An air-ground lens antenna and base station

Abstract

The application discloses an air-ground lens antenna and a base station. The air-ground lens antenna comprises a dragonberg lens, a multilayer vibrator array and a feeding module, each layer of the vibrator array comprises at least one vibrator, the multilayer vibrator array is divided into a first vibrator array and a second vibrator array, the first vibrator array comprises at least one layer of the vibrator array and forms a beam covering a ground coverage area through the dragonberg lens, the second vibrator array comprises at least one layer of the vibrator array, is arranged below the first vibrator array and forms a beam covering a sky coverage area through the dragonberg lens, and the feeding module feeds a corresponding power of a base station source into the first vibrator array and the second vibrator array according to a power distribution strategy, so that the first vibrator array and the second vibrator array respectively emit beams to the ground coverage area and the sky coverage area. The ground coverage beam and the sky coverage beam are emitted through the dragonberg lens and the multilayer vibrator array, and three-dimensional and uniform signal coverage of the ground coverage area and the sky coverage area is realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of mobile communication technology, and in particular to an air-to-ground lens antenna and a base station. Background Technology

[0002] The rapid development of the low-altitude economy not only demands high-quality communication coverage on the ground, but also highlights the growing need for communication coverage in the low-altitude domain, such as for drones. Early communication technologies primarily focused on ground base station coverage for ground users. However, with the development of aviation and the drone industry, air-to-ground coverage technology has become an important research direction in the field of communications.

[0003] In existing technologies, new antennas can be built to provide air coverage, but this suffers from high costs and low network resource utilization. Alternatively, increasing the transmission power and antenna gain of ground base stations can attempt to directly cover low-altitude targets with sidelobes. While this can achieve air-to-ground communication to some extent, the coverage range and signal quality are limited by the base station's transmission power and antenna performance, and are easily affected by terrain, buildings, and other obstacles, failing to achieve effective three-dimensional coverage. An antenna that simultaneously provides air and ground beams, replacing existing ground-covering antennas and expanding independently adjustable air coverage beams while maintaining basic ground network coverage, has significant application potential. Existing technologies use panel antennas, which have strong directivity, leading to uneven signal coverage and lacking independent and flexible adjustment of air and ground beams. Hybrid antennas, on the other hand, require large-scale active array panel antennas, resulting in uneven signal coverage, high installation and maintenance costs, and high energy consumption. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention provides an air-to-ground lens antenna and a base station, which utilizes the lens antenna to achieve simultaneous air and ground coverage, while solving the problems of inflexible air-to-ground beam adjustment, uneven air-to-ground signal coverage, and high energy consumption in the prior art.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention, an air-to-ground lens antenna is provided for use in a base station, comprising: a Luneburg lens, a multilayer dipole array, and a feeding module, wherein the multilayer dipole array is divided into a first dipole array and a second dipole array, and each layer of the dipole array includes at least one dipole; wherein,

[0006] The first oscillator array includes at least one layer of oscillator array, which is set at the incident end of the Luneburg lens. Each oscillator in the first oscillator array emits a beam to the ground coverage area through the Luneburg lens, forming a first beam covering the ground coverage area.

[0007] The second oscillator array includes at least one layer of oscillator array, which is disposed at the incident end of the Luneburg lens and located below the first oscillator array. Each oscillator in the second oscillator array emits a beam into the air coverage area through the Luneburg lens, forming a second beam covering the air coverage area.

[0008] The power supply module is electrically connected to the first and second oscillator arrays respectively. It is used to obtain the power allocation strategy and feed the base station signal source with the corresponding power to the first and second oscillator arrays respectively according to the power allocation strategy, so that the first oscillator array transmits the first beam to the ground coverage area and the second oscillator array transmits the second beam to the air coverage area.

[0009] Optionally, each oscillator in the multi-layer oscillator array is at the same distance from the Luneburg lens and lies on the same spherical surface, with the center of the sphere concentric with the center of the Luneburg lens.

[0010] Optionally, the first oscillator array includes at least one first array element, and the first array element includes at least one oscillator; the second oscillator array includes at least one second array element, and the second array element includes at least one oscillator.

[0011] Optionally, the air-to-ground lens antenna further includes a control module and a drive module; the control module, connected to the drive module, receives remote control commands, determines first adjustment data based on the remote control commands, and transmits the first adjustment data to the drive module, wherein the remote control commands include one or more of excitation adjustment commands, power allocation commands, and position adjustment commands; the first adjustment data includes target element identifiers and element adjustment data, wherein the element adjustment data includes one or more of excitation adjustment data, power adjustment data, and position adjustment data, and the position adjustment data includes adjustment data in the horizontal direction and / or vertical direction; the drive module receives the first adjustment data, is connected to each layer of the multi-layer oscillator array, and drives the corresponding target element to be adjusted based on the first adjustment data, wherein the target element includes at least one first element and / or at least one second element.

[0012] Optionally, the air-to-ground lens antenna also includes a mechanical adjustment device, which is connected to the drive module and to one or more layers of the multilayer dipole array. The drive module drives the mechanical adjustment device to adjust the corresponding target array element based on the array element adjustment data. The mechanical adjustment device includes at least one operable component, which adjusts at least one array element connected to the at least one operable component in response to the operation of the at least one operable component.

[0013] Optionally, the control module includes a parameter configuration submodule, which is used to configure signal coverage parameters, including one or more of the following: gain data, pitch angle data, azimuth angle data, vertical coverage height, and horizontal coverage distance.

[0014] Optionally, the air-to-ground lens antenna also includes an environmental information detection module; the environmental information detection module is used to detect the environmental information around the air-to-ground lens antenna, wherein the environmental information includes one or more of the following: the installation height of the air-to-ground lens antenna, azimuth angle detection data, the elevation angle of the first beam and the elevation angle of the second beam.

