Electronically scanned radar system and receiving antenna

• US 7,898,465 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2008
• Issued: 03/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Sakuma, Yasushi, Nakabayashi, Kento, Yamano, Chiharu, Natsume, Kazuma
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotomayor; John B
• Application Number:
  US12/524,672
• Publication Number:
  US 20100045507A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,098 Days
• Field of Search: 342 70- 72, 342/74, 342/81, 342/107, 342/368, 342371-372, 342/445, 342/446
• US Class Current: 342/70
• 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 3/74 Multi-channel systems specially adapted for direction-finding, i.e. having a single antenna system capable of giving simultaneous indications of the directions of different signals systems in which the directions of different signals are determined sequentially and displayed simultaneously G01S3/04, G01S3/14
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/26 varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture H01Q3/12, H01Q3/22, H01Q3/24 take precedence

Abstract

A plurality of array antenna elements are divided in terms of a set constituted of an optionally selected L number of groups. The spaces between the array antenna elements are determined by obtaining a greatest common divisor of the set as a greatest common divisor of inter-group element spaces, the set having, as components, greatest common divisors of inter-element spaces of the individual L number of groups in the set, obtaining a greatest common divisor of inter-group element for every number L equal to or less than the maximum number of incoming waves by changing the number L of group components, and allowing a direction not to be caused in the radar scanning region by a number equal to or more than L+1, on the basis of the greatest common divisor of inter-group element spaces for every number L of group components, the direction being linearly dependent on an incoming wave corresponding to the greatest common divisor of inter-group element spaces.

Claims

1. An electronically scanned radar system comprising:

a transmitting antenna which is able to freely transmit a transmission signal constituted of a continuous wave in a manner of performing horizontal scanning in a radar scanning region having a minimum angle θ

_min and a maximum angle θ

_max;

a receiving antenna constituted of a plurality of array antenna elements which are arranged with predetermined spaces therebetween;

mixers for mixing reception signals received by the respective receiving array antenna elements with the transmission signals to obtain beat signals;

A/D converters for converting the beat signals of individual channels, which beat signals are obtained by the respective mixers, into digital signals; and

a target detection section for detecting a distance to or/and a relative speed of a target on the basis of the reception data, which are the signals digitized by the A/D converter, characterized in that;

spaces in the arrangement, i.e. non-uniform spaces, of the plurality of array antenna elements of the receiving array antenna are determined by;

(1) grouping the array antenna elements into two, to express a set encompassing the groups by G(2,p) (where p is a serial number designated to all the conceivable grouping methods);

(2) performing the grouping for every combination of the array antenna elements constituting the receiving array antenna;

(3) obtaining a greatest common divisor as a greatest common divisor G_gcd of inter-group element spaces, for a set {D_gcd(1),D_gcd(2)} that has, as components, greatest common divisors of inter-element spaces included in individual groups constituting each set G(2,p); and

(4) allowing the greatest common divisor D_gcd of inter-group element spaces not to exceed the following formula;

2. The electronically scanned radar system according to claim 1, wherein the spaces between the plurality of array antenna elements are set so as to have a prime number ratio when optionally rearranged.

3. The electronically scanned radar system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of array antenna elements are arranged so as to be bilaterally symmetrical with respect to the center of the receiving antenna.

4. An electronically scanned radar system comprising:

a transmitting antenna which is able to freely transmit a transmission signal constituted of a continuous wave in a manner of performing horizontal scanning in a radar scanning region having a minimum angle θ

_min and a maximum angle θ

_max;

a receiving antenna constituted of a plurality of array antenna elements which are arranged with predetermined spaces therebetween, the receiving antenna being preset with a predetermined number of maximum incoming waves;

mixers for mixing reception signals received by the respective receiving array antenna elements with the transmission signals to obtain beat signals;

