Radar complete machine automatic test method and system

Abstract

The invention discloses a radar complete machine automatic test method and system, and relates to the technical field of radar test, and the method comprises the following steps: building a time synchronization reference sequence around the delay accumulation of a control bus in multiple rounds of instruction scheduling, and carrying out the dynamic distribution of communication time slots of all phased array units before an instruction is issued, the time offset of each phased array unit is brought into a time synchronization reference sequence in a unified manner; and performing rhythm balance scheduling on the issuing sequence of the control instruction based on the time synchronization reference sequence. By unifying the time synchronization reference and introducing the rhythm balance and time fine tuning mechanism, the delay accumulation of the control bus is inhibited, the time consistency of phase updating of the phased array is ensured, and the beam pointing stability and the test result reliability are improved. Meanwhile, continuous coordination of energy distribution is maintained through time sequence association of power and phase and stable scheduling of the beam direction, and the operation consistency and the environment adaptability of the whole radar under the long-period multi-band automatic test condition are enhanced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of radar testing technology, and more specifically to an automatic testing method and system for radar systems. Background Technology

[0002] Automated testing of radar systems refers to the technical means of conducting full-process testing of radar systems during the factory delivery, commissioning, or maintenance stages using an automated testing system. This system establishes an excitation and testing microwave path through a signal conversion hub. Under the unified scheduling of the main control computer, it automatically completes the configuration of basic radar information, selection of test instruments (such as oscilloscopes, signal generators, spectrum analyzers, etc.), and setting of test items (including software version verification, timing and synchronization signal detection, RF channel characteristics, receiver sensitivity, beam pattern performance, etc.). The system automatically excites, acquires, and analyzes test signals according to preset algorithms, generating standardized test data packages and test reports. It also integrates liquid cooling, power supply, and environmental monitoring modules to monitor the test environment and equipment status in real time. This automated testing method significantly reduces manual intervention, improves the accuracy and consistency of the testing process, and constructs an efficient and standardized radar system testing system, providing intelligent technical support for radar production and quality control.

[0003] The existing technology has the following shortcomings: During automated testing of the entire radar system, when the signal transmission delay of the control bus accumulates over multiple rounds of command scheduling and exceeds the system's set threshold, some phased array units may exhibit phase command lag. Since automated testing systems typically rely on command feedback signals for status determination, test results may show beam direction and power distribution within normal ranges. However, in the actual radiation field, the phase output of each array element may have experienced slight shifts, causing a shift in the main lobe energy distribution and an asymmetry in the sidelobe structure, resulting in latent performance defects that are difficult to detect using conventional testing methods. These delay accumulation problems are insidious and cumulative, easily overlooked in multi-band or long-period testing scenarios, and may ultimately lead to serious consequences such as beam pointing drift and abnormal target recognition in combat or high-dynamic environments.

[0004] The information disclosed in the background section is only intended to enhance the understanding of the background of this disclosure, and therefore may include information that does not constitute prior art known to those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide an automatic testing method and system for radar systems to solve the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: an automatic testing method for a radar system, comprising the following steps: Step 1: Based on the accumulated delay of the control bus in multiple rounds of instruction scheduling, establish a time synchronization reference sequence. Before the instruction is issued, dynamically allocate the communication time slots of all phased array units and incorporate the time offset of each phased array unit into the time synchronization reference sequence to form a high-precision timing reference. Step 2: Based on the time synchronization reference sequence, the order of control command issuance is rhythmically balanced and scheduled. Extremely short timing buffer segments are inserted between each phased array unit. The transmission rhythm is corrected through continuous rhythm balancing to suppress local delay propagation and stabilize the communication timing of the control bus. Step 3: Based on the command transmission results after rhythm balance scheduling, a time fine-tuning mechanism is introduced in the phase update process of the phase array unit to map the delay deviation detected in the previous test cycle to the current phase update process, so as to achieve continuous alignment of phase commands among all phase array units. Step 4: Based on the phase alignment results, the transmission power allocation of each phased array unit is time-correlated and controlled. The power update rhythm is dynamically adjusted according to the phase change trend to maintain the time consistency between energy distribution and phase change process and prevent power response lag. Step 5: Continuing with the power regulation results, stabilize the beam direction by fine-tuning the output sequence according to the correspondence between power and phase, in order to maintain the continuous stability of the main lobe energy distribution and eliminate the implicit beam offset caused by the accumulation of control bus delay.

[0007] Preferably, the steps for establishing a time synchronization reference sequence include: Determine the start and end times of the control bus within the entire instruction scheduling cycle, divide the time interval into several continuous sub-intervals, perform unified quantization on each sub-interval to establish a continuous time scale, assign initial communication time points to each phased array unit on the time scale and record response delay values ​​to form a basic time schedule. Based on the basic timetable, the communication time slots of each phased array unit are dynamically allocated. The time delay value of the previous scheduling cycle is compared with the current time scale, and the communication time points are adjusted according to the delay change trend to keep the communication rhythm distributed within a unified time window. The dynamically allocated time offset parameters are uniformly incorporated into the time synchronization reference sequence. The communication delay formed by each phased array unit within the scheduling period is collected and converted into time offset, and then updated to the time synchronization reference sequence in the order of the time axis. Based on the updated time synchronization reference sequence, the time offset within multiple scheduling cycles is continuously maintained, and the communication time slots of each phased array unit are kept consistent with the time synchronization reference sequence through periodic comparison and correction.

[0008] Preferably, the steps for rhythm balancing scheduling based on a time synchronization reference sequence include: Based on the communication time distribution of each phased array unit recorded in the time synchronization reference sequence, the communication start time and response interval of each phased array unit are extracted and sorted according to the time sequence to form an initial distribution queue with time priority. Based on the initial distribution queue, extremely short timing buffer segments are inserted between each phased array unit. The timing buffer segments are configured according to the time scale of the time synchronization reference sequence to balance the transmission rhythm of control commands in the control bus. Based on the delivery queue after inserting the timing buffer segment, the time interval of control commands is continuously monitored according to the time synchronization reference sequence, and the delivery order is rhythmically balanced to maintain the consistency between the command transmission rhythm and the time synchronization reference sequence. Based on the rhythm balance correction results, the rhythm distribution formed in the previous scheduling cycle is used as the initial rhythm structure of the current scheduling cycle, and the time interval between adjacent instructions is redistributed in combination with the updated time synchronization reference sequence to maintain the continuous and stable timing of control bus communication.

