Automobile antenna system

• US 4,811,330 A
• Filed: 11/14/1985
• Issued: 03/07/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Kondo, Hiroshi, Ohe, Junzo
• Primary Examiner(s): Griffin, Robert L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Application Number:
  US06/798,024
• Time in Patent Office: 1,209 Days
• Field of Search: 455/277-279, 455/345, 455/52, 455/65, 455/133-135, 455/206, 455/297, 343/893, 343/713, 343/725, 343/728, 343/711, 343/712
• US Class Current: 455/272
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/32 Adaptation for use in or on road or rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0814 based on current reception conditions, e.g. switching to different antenna when signal level is below threshold

Abstract

The present invention provides a diversity type automobile antenna system comprising a pair of high-frequency pickups for mounted on the vehicle body at one or more locations whereat surface high-frequency currents will be induced by radio or other waves with higher densities, said high-freqnency pickups being arranged such that one of said high-frequency pickups can complement the other with respect to sensitivity. The above locations on the vehicle body include the marginal edge of a closure such as trunk lid, roof or engine hook, and various connections between each adjacent vehicle portion of flat configuration such as pillars supporting the roof panel or trunk hinges. One of the high-frequency pickups are adapted to be automatically selected such that it can receive radio or other waves more sensitively.

Claims

1. A diversity type automobile vehicle antenna system comprising:

first high-frequency pickup means including a loop antenna mounted so that one side of the loop antenna faces a first marginal edge portion on the vehicle body for receiving broadcast waves by detecting high-frequency currents induced on the vehicle body by the broadcast waves;

second high-frequency pickup means including a loop antenna mounted so that one side of the loop antenna faces a second marginal edge portion on the vehicle body, the second marginal edge portion being spaced apart from the first marginal edge portion, for receiving broadcast waves by detecting high-frequency currents induced on the vehicle body by the broadcast waves; and

pickup selection means for switchably selecting an output from any one of said first and second high-frequency pickup means, said pickup selection means comparing the selected output to be a predetermined threshold limit and switching to the other output of said first and second high frequency pickup means when the selected output is lower than the predetermined threshold.

2. A diversity type automobile antenna system as in claim 1 said first high-frequency pickup means being mounted on a rearward edge of the vehicle rear roof at the rightward or leftward side of the vehicle body and extending parallel to the marginal edge portion of the rear roof and said second high-frequency pickup means being mounted on a front pillar of the vehicle body on the same side as said first high-frequency pickup means and extending parallel to the length of the front pillar.

3. A diversity type automobile antenna system as in claim 2, said first high-frequency pickup means being mounted on a roof panel of the vehicle body and separated from a rear window frame on said roof panel and said first high-frequency pickup means including the loop antenna located in close proximity to the marginal edge portion of an edge molding mounting retainer and extending parallel to the length thereof, said retainer having a longitudinal dimension substantially equal to the wavelength of broadcast waves to be received.

4. A diversity type automobile antenna system as in claim 1 said first high-frequency pickup means being mounted on an inner edge of a trunk lid of the vehicle body and at the center thereof and extending parallel to the inner edge of the trunk lid and said second high-frequency pickup means being mounted on a front pillar of the vehicle body and extending parallel to the length of the front pillar.

5. A diversity type automobile antenna system as in claim 4, said first high-frequency pickup means being spaced from a marginal edge portion of the trunk lid inwardly within a range represented by the following formula:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">12×

10.sup.-3 c/f (meter)

where c is the velocity of light and f is the carrier frequency of the broadcast waves to be received.

6. A diversity type automobile antenna system as in claim 1 said first and second high-frequency pickup means being mounted on a roof panel of the vehicle adjacent to a marginal edge portion thereof at different locations, respectively, and extending parallel to the marginal edge portion of the roof panel.

7. A diversity type automobile antenna system as in claim 6, said first and second high-frequency pickup means being mounted on the marginal edge of the roof panel adjacent to the rear window glass of the vehicle body and spaced from each other a predetermined distance.

8. A diversity type automobile antenna system as in claim 6, one of said first and second high-frequency pickup means being mounted on the marginal edge portion of the roof panel adjacent to the rear window glass, the other of said first and second high-frequency pickup means being mounted on the marginal edge portion of the roof panel adjacent to a windshield glass of the vehicle body.

9. A diversity type automobile antenna system as in claim 1, said first and second high-frequency pickup means being respectively mounted in two front pillars of the vehicle body, spaced apart from each other.

