Image Production Patents (Class 342/179)
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Publication number: 20120249363Abstract: A long range millimeter wave imaging radar system. Preferred embodiments are positioned to detect foreign object debris objects on surface of the runway, taxiways and other areas of interest. The system includes electronics adapted to produce millimeter wave radiation scanned over a frequency range of a few gigahertz. The scanned millimeter wave radiation is broadcast through a frequency scanned antenna to produce a narrow scanned transmit beam in a first scanned direction (such as the vertical direction) defining a narrow, approximately one dimensional, electronically scanned field of view corresponding to the scanned millimeter wave frequencies. The antenna is mechanically pivoted or scanned in a second scanned direction perpendicular to the first scanned direction so as to define a two-dimensional field of view.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2011Publication date: October 4, 2012Inventors: Vladimir Kolinko, Chris Sexton, Grant Bishop, John Lovberg
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Publication number: 20120249362Abstract: The invention provides a method for obtaining the object-plane field without a pure theoretical estimation or a direct experimental measurement of a point spread function (PSF) of an imaging system. Instead, at least two image-plane fields have to be recorded. It is essential that the resolutions of the system producing the images have to be quite different from each other. Although both PSFs of the system are unknown, the recording conditions have to be chosen so that the second PSF could be expressed via the first PSF. Two integral equations—(1) a convolution of the object-plane field with the first PSF and (2) a convolution of the object-plane field with the second PSF (expressed via the first PSF)—can be reduced to one functional equation in the Fourier space. The reverse Fourier transform of the solution of this equation is the object-plane field.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 29, 2011Publication date: October 4, 2012Inventor: Victor Gorelik
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Patent number: 8279108Abstract: The general field of the invention is that of viewing systems of the synthetic vision type SVS, for a first aircraft, the said system comprising at least one cartographic database of a terrain, position sensors, for the said aircraft, an air traffic detection system calculating the position and the danger rating of at least one second aircraft exhibiting a risk of collision with the said first aircraft on the basis of data originating from sensors or systems such as TCAS or ADS-B, an electronic computer, a man-machine interface means and a display screen, the computer comprising means for processing the various items of information originating from the database, sensors and interface means, the said processing means arranged so as to provide the display screen with a synthetic image of the terrain comprising a representation of the said second aircraft.Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 2009Date of Patent: October 2, 2012Assignee: ThalesInventors: Christian Nouvel, Corinne Bacabara, Jean-Noel Perbet
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Patent number: 8253619Abstract: In one aspect, the present invention provides an imager, preferably portable, that includes a source of electromagnetic radiation capable of generating radiation with one or more frequencies in a range of about 1 GHz to about 2000 GHz. An optical system that is optically coupled to the source focuses radiation received therefrom onto an object plane, and directs at least a portion of the focused radiation propagating back from the object plane onto an image plane. The imager further includes a scan mechanism coupled to the optical system for controlling thereof so as to move the focused radiation over the object plane. A detector optically coupled to the lens at the image plane detects at least a portion of the radiation propagating back from a plurality of scanned locations in the object plane, thereby generating a detection signal. A processor that is in communication with the detector generates an image of at least a portion of the object plane based on the detection signal.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2009Date of Patent: August 28, 2012Assignee: Techtronic Power Tools Technology LimitedInventors: David S. Holbrook, Christopher P. Adams, Brent Gregorich, Umesh Rajani, Jason Porter Whitmire, Scott D. Bublitz, Jeffrey C. Hessenberger, John S. Scott, Mark Huggins, Matthew J. Mergener
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Patent number: 8248296Abstract: This disclosure provides a target object detection signal processing device, which includes a reception data output module, to which a reception signal is inputted, for outputting reception data indicative of a signal level of the reception data, a scan-to-scan correlation processing module for performing scan-to-scan correlation processing between the reception data and previous reception data indicative of a reception level of previously acquired reception signal to output scan-to-scan correlation data, and an output selection module, to which the reception data and the scan-to-scan correlation data are inputted, for selectively outputting either one of the data.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2010Date of Patent: August 21, 2012Assignee: Furuno Electric Company LimitedInventors: Hitoshi Maeno, Youichi Maruyama, Kazuya Nakagawa, Koji Nishiyama
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Patent number: 8248293Abstract: A method and a device for the spatially resolved detection and reconstruction of objects using microwaves is described, in which at least one object to be detected is subjected to microwaves that are generated by a plurality of microwave antennas and microwave fractions reflected by the object are detected and converted into microwave signals that can be analyzed, based on which an analysis for the spatially resolved object detection is carried out.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2008Date of Patent: August 21, 2012Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Forderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.Inventors: Michael Kroning, Andrey Bulavinov, Roman Pinchuk
