Antenna, antenna array, and electronic device

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to the technical field of communications, and provides an antenna, an antenna array, and an electronic device. The antenna of the present disclosure comprises a first substrate, a plurality of radiating structures, a first feeding structure, and a second feeding structure; each radiating structure comprises a first balun assembly, a second balun assembly, and a radiating element; the first balun assembly and the second balun assembly are arranged in a crossed configuration and are mounted on the first substrate; the radiating element is arranged at the end of the first balun assembly and the second balun assembly away from the first substrate; the first feeding structure feeds the radiating element by means of the first balun assembly, the second feeding structure feeds the radiating element by means of the second balun assembly, and the first feeding structure and the second feeding structure have different feeding directions.

Description

Antennas, antenna arrays and electronic equipment Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure belongs to the field of communication technology, and specifically relates to an antenna, antenna array, and electronic device. Background Technology

[0002] As a new type of aesthetically pleasing antenna, transparent antennas possess naturally excellent concealment characteristics thanks to their high light transmittance. Furthermore, due to their radiation performance being comparable to traditional antennas, transparent antennas are increasingly being introduced into specialized applications such as vehicle communication and building signal coverage. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art, and to provide an antenna, an antenna array, and an electronic device.

[0004] This disclosure provides an antenna comprising a first substrate, multiple radiating structures, a first feeding structure, and a second feeding structure; wherein...

[0005] The radiating structure includes a first balun assembly and a second balun assembly, as well as a radiating unit; the first balun assembly and the second balun assembly are arranged crosswise and are mounted on the first substrate; the radiating unit is disposed at one end of the first balun assembly and the second balun assembly away from the first substrate.

[0006] The first feeding structure feeds the radiating unit through the first balun component, and the second feeding structure feeds the radiating unit through the second balun component, and the feeding directions of the first feeding structure and the second feeding structure are different.

[0007] The first balun assembly includes a first substrate, a first balun feed line disposed on the first substrate, and a first reference electrode disposed on the side of the first substrate away from the first balun feed line layer; the second balun assembly includes a second substrate, a second balun feed line disposed on the second substrate, and a second reference electrode disposed on the side of the second substrate away from the second balun feed line layer; the first substrate and the second substrate are arranged intersectingly.

[0008] The first balun feed line is disposed on the first substrate, which is attached to the first substrate; the first reference electrode is disposed on the second substrate, which is attached to the first substrate.

[0009] The second balun feed line is disposed on the third substrate, which is attached to the second substrate; the second reference electrode is disposed on the fourth substrate, which is attached to the second substrate.

[0010] Both the first balun assembly and the second balun assembly are printed circuit boards; a first protective layer and a second protective layer are respectively provided on two opposite sides of the first balun assembly along its thickness direction; a third protective layer and a fourth protective layer are respectively provided on two opposite sides of the second balun assembly along its thickness direction.

[0011] The materials of the first protective layer, the second protective layer, the third protective layer, and the fourth protective layer all include white oil or green oil.

[0012] The antenna includes a second substrate, the first feeding structure includes a first power divider disposed on the second substrate, and a third reference electrode disposed on the side of the second substrate opposite to the first power divider; the second feeding structure includes a second power divider disposed on the second substrate, and a fourth reference electrode disposed on the side of the second substrate opposite to the second power divider; the third reference electrode and the fourth reference electrode are electrically connected.

[0013] A first feed terminal of the first power divider is configured to feed a first balun component; a first feed terminal of the second power divider is configured to feed a second balun component.

[0014] Wherein, the extension direction of the plane on which the second substrate is located is different from the extension direction of the plane on which the first substrate is located.

[0015] The first substrate and the second substrate are shared. The first reference electrode of the first balun assembly is connected to the third reference electrode through a first via penetrating the first substrate. The second reference electrode of the second balun assembly is connected to the third reference electrode through a first via penetrating the first substrate.

[0016] The radiating structure further includes a first transmission line and a second transmission line disposed on the first substrate.

[0017] One of the first feed terminals of the first power divider is connected to the first balun feed line of the first balun component via the first transmission line; one of the first feed terminals of the second power divider is connected to the second balun feed line of the second balun component via the second transmission line.

[0018] The first power supply terminal of the first power divider is connected to the first transmission line via a first connection component, and the first power supply terminal of the second power divider is connected to the second transmission line via a second connection component.

[0019] The first transmission line and the second transmission line include the conductive mesh structure.

[0020] The first balun component and the second balun component are arranged in an alternating manner, and the first reference electrode of the first balun component is divided into a first sub-reference electrode and a second sub-reference electrode, and the second reference electrode of the second balun component is divided into a third sub-reference electrode and a fourth sub-reference electrode.

[0021] The radiation unit includes a third substrate and a first radiation portion, a second radiation portion, a third radiation portion and a fourth radiation portion disposed on the side of the third substrate facing away from the first substrate;

[0022] The first sub-reference electrode is connected to the first radiating part through a third via penetrating the third substrate and the first radiating part; the second sub-reference electrode is connected to the second radiating part through a fourth via penetrating the third substrate and the second radiating part; the third sub-reference electrode is connected to the third radiating part through a fifth via penetrating the third substrate and the third radiating part; and the fourth sub-reference electrode is connected to the fourth radiating part through a sixth via penetrating the third substrate and the fourth radiating part.

[0023] The first radiating part, the second radiating part, the third radiating part, and the fourth radiating part all include the conductive mesh structure.

[0024] The first radiating part, the second radiating part, the third radiating part and the fourth radiating part are disposed on the fifth substrate; the fifth substrate is attached to the third substrate.

