MILLIMETER RADIO-WAVE SIGNAL COMPATIBLE ELECTROSTATICALLY-DRIVEN SHADE, AND/OR METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Application Serial No. 63/132,013 filed on December 30, 2020, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to coated articles, insulating glass (IG) units, and/or other products usable with millimeter wave technologies, and associated methods. More particularly, certain example embodiments of this invention relate to electrostatically-driven shades that are compatible with millimeter radio-wave signals used in 5G wireless and/or other technology areas, and associated methods.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY

[0003] Many electronic devices (such as, for example, mobile phones, tablets, and the like) operate on third-generation (3G) and fourth-generation (4G) mobile networks. There is a large amount of infrastructure deployed across the world supporting 3G/4G wireless networks. The transition from 3G/4G to 5G New Radio (NR) is proceeding quickly, as standardization efforts, infrastructure deployments, etc., continue.

[0004] The 5G spectrum includes three broad frequency bands, namely, (1) the Long-Term Evolution (LTE) frequency band, which is a rollover of the second through fourth generation (2G-4G) spectrum (0.6-1 GHz); (2) centimeter waves (1-6 GHz); and (3) millimeter waves (24-86 GHz), to support super-fast data rates of up to 20 Gbps. Frequencies from 30-300 GHz, also called extremely high frequency (EHF), include millimeter waves. The term “millimeter waves” encompasses signals having a wavelength of 1-100 mm. The 3-30 GHz spectrum is generally referred to as the super high frequency (SHF) band. There is a large amount of spectrum corresponding to millimeter wave frequencies, including the local multipoint distribution service at 28-30 GHz, several license-free bands, and the E-band at 71-76 GHz, 81-86 GHz, and 92-95 GHz. At the same time, the current 3G/4G cellular system below 3 GHz already has a very crowded and small spectrum, which results in a slower service and a relatively high rate of dropped connections. Fig. 1 is a diagram showing radiofrequencies in the electromagnetic spectrum. The presence of different types of light, and the locations where different wireless communication protocols operate, are shown in Fig. 1.

[0005] As far as end-applications are concerned, 5G wireless technology is expected to ensure seamless communication for machines and devices comprising the Intemet-of-Things (loT) and the Internet-of-Everything type devices. New and/or improved applications relating to tactile Internet, high-resolution video streaming, telemedicine, tele-surgery, smart transportation, smart homes, virtual reality and augmented reality, full immersion experiences, real-time control, etc., are expected to take advantage of improved data rate, reliability, end-to-end latency, energy efficiency, network reliability, and other features enabled by 5G technology. On the consumer side, ultra-high-definition videos could be shared in seconds using 5G technology over cellular connections, low-latency streaming of content from remote servers could become a reality, and video game consoles, virtual reality headsets, and augmented reality devices could be massively interconnected. And because newly- available frequencies are being used with and/or are being planned for use with 5G technology, the transition to 5G technology also helps reduce the susceptibility to interference caused by devices operating in the 2.4-2.7 GHz range, such as Bluetooth, microwave oven, and other type devices.

[0006] Compared with LTE wireless networks, 5G systems are expected to provide 1,000 times higher mobile data volume per area; 10-100 times higher number of connected devices; 10-100 times higher user data rate; 10 times longer battery life for massive machine communications; and up to 50 times reduced latency. More specifically, 5G technology is designed to create a high-throughput, ultra-reliable, low-latency wireless network with the following characteristics:

• Area traffic capacity (total traffic throughput served): 0.1-10 Mbit/s/m ²

• Peak data rate (total amount of traffic handled by a single cell): Up to 20 Gbps • User experienced data rate (total amount of traffic experienced by the end-user): 10-100 Mbit/s

• Peak spectral efficiency (information rate that can be transmitted): 15-30 bit/s/Hz

• Latency: As low as 1 ms

• Connection density (number of devices fulfilling a certain quality of service): 10,000 to 1 million devices/km ²

[0007] Signals operating on the 5G network have unique propagation properties in comparison to those operating on the 3G/4G network. These properties mean that 5G radio-waves tend to interact with building materials in ways that 3G/4G signals do not. For example, because of their unique propagation properties, 5G radio-waves may not permeate into a building through windows (including or especially glass windows having low-emissivity (low-E) coatings or the like thereon) or other materials.

[0008] Indeed, the “conventional wisdom” is that one of the biggest challenges for 5G fixed wireless access is how to bring millimeter-wave signals from the outdoors to the inside of a building. The short wavelengths at high frequencies mean that millimeter waves are very susceptible to being blocked or reflected by standard building materials. For example, low-E windows show attenuation of 30-45 dB (54 dB for triple silver) in the low part of the mm spectrum (18-30 GHz) and around 60 dB in the upper half 30-100 (GHz).

Table 1 [0009] Expanding on the Table 1 concepts, Table 2 shows formulae for calculating attenuation of three common building materials. The Table 2 formulae can be used to calculate penetration loss for various building materials.

Table 2

[0010] Fig. 2 is a graph showing the attenuation of RF frequencies by different building materials and low-emissivity (low-E) glass. As will be appreciated from this data, double-silver low-E glass dominates the RF signal attenuation in the LTE (below 5 GHz) range, while concrete and, apparently, brick dominate the 5G spectral range above 5 GHz. The attenuation of the “long” millimeter waves by bare glass itself is very low in comparison, e.g., in the single-digit range. Table 1 explains the concept of decibels (dB).

[0011] The attenuation of radiofrequencies by metals, such as aluminum, copper, and steel, is governed by a thin surface layer with a small “skin depth.” Skin depth has been found to absorb and/or reflect close to 100% of the radiation. Table 3 presents skin depth data for three common metal building materials. It can be seen that even a 1 mm metal “sheet” will absorb wireless waves almost entirely.

Table 3 [0012] The absorption of radiofrequencies takes place primarily in this thin surface layer of metal. If a conducting coating is thinner than the skin depth for a specific metal, the coating becomes partially transparent for the radiation. With increasing frequencies, however, a thin conducting coating allows through less and less radiation. As an example, a low-E coating may be transparent for the LTE portion of the 5G network, but block the millimeter-long waves. The equation for calculating skin depth is: where p = permeability; 6 _S = skin depth (m); p = resistivity (Q*m); co = radian frequency = 27t*f (Hz); and c = conductivity (mho/m) (with mho [u] = Siemen [S]). [0013] Fig. 3 shows the 5G bands and attenuation levels for different building materials. The three broadbands comprising 5G have different properties, such as signal dispersion and attenuation by air and building materials. For instance, a low-E glazing (a glazing with an ultra-thin heat-control layer, such as an ultra-thin optically- transparent and electrically-conductive silver-inclusive layer used to reflect heatcarrying near- and mid-range infrared wavelengths) at 1 GHz has an attenuation of 20 dB and greater than 30 dB at 20 GHz. At the same time, consistent with the observation above, the attenuation of millimeter waves by bare glass is in a singledigit range. In other words, low-E coated glass that is partially transparent for the “slower” LTE spectrum becomes highly attenuating for the “faster” centimeter and millimeter waves upon which new generations of communication networks operate. [0014] The data above suggests that the wave permeation of the entire building can depend in large part on its window-to-wall ratio (WWR). In the case of low-E windows, buildings with a small WWR will create a smaller attenuation for LTE signals, while those with a lager WWR will create a smaller attenuation for millimeter wave 5G signals. However, it is not always enough to consider the WWR in the window context alone. Instead, it may be important to take into consideration the window framing and entire wall system, as higher frequencies are better at penetrating small gaps. Depending on the task (e.g., to allow or block millimeter waves), this could have a positive or negative impact on the building’s overall 5G compatibility.

[0015] A 5G network’s ability to provide high data rates, low latency, and reliability directly depends on the number of erroneous bits of information in the total number of bits received. The Bit-Error Ratio (BER) is one way to quantify this relationship: g(

BER

A(t) where E(t) is the number of bits received in error over time t, and N(t) is the total number of bits transmitted in time t. The Block Error Rate (BLER) also is sometimes used to quantify this relationship. BLER is the ratio of received erroneous blocks to the total number of data blocks received.

[0016] The BER essentially specifies the average probability of incorrect bit identification. Thus, a BER of 10' ⁹ means that 1 bit out of every 10 ⁹ bits is, on average, read incorrectly. If the system is operating at 100 Mb/s (that is, 10 ⁸ pulses per second), then to receive 10 ⁹ pulses, the time taken would be:

10 ⁹

10s

1Q8 which is the average time for an error to occur.

[0017] If the BER is 10' ⁶ , then, on average, an error would occur every 0.01 s. For voice applications, the acceptable BER (at least under current standards) is 10' ³ .

A bit error ratio of 10' ⁹ is often considered the maximum acceptable for current telecommunication applications. Data communications have more stringent requirements, e.g., where 10' ¹³ is often considered the maximum.

[0018] The following formula represents the BER as a function of the signal- to-noise ratio (SNR) and thus is one good measure for evaluating the communication system quality:

[0019] For achieving a BER of 10' ⁹ , for instance, the above equation predicts SNRs of about 144 dB and 21.6 dB.

[0020] Fig. 4 is a graph plotting the calculated dependence of the bit-error ratio on the signal-to-noise ratio. It can be seen from Fig. 4 that attenuation of 30-60 dB, such as that in case of 5G attenuation by low-E glass, results in an unacceptably high BER of greater than 10' ¹ . Fig. 4 thus makes clear that there is a relationship between signal attenuation and signal quality.

[0021] There are several ways to reduce BER. Unfortunately, however, such approaches come with tradeoffs. For example, the level of interference - a main contributor to the BER - can be lowered by reducing the signal bandwidth. Reducing the bandwidth, however, limits the data throughput. Increase the transmitting power level also is an option, but doing so would increase power consumption and could raise information security concerns (e.g., increasing the transmit power can make it easier for eavesdroppers to intercept signals). Increasing the transmit power also may implicate electromagnetic interference (EMI) regulatory constraints, such as Federal Communications Commission (FCC) radiation emission limits in the United States and other like regulatory constraints in other countries. Lower order modulation schemes can be used, but these too can come at the expense of data throughput.

[0022] It will be appreciated that it would be desirable to address issues associated with the limited propagation of millimeter waves through air and building materials due to their physical nature, e.g., in order to facilitate the expansion of the wireless spectrum in a manner that enables 5G and millimeter wave technology.

[0023] To overcome problems with signal propagation through air, some carriers are installing thousands of miniature base stations (small cells) to provide line-of-sight communications and are relying on massive multiple-input multipleoutput (mMIMO) and beamforming. Current mMIMO techniques employ hundreds of antennas in a single array, thus drastically increasing the network capacity. Beamforming allows a large number of users and antennas to exchange more information at once by improving the SNR. It also results in a coherent and focused data streaming that can reach larger distances, thereby increasing capacity of cell towers in terms of number of subscribers served.

[0024] Advantages promised by 5G technology can be realized by carriers aggregating millimeter waves with the full enabled spectrum (including the LTE spectrum), e.g., to create hyper-dense, self-organized networks and to provide faster data rates and more responsive user experiences. Aggregation can also be achieved by converging functions of multiple networks with the help of individual devices acting as gateways and relaying the signals. Depending on how the signal is admitted into a building, wireless devices of those inside the building may or may not be an effective part of aggregation.

[0025] Although there has been much work done to address the over-air transmission issues associated with 5G technology, further improvements are still needed, especially when it comes to addressing building envelope concerns (including concerns caused by attenuation related to low-E glass). Certain example embodiments address these and/or other concerns.

[0026] For instance, certain example embodiments of this invention relate to techniques for addressing the high attenuation of 5G related signals caused by low-E coating glass-inclusive articles. Certain example embodiments facilitate millimeter wave permeation “through” low-E coatings. Doing so helps reduce latency caused by retransmission and helps drive down the cost of required equipment and energy.

[0027] As another example, certain example embodiments of this invention relate to the recognition that high attenuation by low-E glass can be advantageous for information security purposes in at least some instances. For instance, in some buildings and in some cases, such as secure government installations and other critical infrastructure installations, signal blocking can be useful in protecting from intentional EMI attacks and against unintentional information leakage. Although it is possible to admit wireless waves into the building bypassing the high-attenuation building materials by mounting a 5G antenna on the roof or in a wall and using a WiFi router (for example) to distribute the connectivity indoors, distributed antenna systems tend to be expensive, energy consuming, and technologically dependent such that they need to be replaced on average every 3-5 years. This approach, therefore, starts to cut into the cost advantages over a fiber deployment. And any retransmission of a wireless signal will inevitably compromise latency and reliability. Certain example embodiments use interference created by coatings, panel spacing, and/or the like, to provide information security when 5G signals and Wi-Fi signals are involved. [0028] In a somewhat similar vein, certain example embodiments relate to the recognition that it might be desirable to admit only portions of the 5G spectrum, e.g., to facilitate the transmission of millimeter wave signals that are perceived to be more secure while also attenuating lower frequency signals that are perceived to be less secure.

[0029] Certain example embodiments advantageously leverage constructive or destructive interference principles to facilitate these and/or other desired transmission properties.

[0030] Similarly, certain example embodiments advantageously leverage different wired and/or wireless transceiving techniques through a window frame or the like to achieve these and/or other desired transmission properties.

[0031] Further details are provided via the example embodiments discussed in detail below. It will be appreciated that inventive aspects of the techniques disclosed herein are recited in the appendices and claims attached hereto. These appendices and claims are understood to form a part of this specification, and the disclosures of each can be combined in any suitable combination, sub-combination, or combination of sub-combinations as may be desired. This applies within each individual appendix, as well as across the various appendices provided herewith.

[0032] Moreover, the features, aspects, advantages, and example embodiments described herein may be combined to realize yet further embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] These and other features and advantages may be better and more completely understood by reference to the following detailed description of exemplary illustrative embodiments in conjunction with the drawings, of which: [0034] FIGURE l is a diagram showing radiofrequencies in the electromagnetic spectrum;

[0035] FIGURE 2 is a graph showing the attenuation of RF frequencies by different building materials and low-emissivity (low-E) glass; [0036] FIGURE 3 shows the 5G bands and attenuation levels for different building materials;

[0037] FIGURE 4 is a graph plotting the calculated dependence of the biterror ratio on the signal-to-noise ratio;

[0038] FIGURES 5A-5C schematically show different ways a device outside of a building envelop can connect to a device inside a building envelope when there are potential wireless signal attenuating materials in the building envelope;

[0039] FIGURE 6 is a top plan view of an example coated article incorporating one or more openings that is/are compatible with millimeter wave technology, in accordance with certain example embodiments;

[0040] FIGURES 7A-7D show example openings that may be used in the area in the Fig. 6 example coated article, in accordance with certain example embodiments;

[0041] FIGURE 8 is a graph showing calculated results regarding the intensity passed through openings of different sizes;

[0042] FIGURE 9A-9D are example cross-sectional views of insulating glass (IG) units including areas for openings in accordance with certain example embodiments;

[0043] FIGURE 10 is a plan view of a substrate having a 5G-compatible spacer system thereon, in accordance with certain example embodiments;

[0044] FIGURE 11 is an example embodiment similar to Fig. 6, except that it includes a movable shutter, in accordance with certain example embodiments;

[0045] FIGURES 12A-12B are plan views of example IG units where edge deleted areas are provided to enable 5G signal penetration, in accordance with certain example embodiments;

[0046] FIGURE 13 is a schematic, cross-sectional view of an IG unit including two low-E coatings, showing signal intensities in various parts of the window;

[0047] FIGURE 14 is a graph demonstrating the transmission dependence of RF signals through a Fig. 13 example window on frequency;

[0048] FIGURE 15 is a graph showing the transmission vs. frequency dependence for 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, and 2.5 cm spacing between the two coatings of the Fig. 13 IG unit; [0049] FIGURE 16 is a graph demonstrating where different RF frequencies encounter significant attenuation issues with different spacings between adjacent low- E coatings;

[0050] FIGURE 17 is a graph plotting the distance between two parallel pieces of low-E glass vs. wireless frequencies where wave interference has a pronounced effect on signal transmission and reflection;

[0051] FIGURES 18A-18C are images of example electrically-conductive patterns that may be used for selective frequency attenuation, in accordance with certain example embodiments;

[0052] FIGURE 19 is a graph plotting the dependence of transmitted energy on frequency and average diameter or major distance;

[0053] FIGURE 20 is a more detailed representation of the dependence of transmission on the diameter or major distance of an electrically-conductive pattern;

[0054] FIGURES 21-22 are cross-sectional views of different transceiver configurations that may be used to promote transmission of 5G signal frequencies through an IG unit in accordance with certain example embodiments;

[0055] FIGURE 23 is a partial cross-sectional view of a modified frame supporting 5G wireless connectivity in accordance with certain example embodiments;

[0056] FIGURE 24 is a cross-sectional view of a typical frame profile used to hold IG units;

[0057] FIGURE 25 is a cross-sectional view of the Fig. 24 frame having a single added transceiver, in accordance with certain example embodiments;

[0058] FIGURES 26A-26D are cross-sectional views of the Fig. 24 frame modified to have vias and support 5G connectivity, accordance with certain example embodiments;

[0059] FIGURE 27 schematically shows windows being used as connection points between a network’s backhaul and fronthaul in accordance with certain example embodiments;

[0060] FIGURE 28 schematically shows a network with WAN-LAN wireless connectivity through a modified window in accordance with certain example embodiments; [0061] FIGURE 29 schematically shows a network with WAN-LAN wired connectivity through a modified window in accordance with certain example embodiments;

[0062] FIGURE 30 is a cross-sectional, schematic view of an example IGU incorporating electric potentially-driven shades that may be used in connection with certain example embodiments;

[0063] FIGURE 31 is a cross-sectional view showing example on-glass components from the Fig. 30 example IGU that enable shutter action, in accordance with certain example embodiments;

[0064] FIGURE 32 is a cross-sectional view of an example shutter from the Fig. 30 example IGU, in accordance with certain example embodiments;

[0065] FIGURE 33 is a plan view of a substrate incorporating on-glass components from the Fig. 31 example and shutter components from the Fig. 32 example, in accordance with certain example embodiments; and

[0066] FIGURE 34 shows an example shade modified for compatibility with millimeter wave related technology, in accordance with certain example embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0067] Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to coated articles having low-emissivity coatings modified to facilitate transmission of millimeter radiowave signals used in 5G wireless technologies, products incorporating such coated articles (such as insulating glass (IG) units, vacuum insulating glass (VIG) units, laminated products, etc.), and associated methods. These coated articles may be used in building, vehicle, and/or other applications. In certain example embodiments, there is provided a modified energy-efficient low-emissivity (low-E) glass window that can support wirelessly connectivity between outside and inside areas at least partially defined by the window, even though at least some of the wireless signals would not penetrate through the window without the modification(s). As an example, certain example embodiments enable windows to be transparent to the high-frequency spectral region of 5G wireless technology, thereby providing unobstructed connectivity for outdoor and indoor communication devices. In certain example embodiments, millimeter wave signals can be allowed to pass through a low-E coated article even though they otherwise would not and, optionally, other wireless signals can be selectively transmitted or blocked. In certain example embodiments, the window can be modified to increase the intensity of signals having certain frequency ranges in order to permit facilitate this functionality.

