Antenna control method of communication device, storage medium, electronic apparatus, and computer program product

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides an antenna control method of communication equipment, a storage medium, an electronic device and a computer program product, and the method comprises the steps: determining a target adjustment mode of the communication equipment under the condition that the specific absorption rate SAR of the communication equipment needs to be reduced; and adjusting the antenna performance of the communication equipment according to a target adjustment strategy corresponding to the target adjustment mode so as to reduce the SAR of the communication equipment. According to the embodiment of the invention, different adjustment modes and adjustment strategies can be set for different communication devices, so that the antenna performance can be adjusted in a targeted manner, the SAR can be reduced, the influence on the antenna performance can be avoided, the technical problem that the antenna performance is deteriorated under unnecessary conditions due to reduction of the SAR in related technologies can be solved, and the antenna performance is improved. The technical effect of adaptively improving the antenna performance of the communication equipment is realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of communications, and more specifically, to an antenna control method for a communication device, a storage medium, an electronic device, and a computer program product. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of communications, Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) refers to the ratio of electromagnetic wave energy absorbed by the human body to the human body volume. SAR is commonly used to measure the electromagnetic radiation impact on the human body that may be caused by radio frequency (RF) transmitting equipment such as mobile communication terminals, microwave ovens, and radar during use. RF transmitting equipment generates a large amount of SAR during operation. Internationally, various countries and regions have certain standards limiting the SAR of RF transmitting equipment. Therefore, RF transmitting equipment needs to reduce SAR during operation to meet the usage standards for RF transmitting equipment.

[0003] To reduce SAR in mobile communication terminals, the following methods are commonly used: First, while maintaining power, optimizing the antenna structure alters the current distribution on the terminal's motherboard. This reduces SAR by lowering the peak current on the motherboard without reducing the total current intensity, but this antenna structure is difficult to implement. Second, absorbing materials are applied to hot spots on the motherboard, but this negatively impacts the terminal's structural design and is costly. Third, and commonly used in the industry, is using a SAR sensor to detect human contact. If contact is detected, the terminal receives a command to reduce the motherboard's conducted transmission power, thus reducing SAR. However, this method has drawbacks: the SAR sensor reduces power upon contact with or proximity to conductive objects, unnecessarily degrading antenna performance. These SAR reduction methods are not applicable to a wide range of scenarios and can degrade antenna performance when SAR reduction is triggered or falsely triggered.

[0004] In conclusion, there is still no good solution to the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides an antenna control method, storage medium, electronic device, and computer program product for a communication device, to at least solve the technical problem in the related art that reducing SAR can lead to the deterioration of antenna performance under unnecessary conditions.

[0006] According to one embodiment of this application, an antenna control method for a communication device is provided. The method includes: determining a target adjustment mode for the communication device when the communication device needs to reduce its specific absorption rate (SAR); and adjusting the antenna performance of the communication device according to a target adjustment strategy corresponding to the target adjustment mode to reduce the SAR of the communication device.

[0007] According to yet another embodiment of this application, a computer-readable storage medium is also provided, which stores a computer program, wherein the computer program is executed by a processor to perform the steps in any of the above method embodiments.

[0008] According to yet another embodiment of this application, an electronic device is also provided, including a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program and the processor is configured to run the computer program to perform the steps in any of the above method embodiments.

[0009] According to yet another embodiment of this application, a computer program product is also provided, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the steps in any of the above method embodiments.

[0010] In the embodiments of this application, different adjustment modes and adjustment strategies can be set for different communication devices. By determining the target adjustment mode of the communication device and selecting the corresponding target adjustment strategy, the antenna performance can be adjusted in a targeted manner, which can reduce SAR and avoid the impact on antenna performance. This can solve the technical problem in related technologies that reducing SAR will lead to the deterioration of antenna performance under unnecessary conditions, and achieve the technical effect of adaptively improving the antenna performance of communication devices. Attached Figure Description

[0011] Figure 1 This is a hardware structure block diagram of a mobile terminal for an antenna control method of a communication device according to an embodiment of this application.

[0012] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating an antenna control method for a communication device according to an embodiment of this application.

[0013] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the antenna control system in one embodiment of this application;

[0014] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the monitoring process of the monitoring module in one embodiment of this application;

[0015] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the SAR reduction adjustment mode and the SAR reduction module in one embodiment of this application;

[0016] Figure 6This is a schematic diagram of the overall process of adaptive SAR reduction of a communication device in one embodiment of this application;

[0017] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the millimeter-wave antenna identifying the direction in one embodiment of this application;

[0018] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of a reconfigurable frequency-selective surface unit in one embodiment of this application;

[0019] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of a reconfigurable frequency-selective surface unit array according to an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The embodiments of this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples.

[0021] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence.

[0022] The methods and embodiments provided in this application can also be executed on a mobile terminal, computer terminal, or similar computing device. Taking running on a mobile terminal as an example, Figure 1 This is a hardware structure block diagram of a mobile terminal for an antenna control method of a communication device according to an embodiment of this application, as shown below. Figure 1 As shown, a hardware board may include one or more ( Figure 1 Only one is shown in the diagram. A processor 12 (which may include, but is not limited to, a microprocessor MCU or a programmable logic device FPGA, etc.) and a memory 14 for storing data are also shown. The mobile terminal may further include a transmission device 16 for communication functions and an input / output device 18. Those skilled in the art will understand that... Figure 1 The structure shown is for illustrative purposes only and does not limit the structure of the mobile terminal described above. For example, the mobile terminal may also include components that are more... Figure 1 The more or fewer components shown, or having the same Figure 1 The different configurations shown.

[0023] The memory 14 can be used to store computer programs, such as application software programs and modules, like the computer program corresponding to the antenna control method of the communication device in this embodiment. The processor 12 executes various functional applications and measurement report processing methods by running the computer programs stored in the memory 14, i.e., implementing the methods described above. The memory 14 may include high-speed random access memory, and may also include non-volatile memory, such as one or more magnetic storage devices, flash memory, or other non-volatile solid-state memory. In some instances, the memory 14 may further include memory remotely located relative to the processor 12, and these remote memories can be connected to the mobile terminal via a network. Examples of such networks include, but are not limited to, the Internet, corporate intranets, local area networks, mobile communication networks, and combinations thereof.

[0024] The transmission device 16 is used to receive or send data via a network. Specific examples of the network described above may include a wireless network provided by a telecommunications provider. In one example, the transmission device 16 includes a Network Interface Controller (NIC), which can connect to other network devices via a base station to communicate with the Internet. In another example, the transmission device 16 may be a Radio Frequency (RF) module used for wireless communication with the Internet.

[0025] In the embodiments of this application, the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) refers to the ratio of electromagnetic wave energy absorbed by the human body to the volume of the human body. The higher the SAR value, the greater the electromagnetic radiation impact on the human body. Therefore, when a human body is detected approaching the communication device, it is necessary to reduce the SAR of the communication device to reduce the electromagnetic radiation impact on the human body.

[0026] In the embodiments of this application, under an ideal homogeneous electrolyte environment, the SAR value can be determined in the following way:

[0027]

[0028] Where σ is the electrical conductivity of the tissue or material, A is the cross-sectional area of ​​the imaging region, f is the frequency of the radio frequency pulse, B1 is the flip angle of the radio frequency pulse, D is the duration of the radio frequency pulse application relative to the time of repetition (TR), and p is the density or mass of the human body.

[0029] In this embodiment, the magnitude of SAR is mainly affected by the following factors: the magnitude of SAR is proportional to the conductivity of the tissue or material; the magnitude of SAR is proportional to the square of the area of ​​the imaging region; the magnitude of SAR is proportional to the square of the excitation pulse frequency; the magnitude of SAR is proportional to the square of the radio frequency pulse flip angle; and the magnitude of SAR is proportional to the proportion of the radio frequency pulse application time. Based on the above influencing factors, this application designs several different SAR reduction adjustment modes.

[0030] This embodiment provides an antenna control method for a communication device. Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating an antenna control method for a communication device according to an embodiment of this application, as shown below. Figure 2 As shown, the process includes the following steps:

[0031] Step S202: When the communication device needs to reduce the specific absorption rate (SAR), determine the target adjustment mode of the communication device.

[0032] Step S204: Adjust the antenna performance of the communication device according to the target adjustment strategy corresponding to the target adjustment mode, so as to reduce the SAR of the communication device.

[0033] In this embodiment, antenna performance can be adjusted through the associated circuitry of the SAR reduction module. This circuitry can include both the internal radio frequency (RF) circuitry for transmitting RF signals and other antenna-related circuitry, such as the circuitry of the Frequency Selective Surface (FSS). Adjusting antenna performance includes, but is not limited to, adjusting antenna operating parameters and the operating parameters of individual components within the circuitry.

