Base station antenna and control method thereof, communication device

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a base station antenna and a control method thereof, and a communication device. The base station antenna comprises: a first radiation element group; a second radiation element group; a substrate; a coupling device disposed on the substrate and comprising at least one input port, a first output port and a second output port, the at least one input port being configured to receive an input signal, the first output port being electrically coupled to the first radiation element group, and the second output port being electrically coupled to the second radiation element group; and a tuning device disposed on a side of the coupling device away from the substrate, a projection of the tuning device on the substrate partially overlaps with a projection of the coupling device on the substrate, and the tuning device is configured to adjust an energy distribution ratio of the input signal between the first output port and the second output port by adjusting a resonant frequency between the tuning device and the coupling device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a base station antenna and its control method and communication device. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of wireless communication technology, people have increasingly higher requirements for the performance of communication equipment. Communication equipment generally transmits and receives wireless signals through antennas, and beamwidth (BW) is one of the important parameters of the antenna, affecting the performance of the communication equipment.

[0003] However, the inventors of this disclosure have discovered that in related technologies, the beamwidth of the radiating element of an antenna is difficult to adjust, resulting in poor communication performance. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the purpose of this disclosure is to provide a base station antenna and its control method and communication device to solve or partially solve the above problems.

[0005] In a first aspect, this disclosure provides a base station antenna, comprising:

[0006] First radiative unit group;

[0007] Second radiating unit group;

[0008] Base;

[0009] A coupling device is disposed on the substrate and includes at least one input port, a first output port and a second output port. The at least one input port is used to receive an input signal, the first output port is electrically coupled to the first radiating unit group, and the second output port is electrically coupled to the second radiating unit group.

[0010] A tuning device is disposed on the side of the coupling device away from the substrate, wherein the orthographic projection of the tuning device on the substrate partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the coupling device on the substrate, and is configured to: adjust the energy distribution ratio of the input signal between the first output port and the second output port by adjusting the resonant frequency between the tuning device and the coupling device.

[0011] A second aspect of this disclosure provides a communication device including a base station antenna as described in the first aspect.

[0012] A third aspect of this disclosure provides a method for controlling a base station antenna as described in the first aspect, comprising:

[0013] Determine the current beamwidth and target beamwidth of the transmitted signal of the first radiating element group;

[0014] The target coupling amount of the first radiating element group is determined based on the current beamwidth and the target beamwidth;

[0015] Based on the target coupling amount, the resonant frequency between the tuning device and the coupling device is adjusted to adjust the beamwidth of the transmitted signal of the first radiating unit group.

[0016] The base station antenna and its control method and communication device disclosed herein use a resonant device on the coupling device to adjust the energy distribution ratio directly at the output port by adjusting the resonant frequency between the two, thereby achieving beamwidth adjustment. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in this disclosure or related technologies, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments or related technologies will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only embodiments of this disclosure. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1A A schematic diagram of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0019] Figure 1B An example of a possible deployment scenario for a base station antenna is also shown.

[0020] Figure 2A An exemplary schematic diagram of the internal architecture of a base station antenna provided in an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0021] Figure 2B A schematic diagram of an antenna element array for a base station antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0022] Figure 3A Another structural schematic diagram of the base station antenna provided in an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0023] Figure 3B A schematic diagram of a bridge according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0024] Figure 3C A schematic diagram of another bridge according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0025] Figure 3D A schematic diagram of another bridge according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0026] Figure 3E A schematic diagram of an exemplary metal patch according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0027] Figure 3FA schematic diagram showing a metal patch disposed on a bridge according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0028] Figure 3G Another schematic diagram shows a metal patch disposed on a bridge according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0029] Figure 3H It shows Figure 3A A schematic diagram of the cross-section along the AA' direction.

[0030] Figure 3I A simulation diagram of the energy transfer coefficient from the input port to the coupling port of a bridge according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0031] Figure 3J A simulation diagram of the energy transfer coefficient from the input port to the through port of a bridge according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0032] Figure 3K Another structural schematic diagram of a base station antenna provided in an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0033] Figure 3L It shows Figure 3K A schematic diagram of the cross-section in the BB' direction.

[0034] Figure 3M A simulation diagram of the energy transfer coefficient from the input port to the coupling port of a bridge according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0035] Figure 3N A simulation diagram of the energy transfer coefficient from the input port to the through port of a bridge according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0036] Figure 3O Another structural schematic diagram of the base station antenna provided in an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0037] Figure 4A A schematic diagram of another base station antenna provided in an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0038] Figure 4B A schematic diagram of an exemplary coupler according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0039] Figure 4C It shows Figure 4A A schematic diagram of the cross-section in the CC' direction.

[0040] Figure 4D An exemplary coupler according to an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0041] Figure 4EA simulation diagram of the energy transfer coefficients from the input port to the through port and the coupling port is shown, when a voltage is applied between the third metal patch 404A and the isolation port 402D and no voltage is applied to the third metal patch 404B, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0042] Figure 4F A simulation diagram of the energy transfer coefficients from the input port to the through port and the coupling port is shown, when a voltage is applied between the third metal patch 404B and the isolation port 402D and no voltage is applied to the third metal patch 404A, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0043] Figure 4G Another cross-sectional schematic diagram of the coupler and metal patch according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0044] Figure 4H Another exemplary coupler according to an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0045] Figure 4I A schematic diagram of another base station antenna provided in an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0046] Figure 4J A simulation diagram of the energy transfer coefficient from the input port to the through port and the coupling port of the coupler 400 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown when the third metal patch 404A is turned off and the third metal patch 404B is in a resonant state.

[0047] Figure 4K A simulation diagram of the energy transfer coefficient from the input port to the through port and the coupling port of the coupler 400 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown when the third metal patch 404B is turned off and the third metal patch 404A is in a resonant state.

[0048] Figure 4L Another exemplary coupler according to an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0049] Figure 4M Another exemplary coupler according to an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0050] Figure 5 A schematic flowchart of the base station antenna control method provided in an embodiment of this disclosure is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0051] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this disclosure clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with specific embodiments and the accompanying drawings.

[0052] It should be noted that, unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in the embodiments of this disclosure should have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. The terms "first," "second," and similar terms used in the embodiments of this disclosure do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Terms such as "comprising" or "including" mean that the element or object preceding the word encompasses the elements or objects listed following the word and their equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects. Terms such as "connected" or "linked" are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but can include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. Terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" are used only to indicate relative positional relationships; when the absolute position of the described object changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.

[0053] Figure 1A A schematic diagram of a communication system 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0054] like Figure 1A As shown, the communication system 100 may include a communication device 102 and a terminal 104.

[0055] Optionally, the communication device 102 may be a base station or a base station system, and may further include a base station antenna 200, which is a connection device between the wireless network radio frequency front end and the terminal 104, and is mainly used to achieve cell coverage of wireless signals.

[0056] For example, the base station antenna 200 can be an information energy converter between the communication device 102 and the terminal 104, which can be used to convert the modulated radio frequency signal into electromagnetic wave energy for transmission, and to receive electromagnetic wave energy and effectively convert it into a radio frequency signal for transmission to the host device. Therefore, the communication device 102 can receive signals sent by the terminal 104 through the base station antenna 200, or send signals to the terminal 104 through the base station antenna 200.

[0057] The base station or base station system in this disclosure can be a base transceiver station (BTS) in a Global System of Mobile Communication (GSM) system or Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) system, a Node B (NB) in a Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) system, an Evolutionary Node B (eNB or eNodeB) in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) system, a Next Generation Node Base Station (gNB) in a New Radio (NR) system, a radio controller in a Cloud Radio Access Network (CRAN) scenario, or a relay station, access point, vehicle-mounted equipment, wearable device, or network equipment in future networks, etc. This disclosure does not limit these aspects.

[0058] In this embodiment of the disclosure, terminal 104 may refer to user equipment, access terminal, user unit, user station, mobile station, mobile station, remote station, remote terminal, mobile device, user terminal, terminal equipment, wireless communication equipment, user agent, or user device. As an example and not a limitation, terminal 104 may be a cellular phone, cordless phone, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) phone, Wireless Local Loop (WLL) station, or Personal Digital Assistant (PDA). It may be a handheld device with wireless communication capabilities, a computing device, or other processing device connected to a wireless modem. It may also be an in-vehicle device, wearable device, terminal equipment in a 5G network, or a terminal equipment in a future evolved Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN), etc. This embodiment of the disclosure does not limit this.

[0059] Figure 1B A schematic diagram of a communication device 102 provided in an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0060] like Figure 1BAs shown, in some embodiments, the communication device 102 may include a base station antenna 200, a transceiver 1022, and a baseband processing unit 1024. The base station antenna 200 may be an analog beamforming antenna, a digital beamforming antenna, or a next-generation beamforming antenna, such as a hybrid beamforming (HBF) antenna system constructed using both analog and digital beamforming antennas. The transceiver 1022 may be connected to the antenna port 202 of the base station antenna 200. Thus, the base station antenna 200 can receive signals to be transmitted from the transceiver 1022 through its antenna port 202 and radiate the signals through its radiating elements, or it can transmit received signals received by the radiating elements of the base station antenna 200 to the transceiver 1022. In addition, the base station antenna 200 can also be integrated with the transceiver 1022 in the same device, such as an active antenna unit (AAU).

[0061] For example, the transceiver 1022 can be a remote radio frequency unit or a radio frequency module, and the baseband processing unit 1024 can be a baseband unit. In this case, the baseband unit can be used to process the baseband signal to be transmitted and transmit it to the remote radio frequency unit, or to receive the received signal sent by the remote radio frequency unit (i.e., the baseband signal obtained after the radio frequency signal received by the base station antenna 200 during signal reception has been converted and processed by the remote radio frequency unit) and process it. The remote radio frequency unit can convert the baseband signal to be transmitted sent by the baseband unit into a transmit radio frequency signal (including performing necessary signal processing on the baseband signal to be transmitted, such as signal amplification), and then transmit the transmit radio frequency signal to the base station antenna 200 through the antenna port 202 of the base station antenna 200, whereby the base station antenna 200 radiates the transmit radio frequency signal. Alternatively, the remote radio frequency unit can also receive the receive radio frequency signal sent by the antenna port 202 of the base station antenna 200, convert it into a receive baseband signal, and then transmit it to the baseband unit.

