阅读说明：本技术 支持毫米波无线通信的接口连接器 (Interface connector supporting millimeter wave wireless communication ) 是由 朴相俊 P·H·连 E·伦泽 T·乌 于 2020-05-01 设计创作，主要内容包括：本文中描述的方面涉及被配置为支持无线通信的连接器的至少部分,所述连接器包括多个腔室,每个腔室至少部分地被连续隔离结构包围以提供电信号隔离,并且限定出内表面。多个腔室的第一腔室中的至少一个端子被配置为第一接口,多个腔室的第二腔室中的至少一个端子被配置为第二接口。(Aspects described herein relate to at least a portion of a connector configured to support wireless communication, the connector including a plurality of chambers, each chamber at least partially surrounded by a continuous isolation structure to provide electrical signal isolation and defining an interior surface. At least one terminal in a first chamber of the plurality of chambers is configured as a first interface and at least one terminal in a second chamber of the plurality of chambers is configured as a second interface.)

1. A plug configured to support wireless communication, the plug comprising:

a plurality of chambers, wherein each chamber of the plurality of chambers is at least partially surrounded by a continuous barrier structure and defines an inner surface; and

at least one terminal within the inner surface of each of the plurality of chambers, wherein at least a first terminal in a first chamber of the plurality of chambers is configured for a first interface, and wherein at least a second terminal in a second chamber of the plurality of chambers is configured for a second interface.

2. The plug of claim 1, wherein the plug is used for a Flexible Printed Circuit (FPC) and is configured to support millimeter wave (mmW) wireless communication.

3. The plug of claim 1, wherein the continuous isolation structure is a continuous ground structure.

4. The plug of claim 1, wherein the first interface comprises a first Intermediate Frequency (IF) interface, and wherein the second interface comprises a second IF interface.

5. The plug of claim 4, wherein at least a third one of the third plurality of chambers comprises one or more control terminals.

6. The plug of claim 5, wherein the one or more control terminals comprise at least one of: battery terminals, voltage terminals, or digital terminals.

7. The plug of claim 4, wherein the first IF interface and the second IF interface are configured to carry millimeter wave signals.

8. The plug of claim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of chambers has an opening in the continuous isolation structure.

9. The plug of claim 8, wherein one or more of the plurality of chambers form a closed continuous ground structure when the plug is coupled to a receptacle.

10. The plug of claim 1, wherein at least the first terminal includes a tension pad for electrically coupling with a corresponding tension pad on a socket to facilitate electrical contact with the corresponding tension pad.

11. The plug of claim 10, wherein the electrical coupling comprises a physical contact or proximal non-contact positioning between the tension pad and the corresponding tension pad on the receptacle to facilitate the transfer of energy.

12. The plug of claim 1, wherein the continuous isolation structure is a continuous ground structure formed from a single ground wire wound to form each chamber of the plurality of chambers.

13. A method for manufacturing a printed circuit configured to support wireless communication, the method comprising:

forming at least a portion of a connector having a plurality of cavities and at least one terminal in each of the plurality of cavities, wherein each cavity is at least partially surrounded by a continuous isolation structure;

coupling at least a first terminal in a first chamber of the plurality of chambers to a first line on the printed circuit for a first interface; and

coupling at least a second terminal in a second chamber of the plurality of chambers to a second line on the printed circuit for a second interface.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising: coupling at least a third terminal in a third chamber of the plurality of chambers to at least a third line on the printed circuit, wherein at least the third terminal in the third chamber comprises one or more control terminals.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the one or more control terminals comprise at least one of: battery terminals, voltage terminals, or digital terminals.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein forming the at least part of the connector comprises: at least the first terminal is formed as a tension pad for coupling with a corresponding tension pad on a socket to facilitate electrical coupling with the corresponding tension pad.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein forming the at least part of the connector comprises: forming the continuous isolation structure using a single ground wire wound to form each chamber of the plurality of chambers.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least part of the connector is a plug or a socket.

19. A receptacle configured to support wireless communications, the receptacle comprising:

at least two terminals configured for a first interface and a second interface;

an isolation portion at least partially enclosing each of the at least two terminals in a respective cavity, wherein the isolation portion forms part of a continuous isolation structure at least when coupled with a plug having at least two different terminals coupled to the at least two terminals.

20. The receptacle of claim 19, wherein the receptacle is to be used for coupling to a printed circuit board and is configured to support millimeter wave (mmW) wireless communications.

21. The receptacle of claim 19, wherein the first interface comprises a first Intermediate Frequency (IF) interface and the second interface comprises a second IF interface.

22. The receptacle of claim 19, wherein the isolated portion is a metal ground portion and the continuous isolated structure is a continuous ground structure.

23. The receptacle of claim 19, further comprising one or more control terminals, and wherein the isolated portion at least partially encloses the one or more control terminals in another chamber.

24. The receptacle of claim 23, wherein the one or more control terminals comprise at least one of: battery terminals, voltage terminals, or digital terminals.

25. The socket of claim 19 wherein the isolation portion includes a pressure foot to mechanically retain the plug in the socket.

26. The receptacle of claim 19, further comprising a connector to couple the isolated portion to a ground source of a device to provide a continuous ground structure.

Background

Aspects of the present disclosure relate generally to wireless communication systems and, more particularly, to an interface connector for supporting wireless communication.

Wireless communication systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcast, and so on. These systems may be multiple-access systems capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available system resources (e.g., time, frequency, and power). Examples of such multiple-access systems include Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) systems, Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) systems, Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) systems, and Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) systems and single carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) systems.

These multiple access techniques have been employed in various telecommunications standards to provide a common protocol that enables different wireless devices to communicate on a municipal, national, regional, or even global level. For example, fifth generation (5G) wireless communication technologies, which may be referred to as 5G new radio (5G NR), are intended to extend and support various usage scenarios and applications related to current mobile network generations. In one aspect, the 5G communication technology may include: enhanced mobile broadband, addressing human-centric use cases for accessing multimedia content, services and data; ultra-reliable low latency communication (URLLC) with specific latency and reliability specifications; and mass machine type communications, which may allow for the transmission of a very large number of connected devices and relatively small amounts of non-delay sensitive information.

In some wireless communication technologies, such as 5G, millimeter wave (mmW) spectrum may be used to facilitate wireless communication between nodes. Currently, devices use board-to-board (B2B) connectors to connect the Printed Circuit Board (PCB) portion of the RF front end. These B2B connectors are designed specifically for Direct Current (DC) and digital signal connections. Due to the power/frequency requirements of mmW spectrum communications, the use of existing B2B connectors may result in leakage of various portions of the device associated with its Radio Frequency (RF) front end based on the design of the existing B2B connector. This may also cause interference to signals received and/or transmitted by the device (e.g., Long Term Evolution (LTE) or Global Positioning System (GPS) radios below 6 gigahertz in the device).

Disclosure of Invention

The following presents a simplified summary of one or more aspects in order to provide a basic understanding of such aspects. This summary is not an extensive overview of all contemplated aspects, and is intended to neither identify key or critical elements of all aspects nor delineate the scope of any or all aspects. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more aspects in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

According to an example, there is provided a plug configured to support wireless communication, the plug comprising: a plurality of chambers, wherein each chamber of the plurality of chambers is at least partially surrounded by a continuous barrier structure and defines an inner surface; at least one terminal within an inner surface of each of the plurality of chambers, wherein at least a first terminal in a first chamber of the plurality of chambers is configured for a first interface, and wherein at least a second terminal in a second chamber of the plurality of chambers is configured for a second interface. Providing multiple separate chambers may allow for isolation to be provided for the chambers to mitigate energy leakage (and thus interference) from associated interfaces that occurs between the chambers and/or external to a connector that includes a plug coupled to a receptacle. This may improve the signal quality of the terminals and/or the signal quality of the electronics near the connector within the device.

