Conductive line communication apparatus and conductive line radar system and method

• US 20110187578A1
• Filed: 02/04/2010
• Published: 08/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saab Sensis Corp. (Saab AB)
• Original Assignee: Sensis Pty Limited (Telstra Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: VALOVAGE, Edward M., FARNETH, Mike, EDWARD, Brian, ROUGAS, John A., McMAHON, Stephen E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,159,385 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/27
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/04 Systems determining presence of a target based on relative movement of target G01S13/56
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/32 using transmission of continuous waves, whether amplitude-, frequency-, or phase-modulated, or unmodulated
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/86 Combinations of radar systems with non-radar systems, e.g. sonar, direction finder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/87 Combinations of radar systems, e.g. primary radar and secondary radar

Abstract

A conductive line radar comprising at least one signal surface wave launcher, which comprises a signal surface wave transceiver, which is physically attached to a power line. The signal surface wave transceiver transmits a wave signal along the power line with another signal radiating from the wave signal in a plurality of directions along the power line. The at least one signal surface wave transceiver receives reflected signals from a target within a distance of the power line. The at least one signal surface wave launcher includes at least one RF communications transceiver and can be inductively powered from the power line.

Claims

1. A wide-area RF signal transmission and reception apparatus comprising:

at least one signal surface wave launcher, said signal surface wave launcher comprising;

a signal surface wave transceiver physically attached to a power line;

at least one RF communications transceiver with integrated antenna; and

at least one signal processor;

said signal surface wave transceiver transmitting a wave signal along said power line, wherein said wave signal further comprises a modulated signal that radiates from said wave signal in a plurality of directions along said power line, and

said modulated signal radiating from said wave signal along said power line being receivable by at least one receiving device within a distance from said power line along a length of said power line.

2-18. -18. (canceled)

19. A method of transmitting an RF signal over a wide area using power lines, said method comprising:

transmitting a wave signal along a power line using at least one signal surface wave launcher, said signal surface wave launcher being physically attached to a first power line, said signal surface wave launcher comprising;

a signal surface wave transceiver;

at least one RF communications transceiver with integrated antenna; and

at least one signal processor, wherein said RF signal radiates from said wave signal in a plurality of directions from said power line; and

receiving said RF signal radiating from said wave signal in a plurality of directions from said power line when a receiving device is within a distance from said power line along a length of said power line.

20-25. -25. (canceled)

26. A mono-static conductive line radar system comprising:

a mono-static conductive line radar comprising a signal surface wave launcher physically attached to a power line, said signal surface wave launcher comprising;

a signal surface wave transceiver;

at least one RF communications transceiver with integrated antenna; and

at least one signal processor;

said signal surface wave transceiver transmitting a wave signal along said power line, wherein a signal radiates from said wave signal in a plurality of directions from said power line;

said signal surface wave transceiver receives reflected signals from at least one target from said signal radiated in a plurality of directions from said power line within a distance from said power line along a length of said power line; and

said at least one signal processor detects said at least one target from said reflected signals received from at least said signal surface wave transceiver.

27. The mono-static conductive line radar system of claim 26, wherein said signal surface wave launcher is inductively powered from said power line.

28. The mono-static conductive line radar system of claim 26, wherein a communication link is established for transmitting a signal through free space, that is not the signal used for the radar function and said signal is received by an adjacent signal surface wave transceiver that is separated from said signal surface wave transceiver by said distance that is a function of at least one of a type of transmitted waveform, transmitted power of said wave signal and diameter and physical configuration of said power line.

29. The mono-static conductive line radar system of claim 28, wherein said distance is not more than about 800 meters.

30. The mono-static conductive line radar system of claim 28, wherein said distance is a function of a link budget for a command and control system.

31. The mono-static conductive line radar system of claim 26, wherein said at least one target entering an area of surveillance defined at least by said distance from said power line along said length of said power line is detected from an increase in signal amplitude from reflected signals from said at least one target received by said signal surface wave transceiver.

32. The mono-static conductive line radar system of claim 31, wherein the power line as the antenna, and a direction of the transmitted wave is multi-directional due to discontinuities of said antenna, wherein said reflected signals from said at least one target comprise at least a first signal having an positive doppler component and at least a second signal having a negative doppler component at least when said at least one target is physically located within the operational range of the transceiver and within said distance along said length of said power line.

