Multiband antenna

Abstract

A multi-band antenna system is provided. The antenna system may be disposed under and embedded within the exterior glass surface of a vehicle. Such an antenna system may include a capacitively coupled metal element on or adjacent to the exterior glass surface that may function both as a parasitic element to improve gain, as well as a heating element to melt snow and / or ice accumulation on the glass area covering the antenna. In certain applications, the antenna structure itself may be used as a heater to improve performance in inclement weather while locating the heating element away from heat sensitive electronics. The antenna system integrated with heating may include a helical antenna.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to antennas and antenna systems.

Background Art

[0002] Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) technology includes antennas that can receive signals from satellites in the Earth's atmosphere. A GNSS antenna system can be useful for providing Global Positioning System (GPS) signals and / or other signals in various situations. A GNSS antenna can receive signals of multiple frequencies when high position accuracy is desired. Multi-band signal reception can present technical challenges related to configuring an antenna to receive signals in two or more bands. A GNSS antenna can function effectively when there is no obstruction.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0003] The following drawings are referred to for explaining various features. Throughout the drawings, reference numerals may be reused to indicate correspondences between the elements being referred to. The drawings are provided for explaining the examples described in this specification and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0004] [Figure 1A] A diagram showing an exemplary antenna system according to one or more aspects of the present application. [Figure 1B] A diagram showing an exemplary antenna system according to one or more aspects of the present application.

[0005] [Figure 2A] A chart explaining the comparison of the antenna gain performance of two ports of an antenna according to one or more aspects of the present application. [Figure 2B] A chart explaining the comparison of the antenna gain performance of two ports of an antenna according to one or more aspects of the present application.

[0006] [Figure 3A] This figure shows an exemplary antenna system according to one or more embodiments of the present application. [Figure 3B] This figure shows an exemplary antenna system according to one or more embodiments of the present application. [Figure 3C] This figure shows an exemplary antenna system according to one or more embodiments of the present application.

[0007] [Figure 4A] This figure shows an exemplary antenna system according to one or more embodiments of the present application. [Figure 4B] This figure shows an exemplary antenna system according to one or more embodiments of the present application.

[0008] [Figure 5] This figure shows an exemplary antenna system according to one or more embodiments of the present application.

[0009] [Figure 6A] This figure shows an exemplary antenna system incorporated into vehicle equipment according to one or more embodiments of the present application. [Figure 6B] This figure shows an exemplary antenna system incorporated into vehicle equipment according to one or more embodiments of this application. [Figure 6C] This figure shows an exemplary antenna system incorporated into vehicle equipment according to one or more embodiments of the present application.

[0010] [Figure 7] This figure shows an exemplary antenna system and heating system according to one or more embodiments of the present application.

[0011] [Figure 8A] This figure shows an exemplary antenna system combined with a heating element according to one or more embodiments of the present application. [Figure 8B]A diagram showing an exemplary antenna system in combination with a heating element according to one or more aspects of the present application. [Figure 8C] A diagram showing an exemplary antenna system in combination with a heating element according to one or more aspects of the present application. [Figure 8D] A diagram showing an exemplary antenna system in combination with a heating element according to one or more aspects of the present application. [Figure 8E] A diagram showing an exemplary antenna system in combination with a heating element according to one or more aspects of the present application. [Figure 8F] A diagram showing an exemplary antenna system in combination with a heating element according to one or more aspects of the present application.

[0012] [Figure 9] A diagram showing an exemplary antenna system and a heating system according to one or more aspects of the present application.

[0013] [Figure 10] A diagram showing an exemplary antenna system and a heating system according to one or more aspects of the present application.

[0014] [Figure 11] A diagram showing an exemplary antenna system according to one or more aspects of the present application.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] The following descriptions of specific embodiments present various descriptions of those specific embodiments. However, the innovations described herein can be implemented in a number of different ways, as defined and encompassed, for example, by the claims. In this description, the same reference numerals may indicate identical or functionally similar elements. It will be understood that the elements shown in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Furthermore, it will be understood that a particular embodiment may include more elements than those shown in the drawings, and / or subsets of the elements shown in the drawings. In addition, some embodiments may incorporate any suitable combination of features from two or more drawings.

