Wireless communication system including polarization-agile phased-array antenna

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10516201-B2
Application number	US-201615366358-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 1, 2016
Priority date	Apr 11, 2016
Publication date	Dec 24, 2019
Grant date	Dec 24, 2019

Abstract

A wireless communication device is provided. The wireless communication device includes a millimeter wave antenna comprising a plurality of antenna elements, a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC), and a power feeding line, wherein the plurality of antenna elements are dual-type antenna elements configured to excite different polarization modes, and wherein the power feeding line allows a plurality of ports of the RFIC to individually connect to the plurality of dual-type antenna elements to excite the different polarization modes to perform beamforming. The wireless communication device and/or electronic device may be diversified according to various embodiments.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A millimeter wave (mmWave) antenna comprising:
a plurality of antenna elements;
a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC); and
a power feeding line,
wherein the plurality of antenna elements are dual-type antenna elements configured to excite different polarization modes,
wherein the power feeding line allows a plurality of ports of the RFIC to individually connect to the plurality of dual-type antenna elements to excite the different polarization modes to perform beamforming, and
wherein each of the dual-type antenna elements comprises:
an aperture radiation-type structure providing a vertical polarization radiation, and
a traveling radiation-type structure providing a horizontal polarization radiation.

2. The mmWave antenna of claim 1 , wherein the traveling radiation-type structure is formed as a portion of the aperture radiation-type structure.

3. The mmWave antenna of claim 1 , wherein the aperture radiation-type structure comprises:
a waveguide having a surface including an aperture,
a first antenna disposed inside the waveguide, and
a first power feeding port extending from the power feeding line to the first antenna.

4. The mmWave antenna of claim 3 , wherein the traveling radiation-type structure comprises:
a slot line disposed in a lengthwise direction of the waveguide,
a second antenna disposed on the slot line, and
a second power feeding port extending from the power feeding line to the second antenna.

5. The mmWave antenna of claim 4 ,
wherein the first antenna includes a probe shape,
wherein the second antenna has a tapered slot shape, and
wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are arranged to be orthogonal to each other.

6. The mmWave antenna of claim 4 , further comprising:
a circuit board formed of one of a printed circuit board (PCB) and a low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC),
wherein the dual-type antenna elements are formed in a portion positioned adjacent an edge of the circuit board, and
wherein the portion may function as a dielectric transformer matching the antenna elements.

7. The mmWave antenna of claim 1 , wherein each of the dual-type antenna elements is configured to provide the beamforming through polarization agility.

8. The mmWave antenna of claim 7 , wherein the beamforming through the polarization agility is performed by phase-controlled feeding of the dual-type antenna elements.

9. The mmWave antenna of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first metal screen on a first side of the plurality of antenna elements; and
a second metal screen on a second side of the plurality of antenna elements opposite to the first side of the plurality of antenna elements.

10. The mmWave antenna of claim 9 , wherein the first metal screen and the second metal screen are configured to provide an electromagnetic shield to the plurality of antenna elements.

11. The mmWave antenna of claim 1 , wherein the power feeding line comprises a stacked structure of feed lines for the dual-type antenna elements.

12. The mmWave antenna of claim 1 , further comprising:
a substrate,
wherein the plurality of antenna elements includes a plurality of first antenna elements arranged in a first direction and exciting a first polarization mode and a plurality of second antenna elements arranged in a second direction, the plurality of second antenna elements exciting a second polarization mode different from the first polarization mode,
wherein the power feeding line includes a plurality of first power feeding lines connected with the first antenna elements and a plurality of second power feeding lines connected with the second antenna elements, and
wherein the plurality of first antenna elements and the plurality of second antenna elements are alternately arranged on the substrate.

13. A wireless communication device comprising:
an antenna comprising:
a plurality of antenna elements,
a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC), and
a power feeding line, and

a housing including at least one opening matching the antenna with an outer space,
wherein the plurality of antenna elements are dual-type antenna elements configured to excite polarization modes orthogonal to each other,
wherein the power feeding line is configured to individually couple a plurality of ports of the RFIC to the plurality of dual-type antenna elements to excite the orthogonal polarization modes to perform beamforming,
wherein the antenna is separated from the outer space by the housing and is configured to radiate an electromagnetic wave through conductive patterns of the housing to the outer space, and
wherein each of the dual-type antenna elements comprises:
an aperture radiation-type structure including a first antenna providing a polarization radiation in a first direction, and
a traveling radiation-type structure including a second antenna providing a polarization radiation in a second direction different from the first direction.

14. The wireless communication device of claim 13 ,
wherein the housing further comprises a sidewall having a conductive structure, and
wherein the conductive structure comprises the conductive patterns.

15. The wireless communication device of claim 13 ,
wherein the aperture radiation-type structure comprises a waveguide,
wherein the housing further includes a metal frame,
wherein the at least one opening is provided in the metal frame, and
wherein the at least one opening of the metal frame matches the waveguide with the outer space.

16. The wireless communication device of claim 13 ,
wherein the aperture radiation-type structure comprises a waveguide;
wherein the housing further includes a metal frame, and
wherein a side of the waveguide comprises a plastic material exposed to the outer space.

17. The wireless communication device of claim 13 ,
wherein the housing accommodates the plurality of antenna elements,
wherein the housing comprises:
a metallic conductive structure, and
a plurality of sidewalls, and

wherein the conductive structure forms at least a portion of a side wall of the plurality of side walls.

18. The wireless communication device of claim 17 , further comprising a leaky wave radiator matching the antenna with the outer space of the housing.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Khripkov Alexander Nikolaevich
• Evtyushkin Gennadiy Alexandrovich
• LUKYANOV Anton Sergeevich
• Hong Won-Bin

Classifications

• H01Q21/24

  Combinations of antenna units polarised in different directions for transmitting or receiving circularly and elliptically polarised waves or waves linearly polarised in any direction {(circularly polarised patch antennas H01Q9/0428; circularly polarised horns H01Q13/0241; cross-polarised horns H01Q13/0258; polarisation converters H01Q15/242; cross-polarised rear feeds H01Q19/136; crossed polarisation dual antenna H01Q25/001)} · CPC title

• H01Q1/243 Primary

  with built-in antennas · CPC title

• H01Q3/40

  with phasing matrix · CPC title

• H01Q1/526

  Electromagnetic shields · CPC title

• H01Q13/106

  Microstrip slot antennas (patch antenna elements H01Q9/0407) · CPC title