Abstract:
The invention relates to an arrangement for coupling an antenna, which is in the form of a transmitting and/or receiving antenna, of a mobile telephone to an external antenna or an arrangement for accommodating a mobile telephone from amongst a large number of different mobile telephones in a vehicle with low levels of loss and interference radiation, and for coupling the respective mobile telephone to devices of the vehicle.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/EP2011/000656 filed Feb. 11, 2011, which designated the United States, and claims the benefit under 35 USC §119(a)-(d) of German Application No. 10 2010 008 030.6 filed Feb. 13, 2010, the entireties of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to an arrangement for coupling an antenna, which is in the form of a transmitting and/or receiving antenna, of a mobile telephone to an external antenna with low levels of loss and interference radiation, and to an arrangement for accommodating a mobile telephone from amongst a large number of different mobile telephones in a vehicle and for coupling the respective mobile telephone to devices of the vehicle. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     WO 2007/118694 A1 describes a specific antenna arrangement which permits coupling to a transmitting/receiving antenna of a mobile telephone in an accommodation space, but a specific mount for the mobile telephone is necessary in order to achieve effective coupling to the antenna of the mobile telephone. Each mobile telephone has a different antenna structure and usually also a different arrangement of the antenna in the housing of the mobile telephone. These specific differences will be compensated for here by the mount allowing different positions, depending on the external dimensions of the mobile telephone and the antenna arrangement in the mobile telephone. 
     WO 2004/095634 A2 describes a vehicle mount for a mobile telephone, which vehicle mount has, in addition to the coupling antenna in this specific mount, elements for reflecting and damping the RF radiation which are intended to prevent interference radiation in the vehicle. The subject matter of U.S. Pat. No. 7,110,537 B2 is similar- shielding of the accommodation space for the mobile telephone in the vehicle. 
     All of these arrangements share the common feature that a mount or accommodation apparatus which is matched to the respective mobile telephone is required in order to achieve optimum coupling of the transmitting/receiving antenna of the mobile telephone to the coupling antenna with a connection to an external antenna. 
     Similarly, all of these arrangements and the arrangements described in EP 0 999 607 A2, EP 1 006 606 A1 and EP 1 170 822 A1 share the common feature that a flat antenna is fitted as close as possible and parallel to the rear wall of the mobile telephone in order to achieve a coupling loss which is as low as possible. 
     In EP 1 006 606 A1, this coupling antenna is oriented as exactly as possible toward the internal antenna of the mobile telephone. EP 1 170 822 A1 describes a structure which permits matching to the antenna in the mobile telephone with the broadest range possible. 
     At present, the mobile telephones have to be able to operate at different frequencies in order for it to be possible to use the mobile telephone internationally. For example, it is necessary to support GSM900, GSM1800 and UMTS2100, that is to say to operate at frequencies of 900 MHz, 1800 MHz and 2100 MHz, in order to make telephone calls throughout Europe. 
     In WO 2007/118694 A1, the coupling antenna which is intended to be installed in a vehicle has a helical structure in order to have multiband capability. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the invention is to propose an arrangement having a coupling antenna by means of which a mobile telephone can be effectively coupled, without the mobile telephone having to be oriented toward or fixed to the coupling antenna to the exact millimeter. 
     The arrangement proposed here having an accommodation space and a special antenna structure of the coupling antenna permits coupling to the transmitting/receiving antenna of a mobile telephone independently of the orientation of the mobile telephone which is placed in the accommodation space. As a result, it is not necessary to make specific provisions in the mobile telephone or a mount in order to optimally orient the coupling antenna with respect to the transmitting/receiving antenna of the mobile telephone. Therefore, the arrangement according to the invention allows a mobile telephone from amongst a virtually unlimited number of mobile telephones to be effectively coupled to an external vehicle antenna by means of one coupling antenna. 
     This is achieved by essential parts of the coupling antenna being arranged perpendicular to the surface or rear wall of the mobile telephone and the antenna structure being of symmetrical design. A symmetrical structure of this kind provides a coupling antenna which has multiband capability and low levels of coupling loss. 
     A three-dimensional design of the antenna structure which fills up the space more than a planar antenna structure further improves the coupling result and makes the coupling result even more independent of the design and the positioning of the antenna which is installed in the mobile telephone since parts of the coupling antenna which are oriented in a different way are also available for coupling purposes as a result. 
