Lens antenna and electronic device
Patent Information
- Application Number
- PCT/CN2025/082104
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-03-12
- Publication Date
- 2026-09-17
Smart Images

Figure CN2025082104_17092026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Lens antennas and electronic equipment Technical Field
[0001] This disclosure belongs to the field of communication technology, specifically relating to a lens antenna and electronic device. Background Technology
[0002] With the development of Luneburg lenses, their use in base station antennas has been increasing year by year. Therefore, higher requirements have been placed on their antenna coverage performance, leading to the need for electrically adjustable lens antennas. Electrically adjustable antennas use electronic equipment to adjust the antenna's downtilt angle to correct the radiation coverage range according to the actual usage of the antenna. 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 a lens antenna and electronic device.
[0004] This disclosure provides a lens antenna, which includes a feeding structure, at least one element connected to the feeding structure, and a lens assembly located on the radiating surface side of the at least one element; wherein,
[0005] The power supply structure includes a first power supply component and a second power supply component stacked together; the first power supply component includes a first dielectric substrate and a first transmission line disposed on the first dielectric substrate; the second power supply component includes a second dielectric substrate and a second transmission line disposed on the second dielectric substrate.
[0006] One end of the second transmission line is connected to the vibrator, and the other end can be electrically connected to the first transmission line.
[0007] The number of the oscillators is multiple, and the number of the first transmission line and the second transmission line are both multiple, and one first transmission line can be electrically connected to one of the oscillators through one second transmission line.
[0008] The number of the vibrators is multiple, and the second transmission line includes a main path and multiple branch paths connected to the main path. One main path is electrically connected to one vibrator, and the main path can be slidably connected to the first transmission line.
[0009] One of the oscillators is connected to two of the second transmission lines, and the two second transmission lines are fed in different directions.
[0010] In this embodiment, one lens assembly is provided on the radiating surface side of one of the oscillators, and the lens assemblies provided on the radiating surface side of different oscillators are different.
[0011] The number of oscillators is multiple, and a lens assembly is provided on the radiating surface side of each oscillator, and at least some of the oscillators are correspondingly provided with the same lens assembly.
[0012] The oscillator is connected to the second transmission line via a switching unit; the switching unit is configured to control the selection state of the oscillator and the second transmission line.
[0013] The first transmission line includes a first transmission section connected to the transmission component, and a first connection section connected to the first transmission section; the second transmission line includes a second transmission section connected to the oscillator, and a second connection section connected to the second transmission section.
[0014] For the first transmission line and the second transmission line that can be slidably connected, wherein the first connection portion of the first transmission line and the second connection portion of the second transmission line can be slidably connected.
[0015] The first transmission section and the second transmission section extend in the same direction and have the same line width.
[0016] The first transmission section and the second transmission section extend in the same direction, but their line widths are different.
[0017] The power supply structure has a connection area, which includes a first sub-region, a second sub-region, and a third sub-region arranged sequentially along the direction from the first transmission section to the second transmission section.
[0018] The first connection portion and the second connection portion of the power supply structure described herein are electrically connected in the first sub-region and the third sub-region, and are insulated in the second sub-region;
[0019] The first connection portion and the second connection portion of the power supply structure described herein can be electrically connected in the first sub-region, the second sub-region, and the third sub-region.
[0020] The first connection portion of the power supply structure has a first opening located in the second sub-region; a first insulating layer is filled in the first opening; the second connection portion includes a first portion and a second portion connected between the first portion and the second transmission portion; the second power supply assembly includes a second insulating layer that at least covers the second portion.
[0021] The lens antenna further includes a first fixing component, one of the vibrators is disposed on the base plate of the first fixing component, and the second dielectric substrate is disposed on the side of the base plate of the first fixing component away from the lens component.
[0022] The lens antenna further includes a pull rod, which is connected to the first fixing component via a connecting assembly.
[0023] The number of the pull rods is multiple, and each pull rod is connected to one of the first fixing components through the connecting assembly.
[0024] Each of the first fixing components is connected to the same pull rod via a corresponding connecting component.
[0025] The lens antenna further includes a drive electrode connected to the pull rod, used to push the pull rod to drive the vibrator to slide relative to the lens assembly.
[0026] The lens antenna further includes a transmission component, which is electrically connected to the first transmission line through a via penetrating the first dielectric substrate.
[0027] The lens assembly includes a Luneburg lens.
