With Vehicle Movement Compensation (e.g., Amti (airborn Mti)) Patents (Class 342/161)
  • Patent number: 12012132
    Abstract: A data transmitting device includes: a transmitter; a processor; and a memory comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations. The operations include: performing beam forming processing with a terminal provided in at least one moving object; detecting a beam angle based on a result of the beam forming processing; estimating a position of the at least one moving object based on the beam angle and installation position information of the data transmitting device; determining whether the estimated position of the at least one moving object is within a communication area of the data transmitting device; and transmitting desired data to the at least one moving object through the transmitter if it is determined to be within the communication area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tsutomu Asanuma
  • Patent number: 11269051
    Abstract: A circuit includes an input port receiving an input signal having a first frequency. A phase-shifter network is coupled to the input port, receives the input signal, and produces therefrom first and second signals in quadrature with one another. Frequency multiplier circuitry has a common node and includes a first rectifier for rectifying the first signal to produce a first rectified signal having a second frequency that is twice the first frequency and to be applied to the common node, and a second rectifier rectifying the second signal to produce a second rectified signal having the second frequency and to be applied to the common node. A combination of the first and second rectified signals is available at the common node and includes harmonic contents at a frequency that is fourfold the first frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventor: Francesco Belfiore
  • Patent number: 11092686
    Abstract: A method in a time switched multiple input and multiple output (MIMO) radar system comprising, receiving (610) from an antenna array a plurality of data points representing a radar signal reflected from plurality of objects, forming (620) a first set of beams from the plurality of data points, wherein the first set of beams are making a first set angles with a normal to the antenna array, detecting a set of objects (410A-L) from the first set of beams, determining (630) a set of Doppler frequencies of the set of objects, computing (650) a self-velocity representing a velocity of the antenna array from the set of Doppler frequencies and the first set of angles, and correcting (660) the plurality of data points using the self-velocity and a second set of angles to generate plurality of corrected data points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Inventors: Gireesh Rajendran, Apu Sivadas
  • Patent number: 10816654
    Abstract: A method and system for localization of a ground-based vehicle or moving object within an environment. The system acquires radar map data from a radar system and compares the radar map data to reference map data. The position of the vehicle or moving object is then obtained by matching the radar map data to the reference map data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mohsen Rohani, Song Zhang
  • Patent number: 10578734
    Abstract: An exemplary computer implemented digital image processing method conveys probabilities of detecting terrestrial targets from an observation aircraft. Input data defining an observation aircraft route relative to the geographical map with lines of communications (LOC) disposed thereon are received and stored as well as input data associated an aircraft sensor's targeting capabilities and attributes related to the capability of targets to be detected. Percentages of time for line-of-sight visibility from the aircraft of segments of LOC segments are determined. Probability percentages that the sensor would detect a terrestrial target on the segments are determined. The segments are color-coded with visibility and sensor detection information. A visual representation of the map with the color-coded segments is provided to enhance the ability to select appropriate observation mission factors to achieve a successful observation mission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventor: James Palmer-Smith
  • Patent number: 10386473
    Abstract: A radar apparatus includes a first processing unit, a second processing unit, and a speed determining unit. Of these units, the first processing unit determines at least speed including ambiguity caused by phase folding back within a predetermined speed measurement range, from phase rotation of frequency components detected in time-series for a same target, using a beat signal obtained by transmitting and receiving, a plurality of times, a predetermined first modulation wave. The second processing unit determines at least speed that is uniquely determined within the speed measurement range, from Doppler frequency included in frequency components indicating a target, using a beat signal obtained by transmitting and receiving a predetermined second modulation wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsutoshi Morinaga, Kazuma Natsume, Hideki Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 10310081
    Abstract: A system for using ultrasound to detect distance on mobile platform and methods for making and using same. The system includes an ultrasound transceiver that can transmit and/or receive ultrasound waves and determine distance from an object of interest using a time-of-flight of the ultrasound wave. The system is adapted to reduce noise by using a dynamic model of the mobile platform to set constraints on the possible location of a received ultrasound echo. A linear, constant-speed dynamic model can be used to set constraints. The system can further reduce noise by packetizing a received ultrasound waveform and filtering out noise according to height and width of the packets. The system likewise can remove dead zones in the ultrasound transceiver by subtracting an aftershock waveform from the received waveform. The systems and methods are suitable for ultrasound distance detection on any type of mobile platform, including unmanned aerial vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jiebin Xie, Litian Zhang, Wei Ren
  • Patent number: 9865168
    Abstract: A method includes: receiving, at a host vehicle, a plurality of messages transmitted using Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) communications indicating a heading angle and a speed of a remote vehicle; calculating an expected change in frequency of the plurality of messages received at the host vehicle based on the heading angle and the speed of the remote vehicle; measuring an actual change in frequency of the plurality of messages received at the host vehicle due to the Doppler effect; comparing the expected change in frequency to the actual change in frequency; and determining that the plurality of messages were not transmitted from the remote vehicle when a difference between the expected change in frequency and the actual change in frequency exceeds a predefined frequency change threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignees: Hyundai America Technical Center, Inc, Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Mohammad Naserian, Allan Lewis
  • Patent number: 9712974
    Abstract: A method for demodulating a signal is provided. The method includes: acquiring a reference clock signal provided by a power management unit (PMU) in a mobile terminal; determining a moving velocity of the mobile terminal; determining, based on the moving velocity, a Doppler frequency shift value generated when the mobile terminal receives a radio frequency (RF) signal transmitted by a base station; and demodulating, according to the reference clock signal and the Doppler frequency shift value, the received RF signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Xiaomi Inc.
