Area-selective radar detection

A method of radar detection of targets in an environment, comprising:

• cyclically transmitting and receiving radar signals in a protected area,
• processing the radar signals to cyclically obtain a detection profile that associates with each position in the protected area an amount of radar signal that has been reflected,
• for a first series of detection cycles, starting a first movement detection mode, configured to detect targets in the protected area after elimination of a part of the detection profile, to be insensitive to motionless targets and sensitive to dynamic targets that move between different locations in the protected area,
• before the first series of cycles, splitting the protected area into one or more first areas and one or more second areas, by selecting as first area at least a portion of the protected area in which motionless targets are present, and selecting as second area at least a portion of the protected area in which motionless targets are not present,
• as a moving target is detected within the protected area, ending the first series of detection cycles and starting a second movement detection mode to detect targets in each first area and a presence detection mode to detect targets in each second area, the second movement detection mode and the presence detection mode being active for a second series of cycles following the first series of cycles,
• wherein the second movement detection mode is configured to detect targets in each first area after the elimination of a part of the detection profile, to be insensitive to motionless targets and sensitive to dynamic targets, and is preferably different from the first movement detection mode,
• wherein the presence detection mode comprises:
• detecting motionless and dynamic targets in each second area based on the entire detection profile,
• restoring the first movement detection mode when second movement detection mode and the presence detection mode do not detect targets for a predetermined number of successive second cycles.