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:
May. 29, 2012
Filed:
Nov. 01, 2007
Nuttawit Surittikul, Bangkok, TH;
Wladimiro Villarroel, Ypsilanti, MI (US);
Kwan-ho Lee, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Nuttawit Surittikul, Bangkok, TH;
Wladimiro Villarroel, Ypsilanti, MI (US);
Kwan-ho Lee, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
AGC Automotive Americas R&D, Inc., Ypsilanti, MI (US);
Abstract
An antenna system () for receiving satellite signals in a vehicle exhibits a radiation pattern (). The antenna system () includes a plurality of parasitic elements () which are electrically connectable together using linking switches (). The geometry of the radiation pattern () changes as the linking switches () are activated and deactivated. Control of the linking switches (), and thus the geometry of the radiation pattern (), is based on the geographic location of the antenna system (). Thus, the radiation pattern () can be steered based on geographic location to enhance signal reception. The geographic location may be obtained automatically via a GPS receiver () or manually via a user.