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Patent number: 8248298Abstract: A radar system having orthogonal antenna apertures is disclosed. The invention further relates to an antenna system wherein the orthogonal apertures comprise at least one transmit aperture and at least one receive aperture. The cross-product of the transmit and receive apertures provides a narrow spot beam and resulting high resolution image. An embodiment of the invention discloses orthogonal linear arrays, comprising at least one electronically scanned transmit linear array and at least one electronically scanned receive linear array. The design of this orthogonal linear array system produces comparable performance, clutter and sidelobe structure at a fraction of the cost of conventional 2D filled array antenna systems.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2009Date of Patent: August 21, 2012Assignee: First RF CorporationInventor: Farzin Lalezari
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Publication number: 20120206293Abstract: A system and method for generating enhanced images of a target area using projection data obtained using an electromagnetic radiation source, the method comprising forming an initial aperture of data points containing positional information of the transmitter and receiver of the electromagnetic radiation; and an associated data record; randomly removing data points from the initial aperture to form subapertures with randomly missing data points; creating a subset of data points from each of the plurality of subapertures; the subsets containing data points containing image data for portions of the target area which are the same or overlapping; comparing the subsets of data points to determine variations in the data points indicative of transient data; based upon the comparison between overlapping subsets of image data, determining whether the subsets of data points comprise image data relating to physical objects or noise.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 18, 2012Publication date: August 16, 2012Applicant: U.S Government as represented by the Secretary of the ArmyInventors: LAM H. NGUYEN, THONG T. DO
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Publication number: 20120190977Abstract: Example embodiments presented herein relate to solutions for analyzing and/or classifying microwave scattering data. The analyzing and/or classifying may be utilized for estimating an internal condition in an enclosed volume.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 23, 2010Publication date: July 26, 2012Applicant: MEDFIELD DIAGNOSTICS ABInventors: Mikael Persson, Mohammad Alikhorshidi, Thomas Mckelvey, Hamed Yousefimesri, Masood Khazaeli Najafabadi
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Publication number: 20120188118Abstract: A passive radiometric imaging device and a corresponding method for scanning a scene and reconstructing an image of said scene provide an improved image quality. The device comprises a radiometer for detecting radiation and a processing means for subsequently determining pixel values of pixels of the image to be reconstructed. A cost calculation unit calculates costs for the radiation samples of said data sub-set according to a predetermined cost function, said costs indicating the level of noise in the respective radiation sample. An optimization unit determines a pixel value as a label value from a set of label values, a label indicating a radiation sample or a group of radiation samples of the respective data sub-set, by determining an extremum of energy values determined for different radiation samples or different groups of radiation samples of the respective data sub-set by use of an energy function.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 4, 2012Publication date: July 26, 2012Applicant: Sony CorporationInventor: Michel SARKIS
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Publication number: 20120182178Abstract: An imaging system includes an RF source, a focal plane array and device for focusing the RF signal from the RF source. The focal plane array includes a plurality of carbon nanotube mixers for capturing RF signals and down-converting the signals to a selected bandwidth and output an output signal. The device focuses the RF signal output from said RF source onto the focal plane array.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 10, 2007Publication date: July 19, 2012Applicant: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATIONInventors: Aaron A. Pesetski, Hong Zhang, John Xavier Przybysz, John Douglas Adam
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Patent number: 8223063Abstract: A system and method for presenting wind speed information in a manner so as to be easily understood and appreciated by viewers of televised weather report presentations and the like. Wind speed information is presented as a planar representation of three-dimensional wind speed data using contour lines, delineating areas with a planar location in the three dimensional data, overlaid on a geographic map display either alone, or in combination with radar reflectivity information. Wind velocity information received from a weather radar system, such as NEXRAD, relative to the weather radar is converted to absolute wind speed information for display.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2010Date of Patent: July 17, 2012Inventors: Terence F. Kelly, Victor W. Marsh, John S. Moore, William H. Boss
