Roof Module for Forming a Vehicle Roof Comprising an Antenna Module

Abstract

A roof module for forming at least a part of the vehicle roof on a motor vehicle, the roof module having a panel component whose outer surface at least partially forms the roof skin of the vehicle roof, the roof module having at least one environment sensor configured to send and/or receive electromagnetic signals for detecting the vehicle surroundings. The roof module has at least one antenna module configured to receive and/or send radio signals.

Claims

1. A roof module for forming at least a part of the vehicle roof on a motor vehicle, the roof module comprising: a panel component whose outer surface at least partially forms the roof skin of the vehicle roof, the roof module comprising at least one environment sensor configured to send and/or receive electromagnetic signals for detecting the vehicle surroundings, wherein the roof module comprises at least one antenna module configured to receive and/or send radio signals.

2. The roof module according to claim 1, wherein the antenna module is disposed below the roof skin formed by the panel component.

3. The roof module according to claim 2, wherein the panel component is made of a material which is permeable to the radio signals of the antenna module.

4. The roof module according to claim 1, wherein the roof module comprises multiple antenna modules, the individual antenna modules each being configured to receive and/or send radio signals in different frequency ranges.

5. The roof module according to claim 1, wherein the antenna module is disposed between two environment sensors.

6. The roof module according to claim 1, wherein the antenna module comprises an electronics board, which has a radio antenna integrated thereon, and a grounding plate, which is mounted at a predefined distance from the radio antenna.

7. The roof module according to claim 1, wherein the roof module comprises a radio modem configured to receive and/or send radio signals from the vehicle interior.

8. The roof module according to claim 7, wherein the radio modem is integrated in the antenna module.

9. The roof module according to claim 1, wherein the roof module comprises at least one metallic vehicle body element, the antenna module being disposed on the side of the vehicle body element facing outward and/or the radio modem being disposed on the side of the vehicle body element facing inward.

10. The roof module according to claim 1, wherein at least one environment sensor and the antenna module are mounted on a common support element.

11. The roof module according to claim 10, wherein two environment sensors are mounted on the support element, the antenna module being mounted between the two environment sensors.

12. The roof module according to claim 10, wherein the support element comprises a stray light shade between the two environment sensors.

13. The roof module according to claim 12, wherein the antenna module is mounted in the area of the stray light shade.

14. The roof module according to claim 10, wherein the antenna module is mounted on the support element in a removable manner.

15. The roof module according to claim 10, wherein the antenna module is affixed to a surface of the support element in a non-removable manner.

16. The roof module according to claim 15, wherein the antenna module is printed onto a surface of the support element.

17. The roof module according to claim 1, wherein the roof module comprises at least one injection-molded plastic component, the antenna module being injected into the plastic of the injection-molded plastic component.

18. The roof module according to claim 1, wherein the roof module comprises at least one front antenna module and at least one rear antenna module, the front antenna module being configured to receive and/or send radio signals from the area in front of the vehicle, and the rear antenna module being configured to receive and/or send radio signals from the area behind the vehicle.

19. The roof module according to claim 1, wherein the antenna module is configured to receive and/or send radio signals and/or mobile radio signals and/or Wi-Fi signals and/or Blue-tooth signals and/or GPS signals and/or car-to-car communication signals (DSRC) and/or car-to-X communication signals (DSRC).

20. The roof module according to claim 19, wherein the antenna module is configured in the manner of a DSRC patch antenna.

21. The roof module according to claim 1, wherein the environment sensor is configured in the manner of a lidar sensor and/or in the manner of a radar sensor and/or in the manner of a camera sensor and/or in the manner of a multi-camera sensor.

22. A motor vehicle comprising a roof module according to claim 1.

Description

[0027] Examples of configurations of the subject matter of the invention are schematically illustrated in the drawing and will be explained in more detail in the following description.

[0028] FIG. 1 is a schematic longitudinal section through a first embodiment of a roof module;

[0029] FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of the roof module of FIG. 1 when disposed on a vehicle roof;

[0030] FIG. 3 is a schematic lateral view of the beam path of the antenna module in the roof module of FIG. 1;

[0031] FIG. 4 is a schematic top view of a second embodiment of a roof module when disposed on a vehicle roof;

[0032] FIG. 5 is a schematic lateral view of the roof module of FIG. 4;

[0033] FIG. 6 is a perspective lateral view of a support element for fixing an antenna module in a roof module;

[0034] FIG. 7 is a lateral view of the support element of FIG. 6;

[0035] FIG. 8 is a front view of the support element of FIG. 6; and

[0036] FIG. 9 is a front view of a second embodiment of a support element.

[0037] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a roof module 01 according to the invention. Roof module 01 comprises a panel component 02, which forms roof skin 03 of a vehicle. A cover 04 is provided on the ends of panel component 02 facing the vehicle front. Panel component 02 and cover 04 protect a dry area 05 in roof module 01.