[0068] Figs. 5A-5C schematically show different ways a device outside of a building envelop can connect to a device inside a building envelope when there are potential wireless signal attenuating materials in the building envelope. In Fig. 5A, a network outside to the building envelope can be connected to a local area network (LAN) including a plurality of switches, devices, and the like, inside the building using a wired connection 500. The wired connection 500 may be a cable connection, fiber connection, or the like. It penetrates the building envelope.

[0069] Fig. 5B is an example of an example indirect Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) approach. With this example indirect FWA approach, an outdoor antenna 502 communicates with an outdoor station 504 that is connected to one or more indoor devices using a wired connection 506. This wired connection 506 is local for the particular building and is used to connect the outdoor station 504 with one or more indoor devices (e.g., switches, Wi-Fi modems, etc.). As above, it may be a cable, fiber, or other wired connection.

[0070] Fig. 5C is an example direct FWA approach. In this example direct FWA approach, indoor devices are able to communicate with an outdoor station 508 directly (using wireless signals transmitted from the outdoor station 508).

[0071] This Fig. 5C approach relies on the penetration of wireless signals from the outdoor station 508 through the building envelope. There are several ways that that could be accomplished, at least in theory. A first way involves creating a Frequency Selective Surface (FSS) in a low-E coating using a network of laser- scribed lines (e.g., in the form of columns and rows or in the form of tiles). An FFS removes a substantial area of the low-E coating, which compromises the window’s energy efficiency. The FSS approach also compromises aesthetics, as the network of scribes is visible. Also, only certain radiofrequency wavelengths can pass through the network, which can hamper the ability to provide future compatibility, e.g., based on whether the same or different frequencies are used in to-be-developed protocols. Given that the lifetime of a window may be 20-25 years, it is likely that other protocols will be developed, and the frequencies of these next generation protocols may not work as efficiently, or at all, with the created network of laser-scribed lines. [0072] Another way of enabling penetration of wireless signals from the outdoor station 508 through the building envelope in Fig. 5C involves a slot-antenna. In this approach, a low-E coating with a smaller ablated area of a network of laser scribes forms a diffraction pattern and acts as a re-emitter. In such systems, at least in theory, outdoor signals are re-emitted towards the indoors, and indoor signals are reemitted towards the outdoors. A slot-antenna ablated pattern is also visible (although to a lesser degree than that of an FSS) and also works the best only at selective wavelengths. It also has potential issues with forward compatibility.

[0073] Another way that the Fig. 5C approach can be enabled involves using an opening in a low-E coating to allow short- wavelength radio waves (such as millimeter waves) through the window. And still another way that the Fig. 5C approach can be enabled involves using a simple network of laser-ablated areas in a low-E coating. These approaches tend to work with very short-wavelength radio waves (e.g., millimeter waves), as making the openings suitable for longer wavelengths requires the openings to be comparable with the wavelength (e.g., on a centimeter or meter scale for the centimeter waves and LTE waves of the 5G spectrum, respectively). At the same time, it would be desirable in at least some instances to be able to effectively have outside and inside communication signals of high frequencies (short wavelengths) penetrate through the building envelope and, particularly, low-E glass.

[0074] Certain example embodiments include an opening or a network of openings with specific dimensions and geometries in the low-E coating of an energyefficient glass window to enable effective radio-frequency communication between outdoor and indoor devices. For an efficient penetration of electromagnetic waves, such an opening is comparable in size in at least one dimension, or larger than, the wavelength of the communication signals. For instance, the minimum distance may be the smaller of the width and length for a rectangular opening, the diameter for a circular opening, the minor diameter for an ovular opening, etc.

[0075] In terms of sizes, 5 GHz waves have a wavelength of 6 cm, whereas waves over 30 GHz (for typical millimeter waves) have wavelengths of 1-10 mm. Millimeter waves, therefore, may require an opening of no more than about 1 cm (in at least one dimension) in the low-E coating so as to enable their effective penetration through an energy-efficient glass window.

[0076] Fig. 6 is a top plan view of an example coated article 600 incorporating one or more openings that is/are compatible with millimeter wave technology, in accordance with certain example embodiments. The Fig. 6 coated article 600 includes a substrate 602 supporting a low-E coating on a surface thereof. The substrate 602 is surrounded by a frame 604 and includes an area 606 where the opening(s) is/are formed.

[0077] The area 606 may be provided in any suitable location relative to the substrate 602. For example, it may be desirable to provide the area 606 towards a periphery proximate the frame 604 in certain example embodiments. In certain example embodiments, providing the area 606 near a top comer of the coated article 600 may be advantageous in that such areas oftentimes will be outside of the field of view, or at least outside of a main part of the field of view. Orienting the area 606 towards the top of the coated article 600 also may be desirable in the sense that signal sources are likely to oftentimes come from elevated areas (e.g., when beamforming or other antenna transmissions are used, signals are likely to come from high-mounted apparatuses). Thus, having the area 606 near a top corner of the coated article 600 may facilitate transmission through the coated article 600 by cutting down the angle of incidence.

[0078] In certain example embodiments, the area 606 may be collocated or otherwise in registration with a safety logo or other window label that may be provided to the coated article. Safety logos are present, for example, with tempered and heat treated glass. Safety or other window logos typically are bead-blasted into the glass and will not interfere with the functioning of the openings. However, this collocation / registration may be aesthetically desirable in the sense that the human eye will already tend to ignore this kind of labeling and minor optical differences around it.

[0079] The example techniques described herein may be used with any suitable low-E coating. Moreover, low-E coatings may be provided on one or both surfaces of a coated article (and one or more surfaces of a unit that includes more than two surfaces, such as an insulating glass unit, which includes four surfaces that can be coated). Low-E coatings in general include at least one infrared reflecting layer sandwiched between dielectrics. The infrared reflecting layer typically will comprise silver, indium tin oxide (ITO), or the like. Dielectric layers surrounding the infrared reflecting layers may help with the optics, e.g., reducing reflection, making the coloration more aesthetically pleasing, etc. For silver-based low-E coatings, for example, one or more lower index matching layers may be provided, with each comprising silicon, titanium, tin, and/or an oxide and/or nitride thereof. A layer comprising zinc oxide may be provided directly under the silver-inclusive layer to act as a seed layer to promote good and uniform growth of the IR reflecting layer, and a layer comprising Ni, Cr, Ti, and/or an oxide thereof may be provided above it to protect it, e.g., from oxygen migration. One or more protective layers may be provided at the top of the layer stack, with such layers comprising zirconium, silicon, and/or an oxide and/or nitride thereof. Silver-inclusive stacks may be repeated to provide so-called double-, triple-, or quad-silver low-E coatings. Low-E coatings including ITO may involve sandwiching a layer comprising ITO between siliconinclusive layers, with one or more of such layers being provided on each side of the layer comprising ITO. The silicon-inclusive layers may be oxide and/or nitride layers to help with reflection, coloration, etc. In certain example embodiments, additional layers may be provided for optics and/or protection.

[0080] Example low-E coatings are set forth in U.S. Patent Nos. 9,802,860; 8,557,391; 7,998,320; 7,771,830; 7,198,851; 7,189,458; 7,056,588; and 6,887,575; the entire contents of each of which is hereby incorporated by reference. Low-E coatings based on ITO and/or the like may be used for interior surfaces and/or exterior surfaces. See, for example, U.S. Patent Nos. 9,695,085 and 9,670,092; the entire contents of each of which is hereby incorporated by reference. These low-E coatings may be used in connection with certain example embodiments. Although example embodiments have been described in connection with infrared reflecting layers comprising silver or ITO, it will be appreciated that different conductive transparent metal, oxide, and/or metal oxide materials may be used in different example embodiments.

[0081] Figs. 7A-7D show example openings that may be used in the area 606 in the Fig. 6 example coated article, in accordance with certain example embodiments. These openings may be formed using a laser or the like (e.g., a network of laser-ablated areas may be created). As shown in Fig. 7A, the coating 702 may be removed so as to provide a generally circular opening 704. Similar to Fig. 7A, in Fig. 7B, the coating 702 may be removed so as to provide a generally rectangular opening 706. Figs. 7C-7D show how multiple openings from the Fig. 7A and Fig. 7B examples can be arranged in a patterned approach. It will be appreciated that the number of openings in the multi-opening examples provided in Figs. 7C-7D may vary in different example embodiments. The placement of the openings relative to one another also may vary in different example embodiments. In certain example embodiments where multiple openings are provided, the arrangement may be generally rectangular. In certain example embodiments where multiple openings are provided, the arrangement may be shaped like individual ones of the openings (e.g., the overall arrangement of circular openings may be circular, the overall arrangement of rectangular openings may be rectangular, etc.). Each opening may function as an antenna of sorts, and the geometries forming a given antenna may be the same or different.

[0082] The Fig. 7A-7D openings may be made on a single sheet of glass on each side bearing a low-E or other coating that will interfere with 5G signals in an undesirable manner. If the substrate is coated on both major surfaces, the alignment of the openings should be preserved for the signal to be delivered through the coated article. When there is a desire to transmit the full spectrum of 5G signals, the region that is removed may be 100-4000 mm ² and have a smallest dimension of at least 1 mm. In this situation, it may be more preferable to have an opening with an area of 200-1000 mm ² , more preferably 200-800 mm ² with a minor dimension of 5-20 mm or 10-20 mm.

[0083] The calculation of the signal intensity penetrating through the opening(s) is based on the following formula: where d is the minimum size of the opening in one dimension and is the signal wavelength.

[0084] Fig. 8 is a graph showing calculated results regarding the intensity passed through openings of different sizes. The dimension shown in Fig. 8 is assumed to be the smallest dimension (e.g., the smaller of the length and width of a rectangular opening, the minor diameter of an ellipsoidal opening, etc.). The calculation is based on the preceding equation. Based on the Fig. 8 graph and the data above, it will be appreciated that it would be desirable to provide one or more openings, with each said opening having an area of 100-4000 mm ² . The area preferably will be defined to have a minimum dimension of at least 1 mm. When one or more rectangular openings are used, it may be more preferable to form the opening(s) such that the area(s) is/are 200-1000 mm ² , more preferably 200-800 mm ² with the minimum dimension(s) being 5-40 mm, more preferably 5-20 mm or 10-30 mm, and for example, 5 mm or 20 mm.

[0085] In some cases, a coated article may be surrounded by a frame. The frame in some instances may be made from a material that does not, by itself, attenuate the millimeter wave signals to the same extent that the low-E coated glass does. For instance, wood and vinyl frames (and, generally speaking, other non- electrically conductive materials) will not attenuate these signals to the same degree as the low-E coated glass. In these cases, the opening(s) may be located at peripheral edges of the glass so that they are obscured from view by the frame (e.g., when the coated article is mounted or otherwise installed in a frame). The opening(s) may be oversized, however, to help reduce the likelihood of further attenuation. For instance, the overall surface area may be increased by 10%, 20%, 25%, or any other number up to 50%. The minimum dimension may be increased with corresponding percentages in certain example embodiments. In some cases, however, the holes will be located at a periphery of the window where it can be seen, even if a frame is installed.

[0086] The example techniques described herein can be used in connection with an insulating glass unit, as well. IG units typically have a low-E coating provided on surface 2, surface 3, or surfaces 2 and 4. Regardless of how many and where the low-E coating(s) is/are provided in an IG unit, the techniques described herein can be used. For instance, Figs. 9A-9D are example cross-sectional views of IG units including areas for openings in accordance with certain example embodiments. As shown in Fig. 9A, first and second substrates 902 and 904 are held in substantially parallel spaced apart relation to one another using a spacer system 906. The spacer system 906 helps define a gap or cavity 908 between the first and second substrates 902 and 904. The gap 908 may be filled with an inert gas such as Ar, Kr, Xe, and/or the like. In certain example embodiments, it may be mixed with air in a predetermined percentage (e.g., 80% Ar and 20% air, 90% Ar and 10% air, etc.). In the Fig. 9A example, a low-E coating 910 is provided on surface 2 (i.e., the second surface away from the exterior). If the spacer system 906 is formed from a non-conductive material that does not substantially attenuate 5G related signals, the area in which the opening(s) is/are formed can be formed at a peripheral edge of the first substrate 902 so that it cannot be seen when the IG unit is installed. That is, it may be formed so as to be no larger than the spacer system 906 in height and/or width dimensions. Similar to as noted above, the area 912 may be oversized to help compensate for, or at least not further exacerbate, attenuation that might be caused by the spacer system 906. In Fig. 9A, the opening(s) are provided in the area 912 of the low-E coating 910 that overlaps with and is surrounded by a portion of the spacer system 906, when the IG unit is viewed from a position perpendicular to the major surface of the first substrate 902 on which the low-E coating 910 is provided. [0087] If the spacer system 906 is not sufficiently transparent to the 5G signals, the Fig. 9B arrangement may be used. As shown in Fig. 9B, the area 912 is provided near a periphery of the IG unit in an area that is visible when the IG unit is installed. Because the area 912 is small and provided at a periphery of the viewable area, however, it is not necessarily as visually intrusive as some current larger grid patterns. In the Fig. 9B example, the opening(s) are provided in the area 912 of the low-E coating 910 that is within an area bounded by the spacer system 906 and proximate to a periphery of the gap 908, when the IG unit is viewed from a position perpendicular to the major surface of the first substrate 902 on which the low-E coating 910 is provided.

[0088] Fig. 9C shows an arrangement in which the first substrate 902’ is larger than the second substrate 904. In this case, the opening may be formed at a periphery of the first substrate 902’ so as to be “outside” of the spacer system 906. This arrangement may enable aluminum or other materials to be used for the spacer system 906, including materials that otherwise would too severely attenuate the 5G signals. In this case, the openings are hidden from view when the IG unit is installed. Because other framing materials may be provided, the holes may be formed to be oversized as explained above. In Fig. 9C, the first substrate 902’ is larger than the second substrate 904, and the area 912 of the low-E coating 910 is outside of an area bounded by the spacer system 906 and proximate to a periphery of the first substrate 902’, when the IG unit is viewed from a position perpendicular to the major surface of the first substrate 902’ on which the low-E coating 910 is provided.

[0089] In Fig. 9D, muntin bars 914 are provided in a “grille-between-glass” (GBG) IG unit. The muntin bars 914 may be formed from vinyl, wood, or other material that does not significantly attenuate 5G signals, or at least does not attenuate 5G signals to the same extent as does the IG unit in areas where the low-E coating is provided (e.g., an electrically non-conductive material). In such cases, the area 912 may be provided in registration with the muntin bars 914 so as to be concealed from view, or so as to have a view that is not as noticeable because of the dominant visual appearance of thick, strongly-colored muntins, which are designed to have a desired aesthetic appearance. As above, the openings in the area 912 may be oversized so as to compensate for any partial attenuation.

[0090] Similar arrangements as those shown in Figs. 9A-9D may be used if there is a low-E coating provided on surface 3 instead of surface 2. In a sense, the sun icon in these drawings could simply be moved to the other side of the IG units shown in Figs. 9A-9D to visualize what this would look like. The descriptions above would still apply, as would be apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0091] Similar arrangements also could be used if low-E coatings are provided on both surfaces 2 and 4. The Fig. 9A, 9B, and 9D arrangements would simply be modified to have areas of openings in the surface 2 and surface 4 coatings that are in registration with one another. Changes would not be needed with respect to the Fig. 9C example, as the surface 4 coating would be “inside” of the area where the openings are formed (i.e., inside or extending no further than the spacer system 906). [0092] Although the approaches shown in Figs. 9A-9D relate to IG units, it will be appreciated that the same or similar techniques (e.g., placements of openings) may be used in connection with vacuum insulating glass (VIG) units. As is known, VIG units comprise first and second substantially parallel spaced apart substrates. They are held in spaced apart relationship using support pillars or the like interposed between the two substrates, as well as an edge seal that extends around the periphery of the VIG unit. The cavity between the substrates is evacuated to a pressure less than atmospheric. The edge seal is a hermit seal, helping to maintain the vacuum over time. It may be formed from a frit material or the like. [0093] It will be appreciated that the products described herein may be used in commercial or residential windows, skylights, automotive or other vehicle applications, etc.