In a further example, a method is provided for manufacturing a printed circuit configured to support wireless communication. The method comprises the following steps: forming at least a portion of a connector having a plurality of cavities and at least one terminal in each cavity of the plurality of cavities, wherein each cavity is at least partially surrounded by a continuous isolating structure; coupling at least a first terminal in a first chamber of the plurality of chambers to a first line on the printed circuit for a first interface; coupling at least one second terminal in a second chamber of the plurality of chambers to a second line on the printed circuit for a second interface. Providing multiple separate chambers may allow for isolation to be provided for the chambers to mitigate energy leakage (and thus interference) from associated interfaces that occurs between the chambers and/or external to a connector that includes a plug coupled to a receptacle. This may improve the signal quality of the terminals and/or the signal quality of the electronics near the connector within the device.

In another example, a receptacle configured to support wireless communication is provided. The socket includes: at least two terminals configured for a first interface and a second interface; an isolation portion at least partially enclosing each of the at least two terminals in a respective cavity, wherein the isolation portion forms a portion of a continuous isolation structure at least when coupled with a plug having at least two different terminals coupled to the at least two terminals. Providing multiple separate chambers may allow for isolation to be provided for the chambers to mitigate energy leakage (and thus interference) from associated interfaces that occurs between the chambers and/or external to a connector that includes a plug coupled to a receptacle. This may improve the signal quality of the terminals and/or the signal quality of the electronics near the connector within the device.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the one or more aspects comprise the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims. The following description and the annexed drawings set forth in detail certain illustrative features of the one or more aspects. These features are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of various aspects may be employed and the present description is intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents.

Drawings

The disclosed aspects will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, provided to illustrate and not to limit the disclosed aspects, wherein like designations denote like elements, and in which:

fig. 1 illustrates an example of a wireless communication system in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure;

fig. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a UE in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a receptacle and plug configuration in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure;

fig. 4 is a block diagram illustrating additional examples of receptacle and plug structures according to various aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating another example of a receptacle and plug configuration in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating another example of a receptacle and plug configuration in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating another example of a receptacle and plug configuration according to aspects of the present disclosure;

fig. 8 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a flexible printed circuit according to aspects of the present disclosure;

fig. 9 is a flow diagram illustrating an example of a method for manufacturing a printed circuit in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure; and

fig. 10 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a MIMO communication system including a base station and a UE in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

Various aspects are now described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of one or more aspects. It may be evident, however, that such aspect(s) may be practiced without these specific details.

The described features generally relate to an improved connector design for a board-to-board (B2B) assembly for a wireless communication device to minimize Radio Frequency (RF) leakage. The connector may include one or more of a plug for a Flexible Printed Circuit (FPC) or a corresponding receptacle on a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) that may receive the plug to connect multiple PCBs via the FPC. For example, the connector may be completely (or at least substantially) shielded by the continuous isolation structure. For example, the continuous isolation structure may include a continuous ground reference. This may provide minimal mode mismatch between FPC and PCB modes. Furthermore, the connector may allow for an FPC design that may have fewer fringe fields mismatched with the FPC interface wiring than a conventional connector/FPC. In one example, the connector may include a plurality of chambers, each chamber surrounding one or more terminals, wherein each of the plurality of chambers may include a continuous isolation structure surrounding the one or more terminals. The continuous isolation structure may mitigate RF leakage from the respective terminals and may allow for the provision of electromagnetic interference (EMI) -compliant RF connectors. For example, as described herein, the continuous isolation structure may be connected to a ground reference to provide a continuous ground structure to isolate electrical energy.

In a particular example, a connector may include a first cavity at least partially surrounding a first Intermediate Frequency (IF) terminal, a second cavity at least partially surrounding a second IF terminal, and a third cavity at least partially surrounding other terminals. Other terminals in the third chamber may include control terminals, such as battery terminals, voltage terminals, digital terminals, and the like. In this regard, the terminals may be arranged, positioned, mounted within the respective chambers, or may otherwise reside within or be at least partially enclosed or enclosed by the respective chambers. The cavity may be provided with a shielding material, such as plastic, and/or may be at least partially surrounded by a continuous isolation between the terminals. Further, a continuous isolation structure may be additionally or continuously provided along the exterior of the connector (e.g., outside of or around the chamber). This configuration may facilitate isolation between the terminal itself and the exterior of the connector to mitigate RF leakage interference. In a specific example, the connector may be used to connect baseband and IF portions of the device and/or to connect a mmW antenna PCB and mmW chip, etc.

The described features will be presented in more detail below with reference to fig. 1-10.

As used in this application, the terms "component," "module," "system," and the like are intended to include a computer-related entity, such as but not limited to hardware, firmware, a combination of hardware and software, or software in execution. For example, a component may be, but is not limited to being, a process running on a processor, an object, an executable, a thread of execution, a program, and/or a computer. By way of illustration, both an application running on a computing device and the computing device can be a component. One or more components can reside within a process and/or thread of execution and a component can be localized on one computer and/or distributed between two or more computers. In addition, these components can execute from various computer readable media having various data structures stored thereon. The components may communicate by way of local and/or remote processes such as in accordance with a signal having one or more data packets, such as data from one component interacting with another component in a network, such as the internet, with local systems, distributed systems, and/or across a network such as the internet with other systems by way of the signal.

The techniques described herein may be used for various wireless communication systems such as CDMA, TDMA, FDMA, OFDMA, SC-FDMA and other systems. The terms "system" and "network" are often used interchangeably. A CDMA system may implement a radio technology such as CDMA2000, Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (UTRA), etc. CDMA2000 covers IS-2000, IS-95 and IS-856 standards. IS-2000 releases 0 and A are commonly referred to as CDMA2000IX, IX, etc. IS-856(TIA-856) IS commonly referred to as CDMA2000lxEV-DO, High Rate Packet Data (HRPD), or the like. UTRA includes wideband CDMA (wcdma) and other variants of CDMA. A TDMA system may implement a radio technology such as global system for mobile communications (GSM). OFDMA systems may implement methods such as Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB), evolved UTRA (E-UTRA), IEEE802.11 (Wi-Fi), IEEE 802.16(WiMAX), IEEE 802.20, Flash-OFDM^TMEtc. radio technologies. UTRA and E-UTRA are part of the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS). 3GPP Long term evolutionAdvanced (LTE) and LTE evolution (LTE-A) are new releases of UMTS using E-UTRA. UTRA, E-UTRA, UMTS, LTE-A, and GSM are described in documents from an organization named "third Generation partnership project" (3 GPP). CDMA2000 and UMB are described in documents from an organization named "third generation partnership project 2" (3GPP 2). The techniques described herein may be used for the above-described systems and radio technologies as well as other systems and radio technologies, including cellular (e.g., LTE) communications over a shared radio frequency spectrum band. However, the following description describes an LTE/LTE-a system for purposes of example, and LTE terminology is used in much of the description below, however, the techniques are applicable beyond LTE/LTE-a applications (e.g., to fifth generation (5G) New Radio (NR) networks or other next generation communication systems).

The following description provides examples, but does not limit the scope, applicability, or examples set forth in the claims. Changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements discussed without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Various examples may omit, substitute, or add various programs or components as appropriate. For example, the described methods may be performed in an order different than described, and various steps may be added, omitted, or combined. Furthermore, features described with respect to some examples may be combined in other examples.

Various aspects or features will be presented in terms of systems that may include a number of devices, components, modules, and the like. It is to be understood and appreciated that the various systems may include additional devices, components, modules, etc. and/or may not include all of the devices, components, modules etc. discussed in connection with the figures. Combinations of these methods may also be used.

Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a wireless communication system and an access network 100. A wireless communication system, also referred to as a Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN), may include a base station 102, a UE 104, an Evolved Packet Core (EPC)160, and/or a 5G core (5GC) 190. Base station 102 may include a macro cell (high power cellular base station) and/or a small cell (low power cellular base station). The macro cell may include a base station. Small cells may include femto cells, pico cells, and micro cells. In an example, base station 102 can also include a gNB 180, as further described herein. In one example, some nodes of a wireless communication system may have a transceiver 202 and an RF front end 288 for transmitting signals to other nodes. UE 104 is shown with transceiver 202 and RF front end 288, but other nodes may have such components as base station 102. In an example, the RF front end 288 can include one or more PCBs connected via an FPC that uses the connectors described herein (e.g., a combination plug and jack) to mitigate radio frequency leakage.

