US-12621040-B2 - Gain pattern overlap reduction

US12621040B2US 12621040 B2US12621040 B2US 12621040B2US-12621040-B2

Abstract

A wireless communication device includes: a first antenna configured to provide a first gain pattern at a millimeter-wave radio frequency and having a first boresight direction; a second antenna configured to provide a second gain pattern at the millimeter-wave radio frequency and having a second boresight direction that is different from the first boresight direction; and an electrically-conductive device; where the first antenna, in combination with the electrically-conductive device, is configured to provide a third gain pattern that has a first gain differential relative to the second gain pattern that is greater than a second gain differential between the first gain pattern and the second gain pattern over a range of angles relative to the wireless communication device.

Inventors

Lizhi Zheng
Guining Shi
Allen Minh-Triet Tran
Mahmoud Shirazi

Assignees

QUALCOMM INCORPORATED

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20230706

Claims (20)

1 . A wireless communication device comprising: an antenna comprising one or more antenna elements with one or more of the one or more antenna elements being configured to provide a first gain pattern at a millimeter-wave radio frequency, the antenna having a boresight direction; and an electrically-conductive device comprising at least one conductive surface disposed adjacent to the antenna that is approximately parallel with the boresight direction, wherein the antenna, in combination with the electrically-conductive device, is configured to provide a second gain pattern that is different from the first gain pattern.
2 . The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the antenna has a first length, and the electrically-conductive device has a second length that is at least as long as the first length.
3 . The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the antenna has a first length, and the electrically-conductive device has a second length that is less than the first length.
4 . The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the electrically-conductive device is physically attached to the antenna.
5 . The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the electrically-conductive device is physically attached to a housing of the wireless communication device.
6 . The wireless communication device of claim 1 further comprising a display layer and a bottom cover, wherein the antenna is disposed between the display layer and the bottom cover, and the electrically-conductive device is disposed between the antenna and the bottom cover.
7 . The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more antenna elements are disposed on a substrate in an antenna module, and the electrically-conductive device is physically attached to the antenna module.
8 . The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the electrically-conductive device comprises a monolithic conductor that provides the at least one conductive surface.
9 . The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the electrically-conductive device is non-monolithic.
10 . The wireless communication device of claim 9 , wherein the electrically-conductive device comprises a regular pattern of similarly-shaped electrically-conductive pieces.
11 . The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the antenna has a first width, and the electrically-conductive device has a second width that is wider than the first width.
12 . The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the electrically-conductive device extends away from the antenna in a direction that is opposite to the boresight direction.
13 . The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one conductive surface is displaced from the antenna within less than 20% of a wavelength at the millimeter-wave radio frequency.
14 . The wireless communication device of claim 1 wherein the antenna includes an array of antennas.
15 . A wireless communication device comprising: a top cover; a bottom cover that is substantially parallel to the top cover; an antenna comprising one or more antenna elements disposed between the top cover and the bottom cover, the one or more antenna elements being configured to provide a first gain pattern at a millimeter-wave radio frequency, the antenna having a boresight direction directed out of a side surface of the device between the top cover and the bottom cover; and an electrically-conductive device comprising at least one conductive surface that is disposed between the antenna and the bottom cover and is approximately parallel with the top cover, the electrically-conductive device having a length that is at least a length of the antenna, and a width that extends away from the antenna in an opposite direction from the boresight direction, wherein the antenna, in combination with the electrically-conductive device, is configured to provide a second gain pattern that is different from the first gain pattern.
16 . The wireless communication device of claim 15 , wherein the electrically-conductive device is physically attached to the antenna.
17 . The wireless communication device of claim 15 , wherein the electrically-conductive device is physically attached to the bottom cover.
18 . The wireless communication device of claim 15 , wherein the electrically-conductive device comprises a monolithic conductor that provides the at least one conductive surface, and wherein the at least one conductive surface is displaced from the antenna along an aperture plane of the antenna.
