|
(11) | EP 4 528 926 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
| published in accordance with Art. 153(4) EPC |
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (54) | ANTENNA DEVICE FOR VEHICLE AND VEHICLE INCLUDING SAME |
| (57) Disclosed are a vehicle antenna device and a vehicle including the same. The vehicle
antenna device includes a metal frame including an opening, and a radiation pattern
electromagnetically coupled to the metal frame through the opening, wherein at least
a partial area of the radiation pattern overlaps with the opening in the thickness
direction of the metal frame. |
Technical Field
[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a vehicle antenna device and a vehicle including the same, and more particularly, to a wideband vehicle antenna device and a vehicle including the same.
Background Art
[0002] Various functions have been developed and applied to meet the demand of users of vehicles and increase their convenience.
[0003] For example, in-vehicle devices for providing users with radio, television (TV), content, and various pieces of information necessary for driving have been developed. Information that may be provided to the user may be received by the vehicle through wireless communication. Therefore, in order to provide the user with various pieces of information, an antenna for performing wireless communication needs to be provided in the vehicle. Here, the antenna may be installed inside or outside the vehicle.
[0004] Wireless communication may be performed by transmitting and receiving signals via various antennas mounted inside the vehicle. Various research has been conducted to improve radiation performance by efficiently arranging various types of antennas within a limited mounting space and reducing mutual interference therebetween.
Disclosure of Invention
Technical Problem
[0005] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a compact antenna device to be coupled to a panel of a vehicle, and a vehicle including the antenna device.
[0006] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an antenna device including a radiation pattern coupled to a panel of a vehicle or to a frame that is part of the panel, and a vehicle including the antenna device.
Solution to Problem
[0007] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a compact antenna device to be coupled to a panel of a vehicle, and a vehicle including the antenna device.
[0008] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an antenna device including a radiation pattern coupled to a panel of a vehicle or to a frame that is part of the panel, and a vehicle including the antenna device.
[0009] A vehicle antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a metal frame including an opening.
[0010] The vehicle antenna device according to an embodiment may include a radiation pattern electromagnetically coupled to the metal frame through the opening, wherein at least a partial area of the radiation pattern overlaps with the opening in a thickness direction of the metal frame.
[0012] The vehicle according to an embodiment may include a metal frame that is inserted into the first opening to be coupled to the panel, and includes a second opening.
[0013] The vehicle according to an embodiment may include a radiation pattern electromagnetically coupled to the metal frame, wherein at least a partial area of the radiation pattern overlaps with the second opening in a thickness direction of the metal frame.
Brief Description of Drawings
[0014]
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a vehicle in which an antenna device is installed, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an antenna device according to an embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a plan view of the antenna device of FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an antenna device including an insulating board, according to an embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an antenna device including an insulating board and a spacer, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an antenna device according to another embodiment.
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an antenna device according to another embodiment.
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an antenna device including a plurality of openings, according to an embodiment.
FIG. 9 shows, as a comparative example, a result of measuring a reflection loss of an antenna device consisting of only a radiation pattern.
FIG. 10 shows a result of measuring a reflection loss of an antenna device including a radiation pattern and a metal frame, according to an embodiment.
FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating an antenna device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 12 is a block diagram of a vehicle electronic device including the antenna device of FIG. 11.
FIG. 13 is a flowchart of a method of controlling driving of a vehicle by using an antenna, according to an embodiment.
Mode for the Invention
[0015] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings for those of skill in the art to be able to implement the embodiments without any difficulty. The present disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to an embodiment set forth herein. In order to clearly describe the present disclosure, portions that are not relevant to the description of the present disclosure are omitted, and similar reference numerals are assigned to similar elements throughout the present specification.
[0016] Throughout the specification, when a part is referred to as being "connected to" another part, it may be "directly connected to" the other part or be "electrically connected to" the other part through an intervening element. In addition, when an element is referred to as "including" a component, the element may additionally include other components rather than excluding other components as long as there is no particular opposing recitation.
[0017] As used herein, phrases such as "in some embodiments" or "in an embodiment" does not necessarily indicate the same embodiment.
[0018] Some embodiments may be represented by functional blocks and various processing operations. Some or all of the functional blocks may be implemented by any number of hardware and/or software elements that perform particular functions. For example, the functional blocks of the present disclosure may be implemented by using one or more processors or microprocessors, or circuit elements for performing intended functions. For example, the functional blocks of the present disclosure may be implemented by using various programming or scripting languages. The functional blocks may be implemented by using various algorithms executable by one or more processors. In addition, the present disclosure may employ known technologies for electronic settings, signal processing, and/or data processing. Terms such as 'module' or 'component' may be used broadly and may not be limited to mechanical and physical elements.
[0019] In addition, connection lines or connection members between components illustrated in the drawings are merely exemplary of functional connections and/or physical or circuit connections. Various alternative or additional functional connections, physical connections, or circuit connections between components may be present in a practical device.
