RCS REDUCTION SURFACE, RCS REDUCTION MEMBER, AND RADAR TEST SYSTEM

Abstract

An RCS reduction surface for reducing a radar cross section of an object is described. The RCS reduction surface comprises at least one absorber portion, wherein the absorber portion is configured to absorb radar waves. The RCS reduction surface further comprises at least one reflecting portion, wherein the reflecting portion is configured to reflect radar waves. A first plane being associated with a top surface of the absorber portion and a second plane being associated with a top surface of the reflecting portion are spaced from each other by a predefined distance. The predefined distance is configured such that radar waves with a predefined wavelength range that are reflected at the absorber portion and at the surface of the reflecting portion interfere destructively with each other. Further, an RCS reduction member and a radar test system are described

Claims

1. An RCS reduction surface for reducing a radar cross section of an object, said RCS reduction surface comprising: at least one absorber portion, said absorber portion being configured to absorb radar waves; and at least one reflecting portion, said reflecting portion being configured to reflect radar waves, wherein a first plane being associated with a top surface of said absorber portion and a second plane being associated with a top surface of said reflecting portion are spaced from each other by a predefined distance, and wherein said predefined distance is configured such that radar waves with a predefined wavelength range that are reflected at said absorber portion and at said reflecting portion interfere destructively with each other

2. The RCS reduction surface of claim 1, wherein said predefined distance is dependent on a wavelength of said radar waves.

3. The RCS reduction surface of claim 2, wherein said predefined distance is equal to $\frac{2n+1}{4}{\lambda }_0,$ or equal to $\frac{2n+1}{4}{\lambda }_0.Math.\cos \left(\theta \right),$ wherein λ.sub.0 is the wavelength of said radar waves in air, wherein θ is a predefined incident angle, and wherein n is an integer bigger than or equal to zero.

4. The RCS reduction surface according to claim 1, wherein the absorber portion is established as a destructive interference absorber, as a loss-based absorber, and/or as a metamaterial-based absorber.

5. The RCS reduction surface according to claim 1, wherein the absorber portion has a predefined thickness, wherein said predefined thickness is dependent on a wavelength of said radar waves, particularly dependent on an incident angle.

6. The RCS reduction surface of claim 5, wherein said predefined thickness is equal to $\frac{2m+1}{4}{\lambda }_{abs}\mathrm{or}\mathrm{to}\mathrm{to}\frac{2m+1}{4}{\lambda }_{abs}.Math.\cos \left(\theta \right),$ wherein λ.sub.abs is the wavelength of said radar waves within said absorber portion, wherein θ is said incident angle, and wherein m is an integer bigger than or equal to zero.

7. The RCS reduction surface according to claim 1, wherein a total area of the at least one absorber portion and a total area of the at least one reflecting portion have a predefined ratio, wherein said predefined ratio is dependent on an absorbance of said at least one absorber portion.

8. The RCS reduction surface according to claim 1, wherein a total area of portions being covered with absorber material and a total area of portions being covered with reflecting material have a predefined ratio, wherein said predefined ratio is dependent on an absorbance of said at least one absorber portion.

9. The RCS reduction surface according to claim 7, wherein said predefined ratio is configured such that an overall intensity of a radar wave that is reflected by said RCS reduction surface is minimized.

10. The RCS reduction surface according to claim 9, wherein a summed intensity of radar waves reflected at the at least one absorber portion is equal to a summed intensity of radar waves reflected at the at least one reflecting portion.

11. The RCS reduction surface according to claim 1, comprising several absorber portions, and several reflecting portions, wherein said absorber portions and said reflecting portions are arranged in local clusters.

12. The RCS reduction surface according to claim 1, comprising several portions being covered with an absorber material, and several portions being covered with an reflecting material, wherein said portions being covered with said absorber material and said portions being covered with said reflecting material are arranged in local clusters

13. The RCS reduction surface according to claim 1, wherein the radar waves reflected at said absorber portion comprise contributions of radar waves reflected at a reflective material below a absorber material.

