Carrier phase detection system for radar sensors
AssigneeMcEwan Technologies, LLC
InventorThomas Edward McEwan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A pulse detection system for expanded time radar, laser and TDR sensors detects specific cycles within bursts of cycles. A sensor transmits and receives short bursts of RF cycles. A transmit pulse detector triggers on a selected cycle of the detected transmit burst and starts a range counter. A receive detector triggers on a selected cycle within a received echo burst to stop the range counter, thereby indicating range. Cycle selection is enabled by an analysis window of time. The detection system can provide accuracies on the order of one picosecond and is well-suited to accurate ranging along an electromagnetic guide wire.
Claims13
A detection system for expanded time microwave or millimeter wave radars, optical radars or time domain reflectometers, comprising:
- a transmitter for transmitting a transmit burst, wherein the burst comprises two or more cycles of radio frequency waves or amplitude modulated light waves,
- a receiver for receiving the transmit burst and echoes of the transmit burst and for producing an expanded time receiver output, wherein the receiver output comprises a detected transmit burst and a detected echo burst,
- a threshold detector for producing an analysis window that is at least two cycles of the detected echo burst in duration if the detected echo burst exceeds a threshold value,
- a pulse envelope detector for producing an envelope pulse of the detected echo burst, wherein the envelope pulse includes a voltage peak,
- a time-of-peak detector for detecting the voltage peak and for producing a time-of-peak pulse,
- a comparator for threshold detecting cycles within the detected echo burst and for producing a carrier signal;
- and
- a receive echo detector for producing a stop pulse during the analysis window in response to the time-of-peak pulse and the carrier signal.
A method for detecting expanded time microwave or millimeter wave radar signals or optical radar signals or time domain reflectometer signals, comprising:
- transmitting a burst comprised of two or more cycles of radio frequency waves or amplitude modulated light waves to produce an echo burst,
- sampling the transmitted burst and the receive echo burst to produce a detected transmit burst and a detected echo burst,
- threshold detecting the detected echo burst to produce a carrier signal,
- envelope detecting the detected echo burst to produce an envelope pulse,
- time-of-peak detecting the envelope pulse to produce a time-of-peak pulse,
- producing a receive analysis window if the detected echo burst amplitude exceeds a threshold;
- and
- producing a stop pulse during the analysis window in response to the time-of-peak pulse and the carrier signal.
A time domain reflectometer, comprising:
- a transmitter for producing a transmit burst, wherein the burst comprises two or more cycles of radio frequency waves
- a receiver for detecting echoes of the transmit burst and for producing an expanded time detected echo burst,
- a transmission line probe coupled to the transmitter and to the receiver for conducting transmit and echo bursts, wherein the echo bursts are reflected transmit bursts from a liquid or other material in contact with, or in close proximity to, the transmission line probe,
- a threshold detector for producing an analysis window that is at least two cycles of the detected echo burst in duration if the detected echo burst exceeds a threshold value,
- an analyzer responsive to a characteristic of the detected echo burst for producing range counter stop pulse during the analysis window.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.