Vehicle-ground surface measurement system
First Claim
1. A device for measurement between a vehicle and a ground surface comprising:
- a transmitter-antenna for emitting energy toward the ground surface in a first polarization and a second polarization;
a receiving antenna oriented facing toward the ground surface for receiving energy reflected from the ground surface along a reflected path in both the first and second polarizations, the receiving antenna providing phase and amplitude signals corresponding to energy received along the reflected path for each of the first and second polarizations; and
a decoder for providing separate indications of forward and sideward velocity of the vehicle relative to the ground surface dependent on the provided phase and amplitude signals for each of the first and second polarizations.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A measurement device (103) and method determines various metrics between a vehicle (101) and a ground surface (105) using a transmitter-antenna (109) for emitting energy including a portion directed down toward the ground surface. A receiving antenna (115), has a portion oriented facing toward the transmitter-antenna for receiving a portion of the emitting energy along a direct path (117), and a portion oriented facing downwardly toward the ground surface for receiving a portion of the emitting energy reflected from the ground surface along a reflected path (113). A decoder provides separate indications of forward (121) and sideward (123) velocity relative to motion of the vehicle along the ground surface. Furthermore, the decoder comprises means for determining vehicle height (125) dependent on a measured difference in path length, vehicle level (127), or front to rear tilt angle, dependent on polarization elliptical ratio changes, and road surface conditions (129) dependent on amplitude and phase changes that occur versus time.
35 Citations
17 Claims
-
1. A device for measurement between a vehicle and a ground surface comprising:
-
a transmitter-antenna for emitting energy toward the ground surface in a first polarization and a second polarization; a receiving antenna oriented facing toward the ground surface for receiving energy reflected from the ground surface along a reflected path in both the first and second polarizations, the receiving antenna providing phase and amplitude signals corresponding to energy received along the reflected path for each of the first and second polarizations; and a decoder for providing separate indications of forward and sideward velocity of the vehicle relative to the ground surface dependent on the provided phase and amplitude signals for each of the first and second polarizations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
-
7. A device for measurement between a vehicle and a ground surface comprising:
-
a transmitter-antenna for emitting energy directed down toward the ground surface and in a second direction, wherein the energy has a first polarization and a second polarization oriented orthogonally to the first polarization; a receiving antenna, having a portion oriented facing opposing the second direction for receiving a portion of the emitting energy along a direct path, and a portion oriented facing downwardly toward the ground surface for receiving a portion of the emitting energy reflected from the ground surface along a reflected path, the receiving antenna providing phase and amplitude signals corresponding to energy received along the reflected path for each of the first and second polarizations; and a decoder for providing separate indications of forward and sideward velocity relative to motion of the vehicle along the ground surface dependent on the provided phase and amplitude signals for each of the first and second polarizations, and an indication of height between the vehicle and the ground surface dependent on a measured difference in path length between the direct path and the reflected path. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
-
-
10. A device for measurement between a vehicle and a ground surface comprising:
-
a transmitter-antenna for emitting energy directed down toward the ground surface and in a second direction, wherein the energy has a first polarization and a second polarization oriented orthogonally to the first polarization; a receiving antenna having a first polarization, and a second polarization orthogonally oriented to the first polarization, wherein the receiving antenna is oriented to receive a portion of the energy emitted from the transmitter-antenna directed parallel to the ground surface along a direct path, and a portion of the energy emitted from the transmitter-antenna reflected off the ground surface along a reflected path, and wherein the receiving antenna provides a forward Doppler signal corresponding to the direct and reflected signals received by the portion of the receiving antenna oriented with the first polarization, and provides a lateral Doppler signal corresponding to the direct and reflected signal received by the portion of the receiving antenna oriented with the second polarization; and a decoder for providing separate indications of forward and sideward velocity relative to motion of the vehicle along the ground surface dependent on the received forward and (sideward)lateral Doppler signals. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A method for measurement between a vehicle and a ground surface comprising the steps of:
-
emitting energy toward the ground surface in a first polarization and a second polarization; receiving energy reflected from the ground surface along a reflected path in both the first and second polarizations and providing phase and amplitude signals corresponding to energy received along the reflected path for each of the first and second polarizations; and providing separate indications of forward and sideward velocity of the vehicle relative to the ground surface dependent on the provided phase and amplitude signals for each of the first and second polarizations. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
-
Specification