An antenna array, a wireless communication device and a communication terminal

Abstract

The application provides an antenna array, a wireless communication device and a communication terminal. The wireless communication device comprises a signal processing module, a selection switch and an antenna array. The antenna array comprises a plurality of antenna sub-arrays. The plurality of antenna sub-arrays are arranged in a single row, and the radiation planes of the antenna sub-arrays at both ends are perpendicular to each other. The included angle between the radiation planes of two adjacent antenna sub-arrays along the arrangement direction of the plurality of antenna sub-arrays is greater than 90 degrees. The signal processing module is connected to at least two adjacent antenna sub-arrays in the antenna array through the selection switch. Alternatively, the signal processing module is connected to one antenna sub-array in the antenna array through the selection switch. By adopting the included angle greater than 90 degrees between the adjacent antenna sub-arrays, the gain between the two adjacent antenna sub-arrays can be increased during operation. In addition, the antenna sub-arrays at both ends of the plurality of antenna sub-arrays are perpendicular to each other, the coverage area of 180 degrees is realized, and the communication effect of the antenna array is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to an antenna array, a wireless communication device, and a communication terminal. Background Technology

[0002] With the advancement of communication protocols, terminal communication needs to support 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G, and the supported specifications are also becoming increasingly sophisticated. These include different specifications such as 4G CA (Carrier Aggregation, where LTE or NR combines multiple frequency bands into a large bandwidth for transmission), 5G SA (Standalone, 5G NR standalone networking), and 5G NSA (Non-Standalone, 5G non-standalone networking, NR+LTE dual connectivity for internet access). In addition, the number of frequency bands supported by 3GPP protocols is increasing daily, and flagship terminals support even more frequency bands. They not only need to support all domestic frequency bands but also need to support roaming to international frequency bands. Consequently, the terminal's radio frequency front-end hardware circuit resources are also increasing.

[0003] According to the requirements of the 3GPP protocol, 5G NR-FR2 (frequency range 2) uses the millimeter-wave band, which has the advantages of large bandwidth and high transmission rate; however, it also has the disadvantages of large spatial attenuation and short propagation distance. The function and efficiency of traditional antennas can no longer meet the requirements of 5G millimeter-wave systems. To compensate for these shortcomings, the millimeter-wave band adopts a phased array architecture, in which multiple antennas and radio frequency channels are composed of an antenna array to obtain higher antenna synthesis gain; by controlling the phase of each antenna, the synthesized beam is scanned in space according to certain rules. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides an antenna array, a wireless communication device, and a communication terminal to improve the communication performance of the wireless communication device.

[0005] Firstly, an antenna array is provided for use in a mobile terminal. The antenna array includes multiple antenna subarrays. These subarrays are arranged in a single row, with the radiating surfaces of the subarrays at both ends perpendicular to each other. Furthermore, along the arrangement direction of the subarrays, the angle between the radiating surfaces of any two adjacent subarrays is greater than 90 degrees. In this technical solution, by employing an angle greater than 90 degrees between adjacent antenna subarrays, a greater gain can be achieved between adjacent subarrays during operation. Additionally, the perpendicularity between the antenna subarrays at both ends enables a 180° coverage area, improving the communication performance of the antenna array.

[0006] In one specific implementation scheme, the included angle between the radiating surfaces of any two adjacent antenna subarrays is equal.

[0007] In a specific implementation scheme, the included angle between the radiating surfaces of any two adjacent antenna subarrays is 180°-90 / (N-1)°; where N is the number of antenna subarrays.

[0008] In one specific implementation, each antenna subarray includes multiple antenna elements, and the multiple antenna elements are arranged in at least one row; the arrangement direction of each row of antenna elements is perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the multiple antenna subarrays. For example, each antenna subarray contains one row of antenna elements.

[0009] In one specific implementation scheme, each antenna element can be a dual-polarized antenna or a single-polarized antenna, thereby achieving different communication effects.

[0010] Secondly, a wireless communication device is provided, comprising a signal processing module, a selection switch, and an antenna array as described above; wherein the signal processing module is connected to at least two adjacent antenna subarrays in the antenna array via the selection switch, or the signal processing module is connected to one antenna subarray in the antenna array via the selection switch. In the above technical solution, by employing an angle greater than 90 degrees between adjacent antenna subarrays, a larger gain can be obtained between two adjacent antenna subarrays during operation. Furthermore, the antenna subarrays located at both ends of the multiple antenna subarrays are perpendicular to each other, achieving a 180° coverage area and improving the communication performance of the antenna array.

