Ultrahigh-speed distributed millimeter wave array radar imaging system

Abstract

The invention discloses an ultra-high-speed distributed millimeter wave array radar imaging system, which relates to the technical field of radars and comprises a radar array, an acquisition control module and an upper computer. The radar array is composed of a plurality of small-caliber radar sub-arrays, and the sub-arrays are mutually independent. The acquisition control module is used for uniformly controlling transmitting and receiving of each radar sub-array; and the upper computer sets working logic in the acquisition control module through software, stores radar data returned by the acquisition control module, converts the original radar data into visual radar images through a radar imaging algorithm and software, and finally displays the visual radar images to a user. The ultra-high-speed distributed millimeter wave array radar imaging system has extremely high operation efficiency, all channels of the whole array only need less than 1ms to complete one-time acquisition, and the ultra-high-speed distributed millimeter wave array radar imaging system is superior to millimeter wave array systems of the same type and the same size in the current market.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of radar technology, and in particular to an ultra-high-speed distributed millimeter-wave array radar imaging system. Background Art

[0002] According to the calculation formula of radar imaging resolution, in order to achieve high-resolution reconstruction of the object's phenotype, in addition to a short wavelength, a larger antenna observation aperture is also an indispensable condition. In order to construct a suitable antenna aperture, there are two common methods: real aperture and synthetic aperture.

[0003] According to different actual usage conditions, the real aperture system is further subdivided into a large aperture system that can completely cover the target and a small aperture system that partially covers the target. These two types of real aperture systems are also the more common radar imaging systems on the market.

[0004] Conventional imaging systems each have certain defects. Real aperture systems cannot circumvent the contradiction between array size and system complexity, while general synthetic aperture systems rely too much on mechanical platforms and therefore cannot meet the requirements of real-time imaging. The three common imaging systems on the market each have their own shortcomings: large real aperture systems need to resolve the contradiction between system complexity and cost and maintenance; small real aperture systems have limited coverage and resolution; and for general synthetic aperture systems, operating efficiency is always a difficult problem to solve. Summary of the invention

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention is implemented through the following technical solutions: an ultra-high-speed distributed millimeter-wave array radar imaging system, including a radar array, an acquisition control module and a host computer. The radar array is composed of a number of small-caliber radar subarrays, and the subarrays are independent of each other; the acquisition control module is used to uniformly control the transmission and reception of each radar subarray; the host computer sets the working logic in the acquisition control module through software, and saves the radar data returned by the acquisition control module, and then converts the original radar data into a visual radar image through radar imaging algorithms and software, and finally displays it to the user.

[0006] All sub-arrays are independent of each other in their operation, which means that expanding the array aperture will not significantly increase the system hardware complexity and downlink data volume, and will not cause complex electromagnetic compatibility issues.

[0007] Preferably, the radar array is composed of a low-power K-band 2T4R small-aperture MIMO millimeter-wave radar, and multiple pieces of the radar array form a distributed system. The distributed system is combined with a mechanical scanning platform to build a millimeter-wave MIMO-SAR imaging system.

[0008] Preferably, the millimeter wave MIMO-SAR imaging system is horizontally mounted on a mechanical scanning platform, and scanning along the vertical dimension of the array is achieved as the mechanical platform moves up and down, thereby obtaining a complete planar aperture radar data.

[0009] Low complexity and low data volume ensure that the system can realize ultra-high-speed, large-aperture, high-resolution array radar system at a lower cost.

[0010] Preferably, the millimeter wave MIMO-SAR imaging system can achieve accurate reconstruction of the phenotypes of various complex objects.

[0011] Preferably, the number of the small-aperture radar subarrays is configured according to resolution or array size.

[0012] The number of subarrays can be flexibly configured and increased or decreased according to the requirements of resolution or array size, and failures in the subsystems will not affect each other, which means that maintenance is simple and low-cost.

[0013] The system has extremely high operating efficiency. It takes less than 1ms for all channels of the entire array to complete an acquisition, which is superior to the millimeter-wave array systems of the same type and size currently on the market.

[0014] The millimeter-wave MIMO-SAR system can achieve accurate reconstruction of the phenotypes of various complex objects, thereby verifying the imaging effect and feasibility of the new distributed millimeter-wave array radar system we proposed.

[0015] The present invention provides an ultra-high-speed distributed millimeter wave array radar imaging system. It has the following beneficial effects: 1. The ultra-high-speed distributed millimeter-wave array radar imaging system has extremely high operating efficiency. It takes less than 1ms for all channels of the entire array to complete an acquisition, which is superior to the millimeter-wave array systems of the same type and size currently on the market.

[0016] Second, the ultra-high-speed distributed millimeter-wave array radar imaging system can accurately reconstruct the phenotypes of various complex objects through the millimeter-wave MIMO-SAR system, thereby verifying the imaging effect and feasibility of the new distributed millimeter-wave array radar system we proposed.

