Antenna array and positioning device

Abstract

The application provides an antenna array and a positioning device, wherein the antenna array comprises a plurality of antenna radiators, each of which is a rod-shaped structure or a cylindrical structure made of metal or alloy. The application solves the technical problems of large volume, large quantity and complex structure of the antenna in the prior art.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of antenna technology, and more specifically, to an antenna array and positioning device. Background Technology

[0002] Ultra-wideband (UWB) technology, with its advantages of large bandwidth, high time resolution, and strong resistance to multipath interference, has been widely used in recent years for indoor high-precision positioning, ranging, and angle measurement. Especially in positioning schemes based on angle of arrival (AOA), a multi-antenna array is typically constructed to analyze the phase difference or time difference of the received signals, thereby achieving accurate calculation of the target position.

[0003] Current positioning devices for AOA array antennas based on UWB technology generally work by receiving and measuring the phase of a UWB electromagnetic wave signal emitted by another UWB transmitter when it reaches each sub-antenna of the array antenna. This allows the calculation of the phase difference between each sub-antenna and the received UWB signal. Based on the phase difference, an algorithm can be used to calculate the angle information of the UWB transmitter relative to the array antenna.

[0004] However, most antenna designs prioritize radiation efficiency, focusing on radiating as much electromagnetic energy as possible to achieve longer communication distances, while neglecting phase performance. While some antennas offer some phase performance, they often suffer from limitations such as large size, excessive number of sub-antennas in the array, and complex structure. In other words, existing UWB positioning base station devices either fail to achieve satisfactory angle measurement results or suffer from excessive antenna size and a large number of sub-antennas, limiting their application scenarios.

[0005] For example, such as Figure 1 As shown, the antennas provided by existing technologies are commercially available rod antennas. These antennas are relatively large, and the large number of antennas increases the cost. They also require support frames for fixed installation, resulting in a complex structure. The overall size of the antenna section is significant, ultimately leading to a large overall positioning device size, which limits many application scenarios. Furthermore, AOA angle measurement and TOF ranging use different antennas, further increasing cost, size, and structural complexity.

[0006] There is currently no effective solution to the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0008] This application provides an antenna array and positioning device to solve the problems of large size, large number, and complex structure of antennas in the prior art.

[0009] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, an antenna array is provided, including a plurality of antenna radiators, each of which is a cylindrical structure made of metal or alloy. This embodiment, by using a metal or alloy cylindrical object (including stepped cylinders) as the antenna radiator instead of a prefabricated rod antenna, significantly reduces the size of the AOA positioning device compared to existing technologies, making it easier to integrate into other devices and greatly expanding the application scenarios of the AOA positioning device. Furthermore, by using a metal or alloy cylindrical object (including stepped cylinders) as the antenna radiator instead of a prefabricated rod antenna, the cost of the antenna radiator itself is significantly reduced. In addition, requiring only four antenna radiators further reduces the cost.

[0010] In some embodiments, the surface of each antenna radiator is provided with a metal plating layer, the metal plating layer being gold, silver, or other conductive metal; and / or, at least one end of each antenna radiator is provided with a chamfered structure or a rounded corner structure.

[0011] In some embodiments, the antenna array further includes a printed circuit board, wherein the printed circuit board is provided with metallized vias corresponding one-to-one with the plurality of antenna radiators, and the plurality of antenna radiators are respectively inserted and fixed in the corresponding metallized vias.

[0012] In some embodiments, the plurality of antenna radiators are arranged substantially perpendicular to the surface of the printed circuit board and are electrically connected to radio frequency traces on the printed circuit board through the metallized vias.

[0013] In some embodiments, the length and diameter of each antenna radiator are selected such that the input impedance of the antenna radiator in the UWB operating frequency band is close to a preset impedance value, so as to achieve impedance matching with the RF trace.

