With Pulse Modulation Patents (Class 342/134)
  • Patent number: 8044846
    Abstract: A method for displaying information relating to the range and Doppler of a remote target includes transmitting electromagnetic energy toward the target, and receiving reflected signals defining a two-dimensional (range-Doppler) radar image. The reflected signals are matched-filtered, which tends to blur the image. The image is deblurred while the features of thermal noise enhancement and irregularity of the deconvolved output are constrained to produce a single point deblurring output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Harry Urkowitz, Jeff D. Cammerata
  • Patent number: 8035551
    Abstract: A pulsed compression noise correlation radar uses noise modulation and pulse compression technology to scramble recognizable transmit signal characteristics and reduce transmit energy. The pulsed noise correlation radar advantageously uses pulse compression technology, a pulsed linear frequency modulated noise correlation mixer, and a new and innovative noise fused waveform to automatically correlate the pulsed linear frequency modulated (LFM) noise waveform with the received signal. The pulsed noise correlation radar apparatus and system now make it possible to effectively reduce transmitting power, preserve high band widths through oversampling in the receiver, and achieve multi-channel array frequency diversity. A secure pulsed compression noise correlation radar system and methods for undetected target detection with pulsed noise correlation radar and a pulsed LFM fused noise waveform are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Mark A. Govoni
  • Patent number: 8031108
    Abstract: In a pulse radar ranging system, directional coupling means are configured to convey transmit pulses to be transmitted via an antenna to a target and to convey target echoes received by the antenna to a signal mixer that generates an intermediate frequency signal. To embed a reference measurement into the target measurement, the directional coupling means include a four-port circulator with an additional port arranged between a port receiving the transmit pulses and a port coupled to the antenna. A reference line is coupled to the additional port for generating reference echo pulses in response to input pulses. The circulator is configured to split a portion of the transmit pulses to the reference line and to convey there reference echo pulses to the antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Siemens Milltronics Process Instruments, Inc.
    Inventor: George Burcea
  • Patent number: 8026840
    Abstract: A biometric radar system and method for identifying a person's positional state are generally described herein. The biometric radar may phase adjust a sequence of radar return signals received through two or more receive antennas to remove at least some phase noise due to the stationary objects. The biometric radar may also segment the phase adjusted radar return signals into a plurality of multi-resolutional Doppler components. Each multi-resolutional Doppler component may be associated with one of a plurality of biometric features. The biometric radar system may also combine and weight the segmented radar returns for each biometric feature to generate weighted classifications for a feature extraction process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Wesley H. Dwelly, Vinh N. Adams
  • Patent number: 8022863
    Abstract: A method includes correlating a plurality of samples of a waveform into a correlation domain to provide a mainlobe defined by a first subset of a plurality of pulse-compressed samples and a plurality of sidelobes defined by a second subset of the plurality of pulse-compressed samples. A weight is calculated for at least one of the pulse-compressed samples, and one of a plurality of SVA filter values is selected to apply to the at least one pulse-compressed sample based on the calculated weight of the at least one pulse-compressed sample. The SVA filter values include one, one minus a quotient of one-half divided by the calculated weight of the at least one sample, and a scale factor having a value greater than zero and less than or equal to one. The selected SVA filter values are applied to the at least one pulse-compressed sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventor: Rao Nuthalapati
  • Patent number: 8018374
    Abstract: A radar having a high time and high spatial resolution and being capable of performing volume scanning with an inexpensive and simple structure, while enabling reduction is size and weight. A radar (50) is provided with an antenna unit (51) including a radio wave lens antenna device, which has a spherical transmission radio wave lens (2), a spherical reception radio wave lens (3), a primary radiator (4) arranged at a focal point of the radio wave lens (2), and a primary radiator (5) arranged at a focal point of the radio wave lens (3). The primary radiators (4, 5) pivot in an elevation direction about an axis connecting center points of the radio wave lenses (2, 3) and pivot in an azimuthal direction about an axis orthogonal to the axis connecting the center points of the radio wave lenses (2, 3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuyuki Imai, Tomoo Ushio
  • Patent number: 8004454
    Abstract: The present invention is directed towards method, apparatus, and computer product for obtaining additional information in relation to a target in the vicinity of a mobile electronic device as well as such a mobile electronic device. The device includes a radar unit for operation in a certain frequency range including a pulse generating unit, a transmitting and receiving antenna, an echo detecting unit, a timing unit for timing the generation and transmission of pulses and providing an echo detection window for the echo detecting unit to detect echoes of said pulses when being reflected by a target, and a signal processing unit configured to process received echo pulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB
