Dielectric phase shifter and antenna feed network

Abstract

The invention relates to a dielectric phase shifter and an antenna feed network. The dielectric phase shifter comprises a dielectric plate; the dielectric plate comprises a first phase shifting section and a second phase shifting section, and the first phase shifting section is connected with the second phase shifting section; a plurality of medium patterns are uniformly arranged on at least one surface, parallel to the strip line, of the first phase shifting section; the first phase-shifting section and the second phase-shifting section are different in phase-shifting quantity per unit length in the phase-shifting direction; wherein the medium pattern is of a three-dimensional structure. According to the embodiment of the invention, the dielectric patterns are uniformly arranged on the first phase-shifting section, so that the purpose of uniformly distributing the dielectric of the first phase-shifting section is achieved, the change of the relative dielectric constant caused by the change of the line width of the strip line is avoided, and the problem that the actual phase-shifting amount is different from the target phase-shifting amount is further avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a dielectric phase shifter and an antenna feeding network. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid development of mobile communication technology, users have also put forward higher requirements for the performance of phase shifters, such as being able to meet the special phase shift ratios of different output ports. Usually, special structures are used to increase or decrease the phase shift, such as using a design scheme that uses two or more phase shift segments to achieve the target phase shift gradient. One form is a uniform medium, and the other is an unevenly distributed medium or a medium with an overall thinning thickness.

[0003] However, it was found in simulation and actual measurement that for unevenly distributed media, in order to achieve impedance matching, the stripline width used in the phase shift section is different from the stripline width used in the design, which causes the phase shift amount of the phase shift section to deviate from the design. The overall thinning of the medium is prone to bending and deformation, which poses a risk to the structural strength and stability of the phase shifter. Both of the above forms may lead to the deterioration of the phase linearity index of the phase shifter, affect the matching of the antenna network, and increase the difficulty of antenna beamforming design. Summary of the invention

[0004] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present disclosure provides a dielectric phase shifter and an antenna feeding network.

[0005] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a dielectric phase shifter, comprising:

[0006] A dielectric plate; the dielectric plate comprises a first phase shifting segment and a second phase shifting segment, the first phase shifting segment and the second phase shifting segment are connected; a plurality of dielectric patterns are evenly arranged on at least one side of the first phase shifting segment parallel to the strip line; the first phase shifting segment and the second phase shifting segment have different phase shift amounts per unit length in the phase shifting direction; wherein the dielectric pattern is a three-dimensional structure.

[0007] In some embodiments, the dielectric pattern includes a protruding structure disposed on the first phase shifting segment.

[0008] In some embodiments, the thickness of the first phase-shifting segment without the protruding structure is smaller than the thickness of the second phase-shifting segment.

[0009] In some embodiments, the dielectric pattern includes a concave structure disposed on the first phase shifting segment.

[0010] In some embodiments, the thickness of the first phase-shifting section without the recessed structure is the same as the thickness of the second phase-shifting section.

[0011] In some embodiments, the recessed structure is a blind hole structure.

[0012] In some embodiments, the recessed structure penetrates the first phase-shifting segment.

[0013] In some embodiments, in parallel with the surface of the dielectric plate, an extension direction of the dielectric pattern and an extension direction of the strip line have an included angle.

[0014] In some embodiments, in parallel to the surface of the dielectric plate, the extension direction of the dielectric pattern is parallel to the extension direction of the strip line;

[0015] The sum of the distance between adjacent dielectric patterns arranged in parallel and the width of the dielectric pattern is less than or equal to the minimum line width of the strip line.

[0016] In some embodiments, the medium pattern is at least one of a line segment and a closed figure.

[0017] In some embodiments, the cross-section of the line segment includes at least one of a rectangle and a trapezoid.

[0018] In some embodiments, the plurality of line segments form at least one of a W-shaped structure and a grid structure.

[0019] In some embodiments, the closed shape includes at least one of a triangle, a square, a hexagon, and a circle.

[0020] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure further provides an antenna feeding network, comprising any dielectric phase shifter as provided in the first aspect.

