Autonomous vehicle ranging system with polarized antenna

A method of detecting an object, the method comprising:

• providing a first linear array of transmit antennas and a second linear array of transmit antennas;
• providing a first linear array of receive antennas and a second linear array of receive antennas;
• arranging the first linear array of transmit antennas and the first linear array of receive antennas to be perpendicular to one another;
• arranging the second linear array of transmit antennas and the second linear array of receive antennas to be perpendicular to one another;
• transmitting first waves through the first linear array of transmit antennas, wherein the first waves are phase-shifted by propagating the first waves through a first Rotman lens that is in operative communication with the first linear array of transmit antennas;
• transmitting second waves through the second linear array of transmit antennas, wherein the second waves are phase-shifted by propagating the second waves through a second Rotman lens that is in operative communication with the second linear array of transmit antennas;
• receiving the first waves reflected by an object through the first linear array of receive antennas;
• receiving the second waves reflected by the object through the second linear array of receive antennas;
• propagating the first waves reflected by the object through a third Rotman lens that is in operative communication with the first linear array of receive antennas;
• and
• propagating the second waves reflected by the object through a fourth Rotman lens that is in operative communication with the second linear array of receive antennas.

A method of detecting an object by a radar system of an autonomous vehicle, the method comprising:

• phase-shifting first waves by propagating the first waves through a first Rotman lens that is in operative communication with a first linear array of transmit antennas of the radar system, wherein the first linear array of transmit antennas is arranged parallel to a second linear array of transmit antennas of the radar system, wherein the radar system comprises a first linear array of receive antennas and a second linear array of receive antennas, the first linear array of receive antennas and the second linear array of receive antennas being parallel to one another, and wherein the first linear array of transmit antennas and the first linear array of receive antennas are arranged to be perpendicular to one another;
• phase-shifting second waves by propagating the second waves through a second Rotman lens that is in operative communication with the second linear array of transmit antennas of the radar system, wherein the second linear array of transmit antennas and the second linear array of receive antennas are arranged perpendicular to one another;
• transmitting the first waves through the first linear array of transmit antennas;
• transmitting the second waves through the second linear array of transmit antennas;
• receiving the first waves reflected by the object through the first linear array of receive antennas;
• receiving the second waves reflected by the object through the second linear array of receive antennas;
• propagating the first waves reflected by the object through a third Rotman lens that is in operative communication with the first linear array of receive antennas;
• and
• propagating the second waves reflected by the object through a fourth Rotman lens that is in operative communication with the second linear array of receive antennas.