# US 10,122,058 B2 · Antenna module and electronic device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,122,058 B2 - Document ID: US10122058B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/618,228 - Filed: 2017-06-09 - Published: 2017-09-28 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-09-25 - Assignees: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Shinya Oguri; Wataru Tamura; Fumie Matsuda; Takahiro Baba - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10122058B2 ## CPC - H01P 3/08: Microstrips; Strip lines - H01P 3/085: {Triplate lines} - H01P 5/085: {Coaxial-line/strip-line transitions} - H01Q 1/50: Structural association of antennas with earthing switches, lead-in devices or lightning protectors - H03H 7/38: Impedance-matching networks - H05K 1/0251: {related to vias or transitions between vias and transmission lines} - H05K 1/028: {Bending or folding regions of flexible printed circuits (H05K1/0283 takes precedence)} - H01Q 1/243: {with built-in antennas} - H01Q 9/0421: {with a shorting wall or a shorting pin at one end of the element (H01Q9/0414 takes precedence)} - H05K 1/0221: {Coaxially shielded signal lines comprising a continuous shielding layer partially or wholly surrounding the signal lines} - H05K 2201/0723: provided by an inner layer of PCB - H05K 2201/09618: Via fence, i.e. one-dimensional array of vias - H05K 2201/10098: Components for radio transmission, e.g. radio frequency identification [RFID] tag, printed or non-printed antennas - H01P: WAVEGUIDES; RESONATORS, LINES, OR OTHER DEVICES OF THE WAVEGUIDE TYPE (operating at optical frequencies G02B) - H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72) - H03H: IMPEDANCE NETWORKS, e.g. RESONANT CIRCUITS; RESONATORS (waveguides, resonators, lines or other devices of the waveguide type H01P) - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ## Abstract An antenna module includes a resin multilayer substrate including a plurality of base materials that are flexible. The resin multilayer substrate includes a rigid portion at which a first number of stacked layers of the base materials is relatively large and a flexible portion at which a second number of stacked layers of the base materials is relatively small. A radiating element including a conductor pattern is provided at the rigid portion. A transmission line including a conductor pattern and electrically connected to the radiating element is provided at the flexible portion. A frame-shaped conductor that surrounds the radiating element when viewed in a direction in which the base materials are stacked is provided at either the rigid portion or the flexible portion, or both the rigid portion and the flexible portion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An antenna module comprising: a resin multilayer substrate including a plurality of base materials that are flexible; wherein the resin multilayer substrate includes a rigid portion at which a first number of stacked layers of the base materials is relatively large and a flexible portion at which a second number of stacked layers of the base materials is relatively small; a radiating element including a conductor pattern is provided at the rigid portion; a transmission line including a conductor pattern and electrically connected to the radiating element is provided at the flexible portion; and a frame-shaped conductor that surrounds the radiating element when viewed in a direction in which the base materials are stacked is provided at either the rigid portion or the flexible portion, or both the rigid portion and the flexible portion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The antenna module according to claim 1, wherein the transmission line includes a first ground conductor and a signal line, and the radiating element is provided at one of the base materials different from one of the base materials at which the signal line is provided; a first interlayer connection conductor that electrically connects the signal line and the radiating element to each other is provided in the rigid portion; and the first interlayer connection conductor is non-linear. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The antenna module according to claim 2, wherein a second interlayer connection conductor that electrically connects the first ground conductor and the radiating element to each other is provided in the rigid portion; and the second interlayer connection conductor is non-linear. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The antenna module according to claim 1, wherein the flexible portion bends. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The antenna module according to claim 1, wherein the rigid portion bends in a first direction in which the transmission line extends or a second direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the first direction. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The antenna module according to claim 1, wherein the flexible portion includes at least a portion of a matching circuit of an antenna including the radiating element. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) An electronic device, comprising: the antenna module according to claim 1; a circuit substrate at which a high-frequency circuit electrically connected to the antenna module is located; and a housing accommodating the antenna module and the circuit substrate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The antenna module according to claim 1, wherein the rigid portion is less flexible than the flexible portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The antenna module according to claim 1, wherein the rigid portion includes each of the stacked layers of the base materials included in the flexible portion and at least one of the stacked layers of the base materials that is not included in the flexible portion. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The antenna module according to claim 2, wherein the transmission line further includes a second ground conductor, and the signal line is located between the first ground conductor and the second ground conductor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The antenna module according to claim 10, wherein the frame-shaped conductor is electrically isolated from the radiating element, the signal line, the first ground conductor, and the second ground conductor. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The antenna module according to claim 10, wherein a height from the signal line to the radiating element is greater than a height from the signal line to the second ground conductor. ### Claim 13 (depends on 2) The antenna module according to claim 2, wherein the radiating element and the first ground conductor define an antenna. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The antenna module according to claim 13, wherein the antenna is a plate-shaped inverse F antenna. ### Claim 15 (depends on 3) The antenna module according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the first interlayer connection conductor and the second interlayer connection conductor has a helical shape. ### Claim 16 (depends on 6) The antenna module according to claim 6, wherein the matching circuit includes electronic components that are mounted on one of the base materials. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The antenna module according to claim 16, wherein the electronic components are reactance elements that are electrically connected between at least one ground conductor and at least one signal line of the antenna module. ### Claim 18 (depends on 6) The antenna module according to claim 6, wherein the matching circuit matches or substantially matches an impedance of the radiating element with a characteristic impedance of the transmission line. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The antenna module according to claim 1, wherein a Young's modulus of the frame-shaped conductor is higher than a Young's modulus of the base materials. ### Claim 20 (depends on 7) The electronic device according to claim 7, wherein the housing does not include a metallic portion at least in a location adjacent to or in a vicinity of the radiating element.