CN104601188B - Electronic equipment - Google Patents

Electronic equipment Download PDF

Info

Publication number
CN104601188B
CN104601188B CN201510051604.3A CN201510051604A CN104601188B CN 104601188 B CN104601188 B CN 104601188B CN 201510051604 A CN201510051604 A CN 201510051604A CN 104601188 B CN104601188 B CN 104601188B
Authority
CN
China
Prior art keywords
antenna
transceiver
electronic equipment
mode
cabinet
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Active
Application number
CN201510051604.3A
Other languages
Chinese (zh)
Other versions
CN104601188A (en
Inventor
马兆明
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Lenovo Beijing Ltd
Original Assignee
Lenovo Beijing Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Lenovo Beijing Ltd filed Critical Lenovo Beijing Ltd
Priority to CN201510051604.3A priority Critical patent/CN104601188B/en
Publication of CN104601188A publication Critical patent/CN104601188A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CN104601188B publication Critical patent/CN104601188B/en
Active legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

Links

Abstract

The invention discloses a kind of electronic equipment, including:Cabinet;The transceiver of the cabinet inside is arranged on, the transceiver has first antenna, for sending and/or receiving wireless signal;Second antenna, is disposed adjacently with the first antenna, and second antenna and/or transmits radio signals to the first antenna with the directivity towards the first antenna for receiving the signal that the first antenna sends;Third antenna, it is connected with second antenna by the first cable, wherein, the transceiver is by the first antenna and second antenna, via one or more peripheral hardware electronic equipments that the third antenna sends radio signals to match, and/or the transceiver receives the wireless signal of one or more peripheral hardware electronic equipments from pairing via third antenna by the first antenna and second antenna.

