# US 11,442,160 B2 · Multifunctional radar systems and methods of operation thereof

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- Number: US 11,442,160 B2
- Document ID: US11442160B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/866,194
- Filed: 2018-01-09
- Published: 2019-07-11
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2018-01-09
- Assignees: Infineon Technologies AG
- Applicants: Infineon Technologies AG
- Inventors: Ashutosh Baheti; Reinhard-Wolfgang Jungmaier; Saverio Trotta; Avik Santra
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11442160B2

## CPC

- G01S 13/88: Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications (electromagnetic prospecting or detecting of objects, e.g. near-field detection, G01V3/00)
- A61B 5/0205: Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
- A61B 5/1114: {Tracking parts of the body}
- A61B 5/1126: {using a particular sensing technique}
- A61B 5/308: for electrocardiography [ECG]
- A61B 5/6817: {Ear canal}
- G01S 7/032: {Constructional details for solid-state radar subsystems}
- G01S 7/415: {Identification of targets based on measurements of movement associated with the target}
- G01S 13/4463: {using phased arrays}
- G01S 13/723: {by using numerical data}
- G06F 3/017: {Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures (interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883)}
- H01Q 1/2283: {mounted in or on the surface of a semiconductor substrate as a chip-type antenna or integrated with other components into an IC package}
- H01Q 1/273: {Adaptation for carrying or wearing by persons or animals}
- H01Q 1/525: {between emitting and receiving antennas}
- H01Q 9/0457: {electromagnetically coupled to the feed line}
- G01S 7/028: {Miniaturisation, e.g. surface mounted device [SMD] packaging or housings}
- G01S 13/34: using transmission of continuous, frequency-modulated waves while heterodyning the received signal, or a signal derived therefrom, with a locally-generated signal related to the contemporaneously transmitted signal
- G01S 13/87: Combinations of radar systems, e.g. primary radar and secondary radar
- G01S 2013/0245: {Radar with phased array antenna}
- G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72)

## Abstract

A radar system includes a substrate, a first received antenna, a second receive antenna, and radio frequency (RF) circuitry. The substrate includes a first side and a second side. The first side is opposite the second side. The first receive antenna is disposed at the first side and is configured to receive a first reflected RF signal. The second receive antenna is configured to receive a second reflected RF signal. The RF circuitry is operatively coupled to the first receive antenna and the second receive antenna. The RF circuitry is configured to detect a first object located on the first side of the substrate according to the first reflected RF signal. The RF circuitry is further configured to detect biometric data from a second object located on the second side of the substrate according to the second reflected RF signal.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A radar system comprising:
a substrate comprising a first conductive layer at a first side of the substrate and a second conductive layer at a second side of the substrate, the substrate being a circuit board substrate or a wafer substrate, wherein the first side is opposite the second side;
a first receive antenna implemented in the first conductive layer and configured to receive a first reflected radio frequency (RF) signal;
a second receive antenna implemented in the second conductive layer and configured to receive a second reflected RF signal;
a ground plane region implemented in a third conductive layer within the substrate between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer;
RF circuitry operatively coupled to the first receive antenna and the second receive antenna, the RF circuitry being configured to
detect a first object located on the first side of the substrate according to the first reflected RF signal,
detect motion of the first object, and
detect biometric data from a second object located on the second side of the substrate according to the second reflected RF signal; and
wherein the radar system is configured to interpret the motion of the first object as a gesture for controlling the radar system.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The radar system of claim 1, wherein the radar system is part of an earphone device, a headphone device, a headset device, or an earbud device.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The radar system of claim 1, further comprising a digital signal processor (DSP) operatively coupled to the RF circuitry, the DSP being configured to process signals received from the RF circuitry and to interpret the motion of the first object as the gesture for controlling the radar system.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The radar system of claim 3, wherein the biometric data comprises a vital Doppler signal.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The radar system of claim 4, wherein the DSP is further configured to detect a heart rate according to the vital Doppler signal.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The radar system of claim 3, wherein the radar system is part of an electronic device, wherein the biometric data comprises a vital Doppler signal, and wherein the DSP is further configured to:
detect a heart rate signature according to the vital Doppler signal;
authenticate a user by comparing the heart rate signature to stored data; and
instruct the electronic device to perform a function associated with the gesture.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The radar system of claim 1, further comprising
transmitter front-end circuitry attached to the substrate, the transmitter front-end circuitry being configured to
transmit a first transmitted RF signal in a first direction away from the first side, wherein the first reflected RF signal is generated by the first transmitted RF signal, and
transmit a second transmitted RF signal in a second direction away from the second side, wherein the second reflected RF signal being generated by the second transmitted RF signal.

