AM/FM antenna performance in the presence of wide-band noise using tunable high-Q structures

• US 9,515,753 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2015
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kathrein Automotive North America, Inc. (Continental AG), GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: Kathrein Automotive North America, Inc. (Continental AG), GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Ghafari, Elias, Talty, Timothy J., Kittinger, Gregg R., Fuchs, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Simon
• Application Number:
  US14/699,662
• Publication Number:
  US 20150326330A1
• Time in Patent Office: 587 Days
• Field of Search: 455/150.1, 455/152.1, 455/179.1, 455/180.1, 455/154.1, 455/345
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3208 characterised by the application wherein the antenna is used
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/321 within a radiating element or between connected radiating elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/18 Input circuits, e.g. for coupling to an antenna or a transmission line coupling networks between antennas or lines and receivers independent of the nature of the receiver H03H
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/72 for noise suppression

Abstract

An AM/FM radio system for a vehicle that is selectively impedance matched to the particular tuned frequency of interest so that noise received by other frequencies does not affect the received signal. The radio system includes an HMI allowing a user to select an AM or FM radio station and a radio tuner responsive to a signal from the HMI identifying the selected radio station. The tuner tunes the radio system to the radio station, and provides a signal to the HMI identifying the radio station. The HMI places a message on a vehicle bus identifying the radio station that the radio tuner is tuned to. An antenna controller receives the message from the vehicle bus to selectively control an impedance matrix to provide impedance matching for the selected radio station frequency. The antenna controller also selectively tunes antenna radiating elements to the particular tuned frequency.

Claims

1. An audio and/or visual system, said system comprising:

a human machine interface (HMI) allowing a user to select a station;

a tuner responsive to a signal from the HMI identifying the selected station and tuning the system to the station, said tuner providing a signal to the HMI identifying the selected station;

a bus responsive to a message from the HMI or tuner identifying the station that the tuner is tuned to;

an antenna controller receiving the message from the bus;

an impedance matching matrix receiving a control signal from the antenna controller identifying the station, said impedance matching matrix selecting an impedance circuit from a switch-selectable set of impedance circuits in the matrix for the station; and

an antenna including a plurality of antenna elements separated by PIN switches, where the antenna receives control signals from the antenna controller and adjusts a length of the antenna by connecting a number of the antenna elements to tune the antenna to a frequency for the station.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein the system is an AM radio system where the impedance matching matrix and the plurality of antenna elements are selectively tuned to an AM radio station in the AM frequency band.

3. The system according to claim 1 wherein the system is an FM radio system where the impedance matching matrix and the plurality of antenna elements are selectively tuned to an FM radio station in the FM frequency band.

4. The system according to claim 1 wherein the system is a Band 3 radio system where the impedance matching matrix and the plurality of antenna elements are selectively tuned to a Band 3 radio station in the Band 3 frequency band.

5. The system according to claim 1 wherein the system is a TV system where the impedance matching matrix and the plurality of antenna elements are selectively tuned to a TV station in the TV frequency band.

6. The system according to claim 1 wherein the system is a wireless broadband system with tunable channels where the impedance matching matrix and the plurality of antenna elements are selectively tuned to a desired station among a wider frequency band.

7. The system according to claim 1 wherein the system is on a vehicle.

8. The system according to claim 7 wherein the vehicle includes a composite skin.

9. An audio and/or visual system for a vehicle, said system comprising:

a tuner responsive to a signal identifying a selected station and tuning the system to the station;

an impedance matching matrix receiving a signal on a signal line from the tuner identifying the station that the system is tuned to, said impedance matching matrix selecting an impedance circuit from a switch-selectable set of impedance circuits in the matrix for the selected station; and

an antenna including a plurality of antenna elements separated by PIN switches, where a length of the antenna is determined by a connected number of the antenna elements and is selectively tuned to the station based on the selected impedance circuit, and where the antenna provides a received station signal on the signal line to the tuner.

10. The system according to claim 9 wherein the signal line is a coaxial cable.

11. The system according to claim 9 wherein the system is an AM radio system where the impedance matching matrix and the plurality of antenna elements are selectively tuned to an AM radio station in the AM frequency band.

12. The system according to claim 9 wherein the system is an FM radio system where the impedance matching matrix and the plurality of antenna elements are selectively tuned to an FM radio station in the FM frequency band.

13. The system according to claim 9 wherein the system is a Band 3 radio system where the impedance matching matrix and the plurality of antenna elements are selectively tuned to a Band 3 radio station in the Band 3 frequency band.

14. The system according to claim 9 wherein the system is a TV system where the impedance matching matrix and the plurality of antenna elements are selectively tuned to a TV station in the TV frequency band.

15. The system according to claim 9 wherein the system is a wireless broadband system where the impedance matching matrix and the plurality of antenna elements are selectively tuned to a desired station among a wider frequency band.

16. The system according to claim 9 wherein the impedance matrix includes an analog-to-digital convertor for converting analog tuning signals from the tuner to digital signals.

17. The system according to claim 9 wherein the vehicle includes a composite skin.

18. radio system for a vehicle, said system comprising:

a human machine interface (HMI) allowing a vehicle user to select a radio station;

a tuner responsive to a signal from the HMI identifying the selected radio station and tuning the radio system to the radio station, said tuner providing a signal to the HMI identifying the selected radio station;

a vehicle bus responsive to a message from the HMI or the tuner identifying the radio station that the radio tuner is tuned to;

an antenna controller receiving the message from the vehicle bus;

an impedance matching matrix receiving a control signal from the antenna controller identifying the radio station, said impedance matching matrix selecting an impedance circuit from a switch-selectable set of impedance circuits in the matrix for the radio station; and

an antenna including a plurality of antenna elements separated by PIN switches, where the antenna receives a control signal from the antenna controller and adjusts a length of the antenna by connecting a number of the antenna elements to tune the antenna to a frequency for the radio station.

19. The radio system according to claim 18 wherein the system is selected from the group consisting of an AM radio system where the impedance matching matrix and the plurality of antenna elements are selectively tuned to an AM radio station in the AM frequency band, an FM radio system where the impedance matching matrix and the plurality of antenna elements are selectively tuned to an FM radio station in the FM frequency band, a Band 3 radio system where the impedance matching matrix and the plurality of antenna elements are selectively tuned to a Band 3 radio station in the Band 3 frequency, and a wireless broadband system where the impedance matching matrix and the plurality of antenna elements are selectively tuned to a desired station among a wider frequency band.

20. The radio system according to claim 18 wherein the vehicle includes a composite skin.