Radome, antenna and antenna system

Abstract

Provided in the present application are a radome, an antenna and an antenna system. The radome is mounted on a holding rod, and comprises a first area, wherein the first area is an area enclosed on the radome by critical points where the radome and the holding rod face the wind at the same time, and the first area comprises a first recessed portion. The radome, the antenna and the antenna system provided in the embodiments of the present application can reduce the overall wind load of the antenna system.

Description

Radomes, antennas and antenna systems

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of China on February 1, 2024, with application number 202410154454.8 and invention name “Radome, Antenna and Antenna System”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the field of antenna technology, and in particular, to a radome, an antenna, and an antenna system. Background Art

[0003] With the advancement of wireless communication technology, base station antennas are expanding in size and channel count to improve uplink and downlink data transmission rates and reduce latency. This increase in antenna size also increases the wind load on the antennas. However, antennas have limited load-bearing capacity, and this increased wind load can pose safety risks and increase costs for site rentals and antenna reinforcement. Consequently, there is an increasing need to reduce antenna wind loads.

[0004] Existing technologies typically focus on reducing the wind load on the antenna body, for example, by optimizing the streamlined cross-section of the antenna body and adding tracers or vortex generators to the antenna surface. However, the coupling effect between the antenna body and the mast causes the combined wind load on the antenna body and mast to be greater than the sum of the wind load on the antenna body and the mast. Even after the antenna body and mast are installed, the overall wind load on the antenna still deteriorates at certain angles. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present application provides a radome, an antenna, and an antenna system, which can alleviate the coupling problem between the antenna body and the pole and reduce the overall wind load of the antenna system.

[0006] In a first aspect, a radome is provided, which is mounted on a pole. The radome includes a first area, which is an area on the radome enclosed by a critical point where the radome and the pole face the wind at the same time. The first area is an area on the radome close to the pole, and the first area includes a first recessed portion.

[0007] In the embodiment provided in the present application, when the radome and the pole face the wind at the same time, the area enclosed by the critical point on the radome and the critical point on the pole is the coupling effect influence area of ​​the radome and the pole. The area corresponding to this area on the radome is the first area, that is, the area enclosed on the antenna by the critical points when the radome and the pole face the wind at the same time. The first area includes a first recessed portion, which can guide the airflow pattern on the surface of the radome and the pole and the coupling effect influence area, thereby reducing the resistance and lift of the antenna and the pole, alleviating the coupling effect between the antenna and the pole, and reducing the overall wind load of the antenna system.

[0008] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the curvature of the radome corresponding to the critical point is greater than 0 (for example, the radome is a cylindrical antenna, or the radome is a plate antenna with an arc angle), and the first area is the area enclosed by the tangent point of the external common tangent of the radome and the holding pole on the radome, or the curvature of the radome corresponding to the critical point is 0 (for example, the radome is a plate antenna), and the first area is the area corresponding to the side of the radome close to the holding pole.

[0009] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, a maximum distance H in the first direction between a position on the pole closest to the radome and the first recess satisfies: 0<H≤4d, where d is the diameter of the pole.

[0010] In the embodiment provided in the present application, the maximum distance H in the first direction between the position on the pole closest to the antenna cover and the first recessed portion satisfies: 0<H≤4d, which can reduce the lift and drag of the antenna.

[0011] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, a circumference of the first recessed portion is greater than or equal to one quarter of a circumference of the pole.

[0012] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, a circumference of the first recessed portion is less than or equal to three times a circumference of the pole.

[0013] In the embodiment provided in the present application, the circumference of the first recessed portion is greater than or equal to one-quarter of the circumference of the pole, and / or less than or equal to three times the circumference of the pole, which can reduce the lift and pressure difference drag of the antenna.

[0014] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the circumference of the first recessed portion is less than or equal to a first circumference, where the first circumference is the circumference of the first area when the antenna cover does not include the first recessed portion.

[0015] In the embodiment provided in the present application, the perimeter of the first recessed portion is less than or equal to the first perimeter, which can reduce the lift and pressure difference drag of the antenna.

[0016] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, a projection of the holding pole along a first direction is located within the area where the first recessed portion is located, and the first direction is the direction of a line connecting the center of the holding pole and the center of the antenna cover.

[0017] In the embodiment provided in the present application, the projection of the holding pole along the first direction is located in the area where the first recessed portion is located, which can improve the convenience of installing the antenna structure.

[0018] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the shape of the first recessed portion is any one of the following shapes, or a combination of multiple of the following shapes: triangle, arc, square, and polygon.

[0019] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the first area further includes a second recessed portion, and at least a portion of the projection of the second recessed portion along the first direction overlaps with the first recessed portion, and the first direction is the direction of the line connecting the center of the holding pole and the center of the antenna cover.

[0020] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, there are multiple second recessed portions, the multiple second recessed portions are arranged along the second direction, and among the multiple second recessed portions, there is a spacing between two adjacent second recessed portions, and the second direction is the length direction of the antenna cover.

[0021] In the embodiment provided in the present application, the second recessed portion is integrated on the first recessed portion, which can further guide the airflow direction in the area affected by the coupling effect between the antenna cover and the pole surface and the antenna cover and the pole, thereby reducing the overall wind load of the antenna system.