[0015] Optionally, the air-to-ground lens antenna also includes a strategy adjustment module; the strategy adjustment module is connected to the environmental information detection module to receive environmental information, and is connected to the control module to receive signal coverage parameters; and determines the corresponding second adjustment data based on the environmental information and signal coverage parameters, transmits the second adjustment data to the control module, and controls the corresponding target array elements to adjust based on the second adjustment data through the control module.

[0016] Optionally, the air-to-ground lens antenna also includes a port module, which is connected to the control module for data transmission. The port module includes multiple ports, including ground ports and air ports. The ground ports and air ports are respectively connected to the feed module, which in turn connects to the corresponding first and second element arrays for receiving and transmitting corresponding signals.

[0017] According to another aspect of the present invention, a base station is provided, including the air-to-ground lens antenna of any of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0018] The technical solution of this invention proposes an air-to-ground lens antenna for use in base stations. The air-to-ground lens antenna includes a Luneburg lens, a multi-layer dipole array, and a feeding module. The multi-layer dipole array is divided into a first dipole array and a second dipole array, each layer including at least one dipole. The first dipole array includes at least one layer of dipole arrays, disposed at the incident end of the Luneburg lens. Each dipole in the first dipole array transmits a beam to the ground coverage area through the Luneburg lens, forming a first beam covering the ground coverage area. This achieves uniform signal coverage of the ground coverage area by transmitting a ground coverage beam through at least one layer of dipole arrays and the Luneburg lens. The second dipole array includes at least one layer of dipole arrays, disposed at the incident end of the Luneburg lens and located below the first dipole array. Each dipole in the second dipole array transmits a beam to the ground coverage area through the Luneburg lens. A beam is transmitted towards the air coverage area to form a second beam covering the air coverage area. This achieves uniform signal coverage of the air coverage area by transmitting a beam through at least one layer of dipole array and Luneburg lens. The power supply module is electrically connected to the first and second dipole arrays respectively. It is used to obtain the power allocation strategy and feed the base station signal source with the corresponding power to the first and second dipole arrays respectively according to the power allocation strategy. This enables the first dipole array to transmit the first beam towards the ground coverage area and the second dipole array to transmit the second beam towards the air coverage area. By allocating the base station signal source with the corresponding power to each dipole array according to the power allocation strategy, the beam pointing and gain of the first beam / second beam can be dynamically adjusted, which helps to cope with the needs of complex environments, network scenarios, and air and ground coverage at different altitudes. The proposed air-to-ground integrated antenna, combining a multi-layer dipole array and Luneburg lenses, transmits corresponding beams to both ground and air coverage areas, achieving simultaneous and uniform three-dimensional coverage. Furthermore, it dynamically adjusts the excitation of each dipole array according to a corresponding power allocation strategy, enhancing beam directivity to extend coverage distance and suppress signal interference. Combined with flexible beam control capabilities, it reduces base station energy consumption, extends equipment lifespan, and improves coverage uniformity. This solves the problems of uneven air-to-ground signal coverage and high energy consumption, improving the uniformity of signal coverage in air-to-ground areas and contributing to enhanced communication system performance, energy efficiency, and stability.

[0019] It should be understood that the description in this section is not intended to identify key or essential features of the embodiments of the present invention, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the invention. Other features of the invention will become readily apparent from the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an air-to-ground lens antenna provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an air-to-ground lens antenna provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an air-to-ground lens antenna provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an air-to-ground lens antenna provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an air-to-ground lens antenna provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an air-to-ground lens antenna provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an air-to-ground lens antenna provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an air-to-ground lens antenna provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a base station provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0030] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present invention, the technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0031] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this invention are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments of the invention described herein can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that comprises a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, products, or apparatus.

[0032] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an air-to-ground lens antenna 100 provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The air-to-ground lens antenna 100 is applied to a base station. Figure 1 As shown, the air-to-ground lens antenna 100 includes: a Luneburg lens 101, a multi-layer dipole array 102 and a feed module 103. The multi-layer dipole array 102 is divided into a first dipole array 1021 and a second dipole array 1022, and each dipole array includes at least one dipole.

[0033] The first transducer array 1021 includes at least one layer of transducer arrays and is disposed at the incident end of the Luneburg lens 101. Each transducer in the first transducer array 1021 emits a beam through the Luneburg lens 101 to the ground coverage area, forming a first beam 1021B covering the ground coverage area. The second transducer array 1022 includes at least one layer of transducer arrays and is disposed at the incident end of the Luneburg lens 101, located below the first transducer array 1021. Each transducer in the second transducer array emits a beam through the Luneburg lens 101 to the ground coverage area. A beam is transmitted in the empty coverage area to form a second beam 1022B covering the air coverage area; the power supply module 103 is electrically connected to the first vibrator array 1021 and the second vibrator array 1022 respectively, and feeds the base station signal source with corresponding power to the first vibrator array 1021 and the second vibrator array 1022 respectively according to the power allocation strategy, so that the first vibrator array 1021 transmits the first beam 1021B to the ground coverage area and the second vibrator array 1022 transmits the second beam 1022B to the air coverage area.

[0034] The Luneburg lens 101 is a dielectric lens with a non-uniform refractive index. The refractive index distribution of the medium exhibits spherical symmetry, allowing electromagnetic waves incident from any direction to converge to a single point on the spherical surface. By placing a feed source on the spherical surface, a good gain effect can be achieved, enabling not only directional and point-to-point signal radiation but also reception of signals transmitted from a specified direction. Preferably, the Luneburg lens 101 can be a spherical Luneburg lens to achieve directional and point-to-point signal radiation and reception. The vibrator, specifically, refers to the basic unit in an antenna responsible for generating and radiating electromagnetic waves. It is used to radiate electromagnetic waves, converting incoming high-frequency electrical energy into electromagnetic wave energy and radiating it into space, enabling wireless signals to propagate through the air and achieving long-distance communication, broadcasting, radar detection, and other functions. By rationally arranging multiple vibrators to form an array antenna, precise control of the electromagnetic wave radiation direction can be achieved, giving the antenna high gain and strong signal radiation capability in a specific direction while suppressing signal radiation in other directions, thus meeting the antenna directivity requirements of different application scenarios.

