International Radar Symposium IRS 2005, Proceedings, 06-08 Sept.

2005, Berlin

KOKON: A Joint Project for the Development of 79 GHz Automotive Radar Sensors
Karl M. Strohm, Robert Schneider, Josef Wenger
DaimlerChrysler AG, Research & Technology, Wilhelm-Runge-Str. 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany, Tel. +497315052025
Abstract First cars equipped with 24 GHz Short Range Radar (SRR) systems in combination with 76.5 GHz Long Range Radar (LRR) system will enter the market in autumn 2005 enabling new safety and comfort functions. In Europe the 24 GHz ultra wideband (UWB) frequency band is temporally allowed only till end of June 2013 with a limitation of the car parc penetration of 7%. From middle of 2013 new cars have to be equipped with SRR sensors, which operate in the frequency band of 79 GHz (77 GHz to 81 GHz). The development of the 79 GHz automotive radar technology within the German government (BMBF) funded project KOKON will be described. I. INTRODUCTION Imagine, every year according to statistics, 1.2 million people are known to die in road accidents worldwide and as many as 50 million are injured [1]. Within the European Union more than 40,000 fatalities and 1.7 million injuries are caused by road accidents each year. The European Commission (EC) has set, in its White Paper on the Common Transport Policy of September 2001 [2], an ambitious target to reduce road deaths by 50% by the end of 2010. To achieve this, car manufactures aim to enhance car safety and comfort functions. One way to reach this will be the introduction of driver assistance systems and active safety functions. Realization of such systems requires sensors, which are able to observe the complete surrounding of cars and sophisticated signal processing algorithm to evaluate the sensor data fast and reliably. Thereby it should be possible to detect dangerous driving situations in advance, to warn drivers, or even to help them to prevent or at least to minimize accidents. Radar based sensors are known to work under nearly all weather conditions. Additionally they are able to give information about location (distance and angular direction) and relative velocity of objects. First cars equipped with 24 GHz Short Range Radar (SRR) sensors in combination with a 76.5 GHz Long Range Radar (LRR) will enter the market in autumn 2005 enabling new safety and comfort functions. This is in accordance with the European Commission (EC) which has identified automotive short range radar systems as a significant technology for the improvement of road safety in Europe. However in Europe the 24 GHz ultra wideband (UWB) frequency band is only temporally allowed till end of June 2013 and is limited to 7% of all cars in each country of the European community. From middle of 2013 new cars have to be equipped with SRR sensors which operate in the frequency band of 79 GHz (77 GHz to 81 GHz). Therefore industry has the task to develop a cost effective SRR technology at 79 GHz within 8 years. The development of this within the German government (BMBF) funded project KOKON are described in the following. Also an overview of the actual automotive radar frequency regulation issues is given and the current status of the newly introduced 24 GHz short range radar system is presented. II. AUTOMOTIVE RADAR FREQUENCY REGULATIONS A consortium of automobile manufacturers and suppliers known as the SARA (Short Range Automotive Radar Frequency Allocation) consortium is working on for the worldwide frequency allocation for 24 GHz UWB automotive radar. In the USA, approval of the 24 GHz band was already granted unlimited in time and system numbers in 2002 by the US regulation authorities. In Europe, on 17 January 2005 the European Commission approved the decision on allocation of the 24 GHz frequency band for automotive short range radar [3]. According to this decision the frequency band of 21.625-26.625 GHz is allocated for the temporary use of UWB automotive short range radar from 1 July 2005 until 30 June 2013. Included is the task to work towards an early introduction of equipment operating in the 79 GHz band by means of research and development programme. From mid of 2013 new cars have to be equipped with SRR sensors which operate in the frequency range between 77-81 GHz (79 GHz band). The 79 GHz frequency band was designated for the use of automotive short range radars in the ECC decision (ECC/DEC/(04)03) [3] from 19 March 2004. Following regulations are fixed: 79 GHz frequency range (77-81 GHz) is designated for Short Range Radar (SRR) equipment on a noninterference and non-protected basis with a maximum mean power density of -3 dBm/MHz e.i.r.p. associated with an peak limit of 55 dBm e.i.r.p the maximum mean power density outside a vehicle resulting from the operation of a single SRR sensor shall not exceed -9 dBm/MHz e.i.r.p the 79 GHz frequency range (77-81 GHz) should be made available as soon as possible and not later than January 2005 The European approach of a temporary use of 24 GHz with a transition to 79 GHz is called package solution

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International Radar Symposium IRS 2005, Proceedings, 06-08 Sept. 2005, Berlin

(Fig. 1) to make an early contribution to the enhancement of road safety possible and to give the time for the development of the 79 GHz technology which is not yet mature for SRR sensors.

