Ultra-wideband antenna array system having adaptive blockage processing and use method thereof

Abstract

Provided in the present invention is an ultra-wideband antenna array system, comprising a main antenna array and a switching control module; the main antenna array is intended to detect the position of a target object and comprises at least two antenna elements; when an antenna element in the main antenna array is blocked, the switching control module is configured to automatically change the architecture of the main antenna array. The blockage processing mechanism of the present invention overcomes the problem of inaccurate positioning and offset caused by interference and blockage between antennas that are likely to occur in existing ultra-wideband antenna designs, advantageously improves the positioning accuracy and stability of ultra-wideband antennas, and reduces positioning errors. The present invention further relates to a use method of the ultra-wideband antenna array system.

Description

Ultra-wideband antenna array system with adaptive blocking processing and its usage Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of wireless communication technology, and more particularly to an antenna array system utilizing ultra-wideband (UWB) technology and a method of using an ultra-wideband antenna array.

[0002] This invention is particularly useful in the automotive field for the precise positioning of digital keys and the like. Background Technology

[0003] With the rapid development of technology, wireless positioning technology, especially wireless positioning methods utilizing ultra-wideband (UWB) technology, has attracted significant attention due to its high precision, reliability, and versatility. UWB technology has shown enormous potential in various fields such as indoor positioning, intelligent transportation, the Internet of Things (IoT), and smart homes. In the automotive sector, as vehicles become more intelligent, the demand for high-precision positioning technology is increasing. For example, in automatic parking and vehicle anti-theft systems, accurate vehicle location is crucial for ensuring safe and efficient operation. Compared to other positioning technologies, UWB wireless positioning technology has many advantages. For instance, in indoor positioning, it can achieve centimeter-level accuracy, far exceeding some traditional methods.

[0004] However, in practical applications, especially in automotive environments, the use of multiple antennas still presents challenges, such as reduced isolation between antennas, deviations from the ideal phase difference, and potential obstruction between antennas. These problems severely impact the application of ultra-wideband wireless positioning technology in vehicles. For example, reduced isolation between antennas can lead to increased signal interference, thereby increasing positioning errors from the ideal centimeter level to the decimeter level or even greater; deviations from the ideal phase difference can cause errors in positioning direction, with angular errors ranging from 10° to 30°, thus affecting positioning accuracy; and obstruction between antennas can hinder signal transmission, increasing the probability of positioning failure by 20% to 50%. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention aims to solve one or more of the problems in the prior art described above, and proposes an ultra-wideband antenna array system with adaptive blocking processing that is particularly suitable for application in automotive environments, and a method of using the same.

[0006] Specifically, the present invention provides an ultra-wideband antenna array system, the system comprising:

[0007] - A main antenna array designed to detect the location of a target object and comprising at least two antenna elements; and

[0008] - A switching control module configured to automatically change the architecture of the main antenna array when an antenna element in the main antenna array becomes blocked.

[0009] The ultra-wideband antenna array system of this invention is particularly applicable in automotive environments, and can significantly improve the positioning accuracy and stability of target objects, such as digital keys, effectively meeting the reliable operation requirements of digital keys for vehicles. Of course, this invention can also be applied to other usage environments besides automobiles.

[0010] The ultra-wideband antenna array system of the present invention has the following advantageous technical features, which can be applied individually or in technically possible combinations:

[0011] - The ultra-wideband antenna array system further includes supplementary antenna elements located differently from the antenna elements in the main antenna array, and the switching control module is configured to change the architecture of the main antenna array by enabling the supplementary antenna elements to replace the blocked antenna elements in the main antenna array; and / or, the ultra-wideband antenna array system further includes attitude adjustment devices for adjusting the attitude of the antenna elements, and the switching control module is configured to change the architecture of the main antenna array by changing the attitude of the blocked antenna elements in the main antenna array;

[0012] - The blocked antenna element includes an antenna element whose received or transmitted data meets a predetermined threshold condition;

[0013] - The ultra-wideband antenna array system includes six antenna elements, of which three antenna elements constitute the main antenna array, and the other three antenna elements serve as supplementary antenna elements to replace one of the antenna elements in the main antenna array, respectively.

