Phase shifter module, signal processing method, antenna and communication equipment

Abstract

The invention provides a phase shifter module, a signal processing method, an antenna and communication equipment. The phase shifter module is integrated with a signal combining and dividing unit and at least two phase shifting circuits connected with the signal combining and dividing unit; the phase shift circuit comprises a switch group and at least two phase shift units. The adjusted signal phases of the at least two phase shifting units are different; a phase shift unit is arranged on a path between every two switches in the switch group, and every two switches are respectively connected with the signal on-off unit and the antenna array element; and the at least two phase shift circuits respectively control the target switch group to gate the target path based on the signal phase difference between the connected antenna array elements. The signal combining and dividing unit and the at least two phase shifting circuits are integrated in one phase shifter module, so that the integration of the phase shifter module is realized on the basis of realizing the signal combining and dividing processing of the antenna array elements in the antenna array.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a phase shifter module, a signal processing method, an antenna and a communication device. Background Art

[0002] In wireless communication systems, antennas use phase shifters to adjust the signal phase to ensure the phase consistency of the signal during transmission, which is crucial for achieving coherent synthesis or cancellation of the signal.

[0003] Currently, the phase shifting unit used in wireless communication systems is usually a mechanical phase shifter. Mechanical phase shifters generally design transmission lines on printed circuit boards (PCBs) and mechanically change the length of the transmission lines to adjust the phase. However, mechanical phase shifters have the disadvantages of slow adjustment speed, mechanical wear and large size.

[0004] With the continuous development of wireless communication technology, the spacing between antenna elements in the antenna array is getting smaller and smaller, leaving very limited space for the layout of phase shifting units. It is difficult for traditional mechanical phase shifters to be miniaturized. In order to adapt to the trend of miniaturization and lightweight of equipment, a new type of phase shifter module needs to be designed urgently. Summary of the invention

[0005] In view of this, embodiments of the present invention provide a phase shifter module, a signal processing method, an antenna and a communication device to solve the technical defects existing in the prior art.

[0006] An embodiment of the present invention provides a phase shifter module, in which a signal combining and splitting unit and at least two phase shifting circuits connected to the signal combining and splitting unit are integrated; The phase shift circuit includes a switch group and at least two phase shift units; the signal phases adjusted by the at least two phase shift units are different; a phase shift unit is arranged on the path between every two switches in the switch group, and every two switches are respectively connected to the signal combining and splitting unit and the antenna array element; At least two phase shift circuits respectively control the target switch group to select the target path based on the signal phase difference between the connected antenna array elements.

[0007] Optionally, the signal combining and splitting unit is a power combining unit; The phase shifting units on the target paths selected by at least two phase shifting circuits are used to adjust the signals received by the antenna array elements to signals with the same phase; The power combining unit is used to combine at least two signals with the same phase into one signal.

[0008] Optionally, the signal combining and splitting unit is a power splitting unit; A power splitter unit, used for splitting one signal into at least two signals; The phase shift unit on the target path selected by at least two phase shift circuits is used to perform phase shift on at least two signals and output the signals to the antenna array element.

[0009] Optionally, a control unit is also integrated in the phase shifter module; the control unit is used to control the on and off of switches in the target switch group based on the signal phase difference.

[0010] Optionally, the switch group includes two single-pole multi-throw switches; there are multiple paths between the two single-pole multi-throw switches, and a phase shifting unit is respectively arranged on each path.

[0011] Optionally, the signal combining and splitting unit is integrated into the phase shifter module through an IPD process.

[0012] Optionally, the phase shift unit is mounted on a substrate of the phase shifter module by surface mounting technology; or, the phase shift unit is integrated in the phase shifter module by IPD process.

[0013] An embodiment of the present invention provides a signal processing method, which is applied to the above-mentioned phase shifter module. The signal processing method includes: determining a signal phase difference between antenna array elements connected to at least two phase shifting circuits; Based on the signal phase difference, the on and off of the switches in the target switch group are controlled to trigger the phase shift unit on the selected target path to adjust the signal phase.

[0014] An embodiment of the present invention provides an antenna, which includes the above-mentioned phase shifter module and an antenna array, wherein the antenna array includes at least two antenna array elements; each phase shifting circuit in the phase shifter module is respectively connected to each antenna array element.

[0015] An embodiment of the present invention provides a communication device, which includes the above antenna.

