Antenna, mobile communication base station and user device

Abstract

An antenna (14), in particular for a mobile communication base station (10), has a first array (22) of first radiators (16). The first array (22) has at least one first type radiator (28), at least one second type radiator (30) and at least one phase matching network (50) for the at least one first type radiator (28). The at least one phase matching network (50) comprises a earner (52) and a matching structure (54) applied to the earner (52), wherein the matching structure (54) comprises a signal line (62) electrically connecting a signal input (56) to the respective one of the at least one first type radiator (28), and at least one stub (64) extending from the signal line (62). Further, a mobile communication base station (10) and a user device (12) are shown.

Description

[0001] Antenna, mobile communication base station and user device

[0002] Technical Field

[0003] The invention relates to an antenna, a mobile communication base station and a user device.

[0004] Background

[0005] Multiband antennas are known in the art. In such antennas, a first array of first radiators designed for a first frequency band are interleaved with a second and possibly a third array of radiators designed for different frequency bands.

[0006] Such antennas and corresponding radiators are known, for example, from US 6 462 710 Bl, US 10 177 438 B2, WO 2022 / 148909 Al, and WO 2023 / 155973 Al.

[0007] In further known antennas, the first array and the second array are interleaved, and the first array and the third array are interleaved, whereas the second and the third arrays are separate from another.

[0008] In such antennas, the first radiators interleaved with the second array may be different from the first radiators interleaved with the third array and, for example, grounded differently.

[0009] Due to the two different types of radiators used in the first array, the tilt angle deviates from a desired value with changing frequency within the first frequency band.

[0010] Summary

[0011] It is thus an object to provide an antenna, a mobile communication base station and a user device that have a reduced deviation of the tilt angle over frequency. To this end, an antenna, in particular for a mobile communication base station, is provided. The antenna comprises a first array of first radiators designed for a first frequency band. The first array comprises at least one first type radiator of the first radiators, at least one second type radiator of the first radiators and at least one phase matching network for the at least one first type radiator. The at least one phase matching network comprises a carrier and a matching structure applied to the carrier, wherein the matching structure comprises a signal line electrically connecting a signal input for the respective at least one first type radiator to the respective one of the at least one first type radiator, and at least one stub extending from the signal line.

[0012] By providing a phase matching network for the first type radiators, the phases, in particular the behavior of the phases over frequency, of the first type radiators and the second type radiators may be matched. This reduces the deviation of the tilt angle over the entire first frequency band.

[0013] The matching structure may be a metallization applied to the carrier. For example, the carrier is a dielectric, in particular a foil or a printed circuit board.

[0014] In particular, the first and second type of radiators are structurally different.

[0015] In an embodiment, the matching structure is configured such that the radiation pattern of the first array is constant across the first frequency band and / or such that the slope of the phase with respect to frequency over the first frequency band of the at least one first type radiator is the same as the slope of the phase with respect to frequency over the first frequency band of the at least one second type radiator. In particular, the matching structure is configured such that a difference of the phases between adjacent radiators of the first array is equal for all radiators of the first array. It has been realized by the inventors that the frequency dependency of the deviation of the tilt angle primarily occurs due to different slopes of the phase shift over frequency of the different types of first radiators. Thus, by virtue of this configuration, the main source of frequency dependency is eliminated. The downtilt deviation may be optimized this way.

[0016] In an aspect, the antenna comprises at least one first transmission line, at least one second transmission line and a signal providing unit with at least one first radiator port and at least one second radiator port, wherein the at least one first radiator port is connected to the signal input for the respective first type radiator via the at least one first transmission line, and wherein the at least one second radiator port is connected to a signal input for a respective second type radiator via the at least one second transmission line. This way, the different types of radiators may receive different signals from the signal providing unit.

[0017] In particular, due to the phase matching network, the transmission lines do not need to provide a phase matching functionality and thus may be kept short, which saves costs.

[0018] The first and second radiator ports are in particular different ports of the signal providing unit.

[0019] For tilting the beam, the signal providing unit may be a phase shifter.

[0020] To provide reliable signal transmission, the at least one first transmission line and / or the at least one second transmission line is a coaxial cable, a solid metal line, a stripline or a microstrip line.

[0021] For example, for each of the at least one first type radiator one matching network is provided and / or that no matching network is provided for the at least one second type radiator, providing a further improved phase matching.

