Optically transparent, heat-insulating glass for improved radio reception and motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to an optically transparent disc (2) for the partial delimitation of a space (1). The disc (2) has a shaping carrier material (7) which has an inner coating (8) facing the space (1) and an outer coating facing away from the space (1). The inner coating (8) and the outer coating (9) are each at least partially formed from an electrically conductive material, so that they can act as antennas for electromagnetic radiation (5, 6). The disc (2) also has an electrically conductive connection (11, 13) which electrically connects the inner coating (8) to the outer coating (9). The invention also relates to a motor vehicle (3) with such a disc (2).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to an optically transparent pane for the partial delimitation of a space. The invention further relates to a motor vehicle with such a pane, in particular for the partial delimitation of an interior space of the motor vehicle.

[0002] Wireless communication and data transmission via radio waves are widespread and widely used today. For example, many people use mobile devices, and vehicles are increasingly equipped with features and functions that require wireless or radio-based communication with external servers and / or other vehicles. However, people often stay indoors, and vehicles can act as Faraday cages due to their metal bodies. Radio wave reception in enclosed spaces, such as buildings and the interiors of closed vehicles, can be severely limited due to attenuation or shielding.Even conventional window panes, although nominally transparent to radio waves, can significantly attenuate radio waves, such as mobile phone or Wi-Fi signals. This attenuation can be exacerbated by the fact that window panes may be coated with a heat-insulating coating, often metallic. While removing such a coating might improve radio wave transmission through the pane, it is not a practical solution for improving radio reception in enclosed spaces behind the window, nor for enabling or facilitating the transmission of radio signals from such spaces to the outside environment. Therefore, further improvements are needed in this area.

[0003] For example, US 2024 / 0088568A1 describes a windshield for a vehicle with a first layer of glass, a second layer of glass, and a resin interlayer between them. Between the resin interlayer and the second layer of glass is a metallized IRR (infrared rejection) interlayer. This interlayer comprises a first slot element and a second slot element in a dipole arrangement. The slot elements are shaped by a triangular slot, a trapezoidal slot, and a rectangular slot, respectively. However, even such an arrangement cannot simultaneously provide optimal heat protection and very good reception of radio waves in the space behind the windshield.

[0004] US Patent 2009 / 0047900 A1 describes an antenna arrangement comprising an external antenna, an internal antenna, and a repeater for transmitting radio signals through a window or panel into the vehicle interior. The antennas can be mounted on a dielectric substrate and be transparent, allowing for discreet integration into glazing.

[0005] JP H01-158836 A describes a system for transmitting radio waves through a wall using coupled antenna elements.

[0006] German patent DE 10 2023 118 549 A1 describes an antenna repeater device for motor vehicles in which flat antennas are integrated into or onto a pane of glass (e.g., windshield or rear window). Radio signals from outside are received via a repeater circuit, amplified, and radiated into the interior (and vice versa), whereby transparent conductive structures such as ITO can be used.

[0007] The JP H09-232834 A describes an easy-to-install repeater antenna consisting of a metallic, loop-shaped conductor with electrodes, which is attached to a vehicle window using an adhesive layer. This is intended to solve reception problems in the vehicle by amplifying electromagnetic waves while simultaneously reducing interference.

[0008] The object of the present invention is to enable improved radio communication with the outside environment in enclosed spaces.

[0009] This problem is solved by the subject matter of the independent claims. Further possible embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims, the description, and the figures. Features, advantages, and possible embodiments set forth in the description for one of the subject matter of the independent claims are to be regarded, at least analogously, as features, advantages, and possible embodiments of the respective subject matter of the other independent claims, as well as of any possible combination of the subject matter of the independent claims, optionally in conjunction with one or more of the dependent claims.

