KR20110067603A - Antenna apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: An antenna device is provided to smoothly communicate with a personal portable terminal by changing the polarization property of a signal transmitted from an antenna by combining with a polarization converter. CONSTITUTION: An antenna(123b) has antenna elements which transmit and receive a signal. Each row of the antenna has a feeding unit with two input structures. A polarization converter(123a) is connected to the feeding unit. The polarization converter generates two signals with different phase difference with regard to the inputted signal. The antenna device circularly polarizes the signal of a phase difference from the polarization converter and outputs the circularly polarized signal.

Description

Antenna device {Antenna Apparatus}

An embodiment of the present invention relates to an antenna device, and more particularly, in consideration of a radio wave environment of a rapidly changing base station or a base station controller, at low cost in a rapidly changing radio wave environment without replacing an antenna of an existing base station or base station controller. The present invention relates to an antenna device capable of coping and selectively using polarization characteristics in an antenna system having a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) structure.

In general, a cellular mobile communication system is composed of a plurality of base transceiver stations (BTS), a plurality of base station controllers (BSCs), and a mobile switching center (MSC). A mobile communication subscriber is a system that provides a mobile terminal to carry and carry out communication.

At this time, the base station and the base station controller is provided with an antenna for transmitting and receiving signals. Typically, antennas are specialized products for polarization characteristics, for high or low gains, various horizontal beam widths, and for special purposes such as fragmented wave, polarized wave, circular polarization, and right hand circular polarization (RHCP) for service applications. It is used.

As described above, among the antennas used in various ways according to various purposes, the base station antenna is exposed to various radio wave environments. In other words, in an area where radio waves are scattered a lot, such as inside a building and downtown, the polarity of the base station and the radio terminal do not coincide. The user of the wireless terminal communicates in a state where the quality is somewhat degraded.

As part of the solution to this problem, there is a method of redesigning, reconfiguring and rearranging the radiating elements used in the antenna for polarization conversion of the antenna which is designed or installed for a certain purpose.

However, this work causes additional losses such as development time consumption, labor costs, installation maintenance costs, and the like, and the development investment cost is returned to the customers using the service.

An embodiment of the present invention is to provide an antenna device having a polarization converter that can be detached and mounted on an antenna so as to flexibly cope with a rapidly changing radio wave environment at low cost, and also provides a polarization characteristic in a MIMO antenna system. It is a second object to provide an antenna device that can be used selectively.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, an antenna device includes a plurality of antenna elements in which signals are transmitted and received, and each column includes: an antenna having a feed unit having a two input structure through which signals are transmitted; A polarization converter coupled to the power supply unit and configured to generate and output two signals having different phase differences from the input signal, wherein the antenna element circularly polarizes signals of different phase differences provided from the polarization converter. It is characterized by outputting.

Antenna device according to another embodiment of the present invention is arranged in a plurality of columns, the antenna element for transmitting and receiving signals; And an antenna having a polarization converting unit arranged in at least one column of the plurality of columns and generating and outputting two signals having different phase differences with respect to the input signal, wherein the antenna element is provided in the polarization converting unit. Characterized in that the signals of different phase differences provided are circularly polarized and output.

As a result of the above configuration, the embodiment of the present invention changes the polarization characteristics of the signal transmitted from the antenna by combining the antenna with the polarization converter when the propagation environment of the existing base station or base station controller is changed. Transmitting and receiving with a personal portable terminal will be able to be performed smoothly.

In addition, in the MIMO antenna system, linear polarization and / or circular polarization types may be selectively used according to the selective combination of the polarization converters, thereby being able to flexibly cope with various propagation environments. That is, the antenna device may be variously used according to the service application purpose.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail. In adding reference numerals to the elements of each drawing, it should be noted that the same elements may be denoted by the same reference numerals as much as possible because they may be displayed on different drawings. In addition, in describing the present invention, when it is determined that the detailed description of the related well-known configuration or function may obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In addition, in describing the component of this invention, terms, such as 1st, 2nd, A, B, (a), (b), can be used. These terms are only for distinguishing the components from other components, and the nature, order or order of the components are not limited by the terms. If a component is described as being "connected", "coupled" or "connected" to another component, that component may be directly connected to or connected to that other component, but there may be another configuration between each component. It is to be understood that the elements may be "connected", "coupled" or "connected".

