Vehicle radar system with shaped radar antennas

• US 10,641,867 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2017
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hess, Holger
• Primary Examiner(s): Akonai, Olumide Ajibade
• Application Number:
  US15/675,919
• Publication Number:
  US 20180045812A1
• Time in Patent Office: 995 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0008 including means for detecting potential obstacles in vehicle path
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/04 Systems determining presence of a target based on relative movement of target G01S13/56
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/878 Combination of several spaced transmitters or receivers of known location for determining the position of a transponder or a reflector G01S13/874 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/04 Systems determining presence of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/876 Combination of several spaced transmitters or receivers of known location for determining the position of a transponder or a reflector G01S15/872 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9323 Alternative operation using light waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/2813 Means providing a modification of the radiation pattern for cancelling noise, clutter or interfering signals, e.g. side lobe suppression, side lobe blanking, null-steering arrays specially adapted to secondary radar systems G01S13/762; aerials or aerials systems H01Q21/29, H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4008 of transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4021 of receivers
• 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 13/0233 Horns fed by a slotted waveguide array biconical horns H01Q13/06
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/065 Patch antenna array
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/293 one unit or more being an array of identical aerial elements adaptive arrays H01Q3/2605

Abstract

A sensing system for a vehicle includes a control and sensor disposed at the vehicle. The sensor includes a plurality of antennas, which includes transmitting antennas and receiving antennas. The plurality of antennas includes a two-dimensional antenna array having a rhombus grid arrangement of antennas. Outputs of the antennas are communicated to the control, and the control, responsive to the outputs of the antennas, determines the presence of one or more objects exterior the vehicle and within the field of sensing of the antennas.

Claims

1. A sensing system for a vehicle, said sensing system comprising:

a sensor disposed at the vehicle;

wherein said sensor comprises a plurality of antennas;

wherein said plurality of antennas comprises transmitting antennas and receiving antennas;

wherein said plurality of antennas comprises a two-dimensional antenna array having a rhombus grid arrangement of antennas comprising a plurality of sets of antennas each set having a V shape, and wherein each of the V-shaped sets of antennas comprises an apex;

wherein a signal feed is provided to the apex of each of the V-shaped sets of antennas; and

a control, wherein outputs of said receiving antennas are communicated to said control, and wherein said control, responsive to said outputs of said receiving antennas, determines the presence of one or more objects exterior the vehicle and within a field of sensing of said sensor.

2. The sensing system of claim 1, wherein said sensor comprises a radar sensor and wherein said radar sensor comprises a plurality of radar antennas.

3. The sensing system of claim 1, wherein said sensor comprises an ultrasonic sensor and wherein said ultrasonic sensor comprises a plurality of ultrasonic antennas.

4. The sensing system of claim 1, wherein said sensing system provides sensing for at least one of automated parking, blind spot detection, cross traffic alert, lane change and merge aid, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, turn assist, and intersection collision mitigation.

5. A sensing system for a vehicle, said sensing system comprising:

a sensor disposed at the vehicle;

wherein said sensor comprises a plurality of antennas;

wherein said plurality of antennas comprises transmitting antennas and receiving antennas;

wherein said plurality of antennas comprises a two-dimensional antenna array comprising a plurality of sets of antennas each set having a V shape, and wherein each of the V-shaped sets of antennas comprises an apex;

wherein a signal feed is provided to the apex of each of the V-shaped sets of antennas;

a control, wherein outputs of said receiving antennas are communicated to said control, and wherein said control, responsive to said outputs of said receiving antennas, determines the presence of one or more objects exterior the vehicle and within a field of sensing of said sensor; and

wherein said sensing system provides sensing for at least one of automated parking, blind spot detection, cross traffic alert, lane change and merge aid, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, turn assist, and intersection collision mitigation.

6. The sensing system of claim 5, wherein the plurality of V-shaped sets of antennas combine to form a rhombus grid arrangement of antennas.

7. The sensing system of claim 5, wherein said sensor comprises a radar sensor and wherein said radar sensor comprises a plurality of radar antennas.

8. The sensing system of claim 5, wherein said sensor comprises an ultrasonic sensor and wherein said ultrasonic sensor comprises a plurality of ultrasonic antennas.

9. A sensing system for a vehicle, said sensing system comprising:

a sensor disposed at the vehicle;

wherein said sensor comprises a plurality of antennas;

wherein said plurality of antennas comprises transmitting antennas and receiving antennas;

wherein said plurality of antennas comprises a two-dimensional antenna array comprising a plurality of sets of antennas each set having an X shape, and wherein each of the X-shaped sets of antennas comprises a center region where signal traces of the antennas of each of the X-shaped sets of antennas intersect;

wherein a signal feed is provided to the center region of each of the X-shaped sets of antennas;

a control, wherein outputs of said receiving antennas are communicated to said control, and wherein said control, responsive to said outputs of said receiving antennas, determines the presence of one or more objects exterior the vehicle and within a field of sensing of said sensor; and

wherein said sensing system provides sensing for at least one of automated parking, blind spot detection, cross traffic alert, lane change and merge aid, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, turn assist, and intersection collision mitigation.

10. The sensing system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of X-shaped sets of antennas combine to form a rhombus grid arrangement of antennas.

11. The sensing system of claim 9, wherein said sensor comprises a radar sensor and wherein said radar sensor comprises a plurality of radar antennas.

12. The sensing system of claim 9, wherein said sensor comprises an ultrasonic sensor and wherein said ultrasonic sensor comprises a plurality of ultrasonic antennas.