[0022] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the shape of the second recessed portion is any one of the following shapes, or a combination of multiple of the following shapes: triangle, arch, square, and polygon.

[0023] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the first area further includes a first protrusion, and at least a portion of the projection of the first protrusion along the first direction overlaps with the first recessed portion, and the first direction is the direction of the line connecting the center of the holding pole and the center of the antenna cover.

[0024] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the type of the first protrusion is any one of the following types, or a combination of multiple of the following types: a companion line, a spiral line, and a bionic texture.

[0025] In the embodiment provided in the present application, the first protrusion is integrated on the first recessed portion, which can further guide the airflow direction in the area affected by the coupling effect between the antenna cover and the pole surface and between the antenna cover and the pole, thereby reducing the overall wind load of the antenna system.

[0026] In a second aspect, an antenna is provided, comprising the antenna cover as described in the first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect, and one or more antenna elements.

[0027] In a third aspect, an antenna system is provided, comprising the antenna as described in the second aspect, and a pole.

[0028] In a fourth aspect, an access network device is provided, comprising the antenna as described in the second aspect.

[0029] In a fifth aspect, a communication system is provided, comprising the access network device as described in the fourth aspect, and a terminal device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of an antenna system;

[0031] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of an antenna;

[0032] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of an antenna system provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0033] FIG4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a mast and radome provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0034] FIG5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a mast and radome provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0035] FIG6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a mast and radome provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0036] FIG7 is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional shape of a radome provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0037] FIG8 is a schematic diagram of a cross-sectional shape of a radome provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0038] FIG9 is a schematic diagram of a cross-sectional shape of a radome provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0039] FIG10 is a schematic structural diagram of a radome provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0040] FIG11 is a schematic structural diagram of a radome provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0041] FIG12 is a schematic structural diagram of a radome provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0042] FIG13 is a schematic diagram of airflow in an antenna system provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] The technical solution in this application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0044] References to "one embodiment" or "some embodiments" in this specification mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in conjunction with that embodiment is included in one or more embodiments of the present application. Thus, phrases such as "in one embodiment," "in some embodiments," "in other embodiments," and "in yet other embodiments" appearing in various places in this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, but rather mean "one or more, but not all, embodiments," unless otherwise specifically emphasized.

[0045] In the various embodiments of this application, the terms "first," "second," and so on are merely used to indicate that multiple objects are distinct. For example, the terms "first concave portion" and "second concave portion" are merely used to indicate different concave portions. These terms should not affect the concave portions themselves or their number. The terms "first," "second," and so on should not limit the embodiments of this application in any way.

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

[0047] The antenna in the present application can be applied to a communication system including a radio access network (RAN) and a core network (CN) 200, for example, it can be applied to an access network device, which is sometimes also referred to as an access node. The access network device has a wireless transceiver function and is used to communicate with a terminal. The access network device includes but is not limited to a base station (base station) in a communication system, an evolved NodeB (eNodeB), a transmission reception point (TRP), a next generation base station (next generation NodeB, gNB) in a 5G mobile communication system, a next generation base station in a sixth generation (6G) mobile communication system, an access network device or a module of an access network device in an open access network ORAN (open RAN, ORAN) system, a base station in a future mobile communication system, or an access node in a WiFi system, etc. The access network device may also be a module or unit that can implement some 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) described below. In the ORAN system, CU may also be referred to as O-CU, DU may also be referred to as open (O)-DU, CU-CP may also be referred to as O-CU-CP, CU-UP may also be referred to as O-CUP-UP, and RU may also be referred to as O-RU. The access network device may be a macro base station, a micro base station or an indoor station, a relay node or a donor node, or a wireless controller in a cloud radio access network (CRAN) scenario. Optionally, the access network device may also be a server, a wearable device, or an in-vehicle device. For example, the access network device in the vehicle to everything (V2X) technology may be a road side unit (RSU). Multiple access network devices in the communication system may be base stations of the same type or different types. A base station can communicate with a terminal, or it can communicate with the terminal through a relay station. A terminal can communicate with multiple base stations using different access technologies.

[0048] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an antenna system. Antenna system 100 includes an antenna body 110 and a mast 120. Antenna body 110 can be secured to mast 120 via an adjustable bracket 130 or similar. Antenna body 110 is referred to as the antenna. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of antenna body 110. Antenna body 110 can include a radiating element, a feed network, a transmission mechanism, a calibration network, and a radome. These radiating elements, feed network, transmission mechanism, calibration network, and other components can be housed within the radome, which can be the outer shell of antenna body 110 in Figure 1. The radome protects the antenna system from external environmental influences and also provides excellent electromagnetic wave transmission characteristics. The radome can typically be cylindrical or rectangular. Antennas with cylindrical radomes are referred to as rod antennas, while those with rectangular radomes are referred to as plate antennas. The radome can also be integrated with other structures within the base station to form an integrated structure. This application does not limit the structural components that can be integrated into the radome.

[0049] The radiating unit is the basic structural unit of the antenna, used to radiate or receive radio waves. The radiating unit can also be called an antenna vibrator or vibrator, etc. An antenna system can include one or more radiating units, and the frequencies of different radiating units can be the same or different.

