LTE MIMO antenna system for automotive carbon fiber rooftops

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10170824-B1
Application number	US-201715496411-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Apr 25, 2017
Priority date	Jun 29, 2015
Publication date	Jan 1, 2019
Grant date	Jan 1, 2019

Abstract

The present disclosure is related to an antenna system for a vehicle, such as a vehicle that has a non-metallic roof. The antenna system includes two metallic supports coupled to the roof. Additionally, the antenna system includes a first MIMO antenna pair. A first antenna of the first MIMO antenna pair is coupled to a first support of the two metallic supports, and a second antenna of the first MIMO antenna pair is coupled to a second support of the two metallic supports. The antenna system further includes a second MIMO antenna pair. A first antenna of the second MIMO antenna pair is coupled to the first support of the two metallic supports, and a second antenna of the second MIMO antenna pair is coupled to the second support of the two metallic supports. Yet further, the two metallic supports of the antenna system are physically separated from each other.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An antenna system for a vehicle, comprising:
a first metallic support coupled to a non-metallic roof of a vehicle; and
a first antenna and a second antenna coupled to the first metallic support, wherein a polarization of the first antenna is perpendicular to a polarization of the second antenna, wherein the first metallic support forms a ground plane for the first and second antennas, and wherein each respective antenna of the first and second antennas comprises:
a feed configured to couple an electromagnetic signal between the respective antenna and radio hardware,
a radiating portion configured to radiate the electromagnetic signal, and
a plurality of spacers configured to provide an impedance match for the respective antenna.

2. The antenna system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a second metallic support coupled to the non-metallic roof;
a third antenna coupled to the second metallic support, wherein the second metallic support forms a ground plane for the third antenna and separates the third antenna from the non-metallic roof.

3. The antenna system according to claim 2 , wherein the polarization of the first antenna is perpendicular to a polarization of the third antenna.

4. The antenna system according to claim 2 , wherein the first metallic support and the second metallic support are physically separated from each other.

5. The antenna system according to claim 2 , wherein the first antenna and the third antenna form a MIMO antenna pair.

6. The antenna system according to claim 2 , further comprising
a fourth antenna coupled to the second metallic support, wherein the second antenna and the fourth antenna form a MIMO antenna pair.

7. The antenna system according to claim 1 , wherein the spacers are further configured to provide a desired separation between the respective antenna and the first metallic support.

8. The antenna system according to claim 1 , wherein a radiation pattern of the first antenna is orthogonal to a radiation pattern of the second antenna.

9. The antenna system according to claim 1 , wherein the first antenna is configured as a dual band antenna.

10. An antenna system for a vehicle, wherein the vehicle comprises a non-metallic roof, comprising:
at least two metallic supports coupled to the roof;
a first antenna pair, wherein:
a first antenna of the first antenna pair is coupled to a first metallic support of the at least two metallic supports; and
a second antenna of the first antenna pair is coupled to a second metallic support of the at least two metallic supports; and

a second antenna pair, wherein:
a first antenna of the second antenna pair is coupled to the first metallic support of the at least two metallic supports, wherein the first antenna of the second antenna pair is perpendicular to the first antenna of the first antenna pair; and
a second antenna of the second antenna pair is coupled to the second metallic support of the at least two metallic supports, wherein the second antenna of the second antenna pair is perpendicular to the second antenna of the first antenna pair; and

wherein the first and second metallic supports are physically separated from each other.

11. The antenna system according to claim 10 , wherein the first antenna pair forms a first MIMO antenna pair and the second antenna pair forms a second MIMO antenna pair.

12. The antenna system according to claim 10 , wherein the first and second antennas of the first antenna pair have orthogonal radiation patterns and perpendicular polarizations, wherein the first and second antennas of the second antenna pair have orthogonal radiation patterns and perpendicular polarizations.

13. The antenna system according to claim 10 , wherein the first and second metallic supports conform to contours of a region of the non-metallic roof.

14. A method, comprising:
coupling a first metallic ground plane to a non-metallic roof of a vehicle; and
coupling a first antenna and a second antenna to the first metallic ground plane, such that a polarization of the first antenna is perpendicular to a polarization of the second antenna; and
for each respective antenna of the first and second antennas, providing (i) an antenna feed configured to couple an electromagnetic signal between the respective antenna and radio hardware and (ii) a plurality of spacers configured to provide an impedance match for the respective antenna.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
coupling a second metallic ground plane to the non-metallic roof of the vehicle; and
coupling a third antenna and a fourth antenna to the second metallic ground plane, such that a polarization of the third antenna is perpendicular to a polarization of the fourth antenna; and
for each respective antenna of the third and fourth antennas, providing (i) an antenna feed configured to couple an electromagnetic signal between the respective antenna and radio hardware and (ii) a plurality of spacers configured to provide an impedance match for the respective antenna.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first metallic ground plane and the second ground plane support are physically separated from each other.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first antenna and the third antenna form a MIMO antenna pair.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the second antenna and the fourth antenna form a MIMO antenna pair.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the polarization of the first antenna is perpendicular to the polarization of the third antenna.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the polarization of the second antenna is perpendicular to the polarization of the fourth antenna.

Assignees

• Waymo Llc
• Waymo Llc

Inventors

• Asrani Vijay
• Alvarez Rivera Felix Jose
• Kough Douglas Blake

Classifications

• H01Q1/1214

  through a wall · CPC title

• H01Q1/48

  Earthing means; Earth screens; Counterpoises · CPC title

• H01Q1/3275 Primary

  mounted on a horizontal surface of the vehicle, e.g. on roof, hood, trunk · CPC title

• H04B7/0413

  MIMO systems · CPC title

• H01Q21/24

  Combinations of antenna units polarised in different directions for transmitting or receiving circularly and elliptically polarised waves or waves linearly polarised in any direction {(circularly polarised patch antennas H01Q9/0428; circularly polarised horns H01Q13/0241; cross-polarised horns H01Q13/0258; polarisation converters H01Q15/242; cross-polarised rear feeds H01Q19/136; crossed polarisation dual antenna H01Q25/001)} · CPC title