Phase shifter and antenna device

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to phase shifters, antenna devices, and base stations. A phase shifter includes a substrate comprising a first conductive member, a movable component, and an adjustment component. The movable component includes a second conductive member electrically coupled to the first conductive member and is adapted to move relative to the substrate in a first direction to shift a phase of an electrical signal output by the phase shifter. The adjustment component is coupled to the movable component and is adapted to move the movable component to effect an alignment of the second conductive member with the first conductive member or a change in force applied by the movable component to the substrate. In this manner, an error adjustment mechanism is provided to the phase shifter and antenna devices and base stations comprising these phase shifters can achieve increased accuracy and consistency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments disclosed herein relate generally to the telecommunications field, and more particularly to phase shifters, antenna devices, and base stations. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of communications, phase shifters (PS) are commonly used in antenna equipment to improve the range and accuracy of antenna beam scanning. By using phase shifters, the number of antenna elements in the antenna equipment can be reduced, thereby saving on the cost and power consumption of the antenna equipment.

[0003] Various phase shifters have been proposed in recent antenna technologies. For example, a digital phase shifter may include diodes and other peripheral circuitry to shift the phase of a signal. Another proposed phase shifter includes a first printed circuit board (PCB), a second PCB parallel to the first PCB, and a third PCB bent between the first and second PCBs to couple to the ends of the first and second PCBs. By moving the first or second PCB in a parallel direction, the phase shifter can continuously shift the phase of the signal. Further improved solutions for phase shifters are still needed. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In general, the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure provide a phase shifter, an antenna device including the phase shifter, and a base station.

[0005] In a first aspect, a phase shifter is provided. The phase shifter includes a substrate, a movable component, and an adjustment component. The substrate includes a set of first conductive members. The movable component includes a second conductive member electrically coupled to the set of first conductive members, and the movable component is adapted to move relative to the substrate in a first direction to shift the phase of an electrical signal output from the phase shifter. The adjustment component is coupled to the movable component and adapted to move the movable component to achieve at least one of the following: alignment of the second conductive member and the set of first conductive members; or a change in the force applied to the substrate by the movable component.

[0006] In a second aspect, an antenna device is provided. The antenna device includes an antenna array and a phase shifter. The phase shifter includes a substrate, a movable component, and an adjustment component. The substrate includes a set of first conductive members. The movable component includes a second conductive member electrically coupled to the set of first conductive members, and the movable component is adapted to move relative to the substrate in a first direction to shift the phase of an electrical signal output from the phase shifter. The adjustment component is coupled to the movable component and adapted to move the movable component to achieve at least one of the following: alignment of the second conductive member and the set of first conductive members; or a change in the force applied to the substrate by the movable component.

[0007] In a third aspect, a base station is provided. The base station includes the antenna device according to the second aspect.

[0008] It should be understood that the summary portion is not intended to identify key or essential features of the embodiments of this disclosure, nor is it intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Other features of this disclosure will become readily apparent from the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0009] Some exemplary embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0010] Figures 1A to 1C Possible arrangements of the phase shifter are shown;

[0011] Figure 2 An example communication network in which example embodiments of this disclosure may be implemented is shown;

[0012] Figure 3 Block diagrams of antenna devices according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are shown;

[0013] Figure 4 A perspective view of a phase shifter according to some example embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0014] Figure 5 An exploded view of a phase shifter according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0015] Figure 6 A top view of a substrate of a phase shifter according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0016] Figure 7A A top view of a movable plate and an elastic member of a movable component according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0017] Figure 7B A top view is shown of an alternative implementation of a movable plate and an elastic member of a movable component according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0018] Figure 7C A bottom view of a movable plate and an elastic member of a movable component according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0019] Figure 8A A top view of the housing of a movable component according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0020] Figure 8B A bottom view of the housing of a movable component according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0021] Figure 8C A bottom view of the housing of a movable component according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0022] Figure 9 A perspective view is shown of an example adjustment member included in an adjustment assembly according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0023] Figure 10 A top view of the housing of a phase shifter according to some example embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0024] Figure 11A The following are some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of the phase shifter taken by line AA;

[0025] Figure 11B The following are some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of an alternative implementation of the phase shifter, taken by line AA;

[0026] Figure 12A The following are some example embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of the phase shifter taken by line BB; and

[0027] Figure 12B The following are some example embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of an alternative implementation of the phase shifter, taken by line BB.

[0028] Throughout the accompanying drawings, the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements. Detailed Implementation

[0029] The principles of this disclosure will now be described with reference to some exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that these embodiments are described for illustrative purposes only and to assist those skilled in the art in understanding and implementing this disclosure, and not to impose any limitation on the scope of this disclosure. The disclosure described herein can be implemented in various ways other than those described below.

