Liquid crystal antenna and antenna module

Abstract

The application discloses a liquid crystal antenna and an antenna module, and relates to the technical field of wireless communication.The liquid crystal antenna comprises a phase shifter and an antenna unit which are connected through a connecting piece; the phase shifter is externally connected as an independent component, and the assembly flexibility and working efficiency are improved; the phase shifter comprises a first substrate and a second substrate, and liquid crystal is clamped between the first substrate and the second substrate; the phase shifter further comprises a delay line which is located on the side of the second substrate facing the first substrate; the phase shifter further comprises a feeding head which is located on the side of the second substrate away from the first substrate or on the side of the first substrate away from the second substrate; the connecting piece comprises a first connecting piece which is at least partially located on the first side of the second substrate, and the first connecting piece extends along the direction perpendicular to the plane where the second substrate is located; the first end of the first connecting piece is electrically connected with the feeding head, and the second end is electrically connected with the delay line; or the first end of the delay line is electrically connected with the feeding head, and the second end is electrically connected with the first connecting piece; the phase shifter and the connecting piece occupy a smaller area, and the planar space required by the liquid crystal antenna is saved.

Description

LCD antennas and antenna modules Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of wireless communication technology, and more specifically, to a liquid crystal antenna and an antenna module. Background Technology

[0002] In existing liquid crystal antennas, they are usually presented as a combination of a liquid crystal phase shifter array and a liquid crystal antenna radiating patch, as shown in Figure 1. The liquid crystal phase shifter is usually integrated with the liquid crystal antenna radiating patch 02 as an integral structural component, and often adopts a three-part coupling structure as shown by the dotted circle. This structure leads to a large coupling loss; that is, additional coupling loss is introduced at the coupling position, thereby affecting the gain of the liquid crystal antenna and reducing the working efficiency of the liquid crystal antenna. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, the present invention provides a liquid crystal antenna and an antenna module to improve the problem of high loss in liquid crystal antennas that are presented as integral structural components.

[0004] In a first aspect, this application provides a liquid crystal antenna, including a phase shifter and an antenna unit, wherein the phase shifter and the antenna unit are electrically connected by a connector;

[0005] The phase shifter includes a first substrate and a second substrate disposed opposite to each other, and a liquid crystal sandwiched between the first substrate and the second substrate;

[0006] The phase shifter also includes a delay line located on the side of the second substrate facing the first substrate and in contact with the second substrate;

[0007] The phase shifter also includes a feed head located on the side of the second substrate away from the first substrate, or on the side of the first substrate away from the second substrate;

[0008] The connector includes at least a first connector, which is at least partially located on a first side of the plane where the second substrate is located, and the first connector extends in a direction perpendicular to the plane where the second substrate is located.

[0009] The first end of the first connector is electrically connected to the feed head, and the second end of the first connector is electrically connected to the first end of the delay line; or...

[0010] The first end of the delay line is electrically connected to the power supply head, and the second end of the delay line is electrically connected to the first end of the first connector.

[0011] Secondly, this application provides an antenna module, which includes a liquid crystal antenna;

[0012] The antenna module includes at least two LCD antennas that are spliced ​​together.

[0013] Compared with the prior art, the liquid crystal antenna and antenna module provided by the present invention achieve at least the following beneficial effects:

[0014] This application provides a liquid crystal antenna, which includes a phase shifter and an antenna element. The phase shifter and the antenna element are electrically connected via a connector, allowing the phase shifter to be directly connected to the antenna element as an independent external component. Therefore, the phase shifter can be disassembled and reused as an independent component, improving the assembly flexibility of the liquid crystal antenna. Furthermore, the direct connection method can solve the problem of high loss in the coupled feed of traditional liquid crystal phased array antennas, improving the working efficiency of the liquid crystal antenna. In addition, the first connector of this application is located at least partially on the first side of the plane of the second substrate. The first connector extends in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the second substrate. The first end of the first connector is electrically connected to the feed head, and the second end is electrically connected to the first end of the delay line, or the first end of the delay line is electrically connected to the feed head, and the second end is electrically connected to the first end of the first connector. This makes the area occupied by the phase shifter structure and the connector on the plane of the liquid crystal antenna smaller, saving the planar space required by the liquid crystal antenna and facilitating the miniaturization and integration of the liquid crystal antenna.

[0015] Of course, any product implementing this invention does not necessarily need to achieve all of the technical effects described above at the same time.

[0016] Other features and advantages of the invention will become clear from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0017] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with their description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

[0018] Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of a liquid crystal antenna in the prior art;

[0019] Figure 2 shows a top view of a liquid crystal antenna provided in this application;

[0020] Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view of AA' in Figure 2 provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0021] Figure 4 shows another top view of the liquid crystal antenna provided in this application;

[0022] Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional view of BB' in Figure 4 provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0023] Figure 6 shows another top view of the liquid crystal antenna provided in this application;

[0024] Figure 7 shows a cross-sectional view of CC' in Figure 6 provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0025] Figure 8 shows another top view of the liquid crystal antenna provided in this application;

[0026] Figure 9 shows a cross-sectional view of DD' in Figure 8 provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0027] Figure 10 shows a schematic diagram of the liquid crystal antenna in Figure 2 spliced ​​into an antenna module according to an embodiment of this application;

[0028] Figure 11 shows another cross-sectional view of AA' in Figure 2 provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0029] Figure 12 shows a schematic diagram of the liquid crystal antenna in Figure 4 spliced ​​into an antenna module according to an embodiment of this application;

[0030] Figure 13 shows a schematic diagram of the LCD antenna in Figure 8 spliced ​​into an antenna module according to an embodiment of this application;

[0031] Figure 14 shows a schematic diagram of the liquid crystal antenna in Figure 6 spliced ​​into an antenna module according to an embodiment of this application;

[0032] Figure 15 shows a schematic diagram of a radio frequency connector in the prior art;

[0033] Figure 16 shows another structural schematic diagram of an RF connector in the prior art;

[0034] Figure 17 shows a diagram illustrating one arrangement relationship between the connector and the substrate in the prior art.

[0035] Figure 18 shows another arrangement between the connector and the substrate in the prior art. Detailed Implementation

[0036] Various exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement, numerical expressions, and values ​​of the components and steps set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention.

[0037] The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative and is in no way intended to limit the invention or its application or use.

[0038] Techniques, methods, and equipment known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such techniques, methods, and equipment should be considered part of the specification.

[0039] In all the examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limitations. Therefore, other examples of exemplary embodiments may have different values.

[0040] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be discussed further in subsequent figures.

[0041] Figure 2 shows a top view of a liquid crystal antenna provided in this application. Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view of AA' in Figure 2 provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 4 shows another top view of a liquid crystal antenna provided in this application. Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional view of BB' in Figure 4 provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 6 shows another top view of a liquid crystal antenna provided in this application. Figure 7 shows a cross-sectional view of CC' in Figure 6 provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 8 shows another top view of a liquid crystal antenna provided in this application. Figure 9 shows a cross-sectional view of DD' in Figure 8 provided in an embodiment of this application. Referring to Figures 2-9, this application provides a liquid crystal antenna 100, including a phase shifter 10 and an antenna unit 20, which are electrically connected via a connector 30.

[0042] The phase shifter 10 includes a first substrate 11 and a second substrate 12 disposed opposite to each other, and a liquid crystal 13 sandwiched between the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12;

[0043] The phase shifter 10 also includes a delay line 14, located on the side of the second substrate 12 facing the first substrate 11, and in contact with the second substrate 12;

[0044] The phase shifter 10 also includes a feed head 15, located on the side of the second substrate 12 away from the first substrate 11, or on the side of the first substrate 11 away from the second substrate 12.

[0045] The connector 30 includes at least a first connector 31, which is at least partially located on a first side of the plane where the second substrate 12 is located, and the first connector 31 extends in a direction perpendicular to the plane where the second substrate 12 is located.

