Transimpedance Amplifier Control for Radar Jamming Mitigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Millimeter-wave radar systems face interference issues due to jamming events, leading to ADC saturation and impaired target detection and tracking capabilities, particularly in automotive applications where shorter pulse repetition times are desirable for improved target velocity detection.
Innovation Solution
A transimpedance amplifier's transconductance is dynamically adjusted to increase the 1 dB compression point during jamming events, and temporarily enhanced at the beginning of each chirp to mitigate saturation and reduce settling time, thereby enabling effective target detection and processing during interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the pulse repetition time is shortened to improve target velocity detection, then the maximum detectable velocity increases, but the receiver path becomes more susceptible to jamming interference and ADC saturation
Solution Approach 1:
The transconductance of the transimpedance amplifier is made dynamically adjustable rather than fixed. The controller modifies the transconductance value based on detected jamming conditions, allowing the receiver to adapt its sensitivity and maintain reliable operation during shortened pulse repetition times when jamming interference is more likely to cause ADC saturation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the electrical parameter (transconductance) of the transimpedance amplifier in response to jamming detection. By increasing transconductance during jamming events, the receiver path gain is adjusted to prevent ADC saturation, thereby maintaining reliability even with shorter pulse repetition times that increase vulnerability to interference.
2Reliability
If the transconductance of the transimpedance amplifier is increased to mitigate ADC saturation during jamming, then the receiver sensitivity improves, but the power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The transconductance adjustment is applied periodically or temporarily only during detected jamming events rather than continuously. The controller monitors for jamming conditions and activates the increased transconductance state only when needed, allowing the system to maintain reliability during interference while minimizing power consumption during normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The transconductance value is dynamically adjusted based on real-time jamming detection rather than being set to a high value continuously. This dynamic adaptation allows the receiver to consume minimal power during normal operation while temporarily increasing power consumption only when jamming mitigation is required, resolving the contradiction between reliability and energy use.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the transconductance is increased during jamming events, then the 1 dB compression point increases and interference resistance improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs a feedback mechanism where the controller monitors the receiver path for jamming conditions and automatically adjusts the transconductance accordingly. This closed-loop control simplifies the overall device architecture by using existing control infrastructure rather than requiring complex hardware modifications, achieving improved interference resistance through intelligent control rather than structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller serves multiple functions: it manages normal receiver operation, detects jamming events, and adjusts transconductance for interference mitigation. By making the controller multi-functional, the patent avoids adding dedicated complex circuitry for each function, thereby reducing overall device complexity while achieving improved jamming resistance through the existing control infrastructure.
Data Source
AI summary
In an embodiment, a system includes: an analog-to-digital converter (ADC); a receiver path including a transimpedance amplifier having an output coupled to the ADC; and a controller coupled to the receiver path and configured to, upon detection of a jamming event of the receiver path, cause an increase in a transconductance of the transimpedance amplifier from a first transconductance value to a second transconductance value.