Radar device

Abstract

A plurality of transmission antennas include Nt1 transmission antennas arranged in a first direction and Nt2 transmission antennas arranged in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, a plurality of reception antennas include Na1 reception antennas arranged in the first direction and Na2 reception antennas arranged in the second direction. In the first direction, an inter-element space between any two of the Nt1 transmission antennas and an inter-element space between any two of the Na1 reception antennas are each a value which is a product of a first space and an integer and are all values different from each other, and in the second direction, an inter-element space between any two of the Nt2 transmission antennas and an inter-element space between any two of the Na2 reception antennas are each a value which is a product of a second space and an integer and are all values different from each other.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A radar device comprising:
 a radar transmitter which, in operation, transmits a plurality of radar signals at predetermined transmission cycles from a plurality of transmission antennas; and 
 a radar receiver which, in operation, receives a plurality of reflected wave signals being the plurality of radar signals reflected on a target, by using a plurality of reception antennas, wherein 
 the plurality of transmission antennas include Nt1 transmission antennas arranged in a first direction and Nt2 transmission antennas arranged in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, 
 the plurality of reception antennas include Na1 reception antennas arranged in the first direction and Na2 reception antennas arranged in the second direction, 
 in the first direction, each of distances between adjacent two of the Nt1 transmission antennas and adjacent two of the Na1 reception antennas is an integer multiple of a first distance, and all of the distances between the adjacent two of the Nt1 transmission antennas and the adjacent two of the Na1 reception antennas are different from each other, and 
 in the second direction, each of distances between adjacent two of the Nt2 transmission antennas and adjacent two of the Na2 reception antennas is an integer multiple of a second distance, and all of the distances between the adjacent two of the Nt2 transmission antennas and the adjacent two of the Na2 reception antennas are different from each other. 
 
     
     
       2. The radar device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 a sum of all of distances between the adjacent two of the transmission antennas in the first direction is smaller than a smallest value of all of distances between the adjacent two of the reception antennas in the first direction, Nt1 being three or more, or 
 a sum of all of distances between the adjacent two of the reception antennas in the first direction is smaller than a smallest value of all of distances between the adjacent two of the transmission antennas in the first direction, Na1 being three or more. 
 
     
     
       3. The radar device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the radar receiver receives the plurality of reflected wave signals as signals received by using a virtual reception array formed by the plurality of transmission antennas and the plurality of reception antennas, 
 the virtual reception array includes Nt1×Na1 virtual antenna elements arranged in the first direction, and 
 in the virtual reception array, each of distances between adjacent two of the Nt1×Na1 virtual antenna elements arranged in the first direction is a first integer multiple of the first distance, the first integer being one or more, and distances between adjacent two of the Nt1×Na1 virtual antenna elements arranged in the first direction include second integer multiples of the first distance, the second integers including all integers from 1 to a first predetermined value. 
 
     
     
       4. The radar device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the radar receiver receives the plurality of reflected wave signals as signals received by using a virtual reception array formed by the plurality of transmission antennas and the plurality of reception antennas, 
 the virtual reception array includes Nt2×Na2 virtual antenna elements arranged in the second direction, and 
 in the virtual reception array, each of distances between adjacent inter element spaces each between any two of the Nt2×Na2 virtual antenna elements arranged in the second direction is a first integer multiple of the first distance, the first integer being one or more, and distances between adjacent two of the Nt2×Na2 virtual antenna elements arranged in the second direction include second integer multiples of the first distance, the second integers including all integers from 1 to a second predetermined value. 
 
     
     
       5. The radar device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 at least one of the plurality of transmission antennas and the plurality of reception antennas is formed of a plurality of sub-arrayed antenna elements, 
 a width of each of the plurality of sub-arrayed antenna elements in the first direction is one wavelength or more, and a difference between at least one of distances between the adjacent two of the Nt1 transmission antennas and at least one of distances between the adjacent two of the Na1 reception antennas is smaller than one wavelength, and 
 a width of each of the plurality of sub-arrayed antenna elements in the second direction is one wavelength or more, and a difference between at least one of distances between the adjacent two of the Nt2 transmission antennas and at least one of distances between the adjacent two of the Na1 reception antennas is smaller than one wavelength. 
 
     
     
       6. The radar device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the radar receiver receives the plurality of reflected wave signals as signals received by using a virtual surface-arranged array antenna in which elements are virtually arranged at positions indicated by inter-element vectors at all of elements in a virtual reception array formed by the plurality of transmission antennas and the plurality of reception antennas, 
 the virtual reception array includes Nt1×Na1 virtual antenna elements arranged in the first direction, and 
 in the virtual reception array, each of distances between adjacent two of the Nt1×Na1 virtual antenna elements arranged in the first direction is a first integer multiple of the first distance, the first integer being one or more, and distances between adjacent two of the Nt1×Na1 virtual antenna elements arranged in the first direction include second integer multiples of the first distance, the second integers including all integers from 1 to a first predetermined value. 
 
