Patch antenna, antenna array and communication device

Abstract

Provided in the present disclosure are a patch antenna, an antenna array and a communication device. The patch antenna comprises: a feed circuit, a slotted ground plane, and a first patch layer, a second patch layer and a third patch layer, which are sequentially stacked in the direction of the slotted ground plane facing away from the feed circuit and are spaced apart from each other, wherein the feed circuit comprises two feed ports and an open-loop annular feed portion connecting the two feed ports; the slotted ground plane is located on one side of the feed circuit; the slotted ground plane is provided with a plurality of slots; the slotted ground plane is spaced apart from the feed circuit; the orthographic projections of the slots on the feed circuit at least partially overlap the open-loop annular feed portion; and the first patch layer comprises a first patch, the second patch layer comprises a second patch, and the third patch layer comprises a first annular patch. The simplification of the structure of a polarization switchable antenna, the reduction of the return loss and the increase of the signal gain and impedance bandwidth are facilitated.

Description

Patch antennas, antenna arrays and communication equipment Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to patch antennas, antenna arrays and communication equipment. Background Technology

[0002] As a device for receiving and transmitting radio waves, antennas face increasingly higher performance requirements with the development of wireless communication technology. For example, in satellite communication systems, circularly polarized waves are often used as the main transmission carrier. Circularly polarized waves can effectively overcome the polarization deflection caused by reflection and refraction during radio wave propagation, avoiding signal loss due to polarization mismatch. Furthermore, circularly polarized waves exhibit low attenuation in rain and snow, and have the ability to suppress rain and fog interference and resist multipath interference.

[0003] Switchable polarization antennas offer significant advantages in multi-system operation, frequency reuse, and reduced signal attenuation in wireless communication systems. Currently, most switchable polarization antennas consist of a switchable polarization structure based on switching structures such as PIN diodes and a circularly polarized structure with two-point feeding and a 90° phase difference between the two ports. This results in a complex antenna structure and relatively low bandwidth.

[0004] Summary of the Invention

[0005] This disclosure provides a patch antenna, antenna array, and communication device to simplify the structure of a polarization-switchable antenna and to provide a larger bandwidth.

[0006] A first aspect of this disclosure provides a patch antenna, comprising:

[0007] Feeding circuit; The feeding circuit includes two feeding ports and an open-loop ring feeding section connecting the two feeding ports;

[0008] A slotted floor is located on one side of the power supply circuit; the slotted floor has multiple slots; the slotted floor is spaced apart from the power supply circuit; the orthographic projection of the slots on the power supply circuit at least partially overlaps with the open-loop annular power supply section.

[0009] A first patch layer, a second patch layer, and a third patch layer are stacked sequentially and spaced apart along the direction away from the power supply circuit in the gap floor; the first patch layer includes a first patch; the second patch layer includes a second patch; and the third patch layer includes a first annular patch.

[0010] In the patch antenna provided in this disclosure, the orthographic projections of the geometric centers of the first ring patch, the second patch, and the first patch onto the plane where the feed circuit is located all coincide with the geometric center of the open-loop ring feed section.

[0011] In the patch antenna provided in this disclosure, the orthographic projection of the first patch onto the second patch layer is located within the region where the second patch is located; the orthographic projection of the second patch onto the third patch layer is located within the region where the inner ring of the first annular patch is located.

[0012] In the patch antenna disclosed herein, the orthographic projection of multiple slots on the slotted floor onto the feed circuit overlaps with the open-loop ring feed section at least three times.

[0013] In the patch antenna provided in this disclosure, a plurality of slots include a first slot extending along a first direction and a second slot extending along a second direction; the first slot and the second slot intersect each other; wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction;

[0014] The orthographic projections of both ends of the first gap onto the power supply circuit overlap with the open-loop annular power supply section; the orthographic projections of both ends of the second gap onto the power supply circuit overlap with the open-loop annular power supply section.

[0015] In the patch antenna disclosed herein, the length of the first slot is 7.25 mm and the width is 0.4 mm; the length of the second slot is 7.25 mm and the width is 0.4 mm.

[0016] In the patch antenna disclosed herein, both the first slot and the second slot are broken at the intersection of the first slot and the second slot.

[0017] In the patch antenna provided in this disclosure, the plurality of slots also include a third slot; the third slot is located between the first slot and the second slot and extends along a direction located between the angle formed by the first direction and the second direction.

[0018] In the patch antenna provided in this disclosure, the second patch layer further includes at least one second annular patch; the second annular patch is disposed around the second patch.

[0019] In the patch antenna provided in this disclosure, the third patch layer further includes at least one third annular patch; the third annular patch is disposed around the first annular patch.

[0020] The patch antenna provided in this disclosure further includes:

[0021] The first dielectric substrate is located on one side of the power supply circuit; the gap ground plane is located on the side of the first dielectric substrate facing the power supply circuit; the first patch layer is located on the side of the first dielectric substrate away from the power supply circuit.

[0022] In the patch antenna provided in this disclosure, a first dielectric substrate has a plurality of first vias arranged around the first patch layer; a first isolation post is provided in the first via; the first isolation post is connected to the slotted ground plane.

[0023] The patch antenna provided in this disclosure further includes:

[0024] The second dielectric substrate is located between the first and second patch layers.

[0025] In the patch antenna provided in this disclosure, a second dielectric substrate has multiple second vias; a second isolation post is provided in the second via; the orthographic projections of the first patch layer and the second patch layer on the second dielectric substrate are both located within the area formed by the second vias.

[0026] In the patch antenna provided in this disclosure, the second via corresponds one-to-one with the first via; the orthographic projection of the second via on the first dielectric substrate at least partially overlaps with the corresponding first via; and the second isolation post located in the second via is connected to the first isolation post located in the corresponding first via.

[0027] The patch antenna provided in this disclosure further includes a third dielectric substrate; a second patch layer is located on the side of the third dielectric substrate facing the first patch layer; and a third patch layer is located on the side of the third dielectric substrate away from the first patch layer.

[0028] In the patch antenna provided in this disclosure, a first air dielectric layer and a plurality of spaced first support structures are provided between the feed circuit and the slotted ground plane.

[0029] The patch antenna provided in this disclosure further includes a reflective ground plane; the reflective ground plane is located on the side of the feed circuit away from the slotted ground plane and is spaced apart from the feed circuit; a second air dielectric layer is provided between the reflective ground plane and the feed circuit; a plurality of spaced second support structures are fixed on the side of the reflective ground plane facing the feed circuit.

[0030] A second aspect of this disclosure provides an antenna array comprising two rows and two columns of patch antennas as described above; the patch antennas include a first feed port and a second feed port; the first feed port and the second feed port of each patch antenna both point to the center of the antenna array, and the first feed port and the second feed port are alternately arranged around the center of the antenna array.

[0031] A third aspect of this disclosure provides a communication device including a patch antenna as described in any of the above claims or an antenna array including any of the above claims.

