Patent ID: 6861974

Claim:
A method for improving the useful dynamic range of a radar, said method comprising the steps of: generating a first transmit waveform which is controllable in at least one of amplitude and phase as a function of time; transmitting said first transmit waveform toward a region; receiving a return from said region to thereby generate first received signals; and controlling a subsequent transmit waveform by the steps of; (a) comparing said first transmitted and first received signals by deconvolution to thereby generate a clutter kernel which is a representation of return clutter arising as a result of said first transmit waveform; (b) using said clutter kernel to predict the return which would be received from an alternate transmit waveform; and (c) comparing the variation in the clutter return between said first transmit waveform and said alternate transmit waveform to determine a succeeding waveform which should be used for a succeeding transmission.