Phase shifting system, base station antenna and base station antenna feeder system

Abstract

The invention provides a phase shifting system, a base station antenna and a base station antenna feeder system. The phase shifting system comprises a phase shifting device, a main feeder line and a first transmission line. The phase shifting device is provided with an input port and an output port, the first output end of the main feeder line is connected to the input port, the input end of the first transmission line is connected to the output port, and the output end of the first transmission line is used for being connected with an antenna unit. The main feeder line and the first transmission line are both made of metal. According to the antenna, the main feeder line and the first transmission line are both made of metal, compared with a coaxial line and a metal plate transmission line made of a metal material, processing and manufacturing are convenient, long-distance signal transmission can be achieved, meanwhile, under the condition of long-distance signal transmission, the metal material transmission line has small loss, and the radiation performance of the antenna is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of communication technologies, and particularly to a phase shifter system, a base station antenna, and a base station antenna feeder system. Background Art

[0002] A phase shifter is a device that can adjust the phase of a wave and is widely used in antenna systems. The output port of a traditional phase shifter generally needs to be connected to the radiation unit of the antenna through a coaxial cable to achieve the feeding function. However, an overly long coaxial cable will cause a sharp increase in transmission loss. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, this application provides a phase shifter system, a base station antenna, and a base station antenna feeder system to solve the problem of excessive transmission loss caused by using a coaxial cable for feeding in the above-mentioned traditional phase shifter.

[0004] In a first aspect, an embodiment of this application provides a phase shifter system, which includes a phase shifter device, a main feeder, and a first transmission line. The phase shifter device is provided with an input port and an output port. The first output end of the main feeder is connected to the input port, the input end of the first transmission line is connected to the output port, and the output end of the first transmission line is used to connect to an antenna unit. Among them, the materials of the main feeder and the first transmission line are both metal.

[0005] In the phase shifter system provided by this application, the materials of the main feeder and the first transmission line are both metal. Compared with a coaxial cable, the sheet metal transmission line made of metal material is convenient for processing and manufacturing, and can achieve long-distance signal transmission. At the same time, in the case of long-distance signal transmission, the transmission line made of metal material has less loss, which is beneficial to improving the antenna radiation performance.

[0006] In a possible design, the phase shifter system further includes a vertical plate, a first housing, and a second housing. The first housing and the second housing are both connected to the vertical plate. A first cavity is formed between the first housing and the vertical plate, and a second cavity is formed between the second housing and the vertical plate. The main feeder and the first transmission line are arranged in the first cavity, and the phase shifter device is arranged in the second cavity. The materials of the vertical plate, the first housing, and the second housing are all metal. Among them, since the materials of the vertical plate, the first housing, and the second housing are all metal, a first metal cavity is formed between the vertical plate and the first housing, and a second metal cavity is formed between the vertical plate and the second housing. The first cavity and the second cavity can play a role in electromagnetic shielding, reduce the electromagnetic interference between the first transmission line, the main feeder, and the phase shifter device made of metal material, improve the anti-interference ability of the system, and reduce the radiation loss. Among them, the vertical plate is an integral structure and can have a relatively large length, which can be used to connect multiple antenna units, and is beneficial to improving the integration degree of the base station antenna.

[0007] In a possible design, the first housing includes a top plate, a first side plate, and a second side plate. Two ends of the top plate are respectively connected to the first side plate and the second side plate. Along the thickness direction of the vertical plate, the first side plate and the second side plate are respectively located on two sides of the vertical plate. A first small cavity is enclosed among the top plate, the first side plate, and the vertical plate. The first small cavity is used to accommodate a phase shifter, a main feeder, and a first transmission line located on one side of the vertical plate. The phase shifter, the main feeder, and the first transmission line located on one side of the vertical plate are used to make the antenna element generate a first polarization. A second small cavity is enclosed among the top plate, the second side plate, and the vertical plate. The second small cavity is used to accommodate a phase shifter, a main feeder, and a first transmission line located on the other side of the vertical plate. The phase shifter, the main feeder, and the first transmission line located on the other side of the vertical plate are used to make the antenna element generate a second polarization. Thus, through the phase shifters, the first transmission lines, and the main feeders on two sides of the vertical plate, dual polarization of the antenna element can be achieved. At the same time, through the functions of the first housing and the second housing, electromagnetic interference among the phase shifter, the first transmission line, the main feeder, and between them and surrounding devices can be reduced.

[0008] In a possible design, a connecting flange is provided on the second housing. The second housing is connected to the vertical plate and the first housing through the connecting flange. Among them, the flange can be in contact with the surface of the vertical plate and can be fixed on the vertical plate through processes such as welding, so that the connection and fixation of the second housing and the vertical plate can be facilitated. Of course, the first housing can also be connected and fixed to the flange of the second housing through processes such as welding. The first housing and the second housing can be independently assembled respectively, so that decoupling between the first housing and the second housing can be achieved, facilitating independent design of the first housing and the second housing and adoption of different processing techniques, which is beneficial to improving the design, assembly, and processing accuracy of the first housing and the second housing.

[0009] In a possible design, the phase shifter is provided with a grounding port, and the grounding port is electrically connected to the vertical plate. Among them, the grounding port can be used for the grounding function of the phase shifter. The vertical plate can be equivalent to a metal ground, and the grounding port can be connected to the vertical plate by welding.