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Patent number: 8212713Abstract: An object detecting apparatus including: an object detecting device that causes electromagnetic waves to be reflected from an object and receives the reflected waves to detect the object while scanning a predetermined scan range; a rotating device that changes a direction of the object detecting device; an imaging device that captures images; a display device that displays an image captured by the imaging device; a setting device that sets the scan range of the object detecting device on the image displayed by the display device; and a control device that instructs the rotating device to rotate the object detecting device based on the set scan range, and instructs the object detecting device to scan the scan range.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2008Date of Patent: July 3, 2012Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yoshimitsu Aiga, Takeshi Sasajima, Takashi Asaba
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Patent number: 8212717Abstract: A detection system and method. The inventive system includes an arrangement for receiving a frame of image data; an arrangement for performing a variance calculation with respect to at least one pixel in the frame of image data; and an arrangement for comparing the calculated variance with a predetermined threshold to provide output data. In the illustrative embodiment, the frame of image data includes a range/Doppler matrix of N down range samples and M cross range samples. In this embodiment, the arrangement for performing a variance calculation includes an arrangement for calculating a variance over an N×M window within the range/Doppler matrix. The arrangement for performing a variance calculation includes an arrangement for identifying a change in a standard deviation of a small, localized sampling of cells. In accordance with the invention, the arrangement for performing a variance calculation outputs a variance pixel map.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2007Date of Patent: July 3, 2012Assignee: Raytheon CompanyInventors: Donald P. Bruyere, Ivan S. Ashcraft, John B. Treece
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Patent number: 8212714Abstract: A yaw angle error of a motion measurement system carried on an aircraft for navigation is estimated from Doppler radar images captured using the aircraft. At least two radar pulses aimed at respectively different physical locations in a targeted area are transmitted from a radar antenna carried on the aircraft. At least two Doppler radar images that respectively correspond to the at least two transmitted radar pulses are produced. These images are used to produce an estimate of the yaw angle error.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2009Date of Patent: July 3, 2012Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: Armin W. Doerry, Jay D. Jordan, Theodore J. Kim
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Publication number: 20120154207Abstract: Disclosed is an image scanning apparatus in an image processing system, including: a frequency signal generator configured to synthesize at least two single frequency signals; a frequency up converter configured to up-convert and transmit the synthesized single frequency signals; a frequency down converter configured to down-convert and receive frequency signals reflected from an object by the up-converted frequency signals; a frequency sorter configured to sort the down-converted frequency signals so as to correspond to the at least two single frequency signals; a multiple frequency processor configured to generate a transfer function by performing parallel processing on each of the sorted frequency signals; and an image processing unit configured to generate an image of the object by using the transfer function.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2011Publication date: June 21, 2012Applicant: ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTEInventors: Kwang-Seon Kim, Bong-Su Kim, Min-Soo Kang, Woo-Jin Byun
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Patent number: 8203480Abstract: A method of detecting weather on an aircraft uses a weather radar system. The method adapts the weather radar system in accordance with a time-of-year parameter, a time-of-day parameter, and/or a location parameter to remove ground clutter reflectivity. The method includes determining the particular parameter and automatically adjusting the weather radar system to display the weather in response to the parameter. The system can be implemented in hardware and/or software and can advantageously predict and identify weather and/or weather hazards more precisely.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2009Date of Patent: June 19, 2012Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.Inventors: Daniel L. Woodell, Roy E. Robertson, Peter A. Olander, Jeffery A. Finley
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Patent number: 8199046Abstract: An object detection system includes a first object detection unit that detects an object in an area near the system using a radar and an object determination section that determines whether the object in the area near the system is a subject of detection, using a result of detection by the first object detection unit. The object determination section treats the object as the subject of detection if (i) an intensity of a radio wave from the object that is currently received by the first object detection unit is equal to or higher than a first threshold value or if (ii) an intensity of a radio wave from the object that was received in the past by the first object detection unit was equal to or higher than the first threshold value and the intensity of the radio wave from the object that is currently received by the first object detection unit is equal to or higher than a second threshold value that is lower than the first threshold value.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2007Date of Patent: June 12, 2012Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Takeshi Nanami
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Patent number: 8193966Abstract: In one embodiment a system to detect, from a remote location, one or more wires in a target location comprises a radiation targeting assembly to direct a rotating polarization radiation field at the target location, a reflected radiation collecting assembly that collects radiation reflected from the target location, and a signal processing module to monitor radiation from the rotating radiation field reflected from the target location and generate a signal when the radiation reflected from the target location indicates the presence of a wire in the target location. Other embodiments may be described.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2009Date of Patent: June 5, 2012Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Sandor Holly, Donald E. Harrington, Nicholas Koumvakalis