[0022] It is conceivable that several matching networks share the same carrier, i.e. that the matching structures of different matching networks, in particular for different ones of the first type radiators, are applied to the same carrier. For a further improved phase matching, the matching structure may comprise two stubs, and / or the stubs may have a width larger than a width of the signal line.

[0023] In an aspect, the stub is grounded, in particular at its far end not being connected to the signal line, and / or the stub has a length smaller than 1 / 2 of a wavelength of an average frequency of the first frequency band, in particular being 1 / 4 of a wavelength of an average frequency of the first frequency band. This allows very accurate phase matching.

[0024] The length of stub is, for example, the length from the signal line to the far end or from the signal line to the grounding.

[0025] In an aspect, the signal line has a length of between 1 / 8 and 1 / 6 of the wavelength of the average frequency of the first frequency band, providing further improved phase matching.

[0026] In order to simplify the construction, the carrier may have two surfaces, namely a ground surface and a signal surface, wherein a ground plane is provided on the ground surface and the matching structure is provided on the signal surface.

[0027] The grounding of the stub may be electrically to the ground plane, in particular galvanically. The grounding may be provided by a via. The ground plane is in particular grounded.

[0028] In an embodiment, the at least one first type radiator comprises a radiator head and a support, wherein a feed structure for feeding signals to the radiator head, in particular a balun structure and / or a shifting structure, is provided on the support, wherein the matching structure of the phase matching network is electrically connected to an input of the feed structure, allowing to use the phase matching network flexibly. The radiator head may comprise at least two radiation structures forming at least one dipole. The feed structure may electrically connect the radiator head with the input of the feed structure.

[0029] For a compact construction, the support may be mounted to a matching network, in particular the carrier of the matching network. It is also conceivable that the matching network and the support are the same component, e.g. the feed structure and the matching structure are applied to the same carrier or even the same surface.

[0030] In an embodiment, the at least one second type radiator comprises a radiator head and a support, in particular wherein the radiator heads of the at least one first type radiator and of the at least one second type radiator are identical to one another and / or wherein the support of the at least one first type radiator differs from the support of the at least one second type radiator. This way, radiation characteristics of the first and second type radiators are very similar.

[0031] The carrier of the matching network, of the support for the first type radiator and / or of the support of the second type radiator may be a dielectric, in particular a foil or a printed circuit board. For example, the carrier has two surfaces, namely a ground surface and a signal surface, wherein a ground plane may be provided on the ground surface, and the matching structure or the feed structure, respectively, may be applied to the signal surface, in particular as metallizations.

[0032] In particular, the ground surface and the signal surface are opposite surfaces, e.g. surfaces of the same layer of a material of the carrier.

[0033] The carrier may be a multilayered PCB. In this case, each layer may be regarded as a surface. For versatile combination with the further array, the at least one first type radiator is a center fed radiator and / or the at least one second type radiator is a side fed radiator, or vice versa.

[0034] In an embodiment, the antenna comprises at least one further array of radiators designed for a frequency band different from the first frequency band, wherein the at least one further array is a second array of second radiators designed for a second frequency band and / or a third array of third radiators designed for a third frequency band, providing a broadband antenna.

[0035] In an aspect, the first array comprises a first section, wherein the at least one first type radiator and the second radiators of the second array are arranged in the first section, in particular wherein the antenna comprises a common first reflector for the at least one first type radiator and the second radiators in the first section, providing a high beam quality of the beam of the second array.

[0036] The first reflector may be of metal, a metallized carrier, e.g. a metallized PCB, a Frequency Selective Surface (FSS) or a metamaterial.

[0037] The at least one first type radiators and second radiators may overlap seen in a top view.

[0038] In particular, no second type radiator is arranged in the first section.

[0039] For achieving a high beam quality of the third array, the first array may comprise a second section, wherein the at least one second type radiator is arranged in the second section and the third radiators of the third array are arranged in the second section, in particular wherein the antenna comprises a second reflector for the at least one second type radiator in the second section.

[0040] The second reflector may be arranged between the at least one second type radiator and the third radiators. The second reflector may be a Frequency Selective Surface (FSS) or a metamaterial.

[0041] The at least one second type radiator and third radiators may overlap.

[0042] In particular, no first type radiator is arranged in the second section.

[0043] For simplifying installing the antenna, the signal input for the at least one first type radiator may comprise a connecting portion for a coaxial cable.