[0016] Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) technology involves antennas that can receive signals from satellites in the Earth's atmosphere. GNSS system antennas benefit from receiving signals at multiple frequencies when higher positional accuracy is desired. GNSS antennas capable of receiving satellite signals from the L1 (1559MHz–1610MHz), L2 (1215MHz–1254MHz), and L5 (1164MHz–1214MHz) bands provide the ability to perform field correction for atmospheric errors. Furthermore, GNSS antennas enable ambiguity determination in carrier phase-based GNSS algorithms, allowing for extended standalone performance. Multiband antenna accuracy remains higher than single-frequency solutions when both multiband and single-frequency solutions are provided with the same quality correction. Such antennas also help eliminate multipath signals, which tend to degrade single-band antenna performance.

[0017] GNSS antenna systems can be useful for providing Global Positioning System (GPS) signals and / or other signals to vehicle systems for a variety of functions, including precise location information. For example, signals received from GNSS antennas may be combined with data from other sensors (e.g., ultrasonic sensors and / or cameras) to plan a route for the vehicle to a target location, such as calling the vehicle to its owner or another person. GNSS antenna systems can also be useful for other functions involving precise or general location information, such as navigation, autopilot and other autonomous driving functions, and searching for nearby gas stations, restaurants, or shops. GNSS antenna systems can also be useful for relaying precise or general location information to relay relevant information regarding local and regional advertising.

[0018] Certain multiband GNSS antennas involve the use of stacked patch antennas or helical antennas. Such multiband antennas may have complex feeder structures designed to improve right-handed circular polarization gain and suppress left-handed circular polarization gain, thereby enhancing performance. Such multiband antennas tend to be bulky and narrowly bandwidth-limited, which can lead to performance degradation. These characteristics of certain multiband antennas can diminish their desirability in automotive applications where the antenna is integrated within a vehicle surface envelope.

[0019] Aspects of this disclosure relate to multiband antenna systems, such as systems including a GNSS antenna. The antenna may, exemplary, be designed for use or integrated into a vehicle. Such an antenna may include a plurality of slots and a plurality of helical feed points. The slots and helical feed points may be on opposite sides of a circuit board or other substrate. The antenna includes a reflector for reflecting antenna radiation to an upper hemisphere. The reflector may be located less than a quarter wavelength away from the circuit board and may reflect radiation in phase. In certain examples, the thickness of the antenna system may be 15 millimeters or less. The antenna may be embedded in the same surface as the reflector. This reflector may improve antenna gain while keeping the antenna relatively thin. In certain embodiments, the reflector may be an artificial magnetic ground plane. In some other embodiments, the reflector may be a metallized surface of a vehicle (e.g., an internal surface visible to the vehicle occupants). The antenna may be included in an active antenna system which also includes a low-noise amplifier. The antenna may be included in a housing which also includes other circuit elements. The various spiral feed points of the antenna can be connected to different ports of a diplexer that is coupled between the antenna and a low-noise amplifier.

[0020] Aspects of this disclosure relate to antenna systems having integrated heating. The antenna system can maintain antenna function in adverse weather conditions, such as when there is snow and / or ice on the surface of the antenna. The antenna system may be designed for vehicles. The antenna system may include a multiband antenna, such as a GNSS antenna. The antenna system may be located beneath the outer glass surface of a vehicle and embedded within that outer glass surface. Such an antenna system may include a capacitively coupled metal element on or adjacent to the outer glass surface, which can function both as a parasitic element for improving gain and as a heating element for melting snow and / or ice accumulations on the glass area covering the antenna. In certain applications, the antenna structure itself may be used as a heater to improve performance in adverse weather conditions while positioning the heating element away from heat-sensitive electronic equipment. An antenna system having integrated heating may include a helical antenna having any suitable combination of the features disclosed herein. In some other applications, various antennas may be used with integrated heating to remove snow and / or ice from the vehicle surface.

[0021] Here, exemplary embodiments of antennas are described. Any suitable principles and advantages of these antennas can be appropriately combined with one another.