Description

Electronic equipment
Technical field
The present invention relates to the field of electronic equipment.
Background technology
At present, various wireless peripheral electronic equipments, such as wireless mouse, Wireless Keyboard etc. have been occurred in that.Such nothing Line peripheral hardware electronic equipment generally needs the transceiver for providing pairing to be connected on electronic equipment.However, so external transmitting-receiving Device is usually easily lost or damages.
For this purpose, proposing the scheme being built in transceiver in electronic equipment chassis at present.However, when transceiver is built in electricity When in sub- equipment cabinets, the ceramic antenna of transceiver is affected by electronic equipment chassis, causes antenna field shape and directivity to be deteriorated, number It is serious according to packet loss.For example, wireless mouse is that time delay is obvious when 1.5 meters or so places use, it is impossible to normal to use.
For the built-in situation of transceiver, it usually needs electronic equipment is carried out special industrial design to ensure transceiver Antenna be unaffected;Or extend to envelope edge to improve performance by transceiver using transit cable.It is such to lack Point is that industrial design is difficult and higher into cost is produced.
For this reason, it may be desirable to provide a kind of electronic equipment with built-in transceiver, its can have a good performance and need not Special industrial design is carried out, so as to reduce production cost.
The content of the invention
According to embodiments of the present invention, there is provided a kind of electronic equipment, including:
Cabinet;
The transceiver of the cabinet inside is arranged on, the transceiver has first antenna, for sending and/or receiving nothing Line signal;
Second antenna, is disposed adjacently with the first antenna, and second antenna is with towards the first antenna Directivity, for receiving the signal that the first antenna sends, and/or transmits radio signals to the first antenna;
Third antenna, is connected with second antenna by the first cable,
Wherein, the transceiver, will be wireless via the third antenna by the first antenna and second antenna Signal is sent to one or more peripheral hardware electronic equipments of pairing, and/or the transceiver is by the first antenna and described Second antenna, receives the wireless signal of one or more the peripheral hardware electronic equipments from pairing via third antenna.
Preferably, the cabinet is cabinet made by metal material;And
The third antenna is arranged on the first edge of the cabinet.
Preferably, the transceiver has the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation, in first mode of operation, The transceiver sends radio signals to pairing via the third antenna by the first antenna and second antenna One or more peripheral hardware electronic equipments, in second mode of operation, the transceiver is by the first antenna and institute The second antenna is stated, and the wireless signal of one or more the peripheral hardware electronic equipments from pairing is received via third antenna.
Preferably, the electronic equipment also includes:
4th antenna, arranges the second edge with the first edge different directions in the cabinet, and electric by second Cable is connected with second antenna,
Wherein, the transceiver is by the first antenna and second antenna, via the third antenna and described 4th antenna sends radio signals to one or more the peripheral hardware electronic equipments for matching, and/or the transceiver by described First antenna and second antenna, receive from one or more matched via the third antenna and the 4th antenna The wireless signal of peripheral hardware electronic equipment.
Preferably, the third antenna is with the first polarization mode along the direction of first edge, the 4th antenna With the second polarization mode along the direction of second edge.
Preferably, the transceiver has the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation, in first mode of operation, The transceiver, will be wireless via the third antenna and the 4th antenna by the first antenna and second antenna Signal is sent to one or more peripheral hardware electronic equipments of pairing, and in second mode of operation, the transceiver passes through institute First antenna and second antenna are stated, or many from pairing is received via the third antenna and the 4th antenna The wireless signal of individual peripheral hardware electronic equipment.
Preferably, the first antenna, second antenna, the third antenna and the 4th antenna are ceramic days Line.
Preferably, second antenna is Patch antennas, the described 3rd and the 4th antenna be Pifa antennas.
Therefore, electronic equipment according to embodiments of the present invention, can have good performance and need not carry out special work Industry is designed, so as to reduce production cost.
Description of the drawings
Fig. 1 is the functional configuration block diagram for illustrating electronic equipment according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is the structure chart of the first example for illustrating electronic equipment according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 3 is the structure chart of the second example for illustrating electronic equipment according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 4 is the functional configuration block diagram for illustrating electronic equipment according to a second embodiment of the present invention;And
Fig. 5 is the structure chart of the example for illustrating electronic equipment according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
Specific embodiment
Then, embodiments of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.Electronic equipment according to embodiments of the present invention can be with Any electronic equipment, if the electronic equipment include built-in transceiver for wireless peripheral electronic equipment (such as wireless Mus Mark, Wireless Keyboard, wireless headset etc.) enter row data communication.
It is well known to those skilled in the art to be, when transceiver is built in electronic equipment chassis, the ceramic day of transceiver Line is affected by electronic equipment chassis, causes antenna field shape and directivity to be deteriorated, and data-bag lost is serious.Additionally, the day of transceiver Line may also suffer from the stop of other parts in cabinet, further result in antenna field shape and directivity is deteriorated, and packet is lost Lose serious.
In the electronic equipment of prior art, for example, wireless mouse is that time delay is obvious when 1.5 meters or so places use, nothing Method is normally used.
<First embodiment>
As shown in figure 1, electronic equipment 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention includes:
