METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR RADIO DETECTION AND RANGING INTRUSION DETECTION SYSTEM

• US 20080316086A1
• Filed: 07/26/2006
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Security Incorporated (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Ashe, Jeffrey Michael, Hoctor, Ralph Thomas, Welles, Kenneth Brakeley, Staudinger, Vincent Paul
• Granted Patent: US 7,466,261 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/137
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/12 wherein the pulse-recurrence frequency is varied to provide a desired time relationship between the transmission of a pulse and the receipt of the echo of a preceding pulse
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/56 for presence detection presence detection using near field arrangements G01V3/00, e.g. G01V3/08, G01V3/12; burglar, theft or intruder alarms with electrical actuation G08B13/22 - G08B13/26
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/288 Coherent receivers

Abstract

A RADAR system including a set of RADAR apparatuses is disclosed. Each apparatus includes a processor, a pulse unit in signal communication with the processor, a waveform signal generator in signal communication with the pulse unit, and a set of radar antennas in signal communication with the waveform signal generator. The waveform signal generator is capable of generating a waveform signal in response to pulses provided by the pulse unit. The set of antennas is capable of transmitting a burst of microwave energy in response to each waveform signal and to receive a plurality of reflected bursts associated with the transmitted bursts. An acquisition unit is configured to develop and amplify a finite window integral associated with each reflected burst, the acquisition unit in signal communication with the set of antennas and a pre-processor configured to digitize and store information relating to each finite window integral for subsequent processing.

Claims

1. A RADAR system comprising a set of RADAR apparatuses, each apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a pulse unit in signal communication with the processor, the pulse unit having a first delay stage configured to provide a plurality of first pulses and a second delay stage configured to provide a plurality of second pulses, each first pulse having a variable delay controlled by the processor to allow one of the plurality of second pulses to follow each first pulse;

a waveform signal generator in signal communication with the pulse unit, the waveform signal generator for generating a waveform signal in response to each pulse of the first and second plurality of pulses;

a set of radar antennas in signal communication with the waveform signal generator, the set of antennas for transmitting a burst of microwave energy in response to each waveform signal generated by the waveform signal generator and to receive a plurality of reflected bursts associated with each said burst of microwave energy transmitted from the set of antennas;

an acquisition unit in signal communication with the set of antennas for developing and amplifying a finite window integral of at least one reflected burst; and

a pre-processor in signal communication with the acquisition unit and the processor, the pre-processor for digitizing and storing information relating to each finite window integral for subsequent processing.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the set of radar antennas comprises a first and a second antenna, the system further comprising:

at least one phase shifter in signal communication with the first antenna, the phase shifter for phase-shifting the bursts associated with the first antenna relative to the bursts associated with the second antenna.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein:

the set of radar antennas comprises two radar antennas.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the waveform signal generator comprises:

a radiation intensity control in signal communication with the processor, the radiation intensity control for varying the intensity of the radiation of the bursts inversely to the variable delay of the first delay stage.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the acquisition unit comprises a wideband high gain amplifier for amplifying the finite window integral.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the processor comprises a field programmable gate array.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the pre-processor comprises:

a sample and hold analog to digital converter for digitizing each amplified finite window integral; and

a plurality of storage locations for storing each of the digitized finite window integrals;

wherein the processor controls selection of the storage location to store the digitized finite window integrals.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein:

each second pulse has a fixed delay.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the waveform signal generator generates a waveform conforming to ISM bands.

