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EP-4293830-B1 - DETECTING DEVICE AND OPENING AND CLOSING UNIT CONTROL SYSTEM, AND PASSENGER DETECTING SYSTEM

EP4293830B1EP 4293830 B1EP4293830 B1EP 4293830B1EP-4293830-B1

Inventors

  • TAKAOKA, HIROYUKI
  • IKEDA, TOMOKI
  • UTTALVEROFF, Benjamin
  • KATO, YUKI
  • SHIBAYAMA, TAKAMITSU
  • OTAKI, YUKIO
  • SANO, TAKASHI

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20211122

Claims (14)

  1. A detection device (100) comprising: an antenna device (100A) comprising an antenna (121); a transmission circuit (122) that is configured to output a transmission signal to the antenna (121); a reception circuit (123) that is configured to receive a reflected wave, which is the transmission signal reflected at a detection target; and a detection unit (124) that is configured to detect at least one of presence and behavior of the detection target according to a signal received by the reception circuit (123), the antenna device (100A) comprising: a circuit board (110); the antenna (121) placed on a surface (111) of the circuit board (110); and a reflector (130) that is erected on the surface (111) of the circuit board (110) and extends along the surface (111); wherein the reflector (130) has a curved portion (131) that has a convexly curved surface (131S), which is curved at a certain curvature and protrudes toward the same side as the antenna (121), the convexly curved surface (131S) configured to reflect a radio wave emitted by the antenna (121), and a first plane portion (132) and a second plane portion (133) that respectively have a first reflecting surface (132S) and a second reflecting surface (133S) that extend from both side portions of the convexly curved surface (131S) along the surface (111) of the circuit board (110), form a V shape together with the convexly curved surface (131S) in plan view, and are configured to reflect a radio wave emitted by the antenna (121), the convexly curved surface (131S) has a shape equivalent to a portion on an outer circumferential surface of a cylinder (1), the portion being included in a certain azimuth angle from a cylindrical axis (C), and the convexly curved surface (131S) is inclined toward the same side as the antenna (121) with respect to the circuit board (110).
  2. The detection device (100) according to Claim 1, wherein the convexly curved surface (131S) is inclined with respect to the circuit board (110) so that at least part of the convexly curved surface (131S) overlaps the antenna (121) in a plan view.
  3. The detection device (100) according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the convexly curved surface (131S) and the first reflecting surface (132S) and second reflecting surface (133S) are continuous to each other.
  4. The detection device (100) according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the curved portion (131) has a shape in which a flat plate is curved.
  5. The detection device (100) according to Claim 4, wherein the flat plate is a flat plate having the first plane portion (132) and the second plane portion (133) at both ends of a portion that is the curved portion (131).
  6. The detection device (100) according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein a width (W) of the curved portion (131) in a one-axis direction in which the curved portion (131), the first plane portion (132), and the second plane portion (133) are arranged in a plan view, is shorter than or equal to one wavelength of wavelengths at a communication frequency of the antenna (121).
  7. The detection device (100) according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, wherein the antenna (121) is an antenna that doubles as a transmission antenna for transmitting a radio wave and a reception antenna for receiving a radio wave.
  8. The detection device (100) according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, wherein the antenna (121) has a transmission antenna for transmitting a radio wave and a reception antenna for receiving a radio wave, the transmission antenna and the reception antenna being placed side by side.
  9. The detection device (100) according to Claims 1 to 8, wherein the detection device (100) comprises an integrated circuit such that the transmission circuit (122) and the reception circuit (123) are integrally formed in the integrated circuit.
  10. The detection device (100) according to Claim 9, wherein the antenna (121) and the integrated circuit are integrally formed.
  11. The detection device (100) according to any one of Claims 1 to 10, further comprising a cabinet (10, 20) having an attachment portion (21, 22) attachable at a lower portion of a door of a vehicle, inside a bumper of the vehicle, or in an interior of a room of the vehicle, wherein the antenna device (100A), the transmission circuit (122), the reception circuit (123), and the detection unit (124) are stored in the cabinet (10, 20).
  12. The detection device (100) according to Claim 11, wherein the detection unit (124) is configured to detect at least one of presence and behavior of a manipulator around the vehicle.
  13. An opening/closing unit control system comprising: the detection device (100) according to Claim 12; and a control unit (300) configured to control opening and closing of an opening/closing portion of the vehicle according to a detection result of the detection unit (124).
  14. An occupant detection system comprising; the detection device (100) according to Claim 12; and an occupant detection unit (300) configured to detect presence or absence of an occupant in a room of a vehicle according to a detection result of the detection unit (124).

