Antenna Device

Abstract

The present invention relates to an antenna device (1), comprising an antenna plate (2) having a front surface (3) and a rear surface (4), at least one waveguide channel segment (5) having a front section (6) and a rear section (7) arranged on the antenna plate (2) and extending in a first direction (x) parallel to the front surface (3) of the antenna plate (2), and a waveguide channel segment (5) extending between the front section (6) of the waveguide channel segment (5) and the front surface (3) of the antenna plate (2) and having a front section (5) and a rear section (7). and a waveguide opening (8) arranged in the antenna plate (2) interconnecting the front section (3) and the rear section (7), said front section (6) and / or rear section (7) comprising a recess (9) in the form of a protrusion (10) extending from the channel wall (11) into the front section (6) and / or rear section (7) of the waveguide channel segment (5), the waveguide opening (8) having, in the region of its rear end (12), a cross section (13) with a longer extension (14) and a shorter extension (15).

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an antenna arrangement for use in automotive radar applications. [Background technology]

[0002] US5170174A published on 8 December 1992 by Thomson CSF relates to a patch-excited non-tilted radiating slot waveguide having a slot cut in the narrow wall of the waveguide perpendicular to its axis and a printed circuit plate. The plate has a patch for coupling with the energy propagating in the waveguide and a microstrip line connected to the patch for exciting the slot with the energy thus extracted. These slot waveguides can be used in particular for array antennas.

[0003] US4435715A published March 6, 1984 by Hughes Aircraft Co. relates to a rod excited waveguide slot antenna, the power radiating slotted waveguide of which comprises one or more rods mounted in the waveguide adjacent to a non-tilted slot. The rods radiate the power, but the slots are not tilted, minimizing undesirable cross-polarized radiation. The energy radiated from the slots can be varied by varying the area between the rods and the waveguide wall.

[0004] US5422652A published on 6 June 1995 by Thomson CSF relates to a waveguide with non-tilted radiating slots excited by flat metal plates, the waveguide having slots cut into the narrow wall of the waveguide perpendicular to its axis, and on each side of each slot a pair of metal plates positioned symmetrically about the central axis of the slot. These plates make it possible to modify and excite the electric field in the associated slot, the value of coupling being set by adjusting the size of the plates and their position relative to the corresponding radiating slot. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The antenna device described herein is designed as a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna for radar applications, for example in automotive applications. Such antenna devices typically require individual antenna elements and / or waveguide channel segments that are configured to transmit and / or receive signals simultaneously and / or according to a specific pattern. Depending on the field of application, preferred variants of the antenna device may include at least two individual waveguide channel segments. The at least two individual waveguide channel segments can operate independently of each other.

[0006] Particularly in automotive applications, vertical polarization of the radiated signal is typically desired. In known antenna devices having a waveguide structure, vertical polarization is usually achieved by arranging the waveguide opening angularly displaced with respect to the main elongation direction of the waveguide channel segment. In order to be able to excite a signal through the waveguide opening, at least a part of the waveguide propagating current must be oriented essentially perpendicular to the orientation of the waveguide opening. Therefore, the waveguide opening of known antenna devices is typically angularly displaced to be able to radiate the signal. However, this generates an undesirable partial horizontal polarization of the radiated signal.

[0007] Alternatively, in certain applications, horizontal polarization of the excitation signal may also be required. Typically, a horizontal signal is excited from the known antenna arrangement by arranging the waveguide openings parallel to the main extension direction of the waveguide channel segments. Unlike the previous case, in order to keep the phase between adjacent waveguide openings uniform, adjacent waveguide openings must be spaced apart by a distance of one guided wavelength relative to each other. As a result, in order to be able to arrange a sufficient number of waveguide openings so as to also be able to realize more complex radiation patterns, the waveguide channel segments must be relatively long, resulting in an undesirable size of the entire antenna arrangement.

[0008] One objective addressed by the present disclosure can be seen in influencing the characteristics of the electric field and the current of a signal within a waveguide channel segment in order to obtain a space-saving design with high accuracy of antenna directivity.

[0009] The antenna device according to the present disclosure typically comprises an antenna plate having a front face and a rear face. The disclosed antenna device may be part of an antenna assembly typically comprising an antenna device, a printed circuit board, and electronic components arranged thereon, interconnected to the antenna plate. In order to keep manufacturing costs low in view of the large quantities, it is desirable to design an antenna device with no more than two layers of stacks (components). Good results are obtained when the antenna plate comprises a rear part and a front part, the rear part and the front part being interconnected to each other along the front face of the rear part and the rear face of the front part. The front face of the rear part and the rear face of the front part do not have to be essentially flat. If suitable, the front part and / or the rear part may be skeletonized to reduce the contact surface. This is advantageous because the contact area is minimized, thereby increasing the surface pressure of the contact area and thus resulting in a more accurate alignment of the front part and the rear part in the region of the waveguide channel and / or the waveguide channel segment. Typically, the two parts are assembled together, with a portion of the waveguide channel segment disposed on the front face of the rear part and a portion of the waveguide channel segment disposed on the rear face of the front part, which are aligned in congruence. The rear part and / or the front part may be made by injection molding of at least one plastic material. An advantageous structure may be achieved if at least one waveguide channel and / or waveguide channel segment extends at least partially into the front face of the rear part and / or into the rear face of the front part.

[0010] To further reduce the manufacturing effort, the antenna plate can also be designed as a single-layer antenna plate with an electromagnetic bandgap structure (EBG). Instead of combining two metallized plastic layers, the antenna plate can only comprise one metallized plastic layer interconnected to a printed circuit board (PCB). There are various alternative methods, e.g., conductive adhesive, soldering, etc., to assemble the antenna plate and the PCB together and avoid power leakage.

[0011] In a preferred variant, the antenna plate consists of only one layer, with several struts arranged on the rear face of the antenna plate, which are configured to define at least part of the contour of the waveguide channel segment. An EBG structure as mentioned above means that the antenna plate is not flat or planar, but is built with EBG elements protruding away from the substantially flat or planar rear face of the antenna plate, for example corrugated or concave. Such a design allows the antenna plate to be connected to a flat or planar PCB. The front part and / or the rear part may preferably at least partially comprise struts that at least partially form the outer contour of the waveguide channel segment. As mentioned above, the front part and the rear part can be made integrally as a single-layer antenna plate. The struts are typically arranged to guide the signal through the waveguide channel segment. The EBG structure is essentially arranged around the hollow waveguide channel segment. The electromagnetic bandgap structure allows the antenna plate to behave as a conductive wall to block electromagnetic waves in a given range of frequencies without requiring direct or ohmic contact between the antenna plate and the PCB, thus still realizing a waveguide structure. Alternatively or additionally, the antenna plate may consist of only one flat or planar layer, and a printed circuit board is interconnected to the antenna plate with the mushroom-shaped electromagnetic bandgap element. The mushroom-shaped electromagnetic bandgap element may extend, for example, from the rear surface of the PCB and / or through the body of the PCB. The mushroom-shaped electromagnetic bandgap element may be located between or around the PCB waveguide passages, thereby improving electromagnetic insulation or isolation.