[0014] In some embodiments, the plurality of antenna radiators are four antenna radiators, which are arranged in a square or rhomboid array on the printed circuit board, with each of the four antenna radiators located at one of the four vertices of the square or rhomboid to form a four-antenna AOA array. In this embodiment, the number of antennas is reduced to four, and the antenna radiators are directly inserted into the PCB board and then fixed to the PCB board by soldering, resulting in a simple structure and high stability. Furthermore, the antenna pattern can be adjusted by soldering metal or alloy cylindrical objects (including stepped cylinders) of different lengths and diameters as antenna radiators, and the square or rhomboid array arrangement makes it suitable for more diverse application scenarios.

[0015] In some embodiments, in the square or rhomboid array, the spacing between two adjacent antenna radiators is less than half the wavelength corresponding to the UWB operating frequency band; and / or, the adjacent interior angles of the rhomboid array are 60 degrees and 120 degrees.

[0016] In some embodiments, each antenna radiator is a cylindrical structure with the same diameter, or a stepped cylindrical structure having at least two segments with different diameters; and when each antenna radiator is a stepped cylindrical structure, the stepped cylinder includes a first stage for fixed installation and a second stage for radiating electromagnetic waves, wherein the diameter of the first stage is smaller than the diameter of the second stage, and the length of the first stage is adapted to the thickness of the printed circuit board, so that the antenna radiator is stably fixed in the metallized via.

[0017] In some embodiments, a ground copper pour area is provided on the printed circuit board, and an impedance control spacing is reserved between the metallized via and the ground copper pour area so that the characteristic impedance of the RF trace is kept within a preset range.

[0018] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, a positioning device is provided, including the antenna array described above.

[0019] The technical solution of this application solves the technical problems of large antenna size, large number, and complex structure in the prior art. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this application, are used to provide a further understanding of this application. The illustrative embodiments and descriptions of this application are used to explain this application and do not constitute an undue limitation of this application. In the drawings:

[0021] Figure 1 It is a structural diagram of a positioning device based on existing technology;

[0022] Figure 2 This is a side view of the positioning device with a square array disclosed in an embodiment of this application;

[0023] Figure 3 This is a top view of the positioning device with a square array disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0024] Figure 4 This is a top view of the positioning device with a rhomboid array disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0025] Figure 5 This is a side view of a positioning device with a square array that uses stepped cylindrical metal as the antenna radiator, as disclosed in an embodiment of this application.

[0026] Figure 6 This is a physical diagram of the positioning device with a square array disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0027] Figure 7 This is an operation flowchart of the positioning device disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0028] The above figures include the following reference numerals:

[0029] 1. Antenna array; 2. Printed circuit board; 3. Metallized vias; 4. Power supply and communication interface; 5. Radial silkscreen markings; 6. Mounting screw holes; 9. Second-order section; 10. First-order section. Detailed Implementation

[0030] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be combined with each other. This application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0031] It should be noted that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments according to this application. As used herein, the singular form is intended to include the plural form as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, it should be understood that when the terms "comprising" and / or "including" are used in this specification, they indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, devices, components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0032] Unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement, numerical expressions, and values ​​of the components and steps described in these embodiments do not limit the scope of this application. It should also be understood that, for ease of description, the dimensions of the various parts shown in the drawings are not drawn to actual scale. Techniques, methods, and devices known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such techniques, methods, and devices should be considered part of the specification. In all examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limitations. Therefore, other examples of exemplary embodiments may have different values. It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters in the following drawings denote similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, it need not be further discussed in subsequent drawings.

[0033] This application provides a UWB-based AOA four-antenna array positioning device, such as... Figures 2 to 4 As shown, the positioning device includes an antenna array 1, a printed circuit board 2 (also known as a PCB board), and related electronic components and communication interface cables.

[0034] like Figure 2As shown, the antenna array consists of four metal rod-shaped radiators. These radiators are primarily made of conductive metal or alloy materials, typically brass, and are gold-plated. Gold plating helps prevent oxidation and improves conductivity through the skin effect of electric current, thereby enhancing radio frequency performance.

[0035] The metal rod-shaped radiator can be cylindrical or a stepped cylinder with two sections of different diameters. One or both ends of the cylinder are designed with chamfers or rounded corners to reduce sharpness and prevent scratches to installers.