    Inventors: Mats Eric Gustav Lindoff, Magnus Blomkvist
  • Patent number: 7999726
    Abstract: A system for estimating an antenna boresight direction. The novel system includes a first circuit for receiving a Doppler measurement and a line-of-sight direction measurement corresponding with the Doppler measurement, and a processor adapted to search for an estimated boresight direction that minimizes a Doppler error between the Doppler measurement and a calculated Doppler calculated from the estimated boresight direction and the line-of-sight direction measurement. The line-of-sight direction measurement is measured relative to the true antenna boresight, and the calculated Doppler is the Doppler calculated for a direction found by applying the line-of-sight direction measurement to the estimated boresight direction. In a preferred embodiment, the first circuit receives a Doppler measurement and a line-of-sight direction measurement from each of a plurality of pixels, and the processor searches for an estimated boresight direction that minimizes a sum of squares of Doppler errors for each of the pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Ralph Guertin, David Faulkner, John Treece, Donald Bruyere
  • Patent number: 7995190
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for measuring a distance between a distance sensor (5), which is carried on a vehicle, and an object (2). The method includes emitting electromagnetic impulse signals (6) and receiving signals (7), which are reflected by the object. Subsequently the signal propagation time is determined. Pulses (10) received after having been reflected by the object (2) are separated and added together, after which the mean value is formed, and the received pulses are superimposed with a modulation signal (18). Also disclosed is a device suited for carrying out the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Conti Temic Microelectronic, GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Beuschel, Gerhard Zörkler
  • Patent number: 7990310
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an Ultra-WideBand (UWB) ranging method using a narrowband interference suppression waveform. A transmission signal is transmitted to a target object. The transmission signal, reflected from the target object, is received. A template signal is generated by combining the narrowband interference suppression waveform and a channel estimation signal together. A correlation output signal is generated by convoluting the template signal and the received signal. A distance is calculated using a time delay when the correlation output signal has the maximum value thereof. The narrowband interference suppression waveform is any one of two waveforms that are expressed by the following Equation: wr1(t)=g(t??1/2)+g(t+?1/2) wr2(t)=g(t??2/2)?g(t+?2/2) where g(t) is a basic UWB pulse waveform, ?1=(N+1/2)f1, ?2=(N)/f1, N is an integer, and fi is the center frequency of a narrowband interference signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignees: Inha-Industry Partnership Institute, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyoung Seop Kwak, Weihua Zhang, Wooshik Kang
  • Patent number: 7982666
    Abstract: A system and method for extrapolating sampled radar data allows in one aspect spectral data to be increased without increasing scan time and in another aspect allows scan time to be decreased without decreasing radar data quality. Extrapolation is carried out by extending a sequence of In-Phase and Quadrature-Phase samples by appending additional samples to each end of the sequence. Extrapolated samples are selected to maintain the statistical properties of the original sequence. Applying conventional windowing techniques to the extrapolated sample set results in a weighted extrapolated sequence having a corresponding Doppler spectrum with an increased spectral resolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventor: Svetlana M. Bachmann
  • Patent number: 7978123
    Abstract: A system and a method for operating a radar system in a continuous wave mode for communicating information are provided. In one embodiment, the invention relates to a method for operating a radar system, having an antenna including a plurality of active array elements, in a continuous wave mode to communicate information, the method including receiving an instruction to enter the continuous wave mode, loading a plurality of tables, where each table includes information indicative of a primary group of the active array elements to be activated and a secondary group of elements to be deactivated, receiving a communication signal to be transmitted, and providing, repeatedly, the communication signal, for a preselected period of time, to the primary group of elements of each of the plurality of tables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Juan F. Lam, Scott D. Whittle, Min S. Hong, Charles F. Kaminski, Robert E. Shuman, Harold B. Rounds, Daniel D. Gee
  • Patent number: 7978071
    Abstract: A device for detecting the presence of an object in a detection zone is provided. The device includes a transmission line, a generator which is connected to an input of the transmission line and which is able to generate an input signal, and a receiver which is connected to an output of the transmission line and which is able to measure an output signal, the transmission line being able to radiate a radiated signal in the detection zone when the generator generates the input signal, the detection device further including analysis means which are able to detect the presence of an object in the detection zone in accordance with the output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignees: Alstom Transport SA, Inrets-Institut National de Recherche sur les Ti
