Electronic component and antenna device

Abstract

An electronic component comprising: an amplification circuit that amplifies a reception signal received by an antenna; and a distribution circuit that distributes an output signal outputted from the amplification circuit to at least three output lines. The distribution circuit has a plurality of lumped constant elements.

Description

Electronic components, antenna devices

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic component and an antenna device.

[0002] The antenna device may be provided with a distribution circuit that distributes signals (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-000946

[0004] However, when a distribution circuit that divides a signal into at least three parts is realized using a conductive pattern (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as a "pattern") formed on a substrate, the mounting area of ​​the distribution circuit on the substrate generally becomes large.

[0005] An example of an object of the present invention is to provide an electronic component and an antenna device that can distribute a signal into at least three parts while suppressing an increase in the mounting area. Other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the description of this specification.

[0006] One aspect of the present invention is an electronic component comprising an amplifier circuit that amplifies a signal received by an antenna, and a distribution circuit that distributes an output signal output from the amplifier circuit to at least three output lines, the distribution circuit having a plurality of lumped constant elements.

[0007] One aspect of the present invention is an antenna device comprising an antenna, an amplifier circuit that amplifies a received signal received by the antenna, and a distribution circuit that distributes an output signal output from the amplifier circuit to at least three output lines, the distribution circuit having a plurality of lumped constant elements.

[0008] According to the above aspects of the present invention, it is possible to provide an electronic component and an antenna device that can distribute a signal into at least three parts while suppressing an increase in the mounting area.

[0009] 1 is an example of a block diagram of the antenna device 10. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a distribution circuit 22. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a selection circuit 25. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a switch circuit 150. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the selection circuit 25. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the selection circuit 25 in state B. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the selection circuit 25 in state C. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the selection circuit 25 in state D. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the selection circuit 25 in state E. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the selection circuit 25 in state F. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the selection circuit 25 in state G. FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the selection circuit 25 in state H. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the antenna device 10. FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a substrate 512. FIG. 15 is a perspective view of an area A1 of the substrate 512. FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating examples of patterns P10a and P10b. FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating examples of patterns P10a and P10b. FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating examples of patterns P20a to P20c. FIG. 19 is a diagram for comparing areas A2 and A3. FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating an example of a distribution circuit 600.

[0010] At least the following matters will become clear from the description of this specification and the accompanying drawings. In addition, the same or equivalent components, members, etc. shown in each drawing will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted as appropriate.

[0011] ===Block Diagram of Antenna Device 10=== Figure 1 is a block diagram for explaining the antenna device 10. The antenna device 10 is attached to a vehicle (not shown) (hereinafter referred to as vehicle X) and receives signals of frequencies corresponding to, for example, the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). The antenna device 10 includes an antenna 20, an amplifier circuit 21, a distribution circuit 22, an interface circuit 23, terminals 24a to 24c, a selection circuit 25, and a power supply circuit 26. Note that GNSS includes multi-band signals that support not only L1 (1575.42 MHz) but also L2 (1227.60 MHz) and L5 (1176.45 MHz).

[0012] The antenna 20 is an antenna that receives signals in the GNSS frequency band, and the amplifier circuit 21 amplifies the signals received by the antenna 20. The amplifier circuit 21 is configured to include, for example, low noise amplifiers (hereinafter referred to as “LNA”) 30 and 32, a filter 31, and an attenuator 33.

[0013] The LNA 30 is a circuit that amplifies the signal received by the antenna 20. The filter 31 is a bandpass filter that passes signals in a desired frequency band (here, the GNSS frequency band) from the signals amplified by the LNA 30. Therefore, the filter 31 outputs a so-called GNSS signal (hereinafter simply referred to as a "GNSS signal").

[0014] The LNA 32 is a circuit that amplifies the signal output from the filter 31. The attenuator 33 attenuates the signal output from the LNA 32 so that the signal from the antenna device 10 does not saturate in various downstream devices (for example, the navigation device 11 described below). Note that although the amplifier circuit 21 includes the LNAs 30 and 32, the filter 31, and the attenuator 33 here, it is not limited to this. For example, the LNA 30 and the filter 31 may be reversed, or a filter different from the filter 31 may be added upstream of the LNA 30.

[0015] The distribution circuit 22 distributes the signal S0 output from the amplifier circuit 21 via the line L10 to three lines L11a to L11c. Therefore, GNSS signals are output as signals S1 to S3 to the lines L11a to L11c, respectively. The line L10 connects the amplifier circuit 21 and the distribution circuit 22, and the lines L11a to L11c connect the distribution circuit 22 and the interface circuit 23.

[0016] Here, in this embodiment, the term "line" refers to a member that electrically connects elements, and includes, for example, wiring and a conductive pattern formed on a substrate. Details of the distribution circuit 22 will be described later.

[0017] The interface circuit 23 is a circuit that connects the antenna device 10 with various devices attached to the vehicle X and exchanges signals between the antenna device 10 and the various devices. Specifically, the interface circuit 23 outputs signals S1 to S3 from the distribution circuit 22 to the various devices and outputs power supply voltages Va to Vc from the various devices to a selection circuit 25 (described later). Here, the various devices attached to the vehicle X include, for example, a navigation device 11, an emergency notification device 12, and a locator device 13. The navigation device 11, the emergency notification device 12, and the locator device 13 are merely examples, and other devices may also be applied.

[0018] The navigation device 11 converts data indicating the current location of the vehicle X based on the signal S1 and displays the converted data indicating the current location together with map data on a display unit (not shown). The emergency notification device 12 generates information indicating the location of the vehicle X (e.g., address information) based on the signal S2, for example, when an accident occurs to the vehicle X, and transmits the generated information to a predetermined emergency call center. The locator device 13 generates highly accurate location information of the vehicle X based on signals from various sensors (e.g., a gyro sensor and an acceleration sensor) attached to the vehicle X and the signal S3.

[0019] The interface circuit 23 includes capacitors 40a to 40c and inductors 41a to 41c. The capacitor 40a is connected between the line L11a and the terminal 24a, the capacitor 40b is connected between the line L11b and the terminal 24b, and the capacitor 40c is connected between the line L11c and the terminal 24c. The navigation device 11 is connected to the terminal 24a via the line L20a, the emergency notification device 12 is connected to the terminal 24b via the line L20b, and the locator device 13 is connected to the terminal 24c via the line L20c.

