Combined Antenna Module with Single Output
AssigneeFlextronics AP, LLC
InventorsHamid Samavati, Lars Petersson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An antenna module on a vehicle having an antenna for receiving satellite radio signals and an antenna for receiving GPS signals. The two antennas may or may not be on a common ceramic substrate. Either of the two antennas may be a ceramic patch antenna or a helical antenna. The respective signals from each of the antenna as is amplified by a low noise amplifier, filtered, and then combined onto a single conductor and amplified prior to being provided on a single conductor routed through the vehicle to a remotely-located pair of receivers.
Claims27
An antenna module for use in an automotive vehicle, comprising:
- a first antenna element that receives electromagnetic signals at a first particular frequency range and produces a first received signal;
- a second antenna element that receives electromagnetic signals at a second particular frequency range and produces a second received signal;
- a combiner that combines the first and second received signals to produce a combined signal;
- and
- a conductor connected to the combiner to carry the combined signal out of the antenna module.
An antenna module for use in an automotive vehicle, comprising:
- a GPS antenna element that receives electromagnetic signals at a GPS frequency range and produces a GPS received signal;
- a first amplifier to amplify the GPS received signal;
- a satellite radio antenna element that receives electromagnetic signals at a satellite radio frequency range and produces a satellite radio received signal;
- a second amplifier to amplify the satellite radio received signal;
- a combiner that combines the amplified GPS and satellite radio received signals to produce a combined signal;
- and
- a conductor connected to the combiner to carry the combined signal out of the antenna module.
An RF receiver system for use in an automotive vehicle, comprising:
- an antenna module that includes:
- a first antenna element that receives electromagnetic RF signals at a first particular frequency range and produces a first received signal;
- a second antenna element that receives electromagnetic RF signals at a second particular frequency range and produces a second received signal;
- and
- a combiner that combines the first and second received signals to produce a combined signal;
- a conductor connected to the combiner to carry the combined signal out of the antenna module;
- a first receiver subsystem that is receptive of the combined signal from the conductor, the first receiver subsystem including a filter to allow at least the components of the combined signal that are at the first particular frequency range to pass therethrough and a receiver to receive the components of the combined signal that are at the first particular frequency range;
- and
- a second receiver subsystem that is receptive of the combined signal from the conductor, the second receiver subsystem including a filter to allow at least the components of the combined signal that are at the second particular frequency range to pass therethrough and a receiver to receive the components of the combined signal that are at the second particular frequency range;
- wherein the first and second receiver subsystems are located remotely from the antenna module.
A method of receiving different RF signals in an automotive vehicle, comprising:
- receiving a first RF signal of a first frequency with a first antenna;
- receiving a second RF signal of a second frequency with a second antenna, the second antenna being located in a common module with the first antenna;
- combining the first and second RF signals into a combined signal;
- conducting the combined signal along a single conductor;
- supplying the combined signal to a remotely-located first receiver to receive a signal at the first frequency;
- and
- supplying the combined signal to a remotely-located second receiver to receive a signal at the second frequency.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.