WO2022257059A1

WO2022257059A1 - Antenna device, led driver and led device

Info

Publication number: WO2022257059A1
Application number: PCT/CN2021/099290
Authority: WO
Inventors: Tjaco Middel
Original assignee: Tridonic Gmbh & Co Kg
Priority date: 2021-06-10
Filing date: 2021-06-10
Publication date: 2022-12-15
Also published as: GB202316654D0; GB2621271A

Abstract

An antenna device, a light emitting diode (LED) driver and a LED device are provided. The antenna device includes an antenna and a multiple-layer Printed Circuit Board (PCB); wherein, a Safety or Separated Extra Low Voltage (SELV) area of the multiple-layer PCB is used to layout the antenna, and the antenna is placed in buried layer of the multiple-layer PCB. It is expected to save the PCB space while with a miniaturization structure and a low cost and production steps.

Description

ANTENNA DEVICE, LED DRIVER AND LED DEVICE

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to the field of antenna design, and more particularly, to an antenna device, a light emitting diode (LED) driver and a LED device.

BACKGROUND

Nowadays, an antenna is an important component required by a lot of kinds of devices (such as light emitting diode, LED device) . The device which need to use wireless should be set with antenna. The antenna includes Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) antenna, Near Field Communication (NFC) antenna, WIFI antenna, Bluetooth antenna, Zigbee antenna and so on. The antenna usually can be built using Printed Circuit Board (PCB) material.

This section introduces aspects that may facilitate a better understanding of the disclosure. Accordingly, the statements of this section are to be read in this light and are not to be understood as admissions about what is in the prior art or what is not in the prior art.

SUMMARY

The inventor found that in some solutions, because of the surface area required, the antenna cannot fit on the mainboard PCB, but if an add on PCB is used for fitting the antenna, some additional production steps and cost will be caused.

In order to solve at least part of the above problems, methods, apparatus, devices are provided in the present disclosure. Features and advantages of embodiments of the present disclosure will also be understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of embodiments of the present disclosure.

In general, embodiments of the present disclosure provide an antenna device, a light emitting diode (LED) driver and a LED device. It is expected to save the PCB space while with a miniaturization structure and a low cost and production steps.

In a first aspect, an antenna device is provided. The antenna device includes: an antenna and a multiple-layer Printed Circuit Board (PCB) ; a Safety or Separated Extra Low Voltage (SELV) area of the multiple-layer PCB is used to layout the antenna, and, the antenna is placed in buried layer of the multiple-layer PCB.

In some embodiments, the PCB is a mainboard or an add on board.

In some embodiments, the multiple-layer PCB is 4-layer PCB.

In some embodiments, the antenna is Near Field Communication (NFC) antenna or WIFI antenna or Bluetooth antenna or Zigbee antenna

In some embodiments, a distance of creepage of the SELV circuit area is 6mm

In some embodiments, the antenna device further includes: via used to connect the multiple layers of the PCB and the buried layer; wherein the via is placed with SELV barrier.

In some embodiments, an isolation of the buried layer is SELV proof.

In some embodiments, the antenna device further includes: a primary copper and a secondary copper, the primary copper covers a part surface of a upper layer board and a bottom layer board of the PCB, the secondary copper covers a part surface of the upper layer board and the bottom layer board of the PCB; wherein the SELV circuit area is not covered by the primary copper and the secondary copper.

In a second aspect, a LED driver is provided. The LED driver includes: an antenna device mentioned in the first aspect.

In a third aspect, a LED device is provided. The LED device includes: at least one LED illumination source; and a LED driver mentioned in the second aspect configured to electrically couple to at least one LED illumination source for driving the LED illumination source.

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the antenna can be placed in buried layers in the SELV circuit area of the PCB. Therefore, it can save the PCB space by utilizing a unused SELV circuit area while with a miniaturization structure and a low cost and production steps. Furthermore, as the SELV circuit area is often free for other parts, it can get good signal quality.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other aspects, features, and benefits of various embodiments of the disclosure will become more fully apparent, by way of example, from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals or letters are used to designate like or equivalent elements. The drawings are illustrated for facilitating better understanding of the embodiments of the disclosure and not necessarily drawn to scale, in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagram which shows a longitudinal section of an antenna device in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

Fig. 2 is a diagram which shows an example of the PCB with antenna in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure will now be described with reference to several example embodiments. It should be understood that these embodiments are discussed only for the purpose of enabling those skilled persons in the art to better understand and thus implement the present disclosure, rather than suggesting any limitations on the scope of the present disclosure.

It should be understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected” or “coupled” or “contacted” to another element, it may be directly connected or coupled or contacted to the other element or intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly connected” or “directly coupled” or “directly contacted” to another element, there are no intervening elements present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between” , “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent” , etc. ) .

