Antenna structure for reducing beam squint and sidelobes

A method comprising:

• feeding a transmission array with a radar signal having a center frequency, wherein the transmission array transmits the radar signal based on a frequency-dependent transmission radiation pattern;
• receiving radar reflection signals by a reception array, wherein the reception array receives the reflection signals based on a frequency-dependent reception radiation pattern;
• and
• adjusting the center frequency from a first center frequency to a second center frequency, wherein an adjusting of the center frequency from the first center frequency to the second center frequency causes:
• the frequency-dependent transmission radiation pattern to tilt in a first direction, and
• the frequency-dependent reception radiation pattern to tilt in an opposite direction from the first direction.

A vehicle-mounted radar system comprising:

• a radar unit comprising:
• a plurality of transmission arrays each aligned as a vertically-oriented linear array, wherein each transmission array is configured having a frequency-dependent transmission radiation pattern, wherein each transmission array comprises a respective transmission feed waveguide connected to a bottom end of the transmission array;
• a plurality of reception arrays each aligned as a vertically-oriented linear array, wherein each reception array is configured having a frequency-dependent reception radiation pattern, wherein each reception array comprises a respective reception feed waveguide connected to a top end of the reception array;
• at least one transmitter configured to cause transmission of radar signals having a center frequency by the plurality of transmission arrays;
• at least one receiver configured to receive radar signals having the center frequency that are received by the plurality of reception arrays;
• and
• a processor configured to:
• process received radar signals from the at least one receiver, and
• adjust the center frequency from a first center frequency to a second center frequency;
• and
• wherein an adjusting of the center frequency from the first center frequency to the second center frequency causes:
• the frequency-dependent transmission radiation pattern of each transmission array to tilt in a first direction in an elevation plane, and
• the frequency-dependent reception radiation pattern of each reception array to tilt in an opposite direction from the first direction in the elevation plane, wherein the tilt in the first direction has approximately equal magnitude to the tilt in the opposite direction from the first direction.