The present disclosure relates to electronics. More particularly, this disclosure relates to a modular waveguide to printed circuit board interconnected radar design.
Common antenna designs for use in radar systems include microstrip or stripline type designs and waveguide designs. Microstrip or stripline designs are fabricated as part of a printed circuit board (PCB) design and may be part of a single PCB design where all the radar components and the antenna are contained on a single PCB or part of several PCBs. In the case of several PCBs, transmit and receive circuitry or expensive interconnect components are located on the same PCB as the antenna to prevent excessive electrical losses due to the high frequency of transmissions.
In a particular embodiment, a modular waveguide to printed circuit board (PCB) interconnected radar is disclosed that includes a waveguide launch PCB and a waveguide interconnect coupled to the waveguide launch PCB. The radar also includes an antenna launch PCB coupled to the waveguide interconnect.
In a particular embodiment, a method includes receiving, by an antenna launch PCB, from a waveguide launch PCB via a waveguide interconnect, a radio frequency (RF) signal. The method also includes rerouting the RF signal to a final antenna structure of the antenna launch PCB. The method further includes broadcasting the RF signal via the final antenna structure.
As will be explained in greater detail below, the waveguide launch PCB is able to generate an RF signal that is provided to the antenna launch PCB via the waveguide interconnect. The RF signal received at the antenna launch PCB is rerouted to a final antenna structure and broadcast by the final antenna structure. This modular design allows for the antenna launch PCB to be an unpopulated PCB, reducing cost and design complication. Moreover, multiple antenna launch PCBs may be used to increase the broadcast angle of the RF signal.
The terminology used herein for the purpose of describing particular examples is not intended to be limiting for further examples. Whenever a singular form such as “a”, “an” and “the” is used and using only a single element is neither explicitly or implicitly defined as being mandatory, further examples may also use plural elements to implement the same functionality. Likewise, when a functionality is subsequently described as being implemented using multiple elements, further examples may implement the same functionality using a single element or processing entity. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises”, “comprising”, “includes” and/or “including”, when used, specify the presence of the stated features, integers, steps, operations, processes, acts, elements and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, processes, acts, elements, components and/or any group thereof.
It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected” or “coupled” to another element, the elements may be directly connected or coupled or via one or more intervening elements. If two elements A and B are combined using an “or”, this is to be understood to disclose all possible combinations, i.e., only A, only B, as well as A and B. An alternative wording for the same combinations is “at least one of A and B”. The same applies for combinations of more than two elements.
Accordingly, while further examples are capable of various modifications and alternative forms, some particular examples thereof are shown in the figures and will subsequently be described in detail. However, this detailed description does not limit further examples to the particular forms described. Further examples may cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the disclosure. Like numbers refer to like or similar elements throughout the description of the figures, which may be implemented identically or in modified form when compared to one another while providing for the same or a similar functionality.
Common antenna designs for use in radar systems include microstrip or stripline type designs and waveguide designs. Microstrip or stripline designs are fabricated as part of a printed circuit board (PCB) design, such as those seen in
Waveguide designs, such as illustrated in
Modular waveguide to printed circuit board (PCB) interconnected radar, apparatuses, and methods of using a modular waveguide to PCB interconnected radar are disclosed. A particular embodiment details the use of a waveguide launch PCB, a simplified waveguide interconnect, and one or more antenna launch PCBs that receive an RF signal via the waveguide interconnect and reroute and broadcast the RF signal to a final antenna structure. In a particular embodiment, the waveguide interconnect may be designed to be a simple molded and plated (or other low-cost manufactured) component. The antenna launch PCB needs no populated components and can be designed using only circuit traces, specifically waveguide receive sections, circuit traces to reroute the signals, and microstrip or stripline sections as the final antenna launch structure. The result is a modular design that allows for lower cost of a microstrip or stripline design and potential for a wider field of view using a single populated PCB.
The designs disclosed provide the ability to use a single, effectively universal launch board design that is paired with an interconnect design to one or several antennas. For example,
For example, in some embodiments, the antenna launch PCB 306 includes one or more waveguide receive sections configured to receive an RF signal from the waveguide launch PCB 302. The antenna launch PCB 306 also includes one or more circuit traces coupling the waveguide receive sections to the final antenna launch structure 308. The circuit traces reroute a received RF signal from the waveguide receive sections to the final antenna launch structure 308. The RF signal is then broadcast via the final antenna launch structure 308.
In some embodiments, the antenna launch PCB 306 is an unpopulated PCB. In other words, the antenna launch PCB 306 includes only circuit traces. Thus, the waveguide receive sections, the final antenna structure 308, and the interconnecting circuit traces are all embodied as circuit traces. Thus, only the waveguide launch PCB 302 includes populated components.