[0010] The disc according to the invention is optically transparent and intended for the partial delimitation of a space. This can mean, for example, that it can be used as a window pane, viewing element, or translucent roof element, or the like, in various types of vehicles, such as motor vehicles, rail vehicles, aircraft, ships, and / or the like, or in buildings. The disc according to the invention comprises a shape-defining, optically transparent disc or main or carrier material, or a disc element made of such a carrier material. This carrier material, or a disc element formed therefrom, can therefore be at least substantially dimensionally stable or rigid and determine the shape or form of the disc, or constitute a basic shape or structure of the disc.This substrate material has an inner coating on an inner surface facing the confined space when installed as intended, and an outer coating on an outer surface opposite this inner surface, facing away from the confined space and thus towards the external environment when installed as intended. Both the inner and outer coatings are at least partially formed from an electrically conductive material; they can therefore contain such a material or consist entirely or partially of it. This allows the inner and outer coatings to function as antennas for electromagnetic radiation, i.e., radio waves. For this purpose, the inner and outer coatings can be structured accordingly, i.e., they can have or form an antenna structure. The disc according to the invention also has at least one electrically conductive, i.e., galvanic, connection.a corresponding electrically conductive connecting element which electrically connects the inner coating to the outer coating.

[0011] The inner and outer coatings can, for example, be vapor-deposited, laminated, or otherwise applied to the substrate. Because the coatings—that is, the inner and outer coatings—are at least partially composed of an electrically conductive, particularly metallic, material, they can inherently exhibit a relatively high reflectivity or shielding effect for electromagnetic waves in the frequency bands commonly used for communication and data transmission, as well as for infrared radiation, compared to the substrate material. This allows the coatings to advantageously limit heat input into the enclosed space defined by the pane, but also, at least in principle, to inhibit radio reception or transmission of radio signals from within the space through the pane.The electrically conductive connection between the inner and outer coatings provided for in the invention can solve the latter problem without significantly reducing the thermal insulation effect of the coatings. In fact, because the disc according to the invention has two coatings, the thermal insulation effect can even be improved compared to conventional discs with only one metallic thermal insulation coating.

[0012] The electrically conductive connection between the coatings allows radio waves incident on the outer coating from the outside, in the form of corresponding electrical signals or voltage waves, to be guided to the inner coating and radiated from there into the space enclosed by the disc. Conversely, radio signals transmitted from the space enclosed by the disc can reach the inner coating and be guided to the outer coating via the electrically conductive connection, from where they are radiated into the surrounding environment. The electrically conductive connection effectively enables the transmission of radio waves in both directions with particularly low resistance and attenuation. Thus, the disc according to the invention can exhibit both receiving and transmitting capabilities.in spaces that are at least partially limited or enclosed by the glass, the coatings, together with the electrically conductive connection, can effectively form an antenna that enables radio communication from or into enclosed spaces.

[0013] In one possible embodiment of the present invention, the inner and outer coatings are infrared-reflecting heat-insulating coatings. These coatings can, for example, contain an infrared-reflecting metal oxide. Likewise, the coatings can each contain or comprise, for example, the aforementioned electrically conductive material and an infrared-reflecting matrix material. The electrically conductive material can then form antenna structures that can be embedded in the infrared-reflecting matrix material. Similarly, the coatings can, for example, be or comprise infrared-shielding films. Overall, this allows both good radio frequency transmission and good heat insulation to be achieved by the disc according to the invention.

[0014] In another possible embodiment of the present invention, the substrate material is electrically insulating, i.e., non-conductive. The substrate material can therefore be, for example, a plastic material, but especially glass. This makes it particularly easy to achieve excellent optical transparency of the pane, so that it can be conveniently used as a window pane, roof element, or the like, allowing a view of the surroundings or the illumination of the confined space with natural daylight.

[0015] In a further possible embodiment of the present invention, the inner and outer coatings are formed wholly or partially from silver or a silver-based material. The inner and / or outer coatings can therefore be silver, for example Ag3, or contain silver. This allows for particularly high thermal and infrared reflectivity and, at the same time, particularly good electrical conductivity. In particular, the electrically conductive connection between the inner and outer coatings can also be formed wholly or partially from silver or a silver-based material. This can not only enable a particularly low-resistance connection between the inner and outer coatings, but also facilitate particularly simple manufacturing of the disc. Thus, for example, the electrically conductive connection and the coatings can be manufactured or applied to the substrate in a single operation.

