Wideband microwave detector

• US 5,461,383 A
• Filed: 07/18/1994
• Issued: 10/24/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yupiteru Industries Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Yupiteru Industries Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Hatasa, Takeshi, Ono, Hisao
• Primary Examiner(s): Bentley, Stephen C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wesson, Theresa M.
• Application Number:
  US08/276,473
• Time in Patent Office: 463 Days
• Field of Search: 342/20, 455/227, 455/228, 455/315
• US Class Current: 342/20
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/022 Road traffic radar detectors

Abstract

A wideband microwave detector includes: a first local oscillator outputting a first local oscillation output containing a basic wave component, a secondary high harmonic component and a tertiary high harmonic component and being swept within a predetermined frequency range; a first mixer performing frequency mixing of the first local oscillation output and an antenna input input through an antenna and outputting a first mixing output; a second local oscillator outputting a second local oscillation output; a second mixer performing frequency mixing of the first mixing output and the second local oscillation output for generating a second mixing output, a single frequency discriminator for detecting a specific frequency in a discrimination input, and mode selector switch alternately switching a single super heterodyne reception mode, in which the first mixing output of the first mixer is introduced into the frequency discriminator as the discrimination input and a double super heterodyne reception mode, in which the second mixing output of the second mixer is introduced into the frequency discriminator as the discrimination input, in synchronism with sweep operation of the first local oscillator.

Claims

1. A wideband microwave detector comprising:

a first local oscillator outputting a first local oscillation output containing a basic wave component, a secondary high harmonic component and a tertiary high harmonic component and being swept within a predetermined frequency range;

first mixing means for performing frequency mixing of said first local oscillation output and an antenna input input through an antenna and outputting a first mixing output;

a second local oscillator outputting a second local oscillation output;

second mixing means for performing frequency mixing of said first mixing output and said second local oscillation output for generating a second mixing output;

a single frequency discrimination means for detecting a specific frequency in a discrimination input;

and a mode switching means for alternately switching a single super heterodyne reception mode, in which said first mixing output of said first mixing means is fed into said frequency discrimination means as said discrimination input and a double super heterodyne reception mode, in which said second mixing output of said second mixing means is fed into said frequency discrimination means as said discrimination input, in synchronism with sweep operation of said first local oscillator.

2. A wideband microwave detector as set forth in claim 1, which further comprises signal processing means for distinguishing the output of said frequency discrimination means among the discrimination output obtained from a mixing signal of said basic wave component of said first local oscillation output and said antenna input, the discrimination output obtained from a mixing signal of said secondary high harmonic component and said antenna input and the discrimination output obtained from a mixing signal of said tertiary high harmonic component and said antenna input.

3. A wideband microwave detector as set forth in claim 1, which further comprises a switching control means for periodically varying sweep width of said first local oscillator.

4. A wideband microwave detecting system for detecting a specific microwave involved in one of a plurality of mutually distinct predetermined band ranges comprising:

a first local oscillator generating a first local oscillation signal containing a plurality of mutually distinct frequency components including a basic wave component and at least one higher-order high harmonic component, said first oscillator sweeping within a predetermined frequency range;

a first mixer receiving an externally input signal and said first oscillation signal for mixing respective frequency components of said first oscillation signal with said externally input signal and outputting a first mixing signal having a peak at the center of respective of said predetermined band ranges;

a second local oscillator generating a second local oscillation signal;

a second mixer mixing said first mixing signal with said second local oscillation signal and outputting second mixing signal having two peaks in the vicinity of respective extreme frequencies of respective of predetermined band ranges;

signal path cyclically switching signal to pass between said first mixing signal and said second mixing signal;

a wave detector connected to said signal path to receive one of said first mixing signal and said second mixing signal as a detector input signal passing therethrough and detecting a predetermined specific frequency for generating a detecting pulse upon detection of said predetermined specific frequency in the detector input signal, and said predetermined frequency being set at a value so that said detector input signal varies across said predetermined specific frequency before and after reaching the peak; and

discriminator receiving said detecting pulses and discriminating the band range of the externally input signal on the basis of an interval between said detecting pulses generated before and after the peak of said detector input signal.

