Antenna Directivity Switching for Radar Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing radar technologies, such as millimeter wave radar, face challenges in efficiently switching between wide and narrow directivities and altering the direction of the beam, which limits their versatility in detecting objects at various distances and angles.
Innovation Solution
The electronic device incorporates two antennas with different directivities and a controller that can switch between operating modes, allowing either antenna to operate alone or both to operate together, thereby adjusting the directivity and beam direction as needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single antenna with fixed directivity is used, then the device structure is simple, but the ability to switch between wide and narrow directivities is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna system is divided into multiple independent antenna elements (first antenna and second antenna) with different directivity characteristics. Each antenna element can be independently controlled to operate in different modes (wide directivity or narrow directivity), enabling the overall system to switch between different directivity patterns without requiring a completely different antenna structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The multiple antenna elements are designed to serve multiple functions: the first antenna provides wide directivity for detecting objects at various angles, while the second antenna provides narrow directivity for precise distance measurement. By selectively activating different antenna elements or combining their signals, the system achieves multi-functionality in a single radar装置, eliminating the need for separate antennas for different detection scenarios.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple antennas with different directivities are used, then detection versatility improves, but the control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system dynamically adjusts the operating state of different antenna elements based on detection requirements. The controller can switch between different operational modes: using only the first antenna for wide-angle detection, using only the second antenna for precise measurement, or combining both antennas with specific phase relationships to achieve intermediate directivity patterns. This dynamic control allows the system to adapt to different detection scenarios in real-time.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system merges the signals from multiple antenna elements through coherent integration with controlled phase relationships. By adjusting the phase and amplitude of signals from the first and second antennas, the system can create composite beam patterns that combine the advantages of both individual antennas, achieving versatile detection capability while maintaining manageable control complexity through unified signal processing.
3Measurement precision
If antenna spacing is increased to enlarge aperture, then angular accuracy improves, but redundancy increases and system complexity grows
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the antenna array are assigned different spacing characteristics optimized for their specific functions. The first antenna elements are positioned with spacing optimized for wide directivity and broad angular coverage, while the second antenna elements are positioned with spacing optimized for narrow directivity and high angular precision. This local optimization allows each part of the antenna system to excel at its intended function without requiring the entire array to have uniform large spacing.
Data Source
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AI summary
An electronic device includes a first antenna having a directivity in a first direction, a second antenna having a directivity in a second direction including a component in a direction different from the first direction, and a controller configured to control operation of the first antenna and the second antenna. The controller is configured to perform control so as to be able to switch between a first mode in which either the first antenna or the second antenna is made to operate and a second mode in which both the first antenna and the second antenna are made to operate.