Cooperative passive radar system

• US 20080055157A1
• Filed: 09/01/2006
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc. (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc. (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Sahinoglu, Zafer, Gezici, Sinan
• Application Number:
  US11/514,524
• Publication Number:
  US 20080055157A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/450
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/003 Bistatic radar systems; Multistatic radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/878 Combination of several spaced transmitters or receivers of known location for determining the position of a transponder or a reflector G01S13/874 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/466 by Trilateration, i.e. two antennas or two sensors determine separately the distance to a target, whereby with the knowledge of the baseline length, i.e. the distance between the antennas or sensors, the position data of the target is determined
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/468 by Triangulation, i.e. two antennas or two sensors determine separately the bearing, direction or angle to a target, whereby with the knowledge of the baseline length, the position data of the target is determined
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/04 Position of source determined by a plurality of spaced direction-finders
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations

Abstract

A method and system detects a target in a cooperative passive radar system. In each of multiple passive sensors, signals are detected that emanate from a target. Information is extracted from the signals and broadcast to other passive sensors. The sensors update parameters according to the information to improve a likelihood of receiving the signals and to increase a probability of detecting the target. The information is also transmitted to a central processor. The central processor determines a position of the target.

Claims

1. A cooperative passive radar system comprising:

a plurality of passive sensors, each passive sensor configured to detect signals emanating from a target, each passive sensor further comprising;

means for extracting information from the signals;

means for broadcasting the information to other passive sensors; and

means for updating parameters of the passive sensor according to the information to improve a likelihood of receiving the signals and to increase a probability of detecting the target.

2. The method of claim 1, in which each passive sensor further comprises:

means for receiving the information broadcast by the other sensors.

3. The system of claim 1, in which the emanated signals are pulse-based signals, where characteristics of the signals are unknown.

4. The system of claim 1, in which the information is associated with a timestamp for the signals at each of the passive sensors, and each passive sensor further comprises:

means for transmitting the information to a central processor to determine a position of the target.

5. The system of claim 1, in which the parameters include threshold.

6. The system of claim 1, in which the information includes an azimuth angle and an elevation angles to the target.

7. The system of claim 1, in which the information includes a part of the received signal, and further comprising:

means for transmitting the information to a central processor to determine a position of the target.

8. The system of claim 1, in which the information includes an azimuth angle and an elevation angles to the target, and further comprising:

means for transmitting the information to a central processor to determine a position of the target.

9. The system of claim 1, in which a particular passive sensor further comprises:

an antenna array; and

means for adjusting a beam forming pattern of the antenna array according to the information.

10. The system of claim 1, in which the information includes a windowed version of the signals.

11. A method, for detecting a target in a cooperative passive radar system, comprising, in each of a plurality of passive sensors, the steps of:

detecting signals emanating from a target;

extracting information from the signals;

broadcasting the information to other passive sensors; and

updating parameters of the passive sensor according to the information to improve a likelihood of receiving the signals and to increase a probability of detecting the target.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein in each passive sensor the method further comprising the steps of:

receiving the information broadcast by the other sensors; and

updating the information with the broadcast information.

13. The method of claim 11, in which the information is associated with a timestamp for the signals at each of the passive sensors, and further comprising:

transmitting the information from at least four passive sensors to a central processor to determine a position of the target.

14. The method of claim 11, in which the information includes a threshold for signals detection.

15. The method of claim 11, in which the information includes an azimuth angle and an elevation angles to the target.

16. The method of claim 11, in which the information includes a part of the received signal, and further comprising:

transmitting the information to a central processor to determine a position of the target.

17. The method of claim 11, in which the information includes an azimuth angle and an elevation angles to the target, and further comprising:

transmitting the information from at least two passive sensors to a central processor to determine a position of the target.

18. The method of claim 11, in which a particular passive sensor further comprises:

an antenna array; and

adjusting a beam forming pattern of the antenna array according to the information.

19. The system of claim 11, in which the information includes a windowed version of the signals.