    Inventors: Xiangdong Wang, Zhenghai Wu, Feng Guo
  • Patent number: 9571042
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to digital up-conversion for a multi-band Multi-Order Power Amplifier (MOPA) that enables precise and accurate control of gain, phase, and delay of multi-band split signals input to the multi-band MOPA. In general, a multi-band MOPA is configured to amplify a multi-band signal that is split across a number, N, of inputs of the multi-band MOPA as a number, N, of multi-band split signals, where N is an order of the multi-band MOPA and is greater than or equal to 2. A digital upconversion system for the multi-band MOPA is configured to independently control a gain, phase, and delay for each of a number, M, of frequency bands of the multi-band signal for each of at least N?1, and preferably all, of the multi-band split signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (publ)
    Inventors: Bradley John Morris, Harpreet Panesar
  • Patent number: 9470782
    Abstract: Described herein is an automotive radar system which utilizes a three channel switched antenna to improve the angular resolution of an azimuth tracking two-channel, radar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: VALEO RADAR SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Millar, Joseph S. Pleva
  • Patent number: 9429648
    Abstract: A radar apparatus includes a detection unit to detect objects within a scan range based on a reflected wave received with respect to a transmission wave and to output detection results of the objects, and an adjusting unit to narrow the scan range so as not to detect an object other than a target object, when the detection results include the object other than the target object detected in the scan range within a predetermined time. The adjusting unit judges an object having a velocity less than a first value as the object other than the target object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventor: Yuuichi Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 9152880
    Abstract: Methods for determining the probability of a human observer correctly performing a visual discrimination task of a target with a dynamic image stream, movie, are based on the V50 criterion, or the number of resolvable cycles needed by the human observer for a fifty percent probability of discrimination task completion, for performing the same visual discrimination task of the same targets in static scenes given an infinite amount of time. Once the V50 value is determined for the target set using static images, this value is used with the resolvable cycles V of the target set from the movie in an empirical Target Transfer Probability Function TTPF defined by P?(t)=(V(t)/V50(t))1.5/(1+(V(t)/V50(t))1.5). The TTPF calculates the probability of correctly performing the visual discrimination task of a target at a given instance in time within the movie. These P? values are then modified by a time limited search equation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARTY OF THE ARMY
    Inventor: Steven K. Moyer
  • Patent number: 8994584
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to motion compensation, and in particular to an autofocus-based compensation (ABC) systems and methods for a ground moving target indication platform. According to one embodiment, a method for autofocus based compensation of range data acquired from an object in motion is provided. The method may include: receiving range data; steering at least one receive beam of the range data in a desired direction; transforming the range data into the range domain; determining the width of a main clutter lobe; excluding data that is not part of the main lobe clutter response; transforming the main-lobe clutter response into the range domain; calculating a phase correction term; and applying the phase correction to the original range data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Kenneth I. Ranney, Geoffrey H. Goldman, Roberto Innocenti, Jerry Lee Silvious
  • Patent number: 8854255
    Abstract: An airborne moving target indicating (MTI) radar includes an array antenna. A receive processor electronically multiplies the signals received by each antenna element by element enable/disable signals which vary from time to time, thus electronically moving the effective phase center of the antenna array. The motion of the phase center is matched to the moving vehicle speed and direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventor: Timothy Ehret
  • Publication number: 20140009324
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to motion compensation, and in particular to an autofocus-based compensation (ABC) systems and methods for a ground moving target indication platform. According to one embodiment, a method for autofocus based compensation of range data acquired from an object in motion is provided. The method may include: receiving range data; steering at least one receive beam of the range data in a desired direction; transforming the range data into the range domain; determining the width of a main clutter lobe; excluding data that is not part of the main lobe clutter response; transforming the main-lobe clutter response into the range domain; calculating a phase correction term; and applying the phase correction to the original range data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2012
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: U.S. Government as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Kenneth I. Ranney, Geoffrey H. Goldman, Roberto Innocenti, Jerry Lee Silvious
  • Patent number: 8144051
