With Frequency Modulation Patents (Class 342/128)
-
Patent number: 6825797Abstract: A radar system achieves adjustment of a time-change characteristic of a frequency-modulating voltage signal to a voltage-controlled oscillator for determining a transmitting signal such that the time-change characteristic of the frequency-modulating voltage signal is changed by a minute amount and the frequency spectrum of a beat signal is determined. The adjustment is performed so that the shape of a bulge in signal intensity included in the frequency spectrum is the sharpest.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2003Date of Patent: November 30, 2004Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co, Ltd.Inventors: Toru Ishii, Motoi Nakanishi, Tetsu Nishimura
-
Publication number: 20040207552Abstract: Disclosed is a radar apparatus which receives a transmitted signal reflected from an object by switching between a plurality of antennas, wherein the plurality of antennas are divided into a plurality of groups, and at least one of the plurality of antennas contained in each of the groups is a common antenna.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 14, 2004Publication date: October 21, 2004Inventor: Osamu Isaji
-
Patent number: 6795012Abstract: In a radar, a coupler extracts a part of a transmission signal as a local signal and a mixer mixes a reception signal from a circulator and the local signal so as to output an intermediate frequency signal which is the frequency difference between the transmission signal and the reception signal. An IF-amplifying circuit amplifies the intermediate frequency signal and an AD converter converts the signal to digital data. A DC-removing unit removes a DC component by subtracting the average from the data and an FFT operation unit performs fast Fourier transform so that the distance to a target and the relative velocity of the target are calculated based on a peak included in the frequency spectrum.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2002Date of Patent: September 21, 2004Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co. Ltd.Inventors: Motoi Nakanishi, Toru Ishii, Tetsu Nishimura
-
Publication number: 20040174291Abstract: A radar suppresses a dc component so as to improve the precision in processing a signal that belongs to a low-frequency band. The radar comprises a mixer that mixes a transmitted signal and a received signal, and an A/D converter that analog-to-digital converts an output signal of the mixer. The radar further includes: a removing unit that removes a dc voltage component by subtracting a predetermined removal voltage value from output data of the A/D converter; and an analyzing unit that Fourier-transforms data, which has the dc voltage component removed therefrom by the removing unit, so as to analyze the data.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 1, 2004Publication date: September 9, 2004Inventor: Osamu Isaji
-
Patent number: 6788247Abstract: A distance and speed measuring method and a radar signal processing apparatus using the method are provided which are capable of obtaining highly reliable measurement results while reducing the number of false targets and undetectable targets, by obtaining the relative distance and the relative speed of each target based on the frequencies of a beat signal of up (or down) phase alone through the use of information in a time series direction of the frequencies of the beat signal of up (or down) phase.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2002Date of Patent: September 7, 2004Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Masashi Mitsumoto, Takamitsu Okada, Takahiko Fujisaka, Yoshio Kosuge, Koichi Kai
-
Publication number: 20040145513Abstract: In the on-vehicle radar apparatus of the present invention, the vertical scanning width of the radar beam is narrowed, before the horizontal scanning, thereby avoiding unnecessary data processing and improving the data processing efficiently. Further, the SIN ratio of the target detection signal is increased, thereby stabilizing the distance detection and its accuracy. The vertical scanning antenna is a single travelling wave excitation antenna (TWEA) constructed by a plurality of antenna elements. At the same time, the horizontal scanning antenna is a multi-channel antenna wherein a plurality of TWEAs is assigned to a plurality of horizontal directions. The horizontal scanning angle is arbitrarily widened by increasing the number of TWEAs.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 8, 2003Publication date: July 29, 2004Inventors: Tetsuya Katayama, Yuichi Tanaka
-
Patent number: 6765523Abstract: A stationary object detection method for a scanning radar wherein, of peaks generated based on a radar signal reflected from a target, peaks having substantially the same frequency are grouped together, and a decision is made as to whether or not the frequency of the grouped peaks is equal to/higher than a predetermined value, and wherein if the peak frequency is equal to or higher than the predetermined value, then a decision is made as to whether or not the number of grouped peaks is equal to or greater than a predetermined number and, if the number of peaks is equal to or greater than the predetermined number, it is decided that the target is an overhead bridge candidate or an overhead bridge.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2002Date of Patent: July 20, 2004Assignee: Fujitsu Ten LimitedInventor: Daisaku Ono
-
