Communication device

Abstract

A communication device includes a non-conductive track, an antenna element, a first rotating wheel, and a second rotating wheel. The antenna element is disposed on the non-conductive track. The first rotating wheel and the second rotating wheel drive the non-conductive track according to a control signal to adjust a position of the antenna element. The communication device can provide a nearly omnidirectional radiation pattern.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a communication device, and more particularly to a communication device and its antenna structure. Background Technology

[0002] With the advancement of mobile communication technology, mobile devices have become increasingly common in recent years, such as laptops, mobile phones, multimedia players, and other portable electronic devices with multiple functions. To meet people's needs, mobile devices typically have wireless communication capabilities. Some cover long-range wireless communication, such as mobile phones using 2G, 3G, and LTE (Long Term Evolution) systems and their respective frequency bands of 700MHz, 850MHz, 900MHz, 1800MHz, 1900MHz, 2100MHz, 2300MHz, and 2500MHz. Others cover short-range wireless communication, such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth systems using the frequency bands of 2.4GHz, 5.2GHz, and 5.8GHz.

[0003] Wireless access points are essential components for enabling high-speed internet access for mobile devices indoors. However, due to signal reflections and multipath fading in indoor environments, wireless access points must be able to handle signals from all directions simultaneously. Therefore, designing an omnidirectional antenna system within the limited space of a wireless access point has become a major challenge for designers. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a communication device comprising: a non-conductive track; an antenna element disposed on the non-conductive track; a first wheel; and a second wheel; wherein the first wheel and the second wheel drive the non-conductive track according to a control signal to adjust the position of the antenna element.

[0005] In some embodiments, the communication device can provide a near-omnidirectional radiation pattern.

[0006] In some embodiments, the nonconducting track is made of a rubber material.

[0007] In some embodiments, the communication device further includes: a motor control element for generating the control signal.

[0008] In some embodiments, by controlling the nonconductive track, the control motor element can enable the antenna element to generate an upper radiation pattern, a lower radiation pattern, a left radiation pattern, and a right radiation pattern.

[0009] In some embodiments, the antenna element is a patch antenna.

[0010] In some embodiments, the antenna element covers an operating frequency band between 2400 MHz and 2500 MHz.

[0011] In some embodiments, the length of the antenna element is approximately equal to 0.5 times the wavelength of the operating frequency band.

[0012] In some embodiments, the antenna element covers a millimeter-wave band.

[0013] In some embodiments, the communication device further includes: a signal source; and a cable, wherein the signal source is coupled to the antenna element via the cable.

[0014] In some embodiments, the communication device further includes a grounding element that forms a closed loop, wherein the grounding element is surrounded by the non-conductive track.

[0015] In some embodiments, the antenna element is a coupled-feed antenna.

[0016] In some embodiments, the antenna element includes a main radiating portion.

[0017] In some embodiments, the main radiating portion is rectangular or square.

[0018] In some embodiments, the communication device further includes: a signal source; a coupling feeder coupled to the signal source, wherein the coupling feeder is adjacent to the main radiating portion; and a dielectric substrate, wherein the signal source and the coupling feeder are both disposed on the dielectric substrate.

[0019] In some embodiments, the coupling feed section includes multiple feed branches.

[0020] In some embodiments, the coupling feed further includes a switching circuit to selectively use one of the feed branches. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1A A perspective view of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0022] Figure 1B A schematic diagram of the operation of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0023] Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0024] Figure 3AA perspective view of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0025] Figure 3B A cross-sectional view of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0026] Figure 4 A return loss diagram of an antenna element of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0027] Figure 5 A perspective view of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0028] Figure 6 A top view of the coupling feed section according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0029] Symbol explanation:

[0030] 100, 200, 300, 500: Communication devices

[0031] 110: Non-conductive track

[0032] 115: Groove area

[0033] 120,520: Antenna elements

[0034] 130: First Wheel

[0035] 140: Second Rotating Wheel

[0036] 150: Radiation field type

[0037] 151: Above Radiation Field Pattern

[0038] 152: Lower Radiation Field Pattern

[0039] 153: Left-side radiation field pattern

[0040] 154: Right-side radiation field type

[0041] 260: Motor control components

[0042] 370: Cable

[0043] 380: Grounding element

[0044] 390, 590: Signal source

[0045] 525: Main radiating section

[0046] 570, 670: Coupled radiating section

[0047] 571,572,573,574,671,672,673,674: Feed-in branches

[0048] 680: Switching circuit

[0049] CC1: First Curve

[0050] CC2: Second Curve

[0051] FB1: Operating band

[0052] GC1: Coupling gap

[0053] L1: Length

[0054] SC: Control Signal

[0055] SE: Selection Signal

[0056] W1: Width Detailed Implementation

[0057] To make the objectives, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of the present invention are described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings for detailed explanation.