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Publication number: 20120127026Abstract: This disclosure provides an echo image display device, which includes an antenna for discharging electromagnetic waves and receiving echo signals reflected on one or more target objects, an echo signal input unit for inputting the echo signals from the antenna, an echo signal level detector for detecting a level of each of the echo signals with reference to a distance and an azimuth from the antenna, an image data generating module for generating image data based on the levels of the echo signals, a display unit for displaying the image data, and a data amount changing module for changing a data amount rate of a predetermined area that is set as a part of a display area of the display unit, into a different rate in another part of the display area.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 18, 2011Publication date: May 24, 2012Inventors: Satoshi MATSUMOTO, Kazuya Nakagawa
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Patent number: 8184044Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for a super resolution radar image extraction procedure are disclosed. The super-resolution imaging radar (SRIR) system involves a pulse signal generator, an array bucket detector, an ancilla beam detector, and a coincidence circuit. The pulse signal generator propagates N number of bursts of radio frequency (RF) energy, where each burst contains M number of dithered pulses. The pulses are propagated towards an object of interest and the ancilla beam detector. The array bucket detector collects pulses that are reflected from the object. The ancilla beam detector scans in a direction of the dithered pulses, and collects the dithered pulses. The coincidence circuit calculates a cross-time correlation function from the pulses that are collected by the array bucket detector and the ancilla beam detector. The coincidence circuit sums cross-time correlation function results to generate pixels of an image of the object.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2011Date of Patent: May 22, 2012Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Barbara A. Capron, Claudio Gilbert Parazzoli
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Patent number: 8184043Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method are disclosed for a super-resolution imaging radar (SRIR). The SRIR employs a pulse signal generator that propagates bursts of radio frequency (RF) energy. Each burst contains a number of pulses. One pulse of each burst is an ancilla pulse, and the remaining pulses are propagated towards an object. An array bucket detector (ABD) collects pulses that are reflected from the object. Also, the ancilla pulses are propagated through a virtual lens. A virtual scanning detector detects the virtual ancilla electric field. A processor calculates a virtual ancilla electric field, which would be present at the scanning detector. Further, a coincidence circuit calculates a cross-time correlation function of the electric fields of the reflected pulses that are collected by the ABD and the virtual ancilla electric field. The coincidence circuit uses cross-time correlation function results to generate pixels of an image of the object.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2010Date of Patent: May 22, 2012Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Barbara A. Capron, Claudio Gilbert Parazzoli, Minas H. Tanielian
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Patent number: 8184040Abstract: This disclosure provides a radar device including a transmission module for sequentially transmitting two or more kinds of pulse signals having different pulse widths by a predetermined transmitting pattern, a memory module for storing a predetermined number of pulse reply data corresponding to each kind of the pulse signals, the predetermined number being number of transmissions of the kind of the pulse signals, a pulse integrating module for performing pulse integration of the pulse reply data stored in the memory module for each kind of the pulse signal, and an image generating module for generating a radar image using the results of the pulse integration.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2010Date of Patent: May 22, 2012Assignee: Furuno Electric Company LimitedInventors: Masaya Takase, Hitoshi Maeno
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Publication number: 20120119941Abstract: In certain embodiments, a method includes receiving a radar signal comprising one or more radar contacts each having associated location information. The method further includes determining, based on at least a portion of the location information associated with each of the one or more radar contacts, one or more pixels associated with each of the one or more radar contacts, the one or more pixels associated with each of the one or more radar contacts being one or more of a plurality of pixels of a radar PPI display. The method further includes determining that a particular radar contact of the one or more radar contacts is a trackable radar contact, determining a number of additional pixels associated with the particular radar contact, and illuminating the one or more pixels associated with the particular radar contact and the number of additional pixels associated with the particular radar contact on the radar PPI display.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 12, 2009Publication date: May 17, 2012Inventor: Carsten Reiter
