Communication Equipment and Devices

Abstract

An embodiment of the present application provides a communication device and an apparatus including the communication device, the communication device including a phase modulation circuit, a charging circuit, and an antenna, the phase modulation circuit configured to perform a phase adjustment on an electromagnetic signal, the charging circuit configured to convert the electromagnetic signal into electrical energy, the antenna configured to receive the electromagnetic signal, the antenna connected to the phase modulation circuit, and the electromagnetic signal transmitted to the phase modulation circuit via the antenna, the antenna connected to the charging circuit, and the electromagnetic signal transmitted to the charging circuit via the antenna.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] This application is proposed based on and claims priority to a Chinese patent application having application number 202210668276.1 and filing date of June 14, 2022, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference into this application.

[0002] TECHNICAL FIELD Embodiments of the present application relate to the field of communications technology, and more particularly, to communications devices and equipment. [Background technology]

[0003] With the development of wireless communication technology, the network scale is gradually expanding. The expansion of the network scale requires the introduction of more and more communication devices. Communication devices, such as base stations, user terminals, smart cars, smart homes, etc., need to be powered to operate normally.

[0004] In related technology, communication devices are powered by wired power supply, but wired power supply requires line planning and deployment, is limited by geographical environment, and increases costs. Wireless charging technology has also been proposed, but currently, it generally adopts magnetic resonance or induction, and is mainly used in short-distance charging scenarios. How to optimize power supply to communication devices is currently a problem that is waiting to be studied and solved. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] An embodiment of the present application provides a communication device and a communication device for realizing long-distance power supply and charging of a communication device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device, the device including a phase modulation circuit, a charging circuit, and an antenna, the phase modulation circuit configured to perform a phase adjustment on an electromagnetic signal, the charging circuit configured to convert the electromagnetic signal into electrical energy, the antenna configured to receive the electromagnetic signal, the antenna connected to the phase modulation circuit, and the electromagnetic signal transmitted to the phase modulation circuit via the antenna, the antenna connected to the charging circuit, and the electromagnetic signal transmitted to the charging circuit via the antenna.

[0007] According to a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device, the device including an antenna module, a signal processing module, and an energy receiving module, the antenna module including an antenna management unit and an antenna array, the antenna array configured to receive electromagnetic signals, the antenna management unit configured to control an operation mode of the antenna array or manage allocation of antenna array resources, the signal processing module including a phase adjustment unit and a signal processing unit, the phase adjustment unit including a phase modulation circuit configured to perform phase adjustment on the electromagnetic signal, the signal processing unit configured to process the electromagnetic signal and obtain information contained in the electromagnetic signal, the energy receiving module including an energy conversion unit and an energy management unit, the energy conversion unit including an energy charging circuit configured to convert the electromagnetic signal into electrical energy, and the energy management unit configured to collect and manage the electrical energy.

[0008] According to a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device, said communication device comprising a communication apparatus according to the first or second aspect. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a wired power supply. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of wireless charging. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a battery power supply. [Figure 4] 1 is a schematic diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application; [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a charging circuit according to an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a charging circuit according to an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 7] 1 is a schematic diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 8] 1 is a schematic diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 9] 1 is a schematic diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 10] 1 is a schematic diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 11] 1 is a schematic diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 12] 1 is a schematic operational diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a communication device according to some embodiments of the present application operating in different frequency bands. [Figure 14] 1 illustrates a possible charging circuit according to some embodiments of the present application. [Figure 15] 1 is a possible phase modulation circuit according to some embodiments of the present application. [Figure 16] 1 is a possible antenna in some embodiments of the present application. [Figure 17] 1 is a schematic diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 18] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an application of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present application clearer, the present application will be described in more detail below with reference to the drawings and examples. The specific examples described herein are only used to interpret the present application, and are not intended to limit the present application.

[0011] Although the schematic diagram of the device has been divided into functional modules and a logical order has been shown in the flowchart, in some cases the division of modules in the device may differ, or the steps shown or described may be performed in a different order than in the flowchart. The terms "first", "second", etc. in the specification, claims, and above drawings are used to distinguish between similar objects, and are not necessarily intended to describe a particular order or sequence.

[0012] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise clearly limited, terms such as installation, mounting, connection, etc. should be understood in a broad sense, and those skilled in the art may reasonably determine the specific meaning of the above words in the embodiments of the present application by referring to the specific content of the technical solution. In the embodiments of the present application, terms such as "further," "exemplary," or "optionally" are used to represent examples, illustrations, or explanations, and should not be construed as being preferred or superior to other embodiments or design solutions. The use of terms such as "further," "exemplary," or "optionally" is intended to present related concepts in a specific manner.

[0013] The embodiments of the present application may be used in various communication systems, such as a Global System of Mobile communication (GSM) system, a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) system, a Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) system, a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), a Long Term Evolution (LTE) system, an Advanced long term evolution (LIE-A) system, a Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS), 5G, Beyond Fifth Generation (B5G), and a 6th Generation (6G) system, and the embodiments of the present application are not limited thereto.

[0014] The embodiments of the present application may be used in user terminals such as mobile phones and tablet PCs, in vehicle network communication devices such as smart automobiles and road side units (RSUs), in Internet of Things communication devices such as smart robots, robot arms, and wireless sensors, in smart metasurfaces, wireless relays, and other wireless mobile terminals, and the embodiments of the present application are not limited thereto.

[0015] The operation of a communication device generally requires electrical energy, and there are various ways to provide electrical energy to the communication device. In order to describe the technical solution in detail, different application scenarios are taken as examples to further explain and explain the power supply and charging of communication devices.