[0062] It should be understood that Figure 1B The diagram only illustrates the connection between one transceiver 1022 and one antenna port 202 of the base station antenna 200. In other alternative embodiments, the base station antenna 200 may have at least two antenna ports 202, and the transceiver 1022 may also have at least two, wherein each antenna port may be connected to one transceiver 1022, and multiple transceivers 1022 may be connected to the same baseband processing unit 1024.

[0063] Figure 1B One possible deployment scenario for the base station antenna 200 is also illustrated.

[0064] like Figure 1B As shown, this deployment scenario may include a fixed pole 1026 (also called a mounting pole), an antenna adjustment bracket 1028, a feed line 1030, a connector seal (not shown in the figure), and a grounding device 1032. The fixed pole 1026 can be fixedly connected to one end of the base station antenna 200 near the antenna port 202, while the fixed pole 1026 can be movably connected to the other end of the base station antenna 200 away from the antenna port 202 via the antenna adjustment bracket 1028. Thus, the position of the base station antenna 200 can be adjusted via the antenna adjustment bracket 1028. A feed line 1030 extends from the antenna port 202 of the base station antenna 200 to connect to the transceiver 1022. The feed line 1030 can also extend to a grounding conduit 1034 to connect to the grounding device 1032. The connections between the antenna port 202 and the feed line 1030, and between the feed line 1030 and the grounding conduit 1034, can be sealed using connector seals.

[0065] It should be understood that Figure 1B The deployment of a base station antenna 200 including only one antenna is shown. In other scenarios, the base station antenna 200 may also include multiple antennas installed around the fixed pole 1026. The installation positions of the multiple antennas may be the same or different. When the installation positions are different, the multiple antennas can form their own different beam coverage ranges.

[0066] Figure 2A An exemplary schematic diagram of the internal architecture of a base station antenna provided in an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0067] like Figure 2A As shown, in some embodiments, the base station antenna 200 may include an antenna element array 204, a phase shifter 2062, a drive network 2066 or a calibration network, a combiner 2064 or a wavemaker and an antenna radome 208.

[0068] The antenna element array 204 includes multiple radiating elements 2042.

[0069] The antenna element array 204 can be composed of multiple radiating elements 2042 arranged according to a certain geometric pattern to form an array structure, wherein the multiple radiating elements 2042 operate through a common feed network. Depending on the arrangement of the radiating elements, the antenna element array 204 can be a linear array or a planar array.

[0070] refer to Figure 2AAs shown, a linear array is an antenna array composed of multiple mutually separated radiating elements whose centers are arranged in a straight line. Linear arrays can be divided into uniform linear arrays and non-uniform linear arrays. A uniform linear array means that the distance between adjacent radiating elements is equal, and the excitation phase difference between adjacent radiating elements is constant. A non-uniform linear array means that the distance between adjacent radiating elements is not equal, and each radiating element is excited according to a different advance phase law. A planar array means that all radiating elements that make up the antenna array are located on the same plane. According to the distribution of radiating elements in the antenna array and the shape of the overall outline of the antenna array, planar arrays can be divided into rectangular arrays (including square arrays), circular arrays (including ring arrays), and elliptical arrays.

[0071] A radiating element is a component that converts electrical energy into electromagnetic wave energy and radiates it, or receives electromagnetic wave energy and converts it into electrical energy. The radiating element is also the basic unit that constitutes an antenna element array. It can also be called an antenna element, a vibrator, etc. A radiating element generally consists of a horizontal radiating surface and a vertical feed balun, with both ends of the feed balun electrically connected to the radiating surface and the feed network, respectively.

[0072] Continue to refer to the appendix Figure 2A The antenna vibrator array 204 receives or transmits radio frequency signals through the feed network 206, which consists of a phase shifter 2062, a transmission network 2066, and a combiner 2064.

[0073] The feed network 206 is an important component of the base station antenna 200. It connects the antenna port 202 and the radiating element 2042, forming a signal transmission path and enabling functions such as impedance matching and amplitude / phase allocation. The main function of the feed network is to transmit high-frequency current from the transceiver 1022 to the radiating element 2042, or vice versa. More specifically, the feed network 206 is used to feed signals to the radiating element 2042 with a certain amplitude and phase, or to transmit wireless signals received from the radiating element 2042 to the signal processing unit of the communication device 102 through the antenna port 202 with a certain amplitude and phase.

[0074] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2A As shown, the power supply network 206 may further include a phase shifter 2062.

[0075] Phase shifter 2062 is a device used to change the feed phase and amplitude of each radiating element 2042 in the antenna element array 204. Phase shifter 2062 can change the phase difference of the radiating elements 2042, causing the vertical beam of the base station antenna 200 to form a specific downtilt angle, thereby flexibly changing the beam coverage. Phase shifter 2062 is part of the feed network 206, which typically also includes a power divider (not shown) and phase shifters connected to each branch of the power divider.

[0076] In some embodiments, reference Figure 2B As shown, the base station antenna 200 can be a multi-array antenna, and may include multiple antenna element arrays 204A to 204C. Each antenna element array corresponds to a set of feeding networks, and the feeding networks corresponding to different antenna element arrays are independent of each other. Different antenna element arrays in a multi-array antenna can be used to achieve different functions. For distinction, each antenna element array in a multi-array antenna can also be called a subarray.

[0077] Back Figure 2A In some embodiments, the feed network 206 and the antenna element array 204 can be housed within the radome 208. The radome 208 possesses excellent electromagnetic wave penetration characteristics in terms of electrical performance and can withstand the effects of harsh external environments in terms of mechanical performance. Isolating these components from the external environment through the radome 208 helps protect them from electromagnetic interference, foreign objects, and harsh external environments. The antenna port 202 can be located outside the radome 208 to facilitate connection with the transceiver 1022.

[0078] Figure 2B A schematic diagram of an antenna element array 204 of a base station antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0079] like Figure 2B As shown, in some embodiments, the base station antenna 200 may include an antenna element array consisting of a plurality of radiating elements 2042 and a reflector 2044 for constraining orientation.

[0080] The reflector 2044 is the main structure of the base station antenna 200, used to support the antenna element array 204 and the electrical network. The reflector 2044 can also be referred to as a floor, base plate, antenna panel, or metal reflector. Reflectors are generally metal plates and can have an electrical effect on the antenna. For example, reflectors can be used to improve the receiving sensitivity of the antenna signal by reflecting and focusing the antenna signal at the receiving point, thereby enhancing the antenna's receiving and transmitting capabilities. Reflectors can also block and shield interference from electromagnetic waves originating from the back of the reflector (in the direction opposite to the antenna's radiation direction), thus enhancing the antenna's directivity.

[0081] For example, such as Figure 2B As shown, multiple radiating elements 2042 can be placed on the front of the reflector 2044. The reflector 2044 can reflect and focus the antenna signal incident on the front of the reflector 2044 onto the receiving point of the radiating element 2042, thereby improving the antenna signal receiving sensitivity and enhancing the antenna's receiving capability.

[0082] In contrast to the radiating element 2042, other electrical components in the base station antenna 200 (such as the components in the feed network 206) can be disposed on the back of the reflector 2044. In this way, the reflector 2044 can also block or shield the radio waves emitted from other electrical components on its back, thereby reducing the interference of other radio waves on the received signal.

[0083] In related technologies, one of the development trends of base station antennas is towards multi-port and multi-band development, such as sub-6GHz bands (frequency bands below 6GHz) compatible with 5G applications.

[0084] like Figure 2B As shown, in some embodiments, the base station antenna 200 can be a multi-array antenna, including multiple radiating elements 2042, which can be divided into multiple radiating element groups 204A to 204C. Exemplarily, each radiating element group can constitute a linear array antenna element array. The frequencies of the radiating elements 2042 in the same antenna element array can be the same or different. For example, antenna element arrays 204A and 204B can operate in the same frequency band, and belong to different channels, such as channel A and channel B, respectively. Antenna element array 204C can operate in a different communication frequency band than antenna element arrays 204A and 204B, and is located between antenna element arrays 204A and 204B. In this way, the base station antenna 200 can operate in at least two frequency bands, improving signal compatibility.

[0085] However, the inventors of this disclosure have discovered that when multiple frequency band antenna element arrays are arranged in the same base station antenna, in addition to the fact that the antenna element arrays of different frequencies are prone to coupling and performance degradation, the arrangement distance between antenna element arrays of the same frequency band but different channels is also prone to increase, resulting in an increase in the horizontal beamwidth of the base station antenna.

[0086] like Figure 2BAs shown, given the existing antenna element arrays 204A and 204B, adding antenna element array 204C to the antenna aperture plane of the entire base station antenna 200, located between antenna element arrays 204A and 204B, will decrease the distance d1 between antenna element arrays 204A and 204B and the side of the antenna, while keeping the antenna aperture unchanged. Simultaneously, the addition of antenna element array 204C will increase the spacing d2 between antenna element arrays 204A and 204B. The decrease in d1 leads to increased lateral scattering, while the increase in d2 weakens the coupling between antenna element arrays 204A and 204B, both of which can easily lead to an increase in the horizontal beamwidth of the antenna elements. In different application scenarios (such as densely populated urban areas and more dispersed suburban areas), it is usually required that the base station antenna maintain a specific horizontal beamwidth in a specific frequency band to optimize signal coverage. Generally, the horizontal beamwidth of the base station antenna element array is required to be in the range of 56 degrees to 72 degrees. However, in reality, the horizontal beamwidth of the low-frequency vibrator in base station antennas in related technologies often extends to over 72 degrees.

[0087] As an improved scheme to suppress horizontal beamwidth, a bridge can be added between antenna subarrays 204A and 204B at the same frequency to increase the coupling energy of antenna subarrays 204A and 204B, thereby achieving the purpose of mutually compressing the horizontal beamwidth of their respective channels by using another channel.

[0088] However, on the one hand, the coupling capability of ordinary bridge circuits is fixed, meaning the power distribution ratio between the two output ports of the bridge is a fixed value. Different antenna element arrays require different appropriate coupling amounts. If a bridge circuit made with switching diodes can only change between two states, its adjustment capability will not be continuously adjustable, thus preventing arbitrary adjustment of the bandwidth compression in the corresponding frequency band. On the other hand, more complex base station antennas, besides requiring overall bandwidth compression, may also experience sudden bandwidth jumps at certain frequency points in complex environments (e.g., bandwidth compression at some frequency points is too narrow or insufficient). This necessitates that the bridge circuit can flexibly change the coupling energy at the jump frequency points to correct the bandwidth to the average value.

