Ultra-wide-angle radar system

Abstract

The present invention provides an ultra-wide-angle radar system whose detection viewing angle is greater than 180 degrees and which can be applied to different distances such as long distances, medium distances, etc. by adjusting the design based on different detection distances. [Solution] The ultra-wide-angle radar system of the present invention includes a first antenna module, a second antenna module, and a third antenna module. The first antenna module is provided with a flexible substrate antenna and a composite circuit board, one side of the second antenna module is adjacent to one side of the first antenna module, and one side of the third antenna module is adjacent to the other side of the first antenna module. The first antenna module, the second antenna module, and the third antenna module have different radiation directions. One or both of the second antenna module and the third antenna module are joined to the first antenna module, and signals are transmitted by a coupled radiation method or a metal connection method.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to radar systems, and more particularly to ultra-wide angle radar systems. [Background technology]

[0002] The known radar system achieves the purpose of detecting obstacles by transmitting and receiving millimeter wave radio signals, and its accuracy is affected by the angle and efficiency of the radar. For example, in the application to automobiles, the detection angle is limited due to the influence of different road conditions and environments of the automobile, and the detection accuracy is easily deteriorated in the environment affected by external factors.

[0003] Generally, the maximum viewing angle of a radar is usually around 120 degrees, but due to the limitations of the mechanism design and the radar itself, the areas on both sides of the radar cannot be effectively detected. This is the so-called radar blind zone. Generally, when applied to blind zone detection, at least two pairs of wireless signal transmitters and receivers are installed, but the position and angle of the two pairs of signal transmitters and receivers affect the signal transmission and reception effect, so they need to be constantly adjusted during the design process, making the overall design more complicated. In the automotive field, safety is the most important requirement, but if misjudgment or misalignment occurs due to angle problems or environmental influences, it may increase the danger of driving.

[0004] In addition to applications in the automotive field, there is a similar demand in the fields of industrial automation, drones, unmanned boats, logistics warehouses, etc., but due to limitations in radar development, the viewing angle of a single radar is usually designed such that a narrower viewing angle is used for a long-range radar (LRR) and a wider viewing angle is used for a short-range radar (SRR). However, the viewing angle of a single radar ranges from about 10 degrees to 120 degrees in horizontal field of view (HFOV), which usually cannot cover a range exceeding the designed viewing angle of 120 degrees on both sides of the radar. Therefore, the present invention aims to address the above-mentioned problems by carrying out different designs according to long-range, medium-range, and short-range detection requirements, thereby improving the accuracy of the radar system and expanding the viewing angle. Therefore, the present invention proposes an ultra-wide-angle radar system that can improve the accuracy of the radar system and expand the viewing angle in order to solve the known problems. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The objective of the present invention is to provide an ultra-wide-angle radar system that has a viewing angle during detection that is greater than 180 degrees and can achieve omnidirectional detection at long, medium, short, and other distances by adjusting the design according to the needs of different detection distances. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to the objective of the present invention, the present invention provides an ultra-wide-angle radar system, which includes a first antenna module, a second antenna module, and a third antenna module. The first antenna module is provided with a flexible circuit antenna, one side of the second antenna module is adjacent to one side of the first antenna module, and one side of the third antenna module is adjacent to the other side of the first antenna module. Here, the first antenna module, the second antenna module, and the third antenna module have different radiation directions. The second antenna module and the third antenna module are each provided with a composite circuit board, which includes a radar circuit board and a rigid circuit antenna. One or both of the rigid circuit antennas of the second antenna module and the third antenna module are bonded to the flexible circuit antenna of the first antenna module, and in the state where the rigid circuit antenna and the flexible circuit antenna are bonded to each other, a signal is transmitted between the rigid circuit antenna and the flexible circuit antenna by a coupled radiation manner or a metal connection manner.

