Integrated active antenna suitable for massive MIMO operation

Abstract

An integrated base station antenna includes a feed panel having a plurality of columns of radiating elements mounted thereon and a plurality of phase shifters coupled to the plurality of columns of radiating elements mounted on the same side of the feed panel as the plurality of columns of radiating elements.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 925,088, filed on October 23, 2019, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference as fully described herein. Background Technology

[0003] This invention generally relates to radio communications, and more specifically to base station antennas for cellular communication systems.

[0004] Cellular communication systems are well known in the art. In a cellular communication system, a geographical area is divided into a series of areas called “cells” served by corresponding base stations. A base station may include one or more antennas configured to provide bidirectional radio frequency (“RF”) communication with mobile users within the cell served by the base station. Typically, base station antennas are mounted on towers, where a radiation pattern (also referred to herein as an “antenna beam”) is generated by the outward-pointing base station antennas. Base station antennas are typically implemented as linear or planar phased arrays of radiating elements.

[0005] As cellular operators upgrade their networks to support fifth-generation (“5G”) services, the base station antennas being deployed are becoming increasingly complex. For example, due to space constraints and / or the allowed antenna count on existing base station towers, it is not simply possible to add new antennas to support 5G services. Therefore, cellular operators are opting to deploy antennas supporting multiple generations of cellular services by including linear arrays of radiating elements operating in various different frequency bands within a single antenna. Thus, for example, cellular operators are now typically requesting single base station antennas supporting services in three, four, or even five or more different frequency bands. Furthermore, in supporting 5G services, cellular operators are also deploying antennas with multi-column arrays of radiating elements that support multiple-input multiple-output (“MIMO”) operation and / or active beamforming. For example, antennas with arrays comprising four, eight, sixteen, or more columns of radiating elements are now being deployed. Cellular operators are seeking to support all these services in base station antennas that are comparable in size to conventional base station antennas supporting far fewer frequency bands. This presents several challenges.

[0006] Furthermore, to enhance performance, the radio of the aforementioned beamforming antenna can be integrated into the antenna itself. This reduces insertion loss, simplifies installation, and eliminates the rental costs associated with mounting a remote radio head next to the base station antenna on top of an antenna tower. However, integrating the radio into the antenna presents its own set of challenges. Attached Figure Description

[0007] Figure 1A , 1B1C and 1C are respectively the front, side and rear views of an integrated base station antenna according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0008] Figure 2A and 2B yes Figure 1A , 1B Perspective view of the integrated base station antenna of the 1C.

[0009] Figure 3 yes Figure 1A , 1B Exploded perspective view of the integrated base station antenna of the 1C.

[0010] Figure 4 is Figure 1A , 1B Cross-sectional views of the integrated base station antennas of 1C, 2A and 2B.

[0011] Figure 5A and 5B These are some embodiments based on the inventive concept. Figure 3 The diagram shows a perspective view of a sub-component, which includes a calibration plate and multiple duplexers, as shown in Figure 4.

[0012] Figure 6A and 6B yes Figure 3 And an exploded perspective view of the calibration board / duplexer subassembly in Figure 4.

[0013] Figure 7A It is installed in Figure 3 The protective rails of the support frame shown in Figure 4 Figure 3 And an exploded perspective view of the calibration board / duplexer subassembly in Figure 4. Figure 7B and 7C It is its perspective view.

[0014] Figure 8A yes Figure 3 And an exploded perspective view of the antenna and calibration board / duplexer subassembly in Figure 4. Figure 8B and 8C It is its perspective view.

[0015] Figure 9A It is installed inside the antenna cover, top cover, and bottom cover of the base station antenna. Figure 3 And the exploded perspective view of the antenna and calibration board assembly in Figure 4. Figure 9B It is its perspective view.

[0016] Figure 10A The radio unit module is installed on it. Figure 9A and 9B The exploded perspective of the child components, Figure 10B It is its perspective view.

[0017] Figure 10C yes Figure 9A and 9B A perspective view of the radio unit module.

[0018] Figure 11A , 11B 11C and 11C are respectively the front, side and rear views of an integrated base station antenna radio unit module according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 12A , 12B 12C and 12C are respectively the front, side and rear views of a modular integrated base station antenna according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 13A And 13B is Figure 12A Perspective view of the integrated base station antenna of the -12C.

[0021] Figure 14 yes Figure 12A Exploded perspective view of modular integrated base station antennas for –12C, 13A and 13B.

[0022] Figure 15A and 15B yes Figure 14 Perspective view of the calibration board / duplexer sub-assembly of the modular integrated base station antenna.

[0023] Figure 16 yes Figure 14 A perspective view of the support frame for a modular integrated base station antenna.

[0024] Figure 17A yes Figure 14 Exploded perspective view of the calibration board / duplexer sub-assembly of the modular integrated base station antenna. Figure 17B and 17C It is its perspective view.

[0025] Figure 18A yes Figure 14 Exploded perspective view of the antenna and calibration board / duplexer sub-assemblies of the modular integrated base station antenna. Figure 18B and 18C It is its perspective view.

[0026] Figure 19A yes Figure 14 An exploded perspective view of the radio and power amplifier circuit modules of a modular integrated base station antenna. Figure 19B It is its perspective view.

[0027] Figure 20 It is enclosed in the radome Figure 19A and 19B The exploded perspective of the child components.

[0028] Figure 21A and 21B yes Figure 14 A perspective view of the power amplifier circuit module of a modular integrated base station antenna.

[0029] Figure 22 and 23 These are simulation results, which show... Figure 14 The heat dissipation of the heat sink in the power amplifier circuit module of the modular integrated base station antenna.

[0030] Figure 24A , 24B 24C and 24C are respectively the front, side and rear views of an integrated base station antenna according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 25A and 25B yes Figures 24A-24C A perspective view of the integrated base station antenna.

[0032] Figure 26 yes Figure 24A Exploded perspective view of the integrated base station antennas of the –24C, 25A, and 25B.

[0033] Figure 27 yes Figure 24A , 24B Cross-sectional view of the integrated base station antennas of 24C, 25A and 25B.

[0034] Figure 28A and 28B yes Figure 26 and 27 A perspective view of the radio unit module of the integrated base station antenna.

[0035] Figure 29A and 29B It is installed in Figure 26 and 27 A perspective view of the duplexer on the power amplifier circuit module.

[0036] Figure 30A yes Figure 26 and 27 Exploded perspective view of the antenna and calibration board / duplexer sub-assemblies of the integrated base station antenna. Figure 30B and 30C It is its perspective view.

