System and method for target detection with a radar antenna

1. A method for determining angular information for an object using a radar system, said method comprising: generating a first single beam antenna pattern;

generating a second single beam antenna pattern;

transmitting the first and second single beam antenna patterns, wherein the first single beam antenna pattern is narrower than the second single beam antenna pattern; and

using phase detection to determine angular information for a detected object based on a phase difference of received signals.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising calculating a phase for the received signals and wherein using phase detection comprises using a phase difference determined from a difference of the calculated phases of the received signals from the transmitted first and second single beam antenna patterns.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the first and second single beam antenna patterns are generated by first and second antenna array columns of an antenna of the radar system.

4. A method in accordance with claim 3 further comprising configuring the second antenna array column at a higher power level than the first antenna array column.

5. A method in accordance with claim 4 wherein the second antenna array column is at about a three decibel higher power level than the first antenna array column.

6. A method in accordance with claim 3 further comprising powering both the first and second antenna array columns to generate the first single beam antenna pattern and powering one of the first and second antenna array columns to generate the second single beam antenna pattern.

7. A method in accordance with claim 3 wherein the first and second antenna array columns are configured as inner and outer arrays within an antenna housing.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising covering a radiation angle of the first and second single beam antenna patterns between about −90 degrees and +90 degrees.

9. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising changing a radiation angle coverage of the first and second single beam antenna patterns between about −40 degrees and +40 degrees.

10. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the half power beam width of the first single beam antenna pattern is about +/−27 degrees and the half power beam width of the second single beam antenna pattern is about +/−40 degrees.

11. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising generating a lookup table based on phase difference information to determine an angular estimation for the detected object.

12. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising configuring the radar system to operate in a pulsed Doppler operation mode.

13. A method of controlling a radar system to determine angular information for a detected object, said method comprising:

powering a first and a second antenna array column of an antenna to generate a first single beam antenna pattern;

powering only the first antenna array column to generate a second single beam antenna pattern, the first single beam antenna pattern narrower than the second single beam antenna pattern; and

performing phase detection on reflected signals from the first and second single beam antenna patterns to determine angular information for a detected object.

14. A method in accordance with claim 13 wherein the second antenna array column is configured to be powered at a higher power level than the first antenna array column.

15. A method in accordance with claim 13 wherein the phase detection comprises determining phase difference information based on phase calculations for the reflected signals.

16. A pulsed Doppler radar system comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit pulses;

a receiver configured to receive reflected signals from the pulses;

an antenna configured to generate a first antenna pattern and a second antenna pattern, wherein the first antenna pattern is narrower than the second antenna pattern;

a switch to switch between the first antenna pattern and the second antenna pattern; and

a processor configured to determine angle information for a detected object based on phase detection of reflected signals from the first and second antenna patterns.

17. A pulsed Doppler radar system is accordance with claim 16 wherein the antenna comprises plurality of antenna components including a first antenna array column and a second antenna array column, the first antenna array column is powered at a higher power level than the second antenna array column, and wherein the first antenna pattern is generated by powering both the first and the second antenna array columns and the second antenna pattern is generated by powering only the first antenna array column.

18. A pulsed Doppler radar system is accordance with claim 16 further comprising a single single pole, single throw (SPST) switch to control switching between the first antenna pattern and the second antenna pattern.

19. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising determining angular information for a detected object without using amplitude difference information.