[0089] In view of this, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a base station antenna to solve or partially solve the above-mentioned problems.

[0090] Figure 3A Another structural schematic diagram of the base station antenna 200 provided in an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0091] like Figure 3AAs shown, in some embodiments, the base station antenna 200 may include a first radiating element group (or antenna element array) 204A and a second radiating element group (or antenna element array) 204B, wherein the second radiating element group 204B and the first radiating element group 204A operate in the same frequency band.

[0092] Optionally, such as Figure 3A As shown, the first radiating element group 204A includes multiple radiating elements 2042 arranged in a straight line to form a linear antenna element array, and the second radiating element group 204B includes multiple radiating elements 2042 arranged in a straight line to form a linear antenna element array. The first radiating element group 204A and the second radiating element group 204B are arranged in parallel, so that the first radiating element group 204A and the second radiating element group 204B can be coupled to each other to compress the beamwidth. Optionally, the multiple radiating elements 2042 of the first radiating element group 204A can be electrically coupled through a first feed network (not shown in the figure), and the multiple radiating elements 2042 of the second radiating element group 204B can be electrically coupled through a second feed network (not shown in the figure). The first feed network and the second feed network are independent of each other, so that the first radiating element group 204A and the second radiating element group 204B can operate independently.

[0093] Furthermore, as an optional embodiment, the base station antenna 200 may also include a structure for adjusting the beamwidth of the first radiating element group 204A and / or the second radiating element group 204B to solve or at least partially solve the aforementioned problems.

[0094] For example, such as Figure 3A As shown, the structure may include a substrate 302, a coupling device 304, and a tuning device 306. Optionally, the substrate 302 may be glass with a dielectric constant of 3 and a thickness of 0.15 mm to provide sufficient support for the coupling device 304 and the tuning device 306 and to ensure their electrical performance.

[0095] A coupling device 304, disposed on the substrate 302, includes an input port 304A, an input port 304B, a first output port 304C, and a second output port 304D. Input ports 304A and / or 304B can be used to receive input signals (e.g., signals transmitted by transceiver 1022 via feed line 1030 through antenna port 202 to feed network 206 and then via feed network 206 to the radiating element group). The first output port 304C is electrically coupled to the first radiating element group 204A, and the second output port 304D is electrically coupled to the second radiating element group 204B. Thus, the input signal is coupled through the coupling device 304 before being transmitted to the radiating element group, allowing the coupling device 304 to be used to regulate the input signal.

[0096] A tuning device 306 is disposed on the side of the coupling device 304 away from the substrate 302. The orthographic projection of the tuning device 306 on the substrate 302 partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the coupling device 304 on the substrate 302. The tuning device 306 is configured to adjust the energy distribution ratio of the input signal between the first output port 304C and the second output port 304D by adjusting the resonant frequency between the tuning device 306 and the coupling device 304.

[0097] In this way, by adjusting the energy distribution ratio of the input signal between the first output port 304C and the second output port 304D, the coupling between the transmitted signals of the first radiating element group 204A and the second radiating element group 204B can be adjusted based on the energy distribution ratio, thereby adjusting the beamwidth.

[0098] It is understood that the position of the tuning device 306 can be arbitrary, as long as it can resonate with the coupling device 304 and the resonance can act on the signal transmission channel of the coupling device 304 to change the energy distribution ratio between the two output ports, the waveform width can be adjusted. This adjustment is not limited to the original fixed energy distribution ratio between the two output ports of the coupling device, but can achieve at least a certain degree of adjustment on the basis of a fixed ratio.

[0099] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3B As shown, the coupling device 304 may include a bridge circuit, and the bridge circuit 304 may further include:

[0100] A first bridge arm 3042 and a second bridge arm 3044 extending along a first direction x;

[0101] The third bridge arm 3046 and the fourth bridge arm 3048 extend along the second direction y;

[0102] Both ends of the third bridge arm 3046 and the fourth bridge arm 3048 are respectively connected to the first bridge arm 3042 and the second bridge arm 3044.

[0103] Optionally, the orthographic projection of the tuning device 306 on the substrate 302 may at least partially overlap with the orthographic projections of the first bridge arm 3042, the second bridge arm 3044, the third bridge arm 3046 and / or the fourth bridge arm 3048 on the substrate, so that the tuning device 306 can resonate with any bridge arm, thereby changing the energy distribution ratio between the two output ports and thus achieving the adjustment of the waveform width.

[0104] Optionally, the tuning device 306 includes a first metal patch (e.g., a rectangular metal sheet) whose orthographic projection on the substrate 302 at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projections of the first bridge arm 3042 and / or the second bridge arm 3044 on the substrate 302; or, the orthographic projection of the first metal patch on the substrate at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projections of the third bridge arm 3046 and / or the fourth bridge arm 3048 on the substrate 302. More specifically, when the orthographic projection of the first metal patch on the substrate 302 at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projections of the first bridge arm 3042 and the second bridge arm 3044 on the substrate 302, and the overlapping portions of the first metal patch and the first bridge arm 3042 and the second bridge arm 3044 are of the same size, symmetrical signal adjustment can be achieved. Similarly, when the orthographic projection of the first metal patch on the substrate 302 at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projections of the third bridge arm 3046 and the fourth bridge arm 3048 on the substrate 302, and the overlapping portion of the first metal patch with the third bridge arm 3046 and the fourth bridge arm 3048 is the same size, symmetrical adjustment of the signal can be achieved.

[0105] like Figure 3B As shown, exemplarily, bridge 304 can be a 3dB narrowband bridge and operates in the 26GHz-30GHz millimeter-wave communication band. The arm length La and arm width Wa of the first arm 3042 and the second arm 3044 are greater than the arm length Lb and arm width Wb of the third arm 3046 and the fourth arm 3048, i.e., La > Lb, Wa > Wb.

[0106] In some embodiments, the input port of the coupling device 304 may be the first end of the first bridge arm 3042 (e.g., Figure 3B (the left end of the second bridge arm 3044) and / or the first end of the second bridge arm 3044 (e.g., the left end of the second bridge arm 3044) Figure 3B The first output port 304C can be the second end of the first bridge arm 3042 (e.g., the left end of the first bridge arm 3042). Figure 3B The second output port 304D can be the second end of the second bridge arm 3044. When the first signal corresponding to the first radiation unit group 304A and the second signal corresponding to the second radiation unit group 304B are simultaneously input into the input ports 304A and 304B respectively, the bridge 304 can simultaneously achieve symmetrical adjustment of the two signals due to the symmetrical structure of the bridge 304.

[0107] Figure 3C A schematic diagram of another bridge 304 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0108] like Figure 3CAs shown, in some embodiments, the first bridge arm 3042 and the second bridge arm 3044 respectively include a first interval s1 and a second interval s2 for disconnecting the first bridge arm 3042 and the second bridge arm 3044.

[0109] After the bridge arm is separated into intervals, as Figure 3C As shown, the first bridge arm 3042 further includes a third end 3042A and a fourth end 3042B located on both sides of the first interval s1, and the second bridge arm 3044 further includes a fifth end 3044A and a sixth end 3044B located on both sides of the second interval s2.

[0110] Thus, since the bridge arm is disconnected, signal transmission in bridge 304 will be blocked. Therefore, in some embodiments, the first metal patch can be used as a bridge to enable signal transmission at the interval.

[0111] Specifically, the orthographic projection of the first metal patch on the substrate 302 can at least partially overlap with the orthographic projections of the third terminal 3042A and the fourth terminal 3042B on the substrate 302 to form a first capacitor C1 and a second capacitor C2. The orthographic projection of the first metal patch on the substrate 302 can at least partially overlap with the orthographic projections of the fifth terminal 3044A and the sixth terminal 3044B on the substrate 302 to form a third capacitor C3 and a fourth capacitor C4. In this way, the input signal can be transmitted to the output port through the capacitors.

[0112] Furthermore, at least one of the first capacitor C1, the second capacitor C2, the third capacitor C3, and the fourth capacitor C4 is configured to adjust the resonant frequency between the first metal patch and the bridge by adjusting the capacitance value.

[0113] In this way, by adjusting the capacitance value, the resonant frequency can be adjusted, thereby adjusting the energy distribution ratio of the input signal between the first output port and the second output port, so as to adjust the beamwidth.

[0114] As an optional embodiment, the initial capacitance values ​​of the first capacitor C1, the second capacitor C2, the third capacitor C3, and the fourth capacitor C4 can be equal. For example, this can be achieved by making the overlapping portions of the first metal patch with the third terminal 3042A, the fourth terminal 3042B, the fifth terminal 3044A, and the sixth terminal 3044B equal. Furthermore, symmetrical signal adjustment can be achieved by simultaneously adjusting the capacitance values ​​of the first capacitor C1, the second capacitor C2, the third capacitor C3, and the fourth capacitor C4.

[0115] Figure 3D A schematic diagram of another bridge 304 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0116] In some embodiments, another set of bridge arms can be set to disconnect. For example... Figure 3D As shown, the third bridge arm 3046 and the fourth bridge arm 3048 respectively include a third interval s3 and a fourth interval s4 for disconnecting the third bridge arm 3046 and the fourth bridge arm 3048.

[0117] After the bridge arm is separated into intervals, as Figure 3D As shown, the third bridge arm 3046 further includes a seventh end 3046A and an eighth end 3046B located on both sides of the third interval s3, and the fourth bridge arm 3048 further includes a ninth end 3048A and a tenth end 3048B located on both sides of the fourth interval s4.

[0118] Thus, since the bridge arm is disconnected, signal transmission in bridge 304 will be blocked. Therefore, in some embodiments, the first metal patch can be used as a bridge to enable signal transmission at the interval.

[0119] Specifically, the orthographic projection of the first metal patch on the substrate 302 at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projections of the seventh terminal 3046A and the eighth terminal 3046B on the substrate 302 to form the fifth capacitor C5 and the sixth capacitor C6. The orthographic projection of the first metal patch on the substrate 302 at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projections of the ninth terminal 3048A and the tenth terminal 3048B on the substrate 302 to form the seventh capacitor C7 and the eighth capacitor C8. In this way, the input signal can be transmitted to the output port through the capacitors.

[0120] Furthermore, at least one of the fifth capacitor C5, the sixth capacitor C6, the seventh capacitor C7, and the eighth capacitor C8 is configured to adjust the resonant frequency between the first metal patch and the bridge by adjusting the capacitance value.

