Window Antenna Coupled Transmission Line Filter
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle antennas fail to cover wide bandwidths such as TV VHF and UHF bands efficiently and require multiple antennas for diversity operation, while also being costly due to the need for connectors extending from the glass laminate.
Innovation Solution
A window antenna design featuring a silver ceramic line printed on the inner surface of the glass ply, coupled with an embedded wire to form a transmission line filter, eliminating the need for edge connectors and allowing for multiband operation with improved impedance matching and tuning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a connector extends from the edge of the glass laminate to connect the wire antenna to the vehicle electronic module, then the antenna can be connected to the electronic module, but the manufacturing cost increases due to the need for expensive prepress equipment to de-air the glass assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the external connector from the glass laminate assembly. Instead of having a connector extend from the edge requiring expensive de-airing equipment, the feed line is printed directly on the glass surface using screen printing technology, which is a simpler and less expensive manufacturing process that does not require complex prepress equipment
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the mechanical connector system with a printed conductive trace system. The silver paste feed line is screen-printed directly onto the glass laminate, substituting the mechanical connection method with a printed circuit approach that is more cost-effective and simplifies the manufacturing process
2Adaptability or versatility
If separate antennas are used for FM and TV frequencies to provide diversity operation, then the antenna system can cover multiple frequency bands, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention creates a universal antenna system where a single wire antenna embedded in the glass can operate across multiple frequency bands including FM and TV frequencies. By using a long wire antenna with coupled feed lines and tuning capacitors, the system achieves multiband functionality without requiring separate antennas for different frequency ranges
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges multiple antenna functions into a single integrated structure. The wire antenna is combined with coupled feed lines printed on the glass surface and tuning capacitors embedded in the interlayer, creating a unified multiband antenna system that replaces what would traditionally require multiple separate antennas
3Adaptability or versatility
If a long wire antenna is used to cover wide bandwidth including TV VHF and UHF bands, then the frequency coverage is improved, but the impedance matching and signal transfer efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces coupled feed lines as intermediary elements between the wire antenna and the external connector. These coupled feed lines, printed on the glass surface using screen printing, act as impedance transformation networks that improve signal transfer efficiency and enable better impedance matching across wide frequency bands
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses tuning capacitors to dynamically adjust electrical parameters for optimal performance across different frequency bands. By varying the capacitance values, the system can optimize impedance matching and resonance conditions for FM, TV VHF, and UHF bands, maintaining high signal transfer efficiency across the wide bandwidth
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a broad bandwidth, efficient radio frequency energy transfer, and reduced manufacturing costs by eliminating edge connectors, enabling effective multiband operation and simplifying antenna design.
Implementation Method 1
A portion of the antenna wire is configured in different shapes to form a coupling region. The wire capacitively couples to a conductor surface that is connected to an antenna feeding cable. The coupling region and surface contact forms a two-line transmission line that transfers RF signals received by the antenna to the surface contact.
Implementation Method 2
silver printed antennas in the vehicle glazing. More recently, embedded wire antennas of quarter or half wavelength have been used in laminated windshields and back windows
Implementation Method 3
A galvanized connector that is soldered to the silver line on the surface of the inner ply is connected to a coaxial cable or other antenna module input
Data Source
AI summary
A window antenna wherein a silver ceramic trace is printed on an interior ply, and a connector is attached to the trace and a signal input. A length of the embedded antenna wire is oriented parallel to a coextensive length of the trace to form a coupled pass band filter. The coupled pass band filter provides a convenient feed to the antenna wire and eliminates a connection that extends from the edge of the laminate.