[0007] According to the objective of the present invention, the present invention further provides an ultra-wide-angle radar system, which includes a first antenna module, a second antenna module and a third antenna module. The first antenna module is provided with a composite circuit board, which includes a radar circuit board and a rigid board antenna. One side of the second antenna module is adjacent to one side of the first antenna module. One side of the third antenna module is adjacent to the other side of the first antenna module. Here, the radiation directions of the first antenna module, the second antenna module and the third antenna module are different from each other. The second antenna module and the third antenna module are each provided with a flexible board antenna, or the second antenna module and the third antenna module are each provided with a flexible board antenna and another composite circuit board. One or both of the flexible board antennas of the second antenna module and the third antenna module and the rigid board antenna of the first antenna module are bonded to each other, and in the state where the rigid board antenna and the flexible board antenna are bonded to each other, a signal is transmitted between the rigid board antenna and the flexible board antenna by a coupled radiation manner or a metal connection manner. Effect of the Invention

[0008] As described above, the present invention can be used in the automotive field as the application of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), and can also be extended to other fields, such as industrial automation, drones, unmanned boats, and logistics warehouses. Different designs can be made according to the detection requirements at long, medium, and short distances, and the detection viewing angle can be greater than 180 degrees, and the design can be adjusted based on the needs of different detection distances, thereby improving the accuracy of the radar system and forming an omnidirectional ultra-wide-angle radar system. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2]FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a radiation direction in the first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the appearance of a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 illustrates a bond between a rigid substrate antenna and a flexible substrate antenna in one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 illustrates a bond between a rigid substrate antenna and a flexible substrate antenna in another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 1A to 1C are diagrams showing antenna arrangement methods for a rigid substrate antenna and a flexible substrate antenna according to the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state in which the base is opened in the first embodiment of the ultra-wide-angle radar system of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a cross section of a second embodiment of an ultra-wide-angle radar system according to the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a cross section of a third embodiment of an ultra-wide-angle radar system according to the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a cross section of a fourth embodiment of an ultra-wide-angle radar system according to the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a cross section of an ultra-wide-angle radar system according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a cross section of an ultra-wide-angle radar system according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] The embodiments of the present invention will be further described below in conjunction with the relevant drawings. In the drawings and the specification, the same or similar components are designated by the same reference numerals whenever possible. In the drawings, shapes and thicknesses may be exaggerated for simplicity and convenience. Elements not specifically shown in the drawings or described in the specification may be interpreted as being in a form known to those skilled in the art. Those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications based on the contents of the present invention.

[0011] Please refer to FIG. 1 to FIG. 3. The ultra-wide-angle radar system 1 includes a first antenna module 10, a second antenna module 20, and a third antenna module 30. The first antenna module 10 is provided with a flexible substrate antenna A1. The flexible substrate antenna is also called an FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit Antenna) antenna, and is a type of flexible antenna characterized by being bendable. One side of the second antenna module 20 is adjacent to one side of the first antenna module 10, and one side of the third antenna module 30 is adjacent to the other side of the first antenna module 10. The second antenna module 20 and the third antenna module 30 are each provided with a composite circuit board A2, which includes a radar circuit board A22 and a rigid substrate antenna A21, and the radar circuit board A22 includes elements related to radar signal processing and power management. The rigid substrate antenna A21 is also called an antenna printed circuit board or PCB antenna. In the second antenna module 20 and the third antenna module 30, one or both of the rigid substrate antennas A21 and the flexible substrate antenna A1 of the first antenna module 10 are joined to each other. Therefore, when the rigid substrate antenna A21 and the flexible substrate antenna A1 are joined to each other, signals are transmitted between the rigid substrate antenna A21 and the flexible substrate antenna A1 by a coupling radiation method or a metal connection method. As shown in FIG. 1, the flexible substrate antenna A1 of the first antenna module 10 in this embodiment is joined to the rigid substrate antenna A21 of the second antenna module 20, but is not limited thereto.

[0012] The above-mentioned first antenna module 10, second antenna module 20 and third antenna module 30 each have a different radiation direction, and each may include, but is not limited to, a patch antenna, a slot antenna, a horn antenna, a Yagi antenna or a dipole antenna. The composite circuit board A2 includes a radar circuit board A22 and a rigid board antenna A21. In the actual design, the radar circuit board A22 and the rigid board antenna A21 are regarded as being integrated. For the sake of simplicity, the drawings do not show in detail which part is the radar circuit board A22 or the rigid board antenna A21, but this is understandable to those with ordinary skill in the art, and the combination of the radar circuit board A22 and the rigid board antenna A21 is clear from the specification and drawings. That is, the radar circuit is designed on a printed circuit board, and there is also a corresponding circuit design on the printed circuit board, so a detailed description of the circuit design is omitted here.

[0013] The ultra-wide-angle radar system 1 further includes an upper cover 92 and a base 94, and the edge of the upper cover 92 is connected to the base 94 to define a space for accommodating the first antenna module 10, the second antenna module 20, and the third antenna module 30. Both sides of the upper cover 92 are respectively connected to the other side of the second antenna module 20 and the other side of the third antenna module 30 to form a quadrilateral structure having at least three signal transmission and reception surfaces 10S, 20S, and 30S. If the included angle between the upper cover 92 and the second antenna module 20 is θ, and the included angle between the upper cover 92 and the third antenna module 30 is θ', the included angle θ and the included angle θ' may be the same or different, and in a preferred embodiment, the included angle θ and the included angle θ' may be between 20 degrees and 80 degrees.

[0014] For example, when the ultra-wide-angle radar system 1 is applied to the automotive field, the base 94 can be attached to any position on the vehicle body, and when the vehicle moves under different road conditions and environments, the surroundings can be detected by the ultra-wide-angle radar system 1 at any position. Since the total viewing angle of the ultra-wide-angle radar system 1 is greater than 180 degrees, there is no need to install multiple systems to achieve the effect of ultra-wide-angle detection. The ultra-wide-angle radar system 1 can detect positions at long, medium and short distances, which can certainly reduce costs and at the same time improve the safety of the vehicle.

[0015] Please refer to Figures 4 and 5. The structure of transmitting signals between the rigid board antenna A21 and the flexible board antenna A1 by the coupling radiation method or the metal connection method will be described below. In Figure 4, the upper part is the flexible board antenna A1 and the lower part is the rigid board antenna A21. Between them, the signals are transmitted from the lower rigid board antenna A21 to the upper flexible board antenna A1 by the radiation effect of the antenna edge, and the signals are transmitted between them. In Figure 5, the upper part is the flexible board antenna A1 and the lower part is the rigid board antenna A21. The upper flexible board antenna A1 is in direct contact with the lower rigid board antenna A21 through the metal through hole C. The strength of the signal transmission can be achieved by adjusting the diameter of the metal through hole C, and the ratio of the output power can be adjusted.

[0016] Please refer to FIG. 6. In signal transmission, the rigid board antenna A21 can adopt single-input single-output (SISO) or multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO). However, when the rigid board antenna A21 and the flexible board antenna A1 are joined, the joined rigid board antenna A21 and flexible board antenna A1 must be multi-input multi-output, for example, by including at least two transmits and two receives (2TX and 2RX), so that one input and one output signal is transmitted and received through the rigid board antenna A21, and another one input and one output signal is transmitted and received through the flexible board antenna A1. When used to identify the coordinates of a target, the first antenna module 10, the second antenna module 20, and the third antenna module 30 need at least one output and two inputs, which is the principle of target location identification using frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW), and will not be described in detail here. FIG. 6 is merely a diagram showing one example of an antenna arrangement method, in which the antenna sets on one side of each of the first antenna module 10, the second antenna module 20 and the third antenna module 30 are all 2TX·2RX, but is not limited to this.

[0017] Please refer to Figure 7 and Figure 1. A system on a chip (SoC) SoC1 is installed on the radar circuit board A22 of the second antenna module 20, and a system on chip SoC2 is installed on the radar circuit board A22 of the third antenna module 30, the system on chip SoC1 controls the signal processing and power management of the second antenna module 20, and the system on chip SoC2 controls the signal processing and power management of the third antenna module 30, respectively, and in a state where the rigid substrate antenna A21 and the flexible substrate antenna A1 are joined, the first antenna module 10 is controlled by one of the system on chips of the second antenna module 20 or the third antenna module 30 joined thereto.

[0018] The radar circuit board A22 includes radar signal processing and power management related elements, such as, but not limited to, an RF front end, a digital signal processor (DSP), a microcontroller unit (MCU) and a power management IC (PMIC). Therefore, when the radar circuit board A22 of the second antenna module 20 is provided with a system-on-chip SoC1 and the radar circuit board A22 of the third antenna module 30 is provided with a system-on-chip SoC2, the elements such as the RF front end, the digital signal processor and the microcontroller unit are integrated into a single-chip integrated circuit, so that the system-on-chip SoC1 and SoC2 become integrated circuits (SoCs) that integrate the above-mentioned electronic systems into a single chip.

[0019] 7 as an example, when the flexible substrate antenna A1 of the first antenna module 10 and the rigid substrate antenna A21 of the third antenna module 30 are joined to each other, the first antenna module 10 and the third antenna module 30 simultaneously control the transmission and reception of signals of the first antenna module 10 and the third antenna module 30 by the system-on-chip SoC2 of the rigid substrate antenna A21. Since the rigid substrate antenna A21 of the second antenna module 20 is not joined to the rigid substrate antenna A21 of the first antenna module 10, the second antenna module 20 simultaneously controls the transmission and reception of signals by its own system-on-chip SoC1.

[0020] Please refer to Figure 8. The difference between Figure 8 and Figure 1 is the joining position of the flexible substrate antenna A1 of the first antenna module 10. In Figure 8, the flexible substrate antenna A1 of the first antenna module 10 is joined to the rigid substrate antenna A21 of the third antenna module 30, and the first antenna module 10 and the third antenna module 30 simultaneously control the transmission and reception of signals of the first antenna module 10 and the third antenna module 30 through the system-on-chip of the rigid substrate antenna A21. The rigid substrate antenna A21 of the second antenna module 20 is not joined to the flexible substrate antenna A1 of the first antenna module 10, so the second antenna module 20 simultaneously controls the transmission and reception of signals through its own system-on-chip.

[0021] FIG. 9 shows a third embodiment, FIG. 10 shows a fourth embodiment, and FIG. 11 shows a fifth embodiment. The ultra-wide-angle radar system shown in FIG. 9 to FIG. 11 includes a first antenna module 10, a second antenna module 20, and a third antenna module 30. The third to fifth embodiments differ from the first embodiment in the first antenna module 10, and the joining relationship between the first antenna module 10, the second antenna module 20, and the third antenna module 30. In the third to fifth embodiments, the first antenna module 10 is provided with a composite circuit board A2, and the composite circuit board A2 includes a radar circuit board A22 and a rigid board antenna A21 as described above. One side of the second antenna module 20 is adjacent to one side of the first antenna module 10. One side of the third antenna module 30 is adjacent to the other side of the first antenna module 10. The third embodiment is an example in which the first antenna module 10 is provided with a composite circuit board A2, the second antenna module 20 is provided with a flexible substrate antenna A1, and the third antenna module 30 is provided with another composite circuit board A2. The fourth embodiment is an example in which the first antenna module 10 is provided with a composite circuit board A2, the second antenna module 20 is provided with another composite circuit board A2, and the third antenna module 30 is provided with a flexible substrate antenna A1. In the fifth embodiment, the first antenna module 10 is provided with a composite circuit board A2, and the second antenna module 20 and the third antenna module 30 are each provided with a flexible substrate antenna A1. The rigid substrate antenna A21 of the first antenna module 10 and the flexible substrate antenna A1 of the second antenna module 20 and the third antenna module 30 or both are joined to each other. Here, in a state in which the rigid substrate antenna A21 and the flexible substrate antenna A1 are joined to each other, a signal is transmitted between the rigid substrate antenna A21 and the flexible substrate antenna A1 by a coupling radiation method or a metal connection method. Other elements in the third to fifth embodiments are described in the first embodiment, so they will not be described in detail here. In order to allow those skilled in the art to better understand the differences between the third to fifth embodiments, the following description will be given, so please refer to Figures 9 to 11 of the present invention.

[0022] 9, the first antenna module 10 is provided with a composite circuit board A2, the second antenna module 20 is provided with a flexible substrate antenna A1, and the rigid substrate antenna A21 of the first antenna module 10 and the flexible substrate antenna A1 of the second antenna module 20 are joined together. The joining method has already been described, so will not be described in detail here. The third antenna module 30 is provided with another composite circuit board A2, and one side of the third antenna module 30 is adjacent to the other side of the first antenna module 10, but the two are not joined together.

[0023] 10, the first antenna module 10 is provided with a composite circuit board A2, and the third antenna module 30 is provided with a flexible substrate antenna A1, and the rigid substrate antenna A21 of the first antenna module 10 and the flexible substrate antenna A1 of the third antenna module 30 are joined together. The joining method has already been described, so will not be described in detail here. The second antenna module 20 is provided with another composite circuit board A2, and one side of the third antenna module 30 is adjacent to the other side of the first antenna module 10, but the two are not joined together.

[0024] 11, the first antenna module 10 is provided with a composite circuit board A2, the second antenna module 20 and the third antenna module 30 are each provided with a flexible board antenna A1, and the rigid board antenna A21 of the first antenna module 10 is respectively joined to the flexible board antennas A1 of the second antenna module 20 and the third antenna module 30. The joining method has already been described, so will not be described in detail here.

[0025] Please refer to FIG. 12 showing the sixth embodiment of the present invention. The difference between the sixth embodiment and the first embodiment lies in the included angle and joint relationship between the first antenna module 10, the second antenna module 20, and the third antenna module 30. In the sixth embodiment, the other side of the second antenna module 20 is connected to the other side of the third antenna module 30 to form at least three signal transmission / reception surfaces 10S, 20S, and 30S. The detection angle θ1 of the signal transmission / reception surface 10S, the detection angle θ2 of the signal transmission / reception surface 20S, and the detection angle θ3 of the signal transmission / reception surface 30S are preferably 120 degrees, thereby forming a 360-degree visible range. As a result, the triangular mechanism structure provides a wider viewing angle, and the designed radar can have a viewing range of 360 degrees when viewed from the widest coverage range. Therefore, the present invention can also be applied to the detection of short-distance obstacles of a 360-degree drone to improve the problem of blind zones during detection. The other elements in the sixth embodiment have been described in the first embodiment, so they will not be described in detail here.

[0026] According to the above-mentioned embodiment, the ultra-wide-angle radar system can be designed with a single concept for long-distance, medium-distance, short-distance and other detection needs, thereby shortening the design and development period, reducing the time and cost of parameter adjustment in the early stages of research and development, and improving efficiency. Furthermore, since the viewing angle during detection of the present invention is greater than 180 degrees, the accuracy of the radar system can be improved, and the problem of visual blind zones can be solved, providing users with an omnidirectional radar system.

[0027] The above description is merely an explanation of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent changes and modifications based on the shape, structure, features, and spirit described in the claims of the present invention are included within the scope of the claims of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0028] 1. Ultra-wide-angle radar system 10 First antenna module 20 Second antenna module 30 Third Antenna Module 10S, 20S, 30S signal transmission / reception surface A1 Flexible PCB Antenna A2 composite circuit board A21 Rigid PCB Antenna A22 Radar Circuit Board C through hole SоC1, SоC2 92 Top cover 94 Base θ, θ' included angle θ1, θ2, θ3 detection angles

Claims

1. a first antenna module, a second antenna module and a third antenna module; the first antenna module is provided with a flexible substrate antenna; one side of the second antenna module is adjacent to one side of the first antenna module, one side of the third antenna module is adjacent to the other side of the first antenna module, The second antenna module and the third antenna module are each provided with a composite circuit board, the composite circuit board including a radar circuit board and a rigid board antenna; one or both of the rigid substrate antennas of the second antenna module and the third antenna module are joined to the flexible substrate antenna of the first antenna module, and in a state in which the rigid substrate antenna and the flexible substrate antenna are joined to each other, a signal is transmitted between the rigid substrate antenna and the flexible substrate antenna by a coupling radiation method or a metal connection method. Ultra-wide angle radar system.

2. 2. The ultra-wide-angle radar system of claim 1, further comprising a base, both sides of the base respectively connecting to the other side of the second antenna module and the other side of the third antenna module to form a quadrilateral structure having at least three signal transmitting and receiving surfaces.

3. 3. The ultra-wide-angle radar system according to claim 2, wherein an angle between the base and the second antenna module is between 20 degrees and 80 degrees.

4. 3. The ultra-wide-angle radar system of claim 2, wherein an included angle between the base and the third antenna module is between 20 degrees and 80 degrees.

5. The ultra-wide-angle radar system according to claim 1 , wherein the other side of the second antenna module is connected to the other side of the third antenna module to form at least three signal transmitting and receiving planes.

6. 6. The ultra-wide-angle radar system of claim 5, wherein the detection angle of each of the at least three signal transmission / reception planes is 120 degrees.

7. 2. The ultra-wide-angle radar system of claim 1, wherein a system on a chip (SoC) is installed on each of the radar circuit boards of the second antenna module and the third antenna module, and each of the system on chips controls signal processing and power management of the second antenna module and the third antenna module, respectively, and when the rigid substrate antenna and the flexible substrate antenna are joined together, the first antenna module is controlled by the system on chip of the second antenna module or the third antenna module joined together.

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