Combined With Determining Direction Patents (Class 342/146)
  • Publication number: 20120218138
    Abstract: A processing device for providing radar data onto a local area network includes an analog-to-digital converter operable to receive analog radar data from an antenna and converter operable to convert the analog radar data into digital radar data. An interference rejector removes radar signals of other antennas from the digital radar data. A range bin decimator limits the digital radar data to a threshold number of range bins. A trigger-to-azimuth converter associates the digital radar data to particular azimuths of rotation of the antenna. A local area network manager places the digital radar data onto a local area network. The processing device may be located in the pedestal with the antenna. A plurality of processing devices associated with a plurality of antennas may provide digital radar data onto the local area network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2009
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Inventors: Carsten Reiter, Steffen Kröger, Meinhard Wohlgemuth, Thomas Edward Wood
  • Publication number: 20120190977
    Abstract: Example embodiments presented herein relate to solutions for analyzing and/or classifying microwave scattering data. The analyzing and/or classifying may be utilized for estimating an internal condition in an enclosed volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2010
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicant: MEDFIELD DIAGNOSTICS AB
    Inventors: Mikael Persson, Mohammad Alikhorshidi, Thomas Mckelvey, Hamed Yousefimesri, Masood Khazaeli Najafabadi
  • Publication number: 20120176268
    Abstract: A vehicular traffic surveillance Doppler radar system and method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, the system comprises a modulation circuit portion for generating modulated FM signals. An antenna circuit portion transmits the modulated FM signals to a target and receives the reflected modulated FM signals therefrom. A ranging circuit portion performs a quadrature demodulation on the reflected modulated FM signals and determines a range measurement based upon phase angle measurements derived therefrom.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2012
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Inventor: John L. Aker
  • Publication number: 20120169530
    Abstract: A system and method are presented for producing a model of the interior of a building. The model is capable of receiving and dynamically incorporating input from various sources including, for example, existing static map data, data such as annotations and updates provided by persons on the scene but outside the building, and real-time data from sensors located on mobile persons or assets that are dynamically moving inside the building. In some cases, the moving persons or assets inside the building may carry a unit that emits sound or electromagnetic pulses, which reflect off the immediate surroundings in a particular room or portion of the building, and sense the reflected pulses. The reflections from relatively close features may arrive at the sensor more quickly than those from relatively distant features, so that temporal analysis of the reflected pulse may provide information about features in the building as a function of their distance away from the unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Aravind Padmanabhan, Steve Huseth
  • Patent number: 8212713
    Abstract: An object detecting apparatus including: an object detecting device that causes electromagnetic waves to be reflected from an object and receives the reflected waves to detect the object while scanning a predetermined scan range; a rotating device that changes a direction of the object detecting device; an imaging device that captures images; a display device that displays an image captured by the imaging device; a setting device that sets the scan range of the object detecting device on the image displayed by the display device; and a control device that instructs the rotating device to rotate the object detecting device based on the set scan range, and instructs the object detecting device to scan the scan range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshimitsu Aiga, Takeshi Sasajima, Takashi Asaba
  • Publication number: 20120146839
    Abstract: A dummy target is set in a direction which is the same direction as that of a detected target and at the position whose distance is double that of the detected target; a second-order wave target detection area is set in the predetermined area including the position of the dummy target; the target detected in the second-order wave target detection area is judged as being a second-order wave target; a interpolated target is set in the direction which is the same as that of the second-order wave target, and at the position whose distance is half that of the second-order wave target; a fundamental wave target detection region is set in the predetermined area including the position of the interpolated target; and the interpolated target is outputted as a fundamental wave target in the case where no fundamental wave target is detected in the fundamental wave target detection region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2010
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takayuki Hidume
  • Publication number: 20120127023
