TW201908745A - Antenna radiation pattern measurement system for multipath scenario application - Google Patents

Abstract

An antenna radiation pattern measurement system for multipath scenario application comprises a first rotator, a swing arm, a transmission antenna, a reflector, a stand and a second rotator. A fixed end of the swing arm is connected to the first rotator. The transmission antenna is disposed on the swing arm. The reflector disposed on a free end of the swing arm keeps constant distance from the transmission antenna. The first rotator drives the swing arm to rotate around a first central axis. A positioner of the stand keeps the electronic device to be fixed at a position of the first central axis of the first rotator. The distance between the reflector and the electronic device is constant. A straight line links reflector and the electronic device is vertical to the first central axis. The second rotator makes the stand rotate at its original position according to a second central axis perpendicular to the first central axis. Accordingly, the radiation pattern of at least an antenna of the electronic device can be obtained.

Description

 Antenna radiation field type measurement system applied in multipath environment  

The invention relates to an antenna measuring system, and in particular to an antenna radiation field type measuring system applied in a multipath environment.

Traditionally, the radiation field measurement of antennas requires a tightly controlled measurement environment as well as sophisticated measurement equipment. The traditional measurement environment uses an anechoic chamber. The anechoic chamber usually needs to meet two conditions to achieve the ideal free space: interference input without external electromagnetic signals and electromagnetic waves transmitted in the dark chamber. There is no reflection. A general example is to use an electromagnetic wave shield of an all-metal structure to block the interference of external electromagnetic wave signals, and to cooperate with an electromagnetic wave absorbing member provided in the anechoic chamber to constitute an anechoic chamber. Although the anechoic chamber can provide a non-reflective and non-interfering measurement environment, its installation cost is proportional to the dynamic range of the darkroom measurement. Compared with the high measurement cost, it can be applied to the radiation field measurement of the Light of Sight (LOS) antenna measurement (such as the high-directional antenna of the base station antenna), but it can be quite accurate and effective. Antenna performance evaluation.

Conventional anechoic chambers and antenna measuring devices are classified into near-field measurement and far-field measurement. Near-field measurement is the conversion of near-field measurement data into far-field data by mathematical operations. It may be impossible to use only the ideal mathematical model to convert real products in far-field applications due to the many differences in the physical structure of various wireless communication products. actual results. The problem encountered in far field measurement is that, depending on the operating wavelength (or frequency) of the antenna, the anechoic chamber needs to have a correspondingly large enough space, and the anechoic chamber can not be reduced without limitation (the equipment of the anechoic chamber is in the plant or research and development). The space occupied by the organization is a large cost. The distance between the antenna to be tested and the signal source needs to be sufficient to meet the far-field conditions. It is also necessary to plan the appropriate Quiet Zone, especially when the antenna works. When the wavelength is long, the volume of the anechoic chamber that meets the far field conditions will be quite large. Furthermore, the antenna measurements traditionally performed in the anechoic chamber are all required by the line of sight distance. It is not only necessary to measure the strong signal reception situation of the antenna, but also to measure the deadband of the signal transmission deadband (null). .

The embodiment of the invention provides an antenna radiation field type measurement system applied in a multi-path environment, and the antenna applied to the multi-path environment only needs to grasp the state of the strong signal receiving area of the antenna, and does not need to accurately obtain the signal dead angle reception status. For example, the performance of a small electronic device generally having wireless communication capability in practical applications is related to multiple paths caused by the use environment. Accordingly, the measurement of the radiation characteristics of the antenna used in the multipath environment is not as highly accurate as the high directional antenna used in the line of sight distance environment. The high directional antenna needs to accurately measure the strength of the signal at various angles ( Including the main beam, the lobe, and the null between the lobes, the radiation characteristics of a highly directional antenna such as a base station antenna are adjusted for the orientation of the user equipment, and no user orientation is required to radiate. In order to save power consumption, the radiation characteristics (radiation field type) of small electronic devices (radio antennas) that generally have wireless communication functions are mainly focused on the strong direction of signal reception (or transmission). The measurement of the radiation characteristics in the weaker direction of the signal (or emission) is less important. The embodiment of the invention is applied to an antenna radiation field type measurement system in a multipath environment, and the far field measurement system different from the traditional near field measurement system and the line of sight distance measurement architecture is to measure the target accuracy, The system establishes a compromise between cost control and demand, but it can create a superior measurement performance different from the traditional measurement scheme, which can replace the traditional radiation field when the antenna is applied to multiple path conditions. Measurement system.

