CN118541918A - Self-tuning IoT devices and radiating systems based on non-resonant radiating elements - Google Patents

Abstract

A wireless device or wireless communication system according to the present invention includes a radiating system including a non-resonant element, a ground plane element, and a wireless matching core, the device or system further including a transceiver module, a processor, and means for supplying energy. Some embodiments of the above wireless device further comprise an intelligent database or look-up table and at least one sensor. The database comprises information about the environment in which the device is to operate and/or about the material of the object in which the device can be installed and/or the form factor of the device, and is used to configure the operating mode of the device. In some device embodiments, the ground plane element is a ground plane layer printed on a printed circuit board or PCB. In some embodiments, the wireless matching core or WMC is a universal matching network or UMN, in other embodiments it is an adaptive matching network or SMN, in some other embodiments it is an adaptive universal matching network or SUMN. And in some embodiments the non-resonant element is a radiation booster.

Description

Self-tuning IoT devices and radiating systems based on non-resonant radiating elements

Technical Field

The present invention relates to the field of wireless devices or wireless communication systems and devices, and in particular to internet of things (IoT) type systems and devices, such as systems and devices for asset tracking, smart meters, health monitoring, smart homes and homes, smart cities, ioT sensors and alarm applications, that operate in at least one frequency band included in at least one frequency region for very different platforms and environments.

Background

Many applications require wireless devices that are capable of operating in a variety of radio scenarios and changing environments. Having a single wireless communication system capable of operating in multiple different wireless devices would be an advantageous solution because it would provide a scalable, non-customized solution to be easily integrated into the different devices. Antenna tuning techniques exist in the literature for avoiding degradation of communication system performance due to environmental changes in the vicinity of the antenna, such as the tuning and optimization techniques provided in US 2013/012836 A1. Other tunable antenna techniques are disclosed in US 2017/024466 A1, US 7,215,283B2 or US 8,884,835B2. Typically, these tuning circuits include switches. With respect to a switch, a switch includes one or more inputs and one or more outputs, even though the switch is typically bi-directional, meaning that a signal may propagate from an input to an output, and vice versa. The input is typically named pole P and the output is typically named pass-through T. Thus, MPNT switches are switches that contain M poles and N through, where M and N are integers. If the switch contains only one pole P and two pass-through ts, the switch is named SPDT or SP2T switch (single pole double pass-through) and is similar to other input/output configurations, such as SPNT (single pole multiple pass-through), e.g. SP4T (single pole four pass-through) or DP6T (double pole six pass-through). There are also multipath or multipath switches that are capable of routing or connecting one pole to two or more through simultaneously.

Some documents provide components that provide tuning capabilities, such as the patent US10,141,655B2 or "QM13021 configurable impedance tuner" (https:// www.qorvo.com/products/p/QM 13021). These antenna systems include conventional antennas, which are cumbersome in size, while they are partially custom-made. On the other hand, a radiation system comprising a radiation booster, a matching network (hereinafter also referred to as MN) and a ground plane, such as those described in for example US 8,203,492B2;US 8,237,615 B2;US 9,960,478 B2;WO 2014/012342 A1 and WO 2019/008171 A1, provides an advantageous solution, since no custom antenna components are required. These radiation booster systems can be adapted to different platform sizes by changing the matching network. For example, they can accommodate different ground plane dimensions or gap dimensions, see for example "RUN mXTEND ^TM -gap length and ground plane length experiments" (design center: lgnion ^NN, month 1 of 2021, https:// ignion. Io/files/an_nn02-224_LengthClearance. Pdf) and "ALL mXTEND ^TM: effect of gap size and PCB size on efficiency "(design center: lgnion ^NN, month 2 of 2021, https:// ignion. Io/files/an_nn02-220_clearance-length_gp. Pdf). These documents show that these radiation booster and antenna components can be matched by a matching network with a fixed topology, but varying several lumped circuit components, so that the whole radio frequency system still needs to be partly tailored for each ground plane and gap size. In summary, all of these solutions are still at least partially custom made, requiring a significant amount of engineering time and effort in adapting the solutions to a particular device. Thus, an off-the-shelf radiation system that can match different devices and/or that can match devices at their operating frequencies in varying environments would be an advantageous solution.

With respect to circuit fabrication techniques, some techniques for developing tunable antennas and tuning circuits are available, for example, provided by 3DGS manufacturers in the form of RoG (radio on glass) (https:// 3 dgsine. Com /). According to 3DGS, this fabrication technique can provide an antenna in package solution and fabricate high performance/high Q3D RF passive polymerization inhibitors. RoG or other low-loss/high-Q packaging techniques may be advantageously used to embed some or all or the required passive components into the package.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention relates to a wireless device or wireless communication system for e.g. internet of things (IoT) type systems and devices, all of which are capable of operating in at least one frequency band comprised in at least the frequency region in very different platforms, environments and devices. Examples of different platforms, environments, and devices include asset tracking (fig. 3), smart meters, health monitoring, wearable devices, smart homes and homes, smart cities, ioT sensors, and alarms (fig. 7), all of which have different requirements in terms of device size, installation (fig. 8), and operating frequency range (fig. 6); the wireless device may also be a component that may be integrated into another wireless device, such as any of the aforementioned or other wireless devices. There are a variety of environmental factors that may have an impact on the performance of a device or system, such as the material of the object or platform in which the device is to be installed, noise detected in the environment, whether the environment is an outdoor or indoor environment, and climatic conditions such as humidity or temperature. Typical materials of the object in which the wireless device or wireless communication system will be installed are wood, metal, concrete, ceramic tile and biological tissue (human or animal), but there is no limitation on these materials in the context of the present invention (fig. 8).

A wireless device or wireless communication system according to the present application comprises a radiation system comprising: non-resonant elements, ground plane elements, wireless matching cores (hereinafter also referred to as WMCs). The device or system also includes a transceiver module (also referred to as a transmit/receive RF module), a processor, and components that provide energy or power, such as, but not limited to, a battery, solar panel, ultra-capacitor, energy harvesting element, or power-based system. In some embodiments, the ground plane element is a ground plane layer printed on a printed circuit board or PCB. WMC is an element that may include one or more portions that optimize the transmission of RF energy from a radiating system to a transceiver and vice versa. In the context of the present application, a non-resonant element is an element that does not resonate at one or more frequency regions of operation of the radiating system when installed within a wireless device, and whose input impedance is measured while being substantially electrically disconnected and decoupled from the WMC such that the WMC does not substantially affect the impedance of the non-resonant element described above. In particular, the non-resonant element in the present application does not resonate within the lowest operating frequency range of the radiation system described above when disconnected from the WMC. In some embodiments, the non-resonant elements of the present application do not resonate within the two lowest non-adjacent operating frequency ranges of the radiation system described above. Furthermore, the non-resonant element according to the application also injects or enhances wireless energy, i.e. RF energy in the ground plane element, so that such ground plane can contribute to the transmission and reception of electromagnetic signals through one or more radiation current patterns supported on the surface of the ground plane. In the context of the present disclosure, examples of non-resonant elements include conductive elements, dielectric elements, slots, gaps or holes in conductive elements or dielectric elements, or a combination of all of these, all of which are sufficiently small compared to the longest operating wavelength such that their lowest resonant frequency is outside and above the lowest operating frequency range of the radiation system. Some methods for ensuring that non-resonant elements do not resonate in the low frequency region include: the above elements are shaped by simple geometry with low complexity factor and a low dielectric constant dielectric is included in the element. By low complexity is meant the complexity factors F21, F32 defined in US9130267B2 (the entire specification is incorporated herein by reference, in particular volumes 11-17 and their associated drawings). Although in the above-mentioned patent applications such complexity factors are applied to antenna elements, in the present application they are applied to non-resonant elements, even to non-radiating elements such as radiation enhancers. Some characteristic low complexity factors that facilitate resonance of non-resonant elements outside and above the lowest operating frequency range are factors less than 1.5, or even less than 1.3, 1.2, 1.1, or even less than 1.05.

In the present invention, the low dielectric constant means a relative dielectric constant of less than 8, preferably less than 4, 3, 2.5, 2 and 1.5.

In the context of the present invention, a radiation system is a reciprocal system capable of transmitting and receiving electromagnetic waves to a far field distance.

In the context of the present invention, the length L is defined as a first larger dimension of a parallelepiped, the width W is defined as a second larger dimension of the parallelepiped, and the thickness H is defined as a smallest dimension of the parallelepiped, wherein the dimension of the parallelepiped is lxwxh. If the thickness H is zero or substantially close to zero, the parallelepiped is a planar structure, more specifically a parallelogram characterized by a dimension of L x W.

In some radiation system embodiments, the non-resonant element is an antenna booster, also referred to as a radiation booster. In the context of the present invention, an antenna booster or radiation booster refers to a radiation booster as described and defined in, for example, patent documents US8,203,492 B2, US8,237,615 B2, US 9,379,443 B2, US 9,960,478 B2, US 9,331,389B2, WO 2014/012842 A1 and WO2019/008171 A1, in particular from columns 7-9 of patent US8,203,492 B2 and from columns 5-6 of patent US 9,331,389B2, and related figures and embodiments. A radiation booster according to the present disclosure includes a non-resonant element for a radiation system having a largest dimension less than the longest operating wavelength divided by 20. In some embodiments, the radiation booster is characterized by a maximum dimension that is less than 1/30 of the longest operating wavelength of the radiation system. The maximum dimension is for example the diameter of a smallest sphere surrounding the radiation booster. The radiation booster itself contributes minimally to the radiation, but most of the RF energy is transferred from the RF transmitter to the conductive ground plane or grounded element, so that the grounded element radiates and receives electromagnetic waves in the process of each other. Because of the minimal contribution to the radiation, the radiation booster may be considered a non-radiating element, effectively capturing radiation from the radiation system from the grounded element.

In some embodiments, WMC includes a universal matching network (hereinafter referred to as a UMN), which is a matching network that includes at least matching elements that enable operation within different wireless devices or radiating systems (fig. 7). According to the present invention, the matching element is an element providing impedance matching, preferably at the end or output of a WMC of a radiation system comprising the WMC described above. Further, according to the present invention, such a UMN operates in at least one frequency band included in at least one operating frequency region. A single UMN enables wireless operation in a plurality of different devices or radiating systems, e.g., having different sizes and/or shapes, including, e.g., ground planes having different form factors (fig. 7). Furthermore, such a plurality of different devices and radiation systems may comprise different non-resonant elements, including ground plane elements of different shapes and/or sizes, and/or to accommodate different operability requirements in terms of operating frequency bands (fig. 6). The use of a single UMN on a variety of different products and profiles makes engineering of the device simpler, faster, predictable and reliable, as there is no need to customize the matching network for each product and profile.

In other embodiments, the WMC includes an adaptive matching network (hereinafter, simply referred to as SMN), which is a matching network including at least matching elements that allow the device to adapt to a variety of scenarios, usage contexts, and environments (fig. 8). In other embodiments, the WMC described above includes an adaptive generic matching network (hereinafter also referred to as SUMN) that is both an adaptive and a generic matching network, i.e., a one-way network that enables the radiating system to accommodate different devices with different form factors, operate in different frequency bands and standards, and be used in a variety of configuration and installation scenarios.

In some embodiments, a wireless device or wireless communication system according to the present invention includes an intelligent database or look-up table and one or more sensors (fig. 5B). In these cases, the WMC is tuned according to the information provided by the sensor and the information stored in the database. More specifically, the above-mentioned database or look-up table contains information about, for example, the environment in which the device is to operate and/or about the material of the object in which the device is to be installed and/or the possible operating frequency band of the device and/or the form factor of the device. In some embodiments, the database is stored in a cloud server or set of servers containing the database and/or containing updates of one or more device configurations; in some other embodiments, the device or system includes a database or at least a portion thereof stored therein, such as in at least one memory thereof, such as part of a manufacturing process thereof, or upon retrieval of the database or portion thereof from a cloud server. The wireless device or system described above is configured to communicate with a cloud server(s) for downloading or updating a configuration database in at least one memory having environment and operational mode information. In some embodiments, the wireless device or system is configured to communicate directly with the cloud, and in other embodiments is configured to communicate via another computing device, terminal, such as a smart phone or tablet, or memory device, for example, over a wired connection, such as a USB, wi-Fi, or Bluetooth connection, more typically over a short-range communication connection.

