Antenna, vehicle radar, and vehicle equipped with same

• US 10,871,563 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2016
• Issued: 12/22/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation), Seoul National University R&DB Foundation (Seoul National University)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Hong, Pyonho, Jo, Byeongrim, Park, Juhnho, Lee, Doohee, Koo, Jongseop, Nam, Sangwook
• Primary Examiner(s): McGue, Frank J
• Application Number:
  US15/747,363
• Publication Number:
  US 20180217254A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,614 Days
• Field of Search: 342 55
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/867 Combination of radar systems with cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9316 combined with communication equipment with other vehicles or with base stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93273 on the top of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/03 Details of HF subsystems specially adapted therefor, e.g. common to transmitter and receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/32 Adaptation for use in or on road or rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3208 characterised by the application wherein the antenna is used
• 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 1/3275 mounted on a horizontal surface of the vehicle, e.g. on roof, hood, trunk
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/24 Combinations of antenna units polarised in different directions for transmitting or receiving circularly and elliptically polarised waves or waves linearly polarised in any direction circularly polarised patch antennas H01Q9/0428; circularly polarised horns H01Q13/0241; cross-polarised horns H01Q13/0258; polarisation converters H01Q15/242; cross-polarised rear feeds H01Q19/136; crossed polarisation dual antenna H01Q25/001
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/04 Resonant antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0407 Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna dipole H01Q9/285; monopole H01Q9/40

Abstract

The present invention relates to an antenna, a vehicle radar, and a vehicle equipped with the same. An antenna according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a substrate; a first conductive patch disposed on a first surface of the substrate; a second conductive patch disposed on a second surface of the substrate; first and second feeders electrically connected to the first conductive patch; a plurality of vias surrounding the periphery of the first and second conductive patches; a loop member disposed on the first surface of the substrate and surrounding the vias; and a third feeder electrically connected to the loop member, wherein the area of the first conductive patch and the area of the second conductive patch are the same. Thus, it is possible to stably transmit and receive radio waves in all directions.

Claims

1. An antenna comprising:

a substrate;

a first conductive patch disposed on a front surface of the substrate;

a second conductive patch disposed on a rear surface of the substrate;

first and second feeders electrically connected to the first conductive patch;

a plurality of vias surrounding peripheries of the first and second conductive patches;

a loop member disposed on the front surface of the substrate and surrounding the vias; and

a third feeder electrically connected to the loop member,

wherein the first conductive patch and the second conductive patch have a circular shape,

wherein the first and second feeders penetrate between the front surface of the substrate and the rear surface of the substrate,

wherein a first end of the first feeder is electrically connected to the first conductive patch and a second end of the first feeder is electrically isolated from the second conductive patch,

wherein a first end of the second feeder is electrically connected to the first conductive patch and a second end of the second feeder is electrically isolated from the second conductive patch,

wherein the second end of the first feeder and the second end of the second feeder are connected to first and second conductive members, respectively, and are configured to be applied with a first electrical signal and a second electrical signal, respectively, and

wherein the second end of the first feeder, the second end of the second feeder, the second conductive patch and the plurality of vias surrounding the second conductive patch are formed on the rear surface of the substrate, and the loop member is absent from the rear surface of the substrate.

2. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein electrical signals are applied to the first to third feeders to form magnetic poles of three orthogonal axes.

3. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the first and second feeders isolated from the second conductive patch are electrically connected to the first conductive patch through first and second holes.

4. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the second conductive patch is electrically connected to the ground.

5. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein electrical signals are time-divisionally applied to the first to third feeders to time-divisionally form magnetic dipoles of three orthogonal axes.

6. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein electrical signals are simultaneously applied to the first to third feeders to simultaneously form magnetic dipoles of three orthogonal axes.

7. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the vias are formed in a slot shape.

8. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the loop member includes a plurality of conductive members having a circular shape,

wherein gaps between the plurality of conductive members are formed in the loop member to form a capacitor, and

wherein an area of the first conductive patch is equal to that of the second conductive patch.

