Rf system concept for vehicular radar having several beams

1. A transceiver for a millimeter wave signal, comprising:

a printed circuit board (PCB), comprising PCB microstrip lines and PCB waveguide apertures;

one or more transmitter modules mounted on the PCB, each transmitter module comprising:

a single transmit microstrip-waveguide transition adapted to convey millimeter waves and coupled to one of the PCB waveguide apertures so as to form a transmit waveguide-waveguide transition;

a transmit microstrip-microstrip transition coupled to one of the PCB microstrip lines so as to form a PCB-transmitter module microstrip-microstrip transition; and

transmit active components coupled to receive a first reference frequency from the PCB-transmitter module microstrip-microstrip transition, to generate the millimeter wave signal therefrom, and to transmit the millimeter wave signal via the transmit waveguide-waveguide transition; and

one or more receiver modules mounted on the PCB, each receiver module comprising:

a single receive microstrip-waveguide transition adapted to convey millimeter waves and coupled to one of the PCB waveguide apertures so as to form a receive waveguide-waveguide transition;

a receive microstrip-microstrip transition coupled to one of the PCB microstrip lines so as to form a PCB-receiver module microstrip-microstrip transition;

an output port; and

receive active components coupled to receive a second reference frequency from the PCB-receiver module microstrip-microstrip transition, to receive the millimeter wave signal from the waveguide-waveguide transition, to generate a down-converted signal in response to the second reference frequency and the millimeter wave signal, and to transfer the down-converted signal via the output port.

2. A transceiver according to claim 1 , wherein the receive active components comprise:

a frequency multiplier that multiplies the second reference frequency to produce a sub-harmonic of a millimeter wave frequency; and

a mixer that receives the millimeter wave signal and the sub-harmonic and generates the millimeter wave frequency therefrom as a local oscillator frequency, and that generates the down-converted signal in response to the local oscillator frequency and the millimeter wave signal.

3. A transceiver according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the receiver modules comprises a second receive microstrip-waveguide transition adapted to convey millimeter waves and coupled to a second of the PCB waveguide apertures so as to form a second receive waveguide-waveguide transition.

4. A transceiver according to claim 3 , wherein the millimeter wave signal comprises a first millimeter wave signal and a second millimeter wave signal, and wherein the down-converted signal comprises a first down-converted signal and a second down-converted signal, wherein the receive active components comprise:

a frequency multiplier that multiplies the second reference frequency to produce a sub-harmonic of a millimeter wave frequency;

a first mixer that receives the first millimeter wave signal and the sub-harmonic and generates the millimeter wave frequency therefrom as a local oscillator frequency, and that generates the first down-converted signal in response to the local oscillator frequency and the first millimeter wave signal; and

a second mixer that receives the second millimeter wave signal and the sub-harmonic and generates the millimeter wave frequency therefrom as a local oscillator frequency, and that generates the second down-converted signal in response to the local oscillator frequency and the second millimeter wave signal.

5. A transceiver according to claim 4 , and comprising a coupling between the frequency multiplier and the first and second mixers that rejects frequencies substantially similar to a frequency of the millimeter wave signal.

6. A transceiver according to claim 1 , wherein at least one transmitter module comprises a transmit dielectric substrate which retains the transmit active components, and wherein at least one receiver module comprises a receiver dielectric substrate which retains the receiver active components, and wherein the transmit and receive dielectric substrates comprise substantially similar dimensions.

7. A transceiver according to claim 1 , wherein at least one transmitter module comprises:

a transmit short adapted to act as a coherent reflector for the transmit microstrip-waveguide transition; and

a transmit dielectric substrate which retains the transmit active components and the transmit short using microwave integrated circuit (MIC) technology.

8. A transceiver according to claim 1 , wherein at least one receiver module comprises:

a receive short adapted to act as a coherent reflector for the receive microstrip-waveguide transition; and

a receive dielectric substrate which retains the receive active components and the receive short using MIC technology.

9. A transceiver according to claim 1 , wherein at least one transmitter module comprises:

a transmit dielectric substrate which retains the transmit active components;

a transmit microstrip line; and

ground vias which penetrate the transmit dielectric substrate,

and wherein the transmit microstrip-microstrip transition comprises the ground vias and the transmit microstrip line.

10. A transceiver according to claim 1 , wherein at least one receiver module comprises:

a receive dielectric substrate which retains the receive active components;

a receive microstrip line; and

ground vias which penetrate the receive dielectric substrate,

and wherein the receive microstrip-microstrip transition comprises the ground vias and the receive microstrip line.

11. A transceiver according to claim 1 , wherein at least one transmitter module comprises:

a transmit dielectric substrate which retains the transmit active components;

a transmit waveguide opening in the transmit dielectric substrate; and

waveguide vias which penetrate the transmit dielectric substrate,

and wherein the transmit microstrip-waveguide transition comprises the transmit waveguide opening and the waveguide vias.

12. A transceiver according to claim 1 , wherein at least one receiver module comprises:

a receive dielectric substrate which retains the transmit active components;

a receive waveguide opening in the receive dielectric substrate; and

waveguide vias which penetrate the receive dielectric substrate,

and wherein the receive microstrip-waveguide transition comprises the receive waveguide opening and the waveguide vias.

13. A transceiver according to claim 1 , wherein at least one PCB waveguide aperture comprises:

a PCB waveguide opening in the PCB; and

waveguide vias which penetrate the PCB and surround the PCB waveguide opening.

14. A transceiver according to claim 1 , wherein at least one PCB microstrip line comprises:

a center microstrip line in the PCB; and

ground vias which penetrate the PCB and surround the PCB center microstrip line.

