ANTENNA MODULE FOR A VEHICLE

Abstract

An antenna module for a vehicle is provided, comprising a printed circuit board, a primary telephone antenna, a secondary telephone antenna, and an AM / FM antenna, including a horizontal AM / FM wire extending from the circuit board. The AM / FM wire includes a circular horizontal wiring configuration. The primary and secondary telephone antennas are located on opposite sides of the circuit board. The secondary telephone antenna and the AM / FM wire are electrically connected in a single transmission line on the circuit board. The distance between the circular horizontal wiring and the secondary metal plate is between 10 cm and 50 cm. The number of turns in the circular horizontal wiring is between 3 and 20. A vehicle equipped with such an antenna module is also provided.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an antenna module for a vehicle. Many vehicles are equipped with antennas for AM / FM and mobile radio services. A wire element is frequently used for AM / FM services. The typical shark fin antenna has vertical wiring combined with a solid metal plate to tune the receiving FM frequencies. Alternatively, a rod antenna with vertical wiring can be used for operation on the AM / FM frequencies. The typical shark fin antenna is usually placed on the roof of a vehicle. The object of the invention is to provide a small antenna module that can also be arranged in locations other than on the roof of a vehicle.

[0002] US patent 2024 / 0339746A1 shows an antenna assembly comprising a flexible antenna with a mounting connector, a cable connected to the mounting connector, a lower coil surrounding the cable and connected to the mounting connector, an adapter connected to the cable, and a rod radiator connected to the adapter. The mounting connector is connected to an antenna feed. The cable extends between a first end terminating at the mounting connector and a second end terminating at the adapter. The lower coil concentrically surrounds the first end of the cable and terminates at the mounting connector. The rod radiator extends between a first end terminating at the adapter and a second end. The cable is flexible to allow movement of the rod radiator relative to the mounting connector.

[0003] The object of the invention is achieved by providing an antenna module according to claim 1 and a vehicle according to claim 7.

[0004] According to a first aspect, an antenna module for a vehicle is provided, comprising: - a circuit board; - a primary telephone antenna and a secondary telephone antenna; - an AM / FM antenna comprising a horizontal AM / FM wire, wherein the AM / FM wire extends from the circuit board and includes a circular horizontal wiring: wherein the primary telephone antenna and the secondary telephone antenna are arranged on opposite sides of the circuit board; wherein the secondary telephone antenna and the AM / FM wire are electrically connected in a transmission line on the circuit board; wherein the distance between the circular horizontal wiring and the circuit board is between 10 cm and 50 cm and wherein the number of turns in the circular horizontal wiring is between 3 and 20.

[0005] The term "vehicle" can refer to a car, motorcycle, van, truck, bicycle, or scooter. In this document, PCB is an abbreviation for Printed Circuit Board. The term "horizontal" can refer to being essentially parallel to the Earth's surface when the antenna module is mounted on a vehicle. The term "telephone antenna" can refer to an antenna arranged for communicating with cellular networks.

[0006] The advantage of the aforementioned antenna module can be described as follows: During operation of the antenna module, a surface current is induced on the AM / FM wire itself. Due to a distance of between 10 cm and 50 cm, this surface current corresponds to telephone frequencies (i.e., frequencies used in 3G / 4G / 5G communication). Therefore, the horizontal AM / FM wire can also be used as a telephone antenna on telephone frequency bands. More precisely, it is the portion of the horizontal AM / FM wire between the circuit board and the circular horizontal wiring that can be used as the telephone antenna. The length of this portion can therefore be between 10 cm and 50 cm, preferably around 30 cm.

[0007] Furthermore, the number of turns in the circular horizontal wiring can influence the extent to which the circular horizontal wiring corresponds to which frequency bands and to what extent the portion of the AM / FM wire can be used as a telephone antenna. The circular horizontal wiring can also act as an inductive element to suppress frequencies above 1.7 GHz.

[0008] By using the AM / FM wire as part of the telephone antenna, the size and shape of the antenna module may differ from an antenna module in a typical shark fin antenna.

[0009] In one or more embodiments, the primary telephone antenna and / or the secondary telephone antenna comprises (or is) a metal sheet radiator.

[0010] In one or more embodiments, the antenna module further comprises an SMD inductor on the printed circuit board, wherein the SMD inductor is coupled to the AM / FM wire. SMD stands for "Surface Mounted Device." This can enable the suppression of frequencies above 3.3 GHz.

[0011] Both inductances, the SMD inductance and the circular horizontal wiring, are arranged to ensure that the portion of the horizontal AM / FM wire between the circuit board and the circular horizontal wiring can be used for electromagnetic radiation in the telephone frequency bands (e.g., 3G / 4G / 5G).

[0012] In one or more embodiments, the antenna module further comprises a signal diplexer function arranged on the circuit board at one end of the transmission line. The diplexer can split the signal on the transmission line into a telephone signal and an AF / FM signal.

