Antenna unit, base station antenna, and communication device

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an antenna unit, a base station antenna and a communication device. The antenna unit comprises a substrate, a radiator arranged on a first side of the substrate, and a feed structure arranged on a second side of the substrate and communicatively coupled with the radiator. The radiator comprises a central radiation patch, a looped circuit and a plurality of edge radiation patches. The central radiation patch is located at a central position of the radiator. The plurality of edge radiation patches are arranged around the central position of the central radiation patch. The looped circuit is located between the central radiation patch and the plurality of edge radiation patches. The looped circuit comprises a matching stub. The central radiation patch is communicatively coupled with the feed structure. The looped circuit with the matching stub is used to adjust the impedance matching between the central radiation patch and the plurality of edge radiation patches. The present application can effectively control and optimize the radiation characteristics and impedance matching of the antenna while saving space.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] With the rapid development of information technology, the global demand for data transmission speed and volume has increased significantly. To meet this demand, the construction of 5G (5th Generation Mobile Communication Technology) systems is accelerating. 5G technology not only needs to provide higher data transmission rates and lower latency, but also needs to support different communication protocols and meet the requirements of long-term service.

[0003] However, the design of base station antennas in 5G communication systems faces numerous challenges. 5G base station antennas need to integrate multiple frequency bands within a limited space while maintaining antenna performance, such as low profile, wide-angle scanning capability, and low mutual coupling. Traditional antenna designs often suffer from large size and heavy weight, which is particularly prominent in congested base station environments, hindering base station layout and maintenance. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the purpose of this disclosure is to provide an antenna element, a base station antenna, and a communication device to solve or partially solve the above-mentioned problems.

[0005] In a first aspect, this disclosure provides an antenna element, comprising:

[0006] substrate;

[0007] A radiator is disposed on the first side of the substrate;

[0008] A power supply structure is disposed on the second side of the substrate and is communicatively coupled to the radiator;

[0009] The radiator includes a central radiating plate, a ring circuit, and multiple peripheral radiating plates.

[0010] The central radiating plate is located at the center of the radiating body;

[0011] Multiple edge radiating plates are arranged at central intervals around the central radiating plate;

[0012] The ring circuit is located between the central radiating plate and the plurality of edge radiating plates. The ring circuit includes a matching stub. The central radiating plate is communicatively coupled to the power supply structure. The ring circuit with the matching stub is used to adjust the impedance matching between the central radiating plate and the plurality of edge radiating plates.

[0013] A second aspect of this disclosure provides a base station antenna, comprising a first antenna array, a second antenna array, and a third antenna array, wherein:

[0014] The first antenna array includes a plurality of first antenna elements, and the first antenna elements include the antenna elements as described in the first aspect;

[0015] The second antenna array includes multiple second antenna elements, and the third antenna array includes multiple third antenna elements;

[0016] Wherein, the operating frequency band of the first antenna unit is lower than that of the second antenna unit, and the operating frequency band of the second antenna unit is lower than that of the third antenna unit;

[0017] The number of the first antenna elements is less than the number of the second antenna elements, and the number of the second antenna elements is less than the number of the third antenna elements.

[0018] A third aspect of this disclosure provides a communication device, including a base station antenna as described in the second aspect;

[0019] The communication device receives or transmits wireless communication signals through the base station antenna.

[0020] The antenna element, base station antenna, and communication equipment provided in this disclosure achieve communication coupling between the central radiating sheet and the feed structure by setting a loop between the central radiating sheet and the edge radiating sheets, and the loop includes matching stubs. The impedance matching between the central radiating sheet and multiple edge radiating sheets is adjusted through the loop with matching stubs. This can effectively control and optimize the radiation characteristics and impedance matching of the antenna to a certain extent, thereby improving the overall performance of the antenna. Attached Figure Description

[0021] 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.

[0022] Figure 1A A schematic diagram of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0023] Figure 1B An example of a possible deployment scenario for a base station antenna is also shown.

[0024] Figure 2A An exemplary schematic diagram of the internal architecture of a base station antenna provided in an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0025] Figure 2B A schematic diagram of an antenna array for a base station antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0026] Figure 3A A schematic diagram of the structure of the first antenna element provided in an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0027] Figure 3B Another structural schematic diagram of the first antenna unit provided in the embodiments of this disclosure is shown.

[0028] Figure 3C Another structural schematic diagram of the first antenna element provided in the embodiments of this disclosure is shown.

[0029] Figure 3D Another structural schematic diagram of the first antenna element provided in the embodiments of this disclosure is shown.

[0030] Figure 3E Another structural schematic diagram of the first antenna element provided in the embodiments of this disclosure is shown.