[0025] Wherein, the orthographic projections of the first radiating part, the second radiating part, the third radiating part, and the fourth radiating part on the third substrate all include polygons; the polygons include a first side and a second side disposed opposite to each other, a third side and a fourth side disposed opposite to each other, and a first connecting side connecting the first side and the third side, and a second connecting side connecting the second side and the fourth side;

[0026] The angles formed by the first connecting edge and the first side edge, the angles formed by the first connecting edge and the third side edge, the angles formed by the second connecting edge and the second side edge, and the angles formed by the second connecting edge and the fourth side edge are all obtuse angles; or,

[0027] The first connecting edge and the second connecting edge are curved edges.

[0028] Among them, at least some of the adjacent radiating units are provided with an isolation component.

[0029] The antenna further includes an antenna radome, and the first substrate, the plurality of radiating structures, the first feeding structure and the second feeding structure are all placed inside the antenna radome.

[0030] The conductive mesh comprises multiple first and second conductive lines arranged in a cross pattern; the line width of the first and second conductive lines is 2-30 μm, the line spacing is 5-200 μm, and the line thickness is 1-10 μm.

[0031] This disclosure provides an antenna array comprising a plurality of antennas, wherein the antenna elements employ the antennas described above.

[0032] This disclosure provides an electronic device that includes the antenna array described above. Attached Figure Description

[0033] Figure 1 is a top view of an antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] Figure 2 is an exploded view of the radiation structure of an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0035] Figure 3 is a front view of the radiation structure and the first substrate fixed according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0036] Figure 4 is a top view of the first power supply structure and the second power supply structure according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0037] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the first power supply structure / second power supply structure according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0038] Figure 6 is a top view of the conductive mesh structure according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0039] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the first balun component according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0040] Figure 8 is a top view of one side of the first balun assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0041] Figure 9 is a top view of the other side of the first balun assembly according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0042] Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of the second balun component according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0043] Figure 11 is a top view of one side of the second balun assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0044] Figure 12 is a top view of another side of the second balun assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0045] Figure 13 is a top view of the first substrate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0046] Figure 14 is a top view of the radiation unit according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0047] Figure 15 is a top view of the radiating section according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0048] Figure 16 is a diagram showing the S-parameter characteristics of the radiation structure according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0049] Figure 17 is a vertical polar plane orientation diagram of the radiation structure of the present disclosure at the center frequency.

[0050] Figure 18 shows the cross-polarization ratio of the radiation structure at the center frequency in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0051] Figure 19 is a characteristic diagram of the S11 of the one-to-five unequal power divider in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0052] Figure 20 is a power distribution characteristic diagram of a one-to-five unequal power divider according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0053] Figure 21 is a diagram showing the phase difference characteristics between the output terminals of the one-to-five unequal power divider according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0054] Figure 22 is a diagram showing the S-parameter characteristics of an antenna according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0055] Figure 23 is a cross-sectional view of the first balun component according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0056] Figure 24 is a cross-sectional view of the second balun component according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0057] Figure 25A is a top view of an antenna-introduced isolation assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0058] Figure 25B is a top view of another antenna-introduced isolation assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0059] Figure 26 is a comparison diagram of the isolation performance of the antenna before and after the introduction of the isolation component in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0060] Figure 27 is a front view of the antenna of this embodiment.

[0061] Figure 28A is a schematic diagram of an antenna array according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0062] Figure 28B is a schematic diagram of another antenna array according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0063] Figure 29 is a gain characteristic diagram of the antenna array according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0064] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solution of the present invention, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0065] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this disclosure shall have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. The terms “first,” “second,” and similar terms used in this disclosure do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Similarly, the terms “an,” “a,” or “the,” and similar terms do not indicate a quantity limitation, but rather indicate the presence of at least one. The terms “including,” “comprising,” or “containing,” and similar terms mean that the element or object preceding the word encompasses the elements or objects listed following the word and their equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects. The terms “connected,” “linked,” or similar terms are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but can include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. The terms “upper,” “lower,” “left,” and “right,” etc., are used only to indicate relative positional relationships, and these relative positional relationships may change accordingly when the absolute position of the described objects changes.

[0066] This disclosure provides an antenna, specifically a transparent antenna, which can be applied in various applications including but not limited to automobiles, trains (including high-speed trains), airplanes, and buildings. For example, the transparent antenna in this disclosure is a wide-angle transparent antenna used for inter-building communication. The structure of the transparent antenna in this disclosure is described in detail below.

[0067] Figure 1 is a top view of an antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 2 is an exploded view of the radiating structure 2 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 3 is a front view of the radiating structure 2 fixed to the first substrate 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 4 is a top view of the first feed structure 3 and the second feed structure 4 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the first feed structure 3 / second feed structure 4 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 6 is a top view of the conductive mesh structure according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the first balun assembly 21 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 8 is a top view of one side of the first balun assembly 21 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 9 is a top view of the other side of the first balun assembly 21 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of the second balun assembly 22 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 11 is a top view of one side of the second balun assembly 22 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 12 is a top view of the other side of the second balun assembly 22 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to Figures 1-12, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a transparent antenna, which includes a first substrate 1, and a plurality of radiating structures 2, a first feed structure 3, and a second feed structure 4 disposed on the first substrate 1. The first radiating structure 2 includes a first balun assembly 21 and a second balun assembly 22 arranged in a cross configuration, and a radiating element 23. A first feeding structure 3 feeds the radiating element 23 through the first balun assembly 21, and a second feeding structure 4 feeds the radiating element 23 through the second balun assembly 22. The feeding directions of the first feeding structure 3 and the second feeding structure 4 are different; for example, the first feeding structure 3 and the second feeding structure 4 can provide power for the ±45° polarization of the radiating element 23.