[0046] The first end of the first connector 31 is electrically connected to the feed head 15, and the second end of the first connector 31 is electrically connected to the first end of the delay line 14; or...

[0047] The first end of the delay line 14 is electrically connected to the power supply head 15, and the second end of the delay line 14 is electrically connected to the first end of the first connector 31.

[0048] Specifically, this application provides a liquid crystal antenna 100, which includes a phase shifter 10 and an antenna element 20, and also includes a connector 30 that electrically connects the phase shifter 10 and the antenna element 20. The connector 30 can be used to realize an external connection between the phase shifter 10 and the antenna element 20, so that the phase shifter 10 can be directly connected to the antenna element 20 as an independent component. In this case, the phase shifter 10 can be disassembled and reused as an independent component, which improves the assembly flexibility of the liquid crystal antenna 100, and also reduces the failure rate of the phase shifter 10 and the manufacturing cost of the liquid crystal antenna 100. Moreover, the direct connection method has less loss than the coupling method, which can solve the problem of large loss of coupling feed in traditional liquid crystal phased array antennas and improve the working efficiency of the liquid crystal antenna 100.

[0049] As shown in Figures 2-9, the film structure of the phase shifter 10 provided in this application includes a first substrate 11 and a second substrate 12 disposed opposite to each other. A liquid crystal 13 (cell) is sandwiched between the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12 along the thickness direction of the phase shifter 10. The liquid crystal cell includes a plurality of liquid crystal molecules. The phase shifter 10 is also provided with a delay line 14. The delay line 14 can be disposed on the side surface of the second substrate 12 facing the first substrate 11, that is, the delay line 14 is in contact with the second substrate 12. A ground layer 18 in contact with the first substrate 11 can also be disposed on the side surface of the first substrate 11 facing the second substrate 12. The liquid crystal 13 is specifically located between the delay line 14 and the ground layer 18. When an electrical signal is applied to the ground layer 18 and the delay line 14, the electric field generated between the ground layer 18 and the delay line 14 can drive the movement of the liquid crystal 13 molecules. The phase shifter 10 also includes a feed head 15, which is used to transmit microwave signals. As shown in Figures 3, 5, and 7, the feed head 15 can be disposed on the side of the second substrate 12 away from the first substrate 11, or as shown in Figure 9, the feed head 15 can be disposed on the side of the first substrate 11 away from the second substrate 12. The specific placement of the feed head 15 in the liquid crystal antenna 100 can be adjusted according to actual design requirements. This application does not make specific limitations in this regard.

[0050] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 3, 5, 7, and 9, the connector 30 for electrically connecting the phase shifter 10 and the antenna unit 20 includes at least a first connector 31. At least a portion of the first connector 31 can be disposed on the first side of the plane where the second substrate 12 is located, and the first connector 31 extends in a direction perpendicular to the plane where the second substrate 12 is located. With this arrangement, the first connector 31 occupies only a very small portion of the space on the first side of the second substrate 12, and will not significantly increase the planar area occupied by the liquid crystal antenna 100 based on the planar area occupied by the phase shifter 10 (second substrate 12). This allows the area occupied by the phase shifter 10 structure and the connector 30 on the plane where the liquid crystal antenna 100 is located to be smaller, saving the planar space required for all structural arrangements of the liquid crystal antenna 100, which is beneficial for the miniaturization and integration of the liquid crystal antenna 100.

[0051] This application also provides several alternative structural configurations for the liquid crystal antenna 100. Based on the phase shifter 10 including a first substrate 11, a ground layer 18, a liquid crystal 13, a delay line 14, a second substrate 12 arranged sequentially along the thickness direction, and a feed head 15 located on the side of the first substrate 11 or the second substrate 12 away from the liquid crystal 13, and a first connector 31 located on the first side of the plane of the second substrate 12 and extending in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the second substrate 12, this application provides at least two major types of structural configurations for the liquid crystal antenna 100. The first major type of liquid crystal antenna 100 is configured as shown in Figures 2-5, 8, and 9, where the first end of the first connector 31 is electrically connected to the feed head 15, and the second end of the first connector 31 is electrically connected to the first end of the delay line 14; that is, the microwave signal emitted by the feed head 15 can be input to the delay line 14 through the first connector 31. In the second type of liquid crystal antenna 100, the structure is set as shown in Figures 6 and 7, where the first end of the delay line 14 is electrically connected to the feed head 15, and the second end of the delay line 14 is electrically connected to the first end of the first connector 31. That is, the microwave signal emitted by the feed head 15 can be directly input to the delay line 14, and the microwave signal is output to the first connector 31 after passing through the liquid crystal 13.

[0052] Regarding the structural configuration of these two major types of liquid crystal antennas 100, this application does not specifically limit the undescribed structural details, and can select and configure them according to requirements.

[0053] Please refer to Figures 2-5, 8, and 9. Optionally, the connector 30 may also include a second connector 32. The phase shifter 10 is electrically connected to the second connector 32. The second connector 32 is at least partially located on the first side of the plane where the second substrate 12 is located. Both the first connector 31 and the second connector 32 include a terminal piece structure 40 that is electrically connected to the delay line 14.

[0054] Specifically, regarding the detailed structural configuration of the first type of liquid crystal antenna 100, this application provides an optional configuration method in which the connector 30 used to realize the electrical connection between the liquid crystal 13 unit and the phase shifter 10 may include a second connector 32 in addition to the first connector 31 mentioned above. The first connector 31 and the second connector 32 can be used as the signal input path and signal output path of the phase shifter 10. In this case, the second connector 32 can be optionally located at least partially on the first side of the plane where the second substrate 12 is located, that is, the first connector 31 and the second connector 32 are both located on the same side of the plane where the second substrate 12 is located. Compared with setting the signal input path and signal output path of the phase shifter 10 on two sides of the plane where the phase shifter 10 is located, the planar area occupied by the liquid crystal antenna 100 will not be significantly increased on the basis of the planar area occupied by the phase shifter 10 (second substrate 12). This allows the area occupied by the phase shifter 10 structure and the connector 30 on the plane where the liquid crystal antenna 100 is located to be smaller, saving the planar space required for all structures of the liquid crystal antenna 100.

[0055] Please refer to Figures 2-5, 8, and 9. Optionally, the extension direction of the second connector 32 is parallel to the plane of the second substrate 12, or the extension direction of the second connector 32 is perpendicular to the plane of the second substrate 12.

[0056] The antenna unit 20 includes an antenna radiator 21, the first end of the second connector 32 is electrically connected to the delay line 14, and the second end of the second connector 32 is electrically connected to the antenna radiator 21.

[0057] Specifically, regarding the detailed structural configuration of the first type of liquid crystal antenna 100, this application provides an optional configuration method, as shown in FIG3, in which the extension direction of the second connector 32 is parallel to the plane on which the second substrate 12 is located. In this case, the antenna unit 20 electrically connected to the phase shifter 10 can be configured on the side of the second connector 32 away from the phase shifter 10.

[0058] Regarding the specific structural details of the first type of liquid crystal antenna 100, this application also provides an optional configuration method, as shown in Figures 5 and 9, in which the extension direction of at least part of the second connector 32 is perpendicular to the plane of the second substrate 12, so that the second connector 32 and the first connector 31 mainly extend along the direction perpendicular to the plane of the second substrate 12, and the first connector 31 and the second connector 32 are both disposed on the first side of the second substrate 12. With this configuration, the arrangement of the connector 30 will not significantly increase the planar area occupied by the liquid crystal antenna 100 on the basis of the planar area occupied by the phase shifter 10 (second substrate 12), and can make the area occupied by the phase shifter 10 structure and the connector 30 on the plane of the liquid crystal antenna 100 smaller, saving the planar space required for all structures of the liquid crystal antenna 100.

