High gain and large bandwidth antenna incorporating a built-in differential feeding scheme
An antenna and a base station including the antenna. The antenna includes a sub-array that includes first and second unit cells and a feed network. The first and second unit cells comprise first and second patches, respectively, having quadrilateral shapes. The feed network comprises a first transmission line terminating below first corners of the first and second patches, respectively; a second transmission line terminating below third corners of the first and second patches, respectively; a third transmission line terminating below a second corner of the first patch and a fourth corner of the second patch; and a fourth transmission line terminating below a fourth corner of the first patch and a second corner of the second patch. The first corners are opposite the third corners on the respective first and second patches and the second corners are opposite the fourth corners on the respective first and second patches.
1. A base station, comprising:
an radio frequency (RF) transceiver configured to provide RF signals to be transmitted; and
an antenna array configured to radiate the RF signals, the antenna array comprising a sub-array, wherein the sub-array comprises:
a first transmission line,
a second transmission line;
vertical feeds;
a first antenna element that includes horizontal feeds; and
a second antenna element that includes horizontal feeds,
wherein the first transmission line and the second transmission line are connected with the horizontal feeds of the first antenna element and of the second antenna element via the vertical feeds,
wherein the first transmission line feeds two vertical feeds that correspond to the first antenna element and feeds two vertical feeds that correspond to the second antenna element, and
wherein the second transmission line feeds two vertical feeds that correspond to the first antenna element and feeds two vertical feeds that correspond to the second antenna element.
2. The base station of claim 1 , wherein the antenna array further includes decoupling elements for the first and second antenna elements, the decoupling elements configured to modify a cross-polarization rejection ratio.
3. The base station of claim 1 , wherein the first transmission line includes phase-shifting portions.
4. The base station of claim 1 , wherein the second transmission line includes hybrid couplers.
5. The base station of claim 4 , wherein the hybrid couplers are built-in 180 degree hybrid couplers of the second transmission line.
6. The base station of claim 1 , wherein:
the first transmission line is coupled to a first excitation port, and
the second transmission line is coupled to a second excitation port.
7. The base station of claim 6 , wherein power can be introduced to the sub-array by at least one of the first excitation port or the second excitation port for transmitting the RF signals.
8. The base station of claim 7 , wherein the first antenna element and the second antenna element are configured to provide more than one polarization.
9. The base station of claim 1 , wherein the antenna array is an orthogonally polarized antenna.
10. The base station of claim 1 , wherein the antenna array is a Massive Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) antenna system.
11. The base station of claim 1 , wherein an operating frequency of the antenna array is in a sub-6 GHz band.
12. The base station of claim 1 , wherein an operating frequency of the antenna array is in a range of 3.2-3.9 GHz.
13. The base station of claim 1 , wherein the base station is configured to provide wireless access to a network using 5G, LTE, LTE-A, WiMAX or WiFi communication protocols.
14. The base station of claim 1 , wherein:
the first transmission line and the second transmission line are arranged in a first layer as part of a feed network, and
an air gap is provided between the feed network on the first layer and the first and second antenna elements.
15. The base station of claim 1 , wherein the two vertical feeds that are fed by the first transmission line and are connected to the first antenna element are a first vertical feed and a third vertical feed of the first antenna element, and the two vertical feeds that are fed by the first transmission line and are connected to the second antenna element are a first vertical feed and a third vertical feed of the second antenna element,
wherein the two vertical feeds that are fed by the second transmission line and are connected to the first antenna element are a second vertical feed and a fourth vertical feed of the first antenna element, and the two vertical feeds that are fed by the second transmission line and are connected to the second antenna element are a second vertical feed and a fourth vertical feed of the second antenna element,
wherein the horizontal feeds of the first antenna element are a first horizontal feed, a second horizontal feed, a third horizontal feed, and a fourth horizontal feed, wherein the first vertical feed of the first antenna element is connected to the first horizontal feed of the first antenna element, the second vertical feed of the first antenna element is connected to the second horizontal feed of the first antenna element, the third vertical feed of the first antenna element is connected to the third horizontal feed of the first antenna element, the fourth vertical feed of the first antenna element is connected to the fourth horizontal feed of the first antenna element, and
wherein the horizontal feeds of the second antenna element are a first horizontal feed, a second horizontal feed, a third horizontal feed, and a fourth horizontal feed, wherein the first vertical feed of the second antenna element is connected to the first horizontal feed of the second antenna element, the second vertical feed of the second antenna element is connected to the second horizontal feed of the second antenna element, the third vertical feed of the second antenna element is connected to the third horizontal feed of the second antenna element, and the fourth vertical feed of the second antenna element is connected to the fourth horizontal feed of the second antenna element.
16. The base station of claim 15 , wherein each of the first antenna element and the second antenna element is provided in a quadrilateral shape and includes a first corner arranged opposite a third corner and a second corner arranged opposite a fourth corner,
wherein the first vertical feed and third vertical feed of the first antenna element are associated with the first corner and the third corner of the first antenna element, and the second vertical feed and the fourth vertical feed of the first antenna element are associated with the second corner and the fourth corner of the first antenna element, and
wherein the first vertical feed and third vertical feed of the second antenna element are associated with the first corner and the third corner of the second antenna element, and the second vertical feed and the fourth vertical feed of the second antenna element are associated with the second corner and the fourth corner of the second antenna element.
17. The base station of claim 15 , wherein power fed through the first transmission line is transferred through the first vertical feed and the third vertical feed of the first antenna element to the first horizontal feed and the third horizontal feed of the first antenna element, and is transferred through the first vertical feed and the third vertical feed of the second antenna element to the first horizontal feed and the third horizontal feed of the second antenna element, and
wherein power fed through the second transmission line is transferred through the second vertical feed and the fourth vertical feed of the first antenna element to the second horizontal feed and the fourth horizontal feed of the first antenna element, and is transferred through the second vertical feed and the fourth vertical feed of the second antenna element to the second horizontal feed and the fourth horizontal feed of the second antenna element.
18. The base station of claim 17 , wherein:
the power fed through the first transmission line via the first and third vertical feeds of the first and second antenna elements to the first and third horizontal feeds of the first and second antenna elements results in a first polarization provided by the first antenna element and the second antenna element, and
the power fed through the second transmission line via the second and fourth vertical feeds of the first and second antenna elements to the second and fourth horizontal feeds of the first and second antenna elements results in a second polarization provided by the first antenna element and the second antenna element.
19. The base station of claim 18 , wherein the first polarization is orthogonal to the second polarization.
20. The base station of claim 17 , wherein the RF transceiver is configured to provide the power fed through the first transmission line and the power fed through the second transmission line.