[0012] A preferred antenna device according to the present disclosure typically comprises at least one waveguide channel segment having a front section and a rear section, which are preferably arranged in an antenna plate. The cross section of the waveguide channel segment is typically essentially rectangular. If the antenna plate is made by injection molding, the edges of the waveguide channel segment can be designed with a slight inclination so that the antenna plate can be more easily removed from the mold. To improve the radiation efficiency, the front section can have a larger cross section than the rear section. Therefore, the front section and the rear section can be symmetrical with respect to the dividing plane. In a variant of the antenna plate with a front layer and a rear layer, the waveguide channel segment can be divided into two halves by a dividing plane between the front layer and the rear layer. Since the thickness of the front layer and the rear layer can be different, the half of the front section and the half of the rear section can be symmetrical with respect to the dividing plane. The waveguide channel segments in the antenna plate typically extend in a first direction parallel to the front face of the antenna plate. The first direction typically corresponds to the main direction of extension of the waveguide channel segments. In a preferred variant, the waveguide channel segment comprises a cross section from the group of the following geometric shapes: rectangular, rhomboid, elliptical, circular, or a combination thereof, the main elongation direction of the cross section being essentially perpendicular to the first direction.

[0013] To radiate a transmission signal or receive a reception signal, the antenna device comprises a waveguide aperture, which is typically arranged in the antenna plate. The waveguide aperture typically extends between the front section of a waveguide channel segment and the front face of the antenna plate, interconnecting them. Typically, several waveguide apertures extend between the front section and the front face of one waveguide channel segment, interconnecting them to form an array of waveguide apertures. The waveguide apertures of the array are preferably arranged in a row. The waveguide apertures of the array are fed by a common waveguide channel, which is typically interconnected to the respective radiating elements at the rear face of the antenna device. In certain arrangements, it is also possible to arrange the radiating elements and their associated openings on the side of the antenna device. Depending on the design, the waveguide apertures of the array are configured to radiate and / or receive signals. Typically, the waveguide apertures can be designed as slots. Depending on the field of application, the radiating apertures can have various geometric shapes, as will become apparent from the variants presented in more detail below. Typically, the waveguide opening has a cross-section with a longer and a shorter extension in the region of its rear end. The rear end is the end adjacent to the waveguide channel segment, while the front end is the end facing the front surface of the antenna plate. In a preferred variant, the waveguide opening has an essentially rectangular cross-section, which may have a funnel-shaped design narrowing in cross-section in the inward direction before merging with the waveguide channel segment or part thereof.

[0014] In addition, the antenna arrangement may comprise scattering elements arranged adjacent to the waveguide opening. Rays impinging in the area of ​​the scattering elements may be at least partially reflected by the scattering elements and thereby separated into a first secondary radiation and a second secondary radiation. The first secondary radiation and the second secondary radiation are different so that they at least partially cancel each other out by interference. Preferably, the scattering elements are designed as protrusions and / or indentations or a combination thereof arranged on the front surface. Depending on the design, the depth of the at least one indentation may be linked to a specific phase distribution aimed at in order to obtain a reflection that cancels out the radiation reflected in an undesired way by interference. The phase change is typically caused by a reflection on the bottom surface of the at least one recess. Good results are obtained when the bottom surface of the at least one recess is an essentially planar surface arranged essentially parallel to the front surface of the antenna plate. Preferably, the scattering elements have a layout (footprint) on the front surface that is at least one element of the group of rectangular, square, circular, elliptical, C-shaped, ring-shaped, S-shaped elements, or a combination thereof. The scattering elements can be designed with single polarization (rectangular, elliptical, S-shaped, C-shaped) or multiple polarizations (square / circular / ring-shaped). At least one recess has a layout related to the actual operating frequency and polarization of the electromagnetic waves.

[0015] In a preferred variant, the waveguide apertures comprise elongated openings with half the guided wavelength spacing relative to each other. Such an arrangement is necessary in view of a certain distribution of currents that would be excited out of phase if the openings were, for example, arranged at a shorter distance relative to each other. However, it is advantageous to align the openings in a longer stretch arranged perpendicular to the first axis, collinearly or in line with each other. This allows a uniform phase orientation of the excitation signal and avoids undesired lobes outside the main emission surface.

[0016] The front and / or rear sections of the waveguide channel segment may comprise recesses in the form of protrusions extending from the channel wall to the front and / or rear sections of the waveguide channel segment. Good results are obtained if the recesses are designed as inwardly directed protrusions or alternatively in the form of partitions arranged on the channel wall. The recesses may be configured to help split the signal between the left and right sections of the waveguide channel segment and / or to perturb the electric field. Good results are obtained if first protrusions are arranged alternately between adjacent waveguide openings in the front section of the waveguide channel segment. The first protrusions may have a trapezoidal cross section. The first protrusions may be configured to perturb the electric field so that the signal is emitted vertically polarized. By arranging the longer extensions of the cross section perpendicular to the first direction, the waveguide openings do not normally excite a signal. To excite a signal from the waveguide openings, the front section comprises alternating first protrusions. Preferably, the first protrusions may be wedge shaped. A plurality of alternating first protrusions create a shape of the front section of the waveguide channel segment that is essentially saw-blade shaped. The first protrusions perturb the current so that the waveguide apertures can radiate a signal. The first protrusions may be arranged alternately and configured to offset the 180° phase change between adjacent waveguide apertures that are arranged in the waveguide channel segment separated by a distance of half the guided wavelength.

[0017] In a preferred variant of the antenna device, the longer extensions of the cross section may be arranged perpendicular to the first direction and the shorter extensions may be arranged parallel to the first direction. Preferably, the cross section of the waveguide aperture is essentially rectangular. As the radiation coupling of the waveguide aperture is proportional to the size of the first protrusions, their shape can be varied to adjust the amplitude of the waveguide aperture and to affect the radiation pattern. The radiation of the waveguide aperture can be controlled by the depth of the recesses. Alternatively or additionally, the length of the longer extensions may be adjusted to change the excitation phase of the waveguide aperture, which may be useful for adjusting the radiation pattern.

