EP-4742548-A1 - RADIO FREQUENCY UNIT, SIGNAL BIASING UNIT, TERMINAL UNIT AND FUSION SYSTEM

EP4742548A1EP 4742548 A1EP4742548 A1EP 4742548A1EP-4742548-A1

Abstract

A radio frequency unit, a signal bias unit, a terminal element, and a fusion system are provided, to implement a low-cost deployment solution of an antenna system and a sensor system. The fusion system includes a signal processing unit and N terminal elements, the N terminal elements include at least one radiating element and at least one sensing element, and/or include at least one radiating and sensing fusion element, and the signal processing unit is configured to: send a radio frequency transmit signal and/or a sensing request signal to the N terminal elements, or receive a radio frequency receive signal and/or a sensing-acquired signal from the N terminal elements. The radiating element and the sensing element are integrated into one feeding network, to not only complete deployment of two systems of the antenna system and the sensor system at one time, but also reuse a receive/transmit link in a same feeding network to complete information transmission of the two systems, thereby effectively reducing labor and material costs and implementing the low-cost deployment solution of the antenna system and the sensor system.

Inventors

XIAO, WEIHONG
DAOJIAN, Dingjiu
CHEN, Shangmin
LI, YUE

Assignees

Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260513
Application Date: 20240613

Claims (20)

