The present disclosure relates generally to communication systems, and more particularly, to techniques for antennas.
Wireless communication systems are widely deployed to provide various telecommunication services such as telephony, video, data, messaging, and broadcasts. Typical wireless communication systems may employ multiple-access technologies capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing available system resources. Examples of such multiple-access technologies include code division multiple access (CDMA) systems, time division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency division multiple access (FDMA) systems, orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) systems, single-carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) systems, and time division synchronous code division multiple access (TD-SCDMA) systems.
These multiple access technologies have been adopted in various telecommunication standards to provide a common protocol that enables different wireless devices to communicate on a municipal, national, regional, and even global level. An example telecommunication standard is Long Term Evolution (LTE). LTE is a set of enhancements to the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) mobile standard promulgated by Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). LTE is designed to support mobile broadband access through improved spectral efficiency, lowered costs, and improved services using OFDMA on the downlink, SC-FDMA on the uplink, and multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna technology. However, as the demand for mobile broadband access continues to increase, there exists a need for further improvements in communications technology. These improvements may also be applicable to one or more multi-access technologies and the telecommunication standards that employ these technologies.
The following presents a simplified summary of one or more aspects in order to provide a basic understanding of such aspects. This summary is not an extensive overview of all contemplated aspects, and is intended to neither identify key or critical elements of all aspects nor delineate the scope of any or all aspects. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more aspects in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
In an aspect of the disclosure, a method, a computer-readable medium, and an apparatus are provided. The apparatus may be a patch antenna. The patch antenna may include a patch, a ground plane located with respect to the patch, a probe feed coupled to the patch, and a slot-coupled feed configured to couple to the patch.
In an aspect of the disclosure, a method, a computer-readable medium, and an apparatus are provided. The apparatus may be an apparatus for wireless communication. The apparatus for wireless communication may include a transceiver, a memory, and at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to control the transceiver.
The apparatus for wireless communication may include a patch antenna coupled to the transceiver. The patch antenna includes a patch, a ground plane located with respect to the patch, a probe feed coupled to the patch, and a slot-coupled feed configured to couple to the patch.
To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the one or more aspects comprise the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims. The following description and the annexed drawings set forth in detail certain illustrative features of the one or more aspects. These features are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of various aspects may be employed, and this description is intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents.
The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of various configurations and is not intended to represent the only configurations in which the concepts described herein may be practiced. The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing a thorough understanding of various concepts. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that these concepts may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known structures and components are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid obscuring such concepts.
Several aspects of telecommunication systems will now be presented with reference to various apparatus and methods. These apparatus and methods will be described in the following detailed description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings by various blocks, components, circuits, processes, algorithms, etc. (collectively referred to as “elements”). These elements may be implemented using electronic hardware, computer software, or any combination thereof. Whether such elements are implemented as hardware or software depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the overall system.
By way of example, an element, or any portion of an element, or any combination of elements may be implemented as a “processing system” that includes one or more processors. Examples of processors include microprocessors, microcontrollers, graphics processing units (GPUs), central processing units (CPUs), application processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), reduced instruction set computing (RISC) processors, systems on a chip (SoC), baseband processors, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), state machines, gated logic, discrete hardware circuits, and other suitable hardware configured to perform the various functionality described throughout this disclosure. One or more processors in the processing system may execute software. Software shall be construed broadly to mean instructions, instruction sets, code, code segments, program code, programs, subprograms, software components, applications, software applications, software packages, routines, subroutines, objects, executables, threads of execution, procedures, functions, etc., whether referred to as software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description language, or otherwise.
Accordingly, in one or more example embodiments, the functions described may be implemented in hardware, software, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software, the functions may be stored on or encoded as one or more instructions or code on a computer-readable medium. Computer-readable media includes computer storage media. Storage media may be any available media that can be accessed by a computer. By way of example, and not limitation, such computer-readable media can comprise a random-access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage, other magnetic storage devices, combinations of the aforementioned types of computer-readable media, or any other medium that can be used to store computer executable code in the form of instructions or data structures that can be accessed by a computer.
