Ring Coupler Phase Coding for Automotive Radar Angular Resolution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional MIMO systems for automotive radar sensors require a large number of RF channels to achieve high angular resolution, leading to increased hardware costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A transmission apparatus utilizing a ring coupler to generate RF signals with different phases for multiple antennas using a single RF signal connection, allowing for constructive and destructive superpositions to create a larger virtual antenna aperture with fewer physical antennas, thereby reducing hardware costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the number of transmitters and receivers is increased to achieve higher angular resolution, then the antenna aperture is enlarged and angular resolution is improved, but the hardware cost and device complexity increase enormously
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple antenna functions into a single physical antenna by using a ring coupler to generate multiple phase-coded signals from one RF channel. This merging approach allows the system to achieve the functionality of multiple antennas while using only one physical antenna, thereby reducing hardware complexity and cost while maintaining angular resolution capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the phase parameter of the RF signal using a ring coupler to create multiple distinct signals from a single input. By varying the phase coding of the signals transmitted through different paths of the ring coupler, the system can distinguish between multiple virtual antenna positions, achieving high angular resolution without increasing the number of physical antennas
2Measurement precision
If the number of transmitters and receivers is increased to achieve higher angular resolution, then the antenna aperture is enlarged and angular resolution is improved, but the hardware cost increases due to the enormous numbers of pieces required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functionality of multiple expensive RF channels into a single RF channel by using a passive ring coupler. This approach dramatically reduces the number of expensive MMIC transmitter/receiver pins required, making the system much more cost-effective while maintaining the capability to achieve high angular resolution through phase-coded signaling
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces expensive active RF components (multiple MMIC channels) with a simpler, passive ring coupler structure. This substitution uses inexpensive passive components to achieve the same functional outcome, significantly reducing hardware cost while maintaining performance
3Device complexity
If a single RF signal connection is used to reduce hardware costs, then hardware complexity is reduced and cost is lowered, but generating RF signals with different phases for multiple antennas becomes challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a ring coupler as an intermediary device between the single RF signal connection and the multiple antennas. This intermediary passively splits the single input signal into multiple output signals with different phase codes, providing the necessary phase diversity for multiple antennas without requiring multiple independent RF signal connections
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the single RF signal into multiple phase-coded signal paths using the ring coupler. By dividing the signal transmission into different paths with distinct phase characteristics, the system achieves phase diversity for multiple antennas while maintaining a single input connection
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 approach enhances angular resolution while maintaining cost-effectiveness by using passive ring couplers to split and code RF signals, allowing simultaneous illumination of multiple locations with reduced hardware requirements.
Implementation Method 1
the ring coupler is designed to cause, at each of different antenna connections of the ring coupler, a superposition of components of the first RF signal that propagate from the first RF signal connection to the respective antenna connections in different directions (e.g. clockwise, anticlockwise) in the ring coupler. In this case, the superposition can be a constructive superposition.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a transmission apparatus, including at least one first RF signal connection for an RF signal having a first phase, a ring coupler having a plurality of antenna connections for coupling a plurality of antennas in the first RF signal connection, wherein the ring coupler is configured to cause, at each of different antenna connections of the ring coupler, a constructive superposition of components of the RF signal that propagate from the first RF signal connection to the respective antenna connections in different directions in the ring coupler, wherein RF signals having different phases are obtained at the different antenna connections.