    Abstract: A motion compensation method and system is included in a radar antenna system mounted on a moving platform which is subject to pitch, yaw and roll. The radar antenna system includes a main array antenna, and an auxiliary antenna. The auxiliary channel associated with the auxiliary antenna utilizes roll, pitch and yaw angle motion compensations as its auxiliary antenna always steers a horizontal fan shape beam at the horizon to blank any surface (land or sea) based EM interferences. Such motion compensations are provided by a ship motion compensator component and process included within the antenna system. The ship motion compensator component in response to platform motion signals indicative of changes in platform motion angles generates new sets of values using an initial set of weighting coefficient values as a function of such angle motion changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Yuchoi F. Lok, Kaichiang Chang, Jerome H. Pozgay
  • Patent number: 8134493
    Abstract: A system and method for determining the geolocation of a signal emitter moving at an unknown velocity by combining signal data of a target detection platform (e.g., a radar system) and signal data collected by two or more moving signal collection platforms (e.g., RF signal receivers). In one embodiment, the target detection platform determines tentative location and velocity of the signal emitter, and the signal collection platforms are configured to perform TDOA and/or FDOA analysis of the collected signal data corresponding to a signal of the signal emitter. In one embodiment, solutions provided from the TDOA and/or FDOA analysis are unbiased by using the tentative velocity of the signal emitter, and the geolocation of the signal emitter is determined by matching the TDOA/FDOA solutions and the detected tentative location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: William B. Noble, Duncan L. Crawford, Jeffrey M. Guild
  • Patent number: 8125374
    Abstract: Described herein is a method of preventing false detections in sensors pulse-Doppler radar mounted on a moving platform. The method comprises filtering each received burst using Doppler filtering to split each received burst into at least a fast channel and one or more slow channels. The slow channel outputs are then used to derive compensation values for the fast channel. In particular, a zero Doppler slow channel is used to derive predicted surface clutter residue information, and a near zero Doppler slow channel is used to derive additional false alarm control attenuation information. Both the predicted surface clutter residue and the false alarm control attenuation information is used to apply compensation to the fast channel and a comparison is done to select the lower of the two values to generate an output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: BAE Systems PLC
    Inventor: Philip Trevelyan Edwards
  • Patent number: 8094937
    Abstract: A system and method for labeling feature clusters in frames of image data for optical navigation uses distances between feature clusters in a current frame of image data and feature clusters in a previous frame of image data to label the feature clusters in the current frame of image data using identifiers associated with the feature cluster in the previous frame of image data that have been correlated with the feature clusters in the current frame of image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Avago Technologies ECBU IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Edward Kah Ching Teoh, Zi Hao Tan
  • Publication number: 20110309972
    Abstract: A motion compensation method and system is included in a radar antenna system mounted on a moving platform which is subject to pitch, yaw and roll. The radar antenna system includes a main array antenna, and an auxiliary antenna. The auxiliary channel associated with the auxiliary antenna utilizes roll, pitch and yaw angle motion compensations as its auxiliary antenna always steers a horizontal fan shape beam at the horizon to blank any surface (land or sea) based EM interferences. Such motion compensations are provided by a ship motion compensator component and process included within the antenna system. The ship motion compensator component in response to platform motion signals indicative of changes in platform motion angles generates new sets of values using an initial set of weighting coefficient values as a function of such angle motion changes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicant: RAYTHEON COMPANY
    Inventors: Yuchoi F. Lok, Kaichiang Chang, Jerome H. Pozgay
  • Patent number: 7978124
    Abstract: Methods to quantify the amount of radial platform motion of a portable sensor are described. In an exemplary embodiment, the method uses the frequency domain phase data in the range bin corresponding to a large stationary object. A correction factor is computed and applied back into the time domain samples prior to processing by Doppler filters used to measure motion in the scene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Carl D. Cook, Scott E. Adcook, Mena J. Ghebranious
  • Patent number: 7773032
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for a simplified approach for determining the output of a total covariance signal processor. A single set of offline calculations is performed and then used to estimate the output of the total covariance signal processor. A simplified approach for performing matrix inversion may also be used in determining the output of the total covariance processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Research Foundation of the City University of New York
    Inventor: Erlan H. Feria
  • Patent number: 7705730
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method and system for use of ranging MW to decrease MW intrusion detector false alarms. A Doppler microwave system may be provided that is capable of detecting an object range and adjusting the sensitivity of an alarm stage of a MW detector to account for object size and range. Multiple range limited MW stages may be configured for different ranges to determine the general range of the moving object. Based on signal levels present on these MW stages, an approximate object range may be determined. The sensitivity of the MW alarm stage is then adjusted based on a MW alarm state sensitivity vs. object range function that is optimized to alarm on humans and ignore small animals and insects. The method and system may be used in detection systems incorporating a MW sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Gregory Royer
