The present disclosure relates to an antenna module used in next-generation communication technology, and a base station comprising the antenna module.
Efforts are being made to develop an improved Fifth Generation (5G) communication system or a pre-5G communication system in order to meet the increasing demand for wireless data traffic after the commercialization of a Fourth Generation (4G) communication system. For this reason, the 5G communication system or the pre-5G communication system is called a communication system after the 4G network (Beyond 4G Network) or system after Long Term Evolution (LTE) system (Post LTE). In order to achieve a high data rate, the 5G communication system is considered for implementation in a ultra-high frequency (e.g., millimeter wave (mmWave)) band (e.g., a 60 GHz band). In order to alleviate path loss of radio waves in the ultra-high frequency band and to increase the transmission distance of radio waves in the 5G communication system, beamforming, massive Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO), Full Dimensional (FD) MIMO, array antenna, analog beamforming, and large scale antenna technologies have been discussed. In addition, in order to improve the network in the 5G communication system, technologies, such as evolved small cell, advanced small cell, cloud radio access network (RAN), ultra-dense network, Device to Device communication (D2D), wireless backhaul, moving network, cooperative communication, Coordinated Multi-Points (CMP), interference cancellation, have been developed. In addition, in 5G system, Advanced Coding Modulation (ACM) methods, such as Hybrid FSK and QAM Modulation (FQAM) and Sliding Window Superposition Coding (SWSC), advanced connection technologies such as Filter Bank Multi Carrier (FBMC), non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA), and sparse code multiple access (SCMA), have been developed.
The internet has been evolving from a human-centered network in which humans generate and consume information to an Internet of Things (IoT) network that exchanges and processes information between distributed components such as objects. Internet of Everything (IoE) technology, which combines big-data processing technology through connection with cloud servers, etc. with IoT technology, has also been emerging. Technology elements, such as sensing technology, wired and wireless communication and network infrastructure, service interface technology, and security technology, are required to implement IoT. Recently, technologies such as sensor network, machine-to-machine (M2M), and machine type communication (MTC) for connection between objects have been studied. In an IoT environment, intelligent Internet Technology (IT) services that create new values in human life by collecting and analyzing data generated from connected objects may be provided. IoT may be applied to fields, such as smart home, smart building, smart city, smart car, or connected car, smart grid, health care, smart home appliance, and advanced medical service, through convergence and combination between existing Information Technology (IT) technologies and various industries.
Accordingly, various attempts are being made to apply the 5G communication system to the IoT network. For example, technologies, such as sensor network, M2M, and MTC have been implemented by 5G communication techniques, such as beamforming, MIMO, and array antenna. The application of cloud wireless access network (e.g., cloud RAN), as a big data processing technology described above, may be an example of the convergence of 5G technology and IoT technology. A next-generation communication system may use the ultra-high frequency band (e.g., mmWave), and an antenna module structure that enables smooth communication in the ultra-high frequency band is required.
An object of this disclosure is to provide a method and a device for implementing an antenna module that may simplify a manufacturing process and for reducing manufacturing cost while maintaining high efficiency or gain in a next-generation communication system.
According to an aspect of the disclosure, an antenna module of a base station in a wireless communication system includes: a dielectric; a radiator disposed on a horizontal plane spaced apart from a first surface of the dielectric by a predetermined first length; a first feeding unit disposed on the first surface of the dielectric and providing an electrical signal to the radiator; and a second feeding unit disposed on the first surface of the dielectric, the second feeding unit being extending along a direction in which the electrical signal is provided by the first feeding unit to the radiator. The second feeding unit being connected to the first feeding unit. A second surface of the second feeding unit is spaced apart from a third surface of the radiator by a predetermined second length.
According to another aspect of the disclosure, a base station in a wireless communication system includes: one or more transmitters; one or more receivers; and an antenna module associated with the one or more transmitters and the one or more receivers. The antenna module includes: a dielectric; a radiator disposed on a horizontal plane spaced apart from a first surface of the dielectric by a predetermined first length; a first feeding unit disposed on the first surface of the dielectric and providing an electrical signal to the radiator; and a second feeding unit disposed on the first surface of the dielectric. The second feeding unit is extending along a direction in which the electrical signal is provided by the first feeding unit to the radiator and is connected to the first feeding unit. A second surface of the second feeding unit is spaced apart from a third surface of the radiator by a predetermined second length.
