Feed device, antenna system, and base station

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application provide a feed device, an antenna system, and a base station. The feed device comprises: a substrate, the substrate comprising a signal line, and the signal line being used for transmitting an electric signal; a housing arranged on the substrate, the housing comprising a bottom wall and side walls, and the side walls and the bottom wall defining a plurality of cavities; and a plurality of functional circuits respectively accommodated in the plurality of cavities, the plane where the plurality of functional circuits are located being perpendicular to the substrate, and the plurality of functional circuits being connected to the signal line by means of striplines. According to the feed device, the antenna system, and the base station provided by the embodiments of the present application, the feed device can be easily integrated with different functional modules of an antenna system, thereby achieving the flexible layout of the antenna system.

Description

Feed units, antenna systems, and base stations

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of China on August 15, 2023, with application number 202311032252.8 and invention name “Feeding device, antenna system and base station”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The embodiments of the present application relate to the field of wireless communication technology, and more specifically, to a feeding device, an antenna system, and a base station. Background Art

[0003] The beam tilt of a base station antenna can be achieved through electrical adjustment or mechanical downtilt. Electrical adjustment saves manpower and material resources and provides better coverage than mechanical downtilt antennas, thus playing an important role in network optimization.

[0004] The feed network is a crucial component of the antenna system, including phase shifters. Phase shifters adjust the antenna's phase, and their performance directly impacts the overall performance of the base station antenna. Phase shifters are mostly circular discs, which change phase through the rotation of arc wipers. This arc-shaped transmission mode increases the width of the feed network, significantly impacting its overall layout and making it difficult to integrate with other functional modules of the antenna system, thus affecting the overall antenna system layout.

[0005] Summary of the Invention

[0006] The embodiments of the present application provide a feeding device, an antenna system, and a base station, which can facilitate integration of the feeding device with different functional modules of the antenna system, thereby achieving flexible layout of the antenna system.

[0007] In a first aspect, a feeding device is provided, comprising: a substrate including a signal line for transmitting an electrical signal; a housing disposed on the substrate and including a bottom wall and side walls, the side walls and the bottom wall forming a plurality of cavities; and a plurality of functional circuits, the plurality of functional circuits being respectively accommodated in the plurality of cavities, with the planes on which the functional circuits are located being perpendicular to the substrate, the functional circuits being connected to the signal line via strip lines.

[0008] In the embodiments provided in the present application, the substrate can be used as a bottom plate to carry components such as a housing and a functional circuit. The bottom wall and side walls of the housing enclose a plurality of cavities to accommodate a plurality of functional circuits, which can make it easy for the feeding device to integrate a plurality of functional modules of the antenna system and realize a flexible layout of the antenna system; the plane where the functional circuit is located is perpendicular to the substrate, which can effectively reduce the substrate space occupied by each functional module of the substrate and realize the miniaturization of the feeding device. Furthermore, different functional modules can be combined to realize the expansion and derivation of the functions of the feeding device. Multiple functional circuits are respectively accommodated in a plurality of cavities, which can also improve the isolation between each functional circuit and solve the coupling problem between each functional circuit. The functional modules in different cavities can be optimized separately to improve the design efficiency. In addition, each modular circuit can be easily standardized and thus applicable to all feeding devices under the same architecture.

[0009] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the shell further includes a partition, which is disposed in the cavity and divides the cavity into multiple parts.

[0010] In the embodiment provided in the present application, the shell includes a partition, and the partition divides the cavity into multiple parts, each of which can accommodate functional circuits, thereby improving the utilization rate of the internal space of the cavity, so that the feeding device can integrate more functional modules, realizing the integration and modularization of the feeding device; and realizing three-dimensional wiring of the feeding device, reducing the occupancy rate of the substrate surface space, thereby realizing the miniaturization design of the feeding device.

[0011] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the multiple cavities include a first cavity and a second cavity, and an extension direction of the first cavity is parallel to or perpendicular to an extension direction of the second cavity.

[0012] In the embodiment provided in the present application, the multiple cavities include cavities that are parallel to or perpendicular to each other, which can improve the flexibility of the spatial layout of the feeding device, fully utilize the surface space of the substrate to integrate different functional modules, and achieve miniaturization of the feeding device.

[0013] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, there are multiple shells, and the multiple shells are arranged on the same main plane of the substrate.

[0014] In the embodiment provided in the present application, multiple shells are arranged on the same main plane of the substrate, which can easily realize one-time welding of multiple shells, improve the production and processing efficiency of the feeding device, and easily realize the miniaturization of the feeding device and reduce the space occupied by the feeding device.

[0015] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the feeding device further includes a sliding medium, and the sliding medium is slidable relative to the multiple functional circuits.

[0016] In the embodiment provided in the present application, the feeding device includes a sliding medium, and the sliding medium can slide relative to the functional circuit, thereby realizing the phase adjustment function of the feeding device.

[0017] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the functional circuit and the corresponding shell together constitute a functional module, and the functional module includes at least one of the following modules: a phase shift module, a power division module, a phase compensation module, a main feed module, a combiner and a filter.

[0018] In the embodiments provided in the present application, multiple functional circuits can respectively constitute at least one of a phase shift module, a power splitter module, a phase compensation module, a main feed module, a combiner and a filter together with the corresponding housing, so that the feeding device can integrate different functional modules, realize modularization of the feed, and further realize the miniaturization of the feeding device.

[0019] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the signal line is further used to constitute at least one of the following functional modules of the feeding device: a power splitter module, a phase compensation module, a main feed module, a combiner, a filter, and a switching network.

