Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
  • H01Q9/00—Electrically-short antennas having dimensions not more than twice the operating wavelength and consisting of conductive active radiating elements
  • H01Q9/04—Resonant antennas
  • H01Q9/0407—Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna
  • H01Q9/0414—Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna in a stacked or folded configuration
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
  • H01Q9/00—Electrically-short antennas having dimensions not more than twice the operating wavelength and consisting of conductive active radiating elements
  • H01Q9/04—Resonant antennas
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
  • H01Q13/00—Waveguide horns or mouths; Slot antennas; Leaky-waveguide antennas; Equivalent structures causing radiation along the transmission path of a guided wave
  • H01Q13/08—Radiating ends of two-conductor microwave transmission lines, e.g. of coaxial lines, of microstrip lines
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
  • H01Q19/00—Combinations of primary active antenna elements and units with secondary devices, e.g. with quasi-optical devices, for giving the antenna a desired directional characteristic
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
  • H01Q19/00—Combinations of primary active antenna elements and units with secondary devices, e.g. with quasi-optical devices, for giving the antenna a desired directional characteristic
  • H01Q19/005—Patch antenna using one or more coplanar parasitic elements
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
  • H01Q5/00—Arrangements for simultaneous operation of antennas on two or more different wavebands, e.g. dual-band or multi-band arrangements
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
  • H01Q9/00—Electrically-short antennas having dimensions not more than twice the operating wavelength and consisting of conductive active radiating elements
  • H01Q9/04—Resonant antennas
  • H01Q9/0407—Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna
  • H01Q9/0442—Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna with particular tuning means
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
  • H01Q9/00—Electrically-short antennas having dimensions not more than twice the operating wavelength and consisting of conductive active radiating elements
  • H01Q9/04—Resonant antennas
  • H01Q9/0407—Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna
  • H01Q9/045—Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna with particular feeding means
  • H01Q9/0457—Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna with particular feeding means electromagnetically coupled to the feed line

Definitions

• the invention relates to a tunable antenna of planar design according to the preamble of claim 1.
• Patch antennas or so-called microstrip antennas are well known. They usually comprise an electrically conductive base area, a dielectric carrier material arranged above them and an electrically conductive radiation area provided on the upper side of the dielectric carrier material.
• the upper radiation surface is usually excited by a transverse to the above-mentioned planes and layers feed line.
• the main cable used is a coaxial cable whose outer conductor is electrically connected at one connection to the ground conductor, whereas the inner conductor of the coaxial cable is electrically connected to the overhead radiation surface.
• a tunable microstrip antenna has become known, for example, from US 4,475,108.
• integrated varactor diodes are used for frequency tuning.
• varactor diodes for tuning an antenna is basically also known from the publication IEEE "Transactions on Antennas and Propagation", September 1993, Rod B. Waterhouse: “Scanning Performance of Infinite Arrays of Microstrip Patch Elements Loaded with Varactor Diodes", Pages 1273 to 1280, known.
• planar multilayer antennas are, for example also known as so-called "stacked" patch antennas.
• stacked patch antennas.
• the antenna according to the invention is to be produced preferably using commercially available patch antennas.
• the radiation structure provided at the top of the patch antenna can have a longitudinal and transverse extent that is greater or at least partially covers the edge of the underlying radiation surface and extends beyond the edge of the radiation surface.
• the uppermost patch surface adversely affects the radiation pattern.
• the metal structure located above the patch antenna can not only have a dimension that is larger in the longitudinal and transverse direction than the patch antenna located underneath. At least deformations, breakthroughs etc. may also be formed in this metal structure. It is even possible that this metal structure is divided into individual metal structure elements and / or areas, which are not mechanically and / or electrically connected to each other, for example.
• the metal structure is connected to the ground plane at least via an electrical connection, wherein this electrical connection can be a galvanic connection, a capacitive, serial and / or one using electrical components and assemblies is made.
• this electrical connection can be a galvanic connection, a capacitive, serial and / or one using electrical components and assemblies is made.
• the mentioned conductive or conductive structure may be connected to the ground plane via at least one electrical connection with the interposition of at least one electrical component.
• the electrical connection between the ground plane and the metal structure above the patch antenna can therefore be as mentioned by direct contact or by using any electrical components, so as to influence the property of the antenna.
