For Frequency Modulation Patents (Class 342/200)
  • Patent number: 11719804
    Abstract: In an example, the present invention provides a method for processing rf backscattered signals. The method includes generating a plurality of rf signals numbered from 1 to N, where N is an integer greater than 1, from, respectively, a plurality of rf sources numbered from 1 to N. In an example, each of the rf sources is an antenna. In an example, the method includes transferring the plurality of rf signals to a predetermined region of space. The method includes receiving a stream of back scattered signals derived from each of the the rf signals numbered from 1 to N from the predetermined space, each stream of back scattered signals being one of a plurality of backscattered signals numbered 1 to N corresponding, respectively, to the plurality of rf sources numbered from 1 to N.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Koko Home, Inc.
    Inventors: Luca Rigazio, Samuel Joseph, Siamak Yousefi, Gabriele Della Casa Venturelli, Michael Vela, Sheen Kao
  • Patent number: 11709244
    Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to enabling a radar system to use different sensing mechanisms to estimate a distance from a target based on different detection zones (e.g., far-field and near-field). In an illustrative example, a curve fitting method may be applied for near-field sensing, and a Fourier transform may be used for far-field sensing. A predetermined set of rules may be applied to select when to use the near-field sensing mechanism and when to use the far-field mechanism. The frequency of a target signal within a beat signal that has less than two sinusoidal cycles may be estimated with improved accuracy. Accordingly, the distance of a target that is within a predetermined distance range (e.g., two meters range for 24 GHz ISM band limitation) may be reliably estimated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Banner Engineering Corp.
    Inventors: Ashley Wise, Chunmei Kang, Wade Oberpriller
  • Patent number: 11047957
    Abstract: A method for training a radar device using a training system is disclosed. The radar device comprises a first machine learning module to be trained. The training system comprises at least one signal generator, a signal analyzer and at least one controller being connected to both the at least one signal generator and the at least one signal analyzer. The controller causes the at least one signal generator to generate at least one wireless test signal based on an initial set of parameters corresponding to at least one object being located in the field of view of the radar device. The wireless test signal is received by the radar device and a feedback signal is generated by the radar device based on the test signal. The feedback signal is forwarded to the analyzer unit, and the set of parameters is automatically adapted by the controller based on the feedback signal. Moreover, a training system for training a radar device is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Yassen Mikhailov
  • Patent number: 11031690
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a swappable modular-based radiofrequency (RF) frontend that is reconfigurable to form transmitting (TX) and receiving (RX) phased array systems for diverse applications. Such swappable RF frontend may be used with unique spatial and spectral optical processing of complex RF signals over an ultra-wide frequency band. The swappable RF front end may be used in conjunction with an optically upconverted imaging receiver and/or in conjunction with optically addressed phased array technologies transmitters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Phase Sensitive Innovations, Inc.
    Inventors: Shouyuan Shi, Dennis Prather
  • Patent number: 11029389
    Abstract: An FM-CW radar includes a high frequency circuit that receives a reflected wave from a target, and a signal processing unit that converts an analog signal generated by the high frequency circuit into a digital signal and detects at least a distance to the target and velocity of the target. The high frequency circuit includes a VCO that receives a modulation voltage from the signal processing unit and generates a frequency-modulated high frequency signal. The signal processing unit includes an LUT that stores default modulation control data. The signal processing unit applies a default chirp having a linear characteristic, calculates an initial frequency value and an initial voltage value from a voltage-frequency characteristic manifested by the application of the default chirp, generates time data using a result of the calculation, and updates the data stored in the LUT with the time data generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Kazunori Kurashige
  • Patent number: 10901497
    Abstract: A method for operating a mobile device includes detecting a gesture by the mobile device. Detecting the gesture includes receiving a reflected millimeter wave signal by the mobile device, generating a first message in accordance with the detected gesture, and transmitting the first message from the mobile device to an external remote device. The detected gesture is associated with an operation of the remote device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG
    Inventor: Saverio Trotta
  • Patent number: 10847866
    Abstract: A method and computer for pointing a beam of a directional antenna located above ground is disclosed. A method includes receiving a beam width 2?, and determining an angle ?max where ?max+? is an angle for a projection of maximum signal strength on the ground. ?max is based on the beam width 2? and tilt angle ?. The method also includes determining an effective ground beam width defined by a total relative gain of the directional antenna and the above the ground to ground range being at half the maximum signal strength on the ground at angles above and below ?max. The method further includes determining a ground footprint of the beam based at least on part on the determined effective ground beam width, and causing the antenna to be pointed based at least in part on the determined ground footprint of the beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: SR Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Passler, Graham K. Smith, Steven M. Romanow
  • Patent number: 10804954
    Abstract: Systems of multiple transmitters and multiple receivers, allowing receivers to identify the transmitters from which reference signals originate. Identification is according to frequency offset patterns based on transmitter and local oscillator frequencies, and is particularly suitable in radio-frequency integrated-circuit devices and MIMO radar systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: VAYYAR IMAGING LTD.
