Interferometric switched beam radar apparatus and method
AssigneeImsar LLC
InventorsLogan Carl Harris, Ryan Lee Smith
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An interferometric switched beam radar apparatus and method are disclosed. In one embodiment, a selected antenna of a planar array of beam forming antennas is activated with a substantially continuous frequency modulated transmit signal and a return signal is received from at least two return antennas that have a known offset distance relative to each other. Phase information is extracted from each return signal and used to present information regarding an operating environment to a user. Each beam forming antenna within the array may correspond to a particular viewing angle within the operating environment.
Claims20
An apparatus to provide information regarding an operating environment to a user, the apparatus comprising:
- a signal generation module configured to generate a substantially continuous frequency modulated transmit signal;
- a planar array of beam forming antennas corresponding to a plurality of distinct viewing angles within an operating environment;
- an antenna selection module configured to receive the substantially continuous frequency modulated transmit signal and provide the substantially continuous frequency modulated transmit signal to a selected antenna of the planar array of beam forming antennas;
- a phase extraction module configured to receive return signals from at least two return antennas having a known offset distance relative to each other and extract phase information therefrom;
- and
- a presentation module configured to receive the phase information and provide information regarding the operating environment to a user.
A computer readable medium comprising computer readable program codes configured to conduct a method that provides information regarding an operating environment to a user, the method comprising:
- activating a selected antenna of a planar array of beam forming antennas with a substantially continuous frequency modulated transmit signal, each beam forming antenna within the planar array corresponding to a particular viewing angle within an operating environment;
- receiving a return signal from at least two return antennas having a known offset distance relative to each other, each return antenna configured to receive reflected images of the frequency modulated transmit signal;
- extracting phase information from each return signal;
- and
- using the phase information to present information regarding the operating environment to a user.
A method to provide information regarding an operating environment to a user, the method comprising:
- activating a selected antenna of a planar array of beam forming antennas with a substantially continuous frequency modulated transmit signal, each beam forming antenna within the planar array corresponding to a particular viewing angle within an operating environment;
- receiving a return signal from at least two return antennas having a known offset distance relative to each other, each return antenna configured to receive reflected images of the frequency modulated transmit signal;
- extracting phase information from each return signal;
- and
- using the phase information to present information regarding the operating environment to a user.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.