[0014] - The six antenna elements are arranged at equal intervals; and

[0015] The switching control module includes an ultra-wideband chip and a switch group, which includes three RF switches, each of which electrically connects two antenna elements to the ultra-wideband chip.

[0016] The present invention also provides a method of using an ultra-wideband antenna array system, the ultra-wideband antenna array system including a main antenna array and a switching control module, the main antenna array being designed to detect the position of a target object and including at least two antenna elements, the method of use including automatically changing the architecture of the main antenna array when the antenna elements in the main antenna array become blocked.

[0017] The method of using this invention has the following advantageous technical features, which can be applied individually or in a technically possible combination:

[0018] - The architecture of the main antenna array is altered by replacing the blocked antenna elements in the main antenna array with supplementary antenna elements in positions different from those in the main antenna array; and / or by altering the orientation of the blocked antenna elements in the main antenna array.

[0019] - When the data received or transmitted by an antenna element in the main antenna array meets a predetermined threshold condition, the antenna element is determined to be a blocked antenna element.

[0020] - The threshold condition is that the signal-to-noise ratio is less than a predetermined value, for example, less than 10 dB; and

[0021] The method of use includes determining whether a new, unobstructed antenna array can be formed using the antenna elements in the ultra-wideband antenna array system when the architecture of the main antenna array needs to be changed, and selecting the antenna elements furthest apart from each other to form a new main antenna array when a new, unobstructed antenna array cannot be formed.

[0022] The blocking mechanism of this invention can overcome the problems of inaccurate positioning and offset caused by interference and obstruction between antennas that are easy to occur in existing ultra-wideband antenna designs, thereby improving the positioning accuracy and stability of ultra-wideband antennas and reducing positioning errors.

[0023] The applicant has demonstrated through simulation and actual testing that the blocking handling mechanism of this invention can improve positioning accuracy by 20%-30%. For example, in automotive simulation or actual vehicle testing, after applying this mechanism, the positioning error decreased from an average of 80cm to 50cm, where 80 and 50 are specific values ​​obtained from experiments. This improvement is crucial for automotive applications requiring precise positioning, such as automatic parking and vehicle anti-theft systems. Attached Figure Description

[0024] The features and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following detailed description given with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the drawings below are merely schematic and not drawn to scale, and therefore should not be considered as limiting the invention. In the drawings:

[0025] Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of an example of an antenna array architecture known in the prior art;

[0026] Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of an antenna array architecture according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the switching control module of an antenna array system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing an exemplary switch group connected between the ultra-wideband chip and the antenna. Detailed Implementation

[0028] This invention is particularly applicable to automotive environments. In this case, the antenna element can be arranged inside the vehicle, and the target object specifically refers to the vehicle's digital key, such as a smartphone, smart bracelet, or dedicated portable key with an ultra-wideband chip or tag.

[0029] In this invention, the antenna array specifically refers to an ultra-wideband antenna array utilizing ultra-wideband technology, and the antenna element specifically refers to an ultra-wideband antenna element utilizing ultra-wideband technology. In the following description, they will be simply referred to as "antenna array" and "antenna element," respectively. Of course, it is understood that the concepts of this invention can also be applied to conventional antenna arrays that include conventional antenna elements.

[0030] Referring to Figure 1, an exemplary antenna array architecture known in the prior art is shown. As shown, the antenna array may include three antenna elements, namely antenna element 11, antenna element 12 and antenna element 13, which are arranged in the vehicle at equal intervals, thereby forming an equilateral triangle antenna array architecture.

[0031] During operation, the three antenna elements 11, 12, and 13 can respectively detect the location of the target object 4, such as a smartphone with an ultra-wideband chip or tag serving as a digital key for the vehicle, and their detection results can jointly form a position signal characterizing the precise location of the target object 4. This position signal can be transmitted to the vehicle's ECU, data bus, or cloud server, etc., for access and use by relevant devices or functional modules, such as the vehicle's unlocking or locking module, automatic parking module, anti-theft positioning module, etc.

