Determining Direction Patents (Class 342/147)
  • Patent number: 7277046
    Abstract: A single transmit multi-receiver modulation radar modulates radar return signals received through an associated receive-signal path with one of a plurality of differing modulation waveforms having low-cross correlation products. Each receive-signal path may be associated with a different receive direction. The differently modulated return signals from each receive-signal path may be combined and correlations may be performed on the combined and differently modulated radar return signals using the modulation waveforms to locate a target. In some embodiments, the trajectory of the target may be extrapolated and the target's source location may be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Vinh Adams, Wesley Dwelly
  • Patent number: 7274324
    Abstract: A path in three-dimensions for an object in flight is determined according to a radar signal reflected by the object. The radar signal is transmitted at an offset angle from horizontal sufficient to capture the object within the transmitted radar signal. The transmitted radar signal is reflected by the object to form a reflected radar signal containing an indication of a position of the object. The reflected radar signal is received and used to determine two-dimensional position information for the object by detection of the indication of the position of the object in the received radar signal. Position information is derived in three-dimensions from the position information in two-dimensions. The path information representative of the path for the object is obtained from the position information in three-dimensions based on an optimization of a curvature of said path information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2007
    Assignee: Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada as Represented by the Minister of National Defense
    Inventors: Rhonda L. Millikin, Joseph R. Buckley
  • Patent number: 7262729
    Abstract: A radar system having a processor, a waveform generator, a plurality of antenna interfaces, a set of first antennas configured to transmit a waveform, and a set of second antennas configured to receive a reflected waveform is disclosed. The waveform generator and antenna interfaces are in control and signal communication with the processor, each of the first antennas are in signal communication with one of each antenna interface, and each of the second antennas are in signal communication with one of each antenna interface. The waveform generator is in control and signal communication with each antenna interface, and is configurable to generate a waveform conforming to at least two ISM bands. Each first antenna is configured to transmit a circularly polarized electromagnetic waveform, and each second antenna is configured to receive a reflected circularly polarized electromagnetic waveform complementary to the first antennas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John Erik Hershey, Ralph Thomas Hoctor, David Michael Davenport, Jeffrey Michael Ashe, Richard Louis Frey, Kenneth Brakeley Welles, V. Paul Staudinger, Harold W. Tomlinson, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7262692
    Abstract: An emergency evacuation guiding system for guiding people to run away in a building system as an accident occurs comprises a detector system for detecting an accidents which is occurred in the building system; an informing system for informing people that an accident occurs; a receiving system for receiving wireless signals from the informing system so as to know the message about the occurring of an accident; a guiding system for guiding people to run away from an accident area to a safety place; the guiding system including the at least one transmitter of the informing system and at least one receiver of the receiving system. The guiding system guides people to run out of the accident area by using the strength of the received signal in the receiver. The receiving system including at least one wireless receiver for detecting the strengths of the signals transmitted from the transmitter to the receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2007
    Inventor: Ethan Ho
  • Patent number: 7242350
    Abstract: Estimating an angle-of-arrival of a signal includes receiving a signal sent from an emitter. The signal is received at a singly polarized antenna system associated with an antenna response model. An autocorrelation matrix having noise-related eigenvectors is generated in response to the signal. Polarization ratios are determined from projections of a noise-related eigenvector onto the antenna response model. A minimum polarization ratio variance is established for the polarization ratios. A polarization vector corresponding to the minimum polarization ratio variance is identified. An angle-of-arrival of the signal is estimated in accordance with the identified polarization vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventor: Jerome H. Pozgay
  • Patent number: 7236125
    Abstract: A method for reducing angular blur in radar pictures achieved in range bin based detection systems includes measuring a variable S(x, y) such as amplitude or power as a function of an angle x and a distance y. An expression: corrected angular position=angular position+angle correction is determined in each range bin for a plurality of angular values x. The term “angle correction” includes derivative(s) of first or higher order of the variable S(x). The variable measured at the angular position “angular position” is moved to the variable in the angular position “corrected angular position”, and the moved variable and the variable in “corrected angular position” are processed by adding or maximizing the values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: SAAB AB