A radio frequency unit, comprising a first interface and at least one second interface, wherein the first interface is configured to be connected to a baseband unit, the at least one second interface is configured to be connected to N terminal elements, and the N terminal elements comprise at least one radiating element and at least one sensing element, wherein N is an integer greater than or equal to 2, and/or comprises at least one radiating and sensing fusion element, wherein N is a positive integer; and the radio frequency unit is configured to: receive a radio frequency transmit signal and/or a sensing request signal from the baseband unit through the first interface, and send the radio frequency transmit signal and/or the sensing request signal to the N terminal elements through the at least one second interface; or receive a radio frequency receive signal from the radiating element in the N terminal elements, a sensing-acquired signal from the sensing element in the N terminal elements, and the radio frequency receive signal and/or the sensing-acquired signal from the fusion element in the N terminal elements through the at least one second interface, and send the radio frequency receive signal and/or the sensing-acquired signal to the baseband unit through the first interface.
The radio frequency unit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one second interface comprises M radio frequency interfaces and a sensing interface, the M radio frequency interfaces are connected to M first interfaces of a signal bias unit in one-to-one correspondence, the sensing interface is connected to a second interface of the signal bias unit, and a third interface of the signal bias unit is connected to the N terminal elements, wherein M is a positive integer; and the radio frequency unit is specifically configured to: send the radio frequency transmit signal or receive the radio frequency receive signal through the M radio frequency interfaces, and send the sensing request signal or receive the sensing-acquired signal through the sensing interface.
The radio frequency unit according to claim 1, wherein the radio frequency unit comprises a radio frequency processing circuit and a bias processing circuit, the radio frequency processing circuit comprises a first interface and M second interfaces, the bias processing circuit comprises M first interfaces and T second interfaces, the first interface of the radio frequency processing circuit corresponds to the first interface of the radio frequency unit, the M second interfaces of the radio frequency processing circuit are connected to the M first interfaces of the bias processing circuit, and the T second interfaces of the bias processing circuit correspond to at least one third interface of the radio frequency unit, wherein T is a positive integer; the radio frequency processing circuit is configured to: receive the radio frequency transmit signal and/or the sensing request signal through the first interface of the radio frequency processing circuit, and send the radio frequency transmit signal and/or the sensing request signal to the bias processing circuit through the M second interfaces of the radio frequency processing circuit; or receive the radio frequency receive signal and/or the sensing-acquired signal from the bias processing circuit through the M second interfaces of the radio frequency processing circuit, and send the radio frequency receive signal and/or the sensing-acquired signal through the first interface of the radio frequency processing circuit; and the bias processing circuit is configured to: receive the radio frequency transmit signal and/or the sensing request signal from the radio frequency processing circuit through the M first interfaces of the bias processing circuit, and send the radio frequency transmit signal and/or the sensing request signal to the N terminal elements through the T second interfaces of the bias processing circuit; or receive the radio frequency receive signal and/or the sensing-acquired signal from the N terminal elements through the T second interfaces of the bias processing circuit, and send the radio frequency receive signal and/or the sensing-acquired signal to the radio frequency processing circuit through the M first interfaces of the bias processing circuit.
The radio frequency unit according to claim 3, wherein the radio frequency processing circuit comprises a signal splitting/coupling circuit, a second conversion circuit, and a signal coupling/splitting circuit, a first interface of the signal splitting/coupling circuit corresponds to the first interface of the radio frequency processing circuit, a second interface of the signal splitting/coupling circuit is connected to a second interface of the signal coupling/splitting circuit, a third interface of the signal splitting/coupling circuit is connected to a first interface of the second conversion circuit, a second interface of the second conversion circuit is connected to a third interface of the signal coupling/splitting circuit, and a first interface of the signal coupling/splitting circuit is connected to the M second interfaces of the radio frequency processing circuit; the signal splitting/coupling circuit is configured to: receive the radio frequency transmit signal and/or the sensing request signal through the first interface of the signal splitting/coupling circuit, send the radio frequency transmit signal through the second interface of the signal splitting/coupling circuit, and send the sensing request signal through the third interface of the signal splitting/coupling circuit; or receive the radio frequency receive signal through the second interface of the signal splitting/coupling circuit, receive the sensing-acquired signal through the third interface of the signal splitting/coupling circuit, and send the radio frequency receive signal and/or the sensing request signal through the first interface of the signal splitting/coupling circuit; the second conversion circuit is configured to: convert the sensing request signal input through the first interface of the second conversion circuit into a low-frequency alternating-current signal, and send the converted sensing request signal through the second interface of the second conversion circuit; or convert the sensing-acquired signal input through the second interface of the second conversion circuit into a differential signal, and send the converted sensing-acquired signal through the first interface of the second conversion circuit; and the signal coupling/splitting circuit is configured to: receive the radio frequency transmit signal through the second interface of the signal coupling/splitting circuit, receive the converted sensing request signal through the third interface of the signal coupling/splitting circuit, and send the radio frequency transmit signal and/or the converted sensing request signal through the first interface of the signal coupling/splitting circuit; or receive the radio frequency receive signal and/or the sensing-acquired signal through the first interface of the signal coupling/splitting circuit, send the radio frequency receive signal through the second interface of the signal coupling/splitting circuit, and send the sensing-acquired signal through the third interface of the signal coupling/splitting circuit.
The radio frequency unit according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the bias processing circuit further comprises a power interface, and the power interface is connected to a power supply; and the bias processing circuit is further configured to: receive a direct-current power supply signal from the power supply through the power interface of the bias processing circuit, and send the direct-current power supply signal to the N terminal elements through the T second interfaces of the bias processing circuit.
The radio frequency unit according to claim 5, wherein the bias processing circuit further comprises a seventh filter element, a first terminal of the seventh filter element corresponds to the power interface of the bias processing circuit, and a second terminal of the seventh filter element is connected to the M first interfaces of the bias processing circuit and then connected to the T second interfaces of the bias processing circuit; and the seventh filter element is configured to filter out an alternating-current signal in an input signal.
