Antenna, phase shifter and base station

Abstract

Provided are an antenna, a phase shifter, and a base station. The antenna comprises: a reflector comprising a first surface and a second surface; a radiation unit array arranged on the first surface of the reflector; an end cover arranged at one end of the reflector in the longitudinal direction; a connector arranged on the end cover; a feed network connected to the connector and the radiation unit array, and comprising a phase shifter and a transmission line, wherein the transmission line includes a flat transmission line used for transmitting signals between the connector and the phase shifter; and a transmission module arranged on the second surface of the reflector and adjacent to the end cover, and configured to drive the phase shifter to execute a phase shift action, wherein a part of the flat transmission line is located between the transmission module and the reflector. According to the technical solution of embodiments of the present application, the energy efficiency of the antenna can be improved.

Description

Antennas, phase shifters and base stations

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of the People's Republic of China on December 8, 2023, with application number 202311693048.0 and invention name "Antenna, Phase Shifter and Base Station", the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0003] The embodiments of the present application relate to the field of communication technology, and in particular to an antenna, a phase shifter, and a base station. Background Art

[0004] With the rapid development of the wireless communications industry, the energy consumption of communication systems is increasing while enabling large-scale mobile broadband connections and the various new applications of the 5G era. As countries around the world are proposing "carbon peak" and "carbon neutrality" development strategies, green and energy-saving wireless communication networks are imperative, and the energy efficiency of communication systems has become a key indicator. Furthermore, the constant pursuit of network performance in the 5G era requires continuous optimization and energy efficiency improvements in base station antennas to achieve better network coverage.

[0005] Summary of the Invention

[0006] The embodiments of the present application provide an antenna, a phase shifter, and a base station to improve the energy efficiency of the antenna.

[0007] According to one aspect of the present application, an antenna is provided, comprising: a reflector, comprising a first surface and a second surface; a radiation element array, arranged on the first surface of the reflector; an end cap, arranged at one end in the longitudinal direction of the reflector; a connector, arranged on the end cap; a feeding network, connected to the connector and the radiation element array, the feeding network comprising a phase shifter and a transmission line, wherein the transmission line comprises a flat transmission line for transmitting signals between the connector and the phase shifter; and a transmission module, arranged on the second surface of the reflector and adjacent to the end cap, the transmission module being used to drive the phase shifter to perform a phase shifting action, wherein a portion of the flat transmission line is located between the transmission module and the reflector.

[0008] Compared to related art antennas, the present invention reduces the transmission loss of the main feed of the feed network, thereby improving the energy efficiency of the antenna, because the cross-sectional area of ​​the flat transmission line can be designed to be larger and the proportion of the insulating medium in its structure can be designed to be smaller. Furthermore, because a portion of the flat transmission line is located between the transmission module and the reflector, that is, a portion of the flat transmission line is routed between the transmission module and the reflector, the gap between the transmission module and the reflector can be utilized to arrange the flat transmission line, making the internal structure of the antenna more compact and neat.

[0009] In some embodiments, the flat transmission line includes a signal transmission strip and a ground plane spaced apart from the signal transmission strip, wherein the width direction of the signal transmission strip is parallel to the reflector, or the thickness direction of the signal transmission strip is parallel to the reflector. The specific layout of the flat transmission line can be flexibly selected and designed in combination with the arrangement of the phase shifters, etc., to achieve the aforementioned beneficial effects.

[0010] In some embodiments, an air gap is provided between the signal transmission line and the ground plane. When an air gap is provided between the signal transmission line and the ground plane, the volume of the insulating medium in the flat transmission line structure is small, thereby reducing signal transmission loss.

[0011] In some embodiments, the flat transmission line is a strip line, and the ground plane includes two ground planes arranged parallel to the signal transmission strip line, wherein the signal transmission strip line is located between the two ground planes, and the signal transmission strip line and the two ground planes are separated by a plurality of insulating support structures, and there is an air gap between the signal transmission strip line and the two ground planes; or

[0012] The flat transmission line is a microstrip line, and the ground plane includes a ground plate arranged parallel to the signal transmission strip line, wherein the signal transmission strip line and the ground plate are separated by a plurality of insulating support structures, and an air gap is provided between the signal transmission strip line and the ground plate; or

[0013] The flat transmission line is a coplanar waveguide, and the ground plane includes a first wide side surface and a second wide side surface arranged in parallel, and a first narrow side surface and a second narrow side surface arranged in parallel, wherein the first wide side surface, the second wide side surface, the first narrow side surface and the second narrow side surface form a rectangular cavity, and the rectangular cavity has an air gap, the first wide side surface has a strip-shaped opening, the signal transmission strip line is located in the strip-shaped opening, and the signal transmission strip line and the second wide side surface are separated by multiple insulating support structures.

[0014] The flat transmission line can adopt any of the above-mentioned strip line, microstrip line or coplanar waveguide. Its air gap structure design makes the volume of the insulating medium in the flat transmission line smaller, thereby further reducing the transmission loss of the main feed.

[0015] In some embodiments, the flat transmission line is a strip line, and the ground plane includes two ground planes arranged parallel to the signal transmission strip line, wherein the signal transmission strip line is located between the two ground planes, and an insulating medium is filled between the signal transmission strip line and the two ground planes; or

[0016] The flat transmission line is a microstrip line, and the ground plane includes a ground plate arranged parallel to the signal transmission strip line, wherein an insulating medium is filled between the signal transmission strip line and the ground plate; or

[0017] The flat transmission line is a coplanar waveguide, and the ground plane includes a first wide side surface and a second wide side surface arranged in parallel, and a first narrow side surface and a second narrow side surface arranged in parallel, wherein the first wide side surface, the second wide side surface, the first narrow side surface and the second narrow side surface form a rectangular cavity, the rectangular cavity is filled with an insulating medium, the first wide side surface has a strip-shaped opening, and the signal transmission strip line is located in the strip-shaped opening.

[0018] The flat transmission line can adopt any of the above-mentioned strip lines, microstrip lines or coplanar waveguides. Compared with related technologies, since the cross-sectional area of ​​the flat transmission line can be designed to be larger and the proportion of insulating medium in its structure can be designed to be smaller, the transmission loss of the main feed of the feeding network can be reduced, thereby improving the energy efficiency of the antenna.

[0019] In some embodiments, the flat transmission line is a stripline, and the ground plane includes a first wide side surface and a second wide side surface arranged in parallel, as well as a first narrow side surface and a second narrow side surface arranged in parallel. The first wide side surface, the second wide side surface, the first narrow side surface, and the second narrow side surface form a rectangular cavity. The signal transmission stripline is located within the rectangular cavity and is arranged parallel to the first wide side surface and the second wide side surface. The rectangular cavity is filled with an insulating medium or has an air gap. In this embodiment, the rectangular cavity can provide better shielding protection for the signal transmission stripline, thereby improving the stability of signal transmission.

[0020] In some embodiments, the transmission line includes at least two parallel flat transmission lines configured to transmit signals with different polarization directions. When the antenna includes at least two polarization directions, signals with different polarization directions need to be transmitted via different flat transmission lines. This embodiment supports a multi-polarization design of the antenna, thereby achieving higher signal transmission and reception efficiency.

[0021] In some embodiments, the ground planes of the at least two flat transmission lines are integrally connected, so that the structure of the at least two flat transmission lines is relatively compact, which can reduce space occupation and make the internal structure of the antenna relatively neat.

[0022] In some embodiments, the reflector is grounded, the width of the signal transmission line is parallel to the reflector, and at least a portion of the ground plane is integrated into the reflector. This simplifies the structure of the flat transmission line, making it easier to manufacture and route.

[0023] In some embodiments, a phase shifter includes a grounded outer conductor cavity, a phase shifting component and a phase shifting circuit disposed within the outer conductor cavity. The phase shifting component is driven by a transmission module to perform phase shifting. The phase shifting circuit includes an input / output main circuit, a signal transmission stripline connected to the input / output main circuit, at least a portion of which is located within the outer conductor cavity, and a ground plane integrally connected to the outer conductor cavity. This embodiment integrates at least a section of the flat transmission line with the phase shifter, connecting the signal transmission stripline and the input / output main circuit within the phase shifter. This not only reduces signal transmission losses but also simplifies and streamlines the antenna's internal structure.

[0024] In some embodiments, the signal transmission strip line is welded to the input / output main circuit, connected as one piece, or connected via a bridge. The signal transmission strip line and the input / output main circuit can be flexibly designed according to the specific routing of the signal transmission strip line and the input / output main circuit. For example, in some embodiments, the signal transmission strip line of the flat transmission line and the input / output main circuit can overlap each other. In this case, the two can be connected by laser welding. For example, in some embodiments, the signal transmission strip line of the flat transmission line and the input / output main circuit can be connected as one piece without the need for subsequent assembly. For example, in some embodiments, the signal transmission strip line of the flat transmission line and the input / output main circuit are spaced apart from each other. In this case, the two can be connected by a bridge.

[0025] In some embodiments, the outer conductor cavity includes a plurality of sub-cavities, wherein at least a portion of the signal transmission stripline and the input / output main circuit are located in the same sub-cavity; or, at least a portion of the signal transmission stripline and the input / output main circuit are located in different sub-cavities. When at least a portion of the signal transmission stripline and the input / output main circuit are located in the same sub-cavity, the two can be connected as a whole or connected together by laser welding. Such a design has a relatively simple structure and is easy to process and manufacture. When at least a portion of the signal transmission stripline and the input / output main circuit are located in different sub-cavities, the shielding effect of the sub-cavity wall can be used to reduce the resonance caused by the signal transmission stripline and the input / output main circuit during high-frequency signal transmission, thereby improving the stability of the phase shift circuit.

[0026] In some embodiments, the transmission module is disposed opposite one or more radiating elements in the radiating element array adjacent to the end cap. This design can improve the compactness of the arrangement of the radiating element array on the reflector and facilitate the multi-frequency design of the antenna.

[0027] In some embodiments, the end of the flat transmission line away from the phase shifter extends longitudinally between the end cap and the first radiating element immediately adjacent to the end cap; alternatively, the end of the flat transmission line away from the phase shifter extends longitudinally between the first radiating element immediately adjacent to the end cap and the second radiating element. This design allows the end of the flat transmission line away from the phase shifter to be as close to the end cap as possible, thereby facilitating connection and assembly of the flat transmission line with components such as connectors.

[0028] In some embodiments, the flat transmission line is secured to at least one of a reflector, a transmission module, or a phase shifter via an insulating cable clip. Alternatively, the flat transmission line includes multiple insulating mounting portions, which are secured to at least one of the reflector, the transmission module, or the phase shifter. These embodiments enable reliable and simple installation of the flat transmission line and facilitate precise routing of the flat transmission line.

