Abstract: A correlated double sampling (CDS) circuit including a comparator, the comparator including: a signal input unit including a first transistor configured to receive a ramp signal and a second transistor configured to receive a pixel signal; and an offset generator unit connected to the signal input unit, the offset generator unit including at least two transistors, wherein in the offset generator unit, an aspect ratio of the at least two transistors in an auto-zeroing period and an aspect ratio of the at least two transistors in a pixel signal decoding period are different from each other.

Abstract: An apparatus for imaging structural features below the surface of an object, the apparatus comprising: a transmitter unit configured to transmit a sound pulse at the object; a receiver unit configured to receive reflections of sound pulses transmitted by the transmitter unit from the object; a signal processing unit configured to: analyse one or more signals received by the receiver unit from the object; recognise, in the one or more signals, a reflection that was caused by a first structural feature and a reflection that was caused by a second structural feature that is located, in the object, at least partly behind the first structural feature; and associate each recognised reflection with a relative depth in the object at which the reflection occurred; and an image generation unit configured to generate an image that includes a representation of the first and second structural features in dependence on the recognised reflections and their relative depths.

Abstract: A measuring device that includes in various embodiments a self supporting object attacher and an electronic measuring system supported by the self supporting object attacher. The electronic measuring system is configured to determine or enable the determination of a distance of a space between a first object on which the object attacher is positioned and a second object spaced apart from the first object.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for detecting motion and calculating distance to a moving object by a sensor device. The sensor device includes: a transducer device configured to transmit a first signal and receive a second signal, wherein the second signal comprises a reflection from a moving object; a motion processing unit configured to receive and process data corresponding to the second signal, and, based on the processing corresponding to the second signal, the transducer device is configured to transmit a third signal and receive a reflected fourth signal; and the distance processing unit is configured to process the data corresponding to the fourth signal to determine a distance between the sensor device and the moving object, wherein the distance processing unit is turned off when the motion processing unit is processing data and vice versa.

Abstract: A vehicle mounted time of flight camera provides repeating images of the scene ahead of a vehicle. Such images are processed to determine topographical features in the scene, and the vehicle suspension is commanded to adopt in advance a configuration appropriate to the nature of the topographical features.

Abstract: A method and related system for improving resolution and frame rate of ultrasound images that includes specifying individual element transmit characteristics for each transmit beam in a set of transmit beams; determining various attributes of the transmit beams at field points in the field of view; using one or more of the attributes to determine if received ultrasound echo signals contributed by each transmit beam are qualified for use in image formation, and if so, how the signal should be processed; storing the determined information for each field point for repeated use with each new image frame; using the stored information to select and process subsequent received echo signals for each field point to produce an image parameter at the field point for each qualified echo signal; and combining multiple image parameters from overlapping transmit beams for a field point to produce a final image parameter that constitutes the field point value for the image frame.

Abstract: A radar receiver includes a bank of matched filters for use in processing return signals received from a remote target. In some embodiments, the radar receiver is capable of generating accurate estimates of target range and range rate based on returns from a single transmitted pulse having a low time-bandwidth product. In at least one embodiment, a computationally efficient interpolation technique is used to generate an estimate of an actual target Doppler frequency based on output signals of the bank of matched filters.

Abstract: A proximity fuzing arrangement for fuzing warheads carried by missiles which reduces the likelihood of the missile being detonated prematurely by such cases as rain or enemy counter measures. The fuzing arrangement includes at least two channels responsive to target signals in different frequency bands and also includes means for comparing the signals in these channels to distinguish between spurious signals such as enemy counter measures or rain and so called “true target signals”.

Abstract: A driving assist apparatus for a vehicle is disclosed. The driving assist apparatus includes a transmitter for transmitting a transmission wave, a receiver for receiving a reflected wave, an obstacle presence determination section for detecting a presence of an obstacle in the surrounding of the vehicle based on the reflected wave, a measurement section for measuring a frequency of phase delay and advance of the reflected wave with respect to a reference signal, and a detection section for detecting the obstacle having a specific relation with the vehicle based on the presence of the obstacle determined by the obstacle presence determination section and the frequency of delay and the frequency of advance measured by the measurement section.

