Vehicle-mounted antenna device and vehicle-mounted communication device

Abstract

We propose a compact, high-performance in-vehicle antenna device, and an in-vehicle communication device equipped with this antenna device. [Solution] The vehicle-mounted antenna device comprises a passive element and a feeding element, one end of which is electrically connected to a feeding unit, and the other end of which is in close proximity to the end of the passive element without contact.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an in-vehicle antenna device and an in-vehicle communication device.

Background Art

[0002] Wireless communication units such as a telematics control unit (TCU) are known. A TCU is a wireless communication unit mounted on a moving body such as an automobile. Conventionally, an antenna corresponding only to the GPS (GNSS) L1 band is generally used as an in-vehicle antenna (for example, an antenna for obtaining the position information of an in-vehicle device). However, in recent years, in order to improve the position accuracy, using a multi-band antenna corresponding to other bands as an in-vehicle antenna has been studied.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Patent Document 4

Patent Document 5

Patent Document 6

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Vehicle-mounted antennas should ideally be compact while possessing high antenna performance (e.g., high antenna radiation efficiency). However, conventional vehicle-mounted antennas struggle to meet these requirements. For example, one might consider using a two-tiered patch antenna as the antenna for a TCU (Transmission Control Unit). However, patch antennas have limitations regarding their mounting location on the TCU. Therefore, using a patch antenna as the antenna for a TCU increases the size of the TCU.

[0005] Therefore, this disclosure proposes a compact, high-performance in-vehicle antenna device, and an in-vehicle communication device equipped with the in-vehicle antenna device.

[0006] It should be noted that the above-mentioned problems or objectives are merely one of several problems or objectives that can be solved or achieved by the multiple embodiments disclosed herein. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the above problems, one embodiment of an in-vehicle antenna device according to the present disclosure comprises a passive element and a feeding element, one end of which is electrically connected to a feeding unit and the other end of which is in close proximity to the end of the passive element without contact. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a diagram illustrating the outline of an embodiment. [Figure 2] This figure shows an example configuration of a terminal device according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a diagram showing an example of antenna equipment placement. [Figure 4] This figure shows an example of a base station configuration according to the embodiment. [Figure 5A] This is a perspective view showing an example of the structure of an antenna device according to an embodiment. [Figure 5B] This is a perspective view showing an example of the structure of an antenna device according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view showing an example of the structure of an antenna device according to an embodiment. [Figure 7] It is a plan view showing an example of the structure of the antenna device according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] It is a side view showing an example of the structure of the antenna device according to the embodiment. [Figure 9] It is a diagram for explaining the structure of the capacitive coupling portion. [Figure 10] It is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement of the power feeding antenna and the non-powered antenna. [Figure 11] It is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement of the power feeding antenna and the non-powered antenna. [Figure 12] It is a diagram for explaining the interference reduction effect by adopting the technology of the embodiment. [Figure 13A] It is a diagram for explaining the interference reduction effect by adopting the technology of the embodiment. [Figure 13B] It is a diagram for explaining the interference reduction effect by adopting the technology of the embodiment. [Figure 14] It is a diagram for explaining the structure of the antenna device according to the modification example. [Figure 15] It is a diagram showing an example of the frequency band corresponding to the antenna device of the embodiment. [Figure 16] It is a diagram showing how the three-dimensional antenna is fixed by the auxiliary member. [Figure 17] It is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the vehicle control system. [Figure 18] It is a diagram showing an example of the sensing area of the external recognition sensor of the vehicle control system in FIG. 17. [Figure 19] It is a block diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of the vehicle control system. [Figure 20] It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the installation positions of the out-of-vehicle information detection unit and the imaging unit.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail based on the drawings.

[0010] In this specification, the expression "at least one of" accompanied by an enumeration of elements is understood to mean that the enumerated elements are the choices. For example, "at least one of A, B, and C" means "(A), (B), (C), (A and B), (A and C), (B and C), or (A, B, and C)." "at least one of A, B, or C" and "at least one of A, B, and / or C" are similar to "at least one of A, B, and C." Here, A, B, and C are all arbitrary expressions (e.g., words, phrases, clauses, terms, or items).

[0011] The one or more embodiments (including examples and modifications) described below can each be implemented independently. On the other hand, at least some of the embodiments described below may be implemented in appropriate combination with at least some of the other embodiments. These embodiments may contain novel features that differ from each other. Therefore, these embodiments may contribute to solving different objectives or problems and may produce different effects.

[0012] Furthermore, the explanation will be given in the following order. 1. Overview 2. Examples of electronic devices 2-1. Terminal devices 2-2.Base station 2-3. Other examples 3. Antenna equipment 3-1. Structure of the antenna device 3-2. Variations / Supplementary Information 3-2-1. Product groups to which the technology of this embodiment can be applied 3-2-2. Antenna Placement 3-2-3. Antenna Shape / Type 3-2-4. Miniaturization of antennas 3-2-5. Position of the antenna on the circuit board 3-2-6. Antenna Forming Materials 3-2-7. Corresponding frequency band 3-2-8. Broadband / Impedance Matching 3-2-9. Other variations 4. Application Examples 4-1. Application Example 1 4-2. Application Example 2 5. Summary

[0013] <<1. Overview>> First, let me explain the outline of this embodiment.

[0014] Telematics Control Units (TCUs) and other wireless communication units are well known. A TCU is a wireless communication unit mounted on a mobile device such as an automobile. Traditionally, antennas that only support the GPS (GNSS) L1 band have been commonly used as on-board antennas (for example, antennas for obtaining position information of on-board devices). However, in recent years, in order to improve positional accuracy, the use of multi-band antennas that support other frequency bands as on-board antennas has been considered.

[0015] Vehicle-mounted antennas are desirable to be compact while possessing high antenna performance (e.g., high antenna radiation efficiency). However, conventional vehicle-mounted antennas have difficulty meeting these requirements. For example, one might consider using a two-tiered patch antenna as the antenna for a TCU (e.g., a GNSS Dual (L1+L5) antenna). However, patch antennas have limitations on their mounting location on the TCU. Therefore, using a patch antenna as the antenna for a TCU increases the size of the TCU. In other words, conventional technology makes it difficult to provide a compact vehicle-mounted antenna with high antenna performance (e.g., high antenna radiation efficiency).

[0016] Therefore, in this embodiment, the above problems are solved as follows.

[0017] Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating the outline of this embodiment. The antenna device of this embodiment is a multiband antenna capable of supporting both the GNSS L1 band and the L5 band. For example, the antenna device is an in-vehicle antenna device comprising a parasitic antenna (parasitic element) corresponding to the GNSS L1 band and a fed antenna (feeding element) corresponding to the GNSS L5 band. In this specification, a fed antenna can be read as a feeding element, and a parasitic antenna can be read as a parasitic element.

[0018] In the example shown in Figure 1, the feeding antenna (feeding element) is a meander line antenna located on the substrate side on which the antenna is mounted. Also in the example shown in Figure 1, the unfed antenna (unfed element) is a three-dimensional antenna (hereinafter also referred to as a three-dimensional antenna) composed of one or more plate-like bodies having a greater thickness than the feeding antenna. The unfed antenna is located near the feeding antenna.

[0019] In this embodiment, the ends of these two antenna elements (a fed antenna and a parasitic antenna) are electromagnetically coupled (or inductively / capacitively coupled). In the example in Figure 1, the end of the fed antenna (feeding element) and the end of the parasitic antenna (parasitic element) are in close proximity without touching. As a result, the end of the fed antenna and the end of the parasitic antenna are capacitively coupled. By capacitively coupling the end of the fed antenna and the end of the parasitic antenna 122, a two-resonance multiband antenna (for example, a two-resonance multiband antenna corresponding to the GNSS L1 band and L5 band) is realized.

[0020] By adopting this configuration, it becomes possible to provide a compact (space-saving) antenna device (multiband antenna) with high antenna performance (e.g., high antenna radiation efficiency). Moreover, by adopting the configuration of this embodiment, it becomes possible to reduce interference to nearby antennas.

[0021] <<2. Examples of electronic devices>> Having described the outline of this embodiment, before describing the structure of the antenna device of this embodiment in detail, let us give some examples of electronic devices that may be equipped with the antenna device of this embodiment.

[0022] The electronic device of this embodiment is typically a wireless communication unit (wireless communication device) such as a telematics control unit (TCU). However, the electronic device of this embodiment is not limited to a TCU. The communication device electronic device of this embodiment may be other wireless communication devices such as terminal devices or base stations. Note that a TCU may be considered a type of terminal device.

[0023] In the following description, a terminal device 100 will be described first as an electronic device that may be equipped with the antenna device of this embodiment. Then, a base station 200 will be described as another example of an electronic device. Note that the electronic device that may be equipped with the antenna device of this embodiment is not limited to the terminal device 100 and the base station 200. The electronic device may be another wireless communication device equipped with an antenna that transmits and / or receives radio waves.

[0024] <2-1. Terminal Devices> First, let me explain the terminal device 100.

[0025] The terminal device 100 is a wireless communication device that communicates wirelessly with other wireless communication devices (for example, a base station 200). In this embodiment, the terminal device 100 is typically a communication device mounted on a mobile device. For example, the terminal device 100 is a communication device mounted on a vehicle (vehicle-mounted communication device). In this case, the terminal device 100 may be a telematics control unit (TCU) or a telematics box (T-BOX).

[0026] Here, the moving object may be a mobile device such as a smartphone or mobile phone. The moving object may be a moving object that moves on land (ground in the narrow sense) (for example, a car, bicycle, bus, truck, motorcycle, train, or linear motor car), or a moving object that moves underground (for example, a vehicle that moves inside a tunnel such as a subway). The moving object may also be a moving object that moves on water (for example, a passenger ship, cargo ship, or hovercraft), or a moving object that moves underwater (for example, a submersible boat, submarine, or unmanned submersible). The moving object may also be a moving object that moves within the atmosphere (for example, an airplane, airship, or drone). The moving object may also be a moving object that moves outside the atmosphere (for example, a satellite or spacecraft).

[0027] The terminal device 100 is not limited to the communication device described above. Any form of information processing device (computer) can be used as the terminal device 100. For example, the terminal device 100 may be a mobile terminal such as a mobile phone, smart device (smartphone or tablet), PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), notebook PC, or portable game console. The terminal device 100 may also be a communication module connected to an information processing device (for example, an imaging device without wireless communication capabilities) and providing wireless communication capabilities to the information processing device. The terminal device 100 may also be an imaging device equipped with wireless communication capabilities (for example, a camcorder). The terminal device 100 may also be a smart meter.

[0028] Furthermore, the terminal device 100 may be a motorcycle or mobile relay vehicle equipped with communication equipment such as an FPU (Field Pickup Unit). The terminal device 100 may also be an M2M (Machine to Machine) device or an IoT (Internet of Things) device. Additionally, the terminal device 100 may be a wearable device such as a smartwatch.

[0029] Furthermore, the terminal device 100 may be an XR (Extended Reality) device such as an AR (Augmented Reality) device, a VR (Virtual Reality) device, or an MR (Mixed Reality) device. In this case, the XR device may be a glasses-type device such as AR glasses or MR glasses, or a head-mounted device such as a VR head-mounted display. When the terminal device 100 is an XR device, the terminal device 100 may be a standalone device consisting only of a user-worn part (e.g., a glasses part). Alternatively, the terminal device 100 may be a terminal-linked device consisting of a user-worn part (e.g., a glasses part) and a terminal part (e.g., a smart device) that is linked to that part.

[0030] The terminal device 100 may be configured to connect to a network using radio access technologies (RATs) such as LTE (Long Term Evolution), NR (New Radio), B5G (Beyond 5G), 6G, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth (registered trademark). In this case, the terminal device 100 may be configured to use different radio access technologies (wireless communication methods). For example, the terminal device 100 may be configured to use NR and Wi-Fi. Furthermore, the terminal device 100 may be configured to use different cellular communication technologies / cell-free communication technologies (e.g., LTE, NR, B5G, or 6G). In addition, the terminal device 100 may be capable of satellite communication.

[0031] LTE and NR are types of cellular communication technologies that enable mobile communication of terminal devices by arranging multiple cell-like areas covered by devices with electromagnetic wave transmission and reception capabilities (e.g., base stations or TRPs (Transmission and Reception Points)). B5G and 6G are types of cellular / cell-free communication technologies that have the potential to enable mobile communication of terminal devices. Cell-free communication technology is a technology that eliminates cell boundaries in conventional cellular networks. Cell-free communication technology may also be considered a type of cellular communication technology. In this case, it is possible to appropriately replace "cellular" with "cell-free" or vice versa in the following explanation.

[0032] In the following explanation, "LTE" includes LTE-A (LTE-Advanced), LTE-A Pro (LTE-Advanced Pro), and EUTRA (Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access). Similarly, "NR" includes NRAT (New Radio Access Technology) and FEUTRA (Further EUTRA). A single base station 200 may manage multiple cells. In the following explanation, cells supporting LTE are referred to as LTE cells, and cells supporting NR are referred to as NR cells.

[0033] NR is the next generation (5th generation) of wireless access technology following LTE (4th generation communication including LTE-Advanced and LTE-Advanced Pro). NR is a wireless access technology that can support various use cases, including eMBB (Enhanced Mobile Broadband), mMTC (Massive Machine Type Communications), and URLLC (Ultra-Reliable and Low Latency Communications). NR was standardized by 3GPP (registered trademark) in Rel-15 and later as a technical framework to address the usage scenarios, requirements, and deployment scenarios in these use cases. Furthermore, 3GPP is considering next-generation technologies, including enhancements to the NR standard. For example, in Rel-19, standardization activities are underway for the next-generation communication standard, 6G (B5G (Beyond 5G)).

[0034] 6G is the next generation of cellular / cell-free communication technology following 5th generation mobile communication technologies such as NR and 5GS (5G system). 6G requires the simultaneous realization of multiple axes: high speed, large capacity, low latency, high reliability, and massive simultaneous connections. 6G includes wireless access technology and network technologies between base stations, core networks, and data networks. Furthermore, 6G includes technologies for extreme connectivity in eMBB, mMTC, and URLLC, which were key use cases or requirements in NR. 6G also includes new technologies in new areas. For example, 6G may include technologies related to AI (Cognitive network, AI native Air Interface), sensing (Radar / RF sensing, including network as a sensor), and terahertz communication.

[0035] The wireless network described above or below may support at least one of the following radio access technologies (RATs): LTE, NR, B5G, 6G, etc. LTE, NR, B5G, and 6G are types of cellular / cell-free communication technologies. The wireless access method used by the terminal device 100 is not limited to LTE, NR, B5G, or 6G, but may also be other wireless access methods such as W-CDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access) or cdma2000 (Code Division Multiple Access 2000).

[0036] Terminal device 100 may be capable of NOMA (Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access) communication with base station 200. Here, NOMA communication refers to communication (transmission, reception, or both) using non-orthogonal resources. When communicating with base station 200, terminal device 100 may be able to use automatic retransmission technology such as HARQ (Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest). Terminal device 100 may be capable of sidelink communication with other terminal devices 100. When performing sidelink communication, terminal device 100 may be able to use automatic retransmission technology such as HARQ. When performing sidelink communication with other terminal devices 100, terminal device 100 may be capable of NOMA communication. Terminal device 100 may be capable of LPWA (Low Power Wide Area) communication with other wireless communication devices such as base station 200. The wireless communication used by terminal device 100, including sidelink communication, may be wireless communication using radio waves, or wireless communication using infrared or visible light, i.e., optical wireless communication.

[0037] Furthermore, the wireless communication used by the terminal device 100 may be wireless communication using the millimeter wave band (30 GHz to 300 GHz band) or the sub-millimeter wave band (e.g., 20 GHz to 30 GHz band). Also, the wireless communication used by the terminal device 100 may be wireless communication using a frequency band below 6 GHz (e.g., Sub6) or wireless communication using a frequency band of 6 GHz or higher (e.g., 6 GHz to 20 GHz band). In addition, the terminal device 100 may be capable of wireless communication using terahertz waves. Furthermore, the terminal device 100 may be capable of wireless power transmission or radio wave sensing (e.g., UWB (Ultra Wide Band) and / or millimeter wave band sensing).

[0038] Furthermore, the terminal device 100 may be a mobile device. A mobile device is a portable wireless communication device. In this case, the terminal device 100 may be a wireless communication device installed on a mobile device, or it may be the mobile device itself.

[0039] The terminal device 100 may be capable of communicating with multiple base stations 200 or multiple cells simultaneously. If one base station 200 supports a communication area via multiple cells (e.g., pCell or sCell), communication between the base station 200 and the terminal device 100 can be achieved by bundling these multiple cells using technologies such as carrier aggregation (CA), dual connectivity (DC), or multi-connectivity (MC). Alternatively, communication between the terminal device 100 and multiple base stations 200 can be achieved via cells from different base stations 200 using coordinated multi-point transmission and reception (CoMP) technology.

[0040] Furthermore, the terminal device 100 may be a relay terminal that relays communication to a remote terminal.

[0041] Figure 2 shows an example configuration of the terminal device 100 according to this embodiment. The terminal device 100 comprises a signal processing unit 110, an antenna device 120, a storage unit 130, and a control unit 140. The terminal device 100 does not necessarily have to have all of these components. Furthermore, the terminal device 100 may have components other than those shown. Note that the configuration shown in Figure 2 is a functional configuration, and the hardware configuration may differ from this. In addition, the functions of the terminal device 100 may be distributed and implemented across multiple physically separated components.

