Patents Examined by John B. Sotomayor
  • Patent number: 9612326
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for locating a weapon by fusing audio and radar data. An exemplary embodiment comprises detecting a weapon firing event with an audio sensor system, detecting a projectile fired from the weapon with a radar system, calculating a state vector associated with the projectile detection, identifying a location of the weapon by backtracking the state vector to the detected time of the weapon firing event time, and communicating the location of the weapon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: RAYTHEON COMMAND AND CONTROL SOLUTIONS LLC
    Inventors: Richard S. Herbel, James W. Rakeman
  • Patent number: 9594154
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for calibrating a multistatic array having a plurality of transmitter and receiver pairs spaced from one another along a predetermined path and relative to a plurality of bin locations, and further being spaced at a fixed distance from a stationary calibration implement. A clock reference pulse may be generated, and each of the transmitters and receivers of each said transmitter/receiver pair turned on at a monotonically increasing time delay interval relative to the clock reference pulse. Ones of the transmitters and receivers may be used such that a previously calibrated transmitter or receiver of a given one of the transmitter/receiver pairs is paired with a subsequently un-calibrated one of the transmitters or receivers of an immediately subsequently positioned transmitter/receiver pair, to calibrate the transmitter or receiver of the immediately subsequent transmitter/receiver pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC
    Inventor: Bruce Henderer
  • Patent number: 9575161
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and system for testing and evaluating a response of an automotive radar system for a specific automotive safety scenario, wherein the method and system generates a simulated reflected radar signature corresponding to at least one virtual target in a specific virtual scenario. The simulated radar signature is generated from one or more of: a pre-recorded real reflected radar signature from at least one real target in a specific real scenario, an analytical representation of a radar target signature from at least one virtual target in a specific virtual scenario.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: UniqueSec AB
    Inventors: Kasra Haghighi, Fahimeh Rafieinia
  • Patent number: 9568601
    Abstract: Determining a speed and a range of an object by generating at least a first, second, and third interval-specific tone phase signals associated with at least three successive time intervals, wherein at least two of the generated and transmitted tones are different frequencies; determining at least a first, second and third interval-specific average phase value from the respective interval-specific tone phase signals; and then determining a range estimate of the object and determining a speed estimate of the object using at least two phase differences between the at least first, second and third interval-specific average phase values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Innophase Inc.
    Inventors: Yang Xu, Nicolo Testi, Yuanwei Jin
  • Patent number: 9568602
    Abstract: A radar system and a method can utilize a radar antenna, such as, an active electronically scanned array antenna. The radar system can include a processor configured to scan a volume of space via the radar antenna to detect aircraft threats and to detect weather threats. The processing system can utilize a first pattern to detect the aircraft threats or obstacles and a second pattern to detect the weather threats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott W. Stadelmann, Jeffrey B. Bishop, Brian J. Herting, Stephen G. Carlson, John R. Moore, Bryan N. Wesner
  • Patent number: 9568599
    Abstract: A radar signal processing device is provided, which performs a scan correlation in a polar coordinate system to secure accuracy of the scan correlation, and prevents a suppression of a target object moving at high speed due to the scan correlation. A polar coordinate correlator performs, in a polar coordinate system, a correlation between reception data and previous correlated data stored in a previous data storage. A trend curve calculating module calculates a trend curve of a distance-direction signal level of the reception data in the polar coordinate system. A target detecting module detects a target based on the signal level of the reception data and the trend curve. Further, the polar coordinate correlator changes the contents of the correlation of the reception data based on the target detection result from the target detecting module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Furuno Electric Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Nakahama, Yasuo Itoh
  • Patent number: 9557406
    Abstract: A radar system is provided that uses configurable radar control software. The radar system may continually adapt over time to perform different types of radar mission by re-configuring the radar control software with mission specific configuration data. A configuration database may be provided to store the configuration data for retrieval during mission transition operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Raytheon Command and Control Solutions LLC
    Inventors: Alan B. Moore, Charles G. Kristenson, Randy A. Wild
  • Patent number: 9551782
    Abstract: A radar apparatus is provided. The radar apparatus includes a transmitter configured to transmit radar signals via a radar antenna, a receiver configured to receive reflection waves that are echoes of the radar signals, via the radar antenna, a radar image generating module configured to generate a radar image based on the reflection waves received by the receiver, a performance monitor configured to measure performance of at least one of the transmitter and the receiver, and a controller configured to cause the performance monitor to perform the measurement while the transmission of the radar signals is suspended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: FURUNO ELECTRIC COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Katsuyuki Yanagi, Yoshifumi Ohnishi
