Electronic equipment and method for controlling beam direction

Abstract

The invention provides electronic equipment and a method for controlling a beam direction. The electronic device comprises a feed source; a ground plane; the first suspension branch knot is located on the first side edge of the electronic equipment, the first suspension branch knot and the ground plane are arranged in a spaced mode, and the first suspension branch knot is provided with a first connecting end and a second connecting end; the first switch module is connected with the first connecting end and the second connecting end, the first switch module is connected with the feed source and the ground plane, the first switch module has multiple working states, and the multiple working states correspond to multiple different connecting states of the first connecting end and the second connecting end; the plurality of different connection states have a mapping relationship with a plurality of beam directions. According to the embodiment of the invention, the antenna device structure of the electronic equipment is simplified, and the occupied space is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments of the present application relate to the field of wireless communication technology, and more specifically, to an electronic device and a method for controlling a beam direction. Background Art

[0002] Electronic devices are used in a variety of scenarios, including directional communication scenarios and non-directional communication scenarios. At present, the main beam direction of the antenna of electronic devices (such as mobile phones) in directional communication scenarios (such as GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth) is not controllable and cannot be adjusted according to the user's posture and the placement of the electronic device. Therefore, it is necessary to switch the antenna beam direction according to the usage scenario and user posture. The current beam direction control scheme has the problems of high complexity and large area. Summary of the invention

[0003] The embodiments of the present application provide an electronic device and a method for controlling a beam direction. Various aspects involved in the embodiments of the present application are introduced below.

[0004] In a first aspect, an electronic device is provided, comprising: a feed source; a ground plane; a first suspended branch located at a first side of the electronic device and spaced apart from the ground plane, the first suspended branch having a first connection end and a second connection end; a first switch module connected to the first connection end and the second connection end, the first switch module connected to the feed source and the ground plane, the first switch module having a plurality of working states, the plurality of working states corresponding to a plurality of different connection states of the first connection end and the second connection end, the plurality of different connection states having a mapping relationship with a plurality of beam directions.

[0005] In a second aspect, a method for controlling a beam direction is provided, characterized in that the method is applied to an electronic device, the electronic device comprising: a feed source; a ground plane; a first suspended branch, located at a first side of the electronic device and spaced apart from the ground plane, the first suspended branch having a first connection end and a second connection end; a first switch module, connected to the first connection end and the second connection end, the first switch module being connected to the feed source and the ground plane, the first switch module having a plurality of working states, the plurality of working states corresponding to a plurality of different connection states of the first connection end and the second connection end, the plurality of different connection states having a mapping relationship with a plurality of beam directions; the method comprising: controlling the working state of the first switch module; and obtaining the target beam direction.

[0006] According to a third aspect, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, on which instructions for executing the method according to the second aspect are stored.

[0007] According to a fourth aspect, a computer program or a computer program product is provided, comprising instructions for executing the method according to the second aspect.

[0008] The embodiment of the present application controls the connection status of the first connection end and the second connection end of the suspension branch respectively through the switch module, and can realize the switching of multiple beam directions without additional parasitic elements. The embodiment of the present application helps to simplify the antenna device structure of the electronic device and reduce the occupied area and space. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0010] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a possible implementation of an electronic device.

[0011] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a possible connection method of the first switch module.

[0012] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 Schematic diagram of one possible beam direction for an electronic device.

[0013] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the polarization current direction of an electronic device.

[0014] Figure 6 yes Figure 4 A composite illustration of the beam directions of an electronic device.

[0015] Figure 7 yes Figure 2 A schematic diagram of another possible connection method of the first switch module.

[0016] Figure 8 yes Figure 2 Schematic diagram of another possible beam direction of an electronic device.

[0017] Fig. 9 yes Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the polarization current direction of an electronic device.

[0018] Fig.10 yes Figure 2 Schematic diagram of yet another possible beam direction of an electronic device.

[0019] Fig.11 yes Figure 2 A schematic diagram of another possible connection method of the first switch module.

[0020] Fig.12 yes Fig.10 Schematic diagram of the polarization current direction of an electronic device.

[0021] Fig.13 yes Fig.10 A composite illustration of the beam directions of an electronic device.

[0022] Fig.14 yes Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of another possible implementation of an electronic device.

[0023] Fig.15 It is a flowchart of a method for controlling beam direction provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all of the embodiments.

[0025] It should be understood that the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application can be applied to various communication systems, such as: global system of mobile communication (GSM) system, code division multiple access (CDMA) system, wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) system, general packet radio service (GPRS), long term evolution (LTE) system, LTE frequency division duplex (FDD) system, LTE time division duplex (TDD), universal mobile telecommunication system (UMTS), worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WIMA) communication system, fifth generation (5G) system or new radio (NR), etc. The technical solutions provided in the present application can also be applied to future communication systems, such as the sixth generation mobile communication system, satellite communication system, etc.

[0026] The electronic device in the embodiment of the present application may also be referred to as a terminal device, terminal, user equipment (UE), user terminal, access terminal, user unit, user station, mobile station, mobile station (MS), mobile terminal (MT), remote terminal, remote station, mobile device, wireless communication device, user agent or user device. The terminal device in the embodiment of the present application may be a device that provides voice and / or data connectivity to a user, and may be used to connect people, objects and machines, such as a handheld device with wireless connection function, a vehicle-mounted device, etc. The terminal device in the embodiment of the present application can be a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a laptop, a PDA, a mobile internet device (MID), a wearable device, a virtual reality (VR) device, an augmented reality (AR) device, a wireless terminal in industrial control, a wireless terminal in self-driving, a wireless terminal in remote medical surgery, a wireless terminal in smart grid, a wireless terminal in transportation safety, a wireless terminal in smart city, a wireless terminal in smart home, etc. Optionally, the UE can be used to act as a base station. For example, the UE can act as a scheduling entity that provides sidelink signals between UEs in V2X or D2D, etc. For example, a cellular phone and a car communicate with each other using a sidelink signal. The cellular phone and the smart home device communicate with each other without relaying the communication signal through the base station.

