Antenna Module

Abstract

An antenna module according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a housing having an accommodation space therein and a first antenna arranged on at least one surface surrounding the accommodation space, and a substrate arranged in the accommodation space and having a second antenna arranged on an upper surface thereof so as to overlap at least a portion of the first antenna, the first antenna and the second antenna being spaced apart by a predetermined distance.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The embodiment relates to an antenna module that uses a coupling feeding method. [Background technology]

[0002] Recently, efforts have been made to develop improved 5th generation (5G) / Radar or pre-5G communication systems to meet the demands of wireless data traffic.

[0003] To achieve high data transmission rates, 5G communication systems use ultra-high frequency (mmWave) bands (sub-6 GHz, 28 GHz, 38 GHz, or higher frequencies). These high frequency bands are called mmWave due to their wavelength.

[0004] To mitigate the path loss of radio waves in the ultra-high frequency band and increase the transmission distance of radio waves, integration technologies such as beamforming, massive MIMO (massive MIMO), and array antennas are being developed for 5G communication systems.

[0005] Meanwhile, due to the high frequency characteristics of mmWave, antennas must be designed with a highly directional array structure. Accordingly, the antenna beam pattern must be sharp, but it must also cover a wide area depending on the application. However, since multiple elements, such as power supply circuits and transceiver circuits, must be designed along with the antenna on a single board, there are many spatial constraints when increasing the number of antennas or changing the antenna design.

[0006] Furthermore, due to the short wavelength of mmWave's high frequency characteristics, performance changes dramatically due to variations in dielectric constant and substrate. To solve this problem, Teflon (registered trademark) substrates with low dielectric constants are used to improve the performance of antenna modules, but this is very expensive compared to FR-4 substrates with relatively high dielectric constants, which increases the manufacturing cost.

[0007] Therefore, there is a demand for an antenna module that can solve these problems. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] The embodiment relates to an antenna module that can reduce manufacturing costs.

[0009] The embodiment relates to an antenna module that can improve design freedom.

[0010] The problems to be solved by the examples are not limited to these, and may also include the objectives and effects that can be grasped from the means for solving the problems and embodiments described below. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] An antenna module according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a housing having an accommodation space therein and a first antenna disposed on at least one surface surrounding the accommodation space, and a substrate disposed in the accommodation space and having a second antenna disposed on an upper surface thereof so as to overlap at least a portion of the first antenna, the first antenna and the second antenna being spaced apart by a predetermined distance.

[0012] The housing may include a protrusion disposed in the receiving space, the protrusion being formed on one surface of the housing facing an upper surface of the board.

[0013] The first antenna may be disposed on one surface of the protrusion facing the upper surface of the substrate.

[0014] The substrate may include a first region and a second region on an upper surface thereof that overlap the first antenna, and the second antenna may be disposed in the second region.

[0015] The substrate may have a dielectric constant greater than four.

[0016] The housing may include a recessed groove on at least one surface surrounding the receiving space, and the first antenna may be formed by plating in the recessed groove.

[0017] The first antenna may be a patch antenna array in which a plurality of patches are connected, and the second antenna may be a patch antenna formed by a single patch.

[0018] A first patch, which is one of the plurality of patches forming the first antenna, may overlap with a second patch forming the second antenna.

[0019] The first patch may be smaller than the second patch.

[0020] The separation distance between the first antenna and the second antenna may be set based on an operating frequency of the first antenna.

[0021] The sizes of the patches included in the first antenna may be set differently depending on the dielectric constant of the housing.

[0022] The antenna may include a guide portion disposed on an upper surface of the substrate to surround a side of the second antenna.

[0023] The guide portion may be spaced apart from an edge of the second antenna by a predetermined distance. [Effects of the Invention]

[0024] According to the embodiment, the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

[0025] This greatly improves the freedom of antenna design.

[0026] It can provide a wide bandwidth.

[0027] The various advantageous and beneficial effects of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned contents, but will be more easily understood in the course of describing specific embodiments of the present invention. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0028] [Figure 1] 1 is an exploded perspective view of an antenna module according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a first housing according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the first housing according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a top view of a substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] 1 is a cross-sectional view of an antenna module according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 4 is a diagram illustrating a first antenna, a second antenna, and a guide part according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] 10 shows a simulation result of the antenna module according to the embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0029] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0030] However, the technical concept of the present invention is not limited to the described embodiments, but may be embodied in various different forms, and one or more of the components of the embodiments may be selectively combined or substituted within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention.