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Patent number: 8169355Abstract: To depict test objects using electromagnetic waves, particularly to check people for suspicious articles, an apparatus is provided having: an antenna which emits electromagnetic waves, particularly millimetric waves, means for concentrating the emitted waves in three dimensions, and means for manipulating the waves at the point of high concentration such that this point serves as a moving virtual antenna for SAR evaluation. Whereby the means for three-dimensional concentration contain a rotatably mounted, focusing or defocusing, quasi-optical element and the means for manipulating the waves at the point of high concentration contain a reflector. In accordance with the invention, the quasi-optical element and the reflector are rotatably mounted about a common rotary axis and at the same angular velocity.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2009Date of Patent: May 1, 2012Assignee: Smiths Heimann GmbHInventors: Bernd Bartscher, Uwe Flehmig, Michael Jeck
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Patent number: 8164507Abstract: In particular embodiments, analyzing data includes receiving sensor data generated in response to sensing one or more structures. The structural features of the sensor data are identified. Each structural feature is represented by one or more vectors. A score matrix that describes a plurality of distances among the vectors is generated. Vector pairs are formed from at least some of the vectors according to the distances of the score matrix. A layout of the structures is generated from the vector pairs.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2009Date of Patent: April 24, 2012Assignee: Raytheon CompanyInventors: Benjamin M. Howe, Daniel W. Otts, Winthrop W. Smith
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Patent number: 8159384Abstract: To suppress cross-ambiguities in the examination of an ice region or dry region by means of aircraft- or aerospace-supported radar echo sounding, the region to be examined is overflown by a radar sensor (6) by multiple compatible radar sensors of the same operating wavelength on multiple spatially separated, substantially parallel paths, wherein the radar signal data received on each path are recorded. The radar signal data recorded for each of the different paths are summed coherently and using a weighting to form a radargram, wherein an adaptive complex-valued weighting for each of the individual paths is performed using a geometrical model which takes into account the topography of the environment of the region to be examined. The weighting for every depth of the examined region is determined by solving a system of linear equations from which is calculated a synthetic antenna pattern which has zeros in the direction of the ambiguities.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2008Date of Patent: April 17, 2012Assignee: Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft-und Raumfahrt E.V.Inventor: Rolf Scheiber
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Patent number: 8154438Abstract: The present invention can find the exact location anywhere in the nautical world (latitude/longitude coordinates) by correlating or matching radar returns with maps produced by a digital nautical chart called a Chart Server, because each pixel location on the Chart Server maps can be traced back to a latitude/longitude coordinate. An obstacle avoidance module called a Chart Server provides digital nautical charts to create a map of the world. To determine the current world location of a vehicle, the invention combines the Chart Server maps with a radar return, which also appears to display prominent features such as coastlines, buoys, piers and the like. These return features from the radar are correlated or matched with features found in the Chart Server maps. The radar then reports its current location inside of its local map, which when translated to the Chart Server map, correlates to a latitude/longitude registration location.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2009Date of Patent: April 10, 2012Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the NavyInventors: Jacoby Larson, Michael Bruch
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Patent number: 8154439Abstract: A system for detecting the amplitude of radio frequency energy includes: an antenna for receiving the radio frequency energy; a modulator, responsive to a reference frequency signal, for pulse modulating the received radio frequency energy at the reference frequency; a detector for converting such pulse modulated signal to a detector output signal having a low frequency component representative of the amplitude of the received radio frequency energy, in summation with DC bias current, and a high frequency component at the reference signal; and a high pass or band pass filter fed for the detector output signal for passing the high frequency components and for removing the low frequency component. A phase detector, with or without a subsequent IF amplifier, is fed by the reference frequency and the high frequency components for producing an output representative of the high frequency components.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2009Date of Patent: April 10, 2012Assignee: Raytheon CompanyInventor: Michael G. Adlerstein
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Patent number: 8144052Abstract: A three-dimensional imaging radar operating at high frequency e.g., 670 GHz radar using low phase-noise synthesizers and a fast chirper to generate a frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) waveform, is disclosed that operates with a multiplexed beam to obtain range information simultaneously on multiple pixels of a target. A source transmit beam may be divided by a hybrid coupler into multiple transmit beams multiplexed together and directed to be reflected off a target and return as a single receive beam which is demultiplexed and processed to reveal range information of separate pixels of the target associated with each transmit beam simultaneously. The multiple transmit beams may be developed with appropriate optics to be temporally and spatially differentiated before being directed to the target. Temporal differentiation corresponds to a different intermediate frequencies separating the range information of the multiple pixels.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2009Date of Patent: March 27, 2012Assignee: California Institute of TechnologyInventors: Ken B. Cooper, Robert J. Dengler, Peter H. Siegel, Goutam Chattopadhyay, John S. Ward, Nuria Llombart Juan, Tomas E. Bryllert, Imran Mehdi, Jan A. Tarsala
