Radar system, transponder device, method for radar processing and computer readable media

• US 8,981,988 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2013
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Furuno Electric Co, Ltd
• Original Assignee: Furuno Electric Co, Ltd
• Inventors: Kojima, Tatsuya, Yamabayashi, Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): BYTHROW, PETER M
• Application Number:
  US13/739,680
• Publication Number:
  US 20130181858A1
• Time in Patent Office: 795 Days
• Field of Search: 342 42- 51, 342/175
• US Class Current: 342/42
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/753 using frequency selective elements, e.g. resonator
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/767 Responders; Transponders teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying using reflecting targets or active targets F41G3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/787 co-operating with direction defining beacons
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/937 of marine craft

Abstract

A radar system is provided. The system includes a radar transceiving device equipped in a movable body and for transmitting an electromagnetic wave at a first frequency, and a transponder device arranged in a beacon and for transmitting a response wave upon receiving the electromagnetic wave. The transponder device includes a response wave transmitting module for transmitting, when a radar classification of the radar transceiving device is a solid-state radar, a response wave at a second frequency different from the first frequency in response to receiving the transmitted electromagnetic wave. The radar transceiving device includes a transmitting module for transmitting the electromagnetic wave, a receiving module for receiving a radar echo at the first frequency and the response wave at the second frequency, and a display controlling module for displaying, on a predetermined radar display unit, locations of the beacon and another movable body existing around the movable body.

Claims

1. A radar system, comprising:

a radar transceiving device equipped in a movable body and for transmitting an electromagnetic wave at a first frequency; and

a transponder device arranged in a beacon and for transmitting a response wave upon receiving the electromagnetic wave at the first frequency,

wherein the transponder device includes a response wave transmitting module for transmitting, when a radar classification of the radar transceiving device is a solid-state radar, a response wave at a second frequency different from the first frequency in response to receiving the electromagnetic wave transmitted from the radar transceiving device, and

wherein the radar transceiving device includes;

a transmitting module for transmitting the electromagnetic wave at the first frequency;

a receiving module for receiving a radar echo at the first frequency and the response wave at the second frequency; and

a display controlling module for controlling to display, on a predetermined radar display unit, locations of at least the beacon and another movable body existing around the movable body based on the radar echo and the response wave.

2. The radar system of claim 1, wherein the response wave transmitting module includes a determining module for determining, when receiving the electromagnetic wave transmitted from the radar transceiving device, whether the radar classification of the radar transceiving device is the solid-state radar based on at least one of a pulse width and the frequency of the electromagnetic wave.

3. The radar system of claim 2, wherein the response wave transmitter further including:

a transmission frequency setting module for setting on a predetermined transceiver, when the radar classification of the radar transceiving device is determined to be the solid-state radar by the determining module, the second frequency shifted from the first frequency by a predetermined frequency;

a response waveform generating module for generating a response waveform obtained by modulating a predetermined signal series using a predetermined modulation scheme, and outputting the response waveform to the transceiver; and

a transmission trigger generating module for generating a transmission trigger of the response waveform after a predetermined period of time from a falling edge or a rising edge of a radar pulse contained in the electromagnetic wave and outputting the transmission trigger to the transceiver, and

wherein the transceiver frequency-converts the signal with the response waveform into the second frequency, and outputs the converted response waveform to a predetermined antenna unit at a timing corresponding to the generated transmission trigger.

4. The radar system of claim 3, wherein the predetermined signal series indicates that the response wave is from the transponder device.

5. The radar system of claim 3, wherein the response waveform is generated by modulating a signal series that is the predetermined signal series added with arbitrary information, the predetermined signal series indicating that the response wave is from the transponder device.

6. The radar system of claim 1, wherein the display controlling module controls to display a signal series contained in the response wave received by the receiving module in the form of a hollow frame.

7. The radar system of claim 1, wherein the response wave at the first frequency is transmitted when the radar classification of the radar transceiving device is not the solid-state radar.

8. A transponder device arranged in a beacon and for transmitting a response wave upon receiving an electromagnetic wave at a first frequency, comprising:

a determining module for determining, when receiving the electromagnetic wave at the first frequency, whether the electromagnetic wave at the first frequency is transmitted from a solid-state radar; and

a response wave transmitting module for transmitting a response wave at a second frequency different from the first frequency when the electromagnetic wave at the first frequency is determined to be transmitted from the solid-state radar by the determining module.

9. A method for radar processing in a radar system including a radar transceiving device equipped in a movable body and for transmitting an electromagnetic wave at a first frequency, and a transponder device arranged in a beacon and for transmitting a response wave upon receiving the electromagnetic wave at the first frequency, the method comprising:

transmitting the electromagnetic wave at the first frequency by the radar transceiving device;

transmitting by the transponder device, when a radar classification of the radar transceiving device is a solid-state radar, a response wave at a second frequency different from the first frequency in response to receiving the electromagnetic wave transmitted from the radar transceiving device;

receiving a radar echo at the first frequency and the response wave at the second frequency by the radar transceiving device; and

controlling to display, on a predetermined radar display unit, locations of at least the beacon and another more movable body existing around the movable body, based on the radar echo and the response wave.

10. Computer readable media configured to store a computer executable program in a non-transitory manner, which upon execution by a processor of a computer causes the computer to perform radar processing on a radar transceiving device equipped in a movable body and for transmitting an electromagnetic wave at a first frequency, and on a transponder device arranged in a beacon and for transmitting a response wave upon receiving the electromagnetic wave at the first frequency, according to a method, comprising:

causing a computer configuring the transponder device to transmit, when a radar classification of the radar transceiving device is a solid-state radar, a response wave at a second frequency different from the first frequency in response to receiving the electromagnetic wave transmitted from the radar transceiving device; and

causing a computer configuring the radar transceiving device to transmit the electromagnetic wave at the first frequency, receive a radar echo at the first frequency and the response wave at the second frequency, and control to display, on a predetermined radar display unit, locations of the at least beacon and another movable body existing around the movable body, based on the radar echo and the response wave.