Method and Device for Radar Applications

• US 20140232586A1
• Filed: 02/19/2013
• Published: 08/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Roger, Andre, Ygnace, Romain
• Granted Patent: US 9,279,883 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/59
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/02 Systems using reflection of radio waves, e.g. primary radar systems; Analogous systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/02 of systems according to group G01S13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/2883 using FFT processing
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/354 Extracting wanted echo-signals Doppler systems G01S13/50
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/356 involving particularities of FFT processing

Abstract

A device for radar applications includes a computing engine, a radar acquisition unit connected to the computing engine, a timer unit connected to the computing engine, a cascade input port, and a cascade output port. The cascade input port is configured to convey an input signal to the computing engine and the cascade output port is configured to convey an output signal from the computing engine. Further, an according system, a radar system, a vehicle with such radar system and a method are provided.

Claims

1. A device for radar applications, comprising:

a computing engine;

a radar acquisition unit connected to the computing engine;

a timer unit connected to the computing engine;

a cascade input port; and

a cascade output port,

wherein the cascade input port is configured to convey an input signal to the computing engine, and

wherein the cascade output port is configured to convey an output signal from the computing engine.

2. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a communication unit connected to the computing engine.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the communication unit is configured to supply management data or configuration data to the computing engine.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein a radio frequency signal from a radar radio frequency unit is fed to the radar acquisition unit.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the radar acquisition unit comprises a radar radio frequency unit configured to receive a radar signal and provide a signal related thereto to the computing engine.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the radar acquisition unit comprises a radio frequency signal processing means.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the radar acquisition unit comprises an analog-to-digital converter.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein FFT results are determined by the computing engine based on data from the radar acquisition unit, and are forwarded via the cascade output port.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the cascade output port is configured to convey tracing or monitoring information.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the cascade output port is connected to a CAN bus interface.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the device is configured to be externally booted via a network.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the device is configured, in a slave mode, to obtain data in a time domain and output data in a frequency domain.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the device is configured, in a master mode, to obtain data in a time domain or frequency domain and output data as FFT data or in in a frequency domain.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the device is configured, in a single-chip mode, to obtain data in a time domain and output data as FFT data or in a frequency domain.

15. A system for processing radar signals comprising a first device and a second device,

wherein the first device comprises:

a first computing engine;

a first radar acquisition unit connected to the first computing engine;

a first timer unit connected to the first computing engine;

a first cascade input port; and

a first cascade output port,

wherein the first cascade input port is configured to convey an input signal to the first computing engine, and

wherein the first cascade output port is configured to convey an output signal from the first computing engine; and

wherein the second device comprises;

a second computing engine;

a second radar acquisition unit connected to the second computing engine;

a second timer unit connected to the second computing engine;

a second cascade input port; and

a second cascade output port,

wherein the second cascade input port is configured to convey an input signal to the second computing engine, and

wherein the second cascade output port is configured to convey an output signal from the second computing engine, and

wherein the first cascade output port of the first device is connected to the second cascade input port of the second device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the first timer unit of the first device is connected with the second timer unit of the second device.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the first timer unit of the first device is synchronized with the second timer unit of the second device.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the second cascade output port of the second device is connected to the first cascade input port of the first device.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein a radio frequency signal from a radar radio frequency unit is fed to the first radar acquisition unit of the first device.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein a radio frequency signal from a radar radio frequency unit is fed to the second radar acquisition unit of the second device.

21. A radar system, comprising:

a device, comprising;

a computing engine;

a radar acquisition unit connected to the computing engine;

a timer unit connected to the computing engine;

a cascade input port; and

a cascade output port,

wherein the cascade input port is configured to convey an input signal to the computing engine, and

wherein the cascade output port is configured to convey an output signal from the computing engine; and

at least one radio frequency unit connected to the radar acquisition unit of the device

22. A vehicle with a radar system according to claim 21.

23. A method for processing a radar signal comprising:

converting a radio frequency signal into a digital signal by a radar acquisition unit of a first device; and

processing the digital signal by a computing engine of the first device,

wherein the processed digital signal is provided via a cascade output port of the first device to a cascade input port of a second, different device.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

converting an additional radio frequency signal into a digital signal by a radar acquisition unit of the second device; and

processing the processed digital signal from the input of the cascade input port of the second device and the digital signal from the radar acquisition unit of the second device by a computing engine of the second device,

wherein the output of the computing engine of the second device is conveyed via a cascade output port of the second device.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the first device and the second device are each operable in one of the following modes:

in a slave mode configured to obtain data in a time domain and output data in a frequency domain,

in a master mode configured to obtain data in a time domain or frequency domain and output data as FFT data or in in a frequency domain,

in a single-chip mode configured to obtain data in a time domain and output data as FFT data or in a frequency domain.

26. A device comprising:

computing means;

radar acquisition means connected to the computing means;

input means; and

output means,

wherein the input means is configured to convey an input signal to the computing means, and

wherein the output means is configured to convey an output signal from the computing means.

27. The device of claim 26, wherein the output means is configured to convey the output signal from the computing engine to an input means of a subsequent device.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein the subsequent device comprises an identical or similar architecture as the device or it has at least partially the same or identical components as the device.

29. The device of claim 26, wherein the radar acquisition means comprises at least one analog-to-digital converter configured to convert a radio frequency signal from a radio frequency unit of a radar component to a digital signal.

30. The device of claim 26, wherein the computing means is configured to conduct FFT processing and convey FFT data via the output means.