[0068] Referring to Figures 2-3 and 7-12, the first balun assembly 21 of this embodiment includes a first substrate 211, a first balun feed line 212 disposed on the first substrate 211, and a first reference electrode 213 disposed on the side of the first substrate 211 opposite to the first balun feed line 212. The second balun assembly 22 includes a second substrate 221, a second balun feed line 222 disposed on the second substrate 221, and a second reference electrode 223 disposed on the side of the second substrate 221 opposite to the second balun feed line 222. The first substrate 211 and the second substrate 221 are intersecting, and the planes containing both the first substrate 211 and the second substrate 221 form an angle with the plane containing the first substrate 1. For example, the first substrate 211 and the second substrate 221 are orthogonally arranged, with the plane containing the first substrate 211 perpendicular to the plane containing the first substrate 1, and the plane containing the second substrate 221 perpendicular to the plane containing the first substrate 1.

[0069] The first power supply structure 3 of this disclosure includes a first power divider and a third reference electrode, and the second power supply structure 4 includes a second power divider and a fourth reference electrode. The first power supply structure 3 and the second power supply structure 4 can be integrated on a single dielectric substrate. For example, the first and second power dividers of the first power supply structure 3 are disposed on a second substrate 5, and the third reference electrode of the first power supply structure 3 and the fourth reference electrode of the second power supply structure 4 are disposed on the surface of the second substrate 5 facing away from the first power divider. In this case, the third and fourth reference electrodes can be connected as a single structure.

[0070] Of course, the first feed structure 3 and the second feed structure 4 can also be integrated on the first substrate 1. In this case, the first power divider and the second power divider of the first feed structure 3 are disposed on the first substrate 1, and the third reference electrode of the first feed structure 3 and the fourth reference electrode of the second feed structure 4 are disposed on the surface of the first substrate 1 away from the first power divider. In this case, the third reference electrode and the fourth reference electrode can be connected to form a planar reference electrode, disposed on the side of the first substrate 1 away from the radiating unit 23. Furthermore, the first reference electrode 213 of the first balun assembly 21 can be connected to the planar reference electrode through a first via 11 that penetrates at least through the first substrate 1, and the second reference electrode 223 of the second balun assembly 22 can be connected to the planar reference electrode through a second via 12 that penetrates at least through the first substrate 1.

[0071] The first power divider in the first feed structure 3 and the second power divider in the second feed structure 4 each include a second feed port and multiple first feed ports. The first feed ports of the first power divider are connected one-to-one with the first balun feed line 212 of the first balun assembly 21, and the first feed ports of the second power divider are connected one-to-one with the second balun feed line 222 of the second balun assembly 22. The first reference electrode 213 of the first balun assembly 21 and the second reference electrode 223 of the second balun assembly 22 are both connected to the radiating element 23. In this case, the first feed port of the first power divider of the first feed structure 3 feeds the first balun feed line 212, and the first feed port of the second power divider of the second feed structure 4 feeds the second balun feed line 222. Then, the radiating element 23 is excited to radiate the signal through the first balun feed line 212 and the second balun feed line 222. This structure can effectively improve the radiation efficiency, and the antenna has a high gain.

[0072] In this embodiment, the first feed structure 3 and the second feed structure 4 are made of metallic materials, such as copper. To improve conductivity, both the first feed structure 3 and the second feed structure 4 can be solid conductive structures.

[0073] In some examples, the first feed structure 3 and the second feed structure 4 in the embodiments of this disclosure can also adopt a conductive mesh structure, which helps to make the antenna transparent. The antenna in the embodiments of this disclosure has the characteristics of high concealment and aesthetics.

[0074] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the antenna includes five radiating structures 2 as an example, and the corresponding first and second power dividers are both 1-to-5 power dividers, that is, they have five first feed ports. It should be understood that it is also feasible for the antenna to have four, six, or other numbers of radiating structures 2. When there are four radiating structures 2, the first and second power dividers are both 1-to-4 power dividers, that is, they have four first feed ports. When there are six radiating structures 2, the first and second power dividers are both 1-to-6 power dividers, that is, they have six first feed ports.

[0075] The transparent antenna in this embodiment can be a receiving antenna, a transmitting antenna, or a transceiver antenna that simultaneously transmits and receives signals. In the following description, a transparent antenna is used as an example of a transmitting antenna. The first reference electrode 213 and the second reference electrode 223 in this embodiment are both, but are not limited to, ground electrodes. The third reference electrode and the fourth reference electrode are connected as a single unit and are connected to the first reference electrode 213 and the second reference electrode 223; therefore, both are also ground electrodes.

[0076] In some examples, referring to Figure 6, the conductive mesh structure may include multiple first and second conductive lines arranged in a crisscrossing pattern. The first conductive lines are arranged side-by-side along a first direction and extend along a second direction; the second conductive lines are arranged side-by-side along the first direction and extend along a third direction. For example, the extension directions of the first and second conductive lines in the conductive mesh structure can be perpendicular to each other, forming a square or rectangular cutout. Alternatively, the extension directions of the first and second conductive lines in the conductive mesh structure can be non-perpendicular, for example, the angle between the extension directions of the first and second conductive lines is 45°, forming a rhomboid cutout. The ends of the first and second conductive lines in the conductive mesh structure are connected together, meaning the outer perimeter of the metal mesh is a closed loop structure. In actual products, the ends of the first and second conductive lines in the conductive mesh structure may also be unconnected, meaning the outer perimeter of the conductive mesh structure is radial. In the embodiments of this disclosure, the conductive mesh structure can achieve a light transmittance of approximately 70%-88% for the transparent antenna.

[0077] In some examples, the line width, line thickness, and line spacing of the first and second conductive lines in the conductive mesh structure are preferably the same, but they can also be different. For example, the line width W1 of the first and second conductive lines is about 2-30 μm, the line spacing W2 is about 5-200 μm, and the line thickness is about 1-10 μm.