Patent number: 6762711Abstract: In a method for detecting target objects and determining their direction, range, speed and the like for a radar device, the invention provides that at least three transmitting and receiving devices for radar beams are arranged in such a manner that their beam fields (a, b, c, d, e) form the dectection area of the radar device, and the at least three transmitting and receiving devices are activated and deactivated successively in such a manner that at least two adjacent transmitting and recieving devices are activated simultaneously.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2001Date of Patent: July 13, 2004Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventor: Reiner Doerfler
-
Patent number: 6759977Abstract: A method for radar-based gauging of the level of a substance in a tank (13) having at least one interfering structure (16a-c), comprises the steps of: (i) transmitting a microwave signal in a plurality of radiation lobes (15a-b; 15a-d), each of which being individually directed towards the substance and at least one of which being directed towards the interfering structure; (ii) for each of the radiation lobes detecting temporally resolved the microwave signal as reflected against the substance, and for at least one of the lobes detecting the microwave signal as reflected against the interfering structure; (iii) based on signal strengths of the detected microwave signals, distinguishing the detected microwave signals, which have been reflected against the substance; and (iv) based on a propagation time of at least one of the microwave signals distinguished as those, which have been reflected against the substance, calculating the level of the substance.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2002Date of Patent: July 6, 2004Assignee: Saab Marine Electronics ABInventors: Kurt Olov Edvardsson, Jan Westerling
-
Publication number: 20040125010Abstract: In a system, a frequency-modulating unit is configured to frequency-modulate a radar wave signal within a predetermined frequency modulation range from bottom to top so that a frequency of the frequency-modulated radar wave changes in time. The rate of frequency change of the radar wave signal in time is set to F0/Tf. The F0 represents a center frequency in the frequency modulation range. The Tf represents the predetermined constant time. A mixing unit is configured to mix the transmitted frequency-modulated radar wave signal and the reflection signal to obtain a beat signal. The beat signal is based on a frequency difference between a frequency of the transmitted radar wave signal and that of the reflection signal. A sweeping unit is configured to sweep the beat signal within the frequency modulation range from one of the bottom and the top to the other thereof to obtain a frequency component of the beat signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 23, 2003Publication date: July 1, 2004Inventors: Kazuma Natsume, Hiroshi Hazumi
-
Publication number: 20040125013Abstract: A method for determining the position of at least one second transmitting and receiving device (3) in respect of a first transmitting and receiving device in a passive access control system operating in the GHz range, comprising the steps of using a radar method, wherein signals (f1, f2) are received in the first transmitting and receiving device on the left-hand side and right-hand side of a modulation frequency (fmod), determining the distance of two signals (f1, f2) closest to the left-hand side and right-hand side modulation frequency (fmod) wherein the distance is proportional to the distance between the first transmitting and receiving device and at least one second transmitting and receiving device (3), so that multipath propagations are not taken into consideration.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 21, 2003Publication date: July 1, 2004Inventors: Mario Haselsteiner, Klaus Hofbeck, Thomas Klement, Birgit Rosel, Arnd Stielow
-
Publication number: 20040125011Abstract: Provided is a radar apparatus capable of continuously and stably making a detection of a target even if a reflected wave from a target already detected falls into obscurity due to the presence of low-frequency noises or reflected waves from other targets. An estimated value of information on a target to be obtained when the target is detected in the present cycle are acquired from the target detected in a previous cycle. When a peak compatible with the estimated value is detected in only one of a frequency-rising section and a frequency falling section of a radar wave, if the frequency of the non-detected peak pertains a low-frequency noise domain or if a side-by-side travel flag is set with respect to the target detected in the previous cycle, the non-detected peak is considered as buried by low-frequency noises or peaks of other targets, and a peak pair corresponding to the detected target is extrapolated.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2003Publication date: July 1, 2004Applicant: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Hiroaki Kumon, Yukimasa Tamatsu
-
Publication number: 20040119966Abstract: A distance-measuring device for measuring the distance to an object (M) which comprises (i) a frequency-controlling means (11A) which outputs a frequency-control signal whose frequency is changing, (ii) a transmitting means (12A) which sends out an electromagnetic wave whose frequency is the same as the frequency of the frequency-control signal, (iii) a detecting means (13A) which is provided between the transmitting means (12A) and the object (M), detects the amplitude of a standing wave formed between the transmitting means (12A) and the object (M), and outputs an amplitude signal corresponding to the detected amplitude, and (iv) a signal-processing unit (14A) which forms a frequency-amplitude function representing the relation between the frequency of the frequency-control signal and the value of the amplitude signal and calculates the distance between the detecting means (13A) and the object (M) by using the period of the frequency-amplitude function.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 10, 2004Publication date: June 24, 2004Inventors: Tadamitsu Iritani, Tetsuji Uebo
