Dielectric Lens Antenna Array for Flat Beam Doppler Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing antennas for Doppler sensors struggle to generate a flat beam with a wide horizontal and narrow vertical shape, leading to increased noise from the ground and reduced detection sensitivity due to long feed lines and large antenna sizes.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates multiple radiating portions on a substrate with dielectric lenses that convert spherical waves into plane waves, where the dielectric lenses are arranged side by side to synthesize beams and have a shape that narrows in the vertical direction, reducing the size and focal length of the antenna.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a conventional antenna structure with long feed lines is used, then the antenna can be simpler in structure, but the antenna gain decreases due to feed line loss
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna is divided into multiple independent antenna elements arranged in an array, each with its own feed line. By segmenting the antenna into multiple elements, the feed line length for each element can be reduced while maintaining overall antenna functionality and gain.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single-element antenna to a multi-element array configuration, adding spatial dimensionality to the antenna structure. This allows for distributed feeding that reduces individual feed line lengths and enables beam forming capabilities.
2Loss of energy
If the primary radiator is disposed at a position separated from the dielectric lens by the focal length, then the feed line loss is reduced, but the beam shape becomes isotropic and a flat beam cannot be generated
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna system is segmented into multiple radiating elements, each with its own dielectric lens. This segmentation allows independent control of each element's beam shape while reducing feed line lengths, enabling the synthesis of a flat overall beam pattern through proper phasing and arrangement.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple beam patterns from individual antenna elements are merged through coherent addition to form a synthesized flat beam pattern. The combination of multiple elements with dielectric lenses creates the desired flat beam shape that cannot be achieved with a single element.
3Device complexity
If one dielectric lens is used to collect electromagnetic waves from the primary radiator, then the structure is simpler, but the focal length becomes long and the antenna size becomes large
Solution Approach 1:
The single dielectric lens is segmented into multiple smaller dielectric lenses, each associated with an individual antenna element. This segmentation reduces the required focal length of each lens and consequently reduces the overall antenna size while maintaining or improving beam forming capability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration allows for a compact antenna that effectively generates a flat beam with improved gain and reduced noise, enhancing the detection sensitivity of distant obstacles while minimizing the antenna's size and noise from the ground.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of dielectric lenses for respectively converting a spherical wave radiated from each radiating portion into a plane wave
Data Source
Figure 1(A)~1(C)
Figure 2A
Figure 2B
AI summary
Provided is an antenna which includes a plurality of radiating portions which are formed on a substrate and a plurality of dielectric lenses for respectively converting a spherical wave radiated from each radiating portion into a plane wave, wherein the shape of a cross section of each dielectric lens perpendicular to a radiation direction of a beam is formed in a shape which radiates a beam which is narrower in a second direction than in a first direction orthogonal to the second direction, and the plurality of dielectric lenses are arranged side by side in the second direction so that beams radiated from the respective dielectric lenses are synthesized.