Antenna structure, radio frequency device, radar and electronic equipment

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention relates to the technical field of communication, and provides an antenna structure, a radio frequency device, a radar and electronic equipment, and the antenna structure comprises at least one first antenna unit, at least one second antenna unit and at least one connection unit. The feed line side of the first antenna unit is provided with a slot structure, and the feed line side, away from the first antenna unit, of the slot structure is provided with the connecting unit. The connecting unit is connected with the first antenna unit and the second antenna unit; when the working frequency band of the antenna structure is a first preset frequency band, the second antenna unit works in a directional radiation mode; and when the working frequency band of the antenna structure is a second preset frequency band, the first antenna unit works in an omnidirectional radiation mode.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to an antenna structure, radio frequency device, radar, and electronic equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Ultra-wideband (UWB) technology is a wireless carrier communication technology that uses nanometer-scale non-sinusoidal narrow-wave pulse signals for data transmission. Because of its extremely wide signal bandwidth, covering frequency bands of several gigahertz, it is called ultra-wideband technology. Currently, UWB technology is widely used in data transmission, positioning, and ranging.

[0003] In UWB technology, the antenna is a crucial component of the system, and its design and performance directly affect communication quality and transmission rate. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides an antenna structure, radio frequency device, radar, and electronic device. The antenna structure can switch antenna functions to meet different directional requirements in different frequency bands.

[0005] According to some embodiments of this application, a first aspect of this application provides an antenna structure, the antenna structure including at least one first antenna element, at least one second antenna element, and at least one connecting unit; a slot structure is provided on the feed line side of the first antenna element, and the connecting unit is provided on the feed line side of the slot structure away from the first antenna element; the connecting unit connects the first antenna element and the second antenna element; when the operating frequency band of the antenna structure is a first preset frequency band, the second antenna element operates in a directional radiation mode; when the operating frequency band of the antenna structure is a second preset frequency band, the first antenna element operates in an omnidirectional radiation mode.

[0006] According to some embodiments of this application, a second aspect of this application provides a radio frequency device including the antenna structure described above.

[0007] According to some embodiments of this application, a third aspect of this application provides a radar including the radio frequency device described above.

[0008] According to some embodiments of this application, a fourth aspect of this application provides an electronic device including the radar described above.

[0009] This application provides an antenna structure, a radio frequency device, a radar, and an electronic device. In this antenna structure, a slotted structure in the first antenna element resonates and forms a stopband in a first preset frequency band, thereby blocking the first antenna element from participating in radiation. A second antenna element is connected to the first antenna element via a connecting unit. Therefore, when the antenna structure operates in the first preset frequency band, the antenna structure mainly relies on the second antenna element for radiation, thus achieving a directional radiation mode. When the antenna structure operates in the second preset frequency band, the slotted structure in the first antenna element does not resonate and cannot form a stopband. The second antenna element does not participate in radiation, and the antenna structure mainly relies on the first antenna element for radiation, thus achieving an omnidirectional radiation mode. Therefore, this antenna structure can switch antenna functions according to different directional requirements in different frequency bands. Attached Figure Description

[0010] One or more embodiments are illustrated by way of example with corresponding pictures in the accompanying drawings. These illustrations do not constitute a limitation on the embodiments. Unless otherwise stated, the pictures in the accompanying drawings do not constitute a limitation on scale. In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or in the conventional technology, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0011] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the antenna structure provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0012] Figure 2 A schematic diagram illustrating the installation positions of various anchor points on a vehicle as provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0013] Figure 3a A schematic diagram illustrating an antenna implementation method provided for related technologies;

[0014] Figure 3b A schematic diagram illustrating an antenna implementation method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0015] Figure 4a A schematic diagram illustrating another antenna implementation method provided for related technologies;

[0016] Figure 4b A schematic diagram illustrating another antenna implementation provided in this application embodiment;

[0017] Figure 5 This is a top view schematic diagram of an antenna structure provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0018] Figure 6 for Figure 5Cross-sectional view along the EF direction;

[0019] Figure 7 for Figure 5 Cross-sectional view along the GH direction;

[0020] Figure 8 This is a top view schematic diagram of another antenna structure provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0021] Figure 9 This is a top view schematic diagram of another antenna structure provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0022] Figure 10 This is a top view schematic diagram of another antenna structure provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0023] Figure 11 for Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the working mode;

[0024] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of another antenna structure provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0025] Figure 13 This is a top view schematic diagram of another antenna structure provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0026] Figure 14 for Figure 13 A schematic diagram of the structure of a neutral polarization filter;

[0027] Figure 15 for Figure 13 Cross-sectional view along the E1F1 direction;

[0028] Figure 16 for Figure 13 Cross-sectional view along the G1H1 direction;

[0029] Figure 17 for Figure 12 A schematic diagram of the working mode;

[0030] Figure 18 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an antenna unit provided by related technologies;

[0031] Figure 19 yes Figure 18 A schematic diagram of the longitudinal current i1 generated by the antenna element shown;

[0032] Figure 20 yes Figure 18 A schematic diagram of the transverse current i2 generated by the antenna element shown;

[0033] Figure 21 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an antenna element provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0034] Figure 22 This is a schematic diagram of another antenna structure provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0035] Figure 23a A schematic diagram of the current path of a grounding unit provided for related technologies;

[0036] Figure 23b This application provides a schematic diagram of the current path of a grounding unit according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0037] Figure 23c A schematic diagram of the current path of another grounding unit provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0038] Figure 24 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a grounding unit provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0039] Figure 25 This is a schematic diagram of another grounding unit provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0040] Figure 26 This is a schematic diagram of another antenna structure provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0041] Figure 27 for Figure 26 The corresponding S-parameter curve;

[0042] Figure 28 for Figure 26 Corresponding radiation pattern;

[0043] Figure 29 This is a schematic diagram of another grounding unit provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0044] Figure 30 for Figure 29 The corresponding S-parameter curve;

[0045] Figure 31 This is a schematic diagram of a multi-branch structure provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0046] Figure 32 for Figure 31 The corresponding S-parameter curve;

[0047] Figure 33 This is a schematic diagram of another multi-branch structure provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0048] Figure 34 for Figure 33 The corresponding S-parameter curve;

[0049] Figure 35 This is a top view schematic diagram of another antenna structure provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0050] Figure 36 A schematic diagram of the structure of a second antenna unit provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0051] Figure 37 for Figure 35 Cross-sectional view along the G2H2 direction;

[0052] Figure 38 This is a top view schematic diagram of another antenna structure provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0053] Figure 39 This is a top view schematic diagram of another antenna structure provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0054] Figure 40 for Figure 35 A schematic diagram of the working mode;

[0055] Figure 41 for Figure 35 Corresponding return loss diagram;

[0056] Figure 42 for Figure 35 The corresponding antenna pattern. Detailed Implementation

[0057] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the technical solutions of this application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with specific embodiments and corresponding drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0058] In the description of the embodiments of this application, "at least one" means one or more, and "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0059] In the description of the embodiments of this application, technical terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish different objects and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number, specific order, or primary and secondary relationship of the indicated technical features.

[0060] In the description of the embodiments in this application, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent three cases: A exists, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists. In addition, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the related objects before and after it have an "or" relationship.

[0061] In this document, the term "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0062] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the technical terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships, are based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the embodiments of this application. For example, if the device or element in the illustration is inverted, then the element described as "below," "under," "below," or "bottom" of other elements or features will be oriented "above" or "top" of said other elements or features. Therefore, the term "below" may cover both above and below orientation depending on the context in which the term is used, which will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Materials may be oriented in other ways (e.g., rotated 90 degrees, inverted, flipped), and the spatial relative descriptive terms used herein may be interpreted accordingly.

