A router antenna array

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of antenna technology and discloses a router antenna array structure, including K antennas. The distance between any two adjacent antennas is half the wavelength of any one of the router's operating frequencies. Each antenna is independently connected to the router and is connected to the router using a set of K lines. This router antenna array structure effectively overcomes the limitations of traditional single-antenna omnidirectional radiation, concentrating energy towards the target area, thereby improving signal strength while reducing co-channel interference and improving communication quality.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of wireless communication technology, specifically to a router antenna array. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of wireless communication, array antennas are widely used in devices such as routers due to their unique radiation characteristics. An array antenna consists of multiple antenna elements (array components), which utilize the principles of electromagnetic wave interference and superposition to form a specific radiation pattern. By changing the phase of the excitation current of each antenna element, spatial scanning of the radiation pattern can be achieved, i.e., phased array technology. Its radiation pattern is jointly determined by the antenna array element patterns and the array factor, which in turn depends on the array geometry and excitation method.

[0003] Antenna array beamforming technology is a core application method. By controlling the amplitude and phase of multiple antenna elements, electromagnetic waves are amplified in the target direction to form a main beam, while weakened in other directions to form nulls or low sidelobes, thus achieving "spatial filtering" of the signal propagation direction. For a uniform linear array, the path difference of far-field plane waves arriving at different antenna elements will cause a phase difference. The beamformer applies weighting coefficients to cancel the natural phase difference in the target direction, achieving in-phase superposition gain of signals, while signals in other directions are weakened because the phase cannot be canceled.

[0004] Existing router array antennas are mostly integrated and fixed to the router body. Consumers, seeking aesthetics, dust protection, and protection from contact with objects, often place routers in enclosed spaces such as TV cabinets or drawers. This forces the electromagnetic waves radiated by the antennas to penetrate the sealed medium, facing both reflection and electromagnetic absorption losses, resulting in significant energy attenuation and impacting indoor communication quality. Furthermore, routers are typically placed in low positions (such as under TV cabinets or on the ground), causing the strongest signal direction of the antenna array to be pointed to a height of approximately 10cm above the ground. This is incompatible with the 1m-1.5m height commonly used by mobile devices, leading to low signal utilization. While some external antennas can alleviate signal obstruction in enclosed spaces, they are mostly single-antenna designs, not optimized for array antennas, failing to maximize beam gain through multi-antenna collaboration, and lacking professional installation guidance, making it difficult to achieve optimal radiation performance. Therefore, we propose a router antenna array. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this application provides a router antenna array, including K antennas. The distance between any two adjacent antennas is half the wavelength of any frequency point in the router's operating frequency range. Each antenna is independently connected to the router using a set of K lines. Each set of lines corresponds to the direction of one antenna. The length difference between the antennas in this set of lines is used to form the phase gradient required for the array antenna. The length difference corresponds one-to-one with the pointing angle of the antenna beam pattern. For every half wavelength difference in line length, a fixed angular offset is generated in the beam pointing. By setting different length differences, the antenna array radiates a beam in a preset direction. The K antennas are fixed using antenna brackets. Pins and screws are used on the antenna brackets to position and fix the antennas. The distance between any two adjacent pins is half the wavelength. The antenna pointing refers to the direction perpendicular to the plane formed by the antenna bracket and the antenna.

[0006] In some embodiments, the pointing angle of the antenna array corresponding to the column antenna feed group can be 0°. , , .

[0007] In some embodiments, antenna arrays pointing in the same absolute angle but different directions correspond to the same group of antenna feed lines.

[0008] In some embodiments, the shortest line is connected to the outermost antenna on the side pointed to by the antenna beam pattern, the second shortest line is connected to the second antenna pointed to by the antenna beam pattern, and so on.

[0009] In some embodiments, the number of pins fixing the antenna at each position on the antenna bracket is greater than or equal to 2.

[0010] In some embodiments, the included angle between the two pins at each position where the antenna bracket secures the antenna is greater than 135° and less than or equal to 170°.

[0011] In some embodiments, the pins that fix the antenna to the antenna with the same elevation angle are on the same horizontal line.

[0012] This invention has at least the following beneficial effects: 1. The random placement of routers in home environments creates communication dead zones and shadows, resulting in some rooms being unable to access the internet via WiFi. Users can only use repeaters or dual WiFi networks, increasing their financial costs.