[0032] The beneficial effects of this disclosure are as follows:

[0033] This disclosure provides a patch antenna, antenna array, and communication device. The patch antenna includes: a feed circuit, a slotted ground plane, and a first patch layer, a second patch layer, and a third patch layer stacked sequentially and spaced apart along the direction of the slotted ground plane away from the feed circuit. The feed circuit includes two feed ports and an open-loop annular feed section connecting the two feed ports. The slotted ground plane is located on one side of the feed circuit. The slotted ground plane has multiple slots intersecting at a single point. The slotted ground plane and the feed circuit are spaced apart. The orthographic projection of the slots onto the feed circuit at least partially overlaps with the open-loop annular feed section. The first patch layer includes a first patch; the second patch layer includes a second patch; and the third patch layer includes a first annular patch. The feeding circuit and the slotted ground plane form a feeding structure. By feeding one of the feeding ports of the feeding circuit alone, the radiation of left-hand circularly polarized waves or right-hand circularly polarized waves can be achieved. Furthermore, the radiation of linearly polarized waves can be achieved by feeding two feeding ports simultaneously. This simplifies the structure of the polarization-switchable antenna. Moreover, by setting the first patch layer, the second patch layer, and the third patch layer to form a radiation structure, it is beneficial to reduce return loss and improve signal gain and impedance bandwidth. Attached Figure Description

[0034] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments of this disclosure will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this disclosure. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0035] Figure 1 is one of the schematic cross-sectional structures of the patch antenna provided in the embodiments of this disclosure;

[0036] Figure 2 is a top view of the power supply circuit provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0037] Figure 3 is one of the top view structural schematic diagrams of the slotted floor provided in the embodiments of this disclosure;

[0038] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the overlapping structure of the power supply circuit and the slotted floor provided in the embodiment of this disclosure;

[0039] Figure 5 is a top view of the first patch layer provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0040] Figure 6 is one of the top view structural schematic diagrams of the second patch layer provided in the embodiments of this disclosure;

[0041] Figure 7 is one of the top view structural schematic diagrams of the third patch layer provided in the embodiments of this disclosure;

[0042] Figure 8 is a top view of the first dielectric substrate provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0043] Figure 9 is a top view of the second dielectric substrate provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0044] Figure 10 is a top view of the third dielectric substrate provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0045] Figure 11 is a second schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the patch antenna provided in the embodiment of this disclosure;

[0046] Figure 12 is a third schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the patch antenna provided in the embodiment of this disclosure;

[0047] Figure 13 is one of the curves showing the variation of S11 parameters of the patch antenna provided in this embodiment of the present disclosure with frequency;

[0048] Figure 14 is a Smith chart of the patch antenna provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0049] Figure 15 is one of the curves showing the change of axial ratio as a function of frequency for the patch antenna provided in the embodiments of this disclosure;

[0050] Figure 16 is a graph showing the gain of the patch antenna provided in the embodiments of this disclosure as a function of frequency;

[0051] Figure 17 is one of the simulation results of the cross-polarization ratio of the patch antenna provided in the embodiments of this disclosure;

[0052] Figure 18 is the second simulation result of the cross-polarization ratio of the patch antenna provided in the embodiment of this disclosure;

[0053] Figure 19 is the third simulation result of the cross-polarization ratio of the patch antenna provided in the embodiment of this disclosure;

[0054] Figure 20 is the fourth simulation result of the cross-polarization ratio of the patch antenna provided in the embodiments of this disclosure;

[0055] Figure 21 is the fifth of the simulation results of the cross-polarization ratio of the patch antenna provided in the embodiments of this disclosure;

[0056] Figure 22 is a second top view of the gap floor provided in the embodiment of this disclosure;

[0057] Figure 23 is a second graph showing the change in axial ratio of the patch antenna provided in the embodiments of this disclosure as a function of frequency;

[0058] Figure 24 is a top view of the third embodiment of the slotted floor provided in this disclosure;

[0059] Figure 25 is a second graph showing the variation of the S11 parameters of the patch antenna provided in this embodiment with frequency;

[0060] Figure 26 is a top view of the fourth embodiment of the slotted floor provided in this disclosure;

[0061] Figure 27 is the third of the curves showing the variation of S11 parameters of the patch antenna provided in the embodiments of this disclosure with frequency;

[0062] Figure 28 is a second top view of the structure of the second patch layer provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0063] Figure 29 is the fourth of the curves showing the variation of the S11 parameters of the patch antenna provided in the embodiments of this disclosure with frequency;

[0064] Figure 30 is a second top view of the third patch layer provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0065] Figure 31 is the fifth of the curves showing the variation of S11 parameters of the patch antenna provided in the embodiments of this disclosure with frequency;

[0066] Figure 32 is a third top view of the third patch layer provided in the embodiment of this disclosure;

[0067] Figure 33 is a top view of the antenna array provided in an embodiment of this disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0068] To make the above-described objects, features, and advantages of this disclosure more apparent and understandable, the disclosure will be further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. However, the exemplary embodiments can be implemented in many forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided to make the disclosure more comprehensive and complete, and to fully convey the concept of the exemplary embodiments to those skilled in the art. The same reference numerals in the figures denote the same or similar structures, and therefore repeated descriptions of them will be omitted. Terms describing position and direction as described in this disclosure are illustrative of the accompanying drawings, but changes may be made as needed, and all such changes are included within the scope of protection of this disclosure. The accompanying drawings of this disclosure are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent actual scale.

[0069] As a device for receiving and transmitting radio waves, antennas face increasingly higher performance requirements with the development of wireless communication technology. For example, in satellite communication systems, circularly polarized waves are often used as the main transmission carrier. Circularly polarized waves can effectively overcome the polarization deflection caused by reflection and refraction during radio wave propagation, avoiding signal loss due to polarization mismatch. Furthermore, circularly polarized waves exhibit low attenuation in rain and snow, and have the ability to suppress rain and fog interference and resist multipath interference.

[0070] Switchable polarization antennas offer significant advantages in multi-system operation, frequency reuse, and reduced signal attenuation in wireless communication systems. Currently, most switchable polarization antennas consist of a switchable polarization structure based on switching structures such as PIN diodes and a circularly polarized structure with two-point feeding and a 90° phase difference between the two ports. This results in a complex antenna structure and relatively low bandwidth.

[0071] In view of this, the present disclosure provides a patch antenna that can simplify the structure of a circularly polarized antenna and improve the bandwidth of the patch antenna.

[0072] Figure 1 is one of the schematic diagrams of the cross-sectional structure of the patch antenna provided in the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0073] In this embodiment of the disclosure, as shown in FIG1, the patch antenna includes: a feed circuit 1, a slotted ground plane 2, a first patch layer 3, a second patch layer 4, and a third patch layer 5.

[0074] Figure 2 is a top view of the power supply circuit provided in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0075] The feeding circuit 1 includes two feeding ports and an open-loop annular feeding section connecting the two feeding ports. For example, as shown in Figure 2, the feeding circuit 1 includes a first feeding port 11 and a second feeding port 12 arranged opposite to each other. In the patch antenna provided in this disclosure, one of the first feeding port 11 and the second feeding port 12 is fed separately, while the other port is connected to a load, thereby enabling the radiation of circularly polarized waves; when the first feeding port 11 and the second feeding port 12 are fed simultaneously, the radiation of linearly polarized waves can be achieved. That is, the patch antenna provided in this disclosure can achieve switching between different polarization directions by feeding different feeding ports. The open-loop annular feeding section 13 is an annular structure with an opening K. At the position of the opening K, one end of the open-loop annular feeding section 13 is connected to the first feeding port 11, and the other end is connected to the second feeding port 12. In specific implementations, the open-loop annular feeding section 13 can be a symmetrical structure, where the symmetrical structure includes common symmetrical structures such as axisymmetric, centrosymmetric, or rotationally symmetrical structures, and symmetrical structures usually have a geometric center. The open-loop feed section 13 has an axisymmetric structure along a straight line L that passes through both the geometric center of the open-loop feed section 13 and the center of the opening K. This structure is beneficial for improving the circular polarization effect of the circularly polarized wave and increasing the axial ratio bandwidth of the patch antenna. Specifically, the ring structure of the open-loop feed section 13 can be circular, square, rhomboid, etc., and is not limited here. The feed circuit 1 can be made of conductive materials such as metal, specifically copper, aluminum, etc., and is not limited here.

[0076] Figure 3 is one of the top view structural schematic diagrams of the slotted floor provided in the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0077] The slotted floor 2 is located on one side of the feed circuit 1. As shown in Figure 3, the slotted floor 2 has multiple slots. The slotted floor 2 is spaced apart from the feed circuit 1 so as not to directly contact the feed circuit. The orthographic projection of each slot on the slotted floor 2 onto the feed circuit 1 overlaps at least partially with the open-loop annular feed section 13 of the feed circuit 1, thereby coupling out the signal at the overlap position of the slot and the open-loop annular feed section 13.

[0078] In a specific implementation, the orthographic projection of the multiple gaps opened on the slotted floor onto the power supply circuit 1 overlaps with the open-loop annular power supply section 13 of the power supply circuit 1 at at least three different locations, thereby ensuring a large coupling amount and a better circular polarization effect.

