0019] According to the thirteenth implementation of the first aspect, in the fourteenth possible implementation of the device, the plurality of low-frequency antenna cavities and the plurality of high-frequency antenna cavities are alternately arranged in a row along the metal capping layer. This scheme can provide dual-band antennas in a narrower area along the metal capping layer.

[0020] According to the first aspect itself or any of the first to fourteenth implementations of the first aspect, in the fifteenth possible implementation of the device, the widths of the plurality of metal segments are substantially constant within a first distance from the outer surface of the metal capping layer. This approach simplifies the fabrication of the metal capping layer while still reducing the antenna volume at the substrate layer.

[0021] According to the first aspect itself or any of the first to fifteenth implementations of the first aspect, in a sixteenth possible implementation of the device, the plurality of metal segments are chamfered toward the inner surface of the metal capping layer. This arrangement enables the provision of a portion of the electrical volume of the antenna cavity on the metal surface, thereby reducing the antenna volume on the substrate. Furthermore, the chamfered shape simplifies the fabrication of the metal capping layer.

[0022] According to the first aspect itself or any of the first to sixteenth implementations of the first aspect, in the seventeenth possible implementation of the device, the widths of the plurality of metal segments are substantially constant within a second distance from the inner surface of the metal capping layer. This approach enables the provision of a larger portion of the electrical volume of the antenna cavity on the metal surface, thereby reducing the antenna volume on the substrate.

[0023] According to the first aspect itself or any of the first to seventeenth implementations of the first aspect, in an eighteenth possible implementation of the device, the substrate layer includes a printed circuit board (PCB) layer. This approach reduces the thickness of the antenna design by providing the antenna cavity within the PCB layer rather than within a separate substrate layer.

[0024] According to a second aspect, a method for manufacturing a device for radio frequency communication is provided. The method may include: arranging at least one antenna element in at least one antenna cavity of a substrate; stacking the substrate and the at least one antenna element with a metal capping layer, wherein the metal capping layer comprises a plurality of metal segments separated by a dielectric material, wherein the width of the plurality of metal segments on the inner surface of the metal capping layer facing the substrate is smaller than the width of the plurality of metal segments on the outer surface of the metal capping layer facing away from the substrate. This approach enables the manufacture of antennas with reduced antenna volume on the substrate.

[0025] According to a second aspect, in a first possible implementation of the method, the method further includes: stacking a conductive pad layer between the substrate layer and the metal capping layer, wherein the conductive pad layer includes at least one hole aligned with the at least one antenna cavity. This approach enables the fabrication of an antenna with improved operation by grounding the metal capping layer.

[0026] According to the second aspect itself or a first or second implementation of the second aspect, in a second possible implementation of the method, the metal capping layer includes at least one cavity wall for separating the plurality of antenna cavities when stacked with the substrate layer. This approach enables the fabrication of antennas with improved operation by isolating adjacent antenna cavities.

[0027] According to a third implementation of the second aspect, in a third possible implementation of the method, the method further includes: grooving the outer surface of the metal cap layer along the at least one cavity wall to form grooved segments on the outer surface of the metal cap layer, wherein the size of the grooved segments corresponds to the size of the plurality of metal segments on the outer surface of the metal cap layer. This solution can conceal the antenna implementation while maintaining isolation between adjacent antenna cavities.

[0028] Therefore, implementations of the present invention can provide an apparatus and a method for manufacturing an apparatus with an improved antenna design. Any implementation can be combined with one or more other implementations. These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from one or more exemplary implementations described below. Attached Figure Description

[0029] The accompanying drawings are provided to aid in a further understanding of exemplary embodiments and form part of this specification. These drawings illustrate exemplary embodiments and, together with the description, help to explain them. In the drawings:

[0030] Figure 1 An example of an orthographic view of a device having high-frequency and low-frequency antenna cavities and a segmented metal cover is shown;

[0031] Figure 2 An example of a cross-sectional view of the antenna cavity and the segmented metal cover is shown;

[0032] Figure 3 An example of a cross-sectional view of a high-frequency and low-frequency antenna cavity with constant dimensions of metal segments of a metal cover is shown;

[0033] Figure 4 Examples of cross-sectional views of high-frequency and low-frequency antenna cavities are shown, with the dimensions of the metal segments of the metal cover relating to the frequency band.

[0034] Figure 5 An example of a top view of a segmented metal cap is shown, corresponding to the low-frequency segment (a) and high-frequency segment (b) of the segmented metal cap, respectively;

[0035] Figure 6 An example top view of a segmented metal cover configured with low-frequency and high-frequency antenna rows is shown;

[0036] Figure 7 An example top view of a segmented metal cover for alternating rows of low-frequency and high-frequency antenna cavities is shown;

[0037] Figure 8 An example of the cross-sectional shape of a metal segment is shown;

[0038] Figure 9 An orthographic view showing an example of shallow grooves made in the cavity walls to form a uniform segmented pattern on the outer surface of the metal cap;

[0039] Figure 10 Examples comparing the performance of stepped and non-stepped metal segments at different frequency bands are shown.