[0013] 2. Using this invention, different antenna feeder groups can be selected according to different router placement locations and coverage requirements, so that users can obtain the best communication coverage throughout the house using a single router.

[0014] 2. Solve the problem of signal attenuation in confined spaces: The external design removes the antenna from the confined environment, reducing reflection and absorption losses during electromagnetic wave propagation and improving signal transmission efficiency. 3. Achieve precise signal pointing: Adjust the horizontal beam pointing by controlling the difference in feeder length and adjust the pitch angle by using positioning pins to ensure that the strongest signal covers the 1m~1.5m height area commonly used by the terminal, thereby improving signal utilization. 4. Maximize array beam gain: Multiple antenna units work together, combined with scientific feeder configuration and installation calibration, to maximize beamforming gain, which is superior to the communication performance of traditional single external antennas. 5. High adaptability and flexibility: Supports multiple beam pointing angles, detachable structure for easy installation and debugging, adaptable to different house types, placement locations and terminal distribution scenarios; 6. Convenient installation and maintenance with scalability: The standardized antenna bracket design and detachable connection method reduce the difficulty of installation and maintenance, and can be extended to other wireless communication equipment such as small base stations, thus broadening its applicability. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 Antenna radiation beam patterns composed of different numbers of antenna array elements; Figure 2 Beamforming pattern for one antenna; Figure 3 The three-dimensional beam pattern of the diode antenna; Figure 4 This is a diagram showing the overall architecture of the connection between the external array antenna and the router. Figure 5 This diagram shows the relationship between the antenna beam pattern and the connection between the antenna feed line. Figure 6 An example diagram showing the positions of the positioning pins and fixing screws for the antenna bracket; Figure 7 Five examples of antenna support cross-sections are illustrated; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram showing the distribution of antenna signals indoors. Detailed Implementation

