WO2013185704A1

WO2013185704A1 - Liquid metal antenna self-adapting method and control device

Info

Publication number: WO2013185704A1
Application number: PCT/CN2013/080293
Authority: WO
Inventors: 范景云; 王兵; 马凯
Original assignee: 中兴通讯股份有限公司
Priority date: 2012-11-14
Filing date: 2013-07-29
Publication date: 2013-12-19
Also published as: CN102969562B; CN102969562A

Abstract

A liquid metal antenna self-adapting method and a control device. The method includes: detecting a signal level value of a base station which is received by a mobile terminal; and when the signal level value deteriorates and the degree of deterioration exceeds a predetermined value, according to the pre-stored optimal antenna matrix value of the mobile terminal under different usage states, adjusting the shape of an antenna to fit the current usage state of the mobile terminal.

Description

Liquid metal antenna adaptive method and control device

The present invention relates to the field of mobile communication technologies, and in particular, to a liquid metal antenna adaptive method and a control device applied to a mobile terminal.

Background technique

With the development of mobile communication technologies, mobile phone devices can be used not only as phones but also as devices for processing data services such as e-mail, browsing websites, downloading content, instant messaging, and the like. When a mobile telephone device is used as a telephone, its antenna will be located next to the user's ear, while during the standby mode, the antenna of the mobile telephone device may be located in a free space away from the human body, in the user's hand, or placed in the user's bag. When used as a device for processing data services, its antenna will be located near the palm of the user. Thus, there are various states when using a mobile phone, and the physical characteristics of a user who uses a mobile phone may vary. Therefore, the impedance and radiation characteristics of the antenna vary variously depending on the state of use, and the value is difficult to predict.

In order to receive the signal well, the length of the antenna needs to correspond to the wavelength of the signal it accepts. The summation process between the length of the antenna and the wavelength of the signal is usually referred to as "tuning". However, conventional adaptive antennas do not actually change their length, but rely on peripheral circuits to change the effective length, also known as adaptive impedance matching. This adaptive impedance matching scheme does not improve the antenna's radiated characteristics in different environments. It can only optimize the antenna performance through the impedance matching part. Summary of the invention

Embodiments of the present invention provide a liquid metal antenna adaptive method and a control device, which are designed to achieve optimal antenna performance in different environments and improve the adaptive tuning capability of the antenna.

A liquid metal antenna adaptive method according to an embodiment of the present invention includes:

Detecting a level value of a signal received by the mobile terminal from the base station;

When the level value of the signal is deteriorated and the degree of deterioration exceeds a predetermined value, the antenna shape is adjusted to the end of the mobile according to the antenna optimal matrix value of the mobile terminal in different use states stored in advance. The current state of use is adapted. The optimal matrix value, the step of adjusting the shape of the antenna to be compatible with the current state of use of the mobile terminal includes: acquiring an antenna optimal matrix value corresponding to other usage states different from the current state of use of the mobile terminal from the memory, and sequentially writing the register;

Detecting a level value of a signal received by the mobile terminal from the base station after each writing of the antenna optimal matrix value;

Comparing the level values of all detected signals to obtain the maximum level value therein;

And adjusting the antenna to a corresponding shape according to an antenna optimal matrix value corresponding to the maximum level value.

Preferably, the step of detecting the level value of the signal received by the mobile terminal from the base station further comprises:

Debugging an optimal matrix value of the antenna of the mobile terminal in various usage states, and storing an antenna optimal matrix value corresponding to each usage state into the memory.

Preferably, the usage state of the mobile terminal includes at least one of the following: a free space state, a call state, and a handheld state.

The embodiment of the invention further provides a liquid metal antenna adaptive control device, comprising: a detection module, configured to: detect a level value of a signal received by the mobile terminal from the base station; and an adjustment module, configured to: when the signal The level value deteriorates and the degree of deterioration exceeds a predetermined value. The detecting module adjusts the antenna shape to be compatible with the current state of use of the mobile terminal.