[0030] In the following description and claims, unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains.

[0031] References to "one embodiment," "some example embodiments," "an example embodiment," etc., in this disclosure indicate that the described embodiments may include specific features, structures, or characteristics, but it is not necessary for every embodiment to include specific features, structures, or characteristics. Furthermore, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Additionally, when a specific feature, structure, or characteristic is described in conjunction with some example embodiments, it is believed that the combination of other embodiments (whether explicitly described or not) affects such feature, structure, or characteristic within the knowledge of those skilled in the art.

[0032] It should be understood that although the terms “first” and “second”, etc., may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one element from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the exemplary embodiments, a first element may be referred to as a second element, and similarly, a second element may be referred to as a first element. As used herein, the term “and / or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the listed terms.

[0033] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “has,” “having,” “includes,” and / or “including” as used herein designate the stated features, elements, and / or components, etc., but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, elements, components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0034] As used in this application, the term "circuit system" may refer to one or more of the following:

[0035] (a) Hardware circuit implementation only (such as implementation of analog and / or digital circuit systems only) and

[0036] (b) A combination of hardware circuitry and software, such as (if applicable):

[0037] (i) A combination of (multiple) analog and / or digital hardware circuits and software / firmware, and

[0038] (ii) Any part of (multiple) hardware processors, together with software (including (multiple) digital signal processors), software, and (multiple) memories, work together to enable a device (such as a mobile phone or server) to perform various functions and

[0039] (c) (Multiple) hardware circuits and / or (multiple) processors, such as (multiple) microprocessors or a portion thereof, which require software (e.g. firmware) to operate, but may be absent when operation does not require software.

[0040] This definition of "circuit system" applies to all uses of the term in this application, including in any claim. As another example, as used in this application, the term "circuit system" also covers only hardware circuitry or a processor (or processors) or a portion thereof and its accompanying software and / or firmware. For example, if applicable to a particular claim element, the term "circuit system" also covers baseband integrated circuits or processor integrated circuits for mobile devices or similar integrated circuits in servers, cellular network devices, or other computing or network devices.

[0041] As used herein, the term "communication network" refers to a network that conforms to any suitable communication standard, such as 5G New Radio (NR), Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE-A Advanced (LTE-A), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), High-Speed ​​Packet Access (HSPA), Non-Land Network (NTN), Internet of Things (IoT), Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT), etc. Furthermore, communication between terminal devices and network devices in a communication network can be performed according to any suitable generation of communication protocol, including but not limited to first-generation (1G), second-generation (2G), 2.5G, 2.75G, third-generation (3G), fourth-generation (4G), 4.5G, future fifth-generation (5G) communication protocols, and / or any other currently known or future protocols. Embodiments of this disclosure can be applied to various communication systems, including but not limited to terrestrial communication systems, non-terrestrial communication systems, or combinations thereof. Given the rapid development in the field of communications, there will naturally be communication technologies and systems that embody future types of this disclosure. This should not be construed as limiting the scope of this disclosure to the systems described above.

[0042] As used herein, the term "network device" refers to a node in a communication network through which terminal devices access the network and receive services. Network devices can refer to base stations (BS) or access points (APs), such as Node B (NodeB or NB), evolved Node B (eNodeB or eNB), NR NB (also known as gNB), Remote Radio Unit (RRU), Radio Head (RH), Remote Radio Head (RRH), relays, low-power nodes (such as femtoseconds, picoseconds), non-terrestrial network (NTN) or non-terrestrial network equipment (such as satellite network equipment, low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites and geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) satellites), aircraft network equipment, etc., depending on the terminology and technology used.

[0043] The term "terminal device" refers to any terminal device capable of wireless communication. As an example and not a limitation, a terminal device may also be referred to as a communication device, user equipment (UE), subscriber station (SS), portable subscriber station, mobile station (MS), or access terminal (AT). Terminal devices can include, but are not limited to, mobile phones, cellular phones, smartphones, Voice over IP (VoIP) phones, wireless local loop phones, tablets, wearable terminal devices, personal digital assistants (PDAs), portable computers, desktop computers, image acquisition terminal devices (such as digital cameras), gaming terminal devices, music storage and playback devices, in-vehicle wireless terminal devices, wireless endpoints, mobile stations, laptop embedded devices (LEE), laptop mounted devices (LME), USB dongles, smart devices, wireless client devices (CPE), Internet of Things (IoT) devices, watches or other wearable devices, head-mounted displays (HMDs), vehicles, drones, medical devices and applications (e.g., remote surgery), industrial devices and applications (e.g., robots and / or other wireless devices operating in the context of industrial and / or automated processing chains), consumer electronics devices, devices operating on commercial and / or industrial wireless networks, etc. In the following description, the terms “terminal equipment”, “communication equipment”, “terminal”, “user equipment” and “UE” are used interchangeably.