15. A method for transmitting and receiving a millimeter wave signal, comprising:

forming in a printed circuit board (PCB) PCB microstrip lines and PCB waveguide apertures;

mounting one or more transmitter modules on the PCB, each transmitter module comprising:

a single transmit microstrip-waveguide transition adapted to convey millimeter waves and coupled to one of the PCB waveguide apertures so as to form a transmit waveguide-waveguide transition;

a transmit microstrip-microstrip transition coupled to one of the PCB microstrip lines so as to form a PCB-transmitter module microstrip-microstrip transition; and

transmit active components coupled to receive a first reference frequency from the PCB-transmitter module microstrip-microstrip transition, to generate the millimeter wave signal therefrom, and to transmit the millimeter wave signal via the transmit waveguide-waveguide transition; and

mounting one or more receiver modules on the PCB, each receiver module comprising:

a single receive microstrip-waveguide transition adapted to convey millimeter waves and coupled to one of the PCB waveguide apertures so as to form a receive waveguide-waveguide transition;

a receive microstrip-microstrip transition coupled to one of the PCB microstrip lines so as to form a PCB-receiver module microstrip-microstrip transition;

an output port; and

receive active components coupled to receive a second reference frequency from the PCB-receiver module microstrip-microstrip transition, to receive the millimeter wave signal from the waveguide-waveguide transition, to generate a down-converted signal in response to the second reference frequency and the millimeter wave signal, and to transfer the down-converted signal via the output port.

16. A method according to claim 15 , wherein the receive active components comprise:

a frequency multiplier that multiplies the second reference frequency to produce a sub-harmonic of a millimeter wave frequency; and

a mixer that receives the millimeter wave signal and the sub-harmonic and generates the millimeter wave frequency therefrom as a local oscillator frequency, and that generates the down-converted signal in response to the local oscillator frequency and the millimeter wave signal.

17. A method according to claim 15 , wherein at least one of the receiver modules comprises a second receive microstrip-waveguide transition adapted to convey millimeter waves and coupled to a second of the PCB waveguide apertures so as to form a second receive waveguide-waveguide transition.

18. A method according to claim 17 , wherein the millimeter wave signal comprises a first millimeter wave signal and a second millimeter wave signal, and wherein the down-converted signal comprises a first down-converted signal and a second down-converted signal, wherein the receive active components comprise:

a frequency multiplier that multiplies the second reference frequency to produce a sub-harmonic of a millimeter wave frequency;

a first mixer that receives the first millimeter wave signal and the sub-harmonic and generates the millimeter wave frequency therefrom as a local oscillator frequency, and that generates the first down-converted signal in response to the local oscillator frequency and the first millimeter wave signal; and

a second mixer that receives the second millimeter wave signal and the sub-harmonic and generates the millimeter wave frequency therefrom as a local oscillator frequency, and that generates the second down-converted signal in response to the local oscillator frequency and the second millimeter wave signal.

19. A method according to claim 18 , and comprising a coupling between the frequency multiplier and the first and second mixers that rejects frequencies substantially similar to a frequency of the millimeter wave signal.

20. A method according to claim 15 , wherein at least one transmitter module comprises a transmit dielectric substrate which retains the transmit active components, and wherein at least one receiver module comprises a receiver dielectric substrate which retains the receiver active components, and wherein the transmit and receive dielectric substrates comprise substantially similar dimensions.

21. A method according to claim 15 , wherein at least one transmitter module comprises:

a transmit short adapted to act as a coherent reflector for the transmit microstrip-waveguide transition; and

a transmit dielectric substrate which retains the transmit active components and the transmit short using microwave integrated circuit (MIC) technology.

22. A method according to claim 15 , wherein at least one receiver module comprises:

a receive short adapted to act as a coherent reflector for the receive microstrip-waveguide transition; and

a receive dielectric substrate which retains the receive active components and the receive short using MIC technology.

23. A method according to claim 15 , wherein at least one transmitter module comprises:

a transmit dielectric substrate which retains the transmit active components;

a transmit microstrip line; and

ground vias which penetrate the transmit dielectric substrate,

and wherein the transmit microstrip-microstrip transition comprises the ground vias and the transmit microstrip line.

24. A method according to claim 15 , wherein at least one receiver module comprises:

a receive dielectric substrate which retains the receive active components;

a receive microstrip line; and

ground vias which penetrate the receive dielectric substrate,

and wherein the receive microstrip-microstrip transition comprises the ground vias and the receive microstrip line.

25. A method according to claim 15 , wherein at least one transmitter module comprises:

a transmit dielectric substrate which retains the transmit active components;

a transmit waveguide opening in the transmit dielectric substrate; and

waveguide vias which penetrate the transmit dielectric substrate,

and wherein the transmit microstrip-waveguide transition comprises the transmit waveguide opening and the waveguide vias.

26. A method according to claim 15 , wherein at least one receiver module comprises:

a receive dielectric substrate which retains the transmit active components;

a receive waveguide opening in the receive dielectric substrate; and

waveguide vias which penetrate the receive dielectric substrate,

and wherein the receive microstrip-waveguide transition comprises the receive waveguide opening and the waveguide vias.

27. A method according to claim 15 , wherein at least one PCB waveguide aperture comprises:

a PCB waveguide opening in the PCB; and

waveguide vias which penetrate the PCB and surround the PCB waveguide opening.

28. A method according to claim 15 , wherein at least one PCB microstrip line comprises:

a center microstrip line in the PCB; and

ground vias which penetrate the PCB and surround the PCB center microstrip line.