[0032] However, when the communication connection between one or more antenna elements in the antenna array and the target object is obstructed—for example, when two antenna elements 11 and 12 are aligned with the target object 4 as shown in Figure 1—communication blockage occurs between them. In other words, they may interfere with each other, particularly the antenna element 11, which is farther from the target object 4, being blocked or obstructed by the antenna element 12, which is closer to the target object 4. This blockage affects the signal transmission between the target object 4 and antenna elements 11 and even 12, causing significant errors or even rendering the detection results of antenna elements 11 or 12 unusable. This situation prevents the full utilization of the positioning performance of all three antenna elements in the antenna array, leading to reduced accuracy of the antenna array's positioning results and potential deviations during use.

[0033] To this end, the present invention proposes to automatically change the architecture of an antenna array when antenna elements in an active antenna array (referred to herein as the "main antenna array") become blocked, particularly when one or more antenna elements in the main antenna array are aligned with other antenna elements in the same array that are closer to the target object, and with the target object itself. This change can be achieved, in particular, by activating supplementary antenna elements outside the main antenna array to replace the blocked antenna elements in the main antenna array, or by changing the orientation of the blocked antenna elements in the main antenna array, wherein the supplementary antenna elements all have different arrangement positions than the antenna elements in the main antenna array.

[0034] Therefore, the antenna array system of the present invention can dynamically and in real time construct a new main antenna array, which can have the same number of antenna elements as the original main antenna array and can be directly used to detect the position of the target object. This ensures full utilization of the performance of all antenna elements in the antenna array system, thereby guaranteeing the positioning accuracy and reliability of the system.

[0035] A preferred embodiment of the antenna array system of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIG2. In this preferred embodiment, the antenna array system may include six antenna elements 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16, wherein three antenna elements 11, 12, and 13 may form a preset or default main antenna array, and the other three antenna elements 14, 15, and 16 may serve as supplementary antenna elements to replace one antenna element in the default antenna array when needed, so as to form a new main antenna array.

[0036] Therefore, the antenna array system of this embodiment can be configured into four antenna arrays, each including three antenna elements: antenna array I formed by antenna elements 11, 12, and 13; antenna array II formed by antenna elements 12, 13, and 15; antenna array III formed by antenna elements 12, 14, and 15; and antenna array IV formed by antenna elements 13, 15, and 16. It can be seen that each of antenna arrays I, II, III, and IV has two antenna elements shared with the other antenna arrays.

[0037] Thus, when an antenna element (e.g., antenna element 11) in the default main antenna array (e.g., antenna array I) that is currently in use (i.e., is detecting target object 4) becomes blocked, a supplementary antenna element (e.g., antenna element 15) outside the main antenna array can be used to replace the blocked antenna element (e.g., antenna element 11) to form a new antenna array (e.g., antenna array II) for detecting target object 4. Therefore, the original number (e.g., three) of antenna elements can still be fully utilized to detect and determine the position of target object 4.

[0038] These antenna arrays, formed by groups of antenna elements, can be pre-configured and selected for switching by a switching control module as needed. However, it is also conceivable to pre-configure only one main antenna array, and when one or more antenna elements in the main antenna array are blocked, to select as replacement antenna elements from supplementary antenna elements to form a new antenna array. The new antenna array may include the same number of antenna elements as the main antenna array, but it is also possible to introduce a larger number of antenna elements into the new antenna array.

[0039] It should be noted that the arrangement and division of antenna elements in the above embodiments are based on the radiation mode and phase characteristics of the antenna elements, and can ensure better positioning performance of the target object in different directions. In an automotive environment, the antenna elements can be arranged separately or in groups at the front, middle and rear of the vehicle, for example, in the center console, front seats, doors, rear seats and trunk. This allows for more precise positioning in different areas of the vehicle, more flexible use of antenna resources and better coverage of the vehicle's interior.

