Abstract: A novel and useful safety functionality assurance mechanism incorporating an RF built in self-test (RFBIST) system in a radar system having a plurality of transmitter devices and receiver devices. The RFBIST functions to verify, inter alia, that the transmitted signal is operating correctly and that all channels transmit a proper, valid or ‘legal’ signal and that the receiver devices are also operating correctly. A higher level of safety assurance is achieved by comparing safety data between the receiver devices. In one embodiment, the signal received from the various transmitter devices is compared. The RFBIST circuit block eliminates the physical transmit antenna position properties to compare the transmitted signal properties after signal path elimination. Thus, the present invention is capable of (1) validating multiple transmitter devices with a single receiver device and (2) validating multiple receiver devices with a single transmitter device.

Abstract: A novel and useful system and method for eliminating settling time delays in a radar system. In one embodiment, a plurality of oscillators is provided with a single transmitter. In an alternative embodiment, a plurality of transmitters is provided, each with its own oscillator. In either case, more than a single oscillator is used, whereby startup or turn on transients associated with one oscillator are allowed to settle out while another oscillator is being used. The two or more oscillators switch off and/or alternate or rotate such that oscillator settling time between chirp transmissions from the radar is substantially or completely eliminated. In a radar system having two transmitters, when the chirp propagation time window for the first transmitter is complete, the first transmitter is disconnected from the receive channel and the second transmitter is connected to the antenna and receive channel without having to wait for the second transmitter to settle since it was allowed to settle beforehand.

Abstract: A novel and useful system and method for direction of arrival (DOA) estimation having a complexity of order O(N log N), which allows a DOA dependent calibration. In one embodiment, the architecture comprises several fast Fourier transform (FFT) machines operating in parallel with coefficient multiplications before and after the FFT operations. These pre and post coefficients are computed using an optimal low rank approximation of a distortion matrix using singular value decomposition. The values of the pre and post calibration coefficients before and after the FFT operations for each rank are computed from the singular value decomposition of the distortion matrix C=B/F, where B is the digital beam forming (DBF) matrix and F is the ideal FFT matrix. A method of acquiring the beamforming matrix B is also disclosed.

Abstract: A novel and useful two-stage radar return data processing mechanism for use in FMCW radar systems that divides the conventional frame into two portions. Two different frames are transmitted rather than one. The frames are transmitted consecutively one after the other. A low resolution ‘coarse’ frame is first transmitted that is fully processed in real time. Based on the results of the processing of the coarse frame, a plurality of targets of interest (TOIs) in the scene representing a subset of the received data is determined. Then a longer high-resolution ‘fine’ frame is transmitted and processed using the information obtained in the previous coarse fame. Using the TOI information obtained in the previous coarse frame, only a subset of the received data is processed. The non-processed portion is assumed to contain non-interesting information and is discarded or ignored thereby significantly reducing processing time.

Abstract: A novel and useful system and method of constructing a skewed or staggered multiple input multiple output (MIMO) antenna array system for automotive radar having high azimuth and elevation angular resolution and accuracy that provides increased effective aperture while using a low number of TX and RX elements. Improved element separation is achieved by distancing (i.e. staggering or skewing) RX rows and TX columns by using row and column circular shifts along their major axis. Due to the physical size of antenna elements, it is not physically possible to place the rows and columns in the full array symmetric RX-TX pattern without creating a gap in the center of the virtual array. This array reduces the overall size of the antenna achieving a compact size and low side lobe level (SLL). In addition, to minimize the resulting RX saturation of elements physically close to TX elements, the system blanks (i.e. zeros) the data for those elements.