[0037] Figure 31A and 31B It is installed in the radome Figure 30A Perspective of the child component of -30C.

[0038] Figure 32Aand 32B It is connected to Figure 31A and 31B child components Figure 29A and 29B The exploded perspective of the child components.

[0039] Figure 32C It is connected to Figure 31A and 31B child components Figure 29A and 29B The perspective of the child components.

[0040] Figure 33A and 33B This is a plan view of a feeder board including a phase shifter mounted thereon, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0041] Figure 34 This is a schematic diagram of the radio circuitry in an integrated base station antenna according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0042] Figure 35 These are a pair of photographs illustrating the front and rear of an exemplary phase-change heat sink that can be used in an integrated base station antenna, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 36 This is an exploded perspective view of another integrated base station antenna according to an embodiment of the concept of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0044] In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. However, those skilled in the art will understand that embodiments of the invention can be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, and circuits have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the disclosure of embodiments of the invention. Although no specific description is given with respect to different embodiments, aspects described with respect to one embodiment may be incorporated into different embodiments. That is, features of all embodiments and / or any embodiments may be combined in any manner and / or combination.

[0045] Some embodiments of the inventive concept stem from the understanding that frequency division duplex (“FDD”) massive MIMO antennas can be difficult to implement for various reasons, including but not limited to: (1) the duplexers that may be included in the radio circuitry and components are typically large and may require support for sharp roll-offs outside the passband; (2) the number of electromechanical phase shifters and associated actuators and mechanical linkages used to apply electronic downtilt to the antenna bundle may be large; and (3) the radio circuitry and components may operate substantially inefficiently, for example, about 10%, which may result in a significant amount of power being converted into heat. Some embodiments of the inventive concept provide antenna assemblies in which the various components of the antenna assembly can be configured to directly engage without the need for cables connecting these components. With fewer cables, the antenna assembly can be smaller, lighter, and less susceptible to passive intermodulation (PIM) interference, and can provide improved accuracy for some functions, such as calibrating radio signals to ensure that the radio frequency (“RF”) signals supplied to the radiating elements in different columns are properly calibrated in terms of amplitude and phase alignment.

[0046] In some embodiments of the inventive concept, some or all of the electromechanical phase shifters can be integrated into the radiating element feed board, rather than being implemented separately and attached to the feed board using cables. By implementing the electromechanical phase shifters on the feed board, they can be located in front of the antenna reflector, i.e., on the same side of the reflector as the radiating element, where the feed board is connected via a board-to-board connection, such as using board-to-board connectors or pins, instead of being directly connected to the duplexer via the calibration board without the need for cable wiring. Mechanical linkages connecting the electromechanical phase shifters to their associated actuators can also be implemented at least partially on the front side of the reflector, thereby providing additional space for radio circuitry and other components behind the reflector. Additionally, in some embodiments, some duplexer filtering functions can be implemented on the calibration board to reduce the size of the duplexers. For example, a low-pass filter for each duplexer can be implemented on the calibration board, which can allow for a reduction in the size of each duplexer.

[0047] Heat sinks can be placed after the radio circuitry and power amplifier circuitry, i.e., on the opposite side of the duplexer, calibration board, and radiating element feed board, to dissipate heat. In some embodiments of the inventive concept, the radio circuitry and power amplifier circuitry can be mounted on multiple separate support surfaces, rather than on a single monolithic support surface. Separate heat sinks can be used on each of the multiple support surfaces, which improves the ability to isolate thermal hotspots due to the partitioning of the radio circuitry and power amplifier circuitry.

[0048] Although some embodiments of the inventive concept are described herein in the context of massive MIMO antennas with beamforming capabilities, it should be understood that other types of antennas may also be provided according to other embodiments of the inventive concept.

[0049] Embodiments of the inventive concept will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1A , 1B 1C and 1C are respectively front, side and rear views of an integrated base station antenna 100 according to some embodiments of the present invention, namely, a base station antenna including integrated radio circuitry and power amplifier circuitry. Figure 2A and 2B This is a perspective view of the integrated base station antenna 100. In the following description, the antenna 100 will be described using the following terms, which assume that the antenna 100 is mounted for use on a tower, wherein the longitudinal axis L of the antenna 100 extends along a generally vertical axis, and the front surface of the antenna 100 is mounted opposite the tower pointing to the coverage area of ​​the antenna 100.

[0050] refer to Figure 1A , 1B 1C, 2A, and 2B, the integrated base station antenna 100 is an elongated structure extending along a longitudinal axis L. The integrated base station antenna 100 may have an elongated box shape with a generally rectangular cross-section. The antenna 100 includes a radome 110 and a top cover 120. In some embodiments, the radome 110 and the top cover 120 may comprise a single integral unit, which may contribute to the waterproofing of the antenna 100. In other embodiments, the top cover 120 may be part of a frame for supporting other components of the integrated base station antenna 100. One or more mounting brackets (not shown) may be provided on the rear side of the integrated base station antenna 100 for mounting the antenna 100 to an antenna mounting bracket (not shown) provided for, for example, an antenna tower. The integrated base station antenna 100 also includes a bottom cover 130, which may be part of a frame for supporting other components of the integrated base station antenna 100, for example. When the integrated base station antenna 100 is mounted for normal operation, the integrated base station antenna 100 is typically mounted in a vertical configuration (i.e., the longitudinal axis L may be substantially perpendicular to the plane defined by the horizon). The radome 110, top cover 120, and bottom cover 130 can form the outer housing of the integrated base station antenna 100. The integrated base station antenna 100 may also include a radio unit module 140 coupled to the rear of the integrated base station antenna 100, which may include radio circuitry and power amplifier circuitry. The sides and rear of the integrated base station antenna 100 may include a support frame 150, which can provide structural support for various antenna component parts, such as duplexers and antenna subassemblies including feed plates, on which radiating elements are mounted.

[0051] Figure 3 This is an exploded perspective view of the integrated base station antenna 100. (Reference) Figure 3The integrated base station antenna 100 includes an radome 110 and a support frame 150, the support frame including a top cover 120 and a bottom cover 130. An antenna sub-assembly including a reflector 160 is mounted between the support frame 150 and the radome 110, the reflector having a plurality of feed plates 162 mounted thereon. Each feed plate 162 has a plurality of radiating elements 165 mounted thereon. The radiating elements 165 are arranged in a row.

