JP7138593B2 - radar equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a radar device that emits search beams.

Conventionally, there is a radar apparatus that forms a search beam using an array antenna to search and track a target. In order to search for a target in a coverage area, the radar device irradiates a search beam in accordance with a predetermined irradiation direction and irradiation order of the beam, and detects the target. Such a technique is disclosed in Patent Document 1.

When the coverage area has a two-dimensional width of high angle and azimuth angle, as a simple method of defining the irradiation direction and irradiation order of the beam, the radar equipment irradiates the search beam in the same azimuth direction in order from top to bottom in the high angle direction. Then, there is a method of irradiating the entire coverage area by repeatedly irradiating the search beam in the next azimuth direction from top to bottom in the high angle direction.

On the other hand, in the radar device, when the search beam is irradiated to the adjacent beam spot B immediately after the search beam is irradiated to the beam spot A which is the area where the search beam is irradiated in the coverage area, the search beam irradiated to the beam spot A may be received after the search beam is applied to the beam spot B after being reflected multiple times. Therefore, when defining the irradiation order of the beam spots, the radar device needs to define the search beam so as not to continuously irradiate adjacent beam spots. As a beam irradiation method that does not irradiate adjacent beam spots with a search beam, in a simple beam irradiation direction and irradiation order definition method, in units of high-angle or azimuth-angle columns, the beam spots in odd-numbered columns cover the entire coverage area. After irradiating the search beam on the , there is a one-skip method in which the search beam is irradiated to the entire coverage area with the even-numbered row of beam spots.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-279147

The radar apparatus uses the target detection result obtained by the search beam to update the target tracking data including the target position, velocity, error information, time, etc. already stored. When the target existence prediction area, which is the area where the existence of the target is predicted, extends over a plurality of beam spots, the radar device uses the target existence prediction area in order not to repeatedly update the tracking specifications of the target due to erroneous detection. After collecting the detection results of all the search beams including , the target tracking specifications are updated using the collected detection results.

As the time difference between the detection results collected in the target existence prediction area increases, the radar device is more likely to update the target tracking specifications due to erroneous detection, and the target tracking accuracy deteriorates. When using the skip-by-one method, the radar device requires at least the time required to irradiate all the beam spots with the search beam, i.e., half the frame time, in order to obtain the detection result of the search beam in the target existence prediction area. There is a problem that the above time is required, and the time difference of the detection result becomes large. In order to update the target tracking specifications with high accuracy, the radar device needs to minimize the irradiation time difference of the search beam in the target existence prediction area.

In addition, when the radar apparatus detects the same target with a plurality of search beams, such as when the target is large, the radar apparatus performs centroid processing to combine the targets obtained from the plurality of detection results into one. In a radar device, in order to perform centroid processing with high accuracy for the irradiation order of search beams in one dimension of a two-dimensional beam spot array, for example, one row in the high-angle direction, irradiation of search beams to adjacent beam spots is required. It is necessary to minimize the time difference as much as possible. However, the radar apparatus has a problem that it is necessary to avoid continuous irradiation of the search beam to adjacent beam spots in order to avoid generation of multiple echoes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a radar apparatus capable of improving target tracking accuracy while avoiding continuous beam irradiation to adjacent beam spots.

In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, the radar apparatus of the present invention includes an array antenna that irradiates a beam while changing its direction with respect to a coverage area that irradiates the beam, and the direction of the beam that the array antenna irradiates. and a transmission control unit that controls the The coverage area is a two-dimensional area represented by a high angle and an azimuth angle, each of a plurality of areas irradiated with a beam in the coverage area is defined as a beam spot, and the transmission control unit controls beam spots adjacent to each other in the high angle direction. , and azimuthally adjacent beam spots, the time interval between beam irradiations is less than half the time taken to irradiate all beam spots in the coverage area, while avoiding continuous irradiation of the beams. The direction of the beam emitted by the array antenna is controlled as described above, and the direction of the beam is changed after the array antenna emits one beam and receives the reflected wave of the one beam. .

ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the radar apparatus has the effect that the tracking accuracy of a target can be improved, while avoiding continuous beam irradiation to adjacent beam spots.

