Asymmetrical multi-beam radar sensor

• US 6,462,700 B1
• Filed: 09/06/2001
• Issued: 10/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Lucas, Bernhard, Schmidt, Ewald, Beez, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotomayor, John B.
• Application Number:
  US09/857,563
• Time in Patent Office: 397 Days
• Field of Search: 342/70, 342/71, 342/72, 342/175, 343/700.MS, 343/720, 343/725, 343/753, 343/761, 343/781.CA, 343/785, 343/909, 343/911.R
• US Class Current: 342/70
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/424 Stacked beam radar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/032 Constructional details for solid-state radar subsystems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1207 for fastening a rigid aerial element
• 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 13/24 constituted by a dielectric or ferromagnetic rod or pipe H01Q13/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/062 for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/007 using two or more primary active elements in the focal region of a focusing device for operation on different wavebands H01Q5/22
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/008 lens fed multibeam arrays

Abstract

A multi-beam radar sensor having at least two transmitting/receiving patches, in which the patches, assigned polyrods, and/or a dielectric lens are configured so as to be asymmetrical. As a result of this asymmetrical arrangement, asymmetrical beam paths result for the transmitting and receiving beams. These asymmetrical beam paths cause the average error amount in the angle measurement of the radar sensor to be less than in the case of a symmetrical arrangement.

Claims

1. A multi-beam radar sensor comprising:

at least two transmitting and receiving patches on a support; and

at least one of assigned polyrods and a dielectric lens;

wherein the radar sensor is monostatic and is arranged so that at least one of a transmitting beam and a receiving beam has an asymmetrical beam path with respect to a median plane of the radar sensor.

2. The radar sensor of claim 1, wherein the at least two transmitting and receiving patches are arranged at an unequal distance from the median plane.

3. The radar sensor of claim 1, wherein the assigned polyrods are arranged at an unequal distance from the median plane.

4. The radar sensor of claim 1, wherein lateral polyrods of the assigned polyrods are arranged at unequal and lateral angles with respect to the median plane.

5. The radar sensor of claim 1, wherein lateral polyrods of the assigned polyrods have different geometries.

6. The radar sensor of claim 1, wherein lateral polyrods of the assigned polyrods are constructed of different dielectric materials.

7. The radar sensor of claim 1, wherein the dielectric lens is asymmetrical with respect to the median plane for generating an asymmetrical central beam.

8. The radar sensor of claim 1, wherein an arrangement of a central polyrod of the assigned polyrods and at least one of the at least two transmitting and receiving patches is shifted with respect to the dielectric lens so that a central beam path lies outside of the median plane.

9. The radar sensor of claim 1, wherein the at least two transmitting and receiving patches having the assigned polyrods relative to the dielectric lens are laterally shifted with respect to median plane.

10. The radar sensor of claim 1, wherein the radar sensor is arranged on a motor vehicle and is configured for evaluating an angle.