[0036] In this embodiment, the resonant frequency of the antenna can be adjusted by selecting cylinders of different lengths as radiators, so that its impedance in the UWB operating band is as close to 50 ohms as possible. This achieves impedance matching with the RF traces and RF transceiver chip, thereby radiating more electromagnetic energy and achieving a longer communication distance. Furthermore, using radiators of different lengths can also adjust the antenna's radiation pattern, allowing the positioning device to adapt to various application scenarios.

[0037] For example, the length of the cylinder is preferably about 1–50 mm, and the diameter is about 0.5–5 mm. If using... Figure 5 The stepped cylinder shown has a smaller diameter, preferably 0.5–3 mm, and a shorter length, similar to the thickness of the PCB board, which facilitates fixing it in the metal mounting holes of the PCB board; the larger diameter, preferably 1.0–5 mm, and the longer length, is 1–50 mm.

[0038] like Figure 3 As shown, the PCB printed circuit board 2 can be circular in shape with a diameter of approximately 60mm. Four metal vias 3 are provided on the PCB board, with their diameters slightly larger than the bottom cross-sectional diameter of the four metal antenna radiators. The four metal antenna radiators pass through these four metal vias respectively. They are fixed to the PCB board by applying solder between the metal vias and the radiators and performing high-temperature soldering, while ensuring that each metal antenna radiator is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the PCB board.

[0039] A certain distance is maintained between the metal vias and the copper foil of the peripheral GND network on the PCB board. This is used to control the impedance of the RF traces to be as close to 50 ohms as possible, thereby reducing the voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) of the entire RF and antenna links, allowing more electromagnetic energy to be radiated and achieving a longer communication distance. In addition, the PCB board also has mounting screw holes (6) for fixing the PCB board, and radial silkscreen markings (5) to help determine the installation direction of the device.

[0040] The positions of the four metal antenna radiators on the PCB board are as follows: Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, these correspond to two distribution methods: a square distribution, or a rhombus distribution with interior angles of 60° and 120°. The radiators are located at the four vertices of the square or rhombus, forming a 4-element antenna array.

[0041] The side length of the square or rhombus shape is slightly less than λ / 2, where λ is the wavelength of the electromagnetic wave in the UWB operating band. This size design minimizes phase ambiguity while maintaining the resolution of angle measurements, thus achieving high angle measurement accuracy. Therefore, horizontal 360° omnidirectional azimuth angle measurement can be completed using only four antennas.

[0042] In addition, the PCB board also integrates the UWB positioning chip and its peripheral circuits, power supply circuits, power supply and communication interface terminals, and other electronic components. The UWB positioning chip can be a single chip (containing four RF pins), or it can be a chip with four independent single RF pins or other solutions, such as Decawave's DW3000 series UWB chip.

[0043] One or more RF pins of the chip are connected to four metallized vias via RF traces on the PCB, and then to four metal antenna radiators via solder, for transmitting and receiving UWB electromagnetic wave signals. The chip analyzes the same signal received by the four antennas to obtain the phase information of each antenna, and then obtains the phase difference between the antennas. Subsequently, the UWB positioning chip itself or an external MCU microcontroller calculates the elevation and azimuth angles of the target device relative to the antenna array through algorithms.

[0044] Meanwhile, the UWB positioning chip receives UWB signals through one of the main antennas and, based on time-of-flight (TOF) measurements and light speed calculations, can obtain the distance between the target device and the antenna array. The aforementioned elevation angle, azimuth angle, and distance information are then filtered and noise-reduced to form the final positioning data, which can then be converted into spherical coordinates with the center of the antenna array as the origin.

[0045] Power supply through Figure 2 The power supply and communication interface 4 shown, along with the cable, is processed by the power circuit on the PCB board to supply power to the other components. The final positioning data obtained from the calculation is also output to external devices via this interface using UART communication for further use.

[0046] This application also provides a miniaturized AOA four-antenna array positioning device based on UWB technology. For example... Figure 6As shown, the positioning device uses rod-shaped or cylindrical antenna radiators made of metal or alloy as radiating units. By directly fixing and integrating multiple antenna radiators onto a printed circuit board, a compact, small-sized, and highly stable antenna array structure is formed. Combined with a UWB positioning chip and related signal processing circuits, it can achieve joint measurement of the azimuth, elevation, and distance of the target device, thereby completing three-dimensional spatial positioning.