[0018] The radiation pattern of the waveguide apertures can be adjusted in the elevation plane by adjusting the number of the waveguide apertures or by affecting the size and shape of the first protrusions. The first protrusions are configured to cancel the 180° phase change between adjacent waveguide apertures that are located at a distance of essentially half the guided wavelength relative to each other. Nevertheless, the azimuth plane remains unchanged to these changes and shows a wide beamwidth due to the low directivity of the individual waveguide apertures. In a preferred variant, the azimuth pattern can be adjusted by placing a cavity at the top of the waveguide apertures to concentrate the electric field and reduce the azimuth beamwidth. Depending on the height and width of the cavity, different patterns are obtained. In the case of the elevation plane, it can also help to reduce the beamwidth, but the effect of the cavity is small. In a preferred variant, a funnel-shaped horn cavity is placed at the front end of the waveguide aperture, which is configured to concentrate the electric field and adjust the radiation pattern to reduce the beamwidth in one of the main radiation planes. Alternatively or additionally, the horn cavity can also be displaced laterally to affect the directivity.

[0019] Besides the first protrusion, which is typically located at the front section of the waveguide channel segment, alternatively or additionally, at least one second protrusion having a rectangular cross section can also be located at the front section of the waveguide channel segment. The at least one second protrusion is configured to split the signal in the waveguide channel segment to excite it in a left section and a right section extending along a first direction. Depending on the distribution to be achieved, the second protrusion can have a cross section that is rectangular, typically located at the center between the left section and the right section of the waveguide channel segment, whereby the signal is divided evenly between the left section and the right section of the waveguide channel segment. Advantageously, the second protrusion can be a necking that is located with respect to the center point between the left section and the right section of the waveguide channel segment. If the necking is located offset to one side between the left section and the right section, the signal, in particular its power, is divided unequally between the left section and the right section. Due to the performance advantages of the arrangement described here, the power division is almost lossless. A negligible amount of power is lost during the splitting.

[0020] Alternatively or additionally, a polarization element can be placed at the front end of each waveguide aperture, which is configured to split the electric field into two orthogonal polarizations with a relative 90° phase shift. The polarization element can be designed to generate circular polarization. The polarization element is typically configured to twist the electric field of the vertical polarization excited by the waveguide aperture by converting the vertical polarization of each waveguide aperture into a circular polarization. A first protrusion placed at the front section of the waveguide channel segment is still required so that the waveguide aperture can excite and couple energy with the desired relative amplitude to the polarization element. The shape of the polarizer is optimized to minimize the axial ratio. In a preferred variant, the polarization element can be shaped essentially like two diagonally overlapping squares, or a bowtie.

[0021] In an alternative variation, the longer stretches of the cross section are arranged parallel to the first direction and the shorter stretches are arranged perpendicular to the first direction. In known antenna devices, in order to keep the phase between the waveguide openings uniform, the waveguide openings are usually spaced apart by a distance of one guided wavelength relative to each other. The distance between two adjacent waveguide openings typically corresponds to more than one free space wavelength, which results in excessive grating lobe levels. The third protrusions can be arranged between the waveguide openings alternately in the rear section of the waveguide channel segment relative to the first direction, the third protrusions being configured to compress the guided wavelength in the first direction within the waveguide channel segment. The third protrusions can shorten the effective wavelength of the waveguide propagation mode. Therefore, the distance between adjacent waveguide openings can be shortened, which can reduce the occurrence of undesirable grating lobes.

[0022] The third protrusions are preferably designed as pillars extending perpendicularly to the front surface of the antenna plate into the waveguide channel segments, spaced apart from one another in a first direction in a one-dimensional slip-symmetric arrangement, the waveguide openings being arranged at a distance of essentially one guided wavelength from one another along the first direction. A number of pillars arranged in the rear section of the waveguide channel segments create a concave profile. The third protrusions can introduce a periodic structure such that the propagation constant in the waveguide is increased. This allows the guided wavelength to be split approximately in half compared to the incident wavelength. In a third preferred variant, every second third protrusion is folded upwards by mirroring at the splitting plane as a fourth protrusion in the front section, which results in a slip-symmetric arrangement of the third and fourth protrusions in two dimensions. Typically, the protrusions are in the form of pillars with a width essentially between 0.2 times the wavelength and 0.3 times the wavelength. In a preferred variant, the third strut is arranged in the rear section and has a height of essentially 0.3 times the wavelength to 0.5 times the wavelength. In a fourth preferred variant, the rectangular cross section is arranged angularly displaced by an angle α with respect to the first direction of the waveguide channel segment. The polarization may be changed from a pure horizontal (0°) or vertical (90°) polarization to a slant (±45°) polarization. The polarization is preferably twisted by the modified first protrusion, whereby a smooth transition is achieved. The advantage of the shown variant is that the polarization can be changed without an additional antenna layer. The use of slant polarization is of great interest in automotive applications, since it reduces interference between vehicles facing each other. Therefore, the first and second protrusions can be arranged alternately between adjacent waveguide openings in the front section of the waveguide channel segment. Alternatively or additionally, the third protrusions may be arranged alternately between the waveguide openings or alternately with respect to the first direction in the rear section of the waveguide channel segment.

[0023] In a preferred variant, a feed port interconnects the waveguide channel segments to the aperture at the rear face of the antenna plate. Side feeding can lead to a very compact design, but the asymmetry reduces the bandwidth and causes beam squints. The feed port can therefore be designed as a splitter located between the left and right sections of the waveguide channel segments, configured to separate or combine the signals. Center feeding through a splitter leads to similar performance as side feeding, with the routing being in the same layer, but is less compact. Bottom feeding leads to a very compact and broadband design, but requires an additional layer of routing at the bottom. With hybrid feeding, in some cases, it may be impossible to feed the radiator from the center, due to the small isolation of the adjacent elements. Depending on the antenna arrangement, a hybrid solution may be feasible, where the antenna is fed from the center, but at a given offset, as shown in Figure 12. This solution also shows a reduced beamwidth relative to center / bottom feeding, and beam squints, but to a lesser extent than side feeding, since some of the symmetry of the design is restored. The incident power received by the waveguide aperture can also be combined by the splitter. Therefore, the splitter can also be configured to work together to function as a coupler. The received signals can be combined into one signal.

[0024] If a more directional or complex radiation pattern is required, multiple arrays of waveguide apertures can be placed in front of the antenna plate.