### Claim 8

A method of operating a radar system, the method comprising:
receiving, by a first receive antenna implemented in a first conductive layer at a first side of a substrate, a first reflected radio frequency (RF) signal, the substrate being a circuit board substrate or a wafer substrate;
detecting, by RF circuitry, a first object located on the first side of the substrate according to the first reflected RF signal, the RF circuitry being operatively coupled to the first receive antenna;
receiving, by a second receive antenna implemented in a second conductive layer at a second side of the substrate and operatively coupled to the RF circuitry, a second reflected RF signal;
shielding the first receive antenna from the second receive antenna using a ground plane region implemented in a third conductive layer within the substrate between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer;
detecting, by the RF circuitry, biometric data from a second object located on the second side of the substrate according to the second reflected RF signal, wherein the second side is opposite of the first side;
detecting, by the RF circuitry, motion of the first object; and
interpreting the motion of the first object as a gesture for controlling the radar system.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the radar system is an earphone device, a headphone device, a headset device, or an earbud device.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising:
processing, by a digital signal processor (DSP) operatively coupled to the RF circuitry, signals received from the RF circuitry.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the biometric data comprises a vital Doppler signal.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising:
detecting, by the DSP, a heart rate according to the vital Doppler signal.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein interpreting the motion of the first object as the gesture for controlling the radar system is performed by the DSP.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising:
transmitting, by transmitter front-end circuitry, a first transmitted RF signal in a first direction away from the first side, wherein the first reflected RF signal is generated by the first transmitted RF signal; and
transmitting, by the transmitted front-end circuitry, a second transmitted RF signal in a second direction away from the second side, wherein the second reflected RF signal being generated by the second transmitted RF signal.

### Claim 15

A radar system comprising:
a multilayer circuit board comprising a front side, a first conductive layer disposed within the multilayer circuit board at the front side, a back side opposite the front side, and a second conductive layer disposed within the multilayer circuit board at the back side;
an integrated circuit (IC) chip physically and electrically coupled to the back side of the multilayer circuit board, the IC chip comprising a radar system circuit and a digital signal processor (DSP);
a first receive antenna and a second receive antenna disposed at the front side and configured to receive a first reflected radio frequency (RF) signal, the first receive antenna and second receive antenna being operationally coupled to the radar system circuit and the DSP using transmission lines and interconnects implemented in the second conductive layer;
a flexible substrate comprising a proximal end coupled to the multilayer circuit board;
a third receive antenna disposed at a distal end of the flexible substrate and configured to receive a second reflected RF signal, the flexible substrate extending from the back side and bending so that the distal end including the third receive antenna is spatially separated from and vertically overlaps the back side;
a ground plane region implemented in the first conductive layer and configured to shield the first receive antenna and the second receive antenna from the third receive antenna; and
RF circuitry disposed in the radar system circuit and operatively coupled to the first receive antenna, the second receive antenna, the third receive antenna, and the DSP, the RF circuitry being configured to
detect a first object located on the front side of the multilayer circuit board according to the first reflected RF signal, and
detect biometric data from a second object located on the back side of the multilayer circuit board according to the second reflected RF signal.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The radar system of claim 15, wherein the radar system is part of an earphone device, a headphone device, a headset device, or an earbud device.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The radar system of claim 15, wherein:
the RF circuitry is further configured to detect motion of the first object; and
the DSP is configured to process signals received from the RF circuitry and to interpret the motion of the first object as a gesture for controlling the radar system.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The radar system of claim 17, wherein the radar system is part of an electronic device, wherein the biometric data comprises a vital Doppler signal, wherein the DSP is further configured to:
detect a heart rate signature according to the vital Doppler signal;
authenticate a user by comparing the heart rate signature to stored data; and
instruct the electronic device to perform a function associated with the gesture.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The radar system of claim 15, wherein the DSP is configured to process signals received from the RF circuitry.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The radar system of claim 19, wherein the biometric data comprises a vital Doppler signal.

### Claim 21

A method of operating a radar system, the method comprising:
receiving, by a first receive antenna implemented in a first conductive layer at a first side of a substrate, a first reflected radio frequency (RF) signal, the substrate being a circuit board substrate or a wafer substrate;
detecting, by RF circuitry, a first object located on the first side of the substrate according to the first reflected RF signal, the RF circuitry being operatively coupled to the first receive antenna;
receiving, by a second receive antenna implemented in a second conductive layer at a second side of the substrate and operatively coupled to the RF circuitry, a second reflected RF signal;
shielding the first receive antenna from the second receive antenna using a ground plane region implemented in a third conductive layer within the substrate between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer;
detecting, by the RF circuitry, biometric data from a second object located on the second side of the substrate according to the second reflected RF signal, wherein the second side is opposite of the first side; and
wherein the radar system is an earphone device, a headphone device, a headset device, or an earbud device.
