Portable sensing integrated radar module

Abstract

The utility model discloses a portable sensing integrated radar module, which solves the problems of large volume, high power consumption, poor heat dissipation, insufficient anti-interference capability and the like in the prior art. The module is integrally packaged in an antenna unit, a radio frequency front end unit, a signal processing unit and a power supply management unit in a metal shell; the antenna unit is arranged at the top of the metal shell, and the output end of the antenna unit is connected with the input end of the radio frequency front end unit; the output end of the radio frequency front end unit is connected with the input end of the signal processing unit; the input end of the power management unit is used for connecting an external power supply, and the output end of the power management unit supplies power to the radio frequency front-end unit and the signal processing unit; heat dissipation fins are arranged on the outer surface of the metal shell, and an integrally-formed shielding partition wall is arranged in the metal shell; wherein the shielding partition wall divides the metal shell into a radio frequency cavity for accommodating the radio frequency front-end unit and a digital cavity for placing the signal processing unit and the power management unit, and a compact design is realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of radar and sensing integration technology, and in particular to a lightweight integrated radar module. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of technologies such as the Internet of Things, intelligent transportation, and drone applications, the demand for terminal devices that combine wireless communication and environmental sensing capabilities is becoming increasingly urgent. Integrated sensing technology aims to utilize a unified hardware platform and spectrum resources to simultaneously perform data transmission and target detection, ranging, and velocity measurement functions, thereby significantly improving spectrum utilization and reducing equipment complexity, size, and cost.

[0003] Currently, the mainstream solutions for implementing communication and sensing functions mostly adopt a separate design, where the communication module and the radar sensing module are independent of each other. The communication module is usually based on protocols such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and 4G / 5G, while the radar sensing module is mostly an independent sensor using FMCW or pulsed sensors. This separate architecture has obvious drawbacks: First, the two modules require their own independent RF front-ends, signal processing units (300), and antenna systems, resulting in bulky devices, increased weight, and higher power consumption, making it difficult to meet the application requirements of lightweight mobile platforms (such as drones and wearable devices) with extremely high integration requirements; second, the parallel operation of the two systems may cause electromagnetic compatibility issues, and they are prone to interference; finally, the separate design also leads to a significant increase in hardware costs.

[0004] To address these issues, the industry has begun exploring integrated sensing and communication designs. However, existing basic integrated solutions often simply stack communication and sensing circuit boards in terms of structure, failing to achieve deep hardware resource sharing and optimized integration. While achieving portability and miniaturization, these solutions often overlook the serious challenges brought about by integration: First, the heat dissipation problem under high integration; the RF front-end and digital processing unit working together generate a lot of heat, and poor heat dissipation will lead to performance degradation or even device damage. Second, the electromagnetic interference problem between the digital circuits and sensitive analog RF circuits inside the module can seriously reduce the sensitivity and communication quality of the radar receiver. Third, the power management of existing modules is relatively simple, lacking comprehensive protection against risks such as voltage surges and current overloads in complex mobile environments, resulting in insufficient reliability.

[0005] Therefore, there is an urgent need in this field for a new type of integrated sensing radar module that is highly integrated, compact, has good heat dissipation, excellent electromagnetic compatibility, and reliable power management, in order to overcome the shortcomings of existing technologies and promote the practical application and deployment of integrated sensing technology in portable devices. Utility Model Content

[0006] This invention provides a lightweight integrated radar module that solves the problems of large size, high power consumption, poor heat dissipation, and insufficient anti-interference capability in the prior art. It achieves the integration of high-performance radar and sensing functions while meeting the requirements of lightweighting and miniaturization.

[0007] This utility model provides a lightweight integrated sensing radar module, which includes:

[0008] The antenna unit 100, the radio frequency front-end unit 200, the signal processing unit 300, and the power management unit 400 are integrated and packaged in a metal housing 501.

[0009] The antenna unit 100 is disposed on the top of the metal housing 501, and the output terminal of the antenna unit 100 is connected to the input terminal of the radio frequency front-end unit 200.

