EP3780274B1 - Gruppenantennenanordnung - Google Patents

Gruppenantennenanordnung Download PDF

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Publication number
EP3780274B1
EP3780274B1 EP19191491.0A EP19191491A EP3780274B1 EP 3780274 B1 EP3780274 B1 EP 3780274B1 EP 19191491 A EP19191491 A EP 19191491A EP 3780274 B1 EP3780274 B1 EP 3780274B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
antenna
array antenna
array
arrangement
amplifier
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Application number
EP19191491.0A
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English (en)
French (fr)
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EP3780274A1 (de
Inventor
Jonathan Moss
Krishnakant Nainwal
Martin Fuchs
Alan Jenkins
Hansjerg Goelz
Sebastian Marsch
Andreas LEFEVRE
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Arriver Software AB
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Arriver Software AB
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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q3/00—Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system
    • H01Q3/26—Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q21/00—Antenna arrays or systems
    • H01Q21/0006—Particular feeding systems
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q21/00—Antenna arrays or systems
    • H01Q21/06—Arrays of individually energised antenna units similarly polarised and spaced apart
    • H01Q21/061—Two dimensional planar arrays
    • H01Q21/065—Patch antenna array
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q21/00—Antenna arrays or systems
    • H01Q21/06—Arrays of individually energised antenna units similarly polarised and spaced apart
    • H01Q21/08—Arrays of individually energised antenna units similarly polarised and spaced apart the units being spaced along or adjacent to a rectilinear path
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q1/00—Details of, or arrangements associated with, antennas
    • H01Q1/27—Adaptation for use in or on movable bodies
    • H01Q1/32—Adaptation for use in or on road or rail vehicles
    • H01Q1/3208—Adaptation for use in or on road or rail vehicles characterised by the application wherein the antenna is used
    • H01Q1/3233—Adaptation for use in or on road or rail vehicles characterised by the application wherein the antenna is used particular used as part of a sensor or in a security system, e.g. for automotive radar, navigation systems

Definitions

  • the present disclosure relates to an array antenna arrangement that comprises at least two array antennas and at least two amplifier arrangement.
  • Each array antenna has a corresponding antenna aperture
  • each amplifier arrangement comprises a corresponding power amplifier and a corresponding phase shifter device.
  • radar transceivers that are arranged for generating radar signals that are transmitted in a transmitter, reflected and received in a receiver.
  • the radar signals may for example be in the form of FMCW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave) signals.
  • vehicle radar systems For reception and transmission of such signals, vehicle radar systems comprises radar antennas for both reception and transmission, where these antennas are formed in many ways. Radar antennas are normally arranged to perform scanning in an azimuth direction, for example by means of digital beamforming. This means that in the azimuth plane, a broad antenna beam pattern illuminating the entire angular area of interest has to be radiated.
  • the antenna beam pattern is focused into a narrow antenna beam pattern, such that the radiated energy is maximized towards the horizon. This provides maximum range.
  • Vehicle radar systems will be used increasingly for highly autonomous driving and should become more and more sensitive to small objects, or objects with low reflectivity such as bicycles and motorbikes.
  • the document EP 0970541 A1 discloses implementation of compact base station antenna devices and systems having a balanced link budget.
  • there are two subarrays where each one of the radiation elements in the subarrays is fed by its own, generally integrated, power amplifier.
  • Microwaves & RF discloses a multi-band, multi-range FMCW digital beam-forming ACC radar where there are two linear Tx antennas of different sizes, a first Tx antenna adapted for long-range, narrow-angle detection at 77Ghz, and a second Tx antenna adapted for short-range, wide-angle detection at 24Ghz.
  • a switch is disclosed for switching between the Tx antennas such that either one of the Tx antennas is used.
  • WO 2018/155439 A1 discloses controlling a transmission array antenna with transmission antenna elements where each transmission antenna element is connected to a phase shifter and an amplifier. Certain transmission antenna elements can be selected for transmission in different modes.
