In an embodiment, a method for authenticating a user of a car includes: transmitting a plurality of radiation pulses through a predetermined portion of a surface of the car towards a portion of a hand of the user using a millimeter-wave radar; receiving a reflected signal from the portion of the hand using the millimeter-wave radar; generating a fingerprint signature based on the reflected signal; comparing the fingerprint signature to a database of authorized fingerprint signatures; and authorizing the user based on whether the fingerprint signature matches an authorized fingerprint signature of the database of authorized fingerprint signatures.

Aspects of the disclosure are directed to apparatuses, systems and methods for radar processing. As may be implemented in accordance with one or more aspects herein, an apparatus may include receiver circuitry to receive and sample radar signals reflected from a target, and processing circuitry to carry out the following. Representations of the reflections are transformed into the time-frequency domain where they are oversampled. The oversampled representations of the reflections are inversely transformed to provide resampled reflections. Positional characteristics of the target may then be ascertained by constructing a range response characterizing the target based on the resampled reflections.

The various technologies presented herein relate to correcting a time-dependent phase error generated as part of the formation of a radar waveform. A waveform can be pre-distorted to facilitate correction of an error induced into the waveform by a downstream operation/component in a radar system. For example, amplifier power droop effect can engender a time-dependent phase error in a waveform as part of a radar signal generating operation. The error can be quantified and an according complimentary distortion can be applied to the waveform to facilitate negation of the error during the subsequent processing of the waveform. A time domain correction can be applied by a phase error correction look up table incorporated into a waveform phase generator.

An illustrative example embodiment of a detector device includes a plurality of transmitters and a controller that controls the transmitters to transmit respective signals defined at least in part by a sequence of 2N pulses within a period. N is an integer greater than 1. A first one of the transmitters transmits 2N first signal pulses within the period. Each of the 2N first signal pulses have a first phase. A second one of the transmitters transmits 2N second signal pulses within the period. Each of the 2N first signal pulses is simultaneous with one of the 2N second signal pulses. N second signal pulses have a phase shift of 180° relative to the first phase. Others of the second signal pulses have the first phase. The N second signal pulses having the phase shift are immediately adjacent each other in the sequence.

An illustrative example embodiment of a detector device includes a plurality of transmitters and a controller that controls the transmitters to transmit respective signals defined at least in part by a sequence of 2N pulses within a period. N is an integer greater than 1. A first one of the transmitters transmits 2N first signal pulses within the period. Each of the 2N first signal pulses have a first phase. A second one of the transmitters transmits 2N second signal pulses within the period. Each of the 2N first signal pulses is simultaneous with one of the 2N second signal pulses. N second signal pulses have a phase shift of 180° relative to the first phase. Others of the second signal pulses have the first phase. The N second signal pulses having the phase shift are immediately adjacent each other in the sequence.

The disclosure relates to a radar transceiver having a transmitter comprising a phase shifter. Example embodiments include a radar transceiver (200) having a normal mode of transmitter operation and a self-test mode of operation, the transceiver (200) comprising: a digital controller (116) configured to provide a digital control signal indicative of a phase shift; a digital to analogue converter (122) configured to receive the digital control signal and provide an analogue signal in accordance with the phase shift; a phase shifter (124) configured to receive the analogue signal and provide a phase shifted output signal for transmission; a dummy load (240) connected to receive the analogue signal from the digital to analogue converter (122) and to provide an analogue output; a resistor network (331) connected across an output of the dummy load (240); a testing module (335) configured to measure the analogue output of the dummy load (240); and a controller module (339) configured to control operation of the dummy load (240); testing module (335) and digital controller (116) during the self-test mode of operation by: enabling the dummy load (240); operating the digital controller (116) to provide a range of digital control signals to the digital to analogue converter (122); and operate the testing module (335) to measure the analogue output of the dummy load (240) to determine a measure of linearity of the digital to analogue converter (122).

The disclosure relates to a radar transceiver having a transmitter comprising a phase shifter. Example embodiments include a radar transceiver (200) having a normal mode of transmitter operation and a self-test mode of operation, the transceiver (200) comprising: a digital controller (116) configured to provide a digital control signal indicative of a phase shift; a digital to analogue converter (122) configured to receive the digital control signal and provide an analogue signal in accordance with the phase shift; a phase shifter (124) configured to receive the analogue signal and provide a phase shifted output signal for transmission; a dummy load (240) connected to receive the analogue signal from the digital to analogue converter (122) and to provide an analogue output; a resistor network (331) connected across an output of the dummy load (240); a testing module (335) configured to measure the analogue output of the dummy load (240); and a controller module (339) configured to control operation of the dummy load (240); testing module (335) and digital controller (116) during the self-test mode of operation by: enabling the dummy load (240); operating the digital controller (116) to provide a range of digital control signals to the digital to analogue converter (122); and operate the testing module (335) to measure the analogue output of the dummy load (240) to determine a measure of linearity of the digital to analogue converter (122).

A radar apparatus includes: a radar transmission signal generator, which in operation, outputs a plurality of radar signals; a switching controller, which in operation, switches among plurality of transmitting antennas in sequence in a determined order to every one radar signal transmission period; and a radio transmitter, which in operation, transmits one radar signal every one radar signal transmission period through a allocated transmitting antenna to which switching has been made. A plurality of transmission timings at which the allocated transmitting antennas to which switching have been made transmit each of the plurality of radar signals within a determined period have identical time differences from a reference timing within the determined period.

Apparatus and methods are presented for characterising the environment of a user platform. In certain embodiments RF signals are transmitted and received through an antenna array having a plurality of elements activated in a predetermined sequence, and received signals are manipulated with round-trip path corrections to enhance the gain of the array in one or more directions. Objects in those directions are detected from the receipt of returns of transmitted signals, and the manipulated received signals processed to estimate range to those objects. In other embodiments RF signals transmitted by one or more external transmitters are received and manipulated to enhance the gain of a local antenna array or antenna arrays associated with the one or more transmitters to enhance the gain of the arrays in one or more directions. Objects in those directions are detected from the receipt of reflected signals from the transmitters, and the manipulated received signals processed to estimate range to those objects.

A radar signal transmitter transmits first and second radar signals at different first and second frequencies. A radar receiver receives reflected radar signals and generates receive signals indicative of the reflected radar signals. A first receive signal is indicative of a first reflected radar signal generated by reflection of the first transmitted radar signal, and a second receive signal is indicative of a second reflected radar signal generated by reflection of the second transmitted radar signal. A processor receives the first and second receive signals and computes a difference between the first and second receive signals to generate a difference signal. The processor processes the difference signal to provide radar information for the region, the processor adjusting at least one of amplitude and phase of at least one of the first and second receive signals such that the difference is optimized at a preselected range from the receiver.