[0029] In some embodiments, the end of the flat transmission line away from the phase shifter is connected to the connector by welding, plugging, fasteners, or a flexible cable; alternatively, the feed network further includes a function expansion device, which is disposed in the end cap, or disposed between the end cap and the transmission module, wherein the connector is connected to the function expansion device, and the end of the flat transmission line away from the phase shifter is connected to the function expansion device by welding, plugging, fasteners, or a flexible cable. The flat transmission line and the connector can be connected directly or indirectly via an intermediary, and the connection structure between the flat transmission line and the connector can be flexibly designed according to product requirements.

[0030] In some embodiments, the width direction of the phase shifter is arranged parallel to or orthogonal to the reflector, wherein the phase shifter includes a grounded outer conductor cavity, and a phase shifting component and a phase shifting circuit arranged in the outer conductor cavity, wherein the cavity height direction of the outer conductor cavity is defined as the width direction of the phase shifter. When the width direction of the phase shifter is arranged parallel to the reflector, since the dimension of the phase shifter in the width direction is relatively small, the dimension occupied by the phase shifter in this width direction is also relatively small. When the width direction of the phase shifter is arranged orthogonal to the reflector, since the dimension of the phase shifter in the width direction is relatively small, the dimension occupied by the phase shifter in the direction orthogonal to the reflector is also relatively small. The arrangement of the phase shifter can be flexibly selected and designed according to the internal structure of the antenna.

[0031] In some embodiments, a phase shifter is disposed on the second surface of the reflector and arranged parallel to the reflector in its width direction. The phase shifter comprises a first portion and a second portion protruding from the first portion, wherein the second portion extends between the transmission module and the reflector. The flat transmission line comprises a first extension segment, a second extension segment, and a third extension segment connected in sequence, wherein the first extension segment is located between the transmission module and the second portion, and the third extension segment is located on the side of the first portion facing away from the reflector. In this embodiment, the phase shifter is arranged parallel to the reflector in its width direction. Because the phase shifter has a relatively small width dimension, the phase shifter also occupies a smaller width dimension. The second portion of the phase shifter protrudes from the first portion and extends between the transmission module and the reflector. This design, on the one hand, minimizes the transmission line between the phase shifter and each radiating element, thereby minimizing signal transmission loss. On the other hand, because the phase shifter is closer to the end cap, this helps reduce the wiring length of the flat transmission line, thereby minimizing signal transmission loss. Furthermore, it also makes the internal structure of the antenna more compact.

[0032] In some embodiments, a phase shifter is positioned on the second surface of the reflector, with the width of the phase shifter arranged parallel to the reflector. The flat transmission line and the phase shifter are arranged parallel to the second surface of the reflector. In this embodiment, since the width of the phase shifter is relatively small, the space occupied by the phase shifter in this width direction is also small. The flat transmission line can be roughly straight or have other shapes within a plane parallel to the reflector, allowing for flexible design of the structure.

[0033] In some embodiments, a phase shifter is provided on the second surface of the reflector, and the width direction of the phase shifter is arranged orthogonally to the reflector; a portion of the phase shifter extends between the transmission module and the reflector, and a portion of the flat transmission line is located between the transmission module and the phase shifter. In this embodiment, since the width dimension of the phase shifter is relatively small, the dimension occupied by the phase shifter in the direction orthogonal to the reflector is also relatively small. A portion of the phase shifter extends between the transmission module and the reflector. This design, on the one hand, can minimize the transmission line between the phase shifter and each radiating element, thereby minimizing signal transmission loss; on the other hand, since the phase shifter is closer to the end cap, this helps to reduce the wiring length of the flat transmission line, thereby minimizing signal transmission loss; and on the other hand, it can also make the internal structure of the antenna more compact.

[0034] In some embodiments, a phase shifter is provided on the first surface of the reflector, and the width direction of the phase shifter is arranged orthogonally to the reflector; the array of radiating elements is located on the side of the phase shifter facing away from the reflector; and the flat transmission line is connected to the phase shifter via an electrical connection structure that passes through the reflector. In this embodiment, since the width direction of the phase shifter is relatively small, the size occupied by the phase shifter in the direction orthogonal to the reflector is also relatively small. The phase shifter is arranged on the first surface of the reflector, which can be closer to the end cap. On the one hand, it is more convenient to connect with each radiating element, shortening the transmission line between each radiating element as much as possible, thereby minimizing signal transmission loss; on the other hand, it is also conducive to reducing the wiring length of the flat transmission line, thereby minimizing signal transmission loss; and on the other hand, it can also make the internal structure of the antenna more compact.

[0035] According to one aspect of the present application, a phase shifter is provided, which is applied to an antenna, and includes: an outer conductor cavity, which is grounded; a phase shifting component, which is arranged in the outer conductor cavity and is used to be driven by a transmission module of the antenna to perform a phase shifting action; a phase shifting circuit, which is arranged in the outer conductor cavity, and the phase shifting circuit includes an input / output main path; and a flat transmission line, which includes a signal transmission strip line and a ground plane spaced apart from the signal transmission strip line, wherein the signal transmission strip line is connected to the input / output main path, at least a portion of the signal transmission strip line is located in the outer conductor cavity, and the ground plane is integrally connected to the outer conductor cavity.

[0036] The phase shifter's flat transmission line can serve as the antenna's main feed. Compared to traditional round cables, its cross-sectional area can be designed to be larger, and the volume of the insulating dielectric in its structure can be designed to be smaller. This reduces transmission loss and improves the antenna's energy efficiency. When the flat transmission line is routed between the antenna's transmission module and reflector, the gap between the two can be utilized to arrange the flat transmission line, making the antenna's internal structure more compact and neat.

[0037] In some embodiments, the signal transmission line is welded, integrally connected, or connected via a bridge to the input / output main circuit. The connection structure between the signal transmission line and the input / output main circuit can be flexibly designed according to their specific routing.

[0038] In some embodiments, the outer conductor cavity includes a plurality of sub-cavities, wherein at least a portion of the signal transmission stripline and the input / output main circuit are located in the same sub-cavity; or, at least a portion of the signal transmission stripline and the input / output main circuit are located in different sub-cavities. When at least a portion of the signal transmission stripline and the input / output main circuit are located in the same sub-cavity, the two can be connected as a whole or connected together by laser welding. Such a design has a relatively simple structure and is easy to process and manufacture. When at least a portion of the signal transmission stripline and the input / output main circuit are located in different sub-cavities, the shielding effect of the sub-cavity wall can be used to reduce the resonance caused by the signal transmission stripline and the input / output main circuit during high-frequency signal transmission, thereby improving the stability of the phase shift circuit.

[0039] In some embodiments, the flat transmission line is a stripline, microstrip line, or coplanar waveguide. Because the cross-sectional area of ​​the flat transmission line can be designed to be larger and the proportion of dielectric in its structure can be designed to be smaller, the transmission loss of the main feed of the feed network can be reduced, thereby improving the energy efficiency of the antenna. The flat transmission line can adopt an air gap structure design similar to some of the above embodiments to reduce the volume proportion of the dielectric, thereby further reducing the transmission loss of the main feed.

[0040] According to one aspect of the present application, a base station is provided, comprising the antenna of any of the aforementioned embodiments. The antenna of the base station is based on the above design, has high energy efficiency and good compactness, so that the base station can obtain better network coverage performance. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] FIG1A is a schematic structural diagram of an antenna feed system of a base station in the related art;

[0042] FIG1B is a schematic structural diagram of an antenna of a base station in the related art;

[0043] FIG2A is a schematic structural diagram of an antenna according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0044] FIG2B is a schematic diagram of a cross-sectional structure of an antenna at AA in FIG2A according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0045] FIG2C is a schematic diagram of a cross-sectional structure of an antenna at line AA in FIG2A according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0046] FIG3A is a schematic diagram of an enlarged structure of an antenna at point B in FIG2B according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0047] FIG3B is a schematic diagram of an enlarged structure of an antenna at point B in FIG2B according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0048] FIG3C is a schematic diagram of an enlarged structure of an antenna at point B in FIG2B according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0049] FIG3D is a schematic diagram of an enlarged structure of an antenna at point B in FIG2B according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0050] FIG3E is a schematic diagram of an enlarged structure of an antenna at point B in FIG2B according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0051] FIG4A is a schematic diagram of an enlarged structure of an antenna at point B in FIG2B according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0052] FIG4B is a schematic diagram of an enlarged structure of an antenna at point C in FIG2C according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0053] FIG4C is a schematic diagram of an enlarged structure of an antenna at point B in FIG2B according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0054] FIG4D is a schematic diagram of an enlarged structure of an antenna at point C in FIG2C according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0055] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of an enlarged structure of an antenna at point B in FIG2B according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0056] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of a cross-sectional structure of an antenna at line AA in FIG2A according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0057] FIG7A is a schematic structural diagram of a phase shifter according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0058] FIG7B is a schematic structural diagram of an antenna according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0059] 7C is a schematic diagram of the connection structure between the input / output main path of the phase shifter and the flat transmission line according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0060] 7D is a schematic diagram of the connection structure between the input / output main path of the phase shifter and the flat transmission line according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0061] FIG7E is a schematic structural diagram of an antenna according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0062] 7F is a schematic diagram of the connection structure between the input / output main path of the phase shifter and the flat transmission line according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0063] FIG8 is a schematic structural diagram of an antenna according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0064] FIG9 is a schematic structural diagram of an antenna according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0065] FIG10 is a schematic structural diagram of an antenna according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0066] FIG11 is a schematic structural diagram of an antenna according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0067] FIG12A is a schematic structural diagram of an antenna according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0068] FIG12B is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the antenna at EE in FIG12A according to some embodiments of the present application.

[0069] Reference numerals:

[0070] Related technical parts:

[0071] 100 - Antenna feed system; 10 - Pole; 11 - Antenna; 12 - Antenna adjustment bracket; 13 - Feeder line; 14 - Connector seal; 15 - Grounding device;

[0072] 111-radome; 112-end cover; 113-connector; 114-reflector; 115-radiating element array; 1150-radiating element;

[0073] 116 - feed network; 117 - transmission module; 160 - main feed; 161 - phase shifter; 1610 - phase shift component.

[0074] The embodiment part of this application:

[0075] 21-antenna; 214-reflector; 215-radiating element array; 2150-radiating element; 41-first surface; 42-second surface; 212-end cover;

[0076] 213-connector; 216-feed network; 217-transmission module; 261-phase shifter; 2620-outer conductor cavity; 2630-phase shift circuit;

[0077] 2631-input / output main circuit; 201-sub-cavity; 202-metal plate; 203-spacer structure; 204-bridge member; 2611-first part;

[0078] 2612-Part 2; 2640-Phase shifting component; 260-Flat transmission line; 61-Stripline; 62-Microstrip line; 63-Coplanar waveguide;

[0079] 650-Signal transmission line; 651-Ground plane; 652-Air gap; 60-Insulation medium; 6511-Ground plane;

[0080] 6512a, 6512b - first wide side; 6513a, 6513b - second wide side; 6514a, 6514b - first narrow side;

[0081] 6515a, 6515b - second narrow side; 6516 - strip-shaped opening; 606 - insulation support structure; 607 - insulation line card; 262 - flexible cable;

[0082] 263 - Function expansion device; 601 - First extension section; 602 - Second extension section; 603 - Third extension section; D1 - Longitudinal direction of the reflector;

[0083] D2 is the width direction of the flat transmission line; D3 is the thickness direction of the flat transmission line; D4 is the width direction of the phase shifter. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0084] 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.

