24-GHz joint radar and radio system capable of time-agile wireless sensing and communication

A multifunctional and time-agile system combining both radar sensing and radio communication capabilities is proposed and experimentally demonstrated for 24-GHz vehicular applications. By arranging the radar sensing mode and the radio communication mode in sequential time slots, the present system can operate with the flexibility and capability of functional reconfiguration and fusion using a single transceiver platform. To further reduce cost and also increase efficiency, a 24-GHz system demonstrator has been designed based on the substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) technology. Preliminary experiments have verified system performance. In addition to high-precision range detection, the proposed system has proved a great capability of communication at a data rate of 50 Mbps for both binary-phase-shift-keying (BPSK) and quadrature-phase-shift-keying (QPSK). Therefore, this system is a very promising cost-effective solution for the development of 24-GHz onboard multifunctional systems.