Antenna device

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an antenna device. The device comprises: a radiating element unit and a beamforming device; wherein the radiating element unit is used to emit electromagnetic waves; the beamforming device is used to phase modulate the electromagnetic waves according to a modulation signal and output the phase-modulated electromagnetic waves; the beamforming device comprises: a first transparent electrode plate and a second transparent electrode plate; a liquid crystal material is located between the first transparent electrode plate and the second transparent electrode plate; an alignment film is arranged on the inner surface of the first transparent electrode plate and the second transparent electrode plate, and is used to control the arrangement direction of the liquid crystal material in the initial state; when a modulation voltage is applied to the first transparent electrode plate and the second transparent electrode plate, the arrangement direction of the liquid crystal material deflects according to the modulation signal. The device can phase modulate the electromagnetic waves in real time according to the modulation signal through the beamforming device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to an antenna device. Background Technology

[0002] An antenna is a device that emits electromagnetic waves for real-time communication. These devices are typically installed indoors on ceilings or side walls, or outdoors on iron towers, building exteriors, lampposts, and mail poles. Currently, common antenna devices mainly consist of several antenna elements and a protective cover, emitting electromagnetic waves to cover a target area. Due to the widespread application of antenna devices in mobile communications, they generally need to meet characteristics such as small size, light weight, easy integration, low power consumption, and simple installation. However, existing antenna devices often use large-scale radiating element arrays for beamforming, which to some extent limits the application of beamforming in antenna devices.

[0003] Meanwhile, the beamforming algorithm in related technologies depends on the phase control of the radiating elements (the processing of antenna weights). It is mainly achieved by the principle of weighted superposition of electromagnetic waves emitted by each element. The beam modulation range is small, the accuracy is low, and it is easy to get trapped in local optima. That is, when the beam at a certain position is strengthened, the beam at other positions will inevitably be weakened.

[0004] It should be noted that the information disclosed in the background section above is only used to enhance the understanding of the background of this disclosure, and therefore may include information that does not constitute prior art known to those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide an antenna device that can use a beamforming device to perform phase modulation on electromagnetic waves in real time according to a modulation signal, thereby realizing real-time control of the spatial distribution of electromagnetic waves.

[0006] Other features and advantages of this disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description, or may be learned in part from practice of this disclosure.

[0007] This disclosure provides an antenna device, including: a radiating dipole element and a beamforming device; wherein the radiating dipole element is used to emit electromagnetic waves; the beamforming device is placed parallel to the radiating dipole element, and is used to receive a modulation signal, perform phase modulation on the electromagnetic waves according to the modulation signal, and output a phase-modulated target electromagnetic wave; the beamforming device includes a first transparent electrode plate, a second transparent electrode plate, an alignment film, and a liquid crystal material; wherein the liquid crystal material is located between the first transparent electrode plate and the second transparent electrode plate; the alignment film is respectively disposed on the inner surfaces of the first transparent electrode plate and the second transparent electrode plate, and is used to control the alignment direction of the liquid crystal material in its initial state; when the modulation voltage is applied to the first transparent electrode plate and the second transparent electrode plate, the alignment direction of the liquid crystal material is deflected according to the modulation signal, thereby causing a phase delay in the electromagnetic waves.

[0008] In some exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, the beamforming device further includes a polarizer; wherein the polarizer is disposed between the radiating oscillator unit and the first transparent electrode.

[0009] In some exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, the beamforming device further includes a glass substrate and a space plate; wherein the space plate is used to seal the liquid crystal material; the glass substrate is disposed on the outer surface of the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode, and is used to support the beamforming device.

[0010] In some exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, the surface of the glass substrate is coated with a broadband AR film corresponding to the wavelength range of the electromagnetic wave.

[0011] In some exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, when the modulation signal is applied to the first transparent electrode plate and the second transparent electrode plate, an electric field is generated between the first transparent electrode plate and the second transparent electrode plate, and the alignment direction of the liquid crystal material is deflected according to the electric field strength, thereby causing a phase delay in the electromagnetic wave.

