2D Radar Transceiver Reference Design

With its high-speed digital processing, customizable antenna options, and integrated Ethernet interface, the design provides a powerful foundation for designing radar systems with high accuracy and resolution.

The MR2001_RD reference design is an essential tool for design engineers looking to develop high-performance 2D radar transceivers. Built around NXP’s MR2001 (‘Spirit’) chipset, this reference design offers a flexible and adaptable radar system with six receive channels and a low phase noise transmitter, ensuring precise signal acquisition. It is particularly useful for engineers working on automotive radar, industrial sensing, and advanced signal processing applications.

The frequency sweeps are generated using the CPU’s digital-to-analog converter (D/A converter), allowing accurate modulation. The radar system processes target information from the six receive antennas, digitizing the signals and utilizing high-speed digital signal processing to perform range and Doppler Fast Fourier Transforms (FFTs) with an update rate of ten measurements per second. The high-frequency bandwidth contributes to excellent distance resolution, ensuring precise target detection. The processed target information is transmitted via the integrated Ethernet interface, enabling efficient data communication.

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One of the key advantages of this design is its flexibility. Users can exchange the antenna and incorporate their own signal-processing hardware, making it adaptable to various applications. The radar system is provided with an example MATLAB software package, along with radar firmware written in C-code. This enables users to customize the system according to their requirements. A graphical user interface (GUI) is included, allowing the selection of different radar modes and providing a visual representation of targets in 2D range-Doppler maps or a range-angle display.

The design offers several advanced features that enhance its functionality. It operates as a 76–77 GHz radar transceiver with digital signal processing, providing high-resolution target detection. The system is built on NXP’s MR2001/MPC5775 chipset, ensuring reliable performance. Its open-frame construction allows easy access to components, facilitating modifications and upgrades. Both the antenna PCB and the processing board can be replaced, offering flexibility in customization. The design incorporates four transmission (TX) channels and six reception (RX) channels, enhancing the radar’s ability to detect and track targets effectively.

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Additionally, the system employs an open-loop frequency generation mechanism, contributing to stable and precise radar operation. Users can switch between wide and narrow transmission beams, enabling adaptation to different detection scenarios. The integrated Ethernet interface allows seamless data transfer and connectivity, ensuring smooth communication with external systems. These features make the design a highly adaptable and efficient solution for radar-based applications requiring high accuracy and advanced signal processing capabilities.

RFbeam Microwave has tested this reference design. It comes with a bill of materials (BOM), schematics, assembly drawing, printed circuit board (PCB) layout, and more. The company’s website has additional data about the reference design. To read more about this reference design, click here.