    Inventors: Didier Van Den Abeele, Marc Heddebaut, Fouzia Boukour, Jean Rioult
  • Patent number: 7952515
    Abstract: Narrow virtual transmit pulses are synthesized by differencing long-duration, staggered pulse repetition interval (PRI) transmit pulses. PRI is staggered at an intermediate frequency IF. Echoes from virtual pulses form IF-modulated interference patterns with a reference wave. Samples of interference patterns are IF-filtered to produce high spatial resolution holographic data. PRI stagger can be very small, e.g., 1-ns, to produce a 1-ns virtual pulse from very long, staggered transmit pulses. Occupied Bandwidth (OBW) can be less than 10 MHz due to long RF pulses needed for holography, while spatial resolution can be very high, corresponding to ultra-wideband (UWB) operation, due to short virtual pulses. X-Y antenna scanning can produce range-gated surface holograms from quadrature data. Multiple range gates can produce stacked-in-range holograms. Motion and vibration can be detected by changes in interference patterns within a range-gated zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: McEwan Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Edward McEwan
  • Patent number: 7944390
    Abstract: The transmission antenna (10) of the high-resolution synthetic aperture side view radar system comprises a plurality of sub-apertures (7, 8, 9). In each individual transmission pulse, said sub-apertures are controlled in such a manner that a spatiotemporally non-separable multi-dimensional high-frequency waveform is produced as an transmission signal pulse form, such that the modulation of each transmission pulse has a spatiotemporal diversity which is not described by the product having functions which are independent from each other and which are dependent on, respectively, only one spatial dimension. The thus produced transmission pulse form is combined to a capture-sided spatial filtering by means of digital beamforming adapted to said transmission signal pulse form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V.
    Inventors: Gerhard Krieger, Nicolas Gebert, Alberto Moreira
  • Publication number: 20110109494
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an radar apparatus includes a signal processor, a transmitting unit, an antenna, a first receiving unit, and a second receiving unit. The signal processor generates first or second pulses, and generates a control signal having first or second states. The transmitting unit converts the first and second pulses into first and second transmission pulses. The antenna radiates the first and second transmission pulses and receives reflection pulses to generate a reception signal. The first receiving unit includes first and second receiving circuits which processes the reception signal to generate first and second processed signals, respectively, and outputs one of the first and second processed signals depending on the state of the control signal. The second receiving unit processes the one of the first and second processed signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2010
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Inventors: Toshio ASANO, Toshio Namba, Takashi Murano
  • Publication number: 20110102244
    Abstract: A radar or sonar system amplifies the signal received by an antenna of the radar system or a transducer of the sonar system is amplified and then subject to linear demodulation by a linear receiver. There may be an anti-aliasing filter and an analog-to-digital converter between the amplifier and the linear receiver. The system may also have a digital signal processor with a network stack running in the processor. That processor may also have a network interface media access controller, where the system operates at different ranges, the modulator may produce pulses of two pulse patterns differing in pulse duration and inter-pulse spacing, those pulse patterns are introduced and used to form two radar images with the two images being derived from data acquired in a duration not more than twenty times larger than the larger inter-pulse spacing, or for a radar system, larger than one half of the antenna resolution time. One or more look-up tables may be used to control the amplifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: Raymarine UK Limited
    Inventors: Richard Jales, Adrew Lawrence, Matthieu Maindrou
  • Patent number: 7920088
    Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus that provides detection, characterization, and intuitive dissemination of targets. This disclosure combines improvements to ultra-wideband (UWB) sensing and machine target characterization with a means to convey data in a format that is quickly and readily understood by practitioners of the technology. The invention is well suited for Situational Awareness (SA) support in areas that are occluded by rain, fog, dust, darkness, distance, foliage, building walls, and any material that can be penetrated by ultra-wideband RF signals. Sense Through The Wall (STTW) performance parameters including target range, stand-off distance, and probability of detection are improved herein by combining a dynamically positioned sliding windowing function with orthogonal feature vectors that include but are not limited to time amplitude decay, spectral composition, and propagation time position in the return signal data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Inventors: Scott Randall Thompson, Bernt A Askildsen, Anthony Gervasi