[0020] In addition, the expression 'at least one of a, b, and c' indicates only a, only b, only c, both a and b, both a and c, both b and c, or all of a, b, and c.
[0021] A vehicle antenna device and a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings, like elements are illustrated by using like reference numerals. In addition, throughout the detailed description, the same components are described with the same terms.
[0022] A position where the antenna device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is installed will be described in detail below with reference to FIG. 1.
[0023] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a vehicle in which an antenna device is installed, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0024] The vehicle antenna device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be arranged outside or inside the vehicle.
[0025] In detail, the vehicle antenna device may be installed in a shark fin module located on the glass or roof, which is the exterior of the vehicle.
[0026] Alternatively, the vehicle antenna device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be installed inside the main body of the vehicle. In a case in which an antenna is installed on the glass of the vehicle, upon the glass being damaged due to an external impact, the antenna may also be damaged, and the length of a cable connecting the antenna to a printed circuit board (PCB) module may be increased. In addition, in a case in which two or more antennas are installed or mounted on the glass to support diversity, there may be an isolation issue between the antennas. In addition, because the shark fin module is exposed to the outside of the vehicle, there is also a risk of damage due to an external impact. In addition, as the shark fin module has a small size, the size of the antenna is also reduced, which may deteriorate the radiation capability (or the broadcast reception capability) of the antenna, and in a case in which several antennas need to be installed to receive various broadcast signals, the number of shark fin modules may be increased. In a case in which the vehicle antenna device is installed on the main body of the vehicle, the vehicle antenna device is not exposed to the outside of the vehicle, unlike the antennas installed on the glass or shark fin module as described above. Thus, it is possible to reduce the risk of damage and prevent the exterior of the vehicle from being damaged.
[0027] Hereinafter, an example will be described and illustrated, in which a vehicle antenna device is installed inside a vehicle or on the main body of the vehicle.
[0028] Referring to FIG. 1, an antenna device (not shown) may be installed in an area 150 on an upper panel 115 forming the main body of a vehicle 110. In detail, the area 150 of a metal panel (e.g., 115) may be opened such that the antenna device (not shown) coupled to the metal panel 115 is arranged. In addition, the area 150 may be an opening of the upper panel 115.
[0029] In addition, FIG. 1 illustrates an example in which the antenna device (not shown) is installed in the area 150 of an upper portion of the vehicle 110, but the antenna device (not shown) may be installed at any position, as long as it is installed inside or outside the vehicle 110.
[0030] In detail, the antenna device (not shown) may be installed in a lower or inner area of at least one of a bonnet panel 121, a door panel 122, a fender panel 123, a pillar panel 124, a roof panel 115, a bumper panel 126, and a trunk panel 127 of the vehicle.
[0031] Here, the door panel 122 may include not only a front door panel on the driver's seat side illustrated in FIG. 1, but also a rear door panel on the driver's seat side, a front door panel on the passenger's seat side, and a rear door panel on the passenger's seat side. In addition, the fender panel 123 may include not only a front fender panel on the driver's seat side illustrated in FIG. 1, but also a rear fender panel on the driver's seat side, a front fender panel on the passenger's seat side, and a rear fender panel on the passenger's seat side. In addition, the pillar panel 124 may include not only a front pillar panel on the driver's seat side illustrated in FIG. 1, but also a rear pillar panel on the driver's seat side, a front pillar panel on the passenger's seat side, and a rear pillar panel on the passenger's seat side. In addition, the bumper panel 126 may include not only a front bumper panel illustrated in FIG. 1 but also a rear bumper panel.
[0032] FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an antenna device according to an embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a plan view of the antenna device of FIG. 2. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, an antenna device according to an embodiment may include a metal frame 10 including an opening H, and a radiation pattern 20 electromagnetically coupled to the metal frame 10 through the opening H such that at least a partial area of the radiation pattern 20 overlaps with the opening H in the thickness direction of the metal frame 10 (e.g., in the Z-axis direction). The antenna device may further include a printed circuit board 30 electrically connected to the radiation pattern 20.
[0033] The metal frame 10 may be formed of a metal material having high thermal conductivity. When mounting the vehicle antenna device on the vehicle, the metal frame 10 may be arranged in contact with a panel of the vehicle. Accordingly, the metal frame 10 may form the main body of the vehicle together with the panel of the vehicle.
[0034] The metal frame 10 may include a first frame 11 that accommodates the radiation pattern 20, and a second frame 12 that is arranged at an edge of the first frame 11 and is coupled to a panel of the vehicle. The first frame 11 and the second frame 12 may be integrated into one body.
[0035] The first frame 11 may have a flat surface including one or more openings H. The drawings illustrate one opening H, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. A plurality of openings H may be arranged. Heat inside the vehicle may be discharged to the outside through the openings H. Alternatively, a conductive line connected to the printed circuit board 30 to be described below may be connected to a power module of the vehicle through the opening H.