[0022] Figure 1A shows one embodiment of the antenna system 100. The antenna system 100 may include an antenna component embodied as a printed circuit board (PCB) 102 containing a plurality of slots 104 for receiving radio signals. Illustratively, the plurality of slots may include various slots, illustrated as a set of six or more slots. The slots 104 may be etched into the top layer of the PCB 102 to form the antenna component of the antenna system 100. Illustratively, the PCB 102 may include an upper layer 106 and a lower layer 108. The plurality of slots 104 (e.g., antenna slots) may be helical around the top layer or top surface of the PCB 102. Illustratively, each individual slot may include a first portion 105 configured to be equidistant on the first surface 106. Each individual slot may further include a second portion 107 organized radially helically around the central portion of the antenna component 102 (e.g., the center of the PCB). The bottom layer 108 of the PCB (not shown) may include a pair of helical feed sections 110 positioned to connect to the top layer slot 104 of the PCB 102. The two helical feed sections 110 on the bottom layer of the PCB 102 may maintain design symmetry. Exemplarily, an embodiment of the symmetric design of the helical feed sections 110 allows each of the helical feed sections 110 to be fed separately, forming a dual-feed antenna system 100. This enables a low-noise amplifier topology with fewer components, thus reducing the overall system cost. An example of a system with such a low-noise amplifier is illustrated with reference to Figure 5. The antenna slot 104, PCB 102, and antenna feed sections 110 may all have an overall thickness ranging from about 0.5 mm to about 3 mm in specific applications, including any value defined within that range.

[0023] In Figure 1A, the antenna system 100 includes an artificial magnetic conductor (AMC) 112 ground plane that functions as a reflector. The AMC may be a surface that reflects signals that collide with it. The AMC 112 may reflect signals that are in phase with the source. By reflecting signals in phase with the source, the AMC 112 can be positioned closer to the antenna than a quarter wavelength. The AMC 112 may improve the signal gain by increasing the mean upper hemisphere gain of the signal being received by the antenna. This increase in mean upper hemisphere gain may be a result of reflecting energy from the AMC. In some embodiments, the AMC 112 may be omitted from the antenna system 110 in the presence of other reflective surfaces.

[0024] As shown in Figure 1A, the AMC112 may include a series of radially symmetrical patches 114, each patch grounded to the underlying solid copper layer via vias. These radially symmetrical patches may be designed to have regions that generate band gaps close to two different frequency bands, such as the L2 / L5 band. Thus, the surface of each radially symmetrical patch can be excited to reflect a target frequency and signal back into phase, thereby improving the gain of that signal. This reflection can improve the gain of the upper hemisphere. As the signal propagates along the surface of each radially symmetrical patch, other frequencies may not be reflected. The AMC112 may also maintain radial symmetry of the entire antenna. Figure 1B shows an antenna similar to the antenna in Figure 1A, except that the antenna in Figure 1B includes a metal disk instead of the AMC112. The metal disk 114 may be called a perfect conductor in some embodiments.

[0025] Figures 2A and 2B are graphs comparing the antenna gain performance of the two ports of the antennas in Figures 1A and 1B, respectively. Figure 2A shows that the antenna in Figure 1A has a second operating bandwidth of approximately 1.15 GHz to 1.25 GHz, which is not achieved by the antenna in Figure 1B, as seen in the graph in Figure 2B. The appearance of this second resonant bandwidth in the thin antenna may be due to the AMC as a surface that reflects the signal incident on it with zero-degree phase shift. Thus, Figures 2A and 2B show that the antenna in Figure 1A may have an additional operating bandwidth compared to the antenna in Figure 1B.

[0026] This multiband antenna design is useful for receiving signals from GNSS satellites. This multiband antenna may include a simple feed section structure designed to improve performance by enhancing right-handed circular polarization gain and suppressing left-handed circular polarization gain. Therefore, the antenna according to the embodiment can maintain a slim profile while operating over a relatively wide frequency band for high performance. Such an antenna may be used in vehicles with stringent design criteria, such as those where the antenna is integrated within an envelope on the exterior surface of the vehicle.

[0027] References to Figures 3A to 3C include references to one or more of the components described above with respect to Figure 1A. Figure 3A shows one embodiment of an antenna system 300 having a specific configuration of exemplary components. A spacer 118 is placed between the antenna component 102 and the isolation ground plane 112. The spacer 118 can prevent and / or reduce the possibility of a short circuit between the feed point of the antenna component 102 and the ground plane 112. The spacer may be 3D printed or made of any suitable insulating and / or non-conductive material.

[0028] Referring to Figure 3B, one embodiment includes an AMC surface 350 comprising hexagonal unit cells 352. Figure 3B shows the edges of individual hexagonal unit cells 352. The ground plane 112 in Figure 3A may be the AMC surface 350 in Figure 3B. These hexagonal cells 352 are divided into triangular subcells 354. Figure 3B shows the center of a single triangular subcell 354. The hexagonal cells 352 and triangular subcells 354 reflect the target frequency and signal back into phase, thereby improving the gain of that signal. The hexagonal cells 352 and triangular subcells 354 can improve the gain in the upper hemisphere by reflecting energy from the lower hemisphere. In some other embodiments, the triangular subcells 352 may correspond to the same or substantially the same shape, and regular polygonal cells may be used across the AMC surface 350 for easy and accurate analysis of the antenna response.

