METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WIRELESS VEHICLE COMMUNICATION

Abstract

The present application generally relates to an apparatus for communicating between a user device and a vehicle infotainment system. In particular, the system includes a near field antenna fabricated from a wire wrapped ferrite core located along an edge of a video display unit under trim piece surrounding the video display.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising: a video display having a front side, an edge portion and a back side wherein the backside has a metallic surface and the front side is operative to display a video information; a trim piece surrounding at least a portion of the video display proximate to the edge portion wherein the trim piece has an outer decorative surface and an inner structural surface; a video controller coupled to the video display for controlling the display of the video information; an antenna mounted inside the inner structural surface of the trim piece; and an access controller coupled to the antenna and the video controller, wherein the access controller is operative to generate an authentication control signal in response to an authentication signal received via the antenna from a device operative to communicate with the video controller in response to the authentication control signal, and wherein the access controller is mounted on the back side of the video display.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the antenna is a wire wrapped ferrite antenna.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the trim piece is a plastic bezel.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the trim piece is a fabric covered foam piece.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the video display is part of a vehicular infotainment system.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the video display is part of an integrated center stack.

7. (canceled)

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the video controller is mounted on the back side of the video display.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the antenna is a near field communications antenna.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the authentication control signal is used to pair a cellphone with the apparatus

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the authentication control signal is used to enable a Bluetooth connection between the apparatus and the user device.

12. An apparatus for wireless communications in a vehicle comprising: a video display having a display portion for displaying a visual information; a trim piece proximate to an edge of the video display wherein the trim piece has an outer surface and an inner surface; a processor for generating the visual information in response to an authentication signal, wherein the processor is mounted on a back side of the video display; and a near field communications antenna mounted inside the inner structural surface of the trim piece, the near field communications antenna being operative to receive the authentication signal from a user device and couple the authentication signal to the processor.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the near field communications antenna is a wire wrapped ferrite antenna.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the trim piece is a plastic bezel.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the trim piece is a fabric covered foam piece.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the video display is part of a vehicular infotainment system.

17. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the video display is part of an integrated center stack.

18. (canceled)

19. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the authentication signal is used to pair a cellphone with the apparatus

20. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the authentication signal is used to enable a Bluetooth connection between the apparatus and the user device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0012] FIG. 1 shows an automotive near field communications suffering from the problem addressed by the presently disclosed system.

[0013] FIG. 2 shows an exemplary environment for NFC in an automobile according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0014] FIG. 3 shows an exemplary environment for NFC in an automobile according to another exemplary embodiment.

[0015] The exemplifications set out herein illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention, and such exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the disclosure or the application and uses thereof. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any theory presented in the preceding background or the following detailed description. For example, the algorithms, software and systems of the present invention have particular application for use on a vehicle. However, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the invention may have other applications.

[0017] Turning now to FIG. 1, an automotive near field communications suffering from the problem addressed by the presently disclosed system is shown. The near field antenna 120 is mounted to an integrated center stack 110. The integrated center stack 110 has a display portion, such as a video screen, that covers much or all of the integrated center stack 110. Thus, it is desirable to not cover the video portions of the integrated center stack 110 in order to not block the display from the driver. The integrated center stack 110 in this example is made of a polycarbonate material on the front, passenger facing side, and a magnesium plate, on the back, windshield facing side. The video portions of the integrated center stack will have, for example, an LCD, LED, or OLED display panel or the like which commonly has a metallic backplane covering the backside of the display panel. In this configuration, the only place to mount a conventional NFC antenna 120 is on the rear of the integrated center stack 110. This limits the performance of the NFC antenna 120 in the direction of the passenger, which is the desired direction. In this configuration, most of the energy from the NFC antenna 120 is reflected by the magnesium plate back towards the windshield of the vehicle.

[0018] Turning now to FIG. 2 an exemplary environment 200 for a near field communications (NFC) antenna according to an exemplary embodiment is shown. In this exemplary embodiment, a nearly transparent NFC antenna 210 is mounted on the polycarbonate surface of the integrated center stack 210. The NFC antenna 210 would be constructed out of very thin conductors thereby making them virtually transparent to a viewer of the integrated center stack 210. In this exemplary embodiment, half of the transmitted energy is radiated towards the passenger, while the other half is reflected from the magnesium plate and reflected back towards the NFC antenna 220 and the passenger. The NFC antenna may be mounted in the display area, or over the black out edges of integrated center stack where there are no elements to be displayed. In this exemplary embodiment, the conductors may be constructed out of nearly transparent or color matched conductors where the color matching is made to the non-display portions of the integrated center stack.

[0019] Turning now to FIG. 3, an exemplary environment 300 for NFC in an automobile according to another exemplary embodiment is shown. In this exemplary embodiment, the NFC antenna 310 is configured as a wire wrapped ferrite rod shaped to be concealed behind a trim piece 315 surrounding the integrated center stack 320. The trim piece 315 is fabricated from a nonconductive material and therefore would permit the antenna 310 to radiate freely. The NFC ferrite rod antenna 310 can be place on trim edges behind plastic, wood, or fabric trim pieces 315. Since the magnetic field wraps around the coil, the energy from the coil will be directed towards the passenger side.

[0020] The exemplary embodiment wherein the NFC antenna 310 is a wire wrapped ferrite rod facilitates mounting the NFC antenna at a location proximate to the integrated center stack 320 with display and touch sensitive surfaces. The NFC antenna 310 can be coupled to circuitry 330, such as a video processor, authentication processor, or the like, behind the integrated center stack 320 by wires running behind the integrated center stack 320 or within non display areas of the integrated center stack 320.

[0021] While at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in the foregoing detailed description, it should be appreciated that a vast number of variations exist. It should also be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are only examples, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the disclosure in any way. Rather, the foregoing detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that various changes can be made in the function and arrangement of elements without departing from the scope of the disclosure as set forth in the appended claims and the legal equivalents thereof.