KR20180052071A - Antenna device including parabolic-hyperbolic reflector - Google Patents

Abstract

According to various embodiments of the present invention, an antenna device includes a reflector wherein first cross-sections cut in parallel to a first direction have a profile of a parabolic, and second cross-sections cut perpendicularly to the first direction to intersect perpendicularly to the first cross-sections have a profile of a hyperbolic; and a radiation structure having at least one phase antenna array that illuminates at least a portion of the reflector to scan a beam, wherein the parabolic profile ends of the first cross-sections are directed toward the radiation structure, and the hyperbolic profile ends of the second cross-sections are formed to face a direction away from the radiation structure. The above-described antenna device may vary according to embodiments.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to an antenna device including a parabolic-hyperbolic reflector,

Various embodiments of the present invention relate to an antenna device, for example, an antenna device including a reflector.

The ever-increasing user demand is driving the rapid development of mobile communication technology. Currently, 5G millimeter wave (mmWave) networks are actively under development. 5G millimeter wave networks may require higher performance based on user experience, including factors such as ease of connection with nearby devices and improved energy efficiency. Millimeter wave technology encounters various fundamental challenges related to the physics of antenna arrays, high-speed transceiver structures, and so on.

The main challenges remaining for integration of millimeter wave antennas are to lower costs, reduce interference levels, and provide the required communication quality and energy efficiency. Furthermore, the communication channel must remain stable when the communicating mobile device changes its location. Thus, the following requirements may be imposed on the antennas of base stations, for example:

1) High gain,

2) Wide scan angle,

3) High directivity,

4) low side lobe level,

5) Dual polarization beamforming to increase the speed and improve the stability of data transmission,

6) High efficiency of antenna.

A very important task in the operation of scanning antennas is to increase the scan angle, thereby improving the efficiency of the system. The scan angle of a conventional antenna array is generally limited to + -45 degrees to avoid a significant reduction in gain and an excessive increase in side lobe levels. 1, in constructing a base station (BS), four antennas BSA1, BSA2, BSA3, and BSA4 having a scan angle of + -45 degrees are disposed, Of 360 degrees. On the other hand, using three antennas instead of four (to provide the desired level of propagation in the entire coverage area) to cover the entire coverage area significantly mitigates the requirements for the complexity of the control and distribution devices on the base transceiver side The size of the base station can be reduced, and the installation of the base station can be simplified and speeded up. Therefore, in order to configure the base station with three antennas, it is preferable that each antenna has a scan angle of + -60 degrees or more, not less than + -60 degrees.

Special measures may be required to extend the scan angle in the millimeter wave communication frequency band. For example, iso-antenna arrays (cylindrical), Luneburg lens antennas, and switched line-symmetrical antennas are currently being used to increase the scan angle. These types of antennas can provide a scan angle of + -90 or greater. However, they have some disadvantages. For example, it involves complex switching units that cause additional losses, and may require low installation space and low efficiency of the antenna aperture.

Conventional antenna arrays can acquire an extended scanning beam by installing special structures in front of the array. These structures can cause additional deviations in the wave front, and are typically used in large side arrays.

There are several conventional millimeter wave solutions that approach some of the above requirements.

For example, as shown in FIG. 2, an E-band cylindrical reflector antenna for wireless communication systems (European Conference on Antennas and Propagation) 2013 of the 7th EUCAP Quot;) discloses a cylindrical reflector antenna designed to have high frequency and high gain and relatively low loss. However, this antenna can not be scanned, has about 60% efficiency, and operates with only a single polarization.

Referring to FIG. 3, another conventional antenna for application at 23 GHz is shown in the IWGM-CMTM, Volume 43 (2) (2013), 97-102, Belgrade University article on microelectronic circuits, electronic components and materials Disclosed in " Cylindrical-parabolic reflector with printed antenna structures ". The disclosed antenna has a radiating structure in the form of a bipolar microstrip antenna array, and a cylindrical reflector. As in the previous example, these antennas only operate with a single polarization and do not have a scan function. Also, in providing feeds to the emitters, the microstrip feeder of the antenna disclosed through the article of the University of Belgrade has an efficiency of only 56% since it has a loss of 2-3 db. In millimeter-wave communications, the loss of these microstrip-class electricity is caused by dielectric material loss or manufacturing defects (any anomalies, thickening, narrowing, notches, curvature, Which may cause red emission or the like). Thus, a distributed system of the feeder path can be a disadvantage of millimeter antennas.

"Antenna Array Design with High Gain and Scanning Beam", published by Lu Zhiyong at the International Conference on Microwave and Millimeter Wave Technologies (ICMMT), Shijiazhuang 050081, China, 2012, Another conventional antenna (see Fig. 4) is disclosed in " The Design of the Antenna Array with High Gain and Scanning Beam ". Wherein the cylindrical (parabolic) reflector is illuminated by a special array for forming the scanning beam. The disclosed antenna operates as a single polarization and has a relatively low efficiency (about 60%), as in the foregoing. Also, since the disclosed antenna has a very limited scan angle (+ -20 degrees), nine antennas must be installed to cover a 360 degree area, and given the extreme complexity, the base station may use such antennas for mobile communications It is rarely appropriate to do so.