[0031] Furthermore, unless otherwise clearly defined and described, terms (including technical and scientific terms) used in the embodiments of the present invention may be interpreted in a way that would be commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs, and commonly used terms, such as dictionary-defined terms, may be interpreted in light of the contextual meaning of the relevant art.

[0032] Furthermore, the terms used in the embodiments of the present invention are intended to explain the embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0033] In this specification, the singular can also include the plural unless otherwise specified in the context, and when it is stated as "A and (and) at least one (or more) of B and C," it can include one or more of all possible combinations of A, B, and C.

[0034] Additionally, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), etc. may be used to describe components of embodiments of the present invention.

[0035] Such terms are merely used to distinguish a component from other components, and are not intended to limit the nature, order, or sequence of the components.

[0036] Furthermore, when a component is described as being "coupled," "coupled," or "connected" to another component, it can include not only cases where the component is directly coupled, coupled, or connected to the other component, but also cases where the component is "coupled," "coupled," or "connected" by yet another component between the component and the other component.

[0037] Furthermore, when something is described as being formed or disposed "above or below" a component, "above" or "below" includes not only the case where two components are in direct contact with each other, but also the case where one or more other components are formed or disposed between the two components. Furthermore, when something is expressed as "above" or "below," it can mean not only the upper direction but also the lower direction based on one component.

[0038] The antenna module according to an embodiment of the present invention may refer to a device that is mounted in an electronic device to receive a signal transmitted from an external device or transmit a signal to an external device. The electronic device may include a vehicle, a smartphone, a tablet, a home appliance, etc. The antenna module according to an embodiment of the present invention may have the following structure to reduce manufacturing costs, extend bandwidth, and improve design flexibility.

[0039] Hereinafter, the structure of an antenna module according to an embodiment of the present invention will be examined in detail with reference to FIGS.

[0040] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an antenna module according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a first housing according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the first housing according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a top view of a substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an antenna module according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a first antenna, a second antenna, and a guide portion according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] The antenna module according to the embodiment of the present invention may include a housing 100 and a substrate 200 .

[0042] The housing 100 may be made of a material that is transparent to electromagnetic waves from the antenna. The housing 100 may be made of an electrical insulator. For example, the housing 100 may be made of a nylon-based plastic material with a sandwich structure. The housing 100 may be a radome.

[0043] The housing 100 may include an internal storage space, and the housing 100 may store a substrate 200 in the storage space.

[0044] The housing may include a first housing 110 and a second housing 150 .

[0045] The first housing 110 may refer to an upper housing. The first housing 110 may be formed in a form in which the bottom surface is open. According to one embodiment, the first housing 110 may be composed of four side walls and one upper plate. The first housing 110 may be configured in a form in which the edge of the upper plate is connected to the edges of the four side walls. Accordingly, the first housing 110 may form a first receiving space surrounded by the upper plate and the four side walls.

[0046] The second housing 150 may refer to the lower housing. The second housing 150 may be formed in a form in which the upper surface is open. According to one embodiment, the second housing 150 may be composed of four side walls and one lower plate. The second housing 150 may be configured in a form in which the edge of the lower plate is connected to the edges of the four side walls. Accordingly, the second housing 150 may form a second receiving space surrounded by the lower plate and the four side walls.

[0047] The first housing 110 and the second housing 150 may be coupled together. According to one embodiment, four side walls of the first housing 110 may be coupled to four corresponding side walls of the second housing 150, respectively. When the first housing 110 and the second housing 150 are coupled together, the housing 100 may form a closed accommodation space. That is, the housing 100 may form a single accommodation space in which the first accommodation space of the first housing 110 and the second accommodation space of the second housing 150 are connected. When coupled together, the first housing 110 and the second housing 150 may be sealed to prevent external foreign matter from penetrating into the accommodation space. For example, an adhesive or sealant may be applied to the coupling portions between the four side walls of the first housing 110 and the four side walls of the second housing 150. Although not shown, the first housing 110 and the second housing 150 may be fastened together using a fastening member.

[0048] The housing 100 may include a protrusion 120. The protrusion 120 may be disposed in the receiving space of the housing 100. The protrusion 120 may be disposed in the first receiving space of the first housing 110. The protrusion 120 may be formed on the first housing 110. The protrusion 120 may be formed on one side of the first housing 110. The protrusion 120 may be formed on the upper plate of the first housing 110. The protrusion 120 may be formed on a lower surface of the upper plate of the first housing 110. Here, the lower surface of the upper plate of the first housing 110 may refer to a surface of the upper plate of the first housing 110 that faces the receiving space of the housing 100, i.e., a surface that faces the substrate 200, i.e., a surface that faces the second housing 150. The protrusion 120 may be formed to protrude from the lower surface of the upper plate of the first housing 110 toward the receiving space of the housing 100. The protrusion 120 may be formed in a hexahedral shape, but is not limited thereto. The protrusion 120 may be formed integrally with the upper plate of the first housing 110, but is not limited thereto. The protrusion 120 may be formed separately from the upper plate and then coupled to the upper plate.