  • Patent number: 9547082
    Abstract: This disclosure is directed to methods, devices, and systems for generating a weather radar output with bright band suppression. In one example, a method includes determining, for each of several portions of a vertical column from a weather radar signal, a reflectivity range selected from a highest reflectivity range and one or more lower reflectivity ranges. The method further includes determining, in response to determining that portions of the vertical column are in the highest reflectivity range, whether a combination of the reflectivity ranges of the portions of the vertical column meet criteria indicative of high-reflectivity stratiform weather. The method further includes generating, in response to determining that the combination of the reflectivity ranges of the portions of the vertical column meet the criteria indicative of high-reflectivity stratiform weather, a weather radar output that indicates each of the portions of the vertical column as associated with one of the lower reflectivity ranges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Paul E. Christianson, Brian P. Bunch
  • Patent number: 9547081
    Abstract: A SAR apparatus including: a radar transceiver to emit electromagnetic pulses and to provide a radar signal in response to echoes of the electromagnetic pulses; and a processing unit, configured to produce SAR images of moving objects from the radar signal. The processing unit includes: a first processing module to apply translational motion compensation to a central reference point of a moving object in a subaperture of the radar signal; a second processing module, to execute phase compensation with the single central reference point as reference; and a third processing module to apply phase compensation to the radar signal as a function of an estimated phase component the auxiliary point and of a normalization parameter to a distance in range between the central reference point and the auxiliary point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: SELEX ES S.P.A.
    Inventor: Angelo Aprile
  • Patent number: 9547073
    Abstract: A radar transmitting unit Tx transmits a radio-frequency radar transmission signal from a transmission antenna which is inclined in the direction of a depression angle ?. A radar receiving unit Rx estimates the height and speed of a vehicle which travels on a road surface using a reflected wave signal from the vehicle. A template generating unit 19 generates a variation in a phase component of the reflected wave signal corresponding to N heights and speeds of the vehicle as N templates. N vehicle height/speed template correlation calculation units #1 to #Nrep calculate correlation on the basis of any one of the N templates and a correlation value between the reflected wave signal and a transmission code of the radar transmission signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Takaaki Kishigami, Takafumi Tokuhiro, Tadashi Morita
  • Patent number: 9547069
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention relates to a transmitter within a single integrated chip substrate, which is capable of continuous beam steering of a transmitted radar beam as well as an option to change the physical position of the origin of the transmit radar beam. The transmitter has a signal generator that generates an RF signal. The RF signal is provided to a plurality of independent transmission chains, which contain independently operated vector modulators configured to introduce an individual phase adjustment to the high frequency input signal to generate separate RF output signals. A control unit is configured to selectively activate a subset of (e.g., two or more) the independent transmission chains. By activating the subset of independent transmission chains to generate RF output signals with separate phases, a beam steering functionality is enabled. Furthermore, the subset defines a changeable position of the transmitted radar beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Johann Peter Forstner, Udo Gerlach
  • Patent number: 9547077
    Abstract: In a dual-frequency CW radar apparatus, first/second beat signals that include reflection components of radar waves conforming to transmission signals of first/second frequencies are generated for each antenna element and the generated signals are Fourier transformed. A power spectrum average of the beat signals is used as a basis for the detection of a peak frequency fp corresponding to the frequency of the reflection components. A second eigenvalue ?2 of a correlation matrix: Ry=(½)·[y1,y2][y1,y2]H is calculated, the matrix being based on first received vector y1/second received vector y2 having elements that are Fourier transformed values of the peak frequency fp. Based on the magnitude of the eigenvalue ?2, whether or not the reflection components corresponding to the peak frequency fp are synthetic components of the reflected waves from a plurality of targets is decided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuu Watanabe, Koichiro Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9523726
    Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) reflecting apparatus includes a curved reflecting element and resistive material coupled to the curved reflecting element proximate two or more edges of the curved reflecting element. The resistive material has a first portion with a first conductance and a second portion with a second conductance that differs from the first conductance. The RF reflecting apparatus also includes a frame coupled to the curved reflecting element and at least one wheel coupled to the frame. The at least one wheel is configured to enable to translation of the curved reflecting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Paul R. Heumphreus, William J. Harper, Jeffrey D. Martin, Edward H. Wooldridge, Martha J. Molander
