Vehicle-mounted antenna device

Abstract

According to at least one aspect, the present invention provides a vehicle-mounted antenna device comprising: a patch antenna that implements circular polarization; a ground portion in contact with a lower surface of the patch antenna; and a reflector spaced apart from the patch antenna and arranged to surround a side surface of the patch antenna.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0039059, filed on March 21, 2024, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle-mounted antenna device. Background Art

[0004] The following content merely provides background information related to the present invention and does not constitute prior art.

[0005] Conventional vehicle-mounted GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) patch antennas are built into shark fin antennas and mounted on the vehicle's roof. This structure is effective in receiving satellite signals because the patch antenna's main beam radiates perpendicular to the ground plane, that is, toward the sky.

[0006] Recently, there has been a trend toward installing antenna assemblies inside vehicles to achieve hidden antennas. Consequently, antennas have become smaller due to mounting location restrictions, and the PCB (Printed Circuit Board) has also shrunk, reducing the grounding area. Furthermore, the vehicle body, such as the roof, no longer serves as a wide ground plane.

[0007] GNSS patch antennas with insufficient grounding have the problem of pointing their main beam in different directions, such as toward the floor instead of toward the sky, which reduces the reception sensitivity of satellite signals. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the reception sensitivity of satellite signals by steering the main beam toward the sky while maintaining the circular polarization of the patch antenna. Summary of the Invention

[0008] According to at least one aspect, the present disclosure provides a vehicle-mounted antenna device including: a patch antenna that implements circular polarization; a ground portion in contact with a lower surface of the patch antenna; and a reflector spaced apart from the patch antenna and arranged to surround a side surface of the patch antenna. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle-mounted antenna device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0010] Figure 2A and Figure 2B Schematic diagrams showing 3D radiation patterns of a patch antenna with and without a reflector according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0011] Figure 3A and Figure 3BSchematic diagrams showing 2D radiation patterns of a patch antenna with and without a reflector according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0012] Figures 4A to 4C Schematic diagrams of the vehicle-mounted antenna device are shown respectively when the height of the side wall is the same as the height of the patch antenna, the height of the side wall is lower than the height of the patch antenna, and the height of the side wall is higher than the height of the patch antenna.

[0013] Figures 5A to 5C For display Figures 4A to 4C Schematic diagram of the 3D radiation pattern of each vehicle-mounted antenna device.

[0014] Figure 6A and Figure 6B Schematic diagrams respectively show the in-vehicle antenna device in a case where the length of the second extension portion is shorter than the horizontal length of the patch antenna and in a case where the length of the second extension portion is longer than the horizontal length of the patch antenna.

[0015] Figure 7A and Figure 7B For display Figure 6A and Figure 6B Schematic diagram of the 3D radiation pattern of each vehicle-mounted antenna device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] In view of the above circumstances, the present disclosure provides a vehicle-mounted antenna device capable of directing a main beam toward the sky by utilizing a side wall arranged around a patch antenna while maintaining the circular polarization of the patch antenna.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the present disclosure provides a vehicle-mounted antenna device capable of easily tuning an antenna by adjusting the lengths of a first extension portion and a second extension portion of a side wall according to a condition of a ground portion.

[0018] The objects to be achieved by the present disclosure are not limited to the above objects, and those skilled in the art will clearly understand other objects not mentioned from the following description.

[0019] Hereinafter, some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, although elements are shown in different figures, the same reference numerals preferably represent the same elements. In addition, in the description of some of the following embodiments, detailed descriptions of known functions and configurations incorporated therein will be omitted for clarity and brevity.

[0020] In addition, various terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), etc. are only used to distinguish one component from other components, and do not imply or indicate the composition, order, or sequence of the components. Throughout the specification, when a component "includes" or "comprising" a component, the component is meant to also include other components, rather than excluding them, unless otherwise explicitly stated. Terms such as "unit" and "module" refer to one or more units for performing at least one function or operation, which can be implemented by hardware, software, or a combination thereof.

[0021] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle-mounted antenna device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0022] refer to Figure 1 , the vehicle-mounted antenna device 100 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a patch antenna 110 , a ground portion 120 , and a reflector 130 .

[0023] The reflector 130 may include a sidewall 131 .

[0024] The sidewall 131 may include a first extension portion 131 a and a second extension portion 131 b .

[0025] The patch antenna 110 is configured to achieve circular polarization, for example, right-hand circular polarization (RHCP). The patch antenna 110 is arranged so that its lower surface is in contact with the ground portion 120. The patch antenna 110 may be arranged to be surrounded by a reflector 130, which is configured to be spaced apart from the patch antenna 110. The patch antenna 110 may be arranged to be surrounded by a plurality of side walls 131.

