Combined With Determining Distance And Direction Patents (Class 342/107)
  • Patent number: 8816897
    Abstract: A method of estimating the angular position ?c of a target detected by a radar equipping a mobile carrier and emitting, via an steerable antenna, a signal, in the form of pulses, towards the target and receiving echoes from the reflection of said signal on the target, comprises: estimating, for each pulse or group of pulses of time index i, the angular position ?(i) of the antenna; estimating, for each pulse or group of pulses of time index i, the Doppler frequency fD(i) of the echo or echoes received; pairing, for each pulse or group of pulses of time index i, the angular position ?(i) and the Doppler frequency fD(i); and, estimating the angular position ?c at least by solving the equation ? ? ? f D ? ( i ) 2 = V a ? sin ? ? ? ? ( i ) ? ( ? c - ? ? ( i ) ) + V r , c , where ? is the wavelength of the radar, Va is the norm of the speed of the carrier and Vr,c is the radial speed of the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Nicolas Bon, Jean-Michel Quellec
  • Patent number: 8816902
    Abstract: There is provided a radar apparatus for detecting a target. A detection signal generating unit generates detection signals of the target based on transmission and reception waves of antennas. A detection signal processing unit performs frequency analysis on the detection signals to extract signal components of the target, and performs a predetermined process on the signal components to calculate at least one of a distance to the target, a relative speed to the target, and an orientation of the target. The detection signal generating unit includes a filter unit for giving changes to the detection signals in a frequency bandwidth higher than Nyquist frequency which is a half a sampling frequency. The detection signal processing unit acquires the signal components from the detection signals to which the filter unit gives the changes to determine whether the signal components are generated by replication due to the Nyquist frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited
    Inventor: Hiroshi Itoh
  • Patent number: 8810446
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a radar device includes a radio module, a pulse compressor, a Doppler filter processor, a signal processor, an integration processor, an estimation module and a target detector. The radio module receives a plurality of received pulses corresponding to transmission pulses transmitted from a transmitter. The integration processor generates third data by integrating first data generated at the signal processor with second data generated based on first data obtained by a previous scan. The estimation module estimates a position at a time of a next scan based on the third data to generate second data. The target detector detects a target based on the third data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yoshikazu Shoji, Mitsuyoshi Shinonaga, Junichiro Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8810445
    Abstract: An object recognition apparatus is provided, which enhances accuracy in recognizing more than one object to be detected closely located along a scan direction. In the apparatus, measured-distance datums included in an area formed by those measured-distance datums which are spaced apart by a distance of not more than a predetermined allowable value are grouped as one candidate area. The candidate area, if it has a size larger than a specified value, is regarded as a special candidate area. An object area on an image datum corresponding to the special candidate area is subjected to an image recognition process to define the range of the objects residing therein. The special candidate area is divided at a border between the objects based on the defined range. All candidate areas including the divided new candidate areas are subjected to a tracing process to confirm an object in each candidate area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Ogawa, Hiroshi Sakai
  • Patent number: 8779969
    Abstract: In a radar device, an azimuth estimating module estimates, when there are a plurality of arrival echo and an angular range between the arrival azimuth of one of adjacent arrival echoes in the plurality of arrival echoes and the arrival azimuth of the other thereof is equal to or smaller than a predetermined azimuth resolution of a plurality of receiving antennas, a virtual azimuth and virtual power for each of first frequency components and second frequency components. The virtual azimuth is within the angular range between the arrival azimuth of one of adjacent arrival echoes in the plurality of arrival echoes and the arrival azimuth of the other thereof, and the virtual power is received power of a virtual arrival echo from the virtual azimuth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Shimizu, Keiji Matsuoka
  • Patent number: 8775063
    Abstract: A method for estimating a projected path of travel for a vehicle on a road includes monitoring a plurality of sensor inputs, determining a road geometry in front of the vehicle based upon the monitored sensor inputs, determining a vehicle position in relation to the road geometry based upon the monitored sensor inputs, determining a plurality of particle points in front of the vehicle representing a potential path of travel from the road geometry and the vehicle position, and utilizing iteratively determined ones of the plurality of particle points to navigate the vehicle including omitting ones of the plurality of particle points passed by the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Shuqing Zeng
  • Publication number: 20140184437
    Abstract: A radar device including an up-chirp tracking filter that performs a tracking process using a beat frequency at the time of an up-chirp to acquire a beat frequency, a down-chirp tracking filter that performs a tracking process using a beat frequency at the time of a down-chirp to acquire a beat frequency, target detectors that calculate distance and speed estimated values of the target for the chirps from beat frequency time series data about the chirps; an identical target determinator that determines whether or not the target detected for each of the chirps is an identical target using the distance and speed estimated values, and a distance and speed calculator that calculates a distance and a speed of the target using the beat frequency of the target which is determined to be an identical target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2012