  • Beamforming concepts for angular measurements in azimuth and elevation with 77 GHz lens based radar sensors discloses a beamforming concept for angular measurements in both directions with one single sensor, using a combination of series fed arrays and a cylindrical dielectric lens.
  • the document US 2019/011532 A1 discloses a radar system with an antenna array including N transmitting antennas and M receiving antennas.
  • the transmitting antennas transmit signals that are orthogonal to one another, N-n of the transmitting antennas are situated horizontally next to one another, and n of the transmitting antennas are situated in a horizontally offset manner at an identical offset from respective ones of the N-n transmitting antennas.
  • M-m of the receiving antennas are situated horizontally next to one another and m of the receiving antennas are situated vertically offset from the M-m receiving antennas.
  • vehicle radar systems can detect objects at increased distances, typically at non-zero azimuth angles, and also see near roadside features which may be at non-zero elevation angles.
  • An increased range requires an improved antenna arrangement; one known method is to increase the length of the transmission antenna which, however, this has the effect of narrowing the pattern in elevation. Another known method is simultaneous transmission from two RF amplifiers feeding two side-by-side antennas. However this produces nulls in the azimuth pattern due to cancellation.
  • the object of the present disclosure is thus to provide an improved antenna arrangement according to the above.
  • an array antenna arrangement that comprises at least two array antennas that comprise a first array antenna and a second array antenna, and at least two amplifier arrangements that comprise a first amplifier arrangement and a second amplifier arrangement.
  • Each array antenna consists of at least one respective series-fed linear array and has a corresponding antenna aperture, and each amplifier arrangement comprises a corresponding power amplifier and a corresponding phase shifter device.
  • the first amplifier arrangement is connected to the first array antenna having a first antenna aperture
  • the second amplifier arrangement is connected to the second array antenna having a second antenna aperture.
  • the first antenna aperture has a size that differs from a size of the second antenna aperture.
  • Such a combined beam pattern can cover both distant and close-in targets with only one transmission mode, saving computational resources and silicon size.
  • At least one array antenna comprises at least two linear arrays.
  • At least two linear arrays comprised in one array antenna have different lengths.
  • the present disclosure is applicable for a large variety of array antenna configurations.
  • the first array antenna is adapted to radiate a first antenna beam pattern and the second array antenna is adapted to radiate a second antenna beam pattern.
  • the first antenna beam pattern has a first 3dB beamwidth and the second antenna beam pattern has a second 3dB beamwidth that falls below the first 3dB beamwidth.
  • the at least two array antennas are adapted to radiate a common antenna beam pattern, where the amplifier arrangements either are preset for providing a certain predefined common antenna beam pattern, or are adjustable for providing an adjustable common antenna beam pattern.
  • the phase shifter devices are adapted to provide signal phases that provide a desired radar illumination with null suppression and a desired elevation beamwidth.
  • the power amplifiers are adapted to provide signal amplitudes that provide a desired radar illumination with null suppression and a desired elevation beamwidth.
  • the array antenna arrangement comprises a control unit, where the amplifier arrangements are connected to the control unit that is adapted to control the phase shifter devices and/or the power amplifiers.
  • At least one array antenna is either connected to ground or unconnected, left open.
  • At least two array antennas are mutually vertically displaced by a certain displacement distance, where the vertical displacement runs along a longitudinal extension of the array antennas.
  • Figure 1 schematically shows a side view a vehicle 1 that runs on a road 2 in a forward direction F with a certain vehicle velocity, where the vehicle 1 comprises a vehicle radar system 3 which is arranged to distinguish and/or resolve single targets from the surroundings by using a Doppler effect in a previously well-known manner, i.e. successive echoes from the same point are superimposed and identified by means of Doppler effect.
  • the radar system 3 has a main field of view 10 that is aimed in a pointing direction P that extends more or less in the same direction as the forward direction F.
  • the radar system 3 comprises a transmitter arrangement 4 which in turn comprises a signal generator 5 and a transmitter antenna arrangement 6.
