Collocated mmWave and sub-6 GHz antennas
AssigneeGoogle Inc.
InventorsPei Li, Chun Kit Lai, Vijay L. Asrani
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Techniques and apparatuses are described that implement collocated mm Wave and sub-6 GHz antennas. An apparatus includes at least one mmWave antenna that produces a near-field radiation region and a far-field radiation pattern in a mmWave frequency band. Disposed within the near-field radiation region is a sub-6 GHz antenna that produces a radiation pattern in a sub-6 GHz frequency band. The sub 6 GHz antenna is able to positively affect the far-field radiation pattern from the mm Wave antenna (e.g., via steering and/or broadening). In this way, the mmWave antenna and the sub-6 GHz antenna can be collocated to conserve space while also steering and/or broadening the far-field radiation pattern of the mm Wave antenna.
Claims20
An apparatus comprising:
- a housing;
- at least one millimeter-wave antenna having a surface disposed such that a normal to the surface of the at least one millimeter-wave antenna is orthogonal to an x-z plane, the at least one millimeter-wave antenna configured to:
- generate a near-field millimeter-wave radiation pattern;
- induce a current within at least one sub-6 GHz antenna using the near-field millimeter-wave radiation pattern;
- and
- generate a far-field millimeter-wave radiation pattern with a first direction of maximum energy orthogonal to the x-z plane;
- and
- the at least one sub-6 gigahertz (GHz) antenna:
- configured to generate a sub-6 GHz radiation pattern;
- further configured to radiate another far-field millimeter-wave radiation pattern based on the current induced in the sub-6 GHz antenna, the other far-field millimeter-wave radiation pattern being constructive to the far-field millimeter-wave radiation pattern from the millimeter-wave antenna and combinable with the far-field millimeter-wave radiation pattern to produce a combined far-field millimeter-wave radiation pattern;
- disposed between the millimeter-wave antenna and the housing;
- disposed within a region corresponding to the near-field millimeter-wave radiation pattern of the millimeter-wave antenna;
- having a surface disposed such that a normal to the surface of the sub-6 GHz antenna is orthogonal to the x-z plane;
- disposed such that:
- a first portion of the sub-6 GHz antenna is on a first side of the mmWave antenna along a first direction of an x axis of the x-z plane, the first portion having a first length along the x axis;
- a second portion is along a second side of the mmWave antenna along an opposite direction to the first direction along the x axis, the second portion having a second length along the x axis, the first portion length greater than the second length;
- and
- a difference between the first portion and the second portion is configured to produce a second direction of maximum energy of the combined far-field millimeter-wave radiation pattern, the second direction of maximum energy at an angle to the first direction of maximum energy.
The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the apparatus comprises at least one of:
- a smartphone;
- a smart speaker;
- a smart thermostat;
- a smart watch;
- a gaming system;
- or
- a home appliance.
A method comprising transmitting a millimeter-wave signal using at least one millimeter-wave antenna, the transmitting of the millimeter-wave signal forming a near-field radiation pattern and a far-field radiation pattern in a millimeter-wave frequency band, with a first direction of maximum energy orthogonal to the x-z plane, the at least one millimeter-wave antenna:
- having a surface disposed such that a normal to the surface of the at least one millimeter-wave antenna is orthogonal to an x-z plane;
- and
- inducing a current in at least one sub-6 GHz antenna by the near-field radiation pattern, the at least one sub-6 GHz antenna:
- radiating, based on the induced current from the near-field radiation pattern, another far-field radiation pattern in the millimeter-wave frequency band that is constructive to the far-field radiation pattern radiated by the millimeter-wave antenna and combinable with the far-field millimeter-wave radiation pattern to produce a combined far-field millimeter-wave radiation pattern;
- having a surface disposed such that a normal to the surface of the sub-6 GHz antenna is orthogonal to the x-z plane;
- and
- disposed such that:
- a first portion of the sub-6 GHz antenna is on a first side of the mmWave antenna along a first direction of an x axis of the x-z plane, the first portion having a first length along the x axis;
- a second portion is along a second side of the mmWave antenna along an opposite direction to the first direction along the x axis, the second portion having a second length along the x axis, the first length greater than the second length;
- and
- a difference between the first portion and the second portion is configured to produce a second direction of maximum energy of the combined far-field millimeter-wave radiation pattern, the second direction of maximum energy at an angle to the first direction of maximum energy.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.