Methods and systems for synthesis of a waveguide array antenna

• US 9,766,605 B1
• Filed: 08/07/2014
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Waymo LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Izadian, Jamal
• Primary Examiner(s): JARRETT, RYAN A
• Application Number:
  US14/454,371
• Time in Patent Office: 1,139 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/10 Resonant slot antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0043 Slotted waveguides combination with horns H01Q13/0233
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/005 Slotted waveguides arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0087 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing antenna arrays manufacturing waveguides H01P11/00

Abstract

A method may involve receiving one or more criteria for a waveguide array antenna. The waveguide array antenna includes a plurality of waveguides. The plurality of waveguides may include a plurality of radiation elements. The method may also involve determining a dataset configured to associate radiation characteristics of a given radiation element with given configuration parameters including a given resonance length a given rotation angle of the given radiation element. The method also involves generating configuration parameters for the plurality of radiation elements based on the dataset. The configuration parameters may cause the waveguide array antenna to be associated with the one or more criteria. The method may also involve providing a request for fabrication of the waveguide array antenna to have the plurality of radiation elements configured according to the configuration parameters.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a device that includes one or more processors, one or more criteria for a waveguide array antenna, wherein the waveguide array antenna includes a plurality of waveguides, and wherein a given waveguide has a broad-side having a first width and a short-side having a second width less than the first width, and wherein the plurality of waveguides include a plurality of radiation elements arranged within short-sides of the plurality of waveguides according to a given arrangement;

determining a dataset configured to associate radiation characteristics of a given radiation element with given configuration parameters including a given resonance length and a given rotation angle of the given radiation element;

generating, based on the dataset, configuration parameters for the plurality of radiation elements to cause the waveguide array antenna to be associated with the one or more criteria; and

providing, by the device, a request for fabrication of the waveguide array antenna to have the plurality of radiation elements configured according to the configuration parameters.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more criteria include one or more of given radiation characteristics, size, shape, input impedance, gain, efficiency, frequency bandwidth, polarization, directivity, beamwidth characteristics, or sidelobe characteristics of the waveguide array antenna, and wherein the one or more criteria include one or more of the given arrangement, a number of the plurality of radiation elements, or a given shape of the plurality of radiation elements.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the given radiation element has a non-linear shape.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of radiation elements include one or more of Z-slots or S-slots, and wherein the waveguide array antenna corresponds to a short-wall slotted waveguide array antenna.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, based on the dataset, radiation patterns associated with the given configuration parameters of the given radiation element that correspond to a given input signal to the given radiation element; and

determining, based on a comparison between the radiation patterns and a particular radiation pattern of the waveguide array antenna indicated by the one or more criteria, the configuration parameters of the plurality of radiation elements to cause the waveguide array antenna to have the particular radiation pattern.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, based on the dataset, given impedances associated with given configuration parameters of the given radiation element; and

determining, based on the given impedances, the configuration parameters of the plurality of radiation elements from within the dataset to cause the waveguide array antenna to have a particular input impedance indicated by the one or more criteria.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining, based on the given impedances, mutual impedances of the plurality of radiation elements pertaining to mutual coupling between the plurality of radiation elements associated with the given arrangement, wherein determining the configuration parameters from within the dataset is based also on the mutual impedances.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein instructions, that when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

receiving one or more criteria for a waveguide array antenna, wherein the waveguide array antenna includes a plurality of waveguides, and wherein a given waveguide has a broad-side having a first width and a short-side having a second width less than the first width, and wherein the plurality of waveguides include a plurality of radiation elements arranged within short-sides of the plurality of waveguides according to a given arrangement;

determining a dataset configured to associate radiation characteristics of a given radiation element with given configuration parameters including a given resonance length and a given rotation angle of the given radiation element;

generating, based on the dataset, configuration parameters for the plurality of radiation elements to cause the waveguide array antenna to be associated with the one or more criteria; and