  • the vehicle radar system 3 further comprises a receiver arrangement 7, which in turn comprises a receiver 8 and a receiver antenna arrangement 9.
  • FMCW Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave
  • the radar system 3 also comprises a control unit 13 that may be regarded as a control unit arrangement that is in the form of one unit or several units that either co-operate or handle different tasks more or less independently.
  • the control unit 13 is according to some aspects arranged to control the transmitter arrangement 4 and the receiver arrangement 7, and to process the received signals.
  • the array antenna arrangement 20 comprises a first array antenna 21 with a first antenna aperture 25, a second array antenna 22 with a second antenna aperture 26, a first amplifier arrangement 23 and a second amplifier arrangement 24.
  • the first amplifier arrangement 23 comprises a first power amplifier 27 and a first phase shifter device 29, and the second amplifier arrangement 24 comprises a second power amplifier 28 and a second phase shifter device 30.
  • the first amplifier arrangement 23 is connected to the first array antenna 21 and the second amplifier arrangement 24 is connected to the second array antenna 22.
  • the first antenna aperture 25 has a size that differs from a size of the second antenna aperture 26.
  • the first antenna aperture 25 has a size that falls below the size of the second antenna aperture 26. This is due to the fact that the first array antenna 21 is shorter than the second array antenna 22, each array antenna 21, 22 being consisted by a respective linear array.
  • the size of a antenna aperture corresponds to an area of an antenna aperture.
  • the array antenna arrangement 20 comprises a control unit 61, where the amplifier arrangements 23, 24 are connected to the control unit 61 that is adapted to control the phase shifter devices 29, 30.
  • the control unit 61 is adapted to control the power amplifiers 27, 28, either separately or in combination with the phase shifter devices 29, 30.
  • the array antenna arrangement 31 comprises a first central array antenna 32 with a first antenna aperture 38, a second lateral array antenna 33 with a second antenna aperture 39, and a third lateral array antenna 34 with a third antenna aperture 40.
  • the array antenna arrangement 31 further comprises a first amplifier arrangement 35 with a corresponding first power amplifier 41 and first phase shifter device 44, a second amplifier arrangement 36 with a corresponding second power amplifier 42 and second phase shifter device 45, and a third amplifier arrangement 37 with a corresponding third power amplifier 43 and third phase shifter device 46
  • the first amplifier arrangement 35 is connected to the first array antenna 32
  • the second amplifier arrangement 36 is connected to the second array antenna 33
  • the third amplifier arrangement 37 is connected to the third array antenna 34.
  • the second antenna aperture 39 and the third antenna aperture 40 are of the same size, a size that exceeds the size of the first antenna aperture 38.
  • the two linear arrays 33A, 33B; 33A, 34B in each array antenna 33, 34 are of mutually different lengths.
  • the second amplifier arrangement 36 is connected to the single linear arrays 33A, 33B of the second array antenna 33 via a first power divider 63
  • the third amplifier arrangement 37 is connected to the single linear arrays 34A, 34B of the second array antenna 34 via a second power divider 64.
  • the array antenna arrangement 31 comprises a control unit 62, where the amplifier arrangements 35, 36, 37 are connected to the control unit 62 that is adapted to control the phase shifter devices 44, 45, 46.
  • the control unit 62 is adapted to control the power amplifiers 41, 42, 43, either separately or in combination with the phase shifter devices 44, 45, 46.
  • Using different array antenna aperture sizes preferably in combination with controlling the amplifier arrangements 35, 36, 37 provides properties such as required directionality, elevation beamwidth and enabling avoiding nulls in a combined beam pattern, as will be discussed more in detail below.
  • the first array antenna 32 is adapted to radiate a first azimuth antenna beam pattern 47 being fed at a corresponding first antenna port 68
  • the second array antenna 33 is adapted to radiate a second azimuth antenna beam pattern 48 being fed at a corresponding second antenna port 69
  • the third array antenna 34 is adapted to radiate a third azimuth antenna beam pattern 49 being fed at a corresponding third antenna port 70.