[0040] Figure 11 Examples of gain radiation patterns in conductive pads with and without dedicated holes for antenna cavities are shown;

[0041] Figure 12 An example of a method for manufacturing a device for wireless communication is shown.

[0042] In the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals are used to denote the same parts. Detailed Implementation

[0043] Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The detailed description provided below, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, is intended as a description of the present example and is not intended to merely represent a form in which the present example can be constructed or used. The description illustrates the functionality of the example and the sequence of steps for constructing and operating the example. However, the same or equivalent functionality and sequence may be achieved through different embodiments.

[0044] Millimeter-wave (mm-wave) antennas are one of the components that enable high-speed data connections over wireless interfaces. For example, a device's mm-wave antenna can operate in two frequency bands, such as band n257+n258 (24.24 GHz to 29.5 GHz) (also known as the low band, LB) and band n259+n260 (37 GHz to 43.5 GHz) (also known as the high band, HB). mm-wave antennas can support dual polarization, high isolation, and good practical gain. It is also desirable that the antennas be implemented in a way that makes them virtually imperceptible to the user.

[0045] The all-metal industrial design (ID) of a device (such as a mobile phone) may be aesthetically pleasing and appealing to users. However, this all-metal design typically prevents electromagnetic radiation from passing through the cover. However, in the all-metal ID of communication devices, there may be locations that allow electromagnetic radiation to pass through. One potential location for a millimeter-wave antenna is a gap at the edge of the device. However, such a narrow gap may be difficult to support dual polarization. Another potential location for a millimeter-wave antenna is the camera trim area, but this area may be far from the edge of the device, while end-fire (EF) antenna modules can be placed at the edge. Therefore, the distance between the end-fire and EF millimeter-wave modules would be significant, potentially leading to higher transmission line losses and lower practical gain.

[0046] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide an efficient antenna design, for example, enabling a dual-polarized, dual-band, and dual-fed antenna scheme employing a segmented metal cap comprising metal segments (also referred to as metal pixels) of various shapes separated by a dielectric material. Various methods are provided to improve antenna bandwidth and efficiency while making the presence of one or more antennas difficult for the user to detect.

[0047] According to one method, a thin (20 μm) metal plate can be disposed on top of a radiating patch antenna located within an antenna cavity. This metal plate may include a uniform slit located on its top. In this arrangement, the top metal plate will be used as a frequency-selective structure. For antenna array implementation, different antenna elements can be disposed within a single antenna cavity, and the desired modes can be achieved using metal pillars within the cavity; for example, the antenna can operate in TM10 mode (transverse magnetic mode 10), and the antenna cavity can operate in TM 102 mode.

[0048] In this approach, the TM102 mode of the antenna cavity would require a larger cavity size, which would increase the antenna size. In the case of an array implementation, a larger antenna size would lead to greater spacing between array elements, thus reducing the beam control range. The thickness of the metal plate is impractical for implementing the metal cover. Uniform slits in the metal plate act as a frequency selective structure (FSS). Furthermore, using uniform slits or rectangular pixels is not optimal when considering the practical cover thickness.

[0049] Typically, it is difficult to integrate a metal cover (e.g., a back cover) with the radiation source within the device's printed circuit board (PCB) while maintaining a dedicated cavity. The metal cover may be quite thick, for example, around 550 μm, and when considering segmentation, the desired gap between segments may be small, for example, around 100 μm. This can significantly increase capacitance, and therefore the radiation efficiency and impedance bandwidth may be drastically reduced.

[0050] It may also be desirable to enable the device to operate under both LB and HB, and optionally, to achieve beam control capability using an antenna array in the corresponding frequency band.

[0051] Furthermore, to obtain a uniform metallic segmented pixel pattern that facilitates manufacturing, the segments associated with the LB and HB antenna elements can use the same segment size. When the size of the metallic segments is the same in both frequency bands, it can often be difficult to achieve the correct operating frequency in both LB and HB.

[0052] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides an antenna design in which the metal segments of the metal cover are designed in various shapes to improve antenna performance. Furthermore, by adjusting the dimensions of the metal segments or the antenna cavity, support for dual-band operation can be achieved.

[0053] Figure 1 An example orthographic view of a device having high-frequency and low-frequency antenna cavities and a segmented metal cover is shown. Device 100 may include a metal cover 110 (e.g., a metal cover layer), for example, as a rear cover of device 100. The rear cover of device 100 may be used to cover the surface of device 100 opposite to the main display screen of device 100. Even though device 100 is shown as a mobile phone, it should be understood that the exemplary embodiments can be applied to any suitable device, such as a tablet or other personal digital accessory. For illustrative purposes, in this example, the axis parallel to the long side of metal cover 110 is referred to as the x-axis, and the axis parallel to the short side of metal cover 110 is referred to as the y-axis.

