Antenna glazing

Abstract

The present invention concerns a vehicle antenna glazing antenna element. According to the present invention, the antenna element is placed on an outwardly oriented face of the glazing and the antenna is working at a frequency comprised between 750 MHZ and 28 GHZ. The antenna 5 element is connected to a co-axial cable.

Claims

1. A vehicle antenna glazing comprising: an antenna element; and a glazing, wherein the antenna element is placed on an outwardly oriented face of the glazing and the antenna element works at a frequency between 750 MHZ and 28 GHZ, wherein the antenna element is connected to a co-axial cable, and wherein the antenna element is a 5.8 GHZ to 5.9 GHZ antenna element.

2. The glazing according to claim 1, wherein the antenna element is a DSRC-V2X or cellular-V2X antenna.

3. The glazing according to claim 1, wherein the antenna element is provided on an upper edge of the glazing to be covered by a vehicle body.

4. The glazing according to claim 1, further comprising several antennas having different frequencies placed on an outwardly oriented face of the glazing.

5. The glazing according to claim 1, wherein the co-axial cable goes through the glazing.

6. The glazing according to claim 1, wherein the antenna element is a patch antenna.

7. The glazing according to claim 1, wherein the antenna element is protected by a cover.

8. The glazing according to claim 1, wherein the glazing is a laminated glazing.

9. The glazing according to claim 1, wherein the glazing is a windshield.

10. The glazing according to claim 1, wherein the glazing is a heated coated windshield.

11. The glazing according to claim 7, wherein the antenna element is provided in an upper edge of the glazing.

12. The glazing according to claim 7, wherein the antenna element is protected by a plastic cover.

13. The glazing according to claim 7, wherein the antenna element is provided in a rear view mirror.

14. A vehicle antenna glazing comprising: a glazing, and several antennas having different frequencies placed on an outwardly oriented face of the glazing, wherein the antennas work at a frequency between 750 MHZ and 28 GHZ, and wherein the antenna element is connected to a co-axial cable.

15. The glazing according to claim 14, wherein the antenna element is a DSRC-V2X or cellular-V2X antenna.

16. The glazing according to claim 14, wherein the antenna element is provided on an upper edge of the glazing to be covered by a vehicle body.

17. A vehicle antenna glazing comprising: an antenna element; and a glazing, wherein the antenna element is placed on an outwardly oriented face of the glazing and the antenna element works at a frequency between 750 MHZ and 28 GHZ, wherein the antenna element is connected to a co-axial cable, and wherein the co-axial cable goes through the glazing.

18. The glazing according to claim 17, wherein the antenna element is a DSRC-V2X or cellular-V2X antenna.

19. The glazing according to claim 17, wherein the antenna element is provided on an upper edge of the glazing to be covered by a vehicle body.

20. The glazing according to claim 17, further comprising several antennas having different frequencies placed on an outwardly oriented face of the glazing.

Description

(1) Other advantages, as well as appropriate achievements and developments of the invention are developed in the claims and in the description of embodiments with reference to the figures which show:

(2) FIG. 1 to FIG. 4 are an examples of implementing particular embodiments of the present invention.

(3) For simplicity, the numbering of the glass sheets in the following description refers to the numbering nomenclature conventionally used for glazing. Thus, the face of the glazing in contact with the environment outside the vehicle is known as the side 1 and the surface in contact with the internal medium, that is to say the passenger compartment, is called face 2. For a laminated glazing, the glass sheet in contact with the outside environment the vehicle is known as the side 1 and the surface in contact with the internal part, namely the passenger compartment, is called face 4.

(4) For avoidance of doubt, the terms “external” and “internal” refer to the orientation of the glazing during installation as glazing in a vehicle.

(5) Also for avoidance of doubt, the present invention is applicable for all means of transport such as automotive, train, plane . . . .

(6) FIG. 1 shows a laminated glazing 1, more particularly a windshield. The glazing 1 comprises two glass sheets 10 and 20, for example 2.1 mm thick for the external glass sheet 30 and 1.6 mm thick for the internal glass sheet 20, and joined by means of a thermoplastic sheet 8 of 0.76 mm made of, for example, polyvinylbutyral. According to the present invention, the antenna element 2 is provided in face 1 ie on the outwardly face 11 of the glazing 1. In the present embodiment, the antenna element 2 is provided in the upper part 5 of the glazing near the camera zone, more particularly between the camera zone and the lower part of the vehicle's roof or car body 6.