33. The mono-static conductive line radar system of claim 31, wherein said distance at which said at least one target is detected is a function of a type of transmitted waveform, transmitted power of said wave signal, diameter and physical configuration of said power line and at least one of radar cross section of said at least one target, speed of said at least one target, number of bright points and physical size of said at least one target.

34. The mono-static conductive line radar system of claim 33, wherein said distance on the ground is within about 250 meters of said power line along said length of said power line.

35. The mono-static conductive line radar system of claim 33, wherein said distance in low airspace within about 1000 meters of said power line along said length of said power line.

36. The mono-static conductive line radar system of claim 26, further comprising an accelerometer measuring at least one of a wind movement and a vibration of said power line, wherein said at least one signal processor removes effects of Doppler resulting from the at least one of said wind movement and said vibration of said power line measured by said accelerometer from signals received at said signal surface wave transceiver.

37. The mono-static conductive line radar system of claim 36, wherein the accelerometer is a MEMS accelerometer.

38. The mono-static conductive line radar system of claim 26, wherein said wave signal transmitted along said power line by said signal surface wave transceiver comprises a Sommerfeld wave.

39. The mono-static conductive line radar system of claim 26, wherein said wave signal is an ultra-wideband (UWB) signal.

40. The mono-static conductive line radar system of claim 26, wherein said d wave signal is a continuous wave (CW) signal.

41. The mono-static conductive line radar system of claim 26, wherein said wave signal is a linear frequency modulated continuous wave (LFMCW) signal.

42. The mono-static conductive line radar system of claim 26, wherein said wave signal is a modulated signal using one of pulse position modulation (PPM), binary phase-shift keying (BPSK), differential phase-shift keying (DPSK), quadrature phase-shift keying (QPSK), multiple phase-shift keying (MPSK), continuous-phase frequency-shift keying (CPFSK), minimum shift keying (MSK), Gaussian minimum shift keying (GMSK), stepped CW and coded waveforms.

43. The mono-static conductive line radar system of claim 26, wherein said at least one signal processor estimates a size of said at least one target from said reflected signals received from said at least one target at said signal surface wave transceiver.

44. The mono-static conductive line radar system of claim 26, wherein said at least one signal processor estimates a distance between said at least one target and said power line from said reflected signals received from said at least one target at said signal surface wave transceiver.

45. The mono-static conductive line radar system of claim 26, wherein said at least one signal processor estimates a speed of said at least one target from said reflected signals received from said at least one target at said signal surface wave transceiver.

46. The mono-static conductive line radar system of claim 26, wherein said at least one RF communications transceiver with integrated antenna receives control signals from a control station and transmits target detections to said control station when said at least one target is detected.

47. The mono-static conductive line radar system of claim 46, wherein said at least one RF communications transceiver with integrated antenna transmits said control signals to an adjacent signal surface wave launcher to circumvent at least one physical break in said power line.

48. The mono-static conductive line radar system of claim 46, wherein said at least one RF communications transceiver with integrated antenna transmits said control signals to an adjacent signal surface wave launcher to bypass a failed RF communications transceiver.

49. The mono-static conductive line radar system of claim 46, wherein said at least one RF communications transceiver with integrated antenna transmits said control signals to said adjacent signal surface wave launcher physically attached to a second power line that is not in direct physical contact with said power line.

50. The mono-static conductive line radar system of claim 33, further comprising an acoustic sensor co-located with at least one of said plurality of said mono-static conductive line radars to confirm said mono-static conductive line radar system detection of said at least one target from said reflected signals.

51. The mono-static conductive line radar system of claim 26, further comprising an infrared (IR) sensor co-located with at least one of said plurality of said mono-static conductive line radars to confirm said mono-static conductive line radar system detection of said at least one target from said reflected signals.

52. The mono-static conductive line radar system of claim 26, further comprising a video sensor co-located with at least one of said plurality of said mono-static conductive line radars to confirm said mono-static conductive line radar system detection of said at least one target from said reflected signals.

53. The mono-static conductive line radar system of claim 26, further comprising an ultra-sonic sensor co-located with at least one of said plurality of said mono-static conductive line radars to confirm said mono-static conductive line radar system detection of said at least one target from said reflected signals.

