Multiband MIMO vehicular antenna assemblies with DSRC capabilities

• US 9,093,750 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2014
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Laird Technologies Incorporated (DuPont de Nemours, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Laird Technologies Incorporated (DuPont de Nemours, Inc.)
• Inventors: Thiam, Cheikh T., Duzdar, Ayman, Yasin, Hasan, Lugo Brito, Melissa Carolina
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Duc C
• Application Number:
  US14/150,016
• Publication Number:
  US 20150071137A1
• Time in Patent Office: 566 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328, 370/316, 370/334, 455/41.2, 455/569.2, 343/835
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1214 through a wall
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3275 mounted on a horizontal surface of the vehicle, e.g. on roof, hood, trunk
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/521 reducing the coupling between adjacent antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/523 between antennas of an array
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/30 Combinations of separate antenna units operating in different wavebands and connected to a common feeder system
• 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: H01Q 9/30 with feed to end of elongated active element, e.g. unipole H01Q9/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0413 MIMO systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/08 each combination of signals in different channels being represented by a fixed frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing

Abstract

Disclosed are exemplary embodiments of multiband multiple input multiple output (MIMO) vehicular antenna assemblies for installation to a vehicle body wall. In exemplary embodiments, a multiband MIMO vehicular antenna assembly generally includes at least one cellular antenna configured to be operable over one or more cellular frequencies (e.g., Long Term Evolution (LTE), etc.), at least one satellite antenna configured to be operable over one or more satellite frequencies (e.g., Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), satellite digital audio radio services (SDARS), etc.) and at least one Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC) antenna configured to be operable over DSRC frequencies.

Claims

1. A multiband multiple input multiple output (MIMO) vehicular antenna assembly for installation to a vehicle body wall, the antenna assembly comprising:

at least one cellular antenna configured to be operable over one or more cellular frequencies;

a dual monopole antenna configured to be operable over Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC) frequencies, the dual monopole antenna including;

an isolator configured to provide isolation between the dual monopole antenna and the at least one cellular antenna; and

first and second DSRC antenna elements spaced apart from each other and disposed along opposite sides of the isolator;

a first circuit board connected to and/or supporting the at least one cellular antenna; and

a second circuit board above the first circuit board, the second circuit board formed of a different material than the first circuit board such that the second circuit board has a lower loss tangent at DSRC frequencies than the first circuit board, the second circuit board connected to and/or supporting the dual monopole antenna.

2. The multiband MIMO vehicular antenna assembly of claim 1, further comprising at least one satellite antenna configured to be operable over one or more satellite frequencies.

3. The multiband MIMO vehicular antenna assembly of claim 1, wherein the antenna assembly is configured such that an output of the dual monopole antenna is on a same transmission line as at least one other antenna output.

4. The multiband MIMO vehicular antenna assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one cellular antenna comprises a first cellular antenna configured to be operable for receiving and transmitting cellular signals; and

the antenna assembly is configured such that an output of the dual monopole antenna is combined and fed through an output of the first cellular antenna via coupling.

5. The multiband MIMO vehicular antenna assembly of claim 4, further comprising a first transmission line for carrying DSRC signals output by the dual monopole antenna and cellular signals output by the first cellular antenna.

6. The multiband MIMO vehicular antenna assembly of claim 5, wherein:

the at least one cellular antenna further comprises a second cellular antenna configured to be operable for only receiving, and is inoperable for transmitting, cellular signals;

the antenna assembly includes a first satellite antenna configured to be operable for receiving Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals; and

the antenna assembly further comprises a second transmission line for carrying cellular signals output by the second cellular antenna and GNSS signals output by the first satellite antenna.

7. The multiband MIMO vehicular antenna assembly of claim 6, further comprising a multiplexer having first and second ports to which the first and second transmission lines are respectively routed, and wherein:

the first port is configured to receive DSRC signals and cellular signals carried by the first transmission line; and

the second port is configured to receive cellular signals and GNSS signals carried by the second transmission line.

8. The multiband MIMO vehicular antenna assembly of claim 7, wherein the multiplexer further comprises:

a third port configured to output cellular signals received by the first cellular antenna;

a fourth port configured to output DSRC signals and GNSS signals; and

a fifth port configured to output cellular signals received by the second cellular antenna and DSRC signals.

