Antenna assembly and mobile device

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of communication, and provides an antenna assembly and a mobile device. The antenna assembly is applied to the mobile device, and the antenna assembly comprises a signal coupler, an antenna substrate, and an external antenna arranged on the antenna substrate. The signal coupler is connected with the external antenna. The signal coupler is used for coupling a first signal from a built-in antenna of the mobile device, transmitting the first signal to the external antenna, and / or transmitting a second signal received from the external antenna to the built-in antenna of the mobile device. The external antenna is used for emitting the first signal to a target direction or receiving the second signal from the target direction. The antenna assembly and the mobile device provided by the application can realize direct satellite connection of the mobile device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to an antenna assembly and a mobile device. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, the development trend of low-Earth orbit satellite internet technology is strong. This technology generally establishes a direct connection with the satellite through a dedicated terminal. Most mobile devices such as mobile phones and personal computers are not designed for satellite communication scenarios. Their antenna gain is not high, and their radiation energy is mainly concentrated in a certain range above the ground, making it difficult to establish a direct connection with the satellite. Therefore, mobile devices such as mobile phones and personal computers generally connect to the dedicated terminal through Wi-Fi signals and access the satellite internet through the relay of the dedicated terminal.

[0003] However, in remote areas such as deserts, mountains, and oceans where users have difficulty receiving signals from terrestrial base stations and have a strong need for satellite internet access, or in emergency disaster relief scenarios, users are unlikely to be able to connect to dedicated terminals due to reasons such as inconvenience of carrying them or lack of prior equipment. This makes it difficult for users to actually use satellite internet for communication. Therefore, how to enable users to directly connect to satellites using mobile devices such as mobile phones and personal computers is an important issue that the industry urgently needs to address. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides an antenna assembly and a mobile device to address the shortcomings of existing technologies where users find it difficult to communicate using satellite internet, thereby enabling mobile devices to directly connect to satellites.

[0005] This application provides an antenna assembly for use in a mobile device. The antenna assembly includes a signal coupler, an antenna substrate, and an external antenna disposed on the antenna substrate. The signal coupler is connected to the external antenna. The signal coupler is used to couple a first signal from the built-in antenna of the mobile device and transmit the first signal to the external antenna, and / or transmit a second signal received from the external antenna to the built-in antenna of the mobile device; The external antenna is used to transmit the first signal toward the target direction or to receive the second signal from the target direction.

[0006] According to an antenna assembly provided in this application, the signal coupler is a metal coupling plate, and the metal coupling plane of the metal coupling plate is aligned with and parallel to the built-in antenna of the mobile device to form a parallel coupler. There is a gap between the parallel coupler and the built-in antenna of the mobile device.

[0007] According to an antenna assembly provided in this application, the parameters of the metal coupling plane are determined based on signal indicators and the parameters of the built-in antenna of the mobile device; The signal parameters include standing wave ratio and coupling loss, and the parameters of the metal coupling plane include at least its shape and the spacing of the gaps.

[0008] According to an antenna assembly provided in this application, the signal coupler is a mid-frame signal coupler, used to couple a first signal from the mid-frame built-in antenna of the mobile device and transmit the first signal to the patch antenna.

[0009] According to an antenna assembly provided in this application, the signal coupler is a planar signal coupler used to couple a first signal from the planar built-in antenna of the mobile device and transmit the first signal to the patch antenna.

[0010] According to an antenna assembly provided in this application, the antenna substrate is made of metal and is used to support the external antenna and reflect the energy generated by the external antenna toward the antenna substrate toward the target direction.

[0011] According to an antenna assembly provided in this application, the external antenna is a patch antenna and / or the antenna substrate is a rotatable antenna substrate.

[0012] According to an antenna assembly provided in this application, the antenna assembly further includes a housing for accommodating the mobile device; The signal coupler is installed inside the housing, and the rotatable antenna substrate is hinged to the back of the housing for rotating along the grip direction of the mobile device, thereby driving the patch antenna toward the target direction.

[0013] According to an antenna assembly provided in this application, the housing has a first ground plane inside, which is used to contact the conductive grounding point of the mobile device to synchronize with the second ground plane of the mobile device.

[0014] According to an antenna assembly provided in this application, a first ground plane is used to contact the assembly screws of the mobile device to synchronize with a second ground plane of the mobile device.

