Method and System for Frequency Offset Modulation Range Division MIMO Automotive Radar Using I-Channel Only Modulation Mixer

A method for operating a radar system, comprising:

• generating a transmit reference signal at a transmitter module;
• supplying the transmit reference signal to a plurality of single channel modulation mixers configured to generate a plurality of transmit signals, each having a different frequency offset from the transmit reference signal, where each single channel modulation mixer is connected to mix the transmit reference signal with one of a plurality of different frequency offset tones separated from one another by an offset frequency Δf, thereby generating a frequency offset transmit signal as one of the plurality of transmit signals;
• encoding the plurality of transmit signals using a signal conditioning and power amplification at the transmitter module to produce and transmit N radio frequency encoded transmit signals over N transmit antennas at the transmitter module;
• and
• processing a received target return signal reflected from the N radio frequency encoded transmit signals by a target to generate a digital signal which is processed with fast time processing steps to generate a range spectrum comprising N segments which correspond, respectively, to the N radio frequency encoded transmit signals transmitted over the N transmit antennas.

An automotive radar system on a chip (SOC) for detecting an object, comprising:

• N transmit antennas and one or more receive antennas;
• a reference signal generator for generating a transmit reference signal;
• a waveform generator for generating a plurality of different frequency offset tones separated from one another by an offset frequency Δf,
• a transmit module comprising:
• a plurality of I-channel only modulation mixers connected to generate a plurality of transmit signals from the transmit reference signal, each having a different frequency offset from the transmit reference signal, where each I-channel only modulation mixer is connected to mix the transmit reference signal with one of a plurality of different frequency offset tones separated from one another by an offset frequency Δf, thereby generating a frequency offset transmit signal as one of the plurality of transmit signals;
• and
• signal conditioning and power amplification circuitry to produce and transmit N radio frequency encoded transmit signals over the N transmit antennas;
• and
• a receiver module connected between the one more receive antennas and a radar control processing unit to generate a digital signal from a received target return signal reflected from the N radio frequency encoded transmit signals by a target, where the radar control processing unit is configured to process the digital signal with fast time processing steps to generate a range spectrum comprising N segments which correspond, respectively, to the N radio frequency encoded transmit signals transmitted over the N transmit antennas.