Systems and methods for enhancing target detection

• Main Authors: Wang, Ching Ming, Prados, Michael, Puglielli, Antonio, Nagpal, Vinayak
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 14.09.2021
• Subjects: ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION ORRERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; MEASURING; PHYSICS; RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; TESTING

A system for determining a spatial disposition or a characteristic of a target external to a terrestrial vehicle is provided. The system may comprise a radar antenna array configured to transmit and receive radar signals, and a controller operatively coupled to the radar antenna array. The controller can be configured to use spatial information of the terrestrial vehicle and a spatial configuration of the radar antenna array to generate an enhanced main lobe by attenuating one or more side lobes in an effective sensitivity pattern associated with the radar antenna array or enhancing a main lobe in the effective sensitivity pattern associated with the radar antenna array. The controller can be configured to use the enhanced main lobe to determine (i) the spatial disposition of the target relative to the terrestrial vehicle or (ii) the characteristic of the target.