Electronic device

Abstract

The invention provides electronic equipment. The electronic equipment comprises a metal floor; the first end of the radiator is connected with the metal floor through a first switch, the second end of the radiator is connected with the metal floor through a second switch, the radiator is provided with a feeding point, the feeding point is used for being connected with a feed source, and the feeding point is located between the first end and the second end; wherein the connection or disconnection of the first switch, and / or the connection or disconnection of the second switch are used for supporting the radiator to work in a first resonant mode, a second resonant mode, a third resonant mode and a fourth resonant mode under the excitation of the feed source, so as to support the receiving and transmitting of a first frequency band signal. According to the embodiment of the invention, through different combinations of the on or off states of the first switch and the second switch, the radiator works in different resonance modes, the structure of the electronic equipment can be simplified, and the size of the electronic equipment can be reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to an electronic device. Background Art

[0002] With the development and progress of science and technology, smart terminals or electronic devices have become an indispensable part of people's lives. Electronic devices can usually be based on the principle of phased array beam scanning, or different parasitic elements can be loaded on the radiator to achieve beam control of the antenna pattern, thereby meeting the needs of directional communication or beam coverage. However, the electronic devices provided by the relevant technology, especially the radiators in the electronic devices, have complex structures and large volumes. Summary of the invention

[0003] The embodiment of the present application provides an electronic device. The following introduces various aspects involved in the embodiment of the present application.

[0004] In a first aspect, an electronic device is provided, comprising: a metal floor; and a radiator, wherein a first end of the radiator is connected to the metal floor via a first switch, and a second end of the radiator is connected to the metal floor via a second switch, and the radiator has a feeding point, wherein the feeding point is used to connect to a feed source, and the feeding point is located between the first end and the second end; wherein the turning on or off of the first switch, and / or the turning on or off of the second switch is used to support the radiator to operate in a first resonant mode, a second resonant mode, a third resonant mode, and a fourth resonant mode under the excitation of the feed source, and the first resonant mode, the second resonant mode, the third resonant mode, and the fourth resonant mode are used to support the transmission and reception of first frequency band signals.

[0005] As a possible implementation manner, the radiator operates in the first resonance mode, the second resonance mode, the third resonance mode, and the fourth resonance mode respectively, and main beam directions of the formed antenna radiation patterns are different.

[0006] As a possible implementation manner, the first switch is turned off and the second switch is turned off to support the radiator to operate in the first resonance mode under the excitation of the feed source, and the first resonance mode is a dipole antenna mode.

[0007] As a possible implementation manner, the radiator operates in the first resonant mode to form an antenna radiation pattern with a first main beam direction, wherein the first main beam direction is a direction perpendicular to the radiator in the plane where the radiator is located and away from the metal floor.

[0008] As a possible implementation manner, the current in the radiator flows from the first end of the radiator to the second end of the radiator, and the current in the middle of the radiator is the strongest, and the current at the two ends is the weakest.

[0009] As a possible implementation manner, the first switch is turned on and the second switch is turned on to support the radiator to operate in the second resonance mode under the excitation of the feed source, and the second resonance mode is a slot antenna mode.

[0010] As a possible implementation manner, the radiator operates in the second resonance mode to form an antenna pattern with a second main beam direction, wherein the second main beam direction includes two directions perpendicular to the plane where the metal floor is located.

[0011] As a possible implementation manner, the radiator, the first switch, the second switch, and the metal floor form a gap, wherein there is a gap between the radiator and the metal floor.

[0012] As a possible implementation, under the excitation of the feed source, the current in the electronic device includes a first sub-current and a second sub-current, wherein the first sub-current flows from a first position on the metal floor, sequentially through a connection position between the metal floor and the first switch, and a first end of the radiator, and flows to a middle position of the radiator, and the second sub-current flows from the first position, sequentially through a connection position between the metal floor and the second switch, and a second end of the radiator, and flows to a middle position of the radiator, wherein the first position is located between a connection position between the first switch and the metal floor and a connection position between the second switch and the metal floor.

[0013] As a possible implementation manner, the first switch is turned off and the second switch is turned on to support the radiator to operate in a third resonance mode under the excitation of the feed source, and the third resonance mode is an inverted F antenna mode with an opening facing the first switch.

[0014] As a possible implementation manner, the radiator operates in the third resonance mode to form an antenna pattern with a third main beam direction, wherein the third main beam direction is a direction toward the first switch in the plane where the metal floor is located.

[0015] As a possible implementation manner, under the excitation of the feed source, the current in the electronic device includes a third sub-current and a fourth sub-current, the third sub-current flows from the first end of the radiator to the second position of the radiator, and the fourth sub-current flows through the second switch, the second end of the radiator in sequence, and flows to the second position, wherein the second position is located between the first end of the radiator and the second end of the radiator, and the distance between the second position and the first end of the radiator is greater than the distance between the second position and the second end of the radiator.

[0016] As a possible implementation manner, the first switch is turned on and the second switch is turned off to support the radiator to operate in the fourth resonance mode under the excitation of the feed source, and the fourth resonance mode is an inverted F antenna mode with an opening toward the second switch.

[0017] As a possible implementation manner, the radiator operates in the third resonance mode to form an antenna pattern with a fourth main beam direction, wherein the fourth main beam direction is a direction toward the second switch in the plane where the metal floor is located.

[0018] As a possible implementation manner, under the excitation of the feed source, the current in the electronic device includes a fifth sub-current and a sixth sub-current, the fifth sub-current flows from the second end of the radiator to a third position in the radiator, and the sixth sub-current flows through the first switch, the first end of the radiator in sequence, and flows to the third position, wherein the third position is located between the first end of the radiator and the second end of the radiator, and the distance between the third position and the first end of the radiator is less than the distance between the third position and the second end of the radiator.

