Antenna unit having radio absorbing device

• US 6,788,255 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2002
• Issued: 09/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Nippon Soken, Inc.
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Nippon Soken, Inc.
• Inventors: Sakamoto, Koji, Noda, Kazunobu, Fukui, Shinji, Hayashi, Akihiko, Koide, Shirou
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHEN, SHIH CHAO
• Application Number:
  US10/201,597
• Publication Number:
  US 20030020657A1
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• Field of Search: 343/700.MS, 343/711, 343/713, 343/845, 343/846, 343/848
• US Class Current: 343/700.0MS
• 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 9/0407 Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna dipole H01Q9/285; monopole H01Q9/40

Abstract

An antenna unit includes a substrate having an antenna device and a radio absorbing device. The antenna device, substrate and radio absorbing device are constructed of a patch device, a conductive material and ferrite, respectively. The radio absorbing device is attached to the rear surface of the substrate. The radio absorbing device reduces incoming radio wave signals to travel to the rear surface of the substrate due to reflections by surrounding metal parts.

Claims

1. An antenna unit comprising:

a substrate made of conductive material;

an antenna device mounted on one side of the substrate, wherein the antenna device has a ground electrode layer in contact with the one side of the substrate; and

a radio absorbing device attached to another side of the substrate that is opposite to the one side,

wherein the substrate is larger than the antenna device.

2. The antenna unit as in claim 1, wherein the radio absorbing device is attached to at least one of a plurality of corners of the substrate.

3. The antenna unit as in claim 1, wherein the radio absorbing device is attached along at least one of edges of the substrate.

4. The antenna unit as in claim 1, wherein the radio absorbing device is attached along all edges of the substrate.

5. The antenna unit as in claim 1, wherein the radio absorbing device is constructed of radio absorbing materials.

6. The antenna unit as in claim 1, wherein the radio absorbing device is a radio absorbing material covering an entire surface of the substrate.

7. The antenna unit as in claim 1, wherein the antenna unit is installed in a vehicle.

8. The antenna unit as in claim 1, wherein the antenna unit is installed inside a dashboard of a vehicle.

9. The antenna unit as in claim 1, wherein the antenna unit is any one of a global positioning system antenna, an antenna for a vehicle information and communication system and an antenna for the electronic toll collection system.

10. The antenna unit as in claim 1, wherein the radio absorbing device covers an entire surface of the another side of the substrate other than the side on which the ground electrode is mounted.

11. The antenna unit as in claim 1, wherein the substrate is a single-plated substrate.

12. The antenna unit as in claim 11, wherein the radio absorbing device is attached to at least one of the corners of the substrate.

13. The antenna unit as in claim 11, wherein the radio absorbing device is attached along at least one of a plurality of edges of the substrate.

14. The antenna unit as in claim 11, wherein the radio absorbing device is attached along all edges of the substrate.

15. The antenna unit as in claim 11, wherein the radio absorbing device is constructed of radio absorbing materials.

16. The antenna unit as in claim 11, wherein the radio absorbing device is a radio absorbing material covering an entire surface of the substrate.

17. The antenna unit as in claim 11, wherein the antenna unit is installed in a vehicle.

18. The antenna unit as in claim 11, wherein the antenna unit is installed inside a dashboard of a vehicle.

19. The antenna unit as in claim 11, wherein the antenna unit is any one of a global positioning system antenna, an antenna for a vehicle information and communication system and an antenna for the electronic toll collection system.

20. The antenna unit as in claim 1, wherein the radio absorbing device is made of a magnetic material.

21. An antenna unit comprising:

a substrate made of conductive material;

an antenna device mounted on one side of the substrate; and

a radio absorbing device attached to another side of the substrate only along an edge thereof.

22. The antenna unit as in claim 21, wherein the radio absorbing device is attached to at least one of a plurality of corners of the substrate.

23. The antenna unit as in claim 21, wherein the radio absorbing device is attached along all edges of the substrate.

24. The antenna unit as in claim 21, wherein the radio absorbing device is constructed of radio absorbing materials.

25. The antenna unit as in claim 21, wherein the antenna unit is installed in a vehicle.

26. The antenna unit as in claim 21, wherein the antenna unit is installed inside a dashboard of a vehicle.

27. The antenna unit as in claim 21, wherein the antenna unit is any one of a global positioning system antenna, an antenna for a vehicle information and communication system and an antenna for the electronic toll collection system.