Partial covering radome for a radar unit

• US 9,024,804 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aptiv Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Shi, Shawn, Vess, David Jay
• Primary Examiner(s): GREGORY, BERNARR E
• Application Number:
  US13/617,883
• Publication Number:
  US 20140159942A1
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• Field of Search: 396/7, 396/12, 396/89, 396/103, 396/419, 318/280, 340/933, 340/937, 244 31- 319, 342/5, 342/11, 342 52- 55, 342 61- 66, 342 70- 72, 342/175, 342/27, 342/28, 343/872, 343/873
• US Class Current: 342/55
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/867 Combination of radar systems with cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93276 in the windshield area
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/027 Constructional details of housings, e.g. form, type, material or ruggedness
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1271 for mounting on windscreens
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/22 by structural association with other equipment or articles
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3266 using the mirror of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3291 mounted in or on other locations inside the vehicle or vehicle body
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/42 Housings not intimately mechanically associated with radiating elements, e.g. radome

Abstract

A sensor assembly that integrates a camera and a radar sensor is described herein. The sensor assembly includes a housing configured to partially enclose the camera and the radar sensor, and define a partial radome that partially intrudes into the radar beam. The partial radome is configured such that after passing through the partial radome a first phase angle of the first portion of the radar beam differs from a second phase angle of the second portion of the radar beam by an amount substantially corresponding to an integer number of three hundred sixty degrees (360°) of phase angle shift. The partial radome provides glare shield to the camera, protection to assembly, and is configured to minimally effect radar performance.

Claims

1. A sensor assembly comprising:

a camera configured to capture an image based on a light wave received from a camera field of view;

a radar sensor configured to emit a radar beam toward a radar field of view and receive a reflected radar signal from the radar field of view, wherein said radar field of view substantially corresponds to the camera field of view; and

a partial radome configured such that a first portion of the radar beam passes through the partial radome and a second portion of the radar beam bypasses the partial radome.

2. The sensor assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein the partial radome is configured such that after passing through the partial radome a first phase angle of the first portion of the radar beam differs from a second phase angle of the second portion of the radar beam by an amount substantially corresponding to an integer number of three hundred sixty degrees (360°

) of phase angle shift.

3. The sensor assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the partial radome is further configured to provide a glare shield for the camera.

4. The sensor assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the partial radome is formed of a plurality of layers of distinct materials.

5. The sensor assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the partial radome is configured to minimize reflection of the radar beam.