Vehicle radar system using shaped antenna patterns
First Claim
1. A radar sensing system for a vehicle, the radar sensing system comprising:
- a plurality of transmitters configured for installation and use on the vehicle;
wherein each transmitter of the plurality of transmitters comprises an antenna, wherein each transmitter antenna comprises a substrate and a plurality of linear arrays of radiators, and wherein each respective plurality of linear arrays of radiators is disposed upon their respective transmitter antenna substrate;
wherein each transmitter is configured to transmit a radio signal via respective transmitter antenna;
a plurality of receivers configured for installation and use on the vehicle, wherein each receiver of the plurality of receivers comprises an antenna, wherein each receiver antenna comprises a substrate and a plurality of linear arrays of elements, and wherein each respective plurality of linear arrays of elements is disposed upon their respective receiver antenna substrates, and wherein the receivers are configured to receive the transmitted radio signals via the respective receiver antennas, transmitted by the transmitters, and reflected from objects in an environment; and
wherein a predetermined arrangement of a plurality of linear arrays of radiators of a first transmitter antenna forms a shaped antenna pattern having a mainlobe and sidelobes that form a mainlobe shape and shoulder shapes to cover selected sensing zones of the first transmitter antenna, as defined by resulting phase distributions and amplitude distributions of the arranged linear arrays of radiators of the first transmitter antenna, wherein a phase distribution and an amplitude distribution along each respective array of radiators of the first transmitter antenna, in combination, define the phase distributions and the amplitude distributions of the arranged linear arrays of radiators of the first transmitter antenna, and wherein the shaped antenna pattern of the first transmitter antenna comprises a relative gain value with respect to angle that is free of sidelobe nulls or holes, such that the antenna gain in the sidelobes is free of areas with substantially reduced antenna gain as compared to the nominal antenna gain in the sidelobes.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A radar sensing system for a vehicle, the radar sensing system including a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter is configured to transmit a radio signal. The receiver is configured to receive the transmitted radio signal reflected from objects in the environment. The transmitter includes an antenna and is configured to transmit the radio signal via the antenna. The antenna includes a plurality of linear arrays of patch radiators. An arrangement of the linear arrays of patch radiators is selected to form a desired shaped antenna pattern having a desired mainlobe shape and desired shoulder shapes to cover selected sensing zones without nulls or holes in the coverage.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A radar sensing system for a vehicle, the radar sensing system comprising:
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a plurality of transmitters configured for installation and use on the vehicle; wherein each transmitter of the plurality of transmitters comprises an antenna, wherein each transmitter antenna comprises a substrate and a plurality of linear arrays of radiators, and wherein each respective plurality of linear arrays of radiators is disposed upon their respective transmitter antenna substrate; wherein each transmitter is configured to transmit a radio signal via respective transmitter antenna; a plurality of receivers configured for installation and use on the vehicle, wherein each receiver of the plurality of receivers comprises an antenna, wherein each receiver antenna comprises a substrate and a plurality of linear arrays of elements, and wherein each respective plurality of linear arrays of elements is disposed upon their respective receiver antenna substrates, and wherein the receivers are configured to receive the transmitted radio signals via the respective receiver antennas, transmitted by the transmitters, and reflected from objects in an environment; and wherein a predetermined arrangement of a plurality of linear arrays of radiators of a first transmitter antenna forms a shaped antenna pattern having a mainlobe and sidelobes that form a mainlobe shape and shoulder shapes to cover selected sensing zones of the first transmitter antenna, as defined by resulting phase distributions and amplitude distributions of the arranged linear arrays of radiators of the first transmitter antenna, wherein a phase distribution and an amplitude distribution along each respective array of radiators of the first transmitter antenna, in combination, define the phase distributions and the amplitude distributions of the arranged linear arrays of radiators of the first transmitter antenna, and wherein the shaped antenna pattern of the first transmitter antenna comprises a relative gain value with respect to angle that is free of sidelobe nulls or holes, such that the antenna gain in the sidelobes is free of areas with substantially reduced antenna gain as compared to the nominal antenna gain in the sidelobes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A radar sensing system for a vehicle, the radar sensing system comprising:
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a transmitter configured for installation and use on the vehicle; wherein the transmitter comprises an antenna, and wherein the transmitter antenna comprises a substrate and a plurality of linear arrays of radiators disposed upon the transmitter antenna substrate; wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit a radio signal via the transmitter antenna; a receiver configured for installation and use on the vehicle, wherein the receiver comprises an antenna, wherein the receiver antenna comprises a substrate and a plurality of linear arrays of elements disposed upon the receiver antenna substrate, and wherein the receiver is configured to receive the transmitted radio signal via the receiver antenna, transmitted by the transmitter, and reflected from objects in an environment; and wherein the plurality of linear arrays of radiators of the transmitter antenna are arranged as columns of radiators oriented along, or parallel to, a second axis, wherein a predetermined arrangement of the columns of radiators of the transmitter antenna forms a shaped antenna pattern oriented along, or parallel to, a first axis and having a mainlobe and sidelobes that form a mainlobe shape and shoulder shapes to cover selected sensing zones oriented along the first axis, as defined by resulting phase distributions and amplitude distributions of the arranged columns of radiators, wherein a phase distribution and an amplitude distribution along each respective column of radiators, in combination, define the phase distributions and the amplitude distributions of the arranged columns of radiators, and wherein the shaped antenna pattern comprises a relative gain value that is free of sidelobe nulls or holes, such that the antenna gain in the sidelobes is free of areas with substantially reduced antenna gain as compared to the nominal antenna gain in the sidelobes. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A radar sensing system for a vehicle, the radar sensing system comprising:
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a transmitter configured for installation and use on the vehicle, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit a radio signal; wherein the transmitter comprises an antenna, and wherein the transmitter antenna comprises a substrate and a plurality of linear arrays of radiators disposed upon the transmitter antenna substrate; wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit a radio signal via the transmitter antenna; a receiver configured for installation and use on the vehicle, wherein the receiver comprises an antenna, wherein the receiver antenna comprises a substrate and a plurality of linear arrays of elements disposed upon the receiver antenna substrate, and wherein the receiver is configured to receive the transmitted radio signal via the receiver antenna, transmitted by the transmitter, and reflected from objects in an environment; and wherein the plurality of linear arrays of radiators of the transmitter antenna are arranged as rows of radiators oriented along, or parallel to, a first axis, wherein a predetermined arrangement of the rows of radiators of the transmitter antenna forms a shaped antenna pattern oriented along, or parallel to, a second axis and having a mainlobe and sidelobes that form a mainlobe shape and shoulder shapes to cover selected sensing zones, as defined by resulting phase distributions and amplitude distributions of the arranged rows of radiators, wherein a phase distribution and an amplitude distribution along each respective row of radiators, in combination, define the phase distributions and the amplitude distributions of the arranged rows of radiators, wherein the shaped antenna pattern comprises a relative gain value that is free of sidelobe nulls or holes, such that the antenna gain in the sidelobes is free of areas with substantially reduced antenna gain as compared to the nominal antenna gain in the sidelobes, and wherein the first axis is orthogonal to the second axis. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification