Unequal-Interval Radar Antenna Layout for Virtual Array Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional radar devices face challenges in achieving both compensation accuracy and spatial resolution due to limitations in phase and amplitude difference compensation between transmission and reception circuits, and reduced aperture length from virtual overlap of reception antennas.
Innovation Solution
The radar device employs transmission and reception antennas arranged at unequal intervals, allowing for the determination of unique combinations of virtual antennas whose positions overlap, enabling compensation for phase and amplitude differences between transmission and reception circuits, and increasing the aperture length of virtual antennas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If transmission antennas and reception antennas are arranged at unequal intervals, then spatial resolution is improved, but compensation accuracy between transmission and reception circuits deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the compensation process into multiple independent compensation amounts corresponding to different transmission-reception antenna combinations. By dividing the overall compensation into multiple discrete components, the system can handle unequal antenna intervals more effectively, resolving the contradiction between improved spatial resolution and maintained compensation accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the compensation parameter from a single unified compensation value to multiple compensation amounts (first compensation amount, second compensation amount, etc.) that can be independently adjusted. This parameter change allows the system to adapt to unequal antenna intervals while maintaining accurate phase and amplitude compensation across all antenna combinations.
2Length of stationary object
If virtual antennas are arranged to overlap to increase aperture length, then spatial resolution is improved, but the number of unique transmission-reception circuit combinations decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by arranging transmission and reception antennas at unequal intervals, which creates asymmetric virtual antenna positions. This asymmetric arrangement increases the effective aperture length while generating diverse transmission-reception circuit combinations, thereby resolving the contradiction between increased aperture length and reduced number of unique combinations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent effectively utilizes the dimensional aspect of antenna positioning by arranging antennas at unequal intervals along the array, which increases the aperture length in the spatial dimension. This dimensional approach creates more unique circuit combinations rather than reducing them, as the unequal spacing generates distinct path differences for each transmission-reception pair.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple compensation amounts are calculated for different antenna combinations, then compensation accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal compensation framework where multiple compensation amounts are calculated but managed through a unified control mechanism. The controller systematically selects and applies the appropriate compensation amount based on the specific transmission-reception antenna combination, making the multi-parameter system manageable and avoiding excessive complexity while maintaining high compensation accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
A radar device includes transmission and reception antennas, transmission circuits to output transmitted signals, and receiver circuits to acquire received signals. A controller processes these received signals. The number of transmission antennas, Ns, and reception antennas, Nr, are two or more and are arranged at unequal intervals. The antennas are configured so that the number of first combinations of transmission and receiver circuits is at least Ns+Nr−2. A first combination is determined by assuming virtual antennas based on phase differences of received signals and extracting sets of virtual antennas with overlapping positions. The controller compensates for phase or amplitude differences between different transmission and receiver circuits based on comparison results of received signals between the virtual antennas in at least Ns+Nr−2 sets of first combinations.