[0050] The feeding network is used to feed the signal to the radiating unit according to the preset amplitude and phase, or to send the received signal to the signal processing unit of the base station according to the preset amplitude and phase. The feeding network can be connected to the transmission mechanism to achieve different radiation beam directions. The feeding network can also be connected to the calibration network to obtain the calibration signal required by the system, so that the feeding network can feed the signal to the radiating unit or the signal processing unit of the base station according to the preset amplitude and phase. The feeding network can generally be composed of an impedance transmission line, which can be in the form of a stripline, microstrip line, coaxial line, etc. The feeding network can also include a phase shifter to adjust the radiation direction of the antenna signal. In some cases, the feeding network can also include devices such as combiners and filters.

[0051] The antenna body may also include a reflector, also known as a base plate, antenna panel, or metal reflective surface. This reflector can improve the antenna signal's reception sensitivity, focusing the antenna signal at the receiving point and blocking or shielding the interference of other radio waves from the opposite direction. The reflector can also be placed in the radome, with the radiating element positioned on one side of the reflector and the transmission mechanism, calibration network, and feed network positioned on the other side.

[0052] The antenna system may also include components such as a feeder, a remote radio unit (RRU), and a grounding device (not shown in FIG1 ). The antenna body 110 may be connected to the RRU via the feeder, and signals may be transmitted between the antenna body 110 and the RRU via the feeder. The antenna body 110 may also be connected to the grounding device.

[0053] Furthermore, the antenna body 110 may be integrated with a remote radio unit. For example, the antenna body 110 and the remote radio unit may be part of an active antenna processing unit (AAU). Alternatively, the antenna body 110 may be part of a radio unit (RU), although this is not a limitation in this application.

[0054] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of an antenna system provided in an embodiment of the present application, wherein (a) of Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the radome and mast in the antenna system, and (b) of Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the radome. As shown in Figure 3, the radome 210 can be mounted on the mast 220 using fasteners 230. The radome 210 can include a first area 211. The first area 211 can be the area on the radome 210 enclosed by the critical point where the radome 210 and the mast 220 simultaneously face the wind. The first area 211 can be the area of ​​the radome 210 close to the mast 220, that is, the area indicated by the dotted line in the figure. The first area 211 can include a first recessed portion 2111.

[0055] To facilitate understanding of the position of the first area 211 , the position of the first area 211 is described below with reference to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 as examples.

[0056] Figure 4 (a) shows a cross-sectional structure of a cylindrical antenna along the xy plane, for example, the cross-section taken at position AA or position BB in Figure 3 . Point O1 can be the center of mast 220. If mast 220 is cylindrical, the center of mast 220 is also the center of the cross-sectional circle of mast 220. For the cylindrical antenna shown in Figure 4 (which can be an elliptical cylinder or other curved cylindrical shape in addition to a cylindrical structure), the curvature of any point along the edge of radome 210 can be greater than zero. Point O2 can be the center of radome 210. For a cylindrical antenna, radome 210 can be cylindrical, and its cross-sectional shape along the xy plane can be circular. In this example, the center of radome 210 is also the center of the cross-sectional circle of radome 210. Assuming the airflow direction is a first direction, this first direction can be the direction of the line connecting the center of mast 220 and the center of radome 210, that is, the direction of the line connecting points O1 and O2. This first direction can also be the direction of the y-axis shown in the figure, as indicated by the arrow to the right of radome 210. The direction of the line connecting O1 and O2 can also be referred to as the 0° angle direction of the antenna. The side of radome 210 facing away from mast 220 is the windward side, that is, the part that is in direct contact with the airflow. In this state, mast 220 is shielded by radome 210 and is located on the leeward side. Assuming the wind direction remains unchanged, radome 210 rotates around mast 220. When radome 210 rotates clockwise around mast 220 by a certain angle, for example, angle α, mast 220 is directly exposed to the airflow. When the clockwise rotation angle is greater than α, the area of ​​mast 220 exposed to the airflow increases as the rotation angle increases. When the clockwise rotation angle is greater than or equal to α, that is, when both the mast 220 and the radome 210 are exposed to the airflow, a coupling effect occurs between the mast 220 and the radome 210, and the sum of the wind load on the mast 220 and the radome 210 is less than the combined wind load on the mast 220 and the radome 210. The radome 210, when rotated clockwise about the mast 220 by an angle α, may be in a critical state where both the mast 220 and the radome 210 face the wind simultaneously. In this state, the mast 220 and the radome 210 have an external common tangent line L1, and the point of intersection P3 between the external common tangent line L1 and the mast 220 is the critical point on the mast 220 when both the radome 210 and the mast 220 face the wind simultaneously. The point of intersection P1 between the external common tangent line L1 and the radome 210 is the critical point on the radome 210 when both the radome 210 and the mast 220 face the wind simultaneously.

[0057] Similarly, with the illustrated state as the initial state, when the radome 210 rotates counterclockwise around the mast 220 by an angle α, the mast 220 is exposed to the airflow and in direct contact with it. This state can also be considered a critical state, where both the mast 220 and the radome 210 face the wind simultaneously. In this state, the mast 220 and the radome 210 share an external common tangent line L2. The point of tangency P4 between the external common tangent line L2 and the mast 220 is the critical point on the mast 220 when both the radome 210 and the mast 220 face the wind simultaneously. The point of tangency P2 between the external common tangent line L2 and the radome 210 is the critical point on the radome 210 when both the radome 210 and the mast 220 face the wind simultaneously. The area between the critical points P1 and P2 on the radome 210 is the first area 211, as indicated by the bolded portion between P1 and P2 in FIG4 . The area enclosed by the intersection P of the common tangent lines L1 and L2 and the tangent points P1 and P2 of the common tangent lines and the antenna cover 210 can be called the coupling effect influence area between the antenna cover 210 and the pole 220, such as the area marked by the shaded part in (b) of Figure 4.

