Radar Scenario Generation for Automotive Applications in the E Band

• Published in: IEEE journal of microwaves 2022-04, Vol.2 (2), p.253-261
• Main Authors: Rippl, Patrick, Iberle, Johannes, Scharf, Philipp A., Walter, Thomas
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Automotive radar; Chirp; Frequency modulation; Hardware; micro-Doppler signatures; millimeter wave radar; Radar; radar target simulator; Rail to rail inputs; Sensor systems; Synchronization
• ISSN: 2692-8388; 2692-8388
• DOI: 10.1109/JMW.2022.3153690

In this publication, a radar scenario generation approach for chirp sequence frequency modulated continuous wave radars simulating targets in the near-range of vehicle surroundings is presented. Key interest is the generation and the replay of arbitrary signals for a CS-FMCW radar by directly modulating the carrier signal. This approach enables the reproduction of traffic scenarios including significant micro-Doppler signatures of traffic participants. In the presented approach, the received E band signal is converted from the RF to an IF band, in which the information about velocity and range of a target is modulated with the usage of an IQ modulator. Since the working principle of the radar target simulator is not based on a delay line, the target profiles can solely be generated on the PC from where they are modulated onto the radar signal via digital-analog conversion. The modulation signals can either be generated in the time or frequency domain which allows an accurate and fast reproduction of real-world scenarios. When generated in the frequency domain, the 2D-IFFT provides an efficient way of transforming commonly used range Doppler maps into the desired modulation signals. This way, range-velocity profiles of complex traffic participants such as pedestrians or cyclists can be generated and simulated in arbitrary circumstances.