Antenna structure and electronic device including the same

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a fifth generation (5G) or pre-5G communication system to be implemented to support higher data transmission rates beyond a fourth generation (4G) communication system such as long term evolution (LTE). According to various embodiments, an antenna in a wireless communication system includes a substrate including a first metal patch, a second metal patch, a feed unit, and a support structure, wherein the first metal patch and the second metal patch can be disposed on the substrate, the feed unit can be coupled to the substrate so as to be spaced apart from the first metal patch, and the first metal patch can include an opening.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to general wireless communication systems, and more specifically, to antenna structures in wireless communication systems and electronic devices including such antenna structures. Background Technology

[0002] To meet the ever-increasing demand for wireless data traffic since the deployment of 4G communication systems, efforts have been made to develop improved 5G or near-5G communication systems. Therefore, 5G or near-5G communication systems are also referred to as "beyond 4G network" communication systems or "post-LTE" systems.

[0003] 5G communication systems are considered to be implemented in ultra-high frequency (mmWave) bands (e.g., the 60 GHz band) to achieve higher data rates. To reduce radio wave propagation loss and increase transmission distance in the mmWave band, beamforming, massive MIMO, full-dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antennas, analog beamforming, and massive MIMO technologies are discussed in 5G communication systems.

[0004] In addition, in 5G communication systems, development is underway to improve system networks based on advanced small cells, cloud radio access networks (cloud RAN), ultra-dense networks, device-to-device (D2D) communication, wireless backhaul, mobile networks, cooperative communication, multi-point cooperation (CoMP), and receiver interference cancellation.

[0005] In 5G systems, hybrid FSK and QAM modulation (FQAM) and sliding window superposition coding (SWSC) have also been developed as advanced coding modulation (ACM), as well as filter bank multicarrier (FBMC), non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) and sparse code multiple access (SCMA) as advanced access technologies.

[0006] Massive MIMO units (MMUs) in 5G systems comprise multiple antenna elements. One or more antenna elements form a subarray. In this case, each antenna element can be configured as a stacked patch antenna, which refers to an antenna that provides high gain / bandwidth by arranging two or more metal patches on top and below. As the number of antenna elements required for beamforming increases, it is necessary to design antennas with more efficient structures, taking into account factors such as antenna volume and patch fabrication processes. Summary of the Invention

[0007] Technical issues

[0008] Based on the above discussion, this disclosure provides a metal patch structure and substrate for antennas used in wireless communication systems.

[0009] Furthermore, this disclosure provides an antenna structure that can achieve low production costs and reduce the volume occupied by the antenna (thin volume) by using a substrate with a support structure in a wireless communication system.

[0010] Furthermore, this disclosure provides an antenna structure for forming a target frequency band in a wireless communication system while maintaining the directivity of the antenna.

[0011] Solution to the problem

[0012] According to various embodiments of this disclosure, an antenna may include a substrate, the substrate including a first metal patch, a feeding unit and a support structure, wherein the first metal patch and a second metal patch are disposed on the substrate, the feeding unit is connected to the substrate and spaced apart from the first metal patch, and the first metal patch includes an opening.

[0013] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, a massive MIMO unit (MMU) device may include a feed unit, a substrate including a support structure, at least one processor, and a subarray including a plurality of antenna elements, wherein each antenna element includes a first metal patch disposed on the substrate having the support structure and having an opening, and each antenna element includes a second metal patch disposed on the substrate having the support structure and spaced apart from the first metal patch, and the feed unit is disposed on the substrate having the support structure and spaced apart from the first metal patch.

[0014] Beneficial effects of the invention

[0015] The apparatus according to various embodiments of the present disclosure can reduce the volume of space occupied by the antenna (thin volume) by using a substrate with a support structure and can manufacture the antenna apparatus at an effective cost.

[0016] The apparatus according to various embodiments of this disclosure can ensure the target radiation band, while maintaining directivity compared to existing antennas even with a reduced antenna size, thanks to the antenna having a specific structure.

[0017] Furthermore, the beneficial effects obtained from this disclosure may not be limited to those described above, and those skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains will clearly understand other unmentioned effects through the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 Wireless communication systems according to various embodiments of the present disclosure are shown.

[0019] Figure 2 The configuration of a massive MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) unit (MMU) in a wireless communication system according to various embodiments of the present disclosure is shown.

[0020] Figure 3a and Figure 3b The configuration of a subarray in a wireless communication system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0021] Figure 4a The configuration of a power supply unit according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0022] Figure 4b The connection structure between the power supply unit and the substrate according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0023] Figure 5a The arrangement of a first metal patch according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0024] Figure 5b The connection structure between a first metal patch and a substrate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0025] Figure 6a The arrangement of a second metal patch according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0026] Figure 6b The connection structure between the second metal patch and the substrate according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0027] Figure 7a This illustrates an antenna configuration with reduced spacing between patches, based on existing antenna designs.

[0028] Figure 7b The antenna performance is shown by reducing the spacing between patches of an existing antenna.

[0029] Figure 8a An antenna configuration according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown, wherein the spacing between the antenna patches is reduced.

[0030] Figure 8b The antenna performance according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown with reduced spacing between antenna patches.

[0031] Figures 9a to 9b The illustration shows an arrangement of inter-patch capacitors for adding metal patches to an antenna according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0032] Figure 9c It is a graph indicating the capacitance of an antenna with a metal patch added according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0033] Figure 10 The functional configuration of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure is shown.

[0034] Regarding the description of the accompanying drawings, the same or similar reference numerals may be used for the same or similar elements. Detailed Implementation

[0035] The terminology used in this disclosure is for descriptive purposes only and is not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Singular expressions may include plural expressions unless they are distinctly different in the context. Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical and scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. Terms (such as those defined in a general dictionary) may be interpreted as having the same meaning as in the context of the relevant technical field and should not be interpreted as having an ideal or overly formal meaning unless expressly defined in this disclosure. In some cases, even terms defined in this disclosure should not be construed as excluding embodiments of this disclosure.

[0036] In the following description, various embodiments of this disclosure will be based on a hardware approach. However, various embodiments of this disclosure include techniques using both hardware and software, and therefore, a software perspective may not be excluded from the various embodiments of this disclosure.

[0037] In the following description, terms relating to signals (e.g., symbols, streams, data, and beamforming signals), beam-related terms (e.g., multi-beam, multiple beams, single beam, dual beam, quad beam, and beamforming), terms referring to network entities, and terms referring to device elements (e.g., antenna array, antenna element, communication unit, and antenna), etc., are used illustratively for convenience. Therefore, this disclosure is not limited to the terms used as follows, and other terms referring to subjects with equivalent technical meanings may be used.

[0038] In this disclosure, various implementations will be described using terminology adopted in some communication standards (e.g., the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP)), but these are for illustrative purposes only. With modifications, the implementations of this disclosure can also be readily applied to other communication systems.

[0039] Figure 1 Wireless communication systems according to various embodiments of the present disclosure are shown. Figure 1 The wireless communication environment shown illustrates an example of base station 100 and terminals 110-1 to 110-6 as part of a node using a wireless channel.

