Combination satellite and terrestrial antenna

• US 20040032373A1
• Filed: 08/14/2002
• Published: 02/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Delphi Automotive Systems LLC (BorgWarner Incorporated), Sirius XM Radio Inc. (Liberty Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Automotive Systems LLC (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Petros, Argy, Zafar, Imtiaz, Helstrom, Terry C.
• Granted Patent: US 6,806,838 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/725
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3275 mounted on a horizontal surface of the vehicle, e.g. on roof, hood, trunk
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 11/08 Helical antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 23/00 Antennas with active circuits or circuit elements integrated within them or attached to them
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/00 Antennas or antenna systems providing at least two radiating patterns arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern H01Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/40 Imbricated or interleaved structures; Combined or electromagnetically coupled arrangements, e.g. comprising two or more non-connected fed radiating elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/32 Vertical arrangement of element H01Q9/40 takes precedence

Abstract

A combined antenna system used for both vehicles and structures, whereby a satellite antenna is placed concentrically around a conventional mast antenna that can be used for both conventional FM radio and also terrestrial retransmission of the satellite broadcast signals. The combined antenna system, in a vehicle implementation, is configured to use only the one hole created in the vehicle manufacturing process, thereby preventing the necessity of drilling a second hole for the satellite antenna, which alleviates deterioration of the vehicle'"'"'s body. Additionally, because the combined antenna system can be advantageously placed, a shorter RF cable connecting it to a receiver box can be implemented than otherwise would be the case for a satellite antenna located on a window or roof of a vehicle. In an alternative embodiment, the satellite antenna can be mounted on either a fixed or retractable terrestrial antenna, thereby raising the satellite antenna to a higher elevation with respect to any obstacles on the vehicle or structure.

Claims

1. A combined satellite and terrestrial antenna system for a structure, comprising:

a terrestrial antenna mounted on a mounting assembly;

a satellite antenna concentrically mounted with respect to the terrestrial antenna; and

the mounting assembly comprising a low noise amplifier circuit and a bezel, the bezel adapted to contain the low noise amplifier.

2. The combined satellite and terrestrial antenna system for a structure, according to claim 1, wherein the satellite antenna comprises:

a quadrifilar helix antenna.

3. The combined satellite and terrestrial antenna system for a structure according to claim 1, further comprising:

both the terrestrial antenna and satellite antenna mounted at a common location on the structure, such that the angle formed by the difference in height between the top of an obstruction and the height of the satellite antenna, and the distance from the obstruction and the combined concentrically mounted satellite and multiband terrestrial antenna is less than 20 degrees.

4. The combined satellite and terrestrial antenna system for a structure according to claim 1, wherein the terrestrial antenna comprises:

a multiband terrestrial antenna.

5. The combined satellite and terrestrial antenna system for a structure according to claim 1, further comprising:

a satellite receiver;

an AM/FM receiver connected to the satellite receiver by a first cable; and

the mounting assembly connected to the satellite receiver by a third cable and a fourth cable and connected to the AM/FM receiver by a fifth cable.

6. The combined satellite and terrestrial antenna system for a structure according to claim 5, wherein the AM/FM receiver comprises:

a head unit; and

an AM/FM tuner.

7. The combined satellite and terrestrial antenna system for a structure according to claim 1, wherein the low noise amplifier circuit comprises:

a satellite low noise amplifier with a first input connected to a first end of a second cable and a second end of the second cable connected to the satellite antenna;

a combiner with a first input connected to a first end of a sixth cable and a second end of the sixth cable connected to the terrestrial antenna;

a fourth cable connected to the output of the satellite low noise amplifier;

a third cable connected to a first output of the combiner; and

a fifth cable connected to a second output of the combiner.

8. The combined satellite and terrestrial antenna system for a structure according to claim 7, wherein the combiner comprises:

a terrestrial low noise amplifier with an input and an output;

a circuit with an input and an output;

the input of the circuit connected to the input of the terrestrial low noise amplifier and connected to a first end of a sixth cable; and

the output of the combiner comprising the output of the terrestrial low noise amplifier and the output of the circuit.

9. The combined satellite and terrestrial antenna system for a structure according to claim 8, wherein the circuit comprises:

a passive circuit element.