[0010] In a possible design, the phase shifter further includes a metal balun. The metal balun is connected to the vertical plate, and at least part of the metal balun protrudes from the first housing for connecting to the antenna element to balance current or voltage.

[0011] In a possible design, the metal balun and the vertical plate are integrally formed, that is, during the forming process of the vertical plate, the metal balun can be formed simultaneously. Thus, the reliability of the connection between the metal balun and the vertical plate can be ensured, the process difficulty can be reduced, and the integration degree of the base station antenna can be improved.

[0012] In a possible design, a through hole is provided on the first housing, at least part of the metal balun passes through the through hole, and the metal balun is fixedly connected to the first housing through the through hole. During the assembly process, the first housing can be sleeved outside the vertical plate in the height direction of the vertical plate, and at the same time, the through hole can be sleeved outside the metal balun, so that at least part of the metal balun can pass through the through hole, and then the position where the through hole and the metal balun are matched can be welded and fixed by a welding process, thereby realizing the relative fixation between the first housing and the vertical plate, and the installation is simple and convenient.

[0013] In a possible design, the input port is arranged on the side of the output port away from the antenna unit. The phase shifter system further includes a first jumper and a second transmission line. The second transmission line is arranged on the side of the first transmission line close to the antenna unit, and the main feeder is arranged on the side of the first transmission line away from the antenna unit. The second output end of the main feeder is connected to the input end of the first jumper, the output end of the first jumper is connected to the input end of the second transmission line, and the output end of the second transmission line is used to be connected to the antenna unit; a gap is maintained between the first jumper and the first transmission line, so as to realize the electrical connection between the main feeder and the second transmission line. Thus, by arranging the first jumper, the layout of the second transmission line and the main feeder can be made more flexible, and the first transmission line can be arranged above the main feeder, which is beneficial to the connection between the first transmission line and the corresponding antenna units above, facilitating the routing layout and improving the integration of the base station antenna. Among them, since the second output port of the main feeder does not pass through the phase shifter device, the phase of the radio frequency signal fed from the main feeder to the second transmission line will not change, that is, the second transmission line constitutes a zero-phase transmission line, which is beneficial to providing a reference for the phase adjustment of other antenna units.

[0014] In a possible design, the input port is arranged on the side of the output port close to the antenna unit, and the main feeder is arranged on the side of the first transmission line away from the antenna unit. The phase shifter system further includes a second jumper. The first output end of the main feeder is connected to the input end of the second jumper, the output end of the second jumper is connected to the input port, and a gap is maintained between the second jumper and the first transmission line. Thus, the second jumper can cross the first transmission line to realize the connection between the main feeder and the input port of the phase shifter device, so that the arrangement form of the phase shifter device can be made more flexible and can meet different application scenarios.

[0015] In a possible design, the phase shifter includes a metal body, a first movable transmission line, and a second movable transmission line. The input port and the output port are provided on the metal body. The first movable transmission line and the second movable transmission line are respectively located on both sides of the metal body, and both the first movable transmission line and the second movable transmission line are capacitively coupled to the metal body. One end of each of the first movable transmission line and the second movable transmission line is rotatably connected to the metal body, and the other ends of the first movable transmission line and the second movable transmission line are electrically connected. Wherein, there are at least two independent signal transmission paths between the metal body and each movable transmission line. The first signal transmission path is from the input port to one end of the first movable transmission line close to the input port and from the input port to one end of the second movable transmission line close to the input port. The second signal transmission path is the path for the first movable transmission line and the second movable transmission line to couple radio frequency signals to the metal body at partial positions far from the input port and for the metal body to transmit the signals to the corresponding output port.

[0016] In a possible design, the metal body includes a first fixed transmission line and at least one second fixed transmission line, and there is a gap between the first fixed transmission line and the second fixed transmission line. The input port is provided on the first fixed transmission line, and one end of each of the first movable transmission line and the second movable transmission line is rotatably connected to the first fixed transmission line. The output port is provided on the second fixed transmission line. Along the thickness direction of the phase shifter, the projections of the first movable transmission line and the second movable transmission line coincide with at least part of the projection of the second fixed transmission line. Wherein, there is a gap between the first fixed transmission line and the second fixed transmission line, and the radio frequency signal fed from the main feeder to the first fixed transmission line will not be directly transmitted to the second fixed transmission line, but can be coupled from the first fixed transmission line to the first movable transmission line and the second movable transmission line. The first movable transmission line and the second movable transmission line have a relatively large length in the direction towards the second fixed transmission line, and along the thickness direction of the phase shifter, the projections of the first movable transmission line and the second movable transmission line coincide with at least part of the projection of the second fixed transmission line. That is to say, the first movable transmission line and the second movable transmission line can couple the radio frequency signal to the second fixed transmission line. By rotating and adjusting the first movable transmission line and the second movable transmission line, the distance between the first movable transmission line and the second movable transmission line and the target output port can be adjusted, so that the electrical length of the radio frequency signal transmitted to the output port can be adjusted, and further the phase adjustment can be realized.

[0017] In a possible design, the second fixed transmission line is fan-shaped.

[0018] In a possible design, the material of the phase shifter is metal. For example, the phase shifter can be made of metal materials such as aluminum and copper, so that the phase shifter can have relatively low losses.

[0019] In a possible design, the phase shifter includes a metal body and a sliding dielectric. The input port and the output port are arranged on the metal body. The sliding dielectric is sleeved on the metal body in a sliding manner, and at least a part of the sliding dielectric is located on the transmission path between the input port and the output port. Among them, the sliding dielectric has a certain dielectric constant. When a radio frequency signal is transmitted from the metal body to the sliding dielectric, the sliding dielectric can change the transmission speed of the radio frequency signal, thereby causing a change in the phase of the radio frequency signal.

