The present invention relates to a multiband antenna used for a wireless communication device, such as a mobile phone terminal, and to a mounting structure for the multiband antenna.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-067234 (Patent Document 1) discloses an antenna that handles a plurality of frequency bands with a single antenna. The configuration of the antenna disclosed in Patent Document 1 will be described with reference to
In
The monopole antenna 103 has a length of approximately ¼ of the wavelength at a frequency f1. The parallel circuit 104 is formed from a parallel resonance circuit constituted by an inductor and a capacitor, which cut off the electrical current of the frequency f1. The antenna element 105, together with the monopole antenna 103 and the parallel circuit 104, has a length approximately ¼ the wavelength at a frequency f2 which is relatively lower than the frequency f1. The parasitic element 106 has a length which is approximately ¼ the wavelength at the frequency f1.
The monopole antenna 103 is connected to the parallel circuit 104, and the parallel circuit 104 is formed of an inductor and a capacitor, which cut off the electrical current of the frequency f1.
In this antenna device 100, the monopole antenna 103 operates by itself at the frequency f1.
As described above, in the antenna device 100, the monopole antenna 103 and the parasitic element 106 operate as an antenna device at the frequency f1. At the frequency f2, the antenna element 105, together with the monopole antenna 103 and the parallel circuit 104, operates as an antenna of a length of approximately ¼.
However, in the antenna device disclosed in Patent Document 1, a parallel resonance circuit is used to cut off the electrical current of a specific frequency f1, and this parallel resonance circuit is inserted into the middle of a radiation electrode. For this reason, the following problems arise:
(1) At the frequency f1, antenna radiation electrodes included in and in a stage subsequent to the parallel resonance circuit are not viewed equivalently, that is, appear to be small. As a result, at a high operating frequency, since the volume of the antenna is decreased equivalently, this is disadvantageous in terms of the performance of the antenna.
(2) Since the antenna operates at a resonance frequency of the lowest Q (with a large loss) of the parallel resonance circuit, an influence due to the loss of the parallel resonance circuit is directly received.
(3) With only the parallel resonance circuit, the electrical current cannot be cut off over the entire range of the high operating frequency. For this reason, interference with generated harmonics occurs, and the performance is deteriorated.
(4) In a case where a three-dimensional radiation electrode is to be formed, rather than the radiation electrode being formed by an electrode pattern on a substrate, a parallel resonance circuit needs to be inserted into the middle of the radiation electrode. In consequence, the radiation electrode needs to be divided in the middle and also, elements need to be directly mounted on the radiation electrode. Therefore, many difficulties are caused to occur in the manufacture of the electrode.
The claimed invention is directed to a multiband antenna with a low loss and a high gain at an operating frequency, and a mounting structure for the multiband antenna.
A multiband antenna consistent with the claimed invention resonates at each of at least two operating frequency bands on a lower frequency side and on a higher frequency side. The multiband antenna has a feeding radiation electrode and a parasitic radiation electrode formed on a dielectric base, and includes a first LC parallel circuit between the feeding radiation electrode and a feeding circuit, and a second LC parallel circuit between the parasitic radiation electrode and a ground. Multiple resonance frequencies of the feeding element including a feeding radiation electrode and the parasitic element including a parasitic radiation electrode are frequencies between two operating frequency bands in a case where impedances of the first and second LC parallel circuits are set to 0, and the LC parallel circuits cause the multiple resonance frequencies to shift to an operating frequency band on the lower frequency side of the two operating frequency bands, and cause the multiple resonance frequencies to shift to an operating frequency band on the higher frequency side of the two operating frequency bands.
According to a more specific embodiment consistent with the claimed invention, a circuit element having inductance components may be provided in series with the first LC parallel circuit and may be provided in series with the second LC parallel circuit.
In accordance with another more specific embodiment, a mounting structure for a substrate of a multiband antenna according to any of the above embodiments includes a ground area in which a ground electrode is formed and a non-ground area in which a ground electrode is not formed in an end portion thereof. The multiband antenna is provided in the non-ground area of the substrate.
In another more specific embodiment, the feeding radiation electrode and the parasitic radiation electrode are provided on a main surface of the substrate farthest from the ground area of the substrate.
In yet another more specific embodiment of the mounting structure, the feeding element and the parasitic element may be provided in individual dielectric bases, and the feeding element and the parasitic element may be arranged adjacent to each other.