[0094] From the examples in Figs. 9A-9D, it will be appreciated that certain example embodiments enable the glazing portion of IG units to be transparent to the entire bandwidth of the 5G spectrum, thus providing an unobstructed access to the signal. In other words, certain example embodiments provide 5G network connectivity through a thermal -control IG unit by creating a path in the IG unit coating to allow the 5G radio waves into the building, vehicle, or the like. These examples may make use of or more antennae of the same of different geometries, and as explained in greater detail below, the antennae may be passive, or connected to an internal transceiver and/or external transceiver. Allowing 5G signals inside the building (or vehicle) could help ensure an increased aerial spectral efficiency by providing more spectrum to each user. An IG unit therefore may become a way of creating a more efficient nested network environment within the building and an effective entity (e.g., hub) capable of communicating directly with a small-cell station. More active connections to transceivers may be useful in this latter respect. [0095] In certain example embodiments, a portion of a metal or 5G signal attenuating material spacer system may be replaced with a non-conductive (e.g., dielectric material). For example, Fig. 10 is a plan view of a substrate 1002 having a 5G-compatible spacer system thereon, in accordance with certain example embodiments. The second substrate is removed from this drawing for ease of explanation. In Fig. 10, a dielectric material 1004 (e.g., of or including a plastic or other material) may mate with a metal spacer system 1006 (e.g., of or including aluminum or the like). The low-E coating 910 is formed on the substrate 1002. A portion of the low-E coating 910 is removed from at least a portion of the area 912, which is in registration with the dielectric material 1004 that comprises the spacer system. From the Fig. 10 plan view, the area 912 from which the low-E coating 910 has been removed lies under the dielectric material 1004. The dielectric material 1004 enables millimeter ways to penetrate through the spacer system to an extent greater than the aluminum in the metal spacer system 1006. The penetrable area of the overall spacer system can be made of any dielectric material. [0096] Fig. 11 is an example embodiment similar to Fig. 6, except that it includes a movable shutter 1102, in accordance with certain example embodiments. In this example embodiment, the opening area 606 optionally can be blocked by the shutter 1102. The shutter 1102 may be formed from a material that significantly attenuates or blocks some or all of the 5G spectrum. Thus, if there is a desire to block millimeter wavelengths, for example, the shutter 102 may be formed from a metallic or other material and moved so as to cover the opening area 606. The shutter may be placed on surface 4 (i.e., the inner most major surface) in an IG unit, on surface 2 of a monolithic coated article, etc., so that it is easily manually movable by a person. In certain example embodiments, the shutter may be internal to the IG unit cavity and may be moved if a switch is activated, a remote control is used, etc. In such situations, a small servo motor may cause the shutter 1102 to move up or down (or left or right) so as to cover or uncover the opening area 606. In certain example embodiments, the shutter may be larger than the opening area 606, e.g., to reduce the need to perfectly align the opening 606 and the shutter 1102 for blocking purposes, to reduce the likelihood of waves diffracting around the material and penetrating past the window, etc.

[0097] Figs. 12A-12B are plan views of example IG units where edge deleted areas are provided to enable 5G signal penetration, in accordance with certain example embodiments. In Fig. 12A, the edge deleted area 1202 is provided outside of the spacer system 604, whereas the edge deleted area 1202 is provided just inside the spacer system 604 in Fig. 12B. In Fig. 12A, a frame around the window may be formed form a material that does not significantly attenuate 5G signals, and in that case then there will be no visible evidence of the edge deletion. In the Fig. 12B example, there may be some visible appearance, but the lack of a grid-like pattern extending across the entire substrate surface will be advantageous because it will appear more natural with the shape of the window and/or be less apparent as compared to a grid-like approach that extends across substantially all of the window’s major surfaces.

[0098] As will be appreciated from the discussion above, certain example embodiments are advantageous in that they involve coatings with 5G permeable areas that are difficult to see. In some instances, depending on the placement of such areas, they cannot be seen at all. This is contrastable with other approaches where much of a low-E coating must be removed, providing a very aesthetically displeasing look that is visible to the naked eye in a number of different lighting conditions and from a number of different viewing angles. Moreover, because certain other existing techniques that involve grid-like or other patterns provided across an entire substrate remove a significant amount of coating material, there could be significant degradation in solar performance. Indeed, unlike certain example embodiments where very little if any low-E coating material is removed from an area where light is to pass through the window, such current techniques possibly suffer from an approximate 10% reduction in performance (e.g., under the assumption that about 1 mm of a low-E coating is removed with every 1 cm of spacing). In a nutshell, certain example embodiments are advantageous because they provide more aesthetically pleasing and better performing coatings, sometimes making use of a structure like a frame, wall, or other feature that will directly hide or make the visual appearance of an opening or openings less apparent. In certain example embodiments, grid-like patterns (e.g., with generally parallel and perpendicular lines that form regular patterns such as rectangles, diamonds, or the like) are not formed. In certain example embodiments, patterns including a plurality of generally parallel lines are not formed. In some instances, such patterns may be avoided for the entire substrate or a substantial portion of the visible area (e.g., no more than 50% of the visible portion) thereof, etc. Similarly, in some instances, such patterns may be avoided across a single row and/or column extending across the entire substrate or a substantial portion of the visible area (e.g., no more than 50% of the visible portion) thereof, etc.

[0099] The assignee of the instant application has realized that when a low-E coating is provided on each of two different substrates in an IG unit or the like, in addition to providing thermal control properties, the IG unit itself may be capable of selectively transmitting certain radiofrequencies (RF) while attenuating others, e.g., using principles based on constructive and destructive wave interference. As is known to those skilled in the art, because of the high degree of electrical conductivity of the infrared reflecting (e.g., silver-inclusive) layer(s), and depending on the low-E layer stack design, coatings can be used to control the ratio of near-infrared and midinfrared frequencies transferred through the window to decrease, for example, solar heat gain in the summer and increase heat retention inside a building in the winter. And as will be appreciated from the description above, low-E glass-inclusive windows, just like many other energy-efficient materials of the building envelope, interfere not only with infrared waves that cause heat transfer, but also with radio frequencies. The higher the frequency (the smaller the wavelength) of the RF signal, the more interaction with low-E glass it will encounter. For example, millimeter waves will be attenuated by low-E glass more than centimeter waves (with corresponding frequencies of 1-6 GHz). Certain example embodiments help address these issues using principles based on constructive and destructive wave interference without significant adverse effects on solar performance. This in turn makes it possible to use high-frequency signals to connect wireless customers inside energyefficient buildings to the external networks (such as, for example, the Internet and World Wide Web) without the aid of technologies that are expensive to install, difficult to maintain, and intrusive, such as fiber-to-the-premise or roof-top antennas with physical wired cable or other connections.

[00100] In some instances, widely-used Wi-Fi routers (operating at unlicensed 2.4 and 5.0 GHz) inside buildings are considered to be the weakest link in wireless security / wireless privacy, as their low-encryption-level signals are prone to leak out the building, particularly through the windows, thus often posing a cybersecurity risk. Accordingly, in some instances, it would be desirable to selectively attenuate certain RF frequencies, such as Wi-Fi bands and, ideally, increase the transmission of others through a low-E window. Certain example embodiments additionally or alternative can help address these issues, as well.

[00101] Fig. 13 is a schematic, cross-sectional view of an IG unit including two low-E coatings, showing signal intensities in various parts of the window. As will be appreciated from the description that follows, certain example embodiments may be used to provide an architectural or other window with thermal control (low-E) capacity while also providing the ability to selectively attenuate certain radiofrequencies while transmitting others. In Fig. 13, 1° ^ut I° ^ut I I I refer to signal intensities in various parts of the window. The “out” superscripts denote intensities moving away from or out of the building envelope, whereas the “in” superscripts denote intensities moving towards or through the building envelope. Each of the substrates in the Fig. 13 example supports a respective low-E coating. Each low-E coating comprises at least one infrared reflecting layer. Example thicknesses for the infrared reflecting layers in certain example embodiments are 0.5- 20 nm, more preferably 5-15 nm, and sometimes 7-15 nm or 5-10 nm. In coatings where there are multiple IR reflecting layers, each may have a thickness in this or other example range. Each coating partially transmits, partially reflects, and partially absorbs RF signals. The interaction of reflected and transmitted waves creates a resultant standing interference wave, which may be thought of as being a pattern of intensity maxima and minima, predictably distributed outside, inside, and within the unit.

[00102] Referring again to Fig. 13, the spacing t/between the two low-E coatings determines the distribution of the interference pattern. The phase difference between the reflected and transmitted waves at any point is given by the following equation: where x is the position along the horizontal axis and & is the angle between the two waves. In general, the spacing between adjacent low-E coatings in certain example embodiments may be 0.5-20 cm, more preferably 1-10 cm, still more preferably 1-5 cm, and sometimes 2 cm. The spacing selected may depend, for example, on the desired transmission boost and/or desired transmission attenuation, as described in greater detail below. It will be appreciated that approximate spacings may be used. Approximate spacings may be limited to manufacturing tolerances, tolerances at which undesirable constructive and/or destructive interference occurs, tolerances at which the desired constructive and/or destructive interference does not occur, etc. In general, a tolerance of about 1-5 mm or better is possible.

[00103] Fig. 14 is a graph demonstrating the transmission dependence of RF signals through a Fig. 13 example window on frequency. The Fig. 14 example assumes a spacing (or d value) between the two substrates of 2 cm. For comparison purposes, the light grey line in Fig. 14 shows the transmission of a window with a single low-E coating. In this example embodiment, the double-glazed low-E window allows the transmission of some frequencies (such as the commonly used 28.5-29.5 GHz band), while blocking two common Wi-Fi frequencies (namely 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) from leaking out the building. For comparison, a single low-E coating produces no RF wave interference (see grey line in Fig. 14), and the effect would be Wi-Fi signals being less attenuated than centimeter and millimeter waves, which could be considered disadvantageous for a number of different use cases (including use cases where it is desirable to provide full 5G connectivity into the building without attenuating LTE inclusive signals, use cases where it is desirable to provide millimeter wave penetration without also providing Wi-Fi signal penetration, etc.). [00104] Fig. 15 is a graph showing the transmission vs. frequency dependence for 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, and 2.5 cm spacing between the two coatings of the Fig. 13 IG unit. It can be seen from Fig. 15 that peak positions of the transmission curve are sensitive to the spacing between the low-E coatings.

[00105] The spectral distribution of transmission, reflection, and absorption of RF frequencies by each of the low-E coatings in the Fig. 13 example IG unit is also a factor defining the shape of the transmission curve and the position of its minima and maxima. Because the spectral characteristics of low-E coatings are sensitive based on, for example, the type of product or application into which they are to be located, a fine tuning of the dependence of Fig. 15 may be desirable. This fine tuning may optimize the spacing between the panes to achieve a desirable transmission/ attenuation ratio in the desired frequency ranges. Thus, spacing may in some instances be specified with a tolerance smaller than 0.5 cm in certain example embodiments. The thicknesses may be set using, for example, different spacer systems, increasing the amount of material used to bond the spacer to the substrate, etc.

[00106] Fig. 16 is a graph demonstrating where different RF frequencies encounter significant attenuation issues with different spacings between adjacent low- E coatings. Typical glass window thicknesses also are shown along the x-axis. A spacing of 3 mm, for example, may represent the distance between two low-E coatings provided on opposing surfaces of a single glass substrate, which may be used monolithically; as an inner or outer substrate in an IG unit or the like; an inner, middle, or outer substrate in a triple-IG unit; etc. Larger thicknesses imply thicker monolithic articles, laminated products, IG units, and/or the like (although that is not necessarily the case, e.g., ballistic glass is very thick). With respect to the latter, the gap or cavity distance is taken into account. [00107] Fig. 17 is similar to Fig. 16 in that Fig. 17 is a graph plotting the distance between two parallel pieces of low-E glass vs. wireless frequencies where wave interference has a pronounced effect on signal transmission and reflection. In Fig. 17, Lambda is the wavelength, which is related to the Frequency as Lambda being the speed of light divided by frequency. For instance, % Lambda represents one of the maxima of destructive interference (minimum reflectance). For full wavelengths, the distances equal to even multiples of Lambda will result in destructive interference. One-half Lambda and odd multiples of Lambda, on the other hand, will result in constructive interference (maximum reflectance).

[00108] In certain example embodiments, one or both panes of the Fig. 13 setup may be coated with a low-E coating on both sides of a single pane of glass. These coatings may be the same or different in terms of overall coating design, thickness of the electrically-conductive layer(s), electrical conductivity and spectral distribution of transmission, reflection, and absorption at RF frequencies, and/or the like.

[00109] In certain example embodiments, one or more electrically-conductive low-E layers of the Fig. 13 setup may be made of material(s) other than silver. Examples include ultra-thin Ni, Cr, Ti, and/or alloys thereof, which may or may not be oxided.

[00110] The interference approach of certain example embodiments may be used in connection with so-called triple-IG units, where first and second substrates are held in substantially parallel spaced apart relation via a first spacer system and second and third substrates are held in substantially parallel spaced apart relation via a second spacer system. In such cases, at least two surfaces may be coated with low-E coatings. The center lite may be coated on both sides, or different surfaces of different substrates may be coated in different example embodiments.

[00111] As alluded to above, in certain example embodiments, only one pane of a single- or multi-pane article may be coated with a low-E coating on both sides. In such cases, the effect of RF wave interference for the wavelengths of interest (e.g., 1-60 GHz) may be increasingly noticeable with an increased thickness of the glass pane. Some practical thicknesses are 5-16 mm, for example. This is due to the fact that the wave interference occurs when the two coatings are separated by distances comparable with the RF signal wavelengths. [00112] In certain example embodiments, one or more electrically-conductive coatings may be conductive without also being having specifically-tuned or intentionally designed low-E properties. They may be made, for instance, of a partially oxidized metal, be at least partially optically transparent, and play a role in RF interference without contributing (or without significantly contributing) to energy efficiency of the window.

[00113] In certain example embodiments, the delineation between signals that are blocked and signals that are not blocked may occur at or around wavelengths corresponding to 6 GHz frequencies, such that wavelengths corresponding to frequencies below this threshold are blocked or attenuated, and wavelengths corresponding to frequencies above this threshold are permitted to pass (and in some instances are amplified or otherwise have their signal intensities increased). In different example embodiments, different breakpoint thresholds besides 6 GHz may be used.

[00114] The techniques described above may be used to help increase the intensity of millimeter radio-waves transmitted through the window and, optionally, to help attenuate Wi-Fi related signals and/or signals at other frequency ranges. Certain example embodiments may further trade-off aesthetics to increase the divergence between promoting certain wavelengths and attenuating others. This might be particularly useful for monolithic coating articles, where it may not always be feasible to implement distances advantageous to first wavelength range constructive interference and second wavelength range destructive interference. It also may be particularly advantageous when such designs can be made to have an intentionally-apparent aesthetic, e.g., that contributes to the overall design of the window or the like in a potentially unique or architectural manner.

[00115] Certain example embodiments use a conductive pattern applied to the glass in order to block a first set of frequency ranges while allowing a second set of frequency ranges through the window or other coated article. Certain example embodiments make use of the principle of selective transmission, e.g., to selectively allow the high frequencies (small wavelengths) of millimeter waves of the 5G band while at the same time selectively blocking the smaller frequencies (longer wavelengths) of Wi-Fi signals. The difference in the 5G and Wi-Fi or other frequencies in essence turns the conductive pattern into a selective absorber/reflector. [00116] As discussed above, different frequencies have different penetration loss for different building materials. Therefore, the different frequency ranges may be selectively blocked as well. For example, the low-frequency portions of the 5G band, which operate at 5 GHz and below, are likely to be blocked as much as the Wi-Fi signal, inasmuch as their frequency ranges are the same or overlap. As another example, the wireless transmission for signals with frequencies smaller than 5 GHz through building skins is dominated by concrete and brick walls; thus, these signals also may be blocked by certain example embodiments. An approach according to certain example embodiments where it is desirable to block Wi-Fi signals and pass at least a portion of 5G signals therefore may be seen as being most effective for buildings with a high window-to-wall ratio, as such buildings will enable more millimeter wave transmissions while blocking lower frequencies associated with WiFi signals, although that that is not necessarily the case and the example techniques making use of a conductive pattern can be used in a variety of different applications and settings.

[00117] The electrically-conductive pattern of certain example embodiments can take a variety of forms or configurations. For example, a classical honeycomb shape may be used in certain example embodiments. A regular hexagonal pattern or the like may be used in this regard. See Fig. 18A in this regard. Alternatively, a honeycomb shape that resembles a regular pattern having a compressed aspect ratio may be used in certain example embodiments. See Fig. 18B in this regard. Latticelike patterns, e.g., with diamond-shaped cutouts or the like, may be used in certain example embodiments. In certain example embodiments, arbitrary or meandering patterns (e.g., fractal patterns) may be used. In certain example embodiments, the patterns may have a visual effect. The visual effect may be difficult to notice in certain example embodiments, e.g., depending on the shapes or configurations chosen. In different example embodiments, the shapes or configurations may be readily perceivable. For instance, they may have an intentionally-created, human- perceivable visual appearance. In this case, architectural design elements may be incorporated to make them appear more rather than less pronounced, e.g., to incorporate interesting aesthetic designs, potentially providing architectural elegance and uniqueness to ultra-thin glass windows. In certain example embodiments, three- dimensional (3D) designs may be implemented to provide mechanical support and architectural detail. Such 3D patterns may replace standard muntins or the like. Thin film materials such as those listed above may be used or, in the case of 3D designs, metal or other blocking materials may be used. A 3D design in this case means a design that has an intentional thickness and is not, for example, merely an ablated or non-ablated portion of a conductive thin film or other coating. Typically, a 3D design will have a minimum thickness of at least 3-5 mm.

[00118] Non-circular shapes also may be used in certain example embodiments. For example, a pattern of ultra-thin electrically-conductive hairs may be used for other applications in certain example embodiments. See Fig. 18C in this regard. The conductive hairs may be embedded in plastic or laminated between two sheets of glass. Such metal hairs could be applied to the windows in a similar (noncircular form), or they could be arranged in circular shapes. In other words, tessellated or non-tessellated patterns may be used in different example embodiments. [00119] The effectiveness of the electrically-conductive pattern may be driven by the major distance (e.g., diameter) of the cells or, as in the case of non-circular shapes, the separation or distance between adjacent conductive elements (e.g., the separation or distance between the adjacent conductive hairs in the Fig. 18C example). In the case of a honeycomb, circular, or other regular pattern consisting essentially of the same or similar shape elements, this would be the major distance (e.g., diameter) of individual cells. In case of an arbitrary pattern, the size is the average diameter or the average distance between the conductive elements (e.g., hairs).