[0078] Furthermore, the conductive mesh structure can be formed on a flexible substrate, the material of which includes, but is not limited to, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polyimide (PI). The conductive mesh structure and the flexible substrate are then integrated as a single structure and attached to the corresponding dielectric substrate using OCA optical adhesive.

[0079] Specifically, when the first power supply structure 3 and the second power supply structure 4 are integrated on the second substrate 5, the first power divider of the first power supply structure 3 and the second power divider of the second power supply structure 4 can be formed on a flexible substrate and then attached to the second substrate 5 using OCA optical adhesive. The third reference electrode of the first power supply structure 3 and the fourth reference electrode of the second power supply structure 4 are connected as a single structure to form a flexible substrate and then attached to the second substrate 5 using OCA optical adhesive. Similarly, when the first power supply structure 3 and the second power supply structure 4 are integrated on the first substrate 1, the first power supply structure 3 and the second power supply structure 4 can also be formed in the aforementioned manner and then attached to the first substrate 1 using OCA optical adhesive.

[0080] In some examples, the first power divider in this embodiment can be connected to the first balun feed 212 via the first transmission line 6. The first balun feed 212 and the first transmission line 6 can be fixed together by soldering. The first power divider can also be connected to the first transmission line 6 via a first connecting component, which includes, but is not limited to, copper pillars. Similarly, the first power divider can be connected to the second balun feed 222 via the second transmission line 7. The second balun feed 222 and the second transmission line 7 can be fixed together by soldering. The first power divider can also be connected to the second transmission line 7 via a second connecting component, which includes, but is not limited to, copper pillars.

[0081] Furthermore, in order to provide the transparency of the antenna, the first transmission line 6 and the second transmission line 7 can also adopt the conductive mesh structure described above.

[0082] Referring again to Figures 1-12, this disclosure provides an exemplary antenna, which includes the first substrate 1 described above, and a plurality of radiating structures 2, a first feeding structure 3, and a second feeding structure 4 disposed on the first substrate 1. The first balun assembly 21 and the second balun assembly 22 may also be transparent structures, that is, both the first balun assembly 21 and the second balun assembly 22 include a conductive mesh structure.

[0083] Specifically, the first balun assembly 21 includes a first substrate 211, a first balun feed line 212 disposed on the first substrate 211, and a first reference electrode 213 disposed on the side of the first substrate 211 opposite to the first balun feed line 212. The second balun assembly 22 includes a second substrate 221, a second balun feed line 222 disposed on the second substrate 221, and a second reference electrode 223 disposed on the side of the second substrate 221 opposite to the second balun feed line 222. The orthographic projection of the first reference electrode 213 onto the plane of the first substrate 211 covers the first substrate 211, and the orthographic projection of the second reference electrode 223 onto the plane of the second substrate 221 covers the second substrate 221. The first substrate 211 and the second substrate 221 are arranged intersectingly. In this case, the first balun feed line 212, the second balun feed line 222, the first reference electrode 213 and the second reference electrode 223 adopt a conductive mesh structure, which can improve the light transmittance of the first balun component 21 and the second balun component 22, so as to achieve the transparency of the first balun component 21 and the second balun component 22.

[0084] In this embodiment, when the first balun feed line 212, the second balun feed line 222, the first reference electrode 213, and the second reference electrode 223 adopt a conductive mesh structure, the first balun feed line 212 can be formed on the first substrate, the first reference electrode 213 can be formed on the second substrate, the second balun assembly 22 can be formed on the third substrate, and the second reference electrode 223 can be formed on the fourth substrate. The first, second, third, and fourth substrates can all be made of the aforementioned flexible materials, such as PET substrates. The first and second substrates can be attached to the two sides of the first substrate 211 along its thickness direction using OCA adhesive, and the third and fourth substrates can also be attached to the two sides of the second substrate 221 along its thickness direction using OCA adhesive. The first substrate 211 and the second substrate 221 in this embodiment include, but are not limited to, polycarbonate (PC), polymers of cycloolefin (COP), or polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA).

[0085] Furthermore, the planes containing the first substrate 211 and the second substrate 221 have a certain angle, for example, the angle between the planes containing the first substrate 211 and the second substrate 221 is 90°, that is, the first substrate 211 and the second substrate 221 are orthogonally arranged. The planes containing the first substrate 211 and the second substrate 221 also have a certain angle relative to the plane containing the first substrate 1, for example, the plane containing the first substrate 211 is perpendicular to the plane containing the first substrate 1, and correspondingly, the plane containing the second substrate 221 is also perpendicular to the plane containing the first substrate 1. In this embodiment of the present disclosure, only the example of the first substrate 211 and the second substrate 221 being orthogonally arranged, and both of their planes being perpendicular to the plane containing the first substrate 1, is used.

[0086] Referring again to Figures 7-8 and 10-11, the first substrate 211 has a first opening extending along the thickness direction of the first substrate 1, and the second substrate 221 has a second opening extending along the thickness direction of the first substrate 1. The first substrate 211 is fixed to the second substrate 221 through the first opening, and the second substrate 221 is fixed to the first substrate 211 through the second opening, so that the two are orthogonally arranged. Since the first substrate 211 and the second substrate 221 are orthogonal, the second substrate 221 divides the first substrate 211 into a first sub-plate 2111 and a second sub-plate 2112, and the first substrate 211 divides the second substrate 221 into a third sub-plate 2211 and a fourth sub-plate 2212. The portion of the first reference electrode 213 located on the first sub-board 2111 is called the first sub-reference electrode 2131, and the portion of the first reference electrode 213 located on the second sub-board 2112 is called the second sub-reference electrode 2132; the portion of the second reference electrode 223 located on the third sub-board 2211 is called the third sub-reference electrode 2231, and the portion of the second reference electrode 223 located on the fourth sub-board 2212 is called the fourth sub-reference electrode 2232.

