Antenna combiner

Abstract

Antenna combiner (200), comprehensive: a housing (3); a multitude of input terminals (4) which are mounted on the housing (3) and configured to each receive a multitude of input signals; an output port (5) which is mounted on the housing (3); a signal combination circuit module (6) arranged in the housing (3), electrically connected between the plurality of input terminals (4) and the output terminal (5) and configured to process the plurality of input signals received by the plurality of input terminals (4) and combine them into an output signal and output the output signal via the output terminal (5), wherein the signal combination circuit module (6) includes a printed circuit board (61) comprising an insulating layer (611) with a thickness in the range of 0.1 mm to 1 mm, as well as a first copper foil layer (612) and a second copper foil layer (613) which are electrically connected to each other and are each arranged on two opposite sides (611a, 611b) of the insulating layer (611), and a plurality of electronic components (62) arranged on one of the first copper foil layers (612) and the second copper foil layer (613) of the printed circuit board (61) and electrically connected to it, and configured to jointly process and combine the input signals to obtain the output signal; and a thermal conducting layer (7) which is arranged on one of the first copper foil layer (612) and the second copper foil layer (613) and is in direct contact with the other.

Description

[0001] The disclosure relates to a signal processing device and, in particular, to an antenna combiner.

[0002] The main function of an antenna combiner is to provide a common antenna for multiple transmitters. An antenna combiner can be used to combine the high-frequency signals of several transmitters into a single output signal, thereby simplifying the antenna assembly process and significantly reducing cross-modulation distortion of the transmitted signals. It is one of the most essential components of equipment in an antenna system.

[0003] The frequency band and stability of an antenna combiner are limited by the structural design of the printed circuit board (PCB) on which the circuitry for transmitting and receiving antenna signals is mounted, as well as by the degree of interference from electromagnetic radiation within the antenna combiner's housing. To improve the stability of high-frequency bands (such as 5.8 GHz), the antenna combiner's structure must be improved.

[0004] Therefore, one of the tasks of disclosure is to provide an antenna combiner that can alleviate at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art.

[0005] According to the disclosure, the antenna combiner includes a housing, a plurality of input terminals mounted on the housing, an output terminal mounted on the housing, a signal combination circuit module arranged within the housing and electrically connected between the plurality of input terminals and the output terminal, and a thermal interface material. The plurality of input terminals are each configured to receive a plurality of input signals. The signal combination circuit module is configured to process the plurality of input signals received by the plurality of input terminals, combine them into a single output signal, and output the output signal via the output terminal.The signal combination circuit module comprises a printed circuit board (PCB) containing an insulating layer with a thickness ranging from 0.1 mm to 1 mm, as well as a first copper foil layer and a second copper foil layer, which are electrically interconnected and located on opposite sides of the insulating layer. The signal combination circuit module further includes a variety of electronic components arranged on one of the first copper foil layers and the second copper foil layer of the PCB and electrically connected to it. The variety of electronic components are configured to process and combine the input signals to produce the output signal. The thermal interface material is located on one of the first copper foil layers and the second copper foil layer and is in direct contact with the other.

[0006] Further features and advantages of the disclosure will become clear in the following detailed description of the embodiment(s) with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that various features may not be drawn to scale. Fig. Figure 1 is a perspective view of an antenna combiner according to an embodiment of the disclosure. Fig. Figure 2 is another perspective view of the antenna combiner according to the embodiment. Fig. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the antenna combiner according to the embodiment. Fig. Figure 4 is a block diagram of the antenna combiner according to an embodiment of the disclosure. Fig. Figure 5 is a schematic partial sectional view to illustrate a signal combination circuit module and a heat conduction layer of the antenna combiner according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0007] Before describing the disclosure in more detail, it should be noted that, where deemed appropriate, reference numerals or terminal sections of reference numerals have been repeated in the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements which may, if necessary, have similar properties.

[0008] With reference to the Fig. Figures 1 to 4 describe an embodiment of an antenna combiner 200 according to the disclosure, designed to be electrically connected between several transmitters (not shown) and a common transmitting antenna (not shown). The antenna combiner 200 is configured to combine signals from the transmitters to obtain a signal and to transmit the signal thus obtained via the common transmitting antenna. The transmitters can be, for example, ultra-high frequency (UHF) transmitters, but are not limited to them.

[0009] It should be noted that the term "signal" as used herein refers to a high-frequency signal (HF signal).

[0010] The antenna combiner 200 includes a metal housing 3, a plurality of input terminals 4 mounted and exposed on an outer surface of the housing 3, an output terminal 5 mounted and exposed on an outer surface of the housing 3, a signal combination circuit module 6 arranged in the housing 3 and electrically connected between the input terminals 4 and the output terminal 5, a heat-conducting layer 7 arranged on the signal combination circuit module 6, a grounding component 8 arranged on an outer surface 30 of the housing 3 and electrically connected to the signal combination circuit module 6, and an electromagnetic wave absorber 9 arranged in the housing 3 and between the housing 3 and the signal combination circuit module 6.The input terminals 4 are designed to be electrically connected to the transmitters and are configured to receive multiple input signals from the transmitters. The output terminal 5 is designed to be electrically connected to the common transmitting antenna.

[0011] The signal combination circuit module 6 is configured to process the input signals received from the input terminals 4, combine them into an output signal, and output the output signal via the output terminal 5 to the common transmitting antenna, enabling the common transmitting antenna to transmit the signal. In embodiments, the signal combination circuit module 6 can be a passive integrator, but is not limited to this.