[0052] Radiating element 165 may include dual-polarized radiating elements. In the depicted embodiments, each radiating element 165 includes a first dipole radiator and a second dipole radiator, the first dipole radiator being configured to transmit and receive RF signals with a -45° tilt polarization, and the second dipole radiator being configured to transmit and receive RF signals with a +45° tilt polarization. Radiating element 165 may be configured to operate in various frequency bands. In some embodiments of the invention, radiating element 165 may be configured to operate in the 1.7 GHz to 2.2 GHz frequency band. In some embodiments, radiating element 165, in conjunction with radio circuitry in the radio unit module 140 and a dual-band duplexer 170, may operate in two frequency bands within the 1.7–2.2 GHz frequency range. In the illustrated example, the antenna includes two vertically stacked antenna arrays, each antenna array including eight columns of radiating elements 165, each column including six dual-polarized radiating elements. With a total of sixteen columns and each radiating element being dual-polarized, the integrated base station antenna 100 can form a total of thirty-two antenna bundles to provide thirty-two transmit paths and thirty-two receive paths. Therefore, antenna 100 can be referred to as a 32T / 32R antenna. It should be understood that more or fewer columns of radiating elements 165 may be used in other embodiments of the inventive concept.

[0053] Each column of radiating elements 165 can be used to form a pair of antenna bundles, i.e., one antenna bundle in each of the two polarizations, where the dual-polarized radiating elements are designed to transmit and receive RF signals. Each column of radiating elements 165 can be configured to provide service to a sector of a base station. For example, each column of radiating elements can be configured to provide approximately 120° of coverage in the azimuth plane, such that the integrated base station antenna 100 can be used as a sector antenna for a three-sector base station. It will be appreciated that in other embodiments, the columns of radiating elements can be configured to provide coverage at different azimuth beamwidths. Although all radiating elements 165 are dual-polarized radiating elements in the embodiments depicted herein, it should be appreciated that in other embodiments, some or all of the dual-polarized radiating elements can be replaced with single-polarized radiating elements. It should also be appreciated that although the radiating elements are shown as dipole radiating elements, other types of radiating elements, such as, for example, patch radiating elements, can be used in other embodiments.

[0054] like Figure 3As shown, the support frame 150 may include an opening 155 therein, which allows power amplifier circuitry contained in the housing 142 of the radio unit module 140 to be connected to a duplexer 170. As will be described below, duplexers 170a, b may be received in the support frame 150 via a guard rail 152 and may be coupled to the power amplifier circuitry in the radio unit module 140 through openings 155a, b. The radio unit module 140 may include optoelectronic transceiver circuitry 145, i.e., radio circuitry, and power amplifier circuitry 147a, b. In some embodiments, the power amplifier circuitry 147a, b may be divided into two power amplifier circuitry modules 147a and 147b, with the optoelectronic transceiver circuitry 145 therebetween. A heat sink 190 may be coupled to the radio unit module 140. The heat sink 190 may include a plurality of fins 191. The heat sink 190 may be attached to the frame via, for example, bolts or other fasteners.

[0055] Figure 4 is Figure 1A , 1B Cross-sectional views of the integrated base station antenna 100 of 1C, 2A, and 2B. (See attached image.) Figure 3 As shown in Figure 4, duplexer 170a is mounted between the guard rails 152 of the support frame 150 and connected to power amplifier circuit 147a via pins 175, which may be ultra-miniature push-in (SMP) pins. Radio unit module 140 may be directly mounted on heat sink 190. Heat sink 190 includes multiple external fins extending therefrom, which facilitate the dissipation of heat from power amplifier circuits 147a, b and the opto-transceiver circuitry 145 of radio module 140. In some embodiments, heat sink 190 may be configured to dissipate heat generated by circuitry using 1300 watts of power at 5-10% efficiency. Duplexer 170a is coupled to calibration board 180, which in turn is coupled to multiple feed boards 162. Multiple radiating elements 165 are mounted on each feed board 162. Feed board 162 can be mounted on the front surface of reflector 160, which can be a generally flat metal surface and can serve as the ground plane for radiating element 165 mounted thereon. Feed board 162 can be coupled to calibration board 180a via a board-to-board connection using connection point 182. Calibration board 180 can be used to measure the amplitude and phase difference between RF signals delivered to each column of radiating element 165, such that amplitude and phase differences caused by differences in RF paths can be resolved by opto-electric transceiver circuitry 145, which can, for example, digitally compensate for amplitude or phase differences and / or physical path adjustments of RF signals associated with different columns of radiating element 165.

[0056] like Figure 3As shown in the cross-sectional view of Figure 4, the electrical connection between the feed board 162 and the calibration boards 180a, b can be made via a board-to-board connection using connection points 182 on each of the calibration boards 180a, b. The connections between the calibration boards 180a, b and the duplexers 170a, b can each be SMP pin connections, and the connections between the duplexers 170a, b and the power amplifier circuits 147a, b can also be SMP pin connections 175. These board-to-board connections and SMP pin connections can replace cables, which can improve electrical performance by eliminating solder joints as a potential source of PIM interference, and can also reduce the size and weight of the antenna assembly. Furthermore, eliminating cables along the RF path after the calibration boards 180a, b (i.e., between the calibration board 180 and the radiating element 165) can improve the accuracy of evaluating signal phase, as cable connections are often more likely to introduce phase errors than board-to-board connections.

[0057] In some embodiments, the electromechanical phase shifter, together with its associated mechanical linkage, may be formed on the feed plate 162 and thus mounted on the front side of the reflector 160 (i.e., on the same side of the reflector 160 as the radiating element 165). Unlike separate structures, implementing the phase shifter on the feed plate 162 eliminates the need for wiring connections between the separate phase shifter structure and the feed plate 162. Eliminating these “phase cables” further reduces the size and weight of the antenna assembly 100, simplifies the manufacturing process, and also removes numerous solder joints that could be potential sources of PIM interference. Each phase shifter may have an input for receiving RF signals and multiple outputs coupled to a subarray of radiating elements 165, each subarray comprising one or more radiating elements 165. The phase shifter may be implemented as, for example, a brushed arc phase shifter, such as the one disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 7,907,096 to Timofeev, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety. Each phase shifter can be coupled to a mechanical link for mechanically adjusting the phase shifter's settings to apply a desired amount of electron downtilt to the antenna beam formed by the array of radiating elements 165 coupled to the phase shifter. The mechanical link can be coupled to a RET actuator, such as a DC motor assembly (not shown). The RET actuator can apply a force to the mechanical link, which in turn adjusts movable elements on the phase shifter to adjust the downtilt angle of one or more of the radiating element arrays 165.