[00120] The transmission energy E (the amount of wireless energy that will get through the electrically-conductive pattern) is given by the following equation:

E ~ 1 — e~~ , where d is the average diameter and A is the signal wavelength.

[00121] Fig. 19 is a graph plotting the dependence of transmitted energy on frequency and average diameter or major distance. The openings are statistically averaged opening diameters. The horizontal lines represent the frequencies of the two current common Wi-Fi bands (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz), as well as three example millimeter wave 5G frequencies. As can be seen from Fig. 19, transmission increases with increasing signal frequencies and increasing diameters. In other words, smaller wavelengths pass through openings of the same diameter easier than longer wavelengths, and larger openings let through all wavelengths easier.

[00122] The Fig. 20 graph is a more detailed representation of the dependence of transmission on the diameter or major distance of an electrically-conductive pattern. A second axis of the graph is the ratio of transmitted energy of Wi-Fi 1 to 5G signals. As is known, Wi-Fi 1 operates at 2.4 GHz and Wi-Fi2 operates at 5 GHz. It can be seen from Fig. 20 that there is an increasing ratio of the Wi-Fi to millimeter signal energy with increasing diameter, but this ratio gradually saturates starting at diameters of 2.5 cm. There is clearly a “sweet spot” at 1.5 cm at which the transmitted energy of 5G millimeter waves is close to their maximum, while 80% of Wiil energy is blocked. As a result, it may be advantageous to provide an average opening major distance or diameter of 0.5-15 cm, more preferably 1-10 cm, still more preferably 1-5 cm, and still even more preferably 2-3 cm, at least when there is a desire to block Wi-Fi related signals and facilitate the transmission of millimeter wave signals that are part of the 5G spectrum. In certain example embodiments, it is preferable to provide attenuation for the frequency range(s) to be attenuated of at least 50%, more preferably at least 60%, and still more preferably at least 70%, with example attenuations being at least about 75% and at least about 80%. Additionally or alternatively, in certain example embodiments, it is preferably to limit attenuation for the frequency range(s) that are not to attenuated to no more than 25%, more preferably no more than 20%, still more preferably no more than 15%, with examples being no more than 10% and no more than 5%.

[00123] Based on the description above, it will be appreciated that the electrically-conductive pattern of certain example embodiments can be applied in one or more of the following ways: to a bare glass substrate, to a glass substrate with a continuous low-E coating on it (e.g., over the low-E coating), to a glass substrate with a partially ablated low-E coating (e.g., altered to further facilitate the permeation of millimeter waves using the techniques described herein, for example), to a glass substrate with a low-E coating modified by a non-ablation technique, to a glass substrate with a non-silver-based low-E coating, to a non-electrically-conductive window frame (e.g., a frame that is at least partially transparent to millimeter waves, but attenuating with respect to common Wi-Fi frequencies), to any other parts of an IG unit, to a window that has a transceiver operating in the millimeter or/and LTE spectral range, to any other parts and materials of the building skin, and/or the like. In certain example embodiments, the conductive pattern may be formed from a low-E coating, may include a metal or other conducting thin film or other material, etc. [00124] Certain of the example techniques described above may be considered passive approaches to enabling at least millimeter waves to penetrate into a building. That is, certain of the example techniques described above relying on the signal being conveyed into a building without using any separate electronic devices. For instance, reduced attenuation, transmission increases, frequency selection, and/or the like are accomplished using patterned openings in coatings, modifying coating spacings (e.g., to promote desired interference patterns), deploying conductive patterns, and/or the like, without using separate electronic devices. Although these techniques do not use separate electronic devices, more active approaches that do may be used together with, or in place of, at least certain example techniques described above. For instance, one or more active, electronic transceivers may be used to improve centimeter and/or millimeter wave transmissions through a window in a building where such signals otherwise would attenuated because of, for example, low-E coatings provided thereon. The transmission of frequencies having these wavelengths may be enabled while also optionally attenuating Wi-Fi related signals, in at least certain example use cases.

[00125] Some transceivers have been developed to facilitate centimeter and/or millimeter wave connectivity through low-E glass. These current transceivers may be placed on opposing outer surfaces of an IG unit (i.e., surface 1 and 4), to facilitate transmissions through the low-E glass. It has been found that this type of arrangement tends to work well for IG units that have small gaps or cavities between the two sheets of glass. For IGUs with a larger gap or cavities, however, this approach tends to be problematic. For example, transceivers require more power to operate and may result in higher losses when there are large gaps or cavities. Additionally, to supply electric power to the transceiver on the outside surface, the IG unit needs to be wired or inductively coupled to an inside charger. In the latter case, the coupling can be compromised because of the larger distance for the coupling. In addition to these challenges, in the case of millimeter waves, current transceivers use down-conversion of communication signals (frequency reduction) to make the signal penetrable through low-E glass. Thus, many of the advantages of millimeter wave signals (including higher speed transmissions, reduced interference because of the less densely used part of the spectrum, etc.) cannot be realized. In addition, these approaches require at least one-way transmission of Wi-Fi related signals, thereby presenting challenges in situations where it is it desirable to prevent “leakage” of signals in these ranges. Although large gaps or spacing can be a problem, these problems are as indicated above oftentimes related to power consumption / power levels needed to transmit signals. Thus, a relevant measure of where problems may occur may relate to the total thickness of the window unit, or at least the total thickness between low-E coatings or other attenuating layers. The spacing for triple IG units, for example, can be huge (especially when compared with monolithic articles). The problems can be exacerbated for windows designed for tall buildings where heavy wind loads are expected and 10 mm thick panes are used monolithically, in IG units, in triple IG units, etc.

[00126] Certain example embodiments address the above-described and/or other concerns. For example, certain example embodiments provide an electronic design that supports wireless transfer through an IG unit even though with a large air gap or cavity between the substrates. Advantageously, certain example embodiments allow the outdoor transceiver to be charged without requiring it to be hard-wired to an internal device. Certain example embodiments can simplify the architecture of transceivers, e.g., making it possible to be more cost effective, reduce power consumption, etc. Another example advantage includes the ability to avoid signal down-conversion, e.g., such that centimeter and/or millimeter waves can be propagated through a window unit and into a building or the like without converting the signals to lower frequencies (such as Wi-Fi related frequencies) that are potentially less secure, slower, etc. In a similar vein, certain example embodiments enable the IG units to be made to have frequency-selective transmission, e.g., so that it becomes possible to attenuate frequencies used in Wi-Fi or other communications without also attenuating the centimeter and/or millimeter wavelength regions of 5G communications. Avoiding the need to down-convert the signals can also enable simpler electronics to be used in the transceivers. [00127] Figs. 21-22 are cross-sectional views of different transceiver configurations that may be used to promote transmission of 5G signal frequencies through an IG unit in accordance with certain example embodiments. Figs. 21-22 are similar to Fig. 9B, for example, in that there is an area 912 including one or more openings formed in the low-E coating 910 via laser ablation or the like, and a gap or cavity 908 is formed between the first and second substrates 902, 904. In Fig. 21, however, first and second transceivers 2102a, 2102b are provided on surfaces 1 and 4 respectively.

[00128] Still referring to Fig. 21, the first and second transceivers 2102a, 2102b are in registration with the area 912 including the opening(s), and they can communicate with one another through gap 908. Communications also may be thought of as taking place “through” the low-E coating 910. This is facilitated because the low-E coating 910 is removed in the area 912 where the openings are formed, with the first and second transceivers 2102a, 2102b being in-line with the area 912. Thus, signals from outside of the IG unit are received by the first transceiver 2102a, transmitted from the first transceiver 2102 through the gap 908, received by the second transceiver 2102b, and transmitted into the building. Because the second substrate 904 does not have a low-E coating formed thereon and is formed of glass in certain example embodiments, the full spectrum of the 5G signal can be transmitted therethrough.

[00129] The opening(s) formed in the area 912, also called a ‘“via,” facilitates the outdoor-to-indoor communication. Advantageously, the power needed for effectively communicating between the first and second transceivers 2102a, 2102b is lower compared to a situation where there are no openings formed in the low-E coating 910. That is, power does not need to be expended boosting the signal from the first transceiver 2102a to ensure that it is received by the second transceiver 2102b, although intensity increases certainly can be provided by the first transceiver 2102a in certain example embodiments. The need for signal down-conversion also may be reduced or completely eliminated in certain example embodiments because centimeter and/or millimeter wave signals can be propagate through the IG unit “as is” using the first and second transceivers 2102a, 2102b.

[00130] The Fig. 21 example arrangement may be advantageous in some instances because the first and second transceivers 2102a, 2102b can be placed on the IG unit after it is fabricated. In some instances, if the low-E coating 910 can have an opening or openings formed therein after fabrication, the first and second transceivers 2102a, 2102b can be provided as retrofit or post-processing solutions. It will be appreciated that the arrangement of the first and second transceivers 2102a, 2102b is not limited to surfaces 1 and 4, however. In certain example embodiments, surfaces 1 and 2, 1 and 3, 2 and 3, and 2 and 4 can be used. Generally, having a transceiver on surface 1 will be advantageous in terms of signal pick-up, but this may not always be a concern in all instances. The low-E coating may be moved to surface 2 or applied to multiple surfaces, and the same two transceiver configurations can be used in certain example embodiments.

[00131] Because of the placement of the opening(s), no active electronic transceivers will be needed. Nonetheless, in certain example instances, where a transceiver is needed or desired to increase signal strength, it may be possible to provide a single transceiver. Fig. 22 shows such an arrangement, where a single transceiver 2102 is provided on surface 2 over the low-E coating 910 and in-line with the area 912. The opening(s) in the low-E coating 910 is/are made “in front of’ the transceiver 2102, so the signal can reach the transceiver 2102 by bypassing the low-E coating 910. The opening(s) in the low-E coating 910 may be made by laser ablation, mechanical grinding, or any appropriate technique. The single transceiver 2102 in Fig. 22 is able to directly communicate with both the outdoor station and the indoor device(s).

[00132] In certain example embodiments, a single transceiver can be applied to any surface of the IG unit, i.e., any of surfaces 1-4. In general, it may be desirable to have the signal transceiver “behind” the low-E coating 910 so as to boost the signal and at least partially compensate for attenuation caused by the low-E coating. This placement may be used if the low-E coating is provided on any one or more of the surfaces, although it will be appreciated that it generally will be desirable to provide the low-E coating in front of the single transceiver in at least some instances.

[00133] The size, shape, and arrangement of the opening(s) provided in the area 912 in Figs. 21-22 may be the same as or similar to those discussed above. For example, see Figs. 7A-7D and the related text for example shapes, and see Fig. 8 and the related text for a discussion of example sizes. With respect to sizes, each said opening or the area in which multiple opening(s) are formed as a whole will have an area of 100-4000 mm ² , preferably with a minimum dimension of at least 1 mm. More preferably, each said opening or the area in which multiple opening(s) are formed as a whole will have an area of 200-1000 mm ² , more preferably 200-800 mm ² with the minimum dimension(s) being 5-40 mm, more preferably 5-20 mm or 10-30 mm, and for example, 5 mm or 20 mm.

[00134] Although certain example embodiments are described as provided one or more active transceivers in connection with an IG unit, it will be appreciated that the approach of providing an active transceiver in-line with one or more openings formed in a low-E coating may be beneficial for other articles, including monolithic coated articles, laminated products, VIG units, etc.

[00135] In certain example embodiments, the frame around a glass-inclusive article may be modified so as to support millimeter wave connectivity. The modification may depend on, for example, whether the frame is metal (and thus likely to block or attenuate millimeter wave signals), whether and to what extent the low-E coating extends into the frame, etc. For instance, in certain example embodiments, a non-electrically-conductive via may be formed in a metal frame of an IG unit to help provide a wireless or wired coupling between indoor and outdoor transceivers.

[00136] Fig. 23 is a partial cross-sectional view of a modified frame supporting 5G wireless connectivity in accordance with certain example embodiments. The frame 2300 holds an insulating glass unit 2302. One or more surfaces of the IG unit 2303 supports a low-E coating. A via 2304 is formed in the frame. The via 2304 supports wireless connectivity through an effective signal penetration, at least with respect to the portion of 5G wireless that otherwise is likely to be attenuated by virtue of the low-E coating provided in connection with the IG unit 2302.

[00137] Fig. 24 is a cross-sectional view of a typical frame profile used to hold IG units. As shown in Fig. 24, first and second substrates 2402, 2404 of the IG unit are spaced apart using the spacer system 2406 defining a gap 2408 therebetween. In this example arrangement, the first and second substrates 2402, 2404 are commonly dimensioned, so they extend to the same depth in Fig. 24. The frame includes a seat 2410 that receives portions of the first and second substrates 2402, 2404 and the spacer system 2406, holding the IG unit in place. In this regard, outer frame member 2412 includes a first upwardly extending member 2414, and the inner frame member 2416 includes the second upwardly extending area 2418. It will be appreciated that these members protrude “upwardly” given the vantage point of Fig. 24. However, because the frame extends around the periphery of the IG unit, portions will extend inwardly, downwardly, etc. The interior 2420 of the outer frame member 2412 is hollow, as is the interior 2422 of the inner frame member 2416.

[00138] If the frame is formed from vinyl or other material that is transparent to centimeter and/or millimeter radio-waves, and if the low-E coating on one or more of the first and second substrates 2402, 2404 does not extend into the frame portion, at least these portions of the 5G spectrum may penetrate into the window. In order to provide an extra boost, one or more transceivers may be provided. As above, the transceiver s) may be configured to receive millimeter and/or centimeter radio-waves from the exterior side of the IG unit and re-transmit them in an exterior side to interior side direction. (It is understood that the exterior side to interior side direction is not limited to a perfectly aligned vector or the like but rather incorporates a general orientation in which signals from outside of the building or other structure are transmitted into the building or other structure. The direction of signal propagation may vary from transceiver-to-transceiver, for example.) Fig. 25 is a cross-sectional view of the Fig. 24 frame having a single added transceiver 2102, in accordance with certain example embodiments. Although certain IG unit frames may be made of non- electrically conductive materials such as vinyl and may allow some of the wireless signal to penetrate into the building without extra effort, certain example embodiments may provide a transceiver even in such instances to enhance the connectivity. In the Fig. 25 example, the transceiver 2102 is provided on an interior side of the frame. In such cases, no opening or via may be needed, other than perhaps to connect the transceiver 2102 to a power source if it is a powered transceiver that amplifies and/or distributes the signal, for example.

[00139] However, if the frame is formed from metal or the like, then the frame may be modified in accordance with the techniques disclosed herein to enable 5G signals to penetrate into through the frame. Specifically, a via may be formed through the frame. The via is an opening in the metal or other frame, which is otherwise not transparent to (or otherwise not transparent at a level desired for) radio-waves in a defined frequency range (e.g., centimeter and/or millimeter waves used in 5G communications). The via can be filled or plugged with a non-conducting material, such as, for instance, Nylon 6,6 or another polymer to permit penetration of 5G signals. In the former case, a frame can have one or more holes or cutouts formed therein, and material can be provided in external edges, internal supports, and/or other locations to help maintain the structural resilience of the frame. In the latter case, a plug may extend all the way through an opening or cutout formed in the frame. The via thus provides a conduit through the frame, providing wireless connectivity between the outside signal and the inside system. The non-conductive filling or plug advantageously helps serve as a protecting seal against moisture and dust ingress into the frame, and the interior from the outside environment. It also can help provide thermal insulation of the entire unit.

[00140] Figs. 26A-26D are cross-sectional views of the Fig. 24 frame modified to have vias and support 5G connectivity, accordance with certain example embodiments. Fig. 26A shows a plug 2602 provided through the frame, in accordance with certain example embodiments. The plug 2602 extends through inner and outer edges of the outer frame member 2412 through the hollow portion 2420 of the outer frame member 2412 and the hollow portion 2422 of the inner frame member 2602 and through inner and outer edges of the inner frame member 2416. As noted above, the plug 2602 may be formed from a material that is sufficiently transparent to frequencies in the target range(s) so as to allow them to propagate from the outside of the IG unit to its inside. In Fig. 26A, the main frame profile may be formed via any suitable technique, holes may be cut out, and the plug 2602 may be inserted into the hole. For example, the frame profile may be formed via roll forming or the like, a tool may be used to form holes, and a plug may be inserted. This may be performed automatically or via robot automation in certain example embodiments.

[00141] Fig. 26B is similar to Fig. 26A. However, instead of providing a unitary plug 2602 that extends through the thickness of the frame as in the Fig. 26A example, the Fig. 26B example includes multiple fill portions 2602a-2602c. These fill portions 2602a-2602c are provided in the frame profile and do not extend all the way through the hollow areas 2420 and 2422. They nonetheless help maintain the structural rigidity of the frame outer and inner members 2412, 2416. The main frame profile may be formed via any suitable technique, holes may be cut out, and the fill portions 2602a-2602c may be added. In certain example embodiments, the fill portions may be coextruded with the main frame profile. [00142] If the inner or outer portions of the frame profile are transparent to the radio waves, modifications to these approaches may be made. For example, the plug may extend through only the portion(s) of the frame that block(s) or significantly attenuate(s) the signals. Likewise, for example, fill portions may be provided in only the portion(s) of the frame that block(s) or significantly attenuate(s) the signals.

[00143] Similar to the discussion above, one or more transceivers may be used to further help transmit signals from outside of the IG unit to the inside of the IG unit. In certain example embodiments, a single transceiver can be used on an outer surface of the frame, inside the frame in one of the hollow areas, or on an inner surface of the frame. In certain example embodiments, two transceivers can be used. These transceivers can be placed in any of these locations. If they are placed on surfaces adjacent to a building interior and exterior, for example, they may be connected to one another via a wired or wireless connection. In a wired connection configuration, a plug may be replaced with a conduit that protects the wired connection. In other cases, the fills may be omitted and the wire may extend through through-holes in the frame members.

