Determining Velocity Patents (Class 342/104)
  • Patent number: 8098188
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of characterizing the convection intensity of a cloud by a meteorological radar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Clémentine Costes, Nicolas Bon, Jean-Paul Artis, Frédéric Mesnard, Olivier Pujol, Henri Sauvageot
  • Patent number: 8089394
    Abstract: A field disturbance sensing system has an antenna, an oscillator producing a high-frequency signal, a first detector circuit, a second detector circuit, a combining network configured to couple the high-frequency signal to the antenna, and to couple the high-frequency signal and a reflected high-frequency signal to the first detector and to the second detector. An algebraic combining network sums a first detected signal having first detected high-frequency signal and a first detected reflected signal from the first detector circuit and a second detected signal having second detected high-frequency signal and a second detected reflected signal from the second detector circuit to produce a detected output signal. The first detected reflected signal is added to the second detected reflected signal and the first detected high-frequency signal is subtracted from the second detected high-frequency signal. A controller configured to convert the detected output signal to a speed between the antenna and a target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Invention Planet, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher E. Stewart, Grant E. Moulton, Steven H. Goody
  • Patent number: 8089390
    Abstract: A movable platform has a front end, a back end, a longitudinal axis, and at least one axle oriented generally transverse to the longitudinal axis and located between the front and back ends for supporting wheels of the platform. A position sensor is affixed on the platform at a location other than at a location defined by a plane passing through the axle and normal to the longitudinal axis. The position sensor provides position data as the platform traverses a path. A sensor arrangement is supported by the platform and configured to provide subsurface sensor data as the platform traverses the path. A processor is configured to associate the position data with the sensor data relative to a reference frame and in a manner that accounts for dynamic motion of the platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Underground Imaging Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ross Peter Jones, Peter John Kelly
  • Patent number: 8085184
    Abstract: According to a conventional method of correlating beat frequencies in a radar device, a detecting state of a target differs at the time of up-chirping and at that of down-chirping, so that, when the number of peaks of beat frequencies does not match with each other, there occurs a situation in which the beat frequencies cannot be accurately correlated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yuuki Takabayashi, Hiroshi Kameda
  • Patent number: 8081105
    Abstract: An embodiment of the invention includes a step of transmitting an OFDM waveform including several frequency carrier signals transmitted simultaneously, the frequency carrier signals being coded in order to improve the Doppler response. An embodiment of the invention includes a step of receiving the echoed waveform from the target. The initial phase of each frequency carrier signal is recovered from the echoed waveform. The recovered initial phase of each frequency carrier signal is cyclically shifted in order to compensate for the Doppler effect and subsequently decoded. A compressed pulse is synthesized from the decoded initial phases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Thales Nederland B.V.
    Inventors: Recep Firat Tigrek, Wilhelmus Johannes De Heij
  • Patent number: 8077074
    Abstract: Certain embodiments provide a network waveform system that can include multiple radars disposed at different geographical positions within an environment. The multiple radars may be configured to transmit a network waveform. The network waveform may include multiple radar waveforms. Each radar waveform of the multiple waveforms may be transmitted by a specific radar of the multiple radars. The system can also include a computer system coupled with the multiple radars that can include a processor and a memory. The memory may be configured to store information including data received from the multiple radars, data processed by the processor, and processing code executable by the processor. The processing code may include instructions to receive output data from the multiple radars resulting from the transmitted network waveform instructions to jointly process the output data from the multiple radars to determine a measurement of the environment based on the network waveform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Colorado State University Research Foundation
    Inventors: Chandrasekaran Venkatachalam, Nitin Bharadwaj
  • Patent number: 8077075
