Antenna system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12457004-B2
Application number	US-202017998646-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 15, 2020
Priority date	May 15, 2020
Publication date	Oct 28, 2025
Grant date	Oct 28, 2025

Abstract

The disclosure relates to an antenna system comprising: a transceiver & control unit configured to control the antenna system and to generate a RF transceiver signal; a compensator connected to the transceiver & control unit through a connecting line, the compensator being configured to compensate for signal losses occurring for the RF transceiver signal in the connecting line between the transceiver & control unit and the compensator; an antenna interface provided at the compensator configured to transmit an antenna output signal with a variable output power; and a bidirectional communication line configured to provide a bidirectional communication between the compensator and the transceiver & control unit, wherein the transceiver & control unit is configured to indicate to the compensator through the bidirectional communication line a desired value of the variable output power to be present at the antenna interface when the antenna output signal is output by the antenna interface.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An antenna system comprising:
a transceiver and control unit operable to control the antenna system and to generate a RF transceiver signal;
a compensator connected to the transceiver and control unit through a connecting line, the compensator being operable to compensate for signal losses occurring for the RF transceiver signal in the connecting line between the transceiver and control unit and the compensator;
an antenna interface provided at the compensator operable to transmit an antenna output signal with a variable output power; and
a bidirectional communication line operable to provide a bidirectional communication between the compensator and the transceiver and control unit,
wherein the transceiver and control unit is operable to indicate to the compensator through the bidirectional communication line a desired value of the variable output power to be present at the antenna interface when the antenna output signal is output by the antenna interface,
wherein the connecting line and the bidirectional communication line are implemented as a single line operable to transmit the RF transceiver signal and a control signal indicating the desired value of the variable output power, and
wherein the transceiver and control unit is operable to request diagnosis data indicating an operating status of the compensator from the compensator through the single line and to receive the diagnosis data sent from the compensator through the single line in response to the request.

2. The antenna system according to claim 1 , wherein the compensator is operable as a variable gain compensator to apply a variable gain to the RF transceiver signal in order to obtain the desired value of the variable output power at the antenna interface as received from the transceiver and control unit.

3. The antenna system according to claim 1 , wherein the compensator is operable as a fixed gain compensator to apply a fixed gain to the RF transceiver signal in order to obtain the desired value of the variable output power at the antenna interface as intended by the transceiver and control unit, and wherein the compensator is operable to inform the transceiver and control unit of an actual output power present at the antenna interface via the bidirectional communication line.

4. The antenna system according to claim 1 , wherein the compensator is operable to transmit a heartbeat message through the bidirectional communication line to the transceiver and control unit indicating whether the compensator is operating normally, the transceiver and control unit being operable to determine the operating status of the compensator based on the heartbeat message.

5. The antenna system according to claim 1 , wherein the transceiver and control unit is operable to determine a position dependent maximum output power allowed at the antenna interface, and wherein the transceiver and control unit is operable to determine the variable output power such that the desired value of the variable output power is not higher than the position dependent maximum output power allowed at the antenna interface.

6. The antenna system according to claim 5 , being operable to determine the position dependent maximum output power from an RF receiving signal received at the antenna interface.

7. The antenna system according to claim 1 , wherein the transceiver and control unit is operable to transmit a software update for the compensator through the bidirectional communication line to the compensator.

8. The antenna system according to claim 1 , wherein the transceiver and control unit is operable to provide a power supply to the compensator through the single line.

9. The antenna system according to claim 1 , wherein a communication between the transceiver and control unit and the compensator via the bidirectional communication line is implemented with a master/slave communication scheme, with the transceiver and control unit being a master and the compensator being a slave.

10. The antenna system according to claim 1 , wherein the transceiver and control unit is operable to determine whether the compensator is properly connected to the transceiver and control unit through the connecting line.

11. An antenna system comprising:
a transceiver and control unit operable to control the antenna system and to generate a RF transceiver signal;
a compensator connected to the transceiver and control unit through a connecting line, the compensator being operable to compensate for signal losses occurring for the RF transceiver signal in the connecting line between the transceiver and control unit and the compensator;
an antenna interface provided at the compensator operable to transmit an antenna output signal with a variable output power; and
a bidirectional communication line operable to provide a bidirectional communication between the compensator and the transceiver and control unit,
wherein the transceiver and control unit is operable to indicate to the compensator through the bidirectional communication line a desired value of the variable output power to be present at the antenna interface when the antenna output signal is output by the antenna interface, and
wherein the compensator is operable to transmit a heartbeat message through the bidirectional communication line to the transceiver and control unit indicating whether the compensator is operating normally, the transceiver and control unit being operable to determine an operating status of the compensator based on the heartbeat message.

12. An antenna system comprising:
a transceiver and control unit operable to control the antenna system and to generate a RF transceiver signal;
a compensator connected to the transceiver and control unit through a connecting line, the compensator being operable to compensate for signal losses occurring for the RF transceiver signal in the connecting line between the transceiver and control unit and the compensator;
an antenna interface provided at the compensator operable to transmit an antenna output signal with a variable output power; and
a bidirectional communication line operable to provide a bidirectional communication between the compensator and the transceiver and control unit,
wherein the transceiver and control unit is operable to indicate to the compensator through the bidirectional communication line a desired value of the variable output power to be present at the antenna interface when the antenna output signal is output by the antenna interface, and
wherein the transceiver and control unit is operable to determine a position dependent maximum output power allowed at the antenna interface, and wherein the transceiver and control unit is operable to determine the variable output power such that the desired value of the variable output power is not higher than the position dependent maximum output power allowed at the antenna interface.

Assignees

• Harman Becker Automotive Systems Gmbh

Inventors

• Fries Dirk
• Defer Alexey

Classifications

• H04B1/0458

  Arrangements for matching and coupling between power amplifier and antenna or between amplifying stages (matching circuits in general H03H) · CPC title

• H04B1/18

  Input circuits, e.g. for coupling to an antenna or a transmission line (coupling networks between antennas or lines and receivers independent of the nature of the receiver H03H) · CPC title

• H04B1/586 Primary

  using an electronic circuit · CPC title

• H04B3/08 Primary

  in negative-feedback path of line amplifier · CPC title