Multistatic Radar Track Merging for SFN Transmitter Identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Multistatic passive radar systems face challenges in determining the transmitter of reflected signals when transmitters operate on the same frequency channel and in merging data from bistatic bases with different receivers, which hinders effective tracking and global air situation analysis.
Innovation Solution
A data processing method for multistatic radar systems that generates and maintains single-receiver and multi-receiver Cartesian tracks by associating bistatic blips, using prediction, association, filtering, and merging modules to update and combine tracks across receivers, while accounting for transmitter-receiver configurations and kinematic characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If transmitters transmit on the same frequency channel, then the system can operate in SFN or MFN mode to improve coverage and reliability, but it becomes impossible to determine which transmitter originated a reflected signal, preventing effective tracking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary identification mechanism that uses additional signal characteristics (such as time of arrival, signal strength, or phase information) as mediators to distinguish between transmitters operating on the same frequency channel. This allows the system to maintain SFN/MFN operation while enabling transmitter identification through these intermediary parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameters used for transmitter identification from relying solely on frequency channel to using multiple parameters including time of arrival, signal strength, and phase information. This parameter expansion allows differentiation of transmitters even when they operate on the same frequency, resolving the contradiction between frequency reuse and transmitter identification.
2Ease of operation
If each bistatic base operates in its own relative coordinate system, then the system can independently process data from each receiver-transmitter pair, but merging data from different receivers becomes problematic, hindering global air situation analysis
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal coordinate transformation framework that allows each bistatic base to operate independently in its own coordinate system while providing a mechanism to transform and merge all data into a common global coordinate system. This multi-functionality enables both independent processing and unified analysis without conflict.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a coordinate transformation dimension to the data processing architecture. Each receiver continues to process data in its local coordinate system, but a transformation layer is introduced that maps all local coordinates to a global reference frame, enabling merging without sacrificing independent processing capabilities.
3Reliability
If multiple receivers are used to improve tracking coverage and reliability, then the system can monitor larger areas with higher reliability, but the computation load increases and data merging becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the data processing into distinct modules: individual receiver processing units that operate independently, a coordinate transformation module, and a fusion module. This segmentation allows each receiver to be processed separately (reducing immediate computational burden) while still enabling comprehensive merging for global situational awareness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary coordinate transformations and data preprocessing at each receiver level before merging. By preparing data in advance with proper coordinate mappings and filtering, the subsequent merging operation becomes simpler and more efficient, reducing the overall computational complexity despite having multiple receivers.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a data processing method for a multistatic radar system comprising a plurality of transmitters and receivers, each receiver being associated with one or more transmitters so as to form one or more bistatic bases. According to the invention, the method involves producing and sustaining multi-receiver Cartesian tracks from bistatic blips produced by the various receivers, and comprises: a first step in which mono-receiver Cartesian tracks are produced and sustained, each mono-receiver track consisting of blips formed by a given receiver; and a second step in which multi-receiver Cartesian tracks are produced and sustained, each multi-receiver track being constituted by merging the mono-receiver tracks together and with bistatic blips which have not been associated with a mono-receiver track. The produced tracks are transmitted together with the attributes thereof to processing means operating upstream from the method.