[0085] The terms used in the following embodiments are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present application. As used in the specification and appended claims of this application, the singular expressions "a", "an", "said", "above", "the", and "this" are intended to also include expressions such as "one or more", unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0086] References in this specification to "one embodiment" or "a specific embodiment" 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. The terms "including," "comprising," "having," and their variations all mean "including but not limited to," unless otherwise specifically stated.

[0087] In mobile communications, base stations are network access devices used to provide wireless coverage. Specifically, base stations can provide wireless signal coverage through an antenna system comprising at least one antenna. Furthermore, this antenna system can transmit, receive, or transmit wireless signals. Therefore, the antenna system is a crucial device for base stations to transmit radio frequency signals and emit and receive electromagnetic waves. In related art, as shown in FIG1A , an antenna system 100 generally includes a mast 10, an antenna 11, an antenna adjustment bracket 12, a feeder line 13, several joint seals 14, and a grounding device 15. Antenna 11 can be mounted on mast 10 via antenna adjustment bracket 12, which can be used to adjust the position or angle of antenna 11 relative to mast 10. Antenna 11 can be connected to feeder line 13 via joint seal 14, and feeder line 13 can be connected to grounding device 15 via another joint seal 14.

[0088] As shown in FIG1B , in the related art, the main structure of the antenna 11 includes a radome 111, an end cap 112, a connector 113 provided on the end cap 112, a reflector 114 provided in the radome 111, a radiation element array 115, a feed network 116, and a transmission module 117. The connector 113 serves as the radio frequency interface of the antenna 11 and is used to connect to the outside, for example, the feeder line 13 of the antenna feed system 100 shown in FIG1A (in this article, the "connection" of two electrical structures can be understood as "electrical connection"). The radiation element array 115 includes a plurality of radiation elements 1150, wherein the radiation element 1150 is also called an antenna element, which is used to radiate or receive radio waves. The plurality of radiation elements 1150 are provided on the reflector 114. Specifically, the plurality of radiation elements 1150 are arranged in an array on the reflector 114. The feed network 116 is connected to the connector 113 and the radiating element array 115. It forms a transmission path for the radio frequency signal (hereinafter referred to as the signal) between the connector 113 and the radiating element array 115 and is used to implement functions such as impedance matching, amplitude, and phase adjustment of the signal. The feed network 116 generally includes a phase shifter 161 and a transmission line (Figure 1B only illustrates the portion between the connector 113 and the phase shifter 161, such as the main feed 160 described below; the rest of the transmission line is not shown in the figure). It may also include function expansion devices such as combiners and filters (not shown in Figure 1B). The portion of the transmission line between the connector 113 and the phase shifter 161 in the feed network 116 is collectively referred to as the antenna's main feed 160. Depending on the specific design of the antenna 11, the main feed 160 may include one or more transmission lines. The transmission module 117 is used to drive the phase shift component 1610 in the phase shifter 161 to operate, thereby achieving electronic downtilt adjustment of the radiating element 1150. Reflector 114, also known as a base plate, antenna panel, or metal reflective surface, enhances the performance of antenna 11 by reflecting signals, improving its gain and directivity, thereby making signal transmission and reception more sensitive, stable, and reliable. Reflector 114 shields interference signals and can also serve as a mounting platform. For example, radiating element array 115, feed network 116, and transmission module 117 can all be mounted on reflector 114.

[0089] Since the main feed 160 also causes a certain amount of signal attenuation while transmitting the signal, how to reduce the loss caused by the main feed 160 to the transmitted signal, thereby improving the energy efficiency of the antenna 11, is an important aspect of research and development for those skilled in the art. In addition, the structure of the feed network 116 is generally relatively complex (only a simplified schematic is shown in Figure 1B), and it occupies a large amount of space. Therefore, how to optimize the structure of the feed network 116 to improve the structural compactness of the antenna 11 is also an important aspect to be considered by those skilled in the art.

[0090] In the present application, energy efficiency can be understood as the ratio between the useful energy output and the energy input, which reflects the efficiency of energy utilization. For cables, their transmission loss is usually related to their cross-sectional area, length, insulating medium material and volume ratio. In some related technologies, the main feed 160 of the feeding network 116 adopts a traditional round cable. Due to the limitation of its cross-sectional shape, in order to facilitate bending and routing, a round cable with a thinner wire diameter and thus a smaller cross-sectional area is usually used. Since the transmission loss of the cable is inversely proportional to its cross-sectional area, such a round cable used as the main feed 160 will bring about a relatively large transmission loss. In addition, in the structure of the round cable, the volume ratio of the insulating medium is usually large, which will also cause signal attenuation, thereby increasing the transmission loss of the cable. In addition, the related technology does not have a targeted routing layout design for the main feed 160, resulting in the cable occupying more space inside the antenna 11, which is messy and untidy, which may also lead to an increase in transmission loss.

[0091] In view of this, the embodiments of the present application provide an antenna, a phase shifter, and a base station to improve the energy efficiency of the antenna and the compactness of its structure. The embodiments of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0092] As shown in Figure 2A, it is a schematic diagram of the structure of the antenna 21 provided in some embodiments of the present application. The main structure of the antenna 21 includes a reflector 214, a radiation element array 215, an end cap 212, a connector 213, a feed network 216 and a transmission module 217. The reflector 214 includes a first surface 41 and a second surface 42, and the radiation element array 215 is provided on the first surface 41 of the reflector 214. The end cap 212 is provided at one end of the longitudinal direction D1 of the reflector 214, and the connector 213 is provided on the end cap 212. The feed network 216 is connected to the connector 213 and the radiation element array 215 respectively, and the feed network 216 includes a phase shifter 261 and a transmission line (only a flat transmission line 260 as a part thereof is illustrated in the figure), wherein the transmission line includes a flat transmission line 260 for transmitting signals between the connector 213 and the phase shifter 261. The transmission module 217 is disposed on the second surface 42 of the reflector 214 and adjacent to the end cap 212 . The transmission module 217 is used to drive the phase shifter 261 to perform phase shifting. A portion of the flat transmission line 260 is located between the transmission module 217 and the reflector 214 .

[0093] As shown in FIG2A , the longitudinal direction D1 of the reflector 214 can be understood as the direction in which its length extends. The reflector 214 can be in the shape of a flat plate as shown in FIG2A , or can be in other non-flat plate shapes, such as a U-shaped plate. In this embodiment, the phase shifter 261 is provided on the second surface 42 of the reflector 214. In other embodiments of the present application, the phase shifter 261 can also be provided on the first surface 41 of the reflector 214. The antenna 21 can also generally include an antenna cover (not shown in FIG2A ), which can, together with the end cover 212, form a housing for accommodating the reflector 214, the radiation element array 215, the feed network 216, the transmission module 217, and the like.

[0094] As described above, the entire transmission line located between the connector 213 and the phase shifter 261 in the feeding network 216 is called the main feed of the antenna 21, and the flat transmission line 260 is used to transmit signals between the connector 213 and the phase shifter 261, that is, the flat transmission line 260 can be used as the main feed or as part of the main feed.

[0095] For example, in some embodiments, one end of the flat transmission line 260 is directly connected to the connector 213 , and the other end of the flat transmission line 260 is directly connected to the phase shifter 261 , so that the flat transmission line 260 can be used as a main feed.

[0096] For example, in some embodiments, the end of the flat transmission line 260 away from the phase shifter 261 is indirectly connected to the connector 213. For example, optionally, the end of the flat transmission line 260 away from the phase shifter 261 is connected to an intermediate component such as a combiner or a filter, and the intermediate component such as the combiner or the filter is connected to the connector 213; and / or the end of the flat transmission line 260 away from the connector 213 is indirectly connected to the phase shifter 261. For example, optionally, the end of the flat transmission line 260 away from the connector 213 is connected to an intermediate component such as a combiner or a filter, and the intermediate component such as the combiner or the filter is connected to the phase shifter 261. In these embodiments, the flat transmission line 260 can be used as part of a main feed, in which case the main feed can also include other transmission lines of the same or different types.

[0097] For example, in some embodiments, the end of the flat transmission line 260 away from the connector 213 may further extend into the interior of the phase shifter 261 and be connected to the input / output main path of the phase shifting circuit of the phase shifter 261 .

[0098] In the embodiment of the present application, a portion of the flat transmission line 260 is located between the transmission module 217 and the reflector 214. In other words, a portion of the flat transmission line 260 is routed between the transmission module 217 and the reflector 214. The end of the flat transmission line 260 away from the phase shifter 261 can be located within the gap between the transmission module 217 and the reflector 214, or can extend out of the gap between the transmission module 217 and the reflector 214 along the longitudinal direction D1 shown in the figure, thereby being closer to the end cap 212.

[0099] As shown in Figure 2B, it is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the antenna at AA in Figure 2A in some embodiments of the present application, wherein the width direction D2 of the flat transmission line 260 is parallel to the reflector 214, and the thickness direction D3 of the flat transmission line 260 is orthogonal to the reflector 214. In this article, parallel can be understood as parallel within a certain error range, and orthogonal can be understood as orthogonal within a certain error range. The arrangement of the flat transmission line 260 in the embodiments of the present application is not limited to that shown in Figure 2B. In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 2C, the width direction D2 of the flat transmission line 260 can also be orthogonal to the reflector 214. In this case, the thickness direction D3 of the flat transmission line 260 is parallel to the reflector 214.

[0100] As can be seen from Figures 2B and 2C, the dimension of the flat transmission line 260 in the width direction D2 is significantly greater than the dimension of the flat transmission line 260 in the thickness direction D3, thereby making the flat transmission line 260 generally flat. The flat transmission line 260 has the advantages of light weight, small size, convenient wiring, wide bandwidth, high reliability, low transmission loss, low cost, and long life. The antenna 21 according to the above embodiment of the present application has at least the following technical advantages compared to related technologies:

[0101] Compared to traditional round cables, the flat transmission line 260 is easier to implement in a curved routing configuration, its cross-sectional area can be designed to be larger, and the volume proportion of the insulating medium in its structure can be designed to be smaller. Therefore, when used in the antenna 21, it can reduce the transmission loss of the main feed and improve the energy efficiency of the antenna 21.

[0102] Since a portion of the flat transmission line 260 is located between the transmission module 217 and the reflector 214, that is, the line is routed between the transmission module 217 and the reflector 214, the flat transmission line 260 can be arranged using the gap between the transmission module 217 and the reflector 214, which can make the internal structure of the antenna 21 more compact and neat.