Embodiments of the present invention provide an antenna radiation field type measurement system applied in a multipath environment, including a first rotating portion, a spiral arm, a transmitting antenna, a reflector, a bracket, and a second rotating portion. The spiral arm has a fixed end and a free end, and the fixed end is connected to the first rotating portion. The transmitting antenna is disposed on the spiral arm. The reflector is disposed at a free end of the spiral arm, and the distance between the reflector and the transmitting antenna is fixed. The first rotating portion drives the rotating arm to rotate to rotate the reflector at the free end around the first central axis of the first rotating portion. The bracket maintains a set distance from the fixed end of the arm. The positioning portion of the bracket is for positioning an electronic device at a position of the first central axis of the first rotating portion. The reflector is configured to reflect electromagnetic waves originating from the transmitting antenna to at least one antenna to be tested, and the distance between the reflector and the electronic device is kept fixed, and the reflector and the electronic device are spatially connected. A straight line is a first central axis that is perpendicular to the first rotating portion. The second rotating portion connects the bracket such that the bracket rotates in situ according to the second central axis, and the second central axis is perpendicular to the first central axis.

In summary, the embodiments of the present invention provide an antenna radiation field measurement system applied in a multipath environment, which can not only increase the Quiet Zone but also reduce the system volume. With a reflector, the transmitting antenna provides a plane wave (or approximately plane wave) electromagnetic wave to the electronic device to be tested (at least one antenna to be tested), so that the measuring system has a main beam or a stronger lobe for the antenna radiation pattern ( Lobe or Beam) provides a sufficiently accurate measurement, ignoring the accuracy of the intensity of the zero between the lobe and the lobe, thereby providing lower cost, but the accuracy is consistent with the need for multipath antennas. Radiation field type measurement system.

For a better understanding of the features and technical aspects of the present invention, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings The scope is subject to any restrictions.

11‧‧‧First rotating part

12‧‧‧Swing arm

13‧‧‧ transmit antenna

14‧‧‧ reflector

15‧‧‧ bracket

16‧‧‧Second rotation

121‧‧‧ fixed end

122‧‧‧Free end

DA‧‧‧ spacing

X‧‧‧first central axis

DS‧‧‧Set distance

151‧‧‧ Positioning Department

21‧‧‧Electronic devices

PA‧‧‧ position

DB‧‧‧ spacing

Y‧‧‧second central axis

17‧‧‧System base

N1, N2, N3, N3, N4, N5‧‧‧ zero

Peaks of P1, P2, P3, P4, P5‧‧

θ, Φ‧‧ corner

1 is a schematic diagram of a radiation field type measurement system of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a side view of a radiation field type measurement system of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a measurement operation state of a radiation field type measurement system of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4A is a radiation pattern diagram obtained by a conventional Light of Sight (LOS) antenna measurement method.

FIG. 4B is a radiation pattern diagram measured by an antenna radiation field type measurement system applied in a multipath environment according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Antennas used in multipath environments are more focused on the overall ability to receive signals. If there is a possible dead angle (or weaker), the accuracy of the measurement for dead angles (or weaker ones) is not taken seriously. The antenna radiation field type measurement system applied to the multipath environment in the embodiment of the present invention is a compromise solution for measuring target accuracy and system construction cost control, but capable of Create a superior measurement performance different from the traditional measurement scheme, which can replace the traditional radiation field measurement system when applied to multiple paths. The above-mentioned products for the main applications of antennas in multi-path environments, such as notes A computer, a laptop, a tablet, an all-in-one computer, a smart TV, a small base station, a router, or a smart phone, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

Referring to FIG. 1, an antenna radiation field type measurement system applied to a multipath environment according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a first rotating portion 11, a spiral arm 12, a transmitting antenna 13, a reflector 14, a bracket 15, and a second rotator. 16. The first rotating portion 11 and the second rotating portion 16 are preferably disposed on the system base 17 to maintain the relative distance between the arm 12 and the bracket 15 and the stability of the overall system. However, the first rotating portion 11 and the second rotating portion 16 may also be directly mounted on a solid floor (for example, a floor floor of any floor of the building).

