Integrated lens for power and phase setting of DOEWG antenna arrays

• US 9,876,282 B1
• Filed: 04/02/2015
• Issued: 01/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Waymo LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Waymo LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Izadian, Jamal, Smith, Russell
• Primary Examiner(s): Gregory, Bernarr E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mull, Fred H
• Application Number:
  US14/677,004
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• Field of Search: 342385, 343772, 343776, 343780, 343792, 343793-823
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/02 of systems according to group G01S13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/03 Details of HF subsystems specially adapted therefor, e.g. common to transmitter and receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/06 Waveguide mouths horns H01Q13/02
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/02 Refracting or diffracting devices, e.g. lens, prism
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/062 for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0037 linear waveguide fed arrays

Abstract

The present application discloses a dual open-ended waveguide (DOEWG) antenna apparatus. The apparatus may include a plurality of radiating elements configured to radiate electromagnetic energy. Each radiating element may have an associated amplitude and phase. The apparatus may further include a waveguide configured to propagate an electromagnetic signal from a waveguide feed to the radiating elements. The radiating elements are arranged in a plurality of doublets. Each doublet includes at least two radiating elements and is coupled to the waveguide via a respective doublet neck. At least one doublet in the plurality of doublets is coupled to the waveguide via a doublet neck that has a first height proximate a first radiating element in the at least one doublet and a second height proximate a second radiating element in the at least one doublet in which the first height is different from the second height.

Claims

1. A radar system comprising:

a plurality of radiating elements configured to radiate electromagnetic energy, wherein each radiating element of the plurality of radiating elements has an associated amplitude and phase, wherein the plurality of radiating elements is located on a top surface of a first layer; and

a waveguide configured to propagate an electromagnetic signal from a waveguide feed to the plurality of radiating elements, wherein the waveguide feed is located on a bottom surface of a second layer, and wherein a portion of the waveguide is located in the first layer and portion of the waveguide is located in the second layer and a coupling of the first layer to the second layer forms the waveguide,

wherein the plurality of radiating elements are arranged in a plurality of doublets, wherein each doublet comprises two radiating elements and is coupled to the waveguide via a respective doublet neck located in the first layer, wherein at least one doublet in the plurality of doublets is coupled to the waveguide via a doublet neck that has a first height proximate a first radiating element in the at least one doublet and a second height proximate a second radiating element in the at least one doublet in which the first height is different from the second height, and wherein the at least one doublet has a corresponding reflecting component in the waveguide, wherein the reflecting component is located wholly in the second layer.

2. The radar system according to claim 1, wherein the amplitude of the plurality of radiating elements is determined based on a taper profile.

3. The radar system according to claim 1, wherein the reflecting component comprises a protrusion into the waveguide.

4. The radar system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of doublets includes at least five doublets.

5. The radar system according to claim 1, wherein at least one doublet in the plurality of doublets comprises a phase adjustment section associated with one of the radiating elements of the at least one doublet, wherein the phase adjustment section comprises a step in the height of the doublet neck associated with the radiating element.

6. The radar system according to claim 1, wherein each doublet of the plurality of doublets has a corresponding reflecting component in the waveguide.

7. The radar system according to claim 1, wherein the waveguide antenna is configured to operate at 77 Gigahertz (GHz).

8. A method of radiating a radar signal comprising:

propagating electromagnetic energy via a waveguide from a waveguide feed to the plurality of radiating elements, wherein the waveguide feed is located on a bottom surface of a second layer, and wherein a portion of the waveguide is located in a first layer and portion of the waveguide is located in the second layer and a coupling of the first layer to the second layer forms the waveguide;

coupling at least a portion of the electromagnetic energy from the waveguide to each one of a plurality of doublets, wherein each doublet comprises two radiating elements and is coupled to the waveguide via a respective doublet neck located in the first layer, wherein at least one doublet in the plurality of doublets is coupled to the waveguide via a doublet neck that has a first height proximate a first radiating element in the at least one doublet and a second height proximate a second radiating element in the at least one doublet in which the first height is different from the second height, and wherein the at least one doublet has a corresponding reflecting component in the waveguide, wherein each doublet is located on a top surface of a first layer and wherein the reflecting component is located wholly in the second layer; and

radiating at least a portion of the coupled electromagnetic energy via each radiating element in the plurality of doublets, wherein each radiating element has an associated amplitude and phase.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the amplitude of the plurality of radiating elements is determined based on a taper profile.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the reflecting component comprises a protrusion into the waveguide.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of doublets includes at least five doublets.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein at least one doublet in the plurality of doublets comprises a phase adjustment section associated with one of the radiating elements of the at least one doublet, wherein the phase adjustment section comprises a step in the height of the doublet neck associated with the radiating element.

13. The method according to claim 8, wherein each doublet of the plurality of doublets has a corresponding reflecting component in the waveguide.

14. A radiating structure comprising:

a feed layer configured to receive electromagnetic waves into a waveguide wherein the feed layer comprises at least one reflecting component located wholly in the feed layer;

a waveguide configured to propagate electromagnetic energy, wherein the wherein a portion of the waveguide is located in the feed layer and portion of the waveguide is located in a radiating layer and a coupling of the feed layer to the waveguide layer forms the waveguide;

the radiating layer coupled to the feed layer, wherein;

the radiating layer comprises a linear array of radiating elements, wherein the array comprises;

a plurality of radiating elements configured to radiate electromagnetic energy, wherein each radiating element of the plurality of radiating elements has an associated amplitude and phase; and

wherein the plurality of radiating elements are arranged in a plurality of doublets, wherein each doublet comprises two radiating elements and is coupled to the waveguide via a respective doublet neck, wherein at least one doublet in the plurality of doublets is coupled to the waveguide via a doublet neck that has a first height proximate a first radiating element in the at least one doublet and a second height proximate a second radiating element in the at least one doublet in which the first height is different from the second height, and wherein the at least one doublet has a corresponding one of the at least one reflecting component in the waveguide.