Aptiv Technologies Limited

Delphi Technologies, Inc.

Aptiv Technologies Ag

Shawn Shi

George J Purden

David Wayne Zimmerman

Mingjian Li

Stephen William Alland

Scott David Brandenburg

Alireza Foroozesh

Zhengzheng Li

Dennis C Nohns

David Jay Vess

Kirk E McClure

William Garrison Shogren

Lawrence A Humm

William A Bauson

Richard C Lind

Chan-Ping E Lim

Greg J Sapletal

William G Shogren

This document describes apparatuses, methods, and systems for a hybrid horn waveguide antenna. The hybrid horn waveguide antenna includes a waveguide, described in two sections, and an antenna section having both flaring features and step features. The first waveguide section is electrically coupled to a transmitter/receiver (e.g., transceiver) and defines an energy path along an x-axis. The second waveguide section transitions the energy path to travel along a z-axis. The antenna section has a first aperture that is coupled to the second waveguide section and includes flaring wall features in one plane (e.g., the E-plane) and step features in a second plane (e.g., the H-plane). The waveguide may further include an iris between the first waveguide section and the second waveguide section. Further, the hybrid horn waveguide antenna section may be formed from an upper structure and a lower structure manufactured via injection molding and then mated.

Hybrid horn waveguide antenna

This document describes techniques, apparatuses, and systems for a wave-shaped ground structure for antenna arrays. A radar system may include a ground structure with a first surface having a wave shape and a second surface opposite the first surface. The ground structure includes multiple antenna arrays separated in a longitudinal direction on the first surface. Each antenna array includes one or more antenna elements configured to emit or receive electromagnetic (EM) energy. The ground structure also includes antenna feeds separated in the longitudinal direction on the second surface and operably connected to the antenna arrays. The wave shape of the ground structure configures the radar system to provide an antenna radiation pattern that provides a uniform radiation pattern among the antenna arrays. The wave shape can also be configured to provide an asymmetrical radiation pattern or a narrow beamwidth for specific applications.

Wave-shaped ground structure for antenna arrays

This document a two-part folded waveguide with horns. For example, a waveguide includes a channel with an opening in a longitudinal direction at one end, and a sinusoidal shape that folds back and forth about a longitudinal axis that runs in the longitudinal direction through the channel. One part of the waveguide defines a surface of the channel featuring a plurality of radiation slots in the shape of a horn, which allows the two parts of the waveguide to be arranged and configured as one component. A first part of the waveguide has slots and an upper half of the walls of the channel and a second part provides a lower half of the walls of the channel and a surface of the channel opposite the slots. Using horns in combination with two parts enables ease of manufacturing a waveguide with an internal channel having a folded or sinusoidal shape.

Two-part folded waveguide having a sinusoidal shape channel including horn shape radiating slots formed therein which are spaced apart by one-half wavelength

This document describes a folded waveguide for antenna. The folded waveguide may be an air waveguide and includes a hollow core that forms a rectangular opening in a longitudinal direction at one end, a closed wall at an opposite end, and a sinusoidal shape that folds back and forth about a longitudinal axis that runs in the longitudinal direction through the hollow core. The hollow core forms a plurality of radiation slots, each including a hole through one of multiple surfaces that defines the hollow core. The radiation slots are arranged on the one surface to produce a particular antenna pattern. The radiation slots and sinusoidal shape enable the folded waveguide to prevent grating lobes from appearing in the particular antenna pattern on either side of a horizontal-polarity, main beam, or to prevent X-band lobes from appearing in the particular antenna pattern on either side of a vertical-polarity, main beam.

Folded waveguide for antenna

This document describes a waveguide with a beam-forming feature with radiation slots. The beam-forming feature of the waveguide includes recessed walls surrounding a plurality of radiation slots. The recessed walls of the waveguide may be walls of equal height and width, or they may include further features that manipulate the beam being formed for certain applications. Some examples of these further features are the inclusion of a choke on one wall, one wall having a height greater than a parallel wall, or the walls either including a step or a taper, such that the beam-forming feature is narrower near the surface of the waveguide with the radiation slots and wider further from the surface of the waveguide with the radiation slots. The beam-forming feature may reduce grating lobes in the radiation pattern thereby improving accuracy and performance of the host system.

