This disclosure relates to the field of communications technologies, and in particular, to an antenna structure and a high-frequency wireless communications terminal.
With the advent of the 5-th generation mobile communications (5G) era and development of future communications, millimeter-wave technologies and applications play a key role in satisfying the demand for wireless communication with increasingly fast data transmission rates. Therefore, millimeter-wave antennas and designs thereof are gradually being introduced to mobile terminals such as mobile phones, tablets, and even notebook computers. Design and performance of millimeter-wave antennas have become a hot topic for related antenna engineers and electromagnetic researchers.
An embodiment of this disclosure provides an antenna structure, including:
a metal plate, where a first accommodating groove is disposed in the metal plate;
an unit, where the antenna unit includes a radiation piece and a coupling piece; and
a radio frequency module, where the radio frequency module is disposed on a first side of the metal plate, and the radio frequency module is electrically connected to the radiation piece; where
at least one of the radiation piece and the coupling piece is disposed in the first accommodating groove, the radiation piece is insulated from the metal plate, the coupling piece is insulated from the metal plate, the radiation piece and the coupling piece are disposed opposite each other and insulated from each other, the radiation piece is located between the coupling piece and the radio frequency module, the radiation piece is configured to generate a resonance in a first preset band, and the coupling piece is configured to expand a bandwidth of the resonance in the first preset band.
The following clearly describes the technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of this disclosure. Apparently, the described embodiments are some rather than all of the embodiments of this disclosure. All other embodiments obtained by persons of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of this disclosure shall fall within the protection scope of this disclosure.
In the related arts, mainstream millimeter-wave antennas are often in the form of antenna in package (AiP). The antenna in package and an existing antenna, for example, a cellular antenna or a non-cellular antenna, are often discretely disposed. As a result, an available space of the existing antenna is squeezed, which degrades performance of the antenna, increases an overall volume of the system, and reduces overall product competitiveness.
An embodiment of this disclosure provides an antenna structure, as shown in
a metal plate 1, where a first accommodating groove 101 is disposed in the metal plate 1; and optionally, a depth of the first accommodating groove 101 is equal to a thickness of the metal plate 1, which means the first accommodating groove 101 is a groove running through the metal plate 1;
an antenna unit, where the antenna unit includes a radiation piece 201 and a coupling piece 202; and
a radio frequency module, where the radio frequency module is disposed on a first side of the metal plate 1, the radio frequency module is electrically connected to the radiation piece 201, the first side is a side on which the first accommodating groove is disposed, and when the first side of the metal plate 1 faces towards inside of a terminal, the radio frequency module is disposed inside the terminal; where
at least one of the radiation piece 201 and the coupling piece 202 is disposed in the first accommodating groove 101, the radiation piece 201 is insulated from the metal plate 1, the coupling piece 202 is insulated from the metal plate 1, the radiation piece 201 and the coupling piece 202 are disposed opposite each other and insulated from each other, the radiation piece 201 is located between the coupling piece 202 and the radio frequency module, the radiation piece 201 is configured to generate a resonance in a first preset band, and the coupling piece 202 is configured to expand a bandwidth of the resonance in the first preset band. In other words, the coupling piece is configured to increase an operating bandwidth of the radiation piece.
Based on the antenna structure in this embodiment of this disclosure, an accommodating groove is disposed in the metal plate 1, and at least one of the radiation piece 201 and the coupling piece 202 of the antenna unit is disposed in the accommodating groove, and the radio frequency module electrically connected to the radiation piece 201 is disposed on a side of the metal plate 1. In this way, the antenna unit is integrated on the metal plate 1, thereby reducing a space occupied by an antenna in the terminal. In addition, this disclosure can increase a wireless diversity connection capability of the antenna, and reduce a probability of communication disconnection, improving a communication effect and user experience. This disclosure also helps implement a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) function, to increase a data transmission rate, improving user wireless experience and product competitiveness.
Optionally, there are a plurality of first accommodating grooves 101, the plurality of first accommodating grooves 101 are spaced apart from each other, there are a plurality of antenna units corresponding to the plurality of first accommodating grooves 101, and at least one of the radiation piece 201 and the coupling piece 202 of each antenna unit is disposed in the first accommodating groove 101 corresponding to the antenna unit.
The plurality of antenna units form an array antenna, so that the antenna structure in this embodiment of this disclosure can operate in a wide band, providing a better wireless band coverage capability and user wireless experience.
Optionally, an area of the radiation piece 201 is larger than or equal to an area of the coupling piece 202.