European 2-Phase Plan 24/79 GHz

Deployment + Use 24 GHz Development

Deployment + Use 79 GHz

Fig. 1. "Package solution" for automotive short range radar in Europe.

The European 24 GHz SRR standard (document: ETSI EN 302 288 [4]) has been completed recently. The drafting process of the European 79 GHz SRR standard (document: ETSI EN 302 264 [4]) has started and is still ongoing. III. 24 GHZ SHORT RANGE RADAR Monitoring the surroundings of cars with sensors gathers useful information for safety and comfort applications. Radar appears to be one of the best sensor principles, because alternatives like video, laser, and ultrasound may have difficulties under bad weather conditions, when they are needed most. Additionally radar offers the vehicle manufacturers a stylistic advantage of mounting behind a plastic bumper that can be considered nearly transparent to the radar signal without requiring specific cut-outs or similar accommodations. As shown in Fig. 2 SRR sensors can enable a variety of applications: ACC support with Stop&Go functionality Collision warning Collision mitigation Blind spot monitoring Parking aid (forward and reverse) Lane change assistant Rear crash collision warning
Parking aid Precrash Blind spot detection Backup Parking aid Rear crash collison Lane change assistant Blind spot detection

Especially the combination of LRR and SRR provides valuable data for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). Part of this will be realized for the first time in the future Mercedes Benz S-Class, which will celebrate its world premiere in autumn of 2005. In the new S-Class two radar systems are offered to monitor the traffic situation in front of the vehicle: a newly developed SRR system based on 24 GHz technology works in tandem with the tried and proven 76.5 GHz radar employed in the DISTRONIC proximity cruise control system [5]. The two systems complement each other well: Whereas the DISTRONIC radar is designed to be able to track three motorway lanes over a distance of up to 150 metres with a field of view of nine degrees, the new 24 GHz radar uses an angle of 80 degrees to monitor the immediate area up to 30 metres in front of the vehicle (Fig. 3). The radar technology will be used to determine the distance to vehicles ahead (Fig. 4), warn drivers when they get too close, and provide the necessary braking power if it appears that a collision is unavoidable. In those situations where drivers are forced to brake, the new Brake Assist PLUS system will calculate and generate the braking force needed for a given situation within fractions of a second.

Fig. 3. Combination of LRR and SRR for advanced safety features.

Whereas the conventional Brake Assist requires a reflex activation of the brake pedal, the new system recognises the drivers intention to brake and automatically optimises the braking pressure. One of the key preconditions for preventing rear-end collisions is thus fulfilled: the best possible braking deceleration for each situation.

Stop & Go for ACC Collision warning Collision mitigation

Fig. 4. Short range radar observing the area in front of the motorcar.

Fig. 2. Short Range Radar different kinds of applications.

Mercedes-Benz has conducted extensive tests with the new technology, in both a driving simulator and under real conditions: The result was that 44 % of the simulated drives taken with conventional brake technology resulted