[0011] In one specific implementation, the signal processing module includes a radio frequency intermediate frequency (RFIF) chip and at least two millimeter-wave chips connected to the RFIF chip; the at least two millimeter-wave chips are correspondingly connected to the at least two adjacent antenna subarrays via the selection switch. By correspondingly connecting the millimeter-wave chips to the antenna subarrays, different adjacent antenna subarrays can be selected to operate.

[0012] In one specific implementation, there are two millimeter-wave chips, and the two millimeter-wave chips can select any two adjacent antenna subarrays to operate via a selection switch.

[0013] In one specific implementation scheme, when the antenna elements in the antenna subarray are dual-polarized antenna elements, each antenna element includes a first polarization direction element and a second polarization direction element; each millimeter-wave chip has a first radio frequency (RF) channel for transmitting a first polarization direction signal and a second RF channel for transmitting a second polarization direction signal; the selection switch includes a first selection switch and a second selection switch; each first RF channel is connected to the first polarization direction element of multiple antenna elements in the corresponding antenna subarray via the first selection switch; each second RF channel is connected to the second polarization direction element of multiple antenna elements in the corresponding antenna subarray via the second selection switch. Communication of the dual-polarized signals is achieved through the two selection switches.

[0014] In one specific implementation, the signal processing module is further configured to compare the performance of the antenna elements in the plurality of antenna subarrays and determine the two adjacent antenna subarrays with the best performance among the plurality of antenna subarrays; and control the selection switch to select the two adjacent antenna subarrays with the best performance. The signal processing module compares the performance of the antenna subarrays to select the two antenna subarrays with better performance to operate.

[0015] Thirdly, a communication terminal is provided, which includes the antenna array described in any one of the above claims, or the wireless communication device described in any one of the above claims.

[0016] In one specific implementation, the communication terminal also includes a housing, within which an antenna array is disposed, with antenna subarrays arranged along the curvature of the housing. This makes efficient use of the space within the housing and facilitates the placement of the antenna array. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an application scenario for a wireless communication device.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the antenna array provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0019] Figure 3 A side view of the antenna array provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first antenna subarray provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0021] Figure 5 This is a structural block diagram of a wireless communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0022] Figure 6 A sector diagram of the working area of ​​the wireless communication device provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0023] Figure 7A flowchart illustrating the selection process for the antenna subarray of a wireless communication device provided in this application embodiment;

[0024] Figure 8 The gain coverage pattern of the antenna array of this application and the antenna array of the prior art is shown below.

[0025] Figure 9 The EIRP coverage pattern of the antenna array of this application and that of prior art antenna arrays;

[0026] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a wireless communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0027] To facilitate understanding, let's first explain the application scenario of the wireless communication device provided in this application embodiment. The wireless communication device provided in this application embodiment is used for wireless communication, such as... Figure 1 The terminal and base station shown can communicate with each other via an antenna. The wireless communication device provided in this application embodiment is applicable to terminals, such as wireless mobile communication terminal devices including but not limited to mobile phones, tablets, CPEs, laptops, etc.

[0028] It should be understood that the wireless communication device may comply with the wireless communication standards of the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) or other wireless communication standards, such as the IEEE 802 series (e.g., 802.11, 802.15, or 802.20) wireless communication standards. Figure 1 Although only one base station and one terminal are shown in the diagram, the wireless communication device may include other numbers of terminals and base stations. Furthermore, the wireless communication device may also include other network equipment, such as core network equipment.

[0029] The terminal and base station should be aware of the predefined configuration of the wireless communication device, including the radio access technology (RAT) supported by the system and the system-specified wireless resource configuration, such as the basic configuration of radio frequency bands and carriers. These predefined system configurations can be part of the standard protocol of the wireless communication device, or determined through interaction between the terminal and the base station. The content of the relevant standard protocol may be pre-stored in the memory of the terminal and the base station, or embodied in the hardware circuitry or software code of the terminal and the base station.

[0030] Base stations are typically owned and operated by operators or infrastructure providers. They provide communication coverage to a specific geographic area via integrated or external antennas. One or more terminals located within the coverage area of ​​a base station can access it. A base station can also be referred to as a radio access point (AP) or a transmission reception point (TRP). Specifically, a base station can be a generation Node B (gNB) in a 5G new radio (NR) system, an evolutionary Node B (eNB) in a 4G long term evolution (LTE) system, etc.