    Inventor: Bert-Eric Tullsson
  • Patent number: 7227493
    Abstract: An apparatus and method obtains positional information about one or more objects in a detection field. An array includes a transmitting element and a plurality of receiving elements. A truncated cross-correlation function may be applied to determine the interval between signals received by a plurality of the receiving elements, thereby to determine an angular position of an object. A warning zone may be defined and it is determined whether an object is within the warning zone. Also disclosed are techniques for stretching received signals, and techniques for obtaining positional information relating to an object using non-Doppler radar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: Cambridge Consultants Limited
    Inventors: Gordon Kenneth Andrew Oswald, Alan Trevor Richardson, Michael Hugh Burchett, Eric Nicol Clouston, Danielle Emma Toutoungi
  • Patent number: 7221310
    Abstract: The present invention provides an electric wave axis adjusting apparatus for an on-vehicle radar capable of readily and precisely adjusting an electric wave axis only by making the scanning range and a detection range identical to each other and changing a scanning range, and of adjusting the electric wave axis of an on-vehicle radar without wasting time in order to detect a reflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kado Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 7218272
    Abstract: Reducing antenna boresight error includes receiving radar pulses reflected from the ground, where pulses are emitted from the antenna of a radar system, reflected by the ground, and received by the antenna. The return pulses carry information about the ground. Measurement indices are established from radar and platform parameters, and a clutter spectrum is generated from the return pulse information. The amplitude of the clutter spectrum is measured at each of the measurement indices. Whether there is an amplitude imbalance is established in accordance with the measured amplitudes. An error estimate describing an antenna boresight error is determined if there is an amplitude imbalance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventor: David L. Steinbauer
  • Patent number: 7218273
    Abstract: A technique for boresighting an antenna mounted on a moving platform is described. The technique uses a concurrently moving calibration target. Target navigation data and platform navigation data are used to compensate for movement of the target and the platform. The antenna pointing direction is biased in a direction which provides a best signal quality, and the bias used to determine antenna boresight calibration factors. The boresight correction factors can be used for open loop pointing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: L3 Communications Corp.
    Inventors: James B. Webster, Jr., LaMar K Timothy, Fred M. Strohacker
  • Patent number: 7212149
    Abstract: A synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system having a single phase center antenna is provided, the SAR system including a measurement unit and a tracker unit. The measurement unit is capable of receiving a phase history of a target point scatterer. From the phase history, then, the measurement unit is capable of estimating a ground position, velocity and acceleration of the target to thereby detect the target. The tracker unit, in turn, is capable of updating the ground position, velocity and acceleration of the target to thereby track the target based upon the ground position, velocity and acceleration. In this regard, the tracker unit is capable of updating the ground position, velocity and acceleration using a Kalman filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Theagenis J. Abatzoglou, Irwin E. Alber, Harland F. Romberg
  • Patent number: 7205932
    Abstract: An improved system is provided for aiming a shotgun-based or other countermeasure system so as to be able to countermeasure incoming rockets or projectiles. In one embodiment a shotgun aimed and controlled by the subject system projects a pattern of pellets to intercept a rocket-propelled grenade or incoming projectile. The fire control system uses a CW two-tone monopulse radar to derive range and angle of arrival within 150 milliseconds, with range and angle of arrival measurements having approximately twice the accuracy of prior CW two-tone monopulse radars. The improvement derives from using all of the information in the returned radar beams and is the result of the recognition that one can use the Sum and Difference signals to assemble a two-by-two Rank One matrix that permits using singular value decomposition techniques to generate range and angle of arrival matrices in which all available information is used and in which noise is eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
    Inventor: Paul D. Fiore
  • Patent number: 7197343
    Abstract: A portable phone has a CPU and a magnetic sensor unit including an X-axis magnetic sensor, a Y-axis magnetic sensor, and a temperature sensor. CPU measures at first and second temperatures the influence of a magnetic field of permanent magnets upon an output Sx of the X-axis magnetic sensor and an output Sy of the Y-axis magnetic sensor, and stores the influence data together with the first and second temperature data. CPU estimates at the present temperature the influence upon the output Sx of the X-axis magnetic sensor and the output Sy of the Y-axis magnetic sensor, from the present temperature detected with the temperature sensor and the stored influence data. CPU corrects the outputs Sx and Sy in accordance with the estimated influence and determines the direction of the portable phone from the corrected outputs Sx and Sy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Hideki Sato
