KR20190019802A - Electronic device - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is an electronic device. The electronic device comprises: a display unit; an array antenna including a transparent electrode material and disposed within the display unit; and a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) electrically connected to the array antenna. The array antenna includes an antenna element having first and second sides perpendicular to each other slantly disposed at a predetermined angle with respect to one side of the display unit and a feeding portion connecting the antenna element and RFIC.

Description

ELECTRONIC DEVICE

The present invention relates to an electronic device in which an antenna is provided in a display portion. More particularly, the present invention relates to an electronic device including an antenna implemented as a transparent electrode material in a display portion.

An electronic device can be divided into a mobile / portable terminal and a stationary terminal depending on whether the electronic device is movable or not. The mobile terminal can be divided into a handheld terminal and a vehicle mounted terminal according to whether the user can directly carry the mobile terminal.

Such electronic devices (or terminals) have various functions as the technology develops. For example, an electronic device is implemented in the form of a multimedia device having multiple functions such as photographing and photographing of a moving picture, reproduction of a music or video file, reception of a game, and reception of a broadcast. Further, for functional support and enhancement of the electronic device, it may be considered to improve the structural and / or software portion of the electronic device.

Recently, there is a need for an electronic device to operate in a higher frequency band as it provides a broadband service. In this regard, in recent years, standardization for fifth generation (5G) communication service is underway, and it is necessary to improve the electrical performance of the antenna element. However, there is a problem that a printed antenna printed on a circuit board developed up to now or a chip antenna disposed on a circuit board has a very high loss in a 5G frequency band (for example, 28GHz or 39GHz band) have.

On the other hand, the electromagnetic waves of the antenna are radiated to the front surface or the rear surface of the electronic device. However, when the rear surface of the electronic device is covered with the palm of the hand, there is a problem that electromagnetic waves are hardly radiated through the rear surface. Also, there is a problem that the radiation to the front of the electronic device is difficult to pass through the display.

It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned problems and other problems, and to improve the performance of an antenna realized as a transparent electrode material in a display.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic device comprising: a display unit for outputting time information; An array antenna disposed in the display unit and formed of a transparent electrode material; And an RFIC (Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit) electrically connected to the array antenna, wherein the array antenna comprises: an antenna element in which first and second mutually perpendicular sides are inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to one side of the display unit; And a feeding portion connecting the antenna element and the RFIC.

The display unit is divided into an output area for outputting time information and an opaque bezel area surrounding the output area, and the antenna element is disposed in the output area.

The first and second sides may be inclined at +45 degrees and -45 degrees with respect to the boundary between the output region and the bezel region.

The power feeder includes first and second feeder lines arranged in parallel to each other in a straight line.

The first feeder line may be connected to an intermediate point of the first side, and the second feeder line may be connected to an intermediate point of the second side.

The first feed line and the second feed line may have the same length.

The power supply unit may be implemented as a single feed line connected to a vertex at which the first and second sides meet.

The antenna element may be formed between the cover window of the display part and the polarizing layer, or between the polarizing layer and the touch electrode layer.

The antenna element may be formed of nanosilver or nanowire.

The RFIC may be disposed on a flexible printed circuit board connecting the display unit and the circuit board.

Wherein the power feeding portion includes: a first power feeding portion connected to the antenna element in the output region; And a second power feeding part connected to the first power feeding part in the bezel area, and the second power feeding part comprises at least one power divider connecting adjacent first power feeding parts .

The plurality of antenna elements are arranged in one direction, and the power feeding parts are provided in a plurality corresponding to the plurality of antenna elements, and each of the plurality of feeding parts may be connected to a single port of the RFIC one to one.

The plurality of power feeding parts may all have the same length.

The closer the distance between the plurality of antenna elements and the RFIC is, the greater the number of bends of the feeding part can be increased.

The plurality of array antennas may be spaced apart from each other, and the controller may implement beam forming by changing a phase of a signal applied to each of the plurality of array antennas.

The plurality of array antennas may include a first array antenna disposed at one lower end of the display unit and connected to the first RFIC; And a second array antenna disposed at the other upper end of the display unit and connected to the second RFIC, wherein the control unit controls, based on signal reception levels at the first and second array antennas, One can operate.

The plurality of array antennas may include a first array antenna disposed at one lower end of the display unit and connected to the first RFIC; And a second array antenna disposed at the other end of the display unit and connected to the second RFIC, wherein the controller operates the first RFIC when the electronic device is disposed in the first direction, And the second RFIC can be operated in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display device comprising: a display unit divided into an output area for outputting time information and an opaque bezel area surrounding the output area; An array antenna disposed in the output region and formed of a transparent electrode material; And an RFIC (Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit) electrically connected to the array antenna, wherein the array antenna comprises: an antenna element; And first and second feeder lines connecting the antenna element and the RFIC in a dual feed form and arranged in parallel to each other in a linear form.

The first feed line and the second feed line may have the same length.

The array antenna may be formed of nano silver or nanowires.

The vertical two sides of the patch antenna are arranged obliquely with respect to one side of the display, and the two feeder lines implementing the dual feed are arranged in parallel in a straight line, so that power supply loss and radiation loss can be reduced.

In addition, since the two feeder lines are implemented without bending, the isolation characteristics between the ports can be improved and the radiation performance can be improved.

In addition, the horizontal / vertical polarized wave characteristics can be maintained at the same level while reducing the loss due to dual feeding of the array antenna, so that the performance change due to the rotation state of the electronic device can be prevented.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1A is a block diagram for explaining an electronic device related to the present invention. Fig.
1B and 1C are conceptual views of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from different directions.
FIG. 2A is a conceptual diagram illustrating a configuration of a conventional vertical / horizontal dual polarized patch antenna in an electronic device related to the present invention. FIG.
FIG. 2B is a conceptual view illustrating an example of a dual polarization patch antenna provided in the display unit according to the present invention. FIG.
FIG. 2C is a conceptual view illustrating another example of an antenna included in the display unit according to the present invention; FIG.
3 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an array antenna included in a display unit according to the present invention.
4A is a view illustrating a concept that an array antenna according to the present invention is implemented in a display unit.
FIG. 4B is a view illustrating a concept that an array antenna is implemented in an OLED structure including a plurality of layers. FIG.
4C is a view of an array antenna implemented in a display according to a variation of the present invention.
5 is a view showing a configuration in which an array antenna according to the present invention is disposed in an output area and a bezel area.
6A and 6B are conceptual diagrams showing a structure in which an RFIC is electrically connected to an array antenna provided in a display.
FIG. 7A is a view showing a radiation pattern on a yz plane in a structure in which two array antennas according to the present invention are disposed at different positions on a display portion; FIG.
7B is a view showing a radiation pattern on an xz plane in a structure in which two array antennas according to the present invention are arranged at different positions of a display portion;
8A to 8D are diagrams showing reflection coefficient and transmission coefficient of a feed line and reflection coefficient characteristics of an antenna according to the present invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to designate identical or similar elements, and redundant description thereof will be omitted. The suffix "module" and " part "for the components used in the following description are given or mixed in consideration of ease of specification, and do not have their own meaning or role. In the following description of the embodiments of the present invention, a detailed description of related arts will be omitted when it is determined that the gist of the embodiments disclosed herein may be blurred. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. , ≪ / RTI > equivalents, and alternatives.

Terms including ordinals, such as first, second, etc., may be used to describe various elements, but the elements are not limited to these terms. The terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another.

It is to be understood that when an element is referred to as being "connected" or "connected" to another element, it may be directly connected or connected to the other element, . On the other hand, when an element is referred to as being "directly connected" or "directly connected" to another element, it should be understood that there are no other elements in between.

The singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

In the present application, the terms "comprises", "having", and the like are used to specify that a feature, a number, a step, an operation, an element, a component, But do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof.

The mobile terminal described in this specification includes a mobile phone, a smart phone, a laptop computer, a digital broadcasting terminal, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a portable multimedia player (PMP), a navigation device, a slate PC A tablet PC, an ultrabook, a wearable device such as a smartwatch, a smart glass, and a head mounted display (HMD). have.

However, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the configuration according to the embodiments described herein may be applied to fixed terminals such as a digital TV, a desktop computer, a digital signage, and the like, will be.

1A is a block diagram for explaining an electronic device 100 related to the present invention.

The electronic device 100 includes a wireless communication unit 110, an input unit 120, a sensing unit 140, an output unit 150, an interface unit 160, a memory 170, a control unit 180, ), And the like. 1A are not required to implement the electronic device 100, so that the electronic device 100 described herein may have more or fewer components than those listed above have.

