MIMO Radar Signal Processing With 4D FFT for Real-Time Target Estimation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing MIMO radar systems face challenges in achieving high performance with minimal processing time and efficient target parameter estimation.

Innovation Solution

A MIMO radar system that employs a digital unit comprising a multiple input multiple output, radar system that employs a multiple input multiple output, antenna array including a multiple input multiple output, antenna array, a digital unit, a frame-based complex multiplication, and a four-dimensional Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) processing to generate a four-dimensional radar signal matrix for target parameter estimation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If orthogonal waveforms are used for simultaneous transmission from multiple transmit antennas, then spatial diversity and target parameter estimation capability are improved, but processing complexity and computation time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetarget parameter estimationVSAvoidprocessing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the complex 4D processing into separate 1D FFT operations along each dimension (range, azimuth, elevation, Doppler). This segmentation allows the system to handle orthogonal waveform processing from multiple transmit antennas by breaking down the computationally intensive 4D matrix processing into manageable sequential steps, thereby reducing processing complexity while maintaining measurement precision

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a fourth dimension (Doppler frequency) to the traditional 3D radar processing (range, azimuth, elevation). By applying 4D FFT processing that includes Doppler frequency analysis, the system simultaneously estimates target parameters across all four dimensions, improving measurement precision for moving targets while using efficient algorithms to manage the increased processing requirements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Productivity

If four-dimensional FFT processing is applied to estimate target parameters, then real-time performance is improved, but computational load increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereal-time processing capabilityVSAvoidcomputational load
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary signal processing operations including range compression and azimuth processing before the final 4D FFT. By pre-processing the orthogonal waveforms from multiple transmit antennas and organizing data into the appropriate 4D matrix structure in advance, the system reduces the computational load during real-time processing while maintaining high productivity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical scanning and sequential processing with parallel digital signal processing using FFT algorithms. The 4D FFT processing efficiently handles the orthogonal waveforms from multiple transmit antennas simultaneously through frequency domain operations, substituting computationally intensive time-domain processing with more efficient frequency-domain operations to reduce computational load while achieving real-time performance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP3339894B1A multiple input multiple output, MIMO, radar system
Publication Date: 2025.11.05 AIRBUS DEFENCE & SPACE GMBH
  • EP3339894B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3339894B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3339894B1 patent drawingFigure 3A

AI summary

A multiple input multiple output, MIMO, radar system comprising a multiple input multiple output, MIMO, antenna array including a number of transmit antennas adapted to transmit radar signals supplied by transmitters and a number of receive antennas adapted to receive radar signals supplied to receivers; and a digital processing unit adapted to perform a frame-based complex multiplication of the received complex signal and the conjugate of the transmit signal in the frequency domain to extract transmit waveforms from different transmit antennas at each receiver to generate a four-dimensional radar signal matrix to which a four-dimensional FFT radar signal processing is applied to calculate target parameters of a target.