Metasurface covering materials for antenna array radiation recovery, gain enhancement and MPE reduction

Abstract

In one exemplary implementation, the antenna assembly includes an antenna array, a dielectric cover, and an upper metal patch with a coupling line. The upper metal patch with the coupling line is placed below the dielectric cover and approximately λ / 2 above the antenna array. λ is the wavelength of the operating frequency of the antenna array. The coupling line is connected to the upper metal patch, and the coupling line extends from the upper metal patch.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a metasurface covering material, and is particularly used for antenna array radiation recovery, gain enhancement and compliance with maximum permissible exposure (MPE) requirements. Background Art

[0002] Third Generation Partnership Project (3 rd The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) user equipment (UE) power class 3 maximum power limits the minimum equivalent isotropic radiated power (EIRP) peak, the maximum output power limit, and the minimum 50th percentile cumulative distribution function (CDF) distribution of the radiated power. In addition, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) MPE requirements limit the maximum radio frequency (RF) exposure. Current covering materials used for antenna arrays distort the radiation pattern, reduce gain, and face MPE issues, thereby limiting the antenna array scanning coverage, reducing communication range, reducing data throughput, and consuming more power. Summary of the invention

[0003] The present invention describes metasurface covering materials for antenna array radiation recovery, gain enhancement and exposure reduction as measured by maximum permissible exposure (MPE) standards.

[0004] In a first implementation, the antenna assembly includes an antenna array, a dielectric cover, and an upper metal patch with a coupling line, wherein the upper metal patch with a coupling line is placed below the dielectric cover and above the antenna array.

[0005] In a second implementation, an electronic device includes a non-volatile memory, one or more hardware processors, an antenna array, a dielectric cover, and an upper metal patch with a coupling line, wherein the upper metal patch with a coupling line is placed under the dielectric cover and above the antenna array.

[0006] The antenna assembly provided by the present invention may include one, some or all of the following features. For example, the upper metal patch with the coupling line can be placed on the surface of the dielectric cover and / or inside the dielectric cover. For another example, the antenna array can be a 5G millimeter wave (mmWave) antenna array covering 24G gigahertz (GHz) to 100GHz, including 60GHz IEEE 802.11ad Wi-Fi and 76GHz automotive radar. For another example, the dielectric cover can be a glass, plastic or ceramic dielectric cover or any dielectric non-conductor. For another example, the coupling line can be connected to the upper metal patch with a length of approximately λ / 2. λ is the wavelength of the operating frequency of the antenna array.

[0007] The details of one or more implementations of the subject matter of this specification are set forth in the drawings and the specification. Other features, aspects, and advantages of the subject matter become apparent from the specification, drawings, and claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Figure 1 A graph of performance measurements of an antenna array is provided for one implementation.

[0009] Figure 2 A graph of the cumulative distribution function (CDF) of the equivalent isotropic radiated power (EIRP) of an antenna array is provided for one implementation.

[0010] Figure 3 A graph of current density on an upper metal patch below a glass surface is provided for one implementation.

[0011] Figure 4 An exploded schematic diagram of an antenna assembly provided for one implementation.

[0012] Figure 5 A top view of an upper metal patch with coupling lines is provided for one implementation.

[0013] Figure 6 A scan of an array pattern of an upper metal patch is provided for one implementation.

[0014] Figure 7 Diagrams of other examples of upper metal patches with coupled lines are provided for one implementation.

[0015] Figure 8 A block diagram of an exemplary system is provided for one implementation.

[0016] Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] The following detailed description describes metasurface covering materials for antenna arrays for the purpose of enabling those skilled in the art to make and use the disclosed subject matter in the context of one or more specific implementations.

[0018] Various modifications, changes, and arrangements may be made to the disclosed implementations and will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, and the general principles defined may be applied to other implementations and applications without departing from the scope of the invention. In some cases, details not necessary for understanding the described subject matter may be omitted so as not to obscure one or more of the described implementations with unnecessary detail as such details are within the capabilities of those of ordinary skill in the art. The invention is not intended to be limited to the implementations described or shown, but rather to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features described.

[0019] Third Generation Partnership Project (3 rd The maximum power of the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) user equipment (UE) power class 3 limits the minimum equivalent isotropic radiated power (EIRP) peak, the maximum output power limit, and the minimum 50th percentile cumulative distribution function (CDF) distribution of the radiated power. In addition, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) maximum permissible exposure (MPE) requirement limits the maximum radio frequency (RF) exposure. Current covering materials used for antenna arrays distort the radiation pattern, reduce gain, and face MPE problems, thereby limiting the antenna array scanning coverage, reducing the communication range, reducing data throughput and consuming more power. The use of multiple antenna arrays and complex algorithms can reduce some of these problems. However, it is costly, inefficient, and sometimes impractical. In some implementations, the antenna array can be designed as a complex three-dimensional (3-dimension, 3D) structure. However, such antenna arrays are large in size and are therefore not suitable for small smartphones.

[0020] The present invention describes an exemplary implementation of an antenna assembly. For example, the proposed antenna assembly described in this article conforms to the current smartphone form factor, has a small volume and thin layer, is passive, and is easy to implement and modify according to the antenna design type and antenna position. By using a passive conductive coupling patch with a coupling line above the antenna array and below the covering material, the antenna gain can be increased, the radiation pattern distorted by the covering material can be restored, and the amount of radiation measured by the MPE standard can be reduced. In addition, the proposed antenna assembly does not require active circuits or algorithms. It can be applied to antennas of various positions and types, and is suitable for small-volume wireless UEs with dielectric covers.