[0031] Figure 4A A cross-sectional schematic diagram of an antenna element provided in an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0032] Figure 4B A simulation diagram of a reflection coefficient and transmission coefficient provided by an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0033] Figure 4C Another structural schematic diagram of the base station antenna provided in an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0034] Figure 4D This illustration shows yet another structural schematic diagram of a base station antenna provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0035] Figure 4E This illustration shows yet another structural schematic diagram of a base station antenna provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0036] Figure 4F This illustration shows yet another structural schematic diagram of a base station antenna provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0037] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure of the communication device provided in an embodiment of this disclosure is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0038] 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.

[0039] 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.

[0040] Figure 1A A schematic diagram of a communication system 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0041] like Figure 1A As shown, the communication system 100 may include a communication device 102 and a terminal 104.

[0042] 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, mainly used to achieve cell coverage of wireless signals.

[0043] For example, the base station antenna 200 can be an information energy converter between the communication device 102 and the terminal 104. It 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 main 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.

[0044] 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), 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.

[0045] 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.

[0046] Figure 1B A schematic diagram of a communication device 102 provided in an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0047] 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 transmitted by the transceiver 1022 through its antenna port 202 and radiate the signals via its antenna elements, or transmit received signals received by the antenna 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).

[0048] 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.

[0049] 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.

[0050] Figure 1B A possible deployment scenario for the base station antenna 200 is also illustrated.

[0051] 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.

[0052] 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.

[0053] Figure 2A An exemplary schematic diagram of the internal architecture of a base station antenna provided in an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0054] like Figure 2A As shown, in some embodiments, the base station antenna 200 may include an antenna array 204, a phase shifter 2062, a drive network 2066 or a calibration network, a combiner 2064 or a oscillator and an antenna radome 208.

[0055] The antenna array 204 may further include multiple antenna elements 2042.

[0056] Antenna array 204 can be composed of multiple antenna elements 2042 arranged according to a certain geometric pattern to form an array structure, wherein the multiple antenna elements 2042 operate through a common feed network. Depending on the arrangement of the antenna elements, antenna array 204 can be classified as a linear array or a planar array.

[0057] refer to Figure 2AAs shown, a linear array is an antenna array composed of multiple separate antenna 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 antenna elements is equal, and the excitation phase difference between adjacent antenna elements is constant. A non-uniform linear array means that the distance between adjacent antenna elements is not equal, and each antenna element is excited according to a different advance phase law. A planar array means that all antenna elements that make up the antenna array are located on the same plane. According to the distribution of antenna 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.

[0058] An antenna element is a component that converts electrical energy into electromagnetic wave energy and radiates it, or receives electromagnetic wave energy and converts it back into electrical energy. The antenna element is also the basic unit that constitutes an antenna array. An antenna element can also be called an antenna vibrator, dipole, etc. An antenna element can include a connected radiator (e.g., a radiating arm, metal patch, etc.) and a feed structure (e.g., a balun). The radiator is used for signal radiation and reception; the feed structure connects the radiator and the feed network to transmit the electrical signal from the feed network to the radiator and the signal received by the radiator to the feed network.

[0059] Continue to refer to the appendix Figure 2A The antenna 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.

[0060] The power supply network 206 is a crucial component of the base station antenna 200. It connects the antenna port 202 and the antenna element 2042, forming a signal transmission path and enabling functions such as impedance matching and amplitude / phase allocation. The main function of the power supply network is to transmit high-frequency current from the transceiver 1022 to the antenna element 2042, or vice versa. More specifically, the power supply network 206 is used to feed signals to the antenna element 2042 with a specific amplitude and phase, or to transmit wireless signals received from the antenna element 2042 to the signal processing unit of the communication device 102 through the antenna port 202 with a specific amplitude and phase.

[0061] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2A As shown, the power supply network 206 may further include a phase shifter 2062.

[0062] Phase shifter 2062 is a device used to change the feed phase and amplitude of each antenna element 2042 in antenna array 204. Phase shifter 2062 can change the phase difference of antenna elements 2042, causing the vertical beam of base station antenna 200 to form a specific downtilt angle, thereby flexibly changing the beam coverage. Phase shifter 2062 is part of feed network 206, which may also include a power divider (not shown) and phase shifters connected to each branch of the power divider.

[0063] In some embodiments, reference Figure 2B As shown, the base station antenna 200 can be a multi-array antenna, and may include multiple first antenna arrays 204A, second antenna arrays 204B, and third antenna arrays 204C. Each antenna array corresponds to a set of feeding networks, and the feeding networks corresponding to different antenna arrays are independent of each other. Different antenna arrays in a multi-array antenna can be used to achieve different functions. For distinction, each antenna array in a multi-array antenna can also be called an antenna vibrator array or subarray.

