Antenna, mobile communication base station and user device

Abstract

An antenna (14) has a housing (18), a plurality of radiators (16) and at least one beamforming structure (20) located within the housing (18) and / or being part of the housing (18). The at least one beamforming structure (20) comprises a plurality of conductive patch areas (30), a plurality of conductive first control lines (32) extending in a first direction (D1), and a plurality of conductive second control lines (34) extending in a second direction (D2). The conductive patch areas (30) are arranged in a grid and form a resonance structure for electromagnetic waves in a resonance frequency band. The patch areas (30) are connected to one of the plurality of first control lines (32) via first switching elements (36), and the patch areas (30) are connected to one of the plurality of second control lines (34) via second switching elements (38), wherein the switching elements (36, 38) have an isolating state and a coupling state. Further, a mobile communication base station (10) and a user device (12) are provided.

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 as well as a user device.

[0004] Background

[0005] Antennas, in particular for mobile communication base stations but also for user devices are used in environments that are very individual and may change rapidly (in case of user devices) or gradually (in case of base stations).

[0006] Adapting an antenna to the individual environment, for example to have a site specific configuration for a base station antenna, may thus be needed.

[0007] However, an adaption requires an individual antenna design with features for forming the beam spaced apart from the radiators.

[0008] For beamforming, metasurfaces are known, for example from US 2014 / 0118218 A1, which may be switchable as described, for example, in US 2018 / 0053994 A1 and CN112510375A. These solutions, however, require a certain amount of space.

[0009] With the advance of wide-band antennas, the available space within an antenna becomes more and more limited. At the same time, designing individual antennas would be very costly.

[0010] Summary

[0011] It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an antenna, a mobile communication base station as well as a user device that may easily be adapted to the individual, e.g. site specific requirements at low costs and having a compact size. For this purpose, in an embodiment, an antenna is provided, in particular for a mobile communication base station. The antenna comprises a housing, a plurality of radiators designed for a first frequency band located within the housing and at least one beamforming structure located within the housing and / or being part of the housing. The at least one beamforming structure comprises a plurality of conductive patch areas, a plurality of conductive first control lines extending in a first direction, and a plurality of conductive second control lines extending in a second direction. The conductive patch areas are arranged in a grid and form a resonance structure for electromagnetic waves in a resonance frequency band. The patch areas are connected to one of the plurality of first control lines via first switching elements, and the patch areas are connected to one of the plurality of second control lines via second switching elements. The switching elements have an isolating state and a coupling state, wherein in the isolating state the patch area and the control line connected by the respective switching element are galvanically isolated from one another, and in the coupling state the patch area and the control line connected by the respective switching element are electrically coupled to one another by means of the respective switching element.

[0012] By using a resonant grid of patch areas wherein some or all of the patch areas may be switched to be electrically coupled with a control line, electromagnetic behavior of the grid and thus the beam of the antenna is switchable. The change in electromagnetic behavior is caused by selectively shortening the capacitor formed by the selected patch areas and the respective control lines.

[0013] Depending on the location and the amount of patch areas that are switched, the electromagnetic behavior of the antenna changes. The beamforming structure thus provides many parameters to optimize the beam of the antenna individually. At the same time, by integrating the beamforming structure within the housing or as part of the housing, the size of the antenna remains very small. Further, the size is reduced as the control lines are integrated as part of the beamforming structure.

[0014] It is to be understood that the patch area and the control line connected by the respective switching element may already be capacitively coupled in the isolating state. In the coupling state, however, a galvanic coupling and / or a further, much stronger capacitive coupling is provided by the switching element. The capacitive coupling provided by the switching element in the coupling state is at least one order of magnitude stronger than the coupling present in the isolated state.

[0015] In particular, the patch areas are galvanically isolated from one another and from the conductive control lines, wherein the conductive control lines are galvanically isolated from one another.

[0016] The first direction is in particular different from the second direction. They are, for example, orthogonal to one another. The grid of patch areas forms a metasurface.