[0103] In some embodiments of the present application, the antenna 21 may adopt a single-frequency design, for example, the operating frequency bands of the multiple radiating elements 2150 of the radiating element array 215 are the same. In other embodiments of the present application, the antenna 21 may also adopt a multi-frequency design, for example, the multiple radiating elements 2150 of the radiating element array 215 are divided into at least two groups, and the operating frequency bands of different groups are different. When the antenna 21 adopts a multi-frequency design, the structural design of the feeding network 216 becomes more complicated due to the increase in frequency bands. In this case, the embodiment of the present application adopts a flat transmission line 260 as the main feed or part of the main feed, and routes a part of the flat transmission line 260 between the transmission module 217 and the reflector 214, which can improve the space utilization inside the antenna 21 and make the structure more compact, thereby helping to reduce the volume of the antenna 21.

[0104] As shown in FIG. 2B and FIG. 2C , in some embodiments of the present application, the transmission line may include at least two flat transmission lines 260 extending in parallel and used to transmit signals of different polarization directions, as shown in the figure, which are two flat transmission lines 260 .

[0105] The direction of the electric field strength formed when the antenna radiates is called the polarization direction of the antenna. When the antenna includes at least two polarization directions, signals of different polarization directions need to be transmitted through different flat transmission lines 260. For example, in some embodiments, the antenna 21 is a dual-polarization antenna, which includes two polarization directions of +45° and -45°, and the transmission line includes two flat transmission lines 260 extending in parallel, wherein one flat transmission line 260 is used to transmit signals in the +45° polarization direction, and the other flat transmission line 260 is used to transmit signals in the -45° polarization direction. This embodiment of the present application supports a multi-polarization design of the antenna 21, so that the antenna 21 has higher signal transmission and reception efficiency. In other embodiments of the present application, if the antenna 21 adopts a single-polarization design, a flat transmission line 260 can also be used.

[0106] In some embodiments of the present application, as shown in FIG2A , the flat transmission line 260 can be fixed to at least one of the reflector 214, the transmission module 217, or the phase shifter 261 by a connector such as an insulating wire clip 607. In other embodiments of the present application, the flat transmission line 260 includes multiple insulating mounting portions (not shown in FIG2A ), which are fixed to at least one of the reflector 214, the transmission module 217, or the phase shifter 261. For example, the multiple insulating mounting portions can be protrusions protruding from the surface of the flat transmission line 260, which are fixedly connected to at least one of the reflector 214, the transmission module 217, or the phase shifter 261 by fasteners or colloids. These embodiments can achieve reliable and simple installation of the flat transmission line 260 and facilitate accurate routing of the flat transmission line 260.

[0107] In an embodiment of the present application, the structure of the flat transmission line 260 includes a signal transmission strip line and a ground plane spaced apart from the signal transmission strip line, wherein the signal transmission strip line is used to transmit signals, and the ground plane serves as a ground reference plane for grounding and providing shielding protection for the signal transmission strip line. An insulating medium can be filled between the signal transmission strip line and the ground plane, or an air gap can be designed between the signal transmission strip line and the ground plane. When an air gap is designed between the signal transmission strip line and the ground plane, the insulating medium accounts for a smaller volume in the flat transmission line 260 structure, thereby reducing signal transmission loss.

[0108] In some embodiments of the present application, the width direction of the signal transmission strip line, which is also the width direction D2 of the flat transmission line 260, can be arranged to be parallel to the reflector 214. In other embodiments of the present application, the thickness direction of the signal transmission strip line, which is also the thickness direction D3 of the flat transmission line 260, can also be arranged to be parallel to the reflector 214.

[0109] The embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific type and structure of the flat transmission line 260. The flat transmission line 260 can be any one of a strip line, a microstrip line or a coplanar waveguide (CPW). Some optional types of flat transmission lines 260 are illustrated below.

[0110] As shown in conjunction with FIG2B and FIG3A , in some embodiments, the flat transmission line 260 utilizes a stripline 61, whose ground plane 651 includes two ground planes 6511 arranged parallel to the signal transmission stripline 650. The signal transmission stripline 650 is located between the two ground planes 6511, and is separated from the two ground planes 6511 by a plurality of insulating support structures 606. Air gaps 652 are defined between the signal transmission stripline 650 and the two ground planes 6511. In this embodiment, the width direction of the signal transmission stripline 650 (also the width direction D2 of the flat transmission line 260) is parallel to the reflector 214. In other embodiments, the thickness direction of the signal transmission stripline 650 (also the thickness direction D3 of the flat transmission line 260) may be arranged parallel to the reflector 214. In some embodiments, the surface of the signal transmission stripline 650 may be exposed in the air gaps 652 on both sides. In other embodiments, the surface of the signal transmission strip line 650 may also be covered with a dielectric film (not shown in the figure), such as a green oil anti-corrosion film, so as to prevent the surface of the signal transmission strip line 650 from being directly exposed to the air gap 652.

[0111] As shown in conjunction with Figures 2B and 3B, in some embodiments, the flat transmission line 260 is a stripline 61, whose ground plane 651 includes two ground planes 6511 arranged parallel to the signal transmission stripline 650, wherein the signal transmission stripline 650 is located between the two ground planes 6511, and an insulating medium 60 is filled between the signal transmission stripline 650 and the two ground planes 6511. In this embodiment, the width direction of the signal transmission stripline 650 (also the width direction D2 of the flat transmission line 260) is parallel to the reflector 214. In other embodiments, the thickness direction of the signal transmission stripline 650 (also the thickness direction D3 of the flat transmission line 260) can also be set to be parallel to the reflector 214. In these embodiments, the above-mentioned insulating support structure 606 can be provided or not provided according to design requirements.

[0112] The stripline 61 has advantages such as small size, light weight, wide bandwidth, high Q factor (a higher Q value indicates lower transmission loss), simple processing, and low cost. When used as the flat transmission line 260 in the embodiment of the present application, it can reduce the transmission loss of the main feed and facilitate routing. When the stripline 61 is designed with an air gap 652, the volume of the insulating medium in the structure is relatively small, thereby further reducing the transmission loss of the main feed.

[0113] As shown in conjunction with FIG2B and FIG3C , in some embodiments, the flat transmission line 260 is a stripline 61, whose ground plane 651 includes a first broadside 6512a and a second broadside 6513a disposed in parallel, and a first narrowside 6514a and a second narrowside 6515a disposed in parallel. The first broadside 6512a, the second broadside 6513a, the first narrowside 6514a, and the second narrowside 6515a form a rectangular cavity. The signal transmission stripline 650 is located within the rectangular cavity and is disposed parallel to the first broadside 6512a and the second broadside 6513a. The rectangular cavity has an air gap 652. This embodiment can be viewed as a modified structure of the stripline 61 shown in FIG3A . In this embodiment, the rectangular cavity formed by the first broadside 6512a, the second broadside 6513a, the first narrowside 6514a, and the second narrowside 6515a can provide better shielding protection for the signal transmission stripline 650, thereby improving the stability of signal transmission. In other embodiments, the rectangular cavity can also be filled with an insulating medium.

[0114] In some embodiments, when the transmission line includes at least two flat transmission lines 260 extending in parallel and used to transmit signals of different polarization directions (such as the two flat transmission lines 260 shown in FIG2B ), the ground planes of the at least two flat transmission lines 260 can be designed to be connected as one. In conjunction with FIG2B and FIG3D , in this embodiment, the flat transmission line 260 is a stripline 61, and the ground planes 651 of the two striplines 61 are connected as one and form two rectangular cavities. The signal transmission striplines 650 of the two striplines 61 are located in the two rectangular cavities in a one-to-one correspondence. This embodiment can be regarded as a deformation structure of the stripline 61 shown in FIG3C . In conjunction with FIG2B and FIG3E , in this embodiment, the flat transmission line 260 is a stripline 61, and the ground planes 651 of the two striplines 61 are connected as one and form a rectangular cavity. The signal transmission striplines 650 of the two striplines 61 are located in the rectangular cavity and are spaced apart from each other. This embodiment can also be regarded as a deformation structure of the stripline 61 shown in FIG3C . The designs of these embodiments can not only provide better shielding protection for the signal transmission strip line 650 , but also help to reduce the size occupied by the flat transmission line 260 in the width direction and reduce its weight.

[0115] As shown in conjunction with FIG2B and FIG4A , in some embodiments, the flat transmission line 260 is a microstrip line 62, whose ground plane 651 includes a ground plane 6511 arranged parallel to the signal transmission strip line 650, wherein the signal transmission strip line 650 and the ground plane 6511 are separated by a plurality of insulating support structures 606, and an air gap 652 is provided between the signal transmission strip line 650 and the ground plane 6511. In this embodiment, the width direction of the signal transmission strip line 650 (also the width direction D2 of the flat transmission line 260) is parallel to the reflector 214, and the signal transmission strip lines 650 of the two microstrip lines 62 are located one-to-one on the side of the ground plane 6511 of the two microstrip lines 62 facing away from the reflector 214. In other embodiments, as shown in FIG2C and FIG4B , the thickness direction of the signal transmission stripline 650 (also the thickness direction D3 of the flat transmission line 260) can be arranged parallel to the reflector 214, and the signal transmission striplines 650 of the two microstrip lines 62 can be arranged to face away from each other. In some embodiments, the surface of the signal transmission stripline 650 can be exposed to the air gap 652 and the air on the other side. In other embodiments, the surface of the signal transmission stripline 650 can also be covered with a dielectric film (not shown), such as a green oil anti-corrosion film, to prevent the surface of the signal transmission stripline 650 from being directly exposed to the air gap 652 and the air on the other side.

[0116] In some implementations, the microstrip line 62 may not adopt the design including the air gap structure, but may instead be filled with an insulating medium between the ground plate 6511 and the signal transmission strip line 650. In these embodiments, the insulating support structure 606 may or may not be provided.

[0117] Microstrip line 62 has advantages such as small size, light weight, wide bandwidth, high reliability, and low manufacturing cost. Furthermore, microstrip line 62 has good resistance to electromagnetic interference, high characteristic impedance, and improved transmission rate. Microstrip line 62, used as the flat transmission line 260 in the embodiment of the present application, can reduce the transmission loss of the main feed and facilitate wiring. When microstrip line 62 is designed with an air gap 652, the volume of the insulating medium in the structure is relatively small, thereby further reducing the transmission loss of the main feed.

[0118] As shown in conjunction with Figures 2B and 4C , in some embodiments, when the transmission line includes at least two microstrip lines 62 extending in parallel and used to transmit signals of different polarization directions, the ground planes 6511 of the at least two microstrip lines 62 can be designed to be connected as one piece. In this embodiment, when the width direction D2 of the flat transmission line 260 is parallel to the reflector 214, the ground planes 6511 of the two microstrip lines 62 can be coplanar and connected as one piece. As shown in conjunction with Figures 2C and 4D , in other embodiments, when the thickness direction D3 of the flat transmission line 260 is parallel to the reflector 214, the two microstrip lines 62 can share the same ground plane 6511, with the two microstrip lines 62 located on either side of the ground plane 6511.