[0121] In this way, by adjusting the capacitance value, the resonant frequency can be adjusted, thereby adjusting the energy distribution ratio of the input signal between the first output port and the second output port, so as to adjust the beamwidth.

[0122] As an optional embodiment, the initial capacitance values ​​of the fifth capacitor C5, the sixth capacitor C6, the seventh capacitor C7, and the eighth capacitor C8 can be equal. For example, this can be achieved by making the overlapping portions of the first metal patch with those of the seventh terminal 3046A / eighth terminal 3046B, ninth terminal 3048A, and tenth terminal 3048B equal. Furthermore, symmetrical signal adjustment can be achieved by simultaneously adjusting the capacitance values ​​of the fifth capacitor C5, the sixth capacitor C6, the seventh capacitor C7, and the eighth capacitor C8.

[0123] Figure 3EA schematic diagram of an exemplary first metal patch 306 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0124] like Figure 3E As shown, in some embodiments, the first metal patch 306 is generally rectangular and includes a first opening 3062 and a second opening 3064 arranged side by side to form a first rectangular ring 3066 and a second rectangular ring 3068. Thus, by forming the first metal patch 306 as a rectangular ring, it is easier for the first metal patch 306 to form a first capacitor C1, a second capacitor C2, a third capacitor C3, and a fourth capacitor C4 with equal initial capacitance values ​​with the bridge 304, or to form a fifth capacitor C5, a sixth capacitor C6, a seventh capacitor C7, and an eighth capacitor C8 with equal initial capacitance values ​​with the bridge 304. Furthermore, by setting the first metal patch 306 as a ring, the signal transmission path in the first metal patch 306 can be extended, making it easier to adjust the energy distribution ratio of the input signal between the first output port 304C and the second output port 304D when adjusting the resonant frequency between the first metal patch 306 and the bridge 304.

[0125] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3F As shown, it can be Figure 3E First metal patch 306 and Figure 3C The 304 bridge is combined. Specifically, such as... Figure 3F As shown, the orthographic projections of the opposite first and second sides of the first rectangular ring 3066 onto the substrate 302 at least partially overlap with the orthographic projections of the third end 3042A and the fourth end 3042B onto the substrate 302 to form the first capacitor C1 and the second capacitor C2; the orthographic projections of the opposite first and second sides of the second rectangular ring 3068 onto the substrate 302 at least partially overlap with the orthographic projections of the fifth end 3044A and the sixth end 3044B onto the substrate 302 to form the third capacitor C3 and the fourth capacitor C4.

[0126] like Figure 3F As shown, when a signal is transmitted between the bridge 304 and the first metal patch 306, the signal can be transmitted through the first capacitor C1 and the second capacitor C2, the third capacitor C3 and the fourth capacitor C4. At the same time, since the first metal patch 306 is ring-shaped, the transmission path of the signal in the first metal patch 306 can be extended, making it easier to adjust the energy distribution ratio of the input signal between the first output port 304C and the second output port 304D when adjusting the resonant frequency between the first metal patch 306 and the bridge 304.

[0127] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3G As shown, it can be Figure 3EFirst metal patch 306 and Figure 3D The 304 bridge is combined. Specifically, such as... Figure 3G As shown, the orthographic projections of the opposite first and second sides of the first rectangular ring 3066 onto the substrate 302 at least partially overlap with the orthographic projections of the seventh end 3046A and the eighth end 3046B onto the substrate 302 to form the fifth capacitor C5 and the sixth capacitor C6; the orthographic projections of the opposite first and second sides of the second rectangular ring 3068 onto the substrate 302 at least partially overlap with the orthographic projections of the ninth end 3048A and the tenth end 3048B onto the substrate 302 to form the seventh capacitor C7 and the eighth capacitor C8.

[0128] like Figure 3G As shown, when the signal is transmitted between the bridge 304 and the first metal patch 306, the signal can be transmitted through the fifth capacitor C5, the sixth capacitor C6, the seventh capacitor C7, and the eighth capacitor C8. At the same time, since the first metal patch 306 is ring-shaped, the transmission path of the signal in the first metal patch 306 can be extended, making it easier to adjust the energy distribution ratio of the input signal between the first output port 304C and the second output port 304D when adjusting the resonant frequency between the first metal patch 306 and the bridge 304.

[0129] Back Figure 3A In some embodiments, a first liquid crystal layer 308 is further disposed between the first metal patch 306 and the bridge 304; the first metal patch 306 is configured to: control the deflection of liquid crystal in the first liquid crystal layer 308 under voltage control to adjust the dielectric constant of the first liquid crystal layer 308 and thereby adjust the capacitance value to change the resonant frequency between the first metal patch 306 and the bridge 304. Thus, by controlling the liquid crystal deflection under voltage, the resonant frequency between the first metal patch 306 and the bridge 304 can be adjusted, and the energy distribution ratio of the input signal between the first output port 304C and the second output port 304D can be adjusted relatively easily.

[0130] Figure 3H It shows Figure 3A A schematic diagram of the cross-section along the AA' direction.

[0131] like Figure 3HAs shown, exemplarily, a bridge 304, a first liquid crystal layer 308, a first metal patch 306, and another substrate 310 can be sequentially disposed on the substrate 302. Alignment films 3082 and 3084 can also be disposed on the substrates 308 and 310 on both sides of the first liquid crystal layer 308. Optionally, when the bridge 304 is implemented using a microstrip line, a metal ground 312 can be disposed on the side of the substrate 302 away from the bridge 304, and microstrip DC blocking devices can also be disposed at each port of the bridge 304.

[0132] It can be understood that the first metal patch 306 and the bridge 304 can constitute the driving electrode of the liquid crystal layer 308. By connecting external control lines to the bridge 304 and the first metal patch 306, control signals can be provided to them from the outside, thereby controlling the deflection of the liquid crystal in the liquid crystal layer 308. This causes a change in the dielectric constant between the first metal patch 306 and the bridge 304, and the capacitance value of the capacitor formed between the first metal patch 306 and the bridge 304 also changes accordingly. This changes the resonant frequency between the first metal patch 306 and the bridge 304, thereby adjusting the energy distribution ratio of the input signal between the first output port 304C and the second output port 304D.

[0133] Similarly, when the bridge 304 and the first metal patch 306 are used Figure 3F In the case of the structure, a liquid crystal layer 308 can also be set between the bridge 304 and the first metal patch 306 to achieve adjustment, which will not be elaborated here.

[0134] It is understood that when setting the first liquid crystal layer 308, an encapsulation structure can also be set to prevent liquid crystal leakage. The attached figure is only illustrative and does not show this structure.

[0135] It is also understandable that the bridge 304 can have one or more disconnection points. Depending on the location of the disconnection point, the number or shape of the first metal patch 306 can be selected to achieve signal transmission at the disconnection point.

[0136] Optionally, the bridge 304 can be a broadband multi-stage bridge or a narrowband 3dB bridge. The first metal patch 306 serves as a coupling patch and can be rectangular, a single rectangular ring, or a double rectangular ring. Figure 3E (The structure shown) or any geometric shape can be optimized according to the output of each port.

[0137] Optionally, in Figure 3HIn the structure shown, the vertical distance between the first metal patch 306 and the bridge 304, which is the thickness Dlc of the liquid crystal layer 308, ranges from 2 micrometers to 200 micrometers. Specifically, if the input signal corresponds to a millimeter-wave communication frequency band, the thickness Dlc of the liquid crystal layer 308 can be between 2 micrometers and 30 micrometers. For the sub-6GHz frequency band, due to the long signal wavelength, if the liquid crystal layer 308 is set too thin, it is easily broken down; therefore, the thickness Dlc of the liquid crystal layer 308 can be set thicker, for example, between 20 micrometers and 200 micrometers.

[0138] During production, for example, refer to Figure 3H As shown, the bridge 304 can be fabricated on a substrate 302 with a copper backing (i.e., metal ground 312). The substrate 302 can be a printed circuit board (PCB), glass, or other materials suitable for microstrip circuits. The first metal patch 306 is fabricated on a glass substrate 310, and isolation pillars (PS) with a specific height are fabricated on the glass substrate 310. Alignment films 3084 and 3082 can be coated on the surface of substrate 302 where the bridge 304 is fabricated and the surface of substrate 310 where the first metal patch 306 is fabricated, respectively, with a thickness of 50 nanometers. After the alignment films 3084 and 3082 are fabricated, the substrate 310 with isolation pillars can be assembled onto the substrate 302, liquid crystal can be injected, and the substrate can be encapsulated.

[0139] In practical use, the voltage difference applied across the bridge 304 and the first metal patch 306 can be used to drive the liquid crystal in the capacitor, thereby changing the capacitance value. The control traces used to connect the bridge 304 and the first metal patch 306 to provide control signals can be fabricated on the substrate 302 and the substrate 310, respectively.

[0140] For example, the following uses Figure 3A Taking this as an example, we will briefly explain the coupling performance of the bridge 304.

[0141] Assume that the bridge 304 operates in the 26GHz-30GHz millimeter wave communication band.

[0142] For example, a dielectric substrate 302 with a dielectric constant of 3 can be selected, and the thicknesses of substrate 302 and substrate 310, Dsub1 = Dsub2 = 0.15 mm, can be selected. The width Wa and length La of the wide arm of the bridge 304 can be 0.73 mm and 2 mm, respectively, and the width Wb and length Lb of the narrow arm of the bridge 304 can be 0.4 mm and 1.8 mm, respectively. The length L1 and width W1 of the first metal patch 306 are 3.2 mm and 0.5 mm, respectively, and the length L2 and width W2 of the first opening 3062 and the second opening 3064 of the first metal patch 306 are 1.4 mm and 0.16 mm, respectively. The thickness of the liquid crystal layer 308 is taken as 10 micrometers. The dielectric constant of the liquid crystal is ε⊥ = 2.2 when no voltage is applied, and ε∥ = 3.9 after applying a saturation voltage.

[0143] Let port 304A be the input port, port 304C be the pass-through port, port 304D be the coupling port, and port 304B be the isolation port (or, port 304B be the input port, port 304D be the pass-through port, port 304C be the coupling port, and port 304A be the isolation port). After simulation, you can see the following: Figure 3I and Figure 3J The energy transfer pattern is shown.