[0058] It should be noted that the antenna cover 210 can be a three-dimensional structure as shown in Figure 3, having a length in the z-axis direction. The position of the first area 211 is shown in a cross-sectional form in Figure 4. The first area 211 can be distributed on the entire antenna cover 210 along the z-axis direction, and the critical point of the antenna cover 210 at any position in the z-axis direction can be the critical point in the example described in Figure 3 above.

[0059] Figure 5 shows a schematic diagram of a cross-section of a plate antenna along the xy plane. Point O1 can be the center of the mast 220, and point O2 can be the center of the radome 210. The radome 210 of the plate antenna can be a rectangular parallelepiped structure with a rectangular cross-section along the xy plane. In this example, the center of the radome 210 is the intersection of the diagonals of the cross-section of the radome 210. For the plate antenna shown in Figure 5, the curvature at any point along the edge of the radome 210 can be zero. Assuming the wind direction is a first direction, the side of the radome 210 facing away from the mast 220 is the windward side, that is, the side that is in direct contact with the airflow. In this state, the mast 220 is shielded by the radome 210 and is located on the leeward side. Assuming the wind direction remains constant, radome 210 rotates around mast 220. When radome 210 rotates clockwise around mast 220 by a certain angle, for example, β, mast 220 is directly exposed to the airflow. When the clockwise rotation angle is greater than β, the area of ​​mast 220 exposed to the airflow increases as the rotation angle increases. When the radome 210 rotates around mast 220 by an angle greater than or equal to β, a coupling effect occurs between mast 220 and radome 210. When the angle of rotation of the radome 210 around the pole 220 is β, the state may be a critical state in which the pole 220 and the radome 210 are simultaneously facing the wind. In this state, the external tangent line L1 of the pole 220 may intersect with the radome 210, and the intersection point P1 on the radome 210 may be located at the outermost edge of the side of the radome 210 close to the pole 220. The intersection point P1 on the radome 210 is the critical point on the radome 210 when the radome 210 and the pole 220 are simultaneously facing the wind, and the tangent point P3 on the pole 220 is the critical point on the pole 220 when the radome 210 and the pole 220 are simultaneously facing the wind.

[0060] Similarly, with the illustrated state as the initial state, when the radome 210 rotates counterclockwise around the mast 220 by an angle β, the mast 220 is exposed to the airflow and in direct contact with the airflow. This state can also be a critical state in which both the mast 220 and the radome 210 face the wind simultaneously. In this state, the tangent line L2 of the mast 220 can intersect the radome 210, and the intersection point P2 on the radome 210 can be located at the outermost edge of the surface of the radome 210 that is closest to the mast 220. The intersection point P4 on the radome 210 can be the critical point on the radome 210 when both the radome 210 and the mast 220 face the wind simultaneously. The tangent point P3 on the mast 220 can be the critical point on the mast 220 when both the radome 210 and the mast 220 face the wind simultaneously. The area between critical points P1 and P2 on the radome 210 is the first area 211, i.e., the area corresponding to the side of the radome 210 close to the mast 220, as indicated by the bold portion between P1 and P2 in Figure 5 . The area enclosed by the intersection point P of the tangent lines L1 and L2 of the mast 220 and the intersection points P1 and P2 of the tangent lines L1 and L2 with the radome 210 can be referred to as the area affected by the coupling effect between the radome 210 and the mast 220, as indicated by the shaded area in Figure 5 (b).

[0061] It should be noted that, similar to the first region 211 shown in FIG4 , the location of the first region 211 of the plate antenna shown in FIG5 is shown in cross-section. The first region 211 can be distributed along the z-axis throughout the radome 210, and the critical point at any location along the z-axis of the radome 210 can be the critical point described in the example of FIG5 . FIG5 illustrates the location of the first region 211 on the plate antenna using a rectangular cross-section. The edge of the plate antenna may not be a right angle as shown, for example, it may be an arcuate angle (e.g., a rounded angle, an elliptical angle, or other curved angle). In this case, similar to FIG4 , the critical point at which the plate antenna and the mast face the wind simultaneously may be located at this arcuate angle, and the curvature at the arcuate angle may be greater than 0. In this example, the critical point at which the plate antenna and the mast face the wind simultaneously may be the outer common tangent line of the plate antenna and the mast. The radome 210 in the antenna system provided in the embodiments of the present application may also have other structural forms besides the rod antenna and plate antenna described in Figures 4 and 5. The present application does not limit the shape of the radome 210. When the radome 210 has other structural forms, the first region of the radome 210 can be bounded by the critical point where both the mast 220 and the radome 210 face the wind, and can be determined using the method described in Figures 4 or 5. For example, the radome 210 may include both locations with a curvature greater than zero and locations with a curvature less than zero. When the radome 210 includes locations with a curvature less than zero, the critical point where both the radome 210 and the mast 220 face the wind can be located at a location other than the location with a curvature less than zero, such as an edge of the radome 210, or at the point of intersection of the common tangent line between the radome 210 and the mast 220 on the radome 210.