  • the first azimuth antenna beam pattern 47 has a first 3dB beamwidth
  • the second azimuth antenna beam pattern has 48 a second 3dB beamwidth
  • the third azimuth antenna beam pattern 49 a third 3dB beamwidth that is the same as the second 3dB beamwidth.
  • the first 3dB beamwidth exceeds the second 3dB beamwidth and the third 3dB beamwidth.
  • the different 3dB beamwidths are due to the different sizes of the antenna apertures 38, 39, 40 as shown in Figure 4 .
  • a combined azimuth antenna beam pattern 50 is formed from these antenna beam patterns 47, 48, 49 via the amplifier arrangements 35, 36, 37, where the combined azimuth antenna beam pattern 50 has a certain direction D for its maximum power.
  • the combined azimuth antenna beam pattern 50 is formed by feeding corresponding beam ports 65, 66, 67 that are connected to the amplifier arrangements 35, 36, 37.
  • a combined elevation antenna beam pattern 51 is formed from these antenna beam patterns 47, 48, 49.
  • the array antennas 32, 33, 34 are adapted to radiate a combined antenna beam pattern 50, 51, where the amplifier arrangements 35, 36, 37 either are preset for providing a certain predefined common antenna beam pattern 50, 51, or adjustable by means of the control unit 62 for providing an adjustable common antenna beam pattern 50, 51.
  • sensitivity can be increased and the transmission energy can be focused in certain directions.
  • a desired transmission combined antenna beam pattern 50, 51 shape can be created. This is primarily in azimuth but also elevation.
  • the array antenna arrangement 31 may comprise a combination of narrow elevation beam array antennas and wider beam array antennas which together will provide good distance performance and information from closer range objects.
  • the amplitude output of the power amplifiers 41, 42, 43 can be varied, or the amplitude may be varied using the array antennas and power splitters 63, 64.
  • the signal energy may according to some aspects be split unequally to the linear arrays 33A, 33B; 24A, 34B, where possible phase difference between a set of the linear arrays 33A, 33B; 24A, 34B can be set by the feeder lengths or the splitter design of the splitters 63, 64.
  • power amplifier amplitude is varied, this may be performed either at a calibration stage at sensor end of line, or updated during operation based on monitoring of the amplitude of targets.
  • the amplitude variation is provided by means of amplitude tapering in the antenna field, avoiding amplitude tapering as this reduces the efficiency.
  • Similar properties can be obtained from corresponding antenna ports 84, 85 and beam ports 86, 87 in the first example with reference to Figure 3 as well. Similar properties can be obtained from corresponding antenna ports 84, 85 and beam ports 86, 87 for the following examples as well.
  • the present disclosure relates to using a mix of longer and shorter array antennas 21, 22; 32, 33, 34 that provide differently sized antenna apertures 25, 26; 38, 39, 40 in an array antenna arrangement 20, 31 where at least one antenna aperture has a size that differs from the size of another antenna aperture.
  • the array antennas 21, 22; 32, 33, 34 can be fed in parallel from separate power amplifier arrangements 23, 24; 35, 36, 37.
  • a desired combined antenna beam pattern 50, 51 in azimuth and elevation can be obtained, providing an optimized radar illumination without nulls and with sufficient elevation beamwidth.
  • this optimization may be performed using simulations or may be calibrated at end of line, e.g. in a chamber, where the phases, and possibly also amplitudes, can be adapted.
  • the array antenna arrangement 51 comprises a first central array antenna 32 that is connected to a first amplifier arrangement 35 in the same way as described for the second example.
  • a second lateral array antenna 53 with a second antenna aperture 57 there is a second lateral array antenna 53 with a second antenna aperture 57, and a third lateral array antenna 54 with a third antenna aperture 58.
  • a second amplifier arrangement 36 is connected to the second lateral array antenna 53 and a third amplifier arrangement 37 is connected to the third lateral array antenna 54.
