Antenna and communication device

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of communications, and provides an antenna and a communication device, for solving the problems of relatively high antenna manufacturing costs and the like. The antenna provided by the present application comprises a radiation assembly, a coupling structure, and a balun structure; the radiation assembly comprises first radiators, and the first radiators are provided with feed portions; the coupling structure is provided with coupling portions, and the coupling portions are coupled on a one-to-one basis to the feed portions; the balun structure is provided with feed lines, and the feed lines are connected on a one-to-one basis to the coupling portions ; there are gaps between the coupling portions and the feed portions, the overlapping area between the coupling portions and the feed portions is greater than or equal to 0.025λ * 0.025λ, and each of the gaps between the coupling portions and the feed portions is less than or equal to 1 mm, wherein λ is the wavelength of an electromagnetic wave having the lowest working frequency of the first radiators when propagating in a space. In the antenna provided by the present application, by configuring the coupling structure, the feed connection between the balun structure and the first radiators in the radiation assembly can be implemented, so that the costs of the first radiator can be reduced, and the performance of the antenna can be effectively ensured.

Description

Antenna and communication device

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of China on July 31, 2023, with application number 202310957575.1 and application name “An Antenna and Communication Device”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0003] The present application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to an antenna and a communication device. Background Art

[0004] With the rapid development of wireless communication technology, the industry's demand for antenna system capacity is also increasing. In order to improve the data transmission rate and channel capacity of the antenna system, multiple input multiple output (MIMO) technology came into being. Simply put, MIMO refers to the use of multiple radiators at both the transmitting and receiving ends, thereby forming multiple channels between the transmitting and receiving ends. However, as the number of radiators increases, the manufacturing cost of the antenna has also increased significantly. For example, current radiators are all made of sheet metal, and in order to ensure the performance of the antenna, the radiators are all electrically connected to the feeding network through direct feeding. In order to ensure the electrical connection between the radiator and the feeding network, the surface of the radiator is usually electroplated to improve the conductive performance of the radiator. However, electroplating will increase the manufacturing cost of the antenna and is not conducive to energy conservation and emission reduction. Therefore, how to reduce the manufacturing cost while ensuring the performance of the antenna has become a technical problem that needs to be solved urgently.

[0005] Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present application provides an antenna and communication equipment with a simple structure, easy to manufacture, and good signal transmission performance.

[0007] In a first aspect, the present application provides an antenna comprising a radiating component, a coupling structure, and a balun structure. The radiating component comprises a plurality of first radiators, each of which has a feeding portion. The coupling structure comprises a plurality of coupling portions, which are coupled one-to-one with the plurality of feeding portions. The balun structure comprises a plurality of feeding lines, which are connected one-to-one with the plurality of coupling portions. In the correspondingly coupled coupling portions and feeding portions, a gap is provided between the coupling portion and the feeding portion, and the overlapping area between the coupling portion and the feeding portion is greater than or equal to 0.025λ*0.025λ, and the gap between the coupling portion and the feeding portion is less than or equal to 1 mm. λ is the wavelength of the electromagnetic wave of the lowest operating frequency of the first radiator when propagating in space. In the antenna provided in the embodiment of the present application, by configuring the coupling structure, a feeding connection between the balun structure and the first radiator in the radiating component can be achieved. That is, the coupling structure is conductively connected to the balun structure, and the feeding connection between the coupling structure and the first radiator is achieved by coupling. When the coupling structure and the first radiator are configured using a coupled feed method, the requirements for the conductive properties of the first radiator's surface are lower, thereby reducing the material and manufacturing costs of the first radiator. Furthermore, when the overlap area between the coupling portion and the feed portion is greater than or equal to 0.025λ*0.025λ, and the gap between the coupling portion and the feed portion is less than or equal to 1mm, the coupling effect between the first radiator and the coupling structure is effectively maintained, thereby ensuring antenna performance.

[0008] In one example, the coupling structure may include a first substrate having a first surface and a second surface disposed opposite each other. The first surface has multiple conductive plates, each of which constitutes a coupling portion. During fabrication, the coupling structure can be manufactured using processes used to produce printed circuit boards or flexible circuit boards, offering advantages such as ease of fabrication and low cost.

[0009] In a specific configuration, the second board surface is in contact with the feeder, and the thickness of the first substrate is less than or equal to 1 mm. The gap between the corresponding coupling portion and the feeder can be effectively controlled by the thickness of the first substrate.

[0010] In one example, the antenna may further include an insulating spacer having a thickness of less than or equal to 1 mm, with the first surface of the insulating spacer disposed toward the feed portion, and the insulating spacer being positioned between the feed portion and the coupling portion. The thickness of the insulating spacer can be used to effectively control the gap between the coupling portion and the feed portion.

[0011] In a specific configuration, the multiple first radiators include a first polarized radiator and a second polarized radiator arranged adjacent to each other. The first polarized radiator has a coupling branch extending along an edge of the second polarized radiator. The gap between the coupling branch and the second polarized radiator is less than or equal to 2 mm, and the length of the coupling branch is greater than or equal to 0.02λ and less than or equal to 0.1λ, where λ is the wavelength of electromagnetic waves at the lowest operating frequency of the radiator when propagating in space. By providing this coupling branch, the isolation between the first polarized radiator and the second polarized radiator can be effectively improved, thereby reducing signal interference between the first polarized radiator and the second polarized radiator.