[0020] Capacitors 40a-40c are elements that cut off so-called DC voltage and allow GNSS signals to pass. As a result, signal S1 output from distribution circuit 22 is output to navigation device 11 via line L11a, capacitor 40a, terminal 24a, and line L20a. Signal S2 output from distribution circuit 22 is output to emergency notification device 12 via line L11b, capacitor 40b, terminal 24b, and line L20b. Signal S3 output from distribution circuit 22 is output to locator device 13 via line L11c, capacitor 40c, terminal 24c, and line L20c.

[0021] Inductors 41a to 41c are elements that cut high-frequency signals (here, GNSS signals) and pass DC voltages. Inductor 41a is connected between line L30a connected to selection circuit 25 and terminal 24a. Inductor 41b is connected between line L30b connected to selection circuit 25 and terminal 24b. Inductor 41c is connected between line L30c connected to selection circuit 25 and terminal 24c. Inductors 41a to 41c are connected to capacitors 40a to 40c, respectively.

[0022] In this embodiment, the navigation device 11, the emergency notification device 12, and the locator device 13 apply power supply voltages Va to Vc to lines L20a to L20c, respectively. As a result, the power supply voltage Va is applied to the selection circuit 25 via the line L20a, the terminal 24a, the inductor 41a, and the line L30a. The power supply voltage Vb is applied to the selection circuit 25 via the line L20b, the terminal 24b, the inductor 41b, and the line L30b. The power supply voltage Vc is applied to the selection circuit 25 via the line L20c, the terminal 24c, the inductor 41c, and the line L30c.

[0023] The levels of the power supply voltages Va to Vc in this embodiment may be any levels that allow a power supply circuit 26 (described later) to generate a desired power supply voltage Vcc (described later).

[0024] The selection circuit 25 selects one of the power supply voltages Va to Vc, and outputs a voltage Vout according to the selection result to the power supply circuit 26. The selection circuit 25 will be described in detail later.

[0025] The power supply circuit 26 generates a power supply voltage Vcc for operating the amplifier circuit 21 based on the voltage Vout output from the selection circuit 25. In this embodiment, the LNAs 30 and 32 of the amplifier circuit 21 operate based on the power supply voltage Vcc, and the filter 31 and the attenuator 33 are so-called passive components. Therefore, when the power supply voltage Vcc is supplied to the amplifier circuit 21, the amplifier circuit 21 amplifies the signal from the antenna 20 and outputs it as a signal S0.

[0026] 2 is a diagram showing an example of the distribution circuit 22. The distribution circuit 22 is a so-called Wilkinson distributor, and distributes the signal S0 into three signals S1 to S3. The distribution circuit 22 is configured to include lines L10, L11a to L11c, filters 110a to 110c, and resistors 120 to 122.

[0027] The line L10 is a line to which the signal S0 output from the amplifier circuit 21 is input. The lines L11a to L11c are lines to which the distributed signals S1 to S3 are output, respectively. Therefore, the distribution circuit 22 distributes the signal S0 to each of the lines L11a to L11c.

[0028] The filter 110a is located between the line L10 and the line L11a, and has the characteristics of an impedance of (√3) × 50 ohms and a phase shift (here, a phase delay) of 90° (=λ / 4) at a predetermined frequency. Note that the "predetermined frequency" is, for example, the center frequency of the GNSS L1 band frequency band (1559 MHz to 1606 MHz), and "λ" is the wavelength of the center frequency.

[0029] The filter 110a is a so-called π-type low-pass filter and includes an inductor 130a and capacitors 131a and 132a. The inductor 130a is connected between the line L10 and the line L11a. The capacitor 131a has one end connected to the line L10 and the other end grounded. The capacitor 132a has one end connected to the line L11a and the other end grounded. In this embodiment, as described above, the inductance of the inductor 130a and the capacitance values ​​of the capacitors 131a and 132a are determined so that the impedance of the filter 110a is a predetermined value and the phase delay is 90°.

[0030] The filter 110b is located between the line L10 and the line L11b, and the filter 110c is located between the line L10 and the line L11c. Similar to the filter 110a, the filters 110b and 110c are filters having the characteristics of an impedance of (√3)×50 ohms and a phase delay of 90° (=λ / 4) at the center frequency of the GNSS.

[0031] The filter 110b includes an inductor 130b and capacitors 131b and 132b, and the filter 110c includes an inductor 130c and capacitors 131c and 132c. The filters 110b and 110c have the same configuration as the filter 110a, so detailed descriptions of the filters 110b and 110c are omitted here.

[0032] In this embodiment, the filter 110a is a π-type low-pass filter, for example, but is not limited to this, and may be any filter that can obtain a desired impedance and a desired phase delay.

[0033] Resistor 120 is connected between line L11a and line L11b, and resistor 121 is connected between line L11b and line L11c. Resistor 122 is connected between line L11a and line L11c. In this embodiment, the resistance values ​​of resistors 120 to 122 are set in distribution circuit 22 so that the reflection loss on the input side is small and the power output from each of lines L11a to L11c is approximately equal. Therefore, in this embodiment, signal S0 is distributed to three lines L11a to L11c.

[0034] Furthermore, the multiple elements constituting the filters 110a to 110c of the distribution circuit 22 and the resistors 120 to 122 are realized as lumped constant elements. Therefore, as will be described in detail later, when the distribution circuit 22 is mounted on a substrate, the mounting area of ​​the distribution circuit 22 can be made smaller than when, for example, distributed constant circuits are used for some of the filters 110a to 110c.

[0035] ===Configuration of Selection Circuit 25=== The selection circuit 25 selects one of the power supply voltages Va to Vc, and outputs a voltage Vout according to the selection result to the power supply circuit 26. As shown in FIG. 3, the selection circuit 25 is configured to include switch circuits 150 to 152 and a backflow prevention circuit 153.

[0036] <<Switch Circuit 150>> The switch circuit 150 is a circuit that switches whether to connect the line L30b and the backflow prevention circuit 153 via the line L40, based on the power supply voltage Va of the line L30a and the power supply voltage Vb of the line L30b. The switch circuit 150 includes a resistor 200 and switches SW0 to SW2.