[0044] Various phase shifters are widely used in the radio product line. For example, multiple phase shifters are coupled to the antenna array of a base station (e.g., gNB) to adjust the phase of electrical signals. Communication technology has now evolved to the fifth generation of new radio, also known as 5G NR, and antenna equipment typically includes large antenna arrays, which comprise massive MIMO (Audiometric Antennae) elements.

[0045] For example, antenna equipment used in radio cellular networks typically includes an antenna array containing 192 antenna arrays (96 bipolar patches) to synthesize a desired beam pattern. Every three antenna arrays can share a three-in-one feed network and a port coupled to the transmit-receive unit (TRU) of the antenna equipment. In other words, an antenna array with 192 antenna arrays is electrically connected to 64 TRUs. The TRUs are used to adjust the phase and amplitude of each port during the beamforming process. On the one hand, the number of TRUs will affect the range and accuracy of beamforming. On the other hand, increasing the number of TRUs may lead to increased cost and power consumption.

[0046] In the example above, if the number of TRUs is reduced from 64 to 32, the cost and power consumption of the antenna equipment will be halved. In this case, every 6 AEs will share one port and one TRU, meaning the number of TRUs arranged in each column of the antenna array will decrease from 4 to 2, while the number of TRUs arranged in each row remains at 8. Due to the reduction in the number of TRUs, such a layout has limited beam scanning range and accuracy in the vertical direction. Therefore, there is a need to maintain the beamforming capability of the antenna equipment while reducing the number of TRUs.

[0047] To improve beam scanning range and accuracy, hybrid beamforming systems are introduced into antenna devices by integrating one or more phase shifters (PS). These phase shifters can be controlled via additional circuitry and mechanical structures to achieve the desired beam scanning angle in the vertical direction. Therefore, the beamforming process is influenced by both a digital TRU and an analog PS. A phase shifter typically comprises a fixed PCB and a movable PCB, with each PCB including at least one conductive element, such as a microstrip line (MSL). The phase shifter adjusts the phase of the input electrical signal by moving the movable PCB relative to the fixed PCB, thereby causing a change in the total length of the conductive element provided by the fixed and movable PCBs.

[0048] Figure 1A The ideal arrangement 110 of the phase shifter is shown. (e.g.) Figure 1A As shown, a pair of MSLs can be two MSLs arranged in parallel on a fixed PCB, and a U-shaped MSL can be an MSL arranged on a movable PCB. The U-shaped MSL and the parallel pair of MSLs are aligned face-to-face and electrically connected to each other. An electrical signal is input to one of the pair of MSLs and output from the other of the pair of MSLs. As the U-shaped MSL moves relative to the pair of MSLs, the total length of the MSLs changes, because the total length is the sum of the lengths provided by the pair of MSLs and the U-shaped MSL, causing a phase shift in the electrical signal output by the phase shifter.

[0049] During the manufacturing of such a phase shifter, a mismatch may exist between the fixed PCB and the movable PCB during the assembly process. Figures 1B to 1C Possible mismatched arrangements of the phase shifter, 120 and 130, are shown. (Example) Figure 1B As shown, the U-shaped MSL on the movable PCB is aligned with a pair of MSL portions on the fixed PCB, which may cause impedance mismatch. Figure 1C As shown, the U-shaped MSL on the movable PCB may be deflected at an angle relative to a pair of MSLs on the fixed PCB, causing phase error and impedance mismatch. Sometimes, both mismatches may coexist in the phase shifter.

[0050] Maintaining consistency and accuracy of the numerous phase shifters integrated within an antenna device can be challenging throughout its service life. Poor mechanical alignment of individual sub-sections of one or more phase shifters can lead to a range of drawbacks, such as reduced antenna gain, higher sidelobe levels, and poorer beam scanning range. Maintaining consistent phase and amplitude at the output of the phase shifters is essential.

[0051] According to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, an improved phase shifter and an antenna device including the phase shifter are provided. The phase shifter includes a substrate, a movable component, and an adjustment component. The substrate includes a set of first conductive members. In some exemplary embodiments, the first conductive members may include transmission lines, such as microstrip lines. It will be understood that in other exemplary embodiments, microstrip lines may be implemented using alternative types of conductive members, such as, but not limited to, striplines, coplanar waveguides, slot lines, coplanar strips, etc., some of which may be electromagnetically coupled together to form the total transmission line length of the phase shifter. The movable component includes a second conductive member electrically coupled to the set of first conductive members, and the movable component is adapted to move relative to the substrate in a first direction to offset the phase of an electrical signal output by the phase shifter. The adjustment component is coupled to the movable component and adapted to move the movable component to achieve at least one of the following: alignment of the second conductive member with the set of first conductive members; or a change in the force applied to the substrate by the movable component. Using the adjustment component, the contact tightness of the two PCBs of the phase shifter and the alignment of the first conductive members on the two PCBs can be precisely adjusted. Therefore, all phase shifters provide the same phase and amplitude output after assembly, and the PCB is aligned during phase shifter manufacturing before being assembled onto the antenna equipment. This consistency can be maintained throughout the service life of the antenna equipment.