10. The combined satellite and terrestrial antenna system for a structure according to claim 9, wherein the passive circuit element comprises:

an inductor, tuned to operate as an open circuit as satellite transmission frequencies and as a short circuit at conventional terrestrial AM/FM transmission frequencies.

11. The combined satellite and terrestrial antenna system for a structure according to claim 7, wherein the third and fifth cable are combined to form a seventh cable, the seventh cable connected to the first and second output of the combiner.

12. The combined satellite and terrestrial antenna system for a structure according to claim 8, wherein the circuit comprises:

an arrangement of passive devices configured and tuned to operate as an open circuit as satellite transmission frequencies and as a short circuit at conventional terrestrial AM/FM transmission frequencies.

13. The combined satellite and terrestrial antenna system for a structure according to claim 8, wherein the circuit comprises:

an arrangement of passive and active devices configured and tuned to operate as an open circuit as satellite transmission frequencies and as a short circuit at conventional terrestrial AM/FM transmission frequencies.

14. The combined satellite and terrestrial antenna system for a structure according to claim 8, wherein the circuit comprises:

an arrangement of active devices configured and tuned to operate as an open circuit as satellite transmission frequencies and as a short circuit at conventional terrestrial AM/FM transmission frequencies.

15. The combined satellite and terrestrial antenna system for a structure according to claim 1, further comprising:

a satellite receiver;

an AM/FM receiver connected to the satellite receiver by a first cable;

the mounting assembly connected to the satellite receiver by a third cable and connected to a splitter by a sixth cable; and

the splitter connected to the satellite receiver by a seventh cable and to the AM/FM receiver by a eighth cable.

16. The combined satellite and terrestrial antenna system for a structure according to claim 15, wherein the AM/FM receiver comprises:

an AM/FM tuner connected to the splitter by the eighth cable; and

a head unit connected the AM/FM tuner by a ninth cable and to the satellite receiver by the first cable.

17. The combined satellite and terrestrial antenna system for a structure according to claim 1, wherein the structure is selected from the group consisting of an automobile, a recreational vehicle, a house, a building, a train and an aircraft.

18. The combined satellite and terrestrial antenna system for a structure according to claim 1, wherein the terrestrial antenna comprises:

an multiband antenna configured to receive conventional AM/FM transmitted signals and terrestrial re-transmissions of received satellite transmitted signals.

19. The combined satellite and terrestrial antenna system for a structure according to claim 1, wherein:

the quadrifilar helix antenna is configured to receive SDARS signals.

20. The combined satellite and terrestrial antenna system for a structure according to claim 3, wherein the obstruction comprises:

a roof of an automobile.

37. The combined satellite and terrestrial antenna for a structure according to claim 1, wherein:

the satellite antenna is mounted on the uppermost portion of the terrestrial antenna.

38. The combined satellite and terrestrial antenna for a structure according to claim 1, wherein:

the satellite antenna is mounted at any position on the terrestrial antenna.

39. The combined satellite and terrestrial antenna for a structure according to claim 37, wherein:

the terrestrial antenna is a retractable terrestrial antenna.

40. The combined satellite and terrestrial antenna for a structure according to claim 39, wherein:

the combined satellite and terrestrial antenna retract to a location within the structure.

41. The combined satellite and terrestrial antenna for a structure according to claim 39, wherein:

the combined satellite and terrestrial antenna retract to a location on the surface of the structure.

21. A combined satellite and terrestrial antenna system for a vehicle comprising:

a terrestrial antenna mounted on a mounting assembly;

a satellite antenna concentrically mounted with respect to the terrestrial antenna; and

the mounting assembly comprising a low noise amplifier circuit and a bezel, the bezel adapted to contain the low noise amplifier, and wherein the mounting assembly is mounted on the vehicle.

22. The combined satellite and terrestrial antenna system for a vehicle, according to claim 21, wherein the satellite antenna comprises:

a quadrifilar helix antenna.

23. The combined satellite and terrestrial antenna system for a vehicle according to claim 21, further comprising:

both the terrestrial antenna and satellite antenna mounted at a common location on the vehicle, such that the angle formed by the difference in height between the top of an obstruction and the height of the satellite antenna, and the distance from the obstruction and the combined concentrically mounted satellite and multiband terrestrial antenna is less than 20 degrees.

