Millimeter Wave Radar: Principles and Applications In: Millimeter Wave Technology in Wireless PAN, LAN, and MAN

Abstract

This chapter provides a radar perspective for millimeter wave propagation and scattering. It considers radar principles and the features of subsystems and components of millimeter-wave radars. Rather complicated notions of radar theory are stated in a very simple manner as a kind of overview. Then, application of millimeter-wave radar for intelligent transportation systems (ITS) is analyzed in detail as the main section of the chapter. The role of radar sensors in ITS is shown, and frequency allocation for ITS radars is analyzed. Traffic surveillance radar, which is an element of ITS infrastructure, is described. Then automotive radars are categorized into long range, medium range, and short range, and each category is considered. On this basis different functional applications of automotive radar are briefly described. Radar-based communications for both car-to-car and the entire ITS system are considered. The necessity and possibility of data exchange using WLAN (wireless local area network) is indicated. Millimeter-wave radars are employed in a wide range of commercial, military, and scientific applications for remote sensing, safety, and measurements. That is why other important millimeter-wave radar applications are considered. Finally, the conclusion is that millimeter-wave radar is a universal instrument for numerous promising applications and a device quite suitable for network use and data exchange via wireless networks.