Abstract: An operating method adapted in an ultra-sound sensor is provided. The method includes the steps of emitting an ultra-sound wave, receiving a crosstalk signal within a crosstalk measuring window, determining whether the crosstalk signal is larger than a crosstalk threshold and triggering a crosstalk application if the crosstalk signal is smaller than the crosstalk threshold.

Abstract: A bank of order statistic filters applied to a set of antenna or transducer beams are used to detect and determine the line-of-bearing to the source of transient RF (or other, e.g., acoustic) signals. By applying order statistic filters to signals received by a set of antenna or transducer beams, this system sets a detection threshold that is unaffected by transient signals, thereby allowing the detection of these transient signals. Knowing which antenna beam the transient signals are located within allows the determination of a line of bearing to the source of the transient signals.

Abstract: Generally, as the time for mechanical scanning of an acoustic wave receiver increases, the load on an examinee also increases. The present invention provides the calculation of a target speed at which an acoustic wave receiver is caused to move for the measurement of an acoustic wave, using data of an emission period of pulsed light and data of an interval between target measurement positions in a subject being examined. In addition, the acoustic wave receiver is caused to move so as to reach an initial target measurement position at the target speed at a time when initial pulsed light for measuring an acoustic wave is emitted. After the target speed has been reached, the acoustic wave receiver is caused to move at a uniform speed which is equal to the target speed.

Abstract: A method of detecting precipitation with a sodar apparatus that transmits sound beams into the atmosphere, detects echoes returned from the atmosphere, from the echoes determines a Doppler-shifted spectrum comprising the relative strength of the echoes at various Doppler-shifted frequencies, and estimates wind speed and direction. The method includes automatically estimating the presence of precipitation based on the Doppler-shifted spectrum.

Abstract: A system and a corresponding method used with a sensor array selects candidate weak target signals from within one or more received signals and enhances those candidate weak target signals relative to a noise background.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an acoustic distance measurement system can dynamically adjust its measurement frequency to a frequency that is within a preselected bandwidth of the resonant frequency of an acoustic transducer used in making acoustic distance measurements.

Abstract: A control device including a signal emitter, a signal receiver, and a processing unit is disclosed. The signal emitter emits an output signal including a first output component and a second output component. The signal receiver receives an input signal. The input signal includes a reflected component when the first output component is reflected by an object. The input signal includes an emitted component when the second output component is received by the signal receiver. The processing unit compares a first threshold value with the amplitude of the input signal and compares a second threshold value with the amplitude of the input signal when the input signal simultaneously includes the reflected component and the emitted component. The processing unit differentiates the reflected component and the emitted component and invalidates the emitted component according to the compared results.

Abstract: An obstacle detecting system for a vehicle detects an obstacle by transmitting a transmitting wave and receiving a receiving wave, which is a reflection of the transmitting wave by the obstacle. The system calculates a distance to the obstacle. The system varies directivity of the transmitting wave in accordance with the calculated distance. The directivity is lowered when the calculated distance is less than a predetermined reference distance, than when the calculated distance is greater than the predetermined reference distance.

Abstract: A method for reducing interference signal influences on a high-frequency measurement device, in particular a method for operating a high-frequency position finder, in which an analog measurement signal (22) detected by a receiver unit (23) of the high-frequency measurement device is supplied to at least one analog/digital converter (28) of an evaluation unit for the measurement signal. According to the present invention, the scan rate of the at least one analog/digital converter (28) is varied as a function of an interference signal measurement value correlated with the interference signals.

Abstract: One preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a system and method for suppressing motion artifacts introduced by movement of a radar detection system. Briefly described, in architecture, one embodiment of the system, among others, can be implemented as follows. The system includes a Doppler radar module configured to transmit a microwave signal directed towards an object and receive the reflected microwave signals from the object and a living subject positioned behind the object. Also, the system includes a reference module configured to transmit a reference signal towards the object and receive the reflected reference signal from the object. By comparing the two reflected signals from the Doppler radar module and the reference device, a signal processor suppresses motion artifacts generated by movement of the Doppler radar module to identify the presence of the living subject behind the object. Other systems and methods are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for using signals scattered by targets to determine position and velocity for each of the targets and comprises a set of transmitters and receivers of electromagnetic or acoustic signals, said transmitters and receivers dispersed to known points. Each pair of transmitter and receiver, monostatic or bistatic, is named a measuring facility. The ranges of the transmitters are chosen so that a target at an arbitrary point within the position space can be measured via scattering in the target by at least four measuring facilities. For each measuring facility, target detection occurs with constant false alarm rate in the form of probabilities over resolution cells with regards to range and Doppler velocity and conceivable targets are placed in a 2-dimensional linear space belonging to the measuring facility.

