Radar Backscatter Communication with Vibrating Surfaces

Abstract:
This paper presents a method of backscatter communication. Backscatter communication is a technology whereby a signal reflected back to the source is utilized to transmit information. An FMCW radar operating in the 60 GHz band with maximum bandwidth of 4 GHz is employed to this purpose. In this experiment the radar signal is modulated using a vibrating surface. The vibrating surface is generated by a licence plate attached to a loudspeaker. Encoding of the signal involves information in the form of a bit sequence. If this concept is applied, for example, in traffic scenarios, it can enable communication between road users. The experiments have shown that the radar correctly recognizes the bit sequence, thereby making information transfer possible.