Method and apparatus for generating HF signals for determining a distance and/or a speed of an object

1. A method for generating HF signals for determining a distance and/or a speed of an object, having the following steps:

generating a pulsed modulated signal ( 6 ′) from a first signal ( 3 ) and a second signal ( 4 ) in a signal generator ( 31 ; 1 , 2 , M 1 , 7 , 8 );

with a transmitting device ( 20 ), sending the pulsed modulated signal ( 6 ′) in the direction of an object ( 40 );

with a receiving device ( 21 ), receiving a pulsed signal ( 6 ″) reflected by the object ( 40 );

generating a pulsed demodulated signal ( 4 ″) from the received signal ( 6 ″) and the first signal ( 3 ) in a first signal processor ( 32 ; M 2 , 15 ); and

generating a coherent signal ( 23 ) from the pulsed demodulated signal ( 4 ″) and the second signal ( 4 ) and a noncoherent signal ( 22 ) from the pulsed demodulated signal ( 4 ″) in a second signal processor ( 33 ; M 3 , 16 , 17 , 18 ).

2. The method of claim 1 ,

characterized in that

from the coherent signal ( 23 ), an approach speed of the object ( 40 ) is determined.

3. The method of claim 1 ,

characterized in that

from the noncoherent signal ( 22 ), a distance from the object ( 40 ) is determined.

4. The method of claim 1 ,

characterized in that

in the signal generator ( 31 ; 1 , 2 , M 1 , 8 ), the first signal ( 3 ) is generated with a first oscillator ( 1 ) and the second signal ( 4 ) is generated with a second oscillator ( 2 ), and these signals are modulated into a modulated signal pair ( 5 ) in a first modulator (M 1 ).

5. The method of claim 4 ,

characterized in that

the modulated signal pair ( 5 ) is converted, in a filter device ( 7 ), in particular a high-pass filter, into a filtered modulated signal ( 6 ) and, by a first switch device ( 8 ), into a pulsed modulated signal ( 6 ′).

6. The method of claim 1 ,

characterized in that

the first signal processor ( 32 ; M 2 , 15 ) converts the received signal ( 6 ″) with the first signal ( 3 ) into a demodulated signal ( 4 ′) in a second modulator (M 2 ) and into a pulsed demodulated signal ( 4 ″) by means of a second switch device ( 15 ).

7. The method of claim 1 ,

characterized in that

the pulsed demodulated signal ( 4 ″) is converted into the noncoherent signal ( 22 ) by means of a rectifier ( 17 ) and a filter device ( 18 ), in particular a low-pass filter.

8. The method of claim 1 ,

characterized in that

the pulsed demodulated signal ( 4 ″) is demodulated in a third modulator (M 3 ) with the second signal ( 4 ) to form a twice-demodulated pulsed signal ( 4 ′″).

9. The method of claim 8 ,

characterized in that

the pulsed, twice-modulated signal ( 4 ′″) is delivered to an integrator ( 16 ), which integrates the signal to form the coherent signal ( 23 ).

10. The method of claim 1 ,

characterized in that

pulse signals ( 34 , 35 ) for activating the switch devices ( 8 , 15 ) are generated in a pulse generator ( 30 ; 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 ).

11. The method of claim 10 ,

characterized in that

a clock signal ( 9 , 10 ) that is slightly shifted externally and internally in alternation by a fixed mean value of a predetermined period length is combined in a multiplexer ( 11 ) of the pulse generator ( 30 ), and via pulse shapers ( 12 , 13 ), activation signals ( 34 , 35 ) of the switch devices ( 15 , 8 ) are generated.

12. The method of claim 11 ,

characterized in that

in the pulse shapers ( 12 , 13 ), pulses approximately 1 ns in length are formed.

13. The method of claim 10 ,

characterized in that

the clock signal ( 9 , 10 ) that is slightly shifted externally and internally in alternation by a fixed mean value of a predetermined period length activates the switch devices ( 8 , 15 ) every 350 ns to 450 ns.

14. The method of claim 1 ,

characterized in that

the frequency of the first signal ( 3 ) is approximately 21.5 GHz, and the frequency of the second signal ( 4 ) is approximately 2.5 GHz.

15. The method of claim 1 ,

characterized in that

the frequency of the first signal ( 3 ) is approximately 24 GHz, and the frequency of the second signal ( 4 ) is approximately 3.5 GHz.

16. The method of claim 1 ,

characterized in that

the signal ( 6 ″) received from the receiving device ( 21 ) is amplified in a low-noise amplifier ( 14 ) before it is delivered to the first signal processor ( 32 ; M 2 , 15 ).