Some examples may be related to a mmWave antenna module or another antenna module. An aspect may relate to how to reduce coupling between the antenna feeds.
In one example, embodiments herein may provide extreme bandwidths in small cells. Providing extreme bandwidths in small cells may be accomplished by using a phased array antenna in some implementations. The phased array antenna may be used to overcome high signal propagation loss at mmWave frequencies. The phased array antenna may also be used to support multi-user multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) through beamforming. In some embodiments, the antenna(s) described herein is implemented in a device configured to communicate pursuant to a 5G telecommunications standard. In some embodiments, the antenna(s) described herein may be configured to operate at one or more mmWave frequencies or in one or more mmWave frequency bands, for example between 30 GHz and 300 GHz, or some subset of these frequencies.
A patch phased array antenna may be configured with dual antenna polarizations, for example for use with MIMO communications, which may be implemented in some configurations as multi-user MIMO. In some implementations dual antenna polarizations may also provide for diversity gain. A patch phased array antenna that has dual antenna polarizations may have dual orthogonal feeds. The dual orthogonal feeds may provide an input for each of the dual antenna polarizations. For example, a first feed of the dual orthogonal feeds may provide an input for a first antenna polarization of the dual antenna polarizations. A second feed of the dual orthogonal feeds may provide an input for a second antenna polarization of the dual antenna polarizations.
It may be beneficial to implement dual probe feeds to a patch antenna with a small footprint in a package. The coupling between two probe feeds, as discussed with respect to
In wireless communication, a patch antenna may be an antenna fabricated on a printed circuit board (PCB). A portion of a patch antenna may be referred to as a patch. The patch may be a portion of a metal layer of the PCB, for example as a piece of metal foil. The metal foil (patch) may be formed in various shapes. For example, the patch may be formed on the surface of the PCB in practically any continuous shape possible on the PCB. Additionally, a similar piece of metal (foil) may be used as a ground plane. In some examples, the metal ground plane may be larger than the metal patch. For example, the metal ground plane may be a similar shape as the metal patch, but the metal ground plane may extend beyond the metal patch, e.g., when viewed from above the metal patch.
The metal ground plane may be formed on an opposite side of the PCB from the metal patch. Accordingly, the metal patch may form a plane parallel to the metal ground plane. In some examples, a patch antenna may include multiple patches, e.g., multiple metal patches. The multiple metal patches may be formed in a two-dimensional array of patches. In an example, the antenna may be connected to a transceiver, transmitter, or receiver through a stripline.
A patch antenna may be a wide-beam, narrowband, antenna. The patch antenna may be fabricated on a PCB by etching the patch, ground plane, and other supporting antenna structures (e.g., the feeds) into metal (foil) bonded to the PCB to form traces bonded to the PCB. The PCB may form an insulating dielectric substrate. The ground plane may be formed on the PCB as a continuous metal layer bonded to an opposite side of the substrate from a patch. Patch antennas may have multiple layers of such patches, however. Some example patch antenna shapes may include square, rectangular, circular and elliptical. Other shapes are possible and may include any continuous shape that might be formed on the PCB or other substrate material. A transmission signal may be radiated from one of more of the layers. Thus, one or more of the patches may be configured as a radiator.
In some examples, patch antennas may be fed from underneath via a probe feed. An outer conductor of a coaxial cable may be connected to the ground plane, and a center conductor may be extended up to the patch antenna, e.g., through a pad at the bottom of a patch antenna including a probe feed.
In other examples, patch antennas may be fed using a slot-coupled feed. The slot-coupled feed may use an aperture to feed the antenna. With the slot-coupled feed, the coupling may occur through the dielectric rather than through physical contact. Feed circuitry, such as a transmission line, may be shielded from an antenna by a conducting plane, e.g., a ground plane, having an opening, hole, or slot through which a signal is coupled to the antenna.