Referring to FIG. 5, another Thomson CSF radar Maser-T antenna has been proposed as another millimeter wave antenna. The proposed antenna is a complex scanning antenna array composed of a plurality of linear microstrip antenna arrays, and each transceiver circuit is connected to each scanning antenna. However, despite all of this complexity, the scan angle of this antenna is limited to + -40 degrees and the microstrip structure can cause high losses in the feed lines, which can degrade the antenna efficiency.

These conventional techniques are not suitable for providing antenna devices capable of satisfying all of the requirements listed above simultaneously.

In order to overcome at least some of the disadvantages of the prior art described above, various embodiments of the present invention can provide an antenna device capable of double polarized beamforming and capable of improving the scanning angle.

According to various embodiments of the present invention,

Wherein the first cross-sections cut parallel to the first direction have a profile of a parabolic, the second cross-sections perpendicular to the first cross-direction and perpendicular to the first cross- A reflector having a profile of a hyperbolic profile; And

And a radiating structure having at least one phase antenna array that illuminates at least a portion of the reflector to scan a beam,

The parabolic profile ends of the first cross-section may be oriented toward the radiating structure, and the hyperbolic profile ends of the second cross-section may be oriented away from the radiating structure.

The antenna device according to various embodiments of the present invention includes a reflector of a complex shape (e.g., parabolical-hyperbolic shape), so that the gain, the scan angle, the directivity, the side lobe level, dual polarization beam forming, efficiency, and the like. In one embodiment, the scan angle of the antenna is increased in one plane according to the profile of the hyperbolic shape, and the required radiation pattern can be formed in another plane without substantial increase in scale. The antenna device according to various embodiments of the present invention can increase the scanning angle and thus form a necessary radiation pattern in a different plane while suppressing an increase in side wave level while maintaining efficiency. The antenna apparatus according to various embodiments of the present invention can realize a base station that covers a 360 degree angle range with fewer antennas by increasing the scan angle so that the need for the complexity of the base station's transceiver- Reduce requirements, reduce base station size, simplify and accelerate base station installation, and improve energy efficiency.

1 is a diagram for explaining an antenna arrangement of a conventional base station.
FIGS. 2 to 5 are views showing examples of conventional millimeter wave antennas.
6 is a perspective view showing an antenna device according to various embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the antenna device taken along the line A-A 'in FIG. 6; FIG.
8 is a cross-sectional view showing the antenna device taken along the line B-B 'of FIG.
9 is a graph showing measured radiation characteristics of an antenna device including a conventional cylindrical or parabolic reflector.
10 is a graph illustrating measurement of radiation characteristics of an antenna device including a parabolic-hyperbolic reflector according to various embodiments of the present invention.
11 is a view for explaining an example of a base station configuration using an antenna apparatus according to various embodiments of the present invention.
12 is a perspective view showing a phase antenna array of an antenna device according to various embodiments of the present invention.
13 is an exploded perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a phase antenna of an antenna device according to various embodiments of the present invention.
14 is a view for explaining an embodiment of a phase antenna of an antenna device according to various embodiments of the present invention.
15 is a cross-sectional view showing the phase antenna cut along the line C-C 'of FIG.
16 and 17 are views for explaining the feeding structure of the antenna device according to various embodiments of the present invention.
18 is a diagram showing a vertical (elevation) plane radiation pattern of an antenna device including a conventional cylindrical or parabolic reflector.
19 is a view showing a vertical plane radiation pattern of an antenna device according to various embodiments of the present invention.
20 is a view for explaining an example of calculating a hyperbolic shape profile of a reflector in an antenna device according to various embodiments of the present invention.

The present invention is capable of various modifications and various embodiments, and some embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments, but includes all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Terms including ordinals such as "first", "second", etc. may be used to describe various elements, but the elements are not limited to these terms. The terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the present invention, the first component may be referred to as a second component, and similarly, the second component may also be referred to as a first component. The term " and / or " includes any combination of a plurality of related listed items or any of a plurality of related listed items.

In addition, relative terms described on the basis of what is shown in the drawings such as 'front', 'rear', 'top', 'under', etc. may be replaced with ordinals such as 'first', 'second' The ordinal numbers such as 'first', 'second', and the like may be arbitrarily changed in accordance with necessity, as the order is arbitrarily determined.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. The singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In the present invention, the term "comprises" or "having ", etc. is intended to specify that there is a feature, number, step, operation, element, But do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof.

Unless defined otherwise, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries are to be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with the meaning in the context of the relevant art and are to be interpreted as ideal or overly formal in the sense of the present invention Do not.

6 is a perspective view illustrating an antenna device 100 according to various embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the antenna device 100 taken along the line A-A 'in FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the antenna device 100 taken along the line B-B 'in FIG.

6 through 8, an antenna device 100 according to various embodiments of the present invention may include a reflector 101, a radiating structure (e.g., a phase antenna array 102). The radiating structure may include at least one phased array antenna 102 and the phased array antenna 102 may be disposed to illuminate at least a portion of the reflector 101. For example, the phased array antenna 102 may radiate a radio wave toward the reflector 101, or may receive at least a part of the radio wave that is incident from the outside and reflected by the reflector 101.