[0028] This disclosure also provides an electronic device that includes the lens antenna described in any of the above embodiments. Attached Figure Description
[0029] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a lens antenna according to an embodiment of this disclosure.
[0030] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the lens antenna of this embodiment.
[0031] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a lens antenna according to an embodiment of this disclosure.
[0032] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the lens antenna electrically adjusted by 3° according to an embodiment of this disclosure.
[0033] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the lens antenna electrically adjusted by 6° according to an embodiment of this disclosure.
[0034] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the connection between the vibrator and the pull rod according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0035] Figure 7 is another schematic diagram of the connection between the oscillator and the pull rod according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0036] Figure 8 is an exploded view of the oscillator in an embodiment of this disclosure from a first-view perspective.
[0037] Figure 9 is an exploded view of the oscillator in an embodiment of this disclosure from a second perspective.
[0038] Figure 10 is a top view of a power supply structure according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0039] Figure 11 is another top view of the power supply structure according to an embodiment of this disclosure.
[0040] Figure 12 is another top view of the power supply structure according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0041] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of the feeding structure of an oscillator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0042] Figure 14 is a schematic diagram of the feeding structure of another oscillator according to an embodiment of this disclosure.
[0043] Figure 15 is a schematic diagram of the feeding structure of the first and fourth elements of the lens antenna in an embodiment of this disclosure to realize the broadcast beam.
[0044] Figure 16 is a schematic diagram of the feeding structure of the second and third elements of the lens antenna in an embodiment of this disclosure to realize the broadcast beam.
[0045] Figure 17 is a schematic diagram of the feeding structure of the first and fourth elements of the lens antenna in an embodiment of this disclosure to realize the service beam.
[0046] Figure 18 is a schematic diagram of the feeding structure of the second and third elements of the lens antenna in an embodiment of this disclosure to realize the service beam.
[0047] Figure 19 is a schematic diagram of a lens antenna according to an embodiment of this disclosure. Detailed Implementation
[0048] 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.
[0049] 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.
[0050] In related technologies, combining lens assemblies with antennas can improve the antenna's radiation directivity and gain, while reducing sidelobe and backlobe radiation. In a lens antenna, the refraction of the lens assembly converts the spherical or cylindrical waves radiated from the feed source into plane waves, significantly improving the antenna's radiation directivity. This conversion allows the antenna to radiate energy more concentratedly, increasing its gain. The refraction of the lens assembly also concentrates electromagnetic waves in the main lobe direction, reducing radiation in the sidelobe and back lobe directions, resulting in a more focused signal and stronger anti-interference capabilities. Furthermore, the design of the lens assembly makes the antenna insensitive to frequency changes, maintaining stable radiation characteristics across different frequencies. Therefore, lens antennas typically have a wide operating bandwidth and maintain good performance over a broad frequency range.
[0051] As a classic electromagnetic lens component, the Luneburg lens can greatly improve the gain of an antenna by focusing electromagnetic waves. Furthermore, the rotational symmetry of the Luneburg lens allows electromagnetic waves passing through it to have a very wide scanning angle. In addition, the Luneburg lens also has advantages in reducing the number of channels and reducing system complexity.
[0052] A classic Luneburg lens is a spherical lens with a gradually changing refractive index and a spherically symmetric structure. The refractive index n (or dielectric constant ε) of a Luneburg lens... r The relationship between the normalized radius r / R (where r is the distance between each layer of the medium in the Luneburg lens and the center of the sphere of the Luneburg lens, and R is the radius of the Luneburg lens) is as follows:
[0053] That is, the refractive index n or the dielectric constant ε r As the size of the lens decreases from the center to the surface, electromagnetic waves incident from the focal point of the sphere can be refracted and reflected inside the spherical lens, causing the electromagnetic waves reaching the surface of the Luneburg lens to converge and exit.
[0054] An ideal Luneburg lens has several advantages: (1) The surface of the sphere has multiple focal points. By placing multiple feed sources at the focal points on the surface of the sphere, multiple beams can be achieved, and each beam has the same radiation characteristics; (2) The operating frequency band depends only on the feed source and is independent of the lens medium material.
[0055] In the lens antenna of this disclosure embodiment, only the Luneburg lens is used as an example of the lens assembly used in the lens antenna. However, it should be understood that the lens assembly in this disclosure embodiment is not limited to this, and other dielectric lenses can also be used, which will not be listed here.
