Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Ali Attaran

John Frederick Locke

Mahmoud Yousef Ghannam

Aaron Matthew DeLong

Deepa Ramaswamy

Nevin Altunyurt

Michael Dupuis

Jalal Jawany

Ming Liang

A vehicle communication device includes a first antenna, a second antenna, and an isolation circuit. The first antenna is configured to emit and detect a first signal and the second antenna is configured to emit and detect a second signal. The isolation circuit is configured to isolate the first signal and the second signal from each other. The isolation circuit includes at least one resonator arranged between the first antenna and the second antenna. The first antenna and the resonator are separated by a first distance along a first axis, and the second antenna and the resonator are separated by a second distance along the first axis, where the first distance is shorter than the second distance.

Vehicle communication device including an isolation circuit for isolating signals from different antennas

The disclosure is generally directed to a metal foam element configured to provide a multi-purpose functionality to an electrical device in a vehicle. An example apparatus in a vehicle includes a module that houses an electrical device. A metal foam element is attached to the module in a configuration whereby the metal foam element provides a multi-purpose functionality that includes a heat dissipation functionality and an antenna functionality. In an example implementation, the metal foam element is attached to the module in the form of a sheet that is dimensioned to operate as a patch antenna for transmitting and/or receiving a wireless signal associated with the electrical device and to provide a heat dissipation functionality for dissipating heat produced by the electrical device.

Multi-purpose use of metal foam in a vehicle

A near field communication (NFC) reader module is provided for mounting over a metal panel of a vehicle. A housing of the module is configured to mount adjacent the metal panel. The housing contains a planar array of non-magnetic RF filter elements in the housing proximate to the metal panel. The housing contains a planar antenna coil configured to couple with an external NFC device carried by a user, wherein the array of RF filter elements is disposed between the planar antenna coil and the metal panel to magnetically decouple the planar antenna coil from the metal panel. The housing further contains receiver circuitry configured to decode NFC signals from the external NFC device.

Decoupler for near field communications interface module on vehicle conductive surface

Growing community of inventors

LaSalle, Canada

Ali Attaran