Patent ID: 7068216

Claim:
A method for the linearization of frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar devices having a non-linear, ramp shaped, modulated transmitter frequency progression x(t) comprising the steps of: correcting a phase term on a receiver side of a FMCW radar device said correction for compensating a phase error in a reception signal q(t) which further comprises the following steps: selecting a number (L) of consecutive ramp-shaped reception sequences q k (n) of the reception signal, wherein said number is predetermined with k=1, . . . , L; representing a set of phases arg{q k (n)} which are represented as a polynomial of an N th order for a time index n, with a polynomial coefficient m l , with l=1, . . . , N , ; transforming a spectrum range Q(e jΩ ) of the selected reception sequences q(n) into a predetermined base band, wherein a set of base band reception sequences {circumflex over (q)} k (n) with k=0, . . . , L−1 are generated in each instance; iteratively calculating a correction phase term for partial compensation of non-linear frequency components in said base band of reception sequences {circumflex over (q)} k (n) by calculating a set of polynomial coefficients {tilde over (m)} i,k (i) of the individual base band reception sequences {circumflex over (q)} k (n) via estimation methods, wherein {circumflex over (q)} k (n) are the sequences that have already been iteratively phase corrected, wherein said iteration is stopped once a parameter change between two consecutive iterations, which are predetermined, remains below a threshold ε which is predetermined.