14. An RCS reduction member, comprising an RCS reduction surface according to claim 1.

15. A radar test system, comprising at least one radar test antenna, wherein at least one surface of said radar test system is covered with an RCS reduction surface according to claim 1

16. A radar test system, comprising at least one radar test antenna, wherein at least one surface of said radar test system includes an RCS reduction member according to claim 14.

17. The radar test system according to claim 15, wherein said radar test system comprises an antenna array having several radar test antennas.

18. The radar test system according to claim 15, further comprising a device under test, wherein said device under test comprises a radar system, and wherein a surface of said at least one radar test antenna or a surface of said antenna array facing said device under test is covered with said RCS reduction surface.

19. The radar test system according to claim 16, further comprising a device under test, wherein said device under test comprises a radar system, and wherein a surface of said at least one radar test antenna or a surface of said antenna array facing said device under test includes said RCS reduction member.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0056] The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of disclosed subject matter will become more readily appreciated as the same become better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0057] FIG. 1 schematically shows a representative radar system according to one or more principles of the present disclosure;

[0058] FIG. 2 schematically shows a cross section of an RCS reduction member according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0059] FIG. 3 show diagrams of a reflectivity of (a) a reflecting portion, (b) of an absorber portion, and (c) of an RCS reduction surface according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0060] FIG. 4 schematically shows a cross section of an RCS reduction member according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0061] The detailed description set forth above in connection with the appended drawings, where like numerals reference like elements, are intended as a description of various embodiments of the present disclosure and are not intended to represent the only embodiments. Each embodiment described in this disclosure is provided merely as an example or illustration and should not be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. The illustrative examples provided herein are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise forms disclosed. Similarly, any steps described herein may be interchangeable with other steps, or combinations of steps, in order to achieve the same or substantially similar result. Moreover, some of the method steps can be carried serially or in parallel, or in any order unless specifically expressed or understood in the context of other method steps.

[0062] In the foregoing description, specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art, however, that the embodiments disclosed herein may be practiced without embodying all of the specific details. In some instances, well-known process steps have not been described in detail in order not to unnecessarily obscure various aspects of the present disclosure. Further, it will be appreciated that embodiments of the present disclosure may employ any combination of features described herein.

[0063] For the purposes of the present disclosure, the phrase “at least one of A and B” is equivalent to “A and/or B” or vice versa, namely “A” alone, “B” alone or “A and B.”. Similarly, the phrase “at least one of A, B, and C,” for example, means (A), (B), (C), (A and B), (A and C), (B and C), or (A, B, and C), including all further possible permutations when greater than three elements are listed.

[0064] FIG. 1 schematically shows a representative radar test system 10 comprising a device under test 12 and an antenna array 14. It is noted that the device under test 12 is illustrated only abstractly in FIG. 1, as the device under test 12 may actually be established as one of several different types of radar devices. For example, the device under test 12 may be a radar device that is built into a vehicle, for example into a car or a truck.

[0065] In some embodiments, the device under test 12 may be part of a driver assistance system, such as a distance assistant or a night view assistants, or of an autonomous driving system of the vehicle. However, the explanations given in the following generally also apply to other types of devices under test 12 and/or to other vehicles, such as airplanes or ships.

[0066] In general, the entire concept described herein can be used in many different fields that deal with (planar or differently shaped) antennas or antenna structures as well as radar cross section (RCS) reduction. In some embodiments, any disturbance due to a high radar cross section of the antenna (structure) can be minimized or rather avoided in an appropriate manner.

[0067] In general, the device under test 12 comprises at least one radar antenna 16 that is configured to transmit and/or receive radio waves in at least one predefined frequency spectrum. In some embodiments, the at least one predefined frequency spectrum comprises at least one frequency band between 1 GHz and 150 GHz. For example, the at least one predefined frequency spectrum comprises a frequency band between 60 GHz and 90 GHz, for example between 76 GHz and 77 GHz and/or between 77 GHz and 81 GHz, which are typically used for automotive radar systems. Hence, the frequency range for automotive radar testing may be used in some embodiments. Of course, the device under test 12 may comprise several radar antennas 16 that are each configured to transmit and/or receive radar waves.