[0062] The first concave portion 2111 can be disposed within the first region 211 described in FIG. 4 or 5 , or in other words, the projection of the first concave portion 2111 along the first direction can be located within the first region 211. If the curvature direction of the radome 210 contour between two points at the same height in the z-axis direction differs from the curvature direction of the radome 210 contour beyond these two points, then the first region 211 is considered to contain a concave portion. For example, for a plate-shaped antenna, the curvature of the first concave portion 2111 can be negative, while the curvature of the area outside the first concave portion 2111 can be zero. For a cylindrical antenna, the curvature of the first concave portion 2111 can be negative, while the curvature of the area outside the first concave portion 2111 can be positive.

[0063] There may be one or more first recessed portions 2111. When there is only one first recessed portion 2111, referring to the structure of the radome 210 shown in FIG3 , the first recessed portion 2111 may extend along the length of the radome 210 and may be provided along the entire length of the radome 210. Alternatively, the first recessed portion 2111 may be provided along a portion of the length of the radome 210. The length of the radome 210 is the z-axis shown in the figure and may also be referred to as the second direction. When the radome 210 is mounted on the pole 220 for use, the length of the radome 210 may also be referred to as the height direction of the radome 210. When there are multiple first recessed portions 2111, the multiple first recessed portions 2111 may be arranged along the length of the radome 210 (not shown). There may be spacing between the multiple first recessed portions 2111, and the distance between two adjacent first recessed portions 2111 may be the same or different. The shapes and sizes of the multiple first concave portions 2111 may be the same or different. The sizes of the multiple first concave portions 2111 may include the length, circumference, etc. of the multiple first concave portions 2111 .

[0064] In some embodiments, the circumference of the first recessed portion 2111 can be greater than or equal to one-quarter the circumference of the mast 220. In the cross-sectional structural diagram of the radome 210 and the mast 220 shown in Figure 6, points P5 and P6 can be the intersections of the first recessed portion 2111 and the edge of the radome 210. The first recessed portion 2111 can be the solid line portion between points P5 and P6, and the dashed line portion between points P5 and P6 can be the edge of the radome 210 without the first recessed portion 2111. The dashed line portion between points P5 and P6 can have a continuous curvature with the adjacent portion of the radome 210. The cross-section can be an xy plane cross-section of the radome 210 at any position along the z-axis. The circumference of the first recessed portion 2111 can be the length of the radome 210 outline between the intersection of the first recessed portion 2111 and the edge of the radome 210 on the xy cross-section, that is, the length of the solid line between points P5 and P6 in Figure 6. When the surface of the first concave portion 2111 is in an arc shape as shown in Figure 6, the perimeter of the first concave portion 2111 can be the length of the arc segment P5P6. The perimeter of the pole 220 can be the perimeter of the cross section of the pole 220 at any position in the z-axis direction.

[0065] In some embodiments, the circumference of the first recessed portion 2111 may be less than or equal to three times the circumference of the pole 220 .

[0066] For example, the circumference of the first recessed portion 2111 can be 1 / 4, 1 / 3, or 1 / 2 of the circumference of the pole 220, or can be the same as the circumference of the pole 220, or can be 1.5 times, 2 times, 2.5 times, 3 times, or other times the circumference of the pole 220. When the cross-section of the pole 220 along the xy plane is circular, the diameter of the pole 220 can be d, and the circumference of the pole 220 can be πd. The circumference of the first recessed portion 2111 can be 1 / 4πd, 1 / 3πd, 1 / 2πd, πd, 5 / 4πd, 4 / 3πd, 2πd, 3πd, or other values. The diameter of the pole 220 can range from 50 mm to 115 mm. The diameter of the pole 220 supported by the antenna or radome 210 can be obtained from the antenna datasheet.

[0067] It should be noted that the radome 210 can have a non-uniform structure. For example, for the cylindrical antenna shown in FIG6 , the diameter of the radome 210 can gradually increase from top to bottom along the z-axis. Consequently, the circumference of the radome 210 can vary at different locations along the z-axis, and the circumference of the first recessed portion 2111 can also vary at different locations along the z-axis. For example, the circumference of the first recessed portion 2111 can vary between the cross-section at position AA and the cross-section at position BB shown in FIG3 . The circumference of the first recessed portion 2111 can be greater than or equal to one-quarter the circumference of the pole 220. The minimum circumference of the first recessed portion 2111 can be greater than or equal to one-quarter the circumference of the pole 220. Similarly, the circumference of the first recessed portion 2111 can be less than or equal to three times the circumference of the pole 220, or the maximum circumference of the first recessed portion 2111 can be less than or equal to three times the circumference of the pole 220. The circumference of the first recessed portion 2111 is greater than or equal to one-fourth of the circumference of the pole 220, and / or the circumference of the first recessed portion 2111 is less than or equal to three times the circumference of the pole 220. This can guide the airflow pattern on the surfaces of the radome 210 and the pole 220, as well as the airflow pattern in the area affected by the coupling effect, thereby reducing the drag and lift of the antenna, alleviating the coupling effect between the pole 220 and the radome 210, and reducing the blocking effect in the area affected by the coupling effect between the radome 210 and the pole 220.

