Principles and Simulation of Small Vehicle-Mounted Radar Systems

Simulation of small vehicle-mounted radar principles utilizing Linear Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (LFMCW) waveforms. The system detects surrounding vehicle targets in highway environments, employs Range-Doppler processing to display target range and velocity information, and provides a comprehensive demonstration of LFMCW detection principles.

To better understand the working principles of small vehicle-mounted radars, we can examine the LFMCW waveform generation process in detail. LFMCW waveforms feature continuously varying frequencies achieved through programmed frequency modulation of transmitted signals. In code implementation, this typically involves generating chirp sequences using MATLAB's chirp function or equivalent algorithms with parameters like start/stop frequencies and sweep time. When transmitted signals interact with targets, reflected signals are processed through Doppler analysis where cross-correlation between transmitted and received signals reveals range information, while frequency shifts indicate velocity via Fourier transform operations.

In highway environments, small vehicle-mounted radars leverage Doppler effects to distinguish between stationary and moving vehicles ahead. The Doppler effect manifests as frequency changes in reflected signals when targets move relative to the radar. Through spectral analysis using FFT-based algorithms, the system determines target motion states and extracts velocity information by measuring frequency deviations proportional to relative speed. Practical implementation involves threshold detection algorithms to differentiate stationary clutter from moving targets.

These principle demonstrations and explanations provide deeper insights into small vehicle-mounted radar operations and their highway applications. The simulation includes key processing stages: waveform generation, matched filtering for range estimation, and Doppler processing for velocity extraction, typically implemented through cascade FFT operations in Range-Doppler algorithms. We hope this technical breakdown proves valuable for understanding automotive radar systems.