[00144] Figs. 26C-26D show frames incorporating first and second transceivers that help transmit radio-waves “through” the window in accordance with certain example embodiments. Figs. 26C-26D in a sense are hybrids that make use of the techniques described above in connection with Fig. 21 and Fig. 26B. Both Fig. 26C and Fig. 26D include fill portions 2602a-2602c formed in the outer and inner frame member 2412, 2416. Figs. 26C-26D each include a first transceiver 2102a in the hollow 2420 of the outer frame member 2412. Fig. 26C includes a second transceiver 2102b placed on an outer surface of the inner frame member 2416 “in” the building or other interior. In Fig. 26C, the first transceiver 2102a receives and re-transmits signals from outside of the frame towards the second transceiver 2102b, and the second transceiver 2102b receives and re-transmits signals from the first transceiver 2102a into the building or other interior. Fig. 26D operates similar to Fig. 26C. However, in Fig. 26D, the second transceiver 2102b’ is able to amplify received signals and use beam-forming (e.g., using a phase antenna) to distribute the signal within the interior and potentially help with more uniform wireless coverage.

[00145] In certain example embodiments, one or more of the transceivers may be wired to a power supply. In certain example embodiments, the transceivers may be inductively charged. In certain example embodiments, the transceivers may be coupled using alternative frequencies to ensure an effective connectivity through an opening with the diameter smaller than the signal wavelength.

[00146] The vias may be sized similarly to the openings described above. In this regard, the vias each may have an area of 100-4000 mm ² , preferably with a minimum dimension of at least 1 mm. More preferably, each said via will have an area of 200-1000 mm ² , more preferably 200-800 mm ² with the minimum dimension(s) being 5-40 mm, more preferably 5-20 mm or 10-30 mm, and for example, 5 mm or 20 mm.

[00147] It will be appreciated that the techniques of certain example embodiments convey signals using vias. Even when one or more transceivers are used, the transceiver s) is/are not used to simply “plow” the signals through the low-E coated glass articles and/or frames. The use of a via is advantageous because it substantially reduces power requirements for the transceivers, which in turn allows transceivers to be miniaturized and concealed within the frame.

[00148] Although the frame related techniques have been described in connection with frames for IG units, it will be appreciated that the frames may support any type of coated article inclusive product. Furthermore, although example frame profiles are disclosed, it will be appreciated that the vias may be formed in different configurations to serve the same or similar purposes as those discussed herein.

[00149] In certain example embodiments, the openings described above (e.g., in connection with Figs. 7A-7D, for example) can be patterned into more intricate antenna patterns. That is, the low-E coating(s) on the outermost substrate(s) can be used as an antenna(s) in certain example embodiments. Such antennas can be connected to circuitry and/or powered transceivers in certain example embodiments. The antenna may be formed at a peripheral edge of the substrate, behind the frame, or elsewhere, in different example embodiments. The antenna may be connected to other electronic components (such as a transceiver) using a via formed in the frame, similar to as discussed above. In general, the antenna may be 2-60 mm in at least one dimension to facilitate millimeter wave functionality. In certain example embodiments, multiple antennas made of the same or different sizes and architectures may be created. The width of the non-ablated area between adjacent antennas preferably is no more than 5 mm, more preferably no more than 2 mm, and for example 0.5 mm.

[00150] Using the example techniques disclosed herein, it becomes possible to use the building envelope (BE) and, more specifically, fenestrations, as active components to connect the network backhaul and fronthaul, where 5G technology is deployed. Certain example embodiments advantageously present less expensive, more convenient, and more “future-proof’ approaches, compared to commonly-used conventional fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) and external antenna-to-the-router (EATTR) approaches, especially for certain industry segments and their network slices. Certain example embodiments therefore help provide high speeds and low latencies, despite the attenuation that normally would be expected with typical building materials used with BEs such as, for example, windows with low-E coatings, concrete, brick, etc. In helping to avoid high attenuation, certain example embodiments also help in avoiding lower signal throughputs and insufficient indoor coverage.

[00151] As discussed above, conventional approaches to allowing for 5G signal penetration into a building include FTTP and FWA approaches. See Figs. 5A-5B and the related description. In the former approach, optical fiber, coax cable, or the like, connects the Internet or WAN through the building wall to the indoor LAN. In the latter approach, an outdoor antenna receives a wireless signal from a macro- or smallcell and delivers it via fiber or coax cable through the building wall to the indoor LAN. In both cases, the received indoor signal is then redistributed by internal fiber/cable and/or wireless repeaters. These approaches have several significant drawbacks including, for example, the fact that fiber/coax penetration through the wall/roof is expensive and even cost-prohibitive in some areas (for instance, running fiber underground in densely populated urban areas or to remote underserviced villages may be infeasible) and for some businesses (small-to-medium-sized businesses with no on-site IT support). Moreover, conventional low-E and other elements of energy-efficient building envelopes, generally speaking, are impenetrable to most centimeter radio waves and virtually all millimeter radio waves and, as a result, the indoor signal penetration for most of the 5G spectrum must be done intrusively through the walls. It would be desirable, therefore, to have a network that allows a less intrusive and less expensive way of signal penetration into the building. [00152] In certain example embodiments, a network is provided. The network works in connection with a minimally-intrusive signal penetration through the building envelope and, more specifically, penetration through modified windows, IG units, and/or the like. In certain example embodiments, the BE and, specifically, its window(s), act(s) as a functional meeting point of the network’s backhaul and fronthaul. This meeting point enhances the future-proof nature of the in-building connectivity. For instance, a window can be made compatible with not only radiofrequency (RF) signals, but also with means of optical connectivity, e.g., allowing optical transceivers to be used to pass signals through the building envelope as may occur in next generation networks. The modifications described herein advantageously can be made in connection with new windows (e.g., via laser ablation, mechanical abrasion of the low-E-coated glass edges during beveling, etc.), applied as retrofit solution with respect to already-installed products, etc. With regard to the latter, for instance, a via in a low-E coating can be made by laser ablation in an already installed IG unit. Furthermore, as will be appreciated form the description above, the modifications described can be made passive (e.g., in the case of designed openings in low-E coating or IG unit frames that provide sufficient signal coverage by means of a diffraction pattern) or active (e.g., by means of signal transceivers through the low-E coating, though a via in the low-E coating, through a specially designed IGU frame, etc.).

[00153] Fig. 27 schematically shows windows 2702a-2702f being used as connection points between a network’s backhaul and fronthaul in accordance with certain example embodiments. Fig. 27 in a sense is similar to Fig. 5C in that, in Fig. 27, wireless signals are delivered to the modified windows 2702a-2702f using beamforming or the like, e.g., from a MEMO 2704 and/or macro-station 2706. Each of the windows 2702a-2702f in turn becomes a repeater for the wireless signal inside the building. The windows 2702a-2702f therefore may act as “starting routers” for indoor signal penetration through the building envelope 2708, e.g., to other routers, mesh devices, wired or wireless end-devices therein, etc. In certain example embodiments, a modified IGU may allow direct cellular signals to reach areas adjacent to the building envelope 2708. Areas farther away from the building envelope 2708 may be serviced with the help of wireless signal routers, repeaters, and/or the like. [00154] Fig. 28 schematically shows a network with WAN-LAN wireless connectivity through a modified window in accordance with certain example embodiments. As shown in Fig. 28, a beamformed RF signal or an optical signal of the described network can be delivered from, for instance, a small-cell through a single modified window to form the WAN-LAN connection. This may be used as an alternative to installing an outside antenna and running a cable or finer through the wall, in certain example instances. In the Fig. 28 example, the signal (received from any suitable source) is shown as being connected to a repeater, e.g., of the type shown in and described in connection with Figs. 26C-26D.

[00155] Fig. 29 schematically shows a network with WAN-LAN wired connectivity through a modified window in accordance with certain example embodiments. This example is similar to Fig. 28. However, in this example, a modified window is used as a connecting point between the backhaul and fronthaul in a wired manner. This wired connection may be a more cost-effective and less intrusive alternative compared to current approaches for FTTP connectivity.

[00156] In certain example embodiments, there is provided an information communication network comprising a backhaul and a fronthaul, or at least connections thereto. The network connects the Internet or other external network to indoor communication devices and, optionally, an interior network such as a LAN or the like. The window(s) in the building envelope act(s) as a connectivity link, connecting the backhaul and fronthaul. The window(s) may be modified by, for example, having openings formed therein (e.g., by virtue of a low-E coating on a major surface of a substrate being patterned), having antennas formed thereon, having transceivers connected thereto, and/or the like. In certain example embodiments, the backhaul and fronthaul are connected through the window without any modifications to the window, other than to address attenuation caused by a low-E coating formed thereon. For instance, an otherwise blanket coated low-E coating may be modified to include one or more openings sufficient to provide RF connectivity directly to indoor end-communication devices, a first line of indoor routers and/or repeaters, etc. When transceivers are used, frequencies of outgoing and incoming signals may be up- or down-converted, e.g., to facilitate their penetration through the window. In certain example instances, connectivity between the backhaul and fronthaul may be provided in connection with an additional link including the signal being delivered to the window from an outside antenna, such as a MIMO, a small cell, a maco-cell, and/or the like. Similarly, in certain example instances, connectivity between the backhaul and fronthaul may be provided in connection with an additional link including the signal delivery to the window by means of fiber or cable. In such cases, the window(s) may be equipped with a connector (e.g., located in the window frame). [00157] It will be appreciated that the portion of the frame that is to permit millimeter waves to pass therethrough, the muntin bars, plug, and/or other millimeter wave signal transparent materials may comprise a material that is non-electrically conductive. Such material preferably also has low thermal conductivity and may in some instances be thermally insulating. Thermal insulating materials may be especially desirable for frame and plug related arrangements. Candidate materials include, for example, fiberglass, rubber, vinyl, etc. Other materials may be selected, e.g., so as to have coefficients of thermal expansion (CTEs) compatible with adjacent materials. For example, the material for a plug and/or frame portion may be selected to have a CTE that differs by no more than 25% (more preferably no more than 15%, still more preferably no more than 5-10%) of that of the adjacent frame, in certain example embodiments. This may help provide thermal insulation and a good physical barrier as well.

[00158] Spacer systems that may be used in connection with certain example embodiments include, for instance, U.S. Patent Nos. 8,795,568; 8,967,219; 9,187,949; 9,309,714; 9,617,781; 9,656,356; 9,689,196; and 10,233,690, which set forth example spacer formation and application techniques. The entire contents of each of these patents is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

[00159] The substrates of certain example embodiments may be glass substrates. The glass substrates may be left in an annealed state, or they may be heat treated (e.g., heat strengthened and/or thermally tempered).

[00160] The example techniques described herein may be used in connection with coated articles, laminated products, IG units, triple IG units, VIG units, etc. [00161] Similarly, the example embodiments described herein may be incorporated into a wide variety of applications including, for example, interior and exterior windows for commercial and/or residential application, skylights, doors, vehicle applications such as vehicle windshields, sunroofs, and the like, etc. [00162] In this regard, certain example embodiments relate to electric, potentially-driven shades that may be used with IG units, IG units including such shades, and/or methods of making the same. These shades provide a more dynamic IG unit option that takes into account the desire to provide improved insulation to buildings and the like, takes advantage of the ability of the sun to “supply” energy to its interior, and that also provides privacy in a more “on demand” manner. And as explained in greater detail below, certain example embodiments that include dynamic shades may be made to be compatible with millimeter wave technology.

[00163] Fig. 30 is a cross-sectional, schematic view of an example insulating glass unit incorporating electric potentially-driven shades that may be used in connection with certain example embodiments. More specifically, Fig. 30 includes first and second substantially parallel spaced apart glass substrates 3002 and 3004 separated from one another using a spacer system 3006, with a gap 3008 being defined therebetween. First and second electric potentially-driven shades 3002a and 3002b are provided in the gap 3008, proximate to inner major surfaces of the first and second substrates 3002 and 3004, respectively. As will become clearer from the description provided below, the shades 3002a and 3002b are controlled by the creation of an electric potential difference between the shades 3002a and 3002b, and conductive coatings formed on the inner surfaces of the substrates 3002 and 3004, respectively. As also will become clearer from the description provided below, each of shades 3002a and 3002b may be created using a polymer film coated with a conductive coating (e.g., a coating comprising a layer including Al, Cr, ITO, and/or the like). An aluminum-coated shade may provide for partial-to-complete reflection of visible light, and up to significant amounts of total solar energy.

[00164] The shades 3002a and 3002b are normally retracted (e.g., rolled up), but they rapidly extend (e.g., roll out) when an appropriate voltage is applied, in order to cover at least a portion of the substrates 3002 and 3004 much like, for example, a “traditional” window shade. The rolled-up shade may have a very small diameter, and typically will be much smaller than the width of the gap 3008 between the first and second substrates 3002 and 3004, so that it can function between them and be essentially hidden from view when rolled up. The rolled-out shades 3002a and 3002b electrostatically attract strongly to their respective adjacent substrates 3002 and 3004. [00165] The shades 3002a and 3002b extend along all or a portion of a vertical length of the visible or “framed” area of the substrates 3002 and 3004 from a retracted configuration to an extended configuration. In the retracted configuration, the shades 3002a and 3002b have a first surface area that substantially permits radiation transmission through the framed area. In the extended configuration, the shades 3002a and 3002b have a second surface area that substantially controls radiation transmission through the framed area. The shades 3002a and 3002b may have a width that extends across all or a portion of the horizontal width of the framed area of the substrates 3002 and 3004 to which they are attached.

[00166] Each of the shades 3002a and 3002b is disposed between the first and second substrates 3002 and 3004, and each preferably is attached at one end to an inner surface thereof (or a dielectric or other layer disposed thereon), near the tops thereof. An adhesive layer may be used in this regard. The shades 3002a and 3002b are shown partially rolled out (partially extended) in Fig. 30. The shades 3002a and 3002b and any adhesive layer or other mounting structure preferably are hidden from view so that the shades 3002a and 3002b are only seen when at least partially rolled out.

[00167] The diameter of a fully rolled-up shade preferably is about 1-5 mm but may be greater than 5 mm in certain example embodiments. Preferably, the diameter of a rolled-up shade is no greater than the width of the gap 3008, which is typically about 10-25 mm (sometimes 10-15 mm), in order to help facilitate rapid and repeated roll-out and roll-up operations. Although two shades 3002a and 3002b are shown in the Fig. 30 example, it will be appreciated that only one shade may be provided in certain example embodiments, and it also will be appreciated that that one shade may be provided on an inner surface of either the inner or outer substrate 3002 or 3004. In example embodiments where there are two shades, the combined diameter thereof preferably is no greater than the width of the gap 3008, e.g., to facilitate roll-out and roll-up operations of both shades.

[00168] An electronic controller may be provided to help drive the shades 3002a and 3002b. The electronic controller may be electrically connected to the shades 3002a and 3002b, as well as the substrates 3002 and 3004, e.g., via suitable leads or the like. The leads may be obscured from view through the assembled IG unit. The electronic controller is configured to provide an output voltage to the shades 3002a and 3002b with respect to the conductive layers in substrates 3002 and 3004, respectively. Output voltage in the range of about 100-650 V DC can be used for driving the shades 3002a and 3002b in certain example embodiments. An external AC or DC power supply, a DC battery, and/or the like may be used in this regard. It will be appreciated that higher or lower output voltage may be provided, e.g., depending on the fabrication parameters and materials that comprise the shades 3002a and 3002b, the layers on the substrates 3002 and 3004, etc.

[00169] The controller may be coupled to a manual switch, remote (e.g., wireless) control, or other input device, e.g., to indicate whether the shades 3002a and 3002b should be retracted or extended. In certain example embodiments, the electronic controller may include a processor operably coupled to a memory storing instructions for receiving and decoding control signals that, in turn, cause voltage to be selectively applied to control the extension and/or retraction of the shades 3002a and 3002b. Further instructions may be provided so that other functionality may be realized. For instance, a timer may be provided so that the shades 3002a and 3002b can be programmed to extend and retract at user-specified or other times, a temperature sensor may be provided so that the shades 3002a and 3002b can be programmed to extend and retract if user-specified indoor and/or outdoor temperatures are reached, light sensors may be provided so that the shades 3002a and 3002b can be programmed to extend and retract based on the amount of light outside of the structure, etc.

[00170] Although two shades 3002a and 3002b are shown in Fig. 30, as noted above, certain example embodiments may incorporate only a single shade. Furthermore, as noted above, such shades may be designed to extend vertically and horizontally along and across substantially the entire IG unit, different example embodiments may involve shades that cover only portions of the IG units in which they are disposed. In such cases, multiple shades may be provided to deliver more selectable coverage, to account for internal or external structures such as muntin bars, to simulate plantation shutters, etc. As another example, a first shade may cover a first part (e.g., top part or left/right part) of a window and a second shade may cover a second part (e.g., a bottom or right/left) of that window. As another example, first, second, and third shades may be provided to cover different approximate one-third portions of a given window. [00171] In certain example embodiments, a locking restraint may be disposed at the bottom of the IGU, e.g., along some or all of its width, to help prevent the shades from rolling out their entire lengths. The locking restraint may be made from a conductive material, such as a metal or the like. The locking restraint also may be coated with a low dissipation factor polymer such as, for example, polypropylene, fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), and/or the like. [00172] Example details of the operation of the shades 3002a and 3002b will now be provided in connection with Figs. 31-32. More particularly, Fig. 31 is a cross- sectional view showing example “on-glass” components from the Fig. 30 example IGU that enable shutter action, in accordance with certain example embodiments; and Fig. 32 is a cross-sectional view of an example shutter from the Fig. 30 example IGU, in accordance with certain example embodiments. Fig. 31 shows a glass substrate 3102, which may be used for either or both of the substrates 3002 and 3004 in Fig. 30. The glass substrate 3102 supports on-glass components 3104, as well as the shutter 3112. In certain example embodiments, when unrolled, the conductor 3204 may be closer to the substrate 3102 than the ink layer 3206. In other example embodiments, this arrangement may be reversed such that, for example, when unrolled, the conductor 3204 may be farther from the substrate 3102 than the ink layer 3206.

