Patent Application
20190363457
The subject matter herein generally relates to an antenna structure and a wireless communication device using the antenna structure.
The overall appearance and specification such as weight and dimension of wireless communication devices became important. As the wireless communication devices become lighter and thinner, an area of an antenna substrate is increasingly becoming limited. In order to achieve impedance matching while avoiding coupling effects between lines, the number of radiating elements that can be positioned in the area is also limited. A microstrip antenna is adopted to transmit and receive multiple signals in multiple input/output antenna systems, however, these signals may interfere with each other, which decreases antenna transmission efficiency.
Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.
Implementations of the present technology will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the attached figures.
It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, where appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the different figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. In addition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments described herein can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevant feature being described. Also, the description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and the proportions of certain parts have been exaggerated to better illustrate details and features of the present disclosure. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean “at least one.”
Several definitions that apply throughout this disclosure will now be presented.
The term “substantially” is defined to be essentially conforming to the particular dimension, shape, or other feature that the term modifies, such that the component need not be exact. For example, “substantially cylindrical” means that the object resembles a cylinder, but can have one or more deviations from a true cylinder. The term “comprising,” when utilized, means “including, but not necessarily limited to”; it specifically indicates open-ended inclusion or membership in the so-described combination, group, series, and the like.
The term “coupled” is defined as connected, whether directly or indirectly through intervening components, and is not necessarily limited to physical connections. The connection can be such that the objects are permanently connected or releasably connected.
The circuit board 10 can be a printed circuit board (PCB). The circuit board 10 itself is made of dielectric material, for example, epoxy resin glass fiber (FR4) or the like. The circuit board 10 includes a side wall 11, an upper surface 12, and a lower surface 13 opposite to the upper surface 12. The side wall 11 connects the upper surface 12 and the lower surface 13. The side wall 11 includes two first walls 111 and two second walls 112. The two first walls 111 are positioned opposite to each other. The two second walls 112 are positioned opposite to each other. The two first walls 111 and the two second walls 112 can be seen as effectively forming a frame (not shown). The frame is substantially rectangular-shaped and is configured to hold the antenna structure 100.
The antenna structure 100 includes a control circuit 20, a first antenna array 30, a second antenna array 40, and a ground portion 50. The ground portion 50 is configured for grounding the first antenna array 30 and the second antenna array 40.
The circuit board 10 includes a middle layer 101. The middle layer 101 is electrically connected to the control circuit 20. The middle layer 101 is positioned between the upper surface 12 and the lower surface 13. The middle layer 101 is configured to provide a feed signal for the first antenna array 30 and the second antenna array 40. The middle layer 101 further includes a ground plane (not shown). The ground plane is electrically connected to both the first antenna array 30 and the second antenna array 40.
In an embodiment, for example, the middle layer 101 and the control circuit 20 are both rectangular-shaped structures. For convenience of explanation, a length of the middle layer 101 in a Y-axis direction is defined as a first width. A length of the circuit board 10 in the Y-axis direction is defined as a second width. A length of the middle layer 101 in an X-axis direction is defined as a first length. A length of the circuit board 10 in the X-axis direction is defined as a second length. The first width equals the second width. The first length is greater than the second length.
Referring to
The control circuit 20 is positioned on one of the upper surface 12 or the lower surface 13. In an embodiment, a groove (not shown) is defined in one of the upper surface 12 or the lower surface 13. The groove is configured to receive the control circuit 20, so a thickness of the antenna structure 100 is not increased. In this embodiment, for example, the control circuit 20 is substantially rectangular-shaped.
In one embodiment, for example, the control circuit 20 can be a System on Chip (SOC). The control circuit 20 is configured to provide a feed signal to the antenna structure 100. The control circuit 20 is further configured to control radiation orientation or polarity of the first antenna array 30 and a phase of the feed signal for the second antenna array 40. The control circuit 20 is still further configured to cause the first antenna array 30 and the second antenna array 40 to generate radiations in multiple polarizations.
