Multiband Antenna Feed Layout for Lower LB Array Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional multiband antennas face challenges in supporting new frequency bands and maintaining RF performance while adhering to strict limitations on height and width, particularly in 2L3H antennas with two Low Band (LB) and three High Band (HB) arrays, which often suffer from excessive width and inability to support 4x4 MIMO due to duplexers introducing losses and increasing passive intermodulation risk.
Innovation Solution
A multiband antenna design with minimized interaction between LB arrays, utilizing different arrangements of radiating elements and feed points to reduce coupling, allowing closer placement and incorporating a shield wall, resulting in a compact form factor without compromising RF performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If the distance between two LB arrays is increased to reduce coupling, then coupling is reduced, but the width of the antenna increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions the feed points of the two LB arrays at different heights along the bore sight direction (vertical dimension), rather than only separating them laterally. This vertical separation in the third dimension reduces coupling between arrays while maintaining a compact lateral width, effectively transitioning the problem from a 2D lateral arrangement to a 3D spatial arrangement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent embeds the two LB arrays within a shared lateral space by stacking them vertically at different heights. The arrays are nested in the vertical dimension, allowing them to occupy overlapping lateral footprints while maintaining isolation through vertical separation, thus reducing width while managing coupling.
2Adaptability or versatility
If duplexers are added to enable 4x4 MIMO in LB, then MIMO capability is improved, but losses increase and passive intermodulation risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the duplexer components from the system entirely. Instead of using duplexers to enable 4x4 MIMO operation, the design directly provides four independent ports and arrays that can operate simultaneously without the need for frequency separation or isolation components, thereby eliminating the associated losses and intermodulation risks.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the number of ports and arrays is increased to support new frequency bands and 4x4 MIMO, then adaptability is improved, but the width and height of the antenna must be increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the vertical height dimension by positioning feed points at different elevations along the bore sight direction. This allows four ports and multiple arrays to be packed into a compact lateral footprint while extending vertically, thereby increasing adaptability without proportionally increasing the antenna's width and overall footprint.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple arrays and ports are nested within a compact structure by stacking radiating elements and feed points in the vertical dimension. The arrays are arranged to share lateral space while maintaining isolation through vertical separation, enabling support for multiple frequency bands and 4x4 MIMO within constrained dimensions.
4Object-generated harmful factors
If feed points of first and second radiating elements are separated along bore sight direction, then coupling is reduced, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the antenna into distinct segments or modules, each with its own feed point positioned at a specific height. This segmentation allows independent positioning and optimization of each feed point along the bore sight direction, simplifying the manufacturing process by treating feed point placement as a modular assembly task rather than a complex integrated challenge.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention provides an antenna (100) comprising a plurality of first radiating elements (101) configured to radiate in a first frequency band and a plurality of second radiating elements (104) configured to radiate in a second frequency band, the second frequency band at least partially overlapping the first frequency band. The first radiating elements (101) are arranged along the longitudinal direction (102) of the antenna (101) in a first column (103), and the second radiating elements (104) are arranged along the longitudinal direction (102) of the antenna (100) in a second column (105). The second column (105) is separated from the first column (103) along a lateral direction (106) of the antenna (100). Further, feed points (107) of each first radiating element (101) are separated from feed points (108) of each second radiating element (104) along a bore sight direction (109) of the antenna (100).