Abstract: A digitally modulated radar, DMR, transmitter module is disclosed comprising: a sequence generator, configured to generate a repeating digital sequence signal based on a relatively low-frequency clock signal; a mixer configured to combine the digital sequence signal with at least one phase-delayed copy of the digital sequence signal, to provide a combined signal; and a modulator configured to modulate a relatively high-frequency carrier signal, in dependence on the combined signal, to provide a modulated signal. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A receiver unit is disclosed for use in a multiple-input-multiple output, MIMO, radar system having a plurality of transmitters each for transmitting one of a group of orthogonal digital-transmitter-signals on a carrier wave, the receiver unit configured and adapted to receive a raw-analog-signal on a carrier wave reflected from one or more target objects.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to patch antennas for radar or communications applications. Example embodiments include an antenna comprising: a substrate; a ground plane on a first face of the substrate; and a patch antenna on an opposing second face of the substrate, the patch antenna having a lead extending along a central axis and connected to a rectangular radiating element, wherein the rectangular radiating element comprises two slots on opposing sides of the central axis such that the patch antenna has two resonant frequencies within an operating frequency range of the antenna.

Abstract: A radar system (300) and a method of operating the radar system is disclosed, the radar system (300) comprising: a first IC (310), arranged to receive a reference clock signal (380) and configurable to generate a common local oscillator signal (400) based on the reference clock signal (380); a second IC (320), arranged to receive the common local oscillator signal (400) from the first IC (310); and a controller (350), adapted to detect a fault in the first IC (310), and configured, upon detection of a fault in the first IC (310), to send at least one signal to the second IC (320) for reconfiguring the second IC (320) from a slave mode to a master mode; wherein, when operating in the slave mode, the second IC (320) is configured to use the common local oscillator signal (400) generated by the first IC (310), and, when operating in the master mode, said second IC (320) is configured to use an internally-generated local oscillator signal.

Abstract: A transceiver for a detection and ranging apparatus comprising: a transmitter chain comprising a first sequence generator configured to generate a first signal based on a digital sequence; an interference cancellation block comprising a second sequence generator configured to generate a second signal based on the same digital sequence used to generate the first signal, the second signal having a predetermined time delay relative to the first signal; and the receiver chain configured to receive a received signal for detection and ranging, the received signal having components comprising at least none, one, or more reflections of the transmission signal and a component comprising an interference signal, the receiver chain comprising a first analog signal mixer configured to provide an output signal by mixing the received signal and the second signal thereby cancelling the interference signal in the received signal.

Abstract: A digitally modulated radar, DMR, transmitter module is disclosed comprising: a sequence generator, configured to generate a repeating digital sequence signal based on a relatively low-frequency clock signal; a mixer configured to combine the digital sequence signal with at least one phase-delayed copy of the digital sequence signal, to provide a combined signal; and a modulator configured to modulate a relatively high-frequency carrier signal, in dependence on the combined signal, to provide a modulated signal. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for acquiring chirp data in a frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar system of a road vehicle. The method includes transmitting a FMCW signal comprising a plurality of ramping regions in which a frequency of the FMCW signal ramps up to a first frequency or ramps down to a second frequency. The method also includes receiving a reflected signal corresponding to the reflection of the FMCW signal from one or more physical objects. The reflected signal includes a plurality of ramping regions corresponding to the ramping regions of the transmitted FMCW signal. The method further includes sampling the reflected signal by: taking a plurality of samples in a ramping region in which the frequency of the reflected signal ramps up; and taking a plurality of samples in a ramping region in which the frequency of the reflected signal ramps down.

Abstract: A method of detecting an object is disclosed, comprising generating a transmission signal by generating a carrier signal and digitally modulating the carrier signal with a transmission modulation signal, and transmitting the transmission signal. A reflected signal is received, the reflected signal having been reflected from the object, and demodulated to extract a received modulation signal. The received modulation signal is correlated with the transmission modulation signal and a range of the object is determined from the correlation of the received modulation signal and the transmission modulation signal.

Abstract: A method (400) of detecting an object using a radar system is disclosed. The method comprises transmitting (401) a first radar beam having a first frequency and first radiation pattern (301) from an antenna (500), the first radiation pattern comprising a peak at zero azimuth angle, and detecting (402) a first signal from the object due to a reflection of the first radar beam. A second radar beam having a second frequency and second radiation pattern (302) is transmitted (403) from the antenna (500), the second radiation pattern comprising a peak at a non-zero azimuth angle. A second signal due to a reflection of the second radar beam from the object is detected (404), and the first signal and the second signal compared (405) to determine an angular location of the object relative to the zero azimuth angle.

Abstract: A radar module (100; 200) comprises a low temperature co-fired ceramic, LTCC, substrate (101; 201), with a radar chip (102; 202) attached to a first surface (101a; 201a) of the LTCC substrate (101; 201) and a transmitting antenna (105, 106) for transmitting the radar signal attached to a second surface (101b; 201b) of the LTCC substrate (101; 201). The radar chip (102; 202) is configured to generate a radar signal for transmission. The transmitting antenna (105, 106) is configured to communicate with the radar chip (102; 202) through the LTCC substrate (101; 201). The radar module (100; 200) further comprises a beam steering element (205) configured to introduce a phase delay to the radar signal in order to adjust a first component of a direction of transmission of the radar signal.