[0016] The present invention provides a phase shifter module that integrates a signal combining and splitting unit and at least two phase shifting circuits connected to the signal combining and splitting unit, wherein the phase shifting circuit includes a switch group and at least two phase shifting units. Each phase shifting unit adjusts a different signal phase; a phase shifting unit is provided on the path between every two switches in the switch group, and every two switches are respectively connected to the signal combining and splitting unit and an antenna array element. At least two phase shifting circuits respectively control the target switch group to select the target path based on the signal phase difference between the connected antenna array elements. The present invention integrates the signal combining and splitting unit and at least two phase shifting circuits into a phase shifter module, and realizes the integration of the phase shifter module on the basis of realizing the signal combining and splitting processing of the antenna array elements in the antenna array. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1A schematic diagram of the structure of a phase shifter module provided by one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a process for setting the phase angle of an antenna array element provided by an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a distributed architecture of an antenna array provided in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of a phase shifter module as a receiving end provided by one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure of a phase shifter module as a transmitting end provided by one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 A schematic structural diagram of another phase shifter module provided in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 A flowchart of a signal processing method provided by an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the structure of an antenna provided by an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] Many specific details are set forth in the following description to facilitate a full understanding of the present invention. However, the present invention can be implemented in many other ways than those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar generalizations without violating the connotation of the present invention, so the present invention is not limited to the specific implementation disclosed below.

[0019] The terms used in one or more embodiments of the present invention are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments, and are not intended to limit one or more embodiments of the present invention. The singular forms of "a", "said" and "the" used in one or more embodiments of the present invention and the appended claims are also intended to include plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates other meanings. It should also be understood that the term "and / or" used in one or more embodiments of the present invention refers to and includes any or all possible combinations of one or more associated listed items.

[0020] It should be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. may be used to describe various information in one or more embodiments of the present invention, these information should not be limited to these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish the same type of information from each other. For example, without departing from the scope of one or more embodiments of the present invention, the first may also be referred to as the second, and similarly, the second may also be referred to as the first. Depending on the context, the word "if" as used herein may be interpreted as "at the time of" or "when" or "in response to determining".

[0021] With the rapid development of wireless communication technology, miniaturization, lightweight and high integration of communication equipment have become industry trends. Integrating multiple functional units into one module and achieving high integration through advanced manufacturing processes (for example, integrated passive devices (IPD) processes) have become the key to improving product competitiveness.

[0022] In addition to the mechanical phase shifters mentioned above, the existing phase shift units also include active vector synthesis phase shifters and micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) phase shifters. Active vector synthesis phase shifters use transistors or diodes to control the phase by changing voltage or current, and have the disadvantages of large nonlinear distortion, limited power handling capacity (not suitable for high power) and complex manufacturing process; MEMS phase shifters use MEMS technology to achieve phase adjustment through the movement or deformation of micro-mechanical structures, and have the disadvantages of complex manufacturing process, high cost and low reliability.

[0023] In the present invention, a phase shift unit and a signal combining and splitting unit (including a power combining unit or a power splitting unit) are applied and an integrated design is performed. A phase shift unit is a circuit element that can change the phase of a signal; in wireless communication systems, phase shift units are widely used for signal phase adjustment to ensure the phase consistency of the signal during transmission, which is essential for achieving coherent synthesis or cancellation of signals. A power combining unit (also called a power synthesizer) is a circuit element that can combine multiple signals into one signal; through the power combining unit, the power of multiple signal sources can be effectively integrated to improve the overall output power or signal quality. A power splitting unit (also called a power divider) is a circuit element that can split one signal into two or more signals; a certain degree of isolation should be ensured between the output ports of a power splitting unit.

[0024] Specifically, the present invention provides a phase shifter module, such as Figure 1 As shown, Figure 1 The schematic diagram of the structure of a phase shifter module provided by an embodiment of the present invention is shown, in which a signal combining and splitting unit 10 and at least two phase shifting circuits 20 connected to the signal combining and splitting unit 10 are integrated. Each phase shifting circuit 20 includes a switch group 21 and at least two phase shifting units 22, and each phase shifting unit 22 adjusts a different signal phase; the switch group 21 includes a pair of switches, and a phase shifting unit 22 is arranged on the path between each pair of switches (i.e., every two switches), and every two switches are respectively connected to the signal combining and splitting unit 10 and the antenna array element, so that different phase shifting circuits are connected to different antenna array elements, such as Figure 1 The two phase shift circuits 20 shown are connected to antenna array element 1 and antenna array element 2 respectively.

