Assessment of Digital Beamforming Radar (DBF) and Spread Spectrum Digital Beamforming Radar (SSDBF)

Abstract

Spread Spectrum Digital Beamforming (SSDBF), an innovative methodology which uses only one transceiver element overcomes the limitations of Conventional Digital Beamforming (CDBF) which uses multiple transceiver elements per antenna element. This is done by using the concept of Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) multiplexing and de-multiplexing where it uses the only time domain code i.e. Truly Shift Orthogonal Codes (TSOC). The choice of proper orthogonal codes is an essential and complex part in the design of SSDBF radar. There are criteria for choosing the codes. By using these criteria a set of best codes, good codes and worst codes are obtained. Only best and good codes are used for enhanced performance in the design of the SSDBF system. The signal to clutter ratio obtained after pulse compression of CDBF is 7.66 dB whereas the Signal to Clutter Ratio (SCR) of SSDBF (2x2) is 19.374dB. The difference is 11.714 dB i.e. SCR of SSDBF Radar is amplified by a power factor of 14.83 than DBF radar. The increment in the SCR is due to the use of Multiple Input Multiple output (MIMO) antennas with DBF techniques and TSOC codes. This research deals with solving the problem of CDBF, by using best orthogonal codes leading to use of only one transceiver element, making SSDBF technique a Cost, Size, Weight and power (CSWAP) empowered system and it also deals with the choice of proper codes and then improvement in target characterization. Finally, some comparative analysis has been carried out between CDBF and SSDBF and presented in this paper.