(7) According to the present embodiment, ground planes 12, acting to reflect surface for radio waves, are provided on face 1 and face 4 (11 and 21) of the laminated glazing 1. The antenna 2 is in contact with the ground plane 12 provided in face 2 (13). In the present embodiment, the antenna element 2 may be a 12-13 mm (this is ¼ wavelength monopole antenna) DSRC-V2X antenna element operating at a frequency band of 5.8 or 5.9 GHZ. In an embodiment, for more efficiency, instead of shortening antenna, parasitic element may be added to control the antenna radiation pattern. Thus, the vehicle may communicate with another vehicle or any entity that may affect the vehicle, and vice-versa. It is understood that the dimension of the antenna depends on the design capability in the future.

(8) DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communications) is the communication medium of choice for active safety V2V (Vehicle-to-Vehicle) and V2X (Vehicle-to-other) systems, primarily allocated for vehicle safety applications. DSRC supports high speed, low latency, short-range V2V/V2X wireless communications.

(9) The antenna element 2 is connected to a coaxial cable. According to the embodiment, the coaxial cable 4, connected to the antenna element 2 goes through the glazing 14 as shown in FIG. 1. thus, a hole 14 in the glazing is provided to allow the passage of the coaxial cable 4. The dimension of the hole 14 is equivalent to the diameter of the coaxial cable 4. Thus the cable 4 is introduced inside the vehicle through the glazing. The cable may be thus connected the power system used for the camera, rain sensor . . . which are generally placed in the camera zone in the inner rear mirror zone.

(10) In the embodiment, black enamel 15, commonly used to mask all no aesthetics elements like connectic, sensors . . . is provided on face 2 (13). It is understood that the enamel or any masking band may be provided in face 2 and/or face 3 and/or face 4 (21).

(11) To mask and protect the antenna element 2 provided on face 2 (13), a cover 7 is placed on the antenna element 2 and ground plane 12. Thus, the antenna element 2 is protected from external environment. The cover 7 may be a plastic cover or in any suitable material resisting to external environment (weather, UV . . . ).

(12) This embodiment relates to a windshield 1, ie a laminated glazing, however, it could be transposed to a glazing made in one pane of glass like sidelite, backlite . . . the antenna element 2 is then provided in face 1 of the glazing.

(13) Thus, by providing an antenna element 2 on the outwardly face 11 of the glazing 1, glass dielectric effect is avoided, a three-dimensional design of the antenna is possible. Furthermore, the antenna element 2 according to the present invention is compatible with a heated glazing like a heated coated glazing or heated wired glazing. Both glazing are well-know and commonly used today, however, they may interfere with the efficiency of the antenna element.

(14) It is understood that any antenna element 2 working at a frequency comprised between 750 MHZ and 28 GHZ may be used alone or in combination to scan a larger number of frequencies.

(15) FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the present invention. More particularly, FIG. 2 shows a laminated glazing 1, more particularly a windshield. The glazing comprises two glass sheets 10 and 20, for example 2.1 mm thick for the external glass sheet 10 and 1.6 mm thick for the internal glass sheet 20 and joined by means of a thermoplastic sheet 8 of 0.76 mm made of, for example, polyvinylbutyral. According to the present invention, the antenna element 2 is provided in face 1 (11) ie on the outwardly face 11 of the glazing. In the present embodiment, the antenna element 2 is provided in the upper part 5 of the glazing near the camera zone, more particularly between the camera zone and the lower part of the vehicle's roof or car body 6.

(16) According to the present embodiment, the antenna element 2 is a patch antenna as for example an antenna from Taoglass© (GSA.8859.A.105111). The antenna element 2 according to this embodiment is a mini external DSRC antenna that operates from 5.8 to 5.9 GHZ for DSRC systems, for V2V and V2X applications. This patch is mounted (fixed) on face 1 (11) as for the glazing illustrated in FIG. 1. The antenna element 2 may be fixed to the face 1 (11) with an adhesive 17. The particularity of this antenna 2 is that is a small antenna with high efficiency. For example, the patch may have the following dimensions: 36×30×10 mm. the patch antenna has a very compact size enabling flexibility of integration. Depending on the position and its direction of the antenna element on the outwardly face of the glazing, the may be in a Y or Z-direction. Indeed, if the antenna element is placed vertically is then Y-direction oriented, if the antenna element is placed horizontally on the glazing (as shown in FIG. 2), then the antenna is Z-direction oriented.