[0063] In the description of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, technical terms such as "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of this application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0064] In the description of the embodiments of this application, when a component "includes" another component, other components are not excluded unless otherwise stated, and other components may be further included. The formation or provision of a second component above or on a first component, or on the surface of a first component, or on one side of a first component, may include embodiments where the first and second components are in direct contact, and may also include embodiments where an additional component may be present between the first and second components, thereby preventing direct contact between the first and second components. For simplicity and clarity, various components may be drawn at different scales. In the drawings, some layers / components may be omitted for simplicity. Unless otherwise specified, the formation or provision of a second component on the surface of a first component refers to direct contact between the first and second components. The term "component" may refer to: layer, film, region, portion, structure, etc.

[0065] UWB is a wireless technology that enables precise location tracking in car keys. With the increasing prevalence of UWB on smartphones, automakers are rapidly designing next-generation vehicles using UWB, allowing users to use their smartphones as secure digital car keys. UWB digital car keys represent a completely new keyless entry system, offering centimeter-level accuracy in location tracking. Using a smartphone as a digital key is both accurate and secure.

[0066] As vehicle usage scenarios become more refined, in-cabin target detection, such as child presence detection (CPD), becomes particularly important. Related technologies for child presence detection involve attempting to detect heartbeat, breathing, movement, or other vital signs to determine the presence of a child, or inferring the possibility of occupants using logical information such as door opening, pressure sensing, or capacitive sensing. However, these methods suffer from drawbacks such as complex structure, low recognition rate, and high cost. Ultra-wideband (UWB) radar, on the other hand, can transmit ultra-short pulses and determine the target's position and velocity by measuring signal delay and amplitude; therefore, UWB can be used for radar imaging. UWB radar transmits pulse signals and receives the echoes after reflection from obstacles. By analyzing the echo disturbances, it determines whether an object is near the UWB radar; this detection method is called Channel Impulse Response (CIR) technology, which can be used for in-cabin liveness detection. UWB radar's Doppler effect can detect very subtle movements such as human breathing and human activity, enabling in-vehicle liveness detection. Therefore, it can be directly applied to cabin liveness detection. In comparison, the UWB-based CPD method has advantages such as simple structure, high recognition rate, low power consumption, and low cost, and is expected to be further widely used.

[0067] As automakers increasingly prioritize vehicle safety and convenience, while also seeking to enhance user experience through advanced technologies, integrating UWB car keys and CPD applications onto a single hardware device is becoming a growing trend. Integrating these two applications into a single hardware device reduces the complexity and number of components in the vehicle, thereby lowering costs and simplifying system design and maintenance, while also improving integration performance. Users only need one device (such as a car key) to perform multiple functions, including unlocking, starting the vehicle, and monitoring for children inside, providing greater convenience. Simultaneously, integrating CPD functionality helps prevent accidents and improves vehicle safety. For example, the system can automatically detect if a child is left inside the vehicle when the driver leaves and issue an alarm to remind the driver, ensuring safe vehicle use. Furthermore, integrating UWB technology enhances the user experience, making it easier for users to use vehicle functions and providing greater security, thus improving the overall user experience.

[0068] In UWB technology, whether in UWB car key mode or radar application mode, the antenna is an indispensable part of the system. The antenna is used to receive and transmit signals; it receives signals from other devices or base stations and transmits them to the system for processing. It is also responsible for converting signals generated by the system into electromagnetic waves for transmission to other devices or base stations. In a UWB positioning system, the antenna receives signals from a reference point and uses these signals to determine the receiver's position and distance; the antenna's design and placement are crucial to positioning accuracy. As the interface of the communication system, the antenna's design and performance directly affect communication quality and transmission rate.

[0069] The inventors of this application have discovered through practice that, for application designs such as integrating UWB car keys and CPD applications into the same radio frequency device in automobiles, the CPD application corresponding to UWB radar mode is mainly for detecting targets such as children inside the vehicle, and does not need to detect objects outside the vehicle. Therefore, the radiation pattern of its antenna only needs to cover the environment inside the vehicle. However, in UWB car key mode, it needs to receive signals from the electronic key outside (or inside) the vehicle, requiring coverage of a wider angle and azimuth. Therefore, its antenna needs to cover the environment inside and outside the vehicle. To address this, embodiments of this application provide an antenna, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the antenna is used for UWB and includes at least: a first antenna group and a second antenna group integrated on the same radio frequency device; wherein,

[0070] The first antenna group has at least one omnidirectional antenna, and the second antenna group has at least one directional antenna;

[0071] The first and second antenna groups operate in radar mode, or the second antenna group operates in radar mode.

[0072] This application embodiment, through the special design of antennas for different purposes for UWB, allows antennas for different purposes integrated on the same radio frequency device to work together in radar mode, improving system performance and ensuring that the system containing the antennas achieves the expected performance.

[0073] In one exemplary instance, the first antenna group includes an omnidirectional antenna for UWB car key mode. This satisfies the requirement that the UWB car key can receive signals in all directions.

[0074] In some embodiments, the omnidirectional antenna serving as the first antenna group may employ, but is not limited to, antenna structures such as planar inverted-F antenna (PIFA), inverted-F antenna (IFA), monopole, dipole, etc., to achieve omnidirectional radiation and reception.

[0075] In one exemplary instance, the second antenna group includes a directional antenna for use in addition to UWB car key mode.

[0076] In one embodiment, the directional antenna includes a directional antenna for detecting targets inside the cabin.

[0077] In one embodiment, for an application design that integrates a UWB car key and CPD application on the same radio frequency device in an automobile, the second antenna group includes a directional antenna for the CPD application corresponding to the UWB radar mode.

[0078] In some embodiments, the directional antenna used as the second antenna group may be, but is not limited to, a microstrip patch antenna, a waveguide slot antenna, a dielectric resonant antenna, etc.

[0079] With the increasing demand for integrating radar and CPD, in automotive applications that integrate UWB car keys and CPD applications onto the same hardware, the main anchor point installed inside the vehicle typically needs to support both UWB car key and CPD applications. In related technologies, antennas for UWB can only operate in radar mode, while CPD requires a separate implementation. To adapt to this trend, the antenna for UWB provided in this application uses a directional antenna to achieve in-cabin target detection, thus accommodating the application scenarios of both UWB car keys and CPD.

[0080] In application designs that integrate UWB car keys and CPD applications onto the same hardware, increasing the number of available radio frequency (RF) channels improves the accuracy and real-time performance of key positioning for UWB car keys. This is particularly important for car owners, as accurate key location at all times facilitates vehicle unlocking and locking. For CPD, increasing the number of available RF channels enhances the system's ability to monitor and track the location of children inside the vehicle. This is crucial for children's safety, as the system can more accurately detect their location, issue timely alerts, and take necessary measures to prevent accidents. The antenna provided in this embodiment allows the first and second antenna groups to operate simultaneously in radar mode, thus increasing the number of available RF channels. This increase significantly improves the system's performance in detecting both UWB car keys and the presence of children inside the vehicle, thereby enhancing the overall system's reliability and usability, and ensuring the antenna-equipped system achieves its expected performance.

[0081] In one embodiment, for application designs that integrate UWB car keys and CPD applications on the same hardware in a car, more available radio frequency channels provide better support for the system to more accurately locate and track the position of the UWB car key and children in the car, improving the accuracy and reliability of the system.

[0082] In this embodiment, by setting the first antenna group and the second antenna group to work together in radar mode, the number of radio frequency channels in radar mode is increased, thereby improving its detection effect. For application designs such as integrating UWB car keys and CPD applications on the same hardware in automobiles, this significantly improves the system's performance in terms of UWB car keys and CPD, thereby enhancing the reliability and usability of the entire system.

