Abstract: An improved vehicle radar system and control aids the vehicle driver during both parking and back-up maneuvers. The radar system is equipped with both long range and short range radar detection antennas, an RF switch for selecting the active antenna, and a range bin having a depth that is adjustable “on the fly”. The back-up aid function is provided by activating the RF switch to select the long range antenna and setting the range bin to a relatively large depth to cover the long range in a short time. The parking aid function is provided by activating the RF switch to select the short range antenna, and setting the range bin to a relatively short depth to achieve high close range accuracy.

Abstract: An improved obstacle detection radar system and method of operation in which the detection sensitivity is normalized with respect to target range without significantly increasing system complexity or cost, while at same time improving the system response time. The system consecutively integrates the received radar illumination corresponding to each of several contiguous range bins over different dwell intervals specific to the respective range bins. In particular, the dwell intervals are progressively reduced for the range bins nearest the system antennas, thereby reducing the detection sensitivity in those range bins, and at the same time, reducing the time required to completely scan all of the range bins. As a result, the signal attributable to the side-lobe patterns is inherently attenuated, the sensitivity is more normalized, and system response time is improved.

Abstract: A precision ranging radar system for use in parking and backup maneuvers by drivers of vehicles to avoid collisions. The radar system includes a noise code generator for generating a noise code, a data source for generating a data bit stream, and a local oscillator microwave source. A data mixing mechanism is coupled to the noise code generator and data source for embedding data derived from the data source into the noise code. Transmit and receive microwave antennas are provided. A transmit phase modulator is coupled to the data mixing mechanism, the local oscillator microwave source, and the transmit antenna. A receive phase modulator is coupled to the local oscillator microwave source, and a code delay unit is coupled to the noise code generator and the receive phase modulator. A downconverter mixer is coupled to the receive microwave antenna and to the receive phase modulator, and a baseband integrator and amplifier is coupled to the downconverter mixer for outputting data from the radar system.