Liquid-Crystal RF Feeding Structure for Low-Noise Phase Shifting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Electronic devices with complex feeding structures for radio frequency signals often experience increased noise, which affects the quality of the signals transmitted and received.

Innovation Solution

An electronic device design featuring a substrate with phase shift units and a radio frequency signal processor integrated into the feeding structure, which alters and processes radio frequency signals to reduce noise, utilizing a liquid-crystal material to modulate signal phases and improve directivity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a complex feeding structure with more bifurcation paths is used to distribute radio frequency signals, then the signal distribution capability is improved, but the noise of the radio frequency signal increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignal distribution capabilityVSAvoidnoise
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the radio frequency signal processing function from the traditional feeding structure and places it in a dedicated radio frequency signal processor. This separation removes the noise-generating bifurcation paths from the signal distribution path, allowing clean signal distribution while maintaining adaptability through the dedicated processor.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a liquid crystal material as an intermediary between the radio frequency signal processor and the antenna elements. This liquid crystal phase shifter mediates the signal transmission, enabling phase control and noise reduction while maintaining signal distribution capability across multiple antenna elements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If phase shift units and radio frequency signal processor are integrated into the feeding structure, then noise is reduced and signal quality is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovenoiseVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the phase shift units and radio frequency signal processor into a single integrated feeding structure. This combination reduces noise by eliminating separate connection paths while managing complexity through functional integration on the same substrate, achieving noise reduction without proportionally increasing overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The integrated feeding structure performs multiple functions simultaneously: signal distribution, phase shifting, and noise reduction. By making the feeding structure multi-functional, the patent avoids adding separate components for each function, thereby managing device complexity while achieving noise reduction and signal quality improvement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution effectively reduces noise in radio frequency signals, enhancing the quality and directivity of signal transmission and reception by integrating phase shift units and a radio frequency signal processor within the feeding structure, utilizing a liquid-crystal material to modulate signal phases.

Implementation Method 1

utilizing a liquid-crystal material to modulate signal phases

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLiquid crystal phase modulation: Liquid Crystals

Implementation Method 2

An electronic device (such as a liquid-crystal antenna) can utilize a resonance characteristic to allow a radio frequency signal with a specific frequency to flow into the electronic device through a feeding structure

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic resonance: Resonance

Data Source

PatentEP3790112B1Electronic device
Publication Date: 2023.10.18 INNOLUX CORP
  • EP3790112B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3790112B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3790112B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An electronic device includes a substrate, a plurality of phase shift units, a feeding structure, and a radio frequency signal processor. The phase shift units are disposed on the first substrate. The feeding structure is disposed on the first substrate. The radio frequency signal processor is for altering a radio frequency signal transmitted through at least part of the feeding structure.