Patent ID: 6449469
Filing Date: 2002-09-10
Classification: H01Q,H04B

Abstract:
A radio receiver system installed on a vehicle, said vehicle having front, back, left, and right sides, said radio receiver system comprising:a plurality of antenna elements mounted on said vehicle, each antenna element producing a respective radio-frequency signal; an antenna combiner coupled to said antenna elements electronically combining said radio-frequency signals according to a selected one of four predetermined phase/amplitude combinations to generate a combined antenna signal, wherein said four predetermined phase/amplitude combinations each provides a respective directivity pattern substantially aligned with said front, back, left, and right sides, respectively, whereby said front and back directivity patterns are aligned with a street upon which said vehicle travels; a tuner generating a tuner signal in response to said combined antenna signal; a quality detector generating a detection signal in response to a comparison of a quality of said tuner signal and a predetermined quality; and a pattern selector coupled to said quality detector and said antenna combiner to change-over said antenna combiner to a different one of said predetermined phase/amplitude combinations in response to said detection signal.