[0054] The metal cover 110 may include metal segments 112 (e.g., metal pixels), for example, arranged as one or more sets of metal segments. The metal segments 112 may be separated by a dielectric material, thereby forming gaps between the metal segments 112, which will be discussed below. Figure 2 Further description. For example, one or more sets of metal segments 112 may be provided as a rectangular (e.g., square) pattern on the outer surface of the metal cap 110. Thus, the metal cap 110 may be segmented at one or more specific locations along the outer surface of the metal cap 110. Other portions of the metal cap may not be segmented, for example, including a solid metal surface.

[0055] Device 100 may include a substrate layer, referred to throughout the description as printed circuit board (PCB) layer 120. However, it should be noted that the device may include a substrate layer separated from the PCB layer of device 110. Therefore, any aspect described in connection with PCB layer 120 can generally be applied to any suitable type of substrate layer, such as an insulating or dielectric sheet.

[0056] PCB layer 120 may include one or more layers of flat sheets of insulating or dielectric material and conductive circuitry (e.g., copper wires). PCB layer 120 may include one or more antenna cavities 122, each including one or more corresponding antenna elements 124, such as ring patch antenna elements configured for inductive feeding to achieve orthogonal polarization. PCB layer 120 may include dedicated cavities for each antenna element, such as… Figure 1 As shown. However, it is possible to include more than one antenna in an antenna cavity, for example, to include all antenna elements in one antenna cavity.

[0057] PCB layer 120 and metal cover 110 can be connected, for example, by conductive pad 130 (e.g., conductive pad layer) (as Figure 1 (As shown in black in the diagram) are connected or assembled together. Therefore, conductive pad 130 can be disposed between PCB layer 120 and metal cover 110. Conductive pad 130 may include one or more holes aligned with the antenna cavity of PCB layer 120. When the holes of conductive pad 130 are aligned with the antenna cavity of PCB layer 120, a direct path can be provided from at least a portion of the antenna cavity 122 perpendicularly toward metal cover 110 without obstruction by conductive pad 130.

[0058] PCB layer 120 may include a conductive surface, which may be the top layer of PCB layer 120 facing the metal cover 110 and / or conductive pad 130. For example, the conductive surface may include a conductive finish, such as an electroless nickel immersion gold (ENIG) plating, an immersion silver (IAg) plating, or an immersion tin plating (IAn) plating. Conductive pad 130 may be configured to make electrical contact with both the metal cover 110 and the conductive surface of PCB layer 120. The conductive pad 130, together with the conductive surface of PCB layer 120, helps to ground the metal cover 110, which improves antenna operation.

[0059] Therefore, device 100 may include a stack of a metal cover 110, a conductive pad 130, and a PCB layer 110 with a conductive surface plating. This provides the advantage of reducing the antenna volume in the PCB layer 120, since the metal cover 110 is used as part of the antenna. Furthermore, the integration of the PCB layer 120 with the metal cover 110 is suitable for practical implementations.

[0060] In the case of a dual-band antenna or antenna array, different layers 110, 120, and / or 130 can provide dedicated antenna cavities for the LB and HB antenna elements. Even though some exemplary embodiments have been described using two frequency bands (LB, HB) as examples, device 100 can typically be configured for multi-band operation. For example, PCB layer 120 may include antenna cavities configured for two or more different frequency bands. One or more antenna cavities with corresponding antenna elements can be provided for each frequency band.

[0061] Figure 2 An example cross-sectional view of the antenna cavity and segmented metal cover is shown. The cross-section is provided along the x-axis between points x1 and x2. (See attached image.) Figure 1 The metal cover 110 may be included in... Figure 2 The metal segment 112 is shown as a T-shaped dashed element. The metal segment 112 can be separated by a dielectric material 114 (white), which can form part of the metal cap 110. The dielectric material 114 can include any suitable dielectric material, such as injection-molded plastic. Therefore, gaps filled with dielectric material can be provided between the metal segments passing through the metal cap 114 in a direction perpendicular to the outer surface of the metal cap 110. The array of metal segments located in close gaps acts as an artificial dielectric with a high effective dielectric constant, thereby improving antenna operation.

[0062] The shape of the metal segment 112 allows the width (w) of the metal segment 112 on the outer surface of the metal cover 110 to be greater than its width (w) on the inner surface of the metal cover 110. The outer surface of the metal cover 110 can be a surface disposed away from the PCB layer 120 and / or the conductive pad 130. The inner surface of the metal cover 110 can be a surface disposed towards the PCB layer 120 and / or the conductive pad 130, for example, towards the interior of the device 100. Therefore, the width of the metal segment 112 can decrease along the thickness (h) of the metal cover 110. This provides the advantage that the gaps between the metal segments 112 are small (e.g., almost invisible) on the outer surface of the metal cover 110, while providing sufficient electrical volume for the required antenna operation by allowing the dielectric material 114 between the metal segments 112 to have a large volume on the inner surface of the metal cover 110. This also reduces the capacitance between the metal segments 112, thereby improving antenna operation. Providing a portion of the electrical volume on the inner surface of the metal cover 110 also reduces the antenna volume required on the printed circuit board (PCB), allowing for a thinner overall antenna design. Furthermore, since the side-fire radiating module can now be implemented closer to the end-fire radiating module, transmission line loss is reduced, thereby increasing the actual gain. These latter benefits can be provided through any of the exemplary embodiments described herein.