[0012] In some exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, the beamforming device includes a plurality of pixel liquid crystal units; wherein each pixel liquid crystal unit includes a first transparent electrode plate, a second transparent electrode plate, an alignment film and a liquid crystal material, and each pixel liquid crystal unit is used to deflect according to the modulation signal to generate phase delay for the electromagnetic wave incident on the pixel liquid crystal unit, and output the target electromagnetic wave to the target terminal device.

[0013] In some exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, the plurality of pixel liquid crystal cells load the modulation signal according to a phase grayscale image, wherein the phase grayscale image is determined based on the position of one or more target terminal devices.

[0014] In some exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, the antenna device further includes: an amplitude modulation element; wherein the amplitude modulation element is placed parallel to the radiating dipole element and the beamforming device, the amplitude modulation element is located between the radiating dipole element and the beamforming device, and the amplitude modulation element is used to modulate the amplitude of the electromagnetic wave.

[0015] In some exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, the antenna device further includes: an amplitude modulation element; wherein the amplitude modulation element is placed parallel to the radiating dipole element and the beamforming device, the beamforming device is located between the radiating dipole element and the amplitude modulation element, and the amplitude modulation element is used to modulate the amplitude of the electromagnetic wave.

[0016] In some exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, the radiating element unit includes at least one antenna element.

[0017] The antenna device provided in this embodiment can perform phase modulation of electromagnetic waves in real time according to the modulation signal using a beamforming device. When a modulation voltage is applied to the transparent electrode plate in the beamforming device, the alignment direction of the liquid crystal material in the beamforming device is deflected according to the modulation signal, thereby causing a phase delay in the electromagnetic waves. The control signal can be changed in real time through computer-aided design. Therefore, the phase delay at the output end of the beamforming device can be changed in real time for one or more moving terminals, thereby realizing real-time control of the spatial distribution of electromagnetic waves.

[0018] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure. It is obvious that the drawings described below are merely some embodiments of this disclosure, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without any inventive effort.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the principle of beamforming in antenna devices in related technologies.

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of an antenna device according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0022] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of a beamforming device according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0023] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating phase modulation of a liquid crystal according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0024] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating real-time phase control using a beamforming device according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0025] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a phase grayscale image designed by a computer based on the terminal location, according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0026] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a phase grayscale image for a mobile terminal, according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0027] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of a phase grayscale image for multiple mobile terminals, according to an exemplary embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0028] Exemplary embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, these exemplary embodiments can be implemented in many forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein; rather, they are provided so that this disclosure will be more comprehensive and complete, and will fully convey the concept of the exemplary embodiments to those skilled in the art. The described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0029] Furthermore, the accompanying drawings are merely illustrative of this disclosure and are not necessarily drawn to scale. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote the same or similar parts, and therefore repeated descriptions of them will be omitted. Some block diagrams shown in the drawings are functional entities and do not necessarily correspond to physically or logically independent entities. These functional entities may be implemented in software, in one or more hardware modules or integrated circuits, or in different network and / or processor devices and / or microcontroller devices.

[0030] The exemplary embodiments of this disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0031] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the principle of beamforming in antenna devices in related technologies.

[0032] For ease of explanation, Figure 1 It contains only two antenna radiating elements. (Reference) Figure 1In the related technology, two radiating oscillators 101 emit electromagnetic waves, and the wavefronts 103 of the electromagnetic waves are shown as curved dashed lines. The two electromagnetic waves superimpose in space, with superposition enhancement at some locations and superposition weakening at others. At the superposition enhancement points, the terminal 102 receives a stronger signal, and at the superposition weakening points, the terminal 102 receives a weaker signal. These locations where superposition enhancement or superposition weakening occurs remain fixed before beamforming.

