A Novel Approach for the Characterization of Triangular Modulated Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave Low Probability of Intercept Radar Signals via Application of the Wigner-Ville Distribution

Abstract

Digital intercept receivers are changing from Fourier-based analysis to classical time-frequency analysis techniques for analyzing low probability of intercept radar signals. This paper presents a novel approach of characterizing low probability of intercept triangular modulated frequency modulated continuous wave radar signals through utilization and direct comparison of the signal processing techniques Wigner-Ville Distribution versus the Reassigned Smooth Pseudo Wigner-Ville Distribution. The following metrics were used for evaluation: percent error of: carrier frequency, modulation bandwidth, modulation period, chirp rate, and time-frequency localization (x and y direction). Also used were: percent detection, lowest signal-to-noise ratio for signal detection, and plot (processing) time. Experimental results demonstrate that overall, the Reassigned Smooth Pseudo Wigner-Ville Distribution signal processing technique produced more accurate characterization metrics than the Wigner-Ville Distribution signal processing technique.