[0021] The subject matter described in the present invention can be implemented in a specific implementation to achieve one or more of the following advantages. First, the method described can reduce the power consumption of the antenna array after normalizing the 3GPP maximum UE power (e.g., by 1.0 dB). Second, the method described uses a passive structure and does not require changes to the antenna array. Third, the method described can reduce the amount of exposure measured by the MPE standard of the antenna array (e.g., it can be reduced by up to 2.0 dB). Fourth, the method described is a passive technique for simultaneously increasing the antenna gain and reducing the amount of exposure measured by the MPE standard, and can select or adjust the balance between the antenna gain and the amount of exposure measured by the MPE standard as needed. Fifth, the method described can be applied to a variety of wireless devices, and material properties and coupling structures can be modified according to the location and type of the antenna array. Sixth, the method described can reduce or reverse the radiation distortion caused by the dielectric cover of the antenna array. Seventh, the method described can maintain the scanning range of the antenna array and meet the 3GPP EIRP 50th percentile 3D coverage requirements. Eighth, the FCC MPE reduction capability can achieve a smaller power backoff, thereby ensuring maximum coverage. Ninth, the described method can be used in 5G antenna technology.

[0022] Figure 1 A graph 100 of performance measurements of antenna arrays is provided for one implementation. Graph 100 includes performance measurements for the following antenna arrays: an antenna array with 4 antennas 102, an antenna array with a dielectric cover 104, an antenna array with a dielectric cover and an upper metal patch 106, an antenna array with a dielectric cover and an upper metal patch including 6 sets of coupled lines 108, and an antenna array with a dielectric cover and an upper metal patch including 2 sets of coupled lines 110. For each antenna array structure 120, graph 100 shows the glass relative dielectric constant (Er) 112, antenna gain 114, MPE 116, antenna radiation pattern 118, and energy density graph 122.

[0023] like Figure 1As shown, the Er of the antenna array with four antennas 102 is 7, the omnidirectional antenna gain is 8.62 decibels (dBi), and the irradiance is 1.91 milliwatts per square centimeter (mW / cm 2 ). Because of the dielectric cover, the antenna gain is reduced to 7dBi and the irradiance is reduced to 1.26mW / cm 2 In addition, because of the dielectric cover, the antenna radiation pattern is distorted and the energy is concentrated toward the center, as shown in the energy density graph. In order to increase the antenna gain, three upper metal patches (such as 106, 108 and 110) were tested.

[0024] By adding an upper metal patch (e.g., each of the four antennas is covered by a metal patch) 106, the antenna gain increases to 10.42 dBi. However, the irradiance also increases to 2.99 mW / cm 2 By adding an upper metal patch with 6 sets of coupling lines 108, the antenna gain is increased to 9.64dBi and the irradiance is slightly increased to 2.03mW / cm 2 By adding an upper metal patch with two sets of coupling lines 110, the antenna gain is increased to 8.68dBi and the irradiation is reduced to 1.14mW / cm 2 In addition, because of the upper metal patch, the antenna radiation pattern is restored and the energy is dispersed, as shown in the energy density plot.

[0025] like Figure 1 As shown, adding an upper metal patch with coupling lines to a 5G mmWave array can achieve a 2.64 / 1.86dB gain increase and a 0.57 / 2.29dB irradiation reduction. The radiation pattern can be recovered from the dielectric cover distortion. In addition, the passive coupling structure can enhance the radiating aperture of the antenna array with controlled amplitude and phase to increase the antenna gain. The coupling lines can diffuse the near-field energy, thereby reducing the irradiation measured by the MPE standard, restoring the radiation pattern distorted by the dielectric cover, and further increasing the antenna gain.

[0026] The dielectric cover can be made of dielectric and non-conductive materials. In some implementations, the dielectric cover can include a glass cover, a plastic cover, and a ceramic cover. An upper metal patch with a coupling line can be placed on the surface of the dielectric cover and / or inside the dielectric cover. The antenna array can be a 5G millimeter wave antenna, for example, covering 24Ghz to 100GHz. In some implementations, the antenna array can be a 60GHz IEEE 802.11ad Wi-Fi antenna or a 76GHz automotive radar antenna.

[0027] For example, the upper metal patch with coupling lines can be a passive coupling patch and coupling line structure under a glass dielectric cover. In some implementations, the passive structure can be conformal to the dielectric cover. Each antenna in the antenna array has a corresponding coupling patch above it to increase the radiation aperture of the particular antenna. The coupling patch can be relatively larger than the antenna element below. For example, depending on the height of the dielectric material, if the antenna element is a square with a side length of approximately half a wavelength (λ), the corresponding coupling patch can be a square with a side length of approximately 50% to 80% of λ. λ is the wavelength of the operating frequency of the antenna. For example, at 30 GHz, one λ is 10 millimeters (mm). In some implementations, the upper metal patch with coupling lines is placed approximately λ / 2 above the antenna. The coupling line can extend from the coupling patch to control the phase and amplitude of the antenna resonance. For example, the coupling line can extend outward from the coupling patch in the opposite direction (e.g., extending at an angle of approximately 90 degrees to one side of the coupling patch, and the coupling line extends outward from the coupling patch). In some implementations, the coupling patch may be planar or substantially planar. In some implementations, the coupling line may be a straight line, a curve, or a closed loop line. The coupling line is connected to the coupling patch and extends from an adjacent coupling patch. For example, a pair of coupling lines may extend outward from two adjacent coupling patches. The pair of coupling lines may be parallel or substantially parallel to each other. In addition, as shown in the figure, the pair of coupling lines may match another pair of coupling lines extending outward in the opposite direction. The coupling line may also extend from the corner of the coupling patch. In some implementations, the coupling line and the coupling patch may constitute a single component. In some implementations, the coupling line and the coupling patch may constitute separate components and be assembled together. For example, the coupling line and the coupling patch may be bonded, welded, or soldered together. The coupling line and the coupling patch may be on the same layer or on different layers (e.g., in a 3D structure). In some implementations, the length of the coupling line may be approximately λ / 2 and the width may be approximately 10% of λ. A coupled line can be coupled with an adjacent coupled line (e.g., a group of coupled lines) to distribute energy, thereby reducing near-field power density and reducing exposure as measured by the MPE standard. In some implementations, the number of coupled patches and the number of coupled lines can be varied to achieve a certain gain increase and a certain exposure reduction.

