Micro-Doppler Processing for Ultra-Wideband Radar Data

In this paper, we describe an operational pulse Doppler radar imaging system for indoor target localization and classification, and show how a target’s micro-Doppler signature (μDS) can be processed when ultra-wideband (UWB) waveforms are employed. Unlike narrowband radars where time-frequency signal representations can be applied to reveal the target time-Doppler frequency signatures, the UWB system permits joint range-time-frequency representation (JRTFR). JRTFR outputs the data in a 3D domain representing range, frequency, and time, allowing both the μDS and high range resolution (HRR) signatures to be observed. We delineate the relationship between the μDS and the HRR signature, showing how they would form a complimentary joint feature for classification. We use real-data to demonstrate the effectiveness of the UWB pulse-Doppler radar, combined with nonstationary signal analyses, in gaining valuable insights into human positioning and motions.