[0010] The output terminal of the radio frequency front-end unit 200 is connected to the input terminal of the signal processing unit 300;

[0011] The input terminal of the power management unit 400 is used to connect to an external power source, and the output terminal of the power management unit 400 supplies power to the radio frequency front-end unit 200 and the signal processing unit 300.

[0012] The outer surface of the metal housing 501 is provided with heat dissipation fins 502, and the interior of the metal housing 501 is provided with an integrally formed shielding partition 504; wherein, the shielding partition 504 divides the metal housing 501 into an RF chamber 505 for accommodating the RF front-end unit 200 and a digital chamber 506 for accommodating the signal processing unit 300 and the power management unit 400.

[0013] In one possible implementation, the antenna unit 100 includes a microstrip array antenna 101 and an antenna feed network 102 integrated on the same dielectric substrate, and the output of the antenna feed network 102 is connected to the input of the radio frequency front-end unit 200 through a first radio frequency connector 103.

[0014] In one possible implementation, the RF front-end unit 200 includes an RF bandpass filter 201, a low-noise amplifier 202, a mixer 204, and a local oscillator circuit 205 connected in sequence; the output terminal of the local oscillator circuit 205 is connected to the local oscillator input terminal of the mixer 204.

[0015] In one possible implementation, the RF front-end unit 200 further includes a mirror rejection filter 203 disposed between the output of the low-noise amplifier 202 and the RF input of the mixer 204, and an intermediate frequency filter 206 connected to the output of the mixer 204.

[0016] In one possible implementation, the signal processing unit 300 includes an analog-to-digital converter 301 and an FPGA chip 302, wherein the input terminal of the analog-to-digital converter 301 is connected to the output terminal of the radio frequency front-end unit 200, and the output terminal of the analog-to-digital converter 301 is connected to the input terminal of the FPGA chip 302.

[0017] In one possible implementation, the inner wall of the digital chamber 506 is provided with a thermally conductive protrusion 507, and the FPGA chip 302 is in close contact with the thermally conductive protrusion 507 through a thermally conductive pad.

[0018] In one possible implementation, the power management unit 400 includes an overvoltage protection circuit 401, an overcurrent protection circuit 402, and a high-efficiency DC-DC conversion circuit 403 connected in series; the input terminal of the overvoltage protection circuit 401 serves as the input terminal of the power management unit 400, and the output terminal of the high-efficiency DC-DC conversion circuit 403 serves as the output terminal of the power management unit 400.

[0019] In one possible implementation, the sidewall of the metal housing 501 is provided with a composite interface 508 that integrates power input and data input / output.

[0020] In one possible implementation, the metal casing 501 is an aluminum casing.

[0021] One or more technical solutions provided in this utility model have at least the following technical effects or advantages:

[0022] This invention utilizes a lightweight, integrated sensing radar module. By encapsulating the antenna unit, RF front-end unit, signal processing unit, and power management unit within a metal casing, it achieves a high degree of hardware integration, significantly reducing the overall size and weight of the module. This makes it ideal for deployment on weight- and size-sensitive mobile platforms such as drones. Positioning the antenna unit on top of the metal casing optimizes the antenna's radiation pattern, reduces beam obstruction and interference from the metal casing, and ensures effective transmission and reception of communication and sensing signals. The output of the antenna unit is directly connected to the input of the RF front-end unit, forming a highly efficient signal reception link. This compact connection reduces signal loss during transmission, helping to maintain the quality and integrity of high-frequency signals. The output of the RF front-end unit is connected to the input of the signal processing unit, ensuring that the RF signal processed by the front-end can be directly and without delay sent to the back-end for digitization and information extraction, providing a foundation for real-time processing of communication and sensing functions. The power management unit's input is connected to an external power supply, and its output provides unified power to the RF front-end and signal processing unit. This centralized power management architecture not only simplifies external wiring but also improves power conversion efficiency and overall energy efficiency, while laying the foundation for a stable and clean power supply environment within the module. Heat dissipation fins on the outer surface of the metal casing effectively increase the module's heat dissipation surface area. Utilizing the excellent thermal conductivity of metal, the heat generated by the internal chips during operation can be dissipated into the environment in a timely manner, ensuring the module's thermal stability and reliability under continuous high load operation. An integrated shielding partition is installed inside the metal casing, dividing it into independent RF and digital chambers. This achieves physical isolation between sensitive RF circuits and high-speed digital circuits. This structure fundamentally suppresses electromagnetic interference from digital noise to the RF receiving link, significantly improving receiver sensitivity and system electromagnetic compatibility performance. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the overall structure provided for an embodiment of this utility model;

[0024] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of the radio frequency front-end unit 200 provided in this embodiment of the utility model;

[0025] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the signal processing unit 300 provided in an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0026] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the power management unit 400 provided in an embodiment of this utility model.