[0020] In a second aspect, the present application further provides a base station antenna, which includes an antenna unit and the phase shifting system provided in the first aspect of the present application. The phase shifting system is connected to the antenna unit through an output port.

[0021] In a third aspect, the present application further provides a base station antenna feeder system, which includes the base station antenna provided in the second aspect of the present application.

[0022] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are only exemplary and do not limit the present application. Description of the Drawings

[0023] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required for the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present application. For those of ordinary skill in the art, without creative efforts, other drawings can also be obtained based on these drawings.

[0024] Figure 1 Schematic structural diagram of the phase shifting system provided by the embodiment of the present application from one perspective;

[0025] Figure 2 Schematic structural diagram of the phase shifting system provided by the embodiment of the present application from another perspective;

[0026] Figure 3 Schematic structural diagram of the base station antenna feeder system provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0027] Figure 4 Exploded view of the phase shifting system provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0028] Figure 5 Schematic structural diagram of the phase shifter provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0029] Figure 6Front view of the phase shift system provided by the embodiment of the present application (hiding the first housing and the second housing);

[0030] Figure 7 Side view of the phase shift system provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0031] Figure 8 Front view of the second housing provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0032] Figure 9 Partial schematic diagram of the phase shift system provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0033] Figure 10 Partial schematic diagram of the phase shift system provided by an embodiment of the present application at the first jumper;

[0034] Figure 11 Side view of the phase shift system provided by an embodiment of the present application at the first jumper;

[0035] Figure 12 Partial schematic diagram of the phase shift system provided by another embodiment of the present application;

[0036] Figure 13 Partial schematic diagram of the phase shift system provided by yet another embodiment of the present application.

[0037] Reference numerals:

[0038] 100 - Base station antenna

[0039] 200 - Antenna adjustment bracket;

[0040] 300 - Mast;

[0041] 400 - Connector seal;

[0042] 500 - Grounding device;

[0043] 1 - Phase shift device;

[0044] 11 - Metal body;

[0045] 111 - First fixed transmission line;

[0046] 112 - Second fixed transmission line;

[0047] 12 - First movable transmission line;

[0048] 13 - Second movable transmission line;

[0049] 14 - Metal connector;

[0050] 15 - Input port;

[0051] 16 - Output port;

[0052] 17 - Grounding port;

[0053] 18 - Sliding medium;

[0054] 2 - Main feeder;

[0055] 21 - First output terminal;

[0056] 22 - Second output terminal;

[0057] 3 - First transmission line;

[0058] 4 - Vertical plate;

[0059] 41 - Metal balun;

[0060] 5 - First housing;

[0061] 51 - Top plate;

[0062] 511 - Through hole;

[0063] 52 - First side plate;

[0064] 53 - Second side plate;

[0065] 54 - First small cavity;

[0066] 55 - Second small cavity;

[0067] 6 - Second housing;

[0068] 61 - Flange;

[0069] 7 - First jumper;

[0070] 8 - Second jumper;

[0071] 9 - Second transmission line. Detailed implementation manners

[0072] For a better understanding of the technical solutions of this application, the embodiments of this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0073] It should be clear that the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, rather than all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative efforts belong to the scope of protection of this application.

[0074] The terms used in the embodiments of this application are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments, and are not intended to limit this application. The singular forms of "a", "the" and "said" used in the embodiments of this application and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0075] It should be understood that the term "and / or" used herein is merely a description of the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that there can be three relationships. For example, A and / or B can represent: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. In addition, the character " / " in this text generally represents an "or" relationship between the preceding and following associated objects.

[0076] In the description of this application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "first" and "second" are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance; unless otherwise specified or stated, the term "plural" means two or more; the terms "connection", "fixation", etc. should all be understood in a broad sense. For example, "connection" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, an integral connection, or an electrical connection; it can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0077] A phase shifter is a device that can adjust the phase of a wave and is widely used in antenna systems. Exemplarily, a phase shifter can be applied in a feed network, can be connected to a radio frequency source, and is used to adjust the phase fed to an antenna element to change the radiation direction and radiation pattern of the antenna. The output port of a traditional phase shifter generally needs to be connected to the radiation element of the antenna through a coaxial cable to achieve the feeding function. However, an overly long coaxial cable will cause a sharp increase in transmission loss.

[0078] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of the phase shift system provided by an embodiment of this application from one perspective. Figure 2 It is a schematic structural diagram of the phase shift system provided by an embodiment of this application from another perspective. Refer to Figure 1 or Figure 2 ..., an embodiment of this application provides a phase shift system. This phase shift system can be applied in a base station antenna. The base station antenna can include an antenna element and a feed network. The antenna element is used to receive or transmit electromagnetic waves. The feed network can feed the antenna element, and the feed network can include this phase shift system, which can adjust the phase of the radio frequency signal fed to the antenna element. This base station antenna can be applied in a base station antenna feeding system. Figure 3 It is a schematic structural diagram of the base station antenna feeding system provided by an embodiment of this application. Refer to Figure 3 ..., the base station antenna feeding system includes a base station antenna 100, an antenna adjustment bracket 200, a mast 300, a joint seal 400, a grounding device 500, etc. The base station system is an interface device for wireless communication and can interact with communication terminals in the area.

