Position sensor and position encoder using millimeter-wave metamaterial with a millimeter-wave radar

Abstract

A rotation sensor system includes a rotatable target object configured to rotate about a rotational axis in a rotation direction; a first millimeter-wave (mm-wave) metamaterial track coupled to the rotatable target object, where the first mm-wave metamaterial track is arranged around the rotational axis, and where the first mm-wave metamaterial track includes a first array of elementary structures having at least one first characteristic that changes around a perimeter of the first mm-wave metamaterial track; at least one transmitter configured to transmit a first electro-magnetic transmit signal towards the first mm-wave metamaterial track, where the first mm-wave metamaterial track converts the first electro-magnetic transmit signal into a first electro-magnetic receive signal; at least one receiver configured to receive the first electro-magnetic receive signal; and at least one processor configured to determine a rotational parameter of the rotatable target object based on the received first electro-magnetic receive signal.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.