Antenna system for a motor vehicle

• US 5,883,599 A
• Filed: 01/16/1997
• Issued: 03/16/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Inventors: Hall, Scott Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ho, Tan
• Application Number:
  US08/784,222
• Time in Patent Office: 789 Days
• Field of Search: 343/704, 343/713, 343/741
• US Class Current: 343/713
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1271 for mounting on windscreens
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1278 in association with heating wires or layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3283 side-mounted antennas, e.g. bumper-mounted, door-mounted mounted on windscreens H01Q1/1271
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/24 Combinations of antenna units polarised in different directions for transmitting or receiving circularly and elliptically polarised waves or waves linearly polarised in any direction circularly polarised patch antennas H01Q9/0428; circularly polarised horns H01Q13/0241; cross-polarised horns H01Q13/0258; polarisation converters H01Q15/242; cross-polarised rear feeds H01Q19/136; crossed polarisation dual antenna H01Q25/001
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/29 Combinations of different interacting antenna units for giving a desired directional characteristic H01Q25/00 takes precedence

Abstract

A concealed antenna system (16) for a motor vehicle (10) including a first antenna element (18) mounted on a first window (20), or panel, of the vehicle and at least a second antenna element (30) mounted on a second window (19), or panel, of the vehicle. The first antenna element (18) includes a conductive line (22) and a conductive loop (26) connected to one another. The first and second antenna elements are connected to one another in series by a wire (32) between the loop (26) on the first antenna element (18) and a conductive portion of the second antenna element (30).

Claims

1. An antenna system for a motor vehicle comprising:

a first and a second panel, with the panels being electrically isolated from the vehicle;

a first antenna element, mounted on the first panel, including a first conductor shaped as a generally vertical line and a second conductor generally shaped as a loop, with a first node connecting the first conductor and the second conductor, and with a second node on the second conductor, spaced from the first node;

a second antenna element, mounted on the second panel, including a third conductor having a third node;

a conductive member extending between the second node on the first antenna element and the third node on the second antenna element such that the first and the second antenna elements are connected in series;

a third electrically isolated panel;

a third antenna element mounted thereon, with the third antenna element including a fourth conductor having a fourth node; and

a second conductive member extending between the fourth node and the second antenna element.

2. An antenna system for a motor vehicle comprising:

a first window and a second, rear window adapted to mount on the vehicle, with the second window including a heating conductor grid;

a first antenna element, mounted on the first window, including a first conductor shaped as a generally vertical line and a second conductor generally shaped as a loop, with a first node connecting the first conductor and the second conductor, and with a second node on the second conductor, spaced from the first node;

a second antenna element, mounted on the second window, including a third conductor having a third node, with the second antenna element electrically isolated from the heating conductor grid;

a conductive member extending between the second node on the first antenna element and the third node on the second antenna element such that the first and the second antenna elements are connected in series;

an electrically isolated panel and a third antenna element mounted thereon, with the third antenna element including a fourth conductor having a fourth node; and

a second conductive member extending between the fourth node and the second antenna element.

3. A motor vehicle including a device for receiving radio frequency signals mounted therein comprising:

at least two windows;

a first antenna element including a first conductor, extending in a substantially vertical direction on a first one of the windows and sized to receive radio frequencies in an FM band range, and a second conductor extending about the first one of the windows in a loop pattern, with a first node connecting the first conductor and the second conductor, and with a second node on the second conductor, spaced from the first node a distance along the second conductor of about I, where I is generally one quarter of a wavelength at the FM band frequencies;

a second antenna element including a third conductor mounted on a second one of the windows including a third node;

conductive means for connecting the second node of the first antenna element and the third node of the second antenna element so that the first and second antenna elements are connected in series;

the second antenna element forming a heating conductor grid and the conductive means including a capacitor mounted between the second node and the third node, with the heating conductor grid including a grid portion, a power source for the grid portion and a ground, and with a first inductor connected between the power source and the grid portion and a second inductor mounted between the grid portion and the ground;

conductive means adapted for communicating a signal between the first antenna element and the device;

a third window and a third antenna element mounted thereon, with the third antenna element including a fourth conductor having a fourth node; and

a second conductive means for connecting between the fourth node and the second antenna element so that the second and third antenna elements are connected in series.