[00173] The on-glass components 3104 include a transparent conductor 3106, along with a dielectric material 3108, which may be adhered to the substrate 3102 via a clear, low-haze adhesive 3110 or the like. These materials preferably are substantially transparent. In certain example embodiments, the transparent conductor 3106 is electrically connected via a terminal to a lead to the controller. In certain example embodiments, the transparent conductor 3106 serves as a fixed electrode of a capacitor, and the dielectric material 3108 serves as the dielectric of this capacitor. In such cases, a dielectric or insulator film is provided, directly or indirectly, on the first conductive layer, with the dielectric or insulator film being separate from the shutter. [00174] It will be appreciated that it is possible to put all of the dielectric layers on the shade in certain example embodiments, thereby exposing a bare conductive (flat) substrate, e.g., a glass substrate supporting a conductive coating. For example, in certain example embodiments, the polymer film insulator 3108 may be provided on / integrated as a part of the shutter 3112, rather than being provided on / integrated as a part of the substrate 3102. That is, the shutter 3112 may further support a dielectric or insulator film 3108 thereon such that, when the at least one polymer substrate is in the shutter closed position and the shutter is extended, the dielectric or insulator film directly physically contacts the first conductive layer with no other layers therebetween.

[00175] The transparent conductor 3106 may be formed from any suitable material such as, for example, ITO, tin oxide (e.g., SnO2 or other suitable stoichiometry), etc. The transparent conductor 3106 may be 10-500 nm thick in certain example embodiments. The dielectric material 3108 may be a low dissipation factor polymer in certain example embodiments. Suitable materials include, for example, polypropylene, FEP, PTFE, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyimide (PI), and polyethylene napthalate (PEN), etc. The dielectric material 3108 may have a thickness of 1-30 microns (e.g., 4-25 microns) in certain example embodiments. The thickness of the dielectric material 3108 may be selected so as to balance reliability of the shade with the amount of voltage (e.g., as thinner dielectric layers typically reduce reliability, whereas thicker dielectric layers typically require a higher applied voltage for operational purposes).

[00176] As is known, many low-emissivity (low-E) coatings are conductive. Thus, in certain example embodiments, a low-E coating may be used in place of the transparent conductor 3106 in certain example embodiments. The low-E coating may be a silver-based low-E coating, e.g., where one, two, three, or more layers comprising Ag may be sandwiched between dielectric layers. In such cases, the need for the adhesive 3110 may be reduced or completely eliminated.

[00177] The shutter 3112 may include a resilient layer 3202. In certain example embodiments, a conductor 3204 may be used on one side of the resilient layer 3202, and a decorative ink 3206 optionally may be applied to the other side. In certain example embodiments, the conductor 3204 may be transparent and, as indicated, the decorative ink 3206 is optional. In certain example embodiments, the conductor 3204 and/or the decorative ink 3206 may be translucent or otherwise impart coloration or aesthetic features to the shutter 3112. In certain example embodiments, the resilient layer 3202 may be formed from a shrinkable polymer such as, for example, PEN, PET, polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyether ether ketone (PEEK), etc. The resilient layer 3202 may be 1-25 microns thick in certain example embodiments. The conductor 3204 may be formed from the same or different material as that used for conductor 3106, in different example embodiments. Metal or metal oxide materials may be used, for example. In certain example embodiments, a 10-50 nm thick material including a layer comprising, for example, ITO, Al, Ni, NiCr, tin oxide, and/or the like, may be used. In certain example embodiments, the sheet resistance of the conductor 3204 may be in the range of 40-200 ohms/square. It will be appreciated that different conductivity values and/or thicknesses (such as, for example, the example thicknesses set forth in the tables below) may be used in different example embodiments.

[00178] The decorative ink 3206 may include pigments, particles, and/or other materials that selectively reflect and/or absorb desired visible colors and/or infrared radiation. In certain example embodiments, additional decorative ink may be applied to the shutter 3112 on a side of the conductor 3204 opposite the resilient layer 3202. [00179] As Fig. 30 shows, the shades 3002a and 3002b ordinarily are coiled as spiral rolls, with an outer end of the spiral affixed by an adhesive to the substrates 3002 and 3004 (e.g., or the dielectric thereon). The conductor 3204 may be electrically connected via a terminal to a lead or the like and may serve as a variable electrode of a capacitor having the conductor 3106 as its fixed electrode and the dielectric 3108 as its dielectric.

[00180] When an electrical drive is provided between the variable electrode and the fixed electrode, e.g., when an electric drive of voltage or electrical charge or current is applied between the conductor 3204 of the shutter 3112 and the conductor 3106 on the substrate 3102, the shutter 3112 is pulled toward the substrate 3102 via an electrostatic force created by the potential difference between the two electrodes. The pull on the variable electrode causes the coiled shade to roll out. The electrostatic force on the variable electrode causes the shutter 3112 to be held securely against the fixed electrode of the substrate 3102. As a result, the ink coating layer 3206 of the shade helps selectively reflect or absorb certain visible colors and/or infrared radiation by being interposed in the light path through the IG unit. In this way, the rolled-out shade helps control radiation transmission by selectively blocking and/or reflecting certain light or other radiation from passing through the IG unit, and thereby changes the overall function of the IG unit from being transmissive to being partially or selectively transmissive, or even opaque in some instances. [00181] When the electrical drive between the variable electrode and the fixed electrode is removed, the electrostatic force on the variable electrode is likewise removed. The spring constant present in the resilient layer 3202 and the conductor 3204 causes the shade to roll up back to its original, tightly-wound position. Because movement of the shade is controlled by a primarily capacitive circuit, current essentially only flows while the shade is either rolling out or rolling up. As a result, the average power consumption of the shade is extremely low. In this way, several standard AA batteries may be used to operate the shade for years, at least in some instances.

[00182] In one example, the substrate 3102 may be 3 mm thick clear glass commercially available from the assignee. An acrylic-based adhesive having a low haze may be used for adhesive layer 3110. Sputtered ITO having a resistance of 100- 300 ohms/square may be used for the conductor 3106. The polymer film may be a low-haze (e.g., < 1% haze) PET material that is 12 microns thick. A PVC-based ink available from Sun Chemical Inc. applied to 3-8 microns thickness may be used as the decorative ink 3206. Other inks may of course be used in different example embodiments. A PEN material commercially available from DuPont that is 6, 12, or 25 microns thick may be used as the resilient layer 3202. Other materials may of course be used in different example embodiments. For an opaque conductor, evaporated Al that has a nominal thickness of 375 nm may be used. For a transparent option, sputtered ITO may be used. In both cases, the sheet resistance may be 100- 400 ohms/square. (If aluminum is used, the sheet resistance may be lower than 100 ohms/square; in certain example embodiments, it even may be less than 1 ohm/square.) The ITO or other conductive material(s) may be sputtered onto, or otherwise formed on, their respective polymer carrier layers in certain example embodiments. Of course, these example materials, thicknesses, electrical properties, and their various combinations and sub-combinations, etc., should not be deemed limiting unless specifically claimed.

[00183] As will be appreciated from the description above, the dynamic shade mechanism uses a coiled polymer with a conductive layer. In certain example embodiments, the conductor may be formed to be integral with the polymer 3202, or it may be an extrinsic coating that is applied, deposited, or otherwise formed on the polymer 3202. As also mentioned above, decorative ink 3206 may be used together with a transparent conductor material (e.g., based on ITO) and/or an only partially transparent or opaque conductive layer. An opaque or only partially transparent conductive layer may obviate the need for ink in certain example embodiments. In this regard, a metal or substantially metallic material may be used in certain example embodiments. Aluminum is one example material that may be used with or without a decorative ink.

[00184] One or more overcoat layers may be provided on the conductor to help reduce the visible light reflection and/or change the color of the shade to provide a more aesthetically pleasing product, and/or by “splitting” the conductor so that a phase shifter layer appears therebetween. Overcoats thus may be included to improve the aesthetic appearance of the overall shade. The shutter 3112 thus may include a reflection-reducing overcoat, dielectric mirror overcoat, or the like. Such reflectionreducing overcoats and dielectric mirror overcoats may be provided over a conductor 3204 and on a major surface of the shade polymer 3202 comprising (for example) PEN opposite decorative ink 3206. It will be appreciated, however, that the ink 3206 need not be provided, e.g., if the conductor 3204 is not transparent. Mirror coatings such as, for example, Al, may obviate the need for decorative ink 3206. It also will be appreciated that the reflection-reducing overcoat and the dielectric mirror overcoat may be provided on major surfaces of the shade polymer 3202 comprising (for example) PEN opposite the conductor 3204 in certain example embodiments.

[00185] In addition to or in place of using optical interference techniques to reduce reflection, it also is possible to add a textured surface to the base polymer, modifying the conductive layer chemically or physically, and/or add an ink layer, e.g., to accomplish the same or similar ends, achieve further reductions in unwanted reflection, etc.

[00186] Given that the thin film and/or other materials comprising the shutter should survive numerous rolling and unrolling operations in accordance with the functioning of the overall shade, it will be appreciated that the materials may be selected, and that the overall layer stack formed, to have mechanical and/or other properties that facilitate the same. For example, an excess of stress in a thin film layer stack typically is seen as disadvantageous. However, in some instances, excess stress can lead to cracking, “delamination” / removal, and/or other damage to the conductor 3204 and/or an overcoat layer or layers formed thereon. Thus, low stress (and in particular low tensile stress) may be particularly desirable in connection with the layer(s) formed on the shutters’ polymer bases in certain example embodiments. [00187] In this regard, the adhesion of sputtered thin films depends on, among other things, the stress in the depositing film. One way stress can be adjusted is with deposition pressure. Stress versus sputter pressure does not follow a monotonic curve but instead inflects at a transition pressure that in essence is unique for each material and is a function of the ratio of the material’s vaporization temperature (or melting temperature) to the substrate temperature. Stress engineering can be accomplished via gas pressure optimizations, bearing these guideposts in mind.

[00188] Other physical and mechanical properties of the shade that may be taken into account include the elastic modulus of the polymer and the layers formed thereon, the density ratio of the layers (which may have an effect on stress / strain), etc. These properties may be balanced with their effects on internal reflection, conductivity, and/or the like.

[00189] As is known, temperatures internal to an IG unit may become quite elevated. For example, it has been observed that an IG unit in accordance with the Fig. 30 example and including a black pigment may reach a temperature of 87 degrees C, e.g., if the black portion of the shade is facing the sun in elevated temperature, high solar radiation climates (such as, for example, in areas of the southwest United States such as Arizona). The use of a PEN material for the rollable/unrollable polymer may be advantageous, as PEN has a higher glass transition temperature (-120 degrees C), compared to other common polymers such as PET (Tg = 67-81 degrees C), Poly Propylene or PP (Tg = -32 degrees C). Yet if the PEN is exposed to temperatures approaching the glass transition temperature, the performance of the material’s otherwise advantageous mechanical properties (including its elastic modulus, yield strength, tensile strength, stress relaxation modulus, etc.) may degrade overtime, especially with elevated temperature exposure. If these mechanical properties degrade significantly, the shade may no longer function (e.g., the shade will not retract).

[00190] In order to help the shade better withstand elevated temperature environments, a substitution from PEN to polymers with better elevated temperature resistance may be advantageous. Two potential polymers include PEEK and Polyimide (PI or Kapton). PEEK has a Tg of -142 degrees C and Kapton HN has a Tg of -380 degrees C. Both of these materials have better mechanical properties in elevated temperature environments, compared to PEN. This is especially true at temperature above 100 degrees C. The following chart demonstrates this, referencing mechanical properties of PEN (Teonex), PEEK, and PI (Kapton HN). UTS stands for ultimate tensile strength, in the chart.

[00191] It will be appreciated that the modification of the shade base material from its current material (PEN) to an alternate polymer (e.g., PEEK or PI/Kapton) that has increased elevated temperature mechanical properties may be advantageous in the sense that it may enable the shade to better withstand internal IG temperatures, especially if the shade is installed in higher temperature climates. It will be appreciated that the use of an alternative polymer may be used in connection with the shutter and/or the on-glass layer in certain example embodiments.

[00192] In addition, or as an alternative, certain example embodiments may use a dyed polymer material. For example, a dyed PEN, PEEK, PI/Kapton, or other polymer may be used to created shades with an assortment of colors and/or aesthetics. For instance, dyed polymers may be advantageous for embodiments in transparent/translucent applications, e.g., where the shade conductive layer is a transparent conductive coating or the like.

[00193] Alternate conductive materials that beneficially modify the spring force of the coiled shade to make it usable for various lengths may be used. In this regard, properties of the conductive layer that increase the strength of the coil include an increase in the elastic modulus, an increase in the difference in coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) between the polymer substrate and the conductive layer, and an increase in the elastic modulus to density ratio. Some of the pure metals that can be used to increase coil strength compared to Al or Cr include Ni, W, Mo, Ti, and Ta. The elastic modulus of studied metal layers ranged from 70 GPa for Al to 330 GPa for Mo. The CTE of studied metal layers ranged from 23.5 x 10' ⁶ /k for Al down to 4.8 x 10' ⁶ /k for Mo. In general, the higher the elastic modulus, the higher the CTE mismatch between the PEN or other polymer and the metal, the lower the density, etc., the better the material selection in terms of coil formation. It has been found that incorporating Mo and Ti based conductive layers into shades has resulted in a spring force of the coil that is significantly higher than that which is achievable with Al. For example, a polymer substrate based on PEN, PEEK, PI, or the like, may support (in order moving away from the substrate) a layer comprising Al followed by a layer comprising Mo. Thin film layer(s) in a conductive coating and/or a conductive coating itself with a greater modulus and lower CTE than Al may be provided.

[00194] A PEN, PI, or other polymer substrate used as a shutter may support a thin layer comprising Al for stress-engineering purposes, with a conductive layer comprising Mo, Ti, or the like directly or indirectly thereon. The conductive layer may support a corrosion-resistant layer comprising Al, Ti, stainless steel, or the like. The side of the substrate opposite these layers optionally may support a decorative ink or the like.

[00195] Fig. 33 is a plan view of a substrate 3002 incorporating on-glass components 3104 from the Fig. 31 example and shutter components 3112 from the Fig. 32 example, in accordance with certain example embodiments. The shutter 3112 extends from the anchor bar 3302 toward the stop 3304 when moving to the shutter closed position. The shutter retracts from the stop 3304 towards the anchor bar 3302 when moving to the shutter open position.

[00196] Certain example embodiments may include microscopic perforations or through-holes that allow light to pass through the shade and provide progressive amounts of solar transmittance based on the angle of the sun.

[00197] Further manufacturing, operation, and/or other details and alternatives may be implemented. See, for example, U.S. Patent Nos. 11,174,676; 10,895,102; 10,876,349; 10,858,884; 8,982,441; 8,736,938; 8,134,112; 8,035,075; 7,705,826; and 7,645,977, as well as U.S. Application Serial No. 17/232,406 filed April 16, 2021; the entire contents of each of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. Among other things, perforation configurations, polymer materials, conductive coating designs, stress engineering concepts, building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV), and other details are disclosed therein and at least those teachings may be incorporated into certain example embodiments.

[00198] In view of the foregoing, it will be appreciated that an insulating glass unit used for a dynamic shade application will have first and second substrates, with each having interior and exterior major surfaces, and with the interior major surface of the first substrate facing the interior major surface of the second substrate. A spacer system helps to maintain the first and second substrates in substantially parallel spaced apart relation to one another and to define a gap therebetween. A dynamically controllable shade is interposed between the first and second substrates. This dynamically controllable shade includes at least a first conductive coating provided, directly or indirectly, on the interior major surface of the first substrate, a first dielectric layer provided, directly or indirectly, on the first conductive coating on a side thereof opposite the first substrate, and a shutter including a flexible substrate. The flexible substrate, in turn, supports at least a second conductive coating. The shutter is extendible from a shutter open position to a shutter closed position and is retractable from the shutter closed position to the shutter open position. A control circuit associated with the IG unit is configured to provide a voltage to create an electrostatic force to drive the flexible substrate to the shutter closed position.

[00199] A dynamic shade inclusive IG unit may or may not include a low-E coating. If a low-E coating is present, then the signal attenuation issues discussed in detail above are likely to manifest. That is, if a dynamic shade inclusive IG unit includes a low-E coating, that IG unit is likely to cause significant attenuation of millimeter wavelength signals that form at least a part of the 5G band. And even if a low-E coating is not present in a dynamic shade inclusive IG unit, there is likely to be issues with millimeter wavelength signal propagation therethrough because of the presence of the first and/or second conductive coatings that help create the electrostatic forces that drive the shade. Indeed, the “fixed” conductive coating on the substrate may attenuate millimeter wavelength signals, and further attenuation may be caused when the shade is extended by virtue of the conductive coating on the shutter portion of the shade. [00200] As discussed in detail above, the attenuation of signals within different frequency bands may be undesirable in some contexts and desirable in others. Moreover, selective attenuation of signals within different frequency bands may be desirable in some instances. If attenuation is undesirable, or if selective attenuation is desirable, the example approaches described herein can be used to help address the situation. For instance, certain example embodiments may make use of one or more of the techniques described in detail herein to provide a dynamic shade inclusive IG unit that is compatible with millimeter wave related technologies. In this sense, certain example embodiments provide a dynamic shade inclusive IG unit that does not as significantly attenuate, or only selectively attenuates, signals within at least one frequency range.

[00201] Perhaps more concretely, certain example embodiments may include an opening in the on-glass conductor and/or the conductor supported by the movable shutter. Consistent with the technology disclosed herein, the opening(s) may be formed in a region having a predetermined size, shape, and placement such that the region and/or the opening(s) is 100-4000 mm ² and has a smallest dimension of at least 1 mm and/or so as to permit millimeter wave signals to pass through the IG unit with no more than 30% signal attenuation when the IG unit is installed in a desired application. In some instances, the region in which the opening(s) is/are provided may have an area of 200-800 mm ² and measures 10-20 mm in a minor dimension thereof. As explained above, multiple openings may be provided within a given region, e.g., with each opening potentially having a common size and/or shape. In other cases, just one opening may be provided.

