METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR WIRELESS COMMUNICATION UTILIZING LEAKY WAVE ANTENNAS ON A PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD
Methods and systems for wireless communication utilizing leaky wave antennas (LWAs) on a printed circuit board are disclosed and may include communicating RF signals via LWAs in an integrated circuit (chip) and/or package in a wireless device to LWAs in a printed circuit board in the wireless device. RF signals may then be communicated via the LWAs in the printed circuit board to external devices, and may communicated vertically or at a desired angle from the surface. The RF signals may be communicated between regions within the printed circuit board. The LWAs may include microstrip or coplanar waveguides where a cavity height of the LWAs may be configured by controlling spacing between conductive lines in the waveguides. The chip may be flip-chip-bonded to an package which may be affixed to a printed circuit board. A pair of the plurality of LWAs may be stacked to communicate signals in opposite directions.
1 . A method for communication, the method comprising:
in a wireless device comprising a plurality of leaky wave antennas, wherein one or more of said plurality of leaky wave antennas are integrated in an integrated circuit and one or more of said plurality of leaky wave antennas are integrated in a printed circuit board:
communicating RF signals from said one or more of said plurality of leaky wave antennas integrated in said integrated circuit to said one or more of said plurality of leaky wave antennas integrated in said printed circuit board; and
communicating said RF signals from said one or more of said plurality of leaky wave antennas integrated in said printed circuit board to devices external to said wireless device.
2 . The method according to claim 1 , comprising communicating said RF signals to devices external to said wireless device via a surface of said printed circuit board.
3 . The method according to claim 2 , comprising configuring said one or more of said plurality of leaky wave antennas integrated in said printed circuit board to transmit said wireless signals at a desired angle from said surface of said printed circuit board.
4 . The method according to claim 1 , comprising communicating said RF signals between regions within said printed circuit board.
5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein one or more of said plurality of leaky wave antennas comprise microstrip waveguides.
6 . The method according to claim 5 , comprising configuring a cavity height of said one or more of said plurality of leaky wave antennas by controlling spacing between conductive lines in said microstrip waveguides.
7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein one or more of said plurality of leaky wave antennas comprise coplanar waveguides.
8 . The method according to claim 7 , comprising configuring a cavity height of said one or more of said plurality of leaky wave antennas by controlling spacing between conductive lines in said coplanar waveguides.
9 . The method according to claim 1 , comprising communicating said RF signals from said one or more of said plurality of leaky wave antennas integrated in said integrated circuit to one or more leaky wave antennas in an integrated circuit package to which said integrated circuit is flip-chip bonded before communicating said RF signals to said one or more of said plurality of leaky wave antennas integrated in said printed circuit board.
10 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein a pair plurality of leaky wave antennas are stacked to communicate wireless signals in opposite directions.
11 . A system for enabling communication, the system comprising:
one or more circuits for use in a wireless device comprising a plurality of leaky wave antennas, wherein one or more of said plurality of leaky wave antennas are integrated in an integrated circuit and one or more of said plurality of leaky wave antennas are integrated in a printed circuit board:
said one or more circuits are operable to communicate RF signals from said one or more of said plurality of leaky wave antennas integrated in said integrated circuit to said one or more of said plurality of leaky wave antennas integrated in said printed circuit board; and
said one or more circuits are operable to communicate said RF signals from said one or more of said plurality of leaky wave antennas integrated in said printed circuit board to devices external to said wireless device.
12 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein said one or more circuits are operable to communicate said RF signals to devices external to said wireless device via a surface of said printed circuit board.
13 . The system according to claim 12 , wherein said one or more circuits are operable to configure said one or more of said plurality of leaky wave antennas integrated in said printed circuit board to transmit said wireless signals at a desired angle from said surface of said printed circuit board.
14 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein said one or more circuits are operable to communicate said RF signals between regions within said printed circuit board.
15 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein said leaky wave antennas comprise microstrip waveguides.
16 . The system according to claim 15 , wherein said one or more circuits are operable to configure a cavity height of said one or more of said plurality of leaky wave antennas by controlling spacing between conductive lines in said microstrip waveguides.
17 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein said leaky wave antennas comprise coplanar waveguides.
18 . The system according to claim 17 , wherein said one or more circuits are operable to configure a cavity height of said one or more of said plurality of leaky wave antennas by controlling spacing between conductive lines in said coplanar waveguides.
19 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein said one or more circuits are operable to communicate said RF signals from said one or more of said plurality of leaky wave antennas integrated in said integrated circuit to one or more leaky wave antennas in an integrated circuit package to which said integrated circuit is flip-chip bonded before communicating said RF signals to said one or more of said plurality of leaky wave antennas integrated in said printed circuit board.
20 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein a pair plurality of leaky wave antennas are stacked to communicate wireless signals in opposite directions.