[0044] The signal input for the at least one second type radiator may also be a connecting portion for a coaxial cable, in particular wherein the signal input for the at least one second type radiator is connected directly to the feed structure of the respective support.

[0045] For above mentioned purpose a mobile communication base station is further provided. The base station has at least one antenna as described above.

[0046] Further, for above mentioned purpose, a user device for mobile communication is provided. The user device has at least one antenna as described above.

[0047] The features and advantages described with respect to the antenna also apply to the base station and / or the user device and vice versa.

[0048] Brief Description of the Drawings

[0049] Further features and advantages will be apparent from the following description as well as the accompanying drawings, to which reference is made. In the drawings:

[0050] Figure 1 shows a mobile communication base station according to an embodiment of the invention with an antenna according to an embodiment of the invention, and a user device according to an embodiment of the invention with an antenna according to an embodiment of the invention, Figure 2 shows a top view of the antenna of the mobile communication base station of Figure 1,

[0051] Figure 3 shows a very schematic cross-section through the second section of the antenna according to Figure 2,

[0052] Figure 4 shows a first type radiator with a phase matching network of the antenna according to Figure 2,

[0053] Figure 5 shows an enlarged view of the lower part of Figure 4 with a connecting portion attached,

[0054] Figure 6 shows a top view onto a phase matching network of Figure 4,

[0055] Figure 7 shows very schematically the antenna according to Figure 2 including a signal providing unit, and

[0056] Figure 8 shows a top view onto a phase matching network of an antenna according to a second embodiment of the invention.

[0057] Detailed Description

[0058] Figure 1 shows an embodiment of a mobile communication base station 10 and an embodiment of a user device 12.

[0059] The mobile communication base station 10 has a plurality of antennas 14 for providing speech and data connections to user devices. Mobile communication base stations 10 are also referred to as mobile communication cell sites.

[0060] The mobile communication base station 10 may be an access network node of a radio access network of a telecommunication network, or any other similar 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) access nodes or non-3GPP access points.

[0061] Moreover, as will be appreciated by those of skill in the art, an access a network node is not necessarily limited to an implementation in which a radio portion and a baseband portion are supplied and integrated by a single vendor. Thus, it will be understood that network nodes include disaggregated implementations or portions thereof.

[0062] For example, in some embodiments, the mobile communication base station 10 is an Open-RAN (ORAN) network node. An ORAN network node is a node in the telecommunication network that supports an ORAN specification (e.g., a specification published by the O-RAN Alliance, or any similar organization) and may operate alone or together with other nodes to implement one or more functionalities of any node in the telecommunication network, including one or more network nodes and / or core network nodes.

[0063] Examples of an ORAN network node include an open radio unit (O-RU), an open distributed unit (O-DU), and an open central unit (O-CU).

[0064] The antenna 14 of the mobile communication base station 10 is a multiband antenna to provide speech and data connections in various frequency bands.

[0065] The user device 12 has an antenna 14 and may be a mobile phone, a laptop computer, a customer premises equipment (CPE) or the like. The antenna 14 of the user device 12 is also a multiband antenna allowing a speech and / or data connection to the mobile communication base station 10 and / or to a communication satellite.

[0066] Figure 2 shoes exemplarily an antenna 14 of the mobile communication base station 10 in a top view. Even though the antenna 14 of the mobile communication base station 10 is discussed in the following, the same applies for the antenna 14 of the user device 12.

[0067] The antenna 14 has a plurality of first electromagnetic radiators 16, a plurality of second electromagnetic radiators 18 and a plurality of third electromagnetic radiators 20. Further, the antenna comprises a signal providing unit 74 (Fig. 7). The terms "first", "second" and "third" are used within this disclosure only for differentiation purposes and do not imply any order of the items.

[0068] The first radiators 16 form first arrays 22 designed for a first frequency band. Thus, the first radiators 16 are designed to transmit and receive electromagnetic waves in the first frequency band. In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, two first arrays 22 are provided.

[0069] Likewise, the second radiators 18 form second arrays for a second frequency band. Thus, the second radiators 18 are designed to transmit and receive electromagnetic waves in a second frequency band.

[0070] Similarity, the third radiators 20 form third arrays for a third frequency band. Thus, the third radiators 20 are designed to transmit and receive electromagnetic waves in a third frequency band.

[0071] The first frequency band lies below the second frequency band, in particular fully, i.e. not overlapping with the second frequency band.

