Flexible PCB Automotive Radar for Multi-FOV Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional automotive radar systems employ multiple radar sensors with independent sampling and signal processing circuitry, leading to conflicting information about object presence and increased weight and power draw.
Innovation Solution
A radar sensor with multiple antenna surfaces on a flexible printed circuit board (PCB), allowing for simultaneous or interleaved observation of multiple fields-of-view (FOVs) that can overlap, coupled with a common hardware logic component for processing radar data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple radar sensors are employed to provide radar coverage of multiple fields-of-view, then the radar coverage and object detection capability are improved, but the system weight and power draw increase due to each sensor having its own sampling and signal processing circuitry
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple radar antenna elements onto a single PCB substrate, sharing common sampling and signal processing circuitry. This merging approach maintains multi-FOV coverage capability while eliminating duplicate circuitry, thereby reducing system weight and power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The single PCB is designed to support multiple antenna elements that can be independently configured for different FOVs. The shared signal processing circuitry serves multiple antennas simultaneously, achieving multi-functionality without proportionally increasing system weight.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple radar sensors are employed to provide radar coverage of multiple fields-of-view, then the radar coverage and object detection capability are improved, but the system complexity increases due to conflicting information that must be resolved by a downstream computing system
Solution Approach 1:
By merging multiple antenna elements onto a single sensor platform with shared processing circuitry, the patent reduces the number of independent sensors from N to 1, thereby reducing the complexity of coordinating and reconciling data from multiple independent sources.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple radar sensors are employed to provide radar coverage of multiple fields-of-view, then the radar coverage is improved, but the power draw increases due to each sensor having its own sampling and signal processing circuitry
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple antenna elements onto a single PCB with shared power supply and processing circuitry. This consolidation reduces the total power draw compared to having multiple independent sensors, as duplicate high-power components are eliminated.
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
Improves the ability to identify object velocities and presence by processing radar data from multiple FOVs in a common coordinate system, reducing conflicts and duplicative data processing, while also simplifying signal distribution and reducing system weight and power consumption.
Implementation Method 1
Radar systems can be used to generate radar data indicative of positions of objects in a driving environment of a vehicle (e.g., a range and direction to a surface of an object in the driving environment), and/or velocities of objects in the driving environment.
Implementation Method 2
The first radar antenna receives a first radar return from the first FOV. The first radar return can be a reflection of a radar signal emitted by the first radar antenna into the first FOV.
Data Source
AI summary
A radar sensor includes a flexible printed circuit board (PCB). A first antenna or antenna array is mounted on a first portion of the flexible PCB, and a second antenna or antenna array is mounted on a second portion of the flexible PCB. The first portion and the second portion of the flexible PCB are offset such that the first and second antennas/arrays have respective first and second fields-of-view (FOVs) that are offset from one another. The first and second antennas/arrays can be coupled to a same backend PCB that includes a hardware logic component. The hardware logic component is configured to receive, from the flexible PCB, radar data that is representative of the radar returns received by the first and second antennas/arrays. The hardware logic component processes the radar data to generate detections that are indicative of points on surfaces of objects in the first and second FOVs.