[0019] As a possible implementation manner, the equivalent electrical length of the radiator is greater than or equal to a quarter wavelength of the first frequency band, and less than or equal to a half wavelength of the first frequency band.

[0020] As a possible implementation manner, the equivalent electrical length of the radiator is greater than or equal to a quarter wavelength of the first frequency band, and less than or equal to a half wavelength of the first frequency band.

[0021] As a possible implementation manner, the radiator is parallel to the metal floor.

[0022] As a possible implementation, the electronic device also includes: a tuning circuit for adjusting the operating frequency of the radiator; wherein the tuning circuit is located on a connection path where the first end of the radiator is connected to the metal floor via the first switch, and / or a connection path where the second end of the radiator is connected to the metal floor via the second switch.

[0023] As a possible implementation manner, the radiator is a metal frame of the electronic device.

[0024] As a possible implementation manner, the radiator is an FPC antenna or an LDS antenna.

[0025] As a possible implementation manner, the electronic device includes a plurality of the radiators to support the transmission and reception of signals in multiple frequency bands.

[0026] As a possible implementation manner, the radiator is disposed at a fourth position of the electronic device, wherein in a rear view of the electronic device, the fourth position is located at an upper right corner of the electronic device.

[0027] As a possible implementation, the radiator includes a first part and a second part, the first part of the radiator is arranged at the top of the electronic device, and the second part of the radiator is arranged at a side adjacent to the top of the electronic device, wherein the size of the second part of the radiator is larger than the size of the first part of the radiator.

[0028] As a possible implementation method, the main beam of the antenna pattern corresponding to the first resonance mode is toward the side adjacent to the top of the electronic device; the direction of the main beam of the antenna pattern corresponding to the second resonance mode is perpendicular to the back cover and / or front cover of the electronic device; the main beam of the antenna pattern corresponding to the third resonance mode is toward the top of the electronic device; and the main beam of the antenna pattern corresponding to the fourth resonance mode is toward the bottom of the electronic device.

[0029] In the embodiment of the present application, the two ends of the radiator are connected to the metal floor through switches (i.e., the first switch and the second switch), and the feeding point between the two ends is connected to the feed source. Through different combinations of the on or off states of the first switch and the second switch, the radiator forms antenna patterns in different states to support the transmission and reception of the first frequency band signal, thereby helping to simplify the architecture of the electronic device and helping to reduce the volume of the electronic device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] Figure 1 Shown is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of an electronic device in the related art.

[0031] Figure 2Shown is a schematic structural diagram of an antenna in the related art.

[0032] Figure 3 Shown is a schematic structural diagram of an electronic device provided in one embodiment of the present application.

[0033] Figure 4 Shown is a schematic diagram of a dipole antenna pattern provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0034] Figure 5 Shown is a schematic diagram of a slot antenna pattern provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0035] Figure 6 Shown is a schematic diagram of an inverted-F antenna pattern provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0036] Figure 7 Shown is a schematic diagram of another inverted-F antenna pattern provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0037] Figure 8 Shown is a (partial) structural diagram of an electronic device provided in yet another embodiment of the present application.

[0038] Fig. 9 Shown is an antenna pattern provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0039] Fig.10 Another antenna pattern provided in an embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0040] Fig.11 FIG. 2 shows another antenna pattern provided by an embodiment of the present application.

[0041] Fig.12 FIG. 2 shows another antenna pattern provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all of the embodiments.

[0043] The embodiments of the present application can be applied to scenarios where an electronic device receives and sends wireless signals. For ease of understanding, the electronic device mentioned in the embodiments of the present application is first introduced in detail.

[0044] In recent years, with the development of communication technology, the application of electronic devices has become more and more extensive, and electronic devices are also constantly updated and iterated. It should be noted that the electronic device mentioned in the embodiment of the present application can be any type of electronic device with wireless communication function. For example, the electronic device can be a portable mobile terminal or a handheld mobile terminal. As a specific example, the electronic device can be a mobile phone, a mobile phone or a smart phone, a portable game device (play station portable, PSP), a laptop, a tablet computer (pad), a personal digital assistant (personal digital assistant, PDA), a portable Internet device, a music player or a data storage device, etc.

[0045] Electronic devices are usually equipped with antennas for receiving and sending wireless signals. Antennas receive electromagnetic waves from the outside, convert them into signals, and transmit them to electronic devices, so that electronic devices can receive wireless signals. At the same time, antennas can also convert wireless signals generated by electronic devices into radiated waves, so that electronic devices can send signals outward, thereby achieving wireless communication.

[0046] The antenna is usually equipped with a radiator, which is the main body of the antenna and can be used to transmit and receive radio waves. The radiator can also be called the antenna radiator. The radiator can be made of a conductor, and common materials are metal or other conductive materials. In addition, the shape and structure of the radiator will affect the performance and radiation pattern of the antenna. Generally speaking, the length or size of the radiator should match the operating frequency in order to effectively radiate or receive electromagnetic waves.

[0047] In some implementations, the performance of the antenna can be analyzed through the antenna pattern. The antenna pattern (also called the radiation pattern) refers to a diagram of the radiation or reception of the antenna in different directions. It is usually used to represent the radiation or reception characteristics of the antenna in space. It can show the antenna's gain, radiation pattern, and directionality of the radiation or reception signal at different angles. Among them, the antenna pattern usually presents a main lobe (also called the main beam) and several side lobes. The main lobe refers to the direction in which the energy radiation or reception is the strongest when the antenna radiates or receives the signal, and the side lobe refers to the direction in which the radiation intensity is lower. Generally speaking, the main lobe usually has a higher gain and a narrower beamwidth.