[0028] By engineering the passive conductive surface of the dielectric material, the antenna's radiating aperture can be enlarged to increase the antenna gain. In addition, the coupled lines can control the antenna's amplitude and phase, thereby restoring the radiation pattern that is distorted by the use of a dielectric glass cover.

[0029] Figure 2A graph 200 of the cumulative distribution function (CDF) of the equivalent isotropic radiated power (EIRP) of an antenna array is provided for one implementation. Graph 200 includes the CDF of the EIRP of the following antenna arrays: an antenna array without a dielectric cover 202, an antenna array with a dielectric cover and an upper metal patch 204, an antenna array with a dielectric cover and an upper metal patch including 6 sets of coupled lines 206, and an antenna array with a dielectric cover and an upper metal patch including 2 sets of coupled lines 208.

[0030] For example, if the maximum power is adjusted to 22.5dBm, the corresponding input powers of 202, 204, 206 and 208 are 12.8dBm, 11.2dBm, 11.8dBm and 11.7dBm respectively. Figure 2 As shown, 202, 204, 206 and 208 all meet the 50th percentile of EIRP under the 11.5 dBm requirement. In addition, the antenna array with a dielectric cover and an upper metal patch including 6 sets of coupling lines 206 shows that its array coverage performance is between the antenna array without the dielectric cover 202 and the antenna array with the dielectric cover and the upper metal patch 204.

[0031] In operation, when one unit of energy is delivered to the antenna, a high-gain antenna can have a narrow beam width and a low-gain antenna can have a wide beam width. A high-gain antenna can increase the communication distance in one direction. However, in the case of a narrow beam width, a high-gain antenna can provide a smaller coverage range within a 360-degree coverage range. A low-gain antenna cannot increase the communication distance in one direction. However, in the case of a wide beam width, a low-gain antenna can provide a larger coverage range within a 360-degree coverage range.

[0032] Diagram 200 shows the 360 ​​degree coverage of different antenna scanning arrays. The antenna array without dielectric cover 202 can have low antenna gain and wide beam width. Figure 2 As shown, the CDF of the antenna array without the dielectric cover 202 is about 15 EIRP at 50%. EIRP is the conducted power plus the antenna gain. In other words, using the antenna array without the dielectric cover 202, the antenna array can provide a larger total coverage, but has a short one-way communication range. The antenna array with the dielectric cover and the upper metal patch 204 can have a high antenna gain and a narrow beam width. Figure 2As shown, the CDF of the antenna array with the dielectric cover and the upper metal patch 204 is about 12 EIRP at 50%, and the CDF of the antenna array with the dielectric cover and the upper metal patch including the 6 groups of coupling lines 206 is about 14 EIRP at 50%. In other words, the antenna array with the dielectric cover and the upper metal patch including the 6 groups of coupling lines 206 can reduce the amount of radiation measured by the MPE standard and achieve an antenna gain between the antenna array without the dielectric cover 202 and the antenna array with the dielectric cover and the upper metal patch 204.

[0033] Figure 3 A graph 300 of current density on an upper metal patch below a glass surface is provided for one implementation. Graph 300 includes a current density graph 302 of an upper metal patch without coupling lines and a current density graph 304 of an upper metal patch including six sets of coupling lines.

[0034] like Figure 3 As shown, the λ / 2 arrows shown on the upper metal patch are in phase and well defined on the coupling patch, resulting in a good boresight radiation pattern. In 304, the left and right pairs of λ / 2 currents shown next to the coupling lines are well defined and anti-phase, thereby canceling each other at the boresight and ensuring a good boresight radiation pattern. This extended self-resonant structure can capture and radiate energy between the open circuit and the virtual open circuit. Therefore, the power density can be dispersed, thereby reducing the irradiation amount while increasing the antenna gain. In other words, a large radiating aperture can increase the antenna gain and control the radiation pattern.

[0035] Figure 4 An exploded schematic diagram 400 of an antenna assembly is provided for one implementation. The antenna assembly includes an antenna array having four antennas (402, 404, 406, and 408) and an upper metal patch having four coupling patches (412, 414, 416, and 418). For example, the size of each antenna is approximately 2.4 mm 2 The size of each coupling patch is approximately 4.5mm 2 , is the upper coupling patch under the glass. In some implementations, the thickness of each coupling patch can be between 0.1 mm and 1 mm. For example, the thickness of each coupling patch is about 0.5 mm. The height of the gap between the antenna and the corresponding coupling patch (e.g., antenna 402 and coupling patch 412) is about 0.5 mm.

