RF systems on antenna and method of fabrication
AssigneeGeorgia Tech Research Corporation
InventorsXuanke He, Emmanouil Tentzeris, Ryan Alexander Bahr, Yunnan Fang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An antenna system includes an antenna waveguide having a waveguide surface. A set of printed electronics includes conductors deposited onto the waveguide surface of the antenna waveguide. The system further includes at least one transceiver integrated circuit (IC), the transceiver integrated circuit having a surface assembly, wherein the surface assembly is adhesively coupled to the antenna waveguide and directly connected to the waveguide surface of the antenna waveguide.
Claims23
An antenna system comprising:
- an antenna waveguide comprising a waveguide surface;
- a set of printed electronics comprising conductors deposited onto the waveguide surface of the antenna waveguide;
- and
- at least one transceiver integrated circuit (IC), the transceiver integrated circuit comprising a surface assembly, the surface assembly being adhesively coupled to the antenna waveguide and directly connected to the waveguide surface of the antenna waveguide;
- and
- wherein the antenna waveguide defines a microstrip cavity;
- and
- the antenna system further comprises an antenna feed structure that connects the printed electronics to the antenna waveguide through the microstrip cavity.
An apparatus for wireless communications, the apparatus comprising:
- an antenna body comprising a plurality of antenna assemblies connected by a waveguide support structure, wherein the waveguide support structure comprises a printing surface surrounding at least one waveguide opening extending through the waveguide surface;
- at least one antenna waveguide connected to the waveguide surface and accessible through a respective waveguide opening;
- a substrate on the printing surface;
- an antenna transmission feed structure positioned on the substrate and connecting a respective one of the antenna assemblies to a respective antenna waveguide through the respective waveguide opening, wherein the antenna transmission feed structure routes input electrical waveforms to the respective waveguide for wireless transmission from the antenna body.
A method of constructing an antenna system, the method comprising:
- printing an antenna body having at least one antenna waveguide;
- attaching at least one transceiver integrated circuit to the antenna waveguide;
- depositing a set of printed electronics on the antenna waveguide, wherein the printed electronics connect the transceiver integrated circuit to the antenna waveguide, and
- using the printed electronics to route an antenna transmission feed structure from the transceiver integrated circuit to the at least one antenna waveguide.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.