[0056] As antenna coverage requirements become increasingly stringent, electronically adjustable antennas are becoming necessary. Electronically adjustable antennas use electronic devices to adjust the antenna's downtilt angle, allowing for correction of the radiation range based on actual usage. Lens antennas in related technologies utilize electronic adjustment modules that adjust the phase position of the vibrator and lens assembly, essentially by pulling the vibrator. However, this typically involves directly welding cables to the vibrator for power supply. Therefore, pulling the vibrator inevitably creates significant stress on the cable-vibrator connection pads, potentially leading to risks such as wire breakage.
[0057] To address the aforementioned problems, the present disclosure provides the following technical solutions.
[0058] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a lens antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of a lens antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a lens antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; As shown in Figures 1-3, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a lens antenna, which includes at least one vibrator 1, a lens assembly 3 disposed on the radiating surface side of the vibrator 1, and a feeding structure 2 for feeding the vibrator 1. The feeding structure 2 includes a first feeding assembly 21 and a second feeding assembly 22 stacked together. The first feeding assembly 21 includes a first dielectric substrate 211 and a first transmission line 212 disposed on the first dielectric substrate 211. The second feeding assembly 22 includes a second dielectric substrate 221 and a second transmission line 222 disposed on the second dielectric substrate 221. The first transmission line 212 is configured to be connected to a transmission component (e.g., cable 100), and the second transmission line 222 is electrically connected to the vibrator 1. The first transmission line 212 and the second transmission line 222 are slidably connected so that the radio frequency signal fed into the transmission component is coupled to the oscillator 1 via the first transmission line 212 and the second transmission line 222 slidably connected to the first transmission line 212. At this time, the radio frequency signal radiated by the oscillator 1 is then radiated out only by the lens assembly 3.
[0059] In this embodiment, since the first transmission line 212 and the second transmission line 222 can be slidably connected, the risk of wire breakage in the first transmission line 212 and the second transmission line 222 can be avoided when the relative position of the vibrator 1 and the lens assembly 3 is changed by pulling the vibrator 1 to achieve electrical adjustment. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the lens assembly 3 is disposed on the radiating surface side of at least one vibrator 1, that is, the lens assembly 3 is disposed on the electromagnetic wave emission path of the vibrator 1. The electromagnetic wave emitted from the vibrator 1 passes through the lens assembly 3, and the lens assembly 3 can modulate the beam of the electromagnetic wave emitted from the vibrator 1. The lens assembly 3 modulates the electromagnetic wave beam, for example, by focusing the electromagnetic wave beam to improve antenna gain, or by increasing the deflection angle of the electromagnetic wave beam, etc., without specific limitations.
[0060] For example, as shown in Figure 3, the vibrator 1 and lens assembly 3 are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence, that is, one lens assembly 3 is set on the radiating surface side of each vibrator 1, and the lens assemblies 3 set on the radiating surface side of different vibrators 1 are different. Figure 3 only takes an example where the number of lens assemblies 3 and vibrators 1 is 4. When the lens antenna needs to achieve an electrically adjustable angle of 0 to 6°, the vibrator 1 and the feed structure 2 need to move a distance d relative to the lens assembly 3. It should be noted that the so-called moving distance d refers to the distance between the center of the lens assembly 3 and the center of the radiating surface of the vibrator 1 projected onto the first dielectric substrate 211. The electrically adjustable angle is not directly proportional to the moving distance d. In Figure 4, the moving distance is d1, and the electrically adjustable angle corresponds to 3°; in Figure 5, the moving distance is d2, and the electrically adjustable angle corresponds to 6°.
[0061] In some examples, the lens antenna of this disclosure embodiment not only includes the above-described structure, but also includes a transmission component connected one-to-one with the first transmission line 212. Specifically, the transmission component can be a cable 100, and the core of the cable 100 can be connected to the first transmission line 212 through a through-hole penetrating the first dielectric substrate 211. Specifically, the connection between the first transmission line 212 and the cable 100 can be fixed by methods including, but not limited to, soldering.
[0062] In some examples, continuing to refer to Figures 1 and 3, the lens antenna of this embodiment includes not only the structure described above, but also a first fixing component 4. The first fixing component 4 and the vibrator 1 can be configured in a one-to-one correspondence; that is, one vibrator 1 is fixedly mounted on one first fixing component 4. Specifically, the first fixing component 4 may include a base plate and side plates connected to the periphery of the base plate. The vibrator 1 is mounted on the base plate, and the second dielectric substrate 221 containing the second transmission line 222 connected to the vibrator 1 is fixed on the side of the base plate opposite to the lens assembly 3. In this way, the relative sliding of the vibrator 1 and the lens assembly 3 can be achieved by pulling the first fixing component 4, thereby realizing electronic adjustment.