[0049] The housing 100 may include a first antenna 130. The first antenna 130 may be disposed on at least one surface of the housing 100 surrounding the receiving space. The first antenna 130 may be disposed on an upper plate of the first housing 110. According to one embodiment, the first antenna 130 may be disposed on a lower surface of the upper plate of the first housing 110. The lower surface of the upper plate of the first housing 110 may be a surface facing the upper surface of the lower plate of the second housing 150. The lower surface of the upper plate of the first housing 110 may be a surface facing the upper surface of the substrate 200. According to one embodiment, the first antenna 130 may be disposed on one surface of a protrusion 120 formed on the first housing 110. The first antenna 130 may be formed on a lower surface of the protrusion 120. The lower surface of the protrusion 120 may be a surface facing the upper surface of the lower plate of the second housing 150. The lower surface of the protrusion 120 may be a surface facing the upper surface of the substrate 200. Here, the lower surface of the protrusion 120 may refer to the surface arranged facing the receiving space of the housing 100, i.e., the surface arranged facing the substrate 200, i.e., the surface arranged facing the second housing 150.

[0050] The housing 100 may include an engraved groove on at least one surface surrounding the receiving space. According to one embodiment, the engraved groove may be formed on a lower surface of the upper plate of the first housing 110. For example, the groove may be formed by laser etching or the like. The first antenna 130 may be formed in the engraved groove on the lower surface of the upper plate. The first antenna 130 may be formed by plating a conductor into the engraved groove. According to one embodiment, the engraved groove may be formed on a protruding portion 120 of the first housing 110. The engraved groove may be formed on a lower surface of the protruding portion 120 of the first housing 110. For example, the groove may be formed by laser etching or the like. The first antenna 130 may be formed in the engraved groove on the lower surface of the protruding portion 120. The first antenna 130 may be formed by plating a conductor into the engraved groove.

[0051] The first antenna 130 may include a plurality of patch antennas. A patch antenna is a common form of antenna printed on a dielectric material and may be referred to as a microstrip patch antenna. The plurality of patch antennas may be connected to one another. The first antenna 130 may be a patch antenna array in which the plurality of patch antennas are connected. The first antenna 130 may include a plurality of patch antenna arrays. At least one of the plurality of patch antenna arrays may be a transmit (TX) antenna used to transmit wireless signals, and at least one may be a receive (RX) antenna used to receive wireless signals.

[0052] The sizes of the plurality of patch antennas included in the first antenna 130 may be set differently depending on the dielectric constant of the housing 100. According to one embodiment, the sizes of the plurality of patch antennas included in the first antenna 130 may be set differently depending on the dielectric constant of the first housing 110. According to one embodiment, the sizes of the plurality of patches included in the first antenna 130 may be set differently depending on the dielectric constant of the protruding portion 120 disposed on the first housing 110. For example, the larger the dielectric constant of the protruding portion 120 on which the first antenna 130 is disposed, the smaller the size of the patches constituting the first antenna 130 may be.

[0053] By disposing the first antenna 130 on one side of the housing 100, an antenna for transmitting and receiving signals to and from the outside does not need to be disposed on the board 200 disposed within the accommodation space of the housing 100. Since a circuit unit for driving the antenna must be disposed on the board 200 disposed within the accommodation space of the housing 100, if the antenna were disposed on the board 200, the space available for antenna placement may be limited. However, by disposing the first antenna 130 on one side of the housing 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the design space for the antenna can be expanded, thereby providing an advantage of greatly improving design freedom. Furthermore, since more antennas can be disposed compared to conventional methods, the coverage area of ​​the antenna module can be significantly improved.

[0054] The housing 100 can accommodate the board 200. The board 200 can be disposed in an accommodating space formed by combining the first housing 110 and the second housing 150. For example, after the board 200 is fixed to the second housing 150, the first housing 110 is combined with the second housing 150, so that the housing 100 can accommodate the board 200 in the accommodating space.

[0055] The substrate 200 may be disposed in the receiving space of the housing 100. The substrate 200 may be fixed to the second housing 150. For example, the substrate 200 may include a coupling hole in a corner region, and may be coupled to the second housing 150 through a coupling member such as a screw in the coupling hole in the corner region.