[0063] Figure 3 An example cross-sectional view of a high-frequency and low-frequency antenna cavity with constant dimensions for the metal segments of the metal cap is shown. The cross-section is provided along the y-axis between points y1 and y2. A dual-band antenna can be implemented using an antenna cavity with antenna elements dedicated to different frequency bands. Figure 1 The aforementioned segmented metal antenna can be configured to operate in both LB (24.25 to 29.5 GHz) and HB (37 to 43.5 GHz) bands. This good broadband performance can be provided, for example, by having both a TM10 patch mode and a dielectric resonator antenna (DRA) transverseelectric 111 (TE111) mode in the operating band. The resonant frequency of the TM10 patch mode can depend primarily on the size of the ring patch and its height from the ground, in this example, from the bottom of PCB layer 120. The resonant frequency of the DRA TE111 mode depends on the electrical volume of the cavity, and therefore can be configured for different frequency bands by adjusting the electrical volume. Figure 1 Antenna structure.

[0064] Although specific frequency ranges have been used to describe some exemplary embodiments as examples of high-frequency and low-frequency bands, it should be understood that the exemplary embodiments can generally be applied to any suitable frequency range. Typically, one or more first antenna elements may be configured together with one or more corresponding antenna cavities and a portion of the metal cover 110 to operate in a first frequency band. One or more second antenna elements may be configured together with one or more corresponding antenna cavities and a portion of the metal cover 110 to operate in a second frequency band, wherein the second frequency band is higher than the first frequency band.

[0065] Because the electrical volume requirements of the DRA mode differ across frequency bands, it may be difficult to implement a co-located antenna using the segmented metal cover described herein, for example, a single LB and HB antenna element within the same antenna cavity. Therefore, it may be necessary to implement a dual-fed dual-band antenna using independent LB and HB antenna elements, such as... Figure 3 As shown.

[0066] For example, a low-band (LB) antenna 302 may include a first portion of a metal cover 110 and a first portion of a PCB layer 120. A high-band (HB) antenna 304 may include a second portion of a metal cover 110 and a second portion of a PCB layer 120. A conductive pad 130 may be disposed between the metal cover 110 and the PCB layer 120 for both the LB and HB antennas. The conductive pad 130 may include dedicated apertures for antenna cavities of different frequency bands. For example, dedicated apertures may be provided for each low-band antenna cavity and each high-band antenna cavity. The dedicated apertures of the conductive pad 130 may be aligned with individual antenna cavities 124.

[0067] One option for implementing LB and HB antennas is to use constant metallic pixel sizes for both LB and HB elements, such as... Figure 3 As shown. However, the dimensions of the antenna cavity can vary. Using constant metal segment dimensions for LB and HB helps achieve a uniform pixel pattern. Segmented metal covers with uniform segment dimensions may be easier to manufacture.

[0068] Therefore, the size of the metal segment 112 aligned with the LB antenna cavity 122-1 (e.g., in a direction perpendicular to the outer surface of the metal cover 110) can be equal to the size of the metal segment of the metal cover aligned with the HB antenna cavity 122-2. For example, the shapes and areas covered by different metal segments 112 on the outer surface of the metal cover 110 can be equal. Furthermore, different metal segments 112 can have similar cross-sections. However, the height of the LB antenna cavity 122-1 can be greater than the height of the HB antenna cavity 122-2. This allows for the desired electrical volume to operate at the LB and HB frequencies, respectively. The electrical volume of the LB antenna cavity 122-1 can be larger than the electrical volume of the HB antenna cavity 122-2. A cavity wall 126 can be formed between the LB antenna cavity 122-1 and the HB antenna cavity 122-2. The cavity wall can include individual metal segments that can be formed together in a shape similar to the metal segment 112. Alternatively, solid metal segments 112 can be used as cavity walls 126, which will also combine Figure 9 Further description.

[0069] Alternatively or additionally, regarding the width of the gaps (e.g., the width of the dielectric material 114) between the metal segments 112 on the outer surface of the metal cover 110, the width of the gaps between the metal segments 112 aligned with the HB antenna cavity 122-2 can be greater than the width of the gaps between the metal segments 112 aligned with the LB antenna cavity 122-1. Alternatively or additionally, regarding the thickness of the metal segments 112, the thickness of the metal segments 112 aligned with the HB antenna cavity can be less than the thickness of the metal segments 112 aligned with the low-frequency antenna cavity 122-2. These features provide the advantage of enabling the acquisition of the required relative electrical volumes for the LB and HB antenna cavities.