[0021] Compared with the prior art, the technical solution provided by the present invention has the following advantages:

[0022] The dielectric phase shifter provided by the present disclosure includes a dielectric plate; the dielectric plate includes a first phase shift section and a second phase shift section, and the first phase shift section and the second phase shift section are connected; a plurality of dielectric patterns are evenly arranged on at least one side of the first phase shift section parallel to the strip line; the first phase shift section and the second phase shift section have different phase shift amounts per unit length in the phase shift direction. By evenly arranging a plurality of dielectric patterns on the first phase shift section, the dielectric of the first phase shift section is evenly distributed, and the phase shift amount per unit length in the phase shift direction is different from that of the second phase shift section. At this time, the first phase shift section and the second phase shift section are both designed as uniform dielectrics, and the dielectrics are evenly distributed in space, which can avoid the instability of the relative dielectric constant of the phase shift section. Even if the line width of the strip line changes, the relative dielectric constant of the dielectric within the unit length of the strip line is still evenly distributed, which can reduce the change of the relative dielectric constant caused by the change of the line width of the strip line, avoid the deterioration of the linearity of the phase shift amount, and enable the phase shifter to meet the index of the antenna feeding network and avoid affecting the antenna radiation efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the present disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure.

[0024] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, for ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative labor.

[0025] Figure 1 A three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a dielectric plate provided by the prior art;

[0026] Figure 2 for Figure 1 The top view of the corresponding dielectric plate;

[0027] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a three-dimensional structure of another dielectric plate provided in the prior art;

[0028] Figure 4 for Figure 3 The top view of the corresponding dielectric plate;

[0029] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a three-dimensional structure of a dielectric plate provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0030] Figure 6 for Figure 5 The top view of the corresponding dielectric plate;

[0031] Figure 7 A side view of a dielectric plate provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0032] Figure 8 A side view of another dielectric plate provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0033] Fig. 9 A schematic top view of a dielectric plate provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0034] Fig.10 A schematic diagram of a three-dimensional structure of a dielectric plate provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0035] Fig.11 for Fig.10 The top view of the corresponding dielectric plate;

[0036] Fig.12 A schematic diagram of a three-dimensional structure of a dielectric plate provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0037] Fig.13 for Fig.12The top view of the corresponding dielectric plate;

[0038] Fig.14 A schematic diagram of a three-dimensional structure of a dielectric plate provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0039] Fig.15 for Fig.14 The top view of the corresponding dielectric plate;

[0040] Fig.16 A schematic diagram of a three-dimensional structure of a dielectric plate provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0041] Fig.17 for Fig.16 The top view of the corresponding dielectric plate;

[0042] Fig.18 A schematic diagram of a three-dimensional structure of a dielectric plate provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0043] Fig.19 for Fig.18 The top view of the corresponding dielectric plate;

[0044] Fig. 20 A schematic diagram of a three-dimensional structure of a dielectric plate provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0045] Fig.21 for Fig. 20 The top view of the corresponding dielectric plate;

[0046] Fig. 22 A schematic diagram of a three-dimensional structure of a dielectric plate provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0047] Fig.23 for Fig. 22 Schematic diagram of top view corresponding to the medium plate. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] In order to more clearly understand the above-mentioned objectives, features and advantages of the present disclosure, the scheme of the present disclosure will be further described below. It should be noted that the embodiments of the present disclosure and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other without conflict.

[0049] In the following description, many specific details are set forth to facilitate a full understanding of the present disclosure, but the present disclosure may also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein; it is obvious that the embodiments in the specification are only part of the embodiments of the present disclosure, rather than all of the embodiments.

[0050] In the field of mobile communications, a device that changes the feeding phase and amplitude of each radiating unit of an array antenna is called a phase shifter. The phase shifter can affect the quality of mobile communication network coverage and optimization. Among them, a dielectric phase shifter is a phase shifter often used in the prior art. The dielectric phase shifter changes the dielectric constant in the feed network line by inserting a dielectric to achieve the purpose of phase shifting. In the existing dielectric phase shifter, in order to meet the needs of the array antenna, the dielectric phase shifter includes multiple output ports, and the phase shift amounts of different output ports are different. For example, it includes 5 output ports, and the phase change output of +2: +1: 0: -1: -2 can be achieved (the ratio relationship is called the dynamic phase shift ratio). In the prior art, the phase change output of multiple ports is an equidistant phase output, but if the antenna feed network design requires different output ports to achieve a phase change output of +1.5: +0.5: 0: -0.5: -1.5, when the phase shift gradient has two changes of 0.5 times and 1 times at the same time, it is necessary to use two different phase shift segments to increase or decrease the phase shift to achieve the target phase shift gradient.

