Interlaced Array Antenna for Wide-Angle Vehicular Radar
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Solution Overview
Problem
Series-fed array antennas have a limited detecting angle in the y-direction, making it difficult to precisely locate obstacles in vehicular radar applications due to narrow radiation in this direction.
Innovation Solution
An interlaced array antenna design featuring polygon-shaped antenna units with feed-in and coupling terminals at opposite corners, with different sizes and configurations, allowing for interconnection via intermediate units to enhance radiation angle and reduce wiring area, enabling wider radiation and measurement angles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If series-fed array antenna configuration is used with feed-in terminals disposed on the same sides, then the antenna structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the detecting angle in the y-direction becomes too narrow to precisely locate obstacles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by alternating the orientation of feed-in terminals between adjacent antenna units. Specifically, odd-numbered antenna units have feed-in terminals on one side while even-numbered units have feed-in terminals on the opposite side, creating an interlaced pattern that expands the radiation angle in the y-direction while maintaining manufacturing simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a conventional single-plane feed arrangement to a two-dimensional interlaced pattern by distributing feed-in terminals alternately on both sides of the antenna array. This dimensional change in terminal arrangement enables wider radiation coverage without complicating the overall antenna structure
2Device complexity
If conventional series-fed array antenna is used, then the wiring configuration is straightforward, but the radiation angle remains limited and cannot achieve wide-angle coverage greater than 90 degrees
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the antenna array into alternating odd and even numbered units with different feed orientations. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each unit's radiation pattern while maintaining overall system coherence, achieving wide-angle coverage through coordinated segmentation
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling terminals serve as intermediaries that connect antenna units with alternating feed orientations. These intermediary coupling points enable the signal to propagate through the interlaced structure while maintaining impedance matching and signal integrity across the expanded radiation pattern
Data Source
AI summary
An interlaced array antenna includes first and second groups of antenna units, which are of the same size in the same group and different sizes in different groups. Each antenna unit is polygon-shaped with even-numbered edges, and has feed-in terminal and coupling terminal at two corners. A preceding one and a succeeding one of the antenna units included in the first group are interconnected via a specified one of the antenna units in the second group. An input signal is transmitted through the feed-in terminal and then the coupling terminal of the preceding antenna unit, the feed-in terminal and then the coupling terminal of the specified antenna unit, and the feed-in terminal and then the coupling terminal of the succeeding antenna unit in sequence. Configurations of adjacent two antenna units in the same group are identical once one of them is flipped about the x-axis.