DE102017126383A1 - Antenna unit for a vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

An antenna unit (1) for a vehicle (2) is proposed, wherein the antenna unit (1) comprises an antenna housing (3) and an antenna hood (4) and wherein the antenna hood (4) forms the antenna housing (3) to form a closed volume (5) covers, wherein the antenna unit (1) in such a way in a cutout (6) of a roof (7) of the vehicle (2) is integrated, that the antenna hood (4) merges into a roof surface (8) of the roof (7) or rests on the roof surface (8), wherein the closed volume (5) has an upper volume (9), which is essentially formed by the antenna hood (4), and a lower volume (10), which substantially from the antenna housing (3) and wherein the lower volume (10) is formed inside the vehicle (2), and wherein the upper volume (9) is formed outside the vehicle (2), the antenna unit (1) comprising a plurality of individual antennas (11), which in the upper volume (9) are arranged and for wireless services or wireless standards for communication outside the vehicle (2) are formed, wherein in the lower volume (10) at least two additional antennas (12, 12a) are arranged, each for at least one wireless service or wireless standard for communication are formed outside the vehicle (2).

Description

The invention relates to an antenna unit for a vehicle according to the preamble of claim 1 and to a vehicle according to the preamble of claim 14.

Antenna units for vehicles and vehicles with antenna units are already known from the prior art.

So one knows from the EP 2 317 603 Al a multi-standard antenna module for traffic telematics systems in which a plurality of individual antennas are arranged in an antenna housing. From the US 9,083,414 B2 One already knows a multi-functional vehicle antenna, which can, inter alia, enable MIMO operation (multiple input multiple output operation) and an antenna housing in which a plurality of individual antennas are arranged. Furthermore, from the EP 2 622 682 B1 an antenna assembly is known, comprising a plurality of housings arranged in a single antennas for different services. A disadvantage of the prior art is, inter alia, that signals or signal strengths of the respective individual antennas can interfere with each other or negatively influence each other.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved antenna unit in which, despite a compact design, an improved transmission and reception quality of the individual antennas of the same or different services can be made possible.

The object is achieved on the basis of an antenna unit of the type mentioned, by the characterizing features of the independent claims. Advantageous developments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

Starting from an antenna unit for a vehicle, wherein the antenna unit comprises an antenna housing and an antenna hood, and wherein the antenna hood covers the antenna housing to form a closed volume, wherein the antenna unit can be integrated into a cutout of a roof of the vehicle such that the antenna hood is in a roof area the roof passes over or rests on the roof surface, wherein the closed volume comprises an upper volume, which is substantially formed by the antenna cover, and a lower volume, which is substantially formed by the antenna housing, and wherein the lower volume is formed within the vehicle and wherein the upper volume is formed outside the vehicle, wherein the antenna unit comprises a plurality of individual antennas disposed in the upper volume and configured for wireless communication standards outside the vehicle According to the invention provided that in the lower volume at least two additional antennas are arranged, which are each formed for at least one service for communication outside the vehicle.

Such a spatially separated arrangement of antennas for off-vehicle communication services of out-of-vehicle communication antennas enables larger distances between the antennas for off-vehicle communication services to lower signal attenuations of the respective antennas for out-of-service communication services of the vehicle or that increased transmission and reception qualities can be achieved. On the other hand, so to speak, by a displacement of additional antennas in the arranged inside the vehicle lower volume, the arranged outside the vehicle upper volume can be reduced accordingly, whereby a total of a more compact antenna unit with increased transmission and reception quality can be provided.

Within the meaning of the invention, a closed volume can also be understood to mean enclosed volume. Within the meaning of the invention, the closed volume can also comprise partitions, wherein the partitions can also form chambers. Furthermore, it may be possible for the closed volume to comprise partition walls which are through-contacted. Partitions may also have single or multiple through holes or through holes.

In order to evaluate data, e.g. To make communication data inside and / or outside the vehicle can be provided in an advantageous embodiment of the invention that a telematics unit is included, which is preferably housed in the lower volume of the antenna unit. Such an arrangement is particularly favorable, since the upper volume can be kept correspondingly low, resulting in, for example, advantageous aerodynamic properties can result.

In an advantageous development, the invention can provide that the telematics unit can be operated in a diversity, MIMO and / or beamforming method. Such a trained telematics unit is thus much more versatile and can in particular more effective communication links, u.a. with higher data rates.

All three aforementioned methods are suitable for antenna arrangements with several similar antennas. In the diversity method, for example, the antenna is selected for communication, which has the best reception properties at the current time. This can be, for example, the received signal level.

In the MIMO method, a plurality of antennas are used for communication at the receiver and / or at the transmitter, so that communication channels with a large bandwidth can be created by means of signal processing via the multipath propagation of the signals.