[0017] 3. This ultra-high-speed distributed millimeter-wave array radar imaging system combines the advantages of the two conventional systems, real aperture and synthetic aperture, while avoiding their shortcomings and defects. It can well solve the contradictions faced by current conventional millimeter-wave systems in practical applications, such as system complexity (data volume) and array size, operating efficiency and hardware cost. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1A schematic diagram of the working principle of a distributed MIMO array radar system of an ultra-high-speed distributed millimeter-wave array radar imaging system of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall architecture of the distributed millimeter wave array radar imaging system of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing a distributed radar prototype of the present invention; Figure 4 Schematic diagram of imaging results of different targets of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] The present invention is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. The embodiments of the present invention are provided for the purpose of illustration and description, and are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the disclosed forms. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. The embodiments are selected and described in order to better illustrate the principles and practical applications of the present invention, and to enable those of ordinary skill in the art to understand the present invention and thereby design various embodiments with various modifications suitable for specific uses.

[0020] In the first embodiment, as shown in Figures X to X, the present invention provides a technical solution: an ultra-high-speed distributed millimeter-wave array radar imaging system, including a radar array, an acquisition control module and a host computer. The radar array is composed of a number of small-caliber radar subarrays, and the subarrays are independent of each other; the acquisition control module is used to uniformly control the transmission and reception of each radar subarray; the host computer sets the working logic in the acquisition control module through software, and saves the radar data sent back by the acquisition control module, and then converts the original radar data into a visual radar image through the radar imaging algorithm and software, and finally displays it to the user.

[0021] All sub-arrays are independent of each other in their operation, which means that expanding the array aperture will not significantly increase the system hardware complexity and downlink data volume, and will not cause complex electromagnetic compatibility issues.

[0022] In the second embodiment, based on the first embodiment, please refer to Figures X to X, the radar array is composed of a low-power K-band 2T4R small-aperture MIMO millimeter-wave radar, and multiple pieces of the radar array form a distributed system. The distributed system is combined with a mechanical scanning platform to build a millimeter-wave MIMO-SAR imaging system.

[0023] The millimeter wave MIMO-SAR imaging system is horizontally mounted on a mechanical scanning platform, and scanning along the vertical dimension of the array is achieved as the mechanical platform moves up and down, thereby obtaining a complete planar aperture radar data.

[0024] Low complexity and low data volume ensure that the system can realize ultra-high-speed, large-aperture, high-resolution array radar system at a lower cost.

[0025] The millimeter wave MIMO-SAR imaging system can achieve accurate reconstruction of the phenotypes of various complex objects.

[0026] The number of the small-aperture radar subarrays is configured according to resolution or array size.

[0027] The number of subarrays can be flexibly configured and increased or decreased according to the requirements of resolution or array size, and failures in the subsystems will not affect each other, which means that maintenance is simple and low-cost.

[0028] The system has extremely high operating efficiency. It takes less than 1ms for all channels of the entire array to complete an acquisition, which is superior to the millimeter-wave array systems of the same type and size currently on the market.

[0029] The millimeter-wave MIMO-SAR system can achieve accurate reconstruction of the phenotypes of various complex objects, thereby verifying the imaging effect and feasibility of the new distributed millimeter-wave array radar system we proposed.

[0030] Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field and related fields without creative work should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. The structures, devices and operating methods not specifically described and explained in the present invention are implemented according to the conventional means in the field unless otherwise specified and limited.

Claims

1. Ultra-high-speed distributed millimeter-wave array radar imaging system, characterized by: Including radar array, acquisition control module and host computer; The radar array is composed of a number of small-caliber radar sub-arrays, and the sub-arrays are independent of each other; The acquisition control module is used to uniformly control the transmission and reception of each radar subarray; The host computer sets the working logic in the acquisition control module through software, saves the radar data sent back by the acquisition control module, and then converts the original radar data into a visual radar image through radar imaging algorithm and software, and finally displays it to the user.

2. The ultra-high-speed distributed millimeter-wave array radar imaging system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The radar array is composed of a low-power K-band 2T4R small-aperture MIMO millimeter-wave radar. Multiple radar arrays form a distributed system, and the distributed system is combined with a mechanical scanning platform to build a millimeter-wave MIMO-SAR imaging system.

3. The ultra-high-speed distributed millimeter-wave array radar imaging system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The millimeter wave MIMO-SAR imaging system is horizontally mounted on a mechanical scanning platform, and scanning along the vertical dimension of the array is achieved as the mechanical platform moves up and down, thereby obtaining a complete planar aperture radar data.

4. The ultra-high-speed distributed millimeter-wave array radar imaging system according to claim 3, characterized in that: The millimeter wave MIMO-SAR imaging system can achieve accurate reconstruction of the phenotypes of various complex objects.

5. The ultra-high-speed distributed millimeter-wave array radar imaging system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The number of the small-aperture radar subarrays is configured according to resolution or array size.

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