Patent Application
20240313429
Embodiments of this application relate to the field of communication technologies, and in particular, to an antenna and an antenna system.
Nowadays, users have higher requirements on types and quality of data content, and a quantity of devices connected to a network increases exponentially. These impose increasing traffic pressure on networks.
Microwave backhaul bears data transmission between an access network and a core network, and the increase of transmission capacities is a basic guarantee for healthy growth of data traffic. As a spectrum bandwidth and a modulation order cannot continuously increase, multi-antenna technologies such as multiple input multiple output (MIMO) and full-duplex gradually become main technical options. In the multi-antenna technology, a plurality of beams are generated by using a plurality of antennas, and spectral efficiency is improved by increasing a quantity of data streams. In addition, the beams herein are independent of each other, that is, the beams are uncorrelated with each other.
However, deployment of the plurality of antennas has problems such as high device costs and limited base station space, limiting large-scale deployment of the multi-antenna technology.
Embodiments of this application provide an antenna and an antenna system. The antenna, which is functionally equivalent to a plurality of conventional antennas, is used to reduce device costs and base station space occupied by the antenna.
According to a first aspect, this application provides an antenna. The antenna includes a first reflective surface and N feeds, where N is an integer greater than 1. The N feeds are disposed on the first reflective surface. The first reflective surface includes N areas, where a quantity of areas and a shape of the areas are not specifically limited in this application. The N areas are in one-to-one correspondence with the N feeds, and each of the areas is used to reflect a beam radiated by a corresponding feed. It should be noted that the area may directly reflect the beam radiated by the feed, or may indirectly radiate the beam radiated by the feed.
The antenna includes the first reflective surface and a plurality of feeds. The first reflective surface includes a plurality of areas, and each of the areas is used to reflect the beam radiated by a corresponding feed. Therefore, one antenna is functionally equivalent to a plurality of antennas, and can implement independent multi-beam radiation, so that device costs and base station space occupied by the antenna can be reduced.
In an implementation, the antenna further includes N second reflective surfaces. The N second reflective surfaces are in one-to-one correspondence with the N feeds, and each of the second reflective surfaces is used to reflect, to an area, a beam radiated by a corresponding feed. Each area is used to reflect a beam from a second reflective surface. A relative position between the first reflective surface and the second reflective surface may be fastened by using an external component such as a frame.
The second reflective surface reflects, to the area of the first reflective surface, the beam radiated by the feed, and then the beam is reflected by the area of the first reflective surface, to complete beam transmission. In this way, the antenna provided in this application can be applied to a plurality of application scenarios in which a type of the first reflective surface is a Cassegrain antenna, a Gregorian antenna, or an annular focus antenna.
In an implementation, a virtual focus of each second reflective surface coincides with a real focus of the first reflective surface.
The virtual focus of each second reflective surface coincides with the real focus of the first reflective surface, so that beams reflected by the N areas of the first reflective surface are radiated in a same direction.
In an implementation, a baffle plate is disposed between adjacent areas of the N areas, to block signal propagation between the areas.
Because the baffle plate is disposed between the adjacent areas, the beam radiated by the feed can be radiated only to the area of the first reflective surface corresponding to the feed, and cannot be radiated to another area of the first reflective surface, so that isolation between the beams is increased and interference between beams in the adjacent areas is avoided.
In an implementation, an isolation area is disposed between the adjacent areas of the N areas.
Because the isolation area is disposed between the adjacent areas, the beam radiated by the feed can be radiated only to the area of the first reflective surface corresponding to the feed, and cannot be radiated to another area of the first reflective surface, so that the isolation between the beams is increased and the interference between the beams in the adjacent areas is avoided.
In an implementation, a type of the feed is one of the following: a horn antenna, a microstrip antenna, and a dielectric loaded antenna.
In an implementation, when the type of the feed is the horn antenna, the feed is a pyramidal horn.
When the feed is the pyramidal horn, in a case in which the feed and the second reflective surface are controlled to rotate by a specific angle, electric field distribution and a modulus ratio of the pyramidal horn may be controlled, so that the beam radiated by the feed covers the area of the first reflective surface corresponding to the feed as much as possible.
In an implementation, the type of the first reflective surface may be a feedforward parabolic antenna.
In an implementation, the type of the first reflective surface is one of the following: the Cassegrain antenna, the Gregorian antenna, and the annular focus antenna.
According to a second aspect, this application provides an antenna system, including the antenna according to any one of the implementations of the first aspect.
The following describes technical solutions in embodiments of this application in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in embodiments of this application.
Because deployment of a plurality of antennas has problems such as high device costs and limited base station space, embodiments of this application provide an antenna. The antenna includes a plurality of small antenna systems, and each of the small antenna systems may independently radiate a beam. Therefore, one antenna provided in embodiments of this application can implement multi-beam radiation. In other words, one antenna provided in embodiments of this application is functionally equivalent to a plurality of conventional antennas. Therefore, the device costs and the base station space occupied by the antenna can be reduced.
The following describes the antenna provided in embodiments of this application.
Refer to
The N feeds 2 are disposed on the first reflective surface 1. A manner of disposing the feed 2 is not specifically limited in this embodiment of this application.
The first reflective surface 1 includes N areas 3. A quantity of areas 3 and a shape of the areas 3 are not specifically limited in this embodiment of this application.
The N areas 3 have a one-to-one correspondence with the N feeds 2, and each of the areas 3 is used to reflect a beam radiated by a corresponding feed 2.
It should be noted that the area 3 may directly reflect the beam radiated by the feed 2, or may indirectly radiate the beam radiated by the feed 2.