[0052] The principles and implementation of this disclosure will be explained in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, refer to... Figure 2 This illustrates an example communication network 200 in which exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented. The communication network 200 may include at least one communication device, such as network device 212. Network device 212 may include at least one antenna device 1 for providing a service area 216 by using different frequency bands in both the uplink (UL) and downlink (DL). The service area of ​​network device 212 may also be referred to as cell 216. In some example embodiments, network device 212 may be a base station. Alternatively, in some other example embodiments, antenna device 1 may be deployed in other communication devices.

[0053] The communication network 200 also includes one or more terminal devices, such as terminal device 214. As long as terminal device 214 is located within cell 216, it is served by and communicates with network device 212. In the communication system, UL refers to the link from the terminal device to the network device, and DL refers to the link from the network device to the terminal device.

[0054] It should be understood that the number of network devices and terminal devices is for illustrative purposes only and does not imply any limitation. The communication network 200 may include any suitable number of network devices and terminal devices for implementing embodiments of this disclosure.

[0055] Communication in communication network 200 can be implemented according to any suitable communication protocol(s), including but not limited to cellular communication protocols such as first-generation (1G), second-generation (2G), third-generation (3G), fourth-generation (4G), and fifth-generation (5G), wireless local area network communication protocols (such as IEEE 802.11), and / or any other protocol currently known or to be developed in the future. Furthermore, the communication can utilize any suitable wireless communication technology, including but not limited to: Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Frequency Division Duplex (FDD), Time Division Duplex (TDD), Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO), Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM), Discrete Fourier Transform Extended OFDM (DFT-s-OFDM), and / or any other technology currently known or to be developed in the future.

[0056] Now for reference Figure 3 The diagram illustrates a block diagram of an antenna device 1 according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. The antenna device 1 includes an antenna array 2 comprising 96 antenna arrays (AEs) and 32 phase shifters 10. It should be understood that the antenna device 1 may include... Figure 2 One or more additional elements or components not shown. For example, a drive component (e.g., a motor) and corresponding mechanical parts may be integrated into the antenna device 1 to drive the phase shifter.

[0057] like Figure 3 As shown, the antenna array 2 of antenna device 1 includes 96 antennas arranged in 12 rows and 8 columns. Every 3 antennas are coupled to a phase shifter 10. The 32 phase shifters 10 are divided into upper and lower groups and are mechanically connected to the drive unit by one or more rods. Each group includes 16 phase shifters 10.

[0058] The phase shifter 10 is manually mounted on the antenna device 1. As previously described, at least one MSL is arranged on the fixed PCB and at least one MSL is arranged on the movable PCB. Figure 1A An ideal arrangement of the phase shifter 100 is shown. For example... Figure 1A As shown, the parallel pair of MSLs can be MSLs arranged on a fixed PCB, and the U-shaped MSL can be MSLs arranged on a movable PCB. The U-shaped MSL and the parallel pair of MSLs are face-to-face aligned and electrically coupled to each other. An electrical signal is input to one of the pair of MSLs. As the U-shaped MSL moves relative to the pair of MSLs, the total length of the MSLs changes, because the total length is the sum of the lengths provided by the pair of MSLs and the U-shaped MSL, causing a phase shift of the electrical signal output by the phase shifter 10.

[0059] Figure 4 A perspective view of a phase shifter 10 according to some example embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. The phase shifter 10 may be... Figure 3 One embodiment of a phase shifter. Phase shifter 10 includes a substrate 20, a movable component 30, an adjustment component 40, and a housing 50. (As...) Figure 4 As shown, the substrate 20 supports the remainder of the phase shifter 10, including a movable component 30, an adjustment component 40, and a housing 50. The housing 50 is fixed to the substrate 20 and receives at least a portion of the movable component 30 and the adjustment component 40. As a non-limiting example, the housing 50 may be soldered or screwed onto the substrate 20.

[0060] The substrate 20 may be a fixed PCB, while the movable component 30 may include a movable PCB adapted to move relative to the substrate 20. Each of the substrate 20 and the movable component 30 also includes one or more corresponding first conductive members, which will be described in detail below.

[0061] Figure 5 An exploded view of a phase shifter 10 according to some example embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. The phase shifter 10 may be... Figure 3 An example implementation of a phase shifter. The phase shifter 10 includes a substrate 20 that may be made of polymer, PCB or any other suitable material.

