US 8,947,296 B2Granted

Method and system for measuring a distance with narrowband radar

AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC

InventorsGuy Raz, Ron Rotstein

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A system includes a radar antenna and a radar controller. The radar controller generates two narrowband radar signals, each narrowband radar signal having substantially constant frequency, the frequencies of the two narrowband radar signals differing from one another. The controller operates the radar antenna to transmit each of the generated narrowband radar signals as a transmitted signal, each transmitted signal being characterized by a transmitted power. The controller also measures a received power of received signals that are received by the radar antenna, each received signal including a portion of a corresponding one of the transmitted signals that was returned from an object or from a calibration surface at a known calibration range. A processor operating in accordance with programmed instructions calculates a range to the object on the basis of the transmitted and received powers.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A method comprising:

transmitting a first transmitted narrowband radar signal having a substantially constant first frequency, the first transmitted narrowband radar signal being characterized by a first transmitted power;
concurrently transmitting a second transmitted narrowband radar signal having a substantially constant second frequency, the second transmitted narrowband radar signal being characterized by a second transmitted power;
measuring a first received power of a first received measurement signal that includes at least a portion of the first transmitted narrowband radar signal that was returned from an object, and a second received power of a second received measurement signal that includes at least a portion of the second transmitted narrowband radar signal that was returned from the object;
calculating an atmospheric attenuation factor based on the transmitted and received powers;
calculating a range of the object based on the calculated atmospheric attenuation factor and on an atmospheric attenuation coefficient factor.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/326,496Filed 15 Dec 2011
Published: US 2013/0154873 A120 Jun 2013
Granted: 3 Feb 2015
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

G01S 13/08
Systems determining position data of a target: systems for measuring distance only
G01S 7/4004
Means for monitoring or calibrating: of parts of a radar system
G01S 7/4052
Means for monitoring or calibrating: by simulation of echoes
G01S 7/4091
Using externally generated reference signals, e.g. via remote reflector or transponder: during normal radar operation