[0048] The main beam direction of the antenna pattern is generally related to the current pattern in the radiator, or the current distribution in the radiator. Since the current pattern in the radiator determines the spatial distribution of its radiated power, different current patterns will form different antenna patterns, thus affecting the direction of the main beam.

[0049] In the related art, the antenna of an electronic device is generally omnidirectional, and the main beam direction of the antenna pattern is random. In some scenarios that require directional communication, such as Bluetooth and global positioning system (GPS), such electronic devices cannot adjust the main beam direction according to the user's posture and the orientation of the mobile phone, and thus cannot control the antenna performance.

[0050] For ease of understanding, the following uses a mobile phone as an example electronic device to exemplify the scenario of directional communication.

[0051] When a user uses a Bluetooth headset, if the phone is placed in a pocket, the phone may be oriented with the top of the phone facing down or the bottom of the phone facing down. At this time, if the phone's antenna is omnidirectional, the antenna radiation energy is not concentrated, and the antenna gain is low; if the main beam of the phone's antenna is directional, the user's usage habits cannot be predicted, that is, the direction of the main beam cannot be determined. As a result, no matter which direction the main beam of the phone's antenna is facing, good performance cannot be achieved.

[0052] Since GPS determines the location and / or time of a mobile phone by communicating with satellites through the mobile phone, the GPS antenna in the related art often only guarantees the upper hemisphere performance of the antenna pattern. Therefore, when the user lays the mobile phone flat or upside down, the energy share of the GPS antenna in the direction of the satellite in the sky cannot be guaranteed.

[0053] The radiation pattern of conventional mobile phone antennas has blind spots in the 360°×180° coverage of the entire sphere. The multi-beam switching characteristics of reconfigurable antennas can be used to fill the blind spots and expand the coverage range.

[0054] In addition, if multiple directional reconfigurable antennas are used, for example, all conventional 4×4 multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) cellular antennas are replaced with reconfigurable antennas whose directional patterns radiate in all directions, the equivalent isotropically radiated power (EIRP) radiated by the mobile phone in all directions can be increased, and the communication capability of the entire device will be doubled.

[0055] In addition, in scenarios where the phone is held in one hand, held with both hands, or with the head and hand, or other human bodies close to the phone, human body absorption may cause a significant drop in the performance of conventional antennas. Reconfigurable antennas can reduce the impact of human body absorption on antenna performance to a certain extent by changing the radiation pattern, and using multiple reconfigurable antennas simultaneously can further reduce the impact of human body absorption on antenna performance.

[0056] Depending on the usage scenario, adjusting the main beam direction of the antenna pattern can improve the performance of the antenna in the above scenario.

[0057] Antennas with controllable main beam directions of antenna patterns can solve the above problems. Phased array beam scanning is a commonly used technology for controlling the main beam direction of antenna patterns. Phased array beam scanning can achieve directional communication and directional scanning communication by adjusting the phase difference of each antenna unit without changing the direction of the antenna, so that the transmitted or received electromagnetic beam forms a high gain in a specific direction. Phased array beam scanning has the advantages of fast response, high precision, and strong flexibility. It can quickly adjust and scan the beam direction as needed, adapt to complex environments and different application scenarios, and has broad application prospects.

[0058] Figure 1 Shown is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of an electronic device in the related art. Figure 1 The electronic device shown includes a bottom dielectric substrate 1 and a metal frame 3, the metal frame 3 surrounds the bottom dielectric substrate 1, the top of the metal frame 3 is a substrate 4, the first surface of the substrate 4 is copper-clad 8, and the rest of the metal frame 3 is copper 5. A metal floor 2 is provided on the first surface of the bottom dielectric substrate 1, and a long gap is provided on the upper edge of the metal floor 2 as a mobile phone clearance 6. A three-dimensional beam coverage millimeter wave antenna 7 is provided at the top metal frame 4 and the clearance area 6, and is fed through 8 ports 12.

[0059] It can be seen that Figure 1 The antenna shown can achieve three-dimensional beam scanning using the phased array beam scanning technology described above. However, the electronic device needs to achieve directional variable beam coverage through 8 ports, which greatly increases the design complexity and cost of the RF front end.

[0060] Figure 2 Shown is a schematic structural diagram of an antenna in the related art. Figure 2 The antenna shown includes a first transmission line element 404 (404a-404e) and a second transmission line element 406 (406a-406e). The effective length of the first transmission line element 404 and the second transmission line element 406 can be adjusted by a switch (not shown in the figure) to adjust the impedance, thereby controlling the main beam direction of the antenna pattern. Figure 2 The antenna structure shown is relatively complex and requires a large volume, which is not conducive to the miniaturization design of electronic equipment.

[0061] In view of the above problems, an embodiment of the present application provides an electronic device, wherein the two ends of a radiator of the electronic device are respectively connected to a metal floor through switches (i.e., a first switch and a second switch), and a feeding point between the two ends is connected to a feed source. The embodiment of the present application enables the radiator to form antenna patterns in different states through different combinations of the on or off states of the first switch and the second switch to support the transmission and reception of signals in the first frequency band, thereby helping to simplify the architecture of the electronic device and helping to reduce the volume of the electronic device, especially the volume of the antenna part.

[0062] Combined with the following Figure 3 The electronic device provided in the embodiment of the present application is described in detail. Figure 3 As shown, the electronic device 300 may include a metal floor 310 and a radiator 320 .

[0063] The metal floor 310 generally refers to a metal plate installed at the bottom of the radiator 320 or near the radiator 320, which can realize the grounding and feeding functions for the radiator 320, and ensure the stability and safety of the radiator 320. In some embodiments, the metal floor 310 can reuse the main board, small board, middle board (that is, the part of the electronic device frame except the frame) of the electronic device 300 to reduce the volume of the electronic device 300. The metal floor 310 can also play a role in reflection and interference suppression, enhance the receiving effect of the radiator by reflecting the signal, and suppress the surrounding electromagnetic interference, so as to improve the performance of the radiator 320.