[0059] In addition, the antenna unit 20 electrically connected to the phase shifter 10 may include an antenna radiator 21. The first end of the second connector 32 is electrically connected to the delay line 14, and the second end of the second connector 32 is electrically connected to the antenna radiator 21, so that the microwave signal entering the delay line 14 can be transmitted to the antenna radiator 21 of the antenna unit 20 through the second connector 32, and then the antenna radiator 21 radiates the microwave signal to realize the transmission of the microwave signal.

[0060] It should be added that, as shown in Figure 3, the first connector 31 is electrically connected to the side surface of the delay line 14 facing the first substrate 11, and the second connector 32 can be optionally set to be electrically connected to the side surface of the delay line 14 along the plane of the second substrate 12. In addition, as shown in Figures 5 and 9, the first connector 31 can also be electrically connected to the side surface of the delay line 14 facing the first substrate 11, and the second connector 32 can also be electrically connected to the side surface of the delay line 14 facing the first substrate 11, as required. This application does not specifically limit the specific position of the electrical connection between the first connector 31, the second connector 32 and the delay line 14, and the electrical connection position between the connector 30 and the delay line 14 can be adjusted according to the actual design requirements.

[0061] Referring to Figures 2 and 3, optionally, the terminal structure 40 that is electrically connected to the first connector 31 and the delay line 14 is an input terminal 41. The direction of the plane where the input terminal 41 is located is parallel to the direction of the plane where the second substrate 12 is located. The input terminal 41 is located on the side of the delay line 14 facing the first substrate 11 and is electrically connected to the delay line 14.

[0062] The terminal structure 40 that is electrically connected to the second connector 32 and the delay line 14 is an output terminal 42. The direction of the plane where the output terminal 42 is located is perpendicular to the direction of the plane where the second substrate 12 is located. The output terminal 42 is located on the first side of the plane where the second substrate 12 is located, and the output terminal 42 is electrically connected to the side of the plane where the delay line 14 is located.

[0063] Specifically, in order to achieve the electrical connection between the connector 30 and the phase shifter 10, this application also provides an alternative implementation in which the first connector 31 and the second connector 32 are both provided with end piece structures 40 electrically connected to the delay line 14. For example, the end piece structure 40 electrically connected to the delay line 14 of the first connector 31 can be set as an input end piece 41, and the microwave signal emitted by the power supply head 15 is transmitted to the delay line 14 through the input end piece 41 after passing through the first connector 31; or the end piece structure 40 electrically connected to the delay line 14 of the second connector 32 can be set as an output end piece 42, and the microwave signal is transmitted to the output end piece 42 after passing through the delay line 14.

[0064] Regarding the specific structural details of the first type of liquid crystal antenna 100, this application also provides an optional configuration method in which the input end piece 41 of the first connector 31 can be configured to be located on the side of the delay line 14 facing the first substrate 11 and electrically connected to the delay line 14, wherein the direction of the plane where the input end piece 41 of the first connector 31 is located can be configured to be parallel to the direction of the plane where the second substrate 12 is located; the output end piece 42 of the second connector 32 can be configured to be located on the first side of the plane where the second substrate 12 is located, and the output end piece 42 is electrically connected to the side of the plane where the delay line 14 is located, wherein the direction of the plane where the output end piece 42 of the second connector 32 is located can be configured to be perpendicular to the direction of the plane where the second substrate 12 is located.

[0065] By setting the direction of the plane where the input end piece 41 of the first connector 31 is located to be parallel to the direction of the plane where the second substrate 12 is located, and the direction of the plane where the output end piece 42 of the second connector 32 is located to be perpendicular to the direction of the plane where the second substrate 12 is located, a scheme is provided in which the input and output ends of the phase shifter 10 can be externally connected using a dual-port RF connector, and the power is directly fed through the dual connectors 30 (first connector 31, second connector 32). This reduces the loss caused by coupled power feeding. In this embodiment, the liquid crystal phase shifter 10 is an independent component that can be disassembled, reused, or arrayed, improving the flexibility of the phase shifter 10 and reducing its failure rate, which is beneficial to reducing the manufacturing cost of the liquid crystal antenna 100. In addition, the independently externally connected phase shifter 10 can also be used independently as a phase shifting unit of the digital encoding phase shifter 10.

[0066] Figure 10 shows a schematic diagram of the LCD antenna splicing of Figure 2 into an antenna module according to an embodiment of this application. Referring to Figure 10 in conjunction with Figures 2 and 3, when at least two LCD antennas 100 are spliced ​​to form an antenna module 200, as shown in Figure 10, in order to ensure the phase shift of the LCD antennas 100, the output end piece 42 and the input end piece 41 of two adjacent LCD antennas 100 are usually placed relatively close together. If they are arranged in a direction that is simultaneously horizontal to the plane of the second substrate 12, there may be mutual influence, such as contact influence. Therefore, adopting a vertical and horizontal complementary array scheme is beneficial to improving the assembly yield of the antenna module 200, thereby improving the performance of the antenna module 200.

[0067] Furthermore, the first connector 31 and the second connector 32 provided in this application can be coaxial cables, which are used to achieve the electrical connection between the phase shifter 10 and the antenna unit 20. In addition, the input terminal piece 41, which is parallel to the plane of the second substrate 12, and its corresponding first connector 31, can be replaced with a male-female connector for direct connection. The output terminal piece 42, which is perpendicular to the plane of the second substrate 12, and its corresponding second connector 32, can be replaced with a flexible multilayer board or a front-and-back trace FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit). This application does not limit the specific selection of the connector 30; the type of connector 30 can be selected according to requirements.

[0068] Referring to Figures 2 and 3, optionally, the phase shifter 10 also includes a third substrate 19, which is located on the side of the second substrate 12 away from the first substrate 11.

[0069] The phase shifter 10 also includes a first feed line unit 17, which is located on the side of the third substrate 19 away from the first substrate 11;

[0070] The phase shifter 10 also includes an RF integrated circuit 16, which is electrically connected to the first feed unit 17 on the side away from the third substrate 19. Along the plane of the second substrate 12, the RF integrated circuit 16 is located on the side of the feed head 15 facing the first connector 31.

[0071] Specifically, regarding the detailed structural configuration of the first type of large-scale liquid crystal antenna 100, this application also provides an optional configuration method in which the phase shifter 10 includes a third substrate 19, which can be disposed on the side of the second substrate 12 away from the first substrate 11. An adhesive material 01 is disposed between the third substrate 19 and the second substrate 12 to fix the third substrate 19 to the second substrate 12. The phase shifter 10 also includes a first feed line unit 17, which can be disposed on the surface of the third substrate 19 away from the second substrate 12. Furthermore, an RF integrated circuit 16 and a feed line can be disposed on the surface of the first feed line unit 17 away from the first substrate 11. The head 15 is configured such that the RF integrated circuit 16 and the feed head 15 are electrically connected to the side of the first feed unit 17 away from the third substrate 19. At this time, the RF integrated circuit 16 can be positioned along the plane of the second substrate 12, with the feed head 15 facing the first connector 31. This allows the microwave signal emitted by the feed head 15 to be amplified by the RF integrated circuit 16 and further transmitted to the first connector 31. The RF IC optimizes beamforming and improves the gain of the antenna radiator 21 in the antenna unit 20, thereby improving the transmission effect of the microwave signal.

[0072] It should also be noted that, as shown in Figure 3, by setting the feed head 15, RF integrated circuit 16, and first feed line unit 17 on the side of the third substrate 19 away from the first substrate 11, the feed head 15, RF integrated circuit 16, and first feed line unit 17 can be placed directly on the surface of the third substrate 19 and connected to the phase shifter 10 below via the connector 30 in an external manner, so as to achieve rapid combination between the phase shifter 10 and the antenna unit 20, with low process difficulty.