[0072] The third frequency band lies above the second frequency band, in particular fully, i.e. not overlapping with the second frequency band.

[0073] For example, the first frequency band lies below 1.0 GHz, in particular the first frequency band lies between 600 MHz and 960 MHz. It is also conceivable that the first frequency band lies between 1685 MHz to 2690 MHz. In this case, the second frequency band may lie below the first frequency band.

[0074] For example, the second frequency band lies above 1.0 GHz, in particular the second frequency band is 1.4 GHz to 2.7 GHz.

[0075] The first arrays 22 have two sections, namely a first section 24 and a second section 26. In the first section 24, the second radiators 18, in particular all second radiators 18, and a plurality of the first radiators 16 are located. For example, no third radiators 20 are present in the first section 24.

[0076] The first radiators 16 located in the first section 24 are of a first type, called first type radiators 28 within this disclosure for differentiation.

[0077] In the first section 24, the first type radiators 28 and the second radiators 18 are interleaved with one another.

[0078] Further, in the first section 24, the antenna 14 comprises a common first reflector 44 located below the first type radiators 28 and the second radiators 18. The first reflector 44 is in particular of metal, or a metallized carrier, for example a metallized PCB. It is also conceivable, that the first reflector 44 comprises a Frequency Selective Surface (FSS) or a metamaterial.

[0079] In the second section 26, the third radiators 20, in particular all third radiators 20, and at least one, in particular a plurality of the first radiators 16 are located. For example, no second radiators 18 are present in the second section 26.

[0080] The first radiators 16 located in the second section 26 are of a second type, called second type radiators 30 within this disclosure for differentiation. Thus, one, in particular each of the first arrays 22 comprises first type radiators 28 as well as second type radiators 30.

[0081] In the second section 26, the second type radiators 30 and the third radiators 20 are interleaved with one another.

[0082] Further, the antenna 14 comprises in the second section 26 a second reflector 46.

[0083] The second reflector 46 is arranged between the second type radiators 30, more precisely the radiator heads 32 of the second type radiators 30 and the third radiators 20. The second reflector 46 may be a Frequency Selective Surface (FSS) or a metamaterial.

[0084] Figure 3 shows a cross section of the antenna 14 through the second section 26 of the first arrays 22 schematically with second type radiators 30. Figure 4 shows a single first type radiator 28 in a perspective view.

[0085] The first type radiators 28 and the second type radiators 30 are structurally different. Nevertheless, in the shown embodiment, they have the same general components.

[0086] Both, the first type radiators 28 and the second type radiators 30 comprise a radiator head 32 and a support 34.

[0087] The radiator head 32 comprises a head carrier 36 and four radiation structures 38 applied to the head carrier 36.

[0088] The radiation structures 38 are arranged in a 2 x 2 grid, wherein diagonally opposite radiation structures 38 form one dipole.

[0089] For example, the radiator head 32 is a dual-polarized dipole, in particular with one +45-degree and one -45-degree single-polarized dipole. Each singlepolarized dipole comprises two dipole arms.

[0090] The radiator head 32, more precisely the head carrier 36, is mounted by means of the support 34.

[0091] Each support 34 comprises a mechanical support carrier 40 for mechanically supporting the radiator head 32 as well as a feed structure 42 for feedings signals to the radiator head 32. The feed structure 42 electrically connects an input to the radiator head 32.

[0092] The feed structure 42 may comprise a balun structure and / or a shifting structure.

[0093] The feed structure 42 is not (fully) shown in Figures 3 and 4 for simplicity. The support carrier 40 may be a substrate of a dielectric material. For example, the substrate is a printed circuit board.

[0094] It is also conceivable that the support carrier 40 is one or more foils carrying the feed structure 42.

[0095] In the shown embodiment, the support carrier 40 has two surfaces, namely a signal surface and a ground surface.

[0096] It is conceivable that the support carrier 40 is multilayered, e.g. a multilayered substrate. In this case, the support carrier 40 comprises more than two surfaces. In multilayered substrates, inner surfaces may be referred to as layers.

[0097] The feed structure 42 may be metallizations deposited on the respective surface of the support carrier 40 using deposition techniques as known in the art, in particular on the signal surface.

[0098] It is conceivable that the support carrier 40 is a thermoplastic part supporting a metal sheet forming the feed structure 42.

[0099] In the same way, the radiator head 32 comprises the head carrier 36 with the radiation structures 38 applied to the surface of it.

