RU2687071C1 - Spatial radar signal simulator - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: radar ranging and radio navigation.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to the field of radar ranging and is intended for integration into the radio positions, providing the development of aircraft impact weapons with radar methods of direction finding of targets, and enables to simulate radar reflections (more than two independent points spaced apart in space) from spatially distributed objects. Simulator of spatial radar signal comprises interconnected multichannel signal generation module, multichannel microwave frequency modulation module, a time delay generation module, a control and monitoring module, a power supply system, a communication line, a display system and manual controls, wherein the multichannel signal generating module comprises at least two signal generation channels, each having a channel microcontroller, and control and monitoring module comprises control microcontroller and microcontroller of communication with manual control and display system, wherein control output of control microcontroller is connected to control input of microcontroller of channel of each signal generation channel.

EFFECT: imitation of radar reflected signals from spatially distributed objects with independent generation of signals with different spectral structure for each of channels included in the simulator with possibility of manual control of the simulator, wherein the operator through hand-held controls and the display system has access to control of all possible signal parameters for each signal generation channel.

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Description

The proposed technical solution relates to the field of radar and is intended for integration into the composition of radio engineering positions, which provide testing of aviation weapons with radar methods for direction finding of targets, and allows simulating radar reflections (more than two independent points spaced in space) from spatially distributed objects to which include:

- group goal;

- a single large-sized target at the approach stage;

- interference clouds in the form of dipole reflectors;

- underlying surfaces (including antipodes).

Known radar target simulator (Patent RF №2267798), which contains interconnected ultra-high frequency (UHF) module, which consists of serially connected automatic power control devices and a pulse modulator, serially connected power level switch and digital attenuator, automatic adjustment device input power is the input of the microwave, as well as the communication line, a horn antenna, a group of synthesizers of Doppler frequencies, a group of multiplying digital channels ovyh converters (DAC), the key group, the first reprogrammable read only memory (PROM), a second PROM, the multiplex bus interface and the multiplex control bus.

A digital radar target simulator is known (Patent of the Russian Federation No. 2412449), which contains an antenna, a first attenuator, a first mixer, a digital signal delay circuit, a second attenuator, a second mixer, a third valve, a serially connected frequency synthesizer, a power divider in series, and an automatic simulator matching the level of the signal shifted to the intermediate frequency with the dynamic range of the digital radio frequency memory circuit, the input of the fixed attenuation of the delayed internal frequency signal according to the difference calculated signal attenuation in the simulator and the level of attenuation introduced between the receiving antenna and the mixer simulator for signal conditioning circuit with a dynamic range digital delay signal.

Known radar target simulator (RF Patent No. 233,28279), which contains interconnected ultra-high frequency (UHF) module, communication link, horn antenna, group of Doppler frequency synthesizers, group of multiplying digital-analog converters (DAC), key group, first reprogrammable constant a memory device (PROM), a second PROM, a multiplex bus interface and a multiplex control bus, the microwave module consists of an automatic power control device, a pulsed m undulator, the group of amplitude modulators, RF combiner power level switch and a digital attenuator certain manner interconnected and the respective elements of the claimed simulator.

The disadvantages of these analogues include:

- the inability to simulate radar reflections from objects spaced apart in space, and as a result, the inability to generate signals with different spatially distributed signal structures;

- control only with the help of an electronic computer (computer), and, as a result, the inability to set the necessary parameters in manual mode from the controls located directly on the simulator;

- the inability to conduct an autonomous control of the simulator (without a computer);

- the inability to install various types of signal modulation with adjustable parameters, and as a result, the lack of independent generation of signals with different spectral structure.

The technical result of the invention is the ability to simulate radar echoes (more than two independent points separated in space) from spatially distributed objects with independent generation of signals with a different spectral structure for each of the channels included in the simulator with the ability to manually control the simulator, in which the operator through manual controls and display system has access to control all possible signal parameters for zhdogo channel signal generation. An additional technical result is the ability to conduct an autonomous control of the simulator without using a computer.