[0051] For example, a 1x phase shift segment and a 1.5x phase shift segment are used, and the phase shift gradient target of 0.5x phase shift is achieved through the reverse design of the 1.5x phase shift segment and the 1x phase shift segment. Among them, the phase shift segment with a small phase shift is usually achieved by reducing the medium covering the inside of the cavity. For example, the medium corresponding to the 1.5x phase shift segment is uniform and thicker, while the 1x phase shift segment can adopt two design methods, the commonly used ones are uneven medium distribution and uniform medium distribution. Among them, the medium is uniformly distributed, which means that the phase shift segment is thinned as a whole to reduce the medium covering the inside of the cavity, but it is easy to bend and deform if it is too thin, which brings risks to the structural strength and stability of the phase shifter. In the case of uneven medium distribution, some locations with larger thickness will be retained, such as the middle position or both sides of the medium. Figure 1 A three-dimensional structural diagram of a dielectric plate provided by the prior art, Figure 2 for Figure 1 The top view of the dielectric plate. Figure 3 A three-dimensional structural diagram of another dielectric plate provided in the prior art. Figure 4 for Figure 3 The top view of the medium plate is shown in Figure 1. Figure 1 and Figure 2 The dielectric plate includes a phase shift section 11' and a phase shift section 12. The dielectric of the phase shift section 12 is thicker and uniform, while the phase shift section 11' is thinner, and the thicker part is located in the middle of the dielectric. Figure 3 and Figure 4 The dielectric plate includes a phase shift section 11 ′ and a phase shift section 12 . The dielectric of the phase shift section 12 is thicker and uniform, while the phase shift section 11 ′ is thinner. The thicker position may be located on both sides of the dielectric.

[0052] However, it was found in simulation and actual measurement that for unevenly distributed media, in order to achieve impedance matching, the stripline width used in the phase shift section is different from the stripline width used in the design, which causes the phase shift amount of the phase shift section to deviate from the design. For media with overall thinning thickness, the risk of structural bending deformation will cause this part of the medium to be unevenly distributed in space, which will lead to problems such as unstable relative dielectric constant and inaccurate phase shifter travel during use, posing risks to the structural strength and stability of the phase shifter. Both of the above forms may lead to the deterioration of the phase linearity index of the phase shifter, affect the matching of the antenna network, and increase the difficulty of antenna beamforming design.

[0053] In order to solve the above-mentioned defects, the present disclosure provides a dielectric phase shifter. Figure 5 A three-dimensional structural diagram of a dielectric plate provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown in FIG. Figure 6 for Figure 5 In the top view corresponding to the dielectric plate, the dielectric phase shifter includes a dielectric plate 10; the dielectric plate 10 includes a first phase shift segment 11 and a second phase shift segment 12, and the first phase shift segment 11 and the second phase shift segment 12 are connected; a plurality of dielectric patterns are evenly arranged on at least one side of the first phase shift segment 11 parallel to the strip line. The first phase shift segment 11 and the second phase shift segment 12 have different phase shift amounts per unit length in the phase shift direction; wherein the dielectric pattern is a three-dimensional structure.

[0054] Exemplarily, the dielectric phase shifter includes a cavity, a dielectric plate, a printed circuit board, and a pull rod, wherein the dielectric plate and the printed circuit board are both located inside the cavity. The printed circuit board is located between the two dielectric plates, and a feed network line, such as a strip line, is provided on the printed circuit board for transmitting radio frequency signals. The pull rod is used to control the movement of the dielectric plate, and the length of the feed network line covering the dielectric is adjusted, thereby changing the electrical length of the feed network line to achieve the phase shifting function.

[0055] Based on this, taking a dielectric plate 10 in a dielectric phase shifter as an example, the dielectric plate 10 includes a first phase shift segment 11 and a second phase shift segment 12, and the first phase shift segment 11 and the second phase shift segment 12 are connected. Among them, the first phase shift segment 11 and the second phase shift segment 12 have different phase shift amounts per unit length in the phase shift direction, that is, there is a difference between the medium corresponding to the first phase shift segment 11 and the medium corresponding to the second phase shift segment 12, so as to achieve the phase shift amount gradient target. For example, the first phase shift segment 11 is a 1-fold phase shift segment, and the second phase shift segment 12 is a 1.5-fold phase shift segment. The phase shift amount gradient target of 0.5-fold phase shift amount is achieved by the reverse design of the 1.5-fold phase shift segment and the 1-fold phase shift segment.

