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US 4,978,960 AGranted
Method and system for real aperture radar ground mapping
AssigneeWestinghouse Electric Corp.
InventorsGary L. Newcomb, Timothy E. Brandt, Scott C. Borden, Joseph Stevenson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for real beam radar ground mapping using a monopulse antennae to determine off-boresight angle of target returns. Off-boresight angle is converted to azimuth bins. After processing, return energy for each contiguous azimuth bin of an illuminated area is dumped during a respective "look" of the antenna.
Claims18
A method of real aperture radar ground mapping, comprising:
- scanning a monopulse antenna having a central boresight, over a ground surface area to be mapped;
- transmitting along the boresight a plurality of radar pulses, each having a predetermined angular beamwidth, during each of a plurality of spaced azimuth intervals, each azimuth interval defining an antenna look, the transmitted radar pulses during each look illuminating a total ground area in azimuth corresponding to the beamwidth thereof;
- receiving and detecting at the antenna, during each look, return energy of the reflected pulses of the illuminated area at distinct times corresponding to respective range intervals;
- calculating a predetermined plurality of distinct off-boresight angles of the return energy for each range interval;
- converting each of the plurality of calculated off-boresight angles to a different contiguous azimuth bin for each range interval, each azimuth bin corresponding to a fractional portion in azimuth of the total illuminated ground area during each look;
- displaying the detected reflected energy of each distinct azimuth bin in successive azimuth bins of the total illuminated ground area for subsequent antenna looks.
3 more elements
A system for real aperture radar ground mapping, comprising:
- a monopulse antenna having a central boresight;
- means for scanning the antenna over a ground surface area to be mapped;
- means for transmitted along the boresight a plurality of radar pulses, each having a predetermined angular beamwidth, during each of a plurality of spaced azimuth intervals, each interval defining an antenna look, the radar pulses during each look illuminating a total ground area in azimuth corresponding to the beamwidth thereof;
- means for receiving and detecting at the antenna, during each look, return energy of the reflected pulses of the illuminated area at distinct times corresponding to respective range intervals;
- means for calculating a predetermined plurality of distinct off-boresight angles of the return energy for each range interval;
- means for converting each of the calculated off-boresight angles to a different contiguous azimuth bin for each range interval, each azimuth bin corresponding to a fractional portion in azimuth of the total illuminated ground area during each look;
- and
- display means, for displaying the return energy of each distinct azimuth bin in each successive azimuth bin of the total illuminated ground area for subsequent antenna looks.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.