This technical result is achieved due to the fact that the simulator of the spatial radar signal contains interconnected multi-channel signal conditioning module, multi-channel microwave frequency conversion module, time delay generation module, control and monitoring module, power supply system, communication lines, display system and manual controls while the multi-channel signal conditioning module contains at least two channels of signal formation, and the multi-channel microwave module frequency conversion contains connected by a communication line power divider and at least two mixers, and the input of each mixer is connected respectively to the output of each signal conditioning channel, and the control input of each signal conditioning channel is connected respectively to the time delay generation module, while the control and monitoring module contains control microcontroller and microcontroller of communication with manual controls and display system, and each signal conditioning channel included in multi-channel signal generating unit comprises a micro channel, wherein the control output of the control microcontroller is coupled to a control input of a microcontroller forming the channel of each channel signal.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the signal conditioning channel contains a serially connected frequency synthesizer, an amplitude control device, a matching amplifier, a pulse modulator, where the control input of the frequency synthesizer and the control input of the amplitude control device are connected to the output of the channel microcontroller, and the control input of the pulse modulator, which is the input channel of the signal, connected to the module forming a time delay, and the output pulse m undulator connected to the input multichannel microwave frequency conversion mixer.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the multi-channel signal conditioning module comprises a clock generator, the output of which is connected to the input of each channel microcontroller.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the control and monitoring module comprises a clock generator, the output of which is connected to the inputs of the control microcontroller and the microcontroller of communication with the manual controls and the display system.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the power supply system comprises a fuse box.

The invention is illustrated by drawings, where:

FIG. 1 - Block diagram of a simulator of a spatial radar signal.

FIG. 1 presents:

1 - time delay generation module;

2 - multi-channel signal conditioning module;

3 - multichannel microwave frequency shaping module;

4 - control and monitoring module;

5 - display system and manual controls;

6 - power supply system.

FIG. 2 - Block diagram of the multi-channel signal conditioning module.

FIG. 2 presents:

7 - signal conditioning channel;

8 - channel microcontroller;

9 - Doppler frequency synthesizer;

10 - amplitude control device;

11 - matching amplifier;

12 - pulse modulator;

13 - clock generator.

FIG. 3 - Block diagram of multi-channel microwave signal conditioning module.

FIG. 3 presents:

14 - mixer;

15 - power divider.

FIG. 4 - Block diagram of the control and monitoring module.

FIG. 4 are presented:

16 - managing microcontroller;

17 - switching unit;

18 - block conversion of logical levels;

19 - reference voltage source;

20 - microcontroller of communication with manual controls and display system;

21 - volatile memory;

22 is a block of discrete logic and matching elements;

23 - module conversion and matching of voltages;

24 - unit conversion and coordination of voltages.

The main nodes of the spatial radar signal simulator are:

- the formation module of the time delay (1);

- multichannel signal conditioning module (2);

- multichannel microwave frequency shaping module (3);

- control and monitoring module (4);

- display system and manual controls (5);

- power supply system (6).

The module of the formation of the time delay 1 (Fig. 1) provides the necessary delay of the input pulse for each of the signal conditioning channels 7 (the required parameters are generated by the microcontroller of channel 8 independently for each of the signal conditioning channels). Formed independent for each of the channels of signal generation 7 pulses that are shifted in time relative to the input pulse, arrive at the pulse modulator 12.

Multichannel signal conditioning module 2 (Fig. 2), includes at least two signal conditioning channels 7, which are made with Doppler frequency synthesizer 9, with controlled frequency and phase (control is performed by channel 8 microcontroller), and also with pulse modulator 12 - a device that provides pulse modulation of the generated signal. Also, the multi-channel signal conditioning module 2 includes an amplitude control device 10, which is controlled by the microcontroller of channel 8 and a matching amplifier 11.

Multichannel microwave frequency shaping module 3 (Fig. 3) is made of a power divider 15 of the input microwave signal common to all channels of signal generation 7 (the input of which is the reference microwave signal) and mixer 14 whose inputs receive: a signal generated in signal conditioning channel 7 and the output signal from the power divider 15. After that, the combination signal formed in the mixer 14 is fed from the output of the mixer 14 to the microwave output of the simulator, then to the radiating antennas (not shown).

