IP Library Granted Patent US 10,693,236
Granted Patent B2
US 10,693,236 · App. 15/014,508 · Granted Jun 23, 2020

Iris matched PCB to waveguide transition

Inventor: Adam Brown (Mountain View, CA)
Assignee: Waymo LLC
H01Q9/065H01P5/107H01P5/227H01Q1/3233H01P1/268H01P5/024H01Q21/005H01Q21/064
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,693,236
App. No.
15/014,508
Granted
Jun 23, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present application discloses embodiments that relate to an electromagnetic apparatus. In one aspect, the present apparatus includes a circuit board configured to propagate an electromagnetic signal. The apparatus also includes a waveguide configured to propagate an electromagnetic signal. The apparatus further includes a coupling port configured to couple a signal between the circuit board and the waveguide, where the coupling port has dimensions based on a desired impedance of the port.

Claims (27)

1. An apparatus comprising:

a circuit board configured to propagate an electromagnetic signal;

a waveguide configured to propagate the electromagnetic signal, wherein the waveguide comprises a first portion of a waveguide channel located in a top block and a second portion of the waveguide channel located in a bottom block, and wherein the first portion and the second portion are coupled together to form the waveguide channel; and

a coupling port configured to couple a signal between the circuit board and the waveguide, wherein the coupling port has a waveguide portion with dimensions based on a desired impedance of the port, and wherein the coupling port is located in the bottom block.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the coupling port is configured as a bidirectional port.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the waveguide comprises radiating elements configured to perform at least one of (i) radiate electromagnetic energy from the waveguide and (ii) couple electromagnetic energy into the waveguide.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the waveguide comprises a split block and wherein the circuit board is coupled to the bottom block of the split block, wherein the top block of the split block is configured to radiate electromagnetic energy.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the coupling port has dimensions that are machined from both a top side of the bottom block and a bottom side of the bottom block.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the circuit board comprises an element configured to radiate an electromagnetic signal into the coupling port.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of coupling ports.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 , further comprising a plurality of elements of the circuit board, each of the plurality of elements configured to radiate a respective electromagnetic signal into a respective coupling port of the plurality of coupling ports.

9. A method comprising:

conducting electromagnetic energy by a circuit board;

radiating at least a portion of the electromagnetic energy as radiated electromagnetic energy by a radiating component of the circuit board; and

coupling at least a portion of the radiated electromagnetic energy into a waveguide by a coupling port, wherein:

the coupling port is a passage between the waveguide and the circuit board and wherein the coupling port has a waveguide portion with dimensions based on a desired impedance of the port; and

wherein the waveguide comprises a first portion of a waveguide channel located in a top block and a second portion of the waveguide channel located in a bottom block, wherein the first portion and the second portion are coupled together to form the waveguide channel, and wherein the coupling port is located in the bottom block.

10. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising a plurality of coupling ports and a plurality of radiating components of the circuit board, the method further comprising each coupling port coupling at least a portion of the radiated electromagnetic energy radiated by a respective radiating component.

11. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the coupling is performed by a coupling component located in a split block and wherein the circuit board is coupled to the bottom block of the split block, wherein the top block of the split block is configured to radiate electromagnetic energy.

12. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the coupling port has dimensions that are machined from both a top side of the bottom block and a bottom side of the bottom block.

13. A method comprising:

conducting electromagnetic energy by a waveguide, wherein the waveguide comprises a first portion of a waveguide channel located in a top block and a second portion of the waveguide channel located in a bottom block, and wherein the first portion and the second portion are coupled together to form the waveguide channel;

coupling at least a portion of the radiated electromagnetic energy from the waveguide by a coupling port as received electromagnetic energy, wherein the coupling port is a passage between the waveguide and a circuit board through the bottom block and wherein the coupling port has a waveguide portion with dimensions based on a desired impedance of the port; and

coupling at least a portion of the received electromagnetic energy from the coupling port to a circuit board by a coupling component of the circuit board.

14. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising a plurality of coupling ports and a plurality of radiating components of the circuit board, the method further comprising each coupling port coupling at least a portion of the radiated electromagnetic energy radiated by a respective radiating component.

15. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the coupling is performed by a coupling component located in a split block and wherein the circuit board is coupled to a bottom block of the split block, wherein the top block of the split block is configured to radiate electromagnetic energy.

16. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the coupling port has dimensions that are machined from both a top side of the bottom block and a bottom side of the bottom block.

Assignments (6)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE THE REMOVAL OF THE INCORRECTLY RECORDED APPLICATION NUMBERS 14/149802 AND 15/419313 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 44144 FRAME: 1. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CHANGE OF NAME. Recorded Mar 4, 2024
From: GOOGLE INC.
To: GOOGLE LLC
Reel/Frame 068092/0502 →
SUBMISSION TO CORRECT AN ERROR MADE IN A PREVIOUSLY RECORDED DOCUMENT THAT ERRONEOUSLY AFFECTS THE IDENTIFIED APPLICATIONS Recorded Nov 11, 2019
From: WAYMO LLC
To: WAYMO LLC
Reel/Frame 050978/0359 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 6, 2017
From: GOOGLE INC.
To: GOOGLE LLC
Reel/Frame 044144/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 24, 2017
From: GOOGLE INC.
To: WAYMO HOLDING INC.
Reel/Frame 042084/0741 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 24, 2017
From: WAYMO HOLDING INC.
To: WAYMO LLC
Reel/Frame 042085/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 3, 2016
From: BROWN, ADAM
To: GOOGLE INC.
Reel/Frame 037656/0261 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20170222323A1 · Aug 3, 2017
Cited By (1)
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