[0035] In this embodiment, a multi-layer oscillator array 102 is used. Specifically, the multi-layer oscillator array 102 refers to an array of oscillators arranged in a specific layered configuration to obtain beamforming gain in the horizontal and vertical directions. The number of oscillators and the specific layered configuration can be determined through simulation or experimentation based on signal coverage requirements. Each layer of the multi-layer oscillator array 102 has at least one oscillator. The multi-layer oscillator array 102 is divided into a first oscillator array 1021 and a second oscillator array 1022. The first beam 1021B specifically refers to the beam emitted towards the ground coverage area; it can be a single beam or multiple beams. The second beam 1022B specifically refers to the beam emitted towards the air coverage area; it can also be a single beam or multiple beams. The ground coverage area refers to the spatial range that can be effectively covered when radiating signals to the ground area, and the air coverage area refers to the spatial range that can be effectively covered when radiating signals to the air area. In this embodiment, the air area specifically refers to the low-altitude area. It should be noted that the distance between each layer of the vibrator array is adjustable. The distance between each vibrator can include both horizontal and vertical distances, used to adjust the width and directionality of the beam emitted by the vibrator. The power allocation strategy specifically refers to the method of rationally distributing the total transmission power to each vibrator. In this embodiment, it specifically refers to the power allocation strategy corresponding to each layer of the vibrator array. The power data of the vibrators in each layer of the vibrator array can be equal, or the power data corresponding to each layer of the vibrator array can be different, requiring adjustment according to signal coverage requirements. Signal coverage requirements include one or more of the following: signal coverage height, signal coverage horizontal distance, and signal gain, all of which must meet corresponding preset thresholds. For example, the power allocation strategy can be determined based on one or more of the following: signal coverage height, signal coverage horizontal distance, and signal gain. Then, the power of each vibrator can be determined through the power allocation strategy. By adjusting the power of different vibrators, the antenna's radiation direction can be made to form a beam in a specific direction, enhancing or suppressing radiation in that specific direction to adapt to different altitude requirements for three-dimensional air coverage.

[0036] In this embodiment, the first oscillator array 1021 includes at least one layer of oscillator array, which can be composed of at least one layer of oscillators to form a surface array or a linear array. The surface array or linear array formed is defined as the first oscillator array 1021. The first oscillator array 1021 is disposed at the incident end of the Luneburg lens 101. Each oscillator in the first oscillator array 1021 emits a beam of light to the ground coverage area through the Luneburg lens 101, thereby forming a multi-beam covering the ground coverage area. The multi-beam that can cover the ground coverage area is defined as the first beam 1021B.

[0037] In this embodiment, the second oscillator array 1022 includes at least one layer of oscillator array, which can be composed of at least one layer of oscillators forming a planar array or a linear array. The planar array or linear array formed is defined as the second oscillator array 1022. The second oscillator array 1022 is disposed at the incident end of the Luneburg lens 101 and located below the first oscillator array 1021. Each oscillator in the second oscillator array 1022 emits a beam of light into the air coverage area through the Luneburg lens 101, thereby forming a multi-beam covering the air coverage area. The multi-beam capable of covering the air coverage area is defined as the second beam 1022B. It should be noted that when the second oscillator array 1022 includes multiple layers of oscillator array, the number of oscillators in each layer of the second oscillator array decreases sequentially from top to bottom, preferably decreasing by one oscillator each time.

[0038] Optionally, each element in the multilayer dipole array 102 is equidistant from the Luneburg lens 101 and lies on the same spherical surface, with the center of the sphere concentric with the center of the Luneburg lens 101. This ensures that the path length of the electromagnetic waves emitted from the Luneburg lens 101 to each element is equal, allowing each element to receive excitation signals with uniform amplitude and phase. This helps to ensure a more uniform spatial distribution of the electromagnetic waves radiated by the dipole array, improving the antenna's radiation efficiency and directivity.

[0039] The power supply module 103 can be understood as an important component used to transmit radio frequency signals to the antenna radiating elements and to distribute, control, and match the signals. The antenna radiating elements specifically refer to the elements in each layer of the dipole array. The power supply module 103 is electrically connected to the first dipole array 1021 and the second dipole array 1022, respectively. It can receive power allocation strategies and determine the corresponding input powers of the first dipole array 1021 and the second dipole array 1022 according to the power allocation strategies and the total input power of the power supply module 103. It then feeds the corresponding power base station signal sources to the first dipole array 1021 and the second dipole array 1022 according to their respective input powers, so that the first dipole array 1021 transmits the first beam 1021B to the ground coverage area and the second dipole array 1022 transmits the second beam 1022B to the air coverage area. For example, in the case where the first oscillator array 1021 includes one layer of oscillator array and the second oscillator array 1022 includes two layers of oscillator array, the power allocation strategy determined according to the signal coverage requirements is that the power ratio of each layer of oscillator array is 1:3:2, and the total input power of the power supply module 103 is 60W. It can be determined that the power data of each layer of oscillator array from top to bottom are 10W, 30W and 20W respectively.

[0040] Optionally, the first oscillator array includes at least one first array element, and the first array element includes at least one oscillator; the second oscillator array includes at least one second array element, and the second array element includes at least one oscillator.

[0041] Among them, array element refers to the basic unit that can be operated in electromagnetic wave beamforming. It can be composed of a single oscillator or multiple oscillators.