[0027] With the development of mobile Internet, user usage scenarios have become more diverse, such as call scenarios, horizontal and vertical screen game scenarios, horizontal screen audio and video scenarios, vertical screen Internet scenarios, wearing Bluetooth headset scenarios, map navigation scenarios, etc. In different user usage scenarios, the user's holding posture of mobile phones and other electronic devices and the orientation of the mobile phone vary. Terminal antenna direction Figure 1 It is generally omnidirectional radiation, and the main beam direction of the pattern is random.

[0028] The antenna needs to have high gain performance at both the transmitting and receiving ends, but the beam direction cannot usually be adjusted according to the user's posture and the placement of the mobile phone. The following is an exemplary explanation using a mobile phone as an example.

[0029] For example, when a user uses a Bluetooth headset and puts the phone in a pocket, the top or bottom of the phone is usually facing downward. The direction of the Bluetooth beam of the phone cannot meet the user's optimal performance in a specific situation, no matter which end it is facing. The direction of the Bluetooth beam of the phone is toward the Bluetooth headset. Even if it is designed to radiate omnidirectionally up and down, it will still face the problem of low gain and the antenna radiation energy will not be concentrated; if the radiation is concentrated in one direction, it is unpredictable for the user's usage habits and it cannot meet the needs of the application scenario.

[0030] For example, the mobile phone GPS antennas currently on the market often only guarantee the upper hemisphere share performance. When the user lays the phone flat or upside down, the energy share of the GPS antenna toward the satellite in the sky cannot be guaranteed.

[0031] The main beam direction of the mobile phone antenna is not controllable in directional communication scenarios (such as GPS, WiFi, and Bluetooth), and cannot be adjusted according to the user's posture and the position of the mobile phone. Therefore, the mobile phone antenna design requires a controllable beam that can switch the beam direction according to the usage scenario and user posture. In this regard, some related technologies have been studied and some methods for controlling the beam direction have been proposed.

[0032] The directional control of the terminal antenna can generally utilize the phased array beam scanning principle to achieve directional and variable beam coverage through multiple antennas. The phased array antenna is an antenna that changes the shape of the pattern by controlling the feeding phase of the radiating unit in the array antenna. Controlling the phase can change the direction of the maximum value of the antenna pattern to achieve the purpose of beam scanning. Related technology proposes a method for an antenna array to have a controllable beam without a phase shifter. This method utilizes the phased array beam scanning principle to achieve directional and variable beam coverage through multiple antennas. However, since this method requires multiple antenna ports, it greatly increases the design complexity and cost of the RF front end.

[0033] The related art proposes to load parasitic branches controlled by multi-way switches on both sides of the antenna, and adjust the beam direction of the directional pattern by switching and connecting different parasitic branches. However, this structure is too complicated and occupies a large volume space.

[0034] It can be seen that the current beam direction control solutions for mobile phone antennas have the problems of high complexity and large space occupation.

[0035] It should be noted that the above-mentioned problem of high complexity of the beam direction control scheme of the mobile phone antenna is only an example. The embodiments of the present application can be applied to any type of scenario in which the beam direction control of the antenna of the terminal device is highly complex.

[0036] Therefore, how to develop a relatively simple solution for antenna beam direction control is a problem that needs to be solved.

[0037] Based on this, an embodiment of the present application proposes an electronic device. Figure 1 Schematic diagram of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 1 The electronic device of the embodiment of the present application is described in detail. Figure 1 As shown, the electronic device 100 may include a first suspension branch 110 , a first switch module 120 , a feed source 130 and a ground plane 140 .

[0038] The first suspended branch 110 is located at the first side of the electronic device 100 and is spaced apart from the ground plane 140. The first suspended branch 110 has a first connection end 111 and a second connection end 112. The length direction of the first suspended branch 110 is along the direction of the first side. The first suspended branch 110 is electrically connected to the electronic device through the first connection end 111 and / or the second connection end 112, wherein the first connection end 111 or the second connection end 112 is a feeding point. The body of the electronic device may include a front and back surface and four side surfaces. There may be multiple sides (such as 8) constituting the front and back surfaces, and the first side surface is any side surface of the multiple side surfaces. The suspended branch being located at a certain side surface can be understood as the suspended branch being located on the corresponding side surface close to a certain side surface. In the embodiment of the present application, no distinction is made between the suspended branch being located at a certain side surface and the suspended branch being located at a certain side surface. For ease of explanation, the embodiment of the present application takes the direction of the display screen of the electronic device when it is placed vertically as the reference direction, where the vertical direction includes the up and down directions; the horizontal direction placed vertically on the display screen is the positive and negative direction (or called the front and back direction), and the direction on the left and right sides of the display screen parallel to the display screen is the left and right direction.

[0039] The first suspension branch 110 is a radiator, or simply a suspension branch, and can be flexibly placed on the electronic device. The suspension branch does not need to be directly connected to the body of the electronic device, nor does it need to be connected to the ground circuit of the electronic device. The suspension branch can be provided on the housing of the electronic device or on the antenna bracket of the terminal. The first suspension branch 110 is electrically connected to the body of the electronic device through the first connection end 111 and / or the second connection end 112.

[0040] The first connection end 111 can have multiple electrical connection states, such as open circuit (disconnected circuit), short circuit (grounded) or feeding state, and the second connection end 112 can also have multiple electrical connection states, such as open circuit, short circuit or feeding state. Therefore, the first connection end 111 and the second connection end 112 can have multiple combined connection states, in which the first connection end 111 or the second connection end 112 is a feeding point.

[0041] The feed point is the connection point between the feed line and the antenna. The feed line refers to the signal line, whose main task is to effectively transmit signal energy, transmit the transmit signal power to the input end of the transmit antenna with minimal loss, or transmit the signal received by the antenna to the receiving end with minimal loss, and at the same time, it should not generate stray interference signals.