[0073] It should also be noted that although the wiring structure of the electrical connection between the feed head 15 and the RF integrated circuit 16 is mainly used as the first feed unit 17 (feed line) in Figures 2 and 3, any wiring located on the RF path as shown in Figure 2 can be called a feed line, such as the connector 30 shown in Figure 2, or the wiring that electrically connects the second connector 32 and the antenna radiator 21; that is, the first feed unit 17 that electrically connects the feed head 15 and the RF integrated circuit 16 is only a part of the feed lines provided in the liquid crystal antenna 100.

[0074] Figure 11 shows another cross-sectional view of AA' in Figure 2 provided in the embodiment of this application. Please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 11. Optionally, the phase shifter 10 further includes a first feed line unit 17, which is located on the side of the second substrate 12 away from the first substrate 11.

[0075] The phase shifter 10 also includes an RF integrated circuit 16, which is electrically connected to the first feed line unit 17 on the side away from the second substrate 12. Along the direction of the plane where the second substrate 12 is located, the RF integrated circuit 16 is located on the side of the feed head 15 facing the first connector 31.

[0076] Specifically, regarding the detailed structural configuration of the first type of liquid crystal antenna 100, this application also provides an optional configuration method: directly using the surface of the second substrate 12 away from the first substrate 11 to set the first feeder unit 17, which can reduce the overall film thickness of the liquid crystal antenna 100 and facilitate the thin design requirements of the liquid crystal antenna 100; furthermore, an RF integrated circuit 16 and a feed head 15 can be set on the surface of the first feeder unit 17 away from the second substrate 12, so that the RF integrated circuit 16 and the feed head 15 are electrically connected to the side of the first feeder unit 17 away from the second substrate 12. At this time, the RF integrated circuit 16 can be set along the direction of the plane where the second substrate 12 is located, with the feed head 15 facing the first connector 31, so that the microwave signal emitted by the feed head 15 can be amplified by the RF integrated circuit 16 (RFIC) and further transmitted to the first connector 31, thereby improving the transmission effect of the microwave signal.

[0077] Furthermore, by directly setting the first feed line unit 17 on the surface of the second substrate 12 away from the first substrate 11, the addition of the third substrate is relatively reduced, and the amount of adhesive material required between the third substrate and the second substrate 12 is also reduced, thereby reducing the amount of at least one substrate. This helps to reduce the overall thickness of the liquid crystal antenna 100 and meets the design requirements for a thinner liquid crystal antenna 100.

[0078] It should be noted that the thickness of the second substrate 12 shown in Figure 11 is relatively thick, only to illustrate that the second substrate can be used to set components on its upper and lower surfaces, and does not represent the actual thickness of the second substrate 12 in the liquid crystal antenna 100 or the thickness ratio. The thickness of the second substrate can be adjusted according to design requirements.

[0079] Please refer to Figures 2, 3, and 11. Optionally, the antenna unit 20 may also include a power amplifier 22, which is located between the antenna radiator 21 and the second connector 32. The second end of the second connector 32 is electrically connected to the power amplifier 22.

[0080] The antenna unit 20 also includes a fourth substrate 23, which is located on the first side of the plane of the second substrate 12, and the direction of the plane of the fourth substrate 23 is parallel to the direction of the plane of the second substrate 12; the power amplifier 22 and the antenna radiator 21 are electrically connected to the side of the fourth substrate 23 away from the first substrate 11.

[0081] Specifically, regarding the detailed structural configuration of the first type of liquid crystal antenna 100, this application also provides an optional configuration method in which, in addition to the antenna radiator 21 mentioned above, the antenna unit 20 may further be provided with a power amplifier 22 (PA). The power amplifier 22 may be disposed between the antenna radiator 21 and the second connector 32, and the second end of the second connector 32 may be electrically connected to the power amplifier 22. In addition, the antenna unit 20 may also include a fourth substrate 23, on which the power amplifier 22 and the antenna radiator 21 can be electrically connected. The fourth substrate 23 may be disposed on the side away from the first substrate 11. The direction of the plane on which the fourth substrate 23 is located may be parallel to the direction of the plane on which the second substrate 12 is located. The fourth substrate 23 may be disposed on the first side of the plane on which the second substrate 12 is located. That is, the fourth unit is disposed on the first side of the plane on which the second substrate 12 is located. This can shorten the length of the second connector 32, facilitate the electrical connection between the phase shifter 10 and the antenna unit 20, and at the same time reduce the planar area required by the liquid crystal antenna 100.

[0082] Referring to Figures 4, 5, 8, and 9, optionally, the terminal structure 40 that is electrically connected to the first connector 31 and the delay line 14 is an input terminal 41. The direction of the plane where the input terminal 41 is located is parallel to the direction of the plane where the second substrate 12 is located. The input terminal 41 is located on the side of the delay line 14 facing the first substrate 11 and is electrically connected to the delay line 14.

[0083] The terminal structure 40, which is electrically connected to the second connector 32 and the delay line 14, is an output terminal 42. The direction of the plane where the output terminal 42 is located is parallel to the direction of the plane where the second substrate 12 is located. The output terminal 42 is located on the side of the delay line 14 facing the first substrate 11 and is electrically connected to the delay line 14.

[0084] Specifically, in order to achieve the electrical connection between the connector 30 and the phase shifter 10, this application also provides an alternative implementation in which the first connector 31 and the second connector 32 are both provided with end piece structures 40 electrically connected to the delay line 14. For example, the end piece structure 40 electrically connected to the delay line 14 of the first connector 31 can be set as an input end piece 41, and the microwave signal emitted by the power supply head 15 is transmitted to the delay line 14 through the input end piece 41 after passing through the first connector 31; or the end piece structure 40 electrically connected to the delay line 14 of the second connector 32 can be set as an output end piece 42, and the microwave signal is transmitted to the output end piece 42 after passing through the delay line 14.

[0085] Regarding the specific structural details of the first type of liquid crystal antenna 100, this application also provides an optional configuration method in which the input end piece 41 of the first connector 31 can be configured to be located on the side of the delay line 14 facing the first substrate 11 and electrically connected to the delay line 14, wherein the direction of the plane where the input end piece 41 of the first connector 31 is located can be configured to be parallel to the direction of the plane where the second substrate 12 is located; the output end piece 42 of the second connector 32 can also be configured to be located on the side of the delay line 14 facing the first substrate 11 and electrically connected to the delay line 14, wherein the direction of the plane where the output end piece 42 of the second connector 32 is located can also be configured to be parallel to the direction of the plane where the second substrate 12 is located.

[0086] The arrangement of connector 30 and end piece structure 40 in this way helps to reduce the required installation area of ​​the plane where the liquid crystal antenna 100 is located. The main extension directions of the first connector 31 and the second connector 32 are perpendicular to the direction of the plane where the second substrate 12 is located, which can reduce the risk of arraying. At the same time, using connector 30 to realize the scheme of direct connection between phase shifter 10 and antenna unit 20 can also reduce coupling loss and improve radiation efficiency.

[0087] Figure 12 shows a schematic diagram of the LCD antennas of Figure 4 spliced ​​into an antenna module according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 13 shows a schematic diagram of the LCD antennas of Figure 8 spliced ​​into an antenna module according to an embodiment of this application. Please refer to Figures 12 and 13 in conjunction with Figures 4, 5, 8 and 9. In addition, when at least two LCD antennas 100 are spliced ​​to form an antenna module 200, as shown in Figures 12 and 13, the horizontal area required for the integrated antenna module 200 can be reduced, and the integration of multiple components in multiple dimensions can be facilitated.

[0088] It should also be added that the first connector 31 and the second connector 32 provided in this application can be coaxial cables, which realize the electrical connection between the phase shifter 10 and the antenna unit 20. In addition, the input terminal piece 41 and its corresponding first connector 31, and the output terminal piece 42 and its corresponding second connector 32, which are arranged parallel to the plane of the second substrate 12, can be replaced by direct connection using male and female connectors. This application does not limit the specific selection of connector 30, and the type of connector 30 can be selected according to the requirements.

