A device for the radio stimulation of an antenna includes at least one transmission sub-assembly formed by an array of radiating elements and an array of photoelectric receivers; as well as a generator that synthesizes a set of electrical signals that are intended to excite each radiating element. The electrical signals are transmitted to the transmission sub-assembly in the form of modulated light waves that are multiplexed to form a composite laser beam that illuminates the array of photoelectric receivers. Each of the photoelectric receivers receives a light wave. The array of photoelectric sensors and the array of radiating elements have substantially identical arrangements. Each photoelectric receiver is connected to a radiating element in its array at a position identical to the one that said receiver occupies within its own or a position symmetrical thereto.

A method for calibrating a radar system includes generating an RF oscillator signal and distributing the RF oscillator signal to a plurality of phase shifters each providing a respective phase-shifted RF oscillator signal; receiving the phase-shifted RF oscillator signals by corresponding radar chips and radiating the phase-shifted RF oscillator signal via a first RF output channel of a first one of the radar chips; receiving a back-scattered signal by at least one RF input channel of each radar chip and generating a plurality of base-band signals by down-converting the received signals into a base band using the phase-shifted RF oscillator signals received by the corresponding radar chips; determining a phase for each base-band signal; and adjusting the phase shifts caused by the phase shifters such that the phases of the base-band signals match a predefined phase-over-antenna-position characteristic.

Techniques and apparatuses are described that implement a high-fidelity radar simulator that performs operations associated with a radar system's hardware and/or software. The radar simulator can account for non-ideal characteristics within the radar system or environment and have an ability to process data from a variety of electromagnetic (EM) simulators. By using the radar simulator, an EM simulator can operate without specific information regarding the radar system's antenna response or signal generation. In this manner, the EM simulator can be decoupled from the radar system's design and operational configuration. Furthermore, the radar simulator can use the same environmental response data generated by the EM simulator to estimate performances of multiple radar systems. Use of the high-fidelity radar simulator enables problems to be efficiently discovered during design, integration, and testing phases of the radar system prior to performing a live test.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for converting a radar signal for further signal processing in a test bench with a radar target emulator as well as a test bench having such an apparatus. A divider assembly preferably comprises a divider device configured to reduce a frequency and a bandwidth of the radar signal by a first factor for the further signal processing. A multiplier assembly preferably comprises a multiplier device configured to increase a frequency and a bandwidth of the radar signal by the first factor subsequent the further signal processing.

A method for calibrating a vehicular radar sensing system includes disposing two spaced apart calibrating radars at respective transmitting locations that are spaced from a vehicle calibration location at an end of line portion of a vehicle assembly line, and moving a vehicle along the vehicle assembly line, the vehicle including an electronic control unit (ECU) and a vehicular radar operable to sense exterior of the vehicle. Signals are transmitted via the first and second calibrating radars at the transmitting locations and, with the vehicle at the vehicle calibration location, the plurality of radar receivers of the vehicular radar receive the transmitted signals transmitted by the first and second calibrating radars, and the vehicular radar generates an output that is processed at the ECU. Responsive to processing at the ECU of the output of the vehicular radar, misalignment of the vehicular radar at the vehicle is determined.

A radar system includes a transmitter including a power amplifier (PA) for amplifying a local oscillator (LO) signal, to generate an amplified signal. The radar system also includes a receiver including an IQ generator for generating an I signal based on the LO signal and for generating a Q signal based on the LO signal and a low noise amplifier (LNA) for amplifying a looped back signal, to generate a receiver signal. The receiver also includes a first mixer for mixing the receiver signal and the I signal, to generate a baseband I signal and a second mixer for mixing the receiver signal and the Q signal, to generate a baseband Q signal. Additionally, the radar system includes a waveguide loopback for guiding the amplified signal from the transmitter to the receiver as the looped back signal.

The radar system includes a split-block assembly comprising a first portion and a second portion. The first portion and the second portion form a seam, where the first portion has a top side opposite the seam and the second portion has a bottom side opposite the seam. The system includes at least one port located on a bottom side of the second portion. Additionally, the system includes radiating elements located on the top side of the first portion, wherein the radiating elements are arranged in a plurality of arrays. Yet further, the system includes a set of waveguides in the split-block assembly configured to couple each array to at least one port. Furthermore, the split-block assembly is made from a polymer and where at least the set of waveguides, the at least one port, and the plurality of radiating elements include metal on a surface of the polymer.

A testing device for testing a distance sensor that operates using electromagnetic waves includes: a receiving element for receiving an electromagnetic free-space wave as a receive signal (S.sub.RX); and a radiating element for radiating an electromagnetic output signal (S.sub.TX). In a test mode, a test signal unit generates a test signal (S.sub.test), and the radiating element is configured to radiate the test signal (S.sub.test) or a test signal (S′.sub.test) derived from the test signal (S.sub.test) as the electromagnetic output signal (S.sub.TX). In the test mode, an analysis unit is configured to analyze the receive signal (S.sub.RX) or the derived receive signal (S′.sub.RX) in terms of its phase angle (Phi) and/or amplitude (A) and store a determined value of phase angle (Phi) and/or amplitude (A) synchronously with the radiation of the test signal (S.sub.test) or of the derived test signal (S′.sub.test) as the electromagnetic output signal (S.sub.TX).

An assembly is configured for connection to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and comprises a plurality of emulator devices each configured for attachment to the UAV and a plurality of first connection tethers each configured to operably couple a respective one of the plurality of emulator devices to the UAV at a respective spacing from the UAV. The emulator devices each comprise an emulation component configured to provide, to a target detection system, a characteristic associated with a respective type of airborne object. The plurality of respective first connection tethers each comprises material that does not substantially reflect RF energy. During flight of the UAV, when the assembly is connected, each respective emulator device maintains the respective spacing from the UAV and emulates the characteristic to the target detection system, such that the assembly emulates, to the target detection system, a plurality of airborne objects.

A method of testing vehicular radar includes acquiring binary phase codes of transmitters in a radar DUT; acquiring desired FOVs and desired angular resolutions of the transmitters to determine target angles of emulated targets; calculating far field phases of a PMCW signal for binary phase states of the transmit array at each of the target angles to determine resultant phase symbol streams; calculating excess roundtrip time delay for each emulation delay, between the DUT and the emulated targets, and each setup delay between the DUT and each emulator receiver; time-shifting the resultant phase symbol streams by the excess roundtrip time delays; subtracting the time-shifted resultant phase symbol streams from the resultant phase symbol streams to obtain difference phase symbol streams; modulating a PMCW signal transmitted by the DUT by the difference phase symbol streams; and emulating the echo signals at the target angles in response to the modulated PMCW signal.