The radio frequency unit according to claim 6, wherein the seventh filter element is an inductor.
A signal bias unit, comprising M first interfaces, a second interface, and T third interfaces, wherein the M first interfaces are connected to M radio frequency interfaces of a radio frequency unit, the second interface is connected to a sensing interface of the radio frequency unit, the T third interfaces are connected to N terminal elements, and the N terminal elements comprise at least one radiating element and at least one sensing element, wherein N is an integer greater than or equal to 2, and/or comprise at least one radiating and sensing fusion element, wherein N is a positive integer, and M and T are positive integers; and the signal bias unit is configured to: receive a radio frequency transmit signal from the radio frequency unit through the M first interfaces, receive a sensing request signal from the radio frequency unit through the second interface, and send the radio frequency transmit signal and/or the sensing request signal to the N terminal elements through the T third interfaces; or receive a radio frequency receive signal from the radiating element in the N terminal elements, a sensing-acquired signal from the sensing element in the N terminal elements, and the radio frequency receive signal and/or the sensing-acquired signal from the fusion element in the N terminal elements through the T third interfaces, send the radio frequency receive signal to the radio frequency unit through the M first interfaces, and send the sensing-acquired signal to the radio frequency unit through the second interface.
The signal bias unit according to claim 8, wherein the T second interfaces are connected to T radio frequency cables in one-to-one correspondence, and one or more terminal elements are disposed on each radio frequency cable.
The signal bias unit according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the signal bias unit further comprises a power interface, and the power interface is connected to a power supply; and the signal bias unit is further configured to: receive a direct-current power supply signal from the power supply through the power interface, and send the direct-current power supply signal to the N terminal elements through the T third interfaces.
The signal bias unit according to claim 10, wherein the radio frequency transmit signal and the radio frequency receive signal that are received by the signal bias unit are high-frequency alternating-current signals, and the sensing request signal and the sensing-acquired signal that are received by the signal bias unit are low-frequency alternating-current signals; the signal bias unit further comprises a first bias circuit, the first bias circuit comprises M first filter elements, a second filter element, and a third filter element, first terminals of the M first filter elements are connected to the M first interfaces of the signal bias unit in one-to-one correspondence, a first terminal of the second filter element is configured to be connected to the second interface of the signal bias unit, a first terminal of the third filter element is connected to the power interface of the signal bias unit, second terminals of the M first filter elements, a second terminal of the second filter element, and a second terminal of the third filter element are connected and then connected to the T third interfaces of the signal bias unit; the first filter element is configured to filter out a direct-current signal and a low-frequency alternating-current signal in an input signal; the second filter element is configured to filter out a direct-current signal and a high-frequency alternating-current signal in an input signal; and the third filter element is configured to filter out an alternating-current signal in an input signal.
The signal bias unit according to claim 11, wherein the first filter element and the second filter element are capacitors, and the third filter element is an inductor.
The signal bias unit according to any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein the sensing request signal from the radio frequency unit is a differential signal, and the sensing-acquired signal from the terminal element is a low-frequency alternating-current signal; the signal bias unit comprises a first conversion circuit, a first interface of the first conversion circuit corresponds to the second interface of the signal bias unit, and a second interface of the first conversion circuit is configured to be connected to the T third interfaces of the signal bias unit; and the first conversion circuit is configured to: receive the sensing request signal from the radio frequency unit through the first interface of the first conversion circuit, convert the sensing request signal into a low-frequency alternating-current signal, and then send the converted sensing request signal through the second interface of the first conversion circuit; or receive the sensing-acquired signal from the terminal element through the second interface of the first conversion circuit, convert the sensing-acquired signal into a differential signal, and then send the converted sensing-acquired signal through the first interface of the first conversion circuit.
A terminal element, comprising a radiating element, a sensing element, and a second bias circuit, wherein a first interface of the second bias circuit is connected to a signal processing unit, a second interface of the second bias circuit is connected to the radiating element, and a third interface of the second bias circuit is connected to the sensing element; the second bias circuit is configured to: receive a radio frequency transmit signal and/or a sensing request signal from the signal processing unit through the first interface of the second bias circuit, send the radio frequency transmit signal to the radiating element through the second interface of the second bias circuit, and send the sensing request signal to the sensing element through the third interface of the second bias circuit; or receive a radio frequency receive signal from the radiating element through the second interface of the second bias circuit, receive a sensing-acquired signal from the sensing element through the third interface of the second bias circuit, and send the radio frequency receive signal and/or the sensing-acquired signal to the signal processing unit through the first interface of the second bias circuit; the radiating element is configured to: convert the radio frequency transmit signal from the second bias circuit into an electromagnetic wave signal, and then send the electromagnetic wave signal; or convert a received electromagnetic wave signal into the radio frequency receive signal, and then send the radio frequency receive signal to the second bias circuit; and the sensing element is configured to: perform a corresponding acquisition operation based on an indication of the sensing request signal from the second bias circuit; or send, to the second bias circuit, a sensing-acquired signal acquired in a period of time.
The terminal element according to claim 14, wherein the second bias circuit further comprises a fourth interface, and the fourth interface is connected to a power interface of the sensing element; and the second bias circuit is further configured to: receive a direct-current power supply signal from the signal processing unit through the first interface of the second bias circuit, and send the direct-current power supply signal to the sensing element through the fourth interface of the second bias circuit.