[0070] Figure 4 Examples of cross-sectional views of high-frequency and low-frequency antenna cavities are shown, illustrating the dimensions of the metal segments in the metal cover in relation to the frequency band. Another option for implementing LB and HB antennas is to use non-uniform metal segment dimensions for the LB and HB antenna elements. Therefore, Figure 4 The cross-section can be used as Figure 3 Alternatives to the cross-section are provided. However, for both LB and HB elements, the electrical volume of the antenna cavity on PCB layer 120 can be the same. It should be noted that the electrical volume can differ from the physical volume of the cavity. Electrical volume can refer to the effective volume created when the physical volume (e.g., the antenna cavity) is loaded with a dielectric material. For example, the electrical volume can be determined by… Define, where, and These are electrical volume and physical volume, respectively. It is the relative permittivity of the dielectric material.

[0071] Therefore, the height of the HB antenna cavity 122-2 can be equal to the height of the LB antenna cavity 122-1. However, regarding the width of the metal segment 112, the width of the metal segment 112 aligned with the HB antenna cavity 122-2 can be smaller than the width of the metal segment 112 aligned with the LB antenna cavity 122-1. This provides the advantage of easier fabrication of the PCB layer 120 because the cavity heights of the antenna cavities used for operation in different frequency bands are the same. Similarly, the electrical volume of the LB antenna cavity 122-1 can be larger than that of the HB antenna cavity 122-2.

[0072] Figure 5 Examples of top views of the low-frequency (a) and high-frequency (b) sections of the segmented metal cover are shown. In the case of an LB antenna, the antenna cavity dedicated to the antenna element can be larger than that dedicated to the antenna element in the case of an HB antenna. Therefore, when the metal segments are of uniform size, the number of metal segments 112 associated with the LB antenna element (e.g., 25) can also be greater than the number of metal segments 112 associated with the HB antenna element (e.g., 9). Furthermore, the width (w) of the set of metal segments 112 associated with the LB antenna cavity 122-1... LB () can be larger than the width (w) of a set of metal segments 112 associated with the HB antenna cavity 122-2. HB In one example, w LB = 4.5 mm and w HB = 2.83 mm. For example, the width of the corresponding LB and HB portions of the metal cap 110 could be wLB. _ANT = 5.4 mm and w HB_ANT = 3.60 mm. For example, the width (w) of a set of metal segments 112 associated with the LB antenna cavity 122-1 LB The width (w) can be in the range of 5.0 mm to 6.0 mm. For example, the width (w) of a set of metal segments 112 associated with the HB antenna cavity 122-2 HB It can be in the range of 3.0 mm to 4.0 mm.

[0073] Figure 6 An example top view of a segmented metal cover configured with LB and HB antenna rows is shown. As described above, PCB layer 120 may include multiple LB antenna cavities and multiple HB antenna cavities with corresponding antenna elements. The first row 601 may include multiple LB antennas 302, for example, such as... Figure 6 The example shows four LB antennas 302. The second row 602 can include multiple HB antennas 304, for example, such as... Figure 6The example shows six HB antennas 304. These rows can be arranged parallel to each other and along the metal cover 110. Since the distance between adjacent HB antenna elements (HB-HB distance) and the distance between adjacent LB antenna elements (LB-LB distance) can be freely configured, this staggered antenna array can improve beam control performance.

[0074] At least in the row direction, the width of the HB antenna 304 can be smaller than the width of the LB antenna 302. Therefore, the number of HB antennas 304 can be greater than the number of LB antennas 302. The distance between adjacent groups of metal segments 112 can be equal between the LB and HB antennas. The distance between adjacent groups of metal segments 112 (e.g., the LB-HB distance) can be equal to the width of a single metal segment 112. This provides the advantage of creating a uniform pattern of metal segments 112 on the outer surface of the metal cover 110. Another advantage of the staggered array is that both the LB and HB arrays can have optimal array spacing, resulting in a wider beam control range without grating lobes. Furthermore, providing dedicated antenna cavities for different antenna elements helps minimize coupling between antenna elements, thereby improving practical gain.

[0075] Figure 7 An example top view of a segmented metal cover configured for alternating rows of LB and HB antennas is shown. Similarly, PCB layer 120 may include multiple LB antenna cavities and multiple HB antenna cavities with corresponding antenna elements. LB antennas 302 and HB antennas 304 may be arranged in a single row along metal cover 110. LB antennas 302 and HB antennas 304 may be alternately arranged in the row such that at least one HB antenna 304 is located between two LB antennas 304, or at least one LB antenna 302 is located between two HB antennas 302. If the number of LB antennas 302 is less than the number of HB antennas, each LB antenna 302 may be provided between two HB antennas 304. This provides the advantage of reducing the width of the dual-band antenna. However, when LB and HB elements are provided alternately, the spacing between adjacent LB antenna elements (LB-LB distance) and the spacing between adjacent HB antenna elements (HB-HB distance) are greater than... Figure 5 The spacing presented by the staggered array. Compared with an arrangement with LB or HB antenna rows, the increased spacing between array elements reduces the beam control range due to the grating lobes.

