Combined With Determining Direction Patents (Class 342/133)
  • Patent number: 7924214
    Abstract: In an azimuth detecting apparatus, a receiver includes antenna elements arranged at predetermined intervals d. A first signal producer produces, based on reception signals generated by the antenna elements, first signals which are equivalent to signals generated by antenna elements arranged at first intervals d1, d1 being an integral multiple of d. A second signal producer produces, based on the reception signals, second signals which are equivalent to signals generated by antenna elements arranged at second intervals d2, d2 being an integral multiple of d and greater than d1. A first azimuth detector detects, within a first azimuth detection area whose angular range is defined by d1, the azimuth of the target based on the first signals. A second azimuth detector detects, within a second azimuth detection area whose angular range is defined by d2, the azimuth of the target based on the second signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Takamasa Ando
  • Patent number: 7898466
    Abstract: The radar tracking or pulse refresh rate is calculated for a target. The refresh rate is selected which makes a sum equal to a predetermined fraction of the radar beamwidth, where the sum is the sum of the bias error and a multiplicative product. The multiplicative product is the product of the random error multiplied by a number associated with the containment probability of the total error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Kourken Malakian, Tamara A. Vosbikian
  • Patent number: 7880669
    Abstract: To provide a radar apparatus capable of rapidly detecting an object at the end of a detecting range. The present invention provides a radar apparatus comprising a radar sensor that transmits a transmitting wave to a predetermined angular range and receives a reflected wave reflected by an object and a processing unit that obtains a peak of strength from a distribution of strength for angle of the received reflected wave and determines the direction of the object based on the peak. The processing unit detects the reflected wave at the end of the angular range and, when the peak is not detected, determines whether the object exists in the direction of the end of the angular range, based on the distribution of strength of the detected reflected wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited
    Inventors: Tokio Shinagawa, Shinichi Shibata
  • Patent number: 7859451
    Abstract: A method for determining target angles based on data received from a monopulse radar array antenna includes receiving from a beamformer that generates beams from signals generated by the monopulse radar antenna signals having data indicative of a sum beam, an azimuth difference beam, an elevation difference beam, and a delta-delta beam; based on the received signals, determining by the processor an azimuth monopulse ratio, an elevation monopulse ratio, a first complementary monopulse ratio based on the ratio of the delta-delta beam to the delta elevation beam, and a second complementary monopulse ratio based on the ratio of the delta-delta beam to the delta azimuth beam; determining an azimuth angle by the processor based on the azimuth monopulse ratio and the first complementary monopulse ratio; determining an elevation angle by the processor based on the elevation monopulse ratio and the second complementary monopulse ratio; providing an output signal indicative of the azimuth angle; and providing an output
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Kai-Bor Yu, Peter G. Kaup
  • Publication number: 20100277361
    Abstract: An FMCW radar locating device includes a transmitting device having a controllable transmitting-signal-generating device generating a transmitting signal having a frequency corresponding to an input control signal; a control device connected to the transmitting-signal-generating device and generating the input control signal which controls the transmitting signal such that it rises periodically in a discontinuous, inconsistent linear fashion in first frequency segments, and drops periodically in a discontinuous, inconsistent linear fashion in second frequency segments; and a receiving device for receiving an echo signal reflected by an object and locating an object based on the received echo signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2008
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Inventors: Thomas Focke, Joerg Hilsebecher, Arne Zender, Thomas Schoeberl, Thomas Hansen
  • Patent number: 7764217
    Abstract: Kalman gain is used to calculate range accuracy for a passive angle-of-arrival determining systems, most notably for short-baseline interferometry, in which Kalman gain after arriving at a minimum proceeds to within a predetermined fraction or percent of zero gain, at which time the range estimate accuracy is known.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald M. Yannone
  • Patent number: 7750841
    Abstract: Apparatus for determining positional information relating to an object, comprising: means for receiving, comprising a plurality of receiving elements; detection means for detecting signals received at the receiving elements and for generating output signals representative of the received signals; and processing means operable to apply, for each receiving element, a process to the output signal generated from the signal received at that receiving element separately from any output signal generated from a signal received at any other receiving element, so as to obtain a respective value of a parameter representative of the signal received at that receiving element, the processing means being further operable to compare the values of the parameter thus obtained so as to, obtain positional information relating to the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Cambridge Consultants Limited