More specifically, the wireless communication unit 110 among the above-described components can communicate with the electronic device 100 and the wireless communication system, between the electronic device 100 and another electronic device, or between the electronic device 100 and the external server. And may include one or more modules that enable wireless communication. In addition, the wireless communication unit 110 may include one or more modules that connect the electronic device 100 to one or more networks.

The wireless communication unit 110 may include at least one of a broadcast receiving module 111, a mobile communication module 112, a wireless Internet module 113, a short distance communication module 114, and a location information module 115 .

The input unit 120 includes a camera 121 or an image input unit for inputting a video signal, a microphone 122 for inputting an audio signal, an audio input unit, a user input unit 123 for receiving information from a user A touch key, a mechanical key, and the like). The voice data or image data collected by the input unit 120 may be analyzed and processed by a user's control command.

The sensing unit 140 may include one or more sensors for sensing at least one of the information in the electronic device 100, the surrounding information surrounding the electronic device 100, and the user information. For example, the sensing unit 140 may include a proximity sensor 141, an illumination sensor 142, a touch sensor, an acceleration sensor, a magnetic sensor, A G-sensor, a gyroscope sensor, a motion sensor, an RGB sensor, an infrared sensor, a finger scan sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, A microphone 226, a battery gauge, an environmental sensor (for example, a barometer, a hygrometer, a thermometer, a radiation detection sensor, A thermal sensor, a gas sensor, etc.), a chemical sensor (e.g., an electronic nose, a healthcare sensor, a biometric sensor, etc.). On the other hand, the electronic device disclosed in this specification can combine and use information sensed by at least two of the sensors.

The output unit 150 includes at least one of a display unit 151, an acoustic output unit 152, a haptic tip module 153, and a light output unit 154 to generate an output related to visual, auditory, can do. The display unit 151 may have a mutual layer structure with the touch sensor or may be integrally formed to realize a touch screen. Such a touch screen may function as a user input 123 that provides an input interface between the electronic device 100 and a user and may provide an output interface between the electronic device 100 and a user.

The interface unit 160 serves as a path to various kinds of external devices connected to the electronic device 100. The interface unit 160 is connected to a device having a wired / wireless headset port, an external charger port, a wired / wireless data port, a memory card port, And may include at least one of a port, an audio I / O port, a video I / O port, and an earphone port. In the electronic device 100, corresponding to the connection of the external device to the interface unit 160, it is possible to perform appropriate control with respect to the connected external device.

The memory 170 also stores data that supports various functions of the electronic device 100. The memory 170 may store a number of application programs (application programs or applications) running on the electronic device 100, data for operation of the electronic device 100, and instructions. At least some of these applications may be downloaded from an external server via wireless communication. At least some of these applications may also reside on the electronic device 100 since the time of shipment for the basic functions of the electronic device 100 (e.g., phone call incoming, outgoing, message receiving, origination functions). Meanwhile, the application program is stored in the memory 170, installed on the electronic device 100, and can be driven by the control unit 180 to perform the operation (or function) of the electronic device 100. [

In addition to the operations associated with the application program, the control unit 180 typically controls the overall operation of the electronic device 100. The control unit 180 may process or process signals, data, information, and the like input or output through the above-mentioned components, or may drive an application program stored in the memory 170 to provide or process appropriate information or functions to the user.

In addition, the controller 180 may control at least some of the components illustrated in FIG. 1A in order to drive an application program stored in the memory 170. FIG. Further, the controller 180 may operate at least two of the components included in the electronic device 100 in combination with each other for driving the application program.

The power supply unit 190 receives external power and internal power under the control of the controller 180 and supplies power to the components included in the electronic device 100. The power supply unit 190 includes a battery, which may be an internal battery or a replaceable battery.

At least some of the components may operate in cooperation with one another to implement an operation, control, or control method of the electronic device 100 in accordance with various embodiments described below. In addition, the method of operation, control, or control of the electronic device 100 may be implemented on an electronic device by driving at least one application program stored in the memory 170.

Hereinafter, the components listed above will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 1 before explaining various embodiments implemented through the electronic device 100 as described above.

First, referring to the wireless communication unit 110, the broadcast receiving module 111 of the wireless communication unit 110 receives broadcast signals and / or broadcast-related information from an external broadcast management server through a broadcast channel. The broadcast channel may include a satellite channel and a terrestrial channel. More than one such broadcast receiving module may be provided to the electronic device 100 for simultaneous broadcast reception or broadcast channel switching for at least two broadcast channels.

The mobile communication module 112 may be a mobile communication module or a mobile communication module such as a mobile communication module or a mobile communication module that uses technology standards or a communication method (e.g., Global System for Mobile communication (GSM), Code Division Multi Access (CDMA), Code Division Multi Access 2000 (Enhanced Voice-Data Optimized or Enhanced Voice-Data Only), Wideband CDMA (WCDMA), High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), High Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA), Long Term Evolution And an external terminal, or a server on a mobile communication network established according to a long term evolution (AR), a long term evolution (AR), or the like.

The wireless signal may include various types of data depending on a voice call signal, a video call signal or a text / multimedia message transmission / reception.

The wireless Internet module 113 is a module for wireless Internet access, and may be embedded in the electronic device 100 or externally. The wireless Internet module 113 is configured to transmit and receive a wireless signal in a communication network according to wireless Internet technologies.

Wireless Internet technologies include, for example, wireless LAN (WLAN), wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi), wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) Direct, DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance), WiBro Interoperability for Microwave Access, High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), High Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA), Long Term Evolution (LTE) and Long Term Evolution-Advanced (LTE-A) 113 transmit and receive data according to at least one wireless Internet technology, including Internet technologies not listed above.

The wireless Internet module 113 for performing a wireless Internet connection through the mobile communication network can be used for wireless Internet access by WiBro, HSDPA, HSUPA, GSM, CDMA, WCDMA, LTE or LTE- May be understood as a kind of the mobile communication module 112.

The short-range communication module 114 is for short-range communication, and includes Bluetooth ™, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), Infrared Data Association (IrDA), Ultra Wideband (UWB) (Near Field Communication), Wi-Fi (Wireless-Fidelity), Wi-Fi Direct, and Wireless USB (Wireless Universal Serial Bus) technology. The short-range communication module 114 may communicate with the electronic device 100 and the wireless communication system via the wireless area networks, between the electronic device 100 and another electronic device, May support wireless communication between the network in which the electronic device (or external server) is located. The short-range wireless communication network may be a short-range wireless personal area network.

Here, the other electronic device may be a wearable device (e.g., a smart watch, a smart smart, etc.) capable of interchanging data with the electronic device 100 according to the present invention glass, HMD (head mounted display)). The short range communication module 114 can detect (or recognize) a wearable device capable of communicating with the electronic device 100 around the electronic device 100. [ Further, the control unit 180 may control at least a part of the data processed in the electronic device 100 to be transmitted to the short distance communication module (or the short distance communication module), if the detected wearable device is an authorized device to communicate with the electronic device 100 according to the present invention 114 to the wearable device. Therefore, the user of the wearable device can use the data processed in the electronic device 100 through the wearable device. For example, according to this, the user can make a phone call through the wearable device when a telephone call is received in the electronic device 100, or when the message is received in the electronic device 100, It is possible to check the message.

The location information module 115 is a module for obtaining the location (or current location) of the electronic device 100, and representative examples thereof include a Global Positioning System (GPS) module or a Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) module. For example, when the electronic device 100 utilizes a GPS module, it can acquire the position of the electronic device 100 using a signal sent from a GPS satellite. As another example, the electronic device 100 may utilize a Wi-Fi module to determine the position of the electronic device 100 based on information of a wireless access point (AP) that transmits or receives a wireless signal with the Wi- Can be obtained. Optionally, the location information module 115 may replace or, in addition, perform at least one of the other modules of the wireless communication unit 110 to obtain data regarding the location of the electronic device 100. The location information module 115 is a module used to obtain the location (or current location) of the electronic device 100 and is not limited to a module that directly calculates or obtains the location of the electronic device 100. [

Next, the input unit 120 is for inputting image information (or signal), audio information (or signal), data, or information input from a user. For inputting image information, Or a plurality of cameras 121 may be provided. The camera 121 processes image frames such as still images or moving images obtained by the image sensor in the video communication mode or the photographing mode. The processed image frame may be displayed on the display unit 151 or stored in the memory 170. [ The plurality of cameras 121 provided in the electronic device 100 may be arranged to form a matrix structure and the electronic device 100 may be provided with various angles or foci through the camera 121 having the matrix structure A plurality of pieces of image information can be input. In addition, the plurality of cameras 121 may be arranged in a stereo structure so as to acquire a left image and a right image for realizing a stereoscopic image.

