WO2020189457A1 - レーダ装置及び送受信アレーアンテナ - Google Patents

レーダ装置及び送受信アレーアンテナ Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2020189457A1
WO2020189457A1 PCT/JP2020/010659 JP2020010659W WO2020189457A1 WO 2020189457 A1 WO2020189457 A1 WO 2020189457A1 JP 2020010659 W JP2020010659 W JP 2020010659W WO 2020189457 A1 WO2020189457 A1 WO 2020189457A1
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Prior art keywords
antenna
transmitting
transmitting antenna
antennas
axis direction
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Ceased
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PCT/JP2020/010659
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English (en)
French (fr)
Japanese (ja)
Inventor
健太 岩佐
岸上　高明
四方　英邦
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Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co Ltd
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Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co Ltd
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Priority to DE112020001356.1T priority Critical patent/DE112020001356T5/de
Publication of WO2020189457A1 publication Critical patent/WO2020189457A1/ja
Priority to US17/476,098 priority patent/US12146978B2/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Priority to US18/913,542 priority patent/US20250355079A1/en
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
    • G01S7/00—Details of systems according to groups G01S13/00, G01S15/00, G01S17/00
    • G01S7/02—Details of systems according to groups G01S13/00, G01S15/00, G01S17/00 of systems according to group G01S13/00
    • G01S7/28—Details of pulse systems
    • G01S7/282—Transmitters
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q21/00—Antenna arrays or systems
    • H01Q21/06—Arrays of individually energised antenna units similarly polarised and spaced apart
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
    • G01S13/00—Systems using the reflection or reradiation of radio waves, e.g. radar systems; Analogous systems using reflection or reradiation of waves whose nature or wavelength is irrelevant or unspecified
    • G01S13/02—Systems using reflection of radio waves, e.g. primary radar systems; Analogous systems
    • G01S13/06—Systems determining position data of a target
    • G01S13/08—Systems for measuring distance only
    • G01S13/10—Systems for measuring distance only using transmission of interrupted, pulse modulated waves
    • G01S13/26—Systems for measuring distance only using transmission of interrupted, pulse modulated waves wherein the transmitted pulses use a frequency- or phase-modulated carrier wave
    • G01S13/28—Systems for measuring distance only using transmission of interrupted, pulse modulated waves wherein the transmitted pulses use a frequency- or phase-modulated carrier wave with time compression of received pulses
    • G01S13/284—Systems for measuring distance only using transmission of interrupted, pulse modulated waves wherein the transmitted pulses use a frequency- or phase-modulated carrier wave with time compression of received pulses using coded pulses
    • G01S13/286—Systems for measuring distance only using transmission of interrupted, pulse modulated waves wherein the transmitted pulses use a frequency- or phase-modulated carrier wave with time compression of received pulses using coded pulses frequency shift keyed
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
    • G01S13/00—Systems using the reflection or reradiation of radio waves, e.g. radar systems; Analogous systems using reflection or reradiation of waves whose nature or wavelength is irrelevant or unspecified
    • G01S13/02—Systems using reflection of radio waves, e.g. primary radar systems; Analogous systems
    • G01S13/06—Systems determining position data of a target
    • G01S13/08—Systems for measuring distance only
    • G01S13/10—Systems for measuring distance only using transmission of interrupted, pulse modulated waves
    • G01S13/26—Systems for measuring distance only using transmission of interrupted, pulse modulated waves wherein the transmitted pulses use a frequency- or phase-modulated carrier wave
    • G01S13/28—Systems for measuring distance only using transmission of interrupted, pulse modulated waves wherein the transmitted pulses use a frequency- or phase-modulated carrier wave with time compression of received pulses
    • G01S13/284—Systems for measuring distance only using transmission of interrupted, pulse modulated waves wherein the transmitted pulses use a frequency- or phase-modulated carrier wave with time compression of received pulses using coded pulses
    • G01S13/288—Systems for measuring distance only using transmission of interrupted, pulse modulated waves wherein the transmitted pulses use a frequency- or phase-modulated carrier wave with time compression of received pulses using coded pulses phase modulated
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
    • G01S13/00—Systems using the reflection or reradiation of radio waves, e.g. radar systems; Analogous systems using reflection or reradiation of waves whose nature or wavelength is irrelevant or unspecified
    • G01S13/02—Systems using reflection of radio waves, e.g. primary radar systems; Analogous systems
    • G01S13/06—Systems determining position data of a target
    • G01S13/42—Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates
    • G01S13/426—Scanning radar, e.g. 3D radar
    • G01S13/428—Scanning radar, e.g. 3D radar within the pulse scanning systems
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
    • G01S13/00—Systems using the reflection or reradiation of radio waves, e.g. radar systems; Analogous systems using reflection or reradiation of waves whose nature or wavelength is irrelevant or unspecified
    • G01S13/02—Systems using reflection of radio waves, e.g. primary radar systems; Analogous systems
    • G01S13/06—Systems determining position data of a target
    • G01S13/42—Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates
    • G01S13/44—Monopulse radar, i.e. simultaneous lobing
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
    • G01S13/00—Systems using the reflection or reradiation of radio waves, e.g. radar systems; Analogous systems using reflection or reradiation of waves whose nature or wavelength is irrelevant or unspecified
    • G01S13/02—Systems using reflection of radio waves, e.g. primary radar systems; Analogous systems
    • G01S13/50—Systems of measurement based on relative movement of target
    • G01S13/58—Velocity or trajectory determination systems; Sense-of-movement determination systems
    • G01S13/581—Velocity or trajectory determination systems; Sense-of-movement determination systems using transmission of interrupted pulse modulated waves and based upon the Doppler effect resulting from movement of targets
    • G01S13/582—Velocity or trajectory determination systems; Sense-of-movement determination systems using transmission of interrupted pulse modulated waves and based upon the Doppler effect resulting from movement of targets adapted for simultaneous range and velocity measurements
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
    • G01S7/00—Details of systems according to groups G01S13/00, G01S15/00, G01S17/00
    • G01S7/02—Details of systems according to groups G01S13/00, G01S15/00, G01S17/00 of systems according to group G01S13/00
    • G01S7/28—Details of pulse systems
    • G01S7/285—Receivers
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q21/00—Antenna arrays or systems
    • H01Q21/29—Combinations of different interacting antenna units for giving a desired directional characteristic
    • H01Q21/293—Combinations of different interacting antenna units for giving a desired directional characteristic one unit or more being an array of identical aerial elements

Definitions

  • This disclosure relates to a radar device and a transmission / reception array antenna.
  • the transmitting branch is also equipped with multiple antenna elements (array antennas) as a radar device, and beam scanning is performed by signal processing using the transmitting and receiving array antennas (MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) radar).
  • MIMO Multiple Input Multiple Output
  • a virtual reception array antenna (hereinafter referred to as a virtual reception array) equal to the product of the number of transmission antenna elements and the number of reception antenna elements at the maximum is obtained.
  • a virtual reception array equal to the product of the number of transmission antenna elements and the number of reception antenna elements at the maximum.
  • the effective aperture length of the array antenna can be expanded with a small number of elements, and the angular resolution can be improved.
  • the MIMO radar can also be applied to two-dimensional beam scanning in the vertical and horizontal directions (for example, Patent Document 1 and Non-Patent Document 1). reference).
  • the detection performance of the radar device may deteriorate.
  • the non-limiting examples of the present disclosure contribute to the provision of a radar device capable of improving detection performance.
  • the radar device uses a transmitting array antenna to transmit a radar signal, and a receiving array antenna to receive a reflected wave signal reflected by the target.
  • the transmitting array antenna and the receiving array antenna are arranged on a two-dimensional plane by the first axis and the second axis, and the receiving array antenna includes a plurality of receiving antenna trains.
  • Each of the receiving antenna trains includes a first number of antennas, and among the first number of antennas included in each of the receiving antenna trains, adjacent antennas have a first spacing in the first axis direction.
  • the transmitting array antenna is arranged in the second axis direction so as to be isolated between the second, and the transmitting array antenna is arranged in the second axis direction at an interval of the first number of times of the second interval.
  • Each of the transmitting antenna rows includes a plurality of antennas, and the plurality of antennas included in each of the transmitting antenna rows are located at the same position in the second axial direction and in the first axial direction.
  • the antennas included in the transmitting antenna trains that are adjacent to each other in the second axial direction are arranged at different positions in the first axial direction.
  • the detection performance of the radar device can be improved.
  • Block diagram showing a configuration example of the radar device according to the first embodiment Block diagram showing a configuration example of the radar device according to the first embodiment
  • the figure which shows an example of the power distribution when the virtual reception array which concerns on variation 1 of Embodiment 1 is weighted.
  • the figure which shows the comparison of the directivity pattern by the 2D beam which concerns on the variation 1 of Embodiment 1 and the comparative example The figure which shows the antenna arrangement example which concerns on variation 2 of Embodiment 1.
  • the figure which shows the antenna arrangement example which concerns on variation 2 of Embodiment 1. The figure which shows the antenna arrangement example which concerns on variation 2 of Embodiment 1.
  • the figure which shows the antenna arrangement example which concerns on variation 2 of Embodiment 1. The figure which shows the antenna arrangement example which concerns on variation 2 of Embodiment 1.
  • the figure which shows the antenna arrangement example which concerns on variation 3 of Embodiment 1. The figure which shows the antenna arrangement example which concerns on variation 3 of Embodiment 1.
  • the figure which shows the antenna arrangement example which concerns on variation 4 of Embodiment 1. The figure which shows the transmission antenna arrangement example which concerns on variation 5 of Embodiment 1.
  • the figure which shows the antenna arrangement example which concerns on variation 5 of Embodiment 1. The figure which shows the antenna arrangement example which concerns on variation 5 of Embodiment 1.
  • the figure which shows the antenna arrangement example which concerns on variation 5 of Embodiment 1. The figure which shows the antenna arrangement example which concerns on variation 5 of Embodiment 1.
  • the figure which shows the antenna arrangement example which concerns on variation 6 of Embodiment 1. The figure which shows the antenna arrangement example which concerns on variation 6 of Embodiment 1.
