Portable radio signal detecting system

• US 5,534,872 A
• Filed: 06/22/1994
• Issued: 07/09/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Inventors: Kita, Kazunori
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotomayor, John B.
• Application Number:
  US08/263,474
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: 342/146, 342/147, 342/158, 342/175, 342/417, 342/419, 342/443, 342/449
• US Class Current: 342/146
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S13/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/046 using an intermediate storage device, e.g. a recording/reproducing device
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/06 Cathode-ray tube displays or other two dimensional or three-dimensional displays
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/12 Plan-position indicators, i.e. P.P.I.

Abstract

In a radio signal detecting system, an antenna is rotatably mounted on a wrist watch type case, and this antenna is manually rotated to receive a radio signal reflected from a target to be distance-measured every time the antenna is rotated by a preselected rotation angle. The reflected radio signal is digitally converted into field strength data, or distance data. These field strength data, or distance data are sequentially stored into a memory circuit in correspondence with the rotation angle of the antenna. Since the data stored into the memory circuit at every rotation angle for the antenna are displayed on a liquid crystal display unit, the radio signal detecting system can be made compact and operated under low power consumption.

Claims

1. A radio signal detecting system comprising:

a rotatable antenna mounted on a device body and which is rotatable relative to the device body;

rotation signal generating means for outputting a rotation signal every time when said rotatable antenna is rotated by a preselected rotation angle;

distance measuring means for transmitting a radio signal every time the antenna is rotated by the preselected rotation angle, and for receiving the radio signal reflected from a target to obtain distance data representing a distance between the target and said radio signal detecting system;

a memory having a plurality of memory areas for storing distance data obtained by the distance measuring means in correspondence with a corresponding rotation signal output by said rotation signal generating means; and

distance display means for displaying the distance data stored in the memory.

2. A radio signal detecting system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said antenna is manually rotatable by an operator.

3. A radio signal detecting system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said antenna comprises an array antenna having a waveguide with a plurality of slit-shaped elongate openings formed therein at equidistant intervals.

4. A radio signal detecting system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said memory stores the distance data obtained by the distance measuring means at least for every preselected rotation angle through 360 degrees.

5. A radio signal detecting system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said distance display means comprises analog display means for displaying the distance data stored in the memory in an analog form.

6. A radio signal detecting system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said rotation signal generating means comprises angle detecting means for detecting a rotation angle of said antenna; and

said memory is operated based on the rotation angle detected by said angle detecting means.

7. A radio signal detecting system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

azimuth measuring means for measuring azimuth; and

azimuth displaying means for displaying the azimuth measured by said azimuth measuring means.

8. A radio signal detecting system comprising:

a wrist-watch-shaped case;

an antenna rotatably mounted on the wrist-watch-shaped case and which is rotatable relative to said wrist-watch-shaped case;

timer circuit means provided within said wrist-watch-shaped case, for producing present time information;

time display means for displaying the present time information produced by said timer circuit means;

distance measuring means for transmitting a radio signal every time the antenna is rotated by a preselected rotation angle, and for receiving the radio signal reflected from a target to obtain distance data representing a distance between the target and said radio signal detecting system;

a memory having a plurality of memory areas for storing distance data obtained by the distance measuring means; and

distance display means for displaying the distance data stored in the memory.

9. A radio signal detecting system as claimed in claim 8, wherein said antenna is manually rotatable by an operator.

10. A radio signal detecting system as claimed in claim 8, wherein said antenna comprises an array antenna having a waveguide with a plurality of slit-shaped elongate openings formed therein at equidistant intervals.

11. A radio signal detecting system as claimed in claim 8, wherein said memory stores the distance data obtained by the distance measuring means at least for every preselected rotation angle through 360 degrees.

12. A radio signal detecting system as claimed in claim 8, wherein said distance display means comprises analog display means for displaying the distance data stored in the memory in an analog form.

13. A radio signal detecting system as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

angle detecting means for detecting a rotation angle of said antenna, said memory being operated based on the rotation angle detected by said angle detecting means.

14. A radio signal detecting system as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

azimuth measuring means for measuring azimuth; and

azimuth displaying means for displaying the azimuth measured by said azimuth measuring means.

15. A radio signal detecting system comprising:

an appliance case and which is rotatable relative to said appliance case;

a first antenna rotatably mounted on said appliance case;

rotation signal generating means for outputting a rotation signal every time said first antenna rotates by a predetermined angle;

a second antenna fixedly mounted on said appliance case;

electric field strength measuring means for measuring electric field strength of the radio signal reflected from a target and received by said first and second antennas every time said first antenna is rotated by a preselected rotation angle, to obtain electric field strength data;

a memory having a plurality of memory areas for storing the electric field strength data obtained by said electric field strength measuring means in correspondence with the corresponding rotation signal output by said rotation signal generating means; and

display means for displaying the electric field strength data stored in said memory.

16. A radio signal detecting system as claimed in claim 15, wherein said second antenna is manually rotatable by an operator.

17. A radio signal detecting system as claimed in claim 15, wherein:

said rotation signal generating means comprises angle detecting means for detecting a rotation angle of said first antenna.

18. A radio signal detecting system as claimed in claim 15, further comprising:

azimuth measuring means for measuring azimuth; and

azimuth displaying means for displaying the azimuth measured by said azimuth measuring means.