[0025] In an embodiment of the present invention, a communication device (such as a modem, a router, etc.) usually performs signal interaction with a user device (such as a mobile phone, a personal computer, etc.) through an antenna array. In different scenarios (such as a home scenario, a shopping mall scenario, a park scenario, an airport scenario, etc.), the phase angle of each antenna element in the antenna array is different depending on the distribution of each user device using the communication device (including the number and location of the user devices using the communication device). Therefore, a phase shifting unit corresponding to each antenna element needs to be provided in the phase shifter module to meet the phase angle corresponding to each antenna element.

[0026] In a specific implementation of the embodiment of the present invention, the process of setting the phase angle of each antenna element in the antenna array is as follows: Figure 2 As shown, Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a process for setting the phase angle of an antenna array element provided by an embodiment of the present invention is shown, which mainly includes two steps: The first step is to detect the number of user devices and the locations of user devices using the antenna array in the target scenario.

[0027] In a fixed scenario, the distribution of user devices using antenna arrays (i.e., communication devices) is generally relatively fixed. For target scenarios, device detection technologies such as signal recognition and identification code detection can be used to detect the number of user devices using the antenna array in the target scenario, and the location of each user device can be detected using location detection technology (the location is generally the location of the user device in the world coordinate system with the antenna array as the coordinate origin). After detecting the location of each user device, the direction of each user device relative to the antenna array can be determined, and further, the number of user devices in different directions of the antenna array can be counted.

[0028] The second step is to allocate resources to the antenna array and set the phase angle of each antenna element according to the number and usage of user devices in different directions.

[0029] After counting the number of user devices in different directions of the antenna array, the usage of user devices in different directions can be identified, where the usage status includes in use, not in use, etc. If there is a user device in use in a certain direction of the antenna array, it is necessary to set an antenna element in that direction, and the signal strength of the corresponding antenna element can be allocated according to the number of user devices in that direction; if there is no user device in use in a certain direction of the antenna array, no antenna element is set in that direction. Based on the above strategy, the resource allocation of the antenna array is completed, and the phase angle (related to the direction) of each antenna element is set accordingly.

[0030] After setting the phase angle of each antenna element, the phase difference corresponding to each phase angle can be calculated based on the phase angle of each antenna element, that is, the signal phase difference between antenna elements: Assume that the antenna array is evenly distributed, the physical spacing between antenna elements is d, and each antenna element has a phase shifter to change the phase relationship of the signal on the path. The signal combiner and splitter are mainly used to adjust the power and amplitude of the signal. For any antenna element, the electromagnetic wave signal radiated by it propagates freely in space. Assuming that each antenna element radiates electromagnetic wave signals outward at the same time, in phase, and with equal amplitude, then the equiphase surface (also called wavefront) formed by the free superposition of these electromagnetic wave signals in space should be parallel to the plane where the antenna array is located.

[0031] However, when the antenna elements are not fed in phase and with equal amplitude, the wavefront of the antenna array is not a plane. Generally speaking, a point in the far field of the antenna array is far away from the antenna array, and the lines of sight from each antenna element to the point are parallel. Assume that the angle between these observation lines and the normal direction of the antenna array is a, such as Figure 3 As shown, Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a distributed architecture of an antenna array provided by an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Since there is a certain distance between antenna elements, the path difference of signals between adjacent antenna elements reaching the point is d*sina.

[0032] Assuming that the phase angles between antenna elements differ by θ, the signal phase difference of the radiation field between two adjacent antenna elements at this point is: ,in, is the wavelength of the electromagnetic wave signal.

[0033] After the signal phase difference between the antenna array elements is obtained, at least two phase shift circuits respectively control the target switch group to select the target path based on the signal phase difference between the connected antenna array elements.

[0034] The signal phase difference between antenna elements can be used as a basis for switch selection, that is, according to the signal phase difference between antenna elements, it can be determined which switch groups are closed so that the phase shift units on the corresponding paths work. For example, it is calculated that the signal phase difference between antenna element 1 and antenna element 2 is 60°, and a 0° phase shift unit and a 30° phase shift unit are provided in the phase shift circuit connected to antenna element 1, and a 60° phase shift unit and a 90° phase shift unit are provided in the phase shift circuit connected to antenna element 2. Then, the switch of the path where the 0° phase shift unit is located and the switch of the path where the 60° phase shift unit is located can be controlled to be closed, that is, the requirement that the signal phase difference between antenna element 1 and antenna element 2 is 60° is met; or the switch of the path where the 30° phase shift unit is located and the switch of the path where the 90° phase shift unit is located can be controlled to be closed, which can also meet the requirement that the signal phase difference between antenna element 1 and antenna element 2 is 60°.

