Patent Application
20250174900
This application claims priority of Taiwan Patent Application No. 112213015 filed on Nov. 29, 2023, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein.
The disclosure generally relates to an antenna structure, and more particularly, to a wideband antenna structure.
With the advancements being made in mobile communication technology, mobile devices such as portable computers, mobile phones, multimedia players, and other hybrid functional portable electronic devices have become more common. To satisfy consumer demand, mobile devices can usually perform wireless communication functions. Some devices cover a large wireless communication area; these include mobile phones using 2G, 3G, and LTE (Long Term Evolution) systems and using frequency bands of 700 MHZ, 850 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHZ, 1900 MHZ, 2100 MHz, 2300 MHz, and 2500 MHz. Some devices cover a small wireless communication area; these include mobile phones using Wi-Fi systems and using frequency bands of 2.4 GHz, 5.2 GHz, and 5.8 GHz.
Antennas are indispensable elements for wireless communication. If an antenna for signal reception and transmission has an insufficient operational bandwidth, it may degrade the communication quality of the relative mobile device. Accordingly, it has become a critical challenge for designers to design a small-size, wideband antenna structure.
In an exemplary embodiment, the invention is directed to an antenna structure that includes a feeding radiation element, a first grounding radiation element, a second grounding radiation element, a connection radiation element, an extension radiation element, and a dielectric substrate. The feeding radiation element has a feeding point. The first grounding radiation element has a first grounding point. The first grounding radiation element is adjacent to the feeding radiation element. The second grounding radiation element has a second grounding point. The connection radiation element is coupled between the first grounding radiation element and the second grounding radiation element. The extension radiation element is coupled to the connection radiation element. A closed slot is surrounded by the connection radiation element and the extension radiation element. The feeding radiation element, the first grounding radiation element, the second grounding radiation element, the connection radiation element, and the extension radiation element are all disposed on the dielectric substrate.
In some embodiments, the notch region is defined by the first grounding radiation element, the connection radiation element, and the second grounding radiation element.
In some embodiments, the feeding radiation element substantially has an L-shape and extends into the notch region.
In some embodiments, the first loop path is formed by the first grounding radiation element, the extension radiation element, and the second grounding radiation element.
In some embodiments, the second loop path is formed by the first grounding radiation element, the connection radiation element, and the second grounding radiation element.
In some embodiments, the length of the first loop path is greater than the length of the second loop path.
In some embodiments, the antenna structure covers a first frequency band and a second frequency band. The first frequency band is from 700 MHz to 800 MHz. The second frequency band is from 1710 MHz to 2170 MHz.
In some embodiments, the length of the first loop path is substantially equal to 0.5 wavelength of the first frequency band.
In some embodiments, the length of the second loop path is substantially equal to 0.5 wavelength of the second frequency band.
In some embodiments, the length of the feeding radiation element is substantially equal to 0.25 wavelength of the second frequency band.
The invention can be more fully understood by reading the subsequent detailed description and examples with references made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
In order to illustrate the purposes, features and advantages of the invention, the embodiments and figures of the invention are shown in detail as follows.
Certain terms are used throughout the description and following claims to refer to particular components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, manufacturers may refer to a component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components that differ in name but not function. In the following description and in the claims, the terms “include” and “comprise” are used in an open-ended fashion, and thus should be interpreted to mean “include, but not limited to . . . ”. The term “substantially” means the value is within an acceptable error range. One skilled in the art can solve the technical problem within a predetermined error range and achieve the proposed technical performance. Also, the term “couple” is intended to mean either an indirect or direct electrical connection. Accordingly, if one device is coupled to another device, that connection may be through a direct electrical connection, or through an indirect electrical connection via other devices and connections.
The following disclosure provides many different embodiments, or examples, for implementing different features of the provided subject matter. Specific examples of components and arrangements are described below to simplify the present disclosure. These are, of course, merely examples and are not intended to be limiting. For example, the formation of a first feature over or on a second feature in the description that follows may include embodiments in which the first and second features are formed in direct contact, and may also include embodiments in which additional features may be formed between the first and second features, such that the first and second features may not be in direct contact. In addition, the present disclosure may repeat reference numerals and/or letters in the various examples. This repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity and does not in itself dictate a relationship between the various embodiments and/or configurations discussed.
