Sub-frame synchronized residual radar

• US 7,515,092 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2007
• Issued: 04/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Zumsteg, Philip J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gregory; Bernarr E
• Application Number:
  US11/624,045
• Publication Number:
  US 20080170559A1
• Time in Patent Office: 811 Days
• Field of Search: 342/22, 342/27, 342/28, 342 52- 59, 342/118, 342/175, 342/195, 342 29- 51, 342450-465, 342/21, 342/125, 342/127, 342134-145, 455/403, 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 455/422.1, 455/436, 455/440, 4554561-457
• US Class Current: 342/59
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/003 Bistatic radar systems; Multistatic radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/0682 by delay compensation, e.g. by compensation of propagation delay or variations thereof, by ranging

Abstract

A method of using a wireless communication system to determine locations is provided. The method including exchanging communication frames between at least two synchronized nodes in the communication system, wherein each communication frame includes at least one of data signals and radar signals. Determining distances of at least one of nodes and reflective sources based in least in part on at least one of direct and reflected radar signals and determining locations of at least one of the nodes and the reflective sources based on the determined distances.

Claims

1. A method of using a wireless communication system to determine locations, the method comprising:

exchanging communication frames between at least two synchronized nodes in the communication system, wherein each communication frame includes at least one of data signals and radar signals;

determining distances of at least one of the nodes and at least one reflective source based at least in part on at least one of direct radar signals and reflected radar signals; and

determining locations of at least one of the nodes and the at least one reflective source based on the determined distances.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

synchronizing local clocks in the at least two nodes of the communication system with a frame preamble in an initial communication frame; and

exchanging the communication frames between the at least two nodes without additional frame preambles while synchronization is adequate for exchange.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein at least one of the initial communication frame and the communication frames includes schedule data for the transmission of at least one of data signals and radar signals.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the radar signals are transmitted after at least one switch point has been detected.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the data signals includes data relating to at least one of scheduling, time of flight of received radar signals, the determined distances and the non-receipt of reflected signals.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining distances of at least one of the nodes and at least one reflective source further comprises:

determining a distance between a first node of the at least two nodes and the at least one reflecting source;

determining the distance between the first node and a second node of the at least two nodes; and

determining the distance between the second node and the at least one reflecting source.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein determining the distance between the first node and a second node of the at least two nodes further comprises:

transmitting a first radar signal from the first node to the second node; and

based on the time that passed between the transmission of the first radar signal from the first node to the receiving of the first radar signal at the second node, determining the distance.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein determining a distance between a first node of the at least two nodes and a first reflecting source of the at least one reflecting source further comprises;

transmitting a first radar signal from the first node;

switching the first node to a receiving mode;

receiving the radar signal reflected off of the first reflecting source; and

based on the time that passed between the transmitting and the receiving of the radar signal, determining the distance.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein determining the distance between the second node and a first reflecting source of the at least one reflecting source further comprises:

subtracting the distance between the first node and the first reflecting source from a distance based on a time that passed between the transmission of first radar signal that is reflected off of the first reflecting source and the receipt of the reflected first radar signal at the second node.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining the location of the at least one reflecting source by determining points of intersections of spherical shells formed by the distance determinations and accuracy of the distance determinations.

11. A method of determining a location for at least one reflective source, the method comprising:

establishing communications between a plurality of nodes with an initial communication frame from an initial transmitting node that includes a frame preamble, wherein the frame preamble is used by each of the plurality of nodes to synchronize a respective local clock;

exchanging at least one schedule between the plurality of nodes;

exchanging at least one of subsequent data communications between the plurality of nodes in communication sub-frames without an additional preamble according to the exchanged schedule;

transmitting range pulses according to the schedule;

determining time of flight of received range pulses, wherein at least one range pulse is reflected off each reflective source;

determining distances based on the determined time of flight of received range pulses;

exchanging distance determinations between nodes in the subsequent data communications; and

determining the location of each reflective source in relation to the plurality of nodes based on the determined distances.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

transmitting data from a node pursuant to a detected data switch point.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

starting a radar application at a node based on a radar application switch point.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

upon detection of a radar application switch point by a node, staffing a schedule timer;

transmitting at least one range pulse according to the schedule;

switching to receive mode;

starting a time of flight timer;

when a reflected pulse is detected by the node, recording a time of flight value;

when a reflected signal is detected, recording a time of flight value;

updating the time of flight timer; and

updating the schedule timer.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

performing a sub-frame duplex to change the node into a transmitting node pursuant to the schedule;

adjusting a local clock of the node;

adding a select time delay according to the schedule;

transferring data;

updating schedule timer; and

when transmission is complete, switching node to a receiving mode.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

when it is determined that an end of the radar application has occurred pursuant to the schedule, monitoring for a communication frame with another preamble.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

when it is determined that an end of the radar application has occurred pursuant to the schedule at the initial transmitting node, transmitting a communication frame with another preamble with a selected node for transmitting.

18. A communication and location determining system, the system comprising:

a plurality of nodes, each node configured to be synchronized with a frame preamble in an initial communication frame exchanged between the nodes, each node further configured to communicate between the nodes for a period of time without any additional preambles, each node further configured to determine distances to other nodes and reflective sources based on time of flight of direct and reflected ranging signals, each node further configured to determine locations of other nodes and reflective sources using the determined distances to the other nodes and reflective sources.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein each node comprises:

a local clock;

a clock synchronization circuit configured to synchronize the local clock based on information in a frame preamble in an initial communication frame;

a transmitter configured to transmit data and ranging pulses;

a receiver configured to receive data and ranging pulses;

at least one timer; and

a processor configured to control the at least one timer, the synchronization circuit, and the transmitter, the processor further configured to process received data and ranging pulses, the controller further configured to determine to locations to other nodes and reflective sources.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the at least one timer further comprises at least one of a schedule timer configured to track the timing in a schedule exchanged between the nodes, at least one time-of-flight timer configured to track the time of flight of direct and reflected ranging pulses and a delay timer to determine when a specific time period has elapsed related to the schedule.