Antenna having increased side-lobe suppression and improved side-lobe level

• US 10,396,468 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2016
• Issued: 08/27/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Echodyne Corp.
• Original Assignee: Echodyne Corp.
• Inventors: Driscoll, Tom, Hunt, John Desmond, Landy, Nathan Ingle, Perque, Milton, Renneberg, Charles A., Tzanidis, Ioannis, Worl, Robert Tilman, Yuen, Felix D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brainard, Timothy A
• Application Number:
  US15/240,980
• Publication Number:
  US 20180054004A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,104 Days
• Field of Search: 342 71
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/408 Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4026 Cycles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4029 Pedestrians
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/80 Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/18 Braking system
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/20 Steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/09 Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/0956 the prediction being responsive to traffic or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/36 adapted to receive antennas or radomes
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/00 Type of UAV
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/933 of aircraft or spacecraft
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9318 Controlling the steering
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93185 Controlling the brakes
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0257 using a radar radar systems designed for anti-collision purposes between land vehicles or between land vehicle and fixed obstacles G01S13/931
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3233 particular used as part of a sensor or in a security system, e.g. for automotive radar, navigation systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/28 : comprising elements constituting electric discontinuities and spaced in direction of wave propagation, e.g. dielectric elements or conductive elements forming artificial dielectric
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/0066 : said selective devices being reconfigurable, tunable or controllable, e.g. using switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0012 : Radial guide fed arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0037 : linear waveguide fed arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/005 : Slotted waveguides arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/2641 : being secundary elements, e.g. reactively steered
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/443 : varying the phase velocity along a leaky transmission line frequency scanning H01Q3/22; non-resonant leaky-waveguide or transmission-line aerials H01Q13/20

Abstract

An embodiment of an antenna includes first and second transmission lines, first antenna elements, and second antenna elements. The first transmission line is configured to guide a first signal such that the first signal has a characteristic of a first value, and the second transmission line is configured to guide a second signal such that the second signal has the same characteristic but of a second value that is different than the first value. The first antenna elements are each disposed adjacent to the first transmission line and are each configured to radiate the first signal in response to a respective first control signal, and the second antenna elements are each disposed adjacent to the second transmission line and are each configured to radiate the second signal in response to a respective second control signal. Such an antenna can have better main-beam and side-lobe characteristics, and a better SIR, than prior antennas.

Claims

1. An antenna, comprising:

a first transmission line configured to guide a first guided signal such that the first guided signal has a characteristic of a first value;

first antenna elements each disposed adjacent to the first transmission line and each configured to radiate a respective first transmit signal in response to the first guided signal and in response to a respective first control signal;

a second transmission line configured to guide a second guided signal such that the second guided signal has the characteristic of a second value that is different than the first value; and

second antenna elements each disposed adjacent to the second transmission line and each configured to radiate a respective second transmit signal in response to the second guided signal and in response to a respective second control signal.

2. The antenna of claim 1 wherein:

the first antenna elements are arranged in a first one-dimensional array; and

the second antenna elements are arranged in a second one-dimensional array.

3. The antenna of claim 1 wherein;

the first transmission line includes a first waveguide; and

the second transmission line includes a second waveguide.

4. The antenna of claim 1 wherein:

the first transmission line is rectangular; and

the second transmission line is rectangular.

5. The antenna of claim 1 wherein:

the first transmission line is circular; and

the second transmission line is circular.

6. The antenna of claim 1 wherein:

the first transmission line includes a circular portion and a portion that is integral with, and extends from, the circular portion in a direction; and

the second transmission line includes the circular portion and a portion that is integral with, and extends from, the circular portion in a different direction.

7. The antenna of claim 1 wherein:

the first transmission line includes a circular portion and a rectangular portion that is integral with, and extends from, the circular portion in a direction; and

the second transmission line includes the circular portion and a rectangular portion that is integral with, and extends from, the circular portion in a different direction.