[0017] The resonance frequency band is, for example, the first frequency band and / or a different frequency band.

[0018] In particular, the first control lines are isolated from one another; the second control lines are isolated from one another; and / or each of the first control lines is isolated from each of the second control lines.

[0019] The patch area and the control line connected by the respective switching element may be galvanically and / or capacitively coupled to one another in the coupling state, providing an enhanced coupling.

[0020] In an aspect, each patch area is connected to an adjacent one of the first control lines via one of the first switching elements, and each patch area is also connected to an adjacent one of the second control lines via one of the second switching elements, allowing to address patch areas precisely.

[0021] In particular, each patch area is connected to exactly one adjacent first control line and / or exactly one adjacent second control line.

[0022] For further improved performance, the housing may comprise a reflector and / or a radome.

[0023] For example, the beamforming structure is part of a reflector and / or a radome of the housing.

[0024] In case of more than one beamforming structures, a beamforming structure may be present in the reflector, in the radome or between the reflector and the radome.

[0025] In order to reduce the size of the beamforming structures, the first control lines may extend between adjacent patch areas adjacent in a direction transverse to the first direction, in particular wherein between patch areas adjacent in a direction transverse to the first direction exactly one of the first control lines extends.

[0026] In order to further reduce the size of the beamforming structures, the second control lines may extend between adjacent patch areas adjacent in a direction transverse to the second direction, in particular wherein between patch areas adjacent in a direction transverse to the second direction exactly one of the second control lines extends.

[0027] The first or second control lines may have a section extending on the other surface in the region of the crossing with a second or first control lines, respectively.

[0028] For improved performance, the first control lines and / or the second control lines may have a shape complementary to the shape of the edges of the patch area. For example, the first control lines and / or the second control lines have a meander shape or a comb shape engaging with the edge of the patch area. This way, the size of the patch area is reduced for a given desired resonance frequency and the discretization of the beamforming structure is increased.

[0029] In an embodiment, the first switching elements and / or the second switching elements are PIN diodes, MEMS switches, RF transistors or varactor diodes, allowing reliable and cost efficient implementation.

[0030] For example, for a given patch area, the cathode of the first switching element is connected to the given patch area, and the anode of the second switching element is connected to the given patch area, or vice versa.

[0031] In an embodiment, the beamforming structure comprises a substrate having two surfaces or more than two surfaces, in particular wherein the patch areas and the first and / or second control lines are located on the same surface. This way, the beamforming structure may be manufactured cost efficiently.

[0032] In case of a multilayered substrate, each layer, even inner layers, are to be understood as a surface within this disclosure.

[0033] For example, all switching elements are located on the same surface, for example the second surface.

[0034] In order to reduce the size of the beamforming structure further, the patch area may comprise a first portion located on the first surface and a second portion located on the second surface connected to one another, in particular wherein the first portion and the second portion are galvanically connected by a via through the substrate.

[0035] The first portion comprises at least one comb-shaped edge.

[0036] In an aspect, the first control lines each have a first portion located on the first surface and a second portion located on the second surface connected to one another, wherein the second portion is connected to the first switching element, in particular wherein the first portion extends uninterruptedly across the full length of the grid of patch areas. This way, the beamforming structure may be reduced in size.

[0037] The first portion and the second portion of each of the first control lines are in particular galvanically connected by a via through the substrate.

[0038] For example, the first portion has a shape complementary to the shape of the patch area.

[0039] In order to reduce the size of the beamforming structure further, the second control lines may have a first portion located on the first surface and a second portion located on the second surface connected to one another, in particular wherein the second portion extends uninterruptedly across the full length of the grid of patch areas.

[0040] The first portion and the second portion of each of the second control lines are galvanically connected by a via through the substrate.

[0041] In an aspect, the second portion of the second control line is connected to the second switching element via the first portion, allowing for the first and second switching elements to be on the same surface.

[0042] For example, the first portion of the second control line has a shape complementary to the shape of the patch area.

