Perforated Radome Structure for Wider Antenna Radiation Angles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional microstrip radar antennas have limited horizontal and vertical radiation angles, requiring multiple antennas to monitor a large area, which complicates vehicle design and increases hardware costs.
Innovation Solution
A radome with a specific configuration of through holes that modifies the radiation pattern of an antenna by increasing permittivity radially outward, allowing for larger radiation angles without significant power loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If multiple microstrip antennas are installed to monitor a large area, then the radiation coverage area is improved, but the device complexity and hardware cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The radome is divided into multiple annular regions (central area, first annular area, second annular area, third annular area) with through holes at different densities in each region. This segmentation allows different parts of the radome to provide different electromagnetic properties, enabling the single antenna to achieve wide-area coverage with optimized radiation patterns in different directions.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the radome are assigned different through hole densities to create local variations in effective permittivity. The central area has lower through hole density (higher permittivity) while outer annular areas have higher through hole density (lower permittivity). This local quality variation modifies the radiation pattern to expand coverage area while using only one antenna.
2Area of stationary object
If multiple microstrip antennas are installed to monitor a large area, then the radiation coverage area is improved, but the hardware cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The radome structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it protects the antenna, modifies the radiation pattern, and enables wide-area coverage. By integrating these functions into a single component with strategically placed through holes, the system achieves the coverage area of multiple antennas using only one antenna, thereby reducing hardware costs.
3Area of stationary object
If the radome modifies the radiation pattern to enlarge radiation angles, then the radiation coverage is improved, but the power loss may increase
Solution Approach 1:
The effective permittivity of the radome is modified by changing the density distribution of through holes across different annular regions. This parameter change allows the radome to control the phase and amplitude of radiated waves, enlarging radiation angles while minimizing power loss through optimized electromagnetic field distribution.
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
The radome significantly enlarges the horizontal and vertical radiation angles of the antenna, enabling a single antenna to cover a larger area, thus reducing the number of antennas needed and simplifying vehicle design while minimizing power loss.
Implementation Method 1
The first openings of the through holes are allocated in at least a central area of the first surface, an inner annular area of the first surface surrounding the central area, and/or an outer annular area of the first surface surrounding the inner annular area in a manner that an area-averaged permittivity is increasing radially outwards from the central area toward the outer annular area.
Data Source
AI summary
A radome is provided for covering an antenna. The radome is disposed in a transmission path of a radiation from the antenna and modifies a radiation pattern of the antenna when the radiation from the antenna penetrates therethrough. The radome has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface and facing the antenna, and includes a plurality of through holes penetrating through the first and second surfaces and having first and second openings on the first and second surfaces, respectively. The first openings of the through holes are allocated in at least a central area of the first surface, an inner annular area of the first surface surrounding the central area, and/or an outer annular area of the first surface surrounding the inner annular area in a manner that an area-averaged permittivity is increasing radially outwards from the central area toward the outer annular area.