[0016] Antennas are key components in wireless communication systems, enabling the conversion between transmission line-guided electromagnetic waves and free-space radiated electromagnetic waves. They play a crucial role in transmitting radio frequency signals and receiving spatial electromagnetic waves. Their electrical performance parameters, such as operating bandwidth, impedance matching, radiation efficiency, antenna gain, polarization characteristics, and radiation pattern, directly determine the coverage, signal strength, transmission rate, and anti-interference capability of wireless transmission. Electromagnetic waves, as transverse waves propagating at the speed of light in free space, have a fixed relationship between their wavelength, frequency, and wave speed. The wavelength directly determines key structural parameters such as antenna physical dimensions, array element spacing, and feed line phase delay. Free-space propagation losses... Dissipation, dielectric penetration loss, multipath reflection, and interference fading are the main factors affecting indoor coverage of routers. According to radiation characteristics, antennas can be divided into omnidirectional antennas and directional antennas. Omnidirectional antennas radiate uniformly in the horizontal plane, have a simple structure, and are inexpensive, but their energy is dispersed and their gain is low. Directional antennas can concentrate energy in a specific direction, forming a high-gain main lobe and suppressing side lobes and back lobes, significantly improving the signal strength in the directional area and reducing co-channel interference. Array antennas consist of two or more identical or similar antenna elements arranged according to a preset geometric structure. By controlling the amplitude and phase of the excitation signal of each element, the principle of electromagnetic wave interference and superposition is used to achieve wave... Beam pointing, beamforming, and spatial filtering are all important aspects of antenna design. Uniform linear arrays, due to their simple structure and ease of installation and deployment, are widely used in home router scenarios. The optimal choice in the industry is to use an element spacing of half the wavelength of the operating frequency, which maximizes array gain while avoiding strong coupling between elements and grating lobes. The total radiation pattern of the array is determined by both the element pattern and the array factor, which is precisely controlled by the number of elements, spacing, and phase difference. Antenna manufacturing typically employs high-precision stamping, die casting, injection molding, electroplating, and surface mounting processes. Antenna elements often use brass, copper, or aluminum alloy as the conductive substrate, and are precision stamped to ensure... To ensure dimensional consistency and conductivity, the brackets and bases are injection molded from high-temperature resistant, low-loss engineering plastics. Positioning cavities and tolerance control ensure batch consistency in array element spacing, vibrator length, and installation angle. Low-loss 50Ω coaxial cables are used for the feed assembly, which undergoes precision cutting, stripping, and SMA or IPEX connector crimping to form standardized components. The assembly process employs a combination of pin positioning and screw tightening, strictly controlling the spacing between adjacent elements, elevation angle, and assembly perpendicularity. Antennas undergo impedance testing, VSWR detection, radiation pattern calibration, and full radiation performance inspection before leaving the factory, guaranteeing consistency in gain, phase, and radiation characteristics within the same batch. Wifi glue stick antenna: WiFi omnidirectional antennas, the most widely used external antennas in consumer-grade wireless routers, have a complete manufacturing process covering material selection, precision machining, component assembly, welding and debugging, and performance testing. They typically consist of five core components: a metal radiating element, an insulating support frame, a coaxial feed line, an RF connector, and an external flexible rubber sheath. The metal radiating element is preferably made of high-conductivity, high-elasticity phosphor bronze, brass, or beryllium copper, and is integrally formed into a monopole, bent element, or dual-frequency composite element structure using high-speed precision stamping dies. The total length, width, bending angle, and feed point position of the element are strictly controlled to ensure… Its precise resonance operates in the 2.4GHz, 5GHz, or 2.4 / 5GHz dual-band frequency bands, ensuring a stable input impedance close to 50Ω and maintaining high radiation efficiency. The insulating support frame is made of low dielectric constant, low loss, and high heat resistance ABS, PC, or PA66 engineering plastics, molded using high-precision injection molding. Internal positioning slots and foolproof structures are used to fix the metal vibrator and prevent it from shaking, shifting, or deforming, avoiding frequency drift, impedance mismatch, or pattern distortion caused by dimensional deviations. The coaxial feed uses a standard 50Ω characteristic impedance low-loss coaxial cable with a single or multi-strand inner conductor. The antenna features tin-plated copper and a double-layer structure of aluminum foil and braided mesh for the outer shielding layer, offering low loss, excellent shielding, and strong anti-interference capabilities. During assembly, the inner conductor is precisely soldered to the vibrator feed point, and the shielding layer is soldered to the antenna grounding terminal. The solder joints use low-temperature lead-free solder and undergo anti-oxidation treatment to ensure low contact resistance, long-term durability, and no oxidation. The RF connectors primarily use standard SMA connectors, integrally molded through crimping, soldering, and tail injection molding for reinforcement, ensuring stable contact impedance even after repeated insertions and removals, meeting the engineering requirements for detachable and rotatable external antennas in routers. After assembling the internal components, the entire... The body structure is fitted with a flexible rubber or PVC sheath, which is sealed and fixed by dispensing, snap-fitting, or heat shrinking processes, serving to prevent dust, collision, and bending, as well as enhancing the appearance. The final product needs to undergo full inspection of electrical parameters such as impedance, VSWR, return loss, and operating bandwidth using a vector network analyzer. It also needs to be calibrated in an antenna anechoic chamber to ensure that antennas of the same batch maintain a high degree of consistency in size, electrical performance, and radiation characteristics. This manufacturing process is mature, stable, highly automated, and cost-controllable, making it the mainstream mass production solution for external antennas of home routers.

[0017] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0018] Please see Figure 1-7This invention provides a technical solution: a router antenna array, which solves the problems of signal attenuation in confined spaces and mismatch between signal direction and terminal usage height of existing router antennas through an external array structure, precise feeder length difference configuration and adjustable elevation angle design, while maximizing beam gain through multi-antenna collaboration.

[0019] In practice, the number of antenna elements K (K≥2, any value of 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 can be selected) is first determined according to the application scenario (such as home router, small base station, etc.). Then, the corresponding wavelength λ is calculated based on the operating frequency or center frequency of the device, λ=c / f (where c is the speed of light and f is the operating frequency of the device). Based on this, the key installation parameters of the array antenna are determined.

[0020] In the antenna bracket fabrication and installation phase, the antenna bracket needs to have K pre-set mounting positions corresponding one-to-one with the antenna elements. Each mounting position is equipped with a positioning pin (which can be a pin body or a pin hole structure) and a fixing screw for positioning and locking the antenna elements. The center-to-center distance between the positioning pins on adjacent mounting positions is strictly set according to λ / 2. Considering the limitations of the manufacturing process, a reasonable error is allowed in this distance, and the error range is determined according to the accuracy of the actual manufacturing equipment. The number of positioning pins N≥1 on each mounting position can be any value from 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, to 6. The included angle between any two positioning pins is controlled between -80° and 80°, such as 10°, 20°, 30°, or 45°. By adjusting the matching relationship between the antenna elements and different positioning pins, the elevation angle of the antenna elements can be flexibly adjusted so that the strongest signal direction of the array antenna can be accurately pointed to the commonly used terminal height area of ​​1m to 1.5m. At the same time, it is essential to ensure that the center of the positioning pins at the same position on all installation parts is on the same horizontal line along the arrangement direction of the antenna bracket. This will ensure that the beam pattern of the array antenna is without deviation and guarantee the consistency of multi-antenna collaborative operation.

