Radar Antenna Devices and Radar Systems

Abstract

To provide a mounting technique that can increase radar detection distance. [Solution] A radar antenna device is for installation on the side of a vehicle. The radar antenna device includes two antenna circuit boards, each of which has a first surface including a signal transmitting unit and a signal receiving unit. The signal transmitting unit includes a first signal zone, which is positioned within an angular range of 0 to 50 degrees from a normal to the center of the first surface. The radar antenna device also includes a base for mounting the two antenna circuit boards. One end of each antenna circuit board is coupled to one end of the base so that a first direction parallel to the base and extending from the center of the first surface is located in the first signal zone, forming an angle of 52.5 to 65 degrees.

Description

[Background technology]

[0001] [Technical field] The present disclosure relates to radar antenna devices, and in particular to radar systems.

[0002] [Description of Related Art] Taiwan Patent Application Publication No. 202218235 discloses a flexible printed circuit radar antenna device with a field of view greater than 160 degrees, including a support base with a mounting surface and two inclined surfaces, two antenna boards made of flexible printed circuits, and a circuit board. Currently, automotive radars use antenna circuit boards for receiving and transmitting signals. The signal radiation field pattern of the antenna circuit board is directional, the signal radiation intensity of the antenna circuit board is relatively strong, and the detection range is longer in the range between -50 degrees and 50 degrees relative to the normal of the antenna circuit board. Typically, vehicle radar devices have two antenna circuit boards arranged on a base, which are arranged in a roughly triangular shape together with the base and are attached to the side of the vehicle via the base, so that the vehicle radar device is fixed to the side of the vehicle. If the vehicle's direction of movement is not within the range of the stronger signal radiation intensity of the antenna circuit boards, the radar detection distance is shortened. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present disclosure discloses a mounting technique for a radar antenna device having a signal transmission unit, which enables the strongest signal zone of the radar antenna device mounted on the side of a vehicle to be approximately parallel to the direction of vehicle movement, thereby increasing the detection distance along the direction of vehicle movement.

[0004] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a radar antenna device for mounting on a side of a vehicle includes a first antenna circuit board and a second antenna circuit board. Each of the first antenna circuit board and the second antenna circuit board includes a first surface. The first surface of each of the first antenna circuit board and the second antenna circuit board includes a signal transmitting unit and a signal receiving unit. The signal transmitting unit includes a first signal zone, the first signal zone being located within an angle range between 0 and 50 degrees with respect to a normal to the center of the first surface. The radar antenna device also includes a base configured to mount the first antenna circuit board and the second antenna circuit board, the base configured so that the first surface of each of the first antenna circuit board and the second antenna circuit board faces away from the base. The first antenna circuit board and the second antenna circuit board are coupled to two ends of the base, respectively, so that the first antenna circuit board and the base form a first angle, and the second antenna circuit board and the base form a second angle. The first angle is between 52.5 degrees and 65 degrees, and the second angle is between 52.5 degrees and 65 degrees, such that a first direction parallel to the base and extending from the center of the first face is located in the first signal zone.

[0005] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a radar system for mounting on the sides of a vehicle includes a control unit and multiple radar antenna devices mounted on two sides, the front, or the rear of the vehicle. The radar antenna devices are electrically coupled to the control unit, transmit and receive radar signals, and provide the received radar signals to the control unit. Each radar antenna device includes a first antenna circuit board and a second antenna circuit board. Each of the first antenna circuit board and the second antenna circuit board has a first surface, the first surface of each of the first antenna circuit board and the second antenna circuit board including a signal transmitting unit and a signal receiving unit. The signal transmitting unit includes a first signal zone, the first signal zone being located within an angular range between 0 and 50 degrees with respect to a normal to the center of the first surface. Each radar antenna device also includes a base configured to mount the first antenna circuit board and the second antenna circuit board, such that the first surface of each of the first antenna circuit board and the second antenna circuit board faces away from the base. The first antenna circuit board and the second antenna circuit board are respectively coupled to two ends of the base, the first antenna circuit board and the base form a first angle, and the second antenna circuit board and the base form a second angle, the first angle being between 52.5 degrees and 65 degrees, and the second angle being between 52.5 degrees and 65 degrees, such that a first direction parallel to the base and extending from the center of the first face is located in a first signal zone.