[0035] The phase shifter module provided by the embodiment of the present invention integrates a signal combining and splitting unit and at least two phase shifting circuits connected to the signal combining and splitting unit, wherein the phase shifting circuit includes a switch group and at least two phase shifting units. The signal phase adjusted by each phase shifting unit is different; a phase shifting unit is arranged on the path between every two switches in the switch group, and every two switches are respectively connected to the signal combining and splitting unit and the antenna array element. At least two phase shifting circuits respectively control the target switch group to select the target path based on the signal phase difference between the connected antenna array elements. The present invention integrates the signal combining and splitting unit and at least two phase shifting circuits into a phase shifter module, and realizes the integration of the phase shifter module on the basis of realizing the signal combining and splitting processing of the antenna array elements in the antenna array.

[0036] In wireless communication systems, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is one of the important indicators for measuring signal quality. Improving the SNR can effectively enhance the signal's anti-interference ability and improve the stability and reliability of communication, which is particularly important at the signal receiving end.

[0037] In one implementation of an embodiment of the present invention, the phase shifter module can be used as a signal receiving end, and the signal combining and splitting unit is a power combining unit. Accordingly, based on the above analysis, after the target path is selected based on the signal phase difference between antenna array elements, the selected phase shifter unit will adjust the phase of the signal received by the antenna array element. Since the signal phase difference between antenna array elements is taken into account, the selected phase shifters will adjust the signals of adjacent antenna array elements to signals with the same phase. At least two signals with the same phase are input into the power combining unit, and the power combining unit can synthesize one signal.

[0038] Next, taking the switch in the switch group as a single-pole double-throw (SPDT) switch as an example, the signal processing process of the phase shifter module as the signal receiving end is introduced in detail. Figure 4 As shown, Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of a phase shifter module as a receiving end provided by an embodiment of the present invention is shown, in which a power combining unit 11 and two phase shifting circuits connected to the power combining unit 11 are integrated. Among them, the power combining unit 11 is connected to the signal output terminal RFOUT. A phase shifting circuit includes a switch group consisting of single-pole double-throw switches SPDT1 and SPDT2, and a phase shifting unit A and a phase shifting unit B. The phase shifting unit A can be a high-pass filter phase shifter, and the phase shifting unit B can be a low-pass filter phase shifter, which are respectively used to adjust different signal phases. One end of SPDT1 is connected to the power combining unit 11, and the other end is controlled to be connected to the phase shifting unit A or the phase shifting unit B. One end of SPDT2 is connected to the signal input terminal RFIN1 (connected to an antenna array element), and the other end is controlled to be connected to the phase shifting unit A or the phase shifting unit B; the other end of SPDT2 is connected to the signal input terminal RFIN1 (connected to an antenna array element), and the other end is controlled to be connected to the phase shifting unit A or the phase shifting unit B; A phase shift circuit includes a switch group consisting of single-pole double-throw switches SPDT3 and SPDT4, and a phase shift unit C and a phase shift unit D. The phase shift unit C can be a high-pass filter phase shifter, and the phase shift unit D can be a low-pass filter phase shifter, which are respectively used to adjust different signal phases. One end of SPDT3 is connected to the power combining unit 11, and the other end is controlled to be connected to the phase shift unit C or the phase shift unit D. One end of SPDT4 is connected to the signal input end RFIN2 (connected to another antenna array element), and the other end is controlled to be connected to the phase shift unit C or the phase shift unit D.

[0039] The phase shifter module controls the SPDT switch at the signal receiving end to select the corresponding phase shift units for the two received signals, for example, phase shift unit A and phase shift unit C. The two phase shift units adjust the two signals to the same phase, and then combine them into one signal through the power combiner. Through such signal processing, the SNR at the receiving end can theoretically be improved by 3dB.

[0040] In another implementation method of the embodiment of the present invention, the phase shifter module can also be used as a signal transmitting end, and the signal combining and splitting unit is a power splitting unit. Accordingly, based on the above analysis, after the target path is selected based on the signal phase difference between antenna array elements, the selected phase shifting unit will perform phase adjustment on the signal split by the power splitting unit, and the adjusted signal is output to the corresponding antenna array element, which can meet the signal phase difference between antenna array elements.

