Vehicle antenna

• US 6,448,935 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2001
• Issued: 09/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Laird Technologies Incorporated (DuPont de Nemours, Inc.), Pittsburgh Glass Works LLC (LKQ Corporation)
• Original Assignee: PPG Industries Ohio Incorporated (Nouryon BV)
• Inventors: Fuchs, Andreas, Duersch, Ralf, Voeltzel, Charles S.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, THO GIA
• Application Number:
  US09/780,888
• Publication Number:
  US 20010038355A1
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: H01/Q.132, 343/704, 343/711, 343/712, 343/713
• US Class Current: 343/713
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1278 in association with heating wires or layers

Abstract

An antenna includes a support and an electroconductive first antenna element, e.g., an electroconductive coating, located on the support and spaced from at least one electroconductive second antenna element. The first antenna element is connected to a ground through an electronic filter device, such as an inductor, configured to pass selected frequencies, e.g., AM frequencies, to the ground to eliminate the selected frequencies from the signal provided by the first antenna element. The first antenna element is preferably located between the second antenna element and a source of electronic noise to shield the second antenna element from at least a portion of the electronic noise. The second antenna element receives and provides at least one of the selected frequencies passed to the ground from the first antenna element.

Claims

1. An antenna, comprising:

a support;

at least one electroconductive first antenna element located on the support;

at least one electroconductive second antenna element located on the support and spaced from the first antenna element; and

at least one electronic filter device, wherein the first antenna element is electrically connected to the electronic filter device such that one or more selected frequencies from the first antenna element are passed to a ground by the filter device and wherein the second antenna element is configured to provide at least one of the selected frequencies passed to the ground from the first antenna element.

2. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the support is a monolithic article.

3. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the support is a laminated article.

4. The antenna according to claim 3, wherein the laminated article includes a plurality of major surfaces and the first and second antenna elements are located on the same major surface.

5. The antenna according to claim 3, wherein the laminated article includes a plurality of major surfaces and the first and second antenna elements are located on different major surfaces.

6. The antenna according to claim 3, wherein the article has a first ply spaced from a second ply.

7. The antenna according to claim 6, wherein the first and second plies include inner and outer major surfaces and the first and second antenna elements are located on at least one of the inner surfaces.

8. The antenna according to claim 3, wherein the laminated article is an automotive windshield.

9. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the support is substantially transparent.

10. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the support is glass.

11. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the first antenna element comprises at least one electroconductive coating.

12. The antenna according to claim 11, wherein the electroconductive coating is at least substantially transparent.

13. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the second antenna element comprises at least one electroconductive coating.

14. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the second antenna element comprises at least one metal or wire antenna element.

15. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the electronic filter device includes an inductor.

16. The antenna according to claim 15, wherein the inductor has an inductance in the range of 1 nano-henry to 50 micro-henries.

17. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the selected frequencies are in the range of 150 kHz to 1710 kHz.

18. The antenna according to claim 1, including at least one receiver electrically connected to the first and second antenna elements.

19. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the first antenna element is electrically connected to an electrical power source.

20. The antenna according to claim 1, including at least one heater element located on the support.

21. A vehicle transparency, comprising:

a first ply having an inner surface and an outer surface;

a second ply having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the first and second plies are bonded together by an interlayer to form a transparency having a top and a bottom;

at least one first antenna element located on at least one of the inner surfaces;

at least one second antenna element located on at least one of the inner surfaces and spaced apart from the first antenna element, wherein at least a portion of the first antenna element is located in the transparency between the second antenna element and a source of electronic noise to shield the second antenna element from the electronic noise of one or more selected frequencies; and

an electronic filter device, wherein the first antenna element is electrically connected to the filter device, and wherein the electronic filter device is configured to pass one or more selected frequencies from the first antenna element to a ground and wherein the second antenna element is configured to provide at least one of the selected frequencies passed to the ground from the first antenna element.

22. The vehicle transparency according to claim 21, including two or more bus bars electrically connected to the first antenna element and a power source.

23. The vehicle transparency according to claim 21, including at least one heater element located on at least one of the surfaces and connected to a power source.

24. The vehicle transparency according to claim 21, wherein the electronic filter device includes an inductor having an inductance of 1 nano-henry to 50 micro-henries.

25. The vehicle transparency according to claim 21, wherein the filter device is configured to pass one or more selected frequencies in the range of 510 kHz to 1710 kHz to the ground.

26. The vehicle transparency according to claim 21, wherein the second antenna element is configured to provide at least one of the selected frequencies passed to the ground from the first antenna element.

27. The vehicle transparency according to claim 21, wherein the first antenna element is located below the second antenna element in the transparency.

28. A method of making an antenna, comprising the steps of:

providing at least one electroconductive first coating region on a support;

providing at least one electroconductive second coating region on the support and spaced from the first coating region; and

electrically connecting the first coating region to an electronic filter device, wherein the electronic filter device is configured to pass one or more selected frequencies from a signal provided by the first coating region to a ground and wherein the second coating region is configured to provide at least one of the selected frequencies passed to the ground from the first coating region.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein the electronic filter device is configured to pass one or more frequencies in the range 510 kHz to 1710 kHz to the ground.

30. The method according to claim 28, wherein the support is an automotive windshield having a top and a bottom and the method includes positioning at least a portion of the first coating region between the second coating region and the bottom of the windshield such that the first coating region shields the second coating region from electronic noise of one or more of the selected frequencies.

31. A method of reducing electronic interference of one or more selected frequencies in an antenna signal, comprising the steps of:

providing at least one electroconductive first antenna element on a support;

providing at least one electroconductive second antenna element on the support, with the first antenna element positioned between the second antenna element and a source of electronic noise of one or more selected frequencies;

connecting the first and second antenna elements to a transmitting or receiving device; and

electrically connecting the first antenna element to an electronic filter device configured to pass one or more of the selected frequencies of the electronic noise to a ground to eliminate the one or more selected frequencies from a signal provided by the first antenna element such that the one or more selected frequencies are provided to the device by the at least one second antenna element.