1 is a view showing the structure of a mobile communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in Figure 1 and 2, the mobile communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention so that an external third party can communicate with the user of the personal mobile terminal 130 using a public telephone network or a mobile communication network And, the signal from the third party is transmitted to the personal mobile terminal 130 via the switch 100, the base station controller 110 and the base station 120.

Here, the exchange 100 processes signals for various call types, that is, voice calls and data communication, and the base station controller 110 plays a role of relaying communication between the exchange 100 and the base station 120. .

The base station 120 includes a signal processing unit 121 and an antenna device 123, and the signal processing unit 121 is divided into a digital unit 121a and a high frequency module unit 121b, and the antenna device 123 is polarized. It is divided into a converter 123a and an antenna 123b.

The digital unit 121a allocates the channel inputted from the base station controller 110 by using a CDMA scheme, spreads the spectrum, and outputs the signal.

Then, the high frequency module unit 121b converts the output signal of the digital unit 121a into a high frequency of the service frequency band, for example, a frequency of 1.7 to 1.8 GHz for the PCS service provider.

Subsequently, the polarization converter 123a converts the signal provided from the high frequency module unit 121b into a signal having a different phase difference and provides it to the antenna 123a.

The antenna 123b circularly polarizes signals of different phase differences provided from the polarization converter 123a and wirelessly transmits them. Here, the antenna 123b has an antenna element having a linear polarization characteristic, that is, a radiator, and transmits a circularly polarized signal according to the coupling with the polarization converter 123.

The personal mobile terminal 130 receives a signal provided by being circularly polarized from the antenna 123b. For example, even if the radio signal provided in a circular polarization form from the antenna 123b is scattered, it is accurately received by the linear antenna of the personal portable terminal 130.

2 is a view showing the antenna device of FIG. 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention, Figure 3 is a view showing the internal structure of FIG.

2 and 3, the antenna device 123 according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes an antenna 123b through which signals are transmitted and received and a polarization converter 123a provided at one side of the antenna 123b. It is included.

At this time, the polarization converter 123a has a MIMO structure for increasing limited frequency resources and service capacity, and furthermore, is coupled to each other to overcome fading, time delay, etc. occurring in a complex propagation environment by using a plurality of transmit and receive antennas. It can have a 4 input and 4 output port structure through the two antennas. However, it will not be limited to it.

First, the antenna 123b may be divided into first and second antennas 310 and 320 as shown in FIG. 3, and the first and second antennas 310 and 320 are adjacent to each other and more accurately. Are placed next to each other. Each of the first and second antennas 310 and 320 is a support 311 and 321, an antenna element 313 and 323 formed on the support 311 and 321, that is, a radiator, and the first and second antennas 310. And 320, two feeders for inputting and outputting signals, respectively. For example, it is preferable that the antenna elements 313 and 323 of the present invention have a radiator formed to radiate a linearly polarized signal with respect to an input signal by itself (or independently).

In addition, the polarization converter 123a includes a plurality of input ports 330 and a plurality of output ports 350, an input port 330, and an output port 350 respectively connected to the antenna 123b and the signal processing unit mentioned above. It includes a coupler 340 for electrically connecting the. Here, the plurality of input ports 330 and output ports 350 may include a conductor such as a copper wire connected to the input terminal and the output terminal of the coupler 340, respectively, the coupler 340 is a passive intermodulation distortion (PIMD) ) And an external case for satisfying standards such as EMC (Electromagnetic Capability).

The coupler 340 is made of a dielectric plate as a hybrid coupler, for example, and has a different physical length from one input terminal to two output terminals. Through this, the coupler 340 distributes the signal input through one input port 330, converts the distributed signal to have a different phase difference, and outputs it, and is input to another input port 330 The signals are distributed and converted and output so that the divided signals have different phase differences.