[0041] Next, taking the switch in the switch group as an SPDT switch as an example, the signal processing process of the phase shifter module as the signal sending end is described in detail. Figure 5 As shown, Figure 5A schematic structural diagram of a phase shifter module as a transmitting end provided by an embodiment of the present invention is shown, in which a power division unit 12 and two phase shift circuits connected to the power division unit 12 are integrated. Among them, the power division unit 12 is connected to the signal input terminal RFIN. A phase shift circuit includes a switch group composed of single-pole double-throw switches SPDT5 and SPDT6, and a phase shifter unit E and a phase shifter unit F. The phase shifter unit E can be a high-pass filter phase shifter, and the phase shifter unit F can be a low-pass filter phase shifter, which are respectively used to adjust different signal phases. One end of the SPDT5 is connected to the power division unit 12, and the other end is controlled to be connected to the phase shifter unit E or the phase shifter unit F. One end of the SPDT6 is connected to the signal output terminal RFOUT1 (connected to an antenna array element), and the other end is controlled to be connected to the phase shifter unit E or the phase shifter unit F; the other end A phase shift circuit includes a switch group consisting of single-pole double-throw switches SPDT7 and SPDT8, and a phase shift unit G and a phase shift unit H. The phase shift unit G can be a high-pass filter phase shifter, and the phase shift unit H can be a low-pass filter phase shifter, which are used to adjust different signal phases respectively. One end of SPDT7 is connected to the power division unit 12, and the other end is controlled to be connected to the phase shift unit G or the phase shift unit H. One end of SPDT8 is connected to the signal output end RFOUT2 (connected to another antenna array element), and the other end is controlled to be connected to the phase shift unit G or the phase shift unit H.

[0042] At the signal transmitting end, the phase shifter module divides one signal into two signals through the power division unit, and then selects the corresponding phase shift unit by controlling the SPDT, for example, selecting the phase shift unit F and the phase shift unit H, and the two signals are phase-shifted separately through these two phase shift units, so that the signal reaching the antenna array element connected to the output end meets the requirements of the signal phase difference between the antenna array elements and the power sharing requirements.

[0043] In an implementation of the embodiment of the present invention, a control unit is also integrated in the phase shifter module; the control unit is used to control the on and off of switches in the target switch group based on the signal phase difference.

[0044] In the specific design, an on-chip control unit, such as a field programmable gate array (FPGA), an ARM processor, etc., can be integrated in the phase shifter module. The control unit mainly has a logic control function and is used to control the on and off of the switches in the switch group. The control unit can calculate the signal phase difference between adjacent antenna array elements, and determine which switches in the target switch group need to be turned on and which switches in the target switch group need to be turned off based on the calculation results. By outputting high and low levels to the switches in the target switch group, the on and off control of the switches is realized, and then by selecting the target path, the signal phase difference between the antenna array elements is controlled.

[0045] In the embodiment of the present invention, the switches in the switch group can be selected from single-pole single-throw switches, single-pole double-throw switches, single-pole multi-throw switches, etc. Under the setting of single-pole single-throw switches, the switch group in each phase shift circuit includes two single-pole single-throw switches in pairs, and the switch group and the phase shift unit are set correspondingly, that is, the number of phase shift units is the same as the number of switch groups, and there is a path between every two single-pole single-throw switches, and a phase shifter is set on the path. In this switch setting, the number of switch groups is large, and each switch group needs to be independently controlled, which will have a certain error risk. Therefore, single-pole multi-throw switches are preferred in the embodiment of the invention.

[0046] In an implementation of the embodiment of the present invention, the switch group includes two single-pole multi-throw switches, multiple paths are provided between the two single-pole multi-throw switches, and a phase shift unit is provided on each path.

[0047] Under the setting of the single-pole multi-throw switch, only one switch group needs to be set in each phase shifting circuit. The switch group includes two pairs of single-pole multi-throw switches. There are multiple paths between the two single-pole multi-throw switches. A phase shifter is set on each path. By controlling the two single-pole multi-throw switches, one of the paths can be selected for selection, which makes the control implementation simpler and reduces the risk of error.

[0048] In an implementation manner of the embodiment of the present invention, the signal combining and splitting unit is integrated into the phase shifter module through an IPD process.