According to another aspect of the disclosure, a method of manufacturing an antenna module in a wireless communication system, includes: providing a dielectric; providing a radiator disposed on a horizontal plane spaced apart from a first surface of the dielectric by a predetermined first length; providing a first feeding unit on the first surface of the dielectric to supply an electrical signal to the radiator; providing a second feeding unit on the first surface of the dielectric; connecting the second feeding unit to the first feeding unit by extending the second feeding unit along a direction in which the electrical signal is supplied by the first feeding unit to the radiator; and placing the second feeding unit so as to dispose a second surface of the second feeding unit apart from a third surface of the radiator by a predetermined second length.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, an antenna of the same performance can be implemented without going through a complicated manufacturing process, and there is an effect can reduce manufacturing cost.
The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of certain embodiments of the present disclosure will be more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
In describing an embodiment of the present disclosure, a description of technical contents that is well known in the technical field to which the present disclosure belongs and are not directly related to the present disclosure will be omitted. This is to convey the gist of the present disclosure more clearly without blurring by omitting an unnecessary description.
For the same reason, some components are exaggerated, omitted, or schematically illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In addition, the size of each component does not fully reflect the actual size. The same reference number was assigned to the same or corresponding components in each drawing.
An advantage and a feature of the present disclosure and a method for achieving them will become apparent with reference to embodiments described below in detail together with the accompanying drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but may be implemented in various forms, only the present embodiments are provided so that the disclosure of the present disclosure is complete, and to fully inform those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure belongs to the scope of the disclosure, and the present disclosure is only defined by the scope of the claims. The same reference numerals refer to the same components throughout the disclosure.
In this case, it will be understood that each block of processing flowchart drawings and combinations of flowchart drawings may be performed by computer program instructions. Since these computer program instructions may be mounted on a processor of a general-purpose computer, a special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing equipment, the instructions performed through the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing equipment create a mean to perform the functions described in the flowchart block(s). Since these computer program instructions is also possible to be stored in a computer-usable or computer-readable memory that may aim a computer or other programmable data processing equipment to implement a function in a particular method, the instructions stored in the computer-usable or computer-readable memory is also possible to produce manufactured items including instruction means that perform functions described in the flowchart block(s). Since the computer program instructions is also possible to be mounted on a computer or other programmable data processing equipment, instructions for performing a computer or other programmable data processing equipment by performing a series of operational steps on a computer or other programmable data processing equipment and creating a computer-executed process may be possible to provide steps to execute the functions described in the flowchart block(s).
In addition, each block may represent a module, segment, or a part of code including one or more executable instructions for executing a specific logical function(s). It should also be noted that, in some alternative implementation examples, it is possible for the functions mentioned in the blocks to occur out of order. For example, it is possible that two blocks illustrated in succession are actually performed substantially simultaneously, or that the blocks are sometimes performed in reverse order according to the corresponding function.
In this case, the term ‘˜part’ used in the present embodiment refers to software or hardware components such as FPGA or ASIC, and the ‘˜part’ performs certain roles. However, the ‘˜part’ is not limited to software or hardware. The ‘˜part’ may be configured to be in an addressable storage medium or may be configured to play one or more processors. Thus, as an example, the ‘˜part’ comprises software components, object-oriented software components, components such as class components and task components, processes, functions, attributes, procedures, subroutines, segments of program code, drivers, firmware, microcode, circuits, data, database, data structures, tables, arrays, and variables. The functions provided in components and ‘˜part’s may be combined into a smaller number of components and ‘˜part’s or further separated into additional components and ‘˜part’s. In addition, the components and the ‘˜part’s may be implemented to play one or more CPUs in the device or secure multimedia card. In addition, in an embodiment, the ‘˜part’ may include one or more processors.
Hereinafter, an antenna module structure disclosed in this disclosure is a structure applicable to a next-generation communication system, and is applicable to, for example, a communication system having an operating frequency of 6 GHz or less.
In one embodiment, the dielectric 111 may have a plate shape, and a protrusion 112 for disposing the radiator 130 may be formed on a (top) surface of the dielectric 111. The protrusion 112 may be formed integrally with the dielectric 111 or may be formed separately from the dielectric 111. In one embodiment, the dielectric may be replaced with a non-metallic material excluding the dielectric.
In one embodiment, the radiator 130 (radiating a radio frequency (RF) signal to the outside) may be disposed on a (top) surface of the protrusion 112 formed from the dielectric 111. In addition, in one embodiment, the first feeding unit 120 (supplying an electrical signal corresponding to the RF signal to the radiator 130) may be disposed on the top surface of the dielectric 111. The first feeding unit 120 may supply an electrical signal to the radiator 130 using, for example, a feeding line formed along the side surface of the protrusion 112 as illustrated in
In addition, in one embodiment, the antenna module 100 may include a ground layer 150 of a metal plate disposed on the lower end of the dielectric 111.