[0029] In one embodiment, these subcells 354 maintain radial symmetry with respect to each individual hexagonal unit cell 352. In another embodiment, these subcells 354 maintain radial symmetry with respect to the entire surface of the AMC 350. In yet another embodiment, the area of ​​each subcell 352 is determined by calculating eigenmodes supported by an infinitely large structure consisting of repeating polygonal units.

[0030] Figure 3B shows one embodiment of the hexagonal unit cell-based AMC 350 before the dual-band helical antenna is attached. Figure 3C shows one embodiment of the antenna system 370, which includes the hexagonal unit cell-based AMC after the dual-band helical antenna components, such as the antenna components shown in Figure 1A, have been attached. Specifically, Figure 3C is an exemplary top view of the antenna system of Figure 3A. As previously stated, the antenna components (e.g., helical slots or helical antennas) may be separated from the AMC surface by spacers 118 to prevent short circuits between the lowest feed spiral of the antenna component 102 and the cells 352 and / or subcells 354 of the uppermost surface 350 of the AMC surface PCB.

[0031] References to Figures 4A and 4B include references to one or more of the components described above with respect to Figure 1A. Referring to Figure 4A, in one embodiment of the antenna system 400, the antenna component 102 is embedded inside the AMC surface 402 so that the antenna system corresponds to a single layer (or substantially a single layer). In this way, the AMC surface 402 frames the antenna component 102 (e.g., a helical antenna). This can result in a thin design with a single PCB thickness while maintaining good multiband performance of the antenna. The AMC surface 402 may function similarly to that described above with respect to Figure 3.

[0032] Figure 4B shows a bottom view 406 of one embodiment of the antenna system, such as the antenna system 400 in Figure 4A. In this embodiment, the bottom PCB layer 406 may include a helical feed section 408. As previously disclosed, the helical feed section 408 may be connected to the antenna component 102.

[0033] Figure 5 shows a block diagram 500 of an embodiment of an active antenna system, including various embodiments of the active antenna system shown in Figures 1 to 4. The antenna system 500 comprises an antenna 502, a diplexer 504, a low-noise amplifier 506, a cable 508, and a receiver system 510. The antenna system 500 further includes a first feeder 512 and a second feeder 514. The first feeder 512 and the second feeder 514 may, exemplary, be helical feeders connected to the antenna component 502. The system in Figure 5 is an exemplary system that can implement any suitable antenna component 502 disclosed herein.

[0034] The first feed points 512 and the second feed points 514 from the antenna supply signals to the low-noise amplifier 506 via the diplexer 04. These GNSS signals may originate from a satellite, another orbital platform, or a ground signal source. Furthermore, the GNSS system signals may originate from another source, relayed through a satellite, another orbital platform, or relayed from a ground signal to the antenna. Having the first and second feed points allows for separate filtering of various frequency bands and / or elimination of multipath signals that tend to degrade single-band antenna performance.

[0035] The first feed point 512 and the second feed point 514 are connected to various respective ports of the diplexer 504. The diplexer 504 provides separate filtering for various GNSS frequency bands. The diplexer 504 also combines the filtered signals associated with the GNSS frequency bands. These frequency bands may include the L1, L2, or L5 bands. For example, in one embodiment, the first feed point 512 may be tuned to the L1 frequency band, while the second feed point is tuned to the L2 frequency band. In another embodiment, the second feed point 514 may be tuned to the L5 band. Alternatively, the first feed point 512 may be tuned to the L2 band. Tuning the feed points to various frequency bands can be used to reject multipath signals that typically degrade single-band antenna performance. The L1 band may include the frequency range of 1559 MHz to 1610 MHz. The L2 band may include frequencies from 1215 MHz to 1254 MHz. The L5 band may include frequencies from 1164 MHz to 1214 MHz. In this way, the diplexer 504 can filter the signals from the first power supply unit 512 and the second power supply unit 514 and couple the signals at a single port electrically connected to the low-noise amplifier 506.