[0042] The signal processing unit 110 processes signals transmitted via the antenna device 120, or signals to be transmitted via the antenna device 120. Here, the signal processing unit 110 may be a wireless communication unit that processes signals for wireless communication, or a sensor unit that processes signals for sensing.

[0043] The wireless communication unit is a signal processing unit for wireless communication with other wireless communication devices (e.g., a base station 200 or other terminal device 100). The wireless communication unit may be called a wireless transceiver or simply a transceiver. In this case, the wireless communication unit may be a transceiver conforming to the standards defined in the 3GPP technical specifications (hereinafter referred to as a 3GPP transceiver). A 3GPP transceiver may be a 3G transceiver, a 4G (LTE) transceiver, a 5G (NR) transceiver, or a transceiver of a 5G or later generation. The wireless communication unit is controlled, for example, by a control unit 140. The wireless communication unit supports one or more wireless access schemes. The wireless communication unit may support at least one of wireless LAN, NR, LTE, B5G, and 6G. In addition to NR, LTE, B5G, and 6G, the wireless communication unit may also support W-CDMA and cdma2000, etc. The wireless communication unit may support automatic retransmission technologies such as HARQ. Some or all of the processing performed by the wireless communication unit may be performed by the control unit 140.

[0044] The wireless communication unit is not limited to 3GPP transceivers. The wireless communication unit may be a transceiver for other wireless access technologies, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or LPWA. If the wireless communication unit is a Wi-Fi transceiver, it may support at least one of the following: wireless communication using the 5GHz band and wireless communication using the 2.4GHz band. Of course, the wireless communication supported by the wireless communication unit is not limited to wireless communication using these frequency bands. For example, if the wireless communication unit is a Wi-Fi transceiver, it may support wireless communication using the 6GHz band, or wireless communication using a band higher than 6GHz. Furthermore, the wireless communication unit may support multiple wireless access technologies. For example, in addition to functioning as a 3GPP transceiver, the wireless communication unit may function as a Wi-Fi transceiver.

[0045] As described above, the signal processing unit 110 may be a sensor unit. The sensor unit is a sensor for detecting various types of information. For example, the sensor unit is a sensor that acquires information about objects around the device. For example, the sensor unit is a sensor that acquires information about the position, shape, and movement of other objects. However, the sensor unit is not limited to a sensor that acquires information about objects around the device. The sensor unit may also be a sensor for detecting the state of the device itself (for example, the position, speed, tilt, vibration, rotation, etc. of the terminal device 100).

[0046] The sensor unit may be an RF sensor (Radio Frequency Sensor) or a non-RF sensor. Alternatively, the sensor unit may be a sensor system (e.g., a sensor unit or sensor module) combining an RF sensor and a non-RF sensor. An RF sensor is a sensor that performs measurements using radio waves, while a non-RF sensor performs measurements without using radio waves.

[0047] An example of an RF sensor is radar, which uses radio waves such as millimeter waves. In this case, the radio waves used in radar are not limited to the millimeter wave band (e.g., 30-300 GHz band), but may also be from the microwave band (e.g., 3-30 GHz band) or the quasi-millimeter wave band (e.g., 20-30 GHz band).

[0048] Another example of an RF sensor is a wireless positioning sensor (wireless positioning system). An example of a wireless positioning sensor is a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) sensor. Here, the GNSS sensor may be a GPS (Global Positioning System) sensor, a GLONASS sensor, a Galileo sensor, or a QZSS (Quasi-Zenith Satellite System) sensor. Note that the wireless positioning sensor is not limited to a GNSS sensor, and may be, for example, a sensor for 3GPP positioning or Wi-Fi / Bluetooth positioning.

[0049] Of course, the sensor unit is not limited to the sensors described above. Furthermore, the sensor unit may be a sensor system combining multiple sensors as described above.

[0050] Antenna device 120 is a device for transmitting or receiving radio waves. In the example in Figure 2, antenna device 120 is connected to signal processing unit 110. Antenna device 220 transmits the received signal to signal processing unit 110. Alternatively, antenna device 120 transmits the signal processed by signal processing unit 110 to an external source.

[0051] The antenna device 120 may be considered as the signal processing unit 110 itself. In this case, the signal processing unit 110 may be equipped with multiple antenna devices 120. If the signal processing unit 110 supports multiple wireless access methods, each part of the signal processing unit 110 may be configured individually for each wireless access method. The antenna device 120 may be composed of multiple antenna elements (for example, multiple patch antennas). The signal processing unit 110 may have a beamforming function. For example, the wireless communication unit may have a polarization beamforming function that uses vertical polarization (V polarization) and horizontal polarization (H polarization) (or a polarization beamforming function that uses dual polarization in polarization directions of 45 degrees and -45 degrees from the vertical).

[0052] Figure 3 shows an example of the arrangement of the antenna devices 120. In the example in Figure 3, the terminal device 100 is a flat smart device, and antenna devices 120a, 120b, 120c, and 120d are arranged at the top, bottom, left, and right ends of the terminal device 100, respectively. Each of these multiple antenna devices 120 transmits radio waves in a predetermined direction and / or receives radio waves from a predetermined direction.

[0053] The antenna device 120 may be an antenna composed of one antenna element, or it may be an antenna composed of multiple antenna elements. If the antenna device 120 is composed of multiple antenna elements, the wireless communication unit may be configured to generate a directional beam by controlling the directivity of the wireless signal using the multiple antenna elements.

[0054] Various antenna configurations can be used in the antenna device 120. For example, an inverted F antenna can be used in the antenna device 120. An inverted F antenna is a type of linear antenna and is composed of, for example, antenna elements arranged around the housing and a ground (such as the housing). Of course, the antennas that make up the antenna device 120 are not limited to inverted F antennas. For example, an inverted L antenna, loop antenna, or patch antenna can be used in the antenna device 120. In addition, the antenna device 120 may be an array antenna in which patch antennas are used as antenna elements. A patch antenna is a rectangular microstrip antenna. A patch antenna is composed of, for example, antenna elements (patches) arranged on a dielectric substrate having a ground plane on its back surface.

[0055] The configuration of the antenna device 120 will be described in detail later.

[0056] The memory unit 130 is a data read / write storage device such as DRAM, SRAM, flash memory, or hard disk.

[0057] The control unit 140 is a controller that controls each part of the terminal device 100. The control unit 140 may be implemented by a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or an MPU (Micro Processing Unit). The control unit 140 may be implemented by an integrated circuit such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). The control unit 140 may be implemented by a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit).

[0058] <2-2.Base station> As described above, the electronic device of this embodiment is not limited to the terminal device 100. Below, a base station 200 will be described as another example of the electronic device of this embodiment.

[0059] Base station 200 is a wireless communication device that communicates wirelessly with other wireless communication devices (for example, terminal device 100 or other base station 200). Base station 200 may communicate wirelessly with terminal device 100 via a relay station, or it may communicate wirelessly with terminal device 100 directly.

[0060] Base station 200 is a type of communication device. More specifically, base station 200 is a device equivalent to a radio access point or a radio base station (Base Station, Node B, eNB, gNB, or 6GNB, etc.). Base station 200 may also be a radio relay station. Base station 200 may also be an optical extension device called an RRH (Remote Radio Head). Base station 200 may also be a receiving station such as an FPU (Field Pickup Unit). Base station 200 may also be an IAB (Integrated Access and Backhaul) donor node or IAB relay node that provides radio access lines and radio backhaul lines by time division multiplexing, frequency division multiplexing, or spatial division multiplexing.

[0061] The wireless access technology used by base station 200 may be wireless LAN technology (IEEE 802.11), LTE-U (LTE-Unlicensed), NR-U (NR Unlicensed), LAA (Licensed Assisted Access), or MultiFire. Of course, the wireless access technology used by base station 200 may also be cellular communication technology. Furthermore, the wireless access technology used by base station 200 may also be LPWA (Low Power Wide Area) communication technology. Of course, the wireless access technology used by base station 200 is not limited to these.

[0062] The wireless communication used by base station 200 may be wireless communication using the millimeter wave band (30 GHz to 300 GHz band) or the sub-millimeter wave band (e.g., 20 GHz to 30 GHz band). Of course, the wireless communication used by base station 200 may also be wireless communication using a frequency band below 6 GHz (e.g., Sub6) or a frequency band above 6 GHz (e.g., 6 GHz to 20 GHz band). Furthermore, the wireless communication used by base station 200 may also be wireless communication using terahertz waves.

[0063] Furthermore, the base station 200 may be capable of NOMA (Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access) communication with the terminal device 100. Here, NOMA communication refers to communication (transmission, reception, or both) using non-orthogonal resources. Note that the base station 200 may also be capable of NOMA communication with other base stations 200.

[0064] The concept of a base station (also called "base station equipment") includes not only donor base stations but also relay base stations (also called "relay stations"). A relay base station may be any one of the following: an RF Repeater, a Smart Repeater, or an Intelligent Surface. The concept of a base station includes not only structures equipped with base station functions but also equipment installed on those structures.

[0065] Structures include buildings such as skyscrapers, houses, transmission towers, train stations, airports, ports, office buildings, schools, hospitals, factories, commercial facilities, concert venues, and stadiums. The concept of structures also includes not only buildings but also non-building structures such as tunnels, bridges, dams, walls, and steel columns, as well as equipment such as cranes, gates, and wind turbines. The concept of structures also includes not only structures on land (on the surface in the narrow sense) or underground, but also structures on water such as piers or megafloats, and underwater structures such as oceanographic observation equipment. A base station can also be described as an information processing device.

[0066] Base station 200 may be a donor station or a relay station. Furthermore, base station 200 may be a fixed station or a mobile station. A mobile station is a wireless communication device (e.g., a base station) configured to be mobile. In this case, base station 200 may be a device installed on a mobile object or the mobile object itself. For example, a relay station with mobility can be considered a base station 200 as a mobile station. Also, devices that are inherently mobile and equipped with base station functions (or at least some of the functions of a base station), such as vehicles, UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) represented by drones, and smartphones, also qualify as base station 200 as a mobile station.

[0067] Here, the moving object may be a mobile device such as a smartphone or mobile phone. The moving object may be a moving object that moves on land (ground in the narrow sense) (for example, a car, bicycle, bus, truck, motorcycle, train, or linear motor car), or a moving object that moves underground (for example, a vehicle that moves inside a tunnel such as a subway). The moving object may also be a moving object that moves on water (for example, a passenger ship, cargo ship, or hovercraft), or a moving object that moves underwater (for example, a submersible boat, submarine, or unmanned submersible). The moving object may also be a moving object that moves within the atmosphere (for example, an airplane, airship, or drone). The moving object may also be a moving object that moves outside the atmosphere (for example, a satellite or spacecraft).

[0068] Furthermore, base station 200 may be a ground base station (ground station) installed on the ground. For example, base station 200 may be a base station located on a structure on the ground, or a base station installed on a mobile device moving on the ground. More specifically, base station 200 may be an antenna installed on a structure such as a building and a signal processing device connected to that antenna. Of course, base station 200 may be the structure or mobile device itself. "Ground" refers to ground in a broad sense, including not only land (ground in the narrow sense) but also underground, on water, and underwater. Note that base station 200 is not limited to a ground base station. For example, if a communication system equipped with base station 200 is a satellite communication system, base station 200 may be an aircraft station. From the perspective of a satellite station, an aircraft station located on Earth is a ground station.

[0069] Furthermore, base station 200 is not limited to ground stations. Base station 200 may also be a non-ground station (non-ground station) capable of floating in the air or space. For example, base station 200 may be an aircraft station or a satellite station.

[0070] Here, a satellite station is a satellite station capable of floating outside the atmosphere. A satellite station may be a device mounted on a spacecraft such as an artificial satellite, or it may be the spacecraft itself. A spacecraft is a mobile object that moves outside the atmosphere. A spacecraft may be at least one of the following: an artificial satellite, a spacecraft, a space station, and a probe. Of course, a spacecraft may also be any other artificial celestial body. The satellite that becomes a satellite station may be a low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite, a medium Earth orbit (MEO) satellite, a geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) satellite, or a highly elliptical orbit (HEO) satellite. A satellite station may be a device mounted on a low Earth orbit satellite, a medium Earth orbit satellite, a geostationary satellite, or a highly elliptical orbit satellite.

[0071] Furthermore, an aircraft station is a radio communication device capable of floating within the atmosphere of an aircraft or similar vessel. An aircraft station may be a device mounted on an aircraft or similar vessel, or it may be the aircraft itself. The concept of an aircraft includes not only heavy aircraft such as airplanes or gliders, but also light aircraft such as balloons or airships. The concept of an aircraft also includes not only heavy or light aircraft, but also rotary-wing aircraft such as helicopters or autogyros. An aircraft station, or an aircraft on which an aircraft station is mounted, may be an unmanned aerial vehicle such as a drone.

[0072] The concept of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAS) also includes unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and tethered UAS. Furthermore, the concept of unmanned aerial vehicles includes lighter than air UAS (LTA) and heavier than air UAS (HTA). In addition, the concept of unmanned aerial vehicles also includes high-altitude UAS platforms (HAPs).

[0073] The coverage size of base station 200 can range from large, like a macrocell, to small, like a picocell. Of course, the coverage size of base station 200 can also be extremely small, like a femtocell. Furthermore, base station 200 may have beamforming capabilities. In this case, base station 200 may form cells or service areas for each beam. In addition to beamforming, which gives directionality to the beam, base station 200 may also have the function of delivering the desired wave precisely to a predetermined point by further considering distance information from the base station 200's antenna. This function may be called beam focusing or point forming.

[0074] Figure 4 shows an example configuration of a base station 200 according to this embodiment. The base station 200 includes a signal processing unit 210, an antenna device 220, a storage unit 230, and a control unit 240. The base station 200 does not necessarily have all of these components. Furthermore, the base station 200 may have components other than those shown. Note that the configuration shown in Figure 4 is a functional configuration, and the hardware configuration may differ. Also, the functions of the base station 200 may be distributed and implemented across multiple physically separated configurations.

[0075] The signal processing unit 210 processes signals transmitted via the antenna device 220, or signals to be transmitted via the antenna device 220. Here, the signal processing unit 210 may be a wireless communication unit that processes signals for wireless communication, or a sensor unit that processes signals for sensing.

[0076] The wireless communication unit is, for example, a signal processing unit for wireless communication with other wireless communication devices (e.g., terminal device 100 and other base stations 200). The configuration of the wireless communication unit may be the same as that of the wireless communication unit provided in terminal device 100.

[0077] The sensor unit is a sensor for detecting various types of information. For example, the sensor unit is a sensor that acquires information about objects around the device. The configuration of the sensor unit may be the same as that of the sensor unit provided in the terminal device.

[0078] Antenna device 220 is a device for transmitting or receiving radio waves. In the example in Figure 2, antenna device 220 is connected to signal processing unit 210. Antenna device 220 transmits the received signal to signal processing unit 110. Alternatively, antenna device 120 transmits the signal processed by signal processing unit 110 to the outside.

[0079] The antenna device 120 may be considered as the signal processing unit 110 itself. In this case, the signal processing unit 110 may be equipped with multiple antenna devices 120. If the signal processing unit 110 supports multiple wireless access methods, each part of the signal processing unit 110 may be configured individually for each wireless access method. The antenna device 120 may be composed of multiple antenna elements (for example, multiple patch antennas). The signal processing unit 110 may have a beamforming function. For example, the wireless communication unit may have a polarization beamforming function that uses vertical polarization (V polarization) and horizontal polarization (H polarization) (or a polarization beamforming function that uses dual polarization in polarization directions of 45 degrees and -45 degrees from the vertical).

[0080] The antenna device 220 may be an antenna composed of one antenna element, or it may be an antenna composed of multiple antenna elements. If the antenna device 220 is composed of multiple antenna elements, the wireless communication unit may be configured to generate a directional beam by controlling the directivity of the wireless signal using the multiple antenna elements.

[0081] Various antenna configurations can be used in the antenna device 220. For example, an inverted F antenna can be used in the antenna device 220. An inverted F antenna is a type of linear antenna and is composed of, for example, antenna elements arranged around the housing and a ground (such as the housing). Of course, the antennas that make up the antenna device 220 are not limited to inverted F antennas. For example, an inverted L antenna, loop antenna, or patch antenna can be used in the antenna device 220. In addition, the antenna device 220 may be an array antenna in which patch antennas are used as antenna elements. A patch antenna is a rectangular microstrip antenna. A patch antenna is composed of, for example, antenna elements (patches) arranged on a dielectric substrate having a ground plane on its back surface.

[0082] The configuration of the antenna device 220 may be the same as that of the antenna device 120 provided by the terminal device 100. The configuration of the antenna device 120 will be described in detail later.

[0083] The memory unit 230 is a data read / write storage device such as DRAM, SRAM, flash memory, or hard disk.

[0084] The control unit 240 is a controller that controls various parts of the base station 200. The control unit 240 may be implemented by a processor such as a CPU or MPU. The control unit 240 may be implemented by an integrated circuit such as an ASIC or FPGA. The control unit 240 may be implemented by a GPU.

[0085] In some embodiments, the base station 200 may be composed of a collection of multiple physical or logical devices. For example, the base station 200 in this embodiment may be distinguished into multiple devices such as a BBU (Baseband Unit) and an RU (Radio Unit). The base station 200 may be interpreted as a collection of these multiple devices. Furthermore, the base station may be either a BBU or an RU, or both. The BBU and RU may be connected by a predetermined interface, such as eCPRI (enhanced Common Public Radio Interface).