[0020] In the embodiments provided in the present application, the signal line can constitute at least one of a power distribution module, a phase compensation module, a main feed module, a combiner, a filter and a switching network, so that the feeding device can integrate different functional modules and realize the modularization and miniaturization of the feeding device.

[0021] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the substrate further includes a ground layer, and the bottom wall is electrically connected to the ground layer.

[0022] In the embodiment provided in the present application, the substrate includes a grounding layer, and the bottom wall of the shell is electrically connected to the grounding layer, so that the feeding device can be grounded.

[0023] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the signal line and the ground layer are located on the same main plane of the substrate, and the signal line and the ground layer form a coplanar waveguide structure; or, the signal line and the ground layer are respectively located on different main planes of the substrate, and the signal line and the ground layer constitute a microstrip line or stripline structure.

[0024] In the embodiments provided herein, when the signal line and the ground layer are located on the same plane to form a coplanar waveguide structure, the connection between multiple functional circuits can be made more convenient, which is conducive to reducing the production cost of the feeding device. When the signal line and the ground layer are located on different planes to form a microstrip line or stripline structure, the surface space of the substrate can be fully utilized, thereby achieving miniaturization of the feeding device.

[0025] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, a side of the shell away from the substrate includes an opening portion, two adjacent functional circuits respectively include a bending portion, and the bending portions of the two adjacent functional circuits are connected through the opening portion.

[0026] In the embodiment provided in the present application, two adjacent functional circuits may respectively include a bent portion, and the bent portions of the two adjacent functional circuits are connected through the opening portion, which can reduce the number of parts used in the feeding device and achieve miniaturization of the feeding device.

[0027] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the housing includes a first opening, and the strip line passes through the first opening to be electrically connected to the signal line.

[0028] In the embodiment provided in the present application, the housing includes a first opening, so that the strip line passes through the first opening and is connected to the signal line. There is no need to wind the wire outside the housing to achieve electrical connection, which can make the wiring in the feeding device simpler.

[0029] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the substrate includes a second opening, the second opening extends in a direction perpendicular to the main plane of the substrate, and the strip line passes through the first opening and the second opening to be electrically connected to the signal line.

[0030] In the embodiments provided in the present application, when the signal line and the housing are located on different planes of the substrate, the substrate may include a second opening, so that the strip line passes through the first opening and the second opening respectively to be electrically connected to the signal line. This eliminates the need to wind wires outside the housing and the substrate to achieve electrical connection, thereby simplifying the wiring within the feeding device.

[0031] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the substrate includes one or more wire outlets, which are arranged on the periphery of the substrate for connecting the signal line to the antenna vibrator or other radio frequency system, or the substrate includes one or more pins, which are arranged on the periphery of the substrate for connecting the signal line to the antenna vibrator or other radio frequency system.

[0032] In the embodiment provided in the present application, the substrate includes a wire outlet or pins, which can facilitate the connection of the feeding device with the antenna system or other radio frequency systems, thereby realizing the integration and modularization of the antenna system and other radio frequency systems.

[0033] In a second aspect, an antenna system is provided, comprising the feeding device as described in the first aspect and any possible implementation manner of the first aspect, and one or more antenna elements, wherein the one or more antenna elements are connected to the feeding device.

[0034] In a third aspect, a base station is provided, comprising the antenna system as described in the second aspect above and a radio frequency module connected to the antenna system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of an antenna system.

[0036] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of an antenna.

[0037] FIG3 is a schematic structural diagram of a feeding device provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0038] FIG4 is a schematic structural diagram of a feeding device provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0039] FIG5 is a schematic structural diagram of a feeding device provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0040] FIG6 is a schematic structural diagram of a feeding device provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0041] FIG7 is a schematic structural diagram of a feeding device provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0042] FIG8 is a schematic structural diagram of a feeding device provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0043] FIG9 is a schematic structural diagram of a feeding device provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0045] References to "one embodiment" or "some embodiments" in this specification mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in conjunction with that embodiment is included in one or more embodiments of the present application. Thus, phrases such as "in one embodiment," "in some embodiments," "in other embodiments," and "in yet other embodiments" appearing in various places in this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, but rather mean "one or more, but not all, embodiments," unless otherwise specifically emphasized.

[0046] The terms "include", "comprising", "having" and variations thereof mean "including but not limited to", unless specifically emphasized otherwise.

[0047] In the various embodiments of this application, the terms "first," "second," and so on are merely used to indicate that multiple objects are distinct. For example, "first cavity" and "second cavity" are merely used to indicate different cavities. These terms should not affect the cavities themselves or their number. The terms "first," "second," and so on should not limit the embodiments of this application in any way.

[0048] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a base station antenna system provided in an embodiment of the present application. The base station antenna system may include components such as an antenna 101, a feeder 103, a mast 104, a remote radio unit (RRU) 102, and a grounding device 105. Antenna 101 can be secured to mast 104 using an adjustable bracket or the like and connected to RRU 102 via feeder 103, with signals transmitted between the feeder 103 and RRU 102. Antenna 101 may also be connected to grounding device 105.

[0049] FIG2 shows the main components inside the antenna, which may include a radiation element, a feeding network, a transmission or calibration network, a radome, a reflector, etc.

[0050] The radiating unit is the basic structural unit of the antenna array, which is used to radiate or receive radio waves. The radiating unit can also be called an antenna vibrator or vibrator, etc. An antenna array can include one or more radiating units, and the frequencies of different radiating units can be the same or different.

