Phase shifter assembly and base station antenna

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a phase shifter assembly including: a first housing including a first cavity and a second cavity, where the first cavity and the second cavity are arranged side by side with each other in a horizontal direction or the first cavity and the second cavity are arranged perpendicular to each other in a forward direction; and a first transmission line configured to feed a radiation element with a radio frequency signal in a first polarization direction, in which a first line portion of the first transmission line is mounted within the first cavity and a second line portion of the first transmission line is mounted within the second cavity. In addition, the invention also relates to a base station antenna.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of radio communications, and more specifically, to a phase shifter assembly and a base station antenna. Background Technology

[0002] Wireless base stations are well known in the art and typically include a baseband unit, a radio unit, an antenna, and other components. The antenna is configured to provide bidirectional radio frequency (“RF”) communication with fixed and mobile subscribers (“users”) located throughout the cell. Typically, the antenna is mounted on a tower or a raised structure such as a pole, roof, water tower, etc., with separate baseband and radio units connected to the antenna.

[0003] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a conventional base station 40. Base station 40 typically includes a base station antenna 45 that can be mounted on an antenna tower 44. Base station 40 also includes a baseband unit 41 and a radio unit 42. For simplicity, the accompanying drawings are provided below. Figure 1 A single baseband unit 41 and a single radio unit 42 are shown. However, it should be understood that more than one baseband unit 41 and / or radio unit 42 may be provided. Additionally, although radio unit 42 is shown located at the same position as baseband unit 41 at the base of antenna tower 44, it should be understood that in other cases, radio unit 42 may be a remote radio head (RRH) mounted on antenna tower 44 adjacent to base station antenna 45. Baseband unit 41 may receive data from another source (e.g., a backhaul network (not shown)) and may process that data and provide a data stream to radio unit 42. Radio unit 42 may generate RF signals including data encoded therein and may amplify and transmit these RF signals to base station antenna 45 via radio frequency cable 43 (e.g., coaxial transmission line). It should also be understood that... Figure 1 The base station 40 may also typically include various other devices (not shown), such as a power supply, backup battery, power bus, antenna interface signal group (AISG) controller, etc. Typically, a base station antenna comprises one or more phased arrays of radiating elements, wherein, when the antenna is installed for use, the radiating elements are arranged in one or more columns.

[0004] To transmit and receive RF signals within a defined coverage area, the antenna beam generated by the array of radiating elements included in the base station antenna 45 is typically tilted downwards at a specific angle relative to the horizontal plane (referred to as a "downtilt angle"). In some cases, the downtilt angle of the antenna beam is electronically generated by adjusting the relative phase of the sub-components of the RF signals fed to the respective groups of radiating elements in the array that generate the antenna beam. The amount of electronic downtilt applied to the antenna beam generated by the array of radiating elements of the base station antenna 45 can, in some cases, be adjusted from a remote location. When the base station antenna 45 has such electronic tilt capability, the physical orientation of the base station antenna 45 can remain fixed, but the effective tilt angle of the generated antenna beam (e.g., the pointing angle of the antenna beam peak relative to the horizontal plane) can still be electronically adjusted, for example, by controlling phase shifters that adjust the relative phase of the RF signal sub-components to each radiating element in the array included in the base station antenna 45. The phase shifters and other related circuitry are typically built into the base station antenna 45 and can be controlled from a remote location. Typically, the AISG control signal can be used to control the phase shifter.

[0005] Each phase shifter can typically be integrated with a power divider as part of the feed network (or feed assembly) of a base station antenna 45, which feeds the RF signal received from the radio unit 42 to the array of radiating elements included in the base station antenna 45. The power divider divides the RF signal input to the feed network into multiple sub-components, and the phase shifter applies an adjustable phase shift to each sub-component so that each sub-component is fed to a corresponding sub-array comprising one or more radiating elements. Various different types of phase shifters are known in the art, including rotary wiper arm phase shifters, trombone style phase shifters, sliding dielectric phase shifters, and sliding metal phase shifters. Each of these types of phase shifters can be implemented as a cavity phase shifter, wherein the phase shifter can be enclosed in a metal housing coupled to an electrically grounded location.

[0006] In many applications, achieving high antenna gain is crucial when using these types of antennas. However, in base station antennas, the RF signal is typically fed directly to the phase shifter via the input cable, resulting in significant insertion loss and impacting antenna gain. Furthermore, cavity phase shifters often have deep metal cavities (more precisely, cavities that are relatively high in the forward direction), making them prone to resonances that affect the antenna's RF performance. Moreover, larger cavities occupy more internal space in the antenna, increasing the difficulty of installing other components. Summary of the Invention

[0007] A brief overview of this disclosure is given below to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of it. However, it should be understood that this overview is not an exhaustive summary of this disclosure. It is not intended to identify key or essential parts of this disclosure, nor is it intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Its purpose is merely to present certain concepts of this disclosure in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that follows.

[0008] The purpose of this invention is to provide a phase shifter assembly and related base station antenna that can overcome at least one defect in the prior art.

[0009] According to a first aspect of this disclosure, a phase shifter assembly is provided, wherein the phase shifter assembly includes: a first housing including a first cavity and a second cavity, wherein the first cavity and the second cavity are arranged side by side with each other in a horizontal direction or the first cavity and the second cavity are arranged perpendicular to each other in a forward direction; and a first transmission line configured to feed a radio frequency signal in a first polarization direction to a radiating element, wherein a first line portion of the first transmission line is mounted in the first cavity, and a second line portion of the first transmission line is mounted in the second cavity.

[0010] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, a phase shifter assembly is also provided, wherein the phase shifter assembly includes: a first housing, the first housing including a first phase shifter cavity; a first transmission line, the first transmission line being mounted in the first phase shifter cavity; a second housing, the second housing being arranged adjacent to the first housing in a horizontal direction and detachably coupled to the first housing, wherein the second housing includes a first power supply cavity; and a first power supply line, the first power supply line being mounted in the first power supply cavity, wherein the first power supply line is configured to power the first transmission line.

[0011] According to a third aspect of this disclosure, a base station antenna is also provided, wherein the base station antenna includes: a phase shifter assembly and a radiating element as described above, wherein the radiating element is arranged after the radiating element in a forward direction.

[0012] Other features and advantages of this disclosure will become clearer from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0013] The foregoing and other features and advantages of this disclosure will become clear from the following description of embodiments illustrated in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The drawings, incorporated herein and forming a part of the specification, are further used to explain the principles of this disclosure and to enable those skilled in the art to make and use it. Wherein:

[0014] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a conventional base station structure is shown;

[0015] Figure 2 A schematic partial perspective view of a base station antenna including an example phase shifter assembly is shown;

[0016] Figures 3-4 Schematic partial perspective views of a base station antenna including a phase shifter assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure are shown respectively;

[0017] Figure 5 As shown Figures 3-4 A schematic partial perspective view of the connection between the coaxial cable and the feed line of a base station antenna.

[0018] Figure 6 As shown Figures 3-4 An enlarged schematic perspective view of the connection between the feed lines in the feed cavity of a base station antenna and the transmission lines in the phase shifter cavity.

[0019] Figure 7 As shown Figures 3-4 A schematic exploded perspective view of the connection between the feed lines in the feed cavity of a base station antenna and the transmission lines in the phase shifter cavity.

[0020] Figure 8 As shown Figures 3-4 A schematic perspective view showing the connection between the radiating element of a base station antenna and the first transmission line inside the phase shifter cavity;

[0021] Figures 9-10 A base station antenna comprising a plurality of phase shifter assemblies according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown, wherein, Figure 9 This is a bottom view of the base station antenna. Figure 10This is a perspective view of the base station antenna;

[0022] Figure 11 A schematic partial perspective view of a base station antenna including a phase shifter assembly according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0023] Figure 12 It shows Figure 11 A schematic diagram showing the corresponding circuitry within the first, second, third, and fourth cavities of the phase shifter assembly.