As used herein, the terms “first” and “second” refer to different elements. The singular forms “a” and “an” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms “comprises, ” “comprising, ” “has, ” “having, ” “includes” and/or “including” as used herein, specify the presence of stated features, elements, and/or components and the like, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, elements, components and/or combinations thereof.

The term “based on” is to be read as “based at least in part on” . The term “cover” is to be read as “at least in part cover” . The term “one embodiment” and “an embodiment” are to be read as “at least one embodiment” . The term “another embodiment” is to be read as “at least one other embodiment” . Other definitions, explicit and implicit, may be included below.

In this disclosure, unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which example embodiments belong. It will be further understood that terms, e.g., those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

A first aspect of embodiments

An antenna device is provided in the embodiments.

Fig. 1 is a diagram which shows a longitudinal section of an antenna device in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

As shown in Fig. 1, the antenna device 100 includes an antenna 101 and a multiple-layer PCB 102, wherein a Safety or Separated Extra Low Voltage (SELV) area of the multiple-layer PCB 102 is used to layout the antenna 101, and the antenna 101 is placed in buried layer of the multiple-layer PCB 102.

In some embodiments, the PCB may includes at least two (N) layers board, so as to have enough windings of the antenna. The multiple layer's boards are laminated together. N may be positive integer which is greater or equal to 2, for example, N may be 4 or 6 and so on, and this embodiment is not limited thereto. The implement of the multiple-layer PCB may refer to relevant art which is omitted here. The following will take N=4 as an example to illustrate the embodiments of this application.

In some embodiments, multiple-layer PCB includes a upper layer board, a bottom layer board and at least one intermediate boards located between the upper layer board and the bottom layer board. The antenna 101 is placed in buried layer of the multiple-layer PCB 102. The buried layer is the inner layer between the neighbor layers of the PCB. That is, the antenna 101 is buried between the neighbor layers of the PCB, and this embodiment is not limited to the number of the buried layers.

For example, as shown in Fig. 1, the antenna is placed in buried

layer

103 and 104. The buried layer 103 locates between the upper layer board an intermediate board, the buried layer 104 locates between the bottom layer board an intermediate board

In some embodiments, the PCB may be a mainboard or an add on board. The mainboard or the add on board has a "unused" SELV circuit area. For example, when the antenna device is used in the electrical device (such as light emitting diode, LED driver) , the LED device are typically operated with a SELV in which the voltage cannot exceed ELV under normal conditions, and under single-fault conditions, including earth faults in other circuits. And the SELV circuit involves an isolating transformer guaranteed minimum distances between conductors and electrical insulation barriers.

As shown in Fig. 1, the distance of creepage of the SELV circuit area is 6mm. And the SELV circuit area and the other circuits are often electrical isolation, and the SELV circuit has electrical protective-separation from other circuits. The isolation of the buried layer is SELV proof.

As shown in Fig. 1, the antenna is placed in buried layers in the SELV circuit area of the PCB, the SELV circuit area is often free for other parts of the board, so the PCB space can be saved by utilizing a unused SELV circuit area while with a miniaturization structure and a low cost and production steps. Furthermore, it can get good signal quality.

In some embodiments, the antenna is Near Field Communication (NFC) antenna or WIFI antenna or Bluetooth antenna or Zigbee antenna and so on, and this embodiment is not limited thereto. The antenna device is used in the electrical device (such as light emitting diode, LED driver) . For example, the LED driver with NFC function or Bluetooth function or WIFI function or Zigbee function needs to be included the above antenna device. The following will NFC antenna as an example to illustrate the embodiments of this application.

In some embodiments, the antenna device 100 further includes: via 105 used to connect the multiple layers of the PCB and the buried layer. As shown in Fig. 1, the via 105 is extended through from the upper layer board to the bottom layer board, as the multiple layers of the PCB and the buried layer are electrical connected by the via, the antenna can be connected with each other or can be connected to other circuit.

In some embodiments, the via 105 is placed with SELV barrier (e.g. an SELV converter) . There exists primary side and the secondary side which are isolated from one another by the SELV barrier. For example, when the antenna device is applied to a LED driver, the primary side and the secondary side are used to provide an electrical supply for the LED. The implement of the SELV barrier may refer to relevant art which is omitted here. For example, when the antenna is NFC antenna, NFC antenna tracks to NFC TAG-IC on secondary side or primary side and this embodiment is not limited thereto.

In some embodiments, the antenna device 100 further includes: a primary copper 106 and a secondary copper 107, the primary copper 106 covers a part surface of a upper layer board and a bottom layer board of the PCB, a secondary copper 107 covers a part surface of the upper layer board and the bottom layer board of the PCB; wherein the SELV circuit area is not covered by the primary copper 106 and the secondary copper 107.

As shown in Fig. 1, the primary copper 106 and the secondary copper 107 cover the upper surface and the bottom surface of the PCB besides the SELV circuit area. And the via 105 is close to the secondary copper 107.