[0042] In this embodiment, the first oscillator array 1021 and the second oscillator array 1022 can be divided according to the actual oscillator radiation requirements, resulting in at least one first array element corresponding to the first oscillator array 1021 and at least one second array element corresponding to the second oscillator array 1022. Each first array element includes at least one oscillator, and each second array element includes at least one oscillator. After dividing the first oscillator array 1021 and the second oscillator array 1022, a unique identifier can be assigned to each array element. When the target array element identifier is identified in the remote control command, the oscillators in the entire array element corresponding to the target array element identifier can be uniformly controlled for adjustment, without needing to send adjustment commands to each individual oscillator individually, thus significantly improving control efficiency. The physical position of each array element is adjustable, and the physical position can include horizontal and vertical positions. Preferably, only the first or second array element can be made physically adjustable to reduce implementation costs.

[0043] For example, such as Figure 2 The diagram shows a partial schematic of an air-to-ground lens antenna, which adopts a three-dimensional feed + Luneburg lens scheme. It consists of 13 elements and a spherical Luneburg lens. Among them, the four elements A1, A2, A3, and A4 form the first element array. The two elements A1 and A2 form a first array element, which forms beam 1 through the lens. The two elements A3 and A4 form a first array element, which forms beam 2 through the lens. Beam 1 and beam 2 form the first beam 1021. Nine transducers, B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B6, B7, B8, and B9, form a second transducer array. Transducers B1, B2, B5, and B8 form a second array element, which, through a lens, forms a beam. Transducers B6, B7, and B9 form a second array element, which, through a lens, forms beam 4. Beams 3 and 4 form a second beam 1022. All transducers are located on the same spherical surface, and the center of the shared sphere is concentric with the center of the Luneburg lens. Among them, the first beam 1021B formed by beams 1 and 2 is a ground coverage beam to achieve ground signal coverage; the second beam 1022B formed by beams 3 and 4 is an airspace coverage beam to achieve airspace signal coverage.

[0044] Optionally, the air-to-ground lens antenna 100 further includes a control module 104 and a drive module 105; the control module 104, connected to the drive module 105, receives remote control commands, determines first adjustment data based on the remote control commands, and transmits the first adjustment data to the drive module 105, wherein the remote control commands include one or more of excitation adjustment commands, power allocation commands, and position adjustment commands; the first adjustment data includes target element identifiers and element adjustment data, wherein the element adjustment data includes one or more of excitation adjustment data, power adjustment data, and position adjustment data, and the position adjustment data includes adjustment data in the horizontal direction and / or vertical direction; the drive module receives the first adjustment data, is connected to each layer of the multi-layer oscillator array, and drives the corresponding target element to be adjusted based on the first adjustment data, wherein the target element includes at least one first element and / or at least one second element.

[0045] The remote control command can be understood as a control command sent through a remote device or software, or a base station. The content of the remote control command includes, but is not limited to, excitation adjustment commands, power allocation commands, and position adjustment commands. By identifying the remote control command, the identifier of the target array element and the corresponding array element adjustment data can be determined. The target array element identifier specifically refers to the identifier of the array element to be adjusted. Array elements matching the target array element identifier can be adjusted specifically. The array element adjustment data can be understood as a series of parameters used to control and adjust the operating state of each array element in the array antenna, including, but not limited to, excitation adjustment data, power adjustment data, and position adjustment data. The excitation adjustment data specifically refers to the data used to control the operating state of the antenna elements, including, but not limited to, amplitude adjustment data and phase adjustment data. Amplitude adjustment data is used to control the amplitude of the excitation signal of each array element. By changing the amplitude distribution, the shape of the antenna radiation pattern, the main lobe width, the side lobe level, and the beam pointing characteristics can be adjusted. Phase adjustment data can be used to control the phase of the excitation signal. By precisely controlling the phase difference of each array element, beam pointing control in space can be achieved, enabling the beam to point in a specific direction, thereby achieving directional radiation or reception. Power adjustment data is used to adjust the power of the base station signal source fed into each array element. Position adjustment data specifically refers to data used to adjust the spatial position of each array element in the antenna array, including adjustment data in the horizontal and / or vertical directions. It should be noted that the target array element can be at least one first array element, at least one second array element, or at least one first array element and at least one second array element. By adjusting each target array element, independent and flexible adjustment of the multi-beam coverage area in the air and the multi-beam coverage area in the ground can be achieved in the horizontal and vertical directions, respectively.

[0046] Specifically, the drive module 105 refers to the module used to drive the vibrators to adjust parameters, thereby achieving efficient antenna adjustment. The drive module 105 is connected to each vibrator through a designated drive circuit and signal line. The electrical signal output by the drive module 105 is amplified and converted by the drive circuit before being transmitted to the vibrators, thereby controlling the working state of the vibrators.

[0047] Specifically, such as Figure 3 The diagram shows a schematic of an air-to-ground lens antenna 100. The air-to-ground lens antenna 100 also includes a control module 104 and a drive module 105. The control module 104 receives remote control commands, which include, but are not limited to, excitation adjustment commands, power allocation commands, and position adjustment commands. It then parses the remote control commands to obtain corresponding parsing results, which yield the target element identifier and element adjustment data corresponding to one or more of the excitation adjustment command, power allocation command, and position adjustment command, respectively, thus obtaining first adjustment data. This first adjustment data includes, but is not limited to, excitation adjustment data, power adjustment data, and position adjustment data. The first adjustment data is then transmitted to the drive module 105. The drive module 105 is connected to each layer of the multi-layer dipole array. Upon receiving the first adjustment data, the drive module 105 can determine the target element to be adjusted based on the target element identifier in the first adjustment data. The target element may include one or more elements in the first element array, one or more elements in the second element array, or one or more elements in both the first dipole array 1021 and the second dipole array 1022. Furthermore, based on the element adjustment data corresponding to each target array element, the target array elements are adjusted by driving the drive module 105. This allows for excitation adjustment of the target array elements, adjustment of the power of the base station signal source fed into each array element, and adjustment of the position of the target array elements in the horizontal and / or vertical directions. This enables precise control of the signal propagation direction and coverage area according to actual needs, concentrating the signal towards ground and air coverage areas, enhancing signal strength in specific directions, thereby optimizing signal coverage and improving communication quality. It should be noted that the drive module 105 is also connected to the feed module 103. Specifically, to adjust the power of the base station signal source fed into each array element, the drive module 105 drives the feed module 103 to adjust the excitation of the target array elements based on the excitation adjustment data. Driving the target array elements according to the element adjustment data through the drive module 105 helps optimize the overall performance of the antenna system, enabling the formation of specific beam patterns, improved signal gain, and suppression of interference.