Preferably, the adjustment module is further configured to: obtain an antenna optimal matrix value corresponding to other usage states different from the current use state of the mobile terminal from the memory, and sequentially write the register;

The detecting module is further configured to: detect, after each write of the antenna optimal matrix value, the mobile terminal receives a signal level value of the base station;

The adjustment module is further configured to: compare all the detected signal level values, obtain a maximum level value thereof; adjust the antenna to an antenna optimal matrix value corresponding to the maximum level value to The corresponding shape ^.

Preferably, the device further comprises:

The storage module is configured to: debug an optimal matrix value of the antenna of the mobile terminal in various usage states, and store an antenna optimal matrix value corresponding to each usage state into the memory.

Preferably, the antenna is composed of a flexible material substrate and a liquid metal filled in the microfluidic channel on the substrate; the substrate is etched with M*N microcell units, and each microcell unit is micro-organized The holes are connected to each other to form the microfluidic channel of the M row and N column matrix.

Preferably, the substrate is a rectangular polydiphenylsiloxane substrate; and the liquid metal is a gallium indium alloy.

Preferably, the antenna is disposed in a front non-visible area of the mobile terminal or in a rear back cover area of the mobile terminal.

A liquid metal antenna adaptive method and control device according to an embodiment of the present invention detects a level value of a signal received by a mobile terminal from a base station; when the signal level value deteriorates and the degree of deterioration exceeds the shape of the adjusted antenna to the current state of the mobile terminal The state of use is adapted, thereby achieving optimal radiation performance of the antenna in different environments, and improving the adaptive tuning capability of the antenna; in addition, the liquid metal antenna and the attached flexible material substrate can be realized with the structural member housing of the mobile terminal. Conformal, make full use of the small space in the terminal. BRIEF abstract

1 is a schematic flow chart of an embodiment of a method for adapting a liquid metal antenna according to the present invention; FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing a liquid metal antenna disposed in a non-visible area of a front surface of a mobile terminal according to the present invention;

3 is a schematic view showing a liquid metal antenna disposed on a back cover area of a mobile terminal in the present invention; FIG. 4 is a schematic structural view of a substrate and a micro cell unit in the liquid metal antenna of the present invention; Figure 5 is a schematic view showing the shape of a liquid metal antenna in the present invention;

6 is a schematic flow chart of adapting an antenna shape to a current state of use of a mobile terminal according to a pre-stored antenna optimal matrix value of the mobile terminal in different use states according to a preset embodiment of the liquid metal antenna adaptive method according to the present invention; ;

7 is a schematic flow chart of another embodiment of a liquid metal antenna adaptive method according to the present invention; FIG. 8 is a schematic structural view of an embodiment of a liquid metal antenna adaptive control device according to the present invention; FIG. 9 is a liquid metal antenna adaptive control device of the present invention; A schematic structural view of another embodiment.

In order to make the technical solutions of the present invention clearer and clearer, the following will be further described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Preferred embodiment of the invention

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, in the case of no conflict, the features in the embodiments and the embodiments in the present application may be arbitrarily combined with each other.

In the embodiment of the present invention, by detecting a level value of a signal received by the mobile terminal from the base station; when the signal level value is deteriorated and the degree of deterioration exceeds a predetermined value, according to the pre-stored antenna optimal matrix of the mobile terminal in different use states The value is adjusted to adapt to the current state of use of the mobile terminal to achieve optimal antenna performance in different environments, and to improve the adaptive tuning capability of the antenna.

In the present invention, the mobile terminal can be a mobile telephone device such as a mobile phone.

As shown in FIG. 1 , an embodiment of the present invention provides a liquid metal antenna adaptive method, including: Step S101: detecting a signal level value of a mobile terminal receiving a base station;

In this embodiment, the shape of the liquid metal antenna can be adaptively adjusted according to the usage state of the mobile terminal, so that the radiation performance of the antenna can be optimized in different environments, wherein the base station received by the mobile terminal is required in the adaptive adjustment process. Whether the signal level value deteriorates or the degree of deterioration proceeds.