[0031] Terminals, with a closer relationship to users, are also known as user equipment (UE), subscriber units (SU), or customer-premises equipment (CPE). Unlike base stations, which are typically located in fixed locations, terminals often move with the user and are sometimes referred to as mobile stations (MS). Furthermore, some network devices, such as relay nodes (RNs), can also be considered terminals because they possess UE identity or belong to a user. Specifically, terminals can be mobile phones, tablet computers, laptop computers, wearable devices (such as watches, wristbands, helmets, and glasses), and other devices with wireless access capabilities, such as cars, mobile wireless routers, and various Internet of Things (IoT) devices, including smart home devices (such as electricity meters and appliances) and smart city devices (such as surveillance cameras and streetlights).

[0032] According to the requirements of the 3GPP protocol, 5G NR-FR2 uses the millimeter-wave band, which has the advantages of large bandwidth and high transmission rate; however, it also has the disadvantages of large spatial attenuation and short propagation distance. The function and efficiency of traditional antennas can no longer meet the requirements of 5G millimeter-wave systems. To compensate for these shortcomings, the millimeter-wave band adopts a phased array architecture, in which multiple antennas and radio frequency channels are composed of an antenna array to obtain higher antenna synthesis gain; by controlling the phase of each antenna, the synthesized beam is scanned in space according to certain rules.

[0033] like Figure 2 As shown, Figure 2The structure of an antenna array provided in an embodiment of this application is illustrated. The antenna array 100 is applied to a mobile terminal and includes multiple antenna subarrays. The multiple antenna subarrays are arranged in a single row, and the radiating surfaces of the antenna subarrays at both ends are perpendicular to each other. Furthermore, along the arrangement direction of the multiple antenna subarrays, the angle between the radiating surfaces of two adjacent antenna subarrays is greater than 90 degrees. For example, the antenna array 100 uses N antenna subarrays to form one antenna array 100, where N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 3.

[0034] To facilitate the description of the arrangement of antenna subarrays in antenna array 100, an XYZ coordinate system is established, where the X, Y, and Z directions are mutually perpendicular. Taking four antenna subarrays as an example, namely the first antenna subarray 10, the second antenna subarray 20, the third antenna subarray 30, and the fourth antenna subarray 40, the radiating surface of the first antenna subarray 10 (referring to the surface of the antenna element transmitting the signal) is parallel to the plane containing the X and Z directions, the radiating surface of the fourth antenna subarray 40 is parallel to the plane containing the Y and Z directions, and the second antenna subarray 20 and the third antenna subarray 30 are located between the first antenna subarray 10 and the fourth antenna subarray 40.

[0035] In the arrangement of multiple antenna subarrays, the angle between the radiating surfaces of any two adjacent antenna subarrays is less than 180° and greater than 90°. When using this arrangement, the following situations exist.

[0036] 1) The included angle between the radiating surfaces of any two adjacent antenna subarrays can be equal. For example, such as... Figure 3 As shown, the included angle between the radiating surfaces of any two adjacent antenna subarrays is 180° - 90 / (N-1)°; where N is the number of antenna subarrays. When the number of subarrays in antenna array 100 is N = 4, the included angle between the radiating surfaces of adjacent antenna subarrays is 150°. For example, the included angle between the radiating surfaces of the first antenna subarray 10 and the second antenna subarray 20 is 150°, the included angle between the radiating surfaces of the second antenna subarray 20 and the third antenna subarray 30 is 150°, and the included angle between the radiating surfaces of the third antenna subarray 30 and the fourth antenna subarray 40 is 150°.

[0037] 2) In the process of arranging multiple antenna subarrays, the included angle between the radiating surfaces of two adjacent antenna subarrays may not be equal.

[0038] a) The angles between the radiating surfaces of all adjacent antenna subarrays are not equal. For example, the angle between the first antenna subarray 10 and the second antenna subarray 20 is 130°, the angle between the second antenna subarray 20 and the third antenna subarray 30 is 150°, and the angle between the third antenna subarray 30 and the fourth antenna subarray 40 is 170°. Alternatively, the angle between the first antenna subarray 10 and the second antenna subarray 20 is 140°, the angle between the second antenna subarray 20 and the third antenna subarray 30 is 160°, and the angle between the third antenna subarray 30 and the fourth antenna subarray 40 is 150°.

