KR102445117B1 - Electronic device comprising antenna array based on block cell type - Google Patents

Abstract

An electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a housing including a first plate, a second plate facing in a direction opposite to the first plate, and a side member surrounding a space between the first plate and the second plate ; A wireless communication device comprising: a printed circuit board including a plurality of insulating layers disposed in parallel to the first plate and stacked on each other; an antenna array formed in the plurality of insulating layers; A wireless communication circuit electrically connected to the antenna array and configured to transmit and receive a signal of a specific frequency through the antenna array, wherein the antenna array includes a plurality of block cell antenna units, can be formed. Various other embodiments are possible.

Description

Electronic device including a block cell-based antenna array {ELECTRONIC DEVICE COMPRISING ANTENNA ARRAY BASED ON BLOCK CELL TYPE}

Various embodiments of the present invention relate to an electronic device including a block cell-based antenna array.

BACKGROUND With the development of wireless communication technology, electronic devices (eg, electronic devices for communication) are commonly used in daily life, and the use of content is increasing exponentially. Due to the rapid increase in content usage, network capacity is gradually reaching its limit, and as low latency data communication is required, next-generation wireless communication technology (eg 5G communication) or WIGIG (wireless gigabit alliance) (eg 802.11AD), etc. of high-speed wireless communication technology is being developed.

In the next-generation wireless communication technology, a millimeter wave (mmWave) of 20 GHz or more may be used substantially, and an array structure may be used to overcome a high free space loss due to frequency characteristics and to increase an antenna gain. However, unlike the general fixed type mmWave base station-facing antenna system, the position coordinates of the mmWave antenna for portable electronic devices always change, so control of the antenna rotation direction and polarization may be required. Accordingly, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, a block cell-type antenna array and an electronic device including the same intend to simultaneously control a frequency, a radiation direction, and a polarization using the block cell-type antenna array.

An electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a housing including a first plate, a second plate facing in a direction opposite to the first plate, and a side member surrounding a space between the first plate and the second plate ; A wireless communication device comprising: a printed circuit board including a plurality of insulating layers disposed in parallel to the first plate and stacked on each other; an antenna array formed in the plurality of insulating layers; A wireless communication circuit electrically connected to the antenna array and configured to transmit and receive a signal of a specific frequency through the antenna array, wherein the antenna array includes a plurality of block cell antenna units, can be formed.

An electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a memory; and a wireless communication device, wherein the wireless communication device includes: an antenna array comprising a plurality of unit block cell antennas each including at least one feeding port; A wireless communication circuit configured to transmit and receive a signal of a target frequency through the antenna array by controlling the power applied to each of the plurality of power supply ports, wherein the wireless communication circuit uses a plurality of setting information stored in the memory By controlling the power applied to each of the plurality of feeding ports, the antenna array may be configured to have specific antenna characteristics.

An antenna array constituted by a unit block cell antenna according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may have various antenna radiation characteristics through adjustment of power and phase applied to a plurality of feeding ports connected thereto. In addition, the electronic device including the antenna array according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may provide a real-time detection mode that can be changed to an antenna radiation characteristic required in a communication environment according to a user's intention and a normal mode in which the antenna characteristic is fixed. have.

1 is a block diagram of an electronic device in a network environment according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;
2A is a perspective view of a mobile electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;
2B is a rear perspective view of the electronic device of FIG. 2A according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;
2C is an exploded perspective view of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;
3A is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of an electronic device supporting 5G communication.
3B is a schematic diagram of a communication device according to an exemplary embodiment.
4A illustrates a part of a unit block cell antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
4B illustrates a unit block cell antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
4C illustrates an antenna array in which unit block cell antennas are arranged according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
5A is a cross-sectional view of a unit block cell antenna according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
5B is a plan view of the unit block cell antenna described in FIG. 5A as viewed from above.
6 illustrates examples of various shapes of a unit block cell antenna according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
7 illustrates antenna arrays configured by a unit block cell antenna according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
8 illustrates an experimental example of polarization control for a unit block cell according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
9 illustrates an experimental example of polarization control for a 2x2 type antenna array according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
10 is a flowchart illustrating an operation in a normal mode of a wireless communication device including an antenna array according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
11 is a flowchart illustrating an operation in a real-time detection mode of a wireless communication device including an antenna array according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

1 is a block diagram of an electronic device 101 in a network environment 100 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 1 , in a network environment 100 , an electronic device 101 communicates with an electronic device 102 through a first network 198 (eg, a short-range wireless communication network) or a second network 199 . It may communicate with the electronic device 104 or the server 108 through (eg, a long-distance wireless communication network). According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may communicate with the electronic device 104 through the server 108 . According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 includes a processor 120 , a memory 130 , an input device 150 , a sound output device 155 , a display device 160 , an audio module 170 , and a sensor module ( 176 , interface 177 , haptic module 179 , camera module 180 , power management module 188 , battery 189 , communication module 190 , subscriber identification module 196 , or antenna module 197 . ) may be included. In some embodiments, at least one of these components (eg, the display device 160 or the camera module 180 ) may be omitted or one or more other components may be added to the electronic device 101 . In some embodiments, some of these components may be implemented as a single integrated circuit. For example, the sensor module 176 (eg, a fingerprint sensor, an iris sensor, or an illuminance sensor) may be implemented while being embedded in the display device 160 (eg, a display).

The processor 120, for example, executes software (eg, the program 140) to execute at least one other component (eg, a hardware or software component) of the electronic device 101 connected to the processor 120 . It can control and perform various data processing or operations. According to an embodiment, as at least part of data processing or operation, the processor 120 stores a command or data received from another component (eg, the sensor module 176 or the communication module 190 ) into the volatile memory 132 . may be loaded into the volatile memory 132 , and may process commands or data stored in the volatile memory 132 , and store the resulting data in the non-volatile memory 134 . According to an embodiment, the processor 120 includes a main processor 121 (eg, a central processing unit or an application processor), and a secondary processor 123 (eg, a graphic processing unit or an image signal processor) that can be operated independently or together with the main processor 121 . , a sensor hub processor, or a communication processor). Additionally or alternatively, the auxiliary processor 123 may be configured to use less power than the main processor 121 or to be specialized for a specified function. The auxiliary processor 123 may be implemented separately from or as a part of the main processor 121 .

The secondary processor 123 may, for example, act on behalf of the main processor 121 while the main processor 121 is in an inactive (eg, sleep) state, or when the main processor 121 is active (eg, executing an application). ), together with the main processor 121, at least one of the components of the electronic device 101 (eg, the display device 160, the sensor module 176, or the communication module 190) It is possible to control at least some of the related functions or states. According to an embodiment, the auxiliary processor 123 (eg, an image signal processor or a communication processor) may be implemented as a part of another functionally related component (eg, the camera module 180 or the communication module 190). have.

The memory 130 may store various data used by at least one component of the electronic device 101 (eg, the processor 120 or the sensor module 176 ). The data may include, for example, input data or output data for software (eg, the program 140 ) and instructions related thereto. The memory 130 may include a volatile memory 132 or a non-volatile memory 134 .

The program 140 may be stored as software in the memory 130 , and may include, for example, an operating system 142 , middleware 144 , or an application 146 .

The input device 150 may receive a command or data to be used by a component (eg, the processor 120 ) of the electronic device 101 from the outside (eg, a user) of the electronic device 101 . The input device 150 may include, for example, a microphone, a mouse, or a keyboard.

The sound output device 155 may output a sound signal to the outside of the electronic device 101 . The sound output device 155 may include, for example, a speaker or a receiver. The speaker can be used for general purposes such as multimedia playback or recording playback, and the receiver can be used to receive incoming calls. According to an embodiment, the receiver may be implemented separately from or as a part of the speaker.

