High-Duty-Cycle Radar with Near/Far Pulse Compression Interference Mitigation

Pulse compression radar systems are extensively used in various industries from meteorology to aviation. However, a common challenge these systems face is near/far interference, in which sidelobes from strong return signals obscure correlation peaks associated with weaker return signals. This problem severely compromises the accuracy and reliability of the radar signals, underscoring the need for advanced solutions. Current approaches to managing near/far interference in radar systems have limited success. The vast majority of these traditional radar systems lack the ability to properly weight the signals based on their time of arrival. They often fail to decrease the overlap between signals from nearby targets, leading to improper mitigation of near/far interference. This scenario demonstrates the need for improved technologies in pulse compression radars.

Technology Description

This technology employs methods to mitigate the near/far interference frequently encountered in conventional pulse compression processing in radar systems. It leverages the technique of weighting a received return signal or a corresponding reference signal based on the return signal's time of arrival. In addition, it performs pulse compression using the weighted signal to produce a correlation peak that will not be overshadowed by sidelobes from another return. Furthermore, it utilizes multifrequency processing to reduce the pulse width of the transmitted pulses and received return signals. The differentiated attributes of this technology lie in its simultaneous use of weighting and multifrequency processing. This combination not only mitigates near/far interference by decreasing overlap between signals from nearby targets but also enhances the fidelity of the processed correlation peak. In contrast to conventional radar systems, this technology enables higher duty cycles, thus making it a more efficient and effective system in managing and resolving signal interferences.