Obstacle sensor operating by collimation and focusing of the emitted wave

• US 7,548,190 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2007
• Issued: 06/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Franco Baldi
• Original Assignee: Franco Baldi
• Inventors: Baldi, Franco
• Primary Examiner(s): SOTOMAYOR, JOHN B
• Application Number:
  US11/999,082
• Publication Number:
  US 20080142916A1
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• Field of Search: 342 70- 72, 342/175, 342/52, 342/54, 342/55
• US Class Current: 342/175
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/032 Constructional details for solid-state radar subsystems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/0241 radiating a circularly polarised wave H01Q13/0258 takes precedence; polarisation converters H01Q15/244, in a waveguide H01P1/17
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/08 for modifying the radiation pattern of a radiating horn in which it is located corrugated horns H01Q13/0208; producing a circular polarisation H01Q13/0241
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/27 Spiral antennas

Abstract

An obstacle sensor operating by collimation and focusing of the emitted wave comprises: a device (I) for insulating the electromagnetic waves emitted by a generator (1); a device for the automatic control (12, 12′) of the transmitter and of the sensor status; a device (15′÷15″′) for amplifying the power of the signals emitted and/or received; different shapes of output lens (14′÷14″′) of the antenna, with or without peripheral lobes (16), associated or non associated to microwave sensors (19). The sensor is associable to passive and/or active obstacle warning reflectors with the possibility of discriminating them not only if front but also side and above and below the horizon central azimuth, for road, aircraft and naval applications.

Claims

1. Improvements to an obstacle sensor operating by collimation and focusing of the emitted wave characterised in that they comprise:

A) a device for insulating the electromagnetic waves emitted by a solid state microwave generator, with respect to receivers, configured as a layered planar set (I) which comprises, in front of at least one generator of electromagnetic waves (1), a first ground insulator layer (2) coupled with an obstacle of conductive material (3) of known type, generically configured with radial extensions or planar “

stripline”

radiators with multiple arms (3′

) cross shaped, X shaped, radial, spiral, zigzag or other shape, electrically powered and arranged in length phase of ¼

wave or multiple of ¼

wave of the base generator frequency, said obstacle (3) being arranged on and in an insulating structure (4);

said extensions (3′

) being fitted in said material (4), transparent to microwaves and non conductive, at a minimum distance from each other of 1/32 of the defined wavelength, whereas the respective ends comprise holes (10) wherethrough the insulated electrical conductors pass, for central (5) and side (5′

) mixer or detector sensors arranged on the upper part of a subsequent barrier (6) for blocking the microwaves, connected to positive or negative ground, with shape and features similar to those of said obstacle (3) and fitted in said material (4);

at the center of the bottom face of said obstacle (3) there being inserted an anodic stub (7), of ¼

of wavelength, for feeding the generator (1) inserted therein, with the obstacle (3) that acts as calibrator of the predetermined frequency with distance from the generator (1) equal to ¼

wave of the cavity wherein it is received;

in aligned overlapped combination, a second insulating layer (8) being arranged between said obstacle (3) and said barrier (6) whereas on the top surface of said barrier (6) there being arranged said central (5) and side (5′

) sensors, wherein the central one and optionally also the side ones is or are powered by an independent rechargeable battery, anti-noise for both background and molecular ones, coming from ground or from the circuit system;

a third insulating layer (9) being overlapped to said barrier (6) and the layered planar set insulator (I);

first insulating layer (2), obstacle (3), second insulating layer (8), barrier (6), third insulating layer (9) being substantially cylindrical like the containment cavity of the generator (1), based on the generation of a circular polarization energy, revolving about the support stub of the generator itself;

