Tapered slot feed for an automotive radar antenna
View Patent ↗In one embodiment, an improved transceiver assembly for a vehicle capable of detecting potentially hazardous objects is disclosed. The transceiver assembly comprises a tapered slot feed antenna for generating a beam and for detecting the beam as reflected from the potential hazards. The antenna is formed in or on a housing which also contains a parabolic dish that oscillates to sweep the beam of radiation towards the potential hazards outside of the vehicle. In a preferred embodiment, approximately 77 GHz radiation is generated from and detected by the antenna. The antenna is preferably formed on a printed circuit board (PCB) (substrate), which can include additional circuitry necessary to operate the antenna, and which is preferably mounted at an acute angle with respect to the housing to direct the beam at the parabolic dish.
1. A transceiver assembly for detecting objects, comprising:
a reflector coupled to a housing, wherein the reflector moves to sweep a beam of radiation to detect the objects and to receive the beam as reflected from the objects; and
a tapered slot feed antenna for generating the beam and for detecting the beam as reflected from the objects.
2. The transceiver assembly of claim 1 , wherein the antenna is located at a focus of a parabolic surface of the reflector.
3. The transceiver assembly of claim 1 , wherein the antenna is formed on a substrate.
4. The transceiver assembly of claim 3 , wherein the substrate is selected from a group consisting of a glass microfiber reinforced polytetrafluoroethylene composite, a liquid crystal polymer material, a low-temperature co-fired ceramic material, and a foam material.
5. The transceiver assembly of claim 3 , wherein the generated beam emanates from the antenna parallel with a plane of the substrate.
6. The transceiver assembly of claim 3 , wherein the substrate further comprises additional circuitry to operate the antenna.
7. The transceiver assembly of claim 6 , wherein the additional circuitry is located on an opposite side of the substrate from the antenna.
8. The transceiver assembly of claim 6 , wherein the additional circuitry comprises an oscillator to generate the beam, and a mixer for downconverting the detected beam as reflected from the objects.
9. The transceiver assembly of claim 6 , wherein the additional circuitry is indirectly coupled to the antenna though the substrate.
10. The transceiver assembly of claim 3 , wherein the substrate is mounted at an acute angle with respect to the housing.
11. The transceiver assembly of claim 1 , wherein the antenna is formed on the housing.
12. The transceiver assembly of claim 1 , wherein the antenna is formed on a wedge on the housing.
13. The transceiver assembly of claim 12 , wherein the antenna is at least partially exposed through the housing.
14. The transceiver assembly of claim 1 , wherein the radiation is approximately 77 GHz.
15. The transceiver assembly of claim 1 , wherein the assembly is mounted to or within a vehicle.
16. A transceiver assembly for detecting objects, comprising:
a reflector coupled to a housing, wherein the reflector moves to sweep a beam of radiation to detect the objects and to receive the beam as reflected from the objects; and
an antenna formed on a substrate for generating the beam and for detecting the beam as reflected from the objects, wherein the generated beam emanates from the antenna parallel with the substrate.
17. The transceiver assembly of claim 16 , wherein the antenna is located at a focus of a parabolic surface of the reflector.
18. The transceiver assembly of claim 16 , wherein the substrate is selected from a group consisting of a glass microfiber reinforced polytetrafluoroethlene composite, a liquid crystal polymer material, a low-temperature co-fired ceramic material, and a foam material.
19. The transceiver assembly of claim 16 , wherein the antenna comprises a tapered slot feed antenna.
20. The transceiver assembly of claim 16 , wherein the substrate further comprises additional circuitry to operate the antenna.
21. The transceiver assembly of claim 20 , wherein the additional circuitry is located on an opposite side of the substrate from the antenna.
22. The transceiver assembly of claim 20 , wherein the additional circuitry comprises an oscillator to generate the beam, and a mixer for downconverting the detected beam as reflected from the objects.
23. The transceiver assembly of claim 20 , wherein the additional circuitry is indirectly coupled to the antenna though the substrate.
24. The transceiver assembly of claim 16 , wherein the substrate is mounted at an acute angle with respect to the housing.
25. The transceiver assembly of claim 16 , wherein the antenna is formed on the housing.
26. The transceiver assembly of claim 16 , wherein the antenna is formed on a wedge on the housing.
27. The transceiver assembly of claim 26 , wherein the antenna is at least partially exposed through the housing.
28. The transceiver assembly of claim 16 , wherein the radiation is approximately 77 GHz.
29. The transceiver assembly of claim 16 , wherein the assembly is mounted to or within a vehicle.
30. A vehicle having a transceiver assembly for detecting objects outside of the vehicle, comprising:
a transceiver assembly mounted to or within the vehicle, the assembly comprising:
a reflector coupled to a housing, wherein the reflector moves to sweep a beam of radiation to detect the objects and to receive the beam as reflected from the objects; and
a tapered slot feed antenna for generating the beam and for detecting the beam as reflected from the objects; and
circuitry to process the detected reflected beam to provide an indication of the object.
31. The vehicle of claim 30 , wherein the antenna is formed on a substrate.
32. The vehicle of claim 31 , wherein the substrate further comprises the circuitry to process the detected reflected beam.
33. The vehicle of claim 31 , wherein the generated beam emanates from the antenna parallel with a plane of the substrate.
34. The vehicle of claim 31 , wherein the substrate further comprises additional circuitry to operate the antenna.
35. The vehicle of claim 34 , wherein the additional circuitry is located on an opposite side of the substrate from the antenna.
36. The vehicle of claim 34 , wherein the additional circuitry is indirectly coupled to the antenna though the substrate.
37. The vehicle of claim 31 , wherein the substrate is mounted at an acute angle with respect to the housing.
38. The vehicle of claim 30 , wherein the radiation is approximately 77 GHz.
39. The vehicle of claim 30 , wherein the transceiver assembly is mounted within a bumper on the vehicle.
40. The vehicle of claim 30 , wherein the indication comprises a signal to a vehicle communication bus to reduce a speed of the vehicle.
41. The vehicle of claim 30 , wherein the indication comprises an indication to a user of the vehicle.
42. The vehicle of claim 30 , wherein the indication is either audible, visual, or both.