[0040] Base station 100 corresponds to the network infrastructure used to provide wireless access to terminals 110-1 to 110-6. Base station 100 has a coverage area defined as a predetermined geographical region based on the distance of the transmittable signal. Besides "base station," base station 100 may also be referred to as an "access point (AP)," "eNodeB (eNB)," "fifth-generation node," "5G NodeB (NB)," "wireless point," "transmit / receive point (TRP)," "access unit," "distributed unit (DU)," "transmit / receive point (TRP)," "radio unit (RU)," "remote radio head (RRH)," or other names with equivalent technical meanings. Base station 100 can transmit downlink signals or receive uplink signals.

[0041] Each of terminals 110-1 to 110-6 is a device used by a user and performs communication with base station 100 via a wireless channel. In some cases, terminals 110-1 to 110-6 can be operated without user intervention. That is, each of terminals 110-1 to 110-6 can be a device for performing machine-type communication (MTC) and can be carried by no user. In addition to being a terminal, each of terminals 110-1 to 110-6 may also be referred to as "user equipment (UE)," "mobile station," "subscriber station," "customer premises equipment (CPE)," "remote terminal," "wireless terminal," "electronic device," "vehicle-mounted terminal," "user equipment," or other terms with equivalent technical meanings.

[0042] Figure 2 The illustration shows the configuration of a massively multi-input multiple-output (MIMO) unit (MMU) in a wireless communication system according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. Terms such as “…unit”, “…component”, etc., as used below refer to a unit that processes at least one function or operation and can be implemented by hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software.

[0043] Reference Figure 2 The base station 200 may include a plurality of antenna elements 210. To improve beamforming gain, a large number of antenna elements 210 can be used compared to the input ports. A large-scale multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) unit (MMU) device comprising subarrays 220 respectively corresponding to the input ports is described as an example of the beamforming apparatus of this disclosure to illustrate various embodiments of the disclosure. Although each subarray 220 of the described MMU device includes the same number of antenna elements 210, embodiments of the disclosure are not limited thereto. According to one embodiment, the number of antenna elements 210 in some subarrays 220 may differ from the number of antenna elements 210 in other subarrays 220.

[0044] Reference Figure 2Each subarray 220 may include multiple antenna elements 210. In the following description, antenna elements arranged in a 4×1 configuration will be described as... Figure 2 The description describes one of the subarrays 220, but this is for illustrative purposes only and embodiments of this disclosure are not limited to this description. The various embodiments described below can also be applied to subarrays 220 in 2×2 or 3×2 form.

[0045] The number of antenna elements 210 used for performing wireless communication has been increased to improve communication performance. Furthermore, the number of RF components and the number of parts for processing RF signals received or transmitted through each antenna element 210 has increased, thus requiring both space gain and cost efficiency in configuring the communication device, in addition to meeting communication performance requirements. To meet these requirements, a dual-polarized antenna is used. Polarization diversity and, consequently, signal gain can be increased because channel independence between signals of different polarizations is satisfied.

[0046] The number of antenna elements 210 mounted on the MMU device can be increased to improve the beamforming gain of the MMU device. Correspondingly, mounting a large number of antenna elements 210 may lead to an increase in the size of the MMU device, introduce tolerances in the manufacturing process of a large number of antenna elements 210, and increase the management difficulty of an MMU device with a large number of antenna elements 210 mounted on it. Therefore, to solve the above problems, a structure that is easy and stable to mass-produce is needed. This disclosure proposes a structure that uses a substrate formed of dielectric to reduce tolerances in the manufacturing process and lower production costs, and uses metal patches to ensure antenna radiation performance.

[0047] In the following text, Figure 3a The overall structure of the antenna element 210 and subarray 220 included in the MMU device will be shown. Figure 4a The feed unit, metal patches at the upper and lower ends, and substrate included in each antenna element 210 will be shown. The structure of the antenna element 210 and subarray 220 included in an MMU device according to one embodiment of this disclosure will be described below.

[0048] Figure 3a and Figure 3b The configuration of a subarray in a wireless communication system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 3a and Figure 3b A substrate with six antenna elements arranged thereon is shown as an example to illustrate the configuration of the electronic device, but this disclosure is not limited thereto. Depending on the manufacturing method, the embodiments described below can also be applied to cases with three or four antenna elements.

[0049] Reference Figure 3aThe subarray 300 may include six antenna elements 300-1 to 300-6, a substrate 310, and a feed unit 320.

[0050] Each of antenna elements 300-1 to 300-6 may correspond to a stacked patch antenna. A stacked patch antenna is an antenna having two or more metal patches arranged at predetermined intervals to achieve high gain and for use in a wide bandwidth. According to one embodiment, a stacked patch antenna may include multiple metal patches. For example, a stacked patch antenna may include three or more metal patches.

[0051] The substrate 310 may include a dielectric material having a dielectric constant. According to one embodiment, the dielectric material may be formed from a material having a dielectric constant of 2 [F / m] to 6 [F / m]. Unlike conventional printed circuit boards (PCBs), the substrate 310, including a dielectric material with a dielectric constant, can have greater flexibility and therefore can be formed in various forms. Therefore, the substrate 310 can be configured to have a support structure. According to one embodiment, the substrate 310 may include protrusions for connection to antenna elements 300-1 to 300-6 and the feed unit 320. That is, the substrate 310 may have a structure with protrusions. For example, as described below, the substrate 310 can be connected via the protrusions of the support structure and the connection holes of the first and second metal patches of the stacked patch antenna. Furthermore, the substrate 310 can be connected to the feed unit 320 via the connection between the protrusions of the supporting substrate and the connection holes of the feed unit 320. However, the substrate 310 can be connected to the antenna elements 300-1 to 300-6 and the feed unit via another structure, therefore this disclosure is not limited to connections via protrusions on the substrate 310. For example, a rail structure can extend from the support structure of the substrate 310 to connect to the antenna elements 300-1 to 300-6 and the feed unit 320, etc. However, for ease of explanation, a structure in which the substrate 310 includes protrusions and connections are performed via the protrusions will be described.

[0052] The feed unit 320 can be fed by at least one wireless communication circuit (not shown) within the MMU device to feed antenna elements 300-1 to 300-6. The feed unit 320 may include a connection hole connected to the substrate 310. For example, the connection hole of the feed unit 320 can be formed by a line used to form the feed unit and is centered based on the width of the line. According to one embodiment, the feed unit 320 can be connected to the substrate 310 and disposed at its lower end to be spaced apart from the metal patches of the antenna elements 300-1 to 300-6. For example, the feed unit 320 may be configured to be spaced apart from the metal patch at the lower end of the metal patch included in each of the antenna elements 300-1 to 300-6.

[0053] Figure 3bThis is a cross-sectional view of the subarray 300 and an enlarged view of antenna element 300-1, viewed from one side. For ease of illustration, each of antenna elements 300-1 to 300-6 may be a stacked patch antenna comprising two metal patches. However, this disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, each antenna element may be a patch antenna comprising three or more metal patches. Furthermore, see reference... Figure 3b The description indicates that the metal patch at the upper end has a larger area than the metal patch at the lower end, but this is for illustrative purposes and the disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the metal patches at the upper end and the metal patches at the lower end may be formed to have the same area.

[0054] Reference Figure 3b Antenna element 300-1 may include a substrate 310, a feed unit 320, a first metal patch 330, and a second metal patch 340. The substrate 310 may include a dielectric material having a dielectric constant. According to one embodiment, the substrate 310 may include protrusions 312 to 314 and a support member 311 for connection to the feed unit 320, the first metal patch 330, and the second metal patch 340. For example, protrusion 312 may be connected to the feed unit 320. Another example is that protrusion 313 may be connected to the first metal patch 330. Yet another example is that protrusion 314 may be connected to the second metal patch 340. According to one embodiment, protrusions 312 to 314 may be arranged at the upper end of the support member 311.