[0024] Figure 13 It shows Figure 11 A schematic perspective view of a connection method between the wiring portions in the first and second cavities, and between the wiring portions in the third and fourth cavities.

[0025] Figure 14 A schematic partial perspective view of a base station antenna including a phase shifter assembly according to yet another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0026] Figures 15-16 They are shown respectively Figure 14 A schematic diagram showing the distribution of the corresponding circuit components within the first and second cavities.

[0027] Figure 17 It shows Figure 14 A schematic perspective view of a connection method between the wiring portions of the first and second cavities in the structure;

[0028] Figure 18 It shows Figure 14 A schematic perspective view of another connection method between the wiring portions of the first and second cavities.

[0029] Note that in the embodiments described below, the same reference numerals are sometimes used across different figures to denote the same parts or parts with the same function, and repeated descriptions are omitted. In some cases, similar reference numerals and letters are used to denote similar items, so once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be discussed further in subsequent figures.

[0030] For ease of understanding, the positions, dimensions, and extents of the structures shown in the accompanying drawings and other materials may not represent actual positions, dimensions, and extents. Therefore, this disclosure is not limited to the positions, dimensions, and extents disclosed in the accompanying drawings and other materials. Detailed Implementation

[0031] Various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement, numerical expressions, and values ​​of the components and steps set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0032] The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative and is in no way intended to limit the scope of this disclosure or its application or use. That is, the structures and methods herein are shown in an exemplary manner to illustrate different embodiments of the structures and methods in this disclosure. However, those skilled in the art will understand that they merely illustrate exemplary ways that can be used to implement this disclosure, and not exhaustive ways. Furthermore, the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, and some features may be enlarged to show details of specific components.

[0033] In addition, techniques, methods and equipment known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such techniques, methods and equipment should be considered part of the specification.

[0034] In all examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limitations. Therefore, other examples of exemplary embodiments may have different values.

[0035] Phase shifter assemblies according to various embodiments of the present invention can be applied to various types of base station antennas, such as beamforming antennas or multiple-input multiple-output antennas. These antennas include phase shifters that provide the ability to adjust the relative phase shift of sub-components of RF signals applied to them, which can be fed to radiating elements of an array contained in the antenna. The phase shifter and associated components (e.g., cavities for housing the phase shifter) in the antenna can be configured as a phase shifter assembly.

[0036] It should be understood that the coordinate axes marked in the attached figures show the vertical direction (V-axis), horizontal direction (H-axis), and forward direction (F-axis) of the base station antenna 100.

[0037] The following is for reference Figure 2 Describe an exemplary base station antenna. The base station antenna may include a phase shifter assembly 100 and an array of radiating elements 50 located in front of the phase shifter assembly 100. In some embodiments, the base station antenna may also include a reflector (e.g., see [reference needed]). Figure 9 and Figure 10 The array of radiating elements 50 can be located on the front side of the reflector 70, and the phase shifter assembly 100 can be located on the rear side of the reflector.

[0038] The phase shifter assembly 100 may include a first housing 110, wherein the first housing 110 may have a first phase shifter cavity 111 and a second phase shifter cavity 112.

[0039] A first transmission line 120 may be installed in the first phase shifter cavity 111, and a second transmission line 130 may be installed in the second phase shifter cavity 112. It should be understood that the transmission line referred to herein is a line installed in the phase shifter cavity (e.g., the first phase shifter cavities 111, 211 and the second phase shifter cavities 112, 212) that processes RF signals, and may, for example, have line portions for phase shifting, power distribution, and / or phase compensation to achieve phase shifting, power distribution, and / or phase compensation functions.

[0040] The base station antenna may further include a first coaxial cable 61 and a second coaxial cable 62. The first coaxial cable 61 can power a first transmission line 120 located inside the first phase shifter cavity 111 and feed a radio frequency signal with a first polarization direction to the radiating element 50 via the first transmission line 120. The second coaxial cable 62 can power a second transmission line 130 located inside the second phase shifter cavity 112 and feed a radio frequency signal with a second polarization direction to the radiating element 50 via the second transmission line 130.

[0041] On the one hand, such as Figure 2 The base station antenna shown typically feeds RF signals directly to the transmission line located inside the phase shifter cavity via a coaxial input cable (the cable that directly feeds RF signals to the transmission line is referred to as the input cable in this paper), resulting in a large insertion loss of the antenna and affecting the antenna gain.

[0042] On the other hand, phase shifter cavities typically have a significant depth (i.e., the length extending in the forward direction F) to provide sufficient space for transmission lines. However, a large phase shifter cavity (generally referring to a deep cavity) can easily generate resonances that affect the antenna's RF performance, for example, because the resonant frequency falls into or is close to the antenna's operating frequency band. Furthermore, the transmission lines within a single phase shifter cavity often integrate circuitry for phase shifting, power distribution, and / or phase compensation, resulting in a very crowded arrangement of transmission lines within the cavity and increased coupling losses. Moreover, a larger phase shifter cavity occupies more back space on the base station antenna, hindering the assembly of other components.

[0043] Therefore, according to a first aspect of this disclosure, a phase shifter assembly is provided that, according to some embodiments of the invention, can at least eliminate the cable connection to the phase shifter cavity, reduce the insertion loss associated with the input cable of the phase shifter cavity, thereby improving the gain performance of the antenna.

[0044] like Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, a phase shifter assembly 200 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may include a first housing 210 and at least one second housing 240 (two second housings 240 in the figure). Each second housing 240 may be arranged adjacent to the first housing 210 in the horizontal direction H. The first housing 210 may include a first phase shifter cavity 211 and a second phase shifter cavity 212. A first transmission line 220 may be installed in the first phase shifter cavity 211, and a second transmission line 220 may be installed in the second phase shifter cavity 212.

[0045] A second housing 240 may include a first feeding cavity 241, within which a first feeding line 250 may be installed to feed power to a first transmission line 220 within a first phase shifter cavity 211. A second housing 240 may include a second feeding cavity 242, within which a second feeding line 260 may be installed to feed power to a second transmission line 230 within a second phase shifter cavity 212. In some embodiments, the first feeding line 250 may be configured as a first metal strip, and / or the second feeding line 260 may be configured as a second metal strip. For example, sheet metal strips may be formed using metal sheets or foils as conductors through processes such as cutting and bending. Alternatively, in some embodiments, a first printed circuit board may be installed in the first power supply cavity 241, and / or a second printed circuit board may be installed in the second power supply cavity 242, wherein the first power supply line 250 may be configured as a first conductive trace printed on the first printed circuit board, and / or the second power supply line 260 may be configured as a second conductive trace printed on the second printed circuit board.

[0046] To facilitate a transition connection between the first coaxial cable 61 and the first feed line 250, in some embodiments, the phase shifter assembly 200 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may further include a first transition member 270. The first transition member 270 may be located at the longitudinal end of the first feed cavity 241.

[0047] The input section of the first feeder line 250 is generally located near this end.

[0048] The following is for reference Figure 5 Specifically, the transitional electrical connection between the first coaxial cable 61 and the first feeder line 250 is described.

[0049] In some embodiments, the first transition member 270 may be coupled to each of the second housings 240. Specifically, a coupling gap may be provided between the first transition member 270 and the second housing 240, and a coupling medium, such as a medium gasket, may be placed within the coupling gap to achieve an optimized coupling connection between the first transition member 270 and the second housing 240. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the first transition member 270 may be fixedly connected to the second housing 240 by form-fitting (e.g., interlocking), force-locking (e.g., threaded connection), and / or material bonding (e.g., welding, adhesive, etc.).

[0050] The first transition member 270 may include a channel 271 for receiving the first coaxial cable 61. The first coaxial cable 61 may include an outer conductor 611 and an inner conductor 612, wherein the outer conductor 611 may be electrically connected, for example, in contact or coupled to the first transition member 270 via the inner surface of the channel 271, so that the outer conductor 611, the first transition member 270 and the second housing 240 are grounded together.

