Radar Transmitter Architecture for Adaptive Beam Steering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle radar systems lack scalability and adaptive beam steering capabilities, limiting their ability to adapt to varying environments and driving situations.
Innovation Solution
A radar transmitting device combining a CMOS transceiver chip with a BiCMOS transmitter chip, featuring controllable analog phase shifters and selective activation/deactivation of transmission paths, enabling adaptive beam scanning and phased array antenna characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a CMOS transceiver chip is used for radar signal transmission, then integration and scalability are improved, but transmission power and signal strength deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The radar transmitting device is divided into separate functional modules: a CMOS transceiver chip for signal generation and control, and a BiCMOS transmitter chip for power amplification. This segmentation allows each chip to be optimized for its specific function, maintaining CMOS integration benefits while adding BiCMOS power amplification capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines CMOS and BiCMOS technologies in a hybrid architecture where the CMOS chip handles low-power signal generation and the BiCMOS chip handles high-power transmission. This merging of different semiconductor technologies resolves the contradiction between integration ease and transmission power.
2Device complexity
If traditional radar systems are used, then device simplicity is maintained, but adaptability to different environments and driving situations deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic beam steering capability through phase shifters that can electronically adjust the direction and focus of radar beams in real-time. This allows the radar system to adapt to different driving situations and environmental conditions without mechanical moving parts, maintaining system simplicity while achieving high adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters (phase, amplitude, beam direction) dynamically to adapt to different environments. The CMOS transceiver chip controls multiple transmission paths with adjustable phase shifters, enabling the radar to optimize its performance for various driving scenarios without changing the physical structure.
3Adaptability or versatility
If beam scanning capability is added to radar systems, then adaptability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical beam steering mechanisms with electronic phase shifting. Instead of physically moving antenna elements, the system uses phase shifters in each transmission path to electronically control beam direction. This substitution maintains adaptability while reducing mechanical complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The CMOS transceiver chip serves multiple functions: signal generation, phase control, and beam steering management. By integrating these functions into a single chip that controls multiple BiCMOS amplifier paths, the system achieves beam scanning capability without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a radar transmitting device, comprising a CMOS transceiver chip configured to provide at least one local oscillator signal at an output of the CMOS transceiver chip, and at least one BiCMOS transmitter chip coupled to the CMOS transceiver chip. The BiCMOS transmitter chip has an input for the local oscillator signal, at least one amplifier coupled to the input, a plurality of outputs for outputting a radar transmission signal on the basis of the local oscillator signal, and a plurality of transmission paths between the input and the plurality of outputs. Each of the transmission paths has a controllable analog phase shifter for controllable beam scanning during emission of the radar transmission signal. Additionally or alternatively, individual transmission paths of the BiCMOS transmitter chip can be selectively activated or deactivated using control signals.