    Inventors: Naftali Chayat, Jonathan Rosenfeld
  • Patent number: 10712442
    Abstract: An integrated radio-frequency circuit for a radar sensor, having a clock input that is designed to receive a clock signal produced externally to the integrated radio-frequency circuit, having a local oscillator that is designed to produce a local radio-frequency signal, having a radio-frequency input that is designed to receive an external radio-frequency signal produced externally to the integrated radio-frequency circuit, and having a changeover switch that is coupled to the local oscillator and to the radio-frequency input and is designed to change over between the local radio-frequency signal and the external radio-frequency signal for the production of a radar signal. In addition, a corresponding radar sensor and a corresponding operating method, are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Dirk Steinbuch, Goetz Kuehnle, Matthias Steinhauer, Michael Schoor
  • Patent number: 10698083
    Abstract: A system and method of digital beamforming for a monobit phased array radar system includes providing a plurality of monobit analog signals received by at least one antenna to at least one field programmable gate array (FPGA). A plurality of monobit SerDes transceivers within the FPGA convert the plurality of monobit analog signals into a plurality of multibit digital signals, each of the multibit digital signals being modified according to a digital signal conditioning value to calibrate, phase align, and synchronize the digital signals. A digital beam is formed by coherently combining the plurality of digital signals within the FPGA.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Daniel Thompson, Harry B. Marr, Ian Robinson, Jeffrey Caldwell
  • Patent number: 10663559
    Abstract: A method for cancelling phase noise in a radar signal is described herein. In accordance with one embodiment, the method includes transmitting an RF oscillator signal, which represents a local oscillator signal including phase noise, to a radar channel and receiving a respective first RF radar signal from the radar channel. The first RF radar signal included at least one radar echo of the transmitted RF oscillator signal. Further, the method includes applying the RF oscillator signal to an artificial radar target composed of circuitry, which applies a delay and a gain to the RF oscillator signal, to generate a second RF radar signal. The second RF radar signal is modulated by a modulation signal thus generating a frequency-shifted RF radar signal. Further, the method includes subtracting the frequency-shifted RF radar signal from the first RF radar signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Mario Huemer, Alexander Melzer, Alexander Onic, Rainer Stuhlberger
  • Patent number: 10393867
    Abstract: Methods and systems for determining true time delay from each receiving element of an ‘active electronically scanned array’ (AESA) or a phased array antenna. Embodiments of the invention can include electromagnetic EM elements, optical waveguides, and wavelength selective FGBs are collectively configured as a plurality of dual purpose elements that couples an EM field and uses an induced voltage to change an index of refraction of the optical waveguide's electro-optic (EO) material, where the EO material will also function as a dielectric in an antenna element, where the signals comprising optical signals propagate through EM element acting as phase delay elements, where the measuring system compares the reflected signals with a reference signal with no phase delay to determine said signals phase delay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Kevin Kellar
  • Patent number: 9726756
    Abstract: A multichip radar system is disclosed, comprising a plurality of configurable ICs, and a digital interface therebetween, each configurable IC being configurable to operate as a master IC and as a slave IC. The configurable ICs may be similar or identical, and have an allocated measurement range. Each configurable IC comprises: a down-converter; an ADC; a digital signal processor; and a transmitter to transmit a radar signal. One is configured as a master IC and to transmit a radar signal and each of the other configurable ICs to operate as a slave IC. Each configurable IC is adapted to use a common Local Oscillator signal, a common clock signal, and a common timing signal for determining at least the start of the common sampling window. A method of operating such a multichip radar system is also disclosed, as is a configurable IC or radar IC suitable for such a system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventor: Feike Jansen
  • Patent number: 9692489
    Abstract: A wireless transceiver using a phased array antenna panel for concurrently transmitting and receiving wireless signals is disclosed. The wireless transceiver includes receive antennas forming a receive configuration and transmit antennas forming a transmit configuration. The receive antennas form a receive beam at a receive frequency based on phase and amplitude information provided by a master chip in the phased array antenna panel. The transmit antennas form a transmit beam at a transmit frequency based on phase and amplitude information provided by the master chip in the phased array antenna panel. The phase and amplitude information for the receive antennas is provided by an RF front end chip that is connected to the master chip. The phase and amplitude information for the transmit antennas is provided by the RF front end chip that is connected to the master chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Movandi Corporation