[0144] Figure 3I A simulation diagram of the energy transfer coefficient from the input port to the coupling port of the bridge 304 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0145] like Figure 3I As shown, it can be seen that as the voltage applied to the first metal patch 306 changes from 0V to 10V, the coupling port receives more and more energy.

[0146] Figure 3J A simulation diagram of the energy transfer coefficient from the input port to the through port of the bridge 304 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0147] like Figure 3J As shown, it can be seen that as the voltage applied to the first metal patch 306 increases from 0V to 10V, the energy received by the through port decreases.

[0148] In this way, by using the first metal patch 306 to adjust the energy distribution ratio between the coupling port and the through port, the beamwidth can be adjusted. Furthermore, as... Figure 3I and Figure 3J As shown, such energy regulation can achieve continuous adjustment, effectively improving the defect in related technologies where the energy distribution ratio between the coupling port and the through port can only be a fixed ratio.

[0149] The aforementioned embodiments achieve the adjustment of the energy distribution ratio between the coupling port and the through port by setting a liquid crystal layer and using voltage to control the deflection of the liquid crystal and thereby changing the dielectric constant of the liquid crystal layer.

[0150] As an optional embodiment, the base station antenna using the aforementioned liquid crystal layer can operate in a higher frequency band, such as above 10 GHz. In this case, because the loss tangent of the liquid crystal material is smaller at higher frequencies, the advantages of liquid crystal in high-frequency applications are more pronounced. Furthermore, the base station antenna using the aforementioned liquid crystal layer can also achieve good tuning performance when applied to frequency bands below 6 GHz, such as 2.6 GHz and 3.5 GHz.

[0151] However, the inventors of this disclosure have discovered that using liquid crystal materials in lower frequency bands, such as 690MHz to 960MHz, may present some problems. On the one hand, the loss of liquid crystal materials is more pronounced in this frequency band. On the other hand, because the wavelengths in the low-frequency band are very long, the liquid crystal layer needs to be relatively thick to avoid breakdown. However, the driving voltage of the liquid crystal layer is generally positively correlated with the thickness of the liquid crystal layer (generally, the driving voltage increases by 1V for every 1 micrometer increase in thickness). This results in a sharp increase in the driving voltage of thicker liquid crystal layers (approximately 100V-200V is required in the 690MHz to 960MHz band), making it difficult to apply in practice.

[0152] Therefore, in some embodiments, when the antenna vibrator array corresponding to the base station antenna 200 is operating in the low frequency band, the liquid crystal layer 308 may not be provided. Instead, the distance between the first metal patch 306 and the bridge 304 can be directly adjusted to adjust the resonant frequency between them, thereby achieving the effect of adjusting the energy distribution ratio between the coupling port and the through port.

[0153] In some embodiments, the first metal patch 306 is configured to: adjust the distance between the first metal patch 306 and the bridge 304 under voltage control to adjust the energy distribution ratio 304D of the input signal between the first output port 304C and the second output port. It is understood that when the distance between the first metal patch 306 and the bridge 304 is different, the resonant frequencies generated between them are also different, which can thus regulate the signal.

[0154] Since both the first metal patch 306 and the bridge 304 are conductive structures, by providing different control voltages (e.g., one positive and one negative), the attractive force between the first metal patch 306 and the bridge 304 can be changed by controlling the magnitude of the voltage, thereby achieving distance adjustment. It can be understood that if the principle of mutual attraction between positive and negative voltages is used to adjust the distance between the first metal patch 306 and the bridge 304, the first metal patch 306 can be made of a material with a certain degree of elasticity and can be connected to the substrate 310 through one or more fixed posts, so that it can bend upwards or downwards when subjected to attractive or repulsive forces, thereby changing the distance between the first metal patch 306 and the bridge 304.

[0155] Figure 3K Another structural schematic diagram of the base station antenna 200 provided in an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0156] like Figure 3K As shown, with Figure 3A Compared to the base station antenna 200, the liquid crystal layer 308 is removed in this embodiment. The resonant frequency between the first metal patch 306 and the bridge 304 is adjusted by adjusting the distance between them, thereby achieving the effect of adjusting the energy distribution ratio between the coupling port and the through port.

[0157] Figure 3L It shows Figure 3K A schematic diagram of the cross-section in the BB' direction.

[0158] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3L As shown, the base station antenna 200 may further include a first adjustment mechanism, which includes a retractable adjustment column 314. The adjustment end of the retractable adjustment column 314 is connected to the first metal patch 306 and is configured to adjust the relative position between the adjustment end and the bridge 304 to adjust the distance D0 between the first metal patch 306 and the bridge 304. For example, the relative position between the adjustment end and the bridge 304 can be adjusted by controlling the degree of extension and retraction of the adjustment column 314, thereby adjusting the distance between the first metal patch 306 and the bridge 304. Figure 3L As shown, optionally, the adjusting column 314 can be connected to the first metal patch 306 via the base 310, so that the base 310 can support the first metal patch 306, making distance adjustment easier. Optionally, a dielectric layer 316 can also be provided on the bridge 304. This dielectric layer can be made of insulating material to prevent short circuits between the bridge 304 and the first metal patch 306.

[0159] In some embodiments, the substrate 302, coupling device 304, and tuning device 306 can be encapsulated as a filter device through a housing, thereby facilitating installation, shipping, and other processes. Optionally, the fixed end of the adjustment post 314 away from the first metal patch 306 can be fixed to the housing of the filter device, or the main body of the first adjustment mechanism can be disposed on the housing of the filter device, and the fixed end of the telescopic adjustment post 314 can be connected to the first adjustment mechanism, thereby facilitating the telescopic adjustment of the telescopic adjustment post 314.

[0160] For example, the following uses Figure 3K and Figure 3L Taking the structure as an example, the coupling performance of the bridge 304 is briefly explained.

[0161] Assuming the dielectric constant of substrates 302 and 310 is 3, and the thickness of both substrates 302 and 310 is 1 mm, i.e., D_sub1 = D_sub2 = 1 mm. The width Wa and length La of the wide arm of bridge 304 are 4 mm and 57.4 mm, respectively. The width Wb and length Lb of the narrow arm of bridge 304 are 2.48 mm and 58.5 mm, respectively. The length L1 and width W1 of the first metal patch 306 are 15 mm and 4.2 mm, respectively. The length L2 and width W2 of the first opening 3062 and the second opening 3064 of the first metal patch 306 are 6 mm and 2.6 mm, respectively. Taking D0 = 0.15 mm and D0 = 0.2 mm, simulations are performed, and it can be seen that... Figure 3M and Figure 3N The energy transfer pattern is shown.

[0162] Figure 3M A simulation diagram of the energy transfer coefficient from the input port to the coupling port of the bridge 304 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0163] like Figure 3M As shown, it can be seen that as D0 increases from 0.15 mm to 0.2 mm, the energy received by the coupling port increases.

[0164] Figure 3N A simulation diagram of the energy transfer coefficient from the input port to the through port of the bridge 304 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0165] like Figure 3N As shown, it can be seen that as D0 increases from 0.15 mm to 0.2 mm, the energy received by the through port decreases.

[0166] In this way, by adjusting the distance between the first metal patch 306 and the bridge 304, the energy distribution ratio between the coupling port and the through port can be adjusted, thereby achieving the effect of adjusting the beamwidth. Furthermore, as... Figure 3M and Figure 3NAs shown, such energy regulation can achieve continuous adjustment, effectively improving the defect in related technologies where the energy distribution ratio between the coupling port and the through port can only be a fixed ratio.

[0167] For example, with Figure 3K Taking the structure as an example, the antenna vibrator array 204A and antenna vibrator array 204B are set as low-frequency vibrators of 690MHz-960MHz for simulation.

[0168] Without bridge 304, the input signal is directly input to antenna element array 204A and antenna element array 204B. Each antenna element is directly connected to the feed network. The power distribution of each antenna element (from left to right) is 0.175:0.175:0.75:1:0.75:0.35.

[0169] After being connected to bridge 304, the input signal enters from input port 304A of bridge 304, exits from the first output port 304C of bridge 304, and is then connected to antenna element array 204A. Similarly, another input signal enters from input port 304B of bridge 304, exits from the second output port 304D of bridge 304, and is then connected to antenna element array 204B.

[0170] Table 1

[0171]

[0172] Table 1 shows the changes in the horizontal beamwidth of the base station antenna when there is no bridge and when there is bridge 304, and when D0 is located at 0.15mm and 0.2mm respectively.

[0173] It is evident that the introduction of bridge 304 can effectively compress the horizontal wavewidth, and the change of D0 can adjust the horizontal wavewidth.

[0174] As mentioned earlier, in some embodiments, the symmetrical structure of the bridge 304 can be used to achieve symmetrical signal adjustment. However, in some scenarios, symmetrical adjustment may not be necessary. For example, the first radiating unit group 204A may be used for broadcasting with a wide bandwidth, while the second radiating unit group 204B may be used for directional radiation with a narrow bandwidth. Alternatively, the first radiating unit group 204A may be used to transmit signals, and the second radiating unit group 204B may be used to receive signals. Furthermore, the first radiating unit group 204A and the second radiating unit group 204B may operate in different frequency bands or at different times, and so on. Therefore, when symmetrical adjustment is not required, a second metal patch can be provided above the first output port 304C and / or the second output port 304D to achieve signal adjustment.

[0175] Figure 3OAnother structural schematic diagram of the base station antenna provided in an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0176] like Figure 3O As shown, the tuning device may further include at least one second metal patch (e.g., metal patches 320A, 320B), the orthographic projection of the at least one second metal patch on the substrate 302 at least partially overlapping the orthographic projection of the first output port 304C and / or the second output port 304D of the coupling device on the substrate 302. For example, as Figure 3O As shown, the orthographic projection of the second metal patch 320A on the substrate 302 at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the first output port 304C on the substrate 302, thereby allowing the signal energy transmitted to the first radiating unit group 204A to be adjusted by regulating the resonant frequency between the second metal patch 320A and the first output port 304C. For example, as... Figure 3O As shown, the orthographic projection of the second metal patch 320B on the substrate 302 at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the second output port 304D on the substrate 302. Therefore, the signal energy transmitted to the second radiating unit group 204B can be adjusted by regulating the resonant frequency between the second metal patch 320B and the second output port 304D. This allows for adjustment of the energy distribution ratio of the input signal between the first output port and the second output port.

