Transmission Line Based Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave Radar for Monitoring Airbag Deployment Processes

A fast and highly linear frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar for temporal observation of deformations on transmission lines is presented. This portable measurement device is designed for in-field monitoring of car airbag deployment processes at test benches. It is motivated by providing an additional technique to supplement available airbag test methods and by resolving the still present uncertainties of airbag deployments. The employed FMCW radar principle in conjunction with transmission lines is strongly related to time-or frequency domain reflectometry methods and can also be adapted to other radar applications. The measurement concept is explained, and the radar device is introduced, highlighting its system parameters and performance features like fast and linear sweeping capabilities in conjunction with a high bandwidth of 5.2 GHz at a relatively low starting frequency in the lower UHF-band. First experimental results are provided to prove the feasibility of this measurement technique.