    Abstract: In an object verification method for use in radar systems for motor vehicles, the distances and relative velocities of located objects are determined on the basis of received radar echoes. The signature of multiple reflections is searched for in the received radar echoes to verify real objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Randler, Ruediger Jordan
  • Publication number: 20110273323
    Abstract: The invention relates to a radar device having a housing that includes: a microwave motion detection module (3) generating a Doppler signal, a signal processor (5) for calculating a speed from said Doppler signal, processing means (1) for switching the module and the signal processor from a detection mode to a speed-measuring mode and vice versa, a wireless interface (8) for transmitting said speed to a remote device, and a self-contained power supply (9) for powering the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2011
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Applicant: DZOTECH SA
    Inventors: Jean-Nicolas BAYS, Robert Bays
  • Patent number: 8044846
    Abstract: A method for displaying information relating to the range and Doppler of a remote target includes transmitting electromagnetic energy toward the target, and receiving reflected signals defining a two-dimensional (range-Doppler) radar image. The reflected signals are matched-filtered, which tends to blur the image. The image is deblurred while the features of thermal noise enhancement and irregularity of the deconvolved output are constrained to produce a single point deblurring output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Harry Urkowitz, Jeff D. Cammerata
  • Patent number: 8035546
    Abstract: A method for the detection of at least one moving object in a pre-determined detection zone by way of a speed sensor. The method includes the following steps: determining a detection zone within an illumination region of the speed sensor; detecting a speed signal, particularly a Doppler signal, at least with the entry of a moving object into the illumination region; estimating an entry of the moving object into the detection zone on the basis of a speed of the object, and of a distance between a boundary of the illumination region and the detection zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Martin Nalezinski, Claus Seisenberger
  • Publication number: 20110246210
    Abstract: The invention relates to traffic flow monitoring devices. The system includes stationary traffic monitoring points that includes reading devices to receive data from electronic tag located on a vehicle, and is connected to a remote server that includes a database of vehicles and associated electronic tags, and their owners. The stationary traffic monitoring points are in the form of autonomous small-sized computer devices with a cellular communication module, and includes automatic devices for photo-video-radar recording and for processing information about vehicles and traffic situation, and with automatic software tools for determining the parameters of the vehicles, traffic laws and for comparing them with the permissible parameters for the particular road section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2010
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Inventor: IGOR YURIEVICH MATSUR
  • Patent number: 8031107
    Abstract: An object detection device for a vehicle includes a transmitting-receiving unit, a reflection point computation unit, an object width computation unit, a representative point setting unit, a lateral relative velocity computation unit, a memory unit, and a lateral relative velocity correction unit. The transmitting-receiving unit transmits an electromagnetic wave. The object width computation unit computes a width of the object. The lateral relative velocity computation unit computes a lateral relative velocity. The memory unit records the object as a width-widening static object when the object is a static object and an amount of increase in the width of the object is greater than a predetermined value, based on a detection history of the object detected at each of the predetermined cycle. The lateral relative velocity correction unit corrects the lateral relative velocity, when the object recorded as the width-widening static object is detected at a left end part or a right end part of a detection region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoji Sasabuchi, Hiroyuki Koike
  • Patent number: 8004454
    Abstract: The present invention is directed towards method, apparatus, and computer product for obtaining additional information in relation to a target in the vicinity of a mobile electronic device as well as such a mobile electronic device. The device includes a radar unit for operation in a certain frequency range including a pulse generating unit, a transmitting and receiving antenna, an echo detecting unit, a timing unit for timing the generation and transmission of pulses and providing an echo detection window for the echo detecting unit to detect echoes of said pulses when being reflected by a target, and a signal processing unit configured to process received echo pulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB
    Inventors: Mats Eric Gustav Lindoff, Magnus Blomkvist
  • Publication number: 20110187578