[0079] For example, as shown in Figure 4, the multiple slots on the slotted floor 2 include a first slot 21 extending along a first direction X and a second slot 22 extending along a second direction Y. The first slot 21 and the second slot 22 intersect each other and have overlapping areas at the intersection. The orthographic projections of the two ends of the first slot 21 onto the feed circuit 1 overlap with the open-loop annular feed section 13, respectively, forming a first overlapping position D and a second overlapping position B. The orthographic projections of the two ends of the second slot 22 onto the feed circuit 1 overlap with the open-loop annular feed section 13, respectively, forming a third overlapping position A and a second overlapping position C. When the load is connected through the second feed port 12 and the first feed port 11 provides power, a fixed phase difference can be generated between different overlapping positions along the direction A→B→C→D, thereby realizing the radiation of a right-hand circularly polarized wave. By feeding through the second feed port 12 and connecting the load to the first feed port 11, a fixed phase difference can be generated between different overlapping positions along the direction D→C→B→A, thereby realizing the radiation of left-hand circularly polarized waves.

[0080] In some embodiments, the first direction X and the second direction Y are perpendicular to each other, thereby forming an intersecting "+" shaped gap between the first gap 21 and the second gap 22. Specifically, the size of the open-loop annular feed section 13 can be adjusted to create a 90° phase difference between the orthogonal projection of the "+" shaped gap onto the feed circuit 1 and the two adjacent overlapping positions formed by the open-loop annular feed section 13, achieving the radiation of a right-hand circularly polarized wave or a left-hand circularly polarized wave. The first gap 21 and the second gap 22 are perpendicular to each other, and the orthogonal projections of the first gap 21 and the second gap 22 onto the feed circuit 1 have good symmetry with the overlapping positions of the open-loop annular feed section 13, which is beneficial for improving the circular polarization effect of the circularly polarized wave and increasing the axial ratio bandwidth.

[0081] In specific implementations, the included angle between the first gap 21 and the second gap 22 can be set between 0 and 90°, and is not limited here. In some embodiments, by adjusting the length of the first gap 21, the orthographic projection of one end of the first gap 21 on the power supply circuit 1 can overlap with the open-loop annular power supply section 13, while the orthographic projection of the other end on the power supply circuit 1 does not overlap with the open-loop annular power supply section 13. In some embodiments, by adjusting the length of the first gap 22, the orthographic projection of one end of the second gap 21 on the power supply circuit 1 can overlap with the open-loop annular power supply section 13, while the orthographic projection of the other end on the power supply circuit 1 does not overlap with the open-loop annular power supply section 13, and is not limited here.

[0082] In some embodiments, the gaps in the slotted floor can also be multiple through holes formed on the slotted floor, with the orthographic projection of the through holes on the power supply circuit 1 overlapping the open-loop annular power supply section 13. In specific implementations, at least three through holes can be formed on the slotted floor, with their orthographic projections on the power supply circuit 1 overlapping different positions with the open-loop annular power supply section 13. For example, the number of through holes can be exactly three or more, and this is not limited here.

[0083] In practice, the gaps opened on the slotted floor can be of other shapes or forms, as long as they can couple out circularly polarized waves; no limitation is made here.

[0084] In practice, the gap floor 2 can be made of conductive materials such as metal, specifically copper, aluminum, etc., without limitation. The shape of the gap floor 2 can be set according to actual needs, for example, it can be set as a circle, without limitation.

[0085] As shown in Figure 1, the first patch layer 3, the second patch layer 4, and the third patch layer 5 are stacked sequentially along the direction of the slotted ground plane 2 away from the feed circuit. The first patch layer 3 is spaced apart from the slotted ground plane 2 to avoid direct contact; the second patch layer 4 is also spaced apart from both the first patch layer 3 and the third patch layer 5 to avoid direct contact. The spacing between the first patch layer 2, the second patch layer 4, and the third patch layer 5 can be adjusted according to the target frequency band and the required cross-sectional dimensions of the patch antenna, and is not limited here.

[0086] Figure 5 is a top view of the first patch layer provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 6 is one of the top views of the second patch layer provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 7 is one of the top views of the third patch layer provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0087] As shown in Figures 5-7, the first patch layer 3 includes a first patch 31, the second patch layer 4 includes a second patch 41, and the third patch layer 5 includes a first annular patch 51. The first patch 31, the second patch 41, and the first annular patch 51 constitute a radiating structure. By adjusting the dimensions of the second patch 41 and the first annular patch 51, as well as the distance between the patch layers, the beam shape of the signal beam coupled out through the slotted floor 2 can be adjusted, reducing return loss and thereby increasing the antenna impedance bandwidth.

[0088] The first patch layer 3, the second patch layer 4, and the third patch layer 5 can all be made of conductive materials, such as copper or aluminum. The materials of the first patch layer 3, the second patch layer 4, and the third patch layer 5 can be the same or different, depending on the actual situation, and are not limited here. The shapes of the first patch 31 and the second patch 41 can be set according to the actual situation. For example, as shown in Figure 5, the first patch 31 can be circular; as shown in Figure 6, the second patch 41 can be circular; as shown in Figure 7, the first annular patch can be an annular shape. In some embodiments, the first patch 31 and the second patch 41 can be square or square with chamfered corners, etc., and are not limited here. The shape of the first annular patch 51 can be designed as a square annular structure, etc., according to actual needs, and is not limited here.

[0089] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, both the first patch 31 and the second patch 41 can be solid patches. A solid patch is characterized by being continuously disposed across the entire coverage area, without any discontinuous areas such as openings or breaks. In some embodiments, at least one of the first patch 31 and the second patch 41 may also have openings or other structures, which is not limited here.

[0090] In this embodiment, the feeding circuit and the slotted ground plane form a feeding structure. By feeding one feeding port of the feeding circuit individually and connecting the other feeding port to the load, either left-hand circularly polarized or right-hand circularly polarized waves can be radiated. By feeding both feeding ports simultaneously, linearly polarized wave radiation can be achieved. Compared to polarization-switchable antennas in related technologies, this eliminates the need for switching diodes and other structures, simplifying the structure of the polarization-switchable antenna. Furthermore, by using a first patch layer, a second patch layer, and a third patch layer to form a radiation structure, it is beneficial to reduce return loss and improve signal gain and impedance bandwidth.

[0091] In some embodiments, the orthographic projections of the geometric centers of the first annular patch 51, the second patch 41, and the first patch 31 onto the plane of the feed circuit 1 all coincide with the geometric center of the open-loop annular feed section 13 of the feed circuit 1, in order to achieve a better radiation effect. For example, the first patch 31, the second patch 32, and the first annular patch 51 can all be symmetrical structures, wherein the symmetrical structure includes common symmetrical structures such as axial symmetry, central symmetry, or rotational symmetry, and symmetrical structures usually have a geometric center. For example, both the first patch 31 and the second patch 32 are circular, the first annular patch is circular, and the open-loop annular feed section of the feed circuit 1 can be an open annular shape. The geometric center of the complete annular shape formed by the open-loop annular feed section of the feed circuit 1 can be regarded as the geometric center of the open-loop annular feed section. The orthographic projections of the geometric centers of the first annular patch 51, the second patch 41, and the first patch 31 onto the plane where the feed circuit 1 is located all coincide with the geometric center of the open-loop annular feed section 13 of the feed circuit 1. This is beneficial for electromagnetic wave signals to radiate evenly to the outside from all directions of the antenna surface, thereby improving the signal radiation quality. Furthermore, the multiple gaps on the slotted floor 2 can intersect at a single point, and the multiple gaps coincide at the intersection point. The intersection point of the multiple gaps on the slotted floor 2, the geometric center of the first annular patch 51, the geometric center of the second patch 41, and the geometric center of the first patch 31, all projected onto the plane where the power supply circuit 1 is located, coincide with the geometric center of the open-loop annular power supply section 13 of the power supply circuit 1.

[0092] In some embodiments, the inner ring of the first annular patch 51 is slightly larger than the size of the second patch 41, so that the orthographic projection of the second patch 41 on the third patch layer 5 is located within the area where the inner ring of the first annular patch 51 is located. This is beneficial for the first annular patch 51 to fully receive the electromagnetic wave signal radiated by the second patch 41 and improve the signal gain.