    Inventors: Ahmadreza Rofougaran, Farid Shirinfar, Sam Gharavi, Michael Boers, Seunghwan Yoon, Alfred Grau Besoli, Maryam Rofougaran
  • Patent number: 9225369
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a main amplifier configured to receive an input signal. The main amplifier is also configured to generate an output signal. The apparatus also includes an auxiliary path configured to phase-shift the input signal to generate a cancellation signal to reduce or cancel a blocker component of the output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Mohammad Bagher Vahid Far, Abbas Komijani, Amirpouya Kavousian, Mazhareddin Taghivand, Alireza Khalili
  • Patent number: 9151827
    Abstract: The present disclosure relate to a receiver system that removes unwanted signal components from a received signal based upon signal information from previous received signals. The receiver system has a signal generator that generates multiple signal patterns. One of the multiple signal patterns is provided to a transmit antenna that wirelessly transmits the signal pattern. A receive antenna port receives a reflected signal comprising a time-shifted version of the signal pattern and provides the reflected signal to a reception path. A feedback path extends from the reception path to a signal correction element, which selectively generates a correction signal that reduces unwanted signal components in the reflected signal. The signal correction element generates the correction signal from compensation parameters stored in a memory, which correspond to previously received reflected signals comprising the signal pattern, so that the correction signal can be used to reduce unwanted signal components in real time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Herbert Jaeger
  • Patent number: 9057775
    Abstract: A signal generating circuit includes an oscillator to produce an oscillation signal controlled in oscillating frequency by an analog control signal. The circuit includes: a digital phase detector detecting phase information of the oscillation signal and outputting digital phase information; a first differentiator differentiating the digital phase information and outputting digital frequency information; a comparator comparing a frequency setting code setting the oscillating frequency with the digital frequency information and outputting digital frequency error information; and a low-pass filter removing a high-frequency component of the digital frequency error information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Yuka Kobayashi, Hiroki Sakurai
  • Publication number: 20150123842
    Abstract: A microwave sensor adjusts its sensing range based on a range gate selected from multiple range gates. An active antenna module transmits a first FMCW signal toward a target based on the selected range gate and for receiving second FMCW signal reflected from the target. A modulating module is used for generating modulation signal. The bandwidth of the first FMCW signal depends on an amplitude of the modulation signal. A first demodulator is used for demodulating the first FMCW signal and the second FMCW signal to generate beat frequency. A second demodulator is used to demodulate the beat frequency signal to generate a Doppler signal. An indentifying circuit is used for generating a triggering signal based on a voltage difference between integral of the Doppler signal from an object within the rage gate and an integral of clutter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2014
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Applicant: U&U ENGINEERING INC
    Inventors: Chi-Ho CHANG, Li-Wei YU, Yi-Ting YANG, Yun-Chun SUNG, Ming-Tsung HSU, Yih-Ming HUANG, Ping-Chang TSAO
  • Patent number: 9024809
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an object detection system and method for determining range and velocity of a target object by transmitting a frequency modulated continuous wave transmission signal and receiving transmission signal reflections of the transmission signal from the target object as a reception signal. Each modulation block of the transmission signal comprises a number of first type chirps, each first type chirp having a first slope, and a number of second type chirps, each second type chirp having a second slope different from the first slope. Two consecutive chirps of the same type have a frequency offset A mixed signal based on the transmission signal and the reception signal and using the first type chirps and the second type chirps is processed, in order to determine the range and velocity of the target object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Miquel Testar
  • Patent number: 9013346