[0040] Advantageously, in the antenna array system of the present invention, the antenna elements can be arranged at equal intervals. For example, in the embodiment shown in FIG2, the default main antenna array, i.e., the three antenna elements 11, 12, and 13 in antenna array I, can be arranged in an equilateral triangle with equal intervals between them, and the antenna elements 14, 15, and 16, as supplementary antenna elements, can also be arranged with equal intervals between them and also with equal intervals relative to the aforementioned three antenna elements 11, 12, and 13.

[0041] Particularly advantageously, the spacing between the antenna elements can be determined based on the ultra-wideband frequency, particularly to be no greater than 0.5λ, where λ is the wavelength of the operating frequency band of the antenna element. For example, in automotive applications, the operating frequency band of the automotive ultra-wideband antenna element is 7-9 GHz. If 8 GHz is used as the center frequency, the spacing between the antenna elements is preferably no greater than 0.5λ = 18.8 mm.

[0042] Based on the applicant's electromagnetic simulation and experimental verification, this equidistant arrangement or layout of antenna elements can beneficially optimize the performance of the antenna elements. In particular, compared with conventional arrangements, this equidistant arrangement can reduce the coupling between antenna elements by 30%-50%, thereby advantageously improving the radiation efficiency and positioning accuracy of the antenna elements.

[0043] As is generally known, when the signal strength of one or more antenna elements in a main antenna array being used decreases significantly, especially significantly lower than the signal strength of other antenna elements in the same antenna array, it can be determined that the one or more antenna elements are blocked, and the architecture of the main antenna array can be changed accordingly.

[0044] However, as a method of using the antenna array system of the present invention, it is preferable to rebuild and switch the main antenna array based on threshold switching logic. Specifically, when the data received or transmitted by one or more antenna elements in the main antenna array being used meets a predetermined threshold condition, it can be determined that the one or more antenna elements are blocked. At this time, a new main antenna array can be constructed and enabled by replacing or changing the blocked antenna elements.

[0045] For example, the threshold condition can be set to a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) less than a predetermined value, such as less than 10 dB. That is, when the signal-to-noise ratio of the data received or transmitted by one or more antenna elements in the main antenna array in use is less than 10 dB, it can be determined that one or more antenna elements are blocked antenna elements.

[0046] Considering the various interference factors present in the automotive environment, such as vehicle movement and electrical noise, this switching logic, which differs from conventional methods, is well-suited to the characteristics of the antenna array system of this invention and its application in the automotive environment.

[0047] The method for changing the main antenna array architecture of the antenna array system of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to FIG3, which shows a schematic diagram of a switching control module, which can be used in particular for an embodiment of the antenna array system including six antenna elements in FIG2.

[0048] The switching control module of the antenna array system of the present invention may include a control chip and a switch group circuit. In the embodiment shown in FIG3, the control chip is particularly an ultra-wideband chip 5, and the switch group circuit may include three switches, particularly RF (radio frequency) switches 21, 22, and 23. The three RF switches 21, 22, and 23 may be multi-pole multi-throw switches or single-pole double-throw switches, etc., and may be connected to one input port RX1, RX2, or RX3 of the ultra-wideband chip 5 on one side, and to two specific antenna elements, such as antenna elements 11 and 15, 12 and 16, or 13 and 14, on the other side for connecting or disconnecting the corresponding antennas. The ultra-wideband chip 5 may be communicatively connected to a control bus or ECU, etc., to receive or generate and transmit switch control signals to the switch group, for example, transmitting control signals 31, 32, and 33 to the RF switches 21, 22, and 23 respectively, thereby controlling the direction of these switches to realize the connection or disconnection of the corresponding antenna elements with the ultra-wideband chip 5, thereby controlling the switching of the antenna elements and thus the main antenna array.

[0049] This embodiment is advantageous in practice, as it fully utilizes commercially available ultra-wideband chips with three input ports. Furthermore, the RF switching circuitry and chip are beneficial to the electrical environment in automobiles. Specifically, in automobiles, circuitry needs to be resistant to electromagnetic interference, and the RF chip possesses appropriate performance characteristics suitable for handling the complex electrical conditions in vehicles. Of course, if ultra-wideband chips with more input ports are available or developed, designs of switch groups different from those shown in Figure 3 can be envisioned. For example, for ultra-wideband chips with different configurations, fewer or more different types of switches can be provided to connect the antenna elements to the ultra-wideband chip in different ways (e.g., each antenna element via one switch).