[0063] Furthermore, Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of one connection between the vibrator 1 and the pull rod 200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 7 is another schematic diagram of one connection between the vibrator 1 and the pull rod 200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; as shown in Figures 6 and 7, the lens antenna not only includes the above-described structure, but also includes the pull rod 200 and the connecting assembly 300, and each first fixing assembly 4 is connected to the pull rod 200 through the connecting assembly 300. By pulling the pull rod 200, the distance between the vibrator 1 and the lens assembly 3 can be changed to achieve electronic adjustment.
[0064] Specifically, in one example, as shown in Figure 6, each of the first fixed components 4 is connected to the same pull rod 200 through its corresponding connecting component 300. In this case, all the oscillators 1 are pulled uniformly through one pull rod 200, thus achieving uniform electronic adjustment of each oscillator 1.
[0065] In another example, as shown in Figure 7, a first fixing component 4 is connected to a pull rod 200 via a corresponding connecting component 300, and different first fixing components 4 are connected to different pull rods 200 via corresponding connecting components 300. In this case, the movement distance of each oscillator 1 and its corresponding lens assembly 1 can be individually controlled, thereby enabling individual electronic adjustment of each oscillator 1.
[0066] Furthermore, the lens antenna of this embodiment may also include a drive motor (not shown) connected to the pull rod 200. The pull rod 200 can be pushed via the drive electrode, thereby allowing the vibrator 1 to slide relative to the lens assembly 3, thus changing their relative position. It should be noted that, as shown in Figure 6, when multiple vibrators 1 are pulled by one pull rod 200, only one drive motor is needed. As shown in Figure 7, when one vibrator 1 is pulled by one pull rod 200, the drive motor needs to be configured one-to-one with the pull rod 200, and one pull rod 200 is pulled by one drive motor.
[0067] In some examples, both the first power supply component 21 and the second power supply component 22 in embodiments of this disclosure can be printed circuit boards (PCBs). The oscillator 1 can be mounted on the second dielectric substrate 221 where the first transmission line 212 is electrically connected. Of course, it is also feasible to set the oscillator 1 on a separate third dielectric substrate, which is then mounted on the second dielectric substrate 221.
[0068] In some examples, an oscillator 1 can be electrically connected to a second transmission line 222. For example, the oscillator 1 and the second transmission line 222 are connected in a one-to-one correspondence, that is, a single-point power supply is used.
[0069] In some examples, an oscillator 1 can be electrically connected to two second transmission lines 222, and the two second transmission lines 222 have different feed directions. In this case, dual polarization can be achieved for each oscillator 1. For example, one second transmission line 222 connected to the oscillator 1 achieves a +45° polarization direction, and the other second transmission line 222 connected to the oscillator 1 achieves a -45° polarization direction. In the following examples of this disclosure, only the oscillator 1 having two feed points to achieve dual polarization is taken as an example.
[0070] In some examples, the choice of the vibrator 11 is multiple. Depending on the structure of the vibrator 11, it can be any of a microstrip antenna or a horn antenna; depending on the material of the vibrator 11, it can be any of a die-cast metal vibrator 11 or a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) vibrator 11. This disclosure will continue to describe the invention using a microstrip antenna as an example, but this should not be construed as limiting the scope of this disclosure.
[0071] In some examples, FIG8 is an exploded view of the oscillator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure from a first perspective. FIG9 is an exploded view of the oscillator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure from a second perspective; as shown in FIG8 and FIG9, the oscillator 1 can be disposed on a third dielectric substrate 110. The oscillator 1 includes a first balun assembly 121, a second balun assembly 122, and four radiating portions P1, P2, P3, and P4. The first balun assembly 121 and the second balun assembly 122 are mounted on the third dielectric substrate 110 and are arranged intersectingly. The four radiating portions P1, P2, P3, and P4 are disposed on the same radiating layer 130. Two of the radiating portions P1 and P2 are mounted on the end of the first balun assembly 121 away from the third dielectric substrate 110, and the other two radiating portions P3 and P4 are mounted on the end of the second balun assembly 122 away from the third dielectric substrate 110.