[0027] Reference numerals: 100-Antenna element; 101-Microstrip array antenna; 102-Antenna feed network; 103-First RF connector; 200-RF front-end unit; 201-RF bandpass filter; 202-Low noise amplifier; 203-Image rejection filter; 204-Mixer; 205-Local oscillator circuit; 206-Intermediate frequency filter; 300-Signal processing unit; 301-Analog-to-digital converter; 302-FPGA chip; 400-Power management unit; 401-Overvoltage protection circuit; 402-Overcurrent protection circuit; 403-High-efficiency DC-DC conversion circuit; 501-Metal casing; 502-Heat sink; 503-Electromagnetic shielding layer; 504-Shielding partition; 505-RF chamber; 506-Digital chamber; 507-Heat-conducting boss; 508-Composite interface. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present utility model. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present utility model without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present utility model.

[0029] Please see Figure 1 This utility model provides a lightweight integrated radar module, which includes: an antenna unit 100, a radio frequency front-end unit 200, a signal processing unit 300, and a power management unit 400 integrated and packaged in a metal shell 501.

[0030] Antenna unit 100 is disposed on the top of metal housing 501, and the output terminal of antenna unit 100 is connected to the input terminal of radio frequency front-end unit 200.

[0031] Here, the antenna unit 100 includes a microstrip array antenna 101 and an antenna feed network 102 integrated on the same dielectric substrate. The output terminal of the antenna feed network 102 is connected to the input terminal of the radio frequency front-end unit 200 through a first radio frequency connector 103.

[0032] The output of the RF front-end unit 200 is connected to the input of the signal processing unit 300. Specifically, the RF front-end unit 200 includes an RF bandpass filter 201, a low-noise amplifier 202, a mixer 204, and a local oscillator circuit 205 connected in sequence; the output of the local oscillator circuit 205 is connected to the local oscillator input of the mixer 204.

[0033] Specifically, the RF front-end unit 200 also includes a mirror rejection filter 203 disposed between the output of the low-noise amplifier 202 and the RF input of the mixer 204, and an intermediate frequency filter 206 connected to the output of the mixer 204.

[0034] The signal processing unit 300 includes an analog-to-digital converter 301 and an FPGA chip 302. The input terminal of the analog-to-digital converter 301 is connected to the output terminal of the radio frequency front-end unit 200, and the output terminal of the analog-to-digital converter 301 is connected to the input terminal of the FPGA chip 302.

[0035] The input terminal of the power management unit 400 is used to connect to an external power supply, and the output terminal of the power management unit 400 supplies power to the RF front-end unit 200 and the signal processing unit 300. Specifically, the power management unit 400 includes an overvoltage protection circuit 401, an overcurrent protection circuit 402, and a high-efficiency DC-DC conversion circuit 403 connected in series. The input terminal of the overvoltage protection circuit 401 serves as the input terminal of the power management unit 400, and the output terminal of the high-efficiency DC-DC conversion circuit 403 serves as the output terminal of the power management unit 400.

[0036] The outer surface of the metal casing 501 is provided with heat dissipation fins 502, the inner wall of the metal casing 501 is provided with an electromagnetic shielding layer 503, and the interior of the metal casing 501 is provided with an integrally formed shielding partition 504; wherein, the shielding partition 504 divides the metal casing 501 into an RF cavity 505 for accommodating the RF front-end unit 200 and a digital cavity 506 for accommodating the signal processing unit 300 and the power management unit 400.

