阅读说明：本技术 用于机动车的进行角度分辨的宽带的雷达传感器 (Angle-resolved broadband radar sensor for motor vehicles ) 是由 M·朔尔 于 2018-12-14 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种用于机动车的进行角度分辨的雷达传感器,所述雷达传感器具有天线装置以及控制和分析处理装置(30),所述天线装置具有设置用于接收的多个天线(10,12),所述多个天线在所述雷达传感器进行角度分辨的方向(y)上布置在不同的位置(yi)中,所述控制和分析处理装置设计用于以下运行方式：在所述运行方式中,所述雷达传感器的设置用于发送的至少一个天线(22)发送信号,所述信号被所述雷达传感器的设置用于接收的所述多个天线(10,12)接收,并且根据相应于发送天线和接收天线的不同配置的相应的分析处理信道(i)的信号之间的幅度关系和/或相位关系来估计雷达目标的角度(θ),其中,对于雷达目标的角度(θ)的单个估计,对于相应的分析处理信道(i)对于相应的距离(di)对所述分析处理信道的信号进行分析处理,其中,根据角度假设(θhyp)或角度范围假设,至少针对一个角度假设或角度范围假设为相应的分析处理信道(i)选择不同的距离(di)。(An angle-resolved radar sensor for a motor vehicle, having an antenna arrangement with a plurality of antennas (10, 12) provided for receiving, which are arranged in different positions (yi) in a direction (y) in which the radar sensor is angle-resolved, and having a control and evaluation device (30), which is designed for the following operating modes: in the operating mode, at least one antenna (22) of the radar sensor, which is provided for transmitting, transmits a signal, the signals are received by the plurality of antennas (10, 12) of the radar sensor which are provided for reception, and estimating an angle (theta) of the radar target from an amplitude relationship and/or a phase relationship between signals of the respective analysis processing channels (i) corresponding to different configurations of the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna, wherein, for a single estimation of the angle (θ) of the radar target, the signals of the analysis processing channels are analyzed for the respective analysis processing channels (i) for the respective distances (di), wherein, depending on the angle hypothesis (θ hyp) or angle range hypothesis, different distances (di) are selected for the respective analysis processing channel (i) at least for one angle hypothesis or angle range hypothesis.)

1. An angle-resolved radar sensor for a motor vehicle, having an antenna arrangement with a plurality of antennas (10, 12) provided for receiving, which are arranged in different positions (yi) in a direction (y) in which the radar sensor is angle-resolved, and having a control and evaluation device (30), which is designed for the following operating modes: in the operating mode, at least one antenna (22) of the radar sensor, which is provided for transmitting, transmits signals, which are received by a plurality of the antennas (10, 12) of the radar sensor, which are provided for receiving, and the angle (theta) of the radar target is estimated from the amplitude and/or phase relationship between the signals of the respective evaluation channels (i), which correspond to different configurations of the transmitting and receiving antennas,

characterized in that the control and evaluation device (30) is designed to evaluate the signals of the evaluation channels for the respective evaluation channels (i) for the respective distances (di) for a single evaluation of the angle (θ) of the radar target in the operating mode, wherein different distances (di) are selected for the respective evaluation channels (i) at least for one angle hypothesis or angle range hypothesis depending on the angle hypothesis (θ hyp) or angle range hypothesis.

2. Radar sensor according to claim 1, wherein the control and evaluation device (30) is designed, in the operating mode, to evaluate the signals of the evaluation channels for the respective evaluation channel at respective frequency positions (fa) for a single estimation of the angle (θ) of the radar target, which frequency positions correspond to the associated distances (di).

3. The radar sensor according to claim 1 or 2, in which the control and evaluation device (30) is designed, in the operating mode, to take into account an angle-dependent distance difference (Δ di) corresponding to the arrangement of the transmitting and receiving antennas of the evaluation channels as a difference in the distance (di) between the associated evaluation channels (i).

4. Radar sensor according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the control and evaluation device (30) is designed, in the operating mode, to decide, for a single estimation of the angle (θ) of a radar target, on the basis of the range resolution of the radar sensor and on the basis of the angle hypothesis (θ hyp) or angle range hypothesis, whether to select different ranges (di) for the respective evaluation channel (i) and what ranges (di) to select for the respective evaluation channel.