[0026] When viewed from the upper surface 111 toward the lower surface of the patch antenna 110, the patch antenna 110 may be formed into an n-gon (n is a natural number of 3 or greater) (e.g., a square). Figure 1 As shown, at least one corner of the n-gon may be chamfered. In addition, the direction from the upper surface to the lower surface refers to the direction of the n-gon. Figure 1 The Y-axis direction is opposite to the direction of .

[0027] Ground portion 120 contacts the lower surface of patch antenna 110. A plurality of sidewalls 131 may be provided on ground portion 120. Ground portion 120 may contact one end of first extension portion 131a of each of the plurality of sidewalls 131. Ground portion 120 may be a printed circuit board (PCB) or a dielectric substrate such as ceramic.

[0028] The reflector 130 is spaced apart from the patch antenna 110 and is disposed around the side surface 112 of the patch antenna 110. The reflector 130 may be made of a conductor to reflect a beam from the patch antenna 110. The reflector 130 may include a plurality of side walls 131.

[0029] Each of the plurality of side walls 131 may include a first extension portion 131a and a second extension portion 131b. The first extension portion 131a extends in a height direction ( Figure 1 The second extension portion 131b extends from the ground portion 120 in a direction perpendicular to the height direction (eg, the Y-axis direction in FIG). Figure 1 The patch antenna 110 extends in the X-axis direction and is configured to be parallel to the side surface 112 of the patch antenna 110 that is most adjacent to the side surface 112 of the patch antenna 110.

[0030] Each of the plurality of side walls 131 can be configured such that one end of the first extension 131a contacts the ground portion 120, and the center of the second extension 131b in the extension direction contacts the other end of the first extension 131a. For example, each of the plurality of side walls can be formed into a shape similar to or identical to a "T." By configuring the side walls 131 surrounding the patch antenna 110 to include the first extension 131a and the second extension 131b, the antenna can be freely tuned by adjusting the height (the length of the first extension 131a) and / or width (the length of the second extension 131b) of the side walls 131 according to the conditions of the ground portion 120.

[0031] As described above, patch antenna 110 may be formed as an n-gon having at least one chamfered angle when viewed from upper surface 111 toward the lower surface of patch antenna 110. In this case, reflector 130, including n sidewalls 131, may be configured to surround all side surfaces 112 of patch antenna 110. By arranging multiple sidewalls 131 to surround all side surfaces 112 of patch antenna 110 while maintaining circular polarization of patch antenna 110, the main beam is directed toward the sky even in the case of insufficient ground contact, thereby improving reception sensitivity of satellite signals.

[0032] Figure 2A and 2B Schematic diagrams showing 3D radiation patterns of a patch antenna with and without a reflector according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0033] Figure 3A and Figure 3B Schematic diagrams showing 2D radiation patterns of a patch antenna with and without a reflector according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] Specifically, Figure 2A and Figure 3A shows the patch antenna 110 not being surrounded by the side walls 131, and Figure 2B and Figure 3B The patch antenna 110 is shown surrounded by side walls 131 .

[0035] refer to Figures 2A to 3B , it can be seen that when the patch antenna 110 is not surrounded by the side wall 131, a back lobe phenomenon occurs, in which the radiation distribution is formed in a direction opposite to the sky direction ( Figure 2A and Figure 2B The Z-axis direction and Figure 3A and Figure 3B When patch antenna 110 is surrounded by sidewall 131, the backlobe phenomenon hardly occurs, and the beam points toward the sky. Thus, in the vehicle-mounted antenna device 100 according to the present disclosure, including sidewall 131 surrounding patch antenna 110, the main beam of patch antenna 110 points toward the sky even in the absence of sufficient grounding, thereby improving the reception sensitivity of satellite signals.

[0036] Figures 4A to 4C Schematic diagrams of the vehicle-mounted antenna device are shown respectively when the height of the side wall is the same as the height of the patch antenna, the height of the side wall is lower than the height of the patch antenna, and the height of the side wall is higher than the height of the patch antenna.

[0037] Figures 5A to 5C For display Figures 4A to 4C Schematic diagram of the 3D radiation pattern of each vehicle-mounted antenna device.

[0038] Specifically, Figure 4A and Figure 5A The case where the height of the side wall 131 is the same as the height of the patch antenna 110 is shown. Figure 4B and Figure 5B The figure shows a case where the height of the side wall 131 is lower than the height of the patch antenna 110. Figure 4C and Figure 5C The case where the height of the side wall 131 is higher than the height of the patch antenna 110 is shown.