    Abstract: This disclosure provides a signal processing device, which includes an echo signal input unit for being inputted with echo signals caused by electromagnetic waves discharged from an antenna and reflected on one or more target objects, an echo signal level detector for detecting a level of each of the echo signals with reference to an azimuth and a distance to the antenna, a level change detector for detecting a level change between the echo signals from locations close to each other, the locations of the echo signals being such that the distances from the antenna are substantially the same but the azimuths are different, a pattern output module for comparing the level change with a predetermined reference pattern and outputting a level change pattern, and a missing determining module for determining a missing of a signal based on at least two of the level change patterns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Inventors: Kazuya NAKAGAWA, Hitoshi Maeno
  • Publication number: 20120127024
    Abstract: This disclosure provides a radar apparatus, which includes an antenna for discharging a transmission beam with frequencies corresponding to elevation/depression angles with respect to a particular surface and receiving a reflection echo from a reflective body and a reception module for detecting an elevation/depression angle of the reflective body based on a frequency component of a reception signal received by the antenna and detecting a distance of the reflective body based on a time component of the reception signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2011
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Inventors: Tetsuya TAKASHIMA, Takuo KASHIWA
  • Publication number: 20120127022
    Abstract: This disclosure provides a detection device, which includes an image data generation module for generating image data based on echo signals, and a target object detection module for determining an existence of a target object based on a level of the echo signal at each location of the image data for every azimuth. The target object detection module determines a continuity of the echo signals in a distance direction and an azimuth direction for every target object, and outputs an end location for each target object based on a determination result at each location, including a plurality of locations adjacent to a location determined as being a non-target object location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2011
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Inventor: Koji NISHIYAMA
  • Publication number: 20120127016
    Abstract: A signal processing unit in a radar device calculates a change amount Y (=log(P)?log(Pb)) between a power P of a current arrival echo and a power of a previous arrival echo arrived before an observation period TSW. A memory unit in the radar device stores, every type of objects, a probability distribution of the change amount Y calculated from the arrival echo from the object. On the basis of the calculated change amount Y and the probability distribution, the signal processing unit determines a probability Pr to obtain the change amount Y every type of object, and determines that the object having the maximum probability Pr is the object which transmits the current arrival echo.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2011
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuu Watanabe, Koichiro Suzuki, Chiharu Yamano
  • Patent number: 8179303
    Abstract: A signal processing apparatus for a radar transceiver, which receives a reflected signal generated by a target object in response to a frequency modulated transmission signal, and generates a beat signal having a frequency difference between the transmission signal and a reception signal, includes: an azimuth angle detection unit that detects an azimuth angle of the target object on the basis of a peak signal in a frequency spectrum of the beat signal; a peak signal extraction unit that prioritizes extraction of a peak signal corresponding to a predetermined azimuth angle range and a predetermined relative distance range of the target object; and a target object detection unit that detects the target object from the extracted peak signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masayuki Kishida, Hisateru Asanuma, Tomoya Kawasaki
  • Publication number: 20120112953
    Abstract: An integrated radar system includes a processing module and a radar device. The radar device includes an antenna module, a configurable shaping module, and a configurable transceiver module. The processing module generates an outbound signal and a control signal to configure the integrated radar system. The configured transceiver module converts the outbound signal into an outbound wireless signal. The configured shaping module shapes the outbound wireless signal into a shaped signal. The antenna module transmits the shaped signal and then receives an inbound radar signal. The configured shaping module shapes the inbound radar signal into an inbound wireless signal. The configured transceiver module converts the inbound wireless signal into an inbound symbol stream. The processing module determines location information regarding an object based on the inbound symbol stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: BROADCOM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Alfred Grau Besoli, Nicolaos G. Alexopoulos, Jesus Alfonso Castaneda
  • Patent number: 8174433
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, bias estimation and orbit determination include receiving measurements in real time. The measurements include radar measurements and radar array orientation measurements. The radar measurements are generated by a radar system and indicate the location of a target. The radar array orientation measurements are generated by a navigation system and indicate the orientation of a radar array of the radar system. A state variable set is used. The state variable set includes measurement variables and dynamic bias variables. For example, a state variable set may include orbit position, orbit velocity, radar orientation, and radar measurement variables, which in turn may include dynamic bias variables such as orientation bias variables and measurement bias variables. A measurement variable is associated with a measurement, and a dynamic bias variable is associated with bias of a measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventor: Michael E. Hough
  • Patent number: 8164510
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a quantity smoother includes a first stage and a second stage. The first stage is operable to receive a sequence of raw samples of a quantity and to generate from the raw samples intermediate samples of the quantity, the intermediate samples having a reduced level of fluctuation relative to the sequence of raw samples. The second stage is coupled to the first stage and is operable to generate from the intermediate samples resulting samples of the quantity, the resulting samples having a reduced level of fluctuation relative to the sequence of intermediate samples. For example, such a quantity smoother may be part of a target-ranging system on board a fighter jet, and may smooth an error in an estimated target range so that the fighter pilot may more quickly and confidently determine in his head a range window within which the target lies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald M. Yannone
  • Patent number: 8159387
    Abstract: Systems and methods for obtaining target elevation information are disclosed. The systems and methods use multiple vertical transmitters and one or more receivers to infer changes in the elevation plane and the height of objects. Changes in elevation and heights of objects are inferred from path length differences between the transmitters and a particular backscattering point. Using known geometric information regarding the configuration of the transmitters, propagation time differences can be estimated via time delay estimation methods in either the time or frequency domain. Appropriate modulation schemes are used such that the multiple signals transmitted are separable upon reception.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Jose Fernandez, Richard Rikoski, John Stroud
  • Patent number: 8160837
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to determine statistical dominance point descriptors for multidimensional data are disclosed. An example method disclosed herein comprises determining a first joint dominance value for a first data point in a multidimensional data set, data points in the multidimensional data set comprising multidimensional values, each dimension corresponding to a different measurement of a physical event, the first joint dominance value corresponding to a number of data points in the multidimensional data set dominated by the first data point in every dimension, determining a first skewness value for the first data point, the first skewness value corresponding to a size of a first dimension of the first data point relative to a combined size of all dimensions of the first data point, and combining the first joint dominance and first skewness values to determine a first statistical dominance point descriptor associated with the first data point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Graham Cormode, Philip Korn, Divesh Srivastava
  • Publication number: 20120089320
    Abstract: A method is provided for automatically locating a container in a stowage location of a container ship for loading and unloading of the container ship in container terminals. The method includes the following steps: obtaining the position information of the container ship from container ship positioning units, obtaining the position information of the container from container positioning units when the container is in its stowage location, and determining the stowage location of the container in the container ship by first computing a relative position of the container in the container ship based on both the position information of the container ship and the position information of the container and then correlating the relative position with a stowage plan of the container ship.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2010
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Applicant: CONTAINERTRAC, INC.
    Inventors: Han-Shue Tan, Jihua Huang, Fanping Bu, Hongjun Song, Gregory Keith Warf
  • Publication number: 20120086593
    Abstract: A sensor including a sensor housing, the sensor housing having at least three reference measuring fields for forming a reference plane. An adjusting method and a measuring method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Inventors: Dieter WEBER, Gerald Zeller
  • Patent number: 8149156
    Abstract: A system for estimating a location of the source of a projectile includes a radar system for transmitting a wave and detecting and providing an indication of a wave reflection from the projectile, an acoustic detection system for detecting and providing an indication of at least one sound associated with the projectile, and circuitry for estimating the location in response to the indication of a wave reflection and the indication of at least one sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Mustang Technology Group, L.P.