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yuki Takabayashi, Yasushi Obata, Hiroshi Kameda
  • Patent number: 8760340
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, an apparatus comprises range matched filters and a Doppler-acceleration matched filter system. The matched filters are configured to receive radar return signals detected by an antenna and range match filter the radar return signals to place the radar return signals into range cells. The Doppler-acceleration matched filter system is configured to Doppler-acceleration process the radar return signals in the range cells to facilitate identification of one or more targets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventor: Winthrop W. Smith
  • Publication number: 20140168003
    Abstract: The invention provides an antenna arrangement for a radar system arranged for coverage of a surveillance area and comprising antenna elements. The antenna elements are arranged to receive a signal transmitted from a transmit antenna of a transmit antenna arrangement and reflected by a target towards the antenna arrangement wherein: • the antenna arrangement comprises at least two non-parallel line arrays, • each antenna element being connected to a receiver where each line array is arranged to create, by using digital beam forming, beams for instantaneous coverage of at least said surveillance area and • within the surveillance area said line arrays are arranged to allow the target position to be limited to one or two crossing areas between at least two beams from different line arrays from which target reflections have been received. The invention also provides a corresponding method and a radar system comprising the antenna arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: SAAB AB
    Inventors: Erik Lindälv, Jan-Erik Nilsson
  • Patent number: 8730096
    Abstract: An electronic scanning type radar device mounted on a moving body includes: a transmission unit transmitting a transmission wave; a reception unit comprising a plurality of antennas receiving a reflection wave of the transmission wave from a target; a beat signal generation unit generating a beat signal from the transmission wave and the reflection wave; a frequency resolution processing unit frequency computing a complex number data; a target detection unit detecting an existence of the target; a correlation matrix computation unit computing a correlation matrix from each of a complex number data of a detected beat frequency; a target consolidation processing unit linking the target in a present detection cycle and a past detection cycle; a correlation matrix filtering unit generating an averaged correlation matrix by weighted averaging a correlation matrix of a target in the present detection cycle and a correlation matrix of a related target in the past detection cycle; and a direction detection unit compu
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Honda elesys Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junji Kanamoto, Hiroyuki Akimoto
  • Patent number: 8717225
    Abstract: An object detection device for a vehicle includes a transmission and reception unit that transmits an electromagnetic wave and receives a reflected wave, a reflecting point computation unit that computes a position of a reflecting point of the electromagnetic wave on the object, a distance computation unit that computes a distance from the subject vehicle to the object, an end point detection unit that detects at least one of an end point on the right side of the object and an end point on the left side thereof, a shielding determination unit that determines whether the end point of the object is shielded by another object when viewed from the subject vehicle, and an end point movement speed computation unit that computes a lateral movement speed of the end point of the object determined as not being shielded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoji Sasabuchi
  • Patent number: 8704704
    Abstract: Presented is a method for determining speeds (vr14, vr16) and distances (r14, r16) of objects (14, 16) relative to a radar system (12) of a motor vehicle (10), wherein a coverage area (EB) of the radar system (12) is divided into at least two part-areas (TB1, TB2, TB3), the coverage area (EB) is examined for reflecting objects (14, 16) in successive measuring cycles (MZ1, MZ2; MZi, MZi+1), wherein radar signals received in a measuring cycle (MZ1, MZ2; MZi, MZi+1) are processed separated in accordance with part-areas (TB1, TB2, TB3) and processed signals are assembled to form a total result differentiated in accordance with spatial directions. The method is characterized in that from signals received in a first measuring cycle (MZ1; MZi), hypotheses for the distance (r14, r16) and speed (vr14, vr16) of reflecting objects (14, 16) are formed and the hypotheses are validated in dependence on signals received in at least one further measuring cycle (MZ2; MZi+2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: VALEO Schalter und Sensoren GmbH
    Inventors: Urs Luebbert, Udo Haberland
  • Patent number: 8686894
    Abstract: A radar imaging apparatus includes: (i) a delay code generation unit which repeats, for M scan periods, scan processing of generating, using a transmission code, N delay codes in a scan period for scanning N range gates having mutually different distances from the radar imaging apparatus; (ii) a signal storage unit which stores, in association with a range gate and a scan period, a baseband signal; (iii) a memory control unit which repeatedly writes, in the signal storage unit, for the M scan periods, N demodulated signals corresponding to a single scan period, and reads out a group of M demodulated signals corresponding to mutually different scan periods; (iv) a Doppler frequency discrimination unit which performs frequency analysis on demodulated signals having the same range gate; and (v) a direction of arrival calculation unit which estimates a direction of a target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Fukuda, Kenichi Inoue, Toru Sato, Takuya Sakamoto, Kenshi Saho
