Sensor system for environmental detection, as well as vehicle with a corresponding sensor system and method for operating a corresponding sensor system

Abstract

Sensor system (2) for environmental detection, comprising: - an optical device (7) for generating an optical carrier signal (8), - a transmitter (15) comprising several transmitter units, wherein the transmitter (15) is configured to transmit electrical output signals (45, 48, 52, 56), comprising: - a first transmission path (41) of the transmitter (15), which is configured to provide a first electrical output signal (45), based on the optical carrier signal (8), to a first transmitter unit (46) of the several transmitter units, which is arranged on the first transmission path (41), - at least a second transmission path (42) of the transmitter (15), different from the first transmission path (41), which is configured to generate a second electrical output signal (48), based on the optical carrier signal (8), and to a second transmitter unit (49) of the several transmitter units, which is arranged on the second transmission path (42) is ordered to provide,wherein: - a computing device (6) configured to generate several mutually frequency-shifted optical transmission signals (81) based on the optical carrier signal (8) and to provide them to the transmitting device (15); - a signal provisioning device (82) of the transmitting device (15) configured to generate the electrical output signals (45, 48, 52, 56) based on the optical transmission signals (81) and to assign the electrical output signals (45, 48, 52, 56) to the respective transmission path (41 to 44) based on their respective frequencies; - the transmitting device (15) configured to transmit the first electrical output signal (45) with the first transmitting unit (46) and the second electrical output signal (48) with the second transmitting unit (49) simultaneously in a transmission process, characterized in that - the signal provisioning device (82) includes an optical filter unit (92) exhibits which is trained,to filter the optical transmission signals (81) based on their respective frequencies, wherein the optical filter unit (92) is controllable by means of an electronic filter control unit (95), and the signal provisioning device (82) comprises an optical distributor (94) configured to provide the respective optical transmission signal (81) to the transmission paths (41 to 44), and each transmission path (41 to 44) comprises an opto-electrical converter unit (84, 86, 88, 90) configured to convert the optical transmission signals (81) provided by the optical distributor (94) into the electrical output signal (45, 48, 52, 56) associated with the transmission path (41 to 44).

Description

The invention relates to a sensor system for environmental detection. The sensor system includes an optical device for generating an optical carrier signal. Furthermore, the sensor system includes a transmitter, which has several transmitter units, wherein the transmitter is configured to emit electrical signals. Furthermore, the invention relates to a vehicle with a corresponding sensor system. The invention also relates to a method for operating a corresponding sensor system. For example, DE 10 2021 118 076 A1 discloses a radar system for detecting a target of a moving object, wherein the radar system is mounted or mountable on the moving object. The radar system comprises at least one first and at least one second radar module with at least one antenna, wherein the radar modules are distributed or can be distributed on the moving object, and wherein at least one first radar module is configured differently from at least one second radar module. US patent 2022 / 0 268 921 A1 discloses a frequency-modulated continuous-duty radar system. This discloses, in particular, a frequency range between 77 gigahertz and 81 gigahertz. Furthermore, US 2023 / 0 131 090 A1 discloses a radar system for vehicles which is based on FMCW radar signals. For example, D10 2016 210 771 B3 discloses a motor vehicle with a detection device for angle-resolved detection of the motor vehicle's surroundings by means of a radar method, wherein the detection device comprises at least one antenna device configured for transmitting signals and / or receiving received signals, and a central unit, wherein the central unit is connected to the antenna device via at least one optical fiber for optical signal transmission, through which control signals of the central unit for controlling the transmission of the transmitted signals and / or the received signals or signals derived therefrom can be transmitted. DE 10 2022 201 312 A1 discloses a method for operating an electro-optical transmission device, comprising the steps of: - generating an optical carrier signal using an optical signal source of a base unit of the transmission device; - generating an arbitrary signal using the optical signal source; - modulating the arbitrary signal onto the optical carrier signal in the base unit to form a transmission signal; - transmitting the transmission signal to an antenna unit of the transmission device using an optical transmission medium; and - separating the arbitrary signal and the carrier signal in the antenna unit. Furthermore, a computer program product and a transmission device are described. From DE 10 2017 221 257 A1, a radar system is known comprising at least one radar transmitter, at least one radar receiver, a central unit, and an optical fiber for connecting these units, wherein the central unit comprises a central optical transmitter configured to provide an optical radar driver signal, and wherein the at least one radar transmitter comprises an optical receiver and a radar transmitter, wherein the optical receiver is configured to receive the optical radar driver signal and convert it into an electrical radar driver signal and provide it for driving the radar transmitter, and wherein the at least one radar receiver comprises a radar receiver, a mixer, and an optical modulation unit, wherein the mixer is configured to mix a radar echo signal received by the radar receiver with the electrical radar driver signal.and wherein the modulation unit is configured to modulate the mixed signal onto the optical radar driver signal and couple it into the at least one optical fiber, and wherein the central unit further evaluates the modulated signal. Furthermore, an associated method is disclosed. WO 2020 / 064 224 A1 discloses a device comprising a light source for simultaneously emitting a plurality of optical signals, each with a time-varying frequency, wherein these signals differ from one another with respect to the frequency range within which this time variation takes place, an evaluation device for determining a distance of the object based on measurement signals derived from the optical signals and reflected by the object and reference signals not reflected by the object, and a dispersive element which causes an angular distribution of the measurement signals directed to the object that depends on the respective frequency range. One object of the present invention is to improve the environmental detection of a sensor system by enabling target objects, such as radar targets, to be detected more accurately and / or unambiguously. This task is solved by a sensor system, a vehicle, and a method according to the independent patent claims. Meaningful further developments arise from the dependent patent claims. One aspect of the invention relates to a sensor system for environmental detection, comprising: - In particular, an optical device for generating an optical carrier signal, - In particular, a transmitter comprising several transmitter units, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit electrical output signals, comprising: - In particular, a first transmission path of the transmitter, which is configured to provide a first electrical output signal to a first transmitter unit of the several transmitter units, which is arranged on the first transmission path, - In particular, at least one second transmission path of the transmitter, different from the first transmission path, which is configured to provide a second electrical output signal, different from the first electrical output signal, to a second transmitter unit of the several transmitter units, which is arranged on the second transmission path, - In particular, a computing device, which is configuredto generate several frequency-shifted optical transmission signals based on the optical carrier signal and to provide them to the transmitting device; - In particular, a signal provisioning device of the transmitting device, which is configured to generate the electrical output signals based on the optical transmission signals and to assign the electrical output signals to the respective transmission path based on their respective frequencies; - In particular, the transmitting device is configured to transmit the first electrical output signal with the first transmitting unit and the second electrical output signal with the second transmitting unit simultaneously in a transmission process. The proposed sensor system enables improved environmental sensing, particularly by simultaneously transmitting multiple signals, thus facilitating enhanced target and object detection. In other words, the system allows for the simultaneous emission of frequency-shifted and / or frequency-modulated signals. This enables the system to transmit multiple signals, such as electrical signals, into the environment, allowing for target and environmental sensing based on corresponding feedback signals or reflected signals. A further advantage of simultaneous transmission and emission of frequency-shifted signals or electrical outgoing signals is that it enables improved generation of virtual antenna arrays. The generation of virtual antenna arrays is particularly beneficial for signal processing and thus for environmental sensing. Based on the transmitted and received signals, multiple virtual antenna elements or a virtual antenna array can be configured, thereby increasing, for example, the resolution of the sensor system. For this purpose, the proposed sensor system can be designed, in particular, as a photonic multiband radar. The proposed sensor system can improve the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Furthermore, it can reduce phase noise. Additionally, the proposed sensor system can be used to enable flexible chirp generation. Finally, the number of optical phases can be reduced with the help of the proposed sensor system. For example, the proposed sensor system can be co-integrated in EPIC processes in SiGe-SiN, CMOS, and hybrid BI-CMOS. In particular, the proposed sensor system can be manufactured and operated at a reduced cost. Furthermore, the proposed sensor system can exhibit higher resolution. Additionally, the proposed sensor system offers the advantage of increased range. Finally, the proposed sensor system enables the immediate creation of virtual apparatus. The transmitting device can, for example, have various transmitting antennas, transmitting elements, or antenna elements that can transmit the electronic signals into the environment. For instance, a transmitting unit can consist of transmitting elements such as antenna elements. One or more transmitting units can be arranged along a specific transmission path of the transmitting device. Thus, for example, an antenna array can be deployed. The transmitting units can, for example, be designed as circuits, so that each transmitting path or circuit can be used to emit a specific electrical output signal. In particular, each transmitting path or module can be used to emit a signal that has a different or frequency-shifted frequency compared to the other transmitting paths and the signals emitted