Abstract:
A feed network includes an adjustable electromechanical phase shifter that comprises a main printed circuit board and a phase shifting unit. The adjustable electromechanical phase shifter is configured to shift the phase of an RF signal that is input to the feed network and provide the phase shifted RF signal to at least one radiating element that is positioned on a first side of a reflector of an antenna, where the phase shifting unit is formed on the surface of a first side of the main printed circuit board, and the first side of the main printed circuit board is a side that is closer to the at least one radiating element, and the main printed circuit board is positioned on the first side of the reflector.
Abstract:
The present invention provides a phase shifter assembly for an array antenna, comprising: a first level phase shifter, wherein the first level phase shifter is configured to control the phases of a plurality of sub-arrays of the array antenna, where each sub-array comprises one or more radiating elements; a second level phase shifter, wherein the second level phase shifter is configured to proportionally change the phases of the radiating elements in the corresponding sub-arrays; and a power divider, wherein the power divider is connected between the first level phase shifter and the second level phase shifter. The phase shifter assembly has the advantages of both a distributed phase shifter network and a lumped phase shifter network. Specifically, the phase shifter assemblies can independently control the phases of the radiating elements in the array to obtain better sidelobe suppression. Further, phase control parts of the phase shifter are concentrated within a certain physical space range, so the size of the phase shifter assembly may be greatly decreased, and the cost may be greatly reduced, as compared with a conventional distributed phase shifter assembly design.
Abstract:
A patch antenna comprises a multilayer printed circuit board that includes a calibration network, an array of patch radiators and a feed network. In some embodiments, the multilayer printed circuit board includes a plurality of dielectric substrates, wherein the array of patch radiators is provided on a dielectric substrate different from the dielectric substrate on which the calibration network is provided, and the dielectric substrate provided with the array of patch radiators is provided above the dielectric substrate provided with the calibration network.
Abstract:
An antenna assembly includes a substrate (52) having front and back surfaces (52a, 52b) thereon and a plurality of through-holes (70) therein, along with a solder pad (68) on the back surface of the substrate. An input cable is also provided, which is attached to the back surface of the substrate. The input cable includes an outer conductor (62), which contacts the back surface of the substrate, and an inner conductor (56), which extends at least partially through a first of the plurality of through-holes and is electrically connected to the solder pad. A metal trace (e.g., 50-ohm trace) is provided on the front surface of the substrate. The metal trace is electrically connected to the solder pad by electrically conductive plating in a second of the plurality of through-holes (see Fig. 6a).
Abstract:
Base station antennas, and components for base station antennas, such as reflectors, feeder components, frames, and column components. A base station antenna may include a reflector; a first radiator located at the front side of the reflector; mutually parallel first and second ground plates extending backward from the reflector and basically perpendicular to the reflector; and a first conductor strip extending between the first and second ground plates and configured to feed power to the first radiator. The first conductor strip and the first and second ground plates may be configured as a first stripline transmission line. The reflector and the first and second ground plates may be configured as one piece so that the reflector is grounded via the first and second ground plates without soldering.
Abstract:
An antenna comprises an array of radiating elements including a first column located at a side portion of the antenna and a second column located at a middle portion of the antenna. A feed network for the antenna comprises a filter at least partially filtering out a signal within the first sub-band of an operating frequency band of the antenna, such that the signal strength of a first sub-component of the signal within the first sub-band for the first column is smaller than the signal strength of a second sub-component of the signal within the first sub-band for the second column, and the signal strength of a first sub-component of the signal within a second sub-band of the operating frequency band of the antenna for the first column is not smaller than the signal strength of a second sub-component of the signal within the second sub-band for the second column.
Abstract:
A multi-band base station antenna includes a linear array having a plurality of radiating elements arranged in a vertical direction. The radiating elements comprise first and second sets of radiating elements that each include one or more radiating elements. The first set of radiating elements operates in both first and second frequency bands, while the second set of radiating elements operates in the first frequency band but not in the second frequency band.
Abstract:
A multi-band radiating array includes a planar reflector, first radiating elements defining a first column on the planar reflector, second radiating elements defining a second column on the planar reflector alongside the first column, and third radiating elements interspersed between the second radiating elements in the second column. The first radiating elements have a first operating frequency range, the second radiating elements have a second operating frequency range that is lower than the first operating frequency range, and the third radiating elements have a third, narrowband operating frequency range that is higher than the second operating frequency range but lower than the first operating frequency range. Respective capacitors are coupled between elongated arm segments and an elongated stalk of the third radiating elements, and a common mode resonance of the third radiating elements is present in a lower frequency range than the second operating frequency range,
Abstract:
An assembly for a base station antenna includes a calibration device and at least one phase shifter mounted on the calibration device. The at least one phase shifter is electrically connected to the calibration device without a cable. The phase shifter may be mounted on the calibration device at an angle (e.g., perpendicular to the calibration device).
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a cavity phase shifter with a housing having at least one cavity and a transmission line mounted in the cavity. The transmission line is provided with an input end and an output end. The output end of the transmission line is electrically connected to another transmission line outside the cavity without the aid of a cable. The cavity phase shifter also includes a movable element mounted within the cavity. Movement of the movable element is configured to adjust a phase shift experienced by an RF signal that travels between the input end and output end of the transmission line. The cavity phase shifter can be provided in a base station antenna having a reflector; a feed board mounted forwardly of the reflector; and a radiating element extending forwardly from the feed board. The phase shifter is mounted rearward of the reflector. The phase shifter includes a printed circuit board that extends perpendicularly to the feed board, and an output end of a transmission line on the printed circuit board is soldered to a trace on the feed board. Thus, the insertion loss associated with the phase cables would be reduced and the gain performance of the antenna can be improved.