[0036] The combined signal can then be amplified by a low-noise amplifier to improve the gain of the signal transmitted to the antenna system by the GNSS system. In some embodiments, a second or more additional stages of the low-noise amplifier may be present. The system in Figure 5, which includes an antenna and a low-noise amplifier, can be called an active antenna system. Once the signal gain is improved and amplified, the amplified signal can be output to a receiver system via a cable.

[0037] Figure 6A shows Embodiment 600 in which the reflector for the antenna system is an internal surface of the vehicle. In some vehicle designs, there may not be space to integrate the antenna components (e.g., antenna component 102) and a separate ground plate (e.g., reflector 112) to reflect energy from the lower hemisphere to the upper hemisphere. Similarly, in some vehicle designs, there may not be space available to have a single PCB layer antenna framed by an AMC. In such vehicles, an internal surface (e.g., an internal plane) can function as a reflector for the antenna. The internal surface may include any material plane visible to the vehicle occupants, or any plane located inside the vehicle relative to the outside of the vehicle. The AMC may be used to coat the interior surface of the vehicle in specific applications. Existing surfaces of the vehicle may be used for multiple purposes, including as an AMC or ground plane, in addition to various other purposes.

[0038] The internal surface is configured to act as a reflector to improve the antenna's gain. For example, the internal surface may be metal or may contain a metallic material. Alternatively, the surface of the internal surface facing outwards from the vehicle (hereinafter referred to as the internal surface) may be metallized. The internal surface may be metallized plastic, another metallized material, or a combination of metal, metallic material, metallized plastic, or other metallized materials. The internal surface or metallic internal surface may be shaped to reflect the target signal and improve the gain. The internal surface or metallic internal surface may contain cells, subcells, or patches that reflect specific signals. In some embodiments, the internal surface or metallic internal surface may be positioned at a quarter wavelength of the target frequency from the antenna to ensure that the target signal is reflected in phase. The internal surface or internal surface does not need to be flat and may be curved or otherwise configured.

[0039] In some embodiments, the antenna system, including the antenna and reflector, may be housed in a housing located beneath the vehicle's windshield, such as the housing shown in Figures 6B and 6C. As shown, the housing provides an internal surface 604 as a reflector for the antenna 606. The internal surface of the decorative cover may be metallized, as shown in Figure 6B. A bottom view of the antenna with the decorative cover 608 removed is shown in Figure 6C.

[0040] An antenna system according to any suitable principle and advantages disclosed herein may be positioned at various different locations on the vehicle. In some embodiments, the antenna system may be positioned within the rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle, as shown in Figures 6A–6C. In some other embodiments, the antenna system may be located on the rear header of the vehicle. In some other embodiments, the antenna system may be positioned on any surface around the frame of the vehicle. In various embodiments, the antenna system may be positioned on any surface of the vehicle that is metallic or can be metallized.

[0041] Alternatively, the reflector may be the internal surface of a non-vehicle object having an antenna for receiving GNSS signals. Such an antenna system may be used in any object configured to receive and / or transmit GNSS signals.

[0042] GNSS antenna systems can maintain connectivity with satellites orbiting the zenith and above. However, ground-based GNSS antennas can be obstructed by snow or ice. Under such conditions, GNSS antennas may not function or their performance may be significantly reduced. Removing snow and / or ice may be beneficial for autonomous vehicle operations such as calling, or for any other appropriate advanced driver assistance functions of the vehicle.

[0043] Figure 7 shows one embodiment of an antenna system 700 including a heating element 702. The heating element 702 may include a set of lead wires 704 that supply energy to the heating element 702. To enable the antenna component 102 to transmit and receive signals from a GNSS system, the heating element 702 may, exemplary, be a capacitively coupled metal element placed in a glass layer above the antenna component 102. As shown in Figure 7, a spacer 118 may separate the heating element 702 from the antenna component 102 in some embodiments. The heating element 702 may melt snow and / or ice accumulations on the glass area covering the antenna. The heating element may also function as a parasitic element to improve antenna gain. By capacitively coupling the antenna and the heating element, heat-sensitive electronic equipment can be insulated from the heating element.