[0087] Since the first balun assembly 21 and the second balun assembly 22 are fixed to the first substrate 1 and the radiating unit 23 at their respective ends, a first connecting portion 214 and a second connecting portion 215 can be provided at both ends of the first sub-plate 2111 along the thickness direction of the first substrate 1, a third connecting portion 216 and a fourth connecting portion 217 can be provided at both ends of the second sub-plate 2112 along the thickness direction of the first substrate 1, a fifth connecting portion 224 and a sixth connecting portion 225 can be provided at both ends of the third sub-plate 2211 along the thickness direction of the first substrate 1, and a seventh connecting portion 226 and an eighth connecting portion 227 can be provided at both ends of the fourth sub-plate 2212 along the thickness direction of the first substrate 1. Correspondingly, four vias can be provided on the first substrate 1 corresponding to the first connecting portion 214, the third connecting portion 216, the fifth connecting portion 224 and the seventh connecting portion 226. The first connecting portion 214, the third connecting portion 216, the fifth connecting portion 224 and the seventh connecting portion 226 are fixed to the first substrate 1 through the four vias provided on the first substrate 1 respectively. Similarly, four through holes corresponding to the second connecting part 215, the fourth connecting part 217, the sixth connecting part 225 and the eighth connecting part 227 can be provided on the radiation unit 23. The second connecting part 215, the fourth connecting part 217, the sixth connecting part 225 and the eighth connecting part 227 are fixed to the radiation unit 23 through the four through holes provided on the radiation unit 23 respectively.

[0088] Furthermore, FIG13 is a top view of the first substrate 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; as shown in FIG13, when a planar reference electrode is provided on the surface of the first substrate 1 opposite to the radiation unit 23, the first reference electrode 213 and the second reference electrode 223 can be connected to the planar reference electrode through the first via 11 and the second via 12 penetrating the first substrate 1. That is, the four vias of the first substrate 1 include two first vias 11 and two second vias 12, wherein the two first vias 11 are respectively provided corresponding to the first connecting portion 214 and the third connecting portion 216, and the two second vias 12 are respectively provided corresponding to the fifth connecting portion 224 and the seventh connecting portion 226.

[0089] In some examples, FIG14 is a top view of the radiating unit 23 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; as shown in FIG14, the radiating unit 23 includes a third substrate 231 and four radiating portions disposed on the side of the third substrate 231 facing away from the first substrate 1, namely a first radiating portion 232a, a second radiating portion 232b, a third radiating portion 232c, and a fourth radiating portion 232d. The first radiating portion 232a, the second radiating portion 232b, the third radiating portion 232c, and the fourth radiating portion 232d can be arranged in an array. Among them, the first radiating portion 232a is electrically connected to the first sub-reference electrode 2131, the second radiating portion 232b is electrically connected to the second sub-reference electrode 2132, the third radiating portion 232c is electrically connected to the third sub-reference electrode 2231, and the fourth radiating portion 232d is electrically connected to the fourth sub-reference electrode 2232.

[0090] In this case, the four vias on the radiating unit 23 are a third via 233 penetrating the third substrate 231 and the first radiating part 232a, a fourth via 234 penetrating the third substrate 231 and the second radiating part 232b, a fifth via 235 penetrating the third substrate 231 and the third radiating part 232c, and a sixth via 236 penetrating the third substrate 231 and the fourth radiating part 232d. At this time, the first sub-reference electrode 2131 is connected to the first radiating part 232a through the third via 233, and the two can be connected by welding. Similarly, the second sub-reference electrode 2132 is connected to the second radiating part 232b through the fourth via 234, and the two can be connected by welding. The third sub-reference electrode 2231 is connected to the third radiating part 232c through the fifth via 235, and the two can be connected by welding. The fourth sub-reference electrode 2232 is connected to the fourth radiating part 232d through the sixth via 236, and the two can be connected by welding.

[0091] In some examples, the first radiating part 232a, the second radiating part 232b, the third radiating part 232c, and the fourth radiating part 232d are joined together to form a radiating surface. The first radiating part 232a, the second radiating part 232b, the third radiating part 232c, and the fourth radiating part 232d include, but are not limited to, polygons (e.g., squares, rectangles, hexagons), circles, etc.

[0092] In one example, FIG15 is a top view of the radiating part of an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG15, each radiating part is a polygon, which may include a first side S1 and a second side S2 arranged opposite to each other, a third side S3 and a fourth side S4 arranged opposite to each other, the second side S2 and the third side S3 being connected, the first side S1 and the third side S3 being connected by a first connecting edge S5, and the second side S2 and the fourth side S4 being connected by a second connecting edge S6. The included angle formed by the connection of the second side S2 and the third side S3 of the four radiating parts of the radiating unit 23 is 90°, and they are arranged clockwise. The first connecting edge S5 and the second connecting edge S6 can both be straight edges or curved edges. When the first connecting edge S5 and the second connecting edge S6 are straight edges, the included angles formed by the first side S1 and the third side S3 with the first connecting edge S5 are all obtuse angles, and the included angles formed by the second side S2 and the fourth side S4 with the second connecting edge S6 are all obtuse angles. This method can extend the current path and reduce insertion loss.

[0093] In some examples, the radiating unit 23 includes a conductive mesh structure. When the radiating unit 23 includes a first radiating part 232a, a second radiating part 232b, a third radiating part 232c, and a fourth radiating part 232d, the first radiating part 232a, the second radiating part 232b, the third radiating part 232c, and the fourth radiating part 232d all adopt a conductive mesh structure.

[0094] The first radiating portion 232a, the second radiating portion 232b, the third radiating portion 232c, and the fourth radiating portion 232d are disposed on the fifth substrate; the fifth substrate is bonded to the third substrate 231. Specifically, the fifth substrate can be made of the aforementioned flexible material, such as a PET substrate. The fifth substrate can be attached to the third substrate 231 using OCA adhesive, and the third substrate 231 can be selected from, but is not limited to, polycarbonate plastic, cyclic olefin polymer plastic, or acrylic / plexiglass.