[0021] In the configuration and connection of antenna feed lines, the antenna feed lines are divided into multiple groups according to the pointing angle of the array antenna. The number of feed lines in each group is consistent with the number of antenna elements K. Within the same group, each feed line has a specific length difference, which is directly related to the pointing angle θ of the antenna array. A specific formula satisfying this length difference is... l =n・(λ / 2)・sinθ (n is a positive integer), meaning, for example, the length difference between the shortest feed line and the second shortest feed line is (λ / 2)・sinθ, the length difference between the shortest feed line and the third shortest feed line is λ・sinθ, the length difference between the shortest feed line and the fourth shortest feed line is (3λ / 2)・sinθ, and so on. For example, the length difference between the shortest feed line and the second shortest feed line is (λ)・sinθ, the length difference between the shortest feed line and the third shortest feed line is 2λ・sinθ, the length difference between the shortest feed line and the fourth shortest feed line is (3λ)・sinθ, and so on. The pointing angle θ can be selected from 0, π / 4, π / 3, π / 6, -π / 4, -π / 3, -π / 6, or partially or completely. θ values ​​with equal absolute values ​​correspond to the same group of antenna feed lines, eliminating the need for separate feed line configurations. The pointing direction of an antenna array is defined as the angle of left or right offset relative to the plane xoz, with the z-axis (a plane perpendicular to the antenna array plane, composed of the x and y axes) as the central axis and the antenna origin (any point in the xoy plane) as the center. The connection between feed lines and antenna elements must follow specific rules: the shortest feed line is connected to the outermost antenna element on the side of the antenna beam pattern pointing, the second shortest feed line is connected to the second antenna element on the same side, and so on, with all feed lines connected to antenna elements in ascending order of length. This ensures that the signals received by each antenna element, after compensation for the feed line length difference, are in phase and superimposed in the target pointing direction, forming a strong main beam.

[0022] In one implementation, since the receiver typically has four antennas, the antenna feeder configuration and connection are as follows: for a nested array of four antennas, the antenna feeders are divided into multiple standard configurations according to the preset beam pointing of the nested array. The length difference of each group of feeders is strictly consistent with the number of receiving antenna elements (4) in the nested array, ensuring that the four receiving antenna elements jointly achieve maximum antenna gain and interference suppression. The length difference of the feeders within the same group is directly related to the beam pointing angle θ of the nested array and the number of receiving antennas, and strictly satisfies the length difference formula. l =4n・(λ / 2)・sinθ (n is a positive integer). Specific implementation details are as follows: the length difference between the shortest feed line and the second shortest feed line is 2λ・sinθ, the length difference between the shortest feed line and the third shortest feed line is 4λ・sinθ, the length difference between the shortest feed line and the fourth shortest feed line is 6λ・sinθ, and so on. By introducing a fixed phase delay through the feed line length difference, precise control of the nested array receiving beam can be achieved without additional active components. The beam pointing angle θ of the antenna NestArray can be partially or fully selected from 0, π / 4, π / 3, π / 6, -π / 4, -π / 3, and -π / 6 to adapt to signal reception needs in different directions in a home environment. Furthermore, θ with equal absolute values ​​but opposite directions corresponds to the same set of antenna feed lines, eliminating the need for separate feed line configurations, effectively reducing the types of feed line specifications, simplifying the assembly process of the four-antenna NestArray, and reducing production and maintenance costs.