[0043] In an embodiment, for every column of patch areas in the second direction a group of more than one second control lines is provided, wherein each patch area is connected to only one of the second control lines of the same group. This way, the patch areas may be addressed even more precisely or even individually.

[0044] For example, there may be as many second control lines per group as patch areas in a column of the grid.

[0045] In an embodiment, the first control lines each comprise a first port connectable to a first voltage source, and the second control lines each comprise a second port connectable to a second voltage source, allowing to alter the voltage level of the control lines.

[0046] Usage of the words "first" and "second" does not imply that a second port or first port, respectively, or a third port and so forth is / are present.

[0047] For example, the antenna comprises a first voltage source connected to the respective first ports of the first control lines, and a second voltage source connected to the respective second ports of the second control lines, in particular wherein the first voltage source and the second voltage source are provided in form of a microcontroller.

[0048] In an embodiment, the beamforming structure is located between the radiators or sideways of the radiators, in particular wherein the radiators are arranged in rows and columns forming an array of radiators, wherein the beamforming structure is located between radiators of adjacent columns and / or of adjacent rows. Beamforming structures placed at these locations have a strong impact on the beam characteristics of the beam of the antenna.

[0049] The beamforming structure may be oriented in the direction of the columns. In order to have a compact antenna, the beamforming structure may be located in the nearfield of the radiators and / or in a distance between 0.25 to 0.45 times a wavelength of an average frequency of the first frequency band.

[0050] For above mentioned purpose, a mobile communication base station is further provided. The base station comprises at least one antenna as described above.

[0051] Further, for above mentioned purpose, a user device for mobile communication is provided. The user device comprises at least one antenna as described above.

[0052] The features and advantages described with respect to the antenna also apply to the base station and / or the user device and vice versa.

[0053] Brief Description of the Drawings

[0054] 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,

[0055] 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,

[0056] Figure 2 shows a schematic top view (without radome) of the antenna of the mobile communication base station of Figure 1,

[0057] Figure 3 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of Figure 2,

[0058] Figure 4 shows a schematic representation of a beamforming structure of the antenna of

[0059] Figures 2 and 3,

[0060] Figures 5, 6 show a cross-section and a top view of an antenna according to a second and third embodiment of the invention, respectively,

[0061] Figures 7, 8 show the metallizations on a substrate of a section of a beamforming structure of an antenna according to a fourth embodiment of the invention, and

[0062] Figures 9 to 12 show different switching patterns achievable with the antenna of the fourth embodiment.

[0063] Detailed Description

[0064] Figure 1 shows an embodiment of a mobile communication base station 10 and an embodiment of a user device 12. 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.

[0065] 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.

[0066] Moreover, as will be appreciated by those of skilled 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.

[0067] 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.

[0068] 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).

[0069] The antenna 14 of the mobile communication base station 10 is a multiband antenna to provide speech and data connections in various frequency bands.

[0070] 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.

[0071] Figure 2 shows exemplarily an antenna 14 of the mobile communication base station 10 in a simplified top view, and Figure 3 shows the antenna 14 in a sectional view.

[0072] 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.

[0073] The antenna 14 has a plurality of dual polarized electromagnetic radiators 16, optionally a plurality of second dual polarized electromagnetic radiators (not shown for simplification), a housing 18, a plurality of beamforming structures 20, and a common reflector 22. Further, the antenna may also have a plurality of third dual polarized electromagnetic radiators (not shown for simplification) or more than three kinds of radiators.

[0074] The terms "first", "second" and "third" are used within this disclosure only for differentiation purposes and do not imply any order or quality of the items.

[0075] The first radiators 16 form a first array 24 designed for a first frequency band. Thus, the first radiators 16 are designed to transmit and receive electromagnetic waves in the first frequency band.

[0076] Likewise, the second radiators form a second array for a second frequency band. Thus, the second radiators are designed to transmit and receive electromagnetic waves in a second frequency band.

[0077] Similarly, the third radiators form a third array for a third frequency band, and so forth.