[0034] In this embodiment, different SAR reduction adjustment modes can be set for different communication devices, and SAR reduction technical solutions can be selected based on the antenna characteristics of the communication devices. Each adjustment mode can also be configured with multiple different adjustment strategies to achieve adaptive adjustment of the communication antenna in different communication scenarios, thereby reducing SAR.

[0035] In this embodiment, the execution subject of steps S202 and S204 can be a communication device, including but not limited to mobile communication terminals, WiFi devices, radar, etc. Through steps S202 and S204, different adjustment modes and strategies can be set for different communication devices. By determining the target adjustment mode of the communication device and selecting the corresponding target adjustment strategy, antenna performance can be adjusted in a targeted manner. This can reduce SAR while avoiding impact on antenna performance, thereby solving the technical problem in related technologies where reducing SAR leads to unnecessary degradation of antenna performance, and achieving the technical effect of adaptively improving the antenna performance of communication devices.

[0036] In some embodiments, the method further includes the following steps:

[0037] Step S2012: Monitor the communication scenario status of the communication device;

[0038] Step S2014: Determine whether the communication device needs to reduce the SAR based on the communication scenario status.

[0039] In some embodiments, the communication scenario state includes at least one of the following:

[0040] The radio resource control (RRC) status of the communication device;

[0041] Are there any objects around the communication device?

[0042] The distance between the objects surrounding the communication device and the communication device;

[0043] The type of the objects surrounding the communication device;

[0044] The scene events occurring on the communication device;

[0045] The radio frequency circuit status of the communication device.

[0046] In this embodiment, the RRC status includes an idle state and a connected state. The RRC status can be used to determine whether the communication device is currently communicating. Furthermore, by detecting the RCC status of the communication device, the mobile communication standard to which the communication device is connected can also be monitored.

[0047] In this embodiment, the object types include non-conductors, conductors, and human bodies. For example, a millimeter-wave antenna can be used for object type detection, as it can utilize the high-frequency characteristics of conductors and human bodies to achieve high-precision detection.

[0048] In this embodiment, scene events are the operation events of various functional modules on the communication device, including but not limited to the operation events of modules such as the display screen, camera, and speaker.

[0049] In this embodiment, the radio frequency circuit state includes an operating state or a stopped state.

[0050] In this embodiment, the various communication scenario states can be detected in one or more ways. For example, the RRC state can be detected by the RRC monitoring module; the presence and type of objects around the communication device can be detected by the millimeter-wave monitoring module (different from the module to which the millimeter-wave antenna used for communication belongs); scene events occurring on the communication device can be detected by the auxiliary monitoring module, which can be associated with some functional modules built into the communication device to achieve event monitoring of these functional modules; the radio frequency circuit state can be detected by the circuit state monitoring module on the communication device, which detects the circuit parameters of various circuits, including the radio frequency circuit, such as current and voltage, and thus determines the corresponding circuit state.

[0051] In some embodiments, step S2014, which determines whether the communication device needs to reduce the SAR based on the communication scenario state, may include: determining that the communication device needs to reduce the SAR when the radio resource control state, the distance between the object and the communication device, the type of the object, the scenario event, and / or the radio frequency circuit state meet preset conditions.

[0052] In one exemplary embodiment, the preset conditions may include at least one of the following:

[0053] The wireless resource control status is connected.

[0054] There are objects around the communication equipment;

[0055] The distance between the object and the communication device is less than the distance threshold;

[0056] The object is a conductor;

[0057] The object's type is the human body;

[0058] The communication device triggers a preset scene event, such as the activation of a motor, light sensor, speaker, camera, or screen.

[0059] The radio frequency circuit is in operation.

[0060] In this embodiment, multiple communication scenario states can be monitored and judged simultaneously. Monitoring and judgment can be performed in a progressive manner based on the relationship between the various communication scenario states. For example, the RRC state can be detected first. If the RRC state is connected, the presence of objects around the communication device can be detected. If objects exist around the communication device, the distance between the objects and the communication device can be detected. If the distance is less than a distance threshold, the object type can be detected. If the object type is a conductor, it can be further determined whether the conductor is a human body. If the conductor is determined to be a human body, it can be determined that SAR reduction is needed.

[0061] In an exemplary embodiment, after detecting that the object is a human body, the system can further determine whether SAR reduction is needed by analyzing the operation events of various functional modules on the communication device. If events such as motor start-up, speaker start-up, camera start-up, or screen start-up occur, it can be further indicated that the user is using the communication device and the communication device needs to reduce SAR. If no preset scene event occurs, it indicates that the user is not using the communication device, and the previously detected human body may have been caused by accidental touch by the user, and the communication device does not need to reduce SAR.

[0062] In an exemplary embodiment, after detecting that the object is a human body, it can be further determined whether SAR reduction is needed based on the state of the radio frequency circuit. If the radio frequency circuit is in the running state, SAR reduction is needed; if the radio frequency circuit is in the stopped state, SAR reduction is not needed.

[0063] In some embodiments, determining the target adjustment mode of the communication device in step S202 includes:

[0064] Step S2022: Obtain the antenna characteristics of the communication device;

[0065] Step S2024: Determine the target adjustment mode from multiple adjustment modes based on the antenna characteristics.

[0066] In some embodiments, step S2024 includes at least one of the following:

[0067] When the antenna characteristics are omnidirectional, the target adjustment mode is determined to be the first mode;

[0068] When the antenna characteristics are tunable in terms of radiation area, the target adjustment mode is determined to be the second mode;

[0069] When the antenna characteristic is that the beamwidth is adjustable, the target adjustment mode is determined to be the third mode;

[0070] When the antenna characteristics are adjustable in beam direction, the target adjustment mode is determined to be the fourth mode.

[0071] In this embodiment, the SAR reduction adjustment mode can be adaptively selected based on antenna characteristics, maximizing the utilization of antenna adjustability and reducing SAR values. Different adjustment modes can also be adaptively combined to achieve a more flexible SAR reduction adjustment scheme. For example, if both the antenna beamwidth and beam direction are adjustable, the target adjustment mode can be determined as a combination of the third and fourth modes. Furthermore, this application does not limit the combination of different modes; different modes can be adjusted simultaneously or separately in a certain order.

[0072] In some embodiments, the target adjustment mode in step S202 or step S2024 includes at least one of the following:

[0073] The first mode is used to adjust the filtering characteristics of the frequency-selective surface around the communication antenna;

[0074] The second mode is used to adjust the size of the communication antenna;

[0075] The third mode is used to adjust the beamwidth of the communication antenna;

[0076] The fourth mode is used to adjust the beam direction of the communication antenna.

[0077] In this embodiment, the associated circuitry of the SAR reduction module may include a frequency-selective surface circuit and a radio frequency circuit.

[0078] In this embodiment, a frequency selective surface (FSS) is a periodically arranged two-dimensional structure, typically formed on a dielectric substrate by metal patch cells or aperture cells. This structure exhibits frequency selectivity for electromagnetic waves, enabling total reflection or total transmission of electromagnetic waves within a specific frequency range, thereby achieving different filtering characteristics. The filtering characteristics of a frequency selective surface include, but are not limited to, bandpass and bandstop.

[0079] In this embodiment, the size, beamwidth, and beam direction of the communication antenna can all be adjusted by modifying the radio frequency circuit, including but not limited to adjusting the circuit structure (including the antenna array structure) and circuit component parameters. Furthermore, if the communication antenna is a 360° rotatable millimeter-wave antenna, the millimeter-wave antenna can also be rotated mechanically to achieve a significant adjustment of the beam direction.

[0080] In this embodiment, depending on the antenna type and scenario requirements, the target adjustment mode can be a single adjustment mode or any combination of multiple adjustment modes. Flexible and diverse SAR reduction schemes are provided for different types of antennas and scenario requirements, which can ensure the safe use of communication equipment in various environments.

[0081] In some embodiments, prior to step S204, the method further includes:

[0082] Step S2032: Rotate the millimeter-wave antenna, wherein the millimeter-wave antenna is used to transmit millimeter-wave signals and receive reflected millimeter-wave signals;

[0083] Step S2034: Determine the target direction based on the millimeter-wave signal and the rotation angle of the millimeter-wave antenna, wherein the target direction is the direction in which the communication device needs to reduce the SAR;

[0084] Step S2036: Determine the target adjustment strategy from a plurality of preset adjustment strategies corresponding to the target adjustment mode according to the target direction.

[0085] In this embodiment, the communication device is equipped with a rotatable millimeter-wave antenna. The millimeter-wave antenna detects surrounding objects by emitting and receiving reflected millimeter-wave signals. When an object is detected, its direction can be determined based on the rotation angle of the millimeter-wave antenna. All directions mentioned in this application are relative directions. In this embodiment, with the assistance of the millimeter-wave antenna, the communication device can accurately identify the direction from which SAR reduction is needed, achieving precise adjustment.