[0023] In one implementation, during the beam pointing angle determination stage of the antenna array, to achieve uniform coverage of WiFi signals throughout the home environment, effectively compensate for signal attenuation, and avoid coverage dead zones and communication quality degradation, the beam pointing angle can be precisely determined based on the direction of maximum path loss in the actual indoor scenario. Specifically, the main beam of the antenna is preferentially pointed towards the direction with the most significant path loss. Through the high-gain main beam characteristics of the array antenna, targeted compensation is made for signal attenuation in that direction, ensuring the receiving sensitivity and communication stability of terminal devices in that area, and meeting the normal internet access needs of family members in different locations. The specific value of the path loss needs to be considered in conjunction with the propagation characteristics of the WiFi signal in the home indoor environment. The accuracy of WiFi signal propagation is determined through a comprehensive calculation of multiple factors, with two key dimensions: First, the actual propagation distance of the WiFi signal. This distance specifically refers to the straight-line propagation distance between the antenna array's installation location (usually the router's placement location, such as near a TV cabinet or electrical box) and the core areas of daily activity for family members, as well as the commonly used locations of terminal devices (such as the living room sofa, bedroom bedside, and study desk). Path loss in non-line-of-sight propagation scenarios must also be considered; the greater the propagation distance, the more significant the signal attenuation in free space, resulting in a higher path loss value. Second, the penetration attenuation of the transmission medium. Various obstructions in the home environment will attenuate the WiFi signal to varying degrees, requiring comprehensive consideration. The attenuation coefficients and penetration thicknesses of various common media are taken into account. Specifically, this includes the attenuation of doors made of different materials (wooden doors, metal doors, glass doors), the attenuation of ordinary single-pane glass, double-pane insulated glass, and frosted glass, the attenuation of different wall types (lightweight partition walls, load-bearing walls, brick-concrete walls, plasterboard walls), and the attenuation caused by furniture such as wardrobes, bookshelves, and TV cabinets, as well as the slight attenuation caused by soft furnishings such as curtains and carpets. The attenuation coefficients of various media vary depending on their material density, thickness, and dielectric constant. For example, metal doors and load-bearing walls have the most significant attenuation effects, while single-pane glass has relatively smaller attenuation. In practical engineering applications, a home indoor channel model can be established, combined with the antenna installation location and the house layout. By measuring parameters such as medium distribution and personnel activity trajectories, the path loss values ​​in each direction are calculated. Through comparative analysis, the target direction with the greatest path loss and the most likely to experience weak signals or disconnections is determined. The antenna array beam is then directed in this direction. At the same time, combined with the feeder length difference configuration rules mentioned above, the electromagnetic waves radiated by each antenna element are ensured to be superimposed in phase in this target direction to form a high-gain main beam. This effectively offsets the signal attenuation caused by path loss, significantly improving the receiving power in areas with weak signals (such as distant bedrooms, bathrooms, balconies, etc.). It completely solves problems such as signal reduction, disconnection, and stuttering caused by excessive distance and medium obstruction, achieving seamless and highly stable WiFi coverage throughout the home.

[0024] In one implementation, all antennas on the support have identical antenna parameters, meaning they possess the same parameters at an industrial manufacturing level, including metal length, metal thickness, and the overall length and shape of the antenna. For example, they could be identical cylindrical or other similar antenna shapes. Ultimately, this ensures that all antennas on a router have the same antenna gain and the same phase superposition, within acceptable error tolerances. This allows different antennas to achieve identical phase superposition and gain superposition for the signal, enabling the use of a single set of feed lines pointing in different directions. For example, a Wi-Fi stick antenna could be used. An array antenna is a composite antenna system composed of two or more antenna elements with identical electrical performance and structural dimensions, arranged in a predetermined geometric layout and with precise spacing. By precisely controlling the amplitude weighting and phase difference of the excitation signals of each element, and utilizing the coherent interference and vector superposition effect of electromagnetic waves in the far field, it achieves directional focusing of radiated energy, main lobe pointing adjustment, beamwidth compression, array gain enhancement, sidelobe suppression, and interference direction null formation. Its final radiation performance is jointly determined by the antenna pattern of each element and the array factor. The array factor, as the core determining factor, is directly affected by the number of elements, the spacing between elements, the feed phase difference, the amplitude distribution, and the array arrangement. In civilian wireless communication devices such as WiFi routers, uniform linear arrays are widely used due to their simple structure, convenient installation, and small space occupation. To avoid strong electromagnetic coupling caused by excessively small element spacing, resulting in impedance mismatch and reduced efficiency, and to prevent grating lobes caused by excessively large spacing, leading to energy leakage and coverage degradation, the spacing between adjacent elements is generally set to half the wavelength corresponding to the operating frequency in engineering to achieve optimal radiation. Efficiency and the most regular beam pattern; the antenna beam pattern is the core curve characterizing the distribution of the antenna's radiation intensity at all angles in space. It intuitively reflects key features such as the main lobe, side lobes, back lobe, nulls, and half-power beamwidth in polar or rectangular coordinates. The peak gain of the beam pattern represents the antenna's energy concentration capability in the direction of strongest radiation and is a core indicator for measuring the antenna's coverage capability and transmission distance. The total gain of the array antenna is composed of the gain of a single antenna element and the array superposition gain. Under ideal in-phase superposition conditions, the total array gain is approximately equal to the element gain plus 10lgK (K is the number of antenna elements). The more antenna elements, the narrower the beam, the better the sidelobe suppression, the higher the peak gain of the array in the main lobe direction, the farther the signal can be transmitted, and the stronger the anti-attenuation and anti-interference capabilities. The narrower the half-power beamwidth, the stronger the antenna directivity and the higher the energy utilization efficiency. By optimizing the array structure and phase configuration, the main lobe gain can be maximized and the sidelobe level minimized in the beam pattern, avoiding co-channel interference, signal leakage, and decreased coverage efficiency caused by excessively high sidelobes.By rationally configuring the phase delay of each unit, electromagnetic waves in the target direction can be superimposed in phase to form a high-gain main beam, significantly improving the signal strength and transmission distance in that direction. Meanwhile, electromagnetic waves in the non-target direction can be superimposed in phase to form low sidelobes or nulls, effectively reducing radiated energy waste and co-channel interference. This results in a clear directivity and spatial filtering characteristic in the beam pattern, significantly improving signal coverage efficiency. Traditional array antennas rely on active phase shifters, digital beamforming modules, and RF control chips to achieve complex beam control, which suffers from high cost, cumbersome circuitry, high power consumption, and difficult debugging. This invention, however, uses a passive feeder length difference to introduce fixed phase compensation, achieving stable, reliable, and low-cost beam pointing control without active components. This allows the array antenna to maintain its high gain and directional radiation advantages while fully meeting the engineering requirements of home routers for low cost, ease of manufacturing, high consistency, and maintenance-free operation.

