# US 10,770,798 B2 · Flex cable fed antenna system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,770,798 B2 - Document ID: US10770798B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/146,646 - Filed: 2018-09-28 - Published: 2020-04-02 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2018-09-28 - Assignees: QUALCOMM Incorporated - Applicants: QUALCOMM Incorporated - Inventors: Yu-Chin Ou; Mohammad Ali Tassoudji - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10770798B2 ## CPC - H01Q 13/106: {Microstrip slot antennas (patch antenna elements H01Q9/0407)} - H01Q 1/243: {with built-in antennas} - H01Q 1/38: formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support {(patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142)} - H01Q 13/18: the slot being backed by, or formed in boundary wall of, a resonant cavity (longitudinally slotted cylinder H01Q13/12 ){; Open cavity antennas} - H01Q 21/067: {using endfire radiating aerial units transverse to the plane of the array} - H05K 1/11: Printed elements for providing electric connections to or between printed circuits - H05K 1/165: {incorporating printed inductors} - H05K 1/0219: {Printed shielding conductors for shielding around or between signal conductors, e.g. coplanar or coaxial printed shielding conductors} - H05K 1/186: {manufactured by mounting on or connecting to patterned circuits before or during embedding} - H05K 3/4697: {having cavities, e.g. for mounting components (H05K3/4691 takes precedence)} - H05K 2201/10098: Components for radio transmission, e.g. radio frequency identification [RFID] tag, printed or non-printed antennas - H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72) - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ## Abstract A wireless communication antenna system includes: a radio-frequency circuit configured to couple to a printed circuit board; a broadside radiator configured and disposed to radiate first millimeter-wave energy at a first boresight away from a broadside surface of the printed circuit board; an end-fire radiator configured and disposed to radiate second millimeter-wave energy at a second boresight away from a side surface of the printed circuit board; and at least one flex cable each including a substrate, the at least one flex cable including a plurality of signal conductors coupled to the radio-frequency circuit; where at least one of the broadside radiator or the end-fire radiator is a cavity radiator; and where respective signal conductors of the plurality of signal conductors are disposed to excite the broadside radiator and the end-fire radiator. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A wireless communication antenna system comprising: a radio-frequency circuit configured to couple to a printed circuit board; a broadside radiator configured and disposed to radiate first millimeter-wave energy at a first boresight away from a broadside surface of the printed circuit board; an end-fire radiator configured and disposed to radiate second millimeter-wave energy at a second boresight away from a side surface of the printed circuit board; and at least one flex cable each including a substrate, the at least one flex cable including a plurality of signal conductors coupled to the radio-frequency circuit; wherein at least one of the broadside radiator or the end-fire radiator is a cavity radiator; and wherein respective signal conductors of the plurality of signal conductors are disposed to excite the broadside radiator and the end-fire radiator. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the end-fire radiator is disposed within a thickness of the printed circuit board. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising the printed circuit board, wherein the cavity radiator is disposed within the printed circuit board. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein walls of the cavity radiator comprise vias through layers of the printed circuit board. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising the printed circuit board, wherein the radio-frequency circuit is disposed in a recess defined by the printed circuit board. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising the printed circuit board, wherein at least one of the broadside radiator or the end-fire radiator includes a first substrate, separate from a second substrate of the printed circuit board, and wherein the at least one of the broadside radiator or the end-fire radiator is disposed in a corresponding at least one recess defined by the printed circuit board. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the first substrate has a higher dielectric constant than the second substrate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising the printed circuit board, wherein the radio-frequency circuit is electrically connected to the printed circuit board by a ball-grid array. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the end-fire radiator is the cavity radiator, and wherein a corresponding one of the plurality of signal conductors wraps around an edge of the printed circuit board and extends partially over an opening of a cavity of the end-fire radiator to excite the end-fire radiator. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein a wall bounding a portion of the cavity is disposed to provide a ground plane for a portion of the corresponding one of the plurality of signal conductors. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the radio-frequency circuit is electrically connected to the at least one flex cable by a ball-grid array. ### Claim 12 A wireless communication antenna system comprising: a printed circuit board including an intermediate-frequency circuit; a radio-frequency integrated circuit coupled to the intermediate-frequency circuit of the printed circuit board; a broadside radiator configured and disposed to radiate first millimeter-wave energy at a first boresight away from a broadside surface of the printed circuit board, the broadside radiator comprising a first cavity radiator; an end-fire radiator configured and disposed to radiate second millimeter-wave energy at a second boresight away from a side surface of the printed circuit board, the end-fire radiator comprising a second cavity radiator; and at least one flex cable each including a substrate, the at least one flex cable including a plurality of signal conductors being coupled to the radio-frequency integrated circuit; wherein the broadside radiator and the end-fire radiator are disposed within a volume defined by a length of the printed circuit board, a width of the printed circuit board, and a thickness of the printed circuit board; and wherein respective signal conductors of the plurality of signal conductors are disposed to excite the broadside radiator and the end-fire radiator. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein each of the end-fire radiator and the broadside radiator is disposed within the printed circuit board. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein at least one wall of the broadside radiator and at least one wall of the end-fire radiator comprise vias through layers of the printed circuit board. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the radio-frequency integrated circuit is disposed in a recess defined by the printed circuit board. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein at least one of the broadside radiator or the end-fire radiator includes a first substrate, separate from a second substrate of the printed circuit board, and wherein the at least one of the broadside radiator or the end-fire radiator is disposed in a corresponding at least one recess defined by the printed circuit board, the first substrate having a higher dielectric constant than the second substrate. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the radio-frequency integrated circuit is electrically connected to the printed circuit board by a ball-grid array. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein a corresponding one of the plurality of signal conductors wraps around an edge of the printed circuit board and extends partially over an opening of a cavity of the end-fire radiator to excite the end-fire radiator. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein a wall bounding a portion of the end-fire radiator is disposed to provide a ground plane for a portion of the corresponding one of the plurality of signal conductors. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the printed circuit board comprises a plurality of traces to provide ground planes for at least some of the plurality of signal conductors such that the plurality of traces and the at least some of the plurality of signal conductors are microstrip transmission lines. ### Claim 21 A wireless communication antenna system comprising: a radio-frequency integrated circuit; a printed circuit board including a intermediate-frequency circuit coupled to the radio-frequency integrated circuit, the printed circuit board including: a first radiator array comprising a first plurality of cavity radiators each configured and disposed to radiate first millimeter-wave energy at a first boresight away from a broadside surface of the printed circuit board; and a second radiator array comprising a second plurality of cavity radiators each configured and disposed to radiate second millimeter-wave energy at a second boresight away from a side surface of the printed circuit board; and at least one flex cable each including a substrate, the at least one flex cable including a plurality of signal conductors coupled to the radio-frequency integrated circuit and being disposed to excite the first plurality of cavity radiators and the second plurality of cavity radiators. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The system of claim 21, wherein walls of each of the first plurality of cavity radiators and walls of each of the second plurality of cavity radiators comprise vias through layers of the printed circuit board. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The system of claim 21, wherein the radio-frequency integrated circuit is disposed in a recess defined by the printed circuit board. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The system of claim 21, wherein the radio-frequency integrated circuit is electrically connected to the printed circuit board by a ball-grid array. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The system of claim 21, wherein the printed circuit board comprises a plurality of traces to provide ground planes for at least some of the plurality of signal conductors such that the plurality of traces and the at least some of the plurality of signal conductors are microstrip transmission lines. ### Claim 26 (depends on 21) The system of claim 21, further comprising an interposer disposed between the radio-frequency integrated circuit and the at least one flex cable and electrically coupled to the radio-frequency integrated circuit and the at least one flex cable.