[0055] In the following text, reference will be made to Figures 4a to 6b The substrate 310, feed unit 320, first metal patch 330 and second metal patch 340 that constitute antenna elements 300-1 to 300-6 and subarray 300 are described.

[0056] Figure 4a The configuration of a power supply unit according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 4b The connection structure between the power supply unit and the substrate according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 4a and Figure 4b A feed unit with three feed points and configured as a three-level structure is shown. However, the description does not limit the embodiments of this disclosure. For example, the subarray and MMU device may be formed by multiple feed units with two feed points and configured as a two-level structure. As another example, the subarray and MMU device may be formed by multiple feed units with four feed points and configured as a four-level structure.

[0057] The power supply unit is not limited to Figure 4a and Figure 4b The shape shown can be formed into other shapes different from the shape described.

[0058] Reference Figure 4aThe power supply unit 320 may include a plurality of power supply points 321a to 321c and connection units 322a and 322b for connecting the plurality of power supply points 321a to 321c. According to one embodiment, the power supply unit 320 may be powered by at least one wireless communication circuit (not shown). For example, a power supply point powered by at least one wireless communication circuit may include at least one of the connection units 322a and 322b, at least one of the power supply points 321a to 321c, or at least one point at the end opposite to the other end to which the plurality of power supply points 321a to 321c are connected. According to one embodiment, the power supply points 321a to 321c may include portions perpendicular to and parallel to the connection units 322a and 322b. According to one embodiment, the power supply points 321a to 321c and the connection units 322a and 322b of the power supply unit 320 may include connection holes for connection to protrusions 312 of the substrate 310. According to one embodiment, the connection hole can be arranged centrally based on the width of the line constituting the power supply unit 320. According to another embodiment, when the first metal patch 330 is fed through the power supply point 321 of the power supply unit 320, the first metal patch 330 can be fed through multiple paths to form dual polarization. For example, when fed through two paths (including a first path and a second path, with the power supply point 321 performing feeding through both paths), if the current phase of the first path is +45°, the current phase of the second path can be -45°. As another example, if the current phase of the first path is -45°, the current phase of the second path can be +45°.

[0059] Figure 4b A power supply unit 320 connected to a substrate 310 in a subarray 300 is shown, and more specifically, features of a protrusion 312 in which a power supply point 321 of the power supply unit 320 is connected to a substrate 310 are shown.

[0060] Reference Figure 4b The substrate 310, including the supportable structure, may include a plurality of support members 311, and the support members 311 may include a first support member 311a, a second support member 311b, and a third support member 311c. According to one embodiment, the first support member 311a may be disposed at the center of the support member 311. A protrusion 314 may be disposed on the upper part of the first support member 311a. Furthermore, the first support member 311a may be configured to... Figure 3b The centers of the second metal patch 340 overlap. According to one embodiment, the second support 311b can be spaced apart from the first support 311a, and multiple second supports can be formed. For example, in... Figure 4bIn this embodiment, four second support members 311b can be arranged relative to one antenna element. However, this disclosure is not limited to this. For example, fewer than four second support members 311b can be arranged relative to one antenna element. Or, for example, more than four second support members 311b can be arranged relative to one antenna element. Furthermore, a protrusion 313 can be arranged on the upper part of the second support member 311b. According to one embodiment, a third support member 311c can be configured to extend from the first support member 311a and can form a plurality of third support members. For example, in... Figure 4b In this configuration, four third support members 311c can be arranged relative to an antenna element to extend from the first support member 311a. However, the third support members 311c can be arranged spaced apart from the first support member 311a to form a structure separate from the first support member 311a, and the structure according to one embodiment of this disclosure is not limited to the above-described structure. Furthermore, a protrusion 312 can be provided on the upper part of the third support member 311c.

[0061] According to one implementation method, such as Figure 3b As shown, the feed points 321 can be spaced apart below the first metal patch 330 and can be connected to the protrusions 312 of the substrate 310. Here, depending on the feed points 321 of the feed unit 320, when the first metal patch 330 is fed, indirect feeding can be formed on the first metal patch 330 due to coupling. Furthermore, when the first metal patch 330 is fed via the feed points 321 through coupling feeding, feeding can be performed with different phases through different paths to form dual polarization.

[0062] Figure 5a The arrangement of a first metal patch according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 5b A connection structure between a first metal patch and a substrate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The first metal patch is not limited to... Figure 5a and Figure 5b The shape shown can be formed, but it can also be formed into other shapes different from the shape shown. For example, the first metal patch can be formed into a structure with different horizontal and vertical lengths. As another example, the number of connecting holes formed therein can be three, five, six, etc.

[0063] Reference Figure 5a The first metal patch 330 may include a connection hole 331 and an opening 332. According to one embodiment, a plurality of connection holes 331 may be formed. For example, the connection holes 331 are located in... Figure 5aThe substrate may include four connection holes 331a to 331d, but this disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the number of connection holes 331 may be three, five, six or more, and correspondingly, the protrusions 313 may be formed in the same number as the connection holes 331. According to one embodiment, the connection holes 331a to 331d of the first metal patch 330 may be correspondingly connected to the protrusions 313a to 313d of the substrate 310. According to one embodiment, the connection holes 331 may be configured to be spaced apart from the apex of the first metal patch 330 to minimize the reduction in the radiation performance of the first metal patch 330. For example, refer to... Figure 5a The connecting hole 331 can be arranged between each vertex of the opening 332 and each edge of the first metal patch 330.

[0064] An opening 332 can be formed through the center of the first metal patch 330. According to one embodiment, since the antenna radiation performance varies depending on the presence and area of ​​the opening 332, the area of ​​the opening 332 can vary depending on the situation. For example, as described below, the area of ​​the opening 332 can be designed taking into account the capacitance value that varies with the area of ​​the opening 332. According to one embodiment, a first support member 311a of the substrate 310 can extend through the opening 332 of the first metal patch 330. Therefore, the first metal patch 330 and the second metal patch 340 can be arranged spaced apart from each other.

[0065] According to one embodiment, among the multiple metal patches of a stacked patch antenna, the metal patch located at the lower end may include an opening. In this case, the opening may be located at a designated position on the metal patch. The designated position may be determined based on the electric field generated by feeding the radiator (e.g., the metal patch) from the feed element.

[0066] A radiator can radiate signals into the air through an electric field generated by a feed. Antenna radiation performance can be related to the strength of the electric field. To form an opening while minimizing its impact on antenna radiation performance, it is necessary to minimize the electric field variation caused by the opening. When an opening is formed in a region of low electric field strength, radiation performance may be less affected. A designated region can be configured to have a capacitance that allows the formation of the desired radiation band while having a small impact on radiation performance. For example, a rectangular metal patch can be assumed. When the feed element feeds to a first vertex, the highest electric field is formed at the first vertex and at a second vertex diagonally opposite the first vertex, thus radiation performance can be high. Therefore, a region with zero electric field can be formed at the center of the metal patch (which corresponds to the midpoint between the first and second vertices). As another example, when feeding vertices adjacent to the metal patch (e.g., the first and third vertices) for dual polarization as described above, by feeding to the first vertex with a first phase feed, the highest electric field can be formed at the first vertex and at the second vertex diagonally opposite the first vertex. Furthermore, by feeding the third vertex with a second phase, the highest electric field is formed at the third vertex and at the fourth vertex, which is diagonally located opposite the third vertex. Therefore, a region with zero electric field can be formed at the center of the metal patch (corresponding to the midpoint between the first and second vertices), and also at the center of the metal patch (corresponding to the midpoint between the third and fourth vertices). Thus, by forming an opening at the center of the rectangular metal patch at the lower end (i.e., the region with zero electric field), the radiation performance of the metal patch can be maintained, and a target radiation band can be formed.