[0083] In one exemplary instance, the radio frequency device may be a UWB chip or a UWB system.

[0084] In UWB positioning systems, multiple anchor points and mobile tags are typically deployed. Anchor points are usually fixed at known locations within the area to be measured and possess highly accurate location information, such as... Figure 2 As shown, this illustrates the installation locations of various anchor points on the car, such as... Figure 2 The location marked with "UWB" is the anchor point. The main anchor point is one of these anchor points, and it is typically located at the main control node or central position in the entire UWB positioning system, such as... Figure 2 The "UWB" lettering, located inside the car through the windshield, is primarily used to provide the reference position and time synchronization signal for the positioning system, supporting accurate positioning of moving targets.

[0085] In one exemplary instance, for an application design that integrates UWB car key and CPD applications on the same radio frequency device in a car, it is necessary to consider both UWB car key and CPD applications, and the same radio frequency device can be the main anchor point.

[0086] In one embodiment, the antenna size is approximately 10mm in the UWB operating frequency band. Traditional omnidirectional antennas require clearance in the vicinity to avoid interference, and hardware circuitry cannot be arranged within the antenna area. This would lead to an increase in the size of the antenna's circuit board due to the increased number of RF channels (antennas), which would negatively impact the vehicle's interior design and overall aesthetics.

[0087] In the antenna provided in this application embodiment, for the first antenna group, at least one omnidirectional antenna has a clearance area, and for the second antenna group, at least one directional antenna does not have a clearance area.

[0088] In this embodiment, setting a clearance area for the antenna in the first antenna group means that a clearance area is defined in the area near the antenna in the first antenna group. In other words, circuits or other equipment cannot be placed in the area near the antenna in the first antenna group. On the other hand, not setting a clearance area for the antenna in the second antenna group means that a clearance area is not defined in the area near the antenna in the second antenna group. In other words, circuits or other equipment can be placed in the area near the antenna in the second antenna group.

[0089] Taking the antenna assembly for UWB in the application design of integrating UWB car keys and CPD applications on the circuit board where the main anchor point is located as an example, in this embodiment, the antenna assembly includes 4 antennas, two of which are used as antennas for UWB car keys and two of which are used as antennas for CPD applications.

[0090] Figure 3a This is a schematic diagram illustrating one implementation of an antenna in related technologies, such as... Figure 3a As shown, the antennas used for UWB car keys and CPD applications are both omnidirectional antennas, such as... Figure 3a As shown in the small shaded squares of the snowflake pattern, all antennas require clearance treatment to establish a clearance area, as follows: Figure 3a The blank area is shown in the figure, so the usable area left for the hardware circuit is shown in the black area. Figure 3b This is a schematic diagram illustrating one implementation of an antenna in an embodiment of this application, as shown below. Figure 3b As shown, the antenna used for the UWB car key is an omnidirectional antenna, such as... Figure 3b As shown in the small squares of the snowflake pattern, the antenna used in the CPD is a directional antenna, such as... Figure 3bThe small shaded square in the diagram is shown. In the antenna implementation method provided in this application embodiment, it is only necessary to perform clearance processing on the UWB car key antenna to set up a clearance area, such as... Figure 3b As shown in the blank area, the antenna for CPD applications does not require clearance treatment, i.e., no clearance area needs to be set. This area can be used to place other hardware circuits, such as... Figure 3b As shown, the black area represents the usable area for the hardware circuitry compared to... Figure 3a The large black area effectively limits the expansion of the circuit board size. It should be noted that a clearance area can also be omitted only for certain antenna sections in CPD applications.

[0091] Figure 4a This is a schematic diagram illustrating another antenna implementation method in related technologies. Figure 4b This is a schematic diagram illustrating another implementation of an antenna for UWB in an embodiment of this application. Figure 4a and Figure 4b The antennas shown are arranged in an L-shaped array to achieve 3D Angle of Arrival (AoA) functionality. Figure 3a and Figure 3b The difference is that, Figure 4a and Figure 4b The antenna used in CPD applications is an antenna with added 3D AoA functionality. For related technologies, a comparison... Figure 4a and Figure 3a The clearance area increases, while the usable black area for hardware circuitry shrinks. However, in the antenna implementation method of this application embodiment, compared to... Figure 4b and Figure 3b The black area reserved for the hardware circuitry is the same size. In other words, for antennas with added 3D AoA functionality, compared to related technologies, the antenna implementation method provided in this application significantly increases the available area for the hardware circuitry, effectively limiting the expansion of the circuit board size. It should be noted that the clearance area can also be omitted only for the antenna portion used in CPD applications.

[0092] It should be noted that the first antenna group and the second antenna group mentioned above can reuse the same antenna structure to achieve both UWB car key mode and radar mode; or, the first antenna group and the second antenna group can use different antenna structures to achieve UWB car key mode and radar mode respectively.

[0093] The following provides an antenna structure for reference. Figures 5 to 7 , Figures 13 to 15As shown, the antenna structure includes at least one antenna element and at least one filter 12; the antenna element includes at least one omnidirectional antenna 11; the filter 12 is used to adjust the directivity of the antenna element so that the antenna element realizes the function of a directional antenna; the filter 12 includes multiple filter units, which are arranged in an array, and at least some of the filter units overlap with the omnidirectional antenna along a reference direction, which is perpendicular to the plane where the antenna element is located.

[0094] The omnidirectional antenna can employ, but is not limited to, antenna structures such as planar inverted-F antenna (PIFA), inverted-F antenna (IFA), monopole, or dipole to achieve omnidirectional radiation and / or reception.

[0095] The specific number of filter units in this application embodiment is not limited and can be determined according to the size of the omnidirectional antenna. In this application, in order to better adjust the directivity of the omnidirectional antenna, the size of the omnidirectional antenna can be larger than the size of the filter unit. In this case, one omnidirectional antenna can be provided with multiple filter units. The overlap of the filter unit and the omnidirectional antenna along the reference direction means that a part of the filter unit overlaps with a part of the omnidirectional antenna along the reference direction.

[0096] The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific structure of the filtering unit, as long as it can achieve the corresponding function.

[0097] This antenna structure adjusts the directivity of the antenna elements through a filter, enabling it to function as a directional antenna when needed; when an omnidirectional antenna function is required, the filter does not function, and the directivity of the antenna elements remains unchanged, thus achieving an omnidirectional antenna function.

[0098] This antenna structure can be used in directional antenna mode and / or omnidirectional antenna mode, without limitation. When applied in the UWB field, this antenna structure can operate in UWB car key mode to realize the function of a directional antenna, or in radar mode to realize the function of an omnidirectional antenna. The meanings of UWB car key mode and radar mode can be found in the foregoing explanation, and will not be repeated here.

[0099] This antenna structure achieves antenna element multiplexing through a filtering unit, thus combining the functions of a directional antenna and an omnidirectional antenna, eliminating the need for an additional directional antenna, thereby improving antenna utilization and significantly reducing costs.

[0100] The following provides a specific structure for a filtering unit. In some implementations, refer to... Figures 5 to 10 As shown, the filtering unit is a director 121; at the resonant frequency of the director 121, the omnidirectional antenna 11 is converted into a directional antenna.

[0101] In this application embodiment, multiple periodically distributed directors resonate. Near the resonant frequency, the electromagnetic field radiated by the omnidirectional antenna is reflected or pulled, thereby changing the directivity of the omnidirectional antenna and converting the antenna structure from an omnidirectional antenna to a directional antenna. In other words, the antenna structure provided in this application embodiment can switch between antenna functions requiring different directions in different frequency bands. (Reference) Figure 11 As shown, when the operating frequency band of this antenna structure is the resonant frequency of the director, it can realize a directional antenna mode for applications such as cabin detection; when the operating frequency band of this antenna structure is a frequency band other than the resonant frequency of the director, it can realize an omnidirectional antenna mode for applications such as main aiming points.

