Intelligent transportation is heavily reliant on radar, which have unique robustness under heavy rain/fog/snow and poor light conditions. With the rapid increase of the number of radars used on modern vehicles, most operating in the same frequency band, the risk of radar interference becomes an important issue. As in radio communication, interference can be mitigated through coordination. We present and evaluate two approaches for radar interference coordination, one for FMCW and one for OFDM, and highlight their challenges and opportunities. © 2021 IEEE.
Autonomous driving relies on a variety of sensors, especially radars, which have unique robustness under heavy rain/fog/snow and poor light conditions. With the rapid increase of the amount of radars used on modern vehicles, where most radars operate in the same frequency band, the risk of radar interference becomes a compelling issue. This article analyzes automotive radar interference and proposes several new approaches that combine industrial and academic expertise toward the goal of achieving interference-free autonomous driving (AD). © IEEE.
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method and system using transmission of an electromagnetic signal in order to determine the positions of reflection points by detecting the signals reflected at the reflection points in space. ; SOLUTION: The present invention provides a method, antenna, and system for defining the positions of the reflection points using microwave. The electromagnetic signal is generated at a determined frequency, and is transmitted by an antenna unit. The antenna unit comprises a transmitting antenna, and many receiving antennas that are separated at a known interval in the direction perpendicular to the main visual axis and are designed to receive a part of the reflected wave of the transmitted wave. A phase comparing means is connected to the transmitting antenna and receiving antennas, and a control unit connected to the phase comparing means can calculate an angle to the reflection points and calculate the distances to the reflection points. ; COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT
A method, an antenna, and a system for determining positions for reflection points using microwaves. An electromagnetic wave signal is generated at a defined frequency, and transmitted by an antenna unit the antenna unit includes a transmitter antenna and a plurality of receiver antennas, separated by a known spacing perpendicular to a main line of sight and devised to receive reflected portions of the transmitted wave. Phase comparator means are connected to the transmitter antenna and the receiver antennas, and a control unit connected to the phase comparator means is operable to calculate an angle to a reflection point from detected phase difference between at least two receiver antennas and the spacing between said at least two receiver antennas, and to calculate a distance to the reflection point from detected phase difference between the transmitter antenna and a receiver antenna dependent on the frequency.
Automotive radars are subject to interference in spectrally congested environments. To mitigate this interference, various waveforms have been proposed. We compare two waveforms (FMCW and OFDM) in terms of their radar performance and robustness to interference, under similar parameter settings. Our results indicate that under proper windowing both waveforms can achieve similar performance, but OFDM is more sensitive to interference. ©2020 IEEE
There is an increased interest in contact-less vital sign monitoring methods as they offer higher flexibility to the individual being observed. Recent industrial development enabled radar functionality to be packed in single-chip solutions, decreasing application complexity and speeding up designs. Within this paper, a vital sign radar has been developed utilizing a recently released 60GHz frequency modulated continuous wave single-chip radar in combination with 3D-printed quasi-optics. The electronics development has been focused on compactness and high system integration using a low cost design process. The final experiments prove that the radar is capable of tracking human respiration rate and heartbeat at the same time from a distance of 1m.