B) a device for the cyclical interruption of the action of the electromagnetic wave generator (1), for the automatic control of the transmitter and sensor status, associated to an algorithmic-digital processing (EC) for resetting the parameters of the possible temperature shifts of the beam of microwaves emitted and/or received from other devices external to the system;

said device having the possibility of being;

mechanical, of the type used on cameras;

with shutter (12), diaphragm (12″

), curtain or brushes, with electronic layer motor drive (12′

), where the electrons are polarized in short circuit with liquid crystal techniques or electric or electro-static ion discharges (gas dischargers), of the dielectric ball lens type or tubular revolving on its own axis with short circuit of the output waves and characteristics of focusing partly not transparent to microwaves, of the wave block type at a high magnetic or electromagnetic density composed of a piston that opens and closes at a front level of the detectors;

said device being applied in and through the intermediate passive reflector (13), just above the first lens (14) of the sensor operating by collimation and focusing of the emitted wave;

C) a device for amplifying the power of signals emitted and/or received from a generator (1), composed of one or more layers (15′

) or a single partial (15″

) or filling (15″

′

) block of materials;

solid, fluid, at the plasma state or gaseous at the liquid state or not, electrical conductors transparent to electromagnetic waves and having the intrinsic characteristic of charging with energy if fed with high voltage electrical discharges;

said electrical conductive materials (15′

, 15″

, 15″

′

) associated to said output antenna lens (14′

, 14″

, 14″

′

) comprising the passive concentration effect and the generating function of an active effect consisting in an amplification of power of the signals emitted and/or received, and said electrical conductive materials, single or multiple or in a single block, associated to respective electrodes (20) suitable for producing the required high voltage electrical discharges, being directly applicable on the bottom surface (17) of the output lens (14′

) of dielectric or artificial dielectric material, of the sensor itself, inside the same lens (14″

) if of the type with simple or step-wise slots, inside the same lens (14″

′

) if of the type with internal hemispherical chamber, and the like; and

said electrical conductors (20), for feeding said layers of conductive materials, being thread-like spiral, coil or other layout circuits, wherein the feeding high voltage that flows therein charges with amplification energy of the radiating power the electromagnetic waves that come into contact relation therewith, both in the output and in the return phase;

D) antenna output lens (14′

÷

14″

′

), of dielectric or artificial dielectric material, with hemispherical, oblong, ovoid, ogive-like, parallelepiped with rounded edges shape or other rounded shapes comprising or not comprising generally ovoid peripheral lobes (16) associable to microwave sensors (detectors or mixers) (19);

said various lens shapes (14′

÷

14″

′

) being adopted on the basis of the type of convergence of the emitted and/or received waves focused and concentrated in a point, in front horizontal or vertical planes, or directional, and said lobes (16) being arranged on the basis of improving convergence of the emitted and/or received waves also on the side and being arranged peripherally and/or planar to the base (17) of the antenna output lens and/or associated to planar slots (18) comprising microwave sensing detectors or mixers (19) provided with suitable polarization system;

said detectors or mixers (19), in any number, being arranged in any point and oriented in any arrangement of the cavity of the antenna;

in particular on the edge where a dielectric lens (14) rests for energy concentration and selection of the electromagnetic waves coming from any direction.

2. Improvements to an obstacle sensor operating by collimation and focusing of the emitted wave according to claim 1 item A, characterised in that at least one electromagnetic wave generator (1) is composed of:

GUNN, IMPAT, TRANSISTOR, MAGNETRON diodes or other solid state microwave generator components, in particular millimetric waves.

3. Improvements to an obstacle sensor operating by collimation and focusing of the emitted wave according to claim 1 item A, characterised in that said insulator planar layered set (I):

first insulating layer (2), obstacle (3), second insulating layer (8), barrier (6), third insulating layer (9) is configured circular and comprises insulated through holes (10) for the conductors and peripheral holes (10′

) for centering and ground contact of the electrical circuits, and being comprised in a non-magnetic stainless steel container, for the insulation from noises coming from electromagnetic fields, and anti-oxidant insulation.