  • Patent number: 7898469
    Abstract: Provided is a receiving device that is used for a spread spectrum radar apparatus, receives a spectrum-spread signal, and obtains a precise radar spectrum, and includes: a despreading unit that (i) generates first and second despread signals that are generated by despreading a reception signal using a pseudo-noise code, the second despread signal passing through a transmission line carrying a current having a current value identical to a current value of a current carried by a transmission line through which the first despread signal passes, and (ii) includes a first transistor pair including first and second transistors having an identical characteristic, the first transistor outputting the first despread signal, and the second transistor outputting the second despread signal; and a quadrature demodulating unit that generates an in-phase signal and a quadrature signal by quadrature-demodulating the first despread signal and the second despread signal, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Shinji Ujita, Takeshi Fukuda
  • Patent number: 7884757
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an ultra wide band (UWB) radar includes: a substrate; a plurality of antennas adjacent the substrate, the plurality of antennas being arranged into a plurality of sub-arrays; an RF feed network adjacent the substrate, the RF feed network coupling to a distributed plurality of amplifiers integrated with the substrate, wherein the RF feed network and the distributed plurality of amplifiers are configured to form a resonant network such that if a timing signal is injected into an input port of the RF feed network, the resonant network oscillates to provide a globally-synchronized RF signal across the network; a plurality of pulse-shaping circuits corresponding to the plurality of sub-arrays, each pulse-shaping circuit being configured to receive the globally-synchronized RF signal from the network and process the globally-synchronized RF signal into pulses for transmission through the corresponding sub-array of antennas; and an actuator for mechanically scanning the UWB radar so that the pulse
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Tialinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Farrokh Mohamadi, Afshin Niktash
  • Patent number: 7884755
    Abstract: A level measuring instrument has a variable transmitting power for measuring a filling level in a tank. The level measuring instrument includes a generator unit generating one of a first oscillator signal and a second oscillator signal. The generator unit generates a transmit signal from one of the first oscillator signal and the second oscillator signal. The level measuring instrument includes further a controller controlling the generator unit. The generator unit generates one of first and second transmitting powers for the transmit signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Vega Grieshaber KG
    Inventors: Josef Fehrenbach, Daniel Schultheiss, Christoph Mueller, Bernhard Corbe
  • Patent number: 7881671
    Abstract: A system supporting data retrieval from a plurality of wireless sensor nodes is defined. The system includes the plurality of wireless sensor nodes and a data retrieval device. The plurality of wireless sensor nodes include a transceiver receiving a first signal and transmitting a second signal. The second signal includes a sensed datum or an encoded statistic based on the sensed datum identified at the plurality of wireless sensor nodes. The data retrieval device includes a plurality of antennas transmitting the first signal toward the plurality of wireless sensor nodes and receiving the second signal from the plurality of wireless sensor nodes, and a processor coupled to receive the received second signal from the plurality of antennas, the processor defining a virtual receive signal from the received second signal for the plurality of antennas and processing the defined virtual receive signal to determine the identified sensed datum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Akbar M. Sayeed, Thiagarajan Sivanadyan
  • Patent number: 7872603
    Abstract: A method for determining a refractivity profile of an atmosphere of the Earth. The method may involve: generating radar signals from a radar device located above the Earth's surface toward the Earth's surface; measuring a time of flight and a reflected intensity of reflected radar signals received back at the radar device; using the measured time of flight and the reflected intensity of the reflected radar signals received by the radar device to determine a distance to a radar horizon where the radar signals are tangent to the Earth's surface; and using the distance to the radar horizon to determine a refractivity profile of the atmosphere through which the radar signals and the reflected radar signals have travelled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Brian J. Tillotson
  • Patent number: 7864106
    Abstract: A method and system for SNR enhancement in pulse-Doppler coherent target detection for applications in the fields of radar and ultrasound. In accordance with the method of the invention, complex signals are obtained for each of two or more sub-intervals of the time-on-target interval, allowing simultaneous range and Doppler measurements. A coherent integration is the performed on the signals to generate complex-valued folded matrices. The folded matrices are unfolded and target detection is then performed in a process involving one or more of the unfolded matrices. A pulse-Doppler coherent system is also provided configured for target detection by the method of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Elta Systems Ltd.