  • Publication number: 20140085126
    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: November 1, 2013
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Ahmadreza Rofougaran, Maryam Rofougaran
  • Publication number: 20140062760
    Abstract: A signal processing device is provided. The device includes an echo signal input unit for receiving echo signals resulted from transmission signals reflected on an object. The transmission signals are transmitted from a transmission source at transmission timings at predetermined time intervals, at least one of the transmission timings shifted from the other timings in time. The device includes a complex reception signal generator for generating complex reception signals, a phase calculator for calculating a phase change amount of the complex reception signals with respect to a reference phase, a phase corrector for phase-correcting the complex reception signals and outputting the corrected signals, and a Doppler processor for performing Doppler processing on the corrected signals and outputting the Doppler-processed signals as Doppler echo signals of the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: Furuno Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasunobu Asada, Akira Okunishi, Koji Dai, Sae Takemoto
  • Publication number: 20140049419
    Abstract: Method in which vehicles are measured repeatedly while traveling through a radar cone, and specific position values are formed so as to be associated with the measurement times. This can be a specific radial distance or a specific object angle. The change over time is analyzed with respect to a section of discontinuity. The length of this section depends upon the length of the vehicle and makes classification possible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2013
    Publication date: February 20, 2014
    Applicant: JENOPTIK Robot GmbH
    Inventor: Michael LEHNING
  • Patent number: 8654007
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the general field of radar tracking applied to multi-static radar systems. It consists of a method for coherently merging the individual tracks generated from the various bistatic bases that make up the system so as to generate and maintain global tracks so that an object detected by a single bistatic base is represented by the corresponding track and an object detected by a number of bistatic bases and giving rise to the creation of a number of individual tracks is represented only by a single global track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Sébastien Allam, Emmanuel De Gramont, Wilfried Greverie, Jean-Claude Deltour, Mathieu Klein
  • Publication number: 20140035776
    Abstract: A method of detecting a physical target in a region-of-interest is disclosed. The method comprises: transmitting a pulse of radiation into the region-of-interest; receiving an echo signal from the region-of-interest; accessing a computer readable medium storing a dictionary defined over a plurality of dictionary atoms each describing a dictionary function corresponding to at least a time delay and a Doppler shift; calculating a coefficient for each dictionary function using the echo signal, thereby providing a plurality of coefficients, wherein a linear combination of all dictionary functions respectively weighted by the coefficients does not reconstruct the echo signal; and determining at least one of a range and a speed of the target based on the coefficients.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2012
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Inventors: Nir Asher Sochen, Yossef Ferdman
  • Publication number: 20140028490
    Abstract: A motion parameter estimating method, an angle estimating method and a determination method are provided. The methods are adapted for an electronic device. In the angle estimating method, a first frequency modulation continuous wave signal is first transmitted, and at least one antenna receives a second frequency modulation continuous wave signal resulted by a target reflecting the first frequency modulation continuous wave signal. Multiple motion parameters associated with the target are then obtained according to the first frequency modulation continuous wave signal and the second frequency modulation continuous wave signal. Multiple measured values corresponding to the at least one antenna are obtained according to the motion parameters and configuration parameters of the at least one antenna, respectively. Afterwards, the measured values are substituted into a formula to obtain an estimated angle between a preset direction of the electronic device and the target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: NATIONAL CHIAO TUNG UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Chung-Jung Huang, Chia-Wei Dai, Tsung-Yu Tsai, Ta-Sung Lee
  • Patent number: 8638253
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include a radar sensor device for detecting movement and velocity of external objects within or around a particular radar sensor field. The radar sensor field can use an array or cluster or radar sensors, including compact (portable by hand) radar sensors that function as network nodes within a wireless, low-energy ad hoc network. Radar sensor devices can use vibration as a means of communicating power status, functionality, and progress of installation of a particular radar unit. Such a vibration can be executed at a particular predefined cadence, rhythm, or other pattern, to indicate a powered-on state, active network connectivity, and other device states. Such a radar sensor device provides silent and non-visible status indication for quick and efficient deployment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: BBN Technologies Corp.