19 . The wireless communication device of claim 18 , wherein the width is less than two free-space wavelengths of a low-end frequency for which the antenna is configured, wherein the antenna includes an array of antennas, and wherein the length is less than twice as long as a length of the array.
20 . The wireless communication device of claim 15 , wherein the electrically-conductive device comprises a regular pattern of similarly-shaped electrically-conductive pieces.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/683,096, filed on Feb. 28, 2022, entitled “GAIN PATTERN OVERLAP REDUCTION,” which is assigned to the assignee hereof, and the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. BACKGROUND Wireless communication devices are increasingly popular and increasingly complex. For example, mobile telecommunication devices have progressed from simple phones, to smart phones with multiple communication capabilities (e.g., multiple cellular communication protocols, Wi-Fi, BLUETOOTH® and other short-range communication protocols), supercomputing processors, cameras, etc. Wireless communication devices have antennas to support communication over a range of frequencies. It is often desirable to have multiple communication technologies, e.g., to enable multiple communication protocols concurrently, and/or to provide different communication capabilities. For example, as wireless communication technology evolves from 4G to 5G or to different wireless local area network (WLAN) standards, for example, mobile communication devices may be configured to communicate using different frequencies, including frequencies below 7 GHz often used for 4G and some WLAN communications, and millimeter-wave frequencies, e.g., above 23 GHz, for 5G and some WLAN communications. Communicating using different frequencies, however, may be difficult, especially using mobile wireless communication devices with small form factors. SUMMARY An example wireless communication device includes: a first antenna comprising one or more first antenna elements with one or more of the one or more first antenna elements being configured to provide a first gain pattern at a millimeter-wave radio frequency, the first antenna having a first boresight direction; a second antenna comprising one or more second antenna elements with one or more of the one or more second antenna elements being configured to provide a second gain pattern at the millimeter-wave radio frequency, the second antenna having a second boresight direction that is different from the first boresight direction; and an electrically-conductive device, comprising at least one conductive surface; where the first antenna, in combination with the electrically-conductive device, is configured to provide a third gain pattern that has a first gain differential relative to the second gain pattern that is greater than a second gain differential between the first gain pattern and the second gain pattern over a range of angles relative to the wireless communication device. Implementations of such a wireless communication device may include one or more of the following features. The range of angles relative to the wireless communication device includes the second boresight direction. The first antenna has a first length, and the electrically-conductive device has a second length that is at least as long as the first length. The second length is less than twice the first length. The first antenna defines an aperture plane substantially perpendicular to the first boresight direction, wherein the one or more first antenna elements are disposed on a first side of the aperture plane and at least a portion of the at least one conductive surface is disposed on a second side of the aperture plane opposite the first side of the aperture plane. The first antenna has an edge in the aperture plane, and wherein the at least a portion of the at least one conductive surface extends away from the aperture plane at least 20°, relative to the edge, on the second side of the aperture plane. The first antenna defines an aperture plane substantially perpendicular to the first boresight direction, and wherein the one or more first antenna elements and at least a portion of the at least one conductive surface are disposed on a same side of the aperture plane. The first antenna has an edge in the aperture plane, and wherein the at least a portion of the at least one conductive surface extends away from the aperture plane at least 20°, relative to the edge, on the same side of the aperture plane. Also or alternatively, implementations of such a wireless communication device may include one or more of the following features. The at least one conductive surface is displaced from the first antenna by between 20% of a wavelength at the millimeter-wave radio frequency and 50% of the wavelength at the millimeter-wave radio frequency. The at least one conductive surface defines a conductive plane within 20° of parallel to the first boresight direction. The electrically-conductive device comprises a frequency-selective surface configured to inhibit passage through the electrically-conductive device of first energy of a particular frequency range more than second energy outside the particular frequency range, the particular frequency range including the millimeter-wave radio frequency. The millimeter