The wireless device or wireless communication system associated with the present invention is also capable of automatically tuning or matching the included radiating system to different frequency bands or communication standards (fig. 6) based on regional frequency allocations around the world. In the context of this document, a frequency band refers to a frequency range or set used by a particular wireless communication standard, such as cellular communication standards (e.g., 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, 6G, NB-IoT, LTE-M, LTE-M-Cat-1 communication standards), further including LoRa, sigfox, wiSUN, wi-Fi, bluetooth, GNSS, UWB, wise, satellite IoT, Z-Wave, myIoT, and the like; and the frequency region refers to a continuum of frequencies of the electromagnetic spectrum. For example, the NB-IoT B20 band is allocated in a band from 791MHz to 862 MHz; and the NB-IoT B8 frequency band is allocated in the frequency band from 880MHz to 960 MHz. Wireless devices operating in both NB-IoT B20 and NB-IoT B8 bands operate in the frequency region from 791MHz to 960 MHz. A wireless device operating in a third frequency band (e.g., NB-IoT B3 frequency band ranging from 1710MHz to 1880 MHz) may be referred to as operating in two different frequency regions, a first frequency region from 791MHz to 960MHz, and a second frequency region from 1710MMHz to 1880MHz.

An adaptive generic matching network (SUMN) is then disclosed in the present invention, which SUMN is a matching network capable of providing impedance matching at least at one frequency band in at least the frequency region for different devices or radiation systems associated with the present invention, which matching network has, for example, different sizes and/or shapes, or comprises, for example, different non-resonant elements, or has different ground plane element sizes and/or shapes, and is also capable of providing impedance matching for varying scenarios and different environments. In some device or radiation system embodiments, SUMN above can also provide operation at large or wide bands or frequency regions.

Furthermore, an adaptive matching network (SMN) is disclosed that is capable of matching devices in varying scenarios and different environments. Also disclosed is a Universal Matching Network (UMN) capable of providing impedance matching for different devices or radiation systems associated with the present invention.

An advantage of including SUMN, SMN or UMN in the radiation system comprised in the device related to the present invention is that WMC comprising the above SUMN, SMN or UMN is non-customized and versatile, making the design and engineering of the terminal IoT device easier and faster, thus making the time to market shorter. Furthermore, by reusing a single WMC in a combination of different IoT devices, costs may be significantly reduced through economies of scale.

UMN, SMN or SUMN is characterized in that the impedance value of the matching element included therein may vary or change depending on the changing environment surrounding the device for the case of SMN or SUMN or depending on the characteristics of the device or radiating system in which the UMN is included, such as shape factor or ground plane element size, for the case of UMN or SUMN. In some embodiments, the impedance values of these matching elements vary according to a switching system comprising at least the switches comprised in the WMC. In other embodiments, the impedance value of the matching element is varied by a tunable component or element. And in some other embodiments, these impedance values vary according to both the switching system and the tunable component, or according to other configurable elements not limited to switches or tunable components.

Furthermore, the UMN, SMN and SUMN according to the present invention are in some embodiments characterized by a reconfigurable topology, which is advantageously self-configurable, including in some implementations at least a switching system, configured for implementing an appropriate matching network or matching network configuration according to the technical needs and characteristics of the radiating system or device, such as the size of the ground plane element, and according to environmental conditions. The above-described switching systems typically comprise ON/OFF switches for effecting, for example, a short-circuit connection, an open-circuit connection or a ground connection. The configurable elements included in the reconfigurable topology described above are then switching systems in some embodiments, including active circuit components such as transistors or Microelectromechanical Elements (MEM), but including other reconfigurable technologies or elements that use electrical or mechanical means to switch ON/OFF electrical paths.

In some embodiments of the radiation system or device according to the invention, WMC is included in a system-on-chip or system-in-package (hereinafter also referred to as SoC or SiP), respectively. The inclusion of WMC in a SoC or SiP allows for a versatile stand-alone component ready for easy integration in different devices or radiating systems. Some embodiments of the SiP related to the invention also include embedded non-resonant elements, which are typically connected to the WMC by conductive strips. Some other SiP embodiments include a transceiver; and some other sips can be connected to more than one resonant element to support operation under more than one communication standard.

The SoC related to the present invention provides a reconfigurable system, which is typically contained in a chip comprising at least one module or chip component, which is capable of implementing WMC according to the present invention. As previously mentioned, WMC may be included in a SiP, which typically includes additional components or elements. Accordingly, the SoC related to the present invention may be included in the SiP.

The WMC, soC or SiP related to the present invention provides versatility in matching networks or matching network configurations that may be implemented with the above described WMC or the above described SoC or SiP, e.g. providing the possibility to implement single-band or multi-band matching networks, or to cover different operating bands, or to have devices operating in different environments or environmental conditions. Some WMC or SiP embodiments include a matching element that implements a single band matching network. Some other embodiments include matching elements that implement a multi-band matching network. Still other embodiments include matching elements that enable both single-band and multi-band matching networks, one at a time. Furthermore, WMC, soC and SiP related to the present invention provide versatility over the covered operating frequency band. Some of all those WMC, soC or SiP embodiments include a switching system for providing versatility. And some of these embodiments include a reduced number of switches such that the associated losses are minimized. Some WMC or SiP embodiments include tunable or variable components, such as tunable capacitors or/and tunable inductors. These tunable components are external to the SiP in some embodiments, and internal to the SiP in other embodiments. In addition, some WMC or SiP embodiments include at least one embedded printed inductor, each printed inductor having a particular inductance value. Some other embodiments include a set of embedded printed inductors, thereby implementing a tunable embedded printed inductor. And other SoC or SiP embodiments include more than one module or chip component for implementing the required WMC.

More specifically, disclosed herein are WMCs, socs, or sips that include more than one, specifically two, and are capable of implementing all of these, more specifically the two. Two specific generic matching networks have been found that are capable of providing impedance matching at frequencies below 1GHz on one side and cellular/mobile frequency on the other side. UMN overlay operation at frequencies below 1GHz (e.g., loRa, sigfox, zwave, wiSUN, myIoT, wise bands) is characterized by an inverted L configuration and includes a series inductor in a series-parallel configuration (simply SP, where "S" is a series component and "P" is a parallel component) in a value in the range of 20nH to 40nH, preferably in the range of 25nH to 35nH, and particularly substantially near or equal to 30nH, connected to a value in the range of 10nH to 30nH, preferably in the range of 15nH to 25nH, Or even a shunt inductor substantially near or equal to 20 nH. Examples of these inductors are the part numbers LQW18AN30NG00 and LQW18AN20NG00 of Murata, respectively. The UMN covering moving frequency operation comprises seven circuit components arranged as a topology of several circuit elements arranged in the following order: serial, parallel, serial (SPSPPSS for short, where "S" is the series component and "P" is the parallel component). In some embodiments, such SPSPPSS architecture is configured as follows: the series inductance is connected to a parallel inductance which is connected to a series capacitor, then and to a parallel arrangement comprising a parallel capacitor and a parallel inductor which is connected to the series capacitor, then and to the final series inductor. Some of these last embodiments include a first series inductor in the range of 2.0nH to 6.0nH, preferably in the range of 3.0nH to 5.0nH, a second parallel inductor in the range of 15nH to 25nH, preferably in the range of 17nH to 21nH, a series capacitor in the range of 0.5pF to 0.9pF, preferably in the range of 0.6pF to 0.8pF, a parallel capacitor in the range of 0.4pF to 0.8pF, preferably in the range of 0.5pF to 0.7pF, a parallel inductor in the range of 8.0nH to 16.0nH, preferably in the range of 10.0nH to 14.0nH, a series capacitor in the range of 1.1pF to 1.9pF, preferably in the range of 1.4pF to 1.6pF, and a final series inductor in the range of 4.0nH to 5.0nH, preferably in the range of 4.4nH to 4.6 nH. In one embodiment, the values and part numbers of these circuit components are in order in the described topology: 4.0nH, part number LQW15AN4N0G80;19nH, part number LQW18AN19NG80;0.7pF, part number GJM1555C1HR70WB01;0.6pF, part number GJM1555C1HR60WB01;12nH, part number LQW18AN12NG10;1.5pF, part number GJM1555C1H1R5WB01; and 4.5nH, part number LQW15AN4N5G80. One specificity of these UMNs is that the LoRa generic matching network can be included in a mobile generic matching network so that the SoC or SiP component can implement both matching networks at the same time.

These matching networks or matching network configurations cover a wide range of operation of device sizes or radiation system sizes, which are the sizes of the devices or radiation systems relevant to the present invention, defined by the length Ls and width Ws of the smallest frame completely surrounding the devices or radiation systems. The device or radiation system is further characterized in that the thickness or height Hs is defined by the height of the above-mentioned smallest box of dimensions ls×ws×hs surrounding it.

More specifically, the SP matching network is capable of covering operation in a frequency band below 1GHz, such as at least one LoRa frequency band that is included in the range of 863MHz to 928 MHz. For a radiation system or device according to the invention, the SPSPPSS matching network is capable of covering at least one mobile band within the frequency region from 824MHz to 960MHz and/or from 1710MHz to 2690 MHz. In some embodiments, such radiation systems include non-resonant elements, such as radiation boosters. Advantageously, some embodiments use RUN mXTEND ^TM radiation enhancers of Ignion, while other embodiments use off-the-shelf chip Antenna components of the mXTEND ^TM series (i.e., the Virtual Antenna ^TM series), such as: RUN mXTEND ^TM、CUBE mXTEND^TM、BAR mXTEND^TM, etc. These non-resonant elements are coupled to the ground plane element through WMC. For these radiating systems, the ground plane element is a ground plane layer printed on a printed circuit board having a width Wb dimension and a length Lb dimension. The non-resonant elements are arranged on a gap area, which is the area from which the ground plane is removed, preferably with dimensions Wc mm x Cc mm, cc being a value along the length Lb preferably substantially close to 11mm, for example between 5mm and 15mm or between 10mm and 12 mm. Preferably, the non-resonant element is located at a distance along the width dimension Wb substantially close to 5mm from the corner of the PCB, for example in the range of 3mm to 7mm or preferably in the range of 4mm to 6 mm.

Embodiments of such radiation systems with different dimensions with ground plane layers wg×lg are matched to LoRa UMN. Some of these embodiments are characterized by a ground plane width Wg value greater than 85mm and less than 140mm, a ground plane length Lg greater than 85mm and less than 140mm, or advantageously a Wg value between 110mm and 140mm, an Lg value between 110mm and 140 mm. Some other radiating systems are characterized by a ground plane length Lg greater than 85mm and less than 160mm, a ground plane width Wg greater than 20mm but less than 85mm, or advantageously a length Lg between 160mm and 200mm, and a width Wg between 80mm and 200 mm.

Radiation system embodiments including a ground plane layer characterized by a length greater than 110mm but less than 130mm and a width greater than 50mm but less than 60mm, or advantageously Lg greater than 110mm and less than 122mm and Wg greater than 55mm but less than 60mm, or Lg greater than 122mm and less than 130mm and Wg greater than 50mm but less than 55mm are matched to the previously proposed mobile universal matching network at frequency regions from 824MHz to 960MHz and from 1710MHz to 2690 MHz.

Different embodiments of the SoC or SiP previously described are provided, including the previously disclosed LoRa and mobile UMN. In some embodiments, the SoC or SiP described above advantageously includes a minimized number of switches, particularly four or fewer internal switches, and some sips also include internal tunable capacitors. Another embodiment related to the SoC or SiP described above is presented, including a seven-switch system. Other embodiments are modular, including in some of them a module or chip assembly comprising two switches, a first switch connected in series followed by a second switch arranged in parallel. All of these SoC embodiments include SoC pins or pads required for connecting external matching elements (e.g., external circuit components).