8. The antenna of claim 1 wherein:

the first transmission line includes a circular portion and a portion that is integral with, and extends from, the circular portion in a direction, the portion having a width that increases with a distance from the circular portion; and

the second transmission line includes the circular portion and a portion that is integral with, and extends from, the circular portion in a different direction, the portion having a width that increases with a distance from the circular portion.

9. The antenna of claim 1, further comprising:

a respective first coupling region disposed between each of the first antenna elements and a respective portion of the first transmission line and configured to couple the first guided signal from the first transmission line to the first antenna element in response to the respective first control signal; and

a respective second coupling region disposed between each of the second antenna elements and a respective portion of the second transmission line and configured to couple the second guided signal from the second transmission line to the second antenna element in response to the respective second control signal.

10. The antenna of claim 1 wherein:

the characteristic includes momentum;

the first transmission line is configured to impart to the first guided signal a first momentum; and

the second transmission line is configured to impart to the second guided signal a second momentum that is different from the first momentum.

11. The antenna of claim 1 wherein:

the characteristic includes phase;

the first transmission line is configured to impart to the first guided signal a first phase; and

the second transmission line is configured to impart to the second guided signal a second phase that is different from the first phase.

12. The antenna of claim 11 wherein:

the first transmission line includes a first-signal feed point that is configured to cause the first guided signal to propagate in a direction along a first portion of the first transmission line and in another direction along a second portion of the first transmission line; and

the second waveguide includes a second-signal feed point that is configured to cause the second guided signal to propagate in a direction along a first portion of the second waveguide and in another direction along a second portion of the second waveguide.

13. The antenna of claim 1 wherein:

the characteristic includes magnitude;

the first transmission line is configured to impart to the first guided signal a first magnitude; and

the second transmission line is configured to impart to the second guided signal a second magnitude that is different from the first magnitude.

14. The antenna of claim 1 wherein:

the first transmission line includes a first-signal feed point that is configured to cause the first guided signal to have the first value of the characteristic; and

the second transmission line includes a second-signal feed point that is configured to cause the second guided signal to have the second value of the characteristic.

15. The antenna of claim 1 wherein:

the first antenna elements are arranged in a first one-dimensional array; and

the second antenna elements are arranged in a second one-dimensional array that is oriented other than parallel to the first one-dimensional array.

16. The antenna of claim 1 wherein:

the first antenna elements are arranged in a first one-dimensional array; and

the second antenna elements are arranged in a second one-dimensional array that is coplanar with, and oriented other than parallel to, the first one-dimensional array.

17. The antenna of claim 1 wherein the first transmission line is oriented other than parallel to the second transmission line.

18. The antenna of claim 1 wherein the first transmission line is coplanar with, and oriented other than parallel to, the second transmission line.

19. The antenna of claim 1 wherein:

the first transmission line includes a first-signal feed point that is configured to cause the first guided signal to propagate in a direction; and

the second transmission line includes a second-signal feed point that is configured to cause the second guided signal to propagate in another direction.

20. The antenna of claim 1 wherein:

the first transmission line is configured to cause the first guided signal to propagate in a direction; and

the second transmission line is configured to cause the second guided signal to propagate in an opposite direction.

21. The antenna of claim 1 wherein:

the first transmission line includes a feed point, and is configured to cause the first guided signal to propagate in a direction; and

the second transmission line includes the same feed point such that the second guided signal is from a same source as the first guided signal, and the second transmission line is configured to cause the second guided signal to propagate in another direction.

22. The antenna of claim 1 wherein:

the first and second transmission lines are a same transmission line;

the first and second guided signals are a same guided signal; and

the same transmission line includes an interior portion having a feed point, includes an edge, and is configured

to cause a portion of the same guided signal in response to which the first antenna elements are configured to radiate respective first transmit signals to have a momentum, and

to cause a portion of the same guided signal in response to which the second antenna elements are configured to radiate respective second transmit signals to have a different momentum.

23. The antenna of claim 1 wherein:

the first and second transmission lines are a same transmission line;

the first and second guided signals are a same guided signal; and

the same transmission line includes an edge having a feed point, includes an interior portion, and is configured

to cause a portion of the same guided signal in response to which the first antenna elements are configured to radiate respective first transmit signals to have a momentum, and

to cause a portion of the same guided signal in response to which the second antenna elements are configured to radiate respective second transmit signals to have a different momentum.

