KR102173843B1 - Lens with spatial mixed-order bandpass filter - Google Patents

Abstract

The device includes a substrate layer and a plurality of layers of conductive elements. The first layer of layers of conductive elements comprises a first portion comprising conductive elements having a first structure different from the second structure consisting of conductive elements in a second portion of the first layer. The first layer may be in contact with one side of the substrate layer. The conductive elements in the second layer of the layers of the conductive elements may be in contact with another side of the substrate layer. The lens may include a unit cell of a first type, including at least one conductive element having the first structure and conductive elements having the second structure disposed on other sides of the substrate layer. have. The unit cell of the first type may provide a capacitive load bandpass filter response, and the unit cell of the second type may provide a bandpass filter response.

Description

Lens with spatial mixed-order bandpass filter {LENS WITH SPATIAL MIXED-ORDER BANDPASS FILTER}

The present application relates generally to wireless communication systems, and more particularly, to the use of a lens in the transmission of EM waves.

The lens is capable of collimating the planar wave front of an EM (electromagnetic) wave into one focal point, or conversely, collimating the spherical waves emanating from a point source as plane waves. It is an electronic device. These basic properties are used extensively in a variety of applications such as communications, image processing, radar and space power combining systems.

In the millimeter-wave frequency band that the fifth generation (5G) communication standard can utilize, the lens as a potential solution to overcome the limitations of the gain and beam steering capability of an antenna operating in that frequency band. Is receiving considerable attention.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a lens having a spatial mixed-order bandpass filter and systems and methods related thereto.

In one embodiment, the device comprises a substrate layer and a plurality of layers of conductive elements. The first layer of the layers of conductive elements comprises a first portion comprising conductive elements having a first structure different from the second structure of the conductive elements in the second portion of the first layer.

In yet another embodiment, the method includes transmitting an electromagnetic wave through a lens. The lens comprises a substrate layer and a plurality of layers of conductive elements. The first layer of the plurality of layers of the conductive elements comprises a first portion comprising conductive elements having a first structure different from the second structure of the conductive elements in the second portion of the first layer.

In yet another embodiment, the system includes a lens, at least one antenna, and a transmitter or transceiver. The lens comprises a substrate layer and a plurality of layers of conductive elements. The first layer of the layers of conductive elements comprises a first portion comprising conductive elements having a first structure different from the second structure of the conductive elements in the second portion of the first layer. The at least one antenna is configured to transmit or receive electromagnetic waves through the lens. The transmitter or transceiver is configured to generate a signal for wireless transmission or to receive a signal wirelessly transmitted through the antenna.

Embodiments of the present disclosure also provide a number of design and structural advantages. For example, the frequency selective surface (FSS) lens of the present disclosure may reduce the number of metal and dielectric layers used, which can simplify the design and structure of the lens, and the lens cost, thickness It is possible to reduce (size) and weight, and also reduce or remove foreign substances in the lens structure that may deteriorate performance.

For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure and its advantages, reference should be made to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and the same reference symbols in the drawings indicate the same elements.
1 illustrates an example of a wireless system according to the present disclosure.
2 illustrates an example of an enhanced Node B (eNB) according to the present disclosure.
3 illustrates an example of a user equipment (UE) according to the present disclosure.
4 illustrates an example of a planar frequency selective surface (FSS) lens according to the present disclosure.
5 shows an exploded view of an exemplary topology of a mixed-order bandpass FSS lens according to the present disclosure.
6A and 6B are perspective views illustrating an exemplary arrangement of a unit cell for a second-order bandpass FSS lens according to the present disclosure.
7A-7C show perspective views of exemplary arrangements of unit cells for a capacitively-loaded first-order bandpass FSS lens according to the present disclosure.
8 illustrates an exemplary arrangement and equivalent circuit model of a bandpass FSS lens according to the present disclosure.
9A and 9B illustrate equivalent circuit models for an exemplary second order bandpass FSS and an exemplary capacitive load first order bandpass FSS, respectively, of an FSS lens according to the present disclosure.
10A and 10B respectively illustrate exemplary magnitudes and phase plots of transmittance of a mixed-order bandpass FSS lens according to the present disclosure.

It may be desirable to define words and phrases used in the present patent application document before starting to describe the specific contents of the present invention. The term "couple" and its derivatives refer to any direct or indirect communication between two or more components, whether or not some components are in physical contact with each other. The terms "transmit", "receive" and "communicate" and their derivatives encompass both direct and indirect communication. The term “include, comprise” and its derivatives mean inclusion without any limitation. The term "or" is inclusive and/or means. The term "associated with" and its derivatives are "includes, contains within, is linked to, contains, contains within, to, or is linked to Becomes, is connected to or is connected with, can communicate with, cooperates with, interspersed with, juxtaposed, is close to, is bound by, has, has the characteristics of, and Have a relationship, etc. The term “at least one”, when used with a series of listed items, may use different combinations of one or more of those listed items, and only one of the listed items. It means that only the items of may be required. For example, "at least one of A, B and C" means A, B, C, A and B, A and C, B and C, and A and B And combinations of C.