[0044] As shown in Figure 7, the antenna system 700 may include a heating element 702, a spacer 118, and an antenna component 102. Figures 88A to 88F show several layers of one embodiment of the antenna system including the heating element. Figure 8A shows an embodiment 900 of the heating element 902 embedded in a glass area on the antenna component 102. The heating element 902 may be patterned on the glass using, for example, a conductive paste (e.g., silver paste). The heating element 902 may be designed to replicate the pattern and / or design of the antenna and antenna slot. The heating element 902 may be supplied with direct current (DC) or low-frequency current to heat, thereby heating the glass above the antenna to melt snow and / or ice accumulations. The heating element 902 may include one or more inductors 904 so that it can be fed by DC without interacting with radio frequency signals received by the antenna. One or more inductors 904 may be patterned on the glass. In some embodiments, the heating element may be covered so that the wiring is not visible through the glass layer. For example, black ceramic frit may be used to cover the heating element to conceal the wiring of the heating element. The material covering the heating element 902 may be selected to minimize its impact on the thermal performance of the heating element.

[0045] Figure 8B corresponds to an embodiment of a spacer 118 separating the heating element 902 from the antenna component 102. Exemplarily, the spacer 118 may be made of any number of materials, including, but not limited to, air, a thermal sponge, or another material with low thermal conductivity, or it may be made of no material at all. The spacer may be mounted flush with the glass layer in which the heating element is embedded. Exemplarily, the spacer 118 may function as a thermal barrier to ensure that the heat from the heating element 702 (Figure 7) is primarily used to heat the glass and melt snow and / or ice accumulations. Figure 8C shows an example of an antenna component 102 positioned beneath the spacer 118. The antenna component 102 includes slots between conductive metals, such as copper. Figure 8E shows an embodiment illustrating the antenna feed point. As shown in Figure 8E, the antenna feed point may be contained in the same layer as the LNA. Figure 8E also shows a Fakra connection. For example, a shielding structure 810 may be contained in the layer below the antenna feed point and LNA, as shown in Figure 8F.

[0046] Figure 9 shows that the upper antenna trace 902 can receive DC power via inductors 904 and 906, thereby heating the antenna trace. Each of the illustrated inductors 904 and 906 may be a lumped element or a patterned inductor.

[0047] The antenna system 900, which includes a heating element, may be positioned in a vehicle. The antenna system, which includes a heating element, may be positioned in a vehicle in an area that can be wiped by a wiper. In one embodiment, the wiper may be activated to wipe away snow and / or ice heated by the heating element of the antenna system. By heating while wiping, snow and / or ice can be removed within about 200 seconds.

[0048] In certain embodiments, the heating element 1000 may have a heater grid pattern 1002, as shown in Figure 10. As illustrated, the heater grid pattern 1002 may be made of a conductive material in the glass above the antenna, which can be heated by passing an electric current through the heating element. The heater grid pattern 1002 is symmetrical with respect to a line bisecting the antenna component 102 and has a relatively wide opening on the antenna component, as shown in Figure 10. Such an opening allows the antenna to be free from the heater grid pattern, and the heater's influence on the antenna's axial ratio can be limited. A heater grid pattern with a narrow opening and / or a lot of overlap with the antenna may reduce the antenna's axial ratio more than the heater grid pattern shown in Figure 10.

[0049] Figure 11 shows an embodiment of the integrated antenna system described herein. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, words such as “comprise,” “comprising,” “include,” and “including” throughout the specification and claims should be interpreted in a comprehensive sense, as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense, i.e., “not limiting, but including.” The word “combined” as commonly used herein refers to two or more elements that are directly connected or that can be connected by one or more intermediate elements. Similarly, the word “connected” as commonly used herein refers to two or more elements that are directly connected or that can be connected by one or more intermediate elements. Furthermore, the words “as specified herein,” “above,” “below,” and words with similar meanings, when used in this application, refer to the entire application and not to any particular part thereof. Where the context allows, the words in the above detailed descriptions that use singular or plural numbers may also each include plural or singular numbers. The word "or" in relation to the enumeration of two or more items encompasses all of the following interpretations of the word: any of the items in the enumeration, all of the items in the enumeration, and any combination of the items in the enumeration.

[0050] Furthermore, the conditional language used herein, in particular "can," "could," "might," "may," "eg," "for example," and "such as," is generally intended to convey that a particular embodiment includes certain features, elements, and / or states, but other embodiments do not, unless otherwise specified or understood to have a different meaning in the context in which they are used. Therefore, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements, and / or states are required in any way in one or more embodiments.