[0047] The positioning device provided in this embodiment mainly includes an antenna array, a printed circuit board, and a signal processing circuit electrically connected to the antenna array. The antenna array is used to transmit and receive ultra-wideband electromagnetic wave signals within the UWB operating frequency band, and converts the received electromagnetic wave signals into radio frequency signals. The printed circuit board is used for mechanical support, electrical connection, and radio frequency impedance control of the antenna array. The signal processing circuit is used to sample, analyze, and calculate the radio frequency signals received by each antenna radiator, thereby obtaining angle and distance information related to the target device. All components are structurally tightly integrated and functionally cooperate to form a complete positioning device.

[0048] In this embodiment, the antenna array is fixedly connected to the printed circuit board via metallized vias. The signal processing circuit is arranged on the printed circuit board and electrically connected to each antenna radiator in the antenna array via RF traces. Through the above structural design, the antenna array, RF link, and signal processing circuit are integrated into a single structure, effectively reducing the overall size and system complexity while ensuring RF performance and angle measurement accuracy.

[0049] 1) Antenna array.

[0050] The antenna array in this embodiment includes multiple antenna radiators, each of which is a rod-shaped or cylindrical structure made of metal or alloy. The metal or alloy material can be brass, stainless steel, copper alloy, or other materials with good electrical conductivity and mechanical strength. In some embodiments, to further improve radio frequency performance, a metal plating layer can be provided on the surface of the antenna radiator. This metal plating layer can be gold, silver, or other conductive metal plating, which utilizes the skin effect to reduce surface resistance and prevent metal oxidation, thereby improving the antenna's radiation efficiency and stability in the UWB operating frequency band. In other embodiments, the antenna radiator may not have a metal plating layer and may directly adopt a metal or alloy body structure; all of the above different methods fall within the protection scope of this application.

[0051] The antenna radiator can be either a cylindrical structure with a generally uniform diameter or a stepped cylindrical structure with at least two segments of different diameters. When a stepped cylindrical structure is used, the stepped cylinder includes a first stage for fixed installation and a second stage for electromagnetic wave radiation. The first stage has a relatively small diameter, and its length is adapted to the thickness of the printed circuit board, allowing it to be easily inserted and fixed into the metallized vias of the printed circuit board. The second stage has a relatively large diameter and a relatively long length, serving as the main radiating structure to meet the radiation requirements within the UWB operating frequency band. This stepped structure design not only facilitates the mechanical fixation of the antenna radiator but also balances installation stability and radiation performance within a limited space.

[0052] In a further embodiment, the first and / or last ends of the antenna radiator may be provided with chamfered or rounded corner structures to reduce sharp edges and prevent scratches to operators during assembly and use. This also helps to mitigate the edge effect of electromagnetic waves at metal edges to some extent. In other embodiments, the first and last ends of the antenna radiator may also remain as straight end faces without chamfering or rounding. All of these different structural forms are also within the scope of protection of this application.

[0053] Regarding dimensional parameters, the length and diameter of the antenna radiator can be selected and adjusted according to actual application requirements. By changing the length of the antenna radiator, the resonant frequency position of the antenna can be adjusted, achieving better impedance matching within the UWB operating frequency band. By changing the diameter of the antenna radiator, the radiation pattern and bandwidth characteristics of the antenna can be further affected. In this embodiment, the length and diameter of the antenna radiator are selected to make the input impedance of the antenna radiator within the UWB operating frequency band close to a preset impedance value, thereby achieving impedance matching with the RF traces on the printed circuit board, reducing reflection loss and improving effective radiation efficiency.

[0054] 2) Printed Circuit Board

[0055] In this embodiment, the printed circuit board is used to carry the antenna array and signal processing circuitry, and also undertakes functions such as radio frequency signal transmission, power distribution, and ground reference. The printed circuit board can be a single-layer, multi-layer, or other form of PCB structure, and its overall shape can be circular, polygonal, or other shapes. In this embodiment, a circular PCB is used as an example for illustration, but it is not limited thereto.