[0095] It should be noted that the above description only uses the example of the first balun feed line 212 and the first reference electrode 213 in the first balun assembly 21, the second balun feed line 222 and the second reference electrode 223 in the second balun assembly 22, and the radiation unit 23 using a conductive mesh. In actual products, the first balun feed line 212 and the first reference electrode 213 in the first balun assembly 21, the second balun feed line 222 and the second reference electrode 223 in the second balun assembly 22, and the radiation unit 23 can also use a solid conductive structure, such as a conductive structure made of copper.

[0096] Figure 16 is an S-parameter characteristic diagram of the radiation structure 2 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 16, the radiation structure 2 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can achieve echo characteristics below -17.5dB in the 1.7-2.7GHz frequency band and isolation higher than 25dB.

[0097] Figure 17 is a vertical polar-horizontal plane radiation pattern of the radiation structure 2 of this embodiment at the center frequency. As shown in Figure 17, the radiation structure 2 of this embodiment can achieve a unit radiation gain of more than 7.6 dBi and has a 3 dB beamwidth of 70 ± 1 degree.

[0098] Figure 18 shows the cross-polarization ratio of the radiation structure 2 in this embodiment at the center frequency. As shown in Figure 18, the axial cross-polarization ratio of the radiation structure 2 in this embodiment can achieve excellent performance of over 28 dB, and cross-polarization characteristics of over 7 dB within a range of ±60 degrees.

[0099] When both the first and second power dividers in this embodiment of the present disclosure are 1-to-5 unequal power dividers, the dimensions of the 1-to-5 unequal power divider are 480mm × 38mm (3.53λ). c ×0.28λ c The port spacing between each of the first and second feed terminals is 90–100 mm (0.66λ). c ~0.73λ c The 1-to-5 unequal power divider is formed by combining one set of 1-to-3 unequal power dividers and one set of 1-to-2 equal power dividers through a 1-to-2 unequal power divider network. The second feed port can be an input port, and the five first feed ports are output ports, each with a characteristic impedance of 50 ohms. Figure 19 shows the S11 characteristic diagram of the 1-to-5 unequal power divider in this embodiment. As shown in Figure 19, the 1-to-5 unequal power divider in this embodiment has a -20dB echo characteristic in the operating frequency band.

[0100] Figure 20 shows the power distribution characteristics of a 1-to-5 unequal power divider according to an embodiment of this disclosure. As shown in Figure 20, to suppress the sidelobe characteristics of the synthesized beam, the third first feed port in this power divider receives the highest power, exceeding the power distribution of the other output ports by 1 dB ± 0.5 dB. Figure 21 shows the phase difference characteristics between the output ports of the 1-to-5 unequal power divider according to an embodiment of this disclosure. As shown in Figure 21, the phase difference between the output ports at the antenna center frequency in this embodiment is less than 1.5 degrees, greatly improving the beam superposition and synthesis effect.

[0101] Figure 22 shows the S-parameter characteristics of the antenna according to an embodiment of this disclosure. As shown in Figure 22, the antenna of this embodiment can achieve a return frequency of less than -15dB within the range of 1.7 to 2.7 GHz. However, the isolation is less than 20dB.

[0102] In some examples, Figure 23 is a cross-sectional view of the first balun assembly 21 of an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 24 is a cross-sectional view of the second balun assembly 22 of an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figures 23 and 24, the first balun assembly 21 and the second balun assembly 22 in the radiating structure 2 can be made of printed circuit boards, i.e., PCB balun assemblies. That is, the first balun assembly 21 and the second balun assembly 22 may not use an architecture including a conductive mesh structure. In the antenna, a first protective layer 24 and a second protective layer 25 are respectively provided on two opposite sides of the first balun assembly 21 along its thickness direction; a third protective layer 26 and a fourth protective layer 27 are respectively provided on two opposite sides of the second balun assembly 22 along its thickness direction. The materials of the first protective layer 24, the second protective layer 25, the third protective layer 26, and the fourth protective layer 27 all include white oil or green oil, thereby enabling the entire transparent antenna array to achieve low visibility or even concealment indoors.

[0103] In some examples, Figure 25A is a top view of the antenna introducing isolation according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 25B is a top view of another antenna introducing isolation component according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figures 25A and 25B, the antenna in this embodiment of the present invention not only includes the above-described structure, but also includes an isolation component 8 disposed between at least some of the adjacent radiating elements 23. The isolation of the antenna is improved by the placement of the isolation component 8. The specific location and number of the isolation components 8 in the antenna can be specifically set according to the antenna simulation results and cost. For example, as shown in Figure 25A, in the antenna including five radiating structures 2 shown in this embodiment of the present invention, an isolation component 8 can be disposed between the radiating elements 23 of the first radiating structure 2 and the radiating elements 23 of the second radiating structure 2, and between the radiating elements 23 of the fourth radiating structure 2 and the radiating elements 23 of the fifth radiating structure 2. As another example, as shown in Figure 25A, an isolation component 8 is disposed between adjacent radiating elements 23. The isolation component 8 can be an isolation strip, that is, the isolation component 8 is a strip-shaped structure. The isolation component 8 can be disposed in the same layer as the radiating part.

[0104] When the length of the introduced isolation component 8 is approximately 110 mm (0.8λ) c Figure 26 is a comparison diagram of the isolation performance of the antenna before and after the introduction of the isolation component 8 in the embodiment of this disclosure. As shown in Figure 26, after introducing the Mesh isolation component 8, the antenna isolation of the embodiment of this disclosure can achieve an isolation characteristic of more than 23.5dB in the entire frequency band, which is about 3.5dB higher than the isolation performance before the introduction of the isolation component 8.