[0068] The antenna array 14 of the test system 10 comprises several radar test antennas 18 that are configured to transmit and/or receive radio waves in at least one predefined frequency band. In some embodiments, the antennas 18 are configured to transmit and/or receive radio waves in the same frequency band as the at least one radar antenna 16 of the device under test 12.

[0069] In general, the radar test system 10 is configured to conduct certain tests on the device under test 12. For example, the radar test system 10 is configured to simulate a radar target for the device under test 12. Accordingly, the radar test system 10 comprises a radar target simulator.

[0070] Accordingly, the device under test 12 may generate a radar signal by the antenna 16. The radar signal is received via the individual antennas 18 of the antenna array 14. The antennas 18 generate corresponding input signals, which are then forwarded to an evaluation circuit 20 and/or to a control circuit 22 that are connected to the antenna array 14 in a signal transmitting manner.

[0071] In some embodiments, the evaluation circuit 20 and the control circuit 22 may be established by a single circuit, namely a control and/or analysis circuit, for example a control and/or analysis device. The evaluation circuit 20 analyzes the input signal received from the antenna array 14 and determines a suitable response signal to be generated via the antenna array 14. The control circuit 22 then controls the antenna array 14 to generate and transmit the response signal over the air.

[0072] The response signal are then received via the antenna 16 of the device under test 12, and may be evaluated by the device under test 12, e.g., by an evaluation circuit of the device under test 12, thereby generating measurement data. By reading out the measurement data generated by the device under test 12, the performance of the device under test 12 can be evaluated.

[0073] Radar test systems as the one described above usually face the problem that there are additional perturbation signals that result from reflections within the radar test system 10, for example from reflections at the antenna array 14. For example, the radar signal generated by the device under test 12 may be reflected at a surface of the antenna array 14 facing the device under test 12. Thus, the device under test 12 does not only receive the response signal that is generated by the antenna array 14 when simulating an appropriate target for testing purposes, but also the additional perturbation signals due to the reflections at the antenna array 14.

[0074] In order to minimize these perturbations, the antenna array 14 comprises an RCS reduction member 24 having an RCS reduction surface 25 on a side of the antenna array 14 that is facing the device under test 12. The RCS reduction member 24 is shown in more detail in FIG. 2, which shows a cross-section of the RCS reduction member 24.

[0075] The RCS reduction member 24 or rather the RCS reduction surface 25 comprises a first absorber portion 26, a second absorber portion 28, and a reflecting portion 30. The reflecting portion 30 is provided in a center region of the antenna array 14, namely in a region surrounding the antennas 18 of the antenna array 14. The absorber portions 26, 28 are each provided at an outer region of the antenna array 14 spanning from the reflecting portion 30 to the edges of the antenna array 14.

[0076] In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the RCS reduction member 24 is mounted directly to a surface of a base plate 32 of the antenna array 14, e.g., by at least one of gluing, riveting, bolting, etc. However, it is to be understood that the RCS reduction member 24 may also comprise a carrier layer to which the RCS reduction surface, i.e., the absorber portions 26, 28 and the reflecting portion 30, may be mounted.

[0077] In general, the first absorber portion 26 and the second absorber portion 28 each are formed as a layer of absorber material that is configured to absorb or rather attenuate radar waves. Therein, the absorber material may be any suitable material known in the state of the art or future developed.

[0078] Generally, the absorber material may be configured as a destructive interference absorber, as a loss-based absorber, and/or as a metamaterial-based absorber. Accordingly, the absorber portions 26, 28 may be configured to attenuate radar waves by destructive interference.

[0079] Alternatively or additionally, the absorber portions 26, 28 attenuate radar waves by attenuation due to electromagnetic losses when the radar waves propagate through the respective material. Furthermore, a combination of both may be used, namely a combination of destructive interference and electromagnetic losses.

[0080] Moreover, the absorber material may be a metamaterial that has the respective characteristics used for attenuating the radar waves.