[0033] Before beamforming, the waveform 105 is as follows: Figure 1 As shown by the dashed lines, the superposition enhancement points are fixed at positions ①, ②, and ③, while the terminal is not located within these superposition enhancement areas. Therefore, the signal received by terminal 102 is weak. By weighting the radiating oscillator 101, the superposition position of the electromagnetic wavefront changes, and the waveform 104 after beamforming is as follows: Figure 1 As shown by the solid line, waveform deflection shifts the positions of the superposition enhancement and de-enhancement points. Through backend calculations, the superposition enhancement points can be adjusted to ④, ⑤, and ⑥. Terminal 102 is located at superposition enhancement point ④, where it can receive a strong signal. Current beamforming methods are based on this principle and can achieve beam control to a certain extent. However, this beamforming method is strongly dependent on the number of radiating elements, requiring large-scale or ultra-large-scale radiating element arrays to achieve precise modulation; moreover, the beam modulation range is limited. When beam superposition enhancement occurs in a certain area, according to the principle of electromagnetic wave superposition, there must be a beam weakening area nearby, making it impossible to achieve beam control for a large number of users at any unrestricted location.

[0034] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of an antenna device according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0035] refer to Figure 2 In this embodiment of the disclosure, the antenna device may include at least one radiating element 201 and at least one beamforming device 203.

[0036] Among them, the radiating oscillator element 201 can be a signal source for emitting electromagnetic waves.

[0037] In an exemplary embodiment, the radiating element 201 includes at least one antenna element 2011.

[0038] Among them, the vibrator is the basic unit that makes up the antenna and can emit electromagnetic wave radiation.

[0039] The beamforming device 203 can be placed parallel to the radiating oscillator unit 201. The beamforming device 203 can receive modulation signals, perform phase modulation on the electromagnetic wave according to the modulation signals, and output the phase-modulated target electromagnetic wave.

[0040] The modulation signal can be controlled in real time by the computer-aided design software 206, that is, the computer-aided design software 206 can change the modulation signal (also known as the input signal) of beamforming in real time.

[0041] The beamforming device 203 can perform phase modulation on the electromagnetic wave according to the modulation signal, change the phase (i.e., the emission angle) of the output electromagnetic wave in real time, and output the target electromagnetic wave (i.e., the beamforming beam 204) to one or more terminals 205, thereby realizing real-time control of the spatial distribution of the electromagnetic wave. Among them, the terminal 205 can be a movable terminal device.

[0042] In an exemplary embodiment, the antenna device may further include an amplitude modulation element 202, which can modulate the amplitude of electromagnetic waves; wherein the amplitude modulation element 202 may be placed parallel to the radiating dipole element 201 and the beamforming device 203.

[0043] The amplitude modulation element 202 can be located between the radiating dipole element 201 and the beamforming device 203. That is, the amplitude modulation element 202 is located below the radiating dipole element 201, and the beamforming device 203 is located below the amplitude modulation element 202. The radiating dipole element 201 can emit electromagnetic waves. The amplitude modulation element 202 performs local amplitude modulation on the passing electromagnetic waves. The amplitude-modulated electromagnetic waves are then emitted to the beamforming device 203. Through the wavefront conversion function of the beamforming device 203, the phase of the electromagnetic waves is changed, that is, the emission angle of the electromagnetic waves is changed.

[0044] The amplitude modulation element 202 can also be located below the radiating dipole unit 201 and the beamforming device 203, that is, the beamforming device 203 is located between the radiating dipole unit 201 and the amplitude modulation element 202. The radiating dipole unit 201 can emit electromagnetic waves. Through the wavefront conversion function of the beamforming device 203, the phase of the electromagnetic waves is changed, that is, the emission angle of the electromagnetic waves is changed. The electromagnetic waves after phase modulation are then emitted to the amplitude modulation element 202, and the amplitude modulation element 202 performs local amplitude modulation on the passing electromagnetic waves.

[0045] The aforementioned amplitude modulation element 202 performs local amplitude modulation on the passing electromagnetic wave, which means that the amplitude modulation element 202 decides whether to allow the electromagnetic wave to pass through a certain area of ​​the amplitude modulation element 202 and controls the intensity of the electromagnetic wave passing through a certain area of ​​the amplitude modulation element 202.