Definitions of certain other terms and phrases are provided throughout this patent application. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that such definitions, if not in most cases, apply to past uses as well as future uses of the terms and phrases so defined. will be.

The various embodiments used to describe the principles of the present disclosure in FIGS. 1 to 10B discussed below, and in this patent application document, are for illustrative purposes only, and some methods for limiting the scope of the present disclosure. It should not be interpreted as. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the principles of the present disclosure may be implemented with any suitably configured system or apparatus.

The various drawings described below are in wireless communication systems including those using orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) or orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) communication technology, if possible. It can also be implemented. However, the description of these drawings is not meant to imply any physical or structural limitations in the manner in which other embodiments may be implemented. Different embodiments in this disclosure may be implemented with any suitably configured communication systems using any suitable communication technology.

1 illustrates an example of a wireless network 100 according to the present disclosure. The wireless network 100 shown in FIG. 1 is for illustrative purposes only. Other embodiments of the wireless network 100 may be used without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

As shown in FIG. 1, the wireless network 100 includes an eNodeB (eNB) 101, an eNB 102 and an eNB 103. The eNB 101 communicates with the eNB 102 and the eNB 103. The eNB 101 also communicates with at least one Internet Protocol (IP) network 130 such as the Internet, a dedicated IP network, or another data network.

The eNB 102 provides a wireless broadband connection to the network 130 for first multiple user equipments (UEs) within the communicable (coverage) area 120 of the eNB 102. The first plurality of UEs are UE 111 that can be located in a small business (SB), UE 112 that can be located in an enterprise (E), and a UE that can be located in a WiFi spot (HS). (113), UE 114 that may be located in the first residence (R), UE 115 that may be located in the second residence (R), and mobile phones, wireless laptops, wireless PDAs, etc. It includes a UE 116, which may be a possible device (M). The eNB 103 provides wireless broadband access to the network 130 for second multiple user equipments (UEs) within the communication coverage area 125 of the eNB 103. The second plurality of UEs includes a UE 115 and a UE 116. In some embodiments, one or more eNBs 101-103 may communicate with each other and with UEs 111-116 using 5G, LTE, LTE-A, WiMAX, WiFi, or other wireless communication technology. .

Depending on the network type, other well-known terms such as “base station” or “access point” may be used instead of the terms “eNodeB” or “eNB”. For convenience, in this patent specification, terms "eNodeB" and "eNB" are used to refer to components of a network infrastructure that provides wireless access to remote terminals. In addition, depending on the network type, instead of "user equipment" or "UE", "mobile station", "subscriber station", "remote terminal", " Other well-known terms, such as "wireless terminal", or "user device" may be used. For convenience, the terms “user equipment” and “UE” refer to an eNB whether the UE is a mobile device (such as a mobile phone or smartphone) or is usually considered a fixed device (such as a desktop computer or vending machine). It is used herein to refer to a remote wireless device that connects wirelessly.

The dashed lines represent the approximate range of the communicable areas 120 and 125, which are shown approximately circular for purposes of illustration and description only. Coverage areas associated with eNBs, such as communication available areas 120 and 125, may have different shapes, including irregular shapes, depending on the configuration of the eNBs and changes in the wireless environment related to natural and artificial obstacles. It should be clearly understood that there is.

As described in more detail below, the eNBs 101-103 and/or UEs 111-116 may include one or more mixed-order bandpass frequency selective surface (FSS) lenses. There will be.

1 illustrates an example of a wireless network 100, various modifications may be made to FIG. 1. For example, the wireless network 100 may include any number of eNBs and any number of UEs in an appropriate configuration. In addition, the eNB 101 may communicate directly with any number of UEs, and may provide wireless broadband access to the network 130 to the UEs. Likewise, each eNB 102-103 is capable of communicating directly with the network 130, and may provide a direct wireless broadband connection to the network 130 to UEs. Moreover, the eNBs 101, 102, and/or 103 may provide access to other or additional external networks, such as an external telephone network or other types of data networks.

2 illustrates an example of an eNB 102 according to this disclosure. The embodiment of the eNB 102 illustrated in FIG. 2 is for illustrative purposes only, and the eNBs 101 and 103 of FIG. 1 may have the same or similar configuration. However, eNBs are composed of various configurations, and FIG. 2 does not limit the scope of the present disclosure to only certain specific implementations of any eNB.

As shown in Figure 2, the eNB 102 includes a plurality of antennas (205A-205n), a plurality of radio frequency (RF) transceivers (210a-210n), transmit (TX) processing circuit 215, and receive (RX) processing circuit 220. The eNB 102 also includes a control unit/processor 225, a memory 230, and a backhaul or network interface 235.

The RF transceivers 210a-210n receive input RF signals such as signals transmitted by UEs of the wireless network 100 from antennas 105a-205n. The RF transceivers 210a to 210n down-convert the received RF signals to generate an intermediate frequency (IF) or baseband signal. The IF or baseband signal is transmitted to an RX processing circuit 220, which filters, decodes, and/or digitizes the IF or baseband signal to generate a processed baseband signal. The RX processing circuit 220 transmits the processed baseband signal to the controller/processor 225 for subsequent processing.