-
Patent number: 6753804Abstract: A method for tracking a target vehicle through a curve in a roadway is disclosed. The method includes measuring an azimuth angle between the target vehicle and a host vehicle, calculating a relative velocity between the target vehicle and the host vehicle, developing a theoretical relationship, wherein the relationship is a function of the measured azimuth angle and the measured relative velocity, and comparing the developed theoretical relationship with measured relationship between the azimuth angle and the relative velocity. Further, the target vehicle is determined to be in the same lane or path of the host vehicle by evaluating how well the developed theoretical relationship fits the with the measured azimuth angle and calculated relative velocity. Therefore, the present invention determines the path of a target vehicle without relying on inaccurate conventional methods based on the yaw rate of the host vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2002Date of Patent: June 22, 2004Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Shunji Miyahara
-
Patent number: 6753805Abstract: In an FM-CW radar system, regarding peaks appearing in the frequency spectrum of a beat signal in an FM-CW radar, groups of consecutive peaks in beam bearings within a predetermined frequency difference are regarded as being caused by reflected waves from a single target, and based on a combination of a peak group in an up-modulating interval and a peak group in a down-modulating interval, a relative distance to a target and its relative speed are determined.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2002Date of Patent: June 22, 2004Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Motoi Nakanishi, Toru Ishii, Tetsu Nishimura
-
Patent number: 6750811Abstract: The occurrence of an axis displacement in a horizontal direction in a vehicle-to-vehicle distance controlling radar is detected, the amount of the axis displacement is determined, and an azimuth angle is corrected using the thus determined amount of the axis displacement. The frequency with which vehicle-to-vehicle distance control is released or re-set is measured and, if the frequency is higher than a threshold, it is determined that the axis is displaced. The amount of the axis displacement is determined from the angle of the locus of a stationary target. The azimuth angle of the target is corrected using the thus determined axis displacement angle.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 2002Date of Patent: June 15, 2004Assignee: Fujitsu Ten LimitedInventors: Hisateru Asanuma, Masayuki Kishida
-
Publication number: 20040108952Abstract: A signal from CW radar is received, and the received power detected by the CW radar's swinging in all directions is averaged in each direction. Then, the maximum value and the minimum value of the received power are detected for each direction, and the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value is computed. An average power value of obtained power is also computed. On a 2-dimensional plane on which the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value and the average power value are used for coordinate axes, slice processing is performed using a threshold indicated by a line graph or a curve.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 20, 2003Publication date: June 10, 2004Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITEDInventors: Satoshi Ishii, Yoshikazu Dooi, Sadanori Matsui
-
Publication number: 20040095269Abstract: To provide a radar system mounted on a vehicle that reliably detects the reception of the interference wave with high-performance and inexpensively. There is provided a radar system mounted on a vehicle for detecting a target object, including a transmitter for transmitting an electromagnetic wave, a receiver for receiving the electromagnetic wave reflected by the target object, a signal processor for measuring a distance between a vehicle of his/her own and the target object and a relative velocity on the basis of the transmitting electromagnetic wave and the receiving electromagnetic wave, and an interference detector for suspending a transmit operation of the transmitter under a control of the signal processor to detect an interference signal from another external device.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2003Publication date: May 20, 2004Applicant: MITSUBISHI DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Naohisa Uehara, Koichi Kai
-
Patent number: 6731235Abstract: When a new target is detected, if it is determined that the distance difference between the newly detected target and the previously detected target is within a predetermined range, the difference between the relative velocity of the newly detected target and the relative velocity of the previously detected target is obtained to determine whether the difference is greater than a predetermined value &Dgr;Va, and when the difference is greater than the predetermined value, it is determined that the new target is a target obtained as a result of mispairing.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2002Date of Patent: May 4, 2004Assignee: Fujitsu Ten LimitedInventors: Masayuki Kishida, Yasuhiro Sekiguchi
