Abstract: A circuit includes a radio frequency (RF) channel including an input node and an output node and being configured to receive an RF oscillator signal at the input node and to provide an RF output signal at the output node; a mixer configured to mix an RF reference signal and an RF test signal representative of the RF output signal to generate a mixer output signal; an analog-to-digital converter configured to sample the mixer output signal in order to provide a sequence of sampled values; and a control circuit configured to provide a sequence of phase offsets by phase-shifting at least one of the RF test signal and the RF reference signal using one or more phase shifters, calculate a spectral value from the sequence of sampled values; and calculate estimated phase information indicating a phase of the RF output signal based on the spectral value.

Abstract: One example of a radar device includes a phase-locked loop for generating a radiofrequency signal. The phase-locked loop has a multi-modulus divider. The radar device furthermore comprises a delta-sigma modulator for generating a modulated signal for the multi-modulus divider, and a signal generator for generating an input signal for the delta-sigma modulator. The radar device has monitoring circuits, wherein a first monitoring circuit is configured to monitor a locked state of the phase-locked loop, a second monitoring circuit is configured to monitor the delta-sigma modulator, and a third monitoring circuit is configured to monitor the signal generator.

Abstract: A method for a radar system is described. In accordance with one example implementation, the method comprises generating a frequency-modulated RF oscillator signal and feeding the RF oscillator signal to a first transmitting channel and a second transmitting channel. The method further comprises generating a first RF transmission signal in the first transmitting channel based on the RF oscillator signal, emitting the first RF transmission signal via a first transmitting antenna, receiving a first RF radar signal via a receiving antenna, and converting the first RF radar signal to a baseband, as a result of which a first baseband signal is obtained, which has a first signal component having a first frequency and a first phase, where the first signal component is assignable to direct crosstalk from the first transmitting antenna. This procedure is repeated for the second transmitting channel.

Abstract: A method for testing at least one reception path in a radar receiver is provided. The reception path contains a mixer and a downstream signal processing circuit. The method includes injecting a test signal into the radar reception path so that at least a first test tone having a first test tone frequency in a passband of the downstream signal processing circuit and a second test tone having a second test tone frequency outside the passband are present on the radar reception path downstream of the mixer; and determining a characteristic of the radar reception path based on a first characteristic of a baseband signal at the first test tone frequency and a second characteristic of the baseband signal at the second test tone frequency.

Abstract: A method for testing at least one reception path in a radar receiver is provided. The reception path contains a mixer and a downstream signal processing circuit. The method involves injecting a test signal into the reception path, so that at least a first test tone having a frequency in a passband of the signal processing circuit and a second test tone having a frequency outside the passband are present on the reception path downstream of the mixer. Further, the method involves tapping off a baseband signal, generated by the signal processing circuit, from the reception path, the baseband signal being based on the test signal.

Abstract: A circuit includes a radio frequency (RF) channel including an input node and an output node and being configured to receive an RF oscillator signal at the input node and to provide an RF output signal at the output node; a mixer configured to mix an RF reference signal and an RF test signal representative of the RF output signal to generate a mixer output signal; an analog-to-digital converter configured to sample the mixer output signal in order to provide a sequence of sampled values; and a control circuit configured to provide a sequence of phase offsets by phase-shifting at least one of the RF test signal and the RF reference signal using one or more phase shifters, calculate a spectral value from the sequence of sampled values; and calculate estimated phase information indicating a phase of the RF output signal based on the spectral value.

Abstract: A radar system includes a first radar chip with a first RF contact, a second radar chip with a second RF contact, an RF signal path connecting the first RF contact to the second RF contact, and a local oscillator arranged in the first radar chip and configured to generate an RF oscillator signal, and which is coupled to the first RF contact to transmit the RF oscillator signal to the second radar chip. A feedback circuit arranged in the second radar chip is switchably connected to the second RF contact and is configured to reflect at least part of the RF oscillator signal arriving over the RFRF signal path as an RF feedback signal. A measurement circuit, arranged in the first radar chip, coupled to the first RF contact via a coupler receives the RF feedback signal and is configured to determine a signal that represents a phase shift.

Abstract: A circuit is described herein. In accordance with one embodiment the circuit includes two or more RF channels, wherein each channel includes an input node, a phase shifter and an output node. Each channel is configured to receive an RF oscillator signal at the input node and to provide an RF output signal at the output node. The circuit further includes an RF combiner circuit that is coupled with the outputs of the RF channels and configured to generate a combined signal representing a combination of the RF output signals, and a monitor circuit that includes a mixer and is configured to receive and down-convert the combined signal using an RF reference signal. Thus a mixer output signal is generated that depends on the phases of the RF output signals.

Abstract: A method is described that, according to one exemplary embodiment, involves the following: generating a first radio frequency (RF) signal by a first RF oscillator and a second RF signal by a second RF oscillator, mixing the first RF signal and the second RF signal by a mixer to generate a mixer output signal, digitizing the mixer output signal to generate a digitized signal, and calculating an estimate for a power spectral density of the mixer output signal from the digitized signal. Based on the estimate for the power spectral density of the mixer output signal, an estimate for a noise power spectral density characterizing the noise contained in the first and the second RF signals is calculated.

Abstract: A frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) radar sensor may include a receive chain, where the receive chain includes a plurality of elements associated with processing a radar signal, where at least one element, of the plurality of elements, is configurable independent of at least one other element of the plurality of elements.

