Real-Time Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) Radar Using Software Defined Radio

In this paper, commercially-available software-defined radios (SDRs) are used to build a 64-channel, reconfigurable Active Electronically Scanned Arrays (AESA) radar operating in C-band (NATO G-band). The SDRs are used to design and implement a 3-dimensional multi-input and multi-output (MIMO) radar. The flexibility of the SDRs has been harnessed to evaluate the performance of a linear frequency modulated continuous wave (LFMCW) MIMO radar using three different methods of achieving the orthogonality, namely Time Division Multiplexing (TDM), Frequency Division Multiplexing (FDM), and Code Division Multiplexing (CDM). In addition, the radar’s parameters are user-selectable and can be rapidly changed such that the radar can be used in different environments without requiring changes to the hardware. Measurements indicate that the radar is capable of detecting and localizing multiple targets in all 3-dimensions, including bearing, range, and Doppler. The MIMO radar operates in real-time, with a refresh rate of only 3 seconds. Experimental results are generated for the TDM mode of operation with further research reporting on the CDM and FDM modes of operation.