AFFORDABLE COMBINED PULSED/FMCW RADAR AESA

• US 20170090011A1
• Filed: 09/28/2015
• Published: 03/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: WEST, James B., ITCIA, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 10,324,166 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/10 using transmission of interrupted, pulse modulated waves determination of distance by phase measurement G01S13/32
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/32 using transmission of continuous waves, whether amplitude-, frequency-, or phase-modulated, or unmodulated
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/426 Scanning radar, e.g. 3D radar G01S13/66 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/0254 Active array antenna
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/28 Details of pulse systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/35 Details of non-pulse systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/46 Active lenses or reflecting arrays

Abstract

A combined pulsed and FMCW AESA radar system is described. The radar system includes an AESA array of radiating elements, an array of TR modules, an RF combiner/splitter, a transmitter, a pulsed radar receiver and an FMCW radar receiver. Each TR module corresponds to a respective radiating element of the array of radiating elements. The transmitter is configured to transmit an excitation signal to excite selected or all radiating elements of the array of radiating elements via the TR modules. When the transmitter is in a pulsed radar mode, the pulsed radar receiver is configured to receive radar return signals via the RF combiner/splitter from radiating elements of the array of radiating elements via the TR modules. When the transmitter is in an FMCW radar mode, the FMCW radar receiver is configured to receive radar return signals from selected radiating elements of the array of radiating elements via the TR modules.

Claims

1. A combined pulsed and frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar system, comprising:

an AESA array of radiating elements;

an array of transmit/receive (TR) modules, each TR module corresponding to a respective radiating element of the array of radiating elements;

a radio frequency (RF) combiner/splitter configured to combine signals from the array of TR modules, and to split a signal to the array of TR modules;

a transmitter configured to transmit an excitation signal to excite selected radiating elements in FMCW radar mode, or to excite all radiating elements in pulsed radar mode of the array of radiating elements via the TR modules,

a pulsed radar receiver configured to receive radar return signals via the RF combiner/splitter from radiating elements of the array of radiating elements via the TR modules, when the transmitter is in a pulsed radar mode;

an FMCW radar receiver configured to receive radar return signals from selected radiating elements of the array of radiating elements via the TR modules, when the transmitter is in an FMCW radar mode.

2. The combined pulsed and FMCW AESA radar system of claim 1, wherein the pulsed radar receiver is a super heterodyne receiver.

3. The combined pulsed and FMCW AESA radar system of claim 1, wherein the FMCW radar receiver is a homodyne receiver.

4. The combined pulsed and FMCW AESA radar system of claim 1, wherein the array comprises a first subarray of transmitter radiating elements corresponding to the transmitter in the FMCW mode, and a second subarray of receiver radiating elements corresponding to the FMCW radar receiver in the FMCW mode.

5. The combined pulsed and FMCW AESA radar system of claim 4, wherein the second subarray comprises a number of receiver radiating elements larger than a number of transmitter radiating elements of the first subarray.

6. The combined pulsed and FMCW AESA radar system of claim 5, where the first subarray is an I×

J subarray, and the second subarray is an L×

M subarray, wherein L is greater than I and M is greater than J.

7. The combined pulsed and FMCW AESA radar system of claim 4, further comprising one or more panels upon which the array of radiating elements are arranged.

8. The combined pulsed and FMCW AESA radar system of claim 7, wherein the one or more panels is a single panel, and the first subarray and the second subarray are arranged on a single panel.

9. The combined pulsed and FMCW AESA radar system of claim 7, wherein the one or more panels comprise three panels in a chevron arrangement including a top panel and two side panels, wherein the first subarray is arranged on the top panel, and the second subarray is arranged on one of the side panels.

10. The combined pulsed and FMCW AESA radar system of claim 1, wherein the T/R modules are configured to operate within a single frequency band.

11. The combined pulsed and FMCW AESA radar system of claim 1, wherein a first set of the T/R modules are configured to operate within a first frequency band in FMCW mode, and a second set of the T/R modules are configured to operate within a second frequency band different from the first frequency band in pulsed radar mode.

12. The combined pulsed and FMCW AESA radar system of claim 11, wherein the first frequency band has a frequency range between about 30 and 300 GHz, and the second frequency band has a frequency range between about 3 and 30 GHz.

13. The combined pulsed and FMCW AESA radar system of claim 11, wherein the AESA array comprises a first subarray of transmitter radiating elements transmitting in the first frequency band corresponding to the FMCW mode, a second subarray of transmitter/receiver radiating elements transmitting and receiving in the second frequency band corresponding to the pulsed mode, and a third subarray of receiver radiating elements receiving in the first frequency band corresponding to the FMCW mode.

14. The combined pulsed and FMCW AESA radar system of claim 13, further comprising one or more panels upon which the array of radiating elements are arranged.

15. The combined pulsed and FMCW AESA radar system of claim 14, wherein the one or more panels is a single panel, and the first subarray, the second subarray, and the third subarray are arranged on a single panel.

16. The combined pulsed and FMCW AESA radar system of claim 15, wherein the first and third subarray are surrounded by the second subarray.

17. The combined pulsed and FMCW AESA radar system of claim 16, wherein the number of receiving radiating elements in the third subarray is smaller than the number of transmitter/receiver radiating elements in the second subarray.

18. The combined pulsed and FMCW AESA radar system of claim 14, wherein the one or more panels comprise three panels in a chevron arrangement including a top panel and two side panels, wherein the first subarray is arranged on the top panel, and the second subarray is arranged on one or more of the side panels.