[0051] The feed network is used to feed signals to the radiating elements at a specific amplitude and phase, or to transmit received signals to the base station's signal processing unit at a specific amplitude and phase. The feed network can be connected to a transmission network to achieve different radiation beam directions. It can also be connected to a calibration network to obtain calibration signals required by the system. The feed network typically consists of controlled impedance transmission lines. It can also include phase shifters and, in some cases, combiners, filters, and other components.

[0052] The radome is a structural component used to protect the antenna system from external environmental influences. It has excellent electrical properties for electromagnetic wave penetration and mechanical properties to withstand harsh external environments. The radome houses the aforementioned radiating elements, transmission or calibration networks, and feed networks.

[0053] A reflector, also known as a baseplate, antenna panel, or metal reflective surface, improves antenna signal reception sensitivity, focuses antenna signals at the receiving point, and blocks or shields interference from other radio waves coming from the opposite direction. Radiating elements are typically placed above the reflector.

[0054] The antenna may further include an antenna connector for connecting the antenna to an external feeder, thereby enabling the antenna to be connected to an RRU or the like.

[0055] The feeding device provided in the embodiment of the present application can be provided in the antenna. The feeding device, which may also be referred to as a feeding network, is used to adjust the amplitude and phase of the transmitted or received signal. The structure of the feeding device provided in the embodiment of the present application is described below with reference to FIG. 3 to FIG. 9 .

[0056] First, referring to the feeding device shown in FIG3 , where FIG3 (a) is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the feeding device and FIG3 (b) is a top view of the feeding device, the feeding device may include a substrate 310 , a housing 320 , and a plurality of functional circuits 340 .

[0057] The substrate 310 may be a printed circuit board (PCB) or a ceramic substrate. The substrate 310 may be a single-layer substrate or a multi-layer substrate. The substrate 310 may include a signal line 311 for transmitting electrical signals. The signal line 311 may serve as a switching network for connecting multiple functional circuits 340 and transmitting electrical signals from one functional circuit 340 to another functional circuit 340. The signal line 311 may also be used to connect the feed device to other RF circuits and transmit electrical signals from the feed device to other RF circuits.

[0058] The housing 320 may include a bottom wall 322 and side walls 321. The bottom wall 322 may be supported on the substrate 310 and may, together with the side walls 321, define a plurality of cavities 330. For example, the bottom wall 322 of the housing 320 may be parallel to the substrate 310 and fixedly connected to the substrate 310, for example, by welding. The bottom wall 322 may be connected to the entire surface of the substrate 310 or may be fixedly connected to the substrate 310 via one or more protrusions on the substrate 310. The bottom wall 322 may also be supported on the substrate 310 via a coupling connection.

[0059] It should be noted that in the embodiments of the present application, "two or more structural members are parallel to each other" may mean "approximately parallel to each other," allowing for a certain degree of angular error during the production process. Similarly, hereinafter, "two or more structural members are approximately perpendicular to each other" may mean "approximately perpendicular to each other," and "equal in size" may mean "approximately equal in size."

[0060] The housing 320 may include multiple side walls 321. The multiple side walls 321 may share a common bottom wall 322 and, together with the bottom wall 322, enclose multiple cavities 330. For example, as shown in FIG3 , the multiple side walls 321 may be arranged parallel to each other and perpendicular to the bottom wall 322, such that a single cavity 330 forms a "U"-shaped structure. The housing 320 may be a semi-open housing. The multiple side walls 321 may be arranged parallel to each other, meaning that the multiple cavities 330 enclosed by the multiple side walls 321 and the bottom wall 322 may extend in the same direction, or in other words, the multiple cavities 330 may extend in parallel. The extending direction of the multiple cavities 330 shown in FIG3 is the direction indicated by the y-axis. The side walls 321 and the bottom wall 322 may be integrally formed or connected by welding, screwing, or other methods. The semi-open housing 320 can effectively reduce the weight and volume of the feeding device and reduce the manufacturing cost of the feeding device.

[0061] The housing 320 may also include a top wall (not shown in the figure). The top wall may be disposed on a side of the housing 320 away from the substrate 310, that is, it may be disposed opposite the bottom wall 322. In other words, the top wall and the bottom wall 322 may be disposed on the upper and lower sides of the side wall 321 along the z-axis, respectively. The top wall, the bottom wall 322, and the side walls 321 may together form a closed cavity. In this example, the side walls 321 may include not only the parallel side walls 321 shown in the figure, but also side walls 321 (not shown in the figure) disposed on the left and right sides of the housing 320. The left and right sides are the sides of the housing 320 along the y-axis shown in the figure.

[0062] Multiple functional circuits 340 can be housed in the multiple cavities 330 of the housing 320, and the multiple functional circuits 340 can be housed in the cavities 330 in an upright manner. In other words, the plane formed by the functional circuits 340 can be perpendicular to the plane of the substrate 310. For example, the functional circuits 340 can be formed by bending a stripline to form a folded line structure with alternating concave and convex shapes. The alternating concave and convex folded line structure can be located in the same plane, and the plane can be located on the yz plane shown in the figure, parallel to the sidewall 321, and perpendicular to the substrate 310. The multiple functional circuits 340 can be electrically connected to the signal line via the stripline.

