Communications: directive radio wave systems and devices (e.g. – Return signal controls external device – Radar mounted on and controls land vehicle
Patent
1998-11-24
2000-08-22
Sotomayor, John B.
Communications: directive radio wave systems and devices (e.g.,
Return signal controls external device
Radar mounted on and controls land vehicle
342175, G01S 1393, G01S 728
Patent
active
061079553
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a motor vehicle radar sensor having an antenna arrangenent consisting of a focusing means and at least two first antenna feeds, which are arranged along a first straight line and form a first row of antenna feeds.
2. Prior Art
This type of radar sensor is known from WO 97/02496, for example. A monostatic FMCW radar sensor for a vehicle for the detection of objects is proposed in this publication, wherein at least one antenna feed, together with a dielectric lens, is designed both for transmitting as well as receiving an appropriate echo signal. A radar sensor described in an exemplary embodiment has three antenna feeds which in this case are designed as so-called patch antennas. Each one of these antenna feeds is connected downstream with a signal processing circuit. Together with a common dielectric lens, the three antenna feeds form three distinctly marked antenna lobes, by means of which it is possible to determine the angular position of detected radar targets. The antenna feeds are arranged along a horizontal straight line at even distances from each other to determine a horizontal angular position, such as is required for the mentioned application. Difficulties now arise when adapting such a radar system to different vehicle types. Depending on the available space conditions on a vehicle, it may be necessary to mount the radar sensor, which itself is placed into a compact housing, in different installed positions. However, at the same time the said antenna feeds must be arranged exactly horizontally behind their common dielectric lens for determining a horizontal angular position. With a changed installed position of the radar sensor in a motor vehicle this requires an at least partial new construction of the antenna feeds in the housing of the radar sensor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore the object of the present invention to disclose a multi-beam radar sensor in a compact housing, which can be simply and cost-effectively adapted to different installation environments, in particular to different installed positions.
This object is attained in accordance with the invention in that at least one further antenna feed is provided for a radar sensor of the species, which is arranged in such a way that at least one further row of antenna feeds is formed along a further straight line, wherein this further row can be represented congruently on the first row of the antenna feed by turning around an imagined point of rotation. Advantageous further developments of the invention ensue from the dependent claims, as well as from the exemplary embodiments described in what follows.
The advantage of the radar sensor in accordance with the invention lies in that an adaptation of the sensor to different installation conditions, in particular to different installation positions, is very simply and cost-effectively possible. At the same time, the invention itself can be realized very simply and cost-effectively, in particular if patch antennas, such as in the above described radar sensor, are employed. Since with the aid of commonly known methods such patch antennas are produced as a conductor structure on a support board, essentially only a change or adaptation of the respective layout of the support board is required. Further than that, the housing of the radar sensor itself can be optimized without regard of a required installed position. This makes the construction, which is difficult anyway, of such a compact radar sensor easier.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The objects, features and advantages of the invention will now be illustrated in more detail with the aid of the following description of the preferred embodiments, with reference to the accompanying figures in which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a radar sensor in accordance with the prior art,
FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a radar sensor in accordance with the invention,
FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of another embodiment of a
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Robert & Bosch GmbH
Sotomayor John B.
Striker Michael J.
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