  • Block diagram showing a configuration example of a radar device according to a third embodiment Block diagram showing a configuration example of a radar device according to a fourth embodiment The figure which shows an example of the transmission signal and the reflected wave signal when a chirp pulse is
  • a pulse radar device that repeatedly transmits a pulse wave.
  • the received signal of the wide-angle pulse radar device that detects a vehicle / pedestrian in a wider range is a plurality of reflections from a target (for example, a vehicle) existing at a short distance and a target (for example, a pedestrian) existing at a long distance. It tends to be a mixed signal of waves. Therefore, (1) the radar transmitter is required to transmit a pulse wave or a pulse-modulated wave having an autocorrelation characteristic (hereinafter referred to as a low-range sidelobe characteristic) having a low range sidelobe, and (2).
  • the radar receiver is required to have a configuration having a wide reception dynamic range.
  • the first is to scan a pulse wave or modulated wave mechanically or electronically using a directional beam with a narrow angle (for example, a beam width of about several degrees) to transmit a radar wave, and directional the narrow angle. It is configured to receive reflected waves using a sex beam. In this configuration, many scans are performed in order to obtain high resolution, so that, for example, the followability to a target moving at a higher speed tends to deteriorate.
  • a narrow angle for example, a beam width of about several degrees
  • the second method is to receive the reflected wave by an array antenna composed of multiple antennas (antenna elements) and estimate the arrival angle of the reflected wave by a signal processing algorithm based on the received phase difference with respect to the element spacing (antenna spacing).
  • DOE Direction of Arrival
  • the arrival direction estimation method includes Fourier transform based on matrix operation, Capon method and LP (Linear Prediction) method based on inverse matrix operation, or MUSIC (Multiple Signal Classification) and ESPRIT (Estimation of Signal Parameters) based on eigenvalue operation. viaRotativeInvarianceTechniques).
  • MIMO radar transmits multiplexed signals using time division, frequency division, or code division from a plurality of transmitting antennas, receives signals reflected by peripheral objects by a plurality of receiving antennas, and receives signals from each of the received signals. , The multiplexed transmission signal is separated and received.
  • the configuration of the antenna element in the MIMO radar is a configuration using one antenna element (hereinafter referred to as a single antenna) and a configuration in which a plurality of antenna elements (or a sub-array element) are used to form a sub-array (hereinafter referred to as a sub-array). It is roughly divided into).
  • the characteristics have a wider directivity than when a sub array is used, but the antenna gain is relatively low. Therefore, in order to improve the received SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio) for the radar reflected wave, more addition processing is performed in the received signal processing, or the radar reflected wave is received by using more antenna elements. ..
  • SNR Signal to Noise Ratio
  • the physical size of the antenna is larger than when the single antenna is used, and the antenna gain in the main beam direction can be improved.
  • the physical size of the sub-array is equal to or larger than the wavelength at the radio frequency (carrier frequency) of the transmission signal.
  • the MIMO radar can be applied not only to one-dimensional scanning (angle measurement) in the vertical or horizontal direction but also to two-dimensional beam scanning in the vertical and horizontal directions.
  • a MIMO radar that can scan a long-range two-dimensional beam mounted on a vehicle has a high resolution in the horizontal direction equivalent to that of a MIMO radar that scans a beam in one dimension in the horizontal direction, and also estimates a vertical angle.
  • Ability is required.
  • each of the transmitting antenna element and the receiving antenna element when the antenna elements are arranged at equal intervals in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction at about half a wavelength, the antenna elements are adjacent to each other, so that the antenna elements are sub-arrayed due to physical restrictions. It is difficult to increase the antenna gain. In other words, when a sub-array is used for the transmitting antenna element or the receiving antenna element, it is difficult to arrange the antenna elements at intervals narrower than the size of the sub-array (for example, one wavelength or more).
  • the radar device increases the probability of erroneously detecting (false detection) a false peak caused by the grating lobe as a target (target) within the detection angle range, and the detection performance of the radar device deteriorates. ..
  • the probability of false positives is reduced and a desired directivity pattern can be realized by increasing the opening length of the virtual reception array and suppressing the occurrence of unnecessary grating lobes.
  • at least one of the transmitting antenna element and the receiving antenna element is configured by using a sub-array, and the directivity gain of the antenna element can be improved.
  • a configuration example of a radar device will be described before the arrangement of a plurality of transmitting antennas (for example, transmitting sub-array) and a plurality of receiving antennas (for example, receiving sub-array).
  • a plurality of transmission antennas are switched by time division to transmit different time-division-multiplexed radar transmission signals, and in the reception branch, each transmission signal is separated and received.
  • the configuration of is described.
  • the configuration of the radar device is not limited to this, and in the transmission branch, different transmission signals frequency-division-multiplexed are transmitted from a plurality of transmission antennas, and in the reception branch, each transmission signal is separated and received. It may be configured.
  • the radar device may be configured to transmit code-division multiple access transmission signals from a plurality of transmission antennas at the transmission branch and perform reception processing at the reception branch.
  • FIG. 1A is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the radar device 10 according to the present embodiment.
  • the radar device 10 has, for example, a radar transmission unit (transmission branch) 100, a radar reception unit (reception branch) 200, and a reference signal generation unit 300.
  • the radar transmission unit 100 generates a high frequency (radio frequency: Radio Frequency) radar signal (radar transmission signal) based on the reference signal output from the reference signal generation unit 300. Then, the radar transmission unit 100 uses a transmission array antenna composed of a plurality of transmission antennas 108-1 to 108-Nt (see, for example, FIG. 1B described later) to transmit a radar transmission signal at a predetermined transmission cycle. Send.
  • radio frequency Radio Frequency
  • the radar receiving unit 200 includes a plurality of receiving antennas 202-1 to 202-Na (see, for example, FIG. 1B described later) for the reflected wave signal in which the radar transmitting signal is reflected on a target (target, not shown). Receive using the reception array antenna.
  • the radar receiving unit 200 performs the following processing operation using the reference signal output from the reference signal generating unit 300 to perform processing synchronized with the radar transmitting unit 100. Further, the radar receiving unit 200 processes the reflected wave signal received by each receiving antenna 202, for example, detects the presence or absence of a target or estimates the arrival direction of the reflected wave signal.
  • the target is an object to be detected by the radar device 10, and includes, for example, a vehicle (including four wheels and two wheels), a person, a block, a curb, and the like.
  • the reference signal generation unit 300 is connected to each of the radar transmission unit 100 and the radar reception unit 200.
  • the reference signal generation unit 300 supplies a reference signal as a reference signal to the radar transmission unit 100 and the radar reception unit 200, and synchronizes the processing of the radar transmission unit 100 and the radar reception unit 200.
  • FIG. 1B is a block diagram showing a more detailed configuration example of the radar device 10 shown in FIG. 1A. Details of each component will be described with reference to FIG. 1B.
  • the radar transmission unit 100 includes a radar transmission signal generation unit 101, a switching control unit 105, a transmission switching unit 106, a transmission radio unit 107-1 to 107-Nt, and a transmission antenna 108-1 to 108-Nt.
  • a radar transmission signal generation unit 101 a radar transmission signal generation unit 101
  • a switching control unit 105 a transmission switching unit 106
  • a transmission radio unit 107-1 to 107-Nt a transmission radio unit 107-1 to 107-Nt
  • a transmission antenna 108-1 to 108-Nt have. That is, the radar transmission unit 100 has Nt transmission antennas 108, and each transmission antenna 108 is connected to an individual transmission radio unit 107.
  • the radar transmission signal generation unit 101 generates a timing clock obtained by multiplying the reference signal output from the reference signal generation unit 300 by a predetermined number of times, and generates a radar transmission signal based on the generated timing clock. Then, the radar transmission signal generation unit 101 repeatedly outputs the radar transmission signal in a predetermined radar transmission cycle (Tr).
  • j represents the imaginary unit
  • k represents the discrete time
  • M represents the ordinal number of the radar transmission cycle.
  • I (k, M) and Q (k, M) are in-phase components (In-Phase components) and orthogonal components of the radar transmission signal (kM) at the discrete time k in the Mth radar transmission cycle. Represents (Quadrature component) respectively.
  • the radar transmission signal generation unit 101 includes a code generation unit 102, a modulation unit 103, and an LPF (Low Pass Filter) 104.
  • LPF Low Pass Filter
  • the code is generated by the code generating unit 102 a n (M), for example, code that low range side lobe characteristics can be obtained is used.
  • Examples of the code sequence include a Barker code, an M-sequence code, a Gold code, and the like.
  • Pulse Shift Keying pulse code sequence output from the code generator 102 (e.g., code a n (M)) pulse modulation on (e.g., amplitude modulation, ASK (Amplitude Shift Keying), pulse shift keying) or phase Modulation (Phase Shift Keying) is performed, and the modulated signal is output to the LPF104.
  • code generator 102 e.g., code a n (M)
  • pulse modulation on e.g., amplitude modulation, ASK (Amplitude Shift Keying), pulse shift keying) or phase Modulation (Phase Shift Keying
  • the LPF 104 outputs a signal component below a predetermined limiting band among the modulated signals output from the modulation unit 103 to the transmission switching unit 106 as a baseband radar transmission signal.
  • FIG. 2 shows an example of a radar transmission signal generated by the radar transmission signal generation unit 101.
  • a pulse code sequence having a code length L is included between the code transmission sections Tw.
  • a pulse code sequence is transmitted during the code transmission section Tw, and the remaining section (Tr-Tw) is a non-signal section.
  • One code contains L subpulses.
  • Nu samples are included in the no-signal section (Tr-Tw) in the radar transmission cycle Tr.
  • the switching control unit 105 controls the transmission switching unit 106 in the radar transmitting unit 100 and the output switching unit 211 in the radar receiving unit 200.
  • the control operation of the radar receiving unit 200 with respect to the output switching unit 211 in the switching control unit 105 will be described later in the description of the operation of the radar receiving unit 200.
  • the control operation of the radar transmission unit 100 with respect to the transmission switching unit 106 in the switching control unit 105 will be described.