Step S102, when the signal level value is deteriorated and the degree of deterioration exceeds a predetermined value, according to the advance , 3⁄47 final ^ , optimal matrix value, adjust the shape of the antenna to match the current state of use of the mobile terminal.

The liquid metal antenna selected in this embodiment is composed of two parts: a liquid metal and a flexible material substrate, the liquid metal and the flexible material substrate are both stretchable, bendable, deformable, etc., and are easy to be made with the structural parts of the mobile terminal. In the form of a conformal body, as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, taking a mobile phone as an example, the liquid antenna can be separately applied to the front non-visible area (glass substrate) and the back back cover area of the mobile phone.

The liquid metal selected in this embodiment has good conductivity, low surface tension, and liquid state at normal temperature. Preferably, the liquid metal is selected from gallium-indium alloy, and the mass percentage thereof is: 75% Ga and 25% In .

The flexible material substrate selected in the embodiment has the characteristics of bending resistance, oxidation resistance, etc., and preferably, a polydisiloxane silicone substrate can be selected.

As shown in FIG. 4, the liquid metal antenna 本 in this embodiment is formed as follows:

M*N minicell units are etched inside the rectangular polydisiloxane silicone substrate, and the microcell units are connected to each other by pores to form a sputum fluid channel of the lanthanum and lanthanum. Both Μ and Ν are positive integers. . The liquid metal gallium indium alloy can flow freely in the microfluidic channel, or can flow under the control of the control device, and fill the corresponding microcell unit with liquid metal to form a specific shape.

As shown in Fig. 5, the liquid metal fills the microcell unit in the substrate according to a certain rule to form a liquid antenna of a specific shape.

The state of each microcell unit is divided into two types: filled and unfilled. In the controller of the control device, the above two states are represented by 1 and 0, respectively, and the states of the microcell units constitute a matrix:

C =

Each element in the matrix <^ layer corresponds to the state of the micro cell unit of the first row and the third column inside the substrate, 1 represents padding, and 0 represents no padding. The matrix ^ and the shape of the liquid metal antenna are - corresponding.

The above matrix ^ is stored in advance in the memory of the control device.

In this embodiment, the shape of the antenna is debugged according to different usage states of the mobile terminal in advance, and each type is obtained. The optimal matrix value of the antenna in the state.

Taking a mobile phone as an example, considering the various environments in which the mobile phone is used, it can be generally classified into a free space state (no other objects in the vicinity of the mobile phone), a call state (in the ear state), a hand-held state, a metal state around, and the like.

In each of the above-mentioned states of use, the liquid metal antenna is debugged, and the shape of the liquid metal antenna is changed correspondingly by adjusting the matrix, so that the radiation performance of the liquid metal antenna in each use state is optimized, respectively. The optimal matrix value is stored in the memory of the control device, denoted as P ' ^C M ² NOP ' · · - ^C LoP , and the optimal matrix value C ¹ Ρ corresponds to the various usage states in which the mobile phone is located. .

As described above, the present embodiment needs to be performed in accordance with the degree of deterioration or deterioration of the signal level value of the base station received by the mobile terminal in the adaptive adjustment process.

Preferably, if the shape of the liquid metal antenna in the free space state is taken as the initial antenna shape, the corresponding optimal matrix value C ρ is written as an initial value in the register of the control device.

When the antenna is set to the initial antenna shape, the signal level of the base station received by the mobile phone is "when the received signal level is detected". If the deterioration is severe (for example, the degree of deterioration exceeds 10 dB), the state of the mobile phone is considered to be changed. The control device writes the optimal matrix value C ² p ' C ³ p '""' ^C p corresponding to each of the other usage states already stored in the memory from the memory into the register, and writes a new optimal matrix each time in the register. After the value of ^.p, the level of the received signal received by the mobile phone after the status update is detected by the detecting module is, and the level value is stored, and all the states are compared after the optimal matrix corresponding to all other states is written. The lower level value, find the largest value and the corresponding optimal matrix value ^.ρ, then consider that the state of the mobile phone is the state of the optimal matrix value ^.p, the optimal matrix value ^ register will be written again, was also of the shape of the antenna liquid metal matrix ^. _P defined time, i.e. the shape of the antenna is adaptively adjusted corresponding to the current state of the phone optimum value p of the matrix Corresponding shape so that the radiation performance of the antenna optimal state.

