Transmitter apparatus for transmitting RF pulse signal, transmitter/receiver apparatus incorporating the transmitter apparatus, and receiver apparatus for receiving RF pulse signal

• US 20100214159A1
• Filed: 02/18/2010
• Published: 08/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Ookawa, Kunihiko, Miyake, Yasuyuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,134,495 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/202
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/18 wherein range gates are used
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/0254 Active array antenna
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/038 Feedthrough nulling circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/484 Transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/30 varying the relative phase between the radiating elements of an array H01Q3/2605, H01Q3/2658, H01Q3/2682, H01Q3/44 take precedence

Abstract

A transmitter apparatus generates a RF pulse signal having alternating high-amplitude pulse-on intervals and low-amplitude pulse-off intervals, and supplies the RF pulse signal as respective individual transmission signals of antenna elements of an array antenna, with the individual transmission signals having a phase distribution during each pulse-on interval whereby a beam is transmitted from the antenna in a predetermined transmission direction. During each pulse-off interval, a different phase distribution is established for the individual transmission signals, thereby reducing the level of noise radiated in the transmission direction during each pulse-off interval.

Claims

1. A transmitter apparatus comprising

a first array antenna, comprising a first plurality of antenna elements arrayed with a fixed pitch,

RF pulse signal supplying circuitry configured to supply a RF pulse signal as a plurality of individual transmission signals to respective ones of said first plurality of antenna elements, said RF pulse signal alternating between a pulse-on condition of large amplitude and a pulse-off condition of small amplitude,

transmission-side phase adjustment circuitry controlled for adjusting a phase distribution of said individual transmission signals, and

transmission direction control circuitry configured to control said transmission-side phase adjustment circuitry during said pulse-on condition for establishing a first phase distribution of said individual transmission signals and thereby transmitting said RF pulse signal as electromagnetic waves from said antenna in a predetermined direction;

wherein said transmitter apparatus comprises transmission-side phase alteration circuitry configured to control said transmission-side phase adjustment circuitry during said pulse-off condition for establishing a second phase distribution of said individual transmission signals, said second phase distribution being different from said first phase distribution.

2. A transmitter/receiver apparatus comprising a transmitter apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first array antenna functions in common as a transmitting antenna and as a receiving antenna, with a plurality of individual received signals being produced from respective ones of said first plurality of antenna elements during said pulse-off condition of said RF pulse signal, and wherein said transmitter/receiver apparatus comprises

a plurality of circulators coupled to supply said individual transmission signals to said first plurality of antenna elements and to receive said individual received signals from said first plurality of antenna elements, while isolating said individual received signals from said individual transmission signals, and

receiver circuitry coupled to receive said received signals from said circulators.

3. A transmitter/receiver apparatus comprising

a transmitter apparatus as claimed in claim 1,

a second array antenna, comprising a second plurality of antenna elements arrayed with a fixed pitch,

receiver circuitry coupled to receive a plurality of individual received signals supplied from respective ones of said second plurality of antenna elements,

reception-side phase adjustment circuitry controlled for adjusting a phase distribution of said individual received signals,

reception direction control circuitry configured for selecting a gate interval, commencing after a predetermined adjustment start interval has elapsed following an occurrence of said pulse-on condition of said individual transmission signals, within an inter-pulse interval between a termination of said pulse-on condition and a succeeding occurrence of said pulse-on condition, and for controlling said reception-side phase adjustment circuitry to establish a first phase distribution of said individual reception signals during said gate interval for maximizing a reception sensitivity with respect to received signals corresponding to said predetermined direction, said gate interval having a duration substantially identical to a duration of said pulse-on condition, and

gate interval scanning circuitry configured to scan said gate interval within said inter-pulse interval;

comprising reception-side phase alteration circuitry configured to control said reception-side phase adjustment circuitry for establishing a second phase distribution of said individual reception signals, different from said first phase distribution, other than when said reception direction control circuitry is applying control to establish said first phase distribution.

4. A transmitter/receiver apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said second phase distribution of said individual reception signals is predetermined for minimizing said reception sensitivity with respect to received signals corresponding to said predetermined direction.

5. A receiver apparatus for use in conjunction with a transmitter apparatus, for receiving a RF pulse signal which is transmitted by said transmitter apparatus as electromagnetic waves in a predetermined direction, said received RF pulse signal alternating between a pulse-on condition of large amplitude and a pulse-off condition of small amplitude,

said receiver apparatus comprising

an array antenna, comprising a plurality of antenna elements arrayed with a fixed pitch,

receiver circuitry configured to acquire said received RF pulse signal as a plurality of individual received signals supplied from respective ones of said plurality of antenna elements,

phase adjustment circuitry controlled for adjusting a phase distribution of said individual received signals,

reception direction control circuitry configured for selecting a gate interval, commencing after a predetermined adjustment start interval has elapsed following an occurrence of said pulse-on condition of said received RF pulse signal, within an inter-pulse interval which elapses between a termination of said pulse-on condition and commencement of a succeeding occurrence of said pulse-on condition, and for controlling said reception-side phase adjustment circuitry to establish a first phase distribution of said individual reception signals during said gate interval for maximizing a reception sensitivity with respect to received signals corresponding to said predetermined direction, said gate interval having a duration substantially identical to a duration of said pulse-on condition, and

gate interval scanning circuitry configured to scan said gate interval within said inter-pulse interval;

wherein said transmitter/receiver apparatus comprises phase alteration circuitry configured to control said phase adjustment circuitry for establishing a second phase distribution of said individual reception signals, different from said first phase distribution, other than when said reception direction control circuitry is applying control to establish said first phase distribution.

6. A receiver apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein said second phase distribution of said individual reception signals is predetermined for minimizing said reception sensitivity with respect to received signals corresponding to said predetermined direction.