    Abstract: A conductive line radar comprising at least one signal surface wave launcher, which comprises a signal surface wave transceiver, which is physically attached to a power line. The signal surface wave transceiver transmits a wave signal along the power line with another signal radiating from the wave signal in a plurality of directions along the power line. The at least one signal surface wave transceiver receives reflected signals from a target within a distance of the power line. The at least one signal surface wave launcher includes at least one RF communications transceiver and can be inductively powered from the power line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2010
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: SENSIS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mike FARNETH, Stephen E. McMAHON, John A. ROUGAS, Edward M. VALOVAGE, Brian EDWARD
  • Patent number: 7986261
    Abstract: A collision prediction system includes a collision face determining unit that determines a collision face of the own vehicle which is presumed to collide with another vehicle, based on a travelling direction of the other vehicle relative to the own vehicle at an estimated collision time at which a collision is presumed to occur, a collision position estimating unit that estimates a collision position as a position of a potential collision between the own vehicle and the other vehicle, based on the collision face determined by the collision face determining unit, and a collision position correcting unit that corrects the collision position estimated by the collision position estimating unit, based on a preset size of the other vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomoaki Harada
  • Patent number: 7982660
    Abstract: A measuring device , e.g., a measuring device for a motor vehicle, is for measuring a distance between the measuring device and at least one object and/or measuring a difference in speed between the measuring device and the at least one object. The measuring device includes an emitting apparatus for transmitting a transmission signal encompassing at least two sequences of signal portions, a first sequence of signal portions and a second sequence of signal portions with two respective temporally alternating signal portions. The frequency of at least two signal portions of a sequence of signal portions differs by one respective difference frequency, the difference frequency of the first sequence of signal portions being different from the difference frequency of the second sequence of signal portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignees: Volkswagen AG, S.M.S. Smart Microwave Sensors GmbH
    Inventors: Marc-Michael Meinecke, Ralph Mende, Marc Behrens, Thanh-Binh To
  • Publication number: 20110169957
    Abstract: A method for processing an image of the exterior of a vehicle includes transmitting successive camera images from a camera to a processor. Optical flow vectors from the multiple camera images are estimated. The optical flow vectors are compared and objects located on the ground are separated from objects located above the ground. Vehicle motion is estimated. Data from the successive camera images is processed to create an estimated three-dimensional (3D) bird's eye view image, and the bird's eye view image is displayed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2010
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Daniel James Bartz
  • Patent number: 7979200
    Abstract: Systems and methods that coordinate assignments of aircraft operating within a controlled airspace to ground radios are provided. In one embodiment, such a system includes an air traffic control (ATC) facility (12), a plurality of ground radios (16A-16C), and a network manager (20) communicatively coupled to the air traffic control facility (12) and the ground radios (16A-16C). The air traffic control facility is responsible for controlling aircraft (14A-14I) operating within the airspace (10) and providing ATC information to the network manager (20). The ground radios (16A-16C) are operable to provide communications between the air traffic control facility (12) and the aircraft (14A-14I). The network manager (20) is operable to assign each aircraft (14A-14I) to one of the ground radios (16A-16C) based on network management considerations using the ATC information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: FM Bay, David E. Walton
  • Patent number: 7973701
    Abstract: A blockage detection system and method for use in a sensor such as a side object detection (SOD) sensor in an automotive radar system is described. The sensor emits signals and receives return signals (i.e. reflected signals) from a passing object. If the passing object is within a virtual detection zone, the sensor uses the information from the passing object to determine if a blockage condition exists in the sensor. The technique utilizes statistics related to the passing object to determine whether a blockage condition exists within the sensor. In one embodiment, a SOD sensor mounted in a first vehicle uses information from a second passing vehicle (e.g. radar return information) to determine whether a blockage condition exists within the SOD sensor itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Valeo Radar Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen P. Lohmeier, Nguyen D. Nguyen