[0006] The above and other aspects of the present invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of the preferred but non-limiting embodiment(s), the description of which is made with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 illustrates an antenna circuit board including a signal transmitting unit and a signal receiving unit in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 2A]1A-1C are diagrams illustrating signal zones and radar antenna radiation field patterns of an antenna circuit board including a signal transmission unit in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 2B] 1A-1C are diagrams illustrating signal zones and radar antenna radiation field patterns of an antenna circuit board including a signal transmission unit in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 illustrates a radar antenna device in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 illustrates a radar system mounted on multiple sides of a vehicle in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0008] Like reference numbers and designations in the various figures indicate like elements. It is also understood that the various embodiments shown in the figures are merely illustrative representations and are not necessarily drawn to scale. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] FIG. 1 illustrates an antenna circuit board 110 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. The antenna circuit board 110 includes a signal transmitting unit 111 and a signal receiving unit 112, which are disposed on a first surface 116 of the antenna circuit board 110. The signal transmitting unit 111 is configured to transmit a signal, and the signal receiving unit 112 receives a signal reflected by an object to detect the object. In the example of FIG. 1 , the number of signal transmitting units 111 and the number of signal receiving units 112 disposed on the antenna circuit board 110 are one, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In some embodiments, multiple signal transmitting units and multiple signal receiving units may be disposed on the antenna circuit board. For example, four signal transmitting units and four signal receiving units may be disposed on the antenna circuit board, which can be designed according to other requirements. Both the signal transmitting unit 111 and the signal receiving unit 112 disposed on the antenna circuit board 110 include radar antennas for transmitting and receiving signals according to the radar antenna radiation field pattern of the signal transmitting unit 111 (as shown in FIG. 2B ), the signal transmission strength of which varies between different directions of the first surface 116 of the antenna circuit board 110, and will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B as follows.

[0010] 2A and 2B are diagrams illustrating a signal zone of an antenna circuit board 110 including a signal transmitting unit 111 and a radar antenna radiation field pattern (based on small-current transmission signal 1 or small-current transmission signal 2), respectively, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. In this embodiment, the radar antenna radiation field pattern of the signal transmitting unit 111 is designed to be directional, i.e., the signal transmission strength (gain) is stronger at a certain angle. In this case, the transmission signal is radiated approximately from the center of the signal transmitting unit 111 toward a normal 115c perpendicular to the first surface 116 of the antenna circuit board 110. This is related to the radar antenna radiation field pattern on the first surface 116 of the antenna circuit board 110, which refers to the exemplary radar antenna radiation field pattern of FIG. 2B (based on small-current transmission signal 1 or small-current transmission signal 2).

[0011] From the exemplary radar antenna radiation field pattern in FIG. 2B and Table 1 below, it can be seen that the radiation field pattern of the signal transmitting unit 111 shown in FIG. 2A includes a first signal zone 113a, a second signal zone 113b, and a third signal zone 113c. Here, the first signal zone 113a is adjacent to both sides of the normal 115c, and its angle with the normal 115c is within the angle range between -50 and 0 degrees and between 0 and 50 degrees. It is the zone with the strongest signal transmission strength (average gain is 10.22 to 10.79 dB). The second signal zone 113b is located in the area where the angle range with the normal 115c is between -70 and -50 degrees and between 50 and 70 degrees. It is the zone with moderate signal transmission strength (average gain is 4.62 to 5.33 dB). The third signal zone 113c is located in the area where the angle range with respect to the normal 115c is between -90 degrees and -70 degrees and between 70 degrees and 90 degrees, and is the zone with the weakest signal transmission strength (average gain is -4.75 to -6.31 dB). [Table 1]