-
Patent number: 6727844Abstract: A method and a device for detecting objects that has at least two near distance sensors installed on a vehicle. The at least two near distance sensors have detection ranges that overlap at least partially. The relative positions of possible detected objects with respect to the at least two near distance sensors are determined in the overlap area by the triangulation principle. Possible apparent objects obtained by determining the relative position of possible detected objects are identified using dynamic object monitoring.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 2000Date of Patent: April 27, 2004Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbHInventors: Uwe Zimmermann, Achim Pruksch, Werner Uhler
-
Patent number: 6717546Abstract: A method for correction of the detection range of a distance sensor, which is installed with an eccentricity laterally offset with respect to the central axis of a motor vehicle. In order to correct the detection range, a correction angle is used, with which the eccentricity of the distance sensor is corrected at the time of its installation. Thus the distance sensor is not aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, but to its central axis. Thus, the detection range is advantageously covered approximately symmetrically to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The correction angle is determined either empirically, via appropriate test measurements, or mathematically.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2002Date of Patent: April 6, 2004Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbHInventors: Klaus Winter, Hermann Winner, Jens Lueder
-
Patent number: 6714286Abstract: An apparatus and method of dynamically optimizing an acquisition range of a radar system, including modulating a CW radar signal with a PN code that has an adjustable code frequency of modulation and an adjustable chip length. The method includes transmitting the modulated radar signal and receiving a return radar signal, based on the transmitted radar signal. The method continuously measures a SNR of the received return radar signal, and adaptively tunes the adjustable code frequency of modulation, and adaptively tunes the adjustable chip length, based on the continuously measured SNR. In this manner, the acquisition range of the radar system is optimized.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2002Date of Patent: March 30, 2004Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.Inventor: Peter J. Wheel
-
Patent number: 6707419Abstract: A radar transmitter includes a digital ramp generator circuit for generating a VCO control signal. The ramp generator includes a digital signal processor and a digital-to-analog converter. In one embodiment, the VCO output signal is up-converted to provide the transmit signal and in another embodiment, the VCO operates over the transmit frequency. Also described is a VCO comprising a DR and a phase shifter. A temperature compensation feature includes detecting the transmit frequency and comparing the DSP output generating the detected frequency to a DSP output stored in association with the detected frequency. Also described is a technique for compensating for non-linear VCO operation in which the DSP output words are adjusted to provide a waveform complementary in shape to the non-linear VCO characteristic. Susceptibility of the radar to interference is reduced by randomly varying at least one parameter of the ramp signal, such as offset interval or voltage range, in at least one ramp signal cycle.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2001Date of Patent: March 16, 2004Assignee: Raytheon CompanyInventors: Walter Gordon Woodington, Michael Joseph Delcheccolo, Joseph S. Pleva, Mark E. Russell, H. Barteld Van Rees, James T. Hanson
-
Patent number: 6686871Abstract: In a method for HPRF-radar measurement of the range and Doppler frequency of at least one target, a transmit signal is generated which consists of two pulse sequences that are interleaved on a pulse to pulse basis, and have the same pulse repetition frequency PRF and the same transmit frequency. The pulses of a first one of the two pulse sequences have a linearly increasing phase value with a fixed phase difference &phgr;1n (greater than zero) from pulse to pulse with &phgr;1n≧0, while the pulses of the second pulse sequence have a linear increasing phase value with a fixed phase difference &phgr;2n which differs from &phgr;1n. The two received base band signals of each individual pulse sequence are Fourier transformed, and the amplitude peaks of the resulting two Fourier spectra are determined.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 2002Date of Patent: February 3, 2004Assignee: EADS Deutschland GmbHInventors: Hermann Rohling, Wilhelm Guener, Hans Hommel, Dieter Nagel
-
Patent number: 6686870Abstract: A radar device precisely detects a target in short time intervals by detecting a true peak frequency with high accuracy via a calculation which does not require a large amount of computation. A discrete frequency spectrum of a beat signal multiplied by a window function is determined, and values of signal strength at two discrete frequencies which are, respectively, higher and lower than a peak frequency of the discrete frequency spectrum of the beat signal and which are adjacent to the peak frequency. The frequency difference between the discrete peak frequency of the beat signal and the peak frequency of the window function is then determined from the ratio between the values of signal strength at those two discrete frequencies adjacent to the peak frequency. Thus, the true peak frequency of the beat signal is determined with a high frequency resolution.Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 2003Date of Patent: February 3, 2004Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tetsu Nishimura, Motoi Nakanishi, Toru Ishii
