JP7341503B2 - Electronic circuit boards and communication circuits - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an electronic circuit board having a plurality of couplers, a communication circuit, and a method for connecting the same.

The inventor of this application has proposed an electronic circuit that performs data communication between boards using capacitive coupling and inductive coupling (together referred to as electromagnetic coupling) (for example, see Patent Documents 1 to 4). ). In such electronic circuits, couplers are installed on flexible printed circuit boards (FPC), printed circuit boards (PCB), modules, and terminals (hereinafter collectively referred to as substrates). It is formed.

In Patent Document 1, a signal line is used as a coupler. Two signal lines (a signal line and a feedback signal line) arranged in parallel are formed on each substrate (FIG. 33). The signal line and the feedback signal line are terminated and matched using a resistor. The signal line and feedback signal line on one substrate are arranged parallel to and in the same direction as the signal line and feedback signal line on the other substrate. By stacking the substrates, signal lines are placed close to each other. Since the signal lines overlap and the return signal lines overlap, wireless communication can be performed by electromagnetic field coupling.

Patent Document 2 discloses a communication device using a signal line as a coupler. In Patent Document 2, since differential signals are used, lead-out transmission lines are connected to both ends of one signal line. A signal of positive polarity is input to the transmission line from one transmission line, and a signal of negative polarity is input to the transmission line from the other transmission line. Furthermore, it is disclosed that by using an arc-shaped transmission line, it can be installed rotatably (FIG. 48).

In the rotary information transmission device of Patent Document 3, an arcuate coupler and an electromagnetic field coupling of a shorter arcuate coupler are coupled. It is disclosed that the central angle of the first arcuate coupler is 350° or more (paragraph 0032). According to the rotating information transmission device disclosed in Patent Document 3, data can be transmitted between relatively rotating substrates in a non-contact manner.

Patent Document 4 discloses a semiconductor integrated circuit that performs electromagnetic field communication by arranging a transmitting coil and a receiving coil in close proximity. In plan view, the transmitting coil and the receiving coil are formed in a square shape. Furthermore, a coil array with 3 rows and 3 columns or a coil array with 6 rows and 6 columns is used.

Patent No. 5213087 JP2014-33432A International Publication 2018/012622 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-139314

In inter-module communication using such a coupler, there are cases where it is required to change the mounting angle of the connection part. For example, inter-module communication may be applied to a connector for connecting an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display and a set-top box using an FPC. When applied to connectors, the thickness of OLED displays is as thin as about 3.5 mm. For this reason, conventional mechanical connectors are too thick to be used, and a thin electronic non-contact connector is required. Furthermore, since the number of data lines is 8 or 16, even when FPC is used, it is hard and difficult to bend.

Therefore, in order to be able to change the relative position of the OLED display and the set-top box, the mounting angle of the connector can be changed to four angles, for example 0 degrees, 90 degrees, 180 degrees, and 270 degrees. A connector is required.

In the case of couplers using linear transmission lines as in Patent Documents 1 and 2, it is difficult to change the mounting angle because the transmission lines need to be arranged in parallel. Furthermore, when an arcuate coupler is used, the mounting angle can be changed by aligning the centers. Therefore, by arranging multiple couplers concentrically, the mounting angle can be changed. However, the closer the coupler is placed to the outer periphery, the longer the coupler becomes.

For example, when the total length (circumferential length) of the coupler is 10 mm, the band of the coupler is 4.5 GH, and digital signals can be transferred at 6 Gbps (Patent Document 3). However, if the 16 channels are spaced apart and arranged concentrically so as not to interfere with each other, the total length of the outermost coupler increases to about 400 mm. The band of the coupler is reduced to 1/40, and the transfer rate of the digital signal is also reduced to 1/40, which is 0.15 Gbps. Therefore, it cannot be used for a 4K display.

This problem is solved in Patent Document 3 by making one of the coupler pair shorter than the other. However, there remains the problem that the outer periphery of the coupler becomes larger and the mounting area becomes larger.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a small electronic circuit board, a communication circuit, and a method for connecting the same, which can be connected in parallel even when the mounting angle is changed.

The electronic circuit board according to the present embodiment includes a first board and a plurality of first couplers formed on the first board for connecting a first electronic circuit and a second electronic circuit. and, in a plan view of the first board, K (K is an integer of 4 or more) of the first couplers are arranged at intervals on the circumference of the first circle. (m×K) (m is an integer of 1 or more) first couplers are arranged at intervals, and the first couplers are arranged point-symmetrically with respect to the center of the first circle.

The electronic circuit board according to the present embodiment includes a first board and a plurality of first couplers formed on the first board for connecting a first electronic circuit and a second electronic circuit. and, in a plan view of the first board, K (K is an integer of 4 or more) of the first couplers are arranged at intervals on the circumference of the first circle. The first coupler is arranged point-symmetrically with respect to the center of the first circle, and the first coupler is arranged in a radial direction or a circumferential direction of the first circle. A signal line coupler having signal lines arranged along the line.

In the electronic circuit board described above, in a plan view where the first board overlaps a second board provided with a plurality of second couplers of the second electronic circuit, the plurality of first couplings are overlapped with each other. From a state in which the first substrate is installed with respect to the second substrate so that the device couples with a plurality of second couplers, the first substrate is placed 90 degrees around the center of the first circle. The plurality of first couplers may be coupled to the plurality of second couplers in the rotated state.
In the electronic circuit board described above, a port may be provided at one end of the first board to take out input/output wiring connected to the first coupler.

In the above electronic circuit board, a lead-out transmission line may be drawn out from the first coupler toward the inside of the first circle.

In the electronic circuit board described above, a lead-out transmission line may be drawn out from the first coupler toward the outside of the first circle.

In the above electronic circuit board, the plurality of coupler groups may be arranged rotationally symmetrically, with the K first couplers serving as a coupler group.
In the above electronic circuit, the plurality of first couplers may be arranged so as not to overlap with each other.

The communication circuit according to the present embodiment is a communication circuit including a first electronic circuit board and a second electronic circuit board disposed opposite to the first electronic circuit board, wherein the first electronic circuit board is 2. The electronic circuit board according to claim 1, wherein the second electronic circuit board includes a second substrate and a plurality of second couplers formed on the second substrate, and the second electronic circuit board includes a plurality of second couplers formed on the second substrate. Among the second couplers, the L second couplers are arranged on the circumference of a third circle having the same size as the first circle, and the L second couplers are arranged on the circumference of a third circle having the same size as the first circle. The second coupler is arranged on the circumference of a fourth circle having the same size as the second circle, and when viewed from above, the L couplers are arranged on the circumference of the third circle. 2 couplers overlap with L first couplers, L communication paths are formed, and in plan view, the (m×L) number of communication paths on the circumference of the fourth circle are overlapped with each other. (m×L) communication paths are formed by overlapping the (m×L) second couplers with the (m×L) first couplers.

The communication circuit according to the present embodiment is a communication circuit including a first electronic circuit board and a second electronic circuit board disposed opposite to the first electronic circuit board, wherein the first electronic circuit board is 3. The electronic circuit board according to claim 2, wherein the second electronic circuit board includes a second board and L (L is an integer of 2 or more and K or less) formed on the second board. 2 couplers, the L second couplers are arranged on the circumference of a third circle having the same size as the first circle, and in plan view, the L second couplers The first substrate and the second substrate are stacked so that the L number of second couplers overlap with the L number of the first couplers, thereby forming L communication paths. has been done.

The electronic circuit board according to the present embodiment includes a first board and a plurality of first couplers formed on the first board for connecting a first electronic circuit and a second electronic circuit. and an electronic circuit board, wherein K (K is an integer of N or more) the first couplers are spaced apart along the sides of a regular N-gon (N is an integer of 3 or more). The K first couplers are arranged in N-fold rotational symmetry with respect to the center of the regular N-gon.

In the above electronic circuit board, the first coupler may be formed in an arc shape.

In the electronic circuit board described above, a port provided for taking out input/output wiring connected to the first coupler may be arranged at one end of the first board.
In the above electronic circuit board, the plurality of first couplers may be arranged so as not to overlap with each other.

A communication circuit comprising a first electronic circuit board and a second electronic circuit board, wherein the first electronic circuit board is the electronic circuit board described above, and the second electronic circuit board is the second electronic circuit board. and L second couplers (L is an integer of 2 or more and K or less) formed on the second substrate, and the L second couplers are connected to the regular N-gon. The first couplers are arranged on the sides of a regular N-gon of the same size, and the L second couplers and the L first couplers overlap in plan view. By stacking the substrate and the second substrate, L communication paths are formed.

