Windowpane antenna with transparent conductive layer

• US 5,926,141 A
• Filed: 08/12/1997
• Issued: 07/20/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Delphi Delco Electronics Europe GmbH (Aptiv PLC)
• Original Assignee: FUBA Automotive GmbH
• Inventors: Hopf, Jochen, Lindenmeier, Heinz, Reiter, Leopold
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, HOANGANH T
• Application Number:
  US08/909,998
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• Field of Search: 343/713, 343/704, 343/711, 343/712, 343/906
• US Class Current: 343/713
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10036 comprising two outer glass sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10174 Coatings of a metallic or dielectric material on a constituent layer of glass or polymer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10376 Laminated safety glass or glazing containing metal wires
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/00 Surface treatment of glass, not in the form of fibres or filaments, by coating optical coatings of optical elements G02B1/10
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3411 with at least two coatings of inorganic materials C03C17/36, C03C17/42 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/36 at least one coating being a metal
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3642 the multilayer coating containing a metal layer
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3671 specially adapted for use as electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/734 comprising an alternation of high and low refractive indexes
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/78 Coatings specially designed to be durable, e.g. scratch-resistant
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1271 for mounting on windscreens

Abstract

An antenna for a windowpane or windshield, comprising a thin, electrically conductive layer flatly applied to an area of the windowpane. The layer is transparent to light and capable of reducing the transmission of heat through the windowpane, and creates a low-conductive area having non-negligible surface resistivity on the windowpane. Also provided is a substantially flat electrode made of highly conductive material, which is high-frequency connected with a reduced high frequency loss connected at at least one edge of said low-conductive layer, and also capacitively connected at high frequencies to an antenna connection point. The electrode is sufficiently long so as to minimize the loss created by the edge of the low-conductive layer. The low-conductive layer can also be sandwiched between glass panels such as in automotive safety glass and an additional electrode can be capacitively coupled to the main electrode. Multiple electrodes can also be disposed on the windowpane for receiving a diversity of frequencies.

Claims

1. An antenna for mounting on a windowpane having at least two glass panels, comprising:

a thin, electrically low conductive layer, embedded between the at least two panels of the windowpane, each panel having an outer surface, said layer being transparent to light and capable of reducing the transmission of heat through the windowpane, said layer creating a low-conductive area having non-negligible surface resistivity on the windowpane;

at least one substantially flat first electrode made of highly conductive material and mounted on one of said two outer surfaces of said glass panels, extending substantially parallel and adjacent with at least one edge of said thin low conductive layer, wherein said surface resistivity of said highly conductive material is several orders of magnitude lower than that of said low conductive material, thus forming a capacitive coupling between said layer and said first electrode; and

an antenna connection point, high frequency coupled to said flat first electrode.

2. The antenna according to claim 1, further comprising a dielectrically active layer made from a material selected from the group consisting of plastic sheets and glass, said dielectrically active layer having two surfaces,

wherein said low conductive layer and said first electrode are applied to different surfaces of said dielectrically active layer,

wherein said high frequency connection between said first electrode and said low conductive layer is made capacitively, and

wherein the width of said first electrode is sufficiently long so as to create a capacitive connection of sufficiently low resistance.

3. The antenna according to claim 2, wherein said electrode has a suitably small width and a predetermined length.

10. The antenna according to claim 2, further comprising:

a second electrode disposed between the two glass panels of the composite windowpane, wherein said second electrode extends substantially parallel with an edge of said low conductive layer and is disposed between said high conductive first electrode and said low conductive layer'"'"'s edge, said second electrode is in contact with said low conductive layer.

11. The antenna according to claim 10, wherein said low conductive layer has a specific surface resistivity of between 3 and 20 ohms, and

wherein said first electrode has a length greater than 5 cm and a width between 5 and 10 mm.

12. The antenna according to claim 10, wherein said first electrode further comprises an inductor attached to the windowpane as an imprint.

13. The antenna according to claim 12, wherein said inductor is disposed in the middle portion of said first electrode.

14. The antenna according to claim 12, wherein said connection point is coupled to said induction at a location so as to minimize the capacitive effect of said first electrode and said window frame.

15. The antenna according to claim 10, wherein said first electrode is attached to the windowpane as an imprint.

16. The antenna according to claim 10, wherein said substantially flat first electrode further comprises:

a plurality of substantially flat first electrodes, made of highly conductive material, said first electrodes are separated from each other and distributed on the outer surface of and around the circumference of the windowpane of a motor vehicle having a conductive window frame, to form a plurality of diversity antennas, each of said first electrodes having an antenna connection point, and further comprising a plurality of grounding points located on the conductive window frame, each grounding point being adjacent an antenna connection point.

17. The windowpane antenna according to claim 1, wherein said low conductive layer has a specific surface resistivity of between 3 and 20 ohms and is embedded together with a second electrode between the two glass panels of a composite windowpane,

wherein said second electrode extends substantially parallel with an edge of said low conductive layer and is disposed between said high conductive first electrode and said low conductive layer'"'"'s edge, and

further comprising a connection for said electrode outside of the composite windowpane and a thin plastic sheet applied to the composite windowpane for creating an electrical coupling between said second electrode and said low conductive layer.

4. The windowpane antenna according to claim 4, wherein the specific surface resistivity of said low conductive layer is between 2 and 20 ohms, and wherein said first antenna electrode is formed on the outer surface of one of the glass panels, and comprising a second electrode which is embedded with said low conductive layer between the two panels of a composite glass windowpane opposite said first antenna electrode, said second electrode extending substantially parallel to the edge of said low-conductive layer,

a thin plastic sheet disposed between the two glass panels, the high-frequency connection of said second electrode to the low-conductive layer being made capacitively, wherein the high frequency connection to said second electrode is made capacitively by connecting said antenna connection point to said first antenna electrode mounted on the outer surface of the glass panel, said second electrode having a conductive surface substantially the same shape as said first electrode and mounted opposite thereof so that said first and said second electrodes are capacitively coupled to each other at high frequencies through the glass panel.

