MILLIMITER WAVE TRANSMISSION DEVICE, MILLIMITER WAVE TRANSMISSION METHOD, AND MILLIMITER WAVE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM
The device includes: a signal generating unit generating a millimeter wave signal by signal processing of an input signal; a coupling circuit transmitting an electromagnetic wave from the millimeter wave signal generated by the signal generating unit to one end of a circuit board; a coupling circuit receiving the electromagnetic wave from the millimeter wave signal from the other end of the circuit board; and a signal generating unit that generates an output signal by signal processing of the millimeter wave signal from the electromagnetic wave received by the coupling circuit. Preferably, the circuit board is constituted by a dielectric material whose the dielectric loss tangent is relatively large, and a transmission line functioning as a millimeter wave transmission path is constituted within this circuit board. With this construction, extremely high-speed signals can be transmitted through a circuit board having a prescribed dielectric constant representing a large loss.
1 . A millimeter wave transmission device comprising:
a first signal generation unit for generating a millimeter wave signal by performing frequency conversion on an input signal to be transmitted;
a second signal generation unit for demodulating the received millimeter wave signal and generating an output signal corresponding to the input signal to be transmitted; and
a circuit board which is constituted by a dielectric material and including the first signal generation unit and the second signal generation unit,
wherein the circuit board is used as a millimeter wave transmission path between the first signal generation unit and the second signal generation unit.
2 . The millimeter wave transmission device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first signal coupling unit for transmitting the millimeter wave signal generated by the first signal generation unit to one end of the circuit board; and
a second signal coupling unit for receiving the millimeter wave signal from the other end of the circuit board,
wherein each of the first signal coupling unit and the second signal coupling unit is constituted by an antenna member having a predetermined length based on the millimeter wave signal wavelength.
3 . The millimeter wave transmission device according to claim 2 ,
wherein the antenna member constituting the second signal coupling unit receives an electromagnetic wave based on the millimeter wave signal transmitted within the tangible object by the antenna member constituting the first signal coupling unit.
4 . The millimeter wave transmission device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first signal generation unit includes a modulating circuit for modulating the input signal and a first frequency converting circuit for performing frequency conversion on the signal modulated by the modulating circuit and generating the millimeter wave signal, and
the second signal generation unit includes a second frequency converting circuit for performing frequency conversion on the millimeter wave signal and a demodulating circuit for demodulating the signal output from the second frequency converting circuit and generating the output signal.
5 . The millimeter wave transmission device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the millimeter wave transmission path is configured such that a transmission region is defined on the circuit board, and the millimeter wave signal is transmitted in such a manner that the millimeter wave signal is shielded in this defined transmission region of the circuit board.
6 . The millimeter wave transmission device according to claim 5 ,
wherein the transmission region is defined by a plurality of hollow cylindrical opening portions penetrating through the circuit board or a plurality of cylindrical conductive members connecting conductive layers.
7 . The millimeter wave transmission device according to claim 4 ,
wherein each of the first signal generation unit and the second signal generation unit has an amplifier for amplifying the millimeter wave signal.
8 . The millimeter wave transmission device according to claim 7 , further comprising:
a signal quality determination circuit for determining a signal quality by monitoring the output signal provided by the demodulating circuit;
a direct current or low frequency transmission line for transmitting a quality determination signal output from the signal quality determination circuit; and
a gain control circuit for controlling a gain of the amplifier based on the quality determination signal transmitted by the direct current or low frequency transmission line.
9 . The millimeter wave transmission device according to claim 2 , comprising:
a first electronic component including the first signal generation unit and the first signal coupling unit; and
a second electronic component including the second signal coupling unit and the second signal generation unit,
wherein the first electronic component and the second electronic component are mounted on the same circuit board.
10 . The millimeter wave transmission device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the circuit board is constituted by at least one of a glass epoxy resin, an acrylic resin, and a polyethylene resin.