[0064] Back Figure 2A In some embodiments, the feed network 206 and antenna array 204 can be housed within a radome 208. The radome 208 possesses excellent electromagnetic wave penetration characteristics in terms of electrical performance and can withstand 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 conditions. The antenna port 202 can be located outside the radome 208 to facilitate connection with the transceiver 1022.

[0065] Figure 2B A schematic diagram of an antenna array 204 for a base station antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0066] like Figure 2B As shown, in some embodiments, the base station antenna 200 may include an antenna array consisting of a plurality of antenna elements 2042 and a reflector 2044 for constraining orientation.

[0067] The reflector 2044 is the main structure of the base station antenna 200, used to support the antenna 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.

[0068] For example, such as Figure 2B As shown, multiple antenna 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 antenna element 2042, thereby improving the receiving sensitivity of the antenna signal and enhancing the antenna's receiving capability.

[0069] In contrast to antenna element 2042, other electrical components in base station antenna 200 (such as the components in feed network 206) can be disposed on the back of reflector 2044. In this way, reflector 2044 can also block or shield radio waves emitted from other electrical components on its back, thereby reducing interference from other radio waves to the received signal.

[0070] like Figure 2B As shown, in some embodiments, the base station antenna 200 can be a multi-array antenna, including multiple antenna elements 2042, which can be divided into multiple antenna element groups 204A to 204C. The frequencies of the antenna elements 2042 in the same antenna array can be the same or different. For example, as... Figure 2B As shown, the base station antenna 200 may include Figure 2B The first antenna array 204A, composed of all X elements, Figure 2B The second linear array 204B, composed of all rectangles in the array, and Figure 2B The third antenna array, 204C, is composed of all the triangles within it. It is understandable that... Figure 2B Different diagrams are used to distinguish the three types of antenna elements, but this does not mean that the antenna elements have the shape of the corresponding diagrams.

[0071] In some scenarios, to meet the growing communication demands, base station antennas can have multiple ports and multiple frequency bands. Multi-band antenna technology can cover more frequency bands and adapt to the communication needs of different scenarios by supporting a wider frequency range or integrating antenna arrays of multiple frequency bands.

[0072] Therefore, in some embodiments, such as Figure 2BAs shown, the first antenna array 204A may include multiple first antenna elements 20, the second antenna array 204B may include multiple second antenna elements 40, and the third antenna array 204C may include multiple third antenna elements 60. The operating frequency band of the first antenna elements 20 is lower than that of the second antenna elements 40, and the operating frequency band of the second antenna elements 40 is lower than that of the third antenna elements 60. The number of first antenna elements 20 is less than the number of second antenna elements 40, and the number of second antenna elements 40 is less than the number of third antenna elements 60. That is, the first antenna elements 20 are low-band (LB) antenna elements, the second antenna elements 40 are mid-band (MB) antenna elements, and the third antenna elements 60 are high-band (HB) antenna elements. In this way, by setting three different frequency antenna arrays in the base station antenna, the communication capacity is improved, the communication quality is enhanced, and the integration of the communication system is increased.

[0073] However, the inventors of this disclosure have discovered several significant challenges when multiple frequency band antenna arrays are housed within the same base station antenna. First, coupling easily occurs between antenna arrays of different frequencies, leading to performance degradation. Second, traditional antenna elements have low radiation efficiency, making it difficult to efficiently convert electrical energy into electromagnetic wave energy, resulting in insufficient antenna gain and failing to meet the requirements of high data transmission rates. Furthermore, existing antenna designs have narrow bandwidths, making them unsuitable for multi-band communication needs, especially in 5G and future higher frequency applications, where bandwidth limitations become a significant bottleneck. Finally, imperfect impedance matching between the feed structure and the radiator also leads to significant signal transmission loss, further impacting the overall antenna performance.

[0074] Therefore, in some embodiments, such as Figure 3A As shown, the first antenna unit 20 may further include: a substrate 301; a radiator 302 disposed on a first side of the substrate 301; and a feed structure 303 disposed on a second side of the substrate 301 and communicatively coupled to the radiator 302. The first side and the second side refer to two opposing surfaces of the substrate 301. The first side refers to the side of the substrate 301 facing the external space, which can be used to house the radiator 302 (such as a radiating patch, vibrator, etc.), and the radiator 302 directly participates in the transmission or reception of electromagnetic waves. The second side refers to the side of the substrate 301 facing the internal circuitry or reflector 2044, which can be used to house the feed structure 303 (such as a microstrip line, feed probe, etc.), and the feed structure 303 is responsible for transmitting signals to the radiator. Thus, the feed structure 303 communicatively connects the radiator 302 and the feed network 206 to transmit signals transmitted by the feed network 206 to the radiator 302 and to transmit signals received by the radiator 302 to the feed network 206.