[0086] In this embodiment, the rotation angle of the millimeter-wave antenna can be associated with circuit elements whose circuit parameters are variable, and the corresponding antenna rotation angle can be determined by detecting the values ​​of the circuit parameters. These circuit elements include, but are not limited to, variable resistors, variable capacitors, variable inductors, and filter circuits with variable insertion loss values. Correspondingly, the circuit parameters to be detected are the resistance value, capacitance value, inductance value, and insertion loss value.

[0087] In an exemplary embodiment, the rotation angle of the millimeter-wave antenna can be detected by a variable resistor, the resistance of which increases as the rotation angle of the millimeter-wave antenna increases. The millimeter-wave antenna can rotate 360° in a two-dimensional plane. The variable resistor is disposed in this two-dimensional plane, with the resistance coil distributed in a ring shape and a gap in the middle. The resistance value is uniformly distributed along the length of the resistance coil. Dividing the total resistance of the variable resistor by 360 gives the change in resistance value corresponding to each 1° increase in rotation angle. Furthermore, the point on the resistance coil with a resistance of 0 can be calibrated as the point where the millimeter-wave antenna rotation angle is 0, and the point with the maximum resistance on the resistance coil can be calibrated as the point where the millimeter-wave antenna rotation angle is 360°. Therefore, the rotation angle of the millimeter-wave antenna can be determined by detecting the resistance value of the variable resistor, thereby determining the direction of an object approaching the communication device. The resistance value of the variable resistor can also decrease as the rotation angle of the millimeter-wave antenna increases. Correspondingly, the point on the resistor coil with a resistance value of 0 can be designated as the point where the millimeter-wave antenna rotates at 360°, and the point on the resistor coil with the maximum resistance value can be designated as the point where the millimeter-wave antenna rotates at 0°. This application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0088] In another exemplary embodiment, the rotation angle of the millimeter-wave antenna can be detected by a variable capacitor, the capacitance of which decreases as the rotation angle of the millimeter-wave antenna increases. The millimeter-wave antenna can rotate 360° on a two-dimensional plane, on which multiple series-connected capacitor elements can be arranged in a circular arrangement. The total capacitance of the capacitor elements gradually decreases with the number of series-connected capacitors, rather than changing linearly; therefore, a direct calibration method can be used. For example, when the millimeter-wave antenna rotates at 0°, the capacitance is measured as 0 pf and calibrated; when the millimeter-wave antenna rotates at 90°, the capacitance is measured as K1 pf and calibrated; when the millimeter-wave antenna rotates at 180°, the capacitance is measured as K2 pf and calibrated; when the millimeter-wave antenna rotates at 270°, the capacitance is measured as K3 pf and calibrated; when the millimeter-wave antenna rotates at 360°, the capacitance is measured as K4 pf and calibrated. Of course, the calibration granularity can be finer, for example, calibration in 5° increments.

[0089] In another exemplary embodiment, the rotation angle of the millimeter-wave antenna can be detected by a filtering circuit, and the insertion loss value of the filtering circuit increases with the increase of the rotation angle of the millimeter-wave antenna. The millimeter-wave antenna can rotate 360° on a two-dimensional plane, on which multiple series-connected filtering circuit units can be arranged. Each filtering circuit unit can be composed of a resistor, an inductor, and a capacitor. The input and output terminals of the ring structure formed by multiple filtering circuit units can be connected to a circuit status monitoring module through an RF transmission line. The circuit status monitoring module calibrates the rotation angle of the millimeter-wave antenna by testing the insertion loss value of the entire path. For example, when the millimeter-wave antenna rotates at 0°, the insertion loss of the measured path is 0 dB and calibrated; when the millimeter-wave antenna rotates at 90°, the insertion loss of the measured path is IL1 dB and calibrated; when the millimeter-wave antenna rotates at 180°, the insertion loss of the measured path is IL2 dB and calibrated; when the millimeter-wave antenna rotates at 270°, the insertion loss of the measured path is IL3 dB and calibrated; when the millimeter-wave antenna rotates at 360°, the insertion loss of the measured path is IL4 dB and calibrated. Of course, the granularity of calibration can be finer, for example, calibrated in 5° increments.

[0090] In some embodiments, step S204 may include: step S204A, in the case that the target adjustment mode is the first mode, adjusting the filtering characteristics of the frequency selective surface in the target direction to band-stop according to the target adjustment strategy, and adjusting the filtering characteristics of the frequency selective surface in other directions besides the target direction to band-pass.

[0091] In this embodiment, the frequency selective surface is typically positioned in front of the antenna in the radio frequency direction to filter the radio frequency signal. For example, if the communication device uses an omnidirectional antenna, the frequency selective surface can be positioned across the entire housing of the communication device or antenna.

[0092] In some embodiments, the frequency selection surface includes a plurality of digital switches, a plurality of electronic components with variable resistance, capacitance or inductance values, and wires. When the target adjustment mode is the first mode, the target adjustment strategy includes a plurality of first parameter combinations corresponding to the plurality of filtering characteristics, wherein the first parameter combination includes the on / off state of the plurality of digital switches and the resistance, capacitance or inductance values ​​corresponding to the plurality of electronic components.

[0093] In this embodiment, if the frequency selection surface includes a variable resistor, the first parameter combination includes the resistance value corresponding to the variable resistor; if the frequency selection surface includes a variable capacitor, the first parameter combination includes the capacitance value corresponding to the variable capacitor; and if the frequency selection surface includes a variable inductor, the first parameter combination includes the inductance value corresponding to the variable inductor.

[0094] In this embodiment, parameter combinations of the frequency selective surface (FSS) under different filtering characteristics in each direction can be preset. When SAR reduction is required, precise management of electromagnetic radiation can be achieved by finely controlling the parameters of each element of the FSS. Furthermore, since the parameter combinations of different filtering characteristics are preset, the complexity of controlling the FSS filtering characteristics can be reduced.

[0095] In some embodiments, prior to step S204A, the method further includes: dividing the frequency selective surface into multiple frequency selective surface unit arrays according to the rotation angle of the millimeter-wave antenna, and calibrating the multiple frequency selective surface unit arrays to multiple different directions.

[0096] In this embodiment, the direction of the frequency selection surface unit array can be calibrated according to the rotation angle of the millimeter-wave antenna. The target direction detected by the millimeter-wave antenna (i.e., the direction in which the human body approaches) is associated with the direction of the frequency selection surface to be adjusted to a band-stop, thereby effectively reducing electromagnetic radiation in a specific direction while maintaining communication quality in other directions and ensuring communication performance.

[0097] In some embodiments, step S204 may include: step S204B, when the target adjustment mode is the second mode, repeatedly adjusting the size of the communication antenna according to the target adjustment strategy and estimating the adjusted SAR until the adjusted SAR is less than a preset SAR threshold, and then stopping the adjustment of the size of the communication antenna.

[0098] In some embodiments, the step S204B of repeatedly adjusting the size of the communication antenna according to the target adjustment strategy includes: repeatedly adjusting the size of the communication antenna through a radio frequency circuit according to the target adjustment strategy, wherein the radio frequency circuit includes a plurality of digital switches and radio frequency traces, and when the target adjustment mode is the second mode, the target adjustment strategy includes a plurality of second parameter combinations corresponding to the sizes of the plurality of communication antennas, wherein the second parameter combinations include the on / off states of the plurality of digital switches.

[0099] In this embodiment, if the target adjustment mode is the second mode, the size of the communication antenna can be adjusted by controlling the on / off state of each digital switch in the radio frequency circuit, thereby changing the radiation area of ​​the entire radio frequency circuit. For example, the user can also preset multiple sets of second parameter combinations and mapping relationships between different radiation areas. When adjusting the antenna size, the user can sequentially select the corresponding second parameter combinations in descending order of radiation area to reduce the SAR of the communication antenna.

[0100] In some embodiments, step S204 may include: step S204C, when the target adjustment mode is the third mode, adjusting the beamwidth of the communication antenna according to the target adjustment strategy, and estimating the adjusted SAR until the adjusted SAR is less than a preset SAR threshold, and stopping the adjustment of the beamwidth of the communication antenna.

[0101] In some embodiments, adjusting the beamwidth of the communication antenna according to the target adjustment strategy in step S204C includes: repeatedly adjusting the beamwidth of the communication antenna through a radio frequency circuit according to the target adjustment strategy, wherein the radio frequency circuit includes multiple digital switches and radio frequency traces, and when the target adjustment mode is the third mode, the target adjustment strategy includes multiple third parameter combinations corresponding to the beamwidths of the multiple communication antennas, wherein the third parameter combinations include the on / off states of the multiple digital switches.