[0050] Taking the embodiments shown in Figures 2 and 3 as an example, when the antenna array II formed by antenna elements 12, 13, and 15 is to be used (at this time, the antenna array can be called the "main antenna array"), under the control of control signals 31, 32, and 33, the directions of RF switches 21, 22, and 23 are controlled to allow the signals of the antenna elements 12, 13, and 15 connected to them to enter the ultra-wideband chip 5 through the input ports RX1, RX2, and RX3 respectively and be transmitted to the data bus.

[0051] During use, if antenna elements 12 and 15 in antenna array II become blocked, the direction of RF switch 21 can be changed by control signal 31, so that the signal of antenna element 11 can be input into the ultra-wideband chip 5, that is, antenna element 11 is used to replace antenna element 15 and the main antenna array is switched from antenna array II to antenna array I; or, the direction of RF switch 22 can be changed by control signal 32, so that the signal of antenna element 16 can be input into the ultra-wideband chip 5, that is, antenna element 16 is used to replace antenna element 12 and the main antenna array is switched from antenna array II to antenna array IV.

[0052] This switching mechanism of the present invention allows for seamless switching of the antenna array, ensuring accurate positioning of the target object, and is particularly suitable for application in automotive environments.

[0053] In particular, in the use of the antenna array system of the present invention, if multiple blocked antenna elements appear simultaneously in the main antenna array in use, the following main antenna array switching rule can be adopted: First, it is determined whether it is possible to form an antenna array in which all antenna elements are not blocked (called "unblocked antenna array") using supplementary antenna elements (i.e., antenna elements that do not belong to the main antenna array in use), and when it is determined that such an unblocked antenna array cannot be formed, the antenna elements that are farthest apart from each other in physical distance and have the same number as the original main antenna array are selected to form a new main antenna array.

[0054] For applications in automotive environments, the above rules ensure accurate positioning even when there are multiple obstacles in the vehicle.

[0055] According to another fundamental feature of the invention, when the antenna elements in the main antenna array being used become blocked, the architecture of the original main antenna array can also be changed by altering the orientation of the antenna elements in the main antenna array, especially the blocked antenna elements.

[0056] Therefore, the antenna array system of the present invention may include an attitude adjustment device, which can be used to change or adjust the attitude of each antenna element. Thus, when a blocked antenna element appears in the main antenna array in use, the attitude adjustment device can be used to change the state of the relevant antenna element, especially the blocked antenna element, for example, by raising or tilting the antenna element, in order to eliminate the blockage and thereby form a new main antenna array in which no antenna element is blocked.

[0057] It is understandable that the scheme of changing the architecture of the main antenna array by using supplementary antenna elements and the scheme of changing the architecture of the main antenna array by using attitude adjustment devices can be used in combination.

[0058] It should be noted that antenna arrays may have different installation requirements in different application scenarios. In automotive applications, antenna arrays can be installed in specific locations within the vehicle to ensure optimal signal coverage. For example, antenna elements or antenna arrays can be installed inside the car doors, the center console, and the trunk. Moreover, antenna elements can be oriented in a way that maximizes signal reception and transmission. For instance, antenna elements in the car doors can be pointed inwards, while antenna elements in the trunk can be pointed towards the rear of the vehicle.

[0059] In practice, key parameters such as the transmit power and frequency of antenna elements can be adjusted as needed. For example, in automotive applications, these parameters can be adjusted based on the vehicle body structure and in-vehicle electrical environment. A spectrum analyzer can be used to adjust the transmit power and frequency of each antenna element to ensure they meet design requirements. This helps optimize the performance of the antenna array system in the vehicle.

[0060] In practice, when the device being used is powered on (e.g., when a car is powered on or started), the status of each antenna element in the antenna array system can be automatically detected first. Then, based on a preset algorithm, an appropriate number and arrangement of antenna elements are selected from the antenna array system to form the initial main antenna array for positioning operations.