As a result, signals generated by the polarizer 123a, for example, having a phase difference of 90 degrees and having the same level are input to the antenna 123a, and two linear polarizations, ie, vertical and horizontal polarizations, By combining ± 45 degrees of polarization, the composite field vector emits a circular polarized signal according to the principle of drawing a circle.

Here, the linearly polarized wave means that the electric field is formed perpendicular to the propagation direction of the radio wave, and the circularly polarized wave means that the electric field is formed by rotating in the left or right direction when viewed from the propagation direction of the radio wave over time.

According to the configuration as described above, the embodiment of the present invention will be able to flexibly cope with the rapidly changing radio wave environment by being able to freely attach and detach the polarization converter to the antenna of the base station and the base station controller that is already installed.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for each purpose of using the antenna device shown in FIG. 2.

As can be seen in Figure 4, in the mobile communication device, the base station and the base station controller, and furthermore, the antenna of the personal portable terminal performs an antenna-specific polarization process (S401).

In other words, the antenna is designed according to a special purpose at the time of manufacture, and is used in various ways. In the case of a mobile communication device, an antenna using linear polarization, double polarization and double polarization such as vertical and / or horizontal polarization is used.

Therefore, in this case, the personal mobile terminal transmits and receives information to the base station and the base station through a linear polarized signal with the base station controller.

At this time, for example, the propagation environment of the pre-installed base station and base station controller may be changed. In other words, since a high-rise building may be constructed according to a sudden development, in this case, it is determined whether to convert the polarization of the antenna (S403).

If the necessity of polarization conversion is raised, a polarization converter is mounted on the antenna (S405).

According to the mounting of the polarization converter, the signal input to the antenna via the polarization converter is to transmit the polarized change signal (S407).

As a result, for example, the personal mobile terminal and the base station and / or the base station and the base station controller can transmit and receive information with each other through the circularly polarized wave of the linearly polarized signal.

5 is a diagram illustrating an antenna device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 5, the antenna device according to the second embodiment of the present invention includes a first antenna 510 and a second antenna 520 arranged in parallel with each other, and include first and second antennas 510. Each of the plurality of antenna elements 513 and 521 is formed on the supports 511 and 521, the plurality of antenna elements 513 and 523 formed on the supports 511 and 521, and the plurality of antenna elements 513 and 521. And polarization converting sections 515 and 525 electrically connected to each other.

In the antenna device according to the second embodiment of the present invention, in contrast to the antenna device 123 according to the first embodiment of the present invention illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the polarization converters 515 and 525 have a first antenna. One side of the 510 and the second antenna 520 is formed integrally. In other words, the polarization converters 515 and 525 may be simultaneously formed at the time of forming the antenna elements 513 and 523 on the supports 511 and 521 as hybrid couplers, or after the formation of the antenna elements 513 and 523. It may be formed on the support (511, 521) as a separate manufacturing process. Therefore, embodiments of the present invention will not be particularly limited with respect to such a formation process.

With respect to the other supports 511 and 521, antenna elements 513 and 523, and polarization converters 515 and 525, except for such parts, in the antenna device 123 according to the first embodiment of the present invention described above. Since the invention is similar to that of the above, further description will be omitted.

6 is a diagram illustrating an antenna device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 6, the antenna device according to the third embodiment of the present invention includes a first antenna 610 and a second antenna 620 arranged in parallel with each other, and include first and second antennas 610. The second antenna 620, which is one of 620, is formed on the support 621 and includes a polarization converter 625 electrically connected to the plurality of antenna elements 623.

In contrast to the antenna device according to the second embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 6, the antenna device of FIG. 6 is integrally formed with the polarization converter 625 limited to the second antenna 620. In other words, while the first antenna 610 transmits linearly polarized signals such as vertical and horizontal polarization signals with respect to the input signal, the second antenna 620 is provided through the polarization converter 625 and the antenna element 623. The polarized signal is sent out.

In this case, the polarization converting unit 625 may be formed at the same time as the hybrid coupler, for example, at the time of forming the antenna element 623 on the support 621, or as a separate manufacturing process after the formation of the antenna element 623. 621 may be formed. Therefore, the second embodiment of the present invention will not be particularly limited with respect to such a formation process.

