US 11,705,631 B2
Antenna module and communication apparatus
Takuhiko Sato, Nagaokakyo (JP)
Assigned to Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Nagaokakyo (JP)
Filed by Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Nagaokakyo (JP)
Filed on Oct. 22, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/507,859.
Application 17/507,859 is a continuation of application No. PCT/JP2020/017181, filed on Apr. 21, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 2019-084698 (JP), filed on Apr. 25, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0045424 A1, Feb. 10, 2022
Int. Cl. H01Q 3/38 (2006.01); H01Q 3/30 (2006.01); H01Q 21/22 (2006.01); H01Q 25/00 (2006.01)
CPC H01Q 3/38 (2013.01) [H01Q 3/30 (2013.01); H01Q 21/22 (2013.01); H01Q 25/00 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An antenna module comprising:
a plurality of antenna elements that are arranged in a first direction;
a fixed phase shifter; and
a plurality of digital phase shifters that are each in a signal path to a corresponding one of the plurality of antenna elements, wherein
each of the plurality of digital phase shifters respectively changes a phase of a signal to a first phase value provided discretely as the signal propagates through to a corresponding one of the plurality of antenna elements,
the fixed phase shifter further changes the phase of the signal to a second phase value as the signal propagates through to the one of the plurality of antenna elements, the second phase value being obtained by adding a predetermined offset phase value to the first phase value,
a middle point of a virtual line is set as an antenna center, the virtual line connecting, among the plurality of antenna elements arranged in the first direction, a center of an antenna element located on an end in the first direction and a center of an antenna element located on a different end in the first direction, and
under a condition two antenna elements arranged in locations symmetrical with respect to the antenna center among the plurality of antenna elements arranged in the first direction are paired as an antenna element pair, and the fixed phase shifter is electrically connected to at least one antenna element of the antenna element pair.