This non-provisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) on Patent Application No(s). 098207762 filed in Taiwan, R.O.C. on May 6, 2009, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an antenna array module, and more particularly to a high-gain multi-polarization antenna array module.
2. Related Art
Antennas may be categorized into omnidirectional antennas and directional antennas. The omni-directional antenna radiates energy to all directions on a plane, while the directional antenna radiates energy to a specific angle range in a centralized manner. Therefore, compared with the omnidirectional antenna, the directional antenna has a larger antenna gain in the specific range. A conventional base station uses three directional antennas, and each directional antenna covers a sector range having a horizontal angle of 120°.
However, the directional antenna covering the sector range of 120° used by the conventional base station still has a problem of an excessively wide range. Due to the problem, only a small part of the energy may be correctly radiated to the direction of a user, so the energy is wasted. Meanwhile, most part of the redundant energy is radiated to other places, so as to interfere with other users.
In addition, the antenna unit adopted by the conventional base station is vertically polarized or horizontally polarized, but a mobile device used by a user habitually is at an angle of 45° with the ground. The antenna design of the conventional base station does not consider the habit of using the mobile device by the user, so the antenna gain is lowered, thereby affecting the communication transmission quality.
In view of the above problems, the present invention is a high-gain multi-polarization antenna array module, capable of integrating multi-polarization array antennas and Butler matrixes to generate beam forming, in which beam shapes generated by an antenna array may be deflected according to a set specific angle, thereby greatly improving receiving quality of the antennas.
In an embodiment, the present invention provides a high-gain multi-polarization antenna array module, which comprises an antenna array, a first Butler matrix, and a second Butler matrix. The antenna array comprises four antennas, and each antenna comprises two feed portions. The first Butler matrix comprises four 90° hybrid couplers, two 45° phase shifters, four input ports and four output ports, and the four output ports are respectively electrically connected to the four different antennas. The second Butler matrix comprises four 90° hybrid couplers, two −45° phase shifters, four input ports and four output ports, and the four output ports are respectively electrically connected to the four different antennas.
In another embodiment, the present invention further provides a high-gain multi-polarization antenna array module, which comprises an antenna array, a first Butler matrix, a second Butler matrix, and a third Butler matrix. The first Butler matrix comprises four 90° hybrid couplers, two 45° phase shifters, four input ports and four output ports, and the four output ports are respectively electrically connected to the four different antennas. The second Butler matrix comprises four 90° hybrid couplers, two −45° phase shifters, four input ports and four output ports, and the four output ports are respectively electrically connected to the four different antennas. The third Butler matrix comprises four 90° hybrid couplers, two phase shifters, four input ports and four output ports, a phase shift angle of the phase shifters is any angle except for 45° and −45°, and the four output ports are respectively electrically connected to the four different antennas.
According to the embodiments of the present invention, the high-gain multi-polarization antenna array module according to the present invention may generate the beam forming having various different polarization directions centralized at a specific angle by using the plurality of Butler matrixes and one antenna array module.
The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below for illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:
The detailed features and advantages of the present invention are described below in great detail through the following embodiments, and the content of the detailed description is sufficient for those skilled in the art to understand the technical content of the present invention and to implement the present invention accordingly. Based upon the content of the specification, the claims, and the drawings, those skilled in the art can easily understand the relevant objectives and advantages of the present invention. The following embodiments are intended to describe the present invention in further detail, but not intended to limit the scope of the present invention in any way.
The first Butler matrix 16a comprises a first 90° hybrid coupler 221a, a second 90° hybrid coupler 222a, a third 90° hybrid coupler 223a, a fourth 90° hybrid coupler 224a, a first phase shifter 241a, a second phase shifter 242a, a first input port 251a, a second input port 252a, a third input port 253a, a fourth input port 254a, and a jumper 27a. The first 90° hybrid coupler 221a is electrically connected to the first phase shifter 241a, and the first phase shifter 241a is electrically connected to the third 90° hybrid coupler 223a. The second 90° hybrid coupler 222a is electrically connected to the second phase shifter 242a, and the second phase shifter 242a is electrically connected to the fourth 90° hybrid coupler 224a. In addition, the first 90° hybrid coupler 221a is electrically connected to the jumper 27a, the jumper 27a is electrically connected to the fourth 90° hybrid coupler 224a, the second 90° hybrid coupler 222a is electrically connected to the jumper 27a, and the jumper 27a is electrically connected to the third 90° hybrid coupler 223a. A phase shift angle of the first phase shifter 241a and the second phase shifter 241b is 45°. The second Butler matrix 16b comprises a first 90° hybrid coupler 221b, a second 90° hybrid coupler 222b, a third 90° hybrid coupler 223b, a fourth 90° hybrid coupler 224b, a first phase shifter 241b, a second phase shifter 242b, a first input port 251b, a second input port 252b, a third input port 253b, a fourth input port 254b, and a jumper 27b. A phase shift angle of the first phase shifter 241b and the second phase shifter 242b is −45°. The connection of the second Butler matrix 16b is the same as that of the first Butler matrix 16a.
