Radar apparatus

• US 5,157,406 A
• Filed: 02/05/1991
• Issued: 10/20/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Furuno Electric Co, Ltd
• Original Assignee: Furuno Electric Co, Ltd
• Inventors: Fujikawa, Takumi, Kondo, Motoji
• Primary Examiner(s): Hellner, Mark
• Application Number:
  US07/651,241
• Time in Patent Office: 623 Days
• Field of Search: 342/185
• US Class Current: 342/185
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/064 using a display memory for image processing G01S7/298 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/22 Producing cursor lines and indicia by electronic means

Abstract

The present invention relates to a raster scanning radar display apparatus which is capable of improving the display of echo signals from objects in the vicinity of a ship on the display surface of an indicator. The raster scanning radar display apparatus includes a memory for storing echo signals based on one search signal, a sweep scanning device for drawing a plurality of imaginary sweeps which are parallel with each other in a display memory each time the pointing bearing of the antenna is varied and for generating signals representative of addresses of memory elements in a display memory scanned by the sweeps. The apparatus whites echo signals into the memory elements of the display memory scanned by one sweep and writes predetermined signals into the memory elements of the display memory scanned by other sweeps. The signals in the disply memory are read and displayed on an indicator.

Claims

1. A raster scanning radar display apparatus for radiating radar search signals successively in different directions, storing in a display memory echo signals coming from respective directions, reading therefrom, and supplying signals to be displayed as conditions surrounding an antenna, comprising:

a memory for storing echo signals based on one search signal;

write address signal generating means for drawing a plurality of imaginary sweeps which do not intersect with each other in the display memory each time a pointing bearing or direction of the antenna is varied and for generating signals representative of addresses of memory elements in the display memory scanned by the sweeps;

writing means for writing echo signals into the memory elements of the display memory scanned by one sweep and for writing predetermined signals into memory elements scanned by an other sweep or other sweeps;

reading means for reading signals from the display memory; and

an indicator for displaying the signals read from the display memory as conditions surrounding the antenna.

2. The raster scanning radar display apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein two sweeps are drawn.

3. The raster scanning radar display apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the two sweeps are in parallel with each other.

4. The raster scanning radar display apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein echo signals are written into memory elements scanned by one sweep, and predetermined signals are written into memory elements scanned by another sweep.

5. The raster scanning radar display apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein zero signals are written into the memory elements scanned by the one sweep.

6. The raster scanning radar display apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein signals having larger values as between signals stored in the memory and signals read from the memory elements of the display memory scanned by the other sweep are written in the display memory.

7. The raster scanning radar display apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein three straight sweeps are drawn in the display memory which are parallel with each other.

8. The raster scanning radar display apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein zero signals are written into memory elements of the display memory scanned by the third sweep, and larger values of signals read from the memory elements of the display memory and echo signals supplied from the memory are written into memory elements of the display memory scanned by the second and first sweeps.

9. The raster scanning radar display apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein start points of respective sweeps are spaced from one another by one picture element.

10. A raster scanning radar display apparatus for radiating radar search signals successively in different directions by a rotating antenna, storing in a display memory echo signals coming from respective directions, reading therefrom, and supplying signals to be displayed as conditions surrounding the rotating antenna, comprising:

a memory for storing echo signals based on one search signal;

sweep scanning means for drawing a plurality of imaginary sweeps which do not intersect with each other in the display memory each time a pointing bearing of the rotating antenna is varied and for generating signals representative of addresses of memory elements in the display memory scanned by the sweeps;

judgement means for determining whether a present sweep for scanning memory elements of the display memory is a first sweep or a second sweep or a further sweep;

first writing means, in response to said judgement means, for writing echo signals supplied from said memory into memory elements of the display memory if a sweep for scanning the memory elements is a first sweep and for writing into memory elements of the display memory, scanned by a sweep, signals having larger values as between signals stored in said memory and the signals read from the memory elements of the display memory scanned by the sweep if the sweep is a second sweep or a further sweep;

second writing means for writing into the memory elements of the display memory scanned by a sweep other than said first sweep signals having larger values as between the signals stored in said memory and the signals read from the memory elements of the display memory scanned by the other sweeps;

reading means for reading signals from the display memory; and

an indicator for displaying the signals read from the display memory.

11. The raster scanning radar display apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein two imaginary straight sweeps which are parallel with each other are drawn in the display memory.

12. The raster scanning radar display apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein three straight sweeps which are in parallel with each other are drawn in the display memory.

13. The raster scanning radar display apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein start points of the respective sweeps are spaced from one another by one picture elements.

14. A raster scanning radar display apparatus for rotating an antenna, radiating radar search signals successively in different directions by the antenna, storing in a display memory echo signals coming from respective directions, reading therefrom, and supplying signals to be displayed as conditions surrounding the antenna, comprising:

a memory for storing echo signals based on one search signal;

means for writing into memory elements of the display memory signals stored in said memory and signals generated based on the signals stored in said memory each time a pointing bearing or direction of the antenna is varied;

reading means for reading signals from the display memory; and

an indicator for indicating the signals read from the display memory.