[0036] Table 1 shows the antenna gain obtained by changing the coupling patch size and gap height. As shown in Table 1, when the coupling patch size is 4.5 mm 2 , when the gap height is 0.5mm, the maximum antenna gain is 10.42dBi.

[0037] Table 1

[0038]

[0039] Table 2 shows the irradiance obtained by changing the coupling patch size and gap height. As shown in Table 2, when the coupling patch size is 4.5 mm 2 When the gap height is 0.5 mm, the irradiance measured by the MPE standard is 2.99 mW / cm 2 As above Figure 1 As described and shown in Tables 1 and 2, adding an upper metal patch to an antenna array with a glass dielectric cover can increase the antenna gain from 7.0 dBi to 10.42 dBi. However, the irradiance also increases from 1.26 mW / cm 2 Increased to 2.99mW / cm 2 That is, the gain increases by 3.42dB and the irradiance increases by 0.34dB.

[0040] Table 2

[0041]

[0042] Figure 5 A top view 500 of an upper metal patch with coupling lines is provided for one implementation. The top view 500 includes a top view 502 of an upper metal patch with 6 sets of coupling lines and a top view 504 of an upper metal patch with 2 sets of coupling lines. Both upper metal patches have 4 coupling patches. For example, the size of each coupling patch is about 4.5 mm. 2 , is the upper coupling patch under the glass. The thickness of each coupling line is about 0.5mm and the length is between 3mm and 7mm.

[0043] Table 3 shows the antenna gain and irradiance measured by the MPE standard by changing the coupling line length of the upper metal patch with 6 sets of coupling lines. As shown in Table 3, when the coupling line length is 5mm, the antenna gain is 9.64dBi and the irradiance is 2.03mW / cm 2 That is, the gain increases by 2.64dB and the irradiance decreases by 0.34dB. Therefore, 5mm coupling lines can be used for 6 sets of coupling lines to balance the gain increase and irradiance reduction.

[0044] Table 3

[0045] Line length (mm) Gain(dBi) <![CDATA[Irradiation dose (mW / cm 2 )]]> 3.00 9.58 2.24 4.00 10.55 2.95 5.00 9.64 2.03 6.00 2.36 0.24 7.00 6.02 0.82

[0046] Table 4 shows the antenna gain and irradiance measured by the MPE standard by changing the coupling line length of the upper metal patch with 2 sets of coupling lines. As shown in Table 4, when the coupling line length is 7mm, the antenna gain is 8.86dBi and the irradiance is 1.14mW / cm 2That is, the gain increases by 1.86dB and the irradiance decreases by 2.29dB. Therefore, 7mm coupling lines can be used for the two sets of coupling lines to balance the gain increase and the irradiance reduction.

[0047] Table 4

[0048] Line length (mm) Gain(dBi) <![CDATA[Irradiation dose (mW / cm 2 )]]> 3.00 9.95 1.89 4.00 10.47 2.61 5.00 10.68 3.11 6.00 8.74 1.74 7.00 8.86 1.14

[0049] Figure 6 An array pattern scan diagram 600 of an upper metal patch is provided for one implementation. Diagram 600 includes an array pattern scan of an upper metal patch without coupling lines 602 and an array pattern scan of an upper metal patch with six sets of coupling lines 604. Figure 6 As shown, adding 6 sets of coupled lines makes the current density more evenly distributed. In addition, adding 6 sets of coupled lines can reduce the irradiation, which reflects the reduction in power back-off and the corresponding increase in gain or range.

[0050] Figure 7 FIG700 is a diagram of another example of an upper metal patch with coupled lines provided for one implementation. FIG700 includes upper metal patches using the same surface (or layer) 702 and upper metal patches using different surfaces (or layers) 704. Figure 7 As shown, 704 provides a 3D structure for the upper metal patch. The conductive patch can have a 3D structure while conforming to the small volume structure of the dielectric cover. For example, the coupling patch and the coupling line can be located on different surfaces (or layers). In addition, the coupling patch can have different shapes, and the coupling line can be curved or closed loop. The 3D structure may be complex, but it can be flexibly optimized. In some implementations, active RF components (e.g., RF switches) can be added to further enhance performance.

[0051] Figure 8 8 is a block diagram of an exemplary system 800 provided for one implementation. The system 800 may include a terminal 802 and a network 830. The terminal may include an antenna assembly 820 as previously described in the present disclosure, for example, Figure 4 Antenna components in.

[0052] In some aspects, the terminal 802 may include a computer. The computer includes an input device and an output device or a graphical user interface (GUI). The input device may be a numeric keypad, a keyboard, a touch screen, or other device that can receive user information, and the output device transmits information associated with the operation of the terminal 802, including digital data, visual information, or audio information (or a combination of information).

[0053] The terminal 802 can be used as a client, a network component, a server, a database or other persistent storage, or any other component (or combination thereof) of a computer system for executing the subject matter described in the present invention. The terminal 802 shown can establish a communication connection with a network 830. In some implementations, one or more components of the terminal 802 can be used to operate in an environment such as a cloud computing-based environment, a local environment, a global environment, or other environments (or combinations of environments).