[0064] The radiator 320 has a feeding point, which can be used to connect to the feed source 330 to transmit the electrical signal provided by the signal source (such as a transceiver, an antenna driver, etc.) to the radiator 320 through the feeding point, and then radiate it to realize the communication function of the electronic device. Among them, the feed source 330 may include but is not limited to the RF transceiver chip and the RF front-end circuit in the electronic device 300. The feed source 330 can be arranged on the main board of the electronic device 300. It should be understood that the feeding point can be located at any position between the first end and the second end of the radiator 320, and this application is not limited to this.

[0065] A first end of the radiator 320 may be connected to the metal floor 310 through a first switch 340 , and a second end of the radiator 320 may be connected to the metal floor 310 through a second switch 350 .

[0066] In some embodiments, the first switch 340 and / or the second switch 350 may adopt a single pole single throw switch (SPST switch). In other embodiments, the first switch 340 and / or the second switch 350 may adopt a combination switch, which helps to reduce the switch volume or optimize the internal layout of the electronic device. For example, the first switch 340 and the second switch 350 may be implemented by a combination switch. For another example, the first switch 340 and / or the second switch 350 and other switches of the electronic device are implemented by a combination switch. In actual use, the first switch 340 and / or the second switch 350 may generally adopt passive devices such as diodes, triodes, field effect transistors, and micro-electromechanical system switches. The present application does not limit the type of devices used by the first switch 340 and / or the second switch 350.

[0067] The states of the first switch 340 and the second switch 350 may include an on state and an off state. The combination of the on or off state of the first switch 340 and the second switch 350 may include, for example, the first switch 340 and the second switch 350 are both in the on state, the first switch 340 and the second switch 350 are both in the off state, the first switch 340 is in the on state and the second switch 350 is in the off state, and the first switch 340 is in the off state and the second switch 350 is in the on state. When the first switch 340 is in the on state, a current path between the first end of the radiator 320 and the metal floor may be provided. When the second switch 350 is in the on state, a current path between the second end of the radiator 320 and the metal floor may be provided.

[0068] Different combinations of the on or off states of the first switch 340 and the second switch 350 can form different current paths, thereby affecting the current direction and the distribution of the current intensity. Further, different combinations of the on or off states of the first switch 340 and the second switch 350 can enable the radiator 320 to operate in different antenna modes under the excitation of the feed source 330. That is, the on or off state of the first switch 340 and / or the on or off state of the second switch 350 are used to support the radiator 320 to operate in different antenna modes under the excitation of the feed source, such as the first resonant mode, the second resonant mode, the third resonant mode, and the fourth resonant mode.

[0069] Among them, the first resonance mode, the second resonance mode, the third resonance mode and the fourth resonance mode can be used to support the transmission and reception of the first frequency band signal. The frequency of the first frequency band signal can be determined based on the use requirements of the electronic device, and this application is not limited to this. In some embodiments, the electronic device 300 may include multiple radiators 320 to support the transmission and reception of signals in multiple frequency bands, thereby helping to improve the coverage capability of the electronic device. At this time, each of the multiple radiators 320 can, for example, support the transmission and reception of signals in different frequency bands under the excitation of the feed source.

[0070] The embodiments of the present application can adjust or control the working mode of the radiator of the electronic device through different combinations of the on or off states of the first switch and the second switch, thereby achieving the purpose of directional communication.

[0071] The radiator can form antenna patterns in different states when it works in different antenna modes. The antenna patterns in different states mentioned here may refer to antenna patterns with different main beam directions, for example. For example, the radiator works in the first resonant mode, the second resonant mode, the third resonant mode, and the fourth resonant mode, respectively, and the main beam directions of the antenna patterns formed are different.

[0072] In this way, the main beam direction of the antenna pattern can be further controlled by controlling the working mode of the radiator, thereby achieving the purpose of directional communication. For example, the main beam direction of the antenna pattern can be adjusted according to the usage scenario, user posture, blind spot position of the antenna pattern, etc. to improve the antenna performance. The above-mentioned electronic device can control the on or off state of the first switch and the second switch to achieve the control of the antenna pattern, which is simple to implement. In addition, the electronic device can achieve a multi-state antenna pattern by adding a first switch and a second switch on the basis of a conventional antenna (such as a radiator, a feed source, and a metal floor), which helps to simplify the structure of the electronic device and reduce the size of the electronic device. At the same time, the smaller size allows the position of the radiator to be flexibly set.

[0073] It should be understood that the embodiment of the present application does not limit the position of the end of the radiator 320. For example, the first end and the second end of the radiator 320 in the embodiment of the present application can be the end position of the radiator 320 or the position on the radiator 320 close to the end.

[0074] It should be understood that Figure 3 This is only a simplified diagram of the electronic device 300. The actual electronic device 300 may also include Figure 3 The electronic device 300 may include more than the components shown. Figure 3 Fewer devices are shown.

[0075] Combine the following Figures 4 to 7, the principle that when the combination states of the first switch and the second switch are different, the radiator works in different antenna modes under the excitation of the feed source, thereby forming different antenna radiation patterns is introduced.

[0076] As an implementation method, the first switch is turned off and the second switch is turned off to support the radiator to work in the first resonance mode under the excitation of the feed source. The first resonance mode is a dipole antenna mode, such as Figure 4 shown.

[0077] The dipole antenna pattern refers to a specific directional pattern of an antenna radiating or receiving electromagnetic waves. Generally speaking, the radiation of a dipole antenna is mainly concentrated in the direction perpendicular to the antenna axis, forming a main beam. The direction and radiation intensity of this main beam depend on the geometry and orientation of the antenna.