  • the switching control unit 105 outputs a control signal (hereinafter, referred to as “switching control signal”) for switching the transmission antenna 108 (in other words, the transmission radio unit 107) to the transmission switching unit 106 for each radar transmission cycle Tr. ..
  • the transmission switching unit 106 performs a switching operation of outputting the radar transmission signal output from the radar transmission signal generation unit 101 to the transmission radio unit 107 instructed by the switching control signal output from the switching control unit 105. For example, the transmission switching unit 106 selects and switches one of a plurality of transmission radio units 107-1 to 107-Nt based on the switching control signal, and outputs a radar transmission signal to the selected transmission radio unit 107. To do.
  • carrier frequency Radio Frequency: RF
  • FIG. 3 shows an example of the switching operation of the transmitting antenna 108 according to the present embodiment.
  • the switching operation of the transmitting antenna 108 according to the present embodiment is not limited to the example shown in FIG.
  • the switching control unit 105 transmits the first transmitting antenna 108 (or transmitting radio unit 107-1) to the Nt transmitting antenna 108 (or transmitting radio unit 107-Nt) for each radar transmission cycle Tr.
  • the switching control unit 105 controls to repeat the switching operation of the transmission radio unit 107 in the antenna switching cycle Np Nc times.
  • each transmission radio unit 107 may be provided with different transmission delays ⁇ 1, ⁇ 2, ..., ⁇ Nt at the transmission start time to start the transmission of the radar transmission signal.
  • the Doppler frequency is introduced by introducing a transmission phase correction coefficient in consideration of transmission delays ⁇ 1, ⁇ 2,..., ⁇ Nt in the processing of the radar receiver 200 described later. It is possible to suppress the influence of different phase rotations in the received signal.
  • the radar transmission unit 100 may include the radar transmission signal generation unit 101a shown in FIG. 4 instead of the radar transmission signal generation unit 101.
  • the radar transmission signal generation unit 101a does not have the code generation unit 102, the modulation unit 103, and the LPF 104 shown in FIG. 1B, but instead includes the code storage unit 111 and the DA conversion unit 112.
  • the code storage unit 111 stores in advance the code sequence generated by the code generation unit 102 (FIG. 1B), and sequentially reads out the stored code sequence in a cyclic manner.
  • the DA conversion unit 112 converts the code sequence (digital signal) output from the code storage unit 111 into an analog signal (baseband signal).
  • the radar receiving unit 200 includes Na receiving antennas 202 to form an array antenna.
  • the radar receiving unit 200 includes Na antenna system processing units 211-1 to 201-Na, a CFAR (Constant False Alarm Rate) unit 213, and a direction estimation unit 214.
  • Each receiving antenna 202 receives a reflected wave signal which is a radar transmission signal reflected on a target, and outputs the received reflected wave signal to the corresponding antenna system processing unit 201 as a receiving signal.
  • Each antenna system processing unit 201 has a receiving radio unit 203 and a signal processing unit 207.
  • the receiving radio unit 203 includes an amplifier 204, a frequency converter 205, and an orthogonal detector 206.
  • the receiving radio unit 203 generates a timing clock obtained by multiplying the reference signal output from the reference signal generation unit 300 by a predetermined number, and operates based on the generated timing clock.
  • the amplifier 204 amplifies the received signal output from the receiving antenna 202 to a predetermined level
  • the frequency converter 205 frequency-converts the received signal in the high frequency band into the base band band
  • the orthogonal detector 206 frequency-converts the received signal.
  • the orthogonal detection converts the received signal in the base band band into the received signal in the base band band including the I signal and the Q signal.
  • the I signal is input from the orthogonal detector 206 to the AD conversion unit 208, and the Q signal is input from the orthogonal detector 206 to the AD conversion unit 209.
  • the AD conversion unit 208 converts the I signal into digital data by sampling the baseband signal including the I signal at discrete times.
  • the AD conversion unit 209 converts the Q signal into digital data by sampling the baseband signal including the Q signal at discrete times.
  • the Mth radar transmission cycle Tr [M] as the output of the AD converters 208 and 209 is used by using the I signal I z (k, M) and the Q signal Q z (k, M).
  • j is an imaginary unit.
  • correlation calculation section 210 performs a discrete sample values x z (k, M), a sliding correlation operation between a pulse code a n (M).
  • the correlation calculation value AC z (k, M) of the sliding correlation calculation at the discrete time k in the Mth radar transmission cycle Tr [M] is calculated based on the following equation.
  • the range ie, the range of k
  • the radar device 10 does not perform processing by the correlation calculation unit 210 during the period when the radar transmission signal wraps around (at least a period of less than ⁇ 1). Therefore, it is possible to perform measurement without the influence of wraparound.
  • the measurement range (range of k) is limited, the measurement range (k range) is similarly processed for the processes of the output switching unit 211, the Doppler analysis unit 212, the CFAR unit 213, and the direction estimation unit 214 described below. A process that limits the range) may be applied. As a result, the amount of processing in each component can be reduced, and the power consumption in the radar receiving unit 200 can be reduced.
  • the output switching unit 211 selectively selects the output of the correlation calculation unit 210 for each radar transmission cycle Tr as one of the Nt Doppler analysis units 212 based on the switching control signal input from the switching control unit 105. Switch to and output.
  • the switching control signal in the Mth radar transmission cycle Tr [M] is represented by Nt bit information [bit1 (M), bit2 (M),..., bitNt (M)].
  • the output switching unit 211 sets the ND
  • the second Doppler analysis unit 212 is selected (in other words, ON).
  • the output switching unit 211 does not select (in other words, the NDth Doppler analysis unit 212). OFF).
  • the output switching unit 211 outputs the correlation calculation value ACz (k, M) input from the correlation calculation unit 210 to the selected Doppler analysis unit 212.
  • Nt bit switching control signal corresponding to the switching operation of the transmitting radio unit 107 (or transmitting antenna 108) shown in FIG. 3 is shown below.
  • [bit1 (1), bit2 (1),..., bitNt (1)] [1, 0,..., 0]
  • [bit1 (2), bit2 (2),..., bitNt (2)] [0, 1,..., 0]
  • [bit1 (Nt), bit2 (Nt),..., bitNt (Nt)] [0, 0,..., 1]
  • Np Nt ⁇ Tr
  • the switching control signal repeats the above contents Nc times.
  • the Doppler analysis unit 212 performs Doppler analysis on the output from the output switching unit 211 (for example, the correlation calculation value AC z (k, M)) every discrete time k. For example, when Nc is a power value of 2, Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) processing can be applied in Doppler analysis.
  • FFT Fast Fourier Transform
  • the Doppler analysis unit 212 may multiply the window function coefficient of, for example, a Han window or a Hamming window. By using the window function coefficient, the side lobes generated around the beat frequency peak can be suppressed.
  • the CFAR unit 213 performs CFAR processing (in other words, adaptive threshold value determination) using the output from the Doppler analysis unit 212, extracts the discrete time index k_cfar and the Doppler frequency index fs_cfar that give peak signals, and then extracts Output to the direction estimation unit 214.
  • CFAR processing in other words, adaptive threshold value determination
  • the radar device 10 may perform the direction estimation process in the direction estimation unit 214 without performing the CFAR process. That is, the radar receiving unit 200 may be configured by omitting the CFAR unit 213.
  • the direction estimation unit 214 performs a target direction estimation process using the output from each Doppler analysis unit 212 based on the information output from the CFAR unit 213 (for example, the time index k_cfar and the Doppler frequency index fs_cfar). ..
  • the direction estimation unit 214 generates a virtual reception array correlation vector h (k, fs, w) as shown in the equation (3), and performs the direction estimation process.
  • the following is a summary of the w-th outputs from the Doppler analysis units 212-1 to 212-Nt obtained by performing the same processing in each signal processing unit 207 of the antenna system processing units 211-1 to 201-Na.
  • the virtual reception array correlation vector h (k, fs, w) is used in the process of estimating the direction of the reflected wave signal from the target based on the phase difference between the reception antennas 202.
  • the virtual reception array correlation vector h (k, fs, w) becomes h (k_cfar, fs_cfar, w) using the index of the peak signal extracted by CFAR processing.
  • the virtual reception array correlation vector h (k_cfar, fs_cfar, w) is a column vector containing Na ⁇ Nt elements.
  • TxCAL (1) (fs), ..., TxCAL (Nt) (fs) corrects the phase rotation and transmits phase correction to match the phase of the reference transmitting antenna. It is a coefficient.
  • the transmission phase correction coefficient is as follows. It is represented by.
  • transmission phase correction coefficient TxCAL shown in Equation (5) (ND) (fs ) May be multiplied by the correction coefficient ⁇ TxCAL (ND) (f) of the equation (6) to obtain a new transmission phase correction coefficient TxCAL (ND) (fs).
  • the ND of ⁇ TxCAL (ND) (fs) is the reference transmitting antenna number used as the phase reference.
  • the virtual reception array correlation vector h _after_cal (k, f s , w) corrected for the deviation between antennas is a column vector consisting of Na ⁇ Nt elements.
  • each element of the virtual reception array correlation vector h _after_cal (k, f s , w) is expressed as h 1 (k, fs, w),..., h Na ⁇ Nt (k, fs, w). It is used to explain the direction estimation process.
  • the direction estimation unit 214 uses the virtual reception array correlation vector h _after_cal (k, f s , w) to perform direction estimation processing based on the phase difference of the reflected wave signals between the reception antennas 202.
  • Direction estimation unit 214 for example, the direction estimation evaluation function value P H ( ⁇ , k, fs , w) and calculating the spatial profile of the azimuth theta made variable within a predetermined angular range in, maximum peak of the calculated spatial profile Are extracted in descending order, and the azimuth direction of the maximum peak is used as the estimated value of the arrival direction.
  • the evaluation function value P H ( ⁇ , k, fs , w) are those of various by arrival direction estimation algorithm.
  • an estimation method using an array antenna disclosed in Non-Patent Document 2 may be used.
  • the beamformer method can be expressed as equations (8) and (9).
