This application is a U.S. National Stage Application of International Application No. PCT/EP2011/050361 filed Jan. 12, 2011, which designates the United States of America, and claims priority to German Application No. 10 2010 004 470.9 filed Jan. 13, 2010, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
This disclosure relates to an antenna structure for a vehicle. The antenna structure has an electrically conductive structure which is arranged on two insulating substrate plates which are arranged at a right angle to one another and intersect. A dipole is provided in each case on the electrically conductive structure. The dipoles each form a first U-shaped dipole structure on the two substrate plates. The dipole structure has in each case a line element on an upper edge region of the substrate plate, and electrically conductive limbs on side regions of the substrate plate.
An antenna structure is known from document U.S. Pat. No. 6,329,954 B1 for a combination antenna for satellites and terrestrial reception. The known antenna structure includes a cruciform dipole for receiving a satellite signal with circular polarization and a multiplicity of monopoles for receiving terrestrial signals with linear polarization. The monopoles are for this purpose arranged symmetrically around the cruciform dipole. A disadvantage of the known antenna structure is that separate supply points must be provided for the monopole antenna and for the cruciform dipole antenna, which results in a considerable space requirement and additional costs.
In one embodiment, an antenna structure for a vehicle comprises: two insulating substrate plates which are arranged at a right angle to one another and intersect; an electrically conductive structure which is arranged on the substrate plates and comprises the following features: a first U-shaped dipole structure which is arranged in each case on one of the substrate plates in such a way that it has a line element on an edge region of the respective substrate plate, and electrically conductive limbs on side regions of the respective substrate plate, and a monopole which is arranged on one of the substrate plates, asymmetrically with respect to the first U-shaped dipole structure for respectively supplying the dipole structure.
In a further embodiment, the monopole is arranged at an electromagnetically coupling distance from one of the limbs of the first U-shaped dipole structure. In a further embodiment, a second U-shaped dipole structure for a higher frequency band is respectively arranged on the intersecting substrate plates, and wherein the dimensions of the second dipole structure are smaller than the dimensions of the first dipole structure. In a further embodiment, the respective second U-shaped dipole structure is arranged at an electromagnetically coupling distance from the respective first dipole structure.
In a further embodiment, the respective second U-shaped dipole structure is arranged at an electromagnetically coupling distance from the monopole. In a further embodiment, the monopoles of the substrate plates are electrically connected to supply points on the respective substrate plate via an inductive coupling loop or a matching network composed of line elements. In a further embodiment, a first of the vertically arranged substrate plates has a central vertical gap in which the second intersecting substrate plate is arranged which has at its upper edge a gap-shaped recess in which the upper edge of the first substrate plate is arranged. In a further embodiment, the intersecting substrate plates have, at their lower edge regions, solder connection faces with which they can be surface-mounted on a horizontal component mounting board.
In a further embodiment, the first intersecting dipole structure is configured for frequencies f1 of a Wimax data service between 2.3 GHz f1 2.7 GHz or between 2.496 GHz f1 2.7 GHz or between 3.3 GHz f1 3.8 GHz. In a further embodiment, the second dipole structure is configured for frequencies f2 of an inter-vehicle information exchange service or “car-to-car” service between 5.875 GHz f2 5.925 GHz or for frequencies f1 of a Wimax data service between 3.3 GHz f1 3.8 GHz. In a further embodiment, the monopole is configured for the frequencies f2 of the inter-vehicle information exchange service or “car-to-car” service between 5.875 GHz f2 5.925 GHz. In a further embodiment, the monopole has an ellipsoidal face whose longitudinal extent also determines a lower frequency limit of 5.875 GHz and whose transverse extent defines an upper frequency limit of 5.925 GHz.
In another embodiment, a vehicle includes an antenna structure having any of the features discussed above. In a further embodiment, the intersecting substrate plates are arranged oriented vertically in an outer region of the vehicle.
Example embodiments will be explained in more detail below with reference to
Some embodiments provide for integration of MIMO antennas (multiple in and multiple out antennas) for a Wimax data service which can be integrated into existing antenna structures in a space-saving and cost-effective fashion.
For example, some embodiments provide an antenna structure for a vehicle. The antenna structure has an electrically conductive structure which is arranged on two insulating substrate plates which are arranged at a right angle to one another and intersect. A dipole is provided in each case on the electrically conductive structure. The dipoles each form a first U-shaped dipole structure on the two substrate plates. The dipole structure has a line element on an upper edge region of a respective substrate plate, and electrically conductive limbs on side regions of the substrate plate. The electrically conductive structure has in each case a monopole which is arranged asymmetrically with respect to the dipole structure, for respectively supplying the dipole.
With this antenna structure it is possible to supply both the monopole and the dipole via the monopole and therefore via a single supply point per substrate plate. The dipoles of the two substrate plates which are arranged at a right angle to one another permit the two dipoles to be decoupled with the result that a multiple-antenna system is produced. Furthermore, the signals are not coupled centrally and symmetrically into the dipoles but rather asymmetrically by virtue of the fact that the monopole is arranged at an electromagnetically coupling distance from one of the limbs or the end of the dipoles. In this context, the intersecting substrate plates can be oriented vertically, in particular in the case of installation on the vehicle, and arranged in an outer region of the vehicle.