    Inventors: Gordon Kenneth Andrew Oswald, Alexandra Joanna Geoghegan, Charles Peter Bell, Nicholas Simon Russ, Mario Del Mistro, Michael Hugh Burchett, Desmond Keith Phillips, Vincent Arne Utsi
  • Patent number: 7719461
    Abstract: The invention, called “ORSE Track Fusion”, combines sensor tracks from dispersed sites, when limited communication bandwidth does not permit sharing of individual measurements. Since estimation errors due to maneuver biases are not independent for each sensor, optimal fusion of tracks produced by Kalman filters requires transmission of all the filter gain matrices used to update each sensor track prior to the fusion time. For this reason, prior art has resorted to suboptimal designs. ORSE Track Fusion according to aspects of the invention overcomes this disadvantage by propagating, transmitting, and fusing separately calculated covariance matrices for random and bias estimation errors. Furthermore, with ORSE, each sensor can have its own criteria in forming its track, and track fusion can be performed with different criteria at each processing site. Thus, ORSE Track Fusion has the unique flexibility to optimize track fusion simultaneously for multiple criteria to serve multiple users.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Purusottam Mookerjee, Frank J. Reifler
  • Patent number: 7719460
    Abstract: In a radar device including a transmitting unit for transmitting a transmission signal having plural modulation sections, a receiving unit for receiving a reflection signal obtained through reflection of the transmission signal from a target by an array antenna having plural channels, a mixing unit for mixing the transmission signal with reception signals of the plural channels to obtain beat signals of the plural channels, a frequency analyzing unit for frequency-analyzing the beat signals of the plural channels, and a direction calculating unit for calculating the direction to the target on the basis of frequency analysis results of the plural channels, the direction calculating unit adds correlation matrixes generated from peak frequency spectra of the plural modulation sections to obtain an summed correlation matrix, and calculating the direction to the target on the basis of the summed correlation matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Kado Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 7714671
    Abstract: A target signal analyzer having at least one receiving antenna configured to receive the target signal, and a parallel array of oscillator rings. Each oscillator ring is operatively coupled to receive the target signal from the receiving antenna. Each oscillator ring has an odd number of at least three bistable, nonlinear oscillators circularly coupled to each other such that only one-way signal flow is allowed between the oscillators in each oscillator ring. Each of the oscillator rings is configured to oscillate and thereby produce a response signal only when the target signal frequency is within a designated frequency band. For every designated frequency band in a spectrum of interest, at least one of the oscillator rings is configured to produce a response signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Visarath In, Joseph D. Neff, Adi R. Bulsara
  • Patent number: 7714769
    Abstract: In a method for estimating the width of radar objects in a position finding system for motor vehicles, which has at least two angle-resolving radar sensors, the reflection points positioned by several of the radar sensors, which are to be assigned to the same object on the basis of their distance data and relative velocity data, are combined into a group, lateral positions of the reflection points from this group are calculated, the difference of the lateral positions is calculated for various pairs of these refection points, and the maximum of these differences is sought out to determine an estimated value for a minimum width of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Ruediger Jordan
  • Patent number: 7710310
    Abstract: A detection system (1) having an optical sensor (3), a radar device (2) and a signal processor (4) communicatively connected with the optical sensor and the radar device. The signal processor comprises: a first detector (41, 410-413) for detecting a first object on the basis of a first signal coming from the optical sensor and determining at least one first property of the first object; a second detector (42, 420-421) for detecting a second object on the basis of a second signal coming from the radar device and determining at least one second property of that second object, and a signaling unit (43) for producing a signal if the at least one first property and the at least one second property satisfy a predetermined condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Nederlandse Organisatie voor toegepast-natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek TNO
    Inventors: Albert Gezinus Huizing, Leonardus Johannes Hubertus Maria Kester, Arne Theil
  • Patent number: 7688255
    Abstract: An electronic scanning radar apparatus has a cutting portion for cutting receiving data which is comprised of N numbers of data for each channel into two more short time data having M (<N) numbers of data in a time direction for each channel, an inverse matrix estimator for computing and estimating an inverse matrix of the time series correlation matrix from the short time data, and a phase information producing portion for computing CAPON phase information out of the estimated inverse matrix of the time series correlation matrix in order to detect a distance, an azimuth and a relative speed of a target on the basis of a computed CAPON phase information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Koichiro Suzuki, Chiharu Yamano, Gaku Takano, Kazuma Natsume