[0063] It should be noted that in the embodiment of the present application, the functional circuit 340 can be a microwave circuit. From a structural perspective, the functional circuit 340 can be a stripline; from a functional perspective, the functional circuit 340, that is, the portion of the stripline located inside the cavity 330, can constitute a functional module together with the shell 320, and is therefore referred to as a functional circuit in the embodiment of the present application, while the portion located outside the cavity 330 mainly serves as an electrical connection, and is therefore referred to as a stripline in the embodiment of the present application. In other words, the functional circuit and the stripline can be a whole, but the setting position in the feeding device is different, and the functions achieved are also different. The functional circuit 340 and the stripline can also be two interconnected parts, respectively arranged inside and outside the cavity 330 to achieve different functions.

[0064] The functional circuit 340 and the housing 320 can form a suspended stripline structure, that is, the stripline can be set in the cavity 330 and may not directly contact the side wall 321 of the housing 320. The stripline can, together with the housing 320 and other components, form a functional module of the feeding device, such as a power splitter module, a phase shifter module, etc.

[0065] As an example, the feeding device may further include a sliding medium 350 that can slide relative to the functional circuit 340. The sliding medium 350 may be a material having an electrostatic constant different from that of air, and is used to change the electrostatic constant of the surrounding environment. When the sliding medium 350 slides relative to the functional circuit 340, the electrical length of the travel line can be changed, thereby achieving phase adjustment. There may be multiple sliding media 350, for example, five as shown. The five sliding media 350A, 350B, 350C, 350D, and 350E may be disposed in cavities 330A, 330B, 330C, 330D, and 330E, respectively, and may cover the corresponding functional circuits 340A, 340B, 340C, 340D, and 340E in each cavity. For example, the sliding medium 350 may have an inverted U-shaped structure, and the functional circuit 340 may be disposed below the central gap of the inverted U-shaped structure. The sliding medium 350 can slide relative to the functional circuit 340 along the y-axis shown in the figure. The sliding medium 350, along with the sidewalls 321 and bottom wall 322 of the corresponding cavity 330, and the functional circuit 340 in the corresponding cavity 330, can form a phase shifting module. Five sliding media 350 can respectively form five phase shifting modules with the corresponding housing 320 and functional circuit 340 to achieve phase adjustment. For example, sliding medium 350A can form a phase shifting module with the corresponding functional circuit 340A and the corresponding sidewalls 321 and bottom wall 322 of the cavity 330A. Sliding medium 350B can form a phase shifting module with the corresponding functional circuit 340B and the corresponding sidewalls 321 and bottom wall 322 of the cavity 330B. The same applies to 330C, 330D, and 330E.

[0066] The functional circuit 340 can also form functional modules such as a power distribution module, a phase compensation module, a combiner, and a filter together with the corresponding shell 320 part of the cavity 330, which is not limited in this application.

[0067] In the feeding device provided in the embodiment of the present application, the substrate serves as a motherboard for carrying components such as a housing and functional circuits, and multiple functional circuits can be respectively accommodated in multiple cavities of the housing, which enables the feeding device to be easily integrated with different functional modules. Different functional modules can be combined to achieve the expansion and derivation of the functions of the feeding device. Multiple functional circuits are respectively accommodated in multiple cavities, which can also improve the isolation of the strip lines in each cavity and solve the coupling problem between the strip lines. The functional modules in different cavities can be optimized separately to improve design efficiency. In addition, each modular circuit can be easily standardized in design, so that it is applicable to all feeding devices under the same architecture.

[0068] In some embodiments, the signal line 311 and the housing 320 can be respectively arranged on the two main planes of the substrate 310. The main plane of the substrate 310 is also the surface of the substrate 310 with a larger area, such as the xy plane shown in the figure. In other words, the signal line 311 and the housing 320 can be respectively arranged on the upper and lower sides of the substrate 310 in the z-axis direction shown in the figure. The structure of the signal line 311 can be, for example, the structure shown in (a) of Figure 4. The housing 320 may include a first opening (not shown in the figure). The first opening can be arranged on the side wall 321 of the housing 320, or on the bottom wall 322 of the housing 320, and the number of the first opening can be one or more. When the signal line 311 and the housing 320 are respectively arranged on the two main planes of the substrate 310, the corresponding position of the substrate 310 may also include a second opening 3221 (as shown in (b) in Figure 4). The second opening 3221 can extend in a direction perpendicular to the main plane of the substrate 310 so that the strip line can pass through the first opening and the second opening 3221 in sequence to electrically connect with the signal line. The housing 320 may also include an open surface (not shown in the figure), which is a larger opening on the housing 320. The strip line can pass through the open surface to connect with the signal line 311. The signal line 311 and the housing 320 are respectively arranged on the two main planes of the substrate 310, which can improve the utilization rate of the surface space of the substrate 310 and effectively reduce the volume of the feeding device.

[0069] The signal line 311 and the housing 320 may also be provided on the same plane as the substrate 310. In this example, the substrate 310 does not need to be provided with a second opening 3221 or an open surface. Only a first opening is required on the housing, so that the strip line can pass through the first opening on the housing 320 and connect to the signal line 311. In this example, the signal line 311 may be provided in an area outside the projection of the housing 320 onto the substrate 310 along the z-axis shown in the figure.

[0070] In some embodiments, the signal line 311 can also constitute a power splitter module of the feeding device, which is used to split one input signal into two or more output signals for output. The power splitter module can work together with the phase shifter module to realize the phase shifter function and achieve phase adjustment of the antenna.