Cabinet 101;
Be arranged on the transceiver 102 of the cabinet inside, the transceiver has first antenna 1021, for send and/ Or receive wireless signal;
Second antenna 103, is disposed adjacently with the first antenna, and second antenna is with towards the first antenna Directivity, for receiving the signal that the first antenna sends, and/or transmit radio signals to the first antenna;
Third antenna 104, is connected with second antenna by the first cable 105.
The transceiver 102 can be by the first antenna 1021 and second antenna 103, via described 3rd day Line 104 sends radio signals to one or more the peripheral hardware electronic equipments 106 for matching, and/or the transceiver by described First antenna and second antenna, receive one or more the peripheral hardware electronic equipments 106 from pairing via third antenna Wireless signal.
In this first embodiment, a peripheral hardware electronic equipment 106 is merely illustrated, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that It is that the peripheral hardware electronic equipment 106 can be multiple.In addition, in the present embodiment, using wireless mouse as peripheral hardware electronic equipment 106 example.
In this example, it is assumed that cabinet 101 is the cabinet by made by metal material.Certainly, cabinet 101 can also be by which Its material is made.
Additionally, the first antenna, second antenna and the third antenna can for example be ceramic antennas.
Below with reference to Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 detailed descriptions electronic equipment according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 2 is the structure chart of the first example for illustrating electronic equipment according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in Fig. 2 in cabinet 101, transceiver 102 is arranged at the top of the USB port of electronic equipment 100.Transmitting-receiving Device 102 has first antenna 1021.First antenna 1021 is typically non-directional antenna.
Second antenna 103 is set in the underface of first antenna 1021, the second antenna 103 is semidirectional antenna, and its Direction is just to first antenna 1021.Second antenna 103 can for example use Patch antennas.
Third antenna 104 can be arranged in the first edge of cabinet 101 made by metal material, in first example In, third antenna 104 is arranged on the vertical direction edge of cabinet 101.The third antenna can be Pifa antennas.
In second example of Fig. 3, from unlike first example of Fig. 2, third antenna 104 is arranged on metal material system Into cabinet 101 second edge on, in second example, third antenna 104 is arranged on the horizontal direction edge of cabinet 101 On.The third antenna can be Pifa antennas.
Third antenna 104 is connected with second antenna 103 by the first cable 105.The polarization that third antenna 104 has Direction is vertical direction, i.e. identical with the edge direction of the cabinet 101 placed.
Transceiver 101 has two kinds of mode of operations:First mode and second mode.
In first mode (also referred to as host mode), transceiver 102 can pass through first antenna 1021 by electronic equipment The signal of 100 transmission is transmitted into the second antenna 103 of underface.Then, the signal for receiving is passed through first by the second antenna 103 Cable 105 is transferred to third antenna 104.Then, then by third antenna 104 signal is radiate, so as to by peripheral hardware electronics Equipment 106 is received, and performs corresponding operation.
In second mode (also referred to as slave mode), third antenna 104 can be received to be launched by peripheral hardware electronic equipment 106 Signal, and the second antenna 103 is transferred to by the first cable 105.Then, then by the second antenna 103 it is radiated first Antenna 1021.First antenna 1021 receives the signal, and transfers signals in the process chip of electronic equipment 100.
Therefore, by using the secondary transport network being made up of the second antenna, the first cable and third antenna, in transceiver First antenna the transmitting-receiving of signal can be carried out by the secondary transport network.Transceiver is so allowd to be arranged in cabinet Optional position, while ensure that the signal transmitting and receiving performance of transceiver meets the use demand of user, without carrying out spy Different industrial design, greatly reduces production cost.
Therefore, electronic equipment according to a first embodiment of the present invention not only has built-in transceiver, but also can have There is good performance and special industrial design need not be carried out, so as to reduce production cost.
<Second embodiment>
As shown in figure 4, electronic equipment 200 according to a second embodiment of the present invention includes:
Cabinet 201;
Be arranged on the transceiver 202 of the cabinet inside, the transceiver has first antenna 2021, for send and/ Or receive wireless signal;
Second antenna 203, is disposed adjacently with the first antenna, and second antenna is with towards the first antenna Directivity, for receiving the signal that the first antenna sends, and/or transmit radio signals to the first antenna;
Third antenna 204, is connected with second antenna by the first cable 205;And
4th antenna 207, is connected with second antenna by the second cable 208.
The transceiver 202 can be by the first antenna 2021 and second antenna 203, via described 3rd day Line 204 and the 4th antenna 207 send radio signals to one or more the peripheral hardware electronic equipments 206 for matching, and/or institute Transceiver is stated by the first antenna and second antenna, receives via third antenna 204 and the 4th antenna 207 From the wireless signal of one or more peripheral hardware electronic equipments 206 of pairing.
In this second embodiment, a peripheral hardware electronic equipment 206 is merely illustrated, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that It is that the peripheral hardware electronic equipment 206 can be multiple.In addition, in the present embodiment, using wireless mouse as peripheral hardware electronic equipment 206 example.
In this example, it is assumed that cabinet 201 is the cabinet by made by metal material.Certainly, cabinet 201 can also be by which Its material is made.
Additionally, the first antenna, second antenna, the third antenna and the 4th antenna can for example be potteries Porcelain antenna.
Below with reference to Fig. 5 detailed descriptions electronic equipment according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 5 is the exemplary block diagram for illustrating electronic equipment according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in figure 5, in cabinet 201, transceiver 202 is arranged at the top of the USB port of electronic equipment 200.Transmitting-receiving Device 202 has first antenna 2021.First antenna 2021 is typically non-directional antenna.