-
Patent number: 6683561Abstract: A coherent radar detection system (2) comprises a radar signal transmitter (4) and a correlation receiver (6). The transmitter (4) comprises a waveform generator which generates a signal at an intermediate frequency. The signal is divided into two divided signals by a coupler, and then the divided signals are mixed together in a mixer to generate an output signal which has a wider bandwidth than the intermediate frequency. The bandwidth can be increased further by repeating the coupler/mixer stage. The system generates very wide bandwidth signals coherently, allowing coherent processing in high resolution range gates.Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 1999Date of Patent: January 27, 2004Assignee: BAE Systems Electronics LimitedInventors: Peter Donald Fraser Tait, Adrian Peter Kyte, Peter James Steward, David John Shephard, Timothy Edward Ffrench
-
Patent number: 6674395Abstract: A radar system includes a transmitting/receiving unit, having a voltage controlled oscillator, for repeatedly transmitting a triangular transmission signal including a frequency-gradually-rising up-modulation interval and a frequency-gradually-dropping down-modulation interval and for receiving a reception signal including a reflected signal from a target, a frequency analysis unit, a data storing unit for storing time-varying characteristics of input values to a D/A converter that monotonically change an oscillation frequency of the voltage controlled oscillator with time, in the form of data concerning an expression representing the time-varying characteristics, and a data processing unit for determining the input values to the D/A converter with reference to the data. At least one of the relative distance to the target and the relative speed of the target is detected based on a beat signal during the up-modulation interval and the beat signal during the down-modulation interval.Type: GrantFiled: January 17, 2003Date of Patent: January 6, 2004Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Motoi Nakanishi, Toru Ishii, Tetsu Nishimura
-
Patent number: 6664919Abstract: The present invention relates to a radar device and, particularly, to a radar device mounted on a vehicle to be used for a collision alarm and the like. The invention provides a radar device that has a unit for removing the FMAM noise without lowering the signal detection sensitivity. The radar device transmits a frequency modulation signal by switching the frequency modulation signal with a first switching signal, receives a signal reflected from a target object, switches the reception signal with a second switching signal, mixes the switched reception signal with the transmission signal, and further mixes the mixed signals with a third switching signal thereby to obtain a beat signal. The radar device obtains a distance to the target object and a relative speed of the target object from the beat signal.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2002Date of Patent: December 16, 2003Assignee: Fujitsu Ten LimitedInventor: Osamu Isaji
-
Patent number: 6661370Abstract: The invention detects a ghost occurring due to mispairing, reflections from a wall, or the like, and improves the ability of a radar to track targets when actual relative velocity changes by more than a certain value. If a stationary target is present within a prescribed region centered about a moving target, the stationary target is excluded from output data by determining it as being a target resulting from mispairing due to the detection of guardrail posts or similar structures. Further, a moving target that is expected to collide with an eligible target is also excluded from the output data by determining it as being a target resulting from mispairing due to the detection of a target having many reflecting points. For a moving target showing an unlikely relative velocity, pairing with some other peak is attempted by determining the moving target as being a target resulting from mispairing due to the detection of a plurality of moving targets moving in the same direction.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2002Date of Patent: December 9, 2003Assignee: Fujitsu Ten LimitedInventors: Masayuki Kishida, Sadanori Matsui, Yasuhiro Sekiguchi, Tokio Shinagawa, Daisaku Ono
-
Patent number: 6657582Abstract: As to a beat signal of a received wave, for instance, a plurality of FFT-based frequency spectra of every FM rise zone are accumulated in an accumulation unit. A judgment unit judges a valley section from the plurality of frequency spectra accumulated. A peak frequency extraction unit acquires, as beat frequencies of different targets, respective beat frequencies of peak sections located at both sides of the valley sections judged.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2002Date of Patent: December 2, 2003Assignees: Fujitsu Limited, Fujitsu Ten LimitedInventors: Tetsuo Seki, Osamu Isaji
-