[0015] This application also provides an antenna assembly for use in a mobile device. The antenna assembly includes a rotatable antenna substrate and a patch antenna and a switch disposed on the rotatable antenna substrate. The patch antenna is connected to the internal radio frequency circuit of the mobile device through the switch. The switch is at least used to send a first signal generated by the internal radio frequency circuit to the external antenna; and / or to transmit a second signal received from the external antenna to the internal radio frequency circuit of the mobile device; The external antenna is used to transmit a first signal formed by the internal radio frequency circuit in the direction of the target, or to receive a second signal from the direction of the target.

[0016] This application also provides a mobile device, including an antenna assembly and a mobile device as described in any of the above, wherein the antenna assembly is mounted on the mobile device.

[0017] The antenna assembly and mobile device provided in this application have an external antenna mounted on an antenna substrate. A signal coupler is connected to the external antenna. The signal coupler obtains the first signal from the built-in antenna of the mobile device wirelessly and can transmit the first signal to the external antenna. The external antenna then transmits the first signal in the target direction to generate a gain in the target direction, enabling the satellite in the target direction to receive the first signal from the mobile device, thus realizing direct connection to satellites using mobile devices such as mobile phones and personal computers. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0019] Figure 1 This is one of the structural schematic diagrams of the antenna assembly provided in this application.

[0020] Figure 2 This is the second schematic diagram of the antenna assembly provided in this application.

[0021] Figure 3 This is a directional schematic diagram of the antenna assembly provided in this application.

[0022] Figure 4 This is the third schematic diagram of the antenna assembly provided in this application.

[0023] Figure 5 This is the fourth structural schematic diagram of the antenna assembly provided in this application.

[0024] Figure 6 This is the fifth schematic diagram of the antenna assembly provided in this application.

[0025] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the metal coupling sheet of the antenna assembly provided in this application.

[0026] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the transmission loss of the parallel coupler of the antenna assembly provided in this application.

[0027] Figure label: 110: Signal coupler; 120: Antenna substrate; 130: External antenna; 140: Metal coupling plate; 150: Housing; 160: Feed point; Internal antenna: 170. Detailed Implementation

[0028] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the technical solutions of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0029] When mobile devices such as smartphones and personal computers directly connect to satellites, these devices would need to be redesigned. However, redesigning these devices would require a long development cycle, and the speed of redesigning them to directly connect to satellites would inevitably lag behind the current development speed of satellite internet. This application provides an antenna assembly and a mobile device for existing mobile phones. The technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0030] The antenna assembly provided in this application is used in a mobile device. The antenna assembly includes a signal coupler 110, an antenna substrate 120, and an external antenna 130 disposed on the antenna substrate 120. The signal coupler 110 is connected to the external antenna 130. The signal coupler 110 is used to couple a first signal from the built-in antenna 170 of the mobile device and transmit the first signal to the external antenna 130, and / or transmit a second signal received from the external antenna 130 to the built-in antenna 170 of the mobile device. The external antenna 130 is used to transmit the first signal toward the target direction or to receive the second signal from the target direction.

[0031] The antenna substrate 120 is a rigid material-based support structure used to support the external antenna 130 and provide a reliable operating environment for it. The external antenna 130 can be a helical antenna, a phased array antenna, etc. The signal coupler 110 and the external antenna 130 can be electrically connected via a circuit. The signal coupler 110 is a component that enables bidirectional signal transmission between the built-in antenna 170 and the external antenna 130 of a mobile device. For example, the signal coupler 110 can serve as a load on the built-in antenna 170 of the mobile device, wirelessly acquiring a first signal from the built-in antenna 170, and can also act as a feed source, transmitting the first signal to the external antenna 130 through the built-in lines of the antenna assembly. Alternatively, the external antenna 130 may receive a second signal and transmit it to the signal coupler 110 through the built-in lines of the antenna assembly. The signal coupler 110 can radiate and transmit the second signal to the built-in antenna 170 of the mobile device via near-field coupling.

[0032] In some embodiments, the second signal transmitted by the satellite can also be received directly via the built-in antenna 170 of the mobile device.

[0033] The target direction refers to the direction in which the satellite is located. For example, the target direction can be the zenith direction, or a direction specifically determined based on the satellite's position and tilted at a certain angle relative to the zenith, etc. This application does not limit this.

