Method for increasing single-pulse range resolution
First Claim
1. A method for obtaining an indication of range from a first object to a second object, the method comprising:
- transmitting a signal from the first object;
receiving the signal reflected from the second object;
digitizing the received signal into a plurality of samples;
buffering the samples;
repeatedly convolving each one of at least a portion of the buffered samples R times, wherein R>
1; and
detecting a time of the received signal'"'"'s center of energy from the convolution results, so that the time of the received signal'"'"'s center of energy is an indication of the range from the first object to the second object.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus is provided for detecting a pulse in a signal. In one aspect of the invention, a method comprises digitizing the signal into a plurality of samples; repeatedly convolving each one of at least a portion of the buffered samples R times, wherein R>1; and detecting the received signal'"'"'s center of energy from the convolution results. In a second aspect, an apparatus comprises a analog-to-digital converter capable of digitizing the received signal to produce a plurality of samples; a convolution circuit, including a matched filter for convolving the digitized signal at a second sampling rate; a buffer capable of storing the samples and serially outputting each of the samples R times, where R>1, to the convolution circuit; and a detector for detecting the digitized signal'"'"'s center of energy from the output of the convolution circuit.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A method for obtaining an indication of range from a first object to a second object, the method comprising:
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transmitting a signal from the first object; receiving the signal reflected from the second object; digitizing the received signal into a plurality of samples; buffering the samples; repeatedly convolving each one of at least a portion of the buffered samples R times, wherein R>
1; anddetecting a time of the received signal'"'"'s center of energy from the convolution results, so that the time of the received signal'"'"'s center of energy is an indication of the range from the first object to the second object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for detecting when a pulse occurs in a signal, comprising:
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digitizing the signal into a plurality of samples; repeatedly convolving each one of at least a portion of the samples R times, wherein R>
1; anddetecting a time of the signal'"'"'s center of energy from the convolution results, so that the time of the signal'"'"'s center of energy indicates when the pulse occurs in the signal. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An apparatus for obtaining an indication of range from a first object to a second object, the apparatus comprising:
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a transmitter capable of transmitting a signal from the first object; a receiver capable of receiving a signal transmitted by the signal transmitter and reflected by the second object; an analog-to-digital converter capable of digitizing the received signal to produce a plurality of samples; a convolution circuit including a matched filter for convolving the digitized samples; a buffer capable of storing the samples and serially outputting at least a portion of the samples, each sample of said portion of the samples being output R times, where R>
1, to the convolution circuit;
for convolving said each sample of said portion of the samples R times, anda detector for detecting a time of the received signal'"'"'s center of energy from the output of the convolution circuit, so that the time of the received signal'"'"'s center of energy is an indication of the range from the first object to the second object. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An apparatus for obtaining an indication of range from a first object to a second object, the apparatus comprising:
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means for transmitting a signal from the first object; means for receiving a signal transmitted by the signal transmitter and reflected by the second object; means for digitizing the received signal to produce a plurality of samples; means for convolving the digitized samples; means for storing the samples and serially outputting at least a portion of the samples, each sample of said portion of the samples being output R times, where R>
1, to the convolution circuit for convolving said each sample of said portion of the samples R times; andmeans for detecting a time of the received signal'"'"'s center of energy from the output of the means for convolving the digitized samples, so that the time of the received signal'"'"'s center of energy is an indication of the range from the first object to the second object. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. An apparatus for processing a digitized signal in a LADAR system, the digitized signal representing a reflection of a laser beam from an object, the apparatus comprising:
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a convolution circuit, including; a linearizing circuit; a matched filter capable of convolving the digitized signal at a resolution greater than that at which the digitized signal was digitized; and a buffer capable of storing samples of the digitized signal and serially outputting at least a portion of the samples, each sample of said portion of the samples being output R times, where R>
1, to the convolution circuit for convolving said each sample of said portion of the samples R times. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36)
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Specification