A connection method for connecting a first electronic circuit board and a second electronic circuit board, wherein the first electronic circuit board includes a first board and a plurality of first couplings provided on the first board. The second electronic circuit board includes a second substrate and a plurality of second couplers provided on the second substrate, and the first electronic circuit board includes a The first couplers (K is an integer of 2 or more) are arranged rotationally symmetrically N times (N is an integer of 2 or more), and L pieces (L is an integer of 2 or more and K or less). The mounting angle of the first electronic circuit board and the second electronic circuit board is set to 360 degrees so that the first coupler and the second coupler overlap to form L communication paths. The first electronic circuit board and the second electronic circuit board are laminated as °×n/N (n is any integer greater than or equal to 0 and less than N).

According to this embodiment, it is possible to provide a small electronic circuit board, a communication circuit, and a method for connecting the same, which can be connected in parallel even when the mounting angle is changed.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the configuration of an arc-shaped coupler. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the arrangement of couplers in the electronic circuit according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of a coupler using two parallel signal lines. 7 is a plan view showing the arrangement of couplers in an electronic circuit according to Modification 1. FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a coupler using one signal line. FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the arrangement of couplers in an electronic circuit according to Modification 2; FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the arrangement of couplers in an electronic circuit according to Modification 3; FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the arrangement of couplers in an electronic circuit according to Modification 4; FIG. 12 is a plan view showing the arrangement of couplers in an electronic circuit according to modification 5; FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the arrangement of couplers in the electronic circuit according to the second embodiment. FIG. 3 is a plan view for explaining two overlapping couplers. FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the arrangement of couplers when the substrate is rotated. FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the arrangement of couplers in an electronic circuit according to Modification 6; FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the arrangement of couplers in an electronic circuit according to Modification 7;

The electronic circuit board (also simply referred to as an electronic circuit) according to this embodiment includes a board and a plurality of couplers formed on the board. Two or more electronic circuits communicate data using electromagnetic coupling by a coupler. Specifically, the substrates are stacked and arranged so that the couplers face each other. Opposing couplers are coupled by electric field coupling (capacitive coupling) and/or magnetic field coupling (inductive coupling). Therefore, the two electronic circuits become communication circuits that transmit and receive data. Furthermore, since electromagnetic field coupling is used, data can be communicated without contact.

The couplers can be, for example, transmission lines arranged in parallel to each other so as to couple the electric and magnetic fields as a distributed constant system. Alternatively, the coupler may be a coil (inductive coupler) arranged overlappingly so as to perform magnetic field coupling (inductive coupling) as a lumped constant system. Alternatively, the coupler can be electrodes arranged in parallel to each other so as to be electrically coupled (capacitively coupled) as a lumped constant system.

The substrate on which the coupler is formed is not particularly limited, and various substrates can be used. For example, the substrate may be an insulating substrate such as a printed circuit board (PCB) or a flexible printed circuit board (FPC board), or may be a semiconductor substrate such as a silicon substrate. The coupler is configured by wiring on the board. For example, when a coupler is formed on a semiconductor substrate such as a silicon substrate, it is also possible to configure the electronic circuit as one semiconductor chip.

Embodiment 1
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The configuration of a coupler mounted on an electronic circuit board according to this embodiment will be explained using FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing the configuration of two coupler elements 41 and 51. In the following description, a plane parallel to the main surface of the substrate (substrate surfaces 47 and 57) on which the coupler 43 and the coupler 53 are formed is defined as an XY plane. In other words, the XY plane is a plane perpendicular to the direction in which the substrates are stacked (Z direction).

A coupler element 41 is formed on a substrate side 47 of the first substrate, and a coupler element 51 is formed on a substrate side 57 of the second substrate. The coupler elements 41 and 51 shown in FIG. 1 have the same configuration as the coupler shown in FIG. 48 of Patent Document 2. Specifically, a coupler 43, which is a first coupler, is formed on the substrate surface 47. The coupler 43 is a signal line formed in an arc shape. A lead-out transmission line 44 is connected to one end of the arc-shaped coupler 43, and a lead-out transmission line 45 is connected to the other end. For example, a positive differential signal is input to or output from the extraction transmission line 44, and a negative differential signal is input to or output from the extraction transmission line 45. That is, signals are input to or output from the coupler 43 via the lead-out transmission lines 44 and 45.

Similarly, a coupler 53, which is a second coupler, is formed on the substrate surface 57 of the second substrate. The second coupler 53 is a signal line formed in an arc shape. A lead-out transmission line 54 is connected to one end of the arc-shaped coupler 53, and a lead-out transmission line 55 is connected to the other end.

The coupler 43 and the coupler 53 are coupled in a state where the two substrates are stacked and arranged. That is, the substrates are stacked so that the coupler 43 and the coupler 53 overlap. The radius of curvature of the coupler 43 and the coupler 53 is the same. Furthermore, the sizes of coupler 43 and coupler 53 are the same. In other words, the arc angles of the coupler 43 and the coupler 53 are the same. Furthermore, couplers 43 and 53 are formed over almost the entire circumference of the circle. For example, it is desirable that the central angle of the arc-shaped couplers 43, 53 be 350° or more.

By doing so, the coupler 43 and the coupler 53 can be coupled together even if the substrate is rotated at any angle within the XY plane. That is, if the XY positions of the centers of couplers 43 and 53 match, most of coupler 43 overlaps with most of coupler 53 at all rotation angles of 360°. As a result, the coupler 43 and the coupler 53 are electrically coupled. When the total length (circumferential length) of the couplers 43, 53 is 10 mm, the band of the couplers 43, 53 is 4.5 GH, and digital signals can be transferred at 6 Gbps.

In the first embodiment, a plurality of couplers 43 or 53 shown in FIG. 1 are formed on the substrate. The arrangement of the coupler will be explained using FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is an XY plan view showing the configuration of electronic circuits 100 and 110 having a plurality of couplers. The electronic circuit 100 and the electronic circuit 110 become a communication circuit that communicates data through electromagnetic field coupling by a coupler.

The electronic circuit 100 includes a substrate 101, a port 102, and 16 couplers 43-1 to 43-16. The couplers 43-1 to 43-16 each correspond to the coupler 43 shown in FIG. 1, and are collectively referred to as the coupler 43 unless otherwise identified. Similarly, the electronic circuit 110 includes a substrate 111, a port 112, and 16 couplers 53-1 to 53-16. The couplers 53-1 to 53-16 each correspond to the coupler 53 in FIG. 1, and are collectively referred to as the coupler 53 unless specifically identified.

Note that in the electronic circuit 100 and the electronic circuit 110, the arrangement of the 16 couplers is the same, and only the angle of the substrate is different. That is, although the coupler 43 of the electronic circuit 100 and the coupler 53 of the electronic circuit 110 are arranged in the same layout, the angles of the substrate 101 and the substrate 111 are different. Compared to the substrate 101, the substrate 111 is rotated 45° clockwise. The angle of the substrate 101 is 0°, and the angle of the substrate 111 is 45°.

Since the electronic circuit 110 and the electronic circuit 100 have similar configurations, the following description will mainly describe the configuration of the electronic circuit 100. The substrate 101 has a regular octagonal shape. On the substrate 101, couplers 43-1 to 43-16 are arranged at intervals so as not to interfere with each other. For example, coupler 43-1 is arranged at intervals such that crosstalk from other couplers 43-2 to 43-16 is sufficiently small. Couplers 43-1 to 43-16 do not overlap with each other.

A port 102 is provided at one end of the substrate 101. Here, the port 102 is provided at the end on the −Y side, that is, on one side of a regular octagon parallel to the X direction. The port 102 is a wiring port from which the input/output wiring 103 connected to the couplers 43-1 to 43-16 is drawn out. That is, a plurality of input/output wirings 103 connected to the couplers 43-1 to 43-16 are pulled out from the port 102 all at once. The input/output wiring 103 is connected to the couplers 43-1 to 43-16 via wiring (not shown) formed on the substrate 101.

The couplers 43-1 to 43-8 are arranged on the circumference of the circle C1 at predetermined intervals. The eight couplers 43-1 to 43-8 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center O1 of the circle C1. For example, the coupler 43-1 and the coupler 43-5 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center O1. Eight couplers 43-1 to 43-8 are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the circle C1. That is, the eight couplers 43-1 to 43-8 are arranged at intervals of 45° (=360°/8) on the circumference of the circle C1. The couplers 43-1 to 43-8 are arranged equidistantly from the center O1. The couplers 43-1 to 43-8 are all circular arcs of the same size. Therefore, the layout of the couplers 43-1 to 43-8 has eight-fold rotational symmetry about the center O1.

