Coherent Integration

In this section, we further elaborate on key concepts to provide a more detailed explanation. Coherent integration is a signal processing technique that enhances the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) by accumulating multiple pulse signals. From an implementation perspective, this typically involves aligning and summing complex-valued signal samples (I/Q data) while maintaining phase coherence through techniques like phase correction or Doppler compensation algorithms. The accumulation process demands strict phase relationships between signals—meaning they must maintain phase synchronization in the time domain—to achieve coherent integration. Thus, coherent integration leverages phase coherence to improve signal quality, often implemented using matched filtering or Fast Fourier Transform (FFT)-based pulse integration in radar or communication systems. Through coherent integration, clearer and more reliable results can be obtained in signal processing applications such as target detection or weak signal extraction.