[0078] The first frequency band lies below the second frequency band, in particular fully, i.e. not overlapping with the second frequency band.

[0079] The third frequency band lies above the second frequency band, in particular fully, i.e. not overlapping with the second frequency band.

[0080] For example, the first frequency band lies below 1.0 GHz, in particular the first frequency band lies between 600 MHz and 960 MHz.

[0081] 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.

[0082] 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 or further above the first frequency band, e.g. between 3.4 GHz and 3.8 GHz.

[0083] In the shown example, the first array 24 has multiple columns of radiators 16, for example two columns of six radiators 16 each.

[0084] The columns extend in a direction of the antenna 14 referred to as the direction C of the column within this disclosure. The direction C of the column is, for example, parallel to the reflector 22.

[0085] Further, the antenna 14 has a radiation direction R. The radiator direction R is, for example, perpendicular to the reflector 22. The direction perpendicular to the radiation direction R and the direction C of the column is referred to as the transverse direction T.

[0086] 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.

[0087] The reflector 22 is located below the radiators 16. The reflector 22 is in particular of metal, or a metallized carrier, for example a metallized PCB. It is also conceivable, that the reflector 22 comprises a Frequency Selective Surface (FSS) or a metamaterial.

[0088] The reflector 22 is grounded and thus provides a ground plane.

[0089] The radiators 16 and, for example, also the second radiators are mounted to the reflector 22 so that the radiator heads of the radiators 16 are located above the reflector 22.

[0090] The housing 18 comprises the reflector 22 as well as a radome 26 (Figure 3) covering the radiators 16.

[0091] For example, as shown in the first embodiment, a beamforming structure 20 is located within the housing 18 between the columns of radiators 16 and extends in the direction C of the columns.

[0092] A second beamforming structure 20 may be, as shown in the first embodiment, located in the radome 26 and thus be part of the housing 18.

[0093] In addition or alternatively, a beamforming structure 20 may also be part of the common reflector 22.

[0094] The beamforming structures 20, in particular the beamforming structure 20 between the columns of radiators 16, are located in the nearfield of the radiator 16.

[0095] The distance between the closest radiator 16 and the beamforming structure 20, in particular the beamforming structure 20 between the columns, is 0.25 to 0.45 times the wavelength of the average frequency of the first frequency band.

[0096] Figure 4 shows a part of one of the beamforming structures 20 exemplarily. The beamforming structures 20 all may have the same design.

[0097] The beamforming structure 20 has a substrate 28, for example a PCB, with one or more surfaces onto which a metallization has been applied. The substrate may have two surfaces, i.e. a top and a bottom surface, or it may be a multilayered substrate. In this case, for simplification, each layer, even inner layers, are to be understood as a surface in the sense of this disclosure. As part of the metallization, the beamforming structure 20 comprises a plurality of conductive patch areas 30, a plurality of first control lines 32, and a plurality of second control lines 34.

[0098] The beamforming structure 20 further comprises a plurality of first switching elements 36, and a plurality of second switching elements 38.

[0099] The switching elements 36, 38 each have an isolating state and a coupling state.

[0100] In the isolating state, the respective switching element 36, 38 galvanically isolates the patch area 30 from the respective control line 32, 34. Thus, there is no galvanic connection between the patch area 30 from the respective control line 32, 34.

[0101] Nevertheless, there may be a capacitive coupling between the patch area 30 and the respective control line 32, 34 due to the fact they are very close and / or configured to engage one another.

[0102] In the coupling state, however, the switching element 36, 38 provides an electric coupling between the patch area 30 and the respective control line 32, 34.

[0103] The electric coupling may be a galvanic coupling, e.g. in case of a PIN-diode as switching element 36, 38, or a capacitive coupling, e.g. in case of a varactor as switching element 36, 38. In particular, the capacitive coupling provided by the switching element 36, 38 in the coupling state is at least one order of magnitude stronger than the coupling present in the isolated state.

[0104] The switching may be achieved by control currents generated by applying voltage differences between the respective control line 42, 44 and the patch area 30.