[0102] The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific range of the resonant frequency of the director, and can be selected according to actual requirements.

[0103] To facilitate implementation and reduce production costs, refer to Figure 5 As shown, the director 121 includes an inductor 1212 and a capacitor 1211 that are electrically connected. The inductor 1211 is a toroidal inductor with an opening, and the capacitor 1211 is disposed at the opening of the inductor 1211.

[0104] In this embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the open-ended annular inductor includes, but is not limited to, an open rectangular ring, an open circular ring, an open triangular ring, or an open elliptical ring. Since the mutual coupling of two parallel inductors is stronger, and their guiding effect on electromagnetic waves is stronger, to improve the guiding effect of the director, a shape such as... can be preferentially selected. Figure 5 The inductor 1211 shown has a cross-sectional shape of a rectangular ring with an opening. In this embodiment, multiple directors are arranged in an array, and the spacing between adjacent directors can be selected according to the operating wavelength of the antenna element. (Reference) Figure 5 As shown, the spacing D between adjacent directors along the OA direction (i.e., the distance between the centers C1 and C2 of adjacent inductors) can be less than 0.25λ, where λ is the operating wavelength of the antenna element.

[0105] In this embodiment, the capacitor is disposed at the opening of the inductor; specifically, the two plates of the capacitor are disposed at both ends of the opening of the inductor. The larger the capacitance value, the lower the resonant frequency of the director; the capacitance value can be determined according to the required frequency band for the directional function.

[0106] The following provides another specific structure for a filtering unit. In some implementations, refer to... Figure 13 and Figure 14 As shown, the filtering unit is a polarization filter 122; when the polarization filter 122 is working, the omnidirectional antenna 11 is converted into a directional antenna.

[0107] The polarization filter in this embodiment is a spatial polarization filter. During operation, it reflects the polarized waves radiated by the antenna element, thereby redistributing the electromagnetic field radiated by the antenna element. This alters the directivity of the antenna element, allowing the antenna structure to switch from an omnidirectional antenna to a directional antenna. In other words, the antenna structure provided in this embodiment can achieve different antenna directional functions by controlling the operating state of the polarization filter, without requiring frequency switching. (Reference) Figure 17 As shown, when the polarization filter of this antenna structure is turned on, it can realize a directional antenna mode for applications such as cabin detection; when the polarization filter of this antenna structure is turned off, it can realize an omnidirectional antenna mode for applications such as main aiming points.

[0108] The embodiments of this application do not limit the control method of the polarization filter, and can be selected according to the specific structure.

[0109] To facilitate implementation and reduce production costs, refer to Figure 14 As shown, the polarization filter 122 includes at least one switching module 1222 and at least two metal modules 1221 arranged along a first preset direction OB. A switching module 1222 is disposed between two adjacent metal modules 1221. The first preset direction OB is parallel to the polarization direction of the antenna element.

[0110] When the switch module is turned on during the working phase, it enables all metal modules arranged along the first preset direction to conduct; when it is turned off during the non-working phase, it enables all metal modules arranged along the first preset direction to disconnect.

[0111] In this embodiment, the switching module includes, but is not limited to, a pin diode, a MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical System) switch, or other electrically controlled switches. The switching module's on / off state can be based on specific structural settings. For example, if the switching module is a pin diode, when it is necessary to control the pin diode to conduct, a power signal VDD is input to the metal module connected to the positive terminal of the pin diode, and a ground signal VSS is input to the metal module connected to the negative terminal of the pin diode; when it is necessary to control the pin diode to deactivate, the power signal VDD is stopped from being input to the metal module connected to the positive terminal of the pin diode. In this embodiment, the metal module includes, but is not limited to, a metal strip, a metal wire, or a metal sheet.

[0112] In this embodiment, the first preset direction is parallel to the polarization direction of the antenna element. Here, the polarization direction of the antenna element is not limited. The polarization direction of the antenna element includes, but is not limited to, vertical polarization, horizontal polarization, 45-degree polarization, circular polarization, or elliptical polarization. Figure 13 and Figure 14In the antenna structure shown, the polarization direction of the antenna element is vertical polarization. The metal module 1221 in the first row is grounded (connected to the VSS signal). If a power signal VDD is input to the metal module 1221 in the second row, all pin diodes are turned on. At this time, the polarization filter formed by the two metal modules 1221 arranged along the first preset direction OB will reflect the vertically polarized wave, thereby redistributing the electromagnetic field radiated by the antenna and realizing the function of a directional antenna. If the power signal VDD is stopped from being input to the metal module 1221 in the second row, all pin diodes are turned off, the two metal modules 1221 arranged along the first preset direction OB are disconnected, and the antenna structure realizes the function of an omnidirectional antenna.

[0113] To ensure the performance of the polarization filter, the reference... Figure 14 As shown, in the adjacent polarization filters 122 arranged along the second preset direction OA, the center distance between adjacent metal modules arranged along the second preset direction OA is p, and the width of the metal module along the second preset direction OA is a, where a / p≥0.5, and the second preset direction OA intersects with the first preset direction OB.

[0114] To further ensure the performance of the polarization filter, reference Figure 14 As shown, when the switch module 1222 is turned on, the equivalent length of at least two metal modules 1221 turned on along the first preset direction OB is d, where d ranges from [0.5λ, 0.7λ], and λ is the operating wavelength of the antenna element. (Reference) Figure 14 As shown, the equivalent length refers to the sum of the lengths of two adjacent metal modules 1222 arranged along the first preset direction OB in the polarization filter and the distance between two adjacent metal modules 1221.

[0115] refer to Figure 14 As shown, the antenna structure also includes multiple connectors 123; a connector 123 is disposed between any two adjacent metal modules 1221 arranged along the second preset direction OA, where the second preset direction OA intersects with the first preset direction OB. Thus, by electrically connecting the multiple metal modules arranged along the second preset direction through the connectors, a control signal only needs to be input to one of the metal modules to ensure that all the metal modules arranged along the second preset direction can receive the control signal, thereby avoiding the need to input a control signal to each individual metal module, and thus reducing the number of control lines required to minimize the size. The structure of the connector is not limited; the connector may include, but is not limited to, connecting wires, pin diodes, MEMS switches, or other electrically controlled switches.

[0116] The specific structure of the antenna element is provided below. It should be noted that the structure of the antenna element described below can be applied to any of the aforementioned antenna structures. Specifically, the antenna element described below can be applied to antenna structures equipped with filtering units, which include multiple filtering units, and these filtering units can be directories or polarization filters.

[0117] In some implementations, the cross-sectional shape of the omnidirectional antenna is polygonal, elliptical, circular, or annular with an opening. Figure 9 The cross-sectional shape of the omnidirectional antenna shown is rectangular. Figure 10 The cross-sectional shape of the omnidirectional antenna shown is elliptical. Figure 8 The cross-sectional shape of the omnidirectional antenna shown is a ring with an opening.

[0118] Figure 18 The omnidirectional antenna shown not only produces Figure 19 The current i1, which propagates along the radial side as shown, will also generate at high frequencies such as Figure 20 The transverse current i2 shown can cause problems such as increased cross-polarization and pattern splitting. To reduce the transverse current distribution, methods such as... Figure 21 The omnidirectional antenna 11 shown is a loop antenna with an opening. In order to improve impedance matching at low frequencies, a portion of the lateral stub 110 can be retained at the opening.

