ESTAR Multipath Angle Estimation for Sparse Array MIMO Radar

In this paper, we address the issue of ghost targets in high-resolution automotive radar and proposed the ESTAR (Estimation of Two-way Angle by MIMO Radar) method, which measures the two-way angle determined by the DOD (Direction-of-Departure) and DOA (Direction-of-Arrival) of the reflected signal acquired by the MIMO radar with sparse transmit array. The two-way angle can be uniquely determined from the ESTAR angular spectrum even when the transmit array has a grating lobe. The results of computer simulations and radar experiments in an anechoic chamber are presented to verify the ESTAR. Computer simulations showed that the angle ambiguity problem of the conventional method is solved and the two-way angle of multipath can be unambiguously obtained. In the radar experiment, it was confirmed that the two-way angle for direct and multipath propagation signals respectively can be measured with an error within the beamwidth.