[0058] Figure 5A and 5B This is a perspective view of the calibration plate / duplexer subassembly, which includes a calibration plate 180 and a duplexer 170a. Figure 5A and 5B As shown, calibration plate 180a is connected to duplexer 170a via base plate 172a. Figure 6A and 6B This is an exploded perspective view of the calibration board / duplexer subassembly. (Example) Figure 6A and 6B As shown, the calibration board 180 includes a board-to-board connection point 182 for connection to the feed board 162, and a male SMP pin connector 184 for connection to the female SMP interface 174a on the duplexer 170a. In some embodiments, some filtering functions for each duplexer 170a can be implemented on the calibration board 180. For example, duplex operation may require a low-pass filter. In some embodiments, such a low-pass filter for each duplexer can be implemented on the calibration board 180, which can allow for a reduction in the size of each duplexer 170a. In other embodiments, additional or different filters for each duplexer can be implemented on the calibration board 180.

[0059] Figure 7A It is installed on the protective rail 152 of the support frame 150. Figure 5A Exploded perspective view of the calibration board / duplexer subassemblies of –5B and 6A–6B. Figure 7B and 7C It is its perspective view. For example... Figure 7A As shown in –7C, the base plates 172a,b of the calibration plates 180a,b can be used to attach the calibration plate / duplexer subassemblies to the guard rail 152 using screws 186 or another suitable attachment mechanism.

[0060] Figure 8A It is an antenna subassembly including a reflector 160, a feed plate 162 and rows of radiating elements 165 mounted thereon, and a protective rail 152 mounted on a support frame 150. Figure 5A Exploded perspective view of the calibration board / duplexer subassemblies of –5B and 6A–6B. Figure 8B and 8C It is its perspective view. For example... Figure 8A As shown in –8C, calibration boards 180a and b can be connected to the power supply board 162 via board-to-board connection point 182.

[0061] Figure 9A and 9B These are exploded perspective views and perspective views of the antenna and calibration board / duplexer subassemblies mounted on the protective rail 152 of the support frame 150, which is enclosed by an antenna radome 110, a top cover 120, and a bottom cover 130. Figure 9A and 9B As shown, end caps 120 and 130 may be separate or integral with the support frame 150 or radome 110. The support frame 150 may include a backplate 153 with openings 155a and b for duplexers 170a and b.

[0062] Figure 10A and 10B These are some embodiments of the concept of the present invention. Figure 8A -Exploded perspective and perspective view of the sub-component of the -8C, wherein the radio unit module 140 is mounted on the sub-component. (See attached image) Figure 10A and 10B As shown, the radio unit module 140 can be mounted using screws or other suitable attachment mechanisms. Figure 10C This is a perspective view of an embodiment of a radio unit module 140 installed in a cavity within a heat sink 190. Figure 10C As shown, the radio unit module 140 includes an opto-electric transceiver circuit 145, i.e., a radio circuit, and power amplifier circuits 147a and 147b. Figure 10C In the illustrated embodiment, power amplifier circuits 147a and 147b are divided into two power amplifier circuit modules 147a and 147b, with an opto-electric transceiver circuit 145 between them. Power amplifier circuits 147a and 147b include SMP connector pins 175a and 175b for connection to duplexers 170a and 170b, respectively. Heat sink 190 may also include an optical connector 192 and a power connector 194 providing electrical and optical connections between the radio module and external devices.

[0063] Figure 11A , 11B 11C and 11C are the front, side, and rear views of the heat sink 190, in which the radio unit module 140 is mounted. The fins 191 on the heat sink 190 can be configured to dissipate heat generated by the power amplifier circuits 147a, b and the opto-transceiver circuit 145 of the radio unit module.

[0064] Figure 12A , 12B 12C and 12C are respectively front, side and rear views of a modular integrated base station antenna 200 according to another embodiment of the inventive concept, namely a base station antenna including integrated radio circuitry and power amplifier circuitry. Figure 13A 13B is a perspective view of the integrated base station antenna 200. In the following description, the antenna 200 will be described using the following terms, which assume that the antenna 200 is mounted for use on a tower, wherein the longitudinal axis L of the antenna 200 extends along a vertical axis, and the front surface of the antenna 200 is mounted opposite the tower pointing towards the coverage area of ​​the antenna 200. In the following description, terms with the above regarding... Figure 1A –11C The elements in the accompanying drawings with similar reference numerals in the embodiments described represent similar or identical elements.

[0065] refer to Figure 12A , 12B12C, 13A, and 13B, the modular integrated base station antenna 200 is an elongated structure extending along a longitudinal axis L. The integrated base station antenna 200 may have an elongated box shape with a generally rectangular cross-section. The antenna 200 includes a radome 210, a top cover 220, and a bottom cover 230. In the depicted embodiments, the radome 210, top cover 220, and bottom cover are integrated together as a single integral unit. In other embodiments, the top cover 220 and / or the bottom cover 230 may be separate elements and / or may be implemented as part of a frame for supporting other elements of the modular integrated base station antenna 200. One or more mounting brackets (not shown) may be disposed on the rear side of the modular integrated base station antenna 200. When the integrated base station antenna 200 is mounted for normal operation, the modular integrated base station antenna 200 is typically mounted in a vertical configuration (i.e., the longitudinal axis L may be substantially perpendicular to the plane defined by the horizon). The radome 210, top cover 220, and bottom cover 230 can form part of the outer housing for integrating the base station antenna 200. (Refer to the above) Figure 1A In contrast to the embodiment described in –11C, the modular integrated base station antenna 200 may not include the radio unit module 140, which includes both radio circuitry 145 and power amplifier circuitry 147a, b. Instead, these components can be divided into separate modules including radio circuitry module 240 and multiple power amplifier circuitry modules 247a, b, c, d, which include optoelectronic transceiver circuitry 245. Optoelectronic transceiver circuitry 245 and power amplifier circuitry modules 247a, b, c, d are coupled to the rear of the modular integrated base station antenna 200. The side and transverse structural beams of the modular integrated base station antenna 200 may include a support frame 250, which provides structural support for various antenna component parts, such as duplexers and radiating element arrays mounted thereon, on which the antenna feed plate is mounted.