  • the second lateral array antenna 53 and the third lateral array antenna 54 are single linear arrays, only comprising one line of antenna elements each. Between the second lateral array antenna 53 and the first central array antenna 32 there is a first parasitic array antenna 55, and between the third lateral array antenna 54 and the first central array antenna 32 there is a second parasitic array antenna 56. Each parasitic array antenna 55, 56 has a corresponding antenna aperture 59, 60.
  • the parasitic array antennas 55, 56 are either connected to ground or unconnected, left open, and are intended to further enhance the combined antenna beam pattern. For illustrative reasons, the first parasitic array antenna 55 is shown unconnected, and the second parasitic array antenna 56 is shown connected to ground. Often only one of these alternatives is used.
  • the array antenna arrangement 52 comprises a control unit 62 of the same kind as described previously.
  • the array antenna arrangement 100 comprises a first four-column array antenna 101 with a first antenna aperture 102, a second single-column array antenna 103 with a second antenna aperture 104, and a third single-column array antenna 105 with a third antenna aperture 106.
  • the array antenna arrangement 100 further comprises a corresponding amplifier arrangement 107, 108, 109 for each array antenna 101, 103, 105, each amplifier arrangement 107, 108, 109 comprising a corresponding power amplifier 110, 111, 112 and first phase shifter device 113, 114, 115 in a manner similar to the previous examples.
  • the second antenna aperture 104 and the third antenna aperture 106 are of the same size, a size that falls below the size of the first antenna aperture 102.
  • the first array antenna 32 is constituted by four single linear arrays 101A, 101B, 101C, 101D, each single linear array 101A, 101B, 101C, 101D having a number of antenna elements 116 that exceeds the number of antenna elements 117, 118 of any one of the second array antenna 103 and the third array antenna 105.
  • the second array antenna 103 and the third array antenna 105 are furthermore mutually vertically displaced by a certain displacement distance dy.
  • the second antenna aperture 104 and the third antenna aperture 106 can be of mutually different sizes.
  • the four single linear arrays 101A, 101B, 101C, 101D of the first array antenna 101 are connected to a first beam port 121 via a first power divider 119, a first antenna port 120 and a first amplifier arrangement 107.
  • the second array antenna 103 and the third array antenna 105 are connected to a corresponding beam port 122, 123 via a corresponding antenna port 124, 125 and amplifier arrangement 108, 109.
  • the array antenna arrangement 100 comprises a control unit 162, where the amplifier arrangements 107, 108, 109 are connected to the control unit 162 that is adapted to control the phase shifter devices 113, 114, 115.
  • the control unit 162 is adapted to control the power amplifiers 110, 111, 112, either separately or in combination with the phase shifter devices 113, 114, 115.
  • the array antenna arrangement 200 comprises a first two-column array antenna 201 with a first antenna aperture 202, a second two-column array antenna 203 with a second antenna aperture 204, and a third single-column array antenna 205 with a third antenna aperture 206.
  • the array antenna arrangement 200 further comprises a corresponding amplifier arrangement 207, 208, 209 for each array antenna 201, 203, 205, each amplifier arrangement 207, 208, 209 comprising a corresponding power amplifier 210, 211, 212 and first phase shifter device 213, 214, 215 in a manner similar to the previous examples.
  • the first antenna aperture 202 and the second antenna aperture 204 are of the same size, a size that exceeds the size of the third antenna aperture 206.
  • the four single linear arrays 201A, 201B; 203A, 203B of the first array antenna 201 and the second array antenna 203 are connected to a corresponding beam port 221, 222 via a corresponding power divider 219, 220, a corresponding antenna port 223, 224 and a corresponding amplifier arrangement 207, 208.
  • the third array antenna 205 is connected to a corresponding beam port 225 via a corresponding antenna port 226 and amplifier arrangement 209.
  • the array antenna arrangement 200 comprises a control unit 262, where the amplifier arrangements 207, 208, 209 are connected to the control unit 262 that is adapted to control the phase shifter devices 213, 214, 215.
  • the control unit 262 is adapted to control the power amplifiers 210, 211, 212, either separately or in combination with the phase shifter devices 213, 214, 215.