[0105] It is also conceivable that the patch area 30, the first control lines 32 and the second control lines 34 are a part of a metal sheet or the like. A substrate may be omitted in that case.

[0106] The patch areas 30 are galvanically isolated from one another and from the control lines 32, 34.

[0107] The conductive control lines 32, 34 are galvanically isolated from one another.

[0108] In the shown embodiment, the patch area 30, the first control lines 32 and the second control lines 34 as well as the switching elements 36, 38 are all located on the same surface of the substrate 28. The exception may be the second control lines 34 in the shown embodiment which have a small section on the second surface, as will be explained later.

[0109] The patch areas 30 are arranged in a grid, in particular a regular grid. For example, the part of the beamforming structure 20 shown in Figure 4 shows a 3x3 grid of patch areas 30. The patch areas 30 may be made fully of the conductor, or, as shown in Figure 4, have a hole in the center.

[0110] The patch areas 30, more precisely the entire grid of patch areas 30, together with the control lines 32, 34 form a resonance structure for electromagnetic waves in a resonance frequency band.

[0111] In particular, the patch areas 30 exhibit a frequency selective behavior together with the first control lines 32 for one wave polarization and with the second control lines 34 for a second orthogonal polarization.

[0112] As such, the beamforming structure 20 is a metasurface.

[0113] The resonance frequency band may be, for example, the first frequency band, i.e. the entire frequency band or a part thereof. It is also conceivable, that the resonance frequency band is different from the frequency band of the radiators. For example, the resonance frequency band may overlap with a second or third frequency band.

[0114] The edges of the patch areas 30 are comb-shaped. As such, they comprise a plurality of protrusions extending outwardly.

[0115] The patch areas 30 are separated from the adjacent patch areas 30 in the grid by the first and second control lines 32, 34.

[0116] The first control lines 32 extend in a first direction D1 , being the horizontal direction in Figure 4, and the second control lines 34 extend in a second direction D2, being the vertical direction in Figure 4.

[0117] The first direction D1 is thus different from the second direction D2. For example, the first and second direction are orthogonal to one another.

[0118] The first and second control lines 32, 34 each have a meander shape, wherein the adjacent patch areas engage with the meanders of the meander shape. The shape of the first and second control lines 32, 34 is complementary to the shape of the edge of the patch areas.

[0119] For example, as seen in the first embodiment, only one first control line 32 is located between each adjacent patch areas 30 in the vertical direction (i.e. the direction transverse to the first direction).

[0120] Likewise, in the horizontal direction, only one second control line 34 is located between each pair of adjacent patch areas 30.

[0121] The first control lines 32 and the second control lines 34 cross one another, wherein each first control line 32 crosses each second control line 34 once. In the region of the crossing, the second control lines 34 do not extend on the first surface, but have a small portion located on the second surface of the substrate 28, indicated with dashed lines in Figure 4.

[0122] The galvanic connection between the portions of the second control lines 34 on the different surfaces is, for example, realized by vias.

[0123] The first control lines 32, however, extend fully on the first surface, so that the first control lines 32 and the second control lines 34 are galvanically isolated from one another even though they cross.

[0124] Further, the first control lines 32 and the second control lines 34 each comprise a port 40 at one of their ends, called first port 40 in case of the first control lines 32 and second port 40 in case of the second control lines 34.

[0125] The ports 40 are used to apply a voltage to the respective control line 32, 34 for actuating the switching elements 36, 38.

[0126] The antenna 14 or the beamforming structure 20 comprises a first voltage source 42, connected to the first ports 40 of the first control lines 32 and a second voltage source 44 connected to the second ports 40 of the second control lines 34.

[0127] The voltage sources 42, 44 are configured to apply voltages individually to each of the control lines 32, 34. This may be done by using a single voltage source and / or a multiplexer for each of the first and second voltage sources 42, 44.