[0119] As shown in combination with Figures 2B and 5, in some embodiments, the flat transmission line 260 adopts a coplanar waveguide 63, whose ground plane 651 includes a first wide side surface 6512b and a second wide side surface 6513b arranged in parallel, and a first narrow side surface 6514b and a second narrow side surface 6515b arranged in parallel, wherein the first wide side surface 6512b, the second wide side surface 6513b, the first narrow side surface 6514b and the second narrow side surface 6515b form a rectangular cavity, and the rectangular cavity has an air gap 652, the first wide side surface 6512b has a strip-shaped opening 6516, the signal transmission strip line 650 is located in the strip-shaped opening 6516, and the signal transmission strip line 650 and the second wide side surface 6513b are separated by multiple insulating support structures 606. In this embodiment, the width direction of the signal transmission stripline 650 (also the width direction D2 of the flat transmission line 260) is parallel to the reflector 214. In other embodiments, the thickness direction of the signal transmission stripline 650 (also the thickness direction D3 of the flat transmission line 260) can also be set to be parallel to the reflector 214. In some embodiments, the surface of the signal transmission stripline 650 can be exposed to the air gap 652 and the air on the other side. In other embodiments, the surface of the signal transmission stripline 650 can also be covered with a dielectric film (not shown), such as a green oil anti-corrosion film, to prevent the surface of the signal transmission stripline 650 from being directly exposed to the air gap 652 and the air on the other side.

[0120] In some implementations, the coplanar waveguide 63 may not adopt the design including the air gap structure described above, but may instead be filled with an insulating medium in the rectangular cavity. In these embodiments, the insulating support structure 606 may or may not be provided.

[0121] In some embodiments, when the transmission line includes at least two coplanar waveguides 63 extending in parallel and used to transmit signals with different polarization directions, the ground planes 651 of the at least two coplanar waveguides 63 can be designed to be connected as one. For example, the adjacent sides of the two coplanar waveguides 63 in the embodiment shown in Figure 5 can be designed to be connected as one, and the two coplanar waveguides 63 share one side. More variant design schemes are not listed here one by one.

[0122] The coplanar waveguide 63 has the advantages of being small, lightweight, and easily capable of linear polarization, circular polarization, dual polarization, and multi-band operation. Furthermore, the coplanar waveguide 63 has a better shielding effect, thereby facilitating a thinner and lighter design. The coplanar waveguide 63, when used as the flat transmission line 260 in the embodiment of the present application, can reduce the transmission loss of the main feed and facilitate wiring. When the coplanar waveguide 63 is designed with an air gap 652, the volume of the insulating medium in the structure is relatively small, thereby further reducing the transmission loss of the main feed.

[0123] In some embodiments of the present application, as shown in FIG6 , the reflector 214 is grounded, and the width direction of the signal transmission strip line 650 of the flat transmission line 260 (also the width direction D2 of the flat transmission line 260) is parallel to the reflector 214. At least a portion of the ground plane 651 of the flat transmission line 260 can be integrated with the reflector 214. Since the reflector 214 is generally made of metal, in some embodiments, the reflector 214 can be grounded, so that the reflector 214 can serve as the ground plane 651 of the flat transmission line 260. In other embodiments, at least a portion of the ground plane 651 of the flat transmission line 260 can also be fabricated on the grounded reflector 214. The designs of these embodiments can simplify the structure of the flat transmission line 260, making it easier to process and manufacture, and easier to route and arrange. In this embodiment, the flat transmission line 260 can be any one of the above-mentioned stripline 61, microstrip line 62, and coplanar waveguide 63.

[0124] The above embodiments only describe some structural designs of the flat transmission line 260 . Based on the above structural designs, the specific structural forms can be appropriately designed and changed, and are not limited to those shown in the figures.

[0125] A phase shifter is an electronic device used to change the phase of a signal. It can delay or advance the phase of an input signal by a certain angle, thereby achieving phase adjustment of the signal. In an antenna, a phase shifter is often used to adjust the phase difference between each radiating element to achieve beamforming and directional control of the radiating element array. The working principle of the phase shifter can be implemented in a variety of ways. For example, the phase change can be achieved by changing the physical length of the signal transmission line. Such phase shifters are, for example, fan-shaped or arc-shaped slice phase shifters, U-shaped slice phase shifters, etc. In addition, the phase change can also be achieved by changing the equivalent dielectric constant of the signal transmission space. Such phase shifters are, for example, dielectric sliding phase shifters. The embodiment of the present application does not specifically limit the type of phase shifter 261. For example, it can be selected from one of fan-shaped or arc-shaped slice phase shifters, U-shaped slice phase shifters, or dielectric sliding phase shifters.

[0126] In some embodiments of the present application, such as shown in FIG. 2A , the flat transmission line 260 may be routed outside the phase shifter 261 , and the wiring method is simple, intuitive, and easy to operate.

[0127] FIG7A is a simplified schematic diagram of the phase shifter 261 in some embodiments of the present application. In these embodiments, a portion or all of the signal transmission strip line 650 of the flat transmission line 260 can be routed within the phase shifter 261. The ground plane 651 of the flat transmission line 260 and the phase shifter 261 can be integrally manufactured. In other words, at least a portion of the flat transmission line 260 is integrated with the phase shifter 261. This not only makes the internal structure of the antenna 21 more compact, but also helps reduce the wiring length of the flat transmission line 260. Since the length of the transmission line is also a factor that affects transmission loss, integrating at least a portion of the flat transmission line 260 with the phase shifter 261 helps further reduce signal transmission loss.

[0128] As shown in FIG7A , in some embodiments, the structure of the phase shifter 261 includes a grounded outer conductor cavity 2620, and a phase shift circuit 2630 and a phase shift component 2640 disposed within the outer conductor cavity 2620 (the phase shift circuit 2630 and the phase shift component 2640 are simplified schematic drawings and are not intended to limit the actual structure). The phase shift circuit 2630 includes an input / output main circuit 2631. The signal transmission stripline 650 of the flat transmission line 260 is connected to the input / output main circuit 2631. At least a portion of the signal transmission stripline 650 of the flat transmission line 260 extends into the outer conductor cavity 2620. The ground plane 651 of the flat transmission line 260 is integrally connected to the outer conductor cavity 2620. The phase shift component 2640 is driven by the aforementioned transmission module 217 to perform phase shifting, for example, by adjusting the phase of the signal through scribing according to the aforementioned implementation principle.

[0129] This embodiment integrates at least one section of the flat transmission line 260 with the phase shifter 261, and the signal transmission strip line 650 is connected to the input / output main path 2631 inside the phase shifter 261. This not only reduces the loss of signal transmission, but also simplifies the internal structure of the antenna 21, making the internal structure of the antenna 21 neater.

[0130] In an embodiment of the present application, the phase shift circuit 2630 can be made using a strip line, and its "input / output main path 2631" can be understood as, when the aforementioned connector 213 transmits a signal to the phase shifter 261 through the flat transmission line 260, the "input / output main path 2631" can be used as the input main path, and when the phase shifter 261 transmits a signal to the aforementioned connector 213 through the flat transmission line 260, the "input / output main path 2631" can be used as the output main path.

[0131] As shown in Figure 7B, some embodiments of the integrated design of the flat transmission line 260 and the phase shifter 261 inside the antenna are illustrated. In this embodiment, the phase shifter 261 can be arranged on the second surface 42 of the reflector 214, and the above-mentioned width direction D4 of the phase shifter 261 (not illustrated in the figure due to viewing angle reasons) is arranged parallel to the reflector 214. The flat transmission line 260 can be roughly in the shape of a "Z"-shaped broken line and integrated with the phase shifter 261.

[0132] FIG7C is a schematic diagram illustrating the connection structure between the main input / output path 2631 of the phase shifter 261 and the flat transmission line 260 at point P in FIG7B , in some embodiments of the present application. This diagram can be understood as the internal three-dimensional structure of the phase shifter 261 as viewed from the side away from the reflector 214. To illustrate the internal structure, the outer conductor cavity 2620 of the phase shifter 261 is partially cut away and viewed in perspective. FIG7C illustrates two flat transmission lines 260 extending in parallel.

[0133] As shown in FIG7C , the outer conductor cavity 2620 of the phase shifter 261 generally includes two metal plates 202 disposed opposite each other and a spacing structure 203 located between the two metal plates 202. The space between the two metal plates 202 is partitioned into multiple sub-cavities 201 by the spacing structure 203. Therefore, the outer conductor cavity 2620 of the phase shifter 261 includes multiple sub-cavities 201. Generally, the distance between the two metal plates 202 is defined as the "cavity height" of the phase shifter 261. The phase shifter 261 may or may not include a housing, and its width direction D4 generally coincides with the direction of the "cavity height." That is, the width direction of the phase shifter 261 can be understood as a direction orthogonal to the two metal plates 202. In some embodiments, the outer conductor cavity 2620 can be integrally formed by profile processing to form multiple sub-cavities 201.

[0134] The walls of sub-cavity 201 can serve as a ground reference plane for the phase-shifting circuit 2630 and the signal transmission stripline 650 within sub-cavity 201, providing shielding protection for them. The stripline of the phase-shifting circuit 2630 and the signal transmission stripline 650 of the flat transmission line 260 can form an equivalent structure with the walls of sub-cavity 201, such as a stripline, microstrip line, or coplanar waveguide. In some embodiments, an insulating medium can be provided between the stripline of the phase-shifting circuit 2630 and the walls of the sub-cavity 201.

[0135] In an embodiment of the present application, the signal transmission stripline 650 of the flat transmission line 260 and the input / output main circuit 2631 (i.e., the stripline of the phase shift circuit 2630 that serves as the input / output main circuit 2631) can be connected by welding, integral connection, or connection via a bridge 204. The design can be flexible according to the specific routing of the signal transmission stripline 650 and the input / output main circuit 2631, and this application does not specifically limit this. For example, in some embodiments, the signal transmission stripline 650 of the flat transmission line 260 and the input / output main circuit 2631 can overlap each other. In this case, the two can be connected by laser welding. For example, in some embodiments, the signal transmission stripline 650 of the flat transmission line 260 and the input / output main circuit 2631 can be integrally connected without the need for subsequent assembly. For example, in some embodiments, the signal transmission stripline 650 of the flat transmission line 260 and the input / output main circuit 2631 are spaced apart from each other. In this case, the two can be connected via a bridge 204.

[0136] In the embodiment of the present application, the portion of the signal transmission strip line 650 located in the outer conductor cavity 2620 may be located in the same sub-cavity 201 as the input / output main line 2631 or in a different sub-cavity 201 .

[0137] As shown in FIG7C , in some embodiments, the portion of the signal transmission stripline 650 located within the outer conductor cavity 2620 and the input / output main circuit 2631 are located in the same sub-cavity 201. In this embodiment, the portion of the signal transmission stripline 650 located within the outer conductor cavity 2620 and the input / output main circuit 2631 can be integrally connected (as shown in the figure) or connected together by laser welding. This design simplifies the structure and facilitates fabrication.