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Patent number: 8138961Abstract: A step frequency inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) includes a transmitter configured to transmit a transmission pulse at a transmission frequency to a near earth object (NEO), the transmission frequency having a frequency range comprising a starting frequency, an ending frequency, and a step size; a receiver configured to receive a pulse response from the NEO, the pulse response corresponding to the transmission pulse; and a computer configured to determine a 3-dimensional image of the interior of the NEO from the pulse response.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2009Date of Patent: March 20, 2012Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationInventor: Manohar D. Deshpande
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Patent number: 8120522Abstract: A wind turbine blade inspection system includes a frequency modulated continuous wave radar system configured to be movable with respect to a wind turbine blade while transmitting reference microwave signals and receiving reflected microwave signals and a processor configured for using a synthetic aperture analysis technique to obtain a focused image of at least a region of the wind turbine blade based on the reflected microwave signals.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2010Date of Patent: February 21, 2012Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Nilesh Tralshawala, Waseem Ibrahim Faidi
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Publication number: 20120038507Abstract: The invention relates to a portable radiometric imaging device and to a corresponding method, finding a particular application in detecting articles carried by passengers or contained in baggage, for example in airports and train stations. The device includes a plurality of receiver antennas for picking up electromagnetic radiation from a plurality of parts of a body or an article and converting them into a plurality of signals representative of said radiation, a plurality of receiver modules associated with the antennas for receiving the signals representative of the radiation and converting them into a plurality of electrical signals, and a digital processor unit for responding to the electrical signals to create one or more digital signals representative of the electromagnetic radiation for display on a display as an image of the body or article.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 2010Publication date: February 16, 2012Applicant: MICROWAVE CHARACTERIZATION CENTERInventors: Matthieu Werquin, Nicolas Thouvenin, Simon Vandenbrouck, Christophe Gaquire, Frederic Bue-Erkmen, Nicolas Vellas
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Patent number: 8115674Abstract: This disclosure provides a target object detection device for detecting different areas by different pulse-shaped signals detecting an area from an antenna position to a given distance. The device includes a transmission module for transmitting different pulse-shaped transmission signals at predetermined timings, a reception module for receiving their reflection signals to generate a reception signal, a saturation detection module for comparing a level of each of the reception signals with a predetermined threshold to detect saturation of the reception signal, and an image forming module for forming a detection image based on the reception signals. The transmission module generates an alternative pulse-shaped signal that is different from the transmitted pulse-shaped transmission signal when the saturation detection module detects the saturation of the reception signal.Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 2010Date of Patent: February 14, 2012Assignee: Furuno Electric Company LimitedInventor: Yoshifumi Ohnishi
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Patent number: 8102296Abstract: An exemplary example of the present disclosure proposes an electromagnetic conductor reflecting plate including a perfect electronic conductor and at least two artificial magnetic conductors, wherein the each of the artificial magnetic conductor is disposed on arbitrary one side of the perfect electronic conductor, and a boundary between the perfect electronic conductor and each of the artificial magnetic conductor forms a virtual radiation unit. In addition, an exemplary example of the present disclosure further proposes an antenna array including an antenna and the electromagnetic conductor reflecting plate, wherein the antenna is disposed on the electromagnetic conductor reflecting plate.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2010Date of Patent: January 24, 2012Assignee: Industrial Technology Research InstituteInventors: Jenn-Hwan Tarng, Li-Yuan Chang, Chin-Chung Nien, Ya-Chung Yu, Jun-Yen Huang
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Patent number: 8102299Abstract: A strip-map Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) auto-focus image generation process is provided. Batches of raw radar return data are processed in order to form batch images which each have a valid region between invalid regions. The process determines an estimate of the first derivative of a phase error at an end of the valid region, determines a time-shift corresponding to that estimate and uses that information in determining a starting point for the next batch of raw radar return data.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2009Date of Patent: January 24, 2012Assignee: Thales Holdings UK PLCInventors: Stuart Young, Malcom Stevens
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Patent number: 8102305Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method comprises receiving sensor data generated by one or more sensors in response to sensing a structure. The sensor data is filtered to identify edge data and reverberation data each describing the same structural feature of the structure. Image data for a filtered image of the structure is generated from the edge data, but not from the reverberation data.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2010Date of Patent: January 24, 2012Assignee: Raytheon CompanyInventor: Daniel W. Otts
