|
(11) | EP 1 337 004 A3 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
| (54) | Integrated vehicular antenna system with selectable feedline positioning |
| (57) An integrated vehicular antenna system utilizes a dielectric panel with printed metallic
regions on one or both sides thereof. In the form of the antenna in which the metallic
regions are on both sides, on one side is formed a series of antenna elements as well
as a series of transmission lines each extending from a respective antenna element
to one of several signal connection points. A conductive layer is formed on the other
side of the panel and extends from one edge of the panel, being positioned such that
none of the antenna elements are within a projection it forms on the one side of the
panel. However, some of the transmission lines are extended within the projection
of the conductive layer in their passage from respective antenna elements to the signal
connection points. This arrangement allows an antenna element on one end of the panel
to be connected to a signal connection point on the other end of the panel while also
allowing control to be maintained over the radiation pattern formed by that antenna
element. Another form of the antenna has the conductive layer on the same side of
the panel as the transmission lines. In that case, each transmission line extends
in a respective channel formed in the conductive layer. |