Monopulse radar system

• US 6,750,810 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2003
• Issued: 06/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Shinoda, Hiroshi, Kondoh, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lobo, Ian J.
• Application Number:
  US10/385,617
• Publication Number:
  US 20030164791A1
• Time in Patent Office: 461 Days
• Field of Search: 342/70, 342/147, 342/149, 342/80, 342/81, 342/154, 342/157, 342/427, 342/374
• US Class Current: 342/149
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/003 Bistatic radar systems; Multistatic radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/4463 using phased arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/932 using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/46 using antennas spaced apart and measuring phase or time difference between signals therefrom, i.e. path-difference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3233 particular used as part of a sensor or in a security system, e.g. for automotive radar, navigation systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/002 providing at least two patterns of different beamwidth; Variable beamwidth antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/02 providing sum and difference patterns H01Q25/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/2605 Array of radiating elements provided with a feedback control over the element weights, e.g. adaptive arrays

Abstract

To realize a monopulse radar system wherein the velocity of a mobile body, distance between an obstacle and the mobile body and relative velocity can be detected and simultaneously, the direction of the obstacle can be detected, in a monopulse radar system wherein an azimuth is detected depending upon amplitude difference or phase difference between signals respectively received by plural receiving antennas, an array antenna composed of plural antenna elements is used for each transmitting antenna and each receiving antenna, at least one of the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna is provided with an antenna switch for switching an antenna beam shape to a short angle/long distance or a wide angle/short distance and a switch control device that controls the switching of the antenna switch is provided.

Claims

1. A monopulse radar system to detect an azimuth depending upon amplitude difference or phase difference between signals respectively received by a plurality of receiving antennas, the monopulse radar system comprising:

a transmitting array antenna including a plurality of antenna elements;

a receiving array antenna including a plurality of antenna elements;

the receiving array antenna being used for one of a plurality of receiving antennas;

at least one antenna switch disposed among the plurality of antenna elements of at least one of the transmitting array antenna and the receiving array antenna; and

a switch controller for turning ON/OFF said antenna switch to selectively activate said antenna elements so as to change an aperture length of at least one of the transmitting array antenna and the receiving array antenna thereby changing a beam shape of said at least one of the transmitting array antenna and the receiving array antenna.

2. The monopulse radar system according to claim 1, wherein the beam shape is changed to a sharp angle/long distance shape or a wide angle/short distance shape by turning ON/OFF said antenna switch via the switch controller.

3. The monopulse radar system according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting array antenna and the receiving array antenna are formed by a common antenna composed of a plurality of antenna elements.

4. The monopulse radar system according to claim 2, wherein the transmitting array antenna and the receiving array antenna are formed by a common antenna composed of a plurality of antenna elements.

5. The monopulse radar system according to claim 1, wherein the switch controller turns ON/OFF said antenna switch periodically.

6. The monopulse radar system according to claim 2, wherein the switch controller turns ON/OFF said antenna switch periodically.

7. The monopulse radar system according to claim 3, wherein the switch controller turns ON/OFF said antenna switch periodically.

8. The monopulse radar system according to claim 4, wherein the switch controller turns ON/OFF said antenna switch periodically.

9. The monopulse radar system according to claim 1, wherein the switch controller turns ON/OFF said antenna switch based upon a distance between the monopulse radar system and an object of interest.

10. The monopulse radar system according to claim 2, wherein the switch controller turns ON/OFF said antenna switch based upon a distance between the monopulse radar system and an object of interest.

11. The monopulse radar system according to claim 3, wherein the switch controller turns ON/OFF said antenna switch based upon a distance between the monopulse radar system and an object of interest.

12. The monopulse radar system according to claim 4, wherein the switch controller turns ON/OFF said antenna switch based upon a distance between the monopulse radar system and an object of interest.

21. The monopulse radar system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of antenna elements of the transmitting array antenna and the receiving array antenna are formed on a dielectric substrate (31).

22. The monopulse radar system according to claim 21, wherein said antenna switch is a MMIC formed on the dielectric substrate.

23. The monopulse radar system according to claim 22, wherein said MMIC is operated by the bias between a grounding line (33) grounded by a via hole, and bias terminal found on the dielectric substrate.

13. A monopulse radar system for a land transportation vehicle to detect an azimuth depending upon amplitude difference or phase difference between signals respectively received by a plurality of receiving antennas, the monopulse radar system comprising:

a transmitting array antenna including a plurality of antenna elements;

a receiving array antenna including a plurality of antenna elements;

the receiving array antenna being used for one of a plurality of receiving antennas;

at least one antenna switch disposed among the plurality of antenna elements of at least one of the transmitting array antenna and the receiving array antenna; and

a switch controller for turning ON/OFF said antenna switch based upon position information obtained by a position information retrieval system mounted on the vehicle,

wherein said antenna switch is turned ON/OFF to selectively activate said antenna elements so as to change an aperture length of at least one of the transmitting array antenna and the receiving array antenna thereby changing a beam shape of said at least one of the transmitting array antenna and the receiving array antenna.

14. The monopulse radar system according to claim 13, the beam shape is changed to a sharp angle/long distance shape or a wide angle/short distance shape by turning ON/OFF said antenna switch via the switch controller.

15. The monopulse radar system according to claim 13, wherein the transmitting array antenna and the receiving array antenna are formed by a common antenna composed of a plurality of antenna elements.

16. The monopulse radar system according to claim 14, wherein the beam shape is changed to a sharp angle/long distance shape or a wide angle/short distance shape by turning ON/OFF said antenna switch via the switch controller.

17. The monopulse radar system according to claim 13, wherein the switch controller turns ON/OFF said antenna switch based upon distance between the land transportation vehicle and an obstacle of interest.

18. The monopulse radar system according to claim 14, wherein the switch controller turns ON/OFF said antenna switch based upon distance between the land transportation vehicle and an obstacle of interest.

19. The monopulse radar system according to claim 15, wherein the switch controller turns ON/OFF said antenna switch based upon distance between the land transportation vehicle and an obstacle of interest.

20. The monopulse radar system according to claim 16, wherein the switch controller turns ON/OFF said antenna switch based upon distance between the land transportation vehicle and an obstacle of interest.

24. The monopulse radar system according to claim 13, wherein said plurality of antenna elements of the transmitting array antenna and the receiving array antenna are formed on a dielectric substrate (31).

25. The monopulse radar system according to claim 24, wherein said antenna switch is a MMIC formed on the dielectric substrate.

26. The monopulse radar system according to claim 25, wherein said MMIC is operated by the bias between a grounding line (33) grounded by a via hole, and bias terminal found on the dielectric substrate.