Base stations 102 configured for 4G LTE, which may be collectively referred to as evolved Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) terrestrial radio access network (E-UTRAN), may interact with EPC 160 over backhaul link 132 (e.g., using the SI interface). The base stations 102 configured for the 5G NR (which may be collectively referred to as a next generation RAN (NG-RAN)) may interact with the 5GC 190 over a backhaul link 184. Among other functions, the base station 102 may perform one or more of the following functions: transmission of user data, radio channel encryption and decryption, integrity protection, header compression, mobility control functions (e.g., handover, dual connectivity), inter-cell interference coordination, connection establishment and release, load balancing, non-access stratum (NAS) messages, NAS node selection, synchronization, Radio Access Network (RAN) sharing, Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS), user and device tracking, RAN Information Management (RIM), paging, positioning, and alert delivery messages. Base stations 102 may communicate with each other directly or indirectly (e.g., through EPC 160 or 5GC 190) through backhaul link 134 (e.g., using X2 interface). The backhaul link 134 may be wired or wireless.

A base station 102 may wirelessly communicate with one or more UEs 104. Each base station 102 may provide communication coverage for a respective geographic coverage area 110. There may be overlapping geographic coverage areas 110. For example, a small cell base station 102 'may have a coverage area 110' that overlaps with the coverage area 110 of one or more macro base stations 102. A network that includes both small cells and macro cells may be referred to as a heterogeneous network. The heterogeneous network may also include a home evolved node b (enb) (henb), which may provide services to a restricted group, which may be referred to as a Closed Subscriber Group (CSG). The communication link 120 between the base station 102 and the UE 104 may include Uplink (UL) (also referred to as reverse link) transmissions from the UE 104 to the base station 102 and/or Downlink (DL) (also referred to as forward link) transmissions from the base station 102 to the UE 104. The communication link 120 may use multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna techniques including spatial multiplexing, beamforming, and/or transmit diversity. The communication link may be through one or more carriers. The base station 102/UE 104 may use a spectrum of up to a bandwidth of Y MHz per carrier (e.g., 5, 10, 15, 20, 100, 400, etc.) allocated on a carrier aggregation of up to a total of Yx MHz (e.g., for x component carriers) for transmission in the DL and/or UL directions. The carriers may or may not be adjacent to each other. The allocation of carriers may be asymmetric with respect to the DL and UL (e.g., more or fewer carriers may be allocated for the DL than for the UL). The component carriers may include a primary component carrier and one or more secondary component carriers. The primary component carrier may be referred to as a primary cell (PCell) and the secondary component carrier may be referred to as a secondary cell (SCell).

In another example, particular UEs 104 may communicate with each other using a device-to-device (D2D) communication link 158. The D2D communication link 158 may use DL/ul wwan spectrum. D2D communication link 158 may use one or more sidelink channels, such as a Physical Sidelink Broadcast Channel (PSBCH), a Physical Sidelink Discovery Channel (PSDCH), a Physical Sidelink Shared Channel (PSSCH), and a Physical Sidelink Control Channel (PSCCH). The D2D communication may be through various wireless D2D communication systems, such as FlashLinQ, WiMedia, Bluetooth, ZigBee, Wi-Fi based on IEEE802.11 standards, LTE, or NR, for example.

The wireless communication system may also include a Wi-Fi Access Point (AP)150 that communicates with a Wi-Fi Station (STA)152 via a communication link 154 in a 5GHz unlicensed spectrum. When communicating in the unlicensed spectrum, the STA 152/AP 150 may perform a Clear Channel Assessment (CCA) prior to the communication to determine whether a channel is available.

The small cell 102' may operate in licensed and/or unlicensed spectrum. When operating in unlicensed spectrum, small cell 102' may use NR and use the same 5GHz unlicensed spectrum as WiFi AP 150. Small cells 102' using NR in unlicensed spectrum may improve coverage and/or increase the capacity of the access network.

Whether small cell 102' or a large cell (e.g., a macro base station), base station 102 may include an eNB, a gandeb (gNB), or other type of base station. Some base stations, such as the gNB 180, may operate in the conventional sub-6 GHz frequency spectrum, millimeter wave (mmW) frequencies, and/or near mmW frequencies in communication with the UE 104. When gNB 180 operates in mmW or near mmW frequencies, gNB 180 may be referred to as a mmW base station. Extremely High Frequencies (EHF) are part of the RF in the electromagnetic spectrum. The EHF has a range of 30GHz to 300GHz and a wavelength between 1 millimeter to 10 millimeters. Radio waves in this frequency band may be referred to as millimeter waves. Near mmW can extend down to frequencies of 3GHz and wavelengths of 100 mm. The ultra-high frequency (SHF) band extends between 3GHz and 30GHz, also known as centimeter waves. Communications using the mmW/near mmW radio band have extremely high path loss and short range. The mmW base station 180 may use beamforming 182 with the UE 104 to compensate for extremely high path loss and short range. A base station 102 as referred to herein may include a gNB 180.

The EPC 160 may include a Mobility Management Entity (MME)162, other MMEs 164, a serving gateway 166, a Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) gateway 168, a broadcast multicast service center (BM-SC)170, and a Packet Data Network (PDN) gateway 172. MME 162 may communicate with Home Subscriber Server (HSS) 174. MME 162 is a control node that handles signaling between UE 104 and EPC 160. Generally, the MME 162 provides bearer and connection management. All user Internet Protocol (IP) packets are transmitted through the serving gateway 166, which is itself connected to the PDN gateway 172. The PDN gateway 172 provides UE IP address allocation as well as other functions. The PDN gateway 172 and BM-SC170 are connected to an IP service 176. IP services 176 may include the internet, intranets, IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), PS streaming services, and/or other IP services. The BM-SC170 may provide functionality for MBMS user service provisioning and delivery. The BM-SC170 may serve as an entry point for content provider MBMS transmissions, may be used to authorize and initiate MBMS bearer services within a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN), and may be used to schedule MBMS transmissions. The MBMS gateway 168 may be used to distribute MBMS traffic to base stations 102 belonging to a Multicast Broadcast Single Frequency Network (MBSFN) area broadcasting a particular service and may be responsible for session management (start/stop) and collecting eMBMS-related charging information.

The 5GC 190 may include an access and mobility management function (AMF)192, other AMFs 193, a Session Management Function (SMF)194, and a User Plane Function (UPF) 195. The AMF 192 may communicate with a Unified Data Management (UDM) 196. The AMF 192 may be a control node that processes signaling between the UE 104 and the 5GC 190. In general, AMF 192 may provide QoS flow and session management. User Internet Protocol (IP) packets (e.g., from one or more UEs 104) may be transmitted through the UPF 195. The UPF 195 may provide UE IP address assignment and other functionality for one or more UEs. The UPF 195 is connected to the IP service 197. The IP services 197 may include the internet, intranets, IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), PS streaming services, and/or other IP services.

A base station may also be referred to as a gNB, NodeB, evolved NodeB (enb), access point, base transceiver station, radio base station, radio transceiver, transceiver function, Basic Service Set (BSS), Extended Service Set (ESS), Transmit Receive Point (TRP), or some other suitable terminology. The base station 102 provides an access point for the UE 104 to the EPC 160 or the 5GC 190. Examples of UEs 104 include cellular phones, smart phones, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) phones, laptops, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), satellite broadcasts, global positioning systems, multimedia devices, video devices, digital audio players (e.g., MP3 players), cameras, gaming machines, tablets, smart devices, wearable devices, vehicles, electric meters, gas pumps, large or small kitchen appliances, healthcare devices, implants, sensors/actuators, displays, or any other similarly functioning device. Some of the UEs 104 may be referred to as IoT devices (e.g., parking meters, gas pumps, toasters, vehicles, heart monitors, etc.). UE 104 may also be referred to as a station, a mobile station, a subscriber station, a mobile unit, a subscriber unit, a wireless unit, a remote unit, a mobile device, a wireless communication device, a remote device, a mobile subscriber station, an access terminal, a mobile terminal, a wireless terminal, a remote terminal, a handset, a user agent, a mobile client, a client, or some other suitable terminology.