[0086] RU may be rephrased as RRU (Remote Radio Unit) or RD (Radio DoT). RU may correspond to gNB-DU (gNB Distributed Unit), which will be described later. BBU may correspond to gNB-CU (gNB Central Unit), which will be described later. RU may be a device formed integrally with the antenna. The antenna of base station 200, for example, an antenna formed integrally with the RU, may employ an Advanced Antenna System and support MIMO such as FD-MIMO or beamforming. The antenna of base station 200 may have, for example, 64 transmitting antenna ports and 64 receiving antenna ports.

[0087] The antenna mounted on the RU may be an antenna panel composed of one or more antenna elements, and the RU may be equipped with one or more antenna panels. The RU may be equipped with two types of antenna panels: a horizontally polarized antenna panel and a vertically polarized antenna panel. The RU may be equipped with two types of antenna panels: a right-hand circularly polarized antenna panel and a left-hand circularly polarized antenna panel, or an antenna panel with a polarization direction of 45 degrees from the vertical and an antenna panel with a polarization direction of -45 degrees. Multiple antennas with these multiple polarization directions may be mounted on a single antenna panel. The RU may form and control independent beams for each antenna panel.

[0088] Multiple base stations 200 may be connected to one another. One or more base stations 200 may be included in a Radio Access Network (RAN). In this case, base stations 200 may simply be referred to as RAN, RAN node, AN (Access Network), or AN node, etc. In LTE, the RAN is sometimes called EUTRAN (Enhanced Universal Terrestrial RAN). In NR, the RAN is sometimes called NGRAN. Also, in 6G, the RAN is sometimes called 6GRAN. In W-CDMA (UMTS), the RAN is sometimes called UTRAN.

[0089] An LTE base station 200 may be referred to as an eNodeB (Evolved Node B) or eNB. In this case, EUTRAN includes one or more eNodeBs (eNBs). An NR base station 200 may be referred to as a gNodeB or gNB. In this case, NGRAN includes one or more gNBs. A 6G base station may be referred to as a 6GNodeB, 6gNodeB, 6GNB, or 6gNB. In this case, 6GRAN includes one or more 6GNBs. EUTRAN may include gNBs (en-gNBs) connected to the core network (EPC) in an LTE communication system (EPS). NGRAN may include ng-eNBs connected to the core network 5GC in a 5G communication system (5GS).

[0090] If base station 200 is an eNB, gNB, 6GNB, etc., base station 200 may be referred to as 3GPP Access. If base station 200 is an Access Point, base station 200 may be referred to as Non-3GPP Access. Base station 200 may also be an optical extension device called an RRH (Remote Radio Head). If base station 200 is a gNB, base station 200 may be a combination of the aforementioned gNB-CU and gNB-DU, or it may be either a gNB-CU or a gNB-DU.

[0091] <2-3. Other Examples> Although a wireless communication device has been described above as an example of an electronic device that may be equipped with the antenna device of this embodiment, electronic devices are not limited to wireless communication devices.

[0092] For example, the electronic device that may be equipped with the antenna device of this embodiment may be an information processing device / signal processing device equipped with an RF sensor. For example, the electronic device may be a positioning device (for example, a GNSS device such as a GPS device) equipped with a wireless positioning sensor (for example, a GNSS sensor such as a GPS sensor) as the RF sensor. In addition, the electronic device may be a radar device equipped with radar as the RF sensor. Here, the RF sensor may be the same as the RF sensor equipped in the sensor unit described above.

[0093] Furthermore, the electronic device that may be equipped with the antenna device of this embodiment may be a broadcast receiving device such as a television receiver.

[0094] It should be noted that electronic devices do not necessarily need to have wireless communication capabilities as long as they have radio wave receiving / transmission capabilities. Of course, electronic devices may have wireless communication capabilities as one of their radio wave receiving / transmission capabilities. For example, an electronic device may have wireless communication capabilities in addition to the ability to receive sensing radio waves (e.g., GNSS signals and / or radar signals). Here, the configuration of the wireless communication capabilities may be the same as that of the wireless communication unit described above. When an electronic device has wireless communication capabilities, it can be considered a wireless communication device.

[0095] <<3. Antenna Equipment>> The electronic equipment that may be equipped with the antenna device of this embodiment has been described above, and now the antenna device of this embodiment will be described in detail below.

[0096] <3-1. Structure of the Antenna Device> First, the structure of the antenna device of this embodiment will be described in detail.

[0097] In the following description, the structure of the antenna device 120 provided by the terminal device 100 will be described as an example of the structure of the antenna device of this embodiment. The structure of the antenna device 120 described below is also applicable to antenna devices provided by electronic devices other than the terminal device 100 (for example, the antenna device 220 provided by the base station 200).

[0098] When designing L1 and L5 band compatible GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) antenna equipment with the aim of miniaturizing the size of the TCU, miniaturizing the antenna itself becomes a challenge in order to configure it in a space-saving manner.

[0099] Therefore, in this embodiment, a feeding antenna (feeding element) is provided on the substrate side on which the antenna is mounted, and a new passive antenna (passive element) is formed nearby. Then, the antenna elements are electromagnetically coupled to each other (for example, inductive coupling or capacitive coupling). This makes it possible to miniaturize the antenna.

[0100] Figures 5A, 5B, and 6 are perspective views showing an example of the structure of the antenna device 120 according to the embodiment. Figure 7 is a plan view showing an example of the structure of the antenna device according to the embodiment. Figure 8 is a side view showing an example of the structure of the antenna device according to the embodiment.

[0101] For the sake of clarity, the following explanation may use an XYZ coordinate system. Here, the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions are all determined relative to the antenna device 120. The X-axis and Y-axis directions are parallel to the surface of the substrate on which the antenna device 120 is located. The Z-axis direction is perpendicular to the surface of the substrate.

[0102] The antenna device 120 of this embodiment includes a plurality of antennas (a plurality of antenna elements). In the example shown in Figures 5A to 8, the antenna device 120 includes a fed antenna 121 and a passive antenna 122.

[0103] The antenna device 120 is, for example, a vehicle-mounted antenna. The antenna device 120 is typically a GNSS antenna. However, the antenna device 120 is not limited to a GNSS antenna, and may be, for example, an antenna for vehicle-mounted communications. In addition, the antenna device 120 may be an antenna for wireless communication with other communication devices. The other communication device may be a ground station or a satellite station. The other communication device may be a communication device equipped in another vehicle or the other vehicle itself.

[0104] In this embodiment, the feeding antenna 121 can be read as the feeding element 121, and the feeding element 121 can be read as the feeding antenna 121. Also in this embodiment, the passive antenna 122 can be read as the passive element 122, and the passive element 122 can be read as the passive antenna 122.

[0105] The feed antenna 121 is an antenna electrically connected to the feed point. As mentioned above, the feed antenna 121 may also be called the feed element 121. In the examples in Figures 5A to 8, one end of the feed antenna 121 is electrically connected to the feed point F1. In the examples in Figures 5A to 8, the feed antenna 121 is a linear antenna located in a predetermined plane. More specifically, the feed antenna 121 is a meander line antenna located in the ground plane (XY plane).

[0106] The configuration of the feed antenna 121 is not limited to the above configuration. Various types of antennas can be used as the feed antenna 121. For example, the feed antenna 121 may be a linear antenna other than a meander line antenna. Examples of linear antennas include dipole antennas, monopole antennas, inverted-L antennas (ILA), and loop antennas. The feed antenna 121 may also be a planar antenna. Examples of planar antennas include patch antennas and planar inverted-F antennas (PIFA). The feed antenna 121 may also be a chip antenna or a pattern antenna. Of course, the feed antenna 121 may be any other type of antenna.

[0107] The unpowered antenna 122 is, for example, a conductive element / antenna element connected to ground. As mentioned above, the unpowered antenna 122 may also be referred to as the unpowered element 122. Ground (GND) is an electrical reference plane. In other words, ground is the electrical reference point of the antenna system. Ground provides the zero potential point (or reference point) for the antenna to operate. Ground may also be referred to as the ground plane.

[0108] Various types of antennas can be used as the unpowered antenna 122. For example, the unpowered antenna may be a linear antenna or a planar antenna. Examples of linear antennas include dipole antennas, monopole antennas, inverted-L antennas (ILA), and loop antennas. Examples of planar antennas include patch antennas and planar inverted-F antennas (PIFA). The unpowered antenna may also be a chip antenna or a pattern antenna. Of course, other types of antennas may also be used.

[0109] The antenna device 120 of this embodiment comprises a plurality of electromagnetically coupled antenna elements (a fed antenna 121 and a passive antenna 122). Figures 5A to 8 show an example of electromagnetic coupling of a plurality of antenna elements, in which the tips of the antenna elements are electromagnetically coupled. In Figure 5A, the area enclosed by the dashed line is the electromagnetically coupled (or inductively coupled / capacitively coupled) portion between the tips of the fed antenna 121 and the passive antenna 122. Note that Figures 5A to 8 are merely examples. Electromagnetic coupling is not limited to the examples shown in Figures 5A to 8.

[0110] Electromagnetic coupling enables the transmission of signals via an electromagnetic field. In this case, a change in the magnetic field due to a change in current induces a current in one conductor, thereby transmitting the signal. Inductive coupling is an example of electromagnetic coupling. In inductive coupling, signals are transmitted using electromagnetic induction. In capacitive coupling, for example, as in a capacitor, signals are transmitted via an electric field.

[0111] Capacitive coupling can occur even without the use of physical capacitors. For example, capacitive coupling can occur between antennas due to the interaction of electric fields between them. In other words, electromagnetic coupling (capacitive coupling) can occur when the fed antenna 121 and the unfed antenna 122 are in close proximity without touching. To put it another way, electromagnetic coupling (capacitive coupling) can occur when a part of the unfed antenna 122 and a part of the fed antenna 121 are in close proximity with a gap between them.

[0112] In the examples shown in Figures 5A to 8, one end of the passive antenna 122 is connected to ground. Also in the examples shown in Figures 5A to 8, one end of the fed antenna 121 is electrically connected to the feed point F1. The fed antenna 121 and the passive antenna 122 are positioned such that the other end of the fed antenna 121 (end 122a) is adjacent (close) to the other end of the passive antenna 122 (end 121a) with a gap in between. That is, in the examples shown in Figures 5A to 8, the other end of the fed antenna 121 (end 122a) is close to the other end of the passive antenna 122 (end 121a) without touching. As a result, the end 122a of the fed antenna 121 and the end 121a of the passive antenna 122 are electromagnetically coupled.

[0113] In this embodiment, the point where the end 121a of the passive antenna 122 and the end 122a of the fed antenna 121 are electromagnetically coupled is called the capacitive coupling point. Although Figures 5A to 8 show the coupling of antenna tips as an example of electromagnetic coupling, electromagnetic coupling is not limited to the coupling of antenna tips.

[0114] Figure 9 is a diagram illustrating the structure of the capacitive coupling point. The feeding antenna 121 and the passive antenna 122 are installed so that their ends 121a and 122a are adjacent (close) to each other with a gap in between. The feeding antenna 121 and the passive antenna 122 may also be installed so that their ends 121a and 122a are adjacent (close) to each other in parallel with a gap in between. In the following description, the distance between the end 121a of the passive antenna 122 and the end 122a of the feeding antenna 121 is called the gap distance d1. The distance between the points where the feeding antenna 121 and the passive antenna 122 are installed adjacent to each other (i.e., the length of the capacitive coupling point) is called the capacitive coupling distance d2.

[0115] Here, the separation zone may be a space where the feeding antenna 121 and the unfed antenna 122 do not exist. The shape of the separation zone may be a rectangle or a square. For example, the shape of the separation zone may be a rectangle or a square composed of a separation distance d1 and a capacitive coupling distance d2. Of course, the shape of the separation zone is not limited to a rectangle or a square.

[0116] Here, the separation distance d1 may be 1 mm or less, or 3 mm or less. Also, the separation distance d1 may be 0.1 mm or more and 1 mm or less. Also, the separation distance may be 0.2 mm or more and 0.5 mm or less. The separation distance d1 may be interpreted as the shortest distance between the fed antenna 121 and the unfed antenna 122 in the separated section.

[0117] Furthermore, the capacitive coupling distance d2 (i.e., the length of the capacitive coupling point) may be 3 mm or less, 5 mm or less, or 10 mm or less.

[0118] The end 122a of the feed antenna 121 is adjacent (proximity) to the end 121a of the unfed antenna 122, separated by a gap. As described above, the feed antenna 121 is located in the ground plane (XY plane). Here, the end 121a of the unfed antenna 122 (the end on the gap side) may be separated from the ground plane (XY plane) by a distance d1. Of course, the end 121a of the unfed antenna 122 (the end on the gap side) may be on the same plane as the ground plane (XY plane). Even in this case, the feed antenna 121 and the unfed antenna 122 are installed with a gap between them.

[0119] The unpowered antenna 122 may consist of an unpowered antenna section, which is the main body of the unpowered antenna 122, and a capacitive coupling section (also called a capacitive coupling element section), which is the part that capacitively couples with the feeding antenna 121. In the examples in Figures 5A to 9, the capacitive coupling section is the end 121a, and the unpowered antenna section is the part other than the end 121a. Here, the shape of the capacitive coupling section may be rectangular or square. In the examples in Figures 5A to 9, the end 121a of the feeding antenna 121 and the end 122a of the unpowered antenna 122 are arranged to be parallel. Here, the length of one side of the capacitive coupling section may be 5 mm or less, or 10 mm or less. In other words, the capacitive coupling distance d2 may be 5 mm or less, or 10 mm or less. Of course, the length of one side of the capacitive coupling section (capacitive coupling distance d2) is not limited to this.

[0120] The capacitive coupling distance d2 may be less than 10% of the length of the passive antenna 122. Alternatively, the capacitive coupling distance d2 may be less than 10% of the length of the feeding antenna 121. In this embodiment, the feeding antenna and the passive antenna may be installed so that they do not capacitively couple in parts other than the capacitive coupling points.

[0121] For example, the feeding antenna 121 may be positioned so that the portion between one end and the other end is not adjacent (close) to the parasitic antenna 122. That is, the antenna device 120 may be configured so that the portion of the feeding antenna 121 other than the capacitive coupling point (i.e., the portion other than end 122a) is not electromagnetically coupled to the parasitic antenna 122. For example, the feeding antenna 121 may be positioned so that it is separated from the parasitic antenna 122 by a distance d1 or less in portions other than the capacitive coupling point. In addition, the feeding antenna 121 and the parasitic antenna 122 may be positioned such that the direct influence of electromagnetic fluctuations of the other is less than a certain amount in portions other than the capacitive coupling point. For example, an object that acts as an electromagnetic shield or an object that weakens electromagnetic influence may be provided between the feeding antenna 121 and the parasitic antenna 122 (excluding the capacitive coupling point).

[0122] Note that the arrangement of the feed antenna 121 and the passive antenna 122 is not limited to the above. As long as a portion of the passive antenna 122 and a portion of the feed antenna 121 are capacitively coupled, the feed antenna 121 and the passive antenna 122 can be arranged in various ways. Figures 10 and 11 show examples of the arrangement of the feed antenna 121 and the passive antenna 122. Specifically, Figures 10 and 11 show the capacitive coupling points viewed from above.

[0123] The shape of the feed antenna 121 may be a meander line shape. The feed antenna 121 may be configured on a predetermined plane (for example, on the XY plane). For example, the feed antenna 121 may be configured on the plane where the feed section F1 is located. In this case, all parts of the feed antenna 121 may be configured on the same plane. The feed antenna 121 may be configured in a bellows shape on a predetermined plane.

[0124] The feed antenna 121 may be electrically connected to the feed point F1 by a conductor. For example, the feed antenna 121 may be electrically connected to the feed point F1 by a microstrip line. The feed antenna 121 may be electrically connected to the feed point F1 by a 50Ω line. The feed antenna 121 may be connected to ground at a point separate from the feed point F1.

[0125] The power supply section F1 may also be referred to as the RF Front End. Furthermore, the power supply section F1 may also be referred to as the RF IC. Furthermore, the power supply section F1 may also be referred to as the RF Circuit. The RF Circuit may be a 4G RF Circuit, a 5G RF Circuit, a DSRC RF Circuit, or a GPS Circuit. The power supply antenna 121 may be powered via a battery, a DC-DC converter, and the RF Circuit.

[0126] The unpowered antenna 122 may be installed separately from the feed point F1. The unpowered antenna 122 may be configured on the same plane. The shape of the unpowered antenna 122 may be a meander line shape. The unpowered antenna 122 may be configured in a bellows shape on a predetermined plane. The unpowered antenna 122 may be connected to ground. The unpowered antenna 122 may be connected to ground via a matching element.

[0127] The feeding antenna 121 and / or the unfed antenna 122 may be configured such that their antenna paths are in a straight line.

[0128] Furthermore, the fed antenna 121 and / or the unfed antenna 122 may be configured such that their antenna path bends one or more times. In other words, the fed antenna 121 and / or the unfed antenna 122 may include one or more first parts in their antenna path, and the path direction may change in the first parts. By designing the antenna path to bend multiple times, the overall size can be reduced with respect to the antenna path length.

