Design of multiple-input multiple-output transmit waveform and receive filter for extended target detection

It is presumed that using multiple antennas at the transmit and receive sides can improve the radar´s performance. One such improvement can be achieved in the detection of extended targets. However, in such multiple-input multiple-output systems, proper design of the transmit signals is an obstacle that can have significant influence on the performance. In this study, enforcing the peak-to-average-ratio (PAR) constraint, the authors consider the problem of transmit space-time code and receive space-time filter design of such a system detecting extended targets. In addition, the power allocation among the different antennas is another degree of freedom that should be optimised under a total power constraint. Here, the authors derive a constrained optimisation procedure for transmit code, receive filter and transmit powers, which sequentially improves the signal-to-interference plus noise ratio of the system.