[0034] The first signal refers to the uplink signal sent by the mobile device for transmitting data, and the second signal refers to the downlink signal sent by the satellite, which can be a low-Earth orbit satellite.

[0035] By observing the application of mobile devices in daily scenarios, it is found that when mobile devices such as mobile phones and personal computers maintain their rated output power, the radiation energy of the first signal from their built-in antenna 170 is mainly concentrated within a certain altitude range above the ground. The power of the first signal from the mobile device that the satellite of the satellite Internet can receive is too small, and the signal-to-noise ratio of the uplink signal sent to the satellite is low.

[0036] The antenna assembly provided in this application embodiment has an external antenna 130 disposed on an antenna substrate 120. A signal coupler 110 is connected to the external antenna 130. The signal coupler 110 obtains the first signal from the built-in antenna 170 of the mobile device wirelessly and can transmit the first signal to the external antenna 130. The external antenna 130 transmits the first signal in the target direction to generate a gain in the target direction, so that the satellite in the target direction can receive the first signal of the mobile device, thereby realizing direct connection to the satellite using mobile devices such as mobile phones and personal computers.

[0037] Furthermore, by transmitting the first signal towards the target direction through the antenna assembly and receiving the second signal from the target direction, the signal-to-noise ratio of the signal transmission can be improved, thereby enhancing the stability of communication between the mobile device and the satellite.

[0038] Based on the observation and analysis of the built-in antennas 170 of existing mobile devices, it was determined that most of the built-in antennas 170 of existing mobile devices are irregular, slender planes. Based on the above embodiment, the signal coupler 110 is a metal coupling plate 140. The metal coupling plane of the metal coupling plate 140 is used to be directly opposite and parallel to the built-in antenna 170 of the mobile device to form a parallel coupler. There is a gap between the parallel coupler and the built-in antenna 170 of the mobile device.

[0039] The metal coupling piece 140 is a thin metal sheet defined by the built-in antenna 170 of the mobile device, and the metal coupling plane is the plane of the metal coupling piece 140 facing the built-in antenna 170 of the mobile device.

[0040] The gap distance between the parallel coupler and the built-in antenna 170 of the mobile device can be determined according to the specific type and model of the mobile device, and this application does not limit it.

[0041] Understandably, the parallel coupler can utilize near-field electromagnetic induction to perform non-contact coupling of the first signal of the mobile device's built-in antenna 170 without altering the original structure of the mobile device. This reduces the cost of modifying existing mobile devices and minimizes the user's perception of the modification. It also improves the gain of the built-in antenna 170 of existing mobile devices in the target direction without significantly changing the user's habits, which is beneficial for the application and popularization of direct satellite internet connection for existing mobile devices.

[0042] Based on observation and analysis of the built-in antennas 170 of existing mobile devices, and determining that these antennas are mostly attached to the inner surface and / or mid-frame of the mobile device, in one embodiment, the signal coupler 110 is a mid-frame type signal coupler 110, used to couple a first signal from the mid-frame type built-in antenna 170 of the mobile device and transmit the first signal to the patch antenna. In another embodiment, the signal coupler 110 is a planar type signal coupler 110, used to couple a first signal from the planar type built-in antenna 170 of the mobile device and transmit the first signal to the patch antenna.

[0043] It is understandable that when an antenna assembly with a frame-type signal coupler 110 is mounted on a mobile device with its built-in antenna 170 attached to the frame, the frame-type signal coupler 110 is directly opposite and parallel to the built-in antenna 170 of the mobile device, with a gap between them, forming the aforementioned parallel coupler. When an antenna assembly with a planar signal coupler 110 is mounted on a mobile device with its built-in antenna 170 attached to a planar position, the planar signal coupler 110 is directly opposite and parallel to the built-in antenna 170 of the mobile device, with a gap between them, forming the aforementioned parallel coupler.

[0044] Based on any of the above embodiments, the antenna substrate 120 is made of metal and is used to support the external antenna 130 and reflect the energy generated by the external antenna 130 toward the antenna substrate 120 toward the target direction.

[0045] It is understandable that the antenna substrate 120 is oriented in the same direction as the external antenna 130. Therefore, the metal antenna substrate 120 can reflect the energy on its surface toward the target direction, which is convenient to superimpose with the energy of the external antenna 130 toward the target direction, further enhancing the gain of the external antenna 130 in the target direction.