In an example, using an RF front end 288 employing the connectors described herein may allow for mitigating RF leakage in mmW communications.

2-10, aspects are described with reference to one or more components and one or more methods that may perform the actions or operations described herein, where aspects in dashed lines may be optional. While the operations described below in fig. 9 are presented in a particular order and/or performed by example components, it should be understood that the ordering of the actions and the components performing the actions may vary depending on the implementation. Further, it should be understood that the following acts, functions and/or described components may be performed by a specially programmed processor, a processor executing specially programmed software or computer readable media, or by any other combination of hardware components and/or software components capable of performing the described acts or functions.

With reference to fig. 2, one example of an embodiment of the UE 104 may include various components, some of which have been described above and further described herein, including components such as the one or more processors 212 and memory 216 and transceiver 202 in communication via one or more buses 244, which may operate in conjunction with the modem 240 to transmit signals in a wireless network.

In an aspect, the one or more processors 212 may include a modem 240 and/or may be part of the modem 240 using one or more modem processors. Accordingly, various functions associated with communication may be included in the modem 240 and/or the processor 212 and, in an aspect, may be performed by a single processor, while in other aspects, different functions may be performed by a combination of two or more different processors. For example, in an aspect, the one or more processors 212 may include any one or any combination of a modem processor, or a baseband processor, or a digital signal processor, or a transmit processor, or a receiver processor, or a transceiver processor associated with the transceiver 202. In other aspects, some features of the one or more processors 212 and/or modem 240 associated with the communication may be performed by the transceiver 202.

Further, the memory 216 may be configured to store data used herein and/or local versions of the application programs 275 that are executed by the at least one processor 212. The memory 216 may include any type of computer-readable medium or at least one processor 212 usable by a computer, such as Random Access Memory (RAM), Read Only Memory (ROM), magnetic tape, magnetic disk, optical disk, volatile memory, non-volatile memory, and any combination thereof. In an aspect, for example, when the UE 104 is operating the at least one processor 212 to execute applications 275 or various instructions related to communication with the base station 102 and/or other UEs 104 or other devices, the memory 216 may be a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more computer-executable codes and/or data associated therewith.

The transceiver 202 may include at least one receiver 206 and at least one transmitter 208. The receiver 206 may include hardware, firmware, and/or software code executable by a processor to receive data, the code comprising instructions and being stored in a memory (e.g., a computer-readable medium). The receiver 206 may be, for example, a Radio Frequency (RF) receiver. In an aspect, receiver 206 may receive signals transmitted through at least one base station 102. In addition, receiver 206 may process such received signals and may also obtain measurements of signals such as, but not limited to, Ec/Io, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP), Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI), and so forth. The transmitter 208 may include hardware, firmware, and/or software code executable by a processor for transmitting data, the code comprising instructions and being stored in a memory (e.g., a computer-readable medium). Suitable examples of the transmitter 208 may include, but are not limited to, an RF transmitter.

Further, in an aspect, the UE 104 may include an RF front end 288 that may be in communication with the one or more antennas 265 and the transceiver 202 to receive and transmit radio transmissions, e.g., wireless communications transmitted by at least one base station 102 or wireless transmissions transmitted by the UE 104. The RF front end 288 may be connected to one or more antennas 265 and may include one or more Low Noise Amplifiers (LNAs) 290, one or more switches 292, one or more Power Amplifiers (PAs) 298, and one or more filters 296 for transmitting and receiving RF signals.

In an aspect, the LNA 290 may amplify the received signal at a desired output level. In an aspect, each LNA 290 may have specified minimum and maximum gain values. In an aspect, the RF front end 288 may use one or more switches 292 to select a particular LNA 290 and its specified gain value based on the desired gain value for a particular application.

Further, for example, the RF front end 288 may use one or more PAs 298 to amplify the signal for RF output at a desired output power level. In an aspect, each PA 298 may have specified minimum and maximum gain values. In an aspect, the RF front end 288 may use one or more switches 292 to select a particular PA 298 and its specified gain value based on a desired gain value for a particular application.

Further, for example, the RF front end 288 may filter the received signal using one or more filters 296 to obtain an input RF signal. Similarly, in an aspect, for example, respective filters 296 may be used to filter the output from respective PAs 298 to generate output signals for transmission. In an aspect, each filter 296 may be connected to a particular LNA 290 and/or PA 298. In an aspect, the RF front end 288 may use one or more switches 292 to select transmit or receive paths using a specified filter 296, LNA 290, and/or PA 298 based on a configuration specified by the transceiver 202 and/or processor 212.

As such, the transceiver 202 may be configured to transmit and receive wireless signals through the one or more antennas 265 via the RF front end 288. In an aspect, the transceiver may be tuned to operate at a specified frequency such that the UE 104 may be associated with, for example, one or more base stations 102 or one or more cells associated with one or more base stations 102. In an aspect, for example, the modem 240 may configure the transceiver 202 to operate at a specified frequency and power level based on the UE configuration of the UE 104 and the communication protocol used by the modem 240.

In an aspect, the modem 240 may be a multi-band, multi-mode modem that can process digital data and communicate with the transceiver 202 such that the digital data is transmitted and received using the transceiver 202. In an aspect, the modem 240 may be multi-band and configured to support multiple frequency bands of a particular communication protocol. In an aspect, the modem 240 may be multi-mode and configured to support multiple operating networks and communication protocols. In an aspect, the modem 240 may control one or more components of the UE 104 (e.g., the RF front end 288, the transceiver 202) to enable transmission and/or reception of signals from the network based on a specified modem configuration. In an aspect, the modem configuration may be based on the mode of the modem and the frequency band in use. In another aspect, the modem configuration may be based on UE configuration information associated with the UE 104 provided by the network during cell selection and/or cell reselection.

In an aspect, the RF front end 288 may include one or more components connected to each other and/or to the antenna 265 via a B2B connector. The one or more components may include a plurality of PCBs. The B2B connector may include a socket on the PCB and a plug on the FPC that connects one or more ends of the PCB. The FPC may include a plurality of wires connected to the plug to facilitate communication between the PCBs via the plurality of wires when the plug is coupled to the jack. For example, the plurality of wires may be formed of a metallic material and may carry signals from a plurality of terminals of the PCB including one or more IF terminals and/or control terminals, where the control terminals may include battery terminals, voltage terminals (e.g., 1.8 volts), digital terminals, and the like.

In an aspect, processor 212 may correspond to one or more of the processors described in connection with the UE in fig. 10. Similarly, memory 216 may correspond to the memory described in connection with the UE in fig. 10.

Fig. 3-7 illustrate examples of plug and socket combinations that may provide EMI standard compliant RF/IF connectors that may support mmW communications (e.g., for 5G network devices). In each example, the plurality of chambers can be defined by a shielding material or structure and/or can be at least partially enclosed (e.g., surrounded or otherwise) by a continuous isolation structure (e.g., at least when the plug and receptacle are mated). At least partially surrounding may refer to partial or complete surrounding such that multiple chambers may be defined by shielding material or structure and/or may be partially or completely surrounded by a continuous isolation structure (e.g., at least when the plug and receptacle are mated). The continuous isolation structure may be formed of a metallic material capable of providing a continuous ground structure when coupled to a ground reference. In addition, one or more terminals may be provided within each cavity to provide the desired isolation between the terminals and the exterior of the connector. The isolation provided may allow for mitigation of RF leakage between chambers and/or outside of the connector. Further, for example, the entire connection or at least all of the defined chambers may be enclosed in the same or different continuous connection references (e.g., on the plug and/or on the receptacle) to mitigate radio frequency leakage outside of the connector.