Patent number: 6653974Abstract: In a method for the determination of the unambiguous range for the measurement of the IF deviation in a frequency-regulated radar system, a frequency adjustment or tuning of the radar system is carried out during the reception of an echo signal by adjustingly setting respectively at least one value for the IF deviation around the value zero in the unambiguous range of the IF deviation as well as in an ambiguous range of the IF deviation. Then, the unambiguous range is recognized as such by comparison of the signal amplitude and/or the number of the detected targets during these adjustment settings, because the unambiguous range exhibits the highest signal amplitude and/or the greatest number of detected targets (i.e. echo signals).Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2001Date of Patent: November 25, 2003Assignee: Automotive Distance Control Systems GmbHInventors: Ralph Speck, Joachim Flacke, Bruno Kaiser
-
Patent number: 6639547Abstract: A system for functional testing in a continuous-wave radar having a transmitter circuit for generating radar transmit signals, a transmit/receive antenna coupled by way of a circulator with the transmitter circuit, and a receiver circuit whose input is coupled with the transmit/receiver antenna by way of the circulator, for processing radar echo signals of a target object received at the transmit/receive antenna. The circulator relays the transmit signals generated by the transmitter circuit to the transmit/receive antenna, and splits off echo signals of the target object received from the transmit/receive antenna to the input of the receiver circuit. An RPC circuit coupled between the output and the input of the receiver circuit suppresses those portions of the transmit signals that are split off from the transmitter circuit and/or reflected from the transmit/receive antenna directly into the receiver circuit.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2002Date of Patent: October 28, 2003Assignee: EADS Deutschland GmbHInventor: Klaus Solbach
-
Publication number: 20030184470Abstract: A radar system achieves adjustment of a time-change characteristic of a frequency-modulating voltage signal to a voltage-controlled oscillator for determining a transmitting signal such that the time-change characteristic of the frequency-modulating voltage signal is changed by a minute amount and the frequency spectrum of a beat signal is determined. The adjustment is performed so that the shape of a bulge in signal intensity included in the frequency spectrum is the sharpest.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 17, 2003Publication date: October 2, 2003Applicant: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Toru Ishii, Motoi Nakanishi, Tetsu Nishimura
-
Patent number: 6624783Abstract: A pulse-type beamforming apparatus, such as a radar array system, is used for receiving, detecting, localizing, and/or imaging desired signals. The apparatus is used to receive wideband chirp signals. The apparatus contains a receive aperture that is partitioned into multiple channels. The received signal at each channel is mixed with a replica chirp. The replica chirp is effectively delayed in a way that partially removes range-dependent distortion of desired signals. The mixer outputs are then sampled and filtered. The filters on each channel incorporate a time delay that completely removes the remaining range-dependent distortion for all signals in a desired direction. Signals are also compressed and integrated by a digital beamformer.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2001Date of Patent: September 23, 2003Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyInventor: Daniel Rabideau
-
Patent number: 6621449Abstract: A method for detection and correction of nonlinearities in radio-frequency voltage controlled oscillators provides for division of the output signal of the oscillator, direct analysis of the divided output signal by means of a counting device, conversion of the respective counter value to an equivalent voltage value, and production of a control signal with a corrected frequency response for the oscillator by logic-link the equivalent-voltage value to a predetermined nominal value.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2001Date of Patent: September 16, 2003Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventor: Martin Kunert
-
Patent number: 6618000Abstract: In a method and apparatus for controlling the distance of a vehicle to a vehicle traveling ahead, in which the distance and the relative velocity of the vehicle traveling ahead are measured and the distance, in a distance control mode, is controlled by accelerating or decelerating the vehicle to a preestablished setpoint distance, wherein the deceleration permitted by the distance control process is limited and, in situations in which the setpoint distance cannot be maintained at this limited deceleration, the transition is made from the distance control process to a process limiting the distance to a minimum distance which is smaller than the setpoint distance, and the vehicle, after reaching the minimum distance, is further decelerated, so that the distance once again increases to the setpoint distance.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2002Date of Patent: September 9, 2003Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbHInventors: Hermann Winner, Albrecht Irion
-
Publication number: 20030156055Abstract: An inventive frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar system realizes both of a quick detection of higher relative speed provisional target and a sure detection of smaller relative speed provisional target. The number of detection cycles used for a paring validity check (a test to see if a detected target or a pair of frequencies is an actual target or a pair for an actual target) is set in response to the relative velocity.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 19, 2003Publication date: August 21, 2003Inventors: Yukimasa Tamatsu, Hiroaki Kumon
