Single-pulse multi-beams operation of phased array radar

Colocated Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) radar can achieve single-pulse multi-beams just through waveform design for transmit array but it needs for a more complicated system structure. In this paper, we study a time division method to make a conventional phased-array radar achieve the single-pulse multi-beams capability. At each code transmission instant, the phased-array operates in the phased-array radar mode, with a high directivity transmit beam illuminated toward a certain direction; whereas for different code transmission instants, the spatial direction to point may be different so that multiple transmit beams are formed within a pulse. In order to suppress mutual interference from signals in different spatial directions, nearly-orthogonal waveforms are used for different spatial directions. The power ratios for different spatial directions can be controlled by the number of codes allocated. Simulation results are given to show the performance.