Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-gtxcr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-19T09:47:15.467Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Digital-beam-forming extension for a two-channel E-band FMCW-sensor

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 January 2013

Markus Goppelt ,
Peter Feil  and
Winfried Mayer
Markus Goppelt*
Affiliation:
Continental AG, Maria-Merian-Straße 2b, 85521 Ottobrunn, Germany
Peter Feil
Affiliation:
Cassidian Ulm, Wörthstraße 85, 89077 Ulm, Germany
Winfried Mayer
Affiliation:
Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG, Hauptstraße 1, 79689 Maulburg, Germany
*
Corresponding author: Markus Goppelt Email: markus.goppelt@gmx.net
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

A general purpose two-channel Frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW)-sensor in E-band is extended to a digital-beam-forming (DBF) system. The hardware extension contains a transmit multiplexer, which allows switching of the (DBF) transmit signal of the sensor to any of 32 linearly arranged waveguide antennae. To maintain the spatial sampling condition by λ/2 element distance, the antenna ports are arranged in the E-plane. The ports can directly radiate or serve as primary radiators of a cylindrical dielectric lens focusing in the H-plane. By realizing the hardware extension based on a metal-backed substrate, some novel radio frequency (RF) structures became necessary. One of these structures is a special twisting microstrip-to-waveguide-transition to connect the switching matrix to waveguide ports arranged in the E-plane. Key elements of the multiplexer are commercially available pin-diode-based MMIC-switches in microstrip technology. To lower the inductance of the interconnects, they are embedded in cavities in the metal-backed RF-substrate. RF interconnects between the sensor and the extension are all done with waveguide ports. Further interconnects between the module and the extension are low-frequency or digital and are led via cables and removable plugs. Both module and extension can be powered separately. This gives an easily mountable extension for making a two-dimensional (2D) DBF sensor out of a 1D FMCW-sensor.

Keywords

Radar architecture and systemsRadar applications
Type
Industrial and Engineering Paper
Information
International Journal of Microwave and Wireless Technologies , Volume 5 , Special Issue 1: Special Issue on the German RoCC Project , February 2013 , pp. 85 - 90
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and the European Microwave Association 2013

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

[1]Winkel, R.; Hahn, M.; Augustin, C.; Nienhaus, K.: Using high performance 2D radar for mine equipment automation and obstacle detection, in CIM ICMAPCOM, Vancouver, BC, Canada, 2010, 76–83.Google Scholar
[2]Widzyk-Capehart, E.; Brooker, G.; Scheding, S.; Hennessy, R.; Maclean, A.; Lobsey, C.: Application of millimetre wave radar sensor to environment mapping in surface mining. in Ninth Int. Conf. on Control, Automation, Robotics and Vision, ICARCV, December 2006, 173–178.Google Scholar
[3]Winkel, R.; Nienhaus, K.; Mayer, W.; Gronau, A.; Menzel, W.: An experimental study on using electronically scanning microwave radar systems on surface mining machines, in IEEE Radar 2007, Proc., April 2007, 509–512.Google Scholar
[4]Mayer, W.; Buntz, S.; Leier, H.; Menzel, W.: Imaging radar sensor front-end with a large transmit array, in European Radar Conf. (EuRad), Conf. Proc. Bd. 3, 2004, 153–156.Google Scholar
[5]Mayer, W.; Gronau, A.; Menzel, W.; Leier, H.: A compact 24 GHz sensor for beam-forming and imaging, in Ninth Int. Conf. on Control, Automation, Robotics and Vision, ICARCV, December 2006, 153–158.Google Scholar
[6]Feil, P.; Migliaccio, C.; Kraus, T.; Menzel, W.: Short range mm-wave imaging and applications, presentation on Topical Meeting of ITG-Fachausschuss Mikrowellentechnik, University of Erlangen, Germany, October 2009.Google Scholar
[7]Feil, P.; Chaloun, T.: Active Switched Antenna Array for 77 GHz Digital Beam-forming Radar, Proceedings of the 5th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EUCAP), 2011, 2951–2953Google Scholar
[8](Taconic advanced dielectric division: a new low loss, laser ablatable substrate for microwave circuitry), Microw J., (2004), 104–110.Google Scholar
[9]MILL-MAX: Discrete Spring Loaded Contacts 0922.Google Scholar
[10]CST Microwave Studio 2008.Google Scholar
[11]Schulwitz, L.; Mortazawi, A.: Miniature dual polarized L-shaped horn antenna array for broadband millimeter-wave electronically scanned arrays, in Proc. EuCAP, Nice, France, November 2006.Google Scholar
[12]Xu, F.; and Wu, K.: Guided-wave and leakage characteristics of substrate integrated waveguide. IEEE Trans. Microw. Theory Tech., 53 (1) (2005), 66–73.Google Scholar
[13]Feil, P.; Bauer, F.: Two right-angle microstrip to waveguide transitions suitable for metal backed substrates, in Proc. Int. Conf. on Electromagnetics in Advanced Applications, (2010), 450–453.Google Scholar