[0066] Figure 14 This is an exploded perspective view of the modular integrated base station antenna 200. (Reference) Figure 14 The modular integrated base station antenna 200 includes a radome 210, which includes a top cover 220, a bottom cover 230, and a support frame 250. A reflector 260 is provided between the support frame 250 and the radome 210, the reflector including a plurality of antenna feed plates 262 mounted thereon. Each feed plate 262 has multiple rows of radiating elements 265 mounted thereon.

[0067] like Figure 14As shown, the support frame 250 may include openings 255 through which power amplifier circuits in the respective power amplifier circuit modules 247a, b, c, d are connected to duplexers 270. As will be described below, duplexers 270a, b, c, d may be received in the support frame 250 via guard rails 252 and may be connected to the power amplifier circuits in the power amplifier modules 247a, b, c, d respectively through openings 255. The radio circuit module 245 may include opto-electric transceiver circuitry, i.e., radio circuitry. In some embodiments of the inventive concept, one or more remote electronic tilt actuator assemblies may be mounted in the space above the radio circuit module 245, adjacent to the other duplexers 270a, b, c, d.

[0068] Figure 15A and 15B This is a perspective view of a calibration plate / duplexer subassembly including a calibration plate 280 and a duplexer 270a, according to some embodiments of the inventive concept. Figure 14 , 15A As shown in Figure 15B, calibration board 280 is connected to duplexer 270a via base plate 272a. Calibration board 280 may include board-to-board connection points 282 for connection to feed board 262 and male SMP pin connectors for connection to female SMP connectors on duplexer 270a.

[0069] Figure 16 This is a perspective view of a support frame 250 according to some embodiments of the present invention. Figure 14 and 16 As shown, the support frame 250 includes a protective rail 252 and a transverse member beam 253, replacing the aforementioned back plate 153. The transverse member beam 253 may define openings 255a, b, c, and d in the support frame.

[0070] Figure 17A It is installed on the protective rail 252 of the support frame 250. Figure 15A Exploded perspective view of the calibration board / duplexer subassembly of the -15B. Figure 17B and 17C It is its perspective view. For example... Figure 14 and 17A As shown in –17C, the base plates 272a, b, c, d of the calibration plates 280a, b, c, d can be used to attach the duplexers 270a, b, c, d and the sub-assemblies of the calibration plates 280a, b, c, d to the guard rail 252 using screws or another suitable attachment mechanism.

[0071] Figure 18A This is an exploded perspective view of the antenna and calibration board / duplexer subassembly mounted on the protective rail 252 of the support frame 250. Figure 18B and 18CThis is a perspective view. The antenna subassembly includes 265 rows of radiating elements, a feed plate 262, and a reflector 260. (Example) Figure 14 and 18A As shown in –18C, calibration boards 280a, b, c, and d can be connected to feed board 262 via board-to-board connection point 282.

[0072] Figure 19A This is an exploded perspective view of the sub-components of the radio circuit module 245 and the power amplifier circuit modules 247a, b, c, and d connected to the support frame 250. Figure 19B It is its perspective view. For example... Figure 14 , 19A As shown in 19B, the radio circuit module 245 and the power amplifier circuit modules 247a, b, c, d can be connected to the support frame 250 using screws or another suitable attachment mechanism along the guard rail 252 and the transverse member beam 253, such that the power amplifier circuit modules 247a, b, c, d are aligned with the duplexers 270a, b, c, d, respectively. The connection between the duplexers 270a, b, c, d and the power amplifier circuit modules 247a, b, c, d can be an SMP pin connection.

[0073] Figure 20 It is enclosed in the radome 110 Figure 19A and 19B An exploded perspective of child components. For example... Figure 20 As shown, end caps 220 and 230 can be separate or integrated with the support frame 250 or radome 210.

[0074] Figure 21A and 21B This is a perspective view of a power amplifier circuit module 247 according to some embodiments of the present invention. Figure 21A As shown, the outer surface 242 of the power amplifier circuit module 247 may include a heat sink and include fins extending therefrom, the fins being angled in different directions to improve airflow above the power amplifier circuit module 247, thereby enhancing cooling of the amplifier contained therein. The bottom surface 243 of the power amplifier circuit module 247 may include SMP pins 244 for coupling the power amplifier circuit module 247 to the duplexer module 270. In other embodiments, a separate heat sink may be provided, and the radio circuit module 240 may be mounted on or within a separate heat sink.

[0075] Figure 22 and 23 This shows the results of a thermal simulation demonstrating the heat dissipation caused by the fin configuration on the outer surface 242 of the power amplifier circuit module 247. For example... Figure 22As shown, the average temperature of the heat sink provided by the outer surface 242 of the power amplifier circuit module 247 is approximately 85.5 degrees Celsius. Figure 23 As shown, air entering from the top (Y-axis) of the power amplifier circuit module 247 can be directed in positive and negative horizontal (X-axis) directions away from the power amplifier circuit module 247.

[0076] Similar to the above about Figure 1A In the embodiment described in –11C, the connection between the feed board 262 and the calibration boards 280a, b, c, d can be a board-to-board connection using connection points 282 on each of the calibration boards 280a, b, c, d. The connection between the calibration boards 280a, b, c, d and the duplexers 270a, b, c, d can each be an SMP pin connection. The connection between the duplexers 270a, b, c, d and the power amplifier circuit modules 247a, b, c, d can also be an SMP pin connection 175. These board-to-board connections and SMP pin connections can replace cables, which can improve electrical performance by reducing PIM and also make the components more compact. Furthermore, the elimination of cables at the calibration board 280 can improve the accuracy of evaluating signal phase, as cable routing can introduce some phase error due to its length.

[0077] In some embodiments, the phase shifter, along with its associated mechanical control mechanism, can be implemented on a feed plate 262 on the radiating element 265 side of the reflector 260. This eliminates the need for a phase cable between the radiating element 265 and the separate phase shifter assembly, thereby providing further improvements in PIM performance and greater overall compactness of the assembly.

[0078] Figure 12A The embodiment of –23 can further provide a modular integrated base station antenna, wherein the radio circuitry and power amplifier circuitry are mounted on multiple separate support surfaces rather than placed on a single monolithic support surface. Separate heat sinks can be used on each of the multiple surfaces, which can improve the ability to isolate thermal hotspots due to the partitioning of the radio circuitry and power amplifier circuitry. A single heat sink surface can allow heat to accumulate to unacceptable levels in certain locations.

[0079] Includes multiple power amplifier circuit modules 247a, b, c, d, a separate radio circuit module 245, and duplexer modules 270a, b, c, d. Figure 12A The modularity of the embodiments described in –23 allows for easier configuration of the antenna to include more or fewer receive and transmit paths. For example, the power amplifier circuit module and duplexer module can be removed to convert the antenna from a 32T32R type antenna to a 16T16R type antenna.