[0042] The first switch module 120 is connected to the first connection end 111 and the second connection end 112, and the first switch module is connected to the feed source 130 and the ground plane 140. The first switch module 120 has multiple working states, and the multiple working states correspond to multiple different connection states of the first connection end 111 and the second connection end, respectively. The multiple different connection states may also be called multiple combined connection states. The multiple different connection states have a mapping relationship with the multiple beam directions of the electronic device 100, that is, the multiple working states have a mapping relationship with the multiple beam directions.

[0043] The first switch module 120 can be implemented in a variety of ways. Optionally, the first switch module 120 can be a single-pole four-throw switch (SP4T). Different ports can be selected to connect and form a matching circuit through the series switch and parallel switch inside the SP4T. The SP4T is simple and practical. In some embodiments, the first switch module 120 can include two single-pole double-throw switches, wherein the moving end of one single-pole double-throw switch is connected to the first connection end 111, and the moving end of the other single-pole double-throw switch is connected to the second connection end 112. In some embodiments, a small capacitor / large inductor grounding equivalent can be used to achieve an open circuit state, and a large capacitor / small inductor equivalent can be used to achieve a short circuit state.

[0044] In some implementations, when the first switch module 120 is in the first working state, the first connection end 111 is in a feeding state, that is, the first connection end 111 is connected to the feed source 130, and the second connection end 112 is in an open circuit state. For example, the first suspended branch 110 can be a dipole antenna mode. The feed source 130 feeds an excitation signal to the first suspended branch 110 through the first connection end 111, and excites a first horizontal polarization current along the second side and a first vertical polarization current along the first side on the ground plane 140. The beam direction of the electronic device 100 is the first direction, the second side is perpendicular to the first side, and the first direction is the direction from the opposite side of the second side to the second side.

[0045] When the switch module 120 is in the second working state, the first connection end 111 is in a feeding state, that is, the first connection end 111 is connected to the feed source 130, and the second connection end 112 is in a grounding state, such as the first suspension branch 110 can be an inverted F antenna mode. The first suspension branch 110 of the inverted F antenna generates a second vertical polarization current along the direction of the first side, and excites the side below the first suspension branch 110 to generate a third vertical polarization current along the direction of the first side, the beam direction of the electronic device 110 is the second direction, the phase of the third vertical polarization current lags behind the phase of the second vertical polarization current, and the second direction is the direction from the second side to the opposite side of the second side. Among them, the second direction is different from the first direction.

[0046] In some implementations, when the first switch module 120 is in the first working state, part of the first horizontal polarization current distributed along the second side forms a linear polarization wave in the first direction, the first vertical polarization current and part of the first horizontal polarization current along the first side direction synthesize a circular polarization wave in the third direction, and the linear polarization wave and the circular polarization wave in the first direction form a beam direction in the first direction. The third direction is a direction perpendicular to the plane where the first side and the second side are located. When the first switch module 120 is in the second working state, the second vertical polarization current forms a linear polarization wave in the second direction, and the linear polarization wave in the second direction and the third vertical polarization current form a beam direction in the second direction.

[0047] In some implementations, the beam direction of the electronic device 100 can also be a third direction, which is different from both the first direction and the second direction. When the first switch module 120 is in the third working state, the first connection end 111 is in an open circuit state, and the second connection end 112 is in a feeding state, that is, the second connection end 111 is connected to the feed source 130. The feed source feeds an excitation signal to the first suspended branch 110 through the second connection end 112, and excites a third horizontal polarization current along the second side and a third vertical polarization current along the first side on the ground plane 140. The beam direction of the electronic device 100 is a third direction, wherein the phase of the third horizontal polarization current lags behind the phase of the third vertical polarization current by 90 degrees, and the third direction is a direction perpendicular to the plane where the first side and the second side are located.

[0048] In some implementations, when the first switch module 120 is in the third working state, the third horizontal polarization current and the third vertical polarization current are synthesized into a circularly polarized wave toward the third direction, and the circularly polarized wave toward the third direction forms a beam direction in the third direction.

[0049] In some implementations, the first suspension branch 110 may be located on the side of the first side of the electronic device, and the distance between the second connection end 112 and the second side of the electronic device is determined by a quarter wavelength of the operating frequency band of the electronic device 100, for example, the distance between the second connection end 112 and the second side of the electronic device is set to a quarter wavelength of the operating frequency band of the electronic device 100. The phase of the horizontal polarization current generated by the electronic device 100 and the metal frame of the electronic device can be made to lag behind the phase of the vertical polarization current by 90°, and then the synthesis of the horizontal polarization current and the vertical polarization current can realize a circularly polarized wave. The distance between the second connection end 112 and the second side is smaller than the distance between the first connection end 111 and the second side, that is, the second connection end 112 is arranged closer to the second side than the first connection end 111, and the second side is perpendicular to the first side.

[0050] The electrical length of the first suspension branch 110 can be set according to the use requirements, for example, it can be determined according to a quarter wavelength of the working frequency band of the electronic device 300. For example, the electrical length of the first suspension branch 110 can be a quarter wavelength of the working frequency band. An antenna with a quarter wavelength is also called a monopole antenna.

[0051] In some implementations, in the electronic device 100, the first side is an adjacent side of the top side, that is, the second side is the top side, or the opposite side of the second side is the top side. The second connection end 112 is arranged closer to the second side (i.e., the top side) than the first connection end 111, and the second connection end 112 can be located at one end of the first suspension branch 110, and the first connection end 111 is located in the area between the second connection end 112 and the midpoint of the first suspension branch 110, so as to form multiple beam directions with easily distinguishable features when switching between multiple different connection states of the first connection end 111 and the second connection end.

[0052] The first suspension branch 110 can be used alone for wireless communication, or can be multiplexed with other antennas to cooperate in wireless communication.