[0062] like Figure 5 As shown, the substrate 20 includes a set of first conductive members 21 and 22. These first conductive members 21 and 22 are arranged in parallel and spaced apart from each other for transmitting electrical signals (e.g., radio frequency signals) received from a corresponding AE of the antenna device 1. In some exemplary embodiments, the substrate 20 supports the first conductive members 21 and 22, and the first conductive members 21 and 22 can be fixed to the surface of the substrate 20, for example, by printing or electroplating. One of the first conductive members 21 and 22 can serve as an input terminal for the electrical signal, while the other can serve as an output terminal for the electrical signal.

[0063] The phase shifter 10 also includes a movable component 30 adapted to move relative to the substrate 20 in a first direction D1. This relative movement in the first direction can be driven by a cantilever 344, which will be discussed in detail below. For example, the first direction D1 can be parallel or approximately parallel to the direction in which the first set of conductive members 21 and 22 are arranged on the surface of the substrate 20. As described above, with the relative movement of the substrate 20 and the movable component 30, the phase of the electrical signal output by the phase shifter 10 can be shifted. The movable component 30 includes a second conductive member (not shown) electrically connected to the first set of conductive members 21 and 22, a movable plate 32, and an elastic member 33 and a housing 34. In some example embodiments, the movable component 30 may also include a pressure plate 35. The pressure plate 35 may be provided between the housing 34 and the elastic member 33. Although... Figure 5 The movable plate 32 is shown, but this is for illustrative purposes only and does not imply any limitation. Other movable plates are also possible. For example, Figure 7B and 11B Different movable panels are shown, which will be described below.

[0064] As shown, housing 34 can be connected to cantilever 344, which is fixed to housing 34 at a first end. Cantilever 344 includes a pin 345 at its second end, opposite to the first end. Pin 345 can be designed to align with the path of a mechanical part of a drive component (not shown), allowing pin 345 to move flexibly within the path to force movable component 30 to move relative to substrate 20.

[0065] The phase shifter 10 also includes an adjustment assembly 40. In some example embodiments, the adjustment assembly 40 may include at least one adjustment member 41 to 43, which will be discussed in detail below. The adjustment assembly 40 is coupled to the movable assembly 30 and adapted to move the movable assembly 30 relative to the substrate 20. Depending on one or a combination of movements of at least one corresponding adjustment member, the movement driven by the adjustment assembly 40 can achieve alignment of the second conductive member relative to a set of first conductive members 21 and 22, and additionally or alternatively, variation of the force applied to the substrate 20 by the movable assembly 30.

[0066] In some exemplary embodiments, the phase shifter 10 may include a housing 50. As described above, the housing 50 is fixed to the substrate 20 and receives the movable component 30. Reference will now be made to... Figures 6 to 12B Details describing the configuration of phase shifter 10. Although Figure 5 Phase shifter 10 is shown, but this is for illustrative purposes only and does not imply any limitation. Other configurations of the phase shifter are possible. For example, Figures 7A to 7B Figures 11A through 11B show different configurations of the phase shifter.

[0067] Figure 6 A perspective view of a substrate 20 of a phase shifter 10 according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. In some exemplary embodiments, the substrate 20 includes a set of first conductive members 21 and 22. The first conductive members 21 and 22 are fixed to the surface of the substrate 20, for example, by printing or electroplating. One of the first conductive members 21 and 22 can serve as an input terminal for an electrical signal, while the other can serve as an output terminal for an electrical signal. The substrate 20 may be made of an insulating material and is provided to support the remainder of the phase shifter 10.

[0068] Figure 7A Examples of some exemplary embodiments according to this disclosure are shown. Figure 5 The diagram shows a top view of the movable plate 32 and the elastic member 33 of the movable assembly 30. The movable plate 32 includes a first surface on which the elastic member 33 is fixed. The first surface of the movable plate 32 is opposite to a second surface of the movable plate 32, which is electrically coupled to the substrate 20. The elastic member 33 is arranged between the movable plate 32 and the housing 34.

[0069] The movable plate 32 also includes at least one protrusion 321 and 322 that protrude from the first side 323 in a second direction D2 perpendicular to the movable plate 32. Figure 7A As shown, the movable plate 32 and the elastic member 33 are not aligned at the second side 324 of the movable plate 32, which is opposite to the first side 323.

[0070] In some exemplary embodiments, the movable plate 32 may not include protrusions 321 and 322, such as Figure 7B As shown, Figure 7B Examples of embodiments according to this disclosure are shown, such as Figure 5 A top view of an alternative implementation of the movable plate 32 and elastic member 33 of the movable component 30 shown.

