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US 8,854,255 B1Granted
Ground moving target indicating radar
AssigneeLockheed Martin Corporation
InventorTimothy Ehret
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An airborne moving target indicating (MTI) radar includes an array antenna. A receive processor electronically multiplies the signals received by each antenna element by element enable/disable signals which vary from time to time, thus electronically moving the effective phase center of the antenna array. The motion of the phase center is matched to the moving vehicle speed and direction.
Claims21
A method for detecting the presence of a moving surface target, said method comprising the steps of:
- at first and second times, transmitting pulses of a radar beam from an array antenna of an airborne vehicle toward a region containing said targets;
- generating first and second received signals from reflections received at said array antenna;
- defining a plurality of simultaneous first receive beams from said first received signals, the first receive beams covering said region and originating from a first phase center of said array;
- defining a plurality of simultaneous second receive beams from said second received signals, the second receive beams covering said region and originating from a second phase center of said array different from said first phase center, said first and second phase centers being spaced apart and electronically switched such that, during the time interval between said first and second pulses, the effective movement of said phase center equals the movement of said vehicle.
1 more element
A method for determining the presence and velocity of a moving surface target, said method comprising the steps of:
- at first and second times, transmitting pulses of a radar beam from a planar array antenna of an airborne vehicle toward a region including said targets to thereby generate reflections from said targets;
- generating first and second received signals from first and second reflections received from said targets at said array antenna at times following said first and second times;
- and
- defining a first plurality of simultaneous receive beams from said first received signals, the first plurality of receive beams covering the region including said targets and originating from a first phase center of said array;
- defining a second plurality of simultaneous receive beams from said second received signals, the second plurality of receive beams covering the region including said targets and originating from a second phase center of said array, said first and second phase centers having a spacing such that, during the time interval between said first and second times, the effective movement of said phase center equals the movement of said vehicle;
- electronically enabling and disabling processing of said received signals from selected ones of the elements of the antenna array to thereby enable said first and second phase centers;
- and
- subtracting said first and second received signals to thereby cancel received signals from stationary targets.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.