The display device 160 may visually provide information to the outside (eg, a user) of the electronic device 101 . The display device 160 may include, for example, a display, a hologram device, or a projector and a control circuit for controlling the corresponding device. According to an embodiment, the display device 160 may include a touch circuitry configured to sense a touch or a sensor circuit (eg, a pressure sensor) configured to measure the intensity of a force generated by the touch. have.

The audio module 170 may convert a sound into an electric signal or, conversely, convert an electric signal into a sound. According to an embodiment, the audio module 170 acquires a sound through the input device 150 or an external electronic device (eg, a sound output device 155 ) directly or wirelessly connected to the electronic device 101 . The electronic device 102) (eg, a speaker or headphones) may output a sound.

The sensor module 176 detects an operating state (eg, power or temperature) of the electronic device 101 or an external environmental state (eg, a user state), and generates an electrical signal or data value corresponding to the sensed state. can do. According to an embodiment, the sensor module 176 may include, for example, a gesture sensor, a gyro sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a grip sensor, a proximity sensor, a color sensor, an IR (infrared) sensor, a biometric sensor, It may include a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, or an illuminance sensor.

The interface 177 may support one or more specified protocols that may be used by the electronic device 101 to directly or wirelessly connect with an external electronic device (eg, the electronic device 102 ). According to an embodiment, the interface 177 may include, for example, a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI), a universal serial bus (USB) interface, an SD card interface, or an audio interface.

The connection terminal 178 may include a connector through which the electronic device 101 can be physically connected to an external electronic device (eg, the electronic device 102 ). According to an embodiment, the connection terminal 178 may include, for example, an HDMI connector, a USB connector, an SD card connector, or an audio connector (eg, a headphone connector).

The haptic module 179 may convert an electrical signal into a mechanical stimulus (eg, vibration or movement) or an electrical stimulus that the user can perceive through tactile or kinesthetic sense. According to an embodiment, the haptic module 179 may include, for example, a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electrical stimulation device.

The camera module 180 may capture still images and moving images. According to an embodiment, the camera module 180 may include one or more lenses, image sensors, image signal processors, or flashes.

The power management module 188 may manage power supplied to the electronic device 101 . According to an embodiment, the power management module 388 may be implemented as, for example, at least a part of a power management integrated circuit (PMIC).

The battery 189 may supply power to at least one component of the electronic device 101 . According to an embodiment, the battery 189 may include, for example, a non-rechargeable primary cell, a rechargeable secondary cell, or a fuel cell.

The communication module 190 is a direct (eg, wired) communication channel or a wireless communication channel between the electronic device 101 and an external electronic device (eg, the electronic device 102, the electronic device 104, or the server 108). It can support establishment and communication performance through the established communication channel. The communication module 190 may include one or more communication processors that operate independently of the processor 120 (eg, an application processor) and support direct (eg, wired) communication or wireless communication. According to an embodiment, the communication module 190 is a wireless communication module 192 (eg, a cellular communication module, a short-range wireless communication module, or a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) communication module) or a wired communication module 194 (eg, : It may include a local area network (LAN) communication module, or a power line communication module). Among these communication modules, a corresponding communication module is a first network 198 (eg, a short-range communication network such as Bluetooth, WiFi direct, or infrared data association (IrDA)) or a second network 199 (eg, a cellular network, the Internet, or It may communicate with an external electronic device via a computer network (eg, a telecommunication network such as a LAN or WAN). These various types of communication modules may be integrated into one component (eg, a single chip) or may be implemented as a plurality of components (eg, multiple chips) separate from each other. The wireless communication module 192 uses subscriber information (eg, International Mobile Subscriber Identifier (IMSI)) stored in the subscriber identification module 196 within a communication network such as the first network 198 or the second network 199 . The electronic device 101 may be identified and authenticated.

The antenna module 197 may transmit or receive a signal or power to the outside (eg, an external electronic device). According to an embodiment, the antenna module 197 may include one or more antennas, and from this, at least one antenna suitable for a communication method used in a communication network such as the first network 198 or the second network 199, For example, it may be selected by the communication module 190 . A signal or power may be transmitted or received between the communication module 190 and an external electronic device through the selected at least one antenna.

At least some of the components are connected to each other through a communication method between peripheral devices (eg, a bus, general purpose input and output (GPIO), serial peripheral interface (SPI), or mobile industry processor interface (MIPI)) and a signal (eg, : commands or data) can be exchanged with each other.

According to an embodiment, the command or data may be transmitted or received between the electronic device 101 and the external electronic device 104 through the server 108 connected to the second network 199 . Each of the electronic devices 102 and 104 may be the same or a different type of the electronic device 101 . According to an embodiment, all or part of the operations performed by the electronic device 101 may be performed by one or more of the external electronic devices 102 , 104 , or 108 . For example, when the electronic device 101 needs to perform a function or service automatically or in response to a request from a user or other device, the electronic device 101 may perform the function or service itself instead of executing the function or service itself. Alternatively or additionally, one or more external electronic devices may be requested to perform at least a part of the function or the service. The one or more external electronic devices that have received the request may execute at least a part of the requested function or service, or an additional function or service related to the request, and transmit a result of the execution to the electronic device 101 . The electronic device 101 may process the result as it is or additionally and provide it as at least a part of a response to the request. For this purpose, for example, cloud computing, distributed computing, or client-server computing technology. This can be used.

The electronic device according to various embodiments disclosed in this document may be a device of various types. The electronic device may include, for example, a portable communication device (eg, a smart phone), a computer device, a portable multimedia device, a portable medical device, a camera, a wearable device, or a home appliance device. The electronic device according to the embodiment of the present document is not limited to the above-described devices.

The various embodiments of this document and the terms used therein are not intended to limit the technical features described in this document to specific embodiments, and should be understood to include various modifications, equivalents, or substitutions of the embodiments. In connection with the description of the drawings, like reference numerals may be used for similar or related components. The singular form of the noun corresponding to the item may include one or more of the item, unless the relevant context clearly dictates otherwise. As used herein, "A or B", "at least one of A and B", "at least one of A or B," "A, B or C," "at least one of A, B and C," and "A , B, or C" each may include all possible combinations of items listed together in the corresponding one of the phrases. Terms such as "first", "second", or "first" or "second" may simply be used to distinguish an element from other elements in question, and may refer elements to other aspects (e.g., importance or order) is not limited. It is said that one (eg, first) component is “coupled” or “connected” to another (eg, second) component, with or without the terms “functionally” or “communicatively”. When referenced, it means that one component can be connected to the other component directly (eg by wire), wirelessly, or through a third component.

As used herein, the term “module” may include a unit implemented in hardware, software, or firmware, and may be used interchangeably with terms such as, for example, logic, logic block, component, or circuit. A module may be an integrally formed part or a minimum unit or a part of the part that performs one or more functions. For example, according to an embodiment, the module may be implemented in the form of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

According to various embodiments of the present document, one or more instructions stored in a storage medium (eg, internal memory 136 or external memory 138) readable by a machine (eg, electronic device 101) may be implemented as software (eg, the program 140) including For example, the processor (eg, the processor 120 ) of the device (eg, the electronic device 101 ) may call at least one of the one or more instructions stored from the storage medium and execute it. This makes it possible for the device to be operated to perform at least one function according to the called at least one command. The one or more instructions may include code generated by a compiler or code executable by an interpreter. The device-readable storage medium may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, 'non-transitory' only means that the storage medium is a tangible device and does not contain a signal (eg, electromagnetic wave), and this term is used in cases where data is semi-permanently stored in the storage medium and It does not distinguish between temporary storage cases.

According to an embodiment, the method according to various embodiments disclosed in this document may be provided by being included in a computer program product. Computer program products may be traded between sellers and buyers as commodities. The computer program product is distributed in the form of a machine-readable storage medium (eg compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM)), or through an application store (eg Play Store™) or on two user devices ( It can be distributed (eg downloaded or uploaded) directly, online between smartphones (eg: smartphones). In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product may be temporarily stored or temporarily created in a machine-readable storage medium such as a memory of a server of a manufacturer, a server of an application store, or a relay server.