[0078] In the above dipole antenna mode, the radiator can form an antenna pattern with a first main beam direction under the excitation of the feed source. The first main beam direction is a direction perpendicular to the radiator and away from the metal floor in the plane where the radiator is located (i.e. Figure 4 If the radiator includes a curved portion or a broken line portion, the first main beam direction is a direction perpendicular to the radiator axis and away from the metal floor.

[0079] As mentioned above, the main beam direction of the antenna pattern is generally related to the current pattern in the radiator, or the current distribution in the radiator. Figure 4 , under the excitation of the feed source, the current in the radiator is distributed toward one side, such as the current in the radiator flows from the first end of the radiator to the second end of the radiator, and the current in the middle of the radiator is the strongest, and the current at both ends is the weakest. In other words, the current is distributed toward one side of the radiator in the form of a half-wave dipole on the radiator. The above current pattern enables the radiator to form an antenna pattern with the above-mentioned first main beam direction under the excitation of the feed source.

[0080] As an implementation method, the first switch is turned on and the second switch is turned on to support the radiator to operate in the second resonant mode under the excitation of the feed source, and the second resonant mode is a slot antenna (SA) mode, such as Figure 5 shown.

[0081] A slot antenna is an antenna formed by a slot on a conductor surface, which can also be called a slot antenna. In other words, a slot antenna is usually composed of a slot between two metal plates, and the length and width of the slot determine the operating frequency range of the antenna.

[0082] In the embodiment of the present application, when the first switch and the second switch are in the on state, the first switch, the second switch, the radiator and the metal floor form a gap, or together form a structure similar to a slot antenna, thereby forming a radiation pattern similar to the slot antenna. It can be seen that there is a gap, or a gap, between the radiator and the metal floor to form the above-mentioned radiation pattern similar to the slot antenna.

[0083] The radiator works in the second resonant mode, and under the excitation of the feed source, the radiator can form an antenna pattern with a second main beam direction. The second main beam direction includes two directions perpendicular to the plane where the metal floor is located (i.e. Figure 5 ±z-axis direction).

[0084] See also Figure 5 , under the excitation of the feed source, the current converges to the middle of the radiator through the first switch and the second switch respectively. It can be seen that the current in the electronic device includes a first sub-current and a second sub-current, the first sub-current flows from the first position on the metal floor through the connection position of the metal floor and the first switch, the first end of the radiator, and flows to the middle position of the radiator, the second sub-current flows from the first position through the connection position of the metal floor and the second switch, the second end of the radiator, and flows to the middle position of the radiator, wherein the first position is located in the middle of the connection position between the first switch and the metal floor and the connection position between the second switch and the metal floor.

[0085] Since the radiation generated by the two currents (i.e., the first sub-current and the second sub-current) cancels out each other in the middle of the radiator, the current pattern enables the radiator to form an antenna pattern with the second main beam direction under the excitation of the feed source.

[0086] In some embodiments, the first switch is turned off and the second switch is turned on to support the radiator to operate in a third resonant mode under the excitation of the feed source. The third resonant mode is an inverted-Fantenna (IFA) mode with an opening toward the first switch. Figure 6 shown.

[0087] The inverted F antenna can be understood as a special monopole antenna, such as one end of the antenna branch is grounded and the other end is open. Its shape is similar to the letter "F", but unlike the traditional F-shaped antenna, the inverted F antenna folds the upper part of the antenna in the opposite direction to form an inverted "L" shape, so it is called an inverted F antenna. The inverted F antenna has broadband characteristics and can cover multiple frequency bands. It is widely used in mobile phones, wireless LAN (wireless fidelity, Wi-Fi), Bluetooth (Bluetooth, BT), global positioning system (global positioning system, GPS) and many other fields.

[0088] In the above-mentioned inverted F antenna mode with the opening facing the first switch, the radiator can form an antenna pattern with a third main beam direction under the excitation of the feed source. The third main beam direction is the direction facing the first switch in the plane where the metal floor is located (i.e., the -x axis direction).

[0089] See also Figure 6 , under the stimulation of the feed source, a current opposite to the current in the radiator is formed at the second end of the radiator. In other words, the conduction of the second switch causes a current opposite to the current in the radiator to appear near the second end of the radiator (i.e., near the connection between the second switch and the radiator). Figure 6 As shown in , the current in the electronic device may include a third sub-current and a fourth sub-current, the third sub-current flows from the first end of the radiator to the second position in the radiator, and the fourth sub-current flows through the second switch, the second end of the radiator in sequence, and flows to the second position, wherein the second position is located between the first end of the radiator and the second end of the radiator, and the distance between the second position and the first end of the radiator is greater than the distance between the second position and the second end of the radiator.

[0090] Since the reverse current near the second end of the radiator can generate radiation cancellation near the second end, an antenna pattern with the main beam facing the first switch side, ie, the antenna pattern in the third direction, can be formed.

[0091] In some embodiments, the first switch is turned on and the second switch is turned off to support the radiator to operate in the fourth resonance mode under the excitation of the feed source, and the fourth resonance mode is an inverted F antenna mode with an opening toward the second switch, such as Figure 7 shown.

[0092] In the above-mentioned inverted F antenna mode with the opening facing the second switch, the radiator can form an antenna pattern with a fourth main beam direction under the excitation of the feed source. The fourth main beam direction is the direction facing the second switch in the plane where the metal floor is located (i.e., the +x axis direction).

