A millimeter wave antenna assembly and system

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of wireless communication antenna technology, and discloses a millimeter-wave antenna assembly and system. The antenna assembly includes a main printed circuit board (PCB), a main radiating patch, a coupling radiating patch, an radome, and a support frame. The main radiating patch is located on the upper surface of the PCB, the coupling radiating patch is directly formed on the lower surface of the radome, and the support frame is disposed between the radome and the PCB, forming an air layer between the coupling radiating patch and the main radiating patch. This invention effectively reduces the number of PCB layers and dielectric loss, shortens the manufacturing cycle, and is suitable for millimeter-wave K / Ka band broadband phased array communication systems.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of wireless communication antenna technology, and in particular to a millimeter-wave antenna assembly and system. Background Technology

[0002] Millimeter-wave bands, with their abundant spectrum resources and high-speed data transmission capabilities, have become the core operating frequency band for systems such as 5G, low-Earth orbit satellite communication, and millimeter-wave radar. Phased array antennas, with their advantages of rapid beam scanning and high gain, have become key components of terminals and base station equipment in this band.

[0003] In existing solutions, the radome and antenna body are usually designed separately. The optimization cycle of the radome is long, and the radome has a significant impact on the antenna's electrical performance, which is not conducive to the rapid iteration and engineering deployment of antenna solutions.

[0004] In addition, another approach involves etching the antenna patch onto a PET film and combining it with the cellular support and radome to form an integrated module, thereby reducing the use of printed circuit board materials. However, in this approach, the coupling and radiating patch needs to be combined with the radome using a thin film, resulting in a relatively complex structure. The controllability of the film thickness and its electrical properties is also relatively low, affecting the stability of antenna performance. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a millimeter-wave antenna assembly and system to solve the technical problems of separate design of radome and antenna in the prior art, which leads to long design cycle, high dielectric loss and high manufacturing cost.

[0006] To address the aforementioned technical problems, the present invention provides a millimeter-wave antenna assembly, comprising a main printed circuit board, a main radiating patch, a coupling radiating patch, an antenna radome, and a support frame; The main radiating patch is located on the upper surface of the main printed circuit board; The coupling radiation patch is formed on the lower surface of the radome; The support frame is disposed between the radome and the main printed circuit board, and is used to form an air layer between the coupling radiation patch and the main radiation patch.

[0007] Optionally, the support frame is provided with a circular through hole, which forms the lateral boundary of the air layer.

[0008] Optionally, the antenna cover, the support frame, and the main printed circuit board are connected by thermoforming.

[0009] Optionally, the main radiating patch has a circular central through hole.

[0010] Optionally, the main printed circuit board is provided with feed lines and gaps, and the feed lines are coupled to the main radiating patch through the gaps.

[0011] Optionally, the feed line includes a first antenna feed line and a second antenna feed line. The main printed circuit board is provided with a first radiating slot corresponding to the first antenna feed line and a second radiating slot corresponding to the second antenna feed line. The first antenna feed line and the second antenna feed line are coupled to the main radiating patch through the first radiating slot and the second radiating slot, respectively.

[0012] Optionally, a circular cutout is provided in the central area of ​​a portion of the metal layer of the main printed circuit board, and the circular cutouts are stacked to form a cavity.

[0013] Optionally, the cavity is located below the main radiating patch in the vertical direction.

[0014] Optionally, the main printed circuit board is further provided with grounding vias arranged along a circular trajectory, the grounding vias surrounding the cavity.

[0015] The present invention also provides a millimeter-wave antenna system, including a plurality of millimeter-wave antenna components as described above, wherein the plurality of millimeter-wave antenna components are arranged in a translational array or a rotational array.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has at least the following technical effects: This invention integrates the radome into an antenna design by forming a coupling radiating patch on the lower surface of the radome and creating an air layer between the coupling radiating patch and the main radiating patch using a supporting frame. By replacing the dielectric layer in the traditional multilayer circuit board stack with the air layer, the number of circuit board stacks is significantly reduced, dielectric loss is reduced, the processing cycle and the individual optimization cycle of the radome are shortened, and the balance between broadband operation and low-cost manufacturing is effectively achieved.