According to various embodiments, each component (eg, a module or a program) of the above-described components may include a singular or a plurality of entities. According to various embodiments, one or more components or operations among the above-described corresponding components may be omitted, or one or more other components or operations may be added. Alternatively or additionally, a plurality of components (eg, a module or a program) may be integrated into one component. In this case, the integrated component may perform one or more functions of each component of the plurality of components identically or similarly to those performed by the corresponding component among the plurality of components prior to the integration. . According to various embodiments, operations performed by a module, program, or other component are executed sequentially, in parallel, repeatedly, or heuristically, or one or more of the operations are executed in a different order, omitted, or , or one or more other operations may be added.

2A is a perspective view of a mobile electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure; 2B is a rear perspective view of the electronic device of FIG. 2A according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;

Referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B , the electronic device 200 according to an embodiment includes a first surface (or front) 210A, a second surface (or rear) 210B, and a first surface 210A and The housing 210 may include a side surface 210C surrounding the space between the second surfaces 210B. In another embodiment (not shown), the housing may refer to a structure that forms part of the first surface 210A, the second surface 210B, and the side surface 210C of FIG. 1 . According to an embodiment, the first surface 210A may be formed by the front plate 202 (eg, a glass plate including various coating layers or a polymer plate), at least a portion of which is substantially transparent. The second surface 210B may be formed by a substantially opaque back plate 211 . The back plate 211 is formed by, for example, coated or colored glass, ceramic, polymer, metal (eg, aluminum, stainless steel (STS), or magnesium), or a combination of at least two of the above materials. can be The side surface 210C is coupled to the front plate 202 and the rear plate 211 and may be formed by a side bezel structure (or "side member") 218 including a metal and/or a polymer. In some embodiments, the back plate 211 and the side bezel structure 218 are integrally formed and may include the same material (eg, a metal material such as aluminum).

In the illustrated embodiment, the front plate 202 has a first region 210D that extends seamlessly by bending from the first surface 210A toward the rear plate, including a long edge of the front plate. edge) can be included at both ends. In the illustrated embodiment (see FIG. 2A ), the rear plate 211 may include a second region 210E that extends seamlessly from the second surface 210B toward the front plate at both ends of the long edge. have. In some embodiments, the front plate or the back plate may include only one of the first region or the second region. In the above embodiments, when viewed from the side of the electronic device, the side bezel structure has a first thickness (or width) on the side side that does not include the first area or the second area as described above, and the first area Alternatively, the side surface including the second region may have a second thickness thinner than the first thickness.

According to an embodiment, the electronic device 200 includes a display 201 , audio modules 203 , 207 , 214 , sensor modules 204 and 219 , camera modules 205 , 212 , 213 , and a key input device ( 215 , 216 , 217 , an indicator 206 , and at least one of connector holes 208 and 209 . In some embodiments, the electronic device 200 may omit at least one of the components (eg, the key input devices 215 , 216 , 217 , or the indicator 206 ) or additionally include other components. have.

The display 201 may be exposed through a substantial portion of the front plate 202 , for example. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the display 201 may be exposed through the front plate 202 forming the first area 210D of the first surface 210A and the side surface 210C. The display 201 may be coupled to or disposed adjacent to a touch sensing circuit, a pressure sensor capable of measuring the intensity (pressure) of a touch, and/or a digitizer that detects a magnetic field type stylus pen. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the sensor module 204 , 219 , and/or at least a portion of a key input device 215 , 216 , 217 may include the first region 210D and/or the second region may be disposed at 210E.

The audio modules 203 , 207 , and 214 may include a microphone hole 203 and speaker holes 207 and 214 . In the microphone hole 203 , a microphone for acquiring an external sound may be disposed therein, and in some embodiments, a plurality of microphones may be disposed to detect the direction of the sound. The speaker holes 207 and 214 may include an external speaker hole 207 and a receiver hole 214 for a call. In some embodiments, the speaker holes 207 and 214 and the microphone hole 203 may be implemented as a single hole, or a speaker may be included without the speaker holes 207 and 214 (eg, a piezo speaker).

The sensor modules 204 and 219 may generate an electrical signal or data value corresponding to an internal operating state of the electronic device 200 or an external environmental state. The sensor modules 204 and 219 include, for example, a first sensor module 204 (eg, a proximity sensor) and/or a second sensor module (not shown) disposed on the first surface 210A of the housing 210 . ) (eg, a fingerprint sensor), and/or a third sensor module 219 (eg, an HRM sensor) disposed on the second surface 210B of the housing 210 . The fingerprint sensor may be disposed on the first surface 210A (eg, the home key button 215) of the housing 210 as well as the second surface 210B. The electronic device 200 may include a sensor module not shown, for example, a gesture sensor, a gyro sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a grip sensor, a color sensor, an IR (infrared) sensor, a biometric sensor, a temperature sensor, It may further include at least one of a humidity sensor and an illuminance sensor 204 .

The camera modules 205 , 212 , and 213 include a first camera device 205 disposed on the first side 210A of the electronic device 200 , and a second camera device 212 disposed on the second side 210B of the electronic device 200 . ), and/or a flash 213 . The camera modules 205 and 212 may include one or more lenses, an image sensor, and/or an image signal processor. The flash 213 may include, for example, a light emitting diode or a xenon lamp. In some embodiments, two or more lenses (wide-angle and telephoto lenses) and image sensors may be disposed on one side of the electronic device 101 .

The key input devices 215 , 216 , 217 include a home key button 215 disposed on the first surface 210A of the housing 210 , a touch pad 216 disposed around the home key button 215 , and / or may include a side key button 217 disposed on the side 210C of the housing 210 . In another embodiment, the electronic device 200 may not include some or all of the above-mentioned key input devices 215 , 216 , 217 and the not included key input devices 215 , 216 , 217 may display a display. It may be implemented in another form, such as a soft key on the 201 .

The indicator 206 may be disposed, for example, on the first side 210A of the housing 210 . The indicator 206 may provide status information of the electronic device 200 in the form of light, for example, and may include an LED.

The connector holes 208 and 209 include a first connector hole 208 capable of receiving a connector (eg, a USB connector) for transmitting and receiving power and/or data to and from an external electronic device, and/or an external electronic device. and a second connector hole (or earphone jack) 209 capable of accommodating a connector for transmitting and receiving audio signals.

2C is an exploded perspective view of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;

The electronic device 220 of FIG. 2C includes a side bezel structure 221 , a first support member 2211 (eg, a bracket), a front plate 222 , a display 223 , a printed circuit board 224 , and a battery ( 225 ), a second support member 226 (eg, a rear case), an antenna 227 , and a rear plate 228 . In some embodiments, the electronic device 220 may omit at least one of the components (eg, the first support member 2211 or the second support member 226 ) or additionally include other components. At least one of the components of the electronic device 220 may be the same as or similar to at least one of the components of the electronic device 200 of FIG. 2A or FIG. 2B , and overlapping descriptions will be omitted below.

The first support member 2211 may be disposed inside the electronic device 220 and connected to the side bezel structure 221 , or may be integrally formed with the side bezel structure 221 . The first support member 2211 may be formed of, for example, a metal material and/or a non-metal (eg, polymer) material. The first support member 2211 may have a display 223 coupled to one side and a printed circuit board 224 coupled to the other side thereof. The printed circuit board 224 may be equipped with a processor, memory, and/or interfaces. The processor may include, for example, one or more of a central processing unit, an application processor, a graphics processing unit, an image signal processor, a sensor hub processor, or a communication processor.

Memory may include, for example, volatile memory or non-volatile memory.

