US 12,111,390 B2
Dual pulsed mode FMCW radar retrofit conversion with adaptive sweep configuration
Walter S. Wall, Calabasas, CA (US); Jonathan J. Lynch, Oxnard, CA (US); James D. Krieger, Woodland Hills, CA (US); and Evan A Schlomann, Santa Monica, CA (US)
Assigned to The Boeing Company, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed by The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed on Jul. 7, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/368,875.
Prior Publication US 2023/0010398 A1, Jan. 12, 2023
Int. Cl. G01S 13/87 (2006.01); G01S 7/03 (2006.01); G01S 13/10 (2006.01); G01S 13/34 (2006.01)
CPC G01S 13/87 (2013.01) [G01S 7/03 (2013.01); G01S 13/103 (2013.01); G01S 13/343 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for retrofitting a frequency modulation continuous wave (FMCW) radar system, the method comprising:
(a) disconnecting an antenna from the FMCW radar system;
(b) connecting a retrofit transmit/receive module to the FMCW radar system; and
(c) connecting the antenna to the retrofit transmit/receive module,
wherein step (b) comprises:
connecting a transmit switch in a transmit channel of the retrofit transmit/receive module to a transmitter of the FMCW radar system;
connecting the transmit switch to a microcontroller of the FMCW radar system;
connecting a receive switch in a receive channel of the retrofit transmit/receive module to a receiver of the FMCW radar system; and
connecting the receive switch to the microcontroller, and
wherein the method further comprises reconfiguring the microcontroller from a first configuration in which the microcontroller is able to operate in a FMCW mode but not in a pulsed mode to a second configuration in which the microcontroller is able to selectively operate in either the FMCW mode or the pulsed mode by controlling switching states of the transmit and receive switches.