[0036] The second frame 12 may be arranged at an edge of the first frame 11, and may be coupled to a panel of the vehicle. The second frame 12 may be in direct contact with a panel of the vehicle. The second frame 12 may include an area P protruding more than a surface of the first frame 11. When the radiation pattern 20 and the printed circuit board 30 are accommodated in the first frame 11, the height of the protruding area P may be higher than the height of the radiation pattern 20 and the printed circuit board 30. Thus, the second frame 12 may serve as a housing that includes the radiation pattern 20 and the printed circuit board 30, to protect the radiation pattern 20 and the printed circuit board 30 from external impacts, and the like.
[0037] When the antenna device is arranged in the main body of the vehicle 110, the radiation pattern 20 may be arranged to face the outside of the vehicle 110, and the first frame 11 of the metal frame 10 may be arranged to face the inside of the vehicle. For example, when the antenna device is arranged inside the upper panel 115 of the vehicle 110, the metal frame 10 may be arranged in contact with an upper panel of the vehicle, and the radiation pattern 20 may be arranged to face the outside of the vehicle.
[0038] The radiation pattern 20 according to an embodiment may be applied to a sensor arranged in the vehicle, for example, a sensor for a tire-pressure monitoring system (TPMS) configured to measure the air pressure of a tire, or a sensor for a remote keyless entry (RKE) capable of remotely opening and closing a vehicle door and starting the engine. The resonant frequency band of the radiation pattern 20 may be about 200 MHz to about 500 MHz. Because the frequency band is greater than a frequency band for cellular communication, the length of the radiation pattern 20 according to an embodiment is relatively greater than a length of the radiation pattern 20 for cellular communication. In general, a length of the radiation pattern 20 for communication with sensors inside the vehicle or sensors in close proximity to the vehicle may be about 200 mm to about 300 mm. As the length of the radiation pattern 20 increases, the influence on surrounding structures may increase.
[0039] The antenna device according to an embodiment may reduce the size of the radiation pattern 20 itself because the radiation pattern 20 is electromagnetically coupled to the metal frame 10 through the opening H to transmit and receive electromagnetic wave signals. The radiation pattern 20 according to an embodiment is electromagnetically coupled to the metal frame 10 to use, as a radiation element, the metal frame 10 or a panel of the vehicle in contact with the metal frame 10, thereby improving the radiation performance.
[0040] The radiation pattern 20 may have a flat shape of which the width is greater than the thickness, and may be arranged parallel to the surface of the metal frame 10. The radiation pattern 20 may be bent at least once to secure a resonant length while reducing the overall dimensions of the radiation pattern 20. The maximum length of the radiation pattern 20 may be about 100 mm or less.
[0041] The radiation pattern 20 may include a plurality of radiation elements. For example, the radiation pattern 20 may include a first radiation element 21 arranged in a direction parallel to the lengthwise direction of the metal frame 10 (e.g., the X-axis direction), and a second radiation element 22 arranged in a direction parallel to the widthwise direction of the metal frame 10 (e.g., the Y-axis direction) with one end in contact with the first radiation element 21. The radiation pattern 20 may further include a narrow slit S in the second radiation element 22. The width of the slit (e.g., the size in the Y direction) may be about 1 mm or less.
[0042] The cross-sectional shape of each radiation element may be a polygonal shape. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Each of the first and radiation elements 21 and 22 may have a polygonal shape, an elliptical shape, a circular shape, or a modification thereof. The radiation pattern 20 is compact as a plurality of radiation elements are aligned in different directions, and thus, the overall size of the radiation pattern 20 may be reduced. Alternatively, the radiation pattern 20 may have a spiral shape or a patch shape.
[0043] At least a partial area of the radiation pattern 20 may be arranged to extend to the opening H. For example, the radiation pattern 20 may include a first area that overlaps with the opening H in the thickness direction of the metal frame 10 (e.g., the Z-axis direction), and a second area that does not overlap with the opening H in the thickness direction of the metal frame 10. In other words, the second area of the radiation pattern 20 may overlap with the metal frame 10. Because the frequency band for resonance is determined by the radiation pattern 20, and electromagnetic waves mainly resonate in the radiation pattern 20, it is preferable that the size of the first area be large. For example, the size of the first area may be greater than or equal to the size of the second area. In addition, the degree of coupling may be adjusted according to the degree of overlap between the radiation pattern 20 and the opening H, that is, the size of the first area.
[0044] A feed point (not shown) and a ground point (not shown) may be arranged in a coupling area of the radiation pattern, for example, in a first area of the radiation pattern 20. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The feed point may be arranged in the first area of the radiation pattern 20, and the ground point may be arranged in the second area of the radiation pattern 20. Alternatively, the feed point may be arranged in the radiation pattern 20, and the ground point may be arranged in the metal frame 10 or on a panel of the vehicle that is in contact with the metal frame 10.