    Abstract: A radar system including a switching mode power converter. A pulse radar unit is configured to transmit RF pulses with a pulse repetition frequency. The power converter includes a switching controller that is configured to control at least one switching element. The switching controller is configured to receive a frequency modulated input signal. The modulation frequency of the input signal is configured to be derived from the pulse repetition frequency of the radar unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: SAAB AB
    Inventor: Bo Nettelbland
  • Patent number: 9000974
    Abstract: Systems and methods for allowing dual-mode radar operation. An exemplary transmission system includes a hybrid coupler that receives a signal produced by a synthesizer and couples the received signal to two output ports. A pulse transmitter receives a pulse transmit-activate signal from a controller, receives an input signal from the hybrid coupler and, if the activate signal has been received, amplifies the received signal based on a predefined desired pulse output transmission setting. A frequency-modulation continuous-wave (FMCW) transmitter receives an FMCW transmit-activate signal from the controller, receives an input signal from the hybrid coupler and, if the activate signal has been received, amplifies the received input signal based on a predefined desired FMCW output transmission setting. An isolator protects the pulse transmitter during FMCW operation and also the FMCW transmitter from receiving power reflected off of pulse transmitter components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: David C. Vacanti
  • Patent number: 8994586
    Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a target in near field in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: an RF transceiver configured to generate a transmitting signal of a frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) and delay the signal as much as a desired time; a transmitting and receiving antenna unit configured to transmit and receive the a transmitting signal and the received signal; and a signal processing unit configured to extract a range or a velocity of the target from the signal provided from the RF transceiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Agency for Defense Development
    Inventors: Jae-Hyun Choi, Myung-Suk Jung, Won-Young Uhm, Wan-Joo Kim
  • Publication number: 20150061928
    Abstract: A radar and method for making a radar undetectable, comprising comprises: on a transmit antenna consisting of N individual subarrays that are non-directional in at least one plane in transmission, each being linked to a waveform generator, generating, for each of the individual subarrays, a waveform so as to make each of the individual subarrays transmit continuous or quasi-continuous signals according to a temporal and periodic pattern by using transmission patterns made up of N different subarrays and which are deduced from one another by an individual delay, on the receive antenna comprising M individual subarrays adapted to pick up the reflected signals obtained from the transmission of the N individual subarrays of the transmit antenna, performing a compression of the received signal in space and in time of the received signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: THALES
    Inventors: Pascal Cornic, Stephane Kemkemian, Jean-Paul Artis
  • Publication number: 20150002332
    Abstract: In a method for operating a radar sensor, the unambiguousness range of the radar sensor is increased with respect to the range and/or the relative velocity by: transmitting multiple ramp sets by the radar sensor, the frequency ramps of the individual ramp sets each differing in one system parameter; adapting the sampling frequency during the detection of the radar echoes in such a way that a constant number of samples always results for each frequency ramp; and, to evaluate the radar signals, the spectra are periodically continued and compared to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Applicant: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Jingying BI, Goetz KUEHNLE
  • Publication number: 20140354470
    Abstract: A signal generating method for a radar system includes generating a first chirp signal and a second chirp signal having a first time delay relative to the first chirp signal; and combining the first chirp signal and the second chirp signal to determine a frequency modulated signal, wherein the first chirp signal and the second chirp signal are N-step linear stepped frequency modulated continuous waves having the same frequency modulation bandwidth, such that the frequency modulated signal includes i steps of the first chirp signal in a first duration, an interleaved combination of N?i steps of the first chirp signal and N?i steps of the second chirp signal in a second duration, and i steps of the second chirp signal in a third duration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: Wistron NeWeb Corporation
    Inventors: Chi-Cheng Kuo, Jeng-Da Li
  • Publication number: 20140313070
    Abstract: There is provided a radar apparatus capable of extracting a peak signal obtained from a difference frequency between a transmitting signal and a receiving signal during first and second periods and deriving target information based on the extracted peak signals. A pairing unit pairs the peak signals extracted in the first and second periods. A judging unit judges whether or not the derived target is an overhead object based on the number of paired data of a stationary object existing within a predetermined range from the radar apparatus, among the paired data obtained by pairing the peak signals in the pairing unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: FUJITSU TEN LIMITED