[0067] Since capacitors can be formed between metal patches or between metal patches and ground planes, and the area of ​​the conductor can affect the capacitance, the formation of an opening can lead to a decrease in capacitance. In other words, the change in resonant frequency caused by capacitance adjustment can be determined using the formula described below, thereby obtaining the desired radiation band.

[0068] Therefore, in the following disclosure, an opening may indicate a designated area, and the designated area may correspond to an area where the electric field has a low intensity (e.g., a zero area). For example, in the case of a rectangular patch, the center of the metal patch may correspond to the designated area. However, embodiments of this disclosure are not limited to the term "center". An opening may be provided in any area of ​​the patch other than the center, even if the area is in the side surface of the patch, as long as the area has an intensity less than or equal to a threshold or corresponds to a zero electric field.

[0069] Figure 5bA first metal patch 330 to be attached to a substrate 310 is shown. Specifically, the connection holes 331 of the first metal patch 330 are shown to correspond to and be attached to the protrusions 313 of the substrate 310.

[0070] According to one embodiment, the protrusion 313 of the second support member 311b and the connecting hole 331 of the first metal patch 330 can correspond to each other for connection. Here, in order to connect the second support member 311b and the first metal patch 330, the first support member 311a can extend through the opening 332 present in the center of the first metal patch 330.

[0071] According to one embodiment, the first metal patch 330 can receive coupled power from a power supply unit 320 disposed at the lower end of the first metal patch 330. Therefore, a signal corresponding to a specific frequency band can be radiated from the first metal patch 330.

[0072] As described above, compared to the existing structure using a printed circuit board (PCB), the structure using a support 311 and a protrusion 313 formed on a substrate 310 and a connection hole 331 formed through the first metal patch 330 allows the antenna to be formed without additional processes, and the volume occupied by the antenna element can be reduced by reducing the spacing between the metal patches.

[0073] Furthermore, as described below, by passing through the opening 332 formed by the first metal patch 330, the difficulty of changing the resonant frequency and forming the frequency band that may occur when the spacing between the metal patches is shortened can be solved.

[0074] Figure 6a The arrangement of a second metal patch according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 6b A connection structure between a second metal patch and a substrate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The second metal patch is not limited to... Figure 5a and Figure 5b The shape shown is formed, but it can be formed into other shapes different from the shape described.

[0075] Reference Figure 6a The second metal patch 340 may include a connection hole 341. According to one embodiment, a plurality of connection holes 341 may be formed. For example, the connection holes 341 are located in... Figure 6aThe substrate 310 may include four connection holes 341a to 341d, but this disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the number of connection holes 341 may be three, five, six or more, and correspondingly, the protrusions 314 may be formed to have the same number as the connection holes 341. According to one embodiment, the connection holes 341a to 341d of the second metal patch 340 may be respectively connected to the protrusions 314a to 314d of the substrate 310. Furthermore, the connection holes 341 may be disposed at the center of the second metal patch 340 to minimize the reduction in the radiation performance of the second metal patch 340. That is, the radiation performance may be formed to be high at the edges or apex of the second metal patch 340, and with this in mind, the connection holes 341 may be disposed at the center of the second metal patch 340.

[0076] Figure 6b A second metal patch 340 to be attached to a substrate 310 is shown. Specifically, the connection holes 341 of the second metal patch 340 are shown to correspond to and be attached to the protrusions 314 of the substrate 310.

[0077] According to one embodiment, the protrusion 314 of the first support member 311a and the connecting hole 341 of the second metal patch 340 can correspond to and be connected to each other. In this case, the second metal patch can be connected to the protrusion 314 arranged on the upper part of the first support member 311a, and therefore can be configured to be spaced apart from the first metal patch 330 to be connected to the second support member 311b.

[0078] According to one embodiment, the first metal patch 330 can receive coupled power from the power supply unit 320 disposed at the lower end of the first metal patch 330, and the second metal patch 340 can receive coupled power from both the first metal patch 330 and the power supply unit 320. Therefore, a signal corresponding to a specific frequency band can be radiated from the second metal patch 340.

[0079] Figures 3a to 6bA subarray structure according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown, wherein each antenna element comprises a stacked patch antenna. The substrate, formed of a dielectric having a dielectric constant, has good plasticity and can therefore be formed with support structures and protrusions, and the first and second metal patches can be joined to the protrusions of the substrate in an assembled or fused manner. Therefore, the spacing between the first and second metal patches can be shortened, and the volume occupied by each antenna element including the stacked patch antenna can be reduced. Thus, the number of antenna elements to be mounted to a massively multi-input multiple-output (MIMO) unit (MMU) device can be increased. However, due to the shortened spacing between the metal patches in the stacked patch antenna constituting the antenna elements, it may be difficult to form the desired resonant frequency band. To solve this problem, by constructing the stacked patch antenna using a first metal patch including an opening, embodiments of the present disclosure can form the target resonant frequency band of the signal radiated from the antenna while maintaining the same directivity as before.

[0080] exist Figures 7a to 9c As described above, the difficulties in changing and forming the frequency band that may occur when the spacing between the first metal patch and the second metal patch is shortened in a conventional stacked patch antenna are described, and the radiation performance of an antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is described, the radiation performance of which is improved by the first metal patch including an opening.

[0081] Figure 7a This illustrates a configuration of the antenna with reduced spacing between patches, based on existing antenna designs. Figure 7b This illustrates antenna performance with reduced spacing between patches compared to existing antennas. For ease of illustration, Figure 7a The electronic device 700 is described based on a stacked patch antenna including a substrate, the substrate including a metal patch at an upper end, a metal patch at a lower end, and a junction area.

[0082] Reference Figure 7aThe volume occupied by the antenna element can be reduced by decreasing the spacing between the metal patch at the upper end and the metal patch at the lower end, thereby enabling the mounting of multiple antenna elements (e.g., stacked patch antennas) on a massive MIMO (Multiple-Input Multiple-Output) unit (MMU) device. According to one embodiment, a conventional stacked patch antenna 710 may have a spacing 711 between the metal patch 712 at the upper end and the metal patch 713 at the lower end, and the spacing 711 may be formed to have a length d0. For example, when the wavelength of the signal to be radiated from the antenna is λ, d0 may be formed to have a length of λ / 12-λ / 10. Conversely, a stacked patch antenna 720 with a reduced spacing may have a spacing 721 between the metal patch 722 at the upper end and the metal patch 723 at the lower end, and this spacing may be formed to have a length d1. Here, d1 may be formed to have a value smaller than d0. For example, when the wavelength of the signal to be radiated from the antenna is λ, d1 may be formed to have a length of λ / 24-λ / 20.