A/D converters for sampling the beat signals of individual channels, which beat signals are obtained by the respective mixers, at a predetermined sampling frequency to obtain reception data;

a target detection section for detecting a distance to or/and a relative speed of a target using a high-resolution scheme, on the basis of the reception data, which are the data sampled by the A/D converter, characterized in that;

spaces in the arrangement, i.e. non-uniform spaces, of the plurality of array antenna elements of the receiving array antenna are determined by;

(1) grouping the array antenna elements into a predetermined optionally selected natural number L, in respect of the maximum number of incoming waves L_max of the receiving array antenna, the natural number being equal to or less than the maximum number of incoming waves L_max, to express a set of the groups with G(L,p);

(2) performing the grouping for every combination of the array antenna elements constituting the receiving array antenna to obtain a set expressed by;

G(L,p)≡

{g1, . . . , gk, . . . gL}

(where p is a serial number designated to all the conceivable grouping methods, k is a number designated to each of the groups resulting from the grouping, which is expressed by k=1 . . . , gk is a set of element numbers included in a k^th group);

(3) obtaining a greatest common divisor as a greatest common divisor D_gcd(G(L,p)) of inter-group element spaces, for a set {D_gcd(g1), . . . D_gcd(gk), . . . , D_gcd(gL)} that has, as components, greatest common divisors of inter-element spaces included in individual groups gk constituting each set G(L,p); and

(4) obtaining the greatest common divisor D_gcd(G(L,p)) of inter-group element spaces for each of the optionally selected natural numbers L, and allowing the greatest common divisor D_gcd(G(L,p)) of inter-group element spaces not to exceed the following formula;

5. The electronically scanned radar system according to claim 4, wherein the spaces between the plurality of array antenna elements are set so as to have a prime number ratio when optionally rearranged.

6. The electronically scanned radar system according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of array antenna elements are arranged so as to be bilaterally symmetrical with respect to the center of the receiving antenna.

7. An electronically scanned radar system loaded on a vehicle, comprising:

a transmitting antenna which is able to freely transmit a transmission signal constituted of a continuous wave in a manner of performing horizontal scanning in a radar scanning region having a minimum angle θ

_min and a maximum angle θ

_max; and

a receiving antenna constituted of a plurality of array antenna elements which are arranged with predetermined non-uniform spaces therebetween;

wherein signals are processed using a high-resolution scheme for reception signals received by the array antenna elements, to detect a distance to a target around an own vehicle or/and a relative speed between the own vehicle and the target, characterized in that;

in the receiving antenna, the spaces in the arrangement of the plurality of array antenna elements constituting the receiving array antenna are determined by;

(1) grouping the array antenna elements into the number of incoming waves L (L is two or more) toward the receiving array antenna, to express a set of the groups with G(L,p);

(2) performing the grouping for every combination of the array antenna elements constituting the receiving array antenna to obtain a set expressed by;

G(L,p)≡

{g1, . . . , gk, . . . gL}

(where p is a serial number designated to all the conceivable grouping methods, k is a number designated to each of the groups resulting from the grouping, which is expressed by k=1 . . . , gk is a set of element numbers included in a k^th group);

(3) obtaining a greatest common divisor as a greatest common divisor D_gcd(G(L,p)) of inter-group element spaces, for a set {D_gcd(g1), . . . D_gcd(gk), . . . , D_gcd(gL)} that has, as components, greatest common divisors of inter-element spaces included in individual groups gk constituting each set G(L,p); and

(4) obtaining the greatest common divisor D_gcd(G(L,p)) of inter-group element spaces for each of the optionally selected natural numbers L, and allowing the greatest common divisor D_gcd(G(L,p)) of inter-group element spaces not to exceed the following formula;

8. The electronically scanned radar system according to claim 7, wherein the spaces between the plurality or array antenna elementa are set so as to have a prime number ratio when optionally rearranged.

9. The electronically scanned radar system according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of array antenna elements are arranged so as to be bilaterally symmetrical with respect to the center of the receiving antenna.

