Back to results
US 12,738,656 B2Granted
Apparatus and methods for staircase antennas
AssigneeAnalog Devices International Unlimited Company
InventorsIslam A. Eshrah, Ahmed M. Refaey
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus and methods for staircase antennas are disclosed. In certain embodiments, patch antenna elements are formed on two or more conductive layers of a circuit board with the patch antenna elements interconnected by vias to form a staircase-shaped antenna. The staircase antenna communicates using a tilted beam during normal operation (for instance, with no phase shift). Thus, the staircase antenna radiates at an angle, for instance, a diagonal relative to a planar surface of the circuit board.
Claims20
A circuit board comprising:
- a plurality of conductive layers separated by dielectric;
- a first staircase antenna including a first patch antenna, a second patch antenna, and a third patch antenna as steps of the first staircase antenna, wherein the first patch antenna is formed on a first conductive layer of the plurality of conductive layers, wherein the second patch antenna is formed on a second conductive layer of the plurality of conductive layers and is laterally offset from the first patch antenna in a first direction, and wherein the third patch antenna is formed on a third conductive layer of the plurality of conductive layers and is laterally offset from the second patch antenna in the first direction, the third patch antenna laterally offset from the first patch antenna such that the third patch antenna and the first patch antenna are non-overlapping along the first direction;
- a first via connected to the first patch antenna and configured to carry a radio frequency (RF) signal;
- a second via connecting the first patch antenna to the second patch antenna and laterally offset from the first via in the first direction;
- and
- a third via connecting the second patch antenna to the third patch antenna and laterally offset from the second via in the first direction.
3 more elements
A method of antenna formation, the method comprising:
- forming a first via in a circuit board, the first via configured to handle a radio frequency (RF) signal;
- forming a first staircase antenna in the circuit board, the first staircase antenna including a first patch antenna, a second patch antenna, and a third patch antenna as steps of the first staircase antenna, wherein the first patch antenna is formed on a first conductive layer of the circuit board and is connected to the first via, the second patch antenna is formed on a second conductive layer of the circuit board and is laterally offset from the first patch antenna in a first direction, and the third patch antenna is formed on a third conductive layer of the circuit board and is laterally offset from the second patch antenna in the first direction, the third patch antenna laterally offset from the first patch antenna such that the third patch antenna and the first patch antenna are non-overlapping along the first direction;
- forming a second via in the circuit board, the second via connecting the first patch antenna to the second patch antenna and laterally offset from the first via in the first direction;
- and
- forming a third via in the circuit board, the third via connecting the second patch antenna to the third patch antenna and laterally offset from the second via in the first direction.
2 more elements
A staircase antenna structure comprising:
- a staircase antenna including a first patch antenna, a second patch antenna, and a third patch antenna as steps of the staircase antenna, wherein the first patch antenna is formed on a first conductive layer, the second patch antenna is formed on a second conductive layer and is laterally offset from the first patch antenna in a first direction, and the third patch antenna is formed on a third conductive layer and is laterally offset from the second patch antenna in the first direction, the third patch antenna laterally offset from the first patch antenna such that the third patch antenna and the first patch antenna are non-overlapping along the first direction;
- a first via connected to the first patch antenna and configured to carry a radio frequency (RF) signal;
- a second via connecting the first patch antenna to the second patch antenna and laterally offset from the first via in the first direction;
- and
- a third via connecting the second patch antenna to the third patch antenna and laterally offset from the second via in the first direction.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.