[0138] FIG7D shows a schematic diagram of the connection structure between the main input / output path 2631 of the phase shifter 261 and the flat transmission line 260 at point P in FIG7B , in other embodiments of the present application. This diagram can be understood as the internal three-dimensional structure of the phase shifter 261 as viewed from the side away from the reflector 214. To illustrate the internal structure, the outer conductor cavity 2620 of the phase shifter 261 is partially cut away and perspectively viewed. FIG7D shows two flat transmission lines 260 extending in parallel.

[0139] In this embodiment, the portion of the signal transmission stripline 650 located within the outer conductor cavity 2620 and the input / output main circuit 2631 are located in different sub-cavities 201. The portion of the signal transmission stripline 650 located within the outer conductor cavity 2620 can be spaced apart from the input / output main circuit 2631, and can be coplanar or non-coplanar. The two can be connected together via a bridge 204. This design can utilize the shielding effect of the sub-cavity 201 walls to reduce resonance caused by high-frequency signal transmission between the signal transmission stripline 650 and the input / output main circuit 2631, thereby improving the operational stability of the phase shifting circuit 2630. In this embodiment, the phase shifter 261 can be disposed on the second surface 42 of the reflector 214, with the width direction D4 of the phase shifter 261 arranged parallel to the reflector 214. The signal transmission stripline 650 is routed on the side of the phase shifter 261 away from the reflector.

[0140] As shown in Figure 7E, it illustrates some other embodiments of the integrated design of the flat transmission line 260 and the phase shifter 261 inside the antenna. In this embodiment, the phase shifter 261 can be arranged on the second surface 42 of the reflector 214, and the width direction D4 of the phase shifter 261 (not shown in the figure due to viewing angle reasons) is arranged parallel to the reflector 214. The flat transmission line 260 can be roughly in the shape of a "one" and integrated with the phase shifter 261.

[0141] FIG7F shows a schematic diagram of the connection structure between the main input / output path 2631 of the phase shifter 261 and the flat transmission line 260 at point Q in FIG7E in some embodiments of the present application. This schematic diagram can be understood as the internal three-dimensional structure of the phase shifter 261 as viewed from the side away from the reflector 214. To illustrate the internal structure, the outer conductor cavity 2620 of the phase shifter 261 is partially opened and perspectively viewed. FIG7F shows two flat transmission lines 260 extending in parallel.

[0142] As shown in FIG7F , in some embodiments, the portion of the signal transmission stripline 650 located within the outer conductor cavity 2620 and the input / output main circuit 2631 are located in different sub-cavities 201. In this embodiment, the portion of the signal transmission stripline 650 located within the outer conductor cavity 2620 is parallel to the input / output main circuit 2631. Because they are spaced apart, they can be connected together via a bridge 204. Similar to the principle of the embodiment shown in FIG7D , this design can utilize the shielding effect of the sub-cavity 201 walls to reduce resonance caused by high-frequency signal transmission between the signal transmission stripline 650 and the input / output main circuit 2631, thereby improving the operational stability of the phase shifting circuit 2630. In this embodiment, the phase shifter 261 can be disposed on the second surface 42 of the reflector 214, with the width direction D4 of the phase shifter 261 arranged parallel to the reflector 214. The signal transmission stripline 650 is routed along the side of the phase shifter 261 that is orthogonal to the reflector 214.

[0143] In the embodiment of the present application, the end of the flat transmission line 260 away from the phase shifter 261 and the connector 213 can be directly connected (as shown in FIG2A ) or indirectly connected via other intermediaries (as shown in FIG8 ). The end of the flat transmission line 260 away from the phase shifter 261 and the connector 213 can be connected, for example, by welding, plugging, connecting via fasteners, or connecting via a flexible cable 262 as shown in FIG8 . The flat transmission line 260 and the flexible cable 262 can be connected by welding. These connection methods take up less space and facilitate assembly and disassembly operations.

[0144] As shown in FIG9 , in some embodiments of the present application, the feed network 216 further includes a function expansion device 263, which can be disposed in the end cap 212 (as shown in FIG9 ), or alternatively, in the space between the end cap 212 and the transmission module 217. The connector 213 is connected to the function expansion device 263, for example, via a flexible cable or a circuit board. The end of the flat transmission line 260 away from the phase shifter 261 can be connected to the function expansion device 263 by welding, plugging, fasteners, or a flexible cable.

[0145] The specific functional type of the function expansion device 263 is not limited, and can be, for example, a coupler, combiner, splitter, or filter, and the number of function expansion devices 263 can be one or more. The circuit structure of the feed network 216 located between the connector 213 and the flat transmission line 260 can be designed according to the product requirements of the antenna 21, and its specific structure is not limited in this application.

[0146] In some embodiments of the present application, the feed network 216 may further include a function expansion device disposed between the flat transmission line 260 and the phase shifter 261. The function expansion device may be, for example, a combiner or a filter, and is not shown in the figure. According to the definition of the main feed, the transmission line between the flat transmission line 260 and the function expansion device, as well as the transmission line between the function expansion device and the phase shifter 261, are also part of the main feed. Therefore, a structural design similar to the stripline 61, microstrip line 62, or coplanar waveguide 63 described above may also be employed.

[0147] In an embodiment of the present application, the antenna 21 may include one or more connectors 213. Depending on the structural design of the feeding network 216, the number of flat transmission lines 260 and connectors 213 may be the same or different. For example, two flat transmission lines 260 may be connected to one connector 213, or may be connected to two connectors 213 one-to-one. These are not listed one by one here.

[0148] As shown in FIG2A , in some embodiments of the present application, the transmission module 217 is disposed opposite one or more radiating elements 2150 in the radiating element array 215 adjacent to the end cap 212. That is, the orthographic projections of the one or more radiating elements 2150 in the radiating element array 215 adjacent to the end cap 212 on the reflector 214 fall within the orthographic projection of the transmission module 217 on the reflector 214. For example, the first and second radiating elements in the radiating element array 215 adjacent to the end cap 212 can be disposed opposite the transmission module 217 on either side of the reflector 214. This design improves the compactness of the arrangement of the radiating element array 215 on the reflector 214, facilitating the multi-band design of the antenna 21.

[0149] 2A , in some embodiments of the present application, the end of the flat transmission line 260 away from the phase shifter 261 extends in the longitudinal direction D1 to between the end cap 212 and the first radiating element 2150 adjacent to the end cap 212. This design allows the end of the flat transmission line 260 away from the phase shifter 261 to be as close to the end cap 212 as possible, thereby facilitating the connection and assembly of the flat transmission line 260 with components such as the connector 213 and maximizing the length ratio of the flat transmission line 260 in the main feed, thereby further reducing transmission losses.

[0150] In some embodiments of the present application, the end of the flat transmission line 260 away from the phase shifter 261 can also extend in the longitudinal direction D1 to between the first radiation unit and the second radiation unit adjacent to the end cover 212. The connection and assembly of the flat transmission line 260 and components such as the connector 213 are basically more convenient, and the flat transmission line 260 also has a sufficient line length.

[0151] In the embodiment of the present application, the specific routing shape of the flat transmission line 260 is not limited. For example, the flat transmission line 260 can extend in a plane in a zigzag, curved, or straight shape, and can be flexibly selected and designed based on the structure of the feed network 216. In some embodiments, the flat transmission line 260 can be prefabricated in a certain shape and then assembled into the antenna 21.

[0152] As previously described, based on the basic structure of the phase shifter 261, the cavity height direction of the outer conductor cavity 2620 of the phase shifter 261 can be defined as the width direction D4 of the phase shifter 261. As can be seen from Figures 2A and 2B, the dimension of the phase shifter 261 in the width direction D4 is smaller than the dimension of the phase shifter 261 in the height direction (in Figures 2A and 2B, the height direction of the phase shifter 261 is orthogonal to the reflector 214).

[0153] In an embodiment of the present application, the width direction D4 of the phase shifter 261 can be arranged parallel to the reflector 214 or orthogonal to the reflector 214. As shown in Figure 2B, when the width direction D4 of the phase shifter 261 is arranged parallel to the reflector 214, since the size of the width direction D4 of the phase shifter 261 is relatively small, the size occupied by the phase shifter 261 in the width direction D4 is also relatively small. In some embodiments, when the width direction D4 of the phase shifter 261 is arranged orthogonal to the reflector 214, since the size of the width direction D4 of the phase shifter 261 is relatively small, the size occupied by the phase shifter 261 in the direction orthogonal to the reflector 214 is also relatively small. The phase shifter 261 can be flexibly arranged according to the design requirements of the antenna 21, and this application does not specifically limit this.

[0154] In the embodiment of the present application, the phase shifter 261 may be disposed on the first surface 41 or the second surface 42 of the reflective plate 214 , and the flat transmission line 260 may be flexibly designed based on the arrangement of the phase shifter 261 .

[0155] As shown in Figures 2A and 2B, in some embodiments, the phase shifter 261 can be disposed on the second surface 42 of the reflector 214, with the width direction D4 of the phase shifter 261 being parallel to the reflector 214. In this embodiment, the phase shifter 261 includes a first portion 2611 and a second portion 2612 protruding from the first portion 2611. The second portion 2612 extends between the transmission module 217 and the reflector 214. The flat transmission line 260 includes a first extension section 601, a second extension section 602, and a third extension section 603, which are sequentially connected. The first extension section 601 is located between the transmission module 217 and the second portion 2612 of the phase shifter 261. The third extension section 603 is located on the side of the first portion 2611 of the phase shifter 261 facing away from the reflector 214. The flat transmission line 260 generally has a Z-shaped zigzag line shape.

[0156] As previously mentioned, compared to traditional round cables, the flat transmission line 260 is easier to implement a zigzag routing design and can therefore be designed as a "Z"-shaped routing as needed. The flat transmission line 260 can adopt the stripline 61, microstrip line 62, or coplanar waveguide 63 in the above-mentioned embodiments. The width direction D2 of the flat transmission line 260 can be parallel or orthogonal to the reflector 214. Regarding the selection and design of the flat transmission line 260, reference can be made to the above-mentioned embodiments and will not be described in detail here. In addition, in this embodiment, the flat transmission line 260 is shown as being routed outside the phase shifter 261 using a line card 607. In other embodiments of the present application, at least a portion of the flat transmission line 260 can also be integrated with the phase shifter 261. For example, as shown in Figure 7B, the ground plane 651 of the flat transmission line 260 is integrally manufactured with the phase shifter 261, and at least a portion of the signal transmission strip line 650 of the flat transmission line 260 is routed within the outer conductor cavity 2620 of the phase shifter 261.

[0157] In this embodiment, the width direction D4 of the phase shifter 261 is arranged parallel to the reflector 214. Because the width direction D4 of the phase shifter 261 is relatively small, the dimension occupied by the phase shifter 261 in this width direction D4 is also small. The second portion 2612 of the phase shifter 261 protrudes from the first portion 2611 and extends between the transmission module 217 and the reflector 214. This design, on the one hand, minimizes the transmission line between the phase shifter 261 and each radiating element 2150, thereby minimizing signal transmission loss. On the other hand, because the phase shifter 261 is closer to the end cap 212, this helps reduce the wiring length of the flat transmission line 260, thereby minimizing signal transmission loss. Furthermore, it also makes the internal structure of the antenna 21 more compact. In some embodiments, the radiating element 2150 can pass through the reflector 214 to connect to the phase shifting circuit of the phase shifter 261.