One example, as described herein, may be a patch antenna. The patch antenna may include a patch and a ground plane. The ground plane may be located with respect to the patch. For example, the ground plane and the patch may form layers of a circuit board. In an aspect, the patch antenna may include both a probe feed and a slot-coupled feed.
The first probe feed 104 and the second probe feed 106 may be in close proximity to one another. Additionally, the first probe feed 104 and the second probe feed 106 may be parallel to each other, as illustrated in
For example, a signal may be input to the first probe feed 104 for transmission by the patch antenna 100. As discussed above, the first probe feed 104 may be used to transmit with horizontal polarization. Accordingly, signals input to patch antenna 100 using the first probe feed 104 may be intended for transmission along a horizontal polarization. However, signals from the first probe feed 104 may couple onto the second probe feed 106 because of the close proximity between the first probe feed 104 and the second probe feed 106 and because the first probe feed 104 and the second probe feed 106 are roughly parallel to each other. As discussed above, the second probe feed 106 may be an input to the patch antenna 100 for a vertical polarization. Accordingly, signals that couple from the first probe feed 104 to the second probe feed 106 may reduce the signal radiated on the non-orthogonal polarization as part of the signal on one port gets coupled into the other port.
Similarly, a signal may be input to the second probe feed 106 for transmission by the patch antenna 100. As discussed above, the second probe feed 106 may be used to transmit with a vertical polarization. Accordingly, signals input to the patch antenna 100 using the second probe feed 106 may be intended for transmission along a vertical polarization. However, signals from the second probe feed 106 may couple onto the first probe feed 104 because of the close proximity between the second probe feed 106 and the first probe feed 104 and because the second probe feed 106 and the first probe feed 104 are substantially parallel to each other.
As discussed above, the first probe feed 104 may be an input to the patch antenna 100 for a horizontal polarization. Accordingly, signals that couple from the second probe feed 106 to the first probe feed 104 may reduce the signal radiated on the non-orthogonal polarization as part of the signal on one port gets coupled into the other port. Additionally, as illustrated in
The first probe feed 204 and the second probe feed 206 may be in close proximity to one another. Additionally, the first probe feed 204 and the second probe feed 206 may have probes 208, 210 that are parallel to each other, as illustrated in
As illustrated in
The patch antenna 300 illustrated in
Unlike the example patch antenna 100 of
Accordingly, signal power coupled onto the slot-coupled feed 306 when a signal input to the patch antenna 300 at the probe feed 304 may be reduced. Consequently, much less signal power from the probe feed 304 will be coupled into the vertical polarization port, which may further increase the power radiated in the horizontal polarization. Conversely, signal power coupled onto the probe feed 304 when signals input to the patch antenna 300 at the slot-coupled feed 306 may be reduced. Consequently, much less signal power from the slot-coupled feed 306 will be coupled into the horizontal polarization port, which may further increase the power radiated in the vertical polarization.
As illustrated in
Additionally, the ground plane 322 may include a slot 326 that forms a portion of the slot-coupled feed 306. As illustrated in
The probe feed 304 may be connected to a pad 310. The pad 310 may be used to make an electrical connection to the patch antenna 300 (through the probe feed). Accordingly, the pad 310 may be used to connect a signal line to the probe feed 304 so that the antenna may transmit a signal on the signal line. The probe feed 304 may include a pin (probe 312) that couples the pad 310 to the patch 302.
The transmission line 328 may be configured to include the feature 314, which may further improve matching between the patch antenna 300 and the antenna signal lines. The feature 314 may be perpendicular to the rest of the transmission line 328.
An aspect may include the two ground planes 322, 330, as described above. The transmission line 328 may be positioned between the two ground planes 322, 330. The locations of the slot and the probe may be selected to excite the patch 302 in the desired polarization and also to optimize impedance match and isolation between feeds (e.g., probe feed 304, the slot-coupled feed 306).