[0083] Figure 7b Depicting instructions Figure 7a A first graph 730 shows the return loss of a conventional stacked patch antenna 710, and a second graph 740 shows the return loss of a stacked patch antenna 720 with reduced spacing. In each graph, the x-axis represents the normalized frequency, and the y-axis represents the return loss. The first graph 730 indicates that, relative to the radiation bands of the conventional stacked patch antenna 710, a first resonant frequency 731 can be formed at approximately 0.95 Hz, and a second resonant frequency 732 can be formed at approximately 1.05 Hz. Therefore, since the spacing between the first resonant frequency 731 and the second resonant frequency 732 is narrow and the return loss in each resonant band has a value of less than -25 dB, a resonant band 733 based on a return loss value of -10 dB can be clearly formed.

[0084] Conversely, referring to the second curve 740, in the stacked patch antenna 720 with reduced spacing, the first resonant frequency 741 can be formed to be approximately 0.87, and the second resonant frequency 742 can be formed to be approximately 1.13. Therefore, since the spacing between the first resonant frequency 741 and the second resonant frequency 742 is widened and the return loss in each resonant band has a value of approximately -10 dB, a resonant band 743 can be omitted.

[0085] As described above, when the spacing between patches in a conventional stacked patch antenna is reduced, it becomes difficult to form a radiation band through dual resonance. Conversely, even with reduced spacing between patches, a stacked patch antenna according to an embodiment of this disclosure, which includes a metal patch (including an opening) at its lower end, can maintain its antenna radiation performance. In this regard, reference will be made to... Figure 8a and Figure 8b Provide a description.

[0086] Figure 8a An antenna configuration according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown, wherein the spacing between the antenna patches is reduced. Figure 8b Antenna performance with reduced spacing between antenna patches according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. For ease of explanation, in Figure 8a In the electronic device 800, the substrate structure is formed to have a similar structure to... Figure 7a The structure is the same flat form, including grounding, and the dimensions of the metal patch at the upper end and the metal patch at the lower end are the same. Figure 7a The electronic devices 700 are the same, and the metal patch at the lower end may include an opening.

[0087] Reference Figure 8a The stacked patch antenna 810, including a metal patch (which includes an opening) at the lower end, may have a gap 811 between the metal patch 812 at the upper end and the second metal patch 813 at the lower end. In this case, the gap may be formed to have a spacing 811 with respect to... Figure 7b The stacked patch antennas 710 have the same length d1 as the reduced spacing 711. For example, when the wavelength of the signal to be radiated from the antenna is λ, d1 can be formed to have a length of λ / 24-λ / 20. According to one embodiment, the metal patch 813 at the lower end can be as follows: Figure 5a The first metal patch 330 includes an opening.

[0088] Figure 8b A third graph 820 indicating the return loss of a stacked patch antenna 810 including a metal patch (which includes an opening) at its lower end, and a fourth graph 830 indicating directivity are depicted. In the third graph 820, the x-axis represents the normalized frequency, and the y-axis represents the return loss. The third graph 820 indicates that, relative to the radiation bands of the stacked patch antenna 810, a first resonant frequency 821 can be formed to be approximately 0.95 Hz, and a second resonant frequency 822 can be formed to be approximately 1.05 Hz. Therefore, since the spacing between the first resonant frequency 821 and the second resonant frequency 822 is narrow and the return loss in each resonant band has a value of approximately -13 dB, a resonant band 823 based on a return loss value of -10 dB can be formed.

[0089] In the fourth graph 830, the x-axis represents the angle (θ(theta)) of the signal radiated from the antenna, and the y-axis represents the directivity. Referring to the fourth graph 830, graphs 831 and 832 are plotted; graph 831 indicates relative to... Figure 7aThe directivity of a conventional stacked patch antenna 710 is shown in Figure 832, which indicates the directivity of a stacked patch antenna 810 relative to a metal patch (including an opening) at its lower end. According to one embodiment, the directivity of a conventional stacked patch antenna 710 with a spacing of d0 and the directivity of a stacked patch antenna 810 with a spacing of d1 and a metal patch (including an opening) at its lower end can be made identical. Therefore, a stacked patch antenna according to an embodiment of this disclosure can ensure a radiation band while allowing the signal radiated from the antenna to maintain the same directivity as before, even with a reduced spacing.

[0090] In the following text, as described above, the reason why the resonant frequency interval widens when the interval between the metal patch at the upper end and the metal patch at the lower end narrows will be described, and it will be described why the radiation band can be ensured while maintaining the same directivity by using a stacked patch antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0091] Figures 9a to 9b The illustration shows an arrangement of inter-patch capacitors for adding metal patches to an antenna according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 9c This is a graph showing the capacitance of the antenna according to one embodiment of this disclosure when a metal patch is added. For ease of explanation, Figures 9a to 9c This illustrates the assumption that the metal patch at the upper end and the metal patch at the lower end have the same area, and that the metal patch at the lower end does not include an opening.

[0092] Reference Figure 9a To illustrate the change in resonant frequency generated by feeding the metal patch 912 at the lower end with the addition of the metal patch 913 at the upper end, a substrate including the metal patch 912 at the lower end and the grounding area 911 is shown in the left portion of the figure, and a substrate including the metal patch 912 at the lower end, the grounding area 911, and the metal patch 913 at the upper end is shown in the right portion of the figure. (Refer to...) Figure 9a On the left side, the first capacitor C0 can be formed by a metal patch 912 at the lower end and a junction area 911 of the substrate. Here, the first capacitor resonates with a first resonant frequency f generated by feeding the metal patch 913 at the lower end. r1 The relationship between them is shown in Formula 1 below.

[0093] [Formula 1]

[0094]

[0095] Among them, f r1C0 indicates the first resonant frequency generated by feeding the metal patch 912 at the lower end, and C0 indicates the first capacitor generated between the metal patch 912 at the lower end and the junction area 911 of the substrate.

[0096] Considering the above formula, the first resonant frequency f generated by feeding the metal patch 912 at the lower end is... r1 It can be inversely proportional to the first capacitor C0 generated between the metal patch 912 at the lower end and the junction area 911 of the substrate.

[0097] On the other hand, referring to the right side of the reference image, when a metal patch 913 is added to the upper end, in addition to the first capacitor C0 between the metal patch 912 at the lower end and the junction area 911 of the substrate, a second capacitor C1 and a third capacitor C2 can also be formed. The second capacitor C1 is between the metal patch 912 at the lower end and the metal patch 913 at the upper end, and the third capacitor C2 is between the metal patch 913 at the upper end and the junction area 911 of the substrate. Here, the first capacitor to the third capacitor and the first resonant frequency f generated by feeding the metal patch 912 at the lower end... r1 The relationship between them is shown in Formula 2 below.

[0098] [Formula 2]

[0099]

[0100] Among them, f r1 The first resonant frequency generated by feeding the metal patch 912 at the lower end when the metal patch 913 is added to the upper end is indicated; C0 indicates the first capacitor generated between the metal patch 912 at the lower end and the junction area 911 of the substrate; C1 indicates the second capacitor generated between the metal patch 912 at the lower end and the metal patch 913 at the upper end; and C2 indicates the third capacitor generated between the metal patch 913 at the upper end and the junction area 911 of the substrate.

[0101] Considering the above formula, since the parallel sum of the second capacitor C1 and the third capacitor C2 always has a value greater than zero, the first resonant frequency f when the metal patch 913 is added to the upper end is... r1 It has a first resonant frequency f that is otherwise different. r1 The smaller the value.