10. A diversity type automobile antenna system as in claim 1, said first and second high-frequency pickup means being respectively mounted on two trunk hinges of the vehicle body, spaced apart from each other.

11. A diversity type automobile antenna system as in claim 1, said first and second high-frequency pickup means being respectively mounted on any one of a trunk lid and engine hood of the vehicle body, with a predetermined spacing between marginal edge portions thereof and with a predetermined spacing between said first and second high-frequency pickup means or alternatively mounted respectively on the marginal edge portions of the trunk lid and engine hood.

12. A diversity type automobile antenna system as in claim 1 said first and second high-frequently pickup means being mounted marginal edge portions of the vehicle body, at different locations thereof and extending parallel to the marginal edge portions of the vehicle body.

13. A diversity type automobile vehicle antenna system comprising:

first high-frequency pickup means mounted on a rearward edge of the vehicle rear roof at the rightward or leftward side of the vehicle body and extending parallel to the marginal edge portion of the rear roof for receiving broadcast waves by detecting high-frequency currents induced on the vehicle body by the broadcast waves;

second high-frequency pickup means mounted on a front pillar of the vehicle body on the same side as said first high-frequency pickup means and extending parallel to the length of the front pillar, for receiving broadcast waves by detecting high-frequency currents induced on the vehicle body by the broadcast waves; and

pickup selection means for switchably selecting an output from any one of said first and second high-frequency pickup means, said pickup selection means comparing the selected output to a predetermined threshold limit and switching to the other output of said first and second high frequency pickup means when the selected output is lower than the redetermined threshold

14. A diversity type automobile antenna system as in claim 13, said first high-frequency pickup means being mounted on a roof panel of the vehicle body and separated form a rear window frame on said roof panel and said first high-frequency pickup means including a loop antenna located in close proximity to the marginal edge portion of an edge molding mounting retainer and extending parallel to the length thereof, said retainer having a longitudinal dimension substantially equal to the wavelength of broadcast waves to be received.

15. A diversity type automobile antenna system as in claim 13, said second high-frequency pickup means including a loop antenna mounted on the pillar and extending parallel to the length thereof, said loop antenna being adapted to electromagnetically detect a magnetic flux formed by the high-frequency currents flowing on the pillar.

16. A diversity type automobile antenna system as in claim 13, said second high-frequency pickup means including a detecting electrode disposed in close proximity to the pillar and extending parallel to the length thereof, the pillar and detecting electrode comprising an electrostatic coupling for detecting the high-frequency currents flowing on the pillar.

17. A diversity type automobile vehicle antenna system comprising:

first high-frequency pickup means mounted on an inner edge of a trunk lid of the vehicle body and at the center thereof and extending parallel to the inner edge of the trunk lid for receiving broadcast waves by detecting high-frequency currents induced on the vehicle body by the broadcast waves;

second high-frequency pickup means mounted on a front pillar of the vehicle body and extending parallel to the length of the front pillar, for receiving broadcast waves by detecting high-frequency current induced on the vehicle body by the broadcast waves; and

pickup selection means for switchable selecting an output from any one of said first and second high-frequency pickup means, said pickup selection means comparing the selected output to a predetermined threshold limit and switching to the other output of said first and second high frequency pickup means when the selected output is lower than the predetermined threshold.

18. A diversity type automobile antenna system as in claim 17, said first high-frequency pickup means being spaced from a marginal edge portion of the trunk lid inwardly within a range represented by the following formula:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">12×

10.sup.-3 c/f (meter)

where c is the velocity of light and f is the carrier frequency of the broadcast waves to be received.

19. A diversity type automobile antenna system as in claim 17, said second high-frequency pickup means including a loop antenna extending along the front pillar, said loop antenna being adapted to electromagnetically detect a magnetic flux formed by the high-frequency currents flowing on the front pillar.

20. A diversity type automobile antenna system as in claim 17, said second high-frequency pickup means including a detecting electrode disposed in close proximity to the front pillar and extending parallel to the length thereof, the front pillar and detecting electrode comprising an electrostatic coupling for detecting the high-frequency currents flowing on the pillar.

21. A diversity type automobile vehicle antenna system comprising:

first high-frequency pickup means mounted at a first marginal edge portion of the vehicle body for receiving broadcast waves by detecting high-frequency currents induced on the vehicle body by the broadcast waves;

second high-frequency pickup means mounted at a second marginal edge portion of the vehicle body, the second marginal edge portion being spaced apart from first marginal edge portion, for receiving broadcast waves by detecting high-frequency currents induced on the vehicle body by the broadcast waves; and

pickup selection means for switchably selecting an output from any one of said first and second high-frequency pickup means, said pickup selection means comparing the selected output to a predetermined threshold limit and switching to the other output of said first and second high frequency pickup means when the selected output is lower than the predetermined threshold;

said first and second high-frequency pickup means being mounted on a roof panel of the vehicle adjacent to a marginal edge portion thereof at different location, respectively, and extending parallel to the marginal edge portion of the roof panel.