[0053] In some implementations, the electronic device 100 may further include a second suspension branch and a second switch module. The second suspension branch is similar in structure to the first suspension branch 110, except that the arrangement position is different. The second suspension branch is located on the second side of the electronic device and is spaced from the ground plane and the body of the electronic device. The second suspension branch has a third connection end and a fourth connection end. The second suspension branch is electrically connected to the electronic device through the third connection end and / or the fourth connection end, and the third connection end or the fourth connection end is a feeding point. The second suspension branch is located on the second side of the electronic device, and the distance between the fourth connection end and the third side of the electronic device is determined by one-quarter wavelength of the operating frequency band of the electronic device. The distance between the fourth connection end and the third side is less than the distance between the third connection end and the third side, that is, the fourth connection end is arranged closer to the third side than the third connection end, and the third side and the second side are perpendicular to each other. In some embodiments, the third side may be the first side. The second switch module is connected to the third connection end and the fourth connection end, and is used to switch the connection state of the third connection end and the fourth connection end. The multiple different connection states between the third connection end and the fourth connection end and the feed source 130 and the ground plane 140 also correspond to multiple beam directions. Setting two suspended branches helps to increase the coverage of the beam direction.

[0054] Optionally, the second suspended branch may be located on any side of the electronic device parallel to the second side, and the second suspended branch may also be located on any side of the electronic device perpendicular to the first side.

[0055] The embodiment of the present application controls the connection status of the first connection end and the second connection end of the suspension branch respectively through the switch module, and can realize the switching of multiple beam directions without the need for additional parasitic elements. For example, the beam direction can be switched according to the communication usage scenario and the state of the electronic device. The antenna device of the embodiment of the present application has a simple structure, which helps to simplify the complex structure of the antenna device and reduce the occupied space and cost.

[0056] The electronic device 100 of the embodiment of the present application can obtain a target beam direction by controlling the working state of the first switch module 120. The target beam direction is a desired beam direction, such as a beam direction adapted to the requirements of a usage scenario.

[0057] For example, the working state of the first switch module 120 can be controlled according to the wireless communication scenario and the posture of the electronic device 100. The wireless communication scenario or wireless communication type can be any one or more combinations of the following scenarios: cellular network communication, WIFI communication, Bluetooth communication, GPS communication, etc.

[0058] In some implementations, before controlling the working state of the switch module according to the wireless communication scenario in which the electronic device 100 works and the posture of the electronic device, the posture of the electronic device can be obtained through a posture sensor. The posture sensor can be, for example, a gyroscope. A gyroscope, also known as a gyro-sensor, is a measuring instrument that can detect the angle (posture), angular velocity, or angular acceleration of an object. For example, a gyroscope sensor can be used to obtain the Euler angle of the posture of a mobile phone through a posture solution method, which represents the motion posture of the mobile phone.

[0059] Taking a mobile phone among electronic devices as an example, the following is an illustrative explanation of changing the beam direction according to the wireless communication scenario of the electronic device and the posture of the electronic device.

[0060] For example, when a user uses a Bluetooth headset and puts the phone in his pocket, there are generally two possibilities that the top / bottom of the phone is facing down. The gyroscope is used to determine the current orientation (i.e., posture) of the phone to control the working state of the first switch module 120, and then the beam direction is changed so that the beam direction of the antenna (or antenna pattern) is aligned with the direction of the user's head, thereby providing a better Bluetooth communication experience. For another example, for GPS application scenarios, the gyroscope can be used to determine the current placement direction (i.e., posture) of the phone. By switching the working state of the first switch module 120, the beam direction can be kept pointing to the sky, thereby ensuring the upper hemisphere occupancy performance under any posture of the phone.

[0061] In some embodiments, when the electronic device is communicating in a cellular network, the working state of the first switch module 120 can be controlled according to the signal strength of the cellular network communication signal received by the electronic device 100 and the posture of the electronic device to obtain the target beam direction. The target beam direction is positively correlated with the radiation direction of the base station, such as controlling the mobile phone antenna beam toward the radiation direction of the base station through signal strength monitoring to obtain better communication quality.

[0062] In some embodiments, the specific absorption rate (SAR) value can also be reduced by switching the beam direction without power backoff. For example, the beam is switched downward when the monitoring head is close. SAR refers to the electromagnetic radiation energy absorbed by a unit mass of a substance per unit time. The SAR value is usually used to measure the thermal effect of terminal radiation.

[0063] The electronic device according to the embodiment of the present application is further described below in combination with some possible implementation methods of the embodiment of the present application.

[0064] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a possible implementation of an electronic device. Figure 2The electronic device according to the embodiment of the present application is introduced in detail. Figure 2 This is a front view of a mobile phone display when it is placed vertically. To facilitate the description of multiple beam directions and the relationship between them, the embodiment of the present application takes the direction of the mobile phone display when it is placed vertically as the reference direction, and the vertical direction includes the up and down directions; the horizontal direction vertically placed on the front and back of the mobile phone display is the positive and negative direction (or the front and back direction), and the direction of the left and right sides of the mobile phone display parallel to the display is the left and right direction.

[0065] like Figure 2 As shown, the first suspension branch 210 is located on the first side 230 of the mobile phone 200, and the electronic device 200 may include a first switch module (not shown in the figure). Figure 2 The left side of FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged schematic diagram of the first suspended branch 210 .

[0066] The first suspended branch 210 can be arranged on the housing of the mobile phone 200 or on the antenna bracket of the mobile phone 200. The equivalent electrical length of the first suspended branch 210 is approximately one quarter wavelength. The first suspended branch 210 can have a first connection end A and a second connection end B. The second connection end B is located at the upper end of the branch, and the first connection end A is located in the area between the second connection end B and the midpoint of the first suspended branch 210. The second connection end B is arranged closer to the second side 240 than the first connection end A, and the equivalent electrical length from the second side 240 on the upper side of the mobile phone is approximately one quarter wavelength. The phase of the horizontally polarized current generated by the electronic device 200 and the metal frame of the mobile phone can be made to lag behind the phase of the vertically polarized current by 90°, and a circularly polarized wave synthesized by the horizontally polarized current and the vertically polarized current can be provided.