With such an antenna structure which is provided with intersecting dipoles it is possible, depending on the configuration of the line element at the upper edge of the substrate plates and the configuration of the limbs on the side regions of the substrate plates, to operate the different frequency bands of what are referred to as Wimax data services between 2.3 GHz≦f1≦2.7 GHz or the Wimax data services of the USA with frequencies f1 between 2.496 GHz≦f1≦2.7 GHz or the Europe-wide Wimax data services between 3.3 GHz≦f1≦3.8 GHz.
In a further embodiment, the coupling monopole can be configured in such a way that it serves an inter-vehicle information exchange service or “car-to-car” service with frequencies f2 between 5.875 GHz≦f2≦5.925 GHz and at the same time ensures coupling to the dipole structure.
In a further embodiment, the monopole has an ellipsoidal face whose longitudinal extent also determines a lower frequency limit of 5.875 GHz and whose tansverse extent defines an upper frequency limit of 5.925 GHz for the inter-vehicle information exchange service.
In a further embodiment, in each case second U-shaped dipole structures for a higher frequency band than the first dipole structure are arranged on the intersecting substrate plates. For this purpose, the dimensions of the second dipole structures are smaller than the dimensions of the first dipole structures.
An above-mentioned, second U-shaped dipole structure can be arranged at an electromagnetically coupling distance from the first dipole structure. On the other hand, it is also possible to arrange the second U-shaped dipole structure at an electromagnetically coupling distance from the monopole. With such configuration, the relatively high frequency band for the inter-vehicle information exchange service does not increase the space required for the antenna structure, but further services are integrated into the multiple-antenna system.
Furthermore it is provided that the monopoles of the substrate plates are electrically connected to corresponding supply points on the respective substrate plate via an inductive coupling loop or a matching network composed of line elements.
In order to implement these structures in an optimum way in the smallest possible space, a first of the (vertically arranged) substrate plates has a central (vertical) gap in which the second intersecting substrate plate is arranged. In other words, given a possible vertical orientation of the first substrate plate, the central gap also runs in a vertical direction with the result that the second substrate plate can also be arranged vertically oriented in the first substrate plate. The second intersecting substrate plate for its part has, at an upper edge, a gap-shaped recess in which the upper edge of the first substrate plate is arranged. The line element in the upper edge region of the two intersecting substrate plates is correspondingly matched to the recess in the second substrate plate, while the line element in the upper edge region of the first substrate plate can be provided linearly.
Furthermore there is provision that solder connection faces are applied in the lower edge regions of the intersecting substrate plates, with which solder connection faces these substrate plates can be surface-mounted on a horizontal component mounting board.
Such an antenna structure can be used for road vehicles, water craft, rail vehicles and aircraft.
The dipoles 8 and 9 have virtually the same structure, wherein a first U-shaped dipole structure 10 can be seen on the substrate plate 6 in
The conductive structure 5 of the second substrate plate 7 can be seen in
A central gap 21, in which the first substrate plate 6 is inserted in order to arrange the two substrate plates 6 and 7 and therefore the dipoles 8 and 9 at a right angle to one another, is provided in the second substrate plate 7. As a result of this right-angled arrangement, the two dipoles are not coupled to one another, with the result that the second dipole 9 can be supplied via a separate supply structure with a coupled monopole 16 at an electromagnetically coupling distance a from the limb 13 of the dipole 9.
The two substrate plates 6 and 7 therefore have identical conductive structures 5, wherein the substrate plate 7 has an additional supply point 20, which again supplies the monopole 16, and therefore also the dipole 9, via a coupling loop 18. Furthermore, a solder connection face 25 is arranged in FIG. 1B in the lower edge region 24, with which the cruciform dipole can, as shown in
The difference from the cruciform dipole in
While the first dipole structure 10 is provided for the transmission of Wimax data services in a frequency range between 2.3 GHz and 2.7 GHz or for a Europe-wide Wimax data service between 3.3 GHz and 3.8 GHz, a frequency band between 5.875 GHz and 5.925 GHz can be provided with the second U-shaped dipole structure 17 and therefore inter-vehicle information exchange services can be transmitted. These inter-vehicle information exchange services are intended to transmit safety-related information from vehicle to vehicle in road traffic in order therefore to warn about areas with traffic jams or weather conditions and to correspondingly indicate this acoustically or visually in each of the connected vehicles.
Therefore, by means of a single supply point 20 it is possible both for the vehicle to be connected to a Wimax data service and for it to interact with an inter-vehicle information exchange service. It is therefore possible for the asymmetrical actuation of the cruciform dipole to be used to make available a series of variants of a multiple-antenna system which can be structured in an extremely flexible and cost-effective way.
The following are disclosed: an antenna structure for a vehicle having electrically conductive structures 5 which are arranged on two insulating substrate plates 6, 7 which intersect at a right angle and are positioned perpendicularly on a lower supply region; at least two dipoles 8, 9 as electrically conductive structures, wherein firstly the two dipoles 8, 9 each form a U-shaped dipole structure 10 on the substrate plates 6, 7, and secondly wherein the U-shaped dipole structure 10 has a line element 27 on an upper edge region 11 of the substrate plate 6, 7, and electrically conductive limbs 12, 13, in contact with the line element, on side regions 14, 15 of the substrate plate 6, 7. In particular, in this context the electrically conductive structures 5 can each have a monopole arranged asymmetrically with respect to the dipole structure 10 at an electromagnetically coupling distance a from one of the limbs 12, 13 of the U-shaped dipole structure 10.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2010 004 470.9 | Jan 2010 | DE | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/EP2011/050361 | 1/12/2011 | WO | 00 | 10/18/2012 |