    Inventor: Hisateru ASANUMA
  • Publication number: 20140300509
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a delay device for checking a frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar, measuring a distance of a target and a relative velocity using microwaves and millimeter waves of a frequency modulated continuous waveform, and may include an input/output unit that is configured to input or output a control setting value, a controller that is configured to output a control signal corresponding to the control setting value input by an operator through the input/output unit, and a transceiver that is configured to delay an FMCW radar signal, for output, by a time delay corresponding to a distance of a target through a programmable single chip delay line according to the control signal of the controller, and configured to shift a frequency of the time-delayed FMCW radar signal by a Doppler frequency, and attenuate the frequency-shifted FMCW radar signal for output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Inventor: Jae Hyun CHOI
  • Publication number: 20140292561
    Abstract: A radar system including a plurality of mini radars may be conformable to a structure that it is attached or built into. A radar system includes a clock, a plurality of frequency modulated/continuous wave (FM/CW) radar units in signal communication with the clock and a processor in signal communication with the plurality of FM/CW radar units. Each of the plurality of FM/CW radar units includes a row of antenna elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: David C. Vacanti, Marc Pos
  • Publication number: 20140292558
    Abstract: There is provided a radar apparatus capable of extracting a peak signal obtained from a difference frequency between a transmitting signal and a receiving signal during first and second periods and deriving target information based on the extracted peak signals. A predicting unit derives a predicted peak signal obtained by predicting a current peak signal based on the peak signal obtained in a previous process. An extracting unit extracts a peak signal included within a predetermined frequency range, with the predicted peak signal being as a base point, in each of the first and second periods. A pairing unit pairs the peak signals extracted in the first and second periods. The pairing unit changes a pairing method according to the number of the peak signals extracted in each of the first and second periods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: FUJITSU TEN LIMITED
    Inventor: Hisateru ASANUMA
  • Publication number: 20140266867
    Abstract: A method and system for providing adaptive coded modulation in LEO satellite communication system is provided. The received power signal at the receiver is predicted by the LEO satellite transmitter without using channel feedback from the receiver. The receiver rapidly detects changes in transmission rate and changes its demodulation rate in tandem with the LEO satellite. Certain conditions that vary slowly, such as local weather and ground moisture level, are provided to the transmitter from the receiver at a much slower rate than that used in normal data communications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventor: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
  • Publication number: 20140197983
    Abstract: A receiver device for a radar system comprises a receive antenna module arranged to simultaneously receive a plurality of radar signals; a mixer module connected to the antenna module and arranged to simultaneously convert the plurality of radar signals into a plurality of intermediate frequency signals, each of the plurality of intermediate frequency signals having a frequency that is comprised in a different corresponding one of a plurality of intermediate frequency ranges; and a wideband analog-to-digital-converter module connected to the mixer module, arranged to simultaneously convert the plurality of intermediate frequency signals into a digital representation, and having a bandwidth comprising a plurality of non-overlapping bandwidth portions, wherein each of the plurality of intermediate frequency ranges is comprised in a different one of the non-overlapping bandwidth portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Inventor: RALF REUTER
  • Publication number: 20140159948
    Abstract: There is provided a radar apparatus. A derivation unit derives target information which is information relating to a target detected on the basis of a transmission signal of which a frequency changes with a predetermined cycle and a reception signal corresponding to a reflected wave coming from an object at which a transmission wave corresponding to the transmission signal is reflected. A determination unit determines reliability of the target information. A decision unit decides whether the detected target is true or false, based on the target information. The decision unit changes a method of deciding whether the target is true or false in accordance with a determination result of the reliability by the determination unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2013