     The invention also makes provision for the accommodation space to be equipped with a further antenna structure for wire-free energy transmission for charging the battery of the mobile telephone and/or an antenna for audio and data transmission to the vehicle in order to operate the mobile telephone, for example, in hands-free mode. For example, the audio and/or the data are transmitted wirelessly using a short wavelength UHF band transceiver, such as Bluetooth. As a result, a cable connection of the mobile telephone is entirely superfluous, even though the mobile telephone is used with all the conventional convenience features, good reception, charging of the energy storage means and hand-free operation. 
     Shielding of the accommodation space and/or of the space around the antenna structure may be advantageous. In order to transmit energy, for the purpose of charging the batteries of the mobile telephone, with low levels of loss, provision is made to interrupt and/or to slot this shielding means in a suitable manner in order to avoid eddy current losses. 
     Within the meaning of the invention, a symmetrical antenna structure is understood to mean an antenna structure which has two physically identical antenna parts in symmetrical arrangement. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Further details of the invention are described in the drawings with reference to schematically illustrated exemplary embodiments. 
         FIG. 1  shows a first antenna structure of an arrangement  1  according to the invention; 
         FIG. 2  shows the first antenna structure, which is shown in  FIG. 1 , with a second antenna structure which surrounds the first antenna structure; 
         FIG. 3  shows the antenna structures, which are shown in  FIG. 2 , together with a mobile telephone; 
         FIG. 4  shows a variant embodiment to the first antenna structure which is shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3 ; and 
         FIGS. 5-8  show different views of a further arrangement according to the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  shows, in a schematic illustration, a first antenna structure  2  of an arrangement  1  according to the invention. The antenna structure  2  is constructed on a printed circuit board  3  and comprises a flat, web-like antenna body  4 . The antenna body  4  is symmetrical and comprises a conductor structure  5  which runs through the antenna body. The antenna structure  2  and the antenna body  4  together with its conductor structure  5  are symmetrical with respect to a line  6  of reflection. The antenna body  4 , which substantially forms the antenna structure  2 , has a width B 4  in the x direction, a height H 4  in the y direction and a length L 4  in the z direction. According to the invention, provision is made to use the first antenna structure  2  in a vehicle F for coupling a mobile telephone and, in particular, to connect to an external antenna or AF of the vehicle F with the interposition of a signal-processing device or a signal-conditioning device and, in particular, an amplifier device. In this case, the external antenna AF is also called a device EF of the vehicle F. 
       FIG. 2  shows, in a schematic illustration, the first antenna structure  2 , which is shown in  FIG. 1 , with a second antenna structure  7  which surrounds the first antenna structure and is intended to transmit energy to a mobile telephone (not illustrated). The second antenna structure  7  surrounds the first antenna structure  2  in the form of a ring and defines a plane E 7 . The first antenna structure  2  defines a further plane E 2  in the z and y direction, wherein the two planes E 2  and E 7  are perpendicular to one another. 
       FIG. 3  schematically illustrates the antenna structures  2  and  7  of the arrangement  1  according to the invention together with a mobile telephone  8  and a wall  10 , which is designed as a base  9 , of a container  11  (not illustrated in any more detail). The mobile telephone  8  rests with its rear face  12  ( FIG. 5 ) on a surface  13  of the base  9 , wherein the base  9  and the surface  13  are illustrated in a transparent manner in  FIG. 3 . The first symmetrical antenna structure  2  with its plane E 2  is perpendicular to the surface  13  and to the rear face  12  of the mobile telephone  8  beneath the surface  13  and beneath the rear face  12  of the mobile telephone  8 . On account of the symmetrical design of a first antenna structure  2  which forms a coupling antenna, broadband coupling of the mobile telephone  8  is possible both when an antenna  26  is arranged in the mobile telephone  8  in a position P 1  which is indicated with solid lines and when the antenna  26  is arranged in the mobile telephone  8  in a position P 2  which is indicated with dashed lines. That is to say, broadband coupling of the antenna  26  of the mobile telephone  8  is independent of whether the antenna  26  of the mobile telephone  1  is located in a first half R 1  or in a second half R 2  of an accommodation space  25  which is situated above the base  9 . This ensures broadband coupling of the mobile telephone  8  independently of its orientation in the accommodation space  25  and independently of the positioning of the antenna  26  of the mobile telephone  8  in the mobile telephone  8 . An antenna space  14 , which is situated beneath the surface  13  and in which the antenna structure  2  is arranged, is shielded from the surrounding area  16  by a shield or a shielding means  15 . In this case, the shield  15  forms, in particular, a pan  17  around the antenna structure  2  which operates as a coupling antenna. Only a detail of the antenna structure  7  is shown in  FIG. 3 . The antenna structure runs within the shield  15 —as is known from FIG.  2 —around the antenna structure  2 . The imaginary plane E 7 , in which the antenna structure  7  is situated, is parallel to the surface  13  and to the rear face  12  of the mobile telephone  8 . In order to absorb the energy which is emitted by the second antenna structure  7 , the mobile telephone  8  has a schematically indicated antenna  30  which receives energy. 