[0054] At a high level, terminal 802 is an electronic computing device that can be used to receive, send, process, store or manage data and information associated with the subject matter. According to some implementations, terminal 802 can also include an application server, an email server, a World Wide Web server, a cache server, a streaming data server or other server (or a combination of servers) or can establish a communication connection with them.

[0055] Terminal 802 can receive requests from client applications (e.g., executed on another terminal 802) through network 830, and respond to the received requests by processing the received requests using appropriate one or more software applications. In addition, requests can also be sent to terminal 802 from internal users (e.g., from a command console or through other appropriate access methods), external or third parties, other automation applications, and any other appropriate entities, individuals, systems, or computers.

[0056] Each component of the terminal 802 can communicate using the system bus 803. In some implementations, any or all components, hardware or software (or a combination of both hardware and software) of the terminal 802 can be connected to each other or connected to the interface 804 through the system bus 803 using an application programming interface (API) 812 or a business layer 813 (or a combination of API 812 and business layer 813). The API 812 can include specifications for routines, data structures, and object classes. The API 812 can be independent of the computer language or can be dependent on the computer language and refer to a complete interface, a single function, or even a set of APIs. The business layer 813 provides software services to the terminal 802 or other components (whether or not shown) that can establish a communication connection with the terminal 802. All business consumers can use the business layer to access the functions of the terminal 802. Software services, such as those provided by the business layer 813, provide reusable defined functions through defined interfaces. For example, the interface can be software written in JAVA, C++ or other suitable languages, thereby providing data in an extensible markup language (XML) format or other suitable format. Although the API 812 or business layer 813 is shown as an integrated component of the terminal 802, an optional implementation can show the API 812 or business layer 813 as an independent component related to other components in the terminal 802 or other components that can establish a communication connection with the terminal 802. In addition, any or all parts of the API 812 or business layer 813 can be implemented as a submodule of another software module, enterprise application or hardware module without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0057] Terminal 802 includes interface 804. Although Figure 8 804, two or more interfaces 804 may be used depending on the particular needs, requirements, or particular implementation of the terminal 802. The interface 804 is used by the computer 802 to communicate with other systems connected to the network 830 (whether or not shown) in a distributed environment. Generally, the interface 804 includes logic encoded in software or hardware (or a combination of software and hardware) and can be used to communicate with the network 830. More specifically, the interface 804 may include software that supports one or more communication protocols associated with the communication, so that the network 830 or the hardware of the interface is operable to transmit physical signals within and outside the terminal 802 shown.

[0058] Terminal 802 includes processor 805. Although Figure 8One processor 805 is shown, but two or more processors may be used depending on the specific needs, requirements, or specific implementation of the terminal 802. In general, the processor 805 executes instructions and operates on data to perform the operations of the terminal 802 and any algorithms, methods, functions, processes, and procedures described in the present invention.

[0059] Terminal 802 also includes a database 806, which can store data for computer 802 or other components that can be connected to network 830 (whether shown or not) (or a combination of both). For example, database 806 can be an in-memory database, a traditional database, or other type of database that stores data consistent with the present invention. In some implementations, database 806 can be a combination of two or more different database types (e.g., a hybrid in-memory and traditional database) depending on the specific needs, requirements, or specific implementation of terminal 802 and the described functionality. Although Figure 8 One database 806 is shown, but two or more databases (of the same type or a combination of types) may be used depending on the specific needs, requirements, or specific implementation of terminal 802 and the described functionality. Although database 806 is shown as an integral part of terminal 802, in alternative implementations, database 806 may be external to terminal 802.

[0060] The terminal 802 also includes a memory 807, which can store data for the computer 802 or other components that can be connected to the network 830 (whether shown or not) (or a combination of both). For example, the memory 807 can be a random access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), an optical storage, a magnetic storage, etc. that stores data consistent with the present invention. In some implementations, the memory 807 can be a combination of two or more different types of memory (e.g., a combination of RAM and magnetic storage) based on the specific needs, requirements, or specific implementation of the terminal 802 and the described functions. Although Figure 8 One memory 807 is shown, but two or more memories 807 (of the same type or a combination of types) may be used depending on the specific needs, requirements or specific implementation of the terminal 802 and the described functionality. Although the memory 807 is shown as an integral part of the terminal 802, in an alternative implementation, the memory 807 may be external to the terminal 802.

[0061] Application 808 is an algorithmic software engine that provides functionality (particularly functionality described in the present invention) according to the specific needs, requirements, or specific implementation of terminal 802. For example, application 808 can be implemented as one or more components, modules, or applications. In addition, although one application 808 is shown, application 808 can be implemented as multiple applications 808 on terminal 802. In addition, although application 808 is shown as an integral part of terminal 802, in an alternative implementation, application 808 can be external to terminal 802.

[0062] The terminal 802 may also include a power supply 814. The power supply 814 may include rechargeable or non-rechargeable batteries, which may be configured to be user-replaceable or user-non-replaceable. In some implementations, the power supply 814 may include power conversion or management circuits (including recharging, standby or other power management functions). In some implementations, the power supply 814 may include a power plug so that the terminal 802 is plugged into a wall socket, and may also include other power sources to power the terminal 802 or charge a rechargeable battery, etc.

[0063] Terminal 802 may also include an antenna assembly 820. For example, antenna assembly 820 may include an antenna array, a dielectric cover, and an upper metal patch with coupling lines. The upper metal patch with coupling lines may be placed below the dielectric cover and above the antenna array.

