Antenna Module Solder Ball Layout for Lower Cost Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing antenna modules incur high material costs due to the widespread use of solder balls on all pad electrodes, which can be disadvantageous in terms of cost and thermal stress.
Innovation Solution
The antenna module design includes solder balls only at specific intersections between row and column virtual lines, with a signal ball and ground balls strategically positioned to reduce material usage while maintaining effective antenna characteristics, and omits solder balls at intersections that do not significantly contribute to performance, such as the corners, to minimize thermal stress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If solder balls are mounted on all pad electrodes, then electrical connection and grounding are improved, but material cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the treatment of different pad electrodes. Signal pad electrodes are equipped with solder balls for electrical connection, while ground pad electrodes are left without solder balls. This selective approach maintains necessary electrical connectivity for signal transmission while eliminating unnecessary solder balls on ground pads, thereby reducing material cost without compromising overall electrical connection reliability.
2Reliability
If solder balls are mounted on all pad electrodes, then electrical connection is improved, but thermal stress increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the treatment of different pad electrodes. Signal pad electrodes are equipped with solder balls for electrical connection, while ground pad electrodes are left without solder balls. This selective approach maintains necessary electrical connectivity for signal transmission while eliminating unnecessary solder balls on ground pads, thereby reducing material cost without compromising overall electrical connection reliability.
3Quantity of substance
If solder balls are omitted from some intersections, then material cost and thermal stress are reduced, but antenna characteristics may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the treatment of different pad electrodes. Signal pad electrodes are equipped with solder balls for electrical connection, while ground pad electrodes are left without solder balls. This selective approach maintains necessary electrical connectivity for signal transmission while eliminating unnecessary solder balls on ground pads, thereby reducing material cost without compromising overall electrical connection reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the pad electrode array into functional groups: signal pads that require solder balls for electrical connection and ground pads that do not require solder balls. This segmentation allows the antenna module to maintain essential electrical connectivity while reducing the total number of solder balls, thereby lowering material cost and thermal stress without deteriorating antenna characteristics.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is an antenna module that includes solder balls provided on a surface of the element body having an antenna element. The solder balls include a signal ball disposed at an intersection between the second row virtual line and the second column virtual line and first to fourth ground balls disposed, out of a plurality of intersections between the first to third row virtual lines and the first to third column virtual lines, at any of intersections other than those at which the signal ball is disposed. No solder ball is disposed, out of the intersections between the plurality of row and column virtual lines, at least at some of the plurality of intersections other than those at which the first signal ball or first to fourth ground balls are disposed.