[0093] See also Figure 7, under the excitation of the feed source, a current opposite to the current in the radiator is formed at the first end of the radiator. In other words, the conduction of the first switch causes a current opposite to the current in the radiator to appear near the first end of the radiator (i.e., near the connection between the first switch and the radiator). Figure 7 As shown in, under the excitation of the feed source, the current in the electronic device includes a fifth sub-current and a sixth sub-current, the fifth sub-current flows from the second end of the radiator to the third position in the radiator, and the sixth sub-current flows through the first switch, the first end of the radiator in sequence, and flows to the third position, wherein the third position is located between the first end of the radiator and the second end of the radiator, and the distance between the third position and the first end of the radiator is less than the distance between the third position and the second end of the radiator.

[0094] Since the reverse current near the first end can generate radiation cancellation near the first end, an antenna pattern with the main beam directed toward the second switch side can be formed, that is, the antenna pattern in the fourth direction.

[0095] It should be understood that Figures 4 to 7 The current direction shown in FIG. 1 is only an example of the current flow direction in the radiator at a certain moment, and the current direction in the non-radiator is always the same.

[0096] It can be seen that in the embodiment of the present application, the electronic device can adjust the main beam direction of the antenna pattern by controlling the on or off state of the first switch and the second switch, thereby facilitating directional communication and beam scanning. Compared with the traditional beam scanning antenna, the electronic device provided in the embodiment of the present application does not require additional parasitic elements, has a simpler architecture and a smaller antenna area, thereby helping to reduce the cost of achieving beam control.

[0097] In addition, in the embodiment of the present application, four antenna radiation patterns in different states can be realized by cooperating with one radiator and two switches, which helps to improve the coverage range of the electronic device to effectively avoid coverage blind spots.

[0098] The embodiment of the present application does not limit the equivalent electrical length of the radiator in the electronic device, that is, the equivalent electrical length of the radiator 320 can meet the working wavelength of the required mode. Figure 3Taking the equivalent electrical length L of the radiator 320 shown in as an example, the equivalent electrical length L of the radiator 320 in the embodiment of the present application may be greater than or equal to a quarter wavelength of the first frequency band, and less than or equal to a half wavelength of the first frequency band. For example, L may be equal to a half wavelength of the first frequency band. Because, when the length of the radiator 320 is less than a quarter wavelength of the first frequency band, the ability of the electronic device to receive or radiate wireless signals will be reduced; and when the length of the radiator 320 is greater than a half wavelength of the first frequency band, the radiated wireless signal phases will cancel each other out, thereby weakening the radiation effect. Therefore, in order to enable the electronic device to effectively receive or radiate wireless signals, the equivalent electrical length L of the radiator 320 may be set between a quarter wavelength and a half wavelength of the first frequency band, thereby maximizing the communication effect of the electronic device.

[0099] The layout of the radiator and the metal floor, such as the relative position, can be determined according to the internal space layout of the electronic device. In some embodiments, the radiator can be arranged in parallel with the metal floor, thereby helping to improve the accuracy of the main beam direction in the antenna pattern. In some embodiments, the radiator may also include a curved portion, such as the radiator may include a corner portion of a metal frame of the electronic device. In this case, in the process of controlling the main beam direction, it is necessary to consider the influence of the curved portion of the radiator on the main beam direction.

[0100] In some embodiments, the electronic device provided in the embodiments of the present application may further include a tuning circuit for adjusting the operating frequency of the radiator. For example, the tuning circuit may be located on a connection path where the first end of the radiator is connected to the metal floor through the first switch, and / or on a connection path where the second end of the radiator is connected to the metal floor through the second switch. As an example, the tuning circuit may be located between the first switch and / or the second switch and the metal floor, or the tuning circuit may be located between the first switch and / or the second switch and the radiator.

[0101] The embodiment of the present application does not limit the tuning element loaded in the tuning circuit. For example, the tuning element may be an inductor tuning element, a capacitor tuning element, or an inductor-capacitor tuning element.

[0102] In order to further reduce the size of the electronic device, the radiator can be a metal frame of the electronic device. Using the metal frame of the electronic device as a radiator, on the one hand, can make full use of the space of the electronic device and avoid adding additional radiator structures, thereby reducing the volume of the electronic device; on the other hand, the metal frame has a large surface area, which can increase the radiation area of ​​the radiator and improve the radiation power of the radiator. In addition, the metal frame as a radiator can play a shielding role, block interference from other wireless signals, and improve the working stability and anti-interference ability of the electronic device.

[0103] In order to achieve the diversification of radiators, the embodiment of the present application does not limit the type of radiators. For example, the radiator can be a metal frame with good conductive properties, or a flexible printed circuit (FPC) or a laser direct structuring (LDS). Therefore, the radiator in the embodiment of the present application can be a metal frame of an electronic device, or an FPC antenna or an LDS antenna. Among them, FPC has flexibility and bendability, and can adapt to complex spatial layouts and curved shapes; the radiator using LDS is flexible in design and compact in structure, which can further realize the miniaturization of electronic devices.

[0104] Figure 8 Shown is a (partial) structural diagram of an electronic device provided in yet another embodiment of the present application. Figure 8 What is shown is a rear view (also called a back view) of the electronic device, that is, an image observed from the direction of the rear cover of the electronic device. Figure 8 The illustrated electronic device may include a radiator 810 , a first switch 820 , a second switch 830 , and a metal floor 840 .

[0105] See also Figure 8 , the radiator 810 is arranged at a fourth position of the electronic device, wherein the fourth position is located at the upper right corner of the electronic device in a rear view of the electronic device. The radiator may include a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the radiator being arranged at the top of the electronic device, and the second portion of the radiator being arranged at a side adjacent to the top of the electronic device.

[0106] In some embodiments, the size of the second portion of the radiator is greater than the size of the first portion of the radiator. For example, the length of the second portion of the radiator is greater than the length of the first portion of the radiator.