• varactor diodes which represent a current-controlled capacity. This leaves the patch antenna vote in their frequency.
• the mentioned electrical connection between the metal structure and the ground surface is formed using support feet or support feet on which an electrically conductive line is formed or which are themselves electrically conductive.
• the support feet or the at least one support foot are so far also formed of a metal structure, which may for example be integrally connected to the metal structure above the patch antenna and made only by punching and edges.
• a plurality of support means are provided in the circumferential direction of the metal structure, which preferably simultaneously form the electrical connection to the ground surface, where appropriate, using further electrical components and structural components.
• the metal structure is rectangular or square, it is preferable for a corresponding, preferably electrically conductive support foot to be arranged preferably on each side, preferably in the middle region. If the metal structure is subdivided into different substructures, at least one supporting foot is also preferably provided for each electrically conductive substructure, which in turn is preferably electrically conductive.
• the metal structures may also be provided a generally electrically non-conductive structure, for example in the form of a dielectric body, which is coated with a corresponding conductive layer.
• the electrically conductive structure that is to say the so-called metal structure, is formed for example by a copper surface on a printed circuit board.
• the printed circuit board could be metallized, for example, at the top, whereas on the bottom of the electrical components (such as a varactor diode) are placed.
• the carrying feet which are preferably provided as carrying means could, for example, be connected to delimited areas of the upper printed circuit board metallization and be guided to the electrical components by means of through-contacts.
• the electrical components could be located on top of the printed circuit board.
• the patch antenna according to the invention thus still has an additional conductive structure at a distance from the radiation surface lying on top, it is nevertheless not a "stacked" patch antenna in the conventional sense, since in the case of stacked patch antennas the patch surface provided at the top (ie the one discussed in FIG standing additional radiation surface) is not contacted via a conductive connection to the ground plane.
• Figure 1 a schematic axial cross-sectional view through a commercially available patch antenna according to the prior art
• FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of the prior art patchantenna ne according to Figure 1;
• FIG. 3 shows a schematic lateral or side view of a tunable patch antenna according to the invention
• FIG. 4 shows a schematic plan view of the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 3;
• Figure 5 a plan view of an inventive
• Figure 6 a figure 3 corresponding side or
• Figure 6a a modified embodiment to
• FIG. 3
• FIG. 7 shows a further modified exemplary embodiment of an antenna according to the invention with a hole-shaped recess in an electrical structure located above the patch antenna;
• Figure 8 a further modified embodiment with a plurality of separate electrical structures in lateral Cross-sectional presentation, •
• Figure 9 is a plan view of the embodiment of Figure 8.
• Figure 10 a top view similar to the embodiment of Figures 8 and 9, but with a modification.
• FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view and in Figure 2 in a schematic plan view of the basic structure of a commercially available patch radiator A (patch antenna) is shown, which is extended to a tunable patch antenna with reference to Figures 3 et seq.
• patch radiator A patch antenna
• the patch antenna shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises a plurality of surfaces and layers arranged one above the other along an axis Z, which will be discussed below.
• the patch antenna A has an electrically conductive ground surface 3 on its so-called under or mounting side 1.
• a dielectric carrier 5 Arranged on the ground surface 3 or with a lateral offset therefrom is a dielectric carrier 5, which usually has an outer contour 5 'in plan view, which corresponds to the outer contour 3' of the ground surface 3.
• this dielectric support 5 may also be dimensioned larger or smaller and / or may be provided with an outer contour 5 'deviating from the outer contour 3' of the ground surface 3.
• the outer contour 3 'of the ground plane can be n-polygonal and / or even provided with curved sections or curved, although this is unusual.
• the dielectric carrier 5 has a sufficient height or thickness, which generally corresponds to a multiple of the thickness of the mass surface 3. In contrast to the ground plane 3, which consists approximately only of a two-dimensional surface, the dielectric support 5 is designed as a three-dimensional body with sufficient height and thickness.
• an electrically conductive radiation surface 7 is formed, which likewise can again be understood approximately as a two-dimensional surface.
• This radiation surface 7 is fed and excited electrically via a feed line 9, which preferably extends in the transverse direction, in particular perpendicular to the radiation surface 7, from below through the dielectric carrier 5 in a corresponding bore or channel 5c.
