Investigation and Documentation of Radar Receiver Level Planning

Abstract

The automotive radar industry has experienced remarkable advancements over the past decade, primarily driven by the growing demand for advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and the progression towards autonomous vehicles. As performance requirements increase, driven by a wider range of application scenarios, the requirements on budgeting tools have also intensified. Budgeting tools, such as level plans, are essential for managing the transition from customer requirements to detailed specifications of radar systems, including the breakdown of radar monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) domains such as transmitters, receivers, and common infrastructure. These tools further drill down to individual components like mixers, filters, and amplifiers. Each component or block must be optimized to function within narrow tolerances, and the tools should highlight critical areas where efficiency is dominant. This thesis explores the theoretical foundations of noise figure (NF) and spurious free dynamic range (SFDR). It further inspects the mathematical principles behind these parameters applied in the radar receiver level plans. The analysis provides a detailed explanation of equations such as the Friis equation for noise and explores the interrelationships between various concepts e.g., the SFDR to the output intercept points of a component. Additionally, the thesis evaluates an alternative program for level plan development, SystemVue 2024, and assesses its capabilities compared to traditional tools like Microsoft Excel. This is done by weighing their functionality, performance, cost, and customization. The findings reveal that while SystemVue is powerful, Microsoft Excel provides superior advantages for radar level plan development due to its flexibility and familiar structure.

Datum der Bewilligung	2024
Originalsprache	Englisch
Betreuer/-in	Rastko Zivanovic (Betreuer*in)