[0129] In the first part, the feeding antenna 121 and / or the unfed antenna 122 may be configured such that their antenna paths bend at right angles. For example, as shown in Figures 5A to 8, the feeding antenna 121 and / or the unfed antenna 122 may be configured such that their antenna paths bend multiple times in different planar directions. This allows the feeding antenna 121 and / or the unfed antenna 122 to have a three-dimensional shape. The feeding antenna 121 and / or the unfed antenna 122 may also have an L-shape with only one bend.

[0130] The feeding antenna 121 may be configured such that the number of bends in its antenna path is greater than the number of bends in the antenna path of the unpowered antenna 122. In other words, the number of first parts of the feeding antenna 121 may be greater than the number of first parts of the unpowered antenna 122. Here, the number of bends in the feeding antenna 121 may be 8 or more, or 15 or more. That is, the number of first parts of the feeding antenna 121 may be 8 or more, or 15 or more. Also, the number of bends in the unpowered antenna 122 may be 10 or less, or 5 or less. That is, the number of first parts of the unpowered antenna may be 10 or less, or 5 or less.

[0131] In the examples shown in Figures 5A to 8, the fed antenna 121 is a meander line antenna with 10 or more bends. Also in the examples shown in Figures 5A to 8, the unfed antenna 122 is a three-dimensional antenna (hereinafter also referred to as a three-dimensional antenna) with 10 or fewer bends.

[0132] In the examples shown in Figures 5A to 8, the fed antenna 121 is a meander line antenna and the unfed antenna 122 is a three-dimensional antenna. However, the fed antenna 121 may be a three-dimensional antenna and the unfed antenna 122 may be a meander line antenna. Both the fed antenna 121 and the unfed antenna 122 may be meander line antennas. Both the fed antenna 121 and the unfed antenna 122 may be three-dimensional antennas.

[0133] The feed antenna 121 does not necessarily have to be located entirely on the same plane. In that case, at least a portion of the feed antenna 121 may be located on the same plane as the feed point F1. The unpowered antenna 122 does not necessarily have to be located entirely on the same plane. In that case, at least a portion of the unpowered antenna 122 may be located on the same plane as the ground.

[0134] The fed antenna 121 and / or unfed antenna 122 may consist of one antenna element or multiple antenna elements. If the antenna consists of multiple antenna elements, the antenna device 120 may be configured to generate a directional beam by controlling the directivity of the radio signal using the multiple antenna elements.

[0135] The antenna device 120 of this embodiment (hereinafter referred to as the first antenna device) may include a first antenna (first feeding antenna) used for communication in a first frequency band. The first antenna may also be a feeding antenna 121. Near the antenna device 120 of this embodiment (the first antenna device), a second antenna device may be arranged in close proximity to the first antenna and include a second antenna (second feeding antenna) used for communication in a second frequency band. The antenna device 120 of this embodiment (the first antenna device) may include both the first antenna and the second antenna.

[0136] The first frequency band (first frequency) and the second frequency band (second frequency) may be different frequency bands (frequencies). For example, the first frequency band may be a frequency band used for GNSS (e.g., L1 band and / or L5 band), and the second frequency band may be a frequency band used for cellular communication (e.g., 4G and / or 5G frequency band). Conversely, the first frequency band may be a frequency band used for cellular communication (e.g., 4G and / or 5G frequency band), and the second frequency band may be a frequency band used for GNSS (e.g., L1 band and / or L5 band). Furthermore, the first frequency band may be one of the L1 and L5 bands, and the second frequency band may be the other of the L1 and L5 bands. Of course, the first and second frequency bands are not limited to these.

[0137] The antenna device 120 (first antenna device) may include a first line positioned between the first antenna and the antenna sharer / filter, and connected directly or indirectly to the first antenna. The first line is typically a strip line (SL) or a micro strip line (MSL). However, the first line is not limited to these. For example, the first line may be a coaxial cable or a flexible cable. Alternatively, the first line may be a combination of several types of lines (e.g., several lines selected from strip lines, micro strip lines, coaxial cables, and flexible cables).

[0138] The first transmission line may be a line of such length that the impedance of the second frequency band at the feed point of the first antenna is four times or more (preferably six times or more) the magnitude of the impedance of the first frequency band at the feed point of the first antenna. Here, the magnitude of the impedance may be the square root of the sum of the squares of the real and imaginary parts of the complex impedance. The length of the first transmission line may also be -100% to +200% of the quarter wavelength of the radio wave in the second frequency band. Alternatively, the length of the first transmission line may be -70% to +170% of the quarter wavelength of the radio wave in the second frequency band, or -60% to +160% of the quarter wavelength of the radio wave in the second frequency band.

[0139] The length of the antenna path in the powered antenna 121 and / or the unpowered antenna 122 may be -100% to +200% of the quarter wavelength of the radio wave in the first frequency band and / or the second frequency band. Alternatively, the length of the antenna path may be -70% to +170% of the quarter wavelength of the radio wave in the first frequency band and / or the second frequency band, or -60% to +160% of the quarter wavelength of the radio wave in the first frequency band and / or the second frequency band.

[0140] The configuration of the antenna device 120 is not limited to the above. For example, the antenna device 120 may have a signal processor that is directly or indirectly connected to the antenna sharer and / or filter and processes the transmitted or received signal.

[0141] Furthermore, for example, let's assume that both the fed antenna 121 and the unfed antenna 122 are GNSS antennas. In this case, the resonant frequency of the fed antenna 121 may be set to a first frequency (for example, one of the L1 band and one of the L5 band), and the resonant frequency of the unfed antenna 122 may be set to a second frequency different from the first frequency (for example, the other of the L1 band and one of the L5 band). The open ends (tip / end) of the fed antenna 121 and the open ends (tip / end) of the unfed antenna 122 may be brought close together to achieve capacitive coupling (or electromagnetic coupling, inductive coupling).

[0142] This makes it possible to construct a compact, dual-resonance multiband antenna. For example, a compact GNSS antenna corresponding to the L1 and L5 bands can be constructed. Normally, to obtain high antenna radiation efficiency, the antenna size must be increased. However, by employing the technology described in this embodiment, it is possible to realize an antenna device that is compact yet has high antenna radiation efficiency (for example, antenna radiation efficiency equivalent to that of a conventional antenna).

[0143] Furthermore, generally, when antennas are in close proximity, they cause interference between them. However, by adopting the above configuration, it is possible to expect an effect of reducing interference with surrounding antennas. Here, interference can be rephrased as radio wave interference, interference suppression, sensitivity suppression, or auto-poisoning.

[0144] Figures 12, 13A, and 13B illustrate the interference reduction effect achieved by employing the technology of this embodiment. Figure 12 shows the effect (interference) of a conventional GNSS antenna on a cellular antenna. Figure 13A shows the effect (interference) of a GNSS antenna (first antenna device) with the configuration described in this embodiment on a cellular antenna (second antenna device). Figure 13B shows the effect (interference) of a cellular antenna (second antenna device) on a GNSS antenna (first antenna device) with the configuration described in this embodiment.

[0145] As can be seen in Figures 12 to 13B, the technology of this embodiment reduces interference between antenna devices. Mainly in the cellular low band, the interference value is reduced from 6 dB to approximately 20 dB to 30 dB. Here, the interference value can also be referred to as the isolation value between antennas.

[0146] By adopting the technology of this embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. (1) It is possible to miniaturize the antenna while achieving multiband capabilities. (2) High antenna radiation efficiency can be achieved. (3) It can reduce radio wave interference between nearby antennas.

[0147] <3-2. Variations / Supplementary Information> The structure of the antenna device 120 of this embodiment has been described above, but the following provides further details about the antenna device 120 of this embodiment. The following description (modifications / supplements) is applicable not only to the antenna device 120 provided by the terminal device 100, but also to antenna devices provided by electronic devices other than the terminal device 100 (for example, the antenna device 220 provided by the base station 20).

[0148] <3-2-1. Product Group to which the Technology of this Embodiment Can Be Applied> In the embodiment described above, the antenna device 120 is assumed to be an antenna for an in-vehicle communication device (e.g., a TCU or T-BOX). However, the application of the antenna device 120 in this embodiment is not limited to this. For example, it can be applied to antennas in smartphones, tablets, laptop PCs, IoT devices (smartwatches, AR (Augmented Reality) glasses, VR (Virtual Reality) headsets), or smart meters. In addition, the antenna device 120 may be applied to communication devices that perform wireless communication.

[0149] Furthermore, in-vehicle communication devices are not limited to TCUs and T-BOXs. Any communication device installed in a vehicle can be considered an in-vehicle communication device.

[0150] <3-2-2. Antenna Placement> In the embodiment described above, for example, as shown in Figure 5A, the meander line feeding antenna 121 was arranged on the left and the passive antenna 122 was arranged on the right. However, the arrangement of the feeding antenna 121 and the passive antenna 122 is not limited to this. For example, the passive antenna 122 may be arranged on the left and the meander line feeding antenna 121 on the right.

[0151] <3-2-3. Antenna Shape / Type> The shape of the antennas (feeding antenna 121 and / or unfeeding antenna 122) provided by the antenna device 120 is not limited to the shapes described above. For example, the antennas provided by the antenna device 120 may be λ / 4 (quarter wavelength) antennas. In addition, any shape of antenna (e.g., meander line antenna, inverted F antenna, straight antenna, C-shaped antenna, or U-shaped antenna) can be used.

[0152] In the above-described embodiment, the feeding antenna 121 is a meander line shaped antenna. However, this embodiment is not limited to this. For example, the unfed antenna 122 may also be a meander line shaped antenna.

[0153] The electronic device on which the antenna device 120 is mounted may have a slit for the metal antenna in its casing, such as in a modern smartphone. In this case, the antenna device 120 may have a structure in which the tip of the feed antenna 121 and the tip of the unfeeded antenna 122 are close together toward the open end of the slit.

[0154] <3-2-4. Miniaturization of Antennas> The antenna device 120 may be configured to adjust the electrical length of the fed antenna 121 and the unfed antenna 122 using matching constants. For example, a matching element may be present in at least one portion of the fed antenna 121 or the unfed antenna 122. Figure 14 is a diagram illustrating the structure of a modified antenna device. In the example of Figure 14, the antenna device 120 is provided with matching elements 1231, 1232, and 1233 as matching elements for adjusting the electrical length of the fed antenna 121. This makes it possible to further miniaturize the antenna device 120.

[0155] <3-2-5. Antenna position on the circuit board> At least one of the feeding antenna 121 and the passive antenna 122 may be formed on one side of the substrate. In this case, both the feeding antenna 121 and the passive antenna 122 may be formed on the same side of the substrate. Alternatively, one of the feeding antenna 121 and the passive antenna 122 may be formed on one side of the substrate, and the other on the other side of the substrate.

[0156] Furthermore, at least one of the feeding antenna 121 and the passive antenna 122 may be formed on both sides of the substrate. In this case, both the feeding antenna 121 and the passive antenna 122 may be formed on both sides of the substrate. Of course, only one of the feeding antenna 121 and the passive antenna 122 may be formed on both sides of the substrate.

[0157] Furthermore, at least one of the feeding antenna 121 and the passive antenna 122 may be formed in the inner layer of the substrate. In this case, both the feeding antenna 121 and the passive antenna 122 may be formed in the inner layer of the substrate. Of course, only one of the feeding antenna 121 and the passive antenna 122 may be formed in the inner layer of the substrate.

[0158] <3-2-6. Antenna Forming Materials> At least one of the feeding antenna 121 and the passive antenna 122 may be made of one or more materials selected from the following list of materials. Of course, the materials forming the feeding antenna 121 and the passive antenna 122 are not limited to the examples shown below. The feeding antenna 121 and the passive antenna 122 may be made of the same material. Alternatively, the feeding antenna 121 and the passive antenna 122 may be made of different materials. ·sheet metal ·metal • Sheet metal and resin parts • Sheet metal and ceramic parts • LDS (Laser Direct Structuring) and resin parts ·FPC(Flexible printed circuits) FPC and resin parts • Glass

[0159] The fed antenna 121 and the unfed antenna 122 may be formed using the same construction method (for example, LDS (Laser Direct Structuring)). Alternatively, the fed antenna 121 and the unfed antenna 122 may be formed using different construction methods.

[0160] Examples of materials that can be used to form the feed antenna 121 are shown below. Of course, the materials that can be used to form the feed antenna 121 are not limited to those listed below. Sheet metal work only Sheet metal + resin parts • Sheet metal + ceramic parts LDS+ resin parts FPC FPC + resin parts • Glass

[0161] Examples of materials that can be used to form the parasitic antenna 122 are shown below. However, the materials that can be used to form the parasitic antenna 122 are not limited to those listed below. Sheet metal work only Sheet metal + resin parts • Sheet metal + ceramic parts LDS+ resin parts FPC FPC + resin parts • Glass

[0162] The thickness of the feed antenna 121 may be 10 mm or less, 5 mm or less, or 1 mm or less. The thickness of the unfed antenna 122 may be 10 mm or less, 5 mm or less, or 1 mm or less.

[0163] In the embodiments described above, the feeding antenna 121 was a planar / linear antenna formed on the substrate, and the passive antenna 122 was a thick antenna. However, the configurations of the feeding antenna 121 and the passive antenna 122 are not limited to these. For example, the feeding antenna 121 may be a thick antenna. In this case, the passive antenna 122 may be an antenna with a thickness greater than that of the feeding antenna 121. Of course, the feeding antenna 121 may also be an antenna with a thickness greater than that of the passive antenna 122. This allows for effective use of available space.

[0164] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the feeding antenna 121 was a linear antenna located in a predetermined plane, and the passive antenna 122 was a three-dimensional antenna. However, the configurations of the feeding antenna 121 and the passive antenna 122 are not limited to these. For example, the feeding antenna 121 may be a three-dimensional antenna. Also, the passive antenna 122 may be a linear antenna located in a predetermined plane.

[0165] The feeding antenna 121 and / or the unfed antenna 122 may be a meander line antenna. In this case, the width of the meander line may be 3 mm or less, or 1 mm or less. The width of the meander line may be 1 mm or less and 0.05 mm or more.

[0166] <3-2-7. Corresponding frequency bands> In the above-described embodiment, the frequency bands to which the antenna device 120 corresponds (the resonant frequencies of the fed antenna 121 and the unfed antenna 122) were assumed to be the GNSS L1 and L5 bands. However, the frequency bands to which the antenna device 120 corresponds are not limited to these. For example, the frequency bands to which the antenna device 120 corresponds may be newly allocated bands for GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) or GPS (Global Positioning System).

[0167] The technology of this embodiment is also applicable to antennas other than GNSS antennas. For example, the technology of this embodiment is also applicable to cellular antennas, Bluetooth antennas, BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) antennas, or Wi-Fi antennas. At this time, the frequency band corresponding to the antenna device 120 (the resonance frequency of the power-fed antenna 121 and / or the passive antenna 122) may be one of the frequency bands described below. Of course, the frequency band corresponding to the antenna device of this embodiment is not limited to the frequency bands shown below.

[0168] <Frequency band of cellular communication> The antenna device 120 of this embodiment may correspond to the frequency band of cellular communication (for example, 4G and / or 5G frequency bands). FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an example of the frequency band corresponding to the antenna device of this embodiment. Of course, the frequency band corresponding to the antenna device of this embodiment is not limited to the frequency band shown in FIG. 15.

[0169] For example, the frequency band corresponding to the antenna device of this embodiment may be at least one of the frequency bands of 4G LTE. For example, the frequency band corresponding to the antenna device may be at least one of the bands from Band 1 to Band 108.

[0170] Also, for example, the frequency band corresponding to the antenna device of this embodiment may be at least one of the frequency bands of 5G NR. For example, the frequency band corresponding to the antenna device may be at least one of the bands in FR1 (410 MHz to 7125 MHz), or at least one of the bands in FR2-1 (24250 MHz to 52600 MHz), or at least one of the bands in FR2-2 (52600 MHz to 71000 MHz).

[0171] Also, for example, the frequency band corresponding to the antenna device of this embodiment may be the frequency band of 6G.

[0172] <Frequency band of Wi-Fi> The antenna device 120 of this embodiment may support the Wi-Fi frequency band. The following lists the Wi-Fi frequency bands.

[0173] (1) 2.4 GHz Frequency range: 2.4 GHz (2400 MHz) to 2.4835 GHz (2483.5 MHz) Number of channels: 1 to 14 (varies by country)

[0174] (2) 5 GHz Frequency range: 5.15 GHz (5150 MHz) to 5.825 GHz (5825 MHz) Number of channels: 23 (varies by country)

[0175] (3) 6 GHz Frequency range: 5.925 GHz (5925 MHz) to 7.125 GHz (7125 MHz) Number of channels: 59 (maximum) Feature: Used in Wi-Fi 6E.

[0176] <GNSS Frequency Bands> The antenna device 120 of this embodiment may support the GNSS frequency band. The following lists the main GNSS systems and the frequency bands used in those systems.

[0177] (1) GPS (USA) L1: 1575.42 MHz L2: 1227.60 MHz L5: 1176.45 MHz

[0178] (2) GLONASS (Russia) L1: 1602 MHz (frequency varies depending on the frequency band) L2: 1246 MHz L3: 1202 MHz L4: 1176 MHz L5: 1278 MHz

[0179] (3) Galileo (Europe) E1: 1575.42MHz E5a: 1176.45MHz E5b: 1207.14MHz E6: 1278.75MHz

[0180] (4) BeiDou (China) B1: 1561.098MHz B2: 1207.14MHz B3: 1268.52MHz

[0181] (Bluetooth frequency band) The antenna device 120 of this embodiment may also support the Bluetooth frequency band. The frequency bands of Bluetooth (also called Bluetooth Classic) and BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) are listed below.