  • first parasitic array antenna 255 at one side and a second parasitic array antenna 256 at another side such that the array antennas 201, 203, 205 are positioned between the parasitic array antennas 255, 256.
  • Each parasitic array antenna 255, 256 has a corresponding antenna aperture 259, 260.
  • the first parasitic array antenna 255 has a first parasitic antenna aperture 259 and the second parasitic array antenna 256 has a second parasitic antenna aperture 260 that has a size that falls below the size of the first parasitic antenna aperture 259. This is due to the fact that the first parasitic antenna 255 has a number of antenna elements 276 that exceeds the number of antenna elements 278 of the second parasitic array antenna 256.
  • the parasitic array antennas 255, 256 are either connected to ground or unconnected, left open, and are intended to further enhance the combined antenna beam pattern. For illustrative reasons, the first parasitic array antenna 255 is shown unconnected, and the second parasitic array antenna 256 is shown connected to ground. Often only one of these alternatives is used.
  • Parasitic array antennas as well as the other array antennas described, can thus have any suitable position in the array antenna arrangement in question, and can have different antenna aperture sizes as well as vertical positions.
  • the horizontal spacing can also be varied such that a desired radiation pattern can be obtained.
  • parasitic antenna arrays can of course be used without parasitic antenna arrays.
  • the four identical single linear arrays 201A, 201B; 203A, 203B will have a fixed phase shift between them defined by the length of the traces. These may be the same phase or different for the two pairs.
  • the fourth example is according to some aspects similar where there are four single linear arrays 101A, 101B; 103A, 103B that are identical and are fed from one antenna port 120.
  • the second single-column array antenna 103 and the third single-column array antenna 105 are differently sized and fed directly at respective antenna ports 124, 125.
  • the two pairs of identical single linear arrays 101A, 101B; 103A, 103B will have a fixed phase shift between them defined by the length of the traces. These may be the same phase or different for the two pairs.
  • the present disclosure relates to using a mix of longer and shorter array antennas that provide differently sized antenna apertures in an array antenna arrangement where at least one antenna aperture has a size that differs from the size of another antenna aperture.
  • the array antennas can according to some aspects be fed in parallel from separate power amplifier arrangements. By optimizing the phase, and possibly also the amplitude of the signal from each power amplifier arrangement, a desired combined antenna beam pattern in azimuth and elevation can be obtained, providing an optimized radar illumination without nulls and with sufficient elevation beamwidth.
  • each array antenna comprises at least one row of antenna elements.
  • Each array antenna, also each parasitic array antenna, is thus either one-dimensional or two-dimensional.
  • the array antennas are in the form of microstrip antennas, where there are structures that have been etched from an initial copper layer on a dielectric material in a well-known-manner, for examples series-fed patches 71, 72; 73, 74, 75; 76, 77, 78, 79; 116, 117, 118; 216, 217, 218, 276, 278 (one patch schematically indicated for each array antenna in Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 8 ).
  • a linear array of series-fed patches are normally designed as a string of patches that are interconnected and fed at an antenna port that serves as a feeding point. The size of the patches may taper along the length of the linear array to form the elevation beam pattern.
  • the transmitter arrangement 4 is adapted to transmit a block of FMCW ramps, or radar chirps, in rapid succession followed by a processing time.
  • the transmission phases within such a block of radar chirps is changed (modulated) in order to allow them to be separated during processing.
  • the RF phases are changed after chirp number 64, after chirp number 128 and after chirp number 192 based on an orthogonal coding scheme. This will enable separation of the channels such that an SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) or MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) system is created.
  • SAR Synthetic Aperture Radar
  • MIMO Multiple Input Multiple Output
  • antenna elements are of course conceivable, such as for example aperture-fed patches, dipole antenna elements and slot antennas.
  • the array antennas can be made in other manners, such as for example by means of screen-printing or cutting in metal sheets or foils.
  • phase shifters need not be controlled by a control unit, but can alternatively be manually controllable and even fixed, for example in the form of transmission delay lines.
