Antenna array embedded in thinned region of display panel
The disclosed technology is generally directed to an antennary array embedded in a thinned region of a display panel. In one example of the technology, an apparatus comprises a display panel and a first antenna. The display panel is composed of a dielectric material. The display panel includes a first portion. An outer surface of the first portion is planar. The first portion includes a first region and a thinned region. The first region has a thickness. The thinned region has a thickness that is less than half of the thickness of the first region. The first antenna is embedded in the thinned region.
1 . An apparatus, comprising:
a display panel including a glass structure, the glass structure including:
an outer surface that is planar;
a bottom surface opposite the outer surface; and
a thinned region formed in the bottom surface of the glass structure; and
an antenna layer that is embedded in the thinned region of the glass structure of the display panel.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the glass structure is one or more of glass, plastic, or a glass-reinforced epoxy laminate material.
3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the thinned region is a removable cutout piece that is integrated into the display panel.
4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the display panel has at least one cosmetic feature that visually obscures the antenna layer.
5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is a mobile device, and wherein the display panel is a touch screen of the mobile device.
6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the thinned region is less than 0.5 millimeters.
7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a low-loss dielectric material disposed between the bottom surface of the glass structure of the display panel and the antenna layer, wherein the low-loss dielectric material has a loss tangent that is less than about 0.004 and a dielectric constant that is less than about three.
8 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the low-loss dielectric material is at least one of air, vacuum, a well-controlled low-loss ceramic material, plastic, or foam.
9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a backfill layer that is disposed between the glass structure of the display panel and the antenna layer, wherein the backfill layer is composed of a dielectric filler material.
10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the dielectric filler material is at least one of epoxy or a liquid adhesive.
11 . The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising:
an air gap that is disposed between the backfill layer and the antenna layer.
12 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the antenna layer includes a plurality of antennas that are embedded in the thinned region.
13 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of antennas comprise an ultra wideband (UWB) phased array antenna.
14 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an air gap at the thinned region between the antenna layer and the bottom surface of the glass structure of the display panel.
15 . The apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising a backfill layer between the antenna layer and the bottom surface of the glass structure of the display panel.
16 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the backfill layer is an epoxy layer for adhering the antenna layer to the bottom surface of the glass structure of the display panel.
17 . The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising a backfill keepout between the antenna layer and the bottom surface of the glass structure of the display panel and surrounding a radiating region of the antenna layer, wherein the backfill keepout forms an air gap by preventing the backfill layer from being disposed between the radiating region of the antenna layer and the bottom surface of the glass structure of the display panel.
18 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the antenna layer is a phase array antenna.
19 . An apparatus, comprising:
a substrate composed of a glass structure, the glass structure including:
an outer surface that is planar;
a bottom surface opposite the outer surface; and
a thinned region formed in the bottom surface of the glass structure of the substrate that is thinned relative to other regions of the glass structure of the substrate; and
an antenna layer that is embedded in the thinned region.
20 . A mobile device, comprising:
a touchscreen display panel comprising a dielectric material, including:
an outer surface that is planar;
a bottom surface opposite the outer surface that faces a chassis of the mobile device; and
a recess formed in the bottom surface of the touchscreen display panel;
a phased array antenna that is embedded in the recess and having a radiating region that faces the bottom surface of the touchscreen display panel; and
an epoxy layer position in the recess and adhering the phased array antenna to the bottom surface of the touchscreen display panel, wherein the epoxy layer includes an air gap formed therein around the radiating region of the phased array antenna and between the phased array antenna and the bottom surface of the touchscreen display panel.