therein. The optical carrier signal, which can be described, for example, as an optical transmission signal, can be generated by the optical device, such as an optical signal source or a laser device, and made available to the transmitting device. Based on the optical carrier signal, the transmitting device or a specific transmission path can generate, convert, and / or modulate a corresponding electrical output signal, resulting in different electrical output signals. As mentioned at the outset, the proposed transmission system makes it possible to control the transmission paths and, in particular, the various transmission units in such a way that, in each transmission process or mode, all transmission units simultaneously emit their electrical output signals, which are frequency-shifted relative to each other. This allows for improved environmental sensing and, in particular, target detection. For example, the transmitting device can control a transmission process, or the transmitting device can receive a corresponding control signal from a higher-level system of the transmitting system to carry out the transmission process. Using the computing device, which is a central processing unit (CPU) that may include a central electronic processing unit, a multitude of optical transmission signals can be generated, converted, and / or modulated. This is done based on an optical carrier signal. The proposed sensor system enables the simultaneous emission of frequency-shifted electrical output signals during transmission using multiple optical transmission signals. The optical transmission signals can be frequency-shifted and / or frequency-modulated, allowing a multitude of distinct electrical output signals to be transmitted during the transmission process.The signal generation unit, which may be an optoelectronic unit, converts the optical transmission signals accordingly—that is, an opto-electrical conversion—so that the electrical output signals can be generated. These electrical output signals also have different frequencies, frequency bands, or frequency ranges. Based on the respective frequencies of the electrical output signals, the signal generation unit can perform a selection or assignment. In this process, the corresponding electrical output signals are assigned to the respective transmission paths. This can be done based on the frequencies.Thus, with each transmission path and in particular with the respective transmission unit of the respective transmission path, a corresponding electrical outgoing signal, which differs from the other electrical outgoing signals, can be transmitted. Due to physical principles, the angular resolution of a sensor system, particularly a radar system, is determined by the extent of its antenna aperture. The antenna aperture is the area on which the individual antennas are distributed. Current sensor systems are typically modules with a size of approximately 10 x 10 cm², limited by their integration into vehicles. The angular resolution is therefore limited to approximately 2 degrees. The resolving power improves proportionally to the aperture size. If two objects are to be resolved angularly, i.e., in azimuth and elevation, an aperture extending in two directions is required. This is where the present invention advantageously comes into play and can provide a solution. The second important parameter in an antenna array is the spacing between the individual antenna elements. This determines the measurable angular range. Larger antenna spacings lead to ambiguities, such as side peaks in the angle measurement. Radar systems in the automotive sector therefore utilize so-called virtual antenna elements. Such a virtual element is created by combining a transmitting antenna with a receiving channel, precisely at the midpoint of the connection vector. With n transmitting antennas and m receiving antennas, a virtual array of a maximum of n x m elements can be generated. This principle is commonly known as "Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO)." The proposed sensor system allows the unambiguously measurable angular range of the antenna array to be increased. To ensure the most reliable environmental detection, a high signal-to-noise ratio and stable signal generation in the sensor are essential. This is particularly important with large apertures and sparse antenna arrays to unambiguously detect targets. The proposed sensor system can address this need. Specifically, the range of today's 77 GHz radars is limited by the maximum emitted power and the array pattern. In particular, the transmitter and an optional receiver can be integrated on a single semiconductor chip, for example, a CMOS, SiM-CMOS, Bi-CMOS, hybrid Bi-CMOS, or photonically-electronically cointegrated chip. Thus, for example, a radar sensor device or the sensor system can be mass-produced using standardized semiconductor processes with the aid of the invention. In particular, the sensor system can be used to perform frequency conversion of a terahertz carrier signal into the gigahertz frequency range after optical signal transmission and vice versa, reception of gigahertz signals with modulation on a terahertz carrier signal. In particular, the proposed sensor system can be used in motor vehicles. Specifically, it can be used in vehicles that are at least partially autonomous, and especially in fully autonomous vehicles. For such automated driving, reliable environmental perception is necessary, which can be achieved through the sensor system. The environment can be captured using sensors such as radar, lidar, and cameras. These are examples of the application areas for the radar sensor device. The sensor system enables a comprehensive 360-degree, three-dimensional capture of the environment, allowing all static and dynamic objects to be detected. The sensor system can be used as an alternative to lidar, since lidar plays a key role in redundant, robust environmental sensing, as this type of sensor can measure distances and angles more precisely in environmental sensing and can also be used for classification. In particular, the sensor system can be used in vehicles that are at least partially autonomous, and especially in fully autonomous vehicles. However, to enable such automated driving, reliable environmental perception is essential. This involves capturing the surroundings using sensors such as radar, lidar, or cameras. A comprehensive 360-degree, three-dimensional view of the environment is particularly important, allowing all static and dynamic objects to be detected. The sensor system can be used for this purpose. Lidar plays a crucial role in redundant, robust environmental perception, as this sensor type can measure distances more precisely and can also be used for classification. However, these lidar sensors are expensive and complex to design.Particularly problematic is 360-degree three-dimensional environmental sensing, as it either requires many smaller individual sensors, which typically operate with numerous individual light sources and detector elements, or large lidar sensors. Furthermore, lidar sensors are susceptible to weather conditions such as rain, fog, or direct sunlight. This sensor system can address these issues. Radar sensors and sensor systems are well-established in automotive engineering and reliably deliver data in all weather conditions. Even poor visibility, such as rain, fog, snow, dust, or darkness, hardly affects their detection reliability. However, according to the current state of the art, the resolution is limited; in particular, commercially available radar systems only have an angular resolution of approximately 2 degrees. To meet the requirements for increased automation in automotive engineering with safe driving functions, the radar sensor device is intended to deliver three-dimensional images with a high angular resolution of 0.1 degrees and below, with high insensitivity to environmental interference.This cannot be achieved with conventional radar technology according to the prior art, as the resolution of such systems is too low. This is precisely where the sensor system according to the invention advantageously comes into play. The sensor system can be configured as a photonic radar sensor device, which increases resolution by co-integrating electronic and photonic components on a single semiconductor chip. Tracking of the FMCW signal, as well as all signal processing and evaluation, are performed at the central station. Each transmit and receive module features an electronically and photonically co-integrated chip, a so-called Epic chip. Silicon photonics technology is used for this co-integration. This technology enables the monolithic integration of photonic components, high-frequency electronics, and digital electronics on a single chip. The technical innovation of such a system lies in the transmission of gigahertz signals using the optical carrier signal in the terahertz frequency range.A central station, which can also be described as a central electronic computing unit, generates an optical carrier frequency in terahertz. The transmitted signal is modulated onto this carrier frequency with one-eighth of the radar frequency and sent via optical fiber to the antenna chips. Frequency multiplication takes place on these chips, enabling the radar radiation to be emitted. Signal detection occurs in reverse. All data is processed at the central station. However, such a design is very complex to implement gigahertz electronics at the chip level. In particular, the frequency multiplication on the chip after detection by a photodiode is technically challenging and poses a significant challenge in generating a gigahertz signal with a high signal-to-noise ratio and minimal jitter. The gigahertz signal must then undergo further complex stabilization steps. Furthermore, gigahertz electronics are expensive. High power requirements are also placed on the optical substrate, especially the laser, as significant optical power is needed to generate a highly precise gigahertz signal. This makes single-phase ring lines for a radar array with many distributed radar semiconductor chips difficult to implement.In particular, two photonic-electronic semiconductor chips are still required for each transmit and receive channel, which leads to further costs. The sensor system according to the invention solves at least some, and in particular completely, the problems mentioned above. In particular, the invention utilizes the fact that the radiation from the laser device, which can also be configured as a CW laser, is coupled into a photonic semiconductor via an optical interface. This can be the optical transmission signal or a carrier signal of the CW laser. The generation of the FMCW signal, as well as all signal processing and evaluation, is performed by a central station, such as the computer unit. Each transmit and receive module consists of an electronically and photonically cointegrated chip (so-called "EPIC chip"). Silicon photonics technology is used for the cointegration. This enables the monolithic integration of photonic components, high-frequency electronics, and digital electronics together on a single chip ("electronic-photonic cointegration"). The technical innovation of such a system lies in the signal transmission of GHz signals using an optical carrier signal in the THz frequency range. A central station generates an optical carrier frequency (THz). The signal to be transmitted is modulated onto this carrier frequency at 1 / 8 of the radar frequency and sent to the antenna chips via optical fiber.The frequency is amplified eightfold so that the radar radiation can be emitted by the antenna chips. Signal detection occurs in reverse. All data is processed at the central station. The principle of electronic-photonic cointegration on a single chip, with silicon-on-insulator regions for the photonic components and bulk silicon regions for the electronic circuits, is a globally unique technology. Particularly at high data rates, this enables high signal quality with minimal parasitic interference. The connection of the RF circuits for the radar antennas, including the frequency multiplier, to the optical transceiver can be implemented without additional wire or flip-chip bonding. Furthermore, chips can be optically and electrically tested at the wafer level, resulting in a high yield in subsequent module assembly. This technology allows for extremely compact form factors and is therefore highly relevant for the application of silicon photonics-based optical technologies in the automotive industry. The hurdle to the productive use of optical fibers lies in the lack of scalability of currently available technologies. This scalability to large volumes is made possible by the technology for highly integrated manufacturing of electronically and photonically integrated circuits. The result is a significant reduction in assembly costs and a more efficient cost structure. Extensive libraries of electronic and photonic components for high-bandwidth data transmission, developed from data center solutions, are being utilized in this project. In one embodiment, the transmitting device has a third transmission path that differs from the first and second transmission paths. This third transmission path can provide a third electrical output signal, different from the first and / or second electrical output signal, to a third transmitting unit (or multiple transmitting units) located on this path. For example, the third electrical output signal can be different from the second and / or first electrical output signal, i.e., it can have a different frequency. The third transmitting unit, or further transmitting units, can each have at least one of its own transmitting units, so that a corresponding electrical output signal, frequency-shifted compared to the others, can be transmitted via each transmission path of the transmitting device. Optionally, the transmitting device can have multiple transmission paths, i.e., more than three. For this purpose, the signal generation unit is designed to generate the third electrical output signal based on the optical transmission signals and assign it to the third transmission path based on its frequency. Thus, a corresponding electrical output signal can be assigned to each transmission path of the transmitting device. Accordingly, the transmitting device can be designed, for example with the aid of a control unit, to transmit the first electrical output signal with the first transmitting unit, the second electrical output signal with the second transmitting unit, and the third electrical output signal with the third transmitting unit and / or further electrical output signals with further transmitting units simultaneously in the first transmission process. In one embodiment, the signal generation device includes an optical filter unit configured to filter the optical transmission signals based on their respective frequencies. This optical filter unit, i.e., an optical filter, allows the optical transmission signals, such as those provided by a multiband signal, to be selected or divided so that a corresponding electrical output signal can be assigned to each transmission path. Furthermore, the signal generation device can include an opto-electrical conversion unit configured to convert the filtered optical transmission signals into the electrical output signals.Thus, optical selection can first take place, and the selected optical signals can then be converted into an electrical signal to be made available to the respective transmission paths. For this purpose, the signal supply device can also include an electronic distributor configured to provide the corresponding converted electrical output signal to each transmission path. This allows for electronic switching between the transmission paths to assign or provide the corresponding electrical output signal to each path. In one embodiment, the signal generation device includes an optical filter unit configured to filter the optical transmission signals based on their respective frequencies. This optical filter unit is controllable by means of an electronic filter control unit. Thus, for example, a separate unit from the transmitter, such as the filter control unit (which may itself be part of the sensor system), can provide the corresponding electrical output signals to the appropriate transmission paths and, consequently, to the corresponding transmitter. The filtering or selection process begins in the optical range. For this purpose, the signal generation device may include an optical distributor configured to provide the respective optical transmission signal to each transmission path.Thus, after filtering or selecting the respective optical transmission signals, the appropriate optical transmission signal for each transmission path can be supplied or provided. To convert this signal into an electrical signal, each transmission path can have an opto-electrical converter unit configured to convert the optical transmission signal supplied by the optical distributor into the corresponding electrical output signal for that transmission path. In other words, the first transmission path can have a first converter unit, the second transmission path a second converter unit, and the third transmission path a third converter unit. Specifically, each transmission path can have its own converter unit. Such an opto-electrical converter unit could, for example, be a photodiode or a phototransistor.The signal generation device is designed to include an optical filter unit configured to filter the optical transmission signals based on their respective frequencies. Furthermore, the signal generation device may include an opto-electrical converter unit configured to convert the filtered optical transmission signals into electrical output signals. For example, the optical filter unit and the opto-electrical converter unit can be controlled or regulated by an electronic unit, such as an electronic filter control unit. This allows the electrical output signals to be appropriately processed or prepared for the transmission paths.In contrast to previous versions, each transmission path can now have an electronic filter unit designed to select the electrical output signal belonging to that specific transmission path from the converted electrical output signals. In other words, the signal provisioning unit stores all necessary or conceivable electrical output signals and makes them available to its transmission paths. To ensure that each transmission path receives the appropriate electrical output signal, it can independently filter or select the suitable signal from the majority of available electrical output signals. In one embodiment, the signal generation device further comprises a first optical filter unit and at least one second optical filter unit, wherein the first optical filter unit is integrated into the first transmission path and the second optical filter unit is integrated into the second transmission path. Thus, unlike the previous embodiments, each transmission path can have its own optical filter unit. The first optical filter unit can be configured to filter one of the multiple optical transmission signals on which the first electrical output signal is based, and the second optical filter unit can be configured to filter one of the multiple optical transmission signals on which the second electrical output signal is based.In other words, the multiple optical transmission signals from the transmitting device are transmitted, and there, by means of a respective optical filter unit of each transmission path, the optical transmission signal intended for that particular transmission path can be selected or filtered out. This signal can then be independently converted by the transmission path itself into the respective electrical output signal. In one embodiment, the first transmission path and at least the second transmission path are arranged together on a common integrated circuit. This allows the transmitter to contain the corresponding transmission paths, resulting in a more compact design. Consequently, all the necessary components for the simultaneous transmission of the frequency-shifted electrical output signals can be integrated onto a single module or circuit. For example, the transmitter can be designed as a single-chip system, thus representing a "one-chip solution." Alternatively, it is also conceivable that the first transmission path and at least the second transmission path are each arranged on their own integrated circuit. Thus, a separate chip can be provided for each transmission path, allowing the respective transmission paths, to which the respective transmitter units are arranged or integrated, to be used flexibly depending on the application of the sensor system. This is particularly advantageous when the sensor system is used in the automotive sector. In this case, the respective transmission paths, which in turn may contain individual antenna elements, can be designed separately to allow them to be distributed around the vehicle, for example. In one embodiment, the sensor system includes a receiving device comprising multiple receiving units. The receiving device is configured to receive electrical signals based on the transmitted electrical signals. The receiving device can, for example, be a separate unit from the transmitting device. The receiving device can detect the electrical signals transmitted simultaneously during the transmission process when they are reflected by objects, such as target objects, in the environment. This receiving device can comprise multiple receiving units, such as receiving antennas or antenna elements. It is also conceivable that each receiving unit is arranged on a receiving path. Thus, in a similar configuration to the transmitting device, the receiving device can have multiple receiving paths, with at least one receiving unit assigned to each receiving path. After a receiving antenna has received an electrical signal, this signal can optionally be amplified by a corresponding amplifier unit before the actual signal processing or environmental sensing takes place. For example, the receiving device can be designed as a single unit or integrated circuit, so that all receiving units are arranged or integrated on a common unit or integrated circuit. Alternatively, the individual receiving units can be arranged on their own integrated circuits or modules, thus physically and spatially separating them from one another. This, in turn, allows for more flexible deployment of the receiving device. In one embodiment, it is further provided that the receiving device has a signal processing unit which is coupled to the receiving units, wherein the signal processing unit is configured to mix each electrical received signal of the electrical received signals with an electrical carrier signal which can be generated by an optically required electrical conversion of the optical carrier signal. With the aid of the signal processing unit, which can be an electrical and / or electronic system, pre-processing of the received signals from the receiving units can be carried out, so that this pre-processing makes the subsequent environmental detection or target detection simpler and, in particular, more efficient.For this purpose, the signal processing unit can, for example, mix the received electrical signals from the receiving units with the original transmitted signal. The original transmitted signal is understood to be an electrical signal received on the optical carrier signal. In other words, the optical carrier signal from the transmitting device is transmitted to the receiving device, so that the relevant information can be extracted from the received information signals to enable appropriate targeting and / or environmental detection. Another aspect of the invention relates to a vehicle with a sensor system according to the preceding aspect or an advantageous further development. For example, the vehicle could be a manually operated vehicle, a partially autonomous vehicle, or a fully autonomous vehicle. In other words, the vehicle could be a highly automated vehicle. In particular, the vehicle may be a motor vehicle, such as a passenger car or truck. For example, the antenna array can be designed to have multiple antenna elements distributed at intervals around the vehicle. This allows for the most efficient possible detection of the vehicle's surroundings. In particular, the distributed arrangement of the individual antenna elements enables 360-degree surround-view detection. For example, the antenna elements of the antenna array can be configured in a sparse array configuration. In particular, the antenna elements of the antenna array can be arranged on the vehicle in a sparsely populated or lightly populated configuration. Exemplary embodiments of individual aspects of the invention can be considered advantageous embodiments of other aspects. In particular, the respective exemplary embodiments of individual aspects can be regarded as advantageous embodiments of all other aspects. The reverse is also true. Another aspect of the fulfillment relates to a method for operating a sensor system according to the previous aspect or an advantageous further development thereof, wherein the method comprises: - generating the optical carrier signal, - generating the several frequency-shifted optical transmission signals, - generating the electrical output signals based on the optical transmission signals, - assigning the electrical output signals to the respective transmission path based on their respective frequencies, - providing the first electrical output signal to the first transmission unit, - providing the second electrical output signal to the second transmission unit, - simultaneously transmitting the first and second electrical output signals during the transmission process. The proposed method allows a sensor system, such as the one described in the previous section, to be operated more efficiently. In particular, the proposed method enables improved environmental sensing and, especially, more accurate and precise target detection of objects in the vicinity of a sensor system. In particular, the electrical outgoing signals, which consist of a multitude of signals, can be transmitted simultaneously, concurrently, or synchronously. In other words, the proposed method allows the sensor system to be operated in such a way that simultaneous emission of mutually frequency-shifted and / or frequency-modeled signals can be performed in a single transmission. Based on these simultaneous emissions of the outgoing signals, corresponding return signals or reflected signals in the environment can be received, enabling environmental sensing and / or target detection based on the simultaneously transmitted outgoing signals and the corresponding received signals. In one embodiment, it is further provided that electrical reception signals, based on the transmitted electrical signals, are received immediately after the transmission process. Based on the timing of the transmitted electrical signals and the received electrical reception signals, a virtual antenna array for the transmitting system is generated. Signal processing for environmental sensing can then be performed using this generated virtual antenna array. This virtual generation of antennas, for example, to virtually increase the number of physical antennas (which is reduced), can improve the resolution of the sensor system. In particular, cost savings can be achieved because the number of physical antennas can be reduced.Based on the transmitted and received signals, and the arrangement of the real, or physical, receiving and / or transmitting units, further virtual antenna elements can be reconstructed. For example, a virtual antenna can be generated between two physical antennas, allowing for more efficient and improved processing of data, information, and / or signals. In particular, this can enhance environmental perception, especially target detection, by the sensor system. The present invention can, for example, realize or implement a single-shot method for generating virtual antenna arrays using a photonic multiband radar. Another aspect of the invention relates to a vehicle with a sensor system according to the preceding aspect or an advantageous further development. For example, the vehicle could be a manually operated vehicle, a partially autonomous vehicle, or a fully autonomous vehicle. In other words, the vehicle could be a highly automated vehicle. In particular, the vehicle may be a motor vehicle, such as a passenger car or truck. For example, the antenna array can be designed to have multiple antenna elements distributed at intervals around the vehicle. This allows for the most efficient possible detection of the vehicle's surroundings. In particular, the distributed arrangement of the individual antenna elements enables 360-degree surround-view detection. For example, the antenna elements of the antenna array can be configured in a sparse array configuration. In particular, the antenna elements of the antenna array can be arranged on the vehicle in a sparsely populated or lightly populated configuration. Exemplary embodiments of individual aspects of the invention can be considered advantageous embodiments of other aspects. In particular, the respective exemplary embodiments of individual aspects can be regarded as advantageous embodiments of all other aspects. The reverse is also true. Advantageous embodiments of the method(s) are to be regarded as advantageous embodiments of the sensor system and the vehicle. The sensor system and the vehicle possess tangible features that enable the implementation of the method or an advantageous embodiment thereof. For use cases or application situations that may arise during the procedure and are not explicitly described here, it may be provided that, according to the procedure, an error message and / or a request for user feedback is issued and / or a default setting and / or a predetermined initial state is set. The invention also includes further developments of the inventive method and the inventive vehicle which have features already described in connection with the further developments of the inventive sensor system. For this reason, the corresponding further developments of the inventive method and the inventive vehicle are not described again here. The invention also includes combinations of the features of the described embodiments. The following describes exemplary embodiments of the invention. Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a vehicle with a sensor system comprising antenna elements of an antenna array distributed throughout the vehicle; Figure 2 shows a schematic block diagram of the sensor system from Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a schematic representation of the vehicle from Figure 1, showing a real antenna array and a virtual antenna array for environmental sensing; Figure 4 shows various transmitted signals that are frequency-shifted relative to each other; Figure 5, based on Figures 3 and 4, shows a schematic representation of the simultaneous emission of frequency-shifted signals in order to virtually generate a virtual antenna array; Figure 6 shows a schematic representation of an electronic computing device for providing an optical carrier signal for a transmitting and receiving device of the sensor system.Fig. 7 a schematic embodiment of a sensor device of the sensor system, wherein each transmit path performs its own frequency conversion, and a corresponding receiving device to be able to receive the simultaneously transmitted signals; Fig. 8 based on Fig. 7 a further variant, wherein the receiving device is formed from several integrated circuits; Fig. 9 based on Fig. 7 and Fig. 8 another possible embodiment of the transmitting device; Fig. 10 based on Fig. 7, Fig. 8 and Fig. 9 another embodiment of the transmitting device; Fig. 11 yet another embodiment of the transmitting device; Fig. 12 a schematic further embodiment of the computing device of the sensor system; Fig.Figure 13 shows a further embodiment of the transmitting device, wherein each transmission path filters or selects the appropriate signal from a plurality of optical signals by means of a respective optical filter unit; Figure 14, starting from Figure 13, shows a further conceivable embodiment of the transmitting device; Figure 15, starting from Figures 13 and 14, shows a further embodiment of the transmitting device; Figure 16, starting from Figures 13, 14 to 15, shows a further embodiment of the transmitting device; and Figure 17, starting from Figure 13, shows a further conceivable embodiment of the transmitting device. The embodiments described below are preferred embodiments of the invention. In these embodiments, the described components each represent individual features of the invention that can be considered independently of one another. Each of these features further develops the invention independently and can therefore be considered part of the invention individually or in a combination other than that shown. Furthermore, the described embodiments can also be supplemented by other features of the invention already described. In the figures, functionally identical elements are each provided with the same reference symbols. Figure 1 shows various schematic views (front view, rear view, side view) of a vehicle 1, which may be a motor vehicle. The vehicle 1 includes, for example, a sensor system 2. Sensor system 2 could, for example, be a radar system or an environmental sensor system of vehicle 1. Sensor system 2 could be communicatively networked with one or more driver assistance systems or other vehicle systems. For example, sensor system 2 could be a radar sensor, a lidar sensor, or another type of sensor, particularly for vehicles. In addition to its use in vehicle 1, sensor system 2 could also be used in external systems. For example, the sensor system 2 has at least one antenna array 3 or several antenna arrays. The antenna array 3 can in turn be formed from a plurality of antenna elements 4. The antenna elements 4 can be arranged at intervals from one another on the vehicle 1, particularly for 360-degree environmental sensing. Figure 2 shows a possible embodiment of the sensor system 2. The sensor system 2 can comprise at least one radar sensor device 5 and a central electronic computing unit 6. For example, the radar sensor device 5 and the central electronic computing unit 6 can be separate and physically distinct units. The radar sensor device 5 can, for example, comprise at least one antenna array 3. Alternatively, the antenna array 3 can function as the radar sensor device 5. The central electronic processing unit 6 is a central processing unit. For example, the central electronic processing unit 6 can generate an electrical control signal with which a laser device 7 can be driven or controlled. The laser device 7 can, for example, be a CW laser. With the aid of the laser device 7, an optical transmission signal or a carrier signal 8 can be generated. The optical transmission signal 8 can, in particular, be described as an optical carrier signal in the terahertz frequency range. The central electronic processing unit 6 can, for example, generate the optical carrier frequency. The signal to be transmitted is modulated onto this optical carrier frequency with one-eighth of a radar frequency and transmitted, for example, to the radar sensor device 5. In this way, an eightfold frequency amplification can take place.Again, with the help of the radar sensor device, 5 signals in the gigahertz frequency range can be received and transmitted to the central electronic computing unit 6. For example, the central electronic computing unit 6 can be coupled to an optical input 10 and an optical output 11 of the radar sensor device 5 via at least one optical fiber 9. This allows bidirectional signal transmission between the central electronic computing unit 6 and the radar sensor device 5. For example, the central electronic computing unit 6 can be referred to as the electronic evaluation unit. The central electronic computing unit 6 can further comprise an optical receiver 12, which is configured to receive an optical output signal 13 provided by the optical output 11 of the radar sensor device 5. Thus, the central electronic computing unit 6 can be coupled to the radar sensor device 5 via optical fiber or an electronic interface, such as Ethernet. In particular, several radar sensor devices or antenna arrays can be coupled to the central electronic computing unit 6. For example, the central electronic computing unit 6 can comprise a processing unit 14, or a computing unit, with which the received optical output signal can be processed. This allows signal acquisition and subsequent data processing of the received output signal 13 to be carried out. In particular, the central electronic computing unit 6 can have or provide all necessary control signals, data processing signals, modules and interfaces. For example, the radar sensor device 5 can have, in addition to the optical input 10 and the optical output 11, at least one transmitter 15 or transmitting antenna and at least one receiver 16 or receiving antenna. Thus, the radar sensor device 5 has a receiver module and / or a transmitter module. In particular, the transmitter 15 and the receiver 16 can be integrated on one and the same chip. It is also conceivable that they are located on different semiconductor chips. With the aid of the transmitter 15, an electrical radar transmission signal 17, which is based on the optical transmission signal 8, can be transmitted into the vicinity 18 of the vehicle 1. Thus, a corresponding radar signal 17 can be transmitted depending on the optical transmission signal 8. If this signal 17 is now reflected in the vicinity 18 by objects such as road users, roads, trees or other objects, an electrical reception signal 19 corresponding to the electrical radar transmission signal 17 and reflected in the vicinity 18 can be received. For example, the transmitting device 15 can have at least one antenna or antenna unit or several antennas for transmitting. For example, the transmitted radar signal 17 or electrical signal and the received signal 19 can be in the terahertz or gigahertz frequency range. Thus, the sensor system 2 can be used to frequency-convert a terahertz carrier signal, in particular a transmission signal 8, into the gigahertz frequency range for transmission. Conversely, gigahertz signals can be received by modulation onto a terahertz carrier signal. For example, the transmitting device 15 can have at least one grid coupler and one photodiode for transmission. The receiving device 16 can, for example, have two jitter couplers, one photodiode, and one modulator for reception. Sensor system 2 can modulate at 1 / 8 of the radar frequency and transmit the signal via optical fiber to the antenna chips or antenna elements 4. These elements undergo a frequency multiplication of eightfold, enabling the radar radiation to be emitted by the antenna chips. Signal detection can optionally be performed in reverse. All data can be processed at the central station. Fig. 3 shows a further schematic representation of the vehicle 1, where, by way of example, the antenna array 3 or another antenna array of the sensor system 2 is arranged on the vehicle 1 such that environmental sensing can be performed laterally to the vehicle 1. In other words, an arrangement of transmitting or receiving antennas, such as the antenna array 3, in elevation is shown here. Another embodiment with azimuthal extent is also conceivable and feasible. To achieve improved environmental perception, it is advantageous if the respective sensor system or sensor data processing is not limited to a single frequency band. In the automotive sector, for example, 77 GHz or 24 GHz are typically used for sensor operation. However, the maximum range of both frequencies can be limited by the maximum emitted power. Furthermore, two different photonic semiconductor chips are required for the transmit and receive channels, leading to additional costs. To overcome these limitations, miniaturized, photonically cointegrated radar chips can be used in a coherent distributed antenna array, which is integrated over a large area in and on the vehicle.Here, the conversion of the optically transmitted radar signal to an electronically-photonically cointegrated semiconductor circuit at at least two different frequencies can be considered. For this purpose, a simultaneous synchronous emission of a frequency-shifted and / or frequency-modulated transmit signal is also performed. Optical integration of the radar chips into a coherent overall system is also conceivable, and mixing of time-delayed received signals with the frequency-modulated transmit signal can be carried out. These approaches are used by the present invention to improve environmental sensing with the sensor system 2. To simultaneously achieve cost savings, particularly due to fewer antenna elements, while maintaining higher resolution and thus improved directionality, a virtual antenna array 35 can be generated using a computer. In other words, this means that a virtual antenna array 35 can be generated by the simultaneous emission of frequency-shifted external signals. In other words, the virtual antenna array 35 is generated by the simultaneous emission of frequency-modulated multiband radar signals. Figure 4 below shows two schematic frequency representations 36 and 37 as examples. Representation 36 shows exemplary frequency-modulated multiband transmission signals 38. These can be transmitted simultaneously by several transmitting units, such as the antenna elements 4. The respective frequency deviations by which the different frequency bands of the signals 38 are shifted relative to each other can, as in representation 36, prevent interference, or, as in representation 37, the different signals 38 can interfere in an adjacent frequency band or in the frequency of the subsequent signal 38. In other words, in representation 36, the signals do not overlap in their frequency bands. In representation 37, the frequency bands of the signals 38 can overlap. This overlap has the particular advantage that a larger virtual apparatus 35 can be deployed. As shown, for example, in Fig. 3, the virtual apparatus 35 can be used to virtually consider such an arrangement of antenna elements, such as transmitting and receiving elements, for environmental detection, which is larger compared to the real antenna array 3, as shown by way of example in Fig. 3. In particular, the virtual antenna array 35 can be spanned by the simultaneous emission of frequency-modulated multiband transmission signals 38. The frequency-modulated multiband transmission signal used can be diverse in the frequency plane. Objects falling within the spectral range of the individual modulation bandwidth can be detected and resolved into innervation by the enlarged virtual apparatus 35. For this purpose, two different circuits can be integrated into an electronic-photonic and cointegrated semiconductor circuit, so that two different gigahertz frequency bands can be generated with one optical carrier signal. This is the approach taken by the present idea and, in particular, by the proposed sensor system 2. Fig. 5 shows a schematic representation of the generation of the virtual antenna array 35, based on the previous explanations. Figure 5 shows an example of the transmitting device 15, which can have various transmitting elements. The different signals 38 of illustration 36 can each be transmitted using their own transmitting antenna. Subsequently, corresponding responses or backscatter signals can be received by the receiving device 16 with receiving antennas. Based on this, the virtual antenna array 35 can be generated, which, compared to the real antenna elements of the device 15, 16, has a multitude of antennas because real and virtual antennas are combined. The calculation of the virtual antenna array 35 is performed, for example, after receiving the real received signals. In particular, Fig. 5 shows a representation of the virtual antenna array 35 or a virtual apparatus which is generated by simultaneous emission of frequency-modulated multiband signals. The following figures explain various variants for carrying out the simultaneous emission of mutually frequency-shifted signals in order to set up or generate the virtual antenna array 35. Fig. 6 shows another conceivable embodiment of the sensor system 2. Here, the sensor system also includes the computing device 6, which in this embodiment may have a different configuration or equipment. The sensor system 2 specifically features several transmit-receive units, such as the antenna elements 4, which can be arranged distributed on the vehicle 1, for example, especially for environmental sensing. The transmit-receive units or antenna elements 4 are applicable for both transmitting and receiving signals. Therefore, these transmit-receive units are combined units for both transmitting and receiving signals. In particular, such a transmit-receive unit can be referred to as a transmit and receive module. This can be designed or constructed from an electronically photonic co-integrated chip (so-called "EPIC chip"). The computing unit 6, which can be referred to as the central processing unit, can also be designed from an electronically photonic co-integrated chip. In particular, the computing unit 6 is a physically and / or spatially separate unit from the transmit-receive units. For example, the computing unit 6 can include an optical unit, or the laser unit 7, or a laser. In particular, the optical unit can be configured as an optical source or as a CW laser. The optical unit can generate and thus provide the optical transmission signal 8, or a carrier signal. The optical transmission signal 8 can, in particular, be configured as an optical carrier signal in the terahertz frequency range. The computing unit 6 can, for example, generate the optical carrier frequency. The signal to be transmitted can be modulated onto this optical carrier frequency with one-eighth of a radar frequency and, for example, transmitted to the transceiver units. In this way, frequency multiplication can take place. Signals in the gigahertz frequency range can then be received using the transceiver units. For example, the computer 6 can be connected to a respective transmit-receive unit via fiber optic cable 9, as an optical transmission link. Signals, in particular optical signals, can be transmitted from the computer 6 to the individual transmit-receive units via fiber optic cable 9. In order to be able to send received signals from the transmit-receive units back to the computer 6 for evaluation or signal processing, each transmit-receive unit can be optically coupled to the computer 6 via an optical return channel 20. With at least one of the transmit-receive units, the electrical outgoing signal 17 can be transmitted, in particular into the environment 18. Likewise, a corresponding electrical receive signal 19 can be received by the transmit-receive unit. For