[0012] The signal combination circuit module 6 includes a printed circuit board 61 and a variety of electronic components 62, which are arranged on the printed circuit board 61 and electrically connected to it. The electronic components 62 are configured to process and combine the input signals collectively via the printed circuit board 61 to obtain the output signal. Since there are many types of circuit structures that enable the signal combination circuit module 6 to process and combine the input signals to obtain the output signal, and since this technique is a conventional one and not a key feature of this disclosure, details thereof are omitted here for the sake of brevity.

[0013] With reference to the Fig. Sections 3 to 5 of the printed circuit board 61 include an insulating layer 611 with a thickness in the range of 0.1 mm to 1 mm. The printed circuit board 61 also includes a first copper foil layer 612 and a second copper foil layer 613, between which the insulating layer 611 is located. The first copper foil layer 612 and the second copper foil layer 613 are electrically connected to each other and are arranged on two opposite sides 611a, 611b of the insulating layer 611. The insulating layer 611 is formed with a through-hole 610, which is filled with a conductive material 614 to electrically connect the first copper foil layer 612 and the second copper foil layer 613. The electronic components 62 are arranged on one of the first copper foil layer 612 and the second copper foil layer 613 (i.e. either the first copper foil layer 612 or the second copper foil layer 613) and are electrically connected to it.

[0014] The signal combination circuit module 6 is electrically connected to the grounding component 8 for grounding.

[0015] The thermal conductivity layer 7 is essentially shaped as a plate and is arranged on one of the first copper foil layers 612 and the second copper foil layer 613, and is in direct contact with the other to dissipate the heat generated by the signal combination circuit module 6. In the embodiment of the Fig. 3 and Fig. The thermal conductivity layer 7 is arranged on the second copper foil layer 613 and is in direct contact with it, and the electronic components 62 are arranged on the first copper foil layer 612 and electrically connected to it. The thermal conductivity layer 7 can be an aluminum plate, a copper plate, a ceramic plate, etc., without being limited to these materials.

[0016] The electromagnetic wave absorber 9 is essentially shaped as a plate and is arranged between the first copper foil layer 612 of the printed circuit board 61 and the housing 3. The electromagnetic wave absorber 9 serves to absorb electromagnetic waves emitted by the signal combination circuit module 6 in order to prevent the electromagnetic waves emitted by the signal combination circuit module 6 from being reflected in the housing 3 and causing a deterioration of the intermodulation characteristics of the signal combination circuit module 6.

[0017] In summary, reducing the thickness of the insulating layer 611 of the printed circuit board 61 to 0.1 mm to 1 mm allows the entire signal combination circuit module 6 to more easily control the characteristics of high-frequency bands (e.g., 5.8 GHz) and enables the heat generated by the electronic components 62 to penetrate the first copper foil layer 612 and the second copper foil layer 613 and be transferred to the thermal interface material 7, thus achieving good heat dissipation. Furthermore, the thermal interface material 7 can also be used as a support structure for the reduced-thickness printed circuit board 61 to enhance the physical structural strength of the signal combination circuit module 6. Therefore, the purpose of the disclosure can indeed be achieved.

[0018] For illustrative purposes, numerous specific details have been set forth in the foregoing description to enable a comprehensive understanding of the embodiment(s). However, it is obvious to a person skilled in the art that one or more other embodiments can be implemented in practice without some of these specific details. It should also be clear that any reference in this patent specification to "a particular embodiment," "an embodiment," an embodiment with an ordinal number, etc., means that a particular feature, structure, or property can be incorporated into the practice disclosed.It should also be clear that in the description, various features are sometimes combined in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof to simplify the disclosure and facilitate understanding of various inventive aspects; however, this does not mean that each of these features must be implemented in practice simultaneously with all the other features. In other words, if, in any described embodiment, the implementation of one or more features or specific details does not interfere with the implementation of one or more other features or specific details, then that one or more features may be singled out and implemented in practice on their own, without the other one or more features or specific details.It should also be noted that when putting the disclosure into practice, it may be possible to implement one or more features or certain details from one embodiment together with one or more features or certain details from another embodiment.

Claims

[1] Antenna combiner (200), comprising: a housing (3); a multitude of input terminals (4) which are mounted on the housing (3) and configured to each receive a multitude of input signals; an output port (5) which is mounted on the housing (3); a signal combination circuit module (6) arranged in the housing (3), electrically connected between the plurality of input terminals (4) and the output terminal (5) and configured to process the plurality of input signals received by the plurality of input terminals (4) and combine them into an output signal and output the output signal via the output terminal (5), wherein the signal combination circuit module (6) includes a printed circuit board (61) comprising an insulating layer (611) with a thickness in the range of 0.1 mm to 1 mm, as well as a first copper foil layer (612) and a second copper foil layer (613) which are electrically connected to each other and are each arranged on two opposite sides (611a, 611b) of the insulating layer (611), and a plurality of electronic components (62) arranged on one of the first copper foil layers (612) and the second copper foil layer (613) of the printed circuit board (61) and electrically connected to it, and configured to jointly process and combine the input signals to obtain the output signal; and a thermal conducting layer (7) which is arranged on one of the first copper foil layer (612) and the second copper foil layer (613) and is in direct contact with the other. [2] Antenna combiner (200) according to claim 1, wherein the heat conducting layer (7) is an aluminum plate, a copper plate or a ceramic plate. [3] Antenna combiner (200) according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising an absorber (9) for electromagnetic waves, which is arranged in the housing (3) and between the housing (3) and the signal combination circuit module (6). [4] Antenna combiner (200) according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising an earthing component (8) arranged on an outer surface (30) of the housing and electrically connected to the signal combination circuit module (6).

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