The TX processing circuit 215 receives analog or digital data (voice data, web data, email, or interactive video game data) from the control unit/processor 225. The TX processing circuit 215 encodes, multiplexes, and/or digitizes baseband data for transmission to generate processed baseband or IF signals. The RF transceivers 210a-210n receive the processed baseband or IF signals for transmission from the TX processing circuit 215, and transmit the baseband or IF signals through the antennas 205a-205n. Up-convert to.

The control unit/processor 225 may include one or more processors or other processing devices that control the overall operation of the eNB 102. For example, the control unit/processor 225 may receive forward channel signals and reverse channel signals by RF transceivers 210a-210n, RX processing circuit 220, and TX processing circuit 215 according to known principles. It is possible to control the transmission of signals. The control unit/processor 225 may also support additional functions such as more advanced wireless communication functions. For example, the control unit/processor 225 may perform beamforming in which transmission signals from a plurality of antennas 205a-205n are weighted differently in order to effectively steer the transmission signals in a desired direction. Or it may support directional routing operations. Any of a variety of other functions may be supported at the eNB 102 by the controller/processor 225. In some embodiments, control/processor 225 includes at least one microprocessor or micro-controller.

The control unit/processor 225 may also execute programs that reside in the memory 230 and other processes, such as a basic OS. The control unit/processor 225 may move data into or out of the memory 230 as required by the executing process.

The controller/processor 225 is also connected to a backhaul or network interface 235. The backhaul or network interface 235 described above enables the eNB 102 to communicate with other devices or systems over a network or over a backhaul connection. Interface 235 may support communication over any suitable wired or wireless connection(s). For example, when the eNB 102 is implemented as part of a cellular communication system (such as a system that supports 5G, LTE, or LTE-A), the interface 235 may allow the eNB 102 to perform a wired or wireless backhaul. It may enable to communicate with other eNBs over the connection. When the eNB 102 is implemented as an access point, the interface 235 allows the eNB 102 to connect to a wired or wireless local area network (LAN), or to a larger network (such as the Internet). It can make it possible to communicate over the connection. Interface 235 includes any suitable structure that supports communication over a wired or wireless connection, such as an Ethernet or RF transceiver.

The memory 230 is connected to the control unit/processor 225. A portion of the memory 230 may include random access memory (RAM), and another portion of the memory 230 may include a flash memory or other read-only memory (ROM).

As described in more detail below, the eNB 102 may include one or multiple mixed-order bandpass FSS lenses.

Although FIG. 2 illustrates an example of the eNB 102, various changes may be made to FIG. 2. For example, the eNB 102 described above may include any number of each component shown in FIG. 2. As one particular example, the access point may include a number of interfaces 235, and the controller/processor 225 may also support routing functions to route data between different network addresses. As another particular example, the eNB 102 is shown here to include the RX processing circuit 220 in the case of a single configuration and the TX processing circuit 215 in the case of a single configuration. Each of the processing circuits (such as one per RF transceiver) may be included. In addition, various elements in FIG. 2 may be combined, additionally divided or omitted, and additional elements may be added according to specific needs.

3 illustrates an example of a UE 116 according to this disclosure. The embodiment of the UE 116 illustrated in FIG. 3 is for illustrative purposes only, and the UEs 111-115 of FIG. 1 may have the same or similar configuration. However, UEs have various configurations, and FIG. 3 does not limit the scope of the present disclosure to a specific implementation of any one UE.

3, the UE 116 includes an antenna 305, a radio frequency (RF) transceiver 310, a transmit (TX) processing circuit 315, a microphone 320, and a receive (RX) processing circuit ( 325). The UE 116 also includes a speaker 330, a main processor 340, an input/output (I/O) interface (IF) 345, a keypad 350, a display 355, and a memory 360. . The memory 360 includes a basic operating system (OS) program 361 and one or more applications 362.

The RF transceiver 310 receives a received RF signal transmitted by the eNB of the network 100 from the antenna 305. The RF transceiver 310 down-converts the received RF signal to generate an intermediate frequency (IF) or baseband signal. The IF or baseband signal is sent to RX processing circuit 325 to filter, decode, and/or digitize the IF or baseband signal to produce a processed baseband signal. The RX processing circuit 325 transmits the processed baseband signal to the speaker 330 (for voice data) or the main processor 340 (for web browsing data) to perform subsequent processing.

The TX processing circuit 315 receives analog or digital voice data from the microphone 320 or other transmission baseband data (such as web data, email, or interactive video game data) from the main processor 340 do. The TX processing circuit 315 generates a processed baseband or IF signal by encoding, multiplexing, and/or digitizing baseband data for transmission. The RF transceiver 310 receives the processed transmission baseband or IF signal from the TX processing circuit 315, and up-converts the baseband or IF signal into an RF signal transmitted through the antenna 305.

The main processor 340 includes one or more processors, or other processing devices, and may execute a basic OS program 361 stored in the memory 360 in order to control the overall operation of the UE 116. . For example, the main processor 340 may receive forward channel signals and reverse channel signals by the RF transceiver 310, the RX processing circuit 325, and the TX processing circuit 315 according to principles known in the art. It is possible to control the transmission of signals. In some embodiments, main processor 340 includes at least one microprocessor or micro-controller.