[0051] The inner conductor 612 can extend into the first feed cavity 241 via channel 271, thereby connecting to the first feed line 250 by, for example, soldering. In one specific example, when the first feed line 250 is a first conductive trace printed on a printed circuit board, soldering can be used to current-connect the inner conductor 612 to the first feed line 250. In another specific example, when the first feed line 250 is a sheet metal strip, laser soldering can be used to current-connect the inner conductor 612 to the first feed line 250. A window can be provided in the first feed cavity 241 to provide soldering space for the connection between the inner conductor 612 and the first feed line 250. However, providing a window may reduce the continuity of the electric field within the first feed cavity 241, causing unstable signal transmission. To compensate for the reduced electric field continuity, in some embodiments, the first feed line 250 may include a first compensation circuit section for capacitive-inductive compensation to improve the standing wave ratio (VSWR), thereby improving signal transmission efficiency, reducing signal loss, and increasing signal transmission stability.

[0052] By replacing the input cable with the first transmission line 220 through the first feed cavity 211 and the first feed line 250 configured as a stripline inside, the insertion loss associated with the input cable that directly feeds the first transmission line 220 can be reduced, thereby improving the antenna gain performance.

[0053] To facilitate a transition connection between the second coaxial cable 62 and the second feed line 260, in some embodiments, the phase shifter assembly 200 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may further include a second transition member 280 for the second coaxial cable 61. The second transition member 280 may be located at a longitudinal end, such as the bottom end, of the second feed cavity 242. The input portion of the second feed line 260 is generally located near this end.

[0054] The transition connection between the second coaxial cable 61 and the second feeder line 260 can be referred to as follows: Figure 5 The transition connection between the first coaxial cable 61 and the first feeder line 250 is shown.

[0055] Specifically, the second transition member 280 can be coupled to the second housing 240. The second transition member 280 may include a channel for receiving the second coaxial cable 62. The outer conductor 611 of the second coaxial cable 62 can be electrically connected, for example, contacted or coupled to the second transition member 280 via the inner surface of the channel, so that the outer conductor of the second coaxial cable 62, the second transition member 280 and the second housing 240 are grounded together. The inner conductor of the second coaxial cable 62 can extend into the second feed cavity 242 via the channel on the second transition member 280, thereby being current-connected to the second feed line 260.

[0056] Some specific implementations can be referred to the above description based on the transition connection between the first coaxial cable 61 and the first feed line 250, and will not be repeated here. As mentioned above, in order to improve the VSWR of the second feed line 260 within the second feed cavity 242, and to improve signal transmission efficiency, reduce signal loss, and enhance signal transmission stability, in some embodiments, the second feed line 260 may include a second compensation circuit section for capacitive-inductive compensation.

[0057] By replacing the input cable with the second transmission line 220 via the second feed cavity 242 and its internal second feed line 260, which is configured as a stripline, the insertion loss associated with the input cable that directly feeds the second transmission line 230 can be reduced, thereby further improving the antenna's gain performance.

[0058] In some embodiments, each second housing 240 may be integrally formed with the first housing 210, for example, by an extrusion process, so that each second housing 240 and the first housing 210 can be manufactured efficiently without the aid of welding.

[0059] In some embodiments, each second housing 240 and the first housing 210 may be molded separately (e.g., separately by an extrusion process). Each second housing 240 may be detachably attached to the first housing 210. In a specific example, each second housing 240 may be fixed to the first housing 210 by welding or laser welding so that the first housing 210 and each second housing 240 share a common ground.

[0060] A detachable connection between each second housing 240 and the first housing 210 can also be advantageous. This detachable connection provides greater flexibility in the arrangement of the phase shifter assembly 200 in the base station antenna, allowing for flexible adjustment of the position of the second housing 240 relative to the first housing 210 in the forward direction and / or longitudinal direction, depending on the position of the coaxial cables (e.g., the first coaxial cable 61 and the second coaxial cable 62). In some applications, the rear surface of the first housing 210 may be substantially flush with the rear surface of the second housing 240 in the forward direction. In some applications, the rear surface of the first housing 210 may be offset from the rear surfaces of one or more second housings 240 in the forward direction. In some applications, the longitudinal end face (e.g., the bottom end face) of each second housing 240 may be substantially flush with the longitudinal end face (e.g., the bottom end face) of the first housing 210 in the longitudinal direction. In some applications, the longitudinal end face (e.g., the bottom end face) of each second housing 240 may be offset from the longitudinal end face (e.g., the bottom end face) of the first housing 210 in the longitudinal direction.

[0061] The following is for reference Figure 6 and Figure 7 Describe the connection between the power supply lines inside the power supply cavity and the transmission lines inside the phase shifter cavity.

[0062] The first feed line 250 may have a connection portion 251, and the first transmission line 220 may have a connection portion 2201. The connection portion 251 and the connection portion 2201 may be electrically connected, for example, via an electrical connection structure 810. This electrical connection structure 810 may be implemented in various forms of conductive structures, and is not limited to the embodiments described in this disclosure. In some embodiments, the electrical connection structure 810 may be configured as a PCB component. In some embodiments, the electrical connection structure 810 may be configured as a probe structure.

[0063] In the illustrated embodiment, the electrical connection structure 810 may have an opening 811 for the connection portion 251, an opening 812 for the connection portion 2201, and a metal region 815 surrounding the openings 811 and 812. A through slot 217 is provided on the rear surface of the first housing 210, and a through slot 247 is provided on the rear surface of each second housing 240. The through slots 217 and 247 are substantially aligned in the horizontal direction, and the electrical connection structure 810 is at least partially accommodated within the through slots 217 and 247.

[0064] The connecting portion 251 extends outward sequentially through the through slot 247 and the opening 811, and the connecting portion 2201 extends outward sequentially through the through slot 217 and the opening 812. The connecting portion 251 can be electrically connected to the connecting portion 2201 via the metal region 815. In some embodiments, the connecting portion 251 and the connecting portion 2201 can be welded to the metal region 815 respectively to achieve an electrical connection between the first feed line 250 and the first transmission line 220.

[0065] The second power supply line may have a connection part 261, and the second transmission line 230 may have a connection part 2301. The connection part 261 and the connection part 2301 may also be electrically connected via an electrical connection structure 810.

[0066] Specifically, the electrical connection structure 810 may further have an opening 813 for the connection portion 261, an opening 814 for the connection portion 2301, and a metal region 816 surrounding the openings 813 and 814, wherein the metal region 816 is electrically isolated from the metal region 815. A through slot 248 may also be formed on the rear surface of each second housing 240, the through slots 217 and 248 being substantially aligned in the horizontal direction, and the electrical connection structure 810 may be at least partially accommodated within the through slots 217 and 247. In some embodiments, the electrical connection structure 810 may be accommodated within the region formed by the combination of the through slots 217, 247, and 248.

[0067] The connecting portion 261 can extend outward sequentially through the through slot 248 and the opening 813, and the connecting portion 2301 can extend outward sequentially through the through slot 217 and the opening 814. The connecting portion 261 can be electrically connected to the connecting portion 2301 via the metal region 816. In some embodiments, the connecting portion 261 and the connecting portion 2301 can be welded to the metal region 816 respectively to realize the electrical connection between the second feed line 260 and the second transmission line 230.

[0068] In some embodiments, such as Figure 6As shown, the electrical connection between the connecting portion 251 and the connecting portion 2201, as well as the electrical connection between the connecting portion 261 and the connecting portion 2301, can be achieved via an electrical connection structure 810. It should be understood that in some embodiments, the electrical connection structure between the connecting portion 251 and the connecting portion 2201 and the electrical connection structure between the connecting portion 261 and the connecting portion 2301 can be different electrical connection structures. That is, the openings 811, 812 and the metal area 815 and the openings 813, 814 and the metal area 816 can be located in different electrical connection structures.

