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IWR6843ISK: IWR6843ISK antenna configuration

Part Number: IWR6843ISK

Hello,

currently I'm experimenting with IWR6843ISK board + OOB demo and antenna configuration. I noticed that configuration with 3tx and 2rx antennas gives not correct detected object coordinates, but same configuration only with 3tx and 4rx antennas detects object with correct coordinates. Also for some reason mmWave Demo Visualizer do not allow select 3tx and 2rx antennas configuration.

Part of used configuration of 3tx and 4rx:

channelCfg 15 7 0
adcCfg 2 1
adcbufCfg -1 0 1 1 1
profileCfg 0 60 10 7 35 0 0 37 1 256 10000 0 0 158
chirpCfg 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
chirpCfg 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 4
chirpCfg 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 2
frameCfg 0 2 32 0 100 1 0

Part of used configuration of 3tx and 2rx:

channelCfg 3 7 0
adcCfg 2 1
adcbufCfg -1 0 1 1 1
profileCfg 0 60 10 7 35 0 0 37 1 256 10000 0 0 158
chirpCfg 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
chirpCfg 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 4
chirpCfg 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 2
frameCfg 0 2 32 0 100 1 0

My question:

1. Is there any restrictions of choosing 3tx and 2rx antennas? Same question about choosing 2tx and 2rx antennas.

  • Clarification of the question:

    Is there any difference of 2tx and 2rx versus 1tx and 4rx antennas configuration?

    Thank you.

  • Hello,

    Yes there is a difference between those antenna configurations. With the 1 TX antenna you will not get any elevation information. What is your goal in changing the antenna configuration? 

    Regards,

    Jackson

  • Hello,

    my primary goal is to understand possibilities of FMCW radar technology by itself. Now I'm experimenting with antenna configuration and compare practical results with theory.

    I have one more question about antenna's:

    1. What method is used to calculate AoA?

    For example if I configure radar to use 1tx and 2rx antenas and place object in front of radar with enabled Azimuth-Range Heatmap I get this view:

    From this view it is clear that radar could estimate AoA with better than 60° angle resolution.

    Thank You,

    Rytis

  • Please see the documentation on AoA in the SDK doxygen. The source code is also provided in the SDK download.

    "C:/ti/mmwave_sdk_03_05_00_04/packages/ti/datapath/dpc/dpu/aoa2dproc/docs/doxygen/html/index.html"

    Regards,

    Jackson

  • Hi,

    After reading documentation and other forum posts once again i hope that i understood my problem. Two words confused me: 'resolution' between two objects at same range + velocity and 'accuracy' of one object AoA.

    Thank You,

    Rytis

  • Hello,

    Depending on the context those can mean similar or different things. Typically, the resolution (range or angle resolution) is the minimum separation the antenna pattern can resolve between 2 objects in the same range. The accuracy is how close to the exact location the algorithm can provide, which is why it is in the AoA description.

    Regards,

    Jackson