The couplers 43-9 to 43-16 are arranged on the circumference of the circle C2 at predetermined intervals. The circle C2 and the circle C1 are concentric circles. The diameter of circle C2 is larger than the diameter of circle C1. The eight couplers 43-9 to 43-16 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center O1 of the circle C2. For example, the coupler 43-9 and the coupler 43-13 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center O1. Eight couplers 43-9 to 43-16 are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the circle C2. That is, the eight couplers 43-9 to 43-16 are arranged at intervals of 45° (=360/8) on the circumference of the circle C2. The couplers 43-9 to 43-16 are arranged equidistantly from the center O1. The couplers 43-9 to 43-16 are all circular arcs of the same size. Therefore, the layout of the couplers 43-9 to 43-16 has eight-fold rotational symmetry about the center O1. The couplers 43-1 to 43-16 are arranged with 8-fold rotational symmetry about the center O1.

As described above, the electronic circuit 110 has the same configuration as the electronic circuit 100. The substrate 111 and the port 112 correspond to the substrate 101 and the port 112 of the electronic circuit 100. An input/output wiring 113 is connected to the port 112 .

The couplers 53-1 to 53-16 have the same layout as the couplers 43-1 to 43-16. However, in FIG. 2, the angle of the substrate 111 is rotated by 45 degrees. In other words, the position of port 102 and the position of port 112 are different. That is, the port 112 is arranged on the side next to the -Y side of the regular octagonal substrate 111. Therefore, the lead-out directions of the input/output wiring 103 and the input/output wiring 113 differ by 45 degrees.

Eight couplers 53-1 to 53-8 are arranged at intervals on the circumference of circle C3. The couplers 53-1 to 53-8 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center O2. Eight couplers 53-1 to 53-8 are arranged at equal intervals of 45° in the circumferential direction of the circle C3. Therefore, the layout of the couplers 53-1 to 53-8 has eight-fold rotational symmetry about the center O2.

Eight couplers 53-9 to 53-16 are arranged on the circumference of the circle C4. The couplers 53-9 to 53-16 are arranged point-symmetrically. Eight couplers 53-9 to 53-16 are arranged at equal intervals of 45° in the circumferential direction of the circle C4. Therefore, the layout of the couplers 53-9 to 53-16 has eight-fold rotational symmetry about the center O2. Circle C3 and circle C4 are concentric circles. The couplers 53-1 to 53-16 are arranged with eight-fold rotational symmetry about the center O2. The diameter of circle C4 is larger than the diameter of circle C3. The diameters of the circle C3 and the circle C1 are the same, and the diameters of the circle C4 and the circle C2 are the same.

Further, the substrate 101 and the substrate 111 are regular octagons of the same size. The center of the substrate 101 coincides with the center O1 of the circle C1. The center of the substrate 111 coincides with the center O2 of the circle C3. Note that the centers of the substrates 101 and 111 do not have to coincide with the centers O1 and O2 of the circles C1 and C3. The couplers 43-1 to 43-16 and the couplers 53-1 to 53-16 are all circular arcs of the same size.

The substrate 101 and the substrate 111 are stacked so that the center O1 and the center O2 coincide with each other. When the substrate 101 and the substrate 111 are stacked, the 16 couplers 43-1 to 43-16 and the 16 couplers 53-1 to 53-16 overlap each other in the XY plane view. Specifically, coupler 43-1 and coupler 53-8 overlap, and coupler 43-2 and coupler 53-1 overlap. Similarly, couplers 43-3 to 43-8 overlap with couplers 53-2 to 53-7, respectively. Further, the coupler 43-9 and the coupler 53-16 overlap, and the coupler 43-10 and the coupler 53-9 overlap. Couplers 43-11 to 43-16 overlap with couplers 53-10 to 53-15, respectively. Even if the angles between the substrates 101 and 111 differ by 45 degrees, one of the couplers 43-1 to 43-16 forms a pair with one of the couplers 53-1 to 53-16 and overlaps. 16 pairs of couplers can be electromagnetically coupled to form 16 communication paths.

As described above, the eight couplers 43 and 53 are arranged point-symmetrically along the circumference. Therefore, even if the angle of the substrate 111 is (360°/8)×n (n is an integer greater than or equal to 0 and less than 8), the couplers 43-1 to 43-16 are connected to the coupler 53-1, respectively. It overlaps with any of 1 to 53-16. That is, even if the rotation angle of the substrate 111 is 0°, 45°, 90°, 135°, 180°, 225°, 270°, or 315°, 16 pairs of couplers can be electromagnetically coupled. In other words, the mounting angle between the substrate 101 and the substrate 111 can be any angle as long as it is a multiple of 45°. Note that the mounting angle between the substrate 101 and the substrate 111 is a relative angle.

The mounting angle of the substrate 111 with respect to the substrate 101 can be changed every 45 degrees. All the couplers 43 of the electronic circuit 100 can be electrically coupled to the couplers 53 of the electronic circuit 110 as the communication partner. Therefore, data can be transmitted and received in parallel through 16 communication paths, enabling high-speed data communication. Further, the wiring can be taken out without overlapping the ports 102 and 112 in the XY plane view. Even if the substrate 101 provided with the coupler 43 and the substrate 111 provided with the coupler 53 have the same configuration, the mounting angle can be changed. The configuration of this embodiment makes it possible to realize a high-speed, compact electronic circuit that can be connected in parallel by changing the mounting angle. Furthermore, since the position of the port can be shifted, it is possible to contribute to making the communication circuit thinner.

By doing so, the positions of the ports 102 and 112 are no longer limited, so that the degree of freedom in designing the non-contact type connector can be increased. For example, the electronic circuit 100 is mounted on a connector of a display, and the electronic circuit 110 is mounted on a connector of a setup box. You can now change the direction of the input/output wiring for the connector on the display side and the connector on the setup box side. For example, if you change the direction of input/output wiring 103, 113 by 180 degrees, the connector on the display side will pull the input/output wiring to the inside of the display, and the connector on the setup box side will pull it out to the outside of the display. Become. Furthermore, since it is a non-contact type connector, no crimping part is required, which contributes to a reduction in thickness.

Furthermore, electronic circuit 100 and electronic circuit 110 can have the same layout. Therefore, electronic circuits of the same design can be used. For example, there is no need to change the design between a connector for a display and a connector for a setup box. Therefore, since parts can be shared, manufacturing costs can be suppressed. Moreover, by arranging the couplers at equal intervals on the circumference, the distance between the couplers can be increased. Therefore, there is no need to make the circle larger in order to reduce interference between couplers, so the mounting area can be reduced.

Next, the azimuth angle at which the coupler 43 on the circle C1 and the coupler 43 on the circle C2 are arranged will be explained. Note that the azimuth angle is an angle with respect to the center O1. For example, the azimuth angle of the direction extending in the +Y direction from the center O1 is 0°, and the azimuth angle of the direction extending in the +X direction from the center O1 is 90°. The azimuth angles of couplers 43-1 to 43-8 are 0°, 45°, 90°, 135°, 180°, 225°, 270°, and 315°, respectively. The azimuth angles of coupler 43-9 to coupler 43-16 are 22.5°, 67.5°, 112.5°, 157.5°, 202.5°, 247.5°, and 292.5°, respectively. °, 337.5°.

In the circumferential direction, a coupler 53 on a circle C2 is arranged between two adjacent couplers 43 on a circle C1. Further, in the circumferential direction, a coupler 53 on the circle C1 is arranged between two adjacent couplers 43 on the circle C2. That is, in the circumferential direction, the couplers 43 on the circle C1 and the couplers 53 on the circle C2 are arranged alternately. The azimuth angle of the coupler 43 on the circle C1 and the azimuth angle of the coupler 43 on the circle C2 are different. By doing so, the distance between the coupler 43 on the circle C1 and the coupler 43 on the circle C2 can be increased. Note that the same holds true for the azimuth of the coupler 53 of the electronic circuit 110.

On the other hand, for example, if couplers 43 on circle C1 and couplers 43 on circle C2 are arranged at the same azimuth angle, in order to widen the distance between couplers 43, the diameters of circles C1 and C2 must be It is necessary to increase the difference. Therefore, with the configuration shown in FIG. 2, the distance between the couplers 43 can be increased without increasing the diameter of the circle C2. Therefore, the size of the electronic circuit 100 can be reduced.

