Power monitor for radar system

• US 20030169198A1
• Filed: 03/05/2003
• Published: 09/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Company LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Schneider, Robert, Hofmann, Pascal
• Granted Patent: US 6,954,172 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/173
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4004 of parts of a radar system
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4039 of sensor or antenna obstruction, e.g. dirt- or ice-coating
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4052 by simulation of echoes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4056 specially adapted to FMCW
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4065 involving a delay line
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4078 involving an integrated reference reflector or reference transponder

Abstract

A method and corresponding devices for monitoring the performance of a radar system (2, 4) which is equipped with a shield 2 (radom) to protect it against weather influences are described. For this purpose, a part of the radiated radar signal is modified and fed as a monitor signal to the reception system after interacting with a coating (5) which is possibly present on the radom (2). Influences of a damping or reflecting coating (5) on the radom (2) change the monitor signal. By analyzing these changes it is possible to draw conclusions about the coating of the damping or reflection of the radar signals which is caused by the coating (5).

Claims

1. A method for detecting a power-reducing coating (5) on a radom (2) of a radar system, wherein parts of the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the radar system are modified and are fed to the receiver of the radar system as monitor signals after interacting with the power-reducing coating (5), and are evaluated.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a part of the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the radar system is modified by means of a time delay.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein a part of the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the radar system is modified by means of frequency shift.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein a part of the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the radar system is modified by means of modulation.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the electromagnetic radiation is modified by means of frequency modulation of the frequency.

6. The method as claimed in one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a part of the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the radar system is modified by being fed into resonant structures (7).

7. The method as claimed in one of claims 1 to 6, wherein changes in the intensity of the monitor signal are evaluated.

8. The method as claimed in one of claims 1 to 7, wherein spectral changes of the monitor signal are evaluated.

9. The method as claimed in one of claims 1 to 8, wherein changes in the time profile of individual monitor signals are evaluated.

10. The method as claimed in one of claims 1 to 9, wherein stored data relating to standardized monitor signals are used to evaluate the monitor signals.

11. The method as claimed in one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the monitor signals are used for functional checking of the radar system.

12. A device for detecting a power-reducing coating (5) on a radom (2) of a radar system, wherein the radar system has one or more elements (3, 7, 9) for modifying part of the irradiated radar radiation and transmitting this part to the receiver device (4) of the radar system, each element (3, 7, 9) being arranged in such a way that a coating (5) present on the radom (2) has an influence on the modified radiation.

13. The device as claimed in claim 12, wherein there is at least one element which is embodied as a delay line (3).

14. The device as claimed in claim 12 or 13, wherein there is at least one element which is embodied as a resonant structure (7) for the transmitted radar radiation (for example a ring resonator, patch, cavity resonator, dipole).

15. The device as claimed in claim 12, 13 or 14, wherein at least one element (3, 7) for modifying part of the irradiated radar radiation is mounted on or in the radom (2).

16. The device as claimed in one of claims 12 to 15, wherein there is at least one element (9) which is embodied as a modulator (frequency, phase, amplitude).

17. The device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the modulator (9) is arranged in such a way that it modifies the part of the radiated radar radiation which is reflected by the shield (2) or a coating (5) located thereon.

18. The use of a device as claimed in one of claims 12 to 17 for monitoring the power of a motor vehicle radar system.