[0056] Among them, the phase per unit length of the stripline is:

[0057]

[0058] Where β is the phase per unit length of the stripline; μ0 is the magnetic permeability of vacuum; ε r is the dielectric constant of the medium; ε0 is the dielectric constant of vacuum.

[0059] It can be seen that the phase is positively correlated with the dielectric constant of the medium. As the relative dielectric constant of the medium (dielectric constant) changes, the phase will also change. Only when the relative dielectric constant of the medium is stable can the phase be relatively stable. Therefore, in the embodiment of the present disclosure, the first phase shift segment 11 and the second phase shift segment 12 are designed as uniform media, so that the media are evenly distributed in space to avoid the instability of the relative dielectric constant of the phase shift segment. Even if the line width of the strip line changes, the relative dielectric constant of the medium within a unit length is still evenly distributed, thereby reducing the change in the relative dielectric constant caused by the change in the line width of the strip line.

[0060] Therefore, the dielectrics of the first phase-shift segment 11 and the second phase-shift segment 12 provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure are evenly distributed, and the phase shift amount per unit length in the phase-shift direction is different. Regardless of how the width of the strip line actually used changes, the dielectric can be evenly covered on the strip line, and the relative dielectric constant of the dielectric is stable within the unit length of the strip line. However, per unit length in the phase-shift direction, the phase shift amount of the first phase-shift segment 11 is less than that of the second phase-shift segment 12. Phase-shift segments with less phase shift amount are usually achieved by reducing the dielectric covering the inside of the cavity, thereby reducing the amount of dielectric in the first phase-shift segment 11, and multiple dielectric patterns are evenly arranged on at least one side of the first phase-shift segment 11 parallel to the strip line. For example, the main body thickness of the first phase-shift segment 11 is less than that of the second phase-shift segment 12, and multiple dielectric patterns are evenly arranged on the first phase-shift segment 11, so that the dielectric amount of the first phase-shift segment 11 meets the requirements of achieving a 1x phase-shift segment. The medium pattern is a three-dimensional structure, such as a concave shape or a convex shape. The medium amount in the area where the medium pattern is set is adjusted by designing the medium pattern into a 3D shape.

[0061] Compared with the prior art, the dielectric distribution of the first phase shift segment 11 is uniform, and even if the width of the strip line changes, it will not affect the phase shift amount and cause it to be different from the predetermined designed phase shift amount. Therefore, it will not cause the linearity of the phase shift amount to deteriorate, making it difficult for the phase shifter to reach the index of the antenna feed network, affecting the antenna beamforming, and reducing the antenna radiation efficiency. In addition, the strength of the first phase shift segment 11 is relatively high, and the risk of structural bending deformation is relatively low. In addition, the dielectric plate has high versatility and can be applied to a variety of products, which can reduce the development and design costs.

[0062] Optionally, the strip line is parallel to the plane where the dielectric plate is located and is located between the two dielectric plates. When a dielectric pattern is set on the dielectric plate, the pattern can be set on the side of the dielectric plate facing the strip line, or on the side of the dielectric plate facing away from the strip line. The embodiment of the present disclosure does not limit this. In other embodiments, dielectric patterns can also be set on both sides of the dielectric plate, which can be selected according to actual needs.

[0063] By evenly arranging multiple dielectric patterns on the first phase-shifting segment, the dielectric of the first phase-shifting segment is evenly distributed, and the phase shift amount per unit length in the phase shift direction is different from that of the second phase-shifting segment. At this time, the first phase-shifting segment and the second phase-shifting segment are both designed as uniform dielectrics, and the dielectrics are evenly distributed in space, which can avoid the instability of the relative dielectric constant of the phase-shifting segment. Even if the line width of the strip line changes, the relative dielectric constant of the dielectric per unit length of the strip line is still evenly distributed, which can reduce the change in the relative dielectric constant caused by the change in the line width of the strip line, avoid the deterioration of the linearity of the phase shift amount, and enable the phase shifter to meet the indicators of the antenna feeding network and avoid affecting the antenna radiation efficiency.

[0064] In some embodiments, Figure 7 A side view of a dielectric plate provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, referring to Figure 7 , and combined with Figure 5 and Figure 6 The dielectric pattern 13 includes a protruding structure arranged on the first phase shifting segment 11 .