The main processor 340 may also execute other processes and programs residing in the memory 360. The main processor 340 may move data into or out of the memory 360 as required by the executing process. In some embodiments, the main processor 340 is configured to execute the applications 362 based on the OS program 361 or in response to signals received from eNBs or an operator. The main processor 340 is also connected to an I/O interface 345 that provides the UE 116 with the ability to connect to other devices such as laptop computers or portable computers. The I/O interface 345 is a communication path between these peripheral devices and the main processor 340.

The main processor 340 is also connected to the keypad 350 and the display device 355. An operator of UE 116 may use its keypad 350 to enter data into UE 116. The display device 355 may be a liquid crystal display device or other display device capable of providing text and/or at least limited graphics such as those provided from a website.

The memory 360 is connected to the main processor 340. A part of the memory 360 may include a random access memory (RAM), and another part of the memory 360 may include a flash memory or another read-only memory (ROM).

As described in more detail below, UE 116 may include one or multiple mixed-order bandpass FSS lenses.

Although FIG. 3 illustrates an example of UE 116, various changes may be made to FIG. 3. For example, various elements in FIG. 3 may be combined, further divided, or omitted, and other additional elements may be added according to specific needs. As one particular example, the main processor 340 may be divided into a plurality of processors, such as one or a plurality of central processing units (CPUs) and one or a plurality of graphics processing units (GPUs). Also, while FIG. 3 illustrates the UE 116 configured as a mobile phone or smartphone, such UEs may be configured to operate as other types of portable or stationary devices.

Embodiments of the present disclosure recognize and take into account the fact that lenses may provide a number of significant advances to antennas used in communication systems including microwave and millimeter wave (MMW) communication systems. These advancements include improved link availability and increased antenna directivity for specific point-to-point (point-to-point) communications, better signal-to-noise ratio, data capacity and link reliability, the use of more effective antenna radiation patterns, and It may include reduction of antenna side-lobes to reduce interference from other radio waves and reduction of antenna loss for lower system power consumption. The lens provides this improvement while maintaining the steerability of the antenna pattern beam, which is useful in many microwave and MMW communication systems. Moreover, this enhancement can be implemented using only a passive structure to avoid the complexity and energy losses associated with the approach when active elements are used to achieve such an improvement.

Embodiments of the present disclosure also recognize and take into account the fact that a phase shift implemented by a frequency selective surface (FSS) can be used to design a planar lens. In such a lens, a wide range of phase shifts may be handled by tuning high-order bandpass FSSs. For example, by cascading multiple primary FSSs at intervals of quarter wavelength between each panel, the overall thickness of the FSS is increased, and the incident angle and polarization of EM waves are increased. ) Can improve the sensitivity of the frequency response. Advances in FSS technology also enable the synthesis of low-profile, high-order bandpass FSSs composed only of a non-resonant periodic structure. One type of FSS uses a pair of inductive and capacitive layers to increase the bandpass response of one or more orders. However, the stacked geometry with multiple bonding layers becomes a bottleneck for commercial MMW applications due to the high cost and performance degradation caused by the multiple bonding layers.

Embodiments of the present disclosure also recognize and take into account that any of the planar lens technologies for microwave or MMW systems have fatal drawbacks and thus hinder practical applications. Such shortcomings may include:

• Bulk and size-To obtain a phase shift for collimation or focusing, a full dielectric lens is thick, large and heavy.

Complexity-A configuration involving multiple metal and dielectric layers, alternating metal layers with different and complex layout designs, and bonding layers between dielectric layers that have dielectric and electrical properties that do not match other dielectric layers. Doing this increases the insertion loss, manufacturing cost and weight of the planar lens.

Additionally, the disadvantages of some higher order bandpass FSS lenses may include:

● High manufacturing costs due to large numbers of substrates, metals, and bonding layers

● High ohmic loss due to the presence of multiple metal trace elements

● High dielectric loss due to large number of substrates and bonding layers

• Poor fabrication tolerance due to mismatch in material properties between bonding layers and dielectric layers.

Thus, various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a low-cost low-profile planar lens. The lenses of the present disclosure can be used in a number of ways, such as for enhancing the gain/pattern of radiating elements (such as antennas) operating in wireless communication platforms such as UEs and eNBs. Moreover, various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a planar lens in a thinner configuration so as to cover components less complexly. Moreover, the lenses in various embodiments of the present disclosure may improve system gain at the RF front end without using active devices, thereby improving signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Additionally, an increase in the power level of the received signal may enable a more reliable wireless connection and a reduction in power consumption in the overall system.

In various embodiments of this embodiment, the planar lens utilizes a mixed-order bandpass filter response, which may enable a reduction in the number of substrate and metal layers in the lens while maintaining a phase shift object. In some embodiments, the planar lens of the present disclosure utilizes a spatial mixed-order bandpass filter of a single substrate comprising one dielectric substrate and two metal layers. This approach enables a reduction in the number of substrates and metal layers while maintaining the desired targets for phase shift. For example, some conventional lenses utilize a third order bandpass filter response, four substrates, five metal layers, and three bonding layers (both inductive and capacitive layers are used here). However, to achieve a significant or greater positive phase shift, the single-substrate spatial mixed-order bandpass lens of the present disclosure uses one substrate and two metal layers, and may not require bonding layers.