4. Improvements to an obstacle sensor operating by collimation and focusing of the emitted wave according to claim 1 item A, characterised in that said insulator planar layered set (I):

first insulating layer (2), obstacle (3), second insulating layer (8), barrier (6), third insulating layer (9), is comprised in a non-magnetic stainless steel container and said radial extensions or planar “

stripline”

radiators with multiple arms (3′

) are such as to prevent the output signals from said generator (1) from being jammed by the presence of said central (5) and side (5′

) sensors or detectors but pass beyond the same planar “

stripline”

radiators with multiple arms (3′

), advancing, concentrating and returning as obstacle signals, clear and centered.

5. Improvements to an obstacle sensor operating by collimation and focusing of the emitted wave according to claim 1 item B, characterised in that the device (12, 12′

) for the cyclical interruption of the obstacle sensor operates as automatic control of the transmitter and receiver status, excluding any interferences by other radars or the like from its active action.

6. Improvements to an obstacle sensor operating by collimation and focusing of the emitted wave according to claim 1 item B, characterised in that said device (12, 12′

) for the cyclical interruption of the obstacle sensor engages the passage area of the inner space of the intermediate passive reflector (13) just above said energy concentration dielectric lens (14) and is connected to an algorithmic-digital analysis microprocessor.

7. Improvements to an obstacle sensor operating by collimation and focusing of the emitted wave according to claim 1 item D, characterised in that said microwave sensors (19), in an indefinite number, are located at any point and oriented in any arrangement of the cavity comprising the energy concentration dielectric lens (14);

in particular on the edge where the lens itself rests, with selection of the electromagnetic waves coming from any direction.

8. Improvements to an obstacle sensor according to claim 1, characterised in that it is adopted in the automotive field, with the function of light and/or sound hazard signaling for the approach of fixed or mobile, front and/or side, far away or not visible obstacles.

9. Improvements to an obstacle sensor according to claim 1, characterised in that it is used alone or with multiple front and/or side units, with or without systems for the automatic adjustment of the vector angle, for emissions of crossed microwaves in arrival points and for the detection of the maximum amplitude and energy of the same microwaves added up, and maximum intensity of refraction;

the obstacle sensing can comprise built in microwave detectors with predetermined frequency and fitted with balanced circuits capable of sensing the transmission and reception space-time of the reflected echo, associated to a processor of sequential algorithms of the reflected “

echo”

energy determining the unbalance of phase/power of the microwave energy at stronger or weaker intensity, sensed by the detectors;

based on the number of detectors with gradient obtaining the vector discrimination of obstacles, not only front and side, but also in azimuth (above and below) relative to the central horizon focus.

10. Improvements to an obstacle sensor according to claim 1, characterised in that they can be used alone or associated to other corresponding sensors and are applicable to the sides of the front of the means and in positions at suitable heights, according to the specific applications.

11. Improvements to an obstacle sensor according to claim 1, characterised in that the front and side sensing of the reflected echo is constituted by placing a third obstacle sensor in the vector center between two side sensors, provided with another transmitting device or with a sensor only, structured so as to follow the electromagnetic energy concentration lens principle;

the side devices having only the function of superdirective detectors with the possibility of being fitted with at least one microwave generator component with detector coherent with the directive focusing characteristics with respect to the waves received from the obstacles.

12. Improvements to an obstacle sensor according to claim 1, characterised in that they comprise multiple active or passive microwave detectors, front, side and back, for sensing and signaling of wave emissions coming from other electromagnetic sources and for interfering with “

push-pull”

, “

on-off”

electronic circuits communicating between radar systems with the same conformation and provided with suitable data processing circuits with interaction and communication with the respective circuits of other radar carriers;

the above communication circuits between active and passive components being placed on vehicles having installations corresponding to fixed or mobile installations applicable on roads, harbours, airports and other places wherein it is necessary to electronically communicate for safety devices.

13. Improvements to an obstacle sensor according to claim 1, characterised in that it is adopted in the discrimination of short, medium and long range obstacles, in the most varied fields of application:

automotive, railway, naval, aircraft, missile, for automatic gun aiming systems, and so on.