[0089] Referring to Figures 4 and 5, optionally, the phase shifter 10 also includes a first feed line unit 17, which is located on the side of the second substrate 12 away from the first substrate 11.

[0090] The phase shifter 10 also includes an RF integrated circuit 16, which is electrically connected to the first feed line unit 17 on the side away from the first substrate 11. Along the direction of the plane where the second substrate 12 is located, the RF integrated circuit 16 is located on the side of the feed head 15 facing the first connector 31.

[0091] Specifically, regarding the detailed structural configuration of the first type of liquid crystal antenna 100, this application also provides an optional configuration method: directly using the surface of the second substrate 12 away from the first substrate 11 to set the first feeder unit 17, which can reduce the overall film thickness of the liquid crystal antenna 100 and facilitate the thin design requirements of the liquid crystal antenna 100; furthermore, an RF integrated circuit 16 and a feed head 15 can be set on the surface of the first feeder unit 17 away from the second substrate 12, so that the RF integrated circuit 16 and the feed head 15 are electrically connected to the side of the first feeder unit 17 away from the second substrate 12. At this time, the RF integrated circuit 16 can be set along the direction of the plane where the second substrate 12 is located, with the feed head 15 facing the first connector 31, so that the microwave signal emitted by the feed head 15 can be amplified by the RF integrated circuit 16 (RFIC) and further transmitted to the first connector 31, thereby improving the transmission effect of the microwave signal.

[0092] Furthermore, by directly setting the first feed line unit 17 on the surface of the second substrate 12 away from the first substrate 11, the addition of the third substrate is relatively reduced, and the amount of adhesive material required between the third substrate and the second substrate 12 is also reduced, thereby reducing the amount of at least one substrate. This helps to reduce the overall thickness of the liquid crystal antenna 100 and meets the design requirements for a thinner liquid crystal antenna 100.

[0093] It should also be noted that although the wiring structure of the electrical connection between the feed head 15 and the RF integrated circuit 16 is mainly used as the first feed unit 17 (feed line) in Figures 4 and 5, as shown in Figure 4, any wiring located on the RF path can be called a feed line. For example, the wiring connecting the RF integrated circuit 16 and the input terminal 41 shown in Figure 4 is a feed line. That is, the first feed unit 17 that electrically connects the feed head 15 and the RF integrated circuit 16 is only a part of the feed lines set in the liquid crystal antenna 100.

[0094] Please continue to refer to Figures 4 and 5. Optionally, the antenna unit 20 also includes a fourth substrate 23, which is located on the side of the second substrate 12 away from the first substrate 11.

[0095] Antenna unit 20 also includes power amplifier 22, which is located between antenna radiator 21 and second connector 32, and the second end of second connector 32 is electrically connected to power amplifier 22.

[0096] The power amplifier 22 and the antenna radiator 21 are electrically connected to the side of the fourth substrate 23 away from the first substrate 11.

[0097] Specifically, in addition to the antenna radiator 21 mentioned above, the antenna unit 20 may further include a power amplifier 22 (PA). The power amplifier 22 may be disposed between the antenna radiator 21 and the second connector 32, and the second end of the second connector 32 may be electrically connected to the power amplifier 22. Furthermore, the antenna unit 20 may also include a fourth substrate 23, on which the power amplifier 22 and the antenna radiator 21 may be electrically connected. The fourth substrate 23 may be disposed on the side of the second substrate 12 away from the second substrate 12. The direction of the plane on which the fourth substrate 23 is located may be parallel to the direction of the plane on which the second substrate 12 is located. The fourth substrate 23 may be disposed on the side of the second substrate 12 away from the first substrate 11. That is, the antenna unit 20 may be disposed within the plane area required for the phase shifter 10, which can reduce the plane space required for the liquid crystal antenna 100 and is beneficial to the miniaturization and integration of the liquid crystal antenna 100.

[0098] Referring to Figures 8 and 9, optionally, the phase shifter 10 also includes a fourth substrate 23, which is located on the side of the first substrate 11 away from the second substrate 12.

[0099] The phase shifter 10 also includes a first feed line unit 17, which is located on the side of the fourth substrate 23 away from the first substrate 11.

[0100] The phase shifter 10 also includes an RF integrated circuit 16, which is electrically connected to the first feed line unit 17 on the side away from the first substrate 11. Along the direction of the plane where the second substrate 12 is located, the RF integrated circuit 16 is located on the side of the feed head 15 facing the first connector 31.

[0101] Specifically, regarding the detailed structural configuration of the first type of large-scale liquid crystal antenna 100, this application also provides an optional configuration method in which the phase shifter 10 further includes a fourth substrate 23, which can be disposed on the side of the first substrate 11 away from the second substrate 12. An adhesive material 01 is disposed between the fourth substrate 23 and the first substrate 11 to fix the fourth substrate 23 to the first substrate 11. The phase shifter 10 also includes a first feed line unit 17, which can be disposed on the surface of the fourth substrate 23 away from the first substrate 11, thereby allowing the first feed line unit 17 to be disposed away from the first substrate 12. A radio frequency integrated circuit 16 and a feed head 15 are disposed on one side surface of the first feed line unit 17, so that the radio frequency integrated circuit 16 and the feed head 15 are electrically connected to the side of the first feed line unit 17 away from the fourth substrate 23. At this time, the radio frequency integrated circuit 16 can be positioned along the plane of the second substrate 12, with the feed head 15 facing the first connector 31, so that the microwave signal emitted by the feed head 15 can be amplified by the radio frequency integrated circuit 16 (RFIC) and further transmitted to the first connector 31, thereby improving the transmission effect of the microwave signal.

[0102] It should also be noted that although the wiring structure of the electrical connection between the feed head 15 and the RF integrated circuit 16 in Figures 8 and 9 is mainly used as the first feed unit 17 (feed line), as shown in Figure 8, any wiring located on the RF path can be called a feed line. For example, the wiring connecting the RF integrated circuit 16 and the input terminal 41 shown in Figure 8 is also a feed line; that is, the first feed unit 17 that electrically connects the feed head 15 and the RF integrated circuit 16 is only a part of the feed lines provided in the liquid crystal antenna 100.

[0103] Please refer to Figures 8 and 9. Optionally, the antenna unit 20 may also include a power amplifier 22, which is located between the antenna radiator 21 and the second connector 32. The second end of the second connector 32 is electrically connected to the power amplifier 22.

[0104] The power amplifier 22 and the antenna radiator 21 are electrically connected to the side of the second substrate 12 away from the first substrate 11.

[0105] Specifically, in addition to the antenna radiator 21 mentioned above, the antenna unit 20 may further be provided with a power amplifier 22 (PA). The power amplifier 22 can be disposed between the antenna radiator 21 and the second connector 32, and the second end of the second connector 32 can be electrically connected to the power amplifier 22. In addition, the power amplifier 22 and the antenna radiator 21 can be directly electrically connected to the side of the second substrate 12 away from the first substrate 11. That is, the power amplifier 22 and the antenna radiator 21 in the antenna unit 20 can be fabricated directly using the surface of the side of the second substrate 12 away from the first substrate 11. This helps to simplify the fabrication process of the liquid crystal antenna 100 and improve the fabrication efficiency of the liquid crystal antenna 100. Moreover, the antenna unit 20 can be set within the planar area required for the phase shifter 10, which can reduce the planar space required for the liquid crystal antenna 100 and is conducive to the miniaturization and integration of the liquid crystal antenna 100.