[0102] In this embodiment, if the target adjustment mode is the third mode, the number of array elements and the spacing between array elements in the RF circuit can also be adjusted by controlling the on / off state of each digital switch in the RF circuit. For example, the user can also preset multiple sets of third parameter combinations and mapping relationships between different beamwidths.

[0103] In some embodiments, step S204 may include: step S204D, when the target adjustment mode is the fourth mode, adjusting the beam direction of the communication antenna so that the beam direction of the communication antenna deviates from the target direction.

[0104] In this embodiment, if the target adjustment mode is the fourth mode, the number of array elements and the spacing between array elements in the radio frequency circuit can also be adjusted by controlling the on / off state of each digital switch in the radio frequency circuit. For example, the user can also pre-calibrate the mapping relationship between multiple sets of fourth parameter combinations and different beam directions, and then adjust the beam direction to deviate from the direction of the detected human body approaching. Furthermore, if the communication antenna is a rotatable millimeter-wave antenna, the rotation angle of the communication antenna can be adjusted by mechanical control to achieve a significant adjustment of the beam direction.

[0105] The antenna control method proposed in this application can adaptively adjust the antenna's operating mode according to the actual scenario and antenna characteristics of the communication equipment. In the process of reducing SAR, by dynamically adjusting the antenna size, beamwidth, beam direction, and frequency selective surface filtering characteristics, it can not only meet the communication needs in different scenarios, but also ensure that the user's health is not affected by electromagnetic radiation. This can solve the technical problem in related technologies that reducing SAR can lead to the deterioration of antenna performance under unnecessary conditions, and achieve the technical effect of adaptively improving the antenna performance of communication equipment.

[0106] According to one embodiment of this application, an antenna control system is also provided.

[0107] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the antenna control system in one embodiment of this application, as shown below. Figure 3 As shown, the antenna control system includes:

[0108] Data processing module 33 is used to determine the target adjustment mode of the communication device when the communication device needs to reduce the specific absorption rate SAR.

[0109] The control module 34 is used to adjust the antenna performance of the communication device according to the target adjustment strategy corresponding to the target adjustment mode, so as to reduce the SAR of the communication device.

[0110] In this embodiment, the antenna control system may further include: a data storage module 31, a monitoring module 32, and a SAR reduction module 35.

[0111] In this embodiment, the data storage module 31 is used to store relevant circuit data, which can be accessed by the data processing module 33. For example, the data storage module 31 can store multiple adjustment strategies under various adjustment modes, each adjustment strategy being a set of parameter combinations.

[0112] In this embodiment, the monitoring module 32 can monitor the communication scenario status of the communication device and transmit the monitoring results to the data processing module.

[0113] In this embodiment, the data processing module 33 can call data from the data storage module and the monitoring module, and compare and analyze the data in the two modules. The analysis results of the data processing module 33 can be used by the control module. For example, the data processing module 33 can be used to determine whether the communication device needs to reduce SAR based on the communication scene status obtained by the monitoring module 32 and the preset conditions stored in the data storage module 31.

[0114] In this embodiment, the control module 34 can issue relevant instructions for SAR reduction control to the SAR reduction module based on the analysis results of the data processing module 33.

[0115] In this embodiment, the SAR reduction module 35 initiates the SAR reduction mechanism after receiving the SAR reduction command from the control module. The SAR reduction command may include a target adjustment mode and a corresponding target adjustment strategy. Based on the target adjustment mode, the SAR reduction module 35 can adjust one or more antenna performance parameters through associated circuitry, thereby achieving SAR reduction processing for the communication device. For example, the associated circuitry of the SAR reduction module 35 includes frequency selective surface circuitry, radio frequency circuitry, etc.

[0116] In some embodiments, the monitoring module 32 may include an RRC monitoring module and a millimeter-wave monitoring module. The RRC monitoring module is used to monitor the radio resource control status of the communication device, and the millimeter-wave monitoring module is used to identify objects around the communication device, detect the distance between the objects and the communication device, and identify the object type.

[0117] In some embodiments, the RRC monitoring module can monitor whether the terminal's RRC status is idle or connected, and can also monitor the type of the connected communication standard.

[0118] In some embodiments, the millimeter-wave antenna in the millimeter-wave monitoring module can rotate 360° in a two-dimensional plane, and its rotation angle can be calibrated by a sliding rheostat with a circuit resistance value. Thus, the direction of the millimeter-wave antenna can be monitored based on the circuit resistance value. On this basis, the millimeter-wave monitoring module can accurately identify the relative direction of an object.

[0119] In this embodiment, a millimeter-wave monitoring module is used to rotate a millimeter-wave antenna, wherein the millimeter-wave antenna is used to transmit millimeter-wave signals and receive reflected millimeter-wave signals; a target direction is determined based on the millimeter-wave signals and the rotation angle of the millimeter-wave antenna, wherein the target direction is the direction in which the communication device needs to reduce the SAR.

[0120] Furthermore, the data processing module 33 is also used to determine the target adjustment strategy from a plurality of preset adjustment strategies corresponding to the target adjustment mode based on the target direction. The plurality of preset adjustment strategies can be obtained from the data storage module 31.

[0121] In some embodiments, the monitoring module 32 may further include an auxiliary monitoring module and a circuit status monitoring module. The auxiliary monitoring module can utilize functional modules built into the communication device to assist the millimeter-wave monitoring module in object identification and detection; these functional modules include, but are not limited to, cameras, speakers, etc. The circuit status monitoring module is used to monitor the circuit status of the radio frequency system.

[0122] In some embodiments, the circuit state detection module can also detect the antenna characteristics of the communication device, thereby enabling the data processing module 33 to determine the target adjustment mode from multiple adjustment modes based on the antenna characteristics.

[0123] Furthermore, the data processing module 33 is also used to determine the target adjustment mode as a first mode when the antenna characteristic is an omnidirectional antenna; to determine the target adjustment mode as a second mode when the antenna characteristic is tunable radiation area; to determine the target adjustment mode as a third mode when the antenna characteristic is adjustable beamwidth; and to determine the target adjustment mode as a fourth mode when the antenna characteristic is adjustable beam direction.

[0124] In some embodiments, the SAR reduction module 35 may include: a radiation suppression module, an antenna routing module, and a millimeter-wave antenna module. The radiation suppression module can adjust the filtering characteristics of the frequency selective surface. The antenna routing module can adjust the antenna size. The millimeter-wave antenna module can adjust the beamwidth or beam direction of the millimeter-wave antenna. The various sub-modules in the SAR reduction module 35 are relatively independent and do not affect each other.

[0125] In this embodiment, each SAR reduction submodule can correspond to a different adjustment mode, and combinations of different SAR reduction submodules can also correspond to different adjustment modes.

[0126] In one exemplary embodiment, the radiation suppression module comprises a reconfigurable frequency selective surface (FSS), which can be associated with the millimeter-wave monitoring module of the monitoring module 32, thereby having the function of identifying relative directions and suppressing antenna radiation in a specified direction.

[0127] In some embodiments, the radiation suppression module is configured to, when the target adjustment mode is the first mode, adjust the filtering characteristics of the frequency selective surface in the target direction to band-stop according to the target adjustment strategy, and adjust the filtering characteristics of the frequency selective surface in other directions besides the target direction to band-pass.

[0128] Furthermore, the frequency selection surface includes multiple digital switches, multiple electronic components with variable resistance, capacitance, or inductance values, and wires. When the target adjustment mode is the first mode, the target adjustment strategy includes multiple combinations of first parameters corresponding to the multiple filtering characteristics. These first parameter combinations include the on / off states of the multiple digital switches and the resistance, capacitance, or inductance values ​​corresponding to the multiple electronic components. The radiation suppression module can adjust the parameters of each circuit element and the on / off states of each digital switch on the frequency selection surface according to the target adjustment strategy.

[0129] In one exemplary embodiment, the antenna routing module can reconfigure the antenna size by changing the on / off state of a switch.

[0130] In some embodiments, the antenna routing module is configured to repeatedly adjust the size of the communication antenna according to the target adjustment strategy when the target adjustment mode is the second mode, and estimate the adjusted SAR until the adjusted SAR is less than a preset SAR threshold, at which point the adjustment of the communication antenna size is stopped. The preset SAR threshold can be obtained from the data storage module 31.

[0131] In some embodiments, the millimeter-wave antenna module can improve the SAR value by changing the beamwidth or beam direction.

[0132] In an exemplary embodiment, a millimeter-wave antenna module is configured to, when the target adjustment mode is the third mode, adjust the beamwidth of the communication antenna according to the target adjustment strategy, and estimate the adjusted SAR until the adjusted SAR is less than a preset SAR threshold, and then stop adjusting the beamwidth of the communication antenna.