Furthermore, spatially relative terms, such as “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. The spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. The apparatus may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein may likewise be interpreted accordingly.
In the embodiment of
The feeding radiation element 110 may substantially have an L-shape. Specifically, the feeding radiation element 110 has a first end 111 and a second end 112. A feeding point FP is positioned at the first end 111 of the feeding radiation element 110. The second end 112 of the feeding radiation element 110 is an open end. The feeding point FP may be further coupled to a signal source 190. For example, the signal source 190 may be an RF (Radio Frequency) module for exciting the antenna structure 100. In some embodiments, the notch region 160 is defined by the first grounding radiation element 120, the connection radiation element 140, and the second grounding radiation element 130. The feeding radiation element 110 can extend into the notch region 160. For example, the notch region 160 may substantially have a relatively large rectangular shape, but it is not limited thereto.
The first grounding radiation element 120 may have a meandering shape. For example, the first grounding radiation element 120 may substantially have an inverted J-shape, but it is not limited thereto. Specifically, the first grounding radiation element 120 has a first end 121 and a second end 122. A first grounding point GP1 is positioned at the first end 121 of the first grounding radiation element 120. The first grounding point GP1 may be further coupled to a ground voltage VSS. The ground voltage VSS may be provided by a system ground plane (not shown) of the antenna structure 100. In some embodiments, the first grounding radiation element 120 is adjacent to the feeding radiation element 110, so that a first coupling gap GC1 and a second coupling gap GC2 can be formed between the first grounding radiation element 120 and the feeding radiation element 110. It should be noted that the term “adjacent” or “close” over the disclosure means that the distance (spacing) between two corresponding elements is smaller than a predetermined distance (e.g., 10 mm or the shorter), but often does not mean that the two corresponding elements directly touch each other (i.e., the aforementioned distance/spacing between them is reduced to 0).
The second grounding radiation element 130 may have a relatively long straight-line shape. Specifically, the second grounding radiation element 130 has a first end 131 and a second end 132. A second grounding point GP2 is positioned at the first end 131 of the second grounding radiation element 130. The second grounding point GP2 may be further coupled to the ground voltage VSS. In some embodiments, the first grounding point GP1, the feeding point FP, and the second grounding point GP2 are substantially arranged in the same straight line. The feeding point FP may be positioned between the first grounding point GP1 and the second grounding point GP2. In addition, both the first grounding point GP1 and the second grounding point GP2 may be adjacent to the feeding point FP.
The connection radiation element 140 may substantially have a relatively short straight-line shape (compared with the second grounding radiation element 130). Specifically, the connection radiation element 140 has a first end 141 and a second end 142. The first end 141 of the connection radiation element 140 is coupled to the second end 122 of the first grounding radiation element 120. The second end 142 of the connection radiation element 140 is coupled to the second end 132 of the second grounding radiation element 130. That is, the connection radiation element 140 is coupled between the first grounding radiation element 120 and the second grounding radiation element 130.
The extension radiation element 150 may substantially have a U-shape.
Specifically, the extension radiation element 150 has a first end 151 and a second end 152. The first end 151 of the extension radiation element 150 is coupled to the second end 122 of the first grounding radiation element 120 and the first end 141 of the connection radiation element 140. The second end 152 of the extension radiation element 150 is coupled to the second end 132 of the second grounding radiation element 130 and the second end 142 of the connection radiation element 140. It should be noted that a closed slot 170 is surrounded by the connection radiation element 140 and the extension radiation element 150. For example, the closed slot 170 may substantially have a relatively small rectangular shape (compared with the notch region 160 as mentioned above), but it is not limited thereto.
