X-band compact low cost multi-channel radar prototype for short range high resolution 3D-InISAR

Abstract

In this paper an X-band multi-channel radar prototype (PIRAD) for short range high resolution interferometric 3D inverse SAR imaging (3D-InISAR) is presented. The proposed radar sensor is characterized by compact dimensions, low power consumption, low electromagnetic pollution and low cost. An innovative compact, stationary, large beamwidth interferometric antenna system was designed and developed for this particular task. The LFMCW waveform is generated by a microcontrolled PLL based frequency synthesizer. A three channels Low-IF direct down conversion receiver was developed. Open source universal software radio peripherals are used to sample the beat signals and to interface with a general purpose PC through an Ethernet interface. Preliminary tests in a real scenario have been carried out in order to test the effectiveness of the PIRAD system in ISAR imaging and 3D reconstruction capabilities.

Radar sensor signal acquisition and 3D FFT processing for smart mobility surveillance systems

“…The 32 kW peak power in [30] allows for a 45 km covered range, and hence it has characteristics not suited for applications having limited budgets in terms of cost, power consumption, size and weight. With respect to Radars in X-band as [7], the proposed design ensures a power consumption one order of magnitude lower: about 7 W in our case while in [7] the power consumption is higher than 100 W. This is a key characteristic to adopt the Radar as an ubiquitous sensor to be installed not also in fixed positions, but also on-board vehicles such as cars or UAVs. Future work in this direction will be related to the characterization of the proposed Radar sensing system in the harsh operating conditions of aerial and land vehicles [35][36][37][38].…”

“…Robust sensing systems, tolerant to light and weather changing conditions, are required in smart mobility systems for surveillance or for driving assistance [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. Radar sensing has the potentiality to allow for robust detection of targets and their speed, distance and motion direction.…”

“…RADAR SENSING SYSTEM Radar technology, especially in the X-band (from 8 to 12 GHz), is preferable to other competing sensing technologies [6][7][8][9][10][11][12] for smart mobility surveillance, like videocamera, ultrasounds or LIDAR, because of the following properties. In a range of few hundreds of meters, typical of surveillance mobility applications, Radar is much less sensitive to weather conditions than its competitors, allowing for a safe detection of obstacles during heavy rain, snow and hail, in presence of dense fog, strong sun glares and environmental noises and vibration.…”

“…To reduce system cost and size a fixed antenna approach has been followed and hence there are no moving parts in the Radar sensing system. A maximum output power of 7 dBm is obtained from the VCO output thus avoiding cumbersome high power amplifier stages, as in [7,8]. In case an echo is received due to the presence of a target, the acquired FMCW signal will be characterized, vs. the FMCW transmitted one, by a frequency shift due to time-of-flight delay (related to the radial distance).…”

Low Cost FMCW Radar Design and Implementation for Harbour Surveillance Applications

“…The details on system level dimensioning and on the DSP part have been published in [7]. Fast ADCs are available as COTS (commercial off the shelf) components, e.g.…”