Virtual Antenna MIMO Radar Layout for Compact Angular Resolution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional radar devices for vehicles are bulky and require many components, leading to increased size and cost while compromising high-definition angular resolution.
Innovation Solution
A radar device that generates a virtual antenna by arranging transmission and reception antennas with specific intervals, utilizing a MIMO system to increase the aperture of the reception antenna, thereby reducing size and enhancing angular resolution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If an array of multiple reception antennas is used to achieve high-definition angular resolution, then the angular resolution is improved, but the device size and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual reception antenna by copying and processing signals from multiple physical reception antennas through phase rotation and signal combination. This virtual antenna replicates the angular resolution benefits of multiple antennas without requiring all physical antennas to be present simultaneously, reducing device complexity while maintaining measurement precision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the spatial arrangement problem by introducing a signal processing dimension. Instead of physically arranging multiple reception antennas in specific geometries, the system uses phase rotation and signal combination in the signal domain to achieve the same angular resolution effect, effectively moving the solution from physical space to signal space
2Measurement precision
If an array of multiple reception antennas is used to achieve high-definition angular resolution, then the angular resolution is improved, but the device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The virtual reception antenna is created by copying signals from existing reception antennas through phase rotation and combination processing. This allows the system to achieve the angular resolution of a larger antenna array without physically installing additional antennas, thereby reducing the required device area while maintaining measurement precision
Solution Approach 2:
The existing reception antennas serve multiple functions: they act as both physical reception elements and as sources for generating the virtual reception antenna signal. This multi-functionality allows the system to achieve high angular resolution without adding dedicated components, thus reducing device size
3Area of stationary object
If the number of reception antennas is reduced to decrease device size, then the device size is reduced, but the angular resolution deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system compensates for having fewer physical reception antennas by creating a virtual reception antenna through signal copying and phase rotation processing. This virtual antenna effectively synthesizes the signal characteristics of additional antennas, maintaining angular resolution performance while allowing physical device size to be reduced
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the signal processing parameters (phase rotation angles, signal combination weights) to optimize the performance of the virtual reception antenna. By adjusting these parameters, the system maintains high angular resolution even with a reduced number of physical antennas, thus allowing device size reduction without performance degradation
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure relates to a radar device. According to the disclosure, a radar device comprises an antenna unit including a first reception antenna including at least one reception channel disposed apart from each other by a first interval and a first transmission antenna including at least one transmission channel disposed apart from each other by a second interval, a transceiver transmitting a transmission signal through the first transmission antenna and receiving a signal reflected by an object through the first reception antenna, and a controller obtaining information about the object by processing the reflected signal received through the first reception antenna.