[0133] In an exemplary embodiment, the millimeter-wave antenna module is further configured to adjust the beam direction of the communication antenna when the target adjustment mode is the fourth mode, so that the beam direction of the communication antenna deviates from the target direction.

[0134] In some embodiments, if the wireless communication module of the communication device carries a millimeter-wave communication antenna (different from the millimeter-wave monitoring module described above), the millimeter-wave communication antenna can be invoked and controlled by the SAR module 35.

[0135] Furthermore, the radio frequency circuit of the millimeter-wave communication antenna can include multiple digital switches and radio frequency traces, which can connect multiple array elements. The millimeter-wave antenna module can adjust the number and spacing of antenna array elements in the transmitting state by adjusting the on / off state of each digital switch, thereby achieving adjustment of beamwidth and beam direction.

[0136] In some embodiments, the millimeter-wave communication antenna can rotate 360° in a two-dimensional plane. In this case, the rotation direction of the millimeter-wave communication antenna in the two-dimensional plane can be adjusted mechanically, thereby achieving a significant adjustment of the beam direction.

[0137] In this embodiment, based on the antenna characteristics of the communication antenna, the communication device can set multiple adjustment modes for reducing SAR, with each adjustment mode calling a different SAR reduction submodule. For example, for antennas with weak directivity, SAR can be reduced through a radiation suppression module. For antennas with strong directivity, SAR can be reduced by changing the antenna size and antenna radiating area through an antenna routing module.

[0138] In this embodiment of the application, each sub-module in the monitoring module 32 can perform monitoring simultaneously, or monitoring can be started sequentially according to preset start conditions.

[0139] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the monitoring process of the monitoring module in one embodiment of this application, as shown below. Figure 4 As shown, the process includes the following steps:

[0140] Step S401: The RRC monitoring module monitors the wireless connection status of the communication device and determines whether the device is connected to the network.

[0141] Step S402: The millimeter-wave monitoring module detects the distance between the communication device and the approaching object and determines whether the distance is less than 20cm.

[0142] Step S403: The millimeter-wave monitoring module detects the type of the approaching object and determines whether the approaching object is a conductor;

[0143] Step S404: The millimeter-wave monitoring module determines whether the approaching object is a human body;

[0144] Step S405: The auxiliary monitoring module monitors the auxiliary SAR reduction event;

[0145] Step S406: The circuit status monitoring module monitors the circuit status.

[0146] In this embodiment, each monitoring submodule in steps S401 to S406 is started sequentially and monitors the corresponding communication scene status. The communication scene status includes, but is not limited to, the wireless connection status, the distance between the communication device and the approaching object, and the type of the approaching object.

[0147] In this embodiment, the data processing module 33 can determine whether the monitoring results in steps S401 to S406 meet the preset conditions. If the preset conditions are met, the judgment result will be sent back to the monitoring module 32 to instruct the monitoring module 32 to continue to perform the next monitoring step.

[0148] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the relationship between the SAR reduction adjustment mode and the SAR reduction module in one embodiment of this application, as shown below. Figure 5 As shown, the communication device can call the corresponding SAR reduction submodule according to different adjustment modes.

[0149] In this embodiment, the antenna's reduced SAR adjustment mode may include:

[0150] The first mode is used to adjust the filtering characteristics of the frequency-selective surface around the communication antenna;

[0151] The second mode is used to adjust the size of the communication antenna;

[0152] The third mode is used to adjust the beamwidth of the communication antenna;

[0153] The fourth mode is used to adjust the beam direction of the communication antenna.

[0154] In the first mode, antenna adjustment can be achieved by the radiation suppression module; in the second mode, antenna adjustment can be achieved by the antenna routing module; and in the third and fourth modes, antenna adjustment can be achieved by the millimeter-wave antenna module.

[0155] The SAR reduction adjustment modes and SAR reduction modules involved in the embodiments of this application are merely examples. In actual applications, they include but are not limited to the above embodiments. The SAR reduction adjustment modes and SAR reduction sub-modules can be expanded to N according to actual needs. When reducing SAR, multiple adjustment modes can be combined, or one adjustment mode can be set to correspond to multiple SAR reduction sub-modules.

[0156] In this embodiment, the communication device can select a SAR reduction adjustment mode based on its own antenna characteristics. For example, for antennas with weak directivity, a first mode can be selected, using a radiation suppression module to reduce SAR; for antennas with strong directivity, a second mode can be selected, using an antenna routing module to change the antenna size to alter the antenna's radiating area, thereby reducing SAR. For millimeter-wave antennas, a third or fourth mode can be selected, using a millimeter-wave antenna module to change the beamwidth or beam direction to reduce the SAR value.

[0157] In the embodiments of this application, the adjustment mode for reducing SAR can be adaptively determined based on the antenna characteristics, thereby calling the associated SAR reduction sub-module. The mapping relationship between antenna characteristics and adjustment mode can be preset according to requirements, or it can be implemented through machine learning and training related algorithms. This application does not limit this.

[0158] In some embodiments, the relevant characteristics of the currently operating antenna can be monitored by the circuit status monitoring module in the monitoring module, and then a SAR reduction adjustment mode can be selected. For example, if the currently operating antenna is an omnidirectional antenna, the first mode can be selected; if the radiation area of ​​the currently operating antenna is tunable, the second mode can be selected; if the beamwidth of the currently operating antenna is adjustable, the third mode can be selected; if the beam direction of the currently operating antenna is adjustable, the fourth mode can be selected.

[0159] In some embodiments, antenna characteristics can be pre-calibrated and identified. For example, assuming all antennas are equipped with a Mobile Industry Processor Interface (MIPI) antenna tuning switch, the antenna can be bound to the MIPI antenna characteristics of the antenna tuner for antenna identification.

[0160] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the overall process of adaptive SAR reduction of a communication device in one embodiment of this application, as shown below. Figure 6 As shown, the communication device can call the corresponding SAR reduction submodule according to different adjustment modes.

[0161] Step S601: The RRC monitoring module starts and monitors the wireless connection status of the communication device. If the monitored status meets the requirements, proceed to the next step; otherwise, repeat step S601.

[0162] Step S602: The millimeter-wave monitoring module is activated to monitor the distance of the communication device to the object. If the monitored state meets the requirements, proceed to the next step; otherwise, return to the previous step.

[0163] Step S603: Detect whether the object approaching the communication device is a conductor using the millimeter-wave monitoring module. If the detected state meets the requirements, proceed to the next step; otherwise, return to the previous step.

[0164] Step S604: Detect whether the object approaching the communication device is a human body using the millimeter-wave monitoring module. If the detected state meets the requirements, proceed to the next step; otherwise, return to the previous step.

[0165] Step S605: The auxiliary monitoring module is started to monitor auxiliary SAR reduction events of communication equipment, such as the start of motors, light sensors, speakers and cameras. If the monitored status meets the requirements, proceed to the next step, that is, call the SAR reduction module to start SAR reduction; otherwise, return to the previous step.

[0166] Step S606: If the antenna for which SAR needs to be reduced has weak directivity, then call the radiation suppression module;

[0167] Step S607: If the size of the antenna that needs to reduce SAR is adjustable, then call the antenna routing module.

[0168] Step S608: If the antenna that needs to reduce SAR is a millimeter-wave antenna, then call the millimeter-wave antenna module.

[0169] Step S609: After any of the SAR reduction steps in steps S606 to S608 is initiated, the circuit status monitoring module starts working to monitor the circuit operating status of the corresponding SAR reduction submodule. When the corresponding circuit operating status meets the requirements, the SAR reduction is completed.

[0170] In this embodiment, steps S606 to S608 are different antenna adjustment modes determined based on antenna characteristics. In each adjustment mode, different adjustment strategies can be set based on the direction of human approach and related antenna parameters, so that each sub-module in the SAR reduction module can directly adjust the parameters according to the adjustment strategy, thereby achieving the purpose of reducing SAR.

[0171] In this embodiment, step S601 first activates the RRC monitoring module in the monitoring module to monitor the wireless connection status of the communication device, including but not limited to the standard and frequency band. The RRC monitoring module transmits the monitoring results to the data processing module. The data processing module calls the scene status data related to SAR reduction stored in the data storage module and compares it with the monitoring results of the RRC monitoring module. If the monitoring results meet the requirements of SAR reduction for the scene status, for example, if the communication device is of the LTE standard and the frequency band is Band 1, or connected to a certain millimeter wave frequency band, then proceed to step S602.

[0172] In this embodiment, step S602 activates the millimeter-wave monitoring module in the monitoring module to monitor the distance of the communication device approaching the object. The millimeter-wave monitoring module transmits the monitoring results to the data processing module. The data processing module retrieves scene state data related to SAR reduction stored in the data storage module and compares it with the monitoring results of the millimeter-wave monitoring module. If the monitoring results meet the scene state requirements for SAR reduction, for example, if the distance of the communication device approaching the object is less than 20cm, then proceed to step S603.