Second antenna 203 is set in the underface of first antenna 2021, the second antenna 203 is semidirectional antenna, and its Direction is just to first antenna 2021.Second antenna 203 can for example use Patch antennas.
Third antenna 204 can be arranged in the first edge of cabinet 201 made by metal material, in this example, the Triantennary 204 is arranged on the vertical direction edge of cabinet 201.The third antenna can be Pifa antennas.
4th antenna 207 is arranged in the second edge of cabinet 201 made by metal material, in this example, the 4th day Line 207 is arranged on the horizontal direction edge of cabinet 201.4th antenna can be Pifa antennas.
Third antenna 204 is connected with second antenna 203 by the first cable 205.The polarization that third antenna 204 has Direction is vertical direction, i.e. identical with the edge direction of the cabinet 201 placed.
Additionally, the 4th antenna 207 is connected with second antenna 203 by the second cable 208.4th antenna 204 has Polarised direction be horizontal direction, i.e. it is identical with the edge direction of the cabinet 201 placed.
Transceiver 201 has two kinds of mode of operations:First mode and second mode.
In first mode (also referred to as host mode), transceiver 202 can pass through first antenna 2021 by electronic equipment The signal of 200 transmission is transmitted into the second antenna 203 of underface.Then, the signal for receiving is passed through first by the second antenna 203 Cable 205 is transferred to third antenna 204.Then, then by third antenna 204 signal is radiate, so as to by peripheral hardware electronics Equipment 206 is received, and performs corresponding operation.
Meanwhile, the signal for receiving also is transferred to the 4th antenna 207 by the second cable 208 by the second antenna 203.So Afterwards, then by the 4th antenna 207 signal is radiate, to be received by peripheral hardware electronic equipment 206, performs corresponding operation.
In second mode (also referred to as slave mode), third antenna 204 can be received to be launched by peripheral hardware electronic equipment 206 Signal, and the second antenna 203 is transferred to by the first cable 205.Then, then by the second antenna 203 it is radiated first Antenna 2021.First antenna 2021 receives the signal, and transfers signals in the process chip of electronic equipment 200.
Meanwhile, the 4th antenna 207 can also receive the signal launched by peripheral hardware electronic equipment 206, and electric by second Cable 208 is transferred to the second antenna 203.Then, then by the second antenna 203 it is radiated first antenna 2021.First antenna 2021 The signal is received, and is transferred signals in the process chip of electronic equipment 200.
Compared with the electronic equipment of first embodiment, according to the electronic equipment of second embodiment cabinet two different edges Antenna is set at edge such that it is able to is covered wider and more direction peripheral hardware electronic equipment, is further improved performance.
As shown in table below, carry out in the electronic equipment to prior art and the electronic equipment for applying the present invention After test, the data of acquisition are as follows.
Form 1
From form 1 above as can be seen that compared with prior art, in the case where distance is more remote, basis has been used The performance of the electronic equipment of the aerial network of the embodiment of the present invention is more excellent.
Therefore, by using being made up of the second antenna, the first cable and third antenna and the second cable and the 4th antenna Secondary transport network, the first antenna in transceiver can carry out the transmitting-receiving of signal by the secondary transport network.So make Obtain transceiver and can be arranged on the optional position in cabinet, while ensure that the signal transmitting and receiving performance of transceiver meets user's Use demand, without carrying out special industrial design, greatly reduces production cost.
Therefore, electronic equipment according to a first embodiment of the present invention not only has built-in transceiver, but also can have There is good performance and special industrial design need not be carried out, so as to reduce production cost.
It should be noted that its functional unit is illustrate only in electronic equipment of the diagram according to each embodiment, and There is no the annexation for specifically describing each functional unit, it will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that each functional unit can Suitably to be connected by bus, internal connection line etc., such connection is well known to those skilled in the art.
It should be noted that in this manual, term " including ", "comprising" or its any other variant are intended to Nonexcludability is included, so that a series of process, method, article or equipment including key elements not only will including those Element, but also including other key elements being not expressly set out, or also include for this process, method, article or equipment Intrinsic key element.In the absence of more restrictions, the key element for being limited by sentence "including a ...", it is not excluded that Also there is other identical element in process, method, article or equipment including the key element.
Finally, in addition it is also necessary to explanation, a series of above-mentioned process are not only included with order described here in temporal sequence The process of execution, and including parallel or respectively, rather than the process that performs in chronological order.
Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can be understood that the present invention can be by Software adds the mode of required hardware platform to realize, naturally it is also possible to all by hardware implementing.Based on such understanding, What technical scheme contributed to background technology can be embodied in the form of software product in whole or in part, The computer software product can be stored in storage medium, such as ROM/RAM, magnetic disc, CD etc., including some instructions to make Obtain a computer equipment (can be personal computer, server, or network equipment etc.) and perform each embodiment of the invention Or the method described in some parts of embodiment.
Above the present invention is described in detail, principle and embodiment party of the specific case used herein to the present invention Formula is set forth, and the explanation of above example is only intended to help and understands the method for the present invention and its core concept;Meanwhile, it is right In one of ordinary skill in the art, according to the thought of the present invention, change is had in specific embodiments and applications Part, in sum, this specification content should not be construed as limiting the invention.