    Inventor: Paul Dryer
  • Publication number: 20140022110
    Abstract: A radar device capable of reducing load of a clustering process and improving the tracking performance is provided. A tracking calculation unit 116 of a radar device 100 performs a clustering process, in which an input detected data set is grouped into clusters, and a tracking process, in which an averaged value and a prediction value are calculated for each of the clusters. In the radar device 100, the shape of cluster areas for grouping the detected data is defined to be a fan shape. The clustering process and tracking process using fan-shaped cluster areas can reduce the load of the clustering process and improve the tracking performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2013
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Applicants: Furukawa Automotive Systems Inc., Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki ITOHARA, Yasushi Aoyagi
  • Patent number: 8633850
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for identifying locations of objects. A portion of a sum signal corresponding to angular locations and velocities with respect to a sensor system that are different from a selected angular location and a selected velocity with respect to the sensor system, respectively, is modified to form a set of modified sum signals. A portion of a difference signal corresponding to the angular locations and the velocities with respect to the sensor system that are different from the selected angular location and the selected velocity with respect to the sensor system, respectively, is modified to form a modified difference signal. An angular location of a target object is identified with respect to the sensor system using the set of modified sum signals and the modified difference signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Kai-Bor Yu
  • Publication number: 20140009321
    Abstract: Methods for detecting the flight path of projectiles involve a sequence of N target detections that include detecting the measured velocities and azimuthal angle bearings of the projectile along the flight path of the projectile by Doppler radar at the times tn, wherein n=1 . . . N, and determining the flight path and the direction of motion of the projectile are from these measurements. The measurements are adapted in a first nonlinear parameter fit to an analytical relationship of the time curve of the radial velocity of the projectile while the projectile passes through the detection range of the radar and so that the absolute projectile velocity, minimum distance of the project flight path from the radar, time at which the projectile passes the point having the minimum distance, flight path direction in azimuth, and flight path direction in elevation can be estimated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: EADS Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Robert Schneider, Georg Weiss, Wilhelm Gruener
  • Patent number: 8624775
    Abstract: Four rows on one side of linear arrays arranged at equal intervals in the vertical direction and arranged at a predetermined interval in the horizontal direction form transmission channels and remaining twelve rows form a reception channel group. Among the remaining twelve rows, linear arrays of four rows in the center form a reception-first-array with each row set as a channel unit. Linear arrays of eight rows on both sides form a reception-second-array with two rows set as a channel unit. In wide-angle-middle-detection-processing, signals are combined using the reception-first-array. In long-detection-processing, signals are combined using the reception-second-array. Second null of a radiation pattern by a transmission array and first null of the reception-second-array are matched. The first null of the transmission array is filled such that a gain difference between the first null and a first side lobe of the transmission array is within a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Inami, Takamasa Ando
  • Patent number: 8619908
    Abstract: A wireless ranging system for determining a range of a remote wireless device may include a wireless transmitter and a wireless receiver. The wireless ranging system may also include a ranging controller to cooperate with the wireless transmitter and receiver to generate a multi-carrier base waveform, transmit a sounder waveform to the remote wireless device including concatenated copies of the multi-carrier base waveform, and receive a return waveform from the remote wireless device in response to the sounder waveform. The ranging controller may also generate time domain samples from the return waveform, convert the time domain samples into frequency domain data, and process the frequency domain data to determine the range of the remote wireless device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Harris Corporation
    Inventors: John E. Hoffmann, Carlos G. Abascal, Christopher D. Moffatt
  • Publication number: 20130335261
    Abstract: A monitoring device includes a memory configured to store first and second background information related to positional information of a fixed object existing in a detection area of a radar device that receives a reflected wave from an object existing at an emission destination of an emitted radar wave and detects position and moving velocity information of the object as detection information of the object; and a processor configured to detect, upon receiving a first specified signal, a temporary fixed object existing in a detection area of the radar device by using the detection information and the first background information stored in the memory, and to detect, upon receiving a second specified signal, a movement object existing in the detection area of the radar device by using the detection information and the second background information stored in the memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2013
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Junko Kajiki, Mitsuru OCHI, Tomonori Ikeya, Kazuhiko SHITE
