Distributed Sensor SAR Processing System

• US 20110148691A1
• Filed: 12/18/2009
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Samaniego, Raymond, Tomich, John L.
• Application Number:
  US12/642,224
• Publication Number:
  US 20110148691A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/25.F
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/003 Bistatic radar systems; Multistatic radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/90 using synthetic aperture techniques , e.g. synthetic aperture radar [SAR] techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/9058 Bistatic or multistatic SAR

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) processing system includes multiple radar receivers and a corresponding multiple location determining devices communicating with a SAR processor. The SAR processor receives return envelopes from each radar receiver indicative of electro-magnetic energy reflected from a target of interest. The SAR processor also receives, from multiple location determining devices that are each configured with each radar receiver, a location signal representing the position of its associated radar receiver, and generates imagery of the target according to the received envelopes and the position associated with each received envelope.

Claims

1. A synthetic aperture radar (SAR) processing system comprising:

a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) processor comprising instructions stored in a memory and executable on a computing system, the SAR processor operable to communicate with a plurality of radar receivers that are spatially separated from one another and are each configured with a location determining device, the image former operable to;

receive a plurality of return envelopes from the plurality of radar receivers, each return envelope representing electro-magnetic energy reflected from a target;

receive, from each location determining device, a location signal indicating a position of its associated radar; and

generate imagery of the target according to the plurality of received envelopes and the position associated with each received envelope.

2. The synthetic aperture radar system of claim 1, further comprising a single radar transmitter operable to generate the electro-magnetic energy that is received by the plurality of radar receivers, the plurality of radar receivers being synchronized with one another.

3. The synthetic aperture radar system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of radar transmitters operable to generate the electro-magnetic energy that is received by the plurality of radar receivers, the plurality of return envelopes being received non-concurrently from one another.

4. The synthetic aperture radar system of claim 3, wherein the radar transmitter is operable to generate the electro-magnetic energy at a plurality of different frequencies.

5. The synthetic aperture radar system of claim 1, wherein at least one radar receiver and its associated location determining device are configured in a land-based vehicle or an aircraft.

6. The synthetic aperture radar system of claim 1, wherein at least one radar receiver and its associated location determining device are configured in a hand-held housing.

7. The synthetic aperture radar system of claim 1, wherein the SAR processor is operable to:

receive, from each location determining device, an orientation signal indicating an orientation of its associated radar relative to the target; and

generate the imagery of the target according to the orientation associated with each received envelope.

8. The synthetic aperture radar system of claim 1, wherein the location determining device comprises a device selected from the group consisting of a global positioning device (GPS) device, a local positioning device (LPS) device, and a hybrid positioning device.

9. The synthetic aperture radar system of claim 1, wherein the target comprises a building, the SAR processor operable to:

receive the plurality of return envelopes each representing electro-magnetic energy generated at a plurality of different frequencies ranging from 0.5 to 2.0 Giga-Hertz; and

generate imagery of one or more internal features of the building according to the plurality of return envelopes.

10. A synthetic aperture radar processing method comprising:

receiving a plurality of return envelopes from a plurality of radar receivers, each return envelope representing electro-magnetic energy reflected from a target;

receiving, from each of a plurality of location determining devices that are each configured with each radar receiver, a location signal indicating a position of its associated radar; and

generating imagery of the target according to the plurality of received envelopes and the position associated with each received envelope.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

generating the electro-magnetic energy using a single radar transmitter; and

synchronizing the plurality of radar receivers with one another.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

generating the electro-magnetic energy using a plurality of radar transmitters; and

receiving the plurality of return envelopes non-concurrently with one another.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising generating the electro-magnetic energy at a plurality of different frequencies.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one radar receiver and its associated location determining device are configured in a land-based vehicle or an aircraft.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one radar receiver and its associated location determining device are configured in a hand-held housing.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving, from each location determining device, an orientation signal indicating an orientation of its associated radar relative to the target; and

generating the imagery of the target according to the orientation associated with each received envelope.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the location determining device comprises a device selected from the group consisting of a global positioning device (GPS) device, a local positioning device (LPS) device, and a hybrid positioning device.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving the plurality of return envelopes each representing electro-magnetic energy generated at a plurality of different frequencies ranging from 0.5 to 2.0 Giga-Hertz; and

generating imagery of one or more internal features of a building according to the plurality of return envelopes, the building comprising the target.

19. Code implemented on a computer-readable medium, when executed by a computer, operable to perform at least the following:

receive a plurality of return envelopes from a plurality of radar receivers, each return envelope representing electro-magnetic energy reflected from a target;

receive, from each of a plurality of location determining devices that are each configured with each radar receiver, a location signal indicating a position of its associated radar; and

generate imagery of the target according to the plurality of received envelopes and the position associated with each received envelope.

20. The code of claim 19, further operable to generate the electro-magnetic energy using a single radar transmitter.

21. The code of claim 19, further operable to:

generate the electro-magnetic energy using a single radar transmitter; and

synchronize the plurality of radar receivers with one another.

22. The code of claim 19, further operable to:

generate the electro-magnetic energy using a plurality of radar transmitters; and

receive the plurality of return envelopes non-concurrently with one another.

23. The code of claim 19, further operable to generate the electro-magnetic energy at a plurality of different frequencies.

24. The code of claim 19, wherein at least one radar receiver and its associated location determining device are configured in a land-based vehicle or an aircraft.

25. The code of claim 19, wherein at least one radar receiver and its associated location determining device are configured in a hand-held housing.

26. The code of claim 19, further operable to:

receive, from each location determining device, an orientation signal indicating an orientation of its associated radar relative to the target; and

generate the imagery of the target according to the orientation associated with each received envelope.

27. The code of claim 19, wherein the location determining device comprises a device selected from the group consisting of a global positioning device (GPS) device, a local positioning device (LPS) device, and a hybrid positioning device.

28. The code of claim 19, further operable to:

receive the plurality of return envelopes each representing electro-magnetic energy generated at a plurality of different frequencies ranging from 0.5 to 2.0 Giga-Hertz; and

generate imagery of one or more internal features of a building according to the plurality of return envelopes, the building comprising the target.