[0158] As shown in Figure 10, in some embodiments, the phase shifter 261 can be arranged on the second surface 42 of the reflective plate 214, and the width direction D4 of the phase shifter 261 (not shown in the figure, which is a direction perpendicular to the paper surface) is arranged parallel to the reflective plate 214, and the flat transmission line 260 and the phase shifter 261 are arranged flat on the second surface 42 of the reflective plate 214.

[0159] “The flat transmission line 260 and the phase shifter 261 are arranged flat on the second surface 42 of the reflector 214” can be understood as that the flat transmission line 260 and the phase shifter 261 have almost no overlap in their orthographic projections on the reflector 214, and the flat transmission line 260 can be routed along the outer side surface of the phase shifter 261 that is orthogonal to the reflector 214. When there are two flat transmission lines 260, the two flat transmission lines 260 can be routed along two opposite outer side surfaces of the phase shifter 261 respectively (the figure shows a front view of the antenna 21, so only the flat transmission line 260 on one side is illustrated). The flat transmission line 260 can be in the shape of a "one", or it can be in other shapes in a plane parallel to the reflector 214, and this application does not make any specific restrictions on this.

[0160] In this embodiment, the width direction D4 of the phase shifter 261 is arranged parallel to the reflector 214. Since the dimension of the phase shifter 261 in the width direction D4 is relatively small, the dimension occupied by the phase shifter 261 in the width direction D4 is also small.

[0161] In this embodiment, the phase shifter 261 is located on the side of the transmission module 217 away from the end cap 212. Some radiating elements 2150 cannot face the phase shifter 261. These radiating elements 2150 can be connected to the phase shifting circuit of the phase shifter 261 via a flexible cable (not shown) that passes through the reflector 214. In other embodiments, the design of the phase shifter 261 can also refer to Figure 2A, which includes a first portion 2611 and a second portion 2612 that protrudes from the first portion 2611, wherein the second portion 2612 extends between the transmission module 217 and the reflector 214. The flat transmission line 260 and the phase shifter 261 are arranged flat on the second surface 42 of the reflector 214.

[0162] The flat transmission line 260 can employ the stripline 61, microstrip line 62, or coplanar waveguide 63 described in the aforementioned embodiments. The width of the flat transmission line 260 can be parallel or orthogonal to the reflector 214. The selection and design of the flat transmission line 260 can refer to the aforementioned embodiments and will not be further elaborated here. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the flat transmission line 260 is shown as being routed outside the phase shifter 261 using a line card 607. In other embodiments of the present application, at least a portion of the flat transmission line 260 can be integrated with the phase shifter 261, as shown in FIG. 7E .

[0163] As shown in FIG11 , in some embodiments, a phase shifter 261 can be disposed on the second surface 42 of the reflector 214, with the width direction D4 of the phase shifter 261 being orthogonal to the reflector 214. A portion of the phase shifter 261 extends between the transmission module 217 and the reflector 214, and a portion of the flat transmission line 260 is located between the transmission module 217 and the phase shifter 261. The flat transmission line 260 can be generally straight or have other shapes within a plane parallel to the reflector 214, and this is not specifically limited in this application.

[0164] In this embodiment, the width direction D4 of the phase shifter 261 is arranged orthogonally to the reflector 214. Because the width direction D4 of the phase shifter 261 is relatively small, the dimension of the phase shifter 261 in the direction orthogonal to the reflector 214 is also relatively small. A portion of the phase shifter 261 extends between the transmission module 217 and the reflector 214. This design, on the one hand, minimizes the transmission line between the phase shifter 261 and each radiating element 2150, thereby minimizing signal transmission loss. On the other hand, because the phase shifter 261 is closer to the end cap 212, this helps reduce the wiring length of the flat transmission line 260, thereby also minimizing signal transmission loss. Furthermore, it also makes the internal structure of the antenna 21 more compact. In some embodiments, the radiating element 2150 can pass through the reflector 214 to connect to the phase shifting circuit of the phase shifter 261.

[0165] The flat transmission line 260 can employ the stripline 61, microstrip line 62, or coplanar waveguide 63 described in the aforementioned embodiments. The width of the flat transmission line 260 can be parallel or perpendicular to the reflector 214. The selection and design of the flat transmission line 260 can refer to the aforementioned embodiments and will not be further elaborated here. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the flat transmission line 260 is shown as being routed outside the phase shifter 261 using a line card 607. In other embodiments of the present application, at least a portion of the flat transmission line 260 can be integrated with the phase shifter 261.

[0166] As shown in Figures 12A and 12B, in some embodiments, a phase shifter 261 is disposed on the first surface 41 of the reflector 214, with the width direction D4 of the phase shifter 261 being orthogonal to the reflector 214. The radiating element array 115 is located on the side of the phase shifter 261 facing away from the reflector 214. The flat transmission line 260 is connected to the phase shifter 261 via an electrical connection structure that passes through the reflector 214. The reflector 214 may be provided with a via. The electrical connection structure may be, for example, a wire that passes through the via and is insulated from the reflector 214, or a metal via that is disposed within the via and is insulated from the reflector 214. The flat transmission line 260 may be generally straight-line shaped, or may have other shapes within a plane parallel to the reflector 214, and this is not specifically limited in this application.

[0167] The flat transmission line 260 can be the stripline 61, microstrip line 62, or coplanar waveguide 63 in the above-mentioned embodiment. The width direction of the flat transmission line 260 can be parallel to or perpendicular to the reflector 214. Regarding the selection and design of the flat transmission line 260, reference can be made to the above-mentioned embodiment and will not be described in detail here.

[0168] In this embodiment, the width direction D4 of the phase shifter 261 is arranged orthogonally to the reflector 214. Since the dimension of the width direction D4 of the phase shifter 261 is relatively small, the dimension occupied by the phase shifter 261 in the direction orthogonal to the reflector 214 is also relatively small. In addition, in this embodiment, the phase shifter 261 is arranged on the first surface 41 of the reflector 214, which can be closer to the end cap 212. On the one hand, it is more convenient to connect with each radiating element 2150, and the transmission line between each radiating element 2150 is shortened as much as possible, thereby minimizing signal transmission loss. On the other hand, it is also helpful to reduce the wiring length of the flat transmission line 260, thereby minimizing signal transmission loss. On the other hand, it can also make the internal structure of the antenna 21 more compact.

[0169] In the above embodiment, since a portion of the flat transmission line 260 is routed between the transmission module 217 and the reflector 214, the internal structure of the antenna 21 is relatively compact and neat, which facilitates the multi-frequency design of the antenna 21. Moreover, compared with traditional round cables, the application of the flat transmission line 260 can reduce the transmission loss of the main feed, thereby improving the energy efficiency of the antenna 21.

[0170] The present invention also provides a phase shifter that can be used in an antenna, as shown in FIG7A . The phase shifter includes an outer conductor cavity 2620, a phase shifting component 2640, a phase shifting circuit 2630, and a flat transmission line 260. The outer conductor cavity 2620 is grounded. The phase shifting component 2640 is disposed within the outer conductor cavity 2620 and is driven by the antenna's transmission module (such as the transmission module 217 shown in FIG2A ) to perform phase shifting. The phase shifting circuit 2630 is disposed within the outer conductor cavity 2620 and includes an input / output main path 2631. The flat transmission line 260 includes a signal transmission stripline 650 and a ground plane 651 spaced apart from the signal transmission stripline 650. The signal transmission stripline 650 is connected to the input / output main path 2631, with at least a portion of the signal transmission stripline 650 located within the outer conductor cavity 2620. The ground plane 651 is integrally connected to the outer conductor cavity 2620.

[0171] In some embodiments, the signal transmission line 650 is welded to the input / output main line 2631, connected integrally (as shown in FIG. 7C ), or connected via a bridge 204 (as shown in FIG. 7E and FIG. 7F ).

[0172] In some embodiments, the outer conductor cavity 2620 includes multiple sub-cavities 201, wherein at least a portion of the signal transmission strip line 650 and the input / output main line 2631 are located in the same sub-cavity 201 (as shown in Figure 7C); or, at least a portion of the signal transmission strip line 650 and the input / output main line 2631 are located in different sub-cavities 201 (as shown in Figures 7E and 7F).

[0173] In some embodiments, the flat transmission line 260 is a stripline, a microstrip line, or a coplanar waveguide. The specific structural design thereof can refer to the description in the aforementioned embodiments and will not be described in detail here.

[0174] The specific structure of the phase shifter 261 can be referred to the above description of the phase shifter 261 in the antenna 21, and will not be repeated here. The phase shifter 261 of the embodiment of the present application can be applied to an antenna, wherein the antenna is not limited to the antenna 21 described in the above embodiment.

[0175] In an embodiment of the present application, the flat transmission line 260 of the phase shifter 261 can be used as the main feed of the antenna. Compared with traditional round cables, its cross-sectional area can be designed to be larger, and the volume proportion of the insulating medium in its structure can be designed to be smaller. Therefore, the transmission loss is reduced, which is conducive to improving the energy efficiency of the antenna. As shown in Figure 2A, when the flat transmission line 260 is routed between the transmission module 217 and the reflector 214 of the antenna 21, the gap between the transmission module 217 and the reflector 214 can be used to arrange the flat transmission line 260, which can make the internal structure of the antenna 21 more compact and neat.

[0176] The embodiment of the present application further provides a base station, which includes the antenna 21 of any of the above embodiments. Based on the above beneficial effects of the antenna 21, the base station can also obtain corresponding beneficial effects, thereby having better network coverage performance.

[0177] The technical solutions of the above embodiments of the present application can be applied to various communication systems, such as: global system of mobile communication (GSM) system, code division multiple access (CDMA) system, wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) system, general packet radio service (GPRS), long term evolution (LTE) system, LTE frequency division duplex (FDD) system, LTE time division duplex (TDD), universal mobile telecommunication system (UMTS), world-wide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) communication system, fifth generation (5G) system, new radio (NR) system, or future communication systems, etc., without limitation here.

[0178] The access network device described in the embodiments of the present application is sometimes also referred to as an access node. The access network device has a wireless transceiver function and is used to communicate with the terminal. The access network device includes but is not limited to the base station (base station) in the above-mentioned communication system, the evolved base station (evolved NodeB, eNodeB), the transmission reception point (TRP), the next generation base station (next generation NodeB, gNB) in the 5G mobile communication system, the next generation base station in the sixth generation (6th generation, 6G) mobile communication system, the access network device or the module of the access network device in the open access network (open RAN, ORAN) system, the base station in the future mobile communication system or the access node in the WiFi (wireless fidelity) system, etc.

