MIMO Radar Antenna 3D Configuration for Angular Resolving Power
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing radar apparatuses for vehicles face challenges in achieving high resolution and angular resolving power while being compact enough for mounting, as they require multiple antennas for mid/long-range and short-range sensing, leading to increased size and cost due to the need for additional sensors and deteriorated performance in both ranges.
Innovation Solution
A radar apparatus with a MIMO antenna system where transmitting and receiving antennas are arranged in specific directions to enhance horizontal and vertical angular resolving power, allowing for efficient sensing of both mid/long-range and short-range distances by forming distinct antenna groups that transmit and receive signals, thereby improving elevation and azimuth information precision.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple receiving antennas are arranged to obtain high angular resolving power, then angular resolving power is improved, but the size of the antenna system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a single-plane antenna arrangement to a three-dimensional configuration by arranging transmitting and receiving antennas in both horizontal and vertical directions. This spatial dimensionality change enables the system to achieve high angular resolving power in both azimuth and elevation without requiring a large number of antennas in a single plane, thus resolving the contradiction between measurement precision and system size.
Solution Approach 2:
The antenna system is segmented into multiple transmitting antennas and multiple receiving antennas with distinct functions. By dividing the antenna array into transmit and receive groups with specific geometric arrangements, the system achieves high angular resolving power through the segmented configuration rather than requiring a dense single array, thereby reducing overall system size while maintaining precision.
2Adaptability or versatility
If different transmitting antennas are configured for mid/long-range and short-range sensing, then sensing coverage is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal antenna configuration where the same set of transmitting and receiving antennas serves multiple functions - both mid/long-range sensing and short-range sensing. The multi-functional capability is achieved through the three-dimensional arrangement and signal processing techniques rather than requiring separate dedicated antenna systems, thus reducing device complexity while maintaining versatile sensing coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically selects and configures antenna groups based on the sensing range requirements. By enabling flexible switching between different antenna combinations and signal processing modes, the system adapts to different sensing scenarios (mid/long-range vs. short-range) without requiring fixed separate antenna configurations, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining adaptability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If additional sensors are added for short-range sensing, then sensing capability is improved, but cost and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The radar apparatus achieves multi-range sensing capability using the same antenna system for both mid/long-range and short-range detection. The universal antenna configuration, combined with appropriate signal processing and antenna group selection, eliminates the need for additional dedicated short-range sensors, thereby maintaining enhanced sensing capability while reducing device complexity and cost.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a radar apparatus and an antenna system for the radar apparatus. A first transmitting antenna group and a first receiving antenna group are constituted by elongating some of a plurality of transmitting antennas and a plurality of receiving antennas in a first direction of vertical directions, a second transmitting antenna group and a second receiving antenna group are constituted by elongating the other antennas in a second direction opposite to the first direction, transmitting antennas to transmit transmission signals and receiving antennas to receive reflection signals reflected from an object are appropriately selected, thereby being able to improve horizontal and vertical angular resolving power in both of mid/long-range sensing and short-range sensing.