1 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a radar device according to Embodiment 1; FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the relationship between the coverage area irradiated with the search beam by the array antenna of the radar apparatus according to Embodiment 1 and the beam spot; FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the irradiation order of the search beams for each beam spot when the radar device according to the first embodiment irradiates the search beams; As a comparative example, a diagram showing the irradiation order of the search beams for each beam spot when the radar device irradiates the search beams by skipping one. 4 is a flow chart showing the operation of the radar device according to Embodiment 1 for irradiating a search beam; FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a case where a processing circuit included in the radar device according to Embodiment 1 is configured by a processor and a memory; FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a case where a processing circuit included in the radar device according to Embodiment 1 is configured with dedicated hardware; FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the irradiation order of the search beams for each beam spot when the radar device according to the second embodiment irradiates the search beams; FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the irradiation order of the search beams for each beam spot in the high-angle direction at the same azimuth angle when the radar device according to the third embodiment irradiates the search beams; FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the irradiation order of the search beams for each beam spot in the high-angle direction at the same azimuth angle when the radar device according to the fourth embodiment irradiates the search beams;

A radar device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In addition, this invention is not limited by this embodiment.

Embodiment 1.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a radar device 40 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The radar device 40 includes a transmission control section 10 , an array antenna 20 and a reception control section 30 . The transmission controller 10 includes a beam controller 11 and a transmitter 12 . The reception control unit 30 includes a reception unit 31 , a signal processing unit 32 , a detection management unit 33 and a target tracking unit 34 .

The transmission control unit 10 controls the direction of the search beam emitted by the array antenna 20 . In the following description, the search beam may be simply called a beam.

The beam control unit 11 holds information on predetermined irradiation directions of the search beams and the transmission order of the search beams. The beam control unit 11 manages the beam irradiation schedule, and outputs a search beam irradiation instruction to the beam spot to the transmission unit 12 in a predetermined order and timing.

Here, the relationship between the beam spot and the coverage area irradiated with the search beam by the array antenna 20 will be described. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the relationship between the coverage area irradiated with the search beam by the array antenna 20 of the radar device 40 according to the first embodiment and the beam spot. A beam spot is each of a plurality of areas irradiated with the search beam in a coverage area searched by the array antenna 20 changing the direction of the search beam and irradiating the search beam. We assume that coverage is a two-dimensional area represented by high and azimuth angles. Although not shown in FIG. 2, it is assumed that the entire coverage area is covered with the beam spot.

Returning to the description of FIG. The transmitter 12 forms a narrow-angle beam by controlling the phase of each module (not shown) of the array antenna 20 according to the irradiation instruction obtained from the beam controller 11, and instructs irradiation of a radio wave, that is, a search beam.

The array antenna 20 irradiates the search beam while changing its orientation with respect to the coverage area to be irradiated with the search beam, according to the phase control information and the radio wave irradiation instruction from the transmitter 12 . The search beam is a narrow beam with a narrow beam angle. When the array antenna 20 receives the reflected wave of the search beam, the array antenna 20 outputs a received signal, which is the reflected wave of the search beam, to the receiving section 31 of the reception control section 30 . A reflected wave is a result of the search beam being reflected by a target or the like.

The reception control unit 30 detects a target using a received signal which is a reflected wave received by the array antenna 20, and predicts that the target will exist when the array antenna 20 emits the next beam. Calculate area.

When the reception unit 31 acquires the reception signal from the array antenna 20, the reception unit 31 converts the reception signal from an analog signal to a digital signal, further performs frequency conversion on the reception signal converted to the digital signal, and converts it into phase amplitude information. and output to the signal processing unit 32 .

The signal processing unit 32 performs signal processing on the phase/amplitude information acquired from the receiving unit 31 , detects information about the target, and outputs detection information to the detection management unit 33 . Here, the detection information includes information on the position and time of the detected target, but may also include information due to erroneous detection, that is, clutter.

The detection management unit 33 holds detection information acquired from the signal processing unit 32 . The detection management unit 33 also obtains from the target tracking unit 34 information on a target existence prediction area, which is an area in which the target is predicted to exist when the array antenna 20 emits the next search beam. The detection management unit 33 collates the target existence prediction area and the detection information, and outputs the detection information in the target existence prediction area to the target tracking unit 34 when all the search beam detection information within the target existence prediction area is obtained. do. The detection management unit 33 detects the target by performing centroid processing on the detection information, for example. That is, the detection management unit 33 merges multiple pieces of detection information determined to be from the same target into one piece of detection information by centroid processing. The detection management unit 33 may perform centroid processing as necessary, and may omit the centroid processing when unnecessary.

