PROXIMITY SENSOR

• US 20150285906A1
• Filed: 10/04/2013
• Published: 10/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Technology Service Corporation
• Original Assignee: Technology Service Corporation
• Inventors: HOOPER, William W., Johnson, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US14/046,346
• Publication Number:
  US 20150285906A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/0209 Systems with very large relative bandwidth, i.e. larger than 10 %, e.g. baseband, pulse, carrier-free, ultrawideband
• 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 13/66 Radar-tracking systems; Analogous systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/883 for missile homing, autodirectors missile guidance systems F41G7/22
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/411 Identification of targets based on measurements of radar reflectivity G01S7/415 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/412 based on a comparison between measured values and known or stored values

Abstract

A forward-looking proximity sensor comprises one or more antenna elements mounted on a carrier platform in a lateral direction of said carrier platform, said antenna elements being configured to transmit a modulated signal in a direction of travel of said carrier platform, said antenna elements receiving a reflected portion of said modulated signal from said target; and a processing unit configured to generate said modulated signal based on a baseband signal and a carrier signal, said processing unit further determining characteristics of said target based on said reflected portion of said modulated signal, said characteristics of said target indicating a range of said target and at least one feature of said target.

Claims

1. A forward-looking proximity sensor, comprising;

one or more antenna elements mounted on a carrier platform in a lateral direction of said carrier platform, said antenna elements being configured to transmit a modulated signal in said direction of travel of said carrier platform, said antenna elements receiving a reflected portion of said modulated signal from a target; and

a processing unit configured to generate said modulated signal based on a baseband signal and a carrier signal, said processing unit further determining characteristics of said target based on said reflected portion of said modulated signal, said characteristics of said target indicating a range of said target and at least one feature of said target.

2. The forward-looking proximity sensor of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is further configured to form an image including a representation of the target based on the reflected portion of the modulated signal, the image including a first dimension representing ranges of objects within a field of view and a second dimension representing speeds of objects within the field of view.

3. The forward-looking proximity sensor of claim 2, wherein the processing unit is configured to determine the distance and the feature of the object based on the image.

4. The forward-looking proximity sensor of claim 2, wherein the processing unit is configured to select a first point of the image corresponding to a first feature of the target for tracking the target.

5. The forward-looking proximity sensor of claim 4, wherein the processing unit is configured to select a second point of the image corresponding to a second feature of the target for aiming a weapon at the target.

6. The forward-looking proximity sensor of claim 2, wherein the processing unit is configured to compare the distance of the target with a threshold distance and generate a command for adjusting an operation of the carrier platform when the distance of the target is less than the threshold distance.

7. The forward-looking proximity sensor of claim 2, wherein the processing unit is configured to identify, based on the image, the target among the objects within the field of view.

8. The forward-looking proximity sensor of claim 7, wherein the processing unit is configured to identify the target based on a plurality of set points defined in the image.

9. The forward-looking proximity sensor of claim 8, wherein the processing unit is configured to identify the target when the representation of the target matches the plurality of set points.

10. The forward-looking proximity sensor of claim 7, wherein at least one of the set points corresponds to a preset range and a speed of zero.

11. The forward-looking proximity sensor of claim 10, wherein the set region corresponds to a preset non-zero range and a preset non-zero speed.

12. The forward-looking proximity sensor of claim 1, wherein the antenna elements include a plurality of metal sheets conformed to a shape of the carrier platform and configured to form a two-way forward-looking beam pattern in the direction of traveling of the carrier platform.

13. The forward-looking proximity sensor of claim 1, wherein the target includes a ground surface and the range of the target indicates a height of the carrier platform above the ground surface.

14. The forward-looking proximity sensor of claim 1, wherein the target includes at least one of an airborne object, an automobile, a vessel, a pedestrian, or an object carried by a conveyer.

15. The forward-looking proximity sensor of claim 1, further comprising:

a voltage-controlled oscillator configured to generate the carrier signal having a frequency; and

a signal divider configured to separate a portion of the carrier signal,

wherein the processor is further configured to control the voltage-controlled oscillator according to the separated portion of the carrier signal and the voltage-controlled oscillator varies the frequency of the carrier signal within a set frequency range.

16. The forward looking proximity sensor of claim 1, wherein the characteristics of the target include an angle of arrival of the target with respect to the direction of travel of the carrier platform.

17. A method of detecting proximity of a target, comprising:

forming a modulated signal based on a baseband signal and a carrier signal;

transmitting the modulated signal through one or more antenna elements towards a target in a direction of travel of a carrier platform, said one or more antenna elements being mounted on said carrier platform in a lateral direction of said carrier platform;

receiving a reflected portion of said modulated signal from said target; and

determining characteristics of said target based on said portion of said reflected portion of said modulated signal, said characteristics of said target indicating a distance to said target and at least one feature of said target.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising forming an image including a representation of the target, the image including a first dimension representing ranges of objects within a field of view and a second dimension representing speeds of the objects within the field of view.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

defining a plurality of set points in the image;

determining that the representation of the target matches the set points; and

generating a command for adjusting operation of the carrier platform.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the characteristics of the target include an angle of arrival of the target with respect to the direction of travel of the platform.

21. A system for detecting a target, comprising:

a carrier platform traveling in a direction; and

a forward-looking proximity sensor disposed on said carrier platform, said forward looking proximity sensor comprising;

one or more antenna elements mounted on said carrier platform in a lateral direction of said carrier platform and configured to transmit a modulated signal in said direction of travel of said carrier platform, said antennas elements receiving a reflected portion of said modulated signal from said target; and

a processing unit configured to generate said modulated signal based on a baseband signal and a carrier signal, the processing unit further determining characteristics of said target based on said reflected portion of said modulated signal, said characteristics of said target indicating a distance of said target and at least one feature of said target.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the carrier platform is a projectile having a cylindrical body and the antenna elements include a plurality of metal sheets conformed to the cylindrical body of the carrier platform.