Vehicle Radar Signal Processing for Long-Range Angle Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle radar systems struggle to accurately detect objects beyond 10 meters due to limited angular resolution, necessitating costly hardware upgrades like 4T8R antenna modules to improve detection range and accuracy.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle radar system employing a 2T4R antenna module with a signal processor that performs a two-dimensional fast Fourier transform (2D-FFT) followed by a two-dimensional Multiple Signal Classification (2D-MUSIC) algorithm to enhance angular resolution and accuracy without hardware upgrades, using a 2T4R antenna module with a signal processor that incorporates a 2D-FFT to estimate positions and a 2D-MUSIC to refine distance and angle values for objects beyond a preset threshold.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a 2T4R antenna module is used with FFT algorithm, then device complexity and cost are reduced, but measurement precision and detection distance are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the algorithmic parameters and processing parameters rather than hardware parameters. By using 2D-FFT followed by 2D-MUSIC algorithm, the system achieves high angular resolution without changing the antenna module configuration from 2T4R to more complex 4T8R or higher specifications.
2Measurement precision
If higher specification antenna modules like 4T8R are used, then measurement precision and detection distance are improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/hardware solution (upgrading antenna modules from 2T4R to 4T8R) with a signal processing solution. The 2D-MUSIC algorithm is applied to the data from the existing 2T4R antenna module to achieve angular resolution comparable to or better than what would be obtained with more complex hardware configurations.
3Speed
If conventional FFT algorithm is used, then computational speed is maintained, but measurement precision for distant objects is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the signal processing into two distinct stages: first applying 2D-FFT for initial processing and then applying 2D-MUSIC algorithm for refined estimation. This segmentation allows the system to maintain computational efficiency in the first stage while achieving high precision in the second stage, particularly for distant objects.
Solution Approach 2:
The 2D-FFT is performed as a preliminary action before the 2D-MUSIC algorithm. This preliminary processing prepares the data in a form that enables the subsequent high-precision 2D-MUSIC estimation, making the overall process more efficient by avoiding direct application of computationally intensive algorithms to raw data.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system achieves accurate detection of objects at greater distances with enhanced angular resolution, reducing computational load and costs by leveraging existing hardware, enabling precise distance and angle determination for objects beyond 10 meters.
Implementation Method 1
The transmitting segment is configured to generate transmitting waves each carrying a transmitting signal, and transmit the transmitting waves via the at least one transmitting antenna
Implementation Method 2
Each of the reflected waves is formed due to a reflection of the transmitting wave by the target object
Implementation Method 3
With respect to each of the transmitting waves, the receiving segment is further configured to, for each of the received signals carried by the reflected waves, incorporate the received signal with the transmitting signal of the transmitting wave into a beat signal
Implementation Method 4
The signal processor is configured to perform a two-dimensional fast Fourier transform (2D-FFT) on the beat signals that correspond to the transmitting waves to obtain estimated position information of the target object
Implementation Method 5
when it is determined that the distance value is greater than the preset distance threshold, perform a two-dimensional Multiple Signal Classification (2D-MUSIC) on the estimated position information, so as to obtain an exact distance value and an exact angle value of the target object
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle radar system includes an antenna module, an RF module, and a signal processor. The antenna module includes at least one transmitting antenna and multiple receiving antennas. The RF module includes a transmitting segment that generates and transmits transmitting waves each carrying a transmitting signal, and a receiving segment that receives reflected waves and incorporates received signal carried by the reflected waves with the transmitting signal into a beat signal. The signal processor performs 2D-FFT on the beat signals to obtain estimated position information of the target object, determines whether a distance value of the estimated position information is greater than a preset distance threshold, and when it is determined that the distance value is greater than the preset distance threshold, perform two-dimensional Multiple Signal Classification (2D-MUSIC) on the estimated position information, so as to obtain an exact distance value and an exact angle value of the target object.