24. An antenna assembly, comprising:

an antenna, including

a first antenna section, including

a first transmission line configured to guide a first guided signal, and

first antenna elements each disposed adjacent to the first transmission line and each configured to radiate a respective first transmit signal in response to the first guided signal and in response to a respective first control signal, and

a second antenna section, including

a second transmission line configured to guide a second guided signal, and

second antenna elements each disposed adjacent to the second transmission line and each configured to radiate a respective second guided signal in response to the second guided signal and in response to a respective second control signal; and

a feeder configured

to feed the first guided signal to the first transmission line such that the first guided signal has a characteristic of a first value, and

to feed the second guided signal to the second transmission line such that the second guided signal has the characteristic of a second value that is different than the first value.

25. The antenna assembly of claim 24 wherein:

the first antenna elements are arranged in a first one-dimensional array; and

the second antenna elements are arranged in a second one-dimensional array.

26. The antenna assembly of claim 24 wherein:

the first antenna section includes first antenna units each including

a respective one of the first antenna elements disposed over a respective portion of the first transmission line, and

a respective coupling region disposed between the first antenna element and the portion of the first transmission line and configured to couple the first guided signal from the first transmission line to the antenna element in response to the respective first control signal; and

the second antenna section includes second antenna units each including

a respective one of the second antenna elements disposed over a respective portion of the second transmission line, and

a respective coupling region disposed between the second antenna element and the portion of the second transmission line and configured to couple the second guided signal from the second transmission line to the second antenna element in response to the respective second control signal.

27. The antenna assembly of claim 24 wherein:

the characteristic includes momentum;

the first guided signal has a first momentum; and

the second guided signal has a second momentum that is different than the first momentum.

28. The antenna assembly of claim 24 wherein:

the characteristic includes phase;

the first guided signal has a first phase; and

the second guided signal has a second phase that is different than the first phase.

29. The antenna assembly of claim 24 wherein:

the characteristic includes magnitude;

the first guided signal has a first magnitude; and

the second guided signal has a second magnitude that is different than the first magnitude.

30. The antenna assembly of claim 24 wherein:

the first transmission line includes an end;

the second transmission line includes an end; and

the feeder is configured

to feed a first feed signal to the first transmission line at the end of the first transmission line, and

to feed a second feed signal to the second transmission line at the end of the second transmission line.

31. The antenna assembly of claim 24 wherein:

the first transmission line includes an end;

the second transmission line includes an end; and

the feeder is configured

to feed a first feed signal to the first transmission line at the end of the first transmission line such that the first guided signal propagates in a first direction, and

to feed a second feed signal to the second transmission line at the end of the second transmission line such that the second guided signal propagates in a second direction that is different from the first direction.

32. The antenna assembly of claim 24 wherein:

the first transmission line includes an end;

the second transmission line includes an end; and

the feeder is configured

to feed a first feed signal to the first transmission line at the end of the first transmission line such that the first guided signal has the first value of the characteristic at a distance from the end of the first transmission line, and

to feed a second feed signal to the second transmission line at the end of the second transmission line such that the second guided signal has the second value of the characteristic at the distance from the end of the second transmission line.

33. The antenna assembly of claim 24 wherein:

the first transmission line includes an end;

the second transmission line includes an end; and

the feeder is configured

to feed a first feed signal to the first transmission line at a first non-zero distance from the end of the first transmission line, and

to feed a second feed signal to the second transmission line at a second non-zero distance from the end of the second transmission line.

34. The antenna assembly of claim 24 wherein:

the first transmission line includes an end;

the second transmission line includes an end; and

the feeder is configured

to feed a first feed signal to the first transmission line at the end of the first transmission line such that the first guided signal propagates in a direction, and

to feed a second feed signal to the second transmission line at the end of the second transmission line such that the second guided signal propagates in an opposite direction.

