Antenna assembly and method of use of the antenna assembly

• US 9,100,062 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2013
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ganz, Armin
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Simon
• Application Number:
  US13/766,395
• Publication Number:
  US 20130210349A1
• Time in Patent Office: 902 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2208 associated with components used in interrogation type services, i.e. in systems for information exchange between an interrogator/reader and a tag/transponder, e.g. in Radio Frequency Identification [RFID] systems methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns G06K7/00; record carrier for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00
• 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 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/26 using coils

Abstract

Various embodiments relate to an antenna assembly for providing wireless coupling to a remote antenna. The antenna assembly comprises a first antenna and a second antenna. The second antenna is fixedly attached to a mount spaced by a distance along a first direction from the first antenna. The first antenna is configured to provide the wireless coupling along the first direction via transceiving of a time-varying field. The second antenna is configured to provide the wireless coupling by setting-up a decay of the time-varying field along the first direction. The interface is connected to an electric circuitry configured for controlling the transceiving. The second antenna is configured to operate as a passive electrical element.

Claims

1. An antenna assembly for providing wireless coupling to a remote antenna, the antenna assembly comprising:

a first antenna comprising an interface, wherein the first antenna is configured to provide the wireless coupling along a first direction by transceiving of a time-varying field, and wherein the interface is connected to electric circuitry for controlling the transceiving; and

a second antenna for being fixedly attached to a mount and spaced by a distance along the first direction from the first antenna, wherein the second antenna is configured to provide the wireless coupling by setting up a decay of the time-varying field along the first direction, and wherein the second antenna is configured to operate as a passive electrical element.

2. The antenna assembly of claim 1, wherein the distance is configured such that the second antenna is positioned in a near-field regime of the transceived time-varying field.

3. The antenna assembly of claim 1, wherein a first eigenfrequency of the first antenna and a second eigenfrequency of the second antenna are different to a resonance frequency of the antenna assembly.

4. The antenna assembly of claim 3 including a first frequency and a second frequency and antenna assembly is configured such that one of the first frequency and the second frequency is substantially equal to an eigenfrequency of the remote antenna.

5. The antenna assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the first antenna comprises substantially planar first conducting paths being arranged substantially orthogonal to the first direction, and

the second antenna comprises substantially planar second conducting paths being arranged substantially orthogonal to a second direction.

6. The antenna assembly of claim 5, wherein the first conducting paths include first planar dimensions and the second conducting paths include second planar dimensions, the second planar dimensions being larger than the first planar dimensions;

and wherein a number of first planar conducting planar paths is different than a number of second planar conducting paths.

7. The antenna assembly of claim 5, wherein the second direction is substantially parallel to the first direction.

8. The antenna assembly of claim 1, wherein the first antenna includes a first eigenfrequency and the second antenna includes a second eigenfrequency, and wherein the first eigenfrequency is substantially equal to the second eigenfrequency.

9. The antenna assembly of claim 1, wherein the mount is a plastic cover including a back surface and wherein the second antenna is one of attached to the back surface of the cover and structurally incorporated into the cover.

10. The antenna assembly of claim 1, wherein the first antenna comprises first conducting paths that are arranged on a rigid substrate, and wherein the second antenna comprises second conducting paths arranged on a flexible substrate.

11. The antenna assembly of claim 1, wherein the second antenna is statically direct current (DC) decoupled from a surrounding thereof, and wherein the second antenna is DC decoupled from the first antenna.

12. The antenna assembly of claim 1, wherein the second antenna is further configured to provide the wireless coupling by setting up a decay of the time-varying field perpendicular to the first direction.

13. The antenna assembly of claim 1, wherein the second antenna is configured to set up the decay through respectively adjusted parameters selected from the group consisting of:

(i) dimensions in the plane substantially perpendicular to the first direction, (ii) a second eigenfrequency of the second antenna, and (iii) the distance along the first direction.

14. The antenna assembly of claim 1 wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are configured to be positioned within a vehicle.

15. The antenna assembly of claim 14 wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are arranged to be operatively coupled to a vehicle computer in the vehicle and to be wirelessly coupled to a portable communication device.

16. An antenna assembly for providing wireless coupling to a remote antenna, the antenna assembly comprising:

a first antenna comprising an interface and being configured to provide the wireless coupling along a first direction by transceiving a time-varying field, the interface for being connected to electric circuitry for controlling the transceiving; and

a second antenna for being fixedly attached to a mount and spaced at a distance along the first direction from the first antenna, the second antenna being configured to provide the wireless coupling by setting up a decay of the time-varying field along the first direction and to operate as a passive electrical element.

17. The antenna assembly of claim 16 wherein:

the first antenna comprises substantially planar first conducting paths being arranged substantially orthogonal to the first direction, and

the second antenna comprises substantially planar second conducting paths being arranged substantially orthogonal to a second direction.

18. The antenna assembly of claim 17, wherein the first conducting paths include first planar dimensions and the second conducting paths include second planar dimensions, the second planar dimensions being larger than the first planar dimensions;

and wherein a number of first planar conducting planar paths is different than a number of second planar conducting paths.

19. The antenna assembly of claim 16 wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are arranged to be operatively coupled to a vehicle computer in a vehicle and wirelessly coupled to a portable communication device.

20. An antenna assembly in a vehicle for providing wireless coupling to a remote antenna, the antenna assembly comprising:

a first antenna comprising an interface and being configured to provide the wireless coupling along a first direction by transceiving a time-varying field, the interface for being connected to electric circuitry for controlling the transceiving; and

a second antenna for being fixedly attached to a mount in the vehicle and spaced at a distance along the first direction from the first antenna, the second antenna being configured to provide the wireless coupling by setting up a decay of the time-varying field along the first direction and to operate as a passive electrical element.