Ultra-high frequency, slot coupled, low-cost antenna system

Claim 2

An antenna apparatus for mounting on a window and adapted for operation in the ultra-high frequency range in conjunction with a utilization device, comprising: an elongated radiating element; a first housing for engaging an outer surface of the window, the first housing having means for supporting the radiating element thereon; a second housing for engaging an inner surface of said window; first and second couplers respectively disposed in said first housing and second housings, the first coupler being electrically connected to said radiating element, the second coupler having means for electrically connecting to a utilization device, each of said first and second couplers respectively including first and second planar members having respective first and second opposing surfaces, said first and second coupler first surfaces each having an electrically conductive material disposed thereon to define respective ground planes of said first and second couplers, each of said first and second coupler first surfaces further including a planar cavity disposed therein and substantially surrounded by said conductive material, each of said first and second coupler second surfaces having an electrically conductive exciter strip disposed thereon in registration with said planar cavities of said first and second coupler first surfaces, at least one of said exciter strips being disposed on its coupler planar member second surface generally transverse to said planar cavity of its coupler planar member first surface; impedance matching means disposed within said first housing and connected between said first coupler exciter strip and said radiating element; connection means having two conductors respectively electrically connected to said second coupler exciter strip and said second coupler ground plane; and said first and second coupler first surfaces being generally disposed opposite each other on said outer and inner surfaces of said window.

Claim 3

An antenna apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said first and second coupler planar cavities are electrically parallel to each other.

Claim 4

An antenna apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said first and second coupler planar cavities are geometrically aligned with each other.

Claim 5

An antenna apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said impedance matching means includes a plurality of traces of conductive material disposed upon said first coupler member second surface.

Claim 6

An antenna apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein said impedance matching means includes a Γ-type impedance matching network.

Claim 7

An antenna apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said planar cavities includes a U-slot.

Claim 8

An antenna apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second coupler exciter strips has an elongated crossing portion oriented generally perpendicular to said exciter strip.

Claim 9

An antenna apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said planar cavities has a width to length ratio of about 0.1 to about 0.14.

Claim 10

An antenna apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein each of said planar cavities has a width to length ratio of about 0.1.

Claim 11

An antenna apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said planar cavities includes a dog-bone slot.

Claim 12

An antenna apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said first and second coupler planar members includes a printed circuit board.

Claim 13

An antenna apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein said printed circuit boards are ceramic-filled PTFE circuit boards.

Claim 14

An antenna apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said first and second coupler exciter strips includes stub portions which cross the planar cavities associated with said first and second planar members and said exciter strip stubs extend across said planar cavities from about 5 mm to about 7.5 mm.

Claim 15

An antenna apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said first and second coupler exciter strips includes stub portions which cross the planar cavities associated with said first and second planar members in the approximate centers of said planar cavities.

Claim 16

The glass mountable antenna assembly as defined in claim 14, wherein said planar cavity has a width to length ratio of about 0.1 to about 0.14.

Claim 17

An antenna apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second coupler planar cavities has a depth approximately equal to a thickness of its surrounding electrically conductive material.

Claim 18

An antenna apparatus for mounting on opposite sides of a glass interface and adapted for operation in the ultra-high frequency range in conjunction with a utilization device, comprising: an elongated radiating element; a first housing for engaging a first surface of the interface, the first housing having means for supporting the radiating element thereon; a second housing for engaging a second surface of said interface; a first coupler disposed in said first housing and electrically connected to said radiating element, the first coupler including a planar member having first and second opposing surfaces, the first surface having an electrically conductive material disposed thereon which defines a ground plane of said first coupler, said first surface further having a planar cavity disposed thereon, the cavity being substantially surrounded by said conductive material, the second surface having an electrically conductive exciter strip disposed thereon in registration with said first surface planar cavity; a second coupler for connection to said utilization device, the second coupler including a planar member having opposing first and second surfaces, the first surface also having an electrically conductive material disposed thereon to define a ground plane for said second coupler, said first surface also having a planar cavity disposed therein and being substantially surrounded by said conductive material, said planar member second surface having an exciter strip formed from a conductive material disposed thereon in alignment with said second coupler planar cavity and generally perpendicular thereto; impedance matching means disposed within said first housing and connected between said first coupler exciter strip and said radiating element; connection means comprising a coaxial cable extending into said second housing and having a first conductor electrically connected to said second coupler exciter strip and a second conductor connected to said second coupler ground plane; and said first and second coupler first surfaces being generally disposed opposite each other on said opposing first and second surfaces of said interface.