[0039] (b) The included angles between the radiating surfaces of some adjacent antenna subarrays are equal. For example, the included angle between the first antenna subarray 10 and the second antenna subarray 20 is 130°, the included angle between the second antenna subarray 20 and the third antenna subarray 30 is 160°, and the included angle between the third antenna subarray 30 and the fourth antenna subarray 40 is 160°; or, the included angle between the first antenna subarray 10 and the second antenna subarray 20 is 165°, the included angle between the second antenna subarray 20 and the third antenna subarray 30 is 120°, and the included angle between the third antenna subarray 30 and the fourth antenna subarray 40 is 165°.

[0040] When the antenna array 100 is assembled inside the terminal, the antenna array 100 can be placed at the corner of the side of the terminal housing. The plane angle between the two antenna subarrays (first antenna subarray 10 and second antenna subarray 40) of the antenna array 100 is 90°, so that they can be parallel to two perpendicular surfaces inside the housing. The second antenna subarray 20 and the third antenna subarray 30 can be arranged along the corner formed between the two surfaces of the housing.

[0041] like Figure 4 As shown, each of the above antenna subarrays contains multiple antenna elements, wherein the multiple antenna elements in each antenna subarray are arranged in at least one row. Taking the first antenna subarray 10 as an example, the antenna elements 11 in the first antenna subarray 10 are arranged in a row along the Z direction. (This is combined with...) Figure 2 The radiating surface curves of multiple antenna subarrays lie in the planes containing the X and Y directions, thus ensuring that the arrangement direction of each row of antenna elements 11 is perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the multiple antenna subarrays. It should be understood that, although in Figure 4 The example illustrates a first antenna subarray 10 comprising a row of antenna elements 11. However, this application is not limited to the number of rows in the first antenna subarray 10. The first antenna subarray 10 may comprise one, two, or three rows of antenna elements 11, or other antenna subarrays with different numbers of rows. Different antenna subarrays may contain the same number of antenna elements or different numbers of antenna elements.

[0042] For example, each antenna element 11 can be arranged in a straight line with equal spacing (along the Z direction) or in a non-equal spacing manner, depending on the actual needs.

[0043] As an optional scheme, each antenna element 11 is a dual-polarized antenna, meaning each antenna element 11 supports dual polarizations V and H, where the V polarization and H polarization are orthogonal. The first antenna subarray 10 also includes an H-polarized feed point A and a V-polarized feed point B corresponding to each antenna element 11. During operation, the H-polarized element is fed through the H-polarized feed point A, and the V-polarized element is fed through the V-polarized feed point B, ensuring that the elements in both polarization directions can operate.

[0044] It should be understood that the antenna element 11 can be a dual-polarized antenna or a single-polarized antenna. In this case, each antenna element 11 has only one polarization direction.

[0045] refer to Figure 5 , Figure 5 This application illustrates a wireless communication device according to an embodiment of the present application. The wireless communication device includes a signal processing module, a selection switch, and an antenna array 100, any one of the above-mentioned components. The signal processing module is connected to at least two adjacent antenna subarrays in the antenna array 100 via the selection switch. The following sections will describe... Figure 5 The structure shown is explained below.

[0046] First, let's describe the signal processing module. This module includes a baseband processor 200, an RF intermediate frequency chip 300, and a millimeter-wave chip. The baseband processor 200 is responsible for processing digital signals and handling system functions such as communication and driving. Additionally, the baseband processor 200 also serves as a codebook control unit, used to control the millimeter-wave chip via the codebook.

[0047] The RF intermediate frequency (IF) chip 300 and the baseband processor 200 transmit signals and are responsible for receiving and transmitting IF RF signals. The IF RF signal frequency range is generally 6 GHz to 8 GHz, with a typical value of around 7 GHz. The millimeter-wave chip is responsible for receiving the IF RF signal, up-converting it to the required millimeter-wave signal, such as a 28 GHz or 39 GHz signal, and sending the millimeter-wave signal to the selection switch and antenna array 100. Alternatively, it can receive millimeter-wave signals from the antenna array 100 and down-convert them to IF RF signals for the RF IF chip 300. Both the millimeter-wave chip and the RF IF chip 300 support dual RF channels. For example, the millimeter-wave chip has a first RF channel for transmitting a first polarization direction signal (polarization signal 1) and a second RF channel for transmitting a second polarization direction signal (polarization signal 2). Each RF channel within the millimeter-wave chip contains an independently controllable phase shifter. The phase shifter generates the required codebook to adjust the millimeter-wave phase of each antenna element, thereby controlling the beam of the antenna array 100.