4 illustrates an example of a planar FSS lens 400 according to the present disclosure. In this example, the phase shift is implemented by the phase response of the FSS of the lens 400. The aperture of the lens 400 is divided into a number of different zones (such as Zone1, Zone2, ..., ZoneN). As shown in Fig. 4, light passing through different regions of the FSS undergoes different amounts of phase shift. More specifically, the phase shift experienced by the light passing through the lens 400 decreases as the light is further away from the center of the lens 400, and therefore, higher phase shifts near the center of the lens 400 are And there are lower phase shifts near the edge of the lens 400.

It may be necessary or desirable to reduce the focal length f of the lens 400 for compact wireless devices that require a small form factor, such as UEs. Reducing the focal length may involve maximizing the difference in phase shift across the lens 400 (where Δφ _diff = |φ ₁ -φ _N |). The Δφ _diff value described above is determined by a tunable range of the phase shift of the FSS elements within the passband of the FSS. Lens 400 may achieve such an adjustable range by slightly modifying the size of the FSS elements according to the number of zones.

Other design parameters for the lens 400 include the size of the lens aperture (AP), the thickness of the lens 400 (t), and the size of the FSS unit cell. When the aperture size increases, the focusing gain increases, but the focal length f also increases when Δφ _diff is fixed. The lens thickness is related to the sensitivity of the lens 400 to the angle of incidence of the EM wave. Additionally, the smaller the FSS unit cells lead to a higher focal resolution of the lens 400, but it may require better tolerances in the manufacturing process. The lens 400 design parameters described above may be determined by considering compromises between performance, size and manufacturing conditions.

5 illustrates an exploded view of an exemplary arrangement of a mixed-order bandpass FSS lens 500 according to the present disclosure. In this example, the lens 500 includes one substrate layer 505 and two layers of conductive elements 510 and 515. Although described in more detail below, the lens 500 is that the lens 500 includes a capacitively-loaded first-order bandpass FSS portion 520 and a second-order bandpass FSS portion 525. Is mixed-order in Portion 530 of layer 510 is enlarged to illustrate details of the pattern of conductive elements present in layer 510, which is described in more detail below.

6A and 6B illustrate perspective views of an exemplary arrangement of a unit cell 600 for a second bandpass FSS according to the present disclosure. In the exemplary embodiment, the unit cell 600 is an example of a unit cell existing in a cross section of the second bandpass FSS portion 525 of the lens 500 in FIG. 5. In FIG. 6A, the unit cell 600 is a portion 605 of the substrate layer 505 present in the unit cell 600 so that the structure of the conductive element 610 in the layer 510 of the conductive element can be seen. It is shown in side view in the state described as being transparent. In FIG. 6B, the unit cell 600 is depicted as a top view and/or a bottom view with the structure of the conductive element 610 and/or the conductive element 615 separated from the base portion 605 of the substrate layer 505. Has become.

The unit cell 600 is a secondary bandpass FSS. For example, the combination of a dielectric in substrate portion 605 and a metal in conductive elements 610 and 615 provides a bandpass filter response for EM waves propagating through unit cell 600. Each side of the unit cell 600 provides a single-order bandpass FSS so that the unit cell 600 is a second order bandpass FSS. The plurality of unit cells 600 form the second bandpass FSS portion 525 of the lens 500. For example, the outer portions of the lens 500 may utilize a second bandpass FSS. Different amounts of phase shifts and adjustment of phase shifts may be obtained by changing characteristics of the unit cell 600. These properties include, for example, the size of the conductive elements 610/615 in the conductive layers 510/515, the thickness of the conductive elements 610/615 in the conductive layers 510/515, g1 (conductive The size(s) of the gaps between adjacent conductive elements 610/615 in the layers 510/515), g2 (the size(s) of the gaps in the conductive layers 510/515), L (the size of the The length between the gaps on opposite ends), w (the width between gaps on the same end of the conductive element), and/or other properties of the structure of the conductive layers 510/515 in the unit cell 600. .

It should be noted that the structure of the conductive elements 610/615 shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B is for the purpose of illustrating an example of a second order bandpass FSS. Other suitable structural shapes (such as rectangles, triangles, and ellipses) may be utilized. Optionally, any number of different sizes, positions, and number of spacings within conductive elements 610/615 may be suitably utilized in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

7A to 7C illustrate perspective views of an example of the arrangement of the unit cell 700 for the capacitive load primary bandpass FSS according to the present disclosure. In the present exemplary embodiment, the unit cell 700 is an example of a unit cell present in the cross-sectional area of the first-order bandpass FSS portion 520 of the lens 500 in FIG. 5.