Embodiments of a wireless device or wireless communication system according to the present invention are provided that include a non-resonant element, a WMC including SUMN, and a PCB including a ground plane element. As previously described, WMC included in these embodiments includes an adaptive generic matching network or SUMN that matches devices or systems over more than one operating frequency band so that a device can adapt its operability to a variety of scenarios and usage contexts or so that a device can optimize its performance by selecting the best operating frequency band. The SUMN above is also used to match wireless devices that include PCBs having variable lengths Lb and/or variable widths Wb. SUMN are characterized by a reconfigurable topology, and SUMN includes RF switches connected to some matching elements that, in some embodiments, are arranged and included in a first matching network transceiver section and a second at least one matching network booster section, both of which are connected to the switches: the MN transceiver section is connected between the switch and the RF transceiver and the at least one MN booster section is connected between the non-resonant element and the switch such that the at least one MN booster section is connected to the MN transceiver section through the switch (see fig. 33). In SUMN, which includes a MN transceiver portion and at least one MN booster portion, each of the MN transceiver portion and the at least one MN booster portion includes at least one circuit element or component. In some embodiments, the MN transceiver portion and/or at least one MN enhancer portion includes at least two circuit elements or components. In some of these embodiments, the MN transceiver portion and/or at least one MN enhancer portion comprises 3 circuit elements or components, in other embodiments it or they comprise 4 circuit elements or components, in other embodiments it or they comprise 5 circuit elements or components, in other embodiments it or they comprise 6 circuit elements or components, in other embodiments it or they comprise 7 or more circuit elements or components. Some of all of these embodiments include an inductor or capacitor in the MN transceiver portion and/or in at least one MN booster portion. Some of these embodiments include at least two inductors in at least one of the MN transceiver portion and the at least one MN booster portion or in both, and some other embodiments include at least two capacitors in at least one of the MN transceiver portion and the at least one MN booster portion or in both. Some of the SUMN embodiments included in a wireless device or communication system may be characterized by different sizes, advantageously including 0 ohm resistors, included in at least one MN booster portion and/or included in the MN transceiver portion in the case of SUMN including a MN transceiver portion and at least one MN booster portion. Other SUMN embodiments, which include a MN transceiver portion and at least one MN booster portion, include the same circuit components in both the MN transceiver and the MN booster. In other embodiments included in SUMN of a wireless device or wireless communication system having a variable size, the RF switch includes at least a pole or input P and at least two pass-through or outputs T, more particularly in some other embodiments the RF switch includes a single pole and N pass-through (SPNT switches). Furthermore, in some embodiments, the above-described RF switches are multi-path switches capable of routing or connecting poles simultaneously to two or more pass-through, which allows for combining matching elements connected to different pass-throughs between them, such that more matching network topologies or matching network configurations can be achieved by reconfigurable topologies. In some embodiments, the RF switch also allows the matching element to be grounded through an internal connection, again providing a more configurable matching network topology for the WMC. SUMN, which include multiple switches capable of connecting or not matching an element to ground, include at least one circuit element or component, in some embodiments an inductor, and in other embodiments a capacitor. Some of these SUMN embodiments include at least two circuit elements or components, and some of these embodiments include 3 circuit elements or components, other embodiments include 4 circuit elements or components, or 5 circuit elements or components, or 6 circuit elements or components, and other embodiments, even 7 or more circuit elements or components. Some of all of these embodiments include at least two inductors, while some other embodiments include at least two capacitors. All of these SUMN may be configured by configuring different switch states to implement different matching network topologies depending on platform and/or operating band requirements or environmental conditions. A wireless device or radiating system (including a PCB sized between lb×wb=50 mm×50mm to 130mm×80mm for operation in two frequency regions from 617MHz to 960MHz and from 1710MHz to 2170 MHz) has been matched to SUMN including an MN transceiver portion, four MN booster portions and a multipath switch capable of connecting internal matching elements to ground. More specifically, in some embodiments, the multipath switch includes four pass-through or outputs (e.g., SP4T switches). All possible combinations of states of pass-through of the switches (designated herein as Tl, T2, T3 and T4, respectively) that provide acceptable matching of the device or radiation system and their associated matching networks at the frequencies sought are examples of use of SUMN above. In some wireless device or radiation system embodiments, at least one matching element included in the wireless matching core of the device or radiation system is connected to a grounded internal connection of the RF switch. The same SUMN has been included in a WMC included in a radiation system according to the present invention for enabling the radiation system to operate on different platforms of different materials (e.g. metal objects, wood, biological tissue or bricks). The SUMN above matches the radiation system or device at two operating frequency regions, e.g., from 698MHz to 960MHz and from 1.71GHz to 2.17GHz. The radiation system or device may be placed at different distances from the platform, also matching the included SUMN.

In some embodiments of a WMC, soC or SiP comprising a UMN, SMN or SUMN, the UMN, SMN or SUMN comprises at least one MN booster portion, or in some embodiments at least two MN booster portions, connected between a non-resonant element and a switch, and in some embodiments also comprises a MN transceiver portion connected between the switch and an RF transceiver, the different matching network configurations implemented with these reconfigurable matching networks comprise a first common parallel circuit component, which in some embodiments is an inductance, and in some other embodiments is a capacitor. The first common parallel circuit assembly described above is connected to one of the non-resonant elements included in the radiation system and to ground. In some embodiments, the common parallel circuit assembly is directly connected to the non-resonant element. It has been found that by including first parallel components common to differently configured matching networks, the matching impedance obtained for each matching network in its corresponding operating frequency region prior to the MN transceiver portion may be characterized by a value close to the matching impedance obtained for the other matching networks in their corresponding operating frequency regions prior to the MN transceiver portion. The different matching performed with the different matching networks can then be easily done with a common transceiver matching section, resulting in a better reflection coefficient for all configured switching system states or matching networks before the transceiver. The closer the matched impedance obtained before the MN transceiver section is to the impedance between them and close to 50 ohms, the better the reflection coefficient obtained before the transceiver and thus the better the antenna efficiency. Then, UMN, SMN or SUMN is an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, which in some embodiments preferably comprises a common MN transceiver section for different matching networks implemented with UMN, SMN or SUMN, wherein the matching networks comprise a first or initial common parallel circuit component. In some embodiments, the common parallel circuit component is an inductance, while in other embodiments it may be a capacitor. In some of these embodiments of UMN, SMN or SUMN, which include a first common parallel component for configuring and implementing different matching networks, the input impedance for each matching network in the corresponding operating frequency region, taken before the MN transceiver section, is characterized by a value of the real part between 4 ohms and 76 ohms for a fully configured system (e.g., fig. 33). In other embodiments, such impedance is characterized by a real part that is less than 51 ohms but greater than 4 ohms, and in other embodiments by a real part that is greater than 26 ohms but less than 4 ohms. In some embodiments, the impedance is characterized by a capacitive imaginary part, while in other embodiments, the impedance is characterized by an inductive imaginary part.

Furthermore, some radiation system embodiments according to the present invention comprise a WMC comprising only one part connected to a radiation booster and a transceiver comprised in the radiation system. Other embodiments of the radiation system include a WMC comprising at least two parts: a tunable part comprising active or tunable elements and a part comprising at least one electronic component, wherein all components are passive components. In these last embodiments, one of the components comprised in the WMC is connected to ground and to a first connection point comprised in a radiation booster comprised in the radiation system, and a second component comprised in the WMC is connected to the transceiver and to a second connection point comprised in the radiation booster. In some of these embodiments, the tunable portion is a tunable portion connected to ground, and in other embodiments is a passive matching network connected to ground.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a method comprising: storing a table having a plurality of matching network configurations in at least one memory of the wireless device; and providing, by at least one processor of the wireless device, at least one electrical signal for acting on at least one reconfigurable electronic component of an adaptive generic matching network of the radiating system, the wireless device for selecting a particular matching network configuration of the plurality of matching network configurations by selecting its particular state according to a predetermined matching network configuration selection procedure handling table. The radiation system is for example a radiation system as described above. Thus, for example, but not limited to, radiation systems include: at least one non-resonant element; a ground plane element; a transceiver; a wireless matching core, the wireless matching core comprising an adaptive universal matching network, the adaptive universal matching network comprising: at least one reconfigurable electronic component configured to support a plurality of states, wherein in each of the plurality of states the at least one electronic component defines a different electrical path, the at least one electronic component comprising an RF switch; at least two matching network portions, each matching network portion being connected to at least one electronic component and at least one non-resonant element; at least one network part connected to the at least one electronic component and the transceiver; and at least a matching element in at least one of the at least two matching network sections; a means for providing energy; and at least some of the different electrical paths of the adaptive generic matching network are each configured to provide impedance matching for the wireless device in at least one frequency band within at least a frequency region.

In some embodiments, the wireless device further comprises at least one sensor adapted to measure at least one environmental related parameter or physical quantity amplitude corresponding to an environmental condition in which the radiation system is located; wherein the method further comprises processing, by the at least one processor, at least one environmental related parameter or physical quantity amplitude from each of the at least one sensor to determine an environmental condition in which the radiation system is located; and wherein the predetermined matching network configuration selection procedure comprises processing the table based at least on the determined environmental conditions in which the radiation system is located.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises disposing the radiation system on a platform of a predetermined material; and the processing table includes selecting a state of the plurality of states that is associated with the predetermined material of the platform.

In some embodiments, the predetermined matching network configuration selection process includes processing the table based at least on the size of the ground plane element. For example, the size of the ground plane element may be provided to the at least one processor in the form of data that is introduced into the wireless device, e.g., by a person having a user input device (e.g., touch screen, keyboard, etc.), transmitted from the computing device to the wireless device via a wired or wireless communication link, etc., that may be provided for dynamic, automatic configuration thereof during manufacture of the wireless device.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises: when the radiating system is arranged in a wireless device, data indicative of the size of the ground plane element is provided to at least one processor, such that the at least one processor preferably actuates over the adaptive generic matching network to re-adapt itself.

In some embodiments, the predetermined matching network configuration selection process includes sweeping some or all of the plurality of states to subsequently select a state of the plurality of states based on the impedance matching achieved by each swept state.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a data processing device comprising means for performing the steps of the method of the preceding aspect.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a computer program product comprising instructions which, when executed by at least one processor of a wireless device (e.g. a wireless device as described above), cause the wireless device to perform the steps of the method as described above. The computer program product may for instance be embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium or be part of a data carrier signal.

Drawings

The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, which refers to some examples of the present invention by way of illustration only and not to the definition of the scope of the present invention.

Fig. 1 shows an example of a prior art smart tuning device comprising a set of matching networks and two switches.

Fig. 2 shows an example of a system on chip (SoC).

Fig. 3 illustrates an IoT tracking system providing a location of a mobile platform (such as a vehicle) to a cloud.

Fig. 4 shows a wireless device or wireless communication system (400) related to the present invention that includes a radiating system that includes a non-resonant element (402), a ground plane layer (401), and a wireless matching core (403).

Fig. 5A illustrates a wireless device or wireless communication system (500) related to the present invention that includes a radiating system that includes non-resonant elements, a ground plane layer, and a wireless matching core, and further includes an intelligent database or look-up table, and a sensor that provides the device with the ability to self-adjust the wireless matching core from environmental data captured by the sensor.

Fig. 5B illustrates the wireless device (500) of fig. 5A communicating with a cloud server or computer or memory device to download or update a database or look-up table included therein.

Fig. 5C illustrates a plan view of an example of a circular wireless device or radiating system, as well as some dimensions associated with certain components thereof.

Fig. 6 provides a communication system in connection with the present invention that automatically tunes an included radiation system to different frequency bands according to regional frequency allocations around the world.

Fig. 7 illustrates how a single hardware architecture including a WMC system accommodates a plurality of different devices or products having different sizes and form factors, such as smart watches, smart pens, smart meters, etc.

Fig. 8 shows a single hardware architecture including a WMC system that may be adapted to different installation environments, including ceramic tiles, metal containers, wood or biological tissue.

Fig. 9 provides a generic circuit topology for UMN, SMN, or SUMN, including matching element values or circuit component values Zx, e.g., Z1 through Z6.

Fig. 10 illustrates a system-on-a-chip (SoC) or system-in-package (SiP) embodiment associated with the general circuit topology shown in fig. 9. The SoC includes a switching system including six switches.

Fig. 11 provides a specific example of the general circuit topology provided in fig. 9.

Fig. 12 provides an example of a modular SoC implementing the circuit topology of fig. 11. The modular SoC comprises three modules arranged in a cascade or linear distribution.