35. The antenna assembly of claim 24 wherein:

the first transmission line includes an end;

the second transmission line includes an end; and

the feeder is configured

to feed a first feed signal to the first transmission line at the end of the first transmission line such that the first guided signal propagates toward a location from a first direction, and

to feed a second feed signal to the second transmission line at the end of the second transmission line such that the second guided signal propagates toward the location from a second direction that is different from the first direction.

36. The antenna assembly of claim 24 wherein:

the first transmission line includes an end;

the second transmission line includes an end; and

the feeder is configured

to feed a first feed signal to the first transmission line at the end of the first transmission line such that the first guided signal propagates away from a location in a first direction, and

to feed a second feed signal to the second transmission line at the end of the second transmission line such that the second guided signal propagates away from the location in a second direction that is different than the first direction.

37. The antenna assembly of claim 24 wherein:

the first and second transmission lines are a same transmission line; and

the first and second guided signals are from a same source signal.

38. The antenna assembly of claim 24 wherein the feeder includes a passive feed circuit.

39. The antenna assembly of claim 24 wherein the feeder includes an active feed circuit.

40. The antenna assembly of the claim 24 wherein:

the first transmission line includes a first waveguide; and

the second transmission line includes a second waveguide.

41. An antenna system, comprising:

an antenna, including

a first transmission line configured to guide a first guided signal such that the first guided signal has a characteristic of a first value,

first antenna elements each disposed adjacent to the first transmission line and each configured to radiate a respective first transmit signal in response to the first guided signal and in response to a respective first control signal,

a second transmission line configured to guide a second guided signal such that the second guided signal has the characteristic of a second value that is different than the first value, and

second antenna elements each disposed adjacent to the second transmission line and each configured to radiate a respective second transmit signal in response to the second guided signal and in response to a respective second control signal;

a beam-steering controller configured to generate the first control signals and the second control signals;

a transmitter configured to generate a reference transmit signal; and

a feeder configured

to generate the first and second guided signals from the reference transmit signal, and

to couple the first and second guided signals to the first and second transmission lines, respectively.

42. The antenna system of claim 41, further comprising:

wherein the first and second antenna elements are configured to generate a beam; and

a receiver configured to receive, from the first and second antenna elements, a portion of the beam redirected by an object.

43. An antenna system, comprising:

an antenna, including

a first antenna section, including

a first transmission line configured to guide a first guided signal, and

first antenna elements each disposed adjacent to the first transmission line and each configured to radiate a respective first transmit signal in response to the first guided signal and in response to a respective first control signal, and

a second antenna section, including

a second transmission line configured to guide a second guided signal, and

second antenna elements each disposed adjacent to the second transmission line and each configured to radiate a respective second transmit signal in response to the second guided signal and in response to a respective second control signal;

a beam-steering controller configured to generate the first control signals and the second control signals;

a transmitter configured to generate a reference transmit signal; and

a feeder configured

to generate the first and second guided signals from the reference transmit signal,

to feed the first guided signal to the first transmission line such that the first guided signal has a characteristic of a first value, and

to feed the second guided signal to the second transmission line such that the second guided signal has the characteristic of a second value that is different than the first value.

44. The antenna system of claim 43, further comprising:

wherein the first and second antenna elements are configured to generate a beam; and

a receiver configured to receive, from the first and second antenna elements, a portion of the beam redirected by an object.

45. A system, comprising:

an antenna, including

a first transmission line configured to guide a first guided signal such that the first guided signal has a characteristic of a first value,

first antenna elements each disposed adjacent to the first transmission line and each configured to radiate a respective first transmit signal in response to the first guided signal and in response to a respective first control signal to generate a beam,

a second transmission line configured to guide a second guided signal such that the second guided signal has the characteristic of a second value that is different than the first value, and

second antenna elements each disposed adjacent to the second transmission line and each configured to radiate the second signal in response to a respective second control signal to generate the beam;

a beam-steering controller configured to generate the first control signals and the second control signals;

a transmitter configured to generate a reference transmit signal;

a feeder configured

to generate the first and second guided signals from the reference transmit signal, and

to couple the first and second guided signals to the first and second transmission line, respectively;

a receiver configured to receive, from the first and second antenna elements, a portion of the beam redirected by an object; and

a processing circuit configured to determine information regarding the object in response to the received portion of the beam.