[0048] exist Figure 5 The example illustrates two millimeter-wave chips connected to the RF intermediate frequency chip 300, namely the first millimeter-wave chip 401 and the second millimeter-wave chip 402. Correspondingly, there are also two selection switches: a first selection switch and a second selection switch. The two millimeter-wave chips are connected one-to-one with two adjacent antenna subarrays in the antenna subarray via the selection switches. When the antenna elements in the antenna subarray are dual-polarized antenna elements, each antenna element includes a first polarization direction vibrator and a second polarization direction vibrator. The first RF channels of the first millimeter-wave chip 401 and the second millimeter-wave chip 402 are connected to the first polarization direction vibrator in each antenna element of each antenna subarray via the first selection switch, so that polarization signal 1 can select different antenna subarrays for connection via the first selection switch; the second RF channels of the first millimeter-wave chip 401 and the second millimeter-wave chip 402 are connected to the second polarization direction vibrator in each antenna element of each antenna subarray via the second selection switch, so that polarization signal 2 can select different antenna subarrays for connection via the second selection switch.

[0049] The selection switches (first selection switch and second selection switch) are used to connect millimeter-wave radio frequency signals (polarization signal 1 and polarization signal 2) from millimeter-wave chips (first millimeter-wave chip 401 and second millimeter-wave chip 402) to each antenna subarray of antenna array 100. When there are two millimeter-wave chips, there are also two corresponding selection switches. The first radio frequency channel of each millimeter-wave chip is connected to the first polarization direction vibrator of multiple antenna elements in the corresponding antenna subarray through the first selection switch 501; the second radio frequency channel of each millimeter-wave chip is connected to the second polarization direction vibrator of multiple antenna elements in the corresponding antenna subarray through the second selection switch 502. At the same time, the first selection switch and the second selection switch can connect polarization signal 1 and polarization signal 2 to two adjacent antenna subarrays.

[0050] Antenna array 100 consists of N antenna subarrays, where N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 3. (See also...) Figure 1 The diagram shows an antenna array 100. The two antenna subarrays of the antenna array 100 have a 90° angle between their planes, and the angle between adjacent radiating surfaces is 180°-90 / (N-1)°. The beam control codebook of each antenna subarray is independently controllable and simultaneously supports two mutually orthogonal polarization signals V and H, as well as a single polarization signal V or polarization signal H. Alternatively, the antenna array 100 can also support the transmission and reception of a single polarization signal, while the other polarization is not active. One polarization signal V of each antenna subarray is connected to a millimeter-wave radio frequency signal (polarization signal 1), and the other polarization signal H is connected to a millimeter-wave radio frequency signal (polarization signal 2).

[0051] In use, both the first millimeter-wave chip 401 and the second millimeter-wave chip 402 can transmit or receive polarization signal 1 and polarization signal 2. Polarization signal 1 and polarization signal 2 each contain two independent physical channels (the first radio frequency channel and the second radio frequency channel in the first millimeter-wave chip 401, and the first radio frequency channel and the second radio frequency channel in the second millimeter-wave chip 402). Each physical channel is independently controllable and contains a phase shifter circuit, which can control the phase of the microwave polarization signal in each physical channel. The first selection switch 501 and the second selection switch 502 are 4P2NT switches, respectively. The first selection switch 501 and the second selection switch 502 can connect polarization signal 1 and polarization signal 2 to adjacent antenna subarrays M and M+1, respectively, where M is a positive integer and can be selected from 1 to N. Two polarization feed points A of each of adjacent antenna subarrays M and M+1 are sequentially connected to two polarization signal channels 1 of the first millimeter-wave chip 401 and the second millimeter-wave chip 402 via a first selection switch 501. Similarly, two polarization feed points B of each of antenna subarrays M and M+1 are sequentially connected to two polarization signal channels 2 of the first and second millimeter-wave chips 401 and 402 via a second selection switch 502. When only one antenna subarray is needed, polarization feed points A and B of that subarray can be connected to the first millimeter-wave chip 401 or the second millimeter-wave chip 402 via the first and second selection switches 501 and 502, respectively.

