Antenna unit

• US 6,396,447 B1
• Filed: 09/26/2000
• Issued: 05/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Volvo Personvagnar AB (AB Volvo)
• Original Assignee: Volvo Personvagnar AB (AB Volvo)
• Inventors: Jonasson, Mats
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): DINH, TRINH VO
• Application Number:
  US09/669,814
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• Field of Search: 343/713,745,751,753,700 MS,702,711 455/277.1,77,132,500
• US Class Current: 343/713
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3275 mounted on a horizontal surface of the vehicle, e.g. on roof, hood, trunk
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/30 Combinations of separate antenna units operating in different wavebands and connected to a common feeder system
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 23/00 Antennas with active circuits or circuit elements integrated within them or attached to them

Abstract

The invention relates to an antenna unit for receiving electromagnetic signals in a vehicle, comprising a plurality of antennae, of which at least one antenna is adapted to receive signals in the GHz range and at least one antenna has an essentially two-dimensional spatial extent, and two or more tuner units, which are each connected to at least one antenna. The antenna unit is characterized in that the output signals from the tuner units are connected to a common coordinating member, and that said antennae, tuner units and coordinating member are arranged on a common supporting element to form an integrated unit. An output signal from the coordinating member is via a communication interface connectable to a vehicle-internal communication path. Antennae and tuner units can be releasably arranged on the supporting element to provide a modularized antenna unit.

Claims

1. An antenna unit for receiving electromagnetic signals in a vehicle, said antenna unit comprising:

a plurality of antennae and a plurality of tuners, wherein each tuner is connected to an antenna and output signals from said tuners are fed to a multiplexor;

said antennae, tuners and multiplexor are arranged on a common supporting element to form an integrated unit; and

a communication interface adapted to communicate an output signal from the multiplexor to a vehicle internal communication path.

2. The antenna unit as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the antennae is adapted to receive signals in the GHz range.

3. The antenna unit as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one antenna has an essentially two-dimensional spatial configuration.

4. The antenna unit as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one antenna is adapted to be releasably arranged on the common supporting element.

5. The antenna unit as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one tuner is adapted to be releasably arranged on the supporting element.

6. The antenna unit as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one antenna is fixedly arranged on the surface of the supporting element.

7. The antenna unit as recited in claim 1, wherein the supporting element comprises an essentially planar sheet of a non-conductive material adapted to be mountable in the plane of the body at the upper side of the vehicle.

8. The antenna unit as recited in claim 1, wherein said antenna unit is adapted to be mountable in a recess in the body of the vehicle when the body of the vehicle is constructed from conductive material.

9. The antenna unit as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one antenna is connected to a plurality of tuners.

10. The antenna unit as recited in claim 1, wherein the communication path comprises a databus.

11. The antenna unit as recited in claim 1, wherein the communication path comprises an optical cable.