[0009] Preferably, the step of introducing a time fine-tuning mechanism during the phase update process of the phased array elements includes: Based on the command transmission results under rhythm balance scheduling, the command transmission time, response time and buffer time of each phased array unit in the previous test cycle are matched, the corresponding time offset value is calculated, and a delay offset distribution table is formed according to the command order. Based on the delay offset distribution table, the delay offset of each phased array unit is mapped to the time synchronization reference sequence of the current test cycle to form a time offset correction reference containing theoretical time points and correction time points. Based on the time offset correction reference, the start time point and phase change rate of the phase update are adjusted during the phase update process of the phase array element, and the delay offset is converted into a time adjustment amount and applied to the phase command update. Based on the time adjustment results of the phase update, the actual time position of each phased array unit is recorded in the time synchronization reference sequence to maintain the time alignment of phase commands in continuous test cycles.

[0010] Preferably, the time fine-tuning mechanism performs rolling corrections according to the time offset values ​​recorded in the continuous test cycle during the phase update process, allocates the time adjustment amount of the phase update to multiple phase change moments, and synchronously updates the corresponding time adjustment results to the time synchronization reference sequence to maintain the time consistency of the phase update process of the phased array unit in the continuous scheduling cycle.

[0011] Preferably, the step of timing-correlated control of the transmit power allocation of each phased array element includes: Based on the phase alignment results, the phase change trajectory of each phased array element in the current test cycle is time-calibrated, the phase update time is extracted, and the start time, peak time and end time of the phase change are recorded to form a time distribution map of the phase change. Based on the time distribution map of phase change, the transmission power allocation of each phased array unit is set with time sequence association, and the start time and end time of power adjustment are mapped to the time node of phase change to form a power time allocation structure corresponding to the phase change trend. Based on the power time allocation structure and combined with the time synchronization reference sequence, the power update rhythm of each phased array unit is dynamically adjusted, and the time node of power update is continuously mapped to the time distribution diagram of phase change. Based on the dynamic adjustment results of the power update rhythm, the power change curve and the phase change curve are time-overlaid, and the consistency data of power and phase are recorded in the time synchronization reference sequence.

[0012] Preferably, during the time superposition of the power change curve and the phase change curve, the correspondence between the time node of the power update and the phase change is defined according to the time synchronization reference sequence, and the superimposed power and phase consistency data is used as a reference for the power time allocation structure of the next cycle in each test cycle, so as to maintain the timing consistency of the transmit power and phase change of each phased array unit.

[0013] Preferably, the step of performing beam direction stabilization scheduling includes: Based on the power timing correlation control results, the power distribution state and phase change state of each phased array unit in the current test cycle are sorted out, the time correlation mapping relationship between power and phase is established, and a time response group is formed. Based on the time-related mapping relationship and the theoretical output path of the beam direction determined by the time synchronization reference sequence, the output order of the beam direction is initially arranged, and the time interval between the direction outputs is configured. Based on the preliminary arrangement results, the time interval of the beam direction output is continuously fine-tuned by combining the power change rate and the phase change rate, and a direction time index is introduced into the time synchronization reference sequence. Based on the directional output sequence formed by continuous fine-tuning, the directional output time node, power distribution time node and phase change time node are synchronously compared, and the directional output sequence is corrected according to the comparison results to maintain the stable state of beam directional scheduling.

[0014] Preferably, in the step of correcting the beam direction output sequence, the direction time index is updated according to the time correspondence between the direction output time node, the power distribution time node, and the phase change time node, and the update result is recorded in the time synchronization reference sequence to maintain the time consistency of beam direction scheduling, power, and phase changes in continuous test cycles.

[0015] The radar system is an automated testing system, which includes a time synchronization reference module, a rhythm balance scheduling module, a time fine-tuning correction module, a power timing control module, and a beam direction stabilization module. The time synchronization reference module establishes a time synchronization reference sequence based on the accumulated delay of the control bus in multiple rounds of instruction scheduling. Before the instruction is issued, the communication time slots of all phased array units are dynamically allocated, and the time offset of each phased array unit is uniformly incorporated into the time synchronization reference sequence. The rhythm balancing scheduling module performs rhythm balancing scheduling on the order of control command issuance based on the time synchronization reference sequence, inserting extremely short timing buffer segments between each phased array unit. The time fine-tuning correction module introduces a time fine-tuning mechanism in the phase update process of the phased array unit based on the instruction transmission results after rhythm balance scheduling, and maps the delay deviation detected in the previous test cycle to the current phase update process. The power timing control module, based on the phase alignment results, performs timing-related regulation on the transmit power allocation of each phased array unit and dynamically adjusts the power update rhythm according to the phase change trend. The beam direction stabilization module continues the power regulation results and performs stable scheduling of the beam direction, fine-tuning the output sequence of the direction according to the correspondence between power and phase.

[0016] The technical effects and advantages provided by the present invention in the above technical solution are as follows: This invention constructs a unified time synchronization benchmark around the time consistency of the control bus, and introduces rhythm balancing and time fine-tuning mechanisms during multi-round command scheduling to ensure that the command transmission and execution process of the phased array units always remains within the same time reference frame. This method can continuously suppress delay accumulation, ensuring that the phase updates of each array element remain continuously aligned in the time dimension. This guarantees the stability of the main lobe pointing during beamforming, avoids performance deviations caused by implicit time offsets, and enhances the reliability and repeatability of automatic radar system testing results.

[0017] This invention introduces time-correlated control of transmit power and beam direction based on phase alignment, ensuring that the power change rhythm is consistent with the phase evolution process, and further stabilizes the output sequence of the beam direction. This method achieves a continuous and coordinated energy distribution in both time and space, maintaining a smooth main lobe energy envelope and a symmetrical and stable sidelobe structure. This effectively improves the operational consistency of the radar system under long-period and multi-band automatic testing conditions, enhancing the test system's adaptability to complex operating conditions. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments recorded in this invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of the automatic testing method for the entire radar system according to the present invention.