[0025] In a preferred variant, a feed port designed as a splitter is arranged between the first and second rows and is configured to separate or combine signals. Depending on the number of rows, the feed port can comprise an array of splitters interconnected with each other and arranged parallel to each other. This design is known as a corporate network. The corporate network is designed in such a way that both rows are fed with a phase and amplitude for a specific radiation pattern. In an alternative variant, the feed port is designed as a central feed channel, with several left and right sections of the multiple waveguide channel segments arranged essentially perpendicular to the central feed channel and parallel to each other.

[0026] Alternatively or additionally, the two rows of waveguide apertures can have different cross sections to further tilt the radiation pattern. The difference in the cross sections of the waveguide apertures can result in a phase difference between the radiation of each aperture. The phase difference can result in a tilt of the radiation of the pattern. The effect of lateral displacement can create local maxima in the antenna directivity. These local maxima can help to focus the antenna energy in a particular area. The tilt pattern can be useful to further increase the range of a given area of ​​the radar. Particularly in automotive applications, the tilt pattern allows to have a locally wider range. Alternatively, the proximal left and right sections and the distal left and right sections can be placed in the central feed channel, and the distal left and right sections are given a phase shift so that a beam tilt is created.

[0027] Alternatively or additionally, the first and second rows of the arrays can also be arranged adjacent to a central feed channel. In a preferred variant, the first and second rows of the arrays are arranged essentially perpendicular to the central feed waveguide channel. Preferably, the distal second row is provided with a phase shift. The phase shift allows to generate a highly directional and non-tilted radiation pattern. The feed port can be designed as a central feed channel, with several left and right sections of the multiple waveguide channel segments arranged essentially perpendicular to the central feed channel and parallel to each other. In a preferred variant, two arrays of waveguide openings are arranged parallel to each other. Preferably, the cross section of the waveguide openings of the first array is smaller and / or larger than the cross section of the openings of the second array. This configuration results in a tilt of the radiation pattern. Alternatively, the cross sections of adjacent waveguide openings in one array may be different, whereby a waveguide opening with a smaller cross section is arranged adjacent to a waveguide opening with a larger cross section. Alternatively, the waveguide apertures with smaller cross section and the waveguide apertures with larger cross section may be arranged next to each other in a line, alternating such that the radiation pattern is corrected and radiates in a straight line.

[0028] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are intended to present embodiments and provide an overview or framework for understanding the nature and character of the present disclosure. The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate various embodiments and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles and operation of the disclosed concepts. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0029] The disclosure described herein will be more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below and the accompanying drawings, which should not be construed as limiting the disclosure as set forth in the appended claims. The drawings show:

[0030] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a first modified example of an antenna device from the front and above. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the antenna arrangement according to FIG. 1 in an unfolded state from the front and above. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a front view of the antenna device shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the antenna device according to FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a portion of the antenna arrangement according to FIG. [Figure 6] 1 shows the general direction of current flow within a waveguide channel segment. [Figure 7a] 7A-7B show schematic directions of current flow in a waveguide channel segment with a slanted waveguide opening (FIG. 7a) and with a first protrusion (FIG. 7b). [Figure 7b] 7A-7B show schematic directions of current flow in a waveguide channel segment with a slanted waveguide opening (FIG. 7a) and with a first protrusion (FIG. 7b). [Figure 8] A first variant of a waveguide channel segment in perspective (FIG. 8), from the side (FIG. 9) and as a cross-section (FIG. 10). [Figure 9] A first variant of a waveguide channel segment in perspective (FIG. 8), from the side (FIG. 9) and as a cross-section (FIG. 10). [Figure 10] A first variant of a waveguide channel segment in perspective (FIG. 8), from the side (FIG. 9) and as a cross-section (FIG. 10). [Figure 11] A first variant of a waveguide channel segment in a perspective view with a funnel-shaped cavity (FIG. 11) and with a polarizing element (FIG. 12). [Figure 12] A first variant of a waveguide channel segment in a perspective view with a funnel-shaped cavity (FIG. 11) and with a polarizing element (FIG. 12). [Figure 13]A first variant of a waveguide channel segment in a perspective view, with a first variant of the supply port (FIG. 13), with a second variant of the supply port (FIG. 14), and with a third variant of the supply port (FIG. 15). [Figure 14] A first variant of a waveguide channel segment in perspective view with a first variant of the supply port (FIG. 13), with a second variant of the supply port (FIG. 14), and with a third variant of the supply port (FIG. 15). [Figure 15] A first variant of a waveguide channel segment in perspective view with a first variant of the supply port (FIG. 13), with a second variant of the supply port (FIG. 14), and with a third variant of the supply port (FIG. 15). [Figure 16] A second variation of a waveguide channel segment in perspective (FIG. 16), from the side (FIG. 17) and as a cross-section (FIG. 18). [Figure 17] A second variation of a waveguide channel segment in perspective (FIG. 16), from the side (FIG. 17) and as a cross-section (FIG. 18). [Figure 18] A second variation of a waveguide channel segment in perspective (FIG. 16), from the side (FIG. 17) and as a cross-section (FIG. 18). [Figure 19] A third variation of a waveguide channel segment in perspective (FIG. 19), from the side (FIG. 20) and as a cross-section (FIG. 21). [Figure 20] A third variation of a waveguide channel segment in perspective (FIG. 19), from the side (FIG. 20) and as a cross-section (FIG. 21). [Figure 21] A third variation of a waveguide channel segment in perspective (FIG. 19), from the side (FIG. 20) and as a cross-section (FIG. 21). [Figure 22] A fourth variation of a waveguide channel segment in perspective (FIG. 22), from the side (FIG. 23) and as a cross-section (FIG. 24). [Figure 23]A fourth variation of a waveguide channel segment in perspective (FIG. 22), from the side (FIG. 23) and as a cross-section (FIG. 24). [Figure 24] A fourth variation of a waveguide channel segment in perspective (FIG. 22), from the side (FIG. 23) and as a cross-section (FIG. 24). [Diagram 25] 25 and 26 are perspective views of a first variant of an antenna assembly with EBG from the rear and above, respectively, and a second variant with EBG (FIG. 26). [Figure 26] 25 and 26 are perspective views of a first variant of an antenna assembly with EBG from the rear and above, respectively, and a second variant with EBG (FIG. 26). [Figure 27] A fifth variant of a waveguide channel segment with a central feed channel in a perspective view (FIG. 27) and from above (FIG. 28). [Figure 28] A fifth variant of a waveguide channel segment with a central feed channel in a perspective view (FIG. 27) and from above (FIG. 28). [Figure 29] A sixth variant of a waveguide channel segment with an array of splitters in a perspective view (FIG. 29) and from above (FIG. 30). [Diagram 30] A sixth variant of a waveguide channel segment with an array of splitters in a perspective view (FIG. 29) and from above (FIG. 30). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0031] Reference will now be made in detail to certain embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all, of the features are shown. Indeed, the embodiments disclosed herein may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein, but rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Wherever possible, like reference numbers will be used to refer to like components or parts.