The first Butler matrix 16a further comprises a first output port 261a, a second output port 262a, a third output port 263a, and a fourth output port 264a, and the second Butler matrix further comprises a first output port 261b, a second output port 262b, a third output port 263b, and a fourth output port 264b.
In the first Butler matrix 16a, the first output port 261a is electrically connected to the first antenna 142, the second output port 262a is electrically connected to the third antenna 146, the third output port 263a is electrically connected to the second antenna 144, and the fourth output port 264a is electrically connected to the fourth antenna 148. In the second Butler matrix 16b, the first output port 261b is electrically connected to the first antenna 142, the second output port 262b is electrically connected to the third antenna 146, the third output port 263b is electrically connected to the second antenna 144, and the fourth output port 264b is electrically connected to the fourth antenna 148.
Each antenna and each reflecting plate may be fixed on the case 17 by using a plurality of support members 15. The support members 15 may be made of metal or other similar materials, and may adopt a screw fixing manner or other manners. In an embodiment of the present invention, the antennas are applied to the base station, so a cover (not shown) is used to cover the case.
The connection relations between the first Butler matrix 16a and the second Butler matrix 16b and the first antenna 142, the second antenna 144, the third antenna 146, and the fourth antenna 148, and the structure relations of the elements in the first Butler matrix 16a and the second Butler matrix 16b are as shown in the block diagram of
When an external signal is input to the first input port 251a of the first Butler matrix 16a, the polarization direction of the electromagnetic pattern generated by the antenna array is 45°, and the deflection angle is approximately −10°. When the external signal is input to the second input port 252a of the first Butler matrix 16a, the polarization direction of the electromagnetic pattern generated by the antenna array is 45°, and the deflection angle is approximately +30°. When the external signal is input to the third input port 253a of the first Butler matrix 16a, the polarization direction of the electromagnetic pattern generated by the antenna array is 45°, and the deflection angle is approximately −30°. When the external signal is input to the fourth input port 254a of the first Butler matrix 16a, the polarization direction of the electromagnetic pattern generated by the antenna array is 45°, and the deflection angle is approximately 10°. When the external signal is input to the first input port 251b of the second Butler matrix 16b, the polarization direction of the electromagnetic pattern generated by the antenna array is −45°, and the deflection angle is approximately −10°. When the external signal is input to the second input port 252b of the second Butler matrix 16b, the polarization direction of the electromagnetic pattern generated by the antenna array is −45°, and the deflection angle is approximately +30°. When the external signal is input to the third input port 253b of the second Butler matrix 16b, the polarization direction of the electromagnetic pattern generated by the antenna array is −45°, and the deflection angle is approximately −30°. When the external signal is input to the fourth input port 254b of the second Butler matrix 16b, the polarization direction of the electromagnetic pattern generated by the antenna array is −45°, and the deflection angle is approximately 10°. The deflection angles and the polarization directions in this embodiment are only used for illustration, and the present invention is not thus limited. Persons of ordinary skill in the art may design different deflection angles and polarization directions according to the spirit of the present invention.
Further,
In the first Butler matrix 36a, a first output port 361a is electrically connected to the first antenna 342, a second output port 362a is electrically connected to the third antenna 346, a third output port 363a is electrically connected to the second antenna 344, and a fourth output port 364a is electrically connected to the fourth antenna 348. In the second Butler matrix 36b, a first output port 361b is electrically connected to the first antenna 342, a second output port 362b is electrically connected to the third square antenna 346, a third output port 363b is electrically connected to the second square antenna 344, and a fourth output port 364b is electrically connected to the fourth antenna 348. In the third Butler matrix 36c, a first output port 361c is electrically connected to the first antenna 342, a second output port 362c is electrically connected to the third antenna 346, a third output port 363c is electrically connected to the second antenna 344, and a fourth output port 364c is electrically connected to the fourth antenna 348.