[0067] The first suspension branch 210 is electrically connected to the mobile phone 200 via the first connection terminal A and / or the second connection terminal B. The first connection terminal A can have multiple electrical connection states, such as an open circuit, a short circuit, or a feeding state, and the second connection terminal B can also have multiple electrical connection states, such as an open circuit, a short circuit, or a feeding state. Therefore, the first connection terminal A and the second connection terminal B can have multiple combined connection states, and in various combined connection states, the first connection terminal A or the second connection terminal B is a feeding point.

[0068] The first switch module is connected to the first connection terminal A and the second connection terminal B. The first switch module can be a single-pole four-throw switch (SP4T), and the SP4T switch is used to control the open circuit / short circuit / feeding state of the first connection terminal A and the second connection terminal B respectively. The first switch module has multiple working states, and the multiple working states correspond to multiple different connection states of the first connection terminal A and the second connection terminal B respectively. The multiple working states have a mapping relationship with multiple beam directions of the mobile phone 200. When switching the multiple different connection states of the first connection terminal A and the second connection terminal B, multiple distinguishable beam directions can be formed.

[0069] Exemplarily, three different working states of the first switch module (a single-pole four-throw switch) to form different beam directions are introduced below.

[0070] 1. The beam direction is the first direction. When the first switch module is in the first working state, the first connection terminal A is in the feeding state, and the second connection terminal B is in the open circuit state (or disconnected), and the beam direction of the mobile phone 200 is the first direction, which is the vertical upward direction. Figure 3 As shown, the first switch module 220 is a single-pole four-throw switch, which may include a switch S1 connected in series, and switches S2, S3, S4, and S5 connected in parallel. Among them, the switch S1 is connected to the feed source 250, the switches S2 and S3 are connected to the second connection terminal B, and the switches S4 and S5 are connected to the first connection terminal A. In the first working state, the feed source 250 is connected to the first connection terminal A through the switch S1 and the switch S5, and the second connection terminal B is in an open circuit state.

[0071] like Figure 4 As shown, the equivalent antenna feeding point (first connection end A) is connected to the middle of the first suspension branch 210, and both ends of the first suspension branch 210 are in an open circuit state. Figure 5 As shown, the first suspension branch 210 couples and excites the metal frame of the mobile phone 200 to generate horizontal polarization and vertical polarization currents respectively. At this time, the first suspension branch 210 is in the dipole antenna mode, and part of the horizontal polarization current on the upper side of the mobile phone (the second side 240) generates an upward linear polarization wave, while the other part of the horizontal current and the vertical polarization current are combined to form a circular polarization wave toward the front and back sides (i.e., the front and back directions) of the mobile phone.

[0072] The polarization forms of electromagnetic waves can be divided into linear polarization waves and circular polarization waves. When electromagnetic waves propagate in space, if the direction of the electric field vector remains fixed or rotates according to a certain rule, this electromagnetic wave is a polarized wave, also known as an antenna polarized wave, or a polarized wave. Linearly polarized (LP) waves can be divided into horizontal polarization and vertical polarization waves. With the ground as a reference, when the direction of the electric field is parallel to the ground, it is called horizontal polarization; when it is perpendicular to the ground plane, it is called vertical polarization.

[0073] The trajectory of the electric field vector endpoint of a circularly polarized wave is a circle in a plane perpendicular to the propagation direction, that is, the direction of the electric field vector is rotating, while the amplitude remains unchanged. When observed along the propagation direction, the electric field vector rotates clockwise, which is called a right-hand circularly polarized (RHCP) wave; the electric field vector rotates counterclockwise, which is called a left-hand circularly polarized (LHCP) wave.

[0074] Figure 6 for Figure 4 The synthetic diagram of the beam direction. Figure 6 As shown in Figure 1, the beam pattern toward the upper hemisphere is synthesized by the upward linear polarization wave (LP) and the left-hand circular polarization wave (LHCP) along the front-back direction (as shown in Figure 1). Figure 6 right side), that is, the beam direction forming the first direction.

[0075] 2. The beam direction is the second direction. When the switch module is in the second working state, the first connection terminal A is in the feeding state, the second connection terminal B is in the grounding state (short circuit), and the beam direction of the electronic device 200 is the second direction. The second direction is different from the first direction, and the second direction is vertically downward. Figure 7 As shown, the first switch module 220 is a single-pole four-throw switch, which may include a switch S1 connected in series, and switches S2, S3, S4 and S5 connected in parallel. In the second working state, the feed source 250 is connected to the first connection terminal A through the switch S1 and the switch S5, and the second connection terminal B is grounded through the switch S2.

[0076] like Figure 8 As shown, the equivalent antenna feeding point (first connection end A) is connected to the middle of the first suspension branch 210, and the upper end (second connection end B) is grounded, forming an inverted F antenna (IFA) with an opening facing downward. The feeding point of the inverted F antenna is between the grounding point and the upper arm of the antenna. The polarization direction of the inverted F antenna is vertical, and the first suspension branch 210 is in the IFA antenna mode. The vertically polarized current generates a downward linearly polarized wave. Specifically, as Fig. 9 As shown, the IFA antenna with the opening facing downward generates a vertical polarization current along the first side, and the second vertical polarization current forms a linear polarization wave facing downward (i.e., the second direction), and further stimulates the vertical polarization current of the mobile phone middle frame (ground plane). Due to the phase lag of the ground plane current and the current phase of the IFA antenna, the overall superimposed beam direction is downward or biased to the side of the phase lag. That is, the linear polarization wave in the second direction and the vertical polarization current of the mobile phone middle frame form a beam direction in the second direction.

[0077] 3. The beam direction is the third direction. When the switch module is in the third working state, the first connection terminal A is in an open circuit state, the second connection terminal B is in a feeding state, and the beam direction of the mobile phone 200 is the third direction. The third direction is different from both the first direction and the second direction, and the third direction is the front-back direction.

[0078] like Fig.10 As shown, the equivalent antenna feeding point (second connection end B) of the mobile phone 200 is connected to the upper end of the first suspension branch 210. Fig.11As shown, the first switch module 220 is a single-pole four-throw switch, which may include a switch S1 connected in series and switches S2, S3, S4 and S5 connected in parallel. The feed source 250 is connected to the second connection terminal B through the switch S1 and the switch S2, and the first connection terminal A is in an open circuit state.

