Antenna structure and communications terminal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11967780-B2
Application number	US-202117344899-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 10, 2021
Priority date	Dec 12, 2018
Publication date	Apr 23, 2024
Grant date	Apr 23, 2024

Abstract

This application provides an antenna structure and a communications terminal. The antenna structure includes an antenna radiator, a signal source, a first capacitor, and a first tuning circuit. A first terminal of the antenna radiator is grounded. A first terminal of the first capacitor and a first terminal of the first tuning circuit are electrically connected to a connection point of the antenna radiator. A second terminal of the first capacitor is electrically connected to the signal source. A second terminal of the first tuning circuit is grounded. Antenna impedance of the first terminal of the first capacitor at target frequencies is in the first quadrant of a Smith chart, and the target frequencies are at least some frequencies in frequency bands covered by the antenna radiator.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An antenna structure for a communications terminal, wherein the antenna structure comprises: an antenna radiator, a signal source, a first capacitor, and a first tuning circuit;
a first terminal of the antenna radiator is grounded;
a first terminal of the first capacitor and a first terminal of the first tuning circuit are electrically connected to a connection point of the antenna radiator, a second terminal of the first capacitor is electrically connected to the signal source, and a second terminal of the first tuning circuit is grounded, wherein
a total length of the antenna radiator and a first length between a second terminal of the antenna radiator and a connection point electrically connected to the first tuning circuit are designed in order for an antenna impedance of the first terminal of the first capacitor at target frequencies to be in the first quadrant of a Smith chart, wherein the target frequencies are at least some frequencies in frequency bands covered by the antenna radiator.

2. The antenna structure according to claim 1 , wherein the target frequencies are at least two thirds of frequencies in each frequency band covered by the antenna radiator.

3. The antenna structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the first terminal of the first capacitor is electrically connected to a first connection point of the antenna radiator, and the second terminal of the first tuning circuit is electrically connected to a second connection point of the antenna radiator; or
the first terminal of the first capacitor and the first terminal of the first tuning circuit are electrically connected to the same connection point of the antenna radiator.

4. The antenna structure according to claim 1 , wherein in order for the antenna impedance of the first terminal of the first capacitor at the target frequencies to be in the first quadrant of a Smith chart,
a value range of the total length of the antenna radiator is set to be 3/16 wavelength to ⅜ wavelength of a center frequency of a first frequency band in the frequency bands covered by the antenna radiator; and
the first length between the second terminal of the antenna radiator and the connection point electrically connected to the first tuning circuit is set to be less than ¼ wavelength of a second frequency band in the frequency bands covered by the antenna radiator, wherein
the center frequency of the first frequency band is less than a center frequency of any frequency band other than the first frequency band in the frequency bands covered by the antenna radiator; and the center frequency of the second frequency band is greater than a center frequency of any frequency band other than the second frequency band in the frequency bands covered by the antenna radiator.

5. The antenna structure of claim 4 , wherein when the first terminal of the first capacitor is electrically connected to a first connection point of the antenna radiator, and the second terminal of the first tuning circuit is electrically connected to a second connection point of the antenna radiator, an absolute difference between the total length and a second length between the second terminal of the antenna radiator and the first connection point is greater than a first specific value.

6. The antenna structure according to claim 5 , wherein
when the antenna radiator is a medium- and high-frequency antenna radiator, the value range of the total length is 16 mm to 22 mm; a value range of the first length is 0 mm to 12 mm; and a value range of the second length is 0 mm to 18 mm; and
when the antenna radiator is a low-frequency antenna radiator, the value range of the total length is 40 mm to 60 mm; the value range of the first length is 0 mm to 35 mm; and the value range of the second length is 0 mm to 50 mm.

7. The antenna structure according to claim 1 , wherein the antenna structure further comprises a phase adjustment circuit, and the first terminal of the first capacitor is electrically connected to the connection point of the antenna radiator via the phase adjustment circuit, wherein
a phase adjustment range of the phase adjustment circuit comprises zero.

8. The antenna structure according to claim 7 , wherein the antenna structure further comprises a second tuning circuit, a first terminal of the second tuning circuit is electrically connected to the first terminal of the first capacitor or the second terminal of the first capacitor, and a second terminal of the second tuning circuit is grounded.

9. The antenna structure according to claim 8 , wherein the second tuning circuit comprises a tuning element and a first matching element connected in series, wherein
a first terminal of the first matching element is electrically connected to the first terminal of the first capacitor or the second terminal of the first capacitor, and a second terminal of the first matching element is grounded via the tuning element.

10. The antenna structure according to claim 9 , wherein
the tuning element is a first switch or a variable capacitor; and
the first matching element comprises a second capacitor and/or a first inductor, wherein
when the first matching element is the second capacitor or the first inductor, the first terminal of the first matching element is electrically connected to the first terminal of the first capacitor or the second terminal of the first capacitor; and
when the first matching element comprises the second capacitor and the first inductor connected in parallel, the first terminal of the first matching element is electrically connected to the first terminal of the first capacitor.

11. The antenna structure according to claim 1 , wherein the first tuning circuit comprises a first sub-tuning circuit and a second sub-tuning circuit connected in parallel, wherein
when the first sub-tuning circuit is in a first working state and the second sub-tuning circuit is in the first working state, the antenna radiator generates a first resonant mode;
when the first sub-tuning circuit is in a second working state and the second sub-tuning circuit is in the first working state, the antenna radiator generates a second resonant mode;
when the first sub-tuning circuit is in the first working state and the second sub-tuning circuit is in the second working state, the antenna radiator generates a third resonant mode; and
when the first sub-tuning circuit is in the second working state and the second sub-tuning circuit is in the second working state, the antenna radiator generates a fourth resonant mode, wherein
resonant frequencies of the first resonant mode, the second resonant mode, the third resonant mode, and the fourth resonant mode are in ascending order.

12. The antenna structure according to claim 11 , wherein the first sub-tuning circuit comprises a second switch and a second matching element, and the second sub-tuning circuit comprises a third switch and a third matching element, wherein
when the second switch and the third switch are both in an off state, the antenna radiator generates the first resonant mode;
when the second switch is in an on state and the third switch is in the off state, the antenna radiator generates the second resonant mode;
when the second switch is in the off state and the third switch is in the on state, the antenna radiator generates the third resonant mode; and
when the second switch and the third switch are both in the on state, the antenna radiator generates the fourth resonant mode.

13. The antenna structure according to claim 12 , wherein the second matching element comprises a second inductor, and the third matching element comprises a third inductor, wherein

Assignees

• Vivo Mobile Communication Co Ltd

Inventors

• Li Rihui
• Jiang Rui
• Hou Zipeng

Classifications

• H01Q9/0442 Primary

  with particular tuning means · CPC title

• H01Q5/328

  between a radiating element and ground · CPC title

• H01Q9/0414

  in a stacked or folded configuration · CPC title

• H01Q1/50 Primary

  Structural association of antennas with earthing switches, lead-in devices or lightning protectors · CPC title

• H01Q1/243 Primary

  with built-in antennas · CPC title