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International Radar Symposium IRS 2005, Proceedings, 06-08 Sept. 2005, Berlin

in accidents, but only 11 % of those in which Brake Assist PLUS was used. What is more, the combination of the new Brake Assist PLUS and PRE-SAFE made possible a higher level of occupant protection. In addition to tried-and-tested PRESAFE functions such as seatbelt tightening and seat repositioning, the future S-Class will also be equipped with new multi-contour seats with cushions and backrests that automatically inflate if an accident threatens. Thus a comprehensive safety system will be activated before a threatening accident has a chance to happen. The 24 GHz SRR sensors used in the new S-class are based on a pulsed radar concept according to Fig. 5 [6]. The sensor consists of the transmit path, the receive path and the control and digital signal processing (DSP) circuits. An object at range R is detected by measuring the elapsed time between a transmitter pulse and a correlated received signal. With this time-gated correlation receiver architecture detection range of 0.2 to 30 m, a range (object) resolution of 15 cm and a range accuracy of 7.5 cm can be achieved. Up to 10 objects with range, bearing, and velocity information can be classified [7]. The individual sensors are connected via a local network to the radar decision unit which on its part is connected via the car controller area network (CAN) bus to the different electronic control units of the car.

antenna size and spacing (~) and lower effective antenna area (~2). The higher frequency yields increased atmospheric and bumper losses. With higher frequencies semiconductor power output decreases (roughly 20 dB per decade), parasitic effects are more stringent, and packaging and testing are more difficult. The development plan towards the introduction of 79 GHz SRR sensors is shown in Fig. 6.
Time schedule
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

ChipDevelopment

SensorDevelopment

VehicleIntegration

Rollout

Fig. 6. Time schedule for the development and rollout of 79 GHz SRR sensors.

VCO Tx-Switch Power Splitter Rx-Switch Mixer LNA Rx-Antenna Tx-Antenna

Control Circuitry PRF

IF Out DSP

Essential features of future 79 GHz radar sensor systems are: low chip and component costs low assembly costs improved performance reduced power consumption improved electrostatic discharge (ESD)/ electromagnetic interference (EMI) high update rates The historical path in the electronics industry for reducing cost, and improving and increasing functionality, has been to migrate toward IC-based solutions. Therefore in the first phase an effective and powerful chip technology has to be developed. With the funding of the German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) the joint research project Automotive high frequency electronics KOKON [8] was started in September 2004. The KOKON consortium consists of two semiconductor companies (Atmel and Infineon), two automotive radar sensor manufacturers (Bosch and Continental Temic), and one automobile company (DaimlerChrysler) supported by institutes and universities. The organizational structure of the KOKON consortium is shown in Fig. 7.

Fig. 5. Simplified schematic diagram of a 24 GHz SRR frontend according to [6]

IV. DEVELOPMENT OF 79 GHZ AUTOMOTIVE RADAR SENSORS In the ECC Decision of 19 March 2004 (ECC/DEC/(04)03) it was decided that the 79 GHz frequency range (77-81 GHz) is designated for Short Range Radar (SRR) [3]. Already in the year 2009 a report has to be made about the development status of 79 GHz SRR technology [3]. The ECC frequency regulation forces the development of 79 GHz SRR sensors within a time frame of only 8.5 years. Considering the development cycles of automobiles this is a very short time period. The transition from 24 GHz to 79 GHz causes an increase in frequency and a reduction of wavelength by the factor 3.3. The smaller wavelength enables reduced
Semiconductor Technology

Application 1 Long Range Radar

Application 2 Short Range Radar

Fig. 7. Organisational structure of the KOKON consortium

The system specification group consists of Bosch, Continental Temic and DaimlerChrysler. They give inputs to the semiconductor manufacturers Infineon and Atmel for fabricating high performance and cost-effective radar 99

International Radar Symposium IRS 2005, Proceedings, 06-08 Sept. 2005, Berlin

chip sets. With these chip sets system demonstrators for LRR and SRR applications will be realized and evaluated. Silicon Germanium (SiGe) has been identified as the chip technology which may fulfill the technological requirements and the cost constraints and which might be an alternative to GaAs [9]. With Silicon Germanium heterobipolar transistors (SiGe HBT) nowadays transit frequencies fT of 300 GHz and fmax of 350 GHz have been reported by an IBM research group [10]. Within the KOKON project the development of both 77 GHz LRR and 79 GHz SRR radar chip technology is investigated. As spin-off cost reduction and performance improvement of 77 GHz LRR sensors are expected to bring cost down for a broader deployment of these systems. The specifications of the 76.5 GHz LRR and79 GHz SRR systems are listed in TABLE 1:
76.5 GHz LRR Single-sensor system Carrier frequency: 76.5 GHz Bandwidth: 200 MHz Field of view: 6.5-10 Range: 1-200 m Range accuracy: 0.5 m Angular resolution: 3 Bearing accuracy: 0.1-0.4 Identification of moving targets 79 GHz SRR Multi-sensor system Carrier frequency: 79 GHz Bandwidth: 4000 MHz Field of view: 160 Range: 0-30 m Range accuracy: 5 cm Angular resolution: 5 Bearing accuracy: 1 Identification of moving + stationary targets