  • Patent number: 8610595
    Abstract: The vehicle U-turn safety alert system is a system for alerting a driver of a vehicle whether it is safe or unsafe to make a U-turn driving maneuver. The system incorporates an electronic system that measures the distance away and speed of an approaching vehicle. The system functions to calculate the time it would take for the approaching vehicle to reach the turning vehicle and displays this time as a digital readout. Visual and audible alerts inform the driver as to whether the U-turn maneuver can be safely accomplished.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Inventor: Salmaan F. F. M. S. Aleteeby
  • Patent number: 8587467
    Abstract: A method for determining locations of a moving emitter is disclosed. Initially, a set of emitter pulses is collected when a collector platform moves over a collection baseline. In addition, the time and location of the collection platform are recorded each time an emitter pulse is collected. A set of time-tagged pulse time-of-arrival (TOA) values is then generated by associating a recorded collection time value to each of the collected emitter pulses. Next, a set of time-tagged and position-tagged pulse TOA values is generated by associating a recorded collection location value to each of the time-tagged pulse TOA values. Finally, a set of location values and velocity values of a moving emitter is estimated based on the time-tagged and position-tagged pulse TOA values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
    Inventor: Paul D. Zemany
  • Patent number: 8552904
    Abstract: There is provided an in-vehicle pulse radar that permits to detect information on an object accurately by temporally separating a noise signal mixed into a receiving signal by applying a delay time with a simple configuration. A baseband signal down-converted by a frequency converter (152) is output to a signal processing section (102) through a board-to-board connector (103) after passing through a delay circuit (153). Still further, a control signal is output to a switching circuit (151) from a control signal generating section (162) through the board-to-board connector (103). The delay circuit (153) increases a time lag from when the control signal passes through the board-to-board connector (103) until when the baseband signal passes through the board-to-board connector (103) by applying a predetermined delay time to the baseband signal. Thereby, the baseband signal receives no interference from the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignees: Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd., Furukawa Automotive Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Kei Takahashi, Sadao Matushima, Toshihide Fukuchi
  • Patent number: 8547273
    Abstract: The invention provides a pulse radar apparatus, and a control method thereof, that permits to readily downsize and to lower its cost and allows information on an object to be detected in high precision by removing an influence of noise when a gain of a variable gain amplifier is discontinuously changed corresponding to detected distance, with a simple configuration. A variable gain amplifier 135 configured to adjust a gain corresponding to a distance gate is used to be able to detect weak reflected wave from a distant object and to amplify a reflected wave from a short distance with a low gain. An offset noise from the variable gain amplifier 135 is prepared together with interference noise and self-mixing noise in advance as a replica signal of unwanted wave and the replica signal is removed from a baseband signal in detecting the object T.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignees: Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd., Furukawa Automotive Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Yasushi Aoyagi, Kazutaka Kamimura, Yoshihito Ishida
  • Patent number: 8542145
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for locating non-cooperating objects by means of a random or pseudo-random noisy type waveform generator, an amplifier, of said waveforms and an antenna which radiates them towards the object, which object generates an electromagnetic echo which is detected by a passive subsystem of antennas and receivers. The time delay and Doppler shift values are determined in the latter subsystem and in turn forwarded from encoding and modulating blocks to a central processor which estimates the position and the speed of the object. The passive subsystem receives, through a transmission channel or storage element, the reference signal which represents the transmitted noisy type waveform and uses it for calculating the bi-dimensional cross correlation (ambiguity function), which permits to estimate the time delay and the Doppler shift.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Universita' Degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata
    Inventor: Gaspare Galati
  • Publication number: 20130241764
    Abstract: A system for detecting object movement including a sensory network having at least one sensory device using modulated radar for detecting an object in proximity to the sensory network. The sensory network including wireless transmission means and a base station having computer processing means located remote from the sensory network and including wireless transmission means to communicate with the sensory network. The base station having computer readable program code means for causing the computer processing means to analyze data received from the sensory network to determine motion characteristics of the object in proximity to the sensory network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2011
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: THE UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS
    Inventors: Robert Kozma, Khan M. Iftekharuddin, Lan Wang, Ross Deming
  • Publication number: 20130241765