[0075] Optionally, such as Figure 3B As shown, the radiator 302 may further include a central radiating plate 302A, a ring loop 302B, and multiple edge radiating plates 302C. The central radiating plate 302A is located at the center of the radiator 302; the multiple edge radiating plates 302C are spaced apart around the center of the central radiating plate 302A, meaning that the edge radiating plates 302C positioned around the center of the central radiating plate 302A are spaced apart from each other; the ring loop 302B is located between the central radiating plate 302A and the multiple edge radiating plates 302C, and includes a matching stub 3022. The central radiating plate 302A is communicatively coupled to the power supply structure 303, and the ring loop 302B with the matching stub 3022 is used to adjust the impedance matching between the central radiating plate 302A and the multiple edge radiating plates 302C. The use of multiple radiating plates and a loop design allows for a smoother impedance transition between the antenna and the feed line, thereby improving the low-frequency operating bandwidth. Furthermore, placing multiple edge radiating plates around the central radiating plate increases the effective radiating area of ​​the antenna, improving antenna gain. To further optimize antenna performance, this application introduces matching stubs. These matching stubs, combined with the loop, allow for more precise impedance matching adjustment compared to traditional antenna structures using only a loop, thus improving antenna efficiency and signal quality.

[0076] In some embodiments, substrate 301 provides physical support and influences the antenna's electrical dimensions and resonant frequency by modulating the electromagnetic wave propagation speed through its dielectric constant. The substrate 301 can be made of low-temperature cofired ceramic (LTCC). Radiator 302 and feed structure 303 are typically made of a highly conductive metallic material, such as copper or aluminum. The feed signal is transmitted between feed structure 303 and central radiating plate 302A. Central radiating plate 302A, as the primary radiation source, is responsible for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic waves. The signal on central radiating plate 302A can radiate to multiple edge radiating plates 302C, thereby increasing the effective radiation area of ​​the antenna element and improving gain and radiation efficiency. Loop circuit 302B can act as an impedance transformer, transforming the impedance of central radiating plate 302A to a value more closely matched to the edge radiating plates 302C. For example, impedance transformation can be achieved by adjusting the shape, size, and position of loop circuit 302B and matching stubs 3022 to change their inductance and capacitance characteristics.

[0077] In some embodiments, the operating frequency band of the first antenna element 20 includes 1.85–2.15 GHz. Furthermore, the first antenna element 20 is a dual-polarized antenna. In a dual-polarized antenna, the feed of the central radiating plate needs to simultaneously support two orthogonal polarization modes (such as horizontal / vertical polarization or ±45° slant polarization). The core principle is to excite orthogonal current distributions on the radiating plate through two independent feed ports, thereby achieving dual-polarized radiation. For example, two orthogonal microstrip lines are designed on the back of the substrate, which excite the central radiating plate through electromagnetic coupling or direct connection (such as probes or vias). After the feed structure feeds the signal to the central radiating plate, the central radiating plate acts as a feed source, radiating the signal to the edge radiating plates. The edge radiating plates form the desired beam through reflection / radiation. By setting the low-frequency antenna element as a dual-polarized antenna, the problems of diffraction and susceptibility to environmental factors in the low-frequency electromagnetic wave band due to its longer wavelength can be improved. Dual-polarized antennas can better capture signals from different directions, improving the quality of low-frequency communication, thereby more effectively utilizing spectrum resources and increasing data transmission rates. In addition, dual-polarized antennas can effectively radiate electromagnetic waves in the low-frequency band and have high radiation efficiency. At the same time, their relatively simple structure makes the antenna relatively easy to manufacture and install, making them suitable for low-profile designs (relatively low height) and reducing space occupation.

[0078] Optionally, the orthographic projection of the central radiating plate 302A onto the substrate 301 is a circle, an axisymmetric polygon, or a centrally symmetric polygon, such as... Figure 3B and Figure 3C The first antenna element 20 shown has a central radiating plate 302A whose orthographic projection onto the substrate 301 can be a circle, a rectangle, or a regular pentagon. The edge radiating plates 302C's orthographic projection onto the substrate 301 can be a circle, an axially symmetric polygon, or a centrally symmetric polygon, such as... Figure 3B and Figure 3D The first antenna element 20 shown has its edge radiating patch 302C projected onto the substrate 301 in the orthographic projection, which can be circular, rectangular, or triangular. For example... Figure 3B and Figure 3E The first antenna element 20 shown has a loop loop 302B projected onto the substrate 301 as a circular ring, and a matching stub 3022 including a protruding structure connected to the circular ring; or the loop loop 302B projected onto the substrate 301 as a rectangular ring, and the matching stub 3022 including rectangular patches connected to the four corners of the rectangular ring. By flexibly designing the shapes of the central radiating plate and the edge radiating plates, the radiation pattern and operating frequency range of the antenna can be customized to adapt to different application scenarios. At the same time, different shapes of loop loops and matching stubs provide different impedance matching adjustment methods, thereby significantly improving the antenna's radiation efficiency and reducing energy loss.