In FIG. 7A, the unit cell 700 is a part 705 of the substrate layer 505 present in the unit cell 700 so that the structure of the conductive element 710 in the layer 510 of the conductive element can be seen. It is shown in side view in the state described as being transparent. In FIG. 7B, the unit cell 700 is depicted from one side (such as a top view and/or a bottom view) with the structure of the conductive element 710 separated from the base portion 705 of the substrate layer 505. In FIG. 7C, the unit cell 700 is depicted from the other side (such as a top view and/or a bottom view) as a state in which the structure of the conductive element 715 is again distinguished from the base portion 705 of the substrate layer 505. . In various embodiments, the conductive elements 710/715 have the same structure as the conductive elements 610/615 in the unit cell 600.

The unit cell 700 is a capacitive load first-order bandpass FSS. For example, the combination of the dielectric in the substrate portion 705 and the metal in the conductive elements 710 is a capacitive filter for EM waves propagating through the side surface 720 of the unit cell 700. Provide a response. For example, the structure of the conductive elements may have a patch structure such as a rectangular shape, which provides a capacitive filter response to EM waves propagating through the side surface 720 of the unit cell 700. do. Likewise, as described above with respect to FIGS. 6A and 6B, the combination of the dielectric in the substrate portion 705 and the metal in the conductive elements 715 is the EM propagating through the side surface 725 of the unit cell 700. It provides a bandpass filter response for the waves. Thus, the unit cell 700 is a “capacitively loaded” first order bandpass FSS.

A plurality of such unit cells 700 form a capacitive load first-order bandpass FSS portion 520 of the lens 500. For example, inner portions of the lens 500 may utilize the capacitive load first order bandpass FSS. Different amounts of phase shifts and adjustment of phase shifts may be obtained by changing characteristics of the unit cell 700. As described above with respect to FIGS. 6A and 6B, these characteristics are, for example, the size, thickness, g1, g2, L, w, and/or of the conductive elements 710/715 in the unit cell 700. Includes other characteristics of the structure. Additionally, the side (720) is the size(s) of the spacing between adjacent conductive elements 710 at that side 720 and/or at the portion 525 of layer 510 of the lens 500 It includes a property g3 that refers to.

It should be noted that the examples of the unit cells 600 and 700 described above are for showing the structure and arrangement of individual conductive elements in their respective layers, and are merely examples. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the lens 500 includes a plurality of unit cells, and the substrate layer 505 is essentially continuous over the plurality of unit cells or does not break.

8 illustrates an exemplary arrangement and equivalent circuit model of a bandpass FSS 800 according to the present disclosure. In this example, the FSS 800 is a portion of the layer 510 in the second order portion 525 or a side portion of the lens 500 having a band-pass filter metal layer structure such as the layer 515 May be. As shown in FIG. 8, the combination of the metal of the conductive element layer(s) 510 and the dielectric of the substrate layer 505 provides a bandpass filter response to EM waves propagating through the bandpass FSS 800. to provide. The circuit model 805 illustrates a shunt inductor implemented on a single surface including conductive elements and dielectric gaps and a shunt resonator including a shunt capacitor.

9A and 9B illustrate equivalent circuit models for an example of a second-order bandpass FSS and an example of a capacitive load first-order bandpass FSS of an FSS lens according to the present disclosure, respectively. In this example, the circuit model 900 is an equivalent circuit of phase shift obtained by an EM wave propagating through the second-order bandpass portions of the FSS lens, such as portion 525 in the lens 500. Is shown. As depicted, the model 900 includes two bandpass filter responses (a capacitor in parallel with the inductor). Circuit model 905 shows an equivalent circuit of phase shift obtained by EM waves propagating through a capacitive load first order bandpass FSS, such as portion 520 in lens 500. As shown, the model 905 includes one bandpass filter response (a capacitor in parallel relationship with the inductor) on one side, and the other side has a capacitive filter response. The circuit models 900 and 905 described above are for the purpose of illustrating an equivalent circuit or approximate representation of the phase shift characteristics of different parts of the FSS lens 500.

The capacitive load in the first order bandpass FSS lowers the overall phase shift values for the portion 520 of the FSS lens 500 at the operating frequency of the lens 500. The capacitive load described above may enable the portion 520 of the FSS lens 500 described above to process phase shifts in a new adjustable range that may not be processed by the bandpass dedicated spatial FSS. For example, the adjustable range of phase shift for bandpass spatial FSSs of different orders may overlap. As a result, a mixed-order bandpass only FSS may not provide additional adjustable range of phase shifts beyond that of the highest order in the bandpass FSS. For example, the adjustable range of phase shift for first and second order bandpass FSSs may be included within an adjustable range of phase shift for third order bandpass FSS. On the other hand, the capacitive load of the portion 520 of the FSS lens 500 changes the slope of the lower cutoff frequency response, which is the second-order bandpass FSS portion of the FSS lens 500 Shift the adjustable range of phase shifts for the capacitively loaded primary FSS portion 520 of the FSS lens 500 to address a range that may not be processed by 525.