The target tracking unit 34 calculates the predicted target existence area and outputs it to the detection management unit 33 . When the target tracking unit 34 acquires the detection information within the target existence prediction region from the detection management unit 33, the target tracking unit 34 uses the detection information to update the tracking specification of the target. Target tracking specifications include, for example, information such as target position, target speed, error information, and target detection time. When there are a plurality of targets, the target tracking unit 34 may calculate a target existence prediction area in which a target group consisting of a plurality of targets is predicted to exist.

Next, in the radar device 40, the irradiation order of the search beams when the transmission control unit 10 controls the array antenna 20 to irradiate the search beams will be described. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the irradiation order of the search beams for each beam spot when the radar device 40 according to Embodiment 1 irradiates the search beams. FIG. 3 shows the arrangement of beam spots in a two-dimensional coverage area, with the vertical axis representing the high angle direction and the horizontal axis representing the azimuth angle direction. In Embodiment 1, the total beam spot in the coverage area is equally divided into an even number of regions according to the range of azimuth angles. FIG. 3 shows an example in which all beam spots in the coverage area are divided into four regions 1 to 4. In FIG.

The transmission control unit 10 controls the directions of the search beams emitted by the array antenna 20 so that the search beams are emitted alternately from the leftmost column and from the upper end to two adjacent regions among the divided regions. . In the example of FIG. 3, the transmission control unit 10 first directs the direction of the search beams emitted by the array antenna 20 so that the search beams are emitted alternately from the leftmost column and from the upper end to the regions 1 and 2. Control. When the search beam irradiation to all the beam spots in the areas 1 and 2 is completed, the transmission control unit 10 next irradiates the search beams to the areas 3 and 4 alternately from the leftmost column and from the upper end. The direction of the search beam emitted by the array antenna 20 is controlled so as to do so. In FIG. 3, the total number of beam spots in the coverage area is 2N, the circles indicate the beam spots, and the numbers inside the circles of the beam spots indicate the irradiation order of the search beams. FIG. 3 specifically shows an example when N=24. Note that the irradiation order of the search beams is omitted for circles of beam spots without numbers. FIG. 3 specifically shows the irradiation order of the 1st to 22nd search beams emitted from the array antenna 20 of the radar device 40 .

In FIG. 3, it is assumed that the predicted target existence area is in the range of 2 rows and 2 columns on the upper left. The time required for the radar device 40 to irradiate the search beam to the beam spot in the target existence prediction area shown in FIG. 3 is shorter than the time to irradiate the search beam to the beam spots of four columns in the high angle direction. Further, the irradiation interval of the search beams for the beam spots adjacent in the longitudinal direction is 1, that is, the interval is one search beam irradiation to the beam spots in another direction. In the example of FIG. 3, the 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th irradiation order of the search beams to the four beam spots in the high-angle direction at the leftmost azimuth angle is indicated from the top.

Here, as a comparative example, the irradiation order of the search beams when the same coverage range is irradiated with the search beams by the one-skipping method described in the background art will be described. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the irradiation order of the search beams for each beam spot when the radar device irradiates the search beams in a skip-by-one method as a comparative example. The radar apparatus of the comparative example, which irradiates the search beams by the one-skipping method, first irradiates the search beams on the leftmost row of beam spots by the one-skipping method. In FIG. 4, the first and second beam spots are irradiated with the irradiation beam. After that, the radar device of the comparative example repeats irradiating the search beams in the same skipping method to the beam spots in the right adjacent column up to the rightmost column. In FIG. 4, the irradiation beam is irradiated up to the N-1th and Nth beam spots. Next, the radar device of the comparative example irradiates a search beam to the unirradiated beam spot from the left end to the right end in order. In FIG. 4, the search beams are irradiated from the N+1th and N+2th beam spots to the 2N−1th and 2Nth beam spots.

In FIG. 4 showing the comparative example, as in FIG. 3, it is assumed that the predicted target existence area is in the range of 2 rows and 2 columns on the upper left. The time required for the radar apparatus of the comparative example to irradiate the search beams to the beam spots in the target presence prediction area shown in FIG. , that is, more than half the frame time 2N.