[0119] In this embodiment, multiple filter units are arranged in an array, and at least some of the filter units overlap with the omnidirectional antenna along a reference direction. The reference direction is perpendicular to the plane where the antenna unit is located. The specific placement of the omnidirectional antenna and the filter units is not limited here.

[0120] The following provides one configuration method. In some implementations, refer to... Figure 6 and Figure 15 As shown, the omnidirectional antenna 11 and the filter unit are disposed on different metal layers. In this case, the omnidirectional antenna and the filter unit can be integrated onto the same multi-layered metal plate. The closer the distance between the omnidirectional antenna and the filter unit, the better the filtering unit's effect on adjusting the directivity of the omnidirectional antenna. Of course, to reduce mutual interference between different metal layers, refer to... Figure 6 and Figure 15 As shown, the antenna structure may further include at least one dielectric layer 15, with a dielectric layer 15 disposed between adjacent metal layers. It should be noted that this configuration is suitable for antenna structures where the filtering unit is a director or a polarization filter.

[0121] Another setup method is provided below. In some implementations, refer to... Figure 12As shown, the antenna structure also includes a radome 16, with the omnidirectional antenna 11 located within the area shielded by the radome 16; a director 121 is disposed on the surface of the radome 16 near the omnidirectional antenna 11. (Reference) Figure 12 As shown, the antenna structure also includes at least one dielectric layer 15, and a dielectric layer 15 can be disposed between adjacent metal layers.

[0122] In this antenna structure, the director is mounted on the surface of the radome near the omnidirectional antenna, which is then mounted on a multi-layered metal plate. This makes full use of the existing structure without adding extra space. To facilitate the director's adjustment of the omnidirectional antenna's directivity, the omnidirectional antenna can be positioned within the metal layer closest to the radome in the multi-layered metal structure. It should be noted that this configuration is suitable for antenna structures where the filter element is the director.

[0123] To facilitate power feeding of the antenna element, in one or more embodiments, reference is made to... Figures 5 to 7 , Figure 13 , Figure 15 and Figure 16 As shown, the antenna structure also includes a grounding unit 14 and at least one feeder unit 13. The feeder unit 13 is connected to the omnidirectional antenna 11, and the feeder unit 13 and the grounding unit 14 at least partially overlap along a reference direction. Figure 7 and Figure 16 As shown, the grounding unit 14 and the feed unit 13 are disposed on different metal layers. It should be noted that this arrangement is suitable for antenna structures where the filtering unit is a director or a polarization filter.

[0124] In this embodiment of the application, reference is made to Figure 7 and Figure 16 As shown, the grounding unit 14 and the filter 12 can be disposed on the same metal layer to save space; alternatively, the grounding unit and the filter unit can be disposed on different metal layers. For further ease of power feeding, the feed line unit and the omnidirectional antenna are disposed on the same metal layer, see reference [reference]. Figure 7 and Figure 16 As shown, the feeder unit 13 is directly connected to the omnidirectional antenna 11. It should be noted that this configuration is suitable for antenna structures where the filtering unit is a director or a polarization filter.

[0125] In this application embodiment, the structure of the grounding unit is not limited. A grounding unit structure is provided below. This grounding unit can be disposed in any of the above-described antenna structures, which include a director or a polarization filter. (Reference) Figure 5 and Figure 8 As shown, the grounding unit 14 has a protrusion or groove on the side near the omnidirectional antenna 11.

[0126] It should be noted that in antenna structures using UWB, the induced current (i.e., ground current) on the grounding element and the distributed current on the antenna element both affect the far-field radiation of the antenna structure. Due to issues such as array layout and space constraints, when multiple antenna elements are arranged on a single board, different antenna elements (such as...) will have different far-field radiation. Figure 22 The antenna elements A and B shown in the diagram have different shapes of the grounding element, causing a distortion in the radiation pattern. Furthermore, the current in the grounding element reduces the isolation between the antenna elements. Therefore, a protrusion or groove is provided on the side of the grounding element closest to the omnidirectional antenna to reduce the induced current intensity on the grounding element, thereby mitigating the radiation pattern distortion and improving the isolation between the antenna elements.

[0127] Figure 23a When a conventional grounding unit is used, the electric field lines emitted by the omnidirectional antenna 11 flow along the side of the grounding unit near the omnidirectional antenna to the left and right ends, forming currents I1 and I2 respectively.

[0128] refer to Figure 23b As shown, the electric field lines emitted by the omnidirectional antenna 11 flow to the left and right ends near the side of the grounding element with grooves, forming currents I3 and I4 respectively. Figure 23a and Figure 23b The comparison shows that the groove design increases the current path length of the grounding unit, which confines the electric field more to the groove, thereby reducing the lateral induced current intensity on the grounding unit and improving the isolation between omnidirectional antennas.

[0129] refer to Figure 23c As shown, the electric field lines emitted by the omnidirectional antenna 11 flow to the left and right ends near the side of the omnidirectional antenna 11 through the grounding element with protrusions, forming currents I5 and I6 respectively. Figure 23a and Figure 23c The comparison shows that, since the length of the curve between two points is greater than the length of the straight line, the protrusion increases the current path length of the grounding unit compared to the plane. At the same time, it also increases the distance between the omnidirectional antenna and the horizontal part on both sides of the protrusion in the grounding unit, so that the electric field is more confined to the vicinity of the protrusion, thereby reducing the lateral induced current intensity on the grounding unit and improving the isolation between the omnidirectional antennas.

[0130] In some implementations, reference Figures 24 to 26 As shown, at least one slot element 140 is provided around the protrusion, or at least one slot element is provided around the groove; the slot element can serve as a current blocking band, further reducing the influence of the grounding elements on the radiation pattern of the antenna element on both sides of the slot element.

[0131] In this embodiment, the shape of the cross-section of the slot element is not limited, and includes, but is not limited to, rectangular, circular, elliptical, etc. Figure 24 The inverted T shape shown or as Figure 25 The L-shape is shown. To reduce size and improve stopband performance, either an inverted T-shape or an L-shape can be chosen. It should be noted that the reference... Figure 24 As shown, the inverted T-shape is the shape obtained by looking from the raised side to the side without the raised part.

[0132] Figure 26 To obtain the optimized grounding unit and optimized omnidirectional antenna, testing this structure yields the following results. Figure 27 The S-parameter curves shown are and Figure 28 The radiation pattern shown. (Reference) Figure 27 As shown, the amplitude of the S-parameters does not fluctuate significantly between 6 GHz and 10 GHz, indicating good stability of the antenna structure. (Reference) Figure 28 As shown, the antenna structure exhibits relatively consistent directivity at 6GHz, 8GHz, and 10GHz, with low sensitivity to environment and frequency, and good stability.

[0133] In some embodiments, the grounding unit and / or feeder unit further includes at least one multi-segment structure, which includes a body portion, a central sub-part, and multiple branch sub-parts surrounding the central sub-part. In the embodiments of this application, the number, shape, and arrangement of the multiple branch sub-parts are not limited. For example, the multiple branch sub-parts are arranged axially symmetrically, or the multiple branch sub-parts are arranged centrally symmetrically. The shape of the branch sub-parts includes, but is not limited to, rectangles, ellipses, circles, triangles, or sectors.

[0134] This multi-stub structure can achieve a stopband at specific frequencies, suppressing signals of those frequencies, especially high-order harmonics; in UWB applications, it can filter out high-order harmonics. (Reference) Figure 30 As shown, the solid line represents the S-parameter curve of the original antenna without a multi-stub structure, and the dashed line represents the curve of the antenna with added stubs. Figure 29 The S-parameter curves of the antenna element with the multi-stub structure shown are compared with those of the two, and it can be seen that the antenna element with the multi-stub structure has a significant suppression effect in the range of 18GHz to 24GHz (the third harmonic of the operating frequency band).