The first Butler matrix 36a comprises a first 90° hybrid coupler 321a, a second 90° hybrid coupler 322a, a third 90° hybrid coupler 323a, a fourth 90° hybrid coupler 324a, a first phase shifter 341a, a second phase shifter 342a, a first input port 351a, a second input port 352a, a third input port 353a, a fourth input port 354a, and a jumper 37a. The first 90° hybrid coupler 321a is electrically connected to the first phase shifter 341a, and the first phase shifter 341a is electrically connected to the third 90° hybrid coupler 323a. The second 90° hybrid coupler 322a is electrically connected to the second phase shifter 342a, and the second phase shifter 342a is electrically connected to the fourth 90° hybrid coupler 324a. In addition, the first 90° hybrid coupler 321a is electrically connected to the jumper 37a, the jumper 37a is electrically connected to the fourth 90° hybrid coupler 324a, the second 90° hybrid coupler 322a is electrically connected to the jumper 37a, and the jumper 37a is electrically connected to the third 90° hybrid coupler 323a. The second Butler matrix further comprises a first 90° hybrid coupler 321b, a second 90° hybrid coupler 322b, a third 90° hybrid coupler 323b, a fourth 90° hybrid coupler 324b, a first phase shifter 341b, a second phase shifter 342b, a first input port 351b, a second input port 352b, a third input port 353b, a fourth input port 354b, and a jumper 37b. The third Butler matrix further comprises a first 90° hybrid coupler 321c, a second 90° hybrid coupler 322c, a third 90° hybrid coupler 323c, a fourth 90° hybrid coupler 324c, a first phase shifter 341c, a second phase shifter 342c, a first input port 351c, a second input port 352c, a third input port 353c, a fourth input port 354c, and a jumper 37c. The connection relations of the elements of the second Butler matrix and the third Butler matrix are the same as that of the first Butler matrix. A phase shift angle of the first phase shifter 341a and the second phase shifter 342a of the first Butler matrix 36a is 45°, a phase shift angle of the first phase shifter 341b and the second phase shifter 342b of the second Butler matrix 36b is −45°, and a phase shift angle of the first phase shifter 341c and the second phase shifter 342c of the third Butler matrix 36c is any angle except for 45° and −45°.
When an external signal is input to the first input port 351a of the first Butler matrix 36a, the polarization direction of the electromagnetic pattern generated by the antenna array is 45°, and the deflection angle is approximately −10°. When the external signal is input to the second input port 352a of the first Butler matrix 36a, the polarization direction of the electromagnetic pattern generated by the antenna array is 45°, and the deflection angle is approximately +30°. When the external signal is input to the third input port 353a of the first Butler matrix 36a, the polarization direction of the electromagnetic pattern generated by the antenna array is 45°, and the deflection angle is approximately −30°. When the external signal is input to the fourth input port 354a of the first Butler matrix 36a, the polarization direction of the electromagnetic pattern generated by the antenna array is 45°, and the deflection angle is approximately 10°. When the external signal is input to the first input port 351b of the second Butler matrix 36b, the polarization direction of the electromagnetic pattern generated by the antenna array is −45°, and the deflection angle is approximately −10°. When the external signal is input to the second input port 352b of the second Butler matrix 36b, the polarization direction of the electromagnetic pattern generated by the antenna array is −45°, and the deflection angle is approximately +30°. When the external signal is input to the third input port 353b of the second Butler matrix 36b, the polarization direction of the electromagnetic pattern generated by the antenna array is −45°, and the deflection angle is approximately −30°. When the external signal is input to the fourth input port 354b of the second Butler matrix 36b, the polarization direction of the electromagnetic pattern generated by the antenna array is an angle except for −45° or 45°, and the deflection angle is approximately 10°. When the external signal is input to the first input port 351c of the third Butler matrix 36c, the polarization direction of the electromagnetic pattern generated by the antenna array is an angle except for −45° or 45°, and the deflection angle is approximately −10°. When the external signal is input to the second input port 352c of the third Butler matrix 36c, the polarization direction of the electromagnetic pattern generated by the antenna array is an angle except for −45° or 45°, and the deflection angle is approximately +30°. When the external signal is input to the third input port 353c of the third Butler matrix 36c, the polarization direction of the electromagnetic pattern generated by the antenna array is an angle except for −45°or 45°, and the deflection angle is approximately −30°. When the external signal is input to the fourth input port 354c of the third Butler matrix 36c, the polarization direction of the electromagnetic pattern generated by the antenna array is −45°, and the deflection angle is approximately 10°.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the four input ports are electrically connected to a switcher for being switched by the switcher, such that the antenna array is switched among beam forming of different angles. In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, a range of an operating frequency of the antenna array is from 2400 MHz to 2500 MHz.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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098207762 | May 2009 | TW | national |