5. Radar sensor according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the control and evaluation device (30) is designed to perform a discrete fourier transformation of the received signals, wherein the control and evaluation device (30) is designed to, in the operating mode, for the respective evaluation channel (i), calculate spectral components for the selected distances (di) in the discrete fourier transformation and evaluate the spectral components for the estimation of the angle (θ).

6. Radar sensor according to one of the preceding claims, in which the control and evaluation device (30) is designed to calculate, for the respective evaluation channel (i), a fourier spectrum from the received signals by means of a discrete fourier transformation, wherein the control and evaluation device (30) is designed to determine, in the operating mode, the signals to be evaluated for the respective distance (di) for the angle estimation by interpolating spectral components of the relevant fourier spectrum.

7. Radar sensor according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the maximum difference in distance to a radar target produced by the arrangement of the transmitting and receiving antennas corresponds to at least 40% of the range resolution for at least two analysis processing channels.

8. Radar sensor according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the control and evaluation device (30) is designed, in the operating mode, to carry out, for a single estimation of the angle (θ) of a radar target, in a first step, a first angle estimation as a function of the amplitude and/or phase relationship between the signals of the respective evaluation channels corresponding to different configurations of the transmitting and receiving antennas (22, 10, 12), wherein, for the estimation of the angle, the signals of the evaluation channels (i) are evaluated at the respective distances (di) in the evaluation channels used for the first angle estimation, wherein, in a second step, the signals of the evaluation channels (i) are evaluated at the respective distances (di), wherein an angle hypothesis (θ hyp) or an angle range hypothesis is determined based on the result of the first angle estimation, from which different distances (di) are selected for the respective analysis processing channel (i).

9. The radar sensor of claim 8, in which channel (i) is processed using only the following analysis for the angle estimation in the first step: the evaluation channels (i) correspond to the arrangement of the receiving and transmitting antennas (22, 10, 12) which form part of the antenna arrangement and which have a smaller extension in the direction (y) in which the radar sensor is angularly resolved than if all evaluation channels were used.

10. A method for a radar sensor for motor vehicles for angle estimation of radar targets on the basis of amplitude and/or phase relationships between signals obtained in respective analysis processing channels of the radar sensor for different configurations of transmit and receive antennas (22, 10, 12) of the radar sensor, characterized in that for a single estimation of the angle of a radar target, the signals of the analysis processing channels are analyzed for respective distances (di) for respective analysis processing channels (i), wherein different distances (di) are selected for respective analysis processing channels (i) at least for angle hypotheses or angle range hypotheses on the basis of the angle hypotheses or angle range hypotheses.

Technical Field

The invention relates to a radar sensor for a motor vehicle, comprising an antenna arrangement having a plurality of antennas provided for reception, which are arranged in different positions in the direction of angular resolution of the radar sensor, and a control and evaluation device, which is designed for the following operating modes: in this operating mode, at least one antenna of the radar sensor, which is provided for transmitting, transmits a signal, which is received by a plurality of antennas of the radar sensor, which are provided for receiving, and the angle of the radar target is estimated from the amplitude and/or phase relationship between the signals of the respective evaluation channels, which correspond to different configurations of the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna.

Background

Radar sensors are used in motor vehicles, for example, to measure the spacing, relative speed and azimuth angle of a vehicle or other radar target positioned in front of the own vehicle. The antennas are then arranged, for example, at a distance from one another in the horizontal line, so that different azimuth angles of the located radar target result in a difference in the length of travel that the radar signal has to travel from the radar target to the respective antenna. These run-length differences lead to corresponding differences in the amplitude and phase of the signals received by the antennas and evaluated in the associated evaluation channels. The following is utilized for angle estimation: the amplitude and phase relationships of the signals obtained from the individual receiving antennas depend in a particular way on the angle of the radar target. Then, by comparing the (complex) amplitudes received in the respective channels with the corresponding amplitudes in the antenna diagram (Antennendiagramm), it is possible to determine the angle of incidence of the radar signal and, thus, the azimuth angle of the radar target. In a corresponding manner, the elevation angle of the radar target can also be estimated by means of antennas arranged vertically one after the other.