  • Publication number: 20090128401
    Abstract: A system comprising a moving radar, a processing device, and a phase difference determination device is used to monitor a target. The moving radar has first and second phase centers that transmit and receive signals normal to a direction of movement of the radar. The processing device receives first and second ones of the received signals from the first and second phase centers, respectively, and performs a target motion compensation and target acceleration correction for each of the first and second received signals to produce first and second images. The phase difference determination device determines a phase difference image from a comparison of the first and second images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Applicant: The MITRE Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Prather PERRY, Probal Kumar Sanyal, David Matthew Zasada
  • Patent number: 7522091
    Abstract: A processor using a first Kalman filter estimates a host vehicle state from speed and yaw rate, the latter of which may be from a yaw rate sensor if speed is greater than a threshold, and, if less, from a steer angle sensor and speed. Road curvature parameters are estimated from a curve fit of a host vehicle trajectory or from a second Kalman filter for which a state variable may be responsive to a plurality of host state variables. Kalman filters may incorporate adaptive sliding windows. Curvature of a most likely road type is estimated with an interacting multiple model (IMM) algorithm using models of different road types. A road curvature fusion subsystem provides for fusing road curvature estimates from a plurality of curvature estimators using either host vehicle state, a map database responsive to vehicle location, or measurements of a target vehicle with a radar system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Automotive Systems Laboratory, Inc.
    Inventors: Shan Cong, Shi Shen, Lang Hong
  • Patent number: 7509217
    Abstract: A vehicle detector includes a detecting apparatus and a determining apparatus. If a plurality of detection points detected by the detecting apparatus forms a group of detection points, the determining apparatus sets a determining virtual window encompassing the group of detection points and determines whether the group of detection points is likely to represent the one vehicle based on a state of movement of the group of detection points with respect to the determining virtual window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Alpine Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenjiro Endoh
  • Patent number: 7460059
    Abstract: Interfering clutter in radar pulses received by an airborne radar system from a radar transponder can be suppressed by developing a representation of the incoming echo-voltage time-series that permits the clutter associated with predetermined parts of the time-series to be estimated. These estimates can be used to estimate and suppress the clutter associated with other parts of the time-series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Richard C. Ormesher, Robert M. Axline
  • Patent number: 7333046
    Abstract: A system comprising a moving radar, a processing device, and a phase difference determination device is used to monitor a target. The moving radar has first and second phase centers that transmit and receive signals normal to a direction of movement of the radar. The processing device receives first and second ones of the received signals from the first and second phase centers, respectively, and performs a target motion compensation and target acceleration correction for each of the first and second received signals to produce first and second images. The phase difference determination device determines a phase difference image from a comparison of the first and second images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: The Mitre Corporation
    Inventors: Richard P. Perry, Probal K. Sanyal, David Matthew Zasada
  • Patent number: 7327305
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the evaluating a received signal of an SAR/MTI pulsed radar system that transmits SAR and MTI pulses with respective definable pulse repetition frequency PRF_SAR and PRF_MTI, such that the received signal is a superimposition consisting of echo pulse sequences of SAR and MTI echo pulse signals. According to the invention, in the received echo pulse sequence of the received signal, each SAR echo from an area of interest is evaluated SAR process. The remaining pulses of the received echo pulse sequence of the received signal are evaluated in using an MTI process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: EADS Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Loehner, Roland Drescher
  • Patent number: 7298316
    Abstract: An apparatus for detecting clutter blocks and an interference source for dynamically establishing a clutter map includes a clutter block detecting module accumulates a plurality of range cell data of each detecting area, and compares the accumulated value with a clutter block level to define the position of a clutter block; a interference source detecting module accumulates all range cell data in each radar beam area, and compares the accumulated value with an interference source reference level to detect whether any interference source exists; and a clutter map establishing module saves the clutter maps on different beam areas in three memory blocks. When one clutter map cell is extracted, the clutter map cells on different beam areas neighboring with the beam area saving extracted clutter map cell are also extracted. The largest value among the extracted clutter map cells is being a clutter threshold value of a detected target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Chung Shan Institute of Science and Technology, Armaments Bureau M.N.D.