  • Patent number: 7196656
    Abstract: An apparatus for estimating direction of arrival of signal is provided that has excellent performance in terms of angular resolution and the number of signals that can be identified. In an array sensor comprising a plurality of sensor elements, the two outermost sensor elements are alternately selected by a switch for use as a transmitting sensor, and the other sensor elements are selected in time division fashion as receiving sensors. With this arrangement, the effective aperture is increased to about twice the physical aperture, to improve angular resolution in a direction-of-arrival estimator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Kazuo Shirakawa
  • Patent number: 7196654
    Abstract: A vehicle positioning and tracking radar system includes a rotating antenna with a pair of spatially separated transmit feeds for simultaneously transmitting a pair of frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) electromagnetic signals having a first polarisation and a pair of spatially separated receive feeds for receiving an electromagnetic signal having a second polarisation, wherein the first and second polarisations are different from one another, such that the transmit feed and receive feed at the rotating antenna are isolated from each other; and a coded modulated transponder receives transmit signals from the rotating antenna with the first polarization and transmits a receive signal to the rotating antenna with the second polarization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Guidance Navigation Limited
    Inventors: David John Edwards, Dominic Robert Pearce, Jan Grothusen
  • Patent number: 7194274
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and arrangements in a mobile telecommunication network for providing a first radio network controlling unit with positioning information for a mobile terminal. The mobile terminal is located within a cell and served by a radio base station covering said cell. The cell is identifiable by means of a cell Geographical Area Information, GAI, and the resources of the radio base station to the mobile terminal is controlled by a second Radio network controlling unit. The method in accordance with the present invention comprises the steps of determining a cell portion of the cell wherein the mobile terminal is located, associating the cell portion with a Cell Portion GAI and transmitting the Cell Portion GAI from the second radio network controlling unit that controls the resources of said radio base station to the first radio network controlling unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
    Inventor: Elena Voltolina
  • Patent number: 7190305
    Abstract: In a radar apparatus, a receiving antenna includes a plurality of antenna elements, each receiving, as a reception signal, radio waves emitted into space and reflected off a target object. An analog signal is obtained by downconverting and putting a bandwidth constraint on the reception signal, and is then converted to a digital signal. Based on the digital signal, a signal processing unit detects the bearing of the target object. The signal processing unit performs processing based on outputs of two sets of the antenna elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited
    Inventor: Osamu Isaji
  • Patent number: 7190306
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for detecting the passage by a vehicle of a determined point for monitoring on a road, wherein from a remotely situated location a radar beam is transmitted continuously to the point for monitoring, reflections from the transmitted radar beam are received at the remotely situated location, and it is determined from the received reflections that the vehicle is passing the point for monitoring. The radar beam can herein be transmitted at an acute angle to the travel direction of the passing vehicle. The detection can be used to activate a red-light camera, to measure the speed of the vehicle or measure the traffic intensity, without sensors, for instance induction loops, having to be arranged in the road for this purpose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Gatsometer B.V.
    Inventor: Theodorus Maria Janssen
  • Patent number: 7176830
    Abstract: An image processing system to be mounted to a vehicle includes a radar adapted to measure distance and direction to an object based on reflected electromagnetic waves which are outputted to scan the exterior of the vehicle, an image-taking device such as a camera for obtaining an image, and an image processor for carrying out image processing on a specified image processing area in an image obtained by the image-taking device. The image processor is adapted to determine a center position of the image processing area according to a measurement point of an object detected by the radar and the size of the image processing area according to a beam profile of electromagnetic waves outputted from the radar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventor: Koji Horibe
  • Patent number: 7151482