[0012] In one example, the balun structure may include a second substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface that are opposed to each other. The feeding structure may include a first polarization feed line, a second polarization feed line, a first polarization ground plate, and a second polarization ground plate. The first polarization feed line and the second polarization feed line may be arranged on the third surface, and the first polarization feed line and the second polarization feed line may be parallel to each other. The first polarization ground plate and the second polarization ground plate may be arranged on the fourth surface, with a gap between the first polarization ground plate and the second polarization ground plate. The length of the gap is greater than or equal to 0.125λ and less than or equal to 0.25λ, and the width of the gap is greater than or equal to 0.01λ and less than or equal to 0.1λ, where λ is the wavelength of the electromagnetic wave of the lowest operating frequency of the first radiator when propagating in space. The coupling structure may have four coupling parts, and one end of the first polarization feed line, the second polarization feed line, the first polarization ground plate, and the second polarization ground plate are respectively connected to the four coupling parts, thereby realizing a feeding connection between the coupling structure and the balun structure. The balun structure is a single-layer board structure with the advantage of flatness, which can effectively improve the manufacturing convenience and application flexibility of the balun structure.

[0013] In one example, the antenna may further include a second radiator, wherein the first radiator is located in the radiation direction of the second radiator, and the operating frequency band of the second radiator is greater than the operating frequency band of the first radiator. The first radiator and the second radiator operate in different frequency bands, thereby effectively extending the antenna's bandwidth and other performance.

[0014] In a specific configuration, the first radiator may include a base frame and a first open branch, wherein the first open branch has a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is connected to the base frame and the second end extends into the interior of the base frame. Furthermore, the first open branch has a gradient structure between the first end and the second end. The provision of the first open branch effectively decouples the first radiator from the second radiator, thereby avoiding interference and other adverse conditions between the first and second radiators and ensuring the antenna's operating performance.

[0015] In a specific configuration, the shape of the gradient structure can be any one of a triangle, a diamond, an ellipse or a semi-ellipse.

[0016] In an example, the first radiator may further include a second open-circuit branch, the length of the second open-circuit branch is 1 / 8λ', and λ' is the wavelength corresponding to the center frequency of the second radiator.

[0017] In a specific configuration, the first radiator may include a plurality of second open-circuit branches, and the distance between two adjacent second open-circuit branches is less than or equal to 0.2λ'.

[0018] The second open branch is in a straight line, a broken line or a fork shape, etc. In practical applications, the size, shape and position layout of the second open branch can be reasonably set according to actual needs.

[0019] In a second aspect, the present application also provides a communication device, comprising a radio frequency processing unit and the above-mentioned antenna, wherein the antenna has a feed network, a radio frequency processing unit and a feed network. The feed network is used to send a feed signal to the radiating component, or the wireless signal received by the radiating component can be transmitted to the feed network through a coupling structure and a balun structure. The radio frequency processing unit can be used to perform frequency selection, amplification and down-conversion processing on the signal received by the antenna. In the communication device provided by the present application, by applying the above-mentioned antenna, the production cost and the material usage cost can be effectively reduced, and better signal transmission performance can be achieved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of an application scenario of an antenna provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0021] FIG2 is a schematic structural diagram of a base station provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0022] FIG3 is a structural block diagram of an antenna provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0023] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of a three-dimensional structure of an antenna provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0024] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of an antenna provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0025] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of a partial cross-sectional structure of an antenna provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0026] FIG7 is a schematic diagram of a planar structure of a first radiator provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0027] FIG8 is a schematic diagram of a planar structure of a radiation component provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0028] FIG9 is a schematic diagram of a planar structure of an antenna provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0029] FIG10 is a schematic diagram of a partial cross-sectional structure of an antenna provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0030] FIG11 is a schematic diagram of a planar structure of another radiation component provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0031] FIG12 is a schematic diagram of a planar structure of another radiation component provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0032] FIG13 is a schematic diagram of a planar structure of another radiation component provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0033] FIG14 is a schematic diagram of a partial cross-sectional structure of another antenna provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0034] FIG15 is a schematic diagram of a partial cross-sectional structure of another antenna provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0035] FIG16 is a schematic diagram of a partial cross-sectional structure of another antenna provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0036] FIG17 is a schematic diagram of a three-dimensional structure of a balun structure provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0037] FIG18 is a schematic diagram of a three-dimensional structure of a balun structure provided in an embodiment of the present application from another perspective;

[0038] FIG19 is a schematic diagram of a three-dimensional structure of an antenna provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0039] FIG20 is a schematic diagram of a cross-sectional structure of an antenna provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0040] FIG21 is a schematic diagram of a planar structure of a first radiator provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0041] FIG22 is a data simulation diagram of the standing wave ratio of an antenna provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0042] FIG23 is a data simulation diagram of the isolation of an antenna provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0043] Figure 24 is a structural block diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of this application clearer, this application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0045] The antenna provided in the embodiments of the present application can be used in communication equipment such as base stations and radars to realize wireless communication functions.

[0046] As shown in Figure 1, the application scenario may include a base station and a terminal. Wireless communication can be achieved between the base station and the terminal. The base station can be located in a base bastion subsystem (BBS), a terrestrial radio access network (UMTS terrestrial radio access network, UTRAN) or an evolved universal terrestrial radio access (E-UTRAN), and is used to provide cell coverage of wireless signals to enable communication between terminal devices and wireless networks. Specifically, the base station can be a base transceiver station (BTS) in a global system for mobile communication (GSM) or a (code division multiple access, CDMA) system, or a node B (NB) in a wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) system, or an evolved node B (eNB or eNodeB) in a long term evolution (LTE) system, or a wireless controller in a cloud radio access network (CRAN) scenario. Alternatively, the base station may also be a relay station, an access point, a vehicle-mounted device, a wearable device, a g-node (gNodeB or gNB) in a new radio (NR) system, or a base station in a future evolved network, etc., and the embodiments of the present application are not limited thereto.