[0016] According to the invention, the substrate material has at least one opening, for example, a through-hole or the like. This opening can be located in a central region of the substrate material, i.e., spaced apart from an outer edge or margin of the substrate material or the disk. The opening can, for example, extend completely through the substrate material at least substantially perpendicular to its main surface, i.e., from the inside to the outside. The electrically conductive connection, or one of possibly several electrically conductive connections, between the inner and outer coatings passes through this opening. The opening can be completely filled by the electrically conductive connection or its material.In particular, the penetration can be so small, for example, having a diameter of only a few millimeters, that the heat input through the disc into the confined space is not significantly affected. The embodiment of the present invention proposed here allows for flexible and thus needs-based optimized positioning of the at least one connection between the inner and outer coatings. This allows, for example, the optimization of antenna performance, i.e., radio frequency transmission. Furthermore, the electrically conductive connection proposed here can be particularly robust and reliable, and therefore less susceptible to damage.

[0017] In a further possible embodiment of the present invention, the electrically conductive connection, or at least one of possibly several electrically conductive connections, between the inner and outer coatings is arranged on the outside of an outer edge of the substrate material. Depending on the arrangement or framing of the pane, this electrically conductive connection can, for example, be covered by a framing or a frame of the pane. Thus, the connection does not impair either the optical transparency in a central area or in a visible area when the pane is installed as intended, nor the thermal insulation properties of the pane. The connection can, for example, be implemented in the form of a partial coating of the outer edge or of a narrow or end face of the substrate material or the corresponding pane element.This makes the connection particularly easy to establish, as, for example, no through-hole needs to be made in the carrier material.

[0018] In a further possible embodiment of the present invention, the inner coating and the outer coating each have an antenna gain of at least 1, in particular greater than 1, for at least one predetermined frequency band. This can apply in particular to a mobile communication frequency band, i.e., for example, to one or more frequency ranges between 700 MHz and 2600 MHz and / or, for example, to a frequency range or frequency band around 5.5 GHz. The inner coating and the outer coating, or their antenna structures or antennas formed therein, can have an antenna gain of at least 1, for example, at least in directions substantially perpendicular to the inner and outer surfaces or to the main extensional surfaces of the coatings. In particular, the direction for which the greatest antenna gain results can be defined for the outer coating or the outer coating as follows:A corresponding external antenna points in the direction away from the inner coating, and the inner coating points in the direction away from the outer coating. The proposed design of the coatings and / or the corresponding antennas or antenna structures can at least partially compensate for attenuation in a transmission path, particularly in the electrically conductive connection. This allows for exceptionally good reception and / or radio connectivity within the space defined by the disc.

[0019] In another possible embodiment of the present invention, the pane is a window pane, side pane, windshield, front window, rear window, or roof element, i.e., for example, at least part of a sliding or sunroof for a motor vehicle. As described at the outset, this can represent a useful application, since motor vehicles increasingly use mobile communication connections, and passengers in motor vehicles widely use mobile devices. Furthermore, the heating of a motor vehicle's interior, for example, by solar radiation, should be avoided or limited as much as possible, since such heating can impair user comfort and increase the energy required for temperature control or air conditioning.

[0020] The present invention also relates to a motor vehicle equipped with the disc according to the invention. The motor vehicle according to the invention can therefore, for example, have the disc according to the invention as a window pane, side window, windshield, front window, rear window, or roof element, as described elsewhere. Accordingly, the motor vehicle according to the invention can, in particular, be the motor vehicle mentioned in connection with the disc according to the invention or correspond to it.

[0021] Further features of the invention may become apparent from the following description of the figures and from the drawings. The features and combinations of features mentioned above in the description, as well as the features and combinations of features shown below in the description of the figures and / or in the figures themselves, can be used not only in the combinations specified, but also in other combinations or individually, without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0022] The drawing shows in the single figure a schematic representation of a motor vehicle with a disc designed to enable improved radio reception inside the vehicle. Fig.Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of an enclosed space 1, which is bounded at one point or in one area by a disk 2. The space 1 can, for example, be the interior of a motor vehicle 3. In this case, an electronic mobile device 4 is located in the space 1. The mobile device 4 can, for example, be a mobile phone or the like, which can be used, for example, by an occupant of the motor vehicle 3. For various functions or for communication between the mobile device 4 and devices or facilities located outside the space 1 or the motor vehicle 3, such as a cell tower or an external server, the mobile device 4 transmits outgoing radio signals 5. These must reach the outside of the space 1 and, for this purpose, must pass through the disk 2, for example. Likewise, response signals, i.e., incoming radio signals 6 from outside the space 1 or the motor vehicle 3, must also be received.from the motor vehicle 3 to the mobile device 4, for example by passing through the disc 2 in the opposite direction.