54. The mono-static conductive line radar system of claim 26, wherein a plurality of said mono-static conductive line radars are installed along at least said power line to form said mono-static conductive line radar system of a user selectable length.

55. A method of detecting a target using a mono-static conductive line radar, said method comprising:

transmitting a wave signal along a power line from said mono-static conductive line radar mounted on said power line, said mono-static conductive line radar comprising;

a signal surface wave transceiver physically attached to said power line;

at least one RF communications transceiver with integrated antenna; and

at least one signal processor, wherein a signal radiates from said wave signal in a plurality of directions from said power line;

receiving reflected signals from at least one target within a distance from said power line along a length of said power line at said signal surface wave transceiver from said signal radiated in said plurality of directions from said power line; and

detecting said at least one target from said reflected signals received at said signal surface wave transceiver when said at least one target is within said distance from said power line.

56. The method of claim 55, further comprising operating each of said plurality of mono-static conductive line radars within a predetermined time slot based on a system-wide time reference to avoid interference within said mono-static conductive line radar system.

57. The method of claim 55, further comprising measuring at least one of a wind movement and a vibration of said power line with an accelerometer, calculating effects of Doppler resulting from the at least one of said wind movement and said vibration of said power line and removing said effects of Doppler in said at least one signal processor from said reflected signals received from said at least one target at said signal surface wave transceiver.

58. The method of claim 55, further comprising estimating a size of said at least one target in said at least one signal processor from said reflected signals received from said at least one target.

59. The method of claim 55, further comprising estimating a distance between said at least one target and said power line in said at least one signal processor from said reflected signals received from said at least one target.

60. The method of claim 55, further comprising estimating a speed of said at least one target in said at least one signal processor from said reflected signals received from said at least one target.

61. The method of claim 55, further comprising receiving control signals from a control station at said signal surface wave launcher using at least one RF communications link.

62. The method of claim 55, further comprising transmitting and receiving control signals between said surface wave launcher and an adjacent signal surface wave launcher using said at least one communications transceiver with integrated antenna.

63. The method of claim 55, further comprising confirming said detection of said at least one target from said reflected signals using an acoustic sensor co-located with said mono-static conductive line radar.

64. The method of claim 55, further comprising confirming said detection of said at least one target from said reflected signals using an infrared (IR) sensor co-located with said mono-static conductive line radar.

65. The method of claim 55, further comprising confirming said detection of said at least one target from said reflected signals using a video sensor co-located with at least one of said plurality of said mono-static conductive line.

66. The method of claim 55, further comprising confirming said detection of said at least one target from said reflected signals using an ultra-sonic sensor co-located with at least one of said plurality of said mono-static conductive line radars.

67. The method of claim 55, further comprising monitoring a status of said signal surface wave launcher using said at least one RF communications transceiver with integrated antenna.

68. The method of claim 55, further comprising setting up said signal surface wave launcher for transmission using said at least one RF communications transceiver with integrated antenna.

69. A bi-static conductive line radar system comprising:

at least one bi-static conductive line radar comprising;

a first signal surface wave launcher physically attached to a first power line, said first signal surface wave launcher comprising;

a first signal surface wave transmitter and a first signal surface wave receiver;

at least a first RF communications transceiver with integrated antenna; and

at least a first signal processor;

said first signal surface wave transmitter transmitting a wave signal along said first power line, wherein a signal radiates from said wave signal in a plurality of directions from said first power line,

a second signal surface wave launcher physically attached to a second power line, said second power line being substantially parallel to said first power line;

said second signal surface wave launcher comprising;

a second signal surface wave transmitter and a second signal surface wave receiver;

at least a second RF communications transceiver with integrated antenna; and

at least a second signal processor;

said second signal surface wave launcher being separated from said first signal surface wave transmitter by a distance;

at least one of said first signal surface wave receiver and said second signal surface wave receiver receives reflected signals from at least one target from said signal radiated in a plurality of directions from said first power line within a distance from said first power line along a length of said first power line; and

at least one of said first signal processor and said second signal processor detects said at least one target from said reflected signals received by at least one of said first signal surface wave receiver and said second signal surface wave receiver.