[0047] As shown in Figure 2, a base station provided in an embodiment of the present application includes a base station antenna feed system. In practical applications, the base station antenna feed system primarily comprises an antenna 01, a feeder line 02, and a grounding device 03. Antenna 01 is typically mounted on a mast 04, and its downtilt angle can be adjusted using an antenna adjustment bracket 05 to adjust the signal coverage range of antenna 01 to a certain extent.

[0048] In addition, the base station may further include a radio frequency processing unit 06 and a baseband processing unit 20. For example, the radio frequency processing unit 06 may be used to perform frequency selection, amplification, and down-conversion processing on the signal received by the antenna 01, and convert it into an intermediate frequency signal or a baseband signal and send it to the baseband processing unit 20, or the radio frequency processing unit 06 may be used to convert the intermediate frequency signal sent by the baseband processing unit 20 into a wireless signal through the antenna 01 after up-conversion and amplification processing. The baseband processing unit 20 may be connected to the feed network of the antenna 01 through the radio frequency processing unit 06. In some embodiments, the radio frequency processing unit 06 may also be referred to as a remote radio unit (RRU), and the baseband processing unit 20 may also be referred to as a baseband unit (BBU).

[0049] As shown in FIG2 , in one possible embodiment, the RF processing unit 06 may be integrated with the antenna 01, while the baseband processing unit 20 is located at the remote end of the antenna 01. The RF processing unit 06 and the baseband processing unit 20 may be connected via a feeder 02. In another embodiment, the RF processing unit 06 and the baseband processing unit 20 may be located at the remote end of the antenna 01 at the same time.

[0050] Referring to Figures 2 and 3 , the antenna 01 used in the base station may also include a radome 011, a reflector 012 located within the radome 011, and a feed network 013. Reflector 012 may also be referred to as a base plate. The primary function of feed network 013 is to feed signals to radiating element 014 at a predetermined amplitude and phase, or to transmit wireless signals received by radiating element 014 at a predetermined amplitude and phase to the baseband processing unit 20 of the base station. It is understood that, in a specific implementation, feed network 013 may include at least one of a phase shifter, a combiner, a transmission or calibration network, or a filter. This application does not limit the components, types, or functions that feed network 013 can perform.

[0051] Of course, the above-mentioned antenna 01 can also be applied to various other types of communication devices, and this application does not limit the application scenarios of the antenna 01.

[0052] The radome 011 has excellent electrical properties, such as good electromagnetic wave penetration, which does not affect the normal transmission and reception of electromagnetic waves between the radiating component 014 and the outside world. In terms of mechanical properties, the radome 011 has excellent stress resistance and oxidation resistance, allowing it to withstand the erosion of harsh external environments.

[0053] Radiating assembly 014 may include one or more radiators, also known as oscillators. These radiators or oscillators are the basic structural units of radiating assembly 014 and effectively transmit or receive electromagnetic waves. When radiating assembly 014 includes multiple radiators, they can be arranged into an array for use. In specific applications, radiating assemblies can be categorized into single-polarization and dual-polarization types. The type of radiating assembly can be appropriately selected based on actual needs during configuration.

[0054] With the continuous development of mobile communication technology, the fifth generation mobile communication technology (5G) has also been widely used. As one of the key technologies of the 5G communication system, massive multiple-in multiple-out (MIMO) technology can effectively improve the channel capacity. In the context of massive multiple-in multiple-out technology, a large number of radiators need to be arranged in the antenna. As the number of radiators increases, the manufacturing cost of the antenna has also increased significantly. For example, the current radiators are all made of sheet metal, and in order to ensure the performance of the antenna, the radiators are electrically connected to the feeding network by direct feeding. In order to ensure the electrical connection effect between the radiator and the feeding network, electroplating treatment is usually performed on the surface of the radiator to improve the conductive performance of the radiator. However, electroplating treatment will increase the manufacturing cost of the antenna and is not conducive to energy conservation and emission reduction. Therefore, how to reduce the manufacturing cost while ensuring the performance of the antenna has become a technical problem that needs to be solved urgently.

[0055] To this end, the embodiments of the present application provide an antenna that has a simple structure, is easy to manufacture, and has good signal transmission performance.

[0056] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of this application clearer, this application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0057] As shown in FIG4 , in one example provided herein, antenna 10 may include a radiating element 11, a coupling structure 12, and a balun structure 13. Radiating element 11 is configured to transmit or receive electromagnetic waves. Coupling structure 12 is connected between radiating element 11 and balun structure 13 to provide a feed connection between radiating element 11 and balun structure 13.

[0058] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the radiating component 11 includes four first radiators, each of which has a feed portion. Specifically, the four first radiators are first radiator 111a, first radiator 111b, first radiator 111c, and first radiator 111d. First radiator 111a has a feed portion 1111a, first radiator 111b has a feed portion 1111b, first radiator 111c has a feed portion 1111c, and first radiator 111d has a feed portion 1111d. The coupling structure 12 has four coupling portions, each coupled to one of the four feed portions. The four coupling portions are coupling portion 121a, coupling portion 121b, coupling portion 121c, and coupling portion 121d. Coupling portion 121a is coupled to feeding portion 1111a, coupling portion 121b is coupled to feeding portion 1111b, coupling portion 121c is coupled to feeding portion 1111c, and coupling portion 121d is coupled to feeding portion 1111d. In other words, coupling structure 12 can be connected to each of the four radiators through coupled feeding. Balun structure 13 includes feeding line 131, which is connected to each of the multiple coupling portions. By providing coupling structure 12 between balun structure 13 and the first radiator, a short-circuit connection between balun structure 13 and the first radiator can be avoided.