[0037] 4 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of switches SW0 to SW2 of switch circuit 150. As shown in Fig. 4, switch SW0 is configured to include, for example, an NPN transistor 300 and resistors 301 and 302. Resistor 301 is a so-called base resistor, and resistor 302 is a base-emitter resistor that prevents malfunction of NPN transistor 300 due to noise or the like.

[0038] In this configuration, when a power supply voltage Va is applied to a node N0 to which the resistor 301 and the line L30a are connected, the NPN transistor 300 is turned on. In this embodiment, the level of the power supply voltage Va is higher than the threshold voltage of the NPN transistor 300.

[0039] The switch SW1 includes, for example, an NPN transistor 310 and resistors 311 and 312. The resistors 311 and 312 are similar to the resistors 301 and 302, and therefore detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0040] In this embodiment, when the NPN transistor 300 (i.e., the switch SW0) is turned on, the voltage of the node N1, to which the resistor 200 and the NPN transistor 300 are connected, becomes the ground voltage (i.e., 0 V). As a result, the NPN transistor 310 is turned off.

[0041] On the other hand, when the NPN transistor 300 (i.e., the switch SW0) is turned off, the voltage at the node N1 becomes equal to the voltage applied to the line L30b. In this state, when the power supply voltage Vb is applied to the line L30b, the NPN transistor 310 is turned on. In this embodiment, the level of the power supply voltage Vb is higher than the threshold voltage of the NPN transistor 310.

[0042] The switch SW2 includes, for example, a PNP transistor 320 and resistors 321 and 322. The resistors 321 and 322 are similar to the resistors 301 and 302, and therefore detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0043] In this embodiment, when the NPN transistor 310 (i.e., the switch SW1) is turned on, the voltage of the node N2, to which the NPN transistor 310 and the resistor 321 are connected, becomes the ground voltage (i.e., 0 V). In this embodiment, the power supply voltage Vb is greater than the threshold voltage of the PNP transistor 320. Therefore, when the power supply voltage Vb is applied to the line L30b and the NPN transistor 310 is turned on, the base-emitter voltage of the PNP transistor 320 becomes smaller than the threshold voltage. As a result, the PNP transistor 320 is turned on.

[0044] On the other hand, when the NPN transistor 310 (that is, the switch SW1) is turned off, the voltage at the node N2 becomes equal to the voltage applied to the line L30b, and the PNP transistor 320 is turned off.

[0045] 3 is a circuit that switches whether to connect the line L30c and the line L41 based on the power supply voltage Va of the line L30a and the power supply voltage Vc of the line L30c. The switch circuit 151 includes a resistor 210 and switches SW10 to SW12.

[0046] Here, the resistor 210 and the switches SW10 to SW12 of the switch circuit 151 are similar to the resistor 200 and the switches SW0 to SW2 of the switch circuit 150. Therefore, detailed description thereof will be omitted here.

[0047] 3 is a circuit that switches whether to connect or disconnect the line L41 and the line L42 connected to the backflow prevention circuit 153, based on the voltage of the line L40 and the voltage of the line L41. The switch circuit 152 is configured to include a resistor 220 and switches SW20 to SW22.

[0048] Here, the resistor 220 and the switches SW20 to SW22 of the switch circuit 152 are similar to the resistor 200 and the switches SW0 to SW2 of the switch circuit 150. Therefore, detailed description thereof will be omitted here.

[0049] <<Backflow prevention circuit 153>> The backflow prevention circuit 153 is a circuit for reliably preventing a voltage applied to one of the lines L30a to L30c from being applied to the other lines, and is configured to include diodes D1 to D3. Note that the lines L30a, L40, and L42 are connected to the backflow prevention circuit 153.

[0050] Diode D1 has an anode connected to line L30a and a cathode connected to power supply circuit 26. Diode D2 has an anode connected to line L40 and a cathode connected to power supply circuit 26, and diode D3 has an anode connected to line L42 and a cathode connected to power supply circuit 26.

[0051] Therefore, for example, when the power supply voltage Va is applied to the line L30a, the diode D1 outputs a voltage that is smaller than the power supply voltage Va by the forward voltage of the diode D1 as the voltage Vout to the power supply circuit 26. On the other hand, the diodes D2 and D3 can prevent the voltage Vout from being applied to the lines L40 and L42, respectively.

[0052] Although the example described here is one in which the voltage Vout corresponding to the power supply voltage Va is output, the same applies to other cases. Specifically, when the voltage Vout corresponding to the power supply voltage Vb is output, the diodes D1 and D3 can prevent the voltage Vout from being applied to the lines L30a and L42, respectively. Furthermore, when the voltage Vout corresponding to the power supply voltage Vc is output, the diodes D1 and D2 can prevent the voltage Vout from being applied to the lines L30a and L40, respectively.

[0053] 1 has a function (hereinafter referred to as the "connection determination function") for determining whether the navigation device 11 is connected to the terminal 24a via the line L20a. Specifically, when a power supply voltage Va is applied to the line L20a, the navigation device 11 measures a current Ia that flows from the navigation device 11 via the line L20a. The navigation device 11 then compares the value of the current Ia with a predetermined value Ith to determine whether the navigation device 11 is connected to the terminal 24a.

[0054] For example, if the line L20a is disconnected and the current value of the current Ia is smaller than a predetermined value Ith, the navigation device 11 determines that the navigation device 11 and the terminal 24a are not connected. On the other hand, if the current value of the current Ia is larger than the predetermined value Ith, the navigation device 11 determines that the navigation device 11 and the terminal 24a are connected. Note that the "predetermined value Ith" is a value that is sufficiently smaller than the current consumed by the power supply circuit 26 and the amplifier circuit 21 in FIG. 1.

[0055] Furthermore, emergency notification device 12 and locator device 13 each have a connection determination function similar to that of navigation device 11. When power supply voltage Vb is applied to line L20b, emergency notification device 12 determines whether emergency notification device 12 is connected to terminal 24b by comparing the current value of current Ib from emergency notification device 12 with a predetermined value Ith. When power supply voltage Vc is applied to line L20c, locator device 13 determines whether locator device 13 is connected to terminal 24c by comparing the current value of current Ic from locator device 13 with a predetermined value Ith.