[0048] Optionally, the air-to-ground lens antenna also includes a mechanical adjustment device 106, which is connected to the drive module 105 and to one or more layers of the multilayer dipole array 102. The drive module 105 drives the mechanical adjustment device 106 to adjust the corresponding target array element based on the array element adjustment data. The mechanical adjustment device includes at least one operable component, which adjusts at least one array element connected to the at least one operable component in response to the operation of the at least one operable component.

[0049] Specifically, the mechanical adjustment device 106 refers to a device or system that adjusts the oscillator through the coordinated work of mechanical components. It is usually composed of multiple mechanical components, including but not limited to slide rails and operable screws. The operable screws are slidably mounted on the slide rails for mechanical adjustment operations.

[0050] Specifically, such as Figure 4 The diagram shows a schematic of an air-to-ground lens antenna 100. The air-to-ground lens antenna 100 also includes a mechanical adjustment device 106, which is connected to a drive module 105 and a feed module 103. Upon receiving first adjustment data, the drive module 105 drives the mechanical adjustment device 106 to adjust the excitation data of the corresponding target array element through the feed module 103 based on the array element adjustment data. Figure 5 The diagram shows a schematic of an air-to-ground lens antenna. A mechanical adjustment device 106 is connected to a drive module 105 and to each layer of the multi-layer dipole array 102. Upon receiving first adjustment data, the drive module 105 drives the mechanical adjustment device 106 to adjust the position of the corresponding target array element based on the array element adjustment data. Figure 6The diagram shows a schematic of an air-to-ground lens antenna 100. The air-to-ground lens antenna 100 also includes a mechanical adjustment device 106. The mechanical adjustment device 106 is connected to the drive module 105, the feed module 103, and each layer of the multilayer vibrator array 102. When the drive module 105 receives the first adjustment data, it drives the mechanical adjustment device 106 to adjust the corresponding target array element based on the array element adjustment data. For example, the excitation data acting on the feed module can be adjusted by the mechanical adjustment device 106 according to the excitation adjustment data in the first adjustment data, thereby adjusting the excitation data fed into the target array element. The position of the target array element can also be adjusted by the mechanical adjustment device 106 according to the position adjustment data in the first adjustment data. The mechanical adjustment device 106 includes at least one operable component, to which an adjustment operation can be applied. In response to the operation of the at least one operable component, at least one array element connected to the at least one operable component is adjusted. This enables the operation of the operable component in the mechanical adjustment device 106 to trigger an adjustment operation of the corresponding target array element in the horizontal and / or vertical directions. Different adjustment operations can drive the corresponding target element to perform corresponding adjustment operations. The adjustment operation includes a trigger operation for adjusting at least one array element in the horizontal and / or vertical directions. The adjustment of at least one array element in the horizontal and / or vertical directions through mechanical operation enables the adjustment of the electromagnetic beam waveform and spatial position through mechanical operation.

[0051] For example, the drive module 105 is connected to each array element via a mechanical adjustment device 106. After receiving array element adjustment data, the drive module 105 drives the mechanical adjustment device 106 to change the working state of the corresponding target array element. For example, it can drive and adjust the excitation amplitude and / or excitation phase of the target array element to achieve optimal coverage of the target range by optimizing the beam pattern; it can also drive and adjust the physical position of the target array element in the first array element array, including the position in the horizontal direction and / or the position in the vertical direction, to optimize the signal coverage of the ground coverage range by physically adjusting the beam direction; it can also drive and adjust the physical position of the target array element in the second array element array, including the position in the horizontal direction and / or the position in the vertical direction, to optimize the signal coverage of the low-altitude coverage range by physically adjusting the beam direction, thus realizing independent and flexible adjustment of the multi-beam coverage area in the air and the multi-beam coverage area in the horizontal and vertical directions, respectively.

[0052] Optionally, the control module 104 includes a parameter configuration submodule, which is used to configure signal coverage parameters, including one or more of gain data, pitch angle data, azimuth angle data, vertical coverage height and horizontal coverage distance.