In this embodiment, the radar device 40 divides the entire beam spot of the coverage area into an even number of areas as shown in FIG. It is possible to shorten the time required to irradiate the search beam to the beam spot in the target existence prediction area, as compared with the case of irradiating the search beam by skipping one.

Here, when the target detected and tracked by the radar device 40 is a moving object, the position of the predicted target existence area changes in FIG. Therefore, the radar device 40 performs a search in an irradiation order that shortens the time required to irradiate the beam spot in the predicted target presence area with the search beam, regardless of the position of the predicted target presence area in the coverage area. It is necessary to irradiate the beam. Therefore, the transmission control unit 10 avoids continuous irradiation of search beams for beam spots adjacent in the high-angle direction and beam spots adjacent in the azimuth direction, while overriding the time interval between the irradiation of the search beams. The direction of the search beam emitted by the array antenna 20 is controlled so that it takes less than half the time to cover all beam spots in the area.

The operation of the radar device 40 emitting the search beam will be described using a flowchart. FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the operation of the radar device 40 according to Embodiment 1 for emitting a search beam. In the radar device 40, the transmission control unit 10 avoids continuous irradiation of the search beam for adjacent beam spots, and the time interval between the irradiation of the search beam is long enough to irradiate all the beam spots in the coverage area. The orientation of the search beam is directed to the array antenna 20 for less than half the time (step S1). The array antenna 20 irradiates the search beam while changing its orientation with respect to the coverage area to be irradiated with the search beam according to the instruction from the transmission control unit 10 (step S2).

In the present embodiment, the radar device 40 divides the entire beam spot in the coverage area into an even number of areas in the direction of the azimuth angle, but the present invention is not limited to this. The radar device 40 may divide the total beam spot of coverage into an even number of regions in the high-angle direction. In the radar device 40, the irradiation interval of the search beams for one row of beam spots in the high angle direction is made smaller than the irradiation interval of the search beams for one row of beam spots in the azimuth direction. is not limited to The radar device 40 may make the irradiation interval of the search beams for one row of beam spots in the azimuth direction smaller than the irradiation interval of the search beams for one row of beam spots in the high angle direction. Also, the radar device 40 irradiates the search beams in the order from above to below and from left to right in the coverage area, but the order is not limited to this. The radar device 40 may irradiate the search beam from the bottom to the top of the coverage area, or from the right to the left. The same applies to subsequent embodiments.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 2 and the like, the radar device 40 sets the high angles of the beam spots forming one vertical line of coverage to be the same for each azimuth line, but the present invention is not limited to this. The radar device 40 changes the position in the high-angle direction for each column, for example, by offsetting the beam spots in the odd-numbered columns from the left in the azimuth angle in the high-angle direction by half the beam spot width with respect to the beam spots in the even-numbered columns. good too. In this case, the transmission control unit 10 adjusts the direction of the search beam emitted by the array antenna 20 so as to offset the position of the beam spot in the high-angle direction by the unit of azimuth for a plurality of beam spots with the same azimuth angle and different high angles. to control.

Next, the hardware configuration of the radar device 40 will be explained. In the radar device 40, the array antenna 20 is an antenna element. The transmission control unit 10 and the reception control unit 30 are realized by processing circuits. The processing circuitry may be a processor and memory executing programs stored in the memory, or may be dedicated hardware.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a case in which a processing circuit included in the radar device 40 according to Embodiment 1 is configured with a processor and a memory. When the processing circuit is composed of the processor 91 and the memory 92, each function of the processing circuit of the radar device 40 is implemented by software, firmware, or a combination of software and firmware. Software or firmware is written as a program and stored in memory 92 . In the processing circuit, each function is realized by the processor 91 reading and executing the program stored in the memory 92 . That is, the processing circuitry comprises a memory 92 for storing programs that result in the processing of the radar device 40 being executed. It can also be said that these programs cause a computer to execute the procedures and methods of the radar device 40 .