[0079] Among them, Figure 4Explosion diagram of the phase shifter system provided by the embodiment of the present application. Refer to Figure 4 , the phase shifter system includes a phase shifter 1, a main feeder 2, and a first transmission line 3. Figure 5 Structural schematic diagram of the phase shifter 1 provided by the embodiment of the present application. Refer to Figure 5 , the phase shifter 1 is provided with an input port 15 and an output port 16. Figure 6 Front view of the phase shifter system provided by the embodiment of the present application (hiding the first housing 5 and the second housing 6). Refer to Figure 6 , the first output end 21 of the main feeder 2 is connected to the input port 15 of the phase shifter 1 for feeding the radio frequency signal into the phase shifter 1. The input end of the first transmission line 3 is connected to the output port 16, and the output end of the first transmission line 3 is used to connect to an antenna unit (not shown in the figure). The radio frequency signal after the phase is adjusted by the phase shifter 1 can be fed into the antenna unit through the first transmission line 3, so that the antenna unit radiates electromagnetic waves in a preset direction. Among them, the materials of the main feeder 2 and the first transmission line 3 are both metals. Exemplarily, the main feeder 2 and the first transmission line 3 are both strip-shaped sheet metals, such as aluminum or copper sheet metal transmission lines. Compared with coaxial cables, the sheet metal transmission lines made of metal materials are easy to process and manufacture, and can achieve long-distance signal transmission. At the same time, in the case of long-distance signal transmission, the transmission lines made of metal materials have less loss, which is beneficial to improving the antenna radiation performance.

[0080] In one embodiment, refer to Figure 4 , the phase shifter system further includes a vertical plate 4, a first housing 5, and a second housing 6. The first housing 5 and the second housing 6 are both connected to the vertical plate 4. A first cavity is formed between the first housing 5 and the vertical plate 4, and a second cavity is formed between the second housing 6 and the vertical plate 4. The main feeder 2 and the first transmission line 3 are arranged in the first cavity, and the phase shifter 1 is arranged in the second cavity. Among them, the materials of the vertical plate 4, the first housing 5, and the second housing 6 are all metals. Thus, a first metal cavity is formed between the vertical plate 4 and the first housing 5, and a second metal cavity is formed between the vertical plate 4 and the second housing 6. The first cavity and the second cavity can play an electromagnetic shielding role, reduce the electromagnetic interference between the first transmission line 3, the main feeder 2, and the phase shifter 1 made of metal materials, improve the anti-interference ability of the system, and reduce the radiation loss. Among them, the vertical plate 4 is an integral structure and can have a relatively large length, which can be used to connect multiple antenna units, which is beneficial to improving the integration of base station antennas.

[0081] In one embodiment, refer to Figure 4, the second housing 6 can be installed on the side of the vertical plate 4. Exemplarily, both the second housing 6 and the phase shifter 1 can be provided with two. The two second housings 6 are respectively arranged on the opposite sides of the vertical plate 4 to respectively cover the corresponding phase shifters 1. Wherein, output ports 16 can be arranged at both ends of the phase shifter 1 along the length direction X of the vertical plate 4, and each output port 16 can be connected to the corresponding antenna unit through the corresponding first transmission line 3. The main feeder 2 is located on one side of the phase shifter 1. In order to cover each first transmission line 3 on both sides of the phase shifter 1 and the main feeder 2 on one side of the phase shifter 1, two first housings 5 can also be provided. Along the length direction X of the vertical plate 4, the two first housings 5 are respectively arranged on both sides of the second housing 6. One of the first housings 5 can cover the outside of each first transmission line 3 on one side of the phase shifter 1, and the other first housing 5 can cover the outside of the main feeder 2 and each first transmission line 3 on the other side of the phase shifter 1. In addition, the first housing 5 and the second housing 6 can be independently processed and manufactured, and can be independently assembled to the vertical plate 4 respectively, so that decoupling of the first housing 5 and the second housing 6 can be realized, and an optimal matching effect can be achieved between the second housing 6 and the phase shifter 1, and between the first housing 5 and the first transmission line 3 and the main feeder 2.

[0082] In one embodiment, Figure 7 is a side view of the phase shifting system provided by the embodiment of the present application. Refer to Figure 7, the first housing 5 includes a top plate 51, a first side plate 52, and a second side plate 53. The two ends of the top plate 51 are respectively connected to the first side plate 52 and the second side plate 53. Along the thickness direction of the vertical plate 4, the first side plate 52 and the second side plate 53 are respectively located on both sides of the vertical plate 4. The top plate 51, the first side plate 52, and the second side plate 53 form a "U" - shaped structure, enabling the first housing 5 to cover the outside of the vertical plate 4, so that a first small cavity 54 is enclosed between the top plate 51, the first side plate 52, and the vertical plate 4, and a second small cavity 55 is enclosed between the top plate 51, the second side plate 53, and the vertical plate 4. Among them, phase - shifting devices 1, first transmission lines 3, and main feed lines 2 can be arranged on both sides of the vertical plate 4. The first small cavity 54 is used to accommodate the phase - shifting device 1, the main feed line 2, and the first transmission line 3 located on one side of the vertical plate 4. The phase - shifting device 1, the main feed line 2, and the first transmission line 3 located on one side of the vertical plate 4 can be used to make the antenna unit generate a first polarization. The second small cavity 55 is used to accommodate the phase - shifting device 1, the main feed line 2, and the first transmission line 3 located on the other side of the vertical plate 4. The phase - shifting device 1, the main feed line 2, and the first transmission line 3 located on the other side of the vertical plate 4 are used to make the antenna unit generate a second polarization. Thus, through the phase - shifting devices 1, the first transmission lines 3, and the main feed lines 2 on both sides of the vertical plate 4, dual - polarization of the antenna unit can be achieved. At the same time, through the action of the first housing 5 and the second housing 6, electromagnetic interference between the phase - shifting device 1, the first transmission line 3, the main feed line 2, and between them and surrounding devices can be reduced. In one embodiment, there can be two second housings 6. The two housings can be respectively fixed on two surfaces of the vertical plate 4 and can respectively cover the outside of the corresponding phase - shifting device 1 to achieve electromagnetic shielding of the two phase - shifting devices 1.