(17) As for FIG. 1, the antenna element 2 is connected to a coaxial cable 4 which goes through the glazing, through a hole 14 provided in the glazing to be connected to the power system used for the camera, rain sensor . . . which are generally place in the camera zone in the inner rear mirror zone.

(18) As for FIG. 1, a black band 15 (enamel or other) in provided on face 2 (13). It is understood that the enamel or any masking band may be provided in face 2 and/or face 3 and/or face 4 (21).

(19) To mask and protect the antenna element provided on face 2, a cover is placed on the antenna. Thus, the antenna element is protected from external environment. The cover may be a plastic cover or in any suitable material resisting to external environment (weather, UV . . . ).

(20) This embodiment relates to a windshield, ie a laminated glazing, however, it could be transposed to a glazing made in one pane of glass like sidelite, backlite . . . the antenna element is then provided in face 1 of the glazing.

(21) FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the present invention. More particularly, FIG. 3 shows a laminated glazing 1, more particularly a windshield. The glazing comprises two glass sheets 10 and 20, for example 2.1 mm thick for the external glass sheet 10 and 1.6 mm thick for the internal glass sheet 20 and joined by means of a thermoplastic sheet 8 of 0.76 mm made of, for example, polyvinylbutyral. According to the present invention, the antenna element is provided in face 1 (11) ie on the outwardly face (11) of the glazing. In the present embodiment, the antenna element 2 is provided in the upper part 5 of the glazing near the camera zone, more particularly between the camera zone and the lower part of the vehicle's roof or car body. The antenna element 2 is a patch DSRC antenna as described for FIG. 2.

(22) In the present embodiment, the antenna element 2 is connected to a flat coaxial cable 4 which goes partially through the glazing, through a hole 14 provided only in the external pane 10 of glass of glazing. The flat coaxial 4 extends along the thermoplastic sheet (PVB . . . ) in face 2 (13) to be then directed to the upper edge (5) of the glazing and inside the vehicle to be connected to the power system used for the camera, rain sensor . . . which are generally place in the camera zone in the inner rear mirror zone as shown in FIG. 3.

(23) According to another embodiment, the flat coaxial cable 4 may pass through a hole 14 provided only in the external pane of glass of glazing and extends along the thermoplastic sheet (PVB . . . ) in face 3 to be then directed to the upper edge 5 of the glazing and inside the vehicle to be connected to the power system used for the camera, rain sensor . . . which are generally place in the camera zone in the inner rear mirror zone.

(24) It is understood, that any antenna element according to the present invention may be used in this particular embodiment.

(25) FIG. 4 shows as for FIGS. 1 and 2 an example of laminated glazing 1 comprising on face 1 (11) an antenna element 2 according to the present invention. In the particular embodiment, the antenna element 2 is a patch antenna as in described in FIG. 2, placed on face 1 (11) of the glazing. The upper part 5 of the antenna element is flush with the upper edge of the glazing 1.

(26) The cover 7 used to mask and to protect the antenna element is placed on the antenna element 2 and extends to the lateral edge of the glazing as shown in the FIG. 4. Thus, the antenna element 2 is protected from external environment. The cover 7 may be a plastic cover or in any suitable material resisting to external environment (weather, UV . . . ). The coaxial cable 4 connected to the antenna element 2 is then brought back inside the vehicle from the upper edge 5 of the glassing to be connected to power system. In this embodiment, no hole is made through the glass to allow the passage of the coaxial cable. The glazing comprising the antenna element connected to a coaxial cable and covered with a cover box is mounted to the vehicle body.

(27) According to another embodiment, the antenna element, placed in the upper edge 5 of the glazing, may have a part placed on the face 1 of the glazing and a part a part extended from the glazing.

(28) According to the present invention, one or several antennas may be placed on the outwardly face of the glazing, for example an V2X and a GPS antennas may be placed on the face 1 of the glazing, the antennas being connected to a coaxial cable. The coaxial cable may pass through totally or partially the glazing (a hole only in the external pane of glazing or hole across the thickness of the glazing) to be connected to the power system. The coaxial cable may extend along the edge of the glass to be connected to the power system.