[0056] The selection circuit 25 selects one of the power supply voltages Va to Vc and outputs a voltage Vout corresponding to the selection result. For example, if the power supply voltage Va is selected from the power supply voltages Va to Vc, the power supply voltages Vb and Vc are not supplied to the power supply circuit 26, and therefore the currents Ib and Ic are not supplied to the power supply circuit 26 or the amplifier circuit 21. As will be described in detail later, even in such a case, the selection circuit 25 adjusts the current values ​​of the currents (here, the currents Ib and Ic) for the unselected power supply voltage so that they are greater than the predetermined value Ith. This allows the emergency notification device 12 and the locator device 13 to detect breaks in the lines L20b and L20c. In this embodiment, the current values ​​compared with the currents Ia to Ic are the predetermined value Ith, but three different current values ​​may also be used.

[0057] <<Operation of Selection Circuit 25>> Here, the operation of the selection circuit 25 will be described with reference to FIG. 5. In FIG. 5, "ON" indicates that power supply voltages Va to Vc are being supplied to terminals 24a to 24c, and "OFF" indicates that the supply of power supply voltages Va to Vc to terminals 24a to 24c is stopped. FIG. 5 also indicates the power supply voltage supplied from the selection circuit 25 to the power supply circuit 26, and whether or not each of the navigation device 11, the emergency notification device 12, and the locator device 13 is in a state where connection can be detected. Note that, here, each device is indicated with "◯" if it is in a state where connection can be detected, and with "X" if it is in a state where connection cannot be detected, and the navigation device 11 is abbreviated as "device 11."

[0058] 3, in state A in which navigation device 11, emergency notification device 12, and locator device 13 are stopped, power supply voltages Va to Vc are not applied to lines L30a to L30c. As a result, operation of selection circuit 25 is also stopped, and voltage Vout is not supplied to power supply circuit 26.

[0059] ==State B== In state B, in which only navigation device 11 is operating among navigation device 11, emergency notification device 12, and locator device 13, power supply voltage Va is applied to line L30a among lines L30a to L30c, as shown in Fig. 6. When power supply voltage Va is applied to line L30a, switch SW0 of switch circuit 150 is turned on. As a result, switch SW1 is turned off, and switch SW2 is also turned off.

[0060] Similarly to switch circuit 150, switch SW10 is turned on and switches SW12 and SW22 are turned off in switch circuits 151 and 152. In state B, power supply voltages Vb and Vc are not applied to lines L30b and 30c, and therefore only power supply voltage Va of power supply voltages Va to Vc is applied to backflow prevention circuit 153. As a result, backflow prevention circuit 153 outputs a voltage corresponding to power supply voltage Va as voltage Vout.

[0061] The voltage Vout output from the backflow prevention circuit 153 to the power supply circuit 26 is a voltage that is smaller than the power supply voltage Va by the forward voltage of the diode D1. However, in this embodiment, for convenience, in such a case, the power supply voltage Va may be described as being output as the voltage Vout. Furthermore, the output of the power supply voltage Va from the backflow prevention circuit 153 as the voltage Vout may be referred to as the selection of the power supply voltage Va by the selection circuit 25.

[0062] 6, the current Ia from the navigation device 11 is supplied to the power supply circuit 26 and the amplifier circuit 21. Therefore, the navigation device 11 can determine whether the navigation device 11 and the terminal 24a are connected by comparing the current value of the current Ia with a predetermined value Ith.

[0063] State C In state C in which only emergency notification device 12 is operating among navigation device 11, emergency notification device 12, and locator device 13, power supply voltage Vb is applied to line L30b among lines L30a to L30c, as shown in Fig. 7. When power supply voltage Vb is applied to line L30b, switch SW1 of switch circuit 150 is turned on, and therefore switch SW2 is turned on.

[0064] On the other hand, in the switch circuits 151 and 152, the power supply voltage Vc is not applied to the line L30c, so the switches SW12 and SW22 are turned off. In this state C, of ​​the lines L30a, L40, and L42 connected to the backflow prevention circuit 153, the power supply voltage Vb is applied only to the line L40. Therefore, the selection circuit 25 selects the power supply voltage Vb.

[0065] 7, the current Ib from the emergency notification device 12 is supplied to the power supply circuit 26 and the amplifier circuit 21. Therefore, the emergency notification device 12 can determine whether the emergency notification device 12 is connected to the terminal 24b by comparing the current value of the current Ib with a predetermined value Ith.

[0066] State D In state D, in which only locator device 13 is operating among navigation device 11, emergency notification device 12, and locator device 13, power supply voltage Vc is applied to line L30c among lines L30a to L30c, as shown in Fig. 8. When power supply voltage Vc is applied to line L30c, switch SW11 of switch circuit 151 is turned on, and therefore switch SW12 is also turned on.

[0067] In the switch circuit 152, the power supply voltage Vc is applied to the line L41, so the switches SW21 and SW22 are turned on. On the other hand, the power supply voltage Vb is not applied to the line L30b, so the switch SW2 of the switch circuit 150 is turned off. In this state D, of the lines L30a, L40, and L42 connected to the backflow prevention circuit 153, the power supply voltage Vc is applied only to the line L42. Therefore, the selection circuit 25 selects the power supply voltage Vc.

[0068] 8, current Ic from locator device 13 is supplied to power supply circuit 26 and amplifier circuit 21. Therefore, locator device 13 can determine whether locator device 13 and terminal 24c are connected by comparing the current value of current Ic with predetermined value Ith.

[0069] State E In state E, in which two of the navigation device 11, emergency notification device 12, and locator device 13, the navigation device 11 and the emergency notification device 12, are operating, power supply voltages Va and Vb are applied to lines L30a and L30b, respectively, as shown in Fig. 9. When power supply voltage Va is applied to line L30a, switch SW0 of switch circuit 150 is turned on. As a result, switch SW1 is turned off, and switch SW2 is also turned off.

[0070] In the switch circuits 151 and 152, the power supply voltage Vc is not applied to the line L30c, so the switches SW12 and SW22 are off. In this state E, of the lines L30a, L40, and L42 connected to the backflow prevention circuit 153, the power supply voltage Va is applied only to the line L30a. Therefore, the selection circuit 25 selects the power supply voltage Va.

