NODAL METAMATERIAL ANTENNA SYSTEM

1 . A method of operating a radar system, comprising:

transmitting, via a radar unit of the radar system, a radio frequency (RF) beam in an environment of the radar system;

controlling, via a feed distribution module, at least one subarray within the radar unit during the transmitting of the RF beam; and

phase shifting, via a feed structure, the at least one subarray within the radar unit.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

adjusting a focus of the RF beam to a larger beam width to enable a faster scan of areas in the environment.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

adjusting a focus of the RF beam of the radar unit.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein adjusting the focus of the RF beam comprises changing a phase shift of the RF beam.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein adjusting the focus of the RF beam comprises controlling a reactance control means.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

detecting an object within the environment based on received signals from the environment; and

sending a message to a vehicle based on the detecting.

7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

classifying the detected object based on the received signals.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

interpreting received signals in a reflected RF beam from the environment; and

implementing one or more control actions based on the interpreted received signals.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the radar system is fixed to an infrastructure and wherein the infrastructure is a building or a sign board.

10 . A nodal radar system, comprising:

a metamaterial radar unit configured to transmit radio frequency (RF) beams in an environment;

a feed structure coupled to the metamaterial radar unit, the feed structure comprising a super element layer having conductive traces and non-conductive traces; and

a metamaterial array control means configured to adjust reactance behavior of the metamaterial radar unit to change a phase of the RF beams.

11 . The nodal radar system of claim 10 , wherein the feed structure comprises a conductive layer having a plurality of discontinuities.

12 . The nodal radar system of claim 11 , wherein the feed structure further comprises a second conductive layer and a dielectric layer configured between the first and second conductive layers.

13 . The nodal radar system of claim 12 , wherein the feed structure further comprises a plurality of vias that are positioned from the first conductive layer to the second conductive layer through the dielectric layer.

14 . The nodal radar system of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of vias define a plurality of super elements within the feed structure.

15 . A method of performing radar system operations, comprising:

receiving radar signals via a plurality of sensors of a radar system within an environment;

implementing one or more control actions based on the received radar signals;

controlling one or more subarrays of a metamaterial antenna of the radar system via an intelligent antenna metamaterial (IAM) interface; and

enabling, via the IAM interface, a communication with the metamaterial antenna.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

scanning a field of view of the radar system within the environment.

17 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

interpreting the received radar signals;

detecting an object based on the interpreting of the received radar signals; and

sending a message to a vehicle after the detecting.

18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the radar system is configured to collaborate with one or more radar systems within a network of radar systems.

19 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

coordinating one or more operations of the plurality of sensors of the radar system.

20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the radar system is fixed to an infrastructure and wherein the infrastructure is a building or a sign board.