ENHANCED RF DETECTION SYSTEM

• US 20150355318A1
• Filed: 06/04/2014
• Published: 12/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rosemount Aerospace, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Rosemount Aerospace, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Durand, William, Pesik, Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 9,335,405 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/02 Systems using reflection of radio waves, e.g. primary radar systems; Analogous systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/933 of aircraft or spacecraft
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/934 on airport surfaces, e.g. while taxiing
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/916 Airport surface monitoring [ASDE]
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/40 Means for monitoring or calibrating

Abstract

A radio frequency (RF) obstacle detection system of a vehicle includes an RF radar module that transmits an initial RF signal having a first signal strength and to receive at least one reflected RF signal having a second signal strength based on the initial RF signal. A radar reflector module is coupled to the vehicle and disposed at a first distance remotely located from the RF radar module. The radar reflector module receives the RF signal generated by the RF radar module and efficiently retroreflects the RF signal to generate a reflected signal having a second signal strength back to the RF radar module. A control module determines a second distance between the radar reflector module and at least one obstacle remotely located from the vehicle based on the reflected signal provided by the radar reflector module and a received signal induced by the at least one obstacle.

Claims

1. A radio frequency (RF) obstacle detection system of a vehicle, the system comprising:

an RF radar module coupled to the vehicle and configured to transmit an initial RF signal having a first signal strength and to receive at least one reflected RF signal having a second signal strength based on the initial RF signal;

a radar reflector module coupled to the vehicle and disposed at a first distance remotely located from the RF radar module, the radar reflector module configured to receive the RF signal generated by the RF radar module and efficiently retroreflect the RF signal to generate a reflected signal having a second signal strength back to the RF radar module; and

a control module coupled to the vehicle and configured to determine a second distance between the radar reflector module and at least one obstacle remotely located from the vehicle based on the reflected signal provided by the radar reflector module and a received signal induced by the at least one obstacle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is an aircraft including a body and at least one wing, the at least one wing extending between a first end coupled to the body and a wingtip located opposite the first end, wherein the RF radar module is coupled to the body and the radar reflector module is coupled to the wingtip to define the first distance.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the control module determines a first location of the radar reflector module based on the reflected signal provided by the radar reflector module and a second location of the at least one obstacle based on the received signal, and determines the second distance based on a comparison between the first location and the second location.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the transmitted initial RF signal defines an angularly swept field-of-view up to 360 degrees sweep coverage with respect to the RF radar module.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the control module determines an attenuation coefficient of the signal propagation path and controls the RF radar module to adjust first signal strength based on the attenuation coefficient to remain below the regulatory limits for maximum emitted power.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the radar reflector module is energized in response to electrical stimulation from at least one of the initial RF signals.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein at least one of the initial RF signals powers an RF identification module located remotely from the aircraft to generate a digital RF identification signal, and the control module is configured to determine a distance of the obstacle based on the digital RF identification signal received by the RF radar module.

8. A method of detecting an obstacle with respect to a vehicle, the method comprising:

transmitting via an RF radar module an initial RF signal having a first signal strength and receiving via the RF radar module at least one retroreflected RF signal having a second signal strength based on the initial RF signal; and

determining a second distance between the radar reflector module and at least one obstacle remotely located from the vehicle based on the second reflected signal and a third signal induced by the at least one obstacle.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining a first location of the radar reflector module based on the second reflected signal, determining a second location of the at least one obstacle based on the third signal, and determining the second distance based on a comparison between the first location and the second location.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising determining a location of a wingtip of the vehicle based on the second reflected signal, and generating an alert when a third distance between the wingtip and the at least one obstacle is below a threshold distance.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining an attenuation coefficient of the signal strength of the second reflected signal and adjusting the first signal strength based on the attenuation coefficient to remain below regulatory limits of a maximum emitted power.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising adjusting the first signal strength based on geometrical antenna gain effects.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising generating an efficient retroreflection of the first signal strength when delivering the reflected RF signal via the radar reflector module using at least one of a passive device requiring no external power source and an active device requiring an external power source.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising powering the radar reflector module in response to electrical stimulation from at least one of the initial RF signals.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising energizing an RF identification module located remotely from the aircraft, receiving a digital RF identification in response to the energizing and determining a distance of the obstacle based on the digital RF identification signal.