[0083] In one embodiment, Figure 8 is the front view of the second housing 6 provided by the embodiment of the present application. Referring to Figure 8 , a connecting flange 61 is provided on the second housing 6. The second housing 6 is connected to the vertical plate 4 and the first housing 5 through the connecting flange 61. The flange 61 can be in contact with the surface of the vertical plate 4 and can be fixed on the vertical plate 4 through processes such as welding, so as to facilitate the connection and fixation of the second housing 6 to the vertical plate 4. Of course, the first housing 5 can also be connected and fixed to the flange 61 of the second housing 6 through processes such as welding. The first housing 5 and the second housing 6 can be independently assembled, so as to achieve decoupling between the first housing 5 and the second housing 6, facilitate independent design of the first housing 5 and the second housing 6 and adoption of different processing techniques, and is conducive to improving the design, assembly, and processing accuracy of the first housing 5 and the second housing 6.

[0084] In one embodiment, referring to Figure 5, the phase shifter 1 is provided with a grounding port 17, and the grounding port 17 is electrically connected to the vertical plate 4. Among them, this grounding port 17 can be used for the grounding function of the phase shifter 1, the vertical plate 4 can be equivalent to a metal ground, and the grounding port 17 can be welded to the vertical plate 4. In some other embodiments, this grounding port 17 may not be used for grounding, but for connecting to a zero-phase transmission line. Since the RF signal output from this grounding port 17 does not pass through the phase adjustment of the phase shifter 1, that is, the RF signal fed into the phase shifter 1 by the main feeder 2 can sequentially pass through the grounding port 17 and the zero-phase transmission line and be fed into the antenna unit without changing the phase.

[0085] In one embodiment, referring to Figure 4 , the phase shifting system may further include a metal balun 41. The metal balun 41 is connected to the vertical plate 4, and the metal balun 41 is disposed on one side of the vertical plate 4 close to the antenna unit. Referring to Figure 1 , at least part of the metal balun 41 protrudes from the first housing 5 for connecting to the antenna unit to balance current or voltage. In one embodiment, a plurality of such metal baluns 41 may be provided along the length direction X of the vertical plate 4 to enable connection to a plurality of antenna units.

[0086] In one embodiment, the metal balun 41 and the vertical plate 4 may be integrally formed. That is, during the forming process of the vertical plate 4, the metal balun 41 can be formed simultaneously, thereby ensuring the reliability of the connection between the metal balun 41 and the vertical plate 4, reducing the process difficulty, and improving the integration of the base station antenna.

[0087] In one embodiment, referring to Figure 7 , the first housing 5 may be provided with a through hole 511, and at least part of the balun may pass through the through hole 511, and the balun is fixedly connected to the first housing 5 through the through hole 511. During the assembly process, the first housing 5 can be sleeved outside the vertical plate 4 in the height direction of the vertical plate 4, and at the same time, the through hole 511 can be sleeved outside the metal balun 41, so that at least part of the metal balun 41 can pass through the through hole 511, and then the position where the through hole 511 and the metal balun 41 cooperate can be welded and fixed by a welding process, thereby realizing the relative fixation between the first housing 5 and the vertical plate 4, and the installation is simple and convenient.

[0088] In one embodiment, Figure 9 is a partial schematic diagram of the phase shifting system provided by an embodiment of the present application. Referring to Figure 9, the input port 15 is arranged on the side of the output port 16 away from the antenna unit, so that the phase shifter 1 is used in a normal installation form. The phase shifting system further includes a first jumper 7 and a second transmission line 9. The second transmission line 9 is arranged on the side of the first transmission line 3 close to the antenna unit, and the main feeder 2 is arranged on the side of the first transmission line 3 away from the antenna unit. That is to say, the main feeder 2 and the second transmission line 9 are respectively located on both sides of the first transmission line 3. Since the first transmission line 3 blocks between the main feeder 2 and the second transmission line 9, the main feeder 2 cannot be directly connected to the second transmission line 9. For this reason, the first jumper 7 can be used to connect the main feeder 2 and the second transmission line 9. Specifically, Figure 10 is a partial schematic diagram of the phase shifting system provided by an embodiment of the present application at the first jumper 7. Refer to Figure 10 , the second output end 22 of the main feeder 2 is connected to the input end of the first jumper 7, the output end of the first jumper 7 is connected to the input end of the second transmission line 9, and the output end of the second transmission line 9 is used to be connected to the antenna unit. Figure 11 is a side view of the phase shifting system provided by an embodiment of the present application at the first jumper 7. Refer to Figure 11 , there is a gap between the first jumper 7 and the first transmission line 3. Thus, the first jumper 7 can cross over the first transmission line 3 and can maintain a gap with the first transmission line 3, so that the electrical connection between the main feeder 2 and the second transmission line 9 can be realized. Thus, by setting the first jumper 7, the layout of the second transmission line 9 and the main feeder 2 can be made more flexible, and it can be realized that the first transmission line 3 is all arranged above the main feeder 2, which is beneficial to the connection between the first transmission line 3 and each corresponding antenna unit above, facilitating the routing layout and being beneficial to improving the integration degree of the base station antenna. Among them, since the second output end 22 of the main feeder 2 does not pass through the phase shifter 1, the phase of the radio frequency signal fed from the main feeder 2 to the second transmission line 9 will not change, that is, the second transmission line 9 constitutes a zero-phase transmission line, which is beneficial to providing a reference for the phase adjustment of other antenna units.

