1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an antenna and a complex antenna, and more particularly, to an antenna and a complex antenna having smaller size to be disposed in a cylindrical radome and allowing both multiband and low-frequency operations.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Electronic products with wireless communication functionalities utilize antennas to emit and receive radio waves, to transmit or exchange radio signals, so as to access a wireless communication network. With the advance of wireless communication technology, an electronic product may be configured with an increasing number of antennas. Alternatively, a complex antenna equipped with a plurality of antennas may be used in an electronic product to transmit or receive radio signals. A complex antenna turns on its antenna (s) according to the direction of signal transmission, thereby effectively enhancing spectral efficiency and transmission rate for the wireless communication system, as well as improving communication quality. In such a situation, each of the antennas constituting a complex antenna is preferably a directional antenna, which point energy toward a specific direction for concentration within a targeted area.
An ideal antenna should maximize its bandwidth within a permitted range, while minimizing physical dimensions to accommodate the trend for smaller-sized electronic products. Technically, a complex antenna is disposed in a cylindrical radome, which limits the sizes of the antennas constituting the complex antenna. However, the long term evolution (LTE) wireless communication system includes 44 bands which cover from 698 MHz to 3800 MHz. Because of the bands being separated and disordered, a mobile system operator may use multiple bands simultaneously in the same country or area. In the LTE wireless communication system, band 13 (covering from 746 MHz to 787 MHz) requires lower frequencies, and hence a complex antenna operated in band 13 would occupy larger space. Without adequate size, the complex antenna cannot meet the requirements of multiband or wideband transmission. What's worse, interference between antennas might occur to threaten normal operations of the antennas.
Obviously, providing an antenna of small size that allows multiband and low-frequency operations is a significant objective in the field.
Therefore, the present invention primarily provides an antenna and a complex antenna having small size and allowing both multiband and low-frequency operations.
An embodiment of the present invention discloses an antenna for receiving and transmitting radio signals, comprising a reflective unit, comprising a central reflective element; and a plurality of peripheral reflective elements, enclosing the central reflective element to form a frustum structure; and at least one radiation unit, disposed above the central reflective element; wherein the reflective unit is electrically isolated from the at least one radiation unit.
An embodiment of the present invention further discloses a complex antenna for receiving and transmitting radio signals, comprising a plurality of antennas, each of the plurality of antennas comprising a reflective unit, comprising a central reflective element; and a plurality of peripheral reflective elements, enclosing the central reflective element to form a frustum structure; and at least one radiation unit, disposed above the central reflective element; wherein the reflective unit is electrically isolated from the at least one radiation unit.
These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings.
Please refer to
In short, when the total length DP_L of the main sections 122a and 122b and the total length DP_L of the main sections 142a and 142 b are less than half of an operating wavelength, an effective length of the radiation unit 120 and an effective length of the radiation unit 140 would be increased to improve return loss (i.e., S11 parameter value) by means of the first arm sections 124a, 124b, 144a and 144b respectively. This may minimize a size of the antenna 10, meet transmission requirements of low frequency, and improve resonance effects of the antenna 10.
