Waveguide antenna and related device

Abstract

A waveguide antenna and a related device relate to the technical field of millimeter wave radars. The waveguide antenna comprises at least one power division unit and N waveguides, the at least one power division unit is used for dividing a first signal from a radio frequency chip into N paths of signals, the N paths of signals are transmitted through the N waveguides respectively, at least two waveguides in the N waveguides are different in length, and N is an integer larger than 1. The waveguide antenna can meet different requirements of different application scenes on the detection capability of the antenna at the same time.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of millimeter-wave radar, and particularly to a waveguide antenna and related devices. Background Art

[0002] A waveguide is a structure used to direct and guide electromagnetic waves. It is mainly used as a transmission line at microwave frequencies and is used in microwave radio link devices such as radars to connect microwave transmitters and receivers to their antennas.

[0003] In a millimeter-wave radar system, a three-dimensional waveguide antenna has obvious advantages over a planar printed circuit board (PCB) printed antenna in terms of loss and broadband characteristics, and has been widely used in various application scenarios of millimeter-wave radar systems. For example, rear cross traffic alert (RCTA), forward cross traffic alert (FCTA), lane change assist (LCA), blind spot detection (BSD), etc. for vehicles.

[0004] However, different application scenarios have different requirements for the detection capabilities of antennas in millimeter-wave radar systems, and the current symmetric wide-beam antennas cannot simultaneously meet the different requirements for the detection capabilities of antennas in different application scenarios. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Embodiments of this application provide a waveguide antenna and related devices, which can simultaneously meet the different requirements for the detection capabilities of antennas in different application scenarios.

[0006] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a waveguide antenna, which includes:

[0007] At least one power splitting unit and N waveguides, where N is an integer greater than 1;

[0008] The at least one power splitting unit is configured to split a first signal from a radio frequency chip into N paths of signals, and the N paths of signals are respectively transmitted via the N waveguides;

[0009] At least two of the N waveguides have different lengths.

[0010] In an embodiment of the present application, a waveguide antenna is provided, which can be applied to a millimeter-wave radar or a millimeter-wave radar system. At least one power division unit in the waveguide antenna is used to divide a first signal from a radio frequency chip into N signals, and the N signals are respectively transmitted through N waveguides in the waveguide antenna. At least two of the N waveguides have different lengths, so as to realize different phases and amplitudes of the signals fed into different waveguides. It can be seen therefrom that in the embodiment of the present application, the difference between the phases and amplitudes of the signals fed into different waveguides can be realized by setting the difference between the lengths of the N waveguides, so that the main beam formed by the signals transmitted in the N waveguides can point to a specific direction, so as to meet the requirements for the detection ability of the antenna in the current application scenario.

[0011] Currently, different application scenarios have put forward different requirements for the detection ability of antennas. For example, the LCA scenario generally acts on the front or the rear side area of the vehicle, and the action distance is generally about 150m; the RCTA scenario mainly acts on the side of the vehicle body, and the action distance is generally about 100m. It can be seen from a comparison between the LCA scenario and the RCTA scenario that in the LCA scenario, due to the relatively long action distance, a higher antenna gain is required. Limited by the link gain and the antenna scale, the traditional single-antenna form usually has difficulty meeting the coverage requirements; while in the RCTA scenario, due to the relatively short action distance, the reflected energy of the vehicle target will be relatively large, and the electromagnetic energy scattered by the target object is received by the receiving antenna after multiple-path reflection, which will deteriorate the link interference and noise. Therefore, a lower antenna gain is required. When the above LCA scenario and RCTA scenario exist at the same time, the current symmetric wide-beam antenna cannot meet the different requirements for the detection ability of the antenna in the above two application scenarios at the same time.

[0012] However, in the embodiment of the present application, the difference between the phases and amplitudes of the signals fed into different waveguides can be realized by setting the difference between the lengths of the N waveguides, so that the main beam formed by the signals transmitted in the N waveguides can point to the direction where the LCA scenario acts, which can not only meet the coverage requirements of the LCA scenario, but also share the excessive antenna gain in the RCTA scenario, reduce the reflected energy of the vehicle target, reduce the link interference and noise deterioration, and meet the different requirements for the detection ability of the antenna in different application scenarios (LCA scenario and RCTA scenario) at the same time.

[0013] In a possible implementation manner, the N waveguides are arranged in parallel, and the N waveguides include at least one bent waveguide and at least one straight waveguide.

[0014] In an embodiment of the present application, a possible specific embodiment of arranging N waveguides is provided. Specifically, the N waveguides are arranged in parallel, and the N waveguides include at least one bent waveguide and at least one straight waveguide. Optionally, the at least one bent waveguide can be arranged by winding the wire to achieve different lengths of at least two waveguides among the N waveguides. Optionally, the at least one bent waveguide and the at least one straight waveguide can also be arranged in a staggered manner to achieve different lengths of at least two waveguides among the N waveguides. Through the arrangement manner of the N waveguides in the embodiment of the present application, the difference in the lengths of the N waveguides can be realized, so as to realize the difference in the phase and amplitude of the signals fed into different waveguides.

[0015] In a possible embodiment, the at least one power splitting unit includes a first power splitting unit and a second power splitting unit, and the first power splitting unit and the second power splitting unit are cascaded.

[0016] In an embodiment of the present application, a possible specific embodiment of at least one power splitting unit is provided. Specifically, the at least one power splitting unit includes a first power splitting unit and a second power splitting unit, and the first power splitting unit and the second power splitting unit are cascaded. The first signal of the radio frequency chip is divided into N paths of signals after passing through the cascaded first power splitting unit and second power splitting unit, and are respectively transmitted through the N waveguides. Through the design of the cascaded multiple power splitting units in the embodiment of the present application, combined with the arrangement manner of the N waveguides, the longitudinal size of the waveguide antenna can be reduced, and the miniaturized design of the power splitting structure of the waveguide antenna can be realized.

[0017] In a possible embodiment, at least two of the N paths of signals have different powers.

[0018] In an embodiment of the present application, a possible specific embodiment of N paths of signals is provided. Specifically, at least two of the N paths of signals have different powers. It can be understood that the first signal of the radio frequency chip is power split into N paths of signals with different powers of at least two paths through at least one power splitting unit to realize the difference in the powers of the signals fed into different waveguides, so as to simultaneously meet the different requirements of different application scenarios for the detection ability of the antenna. Optionally, the signal with a larger power is used to meet the coverage requirement of a longer operating distance in the LCA scenario, and the signal with a smaller power is used to meet the coverage requirement of a shorter operating distance in the RCTA scenario and the detection requirement of reducing link interference and noise deterioration.

[0019] In a possible embodiment, the N waveguides are respectively connected to N radiation antennas, and the radiation antennas include at least one radiation unit.

[0020] In an embodiment of the present application, a possible specific embodiment of a waveguide antenna is provided. Specifically, N waveguides in the waveguide antenna are respectively connected to N radiation antennas, and each radiation antenna includes at least one radiation unit. N signals are respectively transmitted to the N radiation antennas via the N waveguides and radiated out from the radiation units of the radiation antennas. Optionally, the radiation units included in each of the N radiation antennas may be the same or different, and the embodiments of the present application do not limit this.

[0021] In a possible embodiment, the at least one power splitting unit, the N waveguides, and the N radiation antennas are disposed on a first plane, and the radiation units are disposed perpendicular to the first plane.

[0022] In an embodiment of the present application, a possible specific embodiment of a waveguide antenna is provided. Specifically, the at least one power splitting unit, the N waveguides, and the N radiation antennas in the waveguide antenna are disposed on the same plane (the first plane), and the radiation units are disposed perpendicular to the first plane. It can be understood that the opening direction of the radiation units in the radiation antennas is perpendicular to the first plane, or it can be understood that the direction in which the signals are radiated out from the radiation units is perpendicular to the first plane, or it can also be understood that the signal transmission direction in the N waveguides is perpendicular to the direction in which the signals are radiated out from the radiation units.

[0023] In a possible embodiment, the input port of the at least one power splitting unit is connected to the first port of the turning structure, and the second port of the turning structure is connected to the waveguide outlet of the RF chip.

[0024] In an embodiment of the present application, a possible specific embodiment of a waveguide antenna is provided. Specifically, the input port of the at least one power splitting unit in the waveguide antenna is connected to the waveguide outlet of the RF chip through a turning structure, that is, the input port of the at least one power splitting unit is connected to the first port of the turning structure, and the second port of the turning structure is connected to the waveguide outlet of the RF chip. Through the turning structure in the embodiment of the present application, a stepped structure design with a dislocation in the signal radiation direction between the input port of the at least one power splitting unit and the waveguide outlet of the RF chip can be realized. In the actual processing process, the overall thickness of the waveguide antenna can be effectively reduced, the material cost can be saved, and the overall thickness of the waveguide antenna can be designed in a compact manner.

[0025] In a possible embodiment, the waveguide outlet of the RF chip has a first offset relative to the input port of the at least one power splitting unit in a first direction, and the first direction is the direction in which the radiation antenna radiates signals.

[0026] In an embodiment of the present application, a possible specific embodiment of a waveguide antenna is provided. Specifically, the input port of at least one power splitter unit in the waveguide antenna is connected to the waveguide outlet of the radio frequency chip through a turning structure, and the waveguide outlet of the radio frequency chip has a certain degree of offset (i.e., the first offset) relative to the input port of at least one power splitter unit in the signal radiation direction. Through the turning structure in the embodiment of the present application, a misaligned stepped structure design of the input port of at least one power splitter unit and the waveguide outlet of the radio frequency chip in the signal radiation direction can be realized. In the actual processing process, the overall thickness of the waveguide antenna can be effectively reduced, saving material costs while achieving a compact design of the overall thickness of the waveguide antenna.

[0027] In a possible embodiment, when N = 5, the power distribution ratio of the N-way signals is 1:1:4:1:1;

[0028] The at least one power splitter unit includes a one-to-five power splitter. The input port of the one-to-five power splitter is connected to the waveguide outlet of the radio frequency chip, and the five output ports of the one-to-five power splitter are respectively connected to five waveguides;

[0029] Alternatively, the at least one power splitter unit includes a one-to-three power splitter and two one-to-two power splitters. The input port of the one-to-three power splitter is connected to the waveguide outlet of the radio frequency chip. The three output ports of the one-to-three power splitter are respectively connected in cascade to a waveguide and the input ports of the two one-to-two power splitters. The four output ports of the two one-to-two power splitters are respectively connected to four waveguides.

[0030] In an embodiment of the present application, a possible specific embodiment of at least one power splitter unit is provided. Specifically, when it is necessary to split a first signal from a radio frequency chip into five signals, the power distribution ratio of the five signals can be 1:1:4:1:1 to simultaneously meet the different requirements of the LCA scenario and the RCTA scenario for the detection ability of the antenna.

[0031] Correspondingly, the at least one power splitter unit may include a one-to-five power splitter. The input port of the one-to-five power splitter is connected to the waveguide outlet of the radio frequency chip, and the five output ports of the one-to-five power splitter are respectively connected to five waveguides to realize a power distribution ratio of 1:1:4:1:1 for the five signals in the five waveguides.

[0032] Alternatively, the at least one power splitter unit may include a one-to-three power splitter and two one-to-two power splitters. Among them, the input port of the one-to-three power splitter is connected to the waveguide outlet of the radio frequency chip. The three output ports of the one-to-three power splitter are respectively cascaded and connected to one waveguide and the input ports of the two one-to-two power splitters. The four output ports of the two one-to-two power splitters are respectively connected to four waveguides, so as to achieve a power distribution ratio of 1:1:4:1:1 for the five signals in the five waveguides.

