A stepped frequency radar system is disclosed. The stepped frequency radar system includes a two-dimensional array of radio frequency (RF) units, wherein each RF unit is configured to implement stepped frequency scanning and includes at least one RF transmit antenna and a two-dimensional array of receive antennas, and a frequency controller configured to provide digital frequency control signals to the RF units in the two-dimensional array of RF units that cause at least two of the RF units to simultaneously perform stepped frequency scanning at two different frequencies.

A method for operating a stepped frequency radar system is disclosed. The method involves performing stepped frequency scanning across a first frequency range using frequency steps of a first step size, the stepped frequency scanning performed using at least one transmit antenna and a two-dimensional array of receive antennas, evaluating data generated from the stepped frequency scanning across the first frequency range, changing from the first step size to a second step size in response to the data evaluation, wherein the second step size is different from the first step size, and performing stepped frequency scanning across a second frequency range using the at least one transmit antenna and the two-dimensional array of receive antennas and using frequency steps of the second step size.

A stepped frequency radar system is disclosed. The system includes components for performing stepped frequency scanning across a frequency range using frequency steps of a step size, the stepped frequency scanning performed using at least one transmit antenna and a two-dimensional array of receive antennas, changing at least one of the step size and the frequency range, and performing stepped frequency scanning using the at least one transmit antenna and the two-dimensional array of receive antennas and using the changed at least one of the step size and the frequency range.

A chip-implementation of a millimeter wave MIMO radar comprises transmitters for transmitting short bursts of digitally modulated radar carrier signals and receivers for receiving delayed echoes of those signals. Various signal formats defined by the number of bits per transmit burst, the transmit burst duration, the receive period duration, the bitrate, the number of range bins, and the number of bursts per scan, facilitate the choice of modulating bit patterns such that when correlating for target echoes over an entire scan, the correlation codes for different ranges and different transmitters are mutually orthogonal or nearly so. In the event of imperfect orthogonality, simple orthogonalization schemes are revealed, such as subtraction of strong already-detected target signals for better detecting weaker signals or moving targets that are rendered non-orthogonal by their Doppler shift.

Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide methods and apparatus for enhancing a wireless local area network (WLAN) protocol compliant radar operation. An example apparatus generally includes a processing system configured to generate one or more frames associated with a radar operation, wherein the one or more frames are compliant with at least one WLAN protocol, a first interface configured to output the one or more frames for transmission in one or more directions, and a second interface configured to obtain a reflection of the one or more frames, wherein the processing system is further configured to perform one or more measurements based on the reflection and use the measurements as part of the radar operation.

A system comprises a multifunction radar receiver that in turn comprises processing circuitry and front-end circuitry. The front-end circuitry is operable to receive a millimeter wave burst via a plurality of antennas to generate a plurality received signals. The processing circuitry is operable to receive a first scene representation that is an aggregate of scene representations generated by one or more other radar receivers. The processing circuitry is operable to process the received signals to generate a second scene representation. The processing circuitry is operable to compare the first scene representation and the second scene representation and generate a difference scene based on the comparison. The processing circuitry is operable to generate a control signal based on the difference scene.

A method includes obtaining radar pulse configuration information at an electronic device. The method also includes generating a data unit of a Wi-Fi communications protocol based on the radar pulse configuration information, the data unit comprising a preamble and a data field. The method also includes transmitting at least one radar pulse within a duration of the data field. The method also includes receiving at least one reflection of the at least one radar pulse within the duration of the data field. The method also includes processing the at least one reflection to determine a distance between an object and the electronic device.

According to a first aspect, a pulsed radar comprises a transmitter; wherein the pulsed radar is arranged to generate a string of binary values; wherein the transmitter comprises a pulse generator arranged to generate a pulse signal comprising a series of transmit pulses with polarities determined in accordance with the string of binary values; wherein a first substring comprises a first series of values; wherein a second substring comprises a second series of values; wherein the second substring is different from the first substring; and wherein each value in the second series of values is either the same as or different from the corresponding value in the first series of values according to a repeating pattern; and wherein the string of binary values comprises at least the first substring and the second substring concatenated together and each optionally being reversed before concatenation.

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. This process is repeated for all remaining Tx elements during different time slots, thereby virtually replicating the two opposing Rx rows about an origin determined by the location of each activated Tx element within the rectangular physical aperture, while each time, receiving reflections of the transmission from each Tx element in all Rx elements. This way, a rectangular virtual aperture having dimensions which are twice the dimensions of the rectangular physical aperture is paved with replicated two opposing Rx rows. This virtual aperture determines the radar beam widths and side-lobes.

A radar level gauge comprising a signal propagation device, a dielectric filling member arranged in the signal propagation device, and a sealing arrangement for preventing tank content from escaping into the outside environment. The dielectric filling member includes a main body formed of a polymer material, and at least one structurally reinforced element formed of a modified polymer material providing, the modified polymer material being obtained by modifying the polymer material with a filler material, wherein the at least one structurally reinforced element is integrally formed with the main body by sintering, and forms part of the sealing arrangement.

The present invention is based on the realization that a structurally reinforced element, made of a modified polymer material, may be integrated into the main body by sintering.