[0059] It is understood that, in practical applications, the radiating component 11 may include two, three, or more first radiators, each of which has a feed portion. Furthermore, the radiating component 11 formed by multiple first radiators may be single-polarized, dual-polarized, or other types, and this application does not impose specific limitations on this.

[0060] In addition, the specific number of coupling parts of the coupling structure 12 can be set accordingly according to the specific number of first radiators or feeding parts in the radiation component 11, so that each first radiator can be coupled with the coupling structure 12.

[0061] In summary, in practical applications, the radiation component 11 may include multiple first radiators, each of which has a feeding portion. The coupling structure 12 may have multiple coupling portions, and the multiple coupling portions are coupled to the multiple feeding portions in a one-to-one correspondence.

[0062] In the antenna 10 provided in the embodiment of the present application, the coupling structure 12 is configured to achieve a feed connection between the balun structure 13 and the first radiator in the radiating component 11. Specifically, the coupling structure 12 is electrically connected to the balun structure 13, and the coupling structure 12 and the first radiator are coupled to achieve a feed connection. When the coupling structure 12 and the first radiator are coupled to achieve a feed connection, the requirements for the conductive properties of the first radiator's surface are lower, thereby reducing the material and manufacturing costs of the first radiator.

[0063] Alternatively, it can be understood that in some antennas 10, a short-circuit connection can be used to achieve a feeding connection between the balun structure 13 and the first radiator to ensure the feeding effect between the balun structure 13 and the first radiator and to ensure the working performance of the antenna 10. However, when a short-circuit connection is used, in order to ensure the electrical connection effect between the first radiator and the balun structure 13, the first radiator needs to be made of a material with good conductivity, which will increase the cost of using the material. Alternatively, in some embodiments, an electroplating treatment can be performed on the surface of the first radiator to ensure the conductivity of the surface of the first radiator. However, the additional electroplating process will significantly increase the production cost of the first radiator.

[0064] In addition, in the antenna 10 provided in the present application, by reasonably setting the relative relationship between the coupling structure 12 and the first radiator to achieve coupled feeding, the feeding effect between the coupling structure 12 and the first radiator can be effectively guaranteed, and the working performance of the antenna 10 can be guaranteed.

[0065] Specifically, as shown in FIG6 , the coupling portion 121a and the feeding portion 1111a are taken as an example. In the corresponding coupled coupling portion 121a and the feeding portion 1111a, a gap H1 is provided between the coupling portion 121a and the feeding portion 1111a, and the overlapping area between the coupling portion 121a and the feeding portion 1111a is greater than or equal to 0.025λ*0.025λ. In addition, the gap H1 between the coupling portion 121a and the feeding portion 1111a is less than or equal to 1 mm. In other words, by ensuring a reasonable overlapping area and a reasonable gap H1 between the coupling portion 121a and the feeding portion 1111a, a good feeding effect can be ensured between the coupling portion 121a and the feeding portion 1111a, thereby ensuring the operating performance of the antenna 10. It should be noted that the above description is only based on the coupling portion 121a and the feeding portion 1111a for exemplary purposes. However, between other correspondingly coupled coupling portions and feeding portions, corresponding settings may also be made with reference to the above coupling portion 121a and the feeding portion 1111a, which will not be elaborated here.

[0066] It is understood that in actual applications, the operating frequency of each first radiator in the radiating assembly 11 is substantially the same, and the operating frequency of the first radiator is within a certain range. That is, the frequency of the electromagnetic waves emitted or received by the first radiator is within a certain frequency band, and the above-mentioned λ refers to the wavelength of the electromagnetic wave with the lowest operating frequency of the first radiator when it propagates in space.

[0067] The antenna 10 in this application will be described in detail below with reference to different embodiments.

[0068] In order to facilitate understanding of the technical solution of the present application, in the following examples, an example will be given in which the radiation component 11 includes four first radiators, and the four first radiators constitute a dual-polarized antenna.

[0069] As shown in FIG7 , in the example provided herein, the structures of the four first radiators are substantially identical. Taking the first radiator 111a as an example, the first radiator 111a is a rectangular sheet-like structure. The first radiator 111a has a rectangular base frame 1112a. A rectangular feeding portion 1111a is provided at one of the corners within the base frame 1112a (such as the lower right corner in FIG7 ). The feeding portion 1111a can provide a sufficiently large feeding area, thereby ensuring a sufficiently large coupling area between the feeding portion 1111a and the corresponding coupling portion, thereby ensuring a coupling effect between the first radiator 111a and the coupling structure 12.

[0070] In addition, as shown in Figure 8, in the example provided herein, the radiating element 11 is of a dual-polarization type. Four first radiators 111 are located in the same general plane, with first radiators 111a and 111c arranged diagonally. First radiators 111a and 111c can be understood as first polarized radiators in a first polarization direction, respectively. First radiators 111b and 111d are arranged diagonally. First radiators 111b and 111d can be understood as second polarized radiators in a second polarization direction, respectively. Furthermore, the first polarization direction and the second polarization direction are perpendicular.

