Directing electromagnetic waves in vehicle communications

• US 9,837,706 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2016
• Issued: 12/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Neubecker, Cynthia M., MacNeille, Perry Robinson, Makke, Omar, Cui, Dehua, Kowalski, David Allen, Murray, Allen R., Lei, Oliver
• Primary Examiner(s): PAIGE, TYLER D
• Application Number:
  US15/047,883
• Publication Number:
  US 20170244160A1
• Time in Patent Office: 655 Days
• Field of Search: 701117
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/087 Override of traffic control, e.g. by signal transmitted by an emergency vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/091 Traffic information broadcasting broadcasting communication H04H
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/162 event-triggered
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/22 Platooning, i.e. convoy of communicating vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3208 characterised by the application wherein the antenna is used
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/10 Resonant slot antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/08 for varying two co-ordinates of the orientation
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/14 for varying the relative position of primary active element and a refracting or diffracting device

Abstract

A vehicle may include a conductive housing surrounding an antenna and defining an aperture having a size at least equal to a wavelength of signals radiated by the antenna. A controller may be configured to orient the conductive housing to direct the aperture at a direction of travel to guide electromagnetic radiation from the antenna. The controller may orient the conductive housing in response to receiving a cooperative adaptive cruise control signal from an established platoon of vehicles.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a controller configured to, responsive to occurrence of a vehicle event while the vehicle is participating in a platoon, orient a conductive housing having an antenna therein to point an aperture defined thereby in a direction opposite vehicle travel to transmit data via the antenna about the vehicle event to a following vehicle of the platoon, and thereafter orient the housing to point the aperture in a direction of vehicle travel, wherein the controller is further programmed to size the aperture to have an inner diameter at least equal to one wavelength of electromagnetic radiation transmitted from the antenna.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is further programmed to limit a minimum size of the inner diameter to two inches.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is further programmed to transmit the data via the antenna at a frequency between 5.850 and 5.925 GHz.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle event is indication of a flat tire.

5. A traffic system comprising:

a conductive housing having a diaphragm defining an aperture with a diameter greater than one wavelength of electromagnetic radiation transmitted by an antenna therein; and

a controller configured to, responsive to receiving a request to change a traffic indicator, orient the housing to point the aperture in a direction of oncoming traffic affected by the request to direct transmissions via the antenna about the change to vehicles in the oncoming traffic.

6. The traffic system of claim 5, wherein the controller is further programmed to size the aperture to have an inner diameter at least equal to one wavelength of electromagnetic radiation transmitted from the antenna.

7. The traffic system of claim 5, wherein the controller is further programmed to limit a minimum size of the inner diameter to two inches.

8. The traffic system of claim 5, wherein the antenna is configured to transmit data via the antenna at a frequency between 5.850 and 5.925 GHz.

9. The traffic system of claim 5, wherein the controller is further programmed to orient the housing to point the aperture in the direction of oncoming traffic affected by an emergency vehicle approaching the traffic system.

10. A vehicle comprising:

a controller configured to, responsive to occurrence of a vehicle event while the vehicle is participating in a platoon, orient a conductive housing having an antenna therein to point an aperture defined thereby in a direction opposite vehicle travel to transmit data via the antenna about the vehicle event to a following vehicle of the platoon, and thereafter orient the housing to point the aperture in a direction of vehicle travel, wherein the controller is further programmed to limit a minimum size of an inner diameter of the aperture to two inches.

11. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the controller is further programmed to size the inner diameter at least equal to one wavelength of electromagnetic radiation transmitted from the antenna.

12. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the controller is further programmed to transmit the data via the antenna at a frequency between 5.850 and 5.925 GHz.

13. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the vehicle event is indication of a flat tire.

14. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to adjust an elevation angle of the aperture, with respect to the antenna, based on an upcoming gantry having a toll collection system.

15. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to adjust a size of the aperture to decrease attenuation of electromagnetic radiation transmitted from the antenna to outside the housing.

16. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the aperture is an iris diaphragm.