NineSigma Seeking Proposals for Electronically Scanned Antenna for Automotive Applications
IVsource.net
30 October 2003

NineSigma, representing a multi-billion dollar Tier-One automotive supplier, has published an announcement in which they are seeking proposals (technical and cost) for electronically scanned millimeter-wave antenna for automotive applications.  Proposal abstracts are due November 3.

NineSigma, representing a multi-billion dollar Tier-One automotive supplier, has published an announcement in which they are seeking proposals (technical and cost) for electronically scanned millimeter-wave antenna for automotive applications.

The Request for Proposals can be downloaded from www.ninesigma.com/mx/50046-1/rfp.html.  The objective of this RFP is to identify technology partners with new technologies, designs or architectures for phased development of radar applications.  NineSigma says that its client is willing to consider partners for any of the following:

• Develop technology for manufacture by client or other third party.

• Supply of completed assembly by development partner.

The anticipated project scope is  “Phase 1 Technology Development leading to evaluation of samples,” and the maximum anticipated project budget is $50,000 - $200,000.  The announcement states that successful demonstration in Phase 1 can lead to further design development including design for manufacture.

An Abstract limited to no more than 3 pages is due by November 3, 2003.

The NineSigma release provides background and rationale for this initiative as follows:

Automotive radar is finding increasing interest for many current and future automotive applications, including adaptive cruise control (ACC), precrash sensing, and forward collision avoidance.

NineSigma’s client is currently a supplier of these radar systems, and, for example, long range (100-150 meters) automotive radar for ACC is currently in production on a variety of vehicles including Jaguar, Mercedes, BMW, and Cadillac.

Although many types of antenna architectures are available, the current systems typically employ mechanical scan, switched beam, or monopulse antenna architectures.  A description of each along with the cost and performance trade-offs are listed below:

• Mechanical scan typically uses a flat plate antenna structure mounted on some type of gimbal system and physically scans using a motor or other actuator.  Advantages are multiple narrow beams for accurate and fast target location and multiple target discrimination over a relatively wide field of view (FOV).  Disadvantages include cost, size, weight, reliability and audible noise produced by the scan mechanism.

• Switched beam typically uses a lens antenna whereby the beam direction is changed by switching between different feed port locations.  Switched beam designs in production today have narrower FOV, wider beam widths, and target position errors due to a limited number of available beam positions.  The number of beam positions are limited by the complexity and loss of the switching network.

• Monopulse refers to the antenna architecture and method of measuring target angle.  A single wide fan beam illuminates the entire FOV on transmit, and two simultaneous beams are formed on receive, typically sum and difference beams. The ratio of the amplitudes in the difference and sum beams determines the angle of arrival of the signal.  Monopulse is restricted in FOV and has performance issues in multiple target scenarios.

In order to address many of the shortcomings of each of these architectures, electrically scanned antennas are of interest to improve the performance, lower the size and system cost, and increase the lifetime and reliability of the antenna array system.  Desired  specifications for both long-range and medium range are listed in two tables in the RFP.

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