The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 07, 1999
Filed:
Dec. 19, 1996
Peter T Dishart, Pittsburgh, PA (US);
David A Saar, Lawrenceville, NJ (US);
PPG Industries Ohio, Inc., Cleveland, OH (US);
Abstract
The present invention provides a glass antenna system with improved reception, a connector of the glass antenna system and a method of producing the glass antenna system. The glass antenna system includes a glass substrate, at least one electroconductive antenna element positioned along a major surface of the substrate, wherein the antenna element provides an impedance which varies over a given frequency band, an impedance matching network secured to the glass substrate in a position such that the impedance matching network is electrically coupled to a portion of the antenna element, and means to electrically interconnect the network to a feedline of an electromagnetic energy transmitting and/or receiving unit. The impedance matching network is used to transform the impedance of the antenna element to a desired impedance. In one particular embodiment of the invention the impedance matching network is part of a connector and is formed along a first major surface of a printed circuit board. The network is electrically connected to the opposing major surface of the board which includes an electroconductive coating. The connector is secure to the glass substrate in a position such that the impedance matching network is electrically coupled to the antenna element. The impedance matching network may be a passive or active impedance matching network. The glass antenna may be incorporated into a laminated windshield wherein glass substrate is a first glass ply and further including a second glass ply secured to the first glass ply, with the antenna element positioned between the plies.