IP Library Granted Patent US 12,222,437
Granted Patent B2
US 12,222,437 · App. 18/472,038 · Granted Feb 11, 2025

Radar device

Inventors: Takaaki Kishigami (Tokyo, JP); Naoya Yosoku (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Co., Ltd.
G01S7/023G01S7/0234G01S13/42G01S13/4463H01Q21/08G01S7/282G01S7/352G01S2013/0245G01S13/931H01Q21/22
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,222,437
App. No.
18/472,038
Granted
Feb 11, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A radar transmitter transmits a radar signal through a transmitting array antenna at a predetermined transmission period, and a radar receiver receives a reflected wave signal which is the radar signal reflected by a target through a receiving array antenna. A transmitting array antenna and a receiving array antenna each include multiple subarray elements, the subarray elements in the transmitting array antenna and the receiving array antenna are linearly arranged in a first direction, each subarray element includes multiple antenna elements, the subarray element has a dimension larger than a predetermined antenna element spacing in the first direction, and an absolute value of a difference between a subarray element spacing of the transmitting array antenna and a subarray element spacing of the receiving array antenna is equal to the predetermined antenna element spacing.

Claims (46)

1. A radar device comprising:

a transmitting array antenna;

a receiving array antenna;

a radar transmission circuitry which, in operation, transmits radar signals through the transmitting array antenna; and

a radar receiving circuitry which, in operation, receives reflected wave signals through the receiving array antenna, wherein the reflected wave signals are the radar signals reflected by an object,

wherein,

the transmitting array antenna includes a plurality of transmitting antennas,

the receiving array antenna includes a plurality of receiving antennas,

the plurality of transmitting antennas are arranged at different positions in a first direction,

the plurality of receiving antennas are arranged at different positions in the first direction,

a transmitting antenna pitch, which is a pitch between two adjacent transmitting antennas of the transmitting array antenna, is larger than 1 wavelength in the first direction,

a receiving antenna pitch, which is a pitch between two adjacent receiving antennas of the receiving array antenna, is larger than 1 wavelength in the first direction,

an absolute value of a difference between the transmitting antenna pitch and the receiving antenna pitch is not smaller than 0.5 wavelength and not larger than 0.75 wavelength in the first direction, and

at least one antenna of the plurality of transmitting antennas and the plurality of receiving antennas includes a plurality of antenna elements arranged in the first direction.

2. The radar device according to claim 1 , wherein

a size in the first direction of the at least one antenna is greater than the absolute value of the difference between the transmitting antenna pitch and the receiving antenna pitch.

3. The radar device according to claim 1 , wherein

a size in the first direction of the at least one antenna is smaller than the transmit antenna pitch and is smaller than the receive antenna pitch.

4. The radar device according to claim 1 , wherein

a virtual receiving array antenna based on both the transmitting array antenna and the receiving array antenna has a plurality of virtual receiving antennas, and

one or more virtual receiving antenna pitches, which are pitches between two adjacent antennas among the plurality of virtual receiving antennas, include a pitch of 0.5 wavelengths or more and 0.75 wavelengths or less in the first direction.

5. The radar device according to claim 1 , wherein

the wavelength is determined by a frequency of the radar signal.

6. A radar device comprising:

a first array antenna;

a second array antenna;

a radar transmission circuitry which, in operation, transmits radar signals by using one of the first array antenna or the second array antenna; and

a radar receiving circuitry which, in operation, receives reflected wave signals by using another one of the first array antenna or the second array antenna, wherein the reflected wave signals are the radar signals reflected by an object,

wherein,

the first array antenna includes a plurality of first antennas,

the second array antenna includes a plurality of second antennas,

the plurality of first antennas are arranged at different positions in a first direction,

the plurality of second antennas are arranged at different positions in the first direction,

a first antenna pitch, which is a pitch between two adjacent first antennas of the first array antenna, is larger than 1 wavelength in the first direction,

a second antenna pitch, which is a pitch between two adjacent second antennas of the second array antenna, is larger than 1 wavelength in the first direction,

an absolute value of a difference between the first antenna pitch and the second antenna pitch is not smaller than 0.5 wavelength and not larger than 0.75 wavelength in the first direction, and

at least one antenna of the plurality of first antennas and the plurality of second antennas includes a plurality of antenna elements arranged in the first direction.

7. The radar device according to claim 6 , wherein

a size in the first direction of the at least one antenna is greater than the absolute value of the difference between the first antenna pitch and the second antenna pitch.

8. The radar device according to claim 6 , wherein

a size in the first direction of the at least one antenna is smaller than the first antenna pitch and is smaller than the second antenna pitch.

9. The radar device according to claim 6 , wherein

a virtual receiving array antenna based on both the first array antenna and the second array antenna has a plurality of virtual receiving antennas, and

one or more virtual receiving antenna pitches, which are pitches between two adjacent antennas among the plurality of virtual receiving antennas, include a pitch of 0.5 wavelengths or more and 0.75 wavelengths or less in the first direction.

10. The radar device according to claim 6 , wherein

the wavelength is determined by a frequency of the radar signal.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 21, 2024
From: PANASONIC HOLDINGS CORPORATION
To: PANASONIC AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 066518/0001 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2015-061979 · Mar 25, 2015 · national
Continuity (6)
Continuation 17081248 · Oct 27, 2020
Continuation 16855710 · Apr 22, 2020
Continuation 16596206 · Oct 8, 2019
Continuation 16170755 · Oct 25, 2018
Continuation 15067172 · Mar 10, 2016
Related Publication 20240012096A1 · Jan 11, 2024
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