Radar sensors for motor vehicles

• US 20070002305A1
• Filed: 07/26/2005
• Published: 01/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Steffens, Wolf, Lehre, Klaus
• Granted Patent: US 7,630,061 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/4.10
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/12 Lane keeping
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/605 using a pattern, backscattered from the ground, to determine speed or drift by measuring the time required to cover a fixed distance
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4026 Antenna boresight
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/403 in azimuth, i.e. in the horizontal plane
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4034 in elevation, i.e. in the vertical plane
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4039 of sensor or antenna obstruction, e.g. dirt- or ice-coating
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4052 by simulation of echoes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4091 during normal radar operation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/02 Refracting or diffracting devices, e.g. lens, prism
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/06 using refracting or diffracting devices, e.g. lens radome H01Q1/42
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/065 Zone plate type antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/00 Antennas or antenna systems providing at least two radiating patterns arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern H01Q3/00

Abstract

A radar sensor for motor vehicles, having an optical system which subdivides a radar beam generated by a single antenna element into a plurality of beam components that are radiated in different directions, wherein the optical system has a diffraction grating.

Claims

1. A radar sensor for a motor vehicle comprising:

an antenna element; and

an optical system for subdividing a radar beam generated by the antenna element into a plurality of beam components that are radiated in different directions, the optical system having a diffraction grating.

2. The radar sensor according to claim 1, wherein the diffraction grating is a transmission grating.

3. The radar sensor according to claim 2, wherein the optical system includes a lens and the diffraction grating is integrated into the lens.

4. The radar sensor according to claim 2, wherein the diffraction grating is a blaze grating, which generates only a single secondary beam besides generating a main beam.

5. The radar sensor according to claim 1, wherein the diffraction grating is horizontally oriented, so that a secondary beam is directed slantwise onto a roadway.

6. The radar sensor according to claim 1, wherein the diffraction grating is oriented vertically.

7. The radar sensor according to claim 6, wherein the diffraction grating generates a main beam and exactly two secondary beams lying symmetrically to the main beam.

8. The radar sensor according to claim 1, further comprising a control device for varying a grating constant of the diffraction grating.

9. The radar sensor according to claim 8, wherein the control device is electronically controlled during an operation of the radar sensor.