In one embodiment, the first antenna array 30 is positioned on whichever one of the upper surface 12 and the lower surface 13 that does not carry or support the control circuit 20. That is, the control circuit 20 is positioned on one of the upper surface 12 or the lower surface 13. The first antenna array 30 is positioned in opposition on one of the upper surface 12 or the lower surface 13 not have the control circuit 20. The first antenna array 30 and the control circuit 20 are not coplanar and are positioned opposite to each other. In other embodiments, the first antenna array 30 can be positioned on the side wall 11. The first antenna array 30 can be positioned on the first wall 111 and/or the second wall 112. The first antenna array 30 can be made of a metal material, for example, a copper foil.
In an embodiment, the first antenna array 30 includes N*M first antenna units 31. N and M are integers greater than 1. The N rows of the first antenna array 30 are arranged in a first direction, for example, an X-axis direction. The M rows of the first antenna array 30 are arranged in a second direction, for example, a Y-axis direction. The first antenna array 30 is a half wavelength antenna, a shape and size of each N*M first antenna units 31 are substantially the same. Each first antenna unit 31 is substantially rectangular-shaped. A length and width of each first antenna unit 31 is the half wavelength of the frequency of the wireless signal to be received and transmitted.
Sides of each first antenna unit 31 are separately positioned along the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. A length of each first antenna unit 31 in the X-axis direction is defined as a third length. A length of each first antenna unit 31 in the Y-axis direction is defined as a third width. The third length equals the third width. An edge distance between each N*M first antenna unit 31 is the half wavelength. The edge distance is a distance between two adjacent sides of the first antenna unit 31 along the X-axis or along the Y-axis direction. “Wavelength” refers to a wavelength of a radio wave transmitted or received by the antenna structure 100. The wavelength is a fixed and stable value.
In one embodiment, referring to
In another embodiment, when the N is 1 and the M is 4, the first antenna array 30 includes 1*4 first antenna units 31. Because the first antenna array 30 includes only one row, when a thickness of the circuit board 10 is sufficient, the first antenna array 30 can be positioned on the side wall 11.
Referring to
In an embodiment, the second antenna array 40 includes 1*n second antenna units 41. The n is a integer of greater than 1. The n rows of the second antenna units 41 are arranged in the second direction, for example, the Y-axis direction. A portion of each second antenna unit 41 is positioned in the Y-Z plane. Two sides of each second antenna unit 41 are positioned along the Y-axis and the Z-axis. Another portion each second antenna unit 41 is positioned in the X-Y plane. Two sides of each second antenna unit 41 are positioned along the X-axis and the Y-axis.
For convenience of explanation, the length of each second antenna unit 41 in the X-axis direction is defined as a fourth length. The length of each second antenna unit 41 in the Y-axis direction is defined as a fourth width. The length of each second antenna unit 41 in the Z-axis direction is defined as a first height. A total length of the second antenna unit 41 is a sum of the fourth length and the fourth width. A total width of the second antenna unit 41 is equal to the first height.
The second antenna array 40 is a half wavelength antenna. That is, a shape and size of each 1*n second antenna units 41 are the same. A total length and a total width of each second antenna unit 41 are both the half wavelength. Gaps between the 1*n second antenna units 41 are equal to the half wavelength. That is, a distance between each two adjacent antenna elements 41 along the Y-axis direction is the half wavelength. The second antenna unit 41 can be a metallic sheet printed on the circuit board 10, for example, a copper foil piece.
In an embodiment, a thickness of the side wall 11 is less than the half wavelength of the second antenna array 40. The total length of the second antenna unit 41 is the half wavelength. So, a portion of each second antenna unit 41 is positioned on the side wall 11. Another portion of each second antenna unit 41 bended and positioned on the upper surface 12 and/or the lower surface 13. A portion of each second antenna unit 41 is positioned on the first wall 111 and/or the second wall 112. Another portion of each second antenna unit 41 bended and positioned on the upper surface 12 and/or the lower surface 13 with respect to the portion each second antenna unit 41 positioned on the side wall 11. In another embodiment, each second antenna unit 41 can be positioned on the side wall 11 or can be positioned on the upper surface 12 and/or the lower surface 13.