[0045] The gap between the radiation pattern 20 and the metal frame 10 may be a distance at which they may be electromagnetically coupled to each other. For example, the gap between the radiation pattern 20 and the metal frame 10 may be less than or equal to the width of the radiation pattern 20. Alternatively, the gap between the radiation pattern 20 and the metal frame 10 may be about 10 mm or less. Accordingly, when the radiation pattern 20 resonates within a particular frequency range, the metal frame 10 and the radiation pattern 20 are electromagnetically coupled to each other such that electromagnetic waves may also resonate in the metal frame 10. The electromagnetic waves may primarily resonate in the radiation pattern 20, and auxiliary resonate in the metal frame 10.
[0046] The printed circuit board 30 may be a double-sided printed circuit board or a single-sided printed circuit board. Various circuit modules may be mounted on the printed circuit board 30. For example, the circuit modules may include capacitors, coils, resistor elements, power supply circuits, memories, processors, and the like.
[0047] The printed circuit board 30 may also be accommodated in the metal frame 10. A partial area of the printed circuit board 30 may overlap with the opening H in the thickness direction of the metal frame 10 (e.g., the Z-axis direction), and the other areas of the printed circuit board (30) may not overlap with the opening H in the thickness direction of the metal frame 10. Heat generated in the circuit modules mounted on the printed circuit board 30 may be discharged through the opening H. In addition, the second area of the printed circuit board 30 may be mounted on the metal frame 10 to fix the printed circuit board 30 to the metal frame 10.
[0048] Circuit modules (not shown) may be distributed in at least one of the upper surface and the lower surface of the printed circuit board 30. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The circuit modules may be arranged only on the upper surface or the lower surface of the printed circuit board 30. For example, the circuit modules may be arranged between the printed circuit board 30 and the metal frame 10, to be protected by the printed circuit board 30 and the metal frame 10.
[0049] A partial area of the radiation pattern 20 may be arranged on the printed circuit board 30. That is, the printed circuit board 30 may support the radiation pattern 20. The other areas of the radiation pattern 20 may be arranged parallel without overlapping with the printed circuit board 30 in the thickness direction of the metal frame 10. The area of the radiation pattern 20 that does not overlap with the printed circuit board 30 may be larger than the area of the radiation pattern 20 that overlaps with the printed circuit board 30. By minimizing the area of the radiation pattern 20 that overlaps with the printed circuit board 30, the influence of the conductive lines in the printed circuit board 30, on the radiation pattern 20 may be minimized.
[0050] As described above, the metal frame 10 serves an auxiliary role for the radiation pattern 20, and thus, the performance of the antenna device may be improved. In addition, the metal frame 10 may serve as a housing that accommodates the radiation pattern 20 and the printed circuit board 30, and may be connected to other components in the vehicle through the opening H, and heat dissipation may be performed through the opening H, enabling simplification of the antenna device to be thin and light.
[0051] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an antenna device including an insulating board 40, according to an embodiment. Comparing FIG. 3 with FIG. 4, the antenna device may further include the insulating board 40 that supports the radiation pattern 20. Even when the radiation pattern 20 is spaced apart from the metal frame 10, the radiation pattern (20) may be deformed due to a movement of the vehicle or the like.
[0052] The insulating board 40 may support the radiation pattern 20, and may maintain a constant distance between the radiation pattern 20 and the metal frame 10. The radiation pattern 20 may be arranged on the upper surface of the insulating board 40. The insulating board 40 may be in contact with the metal frame 10. The thickness of the insulating board 40 may be such that the radiation pattern 20 and the metal frame 10 may be electromagnetically coupled to each other. Because the degree of coupling may be reduced by the insulating board 40, it is preferable that the thickness of the insulating board be thin. For example, the thickness of the insulating board 40 may be about 5 mm or less.
[0053] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an antenna device including the insulating board 40, according to another embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the radiation pattern 20 may be arranged on the lower surface of the insulating board 40. The radiation pattern 20 may be arranged on the lower surface of the insulating board 40, to protect the radiation pattern 20 from external impact.
[0054] In addition, the antenna device may further include a spacer 50 arranged on the lower surface of the insulating board 40. The drawing illustrates that the spacer 50 is arranged at an edge of the insulating board 40, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The spacer 50 may be arranged on an area of the lower surface of the insulating board 40 where the radiation pattern 20 is not arranged. The spacer 50 may maintain a constant gap between the metal frame 10 and the radiation pattern 20, and may be in contact with the metal frame 10. The thickness of the spacer 50 may be such that the radiation pattern 20 and the metal frame 10 may be electromagnetically coupled to each other. For example, the thickness of the spacer 50 may be about 10 mm or less.
[0055] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an antenna device according to another embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the radiation pattern 20a may not overlap with the metal frame 10 in the thickness direction of the metal frame 10. Even through the radiation pattern 20a does not overlap with the metal frame 10, the radiation pattern 20a may be arranged at a distance from the metal frame 10 such that the radiation pattern 20a may be electromagnetically coupled to the metal frame 10.
[0056] A radiation pattern 20a may include a first radiation element 21a extending in the lengthwise direction of the metal frame 10, and a second radiation element 22a that has one end in contact with the first radiation element 21a and extends in the widthwise direction of the metal frame 10.