[0053] Vertical coverage height specifically refers to the height of the spatial range that the antenna's transmitted signal can effectively cover in the vertical direction. Specifically, it's the maximum height range from which the signal strength in the vertical upward and downward directions can remain above a certain threshold to meet specific communication or signal transmission requirements, based on the antenna's location. Horizontal coverage distance specifically refers to the maximum distance from the antenna as the center on a horizontal plane where the signal can effectively propagate and maintain a certain strength to meet corresponding communication or signal transmission requirements. Gain data is a quantitative indicator of the antenna's ability to concentrate radiation or reception of signals in a specific direction; a higher antenna gain value indicates a stronger radiation or reception capability in that direction. Elevation angle data refers to the tilt angle of the antenna beam relative to the horizontal plane, which determines the antenna signal's coverage range and direction in the vertical direction. For example, when it's necessary to cover higher targets or communicate in areas at different altitudes, this can be achieved by adjusting the elevation angle. Azimuth data refers to the pointing angle of the antenna on the horizontal plane, with true north as the reference. It is used to determine the coverage direction of the antenna signal in the horizontal direction. By changing the azimuth angle, the antenna can be pointed at the receiving end or communication target in different directions, thereby achieving signal coverage or precise communication pointing in a specific area. The combined effect of elevation and azimuth data allows for precise control of the antenna signal radiation direction and coverage range to meet the needs of various communication scenarios and applications. It should be noted that the corresponding signal coverage parameters can be set according to the actual signal coverage requirements. The signal coverage parameters corresponding to various signal coverage requirements can be determined based on experimental data. Then, given the determined signal coverage requirements, matching can be performed on the experimental data to obtain the corresponding signal coverage parameters. Configuration information can be input through an external device connected to the air-to-ground lens antenna. When the parameter configuration module 108 receives new configuration information, it configures the signal coverage parameters accordingly. Alternatively, it can receive remote configuration commands, parse the remote configuration commands, obtain the corresponding signal coverage parameters, and configure them; however, this is not limited here.

[0054] In this embodiment, a parameter configuration submodule is set in the control module 104. The parameter configuration submodule receives user input or preset configuration instructions through the system interface, triggers the internal parsing mechanism to perform semantic recognition on the instructions, and determines that the target to be configured is the signal coverage parameter. Then, the parameter configuration submodule calls the parameter verification module to verify the format compliance and logical rationality of the input single or combined parameters such as gain data, elevation angle data, azimuth angle data, vertical coverage height, and horizontal coverage distance. For example, it checks whether the gain data is within the power range supported by the device and whether the vertical and horizontal coverage parameters meet the coverage range of the antenna. After the verification is passed, the parameter configuration submodule writes the standardized parameter values ​​into the corresponding registers or configuration files.

[0055] Specifically, when the parameter configuration submodule in the control module 104 detects that it has updated one or more of the gain data, vertical coverage height, and horizontal coverage distance, the newly configured signal coverage parameters can be transmitted to the control module 104. This allows the control module 104 to determine the corresponding array element adjustment data and / or power allocation strategy based on the received signal coverage parameters. For example, the received signal coverage parameters can be matched with the mapping relationship between the signal coverage parameters and the array element adjustment data by calling the mapping relationship to obtain the array element adjustment data corresponding to the signal coverage parameters. The array element adjustment data can then be transmitted to the drive module 105.

[0056] Optionally, the air-to-ground lens antenna also includes an environmental information detection module 107; the environmental information detection module 107 is used to detect the environmental information around the air-to-ground lens antenna 100, wherein the environmental information includes one or more of the following: the installation height of the air-to-ground lens antenna 100, azimuth angle detection data, the elevation angle of the first beam 1021B and the elevation angle of the second beam 1022B.

[0057] In this embodiment, as Figure 7 The diagram shows a schematic of an air-to-ground lens antenna 100. The air-to-ground lens antenna 100 also includes an environmental information detection module 107, used to detect environmental information surrounding the air-to-ground lens antenna 100. This environmental information includes, but is not limited to, the installation height of the air-to-ground lens antenna 100, azimuth angle detection data, and the elevation angles of the first beam 1021B and the second beam 1022B. The installation height of the air-to-ground lens antenna 100 specifically refers to the vertical distance between the antenna and the ground where it is installed, and can be detected by a height detection sensor in the environmental information detection module 107. The azimuth angle detection data can be obtained by setting an azimuth angle detection sensor, and can be verified to check whether the antenna's azimuth angle meets the signal coverage requirements in real time. The pitch angle can be understood as an angular parameter characterizing the direction of a beam in the vertical direction. Specifically, it refers to the angle between the beam direction and the horizontal plane. The pitch angle can be set to be positive when the beam points above the horizontal plane and negative when it points below the horizontal plane. For example, a beam emitted vertically upward has a pitch angle of +90°, emitted horizontally has a pitch angle of 0°, and emitted vertically downward has a pitch angle of -90°. A pitch angle detection sensor can be set in the environmental information detection module 107 to detect the pitch angle of the first beam 1021B and the second beam 1022B.

[0058] Optionally, the air-to-ground lens antenna 100 also includes a strategy adjustment module 108; the strategy adjustment module 108 is connected to the environmental information detection module 107 for receiving environmental information, and connected to the control module 104 for receiving signal coverage parameters; and determines the corresponding second adjustment data based on the environmental information and signal coverage parameters, transmits the second adjustment data to the control module, and controls the corresponding target array element to adjust based on the second adjustment data through the control module.

[0059] In this embodiment, as Figure 7 The diagram shows a schematic of an air-to-ground lens antenna 100. The air-to-ground lens antenna 100 also includes a strategy adjustment module 108, which is connected to an environmental information detection module 107. The environmental information detection module 107 can detect environmental information in real time or periodically via a timed task, and transmit the detected environmental information to the strategy adjustment module 108. Upon receiving the environmental information detected by the environmental information detection module 107, the strategy adjustment module 108 acquires signal coverage parameters and processes the environmental information and signal coverage parameters using a built-in adjustment data determination algorithm to obtain corresponding second adjustment data. The second adjustment data includes the target array element representation and the corresponding array element adjustment data. After obtaining the second adjustment data, it can be transmitted to the control module 104. The control module controls the corresponding target array element to adjust based on the second adjustment data. The specific adjustment process can be referred to the process of adjusting the corresponding target array element based on the first adjustment data described above, and will not be repeated here.

