Detection of interference-induced perturbations in fmcw radar systems

Abstract

The description below relates to a method for a radar system that can be used to detect perturbations in the received radar signal. According to an example implementation, the method comprises providing a digital radar signal using a radar receiver, wherein the digital radar signal comprises a multiplicity of segments; calculating an envelope signal that represents the envelope of a segment of the digital radar signal; and ascertaining a time of the onset of an interference signal contained in the considered segment of the digital radar signal by using at least one statistical parameter of the envelope signal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of a frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) radar processing, the method comprising:
 transmitting, by a radar transmitter, an FMCW radar signal comprising a plurality of frequency modulated radio frequency (RF) signal segments;   receiving a receive FMCW radar signal which is back-scattered from an object;   down-converting the receive FMCW radar signal;   providing, by a radar receiver, a digital baseband radar signal comprising a plurality of segments,
 wherein the baseband radar signal is based on the down-conversion; 
   calculating an envelope signal that represents an envelope of a segment of the plurality of segments; and   determining, by using at least one statistical parameter associated the envelope signal, a time of an onset of an interference signal contained in the segment.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one statistical parameter is a scaled mean value of a standard deviation of a moving window. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 identifying, based on determining the time of the onset of the interference signal, portions of the digital baseband radar signal affected by the interference signal.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the segment is assigned to a specific chirp of a plurality of chirps associated with the digital baseband radar signal. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one statistical parameter includes a scaled mean value of a standard deviation of one or more samples in a moving window. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining, based on a comparison of the envelope signal to a threshold value, whether the threshold value is satisfied for a number of consecutive segments of the plurality of segments,
 wherein the threshold value is determined based on the at least one statistical parameter that includes a standard deviation of one or more samples in a moving window. 
   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining, by using the at least one statistical parameter associated the envelope signal, an end time associated with the interference signal.   
     
     
         8 . An FMCW radar device, comprising:
 one or more memories; and   one or more processors, coupled to the one or more memories, configured to:
 transmit a first FMCW radar signal comprising a plurality of frequency modulated RF signal segments; 
 receive a second FMCW radar signal which is back-scattered from an object; 
 down-convert the second FMCW radar signal; 
 provide a digital baseband radar signal comprising a plurality of segments,
 wherein the baseband radar signal is based on the down-conversion; 
 
 calculate an envelope signal that represents an envelope of a segment of the plurality of segments; and 
 determine, by using at least one statistical parameter associated the envelope signal, a time of an onset of an interference signal contained in the segment. 
   
     
     
         9 . The FMCW radar device of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one statistical parameter is a scaled mean value of a standard deviation of a moving window. 
     
     
         10 . The FMCW radar device of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
 identify, based on determining the time of the onset of the interference signal, portions of the digital baseband radar signal affected by the interference signal.   
     
     
         11 . The FMCW radar device of  claim 8 , wherein the segment is assigned to a specific chirp of a plurality of chirps associated with the digital baseband radar signal. 
     
     
         12 . The FMCW radar device of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one statistical parameter includes a scaled mean value of a standard deviation of one or more samples in a moving window. 
     
     
         13 . The FMCW radar device of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
 determine, based on a comparison of the envelope signal to a threshold value, whether the threshold value is satisfied for a number of consecutive segments of the plurality of segments,   wherein the threshold value is determined based on the at least one statistical parameter that includes a standard deviation of one or more samples in a moving window.   
     
     
         14 . The FMCW radar device of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
 determine, by using the at least one statistical parameter associated the envelope signal, an end time associated with the interference signal.   
     
     
         15 . An FMCW radar system, comprising:
 an FMCW radar transmitter configured to transmit a first FMCW radar signal comprising a plurality of frequency modulated RF signal segments;   an FMCW radar receiver configured to:
 receive a second FMCW radar signal which is back-scattered from an object; 
 down-convert the second FMCW radar signal; and 
 provide a digital baseband radar signal comprising a plurality of segments,
 wherein the baseband radar signal is based on the down-conversion; and 
 
   a computing unit configured to:
 calculate an envelope signal of the digital baseband radar signal that represents an envelope of a segment of the plurality of segments; and 
 determine, by using at least one statistical parameter of the envelope signal, an onset time of an interference signal contained in the segment of the digital baseband radar signal. 
   
     
     
         16 . The FMCW radar system of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one statistical parameter is a scaled mean value of a standard deviation of a moving window. 
     
     
         17 . The FMCW radar system of  claim 15 , wherein the computing unit is further configured to:
 identify, based on determining the onset time of the interference signal, portions of the digital baseband radar signal affected by the interference signal.   
     
     
         18 . The FMCW radar system of  claim 15 , wherein the segment is assigned to a specific chirp of a plurality of chirps associated with the digital baseband radar signal. 
     
     
         19 . The FMCW radar system of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one statistical parameter includes a scaled mean value of a standard deviation of one or more samples in a moving window. 
     
     
         20 . The FMCW radar system of  claim 15 , wherein the computing unit is further configured to:
 determine, based on a comparison of the envelope signal to a threshold value, whether the threshold value is satisfied for a number of consecutive segments of the plurality of segments,
 wherein the threshold value is determined based on the at least one statistical parameter that includes a standard deviation of one or more samples in a moving window.