Vehicle-mounted intelligent antenna and application method

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of vehicle-mounted intelligent antennas and application method, including: shark fin antenna component, shark fin antenna component is outside roof;Contain LTE MAIN antenna, LTE DIV antenna, GNSS antenna, OutterRFR antenna;T-BOX, T-BOX is below roof, contain: upper shell component, GNSS antenna is attached on the outside of upper shell;PCBA component, including PCBA, LTE Backup antenna, WIFI antenna, InnerRFR antenna;VP and NAD module, VP and NAD module collaborative control switch switching, meet the communication demand under different scenes;Duplexer frequency divider, for OutterRFR antenna signal frequency division;Combiner / SPDT2, Combiner is combiner, SPDT2 is single-pole double-throw switch, for switched OutterRFR antenna passage, realize positioning function;Lower shell component, for fixed PCBA component, upper shell component and shark fin antenna component;Shark fin antenna component and T-BOX adopt integrated design.In shark fin, OutterRFR antenna is added, solve RFR and WIFI signal inside and outside cover problem, main diversity antenna isolation insufficient problem, and enhance GNSS antenna receiving signal.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automotive Internet of Things (IoT), and more particularly to an in-vehicle smart antenna and its application method. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of vehicle networking, more and more functions are being integrated into in-vehicle intelligent terminals, as are more and more antennas, such as 4G / 5G antennas, GNSS antennas, WIFI antennas, RFR (RKE / TPMS) antennas, etc.

[0003] With increasingly limited internal space, ensuring product performance within such a confined space has become an urgent problem to solve.

[0004] In existing technologies, the shark fin antenna includes an LTE Main antenna, an LTE DIV antenna, and a GNSS antenna. The T-BOX internally includes a WIFI antenna, an RFR antenna, and an LTE Backup antenna. The disadvantages are that the LTE Main and LTE DIV antennas are PCB-mounted, and due to space constraints within the shark fin, their performance is generally not easy to meet requirements, and the isolation between the two antennas is poor. Furthermore, the LTE DIV antenna is reused with an external WIFI antenna; when the LTE DIV antenna is used as a WIFI antenna, the entire communication system lacks diversity reception, affecting overall reception performance and transmission rate. Finally, the shark fin lacks an external RFR antenna, leading to weak signal issues in TPMS and RKE external vehicle applications.

[0005] Another technology utilizes BLE / WLAN both inside and outside the vehicle to achieve user positioning via smartphone. The disadvantages are: the RFR antenna is only installed inside the vehicle, resulting in weaker signals outside, which can lead to communication problems when the wireless keyless entry (RKE) and tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) are low on battery; due to vehicle design limitations, the shark fin antenna cannot be too large, and the antenna patent cannot obstruct the GNSS antenna too much (too much obstruction will affect GNSS positioning), resulting in limited space for the LTE main antenna and diversity antenna wiring, leading to performance degradation and insufficient low-frequency isolation between the main and diversity antennas; and the GNSS antenna is partially obstructed by the LTE main and diversity antennas, making positioning difficult when satellite signals are weak. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of the above-mentioned deficiencies of the prior art, the technical problems to be solved by the present invention are how to achieve RFR and WIFI signal coverage inside and outside the vehicle, how to solve the problem of insufficient isolation of the main diversity antenna, and how to enhance the GNSS antenna signal reception.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a vehicle-mounted smart antenna, comprising:

[0008] Shark fin antenna assembly, located on the exterior of the vehicle roof; includes an LTE MAIN antenna, an LTE DIV antenna, a GNSS antenna, and an OutterRFR antenna;

[0009] The T-BOX, located under the roof of the vehicle, includes...

[0010] The GNSS antenna is attached to the outer side of the upper housing assembly.