Abstract: A controller for a FMCW radar system configured to: provide for emission by the FMCW radar system of a plurality of consecutive frequency modulated detection signals for detection and ranging, each of the frequency modulated detection signals varying between an initial frequency and a final frequency over a period of time extending from a start time to an end time; wherein at least one of said consecutive frequency modulated detection signals is provided with an offset to one or more of; the start time of the detection signal relative to a predetermined start time schedule; the end time of the detection signal relative to a predetermined end time schedule; the initial frequency of the detection signal relative to a predetermined initial frequency schedule; and the final frequency of the detection signal relative to a predetermined final frequency schedule; the offset based on a random value.

Abstract: A wireless communication unit (100) is described that comprises: at least one receiver configured to receive a radio frequency signal on at least one receiver channel (262, 264, 266, 268) and comprising a plurality of receiver circuits; at least one interference detection circuit (244, 248, 252) coupled to an output of at least one of the plurality of receiver circuits and configured to detect a saturation event of a signal output from the at least one of the plurality of receiver circuits; and a controller (114) configured to identify interference in a received signal.

Abstract: A receiver unit is disclosed for use in a multiple-input-multiple output, MIMO, radar system having a plurality of transmitters each for transmitting one of a group of orthogonal digital-transmitter-signals on a carrier wave, the receiver unit configured and adapted to receive a raw-analog-signal on a carrier wave reflected from one or more target objects.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a communication element for an automotive radar system, the communication element configured to communicate with a remote device remote from the automotive radar system by one or more of: a) providing signalling to the automotive radar system to send information to the remote device; b) receiving signalling representative of information from the remote device via the automotive radar system.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided comprising a first integrated circuit. The first integrated circuit comprises a first element comprising one of a transmit or receive element, an oscillator for providing a first local oscillator signal, a local oscillator output configured to output the first local oscillator signal when activated, a local oscillator input configured to receive a master local oscillator signal when activated; and first switching circuitry for selectively coupling the first element to one of the oscillator and the local oscillator input.

Abstract: A device is disclosed. The device includes a wire board including metallic wiring and a first microchip connected to the metallic wiring. The first microchip includes a first radiating element configured to operate a first frequency. The device further includes a second microchip connect to the metallic wiring. The second microchip includes a second radiating element configured to operate at the first frequency. A main radiating element is also included. The main radiating element is configured to operate at a second radio frequency. The first microchip and the second microchip are physically placed such that the first radiating element faces the second radiating element.

Abstract: A system for register error detection is described, the system comprising: a plurality of addressable registers comprising sets of registers, the registers in each set having contiguous addresses; a cyclic redundancy check generator coupled to the addressable registers and configured to determine a cyclic-redundancy-check result for each set of registers from the values of each of the respective set of registers; a controller coupled to the registers and the cyclic-redundancy-check generator.

Abstract: A radar system (300) and a method of operating the radar system is disclosed, the radar system (300) comprising: a first IC (310), arranged to receive a reference clock signal (380) and configurable to generate a common local oscillator signal (400) based on the reference clock signal (380); a second IC (320), arranged to receive the common local oscillator signal (400) from the first IC (310); and a controller (350), adapted to detect a fault in the first IC (310), and configured, upon detection of a fault in the first IC (310), to send at least one signal to the second IC (320) for reconfiguring the second IC (320) from a slave mode to a master mode; wherein, when operating in the slave mode, the second IC (320) is configured to use the common local oscillator signal (400) generated by the first IC (310), and, when operating in the master mode, said second IC (320) is configured to use an internally-generated local oscillator signal.

Abstract: A transceiver for a detection and ranging apparatus comprising: a transmitter chain comprising a first sequence generator configured to generate a first signal based on a digital sequence; an interference cancellation block comprising a second sequence generator configured to generate a second signal based on the same digital sequence used to generate the first signal, the second signal having a predetermined time delay relative to the first signal; and the receiver chain configured to receive a received signal for detection and ranging, the received signal having components comprising at least none, one, or more reflections of the transmission signal and a component comprising an interference signal, the receiver chain comprising a first analog signal mixer configured to provide an output signal by mixing the received signal and the second signal thereby cancelling the interference signal in the received signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for acquiring chirp data in a frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar system of a road vehicle. The method includes transmitting a FMCW signal comprising a plurality of ramping regions in which a frequency of the FMCW signal ramps up to a first frequency or ramps down to a second frequency. The method also includes receiving a reflected signal corresponding to the reflection of the FMCW signal from one or more physical objects. The reflected signal includes a plurality of ramping regions corresponding to the ramping regions of the transmitted FMCW signal. The method further includes sampling the reflected signal by: taking a plurality of samples in a ramping region in which the frequency of the reflected signal ramps up; and taking a plurality of samples in a ramping region in which the frequency of the reflected signal ramps down.