Radar detector/security device for automobiles

• US 4,791,420 A
• Filed: 12/29/1987
• Issued: 12/13/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Weston Limited (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Original Assignee: Weston Limited (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Inventors: Baba, Yoshihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Tubbesing, T. H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hellner, Mark
• Application Number:
  US07/139,027
• Time in Patent Office: 350 Days
• Field of Search: 342/20, 342/27, 342/28, 340/554
• US Class Current: 342/20
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1004 Alarm systems characterised by the type of sensor, e.g. current sensing means using door lock sensors B60R25/1001
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/56 for presence detection presence detection using near field arrangements G01V3/00, e.g. G01V3/08, G01V3/12; burglar, theft or intruder alarms with electrical actuation G08B13/22 - G08B13/26
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2491 Intrusion detection systems, i.e. where the body of an intruder causes the interference with the electromagnetic field

Abstract

A radar detector/security device for cars in which the antenna structure of a radar wave detection circuit that drives a warning means when a radar wave is detected is utilized to radiate a local oscillation signal and receive a signal reflected from a dielectric body. The Doppler shift produced by the movement of the dielectric body is detected as a beat component of the local oscillation signal. This beat component causes an incorporated security function to activate a security circuit. The radar detection circuit or the security circuit can be selectively utilized.

Claims

1. A car radar detector/security device comprising:

a horn antenna structure provided with local oscillation means, a horn antenna that radiates a local oscillation frequency from the local oscillation means to the outside and receives radar waves from the outside, and a mixing chamber leading from said horn antenna, said horn antenna structure comprising means to output an intermediate frequency signal as a result of mixing in the mixing chamber an applied frequency signal with said radar wave detected by the horn antenna, means to detect a frequency signal that is reflected from a dielectric body of said local oscillation frequency radiated to the outside via said horn antenna, and means to output a low frequency signal which is a beat of said local oscillation frequency and said feedback frequency signal reflected from said dielectric body which has undergone a Doppler shift produced by the motion of said dielectric body;

a radar wave detection circuit that detects said intermediate frequency signal output from said horn antenna structure with the detection of said radar wave and operates a warning means;

a security circuit that detects said low frequency signal that is the beat component produced by said feedback frequency signal and operates an annuniciating means; and

a mode switching means for selecting either the radar detection circuit or the security circuit.

2. A radar detector/security device for cars according to claim 1, wherein:

electrical power is selectively supplied to said radar wave detecting circuit and said security circuit via said mode switching means, and

interposed between said mode switching means and said security circuit is a duty circuit that supplies the power intermittently.

3. A radar detector/security device for cars according to claim 1, wherein:

said security circuit incorporates a signal detection circuit that detects said low frequency signal, said signal detection circuit having variable sensitivity.

4. A radar detector/security device for cars according to claim 3, wherein:

a sensitivity setting device varies the sensitivity of said signal detection circuit.