  • Publication number: 20110161090
    Abstract: A system and method for automating the processing and handling of speeding tickets and similar citations. The system acquires, stores, processes and resolves data associated with the speed detection and video capture of an incident of a vehicle breaking the speed limit. The system includes provisions for data capture, data transfer to an online database, and online plea and payment processing, including online access and electronic notification of the citizen, police and justice department. The invention thereby provides for faster processing, higher efficiency in processing, lower cost to the police and justice departments for processing tickets, and improved accuracy since less human involvement is required.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Inventors: Scott K. Tilton, William Clifford Robinson, JR., Mark Darty
  • Publication number: 20110156945
    Abstract: An observation signal processing apparatus transmits pulse signals as search signals per each search, generates observation values based on reflected signals against a target and delay modulation pulse signals, and performs coherent integration on the observation values to output an integration value. The apparatus includes a section for storing a coherent integration count, a section for transmitting pulse signals equivalent to the coherent integration count, a section for calculating a phase correction amount based on an estimated relative speed, and a section for performing phase-weighted coherent integration on the observation values based on the phase correction amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Miyake, Asahi Kondou, Gaku Takano
  • Patent number: 7944392
    Abstract: A method for processing received radar returns of a radiated wide-band arbitrary waveform in a wide-band radar processing system using spectral processing. The received wide-band radar returns are undersampled by using a first sampling rate to obtain an undersampled digital wide-band radar waveform. Spectral processing is performed on the power spectrum of the undersampled digital wide-band radar waveform in order to obtain a discrete ripple frequency power spectrum of the undersampled digital wide-band radar waveform. Ripple frequencies indicating radar targets are located in the discrete ripple frequency power spectrum of the undersampled digital wide-band radar waveform. A radar receiver, a digital wide-band radar processing system and a computer program product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: SAAB AB
    Inventor: Kent Falk
  • Publication number: 20110102242
    Abstract: The present invention includes a transmitter/receiver 20 that transmits/receives an FMCW based sweep signal, a velocity grouping unit 36 that performs grouping of a target for each velocity range by a velocity of the target calculated based on the sweep signal from the transmitter/receiver, and a correlation tracking unit 37 that performs correlation tracking for each velocity group which is grouped by the velocity grouping unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Shinichi Takeya, Kazuaki Kawabata, Kazuki Oosuga, Takuji Yoshida, Tomohiro Yoshida, Masato Niwa, Hideto Goto
  • Publication number: 20110102241
    Abstract: A field disturbance sensing system has an antenna, an oscillator producing a high-frequency signal, a first detector circuit, a second detector circuit, a combining network configured to couple the high-frequency signal to the antenna, and to couple the high-frequency signal and a reflected high-frequency signal to the first detector and to the second detector. An algebraic combining network sums a first detected signal having first detected high-frequency signal and a first detected reflected signal from the first detector circuit and a second detected signal having second detected high-frequency signal and a second detected reflected signal from the second detector circuit to produce a detected output signal. The first detected reflected signal is added to the second detected reflected signal and the first detected high-frequency signal is subtracted from the second detected high-frequency signal. A controller configured to convert the detected output signal to a speed between the antenna and a target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2009
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Inventors: Christopher E. Stewart, Grant E. Moulton, Steven H. Goody
  • Publication number: 20110102240
    Abstract: A method of down-converting couples a first high-frequency signal to a first detector and to a second detector. An antenna receives a signal and the received signal is provided to at least the first detector. The high-frequency signal is detected to produce a first detected signal including a first detected high-frequency signal and a demodulated signal. The high-frequency signal is concurrently detected to produce a second detected high-frequency signal. The second detected signal is subtracted from the first detected signal so as to cancel amplitude-modulated noise on a detected signal output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2009