providing a request for fabrication of the waveguide array antenna to have the plurality of radiation elements configured according to the configuration parameters.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the one or more criteria include one or more of given radiation characteristics, size, shape, input impedance, gain, efficiency, frequency bandwidth, polarization, directivity, beamwidth characteristics, or sidelobe characteristics of the waveguide array antenna, and wherein the one or more criteria include one or more of the given arrangement, a number of the plurality of radiation elements, or a given shape of the plurality of radiation elements.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the given radiation element has a non-linear shape.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the plurality of radiation elements include one or more of z-slots or s-slots, and wherein the waveguide array antenna corresponds to a short-wall slotted waveguide array antenna.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, the functions further comprising:

determining, based on the dataset, radiation patterns associated with the given configuration parameters of the given radiation element that correspond to a given input signal to the given radiation element; and

determining, based on a comparison between the radiation patterns and a particular radiation pattern of the waveguide array antenna indicated by the one or more criteria, the configuration parameters of the plurality of radiation elements to cause the waveguide array antenna to have the particular radiation pattern.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, the functions further comprising:

determining, based on the dataset, given impedances associated with given configuration parameters of the given radiation element; and

determining, based on the given impedances, the configuration parameters of the plurality of radiation elements from within the dataset to cause the waveguide array antenna to have a particular input impedance indicated by the one or more criteria.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, the functions further comprising:

determining, based on the given impedances, mutual impedances of the plurality of radiation elements pertaining to mutual coupling between the plurality of radiation elements associated with the given arrangement, wherein determining the configuration parameters from within the dataset is based also on the mutual impedances.

15. A device comprising:

one or more processors; and

data storage configured to store instructions executable by the one or more processors to cause the device to;

receive one or more criteria for a waveguide array antenna, wherein the waveguide array antenna includes a plurality of waveguides, and wherein a given waveguide has a broad-side having a first width and a short-side having a second width less than the first width, and wherein the plurality of waveguides include a plurality of radiation elements arranged within short-sides of the plurality of waveguides according to a given arrangement;

determine a dataset configured to associate radiation characteristics of a given radiation element with given configuration parameters including a given resonance length and a given rotation angle of the given radiation element;

generate, based on the dataset, configuration parameters for the plurality of radiation elements to cause the waveguide array antenna to be associated with the one or more criteria; and

provide a request for fabrication of the waveguide array antenna to have the plurality of radiation elements configured according to the configuration parameters.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the one or more criteria include one or more of given radiation characteristics, size, shape, input impedance, gain, efficiency, frequency bandwidth, polarization, directivity, beamwidth characteristics, or sidelobe characteristics of the waveguide array antenna, and wherein the one or more criteria include one or more of the given arrangement, a number of the plurality of radiation elements, or a given shape of the plurality of radiation elements.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein the plurality of radiation elements include one or more of z-slots or s-slots, and wherein the waveguide array antenna corresponds to a short-wall slotted waveguide array antenna.

18. The device of claim 15, wherein the instructions executable by the one or more processors further cause the device to:

determine, based on the dataset, radiation patterns associated with the given configuration parameters of the given radiation element that correspond to a given input signal to the given radiation element; and

determine, based on a comparison between the radiation patterns and a particular radiation pattern of the waveguide array antenna indicated by the one or more criteria, the configuration parameters of the plurality of radiation elements to cause the waveguide array antenna to have the particular radiation pattern.

19. The device of claim 15, wherein the instructions executable by the one or more processors further cause the device to:

determine, based on the dataset, given impedances associated with given configuration parameters of the given radiation element; and

determine, based on the given impedances, the configuration parameters of the plurality of radiation elements from within the dataset to cause the waveguide array antenna to have a particular input impedance indicated by the one or more criteria.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the instructions executable by the one or more processors further cause the device to:

determine, based on the given impedances, mutual impedances of the plurality of radiation elements pertaining to mutual coupling between the plurality of radiation elements associated with the given arrangement, wherein determining the configuration parameters from within the dataset is based also on the mutual impedances.