70-100. -100. (canceled)

101. A method of detecting a target using a bi-static conductive line radar, said method comprising:

transmitting a wave signal along a first power line using a first signal surface wave launcher, said first signal surface wave launcher being mounted on said first power line, said first signal surface wave launcher comprising;

a first signal surface wave transmitter and a first signal surface wave receiver;

at least a first RF communications transceiver with integrated antenna; and

at least a first signal processor, wherein a signal radiates from said wave signal in a plurality of directions from said first power line along a length of said first power line;

receiving reflected signals from at least one target within a distance from said first power line at least at one of said first signal surface wave launcher and a second signal surface wave launcher from said signal radiated in said plurality of directions from said first power line, said second signal surface wave launcher being mounted on a second power line and separated from said first signal surface wave transmitter, said second signal surface wave launcher comprising;

a second signal surface wave transmitter and a second signal surface wave receiver;

at least a second RF communications transceiver with integrated antenna;

at least a second signal processor; and

detecting said at least one target from said reflected signals received by at least one of said first signal surface wave receiver and said second signal surface wave receiver.

102-116. -116. (canceled)

117. A multi-static conductive line radar system comprising:

at least a first signal surface wave launcher physically attached to a first power line, said first signal surface wave launcher comprising;

at least a first signal surface wave transmitter facing in a first direction and a second signal surface wave transmitter facing in a second direction;

at least a first signal surface wave receiver;

at least a first RF communications transceiver with integrated antenna; and

at least a first signal processor;

said first signal surface wave transmitter transmitting a wave signal along said first power line in said first direction and said second signal surface wave transmitter transmitting said wave signal along said first power line in said second direction, wherein a signal radiates from said wave signal in a plurality of directions from said first power line,

a second signal surface wave launcher physically attached to a second power line, said second power line being substantially parallel to said first power line;

said second signal surface wave launcher comprising;

at least a second signal surface wave receiver;

at least a second RF communications transceiver with integrated antenna; and

at least a second signal processor;

said second signal surface wave launcher being separated from said first signal surface wave transmitter by a distance;

a third signal surface wave launcher physically attached to said second power line, said second power line being substantially parallel to said first power line;

said third signal surface wave launcher comprising;

at least a third signal surface wave receiver;

at least a third RF communications transceiver with integrated antenna; and

at least a third signal processor;

said second signal surface wave launcher being separated from said first signal surface wave transmitter by a distance in said first direction and said third signal surface wave launcher being separated from said first signal surface wave transmitter by a distance in said second direction; and

at least one of said first signal surface wave receiver, said second signal surface wave receiver and said third signal surface wave receiver receives reflected signals from at least one target from said signal radiated in a plurality of directions from said first power line within said distance from said first power line along a length of said first power line.

118-153. -153. (canceled)

154. A method of detecting a target, using a multi-static conductive line radar, said method comprising:

transmitting a wave signal along a first power line using a first signal surface wave launcher mounted on said first power line, said first signal surface wave launcher comprising;

a first signal surface wave transmitter facing in at least a first direction and configured to transmit said wave signal in said first direction and a second direction;

at least a first signal surface wave receiver;

at least a first RF communications transceiver with integrated antenna; and

at least a first signal processor, wherein said first signal surface wave transmitter transmits about half of the said wave signal along said first power line in said first direction and about half of the said wave signal along said first power line in said second direction and a signal radiates from said wave signal in a plurality of directions from said first power line;

receiving said wave signal at least at one of a second signal surface wave launcher and a third signal surface wave launcher, said second signal surface wave launcher being mounted on said first power line or a second power line, said second signal surface wave launcher comprising;

at least a second signal surface wave receiver;

at least a second RF communications transceiver with integrated antenna; and

at least a second signal processor;

said third signal surface wave launcher being mounted on said first power line or said second power line, said third signal surface wave launcher comprising;

at least a third signal surface wave receiver;

at least a third RF communications transceiver with integrated antenna; and

at least a third signal processor;

receiving reflected signals from at least one target from said signal radiated in said plurality of directions from at least said first power line at least at one of said first signal surface wave receiver, said second signal surface wave receiver and said third signal surface wave receiver; and

detecting said at least one target within a distance from at least said first power line from said reflected signals received at least at one of said first signal surface wave receiver, said second signal surface wave receiver and said third signal surface wave receiver.

155-173. -173. (canceled)