[0032] 1 and 2 show a front and top perspective view of a first variant of an antenna arrangement 10 comprising an antenna plate 2 having a front face 3 and a rear face 4. The illustrated antenna arrangement 1 comprises an antenna plate 2 having two laminations (parts). The illustrated variant comprises a rear part 5 and a front part 8, which are interconnected with each other along the front face 6 of the rear part 5 and the rear face 10 of the front part 8. The front face 6 of the rear part 5 and the rear face 10 of the front part 8 do not have to be essentially flat as in the illustrated variant. In order to reduce the contact surface, the illustrated front part 8 and the rear part 5 are weighed. This is advantageous since the contact area is minimized, which increases the surface pressure of the contact area and therefore leads to a more accurate alignment of the front part 8 and the rear part 5 in the region of the waveguide channel segment 11. Usually, the two parts 5, 8 are assembled together, and the channels of the front face 6 of the rear part 5 and the channels of the rear face 10 of the front part 8 are aligned in coincidence. The illustrated rear part 5 and front part 8 are made by injection molding of at least one plastic material. The illustrated antenna device 1 further comprises at least one waveguide channel segment 11 having a front section 13 and a rear section 14 disposed in the antenna plate 2 extending in a first direction x parallel to the front surface 3 of the antenna plate 2. The illustrated waveguide opening 17 disposed in the antenna plate 2 extends between and interconnects the front section 13 of the waveguide channel segment 11 and the front surface 3 of the antenna plate 2. The illustrated antenna device 1 may be part of an antenna assembly 45 comprising the antenna device 1, a printed circuit board (PCB) 46 and electronic components 49 disposed thereon and interconnected to the antenna plate 2.

[0033] In addition, the illustrated antenna arrangement comprises a scattering element 53 arranged adjacent to the waveguide opening 17. Rays impinging on the area of ​​the scattering element 53 are at least partially reflected by the scattering element 53 and can thereby be separated into a first secondary radiation and a second secondary radiation. The first and second secondary radiation are different such that they at least partially cancel each other out by interference. In the illustrated variant, the scattering element 53 is designed as indentations with respect to the front surface. Depending on the design, the depth of the indentations can be linked to a specific phase distribution aimed for in order to obtain a canceling reflection that cancels out the radiation reflected in an undesired way by interference.

[0034] As can be best seen in Figures 3-5, the front section 13 and / or the rear section 14 are provided with a recess 22 in the form of a protrusion 23 extending from a channel wall 24 into the front section 13 and / or the rear section 14 of the waveguide channel segment 11, and the waveguide opening 17 has a cross-section 26 in the region of its rear end 25 with a longer extension 27 and a shorter extension 28. The illustrated waveguide channel segment 11 has a front section 13 and a rear section 14 arranged in the antenna plate 2. The cross-section 26 of the illustrated waveguide channel segment 11 is essentially rectangular. To improve the radiation efficiency, the front section 13 can alternatively have a larger cross-section than the rear section. The front section 13 and the rear section 14 do not have to be symmetrical with respect to the dividing plane 36. In the variant of the antenna plate 2 with the front part 8 and the rear part 5, the waveguide channel segment 11 can be divided into two halves by a dividing plane 36 between the front part 8 and the rear part 5. Nevertheless, the half of the front section 13 and the half of the rear section 14 do not have to be symmetrical with respect to the dividing plane 36. The illustrated waveguide channel segment 11 extends in a first direction x parallel to the front surface 3 of the antenna plate 2. The waveguide channel segment 11 in the illustrated variant has a rectangular cross section, and as mentioned in the general description, the cross section 26 can alternatively be a cross section from the group of the following geometric shapes: rectangular, rhomboidal, elliptical, circular or a combination thereof, the main direction of extension of the cross section 26 being essentially parallel to the first direction x. For exciting or receiving a signal, the illustrated antenna device 1 comprises a waveguide opening 17 arranged in the antenna plate 2. The illustrated waveguide openings 17 extend between and interconnect the front section 13 of the waveguide channel segment 11 and the front face 3 of the antenna plate 2. The illustrated variation of the antenna arrangement 1 comprises several waveguide openings 17 extending between and interconnecting the front section 13 of one waveguide channel segment 11 and the front face 3 to form an array 20 of waveguide openings 17.The waveguide openings 17 of the array 20 are preferably provided by a common waveguide channel 21 interconnected to the respective radiating elements 39 at the rear face 4 of the antenna plate 2. The illustrated waveguide openings 17 are designed as slots. In the region of their rear end 25, the illustrated waveguide openings 17 have a cross section 26 with a longer extension 27 and a shorter extension 28. In the illustrated variant, the waveguide openings 17 have an essentially rectangular cross section 26 that is funnel-shaped, narrowing in cross section 26 towards the rear end 25, before merging into the waveguide channel segment 11 or part thereof.

[0035] FIG. 6 shows the schematic direction of the current in the waveguide channel segment 11. As can be seen in FIG. 6, in order to keep the phase between the waveguide openings 17 uniform, the waveguide openings 17 must be spaced apart by a distance of one guided wavelength λ relative to each other. The distance between two adjacent waveguide openings 17 is typically equivalent to more than one free space having a size of one guided wavelength λ, which results in excessive grating lobe levels. To be able to shorten the distance between adjacent waveguide openings 17, third protrusions 34 may be arranged alternately between the waveguide openings 17 with respect to the first direction X in the rear section 14 of the waveguide channel segment 11. The third protrusions 34 are configured to compress the guided wavelength λ along the first direction x in the waveguide channel segment 11. The third protrusions 34 can shorten the effective guided wavelength of the waveguide propagation mode. Therefore, the distance between adjacent waveguide openings 17 can be shortened and the occurrence of undesirable grating lobes can be reduced.