[0058] Certain terms are used in this specification and the claims to refer to specific components. Those skilled in the art will understand that hardware manufacturers may use different names to refer to the same component. This specification and the claims do not distinguish components by differences in name, but by differences in function. The terms "comprising" and "including" used throughout this specification and the claims are open-ended and should be interpreted as "including but not limited to". The term "generally" means that within an acceptable margin of error, those skilled in the art can solve the technical problem and achieve the basic technical effect within a certain margin of error. Furthermore, the term "coupled" in this specification includes any direct and indirect electrical connection means. Therefore, if a first device is described as coupled to a second device, it means that the first device can be directly electrically connected to the second device, or indirectly electrically connected to the second device via other devices or connection means.

[0059] The following disclosure provides numerous different embodiments or examples to implement the various features of this application. The following disclosure describes specific examples of the various components and their arrangements for simplification. Of course, these specific examples are not intended to be limiting. For example, if this disclosure describes a first feature formed on or above a second feature, it indicates that it may include embodiments where the first and second features are in direct contact, or embodiments where an additional feature is formed between the first and second features, so that the first and second features may not be in direct contact. Furthermore, the same reference numerals and / or designations may be repeated in different examples of the following disclosure. These repetitions are for simplification and clarity and are not intended to limit any specific relationship between the different embodiments or / and structures discussed.

[0060] Furthermore, spatially related terms, such as "below," "lower," "above," "higher," and similar terms, are used to facilitate the description of the relationship between one element or feature and another(s) in the illustration. In addition to the orientation shown in the diagram, these spatially related terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation. The device may be rotated to different orientations (90 degrees or other orientations), and the spatially related terms used here can be interpreted in the same way.

[0061] Figure 1A A perspective view of a communication device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. The communication device 100 can be used with a wireless access point or a mobile device, such as a smartphone, a tablet computer, or a notebook computer. Figure 1A In one embodiment, the communication device 100 includes: a nonconductive track 110, an antenna element 120, a first turning wheel 130, and a second turning wheel 140, wherein the antenna element 120 may be made of a metal material, such as copper, silver, aluminum, iron, or an alloy thereof. It must be understood that, although not shown in... Figure 1A However, the communication device 100 may also include other components, such as a processor, a touch control panel, a speaker, a power supply module, or a housing.

[0062] For example, the non-conductive track 110 can be made of a rubber material and can be generally loop-shaped. The antenna element 120 is disposed on or fixed to an outer surface of the non-conductive track 110. The shape and type of the antenna element 120 are not particularly limited in this invention. For example, the antenna element 120 can be a patch antenna, a monopole antenna, a dipole antenna, a loop antenna, a planar inverted F antenna (PIFA), or a chip antenna.

[0063] Figure 1B A schematic diagram illustrating the operation of a communication device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 1B In this embodiment, the first wheel 130 and the second wheel 140 can drive the non-conductive track 110 according to a control signal SC to adjust the position of the antenna element 120. Therefore, by appropriately changing the position of the antenna element 120, the communication device 100 can provide a near-omnidirectional radiation pattern 150. That is, the main beam direction of the radiation pattern 150 of the antenna element 120 is adjustable.

[0064] Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of a communication device 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 2 and Figure 1A Similar. Figure 2 In one embodiment, the communication device 200 further includes a control motor element 260 for generating the aforementioned control signal SC and transmitting it to the first wheel 130 and the second wheel 140. By controlling the first wheel 130, the second wheel 140, and the non-conductive track 110, the control motor element 260 enables the antenna element 120 to generate an upward radiation pattern 151, a downward radiation pattern 152, a left-side radiation pattern 153, and a right-side radiation pattern 154. However, the invention is not limited thereto. In other embodiments, the antenna element 120 of the communication device 200 can also provide radiation patterns in more different directions. Figure 2 The remaining features of the communication device 200 are similar to those of the communication device 100 in Figures 1A and 1B, so both embodiments can achieve similar operational effects.