• connection point 11 From a generally lower connection point 11, to which a coaxial cable not shown in detail can be connected, then the inner conductor of the coaxial cable, not shown, to the feed line 9 is electrically-galvanic and thus connected to the radiation surface 7.
• the outer conductor of the coaxial cable, not shown, is then electrically-galvanically connected to the underlying ground surface 3.
• a patch antenna which has a dielectric 5 and a square shape in plan view.
• this shape or the corresponding contour or outline 5 ' can also deviate from the square shape and in general have an n-polygonal shape. Although unusual, even curvy outer boundaries can be provided.
• the radiation surface 7 which is seated on the dielectric 5 may have the same contour or outline 7 'as the dielectric 5 underneath.
• the basic shape is likewise formed square in the contour 5 1 of the dielectric 5, but at two opposite ends it is flattened.
• the outline 7 ' can also represent an n-polygonal outline or contour or even be provided with a curvilinear outer boundary 7'.
• the mentioned ground plane 3 as well as the radiation surface 7 are sometimes referred to as a "two-dimensional" surface, since their thickness is so small that they can not be called quasi “solid".
• the thickness of the ground plane and the radiating surface 3, 7 usually moves below 1 mm, i. usually less than 0.5 mm, in particular less than 0.25 mm, 0.20 mm, 0.10 mm.
• the patch antenna A thus formed which may for example consist of a commercially available patch antenna A, preferably of a so-called ceramic patch antenna (in which therefore the dielectric carrier layer 5 consists of a ceramic material), is now in a tunable patch antenna according to FIG and 4 in the lateral or vertical offset to the upper radiation surface 7 in addition a patch-like conductive structure 13 is arranged ( Figure 3).
• the so-described tunable patch antenna is positioned, for example, on a chassis B indicated only in FIG. 3, which can represent, for example, the base chassis for a motor vehicle antenna in which the antenna according to the invention may be installed alongside other antennas for other services can.
• the tunable patch antenna according to the invention can be used, for example, in particular as an antenna for geostationary positioning and / or for the reception of satellite or terrestrial signals, for example the so-called SDARS service. However, there are no restrictions for use for other services.
• the patch-like conductive structure 13 may for example consist of an electrically conductive metal body, so for example a metal sheet with appropriate longitudinal and / or transverse extent or generally of an electrically conductive layer on a correspondingly sized substrate (for example in the form of an electrical body or a dielectric plate similar to a printed circuit board) is formed.
• this patch element 13 can also have an outline 13 'deviating from a rectangular or square structure.
• a certain adaptation of the patch antenna can be carried out by processing edge regions, for example of corner regions 13a shown in FIG.
• the patch-like conductive structure 13 has a longitudinal extension and a Transverse extension on the one hand is greater than the longitudinal and transverse extent of the radiation surface 7 and / or on the other hand is greater than the longitudinal and transverse extent of the dielectric support 5 and / or the underlying ground surface.
• the patch-like conductive structure 13 can also have completely or partially convex or concave and / or other curved outlines or an n-polygonal outline or hybrid forms of both, as shown only schematically for a different embodiment of Figure 5 in plan view
• the patch element 13 has an irregular outer contour or an irregular outline 13 '.
• the patch-like conductive structure 13 is arranged at a distance 17 above the radiation surface 7.
• This distance can be chosen within wide ranges.
• this distance 17 should, if possible, not be less than 0.5 mm, preferably more than 0.6 mm, 0.7 mm, 0.8 mm, 0.9 mm or equal to or more than 1 mm. Values around 1.5 mm, ie generally between 1 mm to 2 mm or 1 mm to 3 mm, 4 mm or to 5 mm are fully sufficient.
• the distance 17 of the patch-like conductive structure 13 is preferably smaller than the height or thickness 15 of the dielectric carrier 5.
• the distance 17 of the uppermost conductive structure 13 has a dimension which is less than 90 %, in particular less than 80%, 70%, 60%, 50% or even less than 40% and optionally 30% or less than 20% of the height or thickness 15 of the carrier element 5 speaks .
• FIG. 3 to 5 is in the selected embodiment using a plate-like electrically conductive structure 13, with its plane preferably parallel to the chassis B or to the ground surface 3 and / or the radiation surface 7 on the Ground surface 3 opposite side of the radiation surface 7 is arranged, the electrically conductive structure 13 via support legs 213 held.