[0056] The printed circuit board (PCB) has metallized vias corresponding to multiple antenna radiators. The diameter of the metallized vias is slightly larger than the diameter of the mounting portion of the antenna radiator, allowing the antenna radiator to pass through smoothly. Each antenna radiator is inserted into and fixed in its corresponding metallized via, and mechanical fixation and electrical connection are achieved through soldering. Specifically, solder can be filled between the metallized via and the antenna radiator, and the solder can be melted through reflow soldering or manual soldering to firmly fix the antenna radiator on the PCB, while simultaneously achieving a reliable electrical connection between the antenna radiator and the PCB RF traces.

[0057] In terms of spatial layout, multiple antenna radiators are arranged substantially perpendicular to the surface of the printed circuit board, forming an antenna array structure perpendicular to the PCB plane. This vertical arrangement is beneficial for obtaining a more stable and symmetrical radiation pattern and helps improve the consistency and repeatability of angle measurements.

[0058] In this embodiment, multiple antenna radiators are distributed on a printed circuit board according to a predetermined array pattern. When the antenna array is used for AOA applications, the multiple antenna radiators are preferably four antenna radiators, arranged in a square or rhomboid array on the printed circuit board, such that the four antenna radiators are located at the four vertices of the square or rhomboid, thus forming a four-antenna AOA array. In the rhomboid array pattern, adjacent interior angles can be set to 60 degrees and 120 degrees to meet the angle measurement requirements of specific application scenarios.

[0059] In terms of array size design, the spacing between two adjacent antenna radiators is set to be less than half the wavelength corresponding to the UWB operating frequency band. This spacing design effectively reduces phase ambiguity while maintaining high angular resolution, enabling azimuth measurement of the target device within a 360-degree horizontal range using only four antenna radiators.

[0060] In addition, a ground copper area is provided on the printed circuit board to provide a stable ground reference for RF signals. An impedance control gap is reserved between the metallized via and the ground copper area. By properly designing this gap, the characteristic impedance of the RF traces connecting the antenna radiator and the signal processing circuit is kept within a preset range, such as close to 50 ohms, thereby reducing the voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) of the entire RF link and improving signal transmission quality.

[0061] 3) Signal processing circuit

[0062] In this embodiment, the signal processing circuit is mounted on a printed circuit board and electrically connected to the radio frequency traces corresponding to the multiple antenna radiators. The signal processing circuit is used to process and analyze the UWB radio frequency signals received by the antenna array to obtain the angle and distance information required for positioning.

[0063] The signal processing circuit may include at least one UWB positioning chip. The UWB positioning chip may be a chip with four radio frequency interfaces, or it may be implemented by combining multiple chips with a single radio frequency interface. Each radio frequency interface is electrically connected to a radio frequency trace corresponding to an antenna radiator, for receiving UWB radio frequency signals from different antenna radiators in parallel. The UWB positioning chip may be an existing mature model, such as the DW3000 series UWB chip, but is not limited to this.

[0064] During operation, the UWB positioning chip synchronously samples the same UWB electromagnetic wave signal received by each antenna radiator and extracts the phase information corresponding to each channel. By comparing the phase information of the signals received by different antenna radiators, the phase difference information between each antenna radiator is obtained. This phase difference information serves as the basic data for AOA (Optical Angle of Arrival) calculation and is used for subsequent angle calculations.

[0065] In some embodiments, the signal processing circuit may further include a microcontroller (MCU). The MCU is communicatively connected to the UWB positioning chip and is used to further process the phase difference and time information output by the UWB positioning chip. The MCU can execute a preset angle calculation algorithm to calculate the azimuth and elevation angles of the target device relative to the antenna array based on the phase difference information.

[0066] Simultaneously, UWB positioning chips or MCUs can also perform distance measurements based on the time-of-flight (TOF) of UWB electromagnetic waves. Specifically, by measuring the time it takes for UWB electromagnetic waves to travel from the target device to its reception by the antenna array, and combining this with the speed of electromagnetic wave propagation in the air, the distance information between the target device and the positioning device can be calculated. Thus, signal processing can simultaneously output azimuth, elevation, and distance information.