[0076] Figure 8 An example of the cross-sectional shape of a metal segment is shown. Whether along the x-axis, y-axis, or both, the shape of the cross-section of the metal segment 112 can be determined according to... Figure 8 (a), 8(b), 8(c).

[0077] Figure 8(a) An example of a chamfered metal segment 112 is provided. The width of the metal segment 112 can be substantially constant within a distance d1 from the outer surface of the metal cover 110. The metal segment 112 can be chamfered from this distance toward the inner surface of the metal cover 110. Therefore, the width of the metal segment 112 can decrease toward the inner surface, for example, starting from distance d1. The portion with a substantially constant width near the outer surface provides the advantage of easier fabrication of the gaps between the metal segments 112. The chamfer is also relatively easy to fabricate, it reduces the total capacitance, and it enables the provision of the required electrical volume for the corresponding antenna cavity.

[0078] Figure 8 (b) An example of a stepped metal segment 112 is provided. The width of the metal segment 112 can also be substantially constant within a distance d1 from the outer surface of the metal cover 110. The metal segment 112 can be stepped such that the width of the metal segment 112 is also substantially constant within a distance d2 from the inner surface of the metal cover 110 (d2 < d1). The cross-section of the metal segment 112 may include a horizontal portion perpendicular to the surface of the metal segment 112 within distances d1 and d2 from the outer and inner surfaces of the metal cover 110, respectively. The stepped portion can be curved (as shown in solid lines) or rectangular (as shown in dashed lines). In the latter example, the sum of distances d1 and d2 can be equal to the thickness of the metal cover 110. The portion with a substantially constant width near the outer surface provides the advantage of easier fabrication of gaps between the metal segments 112. Stepping increases the distance between the metal segments, and in this example, the rectangular stepped portion maximizes this distance. On the other hand, bending the stepped portion makes the manufacture of the metal segment 112 easier.

[0079] Figure 8 (c) An example of a stepped and chamfered metal segment 112 is provided. Now, within a distance d1 from the outer surface of the metal cap 110, the metal segment 112 is chamfered towards the inner surface of the metal cap 110. The metal segment 112 can also be stepped, such that the width of the metal segment 112 is substantially constant (d2 < d1) within a distance d2 from the inner surface of the metal cap 110. Therefore, the width of the metal segment 112 can decrease towards the inner surface, for example, up to a distance d2 from the inner surface. The cross-section of the metal segment 112 may include a horizontal portion perpendicular to the surface of the metal segment 112, within distances d1 and d2 from the outer and inner surfaces of the metal cap 110, respectively. The stepped portion can be curved or rectangular, as combined... Figure 8 (b) As described. In the case of the rectangular stepped portion, the sum of distances d1 and d2 can be equal to the thickness of the metal cover 110. The chamfered portion near the outer surface of the metal cover 110 further increases the distance between the metal segments 112, thereby enabling the provision of the required electrical volume for the corresponding antenna cavity and resulting in a thinner structure.

[0080] Typically, the width of the metal segment 112 on the inner surface of the metal cap 110 can be smaller than the width of the metal segment 112 on the outer surface. The metal segment 112 can be chamfered towards the inner surface, near the outer surface (e.g., within d1) or near the inner surface (e.g., within d2), or both. Alternatively, the width of the metal segment can be substantially constant near the outer surface (e.g., within d1) or near the inner surface (e.g., within d2), or both. In addition to chamfering, the edges of the metal segments can be rounded or beveled to reduce capacitance and improve bandwidth performance. It may often be desirable to maximize the distance between the metal segments 112 to reduce capacitance while maintaining the smallest possible gap on the outer surface. However, while not optimal in terms of capacitance, this may be more advantageous in terms of manufacturing.

[0081] Figure 9 An orthographic view is shown of an example of shallow grooving of the cavity walls to form a uniformly segmented pattern on the outer surface of the metal cap. Although the gaps between the metal segments 112 may be small, the cavity walls may still be discernible when the outer surface of the metal cap 110 is viewed at an angle. It is generally desirable to make the antenna as inconspicuous as possible. Combined with uniform segment dimensions, shallow laser grooving (optionally combined with injection molding) can be used to form similar segmented portions on the outer surface at the cavity wall locations, such as... Figure 9 As shown.

[0082] Therefore, the metal cover 110 may include one or more cavity walls 126 for separating the antenna cavity 122, for example, as Figure 9 The two LB antenna cavities shown are, respectively, LB antenna cavity 122-1 and HB antenna cavity 122-2. The cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the cavity wall can correspond to the cross-sectional shape of the metal segment 112. Grooves can be provided along the cavity wall so that the cavity wall appears as a row of grooved segments 912 (dashed lines) on the outer surface of the metal cover 110. Therefore, grooves can be used to form grooved segments 912 on the outer surface of the metal cover 110. The dimensions of the grooved segments 912 can correspond to the dimensions of the metal segments 112 on the outer surface of the metal cover 110. For example, the area covered by the metal segments 112 on the outer surface of the metal cover 110 can be the same in size and shape as the area covered by the grooved segments 912 on the outer surface of the metal cover 110.

