Combined GPS and cellular band mobile antenna

• US 6,298,243 B1
• Filed: 01/05/1999
• Issued: 10/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Geo-Comm Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Geo-Comm Incorporated
• Inventors: Basile, Philip Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Nay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vuong, Quochien B.
• Application Number:
  US09/229,410
• Time in Patent Office: 1,001 Days
• Field of Search: 455/12.1, 455/13.1, 455/90, 455/269, 455/347, 455/351, 455/426, 455/427, 455/456, 455/550, 455/552, 455/553, 455/575, 343/715, 343/725, 343/895
• US Class Current: 455/552.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1207 for fastening a rigid aerial element
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/30 Combinations of separate antenna units operating in different wavebands and connected to a common feeder system
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0407 Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna dipole H01Q9/285; monopole H01Q9/40
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/32 Vertical arrangement of element H01Q9/40 takes precedence

Abstract

A combined cellular and GPS antenna resembles a magnetic mount cellular antenna, but provides both cellular transmit/receive functions as well as GPS reception. Furthermore, the present invention provides a combined GPS antenna operating at 1540 MHZ with a cellular antenna in the 800 to 950 MHZ range and provides extended elevation coverage for the cellular band. The dual purpose antenna structure of the present invention can be used with any cellular radio which incorporates GPS as an internal locating function. A single coaxial cable between the radio and the antenna can carry the GPS reception signal, the cellular receive and transmit traffic, as well as DC power required by the sensitive GPS amplifiers, located in the antenna itself. The dual antenna structure consists of a ¾ wave monopole antenna for transmitting and receiving cellular signals, a patch antenna for receiving GPS signals and a diplexer to direct the cellular signals to be transmitted to the cellular antenna from the coaxial cable and to direct the GPS and cellular signals received from the respective antennas, respectively, to the single coaxial cable. The cellular RF and GPS receive signals are transported simultaneously over a common cable. Bi-directional cellular radio signals are separated from the coaxial cable by a diplexer. The diplexer consists of two bandpass filters, which combine the GPS and the cellular traffic for transmission over the coaxial cable. The cellular radio contains a similar item and is used to separate the signals to the respective receiver segments. The diplexer delivers the transmit signal only to the cellular antenna and prevents the high power transmit signal from damaging sensitive GPS components in the GPS assembly. A passive inductive/capacitive network provides a conjugate impedance match to the antenna structure for maximum effective radio range.

Claims

1. An apparatus for receiving global positioning satellite system signals and transmitting and receiving cellular signals, comprising:

a) a global positioning satellite system antenna receiving the global positioning satellite system signals;

b) a cellular antenna receiving and transmitting the cellular signals;

c) a matching network coupled to the cellular antenna; and

d) a common enclosure housing the global positioning satellite system antenna, the cellular antenna and the matching network, said global positioning satellite system antenna, said matching network and said cellular antenna being aligned along a same axis.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the global positioning satellite system antenna comprises a patch antenna.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the patch antenna is approximately 25 mm by 25 mm square.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the patch antenna has a classical antenna pattern and provides coverage from approximately 30 degrees to 90 degrees in elevation at all azimuth angles.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cellular antenna comprises a ¾

wave monopole antenna.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the diameter of said matching network is smaller than the diameter of said global positioning satellite system antenna.

7. An apparatus for receiving global positioning satellite system signals and transmitting and receiving cellular signals, comprising:

a) a global positioning satellite system antenna receiving the global positioning satellite system signals;

b) a cellular antenna receiving and transmitting the cellular signals; and

c) a diplexer for coupling to a cellular radio and directing cellular signals to the cellular antenna and directing global positioning satellite system signals to the global positioning satellite system antenna;

d) a matching network being coupled to the diplexer and the cellular antenna; and

e) a radome housing the global positioning satellite system antenna, the cellular antenna and the matching network, said global positioning satellite system antenna, said matching network and said cellular antenna being aligned along a same axis.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a low noise amplifier being coupled to the diplexer and the global positioning satellite system antenna.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a magnetic base on which the diplexer, matching network, and radome are mounted.

10. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the diplexer includes two bandpass filters combining received global positioning satellite system signals and received cellular signals for transmission to the cellular radio.

11. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the diplexer couples cellular signals to be transmitted only to the cellular antenna.

12. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the matching network comprises a passive inductive/capacitive network providing a conjugative impedance match to the cellular antenna.

13. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the cellular antenna comprises a cellular monopole antenna.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the cellular monopole antenna includes an approximately 0.062 diameter spring steel wire between approximately 9-10 inches in length.

15. A method for receiving and transmitting cellular signals and receiving signals from a global positioning system, comprising the steps of:

a) providing a common housing for a global positioning satellite system antenna receiving the global positioning satellite system signals, a cellular antenna receiving and transmitting the cellular signals and a matching network coupled to the cellular antenna for matching the impedance of the diplexer and the cellular antenna;

b) aligning said global positioning satellite system antenna, said matching network and said cellular antenna along a same axis;

c) directing received cellular signals to a cellular receiver;

d) directing cellular signals to be transmitted to a cellular antenna;

e) directing received global positioning system signals to a global positioning system receiver.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising the step of coupling a low noise amplifier to a diplexer directing the cellular and global positioning signals and a global positioning satellite system antenna.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of mounting the common housing on a magnetic base.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of mounting the diplexer and a matching network on the magnetic base.

19. A device for receiving and transmitting cellular signals and receiving signals from a global positioning system, comprising:

a) a cellular antenna receiving and transmitting the cellular signals;

b) a global positioning satellite system antenna receiving the global positioning satellite system signals;

c) means for housing the global positioning satellite system antenna and the cellular antenna;

d) first means for directing received cellular signals to a cellular receiver;

e) second means for directing cellular signals to be transmitted to the cellular antenna; and

f) third means for directing received global positioning system signals to a global positioning system receiver and for preventing cellular signals from reaching the global positioning satellite system antenna, said global positioning satellite system antenna and said cellular antenna being aligned along a same axis.

20. The device according to claim 19, further comprising:

a) a low noise amplifier being coupled to the third means for directing and the global positioning satellite system antenna;

b) a matching network matching the impedance of first and second means for directing and the cellular antenna; and

c) a magnetic base on which the means for housing, the first, second and third means for directing and the matching network is mounted, said matching network being aligned along a same axis said global positioning satellite system antenna and said cellular antenna.