  • Other methods such as Capon and MUSIC are also applicable.
  • ⁇ u indicates the direction vector of the virtual reception array with respect to the incoming wave in the azimuth direction ⁇ u .
  • ⁇ u is obtained by changing the azimuth range in which the arrival direction is estimated by a predetermined azimuth interval ⁇ 1 .
  • floor (x) is a function that returns the maximum integer value that does not exceed the real number x.
  • the position vector of the target (target) P T those relative to the origin O is defined as r PT.
  • the projection point obtained by projecting the position vector r PT of the target P T on the XZ plane is P T '.
  • the azimuth ⁇ is defined as the angle between the straight line OP T'and the Z axis ( ⁇ > 0 if the X coordinate of the target P T is positive).
  • the elevation angle ⁇ is the target P T, 'in a plane containing, target P T, the origin O and the projected point P T' origin O and the projection point P T angle and being defined (object of a line connecting the If the Y coordinate of the mark P T is positive, ⁇ > 0).
  • n va 1,..., Nt ⁇ Na.
  • the position vectors S 2 , ..., Sn va of the other antenna elements in the virtual reception array are the elements of the transmitting antenna 109 and the receiving antenna 202 existing in the XY plane with reference to the position vector S 1 of the first antenna element. It is determined while maintaining the relative arrangement of the virtual receive array determined from the interval.
  • the origin O may be aligned with the physical position of the first receiving antenna 202.
  • the second antenna element is based on the received signal at the first antenna element of the virtual reception array.
  • the phase difference d (r PT , 2,1) of the received signal is expressed by Eq. (10).
  • ⁇ x, y> is an inner product operator of the vector x and the vector y.
  • the position vector of the second antenna element based on the position vector of the first antenna element of the virtual reception array is expressed by the equation (11) as the inter-element vector D (2,1).
  • n va (r) 1, ..., Nt ⁇ Na
  • n va (t) 1,..., Nt ⁇ Na
  • the position vector of the n va (t) th antenna element based on the position vector of the n va (r) th antenna element of the virtual reception array is used as the inter-element vector D (n va (t) , It is expressed by equation (13) as n va (r) ).
  • reception at the n va (t) th antenna element based on the received signal at the n va (r) th antenna element of the virtual reception array.
  • the signal phase difference d (r PT , n va (t) , n va (r) ) is the unit vector (r PT /
  • the direction estimation unit 214 uses all or a part of such inter-element vectors to form a virtual surface-arranged array antenna on the assumption that the antenna element virtually exists at the position indicated by the inter-element vector, and is in two dimensions. Performs direction estimation processing. That is, the direction estimation unit 214 performs the arrival direction estimation process using a plurality of virtual antenna elements interpolated by the antenna elements constituting the virtual reception array.
  • the direction estimation unit 214 may select one of the overlapping antenna elements in a fixed manner in advance. Alternatively, the direction estimation unit 214 may perform addition averaging processing using the received signals of all the overlapping virtual antenna elements.
  • nqth element-to-element vector constituting the virtual plane-arranged array antenna is expressed as D (n va (nq) (t) , n va (nq) (r) ).
  • n q 1, ..., N q .
  • the direction estimation unit 214 uses h 1 (k, fs, w),..., h Na ⁇ N (k, fs, w), which are elements of the virtual reception array correlation vector h _after_cal (k, fs, w). Is used to generate the virtual surface arrangement array antenna correlation vector h VA (k, fs, w) shown in Eq. (14).
  • the virtual plane arrangement array direction vector a VA ( ⁇ u, ⁇ v) is shown in Eq. (15).
  • the direction estimation unit 214 calculates a unit vector (r PT /
  • the direction estimation unit 214 uses the virtual surface arrangement array antenna correlation vector h VA (k, fs, w) and the virtual surface arrangement array direction vector a VA ( ⁇ u, ⁇ v) in the horizontal and vertical directions. Performs two-dimensional direction estimation processing.
  • the direction estimation unit 214 uses the virtual surface arrangement array antenna correlation vector h VA (k, fs, w) and the virtual surface arrangement array direction vector a VA ( ⁇ u, ⁇ v). Is used to calculate the two-dimensional spatial profile in the vertical and horizontal directions using the two-dimensional direction estimation evaluation function represented by the equation (17).
  • the direction estimation unit 214 sets the azimuth angle and the elevation angle direction, which are the maximum or maximum values of the calculated two-dimensional space profile, as the arrival direction estimation values.
  • the direction estimation unit 214 uses the virtual surface arrangement array antenna correlation vector h VA (k, fs, w) and the virtual surface arrangement array direction vector a VA ( ⁇ u, ⁇ v) to Capon.
  • a high resolution arrival direction estimation algorithm such as the method or the MUSIC method may be applied. As a result, the amount of calculation is increased, but the angular resolution can be improved.
  • the direction estimation unit 214 has described the case where the estimation process is performed in the two-dimensional direction as shown in the three-dimensional coordinate system of FIG. 6, but the estimation is not limited to this, and the estimation is performed in the one-dimensional direction corresponding to the two-dimensional coordinate system. It can also be applied when performing processing.
  • the direction estimation process of the MIMO radar using a plurality of antennas in the radar transmitting unit 100 and the radar receiving unit 200 has been described here, either one of the radar transmitting unit 100 and the radar receiving unit 200 has a plurality of antennas. The case is also applicable.
  • the time information k described above may be converted into distance information and output. Equation (18) may be used when converting the time information k into the distance information R (k).
  • Tw represents the code transmission section
  • L represents the pulse code length
  • C 0 represents the speed of light.
  • the Doppler frequency information may be converted into a relative velocity component and output. Equation (19) may be used when converting the Doppler frequency fs ⁇ into the relative velocity component v d (fs).
  • ⁇ is the wavelength of the carrier frequency of the RF signal.
  • FIG. 7A and 7B are diagrams showing an arrangement example of the transmitting antenna 108 and the receiving antenna 202 according to the present embodiment.
  • the transmitting antenna 108 and the receiving antenna 202 are located at positions that are an integral multiple of the basic spacing d H along the first axis and an integral multiple of the basic spacing d V along the second axis. Be placed.
  • the transmitting antenna 108 for example, the transmitting array antenna
  • the receiving antenna 202 for example, the receiving array antenna
  • the transmitting antenna 108 and the receiving antenna 202 are arranged on a two-dimensional plane with the first axis and the second axis.
  • the arrangement of the transmitting antenna 108 (transmission array arrangement) and the arrangement of the receiving antenna 202 (reception array arrangement) may be reversed from the arrangement shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B.
  • the arrangement of the transmitting antenna 108 may be the arrangement of the receiving antenna 202 shown in FIG. 7B
  • the arrangement of the receiving antenna 202 may be the arrangement of the transmitting antenna 108 shown in FIG. 7A. The same applies to other embodiments and variations described later.
  • the transmitting array antenna has a plurality of “transmitting antenna rows” having a plurality of antennas arranged at the same position in the second axis direction and at different positions in the first axis direction. I have one.
  • a plurality of transmitting antenna trains are arranged in rows of p t ( pt ⁇ 2) at intervals of n s ⁇ d V in the second axis direction.
  • the coordinates of the first transmitting antenna row in the second axis direction are y t0
  • the transmitting antenna rows for example, the first transmitting antenna row and the second transmitting antenna row which are two consecutively arranged antenna rows
  • the antennas are arranged so as to be offset in the first axis direction.
  • the antennas included in the transmitting antenna trains adjacent to each other in the second axis direction include one or more antennas arranged at different positions in the first axis direction (in other words, at least one antenna in the first axis direction). Antenna placement positions do not overlap).
  • the receiving antenna 202 shown in FIG. 7B there is a “reception antenna array” including n s antennas arranged at basic intervals d H in the first axis direction and at basic intervals d V in the second axis direction.
  • P r (p r ⁇ 2) are repeatedly arranged in the first axis direction.
  • adjacent antennas are arranged with a basic spacing of d H in the first axis direction and a basic spacing of d V in the second axis direction.
  • the receiving antenna 202 shown in FIG. 7B is arranged in a serrated manner.
  • the antenna 1 system of the transmitting antenna 108 and the receiving antenna 202 has the points (white circles, shaded circles) shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B as the phase centers, and the first axis direction (for example, the horizontal direction) and the second axis.
  • the aperture length can be widened in the direction (for example, the vertical direction) to narrow the beam width in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction, and the antenna gain can be improved.
  • one antenna system may be configured by using a sub-array antenna. Further, the side lobe may be suppressed by applying an array weight to the sub-array antenna.
  • FIG. 8 shows an example of a sub array antenna.
  • the distance between the sub array antenna elements in the sub array antenna is set to about half a wavelength ( ⁇ / 2).
  • one antenna system is composed of (a) one element in the first axis direction and four elements in the second axis direction, (b) one element in the first axis direction.
  • it is composed of 6 sub-array antenna elements in the 2nd axis direction, (c) a case where it is composed of 1 element in the 1st axis direction and 8 elements in the 2nd axis direction is shown.
  • the configuration of the sub-array antenna is not limited to the configuration shown in FIG.
  • One antenna system may be configured with a size whose aperture length is expanded so as not to physically interfere with adjacent antenna elements. As a result, the antenna gain can be increased.
  • One antenna system of the transmitting antenna 108 and the receiving antenna 202 may be configured by, for example, a sub-array antenna so as to form a beam pattern suitable for the viewing angle of the radar device 10.
  • a sub-array antenna so as to form a beam pattern suitable for the viewing angle of the radar device 10.
  • FOV field of view
  • the beam pattern of one antenna system of the transmitting antenna 108 and the receiving antenna 202 is wider in the horizontal direction and is vertical.
  • the angle may be narrower in the direction.
  • the antenna configuration shown in (c) has the narrowest angle, and a sub-array antenna configuration arranged in the vertical direction (in other words, the second axis direction) may be applied.
  • ⁇ Variation 1> 9A and 9B show an example of antenna arrangement according to variation 1.