  • the array antenna arrangement according to the present disclosure can be used in a vehicle radar system, but can of course be used in any suitable context such as microwave links or similar.
  • All sizes and lengths are in terms of wavelengths of an operational frequency, being constituted by electrical sizes and lengths.
  • the combined beam can be created by combining the beam ports 86, 87; 65, 66, 67; 65, 82, 83 in any suitable way. For example applying a phase shift of 0° and 127° to the beam ports 86, 87 in Figure 3 will create a beam that is focused at 45° in the azimuth domain.
  • the present disclosure employs multiple array antennas with their own amplifier circuits which may be of different physical sizes, where the different sized array antennas for example can be built up of different numbers of radiating elements coupled together, for the purpose of creating a defined radiation pattern in the azimuth and elevation domain. This can be tuned to optimize the directivity in the desired direction or directions as well as maintaining a lower but consistent directivity across a broad field of view with nulls of acceptable depth.
  • the array antennas are of different sizes for the purposes of creating a steered beam of the desired radiation pattern. This may be accomplished through the additional use of software-defined phase shifters.
  • the antennas may also be driven at non-equal powers.
  • the resulting beam may be tuned, for example, to create high directionality in one or more direction, and also low directionality across a wide area with nulls of acceptable depth.

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  • Variable-Direction Aerials And Aerial Arrays (AREA)

Claims (10)

  1. Gruppenantennenanordnung (20, 31, 52, 100, 200), die Folgendes umfasst: mindestens zwei Gruppenantennen (21, 22; 32, 33, 34, 53, 54; 101, 103, 105; 201, 203, 205), die eine erste Gruppenantenne (21, 32, 101, 201) und eine zweite Gruppenantenne (22, 33, 53, 103, 205) umfassen, und mindestens zwei Verstärkeranordnungen (23, 24; 35, 36, 37; 107, 108, 109; 207, 208, 209), die eine erste Verstärkeranordnung (23, 35, 107, 207) und eine zweite Verstärkeranordnung (24, 36, 108, 209) umfassen, wobei jede Gruppenantenne (21, 22; 32, 33, 34, 53, 54; 101, 103, 105; 201, 203, 205) aus mindestens einem jeweiligen seriengespeisten linearen Array besteht und eine entsprechende Antennenapertur (25, 26; 38, 39, 40, 57, 58; 102, 104, 106; 202, 204, 206) aufweist, und jede Verstärkeranordnung (23, 24; 35, 36, 37; 107, 108, 109; 207, 208, 209) einen entsprechenden Leistungsverstärker (27, 28; 41, 42, 43; 110, 111, 112; 210, 211, 212) und eine entsprechende Phasenschiebervorrichtung (29, 30; 44, 45, 46; 113, 114, 115; 213, 214, 215) umfasst, wobei die erste Verstärkeranordnung (23, 35, 107, 207) mit der ersten Gruppenantenne (21, 32, 101, 201) mit einer ersten Antennenapertur (25, 38, 102, 202) verbunden ist und die zweite Verstärkeranordnung (24, 36, 108, 209) mit der zweiten Gruppenantenne (22, 33, 53, 103, 205) mit einer zweiten Antennenapertur (26, 39, 57, 104, 206) verbunden ist, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die erste Antennenapertur (25, 25, 38, 102, 202) eine Größe hat, die sich von einer Größe der zweiten Antennenapertur (26, 39, 57, 104, 206) unterscheidet.
  2. Gruppenantennenanordnung (31, 100, 200) nach Anspruch 1, wobei mindestens eine Gruppenantenne (33, 34, 101, 201, 203) mindestens zwei lineare Arrays (33A, 33B; 34A, 34B; 101A, 101B, 101C, 101D; 201A, 201B, 203A, 203B) umfasst.
  3. Gruppenantennenanordnung (31) nach Anspruch 2, wobei mindestens zwei in einer Gruppenantenne (33, 34) enthaltene lineare Arrays (33A, 33B; 34A, 34B) unterschiedliche Längen haben.