    Abstract: A system for detecting object movement including a sensory network having at least one sensory device using modulated radar for detecting an object in proximity to the sensory network. The sensory network including a wireless transmission system and a base station having a computer processing system located remote from the sensory network and including a wireless transmission system to communicate with the sensory network. The base station having a computer readable program code for causing the computer processing system to analyze data received from the sensory network to determine motion characteristics of the object in proximity to the sensory network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2012
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: The University of Memphis
    Inventors: Robert Kozma, Lan Wang, Khan M. Iftekharuddin, Ross Deming, Orges Furxhi, Sergi Consul
  • Publication number: 20130229298
    Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product for determining a trajectory of an item includes segmenting surveillance point data of sensors, by sensor, into track segments for the item, associating the track segments for the item in a segment group for the item, and fusing the track segments in the segment group for the item into a synthetic threaded track for the item. The fusing may include filtering of the track segments for the item across track segments. The filtering across track segments may be based on a weighting of the point track data of the track segments for the item. A system for determining a trajectory of an item may include a processing device configured to execute a threaded track process to convert a data set of surveillance point data into a synthetic threaded track for the item.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicant: The MITRE Corporation
    Inventors: Adric Carlyle ECKSTEIN, Christopher Edward KURCZ, Marcio Oliveira SILVA, William J. WEILAND
  • Publication number: 20130207834
    Abstract: A vehicle-mounted radar apparatus for transmitting radar waves toward the outside of a vehicle mounting the apparatus thereon and receiving the radar waves reflected from an object to thereby acquire information about the object. In the apparatus, a target detection unit transmits and receives the radar waves to detect positions of targets. An object position determination unit determines a position of the object reflecting the radar waves on the basis of the positions of the targets. A representative target selection unit selects a representative target from the targets. A same-object target selection unit selects targets belonging to the same object as the representative target. A large-vehicle determination unit determines whether or not the object is a large vehicle on the basis of a number of targets selected by the same-object target selection unit and reflection wave received powers for the respective targets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2013
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Applicants: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION, DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: DENSO CORPORATION, Mazda Motor Corporation
  • Publication number: 20130207833
    Abstract: A vehicle-mounted radar apparatus for transmitting radar waves toward the outside of a vehicle mounting the apparatus thereon and receiving the radar waves reflected from an object to thereby acquire information about the object. In the apparatus, a target detection unit transmits and receives the radar waves to detect positions of targets. An object position determination unit determines a position of the object reflecting the radar waves on the basis of the positions of the targets. A representative target selection unit selects a representative target from the targets detected by the target detection unit. A same-object target selection unit selects targets belonging to the same object as the representative target. A large-vehicle determination unit determines whether or not an extent of the targets selected by the same-object target selection unit is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value for large-vehicle determination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2013
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Applicants: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION, DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: DENSO CORPORATION, Mazda Motor Corporation
  • Publication number: 20130207832
    Abstract: A vehicle-mounted radar apparatus for transmitting radar waves in a forward traveling direction of a vehicle mounting the apparatus thereon (radar-mounting vehicle) and receiving the radar waves reflected from an object to acquire information about the object. In the apparatus, a target detection unit transmits and receives the radar waves to detect positions of targets. A representative target selection unit selects a representative target from the targets detected by the target detection unit. A same-object target selection unit selects targets belonging to the same object as the representative target. An object position determination unit calculates a value of a predefined function of lateral positions of two or more targets of all the targets selected by the same-object target selection unit as a lateral position, along a vehicle-width direction of the radar-mounting vehicle, of the specific reflecting object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2013
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Applicants: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION, DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: DENSO CORPORATION, Mazda Motor Corporation
  • Patent number: 8504283
    Abstract: A host-vehicle risk acquisition device includes a host-vehicle path acquisition portion that acquires a path of a host-vehicle, and an obstacle path acquisition portion that acquires a plurality of paths of an obstacle existing around the host-vehicle. A collision risk acquisition portion acquires an actual collision risk, which is a collision risk between the host-vehicle and the obstacle when the host-vehicle is in a travel state based on the path of the host-vehicle and the plurality of paths of the obstacle. An offset risk acquisition portion acquires an offset risk, which is a collision risk between the host-vehicle and the obstacle in an offset travel state, which is offset from the travel state of the host-vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuaki Aso, Toshiki Kindo, Masahiro Harada
