Radar Target Detection Using Beam Space CFAR Processing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current radar systems face challenges in efficiently estimating the arrival direction of reflected waves, particularly for distant or small targets, due to high processing requirements and reduced signal-to-noise ratios when using constant false alarm rate (CFAR) processes before arrival direction estimation.
Innovation Solution
A radar apparatus and method that calculates reception powers in multiple beam directions using reflected wave signals divided by distance and Doppler frequency components, determining target presence by comparing these powers with threshold values adjusted by coefficients, and estimating arrival directions with reduced processing complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If CFAR process is performed before arrival direction estimation, then false alarm rate is controlled, but processing complexity and computational load increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the detection process into two independent stages: CFAR processing applied to range-Doppler cells, and arrival direction estimation applied to beam space data. This segmentation allows each process to operate on optimized data representations, reducing overall computational complexity while maintaining reliable false alarm control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the problem from range-Doppler domain to beam space domain for arrival direction estimation. By changing the dimensional representation of the data and applying CFAR in beam space rather than range-Doppler space, the computational burden is significantly reduced while maintaining detection reliability.
2Reliability
If CFAR process is performed before arrival direction estimation, then detection reliability is improved, but signal-to-noise ratio deteriorates due to additional processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary beamforming and calculates reception powers in multiple beam directions before applying CFAR processing. This preliminary organization of data in beam space allows CFAR to operate more efficiently on pre-processed directional data, maintaining signal-to-noise ratio while achieving reliable detection.
3Measurement precision
If reception power is calculated in multiple beam directions, then target detection capability is improved, but processing amount increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary reception power values in relevant beam directions for target detection, rather than processing all possible parameters. By taking out only the essential directional power measurements needed for detection decisions, the processing amount is kept manageable while maintaining detection precision.
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
Improves target detection ratios for distant or small targets while minimizing the increase in processing amounts, enabling efficient arrival direction estimation in radar systems.
Implementation Method 1
transmission circuitry that transmits a radar signal by using a transmission antenna
Implementation Method 2
receives, by using a reception antenna, a reflected wave signal of the radar signal that is reflected at a target
Implementation Method 3
calculates a first reception power in each of a predetermined number of beam directions by using the reflected wave signal
Data Source
AI summary
Radar receiver calculates a first reception power in each of a predetermined number of beam directions by using a reflected wave signal in a first cell among a plurality of cells into which a region represented by at least one of a distance component and a Doppler frequency component is divided, calculates a second reception power on the basis of reception powers of reception array antennae by using the reflected wave signal in a peripheral cell of the first cell among the plurality of cells, and determines whether or not a target is present in the first cell on the basis of a comparison result between the first reception power and a first threshold value that is a value obtained by multiplying the second reception power by a first coefficient.