[0089] In one embodiment, Figure 12 is a partial schematic diagram of the phase shifting system provided by another embodiment of the present application. Refer to Figure 12 , the input port 15 is arranged on the side of the output port 16 close to the antenna unit. In Figure 12In the Z direction shown in the figure, the Z direction is the height direction of the vertical plate 4. The antenna unit (not shown in the figure) is located above the metal balun 41, and the input port 15 of the phase shifter 1 is arranged above each output port 16. The phase shifter 1 is used in an inverted form, and the main feeder 2 is arranged on the side of the first transmission line 3 away from the antenna unit. Since the input port 15 of the phase shifter 1 and the main feeder 2 used in the inverted form are respectively located on both sides of the first transmission line 3, blocked by the first transmission line 3, the main feeder 2 and the input port 15 cannot be directly connected. For this reason, the phase shifting system further includes a second jumper 8. The first output end 21 of the main feeder 2 is connected to the input end of the second jumper 8, the output end of the second jumper 8 is connected to the input port 15, and a gap is maintained between the second jumper 8 and the first transmission line 3. Thus, the second jumper 8 can cross the first transmission line 3 to realize the connection between the main feeder 2 and the input port 15 of the phase shifter 1, so that the layout form of the phase shifter 1 can be more flexible and can meet different application scenarios. Among them, in this connection method, the grounding port 17 of the phase shifter 1 can be used to connect to the zero-phase transmission line, and the zero-phase transmission line can be connected to the corresponding antenna unit. The phase of the radio frequency signal fed into the antenna unit by the main feeder 2 through the grounding port 17 and the zero-phase transmission line will not change.

[0090] In one embodiment, the material of the phase shifter 1 is metal. For example, the phase shifter 1 can be made of metal materials such as aluminum and copper, so that the phase shifter 1 can have relatively small losses.

[0091] In one embodiment, referring to Figure 5 , the phase shifter 1 includes a metal body 11, a first movable transmission line 12, and a second movable transmission line 13. Among them, the material of the metal body 11 can be a metal with excellent electrical conductivity such as aluminum and copper. In one embodiment, the metal body 11 can be a flat plate structure. The input port 15 and a plurality of output ports 16 are arranged on the metal body 11. The input port 15 can be connected to the main feeder 2 in the feeding network to receive the radio frequency signal fed by the main feeder 2. The output port 16 can be connected to the antenna unit through a transmission line such as a strip line to feed the radio frequency signal with adjusted phase into the antenna unit.

[0092] The first movable transmission line 12 and the second movable transmission line 13 can also be made of metal materials, both having the function of transmitting radio frequency signals. Along the thickness direction of the phase shifter 1, the first movable transmission line 12 is rotatably arranged on one side of the metal body 11. The first movable transmission line 12 is capacitively coupled to the metal body 11, and the projection of the first movable transmission line 12 coincides with at least a part of the projection of the metal body 11. The second movable transmission line 13 is rotatably arranged on the side of the metal body 11 away from the first movable transmission line 12. The second movable transmission line 13 is capacitively coupled to the metal body 11, and the projection of the second movable transmission line 13 coincides with at least a part of the projection of the metal body 11. Wherein, the first movable transmission line 12 and the second movable transmission line 13 are respectively located on both sides of the metal body 11. By means of capacitive coupling, radio frequency signals can be transmitted between the metal body 11 and the first movable transmission line 12 and between the metal body 11 and the second movable transmission line 13.

[0093] Wherein, there are at least two independent signal transmission paths between the metal body 11 and each movable transmission line. The first signal transmission path is from the input port 15 to one end of the first movable transmission line 12 close to the input port 15 and from the input port 15 to one end of the second movable transmission line 13 close to the input port 15. The second signal transmission path is the path for the parts of the first movable transmission line 12 and the second movable transmission line 13 far from the input port 15 to couple radio frequency signals to the metal body 11 and for the metal body 11 to transmit the radio frequency signals to the corresponding output port 16.

[0094] In an embodiment, the radio frequency signals fed into the metal body 11 by the main feeder 2 through the input port 15 can be respectively coupled to the first movable transmission line 12 and the second movable transmission line 13 along the above-mentioned first signal transmission path. The first movable transmission line 12 and the second movable transmission line 13 synchronously move relative to the metal body 11 to a preset position to adjust the phase of the radio frequency signals. Then, the first movable transmission line 12 and the second movable transmission line 13 can transmit the radio frequency signals to the corresponding output ports 16 along the above-mentioned second signal transmission path and feed the radio frequency signals into the antenna unit from the corresponding output ports 16. Wherein, along the thickness direction of the phase shifter 1, the projection of the first movable transmission line 12 coincides with the projection of the second movable transmission line 13. By adjusting the phase of the radio frequency signals by the first movable transmission line 12 and the second movable transmission line 13, the phase difference of the radio frequency signals fed into the antenna unit can be close to 90°, so that dual polarization of the antenna unit can be realized.