For a single target, the comparison between the received amplitude and the amplitude in the antenna diagram may be made as follows: for each angle in the antenna diagram, the correlation between a vector of measured magnitudes (in the case of k analysis processing channels, this is a vector with k complex components) and the corresponding vector in the antenna diagram is calculated. This correlation can be expressed by a so-called DML function (Deterministic Maximum likelihood function) which, given a certain vector of measured amplitudes, specifies for each angle the probability that the radar target is at that angle. The angle estimation then involves finding the maximum of these DML functions. In addition to maximum likelihood methods, other methods for angle Estimation are known, such as MUSIC (Multiple Signal classification) or ESPRIT (Estimation of Signal Parameters using a rotational Invariance technique).

Disclosure of Invention

In further improving the performance of the radar sensor, the d, v estimation can be done with improved resolution. An increase in the available sensor size (i.e., the size or aperture of the antenna array) can enable improved accuracy of angle estimation and improved angle separation. In the FMCW (frequency modulated continuous wave) measurement method with a linear frequency ramp and in the evaluation of the received signal by means of a discrete fourier transformation, in particular an FFT (fast fourier transformation), the width of the fourier transformed range interval (entrfngsbins) corresponds to the distance difference Δ r, where Δ r is c/(2F), where c is the speed of light and F is the frequency range of change (frequnzhub) of the linear frequency ramp of the FMCW transmitted signal. This distance difference is also referred to herein as the distance resolution.

Thus, "distance resolution" is understood to mean the smallest difference in distance: in a given operating mode of the radar sensor, the two measured values of the range (same relative speed) of the radar sensor at this minimum range difference can still be mapped into separate intervals (Bins). In performing the FFT, the range resolution corresponds to the interval between two range bins in the FFT, i.e., the width of the range bin. The terms "distance resolution" and "width of the distance interval" are used synonymously herein and hereinafter. In contrast, "distance separability"Which can be understood as twice the width of the distance interval. If the bandwidth of the radar sensor is increased, a range resolution of, for example, 7.5cm can be achieved with a frequency range F of the transmission signal of 2 GHz. If the aperture increases simultaneously to a value of a similar order of magnitude, or in the case of MIMO (multiple input multiple output) radar sensors the virtual aperture increases to a value of a similar order of magnitude, it is already possible to detect the run-length differences between the received signals of the individual antennas or of the analysis processing channels as different distances to the radar target, depending on the angle of the radar target. Then, at larger angles, at the frequency positions determined by the d, v estimation of the detected radar target, the vector of measured amplitudes is no longer completely contained in the fourier spectrum of the analysis processing channel. This can be dealt with by manually reducing the aperture used by the antenna arrangement for detecting larger angles. Alternatively, by selecting a smaller bandwidth and the accompanying frequency interval of the broadened fourier spectrum, it is possible to achieve a complete acquisition of the vector of measured amplitudes. However, both have the following disadvantages: full range resolution and full angular separability cannot be achieved simultaneously.

The above-described run-length difference at large bandwidths and large apertures has various effects especially in the fourier spectrum obtained by FFT.

In one aspect, if the run-length differences between the received signals are detected as different distances from the radar target, the signals corresponding to the peaks may be mapped into corresponding analysis processing channels in different frequency bins of the FFT.

On the other hand, phase shifts occur here, the value per shift of one interval (Bin) being Pi. If the grid point (Stutzstelle) (frequency position) of the FFT does not exactly correspond to the following frequency position, a phase shift occurs: the frequency positions correspond to the actual individual distances of the respective antenna configuration. The phase offset can be taken into account in the antenna calibration by: the angle estimation is performed using antenna patterns determined for the same frequency variation range.

Furthermore, amplitude errors occur due to the window function used to form the FFT. This is not easily taken into account in the antenna calibration.

The object of the invention is to provide a radar sensor which enables a simple and accurate angle estimation even in the case of large antenna arrays and signals with a high bandwidth.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by: the control and evaluation device is designed to evaluate the signals of the evaluation channels for the respective distance for the respective evaluation channel for a single evaluation of the angle of the radar target in the operating mode, wherein different distances are selected for the respective evaluation channel at least for one angle hypothesis or angle range hypothesis depending on the angle hypothesis or angle range hypothesis. Thus, for a single estimate of the angle of the radar target, each analysis processing channel is assigned a respective range for which analysis processing is performed.

For example, the signals of the evaluation channels can be evaluated at the respective frequency positions of the respective evaluation channels, wherein, depending on the angle hypothesis or angle range hypothesis, different frequency positions are selected for the respective evaluation channels at least for one angle hypothesis or angle range hypothesis. Thus, for example, in an FMCW radar sensor, the respective frequency positions correspond to the respective distances.

