Replaceable Dielectric Board Phase Shifter for Small Cell Base Stations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Small cell base stations face challenges in accommodating conventional phase shifters and driving devices due to limited space, requiring multiple antenna designs for different electronic downtilt applications, which increases development cycles and costs.
Innovation Solution
A phase shifter design that includes a replaceable dielectric board with varying dielectric constants and sizes, allowing for adjustable phase shifts by changing the dielectric board's parameters without altering the substrate or feed line, enabling flexible phase adjustment and reducing design complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional phase shifters and driving devices are used in small cell base stations, then phase adjustment function is achieved, but the limited space cannot accommodate the devices and multiple antenna designs are required for different electronic downtilt applications
Solution Approach 1:
The phase shifter is segmented into a fixed substrate with feed lines and a replaceable dielectric board. This segmentation allows the dielectric board to be independently replaced to achieve different phase shift values, providing adaptability without requiring multiple complete antenna designs.
Solution Approach 2:
A single antenna design with a replaceable dielectric board serves multiple functions by accommodating different dielectric boards with varying dielectric constants and dimensions. This universal design eliminates the need for multiple specialized antenna designs for different electronic downtilt applications.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple antenna designs are created for different electronic downtilt applications, then adaptability is improved, but development cycles and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate and feed lines are designed in advance with standardized configurations that can accommodate various dielectric boards. This preliminary preparation of a universal platform allows rapid deployment of different electronic downtilt applications by simply replacing the dielectric board, significantly reducing development time.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the dielectric board parameters are changed to adjust phase shift, then adaptability is improved, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the dielectric board have different local properties (dielectric constant, thickness, width) that are optimized for specific phase shift requirements. By varying these local qualities while maintaining the same overall board structure, the system achieves adaptability without increasing overall structural complexity.
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
The phase shifter provides customizable phase shifts by replacing dielectric boards with different constants and sizes, reducing the need for multiple antenna designs and minimizing design costs and time, while maintaining performance and avoiding additional issues like passive intermodulation and return loss.
Implementation Method 1
a replaceable dielectric board made of a dielectric material and configured to cover at least a part of the feed line
Implementation Method 2
different dielectric boards have different dielectric constants
Data Source
AI summary
A phase shifter includes: an input port configured to receive a radio frequency signal; an output port configured to output a radio frequency signal whose phase is changed; The output port and changing the phase of the radio frequency signal; and a replaceable dielectric board made of dielectric material and covering at least a part of the feed line.