The interface may include, for example, a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI), a universal serial bus (USB) interface, an SD card interface, and/or an audio interface. The interface may, for example, electrically or physically connect the electronic device 220 to an external electronic device, and may include a USB connector, an SD card/MMC connector, or an audio connector.

The battery 225 is a device for supplying power to at least one component of the electronic device 220 and may include, for example, a non-rechargeable primary cell, a rechargeable secondary cell, or a fuel cell. . At least a portion of the battery 225 may be disposed on a substantially same plane as the printed circuit board 224 , for example. The battery 225 may be integrally disposed inside the electronic device 220 , or may be disposed detachably from the electronic device 220 .

The antenna 227 may be disposed between the back plate 228 and the battery 225 . The antenna 227 may include, for example, a near field communication (NFC) antenna, a wireless charging antenna, and/or a magnetic secure transmission (MST) antenna. The antenna 227 may, for example, perform short-range communication with an external device or wirelessly transmit/receive power required for charging. In another embodiment, the antenna structure may be formed by a part of the side bezel structure 221 and/or the first support member 2211 or a combination thereof.

3A is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of an electronic device supporting 5G communication. The electronic device 300 illustrated in FIG. 3A may be at least partially similar to or identical to the electronic apparatus 200 or 220 illustrated in FIGS. 2A to 2C , and may be schematically illustrated to describe a communication system.

Referring to FIG. 3A , the electronic device 300 includes a housing 310 , a processor 340 , a communication module 350 (eg, the communication module 190 of FIG. 1 ), a first communication device 321 , and a second Communication device 322 , third communication device 323 , fourth communication device 324 , first conductive line 331 , second conductive line 332 , third conductive line 333 , or fourth conductive line line 334 .

According to an embodiment, the housing 310 may protect other components of the electronic device 300 . Housing 310 may include, for example, a front plate, a back plate facing away from the front plate, and attached to or integrally formed with the back plate, It may include a side member (or a metal frame) surrounding the space between the plate and the back plate.

According to an embodiment, the electronic device 300 may include a first communication device 321 , a second communication device 322 , a third communication device 323 , or a fourth communication device 324 .

According to an embodiment, the first communication device 321 , the second communication device 322 , the third communication device 323 , or the fourth communication device 324 may be located inside the housing 310 . . According to an embodiment, when viewed from the rear plate of the electronic device, the first communication device 321 may be disposed on the upper left side of the electronic device 300 , and the second communication device 322 may be the electronic device 300 . may be disposed on the upper right side of the , the third communication device 323 may be disposed on the lower left side of the electronic device 300 , and the fourth communication device 300 may be disposed on the lower right side of the electronic device 300 . can

According to an embodiment, the processor 340 is one of a central processing unit, an application processor, a graphic processing unit (GPU), an image signal processor of a camera, or a baseband processor (or a communication processor (CP)). or more. According to an embodiment, the processor 340 may be implemented as a system on chip (SoC) or a system in package (SiP).

According to an embodiment, the communication module 350 uses the first conductive line 331 , the second conductive line 332 , the third conductive line 333 , or the fourth conductive line 334 to provide a first It may be electrically connected to the communication device 321 , the second communication device 322 , the third communication device 323 , or the fourth communication device 324 . The communication module 350 may include, for example, a baseband processor or at least one communication circuit (eg, IFIC or RFIC). The communication module 350 may include, for example, a baseband processor separate from the processor 340 (eg, an application processor (AP)). The first conductive line 331 , the second conductive line 332 , the third conductive line 333 , or the fourth conductive line 334 may include, for example, a coaxial cable or an FPCB.

According to an embodiment, the communication module 350 may include a first baseband processor (BP) (not shown) or a second baseband processor (BP) (not shown). The electronic device 300 may further include one or more interfaces for supporting inter-chip communication between the first BP (or the second BP) and the processor 340 . The processor 340 and the first BP or the second BP may transmit/receive data using the inter-processor communication channel.

According to an embodiment, the first BP or the second BP may provide an interface for communicating with other entities. The first BP may support wireless communication for, for example, a first network (not shown). The second BP may support wireless communication for, for example, a second network (not shown).

According to an embodiment, the first BP or the second BP may form one module with the processor 340 . For example, the first BP or the second BP may be integrally formed with the processor 340 . As another example, the first BP or the second BP may be disposed in one chip or may be formed in the form of an independent chip. According to an embodiment, the processor 340 and at least one baseband processor (eg, the first BP) are integrally formed in one chip (SoC chip), and the other baseband processor (eg, the second BP) is an independent chip. can be formed in the form.

According to an embodiment, the first network (not shown) or the second network (not shown) may correspond to the network 199 of FIG. 1 . According to an embodiment, each of the first network (not shown) and the second network (not shown) may include a 4th generation (4G) network and a 5th generation (5G) network. The 4G network may support, for example, a long term evolution (LTE) protocol defined in 3GPP. The 5G network may support, for example, a new radio (NR) protocol specified in 3GPP.

3B is a schematic diagram of a communication device according to an exemplary embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 3B , the communication device 360 (eg, the first communication device 321 , the second communication device 322 , the third communication device 323 , or the fourth communication device 324 of FIG. 3A )) may include a communication circuit 362 (eg, RFIC), a printed circuit board (PCB) 361 , and an antenna array 363 .

According to an embodiment, a communication circuit 362 and an antenna array 363 may be positioned on the PCB 361 . For example, the antenna array 363 may be disposed on the first surface (eg, top surface) of the PCB 361 , and the communication circuit 362 may be located on the second surface (eg, the rear surface) of the PCB 361 . have. The PCB 361 is electrically connected to another PCB (eg, the PCB on which the communication module 350 of FIG. 3A is disposed) using a transmission line (eg, the first conductive line 331 of FIG. 3A , a coaxial cable). connectors (eg, coaxial cable connectors or board to board (B-to-B)) for The PCB 361 is, for example, connected to the PCB on which the communication module 350 is disposed by a coaxial cable using a coaxial cable connector, and the coaxial cable may be used for transmission of transmit and receive IF signals or RF signals. have. As another example, power or other control signals may be transmitted through the B-to-B connector.

According to an embodiment, the antenna array 363 may include a plurality of block cell antenna units 363u. The plurality of unit block cell antennas 363u may have various shapes, and may form an array (or cluster) having various structures. According to an embodiment, the communication circuit 362 may support at least some of the 3 GHz to 100 GHz bands (eg, 24 GHz to 30 GHz or 37 GHz to 40 GHz). According to an embodiment, the communication circuit 362 may up-convert or down-convert the frequency. For example, the communication circuit 362 included in the communication device 360 (eg, the first communication device 321 of FIG. 3A ) is connected to a conductive line ( For example, an IF signal received through the first conductive line 331 of FIG. 3A may be up-converted into an RF signal. As another example, the communication circuit 362 included in the communication device 360 (eg, the first communication device 321 of FIG. 3A ) receives an RF signal (eg, a millimeter wave signal) through the antenna array 363 . can be down-converted to an IF signal and transmitted to the communication module using a conductive line. In some embodiments, the communication device 360 may further include a patch antenna, a loop antenna, or a dipole antenna. For example, the communication device 360 may further include a patch antenna to form a beam toward the rear plate of the electronic device (eg, the electronic device 200 of FIG. 2A ). As another example, the communication device 360 may further include a dipole antenna or a loop antenna to form a beam toward a side member of the electronic device (eg, the electronic device 200 of FIG. 2A ).

According to an embodiment, the communication circuit 362 may control the antenna array 363 to control a frequency, a radiation pattern, and a polarization of the antenna array 363 . To this end, the communication circuit 362 may control the power distribution applied to the antenna array 363 . In more detail, the communication circuit 362 may implement various radiation modes by controlling power and phase applied to a feeding port included in each of the unit block cell antennas or a feeding port shared by the unit block cell antennas. According to an embodiment, the communication circuit 362 may be set to operate in either a fixed antenna mode or a real-time radiation-beam steering mode according to a user's intention or a communication environment.