[0039] refer to Figures 4A to 5C , it can be seen that when the height of the side wall 131 is the same as the height of the patch antenna 110, the radiation pattern of the patch antenna 110 is more concentrated toward the sky, compared with the case where the height of the side wall 131 is much lower or higher than the height of the patch antenna 110. Therefore, the height of each of the multiple side walls 131 according to the present disclosure may be the same as or similar to the height of the patch antenna 110. In this case, similar heights may mean that the difference between the height of the side wall 131 and the height of the patch antenna 110 is less than or equal to a predetermined value (for example, 10% of the height of the patch antenna 110). The vehicle-mounted antenna device 100 according to the present disclosure is configured so that the height of the multiple side walls 131 surrounding the patch antenna 110 is the same as or similar to the height of the patch antenna 110, thereby concentrating the radiation pattern of the patch antenna 110 toward the sky and effectively improving the reception sensitivity of satellite signals.

[0040] Figure 6A and Figure 6B The diagrams respectively show the in-vehicle antenna device in a case where the length of the second extension portion is shorter than the horizontal length of the patch antenna and in a case where the length of the second extension portion is longer than the horizontal length of the patch antenna.

[0041] Figure 7A and Figure 7B For display Figure 6A and Figure 6B Schematic diagram of the 3D radiation pattern of each vehicle-mounted antenna device.

[0042] Specifically, Figure 6A and Figure 7A It is shown that the length of the second extension portion 131b of the side wall 131 is shorter than the length of the most adjacent side surface 112 of the patch antenna 110 in the horizontal direction ( Figure 1 In the case of the length on the X-axis or Z-axis, Figure 6B and Figure 7B A case is shown where the length of the second extension portion 131 b of the side wall 131 is longer than the length of the most adjacent side surface 112 of the patch antenna 110 in the horizontal direction.

[0043] refer to Figures 6A to 7B , it can be seen that when the length of the second extension portion 131b is longer than the horizontal length of the most adjacent side surface 112, the radiation pattern of the patch antenna 110 is more concentrated toward the sky, compared to the case where the length of the second extension portion 131b is shorter than the horizontal length of the most adjacent side surface 112. Therefore, the length of the second extension portion 131b of the side wall 131 according to the present disclosure can be greater than or equal to the horizontal length of the most adjacent side surface 112 of the patch antenna 110. In the vehicle-mounted antenna device 100 according to the present disclosure, by setting the length of the second extension portion 131b of the side wall 131 surrounding the patch antenna 110 to be greater than or equal to the horizontal length of the most adjacent side surface 112 of the patch antenna 110, the radiation pattern of the patch antenna 110 can be concentrated toward the sky, thereby effectively improving the reception sensitivity of satellite signals.

[0044] According to one embodiment, the vehicle-mounted antenna device can direct the main beam toward the sky by using side walls arranged to surround the patch antenna while maintaining the circular polarization of the patch antenna.

[0045] According to one embodiment, the vehicle-mounted antenna device can easily tune the antenna by adjusting the lengths of the first extension portion and the second extension portion of the side wall according to the condition of the ground portion.

[0046] Although exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described for illustrative purposes, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications, additions, and substitutions may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention. Therefore, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure have been described for the purposes of brevity and clarity. The scope of the technical concept of the present embodiment is not limited by the accompanying drawings. Therefore, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the scope of the claimed invention is not limited by the embodiments explicitly described above, but by the claims and their equivalents.

[0047] Reference Number

[0048] 100: Vehicle-mounted antenna device

[0049] 110: Patch antenna

[0050] 120: Grounding part

[0051] 130: Reflector

[0052] 131: Sidewall

Claims

1. A vehicle-mounted antenna device, comprising: a patch antenna, which implements circular polarization; a ground portion in contact with a lower surface of the patch antenna; and A reflector is spaced apart from the patch antenna and arranged to surround a side surface of the patch antenna. 2 . The vehicle-mounted antenna device according to claim 1 , wherein the reflector comprises a plurality of side walls.

3. The vehicle-mounted antenna device according to claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of side walls comprises: a first extension portion extending from the ground portion along a height direction of the patch antenna; and A second extension portion extends in a direction perpendicular to the height direction and is arranged in parallel with the most adjacent side surface among the side surfaces of the patch antenna. 4 . The vehicle-mounted antenna device according to claim 3 , wherein each of the plurality of side walls is configured such that one end of the first extension portion contacts the ground portion and a center in an extending direction of the second extension portion contacts the other end of the first extension portion.

5. The vehicle-mounted antenna device according to claim 2, wherein the patch antenna is formed into an n-gon when viewed from the upper surface toward the lower surface thereof, n being a natural number of 3 or greater, and The reflector includes n side walls. 6 . The vehicle-mounted antenna device according to claim 2 , wherein a height of each of the plurality of side walls is the same as a height of the patch antenna. 7 . The vehicle-mounted antenna device according to claim 4 , wherein a length of the second extension portion is greater than or equal to a horizontal length of a most adjacent side surface of the patch antenna.

8. The vehicle-mounted antenna device according to claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of side walls is formed in a "T" shape.

Images