In some embodiments, a first loop path PA1 can be formed by the first grounding radiation element 120, the extension radiation element 150, and the second grounding radiation element 130. Furthermore, a second loop path PA2 can be formed by the first grounding radiation element 120, the connection radiation element 140, and the second grounding radiation element 130. The length L1 of the first loop path PA1 may be greater than the length L2 of the second loop path PA2. It should be understood that each loop path may not be completely closed, which may still have a small notch. For example, the small notch may be positioned around the feeding point FP, but it is not limited thereto. The feeding radiation element 110, the first grounding radiation element 120, the second grounding radiation element 130, the connection radiation element 140, and the extension radiation element 150 may all be disposed on the same surface of the dielectric substrate 180. The shape and type of the dielectric substrate 180 are not limited in the invention. For example, the dielectric substrate 180 may be an FR4 (Flame Retardant 4) substrate, a PCB (Printed Circuit Board), or an FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit). In some embodiments, the antenna structure 100 is a planar antenna structure. However, in alternative embodiments, the antenna structure 100 is modified to a 3D (Three-Dimensional) antenna structure.
The operational principles of the antenna structure 100 in some embodiments are as follows. The first loop path PA1 can be excited to generate a fundamental resonant mode, thereby forming the first frequency band FB1. The second loop path PA2 can be excited to generate the second frequency band FB2. The first loop path PA1 can also be excited to generate a higher-order resonant mode, thereby contributing to the second frequency band FB2. In addition, the feeding radiation element 110 can be configured to increase the operational bandwidth of the second frequency band FB2. According to practical measurements, such a dual-loop design can effectively prevent the radiation performance of the antenna structure 100 from being negatively affected by environmental noise.
The element sizes of the antenna structure 100 in some embodiments are as follows. The length L1 of the first loop path PA1 may be substantially equal to 0.5 wavelength (2/2) of the first frequency band FB1 of the antenna structure 100. That is, the total length L1 of the first grounding radiation element 120, the extension radiation element 150, and the second grounding radiation element 130 may be substantially equal to 0.5 wavelength (2/2) of the first frequency band FB1 of the antenna structure 100. The length L2 of the second loop path PA2 may be substantially equal to 0.5 wavelength (2/2) of the second frequency band FB2 of the antenna structure 100. That is, the total length L2 of the first grounding radiation element 120, the connection radiation element 140, and the second grounding radiation element 130 may be substantially equal to 0.5 wavelength (2/2) of the second frequency band FB2 of the antenna structure 100. The length L3 of the feeding radiation element 110 may be substantially equal to 0.25 wavelength (24) of the second frequency band FB2 of the antenna structure 100. The width W1 of the notch region 160 may be from 2 mm to 4 mm, such as about 3 mm. The length L4 of the closed slot 170 may be from 27 mm to 33 mm, such as about 30 mm. The width W2 of the closed slot 170 may be from 2 mm to 4 mm, such as about 3 mm. The width of the first coupling gap GC1 may be smaller or equal to 1 mm. The width of the second coupling gap GC2 may be smaller or equal to 1 mm. The above ranges of element sizes are calculated and obtained according to many experimental results, and they help to optimize the operational bandwidth and the impedance matching of the antenna structure 100.
The invention proposes a novel antenna structure. In comparison to the conventional design, the invention has at least the advantages of small size, wide bandwidth, suppressed noise interference, and low manufacturing cost. Therefore, the invention is suitable for application in a variety of mobile communication devices or the IoT.
Note that the above element sizes, element shapes, and frequency ranges are not limitations of the invention. An antenna designer can fine-tune these settings or values to meet different requirements. It should be understood that the antenna structure of the invention is not limited to the configurations of
Use of ordinal terms such as “first”, “second”, “third”, etc., in the claims to modify a claim element does not by itself connote any priority, precedence, or order of one claim element over another or the temporal order in which acts of a method are performed, but are used merely as labels to distinguish one claim element having a certain name from another element having the same name (but for use of the ordinal term) to distinguish the claim elements.
While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of the preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements (as would be apparent to those skilled in the art). Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 112213015 | Nov 2023 | TW | national |