[0011] PCBA components, including PCBA, LTE Backup antenna, WIFI antenna, and InnerRFR antenna;

[0012] The system includes a VP and NAD module, which work together to control the switching of the switch to meet communication needs in different scenarios; a Duplexer frequency divider, used for frequency division of the OutterRFR antenna signal; and a combiner / SPDT2, where the combiner combines the GNSS signal received by the GNSS antenna and the GNSS signal received by the OutterRFR ANT to enhance the signal; and a SPDT2 single-pole double-throw switch, used to switch between the two GNSS antennas, controlled by the system, switching the OutterRFR antenna path in case of GNSS antenna failure to achieve positioning function.

[0013] The lower housing assembly is used to fix the PCBA assembly, the upper housing assembly, and the shark fin antenna assembly;

[0014] The shark fin antenna assembly and the T-BOX are designed as an integrated unit.

[0015] Furthermore, the OutterRFR antenna supports both the RFR and GNSS bands. It performs frequency division processing through the Duplexer to transmit low-frequency RFR signals to the RFR module for processing. The OutterRFR and InnerRFR antennas work together to enhance RFR signal coverage inside and outside the vehicle.

[0016] Furthermore, the Duplexer divides the frequency and transmits the high-frequency GNSS signal to the NAD module via the combiner / SPDT2, thereby enhancing the GNSS positioning signal.

[0017] Furthermore, the LTE Main antenna and the OutterRFR antenna adopt a back-to-back design. By adjusting the antenna pattern and gap, the coupling effect between the two antennas is used to generate an equivalent capacitance, making the LTE Main antenna a composite left-handed and right-handed antenna. It is equivalent to a left-handed antenna mode at low frequencies and a right-handed antenna mode at mid-to-high frequencies, which is used to reduce the design size of the LTE main antenna.

[0018] Furthermore, the LTE DIV antenna is a right-handed antenna, conforming to the right-hand transmission theory, and the electromagnetic wave propagation satisfies the right-hand screw law; the LTE Main antenna is a composite left-handed antenna, and its low-frequency propagation conforms to the left-hand transmission theory, and the electromagnetic wave propagation satisfies the left-hand screw law.

[0019] The technical solution of this invention adds an OutterRFR antenna to the shark fin, which solves the problems of RFR and WIFI signal coverage inside and outside the vehicle, the problem of insufficient isolation of the main diversity antenna, and enhances the GNSS antenna signal reception.

[0020] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a method for applying a vehicle-mounted smart antenna, the antenna comprising the following steps:

[0021] The shark fin antenna is functioning normally, and it is used in a scenario where Wi-Fi communication is employed inside the vehicle.

[0022] S100, cellular communication, uses the LTE MAIN antenna in the shark fin as the main antenna and the LTE DIV antenna as the diversity antenna, which is controlled by the system to switch between using the shark fin as the main antenna and the shark fin as the diversity antenna.

[0023] S150, GNSS positioning, uses a combiner to combine the satellite signals received by the GNSS antenna and the OutterRFR antenna, which enhances the signal of the GNSS receiver; or SPDT2, uses the OutterRFR antenna as a backup antenna, and switches to the OutterRFR antenna path to achieve positioning function when the GNSS antenna fails.

[0024] The S170RFR communication is divided into tire pressure monitoring (TPMS) communication and wireless car key (RKE) communication. The system controls the switch to switch between using the OuterRFR antenna or the InnerRFR antenna based on the actual signal strength.

[0025] Furthermore, it also includes the following steps:

[0026] The S130 features WIFI communication, with the built-in WIFI antenna switched via a system control switch to meet in-vehicle usage scenarios.

[0027] Furthermore, it also includes the following steps:

[0028] S140, WIFI communication, can be switched by the system control switch to use the LTE DIV antenna as an external WIFI antenna to meet the needs of use outside the vehicle.

[0029] Furthermore, it also includes the following steps:

[0030] When the shark fin antenna detaches

[0031] Cellular communication, controlled by the system, uses the LTE Backup antenna in the shark fin as the main antenna to achieve E-Call function, without diversity antenna;

[0032] For WIFI communication, the system controls the switching to use the built-in WIFI antenna.