Fig. 13 presents another modular SoC embodiment implementing the circuit topology of fig. 11. The modular SoC comprises three modules arranged in a different distribution than a cascade (non-linear).

Fig. 14 provides another circuit topology, such as SPSPSPPSS topology, for UMN, SMN, or SUMN.

Fig. 15 provides an example of a SoC implementing the circuit topology of fig. 14. The SoC includes a switching system based on the switching system of fig. 10.

Fig. 16 shows the UMN of the radiation system according to the invention covering operation at the LoRa band comprised in the frequency region from 863MHz to 928 MHz.

Fig. 17 shows the UMN of the radiation system according to the invention covering operation at a mobile frequency band comprised in the frequency region from 824MHz to 960MHz and from 1710MHz to 2690 MHz.

Fig. 18 shows a size map of a ground plane layer included in a radiation system according to the present invention, which will provide operation when the UMN of fig. 16 is included, taking into account an input reflection coefficient below-6 dB.

Fig. 19 shows a size map of a ground plane layer included in a radiation system according to the present invention that will provide operation when the UMN of fig. 17 is included, taking into account an input reflection coefficient below-5.5 dB.

Fig. 20 illustrates a WMC SoC embodiment capable of implementing the two Universal Matching Networks (UMNs) provided in fig. 16 and 17.

Fig. 21 shows the switching states required to implement the UMN of fig. 16 (row 1) and 17 (row 2) with the SoC embodiment of fig. 20.

FIG. 22 illustrates another WMC SoC embodiment capable of implementing the two generic matching networks provided in FIGS. 16 and 17

Fig. 23 illustrates a modular SoC embodiment capable of implementing the generic matching network provided in fig. 16 and 17.

Fig. 24 illustrates a modular SoC embodiment capable of implementing the generic matching network provided in fig. 16 and 17 featuring an inverted-L module arrangement.

Fig. 25 illustrates an SoC embodiment including an embedded printed inductor and a variable capacitor.

Fig. 26 illustrates another SoC embodiment including an embedded printed inductor.

Fig. 27 illustrates an SoC embodiment including a set of embedded printed inductors arranged in parallel therein.

Fig. 28 shows a switch state combination table associated with switches controlling the inductance values of a set of printed inductors included in the SoC embodiment provided in fig. 27.

Fig. 29 shows an SoC embodiment further comprising an embedded non-resonant element connected to the embedded WMC.

Fig. 30 shows an SoC embodiment further comprising an embedded transceiver connected to the embedded WMC.

Fig. 31 illustrates an SoC embodiment further including an embedded transceiver connected to an embedded WMC configured to operate in multiple frequency bands or communication standards.

Fig. 32 shows an SoC embodiment further comprising an embedded transceiver connected to an embedded WMC connected to a plurality of non-embedded non-resonant elements.

Fig. 33 illustrates a wireless device or wireless communication system according to the present invention including PCBs of different sizes and WMCs including SUMN.

Fig. 34 illustrates an embodiment SUMN included in the wireless device or wireless communication system of fig. 33 that includes at least one MN booster portion, MN transceiver portion, and RF switch. In particular, the switch is a multi-path SP4T switch capable of connecting it through to an internal ground connection or to a set of 4MN booster parts

Fig. 35 shows a switch state table associated with the RF switch included in SUMN of fig. 34 for matching the device to a 50mm x 50mm PCB. Including the switching states used and the matched frequency sub-bands for each case.

Fig. 36 shows the resulting matching network configured using the switch states provided in the table in fig. 35. The figure includes corresponding subbands that match for each case.

Fig. 37A and 37B show the input reflection coefficients obtained using the switching states and corresponding matching networks provided in fig. 35 and 36. Fig. 37A provides the input reflection coefficient at the low frequency band, and fig. 37B provides the input reflection coefficient at the high frequency band.

Fig. 38 shows a switch state table associated with the RF switch included in SUMN of fig. 34 for matching the device to a 60mm x 65mm PCB. Including the switching states used and the matched frequency sub-bands for each case.

Fig. 39 shows a matching network configured using the switch states provided in the table in fig. 38. The figure includes corresponding subbands that match for each case.

Fig. 40A-40B illustrate the input reflection coefficients obtained using the switching states and corresponding matching networks provided in fig. 38 and 39. Fig. 40A provides the input reflection coefficient at the low frequency band, and fig. 40B provides the input reflection coefficient at the high frequency band.

Fig. 41 shows a switch state table associated with the RF switch included in SUMN of fig. 34 for matching a device to a 70mm x 65mm PCB. Including the switching states used and the matched frequency sub-bands for each case.

Fig. 42 shows a matching network configured using the switch states provided in the table in fig. 41. The figure includes corresponding subbands that match for each case.

Fig. 43A-43B illustrate input reflection coefficients obtained using the switching state correspondence matching networks provided in fig. 41 and 42. Fig. 43A provides the input reflection coefficient at the low frequency band, and fig. 43B provides the input reflection coefficient at the high frequency band.

Fig. 44 shows a switch state table associated with the RF switch included in SUMN of fig. 34 for matching a device to a 115mm x 80mm PCB. Including the switching states used and the matched frequency sub-bands for each case.

Fig. 45 shows a matching network configured using the switch states provided in the table in fig. 44. The figure includes corresponding subbands that match for each case.

Fig. 46A-46B show the input reflection coefficients obtained using the switching state correspondence matching networks provided in fig. 44 and 45. Fig. 46A provides the input reflection coefficient at the low frequency band, and fig. 46B provides the input reflection coefficient at the high frequency band.

Fig. 47 shows a switch state table associated with the RF switch included in SUMN of fig. 34 for matching a device to a 130mm x 80mm PCB. Including the switching states used and the matched frequency sub-bands for each case.

Fig. 48 shows a matching network configured using the switch states provided in the table in fig. 47. The figure includes corresponding subbands that match for each case.

Fig. 49A-49B show the input reflection coefficients obtained using the switching state correspondence matching networks provided in fig. 47 and 48. Fig. 49A provides the input reflection coefficient at the low frequency band, and fig. 49B provides the input reflection coefficient at the high frequency band.

Fig. 50 shows antenna efficiency obtained at the operating frequency region of a wireless device including PCBs of different sizes, as shown in fig. 33, and matched to SUMN in fig. 34.

Fig. 51 shows an SMN embodiment comprising four MN booster parts, one MN transceiver part, and an RF switch, wherein the switch is the switch comprised in the SUMN embodiment of fig. 34.

Fig. 52A-52B illustrate combinations of MN enhancer section elements included in the SMN of fig. 51. Subbands matching each combination are also included in the figure.

Fig. 53A-53B illustrate the input reflection coefficients obtained for each matching network from each switching system state of the SMN provided in fig. 51 for matching the sought operating subbands.

Fig. 54 shows antenna efficiency obtained at an operating frequency region of a radiating system or wireless device including the SMN of fig. 51.

Fig. 55 provides some schematic diagrams of a radiation system according to the present invention. Different configurations of WMCs included in these radiation systems are shown.

Fig. 56 provides a radiation system comprising a WMC comprising at least two different parts, one of which is grounded.

Fig. 57 shows a radiation system related to the present invention, comprising a WMC comprising two parts: a tunable portion and a portion including passive electronic components, the tunable portion being connected to the ground plane layer.

Fig. 58 provides details of the WMC portion of WMC included in the embodiment of fig. 57.

Fig. 59A-59B illustrate the input reflection coefficients obtained at LFR (fig. 59A) and HFR (fig. 59B) for the embodiment provided in fig. 57. Different sub-bands at the LFR are acquired for different switch states of the switches included in the tunable part of the WMC.

Fig. 60A-60B provide measured input reflection coefficients obtained at LFR (fig. 60A) and HFR (fig. 60%) when the embodiment provided in fig. 57 is placed over a metal plate.

Fig. 61 provides the antenna efficiency measured when the embodiment provided in fig. 57 is placed over a metal plate.

Fig. 62A-62B show measured input reflection coefficients associated with a radiation system according to the invention, in particular the radiation system provided in fig. 57, placed above a platform of different materials.

Fig. 63 shows measured antenna efficiency in relation to a radiation system according to the invention, in particular the radiation system provided in fig. 57, which is placed above a platform of different materials, the radiation system being matched as shown in fig. 62A-62B.

Detailed Description

As previously described, in the context of the present invention, a wireless device (e.g., an internet of things (IoT) device) and a wireless communication system providing operation in one or more frequency bands included within one or more frequency regions across multiple platforms and usage environments are disclosed herein. A wireless device or wireless communication system includes a radiating system including, but not limited to, a non-resonant element, a ground plane element, a Wireless Matching Core (WMC), a transceiver or communication module, a processor, and components that provide energy or power, such as a battery, solar panel, ultra-capacitor, energy harvesting element, or power-based system.

Fig. 3 illustrates an IoT tracking system (300) for tracking vehicles (302) and their cargo. The tracker (301) is connected to a constellation of GNSS satellites (303) to obtain the position of the vehicle, to a cellular or LPWAN network (304) to transmit the above position to the cloud (305), and to a configuration terminal (306) (such as a smart phone or the like) to configure the tracker. The wireless device according to the present invention may advantageously be used as a tracking device (301) to globally connect to different frequency bands available in different regions of the world (fig. 6) while accommodating different installation scenarios (e.g., glass, plastic or metal installations) due to the flexibility provided by the present invention as shown in fig. 8.

Fig. 4 illustrates one embodiment of a wireless device or wireless communication system (400) according to the present invention that may be used, for example, as a tracking device. It comprises a PCB comprising a ground plane element (401), a non-resonant element (402), a WMC (403), a processor, a communication module or transceiver and means for providing energy or power, such as a battery, solar panel, supercapacitor, energy harvesting element or an electrical based system, but not limited to these elements. The device is capable of interfacing under multiple frequency bands and communication standards, including, for example, cellular, LPWAN, wiFi, bluetooth, and GNSS. For clarity, lines and arrows in fig. 4 and 5A, 5B, and other portions of the block diagrams of the systems are shown to represent possible direct or indirect relationships or interactions between different elements or blocks of the systems, which are not limited to physical connections. Also, the arrows are intended to illustrate the possible meaning of the interaction, but interactions in the opposite sense of the arrows are also within the scope of the invention, although not explicitly illustrated. Examples of direct or indirect relationships or interactions include: physical connections, mechanical connections, electrical connections, wireless or contactless connections, logical connections through direct or indirect interaction between system elements. For example, in one example of indirect interaction, the processor instructs the battery or power source to decrease or increase the supply of current to other elements of the system depending on the configuration of the WMC.

Fig. 5A provides an embodiment of a device or communication system (500) according to the present invention, further comprising an intelligent database or look-up table (501) and sensors (502) for tuning or reconfiguring WMC in accordance with environmental data provided by these sensors. The database or look-up table (501) contains information about, for example, the environment in which the device may operate and/or about the material of the object in which the device may be installed and/or the operating frequency band and/or form factor of the device. As shown in fig. 5B, the database is a single database or multiple databases containing more than one record or table (504). The database is typically stored in the cloud (505), a server containing the database, and/or an update (504) containing possible device configurations. Fig. 5B illustrates the wireless device of fig. 5B communicating with the cloud to download or update a configuration database with environment and operational mode information. In some embodiments, the wireless device communicates directly with the cloud (506), while in other embodiments communicates via another device or terminal, typically including a WiFi or Bluetooth connection, more typically a short-range communication connection, such as a smart phone or tablet. One or more of the sensors in fig. 5A and 5B may take different forms, including proximity sensors, RF wave sensors, resistive, capacitive, or inductive sensors, piezoelectric sensors, tactile sensors, accelerometers, temperature and light sensors, pressure sensors, humidity sensors, and generally any means for providing information about the scene in which the wireless device is operating, including surrounding materials, radio wave propagation conditions, and carrier frequencies. In some embodiments, the sensor is a stand-alone component, such as an electronic component, while in other embodiments the sensor is embedded in an element of the system, such as a transceiver or processor. The sensor according to the present invention is in some embodiments an RF sensor capable of sensing echo loss, VSWR or any other impedance matching related parameter. In some embodiments, some sensors also provide information about Total Radiated Power (TRP), total Isotropic Sensitivity (TIS), total received power. The RF sensor may be placed between the non-resonant element (402) and the WMC (403), within the MWC and transceiver, or within the WMC and processor. In some embodiments, the RF sensor is embedded in the transceiver, while in other embodiments, it is embedded in the processor.