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Inventors: Christopher E. Stewart, Grant E. Moulton, Steven H. Goody
  • Patent number: 7928897
    Abstract: A radar device includes a transmission antenna and a reception antenna having a plurality of antenna elements. The radar device switches the antenna elements in synchronization with a modulation cycle, thereby obtaining a reception signal. At this time, the radar device obtains the reception signal by switching the antenna elements using a first measurement phase and a second measurement phase having different switching cycles as one set. The radar device calculates an azimuth sine value sin ?1 from the reception signal in the first measurement phase and also calculates an azimuth sinusoidal value sin ?2 from the reception signal in the second measurement phase. Then, the radar device calculates a relative velocity V from the azimuth sine value sin ?1, the azimuth sine value sin ?2, an interval time difference ?t between switching cycles, and an inter-antenna element spacing d.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Ishii, Tetsu Nishimura
  • Patent number: 7925286
    Abstract: A method of estimating a Doppler maximum frequency fd and/or a local oscillator frequency offset f0, the method comprising the steps of: computing a power density spectrum of a received radio signal over a whole frequency range, scanning the computed power density spectrum to determine a frequency sub-range [fmin; fmax] which is not necessarily centered on 0 Hz, the signal power over the sub-range [fmin; fmax] being equal to a predetermined percentage of the signal power over the whole frequency range, and estimating frequency fd and/or offset f0 from frequencies fmin and fmax.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: ST-Ericsson SA
    Inventor: Pierre Demaj
  • Publication number: 20110050481
    Abstract: A signal processing device performs object detection processing in which peak signals each representing a differential frequency between a transmitted signal in which a frequency thereof changes in a predetermined cycle and a received signal are derived in a first period where the frequency of the transmitted signal rises and a second period where the frequency of the transmitted signal falls, and the peak signals in the first period are paired with the peak signals in the second period to detect object information related to the peak signals. A range setting unit sets a frequency range in each of the first period and the second period on the basis of a frequency of an integer multiple of the peak signal related to the object information which has been detected in previous object detection processing. A signal setting unit sets a peak signal as a specific peak signal in a case where the peak signal is within the frequency range in each of the first period and the second period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2010
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Applicant: FUJITSU TEN LIMITED
    Inventors: Jun ITOH, Tokio SHINAGAWA, Daisuke NAKABAYASHI, Hiroyuki ISHIMORI
  • Publication number: 20110050486
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a Doppler radar apparatus includes a quadrature detection unit configured to quadrature-detect a received signal of a reflected pulse from an observation target, and generate time-series data including an in-phase component and a quadrature component, an interference judgment unit configured to judge whether an interference signal is mixed into the received signal based on the time-series data, a correction unit configured to correct a vector expressed by the in-phase component and the quadrature component such that variation with respect to time of a deviation angle of the vector continues when the interference judgment unit has judged that an interference signal is mixed into the received signal, and a calculation unit configured to calculate a Doppler velocity of the observation target based on an amount of variation with respect to time of the deviation angle of corrected vector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Inventors: Hiroshi ISHIZAWA, Masakazu WADA, Fumihiko MIZUTANI
  • Patent number: 7893865
    Abstract: A vehicular lamp includes a lamp chamber formed by a lamp body opening forward and a transparent front cover attached to a forward opening portion thereof; a lamp unit disposed within the lamp chamber; a millimeter wave radar for sending a millimeter wave to reflect off of an object in order to detect a distance and a relative speed of the object; and a millimeter wave direction-changing mechanism for sending forward the millimeter wave sent by the millimeter wave radar from a back surface side of the lamp unit, without reflecting the millimeter wave on a rearward side of the lamp unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazunori Natsume, Hironori Tsukamoto, Yoshiaki Aiso
  • Patent number: 7889119