[0033] GNSS communication: In this state, no GNSS antenna is used. The location information reported by the shark fin antenna before it detached is used in conjunction with the base station positioning information.

[0034] RFR communication is divided into tire pressure monitoring (TPMS) communication and wireless car key (RKE) communication, which are switched by the system to use the InnerRFR antenna.

[0035] The technical solution of this invention adds an OutterRFR antenna to the shark fin, which solves the problems of RFR and WIFI signal coverage inside and outside the vehicle, the problem of insufficient isolation between the main and diversity antennas, and enhances the GNSS antenna signal reception. At the same time, it solves the communication problem of the LTE Backup antenna, WIFI antenna and InnerRFR antenna when the shark fin antenna falls off. Attached Figure Description

[0036] Figure 1 This is an exploded view of a product according to the present invention;

[0037] Figure 2 This is an electronic structure diagram of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 3 This is an external view and technical schematic diagram of one component of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 4 This is an electronic structure diagram of another embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 5 This is an electronic structure diagram of another embodiment of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 6 This is an electronic structure diagram of another embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0042] The following description, with reference to the accompanying drawings, illustrates several preferred embodiments of the present invention to make its technical content clearer and easier to understand. The present invention can be embodied in many different forms, and the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments mentioned herein.

[0043] In the accompanying drawings, components with the same structure are indicated by the same numerical designation, and components with similar structures or functions are indicated by similar numerical designations. The dimensions and thicknesses of each component shown in the drawings are arbitrary, and the present invention does not limit the dimensions and thicknesses of each component. To make the illustrations clearer, the thickness of some components has been appropriately exaggerated in the drawings.

[0044] Embodiments of the present invention provide a vehicle-mounted smart antenna, such as... Figure 1 As shown, it includes:

[0045] Shark fin antenna assembly 1, the shark fin antenna assembly is located on the exterior of the vehicle roof; it includes an LTE MAIN antenna, an LTE DIV antenna, a GNSS antenna 10, and an OutterRFR antenna;

[0046] The T-BOX is located under the roof of the vehicle and includes...

[0047] Upper shell assembly 2, the GNSS antenna is attached to the outside of the upper shell;

[0048] PCBA component 3 includes PCBA, LTE Backup antenna, WIFI antenna, InnerRFR antenna; VP and NAD modules, which work together to control the switching of the switch to meet the communication needs of different scenarios; Duplexer frequency divider, used for frequency division of OutterRFR antenna signal; combiner / SPDT2, used to transmit the signal from OutterRFR antenna or GNSS antenna to NAD module; NAD module contains AP and GNSS receiver, and the GNSS signal from combiner / SPDT2 is transmitted to GNSS receiver;

[0049] Lower shell assembly 4 is used to fix PCBA assembly 3, upper shell assembly 2 and shark fin antenna assembly 1;

[0050] The shark fin antenna assembly and T-BOX are designed as a single unit.

[0051] like Figure 2 As shown, the OutterRFR antenna supports both the RFR and GNSS bands. It uses a duplexer for frequency division, transmitting the low-frequency RFR signal to the RFR module for processing. The OutterRFR and InnerRFR antennas work together to enhance RFR signal coverage inside and outside the vehicle. After frequency division by the duplexer, the high-frequency GNSS signal is transmitted to the NAD module via the combiner / SPDT2 to enhance the GNSS positioning signal.

[0052] like Figure 3As shown, the LTE Main antenna and the OutterRFR antenna adopt a back-to-back design. By adjusting the antenna pattern and gap, the equivalent capacitance is generated by the coupling effect between the two antennas, making the LTE Main antenna a composite left-handed antenna. It is equivalent to a left-handed antenna mode at low frequencies and a right-handed antenna mode at mid-to-high frequencies, which is used to reduce the design size of the LTE main antenna.

