RADAR FIELD-OF-VIEW ENHANCEMENT METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MATCHING FIELD-OF-VIEW TO DESIRED DETECTION ZONE

摘要

A radar field-of-view enhancement method (40) particularly adapted for vehicle radar detection systems having a specified detection zone. In accordance with the invention, a pair of discrete radar beams are employed having differing arc widths (44 and 46). Return signals from the discrete beams are compared and related to the area of a desired detection zone (18). This approach increases the reliability of detection in the detection zone while minimizing false alarms and missed detection areas. The beams are alternately switched on using discrete sources or by implementing a discrete phase shifting element interposed between the sources.