Radar for ground speed measurement
First Claim
1. A radar transducer comprising:
- an antenna for transmitting electromagnetic waves at a predetermined frequency and for receiving reflected waves at a second frequency Doppler shifted from the predetermined frequency;
a microwave transceiver for supplying to and receiving from the antenna the electromagnetic waves and detecting a Doppler frequency;
an output cable;
an electrical processing section for processing the Doppler frequency and for communicating with the output cable, the electrical processing section including;
an analogue section arranged for receiving and amplifying the Doppler frequency having at least an amplifier and a threshold comparator for comparing a sine wave amplitude with a predetermined threshold for generation of an output pulse only when the amplified amplitude exceeds the predetermined threshold;
and a processor for processing the sequence of digital pulses generated by the analogue section in accordance with a processing program and for generating an output to the output cable in response to the processing of the digital pulses;
and a housing for containing the antenna, the microwave transceiver and the electrical processing section and for receiving and locating an inner end of the output cable;
wherein the processor is programmed to carry out a test of the operation of the microwave transceiver and to provide a failure output signal to the cable in the event that the operation is found to be outside predetermined parameters.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A radar transducer has a planar array antenna mounted on a plate portion of a housing with the microwave transceiver mounted on the opposite side of the plate and carrying a PCB defining the processing section for supplying an output to a cable. The plate portion slides into a plastic receptacle defining the radome for the antenna with a potting compound sealing the open face of the receptacle. The electrical processing section is shielded from extraneous electromagnetic waves without additional metallic shielding elements. The processor is programmable in response to signals received through the output cable so as to re-configure the program thereof so as to change the output to the output cable for different end use controllers and for compatibility with communications protocols. The processor is programmed to carry out a test of the operation of the transceiver and to provide a failure output signal to the cable in the event that the operation is found to be outside predetermined parameters.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A radar transducer comprising:
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an antenna for transmitting electromagnetic waves at a predetermined frequency and for receiving reflected waves at a second frequency Doppler shifted from the predetermined frequency;
a microwave transceiver for supplying to and receiving from the antenna the electromagnetic waves and detecting a Doppler frequency;
an output cable;
an electrical processing section for processing the Doppler frequency and for communicating with the output cable, the electrical processing section including;
an analogue section arranged for receiving and amplifying the Doppler frequency having at least an amplifier and a threshold comparator for comparing a sine wave amplitude with a predetermined threshold for generation of an output pulse only when the amplified amplitude exceeds the predetermined threshold;
and a processor for processing the sequence of digital pulses generated by the analogue section in accordance with a processing program and for generating an output to the output cable in response to the processing of the digital pulses;
and a housing for containing the antenna, the microwave transceiver and the electrical processing section and for receiving and locating an inner end of the output cable;
wherein the processor is programmed to carry out a test of the operation of the microwave transceiver and to provide a failure output signal to the cable in the event that the operation is found to be outside predetermined parameters. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A radar transducer comprising:
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an antenna for transmitting electromagnetic waves at a predetermined frequency and for receiving reflected waves at a second frequency Doppler shifted from the predetermined frequency;
a microwave transceiver for supplying to and receiving from the antenna the electromagnetic waves and detecting a Doppler frequency;
an output cable;
an electrical processing section for processing the Doppler frequency and for communicating with the output cable, the electrical processing section including;
an analogue section arranged for receiving and amplifying the Doppler frequency having at least an amplifier and a threshold comparator for comparing a sine wave amplitude with a predetermined threshold for generation of an output pulse only when the amplified amplitude exceeds the predetermined threshold;
and a processor for processing the sequence of digital pulses generated by the analogue section in accordance with a processing program and for generating an output to the output cable in response to the processing of the digital pulses;
and a housing for containing the antenna, the microwave transceiver and the electrical processing section and for receiving and locating an inner end of the output cable;
wherein the processor is arranged to be programmable in response to signals received through the output cable so as to re-configure the program thereof so as to change the output to the output cable which is generated in response to specific reflected waves. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A radar transducer comprising:
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an antenna for transmitting electromagnetic waves at a predetermined frequency and for receiving reflected waves at a second frequency Doppler shifted from the predetermined frequency;
a microwave transceiver for supplying to and receiving from the antenna the electromagnetic waves and detecting a Doppler frequency;
an output cable;
an electrical processing section for processing the Doppler frequency and for communicating with the output cable, the electrical processing section including;
an analogue section arranged for receiving and amplifying the Doppler frequency having at least an amplifier and a threshold comparator for comparing a sine wave amplitude with a predetermined threshold for generation of an output pulse only when the amplified amplitude exceeds the predetermined threshold;
and a processor for processing the sequence of digital pulses generated by the analogue section in accordance with a processing program and for generating an output to the output cable in response to the processing of the digital pulses;
and a housing for containing the antenna, the microwave transceiver and the electrical processing section and for receiving and locating an inner end of the output cable;
wherein the microwave transceiver and the electrical processing section are shielded from extraneous electromagnetic waves substantially without metallic shielding elements. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A radar transducer comprising:
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an antenna for transmitting electromagnetic waves at a predetermined frequency and for receiving reflected waves at a second frequency Doppler shifted from the predetermined frequency;
a microwave transceiver for supplying to and receiving from the antenna the electromagnetic waves and detecting a Doppler frequency;
an output cable;
an electrical processing section for processing the Doppler frequency and for communicating with the output cable, the electrical processing section including;
an analogue section arranged for receiving and amplifying the Doppler frequency having at least an amplifier and a threshold comparator for comparing a sine wave amplitude with a predetermined threshold for generation of an output pulse only when the amplified amplitude exceeds the predetermined threshold;
and a processor for processing the sequence of digital pulses generated by the analogue section in accordance with a processing program and for generating an output to the output cable in response to the processing of the digital pulses;
and a housing for containing the antenna, the microwave transceiver and the electrical processing section and for receiving and locating an inner end of the output cable;
wherein the housing comprises a mounting element providing mountings thereon for the antenna, the microwave transceiver, the electrical processing section and an inner end of the cable;
a receptacle element having an open end face into which the mounting element carrying the antenna, the microwave transceiver, the electrical processing section and an inner end of the cable can be inserted;
and a potting compound closing the open end face and enclosing the mounting element, the antenna, the microwave transceiver, the electrical processing section and an inner end of the cable within the receptacle. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification