Object sensing from a potentially moving frame of reference with virtual apertures formed from sparse antenna arrays

A method comprising:

• generating a first plurality of independent waveforms, wherein the first plurality of independent waveforms are generated based on:
• a time shift on one or more master signals;
• a phase shift on the one or more master signals;
• a code division on the one or more master signals;
• a frequency shift on the one or more master signals;
• or a combination thereof;
• converting the first plurality of independent waveforms into a first plurality of independent transmitted radar signals;
• transmit the first plurality of independent transmitted radar signals toward a field of view using a transmitter array comprising a first plurality of transmitter antennas;
• receiving a second plurality of receive radar signals using a receiver array comprising a second plurality of receiver antennas, the second plurality of receive radar signals representing responses to the first plurality of independent transmitted radar signals from the field of view;
• processing the second plurality of receive radar signals to recover one or more signal attributes of the first plurality of independent waveforms from the second plurality of receive radar signals, the one or more signal attributes corresponding to responses for at least a portion of the field of view;
• providing a representation of one or more areas of interest in the field of view using the one or more signal attributes of the first plurality of independent waveforms recovered from the second plurality of receive signals;
• rendering one or more image attributes of the one or more areas of interest using the representation of the one or more areas of interest, the one or more image attributes based, at least in part, on motion relative to the field of view.

A radar imaging system comprising:

• a signal generator configured to generate a first plurality of independent waveforms wherein the signal generator is configured to perform:
• a time shift on one or more master signals to generate the first plurality of independent waveforms;
• a phase shift on the one or more master signals to generate the first plurality of independent waveforms;
• a code division on the one or more master signals to generate the first plurality of independent waveforms;
• a frequency shift on the one or more master signals to generate the first plurality of independent waveforms;
• or a combination thereof;
• a signal conversion module configured to convert the first plurality of independent waveforms into a first plurality of independent transmitted radar signals;
• one or more first Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuits (MMICs) comprising a transmitter array, the transmitter array comprising a first plurality of transmitter antennas configured to transmit the first plurality of independent transmitted radar signals toward a field of view;
• one or more second MMICs comprising:
• a receiver array comprising a second plurality of receiver antennas, the second plurality of receiver antennas configured to receive a second plurality of receive radar signals, the second plurality of receive radar signals representing responses to the first plurality of independent transmitted radar signals from the field of view;
• a sampling module coupled to the receiver array, the sampling module configured to sample the second plurality of receive radar signals;
• a processing module coupled to the sampling module, the processing module configured to implement:
• a virtual antenna formation module configured to process the second plurality of receive radar signals to recover one or more signal attributes of the plurality of independent waveforms from the second plurality of receive signals, the one or more signal attributes corresponding to responses to at least a portion of the field of view;
• an imaging module configured to provide a representation of one or more areas of interest in the field of view using the one or more signal attributes of the first plurality of independent waveforms recovered from the second plurality of receive radar signals and to render one or more image attributes of the one or more areas of interest using the representation of the one or more areas of interest, the one or more image attributes based, at least in part, on motion relative to the field of view.

A radar imaging system comprising:

• an integrated circuit comprising:
• a receiver array comprising a second plurality of receiver antennas, the second plurality of receiver antennas configured to receive a second plurality of receive radar signals, the second plurality of receive radar signals representing responses to a first plurality of independent transmitted radar signals from a field of view, wherein the first plurality of independent transmitted radar signals are generated from a plurality of independent waveforms generated based on:
• a time shift on one or more master signals;
• a phase shift on the one or more master signals;
• a code division on the one or more master signals;
• a frequency shift on the one or more master signals;
• or a combination thereof;
• a sampling module coupled to the receiver array, the sampling module configured to sample the second plurality of receive radar signals;
• a processing module coupled to the sampling module, the processing module configured to implement:
• a virtual antenna formation module configured to process the second plurality of receive radar signals to recover one or more signal attributes of the first plurality of independent transmitted radar signals, the one or more signal attributes corresponding to responses to at least a portion of the field of view;
• an imaging module configured to provide a representation of one or more areas of interest in the field of view using the one or more signal attributes of the first plurality of independent transmitted radar signals recovered from the second plurality of receive radar signals and to render one or more image attributes of the one or more areas of interest using the representation of the one or more areas of interest, the one or more image attributes based, at least in part, on motion relative to the field of view.