# US 8,786,496 B2 · Three-dimensional array antenna on a substrate with enhanced backlobe suppression for mm-wave automotive applications

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- Number: US 8,786,496 B2
- Document ID: US8786496B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/845,003
- Filed: 2010-07-28
- Published: 2012-02-02
- Granted: 2014-07-22
- Earliest claimed: 2010-07-28
- Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.; Georgia Tech Research Corporation
- Applicants: Amin Rida; Li Yang; Alexandros Margomenos; Manos Tentzeris
- Inventors: Amin Rida; Li Yang; Alexandros Margomenos; Manos Tentzeris
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8786496B2

## CPC

- H01Q 1/3233: {particular used as part of a sensor or in a security system, e.g. for automotive radar, navigation systems}
- H01Q 19/021: {Means for reducing undesirable effects}
- H01Q 21/0006: {Particular feeding systems}
- H01Q 21/065: {Patch antenna array}
- H01Q 13/206: {Microstrip transmission line antennas}
- H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72)

## Abstract

A multilayer antenna including a first microstrip patch positioned along a first plane, a second microstrip patch positioned along a second plane that is substantially parallel to the first plane, and a ground plane having a slot formed therein. The multilayer antenna also includes a microstrip feeding line for propagating signals through the slot in the ground plane and to the second microstrip patch and a backlobe suppression reflector for receiving some of the signals and reflecting the signals to the slot in the ground plane.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A multilayer antenna array comprising:
a substrate;
a plurality of rows of receive antenna elements positioned on the substrate; and
a plurality of rows of transmit antenna elements positioned on the substrate and spaced apart from the plurality of rows of receive antenna elements, each of the plurality of rows of receive antenna elements and each of the plurality of rows of transmit antenna elements comprise:
a first microstrip patch positioned along a first plane;
a second microstrip patch positioned along a second plane that is substantially parallel to the first plane;
a ground plane having a slot formed therein;
a microstrip feeding line positioned within a cavity defined in the substrate for propagating signals through the slot in the ground plane and to the second microstrip patch; and
a backlobe suppression reflector for receiving some of the signals and reflecting the signals to the slot in the ground plane.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The multilayer antenna array of claim 1 wherein the cavity has a height that is between 0.3 mm and 0.7 mm.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The multilayer antenna array of claim 1 wherein the substrate has a thickness of at least 30 mils and is made of a liquid crystal polymer material.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The multilayer antenna array of claim 1 wherein the first microstrip patch is used to direct beams from the second microstrip patch.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The multilayer antenna array of claim 1 wherein the backlobe suppression reflector is positioned below the microstrip feeding line.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The multilayer antenna array of claim 1 wherein the backlobe suppression reflector absorbs radiation from the first and second microstrip patches.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The multilayer antenna array of claim 1 wherein the second microstrip patch is spaced apart from the backlobe suppression reflector by a distance D, where D has a value such that the reflected signals are approximately 180 degrees out-of-phase with the signals transmitted from the microstrip feeding line in order to provide cancellation of the signals.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The multilayer antenna array of claim 1 wherein the backlobe suppression reflector is designed as a resonating dipole.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The multilayer antenna array of claim 1 wherein the backlobe suppression reflector has a length that is approximately half a wavelength at a resonating frequency of the microstrip feeding line.