[0064] There may be any number of terminals 802 associated with or external to the computer system including the terminal 802, each terminal 802 communicating via the network 830. In addition, the terms "client", "user" and other appropriate terms may be used interchangeably as appropriate without departing from the scope of the present invention. In addition, the present invention contemplates that many users may use one terminal 802, or that one user may use multiple terminals 802.

[0065] The described implementations of the present subject matter may include one or more features alone or in combination.

[0066] In a first implementation, the antenna assembly includes an antenna array, a dielectric cover, and an upper metal patch with a coupling line, wherein the upper metal patch with a coupling line is placed below the dielectric cover and above the antenna array.

[0067] The above and other described implementations may each optionally include one or more of the following features.

[0068] The first feature can be combined with any of the following features, wherein the antenna array is a 5G millimeter wave antenna array, and the dielectric cover is a glass dielectric cover.

[0069] The second feature can be combined with any of the above or below features, wherein the upper metal patch and the coupling line are connected on the same layer, and the coupling line extends from the upper metal patch.

[0070] The third feature can be combined with any of the above or below features, wherein the upper metal patch includes multiple metal patches, each of the multiple metal patches is a square, and each coupling line is a straight line.

[0071] The fourth feature can be combined with any of the above or following features, wherein the antenna array includes 4 connected antennas, the upper metal patch with coupling lines includes 4 metal patches, each metal patch is placed above the corresponding antenna, and the coupling lines include 6 pairs of coupling lines, each pair of coupling lines has the same length.

[0072] The fifth feature may be combined with any of the above or below features, wherein each antenna in the antenna array is approximately 2.4 square millimeters (mm 2 ), each metal patch in the upper metal patch is about 4.5mm 2 , thickness is less than 1 mm, the gap height between the antenna and the corresponding metal patch is about 0.5 mm, the thickness of each coupling line in the coupling line is about 0.5 mm, and the length is between 3 mm and 7 mm.

[0073] The sixth feature can be combined with any of the above or below features, wherein the upper metal patch with the coupling line is placed approximately λ / 2 above the antenna array, wherein λ is the wavelength of the operating frequency of the antenna array.

[0074] In a second implementation, an electronic device includes a non-volatile memory, one or more hardware processors, an antenna array, a dielectric cover, and an upper metal patch with a coupling line, wherein the upper metal patch with a coupling line is placed under the dielectric cover and above the antenna array.

[0075] The above and other described implementations may each optionally include one or more of the following features.

[0076] The first feature can be combined with any of the following features, wherein the antenna array is a 5G millimeter wave antenna array, and the dielectric cover is a glass dielectric cover.

[0077] The second feature can be combined with any of the above or below features, wherein the upper metal patch and the coupling line are connected on the same layer, and the coupling line extends from the upper metal patch.

[0078] The third feature can be combined with any of the above or below features, wherein the upper metal patch includes multiple metal patches, each of the multiple metal patches is a square, and each coupling line is a straight line.

[0079] The fourth feature can be combined with any of the above or following features, wherein the antenna array includes 4 connected antennas, the upper metal patch with coupling lines includes 4 metal patches, each metal patch is placed above the corresponding antenna, and the coupling lines include 6 pairs of coupling lines, each pair of coupling lines has the same length.

[0080] The fifth feature may be combined with any of the above or below features, wherein each antenna in the antenna array is approximately 2.4 square millimeters (mm 2 ), each metal patch in the upper metal patch is about 4.5mm 2 , thickness is less than 1 mm, the gap height between the antenna and the corresponding metal patch is about 0.5 mm, the thickness of each coupling line in the coupling line is about 0.5 mm, and the length is between 3 mm and 7 mm.

[0081] The sixth feature can be combined with any of the above or below features, wherein the upper metal patch with the coupling line is placed approximately λ / 2 above the antenna array, wherein λ is the wavelength of the operating frequency of the antenna array.

[0082] The implementation of the subject matter and functional operations described in this specification may be implemented in digital electronic circuits, tangibly embodied computer software or firmware, computer hardware, including in the structures disclosed in this specification and their structural equivalents, or in a combination of one or more of them. The implementation of the subject matter described in this specification may be implemented as one or more computer programs, i.e., one or more modules of computer program instructions, which are encoded in a tangible non-transitory computer-readable computer storage medium to be executed by a data processing device or to control the operation of the data processing device. Alternatively or in addition, the program instructions may be encoded in an artificially generated propagation signal (e.g., a machine-generated electrical, optical, or electromagnetic signal), which is generated to encode information so as to be sent to a suitable receiver device for execution by a data processing device. The computer storage medium may be a machine-readable storage device, a machine-readable storage substrate, a random or serial access storage device, or a combination of computer storage media.

[0083] The terms "real-time / real time / realtime", "real(fast) time (RFT)", "near(ly) real-time (NRT)", "quasi-real-time" or similar terms (as understood by ordinary technicians in the field) mean that the action and response are close in time so that the individual perceives the action and response to occur essentially simultaneously. For example, the time difference between the display of response data (or the start of display) can be less than 1ms, less than 1 second or less than 5 seconds after the individual's action to access data. Although the requested data does not need to be displayed (or started to be displayed) immediately, considering the processing limitations of the computing system and the time required to collect, accurately measure, analyze, process, store or transmit the data, the requested data is still displayed (or started to be displayed) without any intentional delay.