[0046] Understandably, when the energy of the external antenna 130 radiates in all directions, the metal antenna substrate 120, being made of a rigid material, provides both load-bearing capacity for the external antenna 130 and energy reflection capacity, thereby enhancing the gain of the external antenna 130 in the target direction, simplifying the structure of the antenna assembly, and further reducing the user's perception of modification to the mobile device.

[0047] Based on any of the above embodiments, the external antenna 130 is a patch antenna and / or the antenna substrate 120 is a rotatable antenna substrate 120.

[0048] The shape of the patch antenna can be circular, square, etc., and can be determined based on multiple factors such as the shape of the phone case and a comprehensive survey of user experience. This application does not limit it in this regard.

[0049] Understandably, patch antennas have good conformal capabilities, which helps reduce the user's perception of modifying mobile devices. Furthermore, patch antennas have lower manufacturing costs, which helps reduce the difficulty of upgrading accessories for users of existing mobile devices.

[0050] Furthermore, it has been verified that, with the external antenna 130 oriented towards the target direction, the antenna gain of the patch antenna can achieve a stable connection between existing mobile devices and satellites.

[0051] After the antenna assembly is installed on the mobile device, the relative position of the antenna assembly and the mobile device is fixed. In this case, when adjusting the orientation of the external antenna 130, it is necessary to adjust the orientation of the antenna substrate 120 on the mounting surface of the mobile device, thereby adjusting the orientation of the antenna substrate 120 and thus the orientation of the external antenna 130. The adjusted orientation of the mobile device's operating surface may cause inconvenience to the user when using the mobile device.

[0052] It is understandable that the rotatable antenna substrate 120 can adjust the orientation of the substrate independently of the mobile device, thereby adjusting the orientation of the external antenna 130, thus avoiding the inconvenience caused to the user when the external antenna 130 is oriented in the target direction.

[0053] Based on any of the above embodiments, the antenna assembly further includes a housing 150 for accommodating the mobile device; The signal coupler 110 is installed inside the housing 150, and the rotatable antenna substrate 120 is hinged to the back of the housing 150 for rotating along the gripping direction of the mobile device, thereby driving the patch antenna toward the target direction.

[0054] The antenna assembly can take the form of a protective case for a mobile device, such as a phone case or tablet case. In this case, the housing 150 refers to the main body of the protective case.

[0055] The rotatable antenna substrate 120 can be connected to the back of the housing 150 via a hinge structure, flexible connection structure, or the like. The rotation angle of the rotatable antenna substrate 120 is at least 90 degrees. Taking a rotation angle of 90 degrees as an example, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the rotatable antenna substrate 120 may include, for example: Figure 1 The closed state shown is attached to the outer surface of the housing 150, and as shown in the figure. Figure 2 The diagram shows the extreme operating state with a 90-degree rotation relative to the closed state. It is understood that the rotatable antenna substrate 120 includes a closed state, which can increase the portability of the antenna assembly.

[0056] like Figure 1 As shown, when the phone is held to the ear to answer a call, the phone itself is in a vertical position. At this time, the antenna substrate 120 needs to be lifted to a position roughly parallel to the ground so that the patch antenna on the antenna substrate 120 points towards the sky. Figure 2 As shown, when answering a call hands-free, the phone itself is in a flat position. At this time, there is no need to lift the antenna substrate 120. Just place the phone screen downwards so that the patch antenna on the antenna substrate 120 points to the sky.

[0057] In some embodiments, when the patch antenna on the antenna substrate 120 is pointed towards the sky, such as Figure 3 As shown, the patch antenna can achieve a maximum gain of 4.6 dBi. Understandably, the antenna can be further optimized to achieve the optimal gain.

[0058] Compared to the typical horizontal omnidirectional design of a mobile phone's built-in antenna (170), the antenna assembly of this application can adjust the antenna pattern direction, enhancing the antenna gain in the zenith direction. According to link budget data from a low-Earth orbit satellite, for an internet satellite in a 550 km orbit, the downlink signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) currently received by a mobile phone can reach 13 dB at the nadir and 4.3 dB at the edge, but the uplink signal SNR received by the satellite is only 1 dB at the nadir and -8.5 dB at the edge. With the antenna assembly of this application, the mobile phone's gain in the zenith direction will be improved, thereby increasing the uplink data transmission rate and enhancing the stability of low-rate services such as voice.