-
Publication number: 20030156054Abstract: A radar system is capable of transmitting necessary information through a very small amount of data from a radar device to a host device via a bus with a limited bandwidth. A radar sensor generates a beat signal between a transmission signal and a reflected signal from a target. A signal processor determines a spectrum of the beat signal and compresses the data indicating the spectrum. The resultant compressed data is transmitted to the host device via a bus. The host device decompresses the received data thereby reproducing the spectrum data. The host device then detects the target on the basis of the reproduced spectrum data.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 7, 2003Publication date: August 21, 2003Applicant: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Toru Ishii, Tetsu Nishimura, Motoi Nakanishi
-
Publication number: 20030151543Abstract: A radar system includes a transmitting/receiving unit, having a voltage controlled oscillator, for repeatedly transmitting a triangular transmission signal including a frequency-gradually-rising up-modulation interval and a frequency-gradually-dropping down-modulation interval and for receiving a reception signal including a reflected signal from a target, a frequency analysis unit, a data storing unit for storing time-varying characteristics of input values to a D/A converter that monotonically change an oscillation frequency of the voltage controlled oscillator with time, in the form of data concerning an expression representing the time-varying characteristics, and a data processing unit for determining the input values to the D/A converter with reference to the data. At least one of the relative distance to the target and the relative speed of the target is detected based on a beat signal during the up-modulation interval and the beat signal during the down-modulation interval.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 17, 2003Publication date: August 14, 2003Applicant: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Motoi Nakanishi, Toru Ishii, Tetsu Nishimura
-
Publication number: 20030151544Abstract: A radar device precisely detects a target in short time intervals by detecting a true peak frequency with high accuracy via a calculation which does not require a large amount of computation. A discrete frequency spectrum of a beat signal multiplied by a window function is determined, and values of signal strength at two discrete frequencies which are, respectively, higher and lower than a peak frequency of the discrete frequency spectrum of the beat signal and which are adjacent to the peak frequency. The frequency difference between the discrete peak frequency of the beat signal and the peak frequency of the window function is then determined from the ratio between the values of signal strength at those two discrete frequencies adjacent to the peak frequency. Thus, the true peak frequency of the beat signal is determined with a high frequency resolution.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 3, 2003Publication date: August 14, 2003Applicant: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tetsu Nishimura, Motoi Nakanishi, Toru Ishii
-
Patent number: 6606052Abstract: A method and an apparatus for multiple object detection by automotive FMCW radars provides distance and relative velocity information. A two chirp frequency sweep with small slope difference is utilized and, since the difference is small, the distance information can be obtained by automatically eliminating the Doppler frequency. Therefore, the distance and the relative velocity information for each of multiple objects can be calculated without ambiguity.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2002Date of Patent: August 12, 2003Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Shunji Miyahara
-
Publication number: 20030142010Abstract: A radar apparatus in which a VCO sequentially outputs while switching a signal of a first frequency f1 and a signal of a second frequency f2 at a predetermined timing, a transmitting antenna radiates the signal, a receiving antenna receives a reflected wave obtained from the radiated signal being reflected off a measuring object, a beat signal as a difference in frequency between the signal that is currently being radiated by the transmitting antenna and the received reflected wave is detected at a mixer and a bandpass filter, and the distance to the measuring object is measured from the beat signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 15, 2003Publication date: July 31, 2003Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA CHUO KENKYUSHOInventor: Masaru Ogawa
-
Patent number: 6597308Abstract: A modulation signal generation circuit performs frequency modulation of a VCO with a triangular wave for operation as an FM-CW radar. A signal processing circuit gives a modulation signal for detection generated from the modulation signal generation circuit to the VCO. A high-frequency signal subjected to frequency modulation in the VCO is transmitted as a radio wave from a transmission antenna and is reflected on a target and the reflected radio wave is received at a reception antenna. The reception signal and the high-frequency signal are mixed by a mixer to provide a beat signal and frequency shift corresponding to a voltage V1 is detected from the frequency of the beat signal. If the voltage V1 of the modulation signal for detection is switched, the frequency shift corresponding to different voltage V1 can be provided and the frequency modulation characteristic can be detected.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2002Date of Patent: July 22, 2003Assignee: Fujitsu Ten LimitedInventor: Osamu Isaji