[0179] In some embodiments, the access network device may be a module or unit that can implement some of the functions of a base station. For example, the access network device may be a centralized unit (CU), a distributed unit (DU), a CU-control plane (CP), a CU-user plane (UP), or a radio unit (RU). In the ORAN system, the CU may also be referred to as an O (open, O)-CU, the DU may also be referred to as an O-DU, the CU-CP may also be referred to as an O-CU-CP, the CU-UP may also be referred to as an O-CU-UP, and the RU may also be referred to as an O-RU.

[0180] In some embodiments, the access network device may be a macro base station, a micro base station, an indoor base station, a relay node or a donor node, or a wireless controller in a cloud radio access network (CRAN) scenario. A macro base station may also be referred to as a macrocellular base station, which can cover a larger area, such as a city or a village. A macro base station generally has higher transmission power and a longer communication distance, and can support more users communicating simultaneously. A micro base station may also be referred to as a microcellular base station. Compared with a macro base station, its coverage range is relatively small, and it is usually used in densely populated areas such as cities, commercial areas, and indoor areas. The micro base station has lower transmission power and a shorter communication distance, and can usually provide higher network capacity and better signal quality. An indoor base station is a base station that can be used in an indoor environment. It can be installed in indoor places such as large buildings, shopping malls, airports, and subways to provide coverage for indoor wireless communications.

[0181] In some embodiments, the access network device may also be a server, a wearable device, or an in-vehicle device, etc. For example, the access network device in vehicle to everything (V2X) technology may be a road side unit (RSU).

[0182] In an embodiment of the present application, multiple access network devices in the communication system can be base stations of the same type or different types. The base station can communicate with the terminal or communicate with the terminal through a relay station. The terminal can communicate with multiple base stations in different access technologies. This application does not make specific limitations on this.

[0183] The above are merely specific embodiments of the present application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any modifications or substitutions that can be readily conceived by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application are intended to be encompassed by the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application shall be subject to the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. An antenna, characterized in that: include: A reflective plate, comprising a first surface and a second surface; A radiation unit array is arranged on the first surface of the reflection plate; An end cap, provided at one end of the reflecting plate in the longitudinal direction; A connector, disposed on the end cover; a feeding network connected to the connector and the radiating element array, the feeding network comprising a phase shifter and a transmission line, wherein the transmission line comprises a flat transmission line for transmitting a signal between the connector and the phase shifter; and A transmission module is disposed on the second surface of the reflector and adjacent to the end cover, and is used to drive the phase shifter to perform a phase shifting action, wherein a portion of the flat transmission line is located between the transmission module and the reflector.

2. The antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that The flat transmission line includes a signal transmission strip line and a ground plane spaced apart from the signal transmission strip line, wherein the width direction of the signal transmission strip line is parallel to the reflector plate, or the thickness direction of the signal transmission strip line is parallel to the reflector plate.

3. The antenna according to claim 2, characterized in that: An air gap is provided between the signal transmission strip line and the ground plane.

4. The antenna according to claim 3, characterized in that The flat transmission line is a strip line, and the ground plane includes two ground planes arranged in parallel with the signal transmission strip line, wherein the signal transmission strip line is located between the two ground planes, and the signal transmission strip line and the two ground planes are spaced apart by a plurality of insulating support structures, and the signal transmission strip line and the two ground planes have the air gaps respectively; or The flat transmission line is a microstrip line, and the ground plane includes a ground plane arranged in parallel with the signal transmission strip line, wherein the signal transmission strip line and the ground plane are spaced apart by a plurality of insulating support structures, and there is the air gap between the signal transmission strip line and the ground plane; or The flat transmission line is a coplanar waveguide, and the ground plane includes a first wide side surface and a second wide side surface arranged in parallel, and a first narrow side surface and a second narrow side surface arranged in parallel, wherein the first wide side surface, the second wide side surface, the first narrow side surface and the second narrow side surface form a rectangular cavity, the rectangular cavity has the air gap, the first wide side surface has a strip-shaped opening, the signal transmission strip line is located in the strip-shaped opening, and the signal transmission strip line and the second wide side surface are separated by a plurality of insulating support structures.

5. The antenna according to claim 2, characterized in that: The flat transmission line is a strip line, and the ground plane includes two ground planes arranged in parallel with the signal transmission strip line, wherein the signal transmission strip line is located between the two ground planes, and an insulating medium is filled between the signal transmission strip line and the two ground planes; or The flat transmission line is a microstrip line, the ground plane comprises a ground plane arranged in parallel with the signal transmission strip line, wherein an insulating medium is filled between the signal transmission strip line and the ground plane; or The flat transmission line is a coplanar waveguide, and the ground plane includes a first wide side surface and a second wide side surface arranged in parallel, and a first narrow side surface and a second narrow side surface arranged in parallel, wherein the first wide side surface, the second wide side surface, the first narrow side surface and the second narrow side surface form a rectangular cavity, the rectangular cavity is filled with an insulating medium, the first wide side surface has a strip-shaped opening, and the signal transmission strip line is located in the strip-shaped opening.

6. The antenna according to claim 2, characterized in that: The flat transmission line is a strip line, and the ground plane includes a first wide side surface and a second wide side surface arranged in parallel, and a first narrow side surface and a second narrow side surface arranged in parallel, wherein the first wide side surface, the second wide side surface, the first narrow side surface and the second narrow side surface form a rectangular cavity, the signal transmission strip line is located in the rectangular cavity and is arranged parallel to the first wide side surface and the second wide side surface, and the rectangular cavity is filled with an insulating medium or the rectangular cavity has an air gap.

7. The antenna according to claim 2, characterized in that: The transmission line includes at least two flat transmission lines extending in parallel and used for transmitting signals with different polarization directions.

8. The antenna according to claim 7, characterized in that: The ground planes of at least two of the flat transmission lines are integrally connected.

9. The antenna according to claim 2, characterized in that: The reflector is grounded, the width direction of the signal transmission strip is parallel to the reflector, and at least a portion of the ground plane is integrated with the reflector.

10. The antenna according to claim 2, characterized in that: The phase shifter includes an outer conductor cavity that is grounded, and a phase shift component and a phase shift circuit that are arranged in the outer conductor cavity, wherein the phase shift component is used to be driven by the transmission module to perform a phase shift action, and the phase shift circuit includes an input / output main circuit, the signal transmission strip line is connected to the input / output main circuit, and at least a portion of the signal transmission strip line is located in the outer conductor cavity, and the ground plane is integrally connected to the outer conductor cavity.

11. The antenna according to claim 10, characterized in that: The signal transmission strip line is welded to the input / output main circuit, connected as one piece, or connected via a bridge.

12. The antenna according to claim 10, characterized in that: The outer conductor cavity includes a plurality of sub-cavities, wherein: At least a portion of the signal transmission strip line and the input / output main line are located in the same sub-cavity; or At least a portion of the signal transmission strip line and the input / output main line are located in a different sub-cavity.

13. The antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that The transmission module is arranged opposite to one or more radiation units in the radiation unit array and adjacent to the end cover.

14. The antenna according to claim 13, characterized in that The end of the flat transmission line away from the phase shifter extends in the longitudinal direction to between the end cap and the first radiation element adjacent to the end cap; or One end of the flat transmission line away from the phase shifter extends in the longitudinal direction to between the first radiation unit and the second radiation unit adjacent to the end cap.

15. The antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that The flat transmission line is fixed to at least one of the reflector, the transmission module, or the phase shifter through an insulating wire clip; or The flat transmission line includes a plurality of insulating mounting parts, and the plurality of insulating mounting parts are fixed to at least one of the reflection plate, the transmission module, or the phase shifter.

16. The antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that The end of the flat transmission line away from the phase shifter is connected to the connector by welding, plugging, fastening, or flexible cable; or The feeding network also includes a function expansion device, which is arranged on the end cover, or between the end cover and the transmission module, wherein the connector is connected to the function expansion device, and the end of the flat transmission line away from the phase shifter is connected to the function expansion device by welding, plugging, fastening, or flexible cable.

17. The antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that The width direction of the phase shifter is arranged parallel to or orthogonally to the reflector, wherein the phase shifter includes an outer A conductor cavity, and a phase shifting component and a phase shifting circuit arranged in the outer conductor cavity, wherein the cavity height direction of the outer conductor cavity is defined as the width direction of the phase shifter.

18. The antenna according to claim 17, characterized in that The phase shifter is disposed on the second surface of the reflector, and the width direction of the phase shifter is arranged parallel to the reflector, and the phase shifter includes a first portion and a second portion protruding from the first portion, wherein the second portion extends between the transmission module and the reflector; The flat transmission line includes a first extension section, a second extension section and a third extension section which are connected in sequence, wherein the first extension section is located between the transmission module and the second part, and the third extension section is located on a side of the first part facing away from the reflection plate.

19. The antenna according to claim 17, characterized in that: The phase shifter is arranged on the second surface of the reflector, and the width direction of the phase shifter is arranged parallel to the reflector; The flat transmission line and the phase shifter are arranged flat on the second surface of the reflection plate.

20. The antenna according to claim 17, characterized in that The phase shifter is arranged on the second surface of the reflector, and the width direction of the phase shifter is arranged orthogonal to the reflector; A portion of the phase shifter extends between the transmission module and the reflection plate, and a portion of the flat transmission line is located between the transmission module and the phase shifter.

21. The antenna according to claim 17, characterized in that The phase shifter is arranged on the first surface of the reflector, and the width direction of the phase shifter is arranged orthogonal to the reflector; The radiation unit array is located on a side of the phase shifter facing away from the reflection plate; The flat transmission line is connected to the phase shifter via an electrical connection structure penetrating the reflector.

22. A phase shifter, characterized in that: The phase shifter is applied to an antenna, and the phase shifter comprises: An outer conductor cavity, wherein the outer conductor cavity is grounded; A phase shifting component, disposed in the outer conductor cavity, and configured to be driven by the transmission module of the antenna to perform a phase shifting action; A phase shift circuit is disposed in the outer conductor cavity, wherein the phase shift circuit includes an input / output main circuit; and A flat transmission line includes a signal transmission strip line and a ground plane spaced apart from the signal transmission strip line, wherein the signal transmission strip line is connected to the input / output main line, at least a portion of the signal transmission strip line is located in the outer conductor cavity, and the ground plane is integrally connected to the outer conductor cavity.

23. The phase shifter according to claim 22, characterized in that The signal transmission strip line is welded to the input / output main circuit, connected as one piece, or connected via a bridge.

24. The phase shifter according to claim 22, characterized in that The outer conductor cavity includes a plurality of sub-cavities, wherein: At least a portion of the signal transmission strip line and the input / output main line are located in the same sub-cavity; or At least a portion of the signal transmission strip line and the input / output main line are located in a different sub-cavity.

25. The phase shifter according to any one of claims 22 to 24, characterized in that The flat transmission line is one of a stripline, a microstrip line or a coplanar waveguide.

26. A base station, characterized in that: Comprising an antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 21.

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