Recessed Radome Radar Sensor Structure for Compact RF Isolation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Automotive radar sensors face challenges in compact size and performance due to limited space in vehicles, leading to undesired interferences and degraded performance, especially in congested in-cabin monitoring applications.
Innovation Solution
A compact radar sensor design featuring a recessed radome and specific antenna arrangement on a printed circuit board, with transmit and receive antennas oriented to minimize RF coupling and interference, allowing for optimal RF performance and flexibility in small form factors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the radar sensor size is reduced to fit limited vehicle space, then compactness is improved, but antenna interference increases and performance degrades
Solution Approach 1:
The radome is segmented into multiple regions (first radome region and second radome region) that are selectively recessed at different depths. The first radome region is recessed to a first depth while the second radome region is recessed to a second depth greater than the first depth, creating spatial separation between transmit and receive antenna paths and reducing mutual interference in compact dimensions
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the radome are given different local geometries - specifically, the first radome region and second radome region have different recess depths. This local differentiation allows optimized RF performance for both transmit and receive antennas within an overall compact sensor housing, addressing interference issues locally without increasing total sensor volume
2Volume of moving object
If transmit and receive antennas are closely packed to reduce sensor size, then compactness is improved, but RF interference and coupling increase
Solution Approach 1:
The radome is divided into functionally distinct first and second radome regions with different recess depths, creating separate RF pathways for transmit and receive antennas. This segmentation allows close physical packing of antennas while maintaining RF isolation through the differential radome structure
Solution Approach 2:
The differentially recessed radome acts as an intermediary structure between transmit and receive antennas. The varying radome depths create different electromagnetic environments for each antenna type, mediating the interaction and reducing harmful RF coupling while allowing compact antenna placement
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 design achieves improved RF performance and reduced interference, enabling effective detection and classification in compact automotive radar sensors, suitable for in-cabin monitoring with enhanced flexibility and reduced interference from surrounding vehicle features.
Implementation Method 1
The transmit antennas are configured to transmit RF signals through the first area
Implementation Method 2
The receive antennas are configured to receive RF signals returning through the second area
Data Source
AI summary
A radar sensor includes a housing, cover, and a plurality of transmit and receive antennas. The housing includes a cavity retaining a processing board. The cover defines a radome having a recess into the cavity with two separate and connected areas. The transmit and receive antennas are positioned on the processing board, adjacent to, and separated by a gap from, the recess. The transmit antennas are configured to transmit RF signals through the first area of the recess. The receive antennas are configured to receive RF signals returning through the second area of the recess.