[0057] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an antenna device according to another embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 7, the radiation pattern 20b may not overlap with the metal frame 10 in the thickness direction of the metal frame 10.
[0058] A radiation pattern 20b may include a first radiation element 21b extending in the lengthwise direction of the metal frame 10 (e.g., the Y-axis direction), a second radiation element 22b that has one end in contact with the first radiation element 21b and extends in the widthwise direction of the metal frame 10 (e.g., the X-axis direction), and a third radiation element 23 that has one end in contact with the second radiation element 22b and extends in the lengthwise direction of the metal frame 10 (e.g., the Y-axis direction). The radiation pattern 20b of FIG. 7 has a larger number of bent portions than the radiation pattern 20a of FIG. 6, and thus may effectively reduce the size of the radiation pattern 20.
[0059] FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an antenna device including a plurality of openings H, according to an embodiment. Comparing FIG. 2 with FIG. 8, a metal frame 10a of FIG. 8 may include a first opening H1 overlapping with at least a portion of the radiation pattern 20, and a second opening H2 through which the conductive line connected to a printed circuit board 30 passes. The metal frame 10a includes a plurality of openings H1 and H2 spaced apart from each other, and thus, the physical strength of the metal frame 10A may be enhanced.
[0060] FIG. 9 shows, as a comparative example, a result of measuring a reflection loss of an antenna device consisting of only a radiation pattern. The radiation pattern 20 may include a first radiation element having a width of about 6.5 mm and a length of about 56.55 mm, and a second radiation element that is arranged perpendicular to the first radiation element with one end in contact with the first radiation element, and has a width of about 9.7 mm and a length of about 65.5 mm. In addition, the second radiation element has a plot formed therein with a width of about 1 mm and a length of about 50 mm. Referring to FIG. 9, it may be confirmed that no resonance is formed in the radiation pattern 20 at a target frequency band, for example, at about 315 MHz.
[0061] FIG. 10 shows a result of measuring a reflection loss of an antenna device including a radiation pattern and a metal frame, according to an embodiment. The radiation pattern of FIG. 10 is the same as the radiation pattern produced in FIG. 9. The metal frame may include an opening having a width of about 80 mm and a length of about 680 mm. The gap between the radiation pattern and the metal frame was maintained at about 10 mm, with part of the radiation pattern overlapping with the opening. Referring to FIG. 10, it may be confirmed that a resonance is formed in the radiation pattern at a target frequency band, for example, about 315 MHz.
[0062] It may be confirmed that, the radiation pattern 20 according to an embodiment does not function as an antenna element alone, but the radiation pattern 20 and the metal frame 10 are coupled to each other to function as an antenna element.
[0063] FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating an antenna device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As described above with reference to FIG. 1, the antenna device 200 illustrated in FIG. 2 may be installed in an area inside or outside of a vehicle.
[0064] The vehicle antenna device 200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is an antenna device to be installed in a vehicle for wireless communication, and transmits and receives electromagnetic waves through the antenna described above.
[0065] In addition, the vehicle antenna device 200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be an antenna device for performing wireless communication in a preset frequency band. The frequency band used for wireless communication may vary depending on a communication standard or a communication type to be used.
[0066] In addition, the vehicle antenna device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be integrated with a vehicle communication module (not shown). Here, the vehicle communication module (not shown) may be referred to as a transmission control unit (TCU). The TCU is a component to control transmission and reception of data through wireless communication in a vehicle, and may be in charge of communication between the vehicle and an external electronic device (e.g., a server or a mobile device). The antenna device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be installed inside the vehicle communication module, or may be integrated with the vehicle communication module.
[0067] Referring to FIG. 11, the vehicle antenna device 200 includes an antenna 210 and a processor 220. The antenna may be a combination of the radiation pattern 20 and the metal frame 10 described above. The antenna may be a single antenna or an array-type antenna. Here, the array-type antenna means that a plurality of radiation patterns 20 are arranged in the antenna device described above.
[0068] The antenna may transmit and/or receive electromagnetic wave signals. In detail, the antenna according to an embodiment may transmit and/or receive omnidirectional electromagnetic wave signals. However, in a case in which the antenna includes a plurality of radiation patterns, an electromagnetic wave signal output from the antenna may be transmitted or received in a desired direction. As such, when an array-type radiation pattern has directivity for transmitting or receiving electromagnetic wave signals in a desired direction, an output electromagnetic wave signal having directivity may be referred to as a beam.
[0069] The processor 220 executes at least one instruction to perform operations according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. That is, the processor 220 may execute the at least one instruction to perform control such that an intended operation is performed.
[0070] For example, the processor may obtain information from an external device by adjusting the phase of at least one electromagnetic wave signal output from the antenna. The processor 220 may also control driving of the vehicle based on the obtained information. In addition, the processor 220 may control the antenna to output a particular beam, based on driving information about the vehicle.