[0083] Therefore, on the outer surface of the metal cover, the dual-band antenna can be presented as a uniform pattern of metal segments of substantially the same size, while on the inner surface of the metal cover 110, the patterns of each group of metal segments (see...) Figure 6 or Figure 7The segmented appearance (912) may be visible. This provides the advantage of concealing the dual-antenna scheme on the outer surface of the metal cover 110. It should be noted that there may be no dielectric gap between the segments 912 formed by the grooves provided along the cavity wall. This provides the advantage of improved antenna performance, as the antenna can operate better with solid walls between the antenna cavities. Furthermore, providing a uniformly segmented appearance without actual dielectric gaps allows for slight adjustment of the dielectric to optimize coupling between the antenna elements.

[0084] Figure 10 Examples comparing the performance of stepped and non-stepped metal segments at different frequency bands are shown. The left and right figures show the bandwidth potential (GHz) of LB and HB, respectively. It is observed that the antenna with stepped metal segments (see [reference]) performs better than the non-stepped metal segment with a rectangular cross-section. Figure 8 (b) provides better performance.

[0085] Figure 11 Examples of gain radiation patterns with and without dedicated apertures for antenna cavities are shown in the conductive pad. Actual gain radiation patterns (dB) are shown with and without dedicated cavities (dashed lines) in the conductive pad 130, relative to different beam control directions (–90°…90°) of the HB antenna array with a segmented metal cap. It is observed that providing dedicated apertures in the conductive gaps, rather than providing a common aperture for multiple antenna cavities, significantly improves beam control performance.

[0086] Figure 12 An example of a method for manufacturing a device for wireless communication is shown. As described above, based on the exemplary embodiments described herein, antennas, such as dual-band antennas, can be advantageously manufactured.

[0087] At operation 1201, the method may include: arranging at least one antenna element in at least one antenna cavity in a printed circuit board layer.

[0088] At operation 1202, the method may include: stacking a printed circuit board layer and at least one antenna vibrator with a metal capping layer, wherein the metal capping layer includes a plurality of metal segments separated by a dielectric material, wherein the width of the plurality of metal segments on the inner surface of the metal capping layer facing the printed circuit board layer is less than the width of the plurality of metal segments on the outer surface of the metal capping layer facing away from the printed circuit board layer.

[0089] The method may further include: stacking a conductive pad layer between a printed circuit board layer and a metal cover layer, wherein the conductive pad layer includes at least one hole aligned with at least one antenna cavity.

[0090] The method may further include: grooving the outer surface of the metal cap layer along at least one cavity wall to form grooved segments on the outer surface of the metal cap layer, wherein the size of the grooved segments corresponds to the size of a plurality of metal segments on the outer surface of the metal cap layer.

[0091] The shape of metal segment 112 can be determined according to Figure 8 Configure any of the examples, for example, to achieve the desired balance between antenna performance and manufacturing speed and / or cost.

[0092] Any ranges or device values ​​given herein can be extended or changed without loss of the desired effect. Furthermore, unless expressly prohibited, any embodiment may be combined with another embodiment.

[0093] Although the subject matter has been described in structural and / or action-specific language, it should be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or actions described above. Rather, the specific features and actions described above are disclosed as examples of implementing the claims, and other equivalent features and actions are intended to be included within the scope of the claims.

[0094] It should be understood that the advantages and benefits described above may relate to one embodiment or multiple embodiments. These embodiments are not limited to embodiments that solve any or all of the described problems, or those that have any or all of the described advantages and benefits. It should also be understood that reference to "one" item may refer to one or more of these items.

[0095] The steps or operations described herein can be performed in any suitable order, or simultaneously where appropriate. Furthermore, individual boxes can be removed from any method without departing from the scope of the subject matter described herein. Aspects of any of the exemplary embodiments described above can be combined with aspects of any other exemplary embodiments to form further exemplary embodiments without affecting the desired effect.

[0096] The term “comprising” is used herein to mean including identified methods, boxes, or elements, but such boxes or elements do not include an exclusive list, and methods or apparatus may include additional boxes or elements.

[0097] While a topic may be referred to as the "first" or "second" topic, this does not necessarily indicate any order or importance of the topics. Rather, these attributes can be used simply to distinguish between topics.

[0098] It should be understood that the above description is given by way of example only, and various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art. The foregoing specification, examples, and data provide a complete description of the structure and use of the exemplary embodiments. Although various embodiments have been described above with some degree of specificity or with reference to one or more individual embodiments, those skilled in the art can make various changes to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the scope of this specification.

