Vehicular traffic surveillance doppler radar system

• US 7,227,494 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2006
• Issued: 06/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Concepts Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Applied Concepts Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Aker, John L.
• Primary Examiner(s): PIHULIC, DANIEL T
• Application Number:
  US11/279,383
• Publication Number:
  US 20060181449A1
• Time in Patent Office: 420 Days
• Field of Search: 342/70, 342/72, 342/107, 342/109, 342/104, 342/196, 342/114, 342/115, 340/435, 340/903, 340/436
• US Class Current: 342/114
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/583 using transmission of continuous unmodulated waves, amplitude-, frequency-, or phase-modulated waves and based upon the Doppler effect resulting from movement of targets
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/87 Combinations of radar systems, e.g. primary radar and secondary radar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/92 for velocity measurement

Abstract

A vehicular traffic surveillance Doppler radar system and method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, the system comprises a modulation circuit portion for generating modulated FM signals. An antenna circuit portion transmits the modulated FM signals to a target and receives the reflected modulated FM signals therefrom. A ranging circuit portion performs a quadrature demodulation on the reflected modulated FM signals and determines a range measurement based upon phase angle measurements derived therefrom.

Claims

1. A vehicular traffic surveillance Doppler radar system, the system comprising:

a source vehicle having a direction-sensing Doppler radar; and

a target vehicle having a speed and a range, the speed of the target vehicle being determined independently of a velocity of the source vehicle and the range of the target vehicle being measured with respect to the source vehicle,

wherein the direction-sensing Doppler radar is operable to determine the speed and the range and, based thereupon, assess a risk of collision between the source vehicle and the target vehicle.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the source vehicle comprises a law enforcement vehicle.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the direction-sensing Doppler radar is operable to determine if the target vehicle is approaching or receding with respect to the source vehicle.

4. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the source vehicle provides an indication of the risk of collision selected from the group consisting of audio indications and visual indications.

5. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the target vehicle is in a multi-vehicle environment.

6. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the Doppler radar assesses the risk of collision based upon the speed of the target vehicle, the range of the target vehicle, and a speed of the source vehicle.

7. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the source vehicle generates modulated FM signals which are transmitted to the target vehicle and reflected therefrom as reflected modulated FM signals.

8. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the range is determined based upon phase angle measurements associated with the reflected modulated FM signals.

9. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the speed is determined based upon frequency signal differentials associated with the modulated FM signals and reflected modulated FM signals.

10. A method for operating a vehicular traffic surveillance Doppler radar, the method comprising:

transmitting modulated FM signals from a Doppler radar associated with a source vehicle to a target having a speed and a range;

receiving reflected modulated FM signals at the Doppler radar from the target;

determining the speed and the range of the target, the range being measured with respect to the source vehicle; and

assessing a risk of a collision between the source vehicle and the target vehicle.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, further comprising determining the direction that the target is heading with respect to the vehicular traffic surveillance Doppler radar.

12. The method as recited in claim 10, further comprising providing an audio indication of the risk of collision.

13. The method as recited in claim 10, further comprising providing a visual indication of the risk of collision.

14. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the Doppler radar assesses the risk of collision based upon the speed of the target vehicle, range of the target vehicle, and a speed of the source vehicle.

15. A system for operating a vehicular traffic surveillance Doppler radar, the system comprising:

means for transmitting modulated FM signals from a Doppler radar associated with a source vehicle to a target having a speed and a range;

means for receiving reflected modulated FM signals at the Doppler radar from the target;

means for determining the speed and the range of the target, the range being measured with respect to the source vehicle; and

means for assessing a risk of a collision between the source vehicle and the target vehicle.

16. The system as recited in claim 15, further comprising means for determining the direction that the target is heading with respect to the vehicular traffic surveillance Doppler radar.

17. The system as recited in claim 15, further comprising means for providing an audio indication of the risk of collision.

18. The system as recited in claim 15, further comprising means for providing a visual indication of the risk of collision.

19. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the means for determining assesses the risk of collision based upon the speed of the target vehicle, range of the target vehicle, and a speed of the source vehicle.

20. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the target vehicle is in a multi-vehicle environment.