[0025] In one embodiment, all antenna units mounted on the antenna bracket share the same set of RF transmitting and receiving units. The entire RF front-end adopts a single-transmit, single-receive architecture design, eliminating the need for independent transmit and receive links for each antenna unit. This significantly simplifies the hardware structure, reduces system cost, minimizes circuit size, and improves operational reliability. The transmitting and receiving units are switched between transmit and receive states via a high-isolation single-pole multi-throw RF switch, or a high-performance duplex filter is used to achieve frequency, timing, and spatial isolation between the transmitted and received signals, preventing high-power transmitted signals from affecting weak signals. The receiver unit is designed to prevent signal blockage, interference, or nonlinear distortion, ensuring independent and stable operation of the transmitting and receiving paths. The transmitting unit integrates core components such as a broadband power amplifier, anti-aliasing filter, up-mixer, local oscillator, and voltage regulator drive circuit. It up-converts the modulated signal output from the baseband processing unit to the router's operating frequency band and performs linear power amplification to output a radio frequency signal that meets radiation requirements, while suppressing spurious and harmonic interference to ensure the purity of the transmitted spectrum. The receiving unit integrates core components such as an ultra-low noise amplifier, image rejection filter, down-mixer, intermediate frequency filter circuit, and automatic gain control circuit. This system performs low-distortion amplification, filtering, and down-conversion on weak received signals in space while minimizing noise figure, improving system receiving sensitivity and weak signal demodulation capabilities to meet signal reception requirements in complex multipath and obstructed environments. Since the entire system uses only one set of transmitting and receiving units, the excitation signals of all antenna units are uniformly distributed by a single equal-amplitude, in-phase power divider. The number of output ports of the power divider is strictly consistent with the total number of antenna units and feed lines. Each output port is soldered with a standard SMA RF connector, and then a low-loss, high-reliability connection is achieved through the SMA connector to the corresponding antenna feed line. The splitter adopts a lossless equal-fraction impedance matching design, which ensures that the RF signals output to each antenna port are completely identical in amplitude, phase state, and waveform consistency. This provides a highly consistent reference excitation signal for subsequent fixed phase difference introduction through feed line length difference to achieve beam pointing control in a specified direction. This ensures that the array antenna achieves accurate, stable, and efficient in-phase superposition in the target direction, thereby maximizing array gain, narrowest main lobe beamwidth, and lowest sidelobe level, forming a beam pattern with clear pointing, stable gain, and strong interference suppression capability. This significantly improves the router's signal coverage and communication stability in the home environment.