• a support foot 213 is arranged in each case in the circumferential direction offset per longitudinal side 13a, which runs in the illustrated embodiment transversely to the ground surface or base of the chassis B, in the embodiment shown even vertically.
• the ground plane 3 of the patch antenna A is galvanically or capacitively connected to a chassis ground plane B.
• the support legs 213 thus preferably consist of an electrically conductive material.
• the patch-like electrically conductive structure 13 is made of a metal sheet by cutting and / or punching, corresponding Switzfroboe may be formed on the outer circumference, which then extend through edges transverse to the surface of the patch-like conductive structure 13 and with its free end 213a then electrically contacted on the ground surface 3, B and can be mechanically anchored.
• the conductive structure 13 is dimensioned larger in the longitudinal and transverse directions than the longitudinal and transverse directions of the patch antenna located underneath, the feet can therefore be perpendicular to the ground plane. 3 or chassis ground surface B on the patch antenna A with side offset 313 pass by.
• feet can be used, or the feet can be connected or attached elsewhere on the conductive structure 13.
• FIG. 5 it is shown in FIG. 5 that only two obliquely opposite support feet 213 are used in this exemplary embodiment.
• the support legs 213 which may be provided with an electrically conductive bottom or top or generally surface, namely by applying an electrically conductive outer layer. Therefore, a substrate or a dielectric body may be provided in parallel above the radiation surface 7, which is supplemented for example with corresponding support feet or provided integrally from home, so this structure consists of a non-conductive material and then with a corresponding conductive layer or metal layer - is moved.
• the support legs coated with an electrically conductive layer or equipped with a separate parallel wire or other lines or conductive conductive feet with the interposition of electrical components 125 with an electrically conductive ground or base surface in particular in shape a chassis B can be connected.
• varactor diodes 125 ' are provided for this purpose.
• the electrically conductive support legs are without electrical contact made in this embodiment by corresponding holes through the ground surface 3 and in the chassis B, electrically connected at its free end with the mentioned electrical components 125, for example in the form of varactor diodes 125 '
• the connection side 125a For example, on the connection side 125a, whereas the second connection side 125b is then connected to the ground surface 3 or B respectively.
• the ground plane or the chassis B could not consist of an electrically conductive material, but for example of a printed circuit board (dielectric). This could, for example, on the underside or, as will be discussed below, partially metallized on the top, ie on the side carrying the antenna, and optionally equipped with additional components, in particular SMD components, for example in the form of the varactor diode 125, 125 ' be.
• additional components in particular SMD components, for example in the form of the varactor diode 125, 125 ' be.
• the electrically conductive foot 213 (or an electrically conductive track or general line formed on the foot 213) on the radiator top of the base, preferably in the form of a printed circuit board B, is provided with an electrical component 125, in particular an SMD component 125 on the Connection side 125a connected, whose other connection side 125b is electrically connected via a through-connection 125c to the ground surface 303 formed on the lower side of the printed circuit board B, preferably electrically-galvanically.
• these components 125 could also be provided or equipped on the underside of the printed circuit board.
• the support feet 213 could be galvanically contacted, for example, by soldering to an electrically conductive intermediate surface, for example on the printed circuit board upper side, which are connected by means of plated-through holes 125c to the components 125 provided on the printed circuit board underside.
• a metallized layer 403 (for example a copper coating) may also be provided.
• This layer could be electrically-galvanically connected with plated-through holes (not shown in FIG. 6a) to the lower ground surface 303 (ie on the lower side of the printed circuit board B) so as to improve the capacitive coupling of the patch 3 to the ground.
• this metallized layer 403 in FIG. 6a could also go to the left and right beyond the SMD components 125 (without, of course, being electrically-galvanically connected to the connection side 125a).
• a schematic plan view shows that the patch-like conductive structure 13 described, for example, with reference to FIG. 5 can be provided with a recess or a hole 29.
• These Recess or hole 29 is preferably provided in that area in which the feed line 9 is connected to the radiation surface 7 usually by soldering. Because at this point usually over the surface of the radiation surface 7 protruding Löterhebung 31 is formed (as can be seen, for example, for a further modified embodiment with reference to Figure 8).