  • Patent number: 7683824
    Abstract: A radar apparatus includes a sending unit for sending a transmission wave, a plurality of receiving parts for receiving a reflected wave from a reflecting object in a parallel manner, beat signal generation parts for acquiring beat signals at the receiving parts, respectively, from the transmission wave and the wave received at the receiving parts, a beat signal processing part for individually processing the beat signals of the receiving parts, a DBF processing part for DBF processing a beat signal processing result, and an object detection part for acquiring information on the reflecting object from frequency components of a DBF processing result or the beat signal processing result. Amounts of phase lag of the receiving parts are set to different values. The beat signal processing part includes a phase correction part that corrects the phase lag amounts corresponding to the individual receiving parts so as to make them equal to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Koichi Kai
  • Patent number: 7675457
    Abstract: A radar system transmits a beam of detection radio waves with a predetermined azimuth width, receives a reflected wave from a target, changes a central azimuth of the beam, and detects the distribution of reception signal strengths at predetermined angular intervals and for each predetermined distance. Then, when the reception signal strength distribution associated with changes in azimuth is expressed in rectangular coordinates, an azimuth corresponding to a vertex of an isosceles triangle that approximates the reception signal strength distribution and has an azimuth width, which is determined by the beam azimuth width, as its base is detected as the central azimuth of the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Motoi Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 7663537
    Abstract: A target detecting apparatus mounted on a vehicle has an electronically agile radar detecting a beat signal indicating a difference in frequency between transmission and reception signals and producing a time series of N reception data from the beat signal, a determining unit determining search areas placed at different ranges of distance from the vehicle while considering a running state of the vehicle and determining a data length for each search area, an extracting unit extracting (N?M+1) time series of short time data, respectively, having the data length corresponding to M reception data from the N reception data for each search area, a producing unit producing phase information from the short time data for each search area, and a detecting unit determining a target distance and a target bearing from the phase information and detecting a target from the target distance and the target bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Koichiro Suzuki, Chiharu Yamano, Kazuma Natsume
  • Patent number: 7633429
    Abstract: A method, system and computer program is disclosed for reducing range and angular ambiguities in a target data matrix output from a real beam monopulse radar sensor within a single beam for use in terrain morphing applications employed by brownout take-off and landing aid systems. One or more range bins are calculated to selectively determine one or more range segments from one or more targets of interest. Range resolution enhancement processing is employed to the selectively determined one or more range segments to obtain a range of target scatter locations. A monopulse angle bin is estimated from the obtained range of target scatter locations and one or more control inputs. Elevation and azimuth angular binning is applied to the estimated monopulse angle bin to obtain a smaller coverage area among one or more possible target areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: BAE Systems Controls Inc.
    Inventors: Guoqing Liu, Ken Yang
  • Patent number: 7626534
    Abstract: A target tracking method uses sensor(s) producing target signals subject to positional and/or angular bias, which are updated with sensor bias estimates to produce updated target-representative signals. Time propagation produces time-updated target states and sensor positional and angular biases. The Jacobian of the state dynamics of a target model produces the state transition matrix for extended Kalman filtering. Target state vector and bias covariances of the sensor are time propagated. The Kalman measurement residual is computed to produce state corrections, which are added to the time updated filter states to thereby produce (i) target state updates and (ii) sensor positional and angular bias updates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey B. Boka, Purusottam Mookerjee, Naresh R. Patel
  • Patent number: 7626533
    Abstract: A processor operatively coupled to a speed sensor adapted to generate a measure of a longitudinal speed of a vehicle on a roadway, and to a source of a measure of yaw rate of the vehicle, provides for selecting a most likely roadway model of a plurality of different roadway models and for outputting a corresponding associated at least one curvature parameter as an estimate of curvature of the roadway, wherein the processor incorporates a plurality of curvature estimators associated with the corresponding plurality of different roadway models.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Automotive Systems Laboratory, Inc.