[0173] In this embodiment, step S603 continues to monitor the type of object approaching the communication device via the millimeter-wave monitoring module. The millimeter-wave monitoring module transmits the monitoring results to the data processing module. The data processing module retrieves scene state data related to SAR reduction stored in the data storage module and compares it with the monitoring results from the millimeter-wave monitoring module. If the monitoring results meet the scene state requirements for SAR reduction, for example, if the object approaching the communication device is a conductor, then proceed to step S604.

[0174] In this embodiment, step S604 continues to monitor the type of object approaching the communication device via the millimeter-wave monitoring module. The millimeter-wave monitoring module transmits the monitoring results to the data processing module. The data processing module retrieves scene state data related to SAR reduction stored in the data storage module and compares it with the monitoring results of the millimeter-wave monitoring module. If the monitoring results meet the scene state requirements for SAR reduction, for example, if the object approaching the communication device is a human body, then proceed to step S605.

[0175] In this embodiment, step S605 activates the auxiliary monitoring module to monitor auxiliary SAR reduction events of the communication equipment, such as the activation of motors, light sensors, speakers, and cameras. The auxiliary monitoring module transmits the monitoring results to the data processing module. The data processing module retrieves scene state data related to SAR reduction stored in the data storage module and compares it with the monitoring results of the millimeter-wave monitoring module. If the monitoring results meet the scene state requirements for SAR reduction, for example, if any auxiliary SAR reduction event is triggered, such as the activation of a motor, light sensor, speaker, camera, or screen, then step S606 is entered, that is, the SAR reduction module is invoked to perform SAR reduction.

[0176] In this embodiment, after steps S601 to S605 are completed, the SAR reduction mechanism of the communication device is activated. Depending on the antenna characteristics, the communication device can select different SAR reduction adjustment modes and strategies, and execute the corresponding steps S606, S607, or S608 respectively. Each SAR reduction adjustment mode is implemented through different sub-modules within the SAR reduction module, and each SAR reduction sub-module is relatively independent, and each SAR reduction sub-module can operate on different antennas. In some embodiments, multiple sub-modules can also work in conjunction in certain SAR reduction scenarios.

[0177] In this embodiment, step S609 involves activating the circuit status monitoring module to monitor the circuit operation status of each SAR reduction submodule after it starts working. The circuit status monitoring module transmits the monitoring results to the data processing module. The data processing module retrieves the SAR limitation requirement data stored in the data storage module and compares it with the monitoring results of the circuit status monitoring module until the SAR limitation requirements are met.

[0178] In one embodiment of this application, the millimeter-wave monitoring module can not only detect the distance to an object and identify its characteristics, but also identify the direction in which the object approaches.

[0179] In this embodiment, the millimeter-wave monitoring module is equipped with a millimeter-wave antenna that can rotate 360° in a two-dimensional plane. During the rotation of the millimeter-wave antenna, it can transmit millimeter-wave signals and receive reflected millimeter-wave signals. Based on the characteristic that millimeter-wave signals will be reflected back when they encounter obstacles, it can be determined whether the millimeter-wave antenna has detected an object, and when an object is detected, the relative direction of the detected object can be determined based on the rotation angle of the millimeter-wave antenna.

[0180] In some embodiments, the rotation angle of a millimeter-wave antenna can be detected by setting a circular base with variable circuit parameters for the millimeter-wave antenna, and the rotation angle of the millimeter-wave antenna is related to the value of the circuit parameters of the circuit element. The corresponding antenna rotation angle can be determined by detecting the value of the circuit parameters. The circuit element includes, but is not limited to, a variable resistor, a variable capacitor, a variable inductor, a filter circuit with variable insertion loss, etc., and the corresponding circuit parameters to be detected are the resistance value, capacitance value, inductance value, and insertion loss value.

[0181] In one exemplary embodiment, the circuit element base is a variable resistor, and the resistance value of the variable resistor increases as the rotation angle of the millimeter-wave antenna increases. The resistance value of the variable resistor is uniform per unit length, and the total resistance of the variable resistor base divided by 360 is the amount of resistance increase for every 1° rotation of the millimeter-wave antenna. A point with a resistance value of 0 is designated as the point where the millimeter-wave antenna's rotation angle is 0°, and the point with the maximum resistance is designated as the point where the millimeter-wave antenna's rotation angle is 360°. Therefore, the rotation angle of the millimeter-wave antenna can be determined by detecting the resistance value of the variable resistor, thereby determining the direction of an object approaching the communication device. Alternatively, the resistance value of the variable resistor can also decrease as the rotation angle of the millimeter-wave antenna increases. Correspondingly, a point with a resistance value of 0 on the resistor coil can be calibrated as the point where the millimeter-wave antenna's rotation angle is 360°, and a point with the maximum resistance on the resistor coil can be calibrated as the point where the millimeter-wave antenna's rotation angle is 0°. This application does not impose any limitations on this approach.

[0182] In another exemplary embodiment, the circuit element base is a variable capacitor, the capacitance of which decreases as the rotation angle of the millimeter-wave antenna increases. The millimeter-wave antenna can rotate 360° on a two-dimensional plane, on which multiple capacitor elements connected in series can be arranged in a circular arrangement. The total capacitance of the variable capacitor gradually decreases with the number of capacitor elements connected in series, rather than changing linearly, thus allowing for direct calibration. For example, when the rotation angle of the millimeter-wave antenna is 0°, the measured capacitance is 0 pf and calibrated; when the rotation angle is 90°, the measured capacitance is K1 pf and calibrated; when the rotation angle is 180°, the measured capacitance is K2 pf and calibrated; when the rotation angle is 270°, the measured capacitance is K3 pf and calibrated; and when the rotation angle is 360°, the measured capacitance is K4 pf and calibrated. Of course, the calibration granularity can be finer, for example, calibrated in 5° increments.

[0183] In another exemplary embodiment, the circuit element base is a filter circuit with a variable insertion loss value, which increases as the rotation angle of the millimeter-wave antenna increases. The millimeter-wave antenna can rotate 360° in a two-dimensional plane, on which multiple series-connected filter circuit units can be arranged. Each filter circuit unit can consist of a resistor, an inductor, and a capacitor. The rotation angle of the millimeter-wave antenna can be calibrated by testing the insertion loss value of the entire path. For example, when the millimeter-wave antenna rotates at 0°, the insertion loss of the measured path is 0 dB and calibrated; when the millimeter-wave antenna rotates at 90°, the insertion loss of the measured path is IL1 dB and calibrated; when the millimeter-wave antenna rotates at 180°, the insertion loss of the measured path is IL2 dB and calibrated; when the millimeter-wave antenna rotates at 270°, the insertion loss of the measured path is IL3 dB and calibrated; when the millimeter-wave antenna rotates at 360°, the insertion loss of the measured path is IL4 dB and calibrated. Of course, the granularity of calibration can be finer, for example, calibrated in 5° increments.

[0184] In this embodiment, a fixed mapping relationship exists between the circuit parameters of the millimeter-wave antenna base and the rotation angle of the millimeter-wave antenna. By monitoring the circuit parameters of the variable-valued circuit elements, the rotation angle of the millimeter-wave antenna can be accurately determined, thereby accurately determining the direction of the approaching object. Furthermore, the accuracy of the rotation angle is related to the granularity of the circuit parameters. Within the variable range of circuit parameters, the finer the granularity of the circuit parameters, the higher the accuracy of the antenna rotation angle, and the more accurate the identification of the object's direction.

[0185] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the millimeter-wave antenna identifying the direction in one embodiment of this application, as shown below. Figure 7 As shown, millimeter-wave antennas are installed on communication devices with a regular rectangular shape, such as mobile phones.

[0186] In this embodiment, the millimeter-wave antenna can rotate 360° in a two-dimensional plane parallel to the side of the communication device, and its electromagnetic wave emission direction is parallel to the two-dimensional plane.

[0187] In this embodiment, the relative directions of the communication device on the two-dimensional plane can be roughly divided into four directions: A, B, C, and D. The relationship between the rotation angle of the millimeter-wave antenna and the relative direction of the communication device can be marked in advance according to the transmission direction of the millimeter-wave antenna.

[0188] In an exemplary embodiment, the relative directions corresponding to the rotation angles of the millimeter-wave antenna can be set as follows: when the rotation angle is 0°, the transmission direction of the millimeter-wave antenna is side A; when the rotation angle is 90°, the transmission direction is side B; when the rotation angle is 180°, the transmission direction is side C; when the rotation angle is 270°, the transmission direction is side D; and when the rotation angle is 360°, the transmission direction is side A. Thus, within this two-dimensional plane, the transmission direction of the millimeter-wave antenna in the millimeter-wave monitoring module can identify the relative direction, thereby distinguishing which side of the communication device an object is approaching.