[0079] The diameter of the circumscribed circle of the central radiating plate 302A is half the wavelength of the center frequency of the first antenna element 20. This design makes the surface current distribution of the central radiating plate 302A tend to be sinusoidal, with the current being the largest at the middle feed point and decreasing to zero towards both ends, thus enhancing the directivity of the antenna, concentrating the main lobe radiated energy, and reducing side lobe interference. The spacing between the centers of the circumscribed circles of adjacent edge radiating plates 302C is one-quarter to one-half the wavelength of the center frequency of the first antenna element 20. This spacing design helps to control the antenna's radiation mode and optimize the antenna's impedance matching and resonance characteristics.

[0080] In some embodiments, the plurality of edge radiating patches 302C are arranged in a uniformly spaced array, and / or the plurality of edge radiating patches 302C are uniformly distributed on the surface of the substrate. By arranging the edge radiating patches 302C evenly spaced across the entire surface of the substrate 301, the mid- and high-frequency regions below the low-frequency antenna are maximized. This allows for full utilization of the substrate space by sharing the physical space of the low-frequency antenna, improving the integration and spectral efficiency of the antenna system. It also enables antennas of different frequency bands to cooperate, enhancing spectrum resource utilization and meeting the needs of multi-frequency communication. Furthermore, the uniform spacing between the edge radiating patches 302C ensures a similar electromagnetic environment around each radiating patch, which helps achieve consistent impedance matching among the edge radiating patches 302C. Good impedance matching reduces reflections, improves radiation efficiency, and thus enhances the overall performance of the antenna.

[0081] As mentioned earlier, traditional antenna designs often suffer from large size and heavy weight. Therefore, the inventors of this disclosure have discovered that in order to provide large communication capacity in crowded and limited base station spaces, it is necessary to develop novel array antennas that integrate antennas of multiple frequency bands into a single aperture, thereby reducing the overall size and weight of the antenna system while improving space utilization efficiency.

[0082] Figure 4A A cross-sectional schematic diagram of an antenna element provided in an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0083] In some embodiments, the antenna height of the first antenna array 204A is greater than the antenna height of the second antenna array 204B, and the antenna height of the second antenna array 204B is greater than the antenna height of the third antenna array 204C. This staggered height design fully utilizes the three-dimensional space of the base station antenna, helps reduce physical obstruction between antenna elements, and improves the integration level of the antenna array. Through integrated array arrangement, antenna miniaturization is achieved. Simultaneously, the antenna height increases as the operating frequency decreases, conforming to the characteristics of long wavelengths and large antenna sizes at low frequencies. This minimizes the impact of dual-polarized antennas on the radiation modes of the intermediate and high frequency bands. This height difference design helps optimize coverage for the characteristics of different frequency bands.

[0084] It should be noted that in some embodiments, differential feeding technology can also be used to reduce coupling between the first antenna array 204A and other frequency band antennas. Differential feeding applies opposite-phase currents to both ends of the dual-polarized antenna, causing the opposing components in the far-field radiation pattern of the dual-polarized antenna to cancel each other out, thereby reducing external electromagnetic interference and helping to maintain radiation transparency in the intermediate frequency and high frequency bands. Furthermore, by selecting materials with low loss and high transmittance, the energy absorption of transmitted electromagnetic waves can be reduced, thereby maintaining signal integrity.

[0085] Furthermore, the first antenna element 20 is optimized using frequency-selective surface (FSS) technology. The FSS can exhibit bandpass (allowing specific frequency bands to pass) or bandstop (blocking specific frequency bands) characteristics. By exhibiting full transmission characteristics near the resonant frequency, it allows efficient passage of mid- and high-frequency signals; by forming high reflection in the low-frequency band, it can protect low-frequency radiation performance from interference by high-frequency signals.

