1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates to an antenna for receiving a circularly polarized radio frequency (RF) signal from a satellite.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Vehicles have long implemented glass to enclose a cabin of the vehicle while still allowing visibility for the driver of the vehicle. Automotive glass is typically either a tempered (or toughened) glass or a laminated glass which is produced by bonding two or more panes of glass together with an adhesive interlayer. The interlayer keeps the panes of glass together even when the glass is broken.
Recently, antennas have been integrated with the glass of the vehicle. This integration helps improve the aerodynamic performance of the vehicle as well to help provide the vehicle with an aesthetically-pleasing, streamlined appearance. Integration of antennas for receiving linearly polarized RF signals, such as those generated by AM/FM terrestrial broadcast stations, has been the principal focus of the industry. However, that focus is shifting to integrating antennas for receiving RF signals from Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service (SDARS) providers. SDARS providers use satellites to broadcast RF signals, particularly circularly polarized RF signals, back to Earth.
Various glass-integrated antennas for receiving RF signals are known in the art. Examples of such antennas are disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,355,144 (the '144 patent) to Walton et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 6,097,345 (the '345 patent) to Walton.
The '144 patent discloses an antenna integrated with a window of a vehicle. The vehicle includes a metal frame having an edge defining an aperture. The edge of the metal frame is electrically conductive and supports the window. The window includes two panes of glass sandwiching an adhesive interlayer. An electrically conductive film is bonded to a surface of one of the panes of glass and defines a slot between the film and the edge. A conductive layer is disposed on another of the surfaces of the panes of glass. A center conductor of an unbalanced transmission line is connected to the conductive layer and a shield of the unbalanced transmission line is connected to the metal frame. The conductive layer acts as a feed line to electromagnetically couple center conductor to the electrically conductive film. The antenna of the '144 patent is not configured to allow reception of circularly polarized RF signals. Furthermore, the antenna of the '144 patent contains no provisions for matching an impedance of the antenna to an impedance of the unbalanced transmission line.
The '345 patent discloses an antenna integrated with a window of a vehicle. The window is supported by a metal frame of the vehicle. The window includes two panes of glass sandwiching an adhesive interlayer. In one embodiment, a conductive layer is disposed on one of the surfaces of the panes of glass. The conductive layer defines a slot having two slot legs with resonance on two frequency bands. A feed line is disposed on another of the surfaces of the panes of glass. A center conductor of an unbalanced transmission line is electrically connected to the feed line. The feed line then acts as a capacitive coupling to the conductive layer. A shield of the unbalanced transmission line is electrically connected to the metal frame. The antenna of the '345 patent is not configured to allow reception of circularly polarized RF signals. Furthermore, the antenna of the '345 patent contains no provisions for matching an impedance of the antenna to an impedance of the unbalanced transmission line.
The subject invention provides an antenna including a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer. The second conductive layer is spaced from and substantially parallel to and overlapping the first conductive layer. The second conductive layer has a main slot extending thereinto to define a feed line region. The feed line region divides the second conductive layer into a first ground plane region and a second ground plane region. A conductive segment electrically connects the first ground plane region to the second ground plane region. The second conductive layer also defines a first stub slot extending from the main slot into the first ground plane region and a second stub slot extending from the main slot into the second ground plane region.
The subject invention also provides a window integrating the antenna described above. The window includes a first nonconductive pane having an outside surface and an inner surface. A second nonconductive pane is disposed generally parallel to and spaced from the first nonconductive pane and has an outer surface and an inside surface. The first conductive layer of the antenna is disposed on one of the surfaces and the second conductive layer is disposed on another of the surfaces.
The antenna combines ground plane and feed line regions into a single conductive layer. This combination negates the need for a separate feed line and ground plane in separate conductive layers. Furthermore, the stub slots alter the impedance of the antenna to match that of an unbalanced transmission line to be electrically connected to the antenna. Also, the angle of the stub slots with respect to the main slot may be configured to give the antenna desired polarization characteristics.