[0033] Alternatively, the at least one power splitter unit may include two one-to-three power splitters. Among them, the input port of the first one-to-three power splitter of the two one-to-three power splitters is connected to the waveguide outlet of the radio frequency chip. The three output ports of the first one-to-three power splitter are respectively cascaded and connected to two waveguides and the input port of the second one-to-three power splitter of the two one-to-three power splitters. The three output ports of the second one-to-three power splitter are respectively connected to three waveguides, so as to achieve a power distribution ratio of 1:1:4:1:1 for the five signals in the five waveguides.

[0034] Alternatively, the at least one power splitter unit may include a one-to-four power splitter and a one-to-two power splitter. Among them, the input port of the one-to-four power splitter is connected to the waveguide outlet of the radio frequency chip. The four output ports of the one-to-four power splitter are respectively cascaded and connected to three waveguides and the input port of the one-to-two power splitter. The two output ports of the one-to-two power splitter are respectively connected to two waveguides, so as to achieve a power distribution ratio of 1:1:4:1:1 for the five signals in the five waveguides.

[0035] Alternatively, the at least one power splitter unit may include a one-to-two power splitter and a one-to-four power splitter. Among them, the input port of the one-to-two power splitter is connected to the waveguide outlet of the radio frequency chip. The two output ports of the one-to-two power splitter are respectively cascaded and connected to one waveguide and the input port of the one-to-four power splitter. The four output ports of the one-to-four power splitter are respectively connected to four waveguides, so as to achieve a power distribution ratio of 1:1:4:1:1 for the five signals in the five waveguides.

[0036] Alternatively, the at least one power splitter unit may include two one-to-two power splitters and a one-to-three power splitter. Among them, the input port of the first one-to-two power splitter of the two one-to-two power splitters is connected to the waveguide outlet of the radio frequency chip. The two output ports of the first one-to-two power splitter are respectively cascaded and connected to the second one-to-two power splitter of the two one-to-two power splitters and the input port of the one-to-three power splitter. The five output ports of the second one-to-two power splitter and the one-to-three power splitter are respectively connected to five waveguides, so as to achieve a power distribution ratio of 1:1:4:1:1 for the five signals in the five waveguides.

[0037] Alternatively, the at least one power divider unit may include four one-to-two power dividers. Among them, the input port of the first one-to-two power divider among the four one-to-two power dividers is connected to the waveguide outlet of the RF chip. The two output ports of the first one-to-two power divider are respectively cascaded with the input ports of the second one-to-two power divider and the third one-to-two power divider among the four one-to-two power dividers. The two output ports of the second one-to-two power divider are respectively connected to two waveguides. The two output ports of the third one-to-two power divider are respectively cascaded with the input port of a waveguide and the fourth one-to-two power divider among the four one-to-two power dividers. The two output ports of the fourth one-to-two power divider are respectively connected to two waveguides, so as to achieve a power distribution ratio of 1:1:4:1:1 for the five signals in the five waveguides.

[0038] It should be understood that the above several possible structural forms of the at least one power divider unit listed for splitting the first signal into five signals are only for illustrative purposes and should not be used to limit the embodiments of the present application. Any new structural form obtained by reasonable deformation or supplementation based on the above structural forms of the at least one power divider unit belongs to the protection scope of the embodiments of the present application.

[0039] In a possible implementation manner, the ratio of the difference between the lengths of the N waveguides and the length of the first waveguide among the N waveguides is -160:-320:0:180:330. The phase differences between the N signals and the first signal among the N signals are -160°, -320°, 0°, 180°, 330° respectively. The first signal is the signal transmitted in the first waveguide.

[0040] In the embodiment of the present application, a possible specific implementation manner of N waveguides is provided. Specifically, when it is necessary to split the first signal from the RF chip into five signals, the phase differences between the five signals and the first signal among the five signals can be -160°, -320°, 0°, 180°, 330° respectively, so as to simultaneously meet the different requirements of the LCA scenario and the RCTA scenario for the detection ability of the antenna. Correspondingly, the ratio of the difference between the lengths of the five waveguides for transmitting the five signals and the length of the first waveguide among the five waveguides is -160:-320:0:180:330, so as to achieve that the phase differences between the five signals fed into different waveguides and the first signal among the five signals are -160°, -320°, 0°, 180°, 330° respectively. The first signal is the signal transmitted in the first waveguide. Through the embodiments of the present application, by setting the differences between the lengths of the N waveguides, the phase differences of the signals fed into different waveguides can be achieved, so as to simultaneously meet the different requirements of the LCA scenario and the RCTA scenario for the detection ability of the antenna.

[0041] In a possible implementation, when N = 4, the power distribution ratio of the N-channel signals is 1:2:2:1;

[0042] The at least one power splitter unit includes a one-to-four power splitter. The input port of the one-to-four power splitter is connected to the waveguide outlet of the radio frequency chip, and the four output ports of the one-to-four power splitter are respectively connected to four waveguides;

[0043] Alternatively, the at least one power splitter unit includes three one-to-two power splitters. The input port of the first one-to-two power splitter among the three one-to-two power splitters is connected to the waveguide outlet of the radio frequency chip. The two output ports of the first one-to-two power splitter are respectively cascaded and connected to the input ports of the second one-to-two power splitter and the third one-to-two power splitter among the three one-to-two power splitters. The four output ports of the second one-to-two power splitter and the third one-to-two power splitter are respectively connected to four waveguides.

[0044] In the embodiments of the present application, a possible specific implementation of the at least one power splitter unit is provided. Specifically, when it is necessary to split the first signal from the radio frequency chip into four signals, the power distribution ratio of the four signals can be 1:2:2:1 to simultaneously meet the different requirements of the LCA scenario and the RCTA scenario for the detection capabilities of the antenna.

[0045] Correspondingly, the at least one power splitter unit may include a one-to-four power splitter. The input port of the one-to-four power splitter is connected to the waveguide outlet of the radio frequency chip, and the four output ports of the one-to-four power splitter are respectively connected to four waveguides to achieve a power distribution ratio of 1:2:2:1 for the four signals in the four waveguides.

[0046] Alternatively, the at least one power splitter unit may include three one-to-two power splitters. The input port of the first one-to-two power splitter among the three one-to-two power splitters is connected to the waveguide outlet of the radio frequency chip. The two output ports of the first one-to-two power splitter are respectively connected to the input ports of the second one-to-two power splitter and the third one-to-two power splitter among the three one-to-two power splitters. The four output ports of the second one-to-two power splitter and the third one-to-two power splitter are respectively connected to four waveguides to achieve a power distribution ratio of 1:2:2:1 for the four signals in the four waveguides.

[0047] Alternatively, the at least one power splitter unit may include a one-to-three power splitter and a one-to-two power splitter. The input port of the one-to-three power splitter is connected to the waveguide outlet of the radio frequency chip. The three output ports of the one-to-three power splitter are respectively connected to two waveguides and the input port of the one-to-two power splitter. The two output ports of the one-to-two power splitter are respectively connected to two waveguides to achieve a power distribution ratio of 1:2:2:1 for the four signals in the four waveguides.

[0048] Alternatively, the at least one power splitter unit may include a one-to-two power splitter and a one-to-three power splitter. The input port of the one-to-two power splitter is connected to the waveguide outlet of the radio frequency chip. The two output ports of the one-to-two power splitter are respectively connected to a waveguide and the input port of a one-to-three power splitter. The three output ports of the one-to-three power splitter are respectively connected to three waveguides, so as to achieve a power distribution ratio of the four signals in the four waveguides of 1:2:2:1.

[0049] It should be understood that the several possible structural forms of the at least one power splitter unit listed above for splitting the first signal into four signals are only for illustrative purposes and should not limit the embodiments of the present application. Any new structural form obtained by reasonable deformation or supplementation based on the structural forms of the at least one power splitter unit belongs to the protection scope of the embodiments of the present application.

[0050] In a possible implementation manner, the ratio of the difference between the lengths of the N waveguides and the length of the second waveguide among the N waveguides is -310:-180:0:300, and the phase differences between the N signals and the second signal among the N signals are -310°, -180°, 0°, and 300° respectively. The second signal is the signal transmitted in the second waveguide.

[0051] In the embodiment of the present application, a possible specific implementation manner of N waveguides is provided. Specifically, when it is necessary to split the first signal from the radio frequency chip into four signals, the phase differences between the four signals and the second signal among the four signals can be -310°, -180°, 0°, and 300° respectively, so as to simultaneously meet the different requirements of the LCA scenario and the RCTA scenario for the detection ability of the antenna. Correspondingly, the ratio of the difference between the lengths of the four waveguides transmitting the four signals and the length of the second waveguide among the four waveguides is -310:-180:0:300, so as to achieve that the phase differences between the four signals fed into different waveguides and the second signal among the four signals are -310°, -180°, 0°, and 300° respectively. The second signal is the signal transmitted in the second waveguide. Through the embodiments of the present application, the phase difference of the signals fed into different waveguides can be achieved by setting the differences between the lengths of the N waveguides, so as to simultaneously meet the different requirements of the LCA scenario and the RCTA scenario for the detection ability of the antenna.

[0052] In a possible implementation manner, when N = 3, the power distribution ratio of the N signals is 1:2:1;

[0053] The at least one power divider unit includes a one-to-three power divider. The input port of the one-to-three power divider is connected to the waveguide outlet of the RF chip, and the three output ports of the one-to-three power divider are respectively connected to three waveguides.

[0054] Alternatively, the at least one power divider unit includes two one-to-two power dividers. The input port of the first one-to-two power divider among the two one-to-two power dividers is connected to the waveguide outlet of the RF chip. The two output ports of the first one-to-two power divider are respectively cascaded and connected to a waveguide and the input port of the second one-to-two power divider among the two one-to-two power dividers. The two output ports of the second one-to-two power divider are respectively connected to two waveguides.

[0055] In an embodiment of the present application, a possible specific embodiment of at least one power divider unit is provided. Specifically, when it is necessary to divide a first signal from an RF chip into three signals, the power distribution ratio of the three signals can be 1:2:1 to simultaneously meet the different requirements of the LCA scenario and the RCTA scenario for the detection ability of the antenna.

[0056] Correspondingly, the at least one power divider unit may include a one-to-three power divider. The input port of the one-to-three power divider is connected to the waveguide outlet of the RF chip, and the three output ports of the one-to-three power divider are respectively connected to three waveguides to achieve a power distribution ratio of 1:2:1 for the three signals in the three waveguides.

[0057] Alternatively, the at least one power divider unit may include two one-to-two power dividers. Among them, the input port of the first one-to-two power divider among the two one-to-two power dividers is connected to the waveguide outlet of the RF chip. The two output ports of the first one-to-two power divider are respectively cascaded and connected to a waveguide and the input port of the second one-to-two power divider among the two one-to-two power dividers. The two output ports of the second one-to-two power divider are respectively connected to two waveguides to achieve a power distribution ratio of 1:2:1 for the three signals in the three waveguides.

[0058] It should be understood that the several possible structural forms of the at least one power divider unit listed above for dividing the first signal into three signals are only for illustrative purposes and should not be used to limit the embodiments of the present application. Any new structural form obtained by reasonable deformation or supplementation based on the above structural forms of the at least one power divider unit belongs to the protection scope of the embodiments of the present application.

[0059] In a possible implementation manner, the ratio of the differences between the lengths of the N waveguides and the length of the third waveguide among the N waveguides is -310:-180:0, and the phase differences between the N signals and the third signal among the N signals are -310°, -180°, and 0° respectively, where the third signal is the signal transmitted in the third waveguide.