    Abstract: A radar device (2) includes plural transmission antennas and plural reception antennas. The reception antennas constitute a reception-side antenna portion (20) and are arranged at an interval of d. The transmission antennas constitute a transmission-side antenna portion (18) and are arranged at an interval of d?=d×(n?1). The path length at which the electric wave is reflected from a target is identical between channels A9 and B1, and seventeen kinds of channels (A1 to A8, A9 or B1, B2 to B9) which are different in path length by every fixed distance are achieved. The data of the channels (A1 to A9 and B1 to B9) using different transmission antennas are respectively collected in different measuring cycles, and an error based on the time difference between the measuring cycles is corrected on the basis of a correction value calculated from the data of the channels A9, B1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2006
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuma Natsume, Hiroshi Hazumi
  • Patent number: 7151478
    Abstract: In some pseudo-orthogonal waveform embodiments, a radar system transmits pseudo-orthogonal waveforms and performs multiple correlations on a combined single receiver channel signal. In some quadratic polyphase waveform embodiments, a radar system may simultaneously transmit frequency separated versions of a single quadratic polyphase waveform on a plurality of transmit antennas, combine the return signal from each antenna into a combined time-domain signal, and perform a Fourier transformation on the combined time-domain signal to locate a target. The radar system may identify a target, such as sniper's bullet, incoming projectile, rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) or a mortar shell. In some embodiments, the system may estimate the target's trajectory to intercept the target. In some embodiments, the system may estimate the target's trajectory and may further extrapolate the target's trajectory to locate the target's source, such as the sniper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2006
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Vinh N. Adams, Wesley H. Dwelly
  • Patent number: 7148840
    Abstract: A radar apparatus comprises: a transmitter unit having a high-frequency oscillating unit whose oscillation frequency is variable, and a pulse amplitude modulating unit for amplitude-modulating a pulse of a transmission high-frequency signal output from the high-frequency oscillating unit with a first control pulse signal; a receiver unit having a gating unit for controlling ON/OFF of an input of a received high-frequency signal with a second control pulse signal; and a controlling and signal processing unit for controlling the transmitter unit and the receiver unit, and for switching a first operation mode for making the apparatus function as an FM-CW radar, and a second operation mode for making the apparatus function as a pulse radar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignees: Fujitsu Limited, Fujitsu Ten Limited
    Inventors: Yoshikazu Dooi, Satoshi Ishii, Hiroyuki Yatsuka, Nobukazu Shima, Masaki Hitotsuya
  • Patent number: 7142150
    Abstract: A method and system for detecting an object uses a composite evidence grid based on dual frequency sensing. A source transmits a laser transmission in a first zone. A detector receives a reflection of the laser transmission from an object in the first zone to determine laser observed data associated with points on the object. A transmitter transmits a radar transmission in a second zone that overlaps with the first zone. A receiver receives a reflection of the radar transmission from an object in the second zone to determine radar observed data associated with points on the object. The laser observed data is processed to form a laser occupancy grid for the first zone and the radar observed data is processed to form a radar occupancy grid for the second zone. An evaluator evaluates the radar occupancy grid and the laser occupancy grid to produce a composite evidence grid for at least an overlapping region defined by the first zone and the second zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventor: Robert George Thackray
  • Patent number: 7136011
    Abstract: A field unit for warning of a danger of collision between an aircraft and an obstacle, in particular a topographical ground obstacle or an obstacle formed by a mast, building or aerial cable structure, comprises a multi-part tubular mast having devices for fixing a solar panel and a radar antenna; an elongate radar antenna in an environment-protective casing, which, with an electronics unit, forms a radar system for synthesized radar detection of an aircraft in a radar coverage area; a central processing unit for identifying on the basis of information from the radar system an aircraft which is in a zone of the radar coverage area and which on the basis of radar information such as direction, distance and/or speed computes a collision danger area; and a high-intensity light system and radio transmitter system that can be activated by the central processing unit upon detection of an aircraft in a collision danger area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: OCAS AS
    Inventors: Morten Mørk, Rolf Bakken
  • Patent number: 7132976