According to various embodiments, if the radiating structure includes one phased array antenna 102, the phased array antenna 102 may emit substantially the entire area of the reflector 101. [ In one embodiment, when the radiating structure includes a plurality (e.g., at least two) of the phased array antennas 102, each of the phased array antennas 102 includes a different portion of the reflector 101 Can be lit. For example, referring to FIG. 6 or 7, one of the two phase antenna arrays 102 may illuminate the upper half of the reflector 101 and the other may emit the lower half of the reflector 101.

6, the 'first direction D1' may denote the opposite direction of the gravity, and the 'second direction D2' may denote the direction of the gravitational force of the radiator 102 constituting the phased array antenna 102. In the following description, The third direction D3 may be a direction perpendicular to the first direction D1 and a direction in which the waveguide antennas 102a and 102b (e.g., the waveguide antennas 102a in Fig. 13) are arranged, D1) and the second direction (D2), respectively. In some embodiments, the first direction D1 may be inclined with respect to the gravity direction (or vice versa), depending on the environment in which the antenna device 100 is installed or the actual installation state. In the following detailed description, the reference numeral 'DX' ('X' is a natural number) indicates a direction, or may be used as a meaning of a plane arranged in a certain direction.

According to one embodiment, the reflector 101 and the radiating structure may be connected to each other via the support 103. For example, in the third direction D3, the reflector 101 is disposed at one end of the support 103, and the radiating structure (e.g., the phased array antenna 102) Respectively. As noted above, the radiating structure, e. G., The phased array antenna 102 (s), may be positioned to illuminate at least a portion of the reflector 101.

According to various embodiments, the reflector 101 may have a curved plate shape that at least partially surrounds the periphery of the radiating structure. For example, in view of the radiation structure, the first cross-section (s) cut in one direction of the reflector 101 may have a parabolic profile, and the reflector 101 may be positioned in another direction The second cross section (s) cut in a direction perpendicular to the first cross-section) may have a hyperbolic shape profile.

According to various embodiments, the first cross-section (s) may be formed, for example, along the plane perpendicular to the D2-D3 plane and parallel or inclined to the D1-D3 plane, May refer to a cross-section of the device 100. For example, the cross-section shown in FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the reflector 101 and / or the reflector 101 along a plane parallel to the D1-D3 plane and including the line A-A ' Or a cross section of the reflector 101 and / or a cross section of the entire antenna apparatus 100, as a first cross section cut through the antenna device 100. [ In the first cross-section, the reflector 101 may have a parabolical profile around the radiating structure (e.g., the phased array antenna 102). According to one embodiment, the end (PE) (s) of the parabolic profile of the reflector 101 (e.g., the first cross-section) may be oriented towards the radiating structure. For example, when measuring the distance d from the radiation structure in the third direction D3 to an arbitrary portion of the reflector 101, the end portions PE of the parabolic shape profile are separated from the radiation structure It can be located close. According to various embodiments, when the reflector 101 and / or the antenna device 100 are cut along planes parallel or inclined to the first vertical plane, each such parabolic profile is partially different . For example, the reflection surface profile of the reflector 101 may vary according to a scan angle, a directivity, a gain, and the like required for the antenna device 100.

According to various embodiments, the second cross-section (s) may be formed by, for example, a plane perpendicular to the D1-D3 plane and parallel or inclined with respect to the D2-D3 plane to the reflector 101 and / Sectional view taken along the line 100 of FIG. For example, the cross-section shown in FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the reflector 101 and / or the reflector 101 along a plane parallel to the D2-D3 plane and including the line B-B ' Or the cross section of the reflector 101 and / or the entire cross section of the antenna device 100. The second end face of the antenna device 100 may be a second end face that is formed when the antenna device 100 is cut. In the second cross-section, the reflector 101 may have a profile of a hyperbolic shape with respect to the radiating structure (e.g., the phased array antenna 102). According to one embodiment, the end (HE) (s) of the hyperbolic profile of the reflector 101 (e.g., the second cross-section) may be oriented away from the radiating structure. For example, when measuring the distance d from the radiation structure along the third direction D3 to an arbitrary portion of the reflector 101, the ends HE of the hyperbolic shape profile are separated from the radiation structure It can be located far away. According to various embodiments, when the reflector 101 and / or the antenna device 100 are cut along planes parallel or inclined to the second horizontal plane, each such hyperbolic profile is partially different . For example, the reflection surface profile of the reflector 101 may be determined according to a scan angle, a directivity, a gain, and the like required for the antenna device 100.

According to various embodiments, the phase antenna array 102 may include a plurality of phase antennas (e.g., waveguide antennas 102a of FIG. 13). For example, the phase antenna array 102 may be formed by linearly arranging a plurality of phase antennas along the second direction D2. In one embodiment, each of the phase antennas, as described above, is coplanar with one of the second cross-sections, e. G., A plane P1 parallel to the second direction D2 Lt; / RTI > In other embodiments, such phase antennas may be aligned in a direction orthogonal to the axis of symmetry (e.g., the axis indicated by 'S' in FIG. 8) of the hyperbolic profile of the second cross-section.

9 is a graph showing measured radiation characteristics of an antenna device including a conventional cylindrical or parabolic reflector. 10 is a graph illustrating measurement of radiation characteristics of an antenna device including a parabolic-hyperbolic reflector according to various embodiments of the present invention.