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: FUJITSU TEN LIMITED
    Inventors: Hiroyuki ISHIMORI, Masayuki KISHIDA, Hisateru ASANUMA, Masatoshi AOKI
  • Patent number: 8686898
    Abstract: A DDS based system, such as a radar, includes means for generating a plurality of transmission signals using a DDS, and means for integrating signals derived therefrom, such as received signals. The system further includes means for varying the relative starting phase of the plurality of transmission signals, or adjusting the DDS input clock while maintaining similar primary output frequency characteristics of the transmission signals. The approach has the effect of changing the location of unwanted frequency spurs in each of the transmission signals, and hence the effects of these are decreased in the integration process. An improvement in the sensitivity of the system results. Although primarily suited to radar applications the invention may find utility in other systems such as sonar or lidar systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Qinetiq Limited
    Inventors: Patrick David Lawrence Beasley, Robert David Hodges, David George Hodges
  • Publication number: 20140070984
    Abstract: A radio circuit includes a front-end module, a board, a liquid MEMS component, and a coupling component. The front-end module is implemented on at least one integrated circuit (IC) die and includes a variable circuit. The variable circuit is adjustable to facilitate an operational adjustment of the front-end module for a given operational condition of the radio circuit. The board supports the liquid MEMS component and supports, at least indirectly, the at least one IC. The coupling component electrical couples the liquid MEMS component to the variable circuit, wherein, based on a control signal, one or more characteristics of the liquid MEMS component is changed, which adjusts the variable circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Ahmadreza Rofougaran
  • Patent number: 8514982
    Abstract: Systems and methods for mitigating multipath signals in a receiver are provided. In this regard, a representative system, among others, includes a radio frequency (RF) front-end and at least one analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The RF front-end receives FM signals and down-converts the received frequency signals to intermediate frequency (IF) signals. The analog-to-digital converter (ADC) receives the intermediate frequency signals and digitizes multiple FM channels around a desired FM channel associated with the down-converted signals. The system further includes multiple sets of digital processing components that are configured to simultaneously receive and process the digitized multiple channels. The multiple sets of digital processing components include at least two parallel channel selection and demodulation paths in which the respective digitized multiple channels are processed therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: CSR Technology, Inc
    Inventors: Noshir Dubash, Siva Bonasu, Peter Naji, Douglas W. Schucker
  • Publication number: 20130141272
    Abstract: A microwave transmission apparatus is provided. A multiplexing unit generates multiplexed data based on a service clock rate. An interface unit writes and reads the multiplexed data at the service clock rate and a read clock rate respectively. An encoding and mapping unit performs encoding and mapping on the multiplexed data using a symbol clock rate to generate symbol data, and sends the symbol data to up conversion units. A clock tracking unit generates the symbol clock according to the system clock, and performs frequency division on the symbol clock to acquire the read clock. A stream control unit adjusts the service clock rate according to a water line error generated by the interface unit, so that the service clock rate is equal to the read clock rate. As a frequency and a phase of the system clock are fixed, even ACM switching occurs, the system clock is stably transferred.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2013
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Applicant: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
  • Patent number: 8390506
    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: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Focke, Joerg Hilsebecher, Arne Zender, Thomas Schoeberl, Thomas Hansen
  • Patent number: 8391336
    Abstract: To generate a pulse for ranging, a kernel is convolved with a spreading sequence. The spreading sequence is parametrized by one or more ordered (length, sparsity) pairs, such that the first sparsity differs from the bit length of the kernel and/or a subsequent sparsity differs from the product of the immediately preceding length and the immediately preceding sparsity. Alternatively, a kernel is convolved with an ordered plurality of spreading sequences, all but the first of which may be non-binary. The pulse is launched towards a target. The reflection from the target is transformed to a received reflection, compressed by deconvolution of the spreading sequence, and post-processed to provide a range to the target and/or a direction of arrival from the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: A.P.M. Automation Solutions Ltd