[0071] In some embodiments, the substrate 310 may further include a ground layer (not shown in the figure). The ground layer may be disposed on the same main plane of the substrate 310 as the housing 320, and the housing 320 may be connected to the ground layer. The housing 320 may be directly electrically connected to the ground layer, or a coupled connection may be performed. When the housing 320 is directly electrically connected to the ground layer, the housing 320 may be electrically connected to the entire surface of the ground layer. For example, the entire bottom wall 322 of the housing 320 may be connected to the ground layer. Alternatively, the ground layer may include one or more raised points, and the housing 320 may be connected to the ground layer via the one or more raised points (not shown in the figure). The housing 320 may be fixed to the ground layer and electrically connected by welding or other methods.

[0072] When the grounding layer and the shell 320 are arranged on different main planes of the substrate 310, the shell 320 can be electrically connected to the grounding layer through the opening on the substrate 310. The opening on the substrate 310 can be a guide hole, that is, metal can be injected into the opening to achieve electrical connection between the shell 320 and the grounding layer, so that the shell 320 is grounded.

[0073] The ground layer and the signal line 311 may be located on the same principal plane of the substrate 310, or on different principal planes of the substrate 310. When the ground layer and the signal line 311 are located on different principal planes of the substrate 310, for example, when the ground layer and the housing 320 are located on the same principal plane of the substrate 310, or on the upper plane of the substrate 310, i.e., the upper plane of the substrate 310 in the z-axis direction, and the signal line 311 is located on the lower plane of the substrate 310, i.e., the lower plane of the substrate 310 in the z-axis direction, the ground layer and the signal line 311 may form a microstrip line structure, i.e., a structure in which the signal line 311, the substrate 310, and the ground layer are arranged in this order; or the ground layer and the signal line 311 may form a stripline structure, i.e., the signal line 311 may be a multi-layer structure, for example, including two layers of signal lines 311, with another layer of substrate 310 disposed between the two layers of signal lines 311. The ground layer and the signal line 311 are located on different main planes of the substrate 310 , which can fully utilize the surface space of the substrate and achieve miniaturization of the feeding device.

[0074] When the ground layer and the signal line 311 are located on the same main plane of the substrate 310, for example, when the ground layer and the signal line 311 are both located on the same plane as the housing 320 of the substrate 310, that is, on the upper plane of the substrate 310, the ground layer can form a coplanar waveguide structure with the signal line 311. When the signal line 311 and the ground layer are located on the same plane to form a coplanar waveguide structure, it can facilitate the connection between the multiple functional circuits 340 and help reduce the production cost of the feeding device.

[0075] In some embodiments, the substrate 310 may include one or more outlets 312 disposed on the periphery of the substrate 310 for connecting the signal line 311 to the antenna element or other radio frequency system. The outlet 312 may be a coaxial cable.

[0076] The feeding device shown in Figures 3 and 4 above includes a housing 320, and the housing 320 can be a multi-cavity structure. The housing 320 can also be a single-cavity structure. The feeding device can be composed of multiple single-cavity housings 320, each used to accommodate multiple functional circuits 340. For example, see the feeding device structure shown in Figure 5, where Figure 5 (a) is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the feeding device, and Figure 5 (b) is a top view of the feeding device.

[0077] The feed device may include multiple housings 320, such as the six housings 320A to 320F shown. The multiple housings 320 may be arranged on the same principal plane of the substrate 310. This arrangement facilitates simultaneous welding of the multiple housings 320, improving the production and processing efficiency of the feed device and facilitating miniaturization and reduction of the feed device's volume. Each of the multiple housings 320 may have a semi-open structure as shown, or a closed structure. Each housing 320 may include a cavity 330, that is, each housing 320 may include a bottom wall 322 and two side walls 321, which may form a "U"-shaped structure. Multiple functional circuits 340A to 340F may be housed in the multiple cavities 330A to 330F of the multiple housings 320A to 320F, respectively.

[0078] Similar to the structure shown in FIG3 , the feeding device may include a sliding medium 350 . The number of sliding media 350 may be one or more, for example, the four sliding media 350B, 350C, 350D, and 350E shown in FIG5 . The four sliding media 350 may be respectively accommodated in four cavities 330B, 330C, 330D, and 330E, and may respectively constitute four phase-shifting modules together with the housing 320 and the functional circuit 340 of the corresponding cavity 330 . For example, the sliding medium 350B and the housing corresponding to the cavity 330B in which it is located, as well as the functional circuit 340B in the cavity 330B, may together constitute a phase-shifting module.

[0079] The feeding device may further include a power splitter module, and the power splitter module may be composed of a functional circuit 340 and a housing 320. For example, the cavities 330A and 330F shown in the figure respectively accommodate a stripline 340A and a line 340F. The stripline 340A and the housing 320 corresponding to the cavity 330A together constitute a power splitter module. Similarly, the stripline 340F and the housing 320 corresponding to the cavity 330F may also together constitute a power splitter module.

[0080] In some embodiments, the substrate 310 can also be connected to the antenna vibrator or other radio frequency module through the pin 313. The pin 313 can be arranged on the periphery of the substrate 310, and the pin 313 can be a protruding part of the substrate 310, for example, a protruding part of the PCB, and the protruding part can cover at least part of the signal line 311, serving as the output line adapter of the feeding device. The pin 313 can also be in the form of an enhanced etched pattern (plus etched pattern, PEP) plastic electroplated strip line or sheet metal strip line, wherein PEP is a metallization process technology for forming complex three-dimensional circuits on a non-metallic surface, and the PEP plastic electroplated strip line is a metal strip line electroplated on a plastic surface, serving as the output line adapter of the feeding device. The periphery of the substrate 310 can also include structures such as pin holes, which serve as an adapter for connecting to the antenna vibrator or other radio frequency circuits. The present application does not limit the structural form of the output line adapter of the feeding device.