  • n s of antennas included in the first transmitting antenna row and the third transmitting antenna row are arranged for every d H in the first axis direction. Further, in FIG. 9A, the coordinates in the first axial direction between the antenna included in the first transmitting antenna train and the antenna included in the third transmitting antenna are the same.
  • the n s antennas included in the second transmitting antenna train are arranged at intervals of (n s + 1) d H in the first axis direction.
  • the antennas included in the second transmitting antenna train are arranged in the first axis direction in two regions divided by (n s + 1) times the basic spacing d H. ..
  • floor (n s / 2) antennas are arranged every d H
  • Antennas are arranged every d H.
  • the function floor (x) indicates a floor function that returns the maximum integer value that does not exceed x
  • the function ceil (x) indicates a ceiling function that returns the smallest integer value greater than or equal to x. Shown.
  • the antennas included in the two transmitting antenna trains that are not adjacent to each other in the second axial direction among the three transmitting antenna rows are arranged at intervals d H in the first axial direction.
  • the number of antennas arranged in one of the two divided regions and the other of the two regions in the second transmitting antenna train are arranged in two regions divided at a double interval.
  • the number of antennas arranged in is almost the same as the number of antennas arranged in one of the two divided regions (for example, floor (n s / 2)) in the second transmitting antenna train.
  • the number of antennas arranged on the other of the two regions for example, ceil (n s / 2) pieces) whether are the same, or the difference is 1.
  • the transmitting antenna train is divided and arranged in the first axis direction at intervals of (n s + 1) times the basic interval d H by the number of antennas that are close to symmetry.
  • the second transmission antenna array is a position that does not overlap in n s pieces of first transmitting antenna array and the third transmission antenna array and a first axial direction (in other words, different positions) Placed in.
  • the receiving antenna array number is p r pieces. Therefore, the total number of receiving antennas 202 shown in FIG. 9B is p r n s .
  • adjacent antennas are arranged at d H intervals in the first axis direction and at d H intervals in the second axis direction.
  • FIGS. 9A and 9B an example of the antenna arrangement shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B and an example of the arrangement of the virtual reception array composed of the transmitting antenna 108 and the receiving antenna 202 will be described.
  • FIG. 10A is the minimum configuration in the antenna arrangement of variation 1.
  • FIG. 10B is an example in which the receiving antenna 202 (receiving antenna row) is extended in the first axis direction from the minimum configuration of FIG. 10A.
  • the value of n s is an odd number
  • the second transmitting antenna sequence includes an area in which an odd number (1) antenna is arranged and an area in which an even number (2) antennas are arranged.
  • An example of being divided and arranged in is shown.
  • the second transmitting antenna array is symmetrically arranged by dividing the same number of antennas.
  • FIG. 10D is an example in which the number of antennas included in the receiving antenna array is increased from the minimum configuration of FIG. 10A.
  • n s and p r are not limited to the examples of FIGS. 10A to 10D, and other values may be used.
  • n s antennas are densely arranged at d H intervals in the first axis direction, and p r antennas are arranged.
  • the receiving antenna trains of are arranged at intervals of n s ⁇ d H in the first axis direction.
  • the virtual antenna elements can be densely arranged at d H intervals in the first axis direction in the virtual reception array arrangement.
  • each transmit antenna array is the second axis direction are arranged in n s ⁇ d V interval, n s number of antennas included in each receiving antenna row, second axial Are placed at DV intervals.
  • the virtual reception array arrangement allows dense arrangement of virtual antenna elements at d V intervals in a second axial direction.
  • each antenna system of the first transmitting antenna row and the third transmitting antenna row has an aperture length of d H or less in the first axis direction and an aperture length of 2 n s ⁇ d v or less in the second axis direction. It is configurable.
  • the second antenna row of the transmitting antenna 108 is arranged at a position different from that of the other transmitting antenna rows in the first axis direction.
  • other antennas for example, the first transmitting antenna row and the third transmitting antenna row
  • each antenna system of the second antenna row of the transmitting antenna 108 can be configured with an aperture length of d H or less in the first axis direction and an arbitrary size in the second axis direction.
  • each antenna system of the receiving antenna array can be configured with an aperture length of d H or less in the first axis direction and an arbitrary size in the second axis direction.
  • one antenna system may be configured by using a sub array antenna, or an array weight may be applied to the sub array antenna to suppress side lobes.
  • FIG. 11A shows a sub-array antenna (in other words, the white circles and shaded circles in each figure) as the phase center of one antenna system in the antenna arrangement example of the transmitting antenna 108 and the receiving antenna 202 shown in FIG. 10B.
  • a configuration example using the configuration shown in FIG. 8A is shown.
  • the transmitting antennas 108 can be arranged in a size that does not physically interfere with each other.
  • Tx1, Tx2, Tx5 and Tx6 is, d H below the first axis direction, may be configured in a second axial direction to a size less than 4d V.
  • Tx3 and Tx4 are configured to have the same size as other antennas (Tx1, Tx2, Tx5 and Tx6), but the size is not limited to this, and any size (for example, for example) in the second axis direction is used. it may be composed of a 5d V or more of the size).
  • the receiving antenna 202 is configured to have the same size (for example, 4d V ) as Tx1, Tx2, Tx5, and Tx6, but is not limited to this, and is configured to have a size that does not physically interfere with each other. May be good.
  • a non-feeding element may be further arranged with respect to the antenna arrangement of the transmitting antenna 108 and the receiving antenna 202 shown in FIG. 11A.
  • the non-feeding element may be arranged, for example, at the position shown in FIG. 11B, and is not limited to this, and may be arranged at a position and size that do not physically interfere with each antenna.
  • FIGS. 12A and 12B are examples of directivity patterns formed by the beamformer method using the two-dimensional virtual reception array extending in the first axis direction and the second axis direction shown in FIG. 10B. Shown. 12A and 12B are examples of directivity patterns in the 0 degree (zenith) direction in the first axis direction and the second axis direction, and are equivalent to the case where the incoming wave arrives from the zenith direction.
  • FIG. 12A shows a two-dimensional directivity pattern in the first axis (eg, Azimuth) direction and the second axis (eg, Elevation) direction.
  • FIG. 12B shows a degenerate directivity pattern in each of the first axis and the second axis.
  • the radar device 10 may form a beam by weighting the signal received in the virtual reception array.
  • FIG. 13 shows an example in which the reception signal of the virtual reception array corresponding to the antenna arrangement example of the transmitting antenna 108 and the receiving antenna 202 shown in FIG. 10B is weighted according to the Taylor window to form a directivity pattern by the beamformer method. Is shown.
  • FIG. 13B shows a two-dimensional directivity pattern of the first axis (for example, Azimuth) and the second axis (for example, Elevation) when the configuration shown in FIG. 13A is used.
  • FIG. 13C shows a degenerate directivity pattern in each of the first axis and the second axis.
  • the side lobe level can be reduced although the main lobe width is larger than that of, for example, FIGS. 12A and 12B. ..
  • FIG. 14 shows an example of a transmitting antenna, a receiving antenna, and a virtual receiving array as an antenna arrangement for comparison with the variation 1.
  • the number is the same as 8).
  • the transmitting antennas are arranged at equal intervals of d V in the second axis direction
  • the receiving antennas are arranged at equal intervals of d H in the first axis direction. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 14, the virtual reception array composed of the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna is arranged at equal intervals of d H and d V.
  • each transmit antenna are arranged in a d V intervals in a second axial direction, the antenna elements of the transmitting antenna, it is difficult to the second axis direction constitutes by expanding the size or d V ..
  • the receiving antenna shown in FIG. 14 can be configured in an arbitrary size in the second axis direction as in FIG. 10B.
  • 15A and 15B show an example of a directivity pattern formed by a beamformer method using a two-dimensional virtual reception array extending in the first axis direction and the second axis direction shown in FIG. 15A and 15B are examples of directivity patterns in the 0 degree (zenith) direction in the first axis direction and the second axis direction, and are equivalent to the case where the incoming wave arrives from the zenith direction.
  • FIG. 15A shows a two-dimensional directivity pattern in the first axis (for example, Azimuth) direction and the second axis (for example, Elevation) direction
  • FIG. 15B shows degeneracy in each of the first axis and the second axis.
  • the directivity pattern is shown.
  • FIG. 16A and 16B are views in which the directivity pattern shown in FIG. 12B (in the case of the antenna arrangement of FIG. 10B, arrangement example 1) and the directivity pattern shown in FIG. 15B (comparative example) are superimposed and displayed. is there.
  • FIG. 16A shows a comparison of directivity patterns in the first axis (Azimuth) direction
  • FIG. 16B shows a comparison of directivity patterns in the second axis (Elevation) direction.
  • the beam width is the same in the case of variation 1 (arrangement example 1) and in the comparative example. Further, as shown in FIG. 16A, it can be seen that in variation 1, the maximum side lobe level is about 1.8 dB lower than that in the comparative example. Further, as shown in FIG. 16B, in the directivity pattern in the second axis direction, the beam width is the same in the case of variation 1 and in the comparative example. Further, as shown in FIG. 16B, the maximum side lobe level is almost the same in the variation 1 and the comparative example.
  • the directivity gain of the antenna is improved by increasing the size of one antenna system of the transmitting antenna 108 or the receiving antenna 202 without deteriorating the directivity pattern (in other words, beam performance) due to the virtual reception array. it can.
  • Variation 2 is an arrangement example similar to Variation 1, and the configuration of the transmitting antenna row of the transmitting antenna 108 is different from that of Variation 1.
  • each transmit antenna sequence of transmit antenna 108 has n s antennas.
  • the antennas included in the three transmitting antenna trains adjacent to each other in the second axis direction are arranged so as to be offset in the first axis direction. In other words, the antennas included in the three adjacent transmitting antenna trains are arranged at different positions in the first axis direction.
  • FIG. 17 shows an arrangement example of the transmitting antenna 108 according to the variation 2.
  • the arrangement of the receiving antenna 202 in the variation 2 is the same as that of the variation 1 (see, for example, FIG. 9B).
  • Transmission antenna 108 has a p t transmit antennas columns are arranged in n s ⁇ d V interval in a second axial direction. Further, each transmitting antenna train has n s antennas arranged in the first axis direction.