[0065] Exemplarily, the dielectric pattern 13 uniformly arranged on the first phase shift segment 11 can be a raised structure, which can improve the strength of the first phase shift segment 11 and prevent the first phase shift segment 11 from being too thin and causing the risk of structural bending and deformation. After adding the raised structure, the thickness of some parts of the first phase shift segment 11 increases, but the overall amount of dielectric is still small, so it can meet the structural strength requirements and the relative dielectric constant of the dielectric is stable when covering the strip line, which will not cause the actual phase shift to be different from the target phase shift during design. This ensures that the phase shifter can meet the indicators of the antenna feeding network, avoids affecting the antenna beamforming, and reduces the antenna radiation efficiency.

[0066] In some embodiments, continue to refer to Figure 7 , the thickness of the first phase shifting segment 11 without the protruding structure is less than the thickness of the second phase shifting segment.

[0067] Exemplarily, the thickness of the first phase-shifting segment 11 at a position where the protrusion structure is not provided is h1, while the overall thickness of the second phase-shifting segment 12 is consistent, and the thickness is h2. Since the phase shift amounts of the first phase-shifting segment 11 and the second phase-shifting segment 12 are different, h1 can be made less than h2 to ensure that the amount of medium in the first phase-shifting segment 11 and the second phase-shifting segment 12 are different, thereby achieving the purpose of different phase shift amounts per unit length in the phase shift direction. For example, if the phase shift amount of the first phase-shifting segment 11 is required to be less than the phase shift amount of the second phase-shifting segment 12, the thickness of the first phase-shifting segment 11 where the protrusion structure is not provided can be made less than the thickness of the second phase-shifting segment 12, so that even if the first phase-shifting segment 11 is provided with a protrusion, it can be ensured that the amount of medium in the first phase-shifting segment 11 is less.

[0068] In some embodiments, Figure 8 A side view of another dielectric plate provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, referring to Figure 8 , and combined with Figure 5 and Figure 6 The dielectric pattern 13 includes a recessed structure disposed on the first phase shifting segment 11 .

[0069] Exemplarily, the dielectric pattern 13 uniformly arranged on the first phase-shifting segment 11 may be a recessed structure, and the recessed structure may reduce the dielectric coverage of the first phase-shifting segment 11 to meet the phase shift requirement of the first phase-shifting segment 11. The recessed structure is provided, rather than thinning the first phase-shifting segment 11 as a whole, which increases the strength of the first phase-shifting segment 11 to a certain extent, and avoids the first phase-shifting segment 11 being too thin, which may cause the risk of structural bending and deformation. After the recessed structure is provided, the thickness of some parts of the first phase-shifting segment 11 is reduced, but it can also meet the strength requirements of the structure, and can also meet the requirement that the relative dielectric constant of the medium is stable when covering the strip line, and will not cause the actual phase shift to be different from the target phase shift during design. This ensures that the phase shifter can meet the indicators of the antenna feeding network, avoids affecting the antenna beamforming, and reduces the antenna radiation efficiency.

[0070] In some embodiments, continue to refer to Figure 8 The thickness of the first phase shifting section 11 without the recessed structure is the same as the thickness of the second phase shifting section 12 .

[0071] Exemplarily, the thickness of the first phase-shifting segment 11 at a position where the recessed structure is not provided is h3, and the thickness of the second phase-shifting segment 12 is h4. Since the phase shift amount per unit length of the first phase-shifting segment 11 and the second phase-shifting segment 12 in the phase-shifting direction is different, h3 can be made to be h4, so as to ensure that the amount of medium of the first phase-shifting segment 11 and the second phase-shifting segment 12 is different, thereby achieving the purpose of different phase shift amounts. For example, if the phase shift amount of the first phase-shifting segment 11 is required to be less than the phase shift amount of the second phase-shifting segment 12 per unit length in the phase-shifting direction, a recessed structure can be provided on the first phase-shifting segment 11, and the amount of medium is reduced by the recessed structure, so that the thickness of the first phase-shifting segment 11 where the recessed structure is not provided can be made equal to the thickness of the second phase-shifting segment 12.

[0072] In some embodiments, the recessed structure is a blind hole structure.

[0073] For example, by setting the recessed structure as a blind hole structure, as little medium as possible can be retained at the recessed structure in the thickness direction of the first phase shifter, so that the amount of medium in the first phase shifter meets the requirement, and the number of recessed structures can be reduced. However, since it is a blind hole structure, the bottom of the recessed structure is still connected, which can also ensure the structural strength of the first phase shifter and reduce the possibility of bending deformation.