[0069] This establishes an electrical connection between the feed line within the feed cavity and the transmission line within the phase shifter cavity. The transmission line can receive the input radio frequency signal from the feed line. The phase of the corresponding sub-components of the input radio frequency signal can be adjusted via the transmission line within the phase shifter cavity, and each sub-component is transmitted to the radiating element 50 of the corresponding radiating element array 501. Although Figure 3 Only one radiating element array 501 is shown, but it should be understood that in some embodiments, there may be multiple radiating element arrays 501, for example, Figure 9 and Figure 10 An array of four radiating elements is schematically shown. The first transmission line 220 can feed a radio frequency signal in a first polarization direction to the radiating element 50, and the second transmission line 230 can feed a radio frequency signal in a second polarization direction to the radiating element 50.

[0070] In this document, a dual-polarized radiating element will be described by way of example. It should be understood that other types of radiating elements may also be applied to phase shifter assemblies and base station antennas according to various embodiments of this disclosure. Specifically, such as Figure 8 As shown, each radiating element 50 may include a pair of dipole radiators, wherein one dipole radiator 51 can operate in a first polarization direction (hereinafter referred to as the first radiator 51) to receive and transmit radio frequency signals in the first polarization direction, and the other dipole radiator 52 can operate in a second polarization direction (hereinafter referred to as the second radiator 52) to receive and transmit radio frequency signals in the second polarization direction. In a specific example, one dipole radiator may be positioned at an angle of +45° relative to the longitudinal axis of the base station antenna, and the other dipole radiator may be positioned at an angle of -45° relative to the longitudinal axis of the base station antenna, such that the dipole radiators are arranged orthogonally to each other. When using dual-polarized radiating elements, in each radiating element array, a first subarray formed by multiple first radiators 51 and a second subarray formed by multiple second radiators 52 can generate decorrelated antenna beams, thereby doubling the number of antenna beams that the base station antenna can generate each time.

[0071] The radiating element 50 may also include a first feed rod 53 and a second feed rod 54, wherein the first radiator 51 is mounted on the first feed rod 53 and the second radiator 52 is mounted on the second feed rod 54.

[0072] The following is for reference Figure 8 Describe the connection between the transmission lines and the radiating elements within the phase shifter cavity.

[0073] Figure 8 The electrical connection between the first transmission line 220 and the radiating element 50 is also shown to enable the transmission of radio frequency signals in the first polarization direction.

[0074] In the illustrated embodiment, the first feed rod 53 has a conductive portion 531, which extends into the first phase shifter cavity via an opening (not shown) on the front surface of the first housing 210 corresponding to the position of the first phase shifter cavity, so as to be electrically connected to the first transmission circuit 220. For example, a direct electrical connection between the first feed rod 53 and the first transmission line 220 can be achieved by soldering the conductive portion 531 to the first transmission line 220.

[0075] In other embodiments, the first transmission circuit 220 may have an output section (not shown), and an opening (not shown) for the output section to extend forward is provided on the front surface of the first housing 210 corresponding to the position of the first phase shifter cavity. A feed board may also be provided on the front surface of the first housing 210, through which the output section of the first transmission line can extend forward and be electrically connected to the feed network on the feed board. The first feed rod 53 may also be electrically connected to the feed network on the feed board, thereby enabling the electrical connection between the first feed rod 53 and the first transmission line 220 via the feed network on the feed board, thus achieving the transmission of radio frequency signals in the first polarization direction.

[0076] It should be understood that the electrical connection between the second transmission line 230 and the radiating element 50 can be similarly referred to the above and Figure 8 This is to achieve the transmission of radio frequency signals in the second polarization direction, which will not be elaborated here.

[0077] Figure 9 and Figure 10 A base station antenna comprising a plurality of phase shifter assemblies 200 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown, wherein, Figure 9 This is a bottom view of the base station antenna. Figure 10 This is a perspective view of the front of the base station antenna.

[0078] Multiple phase shifter assemblies 200 may be located behind the reflector 70 in the forward direction F. In some embodiments, the reflector 70 may be integrally formed with each of the first housings 210, so that the reflector and the first housing 210 can be grounded together, for example, without welding, and the installation process can be simplified. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the reflector 70 may be separately formed from the first housing 210, and the reflector 70 may be connected to the first housing 210 by form-fitting (e.g., interlocking), force-locking (e.g., threaded connection), and / or material bonding (e.g., welding, adhesive, etc.).

[0079] Multiple radiating elements 50 can be mounted to extend forward from reflector 70 in a forward direction. Reflector 70 can serve as a ground plane for radiating element array 501. Reflector 70 can be made of conductive materials such as copper or aluminum to suppress radiation from radiating element array 501. Reflector 70 can redirect a portion of the electromagnetic radiation emitted rearward by radiating elements 50 to propagate forward. It should be understood that in some embodiments, the function of reflector 70 can be achieved through the substantially flat front surface of the first housing 210 instead of reflector 70.

[0080] The radiating element array can be a high-frequency band radiating element array, a mid-frequency band radiating element array, and / or a low-frequency radiating element array. The operating frequency band of the low-frequency band radiating elements can be, for example, 617 MHz to 960 MHz, or one or more portions thereof. The operating frequency band of the mid-frequency band radiating elements can be, for example, 1427 MHz to 2690 MHz, or one or more portions thereof. The operating frequency band of the high-frequency band radiating elements can be 3 GHz to 5 GHz, or one or more portions thereof. Alternatively, an array of radiating elements operating in other frequency bands can be provided (e.g., an array of radiating elements operating in a portion of the mid-frequency band and a portion of the high-frequency band).

[0081] As will be described in detail below, in some embodiments, the first phase shifter cavity 211 may include a first cavity and a second cavity. A first line portion of the first transmission line 220 may be installed in the first cavity, and a second line portion of the first transmission line 220 may be installed in the second cavity. The first cavity and the second cavity are arranged side by side with each other in the horizontal direction or perpendicular to each other in the forward direction.

[0082] As will also be described in detail below, in some embodiments, the second phase shifter cavity 212 may include a third cavity and a fourth cavity, the third line portion of the second transmission line 230 may be installed in the third cavity, and the fourth line portion of the second transmission line 230 may be installed in the fourth cavity, wherein the third cavity and the fourth cavity are arranged side by side with each other in the horizontal direction or the third cavity and the fourth cavity are arranged perpendicular to each other in the forward direction.

[0083] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, a phase shifter assembly is provided. According to some embodiments of the invention, the phase shifter assembly may have at least a phase shifter cavity with reduced depth, thereby reducing unwanted resonance effects caused by a deeper phase shifter cavity and improving the space utilization of the antenna. Furthermore, according to some embodiments of the invention, the phase shifter assembly can provide more space for the transmission lines inside the phase shifter cavity, reducing coupling losses between lines.

[0084] like Figures 11 to 14 As shown, a phase shifter assembly 300 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may include a first housing 310.

[0085] In some embodiments described above, the first housing 310 may typically include a first phase shifter cavity and a second phase shifter cavity, wherein a first transmission line configured to feed a radio frequency signal in a first polarization direction to a radiating element may be installed in the first phase shifter cavity, and a second transmission line configured to feed a radio frequency signal in a second polarization direction to a radiating element may be installed in the second phase shifter cavity.

[0086] As mentioned above, the transmission line may integrate circuitry for phase shifting, power distribution, and / or phase compensation, making the arrangement of the transmission line within the phase shifter cavity very crowded, resulting in more coupling losses. Alternatively, in order to provide sufficient space for the transmission line, a deeper phase shifter cavity is often required, which is more prone to resonance and occupies too much space in the antenna, which is not conducive to component assembly. All of these are disadvantages.