[0106] In the embodiment shown in Figure 9, where the feed head 15 is located on the side of the first substrate 11 away from the second substrate 12, when the feed head 15 is located on the side of the second substrate 12 away from the first substrate 11, the feed head 15 may need to be connected by wires and cannot be set by direct soldering. The coaxial cable will have certain losses. Therefore, this application places the antenna feed plate (fourth substrate 23, first feed line unit 17, feed head 15) at the bottom, that is, on the side of the first substrate 11 away from the second substrate 12, which helps to solve the problem that the feed head 15 cannot be set by direct soldering. At the same time, this connection method between the phase shifter 10 and the antenna unit 20 shown in Figure 9 is easy to encapsulate and the aesthetic appearance will be guaranteed.

[0107] Furthermore, in the structural embodiment of the liquid crystal antenna 100 shown in FIG9, the main extension directions of the first connector 31 and the second connector 32 are both perpendicular to the extension direction of the plane on which the second substrate 12 is located. The antenna radiator 21 is fabricated on the top layer, that is, the side surface of the second substrate 12 away from the first substrate 11, and the RFIC is fabricated on the bottom layer, that is, the side of the first substrate 11 away from the second substrate 12. This can ensure the appearance of the phase shifter 10 and also facilitate the external packaging of the driver board integrated module.

[0108] By placing the control substrate at the bottom, and allowing the control port to be connected to the package at the bottom, control functions can be achieved while ensuring the optimization of the module's shape.

[0109] Referring to Figures 6 and 7, optionally, the phase shifter 10 includes a first region 101 adjacent to the first side of the plane where the second substrate 12 is located, the power supply head 15 is located in the first region 101, and the first connector 31 includes a terminal piece structure 40 electrically connected to the delay line 14.

[0110] Specifically, regarding the detailed structural configuration of the second type of liquid crystal antenna 100, this application also provides an optional configuration method in which the feed head 15 is located in the first region 101 of the phase shifter 10, and the first connector 31 is located on the first side of the plane where the second substrate 12 is located. In this case, the positions of the first connector 31 and the feed head 15 are adjacent. Compared with setting the signal input path and signal output path of the phase shifter 10 on two sides of the plane where the phase shifter 10 is located, the planar area occupied by the liquid crystal antenna 100 will not be significantly increased on the basis of the planar area occupied by the phase shifter 10 (second substrate 12). This allows the area occupied by the phase shifter 10 structure and the connector 30 on the plane where the liquid crystal antenna 100 is located to be smaller, saving the planar space required for all structures of the liquid crystal antenna 100.

[0111] At this time, the connector 30 electrically connected to the phase shifter 10 is only the first connector 31. The first connector 31 can be used as the signal output path of the phase shifter 10, and the power supply head 15 can directly transmit the microwave signal it emits to the phase shifter 10.

[0112] Please refer to Figures 6 and 7. Optionally, the power supply head 15 passes through the second substrate 12 and is electrically connected to the delay line 14 along a direction perpendicular to the plane of the second substrate 12.

[0113] Specifically, regarding the detailed structural configuration of the second type of liquid crystal antenna 100, this application also provides an optional configuration method in which the feed head 15 is directly configured to penetrate the entire thickness of the second substrate 12 along a direction perpendicular to the plane where the second substrate 12 is located, so that the feed head 15 can be electrically connected to the delay line 14, and the microwave signal emitted by the feed head 15 can be directly transmitted to the delay line 14 of the phase shifter 10.

[0114] That is, the liquid crystal antenna 100 provided in this embodiment adopts a first connector 31 whose extension direction is mainly perpendicular to the plane of the second substrate 12, and a punched direct-insertion connector (feed head 15) design, which is beneficial to reduce the required installation area of ​​the plane where the liquid crystal antenna 100 is located. The extension directions of the first connector 31 and the feed head 15 are both set perpendicular to the plane of the second substrate 12, which can also reduce the risk of arraying. At the same time, the use of connector 30 to realize the direct connection between phase shifter 10 and antenna unit 20 can also reduce coupling loss and improve radiation efficiency.

[0115] Please refer to Figures 6 and 7. Optionally, the terminal structure 40 that is electrically connected to the first connector 31 and the delay line 14 is an output terminal 42. The direction of the plane where the output terminal 42 is located is parallel to the direction of the plane where the second substrate 12 is located. The output terminal 42 is located on the side of the delay line 14 facing the first substrate 11 and is electrically connected to the delay line 14.

[0116] Specifically, in order to achieve the electrical connection between the connector 30 and the phase shifter 10, this application also provides an alternative implementation in which the first connector 31 is provided to include a terminal structure 40 electrically connected to the delay line 14. For example, the terminal structure 40 electrically connected to the delay line 14 of the first connector 31 can be set as an output terminal 42. The microwave signal directly transmitted to the delay line 14 by the feed head 15 is then transmitted to the output terminal 42 after passing through the delay line 14.

[0117] Regarding the specific structural details of the second type of liquid crystal antenna 100, this application also provides an optional configuration method in which the output end piece 42 of the first connector 31 can be configured to be located on the side of the extension line facing the first substrate 11, and the direction of the plane where the output end piece 42 is located is parallel to the direction of the plane where the second substrate 12 is located, so as to ensure the electrical connection effect between the output end piece 42 and the delay line 14.

[0118] By setting the first connector 31 to extend mainly along the direction perpendicular to the plane of the second substrate 12, and setting the feed head 15 to be drilled in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the second substrate 12, the problem of coaxial line collision in the prior art can be better solved. At the same time, since the solder core of the feed head 15 is directly inserted into the delay line 14 of the phase shifter 10, the power loss is lower than that of coaxial line feeding, which is conducive to improving the working efficiency of the liquid crystal antenna 100.

[0119] Figure 14 shows a schematic diagram of the LCD antenna splicing of Figure 6 into an antenna module according to an embodiment of this application. Please refer to Figure 14 in conjunction with Figures 6 and 7. In addition, when at least two LCD antennas 100 are spliced ​​to form an antenna module 200, as shown in Figure 14, in order to ensure the phase shift of the LCD antenna 100, the output end piece 42 and the feed head 15 of the two adjacent LCD antennas 100 are usually placed relatively close. If the design of two end piece structures 40 is adopted and the two end piece structures 40 are simultaneously arranged horizontally in the direction of the plane where the second substrate 12 is located, there may be mutual influence, such as contact influence. Therefore, the scheme of adjacent arrangement of the feed head 15 and the output end piece 42 provided in this embodiment is beneficial to improving the assembly yield of the antenna module 200, thereby improving the performance of the antenna module 200.

[0120] It should also be added that the first connector 31 provided in this application can be a coaxial cable, and the electrical connection between the phase shifter 10 and the antenna unit 20 can be realized through the coaxial cable; this application does not limit the specific selection of connector 30, and the type of connector 30 can be selected according to the requirements.

[0121] Referring to Figures 6 and 7, optionally, the phase shifter 10 further includes a first feed line unit 17, which is located on the side of the second substrate 12 away from the first substrate 11.

[0122] The phase shifter 10 also includes an RF integrated circuit 16, which is electrically connected to the first feed line unit 17 on the side away from the second substrate 12. Along the direction of the plane where the second substrate 12 is located, the RF integrated circuit 16 is located on the side of the feed head 15 facing the first connector 31.

[0123] Specifically, regarding the detailed structural configuration of the second type of liquid crystal antenna 100, this application also provides an optional configuration method: directly using the surface of the second substrate 12 away from the first substrate 11 to set the first feed line unit 17. This can reduce the overall film thickness of the liquid crystal antenna 100, which is beneficial to the thinner design requirements of the liquid crystal antenna 100. Furthermore, the radio frequency integrated circuit 16 and the feed head 15 can be set on the surface of the first feed line unit 17 away from the second substrate 12, that is, the feed head 15 passes through the first feed line unit 17 and the second substrate 12 and then connects with the delay line. 14. Contact connection is made so that the RF integrated circuit 16 and the feed head 15 are electrically connected to the side of the first feed unit 17 away from the second substrate 12. At this time, the RF integrated circuit 16 can be set along the direction of the plane where the second substrate 12 is located, with the feed head 15 facing the first connector 31. This allows the microwave signal emitted by the feed head 15 to be amplified by the RF integrated circuit 16 (RFIC) during transmission to the first connector 31, thereby improving the transmission effect of the microwave signal.