[0072] In some examples, referring to Figures 8 and 9, two radiating portions P1 and P2 mounted on the first balun assembly 121 are arranged side-by-side in the first polarization direction D1 and connected to the first balun assembly 121. Two radiating portions P3 and P4 mounted on the second balun assembly 122 are arranged side-by-side in the second polarization direction D2 and connected to the second balun assembly 122. The first polarization direction D1 differs from the second polarization direction D2; the first polarization direction D1 can be +45°, and the second polarization direction D2 can be -45°. The first balun assembly 121 and the second balun assembly 122 are orthogonally arranged. The first balun assembly 121 and the second balun assembly 122 can be perpendicular to the third dielectric substrate 110 or to the plane containing the four radiating portions; no specific limitation is made here. The following description uses the example of the first balun assembly 121 and the second balun assembly 122 being perpendicular to the third dielectric substrate 110 and the plane containing the four radiating portions as an example, but this does not constitute a limitation of the present disclosure.
[0073] In some examples, the first balun assembly 121 may include a first balun substrate 1213, with a first balun feed line 1211 and a first reference electrode 1212 disposed on two opposite surfaces of the first balun substrate 1213. The first reference electrode 1212 can be connected to a pair of radiating portions P1 and P2 via pads. The second balun assembly 122 may include a second balun substrate 1223, with a second balun feed line 1221 and a second reference electrode 1222 disposed on two opposite surfaces of the second balun substrate 1223. The second reference electrode 1222 can be connected to another pair of radiating portions P3 and P4 via pads. This disclosure will continue to describe this as an example, but this should not be construed as limiting the disclosure. In other embodiments, the first balun feed line 1211, the first reference electrode 1212, the second balun feed line 1221, and the second reference electrode 1222 can be disposed on the same balun substrate. The first reference electrode 1212 can be coupled to a pair of radiating portions P1 and P2, and the second reference electrode 1222 can also be coupled to another pair of radiating portions P3 and P4. No specific limitation is made here.
[0074] In some examples, the first balun feed line 1211 of the first balun assembly 121 can be fed through a second transmission line 222. The excitation signal is coupled from the first balun feed line 1211 to the first reference electrode 1212 on the back side of the first balun substrate 1213, and then the first reference electrode 1212 transmits the excitation signal to the two radiating sections P1 and P2 for signal radiation. Alternatively, the second balun feed line 1221 of the second balun assembly 122 can be fed through another second transmission line 222. The excitation signal is coupled from the second balun feed line 1221 to the second reference electrode 1222 on the back side of the second balun substrate 1223, and then the second reference electrode 1222 transmits the excitation signal to the other two radiating sections P3 and P4 for signal radiation.
[0075] In some examples, FIG10 is a top view of a power supply structure according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; as shown in FIG10, the first transmission line 212 may include a first transmission portion 2122 connected to the transmission component, and a first connection portion 2121 connected to the first transmission; the second transmission line 222 may include a second transmission portion 2222 connected to the oscillator 1, and a second connection portion 2221 connected to the second transmission portion 2222. For the slidingly connected first transmission line 212 and second transmission line 222, the first connection portion 2121 of the first transmission line 212 is slidably connected to the second connection portion 2221 of the second transmission line 222.
[0076] In one example, as shown in Figure 10, the length direction of the first connecting portion 2121 is its extension direction, and in this case, the first connecting portion 2121 is a straight line segment extending in a single direction. Similarly, the length direction of the second connecting portion 2221 is the same as that of the first connecting portion 2121, and the length direction of the second connecting portion 2221 is also its extension direction, and in this case, the second connecting portion 2221 is a straight line segment with the same extension direction as the first connecting portion 2121. The line widths of the first connecting portion 2121 and the second connecting portion 2221 can be the same, which ensures that the first connecting portion 2121 and the second connecting portion 2221 can be stably connected when sliding along their respective length directions. The first transmission portion 2122 and the first connecting portion 2121 of the first transmission line 212 can be integrally formed, and their extension directions can be the same or different. The second transmission portion 2222 and the second connecting portion 2221 of the second transmission line 222 can be integrally formed, and their extension directions can be the same or different.
[0077] In another example, Figure 11 is a top view of a different power supply structure according to an embodiment of this disclosure. As shown in Figure 11, the structure of this example is largely the same as that of the example described above, except that the line widths of the first connecting portion 2121 of the first transmission line 212 and the second connecting portion 2221 of the second transmission line 222 are unequal. This ensures that the first connecting portion 2121 and the second connecting portion 2221 can be stably connected when sliding along their respective width directions. In this example, Figure 11 only shows an example where the line width of the first transmission portion 2122 is greater than that of the second transmission portion 2222. Of course, the line width of the second transmission line 222 can also be greater than that of the first transmission line 212.