[0080] Although Figure 12A–23 illustrates an example embodiment in which the outer surface 242 of each power amplifier circuit module 247 and the outer surface of the radio circuit module 245 are formed as separate heat sinks including fins extending therefrom. It should be understood that other arrangements are possible. For example, in some embodiments, the heat sink may be separate from the power amplifier circuit module 247 and / or may be separate from the radio circuit module 245. Additionally, the heat sink does not need to be modular. For example, in another embodiment, a single heat sink, such as an extruded finned heat sink, may be provided, which serves as the heat sink for all four power amplifier circuit modules 247. The radio circuit module 245 may have its own heat sink. In some embodiments, the radio circuit module 245 may have an extruded heat sink. In other embodiments, a phase-change heat sink may be coupled to the radio circuit module 245, which is separate from and potentially spaced apart from the extruded heat sinks mounted behind all four power amplifier circuit modules 247. Most of the heat generated in the radio circuit module 245 may be generated by a small number of chipsets included therein. In this case, the phase-change heat sink may be very effective in heat dissipation. Figure 35 These are a pair of photographs showing the front and rear of an example phase-change heatsink that can be mounted after the radio circuit module 245. In other embodiments, the phase-change heatsink may be mounted after the power amplifier circuit module 247. For example, a single large phase-change heatsink or five separate phase-change heatsinks may be mounted after the radio circuit module 245 and the power amplifier circuit module 247.

[0081] Figure 24A , 24B 24C and 24C are front, side and rear views of an integrated base station antenna 300 according to other embodiments of the inventive concept, namely, a base station antenna including integrated radio circuitry and power amplifier circuitry. Figure 25A and 25B This is a perspective view of the integrated base station antenna 300. In the following description, the antenna 300 will be described using the following terms, which assume that the antenna 300 is mounted for use on a tower, wherein the longitudinal axis L of the antenna 300 extends along a vertical axis, and the front surface of the antenna 300 is mounted opposite the tower pointing towards the coverage area of ​​the antenna 300. In the following description, terms with the above-mentioned… Figure 1A –23 The elements in the accompanying drawings with similar reference numerals in the embodiments described represent similar or identical elements.

[0082] refer to Figure 24A , 24B24C, 25A, and 25B, the integrated base station antenna 300 may have an elongated box shape with a generally rectangular cross-section. Antenna 300 includes a radome 310, a top cover 320, and a bottom cover 330. The top cover 320 and bottom cover 330 may, for example, be part of a frame for supporting other components of the integrated base station antenna 300. One or more mounting brackets (not shown) may be provided on the rear side of the integrated base station antenna 300. The integrated base station antenna 300 is typically mounted in a vertical configuration. The radome 310, top cover 320, and bottom cover 330 may form the outer housing of the integrated base station antenna 300. The integrated base station antenna 300 may also include a radio unit module 340 coupled to the rear of the integrated base station antenna 300, which may include radio circuitry and power amplifier circuitry. The sides and rear of the radio unit module 340 may include support frames that provide structural support for various antenna component parts, such as duplexers, reflectors, and radiating elements mounted thereon on an antenna feed plate.

[0083] Figure 26 This is an exploded perspective view of the integrated base station antenna 300. (Reference) Figure 26 The integrated base station antenna 300 includes an radome 310, which includes a top cover 320 and a bottom cover 330. Multiple antenna feed plates 362 are mounted on a reflector 360. Each feed plate 362 includes multiple radiating elements 365 mounted thereon. Calibration plates 380a and 380b are connected to the antenna feed plates 362. Two calibration plates 380a and 380b are respectively mounted on duplexers 370a and 370b, which are in turn mounted on power amplifier circuit modules 347a and 347b. This sub-assembly is received in a radio unit module 340 housing 342, which can act as a heat sink. An opto-transceiver circuit 345, i.e., radio circuitry, is mounted between the two power amplifier circuit modules 347a and 347b. Therefore, the integrated base station antenna 300 differs from the integrated base station antenna 100 in that it does not include a support frame 150, and the duplexers 370a and 370b are oriented such that eight duplexers are back-to-back instead of sixteen duplexers in a row. Calibration plates 380a and 380b can be made narrower than calibration plates 180a and 180b because calibration plates 380a and 380b can cover the interface between two sets of eight duplexers, rather than the entire length of a set of sixteen duplexers arranged in a row.

[0084] Figure 27 yes Figure 24A , 24B Cross-sectional view of the integrated base station antenna 300 of models 24C, 25A, and 25B. (See diagram below.) Figure 26 and 27As shown, duplexer 370a is connected to power amplifier circuitry 347a via board-to-board connection point 376. The housing 342 of radio unit module 340 may include a heat sink with fins extending therefrom to facilitate heat dissipation from power amplifier circuitry 347a, b and opto-transceiver circuitry 345. In some embodiments, the heat sink may be configured to dissipate heat generated by RF circuitry powered at 1300 watts, operating at 5%-10% efficiency. Duplexer 370a is coupled to calibration board 380, which in turn is coupled to a plurality of feed boards 362 on which rows of radiating elements 365 are mounted. Feed boards 362 are mounted on the front surface of reflector 360 and may be generally flat metallic surfaces and may serve as ground planes for rows of radiating elements 365. Feed boards 362 can be coupled to calibration board 380 via board-to-board connections using connection point 382.

[0085] like Figure 26 as well as Figure 27 As shown in the cross-sectional view, the connection between the feed board 362 and the calibration boards 380a, b can be a board-to-board connection using connection points 182 on each of the calibration boards 380a, b; the connection between the calibration boards 380a, b and the duplexers 370a, b can each be an SMP pin connection 377; and the connection between the duplexers 370a, b and the power amplifier circuit modules 347a, b can be a board-to-board connection using connection points 377. This differs from the integrated antenna base station antenna 100, where SMP pin connections 175 are used to connect the duplexers 370a, b and the power amplifier circuit modules 347a, b. These board-to-board connections and SMP pin connections can replace cables, which can improve electrical performance by reducing PIM and also make the components more compact. Furthermore, the elimination of cables at the calibration boards 380a, b can improve the accuracy of evaluating signal phase, as wiring may introduce some phase error due to its length.

