Simultaneous radar and communications emissions from a common aperture, Part I: Theory

Multi-function RF systems address the growing need to provide greater functionality with fewer hardware and spectral resources. In this vein, a two-stage iterative optimization approach denoted as far-field radiated emission design (FFRED) is developed that is used here to design a set of physical multi-function waveforms that realize far-field radar and communication signals simultaneously from a common antenna array and with the same spectral support. Particular attention is paid to the efficiency of power radiated into the radar and communication spatial directions, peak-to-average-power ratio (PAPR), and the bit error rate (BER) for the communication mode. Experimental demonstration of this joint emission scheme is presented in the companion paper.