[0020] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the modules of the automatic testing system for the entire radar system of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0021] Exemplary embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, these exemplary embodiments can be implemented in many forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein; rather, they are provided so that the description of this disclosure will be more complete and fully convey the concept of the exemplary embodiments to those skilled in the art.

[0022] This invention provides, for example Figure 1 The automatic testing method for the entire radar system shown includes the following steps: Step 1: Based on the accumulated delay of the control bus in multiple rounds of instruction scheduling, establish a time synchronization reference sequence. Before the instruction is issued, dynamically allocate the communication time slots of all phased array units and incorporate the time offset of each phased array unit into the time synchronization reference sequence to form a high-precision timing reference. The specific implementation method for this step is as follows: For the multi-channel control bus in the radar system, the start and end times of the control bus within a complete command scheduling cycle are determined, and this time interval is divided into several continuous sub-intervals. Each sub-interval corresponds to the command issuance and response cycle of a set of phased array units. After division, the time length of each sub-interval is uniformly quantized and divided into millisecond or microsecond-level time units to establish a continuous time scale. Next, an initial communication time point is assigned to each phased array unit on this time scale, and its response delay value at the time of the initial command issuance is recorded. This response delay value is obtained by monitoring the time difference between the command issuance and the arrival of the response signal. Subsequently, the initial delay values ​​of each phased array unit are arranged sequentially according to the time scale to form a basic time schedule. This time schedule constitutes the initial state of the time synchronization reference sequence, providing a unified reference framework for subsequent communication time slot allocation. To ensure the continuity of this basic time schedule, multiple samplings are performed during its establishment process to average any possible sudden delays, ensuring that the time characteristics of each phased array unit remain comparable on the same time axis.

[0023] After obtaining the basic timetable, communication time slots for all phased array units are dynamically allocated. During this process, the time delay value generated by each phased array unit in the previous scheduling cycle is compared with the current time scale, and the communication time points are refined based on the delay change trend. For units with slower response speeds, their command issuance time is appropriately advanced; for units with faster response speeds, the time scale is slightly delayed, thus achieving balance in the overall communication process within the same time window. Each round of dynamic allocation is rolled over based on the previous time offset data, ensuring that the time synchronization reference sequence remains dynamically consistent throughout consecutive scheduling cycles. To further improve synchronization accuracy, the communication time slots of all phased array units are rearranged in a fixed order during dynamic allocation, ensuring that the time interval between adjacent units remains within a set tolerance range. In this way, the communication rhythm of the entire control bus is evenly distributed, avoiding cumulative delay offsets in some units across multiple command scheduling rounds.

[0024] After dynamic allocation is completed, the time offset parameters of each phased array unit are uniformly incorporated into the time synchronization reference sequence to form a timing reference with global time consistency. During this process, the communication delay generated by each unit in the latest scheduling is collected, and the delay data is converted into time offsets, which are then sequentially inserted into the various index positions of the time synchronization reference sequence according to the time axis. In this way, each phased array unit corresponds to a unique time position in the sequence, representing the actual offset of its command transmission and response on the global time axis. In this manner, the time synchronization reference sequence transforms from a static record into an updatable time chain structure, reflecting the temporal evolution of each phased array unit during continuous scheduling. To maintain the continuity of this sequence, the offsets of the previous period and the current period are weighted during the update process, ensuring that the time synchronization reference forms a stable transition value after each update, thus avoiding sudden jumps that could interfere with the overall timing. After the update, the time synchronization reference sequence forms a complete time mapping relationship, in which the communication time slots of each phased array unit remain coordinated and consistent, and all delay offsets are incorporated into the unified time reference.

[0025] After obtaining the complete time synchronization reference sequence, its stability is continuously maintained throughout the entire automatic testing process of the radar system to ensure the continuity and consistency of the timing of each phased array unit during multiple command issuance rounds. Before the start of each new scheduling cycle, the time synchronization reference sequence of the previous cycle is read as a reference for the current time allocation. The time offset of each phased array unit in the previous cycle is compared with the current scheduling status of the control bus, and minor corrections are made to any slight changes, ensuring that the communication time slot of each unit always corresponds to its position in the time synchronization reference sequence. To prevent timing drift after long-term operation, at the end of each scheduling cycle, the communication time of all phased array units is remapped back to the time synchronization reference sequence. By comparing the total offset between the two rounds, it is determined whether there is a systematic shift in the overall communication rhythm. When the offset trend shows an accumulated state, the corresponding time period is appropriately expanded or contracted in the next round of time allocation, allowing the time synchronization reference sequence to automatically absorb the accumulated error and return to a balanced state. After multiple iterations of correction, the structure of the time synchronization reference sequence gradually stabilized throughout the testing process. The communication time slots of all phased array units remained within the preset time intervals, and the cumulative delay of the control bus was suppressed within a controllable range over a long period. At this point, the entire automatic testing process of the radar system formed a unified time framework centered on the time synchronization reference sequence. Within this framework, each phased array unit sequentially completed command reception and status response, ensuring the temporal continuity of the testing process and the stability and reliability of the results.

[0026] Through the implementation of the above consecutive steps, the time synchronization reference sequence not only serves as a time reference during the automatic testing of the radar system, but also actively suppresses delay accumulation. Each phased array unit has an independent time coordinate under a dynamically adjusted time scale, and its command reception and response processes are always controlled by a unified time sequence. This mechanism of continuous updating and periodic correction ensures that the time allocation of the control bus remains balanced in multiple rounds of scheduling, thereby avoiding phase lag and beam offset problems caused by command delay accumulation, and achieving precise control and stable coordination of communication timing during the automatic testing of the radar system.