Referring to fig. 3, an example of a receptacle structure 300, a corresponding example plug structure 302, and a mating receptacle structure and plug structure to form a connector 304 are shown. For example, the receptacle structure 300 may include an IF signal tension pad (tension pad)310 that may receive a corresponding IF signal tension pad 312 of the plug structure 302 when connected to the plug structure 302, wherein receiving the corresponding IF signal tension pad 312 may include physical contact with the pad 310, proximal non-contact positioning to facilitate energy transfer (e.g., receiving energy therefrom), and/or the like. For example, the IF signal tension pads 310, 312 may comprise a metallic material or other material that promotes electrical conduction to allow activation/deactivation thereof to transmit signals. Further, in various examples described herein, the tension pad may be formed as a structure and/or flexible material: the one tension pad provides resistance when it is mated with the other tension pad to connect the plug structure to a corresponding receptacle. For example, when mated (e.g., when a protruding tension pad is mated with one or more other protruding tension pads or into a groove formed by one or more other tension pads, as shown in various examples herein), the resistance may be provided by a spring or bending action in the structure or material of the tension pad. The receptacle structure 300 may also include a metal ground 314, for example, which may surround various terminals (e.g., IF signal tension pads 310, 312 and peripheral signal tension pad 328) to shield RF leakage. In this particular example, the metal ground 314 may surround or define the outer perimeter of the receptacle structure 300 to prevent RF leakage outside the connector. In addition, the plug structure 302 may also have a metal ground 316 that may contact the metal ground 314 of the receptacle structure 300 when coupled. The ground may also be made of a metallic material. Further, at least the metal ground 314 of the receptacle may include a connector to electrically couple with a ground source on the device.

The plug structure 302 may also include plastic supports 322 that may contact plastic supports 324 on the receptacle structure 300 to allow the plug structure 302 to be guided into insertion and/or mechanically coupled to the receptacle structure 300. Further, for example, the metal ground 314 on the receptacle structure 300 may include a pressure foot 326 to hold the plug structure 302 in the receptacle structure 300 using mechanical force (and/or to ensure contact between the metal ground 314 of the receptacle structure 300 and the metal ground 316 of the plug structure 302 to form a continuous isolation structure therebetween). In an example, the receptacle structure 300 may also include a peripheral signal tension pad 328 that may receive a corresponding peripheral signal tension pad 330 of the plug structure 302 when coupled to the corresponding peripheral signal tension pad 330 of the plug structure 302.

As shown, for example, the metallic ground 316 of the plug structure 302 may define chambers 350, 352, 354 that are shielded by a continuous ground structure (e.g., as a continuous isolation structure coupled to a ground reference), which may mitigate RF leakage outside of each chamber 350, 352, 354 and outside of the connector, as described above. In this example, the chambers 350, 352, 354 may define the inner surface of the metal ground 316 to provide the chambers. Signal tension pads 312, 330 are disposed within the inner surface. The chambers 350, 352, 354 may effectively isolate energy from the surrounding signal tension pads 310, 312, 330, respectively, when connected to the receptacle's metal ground 314. The signal tension pads 310, 312, 330 may also provide terminals, respectively, to facilitate electrical connection between the receptacle structure 300 and the plug structure 302 (and may also be referred to herein as terminals). Specifically, in an example, the metal ground 316 of the plug structure 302 may be coupled to the ground pad 320 of the receptacle structure 300, which may provide a continuous ground structure for the chambers 350, 352, 354. This may prevent energy from leaking into different chambers and/or from completely disengaging the connector (e.g., otherwise based on grounding the entire plug structure 302 and receptacle structure 300).

Referring to fig. 4, an example of another receptacle structure 400 and corresponding example plug structures 402, 404, 406 are shown. For example, the receptacle structure 400 may include an IF signal tension pad 410, which, as depicted, may receive a corresponding IF signal tension pad 412 of one or more of the plug structures 402, 404, 406. For example, the IF signal tension pads 410, 412 may comprise a metallic material or other material that promotes electrical conduction to allow activation/deactivation thereof to transmit signals. The receptacle structure 400 may also include a metal ground 414 that may surround the IF signal tension pads 410, 412 and the peripheral signal tension pad 428 to shield RF leakage, for example. In this particular example, the metal ground 414 may surround or define the outer perimeter of the receptacle structure 400 to prevent RF leakage outside the connector. In addition, the header structures 402, 404, 406 may also have a metal ground 416, which metal ground 416 may contact the metal ground 414 of the receptacle structure 400 when coupled. Further, in one example, the plug structure 402 may have a ground pad 418 that may be coupled with a corresponding ground pad 420 of the receptacle structure 400. The various grounds may also be made of metallic materials. Further, at least the metal ground 414 of the receptacle may include a connector to electrically couple with a ground source on the device.

The plug structures 402, 404, 406 may also include plastic supports 422, and the plastic supports 422 may contact plastic supports 424 on the receptacle structure 400 to allow the plug structures 402, 404, 406 to be guided into insertion and/or mechanically coupled to the receptacle 400. Further, for example, the metal ground 414 on the receptacle structure 400 may include a pressure foot 426 to retain the plug structure 402, 404, 406 in the receptacle structure 400 using the mechanical force of the receptacle structure 400 (and/or to ensure contact between the metal ground 414 of the receptacle structure 400 and the metal ground 416 of the plug structure 402, 404, 406 to form a continuous isolation structure therebetween). In one example, the receptacle structure 400 may also include peripheral signal tension pads 428 that may receive corresponding peripheral signal tension pads 430 when coupled to corresponding peripheral signal tension pads 430 of one or more of the plug structures 402, 404, 406.

As shown, for example, a plastic support 432 may also be provided to at least partially define and/or isolate the chambers 450, 452, 454. In this example, the cavities 450, 452, 454 may define the inner surface of the metal ground 416 or the plastic structure 432 to provide the cavities. The signal tension pads 412, 430 are disposed within the inner surface. Further, the metallic ground 416 of the plug structures 402, 404, 406 may at least partially surround the chambers 450, 452, 454 and may provide a continuous isolation structure. The continuous grounding structure of the chambers 450, 452, 454 may be a connector implementation when connected to the receptacle's metal ground 414, and may effectively couple energy to the respective surrounding signal tension pads 410, 412, 430 (also referred to herein as terminals). This may mitigate energy leakage into different chambers and/or from the connector altogether (e.g., additionally based on shielding the entire plug structure 402, 404, 406 and the ground of the receptacle structure 400).

For example, the plug structure 402 may include a ground pad 418, which ground pad 418 may provide a continuous ground structure for the chambers 450, 452, 454 when connected with the ground pad 420 of the receptacle structure 400, which may mitigate RF leakage outside each of the chambers 450, 452, 454 and outside the connector, as described. The pressure foot 426 may also achieve a continuous grounding structure by coupling the two metal grounds 416 of the header structure 402. In the plug structure 404, the ground 416 surrounding the chambers 450, 452, 454 may remain partially open at the distal end based on the metal ground 416. However, such a design may allow for simplified manufacturing by providing a single ground line that may be shaped to form the chambers 450, 452, 454. In the plug structure 406, the chambers 450, 452, 454 may also remain partially open based on the metal ground 416, but may be closed when contacting the metal ground 414 (e.g., and/or the respective presser foot 426). In the design of the plug structures 404, 406, the metal ground 416 may provide a continuous ground structure for the chambers 450, 452, 454 when connected with the ground pad 420 of the receptacle structure 400, which may mitigate RF leakage outside each of the chambers 450, 452, 454 and outside the connector, as described.

Referring to fig. 5, an example of another receptacle structure 500 and corresponding example plug structures 502, 504 are shown. For example, the receptacle structure 500 may include IF signal tension pads 510 that, when coupled to corresponding IF signal tension pads 512 of one or more of the plug structures 502, 504, may receive the corresponding IF signal tension pads 512, as described. For example, IF signal tension pads 510, 512 may comprise a metallic material or other material that promotes electrical conduction to allow activation/deactivation thereof to transmit signals. The receptacle structure 500 may also include a metal ground 514 that may surround the IF signal tension pads 510, 512 and the peripheral signal tension pad 528 to shield RF leakage, for example. In this particular example, the metal ground 514 may surround or define the outer perimeter of the receptacle structure 500 to prevent RF leakage to the exterior of the connector. In addition, the plug structures 502, 504 may also have a metal ground 516, and the metal ground 516 may contact the metal ground 514 of the receptacle structure 500 when coupled. The various grounds may also be made of metallic materials. Further, at least the metal ground 514 of the receptacle may include a connector to electrically couple with a ground source on the device.