Subsequently, when the signal level value received by the mobile phone is severely deteriorated again, the state of the mobile phone is changed again, and the above adaptive adjustment process is repeated, so that the radiation performance of the liquid metal antenna always works in an optimal state. As shown in FIG. 6 , in the foregoing step S102, the step of adjusting the antenna shape to the current use state of the mobile terminal according to the pre-stored antenna optimal matrix value of the mobile terminal in different usage states includes:

Step S1021: Obtain an antenna optimal matrix value corresponding to other usage states different from the current use state of the mobile terminal from the memory, and sequentially write the register;

Step S1022: Detect, after each writing the antenna optimal matrix value, the mobile terminal receives a signal level value of the base station;

Step S1023, comparing all the detected signal level values, and obtaining a maximum signal level value therein;

Step S1024: Adjust the antenna to a corresponding shape according to an antenna optimal matrix value corresponding to the maximum signal level value.

In this embodiment, by detecting a signal level value of the base station received by the mobile terminal, when the signal level value is deteriorated and the degree of deterioration exceeds a predetermined value, the antenna shape is adjusted according to the pre-stored antenna optimal matrix value of the mobile terminal in different use states. To adapt to the current state of use of the mobile terminal, thereby achieving optimal radiation performance of the antenna in different environments, and improving the adaptive tuning capability of the antenna; in addition, the liquid metal antenna and the attached flexible material substrate can be combined with the mobile terminal The structural member housing is conformal, making full use of the narrow space in the terminal.

As shown in FIG. 7, another embodiment of the present invention provides a liquid metal antenna adaptive method. Before the step of detecting the signal level value of the mobile terminal receiving the base station, the method further includes: Step S100: Debug the mobile The optimal matrix value of the antenna in the various usage states of the terminal, and the antenna optimal matrix value corresponding to each usage state is stored in the memory.

The difference between this embodiment and the foregoing embodiment is that the embodiment further includes the step of acquiring an antenna optimal matrix value corresponding to each usage state of the mobile terminal and storing it in a memory of the control device.

Specifically, taking a mobile phone as an example, considering various environments in which a mobile phone is used, it is generally classified into a free space state (no other objects in the vicinity of the mobile phone), a call state (in the ear state), a hand-held state, a metal state around, and the like. Wait.

In each of the above-mentioned use states, the liquid metal antenna is debugged, and the liquid is adjusted by adjusting the matrix. The shape of the metal antenna changes accordingly, so that the radiation performance of the liquid metal antenna in each use state is optimized, and the optimal matrix value of each state is stored in the memory of the control device, denoted as P ' ^C M ² NOP ' · · - ^C LoP , this optimal matrix value C ¹对应 corresponds to the various usage states in which the mobile phone is located.

In this embodiment, the optimal matrix value of the antenna of the mobile terminal in various usage states is debugged, and the antenna optimal matrix value corresponding to each usage state is stored in the memory, and then the mobile terminal receives the base station. a signal level value; when the signal level value deteriorates and the degree of deterioration exceeds a predetermined value, adjusting the shape of the antenna to match the current state of use of the mobile terminal according to the stored antenna optimal matrix value of the mobile terminal in different use states, The antenna achieves optimal radiation performance in different environments, and improves the adaptive tuning capability of the antenna. In addition, the liquid metal antenna and the attached flexible material substrate can be conformed to the structural component housing of the mobile terminal, and the terminal is fully utilized. Medium and small space.