[0027] Step 2: Based on the time synchronization reference sequence, the order of control command issuance is rhythmically balanced and scheduled. Extremely short timing buffer segments are inserted between each phased array unit. The transmission rhythm is corrected through continuous rhythm balancing to suppress local delay propagation and stabilize the communication timing of the control bus. The specific implementation method for this step is as follows: After the time synchronization reference sequence is established, the order of control command issuance is rearranged based on the communication time distribution of each phased array unit recorded in the sequence. In this stage, for each phased array unit's time position in the time synchronization reference sequence, its corresponding communication start time and response interval are extracted. The timing data of all units are sorted according to their chronological order, forming an initial issuance queue with time priority. When generating this queue, the differences in physical signal transmission distance and communication paths between phased array units are considered. Units with shorter intervals are appropriately grouped to maintain a relatively balanced issuance order between adjacent groups. This grouping and sorting method allows the time reference of the time synchronization reference sequence to be directly mapped to the order of control command issuance, thus achieving time coordination from the command issuance stage. At this point, the order of control command issuance no longer depends solely on numbering or geographical location, but is rhythmically reconstructed based on the time reference determined by the time synchronization reference sequence, laying the foundation for subsequent rhythm-balanced scheduling.

[0028] After obtaining the initial command delivery queue with time priority sorting, extremely short timing buffer segments are inserted between each phased array unit to balance the instantaneous load fluctuations during command transmission. These buffer segments are set based on the time scale of the time synchronization reference sequence, and their length is typically a small proportion of the communication time slot length of each phased array unit. By inserting these extremely short timing buffer segments between adjacent units, the peak transmission density of commands in the control bus can be effectively delayed, resulting in a more uniform rhythm distribution in the command delivery process. Each buffer segment not only isolates the instantaneous interference between consecutive command transmissions but also creates a physical time transition region, preventing contention delays caused by the next unit receiving a new command before the previous unit has completed its response. Due to slight differences in the communication characteristics of each phased array unit, the length of the buffer segment can be slightly adjusted based on the delay data recorded in the time synchronization reference sequence, ensuring seamless temporal connection between units. By inserting timing buffer segments, the instantaneous communication pressure on the control bus is distributed, the command delivery rhythm becomes more stable, and a preliminary state of rhythm-balanced scheduling is achieved.

[0029] After inserting timing buffer segments, continuous rhythm balancing correction is implemented throughout the entire command issuance process to achieve dynamic stability of the overall transmission rhythm. In this stage, the time synchronization reference sequence is used as the core reference, and the issuance rhythm of control commands is finely adjusted based on the communication response intervals of each phased array unit within a continuous scheduling cycle. The key to rhythm balancing correction is to continuously monitor changes in the time intervals of each command, identify rhythm fluctuations during communication, and fine-tune the issuance sequence in time to maintain a uniform signal transmission frequency on the control bus. In specific implementation, when the transmission interval between a certain command group is detected to be too short, a very short time buffer is added at that position to bring the entire transmission sequence back to the timing rhythm of the time synchronization reference sequence; when the interval between a certain command group is found to be too long, the issuance time of the next command is advanced to restore rhythm balance. Through this continuous rhythm balancing correction method, the time distribution of command issuance gradually tends towards a linear and uniform state, the response order of each phased array unit on the control bus remains consistent with the time synchronization reference sequence, and the overall transmission rhythm gradually stabilizes during continuous scheduling.

[0030] After the rhythm balance correction is completed, the communication status of the control bus is continuously maintained throughout the entire command issuance cycle to ensure the stability of the rhythm balance structure in multiple rounds of test tasks. During this process, the rhythm balance distribution formed in the previous scheduling cycle is used as the initial rhythm structure for the current cycle. Based on the updated data in the new round's time synchronization reference sequence, the time intervals between adjacent commands are redistributed, ensuring that each phased array unit follows the same rhythm pattern in the new scheduling cycle. Simultaneously, a certain proportion of timing buffer segments is maintained between the issuance cycles of each phased array unit, ensuring a fixed ratio between the buffer time and the command transmission time. Maintaining this fixed ratio allows the continuous rhythm balance to persist in different test cycles, preventing the spread of local delays caused by sudden rhythm changes. After multiple rounds of command issuance are completed, the communication timing of the entire control bus reaches a periodically stable state, and the command transmission and response of each phased array unit maintain strict consistency. At this point, the time synchronization reference sequence and the rhythm balance scheduling process are completely integrated to form a continuous self-coordinated timing structure. This ensures that the communication of the control bus remains stable even under high-density command issuance conditions, preventing delay propagation from accumulating in local areas and ensuring that the control command issuance rhythm and communication timing are always coordinated during the automatic testing of the entire radar system.

[0031] Through the above steps, the rhythm balancing scheduling process based on the time synchronization reference sequence forms a complete closed-loop structure in terms of time allocation, buffer setting, rhythm correction, and timing maintenance. The control bus maintains a highly stable communication rhythm during command transmission, avoiding phase command misalignment caused by delay propagation. This provides a continuous and reliable timing basis for subsequent phase timing fine-tuning, power timing control, and beam directional stabilization, ensuring that the automatic testing process of the entire radar system remains highly consistent and balanced in time.

[0032] Step 3: Based on the command transmission results after rhythm balance scheduling, a time fine-tuning mechanism is introduced in the phase update process of the phase array unit to map the delay deviation detected in the previous test cycle to the current phase update process, so as to achieve continuous alignment of phase commands among all phase array units. The specific implementation method for this step is as follows: After completing the rhythm balancing scheduling, the delay deviations formed in the previous test cycle are summarized and organized at the time level based on the command transmission results under the rhythm balancing state. In this process, the command transmission time, response time, and buffer time period in rhythm balancing for each phased array unit in the previous test cycle are matched to calculate its actual offset value in the time synchronization reference sequence. This offset value reflects the accumulated time delay characteristics of the phased array unit after multiple rounds of command transmission and serves as the basis for time fine-tuning in subsequent phase updates. Then, the time offset data of all phased array units are arranged sequentially to form a delay offset distribution table for the previous test cycle. This distribution table corresponds to the command order in rhythm balancing scheduling on the time axis, ensuring that the delay offset of each unit completely corresponds to its transmission position in the control bus. Through this process, the transmission results after rhythm balancing are closely linked to the time delay state of each unit, providing a clear time input basis for the time fine-tuning mechanism, enabling the subsequent phase update process to accurately reflect the accumulated delay characteristics of the previous cycle.