[0016] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of wired power supply. As shown in FIG. 1, a communication device, such as a base station 100, is powered through a power line for normal operation. With the expansion of network demand, more and more communication devices are used. With the increase of communication devices, the wired power supply or charging method is more and more difficult to deploy and install power lines. In addition, application scenarios such as smart home and industrial Internet of Things involve a large number of communication devices, but the space is generally limited, so that if a wired power supply or charging method is adopted, it is difficult to fully apply to this new application scenario, and the flexibility of device movement is also limited.

[0017] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of wireless charging. As shown in FIG. 2, a communication device, for example, a user terminal 200, is charged wirelessly for normal operation. However, the related art adopts a magnetic resonance or induction charging method. Magnetic resonance charging uses a time-varying magnetic field to generate an induced current on an induction coil to charge, whereas induction charging uses a short-distance induction field to generate resonance at the receiving end to realize energy transfer. As can be seen, the above wireless charging method is applied to short-distance charging (generally centimeter-level to meter-level), and has limited application scenarios, for example, it is difficult to meet scenarios where communication devices such as wireless communication networks are far away (tens of meters to several kilometers).

[0018] In some other application scenarios, such as the Internet of Things, the terminal directly converts the received electromagnetic signal into energy for signal transmission. This power supply and charging adopts backscattering technology, and the wireless charging distance is longer than that of magnetic resonance and induction, but it is still limited. In addition, this technology can only be applied to low receiving power, intermittent and extremely low rate wireless communication, so the application scenarios are limited.

[0019] Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of battery power supply. As shown in Fig. 3, a communication device, such as an Internet of Things device 300, is powered through a built-in battery for normal operation. However, when relying on the power supply from the built-in battery, the normal operation time is highly dependent on the battery life, which restricts the development of the Internet of Things.

[0020] The embodiments of the present application provide a communication device and equipment, and provide energy to the communication device by installing a phase modulation circuit, a charging circuit, and an antenna, and converting an electromagnetic signal into electrical energy, thereby realizing long-distance wireless power supply and charging of the communication device, reducing the number of power supply lines, improving the flexibility of the use and installation deployment of the device, and reducing installation and maintenance costs. Some other embodiments of the present application provide a base station, and install a communication device capable of long-distance wireless charging, thereby reducing the complexity of the base station location and power supply line planning, and also significantly reducing the maintenance management costs after construction.

[0021] The embodiments of the present application are further described below with reference to the drawings.

[0022] 4 is a schematic diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 4, the communication device 400 includes at least an antenna 410, a charging circuit 420, and a phase modulation circuit 430.

[0023] The antenna 410 is configured to receive an electromagnetic signal. In one embodiment, the antenna 410 receives an externally transmitted electromagnetic signal, and the charging circuit 420 is configured to convert the electromagnetic signal into electrical energy.

[0024] In one embodiment, the electrical energy is used to power the communication device to allow it to operate normally.

[0025] In another embodiment, electrical energy is stored and released by the energy storage device when used to power the communication device.The phase modulation circuit 430 is configured to provide a phase adjustment to the electromagnetic signal.

[0026] In one embodiment, the phase modulation circuit 430 applies a phase change to the received electromagnetic signal.

[0027] In another embodiment, the adjustment circuit 430 can change the propagation direction of the incident electromagnetic signal and adjust the phase so that the electromagnetic signal can be accurately propagated to a predetermined receiving end. The antenna 410 is connected to the charging circuit 420, and the electromagnetic signal is transmitted to the charging circuit 420 via the antenna 410.

[0028] In one embodiment, the electromagnetic signal is transmitted via antenna 410 to charging circuit 420. The charging circuit 420 converts the electromagnetic signal into electrical energy. The antenna 410 is connected to a phase modulation circuit 430, and the electromagnetic signal is transmitted via antenna 410 to a phase modulation circuit 430.

[0029] In one embodiment, the electromagnetic signal is transmitted via antenna 410 to phase modulation circuit 430. Phase modulation circuit 430 applies a phase adjustment to the electromagnetic signal.

[0030] The communication device of this embodiment is provided with a charging circuit, which converts the received electromagnetic signal into electrical energy to provide energy to the device, thereby realizing long-distance wireless charging and power supply, and has a wide range of application scenarios.

[0031] In one embodiment, the charging circuit 420 may include circuit elements such as a capacitor, an inductor, a diode, a field effect transistor, etc. The present application does not limit the specific circuit structure of the charging circuit 420, as long as it can convert an electromagnetic signal into electrical energy.

[0032] In one embodiment, the phase modulation circuit 430 may include circuit elements such as a phase shifter, a capacitor, an inductor, etc. The present application does not limit the specific circuit structure of the phase modulation circuit 430, as long as it can perform phase modulation on an electromagnetic signal.

[0033] In one embodiment, the antenna 410 can reflect an electromagnetic signal. Specifically, when the antenna 410 receives an electromagnetic signal, a portion of the received electromagnetic signal is reflected to the outside after undergoing phase adjustment.

[0034] In one embodiment, the antenna 410 can transmit electromagnetic signals. Specifically, when the antenna 410 receives an electromagnetic signal, a portion of the received electromagnetic signal is transmitted to the outside after undergoing phase adjustment.

[0035] In one embodiment, the antenna 410 can reflect and transmit electromagnetic signals. Specifically, when the antenna 410 receives an electromagnetic signal, a portion of the received electromagnetic signal is reflected to the outside after undergoing phase adjustment, and another portion of the electromagnetic signal is transmitted to the outside after undergoing phase adjustment.