  • Publication number: 20130194128
    Abstract: A floodlight radar system includes a transmitter arranged to generate output waveforms at first and second centre frequencies, and at least one transmit antenna configured to illuminate a search volume constantly at the first and second centre frequencies. A sparse array of receive antennas is arranged in a common plane and configured to monitor the search volume constantly. The system includes a receive circuit arranged to extract target position information from return signals received by each antenna, and a signal processor circuit which is arranged to resolve ambiguity in the position information using a known relationship between calculated Doppler spectra, wavelengths and phase differences at the first and second frequencies, to calculate azimuth, elevation, range and velocity of a target identified in the search volume. The system is able to rapidly detect and locate multiple fast moving targets in three dimensions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2011
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Applicant: Reutech Radar Systems (Prporietary) Limited
    Inventor: Paulus Jacobus Van Der Merwe
  • Publication number: 20130176162
    Abstract: Methods and devices for detecting, in a scene, a first type reflector is provided. The method includes identifying, using a radar in a mobile system, a zone of a distance-radial velocity space that contains a second type reflector. The second type reflector is capable of concealing the first type reflector. The method includes modeling an order two phase shift over time of theoretical first type and second type reflectors. The method includes creating a filter a distance and a radial velocity. The method includes illuminating the scene. The method includes acquiring raw radar data from the echoes reflected by the reflectors of the scene. The method includes obtaining distance profiles. The method includes applying a filter on the distance profiles. The method includes detecting the first type reflector among the second type reflector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2012
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Inventors: Francois Vincent, Phillippe Goy
  • Patent number: 8482455
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a radar device with high angular accuracy. The solution provided by the invention simultaneously combines an interferometer that is accurate but, for example, ambiguous when receiving; and a space coloring mode when transmitting. The coloring of the space consists notably in transmitting on N transmitting antennas N orthogonal signals. These signals are then separated by filtering on reception using the orthogonality properties of the transmission signals. It is, for example, possible, with two contiguous antennas in transmission associated with two orthogonal codes to produce a single-pulse type system when transmitting. The invention applies notably to the obstacle sensing and avoidance function, also called “Sense & Avoid”.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Stéphane Kemkemian, Pascal Cornic, Patrick Le Bihan
  • Publication number: 20130169471
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the range, radial velocity, and bearing angles of scattering objects reflecting RF signals or for determining the range, radial velocity, and bearing angles of sources RF signals. An array of antenna elements is utilized, the array of antenna elements each having an associated two state modulator wherein transmitted and/or received energy is phase encoded according to a sequence of multibit codes, the multibit codes each having two states with approximately a 50% probability for each of the two states occurring in each given multibit code in said sequence of multibit codes, thereby allowing the determination of range, radial velocity, and bearing angles through digital computation after the scattered signals have been received.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: HRL LABORATORIES, LLC
    Inventor: Jonathan J. Lynch
  • Patent number: 8471760
    Abstract: An automotive radar system to determine a sweep pattern to be transmitted as an output radar waveform in a multiuser transmission environment is disclosed. The system includes: a receiver to receive noise signals; a signal generator to generate a plurality of different frequency sweep signals; a signal combiner to combine each frequency sweep signal with a received noise signal; an interference classifier to identify combined signals corresponding to one or more received noise signals including frequency chirp signals and to determine the respective noise levels of the identified combined signals corresponding to one or more received noise signals including frequency chirp signals; a selector to select a plurality of frequency sweep signals in dependence upon the noise levels determined by the interference classifier; and a control unit to determine a sweep pattern comprising the selected plurality of frequency sweep signals to be transmitted as an output radar waveform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Wieslaw Jerzy Szajnowski
  • Patent number: 8471705
    Abstract: A multifunction detector for detecting energy reflected from the surface, the detector comprising: a focal plane array in communication with the optical receiving path; and an optical receiving path; a read-only integrated circuit in communication with the optical receiving path, integrated with a focal plane array; and a processor programmed to operate the focal plane array and read-out integrated circuit in a first mode to process signals in a first frequency band, and in a second mode to process signals in a second, wider frequency band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: William Yenisch, Richard LeBlanc