Abstract: A novel and useful system and method by which radar angle and range resolution are significantly improved without increasing complexity in critical hardware parts. A multi-pulse methodology is described in which each pulse contains partial angular and range information consisting of a portion of the total CPI bandwidth, termed multiband chirp. Each chirp has significantly reduced fractional bandwidth relative to monoband processing. Each chirp contains angular information that fills only a portion of the ‘virtual array’, while the full virtual array information is contained across the CPI. This is done using only a single transmission antenna per pulse, thus significantly simplifying MIMO hardware realization, referred to as antenna-multiplexing (AM). Techniques for generating the multiband chirps as well as receiving and generating improved fine range-Doppler data maps. A windowing technique deployed in the transmitter as opposed to the receiver is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for increasing the effective aperture of radar switch/MIMO antenna array, using a low number of transmit (Tx) and receive (Rx) army elements, according to which an array of radar physical receive (Rx)/Transmit (Tx) elements are arranged in at least two opposing Rx rows and at least two opposing Tx columns, such that each row includes a plurality of receive (Rx) elements uniformly spaced from each other and each column includes a plurality of transmit (Tx) elements uniformly spaced from each other, the array forming a rectangular physical aperture. Used as a switch array, a first Tx element from one column is activated to transmit a radar pulse during a predetermined time slot. Reflections of the first transmission are received in all Rx elements, thereby virtually replicating the two opposing Rx rows about an origin determined by the location of the first Tx element within the rectangular physical aperture.

Abstract: A novel and useful system and method by which radar angle and range resolution are significantly improved without increasing complexity in critical hardware parts. A multi-pulse methodology is described in which each pulse contains partial angular and range information consisting of a portion of the total CPI bandwidth, termed multiband chirp. Each chirp has significantly reduced fractional bandwidth relative to monoband processing. Each chirp contains angular information that fills only a portion of the ‘virtual array’, while the full virtual array information is contained across the CPI. This is done using only a single transmission antenna per pulse, thus significantly simplifying MIMO hardware realization, referred to as antenna-multiplexing (AM). Techniques for generating the multiband chirps as well as receiving and generating improved fine range-Doppler data maps. A windowing technique deployed in the transmitter as opposed to the receiver is also disclosed.

Abstract: A novel and useful system and method by which radar angle and range resolution are significantly improved without increasing complexity in critical hardware parts. A multi-pulse methodology is described in which each pulse contains partial angular and range information consisting of a portion of the total CPI bandwidth, termed multiband chirp. Each chirp has significantly reduced fractional bandwidth relative to monoband processing. Each chirp contains angular information that fills only a portion of the ‘virtual array’, while the full virtual array information is contained across the CPI. This is done using only a single transmission antenna per pulse, thus significantly simplifying MIMO hardware realization, referred to as antenna-multiplexing (AM). Techniques for generating the multiband chirps as well as receiving and generating improved fine range-Doppler data maps. A windowing technique deployed in the transmitter as opposed to the receiver is also disclosed.

Abstract: A novel and useful two-stage radar return data processing mechanism for use in FMCW radar systems that divides the conventional frame into two portions. Two different frames are transmitted rather than one. The frames are transmitted consecutively one after the other. A low resolution ‘coarse’ frame is first transmitted that is fully processed in real time. Based on the results of the processing of the coarse frame, a plurality of targets of interest (TOIs) in the scene representing a subset of the received data is determined. Then a longer high-resolution ‘fine’ frame is transmitted and processed using the information obtained in the previous coarse fame. Using the TOI information obtained in the previous coarse frame, only a subset of the received data is processed. The non-processed portion is assumed to contain non-interesting information and is discarded or ignored thereby significantly reducing processing time.

Abstract: A novel and useful system and method of constructing a skewed or staggered multiple input multiple output (MIMO) antenna array system for automotive radar having high azimuth and elevation angular resolution and accuracy that provides increased effective aperture while using a low number of TX and RX elements. Improved element separation is achieved by distancing (i.e. staggering or skewing) RX rows and TX columns by using row and column circular shifts along their major axis. Due to the physical size of antenna elements, it is not physically possible to place the rows and columns in the full array symmetric RX-TX pattern without creating a gap in the center of the virtual array. This array reduces the overall size of the antenna achieving a compact size and low side lobe level (SLL). In addition, to minimize the resulting RX saturation of elements physically close to TX elements, the system blanks (i.e. zeros) the data for those elements.