[0071] In the example provided herein, first radiator 111d includes a coupling branch 1113d extending along the edge of first radiator 111c. The gap between coupling branch 1113d and first radiator 111c is less than or equal to 2 mm, and the length of coupling branch 1113d is greater than or equal to 0.02λ and less than or equal to 0.1λ. The provision of coupling branch 1113d effectively improves the isolation between first radiator 111d and first radiator 111c, thereby reducing signal interference between first radiator 111d and first radiator 111c. Furthermore, since first radiator 111a and first radiator 111c share the same polarization direction, and first radiator 111b and first radiator 111d share the same polarization direction, coupling branch 1113d also improves the isolation between first radiator 111a and first radiator 111b. In other words, coupling branch 1113d can improve the isolation between first radiators with different polarization directions.

[0072] In other examples, at least one of the first radiator 111b, the first radiator 111c, or the first radiator 111d may also be provided with the coupling branch 1113d. The specific location of the coupling branch 1113d may be reasonably adjusted according to actual needs and will not be elaborated herein.

[0073] It is understandable that, in other examples, the base frame of each first radiator may also be a polygonal, circular, elliptical or other regularly shaped frame structure. In practical applications, the specific structural type of the base frame can be reasonably selected and set, which will not be described in detail here.

[0074] As shown in Figure 8, in the example provided in this application, the feeding parts of the four first radiators are all arranged close to each other. Feeding part 1111a is located at the corner of base frame 1112a, feeding part 1111b is located at the corner of base frame 1112b, feeding part 1111c is located at the corner of base frame 1112c, and feeding part 1111d is located at the corner of base frame 1112d. Feeding part 1111a, feeding part 1111b, feeding part 1111c and feeding part 1111a are all located near the center of the radiating component 11. Through the above-mentioned structural arrangement, the convenience of achieving feeding connection between the radiating component 11 and the coupling structure 12 can be effectively improved, and the size of the coupling structure 12 can be effectively reduced.

[0075] As shown in Figures 9 and 10, in an example provided in this application, the coupling structure 12 includes a first substrate 122, which has a first plate surface 1221 and a second plate surface 1222 disposed opposite to each other. The first plate surface 1221 has multiple conductive plates, each of which constitutes a coupling portion.

[0076] Specifically, the coupling portions 121a, 121b, 121c, and 121d of the coupling structure 12 are all rectangular in shape. In actual use, the coupling portion 121c has substantially the same shape and size as the feeding portion 1111c, and their projections substantially overlap. The coupling portion 121d has substantially the same shape and size as the feeding portion 1111d, and their projections substantially overlap. This structural arrangement effectively ensures the coupling area between the coupling portion 121c and the feeding portion 1111c, and effectively reduces the area of ​​the coupling portion 121c and the feeding portion 1111c, thereby contributing to the miniaturization of the coupling structure 12. Of course, the shapes of the coupling portions 121a, 121b, 121c, and 121d are substantially the same. The structures of the feeding portion 1111 a , the feeding portion 1111 b , the feeding portion 1111 c and the feeding portion 1111 d are substantially the same and are not described in detail.

[0077] The first substrate 122 can be a substrate for making a printed circuit board or a substrate for making a flexible circuit board. In actual applications, the specific type of the first substrate 122 can be reasonably selected based on actual needs, and this application does not impose any restrictions on this. In addition, the conductive plate constituting the coupling portion can be a metal plate disposed on the first substrate 122, or a metal coating directly formed on the first substrate 122. In actual applications, the specific structure and setting method of the coupling portion can be reasonably selected and adjusted based on actual needs, and this application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0078] In practical applications, the specific location of the feeding unit can be varied.

[0079] For example, as shown in Figure 11, in an example provided in the present application, the feeding portion 1111a is located at a non-corner of the base frame 1112a, the feeding portion 1111b is located at a non-corner of the base frame 1112b, the feeding portion 1111c is located at a non-corner of the base frame 1112c, and the feeding portion 1111d is located at a non-corner of the base frame 1112d.

[0080] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 11 , the feeder 1111 a and the feeder 1111 d are arranged relatively close to each other, and the feeder 1111 b and the feeder 1111 c are arranged relatively far apart from each other.

[0081] 12 , the feeder 1111a and the feeder 1111d are relatively close to each other, and the feeder 1111b and the feeder 1111c are relatively close to each other. Alternatively, the feeder 1111a and the feeder 1111b are relatively far apart, and the feeder 1111c and the feeder 1111d are relatively far apart.

[0082] Alternatively, as shown in FIG13 , the feeder 1111a and the feeder 1111b are relatively far apart, the feeder 1111b and the feeder 1111c are relatively far apart, the feeder 1111c and the feeder 1111d are relatively far apart, and the feeder 1111d and the feeder 1111a are relatively far apart.

[0083] In summary, in actual application, the specific location of each feeder 1111 can be flexibly set and adjusted according to actual needs. In addition, the relative position relationship between adjacent feeders 1111 can also be flexibly set and adjusted according to actual needs, which will not be elaborated here.

[0084] In addition, when the coupling structure 12 is specifically configured, the specific position layout of the coupling portion 121a, the coupling portion 121b, the coupling portion 121c, and the coupling portion 121d in the coupling structure 12 can also be locally configured according to the positions of the feeding portion 1111a, the feeding portion 1111b, the feeding portion 1111c, and the feeding portion 1111d, which will not be further described here.

[0085] In addition, in specific configurations, the relative configuration relationship between the radiation component 11 and the coupling structure 12 may also be diverse.