       FIG. 4  shows, schematically and in the form of a detail, a variant embodiment of a first antenna structure  2   a  for an arrangement  1  according to the invention. The antenna structure  2   a  is designed as a three-dimensional antenna structure and comprises, in addition to a flat, web-like first antenna body  4 , a second wing-like antenna body  18 . A further, third antenna body (not illustrated) of the antenna structure  2   a  is arranged in a mirror-inverted manner with respect to a line  6  of reflection. The two additional antenna bodies  18  are connected to the first, web-like antenna body  4 , which extends in a mirror-inverted manner with respect to the line  6  of reflection, and form wings  19  which, by way of their plane E  18 , lie in the xz plane and therefore are arranged perpendicular to the first antenna body  4  which extends in the yz plane. A conductor structure  5  which splits off in the manner of a branch extends from the line  6  of reflection, over the first antenna body  4  and the wing-like antenna body  18 . In the case of the antenna structure  2  according to  FIG. 4 , the conductor structure  5  forms a spatial or three-dimensional conductor structure  20 . In contrast to this, the conductor structure  5  forms a kind of flat or planar conductor structure  21  in the case of the first variant embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3  of a second antenna body. According to a variant embodiment which is not illustrated, the third antenna body is designed in a mirror-inverted manner in relation to a plane SE of reflection which perpendicularly intersects the plane E 2  which is defined by the first antenna body  4 . 
       FIGS. 5 to 8  schematically illustrate different views of a further arrangement  1  according to the invention.  FIG. 5  shows a section in accordance with the section line V-V, shown in  FIG. 6 , through a container  11 . In this case, the hatching of sectioned areas has been removed in  FIG. 5  and in  FIGS. 6 to 8  in order to maintain the clarity of the illustrations. In addition, covers  22 ,  23  which can be removed are further shown in  FIG. 5 , it being possible to use the covers to close a body  24  of the container  11 . The body  24  and the covers  22  and  23  form the container  11 . The container  11  comprises an accommodation space  25  for a mobile telephone  8  and an antenna space  14  for a first antenna structure  2 .  FIG. 7  shows the container  11  with the covers  22  and  23  fitted. The covers  22  and  23  are shown in a raised position in  FIG. 4 . In order to form the accommodation space  25  and the antenna space  14 , the container  11  comprises a wall  10  which is in the form of a base  9  in the present configuration. The mobile telephone  8  rests on a surface  13  of the base  9  by way of a rear face  12 . In the schematic illustration, a distance between the rear face  12  and the surface  13  serves only to allow the rear face  12  to be clearly labelled. In the actual embodiment, the mobile telephone  8  rests on the surface  13 . In addition to the rear face  12 , the mobile telephone  8  has a display face  31  and operator control face  32  which are situated opposite the rear face. The mobile telephone  8  also has side faces  33  to  36  which are arranged between the rear face  12  and the display face  31 . Dashed lines indicate an antenna  26  of the mobile telephone  8 . As can be seen by looking at  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6  together, with  FIG. 6  showing a section in accordance with the section line VI-VI through the illustration of  FIG. 5 , the mobile telephone  8  can be freely positioned by way of its rear face  12  on the surface  13  of the base  9  in the accommodation space  25 , with the result that a user does not have to pay any attention to the orientation of the mobile telephone  8  when placing the mobile telephone  8  in the accommodation space. The accommodation space  25  has a width B 25 , a height H 25  and a length L 25 . The mobile telephone  98  has a width B 8 , a height H 8  and a length L 8 . The first planar antenna structure  2  has, with an antenna body  4 , a width B 4 , a height B 4  and a length L 4  and extends, by way of the length L 4 , over at least 50% of the length L 25  of the accommodation space  25  and preferably over at least 70% of the length L 25  of the accommodation space.  FIG. 5  shows a plan view of how the antenna  26  of the mobile telephone  8  and the antenna structure  2  which is in the form of a coupling antenna are positioned in relation to one another. A shielding means  27  of the accommodation space  25  is schematically indicated with dashed lines in  FIG. 5 , the shielding means  27  encasing the mobile telephone  8  like an inverted pan. A shield  15  of the antenna space  14  is furthermore schematically indicated with a double line  15 . The shield  15  encases the antenna space  14  in the manner of a pan. 
