Configurable Radar Signal Processing Modules for Interference Mitigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Radar systems in automotive applications face interference issues that hinder the differentiation between noise and actual targets, impacting object detection and decision-making in autonomous driving, particularly due to external electric devices and nearby radar systems.
Innovation Solution
A hardware structure with configurable modules for Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), inverse FFT, windowing, thresholding, and interference detection/mutation, allowing flexible operation to mitigate interference by selectively processing and storing data, enabling efficient acceleration of radar signal processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If radar systems process signals from multiple directions and distances simultaneously, then detection coverage is improved, but interference from external electric devices and nearby radar systems increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the radar signal processing into multiple independent FFT modules, each handling specific spatial or frequency regions. This segmentation allows the system to process multi-directional signals while isolating interference sources to specific modules, preventing interference propagation across the entire system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces CFAR (Constant False Alarm Rate) processing as an intermediary step between signal reception and target detection. This intermediary module adapts detection thresholds dynamically based on background noise and clutter levels, enabling the system to maintain detection coverage while filtering out interference from external devices and nearby radars.
2Measurement precision
If FFT processing is applied to detect targets in complex environments, then target detection capability is improved, but false alarms from noise and clutter increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements CFAR processing that uses feedback from the signal environment to dynamically adjust detection thresholds. The system continuously monitors background noise and clutter levels, and automatically adapts the threshold to maintain a constant false alarm rate, thereby improving target detection reliability in complex environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the detection parameter (threshold) dynamically based on environmental conditions. By adjusting the threshold according to the measured noise and clutter levels in different scenarios, the system maintains high target detection capability while minimizing false alarms from noise and clutter.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple processing modules are enabled to handle complex radar scenarios, then processing flexibility is improved, but computational complexity and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic module enabling/disabling based on the detected radar scenario. The system monitors signal characteristics and selectively activates only the necessary processing modules for the current situation, providing processing flexibility while avoiding the computational overhead of always running all modules.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial processing by enabling only the subset of modules needed for each specific scenario. Rather than processing all possible signal types simultaneously, the system performs partial FFT processing and selective CFAR application, reducing computational complexity while maintaining versatility through on-demand module activation.
Data Source
AI summary
A radar device is disclosed including an input DMA module, at least one processing module, and an output DMA module. The input DMA module is arranged to access a memory and supply data from the memory to the at least one processing module, wherein each of the processing modules is arranged to be enabled or disabled. The at least one processing module that is enabled is arranged to process at least a portion of the data supplied by the input DMA module, and the output DMA module is arranged to store the data that are processed by the at least one processing module that is enabled in the memory. Also, a method for processing data by a radar device is provided.