[0074] In some embodiments, the recessed structure penetrates the first phase shifting segment.

[0075] For example, the recessed structure can also penetrate the first phase shifting section. After penetrating the first phase shifting section, the amount of medium reduced at each recessed structure is greater. Therefore, the number of recessed structures on the first phase shifting section can be reduced as a whole. In the process of manufacturing, it is also simpler, and there is no need to control the thickness that needs to be retained when perforating or etching the recessed structure.

[0076] In some embodiments, continue to refer to Figure 6 , parallel to the surface of the dielectric plate, the extension direction of the dielectric pattern and the extension direction of the strip line have an angle.

[0077] Exemplarily, the first direction is the X direction, and the second direction is the Y direction. During the phase shifting process, the dielectric plate will be controlled to move along the extension direction of the dielectric plate (along the X direction). The stripline will be parallel to the surface of the dielectric plate. During the movement of the dielectric plate, the dielectric coverage of the stripline will change, thereby achieving a phase change. Therefore, parallel to the surface of the dielectric plate, the extension direction of the dielectric pattern and the extension direction of the stripline have an angle, for example, the dielectric pattern extends along the Y direction, and the stripline extends along the X direction. Under this structure, the dielectric plate moves, and the dielectric coverage of the stripline changes, thereby achieving a phase change.

[0078] It should be noted that the present disclosure does not restrict the angle between the extension direction of the medium pattern and the extension direction of the strip line, and strip lines of various shapes can be used, which can be selected according to actual needs.

[0079] In some embodiments, in parallel to the surface of the dielectric plate, the extension direction of the dielectric pattern is parallel to the extension direction of the strip line;

[0080] The sum of the distance between adjacent dielectric patterns arranged in parallel and the width of the dielectric patterns is less than or equal to the minimum line width of the strip line.

[0081] For example, Fig. 9 A schematic top view of a dielectric plate provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, referring to Fig. 9, the first direction is the X direction, the second direction is the Y direction, the extension direction of the dielectric pattern set on the first phase shifting segment 11 is the X direction, for example, the extension direction of the strip line is also the X direction, at this time, on the parallel dielectric plate surface, the extension risk of the dielectric pattern is parallel to the extension direction of the strip line. During the phase shifting process, the dielectric plate will be controlled to move along the extension direction of the dielectric plate (along the X direction). The strip line will be parallel to the surface of the dielectric plate. During the movement of the dielectric plate, the dielectric coverage of the strip line will change, thereby achieving a change in phase.

[0082] Structurally, the thickness of the medium in the position where the medium pattern is set is different from that in the position where the medium pattern is not set, so there is a difference in the amount of medium. At this time, the line width of the stripline can only cover the relative dielectric constant of the medium corresponding to the medium pattern, which is different from the relative dielectric constant corresponding to the position between the medium pattern and part of the adjacent medium pattern that the line width of the stripline can cover. The change in the line width of the stripline will cause the relative dielectric constant of the medium in the space to be different, which will in turn lead to the deterioration of the linearity of the phase shift, making it difficult for the phase shifter to reach the index of the antenna feeding network. In order to avoid the above problems, the sum of the distance between adjacent medium patterns arranged in parallel and the width of the medium pattern can be made less than or equal to the minimum line width of the stripline. That is, when the line width of the stripline is the smallest, it can cover the medium corresponding to the medium pattern and the distance between adjacent medium patterns. Even if the position of the stripline changes, it can cover the corresponding amount of medium mentioned above, and will not affect the relative dielectric constant, thereby ensuring the stability of the phase shift change.

[0083] In some embodiments, the medium pattern is at least one of a line segment and a closed figure.

[0084] For example, reference Figure 5 , the dielectric pattern can be as Figure 5 By setting different line segments, the medium corresponding to the first phase shift segment 11 is adjusted, and the structural strength of the first phase shift segment 11 is increased. The line segments are evenly arranged so that the medium of the first phase shift segment 11 is evenly distributed, thereby ensuring that the medium covered by the strip line is even, and avoiding the situation where the phase linearity deteriorates. Fig.10 A three-dimensional structural diagram of a dielectric plate provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown in FIG. Fig.11 for Fig.10 The top view of the medium plate is shown in Figure 1. Fig.10 and Fig.11, the dielectric pattern in the first phase shifting section 11 of the dielectric plate is a closed figure. By setting a plurality of uniform closed figures on the first phase shifting section 11, the dielectric of the first phase shifting section 11 is uniformly distributed and the structural strength of the first phase shifting section 11 is enhanced, ensuring that the dielectric covered by the strip line is uniform and is not affected by the change in the width of the strip line. It should be noted that the embodiments of the present disclosure do not limit the specific shape of the dielectric pattern. The above are only some optional implementations. The dielectric pattern can be at least one of a line segment and a closed figure.

