VEHICLE ANTENNA CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD

• Main Authors: Johnson Jeremiah J, Ellis Vickie L, Reuter David L, Wyckoff Jan M, Gilmore Brian J, Camacho Manuel
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 31.08.2017
• Subjects: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS; BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRICITY; WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS

A control system and method is provided for raising and lowering a vehicle antenna. The control system includes a location receiver for generating vehicle location data, an obstacle detection unit which generates an obstacle signal, an antenna, an antenna motor for raising and lowering the antenna and a control unit. The control unit controls the antenna motor as a function of the vehicle location data and the obstacle signal. The control unit compares the vehicle location signal to stored or received geofencing information defining a geofenced area, and causes the antenna motor to raise the antenna when the vehicle location corresponding to the vehicle location data is inside the geofenced area and no obstacle is detected. The control unit causes the antenna motor to lower the antenna when the vehicle location corresponding to the vehicle location data is outside the geofenced area or if an obstacle is detected.