[0182] (1) Bluetooth (Bluetooth Classic) Frequency range: 2.402GHz to 2.480GHz Number of channels: 79 channels (each channel has a bandwidth of 1MHz)

[0183] (2) BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) frequency band Frequency range: 2.402GHz to 2.480GHz Number of channels: 40 channels (each channel has a bandwidth of 2MHz) Of these channels, 37 are used for data communication, and three of them, channels 37, 38, and 39, are used for advertising.

[0184] <3-2-8. Broadband / Impedance Matching> (Broadband expansion) By adjusting the coupling amount in the capacitive coupling section (for example, by adjusting the separation distance d1), the bandwidth in which the antenna functions can be widened. Impedance matching can also be achieved.

[0185] (Impedance matching in distant frequency bands) By adjusting the resonant frequencies of the powered antenna 121 and the unpowered antenna 122, impedance matching can be achieved in different frequency bands.

[0186] <3-2-9. Other variations> As described above, the antenna device 120 may be an in-vehicle antenna device. For example, the antenna device 120 may be an antenna device provided by an in-vehicle communication device such as a TCU or T-BOX. In this case, the antenna device 120 may be built into the in-vehicle communication device (main unit). That is, the antenna device 120 may be a device integrated with the in-vehicle communication device. Alternatively, the antenna device 120 may be a separate device from the main unit of the in-vehicle communication device. In this case, the antenna device 120 may be connected to the main unit of the in-vehicle communication device.

[0187] An in-vehicle communication device may be equipped with multiple antenna devices. For example, an in-vehicle communication device may be equipped with a first antenna device and a second antenna device. As described above, the first antenna device may be an antenna device 120 equipped with a feed antenna 121 (feed element 121) and a passive antenna 122. The second antenna device may be an antenna device having a resonant frequency different from the resonant frequency corresponding to the first antenna device. For example, the first antenna device may be a GSNN antenna device equipped with one or more GSNN antennas, and the second antenna device may be a cellular antenna device equipped with one or more cellular antennas. For example, the first antenna device may be an antenna device 120 in which both the feed antenna 121 and the passive antenna 122 are GSNN antennas, and the second antenna device may be an antenna device equipped with one or more cellular antennas corresponding to the 4G and / or 5G frequency band.

[0188] The in-vehicle communication device (or antenna device 120) may be placed on the instrument panel of the car. Alternatively, the antenna device 120 may be installed on the roof of the vehicle. This increases the effective angle of the antenna. If the antenna is a GNSS antenna, the accuracy of acquiring information from multiple satellite devices can be improved.

[0189] The antenna device 120 may receive signals and / or information for driving assistance. Either the feed antenna 121 or the passive antenna 122 may receive signals and / or information for driving assistance. Both the feed antenna 121 and the passive antenna 122 may receive signals and / or information for driving assistance. In this case, the signals and / or information received by the feed antenna 121 and the signals and / or information received by the passive antenna 122 may be used for different purposes, different processing, or different operations.

[0190] The antenna device 120 may receive signals and / or information for automatic driving processing. Either the feed antenna 121 or the passive antenna 122 may receive signals and / or information for automatic driving processing. Both the feed antenna 121 and the passive antenna 122 may receive signals and / or information for automatic driving processing. In this case, the signals and / or information received by the feed antenna 121 and the signals and / or information received by the passive antenna 122 may be used for different purposes, different processing, or different operations.

[0191] Multiple antenna devices may be installed on a single vehicle. In this case, multiple antenna devices 120, each comprising a fed antenna 121 and a passive antenna 122, may be installed. For example, multiple antenna devices 120, each comprising a fed antenna 121 with a first resonant frequency and a passive antenna 122 with a second resonant frequency, may be installed. Multiple antenna devices 120 of the same design may be installed, or antenna devices of different designs may be installed. Multiple antenna devices 120 may be installed on the roof of the vehicle and on the front panel of the vehicle, respectively. Multiple antenna devices 120 may be installed on the front half of the vehicle and on the rear half of the vehicle, respectively. This can increase diversity. By adopting the technology of this embodiment, the size of each antenna device is reduced. Therefore, the use of multiple antenna devices is well compatible with this embodiment.

[0192] The antenna device 120 may be installed on the mobile body. By installing multiple antenna devices 120 or optimizing their installation locations, the positioning of the mobile body can be made faster and / or more accurate.

[0193] As described above, by adopting the technology of this embodiment, interference between antenna devices can be reduced. For example, by adopting the technology of this embodiment, interference to an antenna device (second antenna device) having a different resonant frequency from the antenna device 120 (first antenna device) of this embodiment can be suppressed. Therefore, the first antenna device (e.g., a GNSS antenna) and the second antenna device (e.g., a cellular antenna) may be installed in close proximity. In this case, the distance between the first antenna device and the second antenna device may be 10 mm or less, or 5 mm or less. Here, the distance between the first antenna device and the second antenna device represents the shortest distance between the two antenna devices. The feed point of the first antenna device and the feed point of the second antenna device may be close together. In this case, the distance between the feed point of the first antenna device and the feed point of the second antenna device may be 40 mm or less, 30 mm or less, or 10 mm or less. The distance between the feed point of the first antenna device and the feed point of the second antenna device may be the straight-line distance between the two feed points, or the length of the current path. By installing two antenna devices in close proximity, the required installation space for the antennas can be reduced.

[0194] The antenna device 120 may be configured to support RTK (Real Time Kinematic). The antenna device 120 in this embodiment may be configured to support Precise Point Positioning RTK (PPP-RTK).

[0195] A wireless communication unit equipped with an antenna device 120 may be configured to acquire information from other communication devices for correcting information from the antenna device 120. The other communication device may be a ground station or a satellite station. Alternatively, the other communication device may be a communication device equipped on another vehicle or the vehicle itself. This enables more accurate processing. For example, if the antenna equipped on the antenna device 120 is a GSNN antenna, the antenna device 120 can achieve more accurate positioning.

[0196] In the examples shown in Figures 5A to 8, the unpowered antenna 122 was located at a predetermined distance (for example, about 1 mm) above the substrate surface. However, the configuration of the antenna device 120 is not limited to this example.

[0197] For example, suppose one of the feeding antenna 121 and the passive antenna 122 is a linear antenna located in a predetermined plane (e.g., the ground plane). The other of the feeding antenna 121 and the passive antenna 122 is a three-dimensional antenna in which at least a part of it is located in a space different from the predetermined plane (e.g., the ground plane). In this case, the three-dimensional antenna may be fixed by an auxiliary member. This auxiliary member may be the object described above (an object installed between the feeding antenna 121 and the passive antenna 122). That is, this auxiliary member may function as an object that acts as an electromagnetic shield, or as an object that weakens the electromagnetic influence described above.

[0198] Figure 16 shows a three-dimensional antenna fixed with an auxiliary member. In the example in Figure 16, the parasitic antenna 122 is a three-dimensional antenna. The parasitic antenna 122 is fixed to the substrate of the antenna device 120 by a roughly rectangular auxiliary member. As mentioned above, this auxiliary member may function as an object that acts as an electromagnetic shield or an object that weakens the electromagnetic effects described above.

[0199] Furthermore, Figures 10 and 11 show examples of the positional relationship between the feed antenna 121 and the passive antenna 122. However, the positional relationship between the feed antenna 121 and the passive antenna 122 in this embodiment is not limited to these examples. For example, the passive antenna 122 may not be floating but may be resting in front and / or behind. In addition, the capacitive coupling portions of the feed antenna 121 and the passive antenna 122 may be approximately parallel. For example, one end of the feed antenna 121 and one end of the passive antenna 122 may be arranged to be parallel.

[0200] <<4. Application Examples>> The technology disclosed herein can be applied to a variety of products. For example, the technology disclosed herein may be implemented as a device mounted on any type of mobile vehicle, such as automobiles, electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, motorcycles, bicycles, personal mobility devices, airplanes, drones, ships, robots, construction machinery, or agricultural machinery (tractors).

[0201] <4-1. Application Example 1> Figure 17 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration example of a vehicle control system 11, which is an example of a mobile control system to which the technology described herein may be applied.

[0202] The vehicle control system 11 is installed in the vehicle 1 and performs processing related to the automation of the vehicle's operation. This automation includes Level 1 to Level 5 driving automation, as well as remote driving and / or remote assistance of the vehicle 1 by a remote driver. The levels of driving automation may refer to the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) J3016™ APL2021 Levels of Driving Automation, where SAE Level 0 represents the lowest level of driving automation and SAE Level 5 represents the highest level of driving automation. For example, SAE Level 1 driving automation may consist of driver assistance functions that provide the driver with steering or brake / acceleration support, and SAE Level 5 driving automation may consist of autonomous driving functions that enable the vehicle to be driven under any conditions.

[0203] The vehicle control system 11 includes a vehicle control ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 21, a communication unit 22, a map information storage unit 23, a location information acquisition unit 24, an external recognition sensor 25, an in-vehicle sensor 26, a vehicle sensor 27, a memory unit 28, an automated driving control unit 29, a DMS (Driver Monitoring System) 30, an HMI (Human Machine Interface) 31, and a vehicle control unit 32.

[0204] Two or more (or, in some cases, all) of the following components are connected to communicate with each other via a communication network 41: the vehicle control ECU 21, the communication unit 22, the map information storage unit 23, the location information acquisition unit 24, the external recognition sensor 25, the in-vehicle sensor 26, the vehicle sensor 27, the memory unit 28, the driving automation control unit 29, the DMS 30, the HMI 31, and the vehicle control unit 32. The communication network 41 is composed of an in-vehicle communication network or bus that conforms to digital bidirectional communication standards such as CAN (Controller Area Network), LIN (Local Interconnect Network), LAN (Local Area Network), FlexRay (registered trademark), and Ethernet (registered trademark). In some embodiments, the communication network 41 may have two or more types of communication networks, and different types of communication networks may be used depending on the type of data being transmitted. For example, CAN may be applied to data related to vehicle control, and Ethernet may be applied to large-capacity data. In some embodiments, two or more (or possibly all) units of the vehicle control system 11 may be directly connected using wireless communication (e.g., short-range communication) without going through the communication network 41. In some embodiments, the wireless communication may use near-field communication technology. Non-limiting examples of near-field communication technology include near-field communication (NFC) and Bluetooth®. In some embodiments, two or more (or possibly all) units of the vehicle control system 11 may be connected using the communication network 41 and wireless communication technology (e.g., near-field communication technology).

[0205] In the following embodiment, where two or more units of the vehicle control system 11 communicate via the communication network 41, the description of the communication network 41 will be omitted. For example, in an embodiment where the vehicle control ECU 21 and the communication unit 22 communicate via the communication network 41, it will simply be described as the vehicle control ECU 21 and the communication unit 22 communicating.

[0206] The vehicle control ECU 21 is composed of various processors, such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and an MPU (Micro Processing Unit). The vehicle control ECU 21 controls the functions of the entire vehicle control system 11 or a part of it.

[0207] The communication unit 22 communicates with various devices inside the vehicle 1 (hereinafter referred to as in-vehicle devices), various devices outside the vehicle 1 (hereinafter referred to as external devices), other vehicles, base stations, etc., and transmits and receives various types of data. In some embodiments, the communication unit 22 may use multiple communication technologies to communicate.

[0208] A non-limiting example of communication between the communication unit 22 and external equipment will be briefly described. In some embodiments, the communication unit 22 may communicate with servers (hereinafter referred to as "external servers") located on an external network via a base station or access point using wireless communication technology. Examples of non-limiting wireless communication technologies include 5G (fifth-generation mobile communication system), LTE (Long Term Evolution), and DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communications). External networks that the communication unit 22 can communicate with may include, for example, the internet, a cloud network, or a carrier-specific network. The communication technology used by the communication unit 22 to communicate with an external network is not particularly limited, as long as it is a wireless communication technology that enables digital two-way communication at a predetermined communication speed and over a predetermined distance.

[0209] In some embodiments, the communication unit 22 may communicate with terminals located near the vehicle using P2P (Peer To Peer) technology. Terminals located near the vehicle include, for example, terminals worn by relatively slow-moving objects such as pedestrians and cyclists, terminals installed in fixed locations such as stores, and / or MTC (Machine Type Communication) terminals. In some embodiments, the communication unit 22 may perform V2X (Vehicle to Everything) communication. V2X communication generally refers to communication between the vehicle and other entities. Non-exclusive examples of V2X communication include vehicle-to-vehicle communication with other vehicles, vehicle-to-infrastructure communication with roadside devices, etc., vehicle-to-home communication with homes, and vehicle-to-pedestrian communication with terminals carried or worn by pedestrians.

[0210] In some embodiments, the communication unit 22 may receive a program from outside the vehicle 1 to update the software that controls the operation of the vehicle control system 11 (for example, over the air). In some embodiments, the communication unit 22 may receive map information, traffic information, information about the vehicle 1's surroundings, etc., from outside the vehicle 1. In some embodiments, the communication unit 22 may transmit information about the vehicle 1, information about the vehicle 1's surroundings, etc., to an external device or external network. Non-limiting examples of information about the vehicle 1 that the communication unit 22 transmits to an external device or external network include data indicating the status of the vehicle 1, recognition results from the recognition unit 73, etc. In some embodiments, the communication unit 22 may communicate with a vehicle emergency call system. Non-limiting examples of a vehicle emergency call system include e-Call, etc.

[0211] In some embodiments, the communication unit 22 may receive electromagnetic waves transmitted by a road traffic information communication system. In some embodiments, such electromagnetic waves may be transmitted using radio beacons, optical beacons, FM multiplex broadcasting, etc.

[0212] A non-limiting example of communication with in-vehicle equipment that the communication unit 22 can perform will be outlined below. In some embodiments, the communication unit 22 may communicate with in-vehicle equipment using wireless communication. For example, in some embodiments, the communication unit 22 may communicate with in-vehicle equipment wirelessly using wireless communication technology that enables digital bidirectional communication at a predetermined or higher communication speed. Non-limiting examples of wireless communication technologies include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, and WUSB (Wireless USB). Not limited to these, the communication unit 22 may also communicate with in-vehicle equipment using wired communication (in addition to or as an alternative to wireless communication). For example, in some embodiments, the communication unit 22 may communicate with in-vehicle equipment via wired communication through a cable connected to a connection terminal (not shown). In some embodiments, the communication unit 22 may communicate with in-vehicle equipment using wired communication technology that enables digital bidirectional communication at a predetermined or higher communication speed. Non-specific examples of wired communication technologies include USB (Universal Serial Bus), HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) (registered trademark), and MHL (Mobile High-definition Link).

[0213] Here, in-vehicle equipment refers to, for example, equipment located inside vehicle 1 that is not connected to the communication network 41. In-vehicle equipment is divided into equipment that constitutes the vehicle control system 11 and equipment that does not. Non-exclusive examples of in-vehicle equipment that does not constitute the vehicle control system 11 include mobile devices and wearable devices owned by users of vehicle 1 (e.g., the driver, passengers), and information equipment temporarily installed inside vehicle 1. These devices can, for example, be moved outside vehicle 1 and become external equipment.

[0214] The map information storage unit 23 stores maps acquired from external devices or external networks and / or maps created by the vehicle 1. For example, the map information storage unit 23 may store three-dimensional high-precision maps, global maps with lower precision than high-precision maps but covering a wide area, etc.

[0215] High-precision maps include, for example, dynamic maps, point cloud maps, and vector maps. A dynamic map may be a map consisting of four layers: dynamic information, semi-dynamic information, semi-static information, and static information, and may be provided to vehicle 1 from an external server or the like. A point cloud map may be a map composed of point clouds (point cloud data). A vector map may be a map adapted for automated driving by associating traffic information, such as the locations of lanes and traffic lights, with a point cloud map.

[0216] The point cloud map and vector map may be provided from, for example, an external server, or they may be created in the vehicle 1 as maps for matching with the local map described later, based on sensing results from the camera 51, radar 52, LiDAR 53, etc., and stored in the map information storage unit 23. In addition, if high-precision maps are provided from an external server, in order to reduce communication capacity, map data of, for example, several hundred meters square, relating to the planned route that the vehicle 1 will travel may be obtained from the external server.

[0217] The location information acquisition unit 24 acquires location information of the vehicle 1. The acquired location information may be supplied to the driving automation control unit 29. In some embodiments, the location information acquisition unit 24 may receive GNSS signals from GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) satellites. In some embodiments, the location information acquisition unit 24 may receive signals from beacons or the like.

[0218] The external recognition sensor 25 is equipped with various sensors used to recognize the external conditions of the vehicle 1, and supplies sensor data from one or more (or, in some cases, all) sensors to one or more (or, in some cases, all) units of the vehicle control system 11. The types and number of sensors equipped in the external recognition sensor 25 are arbitrary.

[0219] In some embodiments, the external recognition sensor 25 may include a camera 51, a radar 52, a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging, Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging) 53, and an ultrasonic sensor 54. However, the external recognition sensor 25 may also be configured to include one or more of the cameras 51, radar 52, LiDAR 53, and ultrasonic sensor 54. The number of cameras 51, radar 52, LiDAR 53, and ultrasonic sensor 54 is not particularly limited as long as it is a number that can be realistically installed in the vehicle 1. Furthermore, the types of sensors included in the external recognition sensor 25 are not limited to this example, and the external recognition sensor 25 may include other types of sensors. Examples of the sensing areas of each sensor included in the external recognition sensor 25 will be described later.