[0102] Reference Figure 9bTo illustrate the change in resonant frequency generated by feeding the metal patch 923 at the upper end with the addition of the metal patch 922 at the lower end, a substrate including the metal patch 923 at the upper end and the grounding area 921 is shown in the left portion of the figure, while a substrate including the metal patch 923 at the upper end, the metal patch 923 at the lower end, and the grounding area 921 is shown in the right portion of the figure. (Refer to...) Figure 9b On the left side, the fourth capacitor C3 can be formed by a metal patch 923 at the upper end and a junction area 921 on the substrate. Here, the fourth capacitor resonates with the second resonant frequency f generated by feeding the metal patch 923 at the upper end. r2 The relationship between them is shown in Formula 3 below.

[0103] [Formula 3]

[0104]

[0105] Among them, f r2 C3 indicates the second resonant frequency generated by feeding the metal patch 923 at the upper end, and C3 indicates the fourth capacitor generated between the metal patch 923 at the upper end and the junction area 921 of the substrate.

[0106] Considering the above formula, the second resonant frequency f generated by feeding the metal patch 923 at the upper end... r2 It can be inversely proportional to the fourth capacitor C3 generated between the metal patch 923 at the upper end and the junction area 921 of the substrate.

[0107] On the other hand, referring to the right side of the reference image, when a metal patch 922 is added to the lower end, a fifth capacitor C4 and a sixth capacitor C5 can be formed. The fifth capacitor C4 is located between the metal patch 922 at the lower end and the metal patch 923 at the upper end, and the sixth capacitor C5 is located between the metal patch 922 at the lower end and the contact area 921 of the substrate. Here, the fifth capacitor, the sixth capacitor, and the third capacitor resonate with the second resonant frequency f generated by feeding the metal patch 923 at the upper end. r2 The relationship is shown in Formula 4 below.

[0108] [Formula 4]

[0109]

[0110] Among them, f r2C4 indicates the second resonant frequency generated by feeding the metal patch 923 at the upper end when the metal patch 922 is added at the lower end; C5 indicates the fifth capacitor generated between the metal patch 923 at the upper end and the metal patch 922 at the lower end; and C6 indicates the sixth capacitor generated between the metal patch 922 at the lower end and the junction area 921 of the substrate.

[0111] Considering the above formula, in order to compare the change in the second resonant frequency relative to the metal patch 923 at the upper end with the addition of the metal patch 922 at the lower end, it would be necessary to compare the dimensions of the parallel sum of the fifth capacitor C4 and the sixth capacitor C5 compared to the fourth capacitor C3. Furthermore, the fourth to sixth capacitors can be defined by the following <Formula 5> for the dimension comparison.

[0112] [Formula 5]

[0113]

[0114] Where C indicates the capacitance between the metal patches, ε indicates the dielectric constant of the space between the metal patches, A indicates the area of ​​the metal patches, and d indicates the spacing between the metal patches.

[0115] Consider the above formula and Figure 9b The capacitance of the fourth capacitor is shown in Formula 6 below.

[0116] [Formula 6]

[0117]

[0118] Wherein, C3 indicates the capacitance of the fourth capacitor, ε1 indicates the effective dielectric constant of the space between the metal patch 923 at the upper end and the metal patch 922 at the lower end in a mixed environment with the dielectric constant ε2 of the substrate connected to the metal patch 922 at the lower end, A indicates the area of ​​the metal patch 923 at the upper end and the metal patch 922 at the lower end, and h2 indicates the spacing between the metal patch 923 at the upper end and the junction area 911 of the substrate.

[0119] Furthermore, considering the above formula and Figure 9b The capacitance of the fifth and sixth capacitors in parallel is shown in Formula 7 below.

[0120] [Formula 7]

[0121]

[0122] Wherein, C4 indicates the capacitance of the fifth capacitor, C5 indicates the capacitance of the sixth capacitor, ε2 indicates the dielectric constant of the substrate connected to the metal patch 922 at the lower end, ε0 indicates the dielectric constant of the space between the metal patch 923 at the upper end and the metal patch 922 at the lower end, A indicates the area of ​​the metal patch 923 at the upper end and the metal patch 922 at the lower end, h1 indicates the spacing between the metal patch 922 at the lower end and the contact area 911 of the substrate, and h2 indicates the spacing between the metal patch 923 at the upper end and the contact area 911 of the substrate.

[0123] Reference Figure 9c Used for comparing the magnitudes of the above formulas. Figure 9c The fifth curve 951 indicates the capacitance change of the fourth capacitor, which depends on h2, when h1 is fixed. The sixth curve 952 indicates the capacitance change of the parallel sum of the fifth and sixth capacitors, which depends on h2, when h1 is fixed. Referring to the fifth curve 951 and the sixth curve 952, regardless of the value of h2, the capacitance of the sixth curve 952 can always be formed to be lower than the capacitance of the fifth curve 951. According to one embodiment, the capacitance of the parallel sum of the fifth and sixth capacitors can always be formed to be lower than the capacitance of the fourth capacitor. According to another embodiment, even if the value of h1 changes, the capacitance of the sixth curve 952 can always be formed to be lower than the capacitance of the fifth curve 951. Therefore, considering that the resonant frequency is inversely proportional to the capacitance, a second resonant frequency f can be generated by feeding the metal patch 923 at the upper end. r2 It can be formed to a second resonant frequency f lower than that produced when a metal patch 932 is added to the lower end. r2 .

[0124] Considering the above description, in a stacked patch antenna, when the spacing between the metal patches at the upper and lower ends decreases, a mutual capacitance loading effect occurs between the capacitances of the metal patches and the junction area of ​​the stacked patch antenna, and the resulting interval between resonant frequencies may increase. Conversely, a stacked patch antenna according to an embodiment of this disclosure can reduce the capacitance value of the capacitor by creating an opening in the metal patch at the lower end, and prevent the resulting interval between resonant frequencies from increasing. For example, considering the above formula and Figure 9a When the metal patch 912 at the lower end includes an opening, the capacitance of the first capacitor C0 and the second capacitor C1 is reduced to prevent a decrease in the first resonant frequency. For example, considering the above formula and... Figure 9bWhen an opening is included in the metal patch 922 at the lower end, the capacitance of the fifth capacitor C4 and the sixth capacitor C5 is reduced to prevent an increase in the second resonant frequency. That is, even if the spacing between the two metal patches is reduced, the stacked patch antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can maintain conventional antenna radiation performance.

[0125] Reference Figures 1 to 9c By using a substrate formed of a dielectric with a dielectric constant, different from a conventional printed circuit board (PCB), an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can form a substrate with a support structure and can be connected to a metal patch by means of fusion or assembly. Therefore, when configuring a stacked patch antenna, additional processes or external structures may not be required. The electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is more practical than using a conventional PCB. For example, an electronic device including a substrate formed of a dielectric with a dielectric constant is practical compared to using a conventional PCB because the electronic device can be manufactured at a low production cost. As another example, an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a substrate configured with a dielectric with good plasticity, and the substrate may include a support structure to be connected to a metal patch. In this way, antennas (or antenna elements) with small volume can be formed and more antennas can be mounted on a large-scale MIMO unit (MMU), thus being more practical than the method of forming antennas using a conventional PCB. For example, an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure can maintain the same antenna radiation performance (e.g., directivity and radiation bands) as before, although the antenna structure occupies a small volume through an opening included in a metal patch at the lower end.