Abstract: A method for processing radar data is described herein. In accordance with one embodiment, the method includes the calculation of a Range Map based on a digital radar signal received from a radar receiver. The Range Map includes spectral values for a plurality of discrete frequency values and a plurality of discrete time values, wherein each spectral value is represented by at least a first parameter. Further, the method includes applying an operation to at least the first parameters in the Range Map for at least one discrete frequency value to smooth or analyze at least a portion of the Range Map.

Abstract: Methods for processing an OFDM radar signal are provided. A plurality of Nc×NDS receive samples corresponding to a number of NDS consecutive OFDM symbols is received, each OFDM symbol comprising a plurality of Nc subcarriers modulated with a respective modulation symbol. Each of the plurality of Nc×NDS receive samples is divided by its respective modulation symbol to generate a number of NDS processed OFDM symbols. The number of NDS processed OFDM symbols is decimated to generate at least one decimated OFDM symbol. A first type discrete Fourier transform (e.g. IFFT) of the at least one decimated OFDM symbol is performed to generate at least one first transformed vector.

Abstract: A frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) radar sensor may include a receive chain, where the receive chain includes a plurality of elements associated with processing a radar signal, where at least one element, of the plurality of elements, is configurable independent of at least one other element of the plurality of elements.

Abstract: A method for a radar system is described. In accordance with one example implementation, the method comprises generating a frequency-modulated RF oscillator signal and feeding the RF oscillator signal to a first transmitting channel and a second transmitting channel. The method further comprises generating a first RF transmission signal in the first transmitting channel based on the RF oscillator signal, emitting the first RF transmission signal via a first transmitting antenna, receiving a first RF radar signal via a receiving antenna, and converting the first RF radar signal to a baseband, as a result of which a first baseband signal is obtained, which has a first signal component having a first frequency and a first phase, where the first signal component is assignable to direct crosstalk from the first transmitting antenna. This procedure is repeated for the second transmitting channel.

Abstract: A method for estimating phase noise of an RF oscillator signal in a frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) radar system and related radar devices are provided. The method includes applying the RF oscillator signal to an artificial radar target composed of circuitry, which applies a delay and a gain to the RF oscillator signal, to generate an RF radar signal. Furthermore, the method includes down-converting the RF radar signal received from the artificial radar target from an RF frequency band to a base band, digitizing the down-converted RF radar signal to generate a digital radar signal, and calculating a decorrelated phase noise signal from the digital radar signal. A power spectral density of the decorrelated phase noise is then calculated from the decorrelated phase noise signal, and the power spectral density of the decorrelated phase noise is converted into a power spectral density of the phase noise of an RF oscillator signal.

Abstract: A method for cancelling phase noise in a radar signal is described herein. In accordance with one embodiment, the method includes transmitting an RF oscillator signal, which represents a local oscillator signal including phase noise, to a radar channel and receiving a respective first RF radar signal from the radar channel. The first RF radar signal included at least one radar echo of the transmitted RF oscillator signal. Further, the method includes applying the RF oscillator signal to an artificial radar target composed of circuitry, which applies a delay and a gain to the RF oscillator signal, to generate a second RF radar signal. The second RF radar signal is modulated by a modulation signal thus generating a frequency-shifted RF radar signal. Further, the method includes subtracting the frequency-shifted RF radar signal from the first RF radar signal.

Abstract: A frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) radar sensor may include a receive chain, where the receive chain includes a plurality of elements associated with processing a radar signal, where at least one element, of the plurality of elements, is configurable independent of at least one other element of the plurality of elements.

Abstract: One example of a radar device includes a phase-locked loop for generating a radiofrequency signal. The phase-locked loop has a multi-modulus divider. The radar device furthermore comprises a delta-sigma modulator for generating a modulated signal for the multi-modulus divider, and a signal generator for generating an input signal for the delta-sigma modulator. The radar device has monitoring circuits, wherein a first monitoring circuit is configured to monitor a locked state of the phase-locked loop, a second monitoring circuit is configured to monitor the delta-sigma modulator, and a third monitoring circuit is configured to monitor the signal generator.

Abstract: Methods for processing an OFDM radar signal are provided. A plurality of Nc×NDS receive samples corresponding to a number of NDS consecutive OFDM symbols is received, each OFDM symbol comprising a plurality of Nc subcarriers modulated with a respective modulation symbol. Each of the plurality of Nc×NDS receive samples is divided by its respective modulation symbol to generate a number of NDS processed OFDM symbols. The number of NDS processed OFDM symbols is decimated to generate at least one decimated OFDM symbol. A first type discrete Fourier transform (e.g. IFFT) of the at least one decimated OFDM symbol is performed to generate at least one first transformed vector.

Abstract: A radar system includes a first radar chip with a first RF contact, a second radar chip with a second RF contact, an RF signal path connecting the first RF contact to the second RF contact, and a local oscillator arranged in the first radar chip and configured to generate an RF oscillator signal, and which is coupled to the first RF contact to transmit the RF oscillator signal to the second radar chip. A feedback circuit arranged in the second radar chip is switchably connected to the second RF contact and is configured to reflect at least part of the RF oscillator signal arriving over the RFRF signal path as an RF feedback signal. A measurement circuit, arranged in the first radar chip, coupled to the first RF contact via a coupler receives the RF feedback signal and is configured to determine a signal that represents a phase shift.