Vehicle equipped with an on-vehicle telecommunication system communicating with a user portable communication device housed in a shielding environment

• US 20050037825A1
• Filed: 06/18/2004
• Published: 02/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: C.R.F. Societa Consortile Per Azioni
• Original Assignee: C.R.F. Societa Consortile Per Azioni
• Inventors: Faranda Cordella, Giuseppe, Audone, Michela
• Granted Patent: US 7,409,235 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/575.900
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/245 with means for shaping the antenna pattern, e.g. in order to protect user against rf exposure
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3291 mounted in or on other locations inside the vehicle or vehicle body
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/526 Electromagnetic shields
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3877 Arrangements for enabling portable transceivers to be used in a fixed position, e.g. cradles or boosters

Abstract

A vehicle equipped with an on-vehicle telecommunication system having an electromagnetic field shielding case installed in the vehicle and for housing a user portable communication device, which has a first communication module permitting, via a first antenna, short-range radio-frequency transmission and reception, and a second antenna permitting long-range radio-frequency transmission and reception to and from a remote radio-base station. The on-vehicle telecommunication system also has a third antenna installed in the shielding case; a second communication module connected to the third antenna to permit, inside the shielding case, short-range radio-frequency communication with the first communication module of the user portable communication device; and a user interface device, which is installed in the vehicle, is connected to the second communication module, and permits remote use by a user of the user portable communication device to effect long-range radio-frequency transmission and reception to and from the remote radio-base station.

Claims

1. A vehicle equipped with an on-vehicle telecommunication system;

the on-vehicle telecommunication system being characterized by comprising shielding housing means for a user portable communication device, which has first antenna means and first communication means connected to said first antenna means to permit short-range radio-frequency transmission and reception, and second antenna means permitting long-range radio-frequency transmission and reception to and from a remote radio-base station;

said on-vehicle telecommunication system comprising third antenna means installed inside said shielding housing means;

second communication means connected to said third antenna means to permit, inside said shielding housing means, short-range radio-frequency communication with said first communication means of said user portable communication device; and

user interface means, which are installed in said vehicle, are connected to said second communication means, and permit remote use by a user of said user portable communication device to effect said long-range radio-frequency transmission and reception.

2. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said shielding housing means comprise a window transparent to radio-frequency signals and so oriented as to permit passage of the radio-frequency signals outwards of the vehicle.

3. A vehicle as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that said window is defined by a closed opening made of non-shielding material transparent to radio-frequency signals.

4. A vehicle as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that said window is defined by an opening formed in the body of said shielding housing means.

5. A vehicle as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that said shielding housing means comprise a shielding case fixed integrally to a wall of said vehicle transparent to said radio-frequency signals.

6. A vehicle as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that said shielding case is fixed integrally to the windscreen of said vehicle.

7. A vehicle as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that said shielding case is positioned with said window facing said windscreen of said vehicle.

8. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said shielding housing means are closed.

9. A vehicle as claimed in claim 8, characterized by comprising fourth antenna means installed inside said shielding housing means and connected to fifth antenna means located in said vehicle and outside said shielding housing means;

said fourth antenna means permitting transmission and reception to and from said second antenna means of said user portable communication device.

10. A vehicle as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that said fifth antenna means comprise a vehicle antenna.

11. A vehicle as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that said fourth antenna means comprise a horn antenna.

12. A vehicle as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that said fourth antenna means comprise a dipole antenna.

13. A vehicle as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that said fourth antenna means comprise a capacitive antenna.

14. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said shielding housing means comprise at least one door by which to insert/remove said user portable communication device inside/from said shielding housing means.

15. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said interface means are integrated in an on-vehicle computer of said vehicle, and in that said second communication means are integrated in said on-vehicle computer.

16. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said second communication means are fixed to said shielding housing means.

17. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said first and said second communication means permit radio-frequency communication to the Bluetooth or IEEE 802.11b short-range communication standard.

18. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said user portable communication device is a cellular telephone.