Broadband waveform reconstruction for radar

• US 6,967,613 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2004
• Issued: 11/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Christianson, Paul E., Holmberg, Bart A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotomayor, John B.
• Application Number:
  US10/802,980
• Publication Number:
  US 20050206557A1
• Time in Patent Office: 615 Days
• Field of Search: 342/25.R, 342 25 A- 25 F, 342/90, 342/101, 342/111, 342/115, 342/116, 342/191, 342/194, 342/195, 342/196
• US Class Current: 342/25.00A
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/26 wherein the transmitted pulses use a frequency- or phase-modulated carrier wave
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/282 using a frequency modulated carrier wave G01S13/286 takes precedence

Abstract

Resolution of a radar operating within a bandwidth is improved by defining a quantity of substantially rectangular sub-band filters to subdivide the bandwidth in the frequency domain into the quantity of sequential sub-bands having a sub-bandwidth. Each signal sent by the radar is associated with a transmission temporal moment. Each of the quantity of return signals received is routed in one to one correspondence to the sub-band filters, each signal being received at a corresponding sub-band filter. The return signals received are summed by synchronizing the associated transmission temporal moment to produce a reconstructed return signal.

Claims

1. A method for improving resolution of a radar operating within a bandwidth, the method comprising:

defining a quantity of substantially rectangular sub-band filters to subdivide the bandwidth in the frequency domain into the quantity of sequential sub-bands having a sub-bandwidth;

receiving the quantity of return signals, each signal associated with a transmission temporal moment;

routing the quantity of return signals received in one-to-one correspondence to the sub-band filters, each signal being received at a corresponding sub-band filter; and

summing the quantity of return signals received, synchronizing the associated transmission temporal moment to produce a reconstructed return signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the return signals are return signals in a pulse radar.

3. A radar receiver capable of receiving a bandwidth, the receiver comprising:

a quantity of substantially rectangular sub-band filters to subdivide the bandwidth in the frequency domain into the quantity of sequential sub-bands having a sub-bandwidth;

a router for receiving the quantity of radar return signals and outputting the signals in a one-to-one corresponding relationship to the sub-band filters; and

a stage for summing the quantity of radar return signals from the sub-band filters to create a reconstructed signal.

4. The radar receiver of claim 3, wherein the receiver is a pulse radar receiver.

5. A processor for radar returns, the processor comprising:

a quantity of substantially rectangular sub-band filters to subdivide a bandwidth in the frequency domain into the quantity of sequential sub-bands having a sub-bandwidth;

a first component for receiving the quantity of return signals, each signal associated with a transmission temporal moment;

a second component configured to route the received return signals in one-to-one correspondence to the sub-band filters, each signal being received at a corresponding sub-band filter; and

a third component configured to sum the return signals synchronizing the return signals according to the associated transmission temporal moment to produce a reconstructed return signal.

6. A radar system having a bandwidth, the radar system comprising:

a quantity of substantially rectangular sub-band oscillators to subdivide the bandwidth in the frequency domain into the quantity of sequential sub-bands having a sub-bandwidth;

a router configured to route the output of each sub-band oscillator in one-to-one correspondence to the quantity of pulses for transmission;

a transmitter to transmit the quantity of pulses at a target;

a receiver to receive the quantity of pulses reflected from the target, each pulse associated with a transmission temporal moment; and

a summing node for summing the received return signals synchronizing the received return signals according to the associated transmission temporal moment to produce a reconstructed return signal.