[0036] In one embodiment, the antenna 410 can receive an electromagnetic signal, amplify the received electromagnetic signal, and then emit the signal to the outside. Specifically, when the antenna 410 receives an electromagnetic signal, a portion of the received electromagnetic signal is phase-adjusted and amplified before being emitted to the outside.

[0037] Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of a charging circuit according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Fig. 5, the charging circuit 420 may include a phase modulation circuit 430. Specifically, the phase modulation circuit 430 may be composed of some electronic elements of the charging circuit 420, thereby reducing hardware costs.

[0038] Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of a charging circuit according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Fig. 6, the phase modulation circuit 430 may include a charging circuit 420. Specifically, the charging circuit 420 may be composed of some electronic elements of the phase modulation circuit 430, thereby reducing hardware costs.

[0039] In another embodiment, the charging circuit 420 and the phase modulation circuit 430 include the same electronic elements. In particular, the charging circuit 420 and the phase modulation circuit 430 have shared electronic elements.

[0040] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 7, the communication device 400 further includes a switching circuit 450. The switching switch 450 realizes the sharing of electronic elements between the charging circuit 420 and the phase modulation circuit 430. The communication device according to this embodiment includes a switching switch, and the cost of the communication device can be reduced by realizing the sharing of electronic elements by the switching switch. The switching circuit may control the on / off of the connection circuit between the charging circuit and the phase modulation circuit and the antenna, and may connect the charging circuit and the antenna but disconnect the connection between the phase modulation circuit and the antenna as necessary, may connect the phase modulation circuit and the antenna but disconnect the connection between the charging circuit and the antenna, or may connect or disconnect the phase modulation circuit and the charging circuit and the antenna simultaneously.

[0041] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 8, the communication device 400 further includes a battery module 440. The battery module 440 is used to store electrical energy. When the antenna 410 receives an electromagnetic signal, the charging circuit 420 converts at least a part of the electromagnetic signal into electrical energy. The electrical energy may be directly supplied to the communication device 400 or may be stored in the battery module 440 for the normal operation of the communication device 400. When the communication device 400 requires electrical energy, for example when the power supply of the communication device 400 is insufficient, the communication device 400 is supplied with electrical energy via the battery module 440 for the normal operation of the communication device 400.

[0042] 9 is a schematic diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 9, in the communication device 400, an antenna 410 includes an energy antenna 411 and an information antenna 412. The energy antenna 411 can receive an electromagnetic signal, and the electromagnetic signal received through the energy antenna 411 is converted into electric energy via a charging circuit 420. The information antenna 412 can receive an electromagnetic signal, and communication information contained in the electromagnetic signal can be obtained by processing the electromagnetic signal received by the information antenna 412.

[0043] In one embodiment, the communication device 400 includes an antenna array consisting of a plurality of energy antennas 411. The electromagnetic signals received by some of the energy antennas 411 also include communication information, and the required communication information can be obtained by processing the electromagnetic signals received by some of the energy antennas 411. That is, some of the energy antennas 411 may be used as information antennas 412.

[0044] In one embodiment, the communication device 400 includes an antenna array consisting of a plurality of information antennas 412. The electromagnetic signal received by the information antenna 412 can be converted into electrical energy. When the electromagnetic signal received by the information antenna 412 is processed by the charging circuit 420, it can also be converted into electrical energy. That is, some of the information antennas 412 can be used as the energy antenna 411.

[0045] In another embodiment, the energy antenna 411 and the information antenna 412 include the same antenna unit. Specifically, the energy antenna 411 and the information antenna 412 have a shared antenna.

[0046] 10 is a schematic diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 10, the communication device 400 further includes a signal processing unit 460. The signal processing unit 460 is used to process the electromagnetic signal to obtain information contained in the electromagnetic signal. When the antenna 410 receives the electromagnetic signal, the signal processing unit 460 performs processing such as filtering, amplifying, denoising, demodulating, decoding, etc. on at least a part of the electromagnetic signal to obtain information contained in the signal.

[0047] The communication device 400 of the present application has various modes of operation.

[0048] In one embodiment, the communication device has a first mode of operation, where the first mode of operation is to perform signal processing on the electromagnetic signal to obtain information contained in the electromagnetic signal, and in one embodiment, the communication device has a second mode of operation, where the second mode of operation is to convert the electromagnetic signal into electrical energy.

[0049] In another embodiment, the communication device has a third mode of operation, where the third mode of operation is to perform signal processing on the electromagnetic signal to obtain information contained in the electromagnetic signal and to convert the electromagnetic signal to electrical energy.

[0050] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 11, the communication device 500 includes an antenna module 510, a signal processing module 520, and an energy receiving module 530. The antenna module includes an antenna management unit and an antenna array, where the antenna array is used to receive electromagnetic signals, and the antenna management unit is used to control the working mode of the antenna array or manage the allocation of antenna array resources. The antenna array includes an information antenna and an energy antenna. The signal processing module includes a phase adjustment unit and a signal processing unit, where the phase adjustment unit includes a phase modulation circuit, where the phase modulation circuit is used to perform phase adjustment on the electromagnetic signal, and the signal processing unit is used to process the electromagnetic signal and obtain information contained in the electromagnetic signal. The energy receiving module includes an energy conversion unit and an energy management unit, where the energy conversion unit includes an energy charging circuit, where the energy charging circuit is used to convert the electromagnetic signal into electrical energy, and the energy management unit is used to collect and manage the electrical energy.