[0068] In some embodiments, the perimeter of the first recessed portion 2111 can be less than or equal to the first perimeter, which can be the perimeter of the first region 211 when the radome 210 does not include the first recessed portion 2111. The perimeter of the first region 211 can be the length of the curve of the first region 211 on the xy cross-section. Still using the cross-sectional shape shown in FIG. 6 as an example, the perimeter of the first recessed portion 2111, i.e., the length of the solid line portion between points P5 and P6, can be less than or equal to the sum of the length of the curve between points P1 and P5, the length of the dashed line portion between points P5 and P6, and the length of the curve portion between points P6 and P2.

[0069] In some embodiments, the maximum distance H in the first direction between the location on the pole 220 closest to the radome 210 and the first recessed portion 2111 can satisfy the following: 0 < H ≤ 4d. Continuing with the cross-sectional structural diagram shown in Figure 6, the location on the pole 220 closest to the radome 210 can be the intersection of a line connecting the center of the pole 220 and the center of the radome 210 and the side of the pole 220 closest to the radome 210. The maximum distance in the first direction between the location on the pole 220 closest to the radome 210 and the first recessed portion 2111 can be H as shown. For example, H can take values ​​such as 0.5d, 1d, 1.5d, 2d, 2.5d, 3d, 3.5d, or 4d.

[0070] The maximum distance H between the pole 220 and the first recess 2111 in the first direction satisfies 0<H≤4d, which can guide the airflow pattern on the surfaces of the antenna cover 210 and the pole 220 and the airflow pattern in the area affected by the above-mentioned coupling effect, reduce the resistance and lift of the antenna, and alleviate the coupling effect between the pole 220 and the antenna cover 210.

[0071] In some embodiments, the projection of the pole 220 along the first direction can be located within the region of the first recessed portion 2111. Continuing with the cross-sectional structural diagram shown in FIG6 , the diameter of the pole 220 can be less than or equal to the width of the first recessed portion 2111. The width of the first recessed portion 2111 can be the dimension of the first recessed portion 2111 in the x-axis direction. The diameter of the pole 220 shown in FIG6 is less than the width of the first recessed portion 2111. Spacings m1 and m2 can be respectively defined between the pole 220 and the edge of the first recessed portion 2111 in the x-axis direction. These spacings m1 and m2 can be the same or different, and are not limited in this application. The diameter of the pole 220 can also be equal to the width of the first recessed portion 2111 (not shown). In this example, the projection of the pole 220 along the first direction can overlap the first recessed portion 2111.

[0072] The projection of the holding pole 220 along the first direction is located in the area where the first recessed portion 2111 is located, which can improve the convenience of installing the antenna structure.

[0073] In some embodiments, the shape of the first recessed portion 2111 can be at least one of the following shapes: a triangle, an arch, a square, and a polygon.

[0074] For example, FIG7 is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional shape of a plate-shaped antenna provided in an embodiment of the present application. To facilitate description of the shape of the first recessed portion 2111, the figure describes the shape of the first recessed portion 2111 using the shape of a figure formed by the line connecting the boundary points of the first recessed portion 2111 (as shown by the dotted line) and the outer surface of the first recessed portion 2111. In the plate-shaped antenna, the shape of the first recessed portion 2111 can be an arch (as shown in FIG7(a)), a triangle (as shown in FIG7(b)), a square (as shown in FIG7(c)), a trapezoid (as shown in FIG7(d)), or a polygon (as shown in FIG7(e)).

[0075] FIG8 is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional shape of a rod-shaped antenna provided in an embodiment of the present application. In this rod-shaped antenna, the shape of the first recessed portion 2111 may also be an arch (as shown in FIG8(a)), a triangle (as shown in FIG8(b)), a square (as shown in FIG8(c)), a trapezoid (as shown in FIG8(d)), or a polygon (as shown in FIG8(e)). In the case where the curvature of the outer periphery of the antenna cover 210 continuously changes, for example, when the cross-sectional shape of the antenna cover 210 is a circle or an ellipse, or when the cross-sectional shape of the antenna cover 210 is a circle or an ellipse without the first recessed portion 2111, the antenna cover 210 may be partially cut away within the first region 211 to form the first recessed portion 2111, as shown in FIG8(f).

[0076] It should be noted that the cross-sectional shapes shown in Figures 7 and 8 are merely examples of the structural form of the first recessed portion 2111 provided in the embodiments of the present application. The first recessed portion 2111 may also have a biomimetic texture. For example, the first recessed portion 2111 may have a golf ball surface texture, shark skin texture, or animal feather texture, thereby reducing the overall wind load on the antenna and mast 220 through biomimetic textures. The first recessed portion 2111 may have a symmetrical or asymmetrical structure, and this application does not limit the shape and structure of the first recessed portion 2111.

[0077] The shape of the first recessed portion 2111 can be any one of the shapes in the above examples, or a combination of multiple shapes in the shapes in the above examples. Referring to the cross-sectional structure of the antenna cover 210 shown in FIG9 , when the antenna is a cylindrical antenna, the shape of the first recessed portion 2111 can be a combination of an arch and a square, as shown in (a) in FIG9 . The first recessed portion 2111 can be composed of a combination of two or more shapes, and the two or more shapes can be arranged adjacent to each other, that is, the spacing between two adjacent shapes can be 0, or the spacing between two adjacent shapes can be non-zero. The first recessed portion 2111 can also be composed of a combination of the above-mentioned trapezoidal or polygonal shapes, and this application does not limit this.