17. The method of claim 1 ,

characterized in that

the determination of the distance of an object ( 40 ) is made in a cross echo method or by indirect triangulation with a cross echo partner.

18. An apparatus for generating HF signals for determining a distance and/or a speed of an object, having:

a signal generator ( 31 ; 1 , 2 , M 1 , 7 , 8 ), for generating a pulsed modulated signal ( 6 ′) from a first signal ( 3 ) and a second signal ( 4 );

a transmitting device ( 20 ), for transmitting the pulsed modulated signal ( 6 ′) in the direction of an object ( 40 );

a receiving device ( 21 ), for receiving a pulsed signal ( 6 ″) reflected by the object ( 40 );

a first signal processor ( 32 ; M 2 , 15 ), for generating a pulsed demodulated signal ( 4 ″) from the received signal ( 6 ″) and the first signal ( 3 ); and

a second signal processor ( 33 ; M 3 , 16 , 17 , 18 ), for generating a coherent signal ( 23 ) from the pulsed demodulated signal ( 4 ″) and the second signal ( 4 ) and for generating a noncoherent signal ( 22 ) from the pulsed demodulated signal ( 4 ″).

19. The apparatus of claim 18 ,

characterized in that

the signal generator ( 31 ; 1 , 2 , M 1 , 7 , 8 ) has a first oscillator ( 1 ) for generating the first signal ( 3 ), a second oscillator ( 2 ) for generating the second signal ( 4 ), and a first modulator (Ml) for modulating the two signals ( 3 , 4 ) to form a modulated signal pair ( 5 ).

20. The apparatus of claim 19 ,

characterized in that

the signal generator ( 31 ; 1 , 2 , M 1 , 7 , 8 ) has a filter device ( 7 ), in particular a high-pass filter, for converting the modulated signal pair ( 5 ) into a filtered modulated signal ( 6 ) and a first switch device ( 8 ), for converting the filtered modulated signal ( 6 ) into a pulsed modulated signal ( 6 ′).

21. The apparatus of claim 18 ,

characterized in that

the first signal processor ( 32 ; M 2 , 15 ) has a second modulator (M 2 ), for converting the received signal ( 6 ″) with the first signal ( 3 ) into a demodulated signal ( 4 ′), and a second switch device ( 15 ), for converting the demodulated signal ( 4 ′) into a pulsed demodulated signal ( 4 ″).

22. The apparatus of claim 18 ,

characterized in that

the second signal processor ( 33 ; M 3 , 16 , 17 , 18 ) has a rectifier ( 17 ) and a filter device ( 18 ), in particular a low-pass filter, for converting the pulsed demodulated signal ( 4 ″) into the noncoherent signal ( 22 ).

23. The apparatus of claim 18 ,

characterized in that

the second signal processor ( 33 ; M 3 , 16 , 17 , 18 ) has a third modulator (M 3 ) for demodulating the pulsed demodulated signal ( 4 ″) with the second signal ( 4 ) into a twice-demodulated pulsed signal ( 4 ′″).

24. The apparatus of claim 23 ,

characterized in that

the second signal processor ( 33 ; M 3 , 16 , 17 , 18 ) has an integrator ( 16 ) for integrating the pulsed, twice-demodulated signal ( 4 ′″) into the coherent signal ( 23 ).

25. The apparatus of claim 18 ,

characterized in that

the apparatus has a pulse generator ( 30 ; 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 ), for generating pulse signals ( 34 , 35 ) for activating the switch devices ( 8 , 15 ).

26. The apparatus of claim 25 ,

characterized in that

the pulse generator ( 30 ; 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 ) has a multiplexer ( 11 ) and pulse shapers ( 12 , 13 ) for generating a clock signal ( 9 , 10 ) that is slightly shifted externally and internally in alternation by a fixed mean value of a period length, for activating the switch devices ( 15 , 8 ).

27. The apparatus of claim 18 ,

characterized in that

the modulators (M 1 , M 2 , M 3 ) are mixers, and the first modulator (M 1 ), in particular having one diode, is unbalanced, and the second and third modulators (M 2 , M 3 ) are singly balanced.

28. The apparatus of claim 18 ,

characterized in that

the third modulator (M 3 ) has an integrated Gilbert cell mixer.

29. The apparatus of claim 18 ,

characterized in that

an amplifier ( 14 ′), in particular a low-frequency preamplifier, for raising the signal level is provided between the second modulator (M 2 ) and the second switch device ( 15 ).