    Abstract: An automotive radar which can process signals at high speed to detect a target in a wide angle range is provided. The automotive radar comprises a transmitting antenna which emits an electromagnetic wave, two receiving antennas which receive the electromagnetic wave reflected by a target, an antenna plate on which the transmitting antenna and two receiving antennas are arranged. It also includes a drive which rotates the antenna plate in an azimuth direction, which corresponds to the direction of arrangement of the two receiving antennas, to scan a detection angle formed by the two receiving antennas. The drive has rest time between scans to stop rotation. The automotive radar also includes a signal processor which detects the azimuth angle of the target with respect to a reference direction during the rest time according to received signals from the two receiving antennas and the rotation angle of the antenna plate at rest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Shinoda, Toshiyuki Nagasaku, Hiroshi Kondoh
  • Patent number: 7088286
    Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a direction of a target is provided. The apparatus transmits and receives radio waves through a plurality of transmission/reception channels causing a phase difference in signals to be received through the transmission/reception channels and calculates the direction based on the phase difference. The apparatus comprises a direction calculating device, range determining device, and direction correcting device. The direction calculating device calculates the direction of the target based on the phase difference in the received signals on the assumption that the phase difference is within a range of ?? to +? [rad]. The range determining device determines that the target exists in any of azimuthal angle ranges each corresponding to ranges defined by (2m?1) ? to (2m+1) ? [rad] (m is an integer). The direction correcting device corrects the direction according to a range-determined result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuma Natsume, Hiroaki Kumon, Kenta Hoki
  • Patent number: 7068215
    Abstract: Reducing antenna boresight error includes receiving radar pulses reflected from the ground, where pulses are emitted from the antenna of a radar system, reflected by the ground, and received by the antenna. The return pulses carry information about the ground. Measurement indices are established from radar and platform parameters, and a clutter spectrum is generated from the return pulse information. The amplitude of the clutter spectrum is measured at each of the measurement indices. Whether there is an amplitude imbalance is established in accordance with the measured amplitudes. An error estimate describing an antenna boresight error is determined if there is an amplitude imbalance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventor: David L. Steinbauer
  • Patent number: 7068212
    Abstract: A series of police Doppler single mode radars and a multimode police Doppler radar, all with direction sensing capability are disclosed. A quadrature front end which mixes received RF with a local oscillator to generate two channels of Doppler signals, one channel being shifted by an integer multiple of 90 degrees in phase relative to the other by shifting either the RF or the local oscillator signal being fed to one mixer but not the other. The two Doppler signals are digitized and the samples are processed by a digital signal processor programmed to find one or more selected target speeds. Single modes disclosed are: stationary strongest target; stationary, fastest target; stationary, strongest and fastest targets; moving, strongest, opposite lane; moving, strongest, same lane; moving, fastest, opposite lane; moving, fastest and strongest, opposite lane; moving, fastest, same lane; moving fastest and strongest, same lane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Applied Concepts, Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Aker, Robert S. Gammenthaler
  • Patent number: 7049999
    Abstract: A modulation circuit for a traffic surveillance Doppler radar system is disclosed. In one embodiment, the modulation circuit is utilized in a vehicular traffic surveillance Doppler radar system that processes a reflected double-modulated FM signal to determine a target range based upon a phase angle signal differential associated with the target. The modulation circuit may include a digital-to-analog (D/A) converter/voltage regulator/oscillator arrangement or a D/A converter/varactor device/oscillator arrangement. The modulation circuit generates a double-modulated FM signal based upon a frequency versus voltage characteristic associated with the oscillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Applied Concepts, Inc.
    Inventor: John L. Aker
  • Patent number: 7046186
    Abstract: The invention relates to an IFF apparatus for ground applications, which comprises: (a) an encoder for forming an interrogating or response sequence of pulses, and conveying the same to a UWB transmitter; (b) an UWB transmitter for getting said interrogating or response sequence of pulses, forming a corresponding interrogating or response signal of a sequence of UWB pulses, and transmitting the same via a UWB transmitting antenna; (c) a plurality of UWB receiving antennas, disposed away one from the other, for receiving either an interrogating signal or a response signal sent by another IFF apparatus; (d) a decoder for getting from at least one of said UWB receiving antennas received signals, decoding the same, comparing the decoded signal with a bank of pre-stored signals, and determining whether a received signal is an interrogating or response signal; and (e) a processing unit for, upon receipt of a signal of response to an interrogation signal sent by the present IFF apparatus, calculating the location of
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: Rafael-Armament Development Authority, Ltd.