[0060] Specifically, when the strategy adjustment module 108 receives environmental information detected by the environmental information detection module 107, it acquires signal coverage parameters. It can first compare the information in the environmental information with the corresponding information in the signal coverage parameters, calculating the deviation of each parameter. If the deviation of any parameter exceeds a preset threshold, an adjustment operation is triggered to obtain the corresponding second adjustment data. For example, a mapping relationship between different signal coverage height deviations and corresponding power allocation strategies can be pre-set. Upon acquiring the vertical coverage height deviation, matching can be performed based on the vertical coverage height deviation and the mapping relationship to obtain the corresponding power allocation strategy. The power allocation strategy includes the power ratio of each layer of the oscillator array, and the power data of each layer of the oscillator array is determined based on the power ratio. Optionally, for the first element array 1021, the power of the upper-layer element array is less than that of the lower-layer element array; that is, the element array closer to the second element array 1022 has higher power. For the second element array 1022, the power of the upper-layer element array is higher than that of the lower-layer element array; that is, the element array closer to the first element array 1021 has higher power. Correspondingly, different mapping relationships between horizontal coverage distance deviations and corresponding power allocation strategies can be set. After calculating the horizontal coverage distance deviation, matching can be performed based on the horizontal coverage distance deviation and the mapping relationship to obtain the corresponding power allocation strategy. Similarly, a mapping relationship between antenna gain data deviations and corresponding power allocation strategies can be set to determine the corresponding power allocation strategy based on the antenna gain data deviation. It should be noted that the above mapping relationships can be set in conjunction with simulation experiments and tests. If the received signal coverage parameters include multiple factors such as vertical coverage height, horizontal coverage distance, and antenna gain data, multiple factors can be considered to determine the corresponding power allocation strategy, which can also be set in conjunction with simulation experiments and tests.

[0061] In some embodiments, for the second oscillator array 1022, the power P0 of the oscillator closer to the upper layer is greater, and the power P0 of the oscillator farther from the upper layer is greater. x The smaller the value, the better the coverage in the far-field high-gain area, ensuring the most uniform energy distribution of the antenna across the entire airspace and achieving the best coverage effect. The specific power allocation is determined by the gain requirement, which is calculated based on the path loss of the aforementioned uniform low-altitude coverage. The initial gain difference between adjacent layers of elements is calculated using the following formula:

[0062]

[0063] In the second oscillator array 1022, the power of the oscillator in the uppermost layer is P0, and the power value of each layer of the oscillator array is P. x The power values ​​of each layer of the oscillator array can be obtained by fine-tuning based on the actual gain difference in the simulation.

[0064] Optionally, the Luneburg lens antenna 100 also includes a port module 109, which is connected to the control module 104 for data transmission with the control module 104. The port module includes multiple ports, including ground ports and air ports. The ground ports and air ports are respectively connected to the feed module, and the feed module is respectively connected to the corresponding first and second dipole arrays for receiving and transmitting corresponding signals.

[0065] In this embodiment, as Figure 8 The diagram shows a schematic of an air-to-ground lens antenna 100. The air-to-ground lens antenna 100 also includes a port module 109. The port module 109 can establish a bidirectional communication link with the control module 104 via a data bus, enabling real-time interaction of configuration commands, status parameters, and control information. The port module 109 can receive external signals and transmit them to the control module 104 and / or the feed module 103. The port module 109 integrates multiple sets of physical ports, functionally categorized into ground-to-ground ports and air-to-ground ports. The system has N (N≥1) ground ports, employing hardware interfaces conforming to ground equipment interface standards. These ports are connected to the ground feed unit of the feed module 103 via dedicated feed lines. The feed module 103 further transmits the signal to the first dipole array, enabling signal transmission and reception to the ground terminal. There are M (M≥1) air ports, employing a high-gain, low-loss air interface design. These ports are coupled to the air feed unit of the feed module via microstrip lines or waveguides. The feed module 103 then feeds the signal into the second dipole array, completing signal interaction with air targets. This architecture optimizes antenna performance through reasonable design of the feed network and port layout, meeting the signal transmission requirements of different communication scenarios and systems. Preferably, the port module integrates a signal switching switch and a power divider, dynamically adjusting the signal flow direction of the ground / air ports according to the control module's instructions, such as single-transmit, single-receive, or integrated transmit / receive modes. Simultaneously, impedance matching circuits ensure maximum signal transmission efficiency between the ports, the feed module, and the dipole array, reducing reflection loss. Preferably, the entire port module 109 is encapsulated in a metal shielded housing to meet electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) design requirements, avoid crosstalk between ground and air signals, and ensure stable system operation.

[0066] This embodiment proposes an air-to-ground lens antenna for use in a base station. The air-to-ground lens antenna includes a Luneburg lens, a multi-layer dipole array, and a feeding module. The multi-layer dipole array is divided into a first dipole array and a second dipole array, each layer including at least one dipole. The first dipole array, including at least one layer, is positioned at the incident end of the Luneburg lens. Each dipole in the first dipole array transmits a beam to the ground coverage area through the Luneburg lens, forming a first beam covering the ground coverage area. This achieves multi-beam ground coverage through at least one layer of dipole array and the Luneburg lens, resulting in uniform signal coverage of the ground coverage area. The second dipole array, including at least one layer, is positioned at the incident end of the Luneburg lens and below the first dipole array. Each dipole in the second dipole array transmits a beam to the ground coverage area through the Luneburg lens, forming a first beam covering the ground coverage area. This achieves uniform signal coverage of the ground coverage area by transmitting multiple beams through at least one layer of dipole array and the Luneburg lens. The lenses transmit beams to the air coverage area, forming a second beam covering the air coverage area. This achieves multi-beam air coverage through at least one layer of dipole array and Luneburg lens, thus achieving uniform signal coverage in the air coverage area. The power supply module, electrically connected to the first and second dipole arrays respectively, is used to obtain the power allocation strategy and feed the corresponding power base station signal source to the first and second dipole arrays according to the power allocation strategy. This enables the first dipole array to transmit the first beam to the ground coverage area and the second dipole array to transmit the second beam to the air coverage area. By allocating the corresponding power base station signal source to each dipole array according to the power allocation strategy, the power supply module dynamically adjusts the transmission power of each dipole array to adjust the beam pointing and gain, which helps to cope with complex environments such as movement and obstruction. The proposed air-to-ground integrated antenna, combining a multi-layer dipole array and Luneburg lens, transmits multiple beams to both ground and air coverage areas, achieving three-dimensional signal coverage. Furthermore, it dynamically adjusts the transmission power of each dipole array according to a corresponding power allocation strategy, enhancing beam directivity to extend coverage distance and suppress signal interference. Combined with flexible beam control capabilities, it reduces base station energy consumption, extends equipment lifespan, and improves coverage uniformity. This solves the problems of uneven air-to-ground signal coverage and high energy consumption, improving the uniformity of signal coverage in air-to-ground areas and contributing to enhanced communication system performance, energy efficiency, and stability.