    Inventors: Shan Cong, Shi Shen, Lang Hong
  • Patent number: 7610150
    Abstract: A route data base generating system avoids GPS satellite signals sources for land based vehicle azimuth and heading determinations in areas where reception of the satellite signals is unavailable or impaired and relies on vehicle part movements that are equitable to the heading and azimuth changes of the vehicle for determining such vehicle orientations. Part movements equitable to the heading changes are found in the vehicle wheel assemblies. A route data base founded on interconnecting linear route segments that are arranged in and end-to-end serial order is advocated and wherein the angular deviation between connecting segments in the order is predetermined. Various uses of the generating systems and related procedures are advocated for both on-the-road and off-road usage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Rothar Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger L. Martin, Thurman Sasser
  • Patent number: 7605747
    Abstract: A method for determining or compensating for the positional errors of a sensor tracking a target comprises the steps of operating the sensor to generate sensed information relating to the target and adding any sensor positional bias update information to produce updated sensed information. The target state is propagated to produce time updated state estimates. The Jacobian of the state dynamics and the state transition matrix for the extended Kalman filter algorithm are computed. The covariance of a state vector is time propagated using the state transition matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Purusottam Mookerjee, Jeffrey B. Boka
  • Patent number: 7589662
    Abstract: A method of determining a radar receiver path, comprising the steps of: obtaining a transmitter position; obtaining a target position and velocity; obtaining a radar receiver position and velocity; determining a transmitter aspect angle gradient, a transmitter aspect angle time derivative and a transmitter co-state vector time derivative; determining a target aspect angle gradient, a target aspect angle time derivative and a target co-state vector time derivative; generating a radar platform heading variable, and a group of differential variables over a defined time span; inputting the group of differential variables into a differential equation solver; receiving a group of possible headings for the radar receiver path; and finding an optimum radar receiver path from the group of possible headings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Douglas S. Hulbert, Ayax D. Ramirez, Stephen D. Russell, Randy L. Shlmabukuro, Mark W. Roberts
  • Patent number: 7573419
    Abstract: The present inventive concept for bistatic or monostatic radar utilization discloses a method and a system for unambiguous angle resolution of a sparse wide-band array antenna by utilizing an ultra wide-band signal, generally a wide-band noise signal which may be continuous bandwidth limited white or colored noise. The noise signal is typically generated and radiated by a transmitting antenna covering the entire reception range of a receiving sparse antenna array. An echo signal is received by the sparse receiving array containing n antenna elements, which are generally positioned with separation distances of several wavelengths without creating strong grating lobes due to the type of generated transmit signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
    Inventor: Kent Olof Falk
  • Patent number: 7567201
    Abstract: A vehicle-installed direction detection apparatus is controlled in accordance with the vehicle speed, to detect respective directions of one or more target objects by selectively applying high-resolution detection processing or low-resolution detection processing to received signals obtained from the elements of an array antenna of a radar apparatus, with the selection being determined in accordance with whether the speed attains a predetermined threshold value. The high-resolution detection processing is based on correlation between the received signals, utilizing an null scan type of algorithm such as MUSIC, while the low-resolution detection processing is based for example on digital beam forming.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Yasuyuki Miyake
  • Publication number: 20090167593
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a handheld radar apparatus. The apparatus comprises an antenna (22,23) adapted to transmit and receive electromagnetic signals, a direction sensor (24, 25) that outputs an orientation signal indicative of the orientation of the antenna, and a radar (21) coupled to the antenna (22, 23), the radar (21) adapted to generate an electromagnetic signal for transmission via the antenna (22, 23), and adapted to receive a reflected version of the electromagnetic signal via the antenna (22, 23) reflected from an object. The radar (21) comprises a processor (30) for generating location information indicative of the location of the object using the received reflected electromagnetic signal and the orientation of the antenna (22,23) as indicated by the orientation signal, and a screen (4) adapted to display indicia (e.g. 43a to 43c) representing the object and its location based on the location information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2003