Here, the processor 91 may be a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a processing device, an arithmetic device, a microprocessor, a microcomputer, or a DSP (Digital Signal Processor). The memory 92 includes non-volatile or volatile memory such as RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), flash memory, EPROM (Erasable Programmable ROM), EEPROM (registered trademark) (Electrically EPROM). semiconductor memories, magnetic discs, flexible discs, optical discs, compact discs, mini discs, or DVDs (Digital Versatile Discs).

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example in which the processing circuit included in the radar device 40 according to Embodiment 1 is configured with dedicated hardware. When the processing circuit is composed of dedicated hardware, the processing circuit 93 shown in FIG. 7 is, for example, a single circuit, a composite circuit, a programmed processor, a parallel programmed processor, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), An FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) or a combination thereof is applicable. Each function of the radar device 40 may be realized by the processing circuit 93 for each function, or each function may be collectively realized by the processing circuit 93 .

It should be noted that each function of the radar device 40 may be partly realized by dedicated hardware and partly realized by software or firmware. Thus, the processing circuitry may implement each of the functions described above through dedicated hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, in the radar device 40, the transmission control unit 10 controls the search beams for beam spots adjacent in the high-angle direction and for beam spots adjacent in the azimuth direction. While avoiding continuous irradiation of the search beam, the direction of the search beam emitted by the array antenna 20 is adjusted so that the time interval between the irradiation of the search beam is less than half the time required to irradiate all the beam spots in the coverage area with the search beam. Control. Specifically, in the first embodiment, the entire beam spot in the coverage area is divided into an even number of areas in the direction of the high angle or the azimuth angle, and the transmission control unit 10 divides the two adjacent areas into intra-area The directions of the search beams emitted by the array antenna 20 are controlled so that the search beams are alternately applied to the beam spots at the corresponding high angle and azimuth angle positions. As a result, the radar device 40 can shorten the time required to irradiate the beam spot within the predicted target existence region with the search beam, regardless of the position of the predicted target existence region set in the coverage area. The irradiation interval becomes 1. That is, the radar device 40 can improve the target tracking accuracy by reducing the target detection time difference and multi-order echoes in the target existence prediction region and performing centroid processing with high accuracy.

When the number of divided regions is 2, the radar device 40 irradiates the beam spots of the regions 1 and 2 with the search beams, and then repeatedly irradiates the beam spots of the regions 1 and 2 with the search beams. become. Therefore, the radar device 40 irradiates the search beam for the last beam spot in the area 1, which is the N-1th beam spot at the lower right corner in the example of FIG. After the beam spot, the first beam spot in area 2, which is the second beam spot at the upper left corner in the example of FIG. 3, is irradiated with the search beam. Focusing on the 17th beam spot and the 2nd beam spot shown in FIG. The 2nd beam spot is substantially the 2+24=26th beam spot. That is, the irradiation time difference between the two vertical columns of beam spots adjacent to each other on the left and right in the region and the irradiation time difference between the beam spot on the rightmost column of region 1 and the beam spot on the leftmost column of region 2 are one and substantially the same. . Therefore, the radar device 40 can update the tracking specifications of the target without distinguishing whether or not the predicted target existence region spans the regions with respect to the irradiation time difference.

Embodiment 2.
In the second embodiment, the transmission control unit 10 irradiates search beams while avoiding continuous irradiation of search beams for beam spots adjacent in the high-angle direction and beam spots adjacent in the azimuth direction. The direction of the search beam emitted by array antenna 20 is controlled so that the time interval is less than half the time it takes to cover all beam spots with the search beam. A method different from the first embodiment will be described.

In Embodiment 2, the configuration of radar device 40 is the same as in Embodiment 1 shown in FIG. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the irradiation order of the search beams for each beam spot when the radar device 40 according to the second embodiment irradiates the search beams. The radar device 40 irradiates search beams in the order of the second, fourth, first, and third from the upper end to the four beam spot arrays in the high-angle direction having the same azimuth angle. After that, the radar device 40 repeats the operation of irradiating the search beams in the same order to the beam spot rows in one vertical row at the azimuth angle of the adjacent row until the right end.