    Inventors: Ming-Fa Tsai, Zheng-Cheng Chang, Ming-Wey Chen
  • Patent number: 7154434
    Abstract: An anti-personnel airborne radar application for ultra slow target tracking is provided. The anti-personnel airborne radar application includes a rotorcraft and a signal processing system. The signal processing system includes a radar antenna supported by said rotorcraft, a plurality of phase centers, a conditioning circuit for each phase center, an adaptive signal processor, and an ultra slow target indicator. Each phase center is for receiving reflected radar signals received by the radar antenna. The adaptive signal processor processes the received condition signal from each of the phase centers, allowing the ultra slow target indicator to render tracking reports. A method of detecting human motion over a ground swath is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Daniel J. Sego
  • Patent number: 7145497
    Abstract: Detection of moving targets in SAR images is improved by a radar on a moving platform for generating a focused synthetic aperture image of a scene The scene contains a target described by pixels within the SAR image. The radar has a monopulse antenna having a sum channel output and a difference channel output feeding analog to digital converters for converting the sum channel output and difference channel output into respective digital streams concurrently. The digital streams generate a difference channel SAR image and a sum channel SAR image. Target ratios are computed for those pixels descriptive of a target within the scene. Background ratios are computed for pixels around the target. Target ratios and background ratios define respective least square fit of angle discriminants. Comparing the target least square fit of angle discriminant with the background least square fit angle discriminant identifies an angle offset and a Doppler offset of the target with respect to the background.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Kapriel V. Krikorian, Robert A. Rosen
  • Patent number: 7145496
    Abstract: A radar on a moving platform generates an initial synthetic aperture (SAR) image of a scene from a sequence of periodic pulse returns approximately motion compensated. The SAR image is formed from pixel intensities zn(x,y) within a x,y extent of the initial synthetic aperture image. Targets are selected from the initial synthetic aperture image using a sliding window, computing a first entropy for the selected targets, and sorting the targets using the first entropy to obtain a target list having target elements, then concatenating the target elements to form a data matrix compatible in the azimuth dimension with a Fast Fourier Transform. A phase correction for autofocus is iteratively computed and applied to the initial synthetic aperture image using an inner loop, a mid loop and an outer loop. The phase correction is expressed using an orthogonal polynomial having a plurality n consecutive terms an, a2 denoting a quadratic term, and aN denoting a last order term.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Kwang M. Cho, Leo H. Hui
  • Patent number: 7145498
    Abstract: A moving radar generates a search mode synthetic aperture image of a patch from periodic pulse returns reflected from the patch. The patch is imaged from radar returns derived from two or more overlapping arrays. A strong scatterer is located within each array, then the data from each array is motion compensated with respect to the motion of the radar and the strong scatterer. The motion compensated results for each array are autofocused to derive a phase error for each array. Using the phase error for each array, a connected phase error estimate is computed, added to the phase error of each array to minimize the differences between phases in the overlap between arrays insuring that there is no or minimal phase discontinuity in the overlap region between arrays. Avoiding phase discontinuity yields a clear SAR image of the combination of arrays rendering the patch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Kwang M. Cho, Leo H. Hui
  • Patent number: 7095358
    Abstract: A target is detected under a forest canopy or other elevated clutter where the target is obscured by the elevated clutter. Radar returns reflected from the target on the surface, combined with those from the elevated clutter are digitized. Motion compensation is performed for the radar returns with respect to the target to obtain a focused first synthetic aperture image of the target. Next, the radar returns are motion compensated with respect to the elevated clutter at various heights above the surface to obtain images of the elevated clutter. The elevated clutter within the images at the various heights above the surface is identified and coherently subtracted from the original synthetic aperture images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Kapriel V. Krikorian, Robert A. Rosen
  • Patent number: 7081849
    Abstract: The subject process accepts the data from a kinematic tracker and maps them to fuzzy set conditions. Then using a multitude of defined membership functions and fuzzy logic gates, generates sensor mode control rules. It does this for every track and each sensor. The Rule with the best score becomes a sensor cue, which is used to place the sensor into one of three operating modes. If there are ambiguities do to one or more vehicles coming in to close proximity to each other process compares radar profiles of vehicle to those stored in an “on the fly” data base to eliminate the ambiguities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2006