  4. Gruppenantennenanordnung (31) nach einem der vorherigen Ansprüche, wobei die erste Gruppenantenne (32) zum Abstrahlen eines ersten Antennenstrahlungsdiagramms und die zweite Gruppenantenne (33) zum Abstrahlen eines zweiten Antennenstrahlungsdiagramms (48) ausgelegt ist, wobei das erste Antennenstrahlungsdiagramm (47) eine erste 3dB-Strahlbreite hat und das zweite Antennenstrahlungsdiagramm (48) eine zweite 3dB-Strahlbreite hat, die unter die erste 3dB-Strahlbreite fällt.
  5. Gruppenantennenanordnung (31) nach einem der vorherigen Ansprüche, wobei die mindestens zwei Gruppenantennen (32, 33, 34) zum Abstrahlen eines gemeinsamen Antennenstrahlungsdiagramms (50, 51) ausgelegt sind, wobei die Verstärkeranordnungen (35, 36, 37) entweder zum Bereitstellen eines bestimmten vordefinierten gemeinsamen Antennenstrahlungsdiagramms (50, 51) voreingestellt sind oder zum Bereitstellen eines einstellbaren gemeinsamen Antennenstrahlungsdiagramms (50, 51) einstellbar sind.
  6. Gruppenantennenanordnung (20, 31, 52, 100, 200) nach einem der vorherigen Ansprüche, wobei die Phasenschiebervorrichtungen (29, 30; 44, 45, 46; 113, 114, 115; 213, 214, 215) zum Bereitstellen von Signalphasen ausgelegt sind, die eine gewünschte Radarbeleuchtung mit Nullunterdrückung und eine gewünschte Elevationsstrahlbreite ergeben.
  7. Gruppenantennenanordnung (20, 31, 52, 100, 200) nach einem der vorherigen Ansprüche, wobei die Leistungsverstärker (27, 28; 41, 42, 43; 110, 111, 112; 210, 211, 212) zum Bereitstellen von Signalamplituden ausgelegt sind, die eine gewünschte Radarbeleuchtung mit Nullunterdrückung und eine gewünschte Elevationsstrahlbreite liefern.
  8. Gruppenantennenanordnung (20, 31, 52, 100, 200) nach einem der vorherigen Ansprüche, wobei die Gruppenantennenanordnung (20, 31, 52, 100, 200) eine Steuereinheit (61, 62, 162, 262) umfasst, wobei die Verstärkeranordnungen (23, 24; 35, 36, 37; 107, 108, 109; 207, 208, 209) mit der Steuereinheit (61, 62, 162, 262) verbunden sind, die zum Steuern der Phasenschiebervorrichtungen (29, 30; 44, 45, 46; 113, 114, 115; 213, 214, 215) und/oder der Leistungsverstärker (27, 28; 41, 42, 43; 110, 111, 112; 210, 211, 212) ausgelegt ist.
  9. Gruppenantennenanordnung (52, 200) nach einem der vorherigen Ansprüche, wobei mindestens eine Gruppenantenne (55, 56; 255, 256) entweder mit Masse verbunden oder unverbunden, d.h. offen gelassen ist.
  10. Gruppenantennenanordnung (100) nach einem der vorherigen Ansprüche, wobei mindestens zwei Gruppenantennen (103, 105) um eine bestimmte Verschiebungsdistanz (dy) vertikal zueinander verschoben sind, wobei die vertikale Verschiebung entlang einer Längserstreckung der Gruppenantennen verläuft.
EP19191491.0A 2019-08-13 2019-08-13 Gruppenantennenanordnung Active EP3780274B1 (de)

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SE510995C2 (sv) * 1997-03-24 1999-07-19 Ericsson Telefon Ab L M Aktiv sändnings/mottagnings gruppantenn
DE102016203160A1 (de) * 2016-02-29 2017-08-31 Robert Bosch Gmbh Radarsystem, umfassend eine Antennenanordnung zum Senden und Empfangen elektromagnetischer Strahlung
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