[0046] The amplitude modulation element 202 can be adjusted in real time through a drive circuit, control system, etc.

[0047] The amplitude modulation element 202 mentioned above can also be divided into multiple independent units, each of which is independently controlled by a circuit and works in conjunction with a beamforming device to adjust the intensity of the electromagnetic wave in real time.

[0048] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the radiating oscillator element emits electromagnetic waves, and the amplitude modulation element modulates the amplitude (intensity) of the received electromagnetic waves; then, the beamforming device performs real-time phase (direction) modulation, ultimately achieving real-time control of the spatial distribution of electromagnetic waves (communication beams).

[0049] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the amplitude modulation element 202 and the beamforming device 203 may be two separate components or they may be combined to form a composite control device with integrated functions. This disclosure does not limit this.

[0050] The antenna device in this embodiment regulates the amplitude of electromagnetic waves through an amplitude modulation element and performs phase modulation through a beamforming device. Since computer-aided design can change the input signal of the beamformer in real time, it can change the phase delay of the output end of the beamforming device in real time for one or more moving terminals, thereby realizing real-time control of the spatial distribution of electromagnetic waves.

[0051] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of a beamforming device according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0052] refer to Figure 3 The beamforming device 203 may include a first transparent electrode plate 3031, a second transparent electrode plate 3032, an alignment film 3041, and a liquid crystal material 305.

[0053] The liquid crystal material 305 is located between the first transparent electrode plate 3031 and the second transparent electrode plate 3032. Alignment films 3041 and 3042 can be respectively disposed on the inner surfaces of the first transparent electrode plate 3031 and the second transparent electrode plate 3032 to control the initial alignment direction of the liquid crystal material. The alignment films can be specially treated to anchor the liquid crystal molecules in contact with them, aligning them in a specific direction.

[0054] Liquid crystals are substances that combine properties of both liquids and crystals, and are generally composed of organic compounds with elongated rod-shaped or flat sheet-like molecular structures. Under certain conditions, they can produce pure phase modulation of incident electromagnetic waves.

[0055] In this embodiment of the present disclosure, when a modulation voltage is applied to the first transparent electrode plate 3031 and the second transparent electrode plate 3032, the alignment direction of the liquid crystal material 305 is deflected according to the modulation voltage, thereby causing a phase delay in the electromagnetic wave.

[0056] from Figure 3As can be seen, the incident wavefront 306 and the outgoing wavefront 307 are different, meaning that the direction of the electromagnetic wave changes after passing through the beamforming device.

[0057] In an exemplary embodiment, when a modulation voltage is applied to the first transparent electrode plate 3031 and the second transparent electrode plate 3032, an electric field is generated between the first transparent electrode plate and the second transparent electrode plate. The alignment direction of the liquid crystal material is deflected according to the electric field strength, thereby causing a phase delay in the electromagnetic wave.

[0058] The modulation signal can be a voltage modulation signal. When a voltage is applied to the first transparent electrode plate and the second electrode plate, the liquid crystal molecules rotate in the direction of the electric field. The greater the voltage, the greater the angle of rotation of the liquid crystal molecules, and thus the greater the phase delay of the electromagnetic wave.

[0059] In this embodiment of the disclosure, when the applied voltage is less than a certain critical value, the beamforming device 203 can be equivalent to a waveguide and can play a pure phase modulation role on electromagnetic waves.

[0060] In an exemplary embodiment, the beamforming device 203 may further include a polarizer 301; wherein the polarizer 301 may be disposed between the radiating oscillator unit and the first transparent electrode.

[0061] The polarization direction of the electromagnetic wave passing through the polarizer 301 can be parallel to the long axis direction of the liquid crystal material in the initial state.

[0062] Polarization is a property of vibration direction being asymmetrical with respect to propagation direction.