[0107] The end of the radiator 810 near the top of the electronic device is connected to the metal floor 840 through the first switch 820, and the end of the radiator 810 on the right side of the electronic device is connected to the metal floor 840 through the second switch 830. In addition, the radiator 810 is connected to the feed source through the feeding point 850.

[0108] Different combinations of the on state and the off state of the first switch 820 and the second switch 830 can enable the radiator 810 to operate in the first resonant mode, the second resonant mode, the third resonant mode and the fourth resonant mode under the excitation of the feed source, thereby forming antenna radiation patterns in different states.

[0109] Combine the following Figures 9 to 12 The simulation results of the antenna patterns in the above different states are introduced. It should be noted that: Figures 9 to 12 is Figure 8 Based on the back view of the electronic device in FIG. 1 , the simulation results of the antenna radiation patterns in the above different states are shown.

[0110] When the first switch 820 and the second switch 830 are both in the off state, the radiator 810 can work in the dipole antenna mode under the excitation of the feed source, thereby correspondingly forming an antenna pattern with a first main beam direction (such as Fig. 9 As shown). The first main beam direction is a direction perpendicular to the radiator 810 and away from the metal floor 840 in the plane where the radiator 810 is located, that is, Fig. 9 The direction shown is toward the right side of the electronic device. That is, the main beam of the antenna pattern corresponding to the first resonance mode is toward the side adjacent to the top of the electronic device.

[0111] When the first switch 820 and the second switch 830 are both in the on state, the radiator 810 can work in the slot antenna mode under the excitation of the feed source, thereby correspondingly forming an antenna pattern with a second main beam direction (such as Fig.10 As shown). The second main beam direction is two directions perpendicular to the plane where the metal floor 840 is located, that is, Fig.10 The direction shown is perpendicular to the front and rear covers of the electronic device. That is, the direction of the main beam of the antenna pattern corresponding to the second resonance mode is perpendicular to the rear cover and / or the front cover of the electronic device.

[0112] When the first switch 820 is in an off state and the second switch 830 is in an on state, the radiator 810 operates in an inverted F antenna mode with an opening toward the first switch 820 under the excitation of the feed source, and forms an antenna pattern with a third main beam direction (such as Fig.11 As shown). The third main beam direction is the direction toward the first switch 820 in the plane where the metal floor 840 is located, that is, Fig.11 The direction shown is toward the top of the electronic device. That is, the main beam of the antenna pattern corresponding to the third resonance mode is toward the top of the electronic device.

[0113] When the first switch 820 is in the on state and the second switch 830 is in the off state, the radiator 810 operates in the inverted F antenna mode with the opening facing the second switch 830 under the excitation of the feed source, and forms an antenna pattern with a fourth main beam direction (such as Fig.12 As shown). The fourth main beam direction is the direction toward the second switch 830 in the plane where the metal floor is located, that is, Fig.12 In other words, the main beam of the antenna pattern corresponding to the fourth resonance mode is directed toward the bottom of the electronic device.

[0114] It can be seen that the radiator in the embodiment of the present application is not only small in size and simple in structure, but also can adjust the main beam direction of the antenna pattern through the on and off states of the two switches, which helps to achieve directional communication and beam scanning, thereby improving the coverage capability of the electronic device.

[0115] It should be understood that in the embodiment of the present application, "B corresponding to A" means that B is associated with A, and B can be determined according to A. However, it should also be understood that determining B according to A does not mean determining B only according to A, and B can also be determined according to A and / or other information.

[0116] It should be understood that the term "and / or" in this article is only a description of the association relationship of the associated objects, indicating that there can be three relationships. For example, A and / or B can represent: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone. In addition, the character " / " in this article generally indicates that the associated objects before and after are in an "or" relationship.

[0117] It should be understood that in the various embodiments of the present application, the size of the serial numbers of the above-mentioned processes does not mean the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of the present application.

[0118] In the several embodiments provided in the present application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, electronic devices and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described above are only schematic. For example, the division of the units is only a logical function division. There may be other division methods in actual implementation, such as multiple units or components can be combined or integrated into another system, or some features can be ignored or not executed. Another point is that the mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed can be through some interfaces, indirect coupling or communication connection of devices or units, which can be electrical, mechanical or other forms.

[0119] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separated, and the components shown as units may or may not be physical units, that is, they may be located in one place or distributed on multiple network units. Some or all of the units may be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the solution of this embodiment.

[0120] In addition, each functional unit in each embodiment of the present application may be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit may exist physically separately, or two or more units may be integrated into one unit.

[0121] In the above embodiments, it can be implemented in whole or in part by software, hardware, firmware or any combination thereof. When implemented using software, it can be implemented in whole or in part in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer program instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, the process or function described in the embodiment of the present application is generated in whole or in part. The computer may be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer instructions may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another computer-readable storage medium, for example, the computer instructions may be transmitted from a website site, computer, server or data center by wired (e.g., coaxial cable, optical fiber, digital subscriber line (digital subscriber line, DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) mode to another website site, computer, server or data center. The computer-readable storage medium may be any available medium that can be read by a computer or a data storage device such as a server or data center that includes one or more available media integrated. The available medium may be a magnetic medium (eg, a floppy disk, a hard disk, a magnetic tape), an optical medium (eg, a digital video disc (DVD)), or a semiconductor medium (eg, a solid state disk (SSD)).

