Low-cost, low-power nanosecond pulse radar for industrial applications with mm accuracy

A low-cost, low-power radar for the near-range is proposed, which employs nanosecond pulses. The proposed pulse radar consists of state-of-the-art SiGe components for generating the nanosecond pulse at the 5.8 GHz ISM-band. Developing the low-cost, low-power radar at an ISM-band results into an unrestricted measurement system worldwide. It is even possible to us the ISM-band radar outside any metal surroundings in a free environment. As the main target area of this low-cost, low-power radar is level measuring in the industrial field a galvanic isolation between measurement system and its sensor is needed to avoid any restriction in measurement applications. 4 solutions will be presented for separating radar and sensor Experimental results shows good agreement with the theory. Experimental verification of the realised pulse radar at lab conditions shows that an accuracy better 10 mm can be obtained over an distance of 10 m.