Abstract: A method for processing echoes in a time-of-flight ranging system or level measurement system. The method comprises an initial noise floor level and identifying potential echoes in an echo signal above the initial noise floor level and a noise signal below the initial noise floor level. One or more portions of the initial noise floor level are modified and an adjusted noise floor level is generated by applying a cubic spline algorithm to the modified portions and the initial noise floor level. The adjusted noise floor level is then used to identify valid echoes in the echo signal and generate an echo signal profile.

Abstract: This invention describes a method and system for classifying a survey area according to an attribute of the seabed. More particularly, the classification technique uses echoes recorded from sonar pings transmitted towards the seabed. The echoes are resampled at a sampling frequency which takes into account the depth of the water, sediment conditions generally in the area and the duration of the ping, resulting in an improved classification of the seabed according to the selected attribute.

Abstract: A mixer shifts the center frequency of a received signal to a baseband according to a center frequency detected by a center frequency detector or a center frequency estimated from ship speed, for example, by a center frequency estimator. The passband of a variable passband filter varies according to a bandwidth detected directly from the received signal by a bandwidth detector or a bandwidth estimated from the pulselength of a transmitting signal by a bandwidth estimator, whereby the bandwidth of a baseband signal output from the mixer is limited to remove undesired noise components in the received signal.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for enhancing active sonar signal detection by estimating the channel/target response utilizing measured values of the excitation signals and received signals. A Wiener/Volterra series expansion for the excitation and received signals is used as a model, wherein a time invariant environment is assumed, thereby disregarding all random noise contributions. The Wiener/Volterra kernels are then determined in a nonlinear processor using a method of correlations which is designed to produce the kernels utilizing only measured white Gaussian excitation signals and received signals. The kernels can be used to give an optimum correlation between the excitation signals and the received signals.

Abstract: A screen on which water depth information obtained from an echo signal is historically displayed and a screen on which fish school detection information obtained from an echo signal is displayed, are displayed side by side on a display screen of a display instrument or either one is displayed by switching. Thus, a large amount of information is displayed on a limited space of a small display instrument efficiently and effectively and to be easy to see. Further, when a water depth value becomes a set value of an alarm water depth mark or less, an alarm is displayed on the display screen of the display instrument, and an alarm is given by sound. At the same time as this, the brilliance of the display screen is raised to the maximum brilliance to make the screen brighter, so that the contents of the alarm are made easy to see. Thus, quick measures can be taken in an emergency.

Abstract: A method of tracking an object comprising the steps of acquiring the position of at least one object; selecting the at least one object as a target; determining a sampling window which envelopes the target; obtaining an echo; repeating the foregoing step of obtaining an echo a predetermined number of times; determining valid echoes from the target; calculating the current position of the target from the received echoes; and repeating the steps of obtaining, repeating, determining, and calculating as desired. The step of obtaining an echo comprises the steps of transmitting a pulse at a desired frequency from a transducer; scanning for echoes within the sampling window by a receiver; and receiving at least one echo of the pulse at the receiver which are within the sampling window, the at least one echo having a frequency that matches the outgoing pulse frequency.

Abstract: A pressure sensor is set in a conduit connected to a cylinder tube, and a temperature sensor is disposed within a chamber. Detection signals of the pressure sensor and the temperature sensor are sent to a control circuit. A sonic speed of the ultrasonic wave is corrected by using a relational formula or a map that is indicative of the relationship of the temperature and pressure of hydraulic oil to the sonic speed and that is stored in the storage device. A distance from an ultrasonic wave sensor to a bottom surface of the piston is calculated based on the sonic speed and a measurement time length detected by the ultrasonic wave sensor.