[0036] FIG. 7a shows the schematic direction of the current in the waveguide channel segment 11 with an inclined waveguide aperture 17. The approach of inclining the waveguide aperture 17 with respect to the first direction x is known from antenna devices with waveguide structures. Nevertheless, arranging the waveguide aperture 17 with an inclination or angular displacement to excite a signal through the waveguide aperture 17 generates undesired horizontal polarization. To avoid the undesired horizontal polarization, the first protrusion 29 can be arranged as shown in FIG. 7b. The illustrated wedge-shaped first protrusion 29 is arranged in the front section 13 of the waveguide channel segment 11. As can be seen, the trapezoidal cross section of the first protrusion 29 can disturb the electric field so that a signal is emitted from the waveguide aperture 17. By arranging the longer extension 27 of the cross section perpendicular to the first direction X, the waveguide aperture 17 normally does not excite a signal. The first protrusion 29 disturbing the current allows the waveguide aperture 17 to radiate a signal. As shown, the first protrusions 29 are configured and staggered to offset the 180° phase change between adjacent waveguide openings 17 located in the waveguide channel segment 11 separated by a distance of half the waveguide wavelength λ.

[0037] 8-10 show a first variant of the waveguide channel segment 11, in which the longer stretches 27 of the cross section 13 are arranged perpendicular to the first direction x, and the shorter stretches 28 are arranged parallel to the first direction x. Between every other adjacent waveguide opening 17 shown, a first protrusion 29 is arranged in the front section 13 of the waveguide channel segment 11. The first protrusions 29 in the form of wedge-shaped recesses 22 extend from the channel wall 24 to the front section 13 of the waveguide channel segment 11. The shown recesses 22 are designed as inwardly directed protrusions 23 or alternatively in the form of partitions arranged in the channel wall 24. The shown recesses 22 are configured to help split the signal between the left section 15 and the right section 16 of the waveguide channel segment 11 and / or to disrupt the electric field. In the illustrated variant, the second protrusion 30 is located at the center point between the left section 15 and the right section 16 of the waveguide channel segment 11 so that the signal, in particular its power, is divided equally between the left section 15 and the right section 16 of the waveguide channel segment 11. The alternating edge-shaped first protrusions 29 in the front section 13 create a sawtooth pattern. The illustrated first protrusions 29 disrupt the current so that the waveguide openings 17 can radiate the signal. The alternating arrangement of the first protrusions 29 is configured to cancel the 180° phase change between adjacent waveguide openings 17. In the illustrated variant, the waveguide openings 17 are located in the waveguide channel segment 11 separated by half a guided wavelength distance. As can be seen from the drawing, the cross section 26 of the waveguide openings 17 is essentially rectangular. Since the radiation coupling of the waveguide apertures 17 is proportional to the size of the first protrusions 29, their shape may be varied to adjust the amplitude of the waveguide apertures 17 and affect their radiation pattern. In addition, the length of the longer extensions 27 can be adjusted to change the excitation phase of the waveguide apertures 17. In the illustrated variation, the waveguide apertures 17 with different longer extensions 27 are alternated. The waveguide apertures 17 with longer extensions 27 and shorter extensions 28 are alternated, which may be useful for adjusting the radiation pattern.

[0038] FIG. 11 shows a first variant of the waveguide channel segment 11 with a funnel-shaped cavity 33. The shown funnel-shaped horn cavity 33 is arranged at the front end of the waveguide opening 17, is horn-shaped and is configured to adjust the radiation pattern to concentrate the electric field and reduce the beam width in one of the main emission faces. In the shown variant, the funnel cavity 33 is arranged symmetrically with respect to the first axis x. Alternatively, the funnel-shaped horn cavity 33 can be arranged with a lateral displacement to affect the directivity. The waveguide channel segment 11 can also be equipped with two arrays 20 of waveguide openings 17.

[0039] FIG. 12 shows a first variant of the waveguide channel segment 11 with a polarization element 31. The illustrated polarization element 31 is arranged at the front end 19 of each waveguide slot 8, which is configured to split the electric field into two orthogonal polarizations with a relative phase shift of 90°. The illustrated polarization element 31 is essentially shaped like two squares or bow ties that overlap diagonally. The polarization element 31 is capable of splitting the polarization of the excited field into two orthogonal polarizations with a relative phase shift of 90° with respect to each other. The polarization element 31 is arranged to twist the electric field of the vertical polarization excited by each waveguide opening 17 by converting the vertical polarization of each waveguide opening 17 into a circular polarization. The first protrusion 29 arranged at the front section 13 of the waveguide channel segment 11 is still required so that the waveguide openings 17 can excite and couple energy to the polarization element 31 with the desired relative amplitude.

[0040] Figures 13-15 show three variants of the first variant of the waveguide channel segment 11 with different variants of the feed port 38. All three illustrated variants of the feed port 38 interconnect the waveguide channel segment 11 with an opening 39 in the rear face 4 of the antenna plate 2. The first variant of the feed port 38 shown in Figure 13, where the waveguide channel segment 11 is fed from the side, results in a very compact design, but produces asymmetries that reduce the bandwidth and generate beam squints. To avoid these effects, the feed port 38 can be designed as a splitter as shown in Figure 14, arranged to separate or combine the signals and located between the left section 15 and the right section 16 of the waveguide channel segment 11. A bottom feed leads to a very compact and wideband design, but requires an additional layer of routing at the bottom. With a hybrid feed, in some cases it may be impossible to feed the radiator from the center due to the small separation between the neighboring elements. Alternatively, a center feed via splitter 40 as shown in FIG. 15 allows the routing to be on the same layer, but is less compact.

[0041] 16-18 show a second variant of the waveguide channel segment 11. In the variant shown, the longer extensions 27 of the cross section 26 are arranged parallel to the first direction x, and the shorter extensions 28 are arranged perpendicular to the first direction x. In the known antenna device 1, in order to keep the phase between the waveguide openings 17 uniform, the waveguide openings 17 must be spaced apart by one guided wavelength distance with respect to each other. The distance between two adjacent waveguide openings 17 is typically equivalent to more than one free space having the size of one guided wavelength, which results in excessive grating lobe levels. The illustrated third protrusions 34 are arranged in the rear section 14 of the waveguide channel segment 11 alternately between the waveguide openings 17 with respect to the first direction x, the third protrusions 34 being configured to compress the guided wavelength in the first direction x within the waveguide channel segment 11. The third protrusions 34 shorten the effective wavelength of the waveguide propagation mode. As can be seen, the distance between adjacent waveguide openings 17 is reduced and the occurrence of undesirable grating lobes is reduced. The illustrated third protrusions 34 are designed as struts 35 extending into the waveguide channel segment 11 perpendicular to the front surface 3 of the antenna plate 2. They are spaced apart from each other in a one-dimensional slip-symmetric arrangement in the first direction x, the waveguide openings 17 being arranged at a distance of essentially one guided wavelength relative to each other along the first direction x. The multiple struts 35 arranged in the rear section 14 of the waveguide channel segment 11 create a concave profile. The third protrusions 34 introduce a periodic structure such that the propagation constant in the waveguide channel segment 11 is increased. This allows the guided wavelength to be split approximately in half compared to the incident wavelength.