[0093] In some embodiments, the size of the second patch 41 is slightly larger than the size of the first patch 31, so that the orthographic projection of the first patch 31 on the second patch layer 4 is located within the area where the second patch 41 is located, which is beneficial for the second patch 41 to fully receive the electromagnetic wave signal radiated by the first patch 31 and improve the signal gain.

[0094] For example, as shown in Figures 5-7, the first annular patch 51 has a circular structure with an inner ring that is circular and has a diameter of R3. The second patch 41 is circular with a diameter of R2, and the first patch 31 is circular with a diameter of R1. The inner ring of the first annular patch 51 is slightly larger than the second patch 41, specifically, the inner ring diameter R3 of the first annular patch 51 is larger than the diameter R2 of the second patch 41. Similarly, the second patch 41 is slightly larger than the first patch 31, specifically, the diameter R2 of the second patch 41 is larger than the diameter R1 of the first patch 31.

[0095] When the first annular patch 51, the first patch 31, and the second patch 42 are of other shapes, the relative sizes of each patch can be set with reference to the settings shown in the embodiments of Figures 5 to 7. For example, the shape of the first annular patch 51 can be a square ring structure, with the side length of the square of the inner ring of the first annular patch 51 being L1. The shape of the second patch 41 is a square, with the side length of the second patch 41 being L2. The shape of the first patch 31 is a square, with the side length of the first patch 31 being L3. In specific settings, the side length L1 of the square of the inner ring of the first annular patch 51 can be set to be greater than the side length L2 of the second patch 41, and the side length L2 of the second patch 41 can be greater than the side length L3 of the first patch 31. In specific implementations, at least two of the shapes of the first patch 31, the second patch 41, and the inner ring of the first annular patch 51 can be set to different shapes. For example, in some embodiments, the first patch 31 can be set to a square, the second patch 41 can be set to a square, and the inner ring of the first annular patch 51 can be set to a circle. In some embodiments, the first patch 31 can be set to a circle, the second patch 41 can be set to a circle, and the inner ring of the first annular patch 51 can be set to a square, etc. The shapes of the first patch 31, the second patch 41, and the inner ring of the first annular patch 51 can also be set to other shapes, which will not be elaborated here.

[0096] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG1, the patch antenna further includes a first dielectric substrate 6. The first dielectric substrate 6 is located on one side of the feed circuit 1. A slotted ground plane 2 is located on the side of the first dielectric substrate 6 facing the feed circuit 1, and a first patch layer 3 is located on the side of the first dielectric substrate 6 away from the feed circuit 1. In specific fabrication, the slotted ground plane 2 and the first patch layer 3 can be directly fabricated on the surface of the first dielectric substrate 6 by film deposition. For example, in specific fabrication, metal material can be directly deposited on both sides of the first dielectric substrate 6 by sputtering deposition or other methods to form the film layers of the slotted ground plane 2 and the first patch layer 3. Then, the shapes of the slotted ground plane 2 and the first patch layer 3 are formed respectively by patterning processes. The patterning process includes exposure, development, etching, and other steps, which are relatively mature technologies and will not be elaborated here. In some embodiments, the slotted ground plane 2 and the first patch layer 3 can also be prefabricated, and then during the assembly of the patch antenna, the slotted ground plane 2 and the first patch layer 3 can be attached to both sides of the first dielectric substrate 6 respectively by adhesive or other methods; this is not limited here. The slotted ground plane 2 and the first patch layer 3 are attached to two opposite surfaces of the first dielectric substrate 6 and supported by the first dielectric substrate 6, which helps improve the stability of the patch antenna structure and reduce installation difficulty. The first dielectric substrate 6 uses a low dielectric loss dielectric material, such as a dielectric material with a relative permittivity close to that of air, thereby reducing the loss of electromagnetic wave signals during propagation. For example, the first dielectric substrate 6 can be made of materials such as foam plastic with a relative permittivity of 1 to 5, and is not limited here. The shape of the first dielectric substrate 6 can be set according to requirements. For example, when applied to a circular patch antenna, the shape of the first dielectric substrate 6 can be circular. In some embodiments, the shape of the first dielectric substrate 6 can also be square or other shapes, and is not limited here.

[0097] Figure 8 is a top view of the first dielectric substrate provided in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0098] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 1 and 8, the first dielectric substrate 6 has a plurality of first vias H1 surrounding the first patch layer 3. A first isolation post 9 is disposed in each of the first vias H1. The first isolation post 9 is connected to the slotted ground plane 2. Specifically, the orthographic projection of the slots on the slotted ground plane 2 onto the first dielectric substrate 6 lies within the area enclosed by the plurality of first vias H1. The first isolation post 9 is used to shield electromagnetic wave signals coupled out of the slots in the slotted ground plane 2, preventing electromagnetic wave signals from spreading to the outside world, increasing the isolation between the antenna and the outside world, thereby improving antenna gain and reducing crosstalk. For example, when multiple patch antennas are arrayed, crosstalk between the individual patch antennas can be reduced. The first isolation post 9 can be made of conductive materials such as metal, for example, copper or aluminum, and is not limited here. The shape and number of the first isolation posts 9 can be set according to actual needs and are not limited here.

[0099] In some embodiments, the first isolation pillar 9 can be a hollow isolation pillar, formed by depositing a layer of metal on the surface of the hole wall of the first through-hole H1 opened on the first dielectric plate 6. Specifically, during fabrication, a coating method such as sputtering deposition can be used to form the metal material on the sidewall of the first through-hole H1 and on the surface of the exposed slot floor 2 of the first through-hole H1, thereby connecting the first isolation pillar 9 to the slot floor 2. After coating, the metal material adheres to the surface of the sidewall of the first through-hole H1 and the surface of the slot floor 2, but does not completely fill the first through-hole H1, thus forming a hollow isolation pillar.

[0100] In some embodiments, the first isolation pillar 9 may also be a solid isolation pillar. The solid isolation pillar completely fills the first through-hole H1 opened on the first dielectric substrate 6 during the manufacturing process and can be flush with the surface of the first dielectric substrate 6. In some embodiments, some of the plurality of first isolation pillars 9 may be partially configured as hollow isolation pillars, with the remaining portions being solid isolation pillars; this is not limited here.

[0101] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG1, the patch antenna further includes a second dielectric substrate 7. The second dielectric substrate 7 is located between the first patch layer 3 and the second patch layer 4. The second dielectric substrate 7 is used to fill the gap between the first patch layer 3 and the second patch layer 4, and has a supporting and load-bearing function, which is beneficial to improving the stability of the patch antenna structure and reducing the installation difficulty. In specific implementations, the second dielectric substrate 7 is made of a low dielectric loss dielectric material, such as a dielectric material with a relative permittivity close to that of air, thereby reducing the loss of electromagnetic wave signals during propagation. For example, the second dielectric substrate 7 can be made of materials such as foam plastic with a relative permittivity of 1 to 1.5, which is not limited here. The shape of the second dielectric substrate 7 can be set according to the requirements. For example, when applied to a circular patch antenna, the shape of the second dielectric substrate 7 can be circular. In some embodiments, the shape of the second dielectric substrate 7 can also be square or other shapes, which is not limited here. In some embodiments, the shape and size of the second dielectric substrate 7 can be the same as the shape and size of the first dielectric substrate 6, which is not limited here. In specific implementations, the second dielectric substrate 7 can be a single-layer structure or a multi-layer structure, which is not limited here. For example, the second dielectric substrate 7 can be formed by stacking multiple dielectric substrates made of the same material or different materials, and the multiple stacked dielectric substrates are all dielectric materials with low dielectric loss.