According to another more specific embodiment of the mounting structure, the circuit element having inductance components may be a pattern electrode formed on the substrate.
Other features, elements and characteristics of the claimed invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the attached drawings.
A description will be given, with reference to
The substrate 2 has a ground area GA in which a ground electrode 23 is formed on the base 20, and a non-ground area UA in which a ground electrode 23 is not formed, the non-ground area UA extending in the vicinity of one side of the substrate 2. The antenna element 1 is arranged at a position spaced apart from the ground area GA as much as possible in the non-ground area UA.
The dielectric base 10 is formed with various electrode patterns. On the feeding side, feeding radiation electrodes 11b and 11c, and a line 11a therefor are formed. The dielectric base 10, the feeding radiation electrodes 11b and 11c, and the line 11a constitute a feeding element 11. On the parasitic side, parasitic radiation electrodes 12b and 12c, and a line 12a therefore are formed. The dielectric base 10, the parasitic radiation electrodes 12b and 12c, and the line 12a constitute a parasitic element 12. As described above, the feeding element 11 and the parasitic element 12 are arranged adjacent to each other.
The length of the slit SL formed in the feeding radiation electrodes 11b and 11c and the parasitic radiation electrodes 12b and 12c in
By mounting this antenna element 1 in the non-ground area UA of the substrate 2, power is supplied to the feeding radiation electrode 11b via the line 11a for the feeding radiation electrode, and the end portion of the line 12a for a parasitic radiation electrode is grounded to ground electrode 23.
In the example of
The first LC parallel circuit 13, the second LC parallel circuit 14, and the inductors L3 and L4 are provided in a feeding unit of a transmission and reception circuit mounted on the substrate 2 shown in
In the example shown in
The connection order of the LC parallel circuits 13 and 14 and the inductors L3 and L4 is not limited to the example of
As shown in
First, the antenna element 1 shown in
In a state in which the LC parallel circuits 13 and 14 do not exist, the width of the frequency band in which the return loss of the characteristic curve RL4 becomes a predetermined amount or more is determined by the strength of the coupling between the radiation electrode 11b of the feeding element 11 and the radiation electrode 12b of the parasitic element 12.
Furthermore, the resonance frequency of multiple resonance is determined by the lengths of the feeding radiation electrode 11b and the parasitic radiation electrode 12b, and the like. Furthermore, as shown in
The LC parallel resonance frequency of each of the first LC parallel circuit 13 and the second LC parallel circuit 14 is determined so that the first LC parallel circuit 13 and the second LC parallel circuit 14 operate so as to be inductive at a low operating frequency (for example, 850 to 900 MHz of GSM or the like) and operate so as to be capacitive at a high operating frequency (for example, 1710 to 2170 MHz of DCS/PCS/UMTS or the like).
More specifically, first, in a state in which the capacitor C1 is inserted between the feeding element 11 and the feeding circuit FC and the capacitor C2 is inserted between the parasitic element 12 and the ground, frequency adjustment is performed on a high operating frequency. In
Next, an inductor L1 is inserted between the feeding element 11 and the feeding circuit FC, an inductor L2 is inserted between the parasitic element 12 and the ground, and frequency adjustment is performed on a low operating frequency. In
The approximate values of C1, C2, L1, and L2 of the LC parallel circuits 13 and 14 are determined in the manner described above. After that, the values of C1, C2, L1, and L2 of the LC parallel circuits 13 and 14 are finely adjusted so that the frequency of the multiple resonance at a low operating frequency and the frequency of the multiple resonance at a high operating frequency become predetermined frequencies.
In
In the manner described above, a multiple resonance state in the fundamental wave mode can be produced at both a low operating frequency and a high operating frequency.
The antenna of the related art resonates in the harmonic mode of a ¾ wavelength at a high operating frequency, and resonates in the fundamental wave mode of a ¼ wavelength at a low operating frequency. As a result of using the harmonic mode of a ¾ wavelength as described above, the return loss at a high operating frequency is not decreased sufficiently. In comparison, in the antenna according to the first exemplary embodiment, a sufficient return loss characteristic is obtained at both a low operating frequency and a high operating frequency, and highly efficient antenna characteristics are obtained over a wide band.