[0087] To this end, the first housing 310 can provide more than two cavities to divide at least one of the first and second phase shifter cavities into multiple sub-cavities (e.g., first cavity 311-1, second cavity 311-2, third cavity 312-1, and fourth cavity 312-2), and install at least one of the first and second transmission lines in a split manner (e.g., first line portion 320-1, second line portion 320-2, and third line portion 330-1 and fourth line portion 330-2 of the first and second transmission lines) in these multiple sub-cavities. This reduces the forward extension depth of at least one of the first and second phase shifter cavities, providing more flexible arrangement space for the installation of other components in the base station antenna. Furthermore, it provides more arrangement space for at least one of the first and second transmission lines, reducing coupling losses between lines and improving RF signal transmission efficiency. A first housing with a corresponding number of sub-cavities can be formed as needed (e.g., by extrusion process) to improve the flexibility of cavity arrangement.

[0088] Specifically, in some embodiments, the first housing 310 may include a first cavity 311-1 and a second cavity 311-2 for the first transmission line, wherein the first line portion 320-1 of the first transmission line may be installed in the first cavity 311-1, and the second line portion 320-2 of the first transmission line may be installed in the second cavity 311-2.

[0089] The first transmission line may include a first phase-shifting circuit 3201 and a first power-sharing circuit 3202. The first phase-shifting circuit 3201 may be configured as a first line section 320-1 or a portion thereof, and the first power-sharing circuit 3202 may be configured as a second line section 320-2 or a portion thereof. Thus, the line sections of the first transmission line used for phase shifting and power distribution can be separated into two relatively independent cavities, providing more arrangement space for the first transmission line while maintaining the integrity of its function. Furthermore, the first transmission line may also include a first phase compensation circuit, wherein the first phase compensation circuit may be configured as a first line section 320-1 or a portion thereof and / or a second line section 320-2 or a portion thereof.

[0090] For example, a third printed circuit board may be installed in the first cavity 311-1, and the first line portion 320-1 may be configured as a third conductive trace printed on the third printed circuit board. A fourth printed circuit board may be installed in the second cavity 311-2, and the second line portion 320-2 may be configured as a fourth conductive trace printed on the fourth printed circuit board.

[0091] In some embodiments, the first housing 310 may further include a third cavity 312-1 and a fourth cavity 312-2 for the second transmission line, wherein the third line portion 330-1 of the second transmission line may be installed in the third cavity 312-1, and the fourth line portion 330-2 of the second transmission line may be installed in the fourth cavity 312-2.

[0092] The second transmission line may include a second phase-shifting circuit 3301 and a second power distribution circuit 3302. The second phase-shifting circuit 3301 may be configured as a third line section 330-1 or a portion thereof, and the second power distribution circuit 3302 may be configured as a fourth line section 330-2 or a portion thereof. Thus, the line sections of the second transmission line used for phase shifting and power distribution can be separated into two relatively independent cavities, providing more arrangement space for the second transmission line while maintaining the integrity of its function. Furthermore, the second transmission line may also include a second phase compensation circuit, wherein the second phase compensation circuit may be configured as a third line section 330-1 or a portion thereof and / or a fourth line section 330-2 or a portion thereof.

[0093] For example, a fifth printed circuit board may be installed in the third cavity 312-1, and the third line portion 330-1 may be configured as a fifth conductive trace printed on the fifth printed circuit board. A sixth printed circuit board may be installed in the fourth cavity 312-2, and the fourth line portion 330-2 may be configured as a sixth conductive trace printed on the sixth printed circuit board.

[0094] The first line portion 320-1 may have a connecting portion 321, and the second line portion 320-2 may have a connecting portion 322. The connecting portions 321 and 322 are electrically connected, thereby electrically connecting the first line portion 320-1 and the second line portion 320-2 to form a first transmission line. It should be understood that when the first transmission line is divided into more than two line portions installed in corresponding sub-cavities, the connecting portions of each line portion are electrically connected to form a complete first transmission line to feed an RF signal in a first polarization direction to the radiating element 50.

[0095] Furthermore, the third line portion 330-1 may have a connecting portion 331, and the fourth line portion 330-2 may have a connecting portion 332. The connecting portions 331 and 332 are electrically connected, thereby electrically connecting the third line portion 330-1 and the fourth line portion 330-2 to form a second transmission line. It should be understood that when the second transmission line is divided into more than two line portions installed in corresponding sub-cavities, the connecting portions of each line portion are electrically connected to form a complete second transmission line for feeding an RF signal in the second polarization direction to the radiating element 50.

[0096] Figure 11 An arrangement of the first cavity 311-1, the second cavity 311-2, the third cavity 312-1, and the fourth cavity 312-2 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0097] Specifically, the first cavity 311-1 and the second cavity 311-2 can be arranged perpendicularly to each other in the forward direction F, wherein the first cavity 311-1 can extend along the forward direction F, the second cavity 311-2 can extend along the horizontal direction H, and the second cavity 311-2 is arranged in front of the first cavity 311-1 in the forward direction F. The third cavity 312-1 and the fourth cavity 312-2 can be arranged perpendicularly to each other in the forward direction F, wherein the third cavity 312-1 can extend along the forward direction F, the fourth cavity 312-2 can extend along the horizontal direction H, and the fourth cavity 312-2 is arranged in front of the third cavity 312-1 in the forward direction F. Thus, the first cavity 311-1 and the second cavity 311-2 can form a "mirror-shaped 7-type or T-type" cross-sectional profile, and the third cavity 312-1 and the fourth cavity 312-2 can form a "7-type or T-type" cross-sectional profile. This "Type 7 or Type T" cross-sectional profile can advantageously reduce the size of the phase shifter assembly in the forward direction. Furthermore, this "Type 7 or Type T" cross-sectional profile can advantageously increase the size of the front face of the phase shifter assembly in the horizontal direction, which can be used to accommodate the feed rod of the radiating element.

[0098] For example, the depth of the first cavity 311-1 and the third cavity 312-1 in the forward direction F can be 35mm to 47.5mm.

[0099] Figure 12 As shown Figure 11 The diagram shows a schematic distribution of the wiring portions within each cavity in the arrangement shown. The first phase-shifting circuit 3201 can be arranged as at least part of the first wiring portion 320-1 within the first cavity 311-1; the first power distribution circuit 3202 can be arranged as at least part of the second wiring portion 320-2 within the second cavity 311-2; the second phase-shifting circuit 3301 can be arranged as at least part of the third wiring portion 330-1 within the third cavity 312-1; and the second power distribution circuit 3302 can be arranged as at least part of the fourth wiring portion 330-2 within the fourth cavity 312-2.

[0100] In a specific example, the RF signal in the first polarization direction can be divided into multiple first sub-components via the first power distribution circuit 3202, so as to feed the multiple first sub-components to the radiating element array 501 (e.g., to the first radiator 51 of each radiating element 50 of the radiating element array 501). The first housing 310 may have multiple openings on its front surface at positions corresponding to the second cavity 311-2, so as to allow the first feed rod of the radiating element 50 to extend into the second cavity 311-2 and be electrically connected to the second line portion 320-2. The RF signal in the second polarization direction can be divided into multiple second sub-components via the second power distribution circuit 3302, so as to feed the multiple second sub-components to the radiating element array 501 (e.g., to the second radiator 52 of each radiating element 50 of the radiating element array 501). The first housing 310 may have multiple openings on its front surface at positions corresponding to the fourth cavity 312-2, so as to allow the second feed rod of the radiating element 50 to extend into the fourth cavity 312-2 and be electrically connected to the fourth line portion 330-2. The connection methods between the first feeder pole and the second line section 320-2, and between the second feeder pole and the fourth line section 330-2, can be referred to Figure 8 As described above based on phase shifter assembly 200, it will not be repeated here.

[0101] The following is for reference Figure 13 Description in such Figure 11 The cavity arrangement shown illustrates the connection between the first circuit section 320-1 and the second circuit section 320-2, as well as the connection between the third circuit section 330-1 and the fourth circuit section 330-2.