[0071] The processor 220 may include an internal memory (not shown) and at least one processor (not shown) configured to execute at least one stored program. Here, the internal memory (not shown) of the processor 220 may store one or more instructions. In addition, the processor 220 may execute at least one of the one or more instructions stored in the internal memory (not shown) to perform a certain operation.
[0072] In detail, the processor 220 may include random-access memory (RAM) (not shown) that stores signals or data input from the outside or is used as a storage area corresponding to various tasks performed by the antenna device 200, read-only memory (ROM) (not shown) storing a control program for controlling the antenna device 200 and/or a plurality of instructions, and at least one processor (not shown).
[0073] Alternatively, the processor 220 may be implemented as a system-on-chip (SoC) in which a core (not shown) and a graphics processing unit (GPU) (not shown) are integrated. Alternatively, the processor 220 may include a single processor core (singlecore) or a plurality of processor cores (multi-core). For example, the processor 220 may be dual-core, triple-core, quad-core, hexa-core, octa-core, deca-core, dodeca-core, hexadecimal-core, or the like.
[0074] In addition, the processor 220 may include components for implementing a hardware platform (e.g., an application processor (AP) or memory), and components for implementing a software platform (e.g., an operating system (OS) program, software for controlling the phase of electromagnetic wave signals output from the antenna 210 (e.g., automotive safety software), or applications).
[0075] In addition, at least one of the operations performed by the processor 220 may be performed by using artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
[0076] FIG. 12 is a block diagram of a vehicle electronic device including the antenna device of FIG. 11.
[0077] A vehicle electronic device 300 of FIG. 12 may include the vehicle antenna device 200 described above with reference to in FIG. 11. In addition, the vehicle electronic device 300 may refer to a computing device that may be integrated with the vehicle antenna device 200 and then installed in a vehicle. Thus, in describing the vehicle electronic device 300, descriptions provided above regarding the vehicle antenna device 200 will be omitted. In addition, in the vehicle electronic device 300 illustrated in FIG. 12, the same components as those described above with reference to FIG. 11 are illustrated by using the same reference numerals and terms.
[0078] Referring to FIG. 12, the vehicle electronic device 300 may include the processor 220, an input/output unit 230 and a communication unit 240. In detail, the vehicle electronic device 300 includes the vehicle antenna device 200, and the vehicle antenna device 200 may be integrated with the communication unit 240, which is a TCU configured to perform communication in a vehicle.
[0079] In addition, the vehicle electronic device 300 may be an electronic device for implementing in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) technology. For example, the vehicle electronic device 300 may provide services, information, and/or content customized for a particular user, based on user location information. In detail, the vehicle electronic device 300 may perform communication between the vehicle and an external device, to be used to obtain information necessary for driving or using the vehicle. Alternatively, the vehicle electronic device 300 may perform communication between the vehicle and an external device to provide the user with services, information, and/or content.
[0080] The processor 220 and the input/output unit 230 included in the vehicle electronic device 300 may be collectively referred to as an IVI head unit. In addition, the vehicle electronic device 300 may be arranged between center front portions of the driver's seat and the passenger's seat in the vehicle. In this case, the array antenna 210 included in the vehicle electronic device 300 may be installed at a position spaced apart from other components included in the vehicle electronic device 300, and the array antenna 210 may be connected to the other components of the vehicle electronic device 300 through a wired communication interface, such as a cable, or through a wireless communication interface.
[0082] Here, the TCU is a component to control transmission and reception of data in a vehicle, and may be in charge of communication between the vehicle and an external electronic device (e.g., a server or a mobile device).
[0083] The processor 220 may include components 341 for implementing a hardware platform (e.g., an AP or memory), and components 350 for implementing a software platform (e.g., an OS program, automotive safety software, or applications).
[0084] In detail, the components 341 for implementing the hardware platform may include at least one AP 341 and a memory 342. Here, an example is described in which the memory 342 is included in the processor 220. In addition, the memory 342 may not be included in the processor 220, but may be included in the vehicle electronic device 300 as a separate component.
[0085] In addition, the components 341 for implementing the hardware platform may further a Universal Serial Bus (USB) module (not shown), an frequency modulation (FM) / digital multimedia broadcasting (DMB) tuner (not shown), and the like. Here, the USB module (not shown) may include a USB insertion unit (not shown) to read data from a USB device inserted therein. In addition, the FM/DMB tuner (not shown) may selectively receive FM/DMB broadcast signals. In detail, the FM/DMB tuner (not shown) may be tuned to and select only a frequency of a channel desired to be received by the vehicle electronic device 300 from among a number of electromagnetic wave components by performing, for example, amplification, mixing, and resonance on a broadcast signal received in a wired or wireless manner. The broadcast signal received by the FM/DMB tuner (not shown) may include an audio, a video, and additional information (e.g., an electronic program guide (EPG)).
[0086] The components 350 for implementing the software platform may include an OS program, automotive safety software, applications, and the like. Here, the OS program may include QNX, Linux, or an Android-based OS program.