       FIG. 7  shows a sectional view through the illustration of  FIG. 6  in accordance with the section line VII-VII shown in the figure. This view shows, in a simplified, schematic and idealized illustration, how the antenna  26  of the mobile telephone  8  emits radiation in an arrow direction S 8  and the arrow S 8  intersects, at a right angle, a field F 2  which is formed around the antenna structure  2  in the antenna space  14 . Measurements have shown that a spatial orientation of the mobile telephone and the planar, symmetrical coupling antenna in this way can result in good coupling which is largely independent of the exact orientation of the mobile telephone  8  in the accommodation space  25 , with the result that the mobile telephone  8  can also be moved, for example, from a first position A, which the mobile telephone assumes in the illustration of  FIG. 7 , to a second position B, which is shown in  FIG. 8 , without a significant change in the quality of the coupling being measured. A quality of the coupling which is independent of the orientation of the mobile telephone could also be determined with measurements for different mobile telephones.  FIG. 8  shows, by way of example, a further additional, third antenna structure  28  of the arrangement  1 , which antenna structure is connected to a device EF of the vehicle, the device being in the form of, for example, a hands-free device FS. Data and/or audio signals, for example for use of the hands-free device or for use of a display which is arranged in the vehicle or for receiving control signals which are generated in the vehicle, are transmitted between the third antenna structure  28  and the antenna  29  of the mobile telephone  8 . 
     It goes without saying that the invention also makes provision for the accommodation space to be arranged in an inclined or upright manner. An overhead arrangement, for example for use in aircraft, is also provided according to the invention. 
     The invention is not restricted to the illustrated or described exemplary embodiments. Rather, the invention comprises developments of the invention within the scope of the claims. 
     LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS 
     
         
           1  Arrangement 
           2 ,  2   a  First antenna structure (in the form of a coupling antenna for mobile radio) 
           3  Printed circuit board 
           4  Antenna body of  2   
           5  Conductor structure in  4   
           6  Line of reflection 
           7  Second antenna structure (for energy transmission) 
           8  Mobile telephone 
           9  Base 
           10  Wall 
           11  Container 
           12  Rear face of  8   
           13  Surface of  9  and  10   
           14  Antenna space 
           15  Shield 
           16  Surrounding area 
           17  Pan 
           18  Second antenna body of  2   
           19  Wing 
           20  Spatial conductor structure 
           21  Flat or planar conductor structure 
           22  Cover of  11   
           23  Cover of  11   
           24  Body of  11   
           25  Accommodation space for  8   
           26  Antenna of  8   
           27  Shielding means of the accommodation space  25   
           28  Third antenna structure of  1  for the transmission of data and audio signals 
           29  Further antenna of  8  for the transmission of data and audio signals 
           30  Energy-receiving antenna of  8   
           31  Display face of  8   
           32  Operator control face of  8   
           33 - 36  Side face of  8   
           37  Body which has an L-shaped cross section 
         AF External antenna of a vehicle 
         S 8  Radiation emission direction of  26  from  8   
         E 2  Plane defined by  2   
         E 7  Plane defined by  7   
         E 18  Plane defined by  18   
         EF Device of the vehicle 
         F Vehicle 
         F 2  Field of  2  and  4   
         FS Hands-free device 
         P 1 , P 2  Position of  26  in  8   
         R 1 , R 2  Half of  25   
         SE Plane of reflection 
         B 4  Width of  4   
         H 4  Height of  4   
         L 4  Length of  4   
         x, y, z Direction in space