# US 2021/0280970 A1 · Antenna device, antenna module, and communication device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0280970 A1 - Document ID: US20210280970A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/314,454 - Filed: 2021-05-07 - Published: 2021-09-09 - Earliest claimed: 2018-11-09 - Assignees: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Hideki UEDA - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210280970A1 ## CPC - H01Q 3/24: varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching - H01Q 5/378: Combination of fed elements with parasitic elements - H01Q 9/0421: {with a shorting wall or a shorting pin at one end of the element (H01Q9/0414 takes precedence)} - H01Q 9/045: {with particular feeding means (for circular polarisation H01Q9/0428)} - H01Q 9/32: Vertical arrangement of element (H01Q9/40 takes precedence) - H01Q 19/005: {Patch antenna using one or more coplanar parasitic elements} - H01Q 21/065: {Patch antenna array} - H01Q 21/08: the units being spaced along or adjacent to a rectilinear path {(waveguide fed H01Q21/0037)} - H01Q 21/29: Combinations of different interacting antenna units for giving a desired directional characteristic (H01Q25/00 takes precedence) - H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72) ## Abstract A ground plane, at least one composite antenna, and a power feeding line configured to supply power to the at least one composite antenna are provided in or on a substrate. The composite antenna includes a power feeding element configuring a patch antenna together with the ground plane, and at least one linear antenna configured to flow an electric current having a component in a vertical direction with respect to the ground plane. The power feeding line includes a main line connected to the power feeding element, and a branch line branched from the main line and connected to the linear antenna. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An antenna device comprising: a substrate; a ground plane provided in or on the substrate; at least one composite antenna provided in or on the substrate; and a power feeding line configured to supply power to the composite antenna, wherein: the composite antenna includes: a patch antenna comprising a power feeding element and the ground plane, and at least one linear antenna configured to allow a flow of an electric current having a component in a perpendicular direction with respect to the ground plane, and the power feeding line includes: a main line connected to the power feeding element, and a branch line branched from the main line and connected to the linear antenna. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The antenna device according to claim 1, wherein the linear antenna is disposed in a range in which the power feeding element is disposed in an E-plane direction of a radio wave radiated from the power feeding element. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The antenna device according to claim 2, wherein the at least one linear antenna includes two linear antennas, and in a plan view, the two linear antennas are disposed on both sides of the power feeding element. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The antenna device according to claim 1, wherein a line length of the branch line starting from a branch point of the main line to a power feeding point of the linear antenna is ¼ of a resonant wave length of the linear antenna. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The antenna device according to claim 2, wherein a line length of the branch line starting from a branch point of the main line to a power feeding point of the linear antenna is ¼ of a resonant wave length of the linear antenna. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The antenna device according to claim 3, wherein a line length of the branch line starting from a branch point of the main line to a power feeding point of the linear antenna is ¼ of a resonant wave length of the linear antenna. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The antenna device according to claim 1, wherein a line length of the branch line starting from a branch point of the main line to a power feeding point of the linear antenna is longer than a shortest distance from the branch point to the power feeding point of the linear antenna. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The antenna device according to claim 2, wherein a line length of the branch line starting from a branch point of the main line to a power feeding point of the linear antenna is longer than a shortest distance from the branch point to the power feeding point of the linear antenna. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The antenna device according to claim 3, wherein a line length of the branch line starting from a branch point of the main line to a power feeding point of the linear antenna is longer than a shortest distance from the branch point to the power feeding point of the linear antenna. ### Claim 10 (depends on 4) The antenna device according to claim 4, wherein a line length of the branch line starting from a branch point of the main line to a power feeding point of the linear antenna is longer than a shortest distance from the branch point to the power feeding point of the linear antenna. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The antenna device according to claim 1, wherein the branch line includes a meandering portion. ### Claim 12 (depends on 2) The antenna device according to claim 2, wherein the branch line includes a meandering portion. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The antenna device according to claim 1, wherein the composite antenna further includes a parasitic element that is disposed at a position farther than the power feeding element in a view from the ground plane and that is loaded to the power feeding element, and a height of the linear antenna when the ground plane is used as a height reference is equal to a height from the ground plane to the parasitic element. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The antenna device according to claim 1, wherein at least one composite antenna includes a plurality of composite antennas, and a first direction of a first vector with a first start point a first geometric center of the power feeding element of at least one first composite antenna of the plurality of composite antennas and a first end point a power feeding point of the power feeding element of the at least one first composite antenna is different from a second direction of a second vector with a second start point a second geometric center of the power feeding element of at least one second composite antenna of the plurality of composite antennas and a second end point a power feeding point of the power feeding element of the at least one second composite antenna. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) An antenna module comprising: the antenna device according to claim 14; and a switch element configured to: select at least one composite antenna from the plurality of composite antennas of the antenna device, and supply power to the at least one composite antenna. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The antenna module according to claim 15, wherein the switch element is further configured to supply power to all of the plurality of composite antennas. ### Claim 17 An antenna module comprising: a substrate; a ground plane provided in or on the substrate; a composite antenna provided in or on the substrate; a power feeding line configured to supply power to the composite antenna; and a radio frequency integrated circuit element configured to supply a radio frequency signal to the composite antenna through the power feeding line, wherein: the composite antenna includes: a patch antenna comprising a power feeding element and the ground plane, and an electric current source comprising at least one linear antenna configured to allow a flow of an electric current having a component in a vertical direction with respect to the ground plane, and the power feeding line includes: a main line connected to the power feeding element, and a branch line branched from the main line and connected to the linear antenna. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) A communication device comprising: the antenna module according to claim 17; and a baseband integrated circuit element configured to supply an intermediate frequency signal to a radio frequency integrated circuit element of the antenna module. ### Claim 19 A communication device comprising: an antenna device; and a housing configured to accommodate the antenna device, wherein: the antenna device includes: a substrate; a ground plane provided in or on the substrate; at least one composite antenna provided in or on the substrate; and a power feeding line configured to supply power to the composite antenna, wherein: the composite antenna includes: a patch antenna comprising a power feeding element and the ground plane, and at least one vertical portion configured to allow a flow of an electric current having a component in a vertical direction with respect to the ground plane, the power feeding line includes: a main line connected to the power feeding element, and p2 a branch line branched from the main line and connected to the vertical portion, and the housing includes: a conductor portion connected to the vertical portion, wherein the conductor portion and the vertical portion operate together as a linear antenna. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The communication device according to claim 19, further comprising: a pogo pin configured to connect the vertical portion and the conductor portion to each other.