The terminal element according to claim 15, wherein the second bias circuit comprises a fourth filter element, a fifth filter element, and a sixth filter element, a first terminal of the fourth filter element, a first terminal of the fifth filter element, and a first terminal of the sixth filter element are connected and then connected to the first interface of the second bias circuit, a second terminal of the fourth filter element corresponds to the second interface of the second bias circuit, a second terminal of the fifth filter element corresponds to the third interface of the second bias circuit, and a second terminal of the sixth filter element corresponds to the fourth interface of the second bias circuit; the fourth filter element is configured to filter out a direct-current signal and a low-frequency alternating-current signal in an input signal; the fifth filter element is configured to filter out a direct-current signal and a high-frequency alternating-current signal in an input signal; and the sixth filter element is configured to filter out an alternating-current signal in an input signal.
The terminal element according to claim 16, wherein the fourth filter element and the fifth filter element are capacitors, and the sixth filter element is an inductor.
A radiating and sensing fusion system, comprising a signal processing unit and N terminal elements connected to the signal processing unit, wherein the N terminal elements comprise at least one radiating element and at least one sensing element, wherein N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2, and/or comprise at least one radiating and sensing fusion element, wherein N is a positive integer; and the signal processing unit is configured to send a radio frequency transmit signal and/or a sensing request signal to the N terminal elements, or configured to receive a radio frequency receive signal from the radiating element in the N terminal elements, a sensing-acquired signal from the sensing element in the N terminal elements, and the radio frequency receive signal and/or the sensing-acquired signal from the fusion element in the N terminal elements.
The fusion system according to claim 18, wherein the fusion system further comprises a power supply, and the power supply is connected to the signal processing unit; the power supply is configured to send a direct-current power supply signal to the signal processing unit; and the signal processing unit is further configured to send the direct-current power supply signal from the power supply to the N terminal elements.
The fusion system according to claim 18 or 19, wherein the signal processing unit comprises a radio frequency unit and a signal bias unit, and the signal bias unit is separately connected to the radio frequency unit and the N terminal elements; the radio frequency unit is configured to send the radio frequency transmit signal and/or the sensing request signal to the signal bias unit, or configured to receive the radio frequency receive signal and/or the sensing-acquired signal from the signal bias unit; and the signal bias unit is configured to send the radio frequency transmit signal and/or the sensing request signal from the radio frequency unit to the N terminal elements, or configured to send the radio frequency receive signal from the radiating element in the N terminal elements, the sensing-acquired signal from the sensing element in the N terminal elements, and the radio frequency receive signal and/or the sensing-acquired signal from the fusion element in the N terminal elements to the radio frequency unit.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202310923070.3, filed with the China National Intellectual Property Administration on July 25, 2023 and entitled "RADIO FREQUENCY UNIT, SIGNAL BIAS UNIT, TERMINAL ELEMENT, AND FUSION SYSTEM", which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD This application relates to the field of communication technologies, and in particular, to a radio frequency unit, a signal bias unit, a terminal element, and a fusion system. BACKGROUND Due to a blocking and shielding effect of a building, it is very difficult to effectively propagate an outdoor base station signal to an indoor environment. Therefore, an antenna system is usually distributed indoors, to improve indoor signal strength. The indoor antenna system may evenly transmit an outdoor communication signal to indoor corners, which can effectively resolve a problem of an uneven distribution of indoor signal strength and quality. Therefore, currently, the indoor antenna system has basically become an infrastructure, and corresponding indoor antenna systems are arranged in most places with buildings. Similarly, for safety, various sensors are usually deployed indoors. For example, some sensors currently deployed indoors include a smoke sensor in a residential building, a temperature sensor in an equipment room area, a vibration sensor in an earthquake-prone area, and a humidity sensor in a coastal area. With improvement of people's quality of life, the sensor also has basically become an infrastructure. Corresponding sensor systems are deployed in most indoor environments in which people live, to detect a potential risk in a timely manner, and ensure safety of people's lives and property. However, although both the antenna system and the sensor system are deployed in some indoor environments, most current deployment solutions require large manpower and material resources, require high deployment costs, and are inconvenient for subsequent maintenance. Therefore, currently, low-cost deployment of the antenna system and the sensor system needs to be further studied. SUMMARY This application provides a radio frequency unit, a signal bias unit, a terminal element, and a fusion system, to implement a low-cost deployment solution of an antenna system and a sensor system. According to a first aspect, this application provides a radiating and sensing fusion system. The system includes a signal processing unit and N terminal elements connected to the signal processing unit. The N terminal elements include at least one radiating element and at least one sensing element, where N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2, and/or include at least one radiating and sensing fusion element, where N is a positive integer. In an information sending scenario, the signal processing unit may send a radio frequency transmit signal and/or a sensing request signal to the N terminal elements. In an information receiving scenario, the signal processing unit may receive a radio frequency receive signal from the radiating element in the N terminal elements, a sensing-acquired signal from the sensing element in the N terminal elements, and a radio frequency receive signal and/or a sensing-acquired signal from the fusion element in the N terminal elements. In the foregoing solution, the radiating element and the sensing element are integrated into one feeding network, to not only complete deployment of two systems of an antenna system and a sensor system at one time, thereby reducing labor costs, but also reuse a receive/transmit link in a same feeding network to complete information transmission of the two systems of the antenna system and a sensing system, thereby reducing material costs. In this way, a fusion system of the antenna system and the sensing system is designed, to help implement a low-cost deployment solution of the antenna system and the sensing system. In a possible design of the first aspect, the fusion system may further include a power supply, and the power supply is connected to the signal processing unit; the power supply is configured to send a direct-current power supply signal to the signal processing unit; and the signal processing unit is further configured to send the direct-current power supply signal from the power supply to the N terminal elements. In the foregoing design, after the sensing element is integrated into a feeding network of an existing antenna system, even if an original power supply capability of the feeding network cannot meet a requirement of a terminal element in the integrated feeding network, a disposed external power supply can supply power to the terminal element in the feeding network, to support integration of the radiating element and the sensing element into a fusion element. In a possible design of the first aspect, the signal processing unit may include a radio frequency unit and a signal bias unit, and