Radar Signal Phase Matching With Lower-Performance ADCs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Radar systems require high-performance analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) to achieve precise target detection, particularly in ultra-wideband (UWB) and high-resolution applications, which can be costly and resource-intensive.
Innovation Solution
A radar signal processing method and apparatus that adjusts the phases of frequency components in transmitted pulse signals, allowing for the use of lower-performance ADCs by combining reflected signals with matched phases to generate a composite signal, achieving similar performance to high-performance ADC systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If high-performance ADCs are used to achieve precise target detection in UWB and high-resolution radar applications, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the bandwidth coverage requirement into multiple segments by using multiple array antennas, each handling a specific frequency band. Instead of requiring one high-performance ADC to cover the entire bandwidth, the system segments the bandwidth and processes each segment separately with lower-performance ADCs, then combines the results to achieve the same overall precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single-dimension approach (one high-performance ADC covering all frequencies) to a multi-dimensional approach by introducing the antenna array dimension. Multiple antennas operating at lower sampling rates are coordinated in space and frequency to achieve the equivalent performance of a single high-performance ADC system.
2Measurement precision
If high-performance ADCs with wide bandwidth coverage are used, then measurement precision is improved, but hardware cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the wide bandwidth into multiple narrower bands, each handled by a separate array antenna with its own lower-performance ADC. This segmentation allows the use of multiple inexpensive ADCs instead of one expensive high-performance ADC, reducing overall hardware cost while maintaining the required distance resolution accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs multiple lower-performance, cost-effective ADCs in each antenna array instead of a single high-performance ADC. These simpler, cheaper components are used in parallel across multiple antennas to achieve the same functional outcome, reducing the overall system cost.
3Measurement precision
If multiple array antennas are used to cover wide bandwidth, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary phase adjustment to the signals from multiple array antennas before combining them. By pre-adjusting the phases of the frequency components from each antenna to be aligned, the system simplifies the subsequent signal processing and combination steps, reducing overall processing complexity while maintaining detection accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the phase parameter of the frequency components from different antennas through sequential adjustment. This parameter transformation aligns the signals in a consistent phase relationship, enabling simpler combination processing and reducing the complexity of integrating signals from multiple antennas.
Data Source
AI summary
An operation method of a radar signal processing apparatus in a radar system may include: generating pulse signals of a number of any one sampling rate having different phases; transmitting the pulse signals to a target; receiving reflected pulse signals reflected back from the target; generating a composite signal by sampling the reflected pulse signals and combining the sampled reflected pulse signals to match the phases; and extracting target information from the composite signal.