The plug structures 502, 504 may also include plastic supports 522 that may contact plastic supports 524 on the receptacle structure 500 to allow the plug structures 502, 504, 506 to be guided for insertion and/or mechanical coupling to the receptacle structure 500. Further, for example, the metal ground 514 on the receptacle structure 500 may include a press foot 526 to retain the header structures 502, 504 in the receptacle structure 500 (and/or to ensure contact between the metal ground 514 of the receptacle structure 500 and the metal ground 516 of the header structures 502, 504 to form a continuous isolation structure therebetween) using mechanical force. In one example, the receptacle structure 500 may also include peripheral signal tension pads 528 that may receive corresponding peripheral signal tension pads 530 when coupled to corresponding peripheral signal tension pads 530 of one or more of the plug structures 502, 504.

As shown, for example, a plastic support 532 may also be provided to at least partially define and/or isolate the chambers 550, 552, 554. Furthermore, the metal ground 516 of the plug structures 502, 504 may at least partially surround the chambers 550, 552, 554 and may provide a continuous isolation structure. The continuous grounding structure of the chambers 550, 552, 554, when connected to the receptacle's metal ground 514, may be implemented for a connector and may effectively couple energy to the respectively surrounding signal tension pads 510, 512, 530 (also referred to herein as terminals). This may mitigate energy leakage into different chambers and/or from the connector altogether (e.g., based additionally on grounding shielding the entire plug structures 502, 504 and receptacle structure 500 (e.g., the outer perimeter)).

In the plug structure 502, the ground 516 surrounding the chambers 550, 552, 554 may remain partially open based on the metal ground 516. In this example, the chambers 550, 552, 554 may define the inner surface of the metal ground 516 or the plastic structure 524 to provide the chambers. The signal tension pads 512, 530 are disposed within the inner surface. However, this design may allow for simplified manufacturing by providing a single ground line that may be shaped to form the chambers 550, 552, 554. In the plug structure 504, the chambers 550, 552, 554 may also remain partially open based on the metal ground 516, but may be closed when contacting the metal ground 514 (e.g., and/or the corresponding pressure foot 526). In the design of the header structures 504, 506, the metal ground 516 may provide a continuous ground structure for the chambers 550, 552, 554 when connected with the ground pad 520 of the receptacle structure 500, which may mitigate RF leakage outside of each of the chambers 550, 552, 554 and outside of the connector, as described.

Referring to fig. 6, an example of a receptacle structure 600, a corresponding example plug structure 602, and a mating receptacle structure and plug structure are shown to form a connector 604. For example, the receptacle structure 600 may include an IF signal tension pad 610 that, when coupled to the plug structure 602, may receive a corresponding IF signal tension pad 612 of the plug structure 602, wherein receiving the corresponding IF signal tension pad 612 may include physical contact with the IF signal tension pad 610, proximal non-contact positioning to facilitate receiving energy therefrom, and/or the like. For example, the IF signal tension pads 610, 612 may comprise a metallic material or other material that facilitates electrical conduction to allow activation/deactivation thereof to transmit signals. The receptacle structure 600 may also include a metal ground 614, for example, which may surround various terminals (e.g., IF signal tension pads 610, 612 and peripheral signal tension pad 628) to shield RF leakage. In this particular example, the metal ground 614 may surround or define the outer perimeter of the receptacle structure 600 to prevent RF leakage to the exterior of the connector. In addition, the plug structure 602 may also have a metal ground 616, and when coupled, the metal ground 616 may contact the metal ground 614 of the receptacle structure 600. The ground may also be made of a metallic material. Further, at least the metal ground 614 of the receptacle may include a connector to electrically couple with a ground source on the device.

The plug structure 602 may also include a plastic support 622, and the plastic support 622 may contact a plastic support 624 on the receptacle structure 600 to allow the plug structure 602 to be guided into and/or mechanically coupled to the receptacle structure 600. Further, for example, the metal ground 614 on the receptacle structure 600 may include a pressure foot 626 to retain the header structure 602 in the receptacle structure 600 using mechanical force (and/or to ensure contact between the metal ground 614 of the receptacle structure 600 and the metal ground 616 of the header structure 602 to form a continuous isolation structure therebetween). In an example, the receptacle structure 600 may also include a peripheral signal tension pad 628, and the peripheral signal tension pad 628 may receive a corresponding peripheral signal tension pad 630 of the plug structure 602 when coupled to the corresponding peripheral signal tension pad 630 of the plug structure 602.

As shown, for example, the metal ground 616 of the plug structure 602 may define chambers 650, 652, 654, the chambers 650, 652, 654 being shielded by a continuous ground structure that at least partially surrounds the chambers 650, 652, 654. The plastic support 632 may also be configured to at least partially define and/or isolate the chambers 650, 652, 654. In this example, the cavities 650, 652, 654 may define the metal ground 616 and/or an inner surface of the plastic structure 632 to provide the cavities. The plastic supports 632 and/or 624 may also allow for guided engagement of the signal tension pads 612, 630 with the pad 610. The signal tension pads 612, 630 are disposed within the inner surface. When connected to the receptacle's metal ground 614, the cavities 650, 652, 654 may effectively isolate energy from the respectively surrounding signal tension pads 610, 612, 630 (also referred to herein as terminals), thereby mitigating RF leakage outside of each of the cavities 650, 652, 654 and outside of the connector, as described. As described, a single ground line 616 may simplify the manufacturing process. Further, such a connector structure may prevent energy from leaking into different chambers and/or out of the connector altogether (e.g., additionally based on shielding the entire plug structure 602 and receptacle structure 600 from ground).

Referring to fig. 7, an example of a receptacle structure 700, a corresponding example plug structure 702, and a mating receptacle structure and plug structure are shown to form a connector 704. For example, the receptacle structure 700 may include an IF signal tension pad 710, the IF signal tension pad 710 may receive a corresponding IF signal tension pad 712 of the plug structure 702 when coupled to the corresponding IF signal tension pad 712 of the plug structure 702, wherein receiving the corresponding IF signal tension pad 712 may include physical contact with the pad 710, proximal non-contact positioning to facilitate receiving energy therefrom, and the like. For example, the IF signal tension pads 710, 712 may comprise a metallic material or other material that promotes conductivity to allow activation/deactivation thereof to transmit signals. The socket structure 700 may also include, for example, a metal ground 714 that may surround various terminals (e.g., the IF signal tension pads 710, 712 and the peripheral signal tension pad 728) to shield RF leakage to the outside of the socket structure 700.

In addition, metal ground 714 may have a structure that forms separate cavities 750, 752 for IF terminals and cavity 754 for other terminals (e.g., corresponding to peripheral signal tension pad 728) by forming IF isolation cavity walls 756, 758. This may provide isolation within the chamber to prevent interference across the chamber. In addition, the header structure 702 may also have a metal ground 716, which metal ground 716 may contact a metal ground 714 of the receptacle structure 700 when coupled. In an example, the metal ground 716 can have a structure that forms individual cavities 751, 753 for IF terminals and cavities 755 for other terminals (e.g., corresponding to peripheral signal tension pads 730) by forming IF isolation cavity walls 757, 759. The ground may also be made of a metallic material and may be connected. Further, at least the metal ground 714 of the receptacle may include a connector to electrically couple with a ground source on the device.

The plug structure 702 may also include plastic supports 722, which plastic supports 722 may contact plastic supports 724 on the receptacle structure 700 to allow the plug structure 702 to be guided into insertion and/or mechanically coupled to the receptacle structure 700. Further, for example, the metal ground 714 on the socket structure 700 may include a pressure foot 726 to retain the header structure 702 in the socket structure 700 using mechanical force (and/or to ensure contact between the metal ground 714 of the socket structure 700 and the metal ground 716 of the header structure 702). In an example, the receptacle structure 700 may also include a peripheral signal tension pad 728 that may receive a corresponding peripheral signal tension pad 730 of the plug structure 702 when coupled to the corresponding peripheral signal tension pad 730 of the plug structure 702.