[0049] The embodiment of the present invention integrates the signal combining and splitting unit and the phase shifting unit into one module. Specifically, during the integrated manufacturing, the signal combining and splitting unit can be integrated into the phase shifter module through the IPD process. Compared with the standard integrated circuit technology, the IPD process can use more flexible materials and process flows, improve the performance of circuit components, and achieve a high degree of integration of the signal combining and splitting unit. The IPD process can also simplify assembly, reduce the number of purchased components, compress inventory, save manpower, and thus reduce the total cost of the entire system.

[0050] In an implementation manner of the embodiment of the present invention, the phase shift unit is mounted on a substrate of the phase shifter module by surface mounting technology; or, the phase shift unit is integrated in the phase shifter module by IPD process.

[0051] The phase shifter unit can be mounted on the substrate of the phase shifter module through surface mount technology (SMT), and the signal combining and splitting unit can be manufactured through the IPD process. The phase shifter module is small in size and highly integrated. When the working range is small and the angle is fixed, the phase shifter unit can also be integrated into the phase shifter module through the IPD process, which can further reduce the overall size of the phase shifter module.

[0052] In the embodiment of the present invention, the signal combining and splitting unit can divide one signal into multiple signals or combine multiple signals into one signal, that is, only one signal combining and splitting unit can be integrated in the phase shifter module; the signal combining and splitting unit can also adopt the traditional method of dividing one signal into two signals or combining two signals into one signal, then it is necessary to integrate multiple signal combining and splitting units in the phase shifter module, and these signal combining and splitting units are hierarchically distributed, such as Figure 6 As shown, Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the structure of another phase shifter module provided by an embodiment of the present invention is shown, and the phase shifter module includes two layers of signal combining and dividing units. Taking the signal combining and dividing unit as a power dividing unit as an example, the first layer of power dividing unit divides one signal into two signals, and the second layer of power dividing unit divides the two signals into two signals respectively. Based on the signal phase difference between the antenna array elements at the signal ports ANT1 and ANT2, the 0° phase unit or the 30° phase unit is selected by controlling SPDT1 and SPDT2, and the 60° phase unit or the 90° phase unit is selected by controlling SPDT3 and SPDT4; and based on the signal phase difference between the antenna array elements at the signal ports ANT3 and ANT4, the 0° phase unit or the 20° phase unit is selected by controlling SPDT5 and SPDT6, and the 40° phase unit or the 60° phase unit is selected by controlling SPDT7 and SPDT8.

[0053] The embodiment of the present invention also provides a signal processing method, such as Figure 7 As shown, Figure 7 A flow chart of a signal processing method provided by an embodiment of the present invention is shown. The signal processing method is applied to the above-mentioned phase shifter module. The signal processing method comprises the following steps: Step 702: determine a signal phase difference between antenna array elements connected to at least two phase shifting circuits.

[0054] Step 704: Based on the signal phase difference, the on and off of the switches in the target switch group are controlled to trigger the phase shift unit on the selected target path to adjust the signal phase.

[0055] The signal processing method of the embodiment of the present invention can be specifically executed by the control unit in the phase shifter module, and the signal phase difference between the antenna array elements is calculated using the above-mentioned signal phase difference calculation method, and the on and off of the switch is further controlled based on the signal phase difference. The specific control process has been described in detail in the above-mentioned embodiment and will not be repeated here.

[0056] The signal processing method provided by the embodiment of the present invention determines the signal phase difference between antenna array elements, controls the on and off of the switch in the target switch group based on the signal phase difference, thereby triggering the phase shift unit on the selected target path to adjust the signal phase. Using this method, the phase shifter module can achieve bidirectional application and provide support for the signal power division of the antenna.

[0057] The embodiment of the present invention further provides an antenna, such as Figure 8 As shown, Figure 8 FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of an antenna provided by an embodiment of the present invention. The antenna includes a phase shifter module 810 and an antenna array 820. The structure of the phase shifter module 810 is as follows: Figure 1 As shown, the antenna array 820 includes at least two antenna array elements 821 , and each phase shift circuit in the phase shifter module 810 is connected to each antenna array element 821 .