[0102] Reference Figure 13 The connecting portion 321 of the first line portion 320-1 and the connecting portion 322 of the second line portion 320-2 can be arranged substantially perpendicular to each other in the forward direction F. The connecting portion 321 of the first line portion 320-1 can extend along the forward direction F, and the connecting portion 322 of the second line portion 320-2 can extend along the horizontal direction H.

[0103] An opening 3131 may be provided on the intermediate plate 313 of the first housing 310 located between the first cavity 311-1 and the second cavity 311-2, so that the connecting portion 321 of the first circuit portion 320-1 extends into the second cavity 311-2 through the opening 3131. In some embodiments, the connecting portion 321 extending into the second cavity 311-2 may be welded to the connecting portion 322 to achieve an electrical connection between the connecting portion 321 and the connecting portion 322. A welding window 3101 may be provided on the front surface of the first housing 310 to provide operating space for the welding process.

[0104] The connecting portion 331 of the third line section 330-1 and the connecting portion 332 of the fourth line section 330-2 can be arranged substantially perpendicular to each other in the forward direction F. The connecting portion 331 of the third line section 330-1 can extend along the forward direction F, and the connecting portion 332 of the fourth line section 330-2 can extend along the horizontal direction H.

[0105] An opening 3131 may be provided on the intermediate plate 314 of the first housing 310 located between the third cavity 312-1 and the fourth cavity 312-2, so that the connecting portion 331 can extend into the fourth cavity 312-2 through the opening 3141. In some embodiments, the connecting portion 331 extending into the fourth cavity 312-2 can be welded to the connecting portion 332 to achieve an electrical connection between the connecting portion 331 and the connecting portion 332. A welding window 3102 may be provided on the front surface of the first housing 310 to provide operating space for the welding process.

[0106] Figure 14 Another arrangement of the first cavity 311-1, the second cavity 311-2, the third cavity 312-1, and the fourth cavity 312-2 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0107] Specifically, the first cavity 311-1 and the second cavity 311-2 can be arranged parallel to each other or side by side in the horizontal direction H, and the first cavity 311-1 and the second cavity 311-2 can each extend along the forward direction F. The third cavity 312-1 and the fourth cavity 312-2 can be arranged parallel to each other or side by side in the horizontal direction H, and the third cavity 312-1 and the fourth cavity 312-2 can extend along the forward direction F. In the illustrated embodiment, the second cavity 311-2 can be arranged inward relative to the first cavity 311-1, and the fourth cavity 312-2 can be arranged inward relative to the third cavity 312-1, such that the second cavity 311-2 and the fourth cavity 312-2 are adjacent to each other, thereby enabling the first power distribution circuit 3202 and the second power distribution circuit 3302 to be arranged in the adjacent second cavity 311-2 and fourth cavity 312-2, in order to simplify the power supply connection with the radiating element 50. In other embodiments, the arrangement of the cavities can be flexibly configured to match the design of the radiating element 50. For example, the depth of each of the first cavity 311-1, the second cavity 311-2, the third cavity 312-1, and the fourth cavity 312-2 in the forward direction F can be 35mm to 47.5mm.

[0108] Figure 12 As shown Figure 11 A schematic diagram of the wiring components within each cavity in the arrangement shown.

[0109] Figure 15 As shown Figure 14 The diagram shows a schematic distribution of the first circuit section 320-1 within the first cavity 311-1 in the arrangement shown. Figure 16 A schematic layout of the second circuit section 320-2 within the second cavity 311-2 is shown. The first phase-shifting circuit 3201 can be configured as the first circuit section 320-1 or a part thereof, and the first power distribution circuit 3202 can be configured as the second circuit section 320-2 or a part thereof. The arrangement of the third circuit section 330-1 can be... Figure 15 The arrangement of the first line section 320-1 shown is similar, and the arrangement of the fourth line section 330-2 can be the same as that shown. Figure 16 The arrangement of the second line section 320-2 shown is similar, wherein the second phase shifting circuit 3301 can be configured as the third line section 330-1 or a part thereof within the third cavity 312-1, and the second power distribution circuit 3302 can be configured as the fourth line section 330-2 or a part thereof within the fourth cavity 312-2.

[0110] As described above, the first power distribution circuit 3202 and the second power distribution circuit 3302 can be arranged in adjacent second cavities 311-2 and fourth cavities 312-2. The first power distribution circuit 3202 can divide the RF signal in the first polarization direction into multiple first sub-components. In order to facilitate feeding the multiple first sub-components to the radiating element array 501 (e.g., feeding the first radiator 51 of each radiating element 50 of the radiating element array 501), the first housing 310 can have multiple openings on its front surface at positions corresponding to the second cavity 311-2, so that the first feed rod of the radiating element 50 can extend into the second cavity 311-2 and be electrically connected to the second line portion 320-2. The second power distribution circuit 3302 can divide the RF signal in the second polarization direction into multiple second sub-components. To facilitate feeding these multiple second sub-components to the radiating element array 501 (e.g., to the second radiators 52 of each radiating element 50 in the radiating element array 501), the first housing 310 may have multiple openings on its front surface corresponding to the fourth cavity 312-2, allowing the second feed rods of the radiating elements 50 to extend into the fourth cavity 312-2 and electrically connect to the fourth line portion 330-2. The connection methods of the first feed rod and the second line portion 320-2, and the connection methods of the second feed rod and the fourth line portion 330-2, can be referred to... Figure 8 As described above based on phase shifter assembly 200, it will not be repeated here.

[0111] The following is for reference Figure 17 Description in such Figure 14The cavity arrangement shown is a connection method between the first circuit part 320-1 and the second circuit part 320-2.

[0112] The connecting part 321 of the first line section 320-1 and the connecting part 322 of the second line section 320-2 can be electrically connected via the electrical connection structure 820.

[0113] Specifically, the electrical connection structure 820 may have an opening 821 for the connection portion 321, an opening 822 for the connection portion 322, and a metal area 823 located around the openings 821 and 822. A through groove 3103 may be formed on the rear surface of the first housing 310, and the electrical connection structure 820 may be at least partially accommodated within the through groove 3103.

[0114] The connecting portion 321 can extend outward sequentially through the through groove 3103 and the opening 821, and the connecting portion 322 can extend outward sequentially through the through groove 3103 and the opening 822. The connecting portion 321 can be electrically connected to the connecting portion 322 via the metal region 823. In some embodiments, the connecting portion 321 and the connecting portion 322 can be soldered to the metal region 823 respectively to achieve an electrical connection between the first line portion 320-1 and the second line portion 320-2.

[0115] It should be understood that, such as Figure 14 One connection method between the third circuit section 330-1 and the fourth circuit section 330-2 in the cavity arrangement shown can be referred to Figure 17 The connection method described above between the first line section 320-1 and the second line section 320-2 will not be repeated here.

[0116] The following is for reference Figure 18 Description in such Figure 14 Another connection method between the first circuit section 320-1 and the second circuit section 320-2 in the cavity arrangement shown.

[0117] The connecting part 321 of the first line section 320-1 and the connecting part 322 of the second line section 320-2 can be electrically connected via the electrical connection structure 830.

[0118] An opening 3151 may be provided on the intermediate plate 315 of the first housing 310 located between the first cavity 311-1 and the second cavity 311-2. The electrical connection structure 830 may be connected across the first cavity 311-1 and the second cavity 311-2 via the opening 3151, for example, in a horizontal direction. The first part of the electrical connection structure 830 may be located in the first cavity 311-1 and the second part of the electrical connection structure 830 may be located in the second cavity 311-2.