[0086] For example, Figure 4B A simulation diagram of reflection coefficient and transmission coefficient is shown. (For example...) Figure 4B As shown, the solid curve represents the variation of the reflection coefficient (S11) at different frequencies, describing the ratio of the portion of the input signal reflected back to the source to the total input signal. Ideally, S11 should be close to -∞ dB, indicating that all signals are absorbed or transmitted by the antenna without reflection. The dashed curve represents the variation of the transmission coefficient (S21) at different frequencies, describing the signal transmission efficiency from port 1 to port 2. 1.85–2.15 GHz represents the operating frequency band of the first antenna element 20, 3.4–3.6 GHz represents the operating frequency band of the second antenna element 40, and 5.4–5.6 GHz represents the operating frequency band of the third antenna element 60. Simulation results show that in the 3.4-3.6 GHz and 5.4-5.6 GHz frequency bands, the S11 coefficient is below -10 dB, while the S21 coefficient (i.e., loss) is less than 0.8 dB. This indicates that the FSS design of this application exhibits good performance in the mid-frequency and high-frequency bands, effectively absorbing or transmitting signals while maintaining transparency in the mid-frequency and high-frequency bands and effectively enhancing the radiation performance in the low-frequency band. Furthermore, in the 3.98-4 GHz frequency band, both the transmission coefficient and reflection coefficient show significant performance degradation. However, since this frequency band is not within the designed operating frequency range, it will not affect the overall performance of the antenna. This result further verifies the excellent performance of the FSS within the specified operating frequency band.

[0087] In some embodiments, the first antenna array 204A, the second antenna array 204B, and the third antenna array 204C share a single radiation aperture, that is, the directional radiation or reception of electromagnetic waves is achieved through a single aperture, without relying on the synthesis of multiple discrete units. The single aperture focuses the electromagnetic wave energy in one direction through geometric structures (such as parabolic reflection and horn gradient expansion) to form a high-gain beam, which can minimize the physical size of the antenna and reduce deployment costs.

[0088] Furthermore, such as Figure 2B As shown, each first antenna element 20 is surrounded by multiple third antenna elements 60, arranged in a triangular grid pattern. The advantages of a triangular grid planar array compared to a rectangular planar array include: a more efficient use of space, accommodating more antenna elements within the same area, resulting in a more compact antenna array structure, reducing overall antenna size and deployment costs. A triangular grid arrangement reduces radiation dead zones, especially in the gaps between antenna elements, achieving more uniform radiation coverage and improving signal quality and user experience. Compared to other arrangements, a triangular grid arrangement reduces coupling between adjacent antenna elements, helping to reduce sidelobe levels in the radiation pattern and improve main lobe radiation efficiency. While meeting the same antenna specifications (such as main lobe width, directivity, and no grating lobe conditions), a triangular grid arrangement requires fewer elements; simultaneously, the denser element arrangement allows the phased array antenna to achieve a wider angular scanning range.

[0089] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4A and Figure 2B As shown, the first antenna array 204A, the second antenna array 204B, and the third antenna array 204C are located on the same side of the reflector 2044; the orthographic projection of the substrate 301 of the first antenna element 20 on the reflector 2044 overlaps with the orthographic projection of the plurality of third antenna elements 60 distributed around the first antenna element 20 on the reflector 2044. Figure 4A and Figure 4C As shown, the orthographic projections of the multiple third antenna units 60 distributed around the first antenna unit 20 on the reflector 2044 lie within the orthographic projection of the substrate 301 of the first antenna unit 20 on the reflector 2044. Through the projection overlap design, the functional areas of the third antenna units are partially or completely integrated under the substrate of the first antenna unit, reducing the overall layout area and achieving high-density integration of multiple antenna units within a limited space, thereby achieving a more compact layout.

[0090] Optionally, the base station antenna described in this application can also be as follows: Figure 4DAs shown, the first antenna array 204A has multiple first antenna elements 20 arranged at equal intervals along a first direction, and at least one second antenna element 40 and multiple third antenna elements 60 are disposed between two adjacent first antenna elements 20. Compared to Figure 4C and Figure 4D , Figure 4E The base station antennas in the design feature a nested layout of high, medium, and low frequency antenna arrays. This arrangement provides greater flexibility, allowing the number and position of each antenna element to be adjusted as needed to optimize antenna performance.

[0091] In some embodiments, the plurality of second antenna elements 40 of the second antenna array 204B includes two sets of second antenna element groups, with the plurality of second antenna elements 40 in each set arranged at equal intervals along a first direction; the orthographic projections of the two sets of second antenna element groups on the reflector 2044 are located on either side of the orthographic projections of the first antenna array 204A and the third antenna array 204C on the reflector 2044. The equal interval arrangement can ensure the uniformity of signal coverage and reduce signal dead zones. At the same time, this layout enables the direct reduction of near-field coupling through physical isolation, and by adjusting the position of the second antenna elements 40 and the phase relationship between the elements, a specific beam shape and direction can be achieved, optimizing the coverage range of the mid-frequency band.