The arm 12 has a fixed end 121 and a free end 122, and the fixed end 121 is connected to the first rotating portion 11. The transmitting antenna 13 is disposed on the spiral arm 12. The reflector 14 is disposed at the free end 14 of the arm 12, and the distance between the reflector 14 and the transmitting antenna 13 is fixed. The first rotating portion 11 drives the rotating arm 12 to rotate so that the reflector 14 at the free end 122 surrounds the first The first central axis of the rotating portion 11 is rotated, and the first central axis in Fig. 1 is the X axis. The bracket 15 and the fixed end 121 of the arm 12 maintain a set distance DS, and the bracket 15 has a positioning portion 151 for positioning the electronic device (not shown in FIG. 1) having at least one antenna to be tested at the first rotation. A position PA of the first central axis (X axis) of the portion 11.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 together, the reflector 14 is used to reflect electromagnetic waves originating from the transmitting antenna 13 to the electronic device 21. Also because the distance between the free end 122 of the arm 12 and the first central axis (X axis) remains fixed, the distance between the electronic device 21 and the reflector 14 at the free end 122 of the arm 12 and the electronic device 21 can be maintained. fixed. The line that is spatially connected between the reflector 14 and the electronic device 21 is perpendicular to the first central axis (X axis) of the first rotating portion 11, that is, the line connecting the spacing DB is perpendicular to the X axis. The second rotating portion 16 is connected to the bracket 15 such that the bracket 15 rotates in situ according to the second central axis (the electronic device 21 fixed to the bracket 15 is also rotated in situ according to the second central axis), and the second central axis is perpendicular to the first center The axis (X axis), the second central axis in Figs. 1 and 2 is the Y axis, and the line of the pitch DB in this embodiment coincides with the second central axis (Y axis).

The transmitting antenna 13 is used to generate an electromagnetic wave source, such as a horn antenna, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The electromagnetic wave frequency transmitted by the transmission antenna 13 is, for example, in the 700 MHz band, the 800 MHz band, the 900 MHz band, the 3.3 GHz to 3.6 GHz, the 4.4 GHz to 4.5 GHz, the 4.8 GHz to 4.99 GHz, or the 5.9 GHz band. For another example, the frequency of the electromagnetic wave transmitted by the transmitting antenna 13 is a 25 GHz, 26 GHz, 28 GHz, 30 GHz or 40 GHz band located in the millimeter wave. For another example, the frequency of the electromagnetic wave transmitted by the transmitting antenna 13 is a wireless local area network (WLAN) band located in the IEEE 802.11 standard, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The reflector 14 is for reflecting electromagnetic waves from the transmitting antenna 13. The reflector 14 is, for example, a parabolic reflector or a planar reflector, and the parabolic reflector or planar reflector is preferably made of metal, but the invention does not thus define an embodiment of the reflector. The total reflection path length summed by the spacing DA and the spacing DB is such that the electromagnetic wave received by the (at least one antenna to be tested) of the electronic device 21 to be tested is a plane electromagnetic wave (or approximate to a plane electromagnetic wave) and conforms to (or Close to) far field conditions. Also because the reflection path is used, the Light of Sight measurement architecture is not used, which greatly reduces the space required for the measurement system.

Please refer to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a measurement operation state of an antenna radiation field type measurement system applied in a multipath environment according to an embodiment of the present invention. The antenna radiation field type measurement system applied in the multipath environment is used to measure the two-dimensional (2D) or three-dimensional (3D) radiation field type of the electronic device, and the rotation angle of the spiral arm 12 represents the θ angle of the ball coordinate, and the bracket 15 The rotation represents the Φ angle of the ball coordinates. According to the actual setting, the angle of rotation θ of the arm 12 can be from zero degrees to 90 degrees, so as to be 180 degrees. It should be noted that when the angle of rotation θ of the arm 12 is greater than 90 degrees or even 180 degrees, the space below It must be sufficient to avoid ground and associated support structures (such as system base 17 of Figure 1) blocking the rotation of the free end 122 of the arm 12.

The antenna radiation field type measurement system applied to the multipath environment of the embodiment can be disposed in an anechoic chamber or used to set in a multipath measurement environment. This antenna radiation field measurement system in an anechoic chamber can reduce the cost of the absorber required for the conventional far field measurement of the anechoic chamber (due to the reduced volume of the anechoic chamber). Used to measure the main beam (or at least one stronger lobe) of the antenna and omit the partial accuracy of the intensity of the zero between the lobe and the lobe. 4A and FIG. 4B, FIG. 4A is an example of a radiation pattern measured by a conventional Light Off Sight (LOS) antenna measurement method in an anechoic chamber, the main beam (and the side lobes) being distinct ( The peak is included and accurate. The zeros between the lobes and the lobes, such as N1, N2, N3, N3, N4, and N5, also represent the accuracy of the measurement. Compared with FIG. 4A, for the same antenna, FIG. 4B is a radiation pattern obtained by using the antenna radiation field type measuring system of the embodiment of the present invention in an anechoic chamber, which can be seen between the lobe and the lobe in FIG. 4B. The null is not as accurate as Figure 4A (with large distortion), but the peaks P1, P2, P3, P4, P5 of the main beam (and the side lobes) are very close or nearly identical to Figure 4A.