[0060] In the implementation manner of the present application, a possible specific implementation manner of N waveguides is provided. Specifically, when it is necessary to divide a first signal from a radio frequency chip into three signals, the phase differences between the three signals and the third signal among the three signals can be -310°, -180°, and 0° respectively, so as to simultaneously meet the different requirements of the LCA scenario and the RCTA scenario for the detection capabilities of the antenna. Correspondingly, the ratio of the differences between the lengths of the three waveguides transmitting the three signals and the length of the third waveguide among the three waveguides is -310:-180:0, so as to achieve that the phase differences between the three signals fed into different waveguides and the third signal among the three signals are -310°, -180°, and 0° respectively, where the third signal is the signal transmitted in the third waveguide. Through the embodiments of the present application, by setting the differences between the lengths of the N waveguides, the phase differences of the signals fed into different waveguides can be achieved, so as to simultaneously meet the different requirements of the LCA scenario and the RCTA scenario for the detection capabilities of the antenna.

[0061] In a possible implementation manner, the ratio of the N signals radiated to the first region is greater than the ratio radiated to the second region, where the first region is the front region or the side-rear region of the vehicle, and the second region is the side region of the vehicle.

[0062] In the implementation manner of the present application, a possible specific implementation manner of N signals is provided. Specifically, by setting the differences between the lengths of the N waveguides, the phase and amplitude differences of the N signals fed into the N waveguides can be achieved, so that the main beam formed by the N signals transmitted in the N waveguides points to the direction where the first region acts, and the ratio of the N signals radiated to the first region is greater than the ratio radiated to the second region. The first region is the front region or the side-rear region of the vehicle, such as the region where the LCA scenario acts, and the second region is the side region of the vehicle, such as the region where the RCTA scenario acts. Through the embodiments of the present application, both the coverage requirements of the LCA scenario can be met, and the excessive antenna gain in the RCTA scenario can be shared, reducing the reflection energy of the vehicle target, reducing link interference and noise deterioration, and simultaneously meeting the different requirements of different application scenarios (LCA scenario and RCTA scenario) for the detection capabilities of the antenna.

[0063] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a chip, which includes the waveguide antenna described in the first aspect above or any possible implementation manner of the first aspect above.

[0064] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a radar or a radar system, which includes the waveguide antenna described in the first aspect above or any possible implementation manner of the first aspect above, or includes the chip described in the second aspect above.

[0065] In a possible implementation manner, the radar includes, but is not limited to, a millimeter-wave radar.

[0066] In a possible implementation manner, there may be an intelligent sensor integrating multiple sensors. When the intelligent sensor includes, but is not limited to, a millimeter-wave detection function, the intelligent sensor may also be referred to as a radar or a radar system.

[0067] In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a terminal device, which includes the waveguide antenna described in the first aspect above or any possible implementation manner of the first aspect above, or includes the chip described in the second aspect above, or includes the radar or the radar system described in the third aspect above.

[0068] In a fifth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a vehicle end, which includes the waveguide antenna described in the first aspect above or any possible implementation manner of the first aspect above, or includes the chip described in the second aspect above, or includes the radar or the radar system described in the third aspect above, or includes the terminal device described in the fourth aspect above.

[0069] In the embodiments of the present application, by setting the differences in the lengths of N waveguides, the differences in the phase and amplitude of the signals fed into different waveguides can be realized, so that the main beam direction formed by the signals transmitted in the N waveguides can point to the direction where the LCA scenario acts. This can not only meet the coverage requirements of the LCA scenario, but also share the excessive antenna gain in the RCTA scenario, reduce the reflection energy of vehicle targets, reduce link interference and noise deterioration, and at the same time meet the different requirements of different application scenarios (LCA scenario and RCTA scenario) for the detection ability of the antenna. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0070] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the drawings required for use in the embodiments of the present application will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For those of ordinary skill in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative efforts.

[0071] Figure 1Schematic diagram of a radar distribution provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0072] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the architecture of a radar provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0073] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the architecture of a radar provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0074] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the structure of a waveguide antenna provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0075] Figure 5 Three-dimensional solid diagram of a waveguide antenna provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0076] Figure 6 Side view of a waveguide antenna provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0077] Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the structure of a waveguide antenna provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0078] Figure 8 Three-dimensional solid diagram of a waveguide antenna provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0079] Figure 9 Side view of a waveguide antenna provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0080] Figures 10A to 10G Schematic diagrams of several power splitting units provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0081] Figures 11A to 11D Schematic diagrams of several power splitting units provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0082] Figures 12A to 12B Schematic diagrams of several power splitting units provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0083] Figure 13 Schematic diagram of a port connection provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0084] Figure 14 Schematic diagram of a radar detection scenario provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0085] Figure 15A Schematic diagram of the effect of return loss provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0086] Figure 15B Radiation amplitude pattern of an antenna provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0087] Figure 15C Radiation amplitude pattern of an antenna provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0088] Figure 16A A schematic diagram of the effect of return loss provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0089] Figure 16B A radiation amplitude pattern of an antenna provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0090] Figure 16C A radiation amplitude pattern of an antenna provided by an embodiment of the present application. Detailed implementation manners

[0091] In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present application clearer, the embodiments of the present application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present application.

[0092] The terms "first" and "second" in the specification, claims and drawings of the present application are used to distinguish different objects, rather than to describe a specific order. In addition, the terms "include" and "have" and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, system, product or device, etc. that includes a series of steps or units is not limited to the listed steps or units, but optionally further includes steps or units not listed, or optionally further includes other steps or units inherent to these processes, methods, products or devices, etc.

[0093] The mention of "embodiment" in this article means that the specific features, structures or characteristics described in connection with the embodiment can be included in at least one embodiment of the present application. The appearance of this phrase at various positions in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it an independent or alternative embodiment that is mutually exclusive with other embodiments. Those skilled in the art can explicitly and implicitly understand that, in the various embodiments of the present application, if there is no special description and logical conflict, the terms and / or descriptions between the various embodiments are consistent and can be referenced to each other, and the technical features in different embodiments can be combined to form new embodiments according to their inherent logical relationships.

[0094] It should be understood that in this application, "at least one (item)" means one or more, "a plurality" means two or more, "at least two (items)" means two, three or more, and "and / or" is used to describe the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that there can be three relationships. For example, "A and / or B" can mean: only A exists, only B exists, and both A and B exist at the same time. Among them, A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the associated objects before and after are in an "or" relationship. "At least one (item) of the following" or its similar expression means any combination of these items, including any combination of single item (item) or plural items (items). For example, at least one (item) of a, b or c can mean: a, b, c, "a and b", "a and c", "b and c", or "a and b and c", where a, b, c can be single or plural.

[0095] As described in the background art section, currently different application scenarios have put forward different requirements for the detection capabilities of antennas in millimeter-wave radar systems. When different application scenarios exist simultaneously, the current symmetric wide-beam antennas cannot meet the different requirements for the detection capabilities of antennas in different application scenarios at the same time. This application provides a waveguide antenna and related devices, which relate to the technical field of millimeter-wave radar and can meet the different requirements for the detection capabilities of antennas in different application scenarios at the same time.

[0096] To describe the solution of this application more clearly, some knowledge related to radar will be introduced first below.

[0097] Radar is the transliteration of the English word Radar, which comes from the abbreviation of "radio detection and ranging", meaning "radio detection and ranging". It uses radio methods to detect targets and determine the spatial positions of the targets.

[0098] The detection medium of radar is electromagnetic waves. It uses the emission and reception of electromagnetic waves to achieve the detection of targets. For example, ranging, speed measurement, or azimuth angle measurement, etc. Radar can achieve ranging of targets based on the flight time of electromagnetic waves. The flight time is the time difference between the transmission and reception of electromagnetic waves. Radar emits electromagnetic wave signals and receives the echo signals of these electromagnetic wave signals. The ranging of the target can be achieved according to the time difference between the received echo signals and the emitted electromagnetic wave signals and the propagation speed of electromagnetic waves. The distance between the radar and the target can be determined based on the following formula: s = c * t / 2, where s is the distance of the target, t is the flight time, that is, the time from when the electromagnetic wave signal is emitted by the radar to when the echo signal is received, and c is the speed of light.

[0099] The radar measures the speed of the target based on the Doppler effect. The principle of the Doppler effect is as follows: When a vibration source such as sound, light, and radio waves moves relative to an observer at a relative speed, the vibration frequency received by the observer is different from the frequency emitted by the vibration source. When there is relative movement between the electromagnetic wave emitted by the radar and the detected target, the frequency of the echo signal will be different from the frequency of the emitted electromagnetic wave signal. When the target approaches the radar antenna, the frequency of the echo signal will be higher than the frequency of the emitted electromagnetic wave signal; conversely, when the target moves away from the radar antenna, the frequency of the echo signal will be lower than the frequency of the emitted electromagnetic wave signal. The frequency change formed by the Doppler effect is called Doppler frequency shift, which is proportional to the relative speed and inversely proportional to the vibration frequency. Therefore, by detecting the frequency difference between the emitted electromagnetic wave signal and the echo signal, the moving speed of the target relative to the radar, that is, the relative speed between the target and the radar, can be measured.

[0100] The radar can measure the azimuth angle by methods such as the amplitude method and the phase method. The amplitude method for angle measurement uses the amplitude value of the echo signal received by the antenna for angle measurement. The variation law of this amplitude value depends on the antenna pattern and the antenna scanning method; the phase method for angle measurement uses the phase difference between the echo signals received by multiple antenna elements for angle measurement. For example, the radar receives the echo signals reflected by the same target through an antenna array, and calculates the azimuth angle of the target based on the phase difference of the echo signals.

[0101] The detection medium of the millimeter-wave radar is electromagnetic waves within a certain wavelength range, such as microwaves. Currently, millimeter waves (millimeter wave) and centimeter waves adjacent to the millimeter-wave band (for example, centimeter waves in the 24 GHz band) are more commonly used. Millimeter waves are electromagnetic waves with a wavelength of 1 to 10 millimeters (mm), and the wavelength of electromagnetic waves in the 24 GHz band is slightly greater than 10 mm. Since the wavelength of the detection medium of the millimeter-wave radar is in the wavelength range where microwaves and far-infrared waves overlap, it has the characteristics of both wave spectra. According to the wave propagation theory, the higher the frequency, the shorter the wavelength, the higher the resolution, the stronger the penetration ability, but the greater the loss during propagation and the shorter the transmission distance; relatively, the lower the frequency, the longer the wavelength, the stronger the diffraction ability, and the farther the transmission distance. Therefore, compared with microwaves, the detection medium of the millimeter-wave radar has high resolution, good directivity, strong anti-interference ability, and good detection performance. Compared with infrared, the detection medium of the millimeter-wave radar has less atmospheric attenuation, better penetration of smoke and dust, and is less affected by weather. Therefore, millimeter-wave radars have been increasingly widely used in many fields such as intelligent vehicles, unmanned aerial vehicles, intelligent transportation, and industrial automation.

[0102] Radar can be classified into long range radar (LRR), mid / medium range radar (MRR), and short range radar (SRR) according to its detection range. LRR has a higher requirement for the detection range but a relatively lower requirement for the angular field width of detection. SRR has a relatively lower requirement for the detection range but a higher requirement for the angular field width of detection. The requirements for the detection range and angular field width of MRR can be understood to be between those of LRR and SRR. For example, the detection range of LRR can reach more than 200 meters, and the angular field width can be ±15°; the detection range of MRR can be within 100 meters, and the angular field width can be ±45°; the detection range of SRR can be within 60 meters, and the angular field width can be ±80°. In use, different types of Radars can be installed at different positions on the vehicle body according to the functional requirements of autonomous driving and the usage conditions of other sensors, and the number and type of Radars can be selected as needed.

