Polarized Antenna Feed Layout for Wideband Compact Radar Arrays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing polarized antennas for automotive radar systems face challenges such as large area consumption due to parallel feeding networks, complexity, thickness, and cost associated with multilayer packages, and narrow bandwidth and beamwidth issues in series-fed antennas.
Innovation Solution
A polarized antenna design that incorporates a hybrid serial-parallel feeding mechanism, utilizing a combination of series and parallel feeding techniques to reduce area occupancy, enhance bandwidth and beamwidth, and support low-cost, high-performance radar devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If parallel feeding network is used in polarized antenna, then antenna gain and polarization performance are improved, but area consumption and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines series and parallel feeding techniques into a hybrid feeding network that integrates the advantages of both approaches. The series-parallel configuration merges the compactness of series feeding with the performance benefits of parallel feeding, achieving good antenna gain and polarization while reducing the overall area consumption compared to traditional parallel feeding networks.
Solution Approach 2:
The feeding network is segmented into multiple stages with different connection topologies. The antenna elements are divided into groups that are fed through a combination of series and parallel connections, allowing the system to achieve balanced performance in terms of gain, polarization purity, and area efficiency.
2Manufacturing precision
If multilayer package is used for antenna, then manufacturing precision and performance are improved, but thickness and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from traditional multilayer vertical stacking to a planar design that achieves complex feeding relationships through two-dimensional trace routing. By utilizing the XY-plane more effectively with intricate trace patterns, the design accomplishes series-parallel feeding without requiring additional vertical layers, thereby reducing overall antenna thickness.
3Area of stationary object
If series-fed antenna is used, then area consumption is reduced, but bandwidth and beamwidth become narrow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges series and parallel feeding topologies to create a hybrid configuration that maintains the area efficiency of series feeding while incorporating the bandwidth and beamwidth advantages of parallel feeding. The selective application of parallel connections in specific parts of the network expands the operational bandwidth and radiation beamwidth without significantly increasing the overall antenna footprint.
Data Source
AI summary
For example, an apparatus may include a polarized antenna including a dielectric layer including a plurality of antenna vias; a first metal layer on a first side of the dielectric layer, the first metal layer including a plurality of antenna elements connected to first ends of the plurality of antenna vias; and a second metal layer on a second side of the dielectric layer opposite to the first side of the dielectric layer, the second metal layer including an antenna feeding trace including a transformer portion and a splitter portion, the transformer portion connected to a second end of a first antenna via, the splitter portion including a first splitter arm connecting the transformer portion to a second end of a second antenna via, and a second splitter arm connecting the transformer portion to a second end of a third antenna via.