Adjustable fifth generation mobile communication antenna module

Abstract

This invention discloses an adjustable fifth-generation mobile communication antenna module, including a direct-excitation antenna, a tuner, a first low-frequency antenna, a second low-frequency antenna, and a substrate. The direct-excitation antenna is connected to a feed line. The tuner has a plurality of switching states. The first low-frequency antenna has a first coupling portion and a tuning terminal, the tuning terminal being grounded, and the first coupling portion is a floating and directly excitation antenna. The second low-frequency antenna has a second coupling portion and a matching terminal, the matching terminal being grounded, and the second coupling portion is a floating and directly excitation antenna. The second low-frequency antenna is located between the direct-excitation antenna and the first low-frequency antenna. The plurality of switching states cover frequencies from 617MHz to 960MHz, and there are shared switching states corresponding to 617MHz to 698MHz and 880MHz to 960MHz. In the shared switching state, the first low-frequency antenna operates in the lowest frequency range, and the second low-frequency antenna operates in the highest frequency range. The number of switching states of the tuner of this invention can be reduced by one.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a communication antenna module, and more particularly to an adjustable fifth-generation mobile communication antenna module. Background Technology

[0002] Common wireless communication technologies for existing mobile devices fall under the categories of Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) and Wireless Wide Area Networks (WWANs). If a laptop computer has both WLAN and WWAN capabilities, it must use multiple antennas or multi-band antennas to meet the requirements of multiple channel specifications. This often results in the antennas occupying a significant amount of internal component space. WLAN is an essential wireless standard for current laptops; the newer commercial standard is the communication protocol known as WiFi 6, which uses the 802.11ax standard. WWANs include 2G, 3G, 4G LTE, and the latest fifth-generation mobile communication (5G). Furthermore, besides increasing actual spectrum bandwidth, another practical method to increase usable bandwidth is carrier aggregation (CA) technology. Carrier aggregation combines carriers from different frequency bands to improve transmission efficiency and stability.

[0003] In antenna products used in laptops, antenna space is subject to numerous constraints due to product design requirements. The lower frequency bands (617MHz to 960MHz) in wireless wide area networks require considerable antenna space. To reduce antenna size, tuners are typically used to switch operating frequencies. The more switching states a tuner has, the higher the cost. Furthermore, the frequency offset caused by switching adjustments to the original operating center frequency of the designed antenna remains limited. These challenging new antenna designs impose further constraints and requirements on the specifications of multi-band antennas. Designing antennas that meet these new specifications without increasing antenna space presents a new challenge for manufacturers. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the aforementioned deficiencies in the prior art, the present invention aims to provide an adjustable fifth-generation mobile communication antenna module that meets the frequency band requirements of fifth-generation and previous-generation mobile communication as well as WiFi 6 communication protocols without increasing the antenna size.

[0005] The technical solution of this invention is as follows: An adjustable fifth-generation mobile communication antenna module, characterized in that it comprises:

[0006] Directly excite the antenna and connect it to the feed line;

[0007] The tuner has a plurality of switching states;

[0008] A first low-frequency antenna has a first coupling section and a tuning end, the tuning end being connected to ground via the tuner, the first coupling section being floating and capacitively coupling the direct-excitation antenna.

[0009] A second low-frequency antenna has a second coupling portion and a matching terminal, the matching terminal being connected to the ground via a capacitor, the second coupling portion being floating, wherein the second low-frequency antenna is located between the direct-excitation antenna and the first low-frequency antenna, and the second coupling portion capacitively couples the direct-excitation antenna; and

[0010] The substrate, the direct excitation antenna, the tuner, the first low-frequency antenna and the second low-frequency antenna are disposed on the substrate;

[0011] The switching states cover a total frequency range from 617MHz to 960MHz. There are shared switching states in the switching states, which correspond to the lowest frequency range and the highest frequency range. The lowest frequency range is from 617MHz to 698MHz, and the highest frequency range is from 880MHz to 960MHz.

[0012] In the shared switching state, the first low-frequency antenna is used to operate in the lowest frequency range, and the second low-frequency antenna is used to operate in the highest frequency range.

[0013] Furthermore, each of the switching states is a quarter-wavelength resonant mode that excites the first low-frequency antenna.