    Abstract: Radial gap measurement on turbines by a microwave measuring method and an evaluation of a Doppler effect which varies according to the size of the radial gap is described. At least one radar sensor embodied as a transmission and reception unit is provided in the wall of a turbine housing which is radially oriented towards the centre of the turbine. The relative speed of an outer end of a turbine blade, dependent on the size of the radial gap, is evaluated many times in relation to the radar sensor during the passage of the blade end past the same, and the course of the relative speed over time on the zero crossing constitutes a measure for the radial gap on the basis of the relation between the absolute value of the relative speed and the incline thereof in the zero crossing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Daniel Evers, Andreas Ziroff
  • Patent number: 7890263
    Abstract: A system and method of controlling deployment of a safety device for a vehicle. The system may include a pre-impact collision assessment system, an impact detection system, and an inflatable safety device. The safety device may be partially inflated when a collision threat is detected based on a signal from the pre-impact collision assessment system. The inflatable device may be subsequently either more fully inflated or deflated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Kwaku O. Prakah-Asante, Manoharprasad K. Rao
  • Publication number: 20110025550
    Abstract: A high-frequency module according to the present embodiment includes a substrate, a circuit board, and a resonator. The substrate has an input-output portion for high-frequency signals formed on one surface thereof. The circuit board includes a dielectric waveguide line with its end face exposed, and is placed on the one surface of the substrate such that a virtual plane extending beyond the end face is intersected by the one surface of the substrate. The resonator includes input-output end portions for high-frequency signals at ends thereof, in which one of the input-output end portions is connected to the end face of the dielectric waveguide line, and the other thereof is connected to the input-output portion of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Applicant: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Djuniadi A. Sagala, Kazuki Hayata, Yuji Kishida
  • Patent number: 7873099
    Abstract: Time is transferred from an ultra wideband (UWB) transmitter to UWB receiver by transmitting a signal structure having an associated timing reference point together with a time value for the timing reference point. The UWB receiver receives the timing signal structure by synchronizing a receiver time base to the signal structure, demodulating the time value information, and using the demodulated time value information to set a receiver clock value. Propagation delay information is used to adjust the receiver clock value by advancing the receiver clock value to account for the propagation delay. In one embodiment, propagation delay is determined from a known distance between the transmitter and receiver. In another embodiment, the transmitter and receiver are part of a two-way link wherein propagation delay is measured by round trip timing measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Time Domain Corporation
    Inventors: Larry W. Fullerton, Mark D. Roberts, James L. Richards
  • Publication number: 20110001656
    Abstract: A radar system includes: a transmission antenna outputting transmission signals having multiple frequencies; multiple reception antennas receiving reflected waves of the transmission signals, reflected from an object; a mixer mixing the transmission signals with reception signals received by the reception antennas to generate beat signals; and a signal processing unit detecting Doppler frequency by analyzing frequencies of the beat signals, detecting phase information of the Doppler frequency for each of combinations of the reception antennas and the transmission signal frequencies, constructing a matrix having the pieces of phase information arranged in a predetermined order with respect to the reception antennas and the frequencies of the transmission signals, obtaining a correlation matrix from the matrix and its complex conjugate transposed matrix, and estimating at least one of a distance, direction and relative velocity of the object based on the correlation matrix.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2010
    Publication date: January 6, 2011
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Makoto NAKAI, Masaru Ogawa, Tomoya Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 7864106
    Abstract: A method and system for SNR enhancement in pulse-Doppler coherent target detection for applications in the fields of radar and ultrasound. In accordance with the method of the invention, complex signals are obtained for each of two or more sub-intervals of the time-on-target interval, allowing simultaneous range and Doppler measurements. A coherent integration is the performed on the signals to generate complex-valued folded matrices. The folded matrices are unfolded and target detection is then performed in a process involving one or more of the unfolded matrices. A pulse-Doppler coherent system is also provided configured for target detection by the method of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Elta Systems Ltd.
