Basic Theory and Development in Radar from Phrase Array to Digital Array

@Basic Theory and Development in Radar from Phrase Array to Digital Array

电子科技大学 格拉斯哥学院 2017级 吴雨洁

Introduction

In the seminar for freshman, professor has discussed the topic of radar as an introduction to the radio engineering field which I’m interested in. Especially in military, the technique is widely used and developed with more advanced and accurate revolution.

Radar, a transliteration of the English Radar, is derived from the abbreviation of radio detection and ranging, which means "radio detection and ranging. Therefore, radar is also called “radio positioning”. Radar is an electronic device that USES electromagnetic waves to detect targets. Radar emits electromagnetic wave to irradiate the target and receive its echo, so as to obtain the distance, distance change rate (radial velocity), azimuth, height and other information from the target to the electromagnetic wave transmitting point.【1】（URL：https://baike.baidu.com/item/雷达/10485?fr=aladdin）

Radar was invented in World War II by England, leading to an information warfare. In the following seventy years, with unceasing progress, radar has showed its dominent role in information detection and analysis. Today, this technology is ubiquitous in our life from the navigation app to the autopilot system.

Phased Array Radar

The original design of radar was a disk rotating to scan the environment, which was limited in detecting moving objects. To combat this shortage, people upgraded it into the phased array radar. This new form is a fixed template consisting of millions of anntena elements. Because of the array arrangement, it has better flexibility and efficiency.
This kind of radar can be divided into the part of radiation and reception. The basic unit of PAR is the array anntena which can generate electromagnetic wave to different direction ata the same time. It is more efficient to detect and track the targets.

The picture is from Baidu

The phased array radar is developed from passive to active form nowadays. In terms of the passive phased one, there is only one central transmitter and one receiver. The high-frequency energy generated by the transmitter is automatically distributed by the computer to each radiator of the antenna array, and the target reflected signal is uniformly amplified by the receiver (which is not different from ordinary radar). But for the active PAR, every radiator is equipped with a launch and receive module such that each component can generate and receive electromagnetic waves by itself. Under this circumstance, it has a greater advantage over passive phased array radar in terms of bandwidth, signal processing and redundancy design.

Digital Array Radar

However, the problem and future discussion on radar is to increase the processing ability and adaptation to different circumstance. We can make analysis with flexible and accurate digital work and that is the reason why the application of digital circuit and analog-digital conversion are thriving in many fields. In order to be technology advanced, radar is supposed to combine the digital technology to upgrade its performance.

According to beamforming mechanism, both receiving and transmitting beamforming can be done by digital technology. The fully digital array antenna radar formed by receiving and transmitting beam is called digital array radar. The basic structure of digital array radar is shown in the figure below. It is generally composed of antenna array, digital transmitting/receiving (T/R) components, clock, data transmission system and digital processor. T/R module is the core of digital array radar, which integrates transmitter, receiver, exciter and local oscillator signal generator into a complete transmitter and receiver subsystem.【2】（URL:https://baike.baidu.com/item/数字阵列雷达/8067093?fr=aladdin）

The basic theory is utilizing the digital processing system to give signal generator instruction. The specific signal are delivered after passing the amplification system and then form the wave in the space. When receive the signals, every digital module get the microwave by the antenna unit. The wave transferred to echo data which will be latter be disposed by the highspeed data transmission system and signal processor. In this procedure, we use digits and data to generate signals and represent waves we obtained that simplify the processing and analysis.
Compared with the phased array radar, DAR has a bigger dynamic scale of detection. Because that the simulation of dozens of wave are complete, digital simulation is much easier. Besides, the portable operation digital system enables the radar to consume lower energy decrease the energy waste. Digital detection can be more accurate with the help of dozens of wave and dozens of direction produced by the digital settings.
To better understand the DAR, you can read the dissertation below.
“DAR and Development” By Manqing Wu
Here is a comment of DAR from a blog.

“ This radar has a lot of amazing properties that look a little bit weird today. For example, radar forms can be diversified, do not have to be installed in the nose, can be “smear type” installed in the fuselage, wings above and below the left and right surfaces, but also can improve the aircraft stealth ability; For another example, the main technology is digital and can be software-based. Without changing the radar’s main hardware, it can be upgraded and replaced by software and minimal auxiliary hardware. It’s as easy and convenient as a computer expert upgrading an old computer.” ( URL : http://bbs.tiexue.net/post_8640159_1.html )【3】

Future Discussion

Since the splendid feature of digital array radar, the future focus would be expanding the use of DAR into wider fields and be more intelligent to process and control. In military, radar is set to open the age of information warfare. To adjust the detection tool to a universal use, it is conceivable to implement it with other tools so that we can realize a integrated system and increase the defence capacity.
The application of radar can be spread not only in military, but also in life. Because radar is universal, flexible, high-efficient, low-cost, we can apply it into software to satisfy people’s daily needs.
Some applications are beyond the ordinary people imagine of radar technology, such as architecture and intelligent household (iot), peripheral and regional security, lighting and HVAC control space detection, automatic doors and door control, robotics, intelligent street lamp (along close to the vehicle’s path to increase the brightness of the street lamp), unmanned aerial vehicles (uavs) and the height of the unmanned aerial vehicle (uav) instrument, industrial fluid/solid level sensor and velocity measurement, etc.

What is also familiar to us is the car detective system in a large number of car parks which is a application of radar sensor. The radar can feel and effectively collect urban parking space information. The next step is to transmit the data information to parking and car manage and control center. The mass data to predict the city’s transportation information is based on this data. The data can not only give people transportation information but also predict and warn the street road congestion conditions. Another application is to install the radar sensor downward-facing on street lamps and house walls, from which information can be obtained to accurately infer which areas still have parking Spaces. If the radar sensor is mounted at a higher position, it can scan a wider area and thus detect parked vehicles more easily. Matchbox-sized sensors first emit microwave pulses, which are reflected off streets and vehicles, to get the location information.

Reference

【1】https://baike.baidu.com/item/雷达/10485?fr=aladdin
【2】https://baike.baidu.com/item/数字阵列雷达/8067093?fr=aladdin
【3】 http://bbs.tiexue.net/post_8640159_1.html