[0071] 9, the current Ia from the navigation device 11 is supplied to the power supply circuit 26 and the amplifier circuit 21. Therefore, the navigation device 11 can determine whether or not the navigation device 11 and the terminal 24a are connected, based on the current Ia.

[0072] Furthermore, the current Ib from the emergency notification device 12 flows to ground via the resistor 200 of the switch circuit 150 and the switch SW0. In this embodiment, the resistor 200 is set so that the current value of the current Ib is greater than a predetermined value Ith. Therefore, the emergency notification device 12 can determine whether the emergency notification device 12 and the terminal 24b are connected based on the current Ib.

[0073] ==State F== In state F, in which two of navigation device 11, emergency notification device 12, and locator device 13, navigation device 11 and locator device 13, are operating, power supply voltages Va and Vc are applied to lines L30a and 30c, respectively, as shown in Fig. 10. When power supply voltage Va is applied to line L30a, switch SW0 of switch circuit 150 is turned on. As a result, switch SW1 is turned off, and switch SW2 is also turned off.

[0074] In switch circuit 151, switch SW10 is on, and therefore switches SW11 and SW12 are off. In switch circuit 152, no voltage is applied to line L41, and therefore switch SW22 is off. In state F, of lines L30a, L40, and L42 connected to backflow prevention circuit 153, power supply voltage Va is applied only to line L30a. Therefore, selection circuit 25 selects power supply voltage Va.

[0075] 10, the current Ia from the navigation device 11 is supplied to the power supply circuit 26 and the amplifier circuit 21. Therefore, the navigation device 11 can determine, based on the current Ia, whether or not the navigation device 11 and the terminal 24a are connected.

[0076] Furthermore, current Ic from locator device 13 flows to ground via resistor 210 of switch circuit 151 and switch SW10. In this embodiment, resistor 210 is set so that the current value of current Ic is greater than predetermined value Ith. Therefore, locator device 13 can determine, based on current Ic, whether locator device 13 and terminal 24c are connected.

[0077] State G In state G, in which two of navigation device 11, emergency notification device 12, and locator device 13, emergency notification device 12 and locator device 13, are operating, power supply voltages Vb and Vc are applied to lines L30b and L30c, respectively, as shown in Fig. 11. When power supply voltage Vb is applied to line L30b, switches SW1 and SW2 of switch circuit 150 are turned on.

[0078] In switch circuit 151, switch SW11 is turned on, and therefore switch SW12 is also turned on. In switch circuit 152, a voltage is applied to line L40, and therefore switch SW20 is turned on and switches SW21 and SW22 are turned off. In state G, of lines L30a, L40, and L42 connected to backflow prevention circuit 153, power supply voltage Vb is applied only to line L40. Therefore, selection circuit 25 selects power supply voltage Vb.

[0079] 11 , the current Ib from the emergency notification device 12 is supplied to the power supply circuit 26 and the amplifier circuit 21. Therefore, the emergency notification device 12 can determine whether the emergency notification device 12 and the terminal 24b are connected based on the current Ib.

[0080] Furthermore, current Ic from locator device 13 flows mainly to ground via resistor 220 of switch circuit 152 and switch SW20. In this embodiment, resistor 220 is set so that the current value of current Ic is greater than predetermined value Ith. Therefore, locator device 13 can determine, based on current Ic, whether locator device 13 and terminal 24c are connected.

[0081] ==State H== In state H in which all of navigation device 11, emergency notification device 12, and locator device 13 are operating, power supply voltages Va to Vc are applied to lines L30a to L30c, respectively, as shown in Fig. 12. When power supply voltage Va is applied to line L30a, switch SW0 of switch circuit 150 is turned on, and switches SW1 and SW2 are turned off.

[0082] In the switch circuit 151, the switch SW10 is on, and the switches SW11 and SW12 are off. In the switch circuit 152, since no voltage is applied to the lines L40 and L41, the switches SW20 to SW22 are off. In this state H, of the lines L30a, L40, and L42 connected to the backflow prevention circuit 153, the power supply voltage Va is applied only to the line L30a. Therefore, the selection circuit 25 selects the power supply voltage Va.

[0083] 12, the current Ia from the navigation device 11 is supplied to the power supply circuit 26 and the amplifier circuit 21. Therefore, the navigation device 11 can determine whether or not the navigation device 11 and the terminal 24a are connected, based on the current Ia.

[0084] The current Ib from the emergency notification device 12 flows to ground via the resistor 200 of the switch circuit 150 and the switch SW0. Therefore, the emergency notification device 12 can determine whether the emergency notification device 12 and the terminal 24b are connected based on the current Ib.

[0085] Current Ic from locator device 13 flows mainly to ground via resistor 210 of switch circuit 151 and switch SW10. Therefore, locator device 13 can determine whether locator device 13 and terminal 24c are connected based on current Ic.

[0086] Summary of the Selection Circuit 25 Here, the operation of the selection circuit 25 in states A to H has been described. In this embodiment, the selection circuit 25 selects one of the power supply voltages Va to Vc and outputs a voltage Vout corresponding to the selected voltage to the power supply circuit 26. The selection circuit 25 also operates so that the current from a device that outputs a power supply voltage that has not been selected becomes greater than a predetermined value Ith. This allows each of the navigation device 11, the emergency notification device 12, and the locator device 13 to detect whether or not they are connected to the terminals.

[0087] ===Configuration of Antenna Device 10=== Fig. 13 is an exploded perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the antenna device 10 shown in Fig. 1. The antenna device 10 is configured to include a base plate 500, a base 501, a cover 502, an antenna 510, double-sided tape 511, and a substrate 512. Note that in Fig. 13, to make it easier to understand the directions in the antenna device 10, the x direction, y direction, and z direction are each represented by line segments with arrows.

[0088] Here, the direction in which the cover 502 is located relative to the base plate 500 is defined as the "+z direction," and the opposite direction is defined as the "-z direction." In a quadrilateral substrate 512 (described below), the direction from the geometric center toward the edge on the near side of the paper is defined as the "+x direction," and the opposite direction is defined as the "-x direction." Furthermore, in the substrate 512, the direction from the geometric center toward the edge on the right side of the paper is defined as the "+y direction," and the opposite direction is defined as the "-y direction."