[0102] In some embodiments, the first patch layer 3 and the second patch layer 4 can also be directly fabricated on the surface of the second dielectric substrate 7 by film deposition. For example, during fabrication, metal material can be directly deposited on both sides of the second dielectric substrate 7 by sputtering deposition or other methods to form the film layers of the first patch layer 3 and the second patch layer 4. Then, the shape of the slotted ground plane 2 and the shape of the first patch layer 3 are formed respectively by patterning process. After the first patch layer 3 is formed on the surface of the second dielectric substrate 7 by film deposition, the first patch layer 3 can be bonded to the first dielectric substrate 6 by adhesive or other methods during the assembly of the patch antenna, which is not limited here. The first patch layer 3 and the second patch layer 4 can also be fabricated separately and then attached to the second dielectric substrate 7 by adhesive or other methods, which will not be elaborated here.

[0103] Figure 9 is a top view of the second dielectric substrate provided in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0104] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 1 and 9, the second dielectric substrate 7 has multiple second vias H2. A second isolation pillar 10 is disposed within each of the second vias H2. The orthographic projections of the first patch layer 3 and the second patch layer 4 onto the second dielectric substrate 7 are both located within the area formed by the second vias H2. The second isolation pillar 10 is used to shield electromagnetic wave signals coupled out from the first patch layer 3, preventing the electromagnetic wave signals from spreading to the outside world, increasing the isolation between the antenna and the outside environment, thereby improving antenna gain and reducing crosstalk. For example, when multiple patch antennas are arrayed, crosstalk between the individual patch antennas can be reduced. The second isolation pillar 10 can be made of conductive materials such as metal, for example, copper or aluminum, and is not limited here. The shape and number of the second isolation pillars 10 can be set according to actual needs and are not limited here.

[0105] In some embodiments, the second isolation pillar 10 can be a hollow pillar, formed by depositing a layer of metal on the surface of the wall of the second via H2 opened on the second dielectric plate 7. In specific manufacturing, the metal material can be formed on the sidewall of the second via H2 by sputtering deposition or other methods, so that the metal material is attached to the sidewall surface of the second via H2 and does not completely fill the first via H2, thereby forming a hollow isolation pillar.

[0106] In some embodiments, the second isolation pillar 10 may also be a solid isolation pillar, which completely fills the second via during the manufacturing process and can be flush with the surface of the second dielectric plate 7. In some embodiments, a plurality of second isolation pillars 10 may also be partially configured as hollow isolation pillars and the remaining portion as solid isolation pillars, which is not limited here.

[0107] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 1, 8, and 9, the second via H2 on the second dielectric substrate 7 corresponds one-to-one with the first via H1 on the first dielectric substrate 6. The orthographic projection of the second via H2 on the first dielectric substrate 6 at least partially overlaps with the corresponding first via H1. Therefore, the second isolation pillar 10 disposed in the second via H2 corresponds one-to-one with the first isolation pillar 9 disposed in the first via H1, and the orthographic projections of the corresponding first isolation pillar 9 and second isolation pillar 10 overlap. Specifically, when depositing metal material in the second via H2 to fabricate the second isolation pillar 10, in the overlapping area of ​​the first via H1 and the second via H2, the metal material is deposited onto a portion of the surface of the first isolation pillar 9 within the overlapping area, thereby connecting the second isolation pillar 10 with the corresponding first isolation pillar 9, which helps to further improve the shielding effect.

[0108] Figure 10 is a top view of the third dielectric substrate provided in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0109] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 1 and 10, the patch antenna further includes a third dielectric substrate 8. The second patch layer 4 is located on the side of the third dielectric substrate 8 facing the first patch layer 3. The third patch layer 5 is located on the side of the third dielectric substrate 8 away from the first patch layer 3. The second patch layer 4 and the third patch layer 5 are supported by the third dielectric substrate 8, which helps improve the stability of the patch antenna structure and reduces installation difficulty. The third dielectric substrate 8 uses a low-dielectric-loss dielectric material, such as a dielectric material with a relative permittivity close to that of air, thereby reducing the loss of electromagnetic wave signals during propagation. For example, the third dielectric substrate 8 can be made of materials such as foam plastic with a relative permittivity of 1 to 5, and is not limited here. The shape of the third dielectric substrate 8 can be set according to requirements; for example, when applied to a circular patch antenna, the shape of the third dielectric substrate 8 can be circular. In some embodiments, the shape of the third dielectric substrate 8 can also be square or other shapes, and is not limited here. In specific implementations, the shape and size of the third dielectric substrate 8 can be the same as the shape and size of the first dielectric substrate 6 or the second dielectric substrate 7, and is not limited here.

[0110] In some embodiments, the second patch layer 4 and the third patch layer 5 can also be directly fabricated on the surface of the third dielectric substrate 8 by film deposition. For example, during fabrication, metal material can be directly deposited on both sides of the third dielectric substrate 8 by sputtering deposition or other methods to form the film layers of the second patch layer 4 and the third patch layer 5. Then, the shapes of the second patch layer 4 and the third patch layer 5 are formed respectively by patterning processes. After the second patch layer 4 is formed on the surface of the third dielectric substrate 8 by film deposition, it can be bonded to the second dielectric substrate 8 by adhesive or other methods during assembly, which is not limited here. The second patch layer 4 and the third patch layer 5 can also be fabricated separately and then attached to the third dielectric substrate 8 by adhesive or other methods, which will not be elaborated here.

[0111] In some embodiments, at least one of the first dielectric plate 6, the second dielectric plate 7, and the third dielectric plate 8 may be omitted, thereby making at least one dielectric layer between the gap floor 2 and the first patch layer 3, between the first patch layer 3 and the second patch layer 4, and between the second patch layer 4 and the third patch layer 5 an air dielectric layer. Air dielectrics have lower dielectric losses, which is beneficial for reducing the transmission loss of electromagnetic wave signals. When the dielectric layer is an air dielectric layer, an insulating support structure can be provided between the film layers located on both sides of the air dielectric layer for support.

[0112] Figure 11 is a second schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the patch antenna provided in the embodiments of this disclosure; Figure 12 is a third schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the patch antenna provided in the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0113] For example, in the embodiment shown in Figure 11, the difference from the embodiment shown in Figure 1 is that a second dielectric plate 7 is not provided between the first metal patch layer 3 and the second metal patch layer 4. That is, the dielectric between the first patch layer 3 and the second patch layer 4 is air, forming an air dielectric layer, which helps to reduce dielectric loss and improve signal gain. As shown in Figure 11, the first metal patch layer 3 and the second metal patch layer 4 can be supported by multiple independent and spaced plastic support pillars s between them to ensure the spacing between the first metal patch layer 3 and the second metal patch layer 4. In specific implementation, the two ends of the plastic support pillars s can be fixed to the first metal patch layer 3 and the second metal patch layer 4 respectively by adhesive or other means, which is not limited here.

[0114] In the embodiment shown in Figure 12, the difference from the embodiment shown in Figure 11 is that the first dielectric plate 6 is not provided between the slotted floor 2 and the first metal patch layer 3; that is, the dielectric between the slotted floor 2 and the first metal patch layer 3 is air, forming an air dielectric layer, which helps to reduce dielectric loss and improve signal gain. As shown in Figure 12, the isolation pillars M (equivalent to the first isolation pillar 9 and the second isolation pillar 10) can be directly formed on the surface of the slotted floor 2. For example, the isolation pillars M and the slotted floor 2 can be integrally formed by molding or other methods. The isolation pillars M can also be used to support the slotted floor 2 and the third dielectric plate 7 to fix the spacing between the slotted floor 2 and the first metal patch layer 3. The isolation pillars M can be fixed to the third dielectric plate 7 by adhesive or other methods, which are not limited here.

[0115] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG1, a first air dielectric layer and a plurality of spaced first support structures 101 are provided between the power supply circuit 1 and the slotted floor 2. Specifically, the dielectric between the power supply circuit 1 and the slotted floor 2 is air, thereby forming the first air dielectric layer. The power supply circuit 1 can be an air microstrip line, which is beneficial for reducing dielectric loss and improving transmission efficiency. As shown in FIG1, one end of the first support structure 101 is fixed to the power supply circuit 1 by means of adhesive or the like, and the other end is fixed to the slotted floor 2 by means of adhesive or the like, for fixing the spacing between the power supply circuit 1 and the slotted floor 2. In some embodiments, the other end of the first support structure 101 can also be fixed to the first dielectric plate 6 by means of adhesive or the like, which is not limited here. In specific implementation, the first support structure 101 can be made of insulating materials such as plastic, thereby forming a plastic support column, which is not limited here.