[0012] 3 is a diagram illustrating a radar antenna device 100 disposed on a side surface 310 of a vehicle in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. The radar antenna device 100 includes an antenna circuit board 110a and an antenna circuit board 110b. The antenna circuit board 110a and the antenna circuit board 110b are identical to the antenna circuit board 110 of FIGS. 2A and 2B. The first surface 116a of the antenna circuit board 110a is provided with a signal transmitting unit 111a, and the first surface 116b of the antenna circuit board 110b is provided with a signal transmitting unit 111b. The radar antenna device 100 also includes a base 120 for mounting the antenna circuit board 110a and the antenna circuit board 110b or for fixing the antenna circuit boards 110a and 110b. The first surface 116a of the antenna circuit board 110a and the first surface 116b of the antenna circuit board 110b face away from the base 120, i.e., the signal transmitting unit 111a and the signal transmitting unit 111b do not face the base 120 or the side surface 310 of the vehicle. The first end 110a1 of the antenna circuit board 110a and the first end 110b1 of the antenna circuit board 110b are coupled to two ends of the base 120, respectively, and form a first angle 114a and a second angle 114b with the base 120, respectively. In another embodiment, the antenna circuit board 110a and the antenna circuit board 110b are indirectly fixed on the base 120 by a bracket (not shown). The radar antenna device 100 can be mounted on the side surface 310 of the vehicle or another flat surface of the vehicle or a flat surface of a mounting object (such as a bracket) by the base 120. It can be understood that the side surface 310 of the vehicle or other flat surface, or the plane of the mounting object to which the base 120 is attached, is approximately parallel to the base 120. As discussed above, the strongest signal transmission zones of the signal transmitting unit 111a and the signal transmitting unit 111b are located in the angular ranges between -50 degrees and 0 degrees and between 0 degrees and 50 degrees with respect to the normal 115c, respectively, i.e., in the aforementioned first signal zones (such as the first signal zone 113a in FIGS. 2A and 2B ).The normal 115c is located at the center of the signal transmitting unit 111a and the signal transmitting unit 111b, respectively, and is perpendicular to the first surface 116a and the first surface 116b. The first angle 114a and the second angle 114b formed between the antenna circuit board 110a and the antenna circuit board 110b and the base 120, respectively, are between 52.5 degrees and 65 degrees so that the first direction 115a, which is parallel to the base 120 and extends from the center of the first surface 116a and the first surface 116b, can be located in the first signal zone having the strongest transmission signal. Therefore, the angle between the first direction 115a, which is parallel to the base 120 and extends from the center of the first surface 116a and the first surface 116b, and the normal 115c is between 25 degrees and 37.5 degrees, and is located in the first signal zone. When the base 120 is attached to the side surface 310 of the vehicle, the first direction 115a is substantially parallel to the side surface 310 of the vehicle. That is, when the first direction 115a is located in a first signal zone having the strongest transmission signal, the radar detection distance along the rearward or forward moving direction of the vehicle increases.

[0013] Specifically, for example, when the antenna circuit board 110 is attached to the side of a vehicle (e.g., by placing one end of the antenna circuit board 110 on a base parallel to and fixed to the side of the vehicle) so that the angle between the antenna circuit board 110 and the side of the vehicle is between 25 degrees and 50 degrees, the angle between the front or rear direction of the vehicle and the normal direction of the first surface of the antenna circuit board is in the range of 40 degrees to 65 degrees, and the antenna circuit board is located in the second signal zone rather than the first signal zone having the strongest transmission signal. Equation (1) used to calculate the radar maximum signal (detection) distance is as follows:

[0014]

number

[0015] where d max represents the radar maximum signal (detection) range, σ represents the radar cross section, and GTX represents the signal transmission gain, and G RX represents the signal receiving gain, λ represents the signal wavelength, and T meas represents the number of chips multiplied by the chip duration, and SNR min represents the minimum detectable signal, and k is a constant (1.38 × 10 -23 ), where T represents temperature and F represents frequency. According to the above equation (1), the signal transmission gain G TX The increase in the radar maximum signal (detection) distance d max That is, when moving in a particular direction, such as the forward or backward direction of the vehicle, an increase in the signal transmission gain G_TX from a medium signal zone (such as the second signal zone 113b) with an average gain of 4.62 dB to a strong signal zone (such as the first signal zone 113a) with an average gain of 10.22 dB increases the radar maximum signal (detection) distance d max In other words, as discussed in the above embodiment, when the first direction 115a (parallel to the vehicle's direction of travel) that is parallel to the base 120 and extends from the center of the first faces 116a and 116b has an angle between 25 degrees and 37.5 degrees with respect to the normal 115c and is within the range of the first signal zone having the strongest transmission signal, the radar detection distance in the forward or rearward direction of travel of the vehicle can be increased.

[0016] In some embodiments, the second end 110a2 of the antenna circuit board 110a is coupled to the second end 110b2 of the antenna circuit board 110b. In one embodiment, a normal 120C is perpendicular to the base 120 and passes through the second end 110a2 of the antenna circuit board 110a and the second end 110b2 of the antenna circuit board 110b. Angle 114c1 is between the normal 120 and the antenna circuit board 110a, angle 114c2 is between the normal 120 and the antenna circuit board 110b, angle 114c3 is between the antenna circuit board 110a and the antenna circuit board 110b, and third angle 114c is the sum of angle 114c1 and angle 114c2, which may be between 50 degrees and 75 degrees. In one embodiment, when the antenna circuit board 110a and the antenna circuit board 110b are the same size, angle 114c1 is the same as angle 114c2. In another embodiment, when the antenna circuit board 110a and the antenna circuit board 110b are different in size, the angle 114c1i is different from the angle 114c2. In one embodiment, the angle 114c1 is between the first direction 115a and the normal 115c of the antenna circuit board 110a, and the angle 114c2 is between the first direction 115a and the normal 115c of the antenna circuit board 110b.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 3, the radar antenna device 100 has a height h, which is the minimum distance between the junction of the second end 110a2 of the antenna circuit board 110a and the second end 110b2 of the antenna circuit board 110b and the surface 120S of the base 120, where the base 120S is the mounting surface of the base 120 and the side 310 of the vehicle.