Hereinafter, the unit block cell antenna will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 4A to 5B, and with reference to FIGS. 6 to 9 , the control of frequency, radiation pattern, and polarization by the control of the antenna array constituted by the unit block cell antenna. will be described in detail.

4A illustrates a part of a unit block cell antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 4B illustrates a unit block cell antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The antenna 400 illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4B may be the same as at least a part or the whole of the unit block cell antenna 363u illustrated in FIG. 3B .

Referring to FIG. 4A , the antenna 400 may include a loop antenna 420 formed on the ground plane 410 . The antenna 400 according to an embodiment may include a first feed port 431 and two ground points 411 and 412 . The loop antenna 420 may include a first loop antenna 421 and a second loop antenna 422 . The first loop antenna 421 may be formed along a first electrical connection path connecting the first feeding port 431 and the first ground point 411 . The second loop antenna 422 may be formed along an electrical connection path (○2) connecting the first feeding port 431 and the second grounding point 412 . That is, the first loop antenna 421 and the second loop antenna 422 may share the first feeding port 431 .

According to an embodiment, the ground plane 410 may function as a reflector in image theory. For example, the first loop antenna 421 may be implemented as a virtual antenna 421 facing the ground plane 410 as a reference. Accordingly, it is possible to minimize the distance d from the ground plane 410 to a configuration substantially parallel to the ground plane 410 . That is, there is an effect that the thickness of the antenna 400 (or the wireless communication device including the same (eg, the wireless communication device 360 of FIG. 3B ) can be reduced.

According to an embodiment, the first loop antenna 421 and the second loop antenna 422 may have a bent shape with respect to the first feeding port 431 . For example, the first grounding point 411 and the second grounding point 412 may be disposed to have a predetermined angle a with respect to the first feeding port 431 . Since the first loop antenna 421 and the second loop antenna 422 have a symmetrical shape with respect to the first feeding port 431 , it may be effective to construct a unit block cell antenna. The unit block cell antenna (eg, 363u in FIG. 3B ) according to an embodiment may be formed by disposing the same structure of the antenna 400 described in FIG. 5A to face each other. That is, in the unit block cell antenna according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, a block cell structure is formed by electrically connecting a plurality of loop antennas using a characteristic that the current distribution does not substantially change even when the loop antenna is connected to other electrical elements. can have

Referring to FIG. 4B , the structure of the unit block cell antenna 401 will be described. The unit block cell antenna 401 shown in FIG. 5B includes an antenna 400 disposed so that an angle a between the first loop antenna 421 and the second loop antenna 422 is 90 degrees; The antennas 400' having the same structure may be disposed to face each other. In this case, the unit block cell antenna 400 ′ may have a rectangular shape when viewed from above. Specifically, the first feed port 431 and the second feed port 432 face each other, and the antennas 400 and 400 ′ share the first ground point 411 and the second ground point 412 . can

4C illustrates an antenna array in which unit block cell antennas are arranged according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 4C , the antenna array 402 may include unit block cell antennas 401 , 401a , 401b , and 401c . The unit block cell antennas 401 , 401a , 401b , and 401c included in the antenna array 402 may be disposed to share a feed port and a ground point. When each of the unit block cell antennas according to an embodiment is formed in a square shape, they may be arranged in two rows and two columns, and the antenna array 402 in this case may be referred to as a 2x2 antenna array. For example, the first feeding port 431 and the second feeding port 432 of the unit block cell antenna 401 may be disposed to share with the adjacent unit block cell antennas 401a and 401c, respectively. The first ground point 411 of the unit block cell antenna 401 may be arranged such that all of the unit block cell antennas 401 , 401a , 401b and 401c adjacent in the direction of the first ground point 411 are shared. . However, the embodiment is not limited thereto, and the antenna array 402 may be formed in the number and arrangement of various unit block cell antennas. For example, the antenna array 402 may have various structures such as 4x1 or 3x3.

5A is a cross-sectional view of a unit block cell antenna according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. With reference to FIG. 5A, the structure of the antenna array formed on the printed circuit board will be described in detail.

The unit block cell antenna 500 of FIG. 5A may be at least partially similar to the communication devices 310 , 320 , 330 , and 340 of FIG. 3 , or may include other embodiments of the communication device. rewrite the link structure

The unit block cell antenna 500 may include a plurality of loop antennas. With reference to FIG. 5A , a structure in which a loop antenna is formed on a printed circuit printed circuit board according to various embodiments of the present disclosure will be described, and a structure in which an antenna array is formed in a communication device will be described.

According to an embodiment, the block cell antenna 500 may include a printed circuit board 510 . According to an embodiment, the printed circuit board 510 may include a first surface 511 and a second surface 512 facing in a direction opposite to the first surface 511 . The printed circuit board 510 may be disposed such that the second surface 512 faces a rear plate (eg, the rear plate 211 of FIG. 2B ) of the electronic device (eg, the electronic device 200 of FIG. 2B ). . However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the second surface 512 of the printed circuit board 510 is a side member of the electronic device (eg, the side member 216 of FIG. 2A ), or a front plate (eg, the front plate of FIG. 2A ). 2011))).

According to an embodiment, the printed circuit board 510 may include an antenna array substantially formed in the printed circuit board 510 (eg, the antenna array 363 of FIG. 3B ), and a unit constituting the antenna array. It may include a block cell antenna and a loop antenna 520 constituting the unit block cell antenna. According to an embodiment, the loop antenna 520 may include conductive patterns 521 electrically connected to each other. According to an embodiment, the unit block cell antenna 500 may be electrically connected to the wireless communication circuit 540 disposed on the first surface 511 of the printed circuit board 510 . According to an embodiment, the wireless communication circuit 540 may be configured to transmit/receive a signal having a frequency in the range of 3 GHz to 100 GHz. According to an embodiment, the printed circuit board 510 is a ball grid array (BGA) package on a PCB (eg, the PCB 350 of FIG. 3 ) of the wireless communication device (eg, the wireless communication device 300 of FIG. 3B ). It can be mounted in the form

According to an embodiment, at least a portion of the loop antenna 520 is disposed on the plurality of insulating layers 530 including the first surface 511 and/or the second surface 512 of the printed circuit board 510 . can be However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the loop antenna 520 includes a plurality of insulating layers 530 forming the printed circuit board 510 other than the first surface 511 and the second surface 512 of the printed circuit board 510 . ) may be placed between According to an embodiment, the loop antenna 520 may use a distance between at least a portion of the plurality of insulating layers 530 contributing to the thickness of the printed circuit board 510 as an electrical length (eg, a radiation path).

According to an embodiment, the loop antenna 520 may include a conductive pattern 521 , a first conductive via 522 , and a second conductive via 523 . The conductive pattern 521 may be disposed substantially parallel to the first plane 531 of any one of the plurality of insulating layers 530 . The conductive pattern 521 may route the ground plane G and the wireless communication circuit 540 by the first conductive via 522 and the second conductive via 523 . For example, one end of the conductive pattern 521 includes a first conductive via 522 penetrating at least a portion of the plurality of insulating layers 530 in the longitudinal direction (in the thickness direction of the printed circuit board 510 ). It may be electrically connected to the ground plane (G). The other end of the conductive pattern 521 may be electrically connected to the wireless communication circuit 440 through a second conductive via 523 penetrating at least a portion of the plurality of insulating layers 530 in the longitudinal direction. In other words, the first conductive via 522 is grounded, and the second conductive via 523 is powered, so that radiation passing through the conductive pattern 521 , the first conductive via 522 , and the second conductive via 523 . It can operate as a loop type antenna with a path (○1). A point fed from the second conductive via 523 may be referred to as a port. The present invention is not limited thereto, and the same radiation performance may be performed by the loop antenna 520 having a radiation path opposite to that of the above-described radiation path even if the feeding position and the grounding position are changed.