The control and monitoring module 4 (Fig. 4) provides control of the operation of the spatial radar signal simulator. To control the parameters of the generated signals, the control and monitoring module 4 is connected by a digital data bus (not shown) to the microcontrollers of channel 8 in each of the signal conditioning channels 7. The parameters of the generated signals are controlled by information received by the control and monitoring module 4 from the display control manual controls and manual controls 5 or from an external computer, which are also connected to the control and monitoring module 4 via digital data buses.

The display system and controls 5 contains a display system with which the health of the simulator of a spatial radar signal is monitored. The display system consists of LEDs and an LCD display designed to visualize the parameters of the signals generated by the spatial signal simulator. Controls are a set of toggle switches, buttons, and an encoder.

The power supply system 6 is designed to provide electricity to all electronic components included in the spatial radar signal simulator. To protect the power supply circuits from a short circuit, a fuse block is included in the power supply system (not shown in the figure);

Also, the spatial radar signal simulator includes a cable network that provides communication between the elements of a spatial radar signal simulator via digital, analog, radio frequency and power communication channels.

The spatial radar signal simulator provides in each of the signal conditioning channels included in its composition an independent generation of Doppler frequency signals with controlled frequency, phase and amplitude, as well as pulse modulation. Doppler frequency signals are generated from a reference input signal with a frequency F0 (carrier frequency), fed to the input of a spatial radar signal simulator.

The invention works as follows.

The reference signal with the frequency F0 from the test object is fed to the microwave input of the spatial radar signal simulator, which is a multi-channel microwave frequency conversion module 3, FIG. 3, and is divided into coherent microwave signals using a power divider 15.

Each coherent microwave signal is fed to the input of the mixer 14, in which the modulation of the input microwave signal.

The operator in accordance with the simulation scenario sets the necessary parameters of the signal reflected from the simulated target. The control of the spatial radar signal simulator is carried out by the operator from both an external computer, and with the help of manual controls and an LCD display, which is part of the display system.

Management and control of the internal subsystems of the spatial radar signal simulator, as well as communication with an external computer and manual controls together with an LCD display, is carried out using a distributed digital control system. The distributed digital control system is dispersed between the control and monitoring module and the multichannel signal conditioning module and implemented on microcontrollers with special software loaded in them, which provides completely independent generation of signals with a different spectral structure for each of the channels of the spatial radar signal simulator. This is achieved due to the presence of an individual microcontroller in each of the channels of the spatial radar signal simulator, which allows you to control all the parameters of the generated signal in digital form, which means strictly according to the required algorithms.

The signal conditioning channels 7, which are part of the multichannel signal conditioning module, are controlled by the control microcontroller 16, which is part of the control and monitoring module 4. The control microcontroller 16 transfers information with the required signal parameters for each channel 8 microcontroller from the digital signal conditioning channels I2C communication. The control microcontroller 16 can receive information from two sources of information via a digital communication channel: from an external computer (in control mode from an external computer) or from a microcontroller with manual controls and display system 5 (in manual control mode). At the same time information to the control microcontroller 16 can only come from one source of information (determined by the mode of operation of the spatial radar signal simulator). Switching information sources for the controlling microcontroller is carried out using a switching unit 17. Switching unit 17 performs switching and retransmission of control information received from an external computer or microcontroller of communication with a display system and manual controls 20. The switching direction is determined by the mode of the spatial radar signal simulator (set by the operator).

In the control mode from an external computer, the control information generated on the computer and transmitted via the RS-232 digital communication channel is fed to the input of the logic level conversion unit 18, where the RS-232 interface is converted to the UART interface. Thus, in the control mode from an external computer, the control information from the computer is fed to the input of the logic level 18 conversion unit, after which it goes to the switching unit 17, then to the control microcontroller 16.