[0078] Similarly, when the antenna is a plate-shaped antenna, as shown in FIG9(b), the shape of the first recessed portion 2111 may also be a combination of an arch and a triangle, or a combination of any two or more of the above-mentioned cross-sectional shapes. When there are multiple first recessed portions 2111, the shapes of the multiple first recessed portions 2111 may be the same or different. For example, the shape of some of the multiple first recessed portions 2111 may be a single shape, while the shape of some of the first recessed portions 2111 may be a combination of multiple shapes, and the combined shapes of the multiple first recessed portions 2111 may be the same or different.

[0079] In some embodiments, the first region 211 may further include a second recessed portion 2112, at least a portion of the projection of the second recessed portion 2112 along the first direction may overlap with the first recessed portion 2111. As shown in the schematic diagram of the radome structure in FIG10 , the second recessed portion 2112 may be disposed within the region where the first recessed portion 2111 is located.

[0080] There may be multiple second recessed portions 2112, and the plurality of second recessed portions 2112 may be arranged along the second direction, that is, along the length of the radome 210. A distance may be provided between adjacent second recessed portions 2112 in the plurality of second recessed portions 2112. The distance between adjacent second recessed portions 2112 in the plurality of second recessed portions 2112 may be the same or different.

[0081] Similar to the shape of the first recessed portion 2111, the shape of the second recessed portion 2112 can also be any one of a triangle, an arch, a square, a polygon, etc., or can be a combination of multiple shapes. The shapes of multiple second recessed portions 2112 can be the same or different.

[0082] Exemplarily, in the antenna cover 210 structure shown in Figure 10, the multiple second recessed portions 2112 have two shapes, triangular and square. The triangular second recessed portions 2112 and the square second recessed portions 2112 are arranged at intervals and arranged in sequence along the length direction of the antenna cover 210. The spacing between two adjacent second recessed portions 2112 in the multiple second recessed portions 2112 can be the same, so that the multiple second recessed portions 2112 can be arranged periodically.

[0083] It should be noted that FIG10 is merely an example of the structure of the radome 210 including the second recessed portions 2112. The spacing between the second recessed portions 2112 may also vary, so that the plurality of second recessed portions 2112 are arranged non-periodically. The plurality of second recessed portions 2112 may be distributed along the z-axis from the upper end to the lower end of the radome 210, or may be distributed only in a portion of the first recessed portion 2111. The second recessed portions 2112 may also have a shape such as a biomimetic texture, and the plurality of second recessed portions 2112 may include three or more shapes. This application does not limit the shape and structure of the second recessed portions 2112.

[0084] In some embodiments, the first region 211 may further include a first protruding portion 2113 , and at least a portion of a projection of the first protruding portion 2113 along the first direction may overlap with the first concave portion 2111 .

[0085] Exemplarily, the type of the first protrusion 2113 can be at least one of the following types: a companion line, a spiral line, and a bionic texture shape.

[0086] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of a structure in which the first protrusion 2113 serves as a companion wire. Figure 11(b) is a cross-section of the radome 210 taken along position XX in Figure 11(a). The companion wire can be a protrusion on the surface of the first recessed portion 2111. The protrusion can extend in the second direction and can be provided in at least a portion of the first region 211. The number of companion wires can be one or more, for example, two as shown. Providing the companion wire on the surface of the first recessed portion 2111 can reduce airflow resistance on the surface of the radome 210.

[0087] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of a structure in which the first protrusion 2113 is a spiral line. Figure 12(b) shows a cross-section of the radome 210 along the YY position in Figure 12(a). The spiral line can be spirally arranged on the surface of the first recessed portion 2111. The spiral line can be arranged along the entire length of the radome 210 or only on a portion of the first recessed portion 2111. Providing the spiral line on the surface of the first recessed portion 2111 disrupts the multiple airflow vortices on the leeward side of the radome 210 and the mast 220, causing the multiple vortices to cancel each other out in the height direction, that is, in the z-axis direction shown in the figure, thereby reducing the overall lift of the radome 210 and the mast 220.

[0088] The radome 210 in the embodiment of the present application can be a one-piece structure or can be assembled from multiple separate parts. The multiple separate parts can be assembled using methods such as snap connections, dovetail groove fastening, screw connections, adhesive bonding, laser welding, etc. For example, when the second concave portion 2112 or the first convex portion 2113 is integrated on the surface of the first concave portion 2111, the radome 210 can be assembled from multiple separate parts, with the portion including the second concave portion 2112 or the first convex portion 2113 being manufactured and formed separately from the remaining portions.