[0042] 19-21 show a third variant of the waveguide channel segment 11. In the variant, the rectangular cross section 26 is arranged angularly displaced by an angle α with respect to the first direction x of the waveguide channel segment 11. Thereby, the polarization is changed from a pure horizontal (0°) or vertical (90°) polarization to an oblique (±45°) polarization. The polarization is preferably twisted by the modified first protrusion 29, whereby a smooth transition is achieved. The advantage of the shown variant is that the polarization can be changed without an additional antenna layer. The use of oblique polarization is of great interest in automotive applications, since it reduces interference between vehicles facing each other. Therefore, in the front section 13 of the waveguide channel segment 11, every other first protrusion 29 is arranged between adjacent waveguide openings 17. In addition, a third protrusion 34 is arranged in the rear section 14 of the waveguide channel segment 11 with respect to the first direction x.

[0043] 22-24 show a fourth variant of the waveguide channel segment 11. Every second one of the illustrated third projections 34 is folded upwards by mirroring at the dividing plane 36 as a fourth projection 37 of the front section 13. This results in a sliding symmetric arrangement of the third struts 21 and the fourth struts 35 in two dimensions. 25-26 show perspective views of the first and second variants of the antenna assembly. The illustrated antenna device 1 each includes only one layer. This is advantageous because the need to achieve precise alignment of the front and rear parts 5 is not an issue with a single-piece antenna plate 2. The single-layer antenna plate 2 can be made by injection molding in only one manufacturing step. The illustrated antenna plate 2 includes only one metallized plastic layer in combination with a printed circuit board (PCB) 46. Various alternatives exist for assembling the plastic layer and the PCB 46 together to avoid power leakage, such as conductive adhesives, soldering, etc. As can be seen in FIG. 25, the antenna plate 2 of the second variant comprises a number of struts 50 arranged on the rear face 4 of the antenna plate 2, configured to define the contour of the waveguide channel segment 11. In the variant shown, the waveguide channel segment 11 is at least partially replaced by a series of struts 50 based on gap waveguide technology. The illustrated struts 50 at least partially form the outer contour of the waveguide channel segment 11 and / or the splitter 40. The struts 50 are configured to guide the signal through the waveguide channel segment 11. An electromagnetic band gap (EBG) structure is essentially arranged around the hollow waveguide channel segment 11. The electromagnetic band gap structure allows to behave as a conductive wall to block electromagnetic waves in a given range of frequencies without the need for direct and / or ohmic contacts. As can be best seen in FIG. 26, the waveguide apertures 17 with smaller openings 18 and larger openings 19 can be arranged in one array of the waveguide apertures 17. This configuration results in a tilt of the radiation pattern.Alternatively, the cross sections 26 of adjacent waveguide openings 17 may be made different, such that an array of waveguide openings 17 having smaller cross sections 26 is arranged parallel to an array of waveguide openings 17 having larger cross sections 26. Good results are obtained when alternating waveguide openings 17 having smaller and larger cross sections 26 are arranged next to each other in a line.

[0044] Alternatively, a mushroom-shaped EBG may be placed on the PCB itself, as shown in the variant of FIG. 26. The illustrated mushroom-shaped EBG is made of a coating that includes metallized through-holes 52. The mushroom-shaped EBG is configured to generate a periodic radiation pattern. In the variant shown in FIG. 26, the printed circuit board 46 includes an electromagnetic bandgap structure, and the printed circuit board 46 is interconnected to an antenna plate 2 that includes a mushroom-shaped electromagnetic bandgap element 51. The illustrated mushroom-shaped electromagnetic bandgap element 51 extends from the rear face 48 of the PCB 46 and / or through the body of the PCB 46 and is placed between or around the waveguide channel segments 11, thereby improving electromagnetic isolation or decoupling. If a more directional or complex radiation pattern is required, multiple arrays of waveguide openings 17 can be placed on the front face 3 of the antenna plate 2. This can be seen in FIGS. 27-30.

[0045] 27 and 28 show a fifth variant of the waveguide channel segment 11 with a central feed channel. The feed port 38 is designed as a central feed channel 30, and a number of left and right sections 15, 16 of the multiple waveguide channel segments 11 are arranged essentially perpendicular to the central feed channel 30 and parallel to each other. The proximal left and right sections 15, 16 and the distal left and right sections 15, 16 are arranged in the central feed channel 30, and the distal left and right sections 15, 16 are provided with a phase shift so that a beam tilt is generated. The illustrated first and second columns 42, 43 of the array 20 are arranged essentially perpendicular to the central feed channel 41. Preferably, the distal second column 43 is provided with a phase shift with respect to the proximal first column 42. The phase shift results in a tilt of the radiation pattern. In the illustrated variant, the arrays of waveguide openings 17 are arranged parallel to each other. The cross section 26 of the waveguide opening 17 varies, particularly the length of the longer extension 27.

[0046] 29 and 30 show a sixth variant of the waveguide channel segment 11 with an array of splitters 40. The feed port 38 shown has an array of splitters 40, with the waveguide channel segment 11 interconnected to the array of splitters 40 and arranged parallel to each other. In the variant shown, an array of splitters 40 is arranged, with the waveguide channel segment 11 interconnected to the splitters 40 of the array of splitters 40. A plurality of waveguide channel segments 11 with an array of waveguide apertures 17 are each interconnected to the array of splitters 40. In the variant shown, at least two waveguide channel segments 11 are connected to each splitter 40 of the array of splitters 40. This design is known as a merging network. The merging network is designed such that the waveguide channel segments 11 connected to one common splitter 40 are given equal amplitude and phase for maximum directivity. [Explanation of symbols]

