Multi-directional wireless communication for a control module

• US 8,606,178 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2011
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Petrucci, David R., Wisnewski, Mark A., Massoll, Charles A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Fayyaz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hanidu, Ganiyu A
• Application Number:
  US13/043,039
• Publication Number:
  US 20120231754A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,008 Days
• Field of Search: 455 411- 413, 455/90.1, 455/90.3, 455/575.1, 455/575.9, 455/78, 455/82, 455/88, 455/127.2, 455/91, 455/139, 455/278.1, 455/136, 455/151.4, 342/361, 342/372, 342/375, 342/175, 342/371, 342/247, 342/359, 342/157, 342/368, 361/719, 361/736, 361/93.1, 361/732, 361/704, 361/710, 361/636, 361/642, 361/730, 361/674, 361/818
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3291 mounted in or on other locations inside the vehicle or vehicle body
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 23/00 Antennas with active circuits or circuit elements integrated within them or attached to them
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/006 using switches for selecting the desired band H04B1/0057 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0064 with separate antennas for the more than one band H04B1/0053 takes precedence

Abstract

An electronic control module assembly includes antenna elements and a PCB. Each antenna element communicates an RF signal in a direction that corresponds with an outer face of a housing of the assembly. The PCB is received in a cavity of the housing and has RF-energy-transfer circuits and a baseband RF device, which demodulates the signal. Each RF-energy-transfer circuit receives the signal. At least two RF-energy-transfer circuits receive the signal from the antenna elements, and at least one RF-energy-transfer circuit does not receive the signal from one of the antenna elements and is a placeholder circuit. The baseband RF device is in communication with at least two of the RF-energy-transfer circuits receiving the signal. A connector provides a connection between each of the antenna elements and the PCB and is received by an aperture of the housing.

Claims

1. An electronic control module assembly, comprising:

a plurality of antenna elements, wherein each antenna element communicates a radio frequency (RF) signal;

a printed circuit board (PCB), the PCB having;

a plurality of radio frequency (RF) energy transfer circuits that are each configured to receive the RF signal, wherein at least two of the plurality of RF energy transfer circuits receive the RF signal from the plurality of antenna elements and at least one of the RF energy transfer circuits does not receive the RF signal from one of the antenna elements and is a placeholder circuit; and

a baseband RF device in communication with the at least two of the plurality of RF energy transfer circuits which receive the RF signal, wherein the baseband processor is configured for demodulating the RF signal;

a housing that has a plurality of outer faces and apertures and a cavity therein, wherein the PCB is received by the cavity, each of the antenna elements is positioned to communicate the RF signal in a direction that corresponds with one of the outer faces of the housing; and

a connector provided for each of the antenna elements, wherein the connector provides a connection between the antenna element and the PCB and is received by one of the apertures.

2. The electronic control module assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of antenna elements are located on the PCB.

3. The electronic control module assembly of claim 2, wherein the antenna elements communicate the RF signal in at least two directions, wherein each of the two directions radiate outwardly from a central location of the PCB.

4. The electronic control module assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the antenna elements are located outside of the housing of the control module assembly.

5. The electronic control module assembly of claim 1, wherein a corresponding connector of the placeholder circuit receives a blank that operates as a dummy resistance.

6. The electronic control module assembly of claim 1, wherein the PCB includes a plurality of mating features, wherein each of the plurality of mating features receive one of the connectors.

7. The electronic control module assembly of claim 1, including a plurality of conductive pathways located on a surface of the PCB, wherein each of the plurality of RF energy transfer circuits are in selective communication with the baseband RF device through one of the plurality of conductive pathways.

8. The electronic control module assembly of claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of conductive pathways include a switch element that is in one of an open position and a closed position.

9. An electronic control module assembly, comprising:

a housing having a plurality of outer faces and apertures and a cavity therein;

a plurality of antenna elements, wherein each antenna element communicates a radio frequency (RF) signal;

a printed circuit board (PCB) that is received by the cavity of the housing, the PCB having;

a plurality of radio frequency (RF) energy transfer circuits that are each configured to receive the RF signal, wherein at least two of the plurality of RF energy transfer circuits receive the RF signal from the plurality of antenna elements and at least one of the RF energy transfer circuits does not receive the RF signal from one of the antenna elements and is a placeholder circuit; and

a baseband RF device in communication with the at least two of the plurality of RF energy transfer circuits which receive the RF signal, wherein the baseband processor is configured for demodulating the RF signal; and

a connector provided for each of the antenna elements, wherein the connector provides a connection between the antenna element and the PCB and is received by one of the plurality of apertures and a corresponding connector of the placeholder circuit receives a blank that operates as a dummy resistance,

wherein each of the antenna elements is positioned to communicate the RF signal in a direction that corresponds with one of the plurality of outer faces of the housing.

10. The electronic control module assembly of claim 9, including a plurality of conductive pathways located on a surface of the PCB, wherein each of the plurality of RF energy transfer circuits are in selective communication with the baseband RF device through one of the plurality of conductive pathways.

11. The electronic control module assembly of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of conductive pathways include a switch element that is in one of an open position and a closed position.

12. An electronic control module assembly, comprising:

a housing having a plurality of outer faces, a cavity located therein, and a plurality of apertures located therein;

a plurality of antenna elements, wherein each antenna element communicates a radio frequency (RF) signal in a direction that corresponds with one of the outer faces of the housing;

a printed circuit board (PCB) that is received by the cavity of the housing, the PCB having;

a plurality of radio frequency (RF) energy transfer circuits that are each configured to receive the RF signal, wherein at least two of the plurality of RF energy transfer circuits receive the RF signal from the plurality of antenna elements and at least one of the RF energy transfer circuits does not receive the RF signal from one of the antenna elements and is a placeholder circuit;

a baseband RF device in communication with the at least two of the plurality of RF energy transfer circuits which receive the RF signal, wherein the baseband processor is configured for demodulating the RF signal; and

a plurality of conductive pathways located on a surface of the PCB, wherein each of the plurality of RF energy transfer circuits are in selective communication with the baseband RF device through one of the plurality of conductive pathways, and wherein each of the plurality of conductive pathways include a switch element that is in one of an open position and a closed position; and

a connector provided for each of the plurality of the antenna elements, wherein the connector provides a connection between the antenna element and the PCB, and wherein each connector is received by one of the plurality of apertures of the housing, and

wherein each of the antenna elements are positioned to communicate the RF signal in a direction that corresponds with one of the plurality of outer faces of the housing.