[0059] like Figure 4 As shown, according to any of the above embodiments, the signal coupler 110 can be installed in the middle frame inside the housing 150 to form a middle frame signal coupler 110. After the mobile device with the built-in antenna 170 attached to the middle frame is installed in the housing 150, the signal coupler 110 is directly opposite and parallel to the built-in antenna 170 of the mobile device, and there is a gap between the two.

[0060] like Figure 5 As shown, according to any of the above embodiments, the signal coupler 110 can be installed on the plane inside the housing 150 to form a planar signal coupler 110. After the mobile device with the built-in antenna 170 attached to the planar position is installed in the housing 150, the signal coupler 110 is directly opposite and parallel to the built-in antenna 170 of the mobile device, and there is a gap between the two.

[0061] The signal coupler 110 and the patch antenna (external antenna 130) can be electrically connected via internal wiring in the protective housing, wherein the feed point 160 of the patch antenna can be... Figure 6 As shown, it can be set at the edge of the antenna, or it can be set below the antenna through the internal wiring of the antenna substrate 120.

[0062] After the mobile device is installed in the housing 150, the shape of the metal coupling plane substantially matches the shape of the mobile device's built-in antenna 170, as can be seen in [reference needed]. Figure 7 As shown.

[0063] Understandably, by placing the mobile device into the corresponding housing 150, the antenna assembly can be installed on the mobile device, so that the signal coupler 110 and the built-in antenna 170 are directly opposite and parallel to form a parallel coupler. By adjusting the rotatable antenna substrate 120, the patch antenna can be pointed in the target direction, improving the signal-to-noise ratio of the first signal received by the satellite from the mobile device. The antenna assembly can be removed from the corresponding housing 150 to complete the disassembly of the mobile device. This can greatly reduce the user's perception of the modification of the mobile device and is easy to promote.

[0064] Based on any of the above embodiments, the parameters of the metal coupling plane are determined according to signal indicators and the parameters of the built-in antenna 170 of the mobile device; wherein, the signal indicators include standing wave ratio and coupling loss, and the parameters of the metal coupling plane include at least the shape and the spacing of the gaps.

[0065] The parameters of the built-in antenna 170 of the mobile device may include its shape, position, and frequency. The shape of the metal coupling plane can be determined according to the shape of the built-in antenna 170 of the mobile device, and the shapes of the two should fit as closely as possible to improve the consistency of coupling between them.

[0066] It is understandable that the parameters of the built-in antenna 170 of different types of mobile devices and different models of the same type of mobile devices are different. Therefore, in this application, the parameters of the metal coupling plane are determined according to the signal indicators and the parameters of the built-in antenna 170 of the mobile device, so that the signal coupler 110 corresponds to the specific model of the mobile device and the effect of the antenna assembly is enhanced.

[0067] The gap between the parallel coupler and the built-in antenna 170 of the mobile device is directly proportional to the interference of the parallel coupler to the built-in antenna 170 and the coupling strength between the two. Therefore, the gap distance between the parallel coupler and the built-in antenna 170 of the mobile device can be determined by comprehensively considering indicators such as standing wave ratio and coupling loss, so as to maximize the transmission of the signal from the built-in antenna 170 to the parallel coupler and then to the external antenna 130. (See [reference needed]). Figure 8 The X-axis coordinate of point m1 is 1.8585, and the Y-axis coordinate is -3.1429.

[0068] While the external antenna 130 increases the gain in the target direction, it may reduce the mobile device's ability to receive signals from terrestrial base stations. This application seeks to access satellite internet only when the terrestrial base station signal is already suboptimal, considering the specific scenario of the mobile device accessing satellite internet via satellite. Therefore, the impact of this application on the terrestrial base station signal reception capability is acceptable to the user. Furthermore, since the antenna component provided in this application does not require modification of the mobile device, the user can easily remove the antenna component after returning to an area with better terrestrial base station signal, and the mobile device can immediately restore its original performance without affecting the normal use of the mobile device in terrestrial internet.

