RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a 35 USC § 371 US national stage application of PCT/US2019/028459, filed Apr. 22, 2019, which claims the benefit of and priority to Chinese Patent Application Serial Number 201810460531.7, filed May 15, 2018, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference as if recited in full herein.

FIELD

The present invention relates to communications systems and, more particularly, to base station antennas that have integrated radios.

BACKGROUND

Cellular communications systems are now widely deployed. In a typical cellular communications system, a geographic area is divided into a series of regions that are referred to as “cells,” and each cell is served by a base station. The base station may include baseband equipment, radios and antennas that are configured to provide two-way radio frequency (“RF”) communications with subscribers that are positioned throughout the cell. The base station antennas generate radiation beams (“antenna beams”) that are directed outwardly to serve the entire cell or a portion thereof. Typically, a base station antenna includes one or more phase-controlled arrays of radiating elements, which are commonly referred to as phased array antennas. The radiating elements are typically arranged in one or more vertical columns when the antenna is mounted for use. An RF signal that is to be transmitted by a phased array antenna is divided into a plurality of sub-components, and each sub-component of the RF signal is then transmitted through a respective radiating element or sub-array of radiating elements.

Base station antennas are now being deployed that have one or more radios incorporated into the antenna. For example, some base station antennas have full two-dimensional beam-steering capabilities that allow the antenna to generate small, highly-focused antenna beams that can be steered by phase-weighting the sub-components of the RF signal that are transmitted/received at the different sub-arrays of radiating elements as opposed to a constant antenna beam that covers a full sector. These antennas may have a two-dimensional array that includes multiple rows and columns of radiating elements with individual transceivers (radios) mounted within the antenna to provide independent amplitude and/or phase control for each radiating element in the array (or for individual sub-groups of radiating elements). As another example, base station antennas that have radios incorporated therein are being deployed that have less sophisticated beam-steering capabilities, such as the ability to scan the antenna beam in the azimuth plane. As yet another example, conventional “passive” base station antennas may be modified to have one or more remote radio heads incorporated into the antenna in order to avoid the need to separately mount the remote radio heads on the antenna tower (which may involve additional costs and which results in additional “clutter” on the antenna tower). For purposes of this disclosure, the term “active antenna” is used to encompass any base station antenna that has at least one transceiver (radio) incorporated therein.

While incorporating one or more radios into a base station antenna can provide increased throughput and/or have other advantages, adding radios to the antenna may increase the size, weight, cost and complexity of the antenna. Additionally, the radios may operate at high power levels which may also introduce concerns with respect to heat generated in the antenna that can negatively affect the performance of the radios.

SUMMARY

Pursuant to some embodiments of the present invention, active antennas are provided that include a housing having a front surface, first and second side surfaces and a rear surface, where the front surface comprises a radome and the first and second side surfaces comprise respective first and second thermally-conducting frame members. These antennas further include at least one radio that is completely mounted within an interior of the housing. The antennas further include a backplane and a plurality of radiating elements that are mounted to extend forwardly from the backplane. Each of the first and second thermally-conducting frame members includes a plurality of outwardly extending fins.

In some embodiments, at least some of the fins extend radially outwardly from a curved surface. The first and second thermally-conducting frame members may be formed via extrusion. The at least one radio may be is mounted between the first and second thermally-conducting frame members and may form a part of a frame that provides structural rigidity to the active antenna.

In some embodiments, the active antenna may further include at least one heat pipe that is positioned to transfer heat generated by the at least one radio to the first thermally-conducting frame member. The heat pipe may comprise, for example, a vapor chamber. The first thermally-conducting frame member may also include a channel that is between at least some of the fins and the at least one radio. A fan may be provided that is configured to move air through the channel.

In some embodiments, the at least one radio may include a plurality of ports, and a plurality of phase shifters may be mounted on a rear surface of the backplane. In such embodiments, a plurality of phase cables may be provided that each includes a first end having a threaded connector and a second end that is soldered to a respective one of the phase shifters.

Pursuant to further embodiments of the present invention, active antennas are provided that include a rigid frame comprising a first thermally-conducting frame member, a second thermally-conducting frame member and a radio that extends between the first and second thermally-conducting frame members. These antennas further include a backplane that is mounted forwardly from the rigid frame, a rear plate that extends between the first and second thermally-conducting frame members and that covers a rear surface of the radio, and a radome mounted on at least one of the rigid frame and the backplane.

In some embodiments, each of the first and second thermally-conducting frame members may include a plurality of outwardly extending fins. In such embodiments, at least some of the fins may extend radially outwardly from a curved surface.

In some embodiments, the active antenna may further include at least one heat pipe that is positioned to transfer heat generated by the radio to the first and second thermally-conducting frame members. The heat pipe may comprise any suitable heat pipe structure. In some embodiments, the heat pipe may be a generally flat heat pipe such as various vapor chamber designs.

In some embodiments, the first and second thermally-conducting frame members may each include a respective channel that is between at least some of the fins and the at least one radio. In such embodiments, a fan may be provided (e.g., mounted in the channel) that is configured to move air through the channel.

Pursuant to additional embodiments of the present invention, active antennas are provided that include a first and second thermally-conducting frame members that each have a plurality of outwardly extending fins, a radio having a heat pipe mounted thereon, the heat pipe in thermal communication with the first and second thermally-conducting frame members, a backplane mounted in front of the radio, and a plurality of radiating elements that are mounted to extend forwardly from the backplane. In these antennas, at least some of the fins extend radially outwardly from a curved surface. In some embodiments, the heat pipe may be a vapor chamber.

In some embodiments, the radio may be mounted between the first and second thermally-conducting frame members and the radio and the first and second thermally-conducting frame members form at least part of a frame that provides structural rigidity to the active antenna.

In some embodiments, the first thermally-conducting frame member may include a channel that is between at least some of the fins and the at least one radio.

In some embodiments, the first and second thermally-conducting frame members may comprise part of a housing of the active antenna, and the radio may be completely mounted within an interior of the housing.