[0065] Figure 3A A perspective view of a communication device 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 3Aand Figure 1A Similar. Figure 3A In some embodiments, the communication device 300 further includes a cable 370 and a signal source 390, wherein the signal source 390 is coupled to the antenna element 120 via the cable 370. For example, the cable 370 may be a coaxial cable, and the signal source 390 may be a radio frequency (RF) module for exciting the antenna element 120. It is important to note that the cable 370 must be of sufficient length to allow the antenna element 120 to be moved by the non-conductive track 110 without interruption of feed. In some embodiments, the cable 370 may be arranged along a slot line region 115 of the non-conductive track 110 and may be wound with the first wheel 130 or the second wheel 140.

[0066] Figure 3B A cross-sectional view of a communication device 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 3B In this embodiment, the communication device 300 further includes a ground element 380, which may be made of a metal material. The ground element 380 may have a closed loop shape, wherein the ground element 380 may be surrounded by a non-conductive track 110. For example, the ground element 380 may be disposed on or attached to an inner surface of the non-conductive track 110. The ground element 380 may be adjacent to the antenna element 120, wherein the non-conductive track 110 may be located between the antenna element 120 and the ground element 380. It should be noted that the terms "adjacent" or "adjacent" in this specification may refer to a distance between two corresponding elements that is less than a predetermined distance (e.g., 10 mm or less), but generally do not include the case where the two corresponding elements are in direct contact with each other (i.e., the aforementioned distance is shortened to 0). According to actual measurement results, the addition of the ground element 380 helps to improve the radiation gain of the antenna element 120.

[0067] Figure 4 A return loss graph of the antenna element 120 of the communication device 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown, where the horizontal axis represents the operating frequency (MHz) and the vertical axis represents the return loss (dB). Figure 4 As shown, a first curve CC1 can represent the operating characteristics of the antenna element 120 when it is moved above or below the communication device 300, while a second curve CC2 can represent the operating characteristics of the antenna element 120 when it is moved to the left or right side of the communication device 300. According to Figure 4According to the measurement results, regardless of the antenna position, the antenna element 120 of the communication device 300 can cover an operating frequency band FB1. For example, the operating frequency band FB1 can be between 2400MHz and 2500MHz. Therefore, the antenna element 120 of the communication device 300 will be able to support at least 2.4GHz broadband operation of WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network). In addition, within the aforementioned operating frequency band FB1, the radiation gain of the antenna element 120 can reach at least 5.5dBi. However, the present invention is not limited to this. In some other embodiments, the antenna element 120 can also cover a millimeter wave (mmWave) band to support broadband operation of next-generation 5G (5th Generation Wireless Systems). In terms of element size, the length L1 of the antenna element 120 can be approximately equal to 0.5 times the wavelength (λ / 2) of the operating frequency band FB1, while the width W1 of the antenna element 120 can be greater than or equal to the length L1 of the antenna element 120. The remaining features of the communication device 300 in Figures 3A and 3B are similar to those of the communication device 100 in Figures 1A and 1B, so both embodiments can achieve similar operational effects.

[0068] Figure 5 A perspective view of a communication device 500 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 5 and Figure 1A Similar. Figure 5In this embodiment, an antenna element 520 of the communication device 500 is a coupled-feed antenna, wherein the communication device 500 does not require any cables. The antenna element 520 may include a main radiating element 525. For example, the main radiating element 525 may be rectangular or square, but is not limited thereto. Additionally, the communication device 500 further includes a coupled-feeding element 570, a signal source 590, and a dielectric substrate 595. The coupled-feeding element 570 is coupled to the signal source 590. The coupled-feeding element 570 is adjacent to the main radiating element 525, and a coupling gap GC1 may be formed between the main radiating element 525 and the coupled-feeding element 570, allowing the antenna element 520 to be coupled and excited by the coupled-feeding element 570. In detail, the coupling feed section 570 may include multiple feeding branches 571, 572, 573, and 574, which may generally appear as multiple parallel straight strips. These feeding branches 571, 572, 573, and 574 may correspond to different positions of the antenna element 520 and can increase the coupling amount between the coupling feed section 570 and the main radiating section 525. It must be understood that the number and configuration of these feeding branches 571, 572, 573, and 574 can be adjusted according to different requirements. The dielectric substrate 595 may be an FR4 (Flame Retardant 4) substrate, a printed circuit board (PCB), or a flexible printed circuit board (FPC), wherein the signal source 590 and the coupling feed section 570 are both disposed on the dielectric substrate 595. With this design, since no cables are required, the antenna element 520 of the communication device 500 can move more smoothly on the non-conductive track 110, and its overall manufacturing cost can be further reduced. Figure 5 The remaining features of the communication device 500 are similar to those of the communication device 100 in Figures 1A and 1B, so both embodiments can achieve similar operational effects.

