Back to results
US 11,754,670 B2Granted
Stepped frequency radar systems with spectral agility
AssigneeMovano Inc.
InventorMichael A. Leabman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A stepped frequency radar system is disclosed. The system includes components for performing stepped frequency scanning across a frequency range using frequency steps of a step size, the stepped frequency scanning performed using at least one transmit antenna and a two-dimensional array of receive antennas, changing at least one of the step size and the frequency range, and performing stepped frequency scanning using the at least one transmit antenna and the two-dimensional array of receive antennas and using the changed at least one of the step size and the frequency range.
Claims24
A stepped frequency radar system, the system comprising:
- components for:
- performing stepped frequency scanning across a frequency range using frequency steps of a step size, the stepped frequency scanning performed using at least one transmit antenna and a two-dimensional array of receive antennas;
- changing at least one of the step size and the frequency range;
- and
- performing stepped frequency scanning using the at least one transmit antenna and the two-dimensional array of receive antennas and using the changed at least one of the step size and the frequency range;
- wherein the at least one of the step size and the frequency range is changed using digital frequency control signals in which each discrete frequency in the frequency range is individually and uniquely identifiable by a range scale number that is communicated as a digital frequency control signal;
- wherein each digital frequency control signal is an N-bit binary value that corresponds to a digitally addressable frequency in a range scale, wherein the range scale is a function of an addressable frequency range of the stepped frequency radar system divided by a total number of discrete frequencies such that each discrete frequency in the addressable frequency range of the stepped frequency radar system is separated from its nearest discrete frequency by a fixed step size and such that each N-bit binary value corresponds to discrete frequency in the range scale;
- wherein the frequency range is changed from a first frequency range to a second frequency range, wherein the first frequency range and the second frequency range are separated by a third frequency range in which interfering radio frequency (RF) energy exists;
- wherein the third frequency range in which interfering RF energy exists is learned by first conducting a learning scan that involves scanning a frequency range that includes the first, the second, and the third frequency ranges with a power amplifier corresponding to the at least one transmit antenna deactivated during the entire learning scan;
- and
- wherein discrete frequency pulses are distributed throughout the stepped frequency radar system during the learning scan except that amplified frequency pulses are not transmitted from the at least one transmit antenna because the power amplifier corresponding to the at least one transmit antenna is deactivated during the entire learning scan.
8 more elements
A stepped frequency radar system, the system comprising:
- a radio frequency (RF) front-end including at least one transmit antenna and a two-dimensional array of receive antennas, the RF front-end configured to:
- perform stepped frequency scanning across a frequency range using frequency steps of a step size, the stepped frequency scanning performed using the at least one transmit antenna and the two-dimensional array of receive antennas;
- change at least one of the step size and the frequency range;
- and
- perform stepped frequency scanning using the at least one transmit antenna and the two-dimensional array of receive antennas;
- wherein the at least one of the step size and the frequency range is changed using digital frequency control signals in which each discrete frequency in the frequency range is individually and uniquely identifiable by a range scale number that is communicated as a digital frequency control signal received at the RF front-end;
- wherein each digital frequency control signal is an N-bit binary value that corresponds to a digitally addressable frequency in a range scale, wherein the range scale is a function of an addressable frequency range of the stepped frequency radar system divided by a total number of discrete frequencies such that each discrete frequency in the addressable frequency range of the stepped frequency radar system is separated from its nearest discrete frequency by a fixed step size and such that each N-bit binary value corresponds to discrete frequency in the range scale;
- wherein the frequency range is changed from a first frequency range to a second frequency range, wherein the first frequency range and the second frequency range are separated by a third frequency range in which interfering radio frequency (RF) energy exists;
- wherein the third frequency range in which interfering RF energy exists is learned by first conducting a learning scan that involves scanning a frequency range that includes the first, the second, and the third frequency ranges with a power amplifier corresponding to the at least one transmit antenna deactivated during the entire learning scan;
- and
- wherein discrete frequency pulses are distributed throughout the stepped frequency radar system during the learning scan except that amplified frequency pulses are not transmitted from the at least one transmit antenna because the power amplifier corresponding to the at least one transmit antenna is deactivated during the entire learning scan.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.