[0081] The feeding device can also be composed of one or more single-cavity housings 320 and one or more multi-cavity housings 320, and multiple functional circuits 340 can be respectively accommodated in multiple cavities 330. In addition to the above-mentioned phase shifting module and functional modules, the functional circuits can also be combined with the housing 320 to form functional modules such as a combiner, a filter, a power splitter module, and a phase compensation module. These functional modules can be combined so that the feeding device can achieve a variety of different functions. For details, please refer to the examples shown in Figures 6 to 9. Similarly, Figures 6 to 9 (a) are schematic diagrams of the three-dimensional structure of the feeding device, and Figures 6 to 9 (b) are top views of the feeding device.

[0082] First, as shown in FIG6 , the feeding device may include a multi-cavity housing 320 and two single-cavity housings 320. The multi-cavity housing 320 may be disposed between the two single-cavity housings 320 along the x-direction shown in the figure. The multi-cavity housing 320 may be, for example, a four-cavity housing 320 as shown. Similar to the above, the functional circuit 340 and the sliding medium 350 contained in the multi-cavity housing 320 may, together with the housings 320, constitute four phase shifting modules, which will not be further described here.

[0083] The side of the housing 320 of the feeding device away from the substrate 310 may also include an opening portion 3211. For example, the opening portion 3211 can be set at the upper right corner and upper left corner of the side wall 321 of the multi-cavity housing 320, where left and right can refer to the left and right sides along the direction shown by the y-axis in the figure. The opening portion 3211 can be used to pass the connecting line 370 to connect the functional circuits 340 in two adjacent cavities 330. In other words, the strip lines of the multiple functional circuits 340 can be electrically connected by extending them from the bottom of the housing 320. For example, openings are provided at corresponding positions on the bottom wall 322 of the housing 320 and the substrate 310 to connect the strip lines to the signal line 311. The multiple functional circuits 340 can also be electrically connected by extending them from the top of the housing 320.

[0084] The connecting line 370 may be a bent portion of the functional circuits 340 in two adjacent cavities 330. For example, the ends of the functional circuits 340 in two adjacent cavities 330 may be bent and connected through the opening 3211 to achieve a connection between the functional circuits 340 in the two adjacent cavities 330. Alternatively, only one of the two adjacent functional circuits 340 may include a bent portion and pass through the opening 3211 to connect to the other functional circuit. The functional circuits 340 including bent portions and the bent portions being connected through the opening can reduce the number of parts used in the feeding device and further achieve miniaturization of the feeding device.

[0085] It should be noted that the feeding device shown in FIG6 is a housing 320B having multiple cavities, in which a connecting line 370 is provided to connect the functional circuits 340 in two adjacent cavities 330. Any two functional circuits 340 in the feeding device can be electrically connected via the connecting line 370. For example, the functional circuit 340 in the multi-cavity housing 320B can also be electrically connected to the functional circuit 340 in the single-cavity housing 320A-1 and / or 320A-2. This application does not limit this. The opening portion 3211 can also be provided at other locations on the sidewall 321 of the housing 320 other than the corners, such as at the middle of the side of the sidewall 321 away from the substrate 310, or at any location on the side of the sidewall 321 perpendicular to the main plane of the substrate 310. This application does not limit this.

[0086] The functional circuit 340 contained in the two single-cavity shells 320A-1 and 320A-2 can constitute a phase compensation module together with the shell 320. For example, the functional circuit in the cavity 330A and the shell 320A-1 corresponding to the cavity 330A can constitute a phase compensation module together. The functional circuit 340 in the cavity 330F can also constitute a phase compensation module together with the shell 320A-2 corresponding to the cavity 330. The phase compensation module can be used to adjust the phase of the feeding device.

[0087] Similar to the feeding device shown in FIG5 , the feeding device may further include a power splitter module, which may be composed of the signal line 311 in the feeding device and may be disposed, for example, on the lower plane of the substrate 310. The feeding device may also include a phase shifter module, which may be composed of the housing corresponding to the cavities 340B to 340E, the functional circuit, and the sliding medium 350.

[0088] The feeding device shown in FIG. 7 may be composed of a plurality of multi-cavity housings 320 , and in addition to the phase shift module, the feeding device may also include a main feeding module and a combiner.

[0089] Exemplarily, the feeding device may include three multi-cavity shells 320A-1, 320A-2 and 320B. The two shells 320A-1 and 320A-2 located on the upper and lower sides of the feeding device may be double-cavity shells. The multi-cavity shell 320A-1 may include cavities 330A and 330B. The functional circuit 340 in the cavity 330B may together with the shell 320 portion corresponding to the cavity 330B constitute a main feeding module for transmitting electrical signals, such as transmitting signals sent by the RRU to the antenna. The functional circuit 340 in the cavity 330A may together with the shell 320 portion corresponding to the cavity 330A constitute a combiner for combining the signals transmitted by the main feeding module.

[0090] Similarly, the multi-cavity shell 320A-2 may include cavities 330G and 330H, and the functional circuit in the cavity 330G may constitute a main feed module together with the shell 320 portion corresponding to the cavity 330G, and the functional circuit in the cavity 330H may constitute a combiner together with the shell 320 corresponding to the cavity 330H, for combining and outputting the signal transmitted by the main feed module.