[0086] In some embodiments, the phase shifter and its associated mechanical linkage can be implemented on the feed plate 362 and thus mounted in front of the reflector 360. This eliminates the need for additional cabling between the radiating element 365 and the separate phase shifter assembly, thereby providing further improvements in PIM performance and greater overall compactness of the assembly.

[0087] Figure 28A and 28B This is a perspective view of a radio unit module 340 according to some embodiments of the present invention. Figure 28A and 28BAs shown, the radio unit module 340 includes a housing 342 that can act as a heat sink and is configured to receive power amplifier circuit modules 347a, b therein, wherein the optoelectronic transceiver circuit 345, i.e., the radio circuitry, is mounted between the power amplifier circuit modules. Each of the power amplifier circuit modules 347a, b includes a transmit port 348 and a receive port 349. A power board 351 provides an interface for connecting to a power source.

[0088] Figure 29A and 29B This is a perspective view of duplexers 370a and b mounted on power amplifier circuit modules 347a and b, according to some embodiments of the present invention. Figure 29A and 29B As shown, duplexers 370a and 370b are mounted on power amplifier circuit modules 347a and 347b and provide output ports 371 to calibration boards 380a and 380b.

[0089] Figure 30A This is an exploded perspective view of the antenna sub-assembly of antenna 300. Figure 30B and 30C This is a perspective view of the antenna subassembly, which includes 365 rows of radiating elements, a feed plate 362, a reflector 360, and calibration plates 380a and 380b. Figure 30A As shown in –30C, the array of radiating elements is mounted on the feed plate 362, and the calibration plates 380a and b can be connected to the feed plate 362 via the plate-to-plate connection points 382a and b.

[0090] Figure 31A and 31B It is installed in the radome 310 Figure 30A –30C's perspective view of its child components. (Example) Figure 31A and 31B As shown, the antenna subassemblies, including radiating element 365, feed plate 362, reflector 360 and calibration plates 380a and b, are mounted into the radome 310.

[0091] Figure 32A and 32B It is connected to Figure 31A and 31B child components Figure 29A and 29B The exploded perspective of the child components. Figure 32C It is a connection to some embodiments of the concept of the present invention. Figure 31A and 31B child components Figure 29A and 29B The perspective of the child components. For example... Figure 32AAs shown in –32C, duplexers 370a,b mounted on power amplifier circuit modules 347a,b within radio unit module 340 are connected to calibration plates 380a,b in radome 310, wherein radome 310 is attached to radio unit housing 342 using screws 399 or another suitable attachment mechanism.

[0092] Figure 33A This is a plan view of a feedboard including a phase shifter, according to some embodiments of the present invention. Figure 33A As shown, the feed plate 162 includes a phase shifter 199 mounted on the same side as the row of radiating elements 165. Figure 33B This is a planar (front) view of one of the feed plates 162 before the radiating element 165 is mounted thereon. Figure 33B As shown, each feedboard includes two brush arc phase shifters 199. Figure 33B The brush arm of phase shifter 199 is omitted to better display the traces on the main printed circuit board of the phase shifter (here, feed board 162) and on the input and output ports of each phase shifter (the output ports are connected to the radiating element 165). Although for the integrated base station antenna 100, phase shifter 199 is... Figure 33A and 33B As shown in the diagram, the phase shifter is mounted on the front side of the feed board 162. It should be understood that, according to various embodiments of the inventive concept, the phase shifter may be mounted on the front side of the feed board 262 (and reflector 260) and / or the front side of the feed board 362 (and reflector 360) 360 of the base station antenna 200 and / or 300. Therefore, according to some embodiments of the inventive concept, some or all of the electromechanical phase shifters 199 may be integrated into the radiating element feed boards 162, 262, 362, rather than using separate phase shifter assemblies attached to the feed boards by cables. The mechanical linkage connecting the electromechanical phase shifter 199 to its associated actuator may also be implemented at least partially on the front side of the reflector, such as... Figure 33A As shown in the diagram. Moving the mechanical linkage in front of the reflector provides additional space behind the reflector for the radio circuitry and other components.

[0093] Figure 34 This is a schematic diagram of a power amplifier module in an integrated base station antenna according to some embodiments of the inventive concept. For example... Figure 34As shown, the power amplifier module includes transmit and receive channels 405 for each of the thirty-two columns of heat sinks depicted in the antenna array. Each column of dual-polarized radiating elements 165 in the antenna array (i.e., one transmit / receive channel 405 per polarization) provides two transmit / receive channels 405, and the antenna array comprises two vertically stacked subarrays, each with eight columns of dual-polarized radiating elements 165, thus requiring thirty-two transmit / receive channels. Each transmit / receive channel 405 is coupled between a corresponding analog-to-digital conversion circuit 410 and a corresponding amplifier circuit 415. The amplifier circuit 415 includes a power amplifier in the transmit path and a low-noise amplifier in the receive path. The transmit path also includes an impedance matching circuit 420 and a circulator 425 (which protects the power amplifier). As shown, the transmit and receive paths are coupled to a duplexer 170 and a calibration circuit 180. Figure 34 The power amplifier module can be used in any integrated base station antenna 100, 200 and / or 300 described herein according to different embodiments of the inventive concept.

[0094] Figure 36 Is as Figure 26 An exploded perspective view of the modified integrated base station antenna 300A, which is an integrated base station antenna 300. (Reference) Figure 36 The integrated base station antenna 300A may include and Figure 26 The base station antenna 300A includes the same radome 310, top cover 320, bottom cover 330, reflector 360, feed plate 362, and radiating element as the base station antenna 300. The base station antenna 300A includes a total of four calibration plates 380a, b, c, and d, which are connected to the antenna feed plate 362. The four calibration plates 380a, b, c, and d are mounted on duplexers 370a, b, c, and d, respectively. Duplexers 370a and b are mounted on power amplifier circuit module 347a, while duplexers 370c and d are mounted on power amplifier circuit module 347b. An optoelectronic transceiver circuit 345, i.e., a radio circuit, is mounted between two power amplifier circuit modules 347a and b. Power amplifier circuit modules 347a and b, as well as the optoelectronic transceiver circuit 345, are mounted on a heat sink 390. Additionally, a support frame 350 is provided to support the duplexer 370, calibration plate 380, reflector 360, feed plate 362, and / or radiating element 365. The design of the base station antenna 300A may be particularly advantageous if the antenna elements (including calibration plate 380 and duplexer 370) are manufactured with different physical counterparts to radio circuit elements and heat sinks.

