Antenna device and method of antenna configuration

1. A communication antenna device (D), on board a motor vehicle, for communicating with an antenna of a portable device, said antenna device (D) including:

a communication antenna (A) including at least two parts, a first part (A 1 ), comprising a maximum number of primary windings (E 1 MAX ) and a second part (A 2 ) comprising a maximum number of secondary windings (E 2 MAX ),

a microcontroller ( 10 ) electrically connected to said antenna (A),

said antenna device (D) being characterized in that it further includes:

at least one first switching means (M 1 ), located between the microcontroller ( 10 ), the first part (A 1 ) and the second part (A 2 ), for connecting the first part (A 1 ) and/or the second part (A 2 ) to the microcontroller ( 10 ),

at least one second switching means (M 2 ), located between the microcontroller ( 10 ), and each primary winding (E 1 i ) of the first part (A 1 ) for connecting a determined number of primary windings (E 1 i ) of the first part (A 1 ) to the microcontroller ( 10 ), and

at least one third switching means (M 3 ), located between the microcontroller ( 10 ), and each secondary winding (E 2 j ) of the second part (A 2 ) for connecting a determined number of secondary windings (E 2 j ) of the second part (A 2 ) to the microcontroller ( 10 ),

means of controlling ( 20 ) the first, second and third switching means (M 1 , M 2 , M 3 ).

2. The antenna device (D) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the first switching means (M 1 ) includes a first set of switches (S A1 ) located between the first antenna part (A 1 ) and the microcontroller ( 10 ), and a second set of switches (S A2 ) located between the second antenna part (A 2 ) and the microcontroller ( 10 ), in order to connect the first part (A 1 ) and/or the second part (A 2 ) respectively to the microcontroller ( 10 ).

3. The antenna device (D) according to claim 2 , characterized in that the two sets of switches (S A1 , S A2 ) are each electrically connected to a matching element in order to match a communication frequency to the first part (A 1 ) and the second part (A 2 ).

4. The antenna device (D) according to claim 3 , characterized in that the matching elements are capacitors (C 1 , C 2 ).

5. The antenna device (D) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the second switching means (M 2 ) and the third switching means (M 3 ) each comprise a plurality of switches (S 1 1 , S 1 2 , . . . S 1 i , . . . S 1 MAX , S 2 1 , S 2 2 , . . . S 2 i , . . . S 2 MAX ), each switch being located between the microcontroller ( 10 ) and a primary winding and a secondary winding respectively (E 1 1 , E 1 2 , . . . E 1 i , . . . E 1 MAX , E 2 1 , E 2 2 , . . . E 1 i , . . . E 2 MAX ) in order to connect said primary winding and/or said secondary winding (E 1 1 , E 1 2 , . . . E 1 i , . . . E 1 MAX , E 2 1 , E 2 2 , . . . E 2 i , . . . E 2 MAX ) to the microcontroller ( 10 ).

6. The antenna device (D) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the antenna (A) is an NFC type near field communication antenna.

7. A hands-free device for access to a vehicle, characterized in that it includes the antenna device (D) according to claim 1 .

8. A device for charging portable equipment, characterized in that it includes the antenna device (D) according to claim 1 .

9. A method of configuring a communication antenna (A), using the antenna device (D) according to claim 1 , characterized in that it includes the following steps:

Step 90 : determination by the microcontroller ( 10 ) of the antenna part or parts (A 1 , A 2 ) to be connected to said microcontroller ( 10 ),

Step 100 :

connection of the part and/or parts (A 1 , A 2 ) of the antenna (A) determined during the preceding step, to the microcontroller ( 10 ), via the first switching means (M 1 ) and control means ( 20 ),

connection to the microcontroller ( 10 ) of an initial number of windings (E 1 i , E 2 j ) of the part and/or parts (A 1 , A 2 ) of the antenna (A) connected during the preceding step, via the second switching means (M 2 ) and/or the third switching means (M 3 ) and control means ( 20 ),

Step 110 : communication test between the antenna (A) and an antenna of a portable device, if communication is successful:

Step 300 : the antenna is configured,

otherwise if the communication has failed, and

Step 120 : if the number of windings (E 1 i , E 2 j ) is less than the maximum number of windings (E 1 MAX , E 2 MAX ), then,

Step 130 : incrementation of the number of windings (E 1 i+1 , E 2 j+1 ) connected to the microcontroller ( 10 ) via the second and third switching means (M 2 , M 3 ) and control means ( 20 ), and repetition of steps 110 to 130 ,

otherwise, if the number of windings (E 1 i+1 , E 2 j+1 ) connected to the microcontroller ( 10 ) is equal to the maximum number of primary and/or secondary windings (E 1 MAX , E 2 MAX ), then:

repetition of steps 90 to 130 with the antenna parts (A 1 , A 2 ) which have not been connected to the microcontroller ( 10 ),

if during step 90 all the antenna parts have been connected then,

Step 200 : end of the configuration method.

10. A motor vehicle including an antenna device (D) according to claim 1 .