[0053] The LTE DIV antenna is a right-handed antenna, which conforms to the right-hand transmission theory, and the propagation of electromagnetic waves follows the right-hand screw law; the LTEMain antenna is a composite left-handed antenna, and its low-frequency propagation conforms to the left-hand transmission theory, and the propagation of electromagnetic waves follows the left-hand screw law.

[0054] like Figure 3 (a) is an ideal right-hand transmission line model, where electromagnetic wave propagation follows the right-hand screw law. Conventional antennas on terminals conform to this equivalent model and are called right-hand antennas.

[0055] like Figure 3 (b) is an ideal left-handed transmission line model, in which electromagnetic wave propagation follows the left-handed spiral law. Antennas conforming to this model are called left-handed antennas.

[0056] like Figure 3 (c) represents an ideal left-handed or right-handed transmission line model, where electromagnetic waves satisfy different propagation laws at different frequencies. Antennas conforming to this model are called composite left-handed or right-handed antennas.

[0057] The technical solution of this invention adds an OutterRFR antenna to the shark fin, which solves the problems of RFR and WIFI signal coverage inside and outside the vehicle, the problem of insufficient isolation of the main diversity antenna, and enhances the GNSS antenna signal reception.

[0058] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides an embodiment of an application method for a vehicle-mounted smart antenna, wherein the antenna includes the following steps:

[0059] The shark fin antenna is functioning normally, and it is used in a scenario where Wi-Fi communication is employed inside the vehicle.

[0060] S100, cellular communication, uses the LTE MAIN antenna in the shark fin as the main antenna and the LTE DIV antenna as the diversity antenna, which is controlled by the system to switch between using the shark fin as the main antenna and the shark fin as the diversity antenna.

[0061] S150, GNSS positioning, uses a combiner to combine the satellite signals received by the GNSS antenna and the OutterRFR antenna, which enhances the signal of the GNSS receiver; or SPDT2, uses the OutterRFR antenna as a backup antenna, and switches to the OutterRFR antenna path to achieve positioning function when the GNSS antenna fails.

[0062] The S170RFR communication is divided into tire pressure monitoring (TPMS) communication and wireless car key (RKE) communication. The system controls the switch to switch between using the OuterRFR antenna or the InnerRFR antenna based on the actual signal strength.

[0063] It also includes the following steps:

[0064] The S130 features WIFI communication, with the built-in WIFI antenna switched via a system control switch to meet in-vehicle usage scenarios.

[0065] It also includes the following steps:

[0066] S140, WIFI communication, can be switched by the system control switch to use the LTE DIV antenna as an external WIFI antenna to meet the needs of use outside the vehicle.

[0067] It also includes the following steps:

[0068] When the shark fin antenna detaches

[0069] Cellular communication, controlled by the system, uses the LTE Backup antenna in the shark fin as the main antenna to achieve E-Call function, without diversity antenna;

[0070] For WIFI communication, the system controls the switching to use the built-in WIFI antenna.

[0071] GNSS communication: In this state, no GNSS antenna is used. The location information reported by the shark fin antenna before it detached is used in conjunction with the base station positioning information.

[0072] RFR communication is divided into tire pressure monitoring (TPMS) communication and wireless car key (RKE) communication, which are switched by the system to use the InnerRFR antenna.

[0073] A preferred embodiment of the present invention is as follows: Figure 4 As shown, the shark fin antenna is functioning normally, and it is used in a scenario where Wi-Fi communication is employed inside the vehicle.

[0074] 1) Cellular communication: SPDT1, SPDT3, and SPDT4 are switched to the state shown in the diagram by system control, using the LTE MAINANT in the shark fin as the main antenna and the LTE DIVANT as the diversity antenna.

[0075] 2) WIFI communication: The system controls SPDT5 to switch to the state shown in the figure to use the built-in WIFIANT to meet the in-vehicle usage scenario.

[0076] 3) GNSS positioning has two methods:

[0077] One method is to use a combiner to combine the satellite signals received by the GNSS antenna and the satellite signals received by the OutterRFRANT, thereby enhancing and compensating for the signal of the GNSS receiver.