[0033] After obtaining the delay offset distribution table from the previous test cycle, the delay offsets are mapped to the time synchronization reference sequence for the current test cycle to form a time offset correction reference for the current cycle. Specifically, at the start of a new test cycle, the command issuance order determined by the rhythm balancing schedule is read, and the delay offset of each phased array unit from the previous cycle is inserted into the corresponding time position in that order. At this point, each phased array unit has two time parameters in the time synchronization reference sequence: one is the theoretical time point after rhythm balancing, and the other is the corrected time point obtained by mapping the delay offset from the previous cycle. By comparing the time difference between the two, the direction and magnitude of time fine-tuning that each unit should perform in the new cycle can be determined. In this process, the time fine-tuning mechanism uses the time synchronization reference sequence as the core reference, ensuring that the delay information from the previous cycle is continued and corrected in the current cycle, thereby ensuring the continuity and traceability of the entire phase update process in the time dimension. This time mapping process not only ensures the historical consistency of the time reference for the new cycle but also establishes a precise correspondence between time and phase updates.

[0034] After the time offset mapping is completed, the phase update process of the phased array elements begins, and a time fine-tuning mechanism is introduced during this process. This mechanism controls the start time and phase change rate of the phase update, converting the delay deviation from the previous test cycle into a time adjustment that is applied to the current phase command update. Specifically, for phased array elements with a positive delay in the previous cycle, their phase update start time is advanced to the corrected time point during the current cycle's phase update process; for phased array elements with a negative offset in the previous cycle, their phase update start time is appropriately delayed. In this way, all phased array elements form a time-balanced structure during the phase update phase, ensuring that the phase update command of each element is executed under the same time reference. Simultaneously, to prevent the time correction of a single phased array element from disturbing the overall timing, the time fine-tuning process is performed continuously and gradually. By evenly distributing the time adjustment throughout the entire phase update process, the phase change of each element transitions smoothly in the time dimension, thereby achieving continuous alignment of the entire array in phase command updates. At this point, the time fine-tuning mechanism not only achieves time correction for individual units, but also forms overall coordination of phase commands across the entire array.

[0035] After completing the time fine-tuning for phase updates, the execution results of phase commands across the entire array are continuously correlated at the time level to ensure the overall consistency and stability of phase updates. During this process, the time fine-tuning results of the current cycle are re-recorded into the time synchronization reference sequence, ensuring that this sequence is updated at the end of the new test cycle. The final time position of each phased array element is determined jointly by the theoretical time point of the rhythm balancing schedule and the actual time point after fine-tuning. Thus, at the start of the next test cycle, the new time synchronization reference sequence already contains the delay correction information from the previous cycle. Through this continuous correlation, the time synchronization reference sequence, rhythm balancing schedule, and time fine-tuning mechanism form an interdependent closed-loop structure, enabling phased array elements to automatically perform time correction and phase alignment based on historical delay states in each test cycle. As multiple rounds of testing continue, the time fine-tuning mechanism continuously accumulates the time correction results, maintaining long-term time continuity for the entire phased array during phase command updates. Ultimately, all phased array units achieve complete synchronization during the phase command update process, and all phase change processes are carried out within the same time reference frame. This avoids phase inconsistency caused by the accumulation of delay deviations in multiple rounds of testing, ensuring that the beam pointing of the entire radar remains stable and the energy distribution remains balanced under automatic testing conditions.

[0036] Through the execution of the above steps, the time fine-tuning mechanism establishes a cross-cycle time correction relationship based on rhythm balance scheduling, realizing an effective mapping of the delay deviation of the previous test cycle to the current phase update process. This process ensures that all phased array units maintain continuous phase command alignment in the time dimension, not only eliminating the impact of control bus delay accumulation on phase synchronization, but also achieving time and phase synchronization coordination during the phase update stage, thereby constructing an adaptive and continuous time control structure.

[0037] Step 4: Based on the phase alignment results, the transmission power allocation of each phased array unit is time-correlated and controlled. The power update rhythm is dynamically adjusted according to the phase change trend to maintain the time consistency between energy distribution and phase change process and prevent power response lag. The specific implementation method for this step is as follows: After completing the phase alignment of all phased array elements, the phase change trajectory of each element within the current test cycle is time-calibrated to form a time reference basis for power regulation. During this process, the phase update times of each phased array element in the time synchronization reference sequence are extracted, and the start time, peak time, and end time of the phase change are recorded in the form of a time scale, thus forming a time distribution map of the phase change. This time distribution map reflects the phase change process of each phased array element within a complete test cycle and its correspondence with time. Then, based on this time distribution, the phased array elements are classified, with elements having faster phase change rates and those having slower phase change rates identified separately, to facilitate fine-tuning of the time sequence during subsequent power allocation. Through this process, the time reference for power allocation and the phase update results are directly correlated, forming an initial time frame for power adjustment. This provides a continuous time reference for subsequent time-series correlated regulation, ensuring that power updates closely follow the actual rhythm of phase changes.

[0038] After obtaining the temporal distribution map of phase changes, the transmission power allocation of each phased array element is time-correlatedly configured. In this process, based on the phase change trend of each phased array element, its corresponding power adjustment start and end times are determined. For elements with large phase change amplitudes, the power adjustment time interval is appropriately extended to ensure that energy output remains stable during phase changes; for elements with small phase change amplitudes, power updates are completed within a shorter time window, ensuring that energy output changes and phase changes maintain the same temporal rhythm. During the time-correlation configuration, the time sequence of power allocation corresponds one-to-one with the phase change time distribution; that is, the start and end of each power adjustment action are bound to the time node of the corresponding phase change interval. In this way, the power update process is entirely dependent on the temporal characteristics of phase changes, so that power allocation is no longer independent but runs synchronously with phase changes on the time axis, thus forming a temporal correlation between power and phase. After this step, the power allocation of all phased array elements obtains a time reference coordinated with the phase update, laying the foundation for subsequent dynamic adjustments to the power rhythm.