The results of the measurement of the radiation characteristics in Figs. 9 and 10 are for comparing the radiation characteristics according to the shape of the reflector or the difference in profile, and the other components except for the reflector are measured under the same conditions. These measurements were made in the 26.65 GHz, 27.925 GHz, and 29.2 GHz frequency bands, respectively.

Fig. 9 is a graph showing a measurement of the radiation characteristic (for example, directivity) of a conventional antenna apparatus (for example, the antenna apparatus of Fig. 2 or 3) including a reflector having a linear section. As shown in FIG. 9, the conventional antenna apparatus has a main beam at a refraction angle greater than +45 degrees and a parasitic diffraction lobe at a refraction angle smaller than -45 degrees, similar to the main beam It can be seen that This main beam and / or parasitic refractive-index side wave has a transmission / reception level that is excessively stronger than the gain in the main direction (0 degree direction), so that the gain in the directivity direction can be reduced. The conventional antenna device may have a scanning angle of + -45 degrees. However, the larger the difference between the gain in the directing direction and the gain of the main beam (and / or the parasitic refracting wave) The angle can be narrowed.

Fig. 10 is a graph showing radiation characteristics (e.g., directivity) of an antenna device according to various embodiments of the present invention, for example, the antenna device 100 shown in Fig. 6. 10, the antenna device according to various embodiments of the present invention is capable of suppressing the generation of parasitic refractory side waves in the scanning direction exceeding -45 degrees (as compared with the conventional antenna device) It can be seen that the transmission / reception level (gain) is maintained at a level similar to the gain of the directivity direction in a certain range I of the scanning direction (for example, approximately 30 degree angle range) As described above, by suppressing the generation of parasitic refractive wave, the antenna device according to the various embodiments of the present invention can improve the gain in the directing direction, and the scan angle can be extended by a certain range (I).

According to one embodiment, as compared with the gain of the scan angle range of FIG. 9, the measurement result of FIG. 10 shows that the gain in the direction of the direction is improved and the gain in the entire scan angle range (+ -45 + I) The deviation is reduced). For example, if different conditions (e.g., placement or performance of other components) are the same, then the antenna device according to various embodiments of the present invention can be used to improve, or at least maintain, gain, The scan angle can be improved (expanded). The hyperbolic shape profile reduces the image of the object by, for example, applying a hyperbolic shape profile to the reflector reflected in the phased array antenna, Means that the electrical distance between the antenna elements is virtually reduced so that the scan angle is improved by improving or at least maintaining the characteristics of the antenna device such as gain, Expansion) can be explained.

The reflector to which the hyperbolic shape profile is applied can suppress the generation of parasitic refracted wave, and when there is no parasitic refractory wave, a phase antenna (e.g., waveguide antenna 102a of FIG. 13) The distance (e.g., electrical distance) between the electrodes can satisfy the following equation (1).

In Equation (1), 'a' is the electrical distance between the phase antennas, 'θ _max ' is the maximum refraction angle of the beam, and 'λ' is the wavelength.

Above as represented by the Equation 1, by taking advantage of the reflector of the hyperbolic-shaped profile, radiation, and the electrical distance between the elements can be reduced, the scanning angle through which, for example, the maximum refraction angle (θ _max of the beam ₎ Can be improved. In some embodiments, the larger the curvature of the hyperbolic shape profile, the larger the scan angle can be provided. When a reflector of a hyperbolic profile is applied, the electrical distance between the radiating elements can be reduced, but the actual distance between the radiating elements may not change.

11 is a view for explaining an example of a base station configuration using an antenna apparatus according to various embodiments of the present invention.

11, the antenna device 100 may have a scan angle of approximately + -60 degrees in the D2-D3 plane. For example, in constructing the base station, if the antenna device 100 is arranged such that the line A-A 'in FIG. 6 is substantially parallel to the gravity direction or perpendicular to the ground according to the installation environment, the three antenna devices 100a and 110b , 100c), beam scanning of the entire coverage area, e.g., a 360 angular range, is possible in the D2-D3 plane. because of this,

- improve and mitigate the complexity of the base station's transceiver side control and distribution devices,

The number of antenna devices for beam scanning of the entire coverage area can be reduced,

- As the number of antenna devices is reduced, the installation of the base station can be simplified,

- Energy efficiency can be improved.

Moreover, the radiation patterning capabilities of the present invention in various elevation planes can be improved or at least maintained over conventional antenna devices.

In one embodiment, the radiating structure, for example, the phase antenna array 102 of FIG. 6, may have a shape similar to a circle or a rectangle and may be located on the center axis of the antenna device 100. In another embodiment, the phase antenna array 102 is linear and may be arranged symmetrically about a central axis of the antenna device 100 on a horizontal plane. In another embodiment, a phase antenna (e.g., waveguide antenna 102a in FIG. 13) that makes up the phase antenna array 102 includes one of the second cross sections described above (e.g., line P1 or P2 in FIG. 7 And a second end located in a plane parallel to the second direction D2 while being aligned on the same plane as the first end face of the first planar face, while being orthogonal to the symmetry axis of the hyperbolic shape profile formed on the plane. The shape and arrangement of the radiation structure as described above can be suitably modified in consideration of the specifications required for the antenna apparatus and the environment in which the antenna apparatus is to be installed.

