Approach detecting system

• US 7,456,739 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2006
• Issued: 11/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Hirai, Takashi, Inomata, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Hung T.
• Application Number:
  US11/538,453
• Publication Number:
  US 20070285233A1
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• Field of Search: 340/552, 340/553, 340/554, 340/561, 340/565, 340/567, 340/568.2, 340/540, 340/541, 340/545.3, 342/7, 342/8, 342/27, 342/28
• US Class Current: 340/552
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/04 Systems determining presence of a target based on relative movement of target G01S13/56
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2497 using transmission lines, e.g. cable
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/203 Leaky coaxial lines
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/29 Combinations of different interacting antenna units for giving a desired directional characteristic H01Q25/00 takes precedence

Abstract

A leaky cable having radiation directivity which varies with frequency transmits electric waves in different frequency bands. A measurement apparatus outputs measurement information including signal intensity and phase of a reflected electric wave in each frequency band which is reflected by a target and is received by another leaky cable, and propagation delay time. A calculator groups the measurement information by target on the basis of signal intensities and phases of the reflected electric waves in different frequency bands, and calculates the position of the target with respect to the longitudinal direction of the leaky cables and the distance between the target and the leaky cables.

Claims

1. An approach detecting system comprising:

electric wave transmit/receive means having a cable-shaped electric wave transmitting means having radiation directivity which varies with frequency, and cable-shaped electric wave receiving means disposed substantially parallel to said electric wave transmitting means, for receiving an electric wave transmitted thereto from said electric wave transmitting means;

measurement means for, when said electric wave receiving means receives a plurality of electric waves in different frequency bands which are transmitted from said electric wave transmitting means and are reflected by each of one or more targets, for outputting measurement information including signal intensity and phase of the reflected electric wave in each frequency band, and propagation delay time between transmission and reception of the plurality of electric waves in different frequency bands received by said electric wave receiving means; and

calculating means for grouping the measurement information by target based on the signal intensities and phases of the plurality of reflected electric waves in different frequency bands, and for calculating position of each of the one or more targets with respect to a longitudinal direction of said electric wave transmit/receive means and distance between each of the one or more targets and said electric wave transmit/receive means based on the measurement information grouped by target.

2. The approach detecting system according to claim 1, including an alarm unit for issuing an alarm when a target remains in a predetermined alarm area.

3. The approach detecting system according to claim 1, wherein the frequency band of each electric wave transmitted from said electric wave transmitting means falls within a fundamental-mode region in which an electric wave is emitted from said electric wave transmitting means toward a single radiation direction when a single signal is supplied to said electric wave transmitting means.

4. The approach detecting system according to claim 3, including an alarm unit for issuing an alarm when a target remains in a predetermined alarm area.

5. The approach detecting system according to claim 1, wherein the frequency bands of the plurality of electric waves transmitted from said electric wave transmitting means fall within a higher-mode region in which electric waves are emitted from said electric wave transmitting means toward plural radiation directions when a single signal is supplied to said electric wave transmitting means.

6. The approach detecting system according to claim 5, including an alarm unit for issuing an alarm when a target remains in a predetermined alarm area.

7. An approach detecting system comprising:

plural sets of

electric wave transmit/receive means having a cable-shaped electric wave transmitting means having radiation directivity which varies with frequency, and cable-shaped electric wave receiving means disposed substantially parallel to said electric wave transmitting means, for receiving an electric wave transmitted thereto from said electric wave transmitting means,

measurement means for, when said electric wave receiving means receives a plurality of electric waves in different frequency bands which are transmitted from said electric wave transmitting means and are reflected by each of one or more targets, for outputting measurement information including signal intensity and phase of the reflected electric wave in each frequency band, and propagation delay time between transmission and reception of the plurality of electric waves in different frequency bands received by said electric wave receiving means, and

calculating means for grouping the measurement information by target based on the signal intensities and phases of the plurality of reflected electric waves in different frequency bands, and for calculating position of each of the one or more targets with respect to a longitudinal direction of said electric wave transmit/receive means and distance between each of the one or more targets and said electric wave transmit/receive means based on the measurement information grouped by target; and

three-dimensional position measurement means for measuring three-dimensional position of each of the one or more targets based on plural sets of the position and distance of each of the one or more targets which are acquired by said plural sets of said electric wave transmit/receive means, said measurement means, and said calculating means.

8. The approach detecting system according to claim 7, including an alarm unit for issuing an alarm, when a target remains in a predetermined alarm area.