[0126] Although Figures 3a to 9c An antenna structure including antenna elements has been described; however, an MMU device in which multiple subarrays are combined to form a single device can also be understood as an embodiment of this disclosure. In the following, reference will be made to… Figure 10 An example of an electronic device with an antenna structure is described, the antenna structure including a substrate formed of a dielectric according to an embodiment of the present disclosure and a metal patch including an opening.

[0127] Figure 10 The functional configuration of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Electronic device 1010 may correspond to... Figure 1 One of base station 100 or terminal 110-1 to 110-6. According to one embodiment, electronic device 1010 may be an MMU. Embodiments of this disclosure include reference to... Figures 1 to 9c The antenna element structure mentioned, and the electronic device including the antenna element structure.

[0128] Figure 10An exemplary functional configuration of electronic device 1010 is shown. Electronic device 1010 may include antenna unit 1011, filter unit 1012, radio frequency (RF) processor 1013, and processor 1014.

[0129] Antenna unit 1011 may include multiple antennas. The antennas perform the function of transmitting or receiving signals via a wireless channel. Antennas may include radiators formed of conductive patterns or conductors formed on a substrate (e.g., a PCB). Antennas may radiate up-converted signals over the wireless channel or receive signals radiated by other devices. Each antenna may be referred to as an antenna element or antenna assembly. In some embodiments, antenna unit 1011 may include an antenna array, wherein multiple antenna elements form an array (e.g., a subarray). Antenna unit 1011 may be electrically connected to filter unit 1012 via RF signal lines. Antenna unit 1011 may be mounted on a PCB including multiple antenna elements. The PCB may include multiple RF signal lines for connecting each antenna element and filter unit 1012. RF signal lines may be referred to as a feed network. Antenna unit 1011 may provide received signals to filter unit 1012 or radiate signals provided by filter unit 1012 into the air.

[0130] Antenna unit 1011 according to various embodiments may include at least one antenna module with a dual-polarized antenna. The dual-polarized antenna may be, for example, a cross-polarized (x-pol) antenna. The dual-polarized antenna may include two antenna elements corresponding to different polarizations. For example, the dual-polarized antenna may include a first antenna element with +45° polarization and a second antenna element with -45° polarization. Besides +45° and -45°, other polarizations can certainly be formed as orthogonal to each other. Each antenna element may be connected to a feed line and may be electrically connected to filter unit 1012, RF processor 1013, and processor 1014, which will be described below.

[0131] According to one embodiment, a dual-polarized antenna can correspond to a patch antenna (or microstrip antenna). When in patch form, a dual-polarized antenna can be easily implemented and integrated into an array antenna. Two signals with different polarizations can be input to each antenna port. Each antenna port can correspond to an antenna element. For high efficiency, it is necessary to optimize the relationship between the common polarization characteristics and cross-polarization characteristics of the two signals with different polarizations. In a dual-polarized antenna, the common polarization characteristic indicates the characteristics relative to a specific polarization, and the cross-polarization characteristic indicates the characteristics relative to a polarization different from the specific polarization.

[0132] Antenna elements and subarrays (e.g., formed in a structure according to an embodiment of the present disclosure) are provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3a ) can be included in Figure 10In antenna element 1011, that is, each antenna element can be formed by a stacked patch antenna including a substrate having a support structure formed of dielectric and a metal patch including an opening, and multiple antenna elements can form a subarray, such as... Figure 3a and Figure 3b As shown. Antenna elements and subarrays can be included in antenna element 1011.

[0133] Filter unit 1012 can perform filtering for transmitting signals of a desired frequency. Filter unit 1012 can perform the function of selectively identifying frequencies by generating resonance. In some embodiments, filter unit 1012 can form resonance through a cavity structurally including a dielectric. In some embodiments, filter unit 1012 can form resonance through elements configured to form an inductor or capacitor. In some embodiments, filter unit 1012 can include an elastic filter, such as a bulk acoustic wave (BAW) filter or a surface acoustic wave (SAW) filter. Filter unit 1012 can include at least one of a bandpass filter, a low-pass filter, a high-pass filter, or a band-stop filter. That is, filter unit 1012 can include RF circuitry for obtaining signals in a transmit or receive frequency band. Filter unit 1012 according to various embodiments can be electrically connected to antenna unit 1011 and RF processor 1013.

[0134] RF processor 1013 may include multiple RF paths. An RF path can be a unit of the path through which a signal received by an antenna or a signal radiated by an antenna travels. At least one RF path may be referred to as an RF chain. An RF chain may include multiple RF components. RF components may include amplifiers, mixers, oscillators, DACs, ADCs, etc. For example, RF processor 1013 may include an upconverter for upconverting a digital transmission signal in baseband to a transmission frequency and a digital-to-analog converter for converting the upconverted digital transmission signal into an analog RF transmission signal. The upconverter and DAC form part of the transmission path. The transmission path may also include a power amplifier (PA) or a coupler (or combiner). Furthermore, for example, RF processor 1013 may include an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) for converting an analog RF received signal into a digital received signal and a downconverter for downconverting the digital received signal to a digital received signal in ground band. The ADC and downconverter form part of the receiving path. The receiving path may also include a low-noise amplifier (LNA) or a coupler (or frequency divider). The RF components of the RF processor may be implemented on a PCB. Base station 100 may include a structure in which antenna unit 1011, filter section 1012 and RF processor 1013 are stacked sequentially. The RF components of the antenna and RF processor can be implemented on a PCB, and the filters between PCBs can be repeatedly connected to each other to form multiple layers.

[0135] Processor 1014 can control the overall operation of electronic device 1010. Processor 1014 may include various modules for performing communication. Processor 1014 may include at least one processor, such as a modem. Processor 1014 may include modules for digital signal processing. For example, processor 1014 may include a modem. When transmitting data, processor 1014 can generate composite symbols by encoding and modulating the transmitted bit stream. Furthermore, for example, when receiving data, processor 1014 can recover the bit stream by demodulating and decoding the baseband signal. Processor 1014 can perform the functions of the protocol stack required by the communication standard.

[0136] exist Figure 10 In this context, the functional configuration of electronic device 1010 is described as a device that can utilize the antenna structure of this disclosure. However, Figure 10 The example shown is only based on the method described above. Figures 1 to 9c The exemplary configurations of antenna structures described in the various embodiments of this disclosure are not limited to those described herein. Figure 10 The components of the device shown. Therefore, antenna modules including antenna structures, other types of communication devices, and the antenna structure itself can also be understood as embodiments of this disclosure.

[0137] As described above, an antenna in a wireless communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a substrate. The substrate includes a first metal patch, a second metal patch, a feeding unit, and a support structure. The first metal patch and the second metal patch are disposed on the substrate. The feeding unit is connected to the substrate while being spaced apart from the first metal patch. The first metal patch includes an opening.

[0138] In one embodiment, the substrate including the support structure may include a first support member to be connected to a second metal patch, a second support member to be connected to a first metal patch, and a third support member to be connected to a power supply unit.

[0139] In one embodiment, the first support member can be disposed at the center of the substrate having the support structure, the second support member can be disposed spaced apart from the first support member, the third support member can be configured to extend from the first support member, the first metal patch can extend through the opening of the first metal patch through the first support member to connect to the second support member, the second metal patch can be connected to the first support member, and at the same time spaced apart from the first metal patch.

[0140] In one embodiment, the second metal patch may be attached to the first support at at least one point, and the first metal patch may be attached to the second support at at least one point.

[0141] In one embodiment, the second metal patch can be connected to the first support member at the center of the second metal patch.

