Waymo LLC

Google Inc.

Globalstar, Inc.

Sigma Designs, Inc.

Novariant, Inc.

Jamal Izadian

Adam S Brown

Russell Leight Smith

Russell Leigh Smith

Pierre-yves Droz

Min Wang

Zhe Li

Benjamin Chen

Samuel William Lenius

Timothy Campbell

Paul Karplus

Kyla Purvis

Edwin Lim

Philip Ma

Pierre-Yves Droz

Robert A Wiedeman

Vijaya Korwar Gallagher

Kurt R Zimmerman

H Stewart Cobb

Tim Campbell

Frank N Bauregger

Larry DeClue

David Fealkoff

Ben Chen

A vehicle having a communication system is disclosed. The system includes two electrical couplings, coupled by way of a rotary joint having a bearing waveguide. Each electrical coupling includes an interface waveguide configured to couple to external signals. Each electrical coupling also includes a waveguide section configured to propagate electromagnetic signals between the interface waveguide and the bearing waveguide of the rotary joint. Additionally, the rotary joint is configured to allow one electrical coupling to rotate with respect to the other electrical coupling. An axis of rotation of the rotary joint is defined by a center of a portion of the waveguides. Yet further, the rotary joint allows electromagnetic energy to propagate between the waveguides of the electrical couplings.

Waveguide apparatus with high speed dual channel wireless contactless rotary joint

Radar system for use in a vehicle comprising a rotary joint where a non-rotational unit is fixed to the vehicle and a rotational unit includes antennas configured for use with radar signals

Example embodiments present radar units capable of operating in multiple polarizations. An example radar unit may include a set of transmission antennas and a set of reception antennas. Particularly, the transmission antennas may each be configured to transmit radar signals that radiate in one or more of four potential polarizations. The four polarizations can correspond to horizontal linear, vertical linear and slanted polarizations at approximately positive forty-five degrees and negative forty-five degrees from the horizontal plane. As such, the reception antennas of the radar unit may each be configured to receive reflected radar signals that are radiating in one of the four potential polarizations. The radar unit may further include an amplifier configured to cause one or multiple transmission antennas to selectively transmit between two or more of the four polarization channels.

Multiple polarization radar unit

A radar system includes a split-block assembly unit comprising a first portion and second portion, where the first portion and the second portion form a seam. The radar system further includes a plurality of ports located on a bottom side of the second portion opposite the seam. Additionally, the radar system includes a plurality of radiating elements located on a top side of the first portion opposite the seam. The plurality of radiating elements is arranged in a plurality of arrays. The plurality of arrays includes a set of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) transmission arrays, a set of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) transmission arrays, and at least one reception array. Further, the radar system includes a set of waveguides configured to couple each array to a port.

Integrated MIMO and SAR radar antenna architecture

Example radar systems are presented herein. A radar system may include an input layer having a feed waveguide and a first portion of a first waveguide section. The antenna system also includes a first dividing layer having a second portion of the first waveguide section and a first portion of a second waveguide section. The antenna system also includes a second dividing layer having a second portion of the second waveguide section and a first portion of a third waveguide section. Additionally, the antenna system includes an antenna layer having a plurality of radiating elements arranged in a linear array and a second portion of the third waveguide section. The antenna system further includes a path length from the feed waveguide to each radiating element is the same as the path length for each other radiating element.

Corporate feed open ended waveguide antenna for automotive radar

The radar system includes a split-block assembly comprising a first portion and a second portion. The first portion and the second portion form a seam, where the first portion has a top side opposite the seam and the second portion has a bottom side opposite the seam. The system includes at least one port located on a bottom side of the second portion. Additionally, the system includes radiating elements located on the top side of the first portion, wherein the radiating elements are arranged in a plurality of arrays. Yet further, the system includes a set of waveguides in the split-block assembly configured to couple each array to at least one port. Furthermore, the split-block assembly is made from a polymer and where at least the set of waveguides, the at least one port, and the plurality of radiating elements include metal on a surface of the polymer.