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Applicant: NAVMAN NEW ZEALAND
    Inventors: Gregor Wolfgang Storz, Robert Andrew Carr Shepheard
  • Patent number: 7532154
    Abstract: The frequency modulation radar device includes a transmitting unit (5), M receiving units for receiving a reflected signal as M channels, a mixing unit (7) for mixing the transmitting signal with the M received signals to obtain beat signals for the M channels, a frequency analyzing unit (9) for analyzing the beat signals for the M channels in frequency, and a calculating unit (1) for calculating a distance to a target object and an orientation angle based on frequency analysis results. The calculating unit (1) calculates a noise level from the frequency analysis result, extracts a peak signal of a subject target object in each of the channels based on the calculated noise level to generate a covariance matrix, discriminates between a signal eigenvalue and a noise eigenvalue among M eigenvalues of the covariance matrix, and estimates the number of incident signals based on the number of signal eigenvalues.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Shinsaku Noda
  • Patent number: 7495604
    Abstract: A sampled beat signal is cut out into two or more short time data in a time direction concerning each antenna component. From a frequency spectrum of the short time data, an interference element frequency of an interference wave is detected. From the interference element frequency of the interference wave, two or more candidates of the frequency before aliasing of the interference wave are produced, and phase correction is executed on each candidate. Digital Beamforming is executed on the corrected frequency so as to extract maximum peaks of the power of an azimuth direction, and the frequency candidate showing the maximum peak power is selected and the arrival azimuth of the interference element is estimated. A filter for suppressing the interference element is applied on the short time data from the estimated arrival azimuth of the interference element so as to suppress the interference element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Chiharu Yamano, Kazuma Natsume, Yuu Watanabe, Mai Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 7463182
    Abstract: An inexpensive surveillance radar apparatus capable of identifying the kind of an object by using a monopulse radar that performs wide-angle two-dimensional surveillance. The radar apparatus receives reflected waves from a plurality of points on a moving object within a monitoring area, using a monopulse radar apparatus for measuring of angles, and determines the reflection point for each reflected wave, and then calculates the position and the width in the measuring angle of the surveillance radar of a moving object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsutoshi Morinaga, Toshiyuki Nagasaku
  • Publication number: 20080278368
    Abstract: The frequency modulation radar device includes a transmitting unit (5), M receiving units for receiving a reflected signal as M channels, a mixing unit (7) for mixing the transmitting signal with the M received signals to obtain beat signals for the M channels, a frequency analyzing unit (9) for analyzing the beat signals for the M channels in frequency, and a calculating unit (1) for calculating a distance to a target object and an orientation angle based on frequency analysis results. The calculating unit (1) calculates a noise level from the frequency analysis result, extracts a peak signal of a subject target object in each of the channels based on the calculated noise level to generate a covariance matrix, discriminates between a signal eigenvalue and a noise eigenvalue among M eigenvalues of the covariance matrix, and estimates the number of incident signals based on the number of signal eigenvalues.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shinsaku NODA
  • Patent number: 7450068
    Abstract: A system and method for using a phased array antenna to concurrently receive an RF signal transmitted by a remote transmitter, to determine the angular location of the remote transmitter using the transmitted signal, and to use that angular location to direct a transmit antenna to transmit information in the direction of the transmitter is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Ming Chen, Mark A. Curry, Kenneth G. Voyce
  • Patent number: 7414567
    Abstract: A system and method of using a standard ADS-B transmitter and encoder to identify targets to provide a collision avoidance system, wherein the method includes the steps of providing a standard ADS-B transmitter and encoder, a phase modulator including a digital synthesizer, radio-frequency electronics, antennas, and a radar transceiver; synthesizing digital-based band signals from the ADS-B transmitter with additional random phase modulation using the digital synthesizer; using the antennas to both transmit and receive signals; and estimating angles-of-arrival for every target in a field-of-view. The method may include the steps of demodulating the signals received by the antennas, providing a digital signal processor, and performing matched filtering on received signals. The method may also include the step of estimating a target range of identified targets using the digital signal processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Intelligent Automation, Inc.
