Digital Active Phased-Array Radar for Low-Power UAV Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Radar systems in small vehicles, such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), are constrained by weight, size, and power requirements, limiting their use or necessitating high power consumption, which depletes battery energy quickly.
Innovation Solution
A digital active phased-array radar system with a simplified design that includes a single circuit board, fewer components, and lower power consumption, operating at higher frequencies (K band) to achieve a small form factor, using processing circuitry to drive phase-locked loop circuitry and generate RF signals, and employing digital beam-forming techniques for object detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If a radar system is designed for small vehicles with battery power supply, then weight and size constraints are improved, but power consumption increases and depletes battery energy quickly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines transmit and receive functions into a single antenna array, integrating multiple radar functions into one unified system. This merging reduces overall system weight while maintaining low power consumption through shared hardware resources, directly addressing the contradiction between weight reduction and power management in battery-powered small vehicles.
Solution Approach 2:
The radar system is designed with multi-functional capabilities including object detection, navigation, and obstacle avoidance using a single integrated platform. The same antenna array and processing system perform multiple functions, reducing the need for separate subsystems that would increase weight and power consumption, thus resolving the technical contradiction.
2Reliability
If a radar system uses high power consumption to overcome weight and size constraints, then detection capability is improved, but battery energy is depleted rapidly
Solution Approach 1:
The radar system employs periodic pulse transmission rather than continuous wave emission, transmitting RF signals in controlled pulses only when needed for detection. This periodic operation significantly reduces average power consumption while maintaining reliable detection capability, as the system transmits at high power only during brief pulse intervals rather than continuously.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts transmission parameters including pulse width, pulse repetition frequency, and signal amplitude based on detection requirements and battery status. By changing these parameters adaptively, the radar maintains reliable detection performance while optimizing power consumption to extend battery energy duration, resolving the contradiction between detection reliability and energy conservation.
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
The radar system provides a low-cost, low-power solution suitable for small vehicles, enabling applications like autonomous navigation and obstacle avoidance, with a compact size and reduced component count, suitable for mass production and integration in consumer electronics and automobiles.
Implementation Method 1
processing circuitry configured to drive phase-locked loop circuitry to generate radio-frequency signals
Implementation Method 2
radar system includes antennas configured to transmit the RF signals and receive returned RF signals
Implementation Method 3
The processing circuitry may be further configured to detect objects based on the IF signals
Data Source
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AI summary
In some examples, a radar system includes phase-locked loop (PLL) circuitry configured to generate a control voltage signal and processing circuitry configured to generate a reference signal to drive the PLL circuitry to generate the control voltage signal. In some examples, the radar system also includes voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) circuitry configured to generate radio-frequency (RF) signals based on the control voltage signal and one or more antennas configured to transmit the RF signals and receive returned RF signals. In some examples, the radar system further includes receiver circuitry configured to generate intermediate-frequency (IF) signals based on the returned RF signals, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to detect an object based on the IF signals.