[0124] Furthermore, by directly setting the first feed line unit 17 on the surface of the second substrate 12 away from the first substrate 11, the addition of the third substrate is relatively reduced, and the amount of adhesive material required between the third substrate and the second substrate 12 is also reduced, thereby reducing the amount of at least one substrate. This helps to reduce the overall thickness of the liquid crystal antenna 100 and meets the design requirements for a thinner liquid crystal antenna 100.

[0125] Alternatively, a third substrate can be added to the side of the second substrate 12 away from the first substrate 11. The first feed line unit 17, the RF integrated circuit 16, and the feed head 15 are disposed on the surface of the third substrate away from the second substrate 12. The second substrate 12 and the third substrate are fixedly connected by an adhesive material. This arrangement can reduce the manufacturing difficulty of the liquid crystal antenna 100. This application does not limit whether the liquid crystal antenna 100 has a third substrate; the inclusion or exclusion of the third substrate can be selected according to design requirements.

[0126] It should also be added that any trace located on the RF path can be called a feed line. As shown in Figure 6, the trace structure located between the RF integrated circuit 16 and the feed head 15 is a feed line.

[0127] Please continue to refer to Figures 6 and 7. Optionally, the antenna unit 20 may also include a fourth substrate 23, which is located on the side of the second substrate 12 away from the first substrate 11.

[0128] The antenna unit 20 also includes a power amplifier 22 and an antenna radiator 21, which are electrically connected to the side of the fourth substrate 23 away from the first substrate 11. The power amplifier 22 is located between the antenna radiator 21 and the first connector 31, and the second end of the first connector 31 is electrically connected to the power amplifier 22.

[0129] Specifically, regarding the detailed structural configuration of the second type of liquid crystal antenna 100, this application also provides an optional configuration method in which the antenna unit 20 further includes a fourth substrate 23. The fourth substrate 23 can be disposed on the side of the second substrate 12 away from the first substrate 11. An adhesive material 01 is disposed between the fourth substrate 23 and the second substrate 12 to fix the fourth substrate 23 to the second substrate 12. The antenna unit 20 also includes a power amplifier 22 (PA) and an antenna radiator 21. The power amplifier 22 can be disposed between the antenna radiator 21 and the first connector 31. The second end of the first connector 31 can be electrically connected to the power amplifier 22. In addition, the liquid crystal antenna 100 provided in this embodiment can be configured within the planar area required for the phase shifter 10, which can reduce the planar space required for the liquid crystal antenna 100 and is beneficial to the miniaturization and integration of the liquid crystal antenna 100.

[0130] It should be added that, for bonding and fixing between substrates, double-sided tape or foam frame design can be used, or optical adhesive materials such as OCA (OpticallyClearAdhesive) / OCR (OpticalClearResin) can be used for bonding design. This application does not specifically limit this.

[0131] It should also be noted that the fourth substrate 23 can be a glass substrate or a PCB (Printed Circuit Board), and this application does not make any specific limitations on it.

[0132] Referring to Figures 2-9, 11, and then to Figures 10, 12-14, based on the same inventive concept, this application also provides an antenna module 200, which includes a liquid crystal antenna 100. The liquid crystal antenna can be any type of liquid crystal antenna 100 provided in this application. The antenna module 200 includes at least two liquid crystal antennas 100 arranged in a spliced ​​configuration.

[0133] It should be noted that the embodiments of the antenna module provided in this application can refer to the embodiments of the liquid crystal antenna described above, and will not be repeated here.

[0134] It should also be noted that the structural components shown in the figure but not marked may include some conventional components required in the liquid crystal antenna, such as IC (chip) and FPC (flexible circuit board). The components required for the operation of the liquid crystal antenna may be set or not set, and their positions may be adjusted as needed. This application does not make specific limitations in this regard.

[0135] Figure 15 shows a schematic diagram of one structure of an RF connector in the prior art; Figure 16 shows a schematic diagram of another structure of an RF connector in the prior art; Figure 17 shows a diagram of one arrangement relationship between the connector and the substrate in the prior art; Figure 18 shows a diagram of another arrangement relationship between the connector and the substrate in the prior art. Please refer to Figures 15-18. It should also be noted that in the prior art, the RF signal feed of the liquid crystal phased array antenna is mainly in the form of RF connectors, mainly including 2.4mm, 2.92mm, SMA (Sub-Miniature Version A), SMP (Ultra-small Push-in Connector) and other RF connector solutions (as shown in Figures 15 and 16). The 2.4mm and 2.92mm RF connectors are used for through-hole connection on the substrate and are commonly used in PCB (Printed Circuit Board) materials. However, drilling holes in the glass of LCD panel manufacturing processes is relatively expensive. Using SMA and SMP connectors usually requires CPW (Coplanar Waveguide) or CPWG (Coplanar Ground Waveguide) connection methods, which require a large space for soldering pads. Furthermore, for external LCD phase shifter splicing arrays with one input and one output, the connectors are located on the same side of the substrate. If the connectors are located on different sides of the substrate, different array assembly difficulties will be encountered (as shown in Figures 17 and 18).

[0136] Furthermore, small-cell thick liquid crystal phase shifters, due to the significant losses in the glass substrate and liquid crystal dielectric, require external power amplifier circuits for gain amplification, or external horn antennas for transmission and reception testing functions. Additionally, current liquid crystal phase shifters are typically integrated with liquid crystal antenna radiating patches, employing a three-part coupling structure with substantial coupling losses (as shown in Figure 1); the coupling points introduce additional coupling losses, affecting antenna gain.

[0137] Currently, liquid crystal phase shifters are usually presented as phase shifter arrays combined with antennas, and there are no implemented products as external phase shifter plug-ins. Using them as standalone external phase shifter units requires consideration of their power input / output structure, as well as the challenges of their external structure and unit splicing.

[0138] If the welding head is designed on the opposite side, it will be impossible to perform array splicing due to the limitations of the welding heads on both sides; if the welding head is designed on the same side, the welding heads of the left and right units will interfere with each other when welding the joints during arraying, and the latter has insufficient space; moreover, the power supply design of the opposite side entrance and exit will face the problem of occupying a large plane area, which is not conducive to miniaturization and integration.

[0139] Meanwhile, when connected to the same-plane feed, the number of functions that can be achieved is limited due to the limitations of the wiring; at the same time, the liquid crystal phase shifter unit, as an external component, needs to consider its structural design and the limitations imposed by the array; the coupled feed structure has relatively large losses, which has a significant impact on the antenna gain.

[0140] Because 2.4mm and 2.92mm pin-type RF connectors require the use of dual-substrate through-hole technology, the current cost is relatively high and the process risk is relatively large; while CPW-type RF connectors such as SMA and SMP, if external circuits are connected on the same side, the overall module space size is large, which is not conducive to integration; at the same time, there is currently no design scheme for external phase shifting units of liquid crystal phase shifters through direct connection rather than coupling.

[0141] As can be seen from the above embodiments, the liquid crystal antenna and antenna module provided by the present invention achieve at least the following beneficial effects:

[0142] This application provides a liquid crystal antenna, which includes a phase shifter and an antenna element. The phase shifter and the antenna element are electrically connected via a connector, allowing the phase shifter to be directly connected to the antenna element as an independent external component. Therefore, the phase shifter can be disassembled and reused as an independent component, improving the assembly flexibility of the liquid crystal antenna. Furthermore, the direct connection method can solve the problem of high loss in the coupled feed of traditional liquid crystal phased array antennas, improving the working efficiency of the liquid crystal antenna. In addition, the first connector of this application is located at least partially on the first side of the plane of the second substrate. The first connector extends in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the second substrate. The first end of the first connector is electrically connected to the feed head, and the second end is electrically connected to the first end of the delay line, or the first end of the delay line is electrically connected to the feed head, and the second end is electrically connected to the first end of the first connector. This makes the area occupied by the phase shifter structure and the connector on the plane of the liquid crystal antenna smaller, saving the planar space required by the liquid crystal antenna and facilitating the miniaturization and integration of the liquid crystal antenna.