As shown in FIG. 8, an embodiment of the present invention provides a liquid metal antenna adaptive control apparatus, including: a detection module 201 and an adjustment module 202, wherein:

The detecting module 201 is configured to detect a signal level value of the mobile terminal receiving the base station;

The adjusting module 202 is configured to adjust the antenna shape according to the antenna optimal matrix value of the mobile terminal in different use states according to the pre-stored antenna optimal matrix value when the signal level value is deteriorated and the degree of deterioration exceeds a predetermined value. To adapt to the current state of use of the mobile terminal.

Among them, the liquid metal selected in this embodiment has good conductivity, low surface tension, and often The temperature is liquid and other characteristics. Preferably, the liquid metal is made of gallium-indium alloy, and the mass percentage thereof is:

75% Ga and 25% In.

M*N microcell units are etched inside the rectangular polydisiloxane silicone substrate, and the microcell units are connected to each other by micropores to form M-row and N-column microfluidic channels. The liquid metal gallium indium alloy can flow freely in the microfluidic channel, or can flow under the control of the control device, and fill the corresponding microcell unit with the liquid metal to form a specific shape. As shown in Fig. 4, the liquid metal fills the microcell unit in the substrate according to a certain rule to form a liquid antenna of a specific shape.

The state of each microcell unit is divided into two types: filled and unfilled. In the controller of the control device, the above two states are represented by 1 and 0, respectively, and the states of the M*N minicell units constitute one.

The matrix C layer = ΜΙ, ^2, · · ^Λ^", each element c leg in the matrix C layer corresponds to the state of the micro cell unit of the Mth row and the Nth column inside the substrate, and 1 represents padding. , 0 means no padding. The matrix ^ and the shape of the liquid metal antenna are - corresponding.

The above matrix ^ is stored in advance in the memory of the control device.

In this embodiment, the shape of the antenna is debugged in advance according to different usage states of the mobile terminal, and the optimal matrix value of the antenna in each state is obtained.

In each of the above-mentioned states of use, the liquid metal antenna is debugged, and the shape of the liquid metal antenna is changed correspondingly by adjusting the matrix, so that the radiation performance of the liquid metal antenna in each use state is optimized, respectively. The optimal matrix value is stored in the memory of the control device, denoted as P ' ^C M ² NOP ' · · - ^C LoP , and the optimal matrix value C ¹ Ρ corresponds to the various usage states in which the mobile phone is located. . As described above, in the adaptive adjustment process, the present embodiment needs to be performed according to whether the signal level value of the base station received by the mobile terminal is deteriorated or deteriorated.

Preferably, if the shape of the liquid metal antenna in the free space state is taken as the initial antenna shape, the corresponding optimal matrix value C p is written as an initial value in the register of the control device.

When the antenna is set to be in the initial antenna shape, the base station signal level received by the mobile phone is when the detection module 201 detects the received signal level ^ ⁷ . If the deterioration is severe (for example, the degree of deterioration exceeds 10 dB), the state of the mobile phone is changed, and the adjustment module 202 of the control device compares the optimal matrix values corresponding to the other usage states already stored in the memory C ¹ p ' C ³ p '""' ^C p is written from the memory to the register. After the register writes a new optimal matrix value ^ every time, the detection signal level of the base station received by the mobile phone after the detection module 201 detects the status update is ^, And storing the level value, when the optimal matrix corresponding to all other states is written, comparing the level values in all states, and finding the largest 'value and the corresponding optimal matrix value ^C p , then that the state in which the mobile phone for the optimal value of the matrix corresponding to the state of ^C p, ^C p value of the optimum matrix will be written again in the register, the shape of the liquid metal matrix ^ ^ antennas were also defined, at this time, The shape of the antenna is adaptively adjusted to the optimal matrix value corresponding to the current state of the mobile phone. ^ Corresponding shape, so that the radiation performance of the antenna is optimal.

Subsequently, when the signal level value received by the mobile phone is severely deteriorated again, it is considered that the state of the mobile phone is changed again, and the above adaptive adjustment process is repeated, so that the radiation performance of the liquid metal antenna always works in an optimal state.