[0067] In a further embodiment, the signal processing circuit can also filter and reduce noise on the obtained angle and distance information to improve the stability and accuracy of the positioning results. The final positioning data can be represented in spherical coordinates, with the center of the antenna array as the origin.

[0068] Furthermore, the positioning device in this embodiment may also include a communication interface for outputting positioning data to external devices. The communication interface may include a UART interface or other communication interface forms for transmitting the positioning data generated by signal processing to an external controller, host computer, or other devices that need to use the positioning information.

[0069] In some implementations, the aforementioned signal processing circuitry may be omitted from the printed circuit board. Instead, only the antenna array and corresponding RF traces may be provided, with the RF signals output via an RF interface, allowing it to be used as a standalone UWB AOA antenna array board. This antenna array board can be connected to an external UWB positioning module via an RF feeder or RF connector to achieve the same AOA angle measurement and TOF ranging functions.

[0070] The following will describe in detail the working process of the positioning device, such as... Figure 7 As shown, the process includes the following steps:

[0071] Step S702: Obtain the original antenna signal.

[0072] During operation, the target device emits UWB electromagnetic wave signals, which reach each antenna radiator in the antenna array. Due to the different spatial positions of each antenna radiator, the arrival time and phase of the UWB electromagnetic wave signals differ between the radiators. Each antenna radiator converts the received electromagnetic wave signals into radio frequency (RF) signals, which are then transmitted to the signal processing circuitry via metallized vias and RF traces.

[0073] Step S704, parallel processing.

[0074] The signal processing circuit synchronously samples the radio frequency signals of each channel and executes steps S706 and S708 in parallel.

[0075] Step S706: Solve the phase difference of the unit array and calculate the AOA azimuth / elevation angle.

[0076] Phase information is extracted and phase difference is calculated. Based on the phase difference, the AOA (Optical Angle of Atmosphere) algorithm is executed to obtain the azimuth and elevation angles of the target device. Then, the process jumps to step S710.

[0077] In step S708, the main antenna among the four antennas performs TOF ranging and calculates the distance.

[0078] The distance between the target device and the positioning device is calculated by measuring the time of flight (TOF) of the UWB electromagnetic waves using the main antenna. In this embodiment, the same antenna is used for both ranging and AOA (angle of reference), eliminating the need for an additional antenna for ranging.

[0079] In some embodiments, the TOF ranging results can also be corrected for direction-related factors. For example, based on the azimuth and elevation angles, the incident direction model of the target device relative to the antenna array is determined, and combined with the spatial position parameters of each antenna radiator in the antenna array, the TOF path measured by the main antenna is corrected for an equivalent propagation path, thereby obtaining an equivalent propagation distance consistent with the actual propagation direction. Specifically, after completing the phase difference calculation of the element array, the signal processing circuit obtains the azimuth and elevation angles of the target device relative to the antenna array, and generates a corresponding incident direction model based on the azimuth and elevation angles. The incident direction model is used to characterize the spatial incident direction when the target device signal reaches the antenna array. When performing time-of-flight (TOF) ranging, the signal processing circuit uses the main antenna in the array as a reference antenna, extracts the timestamp of the received UWB electromagnetic wave signal, obtains the time-of-flight (TOF) corresponding to the main propagation path, and generates an initial propagation path length based on the time-of-flight (TOF). Furthermore, the signal processing circuit, combining the incident direction model and the spatial position parameters of each antenna radiator in the antenna array, determines the relative position of the main antenna within the antenna array geometry. Under the constraints of the incident direction model, it performs geometric inversion calculations on the propagation path corresponding to the initial propagation path length. Through this geometric inversion calculation, the initial propagation path is mapped to an equivalent propagation path consistent with the incident direction, thereby obtaining an equivalent propagation distance matching the actual propagation direction. This equivalent propagation distance is used for subsequent angle-range fusion positioning calculations to improve the accuracy and stability of the 3D positioning results.

[0080] Step S710: Perform data filtering.