• FIG. 8 shows a schematic side view along the section line VIII-VIII in FIG. 9
• FIG. 9 shows a schematic plan view of the modified exemplary embodiment.
• This embodiment differs from the preceding embodiments in that not a uniform common electrically conductive structure 13, but a plurality of electrically conductive structures 13 are formed, which have a planar design.
• the patch-like electrically conductive structural elements 113 are arranged in a common plane parallel to the adjacent radiation surface 7 and parallel to the ground plane 3 and / or parallel to the chassis surface B. Possibly But they can also lie in different altitude levels. These structural elements also do not necessarily have to lie parallel to one another or to the radiation surface and ground surface, etc., but optionally also include at least slight angles of inclination to one another.
• Each such electrically conductive structural element 13, 113 is supported, held and preferably electrically connected by means of a supporting foot 113 assigned to it, if no separate electrical line is provided as a connection line to the ground plane (optionally with the interposition of the mentioned electrical components).
• the support feet 213 are arranged laterally at a distance 313 to the patch antenna A, wherein the electrically conductive structure elements 113 in plan view of the upper radiation surface 7 at least partially cover them.
• the structural elements 113 may have a longitudinal extent that is significantly shorter than the relevant side length of the radiation area 7, so that these structural elements thus formed cover the radiation area 7 only with a comparatively small surface area.
• a support leg 213 is formed on the circumferential edge 113 'of the electrically conductive structure 13, 113, which support is, for example, mechanically and / or electrically connected to the electrically conductive structure 13, 113.
• each structural element is electrically conductive or coated with an electrically conductive layer 13, 113 has a length which is preferably between 5% to 95%, in particular 10% to 90% and can assume any intermediate value thereof.
• a preferred length range corresponds to approximately 10% to 60%, in particular 20% to 50%, of the corresponding length of the patch antenna A and / or the top radiation surface 7.
• the longitudinal extent, each measured in the parallel direction of the respective longitudinal extent of the patch element with respect to the top and bottom in Figure 9 structural element 113 is greater than the longitudinal extent of the left and right in Figure 9 patch element. This also allows a desired fine tuning to be made.
• the respective transverse extent of the structural elements 13, 113 in FIGS. 8 and 9 in the covering direction to the patch antenna A lies in the same order of magnitude as preferably between 10% to 90% and 20% to 60%, for example by 30% to 50%. or 30% to 40%.
• the proportion of the surface of the structural element 113, which covers the patch antenna A with its dielectric in plan view according to FIG. 9, is preferably at least more than 20%, in particular more than 30% or 40% or 50% of the surface of the structural element 113
• the proportion of the surface of the structural element in plan view according to FIG. 9, which covers the upper radiation surface should be at least more than 5%, in particular more than 10%, 20% or preferably 30% of the surface of the corresponding patch element 113, as shown in plan view in FIG be.
• the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 10 corresponds in principle to that according to FIG. 9.
• the conductive structures 13, 113 shown in FIG. 9 are not formed as mechanically independent electrically conductive structures, but rather as electrically conductive surfaces on an electrically non-conductive substrate, in particular in the form of a dielectric plate, for example in the form of a so-called printed circuit board.
• This dielectric support material or this dielectric substrate is provided with the reference numeral 413.
• This substrate 413 is likewise mechanically supported again by four feet, namely on each side by a foot 213, wherein the electrical connection of the electrical structural element 13, 113 on the printed circuit board-shaped substrate 413 can likewise be electrically connected to the ground potential, as has been explained with reference to FIG. 9 and the preceding examples.

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• Waveguide Aerials (AREA)
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• 2006
  • 2006-08-17 DE DE102006038528A patent/DE102006038528B3/de active Active
• 2007
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  • 2007-07-19 KR KR1020097001049A patent/KR101222314B1/ko not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2007-07-19 CN CN2007800305154A patent/CN101507049B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2007-07-19 WO PCT/EP2007/006445 patent/WO2008019748A1/de active Application Filing
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  • 2007-07-19 EP EP07786204A patent/EP2052437A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2007-07-19 JP JP2009524090A patent/JP2010501129A/ja active Pending
  • 2007-07-19 BR BRPI0716063-1A2A patent/BRPI0716063A2/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
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