[0069] In some embodiments, the built-in antenna 170 of the mobile device is located directly on the outer surface of the mobile device and is conductive, and the surface of the signal coupler 110 needs to be coated with an insulating medium to avoid direct contact with the mobile phone antenna.

[0070] In order to form a complete loop between the antenna assembly and the mobile device, based on any of the above embodiments, the housing 150 is provided with a first ground plane inside, which is used to contact the conductive ground point of the mobile device to synchronize with the second ground plane of the mobile device.

[0071] The first ground plane, also known as the first ground surface, is a common grounding reference for the external antenna 130, the signal coupler 110, and the transmission line between the external antenna 130 and the signal coupler 110. The first ground plane can be a thin metal film, metal plate, or the like inside the housing 150.

[0072] The second ground plane, also known as the second ground plane, is the grounding reference for mobile devices.

[0073] A conductive grounding point, also known as a grounding electrode, refers to a physical point on the surface of a mobile device that has conductive properties and is connected to the second grounding point inside the mobile device.

[0074] Some mobile devices do not have a grounding electrode on their surface, or the grounding electrode has been plated, and the plated grounding electrode does not have conductivity. Based on any of the above embodiments, the first grounding ground is used to contact the assembly screws of the mobile device to synchronize with the second grounding ground of the mobile device.

[0075] In some embodiments, the patch antenna is a circularly polarized antenna, which reduces polarization loss when the external antenna 130 is connected to the satellite, further ensuring the signal quality of the uplink. This can be achieved through methods such as chamfering or slotting, which are not limited in this application.

[0076] In some embodiments, the antenna assembly may include an amplifier and a battery, which are respectively connected to the external antenna 130 to enhance the amplification effect of the external antenna 130.

[0077] While external antennas improve gain in the target direction, they may reduce the ability of mobile devices to receive signals from terrestrial base stations. Although the use of satellite internet is often driven by the fact that terrestrial base station signals are inherently poor, users may still have a need for terrestrial internet access. Frequent disassembly and reassembly of antenna components to switch between terrestrial and satellite internet would be inconvenient for users. Considering that antenna components are accessories commonly used by users for daily use of mobile devices, such as phone cases and tablet cases, this application provides an antenna component with a composition that is basically the same as the aforementioned antenna component. The difference is that this antenna component includes an antenna substrate and an external antenna and a switch disposed on the antenna substrate. The external antenna is connected to the internal radio frequency circuit of the mobile device through the switch. The switch is at least used to send a first signal generated by the internal radio frequency circuit to the external antenna; and / or to transmit a second signal received from the external antenna to the internal radio frequency circuit of the mobile device; The external antenna is used to transmit a first signal formed by the internal radio frequency circuit in the direction of the target, or to receive a second signal from the direction of the target.

[0078] The internal radio frequency circuit refers to the part of the mobile device responsible for processing radio signals.

[0079] An external antenna can be connected to the internal radio frequency circuit of a mobile device via a physical transmission line. A switch can be set on the physical transmission line to selectively use the mobile device's built-in antenna and the external antenna of the antenna assembly.

[0080] When using an external antenna with an antenna assembly, the switch can be switched to a first state, which can be used to send a first signal generated by the internal radio frequency circuit to the external antenna; and / or to transmit a second signal received from the external antenna to the internal radio frequency circuit of the mobile device.

[0081] When using the mobile device's built-in antenna, the switch can be switched to a second state, which can be used to send a first signal generated by the internal radio frequency circuitry to the built-in antenna; and / or to transmit a second signal received from the built-in antenna to the mobile device's internal radio frequency circuitry.

[0082] Understandably, the antenna assembly is physically connected directly to the internal radio frequency circuitry of the mobile device. Based on this, the integrated switch allows for easy switching from using an external antenna for communication to using an internal external antenna without the need for physical disassembly and reassembly of the antenna assembly. This achieves an effective balance between ease of operation and signal enhancement.

[0083] This application also provides a mobile device including an antenna assembly and a mobile device as described in any of the above, wherein the antenna assembly is mounted on the mobile device.