    Inventors: Ella Beilin, Jehezkel Grizim, Yacov Vagman, Alexander Lomes
  • Patent number: 7864103
    Abstract: A height-finding 3D avian radar comprises an azimuthally scanning radar system with means of varying the elevation pointing angle of the antenna. The elevation angle can be varied by employing either an antenna with multiple beams, or an elevation scanner, or two radars pointed at different elevations. Heights of birds are determined by analyzing the received echo returns from detected bird targets illuminated with the different elevation pointing angles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Accipiter Radar Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter T. Weber, Timothy J. Nohara
  • Patent number: 7858910
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for remotely sensing the content in a field of view are disclosed. The method includes transmitting a coherent optical signal into a field of view; receiving and detecting a reflection of the optical signal from a portion of the field of view bounded by the platform's boresight; correcting the first instance of the detected reflection; and resolving the content of a plurality of cells in the field of view up to the platform's boresight. The apparatus comprises a radome; an optical signal generator; an optical transmission channel; an optical receiver channel; and a plurality of electronics capable of receiving the representative signal and: correcting the first instance of the detected reflection; and resolving the content of a plurality of cells in the field of view up to the boresight from the corrected first instance of the reflection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventor: Brett A Williams
  • Patent number: 7855674
    Abstract: The present invention provides a coherent radar system based on a modification of standard non-coherent radar without Moving Target Indication. Typical radars in this class are Navigation radars which are mass produced with low cost components. These radars utilize a magnetron in the transmitter which is a random phase device. In the present invention, the received signal is extracted just prior to amplitude detection process (where phase information is lost), and digitized using an analogue to digital converter providing coherent detection based on correlation between the transmitted pulse and the received signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (Public)
    Inventor: Per Atle Våland
  • Patent number: 7852257
    Abstract: A microwave motion sensor for protecting an area comprises an oscillator configured to generate a plurality of microwave signals, a random pulse generator configured to set a random pulse period for each transmitted microwave signal, an antenna configured to transmit the microwave signals and to receive reflected signals, and a signal processor coupled to the antenna through other circuitry, said signal processor is configured to process the reflected signals to determine a presence of a moving object in the protected area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaodong Wu, Leslie K. Green, James N. Helland
  • Patent number: 7839321
    Abstract: Ground clutter is effectively separated from true signals echoed by a cable in the flight path of an aircraft, by encoding a transmitted pulse wave in a radar system with at least one transmit (TX) coding sequence, so that received signals echoed by the cable on which the pulse is incident and associated ground clutter are orthogonal or separable from one another. The TX coding sequence is altered into two receive (RX) coding sequences one of which corresponds to the cable and the other to the ground clutter. The two RX coding sequences are then correlated with the received signals, thereby separating the true signals echoed by the cable from the associated ground clutter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
    Inventors: Tom T. Huang, Samson Chu, Yongsu B. Choe, Ronnie H. Kanagawa
  • Patent number: 7817080
    Abstract: A ranging and communication multifunction system including a transmission unit and a receiving unit, and integrates two functions of ranging and communication in which the transmission unit includes a transmission circuit, a carrier wave modification device, and a transmission antenna. The receiving unit includes a receiving circuit, a wave detector, a low noise amplifier, and a receiving antenna, and a data modulation performed in the transmission circuit uses a PPM system. Thus, the receiving circuit provides a ranging circuit and a communication separately, so that the demodulation processing of ranging and communication can be performed in parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: The Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasushi Aoyagi, Kazutaka Kamimura
  • Patent number: 7817082
    Abstract: Techniques to image life forms through obstructions and at long standoff ranges employ a radar system that simultaneously transmits a plurality of RF pulse trains having different transmission frequencies and receives returns of the RF pulse trains reflected from a life form target. The returns are processed to generate digital radar data associated with the transmission frequency of each RF pulse train. The digital radar data is segmented and averaged to generate a Doppler spectrum response associated with the transmission frequency of each RF pulse train. Target classification is performed using the Doppler spectrum responses to extract biometric data describing the life form target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: VAWD Applied Science and Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Wesley Howard Dwelly, Vinh Nguyen Adams