According to an embodiment, the ground plane G may include a via pad 532 such that the second conductive via 523 is not grounded in a region through which the second conductive via 523 to be supplied with power passes. have. The via pad 532 may be formed by forming an opening in the ground plane G and filling the opening with an insulating material.

According to an embodiment, the loop antenna 520 has an operating frequency band and Bandwidth can be adjusted. For example, the conductive pattern 521 and the conductive vias 522 and 523 may be formed so that lengths h1 and h2 have a length of w+h1+h2=0.5λ. This may be formed so that the electric length of the loop antenna 520 has a half-wavelength of a target resonant frequency by applying image theory.

In some embodiments, heights h1 and h2 of the first conductive via 522 and the second conductive via 523 may be configured to have different heights. For example, unlike the first ground plane G to which the first conductive via 522 is grounded, a point to which the second conductive via 523 is fed may be formed in another plane of the insulating layer 530 . . That is, by varying the electrical lengths of the first conductive via 522 and the second conductive via 523 , a target resonant frequency may be adjusted.

In another embodiment, a fan-out circuit (or a power supply circuit) for feeding the loop antenna 520 may be formed on one plane of the printed circuit board 510 . Although only one feeding port (the second conductive via) is illustrated in FIG. 5A , since the antenna array includes a plurality of loop antennas and a plurality of feeding ports, the printed circuit board 510 is fed for applying power to the plurality of feeding ports. It may further include a circuit.

The embodiment is not limited thereto, and the loop antenna 520 is implemented as a low temperature co-fired ceramic antenna (LTCC) by utilizing a 2-dimension or 3-dimension lamination technology, or manufactured using various materials such as glass. This may be possible. In addition, the loop antenna 520 may be electrically connected to the power supply circuit or the wireless communication circuit 540 by various means such as a coaxial cable and a c-clip as well as soldering.

5B is a plan view of the unit block cell antenna described in FIG. 5A as viewed from above.

Referring to FIG. 5B , the unit block cell antenna 500 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a plurality of loop antennas. A loop antenna having the same structure as the loop antenna 520 described in FIG. 5A may be disposed on a printed circuit board (eg, the printed circuit board 510 of FIG. 5A ) to form a quadrangle when viewed from above. For example, a plurality of conductive patterns 521a-521c formed on the same plane as the conductive pattern 521 of the loop antenna 520 (eg, the first plane 531 of FIG. 5A ) may be arranged in a square shape. can The plurality of conductive patterns 521 and 521a - 521c may be disposed to share at least one of the conductive vias 522 , 522a , 523 , and 523a.

According to an embodiment, the ground plane G may include a via pad 532 so that the second conductive via 523 serving as a power supply port is not grounded to the ground plane G. As shown in FIG. For another example, another via pad 532a may be formed on the ground plane G through which another conductive via 532a passes. According to an embodiment, magnetic impedance caused by cavity resonance between the second conductive via 523 to which power is applied and the ground plane G may occur due to the via pad 532 . . Alternatively, the transfer coefficient S-parameter between the second conductive via 523 and the ground plane G may be changed (eg, decreased) by the via pad 532 . According to another embodiment, the via pad 532 is configured to apply a constant voltage to serve as a capacitance. That is, the via pad 532 according to various embodiments may serve to reduce noise caused by the processing of signals on the ultra-high frequency band processed by the unit block cell antenna 500 . Here, the magnetic impedance may be determined by the diameter (or width) d of the via pad 532 .

6 illustrates examples of various shapes of a unit block cell antenna according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 6A , the second unit block cell antenna 610 according to an embodiment may be formed such that a conductive pattern formed parallel to the printed circuit board forms a triangular closed loop. Referring to FIG. 6B , the third unit block cell antenna 620 according to another embodiment may include a conductive pattern parallel to the printed circuit board and having a circular shape. Referring to FIG. 6C , the fourth unit block cell antenna 630 may be formed to have a multilayer structure. The fourth unit block cell antenna 630 may be formed such that conductive patterns formed on different planes share conductive vias.

7 illustrates antenna arrays configured by a unit block cell antenna according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. An antenna array according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may be an aggregate of a plurality of unit block cell antennas sharing at least one feed port and a ground point. Referring to FIG. 7A , the antenna array 710 according to an embodiment may include a shape in which rectangular unit block cell antennas (eg, the antenna array 402 of FIG. 4C ) are arranged in a 2x2 structure. have. Referring to FIG. 7B , the antenna array 720 according to another embodiment may include a form in which rectangular unit block cell antennas (eg, the antenna array 402 of FIG. 4C ) are arranged in a 1x4 structure. have. Referring to FIG. 7C , an antenna array according to another embodiment may be configured by a combination of various types of unit block cell antennas. For example, the antenna array 730 may include a unit antenna block cell having a multilayer structure and a unit antenna block cell having a curved structure.

8 illustrates an experimental example of polarization control for a unit block cell according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The unit block cell antenna 800 illustrated in FIG. 8A may be at least partially similar to or identical to the unit block cell antennas 400 and 500 described with reference to FIGS. 4A to 5B .

Referring to FIG. 8A , in the unit block cell antenna 800 including a first feeding port 811 and a second feeding port 812 , applied to each of the feeding ports 811 and 812 is applied. By controlling the vector distribution of power, the operating frequency can be controlled. For example, the unit block cell antenna 800 may be controlled to operate in a resonant frequency band of 28 GHz when the vector distribution of power is controlled so that there are two zero points of power. As another example, when the vector distribution of power is controlled so that the power has four zero points, the unit block cell antenna 800 may be controlled to operate in a resonant frequency band of 42Ghz.

Referring to FIG. 8B , in the unit block cell antenna 800 , a phase difference (eg, [0, 0]) of power applied to the first feeding port 811 and the second feeding port 812 ) If , it can be confirmed that an omni-directional radiation pattern is formed.

Referring to FIG. 8C , in the unit block cell antenna 800 , the first feeding port 811 and the second feeding port 812 have a phase difference of 90 degrees (eg, [0, 90]). It can be seen that, when electric power is applied to the surface, a radiation pattern toward one side (end-fire) is formed.

Referring to (d) of FIG. 8, in the unit block cell antenna 800, the first feeding port 811 and the second feeding port 812 have a phase difference of 180 degrees (eg, [0, 180]). It can be seen that, when power is applied to the surface, a radiation pattern directed upward is formed.

Referring to FIG. 8(e), in the unit block cell antenna 800, the first feeding port 811 and the second feeding port 812 have a phase difference of 270 degrees (eg, [0, 270]). It can be seen that when electric power is applied to the surface, a radiation pattern toward the end-fire in a direction opposite to the direction in (c) of FIG. 8 is formed.

That is, the direction of the radiation pattern can be controlled by applying power by giving a phase difference to the feeding port shared by the loop antennas of the unit block cell antenna 800 . Similarly, the antenna array (eg, the antenna array 363 of FIG. 3B ) constituted by the plurality of unit block cell antennas 800 may also have various radiation patterns by applying phase differences to the plurality of feeding ports. In other words, since the current distribution determines the antenna characteristics from the viewpoint of the antenna, the antenna array 363 may be configured to have various antenna characteristics through current control for the antenna array 363 .

9 illustrates an experimental example of polarization control for a 2x2 type antenna array according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 8, an embodiment of forming various radiation patterns by applying power with different phases to the feeding ports 911-914 included in the 2x2 type antenna array 900 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure would like to explain

Referring to FIG. 9A , the antenna array 900 according to an embodiment may include four feeding ports 911-914 shared by a plurality of loop antennas. In a clockwise direction, the feed ports may be referred to as a first feed port 911 , a second feed port 912 , a third feed port 913 , and a fourth feed port 914 .