    Inventors: Yan Zhang, Jinglu Qiao
  • Patent number: 7379015
    Abstract: A positioning system for tracking the location of a first responder emergency worker. The system includes mobile enabler units and a personnel badge having a ranging transponder. Two enabler units can use two-way ranging signals, a prescribed turn around time and differential altitude for automatically tracking the location of the badge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited
    Inventor: Dennis Lee Workman
  • Patent number: 7365676
    Abstract: The invention relates to a sensor comprising a housing, inside of which a transmitting antenna array that transmits electromagnetic transmission signals in a radiation area and a receiving antenna array that receives received signals reflected by at least one object located within the radiation area are provided. The inventive sensor is designed in such a manner that the transmitting antenna array is provided for transmitting transmission signals in a main radiation area (3) and in a secondary radiation area (4) situated at an angle, thereto, and in that the receiving antenna array (TX) is provided for receiving received signals reflected in both radiation areas (3, 4). This makes it possible, for example when used in a monitor vehicle (5), to monitor the area behind and next to the motor vehicle (5) with a single transmitting antenna (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: s.m.s smart microwave sensors GmbH
    Inventor: Ralph Mende
  • Patent number: 7345621
    Abstract: A real-time signal processing engine robustly detects, localizes, tracks and classifies ground targets based on radar signals from a multistatic radar system. The system differentiates between different targets based on an optimized cost function, which can include the total returned normalized pulse energy. The local transmitters/receivers can communicate with each other via the transmitted radar signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: BBN Technologies Corp.
    Inventors: John M. Bourdelais, Ernest Scott Stickles, William Ray Wright, David Earl Norris, Michael Anthony Tiberio, Gary Dana Butler
  • Patent number: 7304602
    Abstract: An on-vehicle radar and a method of determining an axial deviation of the radar using stationary objects free of erroneous determination are disclosed. The amount of axial deviation of the radar is determined from the calculated stationary object line based on the distribution of stationary objects. In the case where such a factor for determining the calculated stationary object line as to reduce the calculation accuracy of axial deviation is detected in the distribution of stationary objects, the calculation of the amount of the particular axial deviation is canceled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited
    Inventors: Tokio Shinagawa, Sunao Ueda
  • Patent number: 7292179
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for use in determining the range in a single time sample from a platform to a target are disclosed. The method includes receiving radiation emanating from the target at two points on the platform in a common time sample; detecting the received radiation and generating a signal representative thereof; and processing the signal. The signal is processed to determine a respective angle to target from two points on the platform by using a correlation between received signal amplitude and respective angle; and determine the range from the platform to the target from the respective angles and the separation distance between said two points in a single signal-to-noise sufficient sample. The apparatus includes a plurality of optical channels through which the apparatus can receive radiation emanating from the target, the optical channels and a plurality of electronics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Wayne K. Schroeder, Brett A. Williams
  • Publication number: 20070252751
    Abstract: A radar apparatus transmits a pulse signal including pulses having at least two different pulselengths in a specific transmit pulse pattern and receives a returning echo signal through a single antenna. A tuning voltage setting timing generator generates a timing of setting a tuning voltage according to a combination of transmission pulselengths and a tuning processor performs tuning operation in a manner suited to a current transmission pulselength based on the tuning voltage setting timing. The radar apparatus may include a tuning voltage alteration decider for deciding whether or not to alter the tuning voltage based on a combination of alternate pulselengths before altering the pulselength of the pulse signal generated by a transmitter and the tuning processor alters the tuning voltage based on the result of decision made by the tuning voltage alteration decider.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Applicant: Furuno Electric Company Limited
    Inventors: Masahiro Nakahama, Sae Takemoto, Koji Dai
  • Patent number: 7277046