[0100] The head carrier 36 may be a substrate of a dielectric material. For example, the substrate is a printed circuit board.

[0101] It is also conceivable that the head carrier 36 is one or more foils carrying the radiation structures 38.

[0102] In the shown embodiment, the head carrier 36 has two surfaces, namely a top surface and a bottom surface.

[0103] It is conceivable that the head carrier 36 is multilayered, e.g. a multilayered substrate. In this case, the head carrier 36 comprises more than two surfaces. In multilayered substrates, inner surfaces may be referred to as layers. The radiation structures 38 may be metallizations deposited on the respective surface of the head carrier 36 using deposition techniques as known in the art.

[0104] It is conceivable that the head carrier 36 is a thermoplastic part supporting a metal sheet forming the radiation structures 38.

[0105] It is conceivable that for each radiator head 32 two support carriers 40 are provided forming the support 34.

[0106] The first type radiators 28 and the second type radiators 30 differ from one another in particular by the construction of the support 34, as shown in Figure 4 depicting a first type radiator 28.

[0107] The radiator heads 32 of the first type radiators 28 and of the second type radiators 30 may be identical to one another.

[0108] As can be seen in Figure 3, the second type radiators 30 are so-called side fed radiators meaning that the support 34 has a cantilever portion for holding the radiator head 32 above the third radiators 20.

[0109] Directional terms like "up", "down", "above", "vertical", etc. are to be understood with respect to the radiation direction R of the radiator (also referred to as "vertical"). "Sideways" or "horizontal" is to be understood as a direction perpendicular to the radiation direction R.

[0110] In contrast, as shown in Figure 4, the first type radiators 28 are so-called center fed radiators having the support 34 extending perpendicular to the radiator head 32 from the center of the radiator head 32 downwards. In the following, only one first type radiator 28 is described exemplarily for all of the first type radiators 28.

[0111] Due to this structural difference, the phases of the signals emitted by the second type radiator 30 and the first type radiators 28 differ, in particular as the side fed radiators (the second type radiators 30) have longer feeding lines. Thus, the phases of the first type radiators 28 has to be matched to the phases of the second type radiators 30.

[0112] Figure 5 shows in detail how the first type radiator 28 is mounted. The antenna comprises a base 48 on which the first type radiator 28 is mounted with the lower side of its support 34. The base 48 is, in this embodiment, a phase matching network 50. Further, the base 48 comprises a signal input 56 for the first type radiator 28.

[0113] The phase matching network 50 comprises a carrier 52 and a matching structure 54 applied to the carrier 52.

[0114] The carrier 52 may be a substrate of a dielectric material. For example, the substrate is a printed circuit board.

[0115] It is also conceivable that the carrier 52 is one or more foils carrying the matching structure 54.

[0116] In the shown embodiment, the carrier 52 has two surfaces, namely a signal surface S and a ground surface G. The ground surface G and the signal surface S are opposite surfaces.

[0117] A grounded ground plane is provided on the ground surface G of the carrier 52.

[0118] It is conceivable that the carrier 52 is multilayered, e.g. a multilayered substrate. In this case, the carrier 52 comprises more than two surfaces. In multilayered substrates, inner surfaces may be referred to as layers.

[0119] The matching structure 54 may be a metallization deposited on the respective surface of the carrier 52 using deposition techniques as known in the art, in particular on the signal surface S.

[0120] It is conceivable that the carrier 52 is a thermoplastic part supporting a metal sheet forming the matching structure 54. It is also conceivable, that the matching structure 54 is applied to the support 34 so that the matching network 50 and the support 34 are the same component. In this case, the feed structure 42 and the matching structure 54 are applied to the same carrier 40 or, in particular to the same surface of the support carrier 40.

[0121] The signal input 56 is a connecting portion 57 for a coaxial cable 58 mounted to the carrier 52.

[0122] The signal input 56 is electrically connected to the first type radiator 28, more precisely the feed structure 42, by means of the phase matching network 50.

[0123] In case of the second type radiators 30, the signal input 56, which may also be a connecting portion for a coaxial cable, is directly connected to the feed structure 42 of the support 34 of the respective second type radiator 30.

[0124] Thus, no matching network 50 is provided for the second type radiators 30.

[0125] The other hand, for each of the first type radiators 28 a phase matching network 50 is provided.

