Reprogrammable Radar Tuning for Flight Phases, Environments, and Missions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current millimeter wave frequency-modulated continuous-wave radars for aircraft have conflicting operational requirements for different functions, necessitating multiple radar systems that increase size, weight, complexity, and cost.
Innovation Solution
A reprogrammable radar system with a controller that adjusts radar parameters based on flight phase, environmental conditions, and mission requirements, allowing a single system to perform multiple functions optimally.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple different radar systems are installed to perform all desired functions, then operational optimality for all functions is achieved, but size, weight, complexity, and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The radar system is designed as a universal platform that can perform multiple functions (assisted landing, cable warning, sense and avoid) through software reconfiguration rather than requiring separate dedicated radar systems for each function. The controller can be reprogrammed to change radar parameters and operational modes, allowing one physical system to fulfill multiple operational roles.
Solution Approach 2:
The radar system incorporates dynamic reconfigurability where operational parameters such as frequency modulation characteristics, pulse repetition rates, and beam patterns can be changed in real-time based on the current mission requirements. This dynamic adaptation allows the same hardware to optimize its performance for different functions without physical reconfiguration.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple different radar systems are installed to perform all desired functions, then operational optimality for all functions is achieved, but size and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple radar functions that would traditionally require separate physical systems are merged into a single integrated radar platform. The transmit antenna, receive antenna, and controller are shared resources that serve multiple missions through software-defined operations, thereby eliminating the need for duplicate hardware and reducing overall system weight.
Solution Approach 2:
A universal radar system design allows one physical apparatus to perform assisted landing, cable warning, and sense and avoid functions by reconfiguring operational parameters, thereby replacing multiple specialized radars and reducing the total weight burden on the aircraft.
3Device complexity
If a single fixed configuration radar system is used, then device complexity is reduced, but operational optimality for non-configured functions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The radar system enables functional adaptation through changes in operational parameters such as frequency sweep characteristics, pulse duration, power levels, and scanning patterns. These parameter modifications allow the same hardware configuration to optimize performance for different missions without requiring physical reconfiguration or adding system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a static fixed configuration to a dynamic reconfigurable architecture where the controller can adjust operational parameters in real-time based on mission requirements, maintaining simplicity in hardware while achieving versatility through software-controlled parameter variation.
Data Source
AI summary
A system including a radar system. The radar system may include a transmit antenna, a receive antenna, and a controller. The controller may be configured to: determine or obtain information indicative of at least one of a phase of flight or an environmental condition; determine or obtain information indicative of a mission associated with the determined phase of flight and/or environmental condition; and based at least on the determined mission and the determined phase of flight and/or the environmental condition, tune radar parameters of the radar system to values to fulfill the determined mission associated with the determined phase of flight and/or environmental condition. The radar system may be reprogrammable by tuning the radar parameters to operate over any of a collection of phases of flight, any of a collection of environmental conditions, and any of a collection of missions.