Fig. 5B discloses an embodiment of the invention comprising an intelligent database or look-up table and one or more sensors (fig. SB). In these cases, the WMC is tuned according to information provided by the sensor and/or information stored in the database described above. More specifically, the above-mentioned database or look-up table contains information about, for example, the environment in which the device is to operate and/or about the material of the object in which the device is to be installed and/or the possible operating frequency band of the device and/or the form factor of the device. The database is typically stored in a cloud server that contains the database and/or contains updates of one or more device configurations. The wireless device communicates with the cloud to download or update a configuration database with environment and operational mode information. In some embodiments, the wireless device communicates with an external device (e.g., a cloud server), and in some embodiments, with a computer device, terminal, or memory device. Such connection with external devices, such as smartphones or tablet computers, is made through connection means, including for example wired connections, such as USB, or more generally through wireless devices, such as WiFi, zigBee or Bluetooth. In some embodiments, the connection means is provided within the wireless device according to the invention to enable a software upgrade on the transceiver, the processor, or any other element in the system running the software.

In some embodiments, at least some of the information elements in the intelligent database or intelligent matching table in fig. 5B are replicated and stored in memory within the wireless device (400, 500) in accordance with the present invention. These may include some or all of the registers and fields in the database. Some of the elements in the database define one or more user profiles. The profile may include, for example, relevant information such that in one instance, the wireless device according to the present invention is optimally installed and operated in the vicinity of biological tissue, such as cattle, human, and the like. In another example, the profile will define the configuration needed to optimize the performance of the wireless device, for example, when installed on a metal container. In general, a profile may define one or more configurations (without any limiting purpose) and each possible combination of these configurations for the scenarios shown in fig. 6, 7, and 8.

Fig. 5C shows a plan view of an example of a wireless device or radiating system having a circle (507) defined by a length Ls and a width Ws of a smallest frame (a dot-dash line in fig. 5C) that completely encloses the device or radiating system. The device or radiation system is further characterized in that the thickness or height Hs is also defined by the height of the smallest frame of dimensions Ls x Ws x Hs described above including it. The PCB (508) included in the wireless device or radiating system is characterized by a length Lb and a width Wb, as shown in fig. 5C, and the ground plane element (509) included in the PCB is characterized by a length Lg and a width Wg. As already mentioned herein, the length is a first larger dimension of a parallelepiped or parallelogram and the width is a second larger dimension of the aforementioned parallelepiped or parallelogram.

One or more of these profiles are stored in a memory within the wireless device according to the present invention in different ways depending on different business or use case requirements. For example, in some cases, the above-described profile may be stored during the manufacturing process of the wireless device. In some embodiments, the profile is stored while the wireless device is commissioned/provided (first use) over the air (OtA) while in the field. In some embodiments, the generic profile is provided in manufacturing, while other application specific or optimized profiles are updated during or after the first use. These profiles may be available to clients or end users on a subscription basis. The subscription may be included in the sales price of the wireless device or may be part of a maintenance, upgrade, or renewal service.

In some embodiments, an intelligent database or lookup table according to the present invention includes one or more of the following fields: a mounting material; the size and form factor of the wireless or IoT devices, the switching state of WMC and combinations thereof, the frequency plan of transmission (Tx) and/or reception (Rx), the geographical operating area, profile number or ID, register identification or ID, ioT applications, software version, sensor state and/or sensor data, wireless RF data, including impedance related data (VSWR, return loss, resonance) and valid data (TRP, TIS, etc.).

One aspect of the invention includes connecting hundreds of thousands or even millions of IoT devices through a wireless device according to the invention. In one embodiment, all of these many devices provide data about performance to a cloud server that includes Machine Learning (ML), artificial Intelligence (AI) software, and/or a processor, etc. (hereinafter AI methods). This AI method learns from data acquired from many connected devices in terms of performance, installation configuration, and explores new configurations and profiles to optimize the overall performance of the connected devices. This includes, for example, generating a new combination of switch states within the WMC in the wireless device.

While the configuration of some embodiments of the wireless device is optimized based on data provided by one or more sensors, information in a database, or a combination of both, in other embodiments where minimal complexity is required (e.g., to minimize power consumption and complexity of the processor and transceiver), the configuration is optimized by a trial-and-error method or algorithm. The trial-and-error approach involves scanning, sweeping or testing one or more or even all possible configurations until the most appropriate configuration is obtained in terms of power consumption, connection reliability, etc.

FIG. 6 illustrates a WMC system (600) in connection with the present invention that automatically tunes radiation systems and devices including the WMC system to different frequency bands according to regional frequency allocations around the world; a single hardware system is thus adapted to different areas. WMC included in the radiation system automatically tunes the operating frequency to the regional band.

Fig. 7 shows how a single hardware architecture (700) comprising a WMC system comprising a UMN or SUMN accommodates different devices or products (701) having different sizes and form factors, such as smart watches, smart pens, smart meters, etc. All of these have very different PCB dimensions, proportions and form factors of the ground plane element (702), which have an effect on the operating resonant frequency of the radiating system. WMC is automatically reconfigured to different board sizes and the radiation system is adjusted to maximize the radiation in each platform or device. Therefore, a single hardware architecture can adapt to different equipment or products with minimal engineering effort, thereby reducing engineering costs, production and logistics costs and time to market.

Fig. 8 shows a single hardware architecture including a WMC system (800) including SMNs or SUMN (801) capable of accommodating different installation environments. In the vicinity of different materials, such as bricks, metal, wood or biological tissue, the radiation system may be detuned due to interactions and reflections of the radiation waves into the different materials. WMC systems retune a single hardware architecture to the required frequency band to optimize performance in each environment.

Fig. 9 provides a generalized circuit topology (900) of a generalized matching network (UMN), an adaptive matching network (SMN), or an adaptive generalized matching network (SUMN) associated with the present invention, including matching element impedance values Zx. The circuit topology described above includes six matching circuit elements (901) arranged in three stages of series (S) and parallel (P) elements in a SPSPSP matching circuit element configuration. Each of the 6 matching circuits includes one or more circuit components, such as one or more lumped elements. The topology starts with a series component with a value Z ₁, followed by a parallel component with a value Z ₂, both components being connected to a second series component with a value Z ₃, followed by a second parallel component with a value Z ₄, both second circuit components being connected to a third series component with a value Z ₅, followed by and connected to a third parallel component with a value Z ₆. It has been found that the particular combination of values Z ₁ to Z ₆ provides impedance matching for a wide range of radiating systems or devices, is the same combination of values that facilitates different radiating systems or devices, which provides an off-the-shelf generic matching network that can cover impedance matching for more than one radiating system or device. In some radiation system embodiments, the specific combination described above includes at least one tunable or reconfigurable circuit component for providing more degrees of freedom to the achievable matching network and for readjustment or fine tuning purposes. For the case of SMN or SUMN, the value of the matching element varies with the environmental conditions. Thus, a radiation system or device comprising SMN or SUMN comprises at least one tunable or reconfigurable matching element, also providing non-customized SMN or SUMN, and enabling the device or radiation system to operate in different environments.

A system in package or SiP embodiment (1000) associated with the general circuit topology (900) shown in fig. 9 is shown in fig. 10. A switching system comprising six switches (1001) is included in the SoC (1000). The SoC according to the present invention is a reconfigurable system comprised in a chip (1002) comprising at least one module or chip component (1002) capable of implementing the WMC according to the present invention and thus capable of providing more than one matching network topology or configuration and thus more than one matching network. The SiP embodiment of fig. 10 includes an external matching element or circuit assembly (1003) connected to the SoC by pads or pins (1004). In other embodiments, these circuit components are included inside the SiP. In some embodiments, the circuit components included in the SiP are tunable or reconfigurable components.

Fig. 11 provides another circuit topology (1100) of a Universal Matching Network (UMN), an adaptive matching network (SMN), or an adaptive universal matching network, in connection with the present invention, including a matching element or circuit component (1100) having an impedance value Zx. The circuit topology described above is a specific example of the general topology (900) provided in fig. 9. The network topology includes four series circuit components and three parallel circuit components, beginning with a series component, followed by a parallel component, both connected to another series component, followed by two parallel components, also connected in a parallel arrangement therebetween, and connected to two series components, one after the other (i.e., SPSPPSS configuration). Fig. 12 provides an example of a SiP (1200) implementing the circuit topology (1100) of fig. 11. The SiP includes a SoC including a plurality of modules or chip assemblies (1201), wherein each SoC module or chip assembly includes a switching system including two switches (1202). This particular embodiment contains a SoC component that includes a series switch connected in parallel to another switch. Each SoC module is connected to another SoC module. Having SoC components that include a small number of switches may reduce the losses associated with the SoC components, thereby reducing the losses of the overall SoC. Another advantage of having a modular SoC and SiP is that it can be flexibly mounted on areas or spaces of different sizes and shapes. A modular SiP or SoC comprises at least two modules or components. Fig. 13 presents another modular SiP embodiment (1300) implementing the circuit topology (1100) of fig. 11. The modular SiP includes a modular SoC that includes three modules or chip assemblies (1301) arranged in a non-cascaded, non-linear distribution. Each module comprises a switching system comprising two switches, one switch in series connected to one switch in parallel. The three modules are connected between them in an inverted L arrangement. The configuration of the switch system states is shown in fig. 12 and 13 to implement the network topology of fig. 11. The circuit components or matching elements (1203), (1302) are externally connected to the respective socs for the two SiP modular examples.

Fig. 14 provides another circuit topology (1400) of UMN, SMN or SUMN featuring a network topology comprising five series circuit components and four parallel circuit components, thus nine circuit components, starting with a series component, then a parallel component, both connected to a series component, then another parallel component, connected to another series component, which series component is connected to two parallel components (also connected in parallel between them), then to two series components, one after the other (i.e., SPSPSPPSS circuit component configuration). In addition, zx values of circuit components or matching elements (1401) included in the matching network topology are also included in the graph of fig. 14. Fig. 15 provides an example of a SiP (1500) including a SoC component (1501) that implements the circuit topology (1400) of fig. 14. The SoC includes a switching system based on the switching system provided in fig. 10. Also, the circuit components (1502) included in the SiP embodiment of fig. 15 are externally connected to the SoC components, but in other embodiments they are included inside the SoC, and they are also tunable in other embodiments.

Two generic matching networks are disclosed that are capable of covering the operation of the radiation system related to the invention in a frequency band below 1GHz, more specifically at least one LoRa frequency band comprised in the frequency region from 863MHz to 928MHz, and a mobile frequency band comprised in the frequency region of operation from 824MHz to 960MHz and from 1710MHz to 2690 MHz. The UMN overlay operation for the LoRa band is shown in FIG. 16. The matching network is characterized by AN inverted L configuration and it comprises a series inductor of 30nH connected to a parallel inductor of 20nH, advantageously with part numbers LQW18AN30NG00 and LQW18AN20NG00, respectively (SP configuration). The UMN covering operation in the 824MHz to 960MHz and 1710MHz to 2690MHz frequency regions is shown in FIG. 17. It comprises seven circuit components arranged in the configuration (SPSPPSS) provided in the figure, namely a series inductance connected to a parallel inductance connected to a series capacitor, which is then and is connected to a parallel arrangement comprising a parallel capacitor and a parallel inductor, which is connected to a series capacitor, which is then and is connected to a series inductor. Also provided in fig. 17 are the values and part numbers of the circuit components included therein, i.e., the values and part numbers arranged in order in the topology described above: 4.0nH, part number LQW15AN4N0G80;19nH, part number LQW18AN19NG80;0.7pF, part number GJM1555C1HR70WB01;0.6pF, part number GJM1555C1HR60WB01;12nH, part number LQW18AN12NG10;1.5pF, part number GJM1555C1H1R5WB01; and 4.5nH, part number LQW15AN4N5G80. One specificity of these UMNs is that the LoRa generic matching network can be included in a mobile generic matching network so that the SoC or SiP component can implement both matching networks at the same time.