[0177] It is understood that the second metal patch can be set above the first output port 304C or the second output port 304D, or both the first output port 304C and the second output port 304D can be set. Furthermore, the number of second metal patches can be one or more, and the size of the second metal patches can also be different. Specifically, it can be set according to the desired adjustment target and adjustment accuracy.

[0178] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3O As shown, the orthographic projection of the second metal patches 320A and 320B onto the substrate 302 is a rectangular ring. This allows for a longer signal transmission path on the second metal patches 320A and 320B, making it easier to fine-tune the signal through the second metal patches 320A and 320B. It is understood that the shape of the rectangular rings of each second metal patch can be the same or different, and the size and ring width can also be different, specifically set according to the desired adjustment target and adjustment precision.

[0179] In some embodiments, a second liquid crystal layer may also be disposed between the second metal patches 320A, 320B and the first output port and / or the second output port. Figure 3O(Not shown in the image); the second metal patches 320A and 320B are configured to: control the deflection of liquid crystal in the second liquid crystal layer under voltage control to adjust the dielectric constant of the second liquid crystal layer to adjust the resonant frequency between the first metal patch and the bridge. Adjusting the resonant frequency by changing the dielectric constant of the liquid crystal under voltage control allows for signal modulation through voltage adjustment, making precise control easier to achieve.

[0180] In some embodiments, the second metal patches 320A and 320B are configured to: adjust the distance between the second metal patch and the first output port and / or the second output port under voltage control to adjust the energy distribution ratio of the input signal between the first output port and the second output port. Thus, utilizing the principle of repulsion between like charges and attraction between unlike charges, distance adjustment is achieved by applying different voltages to the metal patches and ports, thereby adjusting the energy distribution ratio of the input signal between the first output port and the second output port.

[0181] In some embodiments, the base station antenna may further include a second adjustment mechanism (not shown in the figure). The second adjustment mechanism may include two adjustment ends, respectively connected to the second metal patch 320A and 320B, and is configured to: adjust the distance between the adjustment end of the second metal patch and the first output port and / or the second output port to adjust the energy distribution ratio of the input signal between the first output port and the second output port. In this way, distance adjustment is achieved using a mechanical structure, avoiding signal interference caused by voltage control.

[0182] In some embodiments, where symmetrical adjustment is not required, a coupler may be used to implement the coupling device.

[0183] Figure 4A A schematic diagram of another base station antenna 200 provided in an embodiment of this disclosure is shown. Figure 4B A schematic diagram of an exemplary coupler 400 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 4C It shows Figure 4A A schematic diagram of the cross-section in the CC' direction.

[0184] like Figures 4A-4CAs shown, in some embodiments, the coupling device may be a coupler 400. The coupler 400 may include an input port 402A, a through port 402B, a coupling port 402C, and an isolation port 402D. The at least one input port of the coupling device includes the input port 402A of the coupler 400, the first output port of the coupling device includes the through port 402B of the coupler 400, and the second output port of the coupling device includes the coupling port 402C of the coupler 400.

[0185] The isolation port 402D of coupler 400 can be used to isolate unwanted signals to prevent signal interference and leakage. In directional couplers, the isolation port provides an isolation metric, which is the power ratio between the input signal and the output signal of the isolation port, typically expressed in decibels (dB). Isolation can be maximized by properly terminating the isolation port to a matched load, thereby reducing signal interference and improving the overall system performance.

[0186] Considering the influence of the isolation port 402D of coupler 400 on the signal, in some embodiments, the tuning device may include at least one third metal patch (e.g., metal patches 404A, 404B), the orthographic projection of the at least one third metal patch on the substrate 302 at least partially overlapping the orthographic projection of the isolation port 402D on the substrate 302. Thus, by adjusting the resonant frequency between the at least one third metal patch and the isolation port 402D, the energy distribution ratio of the input signal between the through port 402B and the coupling port 402C can be adjusted, so that after the signal is transmitted to the first radiating unit group 204A and the second radiating unit group 204B, the signal coupling between them can be adjusted based on this energy distribution ratio.

[0187] In some embodiments, a third liquid crystal layer 406 may be disposed between the at least one third metal patch and the coupler 400. Optionally, the third liquid crystal layer 406 may be made relatively thin (e.g., between 2 micrometers and 30 micrometers) to reduce the overall thickness. Optionally, the at least one third metal patch is configured to: control the deflection of liquid crystal in the third liquid crystal layer 406 under voltage control to adjust the dielectric constant of the third liquid crystal layer 406, thereby adjusting the capacitance value between the at least one third metal patch and the coupler 400 to change the resonant frequency between the at least one third metal patch and the coupler 400, thereby adjusting the energy distribution ratio of the input signal between the through port 402B and the coupling port 402C. Optionally, control traces for providing control signals to the isolation port 402D and the at least one third metal patch can be respectively provided on the substrate 302 and the substrate 310. The control traces of the isolation port 402D can be disposed on the same layer as the isolation port 402D, and the control traces of the at least one third metal patch can be disposed on the same layer as the at least one third metal patch. Thus, a pattern including the isolation port 402D and its control traces can be simultaneously fabricated on the substrate 302 using a single patterning process, and a pattern including the at least one third metal patch and its control traces can be simultaneously fabricated on the substrate 310 using a single patterning process.

[0188] Optionally, the number of third metal patches can be one or more. When there are multiple third metal patches, they can be positioned at different locations on the isolation port 402D, thereby enabling adjustment across different frequency bands. For example, as... Figure 4A As shown, third metal patches 404A and 404B can be set on the isolation port 402D. The third metal patches 404A and 404B are set in different positions, so the signal can be adjusted in different frequency bands by using the third metal patches 404A and 404B respectively.

[0189] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4A As shown, the orthographic projection of the third metal patches 404A and 404B onto the substrate 302 is a rectangular ring. In this way, the rectangular ring can more easily resonate with the isolation port 402D, and the resonant frequency can be relatively low. At the same time, it is easier to miniaturize the metal patches.

[0190] Figure 4D An exemplary coupler 400 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0191] like Figure 4DAs shown, the coupler 400 includes a through microstrip and a coupling microstrip, which partially overlap to form the coupler 400. Exemplarily, the two ends of the through microstrip are an input port 402A and a through port 402B, respectively, and the two ends of the coupling microstrip are a coupling port 402C and an isolation port 402D, respectively. Third metal patches 404A and 404B are located at different positions on the isolation port 402D.

[0192] For example, the following uses Figure 4A and Figure 4D Taking the structure as an example, we will briefly explain the coupling performance of the coupler 400.

[0193] The substrate 302 can be glass with a dielectric constant of 4 and a thickness of 0.3 mm. The coupler 400 has an arm width of 0.6 mm, and the length L of the overlapping portion of the through microstrip and the coupling microstrip is 1.52 mm, and the width W is 0.3 mm. The third liquid crystal layer 406 has a thickness of 7.5 μm, and its dielectric constant is ε⊥=2.45 without voltage and ε∥=3.58 after applying a saturation voltage. The length L3 and width W3 of the third metal patches 404A and 404B are 1.6 mm and 0.6 mm, respectively, and the length L4 and width W4 of their openings are 1.2 mm and 0.1 mm, respectively. Simulations were performed with voltage differences of 7V and 4V between the third metal patches and the isolation port, and the results are as follows: Figure 4E and Figure 4F The energy transfer pattern is shown.

[0194] Figure 4E A simulation diagram of the energy transfer coefficients from the input port to the through port and the coupling port is shown, when a voltage is applied between the third metal patch 404A and the isolation port 402D and no voltage is applied to the third metal patch 404B, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0195] like Figure 4E As shown, by applying a voltage to the third metal patch 404A while keeping the third metal patch 404B off, the energy of the through port 402B can be increased at the corresponding frequency, while the energy of the coupling port 402C in that frequency band can be reduced, thereby reducing the bandwidth compression in that frequency band. Furthermore, by applying different voltages, the adjustable frequency band can be changed, thus allowing the signal in the corresponding frequency band to be adjusted by regulating the voltage.

[0196] Figure 4F A simulation diagram of the energy transfer coefficients from the input port to the through port and the coupling port is shown, when a voltage is applied between the third metal patch 404B and the isolation port 402D and no voltage is applied to the third metal patch 404A, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0197] like Figure 4FAs shown, by applying a voltage to the third metal patch 404B while keeping the third metal patch 404A off, the energy of the through port 402B can be reduced and the energy of the coupled port 402C increased within the corresponding frequency range. Furthermore, by applying different voltages, the adjustable frequency band can be changed, thus allowing the signal in the corresponding frequency band to be adjusted by regulating the voltage.

[0198] In this way, by utilizing the characteristics of this coupler, the problem of jump points in the bandwidth of base station antennas in specific frequency bands can be corrected.

[0199] Understandable, Figure 4A In the structure, the coupling port 402C is no longer used as an input port but as an output port. Thus, in this embodiment, the second radiating unit group 204B can be used as a coupling oscillator of the first radiating unit group 204A to provide coupling energy to the first radiating unit group 204A to compensate for the jump points that occur in a specific frequency band.

[0200] As mentioned earlier, using a liquid crystal layer for tuning in the low-frequency range can lead to problems such as a sharp increase in driving voltage.

[0201] Therefore, in some embodiments, a third liquid crystal layer may be omitted. The at least one third metal patch can be configured to adjust the resonant frequency between the at least one third metal patch and the coupler by adjusting the distance between the at least one third metal patch and the coupler. In this way, adjusting the resonant frequency by adjusting the physical distance can eliminate the need for a liquid crystal layer and simultaneously achieve the adjustment of low-frequency signals.

[0202] As an optional embodiment, a third adjustment mechanism can be provided to adjust the distance between the metal patch and the coupler, thereby achieving adjustment of the resonant frequency.

[0203] At least one adjustment end of the third adjustment mechanism is connected to the at least one third metal patch and is configured to adjust the relative position between the at least one adjustment end and the coupler to adjust the distance between the at least one third metal patch and the coupler. Thus, by using the third adjustment mechanism to adjust the physical distance and thereby achieve resonant frequency adjustment, the liquid crystal layer can be eliminated, and low-frequency signal adjustment can be achieved simultaneously.

