Automotive forward looking sensor application
First Claim
1. A Forward Looking Sensor (FLS) comprising:
- (a) a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) having an input port to which a VCO control signal comprising at least one of a ramp up portion and a ramp down portion is coupled and an output port at which a transmit RF signal is provided for coupling to a transmit antenna; and
(b) a linearization circuit having a first input port to which a feedback signal proportional to the transmit RF signal is coupled, a second input port to which a fixed frequency reference signal is coupled and an output port at which an error signal proportional to at least one of a phase difference and a frequency difference between the feedback signal and the fixed frequency reference signal is provided, wherein the VCO control signal is a function of the error signal and wherein the at least one ramp up portion and ramp down portion has a substantially linear slope.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An automotive forward looking sensor (FLS) includes (a) a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) having an input port to which a VCO control signal comprising at least one of a ramp up portion and a ramp down portion is coupled and an output port at which a transmit RF signal is provided for coupling to a transmit antenna and (b) a linearization circuit having a first input port to which a feedback signal proportional to the transmit RF signal is coupled, a second input port to which a fixed frequency reference signal is coupled and an output port at which an error signal proportional to at least one of a phase difference and a frequency difference between the feedback signal and the fixed frequency reference signal is provided, wherein the VCO control signal is a function of the error signal and wherein the at least one ramp up portion and ramp down portion has a substantially linear slope. The FLS also includes an antenna assembly having thirteen antenna beams thereby allowing accurate resolution of multiple objects at distances up to 100 meters from the FLS.
90 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A Forward Looking Sensor (FLS) comprising:
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(a) a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) having an input port to which a VCO control signal comprising at least one of a ramp up portion and a ramp down portion is coupled and an output port at which a transmit RF signal is provided for coupling to a transmit antenna; and (b) a linearization circuit having a first input port to which a feedback signal proportional to the transmit RF signal is coupled, a second input port to which a fixed frequency reference signal is coupled and an output port at which an error signal proportional to at least one of a phase difference and a frequency difference between the feedback signal and the fixed frequency reference signal is provided, wherein the VCO control signal is a function of the error signal and wherein the at least one ramp up portion and ramp down portion has a substantially linear slope. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A Forward Looking Sensor (FLS) comprising:
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(a) a transmit circuit having a transmit antenna for transmitting an RF signal; and (b) a receive circuit comprising; (i) a receive antenna for receiving an RF signal; (ii) a low noise amplifier (LNA) having an input port responsive to said RF signal received by said receive antenna and an output port at which a filtered RF signal is provided; and (iii) a single-sideband generator (SSBG) having an input port coupled to the output port of the LNA and an output port at which a filtered, single-sideband signal is provided. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A Forward Looking Sensor (FLS) comprising:
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(a) a transmit circuit comprising a transmit antenna for transmitting an RF signal, said transmit antenna comprising a plurality of radiating elements generating a plurality of radiating beams spaced relative to one another by approximately 1.1° and
overlapping one another by about one-half beam width; and(b) a receive circuit comprising a receive antenna for receiving an RF signal. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for aligning a Forward Looking Sensor (FLS) comprising the steps of:
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providing a transmit antenna with a multiple beam pattern; providing a receive antenna with a multiple beam pattern; transmitting through predetermined ones of the multiple beams of the transmit antenna a predetermined RF signal; and receiving through predetermined ones of said multiple beams of said receive antenna reflections from said transmitted RF signal; and processing the received RF signal to generate an alignment offset signal. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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Specification