Multiple orientation antenna for vehicle communication

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017373384-A1
Application number	US-201615191824-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 24, 2016
Priority date	Jun 24, 2016
Publication date	Dec 28, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and apparatus are disclosed for a multiple orientation antenna for vehicle communications. An example multiple orientation antenna includes a housing and a first and second set of shutters embedded into the housing. The example multiple orientation antenna also includes a waveguide disposed within the housing defining a first and second set of slot antennas. The slot antennas of the first set of slot antennas are oriented to facilitate horizontal communication. The slot antennas of the second set of slot antennas are oriented to facilitate vertical communication. Additionally, the example multiple orientation antenna includes a rotation motor to rotate the housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A multiple orientation antenna for a vehicle comprising:
a housing; a first and second set of shutters embedded into the housing; a waveguide disposed within the housing defining a first and second set of slot antennas, the first set of slot antennas oriented to facilitate horizontal communication and the second set of slot antennas oriented to facilitate vertical communication; and a rotation motor to rotate the housing.

2 . The multiple orientation antenna of claim 1 , wherein the first set of shutters are aligned with the first set of slot antennas, and the second set of shutters are aligned with the second set of slot antennas.

3 . The multiple orientation antenna of claim 1 , wherein the first and second sets of shutters include a conductive material to block radio frequency signals when the shutters are closed.

4 . The multiple orientation antenna of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a conductive material to block radio frequency signals.

5 . The multiple orientation antenna of claim 1 , wherein the shutters of the first and the second set of shutters open and close in response to signals received from an antenna controller.

6 . The multiple orientation antenna of claim 5 , wherein each of the shutters of the first and the second set of shutters open and close are controlled by the antenna controller independently.

7 . The multiple orientation antenna of claim 1 , wherein the rotation motor rotates the housing in response to signals received from an antenna controller.

8 . The multiple orientation antenna of claim 1 , wherein the housing is dome-shaped.

9 . The multiple orientation antenna of claim 1 , wherein the shutters of the first and the second set of shutters include an iris diaphragm that opens in response to a signal received from an antenna controller.

10 . The multiple orientation antenna of claim 1 , wherein the shutters of the first and the second set of shutters include a first and second set of doors that open to in response to a signal received from an antenna controller.

11 . A vehicle communication system comprising:
an antenna including a plurality of shutters that, when open, facilitate communication through corresponding ones of a plurality of slot antennas; and a antenna controller to:
during a first time period, open the plurality of shutters and continuously rotate the antenna; and
during a second time period, selectively open one or more of the plurality of shutters and orient the open shutters to directions specified by an orientation request.

12 . The vehicle communication system of claim 11 , wherein the antenna includes a waveguide disposed within a housing, the waveguide defining the plurality of slot antennas.

13 . The vehicle communication system of claim 12 , wherein the housing is dome-shaped and includes a conductive material to block radio frequency signals.

14 . The vehicle communication system of claim 11 , wherein a first set of the plurality of slot antennas are oriented to facilitate horizontal communication, and wherein a second set of the plurality of slot antennas are oriented to facilitate vertical communication.

15 . The vehicle communication system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of shutters includes a conductive material to block radio frequency signals when the shutters are closed.

16 . The vehicle communication system of claim 11 , wherein the antenna include a rotation motor that rotates the antenna in response to signals received from the antenna controller.

17 . The vehicle communication system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of shutters include iris diaphragms that open in response to a signal received from the antenna controller.

18 . The vehicle communication system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of shutters include first and second sets of doors that open to in response to a signal received from the antenna controller.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Macneille Perry Robinson
• Murray Allen R
• Lei Oliver

Classifications

• H01Q3/04

  for varying one co-ordinate of the orientation · CPC title

• H01Q13/106

  Microstrip slot antennas (patch antenna elements H01Q9/0407) · CPC title

• H01Q3/24 Primary

  varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching · CPC title

• H01Q1/428

  Collapsible radomes; rotatable, tiltable radomes · CPC title

• H01Q1/3275 Primary

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