Next, the direction in which the lead-out transmission line 44 and the lead-out transmission line 45 of the coupler 43 are led will be explained. Output transmission lines 44 and 45 provided in couplers 43-1 to 43-16 are drawn out. Output transmission lines 44 and 45 are connected to the coupler 43 from the outer circumferential side of the board. Therefore, the lead-out transmission lines 44 and 45 of the couplers 43-1 to 43-16 are arranged radially. A lead-out transmission line 44 and a lead-out transmission line 45 are led out from the coupler 43 toward the outer circumferential side.

The lead-out transmission lines 44 and 45 of the two couplers 43 arranged at point-symmetrical positions are drawn out parallel to each other and in opposite directions. For example, in the couplers 43-1 and 43-5 arranged point-symmetrically with respect to the center O1, the output transmission lines 44-1 and 45-1 and the output transmission lines 44-5 and 45-5 are parallel and being pulled in the opposite direction. Specifically, the lead-out transmission lines 44-1 and 45-1 are led out from the coupler 43-1 in the +Y direction. Output transmission lines 44-1 and 45-1 of the coupler 43-5 are drawn out from the coupler 43-5 in the -Y direction. Note that the coupler 53 of the electronic circuit 110 is also provided with lead-out transmission lines 54 and 55 in the same direction.

Therefore, the extraction transmission lines 44 and 45 can detour around the outside of the circle. By doing so, the influence on the coupler can be reduced compared to the case where the extraction transmission line passes through the inside of the circle.

Note that in the above configuration, the coupler 43 is arranged along the two circles C1 and C2, but the coupler 43 may be arranged along three or more concentric circles. Alternatively, the coupler 43 may be arranged only along one circle C1.

In addition, in the above configuration, eight couplers 43 are arranged on the circumference of one circle (circle C1 or circle C2), but eight couplers 43 are arranged on the circumference of one circle. The number is not limited to eight. In other words, K couplers 43 (K is an integer of 2 or more) may be arranged rotationally symmetrically on the circle C1. For example, when K=2, the mounting angle can be changed every 180°, and when K=4, the mounting angle can be changed every 90°. In other words, it becomes possible to change it every (360°/K). Note that by setting K to a multiple of 4, the mounting angle can be changed every 90°.

When couplers 43 are arranged on two circles C1 and C2, the number of couplers 43 on circle C1 and the number of couplers on circle C2 do not need to be the same. For example, the number of couplers 43 on circle C1 can be four, and the number of couplers 43 on circle C2 can be eight. When the number of couplers 43 on the smallest circle C1 is K, it is preferable that the number of couplers on the circle C2, which is larger than the circle C1, be an integral multiple of K. That is, it is preferable to arrange (m×K) couplers 43 (m is an integer of 1 or more) on the circle C2.

Although the substrates 101 and 111 are regular octagons in FIG. 2, the shapes of the substrates 101 and 111 are not particularly limited. For example, the substrates 101 and 111 may be circular, square, or rectangular. Furthermore, the shapes and sizes of the substrate 101 and the substrate 111 may be different.

In this way, the combination of the pair of couplers 43 and 53 changes depending on the mounting angle of the substrates 101 and 111. If the mounting angle is unknown, data may be transmitted in order from the couplers 43-1 to 43-16, and the receiver on the electronic circuit 110 side may restore the data. By performing such a communication test in advance, the combination of the coupler 43 and the coupler 53 can be confirmed. Furthermore, even if the data is reversed depending on the rotation angle, that is, 0 becomes 1 and 1 becomes 0, it is possible to confirm whether or not there is an inversion by performing a communication test in advance.

Modification example 1
In Modification 1, the shape of the coupler is different. The configuration of the coupler used in Modification 1 will be explained using FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a conceptual perspective view showing the configuration of a coupler in the inter-module communication device. FIG. 3 shows the configuration of a coupler for two modules 10a, 10b. The modules 10a and 10b have similar configurations, and for example, the module shown in FIG. 33 of Patent Document 1 can be used. Therefore, detailed explanation will be omitted.

The module 10a includes a substrate 11a, a signal line 12a, a resistor 17a, a semiconductor integrated circuit device 15a, a feedback signal line 24a, an extraction transmission line 25a, and an extraction transmission line 26a. A signal line 12a, a resistor 17a, a semiconductor integrated circuit device 15a, a feedback signal line 24a, and an extraction transmission line 25a are formed on the substrate 11a.

The signal line 12a and the feedback signal line 24a are arranged in parallel. Here, the Y direction is shown as a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the signal line 12a and the feedback signal line 24a, and the X direction is shown as a direction parallel to the lateral direction (width direction). The signal line 12a and the feedback signal line 24a are formed linearly along the Y direction. The signal line 12a and the feedback signal line 24a are formed at a constant interval.

The signal line 12a and the feedback signal line 24a are matched terminated using a resistor 17a. The signal line 12a is connected to a semiconductor integrated circuit device 15a via a lead-out transmission line 25a. The feedback signal line 14a is connected to the semiconductor integrated circuit device 15a via a lead-out transmission line 26a. The extraction transmission line 25a and the extraction transmission line 26a are arranged parallel to each other along the Y direction. The semiconductor integrated circuit device 15a includes a transceiver that processes digital signals and transmits and receives them.

The configuration of module 10b is similar to module 10a. That is, the substrate 11b, the signal line 12b, the resistor 17b, the semiconductor integrated circuit device 15b, the feedback signal path 24b, the lead-out transmission line 25b, and the lead-out transmission line 26b are connected to the board 11a, the signal line 12a, the resistor 17a, and the semiconductor integrated circuit device 15b, respectively. It corresponds to the circuit device 15a, the feedback signal path 24a, the extraction transmission line 25a, and the extraction transmission line 26a. Therefore, detailed explanation will be omitted.

In the XY plane, the signal line 12a and the signal line 12b overlap, and the feedback signal line 14a and the feedback signal line 14b overlap. Therefore, electromagnetic field coupling occurs at the overlapping portion between the signal line 12a and the signal line 12b, and at the overlapping portion between the feedback signal line 14a and the feedback signal line 14b. The signal line 12b and the feedback signal line 14b serve as a coupler 63 of the module 10a, and the signal line 12b and the feedback signal line 14b serve as a coupler 64 of the module 10b. The coupler 63 is constituted by a pair of linear signal lines (signal line 12a and feedback signal line 24a). The coupler 64 is constituted by a pair of linear signal lines (signal line 12b and feedback signal line 24b).

It is preferable that the lead-out transmission line 25a and the lead-out transmission line 26a are not coupled to the lead-out transmission line 25b and the lead-out transmission line 26b, respectively. Therefore, the line widths of the extraction transmission line 25a, the extraction transmission line 26a, the extraction transmission line 25b, and the extraction transmission line 26b are made narrower than the line width of the signal line 12a, the signal line 12b, the feedback signal path 24a, and the feedback signal path 24b. It is preferable. Alternatively, a different layout may be used so that the lead-out transmission line 25a and the lead-out transmission line 26a do not overlap with the lead-out transmission line 25b and the lead-out transmission line 26b in the XY plane.

Next, the configuration of the electronic circuits 200 and 210 having a plurality of couplers will be described using FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is an XY plan view showing the configuration of the electronic circuits 200 and 210. Note that in the electronic circuit 200, the arrangement of the board 201, port 202, input/output wiring 203, and coupler 63 is similar to the arrangement of the board 101, port 102, input/output wiring 103, and coupler 43 shown in FIG. ing. In electronic circuit 210, the arrangement of couplers 63 and 64 is similar to the arrangement of couplers 43 and 53 in FIG. That is, the basic configuration other than the shape of the coupler is the same as that in FIG. 2. Therefore, descriptions of content that overlaps with the content of Embodiment 1 will be omitted as appropriate.

Also in the first modification, eight couplers 63-1 to 63-8 are arranged at intervals on the circumference of the circle C1. Eight couplers 63-1 to 63-8 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center O1 of the circle C1. Eight couplers 63-9 to 63-16 are arranged at intervals on the circumference of the circle C2. Eight couplers 63-9 to 63-16 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center O1 of the circle C2.

Eight couplers 64-1 to 64-8 are arranged at intervals on the circumference of circle C3. Eight couplers 64-1 to 64-8 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center O2 of the circle C3. Eight couplers 64-9 to 64-16 are arranged at intervals on the circumference of the circle C4. Eight couplers 64-9 to 64-16 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center O2 of the circle C4.