Description

Technical Field The present invention relates to a detection device, an opening/closing unit control system, and an occupant detection system. Background Art There is conventionally a vehicle-mounted radar device that has a millimeter-wave radar and a reflecting mirror that reflects transmission and reception waves of the millimeter-wave radar. The reflecting mirror is a half-truncated cone body the radius of which is longer than the height. A side surface of the half-truncated cone body is a reflecting surface. The reflecting surface is a concavely curved surface formed by curving the generating line of the truncated cone toward the bottom face (see PTL 1, for example). Citation List Patent Literature PTL 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2010-154182 The patent application WO2020234589A1 discloses an antenna array assembly comprising a ground plate, a linear array of patch radiator elements disposed in a spaced parallel relationship with a first face of the ground plate, and a first and second elongate passive radiator, each comprising a plurality of conductive parts, each disposed to be generally upstanding in relation to the first face of the ground plate and being electrically isolated from the ground plate. The first and second elongate passive radiators are disposed symmetrically on either side of the linear array and parallel to a centre line of the linear array, on the same side of the ground plate as the linear array. At least some of the conductive parts of a respective elongate passive radiator are disposed in an arrangement having parallel ridges and grooves, in which, in a cross section in a plane parallel to the first face of the ground plate, the ridges extend towards the linear array and the grooves extend away from the linear array. US 2010/188309 A1 and JP 2017 034644 A are related to vehicular radar sensors comprising antennas with reflectors. CA 2 967 967 A1 is related to a communication system comprising a convexly shaped reflector. CN 105 609 968 A is related to a V-shaped reflector for a dielectric resonator antenna. Summary of Invention Technical Problem When a reflecting surface is designed so that the distribution of reflected waves becomes more superior, a reflecting surface with the generating line of a half-truncated cone body curved toward the bottom face, as with the reflecting surface of the reflecting mirror of the conventional vehicle-mounted radar device, has a complex shape and is not easy to design. Therefore, an object is to provide a detection device according to claim 1, comprising an antenna device having a reflector that has a simple structure and is easy to design, a detection device, an opening/closing control system, and an occupant detection system. Solution to Problem A detection device according to claim 1 comprises an antenna device in an embodiment of the present invention includes: a circuit board; an antenna placed on a surface of the circuit board; and a reflector that is erected on the surface of the circuit board and extends along the surface. The reflector has: a curved portion that has a convexly curved surface, which is curved at a certain curvature and protrudes toward the same side as the antenna, the convexly curved surface reflecting radio waves emitted by the antenna; and a first plane portion and a second plane portion that respectively have a first reflecting surface and a second reflecting surface that extend from both side portions of the convexly curved surface along the surface of the circuit board, form a V shape together with the convexly curved surface in plan view, and reflect radio waves emitted by the antenna. The convexly curved surface has a shape equivalent to a portion on the outer circumferential surface of a cylinder, the portion being included in a certain azimuth angle from a cylindrical axis. The convexly curved surface is inclined toward the same side as the antenna with respect to the circuit board. Advantageous Effects of Invention It is possible to provide an antenna device having a reflector that has a simple structure and is easy to design, a detection device, an opening/closing control system, and an occupant detection system. Brief Description of Drawings [Fig. 1] Fig. 1 is a drawing indicating a detection device 100 in an embodiment.[Fig. 2] Fig. 2 is an exploded view of the detection device 100.[Fig. 3] Fig. 3 is a drawing indicating the detection device 100 and an antenna device 100A.[Fig. 4] Fig. 4 is a drawing indicating the detection device 100 and antenna device 100A.[Fig. 5] Fig. 5 is a drawing indicating the detection device 100 and antenna device 100A.[Fig. 6] Fig. 6 is a drawing indicating the detection device 100 and antenna device 100A.[Fig. 7] Fig. 7 is a drawing indicating a curved portion 131.[Fig. 8] Fig. 8 is a drawing indicating a cross section along A-A in Fig. 4.[Fig. 9] Fig. 9 is a drawing indicating a cross section along B-B in Fig. 4.[Fig. 10] Fig. 10 is a drawing indic