[0089] The +z direction is sometimes called the "upward direction," and the -z direction is sometimes called the "downward direction." The +x direction is sometimes called the "forward direction," the -x direction is sometimes called the "backward direction," the +y direction is sometimes called the "rightward direction," and the -y direction is sometimes called the "leftward direction."

[0090] The base plate 500 is a metal plate that functions as a ground plate for the antenna 510 (described later). The base 501 is a member that houses the antenna 510 and the substrate 512. The cover 502, together with the base 501, is a member that forms a housing space that houses the antenna 510 and the like. The base 501 and the cover 502 are members made of resin. The base 501 also has three notches 530a to 530c formed therein. The lines L20a, L20b, and L20c connected to the terminals 24a, 24b, and 24c are drawn out of the base 501 from these three notches 530a to 530c and are connected to the navigation device 11, the emergency notification device 12, and the locator device 13, respectively.

[0091] The antenna 510 is an antenna compatible with GNSS radio waves. The antenna 510 in Fig. 13 is the same as the antenna 20 shown in the block diagram of Fig. 1, but different reference numerals are used in Fig. 13 to explain the structure of the antenna 510. The antenna 510 includes a radiating element 520 and a dielectric 521.

[0092] The radiating element 520 is a conductive element that is compatible with radio waves in the GNSS frequency band. The radiating element 520 has a quadrilateral shape, but is not limited to this and may be circular or another shape. The radiating element 520 has two feed points 520a and 520b, but the number and positions of the feed points are not limited to this.

[0093] Dielectric 521 is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped member made of a dielectric material such as ceramic. Radiating element 520 is formed on the front surface (here, the upper surface or the surface in the +z direction) of dielectric 521, and the back surface (here, the lower surface or the surface in the -z direction) is attached to substrate 512 via double-sided tape 511. Substrate 512 is a so-called circuit board, and has antenna 510 attached to its front surface, and the above-mentioned amplifier circuit 21, distribution circuit 22, etc. arranged on its back surface.

[0094] <<Back Side of Board 512>> Figure 14 is a diagram for explaining the details of the back side of the board 512. The amplifier circuit 21, distribution circuit 22, interface circuit 23, terminals 24a to 24c, selection circuit 25, and power supply circuit 26 shown in Figure 1 are mounted on the back side of the board 512. The multiple circuits and terminals 24a to 24c mounted on the back side of the board 512 are connected to each other by multiple patterns formed on the back side of the board 512, but these are omitted here for convenience. In this embodiment, the board 512 and the configuration of the amplifier circuit 21 and the like mounted on the back side of the board 512 correspond to "electronic components."

[0095] The lower part of Fig. 14 illustrates an example of a state in which the distribution circuit 22 is mounted on a substrate 512. Patterns P0, P1a to P1c, and P2 are formed on the back surface of the substrate 512. Pattern P0 is a pattern corresponding to line L10 in Fig. 2, and patterns P1a to P1c are patterns corresponding to lines L11a to L11c, respectively. Furthermore, multiple patterns P2 are patterns (so-called ground patterns) corresponding to the ground wiring of the distribution circuit 22.

[0096] As shown in FIG. 2, among the resistors 120 to 122 of the distribution circuit 22, the resistor 122 is connected between the line L11a and the line L11c without being in electrical contact with the line L11b.

[0097] Fig. 15 is a perspective view illustrating the area A1 surrounded by the dotted line in Fig. 14. In this embodiment, the pattern P1a is formed on the left side of the pattern P1b in the width direction (here, the y direction) where the resistor 122 is arranged, and the pattern P1c is formed on the right side. That is, in the area A1 on the back surface of the substrate 512, the pattern P1b is formed between the pattern P1a and the pattern P1c.

[0098] In this embodiment, when the back surface of the substrate 512 is viewed from the −z direction, the resistor 122 is attached to the substrate 512 so that the resistor 122 intersects with the pattern P1b and the pattern P1b is located between the electrodes E1 and E2 of the resistor 122. Of the two electrodes E1 and E2 of the resistor 122, the electrode E1 is connected to the pattern P1a, and the electrode E2 of the resistor 122 is connected to the pattern P1c.

[0099] In this way, by mounting the resistor 122 on the back surface of the substrate 512, the resistor 122 can connect between the patterns P1a and P1c without electrically contacting the pattern P1b. In this embodiment, in a plan view of the back surface of the substrate 512 seen from the −z direction, the longitudinal direction of the resistor 122 and the longitudinal direction of the pattern P1b intersect approximately orthogonally, but this is not limited to this.

[0100] Furthermore, in this embodiment, in a plan view of the back surface of the substrate 512 seen from the −z direction, the size of the resistor 122 is larger than the sizes of the resistors 120 and 121. As a result, the distance between the electrodes E1 and E2 of the resistor 122 is longer than, for example, the distance between the electrodes of the resistor 120. By using such a large-sized resistor 122, it is possible to form a pattern P1b on the substrate 512 that is wide in the left-right direction. This allows the distribution circuit 22 to achieve desired electrical characteristics.

[0101] 16A and 16B are diagrams showing an example of a distributor that divides a signal into two, where filters 560a and 560b are implemented using patterns P10a and P10b. Filters 560a and 560b have a configuration similar to that of filter 110a described above, and are implemented using patterns P10a and P10b formed on substrate 550.

[0102] 16A and 16B, pattern P10a is a pattern within the area surrounded by a dotted line, and pattern P10b is a pattern within the area surrounded by a dashed line. As shown in Fig. 16A and 16B, resistors 570 are provided at the output side ends of patterns P10a and P10b.

[0103] In Fig. 16A, the length in the y direction is shortened by extending the patterns P10a and P10b in the x direction, whereas in Fig. 16B, the length in the x direction is shortened by extending the patterns P10a and P10b in the y direction.

[0104] In this way, when forming the two filters 560 a and 560 b on the substrate 550 , it is only necessary to change the shapes of the patterns P10 a and P10 b to fit the available space on the substrate 550 .