The microphone 122 processes the external acoustic signal into electrical voice data. The processed voice data can be utilized variously according to functions (or application programs being executed) being performed in the electronic device 100. Meanwhile, the microphone 122 may be implemented with various noise reduction algorithms for eliminating noise generated in receiving an external sound signal.

The user input unit 123 is for receiving information from a user and when the information is inputted through the user input unit 123, the control unit 180 can control the operation of the electronic device 100 to correspond to the input information . The user input unit 123 may include a mechanical input means (or a mechanical key, for example, a button located on the front or rear or side of the electronic device 100, a dome switch, a jog wheel, Jog switches, etc.) and touch-type input means. For example, the touch-type input means may comprise a virtual key, a soft key or a visual key displayed on the touch screen through software processing, And a touch key disposed on the touch panel. Meanwhile, the virtual key or the visual key can be displayed on a touch screen having various forms, for example, a graphic, a text, an icon, a video, As shown in FIG.

Meanwhile, the sensing unit 140 senses at least one of information in the electronic device 100, surrounding environment information surrounding the electronic device 100, and user information, and generates a corresponding sensing signal. The control unit 180 may control the driving or operation of the electronic device 100 or perform data processing, function or operation related to the application program installed in the electronic device 100 based on the sensing signal. Representative sensors among various sensors that may be included in the sensing unit 140 will be described in more detail.

First, the proximity sensor 141 refers to a sensor that detects the presence of an object approaching a predetermined detection surface, or the presence of an object in the vicinity of the detection surface, without mechanical contact by using electromagnetic force or infrared rays. The proximity sensor 141 may be disposed in the inner area of the electronic device 100 covered by the touch screen or proximity sensor 141 in the vicinity of the touch screen.

Examples of the proximity sensor 141 include a transmission type photoelectric sensor, a direct reflection type photoelectric sensor, a mirror reflection type photoelectric sensor, a high frequency oscillation type proximity sensor, a capacitive proximity sensor, a magnetic proximity sensor, and an infrared proximity sensor. In the case where the touch screen is electrostatic, the proximity sensor 141 can be configured to detect the proximity of the object with a change of the electric field along the proximity of the object having conductivity. In this case, the touch screen (or touch sensor) itself may be classified as a proximity sensor.

On the other hand, for convenience of explanation, the act of recognizing that the object is located on the touch screen in proximity with no object touching the touch screen is referred to as "proximity touch & The act of actually touching an object on the screen is called a "contact touch. &Quot; The position at which the object is closely touched on the touch screen means a position where the object corresponds to the touch screen vertically when the object is touched. The proximity sensor 141 can detect a proximity touch and a proximity touch pattern (e.g., a proximity touch distance, a proximity touch direction, a proximity touch speed, a proximity touch time, a proximity touch position, have. Meanwhile, the control unit 180 processes data (or information) corresponding to the proximity touch operation and the proximity touch pattern sensed through the proximity sensor 141 as described above, and further provides visual information corresponding to the processed data It can be output on the touch screen. Furthermore, the control unit 180 can control the electronic device 100 such that different operations or data (or information) are processed depending on whether the touch to the same point on the touch screen is a proximity touch or a touch contact .

The touch sensor senses a touch (or touch input) applied to the touch screen (or the display unit 151) by using at least one of various touch methods such as a resistance film type, a capacitive type, an infrared type, an ultrasonic type, do.

For example, the touch sensor may be configured to convert a change in a pressure applied to a specific portion of the touch screen or a capacitance generated at a specific portion into an electrical input signal. The touch sensor may be configured to detect a position, an area, a pressure at the time of touch, a capacitance at the time of touch, and the like where a touch object touching the touch screen is touched on the touch sensor. Here, the touch object may be a finger, a touch pen, a stylus pen, a pointer, or the like as an object to which a touch is applied to the touch sensor.

Thus, when there is a touch input to the touch sensor, the corresponding signal (s) is sent to the touch controller. The touch controller processes the signal (s) and transmits the corresponding data to the controller 180. Thus, the control unit 180 can know which area of the display unit 151 is touched or the like. Here, the touch controller may be a separate component from the control unit 180, and may be the control unit 180 itself.

On the other hand, the control unit 180 may perform different controls or perform the same control according to the type of the touch object touching the touch screen (or the touch key provided in the touch screen). Whether to perform different controls or perform the same control depending on the type of the touch object can be determined according to the operating state of the current electronic device 100 or an application program being executed.

On the other hand, the touch sensors and the proximity sensors discussed above can be used independently or in combination to provide a short touch (touch), a long touch, a multi touch, a drag touch ), Flick touch, pinch-in touch, pinch-out touch, swipe touch, hovering touch, and the like. Touch can be sensed.

The ultrasonic sensor can recognize the position information of the object to be sensed by using ultrasonic waves. Meanwhile, the controller 180 can calculate the position of the wave generating source through the information sensed by the optical sensor and the plurality of ultrasonic sensors. The position of the wave source can be calculated using the fact that the light is much faster than the ultrasonic wave, that is, the time when the light reaches the optical sensor is much faster than the time the ultrasonic wave reaches the ultrasonic sensor. More specifically, the position of the wave generating source can be calculated using the time difference with the time when the ultrasonic wave reaches the reference signal.

The camera 121 includes at least one of a camera sensor (for example, a CCD, a CMOS, etc.), a photo sensor (or an image sensor), and a laser sensor.

The camera 121 and the laser sensor may be combined with each other to sense a touch of the sensing object with respect to the three-dimensional stereoscopic image. The photosensor may be laminated to the display element, which is configured to scan the movement of the object proximate the touch screen. More specifically, the photosensor mounts photo diodes and TRs (Transistors) in a row / column and scans the contents loaded on the photosensor using an electrical signal that varies according to the amount of light applied to the photo diode. That is, the photo sensor performs coordinate calculation of the object to be sensed according to the amount of change of light, and position information of the object to be sensed can be obtained through the calculation.

The display unit 151 displays (outputs) information to be processed in the electronic device 100. For example, the display unit 151 may display execution screen information of an application program driven by the electronic device 100, or UI (User Interface) and GUI (Graphic User Interface) information according to the execution screen information .

In addition, the display unit 151 may be configured as a stereoscopic display unit for displaying a stereoscopic image.

In the stereoscopic display unit, a three-dimensional display system such as a stereoscopic system (glasses system), an autostereoscopic system (no-glasses system), and a projection system (holographic system) can be applied.

The sound output unit 152 may output audio data received from the wireless communication unit 110 or stored in the memory 170 in a call signal reception mode, a call mode or a recording mode, a voice recognition mode, a broadcast reception mode, The sound output unit 152 also outputs sound signals related to functions (e.g., call signal reception tones, message reception tones, etc.) performed in the electronic device 100. [ The audio output unit 152 may include a receiver, a speaker, a buzzer, and the like.

The haptic module 153 generates various tactile effects that the user can feel. A typical example of the haptic effect generated by the haptic module 153 may be vibration. The intensity and pattern of the vibration generated in the haptic module 153 can be controlled by the user's selection or the setting of the control unit. For example, the haptic module 153 may synthesize and output different vibrations or sequentially output the vibrations.

In addition to vibration, the haptic module 153 includes a pin arrangement vertically moving with respect to the contacted skin surface, a spraying force or suction force of the air through the injection port or the suction port, a touch on the skin surface, contact of an electrode, And various effects of tactile effect such as effect of reproducing the cold sensation using the heat absorbing or heatable element can be generated.

The haptic module 153 can transmit the tactile effect through the direct contact, and the tactile effect can be felt by the user through the muscles of the finger or arm. At least two haptic modules 153 may be provided according to the configuration of the electronic device 100.

The light output unit 154 outputs a signal for notifying the occurrence of an event using the light of the light source of the electronic device 100. Examples of events that occur in the electronic device 100 may include message reception, call signal reception, missed call, alarm, schedule notification, email reception, receiving information via an application, and the like.

The signal output by the light output unit 154 is implemented when the electronic device 100 emits light of a single color or a plurality of colors to the front or rear surface. The signal output may be terminated by the electronic device 100 sensing the user's event acknowledgment.

The interface unit 160 serves as a path for communication with all the external devices connected to the electronic device 100. The interface unit 160 receives data from an external device or supplies power to each component in the electronic device 100 or allows data in the electronic device 100 to be transmitted to an external device. For example, a port for connecting a device equipped with a wired / wireless headset port, an external charger port, a wired / wireless data port, a memory card port, an audio I / O port, a video I / O port, an earphone port, and the like may be included in the interface unit 160.