[0084] The term "data processing device", "computer" or "electronic computer equipment" (or equivalents understood by those of ordinary skill in the art) refers to data processing hardware and covers various types of devices, equipment and machines for processing data, including programmable processors, computers or multiple processors or computers, etc. The device may also be or further include a dedicated logic circuit, such as a central processing unit (CPU), a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). In some implementations, the data processing device or the dedicated logic circuit (or a combination of data processing devices or dedicated logic circuits) may be based on hardware or software (or based on a combination of hardware and software). The device may optionally include code for creating an execution environment for a computer program, such as code constituting a combination of processor firmware, a protocol stack, a database management system, an operating system or an execution environment. The present invention contemplates the use of a data processing device with or without a traditional operating system, such as LINUX, UNIX, WINDOWS, MAC OS, ANDROID, IOS or any other suitable traditional operating system.

[0085] A computer program (which may also be referred to or described as a program, software, software application, module, software module, script or code) may be written in any form of programming language, including compiled or interpreted languages, or declarative languages ​​or procedural languages, and may be deployed in any form, including as a standalone program or as a module, component, subroutine or other unit suitable for use in a computing environment. A computer program may (but need not) correspond to a file in a file system. A program may be stored in a portion of a file that includes other programs or data (e.g., one or more scripts stored in a markup language document), in a single file dedicated to a related program, or in multiple coordination files (e.g., a file storing one or more modules, subroutines or partial codes). A computer program may be deployed to be executed in one computer, or in multiple computers located at one site or distributed at multiple sites and interconnected by a communication network. Although the various parts of the program shown in the various figures are shown as separate modules that implement various features and functions through various objects, methods or other processes, the program may alternatively include many submodules, third-party services, components, libraries, etc., as appropriate. In turn, the features and functions of various components may be combined into a single component as appropriate. The thresholds used to make computational decisions may be determined statically, dynamically, or a combination of statically and dynamically.

[0086] The methods, processes or logic flows described in this specification can be performed by one or more programmable computers executing one or more computer programs to perform functions by operating on input data and generating output. The methods, processes or logic flows can also be performed by dedicated logic circuits, and the apparatus can also be implemented as dedicated logic circuits, such as CPUs, FPGAs or ASICs.

[0087] Computers suitable for executing computer programs can be based on general or special microprocessors, general and special microprocessors, or any other type of CPU. Typically, the CPU receives instructions and data from a ROM or a random access memory (Random Access Memory, RAM) or both. The essential elements of a computer are a CPU for executing instructions, and one or more storage devices for storing instructions and data. Typically, a computer also includes one or more large-capacity storage devices (such as magnetic disks, magneto-optical disks, or optical disks) for storing data, or is operably coupled to one or more large-capacity storage devices for storing data to receive data from the large-capacity storage device and / or to transmit data to the large-capacity storage device. However, a computer does not have to have such a device. In addition, a computer can be embedded in other devices, such as a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant (Personal Digital Assistant, PDA), a mobile audio or video player, a game console, a global positioning system (Global Positioning System, GPS) receiver, or a portable storage device (for example, a universal serial bus (Universal Serial Bus, USB) flash drive), etc.

[0088] Computer-readable media suitable for storing computer program instructions and data (transient or non-transient as the case may be) include non-volatile memory, media and storage devices, including, for example, semiconductor memory devices, such as Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM), Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM) and flash memory devices; disks, such as internal hard disks or removable disks; magneto-optical disks; CD-ROM, DVD+ / –R, DVD-RAM and DVD-ROM disks. The memory can store a variety of objects or data, including caches, categories, frameworks, applications, backup data, tasks, web pages, web page templates, database tables, repositories for storing dynamic information, and any other suitable information including any parameters, variables, algorithms, instructions, rules, constraints or references. In addition, the memory may include any other suitable data, such as logs, policies, security or access data, report files, and other data. The processor and memory may be supplemented by or incorporated into special-purpose logic circuits.

[0089] To interact with a user, implementations of the subject matter described in this specification may be implemented in a computer having a display device, such as a cathode ray tube (CRT), liquid crystal display (LCD), light emitting diode (LED), or plasma monitor, for displaying information to the user, as well as a keyboard and a pointing device (e.g., a mouse, trackball, or trackpad) by which the user can provide input to the computer. Input may also be provided to the computer using a touch screen, such as a tablet computer surface with pressure sensitivity, a multi-touch screen using capacitive or inductive sensing, or other types of touch screens. Other types of devices may also be used to provide interaction with the user; for example, feedback provided to the user may be any form of sensory feedback, such as visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback; and input from the user may be received in any form, including acoustic, voice, or tactile input. In addition, the computer may interact with the user by sending documents to and receiving documents from a device used by the user; for example, by sending a web page to a web browser on a user's client device in response to a request received from the web browser.

[0090] The term "graphical user interface" or "GUI" may be used in the singular or plural to describe one or more graphical user interfaces and each display of a particular graphical user interface. Thus, a GUI may refer to any graphical user interface that processes information and effectively presents the information results to a user, including but not limited to a web browser, a touch screen, or a command line interface (CLI). Typically, a GUI may include a plurality of user interface (UI) elements, some or all of which are associated with a web browser, such as interactive fields, drop-down lists, and buttons. These and other UI elements may be related to or represent the functionality of a web browser.