(E.g., the phase antenna array 102 of FIG. 6) of an antenna device (e.g., antenna device 100 of FIG. 6) according to various embodiments of the present invention, a phase antenna (Waveguide antenna 102a in Fig. 13), and the feeding structure of each phase antenna will be described in more detail with reference to Figs. 12 to 17. Fig.

12 is a perspective view showing a phase antenna array 102 of an antenna device according to various embodiments of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 12, the phase antenna array 102 may include a waveguide member 121 and a plurality of waveguides 123 formed on the waveguide member 121. The waveguides 123 may be aligned linearly in one direction (e.g., parallel to the second direction D2) and may be aligned with the hyperbolic shape profile of the reflector (e.g., reflector 101 of FIG. 6) May be coplanar with one of the cross-sections. Each of the waveguides 123 has a shape extending along another direction (for example, a direction perpendicular to the second direction D2), and is provided with independent power supply to each other or with the same power supply, It can operate as an antenna. In some embodiments, a waveguide antenna (e.g., the waveguide antenna 102a of FIG. 13) and / or a waveguide antenna (e.g., a waveguide antenna) may be provided according to the feed structure provided to each of the waveguides 123, The beam splitter 102 may perform double polarized beam forming. The feed structure and the internal structure of the waveguides 123 can be appropriately designed in consideration of suppression of parasitic radiation of the antenna device, gain, efficiency, and the like. The power feeding structure, the waveguide inner structure, and the like will be described in more detail with reference to FIG.

13 is an exploded perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a phase antenna of an antenna device according to various embodiments of the present invention. 14 is a view for explaining an embodiment of a phase antenna of an antenna device according to various embodiments of the present invention. 15 is a cross-sectional view showing the phase antenna cut along the line C-C 'of FIG.

The phase antenna array 102 shown in FIG. 12 is formed by a combination of a plurality of waveguides 123, and each waveguide 123 can operate as an independent antenna with respect to each other. For example, each of the waveguides 123 may form a waveguide antenna, and the waveguide 123 may be combined to form the phase antenna array 102. 13 to 15 are views for explaining an example of a phase antenna that forms the phase antenna array 102, for example, a waveguide antenna 102a. The waveguide antenna 102a is a combination of the waveguide antenna 102a A phase antenna array 102 may be formed.

13 to 15, the waveguide antenna 102a (e.g., a radiator) may have a metal or metallized hollow structure, and may be a metalized or metallized hollow and a waveguide 123 formed inside the hollow. The waveguide 123 and / or the waveguide antenna 102a may have a compound cross-section on the inner wall forming the waveguide 123. The protrusions 124a, 124b, and 124c may be formed on the inner wall of the waveguide 123 . In one embodiment, the waveguide 123 is open toward one of the reflectors (e.g., the reflector 101 in Fig. 6) on one side (e.g., the first side F1) of the waveguide antenna 102a, (E.g., the second surface F2). The closed end of the waveguide 123 provides a reflective surface, and the waveguide 123 can radiate radio waves through the open end. The cross-sectional shape and size of the waveguide 123 can satisfy general waveguiding conditions. For example, the cross-sectional size of the waveguide 123 may be appropriately designed in consideration of the threshold value (for example, critical frequency) for blocking the passage of the radio wave depending on the cross-sectional size of the waveguide . The size, shape, and the like of the waveguide section may be adjusted by the protrusions 124a, 124b, and 124c.

According to various embodiments, the waveguide antenna 102a may include at least one microstrip line 127a, 127b that provides power to the interior of the waveguide 123. In one embodiment, the microstrip lines 127a and 127b are formed and supported on printed circuit boards 125a and 125b, and one end of the microstrip lines 127a and 127b is connected to the inside of the waveguide 123 So that an excitation waveguide probe can be formed inside the waveguide 123. According to one embodiment, one end (e.g., a female probe) of the microstrip lines 127a and 127b is perpendicular to the inner wall of the waveguide 123 (or the ends of the projections 124a, 124b, and 124c) And the protruding length can reach about 3/4 of the height of the waveguide. The protruding length may vary according to the specifications required for the waveguide antenna 102a. According to another embodiment, the microstrip lines 127a and 127b may be formed on both sides of the printed circuit boards 125a and 125b, respectively, and may be disposed symmetrically with respect to each other.

According to various embodiments, the waveguide antenna 102a includes a first waveguide member 121a including a first portion 123a of the waveguide 123 and a second portion 123b of the waveguide 123 And the microstrip lines 127a and 127b may be disposed between the first waveguide member 121a and the second waveguide member 121b. The printed circuit boards 125a and 125b having the microstrip lines 127a and 127b may be disposed on a plane perpendicular to the axis in which the waveguide 123 extends or parallel to the axis. For example, the printed circuit boards 125a and 125b are disposed between the first and second portions 123a and 123b and fixed between the first waveguide member 121a and the second waveguide member 121b. May be clamped. In some embodiments, the printed circuit boards 125a and 125b (one printed circuit board if provided) are disposed at a distance of about a quarter wavelength from the closed end of the waveguide 123 to form the waveguide 123 May be divided into the first portion 123a and the second portion 123b.