[0103] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 1 which is a schematic diagram of a radar distribution provided by an embodiment of the present application.

[0104] Figure 1 Several possible installation positions of several types of Radars are given, which are only examples. In actual use, more or fewer Radars can be selected, and the types can also be adjusted.

[0105] As Figure 1 shown, LRR can be installed in front of the vehicle body as a forward radar; MRR can be installed in front of and behind the vehicle body as a forward radar and a rearward radar; SRR can be installed on the side of the vehicle body and at the four corners of the vehicle body as a side radar and a corner radar. In addition, MRR can also be installed on the side of the vehicle body or at the four corners of the vehicle body, and SRR can also be installed in front of or behind the vehicle body.

[0106] Radars can be classified according to the modulation method (or radiation method) of their electromagnetic waves. The modulation methods of the electromagnetic waves of radars include the pulse method and the continuous wave method. Therefore, radars can be divided into pulse radars and continuous wave radars. The continuous wave method can be further divided into frequency shift keying (FSK), phase shift keying (PSK), constant frequency / single frequency continuous wave (CW), frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW), multiple frequency shift keying (MFSK), phase modulated continuous wave (PMCW), etc. The FMCW method has become the mainstream radar modulation method because it can detect multiple targets, has high resolution, and low cost.

[0107] Please refer to Figure 2 , Figure 2 which is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a radar provided by an embodiment of this application.

[0108] As Figure 2 shown, the radar includes a control circuit 110, a signal generator 120, a power amplifier (PA) 130, a low noise amplifier (LNA) 140, a mixer 150, a filter 160, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 170, and a signal processor 180. The signal processor is usually used to process digital signals, such as a digital signal processor (DSP). The signal generator 120 generates an electromagnetic wave signal (also known as a radar signal) waveform under the control of the control circuit 110. For example, for a radar using the FMCW modulation method, a sawtooth wave or a triangular wave is generated under the control of the control circuit 110. The signal generator 120 is, for example, a voltage controlled oscillator, and the control circuit 110 is used to generate a control voltage. The generated electromagnetic wave signal waveform is subjected to frequency conversion modulation processing and modulated to the required frequency band, such as between 76 GHz and 77 GHz. After being amplified by the PA 130, it is radiated into space through the transmitting antenna (TX).

[0109] The electromagnetic wave signal radiated by the transmitting antenna is reflected into space after irradiating the target and received by the receiving antenna (RX) of the Radar. After being amplified by the LNA 140, it is mixed with the reference signal by the mixer 150. The reference signal can usually be the electromagnetic wave signal generated above. After being filtered by the filter 160, the mixer 150 can obtain the analog baseband signal, and the digital baseband signal is obtained by sampling through the ADC 170. The digital baseband signal is processed in the signal processor 180 to obtain the distance, speed, and angle information of the target. In addition, the obtained information can be used for processing such as clustering and / or tracking to further obtain information such as the trajectory, size, and type of the target.

[0110] Each component of the above Radar can be integrated as needed to achieve miniaturization of the radar. For example, components such as the control circuit 110, signal generator 120, power amplifier (PA) 130, low noise amplifier (LNA) 140, mixer 150, filter 160, analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 170, etc. can be integrated on at least one chip, such as being integrated into a monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC).

[0111] For details, please refer to Figure 3 , Figure 3 which is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a radar provided by an embodiment of this application.

[0112] As Figure 3 shown, the Radar includes an MMIC, a microcontroller unit (MCU), and a power management integrated circuit (PMIC). The MMIC can integrate the functions of the radio frequency part, and the MCU can integrate the functions of the above baseband part, such as integrating the functions of the above signal processor. In addition, it can also provide a communication interface for communicating with other in-vehicle devices. The PMIC is a chip that powers the radar hardware system.

[0113] Waveguide: It is a structure used to direct and guide electromagnetic waves. In electromagnetics and communication engineering, a waveguide can refer to any linear structure that transmits electromagnetic waves between its endpoints. Waveguides are mainly used as transmission lines for microwave frequencies and are used to connect microwave transmitters and receivers to their antennas in radars, communication satellites, and microwave radio link devices. Combining the above Figure 3 it can be seen that the waveguide is used to Figure 3The microwave transmitter integrated in the MMIC shown is connected to the corresponding transmitting antenna to transmit Figure 3 The microwave receiver integrated in the MMIC shown is connected to a corresponding receiving antenna to transmit microwave frequencies.

[0114] In millimeter-wave radar systems, three-dimensional waveguide antennas have obvious advantages over planar printed circuit board (PCB) antennas in terms of loss and broadband characteristics, and have been widely used in various application scenarios of millimeter-wave radar systems, such as rear cross traffic alert (RCTA), forward cross traffic alert (FCTA), lane change assist (LCA), blind spot detection (BSD), etc.

[0115] Generally, the same radar or radar system needs to be used in multiple scenarios at the same time, but different application scenarios have different requirements for the detection capability of the antenna in the millimeter-wave radar system. For example, the LCA scenario generally acts on the front or rear area of ​​the vehicle, and the effective distance is generally about 150m; the RCTA scenario mainly acts on the side of the vehicle body, and the effective distance is generally about 100m. Compared with the LCA scenario and the RCTA scenario, it can be seen that in the LCA scenario, due to the long effective distance, a higher antenna gain is required. Limited by the link gain and antenna scale, the traditional single antenna form is usually difficult to meet the coverage requirements; while in the RCTA scenario, due to the short effective distance, the reflected energy of the vehicle target will be relatively large, and the electromagnetic energy scattered by the target will be received by the receiving antenna after multipath reflection, which will cause the interference and noise of the link to deteriorate, so a lower antenna gain is required. When the above-mentioned LCA scenario and RCTA scenario exist at the same time, the current symmetrical wide beam antenna cannot simultaneously meet the different requirements of the above-mentioned two application scenarios for the detection capability of the antenna. The current symmetrical wide beam antenna cannot simultaneously meet the different requirements of different application scenarios for the detection capability of the antenna.

[0116] In view of this, the present application provides a waveguide antenna and related devices, relating to the field of millimeter wave radar technology, which can effectively solve the above-mentioned problems and at the same time meet the different requirements of different application scenarios (such as LCA scenarios and RCTA scenarios) for the detection capabilities of the antenna.

[0117] The waveguide antenna provided in the present application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0118] See also Figure 4 , Figure 4Schematic diagram of the structure of a waveguide antenna provided by an embodiment of the present application.

[0119] As Figure 4 shown, the waveguide antenna includes:

[0120] At least one power splitting unit 401 and N waveguides (402, 403, 404, 405, 406).

[0121] Wherein, N is an integer greater than 1.

[0122] Exemplarily, in the Figure 4 shown waveguide antenna, N = 5. Correspondingly, the N waveguides include 402, 403, 404, 405, 406.

[0123] It should be understood that N = 5 here is only an exemplary illustration and should not be used to limit the embodiments of the present application. N can also be other integers greater than 1, and the embodiments of the present application do not limit this.

[0124] The above-mentioned at least one power splitting unit 401 is used to split the first signal from the radio frequency chip into N paths of signals. These N paths of signals are respectively transmitted through the N waveguides (402, 403, 404, 405, 406) in the waveguide antenna, and at least two of the N waveguides (402, 403, 404, 405, 406) have different lengths.

[0125] Exemplarily, in the Figure 4 shown waveguide antenna, the above-mentioned at least one power splitting unit is used to split the first signal from the radio frequency chip into 5 paths of signals. These 5 paths of signals are respectively transmitted through the 5 waveguides (402, 403, 404, 405, 406) in the waveguide antenna, and at least two of the 5 waveguides (402, 403, 404, 405, 406) have different lengths. For example, the lengths of waveguide 402 and waveguide 403 are different, the lengths of waveguide 402 and waveguide 404 are different, etc. Details are not described one by one here.

[0126] Optionally, the lengths of the N waveguides in the embodiments of the present application may refer to the lengths of the waveguides between the output ports of at least one power splitting unit and the antenna unit (excluding the waveguide lengths of the antenna unit), such as Figure 4 the lengths of waveguides 402, 403, 404, 405, 406 in Figure 4The total lengths of the waveguide 402 and the antenna element 407, the total lengths of the waveguide 403 and the antenna element 408, the total lengths of the waveguide 404 and the antenna element 409, the total lengths of the waveguide 405 and the antenna element 410, and the total lengths of the waveguide 406 and the antenna element 411; it can also refer to the length of the waveguide between the input port of at least one power splitting unit and the antenna element (excluding the waveguide length of the antenna element), or the length of the waveguide between the input port of at least one power splitting unit and the antenna element (including the waveguide length of the antenna element). The embodiments of the present application do not limit this. It can be understood that the Figure 7 The lengths of the N waveguides involved in the waveguide antenna shown are similar to those of the N waveguides in Figure 4 and will not be elaborated here.

[0127] It should be understood that the structural form presented by at least one power splitting unit here is only for exemplary illustration and should not be used to limit the embodiments of the present application. The at least one power splitting unit can also present other different structural forms, and the embodiments of the present application do not limit this.

[0128] It should be understood that the length differences presented by the N waveguides here are only for exemplary illustration and should not be used to limit the embodiments of the present application. The N waveguides can also present other different length forms, and the embodiments of the present application do not limit this.

[0129] In the embodiments of the present application, by setting the differences between the lengths of the N waveguides, the differences in the phases and amplitudes of the signals fed into different waveguides can be realized, so that the main beam formed by the signals transmitted in the N waveguides can point to a specific direction, meeting the requirements of the current application scenario for the detection ability of the antenna.

[0130] Optionally, when the above LCA scenario and RCTA scenario exist simultaneously, by setting the differences between the lengths of the N waveguides, the differences in the phases and amplitudes of the signals fed into different waveguides can be realized, so that the main beam formed by the signals transmitted in the N waveguides can point to the direction where the LCA scenario acts. This can not only meet the coverage requirements of the LCA scenario, but also share the excessive antenna gain in the RCTA scenario, reduce the reflection energy of the vehicle target, reduce link interference and noise deterioration, and simultaneously meet the different requirements of the LCA scenario and the RCTA scenario for the detection ability of the antenna.

[0131] It can be understood that Figure 4 The schematic structural diagram of the waveguide antenna shown can be regarded as the top view of the waveguide antenna, and its corresponding three-dimensional structure can be specifically referred to Figure 5 , Figure 5 which is the three-dimensional stereogram of a waveguide antenna provided by the embodiments of the present application.

[0132] AsFigure 5 As shown, the first signal of the radio frequency chip is divided into 5 signals by at least one power splitting unit 401, and the 5 signals are respectively transmitted through 5 waveguides (402, 403, 404, 405, 406) in the waveguide antenna, and at least two of the 5 waveguides (402, 403, 404, 405, 406) have different lengths.

[0133] Optionally, the above Figure 5 The corresponding side view can be specifically referred to Figure 6 , Figure 6 which is a side view of a waveguide antenna provided by an embodiment of the present application, and can also be understood as a view of the transmission direction of the first signal input into at least one power splitting unit.

[0134] In a possible embodiment, at least two of the above N waveguides have different lengths, which may specifically include but are not limited to the following forms:

[0135] Form 1:

[0136] The above N waveguides are arranged in parallel, and the N waveguides include at least one bent waveguide and at least one straight waveguide.