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
    Inventors: Noel Collins, Kirk D. Moore, Donald R. McMillan
  • Patent number: 7079991
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of target tracking and more generally to a method employing improved algorithms, which achieve excellent tracking performance for a high-g maneuvering target. The two-model Interacting Multiple Model algorithm and the Interacting Acceleration Compensation algorithm will be modified by introducing adaptive factors through the detection of the normalized innovation squared which is chi-square probability distributed. The implementation results show that the modified algorithms can handle the target sudden maneuver better and are more accurate than the original algorithms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Singapore Technologies Aerospace Ltd.
    Inventors: Luo Wen Li, Chian Poh Lam
  • Patent number: 6982668
    Abstract: Radar systems use time delay measurements between a transmitted signal and its echo to calculate range to a target. Ranges that change with time cause a Doppler offset in phase and frequency of the echo. Consequently, the closing velocity between target and radar can be measured by measuring the Doppler offset of the echo. The closing velocity is also known as radial velocity, or line-of-sight velocity. Doppler frequency is measured in a pulse-Doppler radar as a linear phase shift over a set of radar pulses during some Coherent Processing Interval (CPI). An Interferometric Moving Target Indicator (MTI) radar can be used to measure the tangential velocity component of a moving target. Multiple baselines, along with the conventional radial velocity measurement, allow estimating the true 3-D velocity of a target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Armin W. Doerry, Brian P. Mileshosky, Douglas L. Bickel
  • Patent number: 6937185
    Abstract: A method of removing returns from rain in Doppler radar systems (and corresponding apparatus and computer software) comprising receiving a Doppler radar return signal, transforming the signal into a range versus frequency map, for a plurality of range cells, performing a fit over frequency, for the plurality of range cells, calculating a total energy, for the plurality of range cells, comparing the calculated total energy to a threshold value, and replacing the return signal for a range cell with another signal if for the plurality of range cells the comparing step is positive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Ivan Collazo, Donald D. Dean
  • Patent number: 6930633
    Abstract: A method and system for adaptively reducing, in a displacement signal having a value indicative of a measured angular displacement between an antenna boresight and an apparent line of sight to a target, a noise signal having a value indicative of an angular error induced by a shift in the target radar centroid so as to provide an output signal having a value indicative of an estimate of a true angular displacement signal between the antenna boresight and a true line of sight to the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventor: Edwin H. Epperson
  • Patent number: 6897804
    Abstract: A method for calculating a center frequency and a bandwidth for a radar doppler filter is herein described. The center frequency and bandwidth are calculated to provide radar performance over varying terrain and aircraft altitude, pitch, and roll. The method includes receiving an antenna mounting angle, a slant range, and velocity vectors in body coordinates, calculating a range swath doppler velocity, a track and phase swath bandwidth, and a phase swath doppler velocity. The method continues by calculating a range swath center frequency based on the range swath doppler velocity, calculating a phase swath center frequency based on the phase swath doppler velocity, and calculating a level and verify swath bandwidth based upon the track and phase swath bandwidth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: James R. Hager, Thomas W. Heidemann, Thomas R. Jicha
  • Patent number: 6833808
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing of a signal in which a variation in phase between a transmitted and reflected pulse is modeled, as is the amplitude of the pulse. The modeled phase and amplitude are used to smooth the data by reducing phase noise present on the signal thereby enhancing the signal to noise ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2004
    Assignee: QinetiQ Limited
    Inventors: Huw D Rees, William N Dawber
  • Patent number: 6803876
    Abstract: This invention relates to radar signal processing. In particular, this invention concerns Doppler processing and clutter filtering on irregular Pulse Repetition Time (PRT) sampled signal. This invention solves the above-mentioned drawbacks, in particular solving the velocity ambiguity and filtering any type of clutter, providing a deconvolution method which filter any kind of clutter even varying clutter like sea clutter, rain clutter . . .