Fig. 2 is a diagram which shows an example of the PCB with antenna in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Fig. 2, the area of the box shows a SELV circuit area of the PCB which layout the actual NFC antenna in the buried layers.

It should be appreciated that some components or elements are illustrated only as examples in Fig. 1. However, it is not limited thereto, for example, connections or positions of the components or elements may be adjusted, and/or, some components or elements may be omitted. The number of layers may also be adjusted.

It can be seen from the above embodiments, the antenna can be placed in buried layers in the SELV circuit area of the PCB. Therefore, it can save the PCB space by utilizing a unused SELV circuit area while with a miniaturization structure and a low cost and production steps. Furthermore, as the SELV circuit area is often free for other parts, it can get good signal quality.

A second aspect of embodiments

A LED driver is provided in the embodiments. The LED driver includes: an antenna device mentioned in the first aspect. The L antenna device is illustrated in the second aspect of embodiments, and the same contents as those in the second aspect of embodiments are omitted.

The LED driver is electrically couple to at least one LED illumination source for driving the LED illumination source. For example, the driver circuit is mounted to the multiple-layer PCB mentioned in the first aspect. A SELV circuit area of the multiple-layer PCB is used to layout an antenna, the antenna is placed in buried layer of the multiple-layer PCB. When the antenna is NFC antenna, the LED driver has the NFC function, and this embodiment is not limited thereto.

A third aspect of embodiments

A LED device is provided in the embodiments. The LED device includes: at least one LED illumination source and a LED driver. The LED driver is illustrated in the second aspect of embodiments, and the same contents as those in the second aspect of embodiments are omitted.

It is to be understood that, the above examples or embodiments are discussed for illustration, rather than limitation. Those skilled in the art would appreciate that there may be many other embodiments or examples within the scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, some contents of LED may be referred to relevant art, and these are omitted in this disclosure. It should be appreciated that some components are illustrated only as examples in the second and third aspect of embodiments. However, it is not limited thereto, for example, some components not mentioned may be included, some components or elements may be omitted.

Further, it is expected that one of ordinary skill, notwithstanding possibly significant effort and many design choices motivated by, for example, available time, current technology, and economic considerations, when guided by the concepts and principles disclosed herein will be readily capable of generating such software instructions and programs and integrated circuits (ICs) with minimal experimentation.

Generally, various embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented in hardware or special purpose circuits, software, logic or any combination thereof. Some aspects may be implemented in hardware, while other aspects may be implemented in firmware or software which may be executed by a controller, microprocessor or other computing device.

While various aspects of embodiments of the present disclosure are illustrated and described as block diagrams, flowcharts, or using some other pictorial representation, it will be appreciated that the blocks, apparatus, systems, techniques or methods described herein may be implemented in, as non-limiting examples, hardware, software, firmware, special purpose circuits or logic, general purpose hardware or controller or other computing devices, or some combination thereof.

Further, while operations are depicted in a particular order, this should not be understood as requiring that such operations be performed in the particular order shown or in sequential order, or that all illustrated operations be performed, to achieve desirable results. In certain circumstances, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous.

Likewise, while several specific implementation details are contained in the above discussions, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the present disclosure, but rather as descriptions of features that may be specific to particular embodiments. Certain features that are described in the context of separate embodiments may also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single embodiment may also be implemented in multiple embodiments separately or in any suitable sub-combination.

Although the present disclosure has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the present disclosure defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims.

Claims

An antenna device, comprising an antenna and a multiple-layer Printed Circuit Board (PCB) ,

wherein, a Safety or Separated Extra Low Voltage (SELV) area of the multiple-layer PCB is used to layout the antenna, and,

the antenna is placed in buried layer of the multiple-layer PCB.
The device according to claim 1, wherein the PCB is a mainboard or an add on board.
The device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the multiple-layer PCB is 4-layer PCB.
The device according to any of claims 1～3, wherein the antenna is Near Field Communication (NFC) antenna or WIFI antenna or Bluetooth antenna or Zigbee antenna.
The device according to any of claims 1～4, a distance of Creepage of the SELV circuit area is 6mm.
The device according to any of claims 1～5, the antenna device further comprises:

via used to connect the multiple layers of the PCB and the buried layer;

wherein the via is placed with SELV barrier.
The device according to any of claims 1～6, an isolation of the buried layer is SELV proof.
The device according to any of claims 1～7, wherein the antenna device further comprises: a primary copper and a secondary copper, the primary copper covers a part surface of a upper layer board and a bottom layer board of the PCB, the secondary copper covers a part surface of the upper layer board and the bottom layer board of the PCB;

wherein the SELV circuit area is not covered by the primary copper and the secondary copper.
A light emitting diode (LED) driver, comprising:

an antenna device as claimed in any of claims 1～8.
A light emitting diode (LED) device, comprising:

at least one LED illumination source;

a LED driver as claimed in claim 9, configured to electrically couple to at least one LED illumination source for driving the LED illumination source.