[0135] In the multi-branch structure of this application embodiment, reference is made to... Figure 29As shown, the central sub-part 171 is provided with a central slot, and the branch sub-part 172 is provided with branch slots. This type of multi-branch structure can be applied to the grounding unit 14. Specifically, the main body is embedded in the protrusion or groove of the grounding unit along a third preset direction, the third preset direction being from the side of the grounding unit near the omnidirectional antenna to the side of the grounding unit away from the omnidirectional antenna; or, the main body is provided on the side of the protrusion facing the feed line unit.

[0136] Alternatively, in the multi-branch structure of this application embodiment, refer to Figure 31 and Figure 33 As shown, both the central sub-section 181 and the branch sub-section 182 are solid metal sheets. This multi-branch structure can be directly installed on signal transmission components such as the feeder unit 13, thereby better suppressing high-order harmonics.

[0137] It should be noted that, for ease of distinction, Figure 29 The multi-segmented structure shown is a multi-segmented structure 17 with a central slit and branch slits. Figure 31 and Figure 33 The multi-branched structure shown is a multi-branched structure 18 in which both the central sub-section and the branch sub-sections are solid metal sheets.

[0138] To improve the suppression effect, the grounding unit and / or feeder unit also includes multiple multi-segment structures stacked together, with the central sub-sections of each multi-segment structure overlapping and the branch sub-sections of each multi-segment structure being arranged correspondingly.

[0139] refer to Figure 33 As shown, for ease of implementation, the feeder unit may include a two-layer stacked structure. Figure 32 This is a graph of the S-parameters of a single-layer structure. Figure 34 For the S-parameter curves of the two-layer structure, Figure 32 and Figure 34 The comparison shows that the two-layer structure has a better inhibition effect.

[0140] In some implementations, the branch sub-sections of the multi-branch structure located on different layers have different sizes. For example, the sizes of the branch sub-sections of the multi-branch structure located on different layers decrease in the order of stacking, with the largest size of the branch sub-sections in the bottommost layer and the smallest size in the topmost layer. (See reference...) Figure 33 As shown, the size of the branch sub-section 182 of the multi-branched structure in the upper layer is smaller than the size of the branch sub-section 182 of the multi-branched structure in the lower layer.

[0141] Another antenna structure is provided below for reference. Figures 35 to 37As shown, the antenna structure includes at least one first antenna element 21, at least one second antenna element 22, and at least one connecting unit 17; the connecting unit 17 connects the first antenna element 21 and the second antenna element 22.

[0142] refer to Figure 35 As shown, a slot structure 210 is provided on the feed line side of the first antenna element 21, and a connecting unit 17 is provided on the feed line side of the slot structure 210 away from the first antenna element 21. When the operating frequency band of the antenna structure is the first preset frequency band, the second antenna element operates in directional radiation mode; when the operating frequency band of the antenna structure is the second preset frequency band, the first antenna element operates in omnidirectional radiation mode.

[0143] In this embodiment, the specific structures of the first antenna unit, the second antenna unit, and the connecting unit are not limited. The specific shape of the slot structure in the first antenna unit is also not limited; the slot structure includes, but is not limited to, rectangular slots, circular slots, elliptical slots, triangular slots, or slots of other shapes.

[0144] This antenna structure can be used in directional antenna mode and / or omnidirectional antenna mode, without limitation. When applied in the UWB field, this antenna structure can operate in UWB car key mode to realize the function of a directional antenna, or in radar mode to realize the function of an omnidirectional antenna. The meanings of UWB car key mode and radar mode can be found in the foregoing explanation, and will not be repeated here.

[0145] In this embodiment, the slot structure of the first antenna element resonates and forms a stopband in the first preset frequency band, thereby blocking the first antenna element from participating in radiation. The second antenna element is connected to the first antenna element through a connecting unit. Therefore, when the operating frequency band of the antenna structure is the first preset frequency band, the antenna structure mainly relies on the second antenna element for radiation, thus achieving a directional radiation mode. When the operating frequency band of the antenna structure is the second preset frequency band, the slot structure of the first antenna element does not resonate and cannot form a stopband. The second antenna element does not participate in radiation, and the antenna structure mainly relies on the first antenna element for radiation, thus achieving an omnidirectional radiation mode. That is, the antenna structure provided in this embodiment can switch antenna functions according to different directional requirements in different frequency bands.

[0146] refer to Figure 41 As shown, when the operating frequency band of this antenna structure is the first preset frequency band, it can realize the directional antenna mode for applications such as cabin detection; when the operating frequency band of this antenna structure is the second preset frequency band, it can realize the omnidirectional antenna mode for applications such as main aiming points.

[0147] This application does not limit the specific range of the stopband of the slot structure, as long as it can form a stopband in the first preset frequency band. In some embodiments, the stopband of the slot structure is the same as the first preset frequency band, so as to better block the first antenna element from participating in radiation when the operating frequency band of the antenna structure is the first preset frequency band.

[0148] When the slot structure forms a stopband at 8 GHz Figure 35 The return loss curve and antenna pattern of the antenna structure shown are respectively Figure 41 and Figure 42 ,refer to Figure 41 and Figure 42 As shown, this antenna structure has good omnidirectionality at 6GHz and 7GHz, and good directionality at 8GHz.

[0149] In one or more embodiments, reference is made to Figure 37 As shown, the first antenna element 21 and the second antenna element 22 are disposed on different metal layers; the first antenna element 21 and the second antenna element 22 overlap at least partially along a direction perpendicular to a reference direction, which is perpendicular to the plane containing the first antenna element. The dimensional relationship between the first antenna element and the second antenna element is not limited; for example, the size of the first antenna element can be greater than or equal to the size of the second antenna element, or the size of the first antenna element can be smaller than the size of the second antenna element. By adjusting the relative sizes of the first antenna element and the second antenna element, the directing or reflecting effect of the first antenna element on the radiation field of the second antenna element can be adjusted.

[0150] In this embodiment, the first antenna unit and the second antenna unit located in different metal layers can be electrically connected through metal vias, conductive pillars, metal traces, etc.

[0151] In some implementations, the first antenna element is an omnidirectional antenna, and the second antenna element is a directional antenna. The omnidirectional antenna can employ, but is not limited to, antenna structures such as a planar inverted-F antenna (PIFA), an inverted-F antenna (IFA), a monopole, or a dipole to achieve omnidirectional radiation and / or reception. The directional antenna can employ, but is not limited to, microstrip patch antennas, waveguide slot antennas, or dielectric resonator antennas. For example, the first antenna element 21 can employ, as shown in the example... Figure 35 The rectangular monopole antenna with a slotted structure shown can have its second antenna element 22 designed as follows: Figure 36 The rectangular patch antenna shown.

[0152] The following provides a specific gap structure.

[0153] refer to Figure 35 , Figure 38 and Figure 39As shown, the slot structure 210 includes a first slot 2101 disposed along a first preset direction OA and a second slot 2102 disposed along a second preset direction OB. The first slot 2101 and the second slot 2102 are connected, and at least one end of the first slot 2101 is provided with the second slot 2102; the first preset direction OA and the second preset direction OB intersect. This slot structure can effectively reduce size, save space and cost.

[0154] To further improve the band-stop effect, refer to Figure 35 As shown, the gap structure 210 also includes a third gap 2103 disposed along the first preset direction OA. The third gap 2103, the first gap 2101 and the second gap 2102 are connected, and the third gap 2103 is disposed at at least one end of the first gap 2101.