[0105] In some examples, FIG27 is a front view of the antenna of the present invention; as shown in FIG27, the antenna of the present invention not only includes the above-described structure, but may also include an antenna cover 9, wherein the first substrate 1, a plurality of radiating structures 2, the first feeding structure 3 and the second feeding structure 4 are all placed inside the antenna cover 9.

[0106] Furthermore, the second substrate 5, which integrates the first feeding structure 3 and the second feeding structure 4, can have a certain angle relative to the first substrate 1. That is, the plane of the second substrate 5 and the plane of the first substrate 1 are not parallel; for example, the plane of the second substrate 5 and the plane of the first substrate 1 are perpendicular to each other. In this embodiment of the present disclosure, taking the perpendicularity between the second substrate 5 and the first substrate 1 as an example, this method can further improve the transparency of the antenna.

[0107] Furthermore, when the second substrate 5 is arranged perpendicularly to the first substrate 1, the second substrate 5 can be fixed to the radome 9. With the second substrate 5 fixed to the radome 9, to facilitate the connection of the first feed structure 3 and the second feed structure 4 to the first balun assembly 21 and the second balun assembly 22 respectively, holes can be drilled in the radome 9, and the first feed structure 3 and the first balun assembly 21, and the second feed structure 4 and the second balun assembly 22 can be connected by welding.

[0108] This disclosure provides an antenna array that includes the antenna 100 described above.

[0109] Figure 28A is a schematic diagram of an antenna array according to an embodiment of this disclosure. As shown in Figure 28A, the antenna array includes two sets of antennas 100 as described above, arranged vertically and symmetrically. The antenna array has dimensions of 40mm × 300mm × 63mm (3.97λ). c ×2.2λ c ×0.46λ c Taking an example where the transparent area ratio is higher than 70%, Figure 29 shows the gain characteristics of the antenna array according to an embodiment of this disclosure. As shown in Figure 29, the antenna array of this embodiment has an excellent gain of higher than 12.6 dBi in the operating frequency band, and the peak gain can reach 14 dBi. This provides a strong guarantee for the signal coverage sensitivity between buildings.

[0110] Continuing with Figure 28A, the two sets of antennas 100 are arranged vertically and symmetrically. In this case, the isolation components 8 in the two sets of antennas 100 are symmetrically arranged. Figure 28B is a schematic diagram of another antenna array according to an embodiment of this disclosure. As shown in Figure 28B, except for the isolation components 8, the other structures in the two sets of antennas 100 are symmetrically arranged. The positions of the isolation components 8 in the two sets of antennas 100 are different. One set of antennas 100 has only two isolation components, while in the other set of 100, an isolation component 8 is provided between any two adjacent antenna elements. It should be noted that the position of the isolation components 8 can be specifically set according to the simulation results of the antenna array.

[0111] This disclosure provides an electronic device, which includes an antenna.

[0112] The antenna also includes a transceiver unit, an RF transceiver, a signal amplifier, a power amplifier, and a filtering unit. This antenna can function as either a transmitting or receiving antenna. The transceiver unit can include a baseband and a receiver. The baseband provides signals in at least one frequency band, such as 2G, 3G, 4G, or 5G signals, and transmits these signals to the RF transceiver. The transparent antenna in the communication system receives the signal, which is then processed by the filtering unit, power amplifier, signal amplifier, and RF transceiver (not shown in the diagram) before being transmitted to the receiver in the transceiver unit. The receiver could be, for example, a smart gateway.

[0113] Furthermore, the RF transceiver is connected to the transceiver unit and is used to modulate the signals transmitted by the transceiver unit, or to demodulate the signals received by the transparent antenna before transmitting them to the transceiver unit. Specifically, the RF transceiver may include a transmitting circuit, a receiving circuit, a modulation circuit, and a demodulation circuit. After the transmitting circuit receives various types of signals provided by the baseband, the modulation circuit can modulate the various types of signals provided by the baseband before transmitting them to the antenna. The transparent antenna receives the signals and transmits them to the receiving circuit of the RF transceiver. The receiving circuit then transmits the signals to the demodulation circuit, which demodulates the signals before transmitting them to the receiving end.

[0114] Furthermore, the RF transceiver is connected to a signal amplifier and a power amplifier, which are then connected to a filtering unit. The filtering unit is connected to at least one antenna. During signal transmission in the communication system, the signal amplifier improves the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the RF transceiver's output signal before transmitting it to the filtering unit; the power amplifier amplifies the power of the RF transceiver's output signal before transmitting it to the filtering unit. The filtering unit may specifically include a duplexer and a filtering circuit. The filtering unit combines the signals output from the signal amplifier and power amplifier, filters out clutter, and transmits them to the transparent antenna, which radiates the signal. During signal reception in the communication system, the antenna receives the signal and transmits it to the filtering unit. The filtering unit filters out clutter from the received signal and transmits it to the signal amplifier and power amplifier. The signal amplifier increases the gain of the received signal, improving the SNR; the power amplifier amplifies the power of the received signal. The signal received by the antenna, after processing by the power amplifier and signal amplifier, is transmitted to the RF transceiver, which then transmits it to the transceiver unit.

[0115] In some examples, the signal amplifier may include various types of signal amplifiers, such as low-noise amplifiers, without limitation.

[0116] In some examples, the antenna provided in this disclosure also includes a power management unit connected to a power amplifier to provide voltage to the power amplifier for amplifying signals.