In one embodiment, the first waveguide member 121a may be made of, for example, metal, and the first portion 123a may be formed of the second waveguide member 121b and / (The reflector 101 in Fig. 6) and on the opposite side, for example, on the second side F2 of the waveguide antenna 102a. In another embodiment, the second waveguide member 121b may be made of, for example, metal, and the second portion 123b may be formed on both sides of the second waveguide member 121b, (E.g., the first surface F1 of the waveguide antenna) toward the surface facing the member 121a and the reflector (e.g., the reflector 101 in Fig. 6). For example, the waveguide 123 may be a combination of at least the first portion 123a and the second portion 123b.

According to various embodiments, the protrusions 124a, 124b, 124c (s) are for adjusting the critical frequency of the waveguide 123, guiding vertical and / or horizontal polarized waves, May vary. For example, the protrusions 124a, 124b, and 124c may reduce the critical frequency of the waveguide antenna 102a by adjusting the cross-sectional size of the waveguide 123, and the like. In one embodiment, the protrusions 124a, 124b, 124c (s) are located between the closed end of the waveguide 123 and one of the printed circuit boards (e.g., the printed circuit board indicated by reference numeral 125a) And a plurality of the printed circuit boards 125a and 125b are provided between the other one of the printed circuit boards (e.g., the printed circuit board indicated by reference numeral 125b) and the open end of the waveguide 123, But may also be formed on the opening 123c of the dummy waveguide member 121c to be described later, and the shape and the like may vary according to the specifications required by the waveguide antenna 102a.

According to various embodiments, the waveguide antenna 102a may further include grooves 129a and 129b formed in the first waveguide member 121a and the second waveguide member 121b, respectively. When the printed circuit boards 125a and 125b are fixed between the first waveguide member 121a and the second waveguide member 121b, the grooves 129a and 129b are connected to the microstrip lines 127a and 127b May be located in correspondence with the regions in which they are formed. For example, the grooves 129a and 129b prevent the microstrip lines 127a and 127b from contacting the metal parts of the first waveguide member 121a and / or the second waveguide member 121b, It is possible to create an environment for wave propagation. The line width of the microstrip lines 127a and 127b and the widths of the grooves 129a and 129b may be variously designed according to the impedance required by the waveguide antenna 102a.

According to one embodiment, the printed circuit boards 125a and 125b may be provided in a plurality of units, and a power supply structure provided through each printed circuit board may be different. For example, the waveguide antenna 102a may be supplied with power through different feed structures to perform dual polarization beamforming. More specifically, when two printed circuit boards 125a and 125b are provided, the microstrip line disposed on the first printed circuit board among the printed circuit boards 125a and 125b is disposed on the second printed circuit board And the waveguide 123 may be arranged in a vertical direction with respect to the microstrip line. The waveguide 123 may be a dual polarized wave (for example, a horizontal polarization wave and a vertically polarized wave), which are fed from each of the microstrip lines 127a and 127b, Lt; / RTI >

In one embodiment, when the waveguide antenna 102a includes a plurality of the printed circuit boards 125a and 125b, the dummy waveguide member 121c is disposed between the printed circuit boards 125a and 125b . In some embodiments, the dummy waveguide member 121c may have the same metal or metallized cavity structure as the first waveguide member 121a and / or the second waveguide member 121b. For example, the dummy waveguide member 121c may be made of metal and may have an opening 123c corresponding to the first portion 123a of the waveguide 123 and / or the second portion 123b of the waveguide 123 . In another embodiment, when the microstrip lines 127a and 127b are disposed on both sides of the printed circuit boards 125a and 125b, the dummy waveguide member 121c is also connected to the microstrip lines 127a and 127b, And a groove 129c corresponding to the formed region.

According to various embodiments, the waveguide antenna 102a may include power feed terminals 227a and 227b formed on a part of the side faces. The feed terminals 227a and 227b may at least partially include a combination of the microstrip lines 127a and 127b and the grooves 129a and 129b, Lt; / RTI > In one embodiment, a first feed terminal (e.g., a feed terminal indicated by reference numeral 227a ') of the feed terminals may be provided with a feed for generating a vertical polarization, and a second feed terminal (e.g., 227b ') may be provided with a feed for generating horizontal polarization. The wireless communication module (RFIC) may provide independent or identical feed signals to the feed terminals 227a and 227b.

The structure of the waveguide antenna 102a described above may vary according to the embodiment. For example, only one printed circuit board may be provided, and microstrip lines may be provided on both sides of one printed circuit board, respectively. In some embodiments, a plurality of microstrip lines may be aligned in a direction perpendicular to one another on one side of one printed circuit board to provide power for dual polarization. In another embodiment, if the waveguide antenna 102a is an antenna generating a single polarized wave, the arrangement structure of the printed circuit board, the microstrip line, and the like as described above may become simpler. In another embodiment, if the waveguide antenna 102a is an antenna generating a single polarized wave, adjacent waveguide antennas can radiate radio waves of different polarized waves.

16 and 17 are views for explaining the feeding structure of the antenna device according to various embodiments of the present invention.