[0087] The input/output unit 230 is a component for providing data to a user or receiving a user request, and may include at least one of a display 331, a camera module 335, an audio output unit 338, and a user interface 339.
[0088] The camera module 335 is a component for obtaining video and/or audio data, and may include a camera 336 and a microphone 337. In addition, the camera module 335 may include a speaker (not shown) to output an operating sound or the like of the camera 336. In addition, in a case in which the camera module 335 does not include a separate speaker (not shown), an operating sound or the like of the camera 336 may be output through the audio output unit 338.
[0089] For example, the camera module 335 may operate as a sensor for recognizing a gesture and a voice of a user.
[0090] In detail, the camera 336 may receive an image (e.g., consecutive frames) corresponding to a motion of the user, including a gesture, within a recognition range of a camera. For example, the recognition range of the camera 336 may be within a distance of 0.1 m to 5 m between the camera 336 and the user. The motion of the user may include, for example, a gesture or a motion of a body part of the user, such as the face, a facial expression, a hand, a fist, or a finger. Under control of the processor 220, the camera 336 may convert the received image into an electrical signal to perform recognition, and may select a menu displayed on the vehicle electronic device 300 or perform control corresponding to a motion recognition result by using a recognition result corresponding to the motion of the user. For example, the processor 220 may control channel selection, channel change, volume adjustment, execution of available services, and the like in FM/DMB by using the recognition result obtained from the camera 336.
[0091] The camera 336 may be integrated with or separate from the vehicle electronic device 300. The separate camera 336 may be electrically connected to the processor 220 of the vehicle electronic device 300 through the communication unit 240 or the input/output unit 230. For example, in a case in which the camera 336 is separate from the vehicle electronic device 300, the camera 336 may be arranged at a position corresponding to the front of the face and upper body of a driver to capture an image corresponding to the face and upper body of the driver.
[0092] The microphone 337 may receive an audio signal such as a voice signal. The microphone 337 may receive a voice signal of the user, and the processor 220 may recognize a control command corresponding to a voice received from the microphone 337 and perform control such that an operation corresponding to the voice is performed. In addition, the microphone 337 may be included in the vehicle electronic device 300 as a separate module, rather than being included in the camera module 335.
[0093] The user interface 339 may receive a user input for controlling the vehicle electronic device 300. The user interface 339 may include a push button, a wheel, a keyboard, a jog dial, a touch panel, a haptic sensor, and the like for receiving a user input.
[0094] The communication unit 240 may include at least one communication module configured to perform wireless communication. In detail, the communication unit 240 may include at least one of a Bluetooth module 361, a Wi-Fi module 362, a global positioning system (GPS) module 363, a radio-frequency (RF) module 364, and a communication processor (CP) module 365. Here, the CP module is a modem chipset, and may perform communication with an external electronic device through a communication network conforming to 3rd Generation (3G), 4th Generation (4G), 5th Generation (5G), or 6th Generation (6G) communication standards. In addition, the communication unit 240 may further include at least one communication module (not shown) configured to perform communication according to a communication standard, such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), near-field communication (NFC)/radio-frequency identification (RFID), Wi-Fi Direct, ultra-wideband (UWB), and/or Zigbee.
[0095] The antenna according to an embodiment may be a component of the communication module included in the communication unit 240. For example, the antenna may be included in at least one of the RF module 364 and the CP module 365, to perform transmission and reception of electromagnetic waves of each of the RF module 364 and the CP module 365.
[0096] In addition, the components included in the vehicle electronic device 300, for example, the processor 220, the input/output unit 230, and the communication unit 240, may communicate with each other through a vehicle network. In addition, the vehicle electronic device 300 and other components included in the vehicle (not shown) may communicate with each other through the vehicle network. Here, the vehicle network may be a network based on a controller area network (CAN) and/or Media-Oriented Systems Transport (MOST).
[0097] The processor 220 may control driving of the vehicle based on information received from the antenna.
[0098] FIG. 13 is a flowchart of a method of controlling driving of a vehicle by using an antenna, according to an embodiment. Referring to FIG. 13, the processor 220 may receive an electrical signal from an antenna (S410). As described above, the antenna may include the metal frame 10, and the radiation pattern 20 and the printed circuit board 30 accommodated in the metal frame 10. The metal frame 10 and the radiation pattern 20 are electromagnetically coupled to each other through an opening. The antenna with the radiation pattern 20 may output an electrical signal corresponding to received electromagnetic waves.
[0099] The processor 220 may obtain environmental information from the electrical signal received from the antenna (S420). When the resonant frequency band of the radiation pattern 20 is about 200 MHz to about 500 MHz, the environmental information may be information about at least one of a smart key, opening/closing of a vehicle door, and the air pressure of a tire.