[0095] In one embodiment, as described above, both the first movable transmission line 12 and the second movable transmission line 13 can be made of metal materials, which is conducive to the transmission of radio frequency signals and also facilitates the electrical connection between the second movable transmission line 13 and the first movable transmission line 12. Herein, the electrical connection means that the first movable transmission line 12 and the second movable transmission line 13 can be directly connected. The form of this direct connection can be that some parts of the first movable transmission line 12 are directly electrically connected to some parts of the second movable transmission line 13, or they can be directly electrically connected through a conductive connecting piece. For example, they can be electrically connected through a metal structural member, a metal strip line, etc. By directly electrically connecting the first movable transmission line 12 and the second movable transmission line 13, better consistency of electrical indexes can be ensured between the first movable transmission line 12 and the second movable transmission line 13. In addition, the impedance matching space can be maximized, and the electrical performance of the phase shifter 1 can be optimized to the greatest extent.

[0096] In one embodiment, referring to Figure 5 , the phase shifter 1 includes a metal connecting piece 14, and both ends of the metal connecting piece 14 are fixedly connected to the first movable transmission line 12 and the second movable transmission line 13 respectively. Herein, the metal connecting piece 14 can be a structural member independently prepared from a metal material and can be fixed to the corresponding positions on the first movable transmission line 12 and the second movable transmission line 13 through processes such as welding, so as to ensure the reliability of the connection between the metal connecting piece 14, the first movable transmission line 12 and the second movable transmission line 13, and at the same time ensure that energy can be effectively transmitted between the first movable transmission line 12 and the second movable transmission line 13, thereby ensuring the consistency of electrical performance. In one embodiment, the metal connecting piece 14 can be made of sheet metal material, such as a metal plate, a metal block, etc., and has a certain structural stability. The metal connecting piece 14 can realize the constraint effect on the relative positions of the first movable transmission line 12 and the second movable transmission line 13, and can also ensure the consistency and stability of the movement of the first movable transmission line 12 and the second movable transmission line 13, so that the first movable transmission line 12 and the second movable transmission line 13 can have a consistent gap with the metal body 11 at each position during movement, ensuring the electrical performance.

[0097] In one embodiment, the metal body 11 includes a first fixed transmission line 111 and at least one second fixed transmission line 112. An input port 15 is provided on the first fixed transmission line 111, and through this input port 15, the first fixed transmission line 111 is electrically connected to the main feeder 2. An output port 16 is provided on the second fixed transmission line 112, and the second fixed transmission line 112 feeds a phase-adjusted radio frequency signal to the antenna unit through the output port 16. One end of the first movable transmission line 12 and the second movable transmission line 13 is rotatably connected to the first fixed transmission line 111. Among them, there is a gap between the first fixed transmission line 111 and the second fixed transmission line 112, and the radio frequency signal fed from the main feeder 2 to the first fixed transmission line 111 will not be directly transmitted to the second fixed transmission line 112, but can be coupled from the first fixed transmission line 111 to the first movable transmission line 12 and the second movable transmission line 13. The first movable transmission line 12 and the second movable transmission line 13 have a relatively large length in the direction towards the second fixed transmission line 112, and along the thickness direction of the phase shifter 1, at least part of the projections of the first movable transmission line 12 and the second movable transmission line 13 coincide with the projection of the second fixed transmission line 112. That is to say, the first movable transmission line 12 and the second movable transmission line 13 can couple the radio frequency signal to the second fixed transmission line 112. By adjusting the rotation of the first movable transmission line 12 and the second movable transmission line 13, the distance between the first movable transmission line 12 and the second movable transmission line 13 and the target output port 16 can be adjusted, so that the electrical length of the radio frequency signal transmitted to the output port 16 can be adjusted, and thus the phase adjustment can be achieved.

[0098] In one embodiment, the second fixed transmission line 112 is fan-shaped, and the output ports 16 are at both ends of the second fixed transmission line 112 in the length direction X. One end of the first movable transmission line 12 and the second movable transmission line 13 rotates relative to the first fixed transmission line 111, so that a partial area of the first movable transmission line 12 and the second movable transmission line 13 away from the first fixed transmission line 111 can move on a fan-shaped trajectory, thereby changing the distance between the first movable transmission line 12 and the second movable transmission and each output port 16, and thus the phase of the radio frequency signal can be adjusted.

[0099] In one embodiment, Figure 13 is a partial schematic diagram of the phase shifter system provided by another embodiment of the present application. Refer to Figure 13, the phase shifter 1 includes a metal body 11 and a sliding dielectric 18. An input port 15 and an output port 16 are provided on the metal body 11. The sliding dielectric 18 is slidably sleeved on the metal body 11, and at least a part of the sliding dielectric 18 is located on the transmission path between the input port 15 and the output port 16. The sliding dielectric 18 has a certain dielectric constant. When a radio frequency signal is transmitted from the metal body 11 to the sliding dielectric 18, the sliding dielectric 18 can change the transmission speed of the radio frequency signal, thereby causing a change in the phase of the radio frequency signal. In this embodiment, by moving the sliding dielectric 18 to different positions, the length of the sliding dielectric 18 on the path from the input port 15 to the output port 16 can be changed, so that the phase adjustment of the radio frequency signal can be realized.