  • Patent number: 8466830
    Abstract: An electronic scanning radar apparatus includes a transmission unit configured to transmit a transmission wave, and a receiving unit including a plurality of antennas receiving a receiving wave coming from a target. The receiving wave is formed from a reflection wave of the transmission wave reflected at the target. A beat signal generation unit is configured to generate beat signals in response to the transmission wave and the receiving wave. A frequency resolution processing unit is configured to obtain complex number data calculated from beat frequencies having signal levels obtained by performing a frequency resolution for the beat signals based on a predetermined frequency width. A peak detector is configured to detect an existence of the target by detecting peak signal levels of the beat frequencies, and a direction detecting unit is configured to calculate an incoming direction of the receiving wave based on a normal equation having an order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Elesys Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Junji Kanamoto
  • Patent number: 8441395
    Abstract: An electronic scanning radar apparatus includes a transmission unit configured to transmit a transmission wave, a receiving unit including a plurality of antennas receiving an incoming wave coming from a target, a beat signal generation unit configure to generate beat signals in response to the transmission wave and the incoming wave, a frequency resolution processing unit obtaining complex number data calculated from beat frequencies having signal levels obtained by performing a frequency resolution for the beat signals based on a predetermined frequency width, a peak detector detecting an existence of a present target by detecting peak signal levels of the beat frequencies, a target link unit associating between the present target detected in a present detecting cycle and a past target detected in past detecting cycles; and a direction detecting unit calculating a direction of the incoming wave based on the weighted averaging process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Elesys Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Junji Kanamoto
  • Patent number: 8427361
    Abstract: The radar apparatus includes a target candidate detecting means for detecting a peak frequency at which the intensity of the power spectrum of a beat signal peaks as a target candidate, a road shape recognizing means to sequentially connect, along a predetermined direction, the target candidates detected to be stationary and present within a reference distance from one of the target candidates set as a reference target candidate for one or more measurement cycles and recognize an area formed by the sequentially connected target candidates as an edge of the road, a cruise environment estimating means to determine whether the cruise environment is a closed space or an open space based on the power spectrum, and a reference distance correcting means to shorten the reference distance when the cruise environment is determined to be a closed space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Koichi Sato
  • Patent number: 8416123
    Abstract: A non-scanning radar for detecting and tracking multiple moving objects. The transmit antenna continuously illuminates the entire surveillance volume, which can even be omni-directional (hemispherical). Multiple receive antennas are employed, each covering part of the surveillance volume. Receivers are used in combination to measure angles of incidence via interferometry on objects that are resolved in range and Doppler. Very long processing times are used to compensate for the reduced antenna gain compared to any radar that scans. By continuously illuminating the surveillance volume, there is no hard limit to the number of objects that can be simultaneously tracked. The primary application for this technology is detection and tracking of such objects as bullets, artillery projectiles, mortar shells, and rockets, and determining the location of the weapon that fired them. Numerous other applications are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: MARK Resources, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard L. Mitchell, August W. Rihaczek
  • Publication number: 20130076558
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the general field of radar tracking applied to multi-static radar systems. It consists of a method for coherently merging the individual tracks generated from the various bistatic bases that make up the system so as to generate and maintain global tracks so that an object detected by a single bistatic base is represented by the corresponding track and an object detected by a number of bistatic bases and giving rise to the creation of a number of individual tracks is represented only by a single global track.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2012
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: THALES
    Inventors: Sébastien Allam, Emmanuel De Gramont, Wilfried Greverie, Jean Claude Deltour, Mathieu Klein
  • Patent number: 8384587
    Abstract: A radar being carried by an aircraft includes means for transmitting an RF wave towards a target, said wave having a double form, a first waveform being composed of at least two sinusoids of different frequencies transmitted simultaneously, the radar comprising reception circuits receiving the signals reflected by the target and analysis means performing the detection of the target on the basis of the signals received. The second waveform is of the pulse type. The transmitted waveform is dependent on the relative speed of the target with respect to the carrier and on the absolute speed of the carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Pascal Cornic, Patrick Garrec, Stéphane Kemkemian