Integrated circuit for measuring the distance and/or velocity of objects

• US 7,567,206 B1
• Filed: 11/29/2004
• Issued: 07/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Voigtlaender, Klaus, Schmidt, Ewald
• Primary Examiner(s): Gregory; Bernarr E
• Application Number:
  US10/999,765
• Time in Patent Office: 1,702 Days
• Field of Search: 701/300, 701/301, 180167-169, 342/27, 342/28, 342 70- 72, 342104-115, 342/118, 342127-133, 342159-162, 342/175, 342192-197
• US Class Current: 342/175
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/34 using transmission of continuous, frequency-modulated waves while heterodyning the received signal, or a signal derived therefrom, with a locally-generated signal related to the contemporaneously transmitted signal
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/48 using multiple beams at emission or reception
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/032 Constructional details for solid-state radar subsystems
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48465 the other connecting portion not on the bonding area being a wedge bond, i.e. ball-to-wedge, regular stitch
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors
• 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 13/24 constituted by a dielectric or ferromagnetic rod or pipe H01Q13/28 takes precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/2658 Phased-array fed focussing structure

Abstract

An integrated circuit for measuring the distance and/or velocity of objects, having: a high-frequency signal generating device for generating a first HF signal having a predefined frequency and a predefined modulation curve from at least one LF signal; a diplex/mixing device, which is coupled to the high-frequency signal generating device for determining a frequency offset between the first HF signal and a reflected second HF signal; a transceiver device, which is coupled to the diplex/mixing device, for sending the first HF signal and simultaneously receiving the reflected second HF signal, which is a function of a predefined modulation curve of the first HF signal and a distance to a reflecting object; and an adapter device, which is coupled between the diplex/mixing device and the transceiver device, for adapting the impedance of the transceiver device as a function of the frequency of the first HF signal.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit for measuring at least one of a distance and a velocity of an object, comprising:

a high-frequency signal generating device for generating a first HF (high frequency) signal having a predefined frequency and a predefined modulation curve from at least one LF (low frequency) signal;

a diplexer device at least configured to separate or to mix signals of different frequencies, wherein the diplexer device is coupled to the high-frequency signal generating device, and wherein the diplexer device is additionally configured to determine a frequency offset between the first HF signal and a reflected second HF signal;

a transceiver device coupled to the diplexer device and configured for sending the first HF signal and receiving the reflected second HF signal, the reflected second HF signal being a function of the predefined modulation curve of the first HF signal and a distance to a reflecting object; and

an adapter device coupled between the diplexer device and the transceiver device, the adapter device adapting an impedance of the transceiver device to the predefined frequency of the first HF signal;

wherein the HF signals are RF (radio frequency) signals and the LF signal is a digital word.

2. The integrated circuit as recited in claim 1, further comprising at least one of:

an interface device for injecting at least one digital signal;

a digital signal processing device coupled to the high-frequency signal generating device, wherein;

the digital signal processing device processes the at least one digital signal and controls the integrated circuit; and

an A/D converter coupled to the diplexer device and the digital signal processing device, the A/D converter digitizing the frequency offset.

3. The integrated circuit as recited in claim 2, wherein:

the interface device injects the at least one digital signal via a CAN (controller area network) bus, and

the digital signal processing device is coupled to the interface device.

4. The integrated circuit as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the high-frequency signal generating device includes a modulation device and an oscillator.

5. The integrated circuit as recited in claim 4, wherein:

the modulation device is coupled directly to the diplexer device, and

the oscillator includes a VCO.

6. The integrated circuit as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the integrated circuit at least one of uses BiCMOS technology and has one of SiGe, SiGeC, and SiC as a semiconductor substrate.

7. The integrated circuit as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the transceiver device includes a patch antenna with a predefined alignment.

8. The integrated circuit as recited in claim 7, wherein:

the predefined alignment is at an angle of 0°

or 45°

of a broad side of the patch antenna to a long side of the integrated circuit, and

a frequency range of the first HF signal for the patch antenna is between 30 GHz and 300 GHz.

9. The integrated circuit as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the adapter device is integrated on the integrated circuit and has an adjustable impedance.

10. A radar surroundings detection device, comprising:

a plurality of integrated circuits, each integrated circuit including;

a high-frequency signal generating device for generating a first HF (high frequency) signal having a predefined frequency and a predefined modulation curve from at least one LF (low frequency) signal,

a diplexer device at least configured to separate or to mix signals of different frequencies, wherein the diplexer device is coupled to the high-frequency signal generating device, and wherein the diplexer device is additionally configured to determine a frequency offset between the first HF signal and a reflected second HF signal,

a transceiver device coupled to the diplexer device and configured for sending the first HF signal and receiving the reflected second HF signal, the reflected second HF signal being a function of the predefined modulation curve of the first HF signal and a distance to a reflecting object, and

an adapter device coupled between the diplexer device and the transceiver device, the adapter device adapting an impedance of the transceiver device to the predefined frequency of the first HF signal; and

an emission device provided over each integrated circuit;

wherein the HF signals are RF (radio frequency) signals and the LF signal is a digital word.

11. The radar surroundings detection device as recited in claim 10, wherein

each emission device includes a truncated cone-shaped dielectric having at least one patch-shaped, conductive layer in parallel to the respective transceiver device.

12. The radar surroundings detection device as recited in claim 10, further comprising:

a shared substrate via which the emission devices are interconnected via a shared substrate; and

a casting compound having a predefined dielectric constant and being provided over the integrated circuits.

13. The radar surroundings detection device as recited in claim 10, wherein:

at least one of four, five, and six integrated circuits are provided at least one of;

in parallel next to one another in a row with a predefined alignment, at an angle of 0°

or 45°

between a long side of the integrated circuit and a long side of a substrate,

in a double triplet arrangement in one of parallel and antiparallel to one another, and

in an antiparallel arrangement featuring the integrated circuits as offset with respect to one another.

14. The radar surroundings detection device as recited in claim 10, wherein:

at least two integrated circuits having a predefined frequency spacing with respect to one another and a predefined modulation curve synchronized to one another are operated.

15. The radar surroundings detection device as recited in claim 10, further comprising:

an amplifier device for amplifying the frequency offset and being connected downstream from the diplexer device.

16. The radar surroundings detection device as recited in claim 15, further comprising:

a second frequency generating device for generating a third HF signal, the diplexer device being coupled to the third HF signal, the second frequency generating device determining a cross-correlation between the frequency offset and the third HF signal.