Directional patch antenna

• US 7,132,988 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2004
• Issued: 11/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Yegin, Korkut, Livengood, William R., Snoeyink, Randall J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Tuyet
• Assistant Examiner(s): VU, JIMMY T
• Application Number:
  US10/848,936
• Publication Number:
  US 20050259016A1
• Time in Patent Office: 902 Days
• Field of Search: 343/700.MS, 343/702, 343/725, 343/757, 343/727, 343/895
• US Class Current: 343/727
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0444 Antenna structures, control or arrangements thereof, e.g. for directional antennas, diversity antenna, antenna multiplexing or antennas integrated in fenders
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/29 Combinations of different interacting antenna units for giving a desired directional characteristic H01Q25/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0407 Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna dipole H01Q9/285; monopole H01Q9/40

Abstract

An antenna unit is disclosed. The antenna unit includes a wire antenna element and a patch antenna element. The wire antenna element creates a null at low-elevation angles to provide directional antenna patterns in azimuth planes. Nulls of the terrestrial signal pattern are directed toward the passenger compartment of a vehicle to create a larger spatial region for reception of terrestrial signals.

Claims

1. An antenna unit, comprising:

a wire antenna element;

a patch antenna element, wherein nulls of a terrestrial signal polarization pattern are directed toward a passenger compartment of a vehicle to create a larger spatial region for reception of terrestrial signals that propagate toward the vehicle,

wherein a height and off-centering of the wire antenna element from a central area of the antenna unit directively shifts the null of the terrestrial signal polarization pattern,

wherein the patch antenna element includes a high dielectric substrate intermediately located between a top metallization and a bottom metallization, and

wherein a feed pin electrically couples the top metallization to the bottom metallization.

2. A method for improving antenna radiation characteristics, comprising the steps of:

providing at least two antenna units in a vehicular diversity application, wherein the antenna unit includes a wire antenna element and a patch antenna element;

providing the wire antenna element with a height and off-centering from a central area of the antenna unit such that nulls of a terrestrial signal polarization pattern are directed toward a passenger compartment of a vehicle; and

providing a larger spatial region for reception of terrestrial signals that propagate toward the vehicle,

wherein the at least two antenna units are positioned in a diversity application, and

wherein the diversity application positions are selected from the group consisting of a vehicular a center location, left, driver-side location, a right, passenger-side location, a hood location, a left, driver-side front quarter panel location, a right, passenger-side front quarter panel location, an instrument panel location, a left, driver-side mirror location, and a right, passenger-side mirror location.

3. An antenna unit, comprising:

a wire antenna element; and

a patch antenna element, wherein nulls of a terrestrial signal polarization pattern are directed toward a passenger compartment of a vehicle to create a larger spatial region for reception of terrestrial signals that propagate toward the vehicle, and

wherein the patch antenna element includes a high dielectric substrate intermediately located between a top metallization and a bottom metallization, and

wherein a feed pin electrically couples the top metallization to the bottom metallization, and

wherein the wire antenna element includes a top plate coupled to a first stem soldered to the patch antenna and a second stem joined directly to the feed pin.

4. An antenna unit, comprising:

a wire antenna element;

a patch antenna element, wherein nulls of a terrestrial signal polarization pattern are directed toward a passenger compartment of a vehicle to create a larger spatial region for reception of terrestrial signals that propagate toward the vehicle,

wherein a height and off-centering of the wire antenna element from a central area of the antenna unit directively shifts the null of the terrestrial signal polarization pattern, and

wherein the wire antenna element is a straight-wire element soldered to the patch antenna element.

5. An antenna unit, comprising:

a wire antenna element;

a patch antenna element, wherein nulls of a terrestrial signal polarization pattern are directed toward a passenger compartment of a vehicle to create a larger spatial region for reception of terrestrial signals that propagate toward the vehicle,

wherein a height and off-centering of the wire antenna element from a central area of the antenna unit directively shifts the null of the terrestrial signal polarization pattern, and

wherein the wire antenna element is a helical element soldered to the patch antenna element.

6. An antenna unit, comprising:

a wire antenna element;

a patch antenna element, wherein nulls of a terrestrial signal polarization pattern are directed toward a passenger compartment of a vehicle to create a larger spatial region for reception of terrestrial signals that propagate toward the vehicle,

wherein a height and off-centering of the wire antenna element from a central area of the antenna unit directively shifts the null of the terrestrial signal polarization pattern, and

wherein the wire antenna element includes a cross-antenna element coupled to a stem that is soldered to the patch antenna element.