example, the outgoing signal 17 can be reflected by an object in the environment 18 of the vehicle 1 and thus received as an electrical receive signal 19. The receive signal 19, which can be described, for example, as a radar signal, can be transmitted to the computer 6 for evaluation or signal processing. For this purpose, the electrical receive signal can be converted into an optical receive signal 21 by means of the transmit-receive unit. For example, this can be transmitted via the return channel 20 of the computer 6. By means of an opto-electrical converter unit 22 or...The optical received signal 21 can be converted into an electrical signal 23 by the detector unit of the computing unit 6. Unit 22 can be used, for example, for optical detection. This conversion can be performed, for example, by homodyne detection or heterodyne detection. Furthermore, unit 22 can perform a phase measurement and / or a phase length measurement. Subsequently, digitization can be performed via a digital interface 24. This primarily involves analog-to-digital conversion. For this purpose, the digital interface 24 can include an analog-to-digital converter. A processing unit 14 can then be arranged. This unit can be used, for example, for signal processing, particularly for low-level signals. A Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) can be used for this purpose. The digitized, processed electrical signal 23 can then be made available to a CPU 25 of the computing unit 6. In this case, radar information or environmental information contained in the electrical signal 23 can be evaluated or processed.Furthermore, an electrical return channel 26 can be provided, which provides feedback from at least one of the transmit-receive units to the computing unit 6 and in particular to the digital interface 24. To enable the most stable and low-noise environmental sensing or detection possible by the sensor system 2, the optical transmission signal 8 can be adapted using frequency synthesis or gigahertz frequency synthesis. For this purpose, the computing unit 6 can include a synthesis unit 27. The optical transmission signal 8 can be fed to or transmitted to the synthesis unit 27. For example, modulation can be performed before the optical transmission signal 8 is made available to the synthesis unit 27. A modulator or modulation unit 28 can be provided for this purpose. This can be configured, for example, as an arbitrary waveform generator or arbitrary function generator (AWG). An optical control unit 29 and an optical switch can be connected after the synthesis unit 27.Distributor 30 is provided in the computing unit 6 to supply appropriately processed signals from the synthesis unit 27 to the transmit-receive units via the optical fiber 9. Furthermore, a control unit 31 can be controlled by the evaluation unit 25, in particular to monitor and control the generation of the optical transmission signal. Additionally, a control unit or a feedback loop 32 can be provided. Furthermore, the computing unit 6 is electrically connected to the transmit-receive units by means of an electrical transmission link 33. An electrical control signal 34 can be transmitted via this electrical transmission link 33 to control or activate the transmit-receive units or antenna elements 4. In particular, the computing unit 6 serves to generate an optical carrier signal, the optical transmission signal 8, and to feed this signal into a gigahertz frequency synthesis unit, e.g., the synthesis unit 27. The synthesized gigahertz signal can be transmitted in the optical spectral range via fiber, i.e., the optical fiber 9, to the transmit-receive units, so that, for example, a 77 gigahertz signal can be emitted or transmitted by the transmit-receive units. Signal detection, in turn, can be carried out in reverse. All data can be processed or handled in the computing unit 6. In the representation of Fig. 6, the optical carrier signal 8 can be described as an optically frequency-modulated carrier signal. This can be fed into a gigahertz frequency synthesis unit, such as synthesis unit 27, and the synthesized gigahertz signal can be forwarded in the optical spectral range to the transmitting device 15, for example, to be imitated as a 77 GHz signal. Figure 7 shows an exemplary representation of the transmitting device 15 and the receiving device 16. This illustrates one variant of how the simultaneous transmission of frequency-shifted signals can be carried out. First, the optical carrier signal 8 can be supplied to the transmitting device via fiber optic cable 9 at an input side or coupling area. The optical transmission carrier signal 8, which can be described, for example, as an optical multiband signal, can first be converted into an electrical signal, in particular an electrical multiband signal, by means of an optoelectronic converter unit, such as a photodiode 39. This can optionally then be amplified or processed by an amplifier 40. For transmitting the various frequency-shifted signals, the transmitting device 15 can be divided into different or multiple transmission paths 41 to 44. For example, the electrical output signal amplified after the amplifier 40, which can be referred to as the first electrical output signal 45, can be transmitted with a first transmitting unit 46. Thus, a first electrical output signal 45 can be a basic signal, which, for example, has the same frequency as the optical carrier signal 8. The electrical signal after conversion with the photodiode 39 can in particular be made available or transmitted to all transmission paths 41 to 44. Furthermore, the second transmission path 42 can include a second frequency conversion unit 47, with which a second electrical outgoing signal 48 can be generated. The optical carrier signal 8 and a predefined frequency shift information can be taken into account. The second electrical outgoing signal 48 can be transmitted with a second transmitter unit 49. For example, the second electrical outgoing signal 49 can be amplified with a second amplifier unit 50 before transmission. The optional third transmission path 43 can also include a frequency conversion unit, i.e., a third frequency conversion unit 51, with which a third electrical output signal 52 can be generated, so that this can be transmitted with a third transmission unit 53. For this purpose, the third electrical output signal 52 can again be amplified by means of a third amplifier unit 54 before transmission. In addition to the provisions relating to the second and third transmission paths 42, 43, further transmission paths 44 may be provided, which in turn have further frequency conversion units 55 for providing or converting further electrical outgoing signals 56. Thus, these signals can in turn be transmitted by further transmission units 57. The further transmission paths 44 may also have further amplifier units 58. In other words, depending on how many different electrical outgoing signals 45, 48, 52, 56 are to be transmitted, the transmitting device 15 can have a corresponding number of transmit paths 41 to 44. In particular, each transmit path can include the frequency conversion unit, the amplified unit, and the transmitting unit. Regarding the electrical output signals 45, 48, 52, 56, reference may be made to the descriptions in Figures 4 and 5. As already explained there, the electrical output signals 45, 48, 52, 56 are frequency-shifted and thus have different frequencies or frequency bands. In particular, the transmitting device 15 can be configured to transmit the electrical output signals 45, 48, 52, 56 simultaneously. In particular, the optical frequency-modulated carrier signal, i.e., the optical carrier signal 8, can be optically fed to the transmitting unit 15 with the aid of the computing device 6 and converted from the optical to the electrical domain upon reaching the photodiode 39. A downstream frequency conversion unit, such as the individual frequency conversion units of the transmitting paths 41 to 44, can convert the incoming high-frequency signal to the target frequency to be emitted, i.e., the electrical outgoing signals 45, 48, 52, 56. Prior to transmission by a corresponding transmitting antenna element, i.e., the transmitting units 46, 49, 53, 57, amplification can optionally be performed. After the simultaneous transmission of the electrical outgoing signals 45, 48, 52, 56, corresponding electrical receive signals 59 to 61 can be received. For this purpose, the receiving device 16 can have several receiving units 62 to 65. With the aid of the receiving units 62 to 65, which can be receiving antennas, the electrical receive signals 59 to 61, which are based on the transmitted electrical outgoing signals 45, 48, 52, 56, can be received. After reception, the received signals can be processed or amplified by amplifier units 66 to 69 in order to be better processed and, in particular, transmitted. The received electrical signals 59 to 61 can be provided or transmitted by a signal processing unit 70 after reception. This unit can be an electrical or electronic unit that may be coupled to the receiving units 62 to 65. The signal processing unit 70 can be configured to mix each electrical received signal 59 to 61 with an electrical carrier signal 71, which is generated by an optoelectronic conversion 72, for example, by means of a photodiode 72. This would mix the original information regarding the optical transmission signal with the received signals to enable corresponding target detection or environmental sensing.As a result, for example, the optical received signal 21 or several such optical received signals can be transmitted to the computing unit 6 for environmental sensing or target detection. For this purpose, a corresponding optical modulator 73 can be arranged downstream of the signal processing unit 70, which can modulate the electrical signals downstream of the signal processing unit 70, for example, with the optical carrier signal 8, and can accordingly generate or provide the optical received signal 71. In other words, on the receiving side, all receiving units can receive 62 to 65 signals, which can be a time-delayed multiband signal. This can optionally be amplified and mixed with the original transmitted signal. For example, the electrical output signals 45, 48, 52, 56 can be emitted simultaneously. These signals can, for example, correspond to the various frequency-shifted signals 38 in Fig. 5 or be designed in an analogous manner. Figure 8 shows another example of the transmitting device 15 and receiving device 16. The transmitting device 15 can be designed analogously to the transmitting device 15 in Figure 7. In this example, the receiving device 16 can be divided into receiving paths 74 to 77. Each receiving path 74 to 77 can comprise a receiving unit and, for example, an amplifier unit, as explained in Fig. 7. This allows for a more flexible design of the receiving device 16, since the individual transmitting paths 74 to 77 can be treated, for example, as individual modules or circuits and thus positioned differently. The other configurations of the receiving device 16 from Fig. 7 can also be applied here. Fig. 9 shows another schematic embodiment of the transmitting device 15. Compared to the transmitting device 15 shown in Figs. 7 and 8, in this embodiment the transmitting paths 41 to 44 can be physically and / or separately separated units, modules, and / or circuits.Thus, the individual transmission paths 41 to 44 and the corresponding respective transmission units 46, 49, 53, 57 can be flexibly positioned depending on the application area of ​​the sensor system 2. In particular, the design shown in Fig. 9 offers the advantage that the transmitting device 15 can be described as a photonic multiband transmission unit, which enables modular design with simultaneous