Furthermore, the coupler 63 is composed of two parallel signal lines (signal line 12a and feedback signal line 14a in FIG. 3). In this embodiment, the direction of the signal lines of the couplers 63-1 to 63-8 is the radial direction of the circle C1. Similarly, the direction of the signal lines of the couplers 63-9 to 63-16 is the radial direction of the circle C2. The longitudinal directions of the couplers 63-1 to 63-8 and couplers 63-9 to 63-16 are parallel to the radial direction of the circles C1 and C2. In other words, the signal lines of the couplers 63-1 to 63-16 are formed radially. For example, the signal line of the coupler 63-1 is formed parallel to the direction (-Y direction) from the coupler 63-1 toward the center O1. Therefore, the couplers 63-1 to 63-16 are arranged in eight-fold rotational symmetry with respect to the center O1.

Further, the direction of the two parallel signal lines (the signal line 12b and the feedback signal line 14b in FIG. 3) of the couplers 64-1 to 64-8 is the radial direction of the circle C3, and the couplers 64-9 to 64- The direction of the 16 signal lines is the radial direction of the circle C4. The longitudinal directions of the couplers 64-1 to 64-8 and couplers 64-9 to 64-16 are parallel to the radial direction of the circles C3 and C4. That is, the signal lines of the couplers 64-1 to 64-16 are also formed radially. For example, the coupler 64-2 is formed parallel to the direction (-X direction) from the coupler 64-2 toward the center O2. Therefore, the couplers 64-1 to 64-16 are arranged in eight-fold rotational symmetry with respect to the center O2.

By stacking the substrate 201 and the substrate 202 so that the center O1 and the center O2 coincide with each other, the couplers 63-1 to 63-16 and the couplers 64-1 to 64-16 are stacked, as in the first embodiment. overlap. As a result, the 16 pairs of couplers are electromagnetically coupled. The couplers 63-1 to 63-16 have eight-fold rotational symmetry. Furthermore, the couplers 64-1 to 64-16 have eight-fold rotational symmetry. Similar to the first embodiment, the rotation angle of the substrate 211 can be changed every 45 degrees. Note that the longitudinal direction of the couplers 63 and 64 is not limited to the radial direction, and may be inclined by a certain angle from the radial direction.

Furthermore, in the first embodiment, a positioning section 65 is formed on the substrate 201, and a positioning section 66 is formed on the substrate 211. The positioning parts 65 and 66 are arranged near each side of the regular octagonal substrates 201 and 211. In other words, on the substrates 201 and 211, eight positioning portions 65 and 66 are provided at azimuths of 45 degrees. The positioning section 65 is arranged on the outer circumference side of the couplers 63-1 to 63-16, and the positioning section 66 is arranged on the outer circumference side of the couplers 64-1 to 64-16.

The substrates 501 and 511 are removably fixed by the positioning parts 65 and 66. For example, permanent magnets can be used as the positioning parts 65 and 66. When the substrates 201 and 211 are stacked, the positioning section 65 and the positioning section 66 are arranged to face each other. The positioning portion 65 and the positioning portion 66, which are arranged opposite to each other, are attracted by magnetic force. By doing this, it is possible to prevent deviations in the mounting angle. For example, if the mounting angle deviates from 45 degrees, the overlapping area of coupler 63 and coupler 64 will become smaller. Therefore, the capacitance formed by the couplers 63 and 64 is reduced due to the deviation in the mounting angle.

Therefore, as shown in this embodiment, by using the positioning parts 65 and 66, it is possible to prevent the positional shift between the couplers. That is, the attractive force of the magnets of the positioning parts 65 and 66 acts so that the mounting angle becomes 45°×n. As a result, the positional accuracy can be increased, so that deterioration in the coupling performance of the couplers 63 and 64 can be prevented. Moreover, the positioning parts 65 and 66 are not limited to magnets. For example, the positioning parts 65 and 66 may be formed using a mechanical fitting structure. Of course, the number of positioning parts 65 and 66 is not limited to eight.

In this way, it is preferable to provide the positioning parts 65 and 66 on the substrates 201 and 211. The positioning parts 65 and 66 set the laminated substrates at a desired mounting angle. In other words, the positioning parts 65 and 66 limit positional deviation so that the mounting angle between the boards matches a multiple of 45°.

In this embodiment, a plurality of couplers are arranged rotationally symmetrically on the circumference. By doing so, even when linear couplers 63 and 64 are used, the mounting angle between the boards can be changed every 90 degrees. For example, when linear couplers 63 and 64 are arranged in an array of 3 rows and 3 columns as in Patent Document 4, the longitudinal direction of the couplers is rotated by 90 degrees, making it difficult to couple them. In contrast, in this embodiment, the couplers 63 and 64 can be overlapped even when rotated by 90 degrees or 45 degrees.

As in the first embodiment, the lead-out transmission line 25a and the lead-out transmission line 26a are led out from the coupler 63 toward the outer periphery of the circles C1 and C2. The lead-out transmission line 25a and the lead-out transmission line 26a are formed radially. Therefore, the extraction transmission line 25a and the extraction transmission line 26a can detour around the outside of the circles C1 and C2. By doing so, the influence on the coupler 43 can be reduced compared to the case where the extraction transmission line 25a and the extraction transmission line 26a pass through the inside of the circle C1.

Modification example 2
Modification 2 differs from Embodiment 1 and Modification 1 in the shape of the coupler. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the configuration of a coupler according to modification 2. FIG. 5 shows a planar configuration of the coupler of two modules 10a and 10b. The modules 10a and 10b have similar configurations, and for example, the module shown in FIG. 2 of Patent Document 2 can be used.

The module 10a includes a first substrate 11a, a signal line 12a, and lead-out transmission lines 13a and 14a. A signal line 12a and lead-out transmission lines 13a and 14a are formed on the first substrate 11a. The signal line 12a has a rectangular pattern with a longitudinal direction in the X direction and a transversal direction in the Y direction. In other words, the signal line 12a is formed by a signal line along the X direction. A lead-out transmission line 13a is connected to one end of the signal line 12a in the X direction, and a lead-out transmission line 14a is connected to the other end. A positive differential signal is input to the extraction transmission line 13a, and a negative differential signal is input to the extraction transmission line 14a. The line width of the signal line 12a is wider than the line width of the lead-out transmission lines 13a and 14a.

The module 10b includes a second substrate 11b, a signal line 12b, and lead-out transmission lines 13b and 14b. Module 10b has a similar configuration to module 10a. The signal line 12b and the signal line 12b are approximately the same size. The first substrate 11a and the second substrate 11b are stacked so that the signal line 12a and the signal line 12b overlap in the XY plane view. Therefore, the signal line 12a and the signal line 12b are electromagnetically coupled.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing the arrangement of the coupler shown in FIG. 5. In FIG. 6, the signal line 12a is shown as a coupler 73, and the signal line 12b is shown as a coupler 74 in a simplified manner. FIG. 6 shows an electronic circuit 300 with 16 couplers 73 and an electronic circuit 310 with 16 couplers 74. Further, in FIG. 6, the board, ports, etc. are omitted.

Similar to Modifications 1 and 2, couplers 73-1 to 73-8 are arranged on the circumference of circle C1. The couplers 73-1 to 73-8 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center O1 of the circle C1. Further, the couplers 73-9 to 73-16 are arranged on the circumference of the circle C2, and are arranged point-symmetrically with respect to the center O1 of the circle C2. Couplers 74-1 to 74-8 are arranged on the circumference of circle C3. The couplers 74-1 to 74-8 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center O2 of the circle C3. Further, the couplers 74-9 to 74-16 are arranged on the circumference of the circle C4, and are arranged point-symmetrically with respect to the center O2 of the circle C4.

Further, the longitudinal directions of the couplers 73-1 to 73-8 and the couplers 73-9 to 73-16 are parallel to the tangential directions of the circles C1 and C2. Therefore, the couplers 73-1 to 73-16 have eight-fold rotational symmetry with respect to the center O2. The longitudinal directions of the couplers 74-1 to 74-8 and the couplers 74-9 to 74-16 are parallel to the tangential directions of the circles C3 and C4. Therefore, the couplers 74-1 to 74-16 have eight-fold rotational symmetry with respect to the center O2.

By stacking the electronic circuit 300 and the electronic circuit 310 so that the center O1 and the center O2 coincide with each other, the couplers 73-1 to 73-16 and the coupler 74-1 to 74-16 overlap. As a result, the 16 pairs of couplers are electromagnetically coupled. Similar to the first embodiment, the rotation angle of the substrate can be changed every 45 degrees.

