TARGET SPOTTING AND TRACKING APPARATUS AND METHOD

• US 20150204969A1
• Filed: 01/17/2014
• Published: 07/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SpotterRF LLC
• Original Assignee: SpotterRF LLC
• Inventors: Harris, Logan Carl, Dilsaver, Benjamin Walter, Nielson, Derek Gordon, Bush, Benjamin Farris
• Application Number:
  US14/158,459
• Publication Number:
  US 20150204969A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/003 Bistatic radar systems; Multistatic radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/34 using transmission of continuous, frequency-modulated waves while heterodyning the received signal, or a signal derived therefrom, with a locally-generated signal related to the contemporaneously transmitted signal
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S13/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/886 for alarm systems alarms with electrical actuation G08B13/22
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/03 Details of HF subsystems specially adapted therefor, e.g. common to transmitter and receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/385 Two or more parasitic elements

Abstract

A method for determining location information for a target may include generating a cyclic transmit signal having a fixed frequency slope over a substantial portion of each cycle and an operational frequency that is selected to penetrate foliage, transmitting the cyclic transmit signal without up-conversion with at least one transmit antenna, down-converting two or more return signals received from corresponding return antennas with the cyclic transmit signal to provide a corresponding set of baseband signals, extracting magnitude and phase information for each return signal as a function of range from the plurality of baseband signals, and determining a location of a target from the magnitude and phase information. A corresponding apparatus, system, and computer readable medium are also disclosed herein.

Claims

1. An apparatus for determining location information for a target, the apparatus comprising:

a signal generation module configured to generate a cyclic transmit signal having a fixed frequency slope over a substantial portion of each cycle and an operational frequency that is selected to penetrate foliage;

at least one transmit antenna configured to generate electromagnetic radiation corresponding to the cyclic transmit signal without up-conversion of the cyclic transmit signal;

a down-conversion module configured to down-convert a plurality of return signals received from a corresponding plurality of return antennas with the cyclic transmit signal to provide a corresponding plurality of baseband signals;

a magnitude and phase extraction module configured to receive the plurality of baseband signals and provide magnitude and phase information for each return signal as a function of range;

a target location module configured to determine a location of a target from the magnitude and phase information.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the operational frequency is less than 1 GHz.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fixed frequency slope varies less than 20 milli-radians over an operating period of 5 seconds.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a target detection module configured to detect potential targets from the magnitude and phase information.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a clutter filter configured to remove targets that are not substantially stationary.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one transmit antenna is configured to provide a beam width of approximately 180 degrees.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one transmit antenna comprises a planar antenna.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the planar antenna comprises a feed line encompassed by a meander structure comprising a plurality of patches.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the meander structure comprises a plurality of meander forming slits.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the meander structure comprises a plurality of current concentrating slits.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the meander structure is grounded on a distal edge that is perpendicular to the feed line.

12. A method for determining location information for a target, the method comprising:

generating a cyclic transmit signal having a fixed frequency slope over a substantial portion of each cycle and an operational frequency that is selected to penetrate foliage;

transmitting the cyclic transmit signal without up-conversion with at least one transmit antenna;

down-converting a plurality of return signals received from a corresponding plurality of return antennas with the cyclic transmit signal to provide a corresponding plurality of baseband signals;

extracting magnitude and phase information for each return signal as a function of range from the plurality of baseband signals; and

determining a location of a target from the magnitude and phase information.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the operational frequency is less than 1 GHz.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the fixed frequency slope varies less than 20 milli-radians over an operating period of 5 seconds.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising detecting potential targets from the magnitude and phase information.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising a filtering the potential targets to remove targets that are not substantially stationary.

17. A computer readable medium comprising computer readable program codes configured to conduct a method for determining location information for a target, the method comprising:

generating a cyclic transmit signal having a fixed frequency slope over a substantial portion of each cycle and an operational frequency that is selected to penetrate foliage;

transmitting the cyclic transmit signal without up-conversion with at least one transmit antenna;

down-converting a plurality of return signals received from a corresponding plurality of return antennas with the cyclic transmit signal to provide a corresponding plurality of baseband signals;

extracting magnitude and phase information for each return signal as a function of range from the plurality of baseband signals; and

determining a location of a target from the magnitude and phase information.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the operational frequency is less than 1 GHz.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the fixed frequency slope varies less than 20 milli-radians over an operating period of 5 seconds.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 17, further comprising detecting potential targets from the magnitude and phase information.