[0051] While this disclosure and its embodiments have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings, various changes and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications should be understood to be within the scope of this disclosure. Although specific embodiments have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. The above illustrative discussion is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the exact forms described. Taking the above teachings into consideration, many modifications and variations are possible. Thereafter, those skilled in the art can best utilize the technology and various embodiments with various modifications suitable for various applications. Any suitable combination of elements and / or features of the various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments.

Claims

1. A printed circuit board comprising a low-noise amplifier and a diplexer configured to filter at least two different signal frequencies, A multiband antenna component configured to receive at least one signal, A plurality of slots in the printed circuit board configured to receive the at least one signal, wherein at least a first portion of each of the plurality of slots extends radially outward from the center of the printed circuit board, the first portions of each of the plurality of slots are configured to be equidistant from each other radially with respect to the printed circuit board, and at least a second portion of each of the plurality of slots forms a spiral around the center of the printed circuit board, A multiband antenna component comprising: at least two power supply units configured to receive at least one signal from the plurality of slots, wherein the at least two power supply units are connected to each of the first portions of the plurality of slots in the printed circuit board, the at least two power supply units are connected to the low-noise amplifier via different ports of the diplexer, and the at least two power supply units are tuned to different frequency bands; A reflector configured to reflect a signal in phase with the signal for reception by the aforementioned multiband antenna component, An antenna system equipped with [the following features].

2. The antenna system according to claim 1, wherein the at least two feeding units are configured to connect to the plurality of slots such that the at least one signal received by each of the at least two feeding units is received in phase from each slot of the plurality of slots, such that the plurality of slots are configured as an array for receiving the at least one signal.

3. The antenna system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of slots are configured to receive global navigation satellite system signals.

4. The antenna system according to claim 3, wherein the global navigation satellite system signal has frequency ranges of 1559 MHz to 1610 MHz, 1215 MHz to 1254 MHz, and 1164 MHz to 1214 MHz.

5. The antenna system according to claim 1, wherein the reflector is positioned relative to the rear surface of the multiband antenna component with respect to the at least one signal source.

6. The antenna system according to claim 5, wherein the reflector is a metal plate connected to the printed circuit board.

7. The antenna system according to claim 5, wherein the reflector is a metallized surface.

8. The antenna system according to claim 1, wherein the antenna system is configured to be integrated into a decorative cover of the rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle.

9. The antenna system according to claim 8, wherein the reflector is disposed between the printed circuit board and the decorative cover.

10. The antenna system according to claim 1, wherein the reflector is configured to be in the same plane as the multiband antenna components.

11. The antenna system according to claim 1, wherein the reflector is configured to be integrated into the printed circuit board.

12. The antenna system according to claim 1, wherein the reflector is an artificial magnetic conductor ground plane.

13. The antenna system according to claim 1, further comprising a heating circuit integrated into the surface between the multiband antenna component and the at least one signal source, wherein the heating circuit is configured to heat the surface adjacent to the multiband antenna component.

14. The antenna system according to claim 13, wherein the heating circuit is a parasitic circuit configured to generate an electric current.

15. A printed circuit board comprising a low-noise amplifier and a diplexer configured to filter at least two different signal frequencies, A multiband antenna component configured to receive at least one signal, A plurality of slots provided within the printed circuit board configured to receive the at least one signal, wherein at least a first portion of each of the plurality of slots extends radially outward from the center of the printed circuit board, the first portions of each of the plurality of slots are configured to be equidistant from each other radially with respect to the printed circuit board, and at least a second portion of each of the plurality of slots forms a spiral around the center of the printed circuit board, A multiband antenna component comprising: at least two power supply units configured to receive at least one signal from the plurality of slots, wherein the at least two power supply units are connected to each of the first portions of the plurality of slots in the printed circuit board, the at least two power supply units are connected to the low-noise amplifier via different ports of the diplexer, and the at least two power supply units are tuned to different frequency bands; A reflector configured to reflect a signal in phase with the signal for reception by the aforementioned multiband antenna component, A heating circuit integrated into the surface between the multiband antenna component and the at least one signal source, wherein the heating circuit is configured to heat the surface adjacent to the multiband antenna component, An antenna system equipped with [the following features].

16. The antenna system according to claim 15, wherein the reflector is configured to be in the same plane as the multiband antenna components.

17. The antenna system according to claim 15, wherein the reflector is configured to be integrated into the printed circuit board.

18. The antenna system according to claim 15, wherein the heating circuit is a parasitic circuit configured to generate an electric current.

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