In addition, the radiation pieces 201 and the coupling pieces 202 of the plurality of antenna units may be integrated on the metal plate 1 in the following manners.
Manner 1: The coupling pieces 202 are fixed in the first accommodating groove 101 disposed in the metal plate 1, and the radiation pieces 201 are fixed on the radio frequency module.
Optionally, as shown in
For example, before the first accommodating groove 101 is filled with an insulating medium, as shown in
Optionally, as shown in
Optionally, as shown in
For example, the metal members 303 spaced apart from each other on the second insulating dielectric layer 308 are in contact with the metal plate 1, so that the metal members 303 are electrically connected to the metal plate 1, and when the metal members 303 are grounded, the metal plate 1 is also grounded. In this way, the metal plate 1 between the adjacent first accommodating grooves 101 can form a spacer ground, thereby decreasing the coupling between the adjacent antenna units and increasing the isolation between the antenna units.
Optionally, a pin is disposed on a surface of the metal member 303, and the pin is in contact with the metal plate 1; or a convex hull is disposed on a surface of portions of the metal plate 1 between the adjacent first accommodating grooves 101, and the convex hull is in contact with the metal member 303, so that the metal member 303 can be better electrically connected to the metal plate 1.
Manner 2:
Optionally, there are a plurality of antenna units, a second insulating dielectric layer 308 is disposed on the radio frequency module, the coupling pieces 202 are disposed in the second insulating dielectric layer 308 and spaced apart from each other, the radiation pieces 201 are disposed in the second insulating dielectric layer 308 and spaced apart from each other, and the radio frequency module is installed in the first accommodating groove 101. A thickness of the radio frequency module may be equal to a depth of the first accommodating groove 101, so that a surface of the radio frequency module can be flush with an inner surface of portions of the metal plate 1.
When the radiation pieces 201 and the coupling pieces 202 are all fixed in the second insulating dielectric layer 308 on the radio frequency module, the first accommodating groove 101 on the metal plate 11 is a large long groove (as shown in
Optionally, the antenna structure in this embodiment of this disclosure further includes a metal member 303, where the metal member 303 is disposed on the second insulating dielectric layer 308 and located between two adjacent radiation pieces 201, and the metal member 303 is grounded and in contact with the metal plate 1.
The metal members 303 separate the plurality of radiation pieces 201 from each other, and the metal members 303 spaced apart from each other on the second insulating dielectric layer 308 are in contact with the metal plate 1, so that the metal members 303 are electrically connected to the metal plate 1, and when the metal members 303 are grounded, the metal plate 1 is also grounded. In this way, the metal plate 1 between the adjacent first accommodating grooves 101 can form a spacer ground, thereby decreasing the coupling between the adjacent antenna units and increasing the isolation between the antenna units.
Optionally, a pin is disposed on a surface of the metal member 303, and the pin is in contact with the metal plate 1; or a convex hull is disposed on a surface of portions of the metal plate 1 between the adjacent first accommodating grooves 101, and the convex hull is in contact with the metal member 303, so that the metal member 303 can be better electrically connected to the metal plate 1.
Manner 3: The radiation pieces 201 and the coupling pieces 202 are all fixed in the first accommodating groove 101 disposed in the metal plate 1.
Optionally, a first insulating dielectric layer 102 is disposed in the first accommodating groove 101, and the radiation pieces 201 are disposed in the first insulating dielectric layer 102. The first insulating dielectric layer 102 filled in the first accommodating groove 101 may be flush with an outer surface of portions of the metal plate 1 (that is, a surface on which the radio frequency module is not disposed).
Optionally, one coupling piece 202 is disposed in the first insulating dielectric layer 102 in one first accommodating groove 101, and the coupling piece 202 and the radiation piece 201 that belong to a same antenna unit are located in a same first accommodating groove 101. To be specific, the radiation piece 201 and the coupling piece 202 that belong to the same antenna unit are disposed in the first insulating dielectric layer 102 in one first accommodating groove 101.
In addition, when the radiation pieces 201 and the coupling pieces 202 are integrated on the metal plate 1 in this manner, the radiation pieces 201 and the coupling pieces 202 may be disposed as a portion of the metal plate 1. To be specific, layers are designed in a specified zone on the metal plate 1, so that a plurality of antenna units can be formed by the metal plate 1 in this zone, and a portion of the metal plate 1 serves as a radiation piece 201 of the antenna.
The metal plate 1 may be a portion of a metal housing of the terminal, so that the arrangement of the antenna units does not affect metal texture of the terminal, and the antenna units are well compatible with products with large metal coverage.