[0126] It is conceivable that the phase matching networks 50 of different first type radiators 28 make use of the same carrier 52, meaning that the matching structures 54 are applied to the same carrier 52.

[0127] Figure 6 shows a top view of the carrier 52 onto the signal surface S.

[0128] As can be seen, one phase matching network 50 for each polarization of the first type radiators 28 is provided on the signal surface S. The two phase matching networks 50 of a single first type radiators 28 are located on the same carrier 52 and are substantially identical. Thus, in the following only one of the phase matching network 50 is described exemplarily.

[0129] The matching structure 54 comprises a signal line 62 and two stubs 64. The signal line 62 is an impedance transformer that starts at the signal input 56, which is in the shown embodiment a connection point 66 to the inner conductor of the coaxial cable 58.

[0130] The signal line 62 ends at a connection point 68 for connection with the feed structure 42 at the support 34. The connection point 68 is thus an input of the feed structure 42.

[0131] The signal line 62 thus electrically connects the signal input 56 with the first type radiator 28, more precisely the feed structure 42.

[0132] The signal line has a length of between 1 / 8 and 1 / 6 of the wavelength of the average frequency of the first frequency band.

[0133] The stubs 64 extend from the signal line 62. The end of the stubs 64 not connected to the signal line 62, i.e. the far end 70, is grounded.

[0134] For example, the grounding is achieved by a via 72 connecting the far end 70 to the ground plane at the ground surface G.

[0135] The length of each of the stubs 64, in the shown embodiment the length from the signal line 62 to the far end 70, is smaller than one half of a wavelength of an average frequency of the first frequency band, in particular it is in the range between one quarter of a wavelength and one half of a wavelength of an average frequency of the first frequency band.

[0136] It is also conceivable, that the stubs 64 are not grounded at the far end 70 but at a position closer to the signal line 62. In this case, the length as mentioned above is measured from the signal line 62 to the grounding.

[0137] The stubs 64 have a width which is larger than the width of the signal line 62.

[0138] Figure 7 shows schematically how the first radiators 16 are connected to the signal providing unit 74. The signal providing unit 74 comprises several radiator ports, namely a plurality of first radiator ports 76 and a plurality of second radiator ports 78. In particular, for each of the first type radiators 28 one first radiator port 76 is provided, and for each of the second type radiators 30 one second radiator port 78 is provided.

[0139] Each first radiator port 76 is connected to the corresponding first type radiator 28 via one first transmission line 80 of the antenna 14, in particular a dedicated first transmission line 80.

[0140] More precisely, the first transmission line 80 connects the first radiator port 76 with the respective signal input 56 for the corresponding first type radiator 28.

[0141] In much the same way, each second radiator port 78 is connected to the corresponding second type radiator 30 via one second transmission line 82 of the antenna 14, in particular a dedicated second transmission line 82.

[0142] More precisely, the second transmission line 82 connects the second radiator port 76 with a respective signal input 84 for the corresponding second type radiator 30.

[0143] The first and second transmission lines 80, 82 may be any kind of RF-signal lines, for example coaxial cables, solid metal lines, striplines or microstrip lines.

[0144] Due to the stubs 64 extending from the signal line 62, the matching structure alters the slope of the phase over frequency of the first type radiators 28. The configuration of the stubs 64 is such that the slope of the phase in the first frequency band of the first type radiators 28 is the same as the slope of the phase in the first frequency band of the second type radiators 30. In particular, due to the phase matching structure, the radiation pattern of the first array is constant across the first frequency band, leading to an improved beam quality and reduced downtilt deviation. Thus, due to the improved phase matching, the deviation of the tilt angle over frequency in the first frequency band is drastically reduced.

[0145] Further, due to the matching structure, the transmission lines 80, 82 do not have to match the phases. Thus, they may be kept short. Figure 8 shows a second embodiment of a matching structure 54 which substantially corresponds to the first embodiment discussed above. Thus, in the following the same and functionally the same components are labeled with the same reference signs.

[0146] The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that only one stub 64 is present in each matching structure 54.

[0147] The width of the stub 64 corresponds to the width of the signal line 62, in the second embodiment.

[0148] The features of the various embodiments described above may be combined freely with one another.