[0051] In one embodiment, the communication device has a wireless charging mode and a wireless communication mode. In the wireless charging mode, the communication device receives an electromagnetic signal (hereinafter also referred to as an energy signal for ease of distinction) emitted from the outside, converts the received signal into electrical energy, and may be used for internal power supply. In the wireless communication mode, the communication device receives an electromagnetic signal emitted from the outside, and processes the received signal to obtain information contained in the signal. The processing of the electromagnetic signal may include filtering, amplification, noise reduction, demodulation, decoding, etc. For ease of description, the electromagnetic signal received in this mode is referred to as an information signal. The electromagnetic signal received in the wireless charging mode and the electromagnetic signal received in the wireless communication mode may be the same type of signal or different types of signals, for example, signals of the same frequency or different frequencies, and may be signals from the same emission source or different emission sources.

[0052] In one embodiment, the communication device may set the operation mode according to time, for example, in one time period, the communication device may be in a wireless charging mode operation mode, and in another time period, the communication device may be in a wireless communication mode operation mode.

[0053] In another embodiment, the communication device may be in two operating modes simultaneously, i.e., processing some of the received electromagnetic signals to obtain information contained in the signals, and converting other parts of the received electromagnetic signals into electrical energy for internal use.

[0054] To describe in more detail the operation mode of a communication device according to one embodiment of the present application, the operation mode of the communication device will now be described with reference to FIG.

[0055] Fig. 12 is an operation schematic diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Fig. 12, the communication device operates in a first operation mode M1 during a time period t1-t3, and operates in a second operation mode M2 ​​during a time period t2-t4, and the two time periods have an overlapping time interval, i.e., t2-t3, during which the communication device operates in two modes at the same time, and can communicate and charge at the same time. The first operation mode M1 can be a wireless charging mode or a wireless communication mode, and the second operation mode M2 ​​can be a wireless communication mode or a wireless charging mode.

[0056] When the communication device simultaneously activates the two operating modes M1 and M2, in order to avoid mutual interference between the information signal and the energy signal, it may use different operating frequency bands, i.e., the wireless communication uses a part of a sub-band of the available frequency band, and the wireless charging uses another part of the sub-band, and the two sub-bands may be continuous frequency bands or segmented frequency bands.

[0057] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram of the operation of communication devices in different frequency bands in some embodiments of the present application. As shown in FIG. 13(a), among the available frequency bands f1-f3, the f1-f2 subbands are used for wireless charging, and the f2-f3 subbands are used for wireless communication. Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 13(b), the available frequency band is divided into multiple subbands, and wireless charging and wireless communication use these subbands respectively. In future communication systems, there may be multiple available frequency bands among communication devices, such as sub-6G, millimeter wave, terahertz frequency bands, and at this time, in each available frequency band, the frequency resource division shown in FIG. 13 can still be adopted for wireless charging and wireless communication.

[0058] In one embodiment, the communication device performs wireless communication and wireless charging using the same frequency. To avoid interference between the information signal and the energy signal, they may be performed at different time periods. For example, wireless communication is performed at time period 1, and wireless charging is performed at time period 2, and there is no intersection between time period 1 and time period 2. When wireless charging and wireless communication are performed at different times, the communication device can improve the signal-to-noise ratio of the transmitted and received signals by selecting and using all antennas available for information transmission and reception in the wireless communication mode for communication. Similarly, the communication device can improve charging efficiency by using all antennas available for energy reception in the wireless charging mode for receiving the energy signal.

[0059] In one embodiment, the communication device uses the same frequency for wireless communication and wireless charging. In order to avoid interference between the information signal and the energy signal, different antennas may be used to receive the information signal and the energy signal. A typical scenario is that the information signal and the energy signal come from different directions, and different receiving arrays are used to receive the information signal and the energy signal, respectively, to reduce interference.

[0060] In one embodiment, when the same antenna is required for two working modes of the communication device, the wireless communication mode and the wireless charging mode may be performed in different time periods to avoid signal interference, for example, time period 1 is used for wireless communication and time period 2 is used for wireless charging, and time period 1 and time period 2 have no intersection.

[0061] In one embodiment, while the same antenna is required for both operational modes of the communications device, the wireless communication mode and the wireless charging mode may use different frequency bands.

[0062] In one embodiment, an information signal radiated from outside has a wide beam and can be simultaneously received by an information receiving antenna and an energy receiving antenna of the communication device, the information signal received by the information receiving antenna is used for signal processing, and the information signal received by the energy receiving antenna is converted into electrical energy via a charging circuit.

[0063] In another embodiment, when the first operating mode M1 and the second operating mode M2 ​​are not turned on simultaneously, the operating mode switching of the communication device may adopt coordinated state control, i.e., coordinated control between turning on the wireless charging mode and turning off the wireless communication mode, and coordinated control between turning off the wireless charging mode and turning on the wireless communication mode, in order to reduce the control circuit and control signaling.

[0064] When the communication device operates in a wireless charging mode, electromagnetic signals received by the device are converted into electrical energy via a charging circuit, which may include circuit elements such as capacitors (including fixed capacitors and variable capacitors), inductors, diodes, field effect transistors, etc.

[0065] In one embodiment, the communication device may set the working mode according to the power supply situation. For example, after the communication device is charged for a long time, when the converted electric energy can provide sufficient power supply for the communication device, the wireless charging mode may be turned off to extend the service life of the charging module. When the communication device has no communication demand or the power supply is insufficient, the wireless communication mode may be turned off to reduce the energy consumption of the device. When the communication device needs continuous communication but the internal power supply is tight, the communication device may work in the wireless charging mode and the wireless communication mode simultaneously. The communication device may freely switch between the two different modes according to actual needs.