24. The combined satellite and terrestrial antenna system for a vehicle according to claim 21, wherein the terrestrial antenna comprises:

a multiband terrestrial antenna.

25. The combined satellite and terrestrial antenna system for a vehicle according to claim 21, further comprising:

a satellite receiver;

an AM/FM receiver connected to the satellite receiver by a first cable; and

the mounting assembly connected to the satellite receiver by a third cable and a fourth cable and connected to the AM/FM receiver by a fifth cable.

26. The combined satellite and terrestrial antenna system for a vehicle according to claim 25, wherein the AM/FM receiver comprises:

a head unit; and

an AM/FM tuner.

27. The combined satellite and terrestrial antenna system for a vehicle according to claim 21, wherein the vehicle is selected from the group consisting of an automobile, aircraft, train and a recreational vehicle.

28. The combined satellite and terrestrial antenna system for a structure according to claim 21, wherein the terrestrial antenna comprises:

a multiband antenna configured to receive conventional AM/FM transmitted signals and terrestrial re-transmissions of received satellite transmitted signals.

29. The combined satellite and terrestrial antenna system for a structure according to claim 21, wherein:

the quadrifilar helix antenna is configured to receive SDARS signals.

30. The combined satellite and terrestrial antenna system for a vehicle according to claim 23, wherein the obstruction comprises:

a roof of the automobile.

35. The combined satellite and terrestrial antenna for a vehicle according to claim 21, wherein the terrestrial antenna comprises:

a conventional AM/FM antenna configured to receive terrestrial retransmission of received satellite signals.

36. The combined satellite and terrestrial antenna for a vehicle according to claim 21, wherein the terrestrial antenna comprises:

a terrestrial SDARS antenna, configured to receive conventional AM/FM signals and terrestrial retransmission of received satellite signals.

42. The combined satellite and terrestrial antenna for a structure according to claim 21, wherein:

the satellite antenna is mounted on the uppermost portion of the terrestrial antenna.

43. The combined satellite and terrestrial antenna for a structure according to claim 21, wherein:

the satellite antenna is mounted at any position on the terrestrial antenna.

44. The combined satellite and terrestrial antenna for a structure according to claim 42, wherein:

the terrestrial antenna is a retractable terrestrial antenna.

45. The combined satellite and terrestrial antenna for a structure according to claim 44, wherein:

the combined satellite and terrestrial antenna retract to a location within the structure.

46. The combined satellite and terrestrial antenna for a structure according to claim 44, wherein:

the combined satellite and terrestrial antenna retract to a location on the surface of the structure.

31. A method for mounting a combined satellite and terrestrial antenna system on a structure comprising the following steps:

mounting a terrestrial antenna on a mounting assembly;

mounting the satellite antenna concentrically with the terrestrial antenna;

mounting the mounting assembly in a mounting hole on a structure, the mounting assembly comprising a low noise amplifier circuit and a bezel, the bezel adapted to contain the low noise amplifier;

locating satellite receiver hardware in proximity to the combined satellite and terrestrial antenna system; and

connecting the satellite antenna, the terrestrial antenna, the satellite receiver hardware and terrestrial receiver hardware with appropriate cables.

32. The method for mounting a combined satellite and terrestrial antenna system on a structure according to claim 31, wherein the step of mounting the terrestrial antenna in a mounting hole and mounting the satellite antenna concentrically with the terrestrial antenna comprises:

mounting both the terrestrial antenna and satellite antenna mounted at a common location on the structure, such that the angle formed by the difference in height between the top of an obstruction and the height of the satellite antenna, and the distance from the obstruction and the combined concentrically mounted satellite and multiband terrestrial antenna is less than 20 degrees.

33. The method for mounting a combined satellite and terrestrial antenna system on a structure according to claim 31, wherein the structure is selected from the group consisting of an automobile, a recreational vehicle, a house, a building, a train and an aircraft.

34. The method for mounting a combined satellite and terrestrial antenna system on a structure according to claim 33, wherein the obstruction comprises:

a roof of the automobile.