[0128] It is also conceivable that a microcontroller of the antenna 14 or the beamforming structure 20 has multiple output ports acting as voltage sources, wherein one of the output ports is connected to each one of the ports 40 of the control lines 32, 34, allowing individual control of the voltages of the control lines 32, 34.

[0129] The first switching elements 36 and the second switching elements 38 are used to provide a switchable galvanic connection between the patch areas 30 and the control lines 32, 34.

[0130] The switching elements 36, 38 are, for example PIN diodes, MEMS switches, RF transistors or varactor diodes. The first switching elements 36 are arranged such that each patch area 30 is connected to an adjacent one of the first control lines via one of the first switching elements 36.

[0131] In other words, each patch area 30 is connected to one of the first control lines 32 passing vertically by the respective patch area 30 by means of one first switching element 36. Likewise, each patch area 30 is connected to exactly one of the second control lines 34 which is passing vertically by the respective patch area 30 by one second switching element 38.

[0132] For example, in case that the switching elements 36, 38 are diodes, the anode of the first switching element 36 is connected to the respective patch area 30 and the cathode of the second switching element 38 is connected to the same patch area 30, or vice versa.

[0133] By applying a positive voltage to one of the first control lines 32 and, at the same time, applying a smaller or negative voltage to a second control line 34, the patch areas 30 sharing switching elements 36, 38 with the control lines 32, 34 that are applied with the voltage, are thus galvanically connected to the respective control lines 32, 34 as the switching elements 36, 38, in particular if they are diodes, provide a galvanic connection.

[0134] This galvanic connection alters the radio frequency properties of this specific patch area 30, which lead in turn to different properties of the beamforming structure 20 in total.

[0135] Thus, the RF properties of the beamforming structure 20 are switchable which, in turn, leads to further parameters that can be used to optimize the beam of the antenna 14.

[0136] Figures 5 to 12 show further embodiments of the invention that substantially correspond to the first embodiment so that in the following, only the differences will be discussed and the same and functionally the same components are labeled with the same reference signs. It is to be noted that the features introduced with the further embodiments may be combined not only with the first but also with the other further embodiments.

[0137] Figure 5 corresponds to Figure 3 and shows a second embodiment of an antenna 14.

[0138] In difference to the first embodiment, the antenna 14 comprises further beamforming structures 20 located as side walls. The beamforming structures 20 thus extend similarly as the beamforming structure 20 between the columns of radiators 16, but are located sideways, i.e. to the left or to the right, of the outermost column of radiators 16.

[0139] Further, in the second embodiment, a further beamforming structure 20 is part of the reflector 22.

[0140] It is conceivable that beamforming structures 20 are located in only one, two or more than two of the locations shown in Figure 5 in any arrangement or location.

[0141] Arranging beamforming structures 20 at different locations increases the parameters that can be changed for optimizing the beam of the antenna 14. Figure 6 shows a third embodiment in a view similar to that of Figure 2.

[0142] In difference to the first embodiment, many beamforming structures 20 are provided which are located between the radiators 16 of the same column. In other words, the beamforming structures 20 separate the radiators 16 of the same column from one another.

[0143] It is conceivable that in addition a beamforming structure 20 separating the columns and extending in the direction of columns C is also present.

[0144] Figures 7 to 12 show a fourth embodiment of an antenna 14.

[0145] Figures 7 and 8 show a part of the beamforming structure 20 of this fourth embodiment, wherein Figure 7 shows the metallizations on the first surface of the substrate 28 and Figure 8 shows the metallizations on the second surface of the substrate 28.

[0146] In difference to the first embodiment, the patch areas 30 comprise a first portion located on the first surface and a second portion located on the second surface.

[0147] The first portion and the second portion of the patch area 30 are galvanically connected to one another by a via 46 through the substrate.

[0148] In this embodiment, it is the first portion on the first side that has the comb-like edges.

[0149] The switching elements 36, 38 are provided on the second surface.

[0150] The first control lines 32 have first portions located on the first surface and second portions located on the second surface. For example, the first portion and the second portion of the first control lines 32 are galvanically connected by vias 48.