Waveguide with a beam-forming feature with radiation slots

This document includes techniques, apparatuses, and systems related to a waveguide with squint alteration, which can improve electromagnetic wave operation. In aspects, squint of electromagnetic waves pertaining to waveguides may be altered and improved. In this example, the techniques also enable the waveguide to direct electromagnetic waves according to respective chambers and one or more apertures, improving the quality of signals transmitted and received. The chambers may be divided according to a divider extending toward an opening of the waveguide, directing electromagnetic waves between the opening and the one or more apertures.

Waveguide with squint alteration

This document describes techniques, apparatuses, and systems for a waveguide with lobe suppression. A waveguide is described that includes a pipe for containing a dielectric, the pipe defining an open end to a longitudinal direction through the pipe. An array of radiating slots is formed through a surface of the pipe and in communication with the dielectric. To suppress grating lobes in an antenna pattern, the waveguide includes at least one parasitic groove that is separate from the pipe and with at least a portion of a length that is parallel to the array of radiating slots. In this way, the waveguide provides an antenna pattern where grating lobes are suppressed or substantially reduced.

Waveguide with lobe suppression

This document describes techniques and systems of an exposed portion of a PCB configured to provide isolation among radar antennas. The described radar system includes an exposed portion of a surface of a printed circuit board (PCB) positioned between a first antenna and a second antenna. The PCB includes a metal plating on the surface of the PCB. A width of the exposed portion can delay a phase of electromagnetic (EM) energy conducted by the metal plating relative to a phase of EM energy that does not traverse the exposed portion. A height of the exposed portion can cause an amount of the EM energy conducted by the metal plating to be approximately equal to an amount of EM energy that traverses the exposed portion. In this way, the described systems and techniques can reduce signal-coupling among radar antennas without additional hardware costs and distance between the antennas.

Exposed portion of a printed circuit board (PCB) configured to provide isolation among radar antennas

A transceiver includes first electrical channels and second electrical channels. The first electrical channels are configured to transfer electromagnetic signals to first air waveguides. Each of the first electrical channels extend from a transmitter along an exterior surface of a chip package that supports the transmitter and terminate at first transitions on the exterior surface. Each of the first plurality of air waveguides are attached to the exterior surface and overlay one of the first transitions. The transceiver also includes second electrical channels configured to transfer second electromagnetic signals from second air waveguides. Each of the second electrical channels extend from a receiver along the exterior surface of the chip package that supports the receiver and terminate at second transitions on the exterior surface. Each of the second air waveguides are attached to the exterior surface and overlay one of the second transitions.

Waveguide launcher

An illustrative example embodiment of an antenna device includes a substrate, a plurality of antenna elements supported on the substrate, an integrated circuit supported on one side of the substrate, and a metallic waveguide antenna situated against the substrate. The metallic waveguide antenna includes a heat dissipation portion in a thermally conductive relationship with the integrated circuit. The heat dissipation portion is configured to reduce a temperature of the integrated circuit.

Waveguide antenna with integrated temperature management

An illustrative example antenna device includes a substrate. A plurality of conductive members in the substrate establish a substrate integrated waveguide. A plurality of first and second slots are on an exterior surface of a first portion of the substrate. Each of the second slots is associated with a respective one of the first slots. The first and second slots are configured to establish a radiation pattern that varies across a beam of radiation emitted by the antenna device. A plurality of parasitic interruptions include slots on the exterior surface of a second portion of the substrate. The parasitic interruptions reduce ripple effects otherwise introduced by adjacent antennas.

Slot array antenna including parasitic features

Radome

An illustrative example antenna device includes a substrate, a transmission line supported on the substrate, and a plurality of conductive patches supported on the substrate. Each conductive patch has a first end coupled to the transmission line and a second end coupled to ground. The plurality of conductive patches are arranged in sets including two of the conductive patches facing each other on opposite sides of the transmission line.

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Thousand Oaks, CA, United States of America

Shawn Shi