[0081] Without restriction of generality, the case of a destructive interference absorber will be described in the following. The first absorber portion 26 and the second absorber portion 28 each have a predefined thickness d.sub.abs. The predefined thickness d.sub.abs is chosen based on a wavelength of the radar waves that are to be absorbed or rather attenuated.

[0082] In some embodiments, the predefined thickness d.sub.abs is chosen dependent on the wavelength of the radar waves within the absorber material, such that radar waves that are reflected at a top surface of the respective absorber portions 26, 28 (i.e., at the boundary between air and the absorber material) and radar waves that are reflected at a bottom surface of the absorber portion 26, 28 (i.e., at the boundary between the absorber material and the base plate 32) cancel each other at least partially due to destructive interference.

[0083] Accordingly, the predefined thickness d.sub.abs is an odd integer multiple of

[00005]$\frac{{\lambda }_{abs}}{4},$

wherein λ.sub.abs is the wavelength of the radar waves within the absorber material. Thus, the predefined thickness d.sub.abs is given by

[00006]$d_{abs}=\frac{2m+1}{4}{\lambda }_{\mathrm{abs}},$

[0084] wherein m is an integer bigger than or equal to zero.

[0085] It is noted that this is the correct formula if the radar waves to be attenuated are perpendicular to the surface of the respective absorber portion 26, 28 in boresight direction A.

[0086] If the radar waves to be absorbed are under an angle θ, then the predefined thickness may have to be adjusted to

[00007]$\frac{2m+1}{4}{\lambda }_{abs}.Math.\cos \left(\theta \right).$

[0087] If the radar waves do not have a constant wavelength, e.g. because the device under test 12 generates radar waves with a chirp, an average wavelength of the radar waves may be used. Usually, the wavelength deviation of the radar waves due to the chirp is small compared to the absolute wavelength, and thus the wavelength deviation affects the destructive interference described above only marginally.

[0088] Thus, without restriction of generality, the wavelength of the radar waves will be treated as being constant in the following.

[0089] In general, the reflecting portion 30 is configured to reflect radar waves. Accordingly, the reflecting portion 30 may consist of a radar reflecting material, such as a suitable metal.

[0090] Alternatively, a top surface of the reflecting portion 30 may be coated with a radar reflecting material, e.g. with a suitable metal.

[0091] The reflecting portion 30, or rather a top surface of the reflecting portion 30, has a predefined distance Δd with respect to the top surfaces of the absorber portions 26, 28.

[0092] More precisely, a plane E.sub.1 being associated with the top surfaces of the absorber portions 26, 28 and a plane E.sub.2 being associate with a top surface of the reflecting portion 30 are spaced apart from each other by the predefined distance M.

[0093] Therein, the predefined distance Δd is chosen such that radar waves that are reflected at the absorber portions 26, 28, for example at the top surface of the absorber portions 26, 28, and radar waves that are reflected at the top surface of the reflecting portion 30 (i.e. at the boundary between air and metal) cancel each other at least partially due to destructive interference.

[0094] Accordingly, the predefined distance Δd is an odd integer multiple

[00008]$\frac{{\lambda }_0}{4},$

wherein λ.sub.0 is the wavelength of the radar waves within the absorber material. Thus, the predefined distance Δd is given by

[00009]$\Delta d=\frac{2n+1}{4}{\lambda }_{\mathrm{abs}},$

[0095] wherein n is an integer bigger than or equal to zero.

[0096] It is noted that this is the correct formula if the radar waves to be attenuated are perpendicular to the surface of the respective absorber portions 26, 28 and the reflecting portion 30, i.e. in boresight direction A.

[0097] If the radar waves that are to be attenuated are under an angle θ, then the predefined distance may have to be adjusted to

[00010]$\Delta d=\frac{2n+1}{4}{\lambda }_0.Math.\cos \left(\theta \right).$

[0098] Without restriction of generality, the case of the radar waves to be attenuated inciding in boresight direction A will be described in the following.