10. An electronically scanned radar system loaded on a vehicle, comprising:

a transmitting antenna which is able to freely transmit a transmission signal constituted of a continuous wave in a manner of performing horizontal scanning in an angle of detection having a minimum angle and a maximum angle;

a receiving antenna constituted of a plurality of array antenna elements which are arranged with predetermined spaces therebetween;

mixers for mixing reception signals received by the respective receiving array antenna elements with the transmission signals to obtain beat signals;

A/D converters for sampling the beat signals of individual channels, which beat signals are obtained by the respective mixers, at a predetermined sampling frequency to obtain reception data; and

a target detection section for detecting a distance to or/and a relative speed of a target using a high-resolution scheme, on the basis of the reception data, which are the data sampled by the A/D converter, characterized in that;

non-uniform spaces in the arrangement of the plurality of array antenna elements of the receiving array antenna are determined by;

allowing a greatest common divisor of the spaces between the plurality of array antenna elements to be smaller than a wavelength of the reception signal;

obtaining, when the plurality of array antenna elements are grouped in terms of a set constituted of two groups, greatest common divisors of inter-group element spaces with respect to all the groupings, each greatest common divisor of inter-group element spaces being a greatest common divisor of the set having as components greatest common divisors of inter-element spaces for each of two groups constituting the set; and

allowing a direction not to be caused in the angle of detection, which direction is linearly dependent on an incoming wave corresponding to the greatest common divisor of inter-group element spaces.

11. The electronically scanned radar system according to claim 10, wherein the spaces between the plurality or array antenna elementa are set so as to have a prime number ratio when optionally rearranged.

12. The electronically scanned radar system according to claim 10, wherein the plurality of array antenna elements are arranged so as to be bilaterally symmetrical with respect to the center of the receiving antenna.

13. An electronically scanned radar system loaded on a vehicle, comprising:

a transmitting antenna which is able to freely transmit a transmission signal constituted of a continuous wave in a manner of performing horizontal scanning in an angle of detection having a predetermined minimum angle and maximum angle; and

a receiving antenna constituted of a plurality of array antenna elements which are arranged with predetermined non-uniform spaces therebetween;

wherein signals are processed using a high-resolution scheme for reception signals received by the array antenna elements, to detect a distance to a target around an own vehicle or/and a relative speed between the own vehicle and the target, characterized in that;

in an arrangement of the plurality of array antenna elements of the receiving antenna, the spaces in the receiving antenna are determined by;

obtaining a greatest common divisor of inter-group element spaces as to all groupings

obtaining, when the plurality of array antenna elements are grouped in terms of a set constituted of an L number of groups corresponding to an L number of incoming waves, greatest common divisors of inter-group element spaces with respect to all the groupings, each greatest common divisor of inter-group element spaces being a greatest common divisor of the set having, as components, greatest common divisors of inter-element spaces for the L number of groups constituting the set; and

allowing the greatest common divisor of inter-group element spaces not to exceed L times of a wavelength of the reception signal to prevent production of a false image within each of the angles obtained by dividing the angle of detection into the L number.

14. The electronically scanned radar system according to claim 13, characterized in that the set of groups is obtained for every case where L is an integer value of 1 to L to obtain the greatest common divisor of inter-group element spaces based on the greatest common divisors of each of all the sets of groups.

15. The electronically scanned radar system according to claim 13, wherein the spaces between the plurality or array antenna elementa are set so as to have a prime number ratio when optionally rearranged.

16. The electronically scanned radar system according to claim 13, wherein the plurality of array antenna elements are arranged so as to be bilaterally symmetrical with respect to the center of the receiving antenna.

17. The electronically scanned radar system according to claim 14, wherein the spaces between the plurality or array antenna elementa are set so as to have a prime number ratio when optionally rearranged.

18. The electronically scanned radar system according to claim 14, wherein the plurality of array antenna elements are arranged so as to be bilaterally symmetrical with respect to the center of the receiving antenna.