In an aspect, patch to patch spacing (e.g., antennas 902 to 904 or antennas 902 to 906), may typically be lambda/2 as may be used in antenna arrays. The spacing between probe and slot on a particular antenna may vary, for example based on design optimizations such as impedance matching, isolation, some combination of these, or other design considerations.
Furthermore, while
Example antenna slot-coupled feeds and probe feed combinations 1004 may have polarization 1054. The probe feed may radiate with polarization perpendicular to the vertical slots of the H shape slot. The slot-coupled feed may radiate with polarization parallel to the vertical slots of the H shape slot.
Example antenna slot-coupled feeds and probe feed combinations 1006 may have polarization 1056. The probe feed may radiate with polarization perpendicular to the vertical slots of the H shape slot. The slot-coupled feed may radiate with polarization parallel to the vertical slots of the H shape slot.
Example antenna slot-coupled feeds and probe feed combinations 1008 may have polarization 1058. The probe feed may radiate with polarization perpendicular to the vertical slots of the H shape slot. The slot-coupled feed may radiate with polarization parallel to the vertical slots of the H shape slot.
In the example of
In an aspect, the antenna gain from a probe feed may be higher than the antenna gain from the slot-coupled feed. In an aspect, the antenna array configuration illustrated in
Example antenna slot-coupled feeds and probe feed combinations 1104 may have polarization 1154. The probe feed may radiate with polarization perpendicular to the vertical slots of the H shape slot. The slot-coupled feed may radiate with polarization parallel to the vertical slots of the H shape slot.
Example antenna slot-coupled feeds and probe feed combinations 1106 may have polarization 1156. The probe feed may radiate with polarization perpendicular to the vertical slots of the H shape slot. The slot-coupled feed may radiate with polarization parallel to the vertical slots of the H shape slot.
Example antenna slot-coupled feeds and probe feed combinations 1108 may have polarization 1158. The probe feed may radiate with polarization perpendicular to the vertical slots of the H shape slot. The slot-coupled feed may radiate with polarization parallel to the vertical slots of the H shape slot.
In the example of
In an aspect, the antenna gain from a probe feed may be higher than the antenna gain from the slot-coupled feed. In an aspect, the antenna array configuration illustrated in
The apparatus for wireless communication 1200 may also include an antenna 1208. The antenna 1208 may be a patch antenna, such as the patch antenna 300, 600. The antenna 1208 (e.g., patch antenna 300, 600) may be coupled to the transceiver 1202. Accordingly, the transceiver 1202 may transmit and receive signals from the antenna 1208 (e.g., patch antenna 300, 600). As discussed with respect to
Within the apparatus for wireless communication 1200, the patch antenna 300, 600 and the ground plane 322, 610, 704 may be substantially parallel.
Within the apparatus for wireless communication 1200, the patch antenna 300, 600 may further include a dielectric (e.g., substrate 324) between the patch antenna 300, 600 and the ground plane 322, 610, 704.
Within the apparatus for wireless communication 1200, the dielectric (e.g., substrate 324) may be substantially parallel to the patch 302, 602 and the ground plane 322, 610, 704.
Within the apparatus for wireless communication 1200, the probe feed 304 may be configured to generate a polarization (e.g., horizontal 502) substantially perpendicular to the polarization (e.g., vertical 504) of the slot-coupled feed 306.
Within the apparatus for wireless communication 1200, the probe feed 304, 604 may include a pin (e.g., probe 312, 702) coupling a pad 310 to the patch 302.
