Loop Antenna Layout Behind Bezel-Less Displays for Millimeter-Wave Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Bezel-less user equipment (UE) designs with large displays distort millimeter-waves, leading to reduced sensitivity in communication and radar-based gesture recognition, causing increased battery usage and communication blind spots.
Innovation Solution
A loop antenna system integrated within the UE's housing, positioned below the display layer, which radiates and senses millimeter-waves, enhancing spatial coverage and reducing noise interference, thereby improving gesture recognition and 5G NR communication performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of moving object
If large bezel-less displays are used to maximize display-to-body-surface ratio, then display area is improved, but millimeter-wave distortion increases leading to reduced communication sensitivity and gesture recognition accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
A loop antenna system is introduced as an intermediary component between the display and the millimeter-wave environment. The loop antenna is positioned behind the display layer, acting as a mediator that radiates and senses millimeter-waves without being directly exposed to the display surface, thereby avoiding the distortion caused by the display while maintaining communication and gesture recognition functions
2Area of moving object
If large bezel-less displays are used to maximize display-to-body-surface ratio, then display area is improved, but gesture recognition accuracy is reduced due to millimeter-wave distortion
Solution Approach 1:
The loop antenna system serves as an intermediary that enables accurate gesture recognition without direct interaction with the display. By positioning the loop antenna behind the display layer, it can sense millimeter-waves reflected from gestures while avoiding the distortion that would occur if the sensing elements were placed on or near the display surface
Solution Approach 2:
The solution moves the antenna system from the display plane to a different spatial dimension (behind the display layer). This dimensional relocation allows the antenna to sense millimeter-waves in a region不受 display distortion, thereby maintaining gesture recognition accuracy while preserving the full display area
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional dipole or patch antenna systems are used, then manufacturing is simpler, but spatial coverage of millimeter-waves is insufficient creating communication blind spots
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna system is segmented into multiple loop antennas arranged in a specific configuration. This segmentation allows each loop antenna to cover a particular spatial region, and the combined effect of multiple segments provides comprehensive spatial coverage without creating blind spots, while still maintaining manufacturing feasibility
4Adaptability or versatility
If millimeter-wave circuitry is integrated into the UE, then communication capability is improved, but noise interference to other systems increases
Solution Approach 1:
The loop antenna system acts as an intermediary that enables millimeter-wave communication while isolating the source of noise. By positioning the loop antenna behind the display layer and using its specific radiation pattern, it provides communication capability while the display structure itself serves as a shield, reducing noise interference to other UE systems
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 loop antenna system ensures consistent and repeatable gesture recognition and reduces communication blind spots, while shielding other systems from millimeter-wave noise, outperforming existing dipole and patch antenna systems.
Implementation Method 1
activating millimeter-wave circuitry to cause at least one of the one or more loop antennas to radiate millimeter-waves within a spatial region
Implementation Method 2
sensing, through at least one of the one or more loop antennas, a reflection of the millimeter-waves
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure describes systems and manufacturing techniques directed to a user equipment (UE) that can be bezel-less and has a loop antenna system for radiating and sensing millimeter-waves. The UE includes a housing and a display within the housing. The display is disposed within a display layer across a primary plane defining a front surface of the user equipment. The loop antenna system is within the housing and is configured to radiate a field of millimeter-waves within the spatial region and sense a reflection of the millimeter-waves by an object within the spatial region. Described manufacturing techniques include multi-layer fabrication techniques that are applicable to printed circuit boards and/or integrated circuit (IC) devices.