US 12,442,894 B2
Radar device and method for detecting hardware faults of a radar device
Matthias Wagner, Engerwitzdorf (AT); and Alexander Melzer, Neutillmitsch (AT)
Assigned to Infineon Technologies AG, Neubiberg (DE)
Filed by Infineon Technologies AG, Neubiberg (DE)
Filed on Jun. 29, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/852,794.
Claims priority of application No. 102021117540.2 (DE), filed on Jul. 7, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0014179 A1, Jan. 19, 2023
Int. Cl. G01S 7/40 (2006.01); G01S 7/35 (2006.01); G01S 13/58 (2006.01); H04B 17/19 (2015.01)
CPC G01S 7/4017 (2013.01) [G01S 7/354 (2013.01); G01S 7/356 (2021.05); G01S 13/584 (2013.01); H04B 17/19 (2015.01)] 26 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A radar device, comprising:
a transmitter circuit configured to generate an RF oscillator signal and to transmit, during a first fault detection timeslot, a first RF fault detection signal derived from the RF oscillator signal and transmit, during a second fault detection timeslot, a second RF fault detection signal derived from the RF oscillator signal, wherein the first RF fault detection signal and the second RF fault detection signal have a predetermined frequency offset with respect to the RF oscillator signal;
a receiver circuit configured to:
receive the first RF fault detection signal as a first RF reception signal via antenna crosstalk coupling with the transmitter circuit, and mix the first RF reception signal with the RF oscillator signal in order to obtain a first down-converted reception signal, and
receive the second RF fault detection signal as a second RF reception signal via antenna crosstalk coupling with the transmitter circuit, and mix the second RF reception signal with the RF oscillator signal in order to obtain a second down-converted reception signal; and
a fault detection circuit configured to determine a first phase of the first down-converted reception signal, determine a second phase of the second down-converted reception signal, and detect a hardware fault of the radar device based on a difference between the first phase of the first down-converted reception signal and the second phase of the second down-converted reception signal,
wherein the hardware fault includes at least one RF signal conduction breakage defect in a transmitter signal path of the transmitter circuit or in a receiver signal path of the receiver circuit.