Substrate Integrated Signal Processing for Radar Reflection Reduction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current radar sensors in the 77 GHz band face signal transition issues due to gaps between high-frequency circuit boards and active microwave circuits, leading to undesired back-reflections and power degradation, which affect the range and efficiency of radar systems.
Innovation Solution
A device with a substrate integrated signal processing and generation apparatus, featuring a separation device as a four-port ring coupler, allows for efficient separation and measurement of incoming and outgoing high-frequency signals, enabling continuous monitoring and adjustment of signal power to minimize reflections and improve signal transition quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate transmitting and receiving antennas are used with microstrip line connections, then the radar sensor can process high-frequency signals, but gaps between circuit boards cause signal reflections and power degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the transmitting and receiving antennas, signal processing circuits, and measurement devices onto a single substrate. This merging eliminates the physical gaps between separate circuit boards and components, thereby reducing signal reflections and power degradation while maintaining high-frequency signal processing capability.
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional separate antenna and circuit board configurations are used, then manufacturing is simpler, but signal reflections occur at interface gaps
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating all components onto one substrate, the patent eliminates multiple assembly interfaces where reflections occur. The single-substrate approach maintains manufacturing feasibility while removing the harmful reflection effects that arise from gaps between separate components.
3Productivity
If signal power is increased to compensate for losses, then transmission distance improves, but reflected power increases and degrades sensor performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful reflected power into useful measurement information. By incorporating measurement devices that monitor reflected power and using this data for adaptive adjustments, the system transforms what was previously a performance-degrading factor into a useful feedback mechanism for optimizing sensor operation and maintaining accurate range measurements.
4Measurement precision
If continuous signal monitoring is implemented, then signal quality can be assessed in real-time, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The measurement devices are integrated onto the same substrate as the signal processing components, sharing common infrastructure and reducing overall system complexity. This integration enables continuous real-time monitoring of signal quality parameters without proportionally increasing device complexity, as the measurement and processing functions coexist on a unified platform.
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
This solution enables continuous measurement of outgoing and returning power, allowing for real-time assessment of high-frequency signal transition quality, facilitating automatic adjustment of transmission or reception signals and reducing performance losses in radar systems.
Implementation Method 1
The separation device is designed as a four-port ring coupler with a first port, a second port, a third port and a fourth port; wherein the signaling means is connected to the first port and to the third port and wherein the interface means of the device is connected to the fourth port
Implementation Method 2
the signal device also has a mixer which is designed to process the received signal received via the interface device; wherein the mixer receives as an input signal a signal which is branched off from the third port of the ring coupler, and the mixer is designed to receive a signal present at the first port of the ring coupler as an oscillator signal; and wherein the mixer is designed to generate a useful signal by mixing the input signal and the oscillator signal
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
The invention relates to an apparatus for generating and/or processing a signal and a method for determining an adjustment of an apparatus (10, 110, 210, 310, 410) for processing or generating a signal (51, 52). The method comprises the following steps: generating (S01) a transmission signal (52) or test signal (63) by means of a signal device (14, 114, 214, 314) of an apparatus (10, 110, 210, 310, 410); separating (S02) first signals (51, 53), which come from an interface device (16, 116) of the apparatus (10, 110, 210, 310, 410) to the signal device (14, 114, 214, 314), from second signals (52, 52'), which come from the signal device (14, 114, 214, 314, 414) to the interface device (16, 116), wherein the interface device (16, 116) is/can be coupled to a transmitting and/or receiving antenna (30, 130, 330); and outputting (S03) of the first and the second signals (51, 52, 52', 53) separately from one another.