Multi-sector radar sensor

• US 7,898,462 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2008
• Issued: 03/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Shih, Yi-Chi, Bui, Long, Meyers, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza; Thomas H
• Assistant Examiner(s): BYTHROW, PETER M
• Application Number:
  US12/245,593
• Publication Number:
  US 20100087967A1
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: 342 70- 72, 701 1- 18, 701/223, 343705-708, 343711-718
• US Class Current: 342/29
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S13/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/426 Scanning radar, e.g. 3D radar G01S13/66 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/4454 phase comparisons monopulse, i.e. comparing the echo signals received by an interferometric antenna arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/933 of aircraft or spacecraft
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/00 Antennas or antenna systems providing at least two radiating patterns arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern H01Q3/00

Abstract

A radar system comprises a plurality of antenna sub-systems, each operable to transmit and receive radio frequency (RF) signals in a corresponding sector, wherein the plurality of antenna sub-systems are positioned such that the corresponding sectors cover a total range of about 180 degrees to about 360 degrees without rotation of the radar system. The radar system also comprises shared backend circuitry coupled to each of the plurality of antenna sub-systems and operable to process signals from each of the plurality of antenna sub-systems to detect the presence of an obstacle in one of the corresponding sectors.

Claims

1. A radar system comprising:

a plurality of antenna sub-systems, each operable to transmit and receive radio frequency (RF) signals in a corresponding sector, wherein the plurality of antenna sub-systems are positioned such that the corresponding sectors cover a total range of about 180 degrees to about 360 degrees without rotation of the radar system; and

shared backend circuitry coupled to each of the plurality of antenna sub-systems and operable to process signals from each of the plurality of antenna sub-systems to detect the presence of an obstacle in one of the corresponding sectors;

wherein each of the plurality of antenna sub-systems comprises;

a scanning transmit antenna;

two scanning receive antennae separated by a vertical distance; and

a servo controller configured to control a scanning motion of the scanning transmit antenna and the two scanning receive antennae based on control signals received from the shared backend circuitry;

wherein the servo controller is configured to control the scanning motion of the two scanning receive antennae such that the scanning motion is synchronized; and

wherein the shared backend circuitry is configured to determine the elevation of the detected obstacles based on a phase difference between signals received by each of the two scanning receive antennae.

2. The radar system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of antenna sub-systems comprises three to twelve antenna sub-systems.

3. The radar system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of antenna sub-systems corresponds to a sector that covers a range of about 30 degrees to about 60 degrees.

4. The radar system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of antenna sub-systems are operable to transmit and receive RF signals in the millimeter wave frequency range.

5. The radar system of claim 1, wherein the shared backend circuitry comprises:

a down-converter operable to down-convert received RF signals from the plurality of antenna sub-systems to an intermediate frequency (IF);

an up-converter operable to up-convert signals for transmission from an IF frequency to an RF frequency; and

a radar signal processor unit operable to determine the location of obstacles based on the IF signals from the down-converter.

6. An unmanned vehicle comprising:

a radar system operable to detect obstacles near the unmanned vehicle, wherein the radar system comprises;

a plurality of antenna sub-systems, each operable to transmit and receive radio frequency (RF) signals in a corresponding sector, wherein the plurality of antenna sub-systems are positioned such that the corresponding sectors cover a total range of about 180 degrees to about 360 degrees without rotation of the radar system; and

shared backend circuitry coupled to each of the plurality of antenna sub-systems and operable to process signals from each of the plurality of antenna sub-systems to detect the presence of an obstacle in one of the corresponding sectors; and

a navigation system operable to control movement of the unmanned vehicle based, at least in part, on the detection of obstacles by the radar system;

wherein each of the plurality of antenna sub-systems comprises;

a scanning transmit antenna;

two scanning receive antennae separated by a vertical distance; and

a servo controller configured to control a scanning motion of the scanning transmit antenna and the at least one scanning receive antenna based on control signals received from the shared backend circuitry;

wherein the servo controller is configured to control the scanning motion of the two scanning receive antennae such that the scanning motion is synchronized.

7. The unmanned vehicle of claim 6, wherein the plurality of antenna sub-systems comprises three to twelve antenna sub-systems.

8. The unmanned vehicle of claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of antenna sub-systems corresponds to a sector that covers a range of about 30 degrees to about 60 degrees.

9. The unmanned vehicle of claim 6, wherein the plurality of antenna sub-systems are operable to transmit and receive RF signals in the millimeter wave frequency range.

10. The unmanned vehicle of claim 6, wherein the unmanned vehicle comprises one of an unmanned aerial vehicle, an unmanned ground vehicle and an unmanned lunar lander.

11. The unmanned vehicle of claim 6, wherein the shared backend circuitry comprises:

a down-converter operable to down-convert received RF signals from the plurality of antenna sub-systems to an intermediate frequency (IF);

an up-converter operable to up-convert signals for transmission from an IF frequency to an RF frequency; and

a radar signal processor unit operable to determine the location of obstacles based on the IF signals from the down-converter.

12. The unmanned vehicle of claim 6, further comprising:

a remote display operable to display data regarding detected obstacles received from the radar system to a remote user; and

a user input device operable to provide commands to the navigation system from a user in a remote location.

13. A method of detecting obstacles with a radar system, the method comprising:

scanning each of a plurality of sectors without rotating the radar system, each sector scanned by at least one antenna sub-system comprising a scanning transmit antenna and two scanning receive antennae moving in a scanning motion within the corresponding sector, the two scanning receive antennae in each antenna sub-system separated by a vertical distance;

processing reflected signals received by each antenna sub-system with shared backend circuitry to detect the presence of obstacles in one or more of the plurality of sectors; and

outputting data regarding detected obstacles;

wherein processing the reflected signals with the shared backend circuitry includes determining an elevation angle of detected obstacles based on a phase difference between signals received at each of the two scanning receive antennae corresponding to the sector in which the detected obstacles are detected.