[0071] Figure 7C A bottom view of the movable plate and elastic member of the movable component 30 according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 7C As shown, the movable component 30 also includes a second conductive member 31 disposed on a second surface of the movable plate 32. The second conductive member 31 is aligned with and electrically coupled to a set of first conductive members 21 and 22 to form a circuit. The MSL length associated with the first conductive members 21 and 22 and the second conductive member 31 changes as the movable plate 32 moves relative to the substrate 20.

[0072] Figure 8AA top view of a housing 34 of a movable component 30 according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. The housing 34 receives the movable component 30 to allow the movable component 30 to move toward a movable plate 32. Figure 8A As shown, housing 34 includes a main housing 340, at least one of engagement holes 341 to 343, a cantilever 344, and a pin 345. At least one engagement hole 341 to 343 is provided on the main housing 340 and mates with an adjustment assembly. The main housing 340 also includes a cavity that will engage... Figures 8B to 8C Provide a detailed description.

[0073] Figures 8B to 8C A bottom view of the housing 34 of a movable assembly 30 according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. As shown, a cavity 348 is provided within the main housing 340, the cavity 348 being adapted to receive at least the movable plate 32 and the elastic member 33. In some embodiments, the cavity 348 may also be adapted to receive a pressure plate 35. The housing 34 also includes protrusions 346 and 347 disposed on a first wall 3401 of the main housing 340. The housing 34 also includes a second wall 3402 disposed opposite to the first wall.

[0074] Figure 9 A perspective view of an exemplary adjustment member 90 included in an adjustment assembly 40 according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. The adjustment member 90 is given as an example configuration of one or more of the adjustment members 41 to 43. In an exemplary embodiment, the adjustment assembly 40 may include one or more adjustment members 90.

[0075] like Figure 9 As shown, the adjusting member 90 includes an end 901 and a body 902, and respectively engages in corresponding engagement holes (e.g., engagement holes 341 to 343) on the housing 34 to move the movable plate 32 relative to the base plate 20. The adjusting member 90 also engages in corresponding through holes on the housing 50, which will be described in detail below.

[0076] As an example, adjusting member 90 is shown as a screw with threads on the body 902 and the tapered end 901. It should be understood that such a particular implementation is given for illustrative purposes only, and any other suitable implementation of the adjusting member is possible. For example, in some example embodiments, adjusting member 90 may be a cylinder. For example, adjusting member 90 may also be a bolt. Additionally or alternatively, adjusting members 41 to 43 may have... Figure 9 The configurations shown may be the same or different.

[0077] Figure 10A top view of the housing 50 of a phase shifter 10 according to some example embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. The housing 50 is fixed to a substrate 20 and receives a movable component 30. The housing 50 also includes at least one through-hole for receiving an adjustment component 40. Figure 10 As shown, the housing 50 may include through holes 511 to 513, and one or more of the adjusting members 41 to 43 may pass through at least one of the corresponding through holes 511 to 513. Therefore, the movable component 30 can be moved relative to the substrate 20 by a certain distance defined by one or more of the through holes 511 to 513.

[0078] Figure 11A The following are some example embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 4 The image shows a cross-sectional view of the phase shifter 10 taken by line AA. Figure 11A As shown, the housing 50 is fixed to the base plate 20 and receives the housing 34. The adjusting member 41 of the adjusting assembly 40 passes through the through hole 511. The movable plate 32 and the elastic member 33 are received within the cavity of the housing 34. The first adjusting member 41 is engaged within the engaging hole 341 and is adapted to move toward or away from the movable plate 32 to change the force exerted on the base plate 20 by the movable assembly 30. A small gap exists between the movable plate 32 and the housing 34, which allows the movable plate 32 to move within the cavity of the housing 34, which will combine... Figures 12A to 12B Describe it.

[0079] An elastic member 33 is provided between the adjusting member 41 and the movable plate 32. Therefore, if the first adjusting member 41 moves toward the movable plate 32, the elastic member 33 is compressed to provide appropriate pressure to the movable plate 32, and the force applied to the substrate 20 by the movable component 30 is increased. In this case, the sliding friction between the movable plate 32 and the substrate 20 will also be increased.

[0080] As the first adjusting member 41 moves away from the movable plate 32, the force is reduced, thereby reducing the sliding friction between the movable plate 32 and the substrate 20. Therefore, the adjusting assembly 40 achieves a change in the force applied to the substrate 20 by the movable assembly 30. It should be understood that the first adjusting member 41 can be designed to... Figure 11A The shapes shown are different, for example, screws with tapered ends.

[0081] Figure 11B The following are some example embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of an alternative implementation of phase shifter 10, taken by line AA. (See attached image.) Figure 11B As shown, the movable component 30 of the phase shifter 10, in addition to Figure 11AIn addition to the components shown, a pressure plate 35 is also included, which can be arranged to be suspended between the movable plate 32 and the elastic member 33.