    Inventors: Rustin W. Allred, Robert R. Bless
  • Publication number: 20120068879
    Abstract: In a method of determining a deviation of a path of a projectile from a predetermined path, the method uses an image of a target area in which the desired path or direction is pointed out. Subsequently, the real direction or real path is determined and the deviation is determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2011
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Inventor: Fredrik Tuxen
  • Patent number: 8138918
    Abstract: An intrusion detection and tracking system includes a plurality of nodes, a DP and a gateway. The nodes are disposed about an area and form a wireless network to be monitored, the nodes are configured to receive data and transmit data frames with a signal strength indicator and/or a link quality indicator in the frames. The DP is communicatively connected to the network and configured to analyze variations in the signal strength indicator and/or link quality indicator to detect and track disturbances to an electromagnetic field in the area. The gateway is configured to form a data link between the network and the DP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Toni S. Habib, Wassim S. Habib
  • Patent number: 8134493
    Abstract: A system and method for determining the geolocation of a signal emitter moving at an unknown velocity by combining signal data of a target detection platform (e.g., a radar system) and signal data collected by two or more moving signal collection platforms (e.g., RF signal receivers). In one embodiment, the target detection platform determines tentative location and velocity of the signal emitter, and the signal collection platforms are configured to perform TDOA and/or FDOA analysis of the collected signal data corresponding to a signal of the signal emitter. In one embodiment, solutions provided from the TDOA and/or FDOA analysis are unbiased by using the tentative velocity of the signal emitter, and the geolocation of the signal emitter is determined by matching the TDOA/FDOA solutions and the detected tentative location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: William B. Noble, Duncan L. Crawford, Jeffrey M. Guild
  • Publication number: 20120056776
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an antenna device is provided with a dielectric substrate whose both surfaces are covered by first and second metal films, a via-hole row in which via-holes are arranged in two rows on the dielectric substrate, and a waveguide line is formed by the first and the second metal films, and a slot pair provided in the first metal film. The slot pair has a first slot and a second slot provided so that a slot length direction is oblique to a line direction of the waveguide line. A center of the first slot and a center of the second slot are spaced apart from each other by not less than a half of the shorter one of the slot length of the first slot and the slot length of the second slot along the slot length direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Tetsu SHIJO, Shuichi Obayashi
  • Patent number: 8130137
    Abstract: A method and a system for sensing a boosting target missile, estimate position and velocity and boost acceleration parameters of the target missile, and control an interceptor missile to the target missile. A boost-phase missile target state estimator estimates at least acceleration, velocity, and position using an acceleration template for the target vehicle. The nominal template is incorporated into an extended Kalman filter which corrects the nominal template acceleration with the filter states to predict future thrust acceleration, velocity and position. The correction can compensate for motor burn variations and missile energy management (lofted/depressed trajectory).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Thu-Van Luu, Jeffrey B. Boka, Purusottam Mookerjee, Michael J. Harcourt
  • Publication number: 20120050092
    Abstract: A radar system operable to detect objects within multiple ranges using common components is provided. The radar system includes a transmitter antenna, a first and second microwave radiation source, and a receiver. The first and second microwave radiation sources both are transmitted through the transmitter antenna. The echoes are received by the same receiver. The first microwave radiation source is a frequency modulated wave form and the second microwave radiation source is an ultra-wide band wave form. A multiplexer selectively connects one of the first and second microwave radiation sources to the transmitter antenna.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Jae Seung Lee, Paul D. Schmalenberg
  • Publication number: 20120050091
    Abstract: Four rows on one side of linear arrays arranged at equal intervals in the vertical direction and arranged at a predetermined interval in the horizontal direction form transmission channels and remaining twelve rows form a reception channel group. Among the remaining twelve rows, linear arrays of four rows in the center form a reception-first-array with each row set as a channel unit. Linear arrays of eight rows on both sides form a reception-second-array with two rows set as a channel unit. In wide-angle-middle-detection-processing, signals are combined using the reception-first-array. In long-detection-processing, signals are combined using the reception-second-array. Second null of a radiation pattern by a transmission array and first null of the reception-second-array are matched. The first null of the transmission array is filled such that a gain difference between the first null and a first side lobe of the transmission array is within a predetermined value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2010