[0155] It should be noted that the reference Figure 35 As shown, in this slot structure, the length of the first slot 2101 along the first preset direction OA affects the coupling degree between the stopband slot and the feed line unit 13. This length cannot be set too short, otherwise it will not be able to effectively block the feed line energy from entering the first antenna unit 21. The lengths of the second slot 2102 along the second preset direction OB and the third slot 2103 along the first preset direction OA can be used to adjust the stopband frequency. The shorter these two lengths are, the lower the stopband frequency. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the slot structure may also include a slot arranged along the first preset direction, which may be elongated and without bends. Alternatively, the slot structure may also include other structures, which will not be listed here.

[0156] In one or more embodiments, reference is made to Figure 36 As shown, the antenna structure also includes a metal ring 20, which surrounds the second antenna element 22, as shown in the reference diagram. Figure 37 As shown, the metal ring 20 and the second antenna element 22 are disposed on the same metal layer. The metal ring can be used as a capacitor to achieve miniaturization of the antenna structure.

[0157] To facilitate power feeding to the first antenna element, in one or more embodiments, reference is made to... Figure 35 , Figure 39 and Figure 40 As shown, the antenna structure also includes a grounding unit 14 and at least one feeder unit 13, which is connected to the first antenna unit 21.

[0158] In this embodiment of the application, reference is made to Figure 37 As shown, the feed line unit 13 and the grounding unit 14 overlap at least partially along the reference direction, which is perpendicular to the plane where the first antenna unit is located. The grounding unit 14 and the feed line unit 13 are disposed in different metal layers.

[0159] In this embodiment of the application, reference is made to Figure 37 As shown, the grounding unit 14 and the second antenna unit 22 can be disposed on the same metal layer to save space; alternatively, the grounding unit and the second antenna unit can be disposed on different metal layers. For further ease of power feeding, the feed line unit and the first antenna are disposed on the same metal layer, as shown in the reference. Figure 37 As shown, feeder unit 13 is directly connected to the first antenna unit 21. (Reference) Figure 37 As shown, the antenna structure may also include at least one dielectric layer 15, with a dielectric layer 15 disposed between adjacent metal layers.

[0160] In this application embodiment, the structure of the grounding unit is not limited. The following provides a structure for a grounding unit. (Reference) Figure 35 , Figure 39 and Figure 40 As shown, the grounding unit 14 has a protrusion or groove on the side near the first antenna unit 21.

[0161] In this embodiment, a protrusion or groove is provided on the side of the grounding unit close to the first antenna unit, which can reduce the intensity of the induced current on the grounding unit, thereby alleviating the problem of radiation pattern distortion, and at the same time improving the isolation between the first antenna units.

[0162] In some implementations, reference Figure 24 and Figure 25 As shown, at least one slot element 140 is provided around the protrusion, or at least one slot element is provided around the groove; the slot element can serve as a current blocking band, further reducing the influence of the grounding elements on the radiation pattern of the first antenna element on both sides of the slot element.

[0163] In this embodiment, the shape of the cross-section of the slot element is not limited, and includes, but is not limited to, rectangular, circular, elliptical, etc. Figure 24 The inverted T shape shown or as Figure 25 The L-shape is shown. To reduce size and improve stopband performance, either an inverted T-shape or an L-shape can be chosen. It should be noted that the reference... Figure 24 As shown, the inverted T-shape is the shape obtained by looking from the raised side to the side without the raised part.

[0164] It should be noted that the relevant principle explanation of the grounding unit with protrusions or grooves in the embodiments of this application can be referred to the aforementioned embodiments of the antenna structure with filtering unit, and will not be repeated here.

[0165] In some implementations, the grounding unit and / or feeder unit further includes at least one multi-stub structure, which includes a body portion, a central sub-part, and multiple branch sub-parts surrounding the central sub-part. This multi-stub structure can achieve a stopband at a specific frequency, suppressing specific frequency signals, especially providing better suppression of higher harmonics; in UWB applications, it can achieve the filtering of higher harmonics.

[0166] In the multi-branch structure of this application embodiment, reference is made to... Figure 29 As shown, the central sub-part 171 is provided with a central slot, and the branch sub-part 172 is provided with branch slots. This type of multi-branch structure can be applied to the grounding unit 14. Specifically, the main body is embedded in the protrusion or groove along a third preset direction, which is from the side of the grounding unit close to the first antenna unit to the side of the grounding unit away from the first antenna unit; or, the main body is provided on the side of the protrusion facing the feed line unit.

[0167] Alternatively, in the multi-branch structure of this application embodiment, refer to Figure 31 and Figure 33 As shown, both the central sub-section 181 and the branch sub-section 182 are solid metal sheets. This multi-branch structure can be directly installed on signal transmission components such as the feeder unit 13, thereby better suppressing high-order harmonics.

[0168] To improve the suppression effect, the grounding unit and / or feeder unit also includes multiple multi-segment structures stacked together, with the central sub-sections of each multi-segment structure overlapping and the branch sub-sections of each multi-segment structure being arranged correspondingly.

[0169] In some implementations, the branch sub-sections of the multi-branch structure located on different layers have different sizes. For example, the sizes of the branch sub-sections of the multi-branch structure located on different layers decrease in the order of stacking, with the largest size of the branch sub-sections in the bottommost layer and the smallest size in the topmost layer. (See reference...) Figure 33 As shown, the size of the branch sub-section 182 of the multi-branched structure in the upper layer is smaller than the size of the branch sub-section 182 of the multi-branched structure in the lower layer.

[0170] It should be noted that any of the grounding units provided in the aforementioned embodiments of the antenna structure with filtering units can be applied to the antenna structure of this application embodiment; for the relevant descriptions of grounding units with protrusions or grooves and / or grounding units with multi-branch structures in the embodiments of this application, please refer to the aforementioned embodiments of the antenna structure with filtering units, which will not be repeated here.

[0171] This application also provides an antenna structure, see reference. Figures 5 to 9As shown, it includes an antenna unit 11, a feed line unit 13, and a grounding unit 14. The antenna unit 11 and the feed line unit 13 are connected, and the grounding unit 14 and the feed line unit 13 are disposed on different metal layers. The grounding unit 14 has a protrusion or groove on the side near the antenna unit 11.

[0172] The directivity of the antenna element is not limited here. For example, the antenna element can be an omnidirectional antenna or a directional antenna. The structure of the antenna element is also not limited. For example, the antenna element can be the same as the antenna element structure in the aforementioned antenna structure with a filter element; or, the antenna element can be the same as the first antenna element or the second antenna element structure in the aforementioned antenna structure with a first antenna element and a second antenna element; or, the antenna element can be other structures.

[0173] In this embodiment, a protrusion or groove is provided on the side of the grounding unit close to the antenna unit, which can reduce the intensity of the induced current on the grounding unit, thereby alleviating the problem of radiation pattern distortion, and at the same time improving the isolation between antenna units.

[0174] It should be noted that the relevant principle explanation of the grounding unit with protrusions or grooves in the embodiments of this application can be referred to the aforementioned embodiments of the antenna structure with filtering unit, and will not be repeated here.

[0175] In this embodiment of the application, reference is made to Figure 5 and Figure 7 As shown, the feed line unit 13 and the grounding unit 14 overlap at least partially along the reference direction, which is perpendicular to the plane where the antenna unit is located.

[0176] In some implementations, reference Figures 24 to 26 As shown, at least one slot element 140 is provided around the protrusion, or at least one slot element is provided around the groove; the slot element can serve as a current blocking band, further reducing the influence of the grounding elements on the antenna element's radiation pattern. In this embodiment, the shape of the slot element's cross-section is not limited, and includes, but is not limited to, rectangular, circular, elliptical, etc. Figure 24 The inverted T shape shown or as Figure 25 The L-shape is shown. To reduce size and improve stopband performance, either an inverted T-shape or an L-shape can be chosen. It should be noted that the reference... Figure 24 As shown, the inverted T-shape is the shape obtained by looking from the raised side to the side without the raised part.