As shown, for example, the metal ground 714 of the receptacle structure 700 may define cavities 750, 752, 754 and/or the metal ground 716 of the header structure 702 may define cavities 751, 753, 755. The metal ground 714 may form a continuous isolation structure of the chambers 750, 752, 754 on the receptacle structure 700, and the metal ground 716 may form a continuous isolation structure of the chambers 751, 753, 755 on the header structure 702. When the receptacle structure 700 and the header structure 702 are engaged to form the connector 704, the metal ground 714 of the ground source that may be connected to the device may contact the metal ground 716, and the cavities 751, 753, 755, may thus be completely shielded from ground and grounded with a continuous isolation structure as a continuous ground structure. A plastic support 732 may also be provided to at least partially define and/or isolate the chambers 751, 753, 755.

In an example, the cavities 751, 753, 755 can define the metal ground 716 (e.g., in conjunction with the metal ground 714) and/or an interior surface (or one or more interior surfaces) of the plastic structure 732 to provide the cavities. The plastic supports 732 and/or 724 may also allow guided engagement of the IF signal tension pad 712 with the IF signal tension pad 710. IF signal tension pads 712 are disposed within the inner surfaces of their respective cavities 751, 753. The cavities 751, 753, 755 can effectively isolate energy from the respectively enclosed signal tension pads 712, 730 (also referred to herein as terminals) when the metal ground 716 is connected to the metal ground 714 of the receptacle structure 700. As depicted, the ground lines 714, 716 may be a single ground line to simplify the manufacturing process. Further, the connector structure may prevent energy from leaking into different chambers and/or completely out of the connector (e.g., additionally based on shielding the entire plug structure 702 and receptacle structure 700 from ground).

Further, when the receptacle structure 700 and the plug structure 702 are mated to form the connector 704, the tension pads 710, 712 may contact each other to form the IF terminal 770 and/or the tension pads 728, 730 may contact each other to form the other terminals 772 (e.g., for peripheral signals, as described).

Fig. 8 shows an example of an FPC 800 including the plug structure 302 and a cable portion 802 attached thereto, and an FPC 804 including the plug structure 602 and a cable portion 806 attached thereto. As depicted, the plug structures 302, 602 may include IF signal tension pads 312, 612 and peripheral signal tension pads 330, 630 for coupling to corresponding pads on a jack. In an example, the IF signal tension pads 312, 612 may be electrically coupled to an IF line 812 on the cable portion 802, and the peripheral signal tension pads 330, 630 may be electrically coupled to a peripheral line 830 on the cable portion 802. The FPCs 800, 804 may include another plug structure at the other end of the cable portions 802, 806 to facilitate connecting two or more PCBs via corresponding sockets. In this example, the IF line 812 may carry IF signals between the IF signal tension pads 312, 612 on the plug structure, and the peripheral line 830 may carry control signals (e.g., battery signals, power signals, digital signals, etc.) between the peripheral signal tension pads 330, 630 on the plug structure. The structure of the example plug described above may allow for simplified wiring interfaces of the FPCs 800, 804 on the cable portions 802, 806. Although the plug structures 302, 602 for fig. 3 and 6 are shown and described, the FPC 800 may also be used generally with any of the jack structures disclosed and described herein (e.g., the jack structures 402, 404, 406, 502, 504, 702) or other jack structures contemplated based on the disclosure herein (e.g., any plug structure having a continuous metallic ground and/or terminal chambers, as described herein).

Fig. 9 shows a flow diagram of an example of a method 900 for manufacturing a printed circuit having at least portions of the EMI compliant RF connector described herein.

In method 900, at block 902, at least a portion of a connector having a plurality of cavities and at least one terminal within each of the plurality of cavities may be formed, each of the plurality of cavities being shielded, at least in part, by a continuous isolation structure. In an aspect, a device for producing a printed circuit such as a PCB or FPC may form at least part of a connector as described, wherein that part of the connector may comprise the plug or socket portion described above. For example, when the PCB is manufactured, the portion of the connector may include a socket, and when the FPC is manufactured, the portion of the connector may include a plug, and/or vice versa. For example, as noted, the manufactured receptacle and/or plug may include one of the examples described in fig. 3-7 or other receptacles/plugs formed to include multiple chambers shielded using a plastic structure and/or a continuous ground reference.

In the method 900, at block 904, at least one terminal in a first chamber of the plurality of chambers may be coupled to a first line on the printed circuit for a first interface. Further, in the method 900, at block 906, at least one terminal in a second chamber of the plurality of chambers may be coupled to a second line on the printed circuit for a second interface. In one example, at least one of the first interface and the second interface may correspond to an IF interface. This may include, for example, connecting the IF signal tension pads 312, 612 to the IF line 812 shown in fig. 8.

In the method 900, at block 908, at least one terminal in a third chamber of the plurality of chambers may be coupled to a third line on the printed circuit. In an example, the third line may include a peripheral line for controlling a signal at the periphery of the IF signal. This may include, for example, connecting the peripheral signal tension pads 330, 630 to the peripheral wires 830 shown in fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a block diagram of a MIMO communication system 1000 including a base station 102 and a UE 104. The MIMO communication system 1000 may illustrate aspects of the wireless communication access network 100 described with reference to fig. 1. The base station 102 may be an example of aspects of the base station 102 described with reference to fig. 1. The base station 102 may be equipped with antennas 1034 and 1035, and the UE 104 may be equipped with antennas 1052 and 1053. In MIMO communication system 1000, base station 102 may be capable of transmitting data on multiple communication links simultaneously. Each communication link may be referred to as a "layer," and the "rank" of a communication link may indicate the number of layers used for communication. For example, in a2 × 2 MIMO communication system in which the base station 102 transmits two "layers," the rank of the communication link between the base station 102 and the UE 104 is two.

At base station 102, a transmit (Tx) processor 1020 may receive data from a data source. Transmit processor 1020 may process the data. Transmit processor 1020 may also generate control symbols or reference symbols. A transmit MIMO processor 1030 may perform spatial processing (e.g., precoding) on the data symbols, the control symbols, or the reference symbols, if applicable, and may provide an output symbol stream to transmit modulators/demodulators 1032 and 1033. Each modulator/demodulator 1032-1033 may process a respective output symbol stream (e.g., for OFDM, etc.) to obtain an output sample stream. Each modulator/demodulator 1032-1033 may further process (e.g., convert to analog, amplify, filter, and upconvert) the output sample stream to obtain a DL signal. In one example, DL signals from modulators/demodulators 1032 and 1033 can be transmitted via antennas 1034 and 1035, respectively.

The UE 104 may be an example of aspects of the UE 104 described with reference to fig. 1-2. At the UE 104, UE antennas 1052 and 1053 may receive DL signals from the base station 102 and may provide the received signals to modulators/demodulators 1054 and 1055, respectively. Each modulator/demodulator 1054-1055 may condition (e.g., filter, amplify, downconvert, and digitize) a respective received signal to obtain input samples. Each modulator/demodulator 1054-1055 may further process the input samples (e.g., for OFDM, etc.) to obtain received symbols. A MIMO detector 1056 may obtain received symbols from modulators/demodulators 1054 and 1055, perform MIMO detection on the received symbols if applicable, and provide detected symbols. A receive (Rx) processor 1058 may process (e.g., demodulate, deinterleave, and decode) the detected symbols to provide decoded data for the UE 104 to a data output and decode control information to a processor 1080 or a memory 1082.

On the Uplink (UL), at the UE 104, a transmit processor 1064 may receive and process data from a data source. The transmit processor 1064 may also generate reference symbols for the reference signals. The symbols from transmit processor 1064 may be precoded by a transmit MIMO processor 1066 if applicable, further processed by modulators/demodulators 1054 and 1055 (e.g., for SC-FDMA, etc.), and transmitted to base station 102 based on the communication parameters received from base station 102. At the base station 102, the UL signals from the UE 104 may be received by antennas 1034 and 1035, processed by modulators/demodulators 1032 and 1033, detected 1036 by a MIMO detector if applicable, and further processed by a receive processor 1038. Receive processor 1038 may provide decoded data to data output and processor 1040 or memory 1042.

