Phased Antenna Arrays for Compact Small-Object Position Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional radar systems are too bulky, inefficient, and insensitive to detect small objects or surfaces, such as human fingers, and are not suitable for wearable devices or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) due to their size, power consumption, and data bandwidth requirements.
Innovation Solution
A compact radar antenna array system using phased arrays to detect the position of small objects with high resolution, operating efficiently enough to be implemented in wearable devices and UAVs, with power draws as low as 80mW, and capable of differentiating between multiple small objects or surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional radar systems are used to detect objects, then detection capability is achieved, but the system becomes bulky and power-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the radar system into multiple antenna elements arranged in arrays, where each element contributes to the overall detection capability. This segmentation allows the system to achieve high detection performance without requiring a single large antenna, thereby reducing overall system size while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical rotating antennas with electronic beamforming using phased antenna arrays. This substitution eliminates the need for large mechanical structures and moving parts, significantly reducing system size and power consumption while maintaining or improving detection capability through electronic signal processing.
2Reliability
If conventional radar systems are used to detect objects, then detection capability is achieved, but power consumption is high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic pulse transmission instead of continuous wave transmission, where radar signals are sent in periodic pulses with specific duty cycles. This periodic action reduces average power consumption while maintaining detection capability through coherent integration of returned signals during the pulse periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces high-power continuous transmission with low-power pulsed transmission combined with electronic beamforming. This substitution dramatically reduces power consumption by keeping transmit amplifiers in low-power states between pulses while maintaining detection sensitivity through signal processing gain.
3Measurement precision
If conventional radar systems are used to detect small objects, then detection capability is achieved, but sensitivity is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from single-antenna detection to multi-element antenna arrays, adding spatial dimensions to the detection system. This dimensional expansion enables beamforming and spatial filtering, which improve sensitivity to small objects by coherently combining signals from multiple elements while rejecting noise and interference.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements iterative signal processing with feedback loops that refine detection results through multiple processing stages. The system uses feedback from initial detection results to adjust beamforming weights and processing parameters, improving sensitivity to small objects while managing complexity through adaptive algorithms.
4Measurement precision
If arrays of antennas are used to scan solid angles, then directional beam capability is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the antenna array system to perform multiple functions simultaneously: detection, ranging, and angular measurement. By making the system universal, the same hardware infrastructure supports multiple operational modes, reducing overall complexity compared to having separate systems for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses identical or similar antenna elements repeated in array configurations, where each element is a simplified copy of the others. This copying approach reduces design complexity by using standardized components while achieving complex beamforming capabilities through their coordinated arrangement and signal processing.
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
Enables reliable detection and differentiation of objects smaller than 0.5cm in size with a resolution of 1-2mm at ranges up to 1-2 meters, while being power-efficient and suitable for integration into portable devices and UAVs.
Implementation Method 1
A controller of the communication system may be configured to measure a set of channel state information (CSI) corresponding to a wireless communication channel between the UAV and the controller
Implementation Method 2
The UAV controller also may be configured to determine a round-trip time of flight (RTTOF) based on the set of channel state information (CSI)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2C
Figure 2D~2E
AI summary
Various techniques are provided to efficiently detect the position of an object relative to a compact radar system including a transmitter antenna array and a receiver antenna array. In one example, a method includes designating a plurality of transmitter and receiver channels for a transmitter antenna array and a receiver antenna array of an object sensing system, scanning the transmitter antenna array and the receiver antenna array through the designated channels to measure channel responses corresponding to each one of the designated channels, and determining a directional vector to or from an object scanned by at least one of the designated channels based, at least in part, on the measured channel responses.