[0116] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG1, the patch antenna further includes a reflector ground plane 103. The reflector ground plane 103 is located on the side of the feed circuit 1 facing away from the slot base plate 2 and is spaced apart from the feed circuit. The reflector ground plane 103 is used to reflect electromagnetic wave signals radiated in the opposite direction, thereby reducing losses and improving antenna gain. The reflector ground plane 103 can be made of conductive materials such as metal, specifically copper, aluminum, etc., and is not limited here. The shape of the reflector ground plane 103 can be set according to actual needs, for example, it can be circular, etc., and is not limited here.

[0117] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG1, a second air dielectric layer is provided between the reflective floor 103 and the power supply circuit 1. A plurality of spaced-apart second support structures 102 are fixed to the side of the reflective floor 103 facing the power supply circuit 1. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG1, one end of the second support structure 102 is fixed to the first dielectric plate 6, and the other end is fixed to the reflective floor 103, thereby fixing the distance between the reflective floor 103 and the power supply circuit 1. In some embodiments, one end of the second support structure 102 may be fixed to the power supply circuit 1 (not shown in the figure), and the other end may be fixed to the reflective floor 103, thereby fixing the distance between the reflective floor 103 and the power supply circuit 1; in some embodiments, as shown in FIG12, one end of the second support structure 102 may be fixed to the third dielectric plate 8, and the other end may be fixed to the reflective floor 103, thereby fixing the distance between the reflective floor 103 and the power supply circuit 1, which is not limited here. In specific implementation, the second support structure 102 may be made of insulating materials such as plastic, thereby forming a plastic support column, which is not limited here.

[0118] This disclosure presents a simulation test of the performance of the patch antenna provided in this embodiment. The performance of the patch antenna provided in this disclosure is illustrated below with a specific embodiment. It should be noted that the patch antenna used for testing in this disclosure is only for further illustrating the performance of the patch antenna provided in this disclosure and is not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. For example, when the patch antenna provided in this disclosure is manufactured into a specific product, different products manufactured according to this disclosure can exhibit different profile heights and operating frequency bands. For patch antennas with different profile heights and operating in different frequency bands, by adjusting the specific parameters of each structure in the patch antenna based on the patch antenna structure provided in this disclosure, the patch antenna can be made to have better radiation performance. These are not listed individually here. For example, the main parameters of the patch antenna used for testing are as follows:

[0119] The thickness of the reflective floor 103 is 0.018 (±0.002) mm; the distance between the reflective floor 103 and the feed circuit 1 is 0.5 (±0.05) mm; the thickness of the feed circuit 1 is 0.018 (±0.002) mm; the distance between the feed circuit 1 and the slotted floor 2 is 0.15 (±0.05) mm; the slotted floor 2 has a first slot 21 and a second slot 22 that are perpendicular to each other and intersect each other, and the two ends of the first slot 21 are at the feed circuit... The orthographic projection on the road overlaps with the open-loop annular feed section. The length of the first gap 21 is 7.25 (±0.05) mm and the width is 1 (±0.05) mm. The orthographic projections of the two ends of the second gap 22 on the feed circuit overlap with the open-loop annular feed section. The length of the second gap 22 is 7.25 (±0.05) mm and the width is 1 (±0.05) mm. The thickness of the gap floor 2 is 0.018 (±0.002) mm. The dielectric constant of the first dielectric substrate 6 is 3 (±0.002) mm. The dielectric constant of the second dielectric substrate 7 is 1.25 (±0.25) and its thickness is 0.3 (±0.05) mm; the number of first isolation pillars 9 is 72; the first patch 31 is a solid patch, its shape is circular, its diameter is 6.5 (±0.1) mm, and its thickness is 0.018 (±0.002) mm; the dielectric constant of the second dielectric substrate 7 is 1.25 (±0.25) and its thickness is 0.7 (±0.1) mm; the second patch 41 is a solid patch, its shape is circular, its diameter is 7.5 (±0.1) mm, and its thickness is 0.3 (±0.05) mm. The dielectric constant of the third dielectric layer 8 is 3 (±0.25), and its thickness is 0.325 (±0.025) mm. The first annular patch 51 is circular, with an inner diameter of 11.5 (±0.5 mm), an outer diameter of 15 (±1) mm, and a thickness of 0.018 (±0.002) mm. The overall profile height of the patch antenna is approximately 0.12λ, and the target frequency band is 16 GHz to 18 GHz, where λ is the wavelength of the center frequency. The values ​​in parentheses represent possible errors during measurement, calculation, or manufacturing.

[0120] Figure 13 is one of the curves showing the variation of S11 parameters of the patch antenna provided in the embodiments of this disclosure with frequency.

[0121] Figure 13 shows the S11 parameter of the patch antenna used for testing as a function of frequency. S11 reflects the return loss of the antenna; the smaller the S11, the lower the return loss. As can be seen from the figure, within the frequency range of 13.21 GHz to 19.96 GHz, the S11 of the patch antenna is below -10 dB. The patch antenna exhibits low return loss over a relatively large bandwidth, meeting the low return loss requirement of the target frequency band of 16 GHz to 18 GHz. Furthermore, its relative bandwidth (the ratio of the bandwidth with return loss below -10 dB to the center frequency) is: With a return loss of over 30%, it exhibits excellent low return loss performance.

[0122] Figure 14 is a Smith chart of the patch antenna provided in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0123] Figure 14 shows the Smith chart of the patch antenna used for testing. As can be seen from the figure, the patch antenna used for testing converges well at the center frequency, indicating good antenna matching.

[0124] Figure 15 is one of the curves showing the change of axial ratio of the patch antenna provided in the embodiments of this disclosure with frequency.

[0125] Figure 15 shows the axial ratio versus frequency curve for a patch antenna used in the test when fed from a single feed port. The axial ratio measures the degree of circular polarization of a circularly polarized antenna; generally, the bandwidth with an axial ratio not exceeding 3 dB is defined as the axial ratio bandwidth. As can be seen from the figure, the patch antenna has an axial ratio of less than 3 in the target frequency band of 16 GHz to 18 GHz, exhibiting good circular polarization performance.

[0126] Figure 16 is a graph showing the gain of the patch antenna provided in the embodiments of this disclosure as a function of frequency.

[0127] Figure 16 shows the gain of the patch antenna used for testing as a function of frequency. As can be seen from the figure, in the target frequency band of the patch antenna, the gain in the main polarization direction (circular polarization direction) is greater than 3.01 dB, while the gain in the cross-polarization direction (linear polarization direction) is less than -10 dB. The patch antenna exhibits high gain in the main polarization direction, which is significantly greater than the gain in the cross-polarization direction, demonstrating good radiation performance in the main polarization direction.

[0128] Figure 17 is one of the simulation results of the cross-polarization ratio of the patch antenna provided in the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0129] Figure 17 shows the simulation results of the cross-polarization ratio of the patch antenna used for testing, fed through the first feed port, with right-hand circular polarization as the main polarization, and operating at a frequency of 16 GHz. The cross-polarization ratio reflects the polarization purity of the antenna, specifically defined as the ratio of the main polarization component to the cross-polarization component. A larger cross-polarization ratio indicates stronger orthogonality of the signals obtained from the antenna and lower correlation between the two signals. As can be seen from the figure, at an operating frequency of 16 GHz, the cross-polarization ratio of the patch antenna is m3-m4=3.7296dB-(-17.8291dB)=21.5587dB. The cross-polarization ratio of the patch antenna is greater than 20dB, indicating high polarization purity.

[0130] Figure 18 is the second simulation result of the cross-polarization ratio of the patch antenna provided in the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0131] Figure 18 shows the simulation results of the cross-polarization ratio of the patch antenna used for testing, fed through the first feed port, with right-hand circular polarization as the main polarization, and operating at a frequency of 17 GHz. As can be seen from the figure, at an operating frequency of 17 GHz, the cross-polarization ratio of the patch antenna is m3-m4=6.3977dB-(-14.7817dB)=21.1794dB. The cross-polarization ratio of the patch antenna is greater than 20dB, indicating high polarization purity.