  • Patent number: 7812760
    Abstract: A transmitting unit of a short-range radar includes a first pulse generating unit, a second pulse generating unit, an oscillator and a switch, and while complying with the spectrum mask specified for a UWB short-range radar, emits a predetermined short pulse wave not interfering with the RR prohibited band or the SRD band into the space. The first pulse generating unit outputs a first pulse having the width larger than the width of the short pulse wave in a predetermined period. The second pulse generating unit outputs a second pulse having the width corresponding to the width of the short pulse wave during the period when the first pulse generating unit outputs the first pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignees: Anritsu Corporation, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tasuku Teshirogi, Masanori Ejima
  • Patent number: 7808423
    Abstract: A method for acquiring targets within a search area using an electronic device is disclosed. The method involves partitioning a first acquisition time period into a plurality of range gates, simultaneously positioning one or more of the range gates within the search area during a search mode, and transmitting an energy pulse train. Upon receipt of a reflection of the transmitted pulse train, the method records a signal level of the reflected energy pulse train within the first acquisition time period. Based on the recorded signal level, the method advances one or more of the range gates by a prescribed outbound movement increment until the signal level within at least one of the range gates is above a prescribed acquisition signal level threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin J. Winstead, Jason I. Formo
  • Publication number: 20100225525
    Abstract: This disclosure provides a radar device including a transmission module for sequentially transmitting two or more kinds of pulse signals having different pulse widths by a predetermined transmitting pattern, a memory module for storing a predetermined number of pulse reply data corresponding to each kind of the pulse signals, the predetermined number being number of transmissions of the kind of the pulse signals, a pulse integrating module for performing pulse integration of the pulse reply data stored in the memory module for each kind of the pulse signal, and an image generating module for generating a radar image using the results of the pulse integration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2010
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: FURUNO Electric Company Limited
    Inventors: Masaya TAKASE, Hitoshi Maeno
  • Patent number: 7773028
    Abstract: A system and method are described for generating waveforms for use in radar and sonar systems. The system includes waveform generation circuitry a waveform generator and an up-conversion module. The waveform generator generates concatenated pulse waveforms at an IF band. In a given pulse repetition interval (PRI), the concatenated pulse waveforms comprise a first and second pulse types associated with first and second IF frequencies respectively. The up-conversion module up-converts the concatenated pulse waveforms to an RF band to form first and second sets of pulses. In the given PRI, each pulse is up-converted to a different RF frequency, pulses of different lengths are associated with a similar carrier frequency, and at least one pulse from each of the sets of pulses implements frequency diversity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Tony Meng Yuen Chan, Mark Gerecke
  • Patent number: 7760130
    Abstract: A method for presence detection using a microwave transmitter and a microwave receiver, the method including generating a sequence of clock pulses by means of a pulse generator, feeding the clock pulses to a clocked circuit arranged to generate a sequence of first pulses of a first pulse length and a sequence of second pulses of a second pulse length, each one of the first and second pulse lengths being related to a predetermined number of the clock pulses, periodically actuating the microwave transmitter by means of the sequence of first pulses, periodically actuating the microwave receiver by means of the sequence of second pulses; and determining whether an object is present in the detection volume based on microwave radiation being received by the microwave receiver. A system for such presence detection is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Anders Antonsson
  • Patent number: 7752010
    Abstract: There is provided a distance measuring apparatus having system flexibility by varying a distance measuring range and a distance measuring resolution according to an environment and circumstance. The apparatus includes a reference pulse generator and a delay pulse generator capable of controlling frequencies of a reference pulse and a delay pulse and duty ratios of the reference pulse and the delay pulse. The reference pulse generator and the delay pulse generator include a programmable clock generation unit generating a clock of a frequency determined by a frequency control signal and a duty ratio control unit controlling a duty ratio of the clock generated by the programmable clock generation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wan Cheol Yang, Chang Soo Yang, Sang Yub Lee