[0018] 4 is a diagram illustrating a radar system 200 mounted on a side 311 a, a side 311 b, a front 312 a, and a rear 312 b of a vehicle 300 in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. The radar system 200 includes a radar antenna device 100 a, a radar antenna device 100 b, a radar antenna device 100 c, and a radar antenna device 100 d, which are mounted on the side 311 a, the side 311 b, the front 312 a, and the rear 312 b of the vehicle 300, respectively. The radar antenna device 100 a, the radar antenna device 100 b, the radar antenna device 100 c, and the radar antenna device 100 d are similar to the radar antenna device 100 of FIG. 3 , and details thereof will be omitted here. The radar system 200 also includes a control unit 210 electrically coupled to the radar antenna device 100 a, the radar antenna device 100 b, the radar antenna device 100 c, and the radar antenna device 100 d. Radar antenna device 100a, radar antenna device 100b, radar antenna device 100c, and radar antenna device 100d are capable of transmitting and receiving radar signals (e.g., by signal transmitting unit 111 and signal receiving unit 112 in FIG. 1 ) and providing the received radar signals to control unit 210. As described above, the angles between the antenna circuit boards and the bases of each of radar antenna device 100a, radar antenna device 100b, radar antenna device 100c, and radar antenna device 100d (such as first angle 116a and second angle 116b between antenna circuit board 110a and antenna circuit board 110b, and base 120, respectively, in FIG. 3 ) are between 52.5 degrees and 65 degrees.This positions the first direction 115a and the second direction 115b in the strongest signal zones (such as the first signal zone 113a in Figures 2A and 2B) of the radar antenna device 100a, radar antenna device 100b, radar antenna device 100c, and radar antenna device 100d, which are mounted on the side 311a, side 311b, front 312a, and rear 312b of the vehicle 300, respectively. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the second direction 115b can be positioned in the strongest signal zone of the radar antenna device 100c and radar antenna device 100d mounted on the front side 312a and rear side 312b to increase the radar detection distance on the two sides of the vehicle, and the first direction 115a can be positioned in the strongest signal zone of the radar antenna device 100a and radar antenna device 100b mounted on the side side 311a and side side 311b to increase the radar detection distance in front of or behind the vehicle.

[0019] According to the above embodiments and examples, it can be seen that the technology provided by the present disclosure enables the angle between the antenna circuit board and the entire surface on which the radar is fixed (by the base) to be 52.5 degrees to 65 degrees, thereby facilitating the direction parallel to the surface (or base) on which the radar is fixed to be positioned in the strong signal zone with the strongest transmission strength of the radar antenna. Therefore, when the radar antenna device is mounted on the side of a vehicle, the detection distance in front of or behind the vehicle can be increased by 10% to 40% (based on the calculation of Equation (1)). Furthermore, a radar system composed of a radar antenna device provided by the present disclosure is applicable to installation around the perimeter of a vehicle, which increases the detection distance in front of, behind, and on the left and right sides of the vehicle by 10% to 40%.

[0020] Although this document may describe many specific details, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention(s) specified in the claims or the scope of the subject matter that may be specified in the claims, but rather as descriptions of features specific to particular examples. Certain features described in this document in the context of separate embodiments may also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features described in the context of a single embodiment may also be implemented in multiple embodiments separately or in any suitable subcombination. Furthermore, even if features are described above as functioning in a particular combination and are initially identified as such in the claims, in some cases one or more features from the combination specified in the claims may be deleted from that combination, and the combination specified in the claims may be directed to a subcombination or a variation of the subcombination. Similarly, while acts are depicted in the figures in a particular order, this should not be understood as requiring such acts to be performed in the particular order shown or sequential order to achieve desired results, or that all of the illustrated acts be performed.

[0021] Only some examples and embodiments are disclosed. Variations, modifications, and enhancements to the described examples, described embodiments, and other embodiments can be made based on what is disclosed.