[0092] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4E As shown, the third antenna array 204C comprises multiple third antenna elements 60, including three groups of third antenna elements. Each group of third antenna elements 60 is arranged at equal intervals along a first direction. The base station antenna 200 also includes an isolation plate and / or isolation pillars, wherein: an isolation plate is provided between adjacent groups of third antenna elements; and / or multiple isolation pillars are provided between adjacent groups of third antenna elements, with the multiple isolation pillars arranged at equal intervals along the first direction. The main function of the isolation plate or isolation pillars is to block electromagnetic waves, reduce electromagnetic coupling between adjacent antenna element groups, and improve signal isolation. Because high-frequency antenna elements are closer together, they are more prone to interference. Therefore, physical isolation can reduce mutual interference between adjacent groups of third antenna elements and improve signal quality.

[0093] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4FAs shown, the first antenna array 204A, the second antenna array 204B, and the third antenna array 204C are collectively divided into multiple antenna array groups. Each antenna array group includes at least one first antenna element 20, multiple second antenna elements 40, and multiple third antenna elements 60. The base station antenna 200 also includes an isolation plate and / or isolation pillars, wherein: an isolation plate is provided between two adjacent antenna array groups; and / or multiple isolation pillars are provided between two adjacent antenna array groups, with the multiple isolation pillars arranged at equal intervals along a second direction. Dividing the antenna array into multiple antenna array groups, each containing antenna elements of different frequency bands, facilitates modular design and production. This grouping method allows for more flexible configuration and optimization between different frequency bands and antenna types to adapt to different network requirements. The use of isolation plates and isolation pillars reduces mutual interference between different antenna array groups, improving the performance of the entire antenna system.

[0094] In some embodiments, the operating frequency band of the second antenna element 40 includes 3.4–3.6 GHz, and the operating frequency band of the third antenna element 60 includes 5.4–5.6 GHz. The first antenna array 204A has n×m first antenna elements 20; the second antenna array 204B has 2n×2m second antenna elements 40; and the third antenna array 204C has 3n×3m third antenna elements 60, where n and m are natural numbers. For example, as... Figure 4C and Figure 4D As shown, the first antenna element 20 consists of 1×4 units; the second antenna element 40 consists of 2×8 units; and the third antenna element 60 consists of 3×12 units. The ratio of antenna elements is frequency-dependent; higher frequencies have shorter wavelengths, allowing for more antenna elements to be accommodated within the same physical size. This results in a narrower, more precise beam, improving signal gain and interference resistance. Furthermore, the proportional design supports dynamic adjustment of the values ​​of n and m, flexibly expanding the antenna array size to adapt to different application scenarios and requirements, maximizing hardware resource utilization.

[0095] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the communication device of this application, as shown below. Figure 5 As shown, the communication device 500 in this embodiment includes a processor 502 and a communication interface 503, wherein the communication interface 503 may include any one of the base station antennas in the above embodiments.

[0096] Furthermore, the communication device 500 may also include a memory 501. Optionally, the communication device 500 may also include a bus 504. The communication interface 503, processor 502, and memory 501 can be interconnected via the bus 504; the bus 504 can be a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus or an extended industry standard architecture (EISA) bus, etc. The bus 504 can be divided into an address bus, a data bus, a control bus, etc. For ease of representation, Figure 5 The bus is represented by a single thick line, but this does not mean that there is only one bus or one type of bus.

[0097] The processor 502 can perform various functions of the communication device 500 by running or executing programs stored in the memory 501.

[0098] For example, Figure 5 The communication device 500 shown may be the cloud or terminal involved in the embodiments of this application.

[0099] When the communication device 500 is a cloud-based system, the processor 502 can execute the actions performed by the cloud in the above method examples by running or executing the program stored in the memory 501. When the communication device 500 is a terminal, the processor 502 can execute the actions performed by the terminal in the above method examples by running or executing the program stored in the memory 501.

[0100] 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.

[0101] 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.

[0102] 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.

[0103] 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. An antenna element, characterized in that, include: substrate; A radiator is disposed on the first side of the substrate; A power supply structure is disposed on the second side of the substrate and is communicatively coupled to the radiator; The radiator includes a central radiating plate, a ring circuit, and multiple peripheral radiating plates. The central radiating plate is located at the center of the radiating body; Multiple edge radiating plates are arranged at central intervals around the central radiating plate; The ring circuit is located between the central radiating plate and the plurality of edge radiating plates. The ring circuit includes a matching stub. The central radiating plate is communicatively coupled to the power supply structure. The ring circuit with the matching stub is used to adjust the impedance matching between the central radiating plate and the plurality of edge radiating plates.

2. The antenna element according to claim 1, characterized in that, The antenna element operates in the frequency band of 1.85–2.15 GHz, and / or the antenna element is a dual-polarized antenna.

3. The antenna element according to claim 1, characterized in that, The orthographic projection of the central radiating plate onto the substrate is a circle, an axisymmetric polygon, or a centrally symmetric polygon, wherein the diameter of the circumscribed circle of the central radiating plate is half the wavelength corresponding to the center frequency of the antenna element.

