Antenna device

• US 10,644,387 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2018
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Subaru Corp.
• Original Assignee: Subaru Corp.
• Inventors: Shiina, Takahito, Tezuka, Shunsuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Mancuso, Huedung X
• Application Number:
  US16/128,153
• Publication Number:
  US 20190103664A1
• Time in Patent Office: 602 Days
• Field of Search: 343713
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93273 on the top of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1264 Adjusting different parts or elements of an aerial unit
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3275 mounted on a horizontal surface of the vehicle, e.g. on roof, hood, trunk
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/42 Housings not intimately mechanically associated with radiating elements, e.g. radome
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/52 Means for reducing coupling between antennas; Means for reducing coupling between an antenna and another structure absorbing means H01Q17/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/04 for varying one co-ordinate of the orientation

Abstract

An antenna device includes an antenna element and a radio wave characteristic switching controller. The antenna element is fitted on a vehicle. The antenna element transmits and receives a radio wave. The radio wave characteristic switching controller changes, in case of an interruption of communication via the antenna element, a characteristic of the radio wave to be transmitted and received by the antenna element, until restoration of communication.

Claims

1. An antenna device comprising:

an antenna element fitted on a vehicle, the antenna element being configured to transmit and receive a radio wave;

a radio wave characteristic switching controller configured to change, in case of an interruption of communication via the antenna element, a characteristic of the radio wave to be transmitted and received by the antenna element, until restoration of communication; and

a moving part configured to move the antenna element along a plane parallel to a roof of the vehicle,

wherein upon the interruption of the communication via the antenna element, the radio wave characteristic switching controller drives the moving part, causing the antenna element to move to a position that brings about the restoration of communication.

2. The antenna device according to claim 1, wherein the radio wave characteristic switching controller

calculates time to collision, on a basis of a future movement locus of each of surrounding vehicles and a future movement locus of an own vehicle,

decides on one of the surrounding vehicles having shortest time to collision, as a target vehicle, and

in case of an interruption of communication with the target vehicle, drives the moving part, causing the antenna element to move to the position that brings about the restoration of communication.

3. The antenna device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle includes a rooftop structure.

4. The antenna device according to claim 2, wherein the vehicle includes a rooftop structure.

5. An antenna device comprising:

an antenna element fitted on a vehicle, the antenna element being configured to transmit and receive a radio wave;

a radio wave characteristic switching controller configured to change, in case of an interruption of communication via the antenna element, a characteristic of the radio wave to be transmitted and received by the antenna element, until restoration of communication;

a main body that accommodates the antenna element; and

a moving part configured to move the main body along a plane parallel to a roof of the vehicle,

wherein upon the interruption of the communication via the antenna element, the radio wave characteristic switching controller drives the moving part, causing the main body to move to a position that brings about the restoration of communication.

6. The antenna device according to claim 5, wherein the radio wave characteristic switching controller

calculates time to collision, on a basis of a future movement locus of each of surrounding vehicles and a future movement locus of an own vehicle,

decides on one of the surrounding vehicles having shortest time to collision, as a target vehicle, and

in case of an interruption of communication with the target vehicle, drives the moving part, causing the main body to move to the position that brings about the restoration of communication.

7. The antenna device according to claim 5, wherein the vehicle includes a rooftop structure.

8. The antenna device according to claim 6, wherein the vehicle includes a rooftop structure.

9. An antenna device comprising:

an antenna element fitted on a vehicle, the antenna element being configured to transmit and receive a radio wave; and

circuitry configured change, in case of an interruption of communication via the antenna element, a characteristic of the radio wave to be transmitted and received by the antenna element, until restoration of communication, wherein the antenna element includes a plurality of antenna elements disposed along a plane parallel to a roof of the vehicle, and

the circuitry

appoints one of the plurality of the antenna elements to perform communication, and

in case of an interruption of communication via the appointed one of the plurality of the antenna elements, transfers an appointment to perform communication to remainder of the plurality of the antenna elements.

10. The antenna device according to claim 9, wherein the radio wave characteristic switching controller

calculates time to collision, on a basis of a future movement locus of each of surrounding vehicles and a future movement locus of an own vehicle,

decides on one of the surrounding vehicles having shortest time to collision, as a target vehicle, and

in case of an interruption of communication with the target vehicle, transfers the appointment to the remainder of the plurality of the antenna elements.

11. The antenna device according to claim 9, wherein the vehicle includes a rooftop structure.

12. The antenna device according to claim 10, wherein the vehicle includes a rooftop structure.