Radar Cross-Section Measurement with Time-Gated Pulse Deconvolution

The patent uses periodic radar pulses with specific timing patterns to measure targets. By transmitting pulses at controlled intervals and using time-gating to measure returns at specific delay times, the system achieves adequate signal-to-noise ratio without requiring continuous high-power transmission, thereby reducing RF interference to other systems.

The patent changes the timing parameters of radar pulses (delay times between pulses and delay times before measurement) to optimize the measurement process. By varying these temporal parameters, the system can accumulate measurement data over time while using lower peak power, improving signal-to-noise ratio without proportionally increasing RF interference.

Instead of continuous frequency sweeping, the patent uses periodic pulses at a single frequency (or narrow frequency range) with varying delay times. This periodic pulsed approach maintains measurement capability while significantly reducing the time the transmitter is active, thereby reducing RF interference exposure.

The patent transitions from the frequency domain (sweeping through different frequencies) to the time domain (varying delay times of pulses). By measuring targets at different ranges using time-gating with pulses at a single frequency, the system achieves comparable measurement information while avoiding the continuous high-power transmission required for frequency sweeping.