Antenna device and antenna system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9490527-B2
Application number	US-201213539955-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 2, 2012
Priority date	Jan 18, 2010
Publication date	Nov 8, 2016
Grant date	Nov 8, 2016

Abstract

An antenna element ( 115 ) of an antenna device has first and second root sections ( 117 ) and ( 118 ) and an intermediate section lying between the first and second root sections ( 117 ) and ( 118 ). A feed section ( 114 ) is provided in the first and second root sections ( 117 ) and ( 118 ). The first and second root sections ( 117 ) and ( 118 ) are arranged so as to surround the feed section ( 114 ), and are provided in a wind section ( 113 ). Tail end linear parts in the wind section ( 113 ) extend in respective opposite directions. At least one of the first and second root sections ( 117 ) and ( 118 ) has a wider width part, which is formed such that a portion that overlaps a feed line connected with the feed section ( 114 ) is larger in width than other portions. This makes it possible to realize high radiant gain and improve a VSWR characteristic for each radio wave.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An antenna device comprising an antenna element which has an electrically conductive path continuing from one end part to the other end part and which has a feed section provided in the one and the other end parts of the electrically conductive path,
the antenna element having a first root section which includes the one end part of the electrically conductive path, a second root section which includes the other end part of the electrically conductive path, and an intermediate section which lies between the first root section and the second root section,
the feed section being provided in the first root section and the second root section,
the first root section and the second root section being arranged such that respective end parts of the first root section and the second root section are adjacent to each other and the first root section and the second root section extend along each other from the respective end parts so as to form a single winding section in which the respective end parts are enwound and so as to surround the feed section, and the first root section and the second root section being arranged in a first region that is part of a region where the electrically conductive path is formed,
in the first region, tail end linear parts of the winding section, which tail end linear parts are directly connected with the intermediate section, extending in respective opposite directions, and
at least one of the first and second root sections having a wider width part, the wider width part being formed such that a portion that overlaps a feed line connected with the feed section is larger in width than other portions;
wherein the intermediate section is constituted by (i) a first part having a meander shape made up of at least one return pattern and (ii) a second part having a linear shape or having a meander shape made up of at least one return pattern;
wherein the first part and the second part are arranged such that (a) a return direction of the meander shape of the first part and (b) a direction in which the linear shape of the second part extends or a return direction of the meander shape of the second part are perpendicular to each other; and
wherein, in the antenna element, the first root section has (i) a first linear part that extends in a first direction from one end part of the antenna element and (ii) a second linear part that is connected with the first linear part via a first bending part and extends from the first bending part in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction, the second linear part being a tail end linear part, and
the second root section has (a) a third linear part that extends in the second direction from the other end part of the antenna element and (b) a fourth linear part that is connected with the third linear party via a second bending part and extends from the second bending part in the first direction, the fourth linear part being a tail end linear part.

2. The antenna device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second parts has one of or a plurality of short-circuit material(s) provided on the meander shape of said at least one of the first and second parts, the short-circuit material(s) being configured to cause a short circuit(s) in the meander shape of said at least one of the first and second parts.

3. The antenna device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein:
the intermediate section of the antenna element has a meander-shaped part made up of a plurality of return patterns of the electrically conductive path; and
in the meander-shaped part, a short-circuit section short-circuiting two different points in the return patterns is provided so as to reduce a VSWR value in a usable band for the antenna device.

4. The antenna device as set forth in claim 3 , wherein the short-circuit section short-circuits the two different points in the return patterns so as to reduce the VSWR value to 3.5 or less.

5. The antenna device as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a dielectric layer made from a dielectric material on one surface-side of the antenna element.

6. The antenna device as set forth in claim 5 , wherein the dielectric material is not less than 2 mm in thickness.

7. The antenna system comprising an antenna device recited in claim 3 , the antenna device being provided inside a vehicle.

8. The antenna system as set forth in claim 7 , wherein the antenna device is provided within a distance from an aperture in a body of the vehicle, the distance being not greater than one half a wavelength of a lowest frequency in a usable band for the antenna device.

9. The antenna system as set forth in claim 7 , wherein the antenna device is provided on a pillar of the vehicle, on a back surface of a rooftop inside the vehicle, on a back surface of a door of the vehicle, or on a dashboard of the vehicle.

10. An antenna system, comprising:
a plurality of antenna devices each recited in claim 3 ; and
received signal outputting means,
the plurality of antenna devices being provided on a body of a vehicle,
the received signal outputting means being connected to the plurality of antenna devices, and
diversity being carried out by using the plurality of antenna devices.

11. The antenna system as set forth in claim 10 , wherein at least one of the plurality of antenna devices is provided inside the vehicle and at least one of the plurality of antenna devices is provided outside the vehicle.

12. The antenna system as set forth in claim 10 , wherein the total number of the plurality of antenna devices is not less than two but not more than four.

13. An antenna device comprising an antenna element which has an electrically conductive path continuing from one end part to the other end part and which has a feed section provided in the one and the other end parts of the electrically conductive path,
the antenna element having a first root section which includes the one end part of the electrically conductive path, a second root section which includes the other end part of the electrically conductive path, and an intermediate section which lies between the first root section and the second root section,
the feed section being provided in the first root section and the second root section,
the first root section and the second root section being arranged such that respective end parts of the first root section and the second root section are adjacent to each other and the first root section and the second root section extend along each other from the respective end parts so as to form a single winding section in which the respective end parts are enwound and so as to surround the feed section, and the first root section and the second root section being arranged in a first region that is part of a region where the electrically conductive path is formed,
in the first region, tail end linear parts of the winding section, which tail end linear parts are directly connected with the intermediate section, extending in respective opposite directions, and
at least one of the first and second root sections having a wider width part, the wider width part being formed such that a portion that overlaps a feed line connected with the feed section is larger in width than other portions;
wherein the intermediate section is constituted by (i) a first part having a meander shape made up of at least one return pattern and (ii) a second part having a linear shape or having a meander shape made up of at least one return pattern;
wherein the first part and the second part are arranged such that (a) a return direction of the meander shape of the first part and (b) a direction in

Assignees

• Guan Ning
• Tayama Hiroiku
• Fujikura Ltd

Inventors

• Guan Ning
• Tayama Hiroiku

Classifications

• H01Q1/36

  Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella; {Particular materials used therewith}(H01Q1/08, H01Q1/14 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01Q7/00

  Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop · CPC title

• H01Q1/3291

  mounted in or on other locations inside the vehicle or vehicle body · CPC title

• H01Q21/30

  Combinations of separate antenna units operating in different wavebands and connected to a common feeder system · CPC title

• H01Q1/38

  formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support {(patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface  H01Q15/142)} · CPC title