USB/Wireless based traffic radar system

• US 10,162,051 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2015
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kustom Signals Incorporated (MPD Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Kustom Signals Incorporated (MPD Incorporated)
• Inventors: Shelton, Maurice E., Bietsch, Michael J., Hayes, Kent F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barker, Matthew M
• Application Number:
  US14/657,758
• Publication Number:
  US 20150260840A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,383 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/589 measuring the velocity vector
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/91 for traffic control G01S13/93 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/04 Display arrangements

Abstract

A traffic radar system utilizes a standard USB interface of power and communication to a host USB device. Modules of the radar system communicate over a wireless network to reduce hard-wire cabling in the patrol vehicle or radar platform. Digital signal processing (DSP) is utilized in a distributed processing architecture to increase processing functionality and target detection capabilities. The system modules incorporate electrical and mechanical interfaces which allow modules to be connected together to form unique radar systems.

Claims

1. A wireless traffic radar system comprising:

a radar base module (RBM) having a radar transceiver, an analog front end coupled to said radar transceiver to receive Doppler signals therefrom, an analog-to-digital converter coupled to said analog front end to receive analog signals therefrom and convert said analog signals to a time domain digital data format, a processor coupled to said analog-to-digital converter to receive said time domain digital data therefrom and transform said time domain digital data to frequency domain digital data, a wireless transceiver coupled to said processor for receiving digital data therefrom and communicating with other wireless transceivers of a wireless network, a USB interface coupled to said processor and providing power thereto, and

a host USB device coupled to said USB interface of said RBM.

2. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 1 wherein said radar transceiver includes a microwave source generator, a microwave receiver and a radar antenna.

3. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 2 wherein said microwave receiver includes mixer circuitry to mix a sample of a signal transmitted by said microwave source generator from said radar antenna with a signal received by said radar antenna and output said Doppler output signals.

4. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 1 wherein said analog front end amplifies and filters said Doppler signals received from said radar transceiver.

5. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 4 wherein said amplification is a fixed gain.

6. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 4 wherein said amplification is an automatic gain.

7. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 4 wherein said amplification is a programmable gain.

8. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 1 wherein said analog-to-digital converter includes a delta sigma architecture.

9. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 1 wherein said analog-to-digital converter has a 24 bit resolution.

10. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 1 wherein said processor is a digital signal processor (DSP).

11. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 10 wherein said DSP processes said frequency domain data for target detection, target speed determination, and target direction determination.

12. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 1 wherein said wireless transceiver utilizes a BlueTooth protocol to communicate with said other wireless transceivers.

13. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 1 wherein said wireless transceiver utilizes a Zigbee protocol to communicate with said other wireless transceivers.

14. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 1 wherein said wireless transceiver utilizes a SNAP protocol to communicate with said other wireless transceivers.

15. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 1 wherein said wireless transceiver utilizes a JenNet protocol to communicate with said other wireless transceivers.

16. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 1 wherein said host USB device is a mobile data computer.

17. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 1 wherein said host USB device is an in-vehicle video system.

18. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 1 wherein said host USB device is a multi-function display.

19. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 1 wherein said RBM is a star point of said wireless network.

20. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 1 wherein said wireless network is a mesh wireless network.

21. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 1 wherein said wireless network is a point-to-point wireless network.

22. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 1 wherein said RBM is a front facing RBM.

23. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 1 further comprising a rear facing RBM wirelessly coupled to said RBM.

24. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of RBMs wirelessly coupled to said RBM.

25. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 24 wherein said RBM is a forward facing RBM, and said plurality of RBMs include a rear facing RBM and a side facing RBM.

26. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 1 further comprising a remote control module wirelessly coupled to said RBM for user control of said host USB device.

27. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 1 further comprising a peripheral device wirelessly coupled to said RBM.

28. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 27 wherein said peripheral device is a GPS module.

29. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 27 wherein said peripheral device is a printer.

30. A wireless traffic radar system comprising:

a radar base module (RBM) having a radar transceiver, an analog front end coupled to said radar transceiver to receive Doppler signals therefrom, an analog-to-digital converter coupled to said analog front end to receive analog signals therefrom and convert said analog signals to a time domain digital data format, a processor coupled to said analog-to-digital converter to receive said time domain digital data therefrom and transform said time domain digital data to frequency domain digital data, a wireless transceiver coupled to said processor for receiving digital data therefrom and communicating with other wireless transceivers of a wireless network, a USB interface coupled to said processor and providing power thereto,

a user interface module (UIM) having a multi-function display and coupled to said RBM,

said RBM and UIM mounted to a mechanical interface,

a trigger mounted so said mechanical interface and coupled to said RBM for selectively activating said radar transceiver, and

a battery mounted to said mechanical interface coupled to said RBM and UIM providing power thereto.

31. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 30 wherein said radar transceiver includes a microwave source generator, a microwave receiver and a radar antenna.

32. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 31 wherein said microwave receiver includes mixer circuitry to mix a sample of a signal transmitted by said microwave source generator from said radar antenna with a signal received by said radar antenna and output said Doppler output signals.

33. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 30 wherein said analog front end amplifies and filters said Doppler signals received from said radar transceiver.

34. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 33 wherein said amplification is a fixed gain.

35. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 33 wherein said amplification is an automatic gain.

36. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 33 wherein said amplification is a programmable gain.

37. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 30 wherein said analog-to-digital converter includes a delta sigma architecture.

38. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 30 wherein said analog-to-digital converter has a 24 bit resolution.

39. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 30 wherein said processor is a digital signal processor (DSP).

40. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 39 wherein said DSP processes said frequency domain data for target detection, target speed determination, and target direction determination.

41. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 30 wherein said wireless transceiver utilizes a BlueTooth protocol to communicate with said other wireless transceivers.

42. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 30 wherein said wireless transceiver utilizes a Zigbee protocol to communicate with said other wireless transceivers.

43. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 30 wherein said wireless transceiver utilizes a SNAP protocol to communicate with said other wireless transceivers.

44. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 30 wherein said wireless transceiver utilizes a JenNet protocol to communicate with said other wireless transceivers.

45. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 30 wherein said RBM is a star point of said wireless network.

46. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 30 wherein said wireless network is a mesh wireless network.

47. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 30 wherein said wireless network is a point-to-point wireless network.

48. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 30 further comprising a rear facing RBM wirelessly coupled to said RBM.

49. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 30 further comprising a plurality of RBMs wirelessly coupled to said RBM.

50. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 49 wherein said plurality of RBMs include a rear facing RBM and a side facing RBM.

51. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 30 further comprising a remote control module wirelessly coupled to said RBM for user control of said UIM.

52. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 30 further comprising a peripheral device wirelessly coupled to said RBM.

53. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 52 wherein said peripheral device is a GPS module.

54. The wireless traffic radar system of claim 52 wherein said peripheral device is a printer.