MIMO radar using a frequency scanning antenna
A radar system comprising an array of squintable elements, one or more tuners and a controller. A squintable element is an array of two or more resonant elements, wherein a first plurality of the squintable elements are configured to transmit an electromagnetic signal at a first frequency and a second plurality of the squintable elements are configured to receive a reflection of the electromagnetic signal. The controller is configured to control the one or more tuners to alter the frequency of the electromagnetic signal such that the first plurality of squintable elements transmits the electromagnetic signal at a second frequency, wherein the second frequency is different to the first frequency, and altering the frequency of the electromagnetic signal deflects the electromagnetic signal.
1 . A radar system comprising: an array of squintable elements wherein: a squintable element is an array of two or more resonant elements; a first plurality of the squintable elements of the array of squintable elements arranged linearly along a first direction is configured to transmit an electromagnetic signal at a first frequency; and a second plurality of the squintable elements of the array of squintable elements arranged linearly along or parallel to the first direction is configured to receive a reflection of the electromagnetic signal, wherein the first plurality of the squintable elements of the array of squintable elements comprise travelling wave antennas orientated normal to the line of the array of squintable elements and the second plurality of the squintable elements of the array of squintable elements comprises one-dimensional phased array antennas, each orientated normal to the line of the array of squintable elements; one or more tuners and one or more phase shifters; and a controller configured to control the one or more tuners to alter the first frequency of the electromagnetic signal for deflecting the electromagnetic signal to change an angular position of a beam formed by the first plurality of the squintable elements of the array of squintable elements in the orientation direction of the travelling wave antennas, wherein the one or more phase shifters are configured to steer the beam formed by the second plurality of the squintable elements of the array of squintable elements to change the beam's angular position in the direction of the one-dimensional phased array antennas.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the squintable elements are arranged in a first line and the two or more resonant elements within a squintable element area are arranged in a second line wherein the first and second lines are not parallel.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one-dimensional phased array antennas comprises a phase shifter, wherein the phase shifter in the one-dimensional phased array antennas is configured to apply a phase shift between elements of each one-dimensional phased array antenna so as to receive the reflection of the electromagnetic signal transmitted from the first plurality of the squintable elements of the array of squintable elements.
4 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising two or more transceivers configured to transmit and receive an electromagnetic signal.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic signal is a frequency modulated continuous wave signal.
6 . A method of detecting an object comprising: providing an array of squintable elements wherein; a squintable element is an array of two or more resonant elements; a first plurality of the squintable elements of the array of squintable elements arranged linearly along a first direction is configured to transmit an electromagnetic signal at a first frequency; and a second plurality of the squintable elements of the array of squintable elements arranged linearly along or parallel to the first direction is configured to receive a reflection of the electromagnetic signal, wherein the first plurality of the squintable elements of the array of squintable elements comprise travelling wave antennas orientated normal to the line of the array of the squintable elements and the second plurality of the squintable elements of the array of squintable elements comprise one-dimensional phased array antennas, each orientated normal to the line of the array of squintable elements; changing an angular position of the beam formed by the first plurality of the squintable elements of the array of squintable elements in the orientation direction of the travelling wave antennas by tuning one or more tuners to alter the first frequency of the electromagnetic signal for deflecting the electromagnetic signal in the given direction; and providing one or more phase shifters to steer the beam formed by the second plurality of the squintable elements of the array of squintable elements in the orientation direction of the one-dimensional phased array antennas.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the squintable elements are arranged in a first line and the two or more resonant elements within a squintable element area are arranged in a second line wherein the first and second lines are not parallel.
8 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising: applying a phase shift between elements of each one-dimensional phased array antenna so as to receive the reflection of the electromagnetic signal transmitted from the first plurality of the squintable elements of the array of squintable elements.
9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein altering the frequency of the electromagnetic signal deflects the electromagnetic signal along the direction of the first line.
10 . The method of claim 6 , comprising operating two or more antennas as transceivers configured to transmit and receive an electromagnetic signal.
11 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the signal is a frequency modulated continuous wave signal.
12 . A computer readable storage medium comprising instructions which, upon executed by a processor when the processor is coupled to a linear array of squintable elements, cause the processor to: provide a linear array of squintable elements wherein: a squintable element is an array of two or more resonant elements; a first plurality of squintable elements of the linear array of squintable elements is configured to transmit an electromagnetic signal at a first frequency; and a second plurality of the squintable elements of the linear array of squintable elements is configured to receive a reflection of the electromagnetic signal, wherein the first plurality of the squintable elements of the array of squintable elements comprise travelling wave antennas orientated normal to the line of the array of squintable elements and the second plurality of the squintable elements of the array of squintable elements comprise one-dimensional phased array antennas, each orientated normal to the line of the array of squintable elements; change an angular position of the beam formed by the first plurality of the squintable elements of the array of squintable elements in the orientation direction of the travelling wave antennas by tuning one or more tuners to alter the first frequency of the electromagnetic signal for deflecting the electromagnetic signal in the given direction; and provide one or more phase shifters to steer the beam formed by the second plurality of the squintable elements of the array of squintable elements in the orientation of the one-dimensional phased array antennas.