Joint radar-communications design based on time modulated array

Abstract The demand for coexistence of radar and communication systems is increasing rapidly in recent years. In this paper, we propose a joint radar-communications design based on time modulated array (TMA) to satisfy the need of electronic system integration in civil and military, and mitigate the tension of spectrum resource. First, we investigate the basic characteristics of the TMA. Then, we present a TMA-based waveform design algorithm for joint radar-communications. By using the derived results, a dual-function radar-communication (DFRC) system is established, which can detect targets in a large scanning range and maintain the communication direction static simultaneously, while avoiding the mutual interference. Moreover, the communication direction can be adjusted easily as needed. The validity of the theoretical derivations is demonstrated via simulations.