[0189] The division of the relative direction of the communication devices in this embodiment is only an example. Since the millimeter-wave antenna in the monitoring module rotates 360° in a two-dimensional plane, the relative direction can also be arbitrarily calibrated in a two-dimensional plane.

[0190] In one embodiment of this application, the radiation suppression module is provided with a reconfigurable Frequency Selective Surface (FSS) cell array, which consists of multiple FSS cells. An FSS is a spatial filter in a two-dimensional plane and has filtering characteristics for electromagnetic waves. This application designs a reconfigurable FSS, meaning its filtering range is variable.

[0191] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of a reconfigurable frequency-selective surface cell in one embodiment of this application, as shown below. Figure 8 As shown, the circular portion of the frequency selective surface unit consists of digital switches and electronic components with variable resistance, capacitance, or inductance values, while the other portion consists of circuit traces of a reconfigurable FSS made of conductive material.

[0192] In this embodiment, the variable electronic component can be one or more of a variable resistor, a variable capacitor, and a variable inductor.

[0193] In this embodiment, the FFS can be reconstructed by adjusting the switching on / off state of the digital switch and the resistance, capacitance, or inductance values ​​of the variable electronic components, thereby changing the filtering characteristics of the reconfigurable FSS. The structure of the reconfigurable FSS unit in this embodiment is only an example, and actual use includes, but is not limited to, this.

[0194] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of a reconfigurable frequency-selective surface unit array according to an embodiment of this application, as shown below. Figure 9 As shown, the array consists of 4x4 reconfigurable FSS cells. The number of reconfigurable FSS cells is only an example; the actual number used in practice depends on the specific circumstances, and this application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0195] In this embodiment, SAR reduction can be achieved through a frequency-selective surface unit array circuit. The filtering characteristics of each reconfigurable FSS unit can be changed by controlling the digital switches, variable resistors, variable capacitors and / or variable inductors of each reconfigurable FSS unit through the control module.

[0196] In some embodiments, during the development of the reconfigurable FSS, parameter combinations of digital switches and variable resistor-capacitor-inductor values ​​with different filtering characteristics (equivalent to the first parameter combination corresponding to the first mode) can be enumerated according to actual needs and stored in the data storage module. Each set of parameters can be marked as an adjustment strategy for reducing SAR. When it is necessary to reduce SAR, the target adjustment strategy is determined according to actual needs and the corresponding parameter combination is called.

[0197] In an exemplary embodiment, the parameter combination P1 of the digital switch and the variable RC inductance value enables the filtering characteristics of the reconfigurable FSS unit to have an insertion loss IL > 30dB in the frequency range of 880MHz to 960MHz, and the parameter combination P2 enables the filtering characteristics of the reconfigurable FSS array unit to have an insertion loss IL < 3dB in the frequency range of 880MHz to 960MHz. Therefore, the filtering characteristics of the reconfigurable FSS unit under parameter combination P1 exhibit band-stop (i.e., suppression) behavior in the frequency range of 880MHz to 960MHz, while the filtering characteristics of the reconfigurable FSS unit under parameter combination P2 exhibit band-pass (i.e., throughput) behavior in the same frequency range. Furthermore, this application does not limit the frequency range; corresponding parameter combinations can be set for different frequency ranges and different filtering characteristics to achieve adaptive selection of the SAR reduction adjustment strategy based on antenna characteristics.

[0198] In this embodiment, based on the transmission direction of the millimeter-wave antenna in the millimeter-wave monitoring module, it has the ability to identify relative directions, and can be attached to... Figure 7 The reconfigurable FSSs on the surfaces of the communication device shown in the A / B / C / D directions are calibrated and identified in the data storage module and control module according to the directions of A / B / C / D using digital technology, so that the FSS unit array also has the ability to identify relative directions.

[0199] In an exemplary embodiment, assuming the activation condition of the radiation suppression module is that the omnidirectional antenna of the communication device operates in the frequency range of 880MHz to 960MHz, and the A direction of the communication device is close to the human body, the control module will load the parameter combination P1 pre-stored by the data storage module to control the reconfigurable FSS unit array attached to the A side of the omnidirectional antenna, so that the filtering characteristics of the reconfigurable FSS on the A side exhibit a 30dB suppression capability for electromagnetic waves in the frequency range of 880MHz to 960MHz. The control module will also load the parameter combination P2 to control the reconfigurable FSS unit array attached to the B / C / D sides of the omnidirectional antenna, so that the reconfigurable FSS unit array in the B / C / D relative directions has the ability to transmit electromagnetic waves in the frequency range of 880MHz to 960MHz.

[0200] In this embodiment, the radiation suppression module only suppresses radiation in the direction of the antenna closest to the human body when there is a need for SAR reduction. This can reduce the deterioration of the antenna caused by SAR reduction to a certain extent and improve antenna performance. Furthermore, in this application, the communication device can adaptively select the corresponding SAR reduction adjustment mode and strategy based on the antenna characteristics.

[0201] The reconfigurable FSS in this embodiment has an ideal effect on the associated antenna, meaning its impact on the antenna resonance is negligible. Therefore, in actual SAR reduction operations, the radiation suppression adjustment mode can be combined with other adjustment modes.

[0202] In one embodiment of this application, the radio frequency circuit of the communication antenna is reconfigurable. The antenna wiring module can change the size of the antenna and adjust the antenna radiation area by reconfiguring the form of the antenna radio frequency circuit without changing the antenna resonant frequency.

[0203] In this embodiment, the data storage module can pre-store some verified antenna routing data that is adapted to different SAR reduction scenario state data. When the communication device is working, it can identify the scene state data to call the routing form of the corresponding antenna, adaptively change the antenna resonance, and achieve the effect of SAR reduction by reducing antenna efficiency or changing the radiation pattern.

[0204] In an exemplary embodiment, the radio frequency circuit of a communication antenna is composed of several switches and radio frequency traces. Different switch combinations correspond to different antenna sizes, and the antenna size can be adjusted by changing the on / off states of the switches. Since the beam width of the antenna is inversely proportional to the antenna size, by adjusting the antenna size, the radiation surface area of the radiation signal of the antenna projected on the object surface can be changed. According to the calculation formula of SAR, when other parameters are known, the SAR value of the antenna can be changed by adjusting the radiation area A (i.e., the cross-sectional area of the imaging region), so as to achieve the adaptive change of the SAR value.

[0205] In this embodiment, the association data between the switch combination (i.e., the above-mentioned second parameter combination) and the antenna size can be pre-stored in the data storage module. When the antenna trace module is called, each switch combination corresponds to an antenna size. The radiation surface area of the relevant antenna on the object surface is obtained through relevant algorithms, and the SAR value is calculated. When SAR < n W / Kg, the antenna trace module stops adjusting.

[0206] The embodiment of the present application can adaptively reduce the SAR value without deteriorating the antenna performance, relatively improves the antenna performance when there is a need to reduce SAR, and achieves the purpose of intelligent and adaptive signal enhancement.

[0207] In some embodiments, the antenna trace module can also assist other SAR reduction sub-modules in adjusting the antenna. For example, when the millimeter wave monitoring module detects that the conductor close to the communication device is not a human body, or the screen, motor, and camera carried by the communication device are working, since the above events may have a deteriorating effect on the performance of the communication device antenna, at this time, the antenna trace module can adaptively adjust the antenna trace form and monitor the antenna return loss value to achieve the purpose of adaptively improving the performance of the relevant antenna. Exemplarily, assuming that the working range of the antenna is 1920 - 2170 MHz, when the antenna trace module is working, the circuit state monitoring module in the monitoring module can monitor the antenna return loss value of this antenna. When it is detected that the return loss RL of this antenna within 1960 - 2080 MHz is < -20 dB, the trace adjustment of the antenna trace module ends.

[0208] In the embodiment of the present application, the communication device can adaptively select the corresponding SAR reduction adjustment mode and SAR reduction adjustment strategy according to the antenna characteristics. When the antenna size is adjustable, the antenna trace module is selected to reduce SAR by adjusting the antenna size, and the return loss value can be monitored. The adjustment method is more flexible and the adaptability is stronger.

[0209] In some embodiments, the antenna wiring module can also adjust the beam direction and beamwidth by changing the on / off state of switches in the radio frequency circuit. Of course, the adjustment of beam direction and beamwidth can also be achieved independently by the millimeter-wave antenna module, and this application does not limit this.

[0210] In one embodiment of this application, a millimeter-wave antenna is also provided in the millimeter-wave antenna module. However, unlike the millimeter-wave antenna in the monitoring module, which is only used to detect surrounding objects, the antenna in the millimeter-wave antenna module is used for communication between communication devices.