[0079] like Fig.12 As shown, the first suspended branch 210 couples and excites the metal frame of the mobile phone 200 to generate horizontally polarized and vertically polarized currents respectively. Among them, the horizontally polarized current on the upper side of the mobile phone (the second side 240) is one quarter wavelength away from the feeding point, so the phase lags behind the phase of the vertically polarized current by 90°, and a circularly polarized wave perpendicular to the direction of the mobile phone screen can be realized. Since almost all of the horizontally polarized currents and the vertical currents synthesize circularly polarized waves, the upward dipole linear polarization mode is weak, and the overall directional pattern shape is in the front-to-back direction.

[0080] Fig.13 for Fig.10 The synthetic diagram of the beam direction. Fig.13 As shown, a left-hand circularly polarized wave (LHCP) toward the front side and a right-hand circularly polarized wave (RHCP) toward the other side (back side) are synthesized to form a beam direction toward the front-back direction.

[0081] It should be understood that the first beam direction is the vertical upward direction, the second beam direction is the vertical downward direction, and the third beam direction is the front-back direction. Figure 2 This is for a mobile phone display screen placed vertically. When the posture (or orientation) of an electronic device (such as a mobile phone) changes, the directions of multiple beams will change accordingly.

[0082] Fig.14 yes Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of another possible implementation of an electronic device. Fig.14 Electronic devices are applied to electronic devices. Taking mobile phones as an example, combined with Fig.14 The electronic device according to the embodiment of the present application is introduced in detail. Fig.14 This is a front view of a mobile phone display when it is placed vertically. To facilitate explanation and introduction of multiple beam directions, the embodiment of the present application takes the direction of the mobile phone display when it is placed vertically as the reference direction, and the vertical direction includes the up and down directions; the horizontal direction of the front and back vertically placed on the mobile phone display is the positive and negative direction (or the front and back direction), and the left and right sides of the mobile phone display and the direction parallel to the display are the left and right directions.

[0083] like Fig.14As shown, the mobile phone 1400 may include a first suspension branch 1420, a second suspension branch 1430, a first switch module (not shown in the figure) and a second switch module (not shown in the figure). The first suspension branch 1420 is located on the first side 1440 of the mobile phone 1400, and the second suspension branch 1430 is located on the second side 1450 of the electronic device.

[0084] The equivalent electrical length of the first suspended branch 1420 can be a quarter wavelength. The first suspended branch 1420 has a first connection end 1421 and a second connection end 1422. The second connection end 1422 is located at the upper end of the branch, and the first connection end 1421 is located in the area between the second connection end 1422 and the midpoint of the first suspended branch 1420. The second connection end 1422 is arranged closer to the second side 1450 than the first connection end 1421, and the equivalent electrical length from the second side 1450 on the upper side of the mobile phone is approximately a quarter wavelength. Since the horizontal polarization current on the upper side of the mobile phone (i.e., the second side 1450) can be a quarter wavelength away from the feeding point, the phase lags behind the phase of the vertical polarization current by 90°, and a circularly polarized wave perpendicular to the front and rear directions of the mobile phone screen can be achieved.

[0085] The first connection end 1421 and the second connection end 1422 may have a variety of combined connection states. In various combined connection states, the first connection end 1421 or the second connection end 1422 is a feeding point.

[0086] The first switch module has multiple working states, and the multiple working states correspond to multiple different connection states of 1421 and the second connection end 1422, that is, multiple different combined connection states, which can realize different multiple beam directions. Figure 2 As described in the introduction, the first suspended branch 1420 antenna can cover three beam directions of vertical upward, downward, and front and back, and the detailed process will not be repeated here.

[0087] The second suspension branch 1430 has a similar structure to the first suspension branch 1420, except that the arrangement position is different. The equivalent electrical length of the second suspension branch 1430 can be a quarter wavelength. The second suspension branch 1430 has a third connection end 1431 and a fourth connection end 1432, and the second suspension branch 1430 is electrically connected to the mobile phone 1400 through the third connection end 1431 and / or the fourth connection end 1432, wherein the third connection end 1431 or the fourth connection end 1432 is a feeding point.

[0088] The fourth connection end 1432 is located at one end (right end) of the branch, and the third connection end 1431 is located in the area between the second connection end 1432 and the midpoint of the second suspended branch 1430. The fourth connection end 1432 is arranged closer to the third side 1460 than the third connection end 1431, and the equivalent electrical length from the third side 1460 on the top of the mobile phone is approximately one-quarter wavelength. The third side 1460 and the second side 1450 are perpendicular to each other. Since the vertical polarization current on the right side of the mobile phone (the third side 1460) can be one-quarter wavelength away from the feeding point, the phase lags behind the phase of the horizontal polarization current by 90°, and a circularly polarized wave perpendicular to the front and rear directions of the mobile phone can be achieved.

[0089] The third connection end 1431 and the fourth connection end 1432 can have a variety of combined connection states, in which the third connection end 1431 or the fourth connection end 1432 is a feeding point. The second switch module is connected to the third connection end 1431 and the fourth connection end 1432. In some embodiments, the switch module may include two sets of SP4Ts, one set of SP4Ts for the first suspension branch 1420, and the other set of SP4Ts for the second suspension branch 1430. The switch module can also be used to switch the connection state between the third connection end 1431 and the fourth connection end 1432, and the multiple different connection states between the third connection end 1431 and the fourth connection end 1432 also correspond to multiple beam directions.

[0090] Similar to the previous article Figure 2 As described in the introduction, through different working states of the switch module, the third connection end 1431 and the fourth connection end 1432 have multiple different connection states, and different multiple beam directions can be realized. The second suspension branch 1430 can cover three horizontal beam directions of left, right, and front and back.

