Tightly-coupled PCB GNSS circuit and manufacturing method

1. A method of tightly coupling a printed circuit board (PCB), which method comprises the steps of:

providing a PCB with multiple conductive layers;

separating said conductive layers with insulating layers;

providing a positive reference layer;

providing a ground plane comprising a grounded reference layer;

providing a signal layer;

photoetching the signal layer to define a circuit;

providing electrical components;

connecting each electrical component to one or more layers;

forming a decoupling line in said PCB; and

forming an electrical isolation island in said PCB with said decoupling line.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein one of said components comprises a receiver, which method includes the additional steps of:

providing said PCB with a perimeter;

connecting said receiver to said PCB; and

extending said decoupling line from said receiver to PCB perimeter.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said components include an antenna, which method includes the additional steps of:

providing an RF transmission line connecting said antenna to said receiver; and

locating said antenna in said isolation island.

4. The method of claim 3 , which includes the additional steps of:

forming an optimal RF path from the antenna to the receiver, thereby creating a decoupling line; and

forming said isolation island along said decoupling line path.

5. The method of claim 2 , which includes the additional steps of:

locating said receiver in an interior area of said PCB;

providing a pair of said decoupling lines; and

extending said decoupling lines from said receiver to said PCB perimeter.

6. The method of claim 1 , which includes the additional step of:

forming said decoupling line with a plurality of discrete decouplers each extending through said PCB layers.

7. The method of claim 3 , which includes the additional steps of:

providing said PCB with three sections each terminating at an outer end;

locating said receiver centrally with said PCB sections extending outwardly therefrom;

mounting an antenna in each of said sections in proximity to its outer end;

extending a pair of said decoupling lines from said receiver to each said PCB section outer end; and

forming an isolation island in each said PCB section with said antenna located therein.

8. A method of manufacturing a tightly-coupled PCB circuit with a power supply, a GNSS receiver and first and second GNSS antennas, which method comprises the steps of:

providing a PCB with multiple conductive layers;

separating said conductive layers with insulating layers;

providing a positive reference layer;

providing a ground plane comprising a grounded reference layer;

providing a signal layer;

photoetching the signal layer to define a circuit;

providing said PCB with a perimeter;

mounting said power supply and said GNSS receiver on said PCB;

connecting said power supply and said GNSS receiver to said positive and grounded reference layers;

providing multiple decoupling capacitors;

connecting each said capacitors to multiple said PCB layers and electrically closely-coupling said PCB layers with said capacitors;

determining optimal first and second RF paths from the antennas to the receiver;

aligning multiple said decoupling capacitors along said optimal RF paths and thereby creating first and second decoupling lines each extending from said receiver to said PCB edge in proximity to a respective antenna;

forming first and second isolation islands along said first and second decoupling line paths respectively;

providing first and second RF transmission lines connecting said receiver to said first and second antennas respectively; and

locating said first and second antennas in said first and second isolation islands respectively.

9. A tightly-coupled printed circuit board (PCB) circuit, which includes:

multiple conductive layers;

insulating layers separating said conductive layers;

a positive reference layer;

a ground plane comprising a grounded reference layer;

a signal layer;

a circuit photoetched in the signal layer;

multiple electrical components each connected to one or more layers;

a decoupling line in said PCB; and

an electrical isolation island formed by said decoupling line in said PCB.

10. The circuit of claim 9 , which includes:

one of said components comprising a receiver;

said PCB including a perimeter;

said receiver being connected to said PCB; and

said decoupling line extending from said receiver to said PCB perimeter.

11. The circuit of claim 10 , which includes:

said components including an antenna located in said isolation island; and

an RF transmission line connecting said antenna to said receiver.

12. The circuit of claim 11 , which includes:

an optimal RF path from the antenna to the receiver,

said decoupling line generally following said optimal RF path; and

said isolation island being formed along said decoupling line path.

13. The circuit of claim 10 , which includes:

said receiver being located in an interior area of said PCB;

a pair of said decoupling lines; and

said decoupling lines extending from said receiver to said PCB perimeter.

14. The circuit of claim 9 , which includes:

said decoupling line being formed with a plurality of discrete decouplers each extending through said PCB layers.

15. The circuit of claim 11 , which includes:

said PCB having three sections each terminating at an outer end;

said receiver being located centrally with said PCB sections extending outwardly therefrom;

three antennas each mounted in a respective section in proximity to its outer end;

a pair of said decoupling lines each extending from said receiver to a respective PCB section outer end; and

three said isolation islands each located in a respective PCB section and each having a respective antenna located therein.