Further, similarly to the lead-out transmission line 44 and the lead-out transmission line 45 of the first embodiment, the lead-out transmission line 13a and the lead-out transmission line 14a are drawn out from the coupler 73. Outgoing transmission lines 13a and outgoing transmission lines 14a of the 16 couplers 43 are formed radially. Therefore, the extraction transmission line 13a and the extraction transmission line 14a can detour around the outside of the circles C1 and C2. By doing so, the influence on the coupler can be reduced compared to the case where the extraction transmission line 13a and the extraction transmission line 14a pass through the inside of the circle.

Modification example 3
An electronic circuit according to modification 3 will be explained using FIG. 7. FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the arrangement of couplers in electronic circuits 400 and 410 according to Modification 3. Although the couplers 63 and 64 shown in FIG. 3 are used, the coupler shown in FIG. 1 or 5 may also be used. Note that the basic configurations of electronic circuits 400 and 410 are the same as those in Embodiment 1 and Modifications 1 and 2, and therefore description thereof will be omitted as appropriate. Note that input/output wiring is omitted in FIG. 7.

16 couplers 63-1 to 63-16 are arranged on the substrate 401 of the electronic circuit 400, and 16 couplers 64-1 to 64-16 are arranged on the substrate 411 of the electronic circuit 410. ing. However, in the third modification, the arrangement of the 16 couplers 63 and 64 is different from that in the first modification. Specifically, 16 couplers 63-1 to 63-16 are arranged on the circumference of the circle C1. Sixteen couplers 64-1 to 64-16 are arranged on the circumference of circle C3.

The couplers 63-1 to 63-16 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center O1 of the circle C1. Along the circumferential direction of the circle C1, 16 couplers 63-1 to 63-16 are arranged at equal intervals of 22.5°. The couplers 63-1 to 63-16 are arranged in 16-fold rotational symmetry with respect to the center O1.

The couplers 64-1 to 64-16 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center O2 of the circle C3. Along the circumferential direction of the circle C3, 16 couplers 64-1 to 64-16 are arranged at equal intervals of 22.5°. The couplers 64-1 to 64-16 are arranged in 16-fold rotational symmetry with respect to the center O2.

By stacking the electronic circuit 400 and the electronic circuit 410 so that the centers O1 and O2 coincide, the couplers 63-1 to 63-16 and the couplers 64-1 to 64- 16 overlaps. For example, coupler 63-1 and coupler 64-16 overlap. As a result, the 16 pairs of couplers are electromagnetically coupled.

In modification 3, the mounting angle between the substrate 401 and the substrate 411 can be changed every 22.5° (=360°/16). Therefore, in FIG. 7, the angles of port 402 and port 412 differ by 22.5 degrees. Although the substrates 401 and 411 have a regular hexagonal shape in FIG. 7, they may have other shapes such as a circle. Further, in Modification 3 as well, couplers may be arranged on the circumferences of circles C2 and C4. That is, the couplers may be arranged on the circumference of two or more concentric circles.

Modification example 4
An electronic circuit according to modification 4 will be explained using FIG. 8. 7 is a plan view showing electronic circuits 400 and 420 according to Modification 4. FIG. In the electronic circuit 400, 16 couplers 63 are arranged at equal intervals on the circumference of the circle C1 as in FIG. 7.

On the other hand, electronic circuit 420 is provided with only four couplers 64. The number of couplers 63 in electronic circuit 400 and the number of couplers 64 in electronic circuit 420 are different. Specifically, four couplers 64-1 to 64-4 are arranged on the circumference of circle C3. The couplers 64-1 to 64-4 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center O2. Here, the couplers 64-1 to 64-4 are arranged at equal intervals of 90°.

Even in this case, the mounting angle of the substrate 421 with respect to the substrate 401 can be changed every 22.5 degrees. For example, the four combiners 64-1 to 64-4 overlap with any of the combiners 63-1 to 63-16. In this case, on the substrate 401, four of the 16 couplers 63 are coupled to the couplers 64. Since the couplers 64-1 to 64-4 perform electromagnetic coupling, four parallel communication paths are formed. For example, one of couplers 63-1 to 63-4 couples with coupler 64.

For example, if coupler 64-1 and coupler 63-1 are arranged so as to overlap, couplers 64-2 to 64-4 overlap with couplers 63-5, 63-9, and 63-13, respectively. When the substrate 421 is rotated by 22.5 degrees and arranged so that the couplers 64-1 and 63-2 overlap, the couplers 64-2 to 64-4 are replaced by the couplers 63-6 and 63-10. , 63-14. By doing so, four parallel communication paths are formed.

Note that in the electronic circuit 400, only the four couplers 63 are coupled to the coupler 64. In other words, the remaining 12 couplers 63 are not coupled to the coupler 64. Therefore, it is possible to share a receiving circuit and a transmitting circuit for each of the four couplers 63. For example, four couplers 63-1 to 63-4 are connected in parallel to one transmitting/receiving circuit, and a switch is placed between the couplers 63-1 to 63-4 and the transmitting/receiving circuit, and , the switch is turned on and off depending on the mounting angle of the electronic circuits 400 and 410. Of the four couplers 63-1 to 63-4, only one coupler 63-1, which overlaps with coupler 64-1, is connected to the transmitting/receiving circuit. Therefore, the number of transmitting and receiving circuits can be reduced, and the electronic circuit 420 can be downsized. Additionally, four couplers coupled to the coupler 64 may be identified through a communication test in advance.

Note that in the electronic circuit 420, the four couplers 64-1 to 64-4 were arranged symmetrically, but in the electronic circuit 420 with a small number of couplers, the couplers 64-1 to 64-4 are arranged symmetrically. It does not have to be placed. For example, couplers 64-1 to 64-4 can be arranged at intervals of 22.5°. In this case, if the mounting angle is 0°, the couplers 64-1 to 64-4 are arranged at positions overlapping the couplers 63-1 to 63-4. When the mounting angle is changed to 22.5°, couplers 64-1 to 64-4 overlap with couplers 63-2 to 63-5. In the electronic circuit 420, the couplers 64 may not be equally spaced along the circumference. In other words, the couplers 64-1 to 64-4 may be randomly arranged as long as they are arranged at an azimuth angle of 22.5°×n (n is any integer greater than or equal to 0 and less than 16). For example, the couplers 64-1 to 64-4 may be randomly arranged to overlap with the couplers 63-1, 63-2, 63-4, and 63-13.

Generalizing the above configuration, it can be expressed as follows. In the electronic circuit 400, the substrate 401 is provided with K (K is an integer of 2 or more) couplers 63, and in the electronic circuit 420, the substrate 421 is provided with L (L is an integer of 2 or more and K or less) couplers 64. is provided. For example, K couplers 63 are arranged at equal intervals along the circumference of the circle C1. In the electronic circuit 420, L couplers 64 are arranged on a circle C3 having the same size as the circle C1. By stacking the substrates 401 and 421 such that L couplers 63 and L couplers 64 overlap, L parallel communication paths are formed.

2, 4, and 6 show configurations where K=L=8. FIG. 7 shows a configuration where K=L=16. FIG. 8 shows a configuration where K=16 and L=4. Further, by setting K to a multiple of 4, the mounting angle can be changed every 90°. L may be an integer greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to K. For example, in the configuration shown in FIG. 7, even if one or more of the couplers 64-1 to 64-16 is thinned out in the electronic circuit 410, the mounting angle of the board can be changed every 22.5 degrees. Of course, the couplers 53, 64, and 74 may also be thinned out in the configurations of FIGS. 2, 4, and 6.

If the couplers 63 on the substrate 401 are arranged in N-fold rotational symmetry, the couplers 64 on the substrate 421 do not need to be arranged in rotational symmetry. When K is larger than L, the L couplers 64 are arranged at an azimuth angle of 360°×n/N (n is any integer greater than or equal to 0 and less than N), and the number of couplers 64 is The mounting angle can be changed. In the electronic circuit connection method according to the present embodiment, L (L is an integer of 2 or more and K or less) couplers 64 and couplers 63 overlap to form L communication paths. The first substrate and the second substrate are stacked such that the mounting angle between the electronic circuit 400 and the electronic circuit 420 is 360°×n/N (n is any integer greater than or equal to 0 and less than N).

Modification example 5
An electronic circuit according to modification 5 will be described using FIG. 9. FIG. 9 is a plan view showing the arrangement of the coupler 64 in the electronic circuit 440. In the electronic circuit 440, similarly to the electronic circuit 420, four couplers 64 are provided on the circumference of the circle C1. Note that in FIG. 9, the board 441 is square, and a port 442 is provided on one side of the board 441.