[0091] It can be seen that through the first suspended branch 1420 and the second suspended branch 1430, the six sides of the mobile phone, namely upward, downward, left, right, and front and back, can be covered with multiple different beam directions to achieve full coverage of multiple communication directions.

[0092] It should be understood that the multiple beam directions described above are based on Fig.14 This is for a mobile phone display screen placed vertically. When the posture (or orientation) of an electronic device (such as a mobile phone) changes, the directions of multiple beams will change accordingly.

[0093] Similarly, in some embodiments, the fourth connection end 1432 may also be located at the left end of the branch, and the third connection end 1431 is located in the area between the second connection end 1432 and the midpoint of the second suspended branch 1430. The fourth connection end 1432 is located closer to the first side surface 1430 than the third connection end 1431, and the equivalent electrical length from the first side surface 1430 on the top of the mobile phone is approximately one quarter of a wavelength.

[0094] Optionally, the second suspended branch 1430 may be located on any side of the mobile phone 1400 parallel to the second side 1450 , or the second suspended branch 1430 may be located on any side of the electronic device perpendicular to the first side 1440 .

[0095] The first suspension branch 1420 and the second suspension branch 1430 can be used for wireless communication alone, or can be multiplexed with other antennas for wireless communication.

[0096] Combination of the above Figures 1 to 14 The device embodiment of the present application is described in detail. Fig.15 The method embodiment of the present application is described in detail. It should be understood that the description of the method embodiment corresponds to the description of the device embodiment, so the parts not described in detail can refer to the previous device embodiment.

[0097] Fig.15 It is a flowchart of a method for controlling beam direction provided in an embodiment of the present application. Fig.15 The method is applied to an electronic device, which may include: a feed source; a ground plane; a first suspended branch located at a first side of the electronic device and spaced apart from the ground plane, the first suspended branch having a first connection end and a second connection end; a first switch module connected to the first connection end and the second connection end, the first switch module connected to the feed source and the ground plane, the first switch module having multiple working states, the multiple working states corresponding to multiple different connection states of the first connection end and the second connection end, the multiple different connection states having a mapping relationship with multiple beam directions. Fig.15 As shown, the method may mainly include steps S1510 to S1520, which are described in detail below.

[0098] It should be pointed out that the size of the serial numbers of the steps in the embodiments of the present application does not mean the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0099] In step S1510, the working state of the switch module is controlled.

[0100] In different working states of the switch module, the first connection end and the second connection end have multiple different connection states. For example, the switch module can be controlled to be in the first working state, the first connection end is in the feeding state, and the second connection end is in the open circuit state. For example, the switch module can be controlled to be in the second working state, the first connection end is in the feeding state, and the second connection end is in the grounding state.

[0101] In step S1520, a target beam direction is obtained. The target beam direction is a desired beam direction, such as a direction that meets the requirements of a usage scenario.

[0102] Optionally, the working state of the switch module can be controlled according to the wireless communication scenario and the posture of the electronic device to obtain the target beam direction. The wireless communication scenario can be any one or more of the following types: cellular network communication, WIFI communication, Bluetooth communication, GPS communication, etc.

[0103] Optionally, before controlling the working state of the switch module according to the wireless communication scenario of the electronic device and the posture of the electronic device, the posture of the electronic device can be acquired through a posture sensor. The posture sensor can be, for example, a gyroscope.

[0104] Optionally, when the wireless communication scenario is cellular network communication, the working state of the switch module can be controlled according to the signal strength of the cellular network communication signal received by the electronic device and the posture of the electronic device to obtain the target beam direction, so that the target beam direction is positively correlated with the radiation direction of the base station, even if the target beam direction is toward the radiation direction of the base station.

[0105] Alternatively, the SAR value can be reduced by changing the beam direction without resorting to power backoff, for example by switching the beam to point downward when a head is approaching.

[0106] An embodiment of the present application also provides a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions being used to execute any of the methods or training methods for controlling an electronic device as described above.

[0107] In the above embodiments, it can be implemented in whole or in part by software, hardware, firmware or any other combination. When implemented by software, it can be implemented in whole or in part in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer program instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, the process or function described in the embodiment of the present disclosure is generated in whole or in part. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer instructions can be stored in a machine-readable storage medium, or transmitted from one machine-readable storage medium to another machine-readable storage medium. For example, the computer instructions can be transmitted from a website site, computer, server or data center by wired (e.g., coaxial cable, optical fiber, digital subscriber line (digital subscriber line, DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) mode to another website site, computer, server or data center. The machine-readable storage medium can be any available medium that can be accessed by a computer or a data storage device such as a server or data center that includes one or more available media integrated. The available medium may be a magnetic medium (eg, a floppy disk, a hard disk, a magnetic tape), an optical medium (eg, a digital video disc (DVD)), or a semiconductor medium (eg, a solid state disk (SSD)).

[0108] Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the units and algorithm steps of each example described in conjunction with the embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are performed in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Professional and technical personnel can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered to be beyond the scope of the present disclosure.

[0109] It should be understood that in the various embodiments of the present application, "first", "second", etc. are used to distinguish different objects rather than to describe a specific order. The size of the serial numbers of the above-mentioned processes does not mean the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of the present application.

[0110] In the several embodiments provided in the present disclosure, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, devices and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described above are only schematic. For example, the division of the units is only a logical function division. There may be other division methods in actual implementation, such as multiple units or components can be combined or integrated into another system, or some features can be ignored or not executed. Another point is that the mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed can be through some interfaces, indirect coupling or communication connection of devices or units, which can be electrical, mechanical or other forms.

[0111] In several embodiments provided in the present application, it should be understood that when a certain part is said to be "connected" or "connected" to another part, it means that the part can not only be "directly connected" but also "electrically connected" with another element intervening therebetween. In addition, the term "connected" also means that the part is "physically connected" and "wirelessly connected". In addition, when a certain part is said to "include" a certain element, unless otherwise stated, it means that the certain part can include another element, rather than excluding the other element.

[0112] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separated, and the components shown as units may or may not be physical units, that is, they may be located in one place or distributed on multiple network units. Some or all of the units may be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the solution of this embodiment.