[0105] 17 is a diagram showing an example in which the filters 110a to 110c of the distribution circuit 22 are implemented using patterns P20a to P20c. As shown in FIG. 17, on the substrate 550, a pattern P20b surrounded by a dashed line must be formed between a pattern P20a in the area surrounded by a dotted line and a pattern P20c in the area surrounded by a two-dot chain line. Furthermore, the lengths of the patterns P20a to P20c must be equal. As a result, it is difficult to reduce the mounting area of ​​the patterns P20a to P20c (suppressing an increase in the mounting area).

[0106] 18 is a diagram for comparing an area A2 in which the distribution circuit 22 of this embodiment is implemented with a virtual area A3 in which the distribution circuit 22 using a distributed constant circuit is implemented. The area A2 indicated by the dotted line is a rectangular area with sides of approximately 5 mm in the x direction and sides of approximately 7 mm in the y direction, and the area A3 indicated by the dashed-dotted line is a rectangular area with sides of approximately 9 mm in the x direction and sides of approximately 18 mm in the y direction.

[0107] 18, the multiple elements constituting the filters 110a to 110c of the distribution circuit 22 of this embodiment are realized as lumped constant elements. Therefore, for example, compared to when distributed constant circuits are used for the filters 110a to 110c, the mounting area of ​​the distribution circuit 22 can be made smaller (the increase in the mounting area can be suppressed).

[0108] ===Other Embodiments of Distribution Circuit=== Fig. 19 is a diagram showing an example of another embodiment of the distribution circuit. The distribution circuit 600 is a circuit that distributes a signal S0 into n signals S1 to Sn (here, n is an integer equal to or greater than 3). The distribution circuit 600 is configured to include lines LI, LO1 to LOn, filters F1 to Fn, and resistors R1 to Rn. The line LI corresponds to the input line to which the signal S0 is input, and the lines LO1 to LOn correspond to the output lines to which the n distributed signals S1 to Sn are output.

[0109] The filters F1 to Fn are similar to the filter 110a described above, and the resistors R1 to Rn are elements that form a so-called star circuit. By using this configuration, the distribution circuit 600 can distribute the signal S0 into n signals S1 to Sn. Furthermore, in the distribution circuit 600, the filters F1 to Fn are composed of multiple lumped constant elements. Therefore, by using the distribution circuit 600, it is possible to suppress an increase in the mounting area. Note that in the star circuit, one terminal of each of the n resistors R1 to Rn is connected to each other, and the other terminal of each of the n resistors R1 to Rn is connected to each of the lines LO1 to LOn.

[0110] Summary According to this specification, the following electronic components and antenna devices are provided.

[0111] (Aspect 1) Aspect 1 comprises an amplifier circuit that amplifies a signal received by an antenna, and a distribution circuit that distributes an output signal output from the amplifier circuit to at least three output lines, and the distribution circuit has a plurality of lumped constant elements.

[0112] Of the line L10 (input line) and lines L11a to L11c, lines L11a to L11c correspond to "three output lines."

[0113] According to the above-described aspect, the mounting area of ​​an electronic component including a distribution circuit 22 capable of distributing a signal into at least three parts can be reduced (the increase in the mounting area can be suppressed) compared to when a distributed constant circuit is used.

[0114] (Aspect 2) Aspect 2 includes a substrate on which the amplifier circuit and the distribution circuit are arranged on a first surface, which is a surface on the same side.

[0115] The back surface of the substrate 212 corresponds to the "first surface."

[0116] According to the above-described embodiment, the mounting area of ​​the distribution circuit 22 on the substrate 512 can be reduced (the increase in the mounting area can be suppressed).

[0117] (Aspect 3) In aspect 3, the antenna is disposed on a second surface of the substrate opposite to the first surface.

[0118] The front surface of the substrate 512 corresponds to the second surface.

[0119] According to the above-described embodiment, the antenna 20 is mounted on the front surface of the substrate 512, and various circuits are mounted on the back surface, so that the area of ​​the substrate 512 can be reduced (the increase in the mounting area can be suppressed) compared to when all components are mounted on one of the surfaces.

[0120] (Aspect 4) In aspect 4, the distribution circuit distributes the output signal to three first to third output lines, the plurality of lumped elements including a first resistor connected between the first and second output lines, a second resistor connected between the second and third output lines, and a third resistor connected between the first and third output lines, and on the first surface of the substrate, a pattern corresponding to the second output line is located between a first electrode and a second electrode of the third resistor.

[0121] Line L11a corresponds to the "first output line." Line L11b corresponds to the "second output line," and line L11c corresponds to the third output line. Resistor 120 corresponds to the "first resistor," resistor 121 corresponds to the "second resistor," and resistor 122 corresponds to the "third resistor." Electrode E1 corresponds to the "first electrode," electrode E2 corresponds to the "second electrode," and pattern P1b corresponds to the "pattern corresponding to the second output line."

[0122] According to the above-described aspect, the resistor 122 can connect the pattern P1a corresponding to the line L11a and the pattern P1c corresponding to the line L11c without being in electrical contact with the pattern P1b.

[0123] (Aspect 5) Aspect 5 comprises first to third lines connected to the first to third output lines via first to third capacitors, respectively, and to which first to third power supply voltages are applied, a selection circuit that selects one of the first to third power supply voltages, and a power supply circuit that operates the amplifier circuit based on the one of the voltages.

[0124] Capacitor 40a corresponds to the "first capacitor," capacitor 40b corresponds to the "second capacitor," and capacitor 40c corresponds to the "third capacitor." Power supply voltage Va corresponds to the "first power supply voltage," power supply voltage Vb corresponds to the "second power supply voltage," and power supply voltage Vc corresponds to the "third power supply voltage." Furthermore, line L30a corresponds to the "first line," line L30b corresponds to the "second line," and line L30c corresponds to the "third line."

[0125] According to the above-described aspect, the selection circuit 25 selects one of the power supply voltages Va to Vc applied to the lines L30a to L30c, and the power supply circuit 26 can operate the amplifier circuit 21 with the voltage Vcc based on the selected voltage.

[0126] (Aspect 6) In aspect 6, the selection circuit is disposed on the first surface of the substrate.

[0127] According to the above-described embodiment, the circuitry that operates to process the signal from the antenna 20 can be concentrated on the back surface of the substrate 212 .