[0066] The communication device may have various operating modes in the wireless communication mode, for example, a communication transceiver mode and an electromagnetic regulation mode.

[0067] In the communication transmission / reception mode, the communication device can receive an electromagnetic signal through an information receiving antenna and process the received signal to obtain information contained in the signal, while it can also spontaneously emit an electromagnetic signal containing information to the outside through the information receiving antenna. The communication device can be used to transmit and receive information at the same time, or can be used to receive information in one time period and to transmit information in another time period. This operating method is mainly applied to communication devices that provide wireless access services (e.g., new base stations), personal mobile terminal type communication devices that require wireless access services (e.g., smartphones), and Internet of Things terminal type communication devices (e.g., various sensors).

[0068] In one embodiment, a communication device can provide wireless access services to other communication devices. The communication device broadcasts the wireless access services it provides through an information receiving antenna, and one communication device can send a wireless access request to the communication device after receiving the broadcast information, and the communication device receives the wireless access request through the information receiving antenna, sends information to the communication device through the information receiving antenna, checks whether to establish a connection, and provides a wireless communication service to the communication device after determining to establish the connection. In this embodiment, the communication device has the function of a communication base station.

[0069] In another embodiment, the communication device requests wireless access service from another communication device. The communication device receives a broadcast signal of the other communication device through an information receiving antenna, and confirms from the received broadcast signal that the other communication device can provide wireless access service, and the communication device transmits a signal to the communication device through its information receiving antenna to request an access wireless network, and monitors a response signal of the communication device through the information receiving antenna, and after confirming that the communication device connects, the communication device can exchange information with the other communication device through the communication device. In this embodiment, the communication device has the functions of a mobile communication terminal and an Internet of Things terminal.

[0070] When the communication device operates in the electromagnetic adjustment mode, the electromagnetic signal radiated from the outside to the communication device is received by the information receiving antenna, and then the phase is changed through the phase modulation circuit, and the communication device performs one of the following operations on the electromagnetic signal that has finally been phase adjusted: 1) reflecting the electromagnetic signal from the side where the signal is received to the outside; 2) transmitting the electromagnetic signal from the other side of the communication device to the outside; or 3) simultaneously reflecting and transmitting the electromagnetic signal so that the received electromagnetic signal propagates along two different directions. In this working mode, the communication device plays the role of changing the propagation direction of the incident electromagnetic signal, and through appropriate phase adjustment, the electromagnetic signal containing information can be accurately propagated to a predetermined information receiving end or energy receiving end. Therefore, in this working mode, the communication device can play the role of relaying information and energy.

[0071] In one embodiment, the communication device receives electromagnetic signals radiated from the outside through its N receiving antennas, and the electromagnetic signals are phase-modulated by a phase modulation circuit after passing through the information receiving antenna of the communication device, and then reflected. The phase modulation circuits connected to the N antennas can perform the same or different phase adjustments on the received signals, thereby changing the propagation direction or changing the distribution width of the signal in the spatial propagation path after the received electromagnetic signals are reflected by the communication device. For example, the reflected signals can be propagated in a concentrated manner in one or more specified directions, and for example, the reflected signals can have a wider or narrower distribution range than the incident signals. In this working method, the communication device has the functions of signal relay and smart metasurface.

[0072] In another embodiment, the communication device receives electromagnetic signals radiated from the outside through its N receiving antennas, and the electromagnetic signals are phase-modulated by a phase modulation circuit after passing through the information receiving antenna of the communication device, and then are transmitted. Transmitting means that the electromagnetic signals enter from one side of the communication device and exit from the other side of the communication device. The phase modulation circuits connected to the N antennas can perform the same or different phase adjustments on the received signals, thereby changing the propagation direction or changing the distribution width of the signal in the spatial propagation path after the received electromagnetic signals are transmitted by the communication device. For example, the transmitted signals can be propagated in a concentrated manner in one or more specified directions, and for example, the transmitted signals can have a wider or narrower distribution range than the incident signals. In this working method, the communication device has the functions of signal relay and smart metasurface.

[0073] In another embodiment, the communication device receives electromagnetic signals radiated from the outside through its N receiving antennas, and the electromagnetic signals are phase-modulated by a phase modulation circuit after passing through the information receiving antenna of the communication device, and are then reflected and transmitted. The phase modulation circuits connected to the N antennas can perform the same or different phase adjustments on the received signals, thereby changing the propagation direction or changing the distribution width of the signal in the spatial propagation path after the received electromagnetic signals are reflected and transmitted by the communication device. For example, the reflected and transmitted signals can be propagated in a concentrated manner in multiple specified directions, and for example, the reflected and transmitted signals can have a wider or narrower distribution range than the incident signal. In this working method, the communication device has the functions of signal relay and smart metasurface.

[0074] FIG. 14 is a possible charging circuit in some embodiments of the present application. The charging circuit shown in FIG. 14(a)-(c) includes at least a resonant circuit (circuit in a dotted line frame) and a shaping circuit (circuit in a dotted line frame), where the resonant circuit is composed of an inductor L1 and an inductor L2. As shown in FIG. 14(a), the shaping circuit is composed of a diode D and a capacitor C, as shown in FIG. 14(b), the shaping circuit is composed of a diode D1, a diode D2 and a capacitor C, as shown in FIG. 14(c), the shaping circuit is composed of diodes D1, D2, D3, D4 and a capacitor C. Here, the resonant circuit is used to convert the received electromagnetic signal into an AC current in the charging circuit, and the shaping circuit is responsible for converting the AC current into a DC output, which is used to power a communication device or store in a battery module.

