Abstract: A vehicle radar system includes a processing system which operates in one of a plurality of operating modes which are selected based upon an environment (or changes to an environment) surrounding the vehicle radar system. In one exemplary embodiment, the vehicle radar system is provided as a vehicle radar system which operates in one of: a highway traffic mode and a city traffic mode depending upon whether a vehicle in which the vehicle radar system is disposed is traveling along a highway or through a city.

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention is a method for selecting frequencies used in down converting a radar signal. The method includes selecting frequencies summing to a transmission frequency, determining intermodulation products based on the selected frequencies and determining if at least one intermodulation product is less than a predetermined difference in frequency from the transmission frequency.

Abstract: In one aspect the invention is a method of reducing crosstalk in a radar system. The method includes receiving a reflected radar signal, down converting the reflected radar signal to an intermediate frequency (IF) signal and down converting the IF signal to a baseband signal. In another aspect the invention is a radar receiver. The radar receiver includes a first down converter for down converting a reflected radar signal to an intermediate frequency (IF) signal and a second down converter for down converting the IF signal received from the first down converter to a baseband signal.

Abstract: A vehicle radar system includes a receive antenna system which concurrently provides signals from multiple receive beams to multiple channels of a multi-channel receiver. The multi-channel receiver concurrently processes the multiple signals provided by the antenna system and provides output signals suitable for further processing. The particular arrangement may also include a transmitter which generates a single or multiple transmit beams. The number of transmit beams may be the same, less than or more than the number of receive beams. This arrangement provides a vehicle radar system which concurrently processes RF signals from multiple antenna beams. By concurrently processing RF signals from multiple antenna beams in an RF receiver, the radar system can derive more accurate information concerning detected objects.

Abstract: A system and method are provided to reduce the effect of an interfering signal in a radar return signal for a frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar. Once the interfering signal is detected, an extent of the interfering signal is determined and the data that was corrupted by the interfering signal is not included in the processing of the radar return signal. This allows the radar to detect a target in the presence of the interfering signal. The system and method can benefit any FMCW radar that is within the range of an interfering radar source (e.g. another FMCW radar, a police radar gun, a pulse radar, etc.) operating in the same frequency band as the FMCW radar. An alternative arrangement provides a system and method for determining the frequency of the interfering signal and then avoiding transmitting power in that portion of the frequency spectrum where the interfering signal is present.

Abstract: A system and method are provided to reduce an interfering signal in a radar return signal for a frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar. Once the interfering signal is detected, an extent of the interfering signal is determined and the interfering signal is removed from the radar return signal. This allows the radar to detect a target in the presence of the interfering signal. The system and method can benefit any FMCW radar that is within the range of an interfering radar source (e.g. another FMCW radar, a police radar gun, a pulse radar, etc.) operating in the same frequency band as the FMCW radar.

Abstract: A radar system and method use a radar FMCW chirp having variable chirp characteristics.