[0039] After establishing the temporal correlation of power allocation, the dynamic adjustment phase of the power update rhythm begins. In this phase, the power time allocation structure formed in the previous sub-step is compared with the time synchronization reference sequence. Based on the dynamic characteristics of the phase change rate of each phased array unit, the power update rhythm is adjusted in real time. When the phase change of a phased array unit shows an accelerating trend, the corresponding power update rhythm must also accelerate synchronously to keep the rate of increase in energy output synchronized with the phase change; when the phase change shows a slowing trend, the power update rhythm must slow down synchronously to prevent energy allocation from lagging behind the phase change process. During this process, the time synchronization reference sequence plays a global constraint role, ensuring that the power rhythm adjustment of each unit remains within a unified time frame, preventing overall temporal imbalance caused by independent changes in a single unit. To prevent time drift during continuous power adjustment, after each round of dynamic adjustment, the current power update time node is remapped back to the phase time distribution map, ensuring that the correspondence between power and phase remains on a continuous time chain. Through this continuous rhythm adjustment and time remapping process, the time distribution of each phased array unit in the power update phase gradually becomes more balanced, and the power change rhythm and the phase change rhythm correspond one-to-one in time, thereby forming a stable energy output rhythm at the entire array level.

[0040] After the power update rhythm is dynamically adjusted, the power and phase changes of each phased array element throughout the entire test cycle are correlated temporally to form a continuous and stable energy distribution. During this process, the power change curve of each phased array element is overlaid with its phase change curve in time. Corresponding matching is performed for the power rise and phase increase phase, the power stabilization and phase constant phase phase, and the power decay and phase fall phase, ensuring that the time trajectory of power change is completely consistent with the time trajectory of phase change. Through this overlay matching method, the transmit power of the entire phased array is globally synchronized in time, and the energy distribution of each element forms a continuous power envelope in the main lobe direction, avoiding uneven energy distribution caused by local power response lag. After matching is completed, the consistent power and phase data is written back to the time synchronization reference sequence, providing an updated reference for the time allocation of the next test cycle. As multiple rounds of scheduling continue to be executed, the timing correlation of power allocation gradually stabilizes, and the energy change rhythm and phase change trend of each phased array unit remain consistent. The entire array forms a highly coordinated transmission state in time, with balanced main lobe energy distribution and stable side lobe structure. The entire radar achieves highly consistent energy output during automatic testing.

[0041] Through the above steps, the power timing correlation control process based on phase alignment results establishes a synchronous relationship between power updates and phase changes in time. This ensures that the dynamic adjustment of transmit power is no longer independent of phase control, but rather tightly bound together in time. This process guides the adjustment of the power update rhythm through phase change trends, ensuring that the energy output of each phased array unit remains synchronized with phase changes. This eliminates the energy unevenness problem caused by power response lag and achieves continuous and consistent energy distribution during automatic testing of the entire radar system.

[0042] Step 5: Continuing with the power regulation results, stabilize the beam direction by fine-tuning the output sequence according to the correspondence between power and phase, so as to maintain the continuous stability of the main lobe energy distribution and eliminate the implicit beam offset caused by the accumulation of control bus delay. The specific implementation method for this step is as follows: After power timing correlation adjustment is completed, the power distribution and phase change states of each phased array element within the current test cycle are compiled to establish a time-related mapping relationship between power and phase. In this process, the power update time points and phase change time points recorded in the previous stage are arranged on a unified time scale, ensuring a one-to-one correspondence between the transmit power change curve and the phase change curve of each phased array element. This mapping method clearly shows the response relationship of each phased array element to phase changes over the entire time range. Subsequently, based on the matching characteristics of power and phase, the phased array elements are divided into several time response groups, each containing elements with similar phase change rates and consistent power change trends. This grouping method unifies the correlation between power allocation and phase control in the time dimension, providing a clear temporal structure basis for subsequent beam directional stabilization scheduling. At this point, the power and phase of the entire array are continuously coupled in time, and the beam directional change trend is predictable in space, laying the foundation for the next stage of directional fine-tuning.

[0043] After establishing the time-dependent mapping relationship between power and phase, the order of beam directional outputs is initially arranged based on the power change trend and phase change rate of each phased array element. In this stage, the theoretical output path of the beam direction in the current test cycle is first determined, i.e., a time sequence is formed based on the output start direction, scanning order, and termination direction set by the time synchronization reference sequence. Then, based on this theoretical output sequence and combined with the power-phase mapping relationship, the beam directional output order is initially adjusted so that during periods of rapid power change, the directional output changes slowly, while during periods of stable power, the directional output order can be moderately accelerated. Through this rhythmic adjustment, the temporal rhythm of the beam directional output complements the rhythm of power change, thereby achieving a uniform distribution of main lobe energy in space. To prevent abrupt energy changes during directional changes, extremely short time intervals are inserted between each directional output, allowing the beam energy in adjacent directions to gradually transition. After this step, the output rhythm of the beam direction is matched temporally with the rhythm of power and phase changes, forming a preliminary stable state of the beam directional output.

[0044] After the initial adjustment of the beam directional output sequence, the directional output process is continuously fine-tuned to achieve temporal and spatial stability of the main lobe energy distribution. During this process, the power change rate and phase change rate are used as time references. By analyzing the power and phase mapping relationship formed in the previous stage, the time interval of the directional output is refined. When a high power change rate is detected for a certain direction, the output time for that direction is appropriately extended to allow sufficient time for the main lobe energy to complete its spatial transition. When the power change for a certain direction is relatively gradual, the directional output time interval can be shortened to maintain continuous beam movement in space. In this way, the beam directional output process forms a flexible distribution structure in time, ensuring both balanced spatial diffusion of the main lobe energy and preventing energy gaps caused by excessively rapid directional changes. Simultaneously, to avoid overlap or lag in the directional outputs of multiple phased array units, a directional time index is introduced into the time synchronization reference sequence, fixing the time node of each directional output within a unified time frame, ensuring that changes in beam direction correspond perfectly to the time nodes of power and phase changes. After multiple rounds of continuous fine-tuning, the directional output sequence gradually stabilizes in time, the main lobe energy distribution forms a smooth transition state in space, and the beam pointing remains stable and continuous.