[0085] In some embodiments, the cross-section of the line segment includes at least one of a rectangle and a trapezoid.

[0086] For example, the medium pattern is a line segment, and the line segment can adopt a variety of different structural shapes. For example, the cross section of the line segment is a rectangle, which can be further referred to. Figure 5 and Figure 6 A dielectric plate is provided, wherein the cross section of the line segment is a rectangle. In some optional embodiments, Fig.12 A three-dimensional structural diagram of a dielectric plate provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown in FIG. Fig.13 for Fig.12 The top view of the medium plate is shown in Figure 1. Fig.12 and Fig.13 , the cross section of the line segment can also be a trapezoid. The cross-sectional shape of the line segment is not limited, and can be evenly distributed in the first phase shift segment 11 to reduce the change in the relative dielectric constant caused by the change in the strip line width. It should be noted that the embodiment of the present disclosure does not impose specific restrictions on the cross section of the line segment, and can be at least one of a rectangle or a trapezoid, or a triangle, a square, etc., which is selected according to actual needs.

[0087] In some embodiments, the plurality of line segments form at least one of a W-shaped structure and a grid structure.

[0088] Exemplarily, the dielectric pattern may also be further formed into different structures by multiple line segments, for example, multiple line segments are connected and combined to form a W-shaped structure or a grid structure. Fig.14 A three-dimensional structural diagram of a dielectric plate provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown in FIG. Fig.15 for Fig.14 The top view of the medium plate is shown in Figure 1. Fig.14 and Fig.15 ,As can be seen from the figure, multiple line segments are connected in sequence to form a W-shaped structure. Fig.16 A three-dimensional structural diagram of a dielectric plate provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown in FIG. Fig.17 for Fig.16 The top view of the medium plate is shown in Figure 1. Fig.16 and Fig.17, multiple line segments are cross-connected to form multiple grid structures (diamond structures). Among them, both the W-shaped structure and the grid structure can be evenly distributed in the first phase shifting segment 11, so the change in relative dielectric constant caused by the change in strip line width can be reduced. It should be noted that the embodiment of the present disclosure does not limit the type of structure composed of multiple line segments, and other structures can also be formed as long as the medium can be evenly distributed.

[0089] In some embodiments, the closed shape includes at least one of a triangle, a square, a hexagon, and a circle.

[0090] Exemplarily, there are many different options for the closed pattern provided on the first phase shifting segment 11 of the dielectric plate. Fig.10 and Fig.11 A plurality of closed figures are arranged on the first phase shifting section 11, and the closed figures are triangles, and the plurality of triangles are evenly arranged on the first phase shifting section 11 of the dielectric plate. Fig.18 A three-dimensional structural diagram of a dielectric plate provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown in FIG. Fig.19 for Fig.18 The top view of the medium plate is shown in Figure 1. Fig.18 and Fig.19 The closed figure on the first phase shifting segment 11 is a square, and a plurality of squares are evenly arranged on the first phase shifting segment 11 of the dielectric plate. Fig. 20 A three-dimensional structural diagram of a dielectric plate provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown in FIG. Fig.21 for Fig. 20 The top view of the medium plate is shown in Figure 1. Fig. 20 and Fig.21 The closed figure on the first phase shifting segment 11 is a hexagon, and a plurality of hexagons are evenly arranged on the first phase shifting segment 11 of the dielectric plate. Fig. 22 A three-dimensional structural diagram of a dielectric plate provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown in FIG. Fig.23 for Fig. 22 The top view of the medium plate is shown in Figure 1. Fig. 22 and Fig.23 , the closed figure on the first phase shifting segment 11 is a circle, and a plurality of circles are evenly arranged in the first phase shifting segment 11 of the dielectric plate. The closed figure can be at least one of a triangle, a square, a hexagon and a circle, which can be evenly arranged in the first phase shifting segment 11, so that the medium covered by the strip line is uniform, and the change of the relative dielectric constant caused by the width of the strip line is reduced. It should be noted that the embodiments of the present disclosure only provide some optional implementation methods, and the closed figure can also include other figures, such as sectors, polygons, etc.