[0075] In another embodiment, the charging circuit may be modified and improved based on these three circuits, and additional processing circuits (such as voltage stabilization circuits) may be added to achieve more efficient and smoother electrical energy conversion. This application does not limit the charging circuit, and any circuit that can realize charging may be used in the charging circuit of this patent.

[0076] FIG. 15 shows a possible phase modulation circuit in some embodiments of the present application. The phase modulation circuit may be configured by a circuit including a phase shifter, or may be configured by a microstrip circuit or a resonant structure integrated in the receiving antenna. FIG. 15(a) shows a phase modulation circuit that realizes the signal phase modulation function by a phase shifter. FIG. 15(b) shows a schematic diagram of a phase modulation circuit integrated in an antenna unit. The two metal patches 1510 of each patch antenna unit 1500 in FIG. 15(b) are connected by a vector diode 1520, which changes the phase of the received signal.

[0077] The phase modulation circuit may be improved or optimized based on the circuit shown in Fig. 15, for example, the actuator diode may be changed to a PIN diode, a liquid crystal unit, a MEMS unit, etc., a phase calibration circuit may be added to make the phase modulation more accurate, and an amplifier circuit may be added to increase the signal strength, etc. This application does not limit the phase modulation circuit, and any circuit that can realize phase modulation may be used in the phase modulation circuit of this patent.

[0078] The charging circuit and the phase modulation circuit may have different configurations. In one embodiment, the wireless charging circuit and the phase modulation circuit may share electronic elements. The sharing of electronic elements can reduce the cost of the communication device, and a changeover switch may be added between the two types of circuits to realize the sharing of electronic elements. In one embodiment, the phase modulation circuit is a subset of the wireless charging circuit. Integrating the phase modulation circuit into the wireless charging circuit can effectively reduce the area of ​​the circuit board, which is favorable for miniaturization of the communication device. In another embodiment, the wireless charging circuit is a subset of the phase modulation circuit. Integrating the wireless charging circuit into the phase modulation circuit can also effectively reduce the area of ​​the circuit board, which is favorable for miniaturization of the communication device.

[0079] The antenna may have different configurations. In one embodiment, the energy receiving antenna is connected to the wireless charging circuit and used to provide the received energy signal to the charging circuit, and the electromagnetic signal is converted into electrical energy for use inside the communication device after being introduced into the wireless charging circuit. The energy receiving antenna may be configured by a single antenna or a multi-antenna array. When the communication device works in wireless charging mode, at least the energy receiving antenna and the wireless charging circuit need to be turned on. The energy receiving antenna may have a signal emission capability that can emit an electromagnetic signal to the outside. In another embodiment, the information receiving antenna is used to receive an information signal and may be configured by a single antenna or a multi-antenna array. When the communication device works in wireless communication mode, at least the information receiving antenna and the phase modulation circuit need to be turned on. When connected to the phase modulation circuit, it realizes phase adjustment of the signal. When the phase modulation circuit is integrated into the antenna unit using the scheme shown in FIG. 15(b), the information receiving antenna can reflect or transmit the received information signal, or reflect and transmit at the same time. The information receiving antenna may also have a signal emission capability that can emit an electromagnetic signal to the outside.

[0080] The information antenna and the energy antenna may have different configurations. Figure 16 shows possible antenna configurations in some embodiments of the present application.

[0081] As shown in Figure 16(a), the information receiving antenna and the energy receiving antenna have no crossover, and the communication device uses different antennas for information receiving and energy receiving. It may be understood that the communication device shares N antennas (N≧2), where N1 antennas are only used to receive information signals, and N2 antennas are only used to receive energy signals, and N1>0, N2>0, and N1+N2=N.

[0082] As shown in Fig. 16(b), there is a crossover between the energy receiving antennas and the information receiving antennas, and some antennas of the communication device may be used only for receiving information signals, some antennas may be used only for receiving energy signals, and some antennas may be used for receiving information signals and receiving energy signals. It may be understood that the communication device includes N antennas, N≧2, where N1 antennas are used only for receiving information signals, N2 antennas are used only for receiving energy signals, and N3 antennas may be used for receiving information signals and may be used for receiving energy signals, and N1≧0, N2≧0, N3≧0, and N1+N2+N3=N.

[0083] As shown in FIG. 16(c), the energy receiving antenna is a subset of the information receiving antenna, and the antennas of the communication device may all be used to receive information signals, and some of them may be used to receive energy signals; it may be understood that the communication device includes N antennas, where N≧1, and all of the N antennas are used to receive information signals, among which N1 antennas may further be used to receive energy signals, and N1≦N.

[0084] As shown in FIG. 16(d), the information receiving antenna is a subset of the energy receiving antenna, and the antennas of the communication device may all be used to receive energy signals, and some of them may be used to receive information signals; it may be understood that the communication device includes N antennas, where N≧1, and all of the N antennas are used to receive energy signals, among which N1 antennas may further be used to receive information signals, and N1≦N.

[0085] 16 only shows a schematic of the collective relationship of the two antennas, and does not represent the actual spatial positions of the two antennas. The present application does not limit the spatial position of the receiving antenna, and any reasonable antenna topology design may be used in the communication device of the present application.