[0091] The multi-cavity housing 320B may include the four cavities 330C, 330D, 330E and 330F shown in the figure. Similar to the feeding device shown in Figure 6, the functional circuit 340 in the multi-cavity housing 320B may constitute a phase shifting module together with the sliding medium 350 and the housing part of the corresponding cavity, which will not be repeated here.

[0092] Similar to the feeding device described above, the signal line 311 of the feeding device can also constitute a functional module such as a power splitter module of the feeding device. Other components of the feeding device are similar to those of the feeding device shown in FIG3 and will not be described in detail here.

[0093] In the feeding devices shown in Figures 3 to 7 above, the multiple cavities 330 enclosed by one or more shells 320 are parallel cavities 330, that is, the side walls 321 of each shell can be parallel structures. In the feeding device shown in Figure 8, the multiple cavities 330 can include cavities 330 that are perpendicular to each other.

[0094] As shown in Figure 8 , the phase shifting modules can be positioned near both ends of substrate 310 along the x-axis. Specifically, the phase shifting modules can be located within housings 320A-1 and 320A-2. Housings 320A-1 and 320A-2 can have dual-cavity structures, and the number of phase shifting modules can be four, as shown. Similar to the above, the phase shifting modules can be comprised of a functional circuit 340, a sliding medium 350, and the portion of housing 320 corresponding to cavity 330, which will not be further described here.

[0095] The functional circuit 340 in the housing 320B can form a combiner together with the corresponding housing 320. The housing 320B can be a four-chamber housing, thereby forming four combiners. For example, the functional circuit 340C and the corresponding housing 320 portion of the cavity 330C can form a combiner together. Similarly, the functional circuit 340D and the corresponding housing 320 portion of the cavity 330D can form a combiner together. The functional circuit 340E and the corresponding housing 320 portion of the cavity 330E can form a combiner together. The functional circuit 340E and the corresponding housing 320 portion of the cavity 330E can form a combiner together. The functional circuit 340F and the corresponding housing 320 portion of the cavity 330F can form a combiner together.

[0096] The cavities 330A to 330H may be parallel to each other, that is, the side walls 321 corresponding to the cavities 330A to 330H may be arranged parallel to each other. Shells may also be provided near the left and right sides of the substrate 310. For example, shells 320C-1 and 320C-2 as shown in the figure may be provided. The shells 320C-1 and 320C-2 may be dual-cavity structures. For example, the shell 320C-1 on the left may include cavities 330I and 330J, and the shell 320C-2 on the right may include cavities 330K and 330L. The extension directions of the cavities 330I to 330L may be perpendicular to the extension directions of the cavities 330A to 330G. That is, the extension directions of the cavities 330I to 330L may be the x-axis direction shown in the figure, and the extension directions of the cavities 330A to 330H may be along the y-axis direction shown in the figure. The side walls 321 corresponding to the cavities 330I to 330L may be perpendicular to the side walls 321 corresponding to the cavities 330A to 330G.

[0097] Functional circuits may also be provided in the cavities 330I-330L. For example, the functional circuits in the cavities 330I-330L may respectively form a combiner together with the shell portion of the corresponding cavity to perform combining processing on the signals transmitted by the feeding device.

[0098] Functional circuits are provided in the cavities 330I to 330L to realize the functions that can be realized by functional modules such as combiners. Under the premise that the feeding device can integrate multiple functional modules, the space occupied by the functional circuits on the feeding device can be reduced, the feeding device can be miniaturized, and the volume of the antenna system can be effectively reduced.

[0099] In some embodiments, the housing may further include a partition 323 to divide the single cavity into at least two parts, for example, see the feeding device structure shown in FIG9 .

[0100] As shown in FIG. 9, the housings 320A-1 and 320A-2 located at both ends of the substrate 310 in the x-axis direction can be double-chamber housings. The housings 320A-1 and 320A-2 can include a partition 323. The material of the partition 323 can be a metallic material, and the material of the partition 323 can be the same as that of the housing 320. The partition 323 can be disposed in the cavity 330 and divide the corresponding cavity into multiple parts. The partition 323 can be parallel to the substrate 310. For example, the cavity 330A can include a partition 323-1, the cavity 330B can include a partition 323-2, and the partitions 323-1 and 323-2 can be parallel to the substrate 310. The installation heights of the partitions 323 in the same housing 320 can be the same or different, or rather, the installation heights of the partitions 323 in different cavities 330 can be the same or different. For example, the illustrated partition 323-1 and the partition 323-2 can be disposed at the same position in the z-axis direction of the housing 320A-1, such that the housing 320A-1 forms a semi-open "field" shaped structure, or they can be disposed at different positions in the z-axis direction.

[0101] The partition 323 can divide the cavity 330 into upper and lower parts. Taking the cavity 330A as an example, the cavity 330 can be divided into a first part 330A-1 and a second part 330A-2. Functional circuits 340 can be respectively disposed in the first part 330A-1 and the second part 330A-2. Each functional circuit 340 can form a functional module with the corresponding part of the housing 320. For example, the functional circuit 340 in the first part 330A-1 can form a combiner with the corresponding side wall 321 and the partition 323 of the first part 330A-1, and the functional circuit 340 in the second part 330A-2 can form a combiner with the corresponding side wall 321, the partition 323, and the bottom wall 322 of the second part 330A-2. The functional module formed by the functional circuit 340 in the first part 330A-1 can be the same as or different from the functional module formed by the functional circuit 340 in the second part 330A-2. The partition arrangement in the cavity 330B and the arrangement of the functional circuits in the corresponding cavity can be similar to those in the cavity 330A, which will not be elaborated here.