In the beamforming method, a defined directional characteristic is generated with the aid of the group of antennas in order, for example, to communicate selectively with a base station or with another communication partner. Alternatively or additionally, however, sources of interference can also be masked out.

To be able to use the aforementioned methods or a transmission system for the use of multiple transmitting and receiving antennas for wireless communication outside the vehicle, in particular with increased bandwidth utilization, a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention can provide that the additional antennas as antennas for the same wireless services or Radio standards, in particular as LTE antennas are formed.

A development of the invention can provide that at least one additional antenna and at least one of the plurality of individual antennas are designed as antennas for the same wireless services or radio standards, in particular as LTE antennas. This can significantly increase the usability of the antenna device.

In order to further increase the usability or versatility of the antenna device, it can be provided in one embodiment of the invention that the additional antennas and the individual antennas are designed for the same wireless services or standards for operation in a diversity or MIMO communication method are.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention can be provided that the additional antennas and the individual antennas are designed for the same wireless services or radio standards, for operation in a beamforming process. This can provide a more versatile antenna device.

In order to avoid coupling of antennas, it can be provided in an advantageous embodiment of the invention that the additional antennas are arranged to each other and / or the at least one additional antenna to the at least one of the plurality of individual antennas is arranged such that the decoupling between the respective Antennas greater than 6 dB, in particular is in a range of 8 dB to 15 dB. It can be provided that the decoupling between the respective antennas is 9 dB, 10 dB, 11 dB, 12 dB, 13 dB or 14 dB.

Such decoupling is required, for example, to enable MIMO operation. A decoupling can be understood as meaning a reciprocal of the signal coupling between the antenna elements.

It can also be provided to use several antennas or additional antennas per transmitter or receiver. With the achieved diversity disturbing interferences can be reduced. This is particularly advantageous for radio applications, in particular for mobile communications.

To save antennas for communication services outside of the vehicle with respect to a compact antenna unit in a space-saving manner within the vehicle, i. In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, it can be provided in a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention that at least one subarea of the antenna hood and / or the roof is designed to be permeable to radio waves, or to provide sufficient signal strengths of these antennas or additional antennas arranged inside the vehicle . are.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention can be provided that to achieve a directivity of the additional antennas a shield and / or a reflector is formed in the lower volume or are. In this way, constant signal strengths or comparable signal strengths of the antennas or additional antennas within the vehicle and / or outside of the vehicle can be obtained. A further advantageous embodiment of the invention can provide that in the lower volume additional antennas for the provision of services or radio standards are formed within the vehicle. Such an antenna unit is thus much more versatile in terms of its functionality.

In one development of the invention it can be provided that at least one of the additional antennas is arranged outside the volume in and / or below the roof surface, wherein the at least one additional antenna is designed for at least one wireless service or radio standard for communication outside the vehicle.

In this way, a particularly compact antenna unit can be provided, in which spatially separate antennas for services outside the vehicle can not negatively influence each other, whereby an antenna unit with increased transmission and reception quality is obtained.

A development of the invention can provide that the wireless services or radio standards are GSM, UMTS, CDMA, CDMA2000, LTE, WIMAX, 5G, WiFi, GNSS, SDARS, DAB, DSRC and / or Bluetooth. Such antenna devices can be used worldwide because of different regional radio standards or wireless services.

The invention further relates to a vehicle comprising a roof and at least one cut-out arranged in the roof and an interior space formed inside the vehicle, wherein at least one antenna unit according to the invention is integrated into the cut-out.

In an advantageous development it can be provided that the roof is at least partially permeable to radio waves and in particular designed as a fiberglass roof. Such roofs can be made particularly flexible with respect to specific signal transmittance with little manufacturing or retrofitting costs.

• 1: eine perspektivische Seitenansicht einer erfindungsgemäßen Antenneneinheit;
• 2: eine stark vereinfachte schematische Schnittansicht einer erfindungsgemäßen Antenneneinheit;
• 3: eine weitere Ausführungsform einer erfindungsgemäßen Antenneneinheit in einer stark vereinfachten schematischen Schnittansicht;
• 4: eine weitere Ausgestaltung einer erfindungsgemäßen Antenneneinheit in einer stark vereinfachten schematischen Schnittansicht;
• 5: eine weitere Ausgestaltung einer erfindungsgemäßen Antenneneinheit in einer stark vereinfachten schematischen Schnittansicht;
• 6: ein Kraftfahrzeug in schematischer Draufsicht.

The invention will be described in more detail with reference to drawings. It shows:

• 1 a perspective side view of an antenna unit according to the invention;
• 2 a simplified schematic sectional view of an antenna unit according to the invention;
• 3 a further embodiment of an antenna unit according to the invention in a highly simplified schematic sectional view;
• 4 a further embodiment of an antenna unit according to the invention in a highly simplified schematic sectional view;
• 5 a further embodiment of an antenna unit according to the invention in a highly simplified schematic sectional view;
• 6 : a motor vehicle in a schematic plan view.