11 . The millimeter wave transmission device according to claim 2 ,
wherein an electronic component used for signal processing in baseband region of the input signal and the output signal is mounted on the circuit board between a first region of the circuit board including the first signal generation unit and the first signal coupling unit and a second region of the circuit board including the second signal generation unit and the second signal coupling unit.
12 . A millimeter wave transmission method,
wherein a circuit board constituted by a dielectric material includes a first signal generation unit for generating a millimeter wave signal by performing frequency conversion on an input signal to be transmitted and a second signal generation unit for demodulating the received millimeter wave signal and generating an output signal corresponding to the input signal to be transmitted, and
the millimeter wave transmission method comprises the steps of:
causing the first signal generation unit to generate the millimeter wave signal by performing frequency conversion on the input signal to be transmitted;
transmitting the millimeter wave signal to one end of the circuit board, and transmitting an electromagnetic wave based on the millimeter wave signal within the circuit board;
receiving a millimeter wave signal based on the electromagnetic wave obtained from the other end of the circuit board; and
causing the second signal generation unit to demodulate the received millimeter wave signal and generating an output signal corresponding to the input signal to be transmitted.
13 . The millimeter wave transmission method according to claim 12 ,
wherein when the millimeter wave signal is generated, the method includes the steps of:
modulating the input signal; and
performing frequency conversion on the modulated signal, and
when the output signal is generated, the method includes the steps of:
performing frequency conversion on the received millimeter wave signal; and
demodulating the signal having been subjected to the frequency conversion, and generating the output signal.
14 . A millimeter wave transmission system comprising:
a first millimeter wave transmission body including a first signal generation unit for generating a millimeter wave signal by performing frequency conversion on a first input signal to be transmitted, a second signal generation unit for demodulating the received millimeter wave signal and generating a first output signal corresponding to the first input signal to be transmitted, and a first circuit board constituted by a dielectric material and including the first signal generation unit and the second signal generation unit, wherein the first circuit board is used as a millimeter wave transmission path between the first signal generation unit and the second signal generation unit;
a second millimeter wave transmission body including a third signal generation unit for generating a millimeter wave signal by performing frequency conversion on a second input signal to be transmitted, a fourth signal generation unit for demodulating the received millimeter wave signal and generating a second output signal corresponding to the second input signal to be transmitted, and a second circuit board constituted by a dielectric material and including the third signal generation unit and the fourth signal generation unit, wherein the second circuit board is used as a millimeter wave transmission path between the third signal generation unit and the fourth signal generation unit; and
a coupling medium for connecting the first millimeter wave transmission body and the second millimeter wave transmission body and propagating an electromagnetic wave based on the millimeter wave signal.
15 . The millimeter wave transmission system according to claim 14 ,
wherein the first circuit board including the first millimeter wave transmission body and the second circuit board including the second millimeter wave transmission body are the same circuit board, and
the first millimeter wave transmission body and the second millimeter wave transmission body are connected via the coupling medium.
16 . The millimeter wave transmission system according to claim 14 ,
wherein the coupling medium propagates the millimeter wave signal constituted by a dielectric material different from the first circuit board and the second circuit board.
17 . The millimeter wave transmission system according to claim 14 ,
wherein the coupling medium is constituted by a waveguide structure for propagating the millimeter wave signal.
18 . The millimeter wave transmission system according to claim 14 , comprising:
a plurality of first millimeter wave transmission bodies; and
an adder circuit for adding millimeter wave signals provided from the plurality of first millimeter wave transmission bodies.
19 . The millimeter wave transmission system according to claim 14 ,
wherein the first circuit board including the first millimeter wave transmission body and the second circuit board including the second millimeter wave transmission body are the same circuit board, and
an electronic component used for signal processing in baseband region of the input signal and the output signal is mounted on the circuit board between a first region of the circuit board including the first millimeter wave transmission body and a second region of the circuit board including the second millimeter wave transmission body.