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicants: DENSO CORPORATION, MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Inami, Takamasa Ando
  • Patent number: 8120526
    Abstract: Measurements of the differential and/or absolute time-of-arrival of separable signals transmitted from a set of spatially-distributed (SD) transmitters are obtained by one or more receivers. The signals transmitted by each transmitter are made separable by encoding them in a manner that enables each signal to be distinguished from the others by the receiver or receivers. An accurate time-of-arrival of each signal at the receiver is determined, from which the path lengths from the transmitters to the receiver and from the receiver to the object are determined based on the known propagation speed of the signals. Any Doppler frequency shifts in each signal can also be determined from this information. From all of this information, the receiver is able to determine its own position, motion and orientation (roll, pitch and yaw), as well as the position and motion of the moving object being tracked by the receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Inventor: Ernest Jefferson Holder
  • Patent number: 8102306
    Abstract: Typical inventive practice provides for electronic communication of a computer with a display, an active radar device (for transmitting target-location data and environmental data), a light measurement device (for transmitting visual light data), and passive imaging devices covering bands in the visual, infrared (MWIR and/or LWIR), and millimeter wave regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Inventive software in the computer's memory establishes “operational modes.” Each operational mode is defined at least by a predominant environmental (obscuration and lighting) character, ascribes “modal indices” to individual imaging devices, and carries its own multispectral image fusion algorithm (which, pursuant to the ascribed modal indices, attributes weights to the imaging data from the respective imaging devices).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Jerry Rosson Smith, Jr., Joseph R. Krycia
  • Publication number: 20120001793
    Abstract: A method for registering a radar system. The method includes obtaining first values for a location of a target relative to the radar system using radar system initiated signals, obtaining geo-referenced location data for and from the target, obtaining second values for the location of the target relative to the radar system using the geo-referenced location data, computing location registration bias errors for the radar system using the first and second values, and registering the radar system using the computed location registration bias errors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2010
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Inventors: Mark H. Jacobs, Yair Alon, Joseph H. Geiger
  • Patent number: 8085188
    Abstract: A method of determining a deviation of a path of a projectile from a predetermined path. The method uses an image of a target area in which the desired path or direction is pointed out. Subsequently, the real direction or path is determined and the deviation determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Trackman A/S
    Inventor: Fredrik Tuxen
  • Publication number: 20110309970
    Abstract: The system for detecting a position of an object in a plane (2), comprises in an operational state at least one antenna loop (10D+10E) aligned with the plane (2), an RF signal generator (41) for activating the antenna loop. The antenna loop has at least one antenna element (10D, 10E) with a cross-diameter (H) in a direction transverse to the plane that is larger than a cross-diameter (D) in a direction aligned with the plane. Alternatively or in addition the system for detecting a position of an object in a plane comprises in an operational state at least a first antenna loop (210D+210E), at least a second antenna loop (210C+210F), that extends at least partially outside the first antenna loop, an RF-signal generator (241) for providing the first antenna loop with an RF signal, an facility (243, 244) for providing the second antenna loop with an RF signal that is in phase with that of the RF-signal in the first antenna loop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicant: SERIOUS TOYS B.V.
    Inventors: Wilhelmus Johannes Franciscus Fontijn, Willem Bastiaan van Rossem
  • Patent number: 8081106
    Abstract: In an embodiment, an apparatus includes a detector, direction finder, receiver, and range finder. The detector is operable to detect a target, and the direction finder is operable to determine a first direction to the target from the apparatus. The receiver is operable to receive a second direction to the target from a remote object, and the range finder is operable to determine from the first and second directions a range of the target from the apparatus. For example, the apparatus may be a first fighter jet, and the remote object may be a second fighter jet. By using directional information from both the first and second jets, a computer system onboard the first jet may compute a range to the target from the first jet more quickly and more accurately than by using directional information from only the first jet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electric Systems Integration Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald M. Yannone
  • Publication number: 20110298652