[0078] In some examples, FIG12 is another top view of the feed structure 2 of this disclosure embodiment; as shown in FIG12, when there are multiple vibrators 1 in the lens antenna, a second transmission line 222 can connect multiple vibrators 1. Specifically, the second transmission line 222 may include a main path 222a and multiple branches 222b connected to the main path 222a, and one branch 222b connects to one vibrator 1. The main path 222a of the second transmission line 222 can be slidably connected to the first transmission line 212. That is, the main path 222a of the second transmission line 222 can be used as the second connection part 2221 of the second transmission line 222. FIG12 only shows an example of a second transmission line 222 including three branches 222b, that is, the three branches 222b of the second transmission line 222 are respectively connected to three different vibrators 1. Of course, in some examples, a second transmission line 222 may include more branches 222b, which will not be described in detail here. It should be noted that in Figure 12, the two second transmission lines 222 are used to achieve the ±45° polarization direction, and the six branches 222b of the two second transmission lines 222 are used to feed the three oscillators 1.
[0079] In some examples, the lens antenna in this disclosure can be a smart antenna whose radiation pattern can include a unit beam, a broadcast beam, and a service beam. In this case, the lens antenna needs to include multiple elements 1. In this disclosure embodiment, the lens antenna only includes four elements 1, each element 1 including two feed ports, that is, dual polarization can be achieved.
[0080] Next, we will give a brief explanation of unit beams, broadcast beams, and service beams.
[0081] Among them, the unit beam, that is, the beam formed by a single oscillator 1, requires software control, which only needs to control whether the cable 100 feeds in the radio frequency signal.
[0082] The beamwidth, beamforming, and gain of the broadcast beam are software-controllable and depend on the environment. A single antenna can have multiple broadcast beam coverage patterns. The broadcast beamwidth and gain may differ between different base stations in the same area, and even between different sectors of the same base station (optimal beamforming). These can be set on-site according to the environment and user distribution. For example, if the desired broadcast beam coverage shape and required weights are known, and assuming it is a composite beam radiated by two dipoles (e.g., at both ends), then the two dipoles (e.g., at both ends) need to be simultaneously excited with the same polarization, while the two dipoles in the middle remain unexcited.
[0083] The service beamset sets the downlink beam weights based on the uplink direction-of-arrival weights of the user, thus enabling user tracking. Service beamsets typically have high gain and narrow bandwidth; therefore, this lens antenna employs a beamforming scheme where each element is excited by the same polarization.
[0084] In some examples, FIG13 is a schematic diagram of the feeding structure of an oscillator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG14 is a schematic diagram of the feeding structure of another oscillator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; as shown in FIG13 and FIG14, the feeding structure 2 has a connection region Q, the connection region Q including a first sub-region Q1, a second sub-region Q2 and a third sub-region Q3 arranged sequentially along the direction from the first transmission section 2122 to the second transmission section 2222. The first connection portion 2121 and the second connection portion 2221 of the partial feeding structure 2 can be electrically connected to the first sub-region Q1 and the third sub-region Q3, and are insulated from the second sub-region Q2; the first connection portion 2121 and the second connection portion 2221 of the partial feeding structure 2 can be electrically connected to the first sub-region Q1, the second sub-region Q2 and the third sub-region Q3.
[0085] Further, as shown in Figure 14, the first connection portion 2121 of the partial power supply structure 2 has a first opening located in the second sub-region Q2; a first insulating layer 213 is filled in the first opening; the second connection portion 2221 includes a first portion 2221a and a second portion 2221b connecting the first portion 2221a and the second transmission portion 2222; the second power supply assembly 22 includes a second insulating layer 223 that at least covers the second portion 2221b. Of course, the second insulating layer 223 may also cover the second transmission portion 2222. In this way, when the first part 2221a of the second transmission line 222 slides to the first sub-region Q1, the first part 2221a can be connected to the first connecting part 2121 to achieve electrical connection between the first transmission line 212 and the second transmission line 222. When the first part 2221a of the second transmission line 222 slides to the second sub-region Q2, the first part 2221a contacts the first insulating layer 213. At this time, the first transmission line 212 and the second transmission line 222 are insulated from each other. When the third part of the second transmission line 222 slides to the third sub-region Q3, the first part 2221a is electrically connected to the first connecting part 2121 to achieve electrical connection between the first transmission line 212 and the second transmission line 222.
