Multiband MIMO vehicular antenna assemblies

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9793602-B2
Application number	US-201514973045-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 17, 2015
Priority date	Jun 21, 2013
Publication date	Oct 17, 2017
Grant date	Oct 17, 2017

Abstract

Disclosed are exemplary embodiments of multiband MIMO vehicular antenna assemblies. In an exemplary embodiment, a multiband MIMO vehicular antenna assembly generally includes a chassis and an outer cover or radome. The outer cover is coupled to the chassis such that an interior enclosure is collectively defined by the outer cover and the chassis. An antenna carrier or inner radome is within the interior enclosure. The antenna carrier has inner and outer surfaces spaced apart from the chassis and the outer cover. One or more antenna elements are along and/or in conformance with the outer surface of the antenna carrier so as to generally follow the contour of a corresponding portion of the antenna carrier.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A multiband multiple input multiple output (MIMO) vehicular antenna assembly for installation to a vehicle body wall, the antenna assembly comprising:
a chassis;
an outer radome coupled to the chassis such that an interior enclosure is collectively defined by the outer radome and the chassis;
an inner radome within the interior enclosure and having inner and outer surfaces spaced apart from the chassis and the outer radome;
at least one antenna element within the interior enclosure between the inner surface of the inner radome and the chassis; and
at least one antenna element along a portion of the inner radome so as to generally follow a curved or non-flat contour of the portion of the inner radome;
wherein the at least one antenna element along the portion of the inner radome comprises:
a first MIMO antenna element located along a back outer surface portion of the inner radome such that the first MIMO antenna element generally follows a contour of the back outer surface portion of the inner radome; and
a second MIMO antenna element located along a front outer surface portion of the inner radome such that the second MIMO antenna element generally follows a contour of the front outer surface portion of the inner radome.

2. The antenna assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one antenna element along the portion of the inner radome comprises at least two 3D antenna elements along a curved outer surface of the inner radome that are spaced apart from the chassis and the outer radome; and
the antenna assembly further comprises a printed circuit board between the chassis and the inner radome, and the at least one antenna element within the interior enclosure between the chassis and the inner surface of the inner radome is between the printed circuit board and the inner surface of the inner radome.

3. The antenna assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one antenna element along the portion of the inner radome comprises at least one flex film antenna attached to a curved outer surface of the inner radome, the at least one flex film antenna is flexed, bent, curved, or shaped in conformance with a curved contour of the curved outer surface of the inner radome.

4. The antenna assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one antenna element within the interior enclosure between the chassis and the inner surface of the inner radome is configured to be operable for receiving satellite signals; and
the at least one antenna element along the portion of the inner radome is configured to be operable for receiving and transmitting communication signals within one or more cellular frequency bands; and
the outer radome is configured so as to seal the antenna assembly against the ingress of water.

5. The antenna assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one antenna along the portion of the inner radome is along a curved outer surface of the inner radome so as to generally follow a curved contour of the curved outer surface of the inner radome along which the at least one antenna element is positioned.

6. A multiband multiple input multiple output (MIMO) vehicular antenna assembly for installation to a vehicle body wall, the antenna assembly comprising:
a chassis;
an outer radome coupled to the chassis such that an interior enclosure is collectively defined by the outer radome and the chassis;
an inner radome within the interior enclosure and having inner and outer surfaces spaced apart from the chassis and the outer radome;
at least one antenna element within the interior enclosure between the inner surface of the inner radome and the chassis; and
at least one antenna element along a portion of the inner radome so as to generally follow a curved or non-flat contour of the portion of the inner radome;

wherein:
the at least one antenna element along a portion of the inner radome comprises first and second antenna elements; and
the inner radome comprises multiple pieces including a back piece having the first antenna element thereon, a front piece having the second antenna element thereon, and a middle piece attachable between the front and back pieces; and
the front and back pieces include protruding portions that are engageable within corresponding slots in the middle piece.

7. A multiband multiple input multiple output (MIMO) vehicular antenna assembly for installation to a vehicle body wall, the antenna assembly comprising:
a chassis;
an outer radome coupled to the chassis such that an interior enclosure is collectively defined by the outer radome and the chassis;
an inner radome within the interior enclosure and having inner and outer surfaces spaced apart from the chassis and the outer radome;
one or more antenna elements within the interior enclosure between the inner surface of the inner radome and the chassis;
one or more antenna elements along a portion of the inner radome so as to generally follow a contour of the portion of the inner radome; and
one or more molded interconnect devices and/or one or more contact areas along a lower portion of the inner radome for electrically connecting the one or more antenna elements along the portion of the inner radome to corresponding electrically-conductive portions of a printed circuit board.

8. The antenna assembly of claim 7 , wherein the at least one antenna element along the portion of the inner radome comprises:
a first MIMO antenna element located along a back outer surface portion of the inner radome such that the first MIMO antenna element generally follows a contour of the back outer surface portion of the inner radome; and
a second MIMO antenna element located along a front outer surface portion of the inner radome such that the second MIMO antenna element generally follows a contour of the front outer surface portion of the inner radome.

9. A multiband multiple input multiple output (MIMO) vehicular antenna assembly for installation to a vehicle body wall, the antenna assembly comprising:
a chassis;
an outer radome coupled to the chassis such that an interior enclosure is collectively defined by the outer radome and the chassis;
an inner radome within the interior enclosure and having inner and outer surfaces spaced apart from the chassis and the outer radome;
one or more antenna elements within the interior enclosure between the inner surface of the inner radome and the chassis;
one or more antenna elements along a portion of the inner radome so as to generally follow a contour of the portion of the inner radome; and
one or more contact areas along a lower portion of the inner radome for electrically connecting the one or more antenna elements along the portion of the inner radome to corresponding electrically-conductive portions of a printed circuit board, wherein the one or more contact areas include one or more electrically-conductive silicone elastomer members having a hollow profile.

10. A multiband multiple input multiple output (MIMO) vehicular antenna assembly for installation to a vehicle body wall, the antenna assembly comprising:
a chassis;
an outer radome coupled to the chassis such that an interior enclosure is collectively defined by the outer radome and the chassis;
an inner radome within the interior enclosure and having inner and outer surfaces spaced apart from the chassis and the outer radome;
at least one antenna element within the interior enclosure between the inner surface of the inner radome and the chassis; and
at least one antenna element along a portion of the inner radome so as to generally follow a curved or non-flat contour of the portion of the inner radome;

wherein:
the at least one antenna element within the interior enclosure between the chassis

Assignees

• Laird Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Aminzadeh Mehran
• Ameri Ahmed
• Gallhoff Jens
• Steinkamp Ulrich

Classifications

• H01R13/2414

  conductive elastomers · CPC title

• H01Q9/42

  with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the operating wavelength · 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

• H01Q1/3275 Primary

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

• H01Q1/405

  Radome integrated radiating elements · CPC title