    Inventors: Avner Rosenberg, Alon Deutsch
  • Patent number: 7046187
    Abstract: An active protection system comprising an ultrawideband radar for threat detection, an optical tracker for precision threat position measurement, and a high powered laser for threat kill or mitigation. The uwb radar may use a sparse array antenna and may also utilize Doppler radar information. The high powered laser may be of the optically pumped solid state type and in one embodiment may share optics with the optical tracker. In one embodiment, the UWB radar is used to focus the high power laser. Alternative interceptor type kill mechanisms are disclosed. In a further embodiment, the kill mechanism may be directed to the source of the threat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: Time Domain Corporation
    Inventors: Larry W. Fullerton, Mark D. Roberts, James L. Richards
  • Patent number: 6999796
    Abstract: The invention relates to a base station for a radio communications network. In order to enable a simple enhancement of the estimation of parameters of uplink signals, it is proposed that the base station comprises a phasing network (11) for forming beams for fixed reception angles out of received signals provided by a receive antenna array; means (13) for determining the minimum deviation between a distribution indicative of the signal strengths of at least some of the formed beams and a plurality of pre-calculated distributions each corresponding to a different value of at least one specific parameter of the received signals; and means (13) for estimating the value of the at least one parameter in the uplink according to the minimum deviation. The invention equally relates to a method comprising the corresponding steps and to a base station module of a base station comprising corresponding means for determining the minimum deviation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventors: Esa Tiirola, Kari Horneman
  • Patent number: 6975267
    Abstract: A vertically integrated Ka-band active electronically scanned antenna including, among other things, a transitioning RF waveguide relocator panel located behind a radiator faceplate and an array of beam control tiles respectively coupled to one of a plurality of transceiver modules via an RF manifold. Each of the beam control tiles includes a respective plurality of high power transmit/receive (T/R) cells as well as dielectric waveguides, RF stripline and coaxial transmission line elements. The waveguide relocator panel is preferably fabricated by a diffusion bonded copper laminate stack up with dielectric filling. The beam control tiles are preferably fabricated by the use of multiple layers of low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) material laminated together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
    Inventors: Peter A. Stenger, Fred C. Kuss, Kevin LaCour, Craig Heffner, Robert Sisk, Carl D. Wise, Joseph Paquin, Tujuana Hinton, Andrew Walters, David Krafcsik, Brian T. McMonagle, Steven D. Block, Steven S. Handley
  • Patent number: 6972713
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and computer program products are provided for improving the crossrange resolution of a radar device for more accurate determinations of angular position of a target. The radar device transmits and receives scanning signals at crossrange beam positions having a beamwidth, wherein the beam positions are separated by a step. The radar device scans a target to receive target data from at least three beam positions, typically consecutive beam positions, to determine a first beam position with a first target data value that is greater than a second target data value of a second beam position preceding the first beam position and greater than a third target data value of a third beam position following the first beam position. A target data relationship between the first, second, and third beam positions is determined to provide the angular position of the target relative to the first beam position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Aaron Y. Mosher, Peter Wittenberg
  • Patent number: 6967615
    Abstract: An electronic warfare apparatus for determining the location of for example a ground based source of electromagnetic radiation from a platform such as an aircraft. Location is determined using angle of arrival based vector determinations provided by signal differences detected in the ground based signals arriving at platform antennas. Elimination of angle of arrival errors arising from imprecise knowledge of platform electronic warfare antenna characteristics is a focal point of the invention and is accomplished through precision use of global position system information received via the same electronic warfare antennas. Accurate determination of electronic warfare antenna characteristics prior to consideration of the large distance multiplication factors imposed by aircraft to distant signal source geometry enables accurate distant signal source location using the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: David M. Lin, James B. Y. Tsui
  • Patent number: 6956523
    Abstract: A system and method for rapidly determining the source of an incoming projectile applies controlled, active RF energy source(s) to illuminate a target area/projectile, and exploits Doppler induced frequency shifts from multiple receivers to develop a vector solution. The preferred solution applies continuous wave (CW) RF illuminators to flood a local region with a controlled source of radio frequency energy and one or more displaced receiver elements. The system operates multi-statically and as an incoming projectile enters the illuminated region, reflected energy from one or more illuminators is detected by one or more displaced RF receivers. Doppler shifts imparted on the reflected signals are detected by the receivers as the projectile moves through the region. Appropriate processing of the receiver outputs generates Doppler time-frequency profiles that are used to derive an estimate of the projectile flight vector in 3-space (x,y,z).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2005
    Assignee: Veridian Systems
    Inventor: Paul Mohan
  • Patent number: 6937186
    Abstract: A method for main beam alignment verification includes providing data pertaining to one or more patterns associated with an antenna, measuring power levels of a signal acquired by the antenna, and comparing the measured power levels with the data to determine whether a direction of the signal is incident upon a main beam of the antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: The Aerospace Corporation
    Inventors: Robert B. Dybdal, Denny D. Pidhayny
  • Patent number: 6933879
    Abstract: In a method and system to determine the position of a target by means of an IFF type antenna, the antenna having a given direction of aim, the method comprises a step for combining the distance D from the target to the carrier, the altitude A of the target, the altitude Apf of the carrier equipped with the IFF antenna and the angular error value of the target and the direction of aim of the antenna beam to localize the target with precision. Application to IFF interrogations in mode C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Thierry Roze, Jean-Marc Trin
  • Patent number: 6919840
    Abstract: A proximity sensor for use with a guidance system of a smart bomb including a ranging radar proximity sensor configured for mounting on a smart bomb and a radome connected to the ranging radar proximity sensor. A laser radiation sensor system is attached to the proximity sensor, which is configured and arranged to detect laser radiation reflected from a target which passes through the radome and output the azimuth and elevation angles to the target to the guidance system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: Alliant Techsystems Inc.