[0063] In this embodiment, the electromagnetic wave is first incident on a polarizer. When the polarization direction of the incident electromagnetic wave after passing through the polarizer is parallel to the long axis of the liquid crystal molecules in the initial alignment state (which can be controlled by the alignment film), the electromagnetic wave propagating in the liquid crystal layer will only have a polarization component parallel to the long axis of the molecules. This polarization component of the electromagnetic wave will experience phase delay as the liquid crystal deflects in the electric field applied by the electrodes, while the amplitude will not change. Since changes in the electric field will cause changes in the deflection angle of the liquid crystal molecules, resulting in phase delays of different magnitudes, changing the electric field strength can control the wavefront (i.e., the emission direction) of the emitted electromagnetic wave in real time.

[0064] It should be noted that the polarizer in this embodiment can be removed. In this case, when the polarization state of the electromagnetic wave is parallel to the long axis of the liquid crystal molecules in the initial state, the electromagnetic wave component can be modulated by the pure phase of the liquid crystal; while the electromagnetic wave with a polarization state perpendicular to the long axis of the molecules will not be modulated.

[0065] In an exemplary embodiment, the beamforming device 203 may also include a glass substrate 302 and a space plate; wherein the space plate may be used to seal the liquid crystal material; and the glass substrate 302 may be disposed on the outer surface of the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode to support the beamforming device 203.

[0066] In an exemplary embodiment, the surface of the glass substrate 302 is coated with a broadband AR (Anti-Reflection) film corresponding to the wavelength range of electromagnetic waves, i.e., a broadband anti-reflection film.

[0067] Glass substrates can protect and encapsulate liquid crystals. For different wavelength ranges of electromagnetic waves in actual use, glass substrates can be coated with broadband AR films of corresponding wavelength ranges, which can greatly reduce electromagnetic reflection and improve system efficiency.

[0068] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating phase modulation of a liquid crystal according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0069] refer to Figure 4 Taking a liquid crystal within a single pixel space as an example, the polarization state of an electromagnetic wave can be decomposed into two types: one polarization state perpendicular to the paper plane, and the other polarization state parallel to the paper plane. When the electromagnetic wave polarization state is perpendicular to the paper plane, this component of the electromagnetic wave cannot achieve phase modulation through the deflection of the liquid crystal molecules 3051 by an applied electric field, such as... Figure 4 As shown on the left. When the polarization state of the electromagnetic wave is parallel to the plane of the paper, this electromagnetic wave component can undergo different degrees of pure phase modulation depending on the angle of deflection of the liquid crystal molecule 3051, such as... Figure 4 As shown on the right.

[0070] The expression for the phase delay can be:

[0071]

[0072] in, The phase delay is represented by d, the thickness of the liquid crystal layer is represented by λ, and the wavelength of the electromagnetic wave is represented by n. θ n0 represents the equivalent refractive index when the polarization state is parallel to the paper and the liquid crystal is deflected by an angle θ, and n0 represents the equivalent refractive index when the polarization state is perpendicular to the paper.

[0073] The above n θ It is a variable value that can be changed by a control signal.

[0074] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the phase delay is controlled by the electric field strength; the phase delay can be continuously modulated by adjusting the input signal.

[0075] The antenna device in this embodiment has a beamforming effect that is independent of the number and distribution of the vibrators. It can be controlled in real time through computer-aided design, resulting in a large beam control range, high precision, and high beam utilization.

[0076] The antenna device in this embodiment adopts a modular design, with each module realizing a single electromagnetic wave characteristic (electromagnetic wave energy (amplitude), electromagnetic wave emission angle (phase), etc.). The amplitude and phase parameters are decoupled, making the design simple, convenient, and easy to adjust.

[0077] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating real-time phase control using a beamforming device according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0078] In an exemplary embodiment, the liquid crystal material may include a plurality of pixel liquid crystal units, each pixel liquid crystal unit may include a first transparent electrode plate, a second transparent electrode plate, an alignment film and liquid crystal material, and may also include a polarizer, a glass substrate and a space plate; wherein, each pixel liquid crystal unit is used to deflect according to the modulation signal to generate phase delay of the electromagnetic wave incident on the pixel liquid crystal unit, and output the target electromagnetic wave to the target terminal device.