[0023] The disc 2 has a central support material 7, which can be, for example, a glass pane. The support material 7 has an inner coating 8 on its inner surface facing room 1 or the mobile device 4. On its outer surface, i.e., on its outer surface facing away from room 1, the support material 7 has an outer coating 9. The inner coating 8 and the outer coating 9 can be at least partially metallic coatings to reduce heat transfer into room 1 through the disc 2. Simultaneously, the inner coating 8 and the outer coating 9 can function as antennas.

[0024] To transmit radio waves or corresponding electrical signals incident on one of the coatings 8, 9 to the other coating 9, 8, the disk 2 also has a corresponding transmission path. In this case, the substrate 7 has, for example, a feedthrough 10 in which an electrically conductive connection between the inner coating 8 and the outer coating 9 is arranged. Since the feedthrough 10 is located in a central or inner region of the disk 2 or the substrate 7, the electrically conductive connection or transmission path located there is also referred to as the inner connection 11. Similarly, an electrically conductive connection between the inner coating 8 and the outer coating 9 is arranged at an outer edge 12 of the disk 2 or the substrate 7; this is referred to here as the outer connection 13.Electrical signals can be transmitted from the inner coating 8 or a corresponding inner antenna to the outer coating 8 or a corresponding outer antenna, and vice versa, via at least one electrical connection, namely the inner connection 11 and / or the outer connection 13. This effectively enables low-loss transmission of the outgoing radio signals 5 and the outgoing radio signals 6 through the disk 2.

[0025] Thus, the disc 2 forms a device that enables and improves or supports the reception of radio waves in enclosed spaces 1, where reception would otherwise be limited. The coatings 8, 9 can be thermal coatings, for example, made of or containing a silver material. The corresponding antennas can be formed by this or by another material or medium, for example, embedded within or comprising such a thermal coating. Overall, optimized thermal properties and, at the same time, an important additional function with regard to improved reception and transmission performance, i.e., wireless communication possibilities in space 1, can be achieved. Reference symbol list 1 room 2 discs 3 Motor vehicle 4 Mobile device 5 outgoing radio signals 6 incoming radio signals 7 Carrier material 8 Interior coating 9. Exterior coating 10 11 Internal connection 12 Outer edge 13 External connection

Claims

[1] Optically transparent disc (2) for area-wise delimitation of a space (1), comprising a shaping carrier material (7) which has an inner coating (8) on an inner side facing the space (1) in the intended installation position and an outer coating (9) on an opposite outer side facing away from the space (1) in the intended installation position, wherein the inner coating (8) and the outer coating (9) are each at least partially formed of an electrically conductive material, so that they can act as antennas for electromagnetic radiation (5, 6), and an electrically conductive connection (11, 13) which electrically connects the inner coating (8) to the outer coating (9), wherein the carrier material (7) has a passage (10) and the connection (11) of the inner coating (8) to the outer coating (9) is passed through this passage (10). [2] Disc (2) according to claim 1, characterized by that the inner coating (8) and / or the outer coating (9) are infrared-reflecting heat protection coatings. [3] Disc (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the carrier material (7) is not electrically conductive. [4] Disc (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the support material (7) is a glass. [5] Disc (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the inner coating (8) and / or the outer coating (9) are made entirely or partially of silver. [6] Disc (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the connection (13) of the inner coating (8) with the outer coating (9) is arranged on the outside at an outer edge (12) of the carrier material (7). [7] Disc (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the inner coating (8) and the outer coating (9) each have an antenna gain of at least 1 for at least one specified frequency band, in particular a mobile communication frequency band. [8] Disc (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the disc (2) is a window pane or side pane or front pane or rear pane or roof element for a motor vehicle (3). [9] Motor vehicle (3) comprising a disc (2) according to any of the preceding claims.

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