Robust and broadband signal processing using replica generation apparatus

• US 20060066471A1
• Filed: 09/22/2005
• Published: 03/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ming-Chiang Li
• Original Assignee: Ming-Chiang Li
• Inventors: Li, Ming-Chiang
• Granted Patent: US 8,350,754 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/52
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 23/15 Indicating that frequency of pulses is either above or below a predetermined value or within or outside a predetermined range of values, by making use of non-linear or digital elements (indicating that pulse width is above or below a certain limit)
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/021 Auxiliary means for detecting or identifying radar signals or the like, e.g. radar jamming signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/36 Means for anti-jamming , e.g. ECCM, i.e. electronic counter-counter measures

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention are low cost, robust, broadband, optimum, high precision methods and apparatus of processing pulsed, transient, non-cooperative, non-reproducible, complex, or simultaneous signals based on correlation measurements utilizing optical RF signal train generators. An embodiment of the inventive apparatus comprises: (a) a signal receiving apparatus which receives one or more signals, and outputs the signals; (b) a replica generation apparatus, which comprises one or more RF signal train generators, accepts signals from the receiving apparatus as inputs, and outputs trains of replica pairs, where relative separations between two members in the replica pairs are same or different; and (c) an integration apparatus which performs Doppler, self, or mutual (cross) correlation operations on the replica pairs at RF or optical level. The apparatus of present invention advance interferoceivers of prior art, and overcome deficiencies of radar receivers, channelized receivers, electronic warfare receivers, spectrum analyzers, sampling oscilloscopes, and many others.

Claims

1. an apparatus for processing pulsed, transient, non-cooperative, non-reproducible, complex, or simultaneous signals which comprises:

a signal receiving apparatus which receives one or more signals, and outputs the signals;

a replica generation apparatus, which accepts signals from the receiving apparatus as input, and outputs trains of replica pairs; and

an integration apparatus which applies the trains of replica pairs as inputs and performs Doppler, self, or mutual correlation operations on the replica pairs at RF or optical level.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a Fourier processor, which Fourier analyzes outputs from the integration apparatus.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the signal receiving apparatus comprises one or more delay adjustment apparatus responsive to align the received signals.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the signals are from a source of interest and the signal receiving apparatus is responsive to the source of interest in receiving the signals from one or more signal paths.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a source of reference;

wherein the source receiving apparatus is responsive to signals from a source of interest and signals from the source of reference.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the signals are contaminated by one or more sources of interference, or by one or more apparatus of interference.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a source of interest which transmits signals to a target of interest;

a tap which taps out a portion of signals from the source of interest before scattering; and

wherein the signal receiving apparatus is responsive to the signals scattered by the target of interest and the portion of signals from the tap.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising:

a stable oscillator which emits a continuous signal;

a first mixer which mixes the portion of signals from the tap with the continuous signal from the stable oscillator, and outputs mixed signals;

a coherent oscillator which locks to the mixed signals and outputs signals;

a second mixer which mixes the signals from the coherent oscillator with the continuous signal from the stable oscillator in response to alignment delays and outputs mixed signals;

a pulse forming apparatus which converts the mixed signals from second mixer and outputs pulsed signals; and

wherein the signal receiving apparatus is responsive to the pulsed signals from the pulse forming apparatus.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a stable oscillator which emits a continuous signal;

a first pulse forming apparatus which converts the continuous signal from the stable oscillator to pulsed signals and outputs pulsed signals;

an amplifier which amplifies and transmits the pulsed signals to a target of interest;

a second pulse forming apparatus which converts the continuous signal from the stable oscillator to pulse signals in response to alignment delays; and

wherein the signal receiving apparatus is responsive to signals scattered by the target of interest and the converted pulse signals from second pulse forming apparatus.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the signal receiving apparatus is adaptive to receive at least one of optical, infrared, acoustical, electromagnetic, mechanical, or nuclear signals.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the replica generation apparatus comprises one or more RF signal train generators with same or different loop lengths.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the integration apparatus comprises one or more combiner-square law detector or mixer-low band filter pairs.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 which is responsive to a scattering process, and to produce silhouette or ISAR images.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a source of trigger, a reproducible source, and a synchronization apparatus;

wherein the replica reproduction apparatus is responsive to trigger signals from the source of trigger and outputs trigger replicas;

wherein the reproducible source reproduces identical signals in response to trigger replicas;

wherein the signal receiving apparatus is responsive to receive signals of interest;

wherein the replica reproduction apparatus is further responsive to the signals of interest and outputs replicas of interest;

wherein the synchronization apparatus aligns the identical signals with the replicas of interest to form trains of signal-replica pairs; and

wherein the integration apparatus is responsive to perform mutual correlation operations on the signal-replica pairs at RF or optical level.

15. An apparatus for processing pulsed, transient, non-cooperative, non-reproducible, complex, or simultaneous signals which comprises:

a signal receiving apparatus which receives one or more signals, and outputs the signals;

a replica generation apparatus, which accepts signals from the receiving apparatus as input, and outputs trains of replicas;

one or more reproducible signal sources, which reproduce trains of identical pulse signals;

a synchronization apparatus, which synchronizes the reproducible signal sources with the replica generation apparatus to pair and align the identical pulse signals with the replicas, and outputs trains of signal-replica pairs; and

an integration apparatus, which applies the trains of signal-replica pairs as inputs and performs mutual correlation operations on the signal-replica pairs at RF or optical level.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the synchronization apparatus comprises one or more systematic delay mechanisms, which are electronic.

17. A method of processing pulsed, transient, non-cooperative, non-reproducible, complex, or simultaneous signals which comprises the steps of:

receiving the one or more signals;

applying the received signals to a replica generation apparatus;

outputting paired and aligned replicas to an integration apparatus;

performing Doppler, self, or mutual correlation integrations on the paired replicas at RF or optical level.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising steps of:

emitting one or more signals from a source;

tapping a portion of the signals;

scattering the signals by a target; and

wherein the step of receiving comprises steps of receiving scattered signals and the portion of the signals.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising steps of:

emitting identical signals from a reproducible signals source;

synchronizing the identical signals with replicas from the replica generation apparatus to form aligned signal-replica pairs; and

performing correlation integrations on signal-replica pairs at RF or optical level.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising steps of:

forming first pulsed signals at first path from a continuous signal emitted by a stable oscillator;

scattering the first pulsed signals by a target;

forming second pulsed signals at second path from the same continuous signal;

synchronizing the second pulsed signals with scattered signals; and

wherein the step of receiving comprises steps of receiving the scattered signals and the second pulsed signals.