As shown in FIG. 9, another embodiment of the present invention provides a liquid metal antenna adaptive control apparatus. Based on the foregoing embodiments, the method further includes:

Debugging the storage module 200, configured to debug the mobile terminal in the various usage states The optimal matrix value of the line, and the antenna optimal matrix value corresponding to each use state is stored in the memory.

Taking a mobile phone as an example, considering the various environments in which the mobile phone is used, it is generally classified into a free space state.

(No other objects near the phone), call status (on the ear), hand-held status, metal around, and so on.

In each of the above-mentioned states of use, the liquid metal antenna is debugged, and the shape of the liquid metal antenna is changed correspondingly by adjusting the matrix, so that the radiation performance of the liquid metal antenna in each use state is optimized, respectively. The optimal matrix value is stored in the memory of the control device, denoted as P ' ^C M ² NOP ' · · - ^C LoP , and this optimal matrix value C ¹ Ρ corresponds to various usage states in which the mobile phone is located.

The above is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, and equivalent structural or process changes made by the present specification and drawings may be directly or indirectly applied to other related technical fields. The same is included in the scope of patent protection of the present invention.

Industrial applicability

The embodiment of the invention achieves optimal radiation performance of the antenna in different environments, and improves the adaptive tuning capability of the antenna; in addition, the liquid metal antenna and the attached flexible material substrate can be conformed to the structural component shell of the mobile terminal. Make full use of the small space in the terminal.

Claims

Claim

1. A liquid metal antenna adaptive method, comprising:

When the level value of the signal deteriorates and the degree of deterioration exceeds a predetermined value, the antenna shape is adjusted to be compatible with the current use state of the mobile terminal according to the antenna optimum matrix value of the mobile terminal in different use states stored in advance.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of adjusting the shape of the antenna to adapt to the current state of use of the mobile terminal according to the pre-stored antenna optimal matrix value of the mobile terminal in different usage states comprises: :

Obtaining an antenna optimal matrix value corresponding to other usage states different from the current usage state of the mobile terminal from the memory, and sequentially writing the register;

Comparing the detected level values of the signals to obtain a maximum level value therein; adjusting the antenna to a corresponding shape according to an antenna optimal matrix value corresponding to the maximum level value.

The method according to claim 2, wherein, before the step of detecting a level value of a signal received by the mobile terminal from the base station, the method further includes:

4. The method according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the usage state of the mobile terminal comprises at least one of the following: a free space state, a call state, and a hand-held state.

5. A liquid metal antenna adaptive control device, comprising:

a detecting module, configured to: detect a level value of a signal received by the mobile terminal from the base station; and an adjustment module configured to: when the level value of the signal deteriorates and the degree of deterioration exceeds a predetermined value The detection module adjusts the shape of the antenna to match the current state of use of the mobile terminal.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

The adjustment module is further configured to: obtain an antenna optimal matrix value corresponding to other usage states different from the current usage state of the mobile terminal from the memory, and sequentially write the register;

The detecting module is further configured to: detect a level value of a signal received by the mobile terminal from the base station after each writing the optimal matrix value of the antenna;

The adjustment module is further configured to: compare the level values of all the detected signals, obtain a maximum level value thereof; adjust the antenna to the corresponding antenna according to an antenna optimal matrix value corresponding to the maximum level value shape.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

8. Apparatus according to any one of claims 5-7, wherein

The antenna is composed of a flexible material substrate and a liquid metal filled in the microfluidic channel on the substrate; the substrate is etched with M*N minicell units, and each microcell unit is interconnected by micropores The microfluidic channels of the M row and the N column matrix are formed, and both M and N are positive integers.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the substrate is a rectangular polydimethylsiloxane substrate; and the liquid metal is a gallium indium alloy.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the antenna is disposed in a front non-visible area of the mobile terminal or in a rear back cover area of the mobile terminal.