    Abstract: A submillimeter wavelength radar system has a receiver (20, 27, 90) for receiving and downconverting signals from content in a field of view of the system and a signal processor (30) arranged to determine information about the content from the downconverted signals, the radar system being arranged to obtain signals of the same points in the field of view from different illumination or receiving angles by having multiple illumination or receive positions, and the signal processor being arranged to use the determined information from the signals from the two or more angles to determine location or orientation of the content. By using information from different angles, it becomes possible to address or overcome the drawback of submillimeter wavelengths that most of the reflection is specular and so only surfaces of an object facing the radar system are detectable, meaning that many objects are unrecognisable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2010
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Applicant: TOYOTA MOTOR EUROPE NV/SA
    Inventors: Hiromichi Yanagihara, Mineki Soga, Harald Franz Arno Merkel
  • Publication number: 20110298651
    Abstract: This disclosure provides a signal processing device, which includes an echo signal input module for being inputted with echo signals caused by electromagnetic waves emitted from an antenna being reflected on one of more target objects, an echo signal level detecting module for detecting a level of each of the echo signals in association with a distance and an azimuth direction from the antenna, a level change detecting module for detecting a level change between the echo signals from locations which are close to each other where the distances from the antenna are substantially the same but the azimuth directions from the antenna are different, a pattern output module for comparing the level change with a pattern determined in advance to output a level change pattern, and an interference determining module for determining interference based on at least two of the level change patterns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2011
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Inventors: Kazuya NAKAGAWA, Hitoshi Maeno
  • Patent number: 8072367
    Abstract: A movement detection system includes a microwave antenna able to transmit microwave frequency signals into a space. An electronics controller is connected to the microwave antenna, and is configured to continually measure the impedance of the microwave antenna while it transmits microwave frequency signals into the space. An interpretive device is connected to receive impedance measurements from the electronics controller, and is configured to interpret and report changes in the magnitude and phase angles of individual impedance measurements as the passing of things and their direction through the space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Stolar, Inc.
    Inventors: Igor Bausov, Gerald Stolarczyk, Larry G. Stolarczyk
  • Publication number: 20110285573
    Abstract: An integrated radar system and a vehicle control system are provided. More particularly, an antenna structure that can sense multiple distances using multiple beams, an integrated radar system using the same, and a vehicle control system that performs vehicle control through multiple distance sensing of a target are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Inventor: Seong Hee JEONG
  • Publication number: 20110285578
    Abstract: An RF beam is used to probe the presence or absence of a rotating blade in a known field of view. Timing of appearance or disappearance or “zero-crossing” of a reflected signal is correlated with timing of the blade movement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicant: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Andy Peczalski, David Daniel Lilly, Dinkar Mylaraswamy
  • Publication number: 20110273325
    Abstract: A radar system, apparatus, and method includes at least one radar transmitter for transmitting an electromagnetic waveform; a receiving antenna comprising a plurality of receiving antenna elements and delay lines, each of the plurality of receiving antenna elements receiving the return signal operatively associated with a predetermined delay line; each delay line having a delay length which produces a different phase delay in the return signal; the different phase delays producing substantially different antenna patterns for the received signal at a given frequency; at least one processor operatively connected to receive data from the plurality of delay lines; the at least one processor operating to analyze the substantially different beam patterns for a given frequency; whereby the processing of the data produces results indicating the presence and location of a target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2010
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Applicant: U.S. Government as represented by the Secreatry of the Army
    Inventor: GEOFFREY HOWARD GOLDMAN
  • Patent number: 8054216
    Abstract: A radar device has a plurality of receiving antennas which receive, as a reception wave, a radar wave sent in a predetermined reference direction and reflected by a target; a phase difference detection unit which detects a first phase difference of the reception wave received by a first receiving antenna pair that is spaced by a first gap, and a second phase difference of the reception wave received by a second receiving antenna pair that is spaced by a second gap smaller than the first gap; and an angle detection unit which performs a first process of determining, as a detection angle, an angle of the target relative to the reference direction being a mutually coincident angle from among a plurality of first angles corresponding to the first phase difference and a plurality of second angles corresponding to the second phase difference. The radar device allows expanding an angle detection range without reducing the resolution of the angle corresponding to the second phase difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignees: Fujitsu Ten Limited, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Motohide Kinoshita, Hisateru Asanuma, Jun Tsunekawa, Motomi Iyoda, Tomoya Kawasaki