[0014] Furthermore, in the shared switching state, the second low-frequency antenna excites a quarter-wavelength resonant mode.

[0015] Furthermore, the number of switching states is three, namely the shared switching state, the first switching state, and the second switching state. The first switching state and the second switching state cover an intermediate frequency range between 698MHz and 880MHz. The intermediate frequency range is composed of a lower frequency segment and a higher frequency segment. The first switching state corresponds to the lower frequency segment, and the second switching state corresponds to the higher frequency segment.

[0016] Furthermore, the first coupling portion of the first low-frequency antenna has a plurality of bent segments, the bent segments capacitively coupling the second coupling portion of the second low-frequency antenna, and the bent segments partially surround the second coupling portion.

[0017] Furthermore, the direct-excitation antenna has a feed point to connect to the feed line, and the matching terminal of the second low-frequency antenna is located between the feed point of the direct-excitation antenna and the tuning terminal of the first low-frequency antenna.

[0018] Furthermore, the second coupling portion is located between the direct excitation antenna and the first coupling portion.

[0019] Furthermore, the second low-frequency antenna excites a higher-order resonant mode at 1.7 GHz.

[0020] Furthermore, the direct-excitation antenna excites a resonant mode at 2.2 GHz, and the direct-excitation antenna has a high-frequency section that excites a resonant mode at 5 GHz.

[0021] Furthermore, the length of the first low-frequency antenna from the tuning end to the first end of the first coupling part is 85 mm, and the length of the second low-frequency antenna from the matching end to the second end of the second coupling part is 58 mm.

[0022] The advantages of this invention compared to the prior art are:

[0023] This invention utilizes shared switching states, which reduces the number of switching states for tuners in the low-frequency range of 617MHz to 960MHz by one. Furthermore, the antenna module can be applied to carrier aggregation technology, and the actual antenna size is also very small, making it competitive in terms of size. It can be directly applied to laptop products and has high industrial application value. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a stereoscopic view of the adjustable fifth-generation mobile communication antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram from another perspective of the adjustable fifth-generation mobile communication antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the feed line of the adjustable fifth-generation mobile communication antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 4 This is a front view of the adjustable fifth-generation mobile communication antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the back of the adjustable fifth-generation mobile communication antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 6 This is a top view of the adjustable fifth-generation mobile communication antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 7 This is a bottom view of the adjustable fifth-generation mobile communication antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 8 This is a graph showing the change in antenna gain with frequency of the adjustable fifth-generation mobile communication antenna module provided in this embodiment of the invention. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The present invention will be further described below with reference to embodiments, but these are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

[0033] Please refer to the following at the same time Figure 1 and Figure 2 , Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional view of the adjustable fifth-generation mobile communication antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram from another three-dimensional perspective. An adjustable fifth-generation mobile communication antenna module includes a direct-excitation antenna 11, a tuner 12, a first low-frequency antenna 13, a second low-frequency antenna 14, and a substrate 100. The direct-excitation antenna 11, tuner 12, first low-frequency antenna 13, and second low-frequency antenna 14 are disposed on the substrate 100, which is, for example, a laser-engraved substrate, but is not limited thereto. See also... Figure 3 The diagram shows a feed line, with the direct-excitation antenna 11 connected to feed line 15. The direct-excitation antenna 11 has a feed point F to connect to feed line 15, which typically uses a very thin coaxial cable. The center conductor of feed line 15 is connected to feed point F, and the outer conductor of feed line 15 is connected to ground G. Additionally, for... Figures 1 to 2 The multiple input multiple output antenna 2 indicated in the document is mainly used for wireless local area network functions in the product and will not be described in this embodiment.

[0034] This antenna module is designed to be housed within the casing space above the screen of a laptop computer, serving as a built-in antenna module. The casing space above the screen of the aforementioned laptop computer is a common placement location for built-in antenna modules. When the substrate 100 is laser-engraved, it can be easily manufactured into different shapes. The elongated structure of the substrate 100 in the image shows that some surfaces have indentations (recesses), or the cross-section of the elongated structure is slightly trapezoidal. For example, the front surface 101 has a recess, and the bottom surface 104 is not flat. These features facilitate tight assembly of the antenna module with the internal structure of the laptop computer, making it more suitable for practical applications and reducing the overall space occupied by the mechanism, without affecting the main characteristics of the antenna module.