Other supports 611 and 621, antenna elements 613 and 623, and polarization converter 625 except for such parts are similar to those of the inventions in the antenna device 123 of FIGS. The above description will be omitted.

The foregoing description is merely illustrative of the technical idea of the present invention, and various changes and modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the essential characteristics of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments disclosed in the present invention are not intended to limit the technical idea of the present invention but to describe the present invention, and the scope of the technical idea of the present invention is not limited by these embodiments. The protection scope of the present invention should be interpreted by the following claims, and all technical ideas within the equivalent scope should be interpreted as being included in the scope of the present invention.

In addition, the terms "comprise", "comprise" or "having" described in the specification mean that a corresponding component may be included unless otherwise stated, and thus, other components are excluded. It should be construed that it may further include other components. All terms, including technical and scientific terms, have the same meanings as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art unless otherwise defined. Terms used generally, such as terms defined in a dictionary, should be interpreted to coincide with the contextual meaning of the related art, and shall not be interpreted in an ideal or excessively formal sense unless explicitly defined in the present invention.

An embodiment of the present invention is applicable to an antenna device of a base station and a base station controller, and when a radio wave environment of a previously installed base station or base station controller is changed, a polarization characteristic of a signal transmitted from the antenna by coupling a polarization converter to the antenna By changing the speed, it will be possible to perform the transmission and reception with the personal mobile terminal smoothly even at low cost. In addition, in the MIMO antenna system, linear polarization and / or circular polarization forms can be selectively used according to the selective combination of the polarization converters, which can flexibly cope with various propagation environments, so that the antenna devices can be variously used according to service application purposes. Could be.

1 is a view showing the structure of a mobile communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

2 is a view showing the antenna device of FIG. 1 as a first embodiment of the present invention;

3 is a view showing the internal structure of FIG.

4 is a flow chart for each purpose of using the antenna device shown in FIG. 2;

5 is a view showing the antenna device of FIG. 1 as a second embodiment of the present invention;

6 is a view showing the antenna device of FIG. 1 as a third embodiment of the present invention.

** Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings **

100: exchange 110: base station controller

120: base station 121: signal processing unit

121a: digital portion 121b: high frequency module portion

123: antenna unit 123a: polarization converter

123b: antenna 130: personal mobile device

Claims (7)

Antenna elements through which signals are transmitted and received are arranged in a plurality of columns, each column having an antenna having a feed unit having a two input structure through which a signal is transmitted; Is coupled to the feeder, and includes a polarization converter for generating and outputting two signals having a different phase difference with respect to the input signal, The antenna device is characterized in that the antenna device characterized in that for outputting the circularly polarized signal of the different phase difference provided by the polarization converter. The method of claim 1, The polarization converter includes a hybrid coupler, wherein the antenna element is a device of the linear polarization characteristics. The method of claim 1, And the polarization converter is disposed in at least one column of the plurality of columns. The method of claim 1, The polarizer converter generates and outputs two signals having a phase difference of 90 degrees with respect to the input signal. An antenna element arranged in a plurality of columns and transmitting and receiving a signal; And an antenna having a polarization conversion unit arranged in at least one column of the plurality of columns and generating and outputting two signals having different phase differences with respect to the input signal. The antenna device is characterized in that the antenna device characterized in that for outputting the circularly polarized signal of the different phase difference provided by the polarization converter. The method of claim 5, The antenna is A first antenna having a plurality of antenna elements configured to transmit and receive a signal and having a polarization conversion unit disposed at one side of the column; And A second antenna disposed adjacent to the first antenna and provided with a plurality of antenna elements; An antenna device comprising a. The method of claim 5, The antenna is A first antenna having a plurality of antenna elements configured to transmit and receive signals, the first antenna having a first polarization converter disposed at one side of the column; And A second antenna is disposed adjacent to the first antenna, a plurality of antenna elements are formed in a row, and has a second polarization converting unit disposed at one side of the column. An antenna device comprising a.

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