[0211] In some embodiments, the millimeter-wave antenna in the millimeter-wave antenna module can also rotate 360° in a two-dimensional plane, thereby achieving 360° adjustment of the communication beam direction in a two-dimensional plane.

[0212] In this embodiment, the millimeter-wave antenna module reduces SAR in two ways. One is by rotating the millimeter-wave antenna to significantly adjust the beam direction, causing the radio frequency signal transmission direction to deviate from the human body, thereby reducing the SAR value when the communication device approaches the human body. The other is by adjusting the antenna element spacing and number of elements in the radio frequency circuit to adjust the beamwidth or beam direction. This adjustment principle is similar to the principle of adjusting the antenna size in the antenna wiring module, and can be controlled by adjusting the on / off state of the switches in the radio frequency circuit.

[0213] The embodiments of this application can adaptively reduce the SAR value without degrading the antenna performance, thereby improving the antenna performance when there is a need to reduce SAR, and achieving the purpose of intelligent and adaptive signal enhancement.

[0214] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that the methods according to the above embodiments can be implemented by means of software plus necessary general-purpose hardware platforms. Of course, they can also be implemented by hardware, but in many cases the former is a better implementation method. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium (such as ROM / RAM, magnetic disk, optical disk) and includes several instructions to cause a terminal device (which may be a mobile phone, computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods described in the various embodiments of this application.

[0215] Embodiments of this application also provide a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, wherein the computer program is executed by a processor to perform the steps in any of the above method embodiments.

[0216] In one exemplary embodiment, the aforementioned computer-readable storage medium may include, but is not limited to, various media capable of storing computer programs, such as a USB flash drive, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), portable hard disk, magnetic disk, or optical disk.

[0217] Embodiments of this application also provide an electronic device including a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program and the processor is configured to run the computer program to perform the steps in any of the above method embodiments.

[0218] In one exemplary embodiment, the electronic device may further include a transmission device and an input / output device, wherein the transmission device is connected to the processor and the input / output device is connected to the processor.

[0219] Embodiments of this application also provide a computer program product, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the methods described in various embodiments of this application.

[0220] Specific examples in this embodiment can be found in the examples described in the above embodiments and exemplary implementations, and will not be repeated here.

[0221] Obviously, those skilled in the art should understand that the modules or steps of this application described above can be implemented using general-purpose computing devices. They can be centralized on a single computing device or distributed across a network of multiple computing devices. They can be implemented using computer-executable program code, and thus can be stored in a storage device for execution by a computing device. In some cases, the steps shown or described can be performed in a different order than those presented here, or they can be fabricated as separate integrated circuit modules, or multiple modules or steps can be fabricated as a single integrated circuit module. Thus, this application is not limited to any particular combination of hardware and software.

[0222] The above description is merely an exemplary embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. An antenna control method for a communication device, characterized in that, The method includes: When communication equipment needs to reduce specific absorption rate SAR, the target adjustment mode of the communication equipment is determined; The antenna performance of the communication device is adjusted according to the target adjustment strategy corresponding to the target adjustment mode in order to reduce the SAR of the communication device.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: Monitor the communication scenario status of the communication device; Based on the communication scenario status, determine whether the communication device needs to reduce the SAR.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The communication scenario state includes at least one of the following: The wireless resource control status of the communication device; Are there any objects around the communication device? The distance between the objects surrounding the communication device and the communication device; The type of the objects surrounding the communication device; The scene events occurring on the communication device; The radio frequency circuit status of the communication device.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, Determining whether the communication device needs to reduce the SAR based on the communication scenario status includes: If the wireless resource control state, the distance between the object and the communication device, the type of the object, the scene event, and / or the radio frequency circuit state meet preset conditions, it is determined that the communication device needs to reduce the SAR.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Determining the target adjustment mode of the communication device includes: Obtain the antenna characteristics of the communication device; The target adjustment mode is determined from multiple adjustment modes based on the antenna characteristics.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The target adjustment mode is determined from multiple adjustment modes based on the antenna characteristics, including at least one of the following: When the antenna characteristics are omnidirectional, the target adjustment mode is determined to be the first mode; When the antenna characteristics are tunable in terms of radiation area, the target adjustment mode is determined to be the second mode; When the antenna characteristic is that the beamwidth is adjustable, the target adjustment mode is determined to be the third mode; When the antenna characteristics are adjustable in beam direction, the target adjustment mode is determined to be the fourth mode.

7. The method according to claim 1 or 6, characterized in that, The target adjustment mode includes at least one of the following: The first mode is used to adjust the filtering characteristics of the frequency-selective surface around the communication antenna; The second mode is used to adjust the size of the communication antenna; The third mode is used to adjust the beamwidth of the communication antenna; The fourth mode is used to adjust the beam direction of the communication antenna.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, Before adjusting the antenna performance of the communication device according to the target adjustment strategy corresponding to the target adjustment mode, the method further includes: Rotate the millimeter-wave antenna, wherein the millimeter-wave antenna is used to transmit millimeter-wave signals and receive reflected millimeter-wave signals; The target direction is determined based on the millimeter-wave signal and the rotation angle of the millimeter-wave antenna, wherein the target direction is the direction in which the communication device needs to reduce the SAR; The target adjustment strategy is determined from a plurality of preset adjustment strategies corresponding to the target adjustment mode based on the target direction.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, Adjusting the antenna performance of the communication device according to the target adjustment strategy corresponding to the target adjustment mode to reduce the SAR of the communication device includes: When the target adjustment mode is the first mode, the filtering characteristics of the frequency selective surface in the target direction are adjusted to band-stop according to the target adjustment strategy, and the filtering characteristics of the frequency selective surface in other directions besides the target direction are adjusted to band-pass.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The frequency selection surface includes multiple digital switches, multiple electronic components with variable resistance, capacitance or inductance values, and wires. When the target adjustment mode is the first mode, the target adjustment strategy includes multiple combinations of first parameters corresponding to multiple filtering characteristics. The first parameter combinations include the on / off states of the multiple digital switches and the resistance, capacitance or inductance values ​​corresponding to the multiple electronic components.

11. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The method further includes: The frequency selective surface is divided into multiple frequency selective surface unit arrays according to the rotation angle of the millimeter-wave antenna, and the multiple frequency selective surface unit arrays are calibrated in multiple different directions.

12. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, Adjusting the antenna performance of the communication device according to the target adjustment strategy corresponding to the target adjustment mode to reduce the SAR of the communication device includes: When the target adjustment mode is the second mode, the size of the communication antenna is repeatedly adjusted according to the target adjustment strategy, and the adjusted SAR is estimated until the adjusted SAR is less than the preset SAR threshold, at which point the adjustment of the size of the communication antenna is stopped.

13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that, The step of repeatedly adjusting the size of the communication antenna according to the target adjustment strategy includes: The size of the communication antenna is repeatedly adjusted by the radio frequency circuit according to the target adjustment strategy. The radio frequency circuit includes multiple digital switches and radio frequency traces. When the target adjustment mode is the second mode, the target adjustment strategy includes multiple combinations of second parameters corresponding to the sizes of the multiple communication antennas. The second parameter combinations include the on / off states of the multiple digital switches.

14. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, Adjusting the antenna performance of the communication device according to the target adjustment strategy corresponding to the target adjustment mode to reduce the SAR of the communication device includes: When the target adjustment mode is the third mode, the beamwidth of the communication antenna is adjusted according to the target adjustment strategy, and the adjusted SAR is estimated until the adjusted SAR is less than a preset SAR threshold, at which point the adjustment of the beamwidth of the communication antenna is stopped.

15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that, The step of repeatedly adjusting the beamwidth of the communication antenna according to the target adjustment strategy includes: According to the target adjustment strategy, the beamwidth of the communication antenna is repeatedly adjusted by the radio frequency circuit, wherein the radio frequency circuit includes multiple digital switches and radio frequency traces. When the target adjustment mode is the third mode, the target adjustment strategy includes multiple third parameter combinations corresponding to the beamwidths of the multiple communication antennas, wherein the third parameter combinations include the on / off states of the multiple digital switches.

16. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, Adjusting the antenna performance of the communication device according to the target adjustment strategy corresponding to the target adjustment mode to reduce the SAR of the communication device includes: When the target adjustment mode is the fourth mode, the beam direction of the communication antenna is adjusted so that the beam direction of the communication antenna deviates from the target direction.

17. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The storage medium stores a computer program, wherein the computer program is executed by a processor to perform the method described in any one of claims 1 to 16.

18. An electronic device comprising a memory and a processor, characterized in that, The memory stores a computer program, and the processor is configured to run the computer program to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 16.

19. A computer program product, comprising a computer program, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the steps of the method described in any one of claims 1 to 16.

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