A Coverage Model of FMCW Radar for Optimizing Sensor Network Deployment

This article introduces an innovative approach to optimize the deployment of a network of multiple frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radars within a designated 3-D space target area. Based on the characteristics of FMCW radar, a novel coverage model is proposed to define the coverage strength of the radar sensor, taking into account essential criteria, such as range, field of view, range resolution, field resolution, array factor, and occlusion. This model leads to a quantification of the radar network's coverage performance, serving as the cost function for sensor network deployment. The Luus–Jaakola algorithm is selected to optimize the cost function, renowned for its proficiency in avoiding local optima and enhancing radar deployment task performance. The simulation and experiment results are presented to validate the proposed FMCW radar coverage model and demonstrate the effectiveness of the radar deployment method.

I. Introduction

Radar sensing, as a foundational technology for detecting and locating objects, has undergone significant development, finding widespread applications across various domains [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7]. Among various radar technologies, frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar has gained substantial attention due to its good range resolution and relatively compact hardware design. This makes FMCW radar particularly suitable for applications requiring high accuracy and reliability. The decreasing cost of FMCW radar has spurred its widespread use in radar networks to expand detection areas and achieve better coverage. Therefore, the deployment optimization of FMCW radar networks is crucial for tasks, such as factory safety monitoring [1], airport surveillance [4], intelligent transportation [5], autonomous driving [6], and occupant monitoring [7].