[0204] Figure 4G Another cross-sectional schematic diagram of the coupler and metal patch according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0205] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4GAs shown, the third adjustment mechanism includes a first adjustment end 414A and a second adjustment end 414B, which are respectively connected to a third metal patch 404A and a third metal patch 404B. The third adjustment mechanism is configured to adjust the relative position between the first adjustment end 414A and the second adjustment end 414B and the coupler 400 to adjust the distance between the third metal patches 404A and the third metal patch 404B and the coupler 400. Optionally, the other end of the first adjustment end 414A and the second adjustment end 414B is fixed to the housing of the filter device. By adjusting the extension and retraction of the first adjustment end 414A and the second adjustment end 414B, the distance between the third metal patches 404A and the third metal patch 404B and the coupler 400 can be adjusted.

[0206] In this way, by using different adjustment terminals to adjust the distance between the metal patch at different positions and the coupler 400, it is possible to adjust for signals of different frequency bands.

[0207] Figure 4H Another exemplary coupler 400 according to an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0208] like Figure 4H As shown, in some embodiments, the orthographic projection of the at least one third metal patch (e.g., metal patches 404A, 404B) onto the substrate 302 at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the coupling port 402C onto the substrate 302. Thus, by adjusting the resonant frequency between the at least one third metal patch and the coupling port 402C, the energy distribution ratio of the input signal between the through port 402B and the coupling port 402C can be adjusted, such that after the signal is transmitted to the first radiating unit group 204A and the second radiating unit group 204B, the signal coupling between them can be adjusted based on this energy distribution ratio.

[0209] For example, the following uses Figure 4H and Figure 4I Taking this as an example, we will briefly explain the coupling performance of the coupler 400.

[0210] The substrate 302 can be glass with a dielectric constant of 3 and a thickness of 1 mm. The arm width of the coupler 400 is 2.48 mm, and the length L of the overlapping portion of the through microstrip and the coupling microstrip is 58.52 mm, and the width W is 1.2 mm. The length L3 and width W3 of the third metal patches 404A and 404B are 33 mm and 18 mm, respectively, and the length L4 and width W4 of their openings are 27 mm and 4 mm, respectively.

[0211] When the vertical distance between the third metal patch 404A and the microstrip of the coupling port 402C is 0.1 mm (i.e., the third metal patch 404A is in the off state), and the vertical distance between the third metal patch 404B and the microstrip of the coupling port 402C is 0.7 mm (i.e., the third metal patch 404B is in the resonant state), simulation can yield the following results: Figure 4J The energy transfer pattern is shown. Conversely, when the vertical distance between the third metal patch 404A and the microstrip of the coupling port 402C is 0.7 mm (i.e., the third metal patch 404A is in a resonant state), and the vertical distance between the third metal patch 404B and the microstrip of the coupling port 402C is 0.1 mm (i.e., the third metal patch 404B is in a turned-off state), simulation can yield the following results: Figure 4K The energy transfer pattern is shown.

[0212] Table 2

[0213]

[0214] Combination Figure 4J and Figure 4K As shown in Table 2, the beamwidth transition at 0.80 GHz can be adjusted by utilizing the characteristics of the coupling port and the through port.

[0215] In some embodiments, the coupler 400 may be a broadband coupler, thereby enabling signal conditioning over a wider frequency band.

[0216] Furthermore, due to the use of a broadband coupler, the adjustable frequency range is larger, such as... Figure 4L As shown, in some embodiments, the tuning device further includes at least one fourth metal patch (e.g., fourth metal patches 404C, 404D), the orthographic projection of the at least one fourth metal patch on the substrate 302 at least partially overlapping the orthographic projection of the isolation port 402D on the substrate 302, and the orthographic projection of the at least one fourth metal patch on the substrate not overlapping the orthographic projection of the at least one third metal patch on the substrate. Thus, by setting multiple metal patches at different positions on the isolation port 402D, more adjustable frequency bands and a larger adjustment range are possible. Furthermore, a broadband bridge can also be designed with reversible input and output ports.

[0217] In some embodiments, the fourth metal patch has the same size as the third metal patch, and the ring width corresponding to the fourth metal patch is the same as the ring width corresponding to the third metal patch. Thus, since the fourth and third metal patches are located in different positions, signal fine-tuning can be achieved by adjusting the metal patches at different positions.

[0218] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4L As shown, the orthographic projection of the third metal patches 404A and 404B and the fourth metal patches 404C and 404D onto the substrate is a rectangular ring; the dimensions of the fourth metal patches 404C and 404D are larger than the dimensions of the third metal patches 404A and 404B (for example, the length and width of the fourth metal patches 404C and 404D are both larger than those of the third metal patches 404A and 404B), and the ring width corresponding to the fourth metal patches 404C and 404D is greater than the ring width corresponding to the third metal patches 404A and 404B.

[0219] Figure 4L In the design, metal patches of different sizes are placed at different locations on the microstrip line of the isolation port 402D. The different sizes of the metal patches cause them to resonate at different frequencies. This design allows for simultaneous control of the through-energy and coupling energy at different frequencies.

[0220] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4M As shown, the orthographic projection of at least one fourth metal patch (e.g., fourth metal patches 404C, 404D) on the substrate 302 at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the coupling port 402C on the substrate 302. Thus, by positioning multiple metal patches at different locations on the isolation port 402D and the coupling port 402C, more adjustable frequency bands and a larger adjustment range are achieved. Furthermore, a broadband bridge can also be designed with reversible input and output ports.

[0221] Figure 4M In this design, metal patches are placed on the isolation port 402D and the coupling port 402C, respectively. The size of the metal patches on the isolation port and the coupling port can be the same or different. This arrangement has two advantages: firstly, it can achieve the same result... Figure 4L The first is that the dual-frequency points (or multiple frequency points) shown can be controlled simultaneously; the second is that the input port and the through port can be interchanged.

[0222] Alternatively, the control traces can be connected to external circuits via voltage-controlled metal patches and microstrip lines with isolation port 402D or coupling port 402C to achieve control based on electrical signals.

[0223] In some embodiments, the at least one fourth metal patch is configured to adjust the resonant frequency between the at least one fourth metal patch and the coupler by adjusting the distance between the at least one fourth metal patch and the coupler. This allows for relatively easy signal modulation by adjusting the distance.

[0224] In some embodiments, the base station antenna further includes a fourth adjustment mechanism, at least one adjustment end of which is connected to the at least one fourth metal patch and configured to adjust the relative position between the at least one adjustment end of the fourth adjustment mechanism and the coupler to adjust the distance between the at least one fourth metal patch and the coupler. By changing the dielectric constant of the liquid crystal under voltage control, the resonant frequency can be adjusted. Thus, signal modulation can be achieved by adjusting the voltage, making precise control easier to realize.

[0225] In some embodiments, a fourth liquid crystal layer is further disposed between the at least one fourth metal patch and the coupler; the at least one fourth metal patch is configured to: control the deflection of liquid crystal in the fourth liquid crystal layer under voltage control to adjust the dielectric constant of the fourth liquid crystal layer, thereby adjusting the capacitance value between the at least one fourth metal patch and the coupler to change the resonant frequency between the at least one fourth metal patch and the coupler. In this way, distance adjustment is achieved using a mechanical structure, avoiding signal interference caused by voltage control.

[0226] In some embodiments, combined with Figures 3A-3L , Figures 4A-4M As shown, it can also be found in Figures 3A-3L Structural settings Figures 4A-4M The metal patch shown forms a design scheme with greater flexibility in adjustment, enabling continuous frequency adjustment on the one hand, and compensation for jump points in specific frequency bands on the other.

[0227] As can be seen from the above embodiments, some embodiments of the base station antenna disclosed herein provide a continuously tunable bridge design scheme for adjusting the horizontal bandwidth of the base station antenna vibrator array. This is suitable for continuously tuning the energy ratio of the bridge coupling port and the through port within a wider frequency band, thereby achieving continuous bandwidth adjustment. Some embodiments of the base station antenna disclosed herein also provide a method for correcting bandwidth jumps within a narrower frequency band (by increasing or decreasing the bandwidth compression at the corresponding frequency point), and the frequency point is continuously adjustable. Furthermore, the two adjustment methods can be combined to simultaneously achieve continuous bandwidth adjustment and bandwidth jump correction.

[0228] This disclosure relates to the radio frequency front end of a frequency reconfigurable antenna that utilizes microstrip transmission switches and filters and can be applied to microwave and wireless communication fields.

[0229] This disclosure also provides a control method for any embodiment or arrangement and combination of the base station antennas described above.

[0230] Figure 5 A schematic flowchart of the base station antenna control method 500 provided in an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0231] like Figure 5 As shown, the method 500 includes:

[0232] Step 502: Determine the current beamwidth and target beamwidth of the transmitted signal of the first radiating element group.

[0233] Step 504: Determine the target coupling amount of the first radiating element group based on the current beamwidth and the target beamwidth.

[0234] Step 506: Adjust the resonant frequency between the tuning device and the coupling device according to the target coupling amount, so as to adjust the beamwidth of the transmitted signal of the first radiating unit group.

[0235] By combining any embodiment or arrangement / combination of the aforementioned base station antennas, this control method can adjust the beamwidth of the base station antenna, thereby improving antenna performance.

[0236] Those skilled in the art should understand that the discussion of any of the above embodiments is merely exemplary and is not intended to imply that the scope of this disclosure (including the claims) is limited to these examples; within the framework of this disclosure, the technical features of the above embodiments or different embodiments can also be combined, the steps can be implemented in any order, and there are many other variations of different aspects of the embodiments of this disclosure as described above, which are not provided in detail for the sake of brevity.

[0237] Additionally, to simplify the description and discussion, and to avoid obscuring the embodiments of this disclosure, the provided drawings may or may not show well-known power / ground connections to integrated circuit (IC) chips and other components. Furthermore, the apparatus may be shown in block diagram form to avoid obscuring the embodiments of this disclosure, and this also takes into account the fact that the details of implementation of these block diagram apparatuses are highly dependent on the platform on which the embodiments of this disclosure will be implemented (i.e., these details should be fully understood by those skilled in the art). While specific details (e.g., circuitry) have been set forth to describe exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodiments of this disclosure may be implemented without these specific details or with variations thereof. Therefore, these descriptions should be considered illustrative rather than restrictive.

[0238] Although this disclosure has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, many substitutions, modifications, and variations of these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description. For example, other memory architectures (e.g., dynamic RAM (DRAM)) may be used with the embodiments discussed.