    Inventors: William A. Friedrich, Lyle H. Johnson, Mark K. Conrad
  • Patent number: 6917325
    Abstract: A system and method is provided for detecting emitter signals and for determining a scan strategy for a receiver system that receives such emitter signals. In one embodiment of the invention, a set of models is used to compute antenna characteristics as a function of frequency, gain, power, beam width, scan and polarization. Data such as actual antenna gain vs azimuth for several polarizations may also be used, thereby reducing the amount of data needed for the antenna modeling purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventor: Anthony J. Gounalis
  • Patent number: 6911931
    Abstract: A new differential technique and system for imaging dynamic (fast moving) surface waves using Dynamic Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) is introduced. This differential technique and system can sample the fast-moving surface displacement waves from a plurality of moving platform positions in either a repeat-pass single-antenna or a single-pass mode having a single-antenna dual-phase receiver or having dual physically separate antennas, and reconstruct a plurality of phase differentials from a plurality of platform positions to produce a series of desired interferometric images of the fast moving waves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventor: Paul Vincent
  • Patent number: 6911932
    Abstract: A multi-antenna, multi-pass IFSAR mode utilizing data driven alignment of multiple independent passes can combine the scaling accuracy of a two-antenna, one-pass IFSAR mode with the height-noise performance of a one-antenna, two-pass IFSAR mode. A two-antenna, two-pass IFSAR mode can accurately estimate the larger antenna baseline from the data itself and reduce height-noise, allowing for more accurate information about target ground position locations and heights. The two-antenna, two-pass IFSAR mode can use coarser IFSAR data to estimate the larger antenna baseline. Multi-pass IFSAR can be extended to more than two (2) passes, thereby allowing true three-dimensional radar imaging from stand-off aircraft and satellite platforms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Ana Martinez, Armin W. Doerry, Douglas L. Bickel
  • Patent number: 6907269
    Abstract: A mobile communication base station determines the oncoming direction of a radio wave with a simple arrangement and transmits a narrow angle beam in this direction. Received signals from a pair of wide angle beam antennae 21-1 and 21-2 having an equal configuration and a common orientation and which are located close to each other are fed to a direction finder receiver 22 and a communication receiver 15. By utilizing the fact that the both received signals have a coincident amplitude, a phase difference between the received signals is detected. The oncoming direction of the received radio wave (or the direction of a mobile station) is determined on the basis of the phase difference. A beam switcher 12 is controlled so as to connect a transmitter 13 to a narrow angle beam antenna (one of 11-1 to 11-4) which is directed in the oncoming direction thus determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryo Yamaguchi, Noriyoshi Terada, Toshio Nojima
  • Patent number: 6900754
    Abstract: A method that can locate the center of a target even when the target is a large vehicle, and that, when a plurality of beams are reflected, determines whether the reflected beams are from the same target or not, wherein, of peaks generated based on a radar signal reflected from the target, peaks whose frequencies are substantially the same and whose reception levels are not smaller than a predetermined value are selected and, when a plurality of such peaks are selected, a center angle between the angles of the leftmost and rightmost peaks is obtained, and the thus obtained center angle is taken as an angle representing the target. Further, the plurality of peaks are paired up to detect a distance, relative velocity, and displacement length for each of reflecting points on the target, and when the differences in these values are all within respectively predetermined values, the plurality of peaks are determined as being peaks representing the same target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Assignee: Fujitsu Tem Limited
    Inventors: Daisaku Ono, Masayuki Kishida
  • Patent number: 6900755
    Abstract: An automobile radar which serves to provide data for cruise control or other systems in a host vehicle, comprising means for measuring radar boresight misalignment by detecting the presence of apparent variations in the spacing of stationary objects from the direction of motion of the host vehicle and utilizing such detection to compensate for any misalignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Assignee: Roke Manor Research Limited