    Inventors: Ella Beilin, Jehezkel Grizim, Yacov Vagman, Alexander Lomes
  • Publication number: 20100328140
    Abstract: This invention is related to a Video-Doppler-Radar Traffic Surveillance System comprising of multiple Doppler radars and video cameras, circuitry for processing radar and video signals, and data recording and displaying devices. Although the system is mainly designed for roadside traffic surveillance, it can be used in different applications, such as mounted on a host vehicle or on a UAV. The system will provide continuous surveillance of all incoming and leaving traffic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2008
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Inventors: Lang Hong, Steven Siying Hong
  • Publication number: 20100309040
    Abstract: Methods and systems for dynamic range detection and positioning utilizing leaky wave antennas (LWAs) are disclosed and may include configuring one or more LWAs to enable communication of signals in a particular direction. RF signals that are reflected from an object may be received via the LWAs, and a location of the object may be determined based on the received reflected RF signals. The velocity of the object may be determined based on a Doppler shift associated with the received reflected RF signals. A frequency chirped signal may be transmitted by the LWAs to determine a location of the object. A resonant frequency of the LWAs may be configured utilizing micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) deflection. LWAs may be situated along a plurality of axes in the wireless device. The LWAs may include microstrip or coplanar waveguides, where a cavity height is dependent on spacing between conductive lines in the waveguides.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2010
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Inventors: Ahmadreza Rofougaran, Maryam Rofougaran
  • Publication number: 20100289690
    Abstract: A radar device is disclosed, which includes an antenna for transmitting an electromagnetic wave and receiving an echo signal from a target object while rotating in a horizontal plane, a display module for displaying the target object so as to correspond the echo signal to a position of the target object with respect to the antenna, a speed calculation module for calculating a relative velocity of the antenna and the target object, and a risk level detection module for detecting a risk level of the target object based on the relative velocity of the target object calculated by the speed calculation module. The speed calculation module calculates the relative velocity of the target object based on a change in phases of at least two of the echo signals received at a different time. The display module controls a display mode of the target object based on the risk level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2010
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Applicant: FURUNO Electric Company Limited
    Inventor: Koji DAI
  • Patent number: 7825850
    Abstract: It is proposed to use the gun barrel or launcher tube or the muzzle brake as a waveguide, which, however, is operated at a frequency that is below the cutoff frequency of the relevant waveguide mode. The transmit coupler excites the relevant waveguide mode. An oscillator generates the signal, which is then sent to the transmit coupler. The waveguide and the projectile form a system in which the electromagnetic field at the receive coupler is influenced by the position of the projectile. The characteristic change over time of the strength of the electromagnetic field at the location of the receive coupler that results from the change in the distance between the projectile and the receive coupler is measured and used to determine the muzzle velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Oerlikon Contraves AG
    Inventor: Henry Frick
  • Patent number: 7812761
    Abstract: A DSSS (Direct Sequence Spectrum Spreading) radar has a transmitting part to transmit a transmitting signal, including a predetermined code sequence, to one or a plurality of targets, a receiving part to receive a received signal corresponding to the transmitting signal which has been reflected from the one or a plurality of targets, and a computing part. The computing part computes a sum signal and a difference signal of received signals received by the receiving part at different points in time, and obtains a Doppler frequency of the one or a plurality of targets based on a phase difference between the sum signal and the difference signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Kazuo Shirakawa
  • Publication number: 20100245154
    Abstract: An object ranging system operates by transmitting alternating up and down frequency sweeps which have randomly distributed slopes as a result of random selection of local frequency peaks and valleys according to predetermined probability tables, and determining the beat frequency obtained when combining the transmitted signal with its reflection from an object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2008
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Wieslaw Jerzy Szajnowski
  • Publication number: 20100245155
    Abstract: The invention relates to a high-frequency transmission line connection structure, a circuit board having the connection structure, a high-frequency module having the circuit board, and a radar apparatus. A first laminated waveguide sub-line part (21) includes a pair of main conductor layers that oppose each other in a thickness direction with a dielectric layer (31) having the same thickness as a dielectric layer (31) of a microstrip line (1) interposed therebetween. A second laminated waveguide sub-line part (22) includes dielectric layers (31, 32) thicker than the dielectric layer of the first laminated waveguide sub-line part (21). A laminated waveguide main-line part (23) includes dielectric layers (31, 32, 33) thicker than the dielectric layers of the second laminated waveguide sub-line part (22). A conversion part (10) connected to the microstrip line (1) is formed by integrating with an upper main conductor layer constituting the respective line parts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2008
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kentaro Miyazato, Kazuki Hayata, Yuji Kishida
  • Patent number: 7804440
    Abstract: A GPS enabled radar detector dynamically handles radar sources based upon previously stored geographically referenced information on such sources and data from the GPS receiver. The detector includes technology for determining the location of the detector, and comparing this location to the locations of known stationary sources, to improve the handling of such detections. The detector may ignore detections received in an area known to contain a stationary source, or may only ignore specific frequencies or may handle frequencies differently based upon historic trends of spurious police radar signals at each frequency. Notification of the driver will take on a variety of forms depending on the stored information, current operating modes, and vehicle speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Escort Inc.
