Radar module and antenna device

• US 6,215,443 B1
• Filed: 07/16/1999
• Issued: 04/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Komatsu, Satoru, Urabe, Masanobu
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, HOANGANH T
• Application Number:
  US09/356,226
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: H01/Q.138, 343/700.MS, 343/850, 343/853, 342/175.7, 342/70, 342/71, 342/72
• US Class Current: 343/700.0MS
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/87 Combinations of radar systems, e.g. primary radar and secondary radar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9321 Velocity regulation, e.g. cruise control
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/032 Constructional details for solid-state radar subsystems
• 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 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/132 Horn reflector antennas; Off-set feeding
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0006 Particular feeding systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0025 Modular arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/065 Patch antenna array
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/08 the units being spaced along or adjacent to a rectilinear path waveguide fed H01Q21/0037
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 23/00 Antennas with active circuits or circuit elements integrated within them or attached to them
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/00 Antennas or antenna systems providing at least two radiating patterns arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern H01Q3/00

Abstract

A radar module has an antenna assembly, a plurality of transmitting and receiving assemblies, and a plurality of circulators all mounted on a dielectric substrate. The antenna assembly has a plurality of transmitting and receiving channels including respective planar array antenna elements each composed of a plurality of patches connected to and spaced along a linear distal end portion of a feeder line. The planar array antenna elements are arrayed in a direction substantially perpendicular to the linear distal end portion of the feeder line. The transmitting and receiving assemblies, implemented as monolithic microwave integrated circuits, selectively transmit high-frequency signals to the planar array antenna elements and selectively receive echo signals from the planar array antenna elements. The circulators are associated with the transmitting and receiving channels, respectively, and connect the respective linear distal end portions of the feeder lines to transmission and reception end portions which are connected to the transmitting and receiving assemblies, respectively.

Claims

1. An antenna device comprising:

a dielectric substrate;

an array of antenna elements mounted on said dielectric substrate, each of said antenna elements comprising a plurality of patches interconnected in a direction transverse to said array, said antenna elements being divided into two respective interdigitated groups wherein said respective groups of antenna elements are arranged in opposite directions that are 180 degrees apart from one another; and

a plurality of circulators mounted on said dielectric substrate and connected respectively in series to said antenna elements.

2. An antenna device, comprising:

a dielectric substrate;

an array of antenna elements mounted on said dielectric substrate, each of said antenna elements comprising a plurality of patches interconnected in a direction transverse to said array; and

a plurality of switches connected respectively to said antenna elements and being configured to enable transmission and reception by said respective antenna elements, wherein said switches are coupled to a control circuit and controlled in a time-sharing manner.

3. The antenna device of claim 2, wherein said switches comprise MMICs.

4. The antenna device of claim 2, wherein said switches comprise a plurality of FETs.

5. The antenna device of claim 2, wherein said switches comprise an amplifier.

6. An antenna device, comprising:

a dielectric substrate;

an array of antenna elements mounted on said dielectric substrate, each antenna element comprising at least one patch connected in a direction transverse to said array;

a plurality of circulators mounted on said dielectric substrate and connected in series to said antenna elements, respectively;

a plurality of amplifier switches connected to said circulators, each amplifier switch amplifying and providing switching for each antenna element.

7. An antenna device, comprising:

a dielectric substrate;

an array of antenna elements mounted on said dielectric substrate, each of said antenna elements comprising a plurality of patches interconnected in a direction transverse to said array; and

a plurality of selective amplifiers connected to each of said antenna elements, each of said selective amplifiers transmitting a signal to said antenna elements or a selecting signal received by said antenna elements, wherein said plurality of selective amplifiers is controlled in a time-sharing manner.

8. The antenna device according to claim 7, wherein said plurality of selective amplifiers comprise MMICs.

9. An antenna device, comprising:

a dielectric substrate;

an array of antenna elements mounted on said dielectric substrate, each antenna element comprising at least one patch connected in a direction transverse to said array; and

a plurality of selective amplifiers connected to each of said antenna elements, each of said selective amplifiers transmitting a signal to said antenna elements or selecting signal received by said antenna elements, wherein said plurality of selective amplifiers is controlled in time-sharing manner.