Fig. 18 provides a mapping of return loss along the horizontal x-axis and the vertical y-axis at the output of WMC of a wireless device according to the present invention, which is related to the size (length Lg or width Wg) of a ground plane layer included in a radiation system included in the above-described wireless device. In particular, considering an input reflection coefficient lower than-6 dB, the above-described radiation system operates at a LoRa band included in the range of 863MHz to 928MHz for a range of values Wg and Lg, see curve (1801). This value map may be obtained when the UMN provided in fig. 16 is included. The above-described radiation system advantageously comprises RUN mXTEND ^TM radiation boosters, which are distributed in a gap area, which is an area without a ground plane, having dimensions Wg x 11mm, 11mm along the length dimension, and located 5mm along the width dimension from the corners of the PCB containing the radiation system. These Wg and Lg values are greater than 85mm and less than 140mm for the ground plane width Wg and less than 85mm and less than 140mm for the ground plane length Lg, or advantageously between 110mm and 140mm, and Lg values between 110mm and 140mm for some embodiments of such a radiation system. Furthermore, it is characterized in that the ground plane length Lg is greater than 85mm and less than 160mm and the ground plane width Wg is greater than 20mm but less than 85mm, or the radiation system with length Lg between 160mm and 200mm and width Wg between 80mm and 200mm is matched in the LoRa frequency range by the universal matching network in fig. 16.

Fig. 19 provides a mapping of return loss at the output of WMC of a wireless device according to the present invention as a function of size, wg width and Lg length of a ground plane layer included in a radiation system relevant to the present invention, which is capable of operating at a mobile frequency band when including the UMN provided in fig. 17. The above-described radiation system advantageously comprises RUN mXTEND ^TM radiation boosters, which are distributed in a gap area, which is an area without a ground plane, having dimensions Wg x 11mm, 11mm along the length dimension, and located 5mm along the width dimension from the corners of the PCB containing the radiation system. The above described radiation system operates on a moving frequency band comprised in the frequency region from 824MHz to 960MHz and from 1710MHz to 2690MHz for a range of values Wg and Lg taking into account the input reflection coefficient below-5.5 dB, see curve (1901). An embodiment of the radiation system comprising a ground plane layer, characterized by an Lg of more than 110mm but less than 130mm and a width of more than 50mm but less than 60mm, or advantageously characterized by an Lg of more than 110mm and less than 122mm and a Wg of more than 55mm but less than 60mm, or characterized by an Lg of more than 122mm and less than 130mm and a Wg of more than 50mm but more than 55mm, is matched to the generic matching network shown in fig. 17, with a frequency range from 824MHz to 960MHz and from 1710MHz to 2690MHz. Since the LoRa generic matching network may be incorporated into a mobile generic matching network, some of those last radiating system embodiments may operate at LoRa frequencies that are in the range or frequency region from 863MHz to 928MHz and operate over the mobile frequency band in the frequency region from 824MHz to 960MHz and from 1710MHz to 2690MHz, with only the switch state changing.

A SiP embodiment (2000) implementing the generic matching network provided in fig. 16 and 17 is shown in fig. 20. The SiP described above advantageously comprises four switches (2001) and implements the matching of fig. 16 or the matching of fig. 17. The SiP also includes a fixed or tunable capacitor (2002) internal to the chip assembly and includes SiP pins or pads (2003) for connecting to external circuit assemblies (2004). The circuit components included in the UMNs of fig. 16 and 17 are included in the above-described SiP as shown in fig. 20 by connecting them to the SiP pads. As shown in fig. 21, the switching system states required to implement the LoRa matching network of fig. 16 are S1 (first switch) off, S2 (second switch) on, S3 (third switch) off, and S4 (fourth switch) on. As shown in fig. 21, the switching system states required to implement the moving frequency matching network of fig. 17 are S1 (first switch) on, S2 (second switch) off, S3 (third switch) on, and S4 (fourth switch) off.

Another embodiment of a SiP (2200) capable of implementing the LoRa and mobile generic matching networks provided in fig. 16 and 17, respectively, is shown in fig. 22. The SiP includes seven switches (2201), and all matching elements (2202) should be connected externally to the SoC component (2203). The circuit components included in the UMN in fig. 16 and 17 are connected to the SiP. The switch states (a set of ON or OFF switches) shown in fig. 22 are required to implement the generic mobile matching network of fig. 17.

Furthermore, the modular SiP embodiment (2300) of fig. 23, which includes a SoC that in some SoC embodiments includes at least one module or chip component (2302) including two switches (2301), a first switch connected in series followed by a second switch connected in a parallel arrangement, may also be used to implement the UMN provided in fig. 16 and 17. Fig. 23 and 24 provide two modular SiP embodiments (2300), (2400) capable of implementing these generic matching networks. Z1 to Z8 represent matching element or circuit component values used to implement them in the present embodiment. In one embodiment, Z1 is an inductor of value 26nH, Z2 is 4nH, Z3 is 20nH, Z4 is a capacitor of value 0.7pF, Z5 is 0.6pF and Z6 is 2nH, Z7 is 1.5pF and Z8 is 4.5nH. The switching system states (set of ON/OFF switches) shown in fig. 23 enable the LoRa matching network provided in fig. 16 to be implemented. The switching system states in the two embodiments required to implement the mobile matching network of fig. 17 are S1 (first switch) on, S2 (second switch) off, S3 off, S4 on, S5 off, S6 on, S7 off, and finally S8 off. The SoC embodiment shown in fig. 23 provides a modular SoC embodiment that includes a linear arrangement of modules 2302. The SoC embodiment shown in fig. 24 provides a modular SoC embodiment that includes modules or components (2401) arranged in an inverted-L configuration. The use of modular SoC and SiP embodiments provides flexibility in allocating and integrating socs in the space available in a radiating system.

A SiP embodiment according to the invention may comprise matching elements, typically circuit components, embedded within the SiP. Thus, some SiP embodiments include embedded integrated and/or printed inductors, as shown in fig. 25, 26, and 27. Fig. 25 provides a SiP embodiment (2500) that includes more than one embedded printed inductor (2501) in one chip assembly (2502), each inductor representing a particular inductance value LI, L2. The SiP embodiment also includes a tunable capacitor (2503) internal to the chip assembly, and a plurality of switches (2504) connected to external pins or pads (2505) that may be used to add external matching elements or circuit assemblies. Fig. 26 provides another SiP embodiment (2600) that includes an embedded printed inductor (2601). In this particular example, the printed inductors share a common external pad or pin (2602) for connecting them to an external element. The SiP embodiment also includes an internal tunable capacitor (2603) and an internal switch (2604) connectable to an external element. As shown in fig. 27, other SiP embodiments that include an embedded printed inductor (2700) include a set (2701) of embedded printed inductors. The embedded printed inductor bank includes at least one switch (2702) for interconnecting printed inductor sensors therebetween in a parallel arrangement to provide a variable inductance value. The example in fig. 27 includes the table provided in fig. 28, where the combinations of switch states and the equivalent inductances associated with each switch state combination are shown. The SiP embodiment also includes an embedded tunable capacitor (2703) and an additional embedded switch (2704) connected to the external pads (2705) for connecting the external matching element or circuit assembly to the SiP chip assembly.

Fig. 29 presents a SiP embodiment (2900) further comprising an embedded, integrated or inserted non-resonant element (2901) connected by a conductive strap to the WMC (2902) which is also embedded. The SiP embodiment comprising the inserted non-resonant element simplifies the integration of the radiation system comprising the above-described SiP embodiment in the device. WMC included in such SiP embodiments is connected to a SiP pin or pad (2903) that enables external matching elements to be connected to WMC included in the SiP.

Fig. 30 shows an embodiment of a SiP comprising an embedded transceiver (3001) connected to a WMC also included in the SiP. The SiP described above is intended to operate under one communication standard, while other SiP embodiments are intended to operate under more than one communication standard (3101), as shown in fig. 31. In particular, the above-described multi-communication standard embodiment also includes an embedded transceiver in the SiP that communicates with the WMC included in the SiP. This embodiment includes more than one non-resonant element, in this case included in a single part or assembly (3102). Other SiP embodiments (as shown in fig. 32) related to the present invention that include embedded transceivers include more than one non-resonant element that is included in different parts or components (3201).

Fig. 33 provides an embodiment of a wireless device or wireless communication system according to the present invention that includes a non-resonant element (3302), WMC (3303), and a PCB including a ground plane element (3301), the PCB characterized by a variable length Lb and/or a variable width Wb. The WMC described above includes an adaptive generic matching network SUMN that matches devices or systems over more than one operating frequency band, enabling devices to adapt their operability to different device sizes or to different scenarios and usage contexts, or enabling devices to optimize their performance by selecting the best operating frequency band. SUMN included in the WMC included in the embodiment shown in fig. 33 is characterized by a reconfigurable topology and includes RF switches connected to some matching elements, including a monopole or input P and at least two pass-through or outputs T. Furthermore, the RF switch described above is multipath and it also allows for a grounded internal connection connecting the matching element to the switch, thereby providing a more configurable matching network topology or matching network configuration for WMC. Further, SUMN included in a WMC included in a wireless device or wireless communication system provided in fig. 33 includes a Matching Network (MN) transceiver section and at least one MN booster section connected to a switch, the MN transceiver section being connected to the switch and the RF transceiver, and the at least one MN booster section being connected to a non-resonant element and the switch such that the at least one MN booster section is connected to the MN transceiver through the switch.

The non-resonant element is connected to the MN enhancer section connected to the switch by, for example, at least one conductive strap or at least one transmission line. After the matched network booster section, these transmission lines or conductive strips can have an effect on the impedance seen at the pass-through of the switch. These transmission lines may then be additional matching elements that help to adjust the impedance matching achieved with the matching network that may be implemented with SUMN.

Each of the MN transceiver portion and the at least one MN enhancer portion includes at least one circuit element or component. In some embodiments, the MN transceiver portion and/or at least one MN enhancer portion includes at least two circuit elements or components. In some of these embodiments, the MN transceiver portion and/or at least one MN booster portion comprises 4 circuit elements or components, and in other embodiments, the MN transceiver portion and/or at least one MN booster portion comprises even 7 or more circuit elements or components. Some of all of these embodiments include an inductor or capacitor in the MN transceiver portion and/or in at least one MN booster portion. Some of the SUMN embodiments included in the WMC provided in fig. 33 advantageously include a 0 ohm resistor in at least one MN booster portion and/or MN transceiver portion. In some other embodiments, at least one MN booster portion includes only one circuit component, while in other embodiments, each MN booster portion includes only one circuit component. In other embodiments, one MN booster portion includes circuit components that are equal or substantially equal to circuit components included in the matching network transceiver portion, with substantially equal being understood as the corresponding values therebetween differing by 20%, or 10% or 5%. In some embodiments, all of these circuit components are inductors, and in some other embodiments are capacitors. Furthermore, the MN transceiver portion may be characterized by any topology, advantageously in some embodiments a T topology (i.e., SPS), that provides versatility for implementing other matching network topologies, such as an L topology (SP or PS) or a single component (S or P) topology.