[0239] This disclosure is intended to cover all such substitutions, modifications, and variations that fall within the broad scope of the appended claims. Therefore, any omissions, modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this disclosure should be included within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A base station antenna, comprising: First radiative unit group; Second radiating unit group; Base; A coupling device is disposed on the substrate and includes at least one input port, a first output port and a second output port. The at least one input port is used to receive an input signal, the first output port is electrically coupled to the first radiating unit group, and the second output port is electrically coupled to the second radiating unit group. A tuning device is disposed on the side of the coupling device away from the substrate, wherein the orthographic projection of the tuning device on the substrate partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the coupling device on the substrate, and is configured to: adjust the energy distribution ratio of the input signal between the first output port and the second output port by adjusting the resonant frequency between the tuning device and the coupling device.

2. The base station antenna as described in claim 1, wherein, The coupling device includes a bridge circuit, the bridge circuit comprising: The first and second bridge arms extending along the first direction; The third and fourth bridge arms extend along the second direction; The at least one input port includes a first end of the first bridge arm and / or a first end of the second bridge arm, the first output port includes a second end of the first bridge arm, and the second output port includes a second end of the second bridge arm. Both ends of the third bridge arm and the fourth bridge arm are respectively connected to the first bridge arm and the second bridge arm; The tuning device includes a first metal patch, the orthographic projection of the first metal patch on the substrate at least partially overlapping the orthographic projection of the first bridge arm and / or the second bridge arm on the substrate, or the orthographic projection of the first metal patch on the substrate at least partially overlapping the orthographic projection of the third bridge arm and / or the fourth bridge arm on the substrate.

3. The base station antenna as described in claim 2, wherein, The first bridge arm and the second bridge arm each include a first interval and a second interval for disconnecting the first bridge arm and the second bridge arm, respectively; The first bridge arm further includes a third end and a fourth end located on both sides of the first interval, and the second bridge arm further includes a fifth end and a sixth end located on both sides of the second interval; The orthographic projection of the first metal patch on the substrate at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projections of the third end and the fourth end on the substrate to form a first capacitor and a second capacitor; the orthographic projection of the first metal patch on the substrate at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projections of the fifth end and the sixth end on the substrate to form a third capacitor and a fourth capacitor. At least one of the first capacitor, the second capacitor, the third capacitor, and the fourth capacitor is configured as follows: The resonant frequency between the first metal patch and the bridge is adjusted by adjusting the capacitance value.

4. The base station antenna as described in claim 3, wherein, The first metal patch is rectangular in shape and includes a first opening and a second opening arranged side by side to form a first rectangular ring and a second rectangular ring; The orthographic projections of the opposite first and second sides of the first rectangular ring onto the substrate at least partially overlap with the orthographic projections of the third and fourth ends onto the substrate to form the first capacitor and the second capacitor; The orthographic projections of the opposite first and second sides of the second rectangular ring onto the substrate at least partially overlap with the orthographic projections of the fifth and sixth ends onto the substrate to form the third and fourth capacitors, respectively.

5. The base station antenna as described in claim 2, wherein, The third bridge arm and the fourth bridge arm respectively include a third interval and a fourth interval for disconnecting the third bridge arm and the fourth bridge arm; The third bridge arm further includes a seventh end and an eighth end located on both sides of the third interval, and the fourth bridge arm further includes a ninth end and a tenth end located on both sides of the fourth interval. The orthographic projection of the first metal patch on the substrate at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projections of the seventh end and the eighth end on the substrate to form a fifth capacitor and a sixth capacitor; the orthographic projection of the first metal patch on the substrate at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projections of the ninth end and the tenth end on the substrate to form a seventh capacitor and an eighth capacitor. At least one of the fifth capacitor, the sixth capacitor, the seventh capacitor, and the eighth capacitor is configured as follows: The resonant frequency between the first metal patch and the bridge is adjusted by adjusting the capacitance value.

6. The base station antenna as described in claim 5, wherein, The first metal patch is rectangular in shape and includes a first opening and a second opening arranged side by side to form a first rectangular ring and a second rectangular ring; The orthographic projections of the opposite first and second sides of the first rectangular ring onto the substrate at least partially overlap with the orthographic projections of the seventh and eighth ends onto the substrate to form the fifth capacitor and the sixth capacitor; The orthographic projections of the opposite first and second sides of the second rectangular ring onto the substrate at least partially overlap with the orthographic projections of the ninth and tenth ends onto the substrate to form the seventh and eighth capacitors, respectively.

7. The base station antenna according to any one of claims 2-6, wherein, The first metal patch is configured to adjust the distance between the first metal patch and the bridge to adjust the energy distribution ratio of the input signal between the first output port and the second output port.

8. The base station antenna according to any one of claims 2-6, wherein, A first liquid crystal layer is further disposed between the first metal patch and the bridge; The first metal patch is configured to: control the deflection of liquid crystal in the first liquid crystal layer under voltage control to adjust the dielectric constant of the first liquid crystal layer and thereby adjust the capacitance value to change the resonant frequency between the first metal patch and the bridge.

9. The base station antenna according to any one of claims 2-6, further comprising a first adjustment mechanism, wherein the adjustment end of the first adjustment mechanism is connected to the first metal patch and is configured to: adjust the relative position between the adjustment end and the bridge to adjust the distance between the first metal patch and the bridge, thereby adjusting the energy distribution ratio of the input signal between the first output port and the second output port.

10. The base station antenna as described in claim 7, wherein, The first metal patch is configured to: adjust the distance between the first metal patch and the bridge under voltage control, thereby adjusting the capacitance value to change the resonant frequency between the first metal patch and the bridge.

11. The base station antenna according to any one of claims 1-6, wherein, The tuning device further includes at least one second metal patch, the orthographic projection of the at least one second metal patch on the substrate at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the first output port and / or the second output port of the coupling device on the substrate, and the orthographic projection of the second metal patch on the substrate is a rectangular ring; The at least one second metal patch is configured to: adjust the resonant frequency between the at least one second metal patch and the first output port and / or the second output port to adjust the energy distribution ratio of the input signal between the first output port and the second output port.

12. The base station antenna as described in claim 11, wherein, A second liquid crystal layer is further disposed between the second metal patch and the first output port and / or the second output port; The second metal patch is configured to: control the deflection of liquid crystal in the second liquid crystal layer under voltage control to adjust the dielectric constant of the second liquid crystal layer to adjust the resonant frequency between the first metal patch and the bridge.

13. The base station antenna as described in claim 11, wherein, The second metal patch is configured to adjust the distance between the second metal patch and the first output port and / or the second output port under voltage control to adjust the energy distribution ratio of the input signal between the first output port and the second output port.

14. The base station antenna as described in claim 11, wherein, It also includes a second adjustment mechanism, the adjustment end of which is connected to the second metal patch and is configured to: adjust the distance between the adjustment end of the second metal patch and the first output port and / or the second output port to adjust the energy distribution ratio of the input signal between the first output port and the second output port.

15. The base station antenna as described in claim 1, wherein, The coupling device includes a coupler, which includes an input port, a through port, a coupling port, and an isolation port; The at least one input port includes the input port of the coupler, the first output port includes the through port, and the second output port includes the coupling port; The tuning device includes at least one third metal patch, the orthographic projection of the at least one third metal patch on the substrate at least partially overlapping the orthographic projection of the isolation port and / or the coupling port on the substrate.

16. The base station antenna as described in claim 15, wherein, The coupler includes a broadband coupler.

17. The base station antenna as described in claim 16, wherein, The tuning device further includes at least one fourth metal patch, the orthographic projection of the at least one fourth metal patch on the substrate at least partially overlapping the orthographic projection of the isolation port and / or the coupling port on the substrate; The orthographic projection of the at least one fourth metal patch on the substrate does not overlap with the orthographic projection of the at least one third metal patch on the substrate.

18. The base station antenna as described in claim 17, wherein, The orthographic projection of the third and fourth metal patches onto the substrate is a rectangular ring; The fourth metal patch has the same size as the third metal patch, and the ring width corresponding to the fourth metal patch is the same as the ring width corresponding to the third metal patch; or... The fourth metal patch is larger than the third metal patch, and the ring width corresponding to the fourth metal patch is larger than the ring width corresponding to the third metal patch.

19. The base station antenna as described in claim 15 or 16, wherein, The at least one third metal patch is configured to adjust the resonant frequency between the at least one third metal patch and the coupler by adjusting the distance between the at least one third metal patch and the coupler.

20. The base station antenna as claimed in claim 19, wherein, It also includes a third adjustment mechanism, at least one adjustment end of which is connected to the at least one third metal patch and is configured to adjust the relative position between the at least one adjustment end of the third adjustment mechanism and the coupler to adjust the distance between the at least one third metal patch and the coupler.

21. The base station antenna as described in claim 15 or 16, wherein, A third liquid crystal layer is further disposed between the at least one third metal patch and the coupler; The at least one third metal patch is configured to: control the deflection of liquid crystal in the third liquid crystal layer under voltage control to adjust the dielectric constant of the third liquid crystal layer, thereby adjusting the capacitance value between the at least one third metal patch and the coupler to change the resonant frequency between the at least one third metal patch and the coupler.

22. The base station antenna as described in claim 17 or 18, wherein, The at least one fourth metal patch is configured to adjust the resonant frequency between the at least one fourth metal patch and the coupler by adjusting the distance between the at least one fourth metal patch and the coupler.

23. The base station antenna as described in claim 22, wherein, It also includes a fourth adjustment mechanism, at least one adjustment end of which is connected to the at least one fourth metal patch and is configured to adjust the relative position between the at least one adjustment end of the fourth adjustment mechanism and the coupler to adjust the distance between the at least one fourth metal patch and the coupler.

24. The base station antenna as described in claim 17 or 18, wherein, A fourth liquid crystal layer is further disposed between the at least one fourth metal patch and the coupler; The at least one fourth metal patch is configured to: control the deflection of liquid crystal in the fourth liquid crystal layer under voltage control to adjust the dielectric constant of the fourth liquid crystal layer, thereby adjusting the capacitance value between the at least one fourth metal patch and the coupler to change the resonant frequency between the at least one fourth metal patch and the coupler.

25. A communication device comprising a base station antenna as described in any one of claims 1-24.

26. A method for controlling a base station antenna as described in any one of claims 1-24, comprising: Determine the current beamwidth and target beamwidth of the transmitted signal of the first radiating element group; The target coupling amount of the first radiating element group is determined based on the current beamwidth and the target beamwidth; Based on the target coupling amount, the resonant frequency between the tuning device and the coupling device is adjusted to adjust the beamwidth of the transmitted signal of the first radiating unit group.

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