Antenna Module and Antenna Unit Thereof

• US 20120098706A1
• Filed: 10/21/2010
• Published: 04/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Taiwan University (Government of The Republic of China), MediaTek, Inc.
• Original Assignee: National Taiwan University (Government of The Republic of China), MediaTek, Inc.
• Inventors: Lin, Yi-Cheng, Chen, Ho-Chung, Hung, Kuo-Fong
• Granted Patent: US 8,542,151 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/700.MS
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/065 Patch antenna array
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/045 with particular feeding means for circular polarisation H01Q9/0428

Abstract

An antenna unit is provided. The antenna unit includes a first substrate, a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, a plurality of conductive vias, a feed conductor and a patch. The first substrate includes a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface is opposite to the second surface. The first conductive layer is disposed on the first surface. The second conductive layer is disposed on the second surface, wherein an opening is formed on the second conductive layer, and the opening has an opening edge. The conductive vias are formed in the first substrate and connect the first conductive layer to the second conductive layer, wherein the conductive vias surround the opening to define a cavity. The feed conductor extends above the opening to feed a wireless signal to the antenna unit. The patch is disposed above the opening and is separated from the feed conductor.

Claims

1. An antenna unit, comprising:

a first substrate, comprising a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface is opposite to the second surface;

a first conductive layer, disposed on the first surface; and

a second conductive layer, disposed on the second surface, wherein an opening is formed on the second conductive layer, and the opening has an opening edge;

a plurality of conductive vias, formed in the first substrate and connecting the first conductive layer to the second conductive layer, wherein the conductive vias surround the opening to define a cavity;

a feed conductor, extending above the opening to feed a wireless signal to the antenna unit; and

a patch, disposed above the opening and separated from the feed conductor.

2. The antenna unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein an electric field is formed between the patch, the feed conductor and the opening edge, to enhance the oblique resonant directions relative to the second conductive layer.

3. The antenna unit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a second substrate, wherein the second substrate comprises a third surface and a fourth surface, the third surface is opposite to the fourth surface, the patch is disposed on the fourth surface, and the third surface contacts the second conductive layer.

4. The antenna unit as claimed in claim 3, wherein the feed conductor is embedded in the second substrate.

5. The antenna unit as claimed in claim 3, wherein the feed conductor is disposed on the fourth surface.

6. The antenna unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the feed conductor is T shaped, and the feed conductor comprises a first section and a second section, and an end of the second section is connected to the first section.

7. The antenna unit as claimed in claim 6, wherein the patch is rectangular, the patch has a major axis, and the first section of the feed conductor is parallel to the major axis.

8. The antenna unit as claimed in claim 7, wherein a space between the first section and the patch is about 0.15λ

, and λ

is wavelength of the wireless signal.

9. The antenna unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the opening is rectangular, and the patch is rectangular.

10. The antenna unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein a height between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer is about 0.2λ

, and λ

is a wavelength of the wireless signal.

11. The antenna unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein a gap between each two conductive vias is designed smaller than λ

/8, where λ

is wavelength of the wireless signal.

12. The antenna unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer are ground layers.

13. An antenna array module, comprising:

a first substrate, comprising a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface is opposite to the second surface;

a first conductive layer, disposed on the first surface;

a second conductive layer, disposed on the second surface; and

a plurality of antenna units, wherein the antenna units are arranged in matrix, and each antenna unit has;

an opening, formed on the second conductive layer, wherein the opening has an opening edge;

a plurality of conductive vias, formed in the first substrate and connecting the first conductive layer to the second conductive layer, wherein the conductive vias surround the opening to define a cavity;

a feed conductor, extending above the opening to feed a wireless signal to the antenna unit; and

a patch, disposed above the opening and separated from the feed conductor.

14. The antenna array module as claimed in claim 13, further comprising a second substrate, wherein the second substrate comprises a third surface and a fourth surface, the third surface is opposite to the fourth surface, the patch of each antenna unit is disposed on the fourth surface, and the third surface contacts the second conductive layer.

15. The antenna array module as claimed in claim 14, wherein the feed conductor of each antenna unit is embedded in the second substrate.

16. The antenna array module as claimed in claim 13, wherein the feed conductor of each antenna unit is T shaped, and the feed conductor of each antenna unit comprises a first section and a second section, and an end of the second section is connected to the first section.

17. The antenna array module as claimed in claim 16, wherein the patch of each antenna unit is rectangular, the patch of each antenna unit has a major axis, and the first section of the feed conductor of each antenna unit is parallel to the major axis.

18. The antenna array module as claimed in claim 13, wherein the opening of each antenna unit is rectangular, and the patch of each antenna unit is rectangular.

19. The antenna array module as claimed in claim 13, wherein the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer are ground layers.

20. An antenna unit, comprising:

a first substrate, comprising a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface is opposite to the second surface;

a conductive layer, disposed on the second surface, wherein an opening is formed on the conductive layer;

a conductive cavity, formed in the first substrate and enclosing the opening, wherein the conductive cavity is electrically connected to the conductive layer;

a feed conductor, extending above the opening to feed a wireless signal to the antenna unit; and

a patch, disposed above the opening and separated from the feed conductor.