On the other hand, the antenna radiation field measurement system applied in the multipath environment can be directly set in the multipath measurement environment when the environmental interference is small, and the multipath measurement environment is an unshielded space, which is generally The application scenarios of small electronic devices with wireless communication functions (such as offices, floors in buildings, parking lots, etc.) can also change the surrounding measurement environment in accordance with the application properties of the products. The application environment of such electronic device products has a common The point is the multipath effect caused by the surrounding objects. In the case of multiple path effects, the radiation field type measurement system is used to measure the main beam (or at least one stronger lobe) of the electronic device, and is ignored. The zero point between the lobes and the lobes is partially accurate in terms of its intensity, because for such an electronic device, the lobes of the radiation pattern are null. Therefore, it is possible to take a balance between the actual field measurement and the measurement accuracy.

In summary, the antenna radiation field measurement system applied in the multipath environment provided by the embodiment of the present invention can not only increase the Quiet Zone but also reduce the system volume. With a reflector, the transmitting antenna provides an electromagnetic wave of a plane wave (or close to a plane wave) to the electronic device to be tested, so that the measuring system provides a sufficiently accurate amount for the main beam or the stronger lobe (Lobe or Beam) of the radiation field type. The measurement, while ignoring the partial accuracy of the intensity of the zero between the lobe and the lobe, thereby providing a radiation field measurement system that is less costly but accurate in accordance with the needs. Moreover, the antenna radiation field type measurement system applied in the multipath environment does not have to be set in the anechoic chamber, and can be specifically adapted to the multipath measurement environment, and can measure the main beam of the electronic device to be tested or is strong. Lobe.

The above description is only an embodiment of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

Claims (10)

 An antenna radiation field type measurement system for use in a multipath environment includes: a first rotating portion; a rotating arm having a fixed end and a free end, the fixed end connecting the first rotating portion; a transmitting antenna Provided on the arm; a reflector disposed at the free end of the arm, the distance between the reflector and the transmitting antenna is fixed, the first rotating portion drives the arm to rotate to enable the free end The reflector rotates about a first central axis of the first rotating portion; a bracket maintains a set distance from the fixed end of the arm, and has a positioning portion for positioning an electronic device a position of the first central axis of the first rotating portion, wherein the reflector is configured to reflect electromagnetic waves originating from the transmitting antenna to at least one antenna to be tested of the electronic device, and the reflector and the electronic device The spacing is kept fixed, a spatially connected line between the reflector and the electronic device is perpendicular to the first central axis of the first rotating portion; and a second rotating portion is connected to the bracket The stent according to a second rotation center axis in situ, the second center axis perpendicular to the first center axis.    The antenna radiation field type measurement system applied to a multipath environment according to claim 1, wherein the transmission antenna is a horn antenna.    The antenna radiation field type measurement system for use in a multipath environment according to claim 2, wherein the reflector is a parabolic reflector or a planar reflector.    The antenna radiation field type measurement system applied in the multipath environment according to the first item of claim 1, wherein the antenna radiation field type measurement system applied in the multipath environment is installed in an anechoic chamber.    The antenna radiation field measurement system applied in the multipath environment according to the first item of claim 1, wherein the antenna radiation field measurement system applied in the multipath environment is used for setting a multipath measurement surroundings.    The antenna radiation field measurement system for multi-path environment according to the first item of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a notebook computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, an integrated computer, a smart TV, a small base station, Router or smart phone.    The antenna radiation field type measurement system applied in a multipath environment according to the first item of claim 1, wherein the antenna radiation field type measurement system applied in the multipath environment is used to measure the two-dimensionality of the electronic device. (2D) or three-dimensional (3D) radiation pattern, the angle of rotation of the arm represents the angle θ of the ball coordinate, and the rotation of the bracket represents the Φ angle of the ball coordinate.    The antenna radiation field type measurement system applied in the multipath environment according to the first item of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic wave frequency transmitted by the transmitting antenna is located in a 700 MHz band, an 800 MHz band, a 900 MHz band, and a 3.3 GHz to 3.6 GHz. 4.4 GHz to 4.5 GHz, 4.8 GHz to 4.99 GHz or 5.9 GHz band.    The antenna radiation field type measurement system according to claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic wave frequency transmitted by the transmitting antenna is a 25 GHz, 26 GHz, 28 GHz, 30 GHz or 40 GHz frequency band located in a millimeter wave.    The antenna radiation field measurement system for multi-path environment according to claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic wave frequency transmitted by the transmission antenna is a wireless local area network band located in the IEEE 802.11 standard.