Radar lens antenna arrays and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10756441-B2
Application number	US-201815901181-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 21, 2018
Priority date	Feb 21, 2017
Publication date	Aug 25, 2020
Grant date	Aug 25, 2020

Abstract

Disclosed are multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) antenna systems with high gain having an impedance bandwidth greater than 1 GHz and high side-lobe rejection. Suitable systems are configurable to have a radar lens with, for example, an 8×1 antenna array. Additionally, beam steering architecture that concentrates radiated energy through a dielectric lens to achieve a narrow high-gain beam.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An antenna system comprising:
a base having an upper surface and a lower surface further comprising an antenna receptacle,
a support leg extending from an upper surface of the base,
a lens holder, wherein the support leg positions the lens holder away from the upper surface of the base;
a lens configurable to concentrate a radiated energy through the lens, wherein the lens is a discrete structure supported by the lens holder; and
an antenna array positioned in the antenna receptacle below the lens, wherein a space between the lens holder and the base is open to expose a portion of the antenna array to ambient surroundings.

2. The antenna system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more additional support legs.

3. The antenna system of claim 1 , wherein the support leg cantilevers the lens over the antenna array.

4. The antenna system of claim 1 , wherein the lens holder comprises a bevel, the bevel configured to retain the lens within the lens holder.

5. The antenna system of claim 1 , wherein the antenna array comprises a plurality of antennas and a plurality of ports.

6. The antenna system of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of antenna elements comprise eight antennas.

7. The antenna system of claim 1 , wherein the radiated energy is an electromagnetic energy at frequencies of from 75 GHz to 80 GHz.

8. The antenna system of claim 1 wherein radiated energy is concentrated with high side lobe rejection.

9. The antenna system of claim 1 wherein multiple beams with a field view of +/−15 degrees are allowed.

10. The antenna system of claim 1 wherein the base has a shape in two dimensions selected from square, round, rectangular, ovoid, and triangular.

11. The antenna system of claim 1 wherein the lens has a focal distance of about 19 mm from a surface of the antenna array.

12. The antenna system of claim 1 , wherein the lens holder comprises a first material, and wherein the lens comprises a second material, the first material different than the second material.

13. The antenna system of claim 1 , wherein the lens holder comprises a plurality of prongs, the plurality of prongs configured to retain the lens within the lens holder.

14. A method of concentrating radiated energy comprising:
providing a base having an upper surface and a lower surface, the base comprising an antenna receptacle,
providing a support leg extending from an upper surface of the base;
providing a lens holder supported by the support leg, wherein a space between the lens holder and the base is open to expose a portion of the antenna receptacle to ambient surroundings;
positioning a lens in the lens holder away from the upper surface of the base, wherein the lens is a discrete structure supported by the lens holder;
concentrating a radiated energy through the lens.

15. The method of concentrating radiating energy of claim 14 , further comprising providing a second support leg extending from the upper surface of the base, the second support leg distinct from the first support leg.

16. The method of concentrating radiating energy of claim 14 , wherein the lens holder comprises a bevel, the bevel configured to retain the lens within the lens holder.

17. The method of concentrating radiating energy of claim 14 , wherein the antenna array comprises a plurality of antennas and a plurality of ports.

18. The method of concentrating radiating energy of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of antenna elements comprise eight antennas.

19. The method of concentrating radiating energy of claim 14 , further comprising the step of radiating energy at frequencies of from 75 GHz to 80 GHz.

20. The method of concentrating radiating energy of claim 14 wherein multiple beams with a field view of +/−15 degrees are allowed.

21. The method of concentrating radiating energy of claim 14 wherein radiated energy is concentrated with high side lobe rejection.

22. The method of concentrating radiating energy of claim 14 wherein the base has a shape in two dimensions selected from square, round, rectangular, ovoid, and triangular.

23. The method of concentrating radiating energy of claim 14 wherein the step of positioning the lens in the lens holder away from the receiving surface of the base further comprises positioning the lens with a focal distance of about 19 mm from a surface of the antenna array.

Assignees

• Taoglas Group Holdings Ltd

Inventors

• Gambahaya Sifiso

Classifications

• H01Q15/08 Primary

  formed of solid dielectric material · CPC title

• H01Q1/1207

  for fastening a rigid aerial element · CPC title

• H01Q9/0414

  in a stacked or folded configuration · CPC title

• G01S7/2813

  Means providing a modification of the radiation pattern for cancelling noise, clutter or interfering signals, e.g. side lobe suppression, side lobe blanking, null-steering arrays (specially adapted to secondary radar systems G01S13/762; aerials or aerials systems H01Q21/29, H01Q25/00) · CPC title

• H01Q3/40

  with phasing matrix · CPC title