[0056] The substrate 200 may have a dielectric constant greater than a predetermined value. According to one embodiment, the substrate 200 may have a dielectric constant greater than 4. For example, if the substrate 200 has a dielectric constant greater than 4, the substrate 200 may be made of FR-4 material. According to an embodiment of the present invention, even if the substrate 200 of the antenna module is implemented using a material having a dielectric constant greater than 4 (e.g., an FR-4 material having a dielectric constant of 4.2 to 4.8), the first antenna for transmitting and receiving signals is disposed in the housing 100, and therefore the substrate 200 can exhibit performance similar to that of an antenna module in which an antenna patch is disposed on the substrate 200 made of a material having a low dielectric constant (a dielectric constant of approximately 2.0), such as Teflon (PTFE). Therefore, there is an advantage in that manufacturing costs can be significantly reduced compared to an antenna module using an expensive substrate 200 having a low dielectric constant.

[0057] The substrate 200 may include a second antenna 210. The second antenna 210 may include a patch. The second antenna 210 may be a patch antenna formed by a single patch. According to an embodiment, the second antenna 210 may include multiple second antennas 210. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, if the first antenna 130 includes three patch antenna arrays 131, 132, and 133, the second antenna 210 may include three single patch antennas 211, 212, and 213 corresponding to the three patch antenna arrays 131, 132, and 133, respectively.

[0058] The second antenna 210 may be disposed on the substrate 200. The second antenna 210 may be disposed on an upper surface of the substrate 200. The upper surface of the substrate 200 may refer to the surface facing the lower surface of the upper plate of the first housing 110. The substrate 200 may include a first region, zone 1, and a second region, zone 2, overlapping with the first antenna 130 on the upper surface, and the second antenna 210 may be disposed in the second region, zone 2, of the substrate 200. In this case, the second region, zone 2, of the substrate 200 may have a smaller area than the first region, zone 1, of the substrate 200.

[0059] The second antenna 210 may be disposed on the upper surface of the substrate 200 to overlap at least a portion of the first antenna 130. A patch forming the second antenna 210 may overlap one of the multiple patches forming the first antenna 130. For example, referring to FIG. 6 , the first antenna 130 may include a first patch antenna array 131, a second patch antenna array 132, and a third patch antenna array 133 each composed of multiple patches, and the second antenna 210 may include a first single patch antenna 211, a second single patch antenna 212, and a third single patch antenna 213 each composed of a single patch. The first patch antenna array 131 may overlap the first single patch antenna 211 in the vertical direction of the antenna module. Among the multiple patches forming the first patch antenna array 131, a first patch P1 may overlap a fourth patch P4 forming the first single patch antenna 211. Through the overlapping first patch P1 and fourth patch P4, the first single patch antenna 211 of the second antenna 210 can feed power through coupling to the first patch antenna array 131 of the first antenna 130. By feeding power through coupling, it is possible to simplify the design of the antenna module compared to a direct feeding method, and it is also advantageous in that it can reduce manufacturing costs.

[0060] Meanwhile, the first patch P1 may be larger than the fourth patch P4. The area of ​​the first patch P1 may be larger than the area of ​​the fourth patch P4. That is, the entire area of ​​the fourth patch P4 may overlap the area of ​​the first patch P1. This may optimize power supply efficiency when coupling power to the first antenna 130 through the second antenna 210, and minimize noise interference with adjacent antennas. The second patch antenna array 132 and the second single patch antenna 212, and the third patch antenna array 133 and the third single patch antenna 213 are the same as the first patch antenna array 131 and the first single patch antenna 211 described above, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0061] The first antenna 130 and the second antenna 210 may be spaced apart by a predetermined distance h. By spaced apart the first antenna 130 and the second antenna 210 by the predetermined distance h, an air gap may be formed between the first antenna 130 and the second antenna 210. As described above, the second antenna 210 is coupled to the first antenna 130 through the air gap, thereby performing indirect power feeding.

[0062] The separation distance h between the first antenna 130 and the second antenna 210 may be set based on the operating frequency of the first antenna 130. The separation distance h between the first antenna 130 and the second antenna 210 may be set based on the operating frequency band of the first antenna 130.