[0143] While specific embodiments of the invention have been described in detail by way of examples, those skilled in the art should understand that the examples are for illustrative purposes only and not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can be made to the above embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal antenna, characterized in that, The device includes a phase shifter and an antenna unit, which are electrically connected via a connector. The phase shifter includes a first substrate and a second substrate disposed opposite to each other, and a liquid crystal sandwiched between the first substrate and the second substrate. The phase shifter also includes a delay line located on the side of the second substrate facing the first substrate and in contact with the second substrate. The phase shifter also includes a feed head located on the side of the second substrate away from the first substrate, or on the side of the first substrate away from the second substrate. The connector includes at least a first connector, which is at least partially located on a first side of the plane where the second substrate is located, and extends in a direction perpendicular to the plane where the second substrate is located. A first end of the first connector is electrically connected to the feed head, and a second end of the first connector is electrically connected to a first end of the delay line; or, a first end of the delay line is electrically connected to the feed head, and a second end of the delay line is electrically connected to a first end of the first connector. The connector also includes a second connector. The antenna unit includes an antenna radiator, and a first end of the second connector is electrically connected to the delay line, and a second end of the second connector is electrically connected to the antenna radiator.

2. The liquid crystal antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second connector is at least partially located on the first side of the plane where the second substrate is located, and both the first connector and the second connector include a terminal piece structure electrically connected to the delay line.

3. The liquid crystal antenna according to claim 2, characterized in that, The extension direction of the second connector is parallel to the plane of the second substrate, or the extension direction of the second connector is perpendicular to the plane of the second substrate.

4. The liquid crystal antenna according to claim 3, characterized in that, The terminal structure of the first connector electrically connected to the delay line is an input terminal, and the direction of the plane where the input terminal is located is parallel to the direction of the plane where the second substrate is located; the input terminal is located on the side of the delay line facing the first substrate and is electrically connected to the delay line; the terminal structure of the second connector electrically connected to the delay line is an output terminal, and the direction of the plane where the output terminal is located is perpendicular to the direction of the plane where the second substrate is located; the output terminal is located on the first side of the plane where the second substrate is located, and the output terminal is electrically connected to the side of the plane where the delay line is located.

5. The liquid crystal antenna according to claim 4, characterized in that, The phase shifter further includes a third substrate located on the side of the second substrate away from the first substrate; the phase shifter further includes a first feed line unit located on the side of the third substrate away from the first substrate; the phase shifter further includes an RF integrated circuit, the RF integrated circuit and the feed head being electrically connected to the side of the first feed line unit away from the third substrate; along the direction of the plane where the second substrate is located, the RF integrated circuit is located on the side of the feed head facing the first connector.

6. The liquid crystal antenna according to claim 4, characterized in that, The phase shifter further includes a first feed line unit located on the side of the second substrate away from the first substrate; the phase shifter further includes an RF integrated circuit, the RF integrated circuit and the feed head being electrically connected to the side of the first feed line unit away from the second substrate; along the direction of the plane of the second substrate, the RF integrated circuit is located on the side of the feed head facing the first connector.

7. The liquid crystal antenna according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that, The antenna unit further includes a power amplifier located between the antenna radiator and the second connector, with the second end of the second connector electrically connected to the power amplifier; the antenna unit further includes a fourth substrate located on the first side of the plane of the second substrate, with the direction of the plane of the fourth substrate parallel to the direction of the plane of the second substrate; the power amplifier and the antenna radiator are electrically connected to the side of the fourth substrate away from the first substrate.

8. The liquid crystal antenna according to claim 3, characterized in that, The terminal structure of the first connector electrically connected to the delay line is an input terminal, and the direction of the plane where the input terminal is located is parallel to the direction of the plane where the second substrate is located; the input terminal is located on the side of the delay line facing the first substrate and is electrically connected to the delay line; the terminal structure of the second connector electrically connected to the delay line is an output terminal, and the direction of the plane where the output terminal is located is parallel to the direction of the plane where the second substrate is located; the output terminal is located on the side of the delay line facing the first substrate and is electrically connected to the delay line.

9. The liquid crystal antenna according to claim 8, characterized in that, The phase shifter further includes a first feed line unit located on the side of the second substrate away from the first substrate; the phase shifter further includes an RF integrated circuit, the RF integrated circuit and the feed head being electrically connected to the side of the first feed line unit away from the first substrate; along the direction of the plane of the second substrate, the RF integrated circuit is located on the side of the feed head facing the first connector.

10. The liquid crystal antenna according to claim 9, characterized in that, The antenna unit further includes a fourth substrate, which is located on the side of the second substrate away from the first substrate; the antenna unit further includes a power amplifier, which is located between the antenna radiator and the second connector, and the second end of the second connector is electrically connected to the power amplifier; the power amplifier and the antenna radiator are electrically connected to the side of the fourth substrate away from the first substrate.

11. The liquid crystal antenna according to claim 8, characterized in that, The phase shifter further includes a fourth substrate, which is located on the side of the first substrate away from the second substrate; the phase shifter further includes a first feed line unit, which is located on the side of the fourth substrate away from the first substrate; the phase shifter further includes an RF integrated circuit, which is electrically connected to the feed head on the side of the first feed line unit away from the first substrate; along the direction of the plane where the second substrate is located, the RF integrated circuit is located on the side of the feed head facing the first connector.

12. The liquid crystal antenna according to claim 11, characterized in that, The antenna unit further includes a power amplifier located between the antenna radiator and the second connector, with the second end of the second connector electrically connected to the power amplifier; the power amplifier and the antenna radiator are electrically connected to the side of the second substrate away from the first substrate.

13. The liquid crystal antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that, The phase shifter includes a first region adjacent to the first side of the plane where the second substrate is located, the feed head is located in the first region, and the first connector includes an end piece structure electrically connected to the delay line.

14. The liquid crystal antenna according to claim 13, characterized in that, Along a direction perpendicular to the plane of the second substrate, the power supply head penetrates the second substrate and is electrically connected to the delay line.

15. The liquid crystal antenna according to claim 14, characterized in that, The terminal structure that is electrically connected to the delay line by the first connector is an output terminal, and the direction of the plane on which the output terminal is located is parallel to the direction of the plane on which the second substrate is located; the output terminal is located on the side of the delay line facing the first substrate and is electrically connected to the delay line.

16. The liquid crystal antenna according to claim 15, characterized in that, The phase shifter further includes a first feed line unit located on the side of the second substrate away from the first substrate; the phase shifter further includes an RF integrated circuit, the RF integrated circuit and the feed head being electrically connected to the side of the first feed line unit away from the second substrate; along the direction of the plane of the second substrate, the RF integrated circuit is located on the side of the feed head facing the first connector.

17. The liquid crystal antenna according to claim 16, characterized in that, The antenna unit further includes a fourth substrate, which is located on the side of the second substrate away from the first substrate; the antenna unit further includes a power amplifier and an antenna radiator, which are electrically connected to the side of the fourth substrate away from the first substrate; the power amplifier is located between the antenna radiator and the first connector, and the second end of the first connector is electrically connected to the power amplifier.

18. An antenna module, characterized in that, Includes a liquid crystal antenna as described in any one of claims 1-17; the antenna module includes at least two liquid crystal antennas arranged in a spliced ​​configuration.

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