The control and evaluation device (30) can be designed, for example, such that, in the operating mode, for a single estimation of the angle of the radar target, the signals of the evaluation channels are evaluated for the respective evaluation channel at the respective frequency position (which corresponds to the relevant distance).

In addition, the object is achieved by a method for a radar sensor for a motor vehicle for angle estimation of a radar target as a function of a magnitude and/or phase relationship between signals which are obtained in the respective evaluation channels of the radar sensor for different configurations of the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna of the radar sensor, in which method the signals of the evaluation channels are evaluated for the respective distances for the respective evaluation channels for a single evaluation of the angle of the radar target, wherein different distances are selected for the respective evaluation channels at least for one angle hypothesis or angle range hypothesis as a function of the angle hypothesis or angle range hypothesis.

For the estimation of the angle, the amplitude and/or phase of the correlated signal is evaluated, in particular for the respective distance, or at the respective frequency position of the evaluation channel.

For the angle estimation, therefore, vectors are used whose components correspond to different distances or frequency positions of the signals of the respective evaluation channel; thus, the distance or frequency position for at least two analysis processing channels differs from each other, at least for one angular assumption. The following effects can thus be addressed: at large bandwidths and at large apertures, a shift in the frequency position of the peak corresponding to the radar target occurs according to the angle of the radar target and according to the configuration of the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna of the analysis processing channel.

Furthermore, the difference between the range or frequency position may also be selected in dependence on the range of the radar target. As such, the angular difference at long distances, at which different antennas "see" the radar target, is smaller than at short distances; accordingly, the stroke length difference of the signals is small.

The antenna arrangement is preferably a planar arrangement of antennas, for example an antenna array with a regular offset between the receiving antennas or a sparse antenna array.

Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

In an embodiment, the control and evaluation device is designed to: in the operating mode, angular distance differences corresponding to the arrangement of the transmitting and receiving antennas of the evaluation channels are taken into account as distance differences or frequency position shifts between the associated evaluation channels. That is, the offset of the frequency location under consideration corresponds to the corresponding range difference. The distance dependence of the distance difference can also be taken into account here. For example, the range difference can be described as a range difference of a reference analysis processing channel or a section offset with respect to a section of the FFT. Expediently, as the difference in stroke length increases, an increasing difference in distance or an increasing frequency offset is taken into account.

In an embodiment, the control and evaluation device is designed to: in the operating mode, for at least one evaluation channel, different distances or frequency positions are selected for at least two angle hypotheses or angle range hypotheses.

In an embodiment, the control and evaluation device is designed to: in this operating mode, for a single estimation of the angle of the radar target, it is decided, depending on the range resolution of the radar sensor and on the angle or angle range assumption, whether different range or frequency positions are selected for the respective evaluation channel and what range or frequency position is selected for the respective evaluation channel. For example, at angles around 0 ° or 0 °, frequency offset may not be taken into account. Additionally, the decision may also be based on the distance of the radar target.

In an embodiment, the control and evaluation device is designed to: in the operating mode, the same distance or frequency position is selected at least for one angle hypothesis or angle range hypothesis. This will be used for the estimation of the angle. These angles (ranges) preferably correspond to medium angles (ranges) or symmetrical directions of the radar sensor.

In one embodiment, the control and evaluation device is designed to perform a discrete fourier transformation of the received signal, wherein the control and evaluation device is designed to: in this operating mode, for the respective evaluation channel, spectral components are calculated in the discrete fourier transformation for the selected distance or frequency position and evaluated for the angle estimation. The above-mentioned phase and amplitude errors of an FFT with a fixed frequency grid (frequenzaster) can be avoided by directly calculating the fourier transform or the individual fourier components of the spectrum at each selected frequency position.

In a further embodiment, the control and evaluation device is designed to calculate a fourier spectrum from the received signals by means of a discrete fourier transformation for the respective evaluation channel, wherein the control and evaluation device is designed to: in this operating mode, the signals to be evaluated for the angle estimation are determined for the respective distances or at the respective frequency positions by interpolating the spectral components of the relevant fourier spectrum. This is particularly advantageous since the fourier spectrum of the receiving channel can be calculated independently of the angle assumption, and then the signals can also be evaluated for the angle estimation by interpolation in each case in the middle between the grid frequencies (St ü tzfrequency) of the fourier spectrum, which means at frequencies adjacent to the respective frequency position. Thus, high separability in distance and angle can be achieved with simple and efficient calculation.