[0084] It is understandable that by installing an antenna assembly, the first signal from the built-in antenna of the mobile device can be transmitted to an external antenna via a signal coupler. The external antenna then transmits the first signal towards the target direction to generate a gain in that direction, enabling satellites in that direction to receive the first signal from the mobile device. This allows direct connection to satellites using mobile devices such as mobile phones and personal computers. Alternatively, by directly connecting the internal radio frequency circuitry of the mobile device to the antenna assembly and using an integrated switch, it is possible to easily switch from using an external antenna for communication to using a built-in external antenna without physically disassembling the antenna assembly, thus achieving an effective balance between ease of operation and signal enhancement.

[0085] The antenna assembly and mobile device provided in this application do not require an external power supply or a dedicated terminal when users need to connect to satellites and use satellite internet via mobile devices. With the antenna assembly in the form of a protective case, the connection between the mobile device and the satellite can be achieved by installing the protective case onto the mobile device and adjusting the antenna base plate of the antenna assembly. This will not impose too much burden on users in scenarios such as the wild, ocean, and disaster relief, and can be used immediately.

[0086] Furthermore, in the field of connecting existing mobile devices to satellite internet, the network side is increasing its R&D efforts to ensure smooth access for terminals without any modifications. However, in reality, poor antenna specifications on the terminal side put significant pressure on the network side, for example, necessitating the increase of satellite antenna aperture and transmission power. Based on the antenna components provided in this application, the network side can appropriately lower its specification requirements, thereby reducing investment and lowering the development difficulty for the network side.

[0087] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

Claims

1. An antenna assembly, characterized in that, For use in mobile devices, the antenna assembly includes a signal coupler, an antenna substrate, and an external antenna disposed on the antenna substrate, wherein the signal coupler is connected to the external antenna; The signal coupler is used to couple a first signal from the built-in antenna of the mobile device and transmit the first signal to the external antenna, and / or transmit a second signal received from the external antenna to the built-in antenna of the mobile device; The external antenna is used to transmit the first signal toward the target direction or to receive the second signal from the target direction.

2. The antenna assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The signal coupler is a metal coupling plate, and the metal coupling plane of the metal coupling plate is aligned with and parallel to the built-in antenna of the mobile device to form a parallel coupler. There is a gap between the parallel coupler and the built-in antenna of the mobile device.

3. The antenna assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, The parameters of the metal coupling plane are determined based on signal parameters and the parameters of the built-in antenna of the mobile device; The signal parameters include standing wave ratio and coupling loss, and the parameters of the metal coupling plane include at least its shape and the spacing of the gaps.

4. The antenna assembly according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The signal coupler is a frame-type signal coupler, used to couple a first signal from the frame-type built-in antenna of the mobile device and transmit the first signal to the patch antenna.

5. The antenna assembly according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The signal coupler is a planar signal coupler used to couple a first signal from the planar built-in antenna of the mobile device and transmit the first signal to the patch antenna.

6. The antenna assembly according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The antenna substrate is made of metal and is used to support the external antenna and reflect the energy generated by the external antenna toward the antenna substrate toward the target direction.

7. The antenna assembly according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The external antenna is a patch antenna and / or the antenna substrate is a rotatable antenna substrate.

8. The antenna assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that, The antenna assembly also includes a housing for accommodating the mobile device; The signal coupler is installed inside the housing, and the rotatable antenna substrate is hinged to the back of the housing for rotating along the grip direction of the mobile device, thereby driving the patch antenna toward the target direction.

9. The antenna assembly according to claim 8, characterized in that, The housing has a first ground plane inside, which is used to contact the conductive grounding point of the mobile device to synchronize with the second ground plane of the mobile device.

10. The antenna assembly according to claim 9, characterized in that, The first ground plane is used to contact the assembly screws of the mobile device to synchronize with the second ground plane of the mobile device.

11. An antenna assembly, characterized in that, For use in mobile devices, the antenna assembly includes a rotatable antenna substrate and a patch antenna and a switch disposed on the rotatable antenna substrate, wherein the patch antenna is connected to the internal radio frequency circuit of the mobile device via the switch; The switch is at least used to send a first signal generated by the internal radio frequency circuit to the external antenna; and / or to transmit a second signal received from the external antenna to the internal radio frequency circuit of the mobile device; The external antenna is used to transmit a first signal formed by the internal radio frequency circuit in the direction of the target, or to receive a second signal from the direction of the target.

12. A mobile device, characterized in that, The invention includes the antenna assembly and mobile device according to any one of claims 1-11, wherein the antenna assembly is mounted on the mobile device.

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