[0089] Figures 13 (a) and (b) show the airflow streamlines for the radome 210 without and with the first recess 2111, respectively. The arrowed curves in Figure 13 indicate the direction of the airflow. The side of the radome 210 and mast opposite the airflow is the windward side. The airflow can bypass the windward side of the radome 210 and mast 220, flowing to the leeward side of the radome 210 and mast 220, where it forms a vortex. As shown in Figure 13 (a), when the airflow reaches the mast 220 and radome 210, a stagnation point is formed on the windward side, where the air pressure is higher. A negative pressure area is formed on the back of the radome 210, where the air pressure is lower. The pressure difference between the front and back of the radome 210 acts as a pressure resistance on the antenna. In the leeward area of ​​radome 210 and mast 220, the flow field is not symmetrical, which easily causes a large pressure difference between the radome 210 and mast 220 in a direction perpendicular to the wind speed. This pressure difference on both sides of the radome 210 acts as lift on the antenna. In the coupling influence area between the radome 210 and mast 220, the airflow impacts the mast 220, causing significant divergence.

[0090] When the first recess 2111 is provided in the first region 211 of the radome 210, as shown in Figure 13(b), the airflow over the surfaces of the radome 210 and the mast 220 is guided, reducing the area of ​​the negative pressure zone on the rear side. This reduces the pressure differential resistance between the windward and leeward sides, improves the airflow symmetry on the leeward sides of the radome 210 and the mast 220, reduces the lift of the radome 210 and the mast 220, and optimizes the overall wind load on the radome 210 and the mast 220. In the coupling influence zone between the radome 210 and the mast 220, the airflow is guided after encountering the mast 220, and the degree of divergence is not significant.

[0091] It should be noted that in the above embodiment, the first area 211 includes a first recessed portion 2111 to reduce the overall wind load on the antenna and the pole 220. The first area 211 may also include a protrusion instead of the first recessed portion 2111 to reduce the overall wind load on the antenna system.

[0092] An embodiment of the present application also provides an antenna, which is the antenna body described in Figures 1 and 2. The antenna may include any antenna cover described in Figures 3 to 12. The antenna may include one or more antenna elements, and multiple antenna elements may form an antenna array.

[0093] The antenna may be a base station antenna, or other antenna installed outdoors, such as an outdoor large-aperture microwave antenna.

[0094] An embodiment of the present application further provides an antenna system, which may include the above-mentioned antenna. The antenna system may also include a pole, an RRU, a grounding device, etc.

[0095] An embodiment of the present application also provides an access network device, which may also be called an access network element or a base station, etc. The access network device may include the above-mentioned antenna.

[0096] An embodiment of the present application also provides a communication system, which may include the above-mentioned access network device. The communication system may also include a terminal device, which can communicate with the access network device.

[0097] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present application, but the scope of protection of the present application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included in the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A radome, mounted on a mast, characterized in that: The radome includes a first area, which is an area on the radome enclosed by a critical point where the radome and the pole face the wind at the same time. The first area is an area on the radome close to the pole, and the first area includes a first recessed portion.

2. The radome according to claim 1, wherein: The curvature of the radome corresponding to the critical point is greater than 0, and the first area is an area enclosed by the tangent points of the external common tangents of the radome and the pole on the radome, or, The curvature of the radome corresponding to the critical point is 0, and the first area is an area corresponding to a surface of the radome close to the pole.

3. The radome according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: A maximum distance H in the first direction between a position on the pole closest to the radome and the first recess satisfies the following: 0<H≤4d, where d is the diameter of the pole, and the first direction is the direction of a line connecting the center of the pole and the center of the radome.

4. The radome according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that The circumference of the first recessed portion is greater than or equal to one quarter of the circumference of the pole.

5. The radome according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that The circumference of the first recessed portion is less than or equal to three times the circumference of the pole.

6. The radome according to claim 5, wherein: The perimeter of the first recessed portion is less than or equal to a first perimeter, where the first perimeter is the perimeter of the first region when the radome does not include the first recessed portion.

7. The radome according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that A projection of the holding pole along a first direction is located in the area where the first recessed portion is located. The first direction is the direction of a line connecting the center of the holding pole and the center of the radome.

8. The radome according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that The shape of the first concave portion is any one of the following shapes, or a combination of multiple of the following shapes: Triangles, arcs, squares and polygons.

9. The radome according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that The first area further includes a second concave portion, wherein at least a portion of a projection of the second concave portion along a first direction overlaps with the first concave portion, and the first direction is the direction of a line connecting the center of the pole and the center of the radome.

10. The radome according to claim 9, wherein: There are multiple second recessed portions, and the multiple second recessed portions are arranged along the second direction. Among the multiple second recessed portions, there is a distance between two adjacent second recessed portions, and the second direction is the length direction of the antenna cover.

11. The radome according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that: The shape of the second concave portion is any one of the following shapes, or a combination of multiple of the following shapes: Triangles, arches, squares and polygons.

12. The radome according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that The first area further includes a first protrusion, wherein at least a portion of a projection of the first protrusion along a first direction overlaps with the first concave portion, and the first direction is the direction of a line connecting the center of the pole and the center of the radome.

13. The radome according to claim 12, wherein: The type of the first protrusion is any one of the following types, or a combination of multiple types: Companion lines, spiral lines and bionic texture shapes.

14. An antenna, characterized in that: The invention comprises the radome according to any one of claims 1 to 13, and one or more antenna elements.

15. An antenna system, characterized in that: The invention comprises the antenna and the holding pole as claimed in claim 14.

16. An access network device, characterized in that: Comprising the antenna of claim 14.

17. A communication system, characterized in that: It includes the access network device as described in claim 16, and terminal equipment.

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