[0013] In one or more embodiments, the circular horizontal wiring is arranged around a non-conductive support. This support can hold the circular horizontal wiring and its windings stably in place.

[0014] In one or more embodiments, the antenna module further comprises a housing arranged to accommodate the circuit board and the primary and secondary telephone antennas, wherein the AM / FM wire with the circular horizontal wiring extends from the housing.

[0015] Because the housing can have a flat, modular form with extending wire elements, it can be installed discreetly inside a vehicle. In other words, not in the familiar and highly visible shark fin antenna mounted on the roof of vehicles.

[0016] In one or more embodiments, the antenna module further comprises RF cables, connected on one end to the circuit board and on the other end to one or more corresponding RF connectors. These RF cables and connectors can enable a connection to the vehicle's signal processing units.

[0017] According to a second aspect of the invention, a vehicle is provided with an antenna module according to one of the preceding claims.

[0018] In one or more embodiments, the vehicle includes a spoiler, wherein at least a portion of the AM / FM wire with the circular horizontal wiring is accommodated in the spoiler. In one or more further embodiments, the spoiler may have a bulge into which the AM / FM wire is inserted.

[0019] For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is made in the following description to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows a schematic overview of an antenna module according to one or more embodiments of the invention; Fig. 2 shows a schematic overview of an antenna module with a circuit board and three antennas according to one or more embodiments of the invention; Fig. 3 shows a schematic overview of the circuit board and the connection with the AM / FM wire and the secondary telephone antenna in the antenna module according to one or more embodiments of the invention; Fig. 4 shows a schematic overview of a network configuration of an antenna module according to one or more embodiments of the invention; and Fig. Figure 5 shows a schematic overview of a vehicle with an antenna module according to one or more embodiments of the invention.

[0020] Fig. Figure 1 shows a schematic overview of an antenna module 100 according to one or more embodiments of the invention. Fig. Figure 1 shows the housing 1 of the antenna module 100 and the AM / FM wire 2. The housing 1 can be made of a non-conductive material such as plastic.

[0021] The AM / FM wire 2 comprises a circular horizontal wiring 9, which is in Fig. 1 is not shown, but in Fig. Figure 2 shows the following. Inside housing 1 are a circuit board 7 and the primary and secondary telephone antennas. The AM / FM wire 2 extends from circuit board 7 and thus also from housing 1.

[0022] In one or more embodiments, the antenna module 100 comprises one or more RF cables 3 extending from the housing 1, each having an RF connector 4, such as a FAKRA connector. The AM / FM wire 2 and / or the one or more RF cables 3 can be inserted into a spoiler of a vehicle.

[0023] Fig. Figure 2 shows a schematic overview of an antenna module 100 with a printed circuit board 7 and the three antennas according to one or more embodiments of the invention. The primary telephone antenna 5 and / or the secondary telephone antenna 6 can be designed as metal sheets connected to opposite sides of the printed circuit board 7. The AM / FM wire 8 is also connected to the printed circuit board 7, preferably by soldering or a connector. The secondary telephone antenna 6 is connected to the printed circuit board 7 in the immediate vicinity of the AM / FM wire 8, preferably by soldering or a conductive foam contact.

[0024] The AM / FM wire 8 comprises a circular horizontal wiring 9 with a number of turns. The number of turns is 3 to 20 in one or more embodiments, preferably 6. In one or more embodiments, the circular horizontal wiring 9 is mounted on a non-conductive support to hold the turns in place.

[0025] In one or more embodiments, the horizontal circular wiring 9 (and optionally the support) is arranged at a distance from the circuit board 7 containing the primary and secondary telephone antennas. This distance can be between 10 cm and 50 cm, preferably about 30 cm.

[0026] This spacing can induce a surface current on the AM / FM wire 8 at telephone frequencies, i.e., frequencies used for 3G / 4G / 5G communication. For this reason, the horizontal AM / FM wire 8 is also used as a telephone antenna across all frequency bands. Furthermore, the number of turns in the circular horizontal wiring influences the extent to which the circular horizontal wiring corresponds to which frequency bands and thus, to what extent the AM / FM wire 8 can be used as a telephone antenna from the PCB connection to the horizontal wiring 9. The circular horizontal wiring 9 can therefore be used as an inductive element to suppress frequencies above 1.7 GHz.

[0027] Fig. Figure 3 shows a schematic overview of the circuit board and the connection with the AM / FM wire and the secondary telephone antenna in an antenna module according to one or more embodiments of the invention.

[0028] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 3, the circuit board 7 (on the top or bottom of the circuit board) can include a special structure for connecting the secondary telephone antenna 6 and the AM / FM wire 8. In one or more embodiments, both connections can be combined into a single, preferably short, transmission line starting at position 13. The transmission line can route all RF signals to a signal diplexer and optionally to other network components.

[0029] In addition, an SMD inductor 12 can be placed on the circuit board near the AM / FM wire connection on the circuit board to suppress frequencies above 3.3 GHz.

