A mainlobe detection process can include a number of tests that are performed to define when the monopulse antenna system will transition from open loop scanning to closed loop scanning and then to tracking. A hybrid tracking technique is also provided which adaptively discovers and corrects for phase alignment error. Magnitude-only tracking can be performed initially to locate the nulls in the azimuth and elevation ratios and to identify the magnitudes of these ratios at these nulls. Phase tracking can be then performed. During phase tracking, phase corrections can be repeatedly applied to the azimuth and elevation difference channels to correct any phase error that may exist. During this process, the magnitudes of the ratios can be used to determine how the phase corrections should be adjusted. Once the hybrid tracking process is complete, the monopulse antenna system is properly phase-aligned and phase tracking will be correctly employed.

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.

The present invention relates to a parking support Apparatus and Method of operation comprising of an mm-wave radar sensor, having an integrated mm-wave IC front end. The proposed Apparatus is capable of detecting the parking obstacle object distance and angle, having inherently low cost system topology, suitable as a replacement in functionality for the commonly used ultrasound sensors. The proposed apparatus topology consist of one transmitting and two planar antennae, mm-wave radar topology with one down conversion chain and one transmitter chain based on FMCW radar, CW radar and Doppler radar, analog combining circuitry and N mm-wave power detectors, where N takes integer values from 1 and larger. The specific proposed method of operation is adjusted to a dedicated application. A combination of more than one proposed apparatus enables smart observation of the parking area in front of the moving platform with wired or wireless connection to the information evaluation and control entity. The proposed apparatus topology with lower complexity consist of one transmit and two planar antennae, mm-wave radar topology without any down conversion chain and one transmitter chain based on CW radar operation, analog combining circuitry and N mm-wave power detectors, where N takes values from 1 to 3. The system operation topology allows full distance and obstacle angle calculation by the apparatus itself in one topology solution or to have the information being calculated, combining more sensors, using low complexity apparatus topologies, also proposed in this innovation. The integration of the proposed apparatus in the vehicle bumper is inherently possible and may be optically and functionally provided as an efficient replacement for ultrasound parking assist systems. The complete proposed sensor apparatus topologies with integrated antennae, mm-wave IC and digital processing parts may be realized in a module smaller than 110.5 cm and operating in the 77-81 GHz band.

Systems, methods, and devices relating to radar and radar-based applications. A number of comparators are coupled in parallel with each comparator comparing an incoming signal and a predetermined value. If the predetermined value is exceeded by the incoming signal, the comparator output is set to trigger a flip flop. The predetermined value changes with each comparator and, with the signal being the radar reflection from a radar pulse, this allows for the detection of the peak value of the incoming signal. The circuit may be extended so that the output of the comparator which is triggered by the highest peak from the incoming signal is latched. Other variants include being able to count the clock cycles before the highest peak is detected within the range cell.

A radar antenna system comprises a plurality of transmitting sub-arrays; a plurality of receiving sub-arrays; and a transceiving control unit coupled to the plurality of transmitting sub-arrays and the plurality of receiving sub-arrays, configured to control the plurality of transmitting sub-arrays and the plurality of receiving sub-arrays, such that the radar antenna system selectively operates in one of an amplitude-comparison mono-pulse mode and a phase-comparison mono-pulse mode.

A vehicle radar system (3) and method including a first and second radar sensor arrangement (4a, 4b). Each radar sensor arrangement (4a, 4b) includes at least two transmitter antenna devices (10a1, 10a2) and at least two receiver antenna devices (13a1, 13a2, 13a3, 13a4), where each receiver antenna device (13a1, 13a2, 13a3, 13a4) has a corresponding boresight extension (46a, 46b) that is perpendicular to an antenna plane (57). Each receiver antenna device (13a1, 13a2, 13a3, 13a4) has a corresponding antenna radiation pattern (47a, 47b) that has a lower gain (48a, 48b) in its boresight extension (46a, 46b) than at a certain corresponding first maximum gain azimuth angle (.sub.1a, .sub.1b) where there is a first maximum gain (49a, 49b). Each radar sensor arrangement (4a, 4b) is mounted such that each first maximum gain (49a, 49b) is directed along a corresponding first maximum gain extension (51a, 51b), such that an overlap part (56) of the antenna radiation patterns (47a, 47b) is formed.

There is provided a planar antenna device having a first antenna and a second antenna arranged on a front surface of a substrate to be set in parallel to an up and down direction. The first antenna and the second antenna are arranged such that the magnitude of the difference between the lengths of predetermined sections of the transmission line parts becomes one of a positive odd multiple of a half wavelength of the guide wavelength of electric waves which can be transmitted in the transmission line parts and a positive even multiple of a half wavelength of the guide wavelength. The predetermined sections are provided in sections from the connection parts to the antenna elements.

A method for estimating a speed of a radar target using a radar sensor, in particular a radar sensor for motor vehicles, on the basis of signals that are contained in respective evaluation channels that correspond to different center antenna positions of relevant transmitting and receiving antennas in a direction, having the steps: determining, for the various evaluation channels, a respective individual radial speed assigned to the respective evaluation channel, of the radar target; and estimating a speed of the radar target based on the determined individual radial speeds of the radar target, the speed including information about a tangential speed; and a radar sensor for carrying out the method.

An angle measuring device includes: a signal extracting unit for extracting a signal that includes a first reflection wave and does not include a second reflection wave as a first demodulated signal and a signal that includes the second reflection wave and does not include the first reflection wave as a second demodulated signal from reception signals output from one or more reception antennas among a plurality of reception antennas; an elevation calculating unit for calculating an elevation of a target by performing monopulse angle measurement using a sum signal of the first demodulated signal and the second demodulated signal and a difference signal between the first demodulated signal and the second demodulated signal; and an azimuth calculating unit for calculating an azimuth of the target using reception signals output from the plurality of reception antennas.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for determining the position of objects in two-dimensional space having a first dimension and a second dimension, the direction vector of which is orthogonal to the direction vector of the first dimension, containing at least one transmitter (I) having at least one transmitting antenna (3) and an imaging receiver circuit (2) having at least one receiving antenna array (Rx Array) with rows (6) of receiving antennas for scanning the first dimension by means of digital beam shaping, wherein the receiving antenna array has a linear array, a sparse array or an array with an enlarged aperture, and wherein the rows (6) of receiving antennas in the receiving antenna array of the receiver circuit (2) are linearly arranged in the first dimension according to a curve function or according to the contour of a two-dimensional geometric object and are spread out in the second dimension, and to a method using the apparatus.