The identification module is a chip for storing various kinds of information for authenticating the usage right of the electronic device 100. The identification module includes a user identification module (UIM), a subscriber identity module (SIM) A universal subscriber identity module (USIM), and the like. Devices with identification modules (hereinafter referred to as "identification devices") can be manufactured in a smart card format. Accordingly, the identification device may be connected to the electronic device 100 through the interface unit 160. [

The interface unit 160 may be a path through which power from the cradle is supplied to the electronic device 100 when the electronic device 100 is connected to an external cradle, May be a path through which various command signals to the electronic device 100 are transmitted. Various command signals or power signals input from the cradle may be operated with a signal for recognizing that the electronic device 100 is correctly mounted on the cradle.

The memory 170 may store a program for the operation of the controller 180 and temporarily store input / output data (e.g., a phone book, a message, a still image, a moving picture, etc.). The memory 170 may store data related to vibration and sound of various patterns outputted when a touch is input on the touch screen.

The memory 170 may be a flash memory type, a hard disk type, a solid state disk type, an SDD type (Silicon Disk Drive type), a multimedia card micro type ), Card type memory (e.g., SD or XD memory), random access memory (RAM), static random access memory (SRAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read memory, a programmable read-only memory (PROM), a magnetic memory, a magnetic disk, and / or an optical disk. The electronic device 100 may operate in association with a web storage that performs the storage function of the memory 170 on the Internet.

Meanwhile, as described above, the control unit 180 controls the operation related to the application program and the general operation of the electronic device 100. [ For example, when the state of the electronic device 100 satisfies a set condition, the control unit 180 can execute or release a lock state for restricting input of a user's control command to applications.

In addition, the control unit 180 performs control and processing related to voice communication, data communication, video call, or the like, or performs pattern recognition processing to recognize handwriting input or drawing input performed on the touch screen as characters and images, respectively . Further, the control unit 180 may control any one or a plurality of the above-described components in order to implement various embodiments described below on the electronic device 100 according to the present invention.

The power supply unit 190 receives external power and internal power under the control of the controller 180 and supplies power necessary for operation of the respective components. The power supply unit 190 includes a battery, the battery may be an internal battery configured to be chargeable, and may be detachably coupled to the terminal body for charging or the like.

In addition, the power supply unit 190 may include a connection port, and the connection port may be configured as an example of the interface unit 160 in which an external charger for supplying power for charging the battery is electrically connected.

As another example, the power supply unit 190 may be configured to charge the battery in a wireless manner without using the connection port. In this case, the power supply unit 190 may use at least one of an inductive coupling method based on a magnetic induction phenomenon from an external wireless power transmission apparatus and a magnetic resonance coupling method based on an electromagnetic resonance phenomenon Power can be delivered.

In the following, various embodiments may be embodied in a recording medium readable by a computer or similar device using, for example, software, hardware, or a combination thereof.

Hereinafter, the structure of the electronic device 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention or the terminal in which the above-described components are disposed will be described with reference to FIGS.

Referring to Figures 1B and 1C, the disclosed electronic device 100 includes a bar shaped terminal body. However, the present invention is not limited thereto and can be applied to various structures such as a folder type, a flip type, a slide type, a swing type, and a swivel type in which a watch type, a clip type, a glass type or two or more bodies are relatively movably coupled . Although the following description will relate to a particular type of electronic device, a description of a particular type of electronic device can generally be applied to other types of electronic devices.

Here, the terminal body can be understood as a concept of referring to the electronic device 100 as at least one aggregate.

The electronic device 100 includes a case (e.g., a frame, a housing, a cover, etc.) that forms an appearance. As shown, the electronic device 100 may include a front case 101 and a rear case 102. Various electronic components are disposed in the inner space formed by the combination of the front case 101 and the rear case 102. At least one middle case may be additionally disposed between the front case 101 and the rear case 102.

A display unit 151 is disposed on a front surface of the terminal body to output information. The window 151a of the display unit 151 may be mounted on the front case 101 to form a front surface of the terminal body together with the front case 101. [

In some cases, electronic components may also be mounted on the rear case 102. Electronic parts that can be mounted on the rear case 102 include detachable batteries, an identification module, a memory card, and the like. In this case, a rear cover 103 for covering the mounted electronic components can be detachably coupled to the rear case 102. Therefore, when the rear cover 103 is separated from the rear case 102, the electronic parts mounted on the rear case 102 are exposed to the outside.

As shown, when the rear cover 103 is coupled to the rear case 102, a side portion of the rear case 102 can be exposed. In some cases, the rear case 102 may be completely covered by the rear cover 103 during the engagement. Meanwhile, the rear cover 103 may be provided with an opening for exposing the camera 121b and the sound output unit 152b to the outside.

These cases 101, 102, and 103 may be formed by injection molding of synthetic resin or may be formed of metal such as stainless steel (STS), aluminum (Al), titanium (Ti), or the like.

The electronic device 100 may be configured such that one case provides the internal space, unlike the above example where a plurality of cases provide an internal space for accommodating various electronic components. In this case, a unibody electronic device 100 in which a synthetic resin or metal is side-to-back can be implemented.

Meanwhile, the electronic device 100 may include a waterproof portion (not shown) for preventing water from penetrating into the terminal body. For example, the waterproof portion is provided between the window 151a and the front case 101, between the front case 101 and the rear case 102, or between the rear case 102 and the rear cover 103, And a waterproof member for sealing the inside space of the oven.

The electronic device 100 is provided with a display unit 151, first and second sound output units 152a and 152b, a proximity sensor 141, an illuminance sensor 142, a light output unit 154, Cameras 121a and 121b, first and second operation units 123a and 123b, a microphone 122, an interface unit 160, and the like.

1B and 1C, a display unit 151, a first sound output unit 152a, a proximity sensor 141, an illuminance sensor 142, an optical output unit (not shown) A second operation unit 123b, a microphone 122 and an interface unit 160 are disposed on a side surface of the terminal body and a first operation unit 123a, a second sound output unit 152b, and an electronic device 100 in which a second camera 121b is disposed will be described as an example.

However, these configurations are not limited to this arrangement. These configurations may be excluded or replaced as needed, or placed on different planes. For example, the first operation unit 123a may be provided on the front side of the terminal body, and the second sound output unit 152b may be provided on the side of the terminal body rather than the rear side of the terminal body.

The display unit 151 displays (outputs) information to be processed in the electronic device 100. For example, the display unit 151 may display execution screen information of an application program driven by the electronic device 100, or UI (User Interface) and GUI (Graphic User Interface) information according to the execution screen information .

The display unit 151 may be a liquid crystal display (LCD), a thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), a flexible display display, a 3D display, and an e-ink display.

In addition, the display unit 151 may exist in two or more depending on the implementation of the electronic device 100. [ In this case, in the electronic device 100, the plurality of display portions may be spaced apart from one another or disposed integrally with each other, and may be disposed on different surfaces.

The display unit 151 may include a touch sensor that senses a touch with respect to the display unit 151 so that a control command can be received by a touch method. When a touch is made to the display unit 151, the touch sensor senses the touch, and the control unit 180 generates a control command corresponding to the touch based on the touch. The content input by the touch method may be a letter or a number, an instruction in various modes, a menu item which can be designated, and the like.

The touch sensor may be a film having a touch pattern and disposed between the window 151a and a display (not shown) on the rear surface of the window 151a, or may be a metal wire . Alternatively, the touch sensor may be formed integrally with the display. For example, the touch sensor may be disposed on a substrate of the display or inside the display.

In this way, the display unit 151 can form a touch screen together with the touch sensor. In this case, the touch screen can function as a user input unit 123 (see FIG. 1A). In some cases, the touch screen may replace at least some functions of the first operation unit 123a. Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the display unit (display module) for outputting the image and the touch sensor are collectively referred to as a touch screen.

The first sound output unit 152a may be implemented as a receiver for transmitting a call sound to a user's ear and the second sound output unit 152b may be implemented as a loud speaker for outputting various alarm sounds or multimedia playback sounds. ). ≪ / RTI >

The window 151a of the display unit 151 may be provided with an acoustic hole for emitting the sound generated from the first acoustic output unit 152a. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the sound may be configured to be emitted along an assembly gap (for example, a gap between the window 151a and the front case 101) between the structures. In this case, the appearance of the electronic device 100 can be made simpler because the holes that are formed independently for apparent acoustic output are hidden or hidden.

The optical output unit 154 is configured to output light for notifying the occurrence of an event. Examples of the event include a message reception, a call signal reception, a missed call, an alarm, a schedule notification, an email reception, and reception of information through an application. The control unit 180 may control the light output unit 154 to terminate the light output when the event confirmation of the user is detected.