[0119] Connecting portions 321 and 322 can be respectively connected to the electrical connection structure 830, and the electrical connection between connecting portions 321 and 322 is realized via the electrical connection structure 830. In some embodiments, connecting portions 321 and 322 can respectively extend to the metal region of the electrical connection structure 830, and the electrical connection between connecting portions 321 and 322 is realized via the metal region of the electrical connection structure 830. Alternatively, in other embodiments, refer to... Figure 18 The electrical connection structure 830 may have an opening 831 for the connection portion 321, an opening 832 for the connection portion 322, and a metal region 833 surrounding the openings 831 and 832. The opening 831 is located in a first portion of the electrical connection structure 830, and the opening 832 is located in a second portion of the electrical connection structure 830. The connection portion 321 may extend to the opening 831, and the connection portion 322 may extend to the opening 832. The connection portion 321 may be electrically connected to the connection portion 322 via the metal region 833. In a specific example, the connection portions 321 and 322 may be soldered to the metal region 833 respectively to achieve an electrical connection between the first line portion 320-1 and the second line portion 320-2. A welding window 3104 can be provided on the longitudinal end face of the first housing to provide welding operation space for the connecting part 321 and the metal area 833, and a welding window 3161 can be provided on the intermediate plate 316 between the second cavity 311-2 and the fourth cavity 312-2 to provide welding operation space for the connecting part 322 and the metal area 833.

[0120] It should be understood that, such as Figure 14 Another connection method between the third circuit section 330-1 and the fourth circuit section 330-2 in the cavity arrangement shown can be referred to Figure 18 The other connection method described above, based on the first line section 320-1 and the second line section 320-2, will not be elaborated here.

[0121] In some embodiments, RF signals can be directly fed to the first line section 320-1 and / or the third line section 330-1 via an input coaxial cable, or, in some embodiments, such as Figure 11 and Figure 14 As shown, RF signals can be fed to the first line section 320-1 and / or the third line section 330-1 through the power supply cavity of the second housing 340 and the power supply line installed therein, instead of the input cable. The transition connection between the first line section 320-1 and / or the third line section 330-1 and the power supply line at the input end can be referred to the description above based on the phase shifter assembly 200, which will not be repeated here.

[0122] According to a third aspect of this disclosure, a base station antenna is also provided. (See reference...) Figures 3-4 , Figures 9-10 , Figure 11 , Figure 14 The exemplary base station antenna according to this disclosure may include a plurality of the phase shifter assemblies described above (e.g., phase shifter assembly 200 or phase shifter assembly 300). Furthermore, the exemplary base station antenna according to this disclosure may also include at least one of an array of radiating elements 50, a reflector 70, and coaxial cables (e.g., coaxial cables 61 and 62), wherein some embodiments may refer to the description above based on phase shifter assembly 200 and / or phase shifter assembly 300, and will not be repeated here.

[0123] The terms “left,” “right,” “front,” “back,” “top,” “bottom,” “up,” “down,” “high,” and “low,” if present in this document, are used for descriptive purposes and not necessarily to describe unchanging relative positions. It should be understood that such terms are interchangeable where appropriate, enabling embodiments of this disclosure described herein to operate, for example, in orientations different from those shown or otherwise described herein. For example, when the device in the figures is reversed, a feature previously described as “above” other features may now be described as “below” other features. The device may also be oriented in other ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), in which case the relative spatial relationships will be interpreted accordingly.

[0124] In this document, when an element is described as being "on top of," "attached to," "connected to," "coupled to," or "in contact with" another element, the element may be directly on top of, directly attached to, directly connected to, directly coupled to, or directly in contact with the other element, or one or more intermediate elements may be present. Conversely, when an element is described as being "directly on top of," "directly attached to," "directly connected to," "directly coupled to," or "directly in contact with" another element, no intermediate elements are present. In the specification and claims, the statement that a feature is arranged "adjacent" to another feature may mean that a feature has a portion overlapping the adjacent feature or a portion located above or below the adjacent feature.

[0125] As used herein, the term “exemplary” means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration” and not as a “model” to be precisely copied. Any implementation described herein by example is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. Moreover, this disclosure is not limited to any theory expressed or implied as given in the field of art, background art, summary of invention, or detailed description.

[0126] As used herein, the term "substantially" means any minor variation resulting from design or manufacturing defects, device or component tolerances, environmental influences, and / or other factors. The term "substantially" also allows for differences from the perfect or ideal situation due to parasitic effects, noise, and other practical considerations that may exist in the actual implementation.

[0127] Furthermore, terms such as “first,” “second,” etc., may be used in this document for reference purposes only and are not intended to be limiting. For example, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the words “first,” “second,” and other such numerical terms relating to structures or elements do not imply order or sequence.

[0128] It should also be understood that when the term “including / contains” is used herein, it indicates the presence of the indicated feature, whole, step, operation, unit and / or component, but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, wholes, steps, operations, units and / or components and / or combinations thereof.

[0129] In this disclosure, the term “provide” is used broadly to cover all ways of obtaining an object, and therefore “provide an object” includes, but is not limited to, “purchasing,” “preparing / manufacturing,” “arranging / setting up,” “installing / assembling,” and / or “ordering” an object.

[0130] As used herein, the term “and / or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the listed items in association. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0131] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the boundaries between the above operations are merely illustrative. Multiple operations may be combined into a single operation, a single operation may be distributed among additional operations, and operations may be performed with at least partial overlap in time. Moreover, alternative embodiments may include multiple instances of a particular operation, and the order of operations may be changed in various other embodiments. However, other modifications, variations, and substitutions are equally possible. Aspects and elements of all the embodiments disclosed above may be combined in any way and / or in combination with aspects or elements of other embodiments to provide multiple additional embodiments. Therefore, this specification and the accompanying drawings should be considered illustrative rather than restrictive.

[0132] While specific embodiments of this disclosure have been described in detail by way of example, those skilled in the art should understand that the examples are for illustrative purposes only and not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. The various embodiments disclosed herein can be combined in any way without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. Those skilled in the art should also understand that various modifications can be made to the embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of this disclosure. The scope of this disclosure is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A phase shifter assembly, characterized in that, The phase shifter assembly includes: A first housing, comprising a first cavity and a second cavity, wherein the first cavity and the second cavity are arranged side-by-side with each other in a horizontal direction or are arranged perpendicular to each other in a forward direction; and A first transmission line is configured to feed a radio frequency signal in a first polarization direction to a radiating element, wherein a first line portion of the first transmission line is installed in the first cavity, and a second line portion of the first transmission line is installed in the second cavity.

2. The phase shifter assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first line portion of the first transmission line includes a first phase-shifting circuit, and the second line portion of the first transmission line includes a first power distribution circuit.

3. The phase shifter assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first line portion has a first connecting portion, and the second line portion has a second connecting portion, wherein the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion are electrically connected; and / or The first connecting portion is electrically connected to the second connecting portion via a first electrical connection structure, wherein the first electrical connection structure has a first opening for the first connecting portion, a second opening for the second connecting portion, and a first metal area around the first opening and the second opening; and / or When the first cavity and the second cavity are arranged side by side in the horizontal direction: A first through groove is formed on the rear surface of the first housing, and the first electrical connection structure is accommodated within the first through groove. The first connection portion extends outward sequentially through the first through groove and the first opening, and the second connection portion extends outward sequentially through the first through groove and the second opening; and / or A third opening is provided on a first intermediate plate located between the first cavity and the second cavity. The first electrical connection structure is connected across the first cavity and the second cavity via the third opening, wherein the first connecting portion extends to the first opening of the first electrical connection structure, and the second connecting portion extends to the second opening of the first electrical connection structure; and / or When the first cavity and the second cavity are arranged perpendicular to each other in the forward direction, a fourth opening is provided on the second intermediate plate located between the first cavity and the second cavity. The first connecting part can extend into the second cavity through the fourth opening in the forward direction so as to be electrically connected to the second connecting part in the second cavity.