[0035] Please refer to the following: Figure 1 , Figure 2 ,as well as Figures 4 to 7 Using the X, Y, and Z axes in the diagram as definitions, the positive direction of the Y axis is the front (101), the negative direction of the Y axis is the back (102), the positive direction of the Z axis is the top (103), and the negative direction of the Z axis is the bottom (104). Figure 4 This is a frontal view of Taipei 101. Figure 5 This is a view from the back of 102. Figure 6 This is a view from the top (103). Figure 7 This is a view of the bottom surface 104. The tuner 12 has a plurality of switching states, commonly referred to as "tuner" in industry technical documents, and will not be elaborated upon in this embodiment. The first low-frequency antenna 13 has a first coupling portion 131 and a tuning terminal 132, the tuning terminal 132 being connected to ground G via the tuner 12. Figure 1 The tuner 12 is represented by a recess located at the far right of the front surface 101. This recess is used to mount a physical tuner 12, the appearance of which is not shown in the figure. The first coupling part 131 is floating and capacitively couples the direct-excitation antenna 11. The direct-excitation antenna 11 is located on the front surface 101, and the first coupling part 131 is located on the top surface 103 (see figure). Figure 6 ) and back 102 (see Figure 5 The first coupling portion 131 obtains excitation energy from the radiating body of the direct-excitation antenna 11 adjacent to the top surface 103 and the back surface 102. The second low-frequency antenna 14 has a second coupling portion 141 and a matching terminal 142. The matching terminal 142 is connected to ground G through a capacitor CA, and the second coupling portion 141 is floating. The capacitor CA is not shown in the figure. Figures 1 to 4 The recessed area with multiple solder joints is used to indicate the pin placement options for the two ends of capacitor CA, allowing for the use of two or more capacitors connected in parallel. One end of capacitor CA is connected to matching terminal 142 via solder, and the other end is connected to ground G via solder. In this embodiment, the capacitor CA connected to matching terminal 142 uses a surface mount assembly with a capacitance value of, for example, 20pF, implemented as two 10pF capacitor assemblies connected in parallel. Furthermore, the ground G at the aforementioned different locations is a common ground, meaning they are all the same ground; the solder joints or ground pin configurations are simply distributed differently for different antenna components.

[0036] The second low-frequency antenna 14 is located between the direct-excitation antenna 11 and the first low-frequency antenna 13, and the second coupling part 141 capacitively couples the direct-excitation antenna 11. Specifically, the second coupling part 141 is adjacent to and partially surrounds the direct-excitation antenna 11 via the front surface 101 and the top surface 103 to obtain excitation energy. As can be seen from the above, not only the second coupling part 141 couples the energy of the direct-excitation antenna 11, but the first coupling part 131 also couples the energy of the direct-excitation antenna 11. The first low-frequency antenna 13, with its longer path, is a grounded antenna, and the second low-frequency antenna, with its shorter path, is also a grounded antenna. Both antennas are excited by non-contact capacitive coupling.

[0037] The tuner 12 has a plurality of switching states that collectively cover a frequency range from 617 MHz to 960 MHz. Each of the plurality of switching states excites a quarter-wavelength resonant mode of the first low-frequency antenna 13. Among the plurality of switching states is a shared switching state corresponding to a minimum frequency range from 617 MHz to 698 MHz and a maximum frequency range from 880 MHz to 960 MHz. In this shared switching state, the first low-frequency antenna 13 operates in the minimum frequency range, and the second low-frequency antenna 14 operates in the maximum frequency range.

[0038] Specifically, in the shared switching state, the second low-frequency antenna 14 excites a quarter-wavelength resonant mode. In the shared switching state, the quarter-wavelength resonant mode excited by the first low-frequency antenna 13 operates from 617MHz to 698MHz, and the quarter-wavelength resonant mode excited by the second low-frequency antenna 14 operates from 880MHz to 960MHz. That is, the quarter-wavelength resonant path of the first low-frequency antenna 13 is longer than that of the second low-frequency antenna 14. More specifically, for example, in the frequency range of 617MHz to 960MHz, the tuner 12 typically uses approximately four or more switching states to control the frequency range of the antenna excitation modes, setting the frequency range of the antenna excitation modes to four different frequency modes to cover the entire frequency range. If four switching states are used to cover the aforementioned frequency range, for example, 617MHz to 698MHz would be covered by one switching state, 880MHz to 960MHz by another, and the middle range of 698MHz to 880MHz would be covered by two switching states, thus requiring a total of four switching states. This invention uses the same switching state for both the highest and lowest frequencies within the 617MHz to 960MHz range, called a shared switching state. This shared switching state replaces the traditional approach of using two switching states, thus reducing the total number of switching states by one. For example, if a conventional design uses four switching states, this invention can replace it with only three. Furthermore, for the same reason, if a conventional design uses five switching states, this invention can replace it with only four, since the highest and lowest frequency ranges share one switching state.