9. The multiband MIMO vehicular antenna assembly of claim 8, wherein the multiplexer further comprises:

a diplexer;

a bandpass filter;

an amplifier coupled to the diplexer and the bandpass filter;

an extractor filter coupled to the first port and the third port, the extractor filter operable for separating DSRC signals from cellular signals, such that the separated cellular signals and DSRC signals respectively pass to the third port and the diplexer;

a directional coupler coupled to the second port, the fifth port, and the bandpass filter, such that GNSS signals and cellular signals received at the directional coupler from the second port are transmitted to the fifth port and the bandpass filter;

wherein;

the bandpass filter is operable to permit GNSS signals to pass therethrough and prevent passage of cellular signals;

the amplifier is operable for amplifying GNSS signals received from the bandpass filter; and

the diplexer is operable for multiplexing DSRC signals from the first port and GNSS signals from the second port onto the fourth port.

10. The multiband MIMO vehicular antenna assembly of claim 1, further comprising a radio unit for DSRC that includes a tuner, a baseband process, a microcontroller, and an output system.

11. A multiband multiple input multiple output (MIMO) vehicular antenna assembly for installation to a vehicle body wall, the antenna assembly comprising:

at least one cellular antenna configured to be operable over one or more cellular frequencies;

at least one satellite antenna configured to be operable over one or more satellite frequencies;

a dual monopole antenna configured to be operable over Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC) frequencies, the dual monopole antenna including;

an isolator configured to provide isolation between the dual monopole antenna and the at least one cellular antenna; and

first and second DSRC antenna elements spaced apart from each other and disposed along opposite sides of the isolator;

wherein the at least one cellular antenna comprises first and second cellular antennas, the first cellular antenna configured to be operable for receiving and transmitting Long Term Evolution (LTE) signals, the second cellular antenna configured to be operable for only receiving, and is inoperable for transmitting, LTE signals;

wherein the at least one satellite antenna comprises first and second patch antennas, the first patch antenna configured to be operable for receiving Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals, the second patch antenna configured to be operable for receiving satellite digital audio radio services (SDARS) signals;

wherein the antenna assembly further comprises;

a chassis;

a radome coupled to the chassis such that an interior enclosure is collectively defined by the radome and the chassis, the dual monopole antenna, the first and second cellular antennas, and the first and second patch antennas are disposed within the interior enclosure;

a first circuit board coupled to and/or supported by the chassis, the first circuit board connected to and/or supporting the first and second cellular antennas and the first and second patch antennas; and

a second circuit board coupled to and/or supported by the first circuit board, the second circuit board formed of a different material than the first circuit board such that the second circuit board has a lower loss tangent at DSRC frequencies than the first circuit board, the second circuit board connected to and/or supporting the dual monopole antenna;

whereby the antenna assembly is configured to be installed and fixedly mounted to a vehicle body wall after being inserted into a mounting hole in the vehicle body wall from an external side of the vehicle and nipped from an interior compartment side of the vehicle.

12. A multiband multiple input multiple output (MIMO) vehicular antenna assembly for installation to a vehicle body wall, the antenna assembly comprising:

at least one Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC) antenna configured to be operable over DSRC frequencies;

at least one other antenna;

a first circuit board connected to and/or supporting the at least one other antenna; and

a second circuit board coupled to and/or supported by the first circuit board, the second circuit board formed of a different material than the first circuit board such that the second circuit board has a lower loss tangent at DSRC frequencies than the first circuit board, the second circuit board connected to and/or supporting the at least one DSRC antenna.

13. The multiband MIMO vehicular antenna assembly of claim 12, wherein:

the first circuit board comprise FR4 glass-reinforced epoxy laminate; and

the second circuit board comprises a woven fiberglass polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) composite material or other low-loss tangent high frequency substrate material.

14. The multiband MIMO vehicular antenna assembly of claim 12, wherein the antenna assembly is configured such that an output of the DSRC antenna is on a same transmission line as at least one other antenna output.

15. The multiband MIMO vehicular antenna assembly of claim 12, wherein the at least one other antenna comprises:

at least one satellite antenna configured to be operable over one or more satellite frequencies; and

/or

at least one cellular antenna configured to be operable over one or more cellular frequencies.