[0086] For example, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, in one example provided in this application, the coupling structure 12 is located in the radiation direction of the radiating component 11. The second board surface 1222 is in contact with the feeding portion 1111d and the feeding portion 1111c of the radiating component 11, and the thickness of the first substrate 122 is less than or equal to 1 mm. That is, the radiating component 11 and the coupling portion 121 are located on different sides of the first substrate 122. The thickness of the first substrate 122 can ensure the spacing between the corresponding coupled feeding portion 1111d and the coupling portion 121d. The thickness of the first substrate 122 can ensure the spacing between the corresponding coupled feeding portion 1111c and the coupling portion 121c.

[0087] In addition, the second board surface 1222 of the first substrate 122 can also realize a fixed connection between the coupling structure 12 and each first radiator in the radiating component 11, which can effectively ensure the relative position between different first radiators and realize a fixed connection between the radiating component 11 and the coupling structure 12.

[0088] Alternatively, as shown in FIG14 , in another example provided herein, the coupling structure 12 is also located in the radiation direction of the radiating element 11. The antenna 10 further includes an insulating spacer 14 having a thickness of less than or equal to 1 mm. The first surface 1221 of the coupling structure 12 is disposed toward the radiating element 11, and the insulating spacer 14 is attached between the radiating element 11 and the coupling structure 12. For example, the insulating spacer 14 can effectively isolate the corresponding coupled feeding portion 1111d and coupling portion 121d, and the thickness of the insulating spacer 14 ensures the spacing between the feeding portion 1111d and the coupling portion 121d. The insulating spacer 14 can effectively isolate the corresponding coupled feeding portion 1111c and coupling portion 121c, and the thickness of the insulating spacer 14 ensures the spacing between the feeding portion 1111c and the coupling portion 121c.

[0089] Alternatively, in other examples, the coupling structure 12 may also be located on the side of the radiation component 11 that is away from the radiation surface.

[0090] For example, as shown in FIG15 , in an example provided in the present application, the second board surface 1222 is bonded to the feeding portion 1111d and the feeding portion 1111c of the radiating component 11, and the thickness of the first substrate 122 is less than or equal to 1 mm. That is, the radiating component 11 and the coupling portion 121 are located on different sides of the first substrate 122. The spacing between the corresponding coupled feeding portion 1111d and the coupling portion 121d can be ensured by the thickness of the first substrate 122. The spacing between the corresponding coupled feeding portion 1111c and the coupling portion 121c can be ensured by the thickness of the first substrate 122.

[0091] Alternatively, as shown in Figure 16, in another example provided herein, the first surface 1221 of the coupling structure 12 is positioned toward the radiating element 11, and an insulating spacer 14 is positioned between the radiating element 11 and the coupling structure 12. Specifically, the insulating spacer 14 effectively isolates the corresponding coupled feeding portion 1111d and coupling portion 121d, and the thickness of the insulating spacer 14 ensures the spacing between the feeding portion 1111d and the coupling portion 121d. The thickness of the first substrate 122 ensures the spacing between the corresponding coupled feeding portion 1111c and the coupling portion 121c.

[0092] In specific applications, the relative position between the coupling structure 12 and the radiation component 11 can be reasonably set and adjusted according to different needs, which will not be described in detail here.

[0093] In addition, in specific settings, the specific type of the balun structure 13 can be diverse.

[0094] For example, as shown in Figures 17 and 18, in one example provided herein, the balun structure 13 includes a second substrate 132 having a third surface 1321 and a fourth surface 1322 that are spaced apart from each other. The feed line 131 specifically includes a first polarization feed line 1311, a second polarization feed line 1312, a first polarization ground plate 1313, and a second polarization ground plate 1314. The first polarization feed line 1311 and the second polarization feed line 1312 are disposed on the third surface 1321, and are parallel to each other. The first polarization ground plate 1313 and the second polarization ground plate 1314 are disposed on the fourth surface 1322, with a gap 1310 between them.

[0095] 17, 18 and 19. The first polarization feed line 1311 is welded to the coupling portion 121a, the second polarization feed line 1312 is welded to the coupling portion 121b, the first polarization ground plate 1313 is welded to the coupling portion 121c, and the second polarization ground plate 1314 is welded to the coupling portion 121d.

[0096] The first polarization feed line 1311 is located on the third surface 1321 of the second substrate 132, and one end 13111 of the first polarization feed line 1311 extends to the third surface 1321 through a via hole in the second substrate 132. The second polarization feed line 1312 is located on the third surface 1321 of the second substrate 132, and one end 13121 of the second polarization feed line 1312 extends to the third surface 1321 through a via hole in the second substrate 132. The first polarization ground plate 1313 is located on the fourth surface 1322 of the second substrate 132, and one end 13131 of the first polarization ground plate 1313 extends to the third surface 1321 through a via hole in the second substrate 132. The second polarization ground plate 1314 is located on the fourth surface 1322 of the second substrate 132 , and one end 13141 of the second polarization ground plate 1314 extends to the third surface 1321 through a via hole in the second substrate 132 .

[0097] In the example provided in this application, the balun structure 13 is a single-layer board structure, which has the advantage of flatness and can effectively improve the manufacturing convenience and application flexibility of the balun structure 13.

[0098] In practical applications, the second substrate 132 can be a substrate for manufacturing a printed circuit board or a substrate for manufacturing a flexible circuit board. The specific type of the second substrate 132 can be appropriately selected based on actual needs, and this application does not impose any restrictions on this. Furthermore, the first polarization feed line 1311 and the second polarization feed line 1312 can be microstrip lines or striplines, for example, and this application does not impose any restrictions on their specific types.