Claims (8)

1. a kind of electronic equipment, including:
Cabinet;
The transceiver of the cabinet inside is arranged on, the transceiver has first antenna, for sending and/or receiving wireless communication Number;
Second antenna, is disposed adjacently with the first antenna, and second antenna is with towards the direction of the first antenna Property, for receiving the signal that the first antenna sends, and/or transmit radio signals to the first antenna;
Third antenna, is connected with second antenna by the first cable, and the third antenna is arranged on the first of the cabinet Edge,
Wherein, the transceiver is by the first antenna and second antenna, via the third antenna by wireless signal One or more peripheral hardware electronic equipments of pairing, and/or the transceiver are sent to by the first antenna and described second Antenna, receives the wireless signal of one or more the peripheral hardware electronic equipments from pairing via third antenna.
2. electronic equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein, the cabinet is cabinet made by metal material.
3. electronic equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein,
The transceiver has the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation, in first mode of operation, the transceiver By the first antenna and second antenna, send radio signals to match via the third antenna one or many Individual peripheral hardware electronic equipment, in second mode of operation, the transceiver by the first antenna and second antenna, The wireless signal of one or more the peripheral hardware electronic equipments from pairing is received via third antenna.
4. electronic equipment as claimed in claim 1, also includes:
4th antenna, arrange with the cabinet first edge different directions second edge, and by the second cable with The second antenna connection,
Wherein, the transceiver is by the first antenna and second antenna, via the third antenna and the described 4th Antenna sends radio signals to one or more the peripheral hardware electronic equipments for matching, and/or the transceiver passes through described first Antenna and second antenna, receive one or more peripheral hardwares from pairing via the third antenna and the 4th antenna The wireless signal of electronic equipment.
5. electronic equipment as claimed in claim 4, wherein, the third antenna is with first along the direction of first edge Polarization mode, the 4th antenna is with the second polarization mode along the direction of second edge.
6. electronic equipment as claimed in claim 5, wherein,
The transceiver has the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation, in first mode of operation, the transceiver By the first antenna and second antenna, send radio signals to via the third antenna and the 4th antenna One or more peripheral hardware electronic equipments of pairing, in second mode of operation, the transceiver is by the first antenna With second antenna, one or more the peripheral hardware electronics from pairing are received via the third antenna and the 4th antenna The wireless signal of equipment.
7. electronic equipment as claimed in claim 6, wherein, the first antenna, second antenna, the third antenna and 4th antenna is ceramic antenna.
8. electronic equipment as claimed in claim 7, wherein second antenna is Patch antennas, the described 3rd and described Four antennas are Pifa antennas.
CN201510051604.3A 2015-01-30 2015-01-30 Electronic equipment Active CN104601188B (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CN201510051604.3A CN104601188B (en) 2015-01-30 2015-01-30 Electronic equipment