Without increasing the order of the filter response by combining the capacitively loaded first order bandpass FSS portion 520 with the second order bandpass FSS portion 525 to form a mixed-order bandpass FSS lens 500 It achieves an improvement in the tunable range of the phase shift of the FSS lens structure. In other words, the capacitive loaded first and second order FSS lenses of the present disclosure may provide an adjustable range of phase shift comparable to that of a third order bandpass filter, which is not expected for bandpass filters. Is not. Additionally, using a single substrate, such as a third order bandpass FSS lens, provides a comparable adjustable range of phase shift (this may require multiple substrates and bonding layers), as described herein. It offers several advantages.

10A and 10B respectively illustrate exemplary magnitudes and phase plots of transmittance of a mixed-order bandpass FSS lens according to the present disclosure. 10A illustrates a configuration 1000 for the magnitude response of different portions of the FSS lens 500. 10B illustrates a configuration 1005 for the frequency response of different portions of the FSS lens 500. As illustrated, the phase response of the first order portions of the FSS lens 500 does not overlap with the phase response of the second order portions of the FSS lens 500. As a result, the adjustable range 1010 of the mixed-order FSS lens 500 increases. In this example, the adjustable range 1010 of the FSS lens 500 may be about 200°. This adjustable range may be larger than any third order bandpass FSS lens, which may utilize a much larger number of metal, substrate and/or bonding layers. Accordingly, the mixed-order bandpass FSS lens 500 can achieve a desired purpose of obtaining an adjustable range of an appropriate phase shift while reducing the size, thickness, and/or limitation of machining of the existing lens. .

In certain embodiments, the lens 500 may represent a single-substrate mixed-order bandpass FSS lens designed for 28.2 GHz operating frequency having a unit cell size of 2.7 mm, and the substrates (Rogers 3003) has a dielectric constant and a thickness of 3 mm and 0.5 mm, respectively. In these embodiments, the lens 500 provides a sub-wavelength filtering function. For example, the size or lateral dimension of the conductive elements, and the total thickness of the lens may be less than the wavelength of the operating frequency designed for the spatial phase shift by the lens 500.

In order to achieve different phases of phase shift, design parameters (such as g1, g2, g3, w, and L) are roughly adjusted for the second and capacitive load first order bandpass portions. For example, values for the design parameters of the FSS lens 500 for a 28.2 GHz design are listed in the notes to the configuration diagrams 1000 and 1005 above. The above values and dimensions are by way of example only and are not intended to limit the different dimensions that may be utilized according to embodiments of the present disclosure. For example, the size, number, and/or spacing of conductive elements in any of the above-described layers may increase or decrease based on various factors such as phase shift, lens thickness, and/or machining tolerance.

The mixed-order bandpass FSS lens 500 of the present disclosure may utilize less metal and dielectric layers than those of conventional planar lenses while providing a similar or better range of spatial phase shift. The first capacitively loaded elements may be disposed at the center of the FSS lens 500, while the second order elements may be disposed around the outside of the lens. To provide a greater phase delay for collimating or focusing EM waves near the center of the lens, first order capacitive loading elements of higher absolute phase delay are used in the center of the lens 500. For the outer region of the lens 500 the second order elements provide a smaller absolute phase delay, but contribute to a wider phase delay for adjustment of collimation or focusing of the planar lens 500 described above.

Depending on the implementation, using the mixed-order bandpass FSS lens of the present disclosure may include the following advantages.

● Lower manufacturing cost due to single substrate layer

● Lower manufacturing costs due to elimination of the need for bonding layers

● Lower dielectric loss due to fewer substrates and bonding layers

● Lower ohmic losses due to fewer metal or conductive layers

In various embodiments, the FSS lens may improve coverage of a beam steering angle. For example, an FSS lens may include phase shifters that allow waves propagating through the lens to be focused at any desired angle. In other embodiments, the FSS lens may be utilized for beam broadening. This beam expansion can provide different levels of beam widths for different angles of radiation, which can enable multi-functional wireless communication (such as antenna diversity).

The various embodiments described above describe FSS lenses as being used in conjunction with a patch array antenna, but the FSS lenses of the present disclosure are of any type, such as a horn antenna, a monopole antenna, a dipole antenna, and a slot antenna. It can also be used with antennas. Additionally, although some figures have illustrated the shape of the FSS lens as being flat, the FSS lens may be a curved, non-planar, and/or conformal lens. In addition, although the use of metals for the conductive elements described above is described, such conductive elements could also be made from other conductive material(s). Moreover, although the shape of the conductive elements is illustrated as being rectangular or square in some figures, the conductive elements may have other shapes. For example, the conductive elements may be square, elliptical, circular, octagonal, or straight as well as shapes with curved edges. Additionally, the FSS lens of the present disclosure may be designed and manufactured for applications involving approximately any RF frequency range ranging from several megahertz to hundreds of gigahertz (such as 1 MHz to 300 GHz). Finally, the planar lenses of the present disclosure can be manufactured and integrated with a variety of platforms without the need for stringent manufacturing processes. For example, the pattern in the planar lenses of the present disclosure may be made two-dimensionally without requiring a vertical structure.