  • Publication number: 20110270519
    Abstract: Provided is a method and an apparatus for estimating a distance from a target terminal, collecting route information of the apparatus and route information of the target terminal, and estimating a relative location to the target terminal based on the route information of the apparatus and the route information of the target terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2011
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co.,
    Inventors: Do Hyung Park, Eung Sun Kim, Joon Seong Kang
  • Publication number: 20110267220
    Abstract: Systems and methods for positioning sensor nodes in a sensor network are described. A system can include multiple base nodes. The base nodes can have a differential global positioning system. The global positioning system can be used to determine a precise location of the base nodes. Sensor nodes can be placed in locations with respect to the plurality of base nodes using measurement data from at least one of the base nodes. A positional device can provide the position measurement data relative to the base nodes to a user for use in placing the plurality of sensor nodes. A communications system enables electronic communication between the base nodes and the sensor nodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Inventors: John Paul Strachan, R. Stanley Williams
  • Patent number: 8049658
    Abstract: A method for determining, in three dimensions, the location of a moving ground object observed in a region by a video camera. A terrain map supplies altitude for the latitude and longitude of each terrain point. The terrain information is combined with camera location, field of view, and orientation to produce a computed terrain map relative to the camera. A video analytics step processes the video and locates moving target(s) in two Cartesian coordinates. The coordinates are processed with the camera information to produce target location in terms of azimuth and elevation angle. The computed map information is combined with the angular target location to produce latitude, longitude, and altitude of the target. The target location information is used for further investigation or to attack the target. Also, a method for determining the third dimension of a 2-D radar track to cue a camera or fuse with camera data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Louis Lagonik, Donna F. Smith
  • Patent number: 8026841
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method, means for and computer program for enhancing range and azimuth resolution in a two-dimensional (2D) image generated by a frequency modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) radar for providing enhanced situational awareness in autonomous approach and landing guidance (AALG) system by forming and displaying a two-dimensional (2D) model of landing conditions from received range and azimuth real beam radar (RBR) signals by rendering one or more target locations and amplitudes in both range and azimuth, selecting a region of interest from the displayed 2D model to enhance the one or more target locations in the selected region of interest, selectively applying range and azimuth resolution enhancement using a first and second beamforming approach or applying azimuth only resolution enhancement by using just the second beamforming approach to obtain an one or more accurate target location estimations and combining the enhanced one or more target locations to render an enhanced 2D image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: BAE SYSTEMS Controls Inc.
    Inventors: Guoqing Liu, Ken Yang
  • Patent number: 8013694
    Abstract: The invention relates to a small and low-voltage operable dielectric waveguide device. First and second electrode are embedded in a dielectric part and are formed to be thinner than a skin depth for a frequency of electromagnetic wave propagating along a first dielectric part included in the dielectric part. Thereby, even if the first and second electrodes are arranged to be in contact with the first dielectric part, the propagating electromagnetic wave can transmit the first and second electrodes, and therefore the electromagnetic wave can propagate without being cut off and there is no influence on waveguide modes of the electromagnetic wave. Further, in a state where a transmission loss due to the embedded of the electrode is suppressed, an electric field with large electric field strength can be applied to the first dielectric part by the first and second electrodes, and a small and low-voltage operable dielectric waveguide device can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuki Hiramatsu, Djuniadi A. Sagala, Tetsuya Kishino
  • Publication number: 20110210884
    Abstract: An apparatus and method to generate and detect virtual targets. Position information for one or more virtual targets is calculated onboard a vehicle from real position information obtained from GPS satellites or other external or internal sources. This virtual position information is coded, mixed with a carrier frequency, amplified, and radiated to a nearby test vehicle, such as an aircraft. The amplitude of the radiated signal is adjusted such that the signal containing the virtual position information is received by the test aircraft only. The radiated signal thus adjusted is below the detection threshold of any aircraft further away. The test aircraft decodes the signal and interprets the decoded virtual position information as real aircraft in its vicinity. The coded signals may be structured to comply with the requirements of the FAA's ADS-B system. The apparatus may be mounted on the test aircraft itself, or on a nearby aircraft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2011