Claims

Claims1. Antenna, in particular for a mobile communication base station (10), comprising a first array (22) of first radiators (16) designed for a first frequency band, wherein the first array (22) comprises at least one first type radiator (28) of the first radiators (16), at least one second type radiator (30) of the first radiators (16) and at least one phase matching network (50) for the at least one first type radiator (28), wherein the at least one phase matching network (50) comprises a carrier (52) and a matching structure (54) applied to the carrier (52), wherein the matching structure (54) comprises a signal line (62) electrically connecting a signal input (56) for the respective first type radiator (28) to the respective one of the at least one first type radiator (28), and at least one stub (64) extending from the signal line (62).

2. Antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that the matching structure (54) is configured such that the radiation pattern of the first array is constant across the first frequency band and / or such that a slope of the phase with respect to frequency over the first frequency band of the at least one first type radiator (28) is the same as a slope of the phase with respect to frequency over the first frequency band of the at least one second type radiator (30).

3. Antenna according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the antenna (14) comprises at least one first transmission line (80), at least one second transmission line (82) and a signal providing unit (74) with at least one first radiator port (76) and at least one second radiator port (78), wherein the at least one first radiator port (76) is connected to the signal input (56) for the respective first type radiator (28) via the at least one first transmission line (80), and wherein the at least one second radiator port (78) is connected to a signal input (84) for a respective second type radiator (28) via the at least one second transmission line (82).

4. Antenna according to claim 3, characterized in that the signal providing unit (74) is a phase shifter.

5. Antenna according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the at least one first transmission line (80) and / or the at least one second transmission line (82) is a coaxial cable, a solid metal line, a stripline or a microstrip line.

6. Antenna according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that for each of the at least one first type radiator (28) a phase matching network (50) is provided and / or that no phase matching network (50) is provided for the at least one second type radiator (30).

7. Antenna according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the matching structure (54) comprises two stubs (64), and / or that the stubs (64) have a width larger than a width of the signal line (62).

8. Antenna according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stub (64) is grounded, in particular at its far end (70) not being connected to the signal line (62), and / or that the stub (64) has a length smaller than 1 / 2 of a wavelength of an average frequency of the first frequency band, in particular being 1 / 4 of a wavelength of an average frequency of the first frequency band.

9. Antenna according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the signal line (62) has a length of between 1 / 8 and 1 / 6 of the wavelength of the average frequency of the first frequency band.

10. Antenna according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carrier (52) has two surfaces, namely a ground surface (G) and a signal surface (S), wherein a ground plane is provided on the ground surface (G) and the matching structure (54) is provided on the signal surface (S).

11. Antenna according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one first type radiator (28) comprises a radiator head (32) and a support (34), wherein a feed structure (42) for feeding signals to the radiator head (32), in particular a balun structure and / or a shifting structure, is providedon the support (34), wherein the matching structure (54) of the phase matching network (50) is electrically connected to an input of the feed structure (42).

12. Antenna according to claim 11, characterized in that the at least one second type radiator (30) comprises a radiator head (32) and a support (34), in particular wherein the radiator heads (32) of the at least one first type radiator (28) and of the at least one second type radiator (30) are identical to one another and / or wherein the support (34) of the at least one first type radiator (28) differs from the support (34) of the at least one second type radiator (30).

13. Antenna according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one first type radiator (28) is a center fed radiator and / or the at least one second type radiator (30) is a side fed radiator, or vice versa.

14. Antenna according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the antenna (14) comprises at least one further array of radiators (18, 20) designed for a frequency band different from the first frequency band, wherein the at least one further array is a second array of second radiators (18) designed for a second frequency band and / or a third array of third radiators (20) designed for a third frequency band.

15. Antenna according to claim 14, characterized in that the first array comprises a first section (24), wherein the at least one first type radiator (28) is arranged in the first section (24), and wherein the second radiators (18) of the second array are arranged in the first section (24), in particular wherein the antenna (14) comprises a common first reflector (44) for the at least one first type radiator (28) and the second radiators (18) in the first section (24).

16. Antenna according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that the first array (22) comprises a second section (26), wherein the at least one second type radiator (30) is arranged in the second section (26) and the third radiators (20) of the third array are arranged in the second section (26), in particular wherein the antenna (14) comprises a second reflector (46) for the at least one second type radiator (30) in the second section (26).

17. Antenna according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the signal input (56) for the at least one first type radiator (28) comprises a connecting portion (57) for a coaxial cable (58).

18. Mobile communication base station having at least one antenna (14) according to any of the claims 1 to 17.

19. User device for mobile communication having at least one antenna (14) according to any of the claims 1 to 17.

Images