US 8,576,130 B2 · Wideband antenna

Abstract

A vehicle window assembly. The window assembly includes a frame having an inner metal edge and a window pane fixed to the frame. The window pane includes an inner glass ply, an outer glass ply, an interlayer between the inner glass ply and the outer glass ply, and an electro-conductive coating located on a surface of the outer glass ply, wherein the electro-conductive coating has an outer peripheral edge spaced from the inner metal edge of the frame to define an antenna slot. The window assembly also includes an antenna feed structure electrically connected to the outer peripheral edge of the electro-conductive coating and a capacitive coupling strip located on the inner glass ply and overlapping the outer peripheral edge of the electro-conductive coating proximate the antenna feed structure, wherein the coupling strip couples a wide bandwidth radio frequency signal into and out of the antenna slot.

Claims46

Dependent claims

A window assembly for use in connection with a window frame having a metal edge, said window assembly cooperating with said window frame to define at least one antenna that is electrically connectable to an electrical feed, said window assembly comprising:

at least one ply;
an electro-conductive coating that is located on a surface of said at least one glass ply, said electro-conductive coating having a peripheral edge wherein, at times when said window assembly is installed in said window frame, at least a first portion of the peripheral edge is spaced away from the metal edge of the window frame to define a slot antenna between the first portion of said peripheral edge and the metal edge of said window frame;
an antenna feed structure that is electrically connected to the first portion of the peripheral edge of the electro-conductive coating;
and
a coupling strip for electrically connecting said antenna feed structure and the electrical feed, said coupling strip having a coupling element that is located opposite from at least a portion of the antenna feed structure said coupling element being positioned with respect to the first portion of the peripheral edge of the electro-conductive coating to match the impedance of said antenna with respect to the impedance of the electrical feed, said coupling strip also having an electrical conductor that is connected to said coupling element and that is electrically connectable to the electrical feed.

2 more elements

at least a first ply;
an electro-conductive coating that is located on a surface of said first ply, said electro-conductive coating having a peripheral edge wherein, at times when said window assembly is installed in said frame, at least a first portion of the peripheral edge is spaced away from the metal edge of the frame to define a slot antenna between the first portion of said peripheral edge and the metal edge of said frame, and wherein at least a second portion of the peripheral edge of said electro-conductive coating overlaps the metal edge of said frame, said second portion of said peripheral edge defining an antenna feeding area within said electro-conductive coating;
and
a coupling strip for electrically connecting said antenna feeding area and the electrical feed, said coupling strip having a coupling element that is located opposite from the antenna feeding area of the electro-conductive coating, said coupling strip also having an electrical conductor that is connected to said coupling element and that is electrically connectable to the electrical feed.

1 more element

a transparent ply;
an interlayer that faces one side of said transparent ply;
an electro-conductive coating that is located on a surface of one of said transparent ply and said interlayer, said electro-conductive coating having a peripheral edge wherein, at times when said window assembly is installed in said window frame, at least a first portion of the peripheral edge is spaced away from the metal edge of the window frame to define a slot antenna between the first portion of said peripheral edge and the metal edge of said window frame, and wherein at least a second portion of the peripheral edge of said electro-conductive coating overlaps the metal edge of said window frame, said second portion of said peripheral edge defining an antenna feeding area within said electro-conductive coating;
and
a coupling strip for electrically connecting said antenna feeding area and the electrical feed, said coupling strip having a coupling element that is located on one of said inner transparent ply and said interlayer at a position that is opposite from the antenna feeding area of the electro-conductive coating, said coupling strip also having a foil that is electrically connected to said coupling element and that is electrically connectable to the electrical feed.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Wideband antenna

Life of this patent

Wideband antenna

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims46