COTS Modem Radar Interface for MIMO Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) or off-the-shelf (OTS) modems are not capable of directly modulating or demodulating Radar Common Data Link (R-CDL) or Pulsed Common Data Link (P-CDL) waveforms, limiting their use in MIMO radar systems for high-speed data communication.
Innovation Solution
A sensor and communication interface is developed to interface standard COTS/OTS modems with radar systems, enabling modulation of CDL waveforms onto sensor pulses and demodulation of P-CDL waveforms, while compensating for the Doppler effect in dynamic platforms, using a pulse regeneration module and a pulse demodulation module.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If standard COTS/OTS modems are used for radar communications, then system cost is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but the modems cannot directly handle P-CDL waveforms requiring custom interface development
Solution Approach 1:
A sensor and communication interface acts as an intermediary between the COTS/OTS modem and the radar sensor receiver/transmitter. This interface includes a pulse modulator that modulates CDL waveforms onto sensor pulses using an on-off switch controlled by a sensor clock, and a demodulator that recovers CDL waveforms from received pulses through pulse regeneration and demodulation modules. This intermediary enables standard modems to handle P-CDL waveforms without requiring custom modem design.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor aperture is used for dual purposes: both radar sensing and high-speed data communication. The same antenna system transmits and receives both sensor pulses and modulated communication signals, eliminating the need for separate communication hardware and reducing overall system complexity while maintaining versatility.
2Device complexity
If COTS/OTS modems are used without custom interface, then device complexity is reduced, but communication functionality with radar pulses is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor and communication interface serves as an adapter layer that translates between standard modem signals and radar-specific P-CDL waveforms. The pulse modulator converts digital communication data into modulated sensor pulses, while the demodulator extracts communication data from received pulses, enabling COTS modems to adapt to radar communication requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The interface modifies signal parameters to enable compatibility. The pulse modulator changes the temporal and amplitude parameters of CDL waveforms by modulating them onto sensor pulses at specific timing intervals. The demodulator reverses this process by detecting pulse timing and recovering the original waveform parameters.
3Productivity
If radar aperture is used for both sensing and communication, then productivity is improved by sharing hardware, but signal interference and demodulation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The communication signal is segmented into discrete pulses modulated onto individual sensor pulses. Each pulse carries independent communication data, allowing the demodulator to process and recover information from specific pulses without being overwhelmed by the continuous radar signal stream. This segmentation enables clear separation of communication functions from sensing functions.
Solution Approach 2:
Communication data is transmitted periodically by modulating CDL waveforms onto regular sensor pulses at defined intervals. The periodic pulse structure provides clear timing references for synchronization, enabling the demodulator to reliably detect and recover communication signals amidst the periodic radar sensing operations.
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
This solution allows standard COTS/OTS modems to handle P-CDL waveforms, reducing system costs and increasing data throughput by utilizing existing radar apertures for both sensing and communication, without the need for custom modem design, and compensates for Doppler effects in dynamic platforms.
Implementation Method 1
Functions of the sensor and communication interface include modulating a standard CDL waveform onto the sensor pulses as P-CDL waveforms
Implementation Method 2
recovering the CDL waveform modulated onto the sensor pulses
Implementation Method 3
include an option for compensating the Doppler effect in highly dynamic MIMO platform
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus interfaces a commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS)/off-the-shelf (OTS) modem for pulsed data communication using existing sensor aperture among radar platforms. The apparatus includes a demodulator for receiving a sequence of first pulse signals, at least one first pulse signal of the sequence of first pulse signals being modulated with an input signal. The demodulator includes a pulse regeneration module for regenerating a pulse timing of the sequence of first pulse signals and a pulse demodulation module for demodulating the sequence of first pulse signals to recover the input signal in synchronization with the pulse timing of the sequence of first pulse signals.