[0220] Camera 51 can use any suitable imaging method. In some embodiments, camera 51 may use an imaging method capable of distance measurement. Non-limiting examples of cameras using imaging methods capable of distance measurement include ToF (Time Of Flight) cameras, stereo cameras, monocular cameras, and infrared cameras. However, camera 51 may not be capable of distance measurement and may simply be used to acquire images.

[0221] In some embodiments, the external recognition sensor 25 may include environmental sensors for detecting characteristics of the environment around the vehicle 1. Non-limiting examples of detectable environmental characteristics include weather, climate, brightness, etc. In some embodiments, the environmental sensors may include various sensors such as raindrop sensors, fog sensors, sunshine sensors, snow sensors, and illuminance sensors.

[0222] In some embodiments, the external recognition sensor 25 may include a microphone used for detecting sounds around the vehicle 1 and the location of sound sources.

[0223] The in-vehicle sensor 26 is equipped with various sensors for detecting information inside the vehicle 1, and supplies sensor data from one or more (or, in some cases, all) sensors to one or more (or, in some cases, all) units of the vehicle control system 11. The types and number of sensors equipped in the in-vehicle sensor 26 are not particularly limited, as long as the types and number can realistically be installed in the vehicle 1.

[0224] In some embodiments, the in-vehicle sensor 26 may include one or more sensors from among a camera, radar, seat sensor, microphone, and biosensor. In some embodiments, the camera included in the in-vehicle sensor 26 may use a distance-measuring imaging method. Non-limiting examples of cameras using a distance-measuring imaging method include ToF cameras, stereo cameras, monocular cameras, and infrared cameras. However, the camera included in the in-vehicle sensor 26 may not be for distance measurement and may simply be for acquiring images. The biosensor included in the in-vehicle sensor 26 may be installed, for example, on the seat or steering wheel, and may detect various biometric information of the user.

[0225] The vehicle sensor 27 is equipped with various sensors for detecting the state of the vehicle 1 and supplies sensor data from one or more (or, in some cases, all) sensors to one or more (or, in some cases, all) units of the vehicle control system 11. The types and number of sensors equipped with the vehicle sensor 27 are not particularly limited, as long as they are of a type and number that can be realistically installed on the vehicle 1.

[0226] In some embodiments, the vehicle sensor 27 may include a speed sensor, an acceleration sensor, an angular velocity sensor (gyro sensor), and / or an inertial measurement unit (IMU) integrating them. In some embodiments, the vehicle sensor 27 may include a steering angle sensor for detecting the steering angle of the steering wheel, a yaw rate sensor, an accelerator sensor for detecting the amount of operation of the accelerator pedal (e.g., pedal force, pedal stroke), and / or a brake sensor for detecting the amount of operation of the brake pedal (e.g., pedal force, pedal stroke). In some embodiments, the vehicle sensor 27 may include a rotation sensor for detecting the rotational speed of the engine or motor, an air pressure sensor for detecting the air pressure of the tires, a slip ratio sensor for detecting the slip ratio of the tires, and / or a wheel speed sensor for detecting the rotational speed of the wheels. In some embodiments, the vehicle sensor 27 may include a battery sensor for detecting the remaining charge and temperature of the battery, and / or an impact sensor capable of detecting external impacts.

[0227] The storage unit 28 includes at least one of a non-volatile storage medium and a volatile storage medium, and stores data and programs. Non-limiting examples of storage mediums include magnetic storage devices such as EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), and / or HDD (Hard Disc Drive), semiconductor storage devices, optical storage devices, and magneto-optical storage devices. The storage unit 28 stores various programs and data used by one or more (or in some cases all) units of the vehicle control system 11. In some embodiments, the storage unit 28 may include an EDR (Event Data Recorder) and a DSSAD (Data Storage System for Automated Driving), and may store information about the vehicle 1 before and after an event such as an accident, and information acquired by the in-vehicle sensors 26.

[0228] The automated driving control unit 29 controls the automated driving functions of the vehicle 1. In some embodiments, the automated driving control unit 29 may also include an analysis unit 61, an action planning unit 62, and an operation control unit 63.

[0229] The analysis unit 61 performs analysis processing of the vehicle 1 and / or the surrounding conditions. The analysis unit 61 comprises a self-position estimation unit 71, a sensor fusion unit 72, and a recognition unit 73.

[0230] In some embodiments, the self-position estimation unit 71 may estimate the vehicle 1's position based on sensor data from an external recognition sensor 25 and a high-precision map stored in a map information storage unit 23. For example, the self-position estimation unit 71 may generate a local map based on sensor data from an external recognition sensor 25 and estimate the vehicle 1's position by matching the local map with a high-precision map. The position of the vehicle 1 may be based on, for example, the center of the rear wheel relative to the axle.

[0231] In some embodiments, the local map may be a three-dimensional high-precision map, an occupancy grid map, or the like, created using techniques such as SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping). The three-dimensional high-precision map may be, for example, the point cloud map described above. The occupancy grid map may be a map that divides the three-dimensional or two-dimensional space around the vehicle 1 into grids of a predetermined size and shows the occupancy status of objects on a grid-by-grid basis. The occupancy status of objects may be indicated, for example, by the presence or absence or probability of existence of an object. In some embodiments, the local map may also be used, for example, for detection and / or recognition processing of the external conditions of the vehicle 1 by the recognition unit 73.

[0232] In some embodiments, the self-position estimation unit 71 may estimate the self-position of the vehicle 1 based on position information acquired by the position information acquisition unit 24 and / or sensor data from the vehicle sensor 27.

[0233] The sensor fusion unit 72 performs sensor fusion processing to obtain information by combining multiple different types of sensor data (for example, image data supplied from the camera 51 and sensor data supplied from the radar 52). Methods for combining different types of sensor data are not limited to these, but include composite, integrated, fused, and combined methods.

[0234] The recognition unit 73 performs a detection process to detect the external conditions of the vehicle 1, and / or a recognition process to recognize the external conditions of the vehicle 1.

[0235] For example, the recognition unit 73 may perform detection and / or recognition processing of the external conditions of the vehicle 1 based on information from the external recognition sensor 25, information from the self-position estimation unit 71, information from the sensor fusion unit 72, etc.

[0236] Specifically, for example, the recognition unit 73 may perform detection and / or recognition processing of objects around the vehicle 1. Object detection processing may include, for example, detecting the presence, size, shape, position, and movement of an object. Object recognition processing may include, for example, recognizing attributes such as the type of object or identifying a specific object. Detection processing and recognition processing are not necessarily clearly separated, and at least some overlap may occur.

[0237] In some embodiments, the recognition unit 73 may detect objects around the vehicle 1 by performing clustering, which classifies the point cloud based on sensor data from the radar 52 and / or LiDAR 53 into clusters of point clouds. This allows for the detection of the presence, size, shape, and position of objects around the vehicle 1.

[0238] In some embodiments, the recognition unit 73 may detect the movement of objects around the vehicle 1 by tracking the movement of clusters of points classified by clustering. This allows for the detection of the velocity and / or direction of travel (movement vector) of objects around the vehicle 1.

[0239] In some embodiments, the recognition unit 73 may detect and / or recognize vehicles (including bicycles), people, obstacles, structures, roads, traffic lights, traffic signs, road markings, etc. based on the image data supplied from the camera 51. In some embodiments, the recognition unit 73 may recognize the types of objects around the vehicle 1 by performing recognition processing such as semantic segmentation.

[0240] In some embodiments, the recognition unit 73 may perform recognition processing of traffic rules around the vehicle 1 based on the map stored in the map information storage unit 23, the estimation result of the self-position by the self-position estimation unit 71, and / or the recognition result of the objects around the vehicle 1 by the recognition unit 73. By this processing, the recognition unit 73 may recognize the position and / or state of traffic lights, the content of traffic signs and / or road markings, the content of traffic regulations, and / or the lanes where driving is possible.

[0241] In some embodiments, the recognition unit 73 may perform recognition processing of the environment around the vehicle 1. In some embodiments, the recognition unit 73 may recognize features of the weather (temperature, humidity, brightness), and / or the state of the road surface, etc.

[0242] The action planning unit 62 creates an action plan for the vehicle 1. For example, the action planning unit 62 may create an action plan by performing route planning and route following.

[0243] In some embodiments, the route planning may include global path planning and local path planning. Global path planning may include processing for planning a rough route from the start to the goal. Local path planning, also called trajectory planning, may include generating a trajectory that enables the vehicle 1 to move safely and smoothly in the vicinity along the planned route, taking into account the motion characteristics of the vehicle 1 and the presence of any obstacles.

[0244] In some embodiments, path following may be to plan an operation for safely and accurately traveling along a path planned by a path plan within a planned time. The action planning unit 62 may calculate, for example, the target speed and / or the target angular velocity of the vehicle 1 based on the result of this path following process.

[0245] The motion control unit 63 controls the motion of the vehicle 1 in order to realize the action plan created by the action planning unit 62.

[0246] For example, in some embodiments, the motion control unit 63 controls the steering control unit 81, the brake control unit 82, and / or the drive control unit 83 included in the vehicle control unit 32 described later, so that the vehicle 1 travels along the trajectory calculated by the trajectory plan, and may perform lateral vehicle motion control and / or longitudinal vehicle motion control. For example, the motion control unit 63 may perform control for one or more driver assistance functions and / or driving automation (for example, lateral vehicle motion control, longitudinal vehicle motion control). Non-limiting examples of driver assistance functions include collision avoidance or shock mitigation, inter-vehicle distance control (for example, control to maintain a specific distance from a vehicle traveling in front of the vehicle 1), vehicle speed control (for example, control to maintain a specific speed), vehicle collision warning, and lane departure warning. Non-limiting examples of driving automation include traveling without the operation of a driver or a remote driver.

[0247] In some embodiments, the DMS 30 may perform driver authentication processing and / or recognition processing of the driver's state, etc., based on sensor data from the in-vehicle sensor 26 and / or input data input to the HMI 31 described later. Non-limiting examples of the driver's state that can be recognized include physical condition, arousal level, concentration level, fatigue level, line of sight direction, intoxication level, driving operation, posture, etc.

[0248] In some embodiments, the DMS30 may perform authentication processing for users other than the driver (e.g., passengers) and / or recognition processing for the status of such users. In some embodiments, the DMS30 may perform recognition processing for the internal conditions of the vehicle 1 based on sensor data from the in-vehicle sensors 26. Non-limiting examples of characteristics of the internal conditions of the vehicle 1 that may be recognized include temperature, humidity, brightness, odor, etc.

[0249] HMI31 receives various data and instructions as input and presents various data to the user.

[0250] A general overview of data input to the HMI31 is provided. The HMI31 is equipped with an input device for a person to input data, instructions, etc. Based on the data, instructions, etc., input by the input device, the HMI31 generates an input signal and supplies it to one or more (or, in some cases, all) units of the vehicle control system 11. In some embodiments, the HMI31 may be equipped with a touch panel, buttons, switches, and / or levers as input devices. Not limited to these, the HMI31 may be equipped with an input device that allows information to be input by methods other than manual operation, such as voice or gestures. In some embodiments, the HMI31 may be equipped with a remote control device using infrared and / or radio waves, or an external connection device that corresponds to the operation of the vehicle control system 11, as an input device. Non-limiting examples of external connection devices include mobile devices (e.g., smartphones) and wearable devices (e.g., smartwatches).

[0251] A brief explanation of data presentation by HMI31 is provided below. HMI31 generates visual, auditory, and / or tactile information for the user and / or people outside of vehicle 1. HMI31 may also perform output control to control the output, output content, output timing, and / or output method of each generated piece of information. Non-limited examples of visual information that can be generated and output by HMI31 include information shown by images and light, such as operation screens, vehicle 1 status displays, warning displays, and monitor images showing the surroundings of vehicle 1. Non-limited examples of auditory information that can be generated and output by HMI31 include voice guidance, warning sounds, and warning messages. Non-limited examples of tactile information that can be generated and output by HMI31 include information that is conveyed to the user's sense of touch through force, vibration, movement, etc.

[0252] In some embodiments, the HMI31 may include, as an output device capable of outputting visual information, a display device that presents visual information by displaying images itself, or a projector device that presents visual information by projecting images. In some embodiments, the display device may be a device that displays visual information within the user's field of view, such as a head-up display, a transparent display, or a wearable device with AR (Augmented Reality) functionality, in addition to or as an alternative to a normal display device. In some embodiments, the HMI31 may include, as an output device capable of outputting visual information, a display device provided in the vehicle 1, such as a navigation device, instrument panel, CMS (Camera Monitoring System), electronic mirror, lamp, etc.

[0253] In some embodiments, the HMI31 may include an audio speaker, headphones, or earphones as an output device capable of outputting auditory information.

[0254] In some embodiments, the HMI31 may include a haptic element using haptic technology as an output device capable of outputting tactile information. The haptic element may be provided, for example, on parts of the vehicle 1 that the user comes into contact with, such as the steering wheel or the seat.

[0255] The vehicle control unit 32 controls one or more (or, in some cases, all) units of the vehicle 1. The vehicle control unit 32 includes a steering control unit 81, a brake control unit 82, a drive control unit 83, a body system control unit 84, a light control unit 85, and a horn control unit 86.

[0256] The steering control unit 81 detects and / or controls the state of the steering system of the vehicle 1. The steering system includes, for example, a steering mechanism with a steering wheel, an electric power steering system, etc. The steering control unit 81 includes, for example, a steering ECU that controls the steering system, an actuator that drives the steering system, etc.

[0257] The brake control unit 82 detects and / or controls the state of the brake system of the vehicle 1. The brake system includes, for example, a brake mechanism including a brake pedal, an ABS (Antilock Brake System), a regenerative braking mechanism, etc. The brake control unit 82 includes, for example, a brake ECU that controls the brake system, an actuator that drives the brake system, etc.

[0258] The drive control unit 83 detects and / or controls the state of the vehicle 1's drive system. The drive system includes, for example, an accelerator pedal, a drive force generating device for generating driving force such as an internal combustion engine or drive motor, and a drive force transmission mechanism for transmitting driving force to the wheels. The drive control unit 83 also includes, for example, a drive ECU for controlling the drive system and actuators for driving the drive system.

[0259] The body system control unit 84 detects and / or controls the state of the body system of the vehicle 1. The body system includes, for example, a keyless entry system, a smart key system, power window devices, power seats, an air conditioning system, airbags, seat belts, a shift lever, etc. The body system control unit 84 also includes, for example, a body system ECU that controls the body system, actuators that drive the body system, etc.

[0260] The light control unit 85 detects and / or controls the state of various lights on the vehicle 1. Non-exclusive examples of lights that can be controlled by the light control unit 85 include headlights, taillights, fog lights, turn signals, brake lights, projector lights, bumper indicators, etc. The light control unit 85 includes a light ECU for controlling the lights, actuators for driving the lights, etc.

[0261] The horn control unit 86 detects and / or controls the state of the car horn of the vehicle 1. The horn control unit 86 includes, for example, a horn ECU for controlling the car horn, an actuator for driving the car horn, and the like.

[0262] Figure 18 shows an example of the sensing area of ​​the external recognition sensor 25 in Figure 17, including the camera 51, radar 52, LiDAR 53, and ultrasonic sensor 54. In Figure 18, a schematic view of the vehicle 1 from above is shown.

[0263] Sensing regions 101F and 101B show examples of sensing regions for ultrasonic sensors 54. Sensing region 101F (for example, the sensing region of multiple ultrasonic sensors 54) covers the area around the front end of vehicle 1. Sensing region 101B (for example, the sensing region of multiple ultrasonic sensors 54) covers the area around the rear end of vehicle 1.

[0264] The sensing results in sensing region 101F and / or sensing region 101B may be used, for example, for parking assistance of vehicle 1.

[0265] The sensing regions 102F, 102B, 102L, and 102R illustrate examples of the sensing regions of the radar 52 for short or medium distances. The sensing region 102F covers a position farther than the sensing region 101F in front of the vehicle 1. The sensing region 102B covers a position farther than the sensing region 101B behind the vehicle 1. The sensing region 102L covers the periphery behind the left side of the vehicle 1. The sensing region 102R covers the periphery behind the right side of the vehicle 1.

[0266] The sensing result in the sensing region 102F may be used, for example, for detecting vehicles, pedestrians, etc. existing in front of the vehicle 1. The sensing result in the sensing region 102B may be used, for example, for a collision prevention function behind the vehicle 1. The sensing result in the sensing region 102L and / or the sensing region 102R may be used, for example, for detecting one or more objects in the blind spots on the left side and / or the right side of the vehicle 1.

[0267] The sensing regions 103F, 103B, 103L, and 103R illustrate examples of the sensing regions by the camera 51. The sensing region 103F covers a position farther than the sensing region 102F in front of the vehicle 1. The sensing region 103B covers a position farther than the sensing region 102B behind the vehicle 1. The sensing region 103L covers the periphery on the left side of the vehicle 1. The sensing region 103R covers the periphery on the right side of the vehicle 1.