[0017] Furthermore, this invention introduces an additional resonant mode by setting a circular central through-hole on the main radiating patch, which, together with the coupling radiating patch and the air layer, constitutes a multi-resonant broadband radiation system, further expanding the operating bandwidth. By setting circular cutouts in part of the metal layer of the main printed circuit board and stacking them to form a cavity, and by using grounding vias arranged along a circular trajectory to surround the cavity, the equivalent area occupied by the antenna components is effectively reduced, providing more layout space for back-end RF transceiver links, phase shifters, power dividers and other devices, which is beneficial to the engineering implementation of high-density integrated phased array systems. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a side view of the millimeter-wave antenna assembly structure in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2This is a schematic diagram of the millimeter-wave antenna assembly structure in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a top view of the millimeter-wave phased array antenna system in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the arrangement of the support frame in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] In the diagram: 1. Main radiating patch; 2. Center via; 3. Coupled radiating patch; 4. Radome; 5. Support frame; 6. Air layer; 7. Metal ground plane; 8. Grounding via; 9. Main printed circuit board; 10. First radiating slot; 11. First antenna feed line; 12. Second radiating slot; 13. Second antenna feed line; 14. RF trace through-hole reserved area. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The following description, with reference to schematic diagrams, illustrates a millimeter-wave antenna assembly and system according to the present invention, which represents a preferred embodiment of the invention. It should be understood that those skilled in the art can modify the invention described herein while still achieving its advantageous effects. Therefore, the following description should be understood as being of general knowledge to those skilled in the art and is not intended to limit the invention.

[0021] Based on the teachings of this specification, those skilled in the art can form new technical solutions by combining different implementation methods without creating technical contradictions. Such variations should be considered to fall within the protection scope of this application.

[0022] The invention is described more specifically by way of example in the following paragraphs with reference to the accompanying drawings. The advantages and features of the invention will become clearer from the following description. It should be noted that the drawings are in a very simplified form and use non-precise proportions, and are only used to facilitate and clarify the illustration of the embodiments of the invention.

[0023] Example 1 This embodiment provides a millimeter-wave antenna assembly; please refer to [reference needed]. Figures 1-2 Its structure includes a main printed circuit board 9, a main radiating patch 1, a coupling radiating patch 3, an radome 4, and a support frame 5. The main radiating patch 1 is located on the upper surface of the main printed circuit board 9; the coupling radiating patch 3 is formed on the lower surface of the radome 4; the support frame 5 is disposed between the radome 4 and the main printed circuit board 9, and is used to form an air layer 6 between the coupling radiating patch 3 and the main radiating patch 1.

[0024] In this embodiment, the coupling radiation patch 3 is directly formed on the lower surface of the radome 4 without the need for a thin film intermediate layer. The height of the air layer 6 is precisely controlled by the support frame 5, resulting in high controllability and good performance stability of the antenna electrical performance. The radome 4 is integrated with the antenna structure, which shortens the design optimization cycle of the independent radome 4 and is conducive to the rapid iteration and engineering application of the antenna solution.

[0025] Specifically, the main radiating patch 1 is located on the upper surface of the main printed circuit board 9. The main radiating patch 1 is a conductive patch, and its material and processing method are common practices for those skilled in the art, and will not be described in detail here.

[0026] The main radiating patch 1 has a circular central through-hole 2. This circular central through-hole 2 extends the current path on the patch surface, introducing additional resonant modes. Together with the coupled radiating patch 3 and the air layer 6, it forms a multi-resonant broadband radiation system, effectively extending the antenna's operating bandwidth compared to traditional solid radiating patches. In a specific example, the diameter of the circular central through-hole 2 can be optimized according to the target operating frequency band to introduce the required additional resonant frequency points within the millimeter-wave K / Ka band.

[0027] In this embodiment, the coupling radiation patch 3 is formed on the lower surface of the radome 4. Specifically, the coupling radiation patch 3 can be directly formed on the lower surface of the radome 4 through processes such as printing, sputtering, and etching, with the radome 4 itself serving as the dielectric carrier of the coupling radiation patch 3. Compared to the method of etching the coupling radiation patch 3 onto a PET film and then combining it with the radome 4, this invention forms the coupling radiation patch 3 directly on the lower surface of the radome 4, which not only eliminates the need for an intermediate film layer, resulting in a simpler structure, but also provides higher positional accuracy and controllability of electrical performance for the coupling radiation patch 3, thus contributing to the stability of antenna performance.

[0028] In one specific example, the radome 4 can be made of a low-loss dielectric material to reduce its impact on the antenna's radiation performance. The shape and size of the radome 4 can be designed according to the layout requirements, which is a common practice for those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail here.

[0029] Furthermore, the support frame 5 is disposed between the antenna cover 4 and the main printed circuit board 9, for forming an air layer 6 between the coupling radiating patch 3 and the main radiating patch 1. The height of the air layer 6 is determined by the height of the support frame 5. By precisely controlling the height of the support frame 5, the thickness of the air layer 6 can be precisely adjusted, thereby optimizing the resonant frequency and bandwidth of the antenna.

