Dual-band antenna array and RF front-end for MM-wave imager and radar

• US 8,305,255 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2011
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Margomenos, Alexandros
• Primary Examiner(s): GREGORY, BERNARR E
• Application Number:
  US13/237,741
• Publication Number:
  US 20120007765A1
• Time in Patent Office: 413 Days
• Field of Search: 342/27, 342/28, 342/59, 342 70- 72, 342/175, 342/195, 342/118, 342128-133, 342/176, 342/179, 342/188, 342192-194, 342/196, 342/197, 342361-377, 343/700.MS, 343/700.R, 343711-717, 343/793, 343/810, 343/812, 343/815, 343/817, 343/818, 343833-840, 343/872, 343/873
• US Class Current: 342/70
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/86 Combinations of radar systems with non-radar systems, e.g. sonar, direction finder
• 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 2013/93275 in the bumper area
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/032 Constructional details for solid-state radar subsystems
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48227 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• 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 21/0093 Monolithic arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/065 Patch antenna array

Abstract

The radar includes a PCB having a top surface and a bottom surface, and a processor mounted on the bottom surface of the PCB. The radar includes a second liquid crystal polymer layer formed on the top surface of the printed circuit board, a second microstrip array printed on the second liquid crystal polymer layer, the second microstrip array having a patch, a first liquid crystal polymer layer formed on the second liquid crystal polymer layer, a first microstrip array printed on the first liquid crystal polymer layer, the first microstrip array having a perforated patch, an antenna positioned underneath the patch and connected to the second microstrip array, and a transmit/receive module connected to a bottom surface of the second liquid crystal polymer layer and configured to transmit a first frequency signal to the first microstrip array and a second frequency signal to the second microstrip array.

Claims

1. A radar for an automobile comprising:

a printed circuit board having a first surface and a second surface;

a processor coupled to the second surface of the printed circuit board, the processor configured to generate a first frequency signal and a second frequency signal;

a first substrate layer coupled with the first surface of the printed circuit board, the first substrate layer having a first patch having an opening therein;

a second substrate layer positioned between the first substrate layer and the first surface of the printed circuit board, the second substrate layer having a first patch disposed adjacent the opening of the first patch of the first substrate layer; and

a transmit module connected to the processor and coupled with first patch of the first substrate layer and the first patch of the second substrate layer, the transmit module configured to transmit the first frequency signal to the first patch of the first substrate layer and the second frequency signal to the first patch of the second substrate layer.

2. The radar of claim 1 wherein the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer are bonded together.

3. The radar of claim 1 wherein the transmit module comprises a transmit and receive module.

4. The radar of claim 1 wherein the first patch of the second substrate layer is positioned directly beneath the opening of the first patch of the first substrate layer.

5. The radar of claim 1 wherein:

the first substrate layer has a second patch having an opening therein, the second patch of the first substrate layer connected to the first patch of the first substrate layer; and

the second substrate layer has a second patch, the second patch of the second substrate layer connected to the first patch of the second substrate layer and disposed adjacent to the opening of the second patch of the first substrate layer.

6. The radar of claim 1 wherein the opening of the first patch of the first substrate layer is formed with a first portion being smaller in perimeter than a second portion to further improve radiation performance of the opening of the first patch of the first substrate layer.

7. The radar of claim 1 further comprising a packaging layer positioned between the second substrate layer and the first surface of the printed circuit board, the packaging layer having a cavity for holding the transmit module.

8. The radar of claim 7 further comprising an Intermediate Frequency filter embedded in or fabricated on the packaging layer.

9. A radar for an automobile comprising:

a printed circuit board having a first surface and a second surface;

a processor coupled to the second surface of the printed circuit board, the processor configured to generate a first frequency signal and a second frequency signal;

a packaging layer coupled with the first surface of the printed circuit board;

a first liquid crystal polymer layer coupled with the first surface of the printed circuit board;

a first patch array printed on the first liquid crystal polymer layer, the first patch array including a first patch with a perforation, the first patch configured to radiate the first frequency signal;

a second liquid crystal polymer layer positioned between the first liquid crystal polymer layer and the first surface of the printed circuit board;

a second patch array printed on the second liquid crystal polymer layer, the second patch array including a second patch, the second patch configured to radiate the second frequency signal through the perforation of the first patch;

a ground plane positioned between the first liquid crystal polymer layer and the second liquid crystal polymer layer; and

a transmit module in communication with the processor and configured to transmit the first frequency signal to the first patch.

10. The radar of claim 9 wherein the transmit module is further configured to transmit the second frequency signal to the second patch.

11. The radar of claim 9 further comprising a second transmit module in communication with the processor, the second transmit module configured to transmit the second frequency signal to the second patch.

12. The radar of claim 9 further comprising a thermal via positioned adjacent to the transmit module for removing heat from the transmit module.

13. The radar of claim 9 further comprising periodic structures etched on the ground plane for creating bandgap filter effects.

14. The radar of claim 9 further comprising a lens positioned over the first patch or the second patch for focusing a received mm-wave ray.

15. The radar of claim 14 wherein the lens is transparent at one of the first frequency signal or the second frequency signal.

16. The radar of claim 14 wherein the lens operates for both the first frequency signal and the second frequency signal.

17. The radar of claim 9 wherein the packaging layer comprises a liquid crystal polymer.

18. A method for communicating a plurality of signals via a dual-band antenna comprising the steps of:

providing a first antenna disposed in a first plane and a second antenna disposed in a second plane substantially parallel with the first plane, the first antenna having a first patch having a first perforation, the second antenna having a second patch exposed by the first perforation of the first patch of the first antenna;

generating a first signal having a first frequency and a second signal having a second frequency;

emitting the first signal from the first patch of the first antenna; and

emitting the second signal from the second patch of the second antenna, the second signal emitted through the first perforation of the first patch of the first antenna.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising the steps of:

receiving a third signal having the first frequency by the first patch of the first antenna; and

receiving a fourth signal having the second frequency by the second patch of the second antenna, the fourth signal received through the first perforation of the first patch of the first antenna.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising the steps of:

providing a lens positioned adjacent the first patch of the first antenna or the second patch of the second antenna;

focusing a plurality of millimeter waves through the lens to a focal plane, the focal plane substantially parallel with the first plane of the first antenna and the second plane of the second antenna;

detecting the plurality of millimeter waves; and

reconstructing the third signal or the fourth signal from the plurality of millimeter waves.