Pulsed Radar Digital Mixer Frequency Hopping Agility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing radar systems face challenges in achieving frequency agility due to signal blocks and interferences, requiring a technology that can efficiently generate fast frequency hopping radar signals without complex frequency synthesizers and error correction.
Innovation Solution
A radar system comprising a transmitter block with digital and analog mixers, RF IQ mixers, and power amplifiers generates fast frequency hopping output radar signals by modulating digital signals into inphase and quadrature analog signals, mixing them with RF local oscillator signals, and amplifying the mixed signals, while the receiver block down-converts and demodulates reflected signals to baseband frequencies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If frequency hopping radar signals are generated using complex frequency synthesizers, then frequency agility is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The frequency synthesis function is segmented into multiple independent components: a base frequency generator and multiple frequency hopping channels. Each channel can be independently selected and combined with the base frequency to produce the desired hopping frequency, eliminating the need for a single complex frequency synthesizer.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a temporal dimension to frequency generation by using time-multiplexed switching between different frequency channels. Instead of generating all frequencies simultaneously requiring complex circuitry, the system sequentially activates different frequency paths, achieving frequency hopping through time-based channel selection.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional radar systems operate at fixed frequencies, then device complexity is reduced, but susceptibility to signal blocks and interferences increases
Solution Approach 1:
The radar system transitions from static fixed-frequency operation to dynamic frequency hopping. The system continuously switches between multiple pre-defined frequency channels according to a hopping pattern, allowing it to dynamically avoid frequency blocks and interferences by moving to clean frequency paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary frequency channel selection and validation before actual radar operation. The system pre-configures multiple frequency channels and selects appropriate hopping sequences in advance, ensuring that the radar can immediately switch to alternative frequencies when blocks or interferences are detected without requiring complex real-time frequency analysis.
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
The system effectively generates fast frequency hopping radar signals, enhancing frequency agility by preventing signal jams and improving noise performance through offset down-conversion and digital mixer usage, thus addressing the limitations of existing technologies.
Implementation Method 1
generating the fast frequency hopping output radar signal by mixing the inphase analog signal and the quadrature analog signal with an inphase RF local oscillator signal and a quadrature RF local oscillator signal
Implementation Method 2
The mixed analog RF signal is provided to a power amplifier to amplify the fast frequency hopping output radar signal to increase the magnitude of the fast frequency hopping output radar signal
Implementation Method 3
a low noise amplifier, where the low noise amplifier amplifies a received fast frequency hopping output radar signal
Implementation Method 4
mixes the amplified radar signal with an output of the first RF IQ mixer and the third RF IQ mixer to obtain a down-converted signal at a baseband frequency
Data Source
AI summary
A radar system for generating a fast frequency hopping output for frequency agility using a transmitter block and a receiver block. The transmitter block is configured to (i) modulate a digital signal using a first digital mixer, (ii) convert a modulated signal into an inphase analog signal and provide the inphase analog signal to at least one of a first RF IQ mixer or a third RF IQ mixer, (iii) convert the modulated signal into a quadrature analog signal provide the quadrature analog signal to at least one of the first RF IQ mixer or the third RF IQ mixer, and (iv) generate the fast frequency hopping output radar signal by mixing the inphase analog signal and the quadrature analog signal with an inphase RF local oscillator signal and a quadrature RF local oscillator signal.