The antenna of the related art, in which a high operating frequency is made to resonate in a harmonic mode of a ¾ wavelength, is such that long slits are formed so that the radiation electrodes 11b and 12b of the feeding element 11 and the parasitic element 12 shown in
If the parasitic element 12 is eliminated and single resonance is performed, the resonance frequency is decreased to more than a desired frequency at only the space on the feeding element 11 side, and the space of the parasitic element 12 is wasted. Therefore, as a result of arranging the feeding element 11 and the parasitic element 12 as shown in
In
As described above, at the frequencies f1 and f2 (low operating frequencies), a node of the electrical current does not occur in either of the antenna of the related art and the antenna according to the first exemplary embodiment. However, at high operating frequencies (f3, f4), in the antenna of the related art, which operates in harmonics of a ¾ wavelength, the node of the electrical current is seen, as shown in (B3) and (B4).
Since, in harmonics, two concentration points of the electric field exist, the Q value of resonance is high, and influence is easily received by the ground electrical potential and the proximity of a metal with respect to the fundamental wave. In contrast, in the antenna according to the first exemplary embodiment, since resonance is performed in the fundamental wave mode also at high operating frequencies (f3, f4), this problem does not arise.
As has been described in the foregoing, according to the present invention, since resonance of the fundamental wave mode can be used even at a high operating frequency, a wider band and a higher efficiency can be achieved, and influence is not easily received with respect to proximity of a conductor such as a metal or a human body. Furthermore, in a low frequency band, an inductor L is equivalently put in series, the length of a slit necessary for a radiation electrode is decreased, an electrode pattern is simplified, and the electric field in the antenna is easy to be distributed. In consequence, a high efficiency state can be realized in a wide band. In addition, radiation is always possible with the entire volume of the antenna, and thus, the antenna permission space can be fully utilized.
In an antenna 202 shown in
In an antenna 203 shown in
As described above, by using antenna elements on the feeding side and on the parasitic side independently from each other, it is possible to increase the degree of flatness of the mounting surface for the substrate. Thus, surface mounting can be facilitated and also, the reliability thereof can be increased. Furthermore, the optimum positions of the feeding end and the grounding end can be selected according to conditions, thereby achieving a wider band and a higher efficiency. Furthermore, since the number of types of parts is decreased, costs can be reduced correspondingly.
In this antenna 204, a feeding-side antenna element 1F and a parasitic-side antenna element 1P are mounted in a non-ground area UA of a substrate. Unlike the example of
By appropriately selecting the spacing between the feeding-side antenna element 1F and the parasitic-side antenna element 1P and the angles thereof in the manner described above, the feeding-side antenna element 1F and the parasitic-side antenna element 1P can be incorporated in a limited space inside a housing, and antenna characteristics can be determined as appropriate.
In an antenna 205, an inductance element (circuit element having inductance components) 24 which is connected between the feeding point of a feeding-side antenna element 1F and a first LC parallel circuit 13, and an inductance element (circuit element having inductance components) 25 which is connected between the grounding end of a parasitic-side antenna element 1P and a second LC parallel circuit 14 are each formed by a pattern electrode in a non-ground area UA of the substrate 2. The inductance elements 24 and 25 correspond to the series connected inductors L3 and L4 shown in
As has been described above, the non-ground area UA of the substrate 2 can be effectively used, and the number of parts to be mounted can be reduced.
Because embodiments consistent with the claimed invention can use resonance in a fundamental wave mode even at a high operating frequency, a wider band and a higher efficiency can be achieved, and influence is not easily received by proximity of a conductor, such as a metal or a human body.
Furthermore, in a low frequency band, an inductor L is equivalently put in series. A slit necessary for a radiation electrode can be shortened, an electrode pattern can be simplified, and the electric field on the antenna can be easily distributed. Therefore, a highly efficient state can be realized in a wide band.
Furthermore, since radiation is possible with the total volume of the antenna, the antenna permission space can be fully utilized.
While exemplary embodiments of the invention have been described above, it is to be understood that variations and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The scope of the invention, therefore, is to be determined solely by the following claims and their equivalents.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2008-149651 | Jun 2008 | JP | national |
The present application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/JP2009/055104 filed Mar. 17, 2009, which claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-149651 filed Jun. 6, 2008, the entire contents of each of these applications being incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20110134009 A1 | Jun 2011 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | PCT/JP2009/055104 | Mar 2009 | US |
Child | 12958049 | US |