[0086] The communication device selects an appropriate number of antennas from all antennas according to actual applications, and uses them for wireless charging and wireless communication, respectively. When it is necessary to enhance the signal-to-noise ratio of a received or emitted signal, the communication device may select all antennas available for receiving and emitting information to transmit and receive information. When it is necessary to reduce power consumption for reception or emission, the communication device may select only some antennas available for receiving and emitting information to transmit and receive information. When it is necessary to improve wireless charging efficiency, the communication device may select all antennas capable of receiving an energy signal to use for wireless charging. When communication and wireless charging are required simultaneously, the communication device may determine the number of antennas to be used for information transmission and reception and energy signal reception according to the signal-to-noise ratio requirement of the information signal and the current electrical energy demand.

[0087] In one embodiment, the communication device may include a rechargeable battery module for storing the electrical energy converted during wireless charging so that the communication device can have a more stable power supply.

[0088] 17 is a schematic diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 17, the communication device includes an antenna module, an information processing module, and an energy receiving module. Here, the energy receiving module can convert an electromagnetic signal radiated from the outside into electrical energy and provide power to the entire base station through an internal circuit, and the information processing module can receive an electromagnetic signal radiated from the outside that contains information, and perform information extraction, reflection, transmission, or re-emission on the received signal.

[0089] In one embodiment, the antenna module comprises an antenna array and an antenna management module. The antenna array includes two types of antennas, an information receiving antenna and an energy receiving antenna, and comprises at least N antennas, where N≧1, and can receive electromagnetic signals emitted from the outside, where Nt antennas can simultaneously emit electromagnetic signals, where Nt≦N. The antenna management module includes two functions, the first function is to control the switching of the working modes of the antennas in the antenna array, where the working modes of the antennas include transmitting signals and receiving signals, and the second function is to manage the allocation of antenna resources, specifically determining the number of antennas N1 for transmitting and receiving information signals and the number of antennas N2 for receiving energy signals, where N1≦Nt, N2≦N, and based on the determined N1 and N2, the antenna management module switches the antennas between the two functions of receiving information signals and receiving energy signals by connecting the corresponding antennas to the information processing module and the energy conversion module, respectively. Therefore, the information receiving antennas and the energy receiving antennas of the antenna array can be switched to each other. Antennas used for receiving energy and transmitting and receiving signals may include half-wave dipole antennas, microstrip patch antennas, leaky wave antennas, lens antennas, meta-material antennas, and the like.

[0090] In one embodiment, the information processing module comprises a phase adjustment module and a signal processing module, where the phase adjustment module is configured by a phase modulation circuit and can perform phase adjustment on the received electromagnetic signal, and the signal processing module is configured by a signal processing circuit system and a signal processing software system and can perform general processing, such as filtering, amplification, noise reduction, encoding, decoding, modulation, demodulation, etc., on the signal to be transmitted and the received signal. The information processing module can perform two kinds of operations on the electromagnetic signal introduced from the antenna array, one kind is phase adjustment, which is completed by the phase adjustment sub-module, and after the phase adjustment is completed, the signal is reflected, transmitted, or simultaneously reflected and transmitted in the propagation direction specified by the communication device, and another kind of operation is information reception, which is completed by the signal processing sub-module, and the information contained in the received signal can be restored after the signal processing is completed.

[0091] In one embodiment, the energy receiving unit comprises an energy conversion module and an electric energy management module, where the energy conversion module is configured by a wireless charging circuit and can convert the electromagnetic signal received by the antenna array into electric energy. The electric energy management module can collect and manage the electric energy converted by the energy conversion module, and provide power to the entire communication device through the base station internal circuit. The electric energy management module may further include a rechargeable battery module. The electric energy management module may store the collected electric energy in the battery module to provide a more stable power supply.

[0092] In one embodiment, the information processing module and the energy receiving module may share some circuits with electronic elements to reduce costs and circuit board area.The communication device according to this embodiment may be used to realize the functions of a communication base station, a smart metasurface, a mobile terminal, and an Internet of Things terminal.

[0093] The communication device according to the embodiment of the present application may be used in electronic devices such as base stations, communication devices, and terminals. Fig. 18 is a schematic diagram of an application of the communication device according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Fig. 18, the communication device according to the embodiment of the present application is installed in a terminal 200 such as a mobile phone, and the mobile phone can receive electromagnetic signals emitted from a distance and convert them into electrical energy to charge an internal battery, thereby increasing the wireless charging distance.

[0094] As can be understood by those skilled in the art, all or part of the steps in the methods disclosed above, and the functional modules / units in the systems and devices may be implemented as software, firmware, hardware, or an appropriate combination thereof.

[0095] In hardware embodiments, the division between the functional modules / units mentioned in the above description does not necessarily correspond to the division of physical assemblies, for example, one physical assembly may have multiple functions, or one function or step may be performed jointly by several physical assemblies. Some or all of the physical assemblies may be implemented as software executed by a processor, such as a central processor, digital signal processor or microprocessor, or as hardware, or as an integrated circuit, such as a dedicated integrated circuit. Such software may be distributed on computer-readable media, which may include computer storage media (or non-transitory media) and communication media (or transitory media). As known to those skilled in the art, the term computer storage media includes volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storing information (e.g., computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data). Computer storage media includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disk (DVD) or other optical disk storage, magnetic cartridges, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to store the desired information and that can be accessed by a computer. As known to those skilled in the art, communication media typically include computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data in a modulated data signal, such as a carrier or other transport mechanism, and may include any information delivery media.

[0096] As used herein, the terms "component," "module," "system," and the like are used to represent computer-related entities, hardware, firmware, a combination of hardware and software, software, or software in execution. For example, a component may be, but is not limited to, a process running on a processor, a processor, an object, an executable file, a thread of execution, a program, or a computer. By way of illustration, both an application running on a computing device and a computing device may be components. One or more components may reside in a process or thread of execution, and the components may be located on one computer or distributed among two or more computers. It should be noted that these components may execute from various computer readable media having various data structures stored thereon. The components may communicate via local or remote processes based on signals, for example, having one or more data packets (e.g., data from two components interacting with another component in a local system, a distributed system, or between a network, e.g., the Internet interacting with other systems via signals).