[0099] Due to the conditions on the predefined distance Δd and the predefined thickness d.sub.abs described above, the reflecting portion 30 must have a thickness d.sub.ref=d.sub.abs±Δd.

[0100] It is noted that only the case d.sub.ref=d.sub.abs−Δd is shown in FIG. 2, i.e. the case where the thickness d.sub.ref of the reflecting portion 30 is smaller than the thickness d.sub.abs of the absorber portions 26, 28.

[0101] However, the case d.sub.ref=d.sub.abs+Δd is also conceivable, wherein the reflecting portion 30 is thicker than the absorber portions 26, 28.

[0102] In order to minimize an overall intensity of radar waves that are reflected by the RCS reduction surface 25 in boresight direction A, a total area of the absorber portions 26, 28 and a total area of the reflecting portion(s) 30 have a predefined ratio.

[0103] In general, an overall intensity of radar waves reflected at the absorber portions 26, 28 (after attenuation due to the absorber material and due to the destructive interference between the radar waves reflected at the top surface and at the bottom surface of the absorber portions 26, 28 described above) has to match an overall intensity of radar waves that are reflected at the reflecting portion 30 in order to minimize the overall intensity of radar waves reflected by the RCS reduction surface 25.

[0104] Thus, the predefined ratio depends on an absorbance of the absorber material of the absorber portions 26, 28.

[0105] The overall surface area of the absorber portions 26, 28 and the overall surface area of the reflecting portion(s) 30, and thus the predefined ratio, may be determined via a simulation of the radar test system 10, or rather a simulation of the radar properties of the RCS reduction member 24, for example of the RCS reduction surface 25.

[0106] FIG. 3a, 3b, 3c show the respective simulations of a reflectivity of the reflecting portion(s) 30 (FIG. 3a), a reflectivity of the absorber portion(s) 26, 28 (FIG. 3b), and a reflectivity of the resulting RCS reduction member 24 (FIG. 3c).

[0107] As can clearly be seen in FIG. 3, the reflectivity of the RCS reduction surface 24 has a local minimum in boresight direction, i.e. at θ=0.

[0108] For example, a reflectivity ratio between a reflectivity of the absorber portion(s) 26, 28 and a reflectivity of the reflecting portion(s) 30 may be determined based on the simulations.

[0109] Then, the predefined ratio concerning the areas may be determined based on the reflectivity ratio obtained from the simulations.

[0110] In some embodiments, a RCS ratio between a radar cross section of the absorber portions 26, 28 and a radar cross section of the reflecting portion(s) 30 may be determined based on the reflectivity ratio, and the predefined ratio may be determined based on the RCS ratio.

[0111] Moreover, FIG. 3 shows that the angular reflectivity is homogenized in an angular area about the boresight direction at θ=0 compared to the reflectivity of the reflecting portion(s) 30 (FIG. 3a) and the reflectivity of the absorber portion(s) 26, 28 (FIG. 3b).

[0112] In a similar manner, the ratio may be determined based on the absorbance of the reflecting portions(s) 30 and the absorbance of the absorber portions(s) 30 since the absorbance can be unambiguously determined based on the reflectivity and vice versa.

[0113] Alternatively, the predefined ratio may be determined in suitable experiments.

[0114] FIG. 4 shows a further embodiment of the RCS reduction member 24 and of the RCS reduction surface 25, wherein only the differences compared to the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 are described in the following.

[0115] The RCS reduction member 24 or rather the RCS reduction surface 25 comprises several local clusters 34 that each comprise a first absorbing portion 26, a second absorbing portion 28 and/or a reflecting portion 30.

[0116] Otherwise, the explanations given above also apply to the embodiment of the RCS reduction member 24 and of the RCS reduction surface shown in FIG. 3.

[0117] In some embodiments, a total area of the absorber portions 26, 28 and a total area of the reflecting portion(s) 30 of each local cluster 34 may each have the predefined ratio explained above in order to minimize an overall intensity of radar waves reflected by the RCS reduction surface.

[0118] Alternatively, the total area of the absorber portions 26, 28 and a total area of the reflecting portion(s) 30 of each local cluster 34 may have a ratio that is different for each local cluster 34.