[0030] This inductance of the SMD 12 together with the inductance of the circular horizontal wiring 9 can ensure that the part of the AM / FM wire between the circuit board and the circular horizontal wiring can be used for electromagnetic radiation in the telephone frequency bands.

[0031] Fig. Figure 4 shows a schematic overview of a network configuration of an antenna module according to one or more embodiments of the invention. The primary telephone antenna 14 is a metal radiator connected to the circuit board. The network A (identified by reference numeral 17) comprises transmission lines and SMD components for matching the primary antenna impedance to a common impedance of 50 ohms.

[0032] The secondary telephone antenna 15 and the AM / FM wire 16 are located close to each other and connected. Both antennas, the AM / FM wire 16 and the secondary telephone antenna 15, are combined in a single transmission line. To split the combined signal to the appropriate outputs, a network B (designated by reference 9) and a network C (designated by reference 10) are provided to suppress the other service; they can be said to act as diplexers.

[0033] Fig. Figure 5 shows a schematic overview of a vehicle 50 with an antenna module 100 according to one or more embodiments of the invention. The vehicle 50 may include a spoiler 55. The spoiler 55 may be arranged at the end of a vehicle roof or on the vehicle's trunk lid, for example, on the upper surface of the trunk lid. In one or more embodiments, at least a portion of the AM / FM wire 8 with the circular horizontal wiring 9 is contained within the spoiler 55, for example, in a curved part of the spoiler.

[0034] It should be noted that the vehicle has a capacity of 50. Fig. 5. No shark fin antenna is required on the roof of the vehicle. The antenna module 50 can be invisible to a person inside or outside the vehicle.

[0035] It is understood by those skilled in the art that the various illustrative logic blocks, modules, circuits, and algorithm steps described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented as electronic hardware, computer software, or combinations of both. To illustrate this interchangeability of hardware and software, various illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps have been described in general terms with regard to their functionality. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware or software depends on the respective application and design constraints imposed on the overall system.The person skilled in the art may implement the described functionality in different ways for each individual application, but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as resulting in a deviation from the scope of the present invention.

[0036] The preceding description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to manufacture or use the present invention. Various modifications of these embodiments are readily apparent to a person skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein can also be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but rather to have the broadest possible scope compatible with the principles and new features disclosed herein.

[0037] The benefits and advantages that can be provided by the present invention have been described with regard to certain embodiments. The benefits and advantages, and any elements or limitations that may cause them to occur or be enhanced, are not to be construed as critical, necessary, or essential features of any or all claims. As used herein, the terms "includes," "comprehensive," or other variations thereof are to be construed as not including exclusively those elements or limitations that follow such terms. Accordingly, a system, method, or other embodiment comprising a number of elements is not limited to such elements and may also include other elements not expressly listed or inherent in the claimed embodiment.

[0038] Although the present invention has been described with reference to certain embodiments, it is understood that these embodiments are illustrative and that the scope of the invention is not limited to them. Many variants, modifications, additions, and improvements to the embodiments described above are possible. It is assumed that these variants, modifications, additions, and improvements are covered by the scope of the invention as described in the following claims.

Claims

[1] Antenna module (100) for a vehicle, comprising: - a printed circuit board (7); - a primary telephone antenna (5) and a secondary telephone antenna (6); - an AM / FM antenna comprising a horizontal AM / FM wire (8), wherein the AM / FM wire (8) extends from the circuit board (7) and includes a circular horizontal wiring (9) wherein the primary telephone antenna (5) and the secondary telephone antenna (6) are arranged on opposite sides of the circuit board (7); wherein the secondary telephone antenna (6) and the AM / FM wire (8) are electrically connected in a transmission line on the circuit board (7); wherein the distance between the circular horizontal wiring (9) and the circuit board (7) is between 10 cm and 50 cm and wherein the number of turns in the circular horizontal wiring (9) is between 3 and 20. [2] Antenna module according to claim 1, further comprising an SMD inductor (12) on the circuit board (7), wherein the SMD inductor (12) is coupled to the AM / FM wire (8). [3] Antenna module according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a signal diplexer arranged at one end of the transmission line on the printed circuit board. [4] Antenna module according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the circular horizontal wiring (8) is arranged around a non-conductive support. [5] Antenna module according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a housing (1) arranged to accommodate the printed circuit board (7), the primary telephone antenna (5) and the secondary telephone antenna (6), wherein the AM / FM wire (8) with the circular horizontal wiring (9) extends out of the housing (1). [6] Antenna module according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising one or more RF cables (3) connected at one side to the printed circuit board (7) and connected at another side to one or more corresponding RF connectors (4). [7] Vehicle (50) with an antenna module (100) according to one of the preceding claims. [8] Vehicle (50) with an antenna module according to claim 7, wherein the vehicle (50) comprises a spoiler (55) wherein at least a part of the AM / FM wire (8) with the circular horizontal wiring (9) is accommodated in the spoiler (55).

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