[0037] The inner wall of the digital chamber 506 is provided with a heat-conducting protrusion 507, and the FPGA chip 302 is in close contact with the heat-conducting protrusion 507 through a heat-conducting pad.

[0038] The side wall of the metal casing 501 is provided with a composite interface 508 that integrates power input and data input / output. Here, the metal casing 501 is made of aluminum.

[0039] In one specific embodiment of this invention, the lightweight integrated radar module can be widely used in UAV obstacle avoidance systems. The module is compact in size and lightweight, facilitating integration and deployment.

[0040] The microstrip array antenna 101 consists of multiple radiating patches etched onto an RO4350B substrate. The antenna feed network 102 employs a Wilkinson power divider design and is integrated onto the same substrate. The microstrip array antenna 101 also functions as a radome, fixed to the top of an aluminum housing, with its radiation direction perpendicular to the housing surface.

[0041] Here, the first RF connector 103 is an SMA type coaxial connector.

[0042] See Figure 2 The signal receiving link of the RF front-end unit 200 begins with the RF bandpass filter 201, whose output is connected to the low-noise amplifier 202. A mirror rejection filter 203 is connected in series between the output of the low-noise amplifier 202 and the RF input of the mixer 204. The local oscillator input of the mixer 204 receives the local oscillator signal generated by the local oscillator circuit 205. The intermediate frequency (IF) signal output from the mixer 204 is filtered by the IF filter 206 and serves as the final output of the RF front-end unit 200.

[0043] Here, the low-noise amplifier 202 can be implemented using the Analog Devices ADL5523 chip, with a noise figure as low as 0.8 dB; the image rejection filter 203 can be a 5.8 GHz surface acoustic wave filter; the mixer 204 can be a Mini-Circuits HMC773A passive mixer; and the local oscillator circuit 205 can be an Analog Devices ADF4356 frequency synthesizer chip.

[0044] See Figure 3 In the signal processing unit 300, the input of the analog-to-digital converter 301 receives the intermediate frequency signal and converts it into a digital signal. The digital signal is then transmitted to the FPGA chip 302 through a high-speed interface. The algorithm implemented by the FPGA chip 302 performs functions such as digital down-conversion, pulse compression, FFT spectrum analysis, CFAR target detection, and communication protocol processing in real time. The final result is output through a serial interface.

[0045] Here, the analog-to-digital converter 301 can be a Texas Instruments ADS922QR 16-bit ADC chip; the FPGA chip 302 can be a Xilinx Artix-7 XC7A100T chip.

[0046] See Figure 4 In the power management unit 400, an external 12V DC power supply is input through the composite interface 508, and then passes sequentially through an overvoltage protection circuit 401 composed of an SMBJ15A TVS diode and an overcurrent protection circuit 402 composed of a TI TPS25942 electronic fuse chip, before entering the high-efficiency DC-DC conversion circuit 403. The conversion circuit can use multiple chips such as the TI TPS54332 and ADI ADP5074 to generate various stable voltages such as 3.3V, 1.0V, 1.8V, and 5.0V to power the chips in the RF front-end and signal processing unit 300.

[0047] The heat dissipation fins 502 on the outer surface of the aluminum housing 501 and the conductive epoxy resin coating of the electromagnetic shielding layer 503 on the inner wall are clearly visible. The microstrip array antenna 101 is mounted on the top of the housing. In the internal cavity below it, the RF front-end unit 200, the signal processing unit 300, and the power management unit 400 are arranged in sequence. The boards are reliably interconnected through connectors, ensuring a compact structure and signal integrity.

[0048] When the module is operating, the microstrip array antenna 101 receives the target echo signal, which is then synthesized by the antenna feed network 102 and sent to the RF front-end unit 200 via the first RF connector 103. The signal is filtered by the RF bandpass filter 201, amplified by the low-noise amplifier 202, and suppressed by the image rejection filter 203. It is then down-converted in the mixer 204 with the local oscillator signal generated by the local oscillator circuit 205, and finally filtered by the intermediate frequency filter 206 before being output. The analog-to-digital converter 301 in the signal processing unit 300 digitizes the intermediate frequency signal, and the FPGA chip 302 performs real-time signal processing and information extraction. The power management unit 400 provides efficient and stable power throughout the process, and overvoltage protection circuit 401 and overcurrent protection circuit 402 ensure safety. The metal casing 501 effectively manages heat dissipation and electromagnetic interference through heat sink fins 502 and electromagnetic shielding layer 503, ensuring reliable module operation.