The first camera 121a processes an image frame of a still image or a moving image obtained by the image sensor in the photographing mode or the video communication mode. The processed image frame can be displayed on the display unit 151 and can be stored in the memory 170. [

The first and second operation units 123a and 123b may be collectively referred to as a manipulating portion as an example of a user input portion 123 operated to receive a command for controlling the operation of the electronic device 100 have. The first and second operation units 123a and 123b can be employed in any manner as long as the user is in a tactile manner such as touch, push, scroll, or the like. In addition, the first and second operation units 123a and 123b may be employed in a manner that the user operates the apparatus without touching the user through a proximity touch, a hovering touch, or the like.

In this figure, the first operation unit 123a is a mechanical key, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the first operation unit 123a may be a touch key, or a combination of a touch key and a touch key.

The contents input by the first and second operation units 123a and 123b can be variously set. For example, the first operation unit 123a receives commands such as power on / off, start and end, switching to the touch recognition mode of the display unit 151, and the second operation unit 123b The first sound output unit 152a and the second sound output unit 152b, and the display unit 151 may be switched to the touch recognition mode.

The first operation unit 123a may be disposed so as to overlap with the front display unit 151 in the thickness direction of the terminal body. For example, the rear input unit may be disposed at the rear upper end of the terminal body such that when the user holds the terminal body with one hand, the rear input unit can be easily operated using the index finger. However, the present invention is not necessarily limited to this, and the position of the first operation unit 123a may be changed.

When the first operation unit 123a is provided on the rear surface of the terminal body, a new type of user interface using the first operation unit 123a can be realized. In addition, the display unit 151 may be configured as a larger screen.

Meanwhile, the electronic device 100 may include a fingerprint recognition sensor for recognizing the fingerprint of the user, and the controller 180 may use the fingerprint information sensed through the fingerprint recognition sensor as authentication means. The fingerprint recognition sensor may be embedded in the display unit 151 or the user input unit 123.

The microphone 122 is configured to receive the user's voice, other sounds, and the like. The microphone 122 may be provided at a plurality of locations to receive stereophonic sound.

The interface unit 160 is a path through which the electronic device 100 can be connected to an external device. For example, the interface unit 160 may include a connection terminal for connection with another device (for example, an earphone or an external speaker), a port for short-range communication (for example, an infrared port (IrDA Port), a Bluetooth port A wireless LAN port, or the like), or a power supply terminal for supplying power to the electronic device 100. The interface unit 160 may be implemented as a socket for receiving an external card such as a SIM (Subscriber Identification Module) or a UIM (User Identity Module) or a memory card for storing information.

And a second camera 121b may be disposed on a rear surface of the terminal body. In this case, the second camera 121b has a photographing direction which is substantially opposite to that of the first camera 121a.

The second camera 121b may include a plurality of lenses arranged along at least one line. The plurality of lenses may be arranged in a matrix form. Such a camera can be named an 'array camera'. When the second camera 121b is configured as an array camera, images can be taken in various ways using a plurality of lenses, and a better quality image can be obtained.

The flash 124 may be disposed adjacent to the second camera 121b. The flash 124 shines light toward the subject when the subject is photographed by the second camera 121b.

And a second sound output unit 152b may be additionally disposed in the terminal body. The second sound output unit 152b may implement a stereo function together with the first sound output unit 152a and may be used for implementing a speakerphone mode in a call.

The terminal body may be provided with at least one antenna for wireless communication. The antenna may be embedded in the terminal body or formed in the case. For example, an antenna constituting a part of the broadcast receiving module 111 (see FIG. 1A) may be configured to be able to be drawn out from the terminal body. Alternatively, the antenna may be formed in a film type and attached to the inner surface of the rear cover 103, or a case including a conductive material may be configured to function as an antenna.

The terminal body is provided with a power supply unit 190 (see FIG. 1A) for supplying power to the electronic device 100. The power supply unit 190 may include a battery 191 built in the terminal body or detachable from the outside of the terminal body.

The battery 191 may be configured to receive power through a power cable connected to the interface unit 160. In addition, the battery 191 may be configured to be wirelessly chargeable through a wireless charger. The wireless charging may be implemented by a magnetic induction method or a resonance method (magnetic resonance method).

The rear cover 103 is configured to be coupled to the rear case 102 so as to cover the battery 191 to restrict the release of the battery 191 and to protect the battery 191 from external impact and foreign matter . When the battery 191 is detachably attached to the terminal body, the rear cover 103 may be detachably coupled to the rear case 102.

The electronic device 100 may be supplemented with an accessory that protects the appearance or that aids or extends the function of the electronic device 100. One example of such an accessory is a cover or pouch that covers or accommodates at least one side of the electronic device 100. The cover or pouch may be configured to interlock with the display portion 151 to expand the functionality of the electronic device 100. Another example of an accessory is a touch pen for supplementing or extending a touch input to the touch screen.

The present invention relates to an electronic device (100) having an antenna on a display unit (151). The antenna may be implemented as an array antenna. The antenna may be implemented as an antenna for 4G (4th generation) communication service, but may also be implemented as an antenna for 5G (5th generation) communication service.

In this regard, 4G mobile communication mainly uses frequencies below 2GHz, while 5G mobile communication uses a (high) band frequency of about 28GHz or 39GHz, unlike 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE).

The low-band frequency has a wide coverage, but the communication using the low-band frequency is slow in transmission due to the relatively narrow bandwidth.

On the other hand, although the high-band frequency has a narrow wavelength due to its short wavelength, the communication using the high-band frequency has a relatively wide bandwidth and the transmission speed is fast. In addition, the communication using the high-band frequency can solve the coverage constraint to some extent by using the propagation characteristics with high linearity and the array antenna. Therefore, the 5G mobile communication can provide a variety of communication services to the users, , Mobile Internet technology and M2M (Machine to Machine) technology.

If a printed antenna implemented on a conventional circuit board or a chip antenna disposed on a circuit board is used for the radiation of the antenna for the 5G mobile communication, the performance of the antenna for the 5G mobile communication may be impaired. In particular, there is a problem that a printed antenna or a chip antenna has a very high loss in a 5G frequency band (for example, 28GHz or 39GHz band).

Further, the electromagnetic waves of the antenna are radiated to the front surface or the rear surface of the electronic device 100. However, there is a problem that electromagnetic waves are hardly radiated through the rear surface when the back surface of the electronic device 100 is covered with the palm of the hand. Further, there is a problem that the radiation to the front surface of the electronic device 100 is difficult to pass through the display.

In order to solve such a problem, it may be considered that the antenna for 5G mobile communication is constituted by an array antenna using a transparent electrode in the display part 151. [

First, a principle for maintaining horizontal / vertical polarization (or polarizations on arbitrary vertical two axes) characteristics while reducing loss due to dual feeding of array antennas will be described as compared with the existing technology.

In this regard, FIG. 2A shows a configuration of a general vertical / horizontal dual polarized patch antenna 20 in an electronic device related to the present invention. 2B shows an example of a dual polarized patch antenna 200 included in the display unit 151 according to the present invention. FIG. 2C illustrates an example of an antenna 200 ').

2A to 2C, the display unit 151 is divided into an output area C for outputting time information and an opaque bezel area S surrounding the output area C, and an output area C ) Is provided with a display for outputting time information. The patch antenna 200 is disposed in the display so as to overlap with the output area C. The patch antenna 200 is arranged at a predetermined spaced-apart position from one side of the output area C (or one side of the display).

2A, one side of a general patch antenna 20 is disposed in parallel with one side of the output region C. The patch antenna 20 includes a first feeding line 21 for providing a signal to operate in a first polarized wave form and a second feeder line 22 for providing a signal to operate in a second polarized wave form perpendicular to the first polarized wave ). The second feeder 22 has a longer electrical length than the first feeder 21 so that the feeding loss is increased and the radiation loss due to bending (e.g., 90 degrees bending) .

2B, the patch antenna 200 is disposed at a predetermined angle with respect to the boundary between the output region C and the bezel region S. As shown in FIG. For example, the vertical sides of the patch antenna 200 may be inclined at angles of +45 degrees and -45 degrees with respect to the boundary between the output area C and the bezel area S, respectively.

The first feeder line 210 is connected to a midpoint of a first line segment of the patch antenna 200 and the second feeder line 220 is connected to a midpoint of a second line segment perpendicular to the first line segment. dual feeding. As shown in the figure, the first and second feed lines 210 and 220 are parallel to each other and have the same length.