Fig. 34 provides a specific example of SUMN, the SUMN comprising an SP4T (single-pole 4-through) multi-way switch 3401 capable of simultaneously connecting one input P to more than one output (T1 to T4) so that matching elements connected to the switch outputs can be combined between them. Further, each output or pass-through of the switches included in this particular example may be connected to the internal ground 3402, which enables the matching elements to be connected in a parallel configuration. Such SUMN can match wireless devices or wireless communication systems having different sizes. The SUMN above includes four MN enhancer sections 3403, each of which is connected to the pass-through T of the switch and includes a circuit element or component 3404. More specifically, in some embodiments, these matching network booster portions include capacitors in the range of 1.7pF to 2.5pF in the first MN booster portion, and in other embodiments preferably in the range of 1.9pF to 2.3 pF; another capacitor in the second MN booster portion in the range of 5.5pF to 6.5pF, preferably in the range of 5.8pF to 6.2pF in some other embodiments; a 0 ohm resistance in the third MN booster portion; and an inductance in the fourth MN enhancer section in the range of 3.2nH to 4.2nH, preferably in the range of 3.5nH to 3.9nH in other embodiments. The particular embodiment provided in fig. 34 includes a 2.1pF capacitor in the first MN booster portion, a 6pF capacitor in the second MN booster portion, a 0 ohm resistor in the third MN booster portion, and a 3.7nH inductance in the fourth MN booster portion, all of which are connected to non-resonant elements, which in some embodiments are advantageously modular multilevel elements 3405, which are multi-segment assemblies described in patents US20200176855A1, EP3649697B1 and CN110870133a, More specifically, in certain embodiments is the antenna assembly described and included in the embodiment of fig. 29 from the above-mentioned patent, or the antenna assembly of fig. 32 or 35. In some embodiments, the multi-stage or multi-segment component is a TRIO mXTEND ^TM antenna component. The noted SUMN also includes a MN transceiver portion 3406 that is connected to the switch and transceiver. The MN transceiver section described above includes at least one circuit element or component and may be characterized by any topology. The MN transceiver portion included in the embodiment of fig. 34 is advantageously characterized by a T-topology that provides versatility in view of the matching networks that can be implemented: in some embodiments an L-shaped topology, while in other embodiments a single element topology comprising only one circuit element or component is arranged in a series or parallel configuration. The particular embodiment provided in fig. 34 includes a parallel 3.7nH inductor, in some other embodiments, the inductance value is in the range of 3.4nH to 4 nH. The SUMN embodiment in fig. 34 includes a parallel 3.7nH inductance in the MN transceiver section, and it also advantageously includes a series inductance of the same value of 3.7nH in one of the MN booster sections. The SUMN embodiment, which includes a MN transceiver portion and at least one MN booster portion, including substantially similar circuit components in both the MN transceiver portion and the MN booster portion, are advantageous solutions when their values are equal or within a range between 2% of the value added value and 2% of the value subtracted value. SUMN of fig. 34 may be configured by selecting different switch state combinations to configure a plurality of matching network configurations (hereinafter abbreviated MNC) according to the size of the ground plane elements or PCBs included in the radiating system and/or according to different environmental conditions or operating bands. Such SUMN has been used to match a wireless device or radiating system that includes a PCB sized between lb×wb=50 mm×50mm to 130mm×80mm for operation in two frequency regions from 617MHz to 960MHz and from 1710MHz to 2170 MHz. All possible state combinations of pass-through T1 to T4 (providing acceptable matching of the device or radiation system and their associated matching networks at the frequencies sought) are examples of the use of the adaptive generic matching network (SUMN) in fig. 34. Fig. 35-49A-49B disclose some examples thereof. In particular, FIG. 35 provides a table that includes different states for matching through T1 through T4 of the subbands shown in the table. The state table is used to match a device comprising PCBs of dimensions 50mm x 50 mm. Fig. 36 shows an equivalent matching network resulting from applying the states shown in the table in fig. 35 to each of the sub-bands included in the operating frequency regions of 698MHz to 960MHz and 1710MHz to 2170 MHz. The topology of the matching network described above is shown in fig. 36, and the values of the matching elements are shown in fig. 36. For example, the switching states T1 open, T2 open, T3 open, and T4 series result in an SP topology that includes a series inductance of 3.7nH and a parallel inductance of 3.7 nH. Notably, the topologies used to match the 730MHz-780MHz and 780MHz-840MHz bands do not provide the same response, as the striplines connecting the resonant antenna to the switch (and its matching elements) have an effect on the matching impedance at the pass-through of the switch, and thus on the overall matching. Fig. 37A and 37B provide the reflection coefficients obtained at the end of each matching network (before the transceiver) in fig. 36. Fig. 37A corresponds to a low-frequency operation region, and fig. 37B corresponds to a high-frequency operation region. As shown, SUMN provided in fig. 34 allows for multi-band operation for different devices of different sizes. Fig. 38-40A-40B provide the switching states, matching networks, and acquired reflection coefficients for a PCB with dimensions 60mm x 65 mm. Fig. 39 provides a matching network resulting from the state combinations provided in fig. 38. These matching networks are the same as those used to match 50mm by 50mm PCB devices. Fig. 41 to 43A-43B provide the switching states, matching networks and the acquired reflection coefficients for a PCB with dimensions 70mm x 65 mm. Fig. 42 provides a matching network resulting from the state combinations provided in fig. 41. The topology of the matching network described above is shown in fig. 42, and the matching element values are the values included in the same graph or previously described in the text of fig. 34. The diagrams in fig. 44-46A-46B provide the switching states, matching networks, and acquired reflection coefficients for a PCB with dimensions 115mm x 80 mm. Also, the topology of the matching network described above is shown in fig. 45, and the matching element values are the values included in the same graph or previously described in the text of fig. 34. The diagrams in fig. 47-49A-49B provide the switching states, matching networks and acquired reflection coefficients used for PCBs with dimensions 130mm x 80 mm. The topology of the matching network described above is shown in fig. 48, and the matching element values are the values included in the same graph or previously described in the text of fig. 34. Finally, fig. 50 provides the antenna efficiency obtained at two operating frequency regions, including PCBs of dimensions 50mm x 50mm, 60mm x 65mm, 70mm x 65mm, 115mm x 80mm or 130mm x 80mm, when the adaptive universal matching network of fig. 34 is used to match a device or radiation system according to the present invention. Good antenna efficiency is achieved for all PCB sizes using the adaptive system described above. Particularly at low frequencies.

Fig. 51 provides an embodiment of an SMN that includes a switching system that includes the switch used in fig. 34 and described previously. The specific values for the matching elements connected to the switch are the values included in fig. 51 described above, but in other embodiments of such SMNs, these values may be different. More specifically, these matching elements are three inductances and 0 ohm resistances included in the four MN booster sections 5101, 5102, 5103, 5104, and inductances and capacitances included in the MN transceiver section 5105. More specifically, in other embodiments, the four MN booster sections include 0 ohm resistors and three inductors having values in the range of 10nH to 16nH, 14nH to 20nH, and 22nH to 28nH, preferably in the range of 12nH to 14nH, 16nH to 18nH, and 24nH to 26 nH. Fig. 52A-52B illustrate a matching element combination of matching elements included in four MN booster sections 5101, 5102, 5103, 5104 configured to match a radiation system including the SMN described above in a low frequency region from 698MHz to 960MHz, including sub-bands: from 698 to 748MHz, 746 to 803MHz, 824 to 894MHz, 880 to 960MHz, and in the high frequency region from 1.71 to 2.2 GHz. As already described, the SMN described above further comprises a MN transceiver section 5105 connected between the switch and the transceiver, the section comprising two circuit components having values of 1.7nH and 3.7pF, or in some embodiments an inductance having a value in the range of 1.4nH to 2nH and a capacitor having a value in the range of 3.4pF to 4 pF. Specific examples of radiating systems or wireless devices that include the SMN described above include PCBs featuring dimensions of 53mm x 53mm and modular multilevel elements that are multi-segment assemblies described in patents US20200176855A1, EP3649697B1, and CN110870133a, more specifically, in some embodiments, antenna assemblies described and included in the embodiment of fig. 29, or antenna assemblies from fig. 32 or fig. 35 of the above-described patents. In some embodiments, the multi-stage or multi-segment component is a TRIO mXTEND ^TM antenna component. more specifically, the multi-stage element included in the present embodiment includes three portions or stages, two of which are connected by a filter, as shown in fig. 52A to 52B. The filter provided in fig. 52A-52B is a high frequency filter resonating around 2GHz, including an inductor of 11nH and a capacitor of 0.5pF, but another filter may be used in a similar embodiment or example. Fig. 52A-52B illustrate matching element combinations implemented for each operational subband without connecting the MN transceiver portions. To match the sub-bands from 698MHz to 748MHz, 746MHz to 803MHz, and 880 to 960MHz, a PS (parallel series) configuration is used. To match the sub-bands from 824MHz to 894MHz, a PS configuration is used that includes two components arranged in parallel between them in a series position. To match the high frequency band from 1.71GHz to 2.2GHz, a series configuration is used that includes four components arranged in parallel between them in a series position. The values of the matching elements or circuit components combined in these configurations are the values provided in fig. 51 or the values previously described in the text associated with fig. 51. As shown in fig. 52A, the matching element combination for matching in the above-described low-frequency sub-band is characterized by including a first common parallel inductance connected to the multistage element included in the radiation system and to the ground. Thus, the SMN embodiment is an example of an SMN comprising at least a MN booster portion and a MN transceiver portion implementing different matching networks including a first common parallel circuit component.

As has been explained herein, it has been found that by including a first parallel component common to differently configured matching networks, the matching impedance obtained for each matching network prior to the MN transceiver portion may be characterized by a value that is close to the matching impedance obtained for other matching networks as well prior to the MN transceiver portion. The different matching at the different sub-bands can then be easily done with a common transceiver matching section, resulting in a better reflection coefficient before the transceiver for all operating sub-bands. The closer the matched impedance obtained before the MN transceiver section is to the impedance between them and close to 50 ohms, the better the reflection coefficient obtained before the transceiver section, and thus the better the antenna efficiency. Then, UMN, SMN or SUMN, including common MN transceiver portions for different matching networks implemented with UMN, SMN or SUMN, including the first or initial common parallel circuit component, is an advantageous embodiment of the present invention. In some embodiments, the common parallel circuit component is an inductance, while in other embodiments it may be a capacitor. For the particular example in fig. 51, the inductance of this common component is 25nH. Fig. 53A-53B provide reflection coefficients obtained for different sub-bands and operating frequency regions (defined by 5301 and 5302 in fig. 53A and 5303 and 5304 in fig. 53B) of the examples provided in fig. 51 and 52A-52B. Fig. 54 shows the antenna efficiency obtained in the low and high frequency regions (defined by lines 5401 and 5402 and 5403 and 5404, respectively). Good antenna efficiency is obtained, in particular in the low frequency region, which has been divided into operating sub-bands. Antenna efficiency between 10% and 40% obtained at low frequencies (because it is the frequency region from 698MHz to 960 MHz) is a good efficiency. By dividing the frequency region in the operating sub-bands, efficiency values of up to 40% have been obtained, within the range-10% -40%.

Fig. 55 provides some schematic diagrams of a radiation system according to the present invention. Different configurations of WMCs included in these radiation systems are shown. Some embodiments include WMC that includes only one portion 5501 that is coupled to a non-resonant element (e.g., a radiation booster included in a radiation system) and a transceiver. Other embodiments include WMC comprising at least two parts: a first part WMC'5502A, 5502B connected to ground 5504A, 5504B and to a first connection point 5505A, 5505B comprised in a radiation booster comprised in the radiation system; and a second part WMC "5503A, 5503B connected to the transceiver and to a second connection point 5506A, 5506B comprised in the radiating booster or non-resonant element or to a strap or connection part connected to the radiating booster or non-radiating element described above. In some of these last embodiments, at least one of the parts included in the WMC includes an active or tunable element, in other embodiments, two of the parts included in the WMC include an active or tunable element, and in other embodiments, one of the parts includes at least one electronic component, wherein all of the electronic components are passive components. Some embodiments may then include more than one portion including a tunable component or an active component. In some embodiments it is a tunable section connected to ground, while in other embodiments it is a passive matching network connected to ground. Fig. 56 provides an embodiment of a radiation system comprising WMC comprising at least two different parts WMC' and WMC ", one of which is connected to ground. More specifically, these embodiments include passive matching networks 5601A, 5601B connected to the transceiver and to a first connection point included in the radiation booster or non-resonant element 5602A, 5602B; and tunable portions 5603A, 5603B connected to the ground plane layer and to a second connection point included in the radiation booster or to a strap or connection member connected to the above-mentioned radiation booster or no radiation element.