Claims

1. A radar antenna device for installation on the side of a vehicle, The aforementioned radar antenna device A first antenna circuit board and a second antenna circuit board, each of the first antenna circuit board and the second antenna circuit board including a first surface, the first surface of each of the first antenna circuit board and the second antenna circuit board including a signal transmitting unit and a signal receiving unit, the signal transmitting unit including a first signal zone, the first signal zone being positioned within an angular range between 0 and 50 degrees with respect to the normal to the center of the first surface, A base configured for mounting the first antenna circuit board and the second antenna circuit board, wherein the first surface of each of the first antenna circuit board and the second antenna circuit board is oriented away from the base, Equipped with, The first antenna circuit board and the second antenna circuit board are each coupled to two ends of the base, the first antenna circuit board and the base form a first angle, and the second antenna circuit board and the base form a second angle. The first angle is between 52.5 degrees and 65 degrees, and the second angle is between 52.5 degrees and 65 degrees, such that the first direction parallel to the base and extending from the center of the first surface lies in the first signal zone. The signal transmitting unit on the first surface of each of the first antenna circuit board and the second antenna circuit board includes a second signal zone and a third signal zone, wherein the second signal zone is located within an angular range between 50 and 70 degrees with respect to the normal of the center of the first surface, and the third signal zone is located within an angular range between 70 and 90 degrees with respect to the normal of the center of the first surface. The signal transmission strength of the first signal zone is greater than the signal transmission strength of the second signal zone, and the signal transmission strength of the second signal zone is greater than the signal transmission strength of the third signal zone. Radar antenna device.

2. The radar antenna device according to claim 1, wherein the first antenna circuit board is coupled to the second antenna circuit board to form a third angle, the third angle being between 50 and 70 degrees.

3. The radar antenna device according to claim 1, wherein a second direction perpendicular to the base and extending from the center of the first surface is located in the third signal zone.

4. The radar antenna device according to claim 1, wherein the first direction is parallel to the direction of movement of the vehicle.

5. A radar system for mounting on the side of a vehicle, The aforementioned radar system Control unit and Multiple radar antenna devices are electrically coupled to the control unit and mounted on two sides, the front, or the rear of the vehicle for transmitting and receiving radar signals and supplying received radar signals to the control unit. Equipped with, Each of the aforementioned plurality of radar antenna devices A first antenna circuit board and a second antenna circuit board, each of the first and second antenna circuit boards having a first surface, the first surface of each of the first and second antenna circuit boards including a signal transmitting unit and a signal receiving unit, the signal transmitting unit including a first signal zone, the first signal zone being located within an angular range between 0 and 50 degrees with respect to the normal to the center of the first surface, A base configured for mounting the first antenna circuit board and the second antenna circuit board, wherein the first surface of each of the first antenna circuit board and the second antenna circuit board is oriented away from the base, Equipped with, The first antenna circuit board and the second antenna circuit board are each coupled to two ends of the base, the first antenna circuit board and the base form a first angle, and the second antenna circuit board and the base form a second angle. The first angle is between 52.5 degrees and 65 degrees, and the second angle is between 52.5 degrees and 65 degrees, such that a first direction parallel to the base and extending from the center of the first surface is positioned in the first signal zone. The signal transmitting unit on the first surface of each of the first antenna circuit board and the second antenna circuit board includes a second signal zone and a third signal zone, the second signal zone being positioned within an angular range between 50 and 70 degrees with respect to the normal of the center of the first surface, and the third signal zone being positioned within an angular range between 70 and 90 degrees with respect to the normal of the center of the first surface. The signal transmission strength of the first signal zone is greater than the signal transmission strength of the second signal zone, and the signal transmission strength of the second signal zone is greater than the signal transmission strength of the third signal zone. Radar system.

6. The radar system according to claim 5, wherein the first antenna circuit board is coupled to the second antenna circuit board to form a third angle, the third angle being between 50 and 70 degrees.

7. The radar system according to claim 5, wherein a second direction perpendicular to the base and extending from the center of the first surface is positioned in the third signal zone.

8. The plurality of radar antenna devices comprises a first radar antenna device and a second radar antenna device, each mounted on the two sides of the vehicle, wherein the first direction of each of the first and second radar antenna devices is parallel to the direction of movement of the vehicle. The plurality of radar antenna devices comprises a third radar antenna device and a fourth radar antenna device, which are mounted on the front and rear surfaces of the vehicle, respectively, and the first direction of each of the third and fourth radar antenna devices is perpendicular to the direction of movement of the vehicle. The radar system according to claim 5.

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