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Patent number: 8098187Abstract: An imager comprising a sphere of dielectric material and a geodesically configured substrate disposed adjacent said sphere. The geodesically configured substrate comprises a plurality of triangularly shaped elements, at least selected ones of the triangularly shaped elements having an array of detectors disposed thereon, the detectors in the array also being disposed adjacent the dielectric sphere for receiving and detecting incoming electromagnetic waves delivered via said sphere.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2010Date of Patent: January 17, 2012Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLCInventors: Jonathan J. Lynch, James H. Schaffner, Phillip H. Lawyer, Daniel F. Sievenpiper
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Patent number: 8098186Abstract: There are provided a through-the-obstacle radar system and method of operating thereof comprising recording signals and/or derivatives thereof collected during a certain substantial monitoring period, and using the recorded information for generating patterns informative of a monitoring scene. There are further provided a method of motion detection based on through-the-obstacle radar and the system thereof.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2008Date of Patent: January 17, 2012Assignee: Camero-Tech Ltd.Inventor: Amir Beeri
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Patent number: 8094063Abstract: A method and system for enhancing a radar image provides for application of digital imaging processing techniques to a range-Doppler image produced by a radar system. The application of digital processing techniques includes a 2-D band-pass filter including a smoothing filter followed by a differentiating filter applied to the image. A constraint on concavity is placed upon the resultant 2-D band-pass filtered image to create a mask. The application of this mask to the original image results in an enhanced range-Doppler image with increased resolution.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2009Date of Patent: January 10, 2012Assignee: Lockheed Martin CorporationInventor: Jeff D. Cammerata
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Patent number: 8089396Abstract: Herewith disclosed a method for volume visualization in ultra-wideband radar and a system thereof. The method comprises perceiving processing provided in order to facilitate a meaningful representation and/or an instant understanding of the image to be displayed, said perceiving processing resulted in generating one or more perceiving image ingredients. The perceiving image ingredient may be, for example, a shadow added to the reconstructed image, a position-dependent color scheme applied to the reconstructed image, a color scheme adapted to external lighting conditions and applied to the reconstructed image, a Halo artificially added to the reconstructed image, a distinctive color scheme applied to time-invariant and time-variant elements of the reconstructed image, etc.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2007Date of Patent: January 3, 2012Assignee: Camero-Tech Ltd.Inventors: Amir Beeri, Benjamin Boxman, Erez Doron, David Gazelle
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Publication number: 20110304498Abstract: A signal processor (30) for a submillimeter wavelength active radar system (10, 20, 30) processes signals received and downconverted by the radar system, the downconverted signals corresponding to a given pixel of the field of view having time varying amplitude and phase components which have a periodic component which is dependent on content. Information about the content is discriminated from the periodic component. By using phase rather than only amplitude, there is additional information in the downconverted signals. The phase is more sensitive to changes in the content such as objects, background and atmospheric conditions, than amplitude alone. The phase information enables the periodic component to be retained which can be characteristic of the content owing to content flutter, changes in submillimeter standing waves and interference fringes in received reflections of submillimeter illumination if surface layers have a thickness of a number of half wavelengths.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 21, 2010Publication date: December 15, 2011Applicant: TOYOTA MOTOR EUROPE NV/SAInventors: Hiromichi Yanagihara, Mineki Soga, Harald Franz Arno Merkel
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Patent number: 8063814Abstract: A beat-product radio imaging method (RIM) system uses a matched continuous wave (CW) transmitter and receiver to electronically image material in between. Signal attenuation measurements are taken from a number of different transmitter and receiver perspectives around the material. The transmitter and receiver each have a crystal oscillator rated at 10-ppm or better frequency uncertainty. The receiver's crystal oscillator is used as a local oscillator to beat down the transmitter's carrier frequency to baseband. The frequency error between the local oscillator and the transmitter carrier frequencies produces a beat product of less than one Hertz in frequency and its magnitude is inversely proportional to the path attenuation between the transmitter and receiver. An extremely low-pass filter is used to remove everything above one Hertz in the detector. The receiver sensitivity is therefore extraordinarily high.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2010Date of Patent: November 22, 2011Assignee: Stolar Research, Inc.Inventors: Igor Bausov, Gerald Stolarczyk, Larry G. Stolarczyk