[0081] The angle information obtained in step S706 and the distance information obtained in step S708 are filtered to remove outliers and transient noise interference, thereby improving the stability and reliability of the angle and distance data.

[0082] Step S712: fused positioning algorithm, output three-dimensional coordinates.

[0083] By comprehensively processing angle and distance information, spatial positioning of the target device is ultimately achieved.

[0084] The miniaturized AOA four-antenna array positioning device based on UWB technology provided in this embodiment significantly reduces the size and structural complexity of the antenna array and the whole device while ensuring positioning accuracy. It also has the advantages of low cost, good structural stability and high flexibility, and can be widely used in UWB positioning, angle measurement and ranging and other related fields.

[0085] For ease of description, spatial relative terms such as "above," "on top of," "on the upper surface of," "above," etc., are used herein to describe the spatial positional relationship of a device or feature as shown in the figures to other devices or features. It should be understood that spatial relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations in use or operation beyond the orientation of the device as described in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures were inverted, a device described as "above" or "on top of" other devices or structures would subsequently be positioned as "below" or "under" other devices or structures. Thus, the exemplary term "above" can include both "above" and "below." The device may also be positioned in other different ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatial relative descriptions used herein will be interpreted accordingly.

[0086] Furthermore, it should be noted that the use of terms such as "first" and "second" to define components is merely for the purpose of distinguishing the corresponding components. Unless otherwise stated, the above terms have no special meaning and therefore cannot be construed as limiting the scope of protection of this application.

[0087] The above description is merely a preferred 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 spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. An antenna array, characterized in that, It includes multiple antenna radiators, each of which is a cylindrical structure made of metal or alloy.

2. The antenna array according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each antenna radiator has a metal plating layer on its surface, and the metal plating layer is gold, silver or other conductive metal; and / or At least one end of each antenna radiator is provided with a chamfered or rounded structure; and / or Each antenna radiator is a hollow or solid cylindrical structure; and / or Each antenna radiator is a cylindrical structure with the same diameter, or has at least two stepped cylindrical structures with different diameters; and / or Each antenna radiator has a length ranging from 1 to 50 mm and a diameter ranging from approximately 0.5 to 5 mm.

3. The antenna array according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The antenna array further includes a printed circuit board, wherein the printed circuit board is provided with metallized vias corresponding one-to-one with the plurality of antenna radiators, and the plurality of antenna radiators are respectively inserted and fixed in the corresponding metallized vias.

4. The antenna array according to claim 3, characterized in that, The plurality of antenna radiators are arranged substantially perpendicular to the surface of the printed circuit board and are electrically connected to the radio frequency traces on the printed circuit board through the metallized vias.

5. The antenna array according to claim 4, characterized in that, The length and diameter of each antenna radiator are selected such that the input impedance of the antenna radiator in the UWB operating frequency band is close to a preset impedance value, so as to achieve impedance matching with the radio frequency trace.

6. The antenna array according to claim 4, characterized in that, The plurality of antenna radiators are four antenna radiators, which are arranged in a square or rhomboid array on the printed circuit board, such that the four antenna radiators are located at the four vertices of the square or rhomboid to form a four-antenna AOA array.

7. The antenna array according to claim 6, characterized in that, In the square or rhomboid array, the spacing between two adjacent antenna radiators is less than half the wavelength corresponding to the UWB operating frequency band; and / or, the adjacent interior angles of the rhomboid array are 60 degrees and 120 degrees.

8. The antenna array according to claim 4, characterized in that, When each antenna radiator is a stepped cylindrical structure, the stepped cylinder includes a first stage for fixed installation and a second stage for radiating electromagnetic waves, wherein the diameter of the first stage is smaller than the diameter of the second stage, and the length of the first stage is adapted to the thickness of the printed circuit board, so that the antenna radiator is stably fixed in the metallized via.

9. The antenna array according to claim 4, characterized in that, The printed circuit board has a ground copper area, and an impedance control gap is reserved between the metallized via and the ground copper area to keep the characteristic impedance of the RF trace within a preset range.

10. A positioning device, characterized in that, Including the antenna array as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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