Plated, injection molded, automotive radar waveguide antenna

Example radar systems are presented herein. A radar system may include radiating elements configured to radiate electromagnetic energy and arranged symmetrically in a linear array. The radiating elements comprise a set of radiating doublets and a set of radiating singlets. The radar system also includes a waveguide configured to guide electromagnetic energy between each of the plurality of radiating elements and a waveguide feed. The waveguide feed is coupled to the second side of the waveguide at a center location between a first half of the plurality of radiating elements and a second half of the plurality of radiating elements. The waveguide feed is configured to transfer electromagnetic energy between the waveguide and a component external to the waveguides. The radar system may also include a power dividing network defined by the waveguide and configured to divide the electromagnetic energy transferred by the waveguide feed based on a taper profile.

Center fed open ended waveguide (OEWG) antenna arrays

A communication system is disclosed. The system may include an antenna unit having a port. The system may also include a communication chip communicably coupled to the antenna unit and having an antenna configured to transmit electromagnetic signals into the port. In addition, the system may include a slotted structure configured for receiving the electromagnetic signals from the antenna and coupling the electromagnetic signals from the antenna into the port.

Filtering undesired polarization of signals transmitted from a chip to a waveguide unit

Communication system for LIDAR sensors used in a vehicle comprising a rotary joint with a bearing waveguide for coupling signals with communication chips

The present application discloses embodiments that relate to a radar system. The embodiments may include a plurality of radiating waveguides each having a waveguide input. The embodiments also include an attenuation component, which can be located on a circuit board. The embodiments further include a beamforming network. The beamforming network includes a beamforming network input. The beamforming network also includes a plurality of beamforming network outputs, where each beamforming network output is coupled to one of the waveguide inputs. Additionally, the beamforming network includes a coupling port, wherein the coupling port is configured to couple at least one waveguide of the system to a component external to the waveguide.

Surface mount assembled waveguide transition

An antenna includes a plurality of waveguide antenna elements arranged in a first array configured to operate with a first polarization. The antenna also includes a plurality of waveguide output ports arranged in a second array configured to operate with a second polarization. The second polarization is different from the first polarization. The antenna further includes a polarization-modification layer with channels defined therein. The polarization-modification layer is disposed between the waveguide antenna elements and the waveguide output ports. The channels are oriented at a first angle with respect to the waveguide antenna elements and at a second angle with respect to the waveguide output ports. The channels are configured to receive input electromagnetic waves having the first polarization and transmit output electromagnetic waves having a first intermediate polarization. The waveguide output ports are configured to receive input electromagnetic waves and radiate electromagnetic waves having the second polarization.

Adaptive polarimetric radar architecture for autonomous driving

An apparatus includes a waveguide of an antenna block configured to propagate electromagnetic energy along a propagation direction. The antenna block includes a port located on a bottom surface of the antenna block and an antenna array located on a top surface of the antenna block. The antenna block further includes a set of waveguides in the antenna block configured to couple the antenna array to the port. Additionally, the antenna block includes at least one surface wave radiator, where the surface wave radiator is located on the top surface of the antenna block.

Radar antenna array with parasitic elements excited by surface waves

A radar system includes a plurality of radiating elements configured to radiate electromagnetic energy and a plurality of feed waveguides defining a common plane and configured to guide electromagnetic energy to the plurality of radiating elements. The radar system also includes a plurality of waveguides arranged as a dividing network. The dividing network is also configured to split the electromagnetic energy from the source among the plurality of feed waveguides, such that each feed waveguide receives a respective portion of the electromagnetic energy. Additionally, the dividing network is configured to adjust a phase of the electromagnetic energy received by each waveguide. The splitting and adjusting of the dividing network may be based on differences in width between the waveguides of the dividing network and the feed waveguides. The dividing network of waveguides is located in the common plane of the feed waveguides.

2D compact reactive beam forming network for automotive radars

The present application discloses embodiments that relate to a radar system. The embodiments may include a plurality of radiating waveguides each having a waveguide input. The embodiments also include an attenuation component, which can be located on a circuit board. The embodiments further include a beamforming network. The beamforming network includes a beamforming network input. The beamforming network also includes a plurality of beamforming network outputs, where each beamforming network output is coupled to one of the waveguide inputs. Additionally, the beamforming network includes an attenuation port, wherein the attenuation port is configured to couple the beamforming network to the attenuation component. The attenuation component dissipates received electromagnetic energy.

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Jamal Izadian