Antennas for millimeter wave contactless communications

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus for using antennas for millimeter wave contactless communication. One of the apparatuses is a communication device that includes a transducer configured to convert electrical signals into extremely high frequency (EHF) electromagnetic signals, the EHF electromagnetic signals substantially emitted from a first surface of the communication device, wherein the transducer is positioned on a substrate of the communication device, and an integrated circuit coupled to the substrate, wherein the transducer includes multiple parallel resonant antenna elements in an array.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A communication device comprising:
 a transducer configured to convert electrical signals into extremely high frequency (EHF) electromagnetic signals, the EHF electromagnetic signals substantially emitted from a first surface of the communication device; and   an integrated circuit coupled to the transducer and configured to electrically communicate with the transducer, the integrated circuit coupled to a second surface of the communication device, wherein the second surface is parallel to the first surface, wherein the transducer includes a pair of substantially circle sector shaped portions, each coupled to a respective microstrip line.   
     
     
         2 . The communication device of  claim 1 , wherein each circle sector-shaped conductor includes a curved slot having a pair of substantially parallel curved edges. 
     
     
         3 . The communication device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a substrate, wherein the transducer is printed onto a surface of the substrate.   
     
     
         4 . The communication device of  claim 3 , wherein the integrated circuit is positioned on the substrate. 
     
     
         5 . The communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the communication device further comprises an encapsulating material formed around at least a portion of the integrated circuit and the transducer. 
     
     
         6 . The communication device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a ground plane structure configured to reflect EHF electromagnetic signals emitted by the transducer, wherein the ground plane structure is on a layer of the substrate.   
     
     
         7 . The communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the transducer comprises:
 a pair of substantially circle sector shaped conductors, each circle sector-shaped conductor including a curved slot having a pair of substantially parallel curved edges and formed within the conductor; and   a pair of microstrip conductors, wherein each microstrip conductor is coupled to a respective one of the pair of circle sector-shaped conductors.   
     
     
         8 . The communication device of  claim 7 , wherein the curved slots of the circle sector shaped conductors increase the electrical length of the transducer to provide a lower frequency range for the transducer. 
     
     
         9 . The communication device of  claim 7 , wherein the circle sector-shaped conductors flatten an input impedance response of the transducer. 
     
     
         10 . A communication device comprising:
 a transducer configured to convert electrical signals into extremely high frequency (EHF) electromagnetic signals, the EHF electromagnetic signals substantially emitted from a first surface of the communication device; and   an integrated circuit coupled to the transducer and configured to electrically communicate with the transducer, the transmitter circuit coupled to a second surface of the communication device, the second surface parallel to the first surface, wherein the transducer includes a spiral-shaped conductor.   
     
     
         11 . The communication device of  claim 10 , wherein the spiral-shaped conductor is one of an Archimedes spiral or a logarithmic spiral. 
     
     
         12 . The communication device of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a substrate, wherein the transducer is printed onto a surface of the substrate, and wherein the integrated circuit is electrically coupled to conductive paths formed in the substrate; and   a ground plane structure configured to reflect EHF electromagnetic signals emitted by the transducer, wherein the ground plane structure is on a layer of the substrate.   
     
     
         13 . The communication device of  claim 10 , wherein the EHF electromagnetic signals emitted from the first surface have a substantially constant strength during rotation orthogonal to a plane of the spiral-shaped conductor. 
     
     
         14 . A communication device comprising:
 a transducer positioned on a substrate, the transducer configured to convert electrical signals into extremely high frequency (EHF) electromagnetic signals, the EHF electromagnetic signals substantially emitted from a first surface of the communication device;   an integrated circuit positioned on the substrate and coupled to the transducer, wherein the integrated circuit is configured to electrically communicate with the transducer; and   a beam guiding structure having a flattened horn shape and coupled to the substrate relative to the transducer so as to narrow signals from the antenna in a particular direction.   
     
     
         15 . The communication device of  claim 14 , wherein the beam guiding structure is positioned such that a wider diameter side of the flattened horn shape is nearer to the transducer than a narrower diameter side of the flattened horn shape. 
     
     
         16 . The communication device of  claim 14 , wherein an interior surface of the flattened shape is coated with a conductive material. 
     
     
         17 . The communication device of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a material within a space formed by the flattened horn shape, wherein the material does not inhibit passage of EHF electromagnetic signals.   
     
     
         18 . The communication device of  claim 14 , wherein the beam guiding structure generates an output radiation pattern of EHF electromagnetic signals entering the beam guiding structure from the transducer based on the geometry of the flattened horn shape including an interior diameter and a height of the flattened horn shape.