4. The phase shifter assembly according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The first housing also includes: The third cavity and the fourth cavity, wherein the third cavity and the fourth cavity are arranged side by side in the horizontal direction or arranged perpendicular to each other in the forward direction; and The phase shifter assembly further includes: A second transmission line is configured to feed a radio frequency signal in a second polarization direction to a radiating element, wherein a third line portion of the second transmission line is installed in the third cavity, and a fourth line portion of the second transmission line is installed in the fourth cavity.

5. The phase shifter assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that, The third line portion of the second transmission line includes a second phase-shifting circuit, and the fourth line portion of the second transmission line includes a second power-sharing circuit; and / or The third line portion has a third connecting portion, and the fourth line portion has a fourth connecting portion, wherein the third connecting portion and the fourth connecting portion are electrically connected; and / or The third connecting portion is electrically connected to the fourth connecting portion via a second electrical connection structure, wherein the second electrical connection structure has a fifth opening for the third connecting portion, a sixth opening for the fourth connecting portion, and a second metal area around the fifth and sixth openings; and / or When the third and fourth cavities are arranged side by side in the horizontal direction: A second through slot is formed on the rear surface of the first housing, and the second electrical connection structure is accommodated within the second through slot. The third connection portion extends outward sequentially through the second through slot and the fifth opening, and the fourth connection portion extends outward sequentially through the second through slot and the sixth opening; and / or A seventh opening is provided on the third intermediate plate located between the third cavity and the fourth cavity. The second electrical connection structure is connected between the third cavity and the fourth cavity via the seventh opening. The third connection portion extends to the fifth opening of the second electrical connection structure, and the fourth connection portion extends to the sixth opening of the second electrical connection structure; and / or When the third cavity and the fourth cavity are arranged perpendicular to each other in the forward direction, an eighth opening is provided on the fourth intermediate plate located between the third cavity and the fourth cavity. The third connecting part can extend into the fourth cavity through the eighth opening in the forward direction so as to be electrically connected to the fourth connecting part in the fourth cavity; and / or When the first cavity and the second cavity are arranged perpendicular to each other in the forward direction, the first cavity extends in the forward direction, and the second cavity extends in the horizontal direction and is arranged in front of the first cavity in the forward direction; and When the third and fourth cavities are arranged perpendicular to each other in the forward direction, the third cavity extends in the forward direction, and the fourth cavity extends in the horizontal direction and is arranged in front of the third cavity in the forward direction; and / or The depth of the first cavity and the third cavity in the forward direction is 35mm to 47.5mm; and / or When the first and second cavities are arranged side-by-side in the horizontal direction, and the third and fourth cavities are also arranged side-by-side in the horizontal direction, the second cavity is positioned inward relative to the first cavity, and the fourth cavity is positioned inward relative to the third cavity, such that the second and fourth cavities are adjacent to each other; and / or The depth of the first cavity, the second cavity, the third cavity, and the fourth cavity in the forward direction is 35 mm to 47.5 mm; and / or The first housing has an opening on its front surface corresponding to the position of the second cavity, for the first feed rod of the radiating element to extend into the second cavity; and The first housing has an opening on its front surface corresponding to the position of the fourth cavity, for the second feed rod of the radiating element to extend into the fourth cavity; and / or The phase shifter assembly further includes: A second housing, arranged horizontally adjacent to the first housing, wherein the second housing includes a first power supply cavity; and A first feed line is installed within a first feed cavity, wherein the first feed line is configured to feed power to a first transmission line; and / or The second housing and the first housing are integrally formed by an extrusion process; and / or The second housing is detachably attached to the first housing; and / or The rear surface of the first housing and the rear surface of the second housing are arranged substantially flush with or offset from each other in the forward direction; and / or The bottom surface of the second housing is substantially flush with or staggered from the bottom surface of the first housing in the longitudinal direction; and / or The second housing also includes a second power supply cavity, and the phase shifter assembly further includes a second power supply line installed in the second power supply cavity, wherein the second power supply line is configured to power the second transmission line.

6. A phase shifter assembly, characterized in that, The phase shifter assembly includes: A first housing, the first housing including a first phase shifter cavity; The first transmission line is installed inside the first phase shifter cavity; A second housing, arranged horizontally adjacent to the first housing and detachably connected to the first housing, wherein the second housing includes a first power supply cavity; and A first feeder line is installed inside the first feeder cavity, wherein the first feeder line is configured to feed power to the first transmission line.

7. The phase shifter assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that, The rear surface of the first housing and the rear surface of the second housing are arranged substantially flush with or offset from each other in the forward direction; and / or The bottom surface of the second housing is substantially flush with or staggered from the bottom surface of the first housing in the longitudinal direction; and / or The first feed line is configured as a first metal strip line; or The first feed line is configured as a first conductive trace printed on a first printed circuit board. and / or The phase shifter assembly further includes: A first transition piece for a first coaxial cable, the first transition piece being located at the longitudinal end of the first feed cavity; and / or The first transition member is coupled to the second housing; and / or The first transition member has a first channel for receiving a first coaxial cable, wherein the inner surface of the first channel is configured to be electrically connected to the outer conductor of the first coaxial cable, and the first channel is configured to allow the inner conductor of the first coaxial cable to extend through the first channel into the first feed cavity; and / or A welding window is provided on the first feed cavity to provide welding operation space for the connection between the inner conductor of the first coaxial cable and the first feed line, wherein the first feed line includes a first compensation circuit section for capacitive-inductive compensation; and / or The first phase shifter cavity includes a first cavity and a second cavity. A first line portion of the first transmission line is installed in the first cavity, and a second line portion of the first transmission line is installed in the second cavity. The first cavity and the second cavity are arranged side-by-side in the horizontal direction or perpendicular to each other in the forward direction; and / or The first housing further includes a second phase shifter cavity, the second housing further includes a second power supply cavity, and the phase shifter assembly further includes: A second transmission line is installed inside the second phase shifter cavity; and A second feeder line is installed within a second feeder cavity, wherein the second feeder line is configured to feed power to the second transmission line; and / or The second feeder line is configured as a second metal strip; or The second feed line is configured as a second conductive trace printed on a second printed circuit board; and / or The phase shifter assembly further includes: A second transition piece for the second coaxial cable, the second transition piece being located at the longitudinal end of the second feed cavity; and / or The second transition member is coupled to the second housing; and / or The second transition member has a second channel for receiving a second coaxial cable, wherein the inner surface of the second channel is configured to be electrically connected to the outer conductor of the second coaxial cable, and the second channel is configured to allow the inner conductor of the second coaxial cable to extend into the second feed cavity via the second channel; and / or A welding window is provided on the second feed cavity to provide welding operation space for the connection between the inner conductor of the second coaxial cable and the second feed line, wherein the second feed line includes a second compensation circuit section for capacitive and inductive compensation.

8. A base station antenna, characterized in that, The base station antenna includes: The phase shifter assembly according to any one of claims 1-7; and A radiating element array, wherein the phase shifter assembly is arranged in the forward direction after the radiating element array.

9. The base station antenna according to claim 8, characterized in that, Each radiating element includes: A first radiator, which is used to receive and transmit radio frequency signals in a first polarization direction; A first feed rod extends in a forward direction and is arranged behind the first radiator, wherein the first feed rod is configured for an electrical connection between the transmission line of the phase shifter assembly and the first radiator. A second radiator, used for receiving and transmitting radio frequency signals in a second polarization direction; and The second feed rod extends in a forward direction and is arranged behind the second radiator, wherein the second feed rod is configured for the transmission line of the phase shifter assembly and the electrical connection between the second radiator and the second radiator.

10. The base station antenna according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that, The base station antenna also includes: A coaxial cable for providing a radio frequency (RF) signal, wherein the RF signal is fed to the radiating element via the phase shifter assembly; and / or The base station antenna also includes: A reflector, wherein the phase shifter assembly is arranged on the rear side of the reflector and the radiating element array is arranged on the front side of the reflector; and / or The reflector and the phase shifter assembly are integrally formed by an extrusion process; and / or The phase shifter assembly is detachably attached to the reflector.

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