[00202] From an orientation in which the IG unit is viewed from a position perpendicular to the interior major surface of the first substrate on which the first conductive coating is provided, the region in which the opening(s) is/are formed may be (1) in an area of the first conductive coating that overlaps with and is surrounded by a portion of the spacer system; (2) in an area of the first conductive coating that is outside of an area bounded by the spacer system and proximate to a periphery of the first substrate (e.g., provided that the first substrate is larger than the second substrate); (3) in an area of the first conductive coating that is within an area bounded by the spacer system and proximate to a periphery of the gap; and/or (4) elsewhere. [00203] With respect to the location mentioned in (1) and/or (2) the region in which the at least one opening is positioned may be behind a frame and concealed from view when the IG unit is installed. With respect to the location mentioned in (3), at least one first opening may be formed in the first conductive coating in the region of the IG unit, and at least one second opening may be formed in the second conductive coating. The at least one second opening may, in turn, be formed in the second conductive coating so as to substantially align (be in registration) with the region of the IG unit when the shutter is extended to the shutter closed position.

[00204] Fig. 34 shows an example shade modified for compatibility with millimeter wave related technology, in accordance with certain example embodiments. As shown in Fig. 34, a first substrate 3102 is connected to the spacer system 3006. The second substrate is not shown for purposes of clarity. The first substrate 3102 supports the on-glass components 3104. The movable shutter 3112 is shown partially extended. There are a plurality of openings 3402 formed in the conductive coating on the shutter 3112 so as to facilitate propagation of signals in a frequency spectrum (e.g., millimeter waves usable in 5G applications) through the Fig. 34 example IG unit.

[00205] Fig. 34 shows openings 3402 formed in the conductive coating on the shutter 3112. However, as will be appreciated from the description above, this may not be necessary in different situations. For example, depending on the materials selected among other things, it may be sufficient to form at least one opening in the on-glass conductive coating, as this potentially thicker and potentially more conductive layer (which in some instances may be a low-E coating) may be the primary driver of undesirable attenuation.

[00206] In other cases, both the conductive coating in the on-glass components 3104 and the conductive coating in the shutter 3112 may contribute to undesirable attenuation, so openings may be formed in each in these coatings in some situations. These openings may be formed to be in registration with one another when the shade is extended, as described above. However, another option is to form openings only in conductive coating on the glass 3102, e.g., if those openings can be formed “behind” and/or “outside” of the spacer system. This may make the overall manufacturing easier, as there may be no need to ensure registration of the openings. [00207] As further examples of how a dynamic shade inclusive IG unit can be made compatible with millimeter wave technologies for situations where attenuation is undesirable, certain example embodiments may include a frame having a portion thereof replaced with a material transmissive to signals, a via can be included, wired and/or wireless transceivers can be used, etc. Optional movable “shutters” may be employed over such areas so as to make the IG unit only selectively attenuate signals in one or more defined radio wavelength ranges.

[00208] As still further examples of how a dynamic shade inclusive IG unit can be made compatible with millimeter wave technologies for situations where attenuation is undesirable, certain example embodiments may use a constructive interference approach. In that regard, the first and second substrates may be connected to one another such that the first conductive coating is spaced apart from the second conductive coating when the shutter is extended to the shutter closed position by a distance selected to promote transmission of radio-waves having a first frequency range through the IG unit and, optionally, to attenuate transmission of radio-waves having a second frequency range through the IG unit where the first and second frequency ranges are different from one another. The first frequency range may correspond to millimeter wavelength radio-waves and the second frequency range may correspond to one or more bands used for Wi-Fi transmissions, or vice versa. In some instances, the distance between substrates may be 0.5-20 cm, preferably 1-5 cm.

[00209] It also will be appreciated that the techniques described above for signal attenuation, or selective signal attenuation, can be used with dynamic shade inclusive IG units. If at least selective signal attenuation is desirable, and the conductive coating on the glass is insufficient to provide such signal attenuation, then the shade itself can be used to increase the attenuation by virtue of the conductive coating on the movable shutter. The shutter may or may not have a color or aesthetic applied thereto. For instance, to maintain a significant amount of light transmission while also attenuating signals in a desired frequency band, a clear polymer and transparent conductive coatings may be used, without ink, in certain example embodiments. [00210] As another example, and as alluded to above, spacing between elements may be used to cause constructive interference for one frequency range and attenuation with a different frequency range.

[00211] As still another example, a conductive pattern or element in addition to shade can be added for at least selective frequency attenuation.

[00212] Although certain example embodiments are described in connection with a shade inclusive IG unit product, it will be appreciated that methods of operating and methods of making such products are contemplated herein as well. [00213] As used herein, the terms “on,” “supported by,” and the like should not be interpreted to mean that two elements are directly adjacent to one another unless explicitly stated. In other words, a first layer may be said to be “on” or “supported by” a second layer, even if there are one or more layers therebetween.

[00214] While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiment and/or deposition techniques, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

APPENDIX 1:

COATED ARTICLE WITH MILLIMETER RADIO-WAVE SIGNAL COMPATIBILITY, AND/OR METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME

[00215] As will be appreciated from the above, and as briefly recounted in the numbered claim concepts below, certain example embodiments of this invention relate to coated articles, insulating glass (IG) units, and/or other products modified for use with millimeter wave technologies, and associated methods. More particularly, certain example embodiments of this invention relate to coated articles having low- emissivity coatings modified to facilitate transmission of millimeter radio-wave signals used in 5G wireless technologies, products incorporating such coated articles, and associated methods.

[00216] Furthermore, as will be appreciated from the above, and as briefly recounted in the numbered claim concepts below, certain example embodiments of this invention relate to coated articles having low-emissivity (low-E) coatings modified to facilitate transmission of millimeter wave signals used in 5G wireless technologies, products incorporating such coated articles, and associated methods. In an insulating glass (IG) unit example, a first substrate supports the low-E coating. At least one opening is formed in the low-E coating. The first substrate is connected to a second substrate using a spacer system so that the first and second substrates are held in substantially parallel spaced apart relation to one another, and so that the low-E coating faces the second substrate. The at least one opening is sized, shaped, and arranged with respect to the first substrate so as to permit millimeter wave signals to pass through the IG unit with no more than 30% signal attenuation when the IG unit is installed in a desired application.

[00217]

1. An insulating glass (IG) unit, comprising: first and second substrates; a spacer system provided around a periphery of the first substrate and/or second substrate, the spacer system helping to maintain the first and second substrates in substantially parallel spaced apart relation to one another; and a first low-emissivity (low-E) coating provided on a major surface of the first substrate, at least one first opening being formed in a first region of the first low-E coating, the at least one first opening being a formed to have a predetermined size, shape, and placement such that the at least one first opening is 100-4000 mm ² and has a smallest dimension of at least 1 mm.

2. The IG unit of claim 1, wherein the at least one first opening is rectangular.

3. The IG unit of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the at least one first opening has an area of 200-800 mm ² and measures 10-20 mm in a minor dimension thereof.

4. The IG unit of any one of claims 1-3, wherein the first region includes a plurality of rectangular openings.

5. The IG unit of claim 1 or claim 3, wherein the at least one first opening is circular.

6. The IG unit of claim 1, claim 3, or claim 5, wherein the first region includes a plurality of circular openings that are arranged in a rectangular pattern.

7. The IG unit of any one of claims 1-6, wherein the first region is in an area of the first low-E coating that overlaps with and is surrounded by a portion of the spacer system, when the IG unit is viewed from a position perpendicular to the major surface of the first substrate on which the first low-E coating is provided.

8. The IG unit of any one of claims 1-6, wherein the first region is in an area of the first low-E coating that is within an area bounded by the spacer system and proximate to a periphery of the gap, when the IG unit is viewed from a position perpendicular to the major surface of the first substrate on which the first low-E coating is provided.

9. The IG unit of any one of claims 1-6, wherein the first substrate is larger than the second substrate, and the first region is in an area of the first low-E coating that is outside of an area bounded by the spacer system and proximate to a periphery of the first substrate, when the IG unit is viewed from a position perpendicular to the major surface of the first substrate on which the first low-E coating is provided.

10. The IG unit of ay one of claims 1-9, wherein a second low-E coating is provided on a major surface of the second substrate.

11. The IG unit of claim 10, wherein the major surface of the first substrate that has the first low-E coating provided thereon is the second surface of the IG unit, and the major surface of the second substrate that has the second low-E coating provided thereon is the fourth surface of the IG unit.

12. The IG unit of claim 11, wherein a second region provided in the second low-E coating includes at least one second opening, the first and second regions aligning with one another when the IG unit is viewed from a position perpendicular to the major surfaces on which the first and second low-E coatings are provided.

13. The IG unit of any one of claims 1-12, wherein the at least one first opening has a size coextensive with a size of the first region.

14. The IG unit of any one of claims 1-13, wherein the first region is positioned so as to be behind a frame and concealed from view when the IG unit is installed.

15. A coated article, comprising: a substrate; and a low-emissivity (low-E) coating provided on a major surface of the substrate, at least one opening being formed in a region of the low-E coating, the at least one opening being a formed to have a predetermined size, shape, and placement such that the at least one opening is 100-4000 mm ² and has a smallest dimension of at least 1 mm. 16. The coated article of claim 15, wherein the at least one opening is rectangular.

17. The coated article of claim 15 or claim 16, wherein the at least one opening has an area of 200-800 mm ² and measures 10-20 mm in a minor dimension thereof.

18. The coated article of any one of claims 15-17, wherein the region includes a plurality of rectangular openings.

19. The coated article of claim 15 or claim 17, wherein the at least one opening is circular.

20. The coated article of claim 15, claim 17, or claim 19, wherein the region includes a plurality of circular openings that are arranged in a rectangular pattern.

21. The coated article of any one of claims 15-20, wherein the at least one first opening has a size coextensive with a size of the first region.

22. The coated article of any one of claims 15-21, wherein the region is positioned so as to be behind a frame and concealed from view when the IG unit is installed.

23. A vehicle window comprising the coated article of any one of claims 15-22.

24. A method of making a coated article, the method comprising: having a coated article; forming a low-emissivity (low-E) coating thereon; and forming at least one opening in a region of the low-E coating, the at least one opening being 100-4000 mm ² and having a smallest dimension of at least 1 mm, the at least one opening being formed to have a size, shape, and arrangement with respect to the coated article so as to permit millimeter wave signals to pass through the coated article with no more than 30% signal attenuation when the coated article is installed.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the region is positioned so as to be behind a frame and concealed from view when the coated article is installed.

26. A method of making an insulating glass (IG) unit, the method comprising: having first and second substrates, the first substrate having a low-emissivity (low-E) coating formed thereon, at least one opening being formed in a region of the low-E coating; and connecting together the first and second substrates using a spacer system so that the first and second substrates are held in substantially parallel spaced apart relation to one another, and so that the low-E coating faces the second substrate; wherein the at least one opening is formed to have a size, shape, and arrangement with respect to the first substrate so as to permit millimeter wave signals to pass through the IG unit with no more than 30% signal attenuation when the IG unit is installed in a desired application.

APPENDIX 2: INSULATING GLASS UNIT WITH THIN FILM COATINGS FOR MILLIMETER WAVE CONSTRUCTIVE INTERFERENCE, AND/OR METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME

[00218] As will be appreciated from the above, and as briefly recounted in the numbered claim concepts below, certain example embodiments of this invention relate to coated articles, insulating glass (IG) units, and/or other products modified for use with millimeter wave technologies, and associated methods. More particularly, certain example embodiments of this invention relate to modifying the spacing between two low-emissivity (low-E) coatings provided in a product so as to constructively interfere with radio-waves in a first frequency range and, optionally, so as to destructively interfere with radio-waves in a second frequency range.

[00219] Furthermore, as will be appreciated from the above, and as briefly recounted in the numbered claim concepts below, certain example embodiments of this invention relate to coated articles having low-emissivity (low-E) coatings modified to facilitate transmission of millimeter wave signals used in 5G wireless technologies, products incorporating such coated articles, and associated methods. In an insulating glass (IG) unit, a spacer system is provided around a periphery of first and/or second substrate. First and second low-E coatings are provided on first and second major surfaces of the IG unit. The first and second major surfaces, which may be on the same or different substrate(s), are spaced apart from one another by a distance selected to promote transmission of radio-waves having a first frequency range through the IG unit and, optionally, to attenuate transmission of radio-waves having a second frequency range through the IG through the IG unit.

[00220]

1. An insulating glass (IG) unit, comprising: first and second substrates; a spacer system provided around a periphery of the first substrate and/or second substrate, the spacer system helping to maintain the first and second substrates in substantially parallel spaced apart relation to one another; a first low-emissivity (low-E) coating provided on a first major surface of one of the first and second substrates; and a second low-E coating provided on a second major surface of one of the first and second substrates, the first and second major surfaces being different from one another; wherein the first and second major surfaces are spaced apart from one another by a distance selected to promote transmission of radio-waves having a first frequency range through the IG unit.

2. The IG unit of claim 1, wherein the first frequency range corresponds to millimeter wavelength radio-waves.

3. The IG unit of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the distance is selected to attenuate transmission of radio-waves having a second frequency range through the IG unit, the first and second frequency ranges being different from one another.

4. The IG unit of claim 3, wherein the second frequency range corresponds to one or more bands used for Wi-Fi transmissions.

5. The IG unit of claim 4, wherein the first frequency range corresponds to millimeter wavelength radio-waves.

6. The IG unit of any one of claims 1-5, wherein the first low-E coating is provided on the first substrate and the second low-E coating is provided on the second substrate.

7. The IG unit of claim 6, wherein the first and second major surfaces face one another.

8. The IG unit of any one of claims 1-7, wherein the spacer system is bonded to the first and second substrates using a bonding agent, and wherein the distance is controllable by altering the amount bonding agent provided.

9. The IG unit of any one of claims 1-8, wherein the first and second low- E coatings each include at least one infrared reflecting layer comprising silver. 10. The IG unit of any one of claims 1-9, wherein the distance is 0.5-20 cm.

11. The IG unit of claim 10, wherein the distance is 1-5 cm.

12. The IG unit of any one of claims 1-11, wherein the first and second low-E coatings each include at least one infrared reflecting layer, each said infrared reflecting layer being 0.5-20 nm thick.

13. The IG unit of claim 12, wherein each said infrared reflecting layer is 7-15 nm thick.

14. An article having at least first and second major surfaces, comprising: at least one substrate; a first thin film coating covering a substantial portion of the first major surface; and a second thin film coating covering a substantial portion of the second major surface, the first and second major surfaces being different from one another; wherein the first and second major surfaces are spaced apart from one another by a distance selected to promote transmission of radio-waves with a first frequency range through the article, and to attenuate transmission of radio-waves with a second frequency range through the article, the first and second frequency ranges being different from one another.

15. The article of claim 14, wherein the first frequency range corresponds to millimeter wavelength radio-waves.

16. The article of claim 15, wherein the second frequency range corresponds to one or more bands used for Wi-Fi transmissions.

17. The article of any one of claims 14-16, wherein the first and second thin film coatings are not low-emissivity coatings. 18. The article of any one of claims 14-16, wherein the first and second thin film coatings are low-emissivity coatings.

19. The article of any one of claims 14-18, wherein the distance is 1-5 cm.

20. The article of any one of claims 14-19, being an insulating glass (IG) unit in which the first and second major surfaces are on different substrates of the IG unit.

21. The article of any one of claims 14-19, being a monolithic coated article, the first and second major surfaces being on different sides of a common substrate.

22. A method of making an insulating glass (IG) unit, the method comprising: having first and second substrates, wherein a first thin film coating is provided across a first major surface of one of the first and second substrates and a second thin film coating is provided across a second major surface of one of the first and second substrates, the first and second major surfaces being different from one another; and connecting together the first and second substrates using a spacer system provided around a periphery of the first substrate and/or second substrate, the spacer system helping to maintain the first and second substrates in substantially parallel spaced apart relation to one another such that the first and second major surfaces are spaced apart from one another by a distance selected to promote transmission of radio-waves having a first frequency range through the IG unit and attenuate transmission of radio-waves having second frequency range through the IG unit, the first and second frequency ranges being different from one another.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the first frequency range corresponds to millimeter wavelength radio-waves. 24. The method of claim 22 or claim 23, wherein the second frequency range corresponds to one or more bands used for Wi-Fi transmissions.

25. The method of any one of claims 22-24, wherein the first and second major surfaces face one another.

26. The method of any one of claims 22-25, wherein the first low-E coating is provided on the first substrate and the second low-E coating is provided on the second substrate.

27. The method of any one of claims 22-26, further comprising controlling the spacing between the first and second substrates through the controlled usage of bonding material used to bond the spacer system to the first and/or second substrates.

28. The method of any one of claims 22-27, wherein the first and second coatings are each low-E coatings, each said low-E coating including at least one infrared reflecting layer.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein each said infrared reflecting layer is 7-15 nm thick and comprises silver.

30. The method of any one of claims 22-29, wherein the distance is 1-5 cm.

APPENDIX 3: GLASS-INCLUSIVE ARTICLE WITH HIGH MILLIMETER TO WI-FI FREQUENCY TRANSMISSION RATIO, AND/OR METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME

[00221] As will be appreciated from the above, and as briefly recounted in the numbered claim concepts below, certain example embodiments of this invention relate to coated articles, insulating glass (IG) units, and/or other products modified for use with millimeter wave technologies, and associated methods. More particularly, certain example embodiments of this invention relate to using electrically-conductive patterns to destructively interfere with radio-waves in a first frequency range (e.g., frequencies commonly used by Wi-Fi protocols) and, optionally, to either not substantially interfere or constructively interfere with radio-waves in a second frequency range (e.g., millimeter wave frequencies commonly used in 5G technologies).