Claim 19

An antenna apparatus for mounting on opposite sides of a glass interface and adapted for operation in the ultra-high frequency range in conjunction with a utilization device, comprising: an elongated radiating element; a first housing for engaging a first surface of the interface, the first housing having means for supporting the radiating element thereon; a second housing for engaging a second surface of said interface; a first coupler disposed in said first housing and electrically connected to said radiating element, the first coupler including a planar member having first and second opposing surfaces, the first surface having an electrically conductive material disposed thereon which defines a ground plane of said first coupler, said first surface further having a planar cavity disposed thereon, the cavity being substantially surrounded by said conductive material, the second surface having an electrically conductive exciter strip disposed thereon in registration with said first surface planar cavity; a second coupler for connection to said utilization device, the second coupler including a planar member having opposing first and second surfaces, the first surface also having an electrically conductive material disposed thereon to define a ground plane for said second coupler, said first surface also having a planar cavity disposed therein and being substantially surrounded by said conductive material, said planar member second surface having an exciter strip formed from a conductive material disposed thereon in alignment with said second coupler planar cavity and generally perpendicular thereto; impedance matching means disposed within said first housing and connected between said first coupler exciter strip and said radiating element; connection means comprising a coaxial cable extending into said second housing and having a first conductor electrically connected to said second coupler exciter strip and a second conductor connected to said second coupler ground plane; and said first and second coupler first surfaces being generally disposed opposite each other on said opposing first and second surfaces of said interface.

Claim 20

In a glass-mountable antenna assembly having an antenna radiating element, an outer antenna base member supporting the radiating element, an inner base member which supports a feedline from a utilization device, the improvement comprising a pair of coupling members disposed in said respective outer and inner base members, each coupling member having a planar body with two opposing surfaces, the first of said two opposing surfaces having a conductive material coating thereon and a slot disposed therein, the conductive metal coating providing a ground plane for each of said coupling members, the second of said opposing surfaces each having an exciter strip of conductive material disposed thereon in an electrically parallel and generally geometrically perpendicular relationship to said first surface slots, said feedline being electrically connected to said coupling member of said inner base member and said radiating element being electrically connected to said coupling member of said outer base member.

Claim 21

In a glass-mountable antenna assembly having an antenna radiating element, an outer antenna base member supporting the radiating element, an inner base member which supports a feedline from a utilization device, the improvement comprising a pair of coupling members disposed in said respective outer and inner base members, each coupling member having a planar body with two opposing surfaces, the first of said two opposing surfaces having a conductive material coating thereon and a slot disposed therein, the conductive metal coating providing a ground plane for each of said coupling members, the second of said opposing surfaces each having an exciter strip of conductive material disposed thereon in an electrically parallel and generally geometrically perpendicular relationship to said first surface slots, said feedline being electrically connected to said coupling member of said inner base member and said radiating element being electrically connected to said coupling member of said outer base member.

Claim 22

The glass mountable antenna assembly as defined in claim 37, wherein said slots include planar U-slots.

Claim 23

The glass mountable antenna assembly of claim 18, wherein said slots include planar dog-bone slots.

Claim 24

The glass mountable antenna assembly of claim 18, wherein each of said exciter strips has an elongated stub of a defined width which extends across said slots.

Claim 25

The glass mountable antenna assembly as defined in claim 21, wherein each exciter strip stub extends over said planar slot for a range of about 5 mm to about 7.5 mm.

Claim 26

The glass mountable antenna assembly of claim 18, wherein the second of said opposing surfaces of the coupling member disposed in said outer base member includes a plurality of traces thereon which form a Γ-type impedance matching network and which is connected to said antenna radiating element.

Claim 27

The glass mountable antenna assembly as defined in claim 18, wherein said exciter strips have a generally cross-style configuration in which an elongated trace crosses a body of said exciter strips.

Claim 28

The glass mountable antenna assembly as defined in claim 18, wherein said first surface slots have a depth approximately equal to a thickness of said conductive metal coating.

Claim 29

The glass mountable antenna assembly as defined in claim 18, wherein said slots are disposed in approximately the centers of said coupling member first surfaces.

Claim 30

The glass mountable antenna assembly as defined in claim 18, wherein said slots are etched into said coupling member first surfaces.

Claim 31

An antenna apparatus for mounting on a glass interface, comprising: a pair of slot coupling members adapted for mounting on the opposing surfaces of the window, each coupling member including a planar member with first and second opposing surfaces, the first surface of each coupling member having a conductive metal coating thereon and a planar slot disposed therein, the conductive metal coating providing a ground plane for each of said coupling members, the second surface of each coupling member having an exciter strip of conductive material disposed thereon in alignment with and generally transverse to said planar slot of its associated coupling member first surface.

Claim 32

An antenna apparatus for mounting on a glass interface, comprising: a pair of slot coupling members adapted for mounting on the opposing surfaces of the window, each coupling member including a planar member with first and second opposing surfaces, the first surface of each coupling member having a conductive metal coating thereon and a planar slot disposed therein, the conductive metal coating providing a ground plane for each of said coupling members, the second surface of each coupling member having an exciter strip of conductive material disposed thereon in alignment with and generally transverse to said planar slot of its associated coupling member first surface.