10. A method to determine a target location using a RADAR apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a pulse unit in signal communication with the processor, the pulse unit having a first delay stage for providing a plurality of first pulses and a second delay stage for providing a plurality of second pulses, each first pulse having a variable delay controlled by the processor for allowing one of the plurality of second pulses to follow each of the first pulses;

a waveform signal generator in signal communication with the pulse unit, the waveform signal generator for generating a waveform signal in response to each pulse of the pluralities of first and second plurality of pulses;

a set of radar antennas in signal communication with the waveform signal generator, the set of antennas for transmitting a burst of microwave energy in response to each waveform signal generated by the waveform signal generator and for receiving a plurality of reflected bursts associated with the transmitted bursts;

an acquisition unit in signal communication with the set of antennas for detecting and amplifying a finite window integral of at least one reflected burst; and

a pre-processor in signal communication with the acquisition unit and the processor, the pre-processor for digitizing and storing information relating to each finite window integral for subsequent processing, the method comprising;

defining a delay of the variable delay for each of a set of ranges within a region containing the target;

transmitting a set of first bursts in response to the first pulses for each range;

generating a set of second bursts in response to the second pulses for each range, each second burst subsequent to each first burst and for transmission;

receiving a reflected first burst associated with each of the transmitted first bursts associated with each range;

combining each received reflected first burst with each associated second burst associated with each range to create the finite window integral;

calculating and comparing to each other the finite window integrals at each range; and

determining the target location by range based on the greatest finite window integral from the set of ranges.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining the set of ranges to evaluate.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the determining the set of ranges to evaluate comprises a tracking algorithm, the algorithm comprising:

selecting an initial, small number of large ranges to determine presence of the target;

in response to the presence of the target, selecting a large number of small ranges to estimate the target distance;

in response to estimating the target distance, selecting a subset of small ranges centered about the estimated target distance to calculate the target distance; and

in response to motion of the target, changing the center of the subset of small ranges to the range having the greatest finite window integral.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

changing the transmission of bursts from one range of the set of ranges to another range;

wherein the changing occurs in response to a dwell time having elapsed subsequent to initiation of the transmitting the set of bursts for each range of the set of ranges; and

wherein the comparing the finite window integrals at each range occurs subsequent to the dwell time associated with that range.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

defining a radiation intensity for each range.

16. The method of claim 10, the method further comprising:

subsequent to the combining each received reflected first burst with the associated second burst to create the finite window integral, digitizing the finite window integral and storing the digitized finite window integral in a storage location selected by the processor.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

changing the transmission of bursts from one range of the set of ranges to another range;

wherein the changing occurs following the second pulse corresponding to the range; and

wherein the comparing the finite window integrals at each range comprises digital signal processing to compare the stored finite window integrals at all ranges of the set of ranges subsequent to a single dwell time associated with all ranges having elapsed.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining a phase angle corresponding to each of a set of horizontal angular positions associated with a region containing the target;

transmitting a set of first bursts in response to the first pulses for each horizontal angular position of the set of horizontal angular positions;

generating a set of second bursts in response to the second pulses for each horizontal angular position, each second burst subsequent to each first burst, and for transmission;

receiving a reflected first burst associated with each of the transmitted first bursts associated with the set of horizontal angular positions;

combining each received reflected first burst with each associated second burst for each horizontal angular position of the set of horizontal angular positions to create the finite window integral;

calculating and comparing to each other the finite window integrals at each horizontal angular position; and

determining the target location by horizontal angular position based on the finite window integral;

wherein at least one of the transmitting or the receiving, for each horizontal angular position, comprises a phase shift of the determined phase angle between a first and second antenna of the set of antennas.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein:

only the receiving comprises the phase shift.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

determining the set of ranges to evaluate.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the determining the set of ranges to evaluate comprises a tracking algorithm, the algorithm comprising:

selecting an initial, small number of large ranges to determine presence of the target;

in response to the presence of the target, selecting a large number of small ranges to estimate the target distance;

in response to estimating the target distance, selecting a subset of small ranges centered about the estimated target distance to calculate the target distance; and

in response to motion of the target, changing the center of the subset of small ranges to the range having the greatest finite window integral.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein:

the determining the set of ranges to evaluate comprises determining the ranges in which the target distance has been previously calculated.

23. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

changing the transmission of bursts from one range of the set of ranges to another range;

wherein the changing occurs in response to a dwell time having elapsed subsequent to initiation of the transmitting the set of bursts for each range of the set of ranges; and

wherein the comparing the finite window integrals at each range occurs subsequent to the dwell time associated with that range.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

changing the transmission of bursts from one combination of range and horizontal angular position of the sets of ranges and horizontal angular positions to another combination of range and horizontal angular position;

wherein the changing occurs in response to a dwell time having elapsed subsequent to initiation of the transmitting the set of bursts for each combination of range and horizontal angular position of the sets of ranges and horizontal angular positions; and

wherein the comparing the finite window integrals at each combination of range and horizontal angular position occurs subsequent to the dwell time associated with that combination of range and horizontal angular position.

25. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

subsequent to the combining each reflected first burst, digitizing the finite window integral and storing the digitized energy in a storage location selected by the processor.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

changing the transmission of bursts from one combination of range and horizontal angular position of the sets of ranges and horizontal angular positions to another combination of range and horizontal angular position;

wherein the changing occurs following the second pulse corresponding to the combination of range and horizontal angular position; and

wherein the comparing the finite window integrals at each combination of range and horizontal angular position comprises digital signal processing to compare the stored finite window integrals at all combinations of range and horizontal angular position of the sets of ranges and horizontal angular positions subsequent to a single dwell time associated with all combinations of range and horizontal angular position having elapsed.

27. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

determining a set of horizontal angular positions to evaluate.

28. The method of claim 18, wherein:

the determining a target location is based on the least finite window integral from the set of horizontal angular positions.

29. The method of claim 10, the method further comprising:

associating a phase angle with each horizontal angular position of a first set of horizontal angular positions;

in response to a spurious signal showing targets at a plurality of ranges, thereby indicating more than one target at the same range, transmitting a set of first bursts in response to the first pulses for each horizontal angular position of the first set of horizontal angular positions;

digitizing the finite window integral of the reflected first burst associated with each of the transmitted first bursts associated with the first set of horizontal angular positions; and

determining the target location of the more than one targets by horizontal angular position based on the lowest finite window integral using an adaptive algorithm;

wherein the receiving the finite window integral comprises a phase shift of the associated phase angle, between a first and second antenna of the set of antennas.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

in response to determining the target location of the more than one target by horizontal position, determining a phase angle corresponding to each horizontal angular position of a second set of horizontal angular positions associated with each target location;

transmitting a set of first bursts in response to the plurality of first pulses for each range and horizontal angular position of the set of ranges and the second set of horizontal angular positions;

generating a set of second bursts in response to the second pulses for each horizontal angular position, each second burst subsequent to each first burst, and for transmission;

receiving a reflected first burst associated with each of the transmitted first bursts associated with the second set of horizontal angular positions;

combining each received reflected first burst with each associated second burst for each horizontal angular position of the second set of horizontal angular positions to create the finite window integral;

calculating and comparing to each other the finite window integrals at each horizontal angular position of the second set of horizontal angular positions; and

determining the target location of the more than one target by range position based on the finite window integral;

wherein at least one of the transmitting or the receiving, for each horizontal angular position of the second set of horizontal angular positions, comprises a phase shift of the determined phase angle, between a first and second antenna of the set of antennas.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein:

only the receiving comprises the phase shift.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein:

the adaptive algorithm is an LMS algorithm.

33. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

changing the transmission of bursts from one range of the set of ranges to another range;

wherein the changing occurs in response to a dwell time having elapsed subsequent to initiation of the transmitting the set of bursts for each range of the set of ranges; and

wherein the comparing the finite window integrals at each range occurs subsequent to the dwell time associated with that range.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

changing the transmission of bursts from one combination of range and horizontal angular position of the sets of ranges and horizontal angular positions to another combination of range and horizontal angular position;

wherein the changing occurs in response to a dwell time having elapsed subsequent to initiation of the transmitting the set of bursts for each combination of range and horizontal angular position of the sets of ranges and horizontal angular positions; and

wherein the comparing the finite window integrals at each combination of range and horizontal angular position occurs subsequent to the dwell time associated with that combination of range and horizontal angular position.