Claims

1. A device for radio frequency communication, characterized in that, The device includes: The substrate includes at least one antenna cavity having at least one antenna element; A metal capping layer includes a plurality of metal segments separated by a dielectric material, wherein the width of the plurality of metal segments on the inner surface of the metal capping layer facing the substrate layer is smaller than the width of the plurality of metal segments on the outer surface of the metal capping layer facing away from the substrate layer.

2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: A conductive pad layer is located between the base layer and the metal capping layer, wherein the conductive pad layer includes at least one hole aligned with the at least one antenna cavity.

3. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The base layer includes a conductive surface, and the conductive pad layer is used to make galvanic contact with the conductive surface of the metal cap layer and the base layer.

4. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The base layer includes an antenna cavity with multiple antenna elements.

5. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The base layer includes multiple antenna cavities with corresponding antenna elements.

6. The device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The metal capping layer includes at least one cavity wall for separating the plurality of antenna cavities.

7. The device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The outer surface of the metal cap includes grooves along the at least one cavity wall to form groove-formed segments on the outer surface of the metal cap, wherein the size of the groove-formed segments corresponds to the size of the plurality of metal segments on the outer surface of the metal cap.

8. The device according to any one of claims 4 to 7, characterized in that, The multiple antenna cavities are used for different frequency bands.

9. The device according to claim 8, characterized in that, The plurality of antenna cavities include at least one low-frequency antenna cavity for a first frequency band and at least one high-frequency antenna cavity for a second frequency band, wherein the second frequency band is higher than the first frequency band.

10. The device according to claim 9, characterized in that, The electrical volume of the at least one low-frequency band antenna cavity is greater than the electrical volume of the at least one high-frequency band antenna cavity.

11. The device according to claim 9, characterized in that, The size of the metal segment of the metal capping layer aligned with the at least one high-frequency antenna cavity is equal to the size of the metal segment of the metal capping layer aligned with the at least one low-frequency antenna cavity, and the height of the at least one high-frequency antenna cavity is less than the height of the at least one low-frequency antenna cavity.

12. The device according to claim 9, characterized in that, The height of the at least one high-frequency band antenna cavity is equal to the height of the at least one low-frequency band antenna cavity, wherein: For the width of the plurality of metal segments, the width of the metal segment aligned with the at least one high-frequency band antenna cavity is smaller than the width of the metal segment aligned with the at least one low-frequency band antenna cavity. The width of the gap between the plurality of metal segments on the outer surface of the metal cap is such that the width of the gap between the metal segments aligned with the at least one high-frequency antenna cavity is greater than the width of the gap between the metal segments aligned with the at least one low-frequency antenna cavity, or Regarding the thickness of the plurality of metal segments, the thickness of the metal segment aligned with the at least one high-frequency antenna cavity is less than the thickness of the metal segment aligned with the at least one low-frequency antenna cavity.

13. The device according to any one of claims 5 to 12, characterized in that, The base layer includes multiple low-frequency antenna cavities and multiple high-frequency antenna cavities with corresponding antenna elements.

14. The device according to claim 13, characterized in that, The plurality of low-frequency antenna cavities are arranged in a first row along the metal capping layer, and the plurality of high-frequency antenna cavities are arranged in a second row parallel to the first row along the metal capping layer.

15. The device according to claim 13, characterized in that, The plurality of low-frequency band antenna cavities and the plurality of high-frequency band antenna cavities are arranged alternately in a row along the metal capping layer.

16. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that, The width of the plurality of metal segments is substantially constant within a first distance from the outer surface of the metal cap.

17. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that, The plurality of metal segments are chamfered toward the inner surface of the metal capping layer.

18. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that, The width of the plurality of metal segments is substantially constant within a second distance from the inner surface of the metal cap.

19. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that, The substrate layer includes a printed circuit board layer.

20. A method for manufacturing a device for radio frequency communication, characterized in that, The method includes: At least one antenna element is arranged in at least one antenna cavity in the substrate layer; The substrate layer and the at least one antenna element are stacked with a metal capping layer, wherein the metal capping layer includes a plurality of metal segments separated by a dielectric material, wherein the width of the plurality of metal segments on the inner surface of the metal capping layer facing the substrate layer is smaller than the width of the plurality of metal segments on the outer surface of the metal capping layer facing away from the substrate layer.

21. The method according to claim 20, characterized in that, Also includes: A conductive pad layer is stacked between the base layer and the metal capping layer, wherein the conductive pad layer includes at least one hole aligned with the at least one antenna cavity.

22. The method according to claim 20 or 21, characterized in that, The metal capping layer includes at least one cavity wall for separating the plurality of antenna cavities when stacked with the substrate layer.

23. The method according to claim 22, characterized in that, Also includes: Grooves are made along the at least one cavity wall to form grooved segments on the outer surface of the metal cap, wherein the size of the grooved segments corresponds to the size of the plurality of metal segments on the outer surface of the metal cap.

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