WINDOW MOUNTED ANTENNA FOR A VEHICLE AND A METHOD FOR USING THE SAME

• US 20100066616A1
• Filed: 11/18/2009
• Published: 03/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thales Avionics Incorporated (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: Thales Avionics Incorporated (Thales SA)
• Inventors: Brady, Kenneth A. JR., Treneer, George
• Granted Patent: US 8,059,043 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/705
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1271 for mounting on windscreens
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/28 Adaptation for use in or on aircraft, missiles, satellites, or balloons

Abstract

An antenna assembly for installation in a vehicle, such as an aircraft, and a method for using the same. The antenna assembly includes at least one window mounted antenna for an aircraft for enabling the aircraft to communicate wirelessly with a network, such as a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN). The window mounted antenna includes a panel that is transparent to visible light and has at least one antenna element, which can be etched onto the panel. The panel can attach to the interior window of the aircraft, or to an inner surface of the inner pressure window of the aircraft, or can replace the interior window, so as to position the antenna element in a side-looking direction with respect to the aircraft.

Claims

1. An antenna assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

at least one antenna element, attached to a portion of an interior liner of the vehicle proximate to a location in the interior liner where an interior window of the vehicle is located.

2. An antenna assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the at least one antenna element is etched onto the portion of the interior liner.

3. An antenna assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the at least one antenna element comprises a plurality of antenna elements.

4. An antenna assembly as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

a plurality of conductors, adapted to electrically couple the antenna elements.

5. An antenna assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein:

a first group of the plurality of antenna elements are positioned in the interior liner proximate to a first side of the interior window and a second group of the plurality of antenna elements are positioned in the interior liner proximate to a second side of the interior window.

6. An antenna assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein an equal number of the antenna elements are in the first and second groups.

7. An antenna assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein the antenna elements in the first and second groups are disposed vertically along the first and second sides of the interior window.

8. An antenna assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the vehicle is an aircraft, and the interior liner is in the aircraft.

9. An antenna assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the at least one antenna element is positioned in a side-looking direction with respect to the vehicle to provide the antenna assembly with a coverage area of about 15 degrees in a vertical direction with respect to the vehicle.

10. An antenna assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the at least one antenna element is positioned in a side-looking direction with respect to the vehicle to provide the antenna assembly with a coverage area of about 75 degrees in a horizontal direction with respect to the vehicle.

11. A method for installing an antenna assembly in a vehicle, comprising:

providing at least one antenna element; and

attaching the at least one antenna element to a portion of an interior liner of the vehicle proximate to a location in the interior liner where an interior window of the vehicle is located.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein:

the attaching comprises etching the at least one antenna element onto the portion of the interior liner.

13. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein:

the at least one antenna element comprises a plurality of antenna elements.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:

electrically coupling the antenna elements to each other.

15. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein:

the attaching comprises positioning a first group of the plurality of antenna elements in the interior liner proximate to a first side of the interior window and a second group of the plurality of antenna elements in the interior liner proximate to a second side of the interior window.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein an equal number of the antenna elements are in the first and second groups.

17. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the attaching comprises disposing the antenna elements in the first and second groups vertically along the first and second sides of the interior window.

18. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein:

the vehicle is an aircraft, and the interior liner is in the aircraft.

19. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein:

the attaching comprises positioning the at least one antenna element in a side-looking direction with respect to the vehicle to provide the antenna assembly with a coverage area of about 15 degrees in a vertical direction with respect to the vehicle.

20. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein:

the attaching comprises positioning the at least one antenna element in a side-looking direction with respect to the vehicle to provide the antenna assembly with a coverage area of about 75 degrees in a horizontal direction with respect to the vehicle.