[0100] The above are only the preferred embodiments of the present application and are not used to limit the present application. For those skilled in the art, various changes and modifications can be made to the present application. Any modification, equivalent replacement, improvement, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present application shall be included in the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A phase shift system, characterized in that, Comprising: A phase shifter, which is provided with an input port and an output port; A main feeder, the first output end of which is connected to the input port; A first transmission line, the input end of which is connected to the output port, and the output end of which is used to connect to an antenna unit; Wherein, the materials of the main feeder and the first transmission line are both metal.

2. The phase-shifting system according to claim 1, characterized in that, It further includes a vertical plate, a first housing and a second housing. The first housing and the second housing are both connected to the vertical plate. A first cavity is formed between the first housing and the vertical plate, and a second cavity is formed between the second housing and the vertical plate. The main feeder and the first transmission line are arranged in the first cavity, and the phase shifter is arranged in the second cavity; The materials of the vertical plate, the first housing and the second housing are all metal.

3. The phase-shifting system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first housing includes a top plate, a first side plate and a second side plate. The two ends of the top plate are respectively connected to the first side plate and the second side plate. Along the thickness direction of the vertical plate, the first side plate and the second side plate are respectively located on both sides of the vertical plate; A first small cavity is enclosed between the top plate, the first side plate and the vertical plate. The first small cavity is used to accommodate the phase shifter, the main feeder and the first transmission line on one side of the vertical plate. The phase shifter, the main feeder and the first transmission line on one side of the vertical plate are used to make the antenna unit generate a first polarization; A second small cavity is enclosed between the top plate, the second side plate and the vertical plate. The second small cavity is used to accommodate the phase shifter, the main feeder and the first transmission line on the other side of the vertical plate. The phase shifter, the main feeder and the first transmission line on the other side of the vertical plate are used to make the antenna unit generate a second polarization.

4. The phase shift system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The second housing is provided with a connecting flange, and the second housing is connected to the vertical plate and the first housing through the connecting flange.

5. The phase-shifting system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The phase shifter is provided with a grounding port, and the grounding port is electrically connected to the vertical plate.

6. The phase shift system according to any one of claims 2-5, characterized in that, The phase shifter further includes a metal balun, the metal balun is connected to the vertical plate, and at least part of the metal balun protrudes from the first housing for connecting to the antenna unit.

7. The phase shift system according to claim 6, characterized in that The metal balun and the vertical plate are integrally formed.

8. The phase-shifting system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The first housing is provided with a through hole, and at least part of the metal balun passes through the through hole, and the metal balun is fixedly connected to the first housing through the through hole.

9. The phase shift system according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, The input port is arranged on the side of the output port away from the antenna unit; The phase shift system further includes a first jumper and a second transmission line. The second transmission line is arranged on the side of the first transmission line close to the antenna unit, and the main feeder is arranged on the side of the first transmission line away from the antenna unit. The second output end of the main feeder is connected to the input end of the first jumper, the output end of the first jumper is connected to the input end of the second transmission line, and the output end of the second transmission line is used to connect to the antenna unit; There is a gap between the first jumper and the first transmission line.

10. The phase shift system according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, The input port is arranged on one side of the output port close to the antenna unit, and the main feeder is arranged on one side of the first transmission line away from the antenna unit; The phase shifter system further includes a second jumper. The first output end of the main feeder is connected to the input end of the second jumper, the output end of the second jumper is connected to the input port, and a gap is maintained between the second jumper and the first transmission line.

11. The phase shift system according to any one of claims 1-10, characterized in that, The phase shifter device includes a metal body, a first movable transmission line, and a second movable transmission line. The input port and the output port are arranged on the metal body; The first movable transmission line and the second movable transmission line are respectively located on both sides of the metal body, and both the first movable transmission line and the second movable transmission line are capacitively coupled to the metal body; One ends of the first movable transmission line and the second movable transmission line are rotatably connected to the metal body, and the other ends of the first movable transmission line and the second movable transmission line are electrically connected.

12. The phase shift system according to claim 11, wherein The metal body includes a first fixed transmission line and at least one second fixed transmission line, and a gap is provided between the first fixed transmission line and the second fixed transmission line; The input port is arranged on the first fixed transmission line, and one ends of the first movable transmission line and the second movable transmission line are rotatably connected to the first fixed transmission line; The output port is arranged on the second fixed transmission line. Along the thickness direction of the phase shifter device, at least part of the projection of the first movable transmission line and the second movable transmission line coincides with the projection of the second fixed transmission line.

13. The phase shift system according to claim 12, wherein The second fixed transmission line is fan-shaped.

14. The phase-shifting system according to any one of claims 1-13, characterized in that, The material of the phase shifter device is metal.

15. The phase shift system according to any one of claims 1-10, characterized in that, The phase shifter device includes a metal body and a sliding medium. The input port and the output port are arranged on the metal body. The sliding medium is slidably sleeved on the metal body, and at least part of the sliding medium is located on the transmission path between the input port and the output port.

16. A base station antenna, characterized in that, It includes an antenna unit and the phase shifter system according to any one of claims 1-15. The phase shifter system is connected to the antenna unit through the output port.

17. A base station antenna feeder system, characterized in that, It includes the base station antenna according to claim 16.

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