[0091] Implementations of the subject matter described in this specification may be implemented in a computing system that includes a back-end component (e.g., as a data server), or includes a middleware component (e.g., an application server), or includes a front-end component (e.g., a client computer with a graphical user interface or a web browser), through which a user may interact with the implementation of the subject matter described in this specification, or any combination of one or more such back-end, middleware, or front-end components. The components of the system may be interconnected by any form or medium of wired or wireless digital data communication (or combination of data communications), such as a communications network. Examples of communication networks include a Local Area Network (LAN), a Radio Access Network (RAN), a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN), a Wide Area Network (WAN), a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WIMAX), a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) (e.g., using 802.11a / b / g / n or 802.20 (or a combination of 802.11x and 802.20 or other protocols consistent with the present invention)), all or a portion of the Internet, or any other communication system (or combination of communication networks) at one or more locations. For example, a network can communicate with Internet Protocol (IP) packets, frame relay frames, asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) cells, voice, video, data, or other suitable information (or a combination of communication types) between network addresses.

[0092] A computing system may include clients and servers. Clients and servers are generally remote from each other and typically interact through a communication network. The relationship of client and server arises from computer programs running in the respective computers and having a client-server relationship to each other.

[0093] Although this specification includes many specific implementation details, these details should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of any invention or the scope of what is claimed, but should be interpreted as a description of features that may be unique to a particular implementation of a particular invention. In the context of separate implementations, certain features described in this specification may also be implemented in combination in a single implementation. Conversely, various features described in the context of a single implementation may also be implemented separately in multiple implementations or in any suitable sub-combination. In addition, although previously described features may be described as working in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, in some cases, one or more features in the claimed combination may be removed from the combination, and the claimed combination may be directed to a sub-combination or a variation of the sub-combination.

[0094] A specific implementation of the subject matter has been described. Other implementations, modifications, and permutations of the described implementations are within the scope of the appended claims and will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Although operations are described in a particular order in the drawings or claims, this should not be construed as requiring that the operations be performed in the particular order shown or in a sequential order, or that all operations shown (some operations may be considered optional) be performed to obtain the desired results. In some cases, multitasking or parallel processing (or a combination of multitasking and parallel processing) may be advantageous and may be performed as appropriate.

[0095] In addition, the separation or integration of various system modules and components in the previously described implementations should not be understood as requiring such separation or integration for all implementations, and it should be understood that the described program components and systems can generally be integrated together in a single software product or packaged into multiple software products.

[0096] Therefore, the exemplary implementations described above do not define or restrict the present invention. Other changes, substitutions and modifications may also be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0097] Furthermore, any claimed implementation is considered applicable to at least one computer-implemented method; a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions to perform the computer-implemented method; and a computer system comprising a computer memory interoperably coupled to a hardware processor for performing the computer-implemented method or instructions stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium.

Claims

1. An antenna assembly, characterized in that: include: Antenna arrays; Dielectric cover; an upper metal patch with coupling lines, wherein the upper metal patch with coupling lines is placed below the dielectric cover and above the antenna array; The upper metal patch and the coupling line are connected on the same layer, and the coupling lines extend in pairs to the left and right sides of the multiple metal patches in a direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the multiple metal patches in the upper metal patch, wherein a pair of coupling lines extending outward in parallel from two adjacent metal patches matches another pair of coupling lines extending outward in the opposite direction.

2. The antenna assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The antenna array is a 5G millimeter wave antenna array, and the dielectric cover is a glass dielectric cover.

3. The antenna assembly according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that: Each of the plurality of metal patches is a square, and each coupling line is a straight line.

4. The antenna assembly according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that: The antenna array includes four connected antennas, the upper metal patch with coupling lines includes four metal patches, each metal patch is placed above a corresponding antenna, and the coupling lines include six pairs of coupling lines, each pair of coupling lines has the same length.

5. The antenna assembly according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that: The thickness of each metal patch in the upper metal patch is less than 1 mm, and the length of each coupling line in the coupling lines is between 3 mm and 7 mm.

6. The antenna assembly according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that: The upper metal patch with the coupling line is placed above the antenna array by λ / 2, where λ is the wavelength of the working frequency of the antenna array.

7. An electronic device, characterized in that: include: Non-transitory memory; one or more hardware processors; Antenna arrays; Dielectric cover; an upper metal patch with coupling lines, wherein the upper metal patch with coupling lines is placed below the dielectric cover and above the antenna array; The upper metal patch and the coupling line are connected on the same layer, and the coupling lines extend in pairs to the left and right sides of the multiple metal patches in a direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the multiple metal patches in the upper metal patch, wherein a pair of coupling lines extending outward in parallel from two adjacent metal patches matches another pair of coupling lines extending outward in the opposite direction.

8. The electronic device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The antenna array is a 5G millimeter wave antenna array, and the dielectric cover is a glass dielectric cover.

9. The electronic device according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that: The upper metal patch includes a plurality of metal patches, each of the plurality of metal patches is a square, and each coupling line is a straight line.

10. The electronic device according to any one of claims 7 or 8, characterized in that: The antenna array includes four connected antennas, the upper metal patch with coupling lines includes four metal patches, each metal patch is placed above a corresponding antenna, and the coupling lines include six pairs of coupling lines, each pair of coupling lines has the same length.

11. The electronic device according to any one of claims 7 or 8, characterized in that: The thickness of each metal patch in the upper metal patch is less than 1 mm, and the length of each coupling line in the coupling lines is between 3 mm and 7 mm.

12. The electronic device according to any one of claims 7 or 8, characterized in that: The upper metal patch with the coupling line is placed above the antenna array by λ / 2, where λ is the wavelength of the working frequency of the antenna array.

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