[0082] For example, when the first adjusting member 41 moves toward the movable plate 32, the pressure plate 35 moves downward to compress the elastic member 33, for example, by tightening. The elastic member 33 compresses the movable plate 32 and the substrate 20. When the first adjusting member 41 moves away from the movable plate 32 by being screwed loosely, the pressure on the elastic member 33 will be reduced, thereby reducing the force exerted on the substrate 20 by the movable component 30. In this way, the sliding friction between the movable plate 32 and the substrate 20 can be adjusted.

[0083] Figure 12A The following are some example embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 4 The image shows a cross-sectional view of the phase shifter 10 taken from line BB. Figure 12A As shown, the adjustment assembly 40 may further include a second adjustment member 42 and a third adjustment member 43 (the third adjustment member 43 is in...). Figure 12A (Not visible in the illustration because it is obscured by the second adjusting member 42). The second adjusting member 42 and the third adjusting member 43 are arranged on the first side 323 of the movable plate 32 and spaced apart from each other along the first direction D1. The second adjusting member 42 and the third adjusting member 43 respectively engage in engaging holes 342 and 343, and each includes a tapered end. In an exemplary embodiment, the first side of the movable plate 32 extends in the first direction D1.

[0084] As previously described, due to the gap between the first and second walls of the housing 34 and the movable plate 32, the movable plate 32 can be driven by at least one of the adjusting members 42 and 43 to move within the cavity of the housing 34. Specifically, the adjusting members 42 and 43 are adapted to abut against the first side in response to movement toward the movable plate 32. As the adjusting members 42 and 43 move toward the movable plate 32 individually or in combination, the movable plate 32 is pushed against the second wall of the housing 34, and the elastic member 33 is arranged to abut against the inner wall of the housing 34 to be elastically deformed. Therefore, as one or both of the adjusting members 42 and 43 move toward the movable plate 32, the second conductive member 31 on the movable plate 32 can move relative to the first conductive members 21 and 22 on the substrate 20.

[0085] By moving at least one of the second adjusting member 42 and the third adjusting member 43, for example by tightening or loosening the adjusting member to different degrees, the second conductive member 31 can be translated or rotated relative to the first conductive members 21 and 22. In this way, the second conductive member 31 can be moved to overlap and align with the first conductive members 21 and 22. In other words, the second adjusting member 42 and the third adjusting member 43 are provided for adjusting the second conductive member 31 to overlap with the first conductive members 21 and 22 as much as possible.

[0086] As an example, by moving the second adjusting member 42 and the third adjusting member 43 toward the movable plate 32 by the same distance, the second conductive member 31 can be translated relative to the first conductive members 21 and 22. As another example, by moving the second adjusting member 42 or the third adjusting member 43, or alternatively by moving them by different distances, the second conductive member 31 can be rotated relative to the first conductive members 21 and 22.

[0087] Furthermore, by moving the second adjustment member 42 and the third adjustment member 43 away from the movable plate 20 individually or in combination, the elastic member 33, after elastic deformation, tends to return to its original shape, which will drive the movable plate 32 away from the second wall of the housing 34.

[0088] Figure 12B The following are some example embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of an alternative implementation of phase shifter 10, taken from line BB. (See attached image.) Figure 12B As shown, the movable plate 32, in addition to Figure 11A In addition to the components shown, protrusions 346 and 347 are also included, and the second adjusting member 42 and the third adjusting member 43 are adapted to abut against the corresponding protrusions 346 and 347 as they move toward the movable plate 32. Figure 12B With this configuration, the travel distance of adjustment components 42 and 43 can be extended, which can also improve the adjustment accuracy of the phase shifter.

[0089] It should be understood that the adjustment assembly 40 may include one or more of the adjustment members 41 to 43, and the adjustment members 41 to 43 may be used separately or in any combination. Although three adjustment members are shown, other numbers of adjustment members are also possible, including only one adjustment member.

[0090] According to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, by moving one or more adjustment members of the adjustment assembly 40, the phase shifter can flexibly adjust the matching and alignment of the movable PCB and the fixed PCB to achieve the desired phase. Furthermore, after adjustment, the adjustment members of the phase shifter can be fixed to the housing, for example by adhering them to corresponding engagement holes, thereby maintaining the desired phase. This also improves the consistency among multiple phase shifters in the antenna device.

[0091] Furthermore, although operations are described in a specific order, this should not be construed as requiring that such operations be performed in the specific order shown or sequentially, or that all illustrated operations be performed to obtain the desired result. In some cases, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. Similarly, while several specific implementation details are included in the foregoing discussion, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of this disclosure, but rather as descriptions of features that may be specific to particular embodiments. Certain features described in the context of separate embodiments may also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, the various features described in the context of a single embodiment may also be implemented separately or in any suitable sub-combination in multiple embodiments.

