Radar apparatus and radar tuning method

A radar apparatus capable of transmitting a pulse signal including pulses having at least two different pulselengths and receiving a returning echo signal through a single antenna, said radar apparatus comprising:

• a transmission pulselength specifier for specifying said at least two different pulselengths;
• a transmitter for generating the pulse signal having said at least two different pulselengths specified by said transmission pulselength specifier according to a specific transmit pulse pattern, wherein the pulse signal has a frequency that changes as a result of changes is said pulselengths;
• a receiver for down-converting the received echo signal using a local oscillation frequency;
• a tuning voltage setting timing generator for generating a tuning voltage setting timing according to said transmit pulse pattern;
• and
• a tuning processor for controlling the local oscillation frequency by altering a tuning voltage based on transmitting frequency deviation that occurs as a result of pulselength alteration according to said tuning voltage setting timing,
• the radar apparatus further comprising a tuning voltage alteration decider for deciding whether or not to alter the tuning voltage based on a combination of alternate pulselengths before and after altering the pulselength of the transmitted pulse signal, wherein said tuning processor performs operation for altering the tuning voltage based on the result of decision made by said tuning voltage alteration decider.

A tuning method of a radar apparatus, said tuning method comprising:

• a transmission pulselength specification step for specifying at least two different pulselengths of pulses of a pulse signal to be transmitted;
• a transmit step for transmitting the pulse signal including the pulses having the pulselengths specified in said transmission pulselength specification step according to a specific transmit pulse pattern, wherein the pulse signal has a frequency that changes as a result of changes is said pulselengths;
• a receive step for down-converting a received echo signal using a local oscillation frequency;
• a tuning voltage setting timing generating step for generating a tuning voltage setting timing according to said transmit pulse pattern;
• and
• a tuning operation step for controlling the local oscillation frequency by altering a tuning voltage based on transmitting frequency deviation that occurs as a result of pulselength alteration according to said tuning voltage setting timing;
• the tuning method further comprising:
• a tuning voltage alteration deciding step for deciding whether or not to alter the tuning voltage based on a combination of alternate pulselengths before and after altering the pulselength of the transmitted pulse signal, wherein said tuning processor performs operation for altering the tuning voltage based on the result of decision made by said tuning voltage alteration decider.