emission on different frequency bands for the flexible generation of a virtual antenna array. Figure 10 shows another embodiment of the transmitter 15. The difference here, compared to the embodiments in Figures 7, 8 to 9, is that the individual transmission paths 41 to 44 no longer have individual frequency conversion units 47, 51, 55, but rather a central frequency unit 78. This frequency unit 78, which can be connected or arranged between the input side of the transmitter 15 and the transmission paths 41 to 44, can generate or provide the various electrical output signals 45, 48, 52, 56 based on the optical carrier signal 8 and the frequency shift information. For this purpose, the frequency unit 78 can include a first frequency conversion unit 79, such as a frequency converter, and a frequency division multiplexer 80, such as an integrated FDM (frequency division multiplexer).Thus, for example, the multiband signal generated by the frequency converter, i.e., the first frequency conversion unit 79, i.e., the converted optical carrier signal 8, can be multiplexed onto the individual frequency bands by means of the frequency multiplexer 80 and made available to the corresponding transmission paths 41 to 44. The individual transmission paths can, in turn, amplify the respective signals as described above. The other details of the previous figures can also be considered here. Figure 11 shows a further schematic representation of an embodiment of the transmitter 15, based on Figure 10. The same design principles apply as in Figure 10, except that, in contrast to Figure 10, the same paths 41 to 44 and the frequency device 78 are arranged on separate modules or integrated circuits, so that these units are physically and / or spatially separated from each other. This allows the transmitter 15 to be used more flexibly and universally, depending on the application of the sensor system 2. As can be seen here as an example, the input side of the transmitter 15, such as the photodiode 39 and the coupling point, can additionally be arranged on the chip with respect to the frequency device 78. In contrast, in Fig. 10, all components in the transmitter 15 are arranged or integrated onto a single chip or module. The following is a schematic description of how improved environmental sensing can be achieved using the proposed sensor system 2. 1. The central unit, such as the computing unit 6, provides control signals and an optical signal, such as the carrier signal. 2. The optical signal is transmitted to the GHz frequency synthesis unit. 3. The GHz signal is modulated onto the optical carrier signal and transmitted to the radar front end (EPIC chips). 4. Detection of the optical carrier signal in the EPIC chip by a photodiode corresponds to frequency conversion to the low GHz spectral range, such as 6 or 9 GHz. 5. The GHz signal is forwarded to two circuits: a. Amplification of the low GHz spectral range and emission through an antenna. b. Frequency conversion, e.g., to the 77 GHz spectral range, amplification, and emission through an antenna. 6. The electronic GHz signal is forwarded to the antenna. 7.8. Detection of reflected radiation by antenna and return of the received signal to the central station by modulation onto an optical carrier signal. 9. Detection of optical radiation in the central station, ADC sampling, and coherent processing. 10. Individual and / or joint coherent or incoherent processing of the data from both frequency bands. 11. Forwarding of the data, e.g., to an environmental model. In the following Figures 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 to 17, further embodiments or configurations of the computing unit 6, the transmitting device 15, and the receiving device 16 are explained. These exhibit, in particular minor, modifications to enable the simultaneous transmission of the electrical output signals 45, 48, 52, 56. The descriptions of the computing device 6, the transmitting device 15 and the receiving device 16 apply at least partially here (Fig. 6, Fig. 7, Fig. 8, Fig. 9, Fig. 10 to Fig. 11). Figure 12 shows a further schematic embodiment of the computing device 6, based on Figure 6. Here, in contrast to the descriptions in Figures 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 to 11, the computing device 6 can generate optical signals 81 based on the optical carrier signal 8 and, in particular, a frequency shift specification. Specifically, these optical signals 81 can be generated by modulating the optical carrier signal 8. Above all, these optical signals 81 can be frequency-shifted and / or frequency-modulated relative to each other. Reference is made to the design of the frequency-shifted signals 38 in Figures 4 and 5. The optical signals 81 can also be designed with a similar frequency shift relative to each other.In particular, a gigahertz signal can, for example, be modulated onto the optical carrier signal 8 and transmitted to the transmitter 15. To select or subdivide the various frequency-shifted optical transmission signals 81, the optical switch or distributor 30 can be advantageously used. Figure 13 shows a schematic representation of the transmitting device 15, based on Figure 12. In contrast to the representations in Figures 7, 8, 9, 10 to 11, the optical transmit signals 81 are transmitted to all transmit paths 41 to 44. In this variant, the transmitting device 15 can include a signal generation unit 82, which may consist of several components. The signal generation unit 82 can include several optical filter units and opto-electrical converter units. The signal provisioning device 82 can generate the electrical outgoing signals 45, 48, 52, 56 on the basis of the optical transmit signals 81 and assign these generated electrical outgoing signals 45, 48, 52, 56 to the respective corresponding transmit paths 41, 42, 43, 44 on the basis of the respective frequencies or frequency bands. For example, the signal generation device 82 can have a first optical filter unit 83, which can be arranged in the first transmission path 41. With the aid of the first optical filter unit 83, the optical transmission signal matching the first electrical output signal 45 can be selected or filtered from the multiple optical transmission signals 81. Thus, the transmission path 41 can filter or select the appropriate signal itself with the aid of the optical filter unit 83, which can be an optical filter. Subsequently, the selected optical transmission signal can be converted into the first electrical output signal 45 by means of an opto-electrical converter unit 84, such as a photodiode or a phototransistor. In contrast to the embodiments in the previous figures, the first transmission path 41 can also have an amplifier unit 91 here. The second transmission path 42 can in turn have a second optical filter unit 85, with which such an optical transmission signal of the optical transmission signals 81 can be filtered and selected, which corresponds to the second electrical output signal 48. Subsequently, the second electrical output signal 48 can again be generated or converted by an opto-electrical converter unit 48. The third transmission path 43 can in turn have a third optical filter unit 87, with which an optical signal corresponding to the third electrical output signal 52 can be filtered from the optical signals 81. Subsequently, the optical signal range can be converted into the electrical signal range by means of an opto-electrical converter unit 88. The further transmission paths 44 can each also have an optical filter unit 89 and corresponding opto-electrical converter units 90 in order to provide the corresponding further electrical output signals 56 for transmission. In other words, each transmission path 41 to 44 can select the required electrical outgoing signal 45, 48, 52, 56 by means of an optical filter by selecting the optical signals 81 with respect to the relevant frequencies and frequency ramps. In this embodiment with regard to the temporal transmission of the frequency-shifted signals, the receiving device 16 from the previous embodiments in Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10 to 11 can be used for the reception or the reception process. Here, after simultaneous emission of the frequency-shifted, frequency-modulated outgoing signals, the time-delayed received signals could be mixed with the frequency-modulated optical transmit signal. In particular, the transmitting device 15 is again designed here as an example such that the transmitting paths 41 to 44 are physically and / or spatially separate units from each other. In an analogous configuration to the previous ones, the transmitting device 15 can again transmit the electrical outgoing signals 45, 48, 52, 56 simultaneously. Figure 14 shows another possible embodiment of the transmitter 15, based on Figure 13. Here, it is shown that all components of the transmitter are integrated on a single chip, so that the transmission paths 41 to 44 are arranged on a common chip. Furthermore, the signal provisioning device 82 is designed differently here compared to Fig. 13. Here, the signal provisioning device 82 includes an optical filter unit 92, which provides the signal for all transmission paths 41 to 44. Thus, in contrast to the configuration in Fig. 13, the transmission paths 41 and 44 do not each have their own optical filters, but are supplied with signals by the higher-level optical filter unit 92. The optical filter unit 92 can, in turn, filter the optical transmission signals 81 based on the respective frequencies or frequency bands. Subsequently, an opto-electrical converter unit 93 can convert the filtered optical signals 81 into the respective electrical output signals 45, 48, 52, and 56. Furthermore, the signal provisioning device 82 can include an electronic distributor 94.With this electronic distributor 94 or “switch”, the individual transmission paths 41 to 44 can be supplied with their respective signals by electronic switching. Figure 15 shows a variant based on Figure 14. Here, the signal generation unit 82 can again include a higher-level optical filter unit 92. This optical filter unit 92 can be controlled by an electronic filter control unit 95, particularly a higher-level one. The distribution of the optical signals to the channels or transmission paths 41 to 44 can be achieved by means of an optical distributor, such as the optical distributor 94. An optical switch, such as the optical distributor 94, can be programmatically controlled to provide the appropriate signals to the respective transmission paths 41 to 44. The distribution can take place in the optical domain, and the opto-electrical converter units 84, 86, 88, 90 can be provided in each transmission path 41 to 44. Figure 16 below shows a further embodiment, based on Figures 14 and 15, which is at least a partial combination of these two configurations. Here, the optical filter unit 92 can again be controlled by means of the filter control unit 95. Subsequently, as in Figure 14, the respective signals can be converted according to an electrical range using an opto-electrical converter unit 93. In contrast to the configurations in Figures 14 and 15, the optical distributor can now be omitted here, and instead, each transmission path 41 to 44 can have its own electronic filter unit 96 to 99 to filter the correspondingly filtered and converted signals in order to filter out or select the associated electrical output signal 45, 48, 52, 56 for the respective transmission path 41 to 44. Figure 17 shows another possible embodiment of the transmitter 15, based on Figure 13. In this embodiment, an additional electronic frequency conversion unit 100 to 103 can be arranged in each transmission path 41 to 44, in addition to the respective optical filter units and opto-electrical converter units. Thus, each transmission path 41 to 44 can have its own electronic frequency conversion unit 100 to 103. This allows the electrical output signal 45, 48, 52, 56, which is to be provided to the respective transmitter unit 46, 49, 53, 57, to be further processed. The following describes another possible schematic sequence for how improved environmental sensing can be achieved using the proposed sensor system 2. 