[0039] Reference Figure 8 In this embodiment, the number of the plurality of switching states is three, namely a shared switching state, a first switching state, and a second switching state. Based on... Figure 8The product specifications represented by the dashed curves in the diagram include a shared switching state covering a frequency range from 617MHz to 698MHz, and a shared switching state also covering a frequency range from 880MHz to 960MHz. The first and second switching states cover an intermediate frequency range between 698MHz and 880MHz, which consists of a lower frequency band and a higher frequency band. The first switching state corresponds to the lower frequency band, and the second switching state corresponds to the higher frequency band.

[0040] Furthermore, refer to the following: Figure 1 , Figure 2 and reference Figures 4 to 7 For the detailed structure of the antenna, preferably, the first coupling portion 131 of the first low-frequency antenna 13 has multiple bends, which capacitively couple the second coupling portion 141 of the second low-frequency antenna 14, and the multiple bends partially surround the second coupling portion 141. That is, for the first coupling portion 131, near the first end 131a, multiple bends are close to and coupled to the second coupling portion 141. Preferably, the matching end 142 of the second low-frequency antenna 14 is located between the feed point F of the direct-excitation antenna 11 and the tuning end 132 of the first low-frequency antenna 13. The second coupling portion 141 is located between the direct-excitation antenna 11 and the first coupling portion 131. The second low-frequency antenna 14 excites a higher-order resonant mode at 1.7 GHz. The direct-excitation antenna 11 excites a resonant mode at 2.2 GHz, and the direct-excitation antenna 11 further has a high-frequency portion 111 that excites a resonant mode at 5 GHz.

[0041] The aforementioned antenna module is further used as a carrier aggregation antenna to excite carrier aggregation antenna signals. The frequency band from 1710MHz to 5GHz can be used for carrier aggregation technology. (See reference...) Figure 8 At the same operating frequency point, the difference in antenna gain between different switching states is less than 1dB. Figure 8The preferred result shown is that the antenna gain difference is less than 0.5 dB, but it is not limited to this. Conversely, in conventional antenna schemes, for any given operating frequency, the antenna gain can easily experience a significant gain drop in different switching states. Therefore, compared to conventional antennas, the embodiments of the present invention provide a technical solution applicable to carrier aggregation, where even if the low-frequency switching state changes, the application of carrier aggregation technology in the high-frequency part is not limited by the operation of the switching state. Specifically, the second low-frequency antenna 14 excites a higher-order resonant mode at 1.7 GHz, generating a current zero in the resonant excitation current path, and the higher-order resonant mode of the second low-frequency antenna 14 at 1.7 GHz is not affected by the switching of the tuner 12. The current zero point of the first low-frequency antenna 13 in the high-order resonant mode at 1.7 GHz is very close to the current zero point of the second low-frequency antenna 14. Furthermore, the strong coupling between the second low-frequency antenna 14 and the first low-frequency antenna 13 reduces the frequency variation amplitude of the high-order mode of the first low-frequency antenna 13 near 1.7 GHz. Therefore, near the frequency point of 1.7 GHz, the different switching states of the tuner 12 have virtually no impact on the antenna gain. Similarly, when the directly excited antenna 11 excites the resonant mode at 2.2 GHz, the high-order resonant mode of the second low-frequency antenna 14 at 2.2 GHz is also unaffected by the switching of the tuner 12.