    Inventors: Michael Richard Richardson, Gareth Liam Harris, David Herbert Brandwood
  • Patent number: 6898235
    Abstract: A physically compact, wideband signal activity identification, demodulation and characterization, and direction finding device incorporates multiple and cascadable digital signal processing modules operating in asynchronous real time. The digital signal processing modules include a device for data buffering, a device for digital signal processing (DSP), and a device for high-speed data routing. The module device for data buffering is composed of, among other memory devices, a First In Tap Out (FITO) data buffer that may be accessed at any point for delay or faster than real time resynchronization by the DSP module device. The module device for digital signal processing function incorporates a general purpose digital processor for respective module calculation of overlapped hyperchannelization Fast Fourier Transforms (FFT).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: Argon ST Incorporated
    Inventors: Joe Carlin, Terry Collins, Peter Hays, Barry E. Hemmerdinger, Robert L. Kellogg, Robert L. Kettig, Bradley K. Lemmon, Thomas E. Murdock, Robert S. Tamaru, Stuart M. Ware
  • Patent number: 6864828
    Abstract: A system and method provide for the collection of interferometric synthetic aperture radar (IFSAR) data. In the system, a first space vehicle configured for emitting electro-magnetic energy and collecting the reflection from a region of interest (ROI), may be directed along a first orbital track. The collected image data may be stored and later provided to a ground station for image and interferometric processing. A second space vehicle may also be configured for emission and collection of electro-magnetic energy reflected from the plurality of ROI's. The second space vehicle is positioned in an aligned orbit with respect to the first space vehicle where the separation between the vehicles is known. In order to minimize decorrelation of the ROI during image processing, the lead and trail satellite are configured to substantially simultaneously emit electromagnetic pulses image data collection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Arthur C. Golubiewski, Randall Schnathorst
  • Patent number: 6859164
    Abstract: In a position detecting system used to monitor a suspicious person and to give an alarm by using a radar which transmits/receives a microwave or a millimeterwave, the shape of a detectable area of the radar and that of the area to be monitored are not always equal to each other, and thus, an alarm may be erroneously given in response to the object outside the area to be monitored. For its solution, the area to be monitored is surrounded by a plurality of reflectors, and the coordinate values of the reflectors and the detecting object are calculated based on the signals reflected from the reflectors and the detecting object and then compared. When the coordinate value of the detecting object is inside the area to be monitored, it is determined that the detecting object is an intruding person or the like and an alarm is given.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoyuki Kurita, Hiroshi Kondoh, Mikito Tsubota
  • Patent number: 6856278
    Abstract: A radar performs accurate and appropriate pairing even if peaks of approximately identical signal intensities or even if a plurality of peak groups having identical representative beam bearings exist in the frequency spectrum. First, the peak frequency of a peak which appears in the frequency spectrum is determined for each of an up-modulating interval and a down-modulating interval in predetermined beam bearings, and signal-intensity profiles in the beam bearings are extracted with regard to a plurality of beam portions which are adjacent to the beam bearings. Next, the correlation level between the signal-intensity profiles at the up-modulating interval and the down-modulating interval is determined, and pairing is performed in sequence starting from the profiles having a higher correlation level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Motoi Nakanishi, Toru Ishii, Tetsu Nishimura
  • Patent number: 6856280
    Abstract: A method for determining the directional angle of radar objects using a multibeam radar, including the steps of: (a) recording the frequency spectra of the radar echoes for a plurality of beams; (b) seeking a measuring frequency near a frequency maximum assigned to the radar object; and (c) comparing the phases and/or amplitudes of the radar echoes at the measuring frequency with reference patterns known for various directional angles, steps (b) and (c) being executed repeatedly, each time for different measuring frequencies, and the directional angles obtained for the various measuring frequencies being checked for consistency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Sonja Eder, Benoit Budiscak