In addition, in one embodiment, the antenna module 200 may include a second feeding unit 221, a third feeding unit 222, a fourth feeding unit 223, and a fifth feeding unit 224 configured to supply RF signals to each of the radiators 231 and 232. The antenna module 200 may include distributors 241 and 242 configured to distribute RF signals directed to the second feeding unit 221, the third feeding unit 222, the fourth feeding unit 223, and the fifth feeding unit 224. In
In one embodiment, the second feeding unit 221 and the fourth feeding unit 223 may supply RF signals related to horizontal polarization to the radiators 231 and 232. In one embodiment, the third feeding unit 222 and the fifth feeding unit 224 supplies RF signals related to vertical polarization to the radiators 231 and 232. In one embodiment, a direction in which the second feeding unit 221 and the fourth feeding unit 223 that supply RF signals related to horizontal polarization extend toward the radiators 231 and 232 is disposed to be orthogonal to another direction in which the third feeding unit 222 and the fifth feeding unit 224 that supply RF signals related to vertical polarization extend toward the radiators 231 and 232, so that the gain values of horizontal polarization and vertical polarization radiated through the radiators 231 and 232 may be improved.
In addition, in one embodiment, the second feeding unit 221, the third feeding unit 222, the fourth feeding unit 223, and the fifth feeding unit 224 may be formed to extend from the (top) surface of the dielectric 211 to the (top) surface of the protrusions 212 and 213 through the side surfaces of the protrusions 212 and 213. In one embodiment, the feeding units may have a gap-coupled structure close to the radiators 231 and 232 within a predetermined distance as the feeding units are formed to extend from the (top) surface of the dielectric to the (top) surface of the protrusion. In this way, in case of power feeding based on the gap-coupled method that is close within a predetermined distance, the bandwidth of the radio wave radiated through the radiator may be improved.
The above-described examples of
In one embodiment, in a feeding unit such as the feeding units illustrated in
As in the above-described examples, in a case that the feeding unit for antenna performance is implemented, injection molding is required in a manufacturing process, but in a case that the antenna module is implemented as described above, the implementation method may be difficult and manufacturing costs may be high.
Therefore, the present disclosure proposes a structure of the antenna module that may be implemented to have the same antenna performance without increasing manufacturing costs and going through a complicated manufacturing process.
In addition,
More specifically, referring to
In addition, the sixth feeding unit 420 may be formed to extend from the top surface of the dielectric 410 to the top surface of the protrusion along the side surface of the protrusion protruding from the top surface of the dielectric 410 by a predetermined height. At this time, the sixth feeding unit 420 disposed on the top surface of the protrusion is disposed such that the top surface is spaced apart from the lower surface of the radiator 430 by a second length h2a, thereby forming a gap-coupled structure with the radiator 430.
In
In addition, in one embodiment, the seventh feeding unit 421 and the eighth feeding unit 422 may be disposed in a plate shape on the top surface of the dielectric 411. More specifically, in one embodiment, the seventh feeding unit 421 is disposed on the top surface of the dielectric 411 and provides an electrical signal for supplying the radiator 431. The eighth feeding unit 422 is disposed to be connected the seventh feeding unit 421 on the top surface of the dielectric 411 and provides an electrical signal input from the seventh feeding unit 421 to the radiator 431. In this case, the eighth feeding unit 422 may have a plate shape extending along a direction in which an electrical signal is input from the seventh feeding unit 421.
In addition, in one embodiment, the eighth feeding unit 422 may be disposed such that the top surface of the eighth feeding unit 422 is spaced apart from the lower surface of the radiator 431 by the second length (h2b). Here, the eighth feeding unit 422 does not extend or protrude in a direction perpendicular to the top surface of the dielectric 411 and is disposed in a plate shape on the top surface of the dielectric 411 (unlike the sixth feeding unit 420 illustrated in
For example, in a case of implementing the eighth feeding unit 422 as illustrated in
In this way, unlike the feeding unit of the relevant art, which has to go through a complicated manufacturing process to secure the radiation distance according to the gap-coupled structure, the feeding units of the present disclosure (such as the seventh feeding unit 421 and the eighth feeding unit 422) are disposed in a plate shape on the top surface of the dielectric. Thus, there is an effect of simplification of the manufacturing process and reduction of manufacturing cost.
In addition, in one embodiment, since the feeding units of the present disclosure are disposed in a shape different from that of the relevant art, a coupling method for transmitting the RF signal to the radiator is changed. More specifically, referring to
In contrast, referring to
For example, as illustrated in the left drawing of
As another example, as illustrated in the right drawing of
In other words, since the second power feeding part (the eleventh feeding unit) 522 performing the coupling through the entire area serves as a kind of a radiator according to the structure of the antenna module, there is an advantage in that it is not necessary to take a structure in which the feeding region is protruded to be located within a specific distance from the radiator for RF signal transmission.