46. The system of claim 45, further comprising:

a drive assembly configured to control at least one of motion and direction of a vehicle that includes the antenna; and

wherein the processing circuit is configured to control the drive assembly in response to the determined information regarding the object.

47. A system, comprising:

an antenna, including

a first antenna section, including

a first transmission line configured to guide a first guided signal, and

first antenna elements each disposed adjacent to the first transmission line and each configured to radiate a respective first transmit signal in response to the first guided signal and in response to a respective first control signal to generate a beam, and

a second antenna section, including

a second transmission line configured to guide a second guided signal, and

second antenna elements each disposed adjacent to the second transmission line and each configured to radiate a respective second transmit signal in response to the second guided signal and in response to a respective second control signal to generate the beam;

a beam-steering controller configured to generate the first control signals and the second control signals;

a transmitter configured to generate a reference transmit signal;

a feeder configured

to generate the first and second guided signals from the reference transmit signal,

to feed the first guided signal to the first transmission line such that the first guided signal has a characteristic of a first value, and

to feed the second guided signal to the second transmission line such that the second guided signal has the characteristic of a second value that is different than the first value;

a receiver configured to receive, from the first and second antenna elements, a portion of the beam redirected by an object; and

a processing circuit configured to determine information regarding the object in response to the received portion of the beam.

48. The system of claim 47, further comprising:

a drive assembly configured to control at least one of motion and direction of a vehicle; and

wherein the processing circuit is configured to control the drive assembly in response to the determined information regarding the object.

49. A method, comprising:

causing a first signal to have a parameter of a first value and to propagate along a first transmission line;

causing a second signal to have the parameter of a second value and to propagate along a second transmission line; and

radiating energy from at least one of the first and second signals with at least one antenna element belonging to a group of first antenna elements disposed adjacent to the first transmission line and second antenna elements disposed adjacent to the second transmission line.

50. The method of claim 49, further comprising generating the first and second signals from a common input signal.

51. The method of claim 49 wherein:

the parameter includes phase; and

wherein causing the first signal to have the parameter of the first value and causing the second signal to have the parameter of the second value includes shifting a phase of the second signal relative to a phase of the first signal.

52. The method of claim 49 wherein:

the parameter includes momentum; and

wherein causing the first signal to have the parameter of the first value and causing the second signal to have the parameter of the second value includes causing the second signal to have a different momentum than the first signal.

53. The method of claim 49 wherein:

the parameter includes magnitude; and

wherein causing the first signal to have the parameter of the first value and causing the second signal to have the parameter of the second value includes causing the second signal to have a different magnitude than the first signal.

54. The method of claim 49 wherein:

the parameter includes direction of signal propagation; and

wherein causing the first signal to have the parameter of the first value and causing the second signal to have the parameter of the second value includes causing the second signal to propagate in a direction that is different from a direction of propagation of the first signal.

55. The method of claim 49, further comprising selectively radiating energy from the first and second signals with one or more of the first antenna elements and second antenna elements, respectively, to form and scan a beam.

56. The method of claim 55, further comprising:

receiving, from the first and second antenna elements, a portion of the beam redirected by an object; and

determining information regarding the object in response to the received portion of the beam.

57. The method of claim 56, further comprising controlling at least one of motion and direction of a vehicle in response to the determined information regarding the object.

58. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by computing circuitry, cause the computing circuitry, or circuitry or an apparatus coupled to the computing circuitry:

to cause a first signal to have a parameter of a first value and to propagate along a first transmission line;

to cause a second signal to have the parameter of a second value and to propagate along a second transmission line; and

to radiate energy from at least one of the first and second signals with at least one antenna element belonging to a group of first antenna elements disposed adjacent to the first transmission line and second antenna elements disposed adjacent to the second transmission line.