Program Results

Introduction to the event

Ranging using an LFMCW radar (Linear Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave) amounts to estimating frequency from the radar signal. However, the ranging accuracy is nominally limited to a resolution that is equivalent to the frequency resolution of the DFT. In this paper we break this limit using a novel formula for single frequency estimation. This formula is simple yet exact, and is able to handle the damping effect which is prevalent in real-world signals. We validate our formula on simulations and on real radar measurements. Our formula is very fast, and is shown to provide sub-mm ranging accuracy using the frequency estimation, and a micrometer-level accuracy using the associated estimation of the phase difference.

Photos of results (images) and description: validation of the accuracy of the frequency estimation formula for a 60GHz radar using a translation table.

Positioning accuracy better than 0.25 mm when tested with a translation table. A different experiment based on a slowly moving copper reflector demonstrates uncertainty of about 4 micrometers for a distance change of about 10 micrometers.