  • Patent number: 7746270
    Abstract: A radar apparatus transmits a pulse signal including pulses having at least two different pulselengths in a specific transmit pulse pattern and receives a returning echo signal through a single antenna. A tuning voltage setting timing generator generates a timing of setting a tuning voltage according to a combination of transmission pulselengths and a tuning processor performs tuning operation in a manner suited to a current transmission pulselength based on the tuning voltage setting timing. The radar apparatus may include a tuning voltage alteration decider for deciding whether or not to alter the tuning voltage based on a combination of alternate pulselengths before altering the pulselength of the pulse signal generated by a transmitter and the tuning processor alters the tuning voltage based on the result of decision made by the tuning voltage alteration decider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Furuno Electric Company Limited
    Inventors: Masahiro Nakahama, Sae Takemoto, Koji Dai
  • Patent number: 7728765
    Abstract: A method for clutter filtering staggered pulse repetition time data signals is provided. The method comprises the steps of receiving a plurality of staggered pulse repetition time data signals. The data signals may comprise one or more desired signals and one or more clutter signals. The method further comprises separating the staggered pulse repetition time data signals into a first separated data sequence and a second separated data sequence. The first and second separated data sequences comprise equally spaced data samples. The method also comprises the step of filtering the one or more clutter signals from the first and second separated data sequences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: University Corporation of Atmospheric Research
    Inventors: Grant Gray, John Hubbert, Gregory Meymaris
  • Patent number: 7714777
    Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor device for a spread spectrum radar apparatus which suppresses spurious signals resulting from non-linearity of active elements. The semiconductor device as the inverse spread spectrum modulation unit for the spread spectrum radar apparatus has a coupled line of two lines and another coupled line of two lines. The semiconductor device includes: an unbalanced to balanced transforming circuit which converts a received signal inputted as an unbalanced signal into a balanced signal pair; a switch circuit having one or more transistors; and a balanced inverse spread spectrum circuit which obtains as differential signal PN signals belonging to the same sequence code as a PN code which is used to generate an original signal of the received signal, also obtains the balanced signal pair from the unbalanced to balanced transforming circuit, and performs inverse spread spectrum modulation on the balanced signal pair by the switch circuit using the PN codes inputted as the differential signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Takeshi Fukuda
  • Patent number: 7705766
    Abstract: A method of operating synthetic aperture radar in a low PRF mode, comprising generating a stream of radar pulses, imposing onto said stream a predetermined modulation of the Pulse Repetition Frequency (PRF), directing said stream to a target area, and processing received pulses, comprising separating the received pulses as a sequence of sets, and superposing received radar pulses of said sets, whereby to enhance the central received lobe and to attenuate side lobes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Astrium Limited
    Inventors: David Charles Lancashire, Charles David Hall
  • Patent number: 7696919
    Abstract: A system and method for warning a helicopter of an approaching bullet using existing sensor systems is disclosed. The disclosed method including the steps of: detecting and providing bearing information for detected small arms weapon firing locations near the helicopter, determining a detection area and detection time window for the fired bullet, determining the antennas of the RF transmitting and RF receiving systems covering the bearing of the detected weapon firing; determining a timing sequence and allocating time segments for transmitting and receiving RF signals during the detection time window, commanding the RF emitting system to emit and the RF receiving system to receive RF signals during their allocated time segments, processing RF signals received and determining whether reflected RF signal pulses from the emitted RF signal pulses are present, and outputting a warning where reflected RF signal pulses are detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventor: Stephen C. Moraites
  • Patent number: 7688257