[0086] In summary, assuming the weighting table for the element beam, broadcast beam, and service beam of the lens antenna is as follows:
[0087] If the unit beam, broadcast beam and service beam of the lens antenna are realized according to the above weight table, the feeding structure 2 of the first element 1 and the fourth element 1 needs to be designed as the structure in Figure 13 above, and the feeding structure 2 of the second element 1 and the third element 1 needs to be set as the structure in Figure 14 above.
[0088] To achieve unit beamforming, as shown in Figures 13 and 14, control the first part 2221a of the second transmission line 222 of the four feed structures 2 corresponding to the four vibrators 1 to slide to the first sub-region Q1 and electrically connect to the first connection part 2121. At this time, select the cable 100 connected to the first transmission line 212 of the feed structure 2 of one of the vibrators 1 to write the radio frequency signal.
[0089] To achieve a broadcast beam, as shown in Figures 15 and 16, the first portion 2221a of the second transmission line 222 of the four feed structures 2 corresponding to the four vibrators 1 is controlled to slide to the second sub-region Q2. At this time, only the first portion 2221a of the second transmission line 222 of the feed structure 2 of the first vibrator 1 and the fourth vibrator 1 is electrically connected to the first connection part 2121. The first portion 2221a of the second transmission line 222 of the feed structure 2 of the second vibrator 1 and the third vibrator 1 is insulated from the first connection part 2121. At this time, only the first vibrator 1 and the fourth vibrator 1 are excited, while the second vibrator 1 and the third vibrator 1 are not excited.
[0090] To achieve service beamforming, as shown in Figures 17 and 18, the first part 2221a of the second transmission line 222 of the four feed structures 2 corresponding to the four vibrators 1 is controlled to slide to the third sub-region Q3 and electrically connect with the first connection part 2121. At this time, all four vibrators 1 are excited.
[0091] In some examples, the above examples only show that the oscillator 1 and the lens assembly 3 are configured in a one-to-one correspondence. Figure 19 is a schematic diagram of the lens antenna of the present disclosure embodiment. As shown in Figure 19, in the lens antenna of the present disclosure embodiment, there may also be multiple oscillators 1 and one lens assembly 3 configured in a corresponding manner.
[0092] Furthermore, when multiple transducers 1 are correspondingly arranged with the first lens assembly 3, a switching unit is provided between the second transmission line 222 and the transducer 1. The switching unit is configured to control the selection state between the second transmission line 222 and the transducer 1. Figure 19 shows an example of four transducers 1 corresponding to one lens assembly 3. The four transducers 1 correspond to four different beams in the horizontal direction. Therefore, by controlling the switching state of the switching unit, the conduction of the corresponding second transmission line 222 and the transducer 1 can be selected, thereby realizing different beams.
[0093] This disclosure provides an electronic device that includes any of the lens antennas described above.
[0094] The electronic device provided in this disclosure also includes a transceiver unit, a radio frequency transceiver, a signal amplifier, a power amplifier, and a filtering unit. The antenna can serve as either a transmitting antenna or a receiving antenna. The transceiver unit may include a baseband and a receiving end. The baseband provides signals in at least one frequency band, such as 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G signals, and transmits these signals to the radio frequency transceiver. After receiving the signal, the antenna can process it through the filtering unit, power amplifier, signal amplifier, and radio frequency transceiver before transmitting it to the receiving end in the transceiver unit. The receiving end may be, for example, a smart gateway.
[0095] In some examples, an RF transceiver is connected to a transceiver unit to modulate signals transmitted by the transceiver unit or to demodulate signals received by the 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 these signals before sending them to the antenna. The antenna receives the signal and transmits it to the receiving circuit of the RF transceiver. The receiving circuit then transmits the signal to the demodulation circuit, which demodulates the signal before transmitting it to the receiving end.
[0096] In some examples, 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, 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. It combines the signals from the signal amplifier and power amplifier, filters out noise, and transmits them to the antenna, which then radiates the signal. During signal reception, the antenna receives the signal and transmits it to the filtering unit. The filtering unit filters out noise from the received signal before transmitting 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 received signal is then processed by the power amplifier and signal amplifier before being transmitted to the RF transceiver, which then transmits it to the transceiver unit.
[0097] In some examples, the signal amplifier may include various types of signal amplifiers, such as low-noise amplifiers, without limitation.