[0058] The antenna provided by the embodiment of the present invention includes the above-mentioned phase shifter module integrated with the signal combining and splitting unit and at least two phase shifting circuits connected to the signal combining and splitting unit, wherein the phase shifting circuit includes a switch group and at least two phase shifting units. The signal phase adjusted by each phase shifting unit is different; a phase shifting unit is arranged on the path between every two switches in the switch group, and every two switches are respectively connected to the signal combining and splitting unit and the antenna array element. At least two phase shifting circuits control the target switch group to select the target path based on the signal phase difference between the connected antenna array elements. The phase shifter module has high integration. The antenna also includes an antenna array for signal reception and transmission, and is equipped with a highly integrated phase shifter module, which realizes the bidirectional application of the antenna, and has a wide range of applications and high adaptability.

[0059] The embodiment of the present invention further provides a communication device, the communication device comprising: Figure 8 The communication device may be a modem, a router, a mobile phone, a personal computer, etc. Since the communication device is equipped with the above antenna, a two-way application of signal combination and division can be realized.

[0060] In the description of the present invention, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "examples", "specific examples", or "some examples" etc. means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In the present invention, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner.

[0061] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside" and the like indicate positions or positional relationships based on the positions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present invention. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance. In this article, "equal", "same" and the like are not strict mathematical and / or geometric limitations, but also include errors that can be understood by those skilled in the art and are allowed in manufacturing or use.

[0062] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection, or it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication of two components. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0063] Unless otherwise stated, the numerical ranges herein include not only the entire range within its two endpoints but also include several sub-ranges contained therein.

[0064] The preferred specific implementation modes and embodiments of the present application are described in detail above in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the above implementation modes and embodiments, and various changes can be made within the knowledge scope of those skilled in the art without departing from the concept of the present application.

[0065] The preferred embodiments of the present invention disclosed above are only used to help explain the present invention. The optional embodiments do not describe all the details in detail, nor do they limit the invention to the specific implementation methods described. Obviously, many modifications and changes can be made according to the content of the present invention. The present invention selects and specifically describes these embodiments in order to better explain the principles and practical applications of the present invention, so that those skilled in the art can understand and use the present invention well. The present invention is limited only by the claims and their full scope and equivalents.

Claims

1. A phase shifter module, characterized in that: The phase shifter module integrates a signal combining and splitting unit and at least two phase shifting circuits connected to the signal combining and splitting unit; The phase shift circuit includes a switch group and at least two phase shift units; the at least two phase shift units adjust different signal phases; the phase shift unit is arranged on the path between every two switches in the switch group, and every two switches are respectively connected to the signal combining and splitting unit and the antenna array element; The at least two phase shift circuits respectively control the target switch group to select the target path based on the signal phase difference between the connected antenna array elements.

2. The phase shifter module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The signal combining and splitting unit is a power combining unit; The phase shift unit on the target path selected by the at least two phase shift circuits is used to adjust the signal received by the antenna array element to a signal with the same phase; The power combining unit is used to combine at least two signals of the same phase into one signal.

3. The phase shifter module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The signal combining and splitting unit is a power splitting unit; The power splitter unit is used to split one signal into at least two signals; The phase shift unit on the target path selected by the at least two phase shift circuits is used to perform phase shift on the at least two signals and output the phases to the antenna array element.

4. The phase shifter module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The phase shifter module also integrates a control unit; the control unit is used to control the on and off of switches in the target switch group based on the signal phase difference.

5. The phase shifter module according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The switch group includes two single-pole multi-throw switches; there are multiple paths between the two single-pole multi-throw switches, and the phase shifting unit is respectively arranged on each path.

6. The phase shifter module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The signal combining and splitting unit is integrated into the phase shifter module through the IPD process.

7. The phase shifter module according to claim 1 or 6, characterized in that: The phase shift unit is mounted on the substrate of the phase shifter module by surface mounting technology; or, the phase shift unit is integrated into the phase shifter module by IPD process.

8. A signal processing method, characterized in that: Applied to the phase shifter module according to any one of claims 1 to 7, the method comprising: Determining a signal phase difference between antenna array elements connected to the at least two phase shifting circuits; Based on the signal phase difference, the on and off of the switches in the target switch group are controlled to trigger the phase shift unit on the selected target path to adjust the signal phase.

9. An antenna, characterized in that: The antenna comprises a phase shifter module and an antenna array as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the antenna array comprises at least two antenna array elements; Each phase shift circuit in the phase shifter module is connected to each antenna array element respectively.

10. A communication device, characterized in that: The communication device comprises the antenna according to claim 9.

Images