Abstract: A novel and useful system and method for eliminating settling time delays in a radar system. In one embodiment, a plurality of oscillators is provided with a single transmitter. In an alternative embodiment, a plurality of transmitters is provided, each with its own oscillator. In either case, more than a single oscillator is used, whereby startup or turn on transients associated with one oscillator are allowed to settle out while another oscillator is being used. The two or more oscillators switch off and/or alternate or rotate such that oscillator settling time between chirp transmissions from the radar is substantially or completely eliminated. In a radar system having two transmitters, when the chirp propagation time window for the first transmitter is complete, the first transmitter is disconnected from the receive channel and the second transmitter is connected to the antenna and receive channel without having to wait for the second transmitter to settle since it was allowed to settle beforehand.

Abstract: A novel and useful safety functionality assurance mechanism incorporating an RF built in self-test (RFBIST) system in a radar system having a plurality of transmitter devices and receiver devices. The RFBIST functions to verify, inter alia, that the transmitted signal is operating correctly and that all channels transmit a proper, valid or ‘legal’ signal and that the receiver devices are also operating correctly. A higher level of safety assurance is achieved by comparing safety data between the receiver devices. In one embodiment, the signal received from the various transmitter devices is compared. The RFBIST circuit block eliminates the physical transmit antenna position properties to compare the transmitted signal properties after signal path elimination. Thus, the present invention is capable of (1) validating multiple transmitter devices with a single receiver device and (2) validating multiple receiver devices with a single transmitter device.

Abstract: A novel and useful system and method by which radar angle and range resolution are significantly improved without increasing complexity in critical hardware parts. A multi-pulse methodology is described in which each pulse contains partial angular and range information consisting of a portion of the total CPI bandwidth, termed multiband chirp. Each chirp has significantly reduced fractional bandwidth relative to monoband processing. Each chirp contains angular information that fills only a portion of the ‘virtual array’, while the full virtual array information is contained across the CPI. This is done using only a single transmission antenna per pulse, thus significantly simplifying MIMO hardware realization, referred to as antenna-multiplexing (AM). Techniques for generating the multiband chirps as well as receiving and generating improved fine range-Doppler data maps. A windowing technique deployed in the transmitter as opposed to the receiver is also disclosed.

Abstract: A novel and useful system and method by which radar angle and range resolution are significantly improved without increasing complexity in critical hardware parts. A multi-pulse methodology is described in which each pulse contains partial angular and range information consisting of a portion of the total CPI bandwidth, termed multiband chirp. Each chirp has significantly reduced fractional bandwidth relative to monoband processing. Each chirp contains angular information that fills only a portion of the ‘virtual array’, while the full virtual array information is contained across the CPI. This is done using only a single transmission antenna per pulse, thus significantly simplifying MIMO hardware realization, referred to as antenna-multiplexing (AM). Techniques for generating the multiband chirps as well as receiving and generating improved fine range-Doppler data maps. A windowing technique deployed in the transmitter as opposed to the receiver is also disclosed.

Abstract: A novel and useful system and method by which radar angle and range resolution are significantly improved without increasing complexity in critical hardware parts. A multi-pulse methodology is described in which each pulse contains partial angular and range information consisting of a portion of the total CPI bandwidth, termed multiband chirp. Each chirp has significantly reduced fractional bandwidth relative to monoband processing. Each chirp contains angular information that fills only a portion of the ‘virtual array’, while the full virtual array information is contained across the CPI. This is done using only a single transmission antenna per pulse, thus significantly simplifying MIMO hardware realization, referred to as antenna-multiplexing (AM). Techniques for generating the multiband chirps as well as receiving and generating improved fine range-Doppler data maps. A windowing technique deployed in the transmitter as opposed to the receiver is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for increasing the effective aperture of radar switch/MIMO antenna array, using a low number of transmit (Tx) and receive (Rx) army elements, according to which an array of radar physical receive (Rx)/Transmit (Tx) elements are arranged in at least two opposing Rx rows and at least two opposing Tx columns, such that each row includes a plurality of receive (Rx) elements uniformly spaced from each other and each column includes a plurality of transmit (Tx) elements uniformly spaced from each other, the array forming a rectangular physical aperture. Used as a switch array, a first Tx element from one column is activated to transmit a radar pulse during a predetermined time slot. Reflections of the first transmission are received in all Rx elements, thereby virtually replicating the two opposing Rx rows about an origin determined by the location of the first Tx element within the rectangular physical aperture.