[0095] Other definitions and examples:

[0096] The terminology used herein is for descriptive purposes only and is not intended to limit this disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will also be understood that, when used in this specification, the terms “comprises” and / or “comprising” specify the presence of the stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or combinations thereof. As used herein, the term “and / or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. Throughout the description of the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals denote the same elements.

[0097] It should be understood that although the terms "first," "second," etc., may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one element from another. Therefore, without departing from the teachings of the present invention, a first element may be referred to as a second element.

[0098] It will be understood that when an element is described as being "on," "attached" to, "connected" to, "joined" with, or "in contact with" another element, it may be directly on, directly attached to, directly connected to, directly joined to, or directly in contact with the other element, or there may be an intermediate element. Conversely, when an element is described as being "directly" on, "directly attached" to, "directly connected" to, "directly joined to," or "directly in contact with" another element, there is no inserting element. Those skilled in the art will also understand that references to structures or features "adjacent" to another feature may have overlapping or subordinate portions.

[0099] Unless otherwise specified, all terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) shall have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the inventive concept pertains. It will be further understood that terms defined, for example, in common dictionaries, shall be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of this specification and the relevant field, and shall not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly defined herein.

[0100] The description of this disclosure has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but it is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the form of disclosure. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of this disclosure. Various aspects of this disclosure have been chosen and described in order to best illustrate the principles of this disclosure and its practical application, and to enable others skilled in the art to understand the various modifications of this disclosure suitable for their intended particular purpose.

[0101] The foregoing description is a description of the invention and should not be construed as limiting it. Although exemplary embodiments of the invention have been described, those skilled in the art will readily understand that many modifications may be made to the exemplary embodiments without substantially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the invention. Therefore, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention as defined in the claims. The invention is defined by the appended claims, and equivalents of the claims are included therein.

Claims

1. An integrated base station antenna, comprising: Multiple rows of radiating elements, each row of radiating elements is mounted on a corresponding feed board; A calibration circuit, the calibration circuit including at least one calibration board connected to the feed board via a plurality of cableless connections; Multiple duplexers are connected to the calibration circuit via ultra-small push-in SMP pin connections to at least one calibration board, wherein at least one filter for the multiple duplexers is implemented on the at least one calibration board. Multiple power amplifier modules, each power amplifier module including multiple transmit / receive circuits, each transmit / receive circuit being connected to a corresponding duplexer among the multiple duplexers via a corresponding cableless connection, wherein the multiple duplexers are connected to the multiple power amplifier modules via board-to-board connections. as well as At least one heat sink is connected to at least one of the plurality of power amplifier modules.

2. The integrated base station antenna according to claim 1, wherein the feed board is connected to the calibration circuit via a plurality of board-to-board connections.

3. The integrated base station antenna according to claim 1 further includes a plurality of electromechanical phase shifters, wherein at least some of the phase shifters are implemented on the feed board.

4. The integrated base station antenna of claim 3 further includes a reflector, wherein the radiating element extends forward from the front side of the reflector, and wherein at least a portion of the mechanical linkage connecting the respective phase shifter to the actuator motor is positioned in front of the front side of the reflector.

5. The integrated base station antenna of claim 1, wherein the at least one heat sink comprises a plurality of heat sinks, and wherein each heat sink is connected to a corresponding power amplifier module in the power amplifier module, and the heat sinks are spaced apart from each other.

6. The integrated base station antenna according to claim 1, wherein the filter is a low-pass filter.

7. The integrated base station antenna of claim 1, wherein the calibration board comprises a plurality of filters, and each filter is coupled to a corresponding duplexer among the duplexers coupled to the calibration board.

8. The integrated base station antenna according to claim 1 further includes a radio circuit module, the radio circuit module having a radio circuit module heat sink, the radio circuit module heat sink being separate from the at least one heat sink of at least one power amplifier module connected to the power amplifier module.

9. The integrated base station antenna according to claim 8, wherein the radio circuit module heat sink includes a phase change heat sink.

10. The integrated base station antenna of claim 9, wherein the at least one heat sink connected to at least one power amplifier module in the power amplifier module is not a phase change heat sink.

11. The integrated base station antenna of claim 9, wherein the at least one heat sink connected to at least one power amplifier module in the power amplifier module is an extruded heat sink.

12. An integrated base station antenna, comprising: A feed board having an array of radiating elements mounted on the feed board; A pair of phase shifters, the pair of phase shifters being coupled to the array of radiating elements, the phase shifters being implemented at least partially on the feed plate; A calibration board is connected to the power supply board via a board-to-board connection; as well as Multiple duplexers are connected to the calibration board via ultra-small push-in SMP pin connections, wherein at least one filter for the multiple duplexers is implemented on the calibration board; and Multiple power amplifiers are connected to the multiple duplexers via SMP pin connections.

13. The integrated base station antenna according to claim 12, further comprising: Reflector; The feed plate, the pair of phase shifters, and the array of radiating elements are all located on the front side of the reflector.

14. The integrated base station antenna according to claim 13, further comprising: A mechanical link configured to adjust the setting of at least one of the pair of phase shifters, the mechanical link being at least partially mounted on the front side of the reflector.

15. The integrated base station antenna of claim 12, wherein the plurality of duplexers are further connected to the support frame via a substrate.

16. The integrated base station antenna of claim 12, further comprising an integral heat sink configured to receive the plurality of power amplifiers therein.

17. The integrated base station antenna of claim 12, further comprising a radio circuit installed between a first subset of the plurality of power amplifiers and a second subset of the plurality of power amplifiers.

18. The integrated base station antenna according to claim 12, further comprising: Multiple power amplifier modules; as well as Multiple integrated heat sinks are respectively connected to the multiple power amplifier modules.

19. The integrated base station antenna according to claim 12, wherein the calibration board comprises a plurality of filters.

20. The integrated base station antenna of claim 19, wherein each filter is coupled to a corresponding duplexer in the duplexers.

21. The integrated base station antenna according to claim 12, further comprising: Multiple power amplifier modules; A radio circuit module, wherein the radio circuit module is installed between a first subset of the plurality of power amplifiers and a second subset of the plurality of power amplifiers; as well as At least one integral heat sink is connected to the plurality of power amplifier modules.

22. The integrated base station antenna according to claim 21, wherein the at least one heat sink is a single integral heat sink.

23. The integrated base station antenna according to claim 22 further includes a radio circuit module heat sink connected to the radio circuit module, wherein the radio circuit module heat sink is separate from the overall heat sink.

24. The integrated base station antenna according to claim 22, wherein the heat sink of the radio circuit module is a phase change heat sink.

Images