Methods and apparatus for a MIMO radar

• US 10,670,712 B2
• Filed: 01/04/2018
• Issued: 06/02/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
• Inventors: Ding, Xueru
• Primary Examiner(s): Duong, Dieu Hien T
• Application Number:
  US15/862,234
• Publication Number:
  US 20190207322A1
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/02 Systems using reflection of radio waves, e.g. primary radar systems; Analogous systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S13/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/03 Details of HF subsystems specially adapted therefor, e.g. common to transmitter and receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/247 with frequency mixer, e.g. for direct satellite reception or Doppler radar
• 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 21/065 Patch antenna array
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/36 with variable phase-shifters

Abstract

Disclosed systems and methods include a multiple-in-multiple-out (“MIMO”) antenna array, wherein the arrangement of antenna elements provide relatively good angular resolution for RADAR while reducing the presence of grating lobes. Transmitter and receiver antenna elements can be spaced such as to improve performance with reduced cost. In some embodiments, the transmitter and/or receiver antenna elements can be spaced at unit distances of a half-wavelength +/−10% or +/−25%. In some embodiments, the first receiver antenna element is at a four-unit distance from a second receiver antenna element, a third receiver antenna element at a one-unit distance from the second receiver antenna element, and a fourth receiver antenna element at a two-unit distance from the third receiver antenna element.

Claims

1. A multiple-in-multiple-out (“

MIMO”

) antenna array apparatus comprising;

a receiver antenna arrangement, wherein the receiver antenna arrangement comprises a plurality of receiver antenna elements of an antenna array arranged in a pattern such that a first receiver antenna element is adjacent to a second receiver antenna element at a first distance, and the second receiver antenna element is adjacent to a third receiver antenna element at a second distance; and

a transmitter antenna arrangement, wherein the transmitter antenna arrangement comprises a first transmitter antenna element that is adjacent to the third receiver antenna element at a third distance, wherein the first distance, the second distance, and the third distance are different distances, wherein the third distance is about five times the first distance.

2. The MIMO antenna array apparatus of claim 1, wherein the receiver antenna arrangement further comprises a pattern such that the first receiver antenna element is adjacent to a fourth receiver antenna element at a forth distance, and the fourth receiver antenna element is adjacent to a fifth receiver antenna element at a fifth distance, wherein the first distance, the second distance, the third distance, the fourth distance, and the fifth distance are different distances.

3. The MIMO antenna array apparatus of claim 2, wherein the transmitter antenna arrangement further comprises a pattern such that a second transmitter antenna element is adjacent to the fifth receiver antenna element at a sixth distance and a third transmitter antenna element is adjacent to the second transmitter antenna element at a seventh distance, wherein the first distance, the second distance, the third distance, the fourth distance, the fifth distance, and the sixth distance are different distances.

4. The MIMO antenna array apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first distance is a wavelength.

5. The MIMO antenna array apparatus of claim 4, wherein the second distance is a half wavelength.

6. The MIMO antenna array apparatus of claim 4, wherein the third distance is two wavelengths.

7. The MIMO antenna array apparatus of claim 1, wherein the receiver antenna arrangement and the transmitter antenna arrangement are arranged in a pattern such that the receiver antenna elements and the one or more transmitter antenna elements are disposed on along a single axis.

8. A multiple-in-multiple-out (“

MIMO”

) antenna array apparatus for radar comprising;

a receiver antenna arrangement, wherein the receiver antenna arrangement comprises a plurality of receiver antenna elements of an antenna array arranged in a pattern such that a first receiver antenna element is adjacent to a second receiver antenna element at about a one-unit distance, a third receiver antenna element is adjacent to the second receiver antenna element at about a two-unit distance, and a fourth receiver antenna element is adjacent to the first receiver antenna element at about a four-unit distance; and

a transmitter antenna arrangement, wherein the transmitter antenna arrangement comprises one or more transmitter antenna elements of an antenna array arranged in a pattern such that a first transmitter antenna element is adjacent to the third receiver antenna element at about a five-unit distance and is placed in the one side of the printed circuit board.

9. The MIMO antenna array apparatus of claim 8, wherein the transmitter antenna arrangement further comprises a second transmitter antenna element adjacent to the first transmitter antenna element at about a ten-unit distance.

10. The MIMO antenna array apparatus of claim 9, wherein the transmitter antenna arrangement further comprises a third transmitter antenna element adjacent to the second transmitter antenna element at about an eleven-unit distance.

11. The MIMO antenna array apparatus of claim 8, wherein the receiver antenna arrangement and the transmitter antenna arrangement are arranged in a pattern such that the receiver antenna elements and the transmitter antenna elements are disposed on along a single axis.

12. The MIMO antenna array apparatus of claim 8, wherein a single unit distance is a half wavelength.

13. The MIMO antenna array apparatus of claim 8, wherein a single unit distance is a half wavelength +/−

10%.

14. The MIMO antenna array apparatus of claim 8, wherein a single unit distance is a half wavelength +/−

25%.

15. A multiple-in-multiple-out (“

MIMO”

) antenna array apparatus for radiation of radio frequency signals comprising;

an antenna element arrangement, wherein the antenna element arrangement comprises a plurality of antenna elements arranged in a pattern such that;

a first antenna element is adjacent to a second antenna element,

a third antenna element is adjacent to the second antenna element,

a fourth antenna element is adjacent to the first antenna element, and

a fifth antenna element is adjacent to the third antenna element, wherein each of the antenna elements comprise a transmit antenna element and/or a receiver antenna element, wherein the antenna elements of the antenna element arrangement are placed along a single axis, wherein the distances between adjacent antenna elements in the antenna element arrangement are not evenly spaced, wherein a distance between the third antenna element and the fifth antenna element is about five times the distance between first antenna element and the second antenna element.

16. The MIMO antenna array apparatus of claim 15, wherein a distance between two adjacent antenna elements include a half wavelength.

17. The MIMO antenna array apparatus of claim 16, wherein a distance between two other adjacent antenna elements include a wavelength.

18. The MIMO antenna array apparatus of claim 17, wherein a distance between two other adjacent antenna elements include two wavelengths.

19. The MIMO antenna array apparatus of claim 15, wherein the antenna element arrangement comprises a sixth antenna element adjacent to the fifth antenna element, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth antenna elements comprise receiver antenna elements, and the fifth and sixth antenna elements comprise transmitter antenna elements, wherein the distances between adjacent antenna elements in the antenna element arrangement are not evenly spaced.

20. The MIMO antenna array apparatus of claim 15, wherein the antenna element arrangement comprises a sixth antenna element adjacent to the fourth antenna element, a seventh antenna element adjacent to the sixth antenna element, and an eighth antenna element adjacent to the seventh antenna element, wherein the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth antenna elements comprise receiver antenna elements, and the sixth, seventh, and eighth antenna elements comprise transmitter antenna elements, wherein the distances between adjacent antenna elements in the antenna element arrangement are not evenly spaced.