9. A vehicle radar comprising:

an antenna;

an antenna drive unit for driving the antenna;

a transmission unit for transmitting a transmission signal to the antenna;

a reception unit for performing signal processing with respect to a reception signal received from the antenna; and

a processor for calculating distance information or phase information of an object located near a vehicle based on the transmission signal and the reception signal,

wherein the antenna comprises;

a substrate;

a first conductive patch disposed on a front surface of the substrate;

a second conductive patch disposed on a rear surface of the substrate;

first and second feeders electrically connected to the first conductive patch;

a plurality of vias surrounding peripheries of the first and second conductive patches;

a loop member disposed on the front surface of the substrate and surrounding the vias; and

a third feeder electrically connected to the loop member,

wherein the first conductive patch and the second conductive patch have a circular shape,

wherein the first and second feeders penetrate between the front surface of the substrate and the rear surface of the substrate,

wherein a first end of the first feeder is electrically connected to the first conductive patch and a second end of the first feeder is electrically isolated from the second conductive patch,

wherein a first end of the second feeder is electrically connected to the first conductive patch and a second end of the second feeder is electrically isolated from the second conductive patch,

wherein the second end of the first feeder and the second end of the second feeder are connected to first and second conductive members, respectively, and are configured to be applied with a first electrical signal and a second electrical signal, respectively, and

wherein the second end of the first feeder, the second end of the second feeder, the second conductive patch and the plurality of vias surrounding the second conductive patch are formed on the rear surface of the substrate, and the loop member is absent from the rear surface of the substrate.

10. The vehicle radar according to claim 9, wherein the processor performs control to apply electrical signals to the first to third feeders to form magnetic poles of three orthogonal axes.

11. The vehicle radar according to claim 9, wherein the processor performs control to time-divisionally apply electrical signals to the first to third feeders to time-divisionally form magnetic dipoles of three orthogonal axes.

12. The vehicle radar according to claim 9, wherein the processor performs control to simultaneously apply electrical signals to the first to third feeders to simultaneously form magnetic dipoles of three orthogonal axes.

13. The vehicle radar according to claim 9, wherein the loop member includes a plurality of conductive members having a circular shape,

wherein gaps between the plurality of conductive members are formed in the loop member to form a capacitor, and

wherein an area of the first conductive patch is equal to that of the second conductive patch.

14. A vehicle comprising:

a plurality of cameras;

a radar; and

a processor for performing control to autonomously drive the vehicle based on images from the plurality of cameras and distance information or phase information from the radar in an autonomous mode,

wherein the radar comprises an antenna comprising a substrate, a first conductive patch disposed on a front surface of the substrate, a second conductive patch disposed on a rear surface of the substrate, first and second feeders electrically connected to the first conductive patch, a plurality of vias surrounding peripheries of the first and second conductive patches, a loop member disposed on the front surface of the substrate and surrounding the vias, and a third feeder electrically connected to the loop member,

wherein the first conductive patch and the second conductive patch have a circular shape,

wherein the first and second feeders penetrate between the front surface of the substrate and the rear surface of the substrate,

wherein a first end of the first feeder is electrically connected to the first conductive patch and a second end of the first feeder is electrically isolated from the second conductive patch,

wherein a first end of the second feeder is electrically connected to the first conductive patch and a second end of the second feeder is electrically isolated from the second conductive patch,

wherein the second end of the first feeder and the second end of the second feeder are connected to first and second conductive members, respectively, and are configured to be applied with a first electrical signal and a second electrical signal, respectively, and

wherein the second end of the first feeder, the second end of the second feeder, the second conductive patch and the plurality of vias surrounding the second conductive patch are formed on the rear surface of the substrate, and the loop member is absent from the rear surface of the substrate.

15. The vehicle according to claim 14, wherein the processor performs control to apply electrical signals to the first to third feeders to form magnetic poles of three orthogonal axes.

16. The vehicle according to claim 14, wherein the processor performs control to time-divisionally apply electrical signals to the first to third feeders to time-divisionally form magnetic dipoles of three orthogonal axes.

17. The vehicle according to claim 14, wherein the processor performs control to simultaneously apply electrical signals to the first to third feeders to simultaneously form magnetic dipoles of three orthogonal axes.

18. The vehicle according to claim 14, wherein the loop member includes a plurality of conductive members having a circular shape,

wherein gaps between the plurality of conductive members are formed in the loop member to form a capacitor, and

wherein an area of the first conductive patch is equal to that of the second conductive patch.