[0049] During the drone's flight, the module uses a microstrip array antenna 101 to detect obstacles in the surrounding environment in real time, and outputs the detection results to the drone's flight control system via a signal processing unit 300. The flight control system adjusts the drone's flight path based on the received target information, thereby achieving automatic obstacle avoidance. Due to the module's lightweight and miniaturized design, it effectively reduces the drone's load, while its efficient heat dissipation and anti-interference capabilities ensure stable operation in complex environments.

[0050] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this utility model, and are not intended to limit this utility model. Although this utility model has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of this utility model.

Claims

1. A compact integrated radar module for surveillance and weather sensing, characterized by, The application relates to an integrated antenna unit (100), a radio frequency front-end unit (200), a signal processing unit (300) and a power management unit (400) which are packaged in a metal shell (501). The antenna unit (100) is arranged on the top of the metal shell (501), and the output end of the antenna unit (100) is connected with the input end of the radio frequency front-end unit (200). The output end of the radio frequency front-end unit (200) is connected with the input end of the signal processing unit (300). The input end of the power management unit (400) is used for connecting an external power supply, and the output end of the power management unit (400) is used for supplying power to the radio frequency front-end unit (200) and the signal processing unit (300). The outer surface of the metal shell (501) is provided with heat dissipation fins (502), and the inside of the metal shell (501) is provided with an integrally-formed shielding partition wall (504); wherein the shielding partition wall (504) divides the metal shell (501) into a radio frequency chamber (505) for accommodating the radio frequency front-end unit (200) and a digital chamber (506) for placing the signal processing unit (300) and the power management unit (400). The antenna unit (100) comprises a microstrip array antenna (101) and an antenna feed network (102) which are integrated on the same dielectric substrate, and the output end of the antenna feed network (102) is connected with the input end of the radio frequency front-end unit (200) through a first radio frequency connector (103).

2. The compact integrated radar module according to claim 1, wherein The radio frequency front-end unit (200) comprises a radio frequency band-pass filter (201), a low-noise amplifier (202), a mixer (204) and a local oscillator circuit (205) which are connected in sequence; the output end of the local oscillator circuit (205) is connected with the local oscillator input end of the mixer (204).

3. The compact integrated radar module of claim 1, wherein The radio frequency front-end unit (200) further comprises an image rejection filter (203) which is arranged between the output end of the low-noise amplifier (202) and the radio frequency input end of the mixer (204), and an intermediate frequency filter (206) which is connected with the output end of the mixer (204).

4. The compact integrated radar module according to claim 3, wherein The signal processing unit (300) comprises an analog-to-digital converter (301) and an FPGA chip (302), the input end of the analog-to-digital converter (301) is connected with the output end of the radio frequency front-end unit (200), and the output end of the analog-to-digital converter (301) is connected with the input end of the FPGA chip (302).

5. The compact integrated radar module of claim 1, wherein The inner wall of the digital chamber (506) is provided with a heat-conducting boss (507), and the FPGA chip (302) is in close contact with the heat-conducting boss (507) through a heat-conducting gasket.

6. The compact integrated radar module of claim 5, wherein ​ 7. The compact integrated radar module of claim 1, wherein The power management unit (400) comprises overvoltage protection circuit (401), overcurrent protection circuit (402) and high efficiency DC-DC conversion circuit (403) in series; the input end of the overvoltage protection circuit (401) is used as the input end of the power management unit (400), and the output end of the high efficiency DC-DC conversion circuit (403) is used as the output end of the power management unit (400).

8. The radar module of claim 1, wherein, The inner wall of the metal shell (501) is provided with an electromagnetic shielding layer (503).

9. The compact integrated radar module of claim 1, wherein, The sidewall of the metal shell (501) is provided with a composite interface (508) integrated with power input and data input / output.

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