the temperature range of -40C to +125C. Low fabrication cost is also a main issue. Regarding the chip design emphasis is given to design for manufacturability, high integration level and fulfilment of quality aspects of the automotive industry. The focus will be on LRR chip components, but the design of the key components will be universal so that they can also be used with minor changes for SRR sensors. Infineon has up to now achieved fT of 225 GHz and fmax of 300 GHz [11]. These transit frequencies are sufficiently high for the realization of 77 and 79 GHz radar MMICs. A key device of a radar transceiver (Fig. 5) is the voltage controlled oscillator (VCO). Using the Infineon technology fully integrated SiGe VCOs with powerful output buffer for 77 GHz automotive radar system have been demonstrated [12]. The data of this VCO (Fig. 8) are: chip size: 0.8 x 1.2 mm2, center frequency: 77 GHz, tuning range: 6.7 GHz, phase noise: -97dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset frequency, output power (2 outputs): 18.5 dBm single power supply: -5.5 V power consumption: 1.2 W

TABLE 1 SPECIFICATION OF 76.5 GHZ LRR and 79 GHZ SRR SENSORS

Within the KOKON consortium DaimlerChrysler as an automotive manufacturer is specifying the requirements for the sensor systems with respect to the automobile surroundings. Different scenarios and applications are investigated to deduce proper sensor specifications. Furthermore the sensor integration into cars will be considered. Lastly first sensor demonstrators will be tested and characterized. Also the project management is performed by DaimlerChrysler. Bosch is focusing on specifications of key components for LRR systems in SiGe technology, on evaluation and characterization of these SiGe chip components and on the integration and assessment of these chips in a LRR sensor demonstrator. Continental Temic is investigating architectures for future 79 GHz SRR systems and is specifying 79 GHz SiGe chip components. Further an integration technology will be developed to realize a first 79 GHz SRR sensor demonstrator with SiGe based RF transceiver chips. Atmel Germany is developing a new SiGe technology generation suited for the realization of core devices for 76-81 GHz automotive electronics, especially SRR transceiver components and MMICs. Infineon is enhancing their SiGe technology for realization of 76-81 GHz MMICS with emphasis on improving the high frequency performance and on achieving high reliability for automotive applications in

Fig. 8. Photograph of the 77 GHz SiGe VCO Chip (0.8 mm x 1.2 mm) according to [12]. Also a low-noise and high-gain double-balanced mixer for 76.5 GHz automotive radar front-ends in SiGe bipolar technology has been realized using the Infineon technology [13]. The data of the active mixer are: Chip size: 550 x 450 m2 Gain (65 90 GHz): > 24 dB 1 dB Compression Point (In/Out): - 30 dBm/- 4 dBm SSB Noise Figure (7282 GHz): < 14 dB (IF > 10kHz) Supply Voltage: - 5 V Supply Current: 60 mA Additional key elements like LNA, frequency divider etc. have also been demonstrated. The final goal will be to fully integrate a 79 GHz SRR transceiver front-end on a single chip. 100