Referring to FIG. 9B , in the antenna array 900 , unlike the first feeding port 911 , the second feeding port 912 , and the fourth feeding port 914 , the third feeding port 913 . ), it can be seen that when power is applied to have a phase difference of 180 degrees (eg, [0, 0, 180, 0]), a vertically polarized radiation pattern is formed.

Referring to FIG. 9C , in the antenna array 900 , the first feeding port 911 , the second feeding port 912 , the third feeding port 913 , and the fourth feeding port 914 are connected to the antenna array 900 . When power is applied to have a phase difference of 90 degrees, 270, 270 degrees, and 0 degrees (eg, [90, 270, 270, 0]), respectively, it can be seen that a horizontally polarized radiation pattern is formed. That is, the antenna array 900 may control the direction of the radiation pattern by applying power by giving a phase difference to the feeding port shared by each loop antenna.

10 is a flowchart illustrating an operation in a general mode of a wireless communication device including an antenna array according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. The wireless communication device described in FIG. 10 may be the wireless communication device 360 of FIG. 3B .

In operation 1010 , the wireless communication device 360 may determine an operating mode in which the antenna array 363 should operate. According to an embodiment, the wireless communication device 360 may receive an operation mode (or operation value) for a target frequency, a radiation pattern, and a polarization input to which the antenna array 363 should operate from the processor 120 . . The operation mode may be determined by a user's input or may be determined by a region in which the electronic device 101 is located or a communication network and band according to a communication service provider.

In operation 1030 , the wireless communication device 360 may retrieve configuration information for controlling the antenna array 363 according to the determined operation mode from the memory 130 . According to an embodiment, the communication circuit 362 of the wireless communication device 360 may identify setting information corresponding to the operation mode, stored in the memory 130 , in response to reception of the operation mode.

According to an embodiment, the memory 214 may store setting information necessary to form a target resonant frequency, a radiation pattern, and a polarization wave. Such setting information may include values for the intensity and/or phase of power applied to each of the plurality of power supply ports included in the antenna array 363 . In other words, the setting information may include a weighting vector of power applied to each power supply port. In other words, the intensity and/or phase values of the power applied to the plurality of feeding ports according to each of the target resonant frequency, radiation pattern, and polarization may be stored as setting information in the form of a table. Such configuration information may be referred to as a beambook table or a code book. The setting information may be pre-stored in the product manufacturing stage, and may be adaptively updated according to the operation of the wireless communication device 360 . In some embodiments, the wireless communication device 360 may further include a separate memory for storing setting information.

In operation 1050 , the wireless communication device 360 may control the antenna array 363 to operate according to an operation mode. According to an embodiment, the communication circuit 632 may apply power to a plurality of power supply ports included in the antenna array 363 according to the configuration information confirmed from the memory 130 . The antenna array 363 fed according to the setting information may operate according to the target frequency, radiation pattern, and polarization according to the setting mode.

11 is a flowchart illustrating an operation in a real-time detection mode of a wireless communication device including an antenna array according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. The wireless communication device described in FIG. 11 may be the wireless communication device 360 of FIG. 3B .

In operation 1110 , the wireless communication device 360 may check n-th setting information among the setting information stored in the memory 130 . The setting information is stored in the form of a beambook table or a code book, and each setting information from 1 to N may be stored. According to an embodiment, when the wireless communication device 360 enters the real-time detection mode, it may check the first (n=1) setting information.

In operation 1120 , the wireless communication device 360 may apply power to the plurality of feeding pods according to the checked n-th configuration information. For example, power may be applied to the feeding ports of the antenna array 363 according to the first configuration information confirmed in operation 1110 .

In operation 1130 , the wireless communication device 360 may check the strength of a signal received through the antenna array 363 operated according to the n-th configuration information. For example, the strength of a signal received through the antenna array 363 operated according to the first configuration information may be checked.

In operation 1140 , the wireless communication device 360 may determine whether the n-th configuration information is smaller than the number N of configuration information pre-stored in the memory.

If the n-th setting information is smaller than the number N of pre-stored setting information, operation 1110 may be performed again. In this case, in operation 1110 that proceeds again, n+1th setting information may be checked. For example, the first configuration information may be checked and power may be applied to the antenna array 363 accordingly. Thereafter, the second configuration information may be checked, and power may be applied to the antenna array 363 accordingly. That is, the wireless communication device 360 according to an embodiment may operate the antenna array 363 according to the first to N-th configuration information stored in the memory 130 and check the strength of the wireless signal accordingly.

If the nth setting information is greater than the number (N) of pre-stored setting information, operation 1130 may be performed. That is, after confirming the strength of the wireless signal according to the last setting information, the next operation 1150 may be performed.

In operation 1150 , the wireless communication device 360 may apply power to the antenna array 363 of the antenna array 363 by applying the best reception setting information among the strengths of the received signal checked in the previous operation.

In operation 1170 , the wireless communication device 360 may determine whether the strength of the currently received signal is greater than the reference strength. If the strength of the currently received signal is greater than the reference strength, the current setting information applied to the antenna array 363 may receive the signal best, and thus the operation may be terminated. Alternatively, if the strength of the currently received signal is less than the reference strength, operation 1110 may be performed again. However, the embodiment is not limited thereto, and return to operation 1150 may be configured to control the antenna array 363 according to configuration information that has been successfully received for the second or third time.

That is, the wireless communication device 360 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure retrieves a plurality of configuration information and the antenna array 363 can adaptively change antenna characteristics to receive the most efficient signal. can provide That is, the wireless communication device 360 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may provide an antenna array for overcoming the disadvantage of millimeter wave and increasing the antenna gain even in a portable terminal whose location is constantly changing.

According to various embodiments, the normal mode described with reference to FIG. 11 and the real-time search mode described with reference to FIG. 12 may be set to cross-operate according to a user setting, a region in which the electronic device 101 is located, and a received signal strength. have. For example, when the signal strength of the antenna array 363 operating in the normal mode 1000 is lower than the reference strength, the electronic device 101 may be configured to switch to the real-time search mode 1100 and operate. Alternatively, a notification may be provided to the user asking for the intention of all changes, and the change or maintenance of the mode may be determined according to the user's response thereto.

An electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a first plate (eg, 210a in FIG. 2A ), a second plate (eg, 210b in FIG. 2B ) facing in a direction opposite to the first plate, and the first plate; a housing (eg, 210 in FIG. 2A ) including a side member (eg, 218 in FIG. 2A ) surrounding the space between the second plates; A printed circuit board including a wireless communication device ( 321 in FIG. 3A ), wherein the wireless communication device includes a plurality of insulating layers ( 530 in FIG. 5A ) arranged in a stacked manner in parallel with the first plate. (eg, 510 in FIG. 5 ); an antenna array (eg, 363 in FIG. 3B ) formed in the plurality of insulating layers; A wireless communication circuit electrically connected to the antenna array and configured to transmit and receive a signal of a specific frequency through the antenna array, wherein the antenna array includes a plurality of block cell antenna units (eg: 636u) of FIG. 3B may be arranged in a row.

According to an embodiment, each of the plurality of unit block cell antennas includes at least two loop antennas (eg, 420 in FIG. 4A ), and each of the at least two loop antennas includes the plurality of insulating layers (eg, 420 in FIG. 4A ). : a conductive pattern parallel to 430 in FIG. 4A (eg, 421 in FIG. 4A); a first conductive via (eg, 422 of FIG. 4A ) electrically connecting the conductive pattern and a power supply port through the plurality of insulating layers; and a second conductive via (eg, 423 of FIG. 4A ) electrically connecting the conductive pattern to a ground plane parallel to the plurality of insulating layers through the plurality of insulating layers.

In an embodiment, the ground plane may be formed parallel to the plurality of insulating layers, and the first conductive via may be formed through the ground plane.

According to an embodiment, the at least two loop antennas may be configured to share the first conductive via.

According to an embodiment, the ground plane may include an opening in a region through which the first conductive via passes, and an insulating via pad (eg, 413 in FIG. 4B ) may be formed in the opening.