    Abstract: A single transmit multi-receiver modulation radar modulates radar return signals received through an associated receive-signal path with one of a plurality of differing modulation waveforms having low-cross correlation products. Each receive-signal path may be associated with a different receive direction. The differently modulated return signals from each receive-signal path may be combined and correlations may be performed on the combined and differently modulated radar return signals using the modulation waveforms to locate a target. In some embodiments, the trajectory of the target may be extrapolated and the target's source location may be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Vinh Adams, Wesley Dwelly
  • Patent number: 7248206
    Abstract: Unknown alignment biases of sensors of a tracking system are estimated by an iterative Kalman filter method. Current measurements are corrected for known alignment errors and previously estimated alignment biases. The filter time reference is updated to produce estimated target state derivative vectors. A Jacobian of the state dynamics equation is determined, which provides for observability into the sensor alignment bias through gravitational and coriolis forces. The target state transition matrix and the target error covariance matrix are propagated. When a new measurement becomes available, the Kalman gain matrix is determined, the state vector and covariance measurements are updated, and sensor alignment biases are estimated. The state vector, covariance measurements, and estimated sensor alignment biases are transformed to an estimated stable space frame for use in tracking the target and updating the next iteration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey B. Boka, Peter J. Mavroudakis, Naresh R. Patel
  • Publication number: 20070139257
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and a method for location determination using time differences. The method of the invention comprises the steps of: transmitting a transmission signal by using a directional transmitter rotating at an angular velocity, the transmission signal comprising a transmission identification and the transmitting time; receiving the transmission signal by using an omnidirectional transceiver, and adding a personal identification to the transmission signal to be a response signal; transmitting the response signal; receiving the response signal by using an omnidirectional receiver and recording the receiving time; and calculating the location of the omnidirectional transceiver corresponding to the directional transmitter according to the difference between the receiving time and the transmitting time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Inventors: Yu-Sheng Lai, Wen-Yang Wang
  • Patent number: 7230565
    Abstract: A radar can detect target azimuths located outside and adjacent to a scanning angular range of a beam by determining changes in received signal strength (a signal-strength profile) in the azimuthal direction as a function of a beam azimuth in a predetermined scanning angular range, and estimating the target azimuth causing the signal-strength profile from the signal-strength profile, which is portion of a convex located adjacent to the outermost angle in the scanning angular range. For example, the target azimuth is estimated by a ratio between the received signal strength at the outermost angle of about 10.0° and the received signal strength at about 9.5°, which is one beam inside the outermost position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Motoi Nakanishi, Toru Ishii, Tetsu Nishimura
  • Patent number: 7221310
    Abstract: The present invention provides an electric wave axis adjusting apparatus for an on-vehicle radar capable of readily and precisely adjusting an electric wave axis only by making the scanning range and a detection range identical to each other and changing a scanning range, and of adjusting the electric wave axis of an on-vehicle radar without wasting time in order to detect a reflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kado Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 7205932
    Abstract: An improved system is provided for aiming a shotgun-based or other countermeasure system so as to be able to countermeasure incoming rockets or projectiles. In one embodiment a shotgun aimed and controlled by the subject system projects a pattern of pellets to intercept a rocket-propelled grenade or incoming projectile. The fire control system uses a CW two-tone monopulse radar to derive range and angle of arrival within 150 milliseconds, with range and angle of arrival measurements having approximately twice the accuracy of prior CW two-tone monopulse radars. The improvement derives from using all of the information in the returned radar beams and is the result of the recognition that one can use the Sum and Difference signals to assemble a two-by-two Rank One matrix that permits using singular value decomposition techniques to generate range and angle of arrival matrices in which all available information is used and in which noise is eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
    Inventor: Paul D. Fiore
  • Patent number: 7199750
    Abstract: A real-time signal processing engine robustly detects, localizes, tracks and classifies ground targets based on radar signals from a multistatic radar system. The system differentiates between different targets based on an optimized cost function, which can include the total returned normalized pulse energy. The local transmitters/receivers can communicate with each other via the transmitted radar signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: BBN Technologies Corp.