Specifically, when a type of the first reflective surface 1 is a feedforward parabolic antenna, the beam radiated by the feed 2 is directly radiated to the area 3 of the first reflective surface 1, and then the area 3 of the first reflective surface 1 directly reflects the beam.
In this case, one area 3 of the first reflective surface 1 and one feed 2 may form a small antenna system, and the small antenna system can independently radiate the beam.
The antenna shown in
In another implementation, a type of the first reflective surface 1 is one of the following: a Cassegrain antenna, a Gregorian antenna, and/or an annular focus antenna. In this case, the beam radiated by the feed 2 is reflected to the area 3 of the first reflective surface 1, instead of being directly radiated to the area 3 of the first reflective surface 1.
Specifically, as shown in
The N second reflective surfaces 6 are in one-to-one correspondence with the N feeds 2, and each of the second reflective surfaces 6 is used to reflect, to an area 3, a beam radiated by a corresponding feed 2.
It should be noted that the first reflective surface 1 and the second reflective surface 6 may not be directly connected, and specifically, the first reflective surface 1 and the second reflective surface 6 may be fastened by using a frame, to implement a relative position shown in
Each area 3 is used to reflect a beam from a second reflective surface 6.
In this case, one second reflective surface 6, one area 3 of the first reflective surface 1, and one feed 2 may form a small antenna system, and the small antenna system can independently radiate the beam.
Specifically,
The antenna module 1 is used as an example. The antenna module 1 includes the first reflective surface 1, the second reflective surface 6 (a secondary reflective surface), and the feed 2. It can be seen from
In this embodiment of this application, the antenna includes the first reflective surface 1 and the plurality of feeds 2. The first reflective surface 1 includes a plurality of areas 3, and each of the areas 3 is used to reflect a beam radiated by a corresponding feed 2. Therefore, one antenna is functionally equivalent to a plurality of antennas, and can implement independent multi-beam radiation, so that device costs and base station space occupied by the antenna can be reduced.
It may be understood that a radiation direction of the beam can be controlled by controlling the relative position between the first reflective surface 1 and the second reflective surface 6.
In this way, directions of beams output from the first reflective surface 1 are consistent, and a virtual focus of each second reflective surface 6 coincides with a real focus of the first reflective surface 1.
As shown in
A type of the feed 2 is not specifically limited in this embodiment of this application. For example, the type of the feed 2 is one of the following: a horn antenna, a microstrip antenna, and a dielectric loaded antenna.
When the type of the feed 2 is the horn antenna, the feed 2 may be a pyramidal horn. Specifically, the feed 2 may be a pyramidal horn fed by a square waveguide.
When the feed 2 is the pyramidal horn, in a case in which the feed 2 and the second reflective surface 6 are controlled to rotate by a specific angle, electric field distribution and a modulus ratio of the pyramidal horn may be controlled, so that the beam radiated by the feed 2 covers the area 3 of the first reflective surface 1 corresponding to the feed 2 as much as possible.
For example, as shown in
When the feed 2 may be the pyramidal horn fed by the square waveguide, in a case in which the feed 2 and the second reflective surface 6 are controlled to rotate by the specific angle, the electric field distribution and the modulus ratio of the pyramidal horn are controlled, so that shapes of dual-polarized radiation light spots can be further unified. A shape of the dual-polarized radiation light spot is shown in
It may be understood that a part of the beam radiated by the feed 2 may be radiated to the area 3 of the first reflective surface 1 corresponding to the feed 2, and the other part may be radiated to another area 3 of the first reflective surface 1.
Therefore, to prevent the beam from being radiated to an area 3 of a first reflective surface 1 that does not correspond to the feed, in an implementation, a baffle plate 4 is disposed between adjacent areas 3 of the N areas 3, and the baffle plate 4 is used to block signal propagation between the areas 3.
The baffle plate 4 may also be referred to as a non-wave-transparent baffle plate.
For example, as shown in
Because the baffle plate 4 is disposed between the adjacent areas 3, the beam radiated by the feed 2 can be radiated only to the area 3 of the first reflective surface 1 corresponding to the feed 2, and cannot be radiated to another area 3 of the first reflective surface 1, so that isolation between beams is increased and interference between the beams in the adjacent area 3 is avoided.
When the antenna includes the second reflective surface 6, a size of the baffle plate 4 may be appropriately increased, so that the baffle plate 4 may not only isolate different areas 3 of the first reflective surface 1, but also isolate different feeds 2 and isolate different second reflective surfaces 6, that is, isolate different antenna systems of the antenna completely. In this way, the isolation between the beams is increased.
In addition to the foregoing method, in an implementation, an isolation area 5 is disposed between the adjacent areas 3 of the N areas 3.
For example, as shown in
In this embodiment, the isolation area 5 is disposed between the adjacent areas 3. This may further increase the isolation between the adjacent areas 3.
In another possible implementation, the foregoing two isolation solutions may alternatively be combined. To be specific, both the isolation area 5 and the baffle plate 4 are disposed, where the baffle plate 4 may be disposed in the isolation area 5.
The following describes two scenarios to which the antenna in embodiments of this application is applied.
Refer to
f1 and f2 represent different frequencies, TX represents a transmit end, and RX represents a receive end.
Refer to
f1 and f2 represent different frequencies, TX represents a transmit end, and RX represents a receive end.
In addition, this application further provides an embodiment of an antenna system. The embodiment includes a plurality of antennas as mentioned in
This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/CN2021/134495, filed on Nov. 30, 2021, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | PCT/CN2021/134495 | Nov 2021 | WO |
| Child | 18676807 | US |