5. The antenna according to claim 4, wherein said substantially flat first electrode further comprises:

a plurality of substantially flat first electrodes, made of highly conductive material, said first electrodes are separated from each other and distributed on the outer surface of and around the circumference of the windowpane of a motor vehicle having a conductive window frame, to form a plurality of diversity antennas, each of said first electrodes having an antenna connection point, and further comprising a plurality of grounding points located on the conductive window frame, each grounding point being adjacent an antenna connection point.

6. The antenna according to claim 4, wherein said first electrode is attached to the windowpane as an imprint.

7. The antenna according to claim 4, wherein said first electrode further comprises an inductor attached to the windowpane as an imprint.

8. The antenna according to claim 7, wherein said inductor is disposed in the middle portion of said first electrode.

9. The antenna according to claim 7, wherein said connection point is coupled to said induction at a location so as to minimize the capacitive effect of said first electrode and said window frame.

18. An antenna for mounting on a windowpane having one or more glass panels, comprising:

a thin, electrically low conductive layer flatly applied to an area of the windowpane of a motor vehicle, wherein said motor vehicle has an electrically conductive body, a conductive window frame, and black print delineating view boundaries of the windshield, said layer being transparent to light and capable of reducing the transmission of heat through the windowpane, said layer creating a low-conductive area having non-negligible surface resistivity on the windowpane, wherein said low conductive layer covers the view boundaries and extends under and parallel to said black print, and wherein the edge of said low conductive layer is spaced as far as possible from said window frame; and

a plurality of substantially flat electrodes, made of highly conductive material, in contact with said low conductive layer, said electrodes are separated from each other and distributed around the circumference of said conductive window frame to form a plurality of diversity antennas, each of said electrodes having an antenna connection point, and further comprising a plurality of grounding points located on the conductive window frame, each grounding point being adjacent an antenna connection point, wherein said surface resistivity of said highly conductive material is several orders of magnitude lower than that of said low conductive material.

19. The antenna according to claim 18, wherein the antenna is mounted on the windshield of a motor vehicle for receiving radio and television audio signals.

20. The antenna according to claim 18, wherein said low conductive layer has a specific surface resistivity of between 5 and 10 ohms, and wherein said electrode has a length of between 20 and 30 cm for obtaining minimal losses in the ultra-short wave frequency band.

21. The antenna according to claim 18, wherein said electrode is in the form of a frame extending around the entire windowpane for obtaining minimal losses.

22. The antenna according to claim 18, wherein the window frame has an upper part, a lower part and two vertical parts, wherein the antenna is mounted on the front windshield of a motor vehicle and at least one of said diversity antennas is formed on each of the upper, lower and vertical parts of the window frame, and wherein said antenna connection points are positioned so as to obtain the highest possible diversity effect.

23. The antenna according to claim 18, wherein one of said antenna connection points is adapted to decouple long, medium and short wave signals, and wherein one capacitor is active at one time, wherein the reactance of said capacitor is low in the VHF and UHF ranges and the sum of the capacitive loads is as low as possible in the long, medium and short wave ranges.

24. The antenna according to claim 23, wherein one inductor is connected in series with said first electrode for reducing the required capacitance to partly compensate for the capacitive reactance.

25. An antenna for mounting on a windowpane having one or more glass panels, comprising:

a thin, electrically low conductive layer flatly applied to an area of the windowpane of a motor vehicle, wherein said motor vehicle has an electrically conductive body, a conductive window frame, and black print delineating view boundaries of the windshield, said layer being transparent to light and capable of reducing the transmission of heat through the windowpane, said layer creating a low-conductive area having non-negligible surface resistivity on the windowpane, wherein said low conductive layer covers the view boundaries and extends under and parallel to said black print, and wherein the edge of said low conductive layer is spaced as far as possible from said window frame; and

a plurality of substantially flat electrodes, made of highly conductive material, capacitively connected to said low conductive layer, said electrodes are separated from each other and distributed around the circumference of said conductive window frame to form a plurality of diversity antennas, each of said electrodes having an antenna connection point, and further comprising a plurality of grounding points located on the conductive window frame, each grounding point being adjacent an antenna connection point, wherein said surface resistivity of said highly conductive material is several orders of magnitude lower than that of said low conductive material.

26. The antenna according to claim 25, wherein the antenna is mounted on the windshield of a motor vehicle for receiving radio and television audio signals.

27. The antenna according to claim 25, wherein said low conductive layer has a specific surface resistivity of between 5 and 10 ohms, and wherein said electrode has a length of between 20 and 30 cm for obtaining minimal losses in the ultra-short wave frequency band.

28. The antenna according to claim 25, wherein said electrode is in the form of a frame extending around the entire windowpane for obtaining minimal losses.

29. The antenna according to claim 25, wherein the window frame has an upper part, a lower part and two vertical parts, wherein the antenna is mounted on the front windshield of a motor vehicle and at least one of said diversity antennas is formed on each of the upper, lower and vertical parts of the window frame, and wherein said antenna connection points are positioned so as to obtain the highest possible diversity effect.

30. The antenna according to claim 25, wherein one of said antenna connection points is adapted to decouple long, medium and short wave signals, and wherein one capacitor is active at one time, wherein the reactance of said capacitor is low in the VHF and UHF ranges and the sum of the capacitive loads is as low as possible in the long, medium and short wave ranges.

31. The antenna according to claim 30, wherein one inductor is connected in series with said electrode for reducing the required capacitance to partly compensate for the capacitive reactance.