[0079] Beamforming devices can contain many independent units arranged in a one-dimensional or two-dimensional array (pixels) in space. Each unit can be independently controlled by optical or electrical signals. When liquid crystal molecules in each unit receive a signal, they deflect, resulting in a phase delay and achieving one-dimensional or two-dimensional pixel-level phase modulation, thus realizing beamforming. By changing the input signal in real time through computer-aided radiation design, real-time modulation of the spatial distribution of electromagnetic waves can be achieved. In an exemplary embodiment, multiple pixel liquid crystal units can load modulation signals according to a phase grayscale image, where the phase grayscale image is determined based on the location of one or more target terminal devices.

[0080] The following description uses a beamforming device comprising nine pixel liquid crystal units, but this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0081] like Figure 5 As shown, electromagnetic waves are incident on a beamforming device composed of a 3*3 two-dimensional pixel array. In this embodiment, the beamforming device utilizes the principle of electrical addressing and, through computer-aided design, applies three different modulation voltage signals in a scanning manner to three rows of pixel positions from top to bottom, representing three rows of different grayscale values ​​(e.g., ...). Figure 5 (As shown on the left). Since the deflection angle of the liquid crystal is related to the input modulation voltage, and the phase delay of the electromagnetic wave is also related to the deflection angle of the liquid crystal, three different modulation voltage values ​​can be converted into three different phase delays of the incident electromagnetic wave by the liquid crystal. That is, after modulation by three rows of pixel liquid crystal units, the emission direction of the electromagnetic wave is different.

[0082] In this embodiment of the disclosure, each pixel on the beamforming device 203 can be independently controlled, and a phase grayscale image can be generated by applying different voltages to each pixel. For example... Figure 5 As shown on the right, nine different grayscale values ​​can be designed on this 3*3 array of pixel liquid crystal units as needed, and the electromagnetic waves will be emitted to nine different areas.

[0083] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the phase grayscale image can be obtained through computer programming and is adjustable in real time. That is, tracking-type dynamic beamforming can be achieved according to the user's movement.

[0084] In the embodiments of this disclosure, multiple beamforming devices or antenna devices including the beamforming devices may be controlled by the same computer or by their respective computers, and this disclosure does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0085] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a phase grayscale image designed by a computer based on the terminal location, according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0086] like Figure 6 As shown in A1, A1 is a phase map (partial view) containing four gray levels. The computer can calculate this phase gray map based on the terminal's location, and then, through the principle of electrical addressing, load the different gray levels onto each pixel position in a scanning manner. After the electromagnetic wave passes through the beamforming device with this phase gray map, it will point to the white area in Figure A2 (the white areas in A2, B2, C2, and D2 all represent the location of the terminal).

[0087] In this embodiment of the disclosure, such as Figure 6 As shown in C1, C1 is another phase diagram (partial view) containing four gray levels. The difference is that this phase gray level diagram is calculated based on nine different termination positions. When electromagnetic waves pass through a beamforming device with this phase gray level diagram, they will be directed to nine different termination positions, as shown... Figure 6 As shown in C2.

[0088] In this embodiment of the disclosure, such as Figure 6 As shown in D1, D1 is also a phase diagram (partial view) containing four gray levels. This phase grayscale diagram is designed with two terminal regions of different sizes. When electromagnetic waves pass through a beamforming device with this phase grayscale diagram, they will be directed to the two terminal regions of different sizes, as shown in the image. Figure 6 As shown in D2 in the diagram.

[0089] In this embodiment of the disclosure, such as Figure 6As shown in B1, B1 is a phase map (partial view) containing 256 gray levels. B1 and A1 are calculated by a computer based on the same terminal position, differing only in the number of gray levels. Using the same electrical addressing principle, the 256 gray levels are scanned and loaded onto each pixel position. After the electromagnetic wave passes through the beamforming device containing this 256-gray-level phase map, it points to the terminal position in B2. B2 has the same terminal position as A2, but the terminal in B2 receives a stronger electromagnetic signal than A2, meaning it has higher energy efficiency, which is represented by a brighter white area in the image.