[0045] After fine-tuning the directional output, a time-closed-loop correlation is performed on the entire beam direction scheduling result to eliminate the implicit beam offset caused by the accumulation of control bus delay. During this process, the directional output time nodes, power distribution time nodes, and phase change time nodes within the current test cycle are synchronously compared to identify deviations in the time dimension. The directional output sequence is then corrected again based on the deviation trend. For directional outputs with time lag, their output time is slightly advanced to match the power peak time; for directional outputs with time advance, their output time is slightly delayed to align with the peak time of the phase change. Through this closed-loop correction method, the changes in beam direction output and power phase are completely synchronized, eliminating the accumulation of small delays generated by the control bus during multiple rounds of command transmission, and suppressing beam pointing offset. As continuous test cycles are executed, the beam direction output sequence gradually stabilizes in the rhythmic balance structure over time, and the correspondence between directional changes and power and phase remains stable. At this point, the main lobe energy distribution exhibits a continuous and stable state in space, the sidelobe structure remains symmetrical, and the radiation characteristics of the entire array demonstrate high consistency and high stability during automatic testing.

[0046] Through the implementation of the above steps, the beam direction stabilization scheduling process, which continues the power regulation results, establishes a precise correspondence in both time and space dimensions. By fine-tuning the output sequence based on the mapping relationship between power and phase, the beam direction maintains a continuous rhythm and energy balance during the output process, effectively eliminating the implicit beam offset problem caused by the accumulation of control bus delay. The entire process achieves dynamic stabilization of the beam direction, ensuring continuous main lobe energy distribution, stable beam pointing, and consistent overall radiation characteristics of the radar during automatic testing, thereby guaranteeing the reliability and timing consistency of test results under long-period, high-frequency operating conditions.

[0047] Beneficial effect 1: This invention constructs a unified time synchronization benchmark around the time consistency of the control bus, and introduces rhythm balancing and time fine-tuning mechanisms during multi-round command scheduling to ensure that the command transmission and execution process of the phased array units always remains within the same time reference frame. This method can continuously suppress delay accumulation, ensuring that the phase updates of each array element remain continuously aligned in the time dimension. This guarantees the stability of the main lobe pointing during beamforming, avoids performance deviations caused by implicit time offsets, and enhances the reliability and repeatability of automatic radar system testing results.

[0048] Benefit 2: This invention introduces time-correlated control of transmit power and beam direction based on phase alignment, ensuring that the power change rhythm is consistent with the phase evolution process, and further stabilizes the output sequence of the beam direction. This method achieves a continuous and coordinated energy distribution in both time and space, maintaining a smooth main lobe energy envelope and a symmetrical and stable sidelobe structure. This effectively improves the operational consistency of the radar system under long-period and multi-band automatic testing conditions, enhancing the test system's adaptability to complex operating conditions.

[0049] This invention provides, for example Figure 2 The radar system shown includes a time synchronization reference module, a rhythm balance scheduling module, a time fine-tuning correction module, a power timing control module, and a beam direction stabilization module. The time synchronization reference module establishes a time synchronization reference sequence based on the accumulated delay of the control bus in multiple rounds of instruction scheduling. Before the instruction is issued, the communication time slots of all phased array units are dynamically allocated, and the time offset of each phased array unit is uniformly incorporated into the time synchronization reference sequence. The rhythm balancing scheduling module performs rhythm balancing scheduling on the order of control command issuance based on the time synchronization reference sequence, inserting extremely short timing buffer segments between each phased array unit. The time fine-tuning correction module introduces a time fine-tuning mechanism in the phase update process of the phased array unit based on the instruction transmission results after rhythm balance scheduling, and maps the delay deviation detected in the previous test cycle to the current phase update process. The power timing control module, based on the phase alignment results, performs timing-related regulation on the transmit power allocation of each phased array unit and dynamically adjusts the power update rhythm according to the phase change trend. The beam direction stabilization module continues the power regulation results and performs stable scheduling of the beam direction, fine-tuning the output sequence of the direction according to the correspondence between power and phase.

[0050] The automatic testing method for radar systems provided in this invention is implemented through the aforementioned automatic testing system for radar systems. For details of the specific methods and procedures of the automatic testing system for radar systems, please refer to the embodiments of the automatic testing method for radar systems described above, which will not be repeated here.

[0051] The foregoing has only described certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention by way of illustration. Undoubtedly, those skilled in the art can modify the described embodiments in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the foregoing drawings and descriptions are illustrative in nature and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automatic testing method for a radar system, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Step 1: Based on the accumulated delay of the control bus in multiple rounds of instruction scheduling, establish a time synchronization reference sequence. Before the instruction is issued, dynamically allocate the communication time slots of all phased array units and incorporate the time offset of each phased array unit into the time synchronization reference sequence. Step 2: Based on the time synchronization reference sequence, the order of control command issuance is rhythmically balanced and scheduled, and extremely short timing buffer segments are inserted between each phased array unit. Step 3: Based on the instruction transmission results after rhythm balance scheduling, a time fine-tuning mechanism is introduced in the phase update process of the phase array unit to map the delay deviation detected in the previous test cycle to the current phase update process. Step 4: Based on the phase alignment results, perform time-related control on the transmit power allocation of each phased array unit, and dynamically adjust the power update rhythm according to the phase change trend; Step 5: Continuing with the power control results, stabilize the beam direction and fine-tune the output sequence based on the correspondence between power and phase.

