Methods and apparatus for providing a 360-degree field-of-view radar system

A radar system comprising:

• a set of radar units, the set of radar units including a first plurality of radar units and a second plurality of radar units, the first plurality of radar units each including a transmitter, a receiver and at least one antenna, and the first plurality of radar units being arranged to provide up to an approximately 360-degree field-of-view;
• and
• a radar synchronizing controller coupled to the first plurality of radar units and configured to:
• trigger, at any given time interval, synchronized operation of the first plurality of radar units so as to obtain radar data for the approximately 360-degree field-of-view, or to trigger synchronized operation of two or more radar units, but less than the first plurality of radar units, so that the two or more radar units operate together a substantially single virtual radar unit having less than the approximately 360-degree field-of-view;
• and
• determine a number of the second plurality of radar units to be synchronized and added to the first plurality of radar units based on one or more of a desired detection performance, a desired field-of-view, or a desired resolution.