The features mentioned for the invention and the embodiments are particularly advantageous in the following cases: in the case of radar sensors for at least two evaluation channels, the maximum difference in distance to the radar target, which is produced by the arrangement of the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna, corresponds to at least 40% of the range resolution, or in particular to at least 80% of the range resolution. Preferably, the maximum difference in distance to the radar target, which is generated by the arrangement of the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna, for at least two analysis processing channels preferably corresponds to at least 20%, more preferably at least 33%, or at least 40%, or at least 50%, or at least 80% or at least 100% of the distance resolution. Especially in the case of distance differences greater than 80% of the distance resolution, the amplitude errors occurring in the FFT can become unacceptably large and exceed 1dB, for example, with tolerable errors depending on the respective application. The maximum distance difference produced by the arrangement of the transmitting and receiving antennas can correspond, for example, to the (virtual) aperture of the antenna arrangement in the range up to 90 °.

Drawings

Embodiments are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings. The figures show:

fig. 1 shows a block diagram of a radar sensor for a motor vehicle according to the invention;

fig. 2 shows a schematic diagram of the frequency intervals of the fourier spectrum of the corresponding analysis processing channel;

FIG. 3 illustrates the relationship between two antennas and a radar target;

fig. 4 shows a flow chart for illustrating the method according to the invention.

Detailed Description

The radar sensor shown in fig. 1 has a plurality of receiving antennas or antenna elements 10, 12 on a common substrate 18. The radar sensor is installed in the motor vehicle in such a way that a plurality of antennas 10, 12 are located at the same height next to one another in a horizontal position yi (i ═ 0, …, k), so that the angular resolution of the radar sensor is achieved in the horizon (in azimuth). The radar beams received by the antenna at the respective azimuth angle θ i are symbolically shown in fig. 1.

The high-frequency part 20 for steering the transmitting antenna 22 comprises a local oscillator 24, which generates a radar signal to be transmitted. The radar echoes received by the antennas 10, 12 are each supplied to a mixer 28 where they are mixed with the transmit signal supplied by the oscillator 24. In this way, for each of the antennas 10, 12, a baseband or intermediate frequency signal Z0, Z1, Z.

The control and evaluation unit 30 contains a control device component 32, which controls the function of the oscillator 24. In the example shown, the radar sensor relates to an FMCW radar, i.e. -the frequency of the transmitted signal provided by the oscillator 24 is periodically modulated in the form of a sequence of rising and/or falling frequency ramps.

Furthermore, the control and evaluation device 30 comprises evaluation means with an analog-to-digital converter 34 having k channels, which digitizes the intermediate frequency signals Z0-Zk obtained from the k antennas 10, 12 and records them over the duration of a single frequency ramp in each case. The time signal thus obtained is then converted into a corresponding frequency spectrum by fast fourier transformation in a transform stage 36 on a channel-by-channel basis. In these frequency spectra, each radar target appears in the form of a peak whose frequency position depends on the signal propagation time from the radar sensor to the radar target and back to the radar sensor and-due to the doppler effect-on the relative velocity of the radar target. The interval d and the relative speed v of the relevant radar target can then be calculated in a known manner from the frequency positions of the two peaks, which are obtained for the same radar target, however on frequency ramps with different slopes, for example a rising ramp and a falling ramp.

As is schematically shown in fig. 1 in terms of radar beams, the different positions of the antennas 10, 12 result in radar beams emitted by the same antenna being reflected at the radar target and then being received by different antennas, passing through different path lengths and thus having a phase difference which depends on the azimuth angle θ of the radar target. The associated intermediate frequency signals Z0-Zk also have a corresponding phase difference. The amplitude (magnitude) of the received signal differs from antenna to antenna and is also dependent on the azimuth angle θ. For each located object, i.e. -each radar target (each peak in the spectrum), the angle estimator 38 compares the complex amplitudes obtained in the k receive channels with the antenna diagram in order to estimate the azimuth angle θ of the radar target. The angle estimator comprises, for example, an interpolator 40, a correlator 42 and a decision maker 44, as will be explained below.