[0042] In terms of antenna configuration for actual product dimensions, this antenna module is preferably paired with a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna 2. The laser-engraved substrate has a length parallel to the X-axis, a width parallel to the Z-axis, and a thickness parallel to the Y-axis, with a length not exceeding 133 mm, a width not exceeding 7 mm, and a thickness not exceeding 3 mm. The length of the first low-frequency antenna 13 from the tuning end 132 to the first end 131a of the first coupling portion 131 is approximately 85 mm, meaning the total path length of the first low-frequency antenna 13 is approximately 85 mm. The length of the second low-frequency antenna 14 from the matching end 142 to the second end 141a of the second coupling portion 141 is approximately 58 mm, meaning the total path length of the second low-frequency antenna 14 is approximately 58 mm. Furthermore, preferably, the value of the capacitor CA is, for example, 20 pF, but is not limited to this.

[0043] In summary, the adjustable fifth-generation mobile communication antenna module provided in this embodiment of the invention utilizes a shared switching state, which reduces the number of switching states for tuners in the low-frequency range of 617MHz to 960MHz by one. Furthermore, the antenna module can be applied to carrier aggregation technology, and its actual antenna size is also very small, giving it a competitive advantage in terms of size. It can be directly applied to laptop products and has high industrial application value.

Claims

1. An adjustable fifth-generation mobile communication antenna module, characterized in that, include: Directly excite the antenna and connect it to the feed line; The tuner has a plurality of switching states; A first low-frequency antenna has a first coupling section and a tuning end, the tuning end being connected to ground via the tuner, the first coupling section being floating and capacitively coupling the direct-excitation antenna. The second low-frequency antenna has a second coupling part and a matching end, the matching end being connected to the ground via a capacitor, the second coupling part being floating, wherein the second low-frequency antenna is located between the direct excitation antenna and the first low-frequency antenna, and the second coupling part capacitively couples the direct excitation antenna. as well as The substrate, the direct excitation antenna, the tuner, the first low-frequency antenna and the second low-frequency antenna are disposed on the substrate; The switching states cover a total frequency range from 617MHz to 960MHz. There are shared switching states in the switching states, which correspond to the lowest frequency range and the highest frequency range. The lowest frequency range is from 617MHz to 698MHz, and the highest frequency range is from 880MHz to 960MHz. In the shared switching state, the first low-frequency antenna is used to operate in the lowest frequency range, and the second low-frequency antenna is used to operate in the highest frequency range.

2. The adjustable fifth generation mobile communications antenna module according to claim 1, characterized in that Each of the switching states is a quarter-wavelength resonant mode that excites the first low-frequency antenna.

3. The adjustable fifth generation mobile communications antenna module according to claim 1, characterized in that In the shared switching state, the second low-frequency antenna excites a quarter-wavelength resonant mode.

4. The adjustable fifth generation mobile communications antenna module of claim 1, wherein, The number of switching states is three, namely the shared switching state, the first switching state, and the second switching state. The first switching state and the second switching state cover an intermediate frequency range between 698MHz and 880MHz. The intermediate frequency range is composed of a lower frequency segment and a higher frequency segment. The first switching state corresponds to the lower frequency segment, and the second switching state corresponds to the higher frequency segment.

5. The adjustable fifth-generation mobile communication antenna module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first coupling portion of the first low-frequency antenna has a plurality of bent segments, the bent segments capacitively coupling the second coupling portion of the second low-frequency antenna, and the bent segments partially surround the second coupling portion.

6. The adjustable fifth-generation mobile communication antenna module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The direct-excitation antenna has a feed point to connect to the feed line, and the matching terminal of the second low-frequency antenna is located between the feed point of the direct-excitation antenna and the tuning terminal of the first low-frequency antenna.

7. The adjustable fifth generation mobile communications antenna module of claim 1, wherein, The second coupling part is located between the direct excitation antenna and the first coupling part.

8. The adjustable fifth generation mobile communications antenna module of claim 3, wherein, The second low-frequency antenna excites a higher-order resonant mode at 1.7 GHz.

9. The adjustable fifth generation mobile communications antenna module of claim 1, wherein, The direct-excitation antenna excites a resonant mode at 2.2 GHz, and the direct-excitation antenna has a high-frequency section that excites a resonant mode at 5 GHz.

10. The adjustable fifth generation mobile communications antenna module of claim 5, wherein, The length of the first low-frequency antenna from the tuning end to the first end of the first coupling part is 85 mm, and the length of the second low-frequency antenna from the matching end to the second end of the second coupling part is 58 mm.

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