System and method for integrating antennas into a vehicle rear-deck spoiler

• US 6,927,736 B1
• Filed: 05/16/2003
• Issued: 08/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Orbital ATK Inc.
• Original Assignee: Mission Research Corp (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Chizever, Hirsch M., Soper, Ivan W., Kornbau, Thomas W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Tuyet
• Assistant Examiner(s): A, MINH D
• Application Number:
  US10/440,449
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: 343/711, 343/712, 343/715, 343/742, 343/867, 455/345, 455/282
• US Class Current: 343/712
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3275 mounted on a horizontal surface of the vehicle, e.g. on roof, hood, trunk

Abstract

An automotive spoiler-type device to house a suite of sensors is described. Such sensors can include, for example, transmit antennas, receive antennas, video cameras, Infrared (IR) sensors, Electro-Optic (EO) sensors, air sensors, etc. Examples of the information transmitted and received include voice, data, navigation, and other communications functions, including, but not limited to, two-way radios, GPS, wireless Internet applications, etc. In one embodiment, the spoiler antenna installations are lower in profile and more compact than conventional vehicle antennas. In one embodiment, a top-load portion of a monopole antenna is used as a ground plane for a patch-type or cavity type antenna.

Claims

1. An integrated antenna system in an automobile rear-deck spoiler, comprising:

a first monopole antenna integrated into an automobile rear-deck spoiler, said first monopole having a substantially vertical portion and a top-load, said substantially vertical portion provided in a first riser;

a second antenna using said top-load as a around plane, wherein a coaxial cable for said patch-type antenna is provided inside said substantially vertical portion of said first monopole; and

a brake light power lead routed through said spoiler along a path approximately parallel to said substantially vertical portion of said first monopole antenna.

2. An integrated antenna system in an automobile rear-deck spoiler, comprising:

a first monopole antenna integrated into an automobile rear-deck spoiler, said first monopole having a substantially vertical portion and a top-load, said substantially vertical portion provided in a first riser;

a second antenna using said top-load as a ground plane, wherein a coaxial cable for said patch-type antenna is provided inside said substantially vertical portion of said first monopole; and

a brake light power lead configured to improve an impedance match of said first monopole antenna.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising at least one of, a video camera, an infrared sensor, an electro-optic sensor, and an air sensor.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a third monopole antenna provided in a second riser.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said second antenna comprises a GPS antenna.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said second antenna comprises a patch-type antenna.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said second antenna comprises a cavity-type antenna.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

an automobile rear-deck spoiler having at least a first riser and a second riser;

a first monopole antenna disposed in said first riser, said first monopole antenna configured to operate in a first frequency band;

a second monopole antenna disposed in said second riser, said second monopole antenna configured to operate in a second frequency band;

said second monopole antenna having a top load;

a first horizontal antenna configured to use said top load as a ground plane; and

a brake light power lead routed through said first riser along a path approximately parallel to said first monopole antenna.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein a coaxial feed for said first horizontal antenna is provided inside at least a portion of said second monopole antenna.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a third monopole antenna provided in a third riser.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said first horizontal antenna comprises a GPS antenna.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said first horizontal antenna comprises a patch-type antenna.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said first horizontal antenna comprises a cavity-type antenna.

14. An apparatus, comprising:

an automobile rear-deck spoiler having at least a first riser and a second riser;

a first monopole antenna disposed in said first riser, said first monopole antenna configured to operate in a first frequency band;

a second monopole antenna disposed in said second riser, said second monopole antenna configured to operate in a second frequency band;

said second monopole antenna having a top load;

a first horizontal antenna configured to use said top load as a ground plane; and

a brake light power lead routed through said second riser along a path approximately parallel to said second monopole antenna.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

a vehicle having a spoiler-type structure comprising at least a first riser;

a first monopole antenna disposed in said first riser, said first monopole antenna having a top load, said first monopole antenna configured to operate in a first frequency band;

a first horizontal antenna configured to use said top load as a ground plane; and

a brake light power lead routed through said first riser along a path approximately parallel to said first monopole antenna so as to improve an input impedance of said first monopole antenna.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein a coaxial feed for said first horizontal antenna is provided inside at least a portion of said first monopole antenna.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a second monopole antenna provided in a second riser, said second monopole antenna configured to operate in a second frequency band.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said first horizontal antenna comprises a GPS antenna.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said first horizontal antenna comprises a patch-type antenna.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said first horizontal antenna comprises a cavity-type antenna.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein a coaxial feed for said first horizontal antenna is provided inside at least a portion of said first monopole antenna.