5G-NR Base Station Radar Imaging via SSB Chirps
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current radar mapping systems for autonomous vehicles rely on high-energy radio signals, which are not efficiently utilized in 5G-NR base stations, limiting their ability to provide accurate and timely environmental awareness for safe operation.
Innovation Solution
Repurposing the synchronization signal bursts (SSBs) used in 5G-NR base stations for beamforming to create a radar 'chirp' that builds a radar image of the surroundings, leveraging the existing antenna arrays and signal processing capabilities to generate a radar image in parallel with communication initialization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If high-energy radio signals are used for radar mapping, then detection accuracy is improved, but energy consumption and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies multi-functionality by enabling 5G-NR base station antenna arrays to perform both wireless communication and radar mapping simultaneously. The same hardware infrastructure (antenna arrays, signal processing capabilities) is reused for dual purposes, eliminating the need for separate radar systems and reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining detection accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The base station serves itself by using its own communication signals (synchronization signal bursts) for radar mapping purposes. The system leverages signals already being transmitted for communication to create radar chirps, eliminating the need for separate high-energy radar transmissions while achieving accurate environmental mapping.
2Device complexity
If synchronization signal bursts are repurposed for radar chirps, then system complexity is reduced, but signal availability and timing precision may be limited
Solution Approach 1:
The synchronization signal bursts transmitted by the base station serve dual functions: establishing communication synchronization and providing radar chirp signals for environmental mapping. This multi-functional use of existing signals reduces system complexity by eliminating separate radar signal generation hardware while the periodic nature of SSBs provides sufficient timing references for radar operations.
3Productivity
If beamforming arrays are used for both communication and radar, then productivity is improved, but measurement precision may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges communication and radar functions into a unified system using the same beamforming antenna arrays. The base station's beamforming capabilities are leveraged to transmit communication signals that simultaneously serve as radar chirps, and the same receive arrays process both communication returns and radar reflections, achieving both high productivity and acceptable measurement precision through integrated processing.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables low-latency, accurate detection and classification of objects, enhancing safety features for autonomous vehicles and traffic control by providing a radar image of the environment, improving range and angular resolution with potential integration with AI processing.
Implementation Method 1
5G-NR base stations use beamforming arrays to focus energy to and from user equipment client devices
Implementation Method 2
A high energy radio signal, or chirp, that is transmitted by an antenna and which then reflects off an object and produces a return radio signal at the antenna
Data Source
AI summary
A mechanism is provided by which a radar image can be generated using mmWave transmissions from 5G-NR type base station antenna arrays. Base stations in 5G-NR use a beam searching sequence utilizing a defined synchronization signal burst (SSB) during their communication initialization with client devices. Embodiments utilize these SSB signals as a radar “chirp” to build a radar image of the base station surrounding in parallel with the typical 5G-NR communication initialization. Antennas on the base station can receive the reflected signals to define the radar image, in conjunction with correlation and time-management logic to properly associate received reflected signals with original transmitted signals. Such information can be processed by a synthetic aperture radar processing logic to form the radar image.