[0100] The processor 220 may control driving of the vehicle in response to the environmental information (S430). The processor 220 may control a driving unit such that at least one of a driving route and the driving speed of the vehicle is changed in correspondence to the environmental information. Although not illustrated, the driving unit may include a steering control unit, a speed control unit, and the like. A vehicle control manual that is matched with the environmental information may be stored in a memory (not shown). The processor 220 may control driving of the vehicle by reading, from the memory, the vehicle control manual matched with the environmental information. For example, the processor may control the driving unit to change the driving speed, based on environmental information about the air pressure of a tire. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The processor 220 may also control driving of the vehicle in correspondence to environmental information by using a learning network model of an AI system. For example, the processor 220 may control driving of the vehicle to avoid a collision with an accident vehicle.
[0102] The vehicle antenna according to an embodiment may include a radiation pattern electromagnetically coupled to the metal frame through the opening, wherein at least a partial area of the radiation pattern overlaps with the opening in a thickness direction of the metal frame.
[0103] The radiation pattern may be electromagnetically coupled to the metal frame in a frequency band of 200 MHz to 500 MHz.
[0104] A gap between the radiation pattern and the metal frame may be less than or equal to a width of the radiation pattern.
[0111] The radiation pattern may include a first radiation element extending in a direction parallel to a lengthwise direction of the metal frame.
[0112] The radiation pattern may include a second radiation element that has one end in contact with the first radiation element, and extends in a widthwise direction of the metal frame.
[0113] The radiation pattern may include a first area overlapping with the opening in the thickness direction of the metal frame.
[0114] The radiation pattern may include a second area that does not overlap with the opening in the thickness direction of the metal frame.
[0116] The vehicle antenna device according to an embodiment may further include an insulating board that supports the radiation pattern.
[0118] The vehicle antenna device according to an embodiment may further include a printed circuit board electrically connected to the radiation pattern and accommodated in the metal frame.
[0119] The vehicle antenna device according to an embodiment may further include a circuit module arranged between the printed circuit board and the metal frame, and electrically connected to the printed circuit board.
[0120] The vehicle antenna device according to an embodiment may further include a conductive line that passes through the opening, and supplies power to the printed circuit board.
[0122] The opening may include a second opening spaced apart from the first opening and overlapping with at least a portion of the radiation pattern.
[0125] The vehicle according to an embodiment may include a metal frame that is inserted into the first opening to be coupled to the panel, and includes a second opening.
[0126] The vehicle according to an embodiment may include a radiation pattern electromagnetically coupled to the metal frame through the opening, wherein at least a partial area of the radiation pattern overlaps with the second opening in a thickness direction of the metal frame.
[0127] Although embodiments have been described above in detail, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and various modifications and alterations by those skill in the art using the basic concept of the present disclosure defined in the following claims also fall within the scope of the present disclosure.
1. A vehicle antenna device installed in a vehicle, the vehicle antenna device comprising:
a metal frame comprising an opening; and
a radiation pattern electromagnetically coupled to the metal frame through the opening, wherein at least a partial area of the radiation pattern overlaps with the opening in a thickness direction of the metal frame.
2. The vehicle antenna device of claim 1, wherein the radiation pattern is electromagnetically
coupled to the metal frame in a frequency band of 200 MHz to 500 MHz.
3. The vehicle antenna device of claim 1, wherein a gap between the radiation pattern
and the metal frame is less than or equal to a width of the radiation pattern.
4. The vehicle antenna device of claim 1, wherein the radiation pattern is accommodated
in the metal frame.
5. The vehicle antenna device of claim 1, wherein the radiation pattern has a flat shape
having a width greater than a thickness.
6. The vehicle antenna device of claim 1, wherein the radiation pattern is bent at least
once.
7. The vehicle antenna device of claim 1, wherein the radiation pattern comprises:
a first radiation element extending in a direction parallel to a lengthwise direction of the metal frame; and
a second radiation element that has one end in contact with the first radiation element, and extends in a widthwise direction of the metal frame.
8. The vehicle antenna device of claim 1, wherein the radiation pattern comprises:
a first area overlapping with the opening in the thickness direction of the metal frame; and
a second area that does not overlap with the opening in the thickness direction of the metal frame.
9. The vehicle antenna device of claim 1, further comprising an insulating board that
supports the radiation pattern.
10. The vehicle antenna device of claim 9, wherein the radiation pattern is arranged between
the insulating board and the metal frame.
11. The vehicle antenna device of claim 8, further comprising a printed circuit board
electrically connected to the radiation pattern, and accommodated in the metal frame.
12. The vehicle antenna device of claim 11, further comprising a circuit module arranged
between the printed circuit board and the metal frame, and electrically connected
to the printed circuit board.
13. The vehicle antenna device of claim 11, further comprising a conductive line that
passes through the opening, and supplies power to the printed circuit board.
14. The vehicle antenna device of claim 13, wherein the opening comprises:
a first opening through which the conductive line passes; and
a second opening spaced apart from the first opening, and overlapping with at least a portion of the radiation pattern.
15. The vehicle antenna device of claim 1, wherein the metal frame is in contact with
a panel of the vehicle.