[0132] Figure 19 is the third simulation result of the cross-polarization ratio of the patch antenna provided in the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0133] Figure 19 shows the simulation results of the cross-polarization ratio of the patch antenna used for testing, fed through the second feed port, with left-hand circular polarization as the main polarization, and operating at a frequency of 16 GHz. As can be seen from the figure, at an operating frequency of 16 GHz, the cross-polarization ratio of the patch antenna is m4-m3=3.7274dB-(-17.4811dB)=21.2085dB. The cross-polarization ratio of the patch antenna is greater than 20dB, indicating high polarization purity.

[0134] Figure 20 is the fourth simulation result of the cross-polarization ratio of the patch antenna provided in the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0135] Figure 20 shows the simulation results of the cross-polarization ratio of the patch antenna used for testing, fed through the second feed port, with left-hand circular polarization as the main polarization, and operating at a frequency of 17 GHz. As can be seen from the figure, at an operating frequency of 17 GHz, the cross-polarization ratio of the patch antenna is m4-m3=6.3969dB-(-14.3139dB)=20.7108dB. The cross-polarization ratio of the patch antenna is greater than 20dB, indicating high polarization purity.

[0136] Figure 21 is the fifth of the simulation results of the cross-polarization ratio of the patch antenna provided in the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0137] Figure 21 shows the axial ratio as a function of frequency when the patch antenna used for testing is simultaneously fed through the first and second feed ports. As can be seen from the figure, when fed simultaneously through the first and second feed ports, the axial ratio of the patch antenna in the target frequency band is much greater than 3dB, and the main polarization is linear polarization, indicating that the patch antenna can switch between circular and linear polarization modes.

[0138] The simulation results shown in Figures 13 to 21 demonstrate that the patch antenna provided in this disclosure has the capability of polarization switching and good radiation performance.

[0139] Figure 22 is a second top view of the slotted floor structure provided in an embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 23 is a second curve showing the axial ratio of the patch antenna as a function of frequency provided in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0140] In some embodiments, the radiation performance of the patch antenna can be further optimized by adjusting the size of the slots or the patch size on the slotted floor 2. For example, as shown in Figure 22, the size of the slots on the slotted floor 2 has been optimized. Compared to the patch antenna in the embodiment corresponding to Figure 15, the structure of the patch antenna is basically the same. The slotted floor 2 still uses a first slot 21 and a second slot 22 that are perpendicular to each other, and the lengths of the first slot 21 and the second slot 22 remain unchanged. The difference is that in the embodiment shown in Figure 22, the width W2 of the first slot 21 and the second slot 22 after optimization is 0.4 (±0.05) mm. The radiation performance of the optimized patch antenna was simulated and tested. As shown in Figure 23, the axial ratio of the optimized patch antenna varies with frequency. It can be seen from the figure that the axial ratio bandwidth of the optimized patch antenna is further improved.

[0141] Figure 24 is a top view of the third embodiment of the slotted floor provided in this disclosure; Figure 25 is a curve showing the change of S11 parameters of the patch antenna with frequency provided in this disclosure.

[0142] In some embodiments, the multiple slots on the slotted floor 2 are interrupted at their intersections, thereby further improving the radiation performance of the patch antenna. For example, referring to Figure 24, in the embodiment shown in Figure 24, the structure of the patch antenna is basically the same as that in the embodiment corresponding to Figure 13. The slotted floor 2 still uses a first slot and a second slot that are perpendicular to each other. The difference is that in the embodiment shown in Figure 24, the first slot and the second slot are interrupted at their intersections, so that the first slot includes a first sub-slot 211 and a second sub-slot 212 spaced apart, and the second slot includes a third sub-slot 221 and a fourth sub-slot 222 spaced apart. Simulation tests were performed on the patch antenna in the embodiment shown in Figure 24. As shown in Figure 25, the curve of the S11 parameter of the patch antenna in the embodiment shown in Figure 24 as a function of frequency is shown. It can be seen from the figure that the value of S11 of the patch antenna in the embodiment shown in Figure 24 is less than 10dB over a larger bandwidth range, thereby further reducing return loss and improving impedance bandwidth.

[0143] Figure 26 is a top view of the fourth embodiment of the slotted floor provided in this disclosure; Figure 27 is a graph showing the variation of the S11 parameters of the patch antenna provided in this disclosure with frequency.

[0144] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG26, the slotted floor 2 includes a first slot 211 and a second slot 212 extending along mutually perpendicular first directions X and second directions Y, respectively, and a third slot 213 located between the first slot 211 and the second slot 212 and extending along a direction between the angles formed by the first directions X and Y. The third slot 213 is beneficial for improving the coupling amount of electromagnetic wave signals of the patch antenna, thereby improving radiation performance. The number of third slots 213 can be one or more, and is not limited here. For example, in the embodiment shown in FIG26, there are two third slots 213. One third slot 213 is located between the angles formed by the positive direction of the first direction X (the direction indicated by the arrow) and the positive direction of the second direction Y (the direction indicated by the arrow), and extends through the intersection of multiple slots. The other third slot 213 is located between the angles formed by the positive direction of the first direction X and the negative direction of the second direction Y (the direction opposite to the direction indicated by the arrow), and does not extend through the intersection of multiple slots, but is only located on one side of the intersection of multiple slots. In a specific configuration, the orthographic projections of both ends of the first slot 211 and the second slot 221 onto the feed circuit overlap with the open-loop annular feed section. Similarly, the orthographic projections of both ends of the third slot 213, located between the angles formed by the positive directions of the first X and the second Y, overlap with the open-loop annular feed section. For the third slot 213 located between the angles formed by the positive directions of the first X and the negative directions of the second Y, the orthographic projection of its end away from the intersection point of the multiple slots overlaps with the open-loop annular feed section. No slot is provided on the side of the third slot 213 opposite to the intersection point of the multiple slots; this position corresponds to the opening position of the open-loop annular feed section. Simulation tests were performed on the patch antenna in the embodiment shown in Figure 26, where the structure of the patch antenna is basically the same as that in the embodiment corresponding to Figure 13, the difference being the number of slots on the slotted ground plane 2. Figure 27 shows the curves of the S11 parameters of the patch antenna in the embodiment shown in Figure 26 as a function of frequency. As can be seen from the figure, while increasing the electromagnetic wave signal coupling, the patch antenna still has low return loss in the target frequency band, further improving the radiation performance of the patch antenna.

[0145] Figure 28 is a top view of the second patch layer provided in the embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 29 is a curve showing the variation of the S11 parameters of the patch antenna with frequency provided in the embodiment of this disclosure.

[0146] In some embodiments, the second patch layer further includes at least one second annular patch. The second annular patch surrounds the second patch and serves as an auxiliary structure, which helps to further improve the antenna's isolation and impedance bandwidth. For example, as shown in FIG28, the second patch layer 4 includes a second patch 41 and a second annular patch 42, with the second annular patch 42 surrounding the second patch 41. Simulation tests were performed on the patch antenna in the embodiment shown in FIG28, where the structure of the patch antenna is basically the same as that in the embodiment corresponding to FIG13, the difference being the addition of a second annular patch in the second patch layer. FIG29 shows the S11 parameter variation curve of the patch antenna in the embodiment shown in FIG28 with frequency. It can be seen from the figure that the patch antenna still has low return loss in the target frequency band and exhibits excellent radiation performance.

[0147] Figure 30 is a second top view of the third patch layer provided in the embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 31 is a fifth curve showing the variation of the S11 parameters of the patch antenna provided in the embodiment of this disclosure with frequency.