  • each transmitting antenna sequence is divided and arranged at intervals of p tm n s + 1 in the first axis direction.
  • floor (n s / 2) antennas are arranged every d H in one area where each transmitting antenna sequence is divided and arranged, and ceil (n s / 2) antennas are arranged in the other area.
  • Antennas are placed every d H.
  • 18A, 18B, and 18C show an arrangement example of a virtual receiving array composed of the transmitting antenna 108, the receiving antenna 202, and the transmitting antenna 108 and the receiving antenna 202 according to the variation 2.
  • n s antennas are arranged at d H intervals in the first axis direction.
  • the third transmit antenna array (p tm 1), in the first axial direction, (in other words, outside the first transmitting antenna array) apart intervals 3d H placement Will be done.
  • the second transmission antenna array (p tm 2), in the first axial direction, (in other words, outside the first transmit antenna array and the third transmission antenna array) apart intervals 5d H placement Will be done. That is, the three transmitting antenna rows (for example, three transmitting antenna rows arranged consecutively) adjacent to each other in the second axis direction in FIG. 18A include antennas arranged at different positions in the first axis direction.
  • the first to third transmitting antenna trains are arranged at different positions in the first axial direction.
  • n s antennas are arranged at d H intervals in the first axis direction.
  • the third transmit antenna array (p tm 1), in the first axial direction, (in other words, outside the first transmitting antenna array) apart distance 4d H placement Will be done.
  • the second transmission antenna array (p tm 2), in the first axial direction, (in other words, outside the first transmit antenna array and the third transmission antenna array) apart intervals 6d H placement Will be done.
  • all the antennas are arranged at different positions in the first axis direction, but at least one antenna may be arranged at different positions in the first axis direction. Further, there may be antennas not shown in FIGS. 18A, 18B, and 18C, which are arranged at the same position in the first axis direction.
  • Figure 18A in any of the antenna arrangement of FIG. 18B and FIG. 18C, in the vicinity of the center of the virtual reception array arrangement, d H, can be densely arranged virtual antenna element at d V intervals.
  • the transmitting antennas 108 may be configured in a size that does not physically interfere with each other.
  • the antennas included in each transmitting antenna row are arranged at different positions in the first axis direction, they are d H or less in the first axis direction and in the second axis direction. It can be configured in any size.
  • the number of adjacent transmitting antenna rows in which the antennas are arranged at different positions in the first axis direction in the second axis direction is not limited to three, and may be four or more.
  • Variation 3 is an arrangement example similar to Variation 2, and the configuration of the antenna array of the transmitting antenna 108 is different from that of Variation 2.
  • the antennas included in the transmitting antenna rows adjacent to each other in the second axis direction are arranged at different positions on the first axis.
  • 19A, 19B, 19C and 19D show an arrangement example of the transmitting antenna 108 and the receiving antenna 202 according to the variation 3 and the virtual receiving array composed of the transmitting antenna 108 and the receiving antenna 202.
  • the arrangement of the receiving antenna 202 in the variation 3 is the same as that of the variation 1 (see, for example, FIG. 9B).
  • An example of antenna arrangement when the antennas included in the first and third transmitting antenna trains are arranged side by side (in other words, at the same position) on the first axis is shown.
  • the first and third transmitting antenna trains and the second transmitting antenna train are arranged at different positions in the first axial direction.
  • An example of antenna arrangement is shown when the antennas are arranged side by side (in other words, at the same position).
  • the first and third transmitting antenna trains and the second transmitting antenna train are arranged at different positions in the first axial direction.
  • An example of antenna arrangement when the antennas included in the first and third transmitting antenna trains are arranged side by side (in other words, at the same position) on the first axis is shown.
  • the first and third transmitting antenna trains and the second transmitting antenna train are arranged at different positions in the first axial direction.
  • An example of antenna arrangement is shown.
  • the first transmitting antenna row and the third transmitting antenna row have a configuration in which the arrangement of the antennas is inverted on the first axis, and some antennas are arranged side by side on the first axis. Placed (in other words, in the same position).
  • the first and third transmitting antenna trains and the second transmitting antenna train are arranged at different positions in the first axial direction.
  • the first and third transmitting antenna trains include antennas arranged at the same position and antennas arranged at different positions in the first axis direction.
  • any of the antenna arrangement of Figure 19A ⁇ FIG 19D in the vicinity of the center of the virtual reception array arrangement, d H, it can be densely arranged virtual antenna element at d V intervals.
  • the transmitting antennas 108 may be configured in a size that does not physically interfere with each other.
  • the antennas included in the first transmitting antenna row and the third transmitting antenna row and arranged at the same position in the first axial direction are in the first axial direction. It can be configured with a size of d H or less and 2 n s d V or less in the second axis direction. Further, for example, in FIGS.
  • the antenna included in the second transmitting antenna train can be configured to have a size of d H or less in the first axis direction and an arbitrary size in the second axis direction. Is. Further, for example, in FIG. 19D, the antennas included in the first transmitting antenna row and the third transmitting antenna row and arranged at different positions from the other antennas in the first axis direction are d H in the first axis direction.
  • it can be configured with an arbitrary size in the second axis direction.
  • Variation 4 is an arrangement example similar to Variation 3, and the configuration of the antenna array of the transmitting antenna 108 is different from that of Variation 3.
  • Variation 4 does not include, for example, antennas arranged at d H intervals on the first axis (in other words, densely arranged antennas) in each transmitting antenna array.
  • each transmit antenna array includes antennas or more away 2d H interval on the first axis.
  • the antennas included in the transmitting antenna rows adjacent to each other in the second axis direction are arranged at different positions in the first axis direction.
  • 20A and 20B show an arrangement example of a virtual reception array composed of the transmission antenna 108 and the reception antenna 202, and the transmission antenna 108 and the reception antenna 202 according to the variation 4.
  • the arrangement of the receiving antenna 202 in the variation 4 is the same as that of the variation 1 (see, for example, FIG. 9B).
  • An example of antenna arrangement when they are arranged side by side on the first axis is shown.
  • the first and third transmitting antenna trains and the second transmitting antenna train are arranged at different positions in the first axial direction.
  • An example of antenna arrangement when the antennas of the third antenna row are arranged side by side on the first axis is shown.
  • the first and third transmitting antenna trains and the second transmitting antenna train are arranged at different positions in the first axial direction.
  • d H in the vicinity of the center of the virtual reception array arrangement, can be densely arranged virtual antenna element at d V intervals.
  • the transmitting antenna 108 may be configured in a size that does not physically interfere with each other.
  • the antennas included in the first transmitting antenna row and the third transmitting antenna row have a size of d H or less in the first axis direction and 2 n s d V or less in the second axis direction. It can be configured with.
  • the antenna included in the second transmitting antenna train can be configured to have a size of d H or less in the first axis direction and an arbitrary size in the second axis direction.
  • Variation 5 is an arrangement example similar to Variation 2 and Variation 3, and the configuration of the antenna array of the transmitting antenna 108 is different from Variation 2 and Variation 3.
  • the number of antennas constituting each transmitting antenna sequence is not limited to n s .
  • the configuration of each transmitting antenna array is the same as that of any of the variations 1 to 4, for example.
  • variation 5 is not limited to the number of antennas ( ns ) in the transmitting antenna array shown in FIG. 17 of variation 2.
  • the antennas included in the transmitting antenna array may be arranged in regions separated by an interval of p tm n s + 1 in the first axis direction.
  • 22A to 22D show an arrangement example of a virtual reception array composed of the transmission antenna 108, the reception antenna 202, and the transmission antenna 108 and the reception antenna 202 according to the variation 5.
  • the arrangement of the receiving antenna 202 in the variation 5 is the same as that of the variation 1 (see, for example, FIG. 9B).
  • FIG. 22B the same number of antennas as each transmitting antenna row in FIG. 22A is provided, and the antennas are arranged at different positions on the first axis as in variation 2.
  • each antenna is arranged at a different position on the first axis.
  • any of the antenna arrangement of Figure 22A ⁇ FIG 22D in the vicinity of the center of the virtual reception array arrangement, d H, it can be densely arranged virtual antenna element at d V intervals.
  • the transmitting antennas 108 may be configured in a size that does not physically interfere with each other.
  • the antennas included in the first transmitting antenna row and the third transmitting antenna row of FIGS. 22A and 22C have a size of d H or less in the first axis direction and 2 n s d V or less in the second axis direction. It is configurable. Further, the antennas included in the first transmitting antenna row and the third transmitting antenna row of FIGS. 22B and 22D and the antennas included in the second transmitting antenna row of FIGS. 22A to 22D are in the first axial direction. It can be configured with any size below d H in the second axis direction. In FIG.
  • all the antennas are arranged at different positions in the first axis direction, but at least one antenna may be arranged at different positions in the first axis direction. Further, there may be an antenna not shown in FIG. 22D, which is arranged at the same position in the first axis direction.
  • Variation 6 is an arrangement example similar to Variations 1 to 5, and the number of transmitting antenna rows of the transmitting antenna 108 is different.
  • each transmitting antenna array is the same as that of any of variations 1 to 5.
  • FIGS. 23A to 23C show an arrangement example of the transmitting antenna 108 and an arrangement example of the virtual reception array when the number of transmitting antenna rows pt is different based on the configuration of the variation 1 shown in FIG. 10B.
  • the arrangement of the receiving antenna 202 in variation 6 is the same as that of variation 1 (see, for example, FIG. 9B).
  • the virtual antenna elements can be densely arranged at intervals of d H and d V near the center of the virtual reception array arrangement.
  • the antennas included in the transmitting antenna rows adjacent to each other on the second axis are arranged on the first axis different from each other. Therefore, the transmitting antenna 108 can be configured to have a size of d H or less in the first axis direction and 2 n s d V or less in the second axis direction.
  • FIGS. 23A to 23C an example is shown for variation 1 in the case of p t > 3, but the present invention is not limited to this, and other variations (for example, any of variations 2 to 5) have p t > 3. The same effect can be obtained when this is done.