[0090] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the grayscale phase map designed by computer-aided design is calculated based on the position of the terminal. There are no requirements on the number of terminal positions or the size of the range of terminal positions, that is, the phase grayscale map can be designed arbitrarily.

[0091] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the grayscale phase diagram designed by computer can be of order 2, order 4, order 8... order 128, order 256... The higher the grayscale order, the greater the energy utilization rate, and theoretically the utilization rate can approach 100%.

[0092] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the phase grayscale image on the beamforming device is designed based on the electromagnetic wave diffraction theory. In fact, it is an inverse diffraction problem, that is, the phase image is derived from the target terminal position. The computer uses this principle to assist in the design of the phase grayscale image.

[0093] In this embodiment, the beamforming device is designed based on electromagnetic wave diffraction theory. Wear, contamination, or malfunction of any part will not affect its overall wavefront modulation function, and it can still direct electromagnetic waves to a set area.

[0094] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a phase grayscale image for a mobile terminal, according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0095] The following explanation uses a phase diagram with four gray levels, but this disclosure is not limited to this. Figure 7 As shown, the terminal position moves from a1 to b1 and then to c1 (the white areas in a1, a3, b1, b3, c1, and c3 represent the terminal's location). Based on the different terminal positions, the phase grayscale image, designed by computer and loaded onto each pixel, changes from a2 to b2 and then to c2. Finally, the terminal position receiving the electromagnetic wave signal also moves from a3 to b3 and then to c3. Because the movement of the terminal position is continuous, the change in the phase grayscale image on the beamforming device is also continuous, thus ensuring that the terminal can receive the electromagnetic wave beam signal in real time.

[0096] Figure 8This is a schematic diagram of a phase grayscale image for multiple mobile terminals, according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0097] The following explanation uses a phase diagram with four gray levels, but this disclosure is not limited to this. Figure 8 As shown, the terminal position moves from m1 to n1 and then to l1 (the white areas in m1, m3, n1, n3, l1, and l3 represent the terminal locations; in this embodiment, the number of terminals is 3). Based on these three groups of location areas, each containing three terminals, computer-aided design is used, and the data is then scanned and loaded onto each pixel to form a corresponding phase grayscale image. The phase grayscale image will change from m2 to n2 and then to l2, and the positions of the three terminals receiving the electromagnetic wave signal will also move from m3 to n3 and then to l3. Since the movement of these three terminal positions is continuous, the change in the phase grayscale image on the beamforming device is also continuous.

[0098] The beamforming device and antenna assembly including the beamforming device in this embodiment achieve electromagnetic wave (signal) coverage for multiple mobile users. The number and range of the signal coverage area can be arbitrarily set according to the needs of the terminal. The beamforming function and effect are independent of the number and distribution position of the vibrators.

[0099] In this embodiment, the beamforming algorithm is based on the principle of electromagnetic wave diffraction. It can be designed with computer assistance, and has a high degree of freedom, a large range, high precision, and can be dynamically controlled. In addition, wear, contamination, or malfunction of any part of the beamforming device will not affect its overall wavefront modulation function, and it can still point the electromagnetic wave to the set area. The only cost is the loss of some electromagnetic wave energy.

[0100] In this embodiment of the disclosure, electromagnetic wave energy is concentrated and modulated to the user terminal, while less energy is available in other areas, thereby improving energy utilization. Furthermore, by combining with amplitude modulation devices, the radiation intensity of certain areas can be increased or decreased as needed, which can improve utilization and reduce energy consumption to a certain extent.

[0101] The beamforming device and the antenna device including the beamforming device in this embodiment are modularly designed. Each module realizes a single electromagnetic wave characteristic (electromagnetic wave energy (amplitude), electromagnetic wave emission angle (phase), etc.), and the parameters are decoupled, making the design simple and convenient, and the electromagnetic wave parameters are adjustable.