In an embodiment, referring to
In an embodiment, each second antenna unit 41 includes a first folding portion 411, a second folding portion 412, and a main portion 413. The main portion 413 is positioned on the side wall 11. The first folding portion 411 and the second folding portion 412 are respectively positioned on the upper surface 12 and the lower surface 13. The first folding portion 411 and the second folding portion 412 are both rectangular-shaped. A length of the first folding portion 411 equals a length of the second folding portion 412. A width of the first folding portion 411 equals a width of the second folding portion 412. Opposite ends of the main portion 413 perpendicularly connect to the first folding portion 411 and the second folding portion 412. The first folding portion 411, the second folding portion 412, and the main portion 413 are rectangular-shaped structures, so the second antenna unit 41 is substantially a U-shaped structure.
The width of the first folding portion 411 and the width of the second folding portion 412 equals a width of the main portion 413. The width of the main portion 413 is the half wavelength. A sum of the lengths of the first folding portion 411, the second folding portion 412, and the main portion 413 is also the half wavelength. In other embodiments, a shape and a size of each first folding portion 411 can be different from those of the second folding portion 412.
Each second antenna unit 41 includes a third feeding portion 414 and a fourth feeding portion 415. The third feeding portion 414 and the fourth feeding portion 415 are elongated structures. One end of the third feeding portion 414 is electrically connected to the second antenna unit 41. Another end of the third feeding portion 414 is electrically connected to the control circuit 20. One end of the fourth feeding portion 415 is electrically connected to the second antenna unit 41. Another end of the fourth feeding portion 415 is electrically connected to the control circuit 20. The third feeding portion 414 and the fourth feeding portion 415 feed current and signals to each second antenna unit 41.
In an embodiment, the ground portion 50 includes a first ground plane 51, a second ground plane 52, a third ground plane 53, a fourth ground plane 54, a fifth ground plane 55, and at least one via 56. The first ground plane 51, the third ground plane 53, the fourth ground plane 54, and the fifth ground plane 55 are rectangular-shaped sheet structures. The size and shape of the first ground plane 51, the third ground plane 53, the fourth ground plane 54, and the fifth ground plane 55 are the same. A size and shape of the second ground plane 52 equals a size and shape of the middle layer 101. The middle layer 101 includes the second ground plane 52. The first ground plane 51, the second ground plane 52, the third ground plane 53, the fourth ground plane 54, and the fifth ground plane 55 are in order and in parallel.
The via 56 is a cylindrically-shaped structure. The via 56 passes through from the upper surface 12 to the lower surface 13. The via 56 passes through the upper surface 12, the second ground plane 52, the third ground plane 53, the fourth ground plane 54, and the lower surface 13 in that order. The via 56 is electrically connected to the first ground plane 51 and the fifth ground plane 55.
In an embodiment, the first ground plane 51 is positioned on the upper surface 12, the fifth ground plane 55 is positioned on the lower surface 13. The first ground plane 51 and the fifth ground plane 55 are spaced vertically from each other. The first feeding portion 311 and the second feeding portion 312 are electrically connected to the second ground plane 52. The third feeding portion 414 passes through the fourth ground plane 54 and is electrically connected to the control circuit 20. The fourth feeding portion 415 passes through the third ground plane 53 and is electrically connected to the control circuit 20. The first ground plane 51, the second ground plane 52, the third ground plane 53, the fourth ground plane 54, and the fifth ground plane 55 are all positioned on one side of each second antenna unit 41 that has the first folding portion 411 and the second folding portion 412.
Referring to
Referring to
The first antenna array 30 and the second antenna array 40 are respectively positioned on the surface and the side wall of the circuit board 10 of the antenna structure 100. The antenna structure 100 further activates the first antenna array 30 and the second antenna array 40 to radiate a wireless signal having multiple polarizations through the control circuit, which can improve a transmission efficiency of the antenna structure 100.
The embodiments shown and described above are only examples. Many details are often found in the art such as the other features of the antenna structure and the wireless communication device. Therefore, many such details are none of shown nor described. Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present technology have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the present disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in the details, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of the parts within the principles of the present disclosure, up to and including the full extent established by the broad general meaning of the terms used in the claims. It will therefore be appreciated that the embodiments described above may be modified within the scope of the claims.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62674634 | May 2018 | US |