[0148] In some embodiments, the third patch layer further includes at least one third annular patch. The third annular patch surrounds the first annular patch and serves as an auxiliary structure, which helps to further improve the antenna's isolation and impedance bandwidth. For example, as shown in FIG30, the third patch layer 5 includes a first annular patch 51 and a third annular patch 52, with the third annular patch 52 surrounding the first annular patch 51 but not in contact with it. Simulation tests were performed on the patch antenna in the embodiment shown in FIG30, where the structure of the patch antenna is basically the same as that in the embodiment corresponding to FIG13, the difference being the addition of a third annular patch in the third patch layer. FIG31 shows the S11 parameter variation curve of the patch antenna in the embodiment shown in FIG30 with frequency. It can be seen from the figure that the patch antenna still has low return loss in the target frequency band and exhibits excellent radiation performance.

[0149] Figure 32 is a top view of the third patch layer provided in the embodiment of this disclosure.

[0150] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG32, the third patch layer 5 includes a first annular patch 51 and two third annular patches 51. The two third annular patches 52 are sequentially arranged around the first annular patch 51 in a direction pointing outward from the center of the inner circle of the first annular patch 51. Specifically, the second third annular patch 52 is located on the side of the first third annular patch 52 opposite to the first annular patch 51. In specific implementations, a greater number of third annular patches 52 may be arranged around the periphery of the first annular patch 51, which is not limited here.

[0151] This disclosure also provides an antenna array. The antenna array includes the patch antenna provided in any of the foregoing embodiments.

[0152] Figure 33 is a top view of the antenna array provided in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0153] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG33, the antenna array includes four patch antennas arranged in two rows and two columns. Each patch antenna includes a first feed port and a second feed port, wherein the first feed port and the second feed port of the patch antenna are the first feed port 11 and the second feed port 12 of the feed circuit in FIG2. The four patch antennas in the antenna array include four first feed ports and four second feed ports. The four first feed ports are A1, A2, A3 and A4, and the four second feed ports are B1, B2, B3 and B4. The four first feed ports and the four second feed ports all point to the center of the antenna array, and the four first feed ports and the four second feed ports are arranged alternately around the center of the antenna array. For example, as shown in FIG33, in a clockwise direction, the four first feed ports and the four second feed ports are arranged alternately in the order A1-B1-A2-B2-A3-B3-A4-B4. The phase of each feed port when feeding is shown in Table 1 below:

[0154] Table 1. Phase Comparison Table of Power Feed Ports

[0155] When the patch antenna is operating, simultaneously feeding all four first feed ports and connecting a load to the four second feed ports enables the radiation of right-hand circularly polarized waves; simultaneously feeding all four second feed ports and connecting a load to the four first feed ports enables the radiation of left-hand circularly polarized waves. Using an array antenna with rotating feed significantly improves the antenna's radiation performance compared to feeding a single patch antenna.

[0156] The antenna array provided in this embodiment has the same or similar technical effects as the aforementioned patch antenna in specific implementation, which will not be described in detail here.

[0157] This disclosure also provides a communication device. The communication device provided in this disclosure includes the patch antenna or the antenna array provided in any of the foregoing embodiments. In specific implementations, the communication device provided in this disclosure has the same or similar technical effects as the aforementioned patch antenna or antenna array, and will not be described in detail here. In specific implementations, the communication device can be a base station, a mobile terminal, a satellite, etc., and is not limited thereto.

[0158] Although preferred embodiments of this disclosure have been described, those skilled in the art, upon learning the basic inventive concept, can make other changes and modifications to these embodiments. Therefore, the appended claims are intended to be interpreted as including the preferred embodiments as well as all changes and modifications falling within the scope of this disclosure.

[0159] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to this disclosure without departing from its spirit and scope. Therefore, if such modifications and variations fall within the scope of the claims of this disclosure and their equivalents, this disclosure is also intended to include such modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A patch antenna, wherein, include: Feeder circuit; The power supply circuit includes two power supply ports and an open-loop ring power supply section connecting the two power supply ports; A slotted floor is located on one side of the power supply circuit; The slotted floor has multiple slots; the slotted floor is spaced apart from the power supply circuit; the orthogonal projection of the slot onto the power supply circuit at least partially overlaps with the open-loop annular power supply section. A first patch layer, a second patch layer, and a third patch layer are stacked sequentially and spaced apart along the direction of the gap floor away from the power supply circuit; the first patch layer includes a first patch; the second patch layer includes a second patch; and the third patch layer includes a first annular patch.

2. The patch antenna as described in claim 1, wherein, The orthographic projections of the geometric centers of the first annular patch, the second patch, and the first patch onto the plane where the power supply circuit is located all coincide with the geometric center of the open-loop annular power supply section.

3. The patch antenna as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein, The orthographic projection of the first patch onto the second patch layer is located within the area where the second solid patch is located; the orthographic projection of the second patch onto the third patch layer is located within the area where the inner ring of the first annular patch is located.

4. The patch antenna as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The projections of the multiple gaps on the slotted floor onto the power supply circuit overlap with the open-loop annular power supply unit at least three times.

5. The patch antenna as described in claim 4, wherein, The plurality of slots include a first slot extending along a first direction and a second slot extending along a second direction; the first slot and the second slot intersect each other; wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction; The orthographic projections of both ends of the first gap onto the power supply circuit overlap with the open-loop annular power supply section; the orthographic projections of both ends of the second gap onto the power supply circuit overlap with the open-loop annular power supply section.

6. The patch antenna as described in claim 5, wherein, The width of the first gap is 0.3mm to 1mm; the width of the second gap is 0.3mm to 1mm.

7. The patch antenna as described in claim 5, wherein, Both the first gap and the second gap are broken at the intersection of the first gap and the second gap.

8. The patch antenna as described in claim 5, wherein, The plurality of gaps also includes a third gap; the third gap is located between the first gap and the second gap and extends along a direction between the angle formed by the first direction and the second direction.

9. The patch antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, The second patch layer further includes at least one second annular patch; the second annular patch is disposed around the second patch.

10. The patch antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein, The third patch layer further includes at least one third annular patch; the third annular patch is disposed around the first annular patch.

11. The patch antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein, The patch antenna also includes: The first dielectric substrate is located on one side of the power supply circuit; the slotted ground plane is located on the side of the first dielectric substrate facing the power supply circuit; the first patch layer is located on the side of the first dielectric substrate away from the power supply circuit.

12. The patch antenna as claimed in claim 11, wherein, The first medium plate has a plurality of first through holes arranged around the first patch layer; a first isolation post is provided in the first through hole; the first isolation post is connected to the gap floor.

13. The patch antenna as claimed in claim 12, wherein, The patch antenna also includes: The second dielectric substrate is located between the first patch layer and the second patch layer.

14. The patch antenna as claimed in claim 13, wherein, The second dielectric substrate has multiple second vias; a second isolation post is provided in the second via; the orthographic projections of the first patch layer and the second patch layer on the second dielectric substrate are both located within the area formed by the second vias.

15. The patch antenna as claimed in claim 14, wherein, The second via corresponds one-to-one with the first via; the orthographic projection of the second via on the first dielectric substrate at least partially overlaps with the corresponding first via; The second isolation post located in the second via is connected to the first isolation post located in the corresponding first via.

16. The patch antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein, The patch antenna further includes a third dielectric substrate; the second patch layer is located on the side of the third dielectric substrate facing the first patch layer; the third patch layer is located on the side of the third dielectric substrate away from the first patch layer.

17. The patch antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein, A first air medium layer and a plurality of spaced first support structures are provided between the power supply circuit and the gap floor.

18. The patch antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein, The patch antenna also includes a reflective ground plane; the reflective ground plane is located on the side of the feed circuit away from the slotted ground plane and is spaced apart from the feed circuit; a second air dielectric layer is provided between the reflective ground plane and the feed circuit; a plurality of spaced second support structures are fixed on the side of the reflective ground plane facing the feed circuit.

19. An antenna array, wherein, The antenna includes two rows and two columns of patch antennas as described in any one of claims 1 to 18; the patch antenna includes a first feed port and a second feed port; the first feed port and the second feed port of each patch antenna point to the center of the antenna array, and the first feed port and the second feed port are arranged alternately around the center of the antenna array.

20. A communication device, wherein, It includes the patch antenna as described in any one of claims 1 to 18 or the antenna array as described in claim 19.

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