International Radar Symposium IRS 2005, Proceedings, 06-08 Sept. 2005, Berlin

The KOKON project is supported by different institutes and universities. The Institute fr Halbleiterphysik, IHP in Frankfurt/Oder is subcontractor of Infineon and Atmel. IHP has a 0.25 m SiGe:C BICMOS line with fT/fmax = 180/220 GHz and is developing VCOs [14] parallel to Infineon in order to perform a benchmarking of both technologies with respect to performance and reliability. IHP will also perform device characterization and noise measurements. The Lehrstuhl fr Hochfrequenztechnik of the Technical University of Munich is as subcontractor of Infineon investigating new oscillator concepts (push-pull oscillators) and integrated antenna concepts. The Lehrstuhl fr Technische Elektronik (LTE) of the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg performs system investigations. By simulating the radar system the quality of transmit and receive signals depending on RFcharacteristics can be evaluated and can give input to the circuit design. LTE is subcontractor of Infineon, Bosch and DaimlerChrysler. The Institut fr Halbleiterphysik (IHT) of the University of Stuttgart is investigating integration concepts for planar radar and SiGe HBT concepts with high breakdown voltages as subcontractor of Atmel, Bosch and Temic. VI. CONCLUSION First cars equipped with 24 GHz short range radar sensors will be available in autumn 2005 with already remarkable active safety features. Additional driver assistance functions based on SRR sensors are expected in near future. In Europe the designated SRR frequency band at 24 GHz is allocated for temporary use with a transition to 79 GHz (77-81 GHz) no later than 1 July 2013. Therefore the development of 79 GHz SRR was started with high priority within the BMBF funded project KOKON. SiGe HBT technology has the potential to realize cost effective radar on chip solutions. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The authors wish to acknowledge the funding of the German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) under contract 01M3161F (KOKON) and all partners and subcontractors of the KOKON consortium who contributed to this work. REFERENCES
[1] http://www.who.int/features/2004/road_safety/en/ [2] http://europa.eu.int/comm/energy_transport/library/lb_text e_complet_en.pdf [3] The ECC Decisions ECC/DEC(04)10 (24 GHz SRR) and ECC/DEC(04)03 (79 GHz SRR) are available in the Internet: ERO-Homepage [4] The European Product-Standards EN 302 288 Parts 1 and 2 (24 GHz SRR) and EN 302 264 Parts 1 and 2 (79 GHz SRR) are after completion available in the Internet: ETSIHomepage (http://www.etsi.org). [5] Press Release DaimlerChrysler, , The new MercedesBenz S-Class: Thinking ahead - setting the pace, April 2005

[6] C. Frank, Switched monopulse radar for automotive applications, Workshop on environmental systems for automotive applications (WS 11) EuMC, Oct. 10, pp. 614, 2003, Munic [7] I. Gresham, A. Jenkins et al., Ultra-wideband radar sensors for short-range vehicular applications, IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory and Techniques, Vol. 52, N0. 9, pp. 2105-2120, Sept. 2004 [8] www.kokon-project.com [9] M. Camiade, D. Domnesque,. Z Ouarch,. A. Sion, , Fully MMIC-based front end for FMCW automotive radar at 77GHz, European Microwave Week, GaAs 2000 Proceedings, pp. 280-283, 2000 [10] M. Khater, J. -S. Rieh, et al., SiGe HBT Technology with fmax/fT = 350/300 GHz and Gate Delay Below 3.3 ps, IEDM 2004 [11] Bock, J.; Schafer, H.; Aufinger, K.; Stengl, R.; Boguth, S.; Schreiter, R.; Rest, M.; Knapp, H.; Wurzer, M.; Perndl, W.; Bottner, T.; Meister, T.F. SiGe bipolar technology for automotive radar applications, IEDM 2004 [12] H. Li, H.-M. Rein, T. Suttorp. J. Bck, Fully integrated SiGe VCOs with powerful output buffer for 77 GHz automotive radar systems and applications around 100 GHz, IEEE Journal of Solid State Circuits, Vol.39, No. 10, pp.1650-1658, October 2004 [13] W. Perndl, H. Knapp, M. Wurzer, K. Aufinger, T.F. Meister, T.F. Bock, W. Simburger, A.L. Scholtz, A lownoise, and high-gain double-balanced mixer for 77 GHz automotive radar front-ends in SiGe bipolar technology, IEEE Radio Frequency Integrated Circuits (RFIC) Symposium, 2004. Digest of Papers. pp. 47-50, 2004 [14] G. Fischer, SiGe:C BiCMOS Technology for 77 81 GHz Automotive Radar Applications, MicroCar2005, Leipzig, 2122. June 2005

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