2. The automatic testing method for the entire radar system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The steps to establish a time synchronization reference sequence include: Determine the start and end times of the control bus within the entire instruction scheduling cycle, divide the time interval into several continuous sub-intervals, perform unified quantization on each sub-interval to establish a continuous time scale, assign initial communication time points to each phased array unit on the time scale and record response delay values ​​to form a basic time schedule. Based on the basic timetable, the communication time slots of each phased array unit are dynamically allocated. The time delay value of the previous scheduling cycle is compared with the current time scale, and the communication time points are adjusted according to the delay change trend. The dynamically allocated time offset parameters are uniformly incorporated into the time synchronization reference sequence. The communication delay formed by each phased array unit within the scheduling period is collected and converted into time offset, and then updated to the time synchronization reference sequence in the order of the time axis. Based on the updated time synchronization reference sequence, the time offset within multiple scheduling cycles is continuously maintained, and the communication time slots of each phased array unit are kept consistent with the time synchronization reference sequence through periodic comparison and correction.

3. The automatic testing method for the entire radar system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The steps for rhythm-balanced scheduling based on a time-synchronization reference sequence include: Based on the communication time distribution of each phased array unit recorded in the time synchronization reference sequence, the communication start time and response interval time of each phased array unit are extracted and sorted according to the time sequence to form an initial distribution queue. Based on the initial distribution queue, extremely short timing buffer segments are inserted between each phased array unit. The timing buffer segments are configured based on the time scale of the time synchronization reference sequence. Based on the delivery queue after inserting the timing buffer segment, the time interval of the control commands is continuously monitored according to the time synchronization reference sequence, and the delivery order is adjusted for rhythm balance. Based on the rhythm balance correction results, the rhythm distribution formed in the previous scheduling cycle is used as the initial rhythm structure of the current scheduling cycle, and the time interval between adjacent instructions is redistributed in combination with the updated time synchronization reference sequence.

4. The automatic testing method for the entire radar system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The steps for introducing a time fine-tuning mechanism during the phase update process of phased array elements include: Based on the command transmission results under rhythm balance scheduling, the command transmission time, response time and buffer time of each phased array unit in the previous test cycle are matched, the corresponding time offset value is calculated, and a delay offset distribution table is formed according to the command order. Based on the delay offset distribution table, the delay offset of each phased array unit is mapped to the time synchronization reference sequence of the current test cycle, forming a time offset correction reference that includes theoretical time points and correction time points. Based on the time offset correction reference, the start time point and phase change rate of the phase update are adjusted during the phase update process of the phase array element, and the delay offset is converted into a time adjustment amount and applied to the phase command update. Based on the time adjustment results of the phase update, the actual time position of each phased array unit is recorded into the time synchronization reference sequence to maintain the time alignment of phase commands in continuous test cycles.

5. The automatic testing method for the entire radar system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The time fine-tuning mechanism performs rolling corrections based on the time offset values ​​recorded within the continuous test cycle during the phase update process, allocates the time adjustment amount of the phase update to multiple phase change moments, and synchronously updates the corresponding time adjustment results to the time synchronization reference sequence.

6. The automatic testing method for the entire radar system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The steps for timing-correlated control of the transmit power allocation of each phased array element include: Based on the phase alignment results, the phase change trajectory of each phased array element in the current test cycle is time-calibrated, the phase update time is extracted, and the start time, peak time and end time of the phase change are recorded to form a time distribution map. Based on the time distribution map of phase change, the transmission power allocation of each phased array unit is set with timing association, and the start and end times of power adjustment are mapped to the time nodes of phase change. Based on the power time allocation structure and combined with the time synchronization reference sequence, the power update rhythm of each phased array unit is dynamically adjusted, and the time node of power update is continuously mapped to the time distribution diagram of phase change. Based on the dynamic adjustment results of the power update rhythm, the power change curve and the phase change curve are time-overlaid, and the consistency data of power and phase are recorded in the time synchronization reference sequence.

7. The automatic testing method for the entire radar system according to claim 6, characterized in that, During the time overlay of the power change curve and the phase change curve, the correspondence between the time node of power update and the phase change is defined according to the time synchronization reference sequence, and the overlaid power and phase consistency data is used as a reference for the power time allocation structure of the next cycle in each test cycle.

8. The automatic testing method for the entire radar system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The steps for performing beam direction stabilization scheduling include: Based on the power timing correlation control results, the power distribution state and phase change state of each phased array unit in the current test cycle are sorted out, the time correlation mapping relationship between power and phase is established, and a time response group is formed. Based on the time-related mapping relationship and the theoretical output path of the beam direction determined by the time synchronization reference sequence, the output order of the beam direction is initially arranged, and the time interval between the direction outputs is configured. Based on the preliminary arrangement results, the time interval of the beam direction output is continuously fine-tuned by combining the power change rate and the phase change rate, and a direction time index is introduced into the time synchronization reference sequence. Based on the directional output sequence formed by continuous fine-tuning, the directional output time node, power distribution time node and phase change time node are synchronously compared, and the directional output sequence is corrected according to the comparison results.

9. The automatic testing method for the entire radar system according to claim 8, characterized in that, In the step of correcting the beam direction output sequence, the direction time index is updated based on the time correspondence between the direction output time node, the power distribution time node, and the phase change time node, and the update result is recorded in the time synchronization reference sequence.

10. An automatic radar system for implementing the automatic radar system testing method according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, It includes a time synchronization reference module, a rhythm balance scheduling module, a time fine-tuning correction module, a power timing control module, and a beam direction stabilization module; The time synchronization reference module establishes a time synchronization reference sequence based on the accumulated delay of the control bus in multiple rounds of instruction scheduling. Before the instruction is issued, the communication time slots of all phased array units are dynamically allocated, and the time offset of each phased array unit is uniformly incorporated into the time synchronization reference sequence. The rhythm balancing scheduling module performs rhythm balancing scheduling on the order of control command issuance based on the time synchronization reference sequence, inserting extremely short timing buffer segments between each phased array unit. The time fine-tuning correction module introduces a time fine-tuning mechanism in the phase update process of the phased array unit based on the instruction transmission results after rhythm balance scheduling, and maps the delay deviation detected in the previous test cycle to the current phase update process. The power timing control module, based on the phase alignment results, performs timing-related regulation on the transmit power allocation of each phased array unit and dynamically adjusts the power update rhythm according to the phase change trend. The beam direction stabilization module continues the power regulation results and performs stable scheduling of the beam direction, fine-tuning the output sequence of the direction according to the correspondence between power and phase.

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