As most of the expensive components are located on the single launch board, an advantage to this design is that it can be common among many designs and provide the ability to leverage manufacturing cost benefits. Additionally, the interconnects can be manufactured as simple molded or plated (or other possibilities including stamped, etched, etc.) plates instead of the highly complex machined or molded shapes as shown in
For further explanation,
The method of
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In view of the explanations set forth above, readers will recognize that the benefits of designs according to the embodiments of the present disclosure include, but are not limited to:
Advantages and features of the present disclosure can be further described by the following statements:
1. A modular waveguide to printed circuit board (PCB) interconnected radar, the radar including: a waveguide launch PCB; a waveguide interconnect coupled to the waveguide launch PCB; and an antenna launch PCB coupled to the waveguide interconnect.
2. The radar of statement 1, wherein the antenna launch PCB is configured to: receive an RF signal via the waveguide interconnect; and broadcast the RF signal via a final antenna launch structure
3. The radar of statement 2 or statement 1, wherein the final antenna launch structure comprises one or more microstrip traces.
4. The radar of any of statements 1-3, wherein the final antenna launch structure comprises one or more stripline traces.
5. The radar of any of statements 1-4, wherein the antenna launch PCB comprises an unpopulated PCB.
6. The radar of any of statements 1-5, wherein the antenna launch PCB comprises one or more waveguide receive sections, a final antenna launch structure, and one or more circuit traces coupling the one or more waveguide receive sections to the final antenna launch structure.
7. The radar of any of statements 1-6, further comprising another antenna launch PCB coupled to the waveguide interconnect.
8. An apparatus for a modular waveguide to printed circuit board (PCB) interconnected radar, the apparatus including: a radar comprising: a waveguide launch PCB; a waveguide interconnect coupled to the waveguide launch PCB; and an antenna launch PCB coupled to the waveguide interconnect.
9. The apparatus of statement 8, wherein the antenna launch PCB is configured to: receive an RF signal via the waveguide interconnect; and broadcast the RF signal via a final antenna launch structure.
10. The apparatus of statement 9 or statement 8, wherein the final antenna launch structure comprises one or more microstrip traces.
11. The apparatus of any of statements 8-10, wherein the final antenna launch structure comprises one or more stripline traces.
12. The antenna of any of statements 8-11, wherein the antenna launch PCB comprises an unpopulated PCB.
13. The antenna of any of statements 8-12, wherein the antenna launch PCB comprises one or more waveguide receive sections, a final antenna launch structure, and one or more circuit traces coupling the one or more waveguide receive sections to the final antenna launch structure.
14. The antenna of any of statements 8-13, wherein the radar further comprises another antenna launch PCB coupled to the waveguide interconnect.
15. A method for a modular waveguide to printed circuit board (PCB) interconnected radar, the method including: receiving, by an antenna launch PCB, from a waveguide launch PCB via a waveguide interconnect, an RF signal; rerouting the RF signal to a final antenna structure of the antenna launch PCB; and broadcasting the RF signal via the final antenna structure.
16. The method of statement 15, wherein the final antenna launch structure comprises one or more microstrip traces.
17. The method of statement 16 or statement 15, wherein the final antenna launch structure comprises one or more stripline traces.
18. The method of any of statements 15-17, wherein the antenna launch PCB comprises an unpopulated PCB.
19. The method of any of statements 15-18, wherein the antenna launch PCB comprises one or more waveguide receive sections, a final antenna launch structure, and one or more circuit traces coupling the one or more waveguide receive sections to the final antenna launch structure.
20. The method of any of statements 15-19, wherein the method further comprises: receiving, by another antenna launch PCB, from the waveguide interconnect, the RF signal; rerouting the RF signal to another final antenna structure; and broadcasting the RF signal via the other final antenna structure.
One or more embodiments may be described herein with the aid of method steps illustrating the performance of specified functions and relationships thereof. The boundaries and sequence of these functional building blocks and method steps have been arbitrarily defined herein for convenience of description. Alternate boundaries and sequences can be defined so long as the specified functions and relationships are appropriately performed. Any such alternate boundaries or sequences are thus within the scope and spirit of the claims. Further, the boundaries of these functional building blocks have been arbitrarily defined for convenience of description. Alternate boundaries could be defined as long as the certain significant functions are appropriately performed. Similarly, flow diagram blocks may also have been arbitrarily defined herein to illustrate certain significant functionality.
To the extent used, the flow diagram block boundaries and sequence could have been defined otherwise and still perform the certain significant functionality. Such alternate definitions of both functional building blocks and flow diagram blocks and sequences are thus within the scope and spirit of the claims. One of average skill in the art will also recognize that the functional building blocks, and other illustrative blocks, modules and components herein, can be implemented as illustrated or by discrete components, application specific integrated circuits, processors executing appropriate software and the like or any combination thereof.
While particular combinations of various functions and features of the one or more embodiments are expressly described herein, other combinations of these features and functions are likewise possible. The present disclosure is not limited by the particular examples disclosed herein and expressly incorporates these other combinations.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/US2021/041564 | 7/14/2021 | WO |
Number | Date | Country | |
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63057610 | Jul 2020 | US |