16 and 17, the phase antenna array (e.g., the phase antenna array 102 of FIG. 12) and / or the waveguide antenna (e.g., the waveguide antenna 102a of FIG. 13) And a dummy waveguide member 121c and a feed circuit structure may be formed through a combination of the microstrip line 127a and the grooves 129a and 129c. In one embodiment, when only one printed circuit board is disposed, the printed circuit board may be fixed between the first waveguide member and the second waveguide member. The microstrip line 127a, as mentioned above, The microstrip lines 127a may be formed on both sides of the printed circuit board 125a and may be symmetrical to each other. Each of the microstrip lines 127a may be formed on the grooves 129a and 129c and a part of the printed circuit board 125a : The microstrip lines 127a The area where each of them is formed).

According to various embodiments, if a feed signal is provided to the feed structure such as the feeding structure in which the microstrip line 127a is arranged in a certain space, the distribution of the electromagnetic field is distributed around the microstrip line 127a May be optimized to be concentrated in the atmosphere (e.g., within the space in which the microstrip lines 127a are disposed, respectively). This can substantially reduce losses in the feed structure and improve antenna efficiency. For example, the loss of a typical microstrip line at H = 0.8 mm and 28 GHz frequencies using a Taconic TLY based dielectric is about 0.5 dB / cm, while in the feed structure according to various embodiments of the present invention, An air filling structure in which a certain space is formed around the microstrip lines 127a and 127b while using the first and second waveguide members 121a and 121b (and / or the dummy waveguide member 121c) The loss of the microstrip line is only about 0.1 dB / cm.

The dual polarization beamforming is possible by arranging the above-described power supply structures in the vertical direction with respect to each other. At this time, the cross polarization is suppressed to within -15 dB and the antenna device (for example, the antenna device 100 of FIG. 6) Efficiency can be maintained. Accordingly, the antenna device according to various embodiments of the present invention can form a shape of an emission pattern or an amplitude-phase distribution in a vertical plane or a horizontal plane so as to conform to a specific condition required according to installation environments and the like.

The antenna apparatus (for example, the antenna apparatus 100 of FIG. 6) in which the parabolic-hyperbolic profile is combined with the phase antenna array made up of the combination of the waveguide antennas described above is somewhat different depending on the size and shape actually produced However, it has a scan angle of + -60 degrees and is capable of dual polarization beamforming through the feed structures (e.g., the feed structures in Fig. 16) of each waveguide antenna (e.g., waveguide antennas 102a in Fig. 13) The energy efficiency reaches approximately 74%, and the feed loss can be suppressed to less than 1.5 dB. The above-described antenna device can comply with, for example, a next generation communication standard (e.g., 5G standard) and can be usefully used in a mobile millimeter wave network such as a radar for a vehicle, a search radar, and the like.

18 is a diagram showing a verticla (elevation plane) radiation pattern of an antenna device including a conventional cylindrical or parabolic reflector. 19 is a view showing a vertical plane radiation pattern of an antenna device according to various embodiments of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 18, since the conventional antenna apparatus does not secure a sufficient scan angle in the vertical plane, additional beam scanning may be required. Additional beam scanning can increase the complexity of the transceiver-side control and distribution devices. Without additional beam scanning, additional antenna devices need to be installed to provide sufficient propagation across the desired coverage area.

19, by applying a cosecant pattern that is easily implemented through an antenna device (e.g., antenna device 100 of FIG. 6) according to various embodiments of the present invention to a vertical plane, additional beam scanning It is possible to provide a sufficient radio wave in the entire desired coverage area (at least the coverage area shown in Fig. 18) and to provide a stable wireless communication environment without loss of gain even at the edge of the coverage area have.

In some embodiments, the antenna apparatus according to various embodiments of the present invention may operate in a multi-input multi-output (MIMO) manner.

20 is a view for explaining an example of calculating a hyperbolic shape profile of a reflector in an antenna device according to various embodiments of the present invention.

In various embodiments of the present invention, the hyperbolic shape profile of a reflector (e.g., reflector 102 of FIG. 6) may be computed via the following equation (2). In Equation (2), 'M' is an initial parameter and can be selected from the range of 1.3 to 1.6. If the initial parameter is larger than the above range, the scan angle may increase but the antenna gain may decrease.

이고,

이며, 't'는 자유 파라미터, 'f'는 초점 거리(도 20 참조)를 의미한다. In Equation (2)

ego,

, 'T' means a free parameter, and 'f' means a focal length (see FIG. 20).

According to various embodiments of the present invention,

Wherein the first cross-sections cut parallel to the first direction have a profile of a parabolic, the second cross-sections perpendicular to the first cross-direction and perpendicular to the first cross- A reflector having a profile of a hyperbolic profile; And

And a radiating structure having at least one phase antenna array that illuminates at least a portion of the reflector to scan a beam,

The parabolic profile ends of the first cross-section may be oriented toward the radiating structure, and the hyperbolic profile ends of the second cross-section may be oriented away from the radiating structure.

According to various embodiments, the phase antenna array may comprise linearly arranged phase antennas,

The phase antennas may be aligned orthogonally to the symmetry axis of the hyperbolic shape profile while being aligned coplanar with one of the second cross-sections.

According to various embodiments, the radiating structure may comprise at least two of the phase antenna arrays,

Each of the phase antenna arrays may be arranged to illuminate different portions of the reflector.

