OLED Display Antenna Apertures for High-Gain Beam Steering
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Solution Overview
Problem
The integration of high-gain millimeter-wave and sub-millimeter-wave phased arrays into mobile devices is hindered by limited available space, particularly in devices with OLED displays, due to the congestion of existing antennas and the need for large aperture areas.
Innovation Solution
An antenna and visual display apparatus is developed, integrating an array of antenna feeds with an OLED display, utilizing apertures and conductive elements to facilitate transmission of both optical and RF signals, with a matching metasurface to enhance radiation efficiency and directivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high-gain millimeter-wave and sub-millimeter-wave phased arrays are incorporated into mobile devices, then high data-rate communications and near-range imaging capabilities are improved, but device size and antenna aperture area requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the antenna structure with the OLED display by integrating antenna feeds, apertures, and conductive elements directly into the display layers. This combination allows the display area to serve dual purposes: visual output and RF signal transmission, thereby reducing the dedicated antenna aperture area while maintaining high data-rate communication capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The OLED display is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it serves as both a visual display device and an antenna array for millimeter-wave communications. The display layers incorporate antenna feeds, radiating apertures, and conductive elements that enable the display to transmit and receive RF signals, thus eliminating the need for separate antenna structures and reducing overall device space requirements.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple antennas are placed in the bezel area for different communication bands, then communication coverage is improved, but available real estate for additional antennas is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from placing antennas in the two-dimensional bezel area to integrating antenna elements across the entire surface of the OLED display. By utilizing the display area as the antenna aperture, the system expands the available space from the limited bezel region to the full display surface, enabling multiple communication bands to be supported without congesting the bezel area.
3Area of stationary object
If antenna elements are integrated into the OLED display layers, then available device space is improved, but optical display quality may be degraded due to interference from conductive structures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the conductive elements and antenna feeds optically transparent or transparent in specific frequency ranges. The conductive layers are designed to be transparent to visible light wavelengths, allowing them to perform RF functions while maintaining optical display quality. This selective transparency ensures that the conductive structures do not interfere with the visual output of the OLED display.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses optically transparent conductive materials as intermediaries that bridge the RF and optical domains. These transparent conductive layers serve as both antenna elements for RF signal transmission and as transparent structures that do not block or interfere with the optical display output, thus mediating between the conflicting requirements of RF functionality and optical quality.
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
Enables concurrent transmission of optical display signals and high-frequency RF data through a common display area without interference, allowing for high-data-rate, steerable RF beams and wide-angle scanning.
Implementation Method 1
The array of apertures is configured, according to an operating wavelength of the antenna array, to couple with respective ones of the antenna feeds to facilitate transmission of antenna signals (electromagnetic radiation) for the antenna array
Implementation Method 2
an array of conductive and optically transparent elements exterior and adjacent to the optically transparent substrate configured, for example through size, shape, spacing, or a combination thereof, to couple with the array of apertures to direct the antenna signals through the optically transparent substrate
Implementation Method 3
The visual display layer includes an array of light emitting diodes and control elements coupled thereto for operating the light emitting diodes to provide a visual display
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention provides an integrated antenna and visual display apparatus, or one of an antenna apparatus and visual display apparatus which is integratable with the other. Apertures are formed in a visual display, such as an OLED display. The apertures when formed in a conductive layer operate as radiating bodies of an antenna array. A subset of sub-pixels of the visual display can be removed in line with the apertures. An optically transparent substrate is located over the visual display, and an array of further conductive elements, which may be optically transparent, is disposed on an exterior of this substrate. The further conductive elements operate to direct the antenna signals through the substrate, by coupling in an impedance-matched manner with the radiating apertures.