-
Patent number: 6593874Abstract: In a radar, a frequency-modulated transmission signal whose frequency varies in time is generated. The gain-frequency characteristics of an IF signal which represents a beat signal between the transmission signal and a reception signal has its peak at or below one half of the sampling frequency of an AD converter. The gain-frequency characteristics of an IF amplifier circuit is determined so that the gain increases as the frequency increases at or below the frequency corresponding to the peak, the ratio of change in the gain relative to change in the frequency becomes smaller at short distances for which a saturation of a mixer is caused, and the gain is reduced at DC and in the vicinity of DC.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2002Date of Patent: July 15, 2003Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventor: Sadao Yamashita
-
Patent number: 6587074Abstract: System for measuring the distance and the relative speed between objects using electromagnetic waves, having means for emitting electromagnetic waves from a first object and having means for receiving reflected electromagnetic waves from at least one second object, the frequency of the emitted signal being modulated in such a way that the modulation frequency, during a first time segment, increases approximately linearly from a first to a second modulation frequency value, that the modulation frequency, during a second time segment, is approximately constant, that the modulation frequency, during a third time segment, decreases approximately linearly from the second to a third modulation frequency value, that the modulation frequency, during a fourth time segment, is approximately constant, and that these time segments recur repeatedly, at least one of the modulation frequency values and/or the duration of at least one time segment being changeable.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 2001Date of Patent: July 1, 2003Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbHInventors: Klaus Winter, Hermann Winner, Reiner Marchthaler
-
Publication number: 20030112173Abstract: As to a beat signal of a received wave, for instance, a plurality of FFT-based frequency spectra of every FM rise zone are accumulated in an accumulation unit. A judgment unit judges a valley section from the plurality of frequency spectra accumulated. A peak frequency extraction unit acquires, as beat frequencies of different targets, respective beat frequencies of peak sections located at both sides of the valley sections judged.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 1, 2002Publication date: June 19, 2003Applicant: Fujitsu LimitedInventors: Tetsuo Seki, Osamu Isaji
-
Patent number: 6573859Abstract: A radar apparatus of the present invention is provided with a reception array antenna having a plurality of antenna elements, a first bearing detector for detecting a bearing of a target by carrying out signal processing on individual element signals received on an element-by-element basis through the respective antenna elements, and a second bearing detector for detecting a bearing of a target by carrying out signal processing different from that of the first bearing detector, on the individual element signals received through the respective antenna elements. Since the radar apparatus is provided with the two detectors of the first bearing detector and second bearing detector as means for acquiring the target bearing, both or either one of the results of detection by the two detectors can be selectively utilized as occasion demands.Type: GrantFiled: January 2, 2001Date of Patent: June 3, 2003Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Setsuo Tokoro
-
Patent number: 6563454Abstract: In an FM-CW radar apparatus, while a distance and velocity of a target are measured by simultaneously transmitting an FM modulation wave along a frequency-up direction and an FM modulation wave along a frequency-down direction toward this target, physically-required radar signal measuring time thereof can be reduced by ½.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2001Date of Patent: May 13, 2003Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Masahira Akasu
-
Publication number: 20030067408Abstract: The present invention provides a pulse radar apparatus which is capable of detecting properly an object and measuring a distance up to the object in a short distance even if a leakage signal is contained in a received signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 6, 2002Publication date: April 10, 2003Applicant: MITSUBISHI DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Shigekazu Okamura
-
Patent number: 6545634Abstract: A method for detecting and correcting non-linearities in radio-frequency, voltage controlled oscillators provides for digitization of the frequency signal by feeding the undelayed frequency signal and a delayed frequency signal generated therefrom into EXOR gates. The digital pulses produced thereform are converted using a low pass filter into a proportional DC voltage value which is proportional to the oscillator frequency and is used as a basis for producing a correction value for the frequency control of the oscillator.Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 2001Date of Patent: April 8, 2003Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Patric Heide, Matthias Huschenbett, Martin Kunert, Richard Roskosch