[0268] The sensing results in sensing region 103F may be used, for example, for recognition of traffic lights and traffic signs, lane departure prevention support systems, and automatic headlight control systems. The sensing results in sensing region 103B may be used, for example, for parking assistance and / or surround view systems. The sensing results in sensing region 103L and / or sensing region 103R may be used, for example, for surround view systems.

[0269] Sensing area 104 shows an example of the sensing area of ​​LiDAR 53. Sensing area 104 covers a position further in front of vehicle 1 than sensing area 103F. On the other hand, sensing area 104 has a narrower range in the left-right direction of vehicle 1 than sensing area 103F.

[0270] The sensing results in the sensing region 104 may be used, for example, to detect objects such as surrounding vehicles.

[0271] Sensing area 105 shows an example of the sensing area of ​​the long-range radar 52. Sensing area 105 covers a position further in front of vehicle 1 than sensing area 104. On the other hand, sensing area 105 has a narrower range in the lateral direction of vehicle 1 than sensing area 104.

[0272] The sensing results in the sensing area 105 may be used, for example, for ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control), emergency braking, collision avoidance, etc.

[0273] In some embodiments, the sensing areas of each sensor of the external recognition sensor 25 (e.g., camera 51, radar 52, LiDAR 53, ultrasonic sensor 54) may take various configurations other than those shown in Figure 2. Specifically, in some embodiments, the ultrasonic sensor 54 may also sense the sides of the vehicle 1, and the LiDAR 53 may also sense the rear of the vehicle 1. Furthermore, the installation positions of each sensor are not limited to the examples described above. Also, there may be one or more sensors.

[0274] The communication unit 22 may be equipped with the antenna device of this embodiment (for example, the antenna device 120). Alternatively, the communication unit 22 may be connected to the antenna device of this embodiment. The external recognition sensor 25 (for example, at least one of radar 52, LiDAR 53, and ultrasonic sensor 54) may be equipped with the antenna device of this embodiment. Alternatively, the external recognition sensor 25 may be connected to the antenna device of this embodiment. The in-vehicle sensor 26 (for example, radar) may be equipped with the antenna device of this embodiment. Alternatively, the in-vehicle sensor 26 may be connected to the antenna device of this embodiment.

[0275] Each of these units / sections may comprise multiple antenna devices of this embodiment. Alternatively, each of these units / sections may be connected to multiple antenna devices of this embodiment. For example, each of these units / sections may comprise the first antenna device and the second antenna device described above. Alternatively, each of these units / sections may be connected to the first antenna device and the second antenna device described above.

[0276] <4-2. Application Example 2> Next, we will describe other examples of mobile control systems to which the technology described herein may be applied.

[0277] Figure 19 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration example of a vehicle control system 7000, which is an example of a mobile control system to which the technology described herein can be applied. The vehicle control system 7000 comprises a plurality of electronic control units connected via a communication network 7010. In the example shown in Figure 19, the vehicle control system 7000 comprises a drive system control unit 7100, a body system control unit 7200, a battery control unit 7300, an external information detection unit 7400, an internal information detection unit 7500, and an integrated control unit 7600. The communication network 7010 connecting these plurality of control units may be an in-vehicle communication network conforming to any standard such as CAN (Controller Area Network), LIN (Local Interconnect Network), LAN (Local Area Network), or FlexRay®.

[0278] Each control unit comprises a microcomputer that performs calculations according to various programs, a storage unit that stores programs executed by the microcomputer or parameters used in various calculations, and a drive circuit that drives various controlled devices. Each control unit is equipped with a network interface for communication with other control units via the communication network 7010, and a communication interface for communication with devices or sensors inside or outside the vehicle via wired or wireless communication. Figure 19 illustrates the functional configuration of the integrated control unit 7600, which includes a microcomputer 7610, a general-purpose communication interface 7620, a dedicated communication interface 7630, a positioning unit 7640, a beacon receiver 7650, an in-vehicle equipment interface 7660, an audio / image output unit 7670, an in-vehicle network interface 7680, and a storage unit 7690. Other control units similarly include a microcomputer, a communication interface, and a storage unit.

[0279] The drivetrain control unit 7100 controls the operation of devices related to the vehicle's drivetrain according to various programs. For example, the drivetrain control unit 7100 functions as a control device for generating driving force for the vehicle, such as an internal combustion engine or a drive motor; a driving force transmission mechanism for transmitting driving force to the wheels; a steering mechanism for adjusting the steering angle of the vehicle; and a braking device for generating braking force for the vehicle. The drivetrain control unit 7100 may also function as a control device such as ABS (Antilock Brake System) or ESC (Electronic Stability Control).

[0280] A vehicle state detection unit 7110 is connected to the drivetrain control unit 7100. The vehicle state detection unit 7110 includes, for example, a gyro sensor for detecting the angular velocity of the vehicle's axial rotational motion, an acceleration sensor for detecting the vehicle's acceleration, or at least one of the sensors for detecting the amount of operation of the accelerator pedal, the amount of operation of the brake pedal, the steering angle of the steering wheel, the engine speed, or the rotational speed of the wheels. The drivetrain control unit 7100 performs calculations using signals input from the vehicle state detection unit 7110 and controls the internal combustion engine, drive motor, electric power steering system, brake system, etc.

[0281] The body system control unit 7200 controls the operation of various devices mounted on the vehicle body according to various programs. For example, the body system control unit 7200 functions as a control device for a keyless entry system, a smart key system, a power window system, or various lamps such as headlights, reverse lights, brake lights, turn signals, or fog lights. In this case, the body system control unit 7200 may receive radio waves transmitted from a portable device that replaces a key or signals from various switches. The body system control unit 7200 receives these radio waves or signals and controls the vehicle's door lock system, power window system, lamps, etc.

[0282] The battery control unit 7300 controls the secondary battery 7310, which is the power source for the drive motor, according to various programs. For example, the battery control unit 7300 receives information such as battery temperature, battery output voltage, or remaining battery capacity from the battery device equipped with the secondary battery 7310. The battery control unit 7300 uses these signals to perform calculations and controls the temperature of the secondary battery 7310 or the cooling device provided in the battery device.

[0283] The external information detection unit 7400 detects information from outside the vehicle equipped with the vehicle control system 7000. For example, at least one of the imaging unit 7410 and the external information detection unit 7420 is connected to the external information detection unit 7400. The imaging unit 7410 includes at least one of the following: a ToF (Time Of Flight) camera, a stereo camera, a monocular camera, an infrared camera, and other cameras. The external information detection unit 7420 includes at least one of the following: an environmental sensor for detecting the current weather or climate, or an ambient information detection sensor for detecting other vehicles, obstacles, or pedestrians around the vehicle equipped with the vehicle control system 7000.

[0284] The environmental sensor may be at least one of the following: a raindrop sensor for detecting rain, a fog sensor for detecting fog, a sunshine sensor for detecting the degree of sunlight, and a snow sensor for detecting snowfall. The ambient information detection sensor may be at least one of the following: an ultrasonic sensor, a radar device, and a LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging, Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging) device. These imaging unit 7410 and external information detection unit 7420 may be provided as independent sensors or devices, or as a device in which multiple sensors or devices are integrated.

[0285] Here, Figure 20 shows examples of the installation locations of the imaging unit 7410 and the external information detection unit 7420. The imaging units 7910, 7912, 7914, 7916, and 7918 are installed, for example, at least one of the following locations on the vehicle 7900: the front nose, side mirrors, rear bumper, back door, and the upper part of the windshield inside the passenger compartment. The imaging unit 7910 installed on the front nose and the imaging unit 7918 installed on the upper part of the windshield inside the passenger compartment mainly acquire images of the front of the vehicle 7900. The imaging units 7912 and 7914 installed on the side mirrors mainly acquire images of the sides of the vehicle 7900. The imaging unit 7916 installed on the rear bumper or back door mainly acquires images of the rear of the vehicle 7900. The imaging unit 7918 installed on the upper part of the windshield inside the passenger compartment is mainly used for detecting preceding vehicles, pedestrians, obstacles, traffic lights, traffic signs, or lanes.

[0286] Figure 20 shows an example of the imaging range of each imaging unit 7910, 7912, 7914, and 7916. Imaging range a shows the imaging range of imaging unit 7910 located on the front nose, imaging ranges b and c show the imaging ranges of imaging units 7912 and 7914 located on the side mirrors, respectively, and imaging range d shows the imaging range of imaging unit 7916 located on the rear bumper or back door. For example, by superimposing the image data captured by imaging units 7910, 7912, 7914, and 7916, an overhead view image of the vehicle 7900 can be obtained.

[0287] The external information detection units 7920, 7922, 7924, 7926, 7928, and 7930, which are installed on the front, rear, sides, corners, and the upper part of the windshield inside the vehicle 7900, may be, for example, ultrasonic sensors or radar devices. The external information detection units 7920, 7926, and 7930, which are installed on the front nose, rear bumper, back door, and the upper part of the windshield inside the vehicle 7900, may be, for example, LIDAR devices. These external information detection units 7920 to 7930 are mainly used to detect preceding vehicles, pedestrians, or obstacles.

[0288] Returning to Figure 19, the explanation continues. The external information detection unit 7400 causes the imaging unit 7410 to capture images of the area outside the vehicle and receives the captured image data. The external information detection unit 7400 also receives detection information from the connected external information detection unit 7420. If the external information detection unit 7420 is an ultrasonic sensor, radar device, or LIDAR device, the external information detection unit 7400 emits ultrasonic waves or electromagnetic waves and receives information on the received reflected waves. Based on the received information, the external information detection unit 7400 may perform object detection processing such as detecting people, vehicles, obstacles, signs, or characters on the road surface, or distance detection processing. Based on the received information, the external information detection unit 7400 may perform environmental recognition processing to recognize rainfall, fog, or road surface conditions. Based on the received information, the external information detection unit 7400 may calculate the distance to an object outside the vehicle.

[0289] Furthermore, the external information detection unit 7400 may perform image recognition processing or distance detection processing to recognize people, vehicles, obstacles, signs, or characters on the road surface based on the received image data. The external information detection unit 7400 may perform distortion correction or alignment processing on the received image data, and may also synthesize image data captured by different imaging units 7410 to generate an overhead view image or a panoramic image. The external information detection unit 7400 may also perform viewpoint transformation processing using image data captured by different imaging units 7410.

[0290] The in-vehicle information detection unit 7500 detects information inside the vehicle. The in-vehicle information detection unit 7500 is connected to, for example, a driver status detection unit 7510 that detects the driver's state. The driver status detection unit 7510 may include a camera that images the driver, a biosensor that detects the driver's biometric information, or a microphone that collects sounds inside the vehicle. The biosensor is installed, for example, on the seat or steering wheel and detects the biometric information of a passenger sitting in the seat or a driver holding the steering wheel. Based on the detection information input from the driver status detection unit 7510, the in-vehicle information detection unit 7500 may calculate the driver's level of fatigue or concentration, or determine whether the driver is dozing off. The in-vehicle information detection unit 7500 may perform processing such as noise cancellation on the collected audio signals.

[0291] The integrated control unit 7600 controls the overall operation of the vehicle control system 7000 according to various programs. An input unit 7800 is connected to the integrated control unit 7600. The input unit 7800 is implemented by a device that can be operated by the passenger, such as a touch panel, buttons, a microphone, a switch, or a lever. The integrated control unit 7600 may also receive data obtained by voice recognition of voice input from the microphone. The input unit 7800 may be a remote control device using infrared or other radio waves, or an external device such as a mobile phone or PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) that is compatible with the operation of the vehicle control system 7000. The input unit 7800 may be a camera, in which case the passenger can input information by gesture. Alternatively, data obtained by detecting the movement of a wearable device worn by the passenger may be input. Furthermore, the input unit 7800 may include, for example, an input control circuit that generates an input signal based on the information input by the passenger using the above input unit 7800 and outputs it to the integrated control unit 7600. Passengers and others can input various data or instruct the vehicle control system 7000 to perform processing operations by operating this input unit 7800.

[0292] The memory unit 7690 may include a ROM (Read Only Memory) for storing various programs executed by a microcomputer, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) for storing various parameters, calculation results, or sensor values. The memory unit 7690 may also be implemented using a magnetic storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), a semiconductor storage device, an optical storage device, or a magneto-optical storage device.

[0293] The general-purpose communication interface 7620 is a general-purpose communication interface that mediates communication between the vehicle and various devices present in the external environment 7750. The general-purpose communication interface 7620 may implement cellular communication protocols such as GSM (Global System of Mobile communications), WiMAX (registered trademark), LTE (registered trademark) (Long Term Evolution), or LTE-A (LTE-Advanced), or other wireless communication protocols such as wireless LAN (also known as Wi-Fi (registered trademark)) or Bluetooth (registered trademark). The general-purpose communication interface 7620 may connect to devices (e.g., application servers or control servers) located on an external network (e.g., the Internet, a cloud network, or a carrier-specific network) via, for example, a base station or access point. The general-purpose communication interface 7620 may also connect to terminals located near the vehicle (e.g., terminals for drivers, pedestrians, or shops, or MTC (Machine Type Communication) terminals) using, for example, P2P (Peer To Peer) technology.

[0294] The Dedicated Communication I / F 7630 is a communication interface that supports communication protocols developed for use in vehicles. The Dedicated Communication I / F 7630 may implement standard protocols such as WAVE (Wireless Access in Vehicle Environment), DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communications), or cellular communication protocols, which are combinations of lower-layer IEEE 802.11p and upper-layer IEEE 1609. The Dedicated Communication I / F 7630 typically performs V2X communication, a concept that includes one or more of the following: vehicle-to-vehicle communication, vehicle-to-infrastructure communication, vehicle-to-home communication, and vehicle-to-pedestrian communication.

[0295] The positioning unit 7640 performs positioning by receiving GNSS signals from GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) satellites (for example, GPS signals from GPS (Global Positioning System) satellites) and generates location information including the vehicle's latitude, longitude, and altitude. The positioning unit 7640 may also determine its current location by exchanging signals with a wireless access point, or it may acquire location information from a terminal such as a mobile phone, PHS, or smartphone that has a positioning function.

[0296] The beacon receiver 7650 receives radio waves or electromagnetic waves transmitted from, for example, a radio station installed on a road, and obtains information such as the current location, traffic congestion, road closures, or travel time. The functions of the beacon receiver 7650 may also be included in the dedicated communication interface 7630 described above.

[0297] The In-Vehicle Equipment I / F 7660 is a communication interface that mediates connections between the microcomputer 7610 and various in-vehicle equipment 7760 located inside the vehicle. The In-Vehicle Equipment I / F 7660 may establish a wireless connection using wireless communication protocols such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth®, NFC (Near Field Communication), or WUSB (Wireless USB). Furthermore, the in-vehicle equipment I / F 7660 may establish a wired connection such as USB (Universal Serial Bus), HDMI (Registered Trademark) (High-Definition Multimedia Interface), or MHL (Mobile High-Definition Link) via connection terminals (and, if necessary, cables) not shown. The in-vehicle equipment 7760 may include, for example, at least one of the following: a mobile device or wearable device owned by a passenger, or an information device brought into or installed in the vehicle. The in-vehicle equipment 7760 may also include a navigation device that performs route searching to any destination. The in-vehicle equipment I / F 7660 exchanges control signals or data signals with these in-vehicle equipment 7760s.

[0298] The in-vehicle network interface 7680 is an interface that mediates communication between the microcomputer 7610 and the communication network 7010. The in-vehicle network interface 7680 transmits and receives signals and other data in accordance with a predetermined protocol supported by the communication network 7010.

[0299] The microcomputer 7610 of the integrated control unit 7600 controls the vehicle control system 7000 according to various programs based on information acquired via at least one of the general-purpose communication I / F 7620, dedicated communication I / F 7630, positioning unit 7640, beacon receiver 7650, in-vehicle equipment I / F 7660, and in-vehicle network I / F 7680. For example, the microcomputer 7610 may calculate control target values ​​for the drive force generator, steering mechanism, or braking device based on acquired in-vehicle and out-of-vehicle information and output control commands to the drive system control unit 7100. For example, the microcomputer 7610 may perform coordinated control aimed at realizing ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) functions, including vehicle collision avoidance or impact mitigation, following driving based on distance between vehicles, maintaining vehicle speed, vehicle collision warning, or vehicle lane departure warning. Furthermore, the microcomputer 7610 may perform cooperative control for purposes such as autonomous driving, where the vehicle drives autonomously without driver intervention, by controlling the drive force generating device, steering mechanism, or braking device, etc., based on the acquired information about the vehicle's surroundings.

[0300] The microcomputer 7610 may generate three-dimensional distance information between the vehicle and surrounding structures, people, and other objects based on information acquired via at least one of the general-purpose communication I / F 7620, dedicated communication I / F 7630, positioning unit 7640, beacon receiver 7650, in-vehicle equipment I / F 7660, and in-vehicle network I / F 7680, and create local map information including surrounding information of the vehicle's current location. Furthermore, the microcomputer 7610 may predict dangers such as vehicle collision, proximity of pedestrians, or entry into a closed road based on the acquired information, and generate a warning signal. The warning signal may, for example, be a signal to generate a warning sound or illuminate a warning lamp.

