# US 12,009,581 B2 · Antenna device for emitting and receiving electromagnetic waves > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,009,581 B2 - Document ID: US12009581B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/859,711 - Filed: 2022-07-07 - Published: 2022-10-27 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2020-01-30 - Assignees: Alps Alpine Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Alps Alpine Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Marten Waern; Martin Carlsson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12009581B2 ## CPC - H01Q 1/3241: {particular used in keyless entry systems} - G01S 13/56: for presence detection {(presence detection using near field arrangements G01V3/00, e.g. G01V3/08, G01V3/12; burglar, theft or intruder alarms with electrical actuation G08B13/22 - G08B13/26)} - H01Q 1/3283: {side-mounted antennas, e.g. bumper-mounted, door-mounted (mounted on windscreens H01Q1/1271)} - H01Q 15/16: curved in two dimensions [2D], e.g. paraboloidal - H01Q 19/132: {Horn reflector antennas; Off-set feeding} - G01S 2013/93275: {in the bumper area} - H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72) - 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 ## Abstract An antenna device (100) includes an antenna element (102) for emitting and receiving electromagnetic waves, a reflector (104) for reflecting the electromagnetic waves emitted from the antenna element (102), and a substrate (106) on which the antenna element (102) and the reflector (104) are positioned. The substrate (106) defines a main extension plane (108) extending along a horizontal direction (Y) and a lateral direction (X), wherein a vertical direction (Z) extends perpendicular to the horizontal direction (Y) and the lateral direction (X), and thus perpendicular to the main extension plane (108). The reflector (104) has a concave shape (112) in the vertical direction (Z) thereby spatially narrowing in the vertical direction (Z) the electromagnetic waves emitted by the antenna element (102), and has a convex shape (110) in the horizontal direction (Y) thereby spatially widening in the horizontal direction (Y) the electromagnetic waves emitted by the antenna element (102). ## Claims ### Claim 1 An antenna device comprising: an antenna element configured to emit and receive electromagnetic waves; a reflector configured to reflect the electromagnetic waves emitted from the antenna element; and a substrate defining a main extension plane extending along a horizontal direction (Y) and a lateral direction (X), both of the reflector and the antenna element being positioned on the main extension plane of the substrate, a vertical direction (Z) extending perpendicular to the horizontal direction (Y) and the lateral direction (X), and thus perpendicular to the main extension plane of the substrate, wherein the reflector is configured to spatially narrow in the vertical direction (Z), and spatially widen in the horizontal direction (Y), the electromagnetic waves emitted by the antenna element, and wherein the reflector has a concave shape in the vertical direction (Z), thereby spatially narrowing, in the vertical direction (Z), the electromagnetic waves emitted by the antenna element upon reflection at the reflector, and the reflector has a convex shape in the horizontal direction (Y), thereby spatially widening, in the horizontal direction (Y), the electromagnetic waves emitted by the antenna element upon reflection at the reflector. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An automotive sensor for detecting a movement of an object, the sensor comprising: the antenna device according to claim 1; and a detection unit configured to detect a movement of the object based on electromagnetic waves emitted and received by the antenna element. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The automotive sensor according to claim 2, wherein the concave shape of the reflector has an imaginary focal spot, which is located towards the antenna element, and wherein the reflector due to the convex shape in the horizontal direction (Y) bends away from the antenna element in horizontal direction (Y). ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The automotive sensor according to claim 2, wherein the reflector has at least one of: a parabolic shape in the vertical direction (Z) with a focal length that is selected from the range of 3 mm to 10 mm; and an at least partially U-shape in the horizontal direction (Y), wherein the U-shape has a radius, which is selected from the range of 1 mm to 10 mm. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The automotive sensor according to claim 2, wherein the antenna element is configured to emit radar signals, and to receive radar signals reflected from the object to the sensor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The automotive sensor according to claim 2, further comprising: a transmission circuit configured to output a transmission signal towards the antenna element; and a reception circuit configured to detect, based on an electromagnetic wave reflected at the reflector and received by the antenna element, a movement of the object relative to the sensor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The automotive sensor device according to claim 6, wherein the transmission circuit and the reception circuit are formed in one piece by an integrated circuit, and wherein the antenna element and the integrated circuit are preferably formed in one piece. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The automotive sensor according to claim 2, wherein the antenna element comprises: an emitting antenna configured to emit electromagnetic waves; and a receiving antenna configured to receive electromagnetic waves reflected at the object and reflected at the reflector. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) A vehicle with a sensor for detecting a movement of an object, the vehicle comprising: the sensor according to claim 2. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the sensor is attached to the vehicle below a trunk of the vehicle and wherein the sensor is embodied as a kick sensor and is configured to detect a movement of a user for opening a lid of the trunk of the vehicle. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the sensor is configured to survey an opening movement of a lid of the vehicle, and to detect if the lid undergoing the opening movement is approaching an object, thereby preventing automatic tail gate collision. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the sensor is attached to an interior part of the vehicle and configured to detect a movement of a user inside the vehicle. ### Claim 13 A method for detecting a movement of an object relative to a sensor of a vehicle, the method comprising: providing a sensor with an antenna device comprising a substrate on which an antenna element and a reflector are located, wherein the substrate defines a main extension plane extending along a horizontal direction (Y) and a lateral direction (X), wherein a vertical direction (Z) extends perpendicular to the horizontal direction (Y) and the lateral direction (X), and thus perpendicular to the main extension plane of the substrate; emitting electromagnetic waves from the antenna element of the sensor; reflecting the electromagnetic waves emitted from the antenna element by a concave shape of the reflector in the vertical direction (Z) of the sensor thereby spatially narrowing in the vertical direction (Z) the electromagnetic waves emitted by the antenna element, and by a convex shape of the reflector in the horizontal direction (Y) also spatially widening in the horizontal direction (Y) the electromagnetic waves emitted by the antenna element; and reflecting electromagnetic waves, which were reflected by the object, at the reflector of the sensor towards the antenna element; receiving the electromagnetic waves reflected at the reflector by the antenna element of the sensor; and detecting, based on the electromagnetic waves received by the antenna element, a movement of the object relative to the sensor of the vehicle. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The antenna device according to claim 1, wherein the convex shape of the reflector in the horizontal direction (Y) is an at least partially U-shape in the horizontal direction (Y). ### Claim 15 (depends on 2) The automotive sensor according to claim 2, wherein the object is a user of a vehicle. ### Claim 16 (depends on 8) The automotive sensor according to claim 8, wherein the emitting antenna and the receiving antenna are located side by side to each other on the substrate of the sensor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the sensor is disposed on a bumper of the vehicle.