[0097] Although some embodiments of the present application have been described above with reference to the drawings, they are not intended to limit the scope of the present application. Any modifications, equivalent replacements and improvements made by those skilled in the art within the scope and substance of the present application should be within the scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A communication device, comprising: A phase modulation circuit, a charging circuit, and an antenna, the phase modulation circuit is configured to perform a phase adjustment on an electromagnetic signal; the charging circuit is configured to convert an electromagnetic signal into electrical energy; the antenna is configured to receive the electromagnetic signal; the antenna is connected to the phase modulation circuit, and the electromagnetic signal is transmitted to the phase modulation circuit via the antenna; The antenna is connected to the charging circuit, and the electromagnetic signal is transmitted to the charging circuit via the antenna.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the charging circuit and the phase modulation circuit share at least some electronic elements.

3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a switching circuit, by which switching between the charging circuit and the phase modulation circuit can be realized.

4. The device of claim 1 or 2, further comprising a battery module configured to store the electrical energy.

5. The antenna includes an energy antenna and an information antenna, The energy antenna is configured to receive an electromagnetic signal, the electromagnetic signal received by the energy antenna being converted into electrical energy; The device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the information antenna is configured to receive electromagnetic signals, and the electromagnetic signals received by the information antenna are processed to obtain communication information.

6. The antenna includes an information antenna; The information antenna includes an energy antenna, and at least a part of the information antenna is switchable to an energy antenna; The device of claim 1 , wherein the energy antenna is configured to receive an electromagnetic signal.

7. The antenna includes an energy antenna; The energy antenna includes an information antenna, and at least a part of the energy antenna is switchable to an information antenna; The device of claim 1 , wherein the information antenna is configured to receive an electromagnetic signal.

8. The apparatus further comprises a signal processing unit; the signal processing unit is configured to process the electromagnetic signal to obtain information contained in the electromagnetic signal; 8. Apparatus according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the electromagnetic signals received by the information antenna are processed by the signal processing unit to obtain information contained in the electromagnetic signals.

9. the communication device has a first mode of operation, a second mode of operation, and a third mode of operation; the first mode of operation being to perform signal processing of the electromagnetic signal to obtain information contained in the electromagnetic signal; the second mode of operation being to convert an electromagnetic signal into electrical energy; 3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the third mode of operation is to perform signal processing of the electromagnetic signal to obtain information contained in the electromagnetic signal and to convert the electromagnetic signal into electrical energy.

10. The communication device receives an electromagnetic signal via an energy antenna; 8. The device according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the electromagnetic signal is converted into electrical energy via an energy charging circuit.

11. The communication device receives an electromagnetic signal via an information antenna; 8. The apparatus according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the electromagnetic signal undergoes phase adjustment via a phase modulation circuit.

12. The antenna further comprises: Reflecting an electromagnetic signal; and and transmitting an electromagnetic signal; The reflection or transmission of the electromagnetic signal is reflecting the electromagnetic signal after performing a phase adjustment on the electromagnetic signal received by the phase modulation circuit; transmitting the electromagnetic signal after performing a phase adjustment on the electromagnetic signal received by the phase modulation circuit; 3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising at least one of reflecting and transmitting the electromagnetic signal simultaneously after performing phase adjustment on the electromagnetic signal received by the phase modulation circuit.

13. The antenna is further configured to emit an electromagnetic signal; 3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the electromagnetic signal is emitted by the antenna after the phase modulation circuit performs phase adjustment on the received electromagnetic signal.

14. the antenna receives a first frequency band electromagnetic signal and a second frequency band electromagnetic signal; The first frequency band electromagnetic signal is received via the information antenna, and the first frequency band electromagnetic signal is used for wireless communication; 6. The device of claim 5, wherein the second frequency band electromagnetic signal is received via the energy antenna, and the second frequency band electromagnetic signal is used for wireless charging.

15. The communication device includes: receiving the electromagnetic signal for wireless communication during a first period of time; and receiving the electromagnetic signal used for wireless charging during a second time period.

16. A communication device, comprising: Including an antenna module, a signal processing module, and an energy receiving module; The antenna module includes an antenna management unit and an antenna array; the antenna array is configured to receive electromagnetic signals; The antenna management unit is configured to control an operation mode of the antenna array and manage allocation of antenna array resources; the signal processing module includes a phase adjustment unit and a signal processing unit; the phase adjustment unit includes a phase modulation circuit configured to perform a phase adjustment on an electromagnetic signal; the signal processing unit is configured to process an electromagnetic signal to obtain information contained in the electromagnetic signal; The energy receiving module includes an energy conversion unit and an energy management unit; The energy transformation unit includes an energy charging circuit configured to transform an electromagnetic signal into an electrical energy; The communication device, wherein the energy management unit is configured to collect or manage the electrical energy.

17. The communication device according to claim 16 , wherein the charging circuit and the phase modulation circuit share at least some electronic elements and circuits.

18. the antenna array includes an information antenna and an energy antenna; the energy antenna is configured to receive an electromagnetic signal; The communication device of claim 16 , wherein the information antenna is configured to receive electromagnetic signals.

19. The communication device of claim 16 , wherein the energy management unit further comprises a battery configured to store the electrical energy.

20. A communication device comprising a communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 19.

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