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: Thales Nederland B.V.
    Inventor: Radmila Erkocevic-Pribic
  • Patent number: 6765526
    Abstract: Movement of a GMTI radar during a coherent processing interval over which a set of radar pulses are processed may cause defocusing of a range-Doppler map in the video signal. This problem may be compensated by varying waveform or sampling parameters of each pulse to compensate for distortions caused by variations in viewing angles from the radar to the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventor: Armin W. Doerry
  • Patent number: 6756935
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system for automatic detection of targets from radar data are disclosed. Ground moving target indicator radar is used to collect radar data which is then filtered to suppress intensity of the clutter ridge. For each working point in a set of radar data, a working first-sense circular transmit/first-sense circular receive radar cross section, a working first-sense circular transmit/second-sense circular receive radar cross section, and a working asymmetry angle are calculated from a scattering matrix, then analyzed to classify the working point as a target point or a clutter point. This analysis suitably is performed by comparing data calculated for each working point to basis data collected in a look-up table in which combinations of a first-sense circular transmit/first-sense circular receive radar cross section, a first-sense circular transmit/second-sense circular receive radar cross section, and an asymmetry angle have been classified as target points or clutter points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: William L. Cameron, Mark A. Curry
  • Publication number: 20040046689
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing of a signal in which a variation in phase between a transmitted and reflected pulse is modelled, as is the amplitude of the pulse. The modelled phase and amplitude are used to smooth the data by reducing phase noise present on the signal thereby enhancing the signal to noise ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2003
    Publication date: March 11, 2004
    Inventors: Huw D Rees, William N Dawber
  • Patent number: 6614386
    Abstract: A bistatic radar system and method. In the illustrative embodiment, a receiver is positioned in a horizontal plane. A transmitter is then positioned in Middle Earth Orbit at a position that is nearly vertical to the plane of the receiver. This configuration provides significant flexibility for the radar system. As such, the radar system may engage in flight patterns, in which the transmitter and receiver have velocity vectors in opposite directions (GMTI mode), the same direction (SAR mode) and variations in between (mixed mode). Lastly, a broad beam is generated from the transmitter and illuminates an area enabling several receivers to simultaneously observe the illuminated area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Kenneth L. Moore, Chester L. Richards, Pileih Chen
  • Publication number: 20030151540
    Abstract: A method and bistatic synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging system generate an image of a target area without knowledge of the position or velocity of the illuminator. The system includes an illuminator to illuminate a target area with a null-monopulse radiation pattern interleaved with a sum radiation pattern. The illuminator adjusts the phase terms of the sum radiation pattern to maintain a static electromagnetic field pattern at the target area. A receiver receives the radiation patterns reflected from the target area and generates phase compensation terms by correlating a measured electromagnetic vector field with the known static electromagnetic vector field. The phase compensation terms are used to generate an image of the target area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2002
    Publication date: August 14, 2003
    Inventor: David A. Faulkner
  • Publication number: 20030142000
    Abstract: A system and method for efficient phase error correction in range migration algorithm (RMA) for synthetic aperture radar (SAR) systems implemented by making proper shifts for each position dependent phase history so that phase correction can readily be performed using the aligned phase history data during batch processing. In its simplest form, the invention (44) is comprised of two main parts. First (60), alignment of the phase error profile is achieved by proper phase adjustment in the spatial (or image) domain using a quadratic phase function. Second (62), the common phase error can be corrected using autofocus algorithms. Two alternative embodiments of the invention are described. The first embodiment (44a) adds padded zeros to the range compressed data in order to avoid the wrap around effect introduced by the FFT (Fast Fourier Transform). This embodiment requires a third step (64): the target dependent signal support needs to be shifted back to the initial position after phase correction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2002
    Publication date: July 31, 2003
    Inventor: Kwang M. Cho