Radar system for use in a vehicle comprising a rotary joint where a non-rotational unit is fixed to the vehicle and a rotational unit includes antennas configured for use with radar signals

A vehicle comprising:

• a computing device;
• a radar unit couple to the vehicle, wherein the radar unit comprises:
• a non-rotational unit having a first waveguide section, wherein the non-rotational unit is coupled to the vehicle at a fixed position;
• a rotational unit having a second waveguide section;
• and
• a rotary joint having a bearing waveguide located in a center portion of a rotational bearing of the rotary joint,
• wherein the rotational bearing is configured to allow the rotational unit to rotate with respect to the non-rotational unit,
• wherein the bearing waveguide is aligned with the first waveguide section and the second waveguide section such that electromagnetic signals are able to propagate between the rotational unit and the non-rotational unit, and
• wherein the rotational unit includes one or more antennas configured to transmit the electromagnetic signals as radar signals.

A method comprising:

• coupling electromagnetic signals between a non-rotational unit and a rotational unit via a rotary joint,
• wherein the non-rotational unit includes a first waveguide section, the rotational unit includes a second waveguide section, and the rotary joint includes a bearing waveguide located in a center portion of a rotational bearing of the rotary joint,
• wherein the rotational bearing is configured to allow the rotational unit to rotate with respect to the non-rotational unit and the non-rotational unity is coupled to a vehicle at a fixed position, and
• wherein the bearing waveguide is aligned with the first waveguide section and the second waveguide section such that electromagnetic signals are able to propagate between the rotational unit and the non-rotational unit;
• and
• causing one or more antennas to transmit the electromagnetic signals as radar signals, wherein the one or more antennas are located on the rotational unit.