4. The base station antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that, The orthographic projection of the edge radiating patch onto the substrate is a circle, an axisymmetric polygon, or a centrally symmetric polygon, wherein the distance between the centers of the circumscribed circles of adjacent edge radiating patches is one-quarter to one-half of the wavelength corresponding to the center frequency of the antenna element.

5. The base station antenna according to claim 4, characterized in that, The plurality of said edge radiating plates are arranged in a uniformly spaced array, and / or, Multiple edge radiating sheets are uniformly distributed on the surface of the substrate.

6. The base station antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that, The orthographic projection of the ring circuit onto the substrate is a circular ring, and the matching stub includes a protruding structure connected to the circular ring; or The orthographic projection of the ring circuit onto the substrate is a rectangular ring, and the matching stub includes rectangular patches that are respectively connected to the four corners of the rectangular ring.

7. A base station antenna, characterized in that, It includes a first antenna array, a second antenna array, and a third antenna array, wherein: The first antenna array includes a plurality of first antenna elements, wherein the first antenna elements include the antenna elements as described in any one of claims 1-6; The second antenna array includes multiple second antenna elements, and the third antenna array includes multiple third antenna elements; Wherein, the operating frequency band of the first antenna unit is lower than that of the second antenna unit, and the operating frequency band of the second antenna unit is lower than that of the third antenna unit; The number of the first antenna elements is less than the number of the second antenna elements, and the number of the second antenna elements is less than the number of the third antenna elements.

8. The base station antenna according to claim 7, characterized in that, The antenna height of the first antenna array is greater than the antenna height of the second antenna array, and the antenna height of the second antenna array is greater than the antenna height of the third antenna array.

9. The base station antenna according to claim 8, characterized in that, The first antenna array, the second antenna array, and the third antenna array share a common radiation aperture; multiple third antenna elements are distributed around each first antenna element, and the multiple third antenna elements are arranged in a triangular grid pattern.

10. The base station antenna according to claim 9, characterized in that, The base station antenna also includes a reflector, and the first antenna array, the second antenna array and the third antenna array are located on the same side of the reflector; The orthographic projection of the substrate of the first antenna unit on the reflector plate partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the plurality of third antenna units distributed around the first antenna unit on the reflector plate, and / or, the orthographic projection of the plurality of third antenna units distributed around the first antenna unit on the reflector plate lies within the orthographic projection of the substrate of the first antenna unit on the reflector plate.

11. The base station antenna according to claim 10, characterized in that, The plurality of first antenna elements of the first antenna array are arranged at equal intervals along a first direction, and at least one second antenna element and a plurality of third antenna elements are disposed between two adjacent first antenna elements.

12. The base station antenna according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that, The plurality of second antenna elements of the second antenna array includes two groups of second antenna elements, and the plurality of second antenna elements in each group of second antenna elements are arranged at equal intervals along a first direction; the orthographic projections of the two groups of second antenna elements on the reflector are located on both sides of the orthographic projections of the first antenna array and the third antenna array on the reflector.

13. The base station antenna according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that, The plurality of third antenna elements of the third antenna array include three groups of third antenna elements, and the plurality of third antenna elements in each group of third antenna elements are arranged at equal intervals along a first direction; The base station antenna also includes an isolation plate and / or an isolation column, wherein: The isolation plate is provided between two adjacent groups of the third antenna elements; and / or Multiple isolation pillars are provided between two adjacent groups of the third antenna unit groups, and the multiple isolation pillars are arranged at equal intervals along the first direction.

14. The base station antenna according to claim 7, characterized in that, The first antenna array, the second antenna array, and the third antenna array are collectively divided into multiple antenna array groups, and each antenna array group includes at least one first antenna element, multiple second antenna elements, and multiple third antenna elements. The base station antenna also includes an isolation plate and / or an isolation column, wherein: The isolation plate is disposed between two adjacent groups of the antenna array; and / or Multiple isolation pillars are provided between two adjacent groups of the antenna arrays, and the multiple isolation pillars are arranged at equal intervals along the second direction.

15. The base station antenna according to claim 8, characterized in that, The second antenna element operates in the frequency band of 3.4–3.6 GHz, and the third antenna element operates in the frequency band of 5.4–5.6 GHz; and / or The first antenna array has n×m first antenna elements; the second antenna array has 2n×2m second antenna elements; and the third antenna array has 3n×3m third antenna elements, where n and m are natural numbers.

16. A communication device, characterized in that, include: Base station antenna as described in any one of claims 7-15; The communication device receives or transmits wireless communication signals through the base station antenna.

Images