METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CASCADED LEAKY WAVE ANTENNAS ON AN INTEGRATED CIRCUIT, INTEGRATED CIRCUIT PACKAGE, AND/OR PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD
Methods and systems for cascaded leaky wave antennas (LWAs) on an integrated circuit, integrated circuit package, and/or printed circuit board are disclosed and may include communicating RF signals using one or more cascaded LWAs in a wireless device. The cascaded LWAs may include a plurality of cavity heights integrated in metal layers in a multi-layer support structure which may include an integrated circuit, an integrated circuit package, and/or a printed circuit board. The cascaded LWAs may be configured to transmit the wireless signals at a desired angle from the surface of the multi-layer support structure. The cascaded LWAs may include microstrip and/or coplanar waveguides, where the cavity heights of the cascaded LWAs may be dependent on distances between conductive lines in the waveguides. A beam shape of the RF signals may be configured utilizing a frequency of a signal communicated to the cascaded LWAs.
1 . A method for communication, the method comprising:
in a wireless communication device comprising one or more cascaded leaky wave antennas integrated with a multi-layer support structure:
communicating RF signals via said one or more cascaded leaky wave antennas, wherein cavity heights within metal layers of said multi-layer support structure control a resonant frequency of said one or more cascaded leaky wave antennas.
2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein said multi-layer support structure comprises an integrated circuit.
3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein said multi-layer support structure comprises an integrated circuit package.
4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein said multi-layer support structure comprises a printed circuit board.
5 . The method according to claim 1 , comprising configuring said one or more cascaded leaky wave antennas to transmit said RF signals at a desired angle from a surface of said multi-layer support structure.
6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein said one or more cascaded leaky wave antennas comprise microstrip waveguides.
7 . The method according to claim 6 , comprising controlling said plurality of cavity heights of said one or more cascaded leaky wave antennas based on distances between conductive lines in said microstrip waveguides.
8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein said one or more cascaded leaky wave antennas comprise coplanar waveguides.
9 . The method according to claim 8 , comprising controlling said plurality of cavity heights of said one or more cascaded leaky wave antennas based on distances between conductive lines in said coplanar waveguides.
10 . The method according to claim 1 , comprising configuring a beam shape of said communicated RF signals utilizing a frequency of a signal communicated to said one or more cascaded leaky wave antennas.
11 . A system for enabling communication, the system comprising:
one or more circuits for use in a wireless device comprising one or more cascaded leaky wave antennas integrated with a multi-layer support structure, said one or more circuits being operable to communicate RF signals via said one or more cascaded leaky wave antennas, wherein cavity heights integrated within metal layers of said multi-layer support structure control a resonant frequency of said one or more cascaded leaky wave antennas.
12 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein said multi-layer support structure comprises an integrated circuit.
13 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein said multi-layer support structure comprises an integrated circuit package.
14 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein said multi-layer support structure comprises a printed circuit board.
15 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein said one or more circuits are operable to configure said cascaded leaky wave antennas to transmit said RF signals at a desired angle from a surface of said multi-layer support structure.
16 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein said one or more cascaded leaky wave antennas comprise microstrip waveguides.
17 . The system according to claim 16 , wherein said one or more circuits are operable to control said plurality of cavity heights of said one or more cascaded leaky wave antennas based on distances between conductive lines in said microstrip waveguides.
18 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein said one or more leaky wave antennas comprise coplanar waveguides.
19 . The system according to claim 18 , wherein said one or more circuits is operable to control said plurality of cavity heights of said one or more cascaded leaky wave antennas based on distances between conductive lines in said coplanar waveguides.
20 . The system according to claim 19 , wherein said one or more circuits are operable to configure a beam shape of said communicated RF signals utilizing a frequency of a signal communicated to said one or more cascaded leaky wave antennas.