1. Central unit provides control signals and optical signals. 2. Optical carrier signal is transmitted to the GHz frequency synthesis unit. 3. GHz signals are modulated onto optical carrier signals and transmitted to the radar frontend (EPIC chips). 4. Optional time multiplexing or frequency / wavelength multiplexing of the individual optical signals. 5. The signal relevant for channel n (n ∈ ℕ) is selected by an optical filter and the EPIC frontend. 6. Detection of the optical carrier signal in the EPIC chip by a photodiode corresponds to frequency conversion to the low GHz spectral range, such as 6, 9, or 77 GHz. 7. Forwarding of the GHz signal to a circuit. a. Amplification of the low GHz spectral range and emission by an antenna. b. Optional additional frequency conversion. 8.9. Forwarding of the electronic GHz signal to the antenna(s). 10. Detection of the reflected radiation by the antenna(s) and return of the received signal to the central station by modulation onto an optical carrier signal. 11. Detection of the optical radiation in the central station, ADC sampling, and coherent processing. 12. Individual and / or joint coherent or incoherent processing of the data from both frequency bands. 13. Forwarding of the data, e.g., to an environmental model. Reference symbol list 1 Vehicle 2 Sensor system 3 Antenna array 4 Antenna elements 5 Radar sensor device 6 Central electronic computing unit 7 Optical device, laser device 8 Optical carrier signal, transmission signal 9 Fiber optic cable 10 Optical input 11 Optical output 12 Receiver unit 13 Output signal 14 Processing unit 15 Transmitter 16 Receiver unit 17 Electrical transmit signal, radar signal 18 Environment 19 Electrical receive signal 20 Return channel 21 Optical receive signal 22 Opto-electrical converter unit 23 Electrical signal 24 Digital interface 25 CPU, evaluation unit 26 Electrical return channel 27 Synthesis unit 28 Modulator 29 Optical control unit 30 Optical distributor 31 Control unit 32 A feedback loop 33 Electrical transmission path 34 Electrical control signal 35 Virtual antenna array, virtual apparatus 36, 37 Frequency domain representations 38 Frequency-shifted transmission signals, multiband transmission signals 39 Photodiode 40Amplifiers 41 to 44 Transmit paths 45 First electrical outgoing signal 46 First transmit unit 47 First frequency conversion unit 48 Second electrical outgoing signal 49 Second transmit unit 50 Second amplifier unit 51 Second frequency conversion unit 52 Third electrical outgoing signal 53 Third transmit unit 54 Third amplifier unit 55 Further frequency conversion unit 56 Further electrical outgoing signal 57 Further transmit unit 58 Further amplifier 59 to 61 Electrical receive signals 62 to 65 Receive units 66 to 69 Amplifiers 70 Signal processing unit 71 Electrical carrier signal / optical receive signal 72 Opto-electrical converter unit or photodiode 73 Optical modulator 74 to 77 Receive paths 78 Frequency device 79 First frequency conversion unit 80 Frequency division multiplexer 81 Optical transmit signal 82 Signal supply device 83 First optical filter unit 84 Opto-electrical converter unit 85 Second optical filter unit 86Opto-electrical converter unit 87 Third optical filter unit 88 Electro-optical converter unit 89 Further optical filter unit 90 Further opto-electrical converter unit 91 Amplifier 92 Optical filter unit 93 Opto-electrical converter unit 94 Electronic distributor 95 Filter control unit 96 to 99 Electronic filter unit 100 to 103 Frequency conversion unit

Claims

Sensor system (2) for environmental detection, comprising: - an optical device (7) for generating an optical carrier signal (8), - a transmitter (15) comprising several transmitter units, wherein the transmitter (15) is configured to transmit electrical output signals (45, 48, 52, 56), comprising: - a first transmission path (41) of the transmitter (15), which is configured to provide a first electrical output signal (45), based on the optical carrier signal (8), to a first transmitter unit (46) of the several transmitter units, which is arranged on the first transmission path (41), - at least a second transmission path (42) of the transmitter (15), different from the first transmission path (41), which is configured to generate a second electrical output signal (48), based on the optical carrier signal (8), and to a second transmitter unit (49) of the several transmitter units, which is arranged on the second transmission path (42) is ordered to provide,wherein: - a computing device (6) configured to generate several mutually frequency-shifted optical transmission signals (81) based on the optical carrier signal (8) and to provide them to the transmitting device (15); - a signal provisioning device (82) of the transmitting device (15) configured to generate the electrical output signals (45, 48, 52, 56) based on the optical transmission signals (81) and to assign the electrical output signals (45, 48, 52, 56) to the respective transmission path (41 to 44) based on their respective frequencies; - the transmitting device (15) configured to transmit the first electrical output signal (45) with the first transmitting unit (46) and the second electrical output signal (48) with the second transmitting unit (49) simultaneously in a transmission process; characterized in that - the signal provisioning device (82) includes an optical filter unit (92) exhibits which is trained,to filter the optical transmission signals (81) based on their respective frequencies, wherein the optical filter unit (92) is controllable by means of an electronic filter control unit (95), and the signal provisioning device (82) comprises an optical distributor (94) configured to provide the respective optical transmission signal (81) to the transmission paths (41 to 44), and each transmission path (41 to 44) comprises an opto-electrical converter unit (84, 86, 88, 90) configured to convert the optical transmission signals (81) provided by the optical distributor (94) into the electrical output signal (45, 48, 52, 56) associated with the transmission path (41 to 44). Sensor system (2) according to claim 1, characterized by: - ​​at least one third transmission path (43) of the transmitting device (15) different from the first and second transmission paths (41, 42), which is configured to provide a third electrical transmission signal (52) of a third transmitting unit (53) of the several transmitting units, which is arranged on the third transmission path (43) and which is different from the first and / or second electrical transmission signal (45, 48), wherein: - the signal provisioning device (82) is configured to generate the third electrical transmission signal (52) on the basis of the optical transmission signals (81) and to assign it to the third transmission path (43) on the basis of its frequency, and: - the transmitting device (15) is configured to transmit the first electrical transmission signal (45) with the first transmitting unit (46) during the transmission process.to transmit the second electrical output signal (48) with the second transmitting unit (49) and the third electrical output signal (52) with the third transmitting unit (53) simultaneously. Sensor system (2) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: - the signal provisioning device (82) has an optical filter unit (92) configured to filter the optical transmission signals (81) based on their respective frequency; - the signal provisioning device (82) has an opto-electrical converter unit (93) configured to convert the filtered optical transmission signals (81) into the electrical output signals (45, 48, 52, 56); and - the signal provisioning device (82) has an electronic distributor (94) configured to provide the respective converted electrical output signals (45, 48, 52, 56) to the transmission paths (41 to 44). Sensor system (2) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: - the signal provisioning device (82) has an optical filter unit (92) configured to filter the optical transmission signals (81) based on their respective frequency; - the signal provisioning device (82) has an opto-electrical converter unit (93) configured to convert the filtered optical transmission signals into the electrical output signals (45, 48, 52, 56); - each transmission path has an electronic filter unit configured to select the electrical output signal (45, 48, 52, 56) belonging to the respective transmission path from the converted electrical output signals (45, 48, 52, 56). Sensor system (2) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: - the signal provisioning device (82) comprises a first optical filter unit (83) and at least one second optical filter unit (85), wherein the first optical filter unit (83) is integrated in the first transmission path (41) and the second optical filter unit (85) is integrated in the second transmission path (42); - the first optical filter unit (83) is configured to filter such an optical transmission signal of the multiple optical transmission signals (81) on which the first electrical output signal (45, 48, 52, 56) is based; - the second optical filter unit (85) is configured to filter such an optical transmission signal of the multiple optical transmission signals (81) on which the second electrical output signal (45, 48, 52, 56) is based. Sensor system (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the first transmission path (41) and at least the second transmission path (42) are arranged together on a common integrated circuit, or - the first transmission path (41) and at least the second transmission path (42) are each arranged on their own integrated circuit. Sensor system (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by: a receiving device (16) comprising several receiving units (62 to 65), wherein the receiving device (16) is configured to receive electrical receiving signals (59 to 61) based on the transmitted electrical transmit signals (45, 48, 52, 56), and wherein the receiving device (16) comprises several receiving paths (74 to 77), each receiving path (74 to 77) comprising one receiving unit of the several receiving units (62 to 65), in particular, the receiving device (16) comprising a signal processing unit (70) coupled to the receiving units (74 to 77), wherein the signal processing unit (70) is configured to combine each electrical receiving signal of the electrical receiving signals (59 to 61) with an electrical transmit signal (71).which can be generated by an opto-electrical conversion of a corresponding optical transmit signal (81), mix in. Vehicle (1) with a sensor system (2) according to one of the preceding claims. Method for operating a sensor system according to claims 1 to 7, comprising: - generating the optical carrier signal (8), - generating the multiple mutually frequency-shifted optical transmission signals (81), - generating the electrical output signals (45, 48, 52, 56) based on the optical transmission signals, - assigning the electrical output signals (45, 48, 52, 56) to the respective transmission path (41 to 44) based on their respective frequencies, - providing the first electrical output signal to the first transmission unit, - providing the second electrical output signal to the second transmission unit, - simultaneous transmission of the first and second electrical output signals in the transmission process.

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