Apparatus and method for mitigating multipath effects and improving absorption of an automotive radar module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016268693-A1
Application number	US-201514645958-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 12, 2015
Priority date	Mar 12, 2015
Publication date	Sep 15, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A radar system and method with reduced multipath effects include a first component of a radar sensor module on which at least one antenna element is formed, the at least one antenna element having a surface at which radar radiation is received or transmitted, the at least one antenna element having a radiation aperture. A second component in proximity to the antenna element such that a portion of the radar radiation impinges on the second component comprises an angled surface forming an angle with the surface of the antenna element. The angled surface of the second component comprises a texture such that when the portion of the radiation impinges on the angled surface, the amount of multipath signal propagating through the radiation aperture of the antenna element is reduced.

First claim

1 . A radar system with reduced multipath effects, comprising:
a first component of a radar sensor module on which at least one antenna element is formed, the at least one antenna element having a surface at which radar radiation is received or transmitted, the at least one antenna element having a radiation aperture; and a second component in proximity to the antenna element such that a portion of the radar radiation impinges on the second component, the second component comprising an angled surface forming an angle with the surface of the antenna element; wherein the angled surface of the second component comprises a texture such that when the portion of the radiation impinges on the angled surface, the amount of multipath signal propagating through the radiation aperture of the antenna element is reduced.

2 . The radar system of claim 1 , wherein the second component is a shield in the radar sensor module.

3 . The radar system of claim 1 , wherein the second component is a mounting bracket for mounting the radar sensor module.

4 . The radar system of claim 3 , wherein the mounting bracket mounts the radar sensor module within an automobile.

5 . The radar system of claim 1 , wherein the radar sensor module is an automotive radar sensor module.

6 . The radar system of claim 1 , wherein the texture comprises a plurality of protrusions protruding out of the angled surface of the second component.

7 . The radar system of claim 6 , wherein the protrusions are at least one of strip-shaped, pyramid-shaped, grid-shaped, slot-shaped, conical, triangular, rectangular, circular and spherical.

8 . The radar system of claim 1 , wherein the texture comprises a plurality of indentations protruding into the angled surface of the second component.

9 . The radar system of claim 8 , wherein the indentations are at least one of strip-shaped, pyramid-shaped, grid-shaped, slot-shaped, conical, triangular, rectangular, circular and spherical.

10 . The radar system of claim 1 , wherein the texture comprises a material that at least partially reflects the radar radiation.

11 . The radar system of claim 1 , wherein the texture comprises a material that at least partially absorbs the radar radiation.

12 . The radar system of claim 1 , wherein the second component comprises a material that at least partially reflects the radar radiation.

13 . The radar system of claim 1 , wherein the second component comprises a material that at least partially absorbs the radar radiation.

14 . The radar system of claim 1 , wherein the angle between the angled surface and the surface of the antenna element is an obtuse angle.

15 . The radar system of claim 1 , wherein the angle between the angled surface and the surface of the antenna element is an acute angle.

16 . The radar system of claim 1 , wherein the angle between the angled surface and the surface of the antenna element is approximately 90 degrees.

17 . The radar system of claim 1 , wherein the antenna element is formed on a printed circuit board.

18 . The radar system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one antenna element is a transmit antenna element.

19 . The radar system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one antenna element is a receive antenna element.

20 . The radar system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one antenna element comprises a plurality of antenna elements.

21 . The radar system of claim 20 , wherein at least one of the plurality of antenna elements is a transmit antenna element, and at least one other of the plurality of antenna elements is a receive antenna element.

22 . A method of making a radar system with reduced multipath effects, comprising:
forming at least one antenna element on a first component of a radar sensor module, the at least one antenna element having a surface at which radar radiation is received or transmitted, the at least one antenna element having a radiation aperture; and locating a second component in proximity to the antenna element such that a portion of the radar radiation impinges on the second component; forming an angled surface on the second component, the angled surface forming an angle with the surface of the antenna element; and forming a texture on the angled surface of the second component such that when the portion of the radiation impinges on the angled surface, the amount of multipath signal propagating through the radiation aperture of the antenna element is reduced.

23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the second component is a shield in the radar sensor module.

24 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the second component is a mounting bracket for mounting the radar sensor module.

25 . The method of claim 24 , wherein the mounting bracket is used in mounting the radar sensor module within an automobile.

26 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the radar sensor module is an automotive radar sensor module.

27 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the texture is formed with a plurality of protrusions protruding out of the angled surface of the second component.

28 . The method of claim 27 , wherein the protrusions are at least one of strip-shaped, pyramid-shaped, grid-shaped, slot-shaped, conical, triangular, rectangular, circular and spherical.

29 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the texture is formed with a plurality of indentations protruding into the angled surface of the second component.

30 . The method of claim 29 , wherein the indentations are at least one of strip-shaped, pyramid-shaped, grid-shaped, slot-shaped, conical, triangular, rectangular, circular and spherical.

31 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the texture comprises a material that at least partially reflects the radar radiation.

32 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the texture comprises a material that at least partially absorbs the radar radiation.

33 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the second component comprises a material that at least partially reflects the radar radiation.

34 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the second component comprises a material that at least partially absorbs the radar radiation.

35 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the angle between the angled surface and the surface of the antenna element is an obtuse angle.

36 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the angle between the angled surface and the surface of the antenna element is an acute angle.

37 . The radar system of claim 22 , wherein the angle between the angled surface and the surface of the antenna element is approximately 90 degrees.

38 . The radar system of claim 22 , wherein the antenna element is formed on a printed circuit board.

Assignees

• Autoliv Asp Inc

Inventors

• Ding Xueru
• Arinello Paula
• Williams Jonathan
• Leung Richard
• Demersseman Bernard
• Amadjikpe Arnaud

Classifications

• H01Q17/008 Primary

  with a particular shape (H01Q17/007 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01S7/03 Primary

  Details of HF subsystems specially adapted therefor, e.g. common to transmitter and receiver · CPC title

• G01S7/032

  Constructional details for solid-state radar subsystems · CPC title

• H01Q1/42

  Housings not intimately mechanically associated with radiating elements, e.g. radome · CPC title

• G01S7/027

  Constructional details of housings, e.g. form, type, material or ruggedness · CPC title