OFDM Radar Mixer Segmentation for Sampling Rate Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing OFDM-based radar systems require high-sampling rate digital-to-analog converters (DACs) and analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), leading to high power consumption, costs, and equipment size, due to the need for high-resolution range, Doppler, and angular measurements.
Innovation Solution
The use of multiple mixers in the RF receive chain of an OFDM-based radar system, where mixer frequencies are separated by N subcarriers spacing, allows for processing of reflected OFDM signals at a lower sampling rate while maintaining the same radar resolution and unambiguous performance in range, Doppler, and angular domains.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If high-sampling rate DACs and ADCs are used in OFDM-based radar systems, then high-resolution range, Doppler, and angular measurements are achieved, but power consumption, costs, and equipment size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the frequency spectrum by dividing subcarriers into K distinct subsets, each processed by a separate mixer. This segmentation allows the system to process frequency components in parallel at lower sampling rates while maintaining overall measurement resolution through the combination of K processed portions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a frequency-domain dimension by utilizing multiple mixers operating at different frequencies separated by N subcarriers spacing. This transforms the single high-rate sampling problem into a multi-frequency parallel processing approach, where each mixer operates at a reduced sampling rate of 1/K of the original rate.
2Measurement precision
If high-sampling rate DACs and ADCs are used in OFDM-based radar systems, then high-resolution range, Doppler, and angular measurements are achieved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the frequency spectrum by dividing subcarriers into K distinct subsets, each processed by a separate mixer. This segmentation allows the system to process frequency components in parallel at lower sampling rates while maintaining overall measurement resolution through the combination of K processed portions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a frequency-domain dimension by utilizing multiple mixers operating at different frequencies separated by N subcarriers spacing. This transforms the single high-rate sampling problem into a multi-frequency parallel processing approach, where each mixer operates at a reduced sampling rate of 1/K of the original rate.
3Measurement precision
If high-sampling rate DACs and ADCs are used in OFDM-based radar systems, then high-resolution range, Doppler, and angular measurements are achieved, but equipment size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the frequency spectrum by dividing subcarriers into K distinct subsets, each processed by a separate mixer. This segmentation allows the system to process frequency components in parallel at lower sampling rates while maintaining overall measurement resolution through the combination of K processed portions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a frequency-domain dimension by utilizing multiple mixers operating at different frequencies separated by N subcarriers spacing. This transforms the single high-rate sampling problem into a multi-frequency parallel processing approach, where each mixer operates at a reduced sampling rate of 1/K of the original rate.
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 approach reduces the sampling rate by a factor of K, preserving the range spectrum and maintaining maximum unambiguous Doppler velocity and range, thus avoiding signal processing degradation and achieving efficient radar operation with reduced hardware complexity.
Implementation Method 1
processing the reflected OFDM signal with K mixers, where mixer frequencies for the K mixers are separated by N subcarriers spacing
Data Source
AI summary
Various aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to wireless communication. In some aspects, a wireless device may transmit an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) signal on K subsets of N subcarriers, where the signal includes a sequence of modulated symbols for each subset of the K subsets that is distinct for each subset. The wireless device may receive a reflected OFDM signal that corresponds to the OFDM signal. The wireless device may process the reflected OFD.M signal with K mixers, where mixer frequencies for the K mixers are separated by N subcarriers spacing, to form K portions of a range spectrum from the reflected OFDM signal. The wireless device may combine the K portions to form the range spectrum. Numerous other aspects are described.