[0067] Figure 9 This is a structural flowchart of a base station provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 9 As shown, the base station 200 includes an air-to-ground lens antenna 100 according to any of the above embodiments.

[0068] In this embodiment, the air-to-ground lens antenna described in the previous embodiments is applied to the base station, enabling three-dimensional signal coverage of both the ground coverage area and the low-altitude coverage area. This expands the coverage range of the base station, thus reducing the number of base stations within the same coverage area. This not only lowers the construction cost of the base station but also reduces subsequent maintenance costs and energy consumption. The high performance of the air-to-ground lens antenna allows the base station to adopt a simpler structure and configuration, eliminating the need for complex antenna arrays and beamforming equipment. This helps reduce the hardware cost and complexity of the base station and improves its deployment efficiency.

Claims

1. A ground-to-ground lens antenna, characterized in that, Applied to a base station, it includes: a Luneburg lens, a multi-layer oscillator array, and a feeding module. The multi-layer oscillator array is divided into a first oscillator array and a second oscillator array, and each layer of the oscillator array includes at least one oscillator. The first oscillator array includes at least one layer of oscillator array, which is disposed at the incident end of the Luneburg lens. Each oscillator in the first oscillator array emits a beam through the Luneburg lens to the ground coverage area, forming a first beam covering the ground coverage area. The second oscillator array includes at least one layer of oscillator array, which is disposed at the incident end of the Luneburg lens and located below the first oscillator array. Each oscillator in the second oscillator array emits a beam through the Luneburg lens to the air coverage area, forming a second beam covering the air coverage area. The power supply module is electrically connected to the first and second oscillator arrays respectively, and is used to obtain the power allocation strategy and feed the base station signal source with the corresponding power to the first and second oscillator arrays respectively according to the power allocation strategy, so that the first oscillator array transmits the first beam to the ground coverage area and the second oscillator array transmits the second beam to the air coverage area. The first oscillator array includes at least one first array element, and the first array element includes at least one oscillator; the second oscillator array includes at least one second array element, and the second array element includes at least one oscillator. The air-to-ground lens antenna also includes a control module and a drive module; The control module is connected to the drive module, receives remote control commands, determines first adjustment data based on the remote control commands, and transmits the first adjustment data to the drive module. The remote control commands include one or more of excitation adjustment commands, power allocation commands, and position adjustment commands. The first adjustment data includes a target element identifier and element adjustment data. The element adjustment data includes one or more of excitation adjustment data, power adjustment data, and position adjustment data. The position adjustment data includes adjustment data in the horizontal and / or vertical directions. The driving module receives the first adjustment data, is connected to each layer of the multi-layer oscillator array, and drives the corresponding target array element to be adjusted based on the first adjustment data. The target array element includes at least one of the first array elements and / or at least one of the second array elements.

2. The antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each oscillator in the multi-layer oscillator array is at the same distance from the Luneburg lens and lies on the same spherical surface, with the center of the spherical surface concentric with the center of the Luneburg lens.

3. The antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air-to-ground lens antenna also includes a mechanical adjustment device, which is connected to the drive module and to one or more of the feed module and each layer of the multi-layer dipole array. The drive module drives the mechanical adjustment device to adjust the corresponding target array element based on the array element adjustment data. The mechanical adjustment device includes at least one operable component, which, in response to operation of the at least one operable component, adjusts at least one array element connected to the at least one operable component.

4. The antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control module includes a parameter configuration submodule, which is used to configure signal coverage parameters. The signal coverage parameters include one or more of the following: gain data, elevation angle data, azimuth angle data, vertical coverage height, and horizontal coverage distance.

5. The antenna according to claim 4, characterized in that, The air-to-ground lens antenna also includes an environmental information detection module; the environmental information detection module is used to detect the environmental information around the air-to-ground lens antenna, wherein the environmental information includes one or more of the following: the installation height of the air-to-ground lens antenna, azimuth angle detection data, the elevation angle of the first beam and the elevation angle of the second beam.

6. The antenna according to claim 5, characterized in that, The air-to-ground lens antenna also includes a strategy adjustment module; the strategy adjustment module is connected to the environmental information detection module to receive the environmental information, and is connected to the control module to receive the signal coverage parameters; Based on the environmental information and the signal coverage parameters, the corresponding second adjustment data is determined, and the second adjustment data is transmitted to the control module. The control module then controls the corresponding target array element to adjust based on the second adjustment data.

7. The antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air-to-ground lens antenna also includes a port module, which is connected to the control module and used to transmit data with the control module. The port module includes multiple ports, including a ground port and an air port. The ground port and the air port are respectively connected to the power supply module, which in turn connects to the corresponding first and second oscillator arrays for receiving and transmitting corresponding signals.

8. A base station, characterized in that, Including the air-to-ground lens antenna as described in any one of claims 1-7.

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