    Inventors: John Michael Bourdelais, Ernest Scott Stickels, William Ray Wright, David Earl Norris, Michael Anthony Tiberio, Gary Dana Butler
  • Patent number: 7190306
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for detecting the passage by a vehicle of a determined point for monitoring on a road, wherein from a remotely situated location a radar beam is transmitted continuously to the point for monitoring, reflections from the transmitted radar beam are received at the remotely situated location, and it is determined from the received reflections that the vehicle is passing the point for monitoring. The radar beam can herein be transmitted at an acute angle to the travel direction of the passing vehicle. The detection can be used to activate a red-light camera, to measure the speed of the vehicle or measure the traffic intensity, without sensors, for instance induction loops, having to be arranged in the road for this purpose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Gatsometer B.V.
    Inventor: Theodorus Maria Janssen
  • Patent number: 7190305
    Abstract: In a radar apparatus, a receiving antenna includes a plurality of antenna elements, each receiving, as a reception signal, radio waves emitted into space and reflected off a target object. An analog signal is obtained by downconverting and putting a bandwidth constraint on the reception signal, and is then converted to a digital signal. Based on the digital signal, a signal processing unit detects the bearing of the target object. The signal processing unit performs processing based on outputs of two sets of the antenna elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited
    Inventor: Osamu Isaji
  • Patent number: 7176830
    Abstract: An image processing system to be mounted to a vehicle includes a radar adapted to measure distance and direction to an object based on reflected electromagnetic waves which are outputted to scan the exterior of the vehicle, an image-taking device such as a camera for obtaining an image, and an image processor for carrying out image processing on a specified image processing area in an image obtained by the image-taking device. The image processor is adapted to determine a center position of the image processing area according to a measurement point of an object detected by the radar and the size of the image processing area according to a beam profile of electromagnetic waves outputted from the radar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventor: Koji Horibe
  • Patent number: 7148802
    Abstract: A direction finder is disclosed that is a hand-held device used to locate a vehicle in a parking lot using a two way radio link, operating in an unlicensed freely available band of the radio spectrum. Made for outdoor use, it is independent of GPS systems, cellular telephone systems, Loran, and any other system with a large infrastructure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Inventor: Paul Abbruscato
  • Patent number: 7132976
    Abstract: An automotive radar which can process signals at high speed to detect a target in a wide angle range is provided. The automotive radar comprises a transmitting antenna which emits an electromagnetic wave, two receiving antennas which receive the electromagnetic wave reflected by a target, an antenna plate on which the transmitting antenna and two receiving antennas are arranged. It also includes a drive which rotates the antenna plate in an azimuth direction, which corresponds to the direction of arrangement of the two receiving antennas, to scan a detection angle formed by the two receiving antennas. The drive has rest time between scans to stop rotation. The automotive radar also includes a signal processor which detects the azimuth angle of the target with respect to a reference direction during the rest time according to received signals from the two receiving antennas and the rotation angle of the antenna plate at rest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Shinoda, Toshiyuki Nagasaku, Hiroshi Kondoh
  • Patent number: 7062381
    Abstract: A primary transceiver of a primary vehicle transmits a first transmission signal to a first transponder and a second transponder associated with a secondary vehicle. A first transponder antenna and a second transponder antenna are associated with secondary vehicular reference points. Upon receipt of the first transmission signal, the first transponder transmits a second transmission signal to a first beacon of the primary vehicle and the primary transceiver. A transmitter antenna and the first beacon antenna are associated with primary vehicle reference points. Upon receipt of the first transmission signal, the second transponder transmits a third transmission signal to the first beacon and the primary transceiver. A data processor or estimator determines propagation times associated with the first transmission signal, the second transmission signal, and the third transmission signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Andrew Karl Wilhelm Rekow, Scott Adam Stephens