However, in the case of high bandwidths, corresponding to a large frequency range of the FMCW modulation and a large extension of the antenna arrangement (ausdehnnung), the complex amplitudes are contained in the individual receiving channels at different frequency positions fa (i) in the spectrum of the received signal, depending on the azimuth angle θ of the radar target and depending on the spacing d of the radar target. This is schematically illustrated in fig. 2, in which successive frequency intervals of the fourier spectrum are shown in the direction of increasing frequency f. The different frequency positions fa (i) correspond to different individual distances di. Then, unlike the usual angle estimation, the signals belonging to a radar target can no longer be assumed to be mapped in the same manner in the same respective interval (marked with a shading in fig. 2) of the fourier spectrum in different evaluation channels. To take these effects into account, the respective frequency offset fa (i) to be expected is calculated for each channel i by the interpolator 40 on the basis of the angle hypothesis θ hyp to be checked. Based on the expected frequency shift fa, the interpolator 40 selects one or more spectral components of the peak that are considered for angle estimation, compared to the reference frequency position fref of the peak. For example, the frequency position for an antenna configuration is selected as the reference frequency position fref, compared to which the other antenna configurations have a symmetrical frequency offset in the case of radar targets having medium to small angles and to large angles. The frequency location of the midrange antenna may be selected as the reference frequency location. The interpolator 40 will also interpolate spectral components of the relevant interval adjacent to the selected frequency position, at least in the selected frequency position resulting from the frequency offset between the two frequency positions for which the FFT is calculated, in order to determine the value of the spectrum for the correct selected frequency position having the correct amplitude and phase.

The signals determined and possibly interpolated for the selected frequency positions in the individual channels are passed as vectors to a correlator 42 which calculates in a manner known per se for the angle hypotheses of the correlation of the complex amplitudes compiled in the vector (zusammetellen) with the antenna diagram and outputs the degree of correlation to a decision maker 44. Here, the correlator 42 accesses the stored antenna diagram. The decision maker 44 determines the value of the angle at which the measured magnitude of the vector correlates best with the value read in the antenna diagram as the most likely value for the azimuth angle. A plurality of angle hypotheses or angle hypothesis ranges are checked with respect to the coincidence of the measured signal with the signal calculated from the antenna diagram, corresponding to the detection angle range of the radar sensor. It is also conceivable here that the interpolator 40 does not determine a frequency position and perform an interpolation for each individual angle hypothesis to be examined, but that the interpolator 40 performs a representative selection of the frequency positions of the individual analysis processing channels for the range of angle hypotheses and, if necessary, an interpolation of the spectral components.

Thus, the data involved in the angle estimation is preprocessed for the angle hypothesis or range of angle hypotheses to be examined, according to the necessity based on angle and distance resolution.

For example, for the range from-30 ° to +30 °, vectors can be compiled directly from the respective identical frequency positions of the signals, for the range from +30 ° to +60 °, representative offsets of the frequency positions for the respective evaluation channel for the region are taken into account, etc.; the range limits illustrated are merely for illustrative purposes and may in practice be determined in terms of the distance resolution and the required accuracy of the data for angle estimation.

The correlation of the complex amplitude (i.e. absolute value and phase) of the received signal at the correct frequency position with the azimuth angle θ can be stored in the form of a graph in the control and analysis processing unit 30 for each antenna. The plots for the various antennas may be combined into an antenna diagram that accounts for the received signal amplitude as a function of azimuth for each antenna.

Fig. 3 shows in a top view the relationship of two antennas (marked with indices 0 and i at coordinates (0, y0) and (0, yi)) to a point target at coordinate (x, y) (as radar target). The spacing of the point targets from the respective antennas is marked with d0, di, and the angle of incidence (azimuth) of the received radar signal is marked with θ 0 or θ i. For simplicity of illustration, it is assumed that the origin (0, 0) represents the center point of the antenna array and corresponds to the average position of the receiving antennas 10, 12.

For each antenna with index i, what applies to the position and angle of the radar target is:

di＝(x²+(y-yi)²)^1/2

and θ i ═ atan ((y-yi)/x)

The coordinates of the radar target should be obtained with the origin as a reference as an estimation parameter of the radar sensor, that is:

d＝(x²+y²)^1/2

and θ ═ atan (y/x)

Difference per antenna from average parameter:

Δdi＝di-d＝(x²+(y-yi)²)^1/2-(x²+y²)^1/2

and Δ θ i atan ((y-yi)/x) -atan (y/x)

Where Δ di represents a distance difference and Δ θ i represents an azimuth difference.

