MIMO Antenna With Metal Microstructures for Miniaturization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional antenna technologies face challenges in miniaturization due to size, bandwidth, and gain limitations, making it difficult to implement MIMO systems in limited wireless apparatus sizes while maintaining high radiating performance and low power consumption.

Innovation Solution

The design of unipolar, bipolar, and hybrid MIMO antennas with metal microstructures such as complementary split ring resonators and spiral structures, eliminating the need for complex impedance matching networks, allowing for miniaturization and high isolation between antennas.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If conventional antenna designs are used, then antenna size can be reduced, but radiating performance and bandwidth are limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveantenna sizeVSAvoidradiating performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The antenna is divided into multiple independent antenna elements (at least two antenna elements) that operate in parallel. Each element can be independently designed and optimized, allowing the overall system to achieve high performance while maintaining compact size through modular architecture

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from traditional single-antenna designs to multi-element antenna arrays, adding spatial dimensionality to the system. This allows exploitation of spatial freedom and multipath effects to enhance radiating performance without proportionally increasing the physical footprint

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Productivity

If MIMO systems are implemented to increase information throughput, then transmission capacity is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation throughputVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The MIMO system is segmented into multiple independent antenna elements with dedicated feed networks. Each antenna element can be independently controlled and optimized, simplifying the overall system design by breaking down the complex MIMO functionality into manageable modular components

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The antenna elements are designed to perform multiple functions: they can operate as transmit antennas, receive antennas, or both simultaneously. The feed network can selectively activate different elements for different communication modes, providing universal functionality that reduces overall system complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Adaptability or versatility

If additional impedance matching networks are added to enable multi-mode operation, then antenna versatility is improved, but energy loss increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemulti-mode operation capabilityVSAvoidenergy loss
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and eliminates the need for complex impedance matching networks by directly feeding the antenna elements through a simplified feed structure. This removal of unnecessary components reduces energy loss while maintaining the ability to support multiple operating modes through the inherent characteristics of the antenna elements themselves

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables the integration of MIMO antennas in small wireless devices with high isolation and reduced energy loss, facilitating efficient wireless communication systems.

Implementation Method 1

The metal sheet is carved with derivative, composite, combined and array metal microstructures. The microstructure is a complementary opening resonance ring structure, a spiral line structure, an opening spiral ring structure, a dual-opening spiral ring structure or a complementary curved fold line structure.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectResonance: Resonance

Implementation Method 2

a capacitor C1 and an inductor L1, the capacitor C1 and the inductor L1 being connected in series, the capacitor C1 being connected between a signal input end and a signal output end of the impedance matching network, the inductor L1 being connected between a signal input end and a signal output end of the impedance matching network

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCapacitance: Capacitance

Implementation Method 3

a capacitor C1 and an inductor L1, the capacitor C1 and the inductor L1 being connected in series, the capacitor C1 being connected between a signal input end and a signal output end of the impedance matching network, the inductor L1 being connected between a signal input end and a signal output end of the impedance matching network

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectInductance: Inductor

Data Source

PatentEP2688143B1Unipolar, bipolar, and hybrid MIMO antenna
Publication Date: 2017.11.01 KUANG CHI INNOVATIVE TECH
  • EP2688143B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2688143B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2688143B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The present disclosure provides a unipolar MIMO antenna, which consists of a plurality of unipolar RF antennae. Each of the unipolar RF antennae comprises a metal sheet and a feeder line. The metal sheet is enchased with a metal microstructure thereon, and the feeder line and the metal sheet are connected in a signal communicative manner. The unipolar MIMO antenna of the present disclosure breaks through the framework of the conventional antenna design and eliminates the complex design of the impedance matching network to ensure miniaturization of the antenna. Thereby, the antenna can be used in a wireless apparatus having a small size, a high transmission efficiency and a high isolation degree among antennae and can satisfy the requirement of a low power consumption in the design of modem communication systems. Additionally, the present disclosure further provides a bipolar MIMO antenna and a hybrid MIMO antenna.