Vehicle-mounted ultra-wideband radar systems and methods

• US 7,479,918 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2006
• Issued: 01/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zimmerman Associates, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Zimmerman Associates, Inc.
• Inventors: Johnson, Patrick W., Emessiene, Bomono A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotomayor; John B
• Application Number:
  US11/603,241
• Publication Number:
  US 20080117098A1
• Time in Patent Office: 790 Days
• Field of Search: 342/22, 342/25.R, 342/25.A, 342/25.F, 342/27, 342/90, 342/179, 89/11.3
• US Class Current: 342/22
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/86 Combinations of radar systems with non-radar systems, e.g. sonar, direction finder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/865 Combination of radar systems with lidar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/867 Combination of radar systems with cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/885 for ground probing prospecting or detecting using electromagnetic waves G01V3/12
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/90 using synthetic aperture techniques , e.g. synthetic aperture radar [SAR] techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/062 in which different colours are used
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/40 Means for monitoring or calibrating

Abstract

Vehicle-mounted UWB systems and/or methods for detecting mines and other explosive devices are provided. In certain exemplary embodiments, a system for detecting non-buried mines and/or improvised explosive devices is provided. Distance measuring equipment may be configured to track movement of the system. Substantially forward-looking bistatic antenna transceivers may be capable of collecting range-magnitude radar data over two channels. A first transceiver may capture radar data for a first area, and a second transceiver may capture radar data for a second area. A processor may be configured to: derive range resolution data and cross-range resolution data from the range-magnitude radar data; focus the range resolution data and the cross-range resolution data, based at least on the distance data and an antenna beamwidth pattern associated with the antenna transceivers; and, “and” data for portions of the first area and the second area that overlap.

Claims

1. A method of detecting mines and/or improvised explosive devices, the method comprising:

tracking distance data;

collecting range-magnitude radar data from substantially forward-looking bistatic antenna transceivers capable of operating over two channels, a first transceiver capturing radar data for a first area and a second transceiver capturing radar data for a second area;

deriving range resolution data and cross-range resolution data from the range-magnitude radar data;

focusing the range resolution data and the cross-range resolution data, based at least on the distance data and an antenna beamwidth pattern associated with the antenna transceivers; and

,

anding data for portions of the first area and the second area that overlap.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the result of the focusing step.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising colorizing the display based at least on the radar data strength.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the radar data is fully polarimetric.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the distance data is tracked with a laser rangefinder.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the antenna transceivers are disposed at angles approximately 10-45 degrees away from the forward-looking direction.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the antenna transceivers are disposed at an angle approximately 22.5 degrees away from the forward-looking direction.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the antenna transceiver range resolution is 0.015 ft.

9. A system for detecting mines and/or improvised explosive devices, comprising:

distance measuring equipment configured to track movement of the system;

substantially forward-looking bistatic antenna transceivers capable of collecting range-magnitude radar data over two channels, including a first transceiver capturing radar data for a first area and a second transceiver capturing radar data for a second area; and

,

a processor configured to;

derive range resolution data and cross-range resolution data from the range-magnitude radar data;

focus the range resolution data and the cross-range resolution data, based at least on the distance data and an antenna beamwidth pattern associated with the antenna transceivers; and

,

combining and anding data for portions of the first area and the second area that overlap.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a display configured to output the result of the focusing step.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further operable to colorize focused radar data based at least on the radar data strength.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the antenna transceivers are partially or fully polarimetric.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the distance measuring equipment is a laser rangefinder.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the antenna transceivers are disposed at angles approximately 10-45 degrees away from the forward-looking direction.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the antenna transceivers are disposed at an angle approximately 22.5 degrees away from the forward-looking direction.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the antenna transceiver range resolution is 0.015 ft.

17. The system of claim 9, further comprising a video camera.

18. The system of claim 9, wherein the distance measuring equipment and the antenna transceivers are collocated.

19. The system of claim 9, wherein mines and/or improvised explosive devices can be detected at a standoff distance of approximately 300 ft. while traveling at approximately 25 kilometers per hour.

20. The system of claim 9, wherein the system is capable of being disposed on a vehicle that is land-, air-, and/or water-based.