According to an embodiment, each of the plurality of unit block cell antennas includes four loop antennas, and each of the four loop antennas is parallel to the plurality of insulating layers and has four conductive properties constituting each side of a rectangle. It may include patterns.

According to an embodiment, the plurality of unit block cell antennas may be arranged to share each side of the rectangle to form an antenna array.

According to an embodiment, each of the plurality of unit block cell antennas includes conductive vias disposed at corners of the square, and the conductive vias are symmetrically disposed in a direction facing each other and electrically connected to the feeding port. first conductive vias connected thereto; and second conductive vias disposed symmetrically in a direction opposite to each other and electrically connected to the ground plane.

According to an embodiment, each of the plurality of unit block cell antennas includes a connection path to a power supply port electrically connected to an adjacent unit block cell antenna and the wireless communication circuit and a connection path electrically connected to the ground plane. It can be configured to share.

According to an embodiment, each of the plurality of unit block cell antennas includes at least one feeding port electrically connected to the wireless communication circuit, and the wireless communication circuit includes a plurality of feeding ports included in the antenna arrays. Antenna characteristics of the antenna array may be determined by controlling power applied to the antennas.

According to an embodiment, further comprising a memory including a plurality of configuration information respectively corresponding to a specified antenna characteristic, each of the plurality of configuration information includes values for characteristics of power applied to each of the feeding pods can do.

According to an embodiment, the characteristic of the power may include an intensity of power and a phase difference of power.

According to an embodiment, an electrical connection path connecting the conductive pattern, the first conductive via, and the second conductive via may correspond to a half wavelength of a target frequency.

According to an embodiment, the wireless communication device may be formed of a printed circuit board or a low temperature co-fired ceramic antenna (LTCC).

An electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a memory; and a wireless communication device, wherein the wireless communication device includes: an antenna array comprising a plurality of unit block cell antennas each including at least one feeding port; A wireless communication circuit configured to transmit and receive a signal of a target frequency through the antenna array by controlling the power applied to each of the plurality of power supply ports, wherein the wireless communication circuit uses a plurality of setting information stored in the memory By controlling the power applied to each of the plurality of feeding ports, the antenna array may be configured to have specific antenna characteristics.

According to an embodiment, each of the plurality of unit block cell antennas may include at least two loop antennas, and the at least two loop antennas may be configured to share the at least one feed port.

According to an embodiment, the wireless communication circuit may be configured to check the strength of a wireless signal received by the antenna array controlled according to each of at least some of the plurality of setting information.

According to an embodiment, the wireless communication circuit compares the strengths of the confirmed radio signals to confirm the setting information at the highest strength, and controls the antenna array according to the confirmed setting information.

According to an embodiment, the wireless communication circuit detects the strength of a wireless signal received by the antenna array in real time, and when the detected strength is less than a threshold level, the wireless communication circuit is controlled according to each of at least some of the plurality of setting information. The antenna array may be configured to recheck the strength of a received radio signal.

Claims (20)

In an electronic device,
a housing including a first plate, a second plate facing in a direction opposite to the first plate, and a side member surrounding a space between the first plate and the second plate;
A wireless communication device comprising:
a printed circuit board including a plurality of insulating layers disposed in parallel to the first plate and stacked on each other;
an antenna array formed in the plurality of insulating layers;
A wireless communication circuit electrically connected to the antenna array and configured to transmit and receive a signal of a specific frequency through the antenna array,
The antenna array is formed by arranging a plurality of unit block cell antennas,
Each of the plurality of unit block cell antennas includes at least two loop antennas,
Each of the at least two loop antennas comprises:
a conductive pattern parallel to the plurality of insulating layers;
a first conductive via electrically connecting the conductive pattern and a power supply port through the plurality of insulating layers; and
and a second conductive via electrically connecting the conductive pattern to a ground plane parallel to the plurality of insulating layers through the plurality of insulating layers.
delete The method of claim 1,
The ground plane is formed to be parallel to the plurality of insulating layers,
The first conductive via is formed through the ground plane. The method of claim 1,
and the at least two loop antennas are configured to share the first conductive via.
◈Claim 5 was abandoned when paying the registration fee.◈ 4. The method of claim 3,
The ground plane includes an opening in a region through which the first conductive via passes, and an insulating via pad is formed in the opening.
The method of claim 1,
Each of the plurality of unit block cell antennas includes four loop antennas, and each of the four loop antennas includes four conductive patterns parallel to the plurality of insulating layers and constituting each side of a rectangle. .
◈Claim 7 was abandoned when paying the registration fee.◈ 7. The method of claim 6,
The plurality of unit block cell antennas are arranged to share each side of the rectangle to form an antenna array.
◈Claim 8 was abandoned when paying the registration fee.◈ 7. The method of claim 6,
Each of the plurality of unit block cell antennas includes conductive vias disposed at corners of the square, and the conductive vias include:
first conductive vias disposed symmetrically in a mutually facing direction and electrically connected to the feeding port; and
An electronic device comprising: second conductive vias disposed symmetrically in a mutually facing direction and electrically connected to the ground plane.
The method of claim 1,
At least each of the plurality of unit block cell antennas is configured to share a connection path to a power supply port electrically connected to an adjacent unit block cell antenna and the wireless communication circuit and a connection path electrically connected to the ground plane.

The method of claim 1,
Each of the plurality of unit block cell antennas includes at least one feeding port electrically connected to the wireless communication circuit,
The wireless communication circuit controls power applied to a plurality of power supply ports included in the antenna arrays to determine antenna characteristics of the antenna arrays.
◈Claim 11 was abandoned when paying the registration fee.◈ 11. The method of claim 10,
Further comprising a memory including a plurality of configuration information respectively corresponding to the specified antenna characteristics,
Each of the plurality of setting information includes values for characteristics of power applied to each of the plurality of power feeding ports.
◈Claim 12 was abandoned when paying the registration fee.◈ 12. The method of claim 11,
The characteristic of the power includes an intensity of power and a phase difference of power.
The method of claim 1,
An electrical connection path connecting the conductive pattern, the first conductive via, and the second conductive via corresponds to a half-wavelength of a target frequency.
◈Claim 14 was abandoned when paying the registration fee.◈ The method of claim 1,
The wireless communication device is an electronic device formed of a printed circuit board or a low temperature co-fired ceramic antenna (LTCC).
In an electronic device,
Memory; and
A wireless communication device comprising:
An antenna array comprising a plurality of unit block cell antennas each including at least one feeding port;
A wireless communication circuit configured to transmit and receive a signal of a target frequency through the antenna array by controlling the power applied to each of the plurality of feeding ports,
The wireless communication circuit is configured such that the antenna array has specific antenna characteristics by controlling the power applied to each of the plurality of feeding ports using a plurality of setting information stored in the memory,
Each of the plurality of unit block cell antennas includes at least two loop antennas,
the at least two loop antennas are configured to share the at least one feed port.
delete 16. The method of claim 15,
The wireless communication circuit is configured to check the strength of a wireless signal received by the antenna array controlled according to each of at least some of the plurality of setting information.
◈Claim 18 was abandoned when paying the registration fee.◈ 18. The method of claim 17,
The wireless communication circuit compares the strengths of the identified radio signals to confirm the setting information at the highest strength, and controls the antenna array according to the confirmed setting information.
◈Claim 19 was abandoned at the time of payment of the registration fee.◈ 19. The method of claim 18,
The wireless communication circuit detects the strength of a wireless signal received by the antenna array in real time, and when the detected strength is less than a threshold level, the wireless communication circuit is controlled according to each of at least some of the plurality of setting information. An electronic device configured to recheck the strength of a signal.
16. The method of claim 15,
Each of the plurality of setting information includes an intensity of power applied to the plurality of power feeding ports and a value for a phase difference of power.

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