Apple Inc.

Skyworks Solutions, Inc.

Xiaofang Mu

Chi V Pham

Weimin Sun

Bo Zhang

Hongxiao Shao

Jorge L Rivera Espinoza

Mingjuan Zhu

Erik G De Jong

William C Lukens

Bernd W Adler

Steven C Roach

Berke Cetinoneri

Derek Fujio Iwamoto

Yue Chen

Neeloy Roy

Scott D Morrison

Srinivasa Yasasvy Sateesh Bhamidipati

Siddharth Nangia

Daniel Kong

Vineet Nayak

Timothy Bryan Ogilvie

Venkatesh Rajendran

Patrick J Crowley

Christopher D Guichet

Woojin Jung

Samuel E Vinci

Kevin A Klenk

Zhiwei Gu

Annie Manuja

Bo Tong Deng

Shaohua Lin

Evan N Dvorak

An electronic device may include a first set of antennas, a second set of antennas, and a slip ring disposed between the first set of antennas and the second set of antennas. The slip ring may include a waveguide that provides a pathway for signals transmitted between the first set of and the second set of antennas. A diameter and a length of the waveguide may enable efficient transmission of the signals between the sets of antennas by reducing signal attenuation. Additionally, gaps between the sets of antennas and the slip ring may be sized to reduce radiation emitted from the electronic device. The gaps between the sets of antennas and the slip ring may enable wireless data transfer between the sets of antennas.

Slip ring for an electronic device

Techniques to reduce signal interference between wired signals communicated within an electronic device and wireless signals transmitted to or received from antennas of the electronic device are disclosed. The electronic device includes an interposer with an inner fence and an outer fence having offset gaps to prevent a pathway otherwise formed by overlapping tabs, where the pathway allows noise leakage from the wired signals. In some embodiments, the electronic device (e.g., in a main logic board package) includes a ground fencing of ground vias to prevent the noise leakage from harmonics associated with signal vias communicating the wired signals. The spacing between the ground vias is based on frequencies of signals that the ground vias are intended to block.

System and method for ground fencing

Devices are disclosed that include a wideband millimeter wave (mmW) via transition design for multilayer printed circuit boards (MLBs). In various instances embodiments, a via is dimensioned to provide impedance matching to stripline tracing connected at the end of the via. Impedance matching in the via may eliminate the need for an impedance matching section on the stripline tracing. In some instances, the dimensions of the via pad diameter and the via keepout diameter are selected to tune a via transition structure to selected frequencies and/or frequency bandwidths.

Wideband millimeter wave via transition

Frequency-filtering circuitry is disclosed that rejects power of a wireless signal having an undesired frequency while causing a decreased power loss to a wireless signal having a desired frequency using distributed elements, rather than lumped elements. The frequency-filtering circuitry may reject at least 5 decibels of power of a wireless signal having a frequency over 32 gigahertz, while causing a power loss of at most 1.1 decibels to a wireless signal having a frequency lower than 29.5 gigahertz. The frequency-filtering circuitry may include a main branch, a first parallel branch coupled and parallel to the main branch via a first connecting trace, and a second parallel branch coupled and parallel to the main branch via a second connecting trace. The first connecting trace intersects the main branch and the first parallel branch, and the second connecting trace intersects the main branch and the second parallel branch.

Distributed-element filter for mmWave frequencies

A wireless communication system may include an electronic device having a wireless communication module. The wireless communication module may include an antenna radiating element on a first surface, a ground ring surrounding the antenna radiating element on the first surface, and a radio component mounted to a second surface. The wireless communication module may be incorporated into a system package that also includes other components. Encapsulation material may cover the wireless communication module and other components. A shielding material may cover the encapsulation material and be coupled to the ground ring. An opening in the shielding material may be aligned with the antenna radiating element. If desired, the wireless communication system may include external equipment having a wireless communication module communicatively coupled to the wireless communication module to convey firmware testing, debugging, restore, and/or other data.

Wireless communication devices

Directional couplers having a chain configuration and devices incorporating same. In some implementations, a chain coupler assembly can include a plurality of couplers each having a driver arm configured to route a respective RF signal and a coupled arm disposed physically proximate to the driver arm to detect a portion of power of the respective RF signal. Portions of the driver arm and the coupler arm can form an overlapping region. At least one of the driver arm and the coupled arm can have a non-straight arm shape, and the coupled arms of the plurality of couplers can be connected together in series.

Directional couplers and devices including same

Devices and methods related to directional couplers. In some implementations, a coupler can include a driver arm and a coupler arm implemented relative to the driver arm to detect power of an RF signal. Portions of the driver and coupler arms can form an overlapping region, with at least one of the driver and coupler arms having a non-straight arm shape. The overlapping region can include a non-zero lateral offset between the driver and coupler arms. In some implementations, a coupler can include a driver arm having input and output sides, and a coupler arm having input and output sides and implemented relative to the driver arm to detect power of an RF signal. The coupler can further include a phase-shifting feature implemented with respect to at least one of the driver and coupler arms to reduce phase difference of power ripples associated with the coupler.

Devices and methods related to directional couplers

Growing community of inventors

Cupertino, CA, United States of America

Xiaofang Mu