According to the above structure, when the patch antenna 200 operates as a transmitting antenna, the gain can be increased through double feeding. In addition, when the patch antenna 200 operates as a receiving antenna, a diversity effect can be obtained through dual feeding.

The first and second feeder lines 210 and 220 may be formed in a straight line without bending on a layer on which the patch antenna 200 is disposed. The first and second feeder lines 210 and 220 may be vertically disposed on one side of the output region C. Meanwhile, the interval between the patch antennas 200 can be determined so that the first and second feeders 210 and 220 are linearly formed.

According to the above structure, the first and second feeder lines 210 and 220 in FIG. 2B are shorter in electrical length than the first and second feeder lines 21 and 22 in FIG. 2A, , The first and second feeder lines 220 can be implemented without bending, and the radiation loss can be reduced. Also, as the first and second feeder lines 220 are implemented without bending, the isolation characteristics between the ports are improved, which is advantageous for radiation. In addition, the dual polarization H / V polarization pattern works ideally and directivity can be maximized.

Referring to FIG. 2C, the patch antenna 200 'is disposed at an angle to one side of the output region C at an angle. The feeder line 210 'may be in the form of a single feed connected to the patch antenna 200' through a vertex at which two orthogonal sides of the patch antenna 200 meet.

The above structure is advantageous in that the feeder line 210 'is shortened in a single feed, compared to the length of the first feeder line 21 in FIG. 2A, thereby reducing the feed loss. Also, there is an advantage that the radiation loss is reduced as the feeder line 210 'is implemented without bending.

3 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an array antenna 300 provided in the display unit 151 according to the present invention. The antenna elements constituting the array antenna 300 described below may have the structures of the antennas 200 and 200 'described with reference to FIGS. 2B and 2C.

3, the electronic device 100 includes an array antenna 300, a feeder line 310, a display unit 151, and an RFIC (Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit) 350.

The array antenna 300 is disposed on any one of a plurality of layers constituting the display unit 151. Each of the antenna elements constituting the array antenna 300 may be arranged along one direction at a position spaced apart from one side of the output region C by a predetermined interval. In this figure, the array antenna 300 is arranged along the lower side at the lower right end of the output area C.

A plurality of array antennas 300 and 300 'may be provided. In this figure, an array antenna 300 'is additionally arranged at the left upper end of the output area C.

A feeding line 310 provides a signal to each of the antenna elements constituting the array antenna 300. A plurality of feed lines 310 may be provided.

The display unit 151 includes a plurality of layers, and includes an output region 341 in which time information is output, and a bezel region 342 formed to surround the output region. The output region 341 corresponds to the light-transmitting portion in the window forming the appearance of the display portion 151, and the bezel region 342 corresponds to the portion which is opaque in the window.

The distances of the antenna elements from one side of the output region C are determined by considering the influence of the interference between the bezel region 342 and the array antenna 300 and the power loss of the feed line 310, Can be determined as a point (optimum length (Lopt)) determined to be the maximum.

It is advantageous that the spaced distance is a shortest distance that can be realized in order to minimize power loss. On the other hand, in order to minimize the influence of the interference between the bezel region 342 and the array antenna 300, the spaced distance is advantageously greater than the minimum separation distance larger than the shortest distance.

Therefore, the optimum distance can be determined so that the sum of the power supply loss (Loss1) and the loss (Loss2) due to interference is minimized. The optimum distance Lopt should be equal to or greater than the shortest possible distance L1. Alternatively, it is advantageous that the optimum distance Lopt is not less than the shortest distance L1 and not more than the minimum distance L2 when the power supply loss Loss1 is dominant than the loss Loss2 due to interference. Alternatively, when the influence of the loss due to interference (Loss2) is greater than the feed loss (Loss1), it is advantageous that the optimum distance (Lopt) is equal to or greater than the minimum separation distance (L2).

The RFIC 350 is configured to be electrically connected to the array antenna 300 within the electronic device 100. The RFIC 350 may be disposed on a flexible printed circuit board connecting the display unit 151 and the circuit board.

The RFIC 350 may include a High Power Amplifier (HPA) and a Low Noise Amplifier (LNA). At this time, the transmission signal through the high power amplifier HPA is radiated through the array antenna 300, and the reception signal received through the array antenna 300 is amplified through the low noise amplifier (LNA).

At this time, each of the antenna elements constituting the array antenna 300 may be electrically connected to a single port of the RFIC 350 through the feeder line 310. That is, the plurality of feeder lines 310 may be electrically connected to a single port of the RFIC 350. On the other hand, a transmission signal from the high-power amplifier HPA can be applied to the array antenna 300 through a duplexer. In addition, the reception signal received through the array antenna 300 can be transmitted to the low noise amplifier (LNA) through the duplexer.

Alternatively, the RFIC 350 may include a plurality of ports corresponding to the plurality of feeder lines 310. Accordingly, the plurality of ports of the RFIC 350 and the plurality of feeder lines 310 can be connected one to one. For example, if four antenna elements are arranged, the four antenna elements can be connected in one-to-one connection with the eight ports of the RFIC 350 via eight feeder lines 310.

Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 3, the array antenna 300 may include n sub-array antennas. For example, the array antenna 300 may include a first sub-array antenna 301 and a second sub-array antenna 302.

The first and second sub-array antennas 301 may include the same or different numbers of antenna elements. For example, the first and second subarrays 301 and 302 may each comprise m antenna elements (in this figure, four antenna elements).

Meanwhile, the array antenna 300 may transmit or receive different information through the first and second sub-array antennas 301 and 302 for a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) operation. Meanwhile, the array antenna 300 may transmit or receive the same information for some sub-array antennas for MIMO operation. It can be referred to as operating in a diversity mode in particular as compared with the case of transmitting or receiving the same information when transmitting or receiving different information.

With respect to the MIMO mode, since the MIMO is implemented using the first and second sub-array antennas 301 and 302, it can be referred to as operating in the n TX mode (2 TX mode in this figure). Here, n denotes the number of sub-arrays.

In addition, the array antenna 300 may transmit or receive different information through the respective antenna elements for MIMO operation. At this time, since the MIMO is implemented using each antenna element, it can be referred to as operating in (m × n) TX mode (eg, 4 × 2 = 8 TX mode). Here, m is the number of antenna elements in the sub-array antenna, and n is the number of sub-array antennas.

Meanwhile, when a plurality of array antennas 300 and 300 'are provided and are spaced apart from each other, beamforming can be realized by changing the phase of signals applied to the respective antenna elements. In the figure, the array antennas 300 and 300 'are arranged at the lower right end and the upper left end of the output area C, respectively. At this time, a plurality of RFICs 350 may be provided corresponding to the respective array antennas 300 and 300 '. For reference, in this figure, the RFIC connected to the array antenna 300 'is omitted.

Within the plurality of RFICs 350, a phase shift is arranged. The phase shifter is configured to change the phase of a signal applied to the antenna elements constituting the array antennas 300 and 300 'to realize beam forming in a specific direction.

In the MIMO mode, different information needs to be operated to be transmitted or received without mutual interference. For this purpose, the beam forming directions of the array antennas 300 and 300 'may be different directions.

For example, the beam forming directions of the array antennas 300 and 300 'may be implemented to be θ1 and θ2, respectively. At this time, the radiation pattern level of the other array antenna 300 'may be less than a specific level in the beam forming direction? 1 of any one of the array antennas 300. Similarly, the beam forming direction of the other array antenna 300 'may be configured such that the radiation pattern level of any one array antenna 300 is below a certain level at? 2.

Here, the specific level may be adjusted to 20 dBc or 30 dBc, or dynamically depending on the propagation environment. Alternatively, the phase shifter may be configured such that nulls of the radiation patterns of one array antenna 300 'are formed in the beam forming direction? 1, or nulls of the radiation patterns of one antenna array 300 are formed in the beam forming direction? the phase can be controlled so that a null is formed.

FIG. 4A is a view illustrating a concept that an array antenna according to the present invention is implemented in a display unit, and FIG. 4B is a view illustrating the concept that an array antenna is implemented in an OLED structure including a plurality of layers. 4C is a view illustrating an array antenna implemented on a display according to a modification of the present invention.

The antenna elements (or patch antennas 200 and 200 ') described above are disposed between the cover window 410 and the polarizer 420 or between the polarizing layer 420 and the touch electrode layer 430 . Reference numeral 431 denotes a touch electrode. The antenna element may be implemented as nanosilver or nanowire.

On the other hand, nano silver or nanowires (copper, aluminum, etc.) can be realized in the form of lattice or mesh in the form of a thin electrode implemented on a transparent film (for example, ITO film). The silver (Ag) material may be implemented with a line width of 3 um, spacing of 100 um or 300 um, copper (Cu) material may be implemented with a line width of 90 um and spacing of 300 um, 900 um, 1800 um or 2500 um, Al) material can be implemented with a line width of 50um and intervals of 1000um, 1500um or 2000um.