Other advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated, as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:
Referring to the Figures, wherein like numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, an antenna is shown generally at 20 in
Referring to
The window 22 includes at least one nonconductive pane 26. The term “nonconductive” refers to a material, such as an insulator or dielectric, that when placed between conductors at different potentials, permits only a small or negligible current in phase with the applied voltage to flow through material. Typically, nonconductive materials have conductivities on the order of nanosiemens/meter.
It is preferred that the at least one nonconductive pane 26 is implemented as a pane of glass. Of course, the window 22 may include more than one pane of glass. Automotive windows 22, particularly laminated glass commonly used in windshields, may include two panes of glass. The pane of glass is preferably automotive glass and more preferably soda-lime-silica glass. Preferably, each pane of glass defines a thickness between 1.5 and 5.0 mm, and most preferably 3.1 mm. The pane of glass also preferably has a relative permittivity between 5 and 9, and most preferably 7. Those skilled in the art, however, realize that the nonconductive pane 26 may be formed from plastic, fiberglass, or other suitable nonconductive materials.
Referring to
Referring now to
The first and second conductive layers 28, 30 can be arranged in several configurations with respect to the first and second nonconductive panes 34, 40. In a second embodiment, as shown in
Referring now to
The first conductive layer 28 includes an edge 48 having a midpoint. In the square-shaped first conductive layer 28, the edge 48 is one of the sides of the first conductive layer 28. The first conductive layer 28 preferably defines a notch 50 which extends inward from the edge 48. The notch 50 is preferably disposed at the midpoint of the edge 48. The notch 50 assists in tuning the antenna 20 to, a desired resonant frequency. By altering the length of the notch 50, the resonant frequency of the antenna 20 may be modified. Alternatively, and as shown in
Referring now to
A conductive segment 60 electrically connects the first ground plane region 56 to the second ground plane region 58. As shown in
It is preferred that the second conductive layer 30 of the antenna 20 is rectangular-shaped and more preferably square-shaped. It is also preferred that the feed line region 54 is rectangular-shaped. However, the second conductive layer 30 and the feed line region 54 may be implemented using shapes other than rectangles or squares.
The second conductive layer 30 essentially combines two elements (a feed line and a ground plane) into a single layer conformal with the window 22. No additional feed line need be implemented with the antenna 10. This results in low complexity and implementation costs of the antenna 10.
Referring again to
Referring again to
The second conductive layer 30 defines a first stub slot 70 extending from the main slot 52 into the first ground plane region 56 and a second stub slot 72 extending from the main slot 52 into the second ground plane region 58. The stub slots 70, 72 have an impact on the overall impedance of the antenna 20. Therefore, the lengths of the stub slots 70, 72 may be determined, based on the planned implementation of the antenna 20, to match the impedance of the antenna 20 to the impedance of the unbalanced transmission line 66. Additional impedance matching circuitry is not necessary since the impedance matching is incorporated directly in the second conductive layer 30 of the antenna 20. Thus, overall complexity of implementing the antenna 10 of the present invention is low. Additionally, more than two stub slots extending from the main slot 52 may be implemented.
The stub slots 70, 72 are disposed at an angle with respect to the main slot 52 to achieve a desired polarization of the antenna 20. In order to give the antenna 20 a circular polarization, the first stub slot 70 is disposed substantially at a 45 degree angle with the main slot 52, the second stub slot 72 is disposed substantially at a 45 degree angle with the main slot 52, and the first and second stub slots 70, 72 are generally parallel with each other. A linear polarization will result if the stub slots 70, 72 are disposed substantially at a 90 degree angle with the main slot 52. Furthermore, the stub slots 70, 72 may be disposed in multiple combinations and at various locations and angles with the main slot 52 to achieve any desired elliptical polarization.
Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. The invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described within the scope of the appended claims.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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Number | Date | Country |
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0 355 898 | Mar 1989 | EP |
1 088 365 | Jun 1999 | EP |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20060202898 A1 | Sep 2006 | US |