[0122] The above is only a specific implementation of the present application, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art who is familiar with the present technical field can easily think of changes or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in the present application, which should be included in the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application should be based on the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An electronic device, characterized in that: include: Metal flooring; as well as A radiator, wherein a first end of the radiator is connected to the metal floor through a first switch, and a second end of the radiator is connected to the metal floor through a second switch, and the radiator has a feeding point, wherein the feeding point is used to be connected to a feed source, and the feeding point is located between the first end and the second end; Among them, the conduction or disconnection of the first switch, and / or the conduction or disconnection of the second switch is used to support the radiator to operate in the first resonance mode, the second resonance mode, the third resonance mode and the fourth resonance mode under the excitation of the feed source, and the first resonance mode, the second resonance mode, the third resonance mode and the fourth resonance mode are used to support the transmission and reception of the first frequency band signal.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The radiator operates in the first resonance mode, the second resonance mode, the third resonance mode and the fourth resonance mode respectively, and the main beam directions of the antenna radiation patterns formed are different.

3. The electronic device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first switch is turned off and the second switch is turned off to support the radiator to operate in the first resonance mode under the excitation of the feed source, and the first resonance mode is a dipole antenna mode.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The radiator operates in the first resonance mode to form an antenna pattern with a first main beam direction, wherein the first main beam direction is a direction perpendicular to the radiator and away from the metal floor in the plane where the radiator is located.

5. The electronic device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The current in the radiator flows from the first end of the radiator to the second end of the radiator, and the current in the middle of the radiator is the strongest, and the current at the two ends is the weakest.

6. The electronic device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first switch is turned on and the second switch is turned on to support the radiator to operate in the second resonance mode under the excitation of the feed source, and the second resonance mode is a slot antenna mode.

7. The electronic device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The radiator operates in the second resonance mode to form an antenna pattern with a second main beam direction, wherein the second main beam direction includes two directions perpendicular to the plane where the metal floor is located.

8. The electronic device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The radiator, the first switch, the second switch, and the metal floor form a gap, wherein there is a gap between the radiator and the metal floor.

9. The electronic device according to claim 8, characterized in that: Under the excitation of the feed source, the current in the electronic device includes a first sub-current and a second sub-current, wherein the first sub-current flows from a first position on the metal floor, sequentially through a connection position between the metal floor and the first switch, and a first end of the radiator, and flows to a middle position of the radiator, and the second sub-current flows from the first position, sequentially through a connection position between the metal floor and the second switch, and a second end of the radiator, and flows to a middle position of the radiator, wherein the first position is located at a middle position between a connection position between the first switch and the metal floor and a connection position between the second switch and the metal floor.

10. The electronic device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first switch is turned off and the second switch is turned on to support the radiator to operate in a third resonance mode under the excitation of the feed source, and the third resonance mode is an inverted-F antenna mode with an opening facing the first switch.

11. The electronic device according to claim 10, characterized in that: The radiator operates in the third resonance mode to form an antenna pattern with a third main beam direction, wherein the third main beam direction is a direction toward the first switch in the plane where the metal floor is located.

12. The electronic device according to claim 11, characterized in that: Under the excitation of the feed source, the current in the electronic device includes a third sub-current and a fourth sub-current, the third sub-current flows from the first end of the radiator to the second position of the radiator, and the fourth sub-current flows through the second switch and the second end of the radiator in sequence and flows to the second position, wherein the second position is located between the first end of the radiator and the second end of the radiator, and the distance between the second position and the first end of the radiator is greater than the distance between the second position and the second end of the radiator.

13. The electronic device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first switch is turned on and the second switch is turned off to support the radiator to operate in the fourth resonance mode under the excitation of the feed source, and the fourth resonance mode is an inverted F antenna mode with an opening toward the second switch.

14. The electronic device according to claim 13, characterized in that: The radiator operates in the third resonance mode to form an antenna pattern with a fourth main beam direction, wherein the fourth main beam direction is a direction toward the second switch in the plane where the metal floor is located.

15. The electronic device according to claim 14, characterized in that: Under the excitation of the feed source, the current in the electronic device includes a fifth sub-current and a sixth sub-current, the fifth sub-current flows from the second end of the radiator to a third position in the radiator, and the sixth sub-current flows through the first switch, the first end of the radiator in sequence, and flows to the third position, wherein the third position is located between the first end of the radiator and the second end of the radiator, and the distance between the third position and the first end of the radiator is smaller than the distance between the third position and the second end of the radiator.

16. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that: The equivalent electrical length of the radiator is greater than or equal to a quarter wavelength of the first frequency band and less than or equal to a half wavelength of the first frequency band.

17. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that: The radiator is parallel to the metal floor.

18. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that: The electronic device further comprises: A tuning circuit, used for adjusting the operating frequency of the radiator; The tuning circuit is located on a connection path where the first end of the radiator is connected to the metal floor through the first switch, and / or on a connection path where the second end of the radiator is connected to the metal floor through the second switch.

19. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that: The radiator is a metal frame of the electronic device.

20. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that: The radiator is an FPC antenna or an LDS antenna.

21. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that: The electronic device includes a plurality of the radiators to support signal transmission and reception in multiple frequency bands.

22. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that: The radiator is disposed at a fourth position of the electronic device, wherein in a rear view of the electronic device, the fourth position is located at an upper right corner of the electronic device.

23. The electronic device according to claim 22, characterized in that: The radiator includes a first part and a second part, wherein the first part of the radiator is arranged on the top of the electronic device, and the second part of the radiator is arranged on a side adjacent to the top of the electronic device, wherein a size of the second part of the radiator is larger than a size of the first part of the radiator.

24. The electronic device according to claim 23, characterized in that: A main beam of the antenna pattern corresponding to the first resonance mode is oriented toward a side adjacent to a top of the electronic device; The direction of the main beam of the antenna pattern corresponding to the second resonance mode is perpendicular to the back cover and / or the front cover of the electronic device; The main beam of the antenna pattern corresponding to the third resonance mode is directed toward the top of the electronic device; The main beam of the antenna pattern corresponding to the fourth resonance mode is oriented toward the bottom of the electronic device.

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