[0092] Although this disclosure has been described in language specific to structural features and / or methodological actions, it should be understood that the disclosure as defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or actions described above. Rather, the specific features and actions described above are disclosed as examples of implementing the claims.

Claims

1. A phase shifter (10), comprising: The substrate (20) includes a set of first conductive components (21, 22); The movable component (30) includes a second conductive component (31) electrically coupled to the set of first conductive components (21, 22), and the movable component (30) is adapted to move relative to the substrate (20) in a first direction (D1) to shift the phase of the electrical signal output by the phase shifter (10); Adjustment component (40), coupled to the movable component (30), and adapted to move the movable component (30) to achieve: The alignment of the second conductive member (31) with respect to the set of first conductive members (21, 22); and The change in force exerted by the movable component (30) on the substrate (20), The movable component (30) further includes: A movable plate (32) on which the second conductive member (31) is disposed; The housing (34) receives the movable plate (32) and includes at least one engagement hole for receiving the adjustment assembly (40) to allow the movable assembly (30) to move toward the movable plate (32); and An elastic member (33) is arranged between the movable plate (32) and the housing (34) such that the elastic deformation of the elastic member (33) caused by the movement of the adjustment assembly (40) applies the force to the movable plate (32) towards the base plate (20). The phase shifter (10) further includes a housing (50) fixed to the substrate (20) and receiving the movable component (30), wherein the housing (50) includes at least one through-hole adapted to receive the adjustment component (40). The adjustment assembly (40) further includes at least one adjustment member engaged in the at least one engagement hole and disposed above a first side of the movable plate (32). Each adjustment member includes a tapered end adapted to abut against the first side in response to movement toward the movable plate (32), the first side extending in the first direction (D1). The at least one adjustment member includes a second adjustment member (42) and a third adjustment member (43) spaced apart from each other along the first direction (D1), and at least one of the second adjustment member (42) and the third adjustment member (43) is adapted to move toward the movable plate (32) to cause the second conductive member (31) to translate or rotate relative to the first conductive member (21, 22).

2. The phase shifter (10) according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment assembly (40) comprises: The first adjustment member (41) is engaged in the first engagement hole (341) of the at least one engagement hole (341, 342, 343) and is adapted to move toward or away from the movable plate (32) to change the force applied to the substrate (20) by the movable component (30).

3. The phase shifter (10) according to claim 1, wherein the elastic member (33) is fixed on the movable plate (32).

4. The phase shifter (10) according to claim 1, wherein the elastic member (33) is arranged against the inner wall of the housing (34) to be elastically deformed in response to the movement of the second conductive member (31) relative to the set of first conductive members (21, 22).

5. The phase shifter (10) according to claim 1, wherein the set of first conductive members (21, 22) includes a pair of wires arranged in parallel on the substrate (20), and the second conductive member (31) includes a U-shaped wire.

6. A phase shifter (10), comprising: The substrate (20) includes a set of first conductive components (21, 22); The movable component (30) includes a second conductive component (31) electrically coupled to the set of first conductive components (21, 22), and the movable component (30) is adapted to move relative to the substrate (20) in a first direction (D1) to shift the phase of the electrical signal output by the phase shifter (10); Adjustment component (40), coupled to the movable component (30), and adapted to move the movable component (30) to achieve: The alignment of the second conductive member (31) with respect to the set of first conductive members (21, 22); and The change in force exerted by the movable component (30) on the substrate (20), The movable component (30) further includes: A movable plate (32) on which the second conductive member (31) is disposed; The housing (34) receives the movable plate (32) and includes at least one engagement hole for receiving the adjustment assembly (40) to allow the movable assembly (30) to move toward the movable plate (32); and An elastic member (33) is arranged between the movable plate (32) and the housing (34) such that the elastic deformation of the elastic member (33) caused by the movement of the adjustment assembly (40) applies the force to the movable plate (32) towards the base plate (20). The phase shifter (10) further includes a housing (50) fixed to the substrate (20) and receiving the movable component (30), wherein the housing (50) includes at least one through-hole adapted to receive the adjustment component (40). The adjustment assembly (40) further includes at least one adjustment member engaged in the at least one engagement hole and disposed above a first side of the movable plate (32), each adjustment member including a tapered end adapted to abut against the first side in response to movement toward the movable plate (32), the first side extending in the first direction (D1), and The movable plate (32) includes at least one protrusion that protrudes from the first side in a second direction (D2) perpendicular to the movable plate (32), and each of the at least one adjusting member is adapted to abut against the corresponding protrusion as it moves toward the movable plate (32).

7. An antenna device (1), comprising: Antenna array (2) includes multiple antenna elements; as well as The phase shifter (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 6 is electrically coupled to the antenna array (2).

8. A base station (212) comprising the antenna device (1) according to claim 7.

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