[0026] In one embodiment, each antenna element mounted on the antenna bracket is independently configured with a dedicated RF transmitting unit and a dedicated RF receiving unit. When the antenna array contains K antenna elements, the system is equipped with K sets of independent and electrically isolated RF transmitting units and K sets of independent and electrically isolated RF receiving units, forming a multi-channel, completely independent, parallel operating architecture. Each antenna element is driven, received, and processed independently by its own dedicated transmitting and receiving links. The channels are isolated from each other in terms of circuitry, grounding, and shielding structure, eliminating problems such as power distribution loss, signal crosstalk, and amplitude-phase inconsistency, effectively improving the stability and anti-interference capability of the array antenna. Each independent RF transmitting unit integrates a broadband power amplifier, linear driving circuit, channel selective filter, up-mixer, local oscillator circuit, and impedance matching network, enabling independent baseband signal modulation, up-conversion, power amplification, and harmonic suppression. It can independently, accurately, and in real-time control the amplitude and phase of the output signal. Each independent RF receiving unit integrates an ultra-low noise amplifier, image rejection filter, down-mixer, automatic gain control circuit, and intermediate frequency conditioning circuit. It can independently achieve low-noise amplification, filtering, down-conversion, and demodulation of weak signals, ensuring that each receiving channel has consistent high sensitivity and dynamic range. Based on this independent multi-channel architecture, the system can independently digitally control the excitation amplitude and phase of K antenna elements, flexibly realizing advanced beamforming functions such as precise beam pointing scanning, real-time main lobe width compression, side lobe level depth suppression, and dynamic generation of interference direction nulls. Compared with a single-channel power divider architecture, it has a faster response speed, higher control accuracy, and stronger scene adaptability. It can dynamically optimize the beam pattern and peak gain for complex home environments, multiple obstructions, multiple interferences, and multiple terminal concurrent access scenarios, significantly improving signal coverage uniformity, transmission rate, and communication stability. At the same time, it can support multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) working mode, giving full play to the spatial multiplexing and diversity reception advantages of the array antenna.

[0027] After the antenna unit is positioned using locating pins, it is detachably fixed to the antenna bracket using fixing screws. When maintenance or replacement of the antenna unit, adjustment of the beam pointing angle, or adaptation to different operating frequencies is required, simply loosening the fixing screws is sufficient for operation, without disassembling the entire antenna bracket, greatly improving the flexibility and convenience of use. Furthermore, the technical solution of this invention can be directly extended to other wireless communication devices such as small base stations. Adaptability can be achieved simply by recalculating the wavelength λ according to the device's operating frequency and adjusting parameters such as the antenna unit spacing, feeder length difference, and locating pin spacing accordingly.

[0028] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0029] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention.

Claims

1. A router antenna array structure, comprising K antennas, characterized in that: The distance between any two adjacent antennas is half the wavelength of any frequency point in the router's operating frequency range. Each antenna is independently connected to the router using a set of K lines. Each set of lines corresponds to the direction of one antenna. The length difference between the antennas in this set is used to form the phase gradient required for the array antenna. The length difference corresponds one-to-one with the pointing angle of the antenna beam pattern. The length difference is calculated as a multiple of the product of half the wavelength and the sine of the pointing angle, resulting in a fixed angular offset for the corresponding beam pointing. By setting different length differences, the antenna array radiates a beam in a preset direction. The K antennas are fixed using antenna brackets. Pins and screws are used on the antenna brackets to position and fix the antennas. The distance between any two adjacent pins is half the wavelength. The antenna pointing refers to the direction perpendicular to the plane formed by the antenna bracket and the antenna.

2. The router antenna array structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pointing angle of the antenna array corresponding to the antenna feed group can be 0. , , .

3. The router antenna array structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: Antenna arrays pointing at the same angle but with different absolute values ​​correspond to the same antenna feed line group.

4. The router antenna array structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: The shortest line is connected to the outermost antenna on the side the antenna beam pattern points to, the second shortest line is connected to the second antenna the antenna beam pattern points to, and so on.

5. The router antenna array structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The antenna bracket has at least two pins at each position that secures the antenna.

6. The router antenna array structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The angle between the two pins securing the antenna at each position on the antenna bracket is greater than 135° and less than or equal to 170°.

7. The router antenna array structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: Antenna brackets with the same elevation angle have pins that fix the antennas on the same horizontal line.

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