Vehicle rearview assembly incorporating a tri-band antenna module

• US 7,023,379 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2003
• Issued: 04/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Turnbull, Robert R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Issing, Gregory C.
• Application Number:
  US10/406,402
• Publication Number:
  US 20040196179A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,097 Days
• Field of Search: 343/711, 343/713, 342/357.1, 359/872, 359/871
• US Class Current: 342/357.75
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/35 Constructional details or hardware or software details of the signal processing chain
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/36 relating to the receiver frond end
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3266 using the mirror of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/371 Branching current paths
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/40 Imbricated or interleaved structures; Combined or electromagnetically coupled arrangements, e.g. comprising two or more non-connected fed radiating elements
• 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: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface

Abstract

A rearview assembly includes a mounting structure and a tri-band antenna module. The mounting structure is adapted for mounting to a conductive mounting button that is attached to an inside surface of a vehicle windshield. The tri-band antenna module is mounted adjacent the conductive mounting button and includes a patch antenna and a dual-band cellular antenna.

Claims

1. A rearview assembly for providing an image of a scene at a rear of a vehicle to a driver of the vehicle, the assembly comprising:

a mounting structure adapted for mounting to a conductive mounting button that is attached to an inside surface of a vehicle windshield; and

an antenna module mounted adjacent the conductive mounting button, the antenna module comprising a dual-band cellular antenna, wherein the dual-band cellular antenna is configured such that the mounting button increases the gain of the dual-band cellular antenna due to the fact that the mounting button increases the area of the ground plane.

2. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a patch antenna, wherein the patch antenna operates at about 1.57542 GHz and the dual-band cellular antenna operates in a range from about 824 to 894 MHz and in another range from about 1.85 to 1.99 GHz.

3. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a patch antenna, wherein the dual-band cellular antenna and the patch antenna share a common ground plane.

4. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the ground plane is located adjacent the mounting button and the patch antenna is oriented toward a roof of the vehicle.

5. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a patch antenna, wherein the cellular antenna and the patch antenna are parallel to an inside surface of the vehicle windshield and located in a range of about 1 mm to 3 mm from the inside surface of the vehicle windshield.

6. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the cellular antenna and the patch antenna are parallel to an inside surface of the vehicle windshield and located about 2 mm from the inside surface of the vehicle windshield.

7. The assembly of claim 1, further including:

a patch antenna;

an amplifier for amplifying a signal received through the patch antenna; and

a filter coupled between the amplifier and the patch antenna, wherein the filter blocks cellular signals associated with the dual-band cellular antenna and thereby prevents the cellular signals from overloading the amplifier associated with the patch antenna.

8. A rearview assembly for a vehicle, the assembly comprising:

a mounting structure adapted for mounting to a conductive mounting button that is attached to an inside surface of a vehicle windshield; and

an antenna module mounted adjacent the conductive mounting button, the antenna module including a patch antenna and a dual-band cellular antenna, wherein the patch antenna operates at about 1.57542 GHz and the dual-band cellular antenna operates in a first range from about 824 to 894 MHz and in a second range from about 1.85 to 1.99 GHz, and wherein the dual-band cellular antenna is configured such that the mounting button increases the gain of the dual-band cellular antenna due to the fact that the mounting button increases the area of the ground plane.

9. The assembly of claim 8, further comprising a patch antenna, wherein the ground plane is located adjacent the mounting button and the patch antenna is oriented toward a roof of the vehicle.

10. The assembly of claim 8, further comprising a patch antenna, wherein the cellular antenna and the patch antenna are parallel to an inside surface of the vehicle windshield and located in a range of about 1 mm to 3 mm from the inside surface of the vehicle windshield.

11. The assembly of claim 10, further comprising a patch antenna, wherein the cellular antenna and the patch antenna are parallel to an inside surface of the vehicle windshield and located about 2 mm from the inside surface of the vehicle windshield.

12. The assembly of claim 8, further including:

a patch antenna;

an amplifier for amplifying a signal received through the patch antenna; and

a filter coupled between the amplifier and the patch antenna, wherein the filter blocks cellular signals associated with the dual-band cellular antenna and thereby prevents the cellular signals from overloading the amplifier associated with the patch antenna.

13. A rearview assembly for providing an image of a scene at a rear of a vehicle to a driver of the vehicle, the assembly comprising:

a mounting structure adapted for mounting to a mounting button that is attached to an inside surface of a vehicle windshield;

a tri-band antenna module mounted adjacent the mounting button, the antenna module including a patch antenna and a dual-band cellular antenna;

an amplifier for amplifying a signal received through the patch antenna; and

a filter coupled between the amplifier and the patch antenna, wherein the filter blocks cellular signals associated with the dual-band cellular antenna and thereby prevents the cellular signals from overloading the amplifier associated with the patch antenna, wherein the dual-band cellular antenna is configured such that the mounting button increases the gain of the dual-band cellular antenna due to the fact that the mounting button increases the area of the ground plane.

14. The assembly of claim 13, further comprising a patch antenna, wherein the patch antenna operates at about 1.57542 GHz and the dual-band cellular antenna operates in a first range from about 824 to 894 MHz and in a second range from about 1.85 to 1.99 GHz.

15. The assembly of claim 13, further comprising a patch antenna, wherein the dual-band cellular antenna and the patch antenna share a common ground plane.

16. The assembly of claim 15, wherein the ground plane is located adjacent the mounting button and the patch antenna is oriented toward a roof of the vehicle.

17. The assembly of claim 13, further comprising a patch antenna, wherein the cellular antenna and the patch antenna are parallel to an inside surface of the vehicle windshield and located in a range of about 1 mm to 3 mm from the inside surface of the vehicle windshield.

18. The assembly of claim 17, wherein the cellular antenna and the patch antenna are parallel to an inside surface of the vehicle windshield and located about 2 mm from the inside surface of the vehicle windshield.

19. The assembly of claim 13, wherein the antenna module is located within the mounting structure.

20. The assembly of claim 15, wherein the mounting button is a conductive mounting button, and wherein the common ground plane is physically coupled to the conductive mounting button with a conductor.

21. The assembly of claim 13, wherein the mounting button is electrically conductive.