  • Patent number: 9518858
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a guided wave radar level gauge system comprising a transceiver for generating an electromagnetic transmit signal within a predetermined frequency range having a center frequency, a flexible single conductor probe having a first end connected to the transceiver and extending towards and into the product to a second end of the flexible single conductor probe; and a probe aligning member attached to the second end of the flexible single conductor probe for keeping the flexible single conductor probe substantially vertically extending from the first end to the second end. The probe aligning member exhibits a horizontal extension that increases with increasing distance from the first end of the flexible single conductor probe along a vertical distance greater than one half of a wavelength of the transmit signal at the center frequency. Hereby, determination of filling levels close to the bottom of the tank is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: ROSEMOUNT TANK RADAR AB
    Inventors: Olov Edvardsson, Michael Larsson
  • Patent number: 9519048
    Abstract: A high-frequency circuit is described as having lines crossing each other on a printed circuit board for high-frequency signals, wherein the sections of the lines, lying on both sides of a crossing point as well as a coupler forming the crossing point are situated in a common plane on the printed circuit board and the sections of the lines are connected to four ports of the coupler situated in a quadrangle, which are connected to one another via a plurality of coupling paths in such a way that the components of a signal supplied at a port, which propagate on various coupling paths, interfere destructively at the adjacent ports and constructively at the diagonally opposite port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Matthias Steinhauer, Juan Pontes, Oliver Brueggemann
  • Patent number: 9513371
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a ground survey and obstacle detection system using one or multiple detection devices, such as aerial detection devices. Aerial detection devices are sent ahead of the primary vehicle to survey a territory and map out any obstacles. The aerial detection device is equipped with sensors to scan the ground below it and detect obstacles. The aerial detection device is not affected by or prone to triggering dangerous obstacles. The aerial detection device flies above the ground and may be configured to send a signal back alerting the primary vehicle to the existence of obstacles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: Identified Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Yang Zhang, Andy Wu, Kelsey Denelle Duncombe-Smith
  • Patent number: 9513365
    Abstract: Respective sector radars generate first and second transmission signals by multiplying any one Spano code sequence and any one orthogonal code sequence, selected among 2(N+1) first and second Spano code sequences which are different from each other and 2(N+1) first and second orthogonal code sequences which are different from each other, in a predetermined order in each transmission period, where N is an integer of 1 or greater. Respective sector radars convert the first and second transmission signals into first and second high frequency signals, and transmit the first and second high frequency signals through first and second transmission antennas. The 2(N+1) first orthogonal code sequences and the 2(N+1) second orthogonal code sequences used in the respective sector radars are orthogonal over transmission periods of M multiples of 2(N+1), where M is an integer of 2 or greater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Tadashi Morita, Takaaki Kishigami
  • Patent number: 9500741
    Abstract: A radar apparatus is installed in a vehicle that moves along its direction of travel. A radar transmission unit transmits a high frequency radar transmission signal from a transmit antenna in each transmit period. In a radar reception unit, antenna system processing units each generate a correlation vector by computing the correlation between reflected wave signal from a stationary object or a moving object and the radar transmission signal. A Doppler frequency-azimuth conversion unit converts Doppler frequencies into the components of an azimuth in which the stationary object is present using an estimated vehicle speed vector for the vehicle. A stationary object azimuth estimation unit generates the power profile of the reflected wave signal using the correlation vector and a direction vector corresponding to the components of the azimuth in which the stationary object is present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takaaki Kishigami, Yoichi Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 9494677
    Abstract: A system and method for suppressing radio frequency (“RF”) transmissions includes a transmitter for transmitting electronic signals that suppresses (e.g., prevents, disrupts, jams, interferes with or otherwise disables) RF transmissions. Some embodiments of the invention include a transmitter that suppresses one or more signals transmitted from a target transmitter in an RF transmission system to a target receiver in a wireless device operating in the RF transmission system to prevent, disrupt, jam, interfere with or otherwise disable an RF transmission between the target transmitter and the target receiver in the wireless device (i.e., target wireless device). These systems and methods may be used to interrupt communication, command and control of non-friendly combatant. These systems and methods may also be used to suppress RF transmissions to prevent the detonation of improvised explosive devices, or IEDs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: Pegasus Global Strategic Solutions LLC
    Inventors: Robert Haywood Brumley, II, Michael J. Reedy, Robert Haywood Brumley, III