In modification 5, the extraction directions of the extraction transmission lines 25b and 26b are different. Output transmission lines 25b and 26b are led out from coupler 64 toward the inside of circle C3. Here, the extraction transmission lines 25b and 26b are bent toward the port 442 after being extracted toward the center O2 of the circle C3. If it is drawn out inside the circle C3, it is easier to make the wiring the same length than if it is routed around the outside of the circle C3. The configuration of modification 5 is particularly effective when the number of couplers 64 arranged on the circumference is small.

Embodiment 2.
In this embodiment, K couplers (K is an integer of 2 or more) are arranged along the sides of a regular N-gon. Furthermore, K couplers are arranged rotationally symmetrically with respect to the center of the regular N-gon. The arrangement of couplers in the electronic circuit according to the second embodiment will be explained using FIG. 10. FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the arrangement of couplers 43 and 53 in electronic circuits 500 and 510. The couplers 43 and 53 have an arc shape as shown in FIG.

The electronic circuit 500 includes a substrate 501, a port 502, input/output wiring 503, and 16 couplers 43. The 16 couplers 43 are arranged at equal intervals in an array of 4 columns and 4 rows. The couplers 43-1 to 43-16 are arranged at intervals such that they do not interfere with each other.

A coupler 43 is arranged along the sides of the two squares S1 and S2. The square S2 is larger than the square S1, and the center of the square S2 coincides with the center O1 of the square S1. Four couplers 43 are arranged on the four sides of the square S1. Specifically, couplers 43-6, 43-7, 43-10, and 43-11 are arranged at the ends of the four sides of the square S1, that is, at each vertex. The couplers 43-6, 43-7, 43-10, and 43-11 are arranged in four-fold rotational symmetry with respect to the center O1 of the square S1.

Furthermore, twelve couplers 43-1 to 43-5, 43-8, 43-9, and 43-12 to 43-16 are arranged on the four sides of the square S2. Four couplers 43 are arranged on one side of the square S2. Specifically, couplers 43-1, 43-4, 43-13, and 43-16 are arranged at each vertex of the square S2, respectively. Two couplers 43-2 and 43-3 are arranged between coupler 43-1 and coupler 43-4 on the side parallel to the X direction on the +Y side. Similarly, two couplers 43-14 and 43-15 are arranged between coupler 43-13 and coupler 43-16 on the -Y side parallel to the X direction. Further, two couplers 43-5 and 43-9 are arranged between coupler 43-1 and coupler 43-13 on the side parallel to the Y direction on the -X side. Two couplers 43-8 and 43-12 are arranged between coupler 43-4 and coupler 43-16 on the side parallel to the Y direction on the +X side. Therefore, the couplers 43-1 to 43-5, 43-8, 43-9, 43-12 to 43-16 are arranged in four-fold rotational symmetry with respect to the center O1 of the square S2.

The center of the square S1 and the center of the square S2 coincide at the center O1. Therefore, the couplers 43-1 to 43-16 are arranged with four-fold rotational symmetry. Note that although the substrate 501 is a regular quadrangle (square), it may have a shape other than a regular quadrangle. Here, the center of the square substrate 501 coincides with the center O1, but it does not have to coincide with the center O1. A port 502 is provided on the −Y side of the substrate 501 parallel to the X direction. Input/output wiring 503 connected to the coupler 43 is bundled in the port 502 .

The electronic circuit 510 includes a substrate 511, a port 512, input/output wiring 513, and 16 couplers 53. Therefore, four couplers 53-6, 53-7, 53-10, and 53-11 are arranged on the sides of the square S3. Further, eight couplers 53-1 to 53-5, 53-8, 53-9, and 53-12 to 53-16 are arranged on the sides of the square S4. The center of the square S3 and the center of the square S4 coincide at the center O2.

The configuration of electronic circuit 510 is similar to the configuration of electronic circuit 500, so detailed description will be omitted. Therefore, the couplers 53-1 to 53-16 are arranged in four-fold rotational symmetry with respect to the center O2. Note that in FIG. 10, since the substrate 511 is rotated by 90 degrees, the port 512 is provided on the -X side of the substrate 511 parallel to the Y direction.

With such a configuration, the mounting angle of the electronic circuits 500 and 510 can be changed every 90 degrees. When the substrates 501 and 511 are stacked so that the centers O1 and O2 coincide, and the angles of the substrates 511 to the substrate 501 are 0°, 90°, 180°, and 270°, 16 couplers are formed. 43 and 16 couplers 53 overlap. Thereby, 16 communication paths can be formed.

For example, when the substrate 510 is rotated by 90 degrees, the center O31 of the coupler 43-1 shown in FIG. 11 and the center O32 of the coupler 53-13 match. As a result, most of the coupler 43-1 and the coupler 43-13 overlap, so that the coupler 43-1 and the coupler 53-13 are electromagnetically coupled. The other couplers 43 are similarly coupled to the coupler 53. Even when the relative rotation angle of the substrate 511 to the substrate 501 is 90 degrees, 16 parallel communication paths are formed.

FIG. 12 shows the arrangement of the coupler 53 when the rotation angle of the substrate 511 is set to 0°, 90°, 180°, and 270° clockwise. In FIG. 12, only the four couplers 53-1, 53-4, 53-13, and 53-16 located at the corners of the square S4 are labeled with reference numerals to simplify the explanation. Since the coupler 53 has an arc shape, it is placed at the same position even if the angle is changed. Only the direction of the lead-out transmission line changes by 90 degrees.

Even when the substrate 511 is rotated to 0°, 90°, 180°, and 270°, all 16 couplers 53 overlap with the coupler 43, so the mounting angle can be changed every 90°. . Data communication can be performed in parallel using 16 communication paths. This enables high-speed data communication.

Depending on the mounting angle of the substrate 501 and the substrate 511, the combination of the pair of couplers 43 and 53 changes. If the mounting angle is unknown, the couplers 43-1 to 43-15 may transmit data in order, and the receiver on the electronic circuit 510 side may restore the data. By performing such a communication test in advance, the combination of the coupler 43 and the coupler 53 can be confirmed. Furthermore, even if the data is reversed depending on the rotation angle, that is, 0 becomes 1 and 1 becomes 0, it is possible to confirm whether or not there is an inversion by performing a communication test in advance.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 10, positioning portions 65 and 66 are provided near the center of each side of the substrates 501 and 511, respectively. The positioning part 65 is a magnet or a fitting structure. Therefore, the substrates 501 and 511 are removably fixed by the positioning parts 65 and 66. By providing the positioning portion 65, positional shift can be prevented and coupling performance can be prevented from deteriorating.

In FIG. 10, in the 16 couplers 43, the extraction transmission lines 44 and the extraction transmission lines 45 are all pulled out from the couplers 43 in the same direction, but they may be pulled out in different directions.

Moreover, it is preferable to arrange a plurality of couplers at equal intervals along the sides of the square. By doing so, the board can be made smaller even when adjacent couplers are arranged at intervals that do not interfere with each other. In this embodiment, the coupler is arranged on the side of a double square, but the coupler may be arranged on the side of a triple or more square. Alternatively, the combiner may be placed on the side of only one square.

Modification example 6
An electronic circuit 600 according to modification 6 will be described using FIG. 13. FIG. 13 is a plan view showing the arrangement of coupler 43 in electronic circuit 600. Note that in FIG. 13, the board, ports, etc. are omitted.

Electronic circuit 600 includes four coupler groups 431-434. The coupler groups 431, 432, 433, and 434 each include 16 couplers 43. That is, the electronic circuit 600 has 64 couplers 43. The coupler 43 has an arc shape, as shown in FIG.

The 16 couplers 16 included in the coupler group 431 have the same arrangement as the couplers 43-1 to 43-16 shown in FIG. Therefore, the 16 couplers 43 included in the coupler group 431 have four-fold rotational symmetry with respect to the center O11. Similarly, the 16 couplers 16 included in each of the coupler groups 432 to 434 are arranged in the same manner as the couplers 43-1 to 43-16 shown in FIG. The 16 couplers 43 included in the coupler group 432 have four-fold rotational symmetry about the center O12. The 16 couplers 43 included in the coupler group 433 have four-fold rotational symmetry about the center O13. The 16 couplers 43 included in the coupler group 434 have four-fold rotational symmetry about the center O14.