[0151] The first portion extends uninterruptedly across the full length of the grid of patch areas 30 on the first surface.

[0152] The second portion, however, is interrupted on the second surface by the second control lines 34.

[0153] Further, it is the first portion that has a shape complementary to the shape of the edges of the patch area 30. In the shown embodiment, the first portions of the first control lines 32 have a comb-shape.

[0154] Further in difference to the first embodiment, for every column of patch areas 30 in the grid, not only one second control line 34 is provided by a group 50 of two or more second control lines 34.

[0155] In the shown embodiment, each group 50 has four second control lines 34 each. There may be as many second control lines 34 in the group 50 as there are patch areas 30 in the respective column.

[0156] The second control lines 34 also have a first portion on the first surface and a second portion on the second surface each.

[0157] The first portion and the second portion of the second control lines are galvanically connected by a via 52 through the substrate 28.

[0158] The second portions on the second surface of all second control lines 34 of a group 50 extend uninterruptedly across the full length of the grid of the patch areas, i.e. uninterruptedly in the vertical direction.

[0159] The second control lines 34 are not connected to each of the patch areas 30 they passed by, but only to a single or selected amount of patch areas 30.

[0160] The second control lines 34 have a first portion only in the region of the patch area they are connected to by the second switching element 38.

[0161] It is the first portion that has a shape complementary to the shape of the edges of the patch area 30, in the shown embodiment a comb-shape.

[0162] Further, the first portion is galvanically connected to the respective switching element 38 on the second surface by a via 54.

[0163] The switching elements 36, 38 in this embodiment are exclusively located on the second surface connected to the second portion of the patch areas 30.

[0164] By providing a group 50 of seconds control lines 34, the patch areas 30 may be addressed individually and singularly allowing to create patterns of a plurality of patch areas 30 that are galvanically connected to the first control lines 32 and those that are not.

[0165] This further enhances the amount of control over the beam optimization process of the antenna 14.

[0166] Figures 9 to 12 show schematically a full grid of a beamforming structure 20, whereas only the patch areas 30 are shown for simplification. Patch areas that are shown in white are galvanically isolated and those shown in solid black are switched, i.e. galvanically connected to the first control line 32.

[0167] In Figure 9, three horizontal stripes of switched and unswitched patch areas are created alternatingly. Figure 10 shows a pattern in which vertical stripes of switched patch areas 30 are created.

[0168] Figure 11 shows a pattern with an uppermost border of switched patch areas from which two diagonal lines extend downwards.

[0169] Figure 12 shows a pattern of two diagonal walls of switched patch areas 30. During operation of the antenna 14, switching the beamforming structures 20 to different patterns as shown in Figures 9 to 12 alters the effect of the beamforming structure 20 on the beam of the antenna 14 and thus allows to optimize the beam of the antenna 14 itself.

[0170] Further, the beam may even be optimized in real time based on feedback from the user device or any other node of the network. By switching the patch areas 30, the resonance of the grid of patch areas 30 is shifted.

[0171] By locating the beamforming structure 20 so close to the radiators, a large impact on the beam parameters is achieved when switching patch areas 30.

Claims

Claims1. Antenna, in particular for a mobile communication base station (10), comprising a housing (18), a plurality of radiators (16) designed for a first frequency band located within the housing (18) and at least one beamforming structure (20) located within the housing (18) and / or being part of the housing (18), wherein the at least one beamforming structure (20) comprises a plurality of conductive patch areas (30), a plurality of conductive first control lines (32) extending in a first direction (D1 ), and a plurality of conductive second control lines (34) extending in a second direction (D2), wherein the conductive patch areas (30) are arranged in a grid and form a resonance structure for electromagnetic waves in a resonance frequency band, wherein the patch areas (30) are connected to one of the plurality of first control lines (32) via first switching elements (36), and the patch areas (30) are connected to one of the plurality of second control lines (34) via second switching elements (38), and wherein the switching elements (36, 38) have an isolating state and a coupling state, wherein in the isolating state the patch area (30) and the control line (32, 34) connected by the respective switching element (36, 38) are galvanically isolated from one another, and in the coupling state the patch area (30) and the control line (32, 34) connected by the respective switching element (36, 38) are electrically coupled to one another by means of the respective switching element (36, 38).