[0030] The support frame 5 has a circular through hole, which forms the lateral boundary of the air layer 6. In a specific example, the outer contour of the support frame 5 is square, and the interior has a circular through hole, forming an overall structure of a square outer frame and a circular inner cavity. The circular through hole corresponds to the main radiating patch 1 in the vertical direction, so that the air layer 6 is evenly distributed directly above the main radiating patch 1.

[0031] The radome 4, the support frame 5, and the main printed circuit board 9 are connected as a single unit via thermoforming. This thermoforming process ensures a tight bond between the three components, forming a stable integrated structure that effectively guarantees the consistency of the air layer 6 height and avoids antenna performance fluctuations caused by assembly errors. In a specific example, the temperature and pressure parameters of the thermoforming process can be adjusted according to the materials of the support frame 5 and the radome 4; this is a common practice among those skilled in the art and will not be elaborated further.

[0032] This embodiment significantly reduces the number of circuit board layers by directly forming the coupling radiation patch 3 on the lower surface of the radome 4 and replacing the dielectric layer in the traditional multilayer circuit board stack with an air layer 6. The dielectric loss of air is close to zero, which effectively reduces dielectric loss in the millimeter-wave band compared to multilayer dielectric substrate solutions, thus improving antenna radiation efficiency. Simultaneously, reducing the number of circuit board layers directly lowers the antenna's processing cost and manufacturing cycle, facilitating engineered mass production. Furthermore, the integrated design of the radome 4 and the antenna structure shortens the optimization cycle for the radome 4 alone, promoting rapid iteration of the antenna design.

[0033] Furthermore, the main printed circuit board 9 is provided with a feed line and a slot, and the feed line is coupled to the main radiating patch 1 through the slot. The slot coupling feeding method can effectively reduce the influence of the feed line on the radiating patch and improve the radiation efficiency of the antenna, which is a commonly used feeding method for millimeter-wave antennas in this field.

[0034] The feed lines include a first antenna feed line 11 and a second antenna feed line 13. The main printed circuit board 9 has a first radiating slot 10 corresponding to the first antenna feed line 11 and a second radiating slot 12 corresponding to the second antenna feed line 13. The first antenna feed line 11 and the second antenna feed line 13 are coupled and fed to the main radiating patch 1 through the first radiating slot 10 and the second radiating slot 12, respectively. By individually exciting the first antenna feed line 11 or the second antenna feed line 13, a symmetrical dual-polarized antenna scheme can be realized, compatible with TX / RX systems, and meeting the application requirements of millimeter-wave communication systems for dual-polarized antennas.

[0035] In a specific example, the first antenna feed line 11 and the second antenna feed line 13 can be arranged orthogonally to each other to achieve electromagnetic isolation in two polarization directions. The specific arrangement is a common practice for those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail here.

[0036] Furthermore, a circular cutout is provided in the central area of ​​a portion of the metal layer of the main printed circuit board 9, and the circular cutouts are stacked vertically to form a cavity located below the main radiating patch 1. The main printed circuit board 9 also has grounding vias 8 arranged along a circular trajectory, and the grounding vias 8 are arranged around the cavity.

[0037] Compared to the traditional square frame and square grounding via array layout, the circular frame cavity and circular grounding via effectively reduce the equivalent area occupied by the antenna components, providing more layout space for the routing of devices such as RF transceiver links, phase shifters, and power dividers at the back end of the antenna components, which is conducive to the engineering implementation of high-density integrated phased array systems.

[0038] In a specific example, the number and spacing of the grounding vias 8 can be optimized according to the electromagnetic isolation requirements between units, which is a common practice for those skilled in the art and will not be elaborated further.

[0039] The bottom layer of the main printed circuit board 9 is provided with a metal ground plane 7. The metal ground plane 7 is used to provide a radio frequency reference ground for the antenna assembly to reflect and shield radiated signals, suppress radiation leakage towards the back-end circuit, and improve antenna radiation efficiency. In a specific example, the size and opening design of the metal ground plane 7 can be optimized according to the operating frequency band and impedance matching requirements of the antenna assembly. This is a common practice for those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail here.

[0040] In summary, the millimeter-wave antenna assembly provided by this invention achieves multi-resonance broadband radiation by directly forming the coupling radiation patch 3 on the lower surface of the radome 4, replacing the traditional dielectric stack with an air layer 6, and opening a circular through-hole in the center of the main radiation patch 1. The circular frame cavity and the circular grounding via 8 layout effectively free up the layout space of the back-end RF link. The integrated design of the radome 4 and the antenna structure reduces the number of circuit board stacks and processing costs, shortens the manufacturing and optimization cycle, and has high engineering application value.

[0041] Example 2 This embodiment provides a millimeter-wave antenna system. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figures 3-4 It includes multiple millimeter-wave antenna components as described in Embodiment 1, with the multiple antenna components arranged in a translational array or a rotating array.