[0142] In one embodiment, the first metal patch may be attached to the first support member at the edge of the first metal patch.

[0143] In one implementation, the connection can be performed by fusion or assembly.

[0144] In one embodiment, the substrate with the support structure may be formed of a dielectric having a dielectric constant.

[0145] In one embodiment, the relative permittivity of the dielectric may correspond to about 2 or greater and about 6 or less.

[0146] In one embodiment, the power supply to the power supply unit can be performed via a coupling power supply.

[0147] In one embodiment, the power supply of the power supply unit may include a first power supply and a second power supply. When it is assumed that the phase of the first power supply is a first phase and the phase of the second power supply is a second phase, the difference between the first phase and the second phase may correspond to 90°.

[0148] In one embodiment, a contact area may also be provided adjacent to one surface of the substrate having a support structure.

[0149] In one embodiment, the substrate having a support structure may include a junction area.

[0150] In one embodiment, the first capacitor may be formed by a first metal patch and a second metal patch, the second capacitor may be formed by the first metal patch and a grounding area, and the third capacitor may be formed by the second metal patch and a grounding area.

[0151] In one embodiment, the power supply of the power supply unit can generate a first resonant frequency along a first current path via a first capacitor, a second capacitor, and a third capacitor, and can generate a second resonant frequency along a second current path via a first capacitor and a second capacitor.

[0152] In one embodiment, a plurality of metal patches may be arranged at intervals from the first metal patch and the second metal patch.

[0153] As described above, a massive MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) unit (MMU) device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a power supply unit, a substrate having a support structure, at least one processor, and a subarray including a plurality of antenna elements, wherein each antenna element includes a first metal patch disposed on the substrate having the support structure and having an opening, and a second metal patch disposed on the substrate having the support structure and spaced apart from the first metal patch, and the power supply unit is disposed on the substrate having the support structure and spaced apart from the first metal patch.

[0154] According to one embodiment, a substrate having a support structure can be formed as a pattern structure corresponding to each antenna element, and the pattern structure may include a first support member disposed at the center of each antenna element, a second support member disposed at a distance from the first support member, and a third support member extending from the first support member.

[0155] In one embodiment, the power supply unit can be connected to a third support member of the patterned structure, and the first metal patch can extend through the opening of the first metal patch through the first support member to be connected to the second support member. The second metal patch can be connected to the first support member while being spaced apart from the first metal patch.

[0156] According to one embodiment, a first metal patch can be attached to a second support member at its edge, and a second metal patch can be attached to the first support member at its center.

[0157] The methods described in the claims or specification of this disclosure can be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software.

[0158] When the method is implemented in software, a computer-readable storage medium may be provided for storing one or more programs (software modules). The one or more programs stored in the computer-readable storage medium may be configured to be executed by one or more processors within an electronic device. The at least one program may include instructions to cause the electronic device to perform methods according to various embodiments of this disclosure as defined in the appended claims and / or disclosed herein.

[0159] The program (software module or software) can be stored in non-volatile memory, including random access memory and flash memory, read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), disk storage devices, compact disc ROM (CD-ROM), digital versatile optical disc (DVD), or other types of optical storage devices or magnetic tape cassettes. Optionally, some or any combination of these can form the memory in which the program is stored. Furthermore, multiple such memories can be included in an electronic device.

[0160] Furthermore, the program can be stored on an attachable storage device, which can be accessed by the electronic device via a communication network such as the Internet, intranet, local area network (LAN), wide area network (WLAN), and storage area network (SAN), or a combination thereof. Such a storage device can be accessed via an external port. Additionally, a separate storage device on the communication network can access portable electronic devices.

[0161] In the detailed embodiments described above, the elements included in this disclosure are expressed in a singular or plural form according to the presented detailed embodiments. However, for ease of description, singular or plural forms are suitably chosen as the case presented, and this disclosure is not limited to elements expressed in a singular or plural form. Thus, an element expressed in a plural form may also include a single element, or an element expressed in a singular form may include multiple elements.

[0162] Although specific embodiments have been described in the detailed description of this disclosure, it will be apparent that various modifications and changes can be made thereto without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Therefore, the scope of this disclosure should not be limited to the embodiments, but rather should be defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An antenna in a wireless communication system, the antenna comprising: First metal patch, including an opening; Second metal patch; The power supply unit includes a first power supply unit; as well as The substrate includes a support structure, a first support member for the second metal patch, a plurality of second supports for the first metal patch, and a third support member disposed between the plurality of second supports. The first support extends through the opening in the first metal patch to connect with the second metal patch. The plurality of second support members are connected to the first metal patch and spaced apart from the first support member. The third support member extends from the first support member. The first power supply unit is disposed on the substrate and connected to the third support member. Wherein, the first power supply unit is spaced apart from the first metal patch, and The first power supply unit is configured to supply power to the first metal patch using coupling power supply.

2. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the first support member is disposed at the center of the substrate including the support structure, and The second metal patch is connected to the first support member and is spaced apart from the first metal patch.

3. The antenna of claim 2, wherein the second metal patch is coupled to the first support member at at least one point on the second metal patch, and The first metal patch is connected to the plurality of second supports at at least one point on the first metal patch.

4. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the second metal patch is connected to the first support at the center of the second metal patch.

5. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the first metal patch is attached to the first support member on the edge of the first metal patch.

6. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the substrate of the supporting structure is formed of a dielectric having a dielectric constant.

7. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the feeding unit comprises the first feeding unit and the second feeding unit. in, The first phase of the first signal of the first power supply unit is 90° out of phase with the second phase of the second signal of the second power supply unit.

8. The antenna of claim 1 further includes a contact area disposed adjacent to a surface of the substrate including the support structure.

9. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the substrate of the supporting structure includes a grounding area. The first capacitor is formed by the first metal patch and the second metal patch. The second capacitor is formed by the first metal patch and the grounding area, and The third capacitor is formed by the second metal patch and the grounding area.

10. The antenna according to claim 9, wherein, The first resonant frequency is formed along a first current path via the first capacitor, the second capacitor, and the third capacitor through the first power supply unit, and the second resonant frequency is formed along a second current path via the first capacitor and the second capacitor.

11. A large-scale multiple-input multiple-output unit device, comprising: The power supply unit includes a first power supply unit; Including the substrate of the supporting structure; At least one processor; as well as Subarrays comprising multiple antenna elements The plurality of antenna elements include: The first metal patch includes an opening; and Second metal patch, The support structure includes a first support member for the second metal patch, a plurality of second support members for the first metal patch, and a third support member disposed between the plurality of second support members. The first support extends through the opening in the first metal patch to connect with the second metal patch. The plurality of second support members are connected to the first metal patch and spaced apart from the first support member. The third support member extends from the first support member. The first power supply unit is disposed on the substrate and connected to the third support member. Wherein, the first power supply unit is spaced apart from the first metal patch, and The first power supply unit is configured to supply power to the first metal patch using coupling power supply.

12. The massive MIMO unit device of claim 11, wherein the substrate of the support structure is formed in a patterned structure corresponding to the plurality of antenna elements.

13. The massive MIMO unit device of claim 12, wherein the first support member is disposed at the center of the substrate including the support structure, and The second metal patch is connected to the first support member and is spaced apart from the first metal patch.

14. The large-scale multiple-input multiple-output unit device according to claim 11, further comprising: The contact area is disposed adjacent to a surface of the substrate including the support member.

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