    Inventor: Alex Chiskis
  • Publication number: 20130033393
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system having an emitter for emitting a first microwave radiation, a receiver for detecting a second microwave radiation derived from the first microwave radiation and a control system connected to the emitter and the receiver. The first microwave radiation is emitted at a plurality of points in time at different frequencies assigned to the points in time. The correlation of point in time and frequency is random or pseudo-random. Alternatively or additionally, at the point in time, the length of the time period for an emission or reception is random or pseudo-random. The invention further relates to a method for suppressing interference in frequency-modulated radar systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Inventors: Christian Helbig, Felix Aertz, Thomas Ostertag, Rudiger Hutter
  • Publication number: 20130021196
    Abstract: An FMCW radar system is provided having a transceiver unit which is designed to transmit radar signals, which are modulated with the aid of at least one modulation parameter, and to receive radar signals, which are reflected from objects, and having an interference detector for detecting interferences in the received radar signals based on at least one frequency-dependent reception power threshold value corresponding to the particular modulation parameters, one of the modulation parameters being a modulation slope of the transmitted radar signal. An interference recognition method is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Inventors: Armin Himmelstoss, Juergen Hildebrandt, Stefan Heilmann
  • Publication number: 20130016001
    Abstract: A radar sensor including an antenna array having multiple antenna elements situated next to one another and at least one feeding point at an outer antenna element. The antenna elements are connected in series via delay lines. The radar sensor has at least two transmitting and receiving units which are each suitable for generating and evaluating a radar signal at a predefined frequency. The at least two transmitting and receiving units are connected to a feeding point of the antenna array. The frequencies of the radar signals of the at least two transmitting and receiving units are predefinable independently of one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Inventors: Thomas Schoeberl, Reinhard Meschenmoser, Arne Zender, Thomas Hansen, Joerg Hilsebecher, Karl Nesemann, Oliver Lange
  • Patent number: 8284099
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an FMCW signal generation circuit includes a voltage-controlled oscillator, a digital phase detector, a differentiator, a comparator, a low-pass filter, an amplifier, a D/A converter, and an integrator. The voltage-controlled oscillator generates an FMCW signal including an oscillation frequency corresponding to a control signal. The digital phase detector detects phase information of the FMCW signal to generate a detection signal. The differentiator differentiates the detection signal once to generate a differential signal. The comparator compares the differential signal with a target frequency to generate an error signal. The low-pass filter suppresses a high-frequency component of the error signal to generate a filtered signal. The amplifier amplifies the filtered signal to generate an amplified signal. The D/A converter converts the amplified signal to analog to generate an analog signal. The integrator integrates the analog signal to generate the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Hiroki Sakurai
  • Publication number: 20120245845
    Abstract: A system comprises an outer shell having an inner spherical cavity and an inner sphere located in the spherical cavity. The inner sphere comprises a sensor; at least three transmit antennas; and at least three transmitters each coupled to the sensor and to a respective one of the at least three transmit antennas. The system comprises at least three receive antennas each located in the spherical cavity, wherein each of the at least three receive antennas is frequency matched to a transmit frequency of a respective one of the at least one transmit antennas. The system also comprises at least three receivers each coupled to a respective one of the at least three receive antennas and a data selection logic circuit configured to select at least one signal from the signals received from each of the at least three receivers based on the respective signal quality of the received signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Curtis Goulbourne, Halil N. Altan, Jamal Haque
  • Publication number: 20120229323
    Abstract: A power-supply device for supplying electrical power to a radar device that transmits and receives a continuous wave and detects an object reflecting the continuous wave on the basis of a spectrum of a beat signal of the transmitted and reflected waves. The power-supply device includes a power supply section that generates electrical power in a predefined voltage range through a switching section being turned on and off in response to a switching signal, and a switching signal output section that, outputs the switching signal whose frequency is set within one of assignable bands. This leads to a radar system comprised of the radar device and the power-supply device, capable of securely preventing erroneous detection of a frequency peak of the switching signal as a frequency peak of the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2012