16. The multiband MIMO vehicular antenna assembly of claim 12:

wherein the at least one other antenna comprises;

first and second cellular antennas connected to and/or supported by the first circuit board, the first cellular antenna configured to be operable for receiving and transmitting Long Term Evolution (LTE) signals, the second cellular antenna configured to be operable for only receiving, and is inoperable for transmitting, LTE signals; and

first and second patch antennas connected to and/or supported by the first circuit board, the first patch antenna configured to be operable for receiving Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals, the second patch antenna configured to be operable for receiving satellite digital audio radio services (SDARS) signals;

wherein the antenna assembly further comprises a chassis and a radome coupled to the chassis such that an interior enclosure is collectively defined by the radome and the chassis, the DSRC antenna, the first and second cellular antennas, and the first and second patch antennas are disposed within the interior enclosure;

wherein the first circuit board is coupled to and/or supported by the chassis; and

whereby the antenna assembly is configured to be installed and fixedly mounted to a vehicle body wall after being inserted into a mounting hole in the vehicle body wall from an external side of the vehicle and nipped from an interior compartment side of the vehicle.

17. A multiband multiple input multiple output (MIMO) vehicular antenna assembly for installation to a vehicle body wall, the antenna assembly comprising:

at least one Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC) antenna configured to be operable over DSRC frequencies; and

at least one other antenna;

wherein the antenna assembly is configured such that an output of the at least one DSRC antenna is combined and fed through an output of the at least one other antenna via coupling whereby the DSRC signals and signals from the at least one other antenna may be carried by the same transmission line;

wherein the at least one other antenna comprises at least one cellular antenna configured to be operable over one or more cellular frequencies; and

wherein the antenna assembly further comprises;

a first circuit board connected to and/or supporting the at least one cellular antenna; and

a second circuit board coupled to and/or supported by the first circuit board, the second circuit board formed of a different material than the first circuit board such that the second circuit board has a lower loss tangent at DSRC frequencies than the first circuit board, the second circuit board connected to and/or supporting the at least one DSRC antenna.

18. The multiband MIMO vehicular antenna assembly of claim 17, wherein:

the antenna assembly further comprises at least one satellite antenna configured to be operable over one or more satellite frequencies; and

/or

the at least one DSRC antenna comprises a dual monopole antenna.

19. The antenna assembly of claim 17, wherein:

the at least one cellular antenna comprises a first cellular antenna configured to be operable for receiving and transmitting cellular signals;

the antenna assembly is configured such that an output of the at least one DSRC antenna is combined and fed through an output of the first cellular antenna via coupling; and

the antenna assembly further comprises a first transmission line for carrying DSRC signals and cellular signals respectively output by the at least one DSRC antenna and the first cellular antenna.

20. The antenna assembly of claim 19, wherein:

the at least one cellular antenna further comprises a second cellular antenna configured to be operable for only receiving, and is inoperable for transmitting, cellular signals;

the antenna assembly includes a first satellite antenna configured to be operable for receiving Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals; and

the antenna assembly further comprises a multiplexer and a second transmission line for carrying cellular signals output by the second cellular antenna and GNSS signals output by the first satellite antenna;

the multiplexer comprising;

a first port configured to receive DSRC signals and cellular signals carried by the first transmission line;

a second port configured to receive cellular signals and GNSS signals carried by the second transmission line;

a third port configured to output cellular signals received by the first cellular antenna;

a fourth port configured to output DSRC signals and GNSS signals; and

a fifth port configured to output cellular signals received by the second cellular antenna and DSRC signals.

21. The antenna assembly of claim 20, wherein the multiplexer further comprises:

a diplexer;

a bandpass filter;

an amplifier coupled to the diplexer and the bandpass filter;

an extractor filter coupled to the first port and the third port, the extractor filter operable for separating DSRC signals from cellular signals, such that the separated cellular signals and DSRC signals respectively pass to the third port and the diplexer; and

a directional coupler coupled to the second port, the fifth port, and the bandpass filter, such that GNSS signals and cellular signals received at the directional coupler from the second port are transmitted to the fifth port and the bandpass filter;

wherein;

the bandpass filter is operable to permit GNSS signals to pass therethrough and prevent passage of cellular signals;

the amplifier is operable for amplifying GNSS signals received from the bandpass filter; and

the diplexer is operable for multiplexing DSRC signals from the first port and GNSS signals from the second port onto the fourth port.