[0128] (Aspect 7) In aspect 7, the selection circuit includes a first switch located between the second line and the power supply circuit, and second and third switches located between the third line and the power supply circuit and connected in series, and each of the first to third switches is turned on or off so as to select one of the first to third power supply voltages.

[0129] The switch SW2 corresponds to a "first switch", the switch SW12 corresponds to a "second switch", and the switch SW22 corresponds to a "third switch".

[0130] According to the above-described embodiment, in the selection circuit 25, the switches SW2, SW12, and SW22 are turned on and off, thereby appropriately selecting the power supply voltage.

[0131] (Aspect 8) In aspect 8, the selection circuit includes a fourth resistor and a fourth switch directly connected between the second line and ground, a fifth resistor and a fifth switch directly connected between the third line and ground, and a sixth resistor and a sixth switch directly connected between the third line and ground via the second switch, wherein the fourth switch is turned on when the second power supply voltage is applied to the second line and the second power supply voltage is not selected as any one of the voltages, and the fifth switch or the sixth switch is turned on when the third power supply voltage is applied to the third line and the third power supply voltage is not selected as any one of the voltages.

[0132] Resistor 200 corresponds to the “fourth resistor,” resistor 210 corresponds to the “fifth resistor,” and resistor 220 corresponds to the “sixth resistor.” Switch SW0 corresponds to the “fourth switch,” switch SW10 corresponds to the “fifth switch,” and switch SW20 corresponds to the “sixth switch.”

[0133] According to the above-described embodiment, it is possible to realize a so-called connection detection function for a device (for example, the navigation device 11) that applies the power supply voltages Va to Vc to the lines L30a to L30c.

[0134] (Aspect 9) In aspect 9, the selection circuit comprises: a first diode having an anode connected to the first line and a cathode connected to the power supply circuit; a second diode having an anode connected to the second line via the first switch and a cathode connected to the power supply circuit; and a third diode having an anode connected to the third line via the second and third switches and a cathode connected to the power supply circuit.

[0135] The diode D1 corresponds to the "first diode", the diode D2 corresponds to the "second diode", and the diode D3 corresponds to the "third diode".

[0136] According to the above-described aspect, for example, it is possible to prevent current from flowing from the line L30a to which the power supply voltage Va is applied to the other lines L30b and L30c (i.e., current backflow). As a result, it is possible to protect devices connected to the lines L30b and L30c. Furthermore, with this configuration, it is possible to prevent current backflow without determining the start-up order of devices that apply the power supply voltages Va to Vc to the lines L30a to L30c (i.e., the order in which the power supply voltages Va to Vc are applied to the lines L30a to L30c).

[0137] (Aspect 10) Aspect 10 includes an antenna, an amplifier circuit that amplifies a signal received by the antenna, and a distribution circuit that distributes an output signal output from the amplifier circuit to at least three output lines, wherein the distribution circuit has a plurality of lumped constant elements.

[0138] According to the above-described aspect, it is possible to reduce the mounting area of ​​an antenna device capable of splitting a signal into at least three parts (suppress an increase in the mounting area) compared to when a distributed constant circuit is used.

[0139] The above-described embodiments are intended to facilitate understanding of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention may be modified or improved without departing from the spirit thereof, and the present invention includes equivalents thereof.

[0140] 10 Antenna device 20, 510 Antenna 21 Amplification circuit 22, 600 Distribution circuit 23 Interface circuit 25 Selection circuit 26 Power supply circuit 40a to 40c Capacitors 120 to 122, 200, 210, 220 Resistor 512 Substrate D1 to D3 Diodes L10, L11a to L11c, L30a to L30c Line P1a to P1c Pattern SW0 to SW2, SW10 to SW12, SW20 to SW22 Switch

Claims

1. An electronic component comprising: an amplifier circuit that amplifies a signal received by an antenna; and a distribution circuit that distributes an output signal output from the amplifier circuit to at least three output lines, the distribution circuit having a plurality of lumped elements.

2. An electronic component according to claim 1, comprising a substrate on which the amplifier circuit and the distribution circuit are arranged on a first surface, which is the same side as the substrate.

3. An electronic component according to claim 2, wherein the antenna is disposed on a second surface of the substrate opposite to the first surface.

4. An electronic component as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the distribution circuit distributes the output signal to three first to third output lines, and the plurality of lumped elements include a first resistor connected between the first and second output lines, a second resistor connected between the second and third output lines, and a third resistor connected between the first and third output lines, and on the first surface of the substrate, a pattern corresponding to the second output line is located between the first electrode and the second electrode of the third resistor.

5. An electronic component according to any one of claims 4, comprising: first to third lines connected to the first to third output lines via first to third capacitors, respectively, and to which first to third power supply voltages are applied, respectively; a selection circuit selecting one of the first to third power supply voltages; and a power supply circuit operating the amplifier circuit based on one of the one voltages.

6. An electronic component according to claim 5, wherein the selection circuit is disposed on the first surface of the substrate.

7. An electronic component as claimed in claim 5, wherein the selection circuit comprises: a first switch located between the second line and the power supply circuit; and second and third switches located between the third line and the power supply circuit and connected in series; and each of the first to third switches is turned on or off so as to select one of the first to third power supply voltages.

8. An electronic component as claimed in claim 7, wherein the selection circuit comprises: a fourth resistor and a fourth switch connected directly between the second line and ground; a fifth resistor and a fifth switch connected directly between the third line and ground; and a sixth resistor and a sixth switch connected directly between the third line and ground via the second switch; the fourth switch is turned on when the second power supply voltage is applied to the second line and the second power supply voltage is not selected as any one of the voltages; and the fifth switch or the sixth switch is turned on when the third power supply voltage is applied to the third line and the third power supply voltage is not selected as any one of the voltages.

9. An electronic component as claimed in claim 7, wherein the selection circuit comprises: a first diode having an anode connected to the first line and a cathode connected to the power supply circuit; a second diode having an anode connected to the second line via the first switch and a cathode connected to the power supply circuit; and a third diode having an anode connected to the third line via the second and third switches and a cathode connected to the power supply circuit.

10. An antenna device comprising: an antenna; an amplifier circuit that amplifies a signal received by the antenna; and a distribution circuit that distributes an output signal output from the amplifier circuit to at least three output lines, the distribution circuit having a plurality of lumped constant elements.

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