[0052] When only one polarization direction is required for operation, it can operate through only one selection switch. For example, the polarization signal 1 of the first millimeter-wave chip 401 and the second millimeter-wave chip 402 is connected to the first polarization direction vibrator of the antenna subarray through the first selection switch 501; or, the polarization signal 2 of the first millimeter-wave chip 401 and the second millimeter-wave chip 402 is connected to the second polarization direction vibrator of the antenna subarray through the second selection switch 502.

[0053] As can be seen from the above description, when the first and fourth antenna subarrays are arranged at 90°, and the second and third antenna subarrays are located between the first and fourth antenna subarrays, the antenna array 100 supports both individual operation of each antenna subarray and beamforming of any two adjacent antenna subarrays, making it flexible for engineering use.

[0054] It should be understood that, in the embodiments of this application, the number of antenna subarrays operating simultaneously is not specifically limited, and can be selected as follows: Figure 5The scenario shown, where two antenna subarrays operate simultaneously, can also be modified to allow three adjacent antenna subarrays to operate simultaneously. For example, when three antenna subarrays operate simultaneously, there are three millimeter-wave chips and two selection switches. The polarization signal 1 of the three millimeter-wave chips is connected to the first selection switch 501, and the polarization signal 2 of the three millimeter-wave chips is connected to the second selection switch 502. During operation, the first selection switch 501 connects the three polarization signals 1 of the three millimeter-wave chips to the polarization feed point A of the three adjacent antenna subarrays; the second selection switch 502 connects the three polarization signals 2 of the three millimeter-wave chips to the polarization feed point B of the three adjacent antenna subarrays.

[0055] In summary, the RF intermediate frequency chip provided in this application embodiment can be connected to at least two millimeter wave chips, and the at least two millimeter wave chips are connected to at least two adjacent antenna subarrays in the antenna array 100 through a selection switch, thereby enabling different numbers of adjacent antenna subarrays to work simultaneously.

[0056] To achieve the gain enhancement function within a 180-degree range when using the aforementioned wireless communication device, it is also necessary to improve the control codebook for antenna beamforming in the software process.

[0057] refer to Figure 6 The codebook for beamforming first divides a 180° scanning angle into a maximum of N sectors, such as... Figure 6 The example shows sectors 1, 2, 3...N, where N is a positive integer. The angles of each sector do not need to be equal, and some overlap in angle between adjacent sectors is allowed to avoid the ping-pong effect. When operating within the desired sector, the wireless communication device supports two adjacent antenna subarrays forming a gain-enhanced beam to transmit millimeter-wave signals within the desired sector, using the optimal beam codebook to achieve optimal communication.

[0058] Each sector can have several beams, each responsible for a specific communication angle range. These beams combine to handle communication within a complete sector. Each beam corresponds to an index in a codebook control unit. Gain-enhanced beams transmitted by two adjacent antenna subarrays are responsible for communication within a sector. If the relative angle between the terminal and the base station changes, requiring a sector switch, the wireless communication device needs to switch the corresponding codebook control unit index and use the appropriate two adjacent antenna subarrays to transmit the optimal beam.

[0059] For example, when selecting an antenna subarray, the signal processing module also compares the performance of antenna elements in multiple antenna subarrays and determines the two adjacent antenna subarrays with the best performance among the multiple antenna subarrays; and controls the selection switch to select the two adjacent antenna subarrays with the best performance. For example, if the first antenna subarray and the second antenna subarray have the strongest signal strength in sector 1, the selection switch selects the first antenna subarray and the second antenna subarray to work; if the second antenna subarray and the third antenna subarray have the strongest signal strength in sector 1, the selection switch selects the second antenna subarray and the third antenna subarray to work simultaneously. When the relative angle between the terminal and the base station changes, causing the sector to need to switch, such as from sector 1 to sector 2, the selection switch correspondingly switches to the two antenna subarrays with the strongest signal strength in sector 2.

[0060] refer to Figure 7 , Figure 7 The method for selecting antenna subarrays is illustrated, which includes the following steps:

[0061] Step 001: Periodically measure the optimal beam.

[0062] Specifically, the strength of the received signal from the antenna elements is continuously measured to determine the two adjacent antenna subarrays with the strongest beam. These two adjacent antenna subarrays are then selected as the transmitting antennas using a first and a second selection switch. For example, taking the first and second antenna subarrays as examples, when the baseband processor judges the performance of the first and second antenna subarrays, the best antenna subarray is determined by the received signal strength of the first and second antenna subarrays when they are used as receiving antennas. Specifically, by comparing the received signal strength between the first and second antenna subarrays, a higher received signal strength indicates better antenna performance. The RF transceiver chip determines the best-performing antenna subarray by judging the received signal strength of the first and second antenna subarrays. Received signal strength can be characterized by different parameters; the received signal strength indicator (RSSI) will be used as an example in the following explanation.