Abstract: An ultrasonic sonar has a transceiver equipped with an ultrasonic oscillator. An ultrasonic wave is transmitted from the transceiver. The ultrasonic wave reflected from an obstacle is received by the ultrasonic oscillator to detect the obstacle. The transmission frequency of the ultrasonic wave is set to be different from the reverberation frequency. When the obstacle is detected, a microcomputer converts the analog signal received by the ultrasonic oscillator into a digital signal, performs a frequency transform of this signal by Fourier transform to extract only the transmission frequency component, and performs an inverse transform.

Abstract: A device for measuring a fill level of a liquid includes an ultrasonic sensor with two sensor elements. One of the sensor elements determines the echo time of an ultrasonic wave to a float which follows the liquid level. The other of the sensor elements determines the echo time of the ultrasonic wave up to a measuring reflector arranged at a known distance from the other of the sensor elements. An evaluation unit compares the echo times and determines the fill level of the liquid from the ratio of echo times and from the known distance to the measuring reflector.

Abstract: An improved universal remote control unit (URC) for home entertainment units. The URC has the typical remote controller module for controlling appliances such as TV, stereo, VCR or DVD. Additionally, the URC has a built-in digital recorder module for recording the consumer's voice, or any audio messages from the appliances. The digital recorder module can be implemented with a microphone, a voice recorder chip and a speaker, all integrated with the URC unit. The digital recorder module can even use the battery that is typically used by the URC. The URC alternatively can be implemented with a memory and display screen, coupled to the number keys. Such arrangement allows the telephone information to be punched in, using the numeric keys on the URC, stored in the memory for display.

Abstract: A lightwave distance measuring apparatus having a coaxial light-transmitting/receiving type optical system is provided with light-transmitting means for transmitting pulsed light toward an object, light-receiving means for receiving reflected pulsed light reflected by the object, a time measuring section for measuring a period of time from when the pulsed light is transmitted until the light is received, a distance measuring section for determining a distance to the object from the measured period of time, and a pulse number detecting section for detecting whether the number of received pulses of reflected light in response to one transmitting pulsed light is one or more; while the value measured when only one pulse of the reflected light is detected by the pulse number detecting section in response to the transmission of pulsed light is made effective.

Abstract: A position detector includes a fluid cylinder having a piston. An ultrasonic transceiver is provided at one end of the piston outside of the moving range of the piston. In response to electrical signals, the ultrasonic transceiver transmits ultrasonic waves to a reflection surface of the piston. The transceiver receives the ultrasonic waves reflected by the piston and then generates electrical signals representing the reflected waves. A sensor detects that the piston is at a predetermined position, at which the distance to the transceiver is known. A CPU supplies electrical signals to the ultrasonic transceiver to produce ultrasonic waves and receives electrical signals representing the reflected waves from the ultrasonic transceiver. The CPU then computes a piston position value, which is a function of the travel time from when an ultrasonic wave is transmitted to when the reflected wave is received and the speed of the waves.

Abstract: An automatic control system is disclosed herewith which causes the notch ter incorporated in a sonar system or any other appropriate utilization apparatus to be electrically by-passed in response to a predetermined minimum doppler present within a data signal being filtered thereby. It includes such uniquely combined elements as envelope detectors, rate-of-decay and rate-of-rise amplifiers, bistable multivibrators, an inverter, and an AND gate for adjusting the position of a selector switch connected for alternately electrically by-passing the notch filter. In addition, the gain of a variable gain amplifier disposed within an automatic gain control loop that includes the aforesaid elements and notch filter may be optionally employed to regulate the gain of the data signal supplied to said notch filter in correspondence with the by-passed and non-by-passed conditions thereof.