[0078] The second method is to use SPDT2, with OutterRFRANT as a backup antenna, to switch to the OutterRFRANT path to achieve positioning function when the GNSS antenna fails.

[0079] 4) RFR communication is divided into tire pressure monitoring (TPMS) communication and wireless key (RKE) communication. The system controls the SPDT6 switch to switch between OuterRFRANT and InnerRFRANT based on the actual signal strength.

[0080] A preferred embodiment of the present invention is as follows: Figure 5 As shown, the shark fin antenna is functioning normally, especially in scenarios where Wi-Fi communication is used outside the vehicle:

[0081] Cellular communication is controlled by the system to switch SPDT0, SPDT1, and SPDT3 to the state shown in the diagram, using the LTEMAINANT in the shark fin as the main antenna and the LTE BackupANT as the diversity antenna.

[0082] For WIFI communication, the system controls SPDT4 and SPDT5 to switch to the state shown in the diagram and use the LTE DIVANT as an external WIFI antenna to meet the needs of use outside the vehicle.

[0083] GNSS positioning has two methods:

[0084] One method is to use a combiner to combine the satellite signals received by the GNSS antenna and the satellite signals received by the OutterRFRANT, thereby enhancing and compensating for the signal of the GNSS receiver.

[0085] The second method is to use SPDT2, with OutterRFRANT as a backup antenna, to switch to the OutterRFRANT path to achieve positioning function when the GNSS antenna fails.

[0086] RFR communication is divided into Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) communication and Wireless Keyless Entry (RKE) communication. The system controls the SPDT6 switch to switch between OuterRFRANT and InnerRFRANT based on the actual signal strength.

[0087] A preferred embodiment of the present invention is as follows: Figure 6 As shown:

[0088] In the event of the shark fin antenna detaching...

[0089] Cellular communication is controlled by the system. SPDT0 and SPDT1 are switched to the state shown in the diagram. The LTEBackupANT in the shark fin is used as the main antenna to realize the E-Call function, without a diversity antenna.

[0090] For WIFI communication, the system controls SPDT5 to switch to the illustrated state, using the built-in WIFIANT.

[0091] GNSS communication: In this state, no GNSS antenna is used. The location information reported by the shark fin antenna before it detaches is used in conjunction with the base station positioning information.

[0092] RFR communication is divided into tire pressure monitoring (TPMS) communication and wireless key (RKE) communication. The system control switch SPDT6 switches between InnerRFRANT and InnerRFRANT.

[0093] The technical solution of this invention adds an OutterRFR antenna to the shark fin, which solves the problems of RFR and WIFI signal coverage inside and outside the vehicle, the problem of insufficient isolation between the main and diversity antennas, and enhances the GNSS antenna signal reception. At the same time, it solves the communication problem of the LTE Backup antenna, WIFI antenna and InnerRFR antenna when the shark fin antenna falls off.

[0094] The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above. It should be understood that those skilled in the art can make numerous modifications and variations based on the concept of the present invention without creative effort. Therefore, all technical solutions that can be obtained by those skilled in the art based on the concept of the present invention through logical analysis, reasoning, or limited experimentation on the basis of existing technology should be within the scope of protection defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A vehicle-mounted smart antenna, characterized in that, include: Shark fin antenna assembly, located on the exterior of the vehicle roof; includes an LTE MAIN antenna, an LTE DIV antenna, a GNSS antenna, and an OutterRFR antenna; The T-BOX is located under the roof of the vehicle. The GNSS antenna is attached to the outer side of the upper housing assembly. PCBA components, including PCBA, LTE Backup antenna, WIFI antenna, and InnerRFR antenna; The system includes a VP and NAD module, which work together to control the switching of the switch to meet communication needs in different scenarios; a Duplexer frequency divider, used for frequency division of the OutterRFR antenna signal; and a combiner / SPDT2, where the combiner combines the GNSS signal received by the GNSS antenna and the GNSS signal received by the OutterRFR ANT to enhance the signal; and a SPDT2 single-pole double-throw switch, used to switch between the two GNSS antennas, controlled by the system, switching the OutterRFR antenna path in case of GNSS antenna failure to achieve positioning function. The lower shell assembly is used to fix the PCBA assembly, the upper shell assembly, and the shark fin antenna assembly; the shark fin antenna assembly and the T-BOX adopt an integrated design.