  • the transmitting antenna 108 having the antenna arrangement according to variations 1 to 6 is referred to as one “transmitting antenna group”, and the receiving antenna 202 having the antenna arrangement according to variations 1 to 6 is referred to as one “receiving antenna group”.
  • Variation 7 describes, for example, a case where a plurality of transmitting antenna groups and / or receiving antenna groups are provided.
  • each antenna is expanded to a size that does not physically interfere, and while improving antenna gain, a large number of transmitting antenna groups or By using the receiving antenna group, the aperture length of the virtual receiving array can be expanded and the resolution can be improved.
  • FIG. 24A shows an example in which a plurality of transmitting antenna groups are arranged based on the configuration of the antenna arrangement of variation 1 shown in FIG. 10B.
  • FIG. 24B shows an example in which a plurality of receiving antenna groups are arranged based on the configuration of the antenna arrangement of variation 1 shown in FIG. 10B.
  • FIG. 24C shows an arrangement example of a virtual reception array composed of the transmitting antenna 108 shown in FIG. 24A and the receiving antenna 202 shown in FIG. 24B.
  • the aperture length of the transmitting antenna group shown in FIG. 24A in the first axis direction is D t1
  • the aperture length in the second axis direction is D t2
  • the aperture length of the receiving antenna group shown in FIG. 24B is D in the first axis direction.
  • a reference point (for example, the position of the corresponding antenna in each transmitting antenna group) of the first transmitting antenna group and the second transmitting antenna group is D r1 + in the first axis direction. Arranged at intervals of 1.
  • a reference point (for example, the position of the corresponding antenna in each receiving antenna group) of the first receiving antenna group and the second receiving antenna group is D t2 + in the second axis direction. Arranged at intervals of D r2 + 1.
  • the virtual antenna elements can be densely arranged at intervals of d H and d V near the center of the virtual reception array arrangement shown in FIG. 24C.
  • FIG. 25A shows an example in which a plurality of transmitting antenna groups are arranged based on the configuration of the antenna arrangement of variation 1 shown in FIG. 10A.
  • FIG. 25B shows an example in which a plurality of receiving antenna groups are arranged based on the configuration of the antenna arrangement of variation 1 shown in FIG. 10A. In FIG. 25B, it has four receiving antenna groups.
  • FIG. 25C shows an arrangement example of a virtual reception array composed of the transmitting antenna 108 shown in FIG. 25A and the receiving antenna 202 shown in FIG. 25B.
  • the aperture length of the transmitting antenna group shown in FIG. 25A in the first axis direction is D t1
  • the aperture length in the second axis direction is D t2
  • the aperture length of the receiving antenna group shown in FIG. 25B is D in the first axis direction.
  • a certain reference point of the first transmitting antenna group and the second transmitting antenna group is arranged at an interval of D r1 + 1 in the first axis direction. Further, in FIG. 25A, the total aperture length of the first transmitting antenna group and the second transmitting antenna group is defined as D tg1 .
  • certain reference points of the first and third receiving antenna groups and the second and fourth receiving antenna groups are arranged at intervals of D t2 + D r2 + 1 in the second axis direction.
  • certain reference points of the first and second receiving antenna groups and the third and fourth receiving antenna groups are arranged at intervals of D tg 1 + 1 in the first axis direction.
  • the virtual antenna elements can be densely arranged at d H and d V intervals near the center of the virtual reception array arrangement shown in FIG. 25C.
  • the present invention is not limited to this, and other variations (for example, any of variations 2 to 6). Based on the above, the same effect can be obtained when a plurality of transmitting antenna groups or receiving antenna groups are provided. Further, the distance between the transmitting antenna group and the receiving antenna group is not limited to the above-mentioned example.
  • the virtual antenna elements are densely arranged in the virtual reception array composed of the transmitting antenna 108 and the receiving antenna 202 by the antenna arrangement of the transmitting antenna 108 and the receiving antenna 202 described above. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to prevent the generation of unnecessary grating lobes while increasing the opening length of the virtual reception array. As a result, the radar device 10 can reduce the probability of false detection and form a desired directivity pattern.
  • At least one of the transmitting antenna element and the receiving antenna element can be configured by using the sub-array element by the antenna arrangement of the transmitting antenna 108 and the receiving antenna 202 described above. Thereby, the directivity gain of the transmitting antenna 108 or the receiving antenna 202 can be improved.
  • the detection performance in the radar device 10 can be improved.
  • the first transmitting antenna row and the third transmitting antenna row have the same arrangement pattern as in FIGS. 22A and 22C, the first transmitting antenna row (third transmitting antenna row) and the second transmitting antenna row are used.
  • the two rows of the transmitting antenna rows of the above can be repeatedly arranged as one set.
  • FIG. 1B Since the radar device according to the present embodiment has the same basic configuration as the radar device 10 according to the first embodiment, FIG. 1B will be referred to and described.
  • the configuration of the antenna arrangement capable of suppressing the performance deterioration of the arrival direction estimation and improving the gains of the transmitting antenna 108 and the receiving antenna 202 has been illustrated.
  • the radar device 10 (for example, the radar transmitter 100) uses a plurality of antennas included in the transmitting antenna 108 (for example, a transmitting antenna train or a transmitting antenna group) to transmit a transmitting beam (for example, a transmitting beam). The case of controlling the directivity) will be described.
  • the radar device 10 can supply power to the plurality of transmitting antennas 108 by controlling the phase and power, and can be used as one transmitting antenna. As a result, the radar device 10 can control the directivity of the transmission beam, and the plurality of transmission antennas 108 can be used as high gain antennas.
  • a configuration suitable for detecting a long distance (in other words, a long distance) as compared with the case where signals are independently divided (separated) from a plurality of transmitting antennas 108 and transmitted. It becomes.
  • the division (separation) here is intended that the MIMO radar can divide a plurality of transmission signals by time division, code division, frequency division, etc. and treat them as a plurality of signals.
  • the arrangement of the Nt transmitting antenna 108 and the Na receiving antenna 202 in the radar device 10 and an example of the control method will be described below.
  • the radar device 10 can simultaneously supply power to Tx1 to Tx6 of the transmitting antenna 108 shown in FIG. 11 by controlling the phase and power, and can be treated as one transmitting antenna as shown in FIG. 26A.
  • the virtual receiving array configuration shown in FIG. 26A is different from the virtual receiving array arrangement shown in FIG. 10B.
  • the reception virtual array arrangement in FIG. 26A shows the phase center of the antenna.
  • the transmitting antenna 108 a plurality of sub-arrays are combined to form the phase center (1 point) shown in the transmitting antenna arrangement in the upper part of FIG. 26A.
  • the virtual reception array shown in FIG. 26A it depends on the arrangement of the phase center rather than the size of the sub-array of the transmitting antenna. Therefore, even if the arrangement of the receiving antennas in FIG. 10B is not expanded, one transmitting antenna ⁇ the receiving antenna With eight antennas, the virtual reception array shown in the lower part of FIG. 26A can be formed.
  • the radar device 10 can control the directivity of the transmitted beam, narrow the beam widths in the first axis direction and the second axis direction, and improve the directivity gain.
  • unnecessary radiation can be reduced in the wide-angle direction as compared with the case where signals are independently divided (separated) from the transmitting antenna 108 and transmitted, so that the configuration is suitable for long-distance detection. is there.
  • the aperture length of the virtual reception array shown in FIG. 26A is wide in the first axis direction and narrow in the second axis direction, the antenna has a resolution in the first axis direction. Note that beam formation (synthesis) is intended to synthesize and transmit a plurality of Tx beams.
  • FIG. 26B shows an example in which the transmitting antenna shown in FIG. 26A is used as one transmitting antenna group and two transmitting antenna groups are provided.
  • the transmitting antenna group is arranged at an interval of D r1 + 1 from each reference point in the first axis direction.
  • the radar device 10 controls the directivity of the transmission beam for each transmission antenna group by using a plurality of antennas included in the transmission antenna group, and sets each of the first transmission antenna group and the second transmission antenna group.
  • the signals are treated independently (in other words, divided) as two transmitting antennas. As a result, the directional gain can be improved.
  • the virtual receiving array is configured as shown in FIG. 26B.
  • the radar device 10 may scan the directivity of the transmission beam. For example, the radar device 10 feeds power to each transmission antenna 108 while controlling the phase and power, scans the transmission beam on the first axis, and transmits a signal for each transmission region. At this time, the radar device 10 may divide the transmission beams having different transmission regions according to time or sign, and independently estimate the arrival direction using the array direction vectors of the different transmission regions.
  • the antenna arrangement is not limited to this, and any of the antenna arrangements of variations 1 to 7 of the first embodiment is applied. You can.
  • the radar device 10 switches and controls between a beamforming operation (or mode) for controlling the directivity of the transmitting antenna 108 and an operation (or mode) for transmitting signals independently from the transmitting antenna 108. May be good.
  • a beamforming operation or mode
  • an operation or mode for transmitting signals independently from the transmitting antenna 108.
  • the radar device 10 may switch the operation mode according to the scene in which the radar is used.
  • a plurality of operation modes may be included in one frame of radar operation. In each figure, there may be an antenna (not shown).
  • the configuration of the radar device according to one aspect of the present disclosure is not limited to the configuration shown in FIG. 1B.
  • the configuration of the radar device 10a shown in FIG. 27 may be used.
  • the configuration of the radar receiving unit 200 is the same as that of FIG. 1B, so that the detailed configuration is omitted.
  • the transmission switching unit 106 selectively switches the output from the radar transmission signal generation unit 101 to any one of the plurality of transmission radio units 107.
  • the output (radar transmission signal) from the radar transmission signal generation unit 101 is subjected to transmission radio processing by the transmission radio unit 107a to switch transmission.
  • the unit 106a selectively switches the output of the transmission radio unit 107a to any one of the plurality of transmission antennas 108.
  • FIG. 28 shows an example of a configuration diagram of a radar device 10b when a radar method using a chirp pulse (for example, fast chirp modulation) is applied.
  • a radar method using a chirp pulse for example, fast chirp modulation
  • the radar transmission signal generation unit 401 has a modulation signal generation unit 402 and a VCO (Voltage Controlled Oscillator) 403.