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yusuke Kato, Kazuma Natsume
  • Patent number: 8237604
    Abstract: Systems and methods include up-converting a UWB frequency pulse from a UWB radar unit to a V band frequency pulse; transmitting the V band frequency pulse via an active array antenna; receiving a V band echo pulse via the active array antenna; down-converting the V band echo pulse from the active array antenna to a UWB pulse; and feeding the UWB pulse to the UWB radar unit for processing by the UWB radar unit. A V band antenna system includes: an antenna board that defines an antenna plane being the plane of the board and comprising a plurality of antenna elements; a mother board providing a corporate combining feed to the antenna board; and a power management board to which the antenna board and mother board are mounted perpendicularly to the antenna plane, wherein the antenna elements provide a beam forming antenna for ultra wide band pulses at V band frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Tialinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Farrokh Mohamadi, Mohsen Zolghadri
  • Patent number: 8232914
    Abstract: A distance measuring apparatus comprising a transmission antenna to radiate a transmission radio wave; a reception antenna to receive a reflected signal from a target; an analog-to-digital converter to perform an analog-to-digital conversion for converting a reception signal; and a signal processing unit to process the converted signal and to detect the target, in which a transmission frequency of the transmission radio wave to be radiated is switched at a timing synchronized with a sampling frequency of the analog-to-digital conversion, the transmission frequency is switched in accordance with an arbitrary pattern within a frequency band, and the reception signal is rearranged in order on the basis of the arbitrary pattern at a time of the transmission to then be subject to a radar signal processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kuroda, Kazuo Matsuura
  • Publication number: 20120169525
    Abstract: FMCW radar sensor for motor vehicles, having at least one antenna element and a modulation device for feeding the antenna element using a frequency-modulated transmission signal, whose frequency periodically sweeps a frequency band, characterized in that the antenna element has multiple subelements, which are positioned in a vertical column and fed serially, and the modulation device is implemented for the purpose of variably setting the frequency position of the frequency band.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2009
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Inventors: Michael Klar, Thomas Binzer, Stefan Heilmann
  • Patent number: 8212710
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a synthetic aperture radar includes a back projection processor that is configured to receive multiple return signals from the radar as the radar is moved with respect to an object, wherein the return signals are representative of electro-magnetic radiation reflected from the object. The back projection processor generates a dynamic image of one or more internal features of the object from the return signals by varying a squint angle of the plurality of return signals in which the squint angle varied by modifying a back projection filter. Once generated, the back projection processor displays the dynamic image on a display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventor: Raymond Samaniego
  • Publication number: 20120154203
    Abstract: A plurality of mini radars that make the radar system conformable to a structure that it is attached or built into. A radar system includes a clock, a plurality of frequency modulated/continuous wave (FM/CW) radar units in signal communication with the clock and a processor in signal communication with the plurality of FM/CW radar units. Each of the plurality of FM/CW radar units includes a row of antenna elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: David C. Vacanti, Marc Pos
  • Publication number: 20120146845
    Abstract: A frequency modulation continuous wave (FMCW) system includes a first memory receiving a clock signal and storing voltage digital values of I FMCW signals, a second memory receiving the clock signal and storing the voltage digital values of the Q FMCW signals, a first digital-to-analog converter (DAC) connected to the first memory and receiving the clock signal for converting the voltage digital values of the I FMCW signal to a first analog voltage, a second digital-to-analog converter (DAC) connected to the second memory and receiving the clock signal for converting the voltage digital values of the Q FMCW signal to a second analog voltage, an I low-pass filter connected to the first DAC smoothing the I FMCW signal and a Q low-pass filter connected to the second DAC smoothing the Q FMCW signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2010
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Howard H. Chen, Kai D. Feng, Duixian Liu