2. The antenna of claim 1, wherein The OutterRFR antenna supports both RFR and GNSS bands. It performs frequency division processing through the Duplexer to transmit low-frequency RFR signals to the RFR module for processing. The OutterRFR and InnerRFR antennas work together to enhance RFR signal coverage inside and outside the vehicle.

3. An antenna as claimed in either of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that The Duplexer divides the frequency and transmits the high-frequency GNSS signal to the NAD module via combiner / SPDT2, thereby enhancing the GNSS positioning signal.

4. The antenna as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The LTE Main antenna and the OutterRFR antenna are designed back-to-back. By adjusting the antenna pattern and gap, the coupling effect between the two antennas is used to generate an equivalent capacitance, making the LTE Main antenna a composite left-handed antenna. It is equivalent to a left-handed antenna mode at low frequencies and a right-handed antenna mode at mid-to-high frequencies, which is used to reduce the design size of the LTE main antenna.

5. The antenna as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The LTE DIV antenna is a right-handed antenna, conforming to the right-hand transmission theory, and the electromagnetic wave propagation satisfies the right-hand screw law; the LTE Main antenna is a composite left-handed antenna, and its low-frequency propagation conforms to the left-hand transmission theory, and the electromagnetic wave propagation satisfies the left-hand screw law.

6. The antenna as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The GNSS antenna is a ceramic antenna. The GNSS uses a long pin design. The pin on the GNSS passes through a plastic fastener. The plastic fastener is embedded in the outside of the metal cover. The plastic fastener is used to attach the GNSS antenna to the outside of the metal cover.

7. A method for applying a vehicle-mounted smart antenna, characterized in that, The antenna as described in any one of claims 1-6 includes the following steps: The shark fin antenna is functioning normally, and it is used in a scenario where Wi-Fi communication is employed inside the vehicle. S100, cellular communication, uses the LTE MAIN antenna in the shark fin as the main antenna and the LTE DIV antenna as the diversity antenna, which is switched by the system control. S150, GNSS positioning, uses a combiner to combine the satellite signals received by the GNSS antenna and the OutterRFR antenna, which enhances the signal of the GNSS receiver; or SPDT2, uses the OutterRFR antenna as a backup antenna, and switches to the OutterRFR antenna path to achieve positioning function when the GNSS antenna fails. The S170RFR communication is divided into tire pressure monitoring (TPMS) communication and wireless car key (RKE) communication. The system controls the switch to switch between using the OuterRFR antenna or the InnerRFR antenna based on the actual signal strength.

8. The method as described in claim 7, characterized in that, It also includes the following steps: The S130 features WIFI communication, with the built-in WIFI antenna switched via a system control switch to meet in-vehicle usage scenarios.

9. The method as described in claim 7, characterized in that, It also includes the following steps: S140, WIFI communication, can be switched by the system control switch to use the LTE DIV antenna as an external WIFI antenna to meet the needs of use outside the vehicle.

10. The method as described in claim 7, characterized in that, It also includes the following steps: When the shark fin antenna detaches Cellular communication, controlled by the system, uses the LTE Backup antenna in the shark fin as the main antenna to achieve E-Call function, without diversity antenna; For WIFI communication, the system controls the switching to use the built-in WIFI antenna. GNSS communication: In this state, no GNSS antenna is used. The location information reported by the shark fin antenna before it detached is used in conjunction with the base station positioning information. RFR communication is divided into tire pressure monitoring (TPMS) communication and wireless car key (RKE) communication, which are switched by the system to use the InnerRFR antenna.

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