Abstract: A method and device for ultrasonic ranging. As in prior art devices, ultrasound pulses are transmitted by the device towards a target, and echo pulses from the target are received. The timing of the maximum of the amplitude envelope of the echo pulses is picked and used as a measure of the return time of these pulses. This maximum envelope time is relatively independent of the speed of sound between the device and the target. Preferably, the duration of the echo pulses is less than the response time of the receiving circuit, to enable an accurate pick of the amplitude envelope maximum.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for measuring the relative phase of echo signals in a multiple-echo system. A signal generator generates an exciting tone burst and subsequent tone bursts delayed in phase from the exciting tone burst. The exciting tone burst is gated into a transducer coupled to the multiple-echo system. Each subsequent tone burst is converted into a series of pulses. Each pulse triggers a sample/hold circuit to sample each echo signal. The samples of the echo signal are averaged and then compared to a reference value. The signal generator is controlled to vary the subsequent tone burst phase delay to determine for each echo signal a subsequent tone burst phase delay that causes the average of the samples of the echo signal to be substantially equal to the reference value wherein the determined subsequent tone burst phase delay is the phase delay of the echo signal with respect to the exciting tone burst.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for use by a personnel in combat unit to assess in bstantially real-time the threat to a combat unit posed by one or more threat projectiles. A command and control system receives a variety of input data and information signals and generates corresponding signals directed to a processing module. The processing module receives and processes the informational signals indicative of the status and characteristics of the combat unit and threat projectile. The processing module determines whether sample threat projectiles with an uncertainty region associated with each threat projectile detects the combat unit and determines therefrom a probability that the actual threat projectile detects the combat unit. The processing module also generates a probability of detection signals, to generate a report in user perceivable form, indicative of the probability of the threat projectile detecting the combat unit on a substantially real-time basis.

Abstract: A transfer device an ultrasonic sensor having an oscillating section for oscillating an ultrasonic beam toward wafers which are horizontally arranged in a carrier and a receiving section for receiving a reflected ultrasonic wave, and driving mechanism for vertically moving the ultrasonic sensor relative to the carrier so as to sequentially radiate an ultrasonic beam to the end faces of the wafers. The presence/absence of a wafer and projection of the wafer in and from the carrier are detected based on the reflected wave received by the receiving section.

Abstract: In order to set a range finding instrument operating according to the echo-sounding principle using sonic or ultrasonic pulses to an optimum transmission frequency, the transmission frequency is altered stepwise within a predetermined frequency range. During each reception spell following on the transmission of a sonic or ultrasonic pulse an amplitude-time-profile of the received signals is formed and integrated. The integration values obtained for the various transmission frequencies are stored, and an optimum transmission frequency is set to that frequency at which the maximum integrated value is obtained. In order to eliminate the effects of background noise on the determination of the optimum transmission frequency a mean noise amplitude of the received signals is determined and subtracted from the amplitude-time-profile of the received signals before integration.

Abstract: In a device for measuring the distance to an obstacle, a second transmission pulse as a control measurement for an ultrasonic distance measurement is transmitted only when an echo signal has been received for a first transmission pulse. In addition, a timing window, within which the expected echo signal falls when it is reflected by an obstacle, is created. In this manner, interference signals are advantageously suppressed and the measuring time is accelerated, so that for an application in a motor vehicle to measure distance, a current measured value is always known while the vehicle velocity and the path covered are taken into consideration.

Abstract: This invention aims at providing an traffic flow measurement method and apparatus attaining the stable measurement without being affected by the change in the brightness of the external environment such as daytime vehicle front, et al. In order to achive the above object, the traffic flow measurement apparatus for practicing the traffic flow measurement method comprises image input unit for receiving image information derived from the ITV camera, detection unit for detecting sampling points which are candidates for a vehicle fronts in a measurement area, and measurement processing unit for determining a position of the vehicle front in the measurement area from the candidate points detected by the detection unit. The measurement processing unit calculates a vehicle velocity based on a change between a position of the vehicle front derived from past image information and a current position of the vehicle front.

Abstract: A vehicle classification system automatically identifies types of vehicles traveling along a vehicle lane of toll road. The system has a detector for detecting the passage of the vehicle at a plurality of positions along the vehicle lane. The system further has a pickup device for picking up profile information of the vehicle in accordance with the detected passage and an identification device for identifying the vehicle type based on the detected profile information.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of and apparatus for determining if a newly reported target is correlatable with target tracks already stored in a data base. Correlation is effected in stages rejecting uncorrelatable stored target tracks and accepting closely correlated target tracks and includes decision applying means for accepting a stored target track as a correlated track only under stringent conditions.