Background: The purpose of this study was to determine if 3D printed lenses with wavelength specific anti-reflective (AR) surface structures would improve beam intensity and thus radar efficiency for a Printed Circuit Board (PCB)-based 60 GHz radar. This would have potential for improved low-cost radar lenses for the consumer product market. Methods: A hyperbolic lens was designed in 3D Computer Aided Design (CAD) software and was then modified with a wavelength specified AR structure. Electromagnetic computer simulation was performed on both the ‘smooth’ and ‘AR structure’ lenses and compared to actual 60 GHz radar measurements of 3D printed polylactic acid (PLA) lenses. Results: The simulation results showed an increase of 10% in signal intensity of the AR structure lens over the smooth lens. Actual measurement showed an 8% increase in signal of the AR structure lens over the smooth lens. Conclusions: Low cost and readily available Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) 3D printing has been shown to be capable of printing an AR structure coated hyperbolic lens for millimeter wavelength radar applications. These 3D Printed AR structure lenses are effective in improving radar measurements over non-AR structure lenses. © 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
In electrical engineering, hardware experts often need to analyze electromagnetic radiation data to detect any external interference or anomaly. The field that studies this sort of assessment is called electromagnetic compatibility (EMC). As a way to support EMC analysis, we propose the use of Augmented Situated Visualization (ASV) to supply professionals with visual and interactive information that helps them to comprehend that data, however situating it where it is most relevant in its spatial context. Users are able to interact with the visualization by changing the attributes being displayed, comparing the overlaps of multiple fields, and extracting data, as a way to refine their search. The solutions being proposed in this work were tested against each other in comparable 2D and 3D interactive visualizations of the same data in a series of data-extraction assessments with users, as a means to validate the approaches. Results exposed a correctness-time trade-off between the interaction methods. The hand-based techniques (Hand Slider and Touch Lens) were the least error-prone, being near to half as error-inducing as the gaze-based method. Touch Lens also performed as the least time-consuming method, taking in average less than half of the average time required by the others. For the visualization methods tested, the 2D ray casts presented a higher usability score and lesser workload index than the 3D topology view, however exposing over two times the error ratio. Ultimately, this work exposes how AR can help users to have better performances in a decision-making context, particularly in EMC related tasks, while also furthering the research in the ASV field. © 2020 Elsevier Ltd
Copyright © 2020 for this paper by its authors.In EMC testing, 3D electromagnetic field data often needs to be visually analysed by an expert in order to detect product defects or unwanted interference between multiple devices. In this sense, the present work proposes the use of data visualization techniques allied to an Augmented Reality user interface to provide information that helps professionals to analyse the same data, however spatially situated where it was first measured. Apart from visualizing it, users may also interact with the data to narrow down their search by switching the attributes being displayed, combining them together, applying filters or changing the formatting in which data is presented. The approaches being proposed in this work will ultimately be tested against each other in comparable 2D and 3D interactive visualizations of the same data in a series of usability assessments with users to validate the solutions. The goal is to ultimately expose whether AR can help users to make more accurate decisions, particularly in EMC related tasks.
This paper describes an iterative approach to determine quasi-optical properties of standard 3D printer filament material to, in an inexpensive and fast way, construct focusing lenses for millimetre wave systems. Results from three lenses with different focal lengths are shown and discussed. The real part of the permittivity at 60GHz for polylactic acid (PLA) is in this paper determined to be εr=2.74. © 2018 Institution of Engineering and Technology. All rights reserved.
The use of Millimiter Wave (mmWave) for communication and sensing purposes is one of the functions powered by Next Generation Vehicle-to-Anything (V2X) networks. The arrival of IEEE 802.11bd, which is able to operate in the 60 GHz band, opens the doors of Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) to vehicular networks. Similarly, Radar-based Communication (RadCom) proposes the use of the radar spectrum for communication puproses. In this paper, we perform an analysis of the channel capacity for different configurations of RadCom, showing its potential to offload the V2X spectrum for bumper-to-bumper V2X applications. We finalize with a discussion on the potential for ISAC from both the 802.11bd and RadCom approaches.
The cohabitation of several radars, operating in the same frequency band, has become an essential and urgent topic as active safety systems for automotive applications are rolled out. An obvious concern is that mutual interference must be managed. Separating users in time, i.e. TDMA, achieves the required level of isolation in a straightforward way. CDMA techniques providing sufficient channel isolation are less obvious. The paper develops an alternative CDMA method, called Slow Chirp Modulation (SCM). SCM utilizes the full coherent integration time for transmission of a single aperiodic but ergodic signal, allowing target range and velocity to be retrieved but minimizing spectral occupancy. Spectral efficiency two orders of magnitude higher than for the discussed alternative methods is obtained, allowing more than a thousand non-interfering channels. Relying on indicated hardware schematics, the paper demonstrates the functionality of the novel signal processing algorithms, which are required for SCM. ©2020 IEEE
