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-the-art SiGe components for generation of the nanosecond pulse in the 5.8 GHz ISM-band. Developing the low-cost, low-power radar in an ISM-band results in an unrestricted measurement system worldwide. It is even possible to use 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 measurement in the industrial field, galvanic isolation between measurement system and sensor is needed to avoid any restriction in measurement applications. A solution is presented for separation of radar and sensor. Experimental results shows good agreement with the theory. Experimental verification of the realised pulse radar under lab conditions shows that an accuracy of better 10 mm can be obtained over a distance of 10 m