  • VCO Voltage Controlled Oscillator
  • the modulation signal generation unit 402 periodically generates a sawtooth-shaped modulation signal, for example, as shown in FIG. 29.
  • the radar transmission cycle be Tr.
  • the VCO 403 outputs a frequency modulation signal (in other words, a frequency chirp signal) to the transmission radio unit 107 based on the radar transmission signal output from the modulation signal generation unit 402.
  • the directional coupling unit 404 takes out a part of the frequency modulation signal and outputs it to each receiving radio unit 501 (mixer unit 502) of the radar receiving unit 200b.
  • the receiving radio unit 501 of the radar receiving unit 200b mixes the frequency modulation signal (signal input from the directional coupling unit 404), which is a transmission signal, with the received reflected wave signal in the mixer unit 502, and sets the LPF503. Let it pass. As a result, a beat signal having a frequency corresponding to the delay time of the reflected wave signal is extracted. For example, as shown in FIG. 29, the difference frequency between the frequency of the transmission signal (transmission frequency modulation wave) and the frequency of the reception signal (reception frequency modulation wave) is obtained as the beat frequency.
  • the signal output from the LPF503 is converted into discrete sample data by the AD conversion unit 208b in the signal processing unit 207b.
  • the R-FFT unit 504 performs FFT processing on N data discrete sample data obtained in a predetermined time range (range gate) for each transmission cycle Tr. As a result, the signal processing unit 207b outputs a frequency spectrum in which a peak appears at the beat frequency according to the delay time of the reflected wave signal (radar reflected wave). At the time of FFT processing, the R-FFT unit 504 may be multiplied by a window function coefficient such as a Han window or a Hamming window. By using the window function coefficient, the side lobes generated around the beat frequency peak can be suppressed.
  • a window function coefficient such as a Han window or a Hamming window.
  • the beat frequency spectrum response output from the R-FFT unit 504 of the z-th signal processing unit 207b obtained by the M-th chirp pulse transmission is represented by AC_RFT z (fb, M).
  • the output switching unit 211 in the z-th signal processing unit 207b is, for example, the R-FFT unit 504 for each radar transmission cycle Tr based on the switching control signal input from the switching control unit 105, as in the first embodiment. Is selectively switched to one of Nt Doppler analysis units 212 and output.
  • the switching control signal in the Mth radar transmission cycle Tr [M] is represented by Nt bit information [bit 1 (M), bit 2 (M), ..., bit Nt (M)].
  • Nt bit information [bit 1 (M), bit 2 (M), ..., bit Nt (M)].
  • the output The switching unit 211 selects (in other words, ON) the NDth Doppler analysis unit 212.
  • the output switching unit 211 is the NDth Doppler analysis unit. 212 is not selected (in other words, OFF).
  • the output switching unit 211 outputs a signal input from the R-FFT unit 504 to the selected Doppler analysis unit 212.
  • the switching control signal repeats the above contents Nc times.
  • the transmission start time of the transmission signal in each transmission radio unit 107 does not have to be synchronized with the periodic Tr.
  • transmission delay delta 1 which different transmission start time, delta 2, ..., provided delta Nt, may start the transmission of the radar transmission signal.
  • the Doppler analysis unit 212 performs Doppler analysis for each beat frequency index fb with respect to the output from the output switching unit 211.
  • FFT fast Fourier transform
  • the w-th output in the ND-th Doppler analysis unit 212 of the z-th signal processing unit 207b as shown in the following equation, the Doppler frequency response of the Doppler frequency index f u in the beat frequency index fb FT_CI z (ND ) (Fb, f u , w) is shown.
  • ND 1 to Nt
  • ND 1 to Nt
  • w is an integer of 1 or more.
  • j is an imaginary unit
  • z 1 to Na.
  • the processing of the signal correction unit 213, the CFAR unit 213, and the direction estimation unit 214 after the signal processing unit 207b is detailed because, for example, the discrete time k described in the first embodiment is replaced with the beat frequency index fb. The explanation is omitted.
  • the beat frequency index fb described above may be converted into distance information and output.
  • R (fb) the distance information
  • Bw represents the frequency modulation bandwidth of the frequency chirp signal generated by frequency modulation
  • C 0 represents the optical velocity.
  • the basic intervals d H and d V may be values of 0.5 wavelength or more and 1 wavelength or less.
  • the radar transmitting unit 100 and the radar receiving unit 200 may be individually arranged at physically separated locations. .. Further, in the radar receiving unit 200 (see, for example, FIGS. 1B, 27, and 28), the direction estimation unit 214 and the other constituent units may be individually arranged at physically separated locations.
  • the radar device 10 has, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a recording medium such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) storing a control program, and a working memory such as a RAM (Random Access Memory).
  • a CPU Central Processing Unit
  • ROM Read Only Memory
  • RAM Random Access Memory
  • the functions of the above-mentioned parts are realized by the CPU executing the control program.
  • the hardware configuration of the radar device 10 is not limited to such an example.
  • each functional unit of the radar device 10 may be realized as an IC (Integrated Circuit) which is an integrated circuit.
  • Each functional unit may be individually integrated into one chip, or may be integrated into one chip so as to include a part or all thereof.
  • each functional block used in the description of each of the above embodiments is typically realized as an LSI which is an integrated circuit.
  • the integrated circuit may control each functional block used in the description of the above embodiment and may include an input terminal and an output terminal. These may be individually integrated into one chip, or may be integrated into one chip so as to include a part or all of them.
  • LSI here, it may be referred to as IC, system LSI, super LSI, or ultra LSI depending on the degree of integration.
  • the method of making an integrated circuit is not limited to LSI, and may be realized by using a dedicated circuit or a general-purpose processor.
  • An FPGA Field Programmable Gate Array
  • a reconfigurable processor that can reconfigure the connection or setting of the circuit cells inside the LSI may be used.
  • the radar device uses a transmitting array antenna to transmit a radar signal, and a receiving array antenna to receive a reflected wave signal reflected by the target.
  • the transmitting array antenna and the receiving array antenna are arranged on a two-dimensional plane by the first axis and the second axis, and the receiving array antenna includes a plurality of receiving antenna trains.
  • Each of the receiving antenna trains includes a first number of antennas, and among the first number of antennas included in each of the receiving antenna trains, adjacent antennas have a first spacing in the first axis direction.
  • the transmitting array antenna is arranged in the second axis direction so as to be isolated between the second, and the transmitting array antenna is arranged in the second axis direction at an interval of the first number of times of the second interval.
  • Each of the transmitting antenna rows includes a plurality of antennas, and the plurality of antennas included in each of the transmitting antenna rows are located at the same position in the second axial direction and in the first axial direction.
  • the antennas included in the transmitting antenna trains that are adjacent to each other in the second axial direction are arranged at different positions in the first axial direction.
  • the antenna included in the three transmitting antenna trains adjacent to each other in the second axis direction including the transmitting antenna trains adjacent to each other in the second axis direction is the first. They are arranged at different positions in the axial direction.
  • each of the plurality of transmitting antenna trains includes at least two or more antennas arranged at the first interval in the first axial direction.
  • the transmitting array antenna includes three or more transmitting antenna trains, and of the three or more transmitting antenna trains, two transmitting antenna trains that are not adjacent to each other in the second axis direction.
  • the antennas included in the above are arranged in the first axis direction at the first interval, and the antenna included in the remaining one transmitting antenna row among the three or more transmitting antenna rows is in the first axis direction. In at least one of the two regions divided by the first interval multiplied by the number multiple of the first number plus one, the first interval is arranged.
  • the number of antennas arranged in one of the two regions is the same as the number of antennas arranged in the other of the two regions, or the difference is 1.
  • the plurality of transmitting antenna trains arranged in the second axis direction constitute one transmitting antenna group
  • the transmitting array antenna is a plurality of transmitting antennas arranged in the first axis direction. It has the transmitting antenna group.
  • the plurality of receiving antenna trains arranged in the first axis direction constitute one receiving antenna group, and the receiving array antenna has a plurality of the receiving antenna groups.
  • the radar transmission circuit controls a transmission beam using the transmission array antenna.
  • the first interval and the second interval are values of 0.5 wavelength or more and one wavelength or less.
  • At least one of the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna includes a plurality of sub-array elements.
  • the transmission / reception array antenna includes a transmission array antenna and a reception array antenna, and the transmission array antenna and the reception array antenna are on a two-dimensional plane by the first axis and the second axis.
  • the receiving array antenna includes a plurality of receiving antenna trains, each of the receiving antenna trains includes a first number of antennas, and the first number of antennas included in each of the receiving antenna trains.
  • adjacent antennas are arranged so as to be separated from each other by a first interval in the first axis direction and a second interval in the second axis direction, and the transmission array antenna is arranged in the second axis direction by the second.
  • each of the transmitting antenna trains includes a plurality of antennas, and the plurality of antennas included in each of the transmitting antenna trains.
  • Antennas included in the transmitting antenna trains arranged at the same position in the second axial direction and different positions in the first axial direction and adjacent to each other in the second axial direction are different in the first axial direction. Placed in position.
  • the present disclosure is suitable as a radar device for detecting a wide-angle range.
  • 10,10b Radar device 100 100a, 100b Radar transmitter 200, 200b Radar receiver 300 Reference signal generator 101, 101a, 401 Radar transmission signal generator 102 Code generator 103 Modulation unit 104, 503 LPF 105 Switching control unit 106, 106a Transmission switching unit 107, 107a Transmission radio unit 108 Transmission antenna 111 Code storage unit 112 DA conversion unit 201 Antenna system processing unit 202 Reception antenna 203, 501 Reception radio unit 204 Amplifier 205 Frequency converter 206 Orthogonal detection Instrument 207, 207b Signal processing unit 208, 208b, 209 AD conversion unit 210 Correlation calculation unit 211 Output switching unit 212 Doppler analysis unit 213 CFAR unit 214 Direction estimation unit 402 Modulation signal generation unit 403 VCO 404 Directional coupling part 502 Mixer part

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