[0099] In addition, as shown in FIG18 , in the example provided in the present application, a gap 1310 is provided between the first polarization ground plane 1313 and the second polarization ground plane 1314. The length of the gap 1310 may be greater than or equal to 0.125λ and less than or equal to 0.25λ. The width of the gap 1310 may be greater than or equal to 0.01λ and less than or equal to 0.1λ. λ is the wavelength of the electromagnetic wave of the lowest operating frequency of the first radiator in the radiation component 11 when propagating in space. Through the gap 1310, the isolation between the first polarization ground plane 1313 and the second polarization ground plane 1314 can be effectively ensured, thereby ensuring the isolation between the first radiators of different polarization directions in the radiation component 11, thereby ensuring the working performance of the antenna 10.

[0100] In addition, as shown in Figure 18, in the example provided in the present application, the balun structure 13 also includes a first polarization interface 133 and a second polarization interface 134. Among them, the first polarization interface 133 and the second polarization interface 134 are both coaxial cable interfaces. Among them, the first polarization feed line 1311 and the first polarization ground plate 1313 are both connected to the first polarization interface 133, and the second polarization feed line 1312 and the second polarization ground plate 1314 are both connected to the second polarization interface 134. The connection between the balun structure 13 and the coaxial cable can be achieved through the first polarization interface 133 and the second polarization interface 134. It can be understood that the coaxial cable is an unbalanced transmission line, and the balun structure 13 can improve the problem of unbalanced feeding, thereby ensuring the working performance of the antenna 10.

[0101] In addition, in actual application, the antenna 10 may also adopt the currently more commonly used balun structure 13, which will not be described in detail here.

[0102] As shown in FIG20 , when antenna 10 is specifically configured, antenna 10 may include multiple radiating elements 11, with the first radiator 111 in each radiating element 11 being equipped with a corresponding coupling structure 12 and balun structure 13. Furthermore, antenna 10 may also include a radome 15, a reflector 16 located within radome 15, and a feed network 18. One end of balun structure 13 (such as the lower end in FIG20 ) passes through reflector 16 and is connected to feed network 18.

[0103] In addition, as shown in FIG20 , in one example provided herein, antenna 10 further includes a second radiator 17. First radiator 111 is located in the radiation direction of second radiator 17, and the operating frequency band of second radiator 17 is greater than the operating frequency band of first radiator 111. In actual applications, first radiator 111 and second radiator 17 operate in different frequency bands, thereby effectively extending the bandwidth and other performance of antenna 10.

[0104] In addition, as shown in FIG21 , the first radiator 111 also includes a plurality of first open branches 1114 (three are shown in FIG21 ). The first open branches 1114 have a first end 11141 and a second end 11142. The first end 11141 is connected to the base frame 1112, and the second end 11142 extends into the interior of the base frame 1112. Furthermore, the first open branches 1114 have a gradient structure 11143 between the first end 11141 and the second end 11142. The gradient structure 11143 in the first open branches 1114 effectively decouples the first radiator 111 from the second radiator 17, thereby preventing interference and other adverse conditions between the first radiator 111 and the second radiator 17, thereby ensuring the operating performance of the antenna 10.

[0105] It is understood that in practical applications, the second radiator 17 is also equipped with a corresponding balun structure. The second radiator 17 and the corresponding balun structure can adopt currently more commonly used types. Alternatively, the second radiator 17 can also adopt a structure similar to that of the first radiator 111, and the second radiator 17 can also be equipped with a corresponding coupling structure and balun structure, etc., which will not be described in detail here.

[0106] Gradual structure 11143 refers to a cross-sectional shape that increases or decreases along the path connecting first end 11141 and second end 11142. In a specific configuration, the shape of gradual structure 11143 can be any of a triangle, a diamond, an ellipse, or a semi-ellipse. The specific structural type and dimensions of gradual structure 11143 can be adjusted based on actual needs and are not detailed here.

[0107] In addition, as shown in FIG21 , in the example provided herein, the first radiator 111 may further include a second open branch 1115, the length of which is 1 / 8 λ', where λ' is the wavelength corresponding to the center frequency of the second radiator 17. The provision of the second open branch 1115 effectively decouples the first radiator 111 from the second radiator 17, thereby preventing adverse effects such as interference between the radiation performance of the second radiator 17 and the first radiator 111, thereby ensuring the operating performance of the antenna 10. The second open branch 1115 may be in a straight line, a broken line, or a fork shape.

[0108] In specific configuration, multiple second open branches 1115 can be provided, and the distance between two adjacent second open branches 1115 is less than or equal to 0.2λ'. In practical applications, the shape, quantity, and position arrangement of the second open branches 1115 can be reasonably configured according to actual needs, which will not be elaborated here.

[0109] In addition, as shown in FIG. 22 and FIG. 23 , the embodiment of the present application also provides a data simulation diagram of the antenna 10 .

[0110] Figure 22 shows the standing wave data for antenna 10 with positive and negative polarization. The horizontal axis represents frequency in GHz, and the vertical axis represents the standing wave ratio. The solid line shows a simulated plot of frequency versus standing wave ratio for positively polarized waves, while the dashed line shows a simulated plot of frequency versus standing wave ratio for negatively polarized waves. The figure clearly shows that antenna 10 can achieve a standing wave ratio of less than 1.4, demonstrating excellent standing wave performance.

[0111] Figure 23 shows the isolation data for antenna 10. The horizontal axis represents frequency in GHz, and the vertical axis represents isolation in dB. As can be seen from the figure, antenna 10 achieves isolation exceeding 30 dB, demonstrating excellent radiation performance.