When the antenna element is embodied as an Ag material, it is not only excellent in transparency but also excellent in electrical characteristics such as radiation characteristics of an antenna. In addition, the silver (Ag) material can be implemented with the narrowest line width, and the lattice (or mesh) interval can be implemented with the finest density. Therefore, in the millimeter wave band of the 28GHz or 39GHz frequency band, the silver material is advantageous in designing the antenna element and the feed line of a narrow line width.

Meanwhile, the antenna element and the feeder line described above can be realized in the form of a metal mesh. At this time, the antenna element and the feeder line are realized in the form of a metal mesh electrically connected, and the dielectric element in which the antenna element and the feeder line are not present can be realized in a form in which the metal mesh is removed.

Alternatively, the metal mesh may be disposed adjacent to the antenna element and the feeder line in the dielectric region, as long as it does not electrically affect the antenna element and the feeder line. The metal mesh disposed in such a dielectric region serves to enhance the visibility of the display by allowing the metal mesh to be evenly distributed over the entire display area, although the signal is not transmitted or radiated.

2B and 4A, the antenna element 200 and the first and second feeders 210 and 220 may be disposed on the same layer. Alternatively, referring to FIGS. 2C and 4A, the antenna element 200 'and the feeder line 210' may be disposed on different layers. For example, the antenna element 200 'may be disposed between the cover window 410 and the polarizing layer 420, and the feeder line 310 may be disposed between the polarizing layer 420 and the touch electrode layer 430.

Referring to FIG. 4B, a display of an OLED (or POLED) structure includes a metal cathode 410 ', an electron transport layer 420', a light emitting layer 430 ', a hole transport layer 440' 450 ', a transparent cathode 460', and a transparent substrate 470 '. The metal cathode 410 'to the transparent cathode 460' may be a thin film layer having a thickness of several tens to several hundred nanometers.

Unlike LCD, OLED (or POLED) structure displays are realized without backlight, thinner than LCD, and have self-emission characteristics. On the other hand, an antenna implemented in an LCD may cause degradation in performance when an antenna is implemented due to a conductive backlight. However, when a patch antenna is implemented on the transparent substrate 470 'having the non-conductive characteristic of the OLED, an optimal antenna solution can be secured.

Meanwhile, referring to FIG. 4C, the antenna element 500 may be implemented in a slot-coupled fashion. The antenna element 500 is disposed on the first layer 550 and the first and second feeder lines 510 and 520 are disposed on the second layer 560 disposed under the first layer 550 . The third layer 570 disposed between the first and second layers 550 and 560 may have a slot 571 on which the ground pattern 572 is removed on the ground plane. have.

Electrical signals from the first and second feeder lines 510 and 520 may be slot-coupled to the antenna element 500 through the slot 571. The length of the feed line of the slot-coupled dual feed antenna shown in FIG. 4C is somewhat increased as compared with the direct coupled dual feed antenna of FIG. 2B. However, the advantage of reducing the radiation loss of the feed line by using the separated layer and the ground plane have.

The first feeder line 510 is perpendicularly connected to the first side of the antenna element 500 and the second feeder line 520 is connected perpendicularly to the second side of the antenna element 500, Form. Here, the second side is perpendicular to the first side. As the first and second feeder lines 510 and 520 are disposed perpendicular to the two sides of the antenna element 500, the polarization purity can be improved.

The third feeder line 530 is connected to the first feeder line 510 in an inclined manner. Accordingly, the connection portion between the first feeder line 510 and the third feeder line 530 is bent. Similarly, the fourth feeder line 540 is connected to the second feeder 520 in an inclined manner. Accordingly, the connecting portion between the second feeder line 520 and the fourth feeder line 540 is bent.

The third and fourth feeder lines 530 and 540 are electrically connected to the RFIC. The third and fourth feeder lines 530 and 540 may be connected to a single port of the RFIC and may be provided with a plurality of ports connected to the third and fourth feeder lines 530 and 540 one to one . The third and fourth feeder lines 530 and 540 may be formed to have the same length in parallel with each other to facilitate electrical connection with the RFIC.

Additional ground planes may be formed under the second layer 560 on which the first to fourth feed lines 510, 520, 530, and 540 are disposed. The first to fourth feeder lines 510, 520, 530, and 540 may be formed in the form of a stripline by the two ground planes. In this case, the undesirable radiation loss due to the feeder line can be reduced .

4C, the third and fourth feeder lines 530 and 540 are positioned outside the antenna element 500, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, when the distance between the ports of the RFIC connected to the third and fourth feeder lines 530 and 540 is narrow, a part of the third and fourth feeder lines 530 and 540 may be formed inside the antenna element 500 . In this case, the interval between the third and fourth feeder lines 530 and 540 can be reduced, and the power supply loss can be reduced by decreasing the length.

5 is a view showing a configuration in which the array antenna according to the present invention is disposed in the output region C and the bezel region S. FIG.

each of the plurality of antenna elements 600 is connected to the first power feeding part 610 and the first power feeding part 610 is connected to the second power feeding part 620, The second feed portion 620 is connected to the RFIC. Here, the first feeding portion 610 is disposed in the output region C together with the plurality of antenna elements 600, and the second feeding portion 620 is disposed in the bezel region S.

The second power feeding part 620 may be configured as at least one power divider that connects adjacent first power feeding parts 610. In this figure, it is shown that the second feed portion 620 is composed of a two-stage 2: 1 power distributor and is connected to four antenna elements 600.

The first feeding portion 610 is formed of a transparent electrode like the antenna element 600 and is designed to be short in length to maximize the radiation characteristic of the antenna element 600. [ That is, since most of the feed lines are implemented using the second feed portion 620, unwanted emission due to the feed line can be reduced.

On the other hand, the feeding loss of the power distributor increases as the length of the second feeding portion 620 increases. In this regard, as the number of the antenna elements 600 increases, the number of the power divider must be increased, so that the length of the second feeding portion 620 increases. For example, a 2: 1 power splitter is used in two stages when four antenna elements 600 are used, while a two-to-one power splitter is used in three stages when eight antenna elements 600 are used And the length of the second feeding portion 620 increases.

In order to solve this problem, as shown in FIG. 6B, the second feeding part 620 connects each antenna element 600 and the RFIC (not shown) one to one, regardless of the number of the antenna elements 600 . At this time, the second feeding portion 620 may have a bent shape so that the length of the second feeding portion 620 is equalized. As shown, the closer the antenna element 600 is to the RFIC, the more the second feed portion 620 has a bent shape.

6A and 6B show a structure in which the RFIC 350 is electrically connected to an array antenna provided in the display 340. [ As shown in FIG. 6A, the RFIC 350 may be disposed on a printed circuit board 360 below the display 340. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 6B, the RFIC 350 may be seated within a frame 370 disposed between the printed circuit board 360 and the display 340.

As described above, the array antenna and the RFIC are arranged on different layers, and the length of the feed line is increased. These feeder lines can be implemented by FPCB. At this time, the electrical connection between the feeder line and the RFIC is advantageous for a connectorless connection structure.

On the other hand, although the two devices are electrically connected, it is not easy to secure the performance in the millimeter wave band due to the physical separation structure. For example, if the RFIC is mounted on a PCB and the array antenna is formed in the display, the RFIC and the array antenna must be electrically connected by a separate connection means such as FPCB. Further, when electrical connection is made by the feeder line in the FPCB, the feed loss due to the feeder line must be minimized.

To improve this, the slot coupling structure shown in Fig. 4C can be used. For example, the first and second feeder lines 510 and 520 and the RFIC are implemented on a second layer 560, which is the same layer, and a slot (not shown) formed on the third layer 570, which is the upper portion of the second layer 560 The electromagnetic signal can be transmitted to the antenna 500 formed on the first layer. At this time, the second layer 560 in which the first and second feeder lines 510 and 520 and the RFIC are disposed may be implemented in a frame 370 or a separate PCB instead of the display 340.

In the foregoing, an electronic device having an array antenna implemented in a display has been described.

Hereinafter, the radiation pattern performance according to the position where the array antenna is disposed on the display will be described.

7A and 7B show a radiation pattern on the yz plane and a radiation pattern on the xz plane, respectively, in the structure in which the two array antennas according to the present invention are arranged at different positions on the display portion.