    Inventor: Steven K. Orr
  • Patent number: 7801659
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for lane recognition for a vehicle that is equipped with an adaptive distance and speed control system are provided, the adaptive distance and speed controller having conveyed to it, using an object detection system, the relative speed of detected objects, a variable for determining the lateral offset of the detected objects with respect to the longitudinal vehicle axis, and the speed of the host vehicle. From the relative speed of the objects and the host-vehicle speed, a determination is made as to whether an object is oncoming, stationary, or moving in the same direction as the host vehicle. In combination with the calculated lateral offset of the detected object with respect to the longitudinal vehicle axis, the number of lanes present and the lane currently being traveled in by the host vehicle are determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Thilo Leineweber, Werber Urban, Ruediger-Walter Henn
  • Patent number: 7801512
    Abstract: The present invention includes systems and methods for detecting a speed limit violation based on the movement of a cell phone in a moving vehicle. The system and method determine whether a speeding violation has occurred based periodic cell phone location data, the time between a cell phone's presence at one location and the next, and the speed limit of the section of a section of road that the cell phone could be located on. Embodiments of systems and methods of the invention detect whether a moving vehicle may be part of a public transit system, in which case the corresponding cell phones are removed from consideration. The system and method also include generating a speeding ticket for a car determined to have violated a corresponding speed limit, keeping a record of a speeding violation, and sending a request to settle the ticket if it is not paid on time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Makor Issues and Rights Ltd.
    Inventor: David Myr
  • Patent number: 7791529
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of determining an estimated speed of an aircraft relative to ground being overflown by the aircraft, in which use is made of the sum of an acceleration measurement of the aircraft plus a difference value, the difference value being obtained from observation data or signals relating to a region of the ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Eurocopter
    Inventors: François Xavier Filias, Jean-Paul Petillon, Richard Pire
  • Patent number: 7786926
    Abstract: A radar system for motor vehicles, having a radar sensor and an evaluation device for measuring distances and relative velocities of objects in the surrounding field of the vehicle, and a collision detection device, which, on the basis of the measured distances and relative velocities, recognizes an imminent collision and delivers data on the expected time of collision and the impact velocity to a precrash system. The radar sensor is switchable by the collision detection device to a velocity measurement mode in which a more precise measurement of the relative velocity is made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Joerg Hilsebecher, Herbert Olbrich, Thorsten Sohnke, Alfred Kuttenberger, Marc Theisen, Martin Randler, Michael Bunse
  • Publication number: 20100207805
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for obtaining an indication of a number of moving objects passing a speed detection apparatus. Data representing a record of speed events over a series of time frames is obtained (208, 210), each time frame including a record of zero or more distinct speeds detected during that time frame. The speed events data is analysed (604) to identify approach characteristics associated with one moving object approaching the detection apparatus. The speed events data is also analysed (606) to identify passing characteristics associated with the moving object passing the detection apparatus. A moving object count is updated (608) after detecting the approaching characteristic and the passing characteristic in sequence.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2010
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Applicant: AGD SYSTEMS LIMITED
    Inventor: Simon Charles HAWORTH
  • Patent number: RE42708
    Abstract: A field unit for warning of a danger of collision between an aircraft and an obstacle, in particular a topographical ground obstacle or an obstacle formed by a mast, building or aerial cable structure, comprises a multi-part tubular mast having devices for fixing a solar panel and a radar antenna; an elongate radar antenna in an environment-protective casing, which, with an electronics unit, forms a radar system for synthesized radar detection of an aircraft in a radar coverage area; a central processing unit for identifying on the basis of information from the radar system an aircraft which is in a zone of the radar coverage area and which on the basis of radar information such as direction, distance and/or speed computes a collision danger area; and a high-intensity light system and radio transmitter system that can be activated by the central processing unit upon detection of an aircraft in a collision danger area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: OCAS AS
    Inventors: Morten Mark, Rolf Bakken