[0301] The audio-image output unit 7670 transmits at least one of audio and image output signals to an output device capable of visually or audibly notifying the vehicle's occupants or those outside the vehicle. In the example in Figure 19, the output devices are exemplified as an audio speaker 7710, a display unit 7720, and an instrument panel 7730. The display unit 7720 may include, for example, at least one of an onboard display and a head-up display. The display unit 7720 may also have an AR (Augmented Reality) display function. The output device may be other devices besides these, such as headphones, wearable devices such as glasses-type displays worn by occupants, projectors, or lamps. If the output device is a display device, the display device visually displays the results obtained from various processes performed by the microcomputer 7610 or information received from other control units in various formats such as text, images, tables, and graphs. If the output device is an audio output device, the audio output device converts the audio signal, consisting of reproduced audio data or sound data, into an analog signal and outputs it audibly.

[0302] In the example shown in Figure 19, at least two control units connected via the communication network 7010 may be integrated into a single control unit. Alternatively, each control unit may be composed of multiple control units. Furthermore, the vehicle control system 7000 may include other control units not shown. Also, in the above description, some or all of the functions performed by one control unit may be assigned to other control units. In other words, as long as information is transmitted and received via the communication network 7010, predetermined calculation processing may be performed by any of the control units. Similarly, a sensor or device connected to one control unit may be connected to another control unit, and multiple control units may transmit and receive detection information to each other via the communication network 7010.

[0303] The general-purpose communication I / F 7620 may be equipped with the antenna device of this embodiment (for example, antenna device 1200). Alternatively, the general-purpose communication I / F 7620 may be connected to the antenna device of this embodiment. The dedicated communication I / F 7630 may be equipped with the antenna device of this embodiment. Alternatively, the dedicated communication I / F 7630 may be connected to the antenna device of this embodiment. The positioning unit 7640 may be equipped with the antenna device of this embodiment. Alternatively, the positioning unit 7640 may be connected to the antenna device of this embodiment. The beacon receiving unit 7650 may be equipped with the antenna device of this embodiment. Alternatively, the beacon receiving unit 7650 may be connected to the antenna device of this embodiment. The in-vehicle equipment I / F 7660 may be equipped with the antenna device of this embodiment. Alternatively, the in-vehicle equipment I / F 7660 may be connected to the antenna device of this embodiment. The in-vehicle network I / F 7680 may be equipped with the antenna device of this embodiment. Alternatively, the in-vehicle network interface 7680 may be connected to the antenna device of this embodiment. The input unit 7800 may be equipped with the antenna device of this embodiment. Alternatively, the input unit 7800 may be connected to the antenna device of this embodiment.

[0304] Each of these units / sections / interfaces may comprise multiple antenna devices of this embodiment. Alternatively, each of these units / sections may be connected to multiple antenna devices of this embodiment. For example, each of these units / sections / interfaces may comprise the first antenna device and the second antenna device described above. Alternatively, each of these units / sections / interfaces may be connected to the first antenna device and the second antenna device described above.

[0305] <<5. Summary>> The antenna device 120 of this embodiment is an in-vehicle antenna device comprising a feed antenna 121 (feed element 121) and a passive antenna 122 (passive antenna 122). One end of the feed antenna 121 is electrically connected to the feed unit F1. The other end (end 121a) of the feed antenna 121 is in close proximity to one end (end 122a) of the passive antenna 122 without contact. For example, as shown in Figures 5A to 9, the end 121a of the feed antenna 121 is installed adjacent (close) to the end 122a of the passive antenna 122, with a gap in between.

[0306] This makes it possible to provide a compact (space-saving) antenna device (multiband antenna) with high antenna performance (e.g., high antenna radiation efficiency). It also reduces interference to nearby antennas.

[0307] The feeding antenna 121 and the unfed antenna 122 may be arranged such that the end 121a of the feeding antenna 121 and the end 122a of the unfed antenna 122 are parallel to each other.

[0308] This allows for efficient capacitive coupling between the end 121a of the feeder antenna 121 and the end 122a of the unfeedered antenna 122.

[0309] Between the feeding antenna 121 and the unfed antenna 122, an object that acts as an electromagnetic shield or weakens electromagnetic influence may be provided so that capacitive coupling does not occur in parts other than the capacitively coupled parts.

[0310] This makes it possible to obtain the desired antenna performance (for example, high antenna radiation efficiency).

[0311] One of the feeding antenna 121 and the unfed antenna 122 may be a linear antenna located in a predetermined plane. The other of the feeding antenna 121 and the unfed antenna 122 may be a three-dimensional antenna in which at least a part is located in a space different from this plane. The object (an object that acts as an electromagnetic shield or weakens electromagnetic influence) may be an auxiliary member for fixing the three-dimensional antenna.

[0312] This allows the antenna to be securely fixed while achieving the desired antenna performance (e.g., high antenna radiation efficiency).

[0313] At least one of the unpowered antenna 122 and the powered antenna 121 is a linear antenna or a plate antenna.

[0314] This makes it possible to obtain the desired antenna performance (for example, high antenna radiation efficiency).

[0315] One of the passive antenna 122 and the fed antenna 121 may be a linear antenna located in a predetermined plane. The other of the passive antenna 122 and the fed antenna 121 may be a three-dimensional antenna in which at least a part is located in a space different from this plane.

[0316] This allows the antenna device 120 to be made smaller.

[0317] At least one of the unpowered antenna 122 and the powered antenna 121 may be an antenna in which the antenna path is bent one or more times.

[0318] This allows the antenna device 120 to be made smaller.

[0319] At least one of the unpowered antenna 122 and the powered antenna 121 may be a meander line antenna.

[0320] This allows the antenna device 120 to be made smaller.

[0321] The distance d1 between the end 121a of the feeder antenna 121 and the end 122a of the unfeedered antenna 122 may be 3 mm or less. Alternatively, the distance d1 between the end 121a of the feeder antenna 121 and the end 122a of the unfeedered antenna 122 may be 1 mm or less.

[0322] This makes it possible to obtain the desired antenna performance (for example, high antenna radiation efficiency).

[0323] The capacitive coupling distance between the end 121a of the feed antenna 121 and the end 122a of the unfed antenna 122 may be 10 mm or less. Alternatively, the capacitive coupling distance between the end 121a of the feed antenna 121 and the end 122a of the unfed antenna 122 may be 5 mm or less.

[0324] This makes it possible to obtain the desired antenna performance (for example, high antenna radiation efficiency).

[0325] The feeding antenna 121 may be an antenna whose resonant frequency is the first frequency. The unfed antenna 122 may be an antenna whose resonant frequency is a second frequency different from the first frequency.

[0326] This makes it possible to provide a compact, high-performance multiband antenna.

[0327] Both the unpowered antenna 122 and the powered antenna 121 are GNSS antennas.

[0328] This makes it possible to provide a compact GNSS antenna with high antenna performance.

[0329] One of the unpowered antenna 122 and the powered antenna 121 may be a GNSS antenna compatible with the L1 band. The other of the unpowered antenna 122 and the powered antenna 121 is a GNSS antenna compatible with the L5 band.

[0330] This makes it possible to provide a dual-resonance multiband antenna that supports GNSS L1 and L5 bands.

[0331] At least one of the passive antenna 122 and the fed antenna 121 may be equipped with a matching element for adjusting the electrical length.

[0332] This makes it easier to manufacture and maintain the antenna device 120.

[0333] The communication device of this embodiment (for example, terminal device 100) is an in-vehicle communication device comprising a first antenna device and a second antenna device having a resonant frequency different from the resonant frequency corresponding to the first antenna device. Here, the first antenna device may be the antenna device 120 of this embodiment.

[0334] By using the antenna device of this embodiment as the first antenna device, interference between antenna devices can be reduced.

[0335] The parasitic antenna 122 and the fed antenna 121 constituting the first antenna device may both be GNSS antennas. The second antenna device may include at least a cellular antenna.

[0336] Because there is less interference between the GNSS antenna and the cellular antenna, communication devices can achieve high positioning performance and high communication performance.

[0337] The in-vehicle communication device may be a telematics control unit or a telematics box.

[0338] We can provide a compact telematics control unit or telematics box with high antenna performance.

[0339] Although the embodiments of this disclosure have been described above, the technical scope of this disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible without departing from the gist of this disclosure. Furthermore, components from different embodiments and modifications may be combined as appropriate.

[0340] Furthermore, the effects described in each embodiment of this specification are merely illustrative and not limiting, and other effects may also occur.

[0341] Furthermore, this technology can also be configured as follows. (1) A powerless element, A power supply element having one end electrically connected to the power supply unit and the other end adjacent to the end of the unpowered element without contact, A vehicle-mounted antenna device equipped with [a specific feature]. (2) The power supply element and the non-power supply element are arranged such that the other end of the power supply element and the end of the non-power supply element are parallel to each other. The vehicle-mounted antenna device described in (1) above. (3) The other end of the power supply element and the end of the non-power supply element are capacitively coupled by being in close proximity without contact. Between the power supply element and the non-power supply element, an object is provided that acts as an electromagnetic shield or weakens electromagnetic influence so that the portion other than the capacitively coupled portion does not become capacitively coupled. The vehicle-mounted antenna device described in (1) or (2) above. (4) One of the feeding element and the unfeeding element is a linear antenna located in a predetermined plane. The other of the power supply element and the powerless element is a three-dimensional antenna in which at least a part of it is located in a space different from the predetermined plane. The object is an auxiliary member for fixing the three-dimensional antenna. The vehicle-mounted antenna device described in (3) above. (5) At least one of the unpowered element and the powered element is a linear antenna or a plate antenna. An in-vehicle antenna device as described in any one of (1) to (4) above. (6) One of the feeding element and the unfeeding element is a linear antenna located in a predetermined plane. The other of the power-feeding element and the power-free element is a three-dimensional antenna in which at least a part of it is located in a space different from the predetermined plane. An in-vehicle antenna device as described in any one of (1) to (5) above. (7) At least one of the unpowered element and the powered element is an antenna in which the antenna path is bent once or more. An in-vehicle antenna device as described in any one of (1) to (6) above. (8) At least one of the unpowered element and the powered element is a meander line antenna. An in-vehicle antenna device as described in any one of (1) to (7) above. (9) The distance between the other end of the power supply element and the end of the non-power supply element is 3 mm or less. An in-vehicle antenna device as described in any one of (1) to (8) above. (10) The distance between the other end of the power supply element and the end of the non-power supply element is 1 mm or less. The vehicle-mounted antenna device described in (9) above. (11) The other end of the power supply element and the end of the non-power supply element are capacitively coupled by being in close proximity without contact. The capacitive coupling distance between the other end of the power supply element and the end of the non-power supply element is 10 mm or less. An in-vehicle antenna device as described in any one of (1) to (10) above. (12) The capacitive coupling distance between the other end of the power supply element and the end of the non-power supply element is 5 mm or less. The vehicle-mounted antenna device described in (11) above. (13) The aforementioned power supply element is an antenna whose resonant frequency is the first frequency, The aforementioned powerless element is an antenna whose resonant frequency is a second frequency different from the first frequency. An in-vehicle antenna device as described in any one of (1) to (12) above. (14) Both the unpowered element and the powered element are GNSS antennas. An in-vehicle antenna device as described in any one of the above (1) to (13). (15) One of the feeding element and the unfed element is a GNSS antenna corresponding to the L1 band. The other of the feeding element and the unfeeded element is a GNSS antenna compatible with the L5 band. The vehicle-mounted antenna device described in (14) above. (16) At least one of the unpowered element and the powered element is equipped with a matching element for adjusting the electrical length. An in-vehicle antenna device as described in any one of (1) to (15) above. (17) A powerless element, A power supply element having one end electrically connected to the power supply unit and the other end adjacent to the end of the unpowered element without contact, An in-vehicle communication device equipped with [a specific feature]. (18) A first antenna device comprising the aforementioned powerless element and the aforementioned power supply element, The system comprises a second antenna device having a resonant frequency different from the resonant frequency of the first antenna device, The in-vehicle communication device described in (17) above. (19) The parasitic element and the powered element constituting the first antenna device are both GNSS antennas. The second antenna device comprises at least a cellular antenna, The in-vehicle communication device described in (18) above. (20) The in-vehicle communication device is a telematics control unit or a telematics box. An in-vehicle communication device as described in any one of (17) to (19) above.

[0342] Furthermore, this technology can also be configured as follows. (A1) It consists of a powered antenna and a non-powered antenna. One of the ends of the aforementioned power supply antenna is electrically connected to the power supply unit. The other end of the aforementioned power-feeding antenna is installed adjacent to the end of the aforementioned non-powered antenna, with a gap in between. Antenna device. (A2) The other end of the aforementioned power-feeding antenna is installed parallel to and adjacent to the end of the aforementioned non-powered antenna, with a space between them. The antenna device described in (A1). (A3) In the aforementioned separation section, the separation distance between the powered antenna and the unpowered antenna is 3 mm or less. The antenna device described in (A1) or (A2). (A4) In the aforementioned separation section, the separation distance between the powered antenna and the unpowered antenna is 1 mm or less. The antenna device described in (A3). (A5) At least one of the aforementioned feeding antenna and the aforementioned unfed antenna is a meander line antenna. An antenna device as described in any one of (A1) to (A4). (A6) In the aforementioned separation section, the capacitive coupling distance between the feeding antenna and the passive antenna is 10 mm or less. An antenna device as described in any one of (A1) to (A5). (A7) In the aforementioned separated section, the capacitive coupling distance between the feeding antenna and the passive antenna is 5 mm or less. The antenna device described in (A6). (A8) The aforementioned antenna device is a vehicle-mounted antenna device. An antenna device as described in any one of (A1) to (A7). [Explanation of Symbols]

[0343] 100 terminal devices 200 base stations 110,210 Signal Processing Unit 120,220 Antenna equipment 130,230 storage section 140,240 Control Unit 121 Power supply antenna 122 Unpowered antenna 121a,122a end 123 Matching element d1 Separation distance d2 capacitive coupling distance F1 Power Supply Unit

Claims

1. A powerless element, A power supply element having one end electrically connected to the power supply unit and the other end adjacent to the end of the unpowered element without contact, A vehicle-mounted antenna device equipped with [a specific feature].

2. The power supply element and the non-power supply element are arranged such that the other end of the power supply element and the end of the non-power supply element are parallel to each other. The vehicle-mounted antenna device according to claim 1.

3. The other end of the power supply element and the end of the non-power supply element are capacitively coupled by being in close proximity without contact. Between the power supply element and the non-power supply element, an object is provided that acts as an electromagnetic shield or weakens electromagnetic influence so that the portion other than the capacitively coupled portion does not become capacitively coupled. The vehicle-mounted antenna device according to claim 1.

4. One of the feeding element and the unfeeding element is a linear antenna located in a predetermined plane. The other of the power supply element and the powerless element is a three-dimensional antenna in which at least a part of it is located in a space different from the predetermined plane. The object is an auxiliary member for fixing the three-dimensional antenna. The vehicle-mounted antenna device according to claim 3.

5. At least one of the unpowered element and the powered element is a linear antenna or a plate antenna. The vehicle-mounted antenna device according to claim 1.

6. One of the feeding element and the unfeeding element is a linear antenna located in a predetermined plane. The other of the power-feeding element and the power-free element is a three-dimensional antenna in which at least a part of it is located in a space different from the predetermined plane. The vehicle-mounted antenna device according to claim 1.

7. At least one of the unpowered element and the powered element is an antenna in which the antenna path is bent once or more. The vehicle-mounted antenna device according to claim 1.

8. At least one of the unpowered element and the powered element is a meander line antenna. The vehicle-mounted antenna device according to claim 1.

9. The distance between the other end of the power supply element and the end of the non-power supply element is 3 mm or less. The vehicle-mounted antenna device according to claim 1.

10. The distance between the other end of the power supply element and the end of the non-power supply element is 1 mm or less. The vehicle-mounted antenna device according to claim 9.

11. The other end of the power supply element and the end of the non-power supply element are capacitively coupled by being in close proximity without contact. The capacitive coupling distance between the other end of the power supply element and the end of the non-power supply element is 10 mm or less. The vehicle-mounted antenna device according to claim 1.

12. The capacitive coupling distance between the other end of the power supply element and the end of the non-power supply element is 5 mm or less. The vehicle-mounted antenna device according to claim 11.

13. The aforementioned power supply element is an antenna whose resonant frequency is the first frequency, The aforementioned powerless element is an antenna whose resonant frequency is a second frequency different from the first frequency. The vehicle-mounted antenna device according to claim 1.

14. Both the unpowered element and the powered element are GNSS antennas. The vehicle-mounted antenna device according to claim 1.

15. One of the feeding element and the unfed element is a GNSS antenna corresponding to the L1 band. The other of the aforementioned feeding element and the aforementioned unfed element is a GNSS antenna corresponding to the L5 band. The vehicle-mounted antenna device according to claim 14.

16. At least one of the unpowered element and the powered element is equipped with a matching element for adjusting the electrical length. The vehicle-mounted antenna device according to claim 1.

17. A powerless element, A power supply element having one end electrically connected to the power supply unit and the other end adjacent to the end of the unpowered element without contact, An in-vehicle communication device equipped with [a specific feature].

18. A first antenna device comprising the aforementioned powerless element and the aforementioned power supply element, The system comprises a second antenna device having a resonant frequency different from the resonant frequency of the first antenna device, The in-vehicle communication device according to claim 17.

19. The parasitic element and the powered element constituting the first antenna device are both GNSS antennas. The second antenna device comprises at least a cellular antenna. The in-vehicle communication device according to claim 18.

20. The in-vehicle communication device is a telematics control unit or a telematics box. The in-vehicle communication device according to claim 17.

Images