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CN201510051604.3A CN104601188B (en) 2015-01-30 2015-01-30 Electronic equipment

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
CN104601188A CN104601188A (en) 2015-05-06
CN104601188B true CN104601188B (en) 2017-03-29

Family

ID=53126744

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CN201510051604.3A Active CN104601188B (en) 2015-01-30 2015-01-30 Electronic equipment

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CN (1) CN104601188B (en)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN108365351B (en) * 2018-01-22 2020-06-23 联想(北京)有限公司 Ground noise elimination device and electronic equipment
CN108717399B (en) * 2018-03-29 2022-03-25 联想(北京)有限公司 Processing method, system and electronic equipment

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7277057B2 (en) * 2001-10-23 2007-10-02 Intel Corporation Providing integrated chassis antenna for processor-based devices
KR100966703B1 (en) * 2002-10-03 2010-06-29 파나소닉 주식회사 Terminal apparatus
US20090066588A1 (en) * 2007-09-11 2009-03-12 Mitac Technology Corp. Case structure of electronic device
CN102591414A (en) * 2011-01-17 2012-07-18 鸿富锦精密工业(深圳)有限公司 Desktop computer
CN104078744B (en) * 2013-03-25 2017-11-28 联想(北京)有限公司 A kind of electronic equipment and a kind of method for making antenna

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CN104601188A (en) 2015-05-06

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
Foroozanfard et al. Full‐duplex MIMO system based on antenna cancellation technique
US11211688B2 (en) Hybrid and thinned millimeter-wave antenna solutions
WO2011092311A3 (en) Circularly polarized antenna and feeding network
WO2005077021A3 (en) Systems and methods for communicating with multiple devices
WO2013173379A3 (en) Omni-inducer transmitting devices and methods
RU2010127742A (en) RADIO TRANSMISSION SYSTEM AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE
CN106374191B (en) Antenna and terminal device
EP2887458B1 (en) Dual polarization antenna including isolation providing device
CN104901025B (en) A kind of implementation method and device, Anneta module of Anneta module
CN108432051A (en) A kind of array antenna system
US20190229416A1 (en) Antenna system for optimizing isolation and mobile terminal
GB201208294D0 (en) A communication device
CN104601188B (en) Electronic equipment
US10938453B2 (en) Antenna ports including switch type radio frequency connectors
CN103855474A (en) Antenna
Mishra et al. Modified rectangular resonator based 15‐bit chipless radio frequency identification transponder for healthcare and retail applications
TWI528638B (en) Radio-frequency system
US20150104966A1 (en) Method and Apparatus for Improving Connector Security and Device Coexistance
CN110808454B (en) Antenna unit and electronic equipment
KR20150080421A (en) Transmission and Receive Array Antenna Equipment with Ultra High Isolation
CN106099368A (en) Dual-Band Antenna
Jang et al. Microstrip patch array antenna with high isolation characteristic
CN101615719A (en) Antenna assembly
CN105098382B (en) Radio system
Haraz et al. UWB monopole antenna chipless RFID tags using 8-bit open circuit stub resonators

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
C06 Publication
PB01 Publication
C10 Entry into substantive examination
SE01 Entry into force of request for substantive examination
GR01 Patent grant
GR01 Patent grant