Further, the coupler groups 431 to 434 are arranged in four-fold rotational symmetry with respect to the center O21. For example, the center O21 is the center of a square S5 connecting the centers O11, O12, O13, and O14. That is, the centers O11, O12, O13, and O14 are arranged at each vertex of the square S5. With this arrangement, the 64 couplers 43 are arranged in four-fold rotational symmetry with respect to the center O21. Therefore, it is possible to change the mounting angle every 90 degrees. By stacking electronic circuits in which the coupler 43 is arranged as shown in FIG. 12, 64 parallel communication paths are formed. Therefore, higher speed data communication is possible in a communication circuit in which substrates are stacked.

Note that Modification 6 can also be applied to the configuration of Embodiment 1. In this case, a plurality of couplers shown in Embodiment 1 or Modifications 1 to 5 thereof are used as a coupler group. Then, the centers of the plural coupler groups are arranged at the vertices of the regular polygon. For example, by arranging coupler groups at the vertices of a square, the mounting angle can be changed every 90 degrees.

Modification example 7
An electronic circuit 700 according to Modification Example 7 will be described using FIG. 14. FIG. 14 is a plan view showing the arrangement of couplers 43 and 53 in electronic circuits 700 and 710. Note that in FIG. 14, the board, ports, etc. are omitted.

Electronic circuit 700 includes 15 couplers 43-1 to 43-15. The couplers 43-1 to 43-15 are arranged at intervals so as not to interfere with each other. Electronic circuit 710 includes 15 couplers 53-1 to 53-15. The couplers 53-1 to 53-15 are arranged at intervals so as not to interfere with each other. The couplers 43-1 to 43-15 and the couplers 53-1 to 53-15 each have an arc shape, as shown in FIG.

Couplers 43-1 to 43-6 are arranged on the sides of equilateral triangle T1. Couplers 43-1, 43-3, and 43-5 are arranged at the vertices of the equilateral triangle T1, respectively. Furthermore, a coupler 43-2 is arranged between the coupler 43-1 and the coupler 43-3 on one side of the equilateral triangle T1. Furthermore, a coupler 43-4 is arranged between the coupler 43-3 and the coupler 43-5 on one side of the equilateral triangle T1. A coupler 43-5 is arranged between the coupler 43-5 and the coupler 43-1 on one side of the equilateral triangle T1. Therefore, the couplers 43-1 to 43-6 are arranged in three-fold rotational symmetry with respect to the center O1 of the equilateral triangle T2.

Couplers 43-7 to 43-15 are arranged on the sides of equilateral triangle T2. Couplers 43-7, 43-10, and 43-13 are arranged at the vertices of the equilateral triangle T2, respectively. Furthermore, couplers 43-8 and 43-9 are arranged between coupler 43-7 and coupler 43-10 on one side of equilateral triangle T2. Further, on one side of the equilateral triangle T2, couplers 43-11 and 43-12 are arranged between couplers 43-10 and 43-13. Couplers 43-14 and 43-15 are arranged between coupler 43-13 and coupler 43-7 on one side of equilateral triangle T2. Therefore, the couplers 43-7 to 43-15 are arranged in three-fold rotational symmetry with respect to the center O1 of the equilateral triangle T2.

Furthermore, the center of the equilateral triangle T1 and the center of the equilateral triangle T2 coincide at the center O1. Therefore, 15 couplers 43-1 to 43-15 are arranged in three-fold rotational symmetry.

The configuration of electronic circuit 710 is similar to the configuration of electronic circuit 700, so detailed description will be omitted. Therefore, the couplers 53-1 to 53-15 are arranged in three-fold rotational symmetry with respect to the center O2. Note that in FIG. 14, the substrate 511 has been rotated by 120 degrees. Therefore, coupler 43-1 and coupler 53-1 overlap.

With such a configuration, the mounting angle of the electronic circuits 700 and 710 can be changed every 120 degrees. When the electronic circuit 700 and the electronic circuit 710 are stacked so that the center O1 and the center O2 are aligned, if the rotation angle is 0°, 120°, or 240°, there will be 15 couplers 43 and 15 couplings. The container 53 overlaps. As a result, 15 communication paths can be formed.

In Embodiment 2 and its modifications 6 and 7, the couplers are arranged in three-fold or four-fold rotational symmetry, but it is also possible to arrange them in five-fold or more rotational symmetry. For example, by arranging the couplers 43 and 53 along the sides of a regular pentagon, five-fold rotational symmetry can be achieved. Alternatively, by arranging the couplers 43 and 53 on the sides of a regular hexagon, six-fold rotational symmetry can be achieved.
Generalized to regular polygons, it can be expressed as follows. K couplers (K is an integer of N or more) are arranged along the sides of a regular N-gon (N is an integer of 3 or more), and K couplers are arranged with respect to the center of the regular N-gon. It is sufficient if they are arranged in N-fold rotational symmetry. By doing this, the mounting angle can be changed every (360°/N).

Furthermore, the regular N-gon may be made double or more. That is, a plurality of couplers are arranged along the sides of a regular N-gon having the same center and different sizes. Then, the plurality of couplers may be arranged in N-fold rotational symmetry. By doing so, more communication paths can be formed.

Note that Embodiment 1, Embodiment 2, and Modifications 1 to 7 can be used in appropriate combinations. Alternatively, the coupler 43 may be arranged on the first square S1, and the other couplers may be arranged on the circumference of a circle larger than the first square. Alternatively, the coupler 43 may be placed on the first circle C1, and the other couplers may be placed on the sides of a square that is larger than the first circle C1.

In the second embodiment and its sixth and seventh modifications, as in the fourth modification, the numbers of couplers on the two substrates may be different. For example, in the electronic circuit 510 shown in FIG. 10, one or more of the couplers 53-1 to 53-16 may be omitted. Furthermore, even in an electronic circuit having a configuration in which the positioning parts 65 and 66 are not shown, it is possible to use the positioning parts 65 and 66 by appropriately providing magnets on the substrate.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit.

This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-153638 filed on August 17, 2018, and the entire disclosure thereof is incorporated herein.

41 coupler element 43 coupler 44 lead-out transmission line 45 lead-out transmission line 47 board surface 51 coupler element 53 coupler 54 lead-out transmission line 55 lead-out transmission line 57 board surface 63 coupler 64 coupler 65 positioning part 66 positioning part 73 coupling Device 74 Coupler 100, 110, 200, 210, 300, 310, 400, 410 Electronic circuit 101, 111, 201, 211, 401, 411 Board 102, 112, 202, 212, 402, 412 Port 103, 113, 203 , 213 Input/output wiring

Claims (6)

a first substrate;
An electronic circuit board comprising a plurality of first couplers formed on the first substrate and for connecting a first electronic circuit and a second electronic circuit,
In a plan view of the first substrate, K pieces (K is an integer of 4 or more) of the first couplers are arranged at intervals on the circumference of a first circle,
(m×K) first couplers (m is an integer of 1 or more) are arranged at intervals on the circumference of a second circle that is concentric with the first circle and is larger than the first circle. spaced apart,
The number of the first couplers on the circumference of the first circle is different from the number of the first couplers on the circumference of the second circle,
An electronic circuit board in which the first coupler is arranged point-symmetrically with respect to the center of the first circle. In a plan view, the first substrate overlaps a second substrate provided with a plurality of second couplers of the second electronic circuit,
around the center of the first circle from a state in which the first substrate is installed relative to the second substrate so that a plurality of the first couplers are coupled to a plurality of the second couplers. The electronic circuit board according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first couplers are coupled to the plurality of second couplers when the first substrate is rotated by 90 degrees. 3. The electronic circuit board according to claim 1 , wherein one end of the first board is provided with a port for taking out input/output wiring connected to the first coupler. The electronic circuit board according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the plurality of coupler groups are arranged rotationally symmetrically, with the K first couplers serving as a coupler group. The electronic circuit board according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of first couplers are arranged so as not to overlap with each other. A communication circuit comprising a first electronic circuit board and a second electronic circuit board disposed opposite to the first electronic circuit board,
The first electronic circuit board is the electronic circuit board according to claim 1,
The second electronic circuit board is
a second substrate;
a plurality of second couplers formed on the second substrate,
Of the plurality of second couplers,
The L second couplers are arranged on the circumference of a third circle having the same size as the first circle,
(m×L) second couplers are arranged on the circumference of a fourth circle having the same size as the second circle,
In a plan view, the L second couplers on the circumference of the third circle overlap with the L first couplers, thereby forming L communication paths,
In plan view, the (m×L) second couplers on the circumference of the fourth circle overlap with the (m×L) first couplers, so that (m×L) the second couplers overlap with the (m×L) first couplers. L) A communication circuit in which communication paths are formed.

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