[0063] Step 002: Use the optimal beam of the current optimal sector.

[0064] Specifically, two adjacent antenna subarrays are identified as the transmitting antennas, and the current optimal beam is recorded as RSSI1.

[0065] Step 003: Periodically measure the optimal beam.

[0066] Specifically, the optimal beam of each antenna subarray is measured periodically, and the maximum RSSI is obtained. The RSSI is compared with RSSI1. When RSSI > RSSI1, the two antenna subarrays corresponding to RSSI are switched as transmitting antennas; when RSSI ≤ RSSI1, the two adjacent antenna subarrays are kept as transmitting antennas.

[0067] As can be seen from the above description, the wireless communication device applied in this invention can achieve both 180° wide coverage and enhanced gain through the specific arrangement of antenna array subarrays and beam control, thus solving the core requirements of wide coverage and enhanced gain for millimeter waves. Furthermore, when the wireless communication device is placed within a terminal, the inherent right-angled space at the edge of the terminal device can be utilized, resulting in PCB area savings.

[0068] Furthermore, the aforementioned wireless communication device supports the arraying of any two adjacent antenna subarrays, enabling beamforming of the two adjacent subarrays. Beam control is increased from one-dimensional scanning to two-dimensional scanning (dual-polarized antenna), increasing the beam coverage to achieve 180° coverage. Simultaneously, gain enhancement is achieved; within the 180° range, the antenna gain increases by more than 2.5 dB, and the equivalent isotropically radiated power (EIRP) increases by more than 5 dB. Moreover, the antenna gain curve is smoother across the entire scanning range, avoiding the 1.7 dB-level degradation observed in existing antenna gain curves. To facilitate understanding of the effects of the wireless communication device provided in this application's embodiments, the communication performance of the antenna array in this application is simulated compared to that of antenna arrays in the prior art.

[0069] First refer to Figure 8 , Figure 8 This diagram shows the gain coverage pattern of the antenna array in this application and that of prior art antenna arrays. The antenna array in this application uses two adjacent antenna subarrays operating simultaneously, while prior art antenna arrays use a single antenna subarray. From... Figure 8 It can be seen that the maximum scanning point after the array is m1, and the maximum gain point of a single subarray is m5. The maximum gain difference between the two curves is 2.2dB.

[0070] refer to Figure 9 , Figure 9 The EIRP coverage patterns of the antenna array of this application and prior art antenna arrays are shown below. Figure 9 It can be seen that within the entire coverage area, the coverage curve of the array is higher than that of the individual subarray, with a maximum gain difference of 10dB.

[0071] From the above Figure 8 and Figure 9It can be seen that the antenna array provided in this application embodiment has improved both gain and angular coverage range after being arrayed in pairs.

[0072] This application also provides a communication terminal, which includes the antenna array described in any of the above claims, or the wireless communication device described in any of the above claims. The communication terminal further includes a housing, with the antenna array disposed within the housing and the antenna subarrays arranged along the curvature of the housing. This optimizes the use of space within the housing and facilitates the installation of the antenna array.

[0073] refer to Figure 10 In one example, the signal processing module 1000 is used to implement the functions of the module in the above method. The signal processing module 1000 can be a network device or a device within a network device. The signal processing module 1000 includes at least one processor 1001, used to implement the functions of the module in the above method. For example, the processor 1001 can be used to determine the performance of the first antenna and the second antenna, as detailed in the method description, and will not be repeated here.

[0074] In some embodiments, the signal processing module 1000 may further include at least one memory 1002 for storing program instructions and / or data. The memory 1002 is coupled to the processor 1001. The coupling in this embodiment is an intermittent coupling or communication connection between devices, units, or modules, and may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms, used for information exchange between devices, units, or modules. Alternatively, the memory 1002 may be located outside the signal processing module 1000. The processor 1001 may operate in conjunction with the memory 1002. The processor 1001 may execute program instructions stored in the memory 1002. At least one of the at least one memory may be included within the processor.