[0063] The substrate 200 may include a communication circuit unit 220. The communication circuit unit 220 may refer to a circuit that supplies power to the second antenna 210 or performs impedance matching. The communication circuit unit 220 may be electrically connected to the second antenna 210 and may supply power to the second antenna 210. The communication circuit unit 220 may include at least one of an impedance matching circuit, a power supply circuit, and an RFIC. The communication circuit unit 220 may be disposed on at least one of an upper surface or a lower surface of the substrate 200. For example, the impedance matching circuit may be disposed on the upper surface of the substrate 200, and the RFIC may be disposed on the lower surface of the substrate. The communication circuit unit 220 disposed on the upper surface of the substrate 200 and the communication circuit unit 220 disposed on the lower surface of the substrate 200 may be electrically connected through a hole that penetrates the substrate 200. The communication circuit unit 220 may be disposed in a second region, zone 2, of the substrate 200. Accordingly, circuit elements may not be disposed in a first region, zone 1, of the substrate 200.

[0064] The substrate 200 may include a guide unit 230. The guide unit 230 may be disposed on an upper surface of the substrate 200. The guide unit 230 may be shaped like a plate. The guide unit 230 may be shaped like a plate with a hole formed therein. The hole formed in the guide unit 230 may have the same shape as the second antenna 210. For example, if the second antenna 210 has a square patch shape, the hole formed in the guide unit 230 may also have a square shape. The second antenna 210 may be disposed in the hole formed in the guide unit 230. That is, the guide unit 230 may be disposed on the upper surface of the substrate 200 so as to surround the side of the second antenna 210. The size of the hole formed in the guide unit 230 may be larger than the size of the second antenna 210. Accordingly, a predetermined gap may be formed between the edge of the hole formed in the guide unit 230 and the edge of the second antenna 210. The guide unit 230 may improve the coupling performance between the first antenna 130 and the second antenna 210. 6, the guide portion 230 controls the electromagnetic signal radiated from the fourth patch P4 constituting the first single patch antenna 211 to be directed toward the first patch P1 of the plurality of patches constituting the first patch antenna array 131 without being dispersed to the surroundings, thereby improving coupling performance and increasing power supply efficiency. In addition, it can reduce noise by blocking electromagnetic signals from being transmitted to the surrounding second patch antenna array 132 and the second single patch antenna 212, and the surrounding third patch antenna array 233 and the third single patch antenna 213. Although the guide portion 230 is represented as a hole in this embodiment, it may be formed as a protrusion.

[0065] FIG. 7 shows the simulation results of the antenna module according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0066] FIG. 7 shows the return loss when the antenna is disposed on the substrate as in the conventional case and when the antenna is disposed on the housing according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0067] 7, antenna module A, which has an antenna disposed on a substrate as in the conventional method, exhibits a return loss of -6 dB in the range of 61 to 65 GHz. Antenna module B according to the embodiment of the present invention exhibits a return loss of -6 dB in the range of 60.5 to 65 GHz. As such, it can be seen that the antenna module according to the embodiment of the present invention exhibits similar return loss over a wider frequency band than the conventional antenna module.

[0068] Although the above description has focused on the embodiments, these are merely illustrative and do not limit the present invention. Those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications and applications not exemplified above are possible within the scope of the essential characteristics of the present invention. For example, each component specifically illustrated in the embodiments can be modified and implemented. Differences related to such modifications and applications should be construed as being included within the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0069] 100: Housing 110: 1st Housing 120: Convex 130: First antenna 150: Second Housing 200: Substrate 210: Second antenna

Claims

1. a housing including an accommodation space therein, the housing having a first antenna disposed on at least one surface surrounding the accommodation space; a substrate disposed in the receiving space, the substrate having a second antenna disposed on an upper surface thereof so as to overlap at least a portion of the first antenna; The first antenna and the second antenna are spaced apart by a predetermined distance, the first antenna is a patch antenna array in which a plurality of patches are connected, The antenna module, wherein the second antenna is a patch antenna formed by a single patch.

2. the housing includes a protrusion disposed in the accommodation space, The antenna module according to claim 1 , wherein the protrusion is formed on one surface of the housing facing the upper surface of the substrate.

3. The first antenna is The antenna module according to claim 2 , wherein the antenna module is disposed on one surface of the protrusion facing the upper surface of the substrate.

4. The substrate is 2. The antenna module of claim 1, having a relative dielectric constant greater than 4.

5. The housing includes: a groove engraved on at least one surface surrounding the receiving space; The first antenna is The antenna module according to claim 1 , wherein the recessed groove is formed by plating.

6. A first patch, which is one of the plurality of patches forming the first antenna, The antenna module of claim 1 , overlapped with a second patch forming the second antenna.

7. The first patch is The antenna module according to claim 6 , which is smaller than the second patch.

8. The antenna module according to claim 1 , further comprising a guide portion disposed on the upper surface of the substrate so as to surround a side surface of the second antenna.

9. The guide portion is The antenna module according to claim 8 , wherein the antenna module is spaced apart from an edge of the second antenna by a predetermined distance.

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