Integration device and method of manufacturing a shell for a cradle

• US 8,996,081 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2013
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Peiker Acustic GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: Peiker Acustic GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Lachnitt, Jens, Brg, Ulrich
• Primary Examiner(s): Rego, Dominic E
• Application Number:
  US13/865,308
• Publication Number:
  US 20130295992A1
• Time in Patent Office: 712 Days
• Field of Search: 455/569.2, 455/575.1, 455/575.7, 455/575.9, 455/557, 455347-349, 455/13.3
• US Class Current: 455/575.7
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0241 for telephones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0075 using a containment or docking space
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1257 using the received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/325 characterised by the location of the antenna on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/24 varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49018 with other electrical component

Abstract

The invention relates to an integration device for integrating a cellular telephone in a vehicle, whereby the integration device comprises a receiving compartment, a coupler antenna for the cellular telephone network attached to the receiving compartment and electronics which can be connected to an external antenna. Here, the integration device comprises multiple coupler antennae connected to the electronics, whereby a communications connection is made via the cellular telephone network such that the electronics of the integration device for the active cellular telephone inserted in the receiving compartment, regardless of the type of the cellular telephone inserted and regardless of the position of the cellular telephone inserted in the receiving compartment, selects and uses for the communication that coupler antenna with the highest reception quality in the communication with the cellular telephone located in the receiving compartment.

Claims

1. An integration device for incorporating a cellular telephone in a vehicle,

whereby the integration device comprises a receiving compartment, a coupler antenna for mobile communications attached to the receiving compartment, electronics which can be attached to an external antenna,

wherein the integration device incorporates multiple coupler antennae connected to the electronics,

whereby these coupler antennae are suitable for connecting to the electronics via at least one antenna of the cellular telephone,

whereby a communications connection is made via the cellular telephone network such that the electronics of the integration device for the active cellular telephone inserted in the receiving compartment, regardless of the type of the cellular telephone inserted and regardless of the position of the cellular telephone inserted in the receiving compartment, selects and uses for the communication that coupler antenna with the highest reception quality in the communication with the cellular telephone located in the receiving compartment.

2. The integration device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the integration device comprises a cradle, in which the receiving compartment is formed, whereby the cradle comprises a base and a shell, which delimit the receiving compartment, whereby the shell comprises at least two side panels, whereby at least one side panel of the shell and/or the base incorporates multiple coupler antennae and whereby the receiving compartment is dimensioned such that the base has a surface, which is dimensioned such that this is suitable for storing or attaching cellular telephones of various sizes.

3. The integration device in accordance with claim 2, wherein multiple coupler antennae are arranged in each of at least two, in particular, adjacent side panels of the shell.

4. The integration device in accordance with claim 2, wherein multiple coupler antennae are arranged in each of all the side panels of a surrounding shell, whereby one of the side panels is formed particularly lower than the other side panels.

5. The integration device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the integration device incorporates at least one charging coil and, in particular, at least two charging coils, whereby the charging coil or the charging coils are integrated in the base of the cradle and whereby a contact surface of the base, with which the base is in contact with the cellular telephone inserted in the receiving compartment, forms a charging level.

6. The integration device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the coupler antennae are arranged only in an upper section of the shell, which is positioned above the charging level and is directly adjacent to the receiving compartment or wherein the coupler antennae are arranged only in a lower section of the shell, which forms an extension of the upper section and which runs beneath the charging level or wherein each coupler antenna extends continuously via an upper section of the shell located above the charging level and directly adjacent to the receiving compartment, and via a lower section of the shell forming an extension of the upper section and running beneath the charging level or wherein a first part of each coupler antenna extends continuously via an upper section of the shell located above the charging level and directly adjacent to the receiving compartment and via a lower section of the shell, forming an extension of the upper section and running beneath the charging level, and that a second part of the coupler antennae is arranged only in a lower section of the shell forming an extension of the upper section and running beneath the charging level.

7. The integration device in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one part of the coupler antennae, and, in particular, all coupler antennae, is at an angle of between 70°

and 130° and

, in particular, perpendicular to the charging level.

8. The integration device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the receiving compartment or the cradle forming the receiving compartment is integrated in a console of a vehicle such that this forms a tray, in which the charging level is positioned approximately horizontally in the space or such that the receiving compartment or the cradle forming the receiving compartment is integrated in a console of a vehicle such that this forms a shaft in which the charging level is positioned vertically or at an angle in the space.

9. The integration device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the coupler antenna is formed as a planar coupler antenna, arranged either on an internal surface of the shell or inside the shell or on an external surface of the shell.

10. A method of manufacturing a shell and/or a base of a receiving compartment of a cradle for a cellular telephone, in particular, a cradle for an integration device for a cellular telephone in accordance with claim 1, wherein said coupler antennae and/or charging coils are attached to the shell and/or to the base of the cradle such that the shell and/or the base for this is laser-processed in the area of the coupler antennae provided and/or in the area of the charging coils provided, whereby the shell and/or the base is composed of a synthetic material suitable for a laser structuring process, and a chemical metallization of the processed areas is performed in a subsequent step and finally, the shell and/or the base of the cradle undergoes a surface finishing process, in particular, by flocking.