Multi-channel Radar Using Frequency-Domain Signal Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing radar technologies, such as TDM-MIMO and BPM-MIMO, face challenges in achieving high angular resolution while maintaining low power consumption and complexity, due to interference and phase demodulation errors.
Innovation Solution
A frequency-modulated, continuously transmitting radar measurement device with N transmit antennas and M receive antennas, where each transmit antenna generates a unique frequency-modulated signal, allowing simultaneous transmission and reception without interference, and enabling accurate estimation of range, radial velocity, and angle of arrival.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If TDM-MIMO or BPM-MIMO approaches are used to increase angular resolution, then the number of receiving antennas must be increased, but this increases device complexity and power consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the frequency parameter of the radar signals transmitted by different antennas. Each transmitting antenna transmits a signal with a distinct frequency, allowing the system to achieve high angular resolution through frequency-domain differentiation rather than requiring multiple receiving antennas with dedicated processing chains. This parameter change enables MIMO radar to achieve SIMO-level angular resolution with fewer receiving antennas.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the frequency band into multiple sub-bands, with each transmitting antenna occupying a specific sub-band. This segmentation allows simultaneous transmission from multiple antennas without interference, as each antenna's signals are separated in the frequency domain. The receive circuit then processes each frequency sub-band separately to determine angular information.
2Measurement precision
If the number of receiving antennas is increased to improve angular resolution, then power consumption increases due to dedicated processing chains for each antenna
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the receive circuit universal by enabling it to process signals from multiple transmitting antennas simultaneously using a single processing chain. Instead of requiring dedicated processing chains for each receiving antenna, the receive circuit uses frequency-domain separation to handle signals from all antennas, reducing the number of required processing components and thereby lowering power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
By changing the frequency parameter of transmitted signals, the patent enables multiple antennas to share the same receiving infrastructure. The distinct frequencies allow the receive circuit to differentiate between antenna signals without requiring separate processing paths, thus reducing power consumption while maintaining high angular resolution.
3Productivity
If multiple transmitting antennas transmit simultaneously, then interference between signals occurs, but this increases the difficulty of distinguishing echoes from different antennas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent assigns different frequencies to each transmitting antenna, creating frequency separation that prevents signal interference. This parameter change allows simultaneous transmission from multiple antennas while maintaining signal distinguishability in the frequency domain. The receive circuit exploits this frequency differentiation to separate and process echoes from each antenna without interference.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the frequency spectrum into distinct bands for each transmitting antenna. This segmentation ensures that simultaneous transmissions from different antennas occupy different frequency segments, eliminating mutual interference. The receive circuit then processes each frequency segment independently to accurately distinguish echoes from different antennas.
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 solution achieves high angular resolution and range resolution while reducing power consumption and complexity, by utilizing distinct frequency-modulated signals that minimize interference and allow for simultaneous operation of all transmitting antennas.
Implementation Method 1
This approach also makes it possible to determine the radial component of a relative velocity between the radar device and the reflector, especially by using the Doppler effect.
Implementation Method 2
By reflector, it is meant an object reflecting the radar wave.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a frequency-modulated, continuously transmitting radar measurement device including a generator configured to generate N first periodic radar signals, the frequency of each of said first periodic radar signals varies linearly as a function of time, in a frequency band B, over sections Tx of a part Ttrame of a period T, the frequencies of said first periodic radar signals being different from one another at each time instant of the part Ttrame; N transmit antennas; M receive antennas, each receive antenna being configured to receive a signal including echoes of the first periodic radar signals; a receive circuit configured to calculate, from the M signals, a range and/or a radial velocity and/or an angle, associated with a reflector detected by the radar measurement device.