22. A diversity type automobile antenna system as in claim 21, said first and second high-frequency pickup means being mounted on the marginal edge of the roof panel adjacent to the rear window glass of the vehicle body and spaced from each other a predetermined distance.

23. A diversity type automobile antenna system as in claim 21, one of said first and second high-frequency pickup means being mounted on the marginal edge portion of the roof panel adjacent to the rear window glass, the other of said first and second high-frequency pickup means being mounted on the marginal edge portion of the roof panel adjacent to a windshield glass of the vehicle body.

24. A diversity type automobile vehicle antenna system comprising:

first high-frequency pickup means mounted at a first marginal edge portion of the vehicle body for receiving broadcast waves by detecting high-frequency currents induced on the vehicle body by the broadcast waves;

second high-frequency pickup means mounted at a second marginal edge portion of the vehicle body, the second marginal edge portion being spaced apart from the first marginal edge portion, for receiving broadcast waves by detecting high-frequency currents induced on the vehicle body by the broadcast waves; and

pickup selection means for switchably selecting an output from any one of said first and second high-frequency pickup means, said pickup selection means comparing the selected output to a predetermined threshold limit and switching to the other output of said first and second high frequency pickup means when the selected output is lower than the predetermined threshold;

said first and second high-frequency pickup means being, respectively, mounted in two front pillars of the vehicle body, spaced apart from each other.

25. A diversity type automobile vehicle antenna system comprising:

first high-frequency pickup means mounted at a first marginal edge portion of the vehicle body for receiving broadcast waves by detecting high-frequency currents induced on the vehicle body by the broadcast waves;

second high-frequency pickup means mounted at a second marginal edge portion of the vehicle body, the second marginal edge portion being spaced apart from the first marginal edge portion, for receiving broadcast waves by detecting high-frequency currents induced on the vehicle body by the broadcast waves; and

pickup selection means for switchably selecting an output from any one of said first and second high-frequency pickup means, said pickup selection means comparing the selected output to a predetermined threshold limit and switching to the other output of said first and second high frequency pickup means when the selected output is lower than the predetermined threshold;

said first and second high-frequency pickup means being, respectively, mounted on two trunk hinges of the vehicle body, spaced apart from each other.

26. A diversity type automobile vehicle antenna system comprising:

first high-frequency pickup means mounted at a first marginal edge portion of the vehicle body for receiving broadcast waves by detecting high-frequency currents induced on the vehicle body by the broadcast waves;

second high-frequency pickup means mounted at a second marginal edge portion of the vehicle body, the second marginal edge portion being spaced apart from the first marginal edge portion, for receiving broadcast waves by detecting high-frequency currents induced on the vehicle body by the broadcast waves; and

pickup selection means for switchably selecting an output from any one of said first and second high-frequency pickup means, said pickup selection means comparing the selected output to a predetermined threshold limit and switching to the other output of said first and second high frequency pickup means when the selected output is lower than the predetermined threshold;

said first and second high-frequency pickup means being, respectively, mounted on any one of a trunk lid and engine hood of the vehicle body, with a predetermined spacing between marginal edge portions thereof and with a predetermined spacing between said first and second high-frequency pickup means or alternatively mounted respectively on the marginal edge portions of the trunk lid and engine hood,

27. A diversity type automobile vehicle antenna system comprising:

first high-frequency pickup means mounted at a first marginal edge portion of the vehicle body for receiving broadcast waves by detecting high-frequency currents induced on the vehicle body by the broadcast waves;

second high-frequency pickup means mounted at a second marginal edge portion of the vehicle body, the second marginal edge portion being spaced apart from the first marginal edge portion, for receiving broadcast waves by detecting high-frequency currents induced on the vehicle body by the broadcast waves; and

pickup selection means for switchably selecting an output from any one of said first and second high-frequency pickup means, said pickup selection means comparing the selected output to a predetermined threshold limit and switching to the other output of said first and second high frequency p;

pickup means when the selected output is lower than the predetermined threshold;

said first and second high-frequency pickup means being mounted on marginal edge portions of the vehicle body, at different locations, thereof and extending parallel to the marginal edge portions of the vehicle body.