[0119] It is noted that while the RCS reduction member 24 and the RCS reduction surface 25 are described in the context of the radar test system 10, or more precisely in the context of the antenna array 14, the RCS reduction member 24 and the RCS reduction surface 25 are not limited to that particular application.

[0120] In principle, surfaces of arbitrary objects could be provided with the RCS reduction surface 25 in order to reduce their radar cross section, for example outer surfaces of land vehicles, airplanes, or ships.

[0121] Moreover, while the outer surfaces of the RCS reduction surface 25 are depicted as flat in FIGS. 1 to 3, the outer surfaces of the RCS reduction surface 25 may also be curved and/or cornered.

[0122] In general, the absorber portion(s) 26, 28 may be located on the material of the reflection portion(s) 30 such that the predefined thickness d.sub.abs of the absorber portion(s) 26, 28 corresponds to the predefined distance Δd.

[0123] In other words, the material of the reflection portion(s) 30 establishes a base material on which the material of the absorber portion(s) 26, 28 is located partly, thereby establishing the respective absorber portion(s) 26, 28 and the reflection portion(s) 30. In some embodiments, this is also illustrated by the dashed line in FIGS. 2 and 3 which indicates the second plane E.sub.2 that is associated with the top surface of the reflecting portion(s) 30. Generally, the concept simplifies the manufacturing process of the RCS reduction surface 25 as well as the RCS reduction member 24 since the material of the reflection portion(s) 30 is provided on the base plate 32, on which the material of the reflection portion(s) 30 is applied partly.

[0124] However, any reflection contribution from the reflective material under the absorber portion(s) 30 is also considered when identifying the predefined ratio that determines the overall intensity of radar waves reflected by the RCS reduction surface 25.

[0125] Certain embodiments disclosed herein utilize circuitry (e.g., one or more circuits) in order to implement standards, protocols, methodologies or technologies disclosed herein, operably couple two or more components, generate information, process information, analyze information, generate signals, encode/decode signals, convert signals, transmit and/or receive signals, control other devices, etc. Circuitry of any type can be used.

[0126] In an embodiment, circuitry includes, among other things, one or more computing devices such as a processor (e.g., a microprocessor), a central processing unit (CPU), a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a system on a chip (SoC), or the like, or any combinations thereof, and can include discrete digital or analog circuit elements or electronics, or combinations thereof. In an embodiment, circuitry includes hardware circuit implementations (e.g., implementations in analog circuitry, implementations in digital circuitry, and the like, and combinations thereof).

[0127] In an embodiment, circuitry includes combinations of circuits and computer program products having software or firmware instructions stored on one or more computer readable memories that work together to cause a device to perform one or more protocols, methodologies or technologies described herein. In an embodiment, circuitry includes circuits, such as, for example, microprocessors or portions of microprocessor, that require software, firmware, and the like for operation. In an embodiment, circuitry includes one or more processors or portions thereof and accompanying software, firmware, hardware, and the like.

[0128] The present application may reference quantities and numbers. Unless specifically stated, such quantities and numbers are not to be considered restrictive, but exemplary of the possible quantities or numbers associated with the present application. Also in this regard, the present application may use the term “plurality” to reference a quantity or number. In this regard, the term “plurality” is meant to be any number that is more than one, for example, two, three, four, five, etc. The terms “about”, “approximately”, “near” etc., mean plus or minus 5% of the stated value.

[0129] Throughout this specification, terms of art may be used. These terms are to take on their ordinary meaning in the art from which they come, unless specifically defined herein or the context of their use would clearly suggest otherwise.

[0130] The principles, representative embodiments, and modes of operation of the present disclosure have been described in the foregoing description. However, aspects of the present disclosure, which are intended to be protected, are not to be construed as limited to the particular embodiments disclosed. Further, the embodiments described herein are to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. It will be appreciated that variations and changes may be made by others, and equivalents employed, without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it is expressly intended that all such variations, changes, and equivalents fall within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as claimed.