Window assembly having a transparent layer and an outer region for an antenna element

A window assembly for a vehicle, said window assembly comprising:

• an exterior substrate having an inner surface and an outer surface;
• an interior substrate disposed adjacent said exterior substrate and having an inner surface and an outer surface with said interior and exterior substrates defining a first peripheral boundary;
• a transparent layer disposed between said inner surfaces of said exterior and interior substrates and defining an area covering said window assembly with said area defining a second peripheral boundary, wherein said transparent layer comprises a metal compound such that said transparent layer is electrically conductive;
• an outer region defined on said window assembly between said first and second peripheral boundaries and being electrically non-conductive;
• an antenna element being disposed within and surrounded by said outer region without extending across said second peripheral boundary into said area of said transparent layer;
• and
• a feeding element coupled to said antenna element for energizing said antenna element;
• wherein said antenna element is electrically disconnected from said transparent layer such that said antenna element is neither directly abutting nor in direct electrical contact with said transparent layer and such that said transparent layer is configured to parasitically couple to said antenna element.