As in FIG. 3 of Embodiment 1, in FIG. 8, it is assumed that the predicted target existence area is in the range of 2 rows and 2 columns on the upper left. The time required for the radar device 40 to irradiate the search beam to the beam spot in the target existence prediction area shown in FIG. 8 is shorter than the time to irradiate the search beam to the beam spots of two vertical columns in the high angle direction. The irradiation interval of the search beams for the beam spots adjacent in the longitudinal direction is 1 or 2, that is, the interval is one or two irradiations of the search beams to the beam spots in the other direction. In the example of FIG. 8, the 2nd, 4th, 1st, and 3rd irradiation order of the search beams to the four beam spots in the high-angle direction at the leftmost azimuth angle is shown.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, in the radar device 40, the transmission control unit 10 irradiates a plurality of beam spots with the same azimuth angle with the search beam, and then irradiates a plurality of beam spots with adjacent azimuth angles. The direction of the search beam emitted by the array antenna 20 is controlled so as to irradiate the beam spot with the search beam. Alternatively, after irradiating the same high-angle beam spots with the search beams, the transmission control unit 10 controls the search beams emitted by the array antenna 20 so as to irradiate the adjacent high-angle beam spots with the search beams. Control orientation. As a result, the radar device 40 can reduce the time required to irradiate the search beam to the beam spot in the predicted target existence area compared to the first embodiment, regardless of the position of the predicted target existence area set in the coverage area. can be halved, and the beam irradiation interval in the high-angle direction becomes 1 or 2. Radar device 40 can further reduce the target detection time difference and multiple echoes in the target existence prediction region as compared with the first embodiment. Note that the radar device 40 repeatedly irradiates the entire coverage area with the search beam, as in the case of the first embodiment. The same applies to subsequent embodiments.

Embodiment 3.
In the second embodiment, the case where there are four beam spots in the high-angle direction with the same azimuth angle in the coverage area has been described. In the third embodiment, a case will be described where there are 8 or more beam spots in multiples of 4 in the high angle direction of the same azimuth angle in the coverage area. A portion different from the second embodiment will be described.

In Embodiment 3, the configuration of the radar device 40 is the same as in Embodiment 1 shown in FIG. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the irradiation order of the search beams for each beam spot in the high-angle direction at the same azimuth angle when the radar device 40 according to the third embodiment irradiates the search beams. When the number of beam spots at the same azimuth angle in the coverage area is a multiple of 4, the radar device 40 creates an order set in which the order of irradiating the search beams to the beam spots is set to four in order from the top in the high angle direction. set. The radar system 40 illuminates the beam spot with the search beam in order from the top ordered set in the high angle direction at the same azimuth angle. In FIG. 9, the number 1 or 2 on the left side of the circled beam spot indicates the irradiation interval of the search beam for the adjacent beam spot.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, in the radar device 40, the transmission control unit 10 controls a plurality of beam spots with different high angles and the same azimuth angle, or a plurality of beam spots with the same high angle and different azimuth angles. , if the number of the plurality of beam spots is a multiple of 4, configure all of the plurality of beam spots as two or more ordered sets in which the irradiation order of the search beams is defined, and the search beams are irradiated in the defined irradiation order. The direction of the search beam emitted by the array antenna 20 is controlled so that it is emitted. Also in this case, the radar device 40 can obtain the same effects as those of the second embodiment. Embodiment 3 is applicable when there is a desire to irradiate a row of beam spots end-to-end in units of ordered sets.

Embodiment 4.
In the third embodiment, the case where there are 8 or more beam spots in multiples of 4 in the high angle direction of the same azimuth angle has been described. Embodiment 4 describes a case where there are five or more beam spots in the high-angle direction with the same azimuth angle in the coverage area. The parts different from the second and third embodiments will be explained.

In Embodiment 4, the configuration of radar device 40 is the same as in Embodiment 1 shown in FIG. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the irradiation order of the search beams for each beam spot in the high-angle direction at the same azimuth angle when the radar device 40 according to the fourth embodiment irradiates the search beams. In the case where the number of beam spots at the same azimuth angle is 5 or more in the coverage area, the radar device 40, among the 5 or more beam spots, for beam spots corresponding to multiples of 4 in the central portion, 2 or an ordered set similar to that of the third embodiment. The radar device 40 alternately irradiates the search beams from the center toward the ends to unirradiated beam spots that are not irradiated with the search beam and are located on both sides of the irradiated beam spot that is irradiated with the search beam. In FIG. 10, the number 1 or 2 on the left side of the circled beam spot indicates the irradiation interval of the search beam for adjacent beam spots. Considering Embodiments 1 to 4, the transmission control unit 10 sets the beam irradiation interval to adjacent beam spots to be 2 or less in one of the high-angle directions or the azimuth direction. , controls the direction of the beam emitted by the array antenna 20 .

