WEARABLE RADAR REFLECTORS

• US 20150029050A1
• Filed: 07/25/2013
• Published: 01/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Driscoll, Tom, Hyde, Roderick A., Kare, Jordin T., Tegreene, Clarence T., Smith, David R.
• Application Number:
  US13/950,719
• Publication Number:
  US 20150029050A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/5
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/273 Adaptation for carrying or wearing by persons or animals
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/14 Reflecting surfaces; Equivalent structures electromagnetic shields H01Q1/526
• 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 wearable radar reflector includes a retroreflector configured to reflect radiation received from a vehicle, and incorporated into a garment worn by a pedestrian.

Claims

1. A wearable radar reflector, comprising:

a retroreflector configured to reflect radiation having a frequency of about 1 to about 300 GHz; and

a garment configured to be worn by a pedestrian, wherein the retroreflector is attached to the garment and configured to retroreflect an information signal from a vehicle.

2. The wearable radar reflector of claim 1, wherein the retroreflector is configured to passively reflect the information signal.

3. The wearable radar reflector of claim 1, wherein the retroreflector is configured to boost the power of the retroreflected information signal.

4. The wearable radar reflector of claim 1, wherein the retroreflector is configured to receive the information signal and to emit a response signal.

5. The wearable radar reflector of claim 4, wherein the response signal includes identifying information for the pedestrian.

6. The wearable radar reflector of claim 5, wherein the identifying information for the pedestrian includes the position of the pedestrian.

7. The wearable radar reflector of claim 5, wherein the identifying information for the pedestrian includes the demographics of the pedestrian.

8. The wearable radar reflector of claim 4, wherein the response signal is encoded by a spatial dependence of the retroreflection.

9. The wearable radar reflector of claim 4, wherein the response signal is frequency encoded by vibration of the retroreflector.

10. The wearable radar reflector of claim 4, wherein the response signal is emitted in response to a characteristic of the information signal.

11. The wearable radar reflector of claim 10, wherein the characteristic of the information signal is selected from the group consisting of signal strength, signal frequency, and signal content.

12. The wearable radar reflector of claim 1, wherein the retroreflector is powered.

13. The wearable radar reflector of claim 12, wherein the retroreflector is configured to use power only under a predetermined condition.

14. The wearable radar reflector of claim 13, wherein the predetermined condition is selected from the group consisting of time of day, date, location, and user status.

15. The wearable radar reflector of claim 1, further comprising an accelerometer.

16. The wearable radar reflector of claim 15, wherein the accelerometer is configured to record movement data of the retroreflector in response to receiving the information signal.

17. The wearable radar reflector of claim 15, wherein the accelerometer is configured to report movement data of the retroreflector in response to receiving the information signal.

18. The wearable radar reflector of claim 1, wherein the retroreflector is configured to control the angular divergence of the retroreflected signal.

19. The wearable radar reflector of claim 1, wherein the retroreflector has a frequency-dependent response.

20. The wearable radar reflector of claim 1, wherein the retrorflector is a first retroreflector, and further comprising a second retroreflector attached to the garment.

21. The wearable radar reflector of claim 1, wherein the retroreflector is a corner cube.

22. The wearable radar reflector of claim 1, wherein the retroreflector is a composite corner cube.

23. The wearable radar reflector of claim 1, wherein the retroreflector is a Van Atta array.

24. The wearable radar reflector of claim 1, wherein the retroreflector is configured to reflect radiation having a frequency of about 70 to about 85 GHz.

25. A method of preventing collisions, comprising:

receiving a radar signal having a frequency of about 1 to about 300 GHz at a pedestrian location from a radar source; and

retroreflecting the radar signal toward the radar source, wherein the retroreflection indicates information to the radar source about a position of a pedestrian at the pedestrian location.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein retroreflecting the radar signal toward the radar source includes reflecting the radar signal with a passive retroreflector.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein retroreflecting the radar signal toward the radar source includes boosting the power of the reflected radar signal.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein retroreflecting the radar signal toward the radar source includes transmitting a response signal.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein transmitting a response signal includes encoding the retroreflected radar signal.

32. The method of claim 25, wherein the retroreflected radar signal includes identifying information for the pedestrian.

33. The method of claim 25, wherein the retroreflected radar signal includes the demographics of the pedestrian.

34. The method of claim 25, wherein retroreflecting the radar signal toward the radar source includes retroreflecting the radar signal in response to a characteristic of the radar signal.

36. The method of claim 25, further comprising storing movement data for the pedestrian.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein storing movement data includes storing movement data in response to receiving the radar signal.

38. The method of claim 25, further comprising reporting movement data for the pedestrian.

39. The method of claim 25, wherein retroreflecting the radar signal toward the radar source includes controlling the angular divergence of the retroreflected radar signal.

43. The method of claim 25, wherein the radar signal has a frequency of about 70 to about 85 GHz.

30. (canceled)

31. (canceled)

35. (canceled)

40-42. -42. (canceled)

44. A method of preventing collisions, comprising:

sending a radar signal having a frequency of about 1 to about 300 GHz from an operating vehicle;

receiving a retroreflected response radar signal from a pedestrian in response to the sent signal; and

taking action;

to prevent the operating vehicle from striking the pedestrian;

or

to mitigate the effect of striking the pedestrian.

57. The method of claim 44, wherein the radar signal has a frequency of about 70 to about 85 GHz.

45-56. -56. (canceled)