[0113] In addition, each functional unit in each embodiment of the present disclosure may be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit may exist physically separately, or two or more units may be integrated into one unit.

[0114] The above is only a specific embodiment of the present disclosure, but the protection scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art who is familiar with the technical field can easily think of changes or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in the present disclosure, which should be included in the protection scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the protection scope of the present disclosure should be based on the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An electronic device, It is characterized in that include: Feeds; ground plane; A first suspension branch, located at a first side of the electronic device and spaced apart from the ground plane, the first suspension branch having a first connection end and a second connection end; A first switch module is connected to the first connection end and the second connection end, the first switch module is connected to the feed source and the ground plane, the first switch module has multiple working states, the multiple working states correspond to multiple different connection states between the first connection end and the second connection end, and the multiple different connection states have a mapping relationship with multiple beam directions.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, It is characterized in that When the first switch module is in a first working state, the first connection end is connected to the feed source, and the second connection end is in an open circuit state, the feed source feeds an excitation signal to the first suspension branch through the first connection end, and excites a first horizontal polarization current along the second side and a first vertical polarization current along the first side on the ground plane, the beam direction of the electronic device is a first direction, the second side is perpendicular to the first side, and the first direction is a direction from the opposite side of the second side to the second side; When the first switch module is in the second working state, the first connection end is connected to the feed source, the second connection end is connected to the ground plane, the first suspension branch generates a second vertical polarization current along the direction of the first side edge, and stimulates the side edge below the first suspension branch edge to generate a third vertical polarization current along the direction of the first side edge, the beam direction of the electronic device is the second direction, the phase of the third vertical polarization current lags behind the phase of the second vertical polarization current, and the second direction is the direction from the second side edge to the opposite side of the second side edge.

3. The electronic device according to claim 2, It is characterized in that When the first switch module is in the first working state, part of the first horizontal polarization current distributed along the second side forms a linear polarization wave toward a first direction, the first vertical polarization current along the first side direction and part of the first horizontal polarization current synthesize a circular polarization wave toward a third direction, the linear polarization wave toward the first direction and the circular polarization wave form a beam direction in the first direction, and the third direction is a direction perpendicular to the plane where the first side and the second side are located; When the first switch module is in the second working state, the second vertical polarization current forms a linear polarization wave toward the second direction, and the linear polarization wave toward the second direction and the third vertical polarization current form a beam direction in the second direction.

4. The electronic device according to claim 2, It is characterized in that When the first switch module is in the third working state, the first connection end is in an open circuit state, the second connection end is connected to the feed source, and the feed source feeds an excitation signal to the first suspended branch through the second connection end, thereby exciting a third horizontal polarization current along the second side and a third vertical polarization current along the first side on the ground plane, and the beam direction of the electronic device is a third direction, wherein the phase of the third horizontal polarization current lags behind the phase of the third vertical polarization current by 90 degrees, and the third direction is a direction perpendicular to the plane where the first side and the second side are located.

5. The electronic device according to claim 4, It is characterized in that When the first switch module is in the third working state, the third horizontally polarized current and the third vertically polarized current synthesize a circularly polarized wave toward the third direction, and the circularly polarized wave toward the third direction forms a beam direction in the third direction.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The distance between the second connection end and the second side of the electronic device is determined by a quarter wavelength of the working frequency band of the electronic device, the distance between the second connection end and the second side is smaller than the distance between the first connection end and the second side, and the second side is perpendicular to the first side.

7. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, It is characterized in that The first side edge is an adjacent edge of the top edge, the second connecting end is located at an end of the first suspended branch node adjacent to the top edge, and the first connecting end is located in a region between the second connecting end and a midpoint of the first suspended branch node.

8. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, It is characterized in that Also includes: A second suspension branch, located at a second side of the electronic device and spaced apart from the ground plane, the second suspension branch having a third connection end and a fourth connection end, the distance between the fourth connection end and the third side of the electronic device being determined by a quarter wavelength of an operating frequency band of the electronic device, the distance between the fourth connection end and the third side being smaller than the distance between the third connection end and the third side, and the third side being perpendicular to the second side; The second switch module is used to switch a plurality of different connection states between the third connection end and the fourth connection end.

9. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, It is characterized in that The switch module is a single-pole four-throw switch.

10. A method for controlling the direction of a beam, It is characterized in that Applicable to electronic equipment, the electronic equipment comprising: Feeds; ground plane; A first suspension branch, located at a first side of the electronic device and spaced apart from the ground plane, the first suspension branch having a first connection end and a second connection end; A first switch module is connected to the first connection end and the second connection end, the first switch module is connected to the feed source and the ground plane, the first switch module has a plurality of working states, the plurality of working states correspond to a plurality of different connection states of the first connection end and the second connection end, and the plurality of different connection states have a mapping relationship with a plurality of beam directions; The method comprises: Controlling the working state of the first switch module; Get the target beam direction.

11. The method according to claim 10, It is characterized in that The controlling the state of the first switch module includes: The working state of the first switch module is controlled according to the wireless communication scenario in which the electronic device works and the posture of the electronic device.

12. The method according to claim 11, It is characterized in that Before controlling the working state of the first switch module according to the wireless communication scenario in which the electronic device works and the posture of the electronic device, the method includes: The posture of the electronic device is obtained through a posture sensor.

13. The method according to claim 11, It is characterized in that When the electronic device operates in a cellular network communication scenario, the method includes: According to the signal strength of the communication signal received by the electronic device and the posture of the electronic device, the working state of the first switch module is controlled to obtain the target beam direction, and the target beam direction is positively correlated with the radiation direction of the base station.

14. The method according to claim 11, It is characterized in that The wireless communication scenario is any one or more combinations of the following: Cellular network communication, WIFI communication, Bluetooth communication, GPS communication.

15. A computer-readable storage medium, It is characterized in that A computer program is stored thereon, and when the computer program is executed, the computer program is used to implement the method according to any one of claims 10 to 14.

Images