[0047] 1.Antenna device 2.Antenna plate 3. Front (antenna plate) 4. Rear (antenna plate) 5. Rear part 6.Front (rear part) 7. Rear surface (rear part) 8. Front part 9.Front (rear part) 10. Rear (front part) 11. Waveguide Channel Segment 12. Splitting surface (waveguide channel segment) 13. Front section (waveguide channel segment) 14. Rear section (waveguide channel segment) 15. Left section (waveguide channel segment) 16. Right section (waveguide channel segment) 17. Waveguide opening 18. Smaller aperture (waveguide aperture) 19. Larger aperture (waveguide opening) 20. Array (waveguide aperture) 21. Waveguide Channel 22. Recess 23. Protrusion 24. Channel walls (waveguide channel segments) 25. Rear end (waveguide opening) 26. Cross section (waveguide opening) 27. Longer extensions (waveguide openings) 28. Shorter extensions (waveguide openings) 29. First protrusion 30. Second protrusion 31. Polarization element 32. Front end (waveguide opening) 33. Funnel cavity 34. Third protrusion 35. Support (third protrusion) 36. Split plane 37. Fourth prong 38. Supply port 39.Aperture (radiating element) 40. Splitter 41. Central Supply Channel 42. First Column 43. Second Column 44. Support (4th protrusion) 45.Antenna Assembly 46. ​​Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) 47.Front (PCB) 48.Rear side (PCB) 49. Electronic Components 50.Strut (EBG) 51. Bandgap elements 52.Through hole 53. Scattering elements

Claims

1. An antenna device (1), comprising: a. an antenna plate (2) having a front surface (3) and a rear surface (4); b. at least one waveguide channel segment (11) having a front section (13) and a rear section (14) disposed on the antenna plate (2) and extending in a first direction (x) parallel to the front surface (3) of the antenna plate (2); c) a waveguide opening (17) disposed in the antenna plate (2) and extending between the front section (13) of the waveguide channel segment (11) and the front surface (3) of the antenna plate (2), interconnecting the front section (13) and the front surface (3); d. the front section (13) and / or the rear section (14) comprise recesses (22) in the form of protrusions (23) extending from a channel wall (24) into the front section (13) and / or the rear section (14) of the waveguide channel segment (11); e. said waveguide opening (17) has a cross section (26) in the region of its rear end (25) with a longer extension (27) and a shorter extension (28); f. the longer extensions (27) of the cross-section (26) are oriented perpendicular to the first direction (x) and the shorter extensions (28) are oriented parallel to the first direction (x); g. first protrusions (29) disposed alternately between adjacent waveguide openings (17) in the front section (13) of the waveguide channel segment (11); h. the first protrusion (29) has a trapezoidal cross section, and the first protrusion (29) is configured to disrupt an electric field such that a signal is radiated vertically polarized; Antenna device (1).

2. 2. The antenna device (1) according to claim 1, wherein at least one second protrusion (30) having a rectangular cross section is arranged in the front section (13) of the waveguide channel segment (11) so as to split the signal in the waveguide channel segment (11) and excite it in a left section (15) and a right section (16) extending along the first direction (x).

3. 3. The antenna device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first protrusion (29) is configured to compensate for a 180° phase change between adjacent waveguide openings (17) that are arranged at a distance of essentially half a guided wavelength from each other.

4. 3. The antenna device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a polarization element (31) configured to split the electric field into two orthogonal polarizations with a relative phase shift of 90° is arranged at the front end (32) of each waveguide opening (17).

5. 5. The antenna arrangement (1) according to claim 4, wherein the polarizing element (31) is shaped essentially like two diagonally overlapping squares or like a bowtie.

6. 3. The antenna device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a funnel-shaped horn cavity (33) configured to concentrate an electric field and adjust the radiation pattern to reduce the beam width in at least one of the main radiation surfaces is arranged at the front end (32) of the waveguide opening (17).

7. 7. The antenna arrangement (1) according to claim 6, wherein the funnel-shaped horn cavity (33) is asymmetrically positioned with a lateral displacement relative to the first direction (x) to achieve an asymmetric radiation pattern.

8. a. the longer extensions (27) of the cross-section (26) are oriented parallel to the first direction (x) and the shorter extensions (28) are oriented perpendicular to the first direction (x); b) the antenna device (1) of claim 1, wherein third protrusions (34) are alternately arranged between the waveguide openings (17) in the rear section (14) of the waveguide channel segment (11) relative to the first direction (x), and the third protrusions (34) are configured to compress a guided wavelength in the waveguide channel segment (11) in the first direction (x).

9. 9. The antenna device (1) according to claim 8, wherein the third protrusions (34) are designed as struts (44) extending perpendicularly to the front surface (3) of the antenna plate (2) into the waveguide channel segments (11) and are spaced apart from one another in the first direction (x) in a one-dimensional shear-symmetric arrangement, and the waveguide openings are arranged at a distance of essentially one guided wavelength from one another along the first direction (x).

10. 10. The antenna device (1) according to claim 8 or 9, wherein every second third protrusion (34) is folded upwards in the front section (13) as a fourth protrusion (37) by mirroring at the dividing plane (36), resulting in a sliding symmetrical arrangement of the third protrusions (34) and the fourth protrusions (37) in two dimensions.

11. a. the cross section (26) is disposed angularly displaced by an angle α with respect to the first direction (x) of the waveguide channel segment (11); b. first protrusions (29) and second protrusions (30) are disposed alternately between adjacent waveguide openings (17) in the front section (13) of the waveguide channel segment (11); c) The antenna device (1) according to claim 1, wherein third protrusions (34) are alternately arranged between waveguide openings (17) in the rear section (14) of the waveguide channel segment (11) relative to the first direction (x).

12. 3. The antenna arrangement (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a feed port (38) interconnects the waveguide channel segment (11) with an opening (39) at the rear face (4) of the antenna plate (2).

13. 13. The antenna device (1) according to claim 12, wherein the feed port (38) designed as a splitter (40) is arranged between the first row (42) and the second row (43) and is configured to separate or combine signals.

14. 14. The antenna arrangement (1) according to claim 13, wherein the feed port (38) comprises an array of splitters (40) interconnected with each other and arranged parallel to each other.

15. 13. The antenna device (1) according to claim 12, wherein the feed port (38) is designed as a central feed channel (41), and several left sections (15) and right sections (16) of the plurality of waveguide channel segments (11) are arranged essentially perpendicular to the central feed channel (41) and parallel to each other.

16. 16. The antenna device (1) of claim 15, wherein proximal left and right sections (15) and distal left and right sections (15) and (16) are disposed in the central feed channel (41), and the distal left and right sections (15) and (16) are provided with a phase shift to generate a beam tilt.

17. 3. The antenna device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the antenna plate (2) comprises only one layer and several struts (44) are arranged on the rear face (4) that are configured to define the contours of the waveguide channel segments (11).

18. 3. The antenna device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the antenna plate (2) comprises only one layer, and a printed circuit board (46) is interconnected to the antenna plate (2) comprising a mushroom-shaped electromagnetic bandgap element (51).

19. An antenna assembly (45) comprising an antenna device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, a printed circuit board (46) and electronic components (49) arranged thereon and interconnected to an antenna plate (2).

Images