Radar Oscillator Alternation for Settling Time Elimination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current radar systems face significant settling time delays between chirp transmissions, which reduce the efficiency of range and velocity measurements, especially in applications requiring real-time data for autonomous driving, leading to potential interference issues and reduced accuracy.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system with multiple oscillators that alternate and rotate usage to allow settling time between chirp transmissions, ensuring that one oscillator is always active and minimizing the time gaps between chirp cycles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single oscillator is used for radar transmission, then the device complexity is reduced, but settling time delays between chirp transmissions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the single oscillator function into multiple oscillators (first oscillator and second oscillator), each handling transmission tasks alternately. This segmentation allows one oscillator to settle while another is in use, eliminating settling time delays without significantly increasing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic switching between the first oscillator and the second oscillator for radar transmission. The control circuit alternates between these oscillators in a periodic manner, allowing each to settle during its inactive phase while maintaining continuous radar operation.
2Stability of the object's composition
If settling time is included between chirp transmissions, then oscillator stability is improved, but the productivity of the radar system decreases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the oscillator function into multiple units, the system can maintain oscillator stability through settling time while compensating for the productivity loss. The alternate switching between oscillators ensures that at least one oscillator is always ready for immediate transmission, minimizing overall system downtime.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent ensures continuous radar operation by switching between the first and second oscillators. While one oscillator is settling, the other continues transmission, maintaining continuous useful action and eliminating gaps in radar coverage that would otherwise reduce productivity.
3Productivity
If multiple oscillators are used to eliminate settling time delays, then the productivity is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the oscillator function into multiple components (first oscillator and second oscillator) that work in parallel. This segmentation enables continuous transmission by alternating between oscillators, improving productivity while keeping the increase in device complexity manageable through a simple dual-oscillator architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The control circuit manages the oscillators by discarding (switching off) one oscillator after its transmission task is complete and recovering (switching on) the other oscillator for the next transmission cycle. This efficient resource management minimizes the operational complexity of having multiple oscillators.
4Productivity
If time gaps between chirp cycles are minimized, then the productivity is improved, but interference issues increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses periodic switching between the first and second oscillators to maintain continuous transmission with minimal gaps. The control circuit coordinates the periodic activation of oscillators to ensure seamless transition, reducing interference while maintaining high productivity in range and velocity measurements.
Data Source
AI summary
A novel and useful system and method for eliminating settling time delays in a radar system. In one embodiment, a plurality of oscillators is provided with a single transmitter. In an alternative embodiment, a plurality of transmitters is provided, each with its own oscillator. In either case, more than a single oscillator is used, whereby startup or turn on transients associated with one oscillator are allowed to settle out while another oscillator is being used. The two or more oscillators switch off and/or alternate or rotate such that oscillator settling time between chirp transmissions from the radar is substantially or completely eliminated. In a radar system having two transmitters, when the chirp propagation time window for the first transmitter is complete, the first transmitter is disconnected from the receive channel and the second transmitter is connected to the antenna and receive channel without having to wait for the second transmitter to settle since it was allowed to settle beforehand.