[0102] The beamforming device and the antenna device containing the beamforming device in this embodiment are thin, light and compact in size, and the manufacturing process of the liquid crystal device is mature, enabling mass production. Product consistency is easy to ensure, which is conducive to large-scale industrial production and price control.

[0103] In summary, the beamforming device and antenna device including the beamforming device in the embodiments of this disclosure, by combining liquid crystal materials and driving circuits and utilizing computer-aided calculations, yield a beamforming device capable of real-time control of the electromagnetic wave front. This device enables dynamic beamforming for multiple mobile users. This disclosure possesses significant technical advantages such as ease of implementation, low cost, and compact structure, making it easy to industrialize and possessing extremely high economic and social value.

[0104] Exemplary embodiments of this disclosure have been specifically illustrated and described above. It should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the detailed structures, arrangements, or implementation methods described herein; rather, this disclosure is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements contained within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An antenna device, characterized in that, include: A radiating dipole element and a beamforming device; wherein the radiating dipole element is used to emit electromagnetic waves; the beamforming device is placed parallel to the radiating dipole element, and the beamforming device is used to receive a modulation signal, perform phase modulation on the electromagnetic waves according to the modulation signal, and output the phase-modulated target electromagnetic waves. The beamforming device includes a first transparent electrode plate, a second transparent electrode plate, an alignment film, and a liquid crystal material; wherein the liquid crystal material is located between the first transparent electrode plate and the second transparent electrode plate; the alignment film is respectively disposed on the inner surface of the first transparent electrode plate and the second transparent electrode plate, and is used to control the alignment direction of the liquid crystal material in its initial state; When a modulation voltage is applied to the first transparent electrode plate and the second transparent electrode plate, the alignment direction of the liquid crystal material is deflected according to the modulation signal, thereby causing a phase delay in the electromagnetic wave. The beamforming device includes multiple pixel liquid crystal units; each pixel liquid crystal unit includes a first transparent electrode plate, a second transparent electrode plate, an alignment film and liquid crystal material, and each pixel liquid crystal unit is used to deflect according to the modulation signal to generate phase delay on the electromagnetic wave incident on the pixel liquid crystal unit and output the target electromagnetic wave to the target terminal device. The plurality of pixel liquid crystal cells load the modulation signal according to a phase grayscale image, wherein the phase grayscale image is determined based on the position of one or more target terminal devices.

2. The antenna device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The beamforming device further includes a polarizer; wherein... The polarizer is disposed between the radiating oscillator unit and the first transparent electrode.

3. The antenna device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The beamforming device further includes a glass substrate and a space plate; wherein... The space plate is used to seal the liquid crystal material; The glass substrate is disposed on the outer surface of the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode to support the beamforming device.

4. The antenna device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The surface of the glass substrate is coated with a broadband AR film corresponding to the wavelength range of the electromagnetic wave.

5. The antenna device according to claim 1, characterized in that, When a modulation voltage is applied to the first transparent electrode plate and the second transparent electrode plate, an electric field is generated between the first transparent electrode plate and the second transparent electrode plate. The alignment direction of the liquid crystal material is deflected according to the electric field strength, thereby causing a phase delay in the electromagnetic wave.

6. The antenna device according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, Also includes: An amplitude modulation element; wherein the amplitude modulation element is placed parallel to the radiating dipole unit and the beamforming device, the amplitude modulation element is located between the radiating dipole unit and the beamforming device, and the amplitude modulation element is used to modulate the amplitude of the electromagnetic wave.

7. The antenna device according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, Also includes: An amplitude modulation element; wherein the amplitude modulation element is placed parallel to the radiating dipole unit and the beamforming device, the beamforming device is located between the radiating dipole unit and the amplitude modulation element, and the amplitude modulation element is used to modulate the amplitude of the electromagnetic wave.

8. The antenna device according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The radiating element unit includes at least one antenna element.

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