35. The method of claim 29, the method further comprising:

subsequent to the combining each reflected first burst, digitizing the finite window integral and storing the digitized finite window integral in a storage location selected by the processor.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

changing the transmission of bursts from one combination of range and horizontal angular position of the sets of ranges and horizontal angular positions to another combination of range and horizontal angular position;

wherein the changing occurs following the second pulse corresponding to the combination of range and horizontal angular position; and

wherein the comparing the finite window integrals at each combination of range and horizontal angular position comprises digital signal processing to compare the stored finite window integrals at all combinations of range and horizontal angular position of the sets of ranges and horizontal angular positions subsequent to a single dwell time associated with all combinations of range and horizontal angular position having elapsed.

11. (canceled)

37. A method to determine a target location using a RADAR apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a pulse unit in signal communication with the processor, the pulse unit having a first delay stage for providing a plurality of first pulses and a second delay stage for providing a plurality of second pulses, each first pulse having a variable delay controlled by the processor for allowing one of the plurality of second pulses to follow each first pulse;

a waveform signal generator in signal communication with the pulse unit, the waveform signal generator for generating a waveform signal in response to each pulse of the pluralities of first and second pulses;

a set of radar antennas in signal communication with the waveform signal generator, the set of antennas for transmitting a burst of microwave energy in response to each waveform signal generated by the waveform signal generator and for receiving a plurality of reflected bursts associated with the transmitted bursts;

an acquisition unit in signal communication with the set of antennas detecting and amplifying a finite window integral of at least one reflected burst; and

a pre-processor in signal communication with the acquisition unit and the processor, the pre-processor for digitizing and storing information relating to each finite window integral for subsequent processing, the method comprising;

determining a phase angle corresponding to each of a set of horizontal angular positions associated with a region containing the target;

transmitting a set of first bursts in response to the first pulses for each horizontal angular position of the set of horizontal angular positions;

generating a set of second bursts in response to the second pulses for each horizontal angular position, each second burst subsequent to each first burst, and for transmission;

receiving a reflected first burst associated with each of the transmitted first bursts associated with the set of horizontal angular positions;

combining each received reflected first burst with each associated second burst for each horizontal angular position of the set of horizontal angular positions to create the finite window integral;

calculating and comparing to each other the finite window integrals at each horizontal angular position; and

determining a target location by horizontal angular position based on the finite window integral;

wherein at least one of the transmitting or the receiving comprises a phase shift of the determined phase angle between a first and second antenna of the set of antennas.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein:

only the receiving comprises the phase shift.

39. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

determining a set of horizontal angular positions to evaluate.

40. The method of claim 37, wherein:

the determining a phase angle comprises determining a phase angle corresponding to each horizontal angular position; and

the determining a target location is based on the least finite window integral from the set of horizontal angular positions.

41. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

changing the transmission of bursts from one horizontal angular position of the set of horizontal angular positions to another horizontal angular position;

wherein the changing occurs in response to a dwell time having elapsed subsequent to initiation of the transmitting the set of bursts for each horizontal angular position of the set of horizontal angular positions; and

;

wherein the comparing the finite window integrals at each horizontal angular position occurs subsequent to the dwell time associated with that horizontal angular position.

42. The method of claim 37, the method further comprising:

subsequent to the combining each reflected first burst, digitizing the finite window integral and storing the digitized energy in a storage location selected by the processor.

43. The method of claim 42, further comprising:

changing the transmission of bursts from one horizontal angular position of the set of horizontal angular positions to another horizontal angular position;

wherein the changing occurs following the second pulse corresponding to the horizontal angular position; and

wherein the comparing the finite window integrals at each horizontal angular position comprises digital signal processing to compare the stored finite window integrals at all horizontal angular positions of the set of horizontal angular positions subsequent to a single dwell time associated with all horizontal angular positions having elapsed.