To enhance polarization isolation (i.e., common polarization to cross polarization parameters), the antenna 10 should be symmetrical. Therefore, as shown in
For example, please refer to Table 1 and
By adjusting the radiation units 120 and 140 shown in
For example, please refer to Table 2 and
By adding a reflective plate, the return loss may be improved further. Please refer to
For example, please refer to Table 3 and
By properly designing the reflective unit 100, the return loss may be improved further. Please refer to
Technically, a conventional artificial magnetic conductor has a periodic structure and thus may alter various reflection phases of electromagnetic waves. However, a conventional artificial magnetic conductor is basically of a plane structure, meaning that it is flat or made by sticking several flat layers together. Unlike a conventional artificial magnetic conductor, the conductor patches MF_a to MF_d of the present invention providing magnetic conductor reflection effects are regularly (or periodically) arranged above the conductor base plates MB_a to MB_d, which are not parallel to each other, thereby presenting the distinct frustum structure of the reflective unit 700. Besides, a radio wave, when reflected from the reflective unit 700, undergoes a phase shift, and this phase shift, which is referred to as a reflection phase of the reflective unit 700 hereafter, is in a range of −180° to 180° corresponding to different frequencies. Therefore, even if the radiation units 320 and 340 are quite close to the reflective unit 700, a reflected radio signal bounced back from the reflective unit 700 may be in phase with its incident radio signal, which is transmitted or received by the radiation unit 320 or 340, thereby achieving constructive interference. As a result, distances between the radiation unit 320 and the reflective unit 700 and between the radiation unit 340 and the reflective unit 700 may be reduced, the size of the antenna 70 may be minimized and the transmission requirements of low frequency may be met efficiently. For example, please refer to
Simulation and measurement may be employed to determine whether the antenna 70 operated at different frequencies meets system requirements. Please refer to Table 4 and
Please refer to Tables 5 to 9 and
Please note that the reflection phases of the reflective unit 700 are in a range of −180° to 180° corresponding to different frequencies while variation of the reflection phases corresponding to higher frequencies shown in
Please refer to
As shown in
Simulation and measurement may be employed to determine whether the antenna 80 operated at different frequencies meets system requirements. Please refer to Tables 10, 11 and
The antennas 10, 30, 50, 70 and 80 are exemplary embodiments of the invention, and those skilled in the art may make alternations and modifications accordingly. For example, each of the spacer layers DL_a to DL_d may be disposed behind a shield of one of the conductor patches MF_a to MF_d, or overlay one of the conductor base plates MB_a to MB_d to cover it completely. Above each of the conductor base plates MB_a to MB_d, there may be one conductor patch, whose shape is similar to the shape of its corresponding conductor base plate, or more than one conductor patches, which are regularly arranged above the conductor base plate. In addition, the ends of the first arm sections 124a, 124b, 144a and 144b of the antenna 80 (e.g., the endpoint B of the first arm section 124a) are connected to the ends of the main sections 322a, 322b, 342a and 342b (e.g., the endpoint B of the main section 322a) respectively; however, the present invention is not limited herein, and the first arm section may be connected to a center of the main section or other locations within the main section (e.g., the point D of the main section 322a). Moreover, the first arm sections 124a, 124b, 144a, 144b and the second arm sections 828a, 828b, 848a, 848b of the antenna 80 may be perpendicular to the main sections 322a, 322b, 342a, 342b respectively, such that the first arm sections 124a, 124b, 144a, 144b and the second arm sections 828a, 828b, 848a, 848b are not coplanar to the main sections 322a, 322b, 342a and 342b. Alternatively, there may be an included angle larger or smaller than 90 degrees between each of the first arm sections 124a, 124b, 144a, 144b (or each of the second arm sections 828a, 828b, 848a, 848b) and each of the main sections 322a, 322b, 342a, 342b to keep them not coplanar. In
To meet requirements of multiband or wideband transmission, the radiation units 820 and 840 of the antenna 80 need further modifications. Please refer to
Simulation and measurement may be employed to determine whether the antenna 90 operated at different frequencies meets system requirements. Please refer to Tables 12, 13 and
On the other hand, a dual-polarized beam switching antenna set may be derived from the antenna 10, 30, 50, 70, 80 or 90 with appropriate modifications. Please refer to
To sum up, the effective length of the radiation unit of the present invention would be lengthened with the main sections and the first arm sections, which are not coplanar to the main sections. By adjusting the ratios of the widths to the lengths of the radiation unit, the effective distance between the radiation unit and the reflective unit of the present invention would increase. The effective radiation area of the antenna of the present invention would be enlarged with the reflective plate. The conductor patches of the reflective unit in the present invention are regularly arranged to alter reflection phases of electromagnetic waves. In this way, antenna characteristics would be improved, the size of the antenna may be minimized and the transmission requirements of low frequency may be met efficiently. Besides, when the reflective unit providing magnetic conductor reflection effects matches the second arm section or the third arm section of the present invention, multiband transmission may be achieved.
Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
104109571 | Mar 2015 | TW | national |
105103991 | Feb 2016 | TW | national |