Abstract: A frequency translator converts inaudible sounds into audible sounds while reserving the phase relationship of the sounds. The translator mixes a local reference frequency with an inaudible receive signal to translate the receive signal to an audible frequency. If the receive signal exceeds a predetermined value, the reference frequency gets shifted in phase to correspond to the phase of the receive signal at that moment. The resulting translated signal is thus in phase with the receive signal at the moment of shift, so that the time-of-arrival of the receive signal is not lost. When used individually in conjunction with left and right listening channels, the translator enables a listener to hear as well as sense the time-of-arrival of otherwise inaudible signals.

Abstract: A target tracking sonar system associated with a moving platform incorporates a Kalman filter model and a false target detection capability characterized by comparison of the estimated and actual acceleration to produce an error value which, if greater than a predetermined threshold, namely the product of one half the estimated acceleration and the internal between periodic acceleration updates, generates a signal condition to flag the false target.

Abstract: A continuous wave, doppler sonar has an underwater towed portion including projector disposed vertically displaced from a multi-element receiving array. Received CW signals are processed for spillover elimination and subjected to phase lock loop tracking filters for reverberation and target doppler prior to target signal detection, thresholding, multiplexing and transmission to the towing portion. The target signals are distributed as to azimuth, recirculated in a memory, and reiteratively displayed in PPl format, with periodic updating.

Abstract: A system for detecting the presence of intruder targets in an area under ar surveillance and in which the number of normal targets may vary, including the processing of gated time sample receiver signals through a first monitoring circuit having a counter and comparator means to develop output signals representing deviation of actual time sample count from a normal reference count, and through a second monitoring circuit including additional counter and count trigger means for developing an alarm signal responsive to continued deviation of actual count from reference count over several actual counts in a time sequence of counts such that normal variation of target number will not produce an alarm signal.

Abstract: A doppler compensated sonar systems is disclosed as containing one or more ata processing channels connected through a multiplexer to a like plurality of piezoelectric elements in a reversible electro-acoustical transducer. Each channel thereof includes a transmitter and a receiver, the latter of which includes signal perfecting circuitry and a pair of effectively series connected phase lock loops constituting reverberation and target doppler tracking filters, respectively. Hence, each of said channels effectively process received target signals without any adverse doppler effects being present therein which are then, in turn, read out by any suitable video display. When mounted on a fast moving vehicle, the subject doppler compensated sonar system optimizes the avoidance of hazardous or other objects that may occur in the path thereof.

Abstract: A method of simulating phase coherent signal reflections in media containing randomly distributed targets capable of scattering signals transmitted through the media, wherein the energy of signals directly scattered by the targets is significantly greater than the energy of signals multiply scattered by the targets. A reference signal having a wavelength which is small in comparison to the mean spacing between the targets is modulated and then transmitted through the target-containing medium. The targets produce scattered echoes of the signal, from which normalized in-phase and quadrature components are derived and separately, cumulatively summed, "n" times, until their variance becomes a linear function of 1/n.

Abstract: A transmitting/receiving circuit for an acoustic transducer (W1, W2) wherein the transmitting transducer (W1) is sequentially controlled by different modulated carrier frequencies (f1, f2), where the control is first matched to the inherent frequency (f1) of the transducer (W1) and afterwards the control of the transducer (W1) is by a frequency (f2) outside of the inherent frequency. During a signal reception by the receiving transducer (W2), a lock-out of a phase-locking circuit (PLL) is detected, where with an object to be measured is in a near range an active lock-out due to the frequency shift of the reception signal outside a frequency bandwidth of the phase-locking circuit is detected, and where with an object to be measured is in a far range, a passive lock-out is detected due to the fact that the reception signal amplitude falls below a noise level.

Abstract: A digital phase-locked loop provides substantially real-time measurements of frequency differences between an applied input signal and a reference signal. The system is especially adapted for the measurement of Doppler frequency shift in a Doppler sonar detection system. A two phase clock receives a reference signal and generates complementary clock signals. A phase-frequency detector receives an applied input signal containing a frequency shift and a further reference signal derived and applied in closed loop fashion. Frequency and phase discrepancies between the applied input signal and a second reference signal are gated to a counter to increment the frequency count or blank the frequency count for a predetermined period, thereby to synchronize the second reference signal with the applied input signal in frequency and phase.