     
     
       7. The radar device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the radar receiver receives the plurality of reflected wave signals as signals received by using a virtual surface-arranged array antenna in which elements are virtually arranged at positions indicated by inter-element vectors at all of elements in a virtual reception array formed by the plurality of transmission antennas and the plurality of reception antennas, 
 the virtual reception array includes Nt2×Na2 virtual antenna elements arranged in the second direction, and 
 in the virtual reception array, each of distances between adjacent two of the Nt2×Na2 virtual antenna elements arranged in the second direction is a first integer multiple of the first distance, the first integer being one or more, and distances between adjacent two of the Nt2×Na2 virtual antenna elements arranged in the second direction include second integer multiples of the first distance, the second integers including all integers from 1 to a second predetermined value. 
 
     
     
       8. The radar device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the plurality of transmission antennas includes a total of Nt transmission antennas, Nt being a natural number and being three or more, 
 the plurality of transmission antennas are arranged such that the Nt1 transmission antennas are arranged in the first direction and the Nt2 transmission antennas are arranged in the second direction, wherein Nt1 and Nt2 satisfy a first condition that Nt equals Nt1+Nt2−1 and that Nt1×Nt2 has a takes the largest value under the first condition, 
 the plurality of reception antennas includes a total of Na reception antennas, Na being a natural number and being three or more, and 
 the plurality of reception antennas are arranged such that the Na1 reception antennas are arranged in the first direction and the Na2 reception antennas are arranged in the second direction, wherein Na1 and Na2 satisfy a second condition that Na equals Na1+Na2-1 and that Na1×Na2 has a largest value under the second condition. 
 
     
     
       9. The radar device according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 a set of the plurality of transmission antennas and a set of the plurality of reception antennas are each is arranged in a L-shape, a T-shape, or a cross shape, and 
 wherein a set of the plurality of reception antennas is arranged in a L-shape, a T-shape, or a cross shape. 
 
     
     
       10. The radar device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 Nt1 is smaller than Na1, and 
 in the first direction, a largest value of all of distances between the adjacent two of the Nt1 transmission antennas is larger than a largest value of all of distances between the adjacent two of the Na1 reception antennas. 
 
     
     
       11. The radar device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 Na1 is smaller than Nt1, and 
 in the first direction, a largest value of all of distances between the adjacent two of the Na1 reception antennas is larger than a largest value of all of distances between the adjacent two of the Nt1 transmission antennas. 
 
     
     
       12. The radar device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 Nt2 is smaller than Na2, and 
 in the second direction, a largest value of all of distances between the adjacent two of the Nt2 transmission antennas is larger than a largest value of all of distances between the adjacent two of the Na2 reception antennas. 
 
     
     
       13. The radar device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 Na2 is smaller than Nt2, and 
 in the second direction, a largest value of all of distances between the adjacent two of the Na2 reception antennas is larger than a largest value of all of distances between the adjacent two of the Nt2 transmission antennas. 
 
     
     
       14. A radar device comprising:
 a radar transmitter which, in operation, transmits radar signals at a transmission cycle from a first transmission antenna, a second transmission antenna, and a third transmission antenna; and   a radar receiver which, in operation, receives reflected wave signals being the radar signals reflected on a target, by using a first reception antenna, a second reception antenna, a third reception antenna, and a fourth reception antenna, wherein:   the first transmission antenna is separated from the second transmission antenna in a first direction,   the third transmission antenna is separated from the first and the second transmission antennas in a second direction,   the first, the second and the third reception antennas are separated in the first direction,   the fourth reception antenna is separated from the first, the second and the third reception antennas in the second direction,   in the first direction, a first distance between the first transmission antenna and the second transmission antenna, a second distance between the first reception antenna and the second reception antenna, and a third distance between the second reception antenna and the third reception antenna are an integer multiple of a first common distance,   the first distance, the second distance, and the third distance are different from each other,   in the second direction, a fourth distance between the third transmission antenna and the first transmission antennas and a fifth distance between the fourth reception antenna and the first reception antennas are an integer multiple of a second common distance, and   the fourth distance and the fifth distance are different from each other.   
     
     
       15. A radar device comprising:
 a radar transmitter which, in operation, transmits radar signals at a transmission cycle from Nt transmission antennas, Nt being an integer greater than or equal to 3; and   a radar receiver which, in operation, receives reflected wave signals being the radar signals reflected on a target, by using Na reception antennas, Na being an integer greater than or equal to 3, wherein:   the Nt transmission antennas include a first transmission antenna group and a second transmission antenna group,   all antennas of the first transmission antenna group are separated in a first direction,   all antennas of the second transmission antenna group are separated in a second direction,   the Na reception antennas include a first reception antenna group and a second reception antenna group,   all antennas of the first reception antenna group are separated in the first direction,   all antennas of the second reception antenna group are separated in a second direction,   in the first direction, one or more first distances between adjacent two of the antennas in the first transmission antenna group and one or more second distances between adjacent two of the antennas in the first reception antenna group are an integer multiple of a first common distance and are different from each other, and   in the second direction, one or more third distances between adjacent two of the antennas in the second transmission antenna group and one or more fourth distances between adjacent two of the antennas in the second reception antenna group are an integer multiple of a second common distance and are different from each other.