[0112] In practical applications, the antenna 10 can be used in various types of communication devices.

[0113] For example, as shown in Figure 24, an embodiment of the present application further provides a communication device 30, comprising any of the above-mentioned antennas 10. The communication device may further comprise a radio frequency processing unit 31 and a baseband processing unit 32. The baseband processing unit 32 may be connected to the feed network 18 of the antenna 10 through the radio frequency processing unit 31. The radio frequency processing unit 31 may be used to perform frequency selection, amplification, and down-conversion processing on the signal received by the antenna 10, and convert it into an intermediate frequency signal or a baseband signal and send it to the baseband processing unit 32, or the radio frequency processing unit 31 may be used to convert the intermediate frequency signal emitted by the baseband processing unit 32 into a wireless signal through the antenna 10 after up-conversion and amplification processing and send it out. In actual applications, the specific type of the communication device 30 is not limited in this application. In addition, the type and quantity of the components included in the communication device 30 may be reasonably selected and adjusted according to actual needs, which will not be elaborated here.

[0114] In the various embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise specified or there is a logical conflict, the terms and / or descriptions between different embodiments are consistent and can be referenced by each other. The technical features in different embodiments can be combined to form new embodiments according to their inherent logical relationships.

[0115] In this application, "plurality" refers to two or more. "and / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, "A and / or B" can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. A and B can be singular or plural.

[0116] It is understood that the various numbers used in the embodiments of this application are merely for ease of description and are not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments of this application. The order of the sequence numbers of the above-mentioned processes does not necessarily imply a specific order of execution; the order of execution of the processes should be determined by their functions and inherent logic.

Claims

1. An antenna, characterized in that: include: The radiation component comprises a plurality of first radiators, each of which has a feeding portion; A coupling structure, comprising a plurality of coupling parts, wherein the plurality of coupling parts are coupled with the plurality of feeding parts in a one-to-one correspondence; A balun structure having a plurality of feeders, wherein the plurality of feeders are connected to the plurality of coupling parts in a one-to-one correspondence; Wherein, in the correspondingly coupled coupling portion and the feeding portion, there is a gap between the coupling portion and the feeding portion, and the overlapping area between the coupling portion and the feeding portion is greater than or equal to 0.025λ*0.025λ, and the gap between the coupling portion and the feeding portion is less than or equal to 1 mm; The λ is the wavelength of the electromagnetic wave of the lowest operating frequency of the first radiator when propagating in space.

2. The antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that The coupling structure comprises a first substrate, wherein the first substrate has a first plate surface and a second plate surface which are arranged in opposite directions; The first plate surface has a plurality of conductive plates, and each of the conductive plates constitutes the coupling portion.

3. The antenna according to claim 2, characterized in that: The second board surface is attached to the feeding part, and the thickness of the first substrate is less than or equal to 1 mm.

4. The antenna according to claim 2, characterized in that: The antenna further comprises an insulating partition, and the thickness of the insulating partition is less than or equal to 1 mm; The first board surface is arranged toward the feeding part, and the insulating partition is attached between the feeding part and the coupling part.

5. The antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The plurality of first radiators include a first polarized radiator and a second polarized radiator that are adjacently arranged; The first polarized radiator has a coupling branch extending along an edge of the second polarized radiator, a gap between the coupling branch and the second polarized radiator is less than or equal to 2 mm, and a length of the coupling branch is greater than or equal to 0.02λ and less than or equal to 0.1λ; The λ is the wavelength of the electromagnetic wave of the lowest operating frequency of the radiator when it propagates in space.

6. The antenna according to claim 5, characterized in that The balun structure includes a second substrate; The second substrate has a third plate surface and a fourth plate surface which are separated from each other, and the third plate surface has a first polarization feed line and a second polarization feed line which are arranged in parallel; The fourth plate surface has a first polarization ground plate and a second polarization ground plate, and a gap is provided between the first polarization ground plate and the second polarization ground plate; the length of the gap is greater than or equal to 0.125λ and less than or equal to 0.25λ, the width of the gap is greater than or equal to 0.01λ and less than or equal to 0.1λ, and the λ is the wavelength of the electromagnetic wave of the lowest operating frequency of the first radiator when propagating in space; The coupling structure has four coupling parts, and one end of the first polarization feeding line, the second polarization feeding line, the first polarization ground plate and the second polarization ground plate are respectively connected to the four coupling parts.

7. The antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The antenna further includes a second radiator, the first radiator is located in a radiation direction of the second radiator, and an operating frequency band of the second radiator is greater than an operating frequency band of the first radiator.

8. The antenna according to claim 7, characterized in that: The first radiator includes a base frame and a first open branch, the first open branch has a first end and a second end, the first end is connected to the base frame, the second end extends to the inside of the base frame, and the first open branch has a gradient structure between the first end and the second end.

9. The antenna according to claim 8, characterized in that The shape of the gradient structure is: triangle, rhombus, ellipse or semi-ellipse.

10. The antenna according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that: The first radiator further includes a second open-circuit branch, the length of the second open-circuit branch is 1 / 8λ', and the λ' is a wavelength corresponding to the center frequency of the second radiator.

11. The antenna according to claim 10, characterized in that: The first radiator includes a plurality of the second open-circuit branches, and a distance between two adjacent second open-circuit branches is less than or equal to 0.2λ′.

12. The antenna according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that: The second open-circuit branch is in a straight line, a broken line or a fork shape.

13. A communication device, characterized in that: The invention comprises a radio frequency processing unit and the antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the radio frequency processing unit is connected to a feeding network in the antenna.

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