[00222] Furthermore, as will be appreciated from the above, and as briefly recounted in the numbered claim concepts below, certain example embodiments of this invention relate to coated articles having low-emissivity (low-E) coatings modified to attenuate transmission of radio-waves commonly used for Wi-Fi transmissions without also significantly attenuating millimeter wave signals used in 5G wireless technologies, and associated methods. An article has at least one substrate. An electrically-conductive material is provided on the at least one substrate. The electrically-conductive material is provided in a pattern sized, shaped, and arranged to attenuate transmission of radio-waves in a first frequency range through the article and enable transmission of radio-waves in a second frequency range through the article, with a second frequency range to first frequency range transmission ratio of at least 2 (more preferably at least 5). The first frequency range corresponds to one or more bands used for Wi-Fi transmissions, and the second frequency range corresponds to frequencies for millimeter wavelength radio-waves.

[00223]

1. An article, comprising: at least one substrate; and an electrically-conductive material in a pattern selected to attenuate transmission of radio-waves in a first frequency range through the article without also attenuating transmission of radio-waves in a second frequency range through the article, the first and second frequency ranges being different from one another, the first frequency range being less than 6 GHz and the second frequency range being greater than 6 GHz, wherein the article has a second frequency range to first frequency range transmission ratio of at least 2.

2. The article of claim 1, wherein the first frequency range corresponds to one or more bands used for Wi-Fi transmissions.

3. The article of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the first frequency range corresponds to wavelengths having frequencies in the 2.4 GHz and/or 5 GHz bands.

4. The article of claim 3, wherein the second frequency range corresponds to frequencies for millimeter wavelength radio-waves.

5. The article of any one of claims 1-4, wherein the second frequency range to first frequency range transmission ratio is at least 5.

6. The article of any one of claims 1-5, wherein the at least one substrate has a low-emissivity (low-E) coating formed thereon.

7. The article of claim 6, wherein infrared reflecting material in the low-E coating is the electrically-conductive material, the low-E coating being patterned into the pattern.

8. The article of claim 6 or claim 7, wherein infrared reflecting material in the low-E coating comprises silver.

9. The article of claim 6, wherein the electrically-conductive material is provided over the low-E coating. 10. The article of any one of claims 1-9, wherein the pattern of the electrically-conductive material is a mesh including openings.

11. The article of claim 10, wherein the openings have an average major distance of 0.5-15 cm.

12. The article of claim 10, wherein the openings have an average major distance of 1-5 cm.

13. The article of claim 10, wherein the openings have an average major distance of 2-3 cm.

14. The article of any one of claims 10-13, wherein the mesh is provided in a honeycomb pattern.

15. The article of any one of claims 1-14, wherein the pattern of the electrically-conductive material has a meandering shape in which the average spacing between protruding elements viewed from a top plan view is 2-3 cm.

16. The article of any one of claims 1-14, wherein the pattern of the electrically-conductive material comprises a series of regular shapes with hairs protruding therefrom, the hairs on average being spaced 2-3 cm from one another when viewed from a top plan view.

17. The article of any one of claims 1-16, being an insulating glass (IG) unit including first and second substrates held in substantially parallel spaced apart relation by a spacer system, the electrically-conductive material being located between the first and second substrates within an outer region defined by the spacer system.

18. An article, comprising: at least one substrate; and an electrically-conductive material provided in a pattern sized, shaped, and arranged to attenuate transmission of radio-waves in a first frequency range through the article and enable transmission of radio-waves in a second frequency range through the article with a second frequency range to first frequency range transmission ratio of at least 2, wherein the first frequency range corresponds to one or more bands used for Wi-Fi transmissions, and wherein the second frequency range corresponds to frequencies for millimeter wavelength radio-waves.

19. The article of claim 18, wherein the first frequency range corresponds to wavelengths having frequencies in the 2.4 GHz and/or 5 GHz bands.

20. The article of claim 18 or claim 19, wherein the pattern has openings that, on average, are 2-3 cm in major distance or diameter.

21. A method of making an article, the method comprising: having at least one substrate; and providing an electrically-conductive material on the at least one substrate, the electrically-conductive material being provided in a pattern sized, shaped, and arranged to attenuate transmission of radio-waves in a first frequency range through the article and enable transmission of radio-waves in a second frequency range through the article with a second frequency range to first frequency range transmission ratio of at least 2, wherein the first frequency range corresponds to one or more bands used for Wi-Fi transmissions, and wherein the second frequency range corresponds to frequencies for millimeter wavelength radio-waves.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising laser-patterning a metal- inclusive thin-film coating provided on the at least one substrate to form the pattern. 23. The method of claim 22, wherein the metal-inclusive thin-film coating is a low-emissivity coating.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the electrically -conductive material is a pre-formed mesh provided on the at least one substrate.

25. The method of any one of claims 21-24, wherein the pattern has openings that, on average, are 2-3 cm in major distance or diameter, wherein the second frequency range to first frequency range transmission ratio is at least 5, and wherein the first frequency range corresponds to signals having frequencies in the 2-5 GHz band.

APPENDIX 4:

INSULATING GLASS UNIT WITH MILLIMETER RADIO-WAVE SIGNAL BOOSTING TRANSCEIVER(S), AND/OR METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME

[00224] As will be appreciated from the above, and as briefly recounted in the numbered claim concepts below, certain example embodiments of this invention relate to coated articles, insulating glass (IG) units, and/or other products modified for use with millimeter wave technologies, and associated methods. More particularly, certain example embodiments of this invention relate to coated articles having modified low-emissivity coatings and one or more active transceivers to facilitate transmission of millimeter radio-wave signals used in 5G wireless technologies, products incorporating such coated articles, and associated methods.

[00225] Furthermore, as will be appreciated from the above, and as briefly recounted in the numbered claim concepts below, certain example embodiments of this invention relate to coated articles having low-emissivity (low-E) coatings modified to facilitate transmission of millimeter wave signals used in 5G wireless technologies, products incorporating such coated articles, and associated methods. In an insulating glass (IG) unit example, at least one opening is formed in a low-E coating on a first substrate. The first substrate is connected to a second substrate using a spacer system so that the first and second substrates are held in substantially parallel spaced apart relation to one another, and so that the low-E coating faces the second substrate. The at least one opening is sized, shaped, and arranged to permit millimeter wave signals to pass through the IG unit with no more than 30% signal attenuation when the IG unit is installed in a desired application. One or more transceivers actively facilitate transmission of such signals through the IG unit.

[00226]

1. An insulating glass (IG) unit having interior and exterior sides, comprising: first and second substrates; a spacer system provided around a periphery of the first substrate and/or second substrate, the spacer system helping to maintain the first and second substrates in substantially parallel spaced apart relation to one another; a low-emissivity (low-E) coating provided on a major surface of the first substrate, at least one opening being formed in a region of the low-E coating, the at least one opening being a formed to have a predetermined size, shape, and placement such that the at least one opening is 100-4000 mm ² and has a smallest dimension of at least 1 mm; and at least one transceiver in line with the at least one opening, the at least one transceiver being configured to receive millimeter and/or centimeter radio-waves from the exterior side of the IG unit and re-transmit them in an exterior side to interior side direction.

2. The IG unit of claim 1, wherein the at least one opening has an area of 200-1000 mm ² and measures 5-20 mm in a minor dimension thereof.

3. The IG unit of claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising first and second transceivers, the first transceiver being configured to receive millimeter and/or centimeter radio-waves from the exterior side of the IG unit and re-transmit them in the exterior side to interior side direction to the second transceiver, the second transceiver being configured to receive the millimeter and/or centimeter radio-waves re-transmitted from the first transceiver and re-transmit them in the exterior side to interior side direction.

4. The IG unit of claim 3, wherein the first and second transceivers are provided on first and fourth surfaces of the IG unit, respectively.

5. The IG unit of claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the first and second transceivers are inductively couplable to one another such that the second transceiver provides power to the first transceiver.

6. The IG unit of any one of claims 1-3, wherein the at least one transceiver is provided on a second surface of the IG unit.

7. The IG unit of claim 6, wherein the at least one opening is interposed between the first substrate and the at least one transceiver. 8. The IG unit of any one of claims 1-7, wherein the region is in an area of the low-E coating that is within an area bounded by the spacer system and proximate to a periphery of the gap, when the IG unit is viewed from a position perpendicular to the major surface of the first substrate on which the low-E coating is provided.

9. The IG unit of any one of claims 1-8, wherein the major surface of the first substrate that has the low-E coating provided thereon is a second surface of the IG unit

10. The IG unit of any one of claims 1-9, wherein the at least one opening has a size coextensive with a size of the region.

11. The IG unit of any one of claims 1-10, wherein the at least one transceiver is configured to increase signal intensities for re-transmitted radio-waves.

12. A coated article having interior and exterior sides, comprising: a substrate; a low-emissivity (low-E) coating provided on a major surface of the substrate, at least one opening being formed in a region of the low-E coating, the at least one opening being a formed to have a predetermined size, shape, and placement such that the at least one opening is 100-4000 mm ² and has a smallest dimension of at least 1 mm; and a transceiver in line with the at least one opening, the transceiver being configured to receive millimeter and/or centimeter radio-waves from the exterior side of the coated article and re-transmit them in an exterior side to interior side direction.

13. The coated article of claim 12, wherein the at least one opening has an area of 200-1000 mm ² and measures 5-20 mm in a minor dimension thereof.

14. The coated article of claim 12 or claim 13, wherein the low-E coating and the transceiver both are provided on a second surface of the coated article. 15. The coated article of any one of claims 12-14, wherein the low-E coating and the transceiver are provided on opposing major surfaces of the coated article.

16. A vehicle window comprising the coated article of any one of claims 12-15.

17. A method of making a coated article, the method comprising: having a coated article with interior and exterior sides; forming a low-emissivity (low-E) coating thereon; forming at least one opening in a region of the low-E coating, the at least one opening being 100-4000 mm ² and having a smallest dimension of at least 1 mm; and connecting a transceiver to the coated article, the transceiver being aligned with the at least one opening; wherein the at least one opening is formed to have a size, shape, and arrangement with respect to the coated article so as to permit millimeter wave signals to pass through the coated article with no more than 30% signal attenuation when the coated article is installed without; and wherein the transceiver is configured to receive millimeter and/or centimeter radio-waves from the exterior side of the coated article and re-transmit them in an exterior side to interior side direction.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one opening has an area of 200-1000 mm ² and measures 5-20 mm in a minor dimension thereof.

19. The method of claim 17 or claim 18, wherein the low-E coating and the transceiver are provided on opposing major surfaces of the coated article.

20. A method of making an insulating glass (IG) unit, the method comprising: having first and second substrates, the first substrate having a low-emissivity (low-E) coating formed thereon, at least one opening being formed in a region of the low-E coating; providing at least one transceiver in line with the at least one opening; and connecting together the first and second substrates using a spacer system so that the first and second substrates are held in substantially parallel spaced apart relation to one another, and so that the low-E coating faces the second substrate; wherein the at least one opening is formed to have a size, shape, and arrangement with respect to the first substrate so as to permit millimeter wave signals to pass through the IG unit with no more than 30% signal attenuation when the IG unit is installed in a desired application, and wherein the at least one transceiver is configurable to receive millimeter and/or centimeter radio-waves from the exterior side of the made IG unit and retransmit them in an exterior side to interior side direction.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein first and second transceivers are provided, the first transceiver being configurable to receive millimeter and/or centimeter radio-waves from the exterior side of the made IG unit and re-transmit them in the exterior side to interior side direction to the second transceiver, the second transceiver being configurable to receive the millimeter and/or centimeter radiowaves re-transmitted from the first transceiver and re-transmit them in the exterior side to interior side direction.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first and second transceivers are provided on first and fourth surfaces of the IG unit, respectively.

23. The method of claim 20 or claim 21, wherein the at least one transceiver is provided for a second surface of the IG unit.

24. The method of any one of claims 20-23, wherein the major surface of the first substrate that has the low-E coating provided thereon is a second surface of the IG unit. 25. A method of transmitting/re-transmitting signals, the method comprising: having the IG unit of any one of claims 1-11; and using the at least one transceiver to increase signal intensities for radio-waves incident on the IG unit.

APPENDIX 5:

WINDOW FRAME MODIFIED FOR MILLIMETER RADIO-WAVE SIGNAL TRANSMISSION, AND/OR ASSOCIATED METHODS

[00227] As will be appreciated from the above, and as briefly recounted in the numbered claim concepts below, certain example embodiments of this invention relate to frames for coated articles, insulating glass (IG) units, and/or other products, with those frames being modified for use with millimeter wave technologies, and associated methods. More particularly, certain example embodiments of this invention relate to window frames modified to include vias and optional transceivers to facilitate transmission of millimeter radio-wave signals, and/or associated methods. [00228] Furthermore, as will be appreciated from the above, and as briefly recounted in the numbered claim concepts below, certain example embodiments of this invention relate to frames for coated articles, insulating glass (IG) units, and/or other products, with those frames being modified for use with millimeter wave technologies, and associated methods. A frame holds a coated article including a substrate supporting a low-emissivity (low-E) on a major surface thereof. First and second are vias formed in opposing exterior surfaces of the frame body. A first transceiver is provided within the frame body. A second transceiver is provided external to the frame body. The first transceiver is configured to receive millimeter radio-waves from the exterior side of the framing system and re-transmit them in an exterior side to interior side direction to the second transceiver, and the second transceiver is configured to receive the millimeter radio-waves re-transmitted from the first transceiver and re-transmit them in the exterior side to interior side direction.

[00229]

1. A framing system, comprising a frame for holding a coated article having interior and exterior sides, the coated article including a substrate supporting a low-emissivity (low-E) on a major surface thereof, the frame comprising: a frame body; and first and second vias formed in opposing exterior surfaces of the frame body, the first and second vias being sized, shaped, and arranged with respect to the frame so as to permit millimeter wave signals to pass through the framing system with no more than 30% signal attenuation when the framing system is installed in a desired application.

2. The framing system of claim 1, wherein the frame is formed from a conducting material that, by itself, reduces an intensity of millimeter wave signals attempting to pass therethrough by at least 30%.

3. The framing system of claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising a filler material provided in the first and second vias, the filler material being formed from a material different from the frame.

4. The framing system of claim 3, wherein the filler material is a part of a plug that extends from the first via to the second via through the frame body in an interior side to exterior side direction.

5. The framing system of any one of claims 1-4, further comprising at least one transceiver in line with the first and second vias, the at least one transceiver being configured to receive millimeter radio-waves from the exterior side of the framing system and re-transmit them in an exterior side to interior side direction.

6. The framing system of any one of claims 1-5, further comprising first and second transceivers, the first transceiver being configured to receive millimeter radio-waves from the exterior side of the framing system and re-transmit them in an exterior side to interior side direction to the second transceiver, the second transceiver being configured to receive the millimeter radio-waves re-transmitted from the first transceiver and re-transmit them in the exterior side to interior side direction.

7. The framing system of claim 6, wherein the first transceiver is provided internal to the frame body and wherein the second transceiver is provided external to the frame body. 8. The framing system of claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the first and second transceivers are inductively couplable to one another such that the second transceiver provides power to the first transceiver.

9. The framing system of any one of claims 6-8, wherein at least one of the first and second transceivers is/are configured to increase signal intensities for retransmitted radio-waves.

10. The framing system of any one of claims 1-9, wherein the frame is configured to support an insulating glass (IG) unit, the coated article being a part of the IG unit.

11. The framing system of any one of claims 1-10, further comprising a wired connection through the first and second vias.

12. The framing system of claim 11, wherein the wired connection connects first and second transceivers to one another.

13. A framing system, comprising a frame for holding a coated article having interior and exterior sides, the coated article including a substrate supporting a low-emissivity (low-E) on a major surface thereof, the frame comprising: a frame body; first and second vias formed in opposing exterior surfaces of the frame body; a first transceiver provided within the frame body; and a second transceiver provided external to the frame body, wherein the first transceiver is configured to receive millimeter radio-waves from the exterior side of the framing system and re-transmit them in an exterior side to interior side direction to the second transceiver, the second transceiver being configured to receive the millimeter radio-waves re-transmitted from the first transceiver and re-transmit them in the exterior side to interior side direction. 14. The framing system of claim 13, wherein the first and second vias are filled with a filler material, the filler material being different from material used to form the frame body.

15. The framing system of claim 13 or claim 14, further comprising a plug extending from the first via to the second via through the frame body in the interior side to exterior side direction, the plug being formed from a material different from a material used to form the frame body.

17. The framing system of any one of claims 13-16, further comprising a wired connection between the first and second transceivers.

18. The framing system of claim 17, further comprising a conduit in which the wired connection is provided.

19. A method of making a framing system comprising a frame for holding a coated article having interior and exterior sides, the coated article including a substrate supporting a low-emissivity (low-E) on a major surface thereof, the method comprising: forming a frame body, the frame body having first and second vias formed in opposing exterior surfaces thereof, the first and second vias being sized, shaped, and arranged with respect to the frame so as to permit millimeter wave signals to pass through the framing system with no more than 30% signal attenuation when the framing is installed in a desired application.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising machining holes into the frame body in forming the first and second bias.

21. The method of claim 19 or claim 20, further comprising supplying first and second transceivers, the first transceiver being configurable to receive millimeter radio-waves from the exterior side of the framing system and re-transmit them in an exterior side to interior side direction to the second transceiver, the second transceiver being configurable to receive the millimeter radio-waves re-transmitted from the first transceiver and re-transmit them in the exterior side to interior side direction.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising providing a conduit between the first and second vias, the conduit housing a wire that provides a wired connection between the first and second transceivers.

23. The method of any one of claims 19-22, further comprising filling the first and second vias with a filler material, the filler material being different from material used to form the frame body.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising inserting a plug into the first and second vias such that the plug extends from the first via to the second via through the frame body in the interior side to exterior side direction, the plug being formed from a material different from a material used to form the frame body.

25. A method of transmitting/re-transmitting signals, the method comprising: having the framing system of any one of claims 1-18 together with a coated article provided therein; and using the at least one transceiver to increase signal intensities for radio-waves incident on the coated article.