Portable receiver for radar detection

• US 7,436,373 B1
• Filed: 03/28/2006
• Issued: 10/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Battelle Energy Alliance LLC (Battelle Memorial Institute), The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Kotter, Dale K., Lopes, Christopher D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; HoangAnh T
• Application Number:
  US11/398,744
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• Field of Search: 343/700.MS, 343/909, 343/895, 343/795, 343/853
• US Class Current: 343/909
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0837 Microantennas, e.g. bow-tie
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/021 Auxiliary means for detecting or identifying radar signals or the like, e.g. radar jamming signals
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/20 Resilient mountings
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/22 by structural association with other equipment or articles
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 11/105 using a dielectric support
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/002 said selective devices being reconfigurable or tunable, e.g. using switches or diodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/061 Two dimensional planar arrays

Abstract

Various embodiments are described relating to a portable antenna-equipped device for multi-band radar detection. The detection device includes a plurality of antennas on a flexible substrate, a detection-and-control circuit, an indicator and a power source. The antenna may include one or more planar lithographic antennas that may be fabricated on a thin-film substrate. Each antenna may be tuned to a different selection frequency or band. The antennas may include a bolometer for radar detection. Each antenna may include a frequency selective surface for tuning to the selection frequency.

Claims

1. A multi-band radar detection device to detect radiant energy signals at a plurality of radar frequencies, the device comprising:

an electrically-resistive substrate;

a plurality of antennas disposed on the substrate for receiving the radar signals at tuned frequencies, each antenna tuned to one of a distinct frequency and a distinct frequency band;

a detection-and-control circuit connected to the plurality of antennas, the circuit determining whether presence of the radar signal at a detection frequency corresponding to at least one of the tuned frequencies;

an indicator to indicate the presence of the detected radar signal determined by the circuit; and

a power source to provide power to the indicator and the circuit.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein

each of the antennas comprises an antenna array of elements, and

each element is tuned to receive the radiant energy signals at the tuned frequencies based on the element having a corresponding size and geometry corresponding to the one of the distinct frequency and the distinct frequency band.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein each of the antennas comprises:

an antenna signal receiving element; and

a bolometer, the circuit being responsive to the bolometer.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein each of the antennas comprises an antenna signal element arranged as a frequency selective surface array.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the antennas are adapted to receive radar energy signals in the range 1 GHz to 50 GHz.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the antennas are adapted to receive radar energy signals in the range 10 GHz to 30 GHz.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the indicator comprises a plurality of frequency-specific indicators, each of the plurality of indicators being associated with a corresponding antenna of the plurality of antennas.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of indicators is a light emitting diode corresponding to a distinct color associated with the corresponding antenna.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the indicator comprises a plurality of indicators, each of the plurality of indicators corresponding to a distinct medium to indicate the presence of the detected radar signal.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the indicator produces an audible audio signal to indicate the presence of the detected radar signal.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the indicator produces a tactile signal to indicate the presence of the detected radar signal.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the indicator produces the tactile signal as a humanly sensible vibration.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the indicator produces the tactile signal as a humanly sensible pulse.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the indicator produces a visual signal to indicate the presence of the detected radar signal.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the indicator is a light emitting diode.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the light emitting diode illuminates in response to the circuit determining the presence of the detected radar signal at any of the tuned frequencies.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein the substrate has planar dimensions of about 4 cm×

6 cm and a thickness of about 0.5 cm.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein the substrate is flexible.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein the substrate is composed of a polyimide film.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the antennas comprise metal layers disposed onto the substrate by photolithography.