15. A raster scanning radar display apparatus for rotating an antenna, radiating radar search signals successively in different directions by the antenna, storing in a display memory echo signals coming from respective directions, reading therefrom, and supplying signals to be displayed as conditions surrounding the antenna, comprising:

a memory for storing echo signals based on one search signal;

erasing means for erasing all signals stored in the display memory;

address signal generating means for drawing one imaginary sweep or a plurality of imaginary sweeps which are in parallel with each other in the display memory each time a pointing bearing or direction of the antenna is varied and for generating signals representative of addresses of memory elements in the display memory scanned by the sweep or sweeps;

writing means for writing into the memory elements of the display memory scanned by said one imaginary sweep or said plurality of imaginary sweeps signals having larger values as between signals stored in said memory and signals read from the memory elements in the display memory scanned by the sweep or sweeps;

reading means for reading signals from the display memory; and

an indicator for displaying the signals read from the display memory.

16. The raster scanning radar display apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein said plurality of imaginary sweeps are two sweeps.

17. A raster scanning radar display apparatus for rotating an antenna, radiating radar search signals successively in different directions by the antenna, storing echo signals coming from respective directions, reading therefrom, comprising:

a memory for storing echo signals based on one search signal;

a first and second display memory;

address signal generating means for drawing a plurality of imaginary sweeps which are parallel with each other in said first and second display memory each time a pointing bearing or direction of the antenna is varied and for generating signals representative of addresses of memory elements in said first and second display memory scanned by the sweeps;

zero signal generating means for generating zero signals;

bearings signal generating means for generating signals representative of the pointing bearing of the radar antenna;

writing means, in response to said bearing signal generating means, for writing alternately into the memory elements scanned by said plurality of sweeps in said first and second display memory, respectively, signals having larger values as between signals stored in said memory and signals read from the memory elements scanned by said plurality of sweeps and output signals of said zero signal generating means;

reading means for reading signals from said first and second memory; and

an indicator for displaying the signals read from said first and second display memory.

18. A raster scanning radar display apparatus for rotating an antenna, radiating radar search signals successively in different directions by the antenna, storing echo signals coming from respective directions, reading therefrom, and supplying signals to be displayed as conditions surrounding the antenna, comprising:

a memory for storing echo signals based on one search signal;

a first and second display memory;

address signal generating means for drawing one imaginary sweep in said first and second display memory, respectively, each time a pointing bearing or direction of the antenna is varied and for generating signals representative of addresses of memory elements of said first and second display memory scanned by the sweeps;

zero signal generating means for generating zero signals;

bearing signal generating means for generating signals representative of the pointing bearing or direction of the radar antenna;

writing means, in response to said bearing signal generating means, for writing alternately into the memory elements scanned by said sweeps in said first and second display memory, respectively, signals having larger values as between signals stored in said memory and signals read from the memory elements scanned by said sweeps and output signals of said zero signal generating means;

reading means for reading signals from said first and second memory; and

an indicator for displaying the signals read from said first and second display memory.

19. A method for displaying echo signals of radar search signals radiated successively in different directions on a raster scanned displayed surface, comprising the steps of:

(a) drawing a plurality of sweeps which do not intersect with each other when echo signals are written into a display memory;

(b) rotating these sweeps about start points of the sweeps in a direction;

(c) writing into memory elements of the display memory scanned by one sweep echo signals or signals generated based on the echo signals; and

(d) writing predetermined signals into the memory elements of the display memory scanned by other sweeps.

20. A raster scanning radar display apparatus for rotating an antenna, radiating radar search signals successively in different directions by the antenna, storing in a display memory echo signals coming from respective directions, reading therefrom, and supplying signals to be displayed as conditions surrounding the antenna, comprising:

a memory for storing echo signals based on one search signal;

first sweep scanning means for drawing one sweep in the display memory each time a pointing bearing of the antenna is varied and for generating signals representative of addresses of memory elements of the display memory scanned by the sweep;

second sweep scanning means for drawing a plurality of sweeps which are in parallel with each other in the display memory each time the pointing bearing of the antenna is varied and for generating signals representative of memory elements of the display memory scanned by the sweeps;

selecting means for selecting either said first sweep scanning means or said second sweep scanning means;

judgement means for determining whether a sweep by said first sweep scanning means or a sweep by said second sweep scanning means is a first sweep or a second sweep or a further sweep;

first writing means, in response to said judgement means, for writing echo signals supplied from said memory, if the sweep by said first sweep scanning means or the sweep by said second sweep scanning means is a first sweep, into the memory elements of the display memory scanned by the sweep, and if the sweep by said first sweep scanning means or the sweep by said second sweep scanning means is a second sweep or a further sweep, writing into the memory elements scanned by the sweep signals having larger values as between signals stored in said memory and signals read from the memory elements scanned by the sweep;

second writing means for writing into the memory elements of the display memory scanned by other than said first sweep by said second sweep scanning means signals having larger values as between signals stored in said memory and signals read from the memory elements scanned by the other sweeps;

reading means for reading signals from the display memory; and

an indicator for displaying the signals read from the display memory.