According to various embodiments, the phase antenna array may perform dual polarization beamforming.

According to various embodiments, each of the phase antennas forming the array of phase antennas may include a waveguide antenna.

According to various embodiments, the waveguide antenna may comprise a waveguide whose face facing the reflector is open and whose opposite face is closed,

The waveguide may be formed inside a metal or a metalized hollow.

According to various embodiments, the waveguide antenna comprises:

A waveguide made of a metal or a metalized hollow; And

And a microstrip line for feeding power to the inside of the waveguide.

According to various embodiments, the waveguide antenna comprises:

A first waveguide member including a first portion of the waveguide;

A second waveguide member including a second portion of the waveguide; And

And at least one printed circuit board having the microstrip line,

The printed circuit board may be disposed between the first portion and the second portion in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the waveguide and fixed between the first waveguide member and the second waveguide member.

According to various embodiments, the waveguide antenna may further include grooves formed respectively in the first waveguide member and the second waveguide member,

The grooves may be disposed in correspondence with the regions where the microstrip lines are formed.

According to various embodiments, the microstrip line may extend linearly on the printed circuit board,

One end of the microstrip line extends into the waveguide and is arranged perpendicular to the inner wall of the waveguide, thereby forming an excitation waveguide probe in the waveguide.

According to various embodiments, the microstrip lines may be disposed on both sides of the printed circuit board and symmetrical to each other.

According to various embodiments, the waveguide antenna may comprise two printed circuit boards,

The microstrip line disposed on one of the printed circuit boards may be vertically aligned with the microstrip line disposed on the other of the printed circuit boards.

According to various embodiments, the waveguide antenna comprises:

And a dummy waveguide member disposed between the two printed circuit boards.

According to various embodiments, the dummy waveguide may include an opening corresponding to the first portion or the second portion.

According to various embodiments, the waveguide antenna may further include protrusions formed along the inner wall of the waveguide,

The protrusions may lower the critical frequency of the waveguide antenna.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments.

100: Antenna device 101: Reflector
102: phased array antenna 102a: waveguide antenna
103: Support

Claims (15)

In the antenna device,
Wherein the first cross-sections cut parallel to the first direction have a profile of a parabolic, the second cross-sections perpendicular to the first cross-direction and perpendicular to the first cross- A reflector having a profile of a hyperbolic profile; And
And a radiating structure having at least one phase antenna array that illuminates at least a portion of the reflector to scan a beam,
Wherein the parabolic profile ends of the first cross section are directed toward the radiating structure and the hyperbolic profile ends of the second cross section are directed away from the radiating structure.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the phase antenna array comprises linearly arranged phase antennas,
Wherein the phase antennas are aligned coplanar with one of the second cross-sections while being orthogonal to an axis of symmetry of the hyperbolic shape profile.
The antenna of claim 1, wherein the radiating structure comprises at least two of the phase antenna arrays,
Each of said phase antenna arrays being arranged to illuminate different portions of said reflector.
The antenna device of claim 1, wherein the phase antenna array performs dual polarization beamforming.
The antenna device of claim 1, wherein each of the phase antennas constituting the phase antenna array comprises a waveguide antenna.
6. The waveguide antenna according to claim 5, wherein the waveguide antenna includes a waveguide whose face facing the reflector is open and whose opposite face is closed,
Wherein the waveguide is formed within a metal or metallized hollow.
6. The antenna of claim 5, wherein the waveguide antenna comprises:
A waveguide formed in the interior of a metalized or metallized hollow; And
And a microstrip line for feeding power to the inside of the waveguide.
8. The antenna of claim 7, wherein the waveguide antenna comprises:
A first waveguide member including a first portion of the waveguide;
A second waveguide member including a second portion of the waveguide; And
Further comprising at least one printed circuit board having the microstrip line,
Wherein the printed circuit board is clamped between the first waveguide member and the second waveguide member and disposed in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the waveguide between the first portion and the second portion.
The antenna of claim 8, wherein the waveguide antenna further comprises grooves formed respectively in the first waveguide member and the second waveguide member,
Wherein the grooves are arranged corresponding to a region where the microstrip line is formed.
9. The microstrip line of claim 8, wherein the microstrip line extends linearly on the printed circuit board,
Wherein one end of the microstrip line extends into the waveguide and is arranged perpendicular to an inner wall of the waveguide to form an excitation waveguide probe inside the waveguide.
The antenna device according to claim 8, wherein the microstrip lines are disposed on both sides of the printed circuit board and are symmetrical to each other.
The method of claim 8, wherein the waveguide antenna comprises two printed circuit boards,
Wherein the microstrip line disposed on one of the printed circuit boards is vertically aligned with the microstrip line disposed on the other of the printed circuit boards.
13. The antenna of claim 12, wherein the waveguide antenna comprises:
And a dummy waveguide member disposed between the two printed circuit boards.
14. The antenna device according to claim 13, wherein the dummy waveguide includes an opening corresponding to the first portion or the second portion.
8. The optical waveguide according to claim 7, wherein the waveguide antenna further comprises protrusions formed along the inner wall of the waveguide,
Wherein the protrusions lower the critical frequency of the waveguide antenna.

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