Docking station apparatus

• US 8,773,316 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2009
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TomTom International BV (TomTom NV)
• Original Assignee: TomTom International BV (TomTom NV)
• Inventors: Van Den Elzen, Jan Johannes Maria
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THIEN MINH
• Application Number:
  US13/127,243
• Publication Number:
  US 20110216500A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,708 Days
• Field of Search: 343/720, 343/745, 343/702, 701/472, 701/468, 701/500
• US Class Current: 343/720
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0258 for navigation systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0056 using suction cups
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0075 using a containment or docking space
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3291 mounted in or on other locations inside the vehicle or vehicle body
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/16 with feed intermediate between the extremities of the antenna, e.g. centre-fed dipole H01Q9/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/265 Open ring dipoles; Circular dipoles

Abstract

A docking station apparatus (140) comprises a holder portion (143) for removably receiving a navigation apparatus (100). A base portion (141) coupled to the holder portion (143) comprises an RDS antenna apparatus (188), the RDS antenna apparatus (188) comprising a pole portion (170, 172) extending so as to form a loop, line or track. The RDS antenna apparatus (188) is located opposite the holder portion (143).

Claims

1. A docking station apparatus comprising:

a holder portion for removably receiving a navigation apparatus; and

a base portion coupled to the holder portion and comprising an RDS dipole antenna apparatus, the RDS dipole antenna apparatus being spaced from the holder portion and comprising first and second pole portions, each of the first and second pole portions extending so as to form a loop, line or track;

wherein at least one of the first pole portion and the second pole portion is arc-shaped or crescent-shaped.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the RDS dipole antenna apparatus is disposed on a carrier.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the carrier or carriers are one or more circuit boards.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the RDS dipole antenna apparatus further comprises a filter.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the filter comprises a common mode filter.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the common mode filter has a common mode impedance approximately in the range 1 k ohms to 4 k ohms.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the filter has a differential mode impedance approximately in the range 1 ohm to 50 ohms.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second pole portions are disposed on separate carriers.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first pole portion is disposed adjacent the second pole portion so as to define a disc shape.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein an antenna element forming the loop, line or track is between about 35 μ

m thick and about 1.5 mm thick.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base portion comprises a cavity for housing the RDS dipole antenna, the cavity of the base portion being spaced from the holder portion.

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the antenna associated with receipt of information for location determination is a global navigation satellite system signal reception antenna.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pole portions are capacitive.