    Abstract: Marine radar systems and methods for producing low power, high resolution range profile estimates. Non-linear Frequency Modulation (NLFM) pulse compression pulses are frequency stepped to form a low power, wide-bandwidth waveform. Periodically, calibration filters are determined and applied to return signals for correcting non-ideal effects in the radar transmitter and receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Christianson, Gloria Logan, Brennan Kilty
  • Patent number: 7675455
    Abstract: A pulse radar is provided with a filter for eliminating a transmission waveform interfered with an answering signal from a received waveform, and a harmonic detector or a phase delay detector for detecting arrival and end of the answering signal reflected on a target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Atsuo Hatono
  • Patent number: 7667598
    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: June 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: William Yenisch, Richard Leblanc
  • Publication number: 20100019953
    Abstract: In a pulse radar ranging system, directional coupling means are configured to convey transmit pulses to be transmitted via an antenna to a target and to convey target echoes received by the antenna to a signal mixer that generates an intermediate frequency signal. To embed a reference measurement into the target measurement, the directional coupling means include a four-port circulator with an additional port arranged between a port receiving the transmit pulses and a port coupled to the antenna. A reference line is coupled to the additional port for generating reference echo pulses in response to input pulses. The circulator is configured to split a portion of the transmit pulses to the reference line and to convey there reference echo pulses to the antenna.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2009
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Inventor: George Burcea
  • Patent number: 7642952
    Abstract: A spread spectrum radar apparatus includes: a transmission unit which generates a spread signal that is a spectrum-spread signal, using a first oscillator signal, a second oscillator signal, and a transmission PN code, and which emits the spread signal as a detection radio wave; and a reception unit which receives, as a reception signal, the detection radio wave reflected from an object, and which generates an intermediate frequency signal by despreading the reception signal based on the first oscillator signal and a reception PN code obtained by delaying the transmission PN code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Takeshi Fukuda
  • Patent number: 7606290
    Abstract: An architecture for a spread-spectrum transmitter-receiver system in an advanced tactical data link that allows the receiver to readily acquire and synchronize to a desired LPD signal. Signal acquisition is performed with a cyclic range search that uses multiple redundant known sequences mapped to a known message sequence in a highly repeated manner. By employing the invariance of the speed of light, and synchronicity between transmitter and receiver, the architecture can significantly reduce the computational complexity of the receiver. Additionally, the architecture enables ad hoc channel access, controlled latency, distance estimation, and distance-directed transmissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Carlos J. Chavez, Gunther B. Frank, Robert J. Frank
  • Patent number: 7602331
    Abstract: One aspect of this disclosure relates to a method for processing a received, modulated radar pulse to resolve a radar target from noise or other targets. According to an embodiment of the method, a radar return signal is received and samples of the radar return signal are obtained. A minimum mean-square error (MMSE) pulse compression filter is determined for each successive sample. The MMSE filter is separated into a number of components using contiguous blocking, where each component includes a piecewise MMSE pulse compression filter segment. An estimate of radar range profile is obtained from an initialization stage or a previous stage. The piecewise MMSE pulse compression filter segments are applied to improve accuracy of the estimate. The estimate is repeated for two or three stages to adaptively suppress range sidelobes to a level of a noise floor. Other aspects and embodiments are provided herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: University of Kansas
    Inventors: Shannon D. Blunt, Thomas Higgins
  • Patent number: 7602333
    Abstract: A millimeter-wave transmitter-receiver uses an NRD guide as a fundamental configuration and includes a millimeter-wave signal oscillator, a pulse modulator, a circulator, an antenna and a mixer. In the millimeter-wave transmitter-receiver, a line length of a third dielectric guide is set so that ?=±? in which ? is a phase difference at a center frequency between a portion of a transmission millimeter-wave signal, which is reflected via a third dielectric guide on the leading end portion of the third dielectric guide and returned to leak to a third connecting portion of the circulator, and another portion of the millimeter-wave signal, which leaks from a first connecting portion to the third connecting portion of the circulator. It is possible to reduce the change in the mixer output and enhance the millimeter-wave transmission/reception performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuki Hiramatsu, Yuji Kishida, Kazuki Hayata, Yoshiko Oya, Takeshi Takenoshita