[0069] Figure 6 A top view of a coupling feed unit 670 according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown. The coupling feed unit 670 can be applied to the aforementioned communication device 500. Figure 6In one embodiment, the coupling feed 670 includes multiple feed branches 671, 672, 673, and 674 and a switch circuit 680. Specifically, the switch circuit 680 can switch between the feed branches 671, 672, 673, and 674 according to a selection signal SE, selectively using any one of the feed branches 671, 672, 673, and 674. For example, the selection signal SE can be generated by a processor based on a user input (not shown). With this design, the coupling feed 670 can concentrate the output power of the signal source 590 onto the selected feed branch (which is closest to the associated antenna element), thereby improving the radiation efficiency of the associated antenna element. In other embodiments, the selection signal SE can also be appropriately adjusted according to a control signal SC controlling the motor element 260.

[0070] This invention proposes a novel communication device comprising a movable antenna element. Compared to conventional designs, this invention offers advantages such as near omnidirectionality, small size, wide bandwidth, and low complexity, making it well-suited for application in a wide variety of devices.

[0071] It is worth noting that the component dimensions, shapes, and frequency ranges described above are not limiting conditions of this invention. Designers can adjust these settings according to different needs. The communication device of this invention is not limited to the states illustrated in Figures 1-6. This invention may include only any one or more features of any one or more embodiments of Figures 1-6. In other words, not all illustrated features need to be implemented simultaneously in the communication device of this invention.

[0072] The ordinal numbers in this specification and the claims, such as "first," "second," "third," etc., are not sequential in any particular order; they are only used to distinguish between two different elements with the same name.

[0073] While the present invention has been disclosed above with reference to preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Any person skilled in the art may make some modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention shall be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A communication device, comprising: A non-conductive track; An antenna element is mounted on the non-conductive track; The first rotating wheel; as well as The second wheel; The first and second rotating wheels drive the non-conductive track according to a control signal to adjust the position of the antenna element; The antenna element includes a main radiating part, which is rectangular or square in shape. The communication device further includes: a signal source; A coupling feed is coupled to the signal source, wherein the coupling feed is adjacent to the main radiating part; as well as A dielectric substrate, wherein the signal source and the coupling feed section are both disposed on the dielectric substrate.

2. The communication device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication device is capable of providing an approximately omnidirectional radiation field pattern.

3. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the non-conductive track is made of a rubber material.

4. The communication device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: A motor control element is used to generate the control signal.

5. The communication device of claim 4, wherein by controlling the non-conductive track, the control motor element enables the antenna element to generate an upper radiation pattern, a lower radiation pattern, a left radiation pattern, and a right radiation pattern.

6. The communication device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the antenna element is a patch antenna.

7. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the antenna element covers an operating frequency band between 2400MHz and 2500MHz.

8. The communication device of claim 7, wherein the length of the antenna element is equal to 0.5 times the wavelength of the operating frequency band.

9. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the antenna element covers a millimeter-wave band.

10. The communication device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a signal source; as well as A cable, wherein the signal source is coupled to the antenna element via the cable.

11. The communication device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: A grounding element is formed as a closed ring, wherein the grounding element is surrounded by the non-conductive track.

12. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the antenna element is a coupled-feed antenna.

13. The communication device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coupling feed section includes multiple feed branches.

14. The communication device of claim 13, wherein the coupling feed section further includes a switching circuit for selectively using one of the plurality of feed branches.

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