Multi-Band Radar Channel Stitching for Higher Range Resolution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Radar systems, particularly ultra-wideband (UWB) systems, are limited by bandwidth, affecting ranging accuracy and the ability to resolve targets close to each other, with conventional methods failing to achieve high resolution and accuracy due to self-interference and side lobes.
Innovation Solution
A radar device with multiple channels operating in different frequency bands, employing channel stitching and calibration to combine channel responses, followed by spectral shaping to enhance bandwidth, accuracy, and reduce side lobes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a standardized UWB bandwidth of 500 MHz is applied, then the device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but the ranging accuracy and radar resolution deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the frequency spectrum into multiple channels (e.g., channel 5: 6-7 GHz, channel 6: 7-8 GHz) with different bandwidths. Each channel is processed independently and then combined through channel stitching to achieve an enlarged total bandwidth, thereby improving ranging accuracy without requiring a single complex wideband system
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single-dimensional bandwidth approach to a multi-dimensional approach by combining multiple channels with different frequency bands. This dimensional expansion in the frequency domain enables achieving higher effective bandwidth (e.g., 1 GHz or more) while maintaining the simplicity of individual standardized channels
2Measurement precision
If a standardized UWB bandwidth of 500 MHz is applied, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ability to resolve targets close to each other (radar resolution) deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the radar reception into multiple independent channels operating at different frequency bands. Each channel provides partial spectral information, and the combination of these segmented channels through channel stitching reconstructs a high-resolution wideband signal that can resolve closely spaced targets
Solution Approach 2:
By adding the frequency band dimension to the radar system, the patent enables enhanced range resolution. The enlarged bandwidth achieved through multi-channel combination directly improves the ability to distinguish between targets at similar ranges, as resolution is linearly proportional to bandwidth
3Measurement precision
If channel stitching is employed to combine multiple channels, then the bandwidth is significantly increased and ranging accuracy is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs calibration procedures that use feedback mechanisms to align and synchronize multiple channels. The calibration process measures the actual channel responses and adjusts the channel stitching operation to compensate for phase and amplitude variations, ensuring accurate combination of channels while maintaining system simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically adjusts processing parameters during channel stitching, including phase offsets, amplitude scaling, and time alignment for each channel. These parameter changes are optimized to maximize the effective bandwidth while minimizing the complexity of the signal processing required for channel combination
4Reliability
If conventional single-channel radar is used, then the device complexity is low, but side lobes are significant (peak-to-sidelobe-ratio around 17 dB) causing misclassification
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the signal processing into multiple frequency channels, each with its own impulse response. By processing and combining these segmented channel responses through channel stitching, the system achieves a peak-to-sidelobe-ratio of 20 dB or higher, reducing misclassification of targets while maintaining manageable processing complexity for each individual channel
Data Source
AI summary
A monostatic radar device includes a first channel with a first bandwidth, configured to receive a first radar signal, and a second channel with a second bandwidth, configured to receive a second radar signal. The first frequency band and the second frequency band are different from each other. The device includes control circuitry configured to obtain a first channel response associated with the received first signal at the first channel and obtain a second channel response associated with the received signal at the second channel, and combine the first channel response with the second channel response by channel stitching to obtain a combined channel response.