[0042] In a specific example, the translation array method refers to using the antenna components of Embodiment 1 as basic units, and translating and replicating them at equal intervals along the X and / or Y directions to form a regular rectangular array. The array spacing of the antenna components can be designed according to the wavelength of the millimeter-wave operating frequency band to meet the requirements of phased array scanning angle and grating lobe suppression. The specific spacing design is a common practice for those skilled in the art and will not be elaborated further.

[0043] In another specific example, the rotating array method refers to using the antenna components of Embodiment 1 as the basic unit, and obtaining an arrangement of antenna components with different polarization directions by rotating and replicating them, so as to meet specific beamforming or polarization diversity requirements. Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a millimeter-wave antenna system in which the antenna components adopt a circular polarization operating scheme and multiple antenna components are arranged in a rotating array.

[0044] It also includes a reserved area 14 for RF trace through-holes, which is freed up by a circular frame layout and can be used to set up RF trace through-holes. Due to the use of a circular frame cavity and circularly arranged grounding vias 8, the four corner intersections enclosed by any two adjacent 2×2 antenna components can be freed up for usable layout space. RF trace through-holes can be set up in these areas to connect the antenna components to back-end beamforming chips, power dividers, and other RF links, making full use of the space freed up by the circular layout to achieve high-density integration. It should be noted that the distribution of the reserved area 14 for RF trace through-holes is not limited to... Figures 3-4 The location shown.

[0045] In summary, the millimeter-wave antenna assembly and system provided by this invention uses an radome as the dielectric carrier for the coupling radiating patch, directly forming the coupling radiating patch on the lower surface of the radome, eliminating the need for a thin film interlayer. Together with the main radiating patch, it forms a double-layer coupled radiator. Combined with the additional resonance introduced by the circular central via of the main radiating patch, broadband merging of multiple resonant modes is achieved. Compared to traditional single-layer microstrip patch antennas, this significantly improves bandwidth, effectively meeting the application requirements of millimeter-wave broadband phased array systems and ensuring compatibility with K / Ka band RX / TX antenna systems. By directly forming the coupling radiating patch on the lower surface of the radome, replacing the dielectric layer in traditional multilayer circuit board stacks with an air layer, the number of circuit board stacks is greatly reduced, while shortening the optimization cycle for the radome alone. The circular frame cavity and circular grounding via topology effectively reduce the equivalent area occupied by the antenna assembly, providing more ample layout space for the routing of devices such as RF transceiver links, phase shifters, and power dividers at the rear of the antenna assembly, which is beneficial for the engineering implementation of high-density integrated phased array systems.

[0046] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to this invention without departing from its spirit and scope. Therefore, if these modifications and variations fall within the scope of the claims of this invention and their equivalents, this invention also intends to include these modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A millimeter-wave antenna assembly, characterized in that, It includes the main printed circuit board, main radiating patch, coupling radiating patch, radome, and support frame; The main radiating patch is located on the upper surface of the main printed circuit board; The coupling radiation patch is formed on the lower surface of the radome; The support frame is disposed between the radome and the main printed circuit board, and is used to form an air layer between the coupling radiation patch and the main radiation patch.

2. The millimeter-wave antenna assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support frame is provided with a circular through hole, which forms the lateral boundary of the air layer.

3. The millimeter-wave antenna assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The antenna cover, the support frame, and the main printed circuit board are connected by thermoforming.

4. The millimeter-wave antenna assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main radiating patch has a circular central through hole.

5. The millimeter-wave antenna assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main printed circuit board has feed lines and gaps, and the feed lines are coupled to the main radiating patch for power supply through the gaps.

6. The millimeter-wave antenna assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that, The feed line includes a first antenna feed line and a second antenna feed line. The main printed circuit board is provided with a first radiating slot corresponding to the first antenna feed line and a second radiating slot corresponding to the second antenna feed line. The first antenna feed line and the second antenna feed line are coupled to the main radiating patch through the first radiating slot and the second radiating slot, respectively.

7. The millimeter-wave antenna assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The central area of ​​a portion of the metal layer of the main printed circuit board has a circular cutout, and the circular cutouts are stacked to form a cavity.

8. The millimeter-wave antenna assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that, The cavity is located below the main radiating patch in the vertical direction.

9. The millimeter-wave antenna assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that, The main printed circuit board is also provided with grounding vias arranged along a circular trajectory, the grounding vias surrounding the cavity.

10. A millimeter-wave antenna system, characterized in that, It includes a plurality of millimeter-wave antenna components as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the plurality of millimeter-wave antenna components are arranged in a translational array or a rotational array.

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