As described above, according to the present embodiment, in the radar device 40, the transmission control unit 10 controls a plurality of beam spots with different high angles and the same azimuth angle, or a plurality of beam spots with the same high angle and different azimuth angles. , if the number of the plurality of beam spots is not a multiple of 4, configure the central portion of the plurality of beam spots as one or more ordered sets in which the irradiation order of the search beams is defined, and The directions of the search beams emitted by the array antenna 20 are controlled so that the search beams are emitted in the order of irradiation. The radar device 40 first irradiates the search beams to the beam spots set in the order set, and then alternately irradiates the search beams to the beam spots at both ends other than the center among the plurality of beam spots. . Also in this case, the radar device 40 can obtain the same effects as those of the second embodiment. Embodiment 4 can also be applied when the number of beam spots is not a multiple of four.

The configuration shown in the above embodiment shows an example of the content of the present invention, and it is possible to combine it with another known technology, and one configuration can be used without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is also possible to omit or change the part.

10 transmission control unit, 11 beam control unit, 12 transmission unit, 20 array antenna, 30 reception control unit, 31 reception unit, 32 signal processing unit, 33 detection management unit, 34 target tracking unit, 40 radar device.

Claims (9)

an array antenna that irradiates the beam while changing its orientation with respect to a coverage area that irradiates the beam;
a transmission control unit that controls the direction of the beam emitted by the array antenna;
with
The coverage area is a two-dimensional area represented by a high angle and an azimuth angle, and each of a plurality of areas irradiated with the beam in the coverage area is defined as a beam spot,
The transmission control unit controls the beam spots adjacent to each other in the direction of the high angle and the beam spots adjacent to each other in the direction of the azimuth angle, while avoiding continuous irradiation of the beams, while adjusting the time interval between beam irradiations to the coverage area. controlling the direction of the beams emitted by the array antenna so as to take less than half the time it takes to illuminate all beam spots of the array antenna , and control to change the direction of the beam after receiving the reflected wave of
A radar device characterized by: The transmission control unit controls the direction of the beam emitted by the array antenna so that the beam irradiation interval between adjacent beam spots is 2 or less in one direction of the high-angle direction or the azimuth direction. do,
2. The radar device according to claim 1, characterized in that: dividing the total beam spot of the coverage into an even number of regions in the high angle or the azimuth direction;
The transmission control unit directs the beams emitted by the array antenna so as to alternately irradiate beam spots at corresponding high-angle and azimuth-angle positions in the two adjacent regions. to control the
3. The radar device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: After irradiating a plurality of beam spots with the same azimuth angle, the transmission control unit adjusts the direction of the beam emitted by the array antenna so as to irradiate a plurality of beam spots with an adjacent azimuth angle. or control the direction of the beam emitted by the array antenna such that after irradiating the same high-angle beam spot with the beam, the array antenna irradiates the beam to the adjacent high-angle beam spot,
3. The radar device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: For a plurality of beam spots with the same azimuth angle and different high angles, or a plurality of beam spots with the same high angle and different azimuth angles, the transmission control unit controls all or part of the plurality of beam spots according to a beam irradiation order. and controlling the direction of the beams emitted by the array antenna such that the beams are emitted in a defined order of irradiation,
5. The radar device according to claim 4, characterized in that: the array antenna receives a reflected wave of the beam;
moreover,
a reception control unit that detects a target using the reflected wave received by the array antenna and calculates a target existence prediction area in which the target is predicted to exist when the beam is next emitted from the array antenna;
The radar device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by comprising: The reception control unit performs centroid processing to detect the target.
7. The radar device according to claim 6, characterized in that: When there are a plurality of targets, the reception control unit calculates a target existence prediction region in which a target group consisting of a plurality of targets is predicted to exist.
8. The radar device according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that: The transmission control unit controls the direction of the beams emitted by the array antenna so as to offset the positions of the beam spots in the high-angle direction in units of azimuths for a plurality of beam spots with the same azimuth angle and different high angles. ,
The radar device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that:

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