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Patent number: 8063815Abstract: A new method has been developed as an attempt to improve speed and robustness of existing ISAR classification methods. The new method produces a set of silhouettes of possible models in a 3D model database. The set of silhouettes of each model views the model from various viewing angles, as the target dimensions will vary as it is viewed from different angles. The silhouettes are stored as a training set. Classification is done by comparing the silhouette of the target with the set of silhouettes in the training set. The silhouettes are calculated prior to the silhouette matching.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2006Date of Patent: November 22, 2011Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (publ)Inventors: Hilde Valo, Jens Fredrik Hjelmstad, Atle Onar Knapskog
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Patent number: 8063817Abstract: Methods and apparatus for enhancing the resolution of a radar image in the cross-range direction. An example method includes receiving a plurality of received power samples in the cross-range dimension as the radar antenna scans and calculating a window function from the antenna beam response pattern. Then for each of a plurality of positions of the window function along the azimuth axis, multiplying the received response pattern by the window function at that position, yielding a product function for each position. Finally, the method includes calculating an estimated azimuth bin offset, resulting estimated target location, and a reflected power value corresponding to the integral of the product function from the product function of each position. A reconstructed azimuth bin array developed from the estimated target locations and reflected power values is substituted for the original received cross-range received power values, yielding a resolution-enhanced map image.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2009Date of Patent: November 22, 2011Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.Inventor: Paul Christianson
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Patent number: 8059024Abstract: Systems and methods for conveying turbulence hazards to a flight crew. An exemplary weather radar system includes a three-dimensional buffer, a processor, and a display. The processor receives weather radar reflectivity values, stores the received weather radar reflectivity values into a three-dimensional buffer, generates and stores turbulence values into cells of the three-dimensional buffer based on the stored respective reflectivity values, and generates first display icons for cells that are located within a predefined threshold distance from a cell in the three-dimensional buffer that has been determined to include a turbulence value that is greater than a first threshold value. The display presents the first display icons when associated cells are selected for display from the three-dimensional buffer.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2009Date of Patent: November 15, 2011Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.Inventor: Paul Christianson
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Patent number: 8059911Abstract: A depth-based image enhancement system is disclosed. A depth estimation unit generates three-dimensional (3D) depth information from a two-dimensional (2D) image. Subsequently, an image enhancement unit enhances the 2D image according to the 3D depth information.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2008Date of Patent: November 15, 2011Assignees: Himax Technologies Limited, National Taiwan UniversityInventors: Liang-Gee Chen, Chao-Chung Cheng, Chung-Te Li, Ling-Hsiu Huang
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Patent number: 8054217Abstract: A detection system and method. The inventive system includes an arrangement for receiving a frame of image data; an arrangement for performing a rate of change of variance calculation with respect to at least one pixel in said frame of image data; and an arrangement for comparing said calculated rate of change of variance with a predetermined threshold to provide output data. In the illustrative embodiment, the frame of image data includes a range/Doppler matrix of N down range samples and M cross range samples. In this embodiment, the arrangement for performing a rate of change of variance calculation includes an arrangement for calculating a rate of change of variance over an N×M window within the range/Doppler matrix. The arrangement for performing a rate of change of variance calculation includes an arrangement for identifying a change in a standard deviation of a small, localized sampling of cells.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2007Date of Patent: November 8, 2011Assignee: Raytheon CompanyInventors: Donald P. Bruyere, Ivan S. Ashcraft, John B. Treece
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Patent number: 8044846Abstract: A method for displaying information relating to the range and Doppler of a remote target includes transmitting electromagnetic energy toward the target, and receiving reflected signals defining a two-dimensional (range-Doppler) radar image. The reflected signals are matched-filtered, which tends to blur the image. The image is deblurred while the features of thermal noise enhancement and irregularity of the deconvolved output are constrained to produce a single point deblurring output.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2007Date of Patent: October 25, 2011Assignee: Lockheed Martin CorporationInventors: Harry Urkowitz, Jeff D. Cammerata
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Publication number: 20110254727Abstract: An apparatus, imager elements, and a method for detecting a radio frequency image using phased array techniques. An example apparatus includes an array of radio frequency antennas fabricated on one or more packaged integrated circuits. The apparatus also includes a controller configured to selectively phase shift radio frequency signals from the antennas such that the at least a portion of the radio frequency image is focused.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 5, 2010Publication date: October 20, 2011Applicant: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Dong G. Kam, Duixian Liu, Arun S. Natarajan, Scott K. Reynolds, Alberto Valdes Garcia