2. Antenna according to claim 1 , characterized in that the patch area (30) and the control line (32, 34) connected by the respective switching element (36, 38) are galvanically and / or capacitively coupled to one another in the coupling state respective switching element (36, 38).

3. Antenna according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each patch area (30) is connected to one of the first control lines (32) via one of the first switching elements (34), and each patch area (30) is also connected to one of the second control lines (34) via one of the second switching elements (38).

4. Antenna according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing (18) comprises a reflector (22) and / or radome (26).

5. Antenna according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first control lines (32) extend between adjacent patch areas (30) adjacent in a direction transverse to the first direction (D1), in particular wherein between patch areas (30) adjacent in a direction transverse to the first direction (D 1 ) exactly one of the first control lines (32) extends.

6. Antenna according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second control lines (34) extend between adjacent patch areas (30) adjacent in a direction transverse to the second direction(D2), in particular wherein between patch areas (30) adjacent in a direction transverse to the second direction (D2) exactly one of the second control lines (34) extends.

7. Antenna according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first control lines (32) and / or the second control lines (34) have a shape complementary to a shape of the edges of the patch area (30), in particular a meander shape or a comb shape engaging with the edge of the patch area (30).

8. Antenna according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first switching elements (36) and / or the second switching elements (38) are PIN diodes, MEMS switches, RF transistors or varactor diodes.

9. Antenna according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the beamforming structure (20) comprises a substrate (28) having two surfaces or more than two surfaces, in particular wherein the patch areas (30) and the first and / or second control lines (32, 34) are located on the same surface.

10. Antenna according to claim 9, characterized in that the patch areas (30) comprise a first portion located on the first surface and a second portion located on the second surface connected to one another, in particular wherein the first portion and the second portion are galvanically connected by a via (46) through the substrate (28).11 . Antenna according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the first control lines (32) each have a first portion located on the first surface and a second portion located on the second surface connected to one another, wherein the second portion is connected to the first switching element (36), in particular wherein the first portion extends uninterruptedly across the full length of the grid of patch areas (30).

12. Antenna according to any of the claims 9 to 11 , characterized in that the second control lines (34) have a first portion located on the first surface and a second portion located on the second surface connected to one another, in particular wherein the second portion extends uninterruptedly across the full length of the grid of patch areas (30).

13. Antenna according to claim 12, characterized in that the second portion (34) is connected to the second switching element via the first portion.

14. Antenna according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that for every column of patch areas (30) in the second direction (D2) a group (50) of more than one second control lines (34) is provided, wherein each patch area (30) is connected to only one of the second control lines (34) of the same group (50).

15. Antenna according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that each one of the first control lines (32) comprises a first port (40) connectable to a first voltage source (42), and that each one19 of the second control lines (34) comprises a second port (40) connectable to a second voltage source (44).

16. Antenna according to claim 15, characterized in that the antenna (14) comprises a first voltage source (42) connected to the respective first ports (40) of the first control lines (32), and a second voltage source (44) connected to the respective second ports (40) of the second control lines (34), in particular wherein the first voltage source (42) and the second voltage source (44) are provided in form of a microcontroller.

17. Antenna according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the beamforming structure (20) is located between the radiators (16) or sideways of the radiators (16), in particular wherein the radiators (16) are arranged in rows and columns forming an array (24) of radiators (16), wherein the beamforming structure (20) is located between radiators (16) of adjacent columns and / or of adjacent rows.

18. Antenna according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the beamforming structure (20) is located in the nearfield of the radiators (16) and / or in a distance between 0.25 to 0.45 times a wavelength of an average frequency of the first frequency band.

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

20. User device for mobile communication comprising at least one antenna (14) according to any of the claims 1 to 18.

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