In the manual control mode, the control information is formed in the microcontroller of communication with manual controls and display system 20 by using the operator of the display system and manual controls 5. The block of discrete logic and matching elements 22 is designed to expand the hardware capabilities of the microcontroller with manual controls and display system 20. The block of discrete logic and matching elements 22 ensures the elimination of chatter of buttons from the composition of the manual controls, expansion of the number of input / output ports of the microcontroller of communication with manual controls and display system 20, the formation of control logic signals. Non-volatile memory 21 provides storage of graphical information intended for display on the LCD display from the display system. The voltage conversion and matching unit 24 protects the microcontroller of communication with the manual controls and the display system 20 against possible surges in the supply voltages when monitoring the supply voltages. An independent reference voltage source 19 is used for proper control of the supply voltages. The voltage conversion and matching module 23 provides for the output of the supply voltages to the control connector and the display system and protection of the control circuits of the power supply against overloads and short circuits.

Thus, in the manual control mode, the control information generated by the microcontroller of communication with the manual controls and display system 20 (the information is generated by using the display system and manual controls 5 by the operator) enters the switching unit 17, then into the control microcontroller 16.

In the signal conditioning channel 7, the microcontroller of channel 8 operates according to the information received from the control and monitoring module 4, controlling the frequency synthesizer 9 and the amplitude control device 10, as well as transmitting information to the time delay generation module 1.

In each channel of signal generation 7, using a frequency synthesizer 9, a monochromatic signal is generated with the required frequency (Doppler shift frequency) and phase. The signal generated by the frequency synthesizer 9 is successively fed to an amplitude control device 10, a matching amplifier 11 and a pulse modulator 12, to the control input of which is connected to a time delay shaping module 1. The output of the pulse modulator is fed to the input of each mixer 14 of the corresponding channel. Formed in the mixer 14, the combining signal is fed from the output of the mixer 14 to the microwave output of the simulator, then to the radiating antenna (not shown in Fig.).

Providing the necessary voltage to the module forming the time delay 1, the multichannel signal conditioning module 2, the control and monitoring module 4, the display system and the manual controls 5 is carried out using the power supply system 6.

The power supply of the simulator of a spatial radar signal is carried out from the AC network with a voltage of 230 V and a frequency of 50 Hz.

Structurally, the radar signal simulator is enclosed in a housing.

Claims (5)

1. Spatial radar signal simulator, characterized in that it contains interconnected multi-channel signal conditioning module, multi-channel microwave frequency conversion module, time delay generation module, control and monitoring module, power supply system, communication lines, display system and manual controls, This multichannel signal conditioning module contains at least two channels of signal generation, and the multichannel microwave frequency conversion module contains a power divider and at least two mixers connected by a communication line, the input of each mixer is connected respectively to the output of each signal conditioning channel, and the control input of each signal conditioning channel is connected respectively to the time delay generation module, while the control and monitoring module contains a control microcontroller and a microcontroller of communication with manual controls and a display system, and each signal conditioning channel included in the multichannel module anija signal channel comprises a microcontroller, wherein the control output of the control microcontroller is coupled to a control input of a microcontroller forming the channel of each channel signal. 2. The spatial radar signal simulator according to claim 1, characterized in that the signal conditioning channel contains serially connected frequency synthesizer, amplitude control device, matching amplifier, pulse modulator, where the control input of the frequency synthesizer and the control input of the amplitude control device are connected to the output of the channel microcontroller , while the control input of the pulse modulator, which is the input of the signal conditioning channel, is connected to the shaping module oh delay, and the output of the pulse modulator is connected to the input of the mixer. 3. The spatial radar signal simulator according to claim 1, characterized in that the multi-channel signal conditioning module contains a clock generator, the output of which is connected to the input of each channel microcontroller. 4. The spatial radar signal simulator according to claim 1, characterized in that the control and monitoring module contains a clock generator, the output of which is connected to the inputs of the control microcontroller and microcontroller of communication with the manual controls and display system. 5. The spatial radar signal simulator according to claim 1, characterized in that the power supply system contains a fuse box.

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