[0038] An environment sensor 06, such as a lidar sensor or a radar sensor, and an antenna module 07 are disposed in dry area 05. Both environment sensor 06 and antenna module 07 are mounted on a vehicle body element 08, which limits dry area 05 at the bottom. The beam path of electronic signals 09 emitted by environment sensor 06, which can be laser beams, for example, is indicated by dashes and dots in FIG. 1. The beam path of radio signals 10, which can be received and/or sent by antenna module 07, is also indicated by dashes and dots in FIG. 1. As can be seen, the emission of radio signals 10 is essentially unobstructed by the sensor housing of environment sensor 06 since antenna module 07 and environment sensor 06 are disposed at the same height of the vehicle roof next to each other in roof module 01. Panel component 02 is made of plastic so as to not disturb the passage of radio signals 10 of antenna module 07.

[0039] Additionally, roof module 01 has a radio modem 11, which is mounted on the underside of vehicle body element 08. The beam path of radio signals 12, which are emitted and/or received by radio modem 11, is also indicated by dashes and dots in FIG. 1. Radio signals 12 are not disturbed since radio modem 11 is disposed on the side of vehicle body element 08 facing the vehicle interior.

[0040] FIG. 2 shows a vehicle 13, on whose vehicle roof 14 roof module 01 is installed on the side facing the vehicle front. FIG. 2 depicts the disposition of environment sensor 06 and antenna module 07 and radio modem 11 in their position relative to each other. In total, roof module 01 comprises three environment sensors 06 and two antenna modules 07, antenna modules 07 each being disposed between two adjacent environment sensors 06.

[0041] FIG. 3 shows a schematic lateral view of vehicle 13 in the area of vehicle roof 14. The beam path of radio signals 10 of antenna module 07 is visible. Since roof module 01 is disposed at the highest point of vehicle roof 14, an essentially complete coverage of the radio area can be obtained both to the front and to the rear. Radio signals 12 of radio modem 11 achieve complete radio coverage for the vehicle interior.

[0042] FIG. 4 shows a top view of another embodiment of a roof module 15 according to the invention. Roof module 15 again comprises three environment sensors 06, two antenna modules 07 and a radio modem 11 on the side facing the vehicle front. Additionally, three other environment sensors 06 and two other antenna modules 07 are provided in roof module 15 on the side facing the vehicle rear. Additionally, roof module 15 forms an antenna module 16 for receiving radio signals, an antenna module 17 for receiving mobile radio signals, and an antenna module 18 for receiving GPS signals. Antenna modules 07 are configured in the manner of DSRC patch antennas and serve in particular for car-to-car communication and car-to-X communication.

[0043] FIG. 5 shows a lateral view of roof module 15 with antenna module 07. Radio signals 10 of antenna modules 07 are visible as an indication in the form of dashes and dots. Since antenna modules are disposed both on the side facing the vehicle rear and on the side facing the vehicle front, good radio coverage is possible both to the front and to the rear despite the obstruction by the vehicle roof.

[0044] FIG. 6 shows a support element 19 for installing an antenna module 20 in a roof module according to the invention. Antenna module 20 is configured in the manner of a DSRC patch antenna and suitable in particular for car-to-car communication and car-to-X communication. Support element 19 is made of plastic and has a mount 21, into which antenna module 20 can be plugged from above so as to be fixed. Moreover, support element 19 comprises two mounts 22 and 23, to which two environment sensors, which are not illustrated in FIG. 6, can be attached. The area between the two mounts 22 and 23 is configured in the manner of a stray light shade 24. So antenna module 20 is already fixed to stray light shade 24.

[0045] FIG. 7 shows support element 19 as antenna module 20 is being plugged into mount 21 from above.

[0046] FIG. 8 shows a front view of support element 19 with the two mounts 22 and 23. Stray light shade 24 is illustrated in a partial cut. Thus, antenna module 20 is visible, which is plugged into mount 21 from above.

[0047] FIG. 9 shows a second embodiment 25 of a support element for being installed in a roof module. Support element 25 again has two mounts 26 and 27, to each of which an environment sensor, which is not illustrated in FIG. 9, can be attached. An antenna module 28 is printed onto the plastic surface of support element 25 in the area behind the stray light shade, which is illustrated in a partial cut in FIG. 9.

REFERENCE SIGNS

[0048] 01 roof module [0049] 02 panel component [0050] 03 roof skin [0051] 04 cover [0052] 05 dry area [0053] 06 environment sensor [0054] 07 antenna module [0055] 08 vehicle body element [0056] 09 electromagnetic signal (environment sensor) [0057] 10 radio signal (antenna module) [0058] 11 radio modem [0059] 12 radio signal (radio modem) [0060] 13 vehicle [0061] 14 vehicle roof [0062] 15 roof module [0063] 16 antenna module [0064] 17 antenna module [0065] 18 antenna module [0066] 19 support element [0067] 20 antenna module [0068] 21 mount [0069] 22 mount [0070] 23 mount [0071] 24 stray light shade [0072] 25 support element [0073] 26 mount [0074] 27 mount [0075] 28 printed antenna module