Embodiments of the present disclosure bring about several significant improvements to antennas for wireless communication systems and other applications. For example, the FSS lenses of the present disclosure may increase antenna gain and directivity, decrease antenna pattern side-lobe, and decrease antenna loss. These technical enhancements provide many commercial and market advantages for certain products and systems using such lenses. For example, the FSS lenses of the present disclosure may provide higher data throughput or higher data capacity. The higher the antenna gain of an antenna with lenses, the higher the value of the signal-to-noise ratio is produced, and the higher the value of the signal-to-noise ratio provides higher data throughput and higher data capacities. .

As another example, the FSS lenses of the present disclosure may provide better connection availability and better connection establishments. The FSS lenses described above can provide a higher gain and stronger signal, and the stronger the signal between eNBs and UEs (or between other devices) provides a more reliable initial connection setup between the devices. do. The FSS lenses of the present disclosure can also provide a more reliable wireless connection due to the higher directivity and higher interference suppression of the antenna with the lens. The directivity of better beam steering provides alignment of the antenna pattern with the communication path or channel. Higher directivity and lower side-lobes also reduce the level of unwanted signals eavesdropping along the desired communication path. The FSS lenses of the present disclosure can also provide a wider range of UEs to lower density eNBs. The higher antenna gain allows UEs to operate further away from the eNBs even with similar transmitter power, so fewer eNBs are possible within a given area.

As another example, FSS lenses of the present disclosure can provide longer battery life for portable or consumer products. The improved gain of the mobile antenna enables a reduction in transmitter power for comparable signal levels. The improved gain of the eNB antenna described above provides a reduction in power required for the receiver in the UE. The improved gain reduces the power consumed in the UE's electronics and enables longer time operation between battery recharge cycles. The FSS lenses of the present disclosure can also provide a wider variety of features and functions to smaller or general products. The provision of the improved antenna directivity or gain makes it possible to reduce the area used by the antenna. The extra space for components necessary for other system functions or features may be reallocated, or such extra area may be used to reduce the overall size or volume of the UE or eNB.

Although the present disclosure has been described as an exemplary embodiment, various changes and modifications may be suggested to those skilled in the art. This disclosure is intended to cover all such changes and modifications falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (22)

In the device,
A lens comprising layers of conductive elements and a substrate layer,
The first layer of layers made of the conductive elements comprises a first part including conductive elements having a first structure and a second part including conductive elements having a second structure different from the first structure,
The lens is a mixed-order frequency selective surface (FSS) lens, having a center including conductive elements of different structures on both sides of the substrate layer, and the same type of structure on both sides of the substrate layer. Device, characterized in that it comprises an enclosure comprising conductive elements. The method of claim 1,
The first layer is in contact with one side of the substrate layer,
The device according to claim 1, wherein the conductive elements in the second layer of the layers of conductive elements are in contact with another side of the substrate layer and have the first structure. 3. The device of claim 2, wherein the size and thickness of the conductive elements with the first structure vary in the second layer of conductive elements. The method of claim 1,
The center includes a unit cell of the first type,
The unit cell of the first type,
At least one conductive element having the first structure disposed on one side of the substrate layer; And
And conductive elements having the second structure disposed on another side of the substrate layer. The method of claim 4,
And the unit cell of the first type is configured to provide a capacitive load bandpass filter response to electromagnetic waves passing through the unit cell of the first type. The method of claim 5,
The outer portion includes a second type of unit cell including conductive elements disposed on both sides of the substrate layer,
And the second type of unit cell is configured to provide a bandpass filter response to electromagnetic waves passing through the second type of unit cell. The method of claim 1,
A device, characterized in that the size and thickness of the conductive elements having the first structure and the second structure vary on the first layer of conductive elements. The method of claim 1,
The first structure is a band pass filter structure, and the second structure is a patch structure. The method of claim 1,
The device, characterized in that the range of phase shift response to electromagnetic waves passing through the lens is based on at least one spacing between the conductive elements in the layers of the conductive elements. The method of claim 1,
The device, characterized in that the lens comprises only two layers of conductive elements and one substrate layer. delete The method of claim 1,
The device, characterized in that the lateral dimensions of the conductive elements and the thickness of the lens are less than the wavelength of the operating frequency for spatial phase shifting. delete delete delete delete delete delete In the system,
A plurality of layers of conductive elements and a substrate layer, wherein a first layer of layers made of conductive elements has a first portion including conductive elements having a first structure and a second structure different from the first structure A lens comprising a second portion comprising conductive elements;
At least one antenna configured to transmit or receive electromagnetic waves through the lens; And
A transmitter or transceiver configured to generate signals for wireless transmission or to receive signals transmitted wirelessly through the antenna,
The lens is a mixed-order frequency selective surface (FSS) lens, having a center including conductive elements of different structures on both sides of the substrate layer, and the same type of structure on both sides of the substrate layer. A system comprising an enclosure comprising conductive elements. The method of claim 19,
The first layer is in contact with one side of the substrate layer,
Wherein the conductive elements in the second layer of layers of the conductive elements are in contact with another side of the substrate layer and have the first structure. The method of claim 19,
Wherein said transmitter or said transceiver, at least one antenna, and lens form part of a user device. The method of claim 19,
The system, characterized in that the transmitter or the transceiver, at least one antenna, and a lens form part of an eNB (eNodeB).

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