    Publication date: September 1, 2011
    Inventors: Richard Earl Jennings, Thomas Lee Pagano
  • Publication number: 20110207553
    Abstract: A system and method for locating lost golf balls is described. In one embodiment, a plurality of small RFID chips are applied to or embedded in a ball. When the ball is to be located, a user uses a ball finder to receive RF signals from the RFID chips and locate the ball. The ball finder may have useful additional features such as overlaid maps to help and GIS data to help the user find the ball. In an alternative embodiment, a ball is prepared by applying a highly-reflective paint, such as a metallic paint, or a highly-absorbent paint such as a black iron ball paint, to create a characteristic radar signature for the ball. The ball finder may then be configured to locate the ball using the characteristic radar signature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Inventors: Dion J. Reid, Deron Reid, Bradley K. Hunt
  • Patent number: 7999726
    Abstract: A system for estimating an antenna boresight direction. The novel system includes a first circuit for receiving a Doppler measurement and a line-of-sight direction measurement corresponding with the Doppler measurement, and a processor adapted to search for an estimated boresight direction that minimizes a Doppler error between the Doppler measurement and a calculated Doppler calculated from the estimated boresight direction and the line-of-sight direction measurement. The line-of-sight direction measurement is measured relative to the true antenna boresight, and the calculated Doppler is the Doppler calculated for a direction found by applying the line-of-sight direction measurement to the estimated boresight direction. In a preferred embodiment, the first circuit receives a Doppler measurement and a line-of-sight direction measurement from each of a plurality of pixels, and the processor searches for an estimated boresight direction that minimizes a sum of squares of Doppler errors for each of the pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Ralph Guertin, David Faulkner, John Treece, Donald Bruyere
  • Publication number: 20110193739
    Abstract: An orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) communication system is adapted for radar ranging and imaging. A radar system includes an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) radio communications transmitter configured to transmit information bits using one or more payload symbols in a transmitted signal; and a receiver configured to: construct the payload symbols from the information bits provided by the transmitter; receive the payload symbols in the transmitted signal reflected from a target; apply a matched filter to the received payload symbols using the constructed payload symbols as a template; and process a magnitude response at an output of the matched filter for estimating location and imaging of the target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2010
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Applicant: TIALINX, INC.
    Inventors: Paul Strauch, Soumya K. Nag, Farrokh Mohamadi
  • Patent number: 7994969
    Abstract: A radar system is disclosed, which comprises an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) modem and a frequency scanning antenna. In transmit, the OFDM modem modulates radar waveforms and the frequency scanning antenna radiates the OFDM modulated radio frequency (RF) energy. In receive mode, the frequency scanning antenna captures the echoes and the OFDM modem demodulates the echoes. Directionality of the frequency scanning antenna is dependent upon RF carrier frequency. In other features, the radar system further comprises a transmit/receive (T/R) module that up-converts and amplifies the OFDM modulation, and outputs the amplified signal to the frequency scanning antenna. The T/R module amplifies and down-converts a received RF echo from the frequency scanning antenna and outputs the down-converted echo to the OFDM modem. A plurality of scanning angles are measured simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: The Regents of The University of Michigan
    Inventors: Koen Van Caekenberghe, Karl Brakora, Kamal Sarabandi
  • Publication number: 20110188342
    Abstract: A device for acoustic display of a position of an object in a reproduction space, a plurality of loudspeakers being arranged in the reproduction space at spatially different positions such that different spatial positions may be represented acoustically by differently driving the loudspeakers, includes a signal associater and a loudspeaker driver. The signal associater is configured to associate an acoustic signal to the object. The loudspeaker driver is configured to establish one or several loudspeaker signals for the plurality of loudspeakers, wherein the one or several loudspeaker signals by which the position of the object is displayed are based on the acoustic signal associated to the object by the signal associater. The one or several loudspeaker signals may be established such that, when reproducing the one or several loudspeaker signals, the position of the object in the reproduction space is displayed acoustically.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventor: Thomas Sporer