[0137] Among them, the at least one bent waveguide can be arranged by winding to achieve that at least two of the N waveguides have different lengths.

[0138] Specifically, it can be referred to the above Figure 4 or Figure 5 , Figure 4 or Figure 5 wherein the waveguide 403 and the waveguide 406 in are arranged by winding to achieve that the lengths of the waveguide 403 and the waveguide 402 are different, and the lengths of the waveguide 406 and the waveguide 402 are different.

[0139] Form 2:

[0140] The above N waveguides are arranged in parallel, and the N waveguides are arranged in a staggered manner to achieve that at least two of the N waveguides have different lengths.

[0141] Specifically, it can be referred to Figures 7 to 9 , Figure 7 which is a schematic structural diagram of a waveguide antenna provided by an embodiment of the present application. Optionally, Figure 7 The schematic structural diagram of the waveguide antenna shown can be regarded as the top view of the waveguide antenna, and its corresponding three-dimensional structure can be specifically referred to Figure 8 , Figure 8 which is a three-dimensional diagram of a waveguide antenna provided by an embodiment of the present application. Optionally, the above Figure 8 The corresponding side view can be specifically referred to Figure 9 , Figure 9This is a side view of a waveguide antenna provided by an embodiment of the present application, and can also be understood as a view of the transmission direction of the first signal input to at least one power splitting unit.

[0142] As Figures 7 to 9 shown, the waveguide antenna includes at least one power splitting unit 701 and N waveguides (702, 703, 704, 705, 706). Exemplarily, N = 5 here.

[0143] The above at least one power splitting unit 701 is configured to split the first signal from the radio frequency chip into N paths of signals, and the N paths of signals are respectively transmitted through the N waveguides (702, 703, 704, 705, 706) in the waveguide antenna, and at least two of the N waveguides (702, 703, 704, 705, 706) have different lengths.

[0144] From the above Figure 7 or Figure 8 it can be seen that Figure 7 or Figure 8 the waveguide 702 and the waveguide 703 in are arranged in a staggered manner to achieve different lengths of the waveguide 702 and the waveguide 703, Figure 7 or Figure 8 the waveguide 705 and the waveguide 706 in are arranged in a staggered manner to achieve different lengths of the waveguide 705 and the waveguide 706.

[0145] Form three:

[0146] The above N waveguides are arranged in parallel, and the N waveguides include at least one bent waveguide and at least one straight waveguide.

[0147] Among them, the at least one bent waveguide and the at least one straight waveguide can also be arranged in a staggered manner to achieve that at least two of the N waveguides have different lengths.

[0148] It can be understood that the diagram corresponding to Form three can be understood as a combined form of the above Figure 4 and Figure 7 , and will not be elaborated here.

[0149] It should be understood that the above Forms one to three are only used to illustrate that at least two of the N waveguides have different lengths as several possible examples, and the embodiments of the present application should not be limited thereby. New embodiments obtained by reasonable deformation, supplement, or combination based on the above Forms one to three all fall within the protection scope of the embodiments of the present application.

[0150] By means of the arrangement of the N waveguides in the embodiments of the present application, the difference in the lengths of the N waveguides can be realized. Since electromagnetic waves flow instantaneously in the waveguide structure, it can be understood as similar to water flow. Therefore, by arranging the N waveguides in the above-mentioned winding or misaligned arrangement, different signal flow paths can be constructed, and the energy can be controlled by adjusting the impedance to control the magnitude of the feeding energy of the signal energy, so that the difference in the phase and amplitude of the signals fed into different waveguides can be realized.

[0151] Furthermore, by means of the arrangement of the above-mentioned N waveguides, the difference in the phase and amplitude of the signals fed into different waveguides is realized. Furthermore, by controlling the radiation amplitude and phase of the signals in each waveguide, the vector superposition of the signals in each waveguide at various angles in space can be realized, and then the beamforming effect can be realized. Moreover, the formed beam pattern has no null in the azimuth plane, and the main beam formed by the signals transmitted in the N waveguides can point to the direction of the LCA scenario, which can not only meet the coverage requirements of the LCA scenario, but also share the excess antenna gain in the RCTA scenario, reduce the reflection energy of the vehicle target, reduce the link interference and noise deterioration, and at the same time meet the different requirements of different application scenarios (such as the LCA scenario and the RCTA scenario) for the detection ability of the antenna.

[0152] In a possible embodiment, the at least one power splitting unit includes a first power splitting unit and a second power splitting unit, and the first power splitting unit and the second power splitting unit are cascaded.

[0153] The first signal of the radio frequency chip is divided into N paths of signals after passing through the cascaded first power splitting unit and second power splitting unit, and is respectively transmitted via N waveguides.

[0154] Exemplarily, from Figure 4 it can be seen that the at least one power splitting unit 401 includes a first power splitting unit 4011 and a second power splitting unit (4012, 4013), and the first power splitting unit 4011 and the second power splitting unit (4012, 4013) are respectively cascaded.

[0155] The first signal of the radio frequency chip is divided into 3 paths of signals after passing through the first power splitting unit 4011. Among them, 2 paths of signals are respectively divided into 4 paths of signals after passing through the second power splitting unit (4012, 4013), and the 5 paths of signals obtained after the above power splitting are respectively transmitted via 5 waveguides.

[0156] Exemplarily, from Figure 7 it can be seen that the at least one power splitting unit 701 includes a first power splitting unit 7011 and a second power splitting unit (7012, 7013), and the first power splitting unit 7011 and the second power splitting unit (7012, 7013) are respectively cascaded.

[0157] The first signal of the RF chip is divided into three signals after passing through the first power division unit 7011, of which two signals are divided into four signals after passing through the second power division units (7012, 7013), and the five signals obtained after the above power division are transmitted through five waveguides respectively.

[0158] Through the design of multiple power division units connected in cascade in the embodiment of the present application, combined with the setting of N waveguides, the longitudinal dimension of the waveguide antenna can be reduced, and the miniaturized design of the power division structure of the waveguide antenna can be achieved.

[0159] In a possible embodiment, at least two signals among the N signals have different powers.

[0160] It is understandable that the power difference between the signals fed into different waveguides is achieved by dividing the first signal power of the RF chip into N signals with at least two signals of different power through at least one power division unit, so as to simultaneously meet the different requirements of different application scenarios for the detection capability of the antenna. Optionally, the coverage requirement of a longer range in the LCA scenario is met by a signal with a higher power, and the coverage requirement of a shorter range in the RCTA scenario and the detection requirement of reducing link interference and noise deterioration are met by a signal with a lower power.

[0161] Optionally, in combination with the possible design of the at least one power division unit and the power difference between the N signals, in the case of N=5, the power distribution ratio of the N signals is 1:1:4:1:1. The design of the corresponding at least one power division unit can be specifically referred to in Figures 10A to 10G , Figures 10A to 10G The schematic diagrams of several power division units provided in the embodiments of the present application are as follows:

[0162] Example 1:

[0163] The at least one power splitter may include a one-to-five power splitter, the input port of the one-to-five power splitter is connected to the waveguide outlet of the RF chip, and the five output ports of the one-to-five power splitter are respectively connected to the five waveguides to achieve a power distribution ratio of 1:1:4:1:1 for the five signals in the five waveguides. Figure 10A This example can further reduce the length of the waveguide antenna and optimize the array effect.

[0164] Example 2:

[0165] The at least one power splitter unit may include a one-to-three power splitter and two one-to-two power splitters. Among them, the input port of the one-to-three power splitter is connected to the waveguide outlet of the RF chip. The three output ports of the one-to-three power splitter are respectively cascaded with one waveguide and the input ports of the two one-to-two power splitters. The four output ports of the two one-to-two power splitters are respectively connected to four waveguides to achieve a power distribution ratio of 1:1:4:1:1 for the five signals in the five waveguides, specifically as Figure 10B shown.

[0166] Exemplary three:

[0167] The at least one power splitter unit may include two one-to-three power splitters. Among them, the input port of the first one-to-three power splitter of the two one-to-three power splitters is connected to the waveguide outlet of the RF chip. The three output ports of the first one-to-three power splitter are respectively cascaded with two waveguides and the input port of the second one-to-three power splitter of the two one-to-three power splitters. The three output ports of the second one-to-three power splitter are respectively connected to three waveguides to achieve a power distribution ratio of 1:1:4:1:1 for the five signals in the five waveguides, specifically as Figure 10C shown.

[0168] Exemplary four:

[0169] The at least one power splitter unit may include a one-to-four power splitter and a one-to-two power splitter. Among them, the input port of the one-to-four power splitter is connected to the waveguide outlet of the RF chip. The four output ports of the one-to-four power splitter are respectively cascaded with three waveguides and the input port of a one-to-two power splitter. The two output ports of the one-to-two power splitter are respectively connected to two waveguides to achieve a power distribution ratio of 1:1:4:1:1 for the five signals in the five waveguides, specifically as Figure 10D shown.

[0170] Exemplary five:

[0171] The at least one power splitter unit may include a one-to-two power splitter and a one-to-four power splitter. Among them, the input port of the one-to-two power splitter is connected to the waveguide outlet of the RF chip. The two output ports of the one-to-two power splitter are respectively cascaded with one waveguide and the input port of a one-to-four power splitter. The four output ports of the one-to-four power splitter are respectively connected to four waveguides to achieve a power distribution ratio of 1:1:4:1:1 for the five signals in the five waveguides, specifically as Figure 10E shown.

[0172] Exemplary six:

[0173] The at least one power splitter unit may include two one-to-two power splitters and one one-to-three power splitter. Among them, the input port of the first one-to-two power splitter in the two one-to-two power splitters is connected to the waveguide outlet of the radio frequency chip. The two output ports of the first one-to-two power splitter are respectively cascaded and connected to the input ports of the second one-to-two power splitter and the one-to-three power splitter in the two one-to-two power splitters. The five output ports of the second one-to-two power splitter and the one-to-three power splitter are respectively connected to five waveguides to achieve a power distribution ratio of 1:1:4:1:1 for the five signals in the five waveguides, specifically as Figure 10F shown.

[0174] Exemplary Seven:

[0175] The at least one power splitter unit may include four one-to-two power splitters. Among them, the input port of the first one-to-two power splitter in the four one-to-two power splitters is connected to the waveguide outlet of the radio frequency chip. The two output ports of the first one-to-two power splitter are respectively cascaded and connected to the input ports of the second one-to-two power splitter and the third one-to-two power splitter in the four one-to-two power splitters. The two output ports of the second one-to-two power splitter are respectively connected to two waveguides. The two output ports of the third one-to-two power splitter are respectively cascaded and connected to one waveguide and the input port of the fourth one-to-two power splitter in the four one-to-two power splitters. The two output ports of the fourth one-to-two power splitter are respectively connected to two waveguides to achieve a power distribution ratio of 1:1:4:1:1 for the five signals in the five waveguides, specifically as Figure 10G shown.

[0176] It should be understood that the several possible structural forms of the at least one power splitter unit listed above for splitting the first signal into five signals (i.e., the above Exemplary One to Exemplary Seven) are only for illustrative purposes and should not be used to limit the embodiments of the present application. New structural forms obtained by reasonable deformation or supplementation based on the structural forms of the at least one power splitter unit belong to the protection scope of the embodiments of the present application.

[0177] Optionally, the distance between adjacent waveguides in the five waveguides connected to the one-to-five power splitter unit shown in the above Exemplary One to Exemplary Seven is 0.5λ, where λ represents the wavelength in air.