The components of the UE 104 may be implemented, individually or collectively, with one or more ASICs adapted to perform some or all of the applicable functions in hardware. Each of the mentioned modules may be a device for performing one or more functions related to the operation of MIMO communication system 1000. Similarly, components of the base station 102 may be implemented individually or collectively with one or more ASICs adapted to perform some or all of the applicable functions in hardware. Each of the noted components may be a device for performing one or more functions related to the operation of MIMO communication system 1000.

In an example, various components of UE 104 may be coupled to modulators/demodulators 1054 and 1055, respectively, using EMI compatible RF connectors such as antennas 1052, 1053 described herein.

The above detailed description, set forth above in connection with the appended drawings, describes examples and does not represent the only examples that may be practiced or are within the scope of the claims. The term "exemplary" when used in this description means "serving as an example, instance, or illustration," and not "preferred" or "superior to other examples. The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing an understanding of the described technology. However, the techniques may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid obscuring the concepts of the described examples.

Information and signals may be represented using any of a variety of different technologies and techniques. For example, data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, symbols, and chips that may be referenced throughout the above description may be represented by voltages, currents, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or particles, optical fields or particles, computer executable code or instructions stored on a computer readable medium, or any combination thereof.

The various illustrative blocks and components described in connection with the disclosure herein may be implemented or performed with a specially programmed device, such as but not limited to a processor, Digital Signal Processor (DSP), ASIC, FPGA or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. The specially programmed processor may be a microprocessor, but in the alternative, the processor may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A specially programmed processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration.

The functions described herein may be implemented in hardware, software executed by a processor, firmware, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software executed by a processor, the functions may be stored on or transmitted over as one or more instructions or code on a non-transitory computer-readable medium. Other examples and embodiments are within the scope and spirit of the disclosure and appended claims. For example, due to the nature of software, the functions described above may be implemented using software executed by a specifically programmed processor, hardware, firmware, hard-wired connections, or a combination of any of these. Features implementing functions may also be physically located at different locations, including being distributed such that portions of functions are implemented at different physical locations. Further, as used herein, including in the claims, an "or" as used in a list of items beginning with "at least one of … …" means a separate list such that, for example, a list of "at least one of A, B or C" means a or B or C or AB or AC or BC or ABC (i.e., a and B and C).

Computer-readable media includes both computer storage media and communication media including any medium that facilitates transfer of a computer program from one place to another. A storage media may be any available media that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer. By way of example, and not limitation, computer-readable media can comprise RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to carry or store desired program code means in the form of instructions or data structures and which can be accessed by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer, or a general-purpose or special-purpose processor. Also, any connection is properly termed a computer-readable medium. For example, if the software is transmitted from a website, server, or other remote source using a coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave, then the coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, DSL, or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave are included in the definition of medium. Disk and disc, as used herein, includes Compact Disc (CD), laser disc, optical disc, Digital Versatile Disc (DVD), floppy disk and blu-ray disc where disks usually reproduce data magnetically, while discs reproduce data optically with lasers. Combinations of the above are also included within the scope of computer-readable media.

The previous description of the disclosure is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the disclosure. Various modifications to the disclosure will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other variations without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure. Furthermore, although elements of the described aspects and/or embodiments may be described or claimed in the singular, the plural is contemplated unless limitation to the singular is explicitly stated. Moreover, all or a portion of any aspect and/or embodiment may be utilized with all or a portion of any other aspect and/or embodiment, unless stated otherwise. Thus, the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to the examples and designs described herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

The following provides an overview of further clauses of the present invention:

1. a plug configured to support wireless communication, the plug comprising:

a plurality of chambers, wherein each chamber of the plurality of chambers is at least partially surrounded by a continuous barrier structure and defines an inner surface;

at least one terminal within an inner surface of each of the plurality of chambers, wherein at least a first terminal in a first chamber of the plurality of chambers is configured for a first interface, and wherein at least a second terminal in a second chamber of the plurality of chambers is configured for a second interface.

2. The plug of clause 1, wherein the plug is used for a Flexible Printed Circuit (FPC) and is configured to support millimeter wave (mmW) wireless communication.

3. The plug of clause 1 or 2, wherein the continuous isolating structure is a continuous grounding structure.

4. The plug of clauses 1-3, wherein the first interface comprises a first Intermediate Frequency (IF) interface, and wherein the second interface comprises a second IF interface.

5. The plug of clause 4, wherein at least a third terminal in a third chamber of the plurality of chambers includes one or more control terminals.

6. The plug of clause 5, wherein the one or more control terminals comprise at least one of: battery terminals, voltage terminals, or digital terminals.

7. The plug of clauses 4-6, wherein the first IF interface and the second IF interface are configured to carry millimeter wave signals.

8. The plug of clauses 1-7, wherein one or more of the plurality of chambers has an opening in the continuous insulating structure.

9. The plug of clause 8, wherein one or more chambers of the plurality of chambers form a closed, continuous ground structure when the plug is coupled to a receptacle.

10. The plug of clauses 1-9, wherein at least the first terminal includes a tension pad for electrically coupling with a corresponding tension pad on a socket to facilitate electrical contact with the corresponding tension pad.

11. The plug of clause 10, wherein the electrical coupling comprises a physical contact or proximal non-contact positioning between the tension pad and a corresponding tension pad on the receptacle to facilitate the transfer of energy.

12. The plug of clauses 1-11, wherein the continuous isolation structure is a continuous grounding structure formed from a single grounding wire wound to form each chamber of the plurality of chambers.

13. A method for manufacturing a printed circuit configured to support wireless communication, the method comprising:

forming at least a portion of a connector having a plurality of cavities and at least one terminal in each of the plurality of cavities, wherein each cavity is at least partially surrounded by a continuous isolation structure;

coupling at least a first terminal in a first chamber of the plurality of chambers to a first line on the printed circuit for a first interface;

coupling at least one second terminal in a second chamber of the plurality of chambers to a second line on the printed circuit for a second interface.

14. The method of clause 13, further comprising coupling at least a third terminal in a third chamber of the plurality of chambers to at least a third line on the printed circuit, wherein at least the third terminal in the third chamber comprises one or more control terminals.

15. The method of clause 14, wherein the one or more control terminals comprise at least one of: battery terminals, voltage terminals, or digital terminals.

16. The method of clauses 13-15, wherein forming the at least a portion of the connector includes forming at least the first terminal as a tension pad for coupling with a corresponding tension pad on a socket to facilitate electrical coupling with the corresponding tension pad.

17. The method of clauses 13-16, wherein forming the at least a portion of the connector comprises forming the continuous isolation structure using a single ground wire wound to form each chamber of the plurality of chambers.

18. The method of clauses 13-17, wherein the at least a portion of the connector is a plug or a receptacle.

19. A receptacle configured to support wireless communications, the receptacle comprising:

at least two terminals configured for a first interface and a second interface;

an isolation portion at least partially enclosing each of the at least two terminals in a respective cavity, wherein the isolation portion forms part of a continuous isolation structure at least when coupled with a plug having at least two different terminals coupled to the at least two terminals.

20. The socket of clause 19, wherein the socket is to be used for coupling to a printed circuit board and is configured to support millimeter wave (mmW) wireless communication.

21. The jack of clause 19 or 20, wherein the first interface comprises a first Intermediate Frequency (IF) interface and the second interface comprises a second IF interface.

22. The socket of clauses 19-21, wherein the isolated portion is a metallic ground portion and the continuous isolated structure is a continuous ground structure.

23. The socket of clauses 19-22, further comprising one or more control terminals, and wherein the isolated portion at least partially encloses the one or more control terminals in another chamber.

24. The socket of clause 23, wherein the one or more control terminals include at least one of: a cell terminal, a voltage terminal, or a digital terminal.

25. The socket of clauses 19-24, wherein the isolating portion includes a pressure foot to mechanically retain the plug in the socket.

26. The receptacle of clauses 19-25, further comprising a connector to couple the isolated portion to a ground source of a device to provide a continuous ground structure.