Multistatic Radar Clock Synchronization via Wireless Alert Frames
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Solution Overview
Problem
Multistatic radar systems face challenges in synchronizing the transmission of pulses between spatially diverse transmit and receive devices, which are often implemented using multiple devices with no wired communication, leading to difficulties in exchanging radar measurement information and determining object distances accurately.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a method using wireless communication techniques, specifically leveraging IEEE 802.11 standards, where a radar alert frame carrying timing information is transmitted to synchronize the receive clock with the transmit clock, allowing devices to detect codewords and echoes, and calculate object distances based on detected times and timing information, enabling accurate distance determination through beamforming and feedback mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple spatially diverse devices are used to achieve multistatic radar measurements, then measurement precision and spatial diversity are improved, but device complexity and clock synchronization difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a wireless communication link as an intermediary mechanism between spatially separated radar devices. This communication link enables exchange of timing information and radar measurements, allowing devices with separate clocks to achieve synchronized operation without direct wired connection. The communication intermediary resolves the contradiction by providing a practical synchronization method that maintains measurement precision while accepting device spatial separation.
2Area of stationary object
If devices with separate clocks are used for spatial diversity, then spatial diversity and coverage area are improved, but timing synchronization accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where devices exchange timing information and radar measurements through wireless communication. Each device can adjust its timing based on received feedback from other devices, enabling continuous refinement of synchronization accuracy. This feedback loop allows the system to maintain high timing synchronization accuracy across spatially distributed devices with separate clocks, while preserving the benefits of extended coverage area.
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 enables accurate multistatic radar measurements by synchronizing separate clocks in spatially diverse devices, allowing for precise determination of object distances and angles of arrival, enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of target location in multistatic radar systems.
Implementation Method 1
A radar system operates by transmitting and receiving electromagnetic pulses. Some of the pulses reflect off objects or surfaces along the transmission path, producing 'echoes.'
Implementation Method 2
The radar system may determine the distances of the objects or surfaces based on a round trip time between the transmission of a pulse to the reception of an echo of that pulse.
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for multistatic radar communications. In some implementations, a transmitting device may transmit, to a receiving device, a radar alert frame followed by a codeword and one or more radar pulses. The radar pulses are transmitted, using beamforming, in a number of directions. The timing information indicates a timing offset or delay between one or more codewords of the codeword sequence and the beginning of the radar pulses. The receiving device may detect one or more codewords of the codeword sequence and an echo of at least one of the radar pulses, and determine the time at which the corresponding pulse was transmitted by the transmitting device. The receiving device may compare the timing of the echo with the timing of the transmitted pulse to determine a relative distance of an object that produced the echo.