[0178] In the embodiments of the present application, when it is necessary to split the first signal from the radio frequency chip into five signals, the power distribution ratio of the five signals may be 1:1:4:1:1 to simultaneously meet the different requirements of the LCA scenario and the RCTA scenario for the detection ability of the antenna.

[0179] Accordingly, in combination with the design of the length differences of the above N waveguides, when N = 5, the ratio of the differences between the lengths of the above N waveguides and the length of the first waveguide among the above N waveguides is -160:-320:0:180:330, and the phase differences between the above N-channel signals and the first-channel signal among the N-channel signals are -160°, -320°, 0°, 180°, 330° respectively. The first-channel signal is the signal transmitted in the first waveguide.

[0180] When it is necessary to divide the first signal from the radio frequency chip into five-channel signals, the phase differences between the five-channel signals and the first-channel signal among the five-channel signals can be -160°, -320°, 0°, 180°, 330° respectively, so as to simultaneously meet the different requirements of the LCA scenario and the RCTA scenario for the detection capabilities of the antenna. Accordingly, the ratio of the differences between the lengths of the five waveguides transmitting the five-channel signals and the length of the first waveguide among the five waveguides is -160:-320:0:180:330, so as to achieve that the phase differences between the five-channel signals fed into different waveguides and the first-channel signal among the five-channel signals are -160°, -320°, 0°, 180°, 330° respectively. The first-channel signal is the signal transmitted in the first waveguide.

[0181] Exemplarily, when N = 5, the lengths of the 5 waveguides are a, b, c, d, e respectively. Taking the length of the 3rd waveguide (i.e., the above first waveguide) as the reference for length difference comparison, the length difference between the 1st waveguide and the 3rd waveguide is a - c, the length difference between the 2nd waveguide and the 3rd waveguide is b - c, the length difference between the 3rd waveguide and itself is c - c = 0, the length difference between the 4th waveguide and the 3rd waveguide is d - c, and the length difference between the 5th waveguide and the 3rd waveguide is e - c. Then the ratio of the length differences between the 5 waveguides and the 3rd waveguide among the 5 waveguides is a - c, b - c, 0, d - c, e - c. Accordingly, assuming that the phases of the signals fed into these 5 waveguides are A, B, C, D, E respectively, taking the phase of the signal transmitted in the 3rd waveguide (i.e., the above first-channel signal) as the reference for phase difference comparison, the phase difference between the signal transmitted in the 1st waveguide and the signal transmitted in the 3rd waveguide is A - C, the phase difference between the signal transmitted in the 2nd waveguide and the signal transmitted in the 3rd waveguide is B - C, the phase difference between the signal transmitted in the 3rd waveguide and the signal transmitted by itself is C - C = 0, the phase difference between the signal transmitted in the 4th waveguide and the signal transmitted in the 3rd waveguide is D - C, and the phase difference between the signal transmitted in the 5th waveguide and the signal transmitted in the 3rd waveguide is E - C. Then there is the following relationship: (a - c):(b - c):0:(d - c):(e - c) = (A - C):(B - C):0:(D - C):(E - C).

[0182] It is understandable that the length difference ratio may be negative, which is related to the length of the waveguide. The length difference ratio of N waveguides also determines the phase difference of the corresponding N signals. It is understandable that the length difference ratio between waveguides involved in the following text is similar to this, and will not be repeated.

[0183] Through the embodiments of the present application, the phase difference of the signals fed into different waveguides can be achieved by setting the difference between the lengths of N waveguides, so as to simultaneously meet the different requirements of the LCA scenario and the RCTA scenario for the detection capability of the antenna.

[0184] Optionally, in combination with the possible design of the at least one power division unit and the power difference between the N signals, in the case of N=4, the power distribution ratio of the N signals is 1:2:2:1. The design of the corresponding at least one power division unit can be specifically referred to in Figures 11A to 11D , Figures 11A to 11D The schematic diagrams of several power division units provided in the embodiments of the present application are as follows:

[0185] Example 1:

[0186] The at least one power splitter may include a one-to-four power splitter, the input port of the one-to-four power splitter is connected to the waveguide outlet of the RF chip, and the four output ports of the one-to-four power splitter are respectively connected to the four waveguides to achieve a power distribution ratio of 1:2:2:1 for the four signals in the four waveguides. Figure 11A This example can further reduce the length of the waveguide antenna and optimize the array effect.

[0187] Example 2:

[0188] The at least one power division unit may include three one-to-two power dividers, wherein the input port of the first one-to-two power divider among the three one-to-two power dividers is connected to the waveguide outlet of the RF chip, and the two output ports of the first one-to-two power divider are respectively connected to the input ports of the second one-to-two power divider and the third one-to-two power divider among the three one-to-two power dividers, and the four output ports of the second one-to-two power divider and the third one-to-two power divider are respectively connected to the four waveguides, so as to realize a power distribution ratio of the four signals in the four waveguides of 1:2:2:1, as specifically shown in FIG. Figure 11B shown.

[0189] Example 3:

[0190] The at least one power splitter unit may include a one-to-three power splitter and a one-to-two power splitter. The input port of the one-to-three power splitter is connected to the waveguide outlet of the RF chip. The three output ports of the one-to-three power splitter are respectively connected to two waveguides and the input port of the one-to-two power splitter. The two output ports of the one-to-two power splitter are respectively connected to two waveguides, so as to achieve a power distribution ratio of the four signals in the four waveguides of 1:2:2:1, specifically as Figure 11C shown.

[0191] Exemplary Four:

[0192] The at least one power splitter unit may include a one-to-two power splitter and a one-to-three power splitter. The input port of the one-to-two power splitter is connected to the waveguide outlet of the RF chip. The two output ports of the one-to-two power splitter are respectively connected to one waveguide and the input port of the one-to-three power splitter. The three output ports of the one-to-three power splitter are respectively connected to three waveguides, so as to achieve a power distribution ratio of the four signals in the four waveguides of 1:2:2:1, specifically as Figure 11D shown.

[0193] It should be understood that the several possible structural forms of the at least one power splitter unit listed above for splitting the first signal into four signals (i.e., the above Exemplary One to Exemplary Four) are only for illustrative purposes and should not be used to limit the embodiments of the present application. Any new structural form obtained by reasonable deformation or supplementation based on the structural forms of the at least one power splitter unit belongs to the protection scope of the embodiments of the present application.

[0194] In the embodiments of the present application, when it is necessary to split the first signal from the RF chip into four signals, the power distribution ratio of the four signals may be 1:2:2:1 to simultaneously meet the different requirements of the LCA scenario and the RCTA scenario for the detection ability of the antenna.

[0195] Correspondingly, in combination with the design of the length differences of the above N waveguides, when N = 4, the ratio of the differences between the lengths of the above N waveguides and the length of the second waveguide in the above N waveguides is -310:-180:0:300, and the phase differences between the above N signals and the second signal in the N signals are -310°, -180°, 0°, 300° respectively, and the second signal is the signal transmitted in the second waveguide.

[0196] When the first signal from the RF chip needs to be split into four signals, the phase differences between the four signals and the second signal in the four signals can be -310°, -180°, 0°, and 300°, respectively, so as to meet the different requirements of the LCA scenario and the RCTA scenario for the detection capability of the antenna. Accordingly, the ratio of the difference between the length of the four waveguides transmitting the four signals and the length of the second waveguide in the four waveguides is -310:-180:0:300, so as to achieve the phase differences between the four signals fed into different waveguides and the second signal in the four signals being -310°, -180°, 0°, and 300°, respectively, and the second signal is the signal transmitted in the second waveguide.

[0197] Through the embodiments of the present application, the phase difference of the signals fed into different waveguides can be achieved by setting the difference between the lengths of N waveguides, so as to simultaneously meet the different requirements of the LCA scenario and the RCTA scenario for the detection capability of the antenna.

[0198] Optionally, in combination with the possible design of the at least one power division unit and the power difference between the N signals, in the case of N=3, the power distribution ratio of the N signals is 1:2:1. The design of the corresponding at least one power division unit can be specifically referred to in Figures 12A to 12B , Figures 12A to 12B The schematic diagrams of several power division units provided in the embodiments of the present application are as follows:

[0199] Example 1:

[0200] The at least one power splitter may include a one-to-three power splitter, the input port of the one-to-three power splitter is connected to the waveguide outlet of the RF chip, and the three output ports of the one-to-three power splitter are respectively connected to the three waveguides to achieve a power distribution ratio of 1:2:1 for the three signals in the three waveguides. Figure 12A This example can further reduce the length of the waveguide antenna and optimize the array effect.

[0201] Example 2:

[0202] The at least one power splitter may include two one-to-two power splitters, wherein an input port of a first one-to-two power splitter of the two one-to-two power splitters is connected to a waveguide outlet of the radio frequency chip, two output ports of the first one-to-two power splitter are cascade-connected to a waveguide and an input port of a second one-to-two power splitter of the two one-to-two power splitters, respectively, and two output ports of the second one-to-two power splitter are connected to two waveguides, respectively, so as to achieve a power distribution ratio of 1:2:1 for the three signals in the three waveguides, as specifically as follows Figure 12B shown.

[0203] It should be understood that the several possible structural forms of at least one power divider unit (i.e., the above Exemplary One to Exemplary Two) listed above for realizing the power division of the first signal into three signals are only for illustrative purposes and should not be used to limit the embodiments of the present application. Any new structural form obtained by reasonable deformation or supplementation based on the structural forms of the above at least one power divider unit belongs to the protection scope of the embodiments of the present application.

[0204] In the embodiments of the present application, when it is necessary to divide the first signal from the radio frequency chip into three signals, the power distribution ratio of the three signals can be 1:2:1 to simultaneously meet the different requirements of the LCA scenario and the RCTA scenario for the detection ability of the antenna.

[0205] Correspondingly, in combination with the design of the length differences of the above N waveguides, when N = 3, the ratio of the differences between the lengths of the above N waveguides and the length of the third waveguide among the above N waveguides is -310:-180:0, and the phase differences between the above N signals and the third signal among the N signals are -310°, -180°, 0° respectively, and the third signal is the signal transmitted in the third waveguide.

[0206] When it is necessary to divide the first signal from the radio frequency chip into three signals, the phase differences between the three signals and the third signal among the three signals can be -310°, -180°, 0° respectively to simultaneously meet the different requirements of the LCA scenario and the RCTA scenario for the detection ability of the antenna. Correspondingly, the ratio of the differences between the lengths of the three waveguides transmitting the three signals and the length of the third waveguide among the three waveguides is -310:-180:0 to achieve that the phase differences between the three signals fed into different waveguides and the third signal among the three signals are -310°, -180°, 0° respectively, and the third signal is the signal transmitted in the third waveguide.

[0207] Through the embodiments of the present application, the phase differences of the signals fed into different waveguides can be realized by setting the differences between the lengths of N waveguides to simultaneously meet the different requirements of the LCA scenario and the RCTA scenario for the detection ability of the antenna.

[0208] It can be understood that the above has respectively given illustrative descriptions for the cases of N = 3, 4, 5 in combination with the possible designs of at least one power divider unit and the power differences among N signals, and should not be used to limit the present application. In the case where N is other positive integers, the possible designs of the corresponding at least one power divider unit and the power differences among N signals are similar to the cases of N = 3, 4, 5 above, and will not be elaborated here one by one.

[0209] It can be understood that the possible designs of at least one power splitting unit in the above waveguide antenna and the arrangement of N waveguides are also applicable to antennas in the form of PCBs, dielectric integrated waveguide antennas, etc., and the embodiments of the present application do not limit this.