5. A system as set forth in claim 4, which further comprises means for converting the period of said interval of said detecting pulses into a voltage.

6. A system as set forth in claim 4, which further comprises a periodic switch periodically switched between a first position for passing said first mixing signal through said signal path and a second position for passing said second mixing signal through said signal path.

7. A system as set forth in claim 6, which further comprises a saw-tooth signal generator generating a saw-tooth signal having a saw-tooth wave period corresponding to the switching cycle of periodic switch.

8. A system as set forth in claim 7, which further comprises means for converting the period of said interval of said detecting pulses into a voltage on the basis of the voltage level difference of said saw-tooth signal at the occurrence of a leading detecting pulse generated upon detection of said predetermined specific frequency before said detector input signal reaches the peak and at the occurrence of a trailing detecting pulse generated upon detection of said predetermined specific frequency after said detector input signal reaches the peak.

9. A wideband microwave detecting system for detecting a specific microwave involved in one of X band, K band and Ka band comprising:

a first local oscillator generating a first local oscillation signal containing a plurality of mutually distinct frequency components including a basic wave component and at least one higher-order high harmonic component, said first oscillator sweeping within a predetermined frequency range;

a first mixer receiving an externally input signal and said first oscillation signal for mixing respective frequency components of said first oscillation signal with said externally input signal and outputting a first mixing signal having a peak at the center of respective of said predetermined band ranges;

a second local oscillator generating a second local oscillation signal;

a second mixer mixing said first mixing signal with said second local oscillation signal and outputting second mixing signal having two peaks in the vicinity of respective extreme frequencies of respective of predetermined band ranges;

signal path switching signal to pass between said first mixing signal and said second mixing signal according to a predetermined switching schedule;

a wave detector connected to said signal path to receive one of said first mixing signal and said second mixing signal as a detector input signal passing therethrough and detecting a predetermined specific frequency for generating a detecting pulse upon detection of said predetermined specific frequency in the detector input signal, and said predetermined frequency being set at a value so that said detector input signal varies across said predetermined specific frequency before and after reaching the peak; and

discriminator receiving said detecting pulses and discriminating the band range of the externally input signal on the basis of an interval between said detecting pulses generated before and after the peak of said detector input signal.

10. A system as set forth in claim 9, which further comprises means for converting the period of said interval of said detecting pulses into a voltage.

11. A system as set forth in claim 9, which further comprises a periodic switch periodically switched between a first position for passing said first mixing signal through said signal path and a second position for passing said second mixing signal through said signal path.

12. A system as set forth in claim 11, which further comprises a saw-tooth signal generator generating a saw-tooth signal having a saw-tooth wave period corresponding to the switching cycle of periodic switch.

13. A system as set forth in claim 12, which further comprises means for converting the period of said interval of said detecting pulses into a voltage on the basis of the voltage level difference of said saw-tooth signal at the occurrence of a leading detecting pulse generated upon detection of said predetermined specific frequency before said detector input signal reaches the peak and at the occurrence of a trailing detecting pulse generated upon detection of said predetermined specific frequency after said detector input signal reaches the peak.

14. A system as set forth in claim 9, which is operable in mutually distinct first, second and third modes,

in said first mode, said first local oscillator is set a sweeping frequency range at a predetermined wider range, said signal path passes said second mixing signal, and said wave detector is adapted to detect said predetermined specific frequency in the vicinity of one of extremes of said Ka band;

in said second mode, said first local oscillator is set the sweeping frequency range at a predetermined narrower range, said signal path passes said second mixing signal, and said wave detector is adapted to detect said predetermined specific frequency in the vicinity of one of extremes of said X and K bands; and

in said third mode, said first local oscillator is set the sweeping frequency range at said predetermined wider range, said signal path passes said first mixing signal and said wave detector is adapted to detect said predetermined specific frequency in the vicinity of center frequency of said Ka band.