[0117] It is understood that the above embodiments are merely exemplary implementations used to illustrate the principles of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited thereto. For those skilled in the art, various modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the spirit and essence of the present invention, and these modifications and improvements are also considered to be within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An antenna comprising a first substrate, a plurality of radiating structures, a first feeding structure, and a second feeding structure; wherein, The radiating structure includes a first balun assembly and a second balun assembly, as well as a radiating unit; the first balun assembly and the second balun assembly are arranged crosswise and are mounted on the first substrate; the radiating unit is disposed at one end of the first balun assembly and the second balun assembly away from the first substrate. The first feeding structure feeds the radiating unit through the first balun component, and the second feeding structure feeds the radiating unit through the second balun component, and the feeding directions of the first feeding structure and the second feeding structure are different.

2. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein, The first balun assembly includes a first substrate, a first balun feed line disposed on the first substrate, and a first reference electrode disposed on the side of the first substrate away from the first balun feed line layer; the second balun assembly includes a second substrate, a second balun feed line disposed on the second substrate, and a second reference electrode disposed on the side of the second substrate away from the second balun feed line layer; the first substrate and the second substrate are disposed intersecting.

3. The antenna according to claim 2, wherein, The first balun feed line is disposed on the first substrate, which is attached to the first substrate; the first reference electrode is disposed on the second substrate, which is attached to the first substrate. The second balun feed line is disposed on the third substrate, which is attached to the second substrate; the second reference electrode is disposed on the fourth substrate, which is attached to the second substrate.

4. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein, Both the first balun assembly and the second balun assembly are printed circuit boards; a first protective layer and a second protective layer are respectively provided on two opposite sides of the first balun assembly along its thickness direction; a third protective layer and a fourth protective layer are respectively provided on two opposite sides of the second balun assembly along its thickness direction.

5. The antenna according to claim 4, wherein, The materials of the first protective layer, the second protective layer, the third protective layer, and the fourth protective layer all include white oil or green oil.

6. The antenna according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein, The antenna includes a second substrate, and the first feeding structure includes a first power divider disposed on the second substrate and a third reference electrode disposed on the side of the second substrate opposite to the first power divider. The second power supply structure includes a second power divider disposed on the second substrate and a fourth reference electrode disposed on the side of the second substrate opposite to the second power divider. The third reference electrode and the fourth reference electrode are electrically connected; A first feed terminal of the first power divider is configured to feed a first balun component; A first feed terminal of the second power divider is configured to feed a second balun component.

7. The antenna according to claim 6, wherein, The extension direction of the plane containing the second substrate is different from the extension direction of the plane containing the first substrate.

8. The antenna according to claim 6, wherein, The first substrate and the second substrate are shared. The first reference electrode of the first balun assembly is connected to the third reference electrode through a first via penetrating the first substrate. The second reference electrode of the second balun assembly is connected to the third reference electrode through a first via penetrating the first substrate.

9. The antenna according to claim 6, wherein, The radiating structure also includes a first transmission line and a second transmission line disposed on the first substrate. One of the first feed terminals of the first power divider is connected to the first balun feed line of the first balun component via the first transmission line; one of the first feed terminals of the second power divider is connected to the second balun feed line of the second balun component via the second transmission line.

10. The antenna according to claim 9, wherein, The first power divider's first feed terminal is connected to the first transmission line via a first connection component, and the second power divider's first feed terminal is connected to the second transmission line via a second connection component.

11. The antenna according to claim 9, wherein, The first transmission line and the second transmission line include the conductive mesh structure.

12. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein, The first balun component and the second balun component are arranged in an alternating manner, and the first reference electrode of the first balun component is divided into a first sub-reference electrode and a second sub-reference electrode, and the second reference electrode of the second balun component is divided into a third sub-reference electrode and a fourth sub-reference electrode. The radiation unit includes a third substrate and a first radiation portion, a second radiation portion, a third radiation portion and a fourth radiation portion disposed on the side of the third substrate facing away from the first substrate; The first sub-reference electrode is connected to the first radiating part through a third via penetrating the third substrate and the first radiating part; the second sub-reference electrode is connected to the second radiating part through a fourth via penetrating the third substrate and the second radiating part; the third sub-reference electrode is connected to the third radiating part through a fifth via penetrating the third substrate and the third radiating part; and the fourth sub-reference electrode is connected to the fourth radiating part through a sixth via penetrating the third substrate and the fourth radiating part.

13. The antenna according to claim 12, wherein, The first radiating part, the second radiating part, the third radiating part, and the fourth radiating part all include the conductive mesh structure.

14. The antenna according to claim 12, wherein, The first radiating part, the second radiating part, the third radiating part and the fourth radiating part are disposed on the fifth substrate; the fifth substrate is attached to the third substrate.

15. The antenna according to claim 12, wherein, The orthographic projections of the first radiating part, the second radiating part, the third radiating part, and the fourth radiating part on the third substrate all include polygons; the polygons include a first side and a second side disposed opposite to each other, a third side and a fourth side disposed opposite to each other, and a first connecting side connecting the first side and the third side, and a second connecting side connecting the second side and the fourth side. The angles formed by the first connecting edge and the first side edge, the angles formed by the first connecting edge and the third side edge, the angles formed by the second connecting edge and the second side edge, and the angles formed by the second connecting edge and the fourth side edge are all obtuse angles; or, The first connecting edge and the second connecting edge are curved edges.

16. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein, An isolation component is provided between at least some of the adjacent radiating units.

17. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein, It also includes an antenna radome, in which the first substrate, the plurality of radiating structures, the first feeding structure and the second feeding structure are all placed within the antenna radome.

18. The antenna according to claim 17, wherein, The conductive mesh structure includes multiple first conductive lines and second conductive lines arranged in a cross pattern; the line width of the first conductive lines and the second conductive lines are both 2-30μm, the line spacing is 5-200μm, and the line thickness is 1-10μm.

19. An antenna array comprising a plurality of antennas, wherein, The antenna unit adopts the antenna described in any one of claims 1-18.

20. An electronic device comprising the antenna array of claim 19.

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