Optionally, as shown in
Optionally, as shown in
It should be noted that after the radio frequency module is disposed on a side of the metal plate 1, the first ground layer 304 of the radio frequency module is connected to an inner surface of portions of the metal plate 1 (a surface on which the radio frequency module is disposed), so that a reflector can be formed for the antenna unit, to improve a gain of the antenna. This can also make the antenna unit less sensitive to the system environment behind the metal plate 1, so that more devices can be integrated on the terminal to implement more functions, thereby enhancing product competitiveness.
Optionally, as shown in
For example, when the radiation piece 201 and the coupling piece 202 are integrated on the metal plate 1 by using the foregoing manner 1 or 3, a feed hole 103 needs to be disposed in the insulating medium between the coupling piece 202 and the radiation piece 201, so that the feed pin 307 can be electrically connected to the radiation piece 201 after passing through a feed hole 103, where a diameter of the feed hole is greater than a diameter of the feed pin 307.
In addition, when the foregoing manner 2 is used for the radiation piece 201 and the coupling piece 202, there is no need to provide the feed pin 307 to be electrically connected to the radiation piece 201, and wires are directly arranged in an insulating layer of the radio frequency module. If necessary, a feed hole may be disposed, so as to electrically connect the radio frequency module and the radiation piece 201.
In addition, the feed pin 307 may be disposed on the first ground layer 304. For example, the feed pin 307 is located in the third insulating dielectric layer 306 and is electrically connected to the radio frequency integrated circuit 311 located on the second ground layer 305 through a wire in the third insulating dielectric layer 306, a first feed hole is disposed on the first ground layer 304, and a diameter of the first feed hole is greater than a diameter of the feed pin 307, which means the feed pin 307 is located in the first feed hole but not in contact with the first ground layer 304.
Optionally, the radiation piece 201 and the coupling piece 202 are square, and the first accommodating groove 101 matches the radiation piece 201 and the coupling piece 202, allowing the radiation piece 201 and the coupling piece 202 to be installed in the first accommodating groove 101. It can be understood that the radiation piece 201 and the coupling piece are not limited to being square, but may alternatively be in other shapes, for example, a circle, a regular triangle, a regular pentagon, or a regular hexagon.
Optionally, the radiation piece 201 and the coupling piece 202 are disposed in parallel, and a straight line passing through a center of symmetry of the radiation piece 201 and a center of symmetry of the coupling piece is perpendicular to the radiation piece 201, so that the antenna unit formed by the radiation piece 201 and the coupling piece 202 is in a symmetrical structure, and an array antenna composed of the antenna units can operate in a wide band, so as to provide a better wireless frequency coverage capability and user wireless experience, and maintain the same or approximate performance in spatially symmetrical or mapped directions during beam scanning.
Optionally, as shown in
Optionally, the radio frequency module is a millimeter-wave radio frequency module.
The metal plate 1 in this embodiment of this disclosure may also be used as a portion of a radiator of a related-art antenna on the terminal, for example, as a portion of a radiator of a related-art 2G/3G/4G/sub-6G communications antenna. In this embodiment of this disclosure, a millimeter-wave antenna may be integrated into the related-art 2G/3G/4G/sub-6G communications antenna, or the millimeter-wave antenna is compatible with a non-millimeter-wave antenna with a metal frame or metal housing as the antenna, without affecting communication quality of the 2G/3G/4G/sub-6G communication antenna.
An embodiment of this disclosure further provides a high-frequency wireless communications terminal, including the foregoing antenna structure.
Optionally, the high-frequency wireless communications terminal has a housing, where at least portion of the housing is a metal back cover or a metal frame, and the metal plate 1 is a portion of the metal back cover or the metal frame. To be specific, the metal plate 1 may be a portion of a metal housing of the terminal, so that the arrangement of the antenna units does not affect metal texture of the terminal, and the antenna units are well compatible with products with large metal coverage.
In addition, the specific distribution of the antenna units on the metal plate 1 can be shown in
For example, as shown in
The foregoing descriptions are merely optional implementations of this disclosure. It should be noted that a person of ordinary skill in the art may make several improvements or polishing without departing from the principle of this disclosure and the improvements and polishing shall also fall within the protection scope of this disclosure.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
201811627261.0 | Dec 2018 | CN | national |
This application is a Bypass Continuation-in-part Application of PCT/CN2019/126193 filed on Dec. 18, 2019, which claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 201811627261.0 filed on Dec. 28, 2018, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
Parent | PCT/CN2019/126193 | Dec 2019 | US |
Child | 17355506 | US |