Decoupled Radar Antenna Beams for Blind Range Resolution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional solid state RADAR antenna systems are unable to resolve target locations within the blind range due to periodic blindness during signal transmission, resulting in reduced detection capabilities and sensitivity, especially for targets located close to the antenna.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a RADAR antenna system that decouples multiple antenna beams, allowing each beam to transmit independently, using physical decoupling, frequency decoupling, or orthogonal polarization, to scan and resolve targets within the blind range of other beams, thereby increasing detection sensitivity and reducing blind range.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a long pulse is transmitted to increase transmission energy, then detection sensitivity is improved, but blind range increases making targets within that range undetectable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the single long pulse transmission into multiple decoupled antenna beams, each transmitting shorter pulses. This segmentation allows the system to maintain transmission energy while reducing the blind range of individual beams, as each beam's shorter pulse creates a smaller blind zone.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a spatial dimension by using multiple decoupled antenna beams that can be steered independently. This allows different beams to cover different angular sectors, effectively reducing the overall blind range through spatial diversity while maintaining detection sensitivity.
2Length of moving object
If a short pulse is appended to transmit within blind range, then detection of close targets is enabled, but transmitted energy is significantly lower making reflections too weak to detect
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the detection task across multiple decoupled antenna beams, where each beam transmits optimized pulse lengths for its specific angular sector. This allows each beam to transmit with sufficient energy for its range while collectively covering the entire detection space including close targets.
Solution Approach 2:
Different antenna beams transmit with different pulse characteristics optimized for their local detection requirements. Beams directed at closer ranges use shorter pulses, while beams for longer ranges use longer pulses, allowing each to operate at optimal detection sensitivity for its specific sector.
3Productivity
If multiple antenna beams are transmitted simultaneously to improve scan rate, then detection coverage is improved, but interference between beams increases reducing detection precision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates mutual interference between antenna beams through decoupling techniques. By designing the antenna system to be mutually decoupled, each beam can be transmitted independently without interfering with others, allowing simultaneous transmission for improved scan rate while maintaining detection precision.
Data Source
AI summary
A solid state RADAR antenna system is provided comprising at least one antenna configured to transmit a plurality of antenna beams. Each antenna beam is decoupled from each of the other plurality of antenna beams for transmitting in a blind range of a different antenna beam. Accordingly, in an implementation, the second antenna beam is transmitted so as to scan a first blind range associated with the first antenna beam. Decoupling antenna beams can be achieved using one or more of physical decoupling using different antennas, frequency decoupling using different bands and/or frequency multiplexing, or orthogonal polarization.