[0102] Similarly, the housing 320A-2 may also include a partition 323, for example, the partition 323-3 and the partition 323-4 shown in the figure, which may be respectively accommodated in the cavities 330E and 330F, and the partition 323-3 and the partition 323-4 may be parallel to the substrate 310. The arrangement of the functional modules in the housing 320A-2 may be similar to that in the above-mentioned housing 320A-1 and will not be repeated here. A cavity 330 may be provided with one partition 323 or multiple partitions 323 to divide the cavity 330 into multiple parts to make more effective use of the surface space on the substrate 310 and realize the miniaturization of the feeding device. The functional circuits 340 accommodated in the multiple parts into which a cavity 330 is divided may constitute the same functional module as the housing 320, or may constitute different functional modules.

[0103] A partition is provided in the cavity to divide the cavity into multiple parts, which can realize three-dimensional wiring of the feeding device and improve the surface space utilization of the feeding device. For example, the flat-laid strip lines can be arranged upright to reduce the surface area occupied by the strip lines, further promoting the miniaturization of the feeding device.

[0104] It should be noted that the feeder described in Figures 3 to 9 above mainly uses the functional circuit and the housing to form a phase shift module, a power splitter module, a phase compensation module, and a combiner as an example to describe the structure of the feeder. The functional circuit can also be used together with the housing to form a filter, a duplexer, and other functional modules, and this application does not limit this. In addition, the feeder can include not only one or two of the above modules, but also three or more functional modules to expand and derive the functions of the feeder.

[0105] The shell in the above embodiment can be a single-cavity shell or a multi-cavity shell. The embodiment of the present application does not limit the number of single-cavity shells and multi-cavity shells, the number of cavities included in the multi-cavity shell, and the number of functional modules set in each cavity, and can be set according to actual usage requirements.

[0106] The above embodiment is described as a shell including cavities that are parallel to each other and / or perpendicular to each other. The shell can also be arranged in any other form. For example, multiple cavities can also be distributed on the substrate at a certain angle. The shell of the feeding device provided in this application can be flexibly arranged according to actual functional requirements, making full use of the surface space of the substrate and integrating multiple functional modules. This application does not limit the structural form of the shell and the layout of the shell on the substrate.

[0107] An embodiment of the present application also provides an antenna system, which may include any one of the feeding devices described in Figures 3 to 9 above. The antenna system may also include an antenna element. The feeding device may be connected to the antenna element, and the number of antenna elements may be one or more.

[0108] An embodiment of the present application further provides a base station, which may include the above-mentioned antenna system and a radio frequency module connected to the antenna system.

[0109] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present application, but the scope of protection of the present application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included in the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A feeding device, characterized in that: include: A substrate, the substrate comprising a signal line, the signal line being used to transmit an electrical signal; A shell, the shell is arranged on the substrate, and the shell comprises a bottom wall and side walls, and the side walls and the bottom wall enclose a plurality of cavities; A plurality of functional circuits are respectively accommodated in the plurality of cavities, and the planes where the functional circuits are located are perpendicular to the substrate, and the functional circuits are connected to the signal lines through strip lines.

2. The feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The shell further includes a partition plate, which is disposed in the cavity and divides the cavity into a plurality of parts.

3. The feeding device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The plurality of cavities include a first cavity and a second cavity, and an extension direction of the first cavity is parallel or perpendicular to an extension direction of the second cavity.

4. The feeding device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The side of the housing away from the substrate includes an opening portion, Two adjacent functional circuits respectively include a bending portion, and the bending portions of the two adjacent functional circuits are connected through the opening portion.

5. The feeding device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The number of the shells is multiple, and the multiple shells are arranged on the same main plane of the substrate.

6. The feeding device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The feeding device further includes a sliding medium that is slidable relative to the plurality of functional circuits.

7. The feeding device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The functional circuit and the corresponding housing together constitute a functional module, and the functional module includes at least one of the following modules: a phase shift module, a power division module, a phase compensation module, a main feed module, a combiner and a filter.

8. The feeding device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The signal line is also used to form at least one of the following functional modules of the feeding device: a power division module, a phase compensation module, a main feeding module, a combiner, a filter and a switching network.

9. The feeding device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The substrate further includes a grounding layer, and the bottom wall is electrically connected to the grounding layer.

10. The feeding device according to claim 9, characterized in that: The signal line and the ground layer are located on the same main plane of the substrate, and the signal line and the ground layer form a coplanar waveguide structure, or, The signal line and the ground layer are respectively located on different main planes of the substrate, and the signal line and the ground layer form a microstrip line or a stripline structure.

11. The feeding device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that: The housing includes a first opening, and the strip line passes through the first opening and is electrically connected to the signal line.

12. The feeding device according to claim 11, characterized in that: The substrate comprises a second opening extending in a direction perpendicular to a main plane of the substrate, the strip line passes through the first opening, and the second opening is electrically connected to the signal line.

13. The feeding device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that: The substrate includes one or more outlets, which are arranged on the periphery of the substrate and are used to connect the signal line with an antenna element or other radio frequency system, or, The substrate includes one or more pins, which are arranged on the periphery of the substrate and are used to connect the signal line with an antenna element or other radio frequency system.

14. An antenna system, characterized in that: The invention comprises a feeding device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, and one or more antenna elements, wherein the one or more antenna elements are connected to the feeding device.

15. A base station, characterized in that: It comprises the antenna system as claimed in claim 14, and a radio frequency module connected to the antenna system.

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