[0091] The disclosed embodiment also provides an antenna feeding network, including the dielectric phase shifter as described in any of the above embodiments, and thus has the same or similar beneficial effects as the dielectric phase shifter described in the above embodiments. It should be noted that the antenna feeding network provided in the embodiment of the present invention may also include other circuits, devices or systems for supporting its normal operation, which is not limited in this embodiment.

[0092] The dielectric phase shifter includes a cavity, a dielectric plate, a printed circuit board and a pull rod, wherein the dielectric plate and the printed circuit board are both located inside the cavity. The printed circuit board is located between the two dielectric plates, and a strip line is provided on the printed circuit board for transmitting radio frequency signals. The movement of the dielectric plate is controlled by the pull rod, and the length of the feed network line covering the dielectric is adjusted, thereby changing the electrical length of the feed network line to realize the phase shifting function. The dielectric phase shifter is a key component that can realize phase control. By changing the phase difference of each antenna unit in the antenna array, functions such as beam forming, signal enhancement, reverse suppression and multi-beam communication are realized.

[0093] It should be noted that, in this article, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are only used to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Moreover, the terms "include", "comprise" or any other variants thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that a process, method, article or device including a series of elements includes not only those elements, but also other elements not explicitly listed, or also includes elements inherent to such process, method, article or device. In the absence of further restrictions, the elements defined by the sentence "comprise a ..." do not exclude the existence of other identical elements in the process, method, article or device including the elements.

[0094] The above description is only a specific embodiment of the present disclosure, so that those skilled in the art can understand or implement the present disclosure. Various modifications to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the present disclosure will not be limited to the embodiments described herein, but will conform to the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A dielectric phase shifter, characterized in that: include: Dielectric plate; The dielectric plate includes a first phase-shifting segment and a second phase-shifting segment, wherein the first phase-shifting segment and the second phase-shifting segment are connected; a plurality of dielectric patterns are evenly arranged on at least one side of the first phase-shifting segment parallel to the strip line; the first phase-shifting segment and the second phase-shifting segment have different phase shift amounts per unit length in the phase-shifting direction; wherein the dielectric pattern is a three-dimensional structure.

2. The dielectric phase shifter according to claim 1, characterized in that: The medium pattern includes a protruding structure disposed on the first phase shifting segment.

3. The dielectric phase shifter according to claim 2, characterized in that: The thickness of the first phase-shifting segment without the protruding structure is smaller than the thickness of the second phase-shifting segment.

4. The dielectric phase shifter according to claim 1, characterized in that: The dielectric pattern includes a concave structure disposed on the first phase shifting segment.

5. The dielectric phase shifter according to claim 4, characterized in that: The thickness of the first phase-shifting section without the recessed structure is the same as the thickness of the second phase-shifting section.

6. The dielectric phase shifter according to claim 4, characterized in that: The recessed structure is a blind hole structure.

7. The dielectric phase shifter according to claim 4, characterized in that: The recessed structure penetrates the first phase-shifting segment.

8. The dielectric phase shifter according to claim 1, characterized in that: In parallel with the surface of the dielectric plate, an extending direction of the dielectric pattern and an extending direction of the strip line have an included angle.

9. The dielectric phase shifter according to claim 1, characterized in that: In parallel with the surface of the dielectric plate, the extension direction of the dielectric pattern is parallel to the extension direction of the strip line; The sum of the distance between adjacent dielectric patterns arranged in parallel and the width of the dielectric pattern is less than or equal to the minimum line width of the strip line.

10. The dielectric phase shifter according to claim 1, characterized in that: The medium pattern is at least one of a line segment and a closed figure.

11. The dielectric phase shifter according to claim 10, characterized in that: The cross-section of the line segment includes at least one of a rectangle and a trapezoid.

12. The dielectric phase shifter according to claim 10, characterized in that: The plurality of line segments form at least one of a W-shaped structure and a grid structure.

13. The dielectric phase shifter according to claim 10, characterized in that: The closed figure includes at least one of a triangle, a square, a hexagon and a circle.

14. An antenna feeding network, characterized in that: Comprising a dielectric phase shifter as described in any one of claims 1-13.

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