On the other hand, in one embodiment, the antenna module may implement a disposition structure in which an input electrical signal may be effectively transmitted to the radiator 531 in order to implement the same performance as that of an antenna of the relevant art, instead of securing a radiation distance as described above.
More specifically, in one embodiment, a difference in the disposition structure between the antenna module of the relevant art and the antenna module of the present disclosure will be described with reference to
Referring to
In contrast, referring to
In one embodiment, the antenna module has the effect of implementing the same performance as the antenna module of the relevant art through the disposition structure between the third part 621 of the twelfth feeding unit 620 and the fourth part 622 of the twelfth feeding unit 620, and the radiator 630 while realizing the reduction in manufacturing cost and the simplification of the manufacturing process.
Hereinafter, a structure of the feeding units according to the present disclosure capable of implementing the same antenna performance will be described in more detail.
In one embodiment, a feeding unit may be formed to have a size greater than or equal to a predetermined size to effectively transmit an electrical signal to a radiator. Here, the size of the feeding unit may be defined based on a direction in which an electrical signal is input from another feeding unit.
More specifically, referring to
In the present disclosure, for convenience of explanation, the size of the fourteenth feeding unit 722 capable of transmitting an RF signal to the radiator will be defined based on one end of the fourteenth feeding unit 722 connected to the thirteenth feeding unit 721a, the direction in which the electrical signal is input, and the length by the other end of the fourteenth feeding unit 722 located in the opposite direction of the one end.
For example, in a case that the fourteenth feeding unit 722 is implemented in a rectangular shape, as illustrated in
The size of the fourteenth feeding unit 722 defined as described above needs to be determined to be greater than or equal to a predetermined value enough to effectively radiate the RF signal to the radiator. Here, the predetermined value may be determined, for example, by the permittivity of a dielectric on which the fourteenth feeding unit 722 is disposed. As a more specific example, when the relative permittivity of the substrate on which the fourteenth feeding unit 722 is disposed is εr, the predetermined value may be determined as a value between (λo)/(4*√εr)˜λo/√εr. For example, the predetermined value may be determined as (λo)/(2*√εr).
In one embodiment, the fourteenth feeding unit 722 needs to be disposed to partially overlap with the radiator so as to effectively radiate the input electrical signal to the radiator. More specifically, referring to
In this case, even if the radiator 830 and the seventeenth feeding unit 822 are disposed on different layers, at least a part of the area of the radiator 830 and the area of the seventeenth feeding unit 822 should overlap with respect to a direction perpendicular to each layer. Here, overlapping of the areas based on a direction perpendicular to each layer may mean that the seventeenth feeding unit 822 and the radiator 830 are disposed so that at least a part of the area of the seventeenth feeding unit 822 and the area of the radiator 830 overlaps in each layer when the layer on which the seventeenth feeding unit 822 is disposed and the layer on which the radiator 830 is disposed are viewed from top.
More specifically, a side surface of the antenna module is illustrated on the left side of
For example, based on a direction perpendicular to the horizontal plane on which the radiator 830 is disposed, a predetermined ratio or more of the area of the radiator 830 should be disposed to overlap with the area of the seventeenth feeding unit 822. For example, as illustrated on the right side of
In one embodiment, the antenna module may be implemented by a bonding sheet bonding method. For example, as illustrated in
In addition, as illustrated in
In one embodiment, the antenna module may have a structure that further includes an air gap in the dielectric or the ground layer at a position overlapping the feeding unit pattern in order to secure antenna performance.
As illustrated in
As an example, as illustrated in
Since the available impedance of the signal line may be expanded in a case that the air gaps (such as the first air gap 1210 and the second air gap 1250) are formed or included as described above, it is advantageous for impedance matching to transmit a signal in the RF band, thereby improving the performance of the circuit and facilitating the implementation of the circuit. In addition, in one embodiment, as the air gap is formed, even with the same system impedance, the maximum current density of the signal line can be increased. Thus, this configuration has the effect of withstanding a high output signal.
More specifically, as illustrated in
On the other hand, the embodiments of the present disclosure disclosed in the present disclosure and drawings are only presented as specific examples to easily explain the technical contents of the present disclosure and help the understanding of the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. That is, it is apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains that other modified example may be implemented based on the technical idea of the present disclosure. In addition, each of the above embodiments may be operated in combination with each other as needed. For example, some of the methods proposed in the present disclosure may be combined with each other to operate the base station and the terminal.
The present disclosure may be used in the electronics industry and the information and communication industry.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10-2020-0066842 | Jun 2020 | KR | national |
This application is a by-pass continuation application of International Application No. PCT/KR2021/005789, filed on May 10, 2021, which based on and claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0066842, filed on Jun. 3, 2020, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | PCT/KR2021/005789 | May 2021 | US |
Child | 18074178 | US |