Integrated antenna in display or lightbox

• US 7,535,426 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2005
• Issued: 05/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Inventors: Soc, Jadranko, Hamel, Gregory R., DeVries, Paul A., Burnham, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEN, SHIH CHAO
• Assistant Examiner(s): Browne; Marlon
• Application Number:
  US11/156,406
• Publication Number:
  US 20060285345A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,429 Days
• Field of Search: 343711-713, 343/700.MS, 725/75
• US Class Current: 343/711
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3291 mounted in or on other locations inside the vehicle or vehicle body

Abstract

An automobile head unit display system including an antenna, a lightbox assembly and a circuit board is described therein. The antenna is attached to the lightbox system, while the lightbox assembly is attached to the circuit board. The antenna and the lightbox assembly are in communication with the circuit board.

Claims

1. An automobile headunit display system comprising:

an antenna having a plurality of antenna connection pins, the lengths of the plurality of antenna connection pins defining a first set of axes;

a lightbox assembly to which the antenna is fixedly attached, the lightbox assembly having a plurality of lightbox assembly pins, the lengths of the plurality of lightbox assembly pins defining a second set of axes;

a circuit board to which the lightbox assembly is attached, the lightbox assembly and the antenna being in electrical communication with the circuit board; and

the first set of axes being substantially parallel to the second set of axes.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the antenna has a receiving area and a feed in communication with the receiving area, the receiving area configured to face an occupant compartment of the automobile for preferred data reception.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the antenna is a planar inverted f-antenna.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the antenna is configured to receive at least one of the wireless communication signal protocols:

IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, and IEEE 802.11x.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the lightbox assembly further comprises a lightbox, a display attached to the lightbox, and a bracket configured to attach the display to the lightbox.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the lightbox is comprised of a non-conductive material.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the display is a liquid crystal display.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the circuit board further comprises a light source configured to provide backlighting for the display.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the light source is at least one light emitting diode.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuit board includes a first circuit board and a second circuit board in communication with the first circuit board, the second circuit board being configured to receive a signal from the antenna and output a signal to the lightbox assembly.

11. An automobile headunit display assembly comprising:

a planar inverted f-antenna receiving area and a feed in communication with the receiving area, the receiving area configured to face an occupant compartment of the automobile for preferred data reception, a feed area having a plurality of antenna connection pins, the lengths of the plurality of connection pins defining a first set of axes;

a lightbox assembly having a lightbox, a display and a bracket configured to fixedly attach the display to the lightbox, wherein the planar inverted f-antenna is fixedly attached to the lightbox, the lightbox assembly having a plurality of lightbox assembly pins, the lengths of the lightbox assembly pins defining a second set of axes;

a circuit board to which the lightbox assembly is attached, the lightbox assembly and the antenna being in electrical communication with the circuit board;

a light source configured to provide back lighting for the display; and

the first set of axes being substantially parallel to the second set of axes.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the antenna is configured to receive at least one of the wireless communication signal protocols:

IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, and IEEE 802.11x.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the lightbox is constructed of a non-conductive material.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the display is a liquid crystal display.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the light source is at least one light emitting diode.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the circuit board includes a first circuit board and a second circuit board in communication with the first circuit board, the second circuit board being configured to receive a signal from the planar inverted f-antenna and output a signal to the lightbox assembly.