[0075] In some embodiments, the signal processing module 1000 may further include a communication interface 1003 for communicating with other devices via a transmission medium, thereby enabling the devices in the signal processing module 1000 to communicate with other devices. Exemplarily, the communication interface 1003 may be a transceiver, circuit, bus, module, or other type of communication interface, and the other device may be a network device or other terminal device, etc. The processor 1001 uses the communication interface 1003 to send and receive data and to implement the methods in the above embodiments. Exemplarily, the communication interface 1003 may send sub-channel indications, resource pool indications, etc.

[0076] This application embodiment does not limit the connection medium between the communication interface 1003, processor 1001, and memory 1002. For example, in this application embodiment... Figure 10The memory 1002, processor 1001 and communication interface 1003 can be connected by a bus, which can be divided into address bus, data bus, control bus, etc.

[0077] In the embodiments of this application, the processor may be a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, or discrete hardware components, capable of implementing or executing the methods, steps, and logic block diagrams disclosed in the embodiments of this application. The general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor. The steps of the methods disclosed in the embodiments of this application can be directly manifested as being executed by a hardware processor, or executed by a combination of hardware and software modules within the processor.

[0078] In the embodiments of this application, the memory can be non-volatile memory, such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid-state drive (SSD), or it can be volatile memory, such as random-access memory (RAM). Memory is any other medium capable of carrying or storing desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures, and accessible by a computer, but is not limited thereto. The memory in the embodiments of this application can also be a circuit or any other device capable of implementing storage functions, used to store program instructions and / or data.

[0079] The methods provided in this application can be implemented entirely or partially through software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented in software, they can be implemented entirely or partially in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer program instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, all or part of the processes or functions described in the embodiments of this invention are generated. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, a network device, a user equipment, or other programmable device. The computer instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, the computer instructions can be transmitted from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via wired (e.g., coaxial cable, optical fiber, digital subscriber line (DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) means. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that a computer can access or a data storage device such as a server or data center that integrates one or more available media. The available media may be magnetic media (e.g., floppy disks, hard disks, magnetic tapes), optical media (e.g., digital video discs (DVDs)), or semiconductor media (e.g., SSDs), etc.

[0080] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to this application without departing from the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, if such modifications and variations fall within the scope of the claims of this application and their equivalents, this application also intends to include such modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A wireless communication device, characterized in that, This includes a signal processing module, a selection switch, and an antenna array; among which, The antenna array includes multiple antenna subarrays; the multiple antenna subarrays are arranged in a single row, wherein the radiating surfaces of the antenna subarrays located at both ends of the multiple antenna subarrays are perpendicular to each other and opposite to each other, and the included angle between the radiating surfaces of any two adjacent antenna subarrays is greater than 90 degrees. The signal processing module is connected to one antenna subarray of the antenna array via the selection switch, or the signal processing module is connected to at least two adjacent antenna subarrays of the antenna array via the selection switch; The signal processing module includes at least two millimeter-wave chips; The antenna elements in the antenna subarray are dual-polarized antenna elements; each antenna element includes a first polarization direction vibrator and a second polarization direction vibrator; Each millimeter-wave chip has a first radio frequency channel for transmitting a first polarization direction signal and a second radio frequency channel for transmitting a second polarization direction signal; The selection switch includes a first selection switch and a second selection switch; Each first radio frequency channel is connected to the first polarization direction vibrator of multiple antenna elements in the corresponding antenna subarray via the first selection switch; Each second RF channel is connected to the second polarization direction vibrator of multiple antenna elements of the corresponding antenna subarray via the second selection switch.

2. The wireless communication device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, In the plurality of antenna subarrays, the included angle between the radiating surfaces of any two adjacent antenna subarrays is equal.

3. The wireless communication device as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The included angle between the radiating surfaces of any two adjacent antenna subarrays is 180°-90 / (N-1)°; where N is the number of antenna subarrays.

4. The wireless communication device as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, Each of the plurality of antenna subarrays includes a plurality of antenna elements, and the plurality of antenna elements are arranged in at least one row; the arrangement direction of each row of antenna elements is perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the plurality of antenna subarrays.

5. The wireless communication device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The signal processing module includes a radio frequency intermediate frequency chip, which is connected to the at least two millimeter-wave chips.

6. The wireless communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The signal processing module is also used to compare the performance of the antenna elements in the plurality of antenna subarrays and determine the two adjacent antenna subarrays with the best performance among the plurality of antenna subarrays; And control the selection switch to select the two adjacent antenna subarrays with the best performance.

7. A communication terminal, characterized in that, Includes the wireless communication device as described in any one of claims 1 to 6.

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