Referring to FIGS. 7A and 7B, a first array antenna 300 (Patch 1) is disposed on the lower right side of the display unit 151, a second array antenna 300 ', Patch 2 is disposed on the upper left side, . This arrangement is such that the influence between the first and second array antennas 300 and 300 'is minimized for MIMO or diversity operation. In the xy plane perpendicular to the display unit 151, the radiation patterns of the first and second array antennas 300 and 300 'are substantially similar.

However, referring to FIG. 7A, it can be seen that the gain of the second array antenna 300 'is greater than the gain of the first array antenna 300 in the yz plane. On the other hand, referring to FIG. 7B, it can be seen that, in the xz plane, the gain of the first array antenna 300 is greater than the gain of the second array antenna 300 '.

Accordingly, the first and second array antennas 300 and 300 'implemented in the display unit 151 have improved radiation patterns in a plane parallel to the display unit 151 as compared with antennas installed in the electronic apparatus It is effective. However, in the yz plane, it is advantageous to use a second array antenna 300 'disposed at the upper left of the display unit 151. In the xz plane, a first array antenna 300) is advantageously used.

Depending on the rotation or propagation environment of the electronic device, the propagation component in the yz plane or the xz plane may dominate. Accordingly, when the radio wave component on the plane parallel to the display unit 151 dominates, the radio wave receiving characteristic can be improved according to the following diversity operation. For example, if the propagation component in the yz plane dominates, the radio wave is received through the second array antenna 300 ', and if the propagation component in the xz plane dominates, the radio wave propagates through the first array antenna 300 .

The controller 180 controls the first and second array antennas 300 and 300 'to transmit and receive signals through the first array antenna 300 and the second array antenna 300'. At this time, the first and second array antennas 300 and 300 'are connected to the first RFIC and the second RFIC, respectively.

The controller 180 may control both the first and second RFICs to combine the first and second signals. Alternatively, the control unit 180 may transmit and receive only one of the first and second signals based on the reception level (or SNR level or SINR level) in the first and second array antennas 300 and 300 ' . That is, the control unit 180 can control to operate only one of the first and second RFICs based on the signal reception level in the first and second array antennas 300 and 300 '.

For example, the control unit 180 may operate to operate the first RFIC when the electronic device is disposed in the first direction and to operate the second RFIC when the electronic device is disposed in the second direction perpendicular to the first direction have. For this purpose, the controller 180 may determine the direction in which the sensed electronic device is disposed from the sensing unit 140. Accordingly, the controller 180 can determine which one of the first and second RFICs to operate without any separate operation for determining the reception level or the like in the first and second array antennas 300 and 300 '. The control unit 180 can maintain the communication performance by selecting the array antenna having the excellent radiation performance while reducing power consumption by operating only one of the first and second RFICs.

8A to 8D show reflection coefficient and transmission coefficient of a feeder line and reflection coefficient characteristic of an array antenna according to the present invention. 8A shows the return loss of the feed line according to the present invention in dB, FIG. 8B shows the insertion loss of the feed line in dB, and FIG. And the phase difference.

As shown in FIG. 8A, it can be seen that the feeder line has a reflection loss of -25 dB or less in the 28 GHz band. Also, as shown in FIG. 8B, it can be seen that the good insertion loss of the feeder line of 1.4 dB level is kept constant between the ports. This good level of constant insertion loss characteristics is due to the fact that each feeder connects the antenna element and the RFIC in one-to-one equal length without power divider.

Also, as shown in FIG. 8C, it can be seen that the phase difference between the feed lines is kept within 1 degree in the desired frequency band. This is because the feeder lines connecting each antenna element and each port of the RFIC are implemented with the same electrical length.

Meanwhile, FIG. 8D shows the return loss characteristic of the array antenna when the power divider is used. The array antenna exhibits good return loss characteristics of -20dB at 28GHz and good return loss characteristics of less than -10dB in this frequency band.

In the foregoing, an electronic device including an antenna implemented as a transparent electrode material in a display portion has been described.

According to the present invention, an array antenna implemented as a transparent electrode material in a display unit can be provided to improve antenna performance in a next generation communication service. Also, there is an advantage that loss due to dual feeding of the array antenna realized as a transparent electrode material inside the display can be reduced. In addition, by feeding a dual array antenna implemented as a transparent electrode material inside the display, the horizontal / vertical polarized wave characteristics can be kept the same, thereby preventing a change in performance depending on the rotation state of the electronic device.

The present invention described above can be embodied as computer-readable codes on a medium on which a program is recorded. The computer readable medium includes all kinds of recording devices in which data that can be read by a computer system is stored. Examples of the computer readable medium include a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state disk (SSD), a silicon disk drive (SDD), a ROM, a RAM, a CD-ROM, a magnetic tape, a floppy disk, , And may also be implemented in the form of a carrier wave (e.g., transmission over the Internet). Also, the computer may include a control unit 180 of the terminal. Accordingly, the above description should not be construed in a limiting sense in all respects and should be considered illustrative. The scope of the present invention should be determined by rational interpretation of the appended claims, and all changes within the scope of equivalents of the present invention are included in the scope of the present invention.

The foregoing detailed description should not be construed in any way as limiting and should be considered illustrative. The scope of the present invention should be determined by rational interpretation of the appended claims, and all changes within the scope of equivalents of the present invention are included in the scope of the present invention.

Claims (20)

A display unit for outputting time information;
An array antenna disposed in the display unit and formed of a transparent electrode material; And
And an RFIC (Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit) electrically connected to the array antenna,
The array antenna includes:
An antenna element in which first and second mutually perpendicular sides are inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to one side of the display portion; And
And a feeding portion connecting the antenna element and the RFIC. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the display unit is divided into an output area for outputting time information and an opaque bezel area surrounding the output area,
Wherein the antenna element is disposed within the output region. 3. The method of claim 2,
Wherein the first and second sides are inclined at +45 degrees and -45 degrees with respect to a boundary between the output region and the bezel region. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the power supply part includes first and second feeder lines arranged in parallel to each other in a linear form. 5. The method of claim 4,
The first feeder line is connected to an intermediate point of the first side,
And the second feeder line is connected to an intermediate point of the second side. 6. The method of claim 5,
Wherein the first feeder line and the second feeder line have the same length. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the feed portion is implemented as a single feed line connected to a vertex at which the first and second sides meet. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the antenna element is formed between the cover window and the polarizing layer of the display portion or between the polarizing layer and the touch electrode layer. 9. The method of claim 8,
Wherein the antenna element is formed of nanosilver or nanowire. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the RFIC is disposed on a flexible printed circuit board connecting the display unit and the circuit board. 3. The method of claim 2,
Wherein the power-
A first feeding portion connected to the antenna element in the output region; And
And a second feeding part connected to the first feeding part in the bezel area,
And the second feed portion comprises at least one power divider connecting adjacent first feed portions. 3. The method of claim 2,
Wherein the plurality of antenna elements are arranged along one direction,
The power feeding unit may include a plurality of power feeding units corresponding to the plurality of antenna elements,
Wherein each of the plurality of feeders is connected to a single port of the RFIC in a one-to-one manner. 13. The method of claim 12,
And the plurality of power feeding portions all have the same length. 14. The method of claim 13,
Wherein the bending number of the feeding part increases as the distance between the plurality of antenna elements and the RFIC becomes closer to each other. The method according to claim 1,
The plurality of array antennas are spaced apart from each other,
And the control unit changes the phase of a signal applied to each of the plurality of array antennas to implement beam forming. 16. The method of claim 15,
Wherein the plurality of array antennas comprises:
A first array antenna disposed at a lower end of the display unit and connected to the first RFIC; And
And a second array antenna disposed at the other upper end of the display unit and connected to the second RFIC,
Wherein the control unit operates one of the first and second RFICs based on a signal reception level in the first and second array antennas. 16. The method of claim 15,
Wherein the plurality of array antennas comprises:
A first array antenna disposed at a lower end of the display unit and connected to the first RFIC; And
And a second array antenna disposed at the other upper end of the display unit and connected to the second RFIC,
Wherein the controller operates the first RFIC when the electronic device is disposed in the first direction and operates the second RFIC when the electronic device is disposed in the second direction perpendicular to the first direction Lt; / RTI > A display unit divided into an output area for outputting the time information and an opaque bezel area surrounding the output area;
An array antenna disposed in the output region and formed of a transparent electrode material; And
And an RFIC (Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit) electrically connected to the array antenna,
The array antenna includes:
An antenna element; And
And first and second feeder lines connecting the antenna element and the RFIC in a dual feed form and arranged in parallel to each other in a linear form. 19. The method of claim 18,
Wherein the first feeder line and the second feeder line have the same length. 19. The method of claim 18,
Wherein the array antenna is formed of nanosilver or nanowire.

Images