Automotive forward looking sensor test station

A method for testing the performance of a radar system, comprising the steps of:

• providing a test chamber having a first end at which the radar system is disposed and a second end;
• providing a test antenna at the second end of the test chamber;
• receiving at the test antenna array an RF signal transmitted by the radar system through the test chamber;
• processing the received signal with a transmit/receive (TR) processor in order to simulate a predetermined scene in the field of view of the radar system;
• transmitting the processed signal through the test chamber to the radar system;
• and
• providing control signals to the radar system, said control signals being indicative of movement of the radar system relative to the predetermined scene.

A test station comprising:

• (a) a test chamber having a first end and a second end;
• and
• (b) a transmit/receive test (TRT) system disposed at the second end of said test chamber, said TRT system including:
• (1) means, comprising a plurality of antenna elements, for receiving RF signals emanating from the first end of said test chamber;
• (2) means, coupled to said means for receiving RF signals, for processing the received RF signals to simulate a predetermined scene having a plurality of objects;
• and
• (3) means, coupled to said means for processing received RF signals, for receiving the processed RF signals and for transmitting the processed RF signals from the second end of said test chamber to the first end of said test chamber to simulate said scene having a plurality of objects.

A test station for testing a radar system, the test station comprising:

• a test chamber having a first end at which the radar system is disposed and a second end;
• a transmit/receive test (TRT) system disposed at the second end of the test chamber and operative to receive an RF signal transmitted by the radar system, process the received signal to simulate a predetermined scene and transmit the processed signal toward the radar system;
• and
• a controller for providing control signals to the TRT system indicative of the processing of the received signal by the TRT system to simulate the predetermined scene and for providing control signals to the radar system indicative of a predetermined movement of said radar system relative to said TRT system.

A test station comprising:

• (a) a test chamber having a first end and a second end;
• and
• (b) a transmit/receive test (TRT) system, disposed at the second end of said test chamber, to simulate a predetermined scene having a plurality of objects, said TRT system comprising:
• (1) a plurality of antenna elements disposed to receive RF signals emanating from the first end of said test chamber;
• (2) a plurality of transmit/receive RF processors, at least one of the plurality of transmit/receive RF processors simulating an object within the scene and at least another one of the plurality of transmit/receive RF processors simulating a different object within the scene.