In the 1 is a perspective side view of an antenna unit according to the invention 1 for a vehicle (see 6 ). The antenna unit 1 according to 1 includes an antenna housing 3 and an antenna hood 4 , The antenna hood 4 is presently at least partially designed as a so-called Sharkfin. The antenna hood 4 covers the antenna housing 3 to form a closed volume 5 from (see 2 to 5 ).

The antenna unit 1 is in a section 6 a roof 7 a vehicle can be integrated so that the antenna hood 4 in a roof area 8th of the roof 7 passes (see 3 ) or on the roof surface 8th (please refer 4 and 5 ) rests. It may also be possible that the antenna hood 4 only on the antenna housing 3 rests on (see 2 ) In the in 3 shown embodiment is a portion of the antenna hood 4 permeable to radio waves and includes this permeable areas 16 . 16a , In a manner not shown in detail can also be provided that the roof is designed to be permeable to radio waves and possibly includes corresponding areas.

In one embodiment it can be provided that to achieve a directivity of the additional antennas 12 . 12a a shield 15 . 15a in a lower volume 10 is formed (see 5 ). The shielding 15 . 15a Can also be used as a reflector in the lower volume 10 be formed and thus a targeted directivity of the antennas 12 . 12a in the direction of the outside space 17 , enable. This is in the 5 through the shield 15 . 15a in the field of outdoor space 17 dashed lines shown opposite indicated schematically. The shielding 15 15a can also be understood as impermeable to radio waves.

The closed volume 5 includes an upper volume 9 and the lower volume 10 ; Here is the lower volume 10 inside the vehicle and the upper volume 9 formed outside the vehicle. The invention can - as in 2 shown by way of example - provide that the antenna device 1 a telematics unit 18 includes. In the embodiment shown, the telematics unit is in the lower volume 10 arranged. The telematics unit 18 is with the antennas 11 . 12 . 12a connected as it is in the 2 based on the compounds shown schematically 21 . 21a . 21b is shown. An embodiment of the invention may also provide that the telematics unit 18 an interface to the vehicle electronics (not shown). This is in the 2 by the connection shown schematically 21d indicated.

In a manner not shown, the telematics unit can also be arranged outside the antenna unit, for example in an interior of the vehicle (see 6 ).

In one embodiment of the invention can be provided that the antenna unit 1 one so-called combiner 20 includes (see 3 ). The combiner 20 may be connectable to a telematics unit (not shown). Under a combiner 20 For example, an assembly can be conceived which, for example, combines several weaker signals of the same frequency to form a stronger signal. The combiner 20 can also be provided for interconnecting individual antennas. In the 5 is shown that the combiner 20 both with antennas 11 as well as with additional antennas can be connected. For the sake of simplified illustration is in the combiner 20 only with additional antenna 12a via connection 21e as well as with the antenna 11 via connection 21d connected.

The antenna unit 1 further comprises a plurality of individual antennas, wherein for simplicity of illustration only one antenna 11 is shown (see 2 to 5 ). The antenna 11 or these multiple antennas is in the upper volume 9 arranged and trained for off-board communication services. For this purpose, the antennas may be configured, for example, as an LTE antenna (s) or as a WiFi antenna (s). In the lower volume 10 are additional antennas 12 . 12a , in the present case two additional antennas, each arranged for at least one service for communication outside the vehicle 2 are formed. These antennas may equally be configured, for example, as an LTE antenna (s) or as a WiFi antenna (s) (see 2 to 5 ).

This is a departure from the prior art arrangement of the additional antennas for communication services outside the vehicle 2 in a lower volume 10 ie within the vehicle 2 , can allow the upper volume 9 can be made more compact, resulting in a more compact antenna unit 1 may result in increased transmission and reception quality for services for communication outside the vehicle, since interfering interference of the antennas 11 or additional antennas 12 . 12a due to spatial separation or spatial spacing can be reduced or avoided.

Advantageous to the arrangement of antennas according to the invention 11 and additional antennas 12 . 12a in each case for services for communication outside the vehicle 2 is moreover that by means of the antenna device 1 a method or a transmission system for the use of multiple transmit and receive antennas for wireless communication is enabled, for example, MIMO operation or diversity operation. The additional antennas 12 . 12a can be designed accordingly as antennas for the same services. It is possible that the additional antennas 12 . 12a and the individual antennas 11 for the same wireless services or radio standards designed to operate in a beamforming process.

It can also be provided that in the lower volume 10 additional antennas 19 are designed to provide wireless services or radio standards within the vehicle (see 3 ).