The difference in distance between the analysis processing channels "seen" by the radar sensor due to the difference in run length depends on the antenna configuration. Therefore, in a bistatic system or a MIMO system, the effects (distance or propagation time) on the path from the transmitting antenna to the target and on the path from the target to the receiving antenna are added and averaged. The estimated distance is determined, for example, over the total propagation time of the signal, divided into a go and a return, and is thus determined as the average distance over the average propagation time of the signal.

Fig. 4 illustrates a method for controlling and analyzing the operation of a processing device according to the above description. In step S10, radar measurement and analog-to-digital conversion of the intermediate frequency signal of the channel are performed. In step S12, a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) is performed in the corresponding analysis processing channel. In step S14, an interpolation is carried out in the frequency spectrum of the respective evaluation channel for the angle hypothesis to be examined or for the angle hypothesis range, wherein in step S13 the respective frequency position is selected from the angle hypothesis/angle hypothesis range and d, v, at which the interpolation is carried out in the relevant evaluation channel. In step S16, the angle hypothesis/range of angle hypotheses is evaluated in terms of the agreement of the measured and interpolated signals with the signals expected from the antenna diagram, by determining the correlation with the antenna diagram. If it is determined in step S18 that another angle hypothesis is to be checked, a corresponding iteration is performed starting from step S13. It is also possible to interpolate angle hypotheses representative of a range of angle hypotheses, but still evaluate the associated range of angle hypotheses separately. Then, the corresponding representative angle hypothesis is repeated from step S16, and the new angle hypothesis range is repeated from step S13. Finally, in step S20, the angle hypothesis with the best evaluation is determined as the estimated angle.

In another embodiment, a conventional angle estimation is performed in a first step by the control and analysis processing device 30, whereas the antenna array used has a reduced size. In this case, for the angle estimation, the fourier spectrum is evaluated in a first step at the same position in each case by a respective evaluation channel corresponding to the subset of evaluation channels. In the first step, for example, the interpolator 40 is not used. Preferably, the used extension of the antenna arrangement is limited in this case in the first direction to the following values: for this value, the maximum difference in distance to the radar target, which is produced by the arrangement of the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna, for at least two analysis processing channels corresponds to less than 80%, particularly preferably less than 40%, of the range resolution.

In a first step a rough angle estimation is performed. Based on the result of the first estimation, an angular hypothesis or one or more angular range hypotheses are then determined, and the analysis processes already described are then performed for these hypotheses by selecting different frequency positions for the respective analysis processing channels. In this way, by the pre-estimation in the first step, the processing overhead for more accurate angle estimation can be reduced in the second step.

Fig. 4 illustrates that the first step of angle estimation is shown by means of steps S22, S26, S28 and S30, which correspond to step S12 of fourier transformation, step S16 of evaluation and steps S18, S20, except for analyzing the reduced subset of processing channels.

In the case of a MIMO radar sensor, the described operating mode of the control and evaluation device 30 can be set in a corresponding manner. Here, the k analysis processing channels correspond to different configurations of the transmit and receive antennas. If the receiving array formed by the plurality of receiving antennas 10, 12 has an actual aperture of, for example, m λ, a virtual receiving array with a double aperture of 2m λ can be formed, for example, by alternately using two transmitting antennas 22, so that more exact phase and amplitude differences result and thus a more distinct (scharf) angular separation can be achieved. Multiple transmit antennas may also be used simultaneously for transmission by means of a frequency division multiplexing method or a code division multiplexing method.

The antennas 10, 12 and 22 may relate to groups of antennas each comprising an array of patches, steering the patch arrays in phase, or assembling the patch arrays into a received signal with the phase maintained.

The embodiments described herein operate with a bistatic antenna design. Alternatively, however, a monostatic antenna design may be used, in which the same (group of) antennas are used for transmission and reception.

The described operating mode of the control and evaluation device can be used particularly advantageously in FMCW radar sensors which are operated with a so-called fast chirp sequence. In this case, a plurality of frequency ramps (chirps) are passed in a rapid sequence (durchfahren), which have a large slope and only a relatively short duration.