Radar device and method for operating a radar device

• US 20040061639A1
• Filed: 10/08/2003
• Published: 04/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Meier, Thomas, Voigtlaender, Klaus, Schmid, Dirk, Villino, Guido, Passmann, Christian
• Granted Patent: US 6,940,447 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/70
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/284 using coded pulses
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/0272 Multifunction radar
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/002 providing at least two patterns of different beamwidth; Variable beamwidth antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/26 varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture H01Q3/12, H01Q3/22, H01Q3/24 take precedence

Abstract

The present invention relates to a radar device having means (10) for generating a carrier-frequency signal, means (12, 12a, 12b, 13, 13a, 13b) for shaping pulses, means (14, 14a, 14b, 15, 15a, 15b) for generating modulated radar pulses from the carrier-frequency signal, means (16, 18a, 18b, 18c, 18d) for emitting modulated signals as radar pulses, means (18a, 18b, 18c, 18d) for receiving radar pulses, and means (20) for processing the received radar pulses, the means for receiving the radar pulses having an array including a plurality of antennas (18a, 18b, 18c, 18d), the means (20) for processing the radar pulses having means for dividing the signal power over at least two different reception branches (24, 26), and means (28a, 28b, 28c, 28d, 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d, 42) being provided for generating different directional characteristics (32, 34) in the various reception branches (24, 26). The invention also relates to a method for operating a radar device.

Claims

1. A radar device, comprising

means (10) for generating a carrier-frequency signal,

means (12, 12a, 12b, 13, 13a, 13b) for shaping pulses,

means (14, 14a, 14b, 15, 15a, 15b) for generating modulated radar pulses from the carrier-frequency signal,

means (16, 18a, 18b, 18c, 18d) for emitting modulated signals as radar pulses,

means (18a, 18b, 18c, 18d) for receiving radar pulses, and

means (20) for processing the received radar pulses,

wherein

the means for receiving the radar pulses has an array including a plurality of antennas (18a, 18b, 18c, 18d),

the means (20) for processing the radar pulses has means for dividing the signal power over at least two different reception branches (24, 26), and

means (28a, 28b, 28c, 28d, 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d, 42) are provided for generating different directional characteristics (32, 34) in the various reception branches (24, 26).

2. The radar device as recited in claim 1,

wherein the means (16, 18a, 18b, 18c, 18d) for emitting radar pulses have a wide directional characteristic (36).

3. The radar device as recited in claim 1 or 2,

wherein the means (28a, 28b, 28c, 28d, 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d, 42) for generating different directional characteristics (32, 34) generate a swivelling directional characteristic (34) in at least one reception branch.

4. The radar device as recited in one of the preceding claims,

wherein the means (28a, 28b, 28c, 28d, 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d, 42) for generating different directional characteristics in the various reception branches (24, 26) generate a wide directional characteristic (32) in at least one reception branch (24, 26).

5. The radar device as recited in one of the preceding claims,

wherein

at least two different transmission branches (38, 40) are provided, and

means (28a, 28b, 28c, 28d, 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d, 42) are provided for generating different directional characteristics (34, 36) in the various transmission branches (38, 40).

6. The radar device as recited in one of the preceding claims,

wherein the means (28a, 28b, 28c, 28d, 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d, 42) for generating different directional characteristics have a control (42).

7. The radar device as recited in one of the preceding claims,

wherein

means (13, 13a, 13b, 15, 15a, 15b) are provided for generating modulated signals from the carrier-frequency signal, and

means (48, 50) are provided for mixing the delayed, modulated signals with received signals.

8. The radar device as recited in one of the preceding claims,

wherein the means for emitting the radar pulses is implemented as a single transmitting antenna (16).

9. The radar device as recited in one of the preceding claims,

wherein the means for emitting the radar pulses has an array including a plurality of antennas (18a, 18b, 18c, 18d).

10. The radar device as recited in one of the preceding claims,

wherein

means are provided for generating a high pulse repetition frequency, and

means are provided for generating a low pulse repetition frequency.

11. The radar device as recited in one of the preceding claims,

wherein the means for generating a low pulse repetition frequency divides the high pulse repetition frequency by a whole number.

12. The radar device as recited in one of the preceding claims,

wherein

the radar pulses having the wide directional characteristic are emitted with the high pulse repetition frequency, and

the radar pulses having the swivelling directional characteristic are emitted with the low pulse repetition frequency.

13. The radar device as recited in one of the preceding claims,

wherein the radar pulses having the swivelling directional characteristic are emitted with a pulse repetition frequency that is modulated by a PN (“

pseudo-noise”

) code.

14. A method for operating a radar device, comprising the steps:

generating a carrier-frequency signal,

shaping of pulses,

generating modulated radar pulses from the carrier-frequency signal,

emitting the modulated signals as radar pulses,

receiving of radar pulses, and

processing the received radar pulses,

wherein

the radar pulses are received by an array having a plurality of antennas (18a, 18b, 18c, 18d),

the signal power is divided over at least two different reception branches (24, 26), and

different directional characteristics (32, 34) are generated in the various reception branches (24, 26).

15. The method as recited in claim 14,

wherein the radar pulses are emitted with a wide directional characteristic (36).

16. The method as recited in claim 14 or 15,

wherein a swivelling directional characteristic (34) is generated in at least one reception branch (24, 26).

17. The method as recited in one of claims 14 through 16,

wherein a wide directional characteristic (32) is generated in at least one reception branch (24, 26).

18. The method as recited in one of claims 14 through 17,

wherein different directional characteristics are generated in the various transmission branches.

19. The method as recited in one of claims 14 through 18,

wherein the different directional characteristics are generated by a control (42).

20. The method as recited in one of claims 14 through 19, wherein

delayed, modulated signals are generated from the carrier-frequency signal, and

the delayed, modulated signals are mixed with received signals.

21. The method as recited in one of claims 14 through 20, wherein the radar pulses are emitted by a single transmitting antenna (16).

22. The method as recited in one of claims 14 through 21, wherein the radar pulses are emitted by an array having a plurality of antennas (18a, 18b, 18c, 18d).

23. The method as recited in one of claims 14 through 22, wherein

a high pulse repetition frequency is generated, and

a low pulse repetition frequency is generated.

24. The method as recited in one of claims 14 through 23,

wherein the low pulse repetition frequency is produced by dividing the high pulse repetition frequency by a whole number.

25. The method as recited in one of claims 14 through 24, wherein

the radar pulses having the wide directional characteristic are emitted with the high pulse repetition frequency, and

the radar pulses having the swivelling directional characteristic are emitted with the low pulse repetition frequency.

26. The method as recited in one of claims 14 through 25,

wherein the radar pulses having the swivelling directional characteristic are emitted with a pulse repetition frequency that is modulated by a PN (“

pseudo-noise”

) code.