[0061] In addition, during operation, necessary measures can be taken to avoid strong electromagnetic interference to the antenna elements in the antenna array system. Furthermore, the connections of each antenna element can be checked regularly to prevent loosening.

[0062] Advantageously, the antenna element may comprise a substrate made of copper and a housing made of polyphenylene oxide (PPO). This takes advantage of copper's good conductivity and low loss, and the PPO material allows the antenna elements to remain relatively constant in position relative to each other, while allowing for a smaller antenna element size.

[0063] The antenna element substrate can be manufactured using CNC machining technology to ensure dimensional accuracy within 0.1 mm. If necessary, the surface of the antenna element substrate can be gold-plated to improve conductivity. The antenna element housing can be formed using injection molding to ensure its sealing and strength.

[0064] Of course, the number and arrangement of antenna elements (including antenna elements in the main antenna array and supplementary antenna elements) in the antenna array system of the present invention are not limited to the specific embodiments described above, but any appropriate number and arrangement of antenna elements can be used to construct the main antenna array, and any number and arrangement of supplementary antenna elements can be provided.

[0065] Various modifications and variations can be made to the embodiments disclosed above without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art based on the practice of the invention disclosed in this specification. This specification and the examples disclosed herein should be considered illustrative only, and the true scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An ultra-wideband antenna array system, comprising: A main antenna array designed to detect the location of a target object and comprising at least two antenna elements; and A switching control module is configured to automatically change the architecture of the main antenna array when an antenna element in the main antenna array becomes blocked.

2. The ultra-wideband antenna array system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ultra-wideband antenna array system also includes supplementary antenna elements, which are located differently from the antenna elements in the main antenna array. The switching control module is configured to change the architecture of the main antenna array by enabling the supplementary antenna elements to replace the blocked antenna elements in the main antenna array. And / or The ultra-wideband antenna array system also includes an attitude adjustment device for adjusting the attitude of antenna elements, and the switching control module is configured to change the architecture of the main antenna array by changing the attitude of blocked antenna elements in the main antenna array.

3. The ultra-wideband antenna array system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The blocked antenna element includes an antenna element whose received or transmitted data meets a predetermined threshold condition.

4. The ultra-wideband antenna array system according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The ultra-wideband antenna array system includes six antenna elements, of which three antenna elements constitute the main antenna array, and the other three antenna elements serve as supplementary antenna elements to replace one of the antenna elements in the main antenna array, respectively.

5. The ultra-wideband antenna array system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The six antenna elements are arranged at equal intervals.

6. The ultra-wideband antenna array system according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that, The switching control module includes an ultra-wideband chip and a switch group. The switch group includes three RF switches, each of which electrically connects two antenna elements to the ultra-wideband chip.

7. A method of using an ultra-wideband antenna array system, the ultra-wideband antenna array system comprising a main antenna array and a switching control module, the main antenna array being designed to detect the position of a target object and comprising at least two antenna elements, the method of use comprising automatically changing the architecture of the main antenna array when an antenna element in the main antenna array becomes blocked.

8. The method of use according to claim 7, characterized in that, The architecture of the main antenna array is changed by replacing the blocked antenna elements in the main antenna array with supplementary antenna elements that are located in different positions than the antenna elements in the main antenna array. And / or The architecture of the main antenna array is altered by changing the orientation of the blocked antenna elements within the main antenna array.

9. The method of use according to claim 8, characterized in that, When the data received or transmitted by an antenna element in the main antenna array meets a predetermined threshold condition, the antenna element is determined to be a blocked antenna element.

10. The method of use according to claim 9, characterized in that, The threshold condition is that the signal-to-noise ratio is less than a predetermined value, for example, less than 10 dB.

11. The method of use according to any one of claims 7-10, characterized in that, The method of use includes determining whether a new, unobstructed antenna array can be formed using the antenna elements in the ultra-wideband antenna array system when the architecture of the main antenna array needs to be changed, and selecting the antenna elements furthest apart from each other to form a new main antenna array when a new, unobstructed antenna array cannot be formed.

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