Fig. 57 shows a radiation system comprising a modular multilevel element 5701, which is a multi-segment assembly described in patents US20200176855A1, EP3649697B1 and CN110870133a, more specifically, in some embodiments, an antenna assembly described and included in the embodiment of fig. 29, or the antenna assembly of fig. 32 or 35. In some embodiments, the multi-stage or multi-segment component is a TRIO mXTEND ^TM antenna component. The radiation system also includes a ground plane layer 5702 and a Wireless Matching Core (WMC) 5703, the WMC including a tunable portion 5704 and a passive matching network 5705. The tunable section is connected to the ground plane layer and to a first point 5706 included in the multi-stage element and the passive matching network is connected to the transceiver and to a second point 5707 included in the multi-stage element. In the detail provided in fig. 57, it is disclosed how the different stages of the multi-stage element are connected, a 0 ohm resistor is used to connect the first stage or section to the intermediate stage or section of the multi-stage element, and a filter comprising a 15nH inductance and a 0.3pF capacitance is used to connect the second stage or section to the intermediate stage as well. The dimensions of the PCB containing the radiation system described herein, and the dimensions of the gap area (45 mm x 15 mm) that distributes the multilevel elements are also included in the figure. Fig. 58 provides a passive matching network and tunable portion included in WMC in the embodiment of fig. 57. Element 5801 represents a passive matching network and element 5802 represents a tunable portion. The passive matching network is characterized by a PSP (parallel series parallel) configuration and comprises a first parallel capacitor having a value in the range of 0.6pF to 0.8pF, followed by a series inductance having a value in the range of 4.5nH to 5.1nH and a parallel inductance having a value in the range of 5.5nH to 6.3 nH. In the preferred example, the first parallel capacitor is 0.7pF, the subsequent series inductance is 4.8nH, and the final parallel inductance is 5.9nH. The tunable portion 5802 includes switches connected to multiple stage elements and to different matching elements 5803 connected to the ground plane layer. These matching elements are capacitors and inductances of the values provided in fig. 58. One of the output ports or through-vias used is connected to an open circuit. Fig. 59A-59B provide input reflection coefficients for the embodiment obtained from fig. 57, including WMC shown in fig. 58. The low frequency region LFR is covered from 617MHz (vertical dashed line 5901) to 960MHz (vertical dashed line 5902). The high frequency region of coverage HFR is from 1.695GHz (dashed line 5903) to 2.22GHz (dashed line 5904).

The radiation system associated with the present invention (as shown in fig. 33, including SUMN as shown in fig. 34) has been placed over different platforms of different materials. In particular, it is

Fig. 60A-60B provide input reflectance obtained when it was placed 7mm above a 400mm x 400mm metal plate. The results are compared with responses acquired in free space. It can be clearly observed that when the same switching state is used, the mismatch response (see curve 6001) becomes worse with respect to the free space input reflection coefficient (curve 6002) when the radiation system is placed over a metal plate. When the radiation system is placed over a metal plate, the input reflection coefficient is improved when the switch state is programmed to obtain an optimal response, see curve 6003.

Fig. 60A provides the input reflection coefficient at LFR and fig. 60B provides the output reflection coefficient at HFR. Fig. 61 provides the antenna efficiency measured at 7mm from a 400mm x 400mm metal plate for the radiation system of fig. 33 (including SUMN of fig. 34). The results show that the antenna efficiency obtained at certain frequencies of LFR and HFR is very poor, see curve 6101. The input reflection coefficient is significantly reduced at both LFR and HFR compared to the response at free space (curve 6102). When the radiation system is placed over a metal plate, the antenna efficiency increases significantly at both LFR and HFR when the switching state is optimized to improve performance, see curve 6103. Fig. 62A-62B and 63 show the measured input reflection coefficient and antenna efficiency (distance between the platform and the PCB bottom layer in the radiation system) when the radiation system is placed at 7mm from the different material platforms. The PCB described above is characterized by a 50mm length by 50mm width and includes a 45mm width by 16mm length gap region containing a modular multilevel element 3405 that is a multi-segment component described in patents US20200176855A1, EP3649697B1 and CN110870133a, and more specifically, in some embodiments, an antenna component described and included in the embodiment of fig. 29, or an antenna component of fig. 32 or 35. In some embodiments, the multi-stage or multi-segment component is a TRIO mXTEND ^TM antenna component. The different platforms tested were brick, sheet metal and wooden platforms. The bricks used were 40cm by 40cm, 3.8mm thick, 40cm by 40cm thick, 2mm thick, 40cm by 40cm thick on a wooden platform and 15mm thick. Fig. 62A-62B show measured input reflection coefficients acquired for different cases, and fig. 63 provides measured antenna efficiency acquired for the same case. These cases are compared to free space results. SUMN included in the radiation system above the different platforms have been configured for each platform situation to achieve optimal performance. SUMN in the WMC included in this radiation system embodiment is provided in fig. 34. The switching states configured in each case are different. The average antenna efficiency for the different materials was 26.48% for wood, 10.89% for metal, and 18.85% for brick at LFR from 698MHz to 960MHz, and 40.51% for wood, 27.74% for metal, and 44.36% for brick at HFR from 1.71GHz to 2.17GHz, respectively. Thus, radiation systems have been realized that are capable of operating in different environments.

Claims (30)

1. A wireless device comprising a radiation system, the radiation system comprising:

At least one non-resonant element;

A ground plane element;

A transceiver;

A wireless matching core comprising an adaptive generic matching network configured to adapt upon receipt of at least one electrical signal for acting on the adaptive generic matching network, and comprising:

at least one reconfigurable circuit component configured to support a plurality of states, the at least one circuit component comprising an RF switch;

at least two matching network portions, each matching network portion being connected to at least the at least one circuit component and the at least one non-resonant element;

At least one matching network portion connected to the at least one circuit component and the transceiver; and

At least a matching element in at least one of the at least two matching network sections;

at least one processor;

At least one memory storing a table having a plurality of matching network configurations; and

A means for providing energy;

Wherein the at least one processor is configured to act on the at least one reconfigurable circuit component for selecting a particular combination of states of the at least one reconfigurable circuit component to select a particular matching network configuration of the plurality of matching network configurations by processing the table according to a predetermined matching network configuration selection procedure; and

Wherein the adaptive generic matching network is configured to provide impedance matching for the wireless device in at least one frequency band within at least a frequency region.

2. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the RF switch is a multipath switch comprising four pass-through or outputs, wherein the at least two matching network portions comprise at least four matching network portions, each portion being connected to a different pass-through or output of the RF switch.

3. The wireless device of any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one matching element is connected to a grounded internal connection of the RF switch.

4. The wireless device of any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one portion from the at least one matching network portion and/or from the at least two matching network portions comprises at least two circuit elements.

5. The wireless device of claim 4, wherein the at least one portion comprising at least two circuit elements comprises an inductor.

6. The wireless device of any of the preceding claims, wherein the matching network configuration configured for operation in a low frequency region comprises a common circuit component connected to the non-resonant element and to ground.

7. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein one of the at least two matching network portions connected to the at least one non-resonant element comprises a circuit component that is substantially equal to a circuit component included in the at least one matching network portion connected to the transceiver.

8. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein at least one portion from the at least two matching network portions comprises a 0 ohm resistor or no circuit components.

9. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the adaptive universal matching network enables operation of the radiation system when the wireless device is installed on a platform of one of a plurality of materials.

10. A wireless device comprising a radiation system, the radiation system comprising:

At least one non-resonant element;

A ground plane element;

A transceiver;

A wireless matching core comprising an adaptive generic matching network configured to adapt upon receipt of at least one electrical signal for acting on the adaptive generic matching network, and comprising:

at least one reconfigurable circuit component configured to support a plurality of states, the at least one circuit component comprising an RF switch; and

At least a matching element;

at least one processor;

At least one memory storing a table having a plurality of matching network configurations; and

A means for providing energy;

Wherein the at least one processor is configured to act on the at least one reconfigurable circuit component for selecting a particular combination of states of the at least one reconfigurable circuit component to select a particular matching network configuration of the plurality of matching network configurations by processing the table according to a predetermined matching network configuration selection procedure; and

Wherein the adaptive generic matching network is configured to provide impedance matching for the wireless device in at least one frequency band within at least a frequency region.

11. The wireless device of claim 10, wherein the adaptive universal matching network is configured in a SPSPSP configuration, wherein S is a series matching circuit and P is a parallel matching circuit, each matching circuit comprising one or more circuit components.

12. The wireless device of claim 11, wherein the adaptive generic matching network is included in a system-in-package or a system-on-Soc.

13. The wireless device of claim 11, wherein the SPSPSP configuration of the matching circuit is a SPSPPSS configuration of circuit components included in the matching circuit.

14. The wireless device of claim 10, wherein the adaptive generic matching network comprises nine circuit components arranged in a SPSPSPPSS configuration.

15. The wireless device of claim 10, wherein one of the switch state combinations configures the adaptive generic matching network in a multi-band matching network configuration.

16. The wireless device of claim 10, wherein one of the switch state combinations configures the adaptive generic matching network in a single-band matching network configuration.

17. The wireless device of claim 10, wherein a first switch state combination configures the adaptive generic matching network in a multi-band matching network configuration and a second switch state combination configures the adaptive generic matching network in a single-band matching network configuration.

18. The wireless device of claim 17, wherein the multi-band matching network configuration and the single-band matching network configuration are both generic matching networks.

19. The wireless device of claim 17, wherein the multi-band matching network configuration operates at a mobile frequency and the single-band matching network configuration operates at a frequency below 1 GHz.

20. The wireless device of any of the preceding claims, further comprising at least one sensor adapted to measure at least one environmental related parameter or physical quantity amplitude corresponding to an environmental condition in which the radiation system is located; wherein the at least one processor is configured to process at least one environmental related parameter or physical quantity amplitude from each of the at least one sensor to determine an environmental condition in which the radiation system is located; and wherein the predetermined matching network configuration selection procedure comprises processing the table based at least on the determined environmental conditions in which the radiation system is located.

21. The wireless device of any of the preceding claims, wherein the predetermined matching network configuration selection procedure comprises processing the table based at least on a size of the ground plane element.

22. The wireless device of any of claims 1-20, wherein the predetermined matching network configuration selection procedure includes sweeping some or all of the plurality of states to subsequently select a state of the plurality of states based on the impedance matching achieved by each swept state.

23. A method, comprising:

Storing a table having a plurality of matching network configurations in at least one memory of the wireless device;

Providing, by at least one processor of the wireless device, at least one electrical signal for acting on at least one reconfigurable electronic component of an adaptive generic matching network of a radiating system, the wireless device for selecting a particular state of the at least one reconfigurable electronic component to select a particular matching network configuration of the plurality of matching network configurations by processing the table according to a predetermined matching network configuration selection procedure;

Wherein the radiation system comprises:

At least one non-resonant element;

A ground plane element;

A transceiver;

A wireless matching core comprising the adaptive universal matching network, the adaptive universal matching network comprising:

At least one reconfigurable electronic component configured to support a plurality of states, the at least one electronic component comprising an RF switch;

at least two matching network portions, each matching network portion being connected with at least the at least one electronic component and the at least one non-resonant element;

At least one matching network portion connected to the at least one electronic component and the transceiver; and

At least a matching element in at least one of the at least two matching network sections; and

A means for providing energy;

wherein the adaptive generic matching network is configured to provide impedance matching for the wireless device in at least one frequency band within at least a frequency region.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the wireless device further comprises at least one sensor adapted to measure at least one environmental related parameter or physical quantity amplitude corresponding to an environmental condition in which the radiation system is located; wherein the method further comprises processing, by the at least one processor, at least one environmental related parameter or physical quantity amplitude from each of the at least one sensor to determine an environmental condition in which the radiation system is located; and wherein the predetermined matching network configuration selection procedure comprises processing the table based at least on the determined environmental conditions in which the radiation system is located.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising disposing the radiation system on a platform of a predetermined material; wherein processing the table includes selecting a state of the plurality of states associated with the predetermined material of the platform.

26. A method according to any of claims 24 to 25, wherein the predetermined matching network configuration selection procedure comprises processing the table based at least on the size of the ground plane element.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising providing data indicative of the size of the ground plane element to the at least one processor when the radiation system is disposed in the wireless device.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein the predetermined matching network configuration selection procedure comprises sweeping some or all of the plurality of states to subsequently select a state of the plurality of states based on the impedance matching achieved by each swept state.

29. A data processing device comprising means for performing the steps of the method according to any of claims 23 to 28.

30. A computer program product comprising instructions which, when executed by at least one processor of a wireless device according to any of claims 1 to 22, cause the wireless device to perform the steps of the method according to any of claims 23 to 28.