Compact ETSI compliant DSRC transponder for vehicular communications at 5.8 GHz

This paper details the implementation and performance of a new compact 5.8 GHz Transponder for Dedicated Short-Range Communication (DSRC). The core of the system is a low power RFIC composed of an amplifier and supeheterodyne converter, while the radiative system consists of an original low profile planar antennas operating in Left Hand Circularly Polarization (LHCP) for both Tx/Rx channel. The planar antenna technology offer the benefits of low-cost, ease of manufacture and low-profile, but it requires accurate and time-consuming tunings to reach optimal radiation and matching condition. The performance of the proposed DSRC transponder are boosted by efficient design for both Tx and Rx antennas which is based on a evolution of the original solution proposed by the authors. Measured results of a fabricated prototype show a wide and regular angular response and a net gain exceeding 15 dB in the linear range of function.