[0177] It should be noted that the relevant principle explanation of the grounding unit with protrusions or grooves in the embodiments of this application can be referred to the aforementioned embodiments of the antenna structure with filtering unit, and will not be repeated here.

[0178] Similar to the grounding unit of the aforementioned antenna structure having a multi-stub structure, in some embodiments, and / or the feeder unit further includes at least one multi-stub structure, the multi-stub structure including a body portion, the body portion including a central sub-part and a plurality of branch sub-parts surrounding the central sub-part.

[0179] This multi-segment structure can achieve a stopband at a specific frequency, suppressing signals of that frequency, especially higher harmonics; in UWB applications, it can filter out higher harmonics.

[0180] In the multi-branch structure of this application embodiment, reference is made to... Figure 29 As shown, the central sub-part 171 is provided with a central gap, and the branch sub-part 172 is provided with branch gaps. This type of multi-branch structure can be applied to the grounding unit 14. Alternatively, in the multi-branch structure of this embodiment, refer to... Figure 31 and Figure 33 As shown, both the central sub-section 181 and the branch sub-section 182 are solid metal sheets. This multi-branch structure can be directly installed on signal transmission components such as the feeder unit 13, thereby better suppressing high-order harmonics.

[0181] To improve the suppression effect, the grounding unit and / or feeder unit also includes multiple multi-segment structures stacked together, with the central sub-sections of each multi-segment structure overlapping and the branch sub-sections of each multi-segment structure being arranged correspondingly.

[0182] In some implementations, the branch sub-sections of the multi-branch structure located on different layers have different sizes. For example, the sizes of the branch sub-sections of the multi-branch structure located on different layers decrease in the order of stacking, with the largest size of the branch sub-sections in the bottommost layer and the smallest size of the branch sub-sections in the topmost layer.

[0183] It should be noted that the relevant descriptions of the grounding unit with multiple branch structures in the embodiments of this application can be found in the aforementioned embodiments of the antenna structure with filtering units, and will not be repeated here.

[0184] In some implementations, the cross-sectional shape of the antenna element is polygonal, elliptical, circular, or annular with an opening. Figure 9 The cross-sectional shape of the omnidirectional antenna shown is rectangular. Figure 10 The cross-sectional shape of the omnidirectional antenna shown is elliptical. Figure 8 The cross-sectional shape of the omnidirectional antenna shown is a ring with an opening. Figure 18 The omnidirectional antenna shown not only produces Figure 19 The current i1, which propagates along the radial side as shown, will also generate at high frequencies such as Figure 20The transverse current i2 shown can cause problems such as increased cross-polarization and pattern splitting. To reduce the transverse current distribution, methods such as... Figure 21 The omnidirectional antenna 11 shown is a loop antenna with an opening. In order to improve impedance matching at low frequencies, a portion of the lateral stub 110 can be retained at the opening.

[0185] In this embodiment, the antenna structure may be the same as the antenna structure with a filter unit, or it may be the same as the antenna structure with a first antenna unit and a second antenna unit. The relevant structural description can be referred to the aforementioned embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0186] This application also provides a radio frequency (RF) device, including any of the antenna structures provided in this application embodiment. This RF device can switch antenna functions according to different directional requirements. Applied to the UWB technology field, this RF device can simultaneously implement UWB car key mode and radar mode, showing broad application prospects and high market value.

[0187] This application also provides a radar, including the radio frequency device described above. The radio frequency device can be installed inside a vehicle and / or around an external corner radar. When the radio frequency device is installed around the external corner radar, the antenna structure can operate in radar mode, realizing certain corner radar functions. This radar can be applied to the field of UWB technology, and its operating band is not limited. For example, the operating band of this radar can be the millimeter wave band, but it can also be other bands. The application scenarios of this radar are not limited. For example, this radar can be applied to traffic electronic equipment such as automobiles, bicycles, motorcycles, ships, subways, or trains to detect objects such as vehicles, pedestrians, overpasses, trees, or parking spaces. Of course, it can also be applied to security equipment such as cameras, or other fields, without limitation.

[0188] This application also provides an electronic device including the aforementioned radar. This electronic device can be a component or product used in fields such as smart homes, transportation, smart homes, consumer electronics, surveillance, industrial automation, in-cabin detection, and healthcare. For example, the electronic device can be intelligent transportation equipment (e.g., automobiles, bicycles, motorcycles, ships, subways, or trains), security equipment (e.g., cameras), liquid level / flow rate detection equipment, smart wearable devices (e.g., wristbands or glasses), smart home devices (e.g., robot vacuums, door locks, televisions, air conditioners, or smart lights), various communication devices (e.g., mobile phones or tablets), and devices such as barriers, intelligent traffic lights, intelligent signs, traffic cameras, or various industrial robotic arms (or robots). Alternatively, it can be various instruments for detecting vital signs or various devices equipped with such instruments, such as in-cabin vehicle detection, indoor occupant monitoring, smart medical devices, or consumer electronic devices.

[0189] Those skilled in the art will understand that the above embodiments are specific examples of implementing this application, and in practical applications, various changes in form and detail can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this application. Any person skilled in the art can make various alterations and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of this application; therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope defined in the claims.

Claims

1. An antenna structure, characterized in that, The antenna structure includes at least one first antenna element, at least one second antenna element, and at least one connecting element; The first antenna element has a slot structure on its feed line side, and the connection unit is provided on the feed line side of the slot structure away from the first antenna element; the connection unit connects the first antenna element and the second antenna element. When the operating frequency band of the antenna structure is the first preset frequency band, the second antenna element operates in directional radiation mode; When the operating frequency band of the antenna structure is the second preset frequency band, the first antenna element operates in omnidirectional radiation mode.

2. The antenna structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The stopband of the slot structure is the same as the first preset frequency band.

3. The antenna structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first antenna element and the second antenna element are disposed on different metal layers; the first antenna element and the second antenna element overlap at least partially along a reference direction perpendicular to the plane where the first antenna element is located.

4. The antenna structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gap structure includes a first gap disposed along a first preset direction and a second gap disposed along a second preset direction. The first gap and the second gap are connected, and at least one end of the first gap is provided with the second gap. The first preset direction and the second preset direction intersect.

5. The antenna structure according to claim 4, characterized in that, The gap structure further includes a third gap disposed along the first preset direction. The third gap, the first gap, and the second gap are connected together, and the third gap is disposed at at least one end of the first gap.

6. The antenna structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The antenna structure further includes a metal ring, which surrounds the second antenna element, and the metal ring and the second antenna element are disposed on the same metal layer.

7. The antenna structure according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The antenna structure further includes a grounding unit and at least one feeder unit. The feeder unit is connected to the first antenna unit, and the grounding unit has a protrusion or groove on the side near the first antenna unit.

8. The antenna structure according to claim 7, characterized in that, At least one slit unit is provided around the protrusion or the groove.

9. The antenna structure according to claim 7, characterized in that, The grounding unit and / or the feeder unit further includes at least one multi-segment structure, the multi-segment structure including a body portion, the body portion including a central sub-part and a plurality of branch sub-parts surrounding the central sub-part.

10. A radio frequency device, characterized in that, Includes the antenna structure described in any one of claims 1-9.

11. A radar, characterized in that, Includes the radio frequency device of claim 10, wherein the radio frequency device is installed inside the vehicle and / or around the external corner radar.

12. An electronic device, characterized in that, Including the radar as described in claim 11.

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