HJWAVE, a company specializing in millimeter-wave (30–300GHz) RF technology, announced that it has registered a U.S. patent for an antenna technology that can be immediately applied to radar systems for autonomous vehicles operating in the millimeter-wave frequency band.

The patent, titled "Antenna Structure with Reduced Angle Error," is a core technology that enhances detection accuracy—an essential component of wideband, wide-angle, multi-layer waveguide antenna systems.

In automotive radar systems, a multi-channel transmit and receive structure is commonly used. If the radiation patterns of each antenna channel are not uniform, discrepancies in phase and amplitude of the received signals can occur, making it difficult to accurately determine the position of an object. Additionally, signal coupling (interference) between antennas can create ripple effects or signal nulls in the radiation pattern, weakening signals at specific angles. This degrades object detection accuracy, detection range, and resolution (the ability to distinguish between objects).

The newly registered patent addresses these issues by incorporating a special structure between antenna channels that reduces coupling between them. As electromagnetic waves pass over this structure between antennas, their strength is diminished, minimizing interference with neighboring antennas. This improves the similarity of radiation patterns across channels and reduces ripple and null phenomena, thereby enhancing radar detection performance.

Yoo Tae-hwan, CEO of HJWAVE, stated, “We believe this foundational patent will play a significant role in addressing the growing number of intellectual property issues in this field. The patented structure can be immediately applied to mass production and will greatly contribute to improving the stability and accuracy of radar systems used in autonomous driving.”

He added, “Currently, we have registered a total of 15 patents, including 13 in Korea and 2 overseas. In addition, we are in the process of applying for 15 more patents—10 in Korea and 5 overseas. Through continuous research and development, we aim to strengthen our global competitiveness and lead the next generation of antenna technology.”