An aspect may include a patch antenna 300, 600. The patch antenna 300, 600 may include a patch 302, 602 and a ground plane 322, 610, 704. The ground plane 322, 610, 704 may be located with respect to the patch 302, 602. For example, the ground plane 322, 610, 704 and the patch 302, 602 may form layers of a circuit board. In an aspect, the ground plane 322, 610, 704 may be substantially equidistant from the patch 302, 602. The patch antenna 300, 600 may include a probe feed 304, 604 coupled to the patch 302, 602 and a slot-coupled feed 306, 606 coupled to the patch 302, 602.
In an aspect, the patch 302, 602 and the ground plane 322, 610, 704 are substantially parallel.
In an aspect, the patch antenna 300, 600 may include a dielectric (e.g., substrate 324) between the patch 302 and the ground plane 322.
In an aspect, the dielectric (e.g., substrate 324) may be substantially parallel to the patch 302, 602 and the ground plane 322, 610, 704.
In an aspect, the probe feed 304 may be configured to generate a polarization substantially perpendicular to the polarization of the slot-coupled feed 306.
In an aspect, the probe feed 304, 604 may include a pin coupling a pad 310 to the patch 302, 602 of the patch antenna 300, 600.
At 1304, the first signal is coupled to the probe feed 304, 604. For example, the transceiver 1202 of
At 1306, a second signal is generated. For example, the processor 1206 of
At 1308, the second signal is coupled to the slot-coupled feed 306, 606. For example, the transceiver 1202 of
At 1310, at least one of the first signal or the second signal is transmitted using a patch antenna having a patch and a ground plane. For example, the first and second signals may be coupled to their corresponding feeds which may cause the signals to be transmitted by the antenna.
Some aspects may include means for generating a first signal. For example, the processor 1206 of
Some aspects may include means for coupling the first signal to the probe feed 304, 604. For example, the transceiver 1202 of
Some aspects may include means for generating a second signal. For example, the processor 1206 of
Some aspects may include means for coupling the second signal to the slot-coupled feed 306, 606. For example, the transceiver 1202 of
In an aspect, the patch and the ground plane of the patch antenna used are substantially parallel.
In an aspect, the patch antenna used further comprises a dielectric between the patch and the ground plane.
In an aspect, the dielectric is substantially parallel to the patch and the ground plane.
In an aspect, the probe feed of the patch antenna used is configured to generate a polarization substantially perpendicular to the polarization of the slot-coupled feed.
In an aspect, the probe feed of the patch antenna used comprises a pin coupling a pad to the patch.
In an aspect, the patch antenna used comprises a plurality of patch antennas forming an array of patch antennas.
The previous description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the various aspects described herein. Various modifications to these aspects will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other aspects. Thus, the claims are not intended to be limited to the aspects shown herein, but is to be accorded the full scope consistent with the language claims, wherein reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless specifically so stated, but rather “one or more.” The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any aspect described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects. Unless specifically stated otherwise, the term “some” refers to one or more. Combinations such as “at least one of A, B, or C,” “one or more of A, B, or C,” “at least one of A, B, and C,” “one or more of A, B, and C,” and “A, B, C, or any combination thereof” include any combination of A, B, and/or C, and may include multiples of A, multiples of B, or multiples of C. Specifically, combinations such as “at least one of A, B, or C,” “one or more of A, B, or C,” “at least one of A, B, and C,” “one or more of A, B, and C,” and “A, B, C, or any combination thereof” may be A only, B only, C only, A and B, A and C, B and C, or A and B and C, where any such combinations may contain one or more member or members of A, B, or C. All structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the various aspects described throughout this disclosure that are known or later come to be known to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be encompassed by the claims. Moreover, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether such disclosure is explicitly recited in the claims. The words “module,” “mechanism,” “element,” “device,” and the like may not be a substitute for the word “means.” As such, no claim element is to be construed as a means plus function unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for.”
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/472,451, entitled “HYBRID FEED TECHNIQUE FOR PLANAR ANTENNA” and filed on Mar. 16, 2017, which is expressly incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20180269585 A1 | Sep 2018 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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62472451 | Mar 2017 | US |