This paper proposes a compact and frequency-adjustable/reconfigurable dielectric (DR)-loaded eighth-mode substrate integrated waveguide (EMSIW) antenna for duplex wireless communications. The miniaturization of the resonators is realized using a rectangular slot and high isolation is achieved by keeping a reasonable space between them. The proposed design is simulated using a three-dimensional (3D) full-wave simulator, then analysed with a circuit model and finally validated experimentally. Frequency-reconfigurability in the suggested antenna is achieved by placing DRs with different permittivities in the designated holes that are realized in the open-ended portion of each resonator. Consequently, the lower- and high-resonant bands can be reconfigured from 4.70 to 5.23 GHz and from 5.55 to 6.34 GHz, respectively. It is worth mentioning that both resonant band can be independently reconfigured. Moreover, the inter-resonator coupling is always lower than −23.5 dB in the bands of interest. Furthermore, the peak realized gains are always greater than 4.7 dBi in the lower frequency band and 5.5 dBi in the higher one. The suggested antenna has stable radiation properties in both bands in all frequency ranges. Hence, this design is suitable for compact reconfigurable devices due to its compactness, large frequency ranges, stable radiation patterns, and high isolation. © 2023 Elsevier GmbH
In many metallurgical operations, effective analysis of the processes can be very difficult with available technology. This is especially true if the analysis is to be performed on-line and in a harsh environment characterized by high temperatures, dust and liquid metal. Protection of the equipment requires both rugged encapsulation as well as elaborate sampling systems and exposure of the equipment to the hazardous environment must be minimised. Often this result in an increased level of service and maintenance requirements and, in the worst case, the maintenance cost might be so high that the equipment is not installed. Microwave technology is a versatile and powerful tool with many different applications in the scientific community. It is insensitive to dust and fume and, for several years, the technology has been tested at MEFOS and evaluated for different metallurgical processes. It has been applied to slag thickness measurement and slag composition in an induction furnace, 3D imaging of the burden surface in a charging model on pilot scale as well as raceway depth measurements in a Blast Furnace. The idea of using microwave technology for gas analysis in metallurgical processes has also been explored. However, despite its many advantages, microwave technology is still not employed extensively in the steel and metal industries. Copyright © 2007 ISIJ.
A method, an antenna, and a system for determining positions for reflectio n points using microwaves. An electromagnetic wave signal is generated at a defined frequency, and transmitted by an antenna unit. the antenna unit includes a transmitter antenna and a plurality of receiver antennas, separated by a kno wn spacing perpendicular to a main line of sight and devised to receive reflect ed portions of the transmitted wave. Phase comparator means are connected to th e transmitter antenna and the receiver antennas, and a control unit connected to the phase comparator means is operable to calculate an angle to a reflection poi nt from detected phase difference between at least two receiver antennas and the spacing between said at least two receiver antennas, and to calculate a distance to the reflection point from detected phase difference between the transmitter antenna and a receiver antenna dependent on the frequency.
A planar patch antenna array has been made for radar interferometry. The antenna array consists of 32 rectangular patches on a ceramic loaded teflon substrate. The patches are individually coupled to the microwave electronics in two orthogonal circular polarizations. The radar interferometer is intended for topographic imaging in industrial environment, in this case, a blast furnace producing hot metal for the steel and metal industry. Ordinary imaging techniques with IR or visible radiation are not possible to use due to high temperatures, scattering from dust and particles. A model of blast furnace burden material surface was measured and detected.
Within the global steel-and metal industry there is a growing need for new sensor systems to measure and control the industrial process. New technologies for new sensors are continuously being developed for an ever growing market. The growth in the steel making industry is based on ore and Blast Furnaces therefore play an increasingly important role for the production of hot liquid iron and steel. We present a new interferometer micro wave system to makethree dimensional topographic maps of the blast furnace burden surface. The Blast Furnace process is one of the oldest industrial processes. The furnace is tall and round. Layers of Coke ands iron ore are successively laid, and air, pre-heated to 1200 °C, as fuel to the process. The coke and iron layers become semi-liquid and then liquid in the cohesive zone. The carbon from the coke reacts with the oxygen in the ore (which is Fe2O3or Fe3O4) and form CO and CO2which goes off as off-gas. The iron, now mixed with some amount of carbon, is tapped in liquid form from the bottom. This is then taken to a converter, where oxygen is added to remove the carbon to form the final product of liquid steel.
A novel radio receiver circuit, functioning as a tuned active, detecting antenna, is described. The receiver is suggested to be part of a new radio system with the potential of competing with the range capability of active RFID-tags and, through its low power and long lifetime, with passive RFID-tags. The circuit is outlined and the functionality is verified by simulations and measurements.