[0098] In some examples, the electronic device provided in this disclosure also includes a power management unit connected to a power amplifier and providing the power amplifier with a voltage for amplifying signals.
[0099] 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. A lens antenna, comprising a feeding structure, at least one element connected to the feeding structure, and a lens assembly located on the radiating surface side of the at least one element; wherein, The power supply structure includes a first power supply component and a second power supply component stacked together; the first power supply component includes a first dielectric substrate and a first transmission line disposed on the first dielectric substrate; the second power supply component includes a second dielectric substrate and a second transmission line disposed on the second dielectric substrate. One end of the second transmission line is connected to the vibrator, and the other end can be electrically connected to the first transmission line.
2. The lens antenna according to claim 1, wherein, The number of oscillators is multiple, and the number of first transmission lines and second transmission lines is also multiple, with one first transmission line capable of being electrically connected to one oscillator via one second transmission line.
3. The lens antenna according to claim 1, wherein, The number of the oscillators is multiple, and the second transmission line includes a main path and multiple branch paths connected to the main path. One main path is electrically connected to one oscillator, and the main path can be slidably connected to the first transmission line.
4. The lens antenna according to claim 1, wherein, One of the oscillators connects to two of the second transmission lines, and the two second transmission lines are fed in different directions.
5. The lens antenna according to claim 1, wherein, Each of the oscillators has a lens assembly disposed on its radiating surface side, and the lens assemblies disposed on the radiating surface sides of different oscillators are different.
6. The lens antenna according to claim 1, wherein, The number of oscillators is multiple, and a lens assembly is provided on the radiating surface side of each oscillator, and at least some of the oscillators are correspondingly provided with the same lens assembly.
7. The lens antenna according to claim 6, wherein, The oscillator is connected to the second transmission line via a switching unit; the switching unit is configured to control the selection state of the oscillator and the second transmission line.
8. The lens antenna according to claim 1, wherein, The first transmission line includes a first transmission section connected to the transmission component, and a first connection section connected to the first transmission section; the second transmission line includes a second transmission section connected to the oscillator, and a second connection section connected to the second transmission section. For the first transmission line and the second transmission line that can be slidably connected, wherein the first connection portion of the first transmission line and the second connection portion of the second transmission line can be slidably connected.
9. The lens antenna according to claim 8, wherein, The first transmission section and the second transmission section extend in the same direction and have the same line width.
10. The lens antenna according to claim 8, wherein, The first transmission section and the second transmission section extend in the same direction, but their line widths are different.
11. The lens antenna according to claim 8, wherein, The power supply structure has a connection region, which includes a first sub-region, a second sub-region, and a third sub-region arranged sequentially along the direction from the first transmission section to the second transmission section. The first connection portion and the second connection portion of the power supply structure described herein are electrically connected in the first sub-region and the third sub-region, and are insulated in the second sub-region; The first connection portion and the second connection portion of the power supply structure described herein can be electrically connected in the first sub-region, the second sub-region, and the third sub-region.
12. The lens antenna according to claim 11, wherein, The first connection portion of the power supply structure has a first opening located in the second sub-region; the first opening is filled with a first insulating layer; the second connection portion includes a first portion and a second portion connected between the first portion and the second transmission portion; the second power supply assembly includes a second insulating layer that at least covers the second portion.
13. The lens antenna according to claim 1, wherein, It also includes a first fixing component, one of the oscillators is disposed on the base plate of the first fixing component, and the second dielectric substrate is disposed on the side of the base plate of the first fixing component away from the lens assembly.
14. The lens antenna according to claim 13, wherein, It also includes a pull rod, which is connected to the first fixing component via a connecting assembly.
15. The lens antenna according to claim 14, wherein, The number of the pull rods is multiple, and each pull rod is connected to one of the first fixing components through the connecting assembly.
16. The lens antenna according to claim 14, wherein, Each of the first fixing components is connected to the same pull rod via a corresponding connecting component.
17. The lens antenna according to claim 13, wherein, It also includes a drive electrode connected to the pull rod, used to push the pull rod to drive the oscillator to slide relative to the lens assembly.
18. The lens antenna according to claim 1, wherein, It also includes a transmission component, which is electrically connected to the first transmission line through a via penetrating the first dielectric substrate.
19. The lens antenna according to claim 1, wherein, The lens assembly includes a Luneburg lens.
20. An electronic device comprising a lens antenna according to any one of claims 1-19.