Wireless Communication Module Antenna Circuit Board Flatness Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional wireless communication modules using ceramic antenna circuit boards suffer from dielectric loss and instability in radiation characteristics at high-frequency bands due to material flexibility and heat-generated deformation, leading to unstable antenna performance.

Innovation Solution

A wireless communication module design featuring a flexible antenna circuit board with a support structure that maintains the board's flatness and incorporates a heat diffusing plate or heat pipe to manage heat and prevent deformation, ensuring stable radiation characteristics.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If a ceramic antenna circuit board is used, then dielectric loss is reduced, but the board becomes inflexible and has poor processability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedielectric lossVSAvoidprocessability
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the material parameter from ceramic to flexible material (polyimide resin or liquid crystal polymer) to improve processability and flexibility, while accepting the trade-off of increased dielectric loss. This is a direct parameter change to resolve the contradiction between energy loss and manufacturability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of manufacture

If a flexible antenna circuit board is used, then processability is improved, but radiation characteristics become unstable due to deformation

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveprocessabilityVSAvoidradiation characteristics stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary anti-action by providing a support structure that prevents deformation of the flexible antenna circuit board before the board can deform and affect radiation characteristics. The support acts in advance to counteract the potential harmful deformation that would occur during operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

3Power

If heat generation from integrated circuit increases, then processing capability improves, but antenna circuit board deforms and radiation characteristics become unstable

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing capabilityVSAvoidradiation characteristics stability
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a support as an intermediary element between the integrated circuit and the antenna circuit board. This support structure mediates the thermal interaction by providing mechanical support to prevent deformation while allowing heat to be managed, thus protecting the radiation characteristics from the heat generation of the integrated circuit.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 prevents radiation characteristic changes due to deformation and reduces heat-related instability, maintaining desired antenna performance even at high-frequency bands.

Implementation Method 1

a heat diffusing plate, provided on the region of the first principal surface, which diffuses heat generated by the integrated circuit

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat diffusion: Diffusion

Implementation Method 2

a support joined to a pair of opposite sides of the second principal surface of the antenna circuit board so as to keep the antenna circuit board flat

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical support:

Data Source

PatentEP3686999B1Wireless communication module
Publication Date: 2022.05.25 FUJIKURA LTD
  • EP3686999B1 patent drawingFigure 1(a)~1(b)
  • EP3686999B1 patent drawingFigure 2(a)~2(b)
  • EP3686999B1 patent drawingFigure 3(a)~3(b)

AI summary

To provide a wireless communication module capable of preventing radiation characteristics from being changed by deformation of an antenna circuit board, a wireless communication module (1) includes an antenna circuit board (11) having a first principal surface (1111) on which at least one antenna element (114_j) is mounted and a second principal surface (1112) on which an integrated circuit (115) is mounted. The wireless communication module (1) includes a support (12) that holds the antenna circuit board (11) by being in contact with a pair of opposite sides thereof and that thereby keeps the antenna circuit board (11) flat. The support (12) either (i) faces the second principal surface (1112) and is separated from the second principal surface (1112) by a distance that is not smaller than the wavelength of an electromagnetic wave transmitted and received with use of the antenna circuit board (11) or (ii) does not face the second principal surface (1112).