[0210] In a possible embodiment, the above N waveguides are respectively connected to N radiation antennas, and the radiation antennas include at least one radiation unit.

[0211] N signals are respectively transmitted to N radiation antennas via N waveguides and radiated from the radiation units of the radiation antennas. Optionally, the radiation units included in each of the N radiation antennas may be the same or different, and the embodiments of the present application do not limit this.

[0212] Specifically, reference can be made to Figure 5 , such as Figure 5 shown, the above 5 waveguides (402, 403, 404, 405, 406) are respectively connected to 5 radiation antennas (407, 408, 409, 410, 411), that is, waveguide 402 is connected to radiation antenna 407, waveguide 403 is connected to radiation antenna 408, waveguide 404 is connected to radiation antenna 409, waveguide 405 is connected to radiation antenna 410, and waveguide 406 is connected to radiation antenna 411. Among them, the above radiation antennas include at least one radiation unit, that is, radiation antenna 407 includes at least one radiation unit 412, radiation antenna 408 includes at least one radiation unit 413, radiation antenna 409 includes at least one radiation unit 414, radiation antenna 410 includes at least one radiation unit 415, and radiation antenna 411 includes at least one radiation unit 416. It can be seen from Figure 5 that each radiation antenna includes 4 radiation units.

[0213] Specifically, reference can also be made to Figure 8 , such as Figure 8 shown, the above 5 waveguides (702, 703, 704, 705, 706) are respectively connected to 5 radiation antennas, and each radiation antenna includes 4 radiation units. The specific situation is similar to the above Figure 5 and will not be elaborated here.

[0214] Optionally, it can be seen from Figure 5 that the position settings of the radiation units included in each of the N radiation antennas may be the same (that is, the positions of the radiation units included in adjacent two radiation antennas are set flush with each other), and it can be seen from Figure 8 that the position settings of the radiation units included in each of the N radiation antennas may also be different (that is, the positions of the radiation units included in adjacent two radiation antennas are set offset from each other), and the embodiments of the present application do not limit this.

[0215] In a possible embodiment, the at least one power division unit, the N waveguides, and the N radiating antennas are arranged on a first plane, and the radiating unit is arranged perpendicular to the first plane.

[0216] For details, please refer to Figure 5 ,like Figure 5 As shown, the at least one power division unit 401, the N waveguides (402, 403, 404, 405, 406) and the N radiating antennas (407, 408, 409, 410, 411) are arranged in a first plane, and the radiating units (412, 413, 414, 415, 416) are arranged perpendicular to the first plane.

[0217] It can be understood that the opening direction of the radiation unit (for example, radiation unit 412) in the radiation antenna (for example, radiation antenna 407) is perpendicular to the first plane. It can also be understood that the direction in which the signal is radiated from the radiation unit (for example, radiation unit 412) is perpendicular to the first plane. It can also be understood that the signal transmission direction in the N waveguides (for example, waveguide 402) is perpendicular to the direction in which the signal is radiated from the radiation unit (for example, radiation unit 412).

[0218] In a possible embodiment, the input port of the at least one power division unit is connected to the first port of the turning structure, and the second port of the turning structure is connected to the waveguide outlet of the RF chip.

[0219] The input port of at least one power division unit in the waveguide antenna is connected to the waveguide outlet of the RF chip through a turning structure, that is, the input port of the at least one power division unit is connected to the first port of the turning structure, and the second port of the turning structure is connected to the waveguide outlet of the RF chip.

[0220] For details, please refer to Figure 13 , Figure 13 A schematic diagram of a port connection provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0221] Optionally, Figure 13 It can be regarded as the above Figure 5 The waveguide antenna is shown in a plan view in a second direction, wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the signal transmission direction in the N waveguides and the second direction is perpendicular to the direction in which the signal is radiated from the radiation unit.

[0222] like Figure 13As shown, specifically, it is a schematic connection diagram of the input port of at least one power divider unit and the waveguide outlet of the above radio frequency chip. The input port 1303 of at least one power divider unit is connected to the waveguide outlet 1304 of the radio frequency chip through a turning structure, that is, the input port 1303 of at least one power divider unit is connected to the first port 1301 of the turning structure, and the second port 1302 of the turning structure is connected to the waveguide outlet 1304 of the radio frequency chip.

[0223] Optionally, by Figure 13 It can be seen that the waveguide outlet 1304 of the above radio frequency chip has a first offset in the first direction relative to the input port 1303 of at least one power divider unit, and the first direction is the direction in which the radiating antenna radiates signals.

[0224] The input port 1303 of at least one power divider unit in the waveguide antenna is connected to the waveguide outlet 1304 of the radio frequency chip through a turning structure, and the waveguide outlet 1304 of the radio frequency chip has a certain degree of offset (i.e., the first offset) relative to the input port 1303 of at least one power divider unit in the signal radiation direction.

[0225] Through the turning structure in the embodiments of the present application, a misaligned stepped structure design of the input port of at least one power divider unit and the waveguide outlet of the radio frequency chip in the signal radiation direction can be realized. In the actual processing process, the overall thickness of the waveguide antenna can be effectively reduced, saving material costs while realizing a compact design of the overall thickness of the waveguide antenna.

[0226] In a possible embodiment, the ratio of the above N signals radiated to the first region is greater than the ratio radiated to the second region. The first region is the front region or the side-rear region of the vehicle, and the second region is the side region of the vehicle.

[0227] In the embodiments of the present application, by setting the difference between the lengths of N waveguides in the above possible embodiments, the differences in the phase and amplitude of the N signals fed into the N waveguides can be realized, so that the main beam formed by the N signals transmitted in the N waveguides points to the direction of the first region, so that the ratio of the N signals radiated to the first region is greater than the ratio radiated to the second region. The first region is the front region or the side-rear region of the vehicle, such as the region where the LCA scenario acts, and the second region is the side region of the vehicle, such as the region where the RCTA scenario acts.

[0228] Specifically, reference can be made to Figure 14 , Figure 14 which is a schematic diagram of a radar detection scenario provided by the embodiments of the present application.

[0229] Such as Figure 14As shown, radar 1401 is installed at the +45° position on the front side of the vehicle body (i.e., the upper right corner of the vehicle body), and radar 1402 is installed at the ±45° positions on the rear side of the vehicle body (i.e., the lower left corner and the lower right corner of the vehicle body). Radars 1401 and 1402 can be millimeter-wave radars or millimeter-wave radar systems, mainly used for advanced driver assistance systems such as lane change assistance systems and oncoming vehicle warning systems, which can assist the driver in perceiving the vehicle's surrounding environment and driving safely. Exemplarily, the radar normal direction (i.e., the direction perpendicular to the radar mounting surface) is the 0° direction. Based on the radar normal direction, the clockwise rotation is the positive angle direction, and the counterclockwise rotation is the negative angle direction.

[0230] It can be seen from Figure 14 that the LCA scenario generally acts in the directly front or side rear area of the vehicle, and the acting distance is generally about 150m; the RCTA scenario mainly acts on the side of the vehicle body, and the acting distance is generally about 100m.

[0231] Comparing the LCA scenario with the RCTA scenario, it can be seen that in the LCA scenario, due to the relatively long acting distance, a higher antenna gain is required. Limited by the link gain and antenna scale, the traditional single-antenna form usually has difficulty meeting the coverage requirements; while in the RCTA scenario, due to the relatively short acting distance, the reflected energy of the vehicle target will be relatively large, and the electromagnetic energy scattered by the target object is received by the receiving antenna after multi-path reflection, which will cause deterioration of link interference and noise. Therefore, a lower antenna gain is required. Therefore, based on the comparison of the above two scenarios, the following conclusion can be drawn: the acting area of LCA requires a higher antenna gain, and the acting area of RCTA requires a lower antenna gain.

[0232] For the traditional symmetric wide-beam antenna, its antenna gain is mainly in the radar normal direction (i.e., the direction perpendicular to the radar mounting surface), and the antenna gain in the θ1=-45° direction on the vehicle body (i.e., the LCA area) is relatively low, and the antenna gain in the θ2=+45° direction on the vehicle body (i.e., the RCTA area) is also relatively low. Even if the installation position of the radar is adjusted, when the above LCA scenario and RCTA scenario exist simultaneously, the current symmetric wide-beam antenna still cannot meet the different requirements of the above two application scenarios for the detection ability of the antenna.

[0233] In the above-mentioned possible embodiments, by setting the difference between the lengths of the N waveguides, the difference between the phases and amplitudes of the signals fed into different waveguides can be achieved, so that the main beam formed by the transmission signals in the N waveguides can be pointed in the direction of the LCA scenario, thereby increasing the antenna gain in the direction of θ1=-45° of the vehicle body (i.e., the LCA area), and reducing the antenna gain in the direction of θ2=+45° of the vehicle body (i.e., the RCTA area). This can not only meet the coverage requirements of the LCA scenario, but also share the excess antenna gain in the RCTA scenario, reduce the reflected energy of the vehicle target, reduce link interference and noise deterioration, and meet the different requirements of different application scenarios (LCA scenario and RCTA scenario) for the detection capability of the antenna.

[0234] The following will be combined Figures 15A to 15C , further explaining the above Figures 4 to 6 The waveguide antenna shown can simultaneously meet the different requirements of different application scenarios on the detection capability of the antenna.

[0235] See also Figure 15A , Figure 15A A schematic diagram of the effect of return loss provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0236] Depend on Figure 15A It can be seen that, taking |S11|≤-15dB as an example, the minimum impedance bandwidth of the antenna is ≥76GHz-81GHz, and the impedance bandwidth meets the frequency band requirements of future millimeter-wave radars.

[0237] See also Figure 15B , Figure 15B A radiation pattern of an antenna provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0238] Depend on Figure 15B It can be seen that the maximum gain radiation point of the antenna is at the θ1=-45° position of the vehicle body (i.e., the LCA area), and the maximum peak gain exceeds 16dBi. According to the range of nearly 150m for the LCA function of the next-generation vehicle-mounted corner radar and combined with the link budget gain of the previous generation of radar, the designed radiation pattern can effectively meet the functional needs of the large coverage range of the vehicle LCA scenario.

[0239] See also Figure 15C , Figure 15C A radiation pattern of an antenna provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0240] Depend on Figure 15CIt can be known that the gain corresponding to the antenna at the θ2 = +45° position (i.e., the RCTA area) of the vehicle body is about 10 dBi, which can also effectively meet the function coverage requirements of scenarios such as RCTA and FCTA. In addition, there is no obvious null in the azimuth plane pattern of the antenna within the range of ±90° of the vehicle body, and at the same time, the antenna phase is continuously controllable, which can avoid affecting the radar test and measurement capabilities during the actual ranging and angle measurement process.

[0241] From the above Figures 15A to 15C It can be seen that the above Figures 4 to 6 The waveguide antenna shown realizes the miniaturized design of the antenna power distribution network and the overall size of the antenna and the pattern shaping design. Moreover, the shaped pattern realized by the waveguide antenna has no null in the azimuth plane, and the main beam formed by the signals transmitted in N waveguides can be directed to the direction where the LCA scenario acts. It can not only meet the coverage requirements of the LCA scenario, but also share the excessive antenna gain in the RCTA scenario, reduce the reflection energy of the vehicle target, reduce link interference and noise deterioration, and at the same time meet the different requirements of different application scenarios (such as the LCA scenario and the RCTA scenario) for the detection ability of the antenna.

[0242] It can be understood that for the waveguide antenna in the embodiment of the present application, by setting the difference between the lengths of N waveguides, the differences in the phase and amplitude of the signals fed into different waveguides are realized. The shaped pattern realized includes but is not limited to the θ1 = -45° pointing in the present application, and can form shaped patterns with any other pointing directions according to the different requirements of different application scenarios.

