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.

In one embodiment, a method includes configuring a radar transceiver to transmit a first number of radar pulses at a first pulse repetition frequency (PRF); and determining a first value corresponding to a first object based on a first radar data received in response to the first number of radar pulses. The first object is identified based on the first value being higher than a predetermined threshold value. The method also includes configuring the radar transceiver to transmit a second number of radar pulses at a second PRF that is higher than the first PRF; determining a second value of the first object based on a second radar data received in response to the second number of radar pulses; and associating the second value with information of the first object.

Operating a stepped frequency radar system involves performing stepped frequency scanning across a frequency range using at least one transmit antenna and a two-dimensional array of receive antennas and using frequency steps of a fixed step size, processing a first portion of digital data that is generated from the stepped frequency scanning to produce a first digital output, wherein the first portion of the digital data is derived from frequency pulses that are separated by a first step size that is a multiple of the fixed step size, and processing a second portion of digital data that is generated from the stepped frequency scanning to produce a second digital output, wherein the second portion of the digital data is derived from frequency pulses that are separated by a second step size that is a multiple of the fixed step size, wherein the first multiple is different from the second multiple.

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, changing from the first step size to a second step size, 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.

Operating a stepped frequency radar system involves performing stepped frequency scanning across a frequency range using at least one transmit antenna and a two-dimensional array of receive antennas and using frequency steps of a fixed step size, processing a first portion of digital data that is generated from the stepped frequency scanning to produce a first digital output, wherein the first portion of the digital data is derived from frequency pulses that are separated by a first step size that is a multiple of the fixed step size, and processing a second portion of digital data that is generated from the stepped frequency scanning to produce a second digital output, wherein the second portion of the digital data is derived from frequency pulses that are separated by a second step size that is a multiple of the fixed step size, wherein the first multiple is different from the second multiple.

In one embodiment, a method includes configuring a radar transceiver to transmit a first number of radar pulses at a first pulse repetition frequency (PRF); and determining a first value corresponding to a first object based on a first radar data received in response to the first number of radar pulses. The first object is identified based on the first value being higher than a predetermined threshold value. The method also includes configuring the radar transceiver to transmit a second number of radar pulses at a second PRF that is higher than the first PRF; determining a second value of the first object based on a second radar data received in response to the second number of radar pulses; and associating the second value with information of the first object.

Methods and systems for monitoring a health parameter in a person using a radar system are disclosed. A method involves performing stepped frequency scanning below the skin surface of a person using at least one transmit antenna and a two-dimensional array of receive antennas, the stepped frequency scanning being performed using frequency steps of a first step size, changing the first step size to a second different step size in response to a change in reflectivity of blood in a blood vessel of the person, performing stepped frequency scanning below the skin surface of the person using the second step size after the step size is changed from the first step size to the second step size, and outputting a signal that corresponds to a blood pressure level in the person in response to the stepped frequency scanning at the first step size and at the second step size.

A method for processing a signal formed of a sequence of pulses, including at least one repetitive pattern formed of at least one pulse, the pattern being repeated in the signal with a pattern repetition period, the method including estimating the pattern repetition period of the signal and calculating, as a function of (i) an arrival date of each pulse with respect to a chosen reference arrival date, and (ii) the estimated pattern repetition period, a sequence of phases; thereafter, the method includes estimating, on the basis of the calculated sequence of phases, at least one phase value and an associated standard deviation, the phase value being associated with a phase moment representative of the repetitive pattern, and obtaining and utilizing parameters characterizing the digital signal by using the estimated phase values.

A synthetic aperture radar (SAR) generates concurrent first radar pulses in first frequency channels. The SAR transmits, and receives returns of, the concurrent first radar pulses by first antenna feeds that form first beams in the first frequency channels and that are directed to respective first subswaths of a swath on the Earth separated by subswath gaps. The SAR generates concurrent second radar pulses in second frequency channels. The SAR transmits, and receives returns of, the concurrent second radar pulses by second antenna feeds configured to form second beams in the second frequency channels and that are directed to respective second subswaths of the swath on the Earth and that coincide with the subswath gaps. The SAR processes the returns of the first radar pulses from the first subswaths and the returns of the second radar pulses from the second subswaths to form a SAR image contiguous across the swath.

The present invention relates to a method for measuring the distance of targets in the surroundings by way of a time-of-flight measurement of pulses, in particular laser pulses, reflected at said targets, said pulses each being successively emitted at a transmission time in accordance with a predeterminable pulse repetition rate and said pulses, after the reflection thereof, each being received at a reception time, said method comprising the following steps: selecting a first pulse repetition rate from a set of at least two different pulse repetition rates and predetermining the selected pulse repetition rate for the emission, ascertaining a transmission time lying closest in time to the reception time of a reflected pulse and a time interval between these, and, if the ascertained time interval drops below a predetermined first threshold, selecting a second pulse repetition rate from the set and predetermining the second pulse repetition rate for the emission.