Integrated light/rain sensor and communication antenna

• US 9,871,290 B1
• Filed: 12/20/2016
• Issued: 01/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Veoneer, Inc. (SSW Partners LP)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: DeMersseman, Bernard
• Primary Examiner(s): Sung, Christine
• Application Number:
  US15/384,916
• Time in Patent Office: 392 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0837 with a particular arrangement of the optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0885 the sensor being integrated in a rear-view mirror module
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0204 Compact construction
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0219 Electrical interface; User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0271 Housings; Attachments or accessories for photometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0411 using focussing or collimating elements, i.e. lenses or mirrors; Aberration correction
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/08 Arrangements of light sources specially adapted for photometry standard sources, also using luminescent or radioactive material
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/4228 arrangements with two or more detectors, e.g. for sensitivity compensation
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2001/4266 for measuring solar light
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2291 used in bluetooth or WI-FI devices of Wireless Local Area Networks [WLAN] H01Q1/241 takes precedence; WLAN in general H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3233 particular used as part of a sensor or in a security system, e.g. for automotive radar, navigation systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3266 using the mirror of the vehicle
• 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 1/42 Housings not intimately mechanically associated with radiating elements, e.g. radome
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/44 using equipment having another main function to serve additionally as an antenna , e.g. means for giving an antenna an aesthetic aspectH01Q1/27 - H01Q1/34 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/14 Reflecting surfaces; Equivalent structures electromagnetic shields H01Q1/526
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/10 using reflecting surfaces
• 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 apparatus includes a lens assembly and a printed circuit board. The lens assembly may be configured to provide at least four orthogonal optical paths and a central atrium. The printed circuit board may be disposed below the lens assembly and generally comprises an antenna and ground plane on a front surface of the printed circuit board, and a first emitter, a second emitter, a first detector and a second detector mounted on the printed circuit board. The antenna is generally aligned with the central atrium. The first emitter is generally located between a first pair of the four orthogonal optical paths. The second emitter is generally located between a second pair of the four orthogonal optical paths. The first detector is generally located between a third pair of the four orthogonal optical paths. The second detector is generally located between a fourth pair of the four orthogonal optical paths.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a lens assembly configured to provide at least four orthogonal optical paths and a central atrium; and

a printed circuit board disposed below said lens assembly and comprising (i) an antenna and ground plane on a front surface of said printed circuit board, wherein said antenna is aligned with said central atrium, (ii) a first emitter and a second emitter mounted on said printed circuit board, said first emitter located between a first pair of said four orthogonal optical paths, and said second emitter located between a second pair of said four orthogonal optical paths, and (iii) a first detector and a second detector mounted on said printed circuit board, said first detector located between a third pair of said four orthogonal optical paths, and said second detector located between a fourth pair of said four orthogonal optical paths.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first and second emitters are mounted on said front side of said printed circuit board.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first and second detectors are mounted on a back side of said printed circuit board and are aligned with respective vias in said printed circuit board.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said antenna is configured to receive signals of a global positioning satellite system.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said antenna comprises a cellular communication antenna.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said antenna comprises a vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), or vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication antenna.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said lens assembly is molded into a cover configured to attach to an inner surface of a vehicle windshield.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first and second emitters are configured to emit infrared light or near infrared light.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said lens assembly is configured to direct light emitted by each of said first and second emitters to both of said first and said second detectors using internal refraction within a vehicle windshield to which said lens assembly is attached.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said printed circuit board is square;

said first and said second emitters are mounted in corners across a first diagonal of said square;

said first and said second detectors are mounted in corners across a second diagonal of said square; and

each of said four orthogonal light paths is parallel to a respective side of said square.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein each side of said square printed circuit board is about 45 mm and a distance between said emitters and said detectors is approximately 37 mm.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a control circuit mounted on a back side of said printed circuit board, wherein said control circuit is configured to switch said first and second emitters on and off, and generate a control signal in response to an amount of light received by said first and second detectors.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said control circuit is further configured to alternately switch said first and second emitters on and off.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said lens assembly and said printed circuit board are part of an integrated light/rain sensor and communication antenna of a vehicle.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said integrated light/rain sensor and communication antenna is configured to be mounted near a rearview mirror of said vehicle.

16. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one or more spaces between lenses of said four orthogonal optical paths provided by said lens assembly are further configured to support one or more of (i) ambient light sensing, (ii) tunnel detection, and (iii) sunload sensing.

17. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said lens assembly is approximately 2 mm thick; and

said front surface of said printed circuit board is spaced approximately 10.7 mm from a nearest back surface of said lens assembly.

18. A method of generating automated driver assistance information comprising:

mounting a lens assembly to a backside of a vehicle windshield, wherein said lens assembly is configured to provide four orthogonal optical paths and a central atrium; and

mounting a printed circuit board behind said lens assembly, wherein said printed circuit board comprises (i) an antenna and ground plane on a front surface of said printed circuit board, wherein said antenna is aligned with said central atrium, (ii) a first emitter and a second emitter mounted on said printed circuit board, said first emitter located between a first pair of said four orthogonal optical paths, and said second emitter located between a second pair of said four orthogonal optical paths, and (iii) a first detector and a second detector mounted on said printed circuit board, said first detector located between a third pair of said four orthogonal optical paths, and said second detector located between a fourth pair of said four orthogonal optical paths.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein said lens assembly comprises a material having an index of refraction essentially equal to an index of refraction of said windshield.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein said antenna is configured to receive one or more of signals of a global positioning satellite system, signals of a cellular communication system, signals of a vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) or vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication system, and one or more portions of a wireless communication frequency spectrum.