RADAR TRANSPONDER

• US 20090237290A1
• Filed: 12/19/2008
• Published: 09/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Edelweiss, LLC
• Original Assignee: Edelweiss, LLC
• Inventors: Kishinevsky, Michael
• Application Number:
  US12/340,566
• Publication Number:
  US 20090237290A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/51
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/767 Responders; Transponders teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying using reflecting targets or active targets F41G3/26

Abstract

A radar transponder which does not have a receiver/transmit switch. A radio frequency coupler of the transponder switches the antenna between the transmitter and the receiver. The coupler connects the receiver, the transmitter and the antenna such that the receiver is connected to the most attenuated terminal of the coupler. The coupler may be a radio frequency coupler having an attenuation of between three and forty dB, or approximately ten dB. The antenna can be an integrated PCB surface-mounted multi-bay turnstile antenna.

Claims

1. A radar transponder comprising:

an antenna;

a transmitter;

a receiver;

a controller configured to activate the transmitter when the receiver receives a radar pulse; and

a radio frequency coupler connecting the antenna, the transmitter and the receiver.

2. The transponder of claim 1 wherein the coupler has a most attenuated terminal and the coupler connects the receiver, the transmitter and the antenna such that the receiver is connected to the most attenuated terminal.

3. The transponder of claim 1 wherein the transponder is a search and rescue transponder.

4. The transponder of claim 1 wherein the coupler has an attenuation of between three and forty dB.

5. The transponder of claim 1 wherein the coupler has an attenuation of approximately ten dB.

6. The transponder of claim 1 wherein the coupler has an attenuation of nine-eleven dB.

7. The transponder of claim 1 wherein the receiver has a sensitivity of −

50 dBm.

8. The transponder of claim 1 wherein the transponder is a personal radar transponder.

9. The transponder of claim 1 wherein the transponder is free of a transmit/receive switch.

10. The transponder of claim 1 wherein the attenuation of the coupler protects the receiver from transmitter power and from excessive antenna input power from a radar that is close to the transponder.

11. The transponder of claim 1 wherein the transponder uses a frequency range of 9.2-9.5 GHz.

12. The transponder of claim 1 wherein the receiver includes an amplifier configured to amplify the radar pulse.

13. The transponder of claim 12 wherein the amplifier amplifies the radar pulse between ten and sixty dB.

14. The transponder of claim 12 wherein the amplifier amplifies the radar pulse approximately thirty dB.

15. The transponder of claim 1 wherein the receiver has no heterodyne and a preamplified or not-preamplified signal goes straight to a detector.

16. The transponder of claim 1 wherein the transmitter includes a frequency synthesizer.

17. The transponder of claim 1 including a power switch which selects input power from either 12V or 24V input or a battery.

18. The transponder of claim 1 wherein the receiver includes a sawtooth generator which is implemented as a 4-phase pulse width modulator.

19. The transponder of claim 18 wherein the sawtooth generator is optimized for speed and low ripple.

20. The transponder of claim 1 wherein the signal used is other than a 12-dot bearing line signal.

21. The transponder of claim 1 wherein the signal used has fewer than twelve dots.

22. The transponder of claim 21 wherein the signal is a 1-dot, 2-dot or 3-dot signal.

23. The transponder of claim 1 wherein the signal used is a series of bearing line dots.

24. The transponder of claim 1 wherein the signal is a single blip on a radar.

25. The transponder of claim 1 wherein the transponder is adapted to be worn by an individual.

26. The transponder of claim 1 including a printed circuit board for the receiver, the transmitter, the controller, the coupler and the controller.

27. The transponder of claim 1 wherein the transponder has a total volume of generally 36 cubic inches or less.

28. The transponder of claim 1 wherein the greatest of the height, width and depth dimensions of the transponder is approximately no greater than six inches.

29. The transponder of claim 1 wherein the transponder has dimensions of approximately six by three by two inches or less.

30. The transponder of claim 1 wherein the transponder is adapted for use by or in one or more of small skiffs, sailboats, kayaks, personal water craft, jet skiers, hikers, divers and dive buoys.

31. The transponder of claim 1 wherein the transponder has a total weight no greater than a pound.

32. The transponder of claim 1 wherein the transponder has a total weight of generally 8.5 ounces or less.

33. The transponder of claim 1 further comprising an enclosure for the antenna, transmitter, receiver, controller and coupler.

34. The transponder of claim 33 wherein the antenna, transmitter, receiver, controller and coupler are mounted on a printed circuit board substrate.

35. The transponder of claim 33 further comprising clipping means for clipping the enclosure to a hooks or loops of a human user or intended structure.

36. The transponder of claim 33 further comprising clipping means for clipping the enclosure to a belt buckle, life jacket webbing, or clothing loops/hooks of the user.

37. The transponder of claim 33 further comprising a lanyard attached to the enclosure for carrying by a human user.

38. The transponder of claim 33 wherein the enclosure is a two-piece water-tight plastic enclosure.

39. The transponder of claim 1 including and being powered by three 3.0 volt Lithium batteries.

40. The transponder of claim 1 including and being powered by a 3 cell SART battery.

41. The transponder of claim 1 wherein the transponder is a vessel or vehicle/vessel radar transponder.

42. The transponder of claim 1 wherein the transponder is an active radar target enhancer transponder.

43. The transponder of claim 1 wherein the antenna is a turnstile antenna.

44. The transponder of claim 43 wherein the antenna is made completely out of PCB traces.

45. The transponder of claim 43 wherein the turnstile antenna is made of PCB traces and pPSB mounted studs.

46. The transponder of claim 43 wherein the antenna has at least two bays for directivity and higher gain.

47. A radar transponder comprising:

a turnstile antenna;

a transmitter;

a receiver; and

a controller configured to activate the transmitter when the receiver receives a radar pulse.

48. The transponder of claim 47 wherein the antenna is an integrated PCB surface-mounted multi-bay turnstile antenna

49. The transponder of claim 47 wherein the antenna is made completely out of PCB traces.

50. The transponder of claim 47 wherein the turnstile antenna is made of PCB traces and pPSB mounted studs.

51. The transponder of claim 47 wherein the antenna has at least two bays for directivity and higher gain.