A 24 MHz discrete prototype showed better than -70 dBm sensitivity and 5 kHz bandwidth, with a power consumption of 102 μW. Simulations of a monolithic implementation were performed at 2.5 GHz. The detector is modeled by using 180 nm CMOS transistors. In simulations the power consumption for the detector is below 125 μW at a sensitivity of -83 dBm and a bandwidth of 9 MHz.
Our conclusion is that this novel simple circuit architecture is well suited for monolithic implementation of a low power transceiver.
There are many known technologies that can be used to monitor surfaces, but the most of them requires a transparent environment to be functional. In the Blast Furnace where the environment is full of dust and fume at high temperatures those technologies are not applicable.
With a functional technology in such an environment the burden surface could be analysed and monitored, which in its extension would lead to a way to control the charging operation in the BF and thus a better use of raw material and also a better gas utilization.
In this paper we will discuss the use of microwave technology as one technology with the potential to create a topographical image of the burden surface in the Blast Furnace during operation.
In this paper we present a novel active radio frequency identification system consisting of transponders with low complexity, low power consumption, and long system reading range. The transponder’s low complexity and small circuit integration area indicate that the production cost is comparable to the one of a passive tag. The hardware keystone is the transponder’s radio wake-up transceiver, which is a single oscillator with very low power consumption. The communication protocol, based on frequency signalling binary tree, contributes to the low complexity of the tag architecture. More than 1500 tags can be read per second. The average transponder ID read-out delay is 319 ms when there are 1000 transponders within reach of the interrogator. The calculated expected life time for a transponder is estimated to be almost three years.
An anti-counterfeit and authentication method usingtime controlled numeric tokens enabling a secure logistic chain ispresented. Implementation of the method is illustrated with apharmaceutical anti-counterfeit system. The method uses activeRFID technology in combination with product seal. Authenticityis verified by comparing time controlled ID-codes, i.e. numerictokens, stored in RFID tags and by identical numeric tokensstored in a secure database. The pharmaceutical products areprotected from the supplier to the pharmacist, with thepossibility to extend the authentication out to the end customer.The ability of the method is analyzed by discussion of severalpossible scenarios. It is shown that an accuracy of 99.9% tellingthe customer she has an authentic product is achieved by the useof 11-bit ID-code strings.
This paper presents analytical expressions for the sensitivity of a low power envelope detector driven by a weak RF signal in the presence of a blocking signal. The envelope detector has been proposed for low power Wake-Up radios in applications such as RFID and wireless sensor systems. The theoretical results are verified with simulations of a modern short channel MOS transistor in a commonly used circuit topology. A discussion around a tutorial example of a radio frontend, consisting of an LNA and a detector, is presented. It is shown that the sensitivity of a low power envelope detector can reach -62 dBm with a low power LNA and in presence of a CW blocker. © 2011 IEEE.
With the advent of Internet of Things (IoT) it has become clear that radio-frequency (RF) designers have to be aware of power constraints, e.g., in the design of simplistic ultra-low power receivers often used as wake-up radios (WuRs). The objective of this work, one of the first systematic studies of power bounds for RF-systems, is to provide an overview and intuitive feel for how power consumption and sensitivity relates for low-power receivers. This was done by setting up basic circuit schematics for different radio receiver architectures to find analytical expressions for their output signal-to-noise ratio including power consumption, bandwidth, sensitivity, and carrier frequency. The analytical expressions and optimizations of the circuits give us relations between dc-energy-per-bit and receiver sensitivity, which can be compared to recent published low-power receivers. The parameter set used in the analysis is meant to reflect typical values for an integrated 90 nm complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor fabrication processes, and typical small sized RF lumped components.
An ultra-low power wake-up radio receiver using no oscillators is described. The radio utilizes an envelope detector followed by a baseband amplifier and is fabricated in a 130-nm complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor process. The receiver is preceded by a passive radio-frequency voltage transformer, also providing 50 Omega antenna matching, fabricated as transmission lines on the FR4 chip carrier. A sensitivity of -47 dBm with 200 kb/s on-off keying modulation is measured at a current consumption of 2.3 mu A from a 1 V supply. No trimming is used. The receiver accepts a dBm continuous wave blocking signal, or modulated blockers 6 dB below the sensitivity limit, with no loss of sensitivity.