[0243] Next, in combination with Figures 16A to 16C , it will be further described that the above Figures 7 to 9 The waveguide antenna shown can make the main beam formed by the signals transmitted in N waveguides point to the direction where the LCA scenario acts. It can not only meet the coverage requirements of the LCA scenario, but also share the excessive antenna gain in the RCTA scenario, reduce the reflection energy of the vehicle target, reduce link interference and noise deterioration, and at the same time meet the different requirements of different application scenarios (the LCA scenario and the RCTA scenario) for the detection ability of the antenna.

[0244] Please refer to Figure 16A , Figure 16A which is a schematic diagram of the effect of return loss provided by the embodiment of the present application.

[0245] From Figure 16A it can be known that taking |S11| ≤ -15 dB as an example, the minimum impedance bandwidth of the antenna ≥ 76 GHz - 81 GHz, and the impedance bandwidth meets the requirements of future millimeter-wave radar frequency bands.

[0246] Please refer to Figure 16B , Figure 16B which is a radiation pattern of the antenna provided by the embodiment of the present application.

[0247] It can be seen from Figure 16B that the maximum gain radiation point of the antenna is at the position of θ1 = -45° on the vehicle body (i.e., the LCA area), and the maximum gain is about 15.5 dB. According to the range of nearly 150 m defined for the LCA function by the next-generation vehicle-mounted corner radar, combined with the gain of the previous-generation radar link budget, the designed radiation pattern can effectively meet the functional requirements of the large coverage range of the vehicle LCA scenario.

[0248] Please refer to Figure 16C , Figure 16C which is the radiation pattern of an antenna provided by an embodiment of the present application.

[0249] It can be seen from Figure 16C that the gain corresponding to the position of θ2 = +45° on the vehicle body (i.e., the RCTA area) of the antenna is about 10 dBi, which can also effectively meet the functional coverage requirements of scenarios such as RCTA and FCTA. In addition, there is no obvious null in the azimuth plane radiation pattern of the antenna within the range of ±90° on the vehicle body, and at the same time, the antenna phase is continuously controllable, which can avoid affecting the radar test and measurement capabilities during the actual ranging and angle measurement processes.

[0250] From the above Figures 16A to 16C it can be seen that the above Figures 7 to 9 shown waveguide antenna realizes the miniaturized design of the antenna power distribution network and the overall size of the antenna and the shaping design of the radiation pattern, and the shaped radiation pattern realized by the waveguide antenna has no null in the azimuth plane, and the main beam formed by the signals transmitted in N waveguides can point to the direction where the LCA scenario acts, which can not only meet the coverage requirements of the LCA scenario, but also share the excessive antenna gain in the RCTA scenario, reduce the reflection energy of the vehicle target, reduce link interference and noise deterioration, and at the same time meet the different requirements of different application scenarios (such as the LCA scenario and the RCTA scenario) for the detection capabilities of the antenna.

[0251] In addition, in a possible embodiment, a preparation method of the waveguide antenna in the present application is also provided, and the specific process of the preparation method is as follows:

[0252] Method 1: At least one power distribution unit and N waveguides can be obtained through plastic layered mold opening, then electroplating is performed on the surfaces of each mold, and finally a waveguide antenna including at least one power distribution unit and N waveguides is obtained through layer brazing.

[0253] Among them, the process of plastic layered mold opening is as follows: The plastic is first heated and melted in the bottom of the injection molding machine, and then under the push of the screw of the injection molding machine, it enters the mold cavity through the nozzle of the injection molding machine and the gating system of the mold, and the plastic cools and hardens to form a shape, and the product is demolded.

[0254] Plastic electroplating is to cover a metal layer on the plastic surface to endow it with metallic properties. The specific process is as follows: surface cleaning, solvent treatment, conditioning treatment, sensitization.

[0255] Brazing: It refers to a welding method in which a filler metal with a melting point lower than that of the workpiece and the workpiece are simultaneously heated to the melting temperature of the filler metal, and then the liquid filler metal is used to fill the gaps of the solid workpiece to connect the metals. During brazing, first, the oxide film and oil stain on the contact surface of the base material should be removed to facilitate the capillary action after the filler metal melts, increasing the wettability and capillary fluidity of the filler metal.

[0256] Method 2: It is also possible to layer-machine at least one power divider unit and N waveguides, and then form the at least one power divider unit and N waveguides through welding to obtain a waveguide antenna.

[0257] The waveguide antenna obtained by the above preparation method can make the main beam formed by the transmitted signals in the N waveguides point to the direction where the LCA scenario acts. It can not only meet the coverage requirements of the LCA scenario, but also share the excess antenna gain in the RCTA scenario, reduce the reflection energy of the vehicle target, reduce link interference and noise deterioration, and at the same time meet the different detection ability requirements of the antenna for different application scenarios (LCA scenario and RCTA scenario).

[0258] Exemplarily, through the above preparation method of the waveguide antenna, a waveguide antenna as shown in any one of the above Figures 4 to 9 can be obtained. The structural characteristics and functional characteristics of this waveguide antenna can be referred to the corresponding descriptions in the above Figures 4 to 9 and will not be elaborated here.

[0259] Optionally, the waveguide antenna can be fixed to the RF board by welding or screwing. The RF signal is fed into the lower feed port of the waveguide antenna through the coupling method of PCB to waveguide, and then radiation is realized through the radiation port of the waveguide antenna.

[0260] This application provides a chip, which includes the waveguide antenna provided by this application.

[0261] This application provides a radar or radar system, which includes the waveguide antenna provided by this application or the above chip. It should be noted that there may be various intelligent sensors integrated with multiple sensors. In the case where the above intelligent sensor includes millimeter-wave detection function, the above intelligent sensor can also be called a millimeter-wave radar or a millimeter-wave radar system.

[0262] The present application provides a terminal device, which includes the waveguide antenna provided by the present application, or the above-mentioned chip, or the above-mentioned radar or radar system. For example, the terminal device can be a transportation vehicle, such as a vehicle, a truck, an aircraft, a drone, a slow transport vehicle, a spacecraft, or a ship, etc., a transportation vehicle used in any possible scenario, or can also be a surveying and mapping device or any device that can carry a detection device. One or more waveguide antennas, chips, radars, or radar systems provided by the present application are deployed on the terminal device.

[0263] As described above, the above is only the specific implementation manner of the present application, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed by the present application can easily think of changes or substitutions, and all should be covered within the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application shall be subject to the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A waveguide antenna, characterized in that, The waveguide antenna includes: At least one power splitter unit and N waveguides, where N is an integer greater than 1; The at least one power splitter unit is configured to split a first signal from a radio frequency chip into N paths of signals, and the N paths of signals are respectively transmitted via the N waveguides; Among the N waveguides, at least two waveguides have different lengths.

2. The waveguide antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that, The N waveguides are arranged in parallel, and the N waveguides include at least one bent waveguide and at least one straight waveguide.

3. The waveguide antenna according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The at least one power splitter unit includes a first power splitter unit and a second power splitter unit, and the first power splitter unit and the second power splitter unit are cascaded.

4. The waveguide antenna according to claim 3, characterized in that, Among the N paths of signals, at least two paths of signals have different powers.

5. The waveguide antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The N waveguides are respectively connected to N radiating antennas, and the radiating antennas include at least one radiating element.

6. The waveguide antenna according to claim 5, characterized in that, The at least one power splitter unit, the N waveguides, and the N radiating antennas are arranged in a first plane, and the radiating elements are arranged perpendicular to the first plane.

7. The waveguide antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, An input port of the at least one power splitter unit is connected to a first port of a turning structure, and a second port of the turning structure is connected to a waveguide outlet of the radio frequency chip.

8. The waveguide antenna according to claim 7, characterized in that, The waveguide outlet of the radio frequency chip has a first offset in a first direction relative to the input port of the at least one power splitter unit, and the first direction is the direction in which the radiating antenna radiates signals.

9. The waveguide antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, When N = 5, the power distribution ratio of the N paths of signals is 1:1:4:1:1; The at least one power splitter unit includes a one-to-five power splitter, an input port of the one-to-five power splitter is connected to the waveguide outlet of the radio frequency chip, and five output ports of the one-to-five power splitter are respectively connected to five waveguides; Alternatively, the at least one power splitter unit includes a one-to-three power splitter and two one-to-two power splitters, an input port of the one-to-three power splitter is connected to the waveguide outlet of the radio frequency chip, three output ports of the one-to-three power splitter are respectively connected to a waveguide and input ports of the two one-to-two power splitters in cascade, and four output ports of the two one-to-two power splitters are respectively connected to four waveguides.

10. The waveguide antenna according to claim 9, characterized in that, The ratio of the difference between the lengths of the N waveguides and the length of the first waveguide among the N waveguides is -160:-320:0:180:330, and the phase differences between the N paths of signals and the first path of signals among the N paths of signals are -160°, -320°, 0°, 180°, 330° respectively, and the first path of signals is the signal transmitted in the first waveguide.

11. The waveguide antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, When N = 4, the power distribution ratio of the N paths of signals is 1:2:2:1; The at least one power splitter unit includes a one-to-four power splitter, an input port of the one-to-four power splitter is connected to the waveguide outlet of the radio frequency chip, and four output ports of the one-to-four power splitter are respectively connected to four waveguides; Alternatively, the at least one power divider unit includes three two-way power dividers. The input port of the first two-way power divider among the three two-way power dividers is connected to the waveguide outlet of the RF chip. The two output ports of the first two-way power divider are respectively cascaded and connected to the input ports of the second two-way power divider and the third two-way power divider among the three two-way power dividers. The four output ports of the second two-way power divider and the third two-way power divider are respectively connected to four waveguides.

12. The waveguide antenna according to claim 11, characterized in that, The ratio of the differences in the lengths between the N waveguides and the second waveguide among the N waveguides is -310:-180:0:

300. The phase differences between the N signals and the second signal among the N signals are -310°, -180°, 0°, 300° respectively. The second signal is the signal transmitted in the second waveguide.

13. The waveguide antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, When N = 3, the power distribution ratio of the N signals is 1:2:

1. The at least one power divider unit includes a three-way power divider. The input port of the three-way power divider is connected to the waveguide outlet of the RF chip. The three output ports of the three-way power divider are respectively connected to three waveguides. Alternatively, the at least one power divider unit includes two two-way power dividers. The input port of the first two-way power divider among the two two-way power dividers is connected to the waveguide outlet of the RF chip. The two output ports of the first two-way power divider are respectively cascaded and connected to one waveguide and the input port of the second two-way power divider among the two two-way power dividers. The two output ports of the second two-way power divider are respectively connected to two waveguides.

14. The waveguide antenna according to claim 11, characterized in that, The ratio of the differences in the lengths between the N waveguides and the third waveguide among the N waveguides is -310:-180:

0. The phase differences between the N signals and the third signal among the N signals are -310°, -180°, 0° respectively. The third signal is the signal transmitted in the third waveguide.

15. The waveguide antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that, The ratio of the N signals radiated to the first region is greater than the ratio radiated to the second region. The first region is the front region or the side-rear region of the vehicle, and the second region is the side region of the vehicle.

16. A radar, characterized in that, The radar includes the waveguide antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

17. A terminal device, characterized in that, The terminal device includes the waveguide antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 15, or the radar according to claim 16.

18. A vehicle end, characterized in that, The vehicle end includes the waveguide antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 15, or the radar according to claim 16, or the terminal device according to claim 17.

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