It is from the 1 seen that the antenna hood 4 with a contact surface 14 on the roof surface 8th is arranged. According to the invention, it may also be provided that at least one additional antenna is outside the volume 5 (see also 2 to 5 ) and outside the contact area 14 in and / or below the roof area 8th is arranged, wherein the at least one additional antenna for at least one service for communication outside the vehicle is formed.

As below the roof area 8th arranged additional antennas can also be considered additional antennas, which in an interior 13 are arranged, with the interior 13 on an interior of the vehicle 2 refers (see 6 ). It can be provided that the additional antennas in the antenna housing 4 are arranged (see 2 to 5 ). It may also be possible that additional antennas are arranged outside the antenna housing (not shown).

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

antenna unit

2

vehicle

3

antenna housing

4

antenna hood

5

volume

6

neckline

7

top, roof

8th

roof

9

Upper volume

10

Lower volume

11

antenna

12

external antenna

12a

external antenna

13

inner space

14

contact area

15

shielding

15a

shielding

16

Area

16a

Area

17

outer space

18

telematics unit

19

antenna

20

Assemblers

21

connection

21a

connection

21b

connection

21c

connection

21d

connection

21e

connection

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• EP 2317603 [0003]
• US9083414 B2 [0003]
• EP 2622682 B1 [0003]

Claims (15)

Antenna unit (1) for a vehicle (2), wherein the antenna unit (1) comprises an antenna housing (3) and an antenna hood (4) and wherein the antenna hood (4) covers the antenna housing (3) to form a closed volume (5) in which the antenna unit (1) can be integrated into a cutout (6) of a roof (7) of the vehicle (2) such that the antenna hood (4) merges into a roof surface (8) of the roof (7) or on the roof surface ( 8), wherein the closed volume (5) comprises an upper volume (9), which is essentially formed by the antenna hood (4), and a lower volume (10), which is essentially formed by the antenna housing (3) and wherein the lower volume (10) is formed inside the vehicle (2), and wherein the upper volume (9) is formed outside the vehicle (2), the antenna unit (1) comprising a plurality of individual antennas (11) which are arranged in the upper volume (9) and for wireless Services or radio standard for communication outside the vehicle (2) are formed, characterized in that in the lower volume (10) at least two additional antennas (12, 12a) are arranged, each for at least one wireless service or wireless standard for communication outside of the vehicle (2) are formed. Antenna unit (1) to Claim 1 , characterized in that a telematics unit (18) is included, which is preferably housed in the lower volume (10) of the antenna unit (1). Antenna unit (1) to Claim 2 , characterized in that the telematics unit (18) is operable in a diversity, MIMO and / or beamforming method. Antenna unit (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the additional antennas (12, 12a) are designed as antennas for the same wireless services or radio standards, in particular as LTE antennas. Antenna unit (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one additional antenna (12, 12a) and at least one of the plurality of individual antennas (11) as antennas for the same wireless services or wireless standards, in particular as LTE antennas, formed are. Antenna unit (1) to Claim 4 or 5 , characterized in that the additional antennas (12, 12a) are arranged to each other and / or the at least one additional antenna (12, 12a) to the at least one of the plurality of individual antennas (11) is arranged such that the decoupling between the respective Antennas greater than 6 dB, in particular is in a range of 8 dB to 15 dB. Antenna unit (1) to Claim 4 . 5 or 6 , characterized in that the supplementary antennas (12, 12a) and the individual antennas (11) are designed for the same wireless services or standards, for operation in a diversity or MIMO communication method. Antenna unit (1) according to one of Claims 4 to 7 , characterized in that the additional antennas (12, 12a) and the individual antennas (11) are designed for the same wireless services or radio standards, for operation in a beamforming method. Antenna unit (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least a portion of the antenna hood (4) and / or the roof (7) is designed to be permeable to radio waves or are. Antenna unit (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that to achieve a directivity of the additional antennas a shield (15, 15a) and / or a reflector in the lower volume (10) is or are formed. Antenna unit (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the lower volume (10) additional antennas (19) for the provision of wireless services or radio standards within the vehicle (2) are formed. Antenna unit (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the additional antennas (12, 12a) is arranged outside the volume (5) in and / or below the roof surface (8), wherein the at least one additional antenna (12, 12a) is designed for at least one wireless service or radio standard for communication outside the vehicle (2). Antenna unit (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the wireless services or standards are GSM, UMTS, CDMA, CDMA2000, LTE, WIMAX, 5G, WiFi, GNSS, SDARS, DAB, DSRC and / or Bluetooth is acting. Vehicle (2), comprising a roof (7) and at least one cutout (6) arranged in the roof (7) and an interior space (13) formed inside the vehicle (2), wherein at least one antenna unit (1) projects into the cutout (11). 6) is integrated, characterized in that the at least one Antenna unit (1) according to at least one of Claims 1 to 13 is trained. Vehicle after Claim 14 in that the roof (7) is at least partially permeable to radio waves and in particular designed as a fiberglass roof.

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