Device for measuring angle positions

• US 7,321,332 B2
• Filed: 09/18/2003
• Issued: 01/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Gross, Volker, Schneider, Martin, Hansen, Thomas, Focke, Thomas, Brueggemann, Oliver, Schoebel, Joerg
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, DAO LINDA
• Application Number:
  US10/537,667
• Publication Number:
  US 20060250296A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,587 Days
• Field of Search: 342/70, 342/372, 342/374, 342/432, 342/434
• US Class Current: 342/432
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/426 Scanning radar, e.g. 3D radar G01S13/66 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/4409 HF sub-systems particularly adapted therefor, e.g. circuits for signal combination multi-lobing aerials or aerial systems H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/4463 using phased arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/468 by Triangulation, i.e. two antennas or two sensors determine separately the bearing, direction or angle to a target, whereby with the knowledge of the baseline length, the position data of the target is determined
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/032 Constructional details for solid-state radar subsystems

Abstract

In a device for measuring angular positions by using radar pulses and mutually overlapping beam characteristics of at least two antenna elements, a switchable phase shifter is provided in the signal path of at least one antenna element which is switchable in the time-division multiplexing between different phase states. For the radar received signals, an evaluation device is provided for the joint and especially simultaneous evaluation of signals of two antenna elements with the participation of antenna element, in whose signal path a switchable phase shifter is provided.

Claims

1. A device for measuring angular positions using radar pulses and mutually overlapping antenna beam characteristics, comprising:

at least two antenna elements;

a phase shifter arranged in a signal path of at least one of the at least two antenna elements, wherein the phase shifter is configured to switch between different phase states in a time-division multiplexing manner to change a radiation characteristic of the at least one of the at least two antenna elements;

an evaluation unit to jointly evaluate signals received from the at least two antenna elements;

a 180°

hybrid phase setting element to connect the at least two antenna elements; and

a transfer switch arranged at an output of the 180°

hybrid phase setting element for evaluating a composite beam and a differential beam of at least two antenna elements via a mixer in time-division multiplexing.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is configured to obtain an angle of a target by comparison of relative amplitude changes and phase changes of radar pulses in a receiving path in at least two switching states of the phase shifter.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the phase shifter is configured to assume phase states 0°

and 180°

.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is configured to set a switch-over time of the phase shifter with a switch-over time between two beam characteristics so that a relative motion of a target and antenna element carriers is at least one of negligible and compensated in the evaluation.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is configured to set a switch-over time of the phase shifter with a switch-over time between two radiation characteristics for application of a homodyne operation.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein the device is configured to operate in a GHz range and the switch-over time is set in a range of 5 to 50 μ

s.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the device is configured to operate in a GHz range and the switch-over time is set in a range of 5 to 50 μ

s.

8. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

at least a third and a fourth antenna elements arranged with the at least two antenna elements to form a row and column arrangement of at least two groups of antenna elements that are evaluated jointly and simultaneously for at least one of an elevation focusing and azimuth focusing,

wherein the phase shifter is configured to be switchably assigned to at least one group of the at least two groups of antenna elements.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the phase shifter is configured as at least one of a PIN diode phase shifter and a MEMS phase shifter.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein high-frequency components that require assembly are applied to only one side of a printed-circuit board facing away from the antenna elements.