Radar Digital Beamforming Switching Matrix Aperture

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional radar systems, particularly in automotive applications, face limitations such as excessive RF loss, high cost, limited field of view, insufficient update rate, inaccuracy, lack of multi-target discrimination, and inadequate false alarm rates due to the use of discrete phase shifters and mechanically scanned or switched beam antennas.

Innovation Solution

The radar system employs a plurality of antenna elements with a transceiving device and a switching matrix that time-multiplexes receiving antenna elements to form real and synthetic receive antenna elements, increasing the receive aperture and enabling digital beamforming, which allows for high update rates, wide field of view, and accurate angle measurements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If discrete phase shifters are used in electronically scanned antennas, then fast scanning and multiple antenna beams can be achieved, but excessive RF loss occurs at particular frequencies (24 GHz and 76 GHz)

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvescanning speedVSAvoidRF loss

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes discrete phase shifters from the signal path entirely, extracting the problematic component that causes RF loss. Instead of using phase shifters for beamforming, the system employs a switched beam antenna with digital signal processing to achieve the same functional goals without the lossy hardware components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical/electrical phase shifter system with a digital beamforming system. Instead of using analog phase shifters to control beam direction, the system uses digital signal processing on received signals from multiple antenna elements to electronically steer beams, eliminating RF loss while maintaining scanning capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Speed

If discrete phase shifters are used in electronically scanned antennas, then the system can achieve fast scanning capability, but the cost of the radar system increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveupdate rateVSAvoidsystem cost

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces expensive discrete phase shifters with a more cost-effective switched beam antenna system. The system uses simpler, cheaper antenna switching components combined with digital signal processing to achieve the same functional performance, significantly reducing the overall radar system cost while maintaining high update rates.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Device complexity

If mechanically scanned antennas are used, then the system structure is simple, but the update rate is too slow to achieve wide angle coverage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveantenna structureVSAvoidupdate rate

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical scanning system with an electronically switched beam system. Instead of physically moving antenna elements mechanically, the system uses electronic switching between multiple fixed antenna beams, achieving wide angle coverage with high update rates while keeping the physical antenna structure relatively simple.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Productivity

If switched beam radar systems are used, then high update rate can be achieved, but the number of beams is limited resulting in narrow angle coverage or wide beamwidth

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveupdate rateVSAvoidangle coverage

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the antenna system into multiple independently controllable antenna elements that can be individually switched and processed. By segmenting the antenna array and applying digital beamforming techniques to each element's signal, the system can generate multiple simultaneous beams with different directions and widths, achieving both high update rates and wide angle coverage with flexible beam patterns.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS7639171B2Radar system and method of digital beamforming

Publication Date: 2009.12.29 APTIV TECHNOLOGIES AG

AI summary

A radar system and method is provided, in which the radar system includes a first transmitting portion of antenna elements, a second transmitting portion of antenna elements, and a receiving portion of antenna elements, such that the receiving antenna elements form a plurality of subarrays that represent real and synthetic antenna elements. The radar system further includes a transceiving device having a switching matrix. At least first and second switching transmit antenna elements are configured and time-multiplexed, wherein a receive aperture of the receiving antenna elements is increased. A first signal transmitted is received by the real antenna elements and a second signal transmitted is received by the real antenna elements, and combined so that the signals received from the first switching transmit antenna element represents a signal received by the real receive antenna element, and the signal received from the second switching transmit antenna element represents a signal received by the synthetic receive antenna element.