Standoff range sense through obstruction radar system

• US 8,791,852 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2013
• Issued: 07/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VAWD Applied Science And Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: VAWD Applied Science And Technology Corporation
• Inventors: Adams, Vinh H., Adams, Robert, Dwelly, Wesley H.
• Primary Examiner(s): BYTHROW, PETER M
• Application Number:
  US14/039,243
• Publication Number:
  US 20140022118A1
• Time in Patent Office: 305 Days
• Field of Search: 342/22, 342 94- 97, 342/176, 342/179, 342/181, 342/182, 342/183, 715700-866
• US Class Current: 342/22
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/522 using transmissions of interrupted pulse modulated waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/582 adapted for simultaneous range and velocity measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/865 Combination of radar systems with lidar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/867 Combination of radar systems with cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/888 through wall detection
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/04 Display arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/125 Means for positioning
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/132 Horn reflector antennas; Off-set feeding

Abstract

A standoff range, sense-through-obstruction radar system is capable of detecting micro-Doppler, or life form signatures, and movements through obstructions at stand-off ranges and displaying the target information over a live video feed of the area under surveillance. The sense-through-obstruction radar system comprises an antenna assembly that includes a horn antenna and a reflector configured to reflect radio frequency (RF) energy to/from the horn antenna. An antenna pointing assembly supports the antenna assembly. The antenna pointing assembly is configured to move the antenna assembly to point the antenna assembly toward an obstruction. A sensor assembly is mounted to the antenna assembly so that the sensor assembly is aligned with the RF beam formed from the RF energy reflected from the reflector to the horn antenna. The sensor assembly is configured to detect the location of the obstruction and to provide information to assist pointing of the antenna assembly toward the obstruction.

Claims

1. A method for operating a sense-through-obstruction radar system, comprising:

receiving range information from a range finder associated with the sense-through-obstruction radar system, the range information describing a range to an obstruction;

transmitting the range information to a radar computing device, the radar computing device operable to utilize the range information to configure a timing of a transmit-receive cycle associated with the sense-through-obstruction radar system;

receiving track data corresponding to a filtered range/range-rate pair from the radar computing device; and

causing at least one track box to be superimposed over a real-time image that represents a field of view of the sense-through-obstruction radar system, the at least one track box corresponding to the track data and representing a target detected by the sense-through-obstruction radar system, wherein the obstruction is between the target and the sense-through-obstruction radar system.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the causing at least one track box to be superimposed over a real-time image comprises causing at least one track box to have a first hue when the target is stationary and a second hue when the target is in motion.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the causing at least one track box to be superimposed over a real-time image comprises causing at least one track box to be represented as a human avatar.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the causing at least one track box to be superimposed over a real-time image further comprises causing at least one track box to be represented as a three-dimensional human avatar.

5. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the first hue comprises red and the second hue comprises green.

6. A sense-through-obstruction radar system comprising:

a range finder configured to detect a range to an obstruction and to generate range information describing the range to the obstruction;

a radar operable to furnish sense-through-obstruction target detection, the radar including a radar computing device that is operable to utilize the range information to configure a timing of a transmit-receive cycle associated with the sense-through-obstruction radar system; and

a computing device communicatively coupled to the radar, the computing device including;

a display device;

a memory operable to store one or more modules; and

a processing system operable to execute the one or more modules to;

transmit the range information to the radar computing device;

receive track data corresponding to a filtered range/range-rate pair from the radar computing device; and

cause at least one track box to be superimposed over a real-time image displayed by the display device, the real-time image representing a field of view of the radar, the at least one track box corresponding to the track data and representing a target detected by the radar, wherein the obstruction is between the target and the radar.

7. The sense-through-obstruction radar system as recited in claim 6, further comprising a display module stored in memory, the processing system operable to execute the display module to cause the at least one track box to have a first hue when the target is stationary and to have a second hue when the target is in motion.

8. The sense-through-obstruction radar system as recited in claim 7, wherein the processing system is operable to execute the display module to cause the at least one track box to be represented as a human avatar.

9. The sense-through-obstruction radar system as recited in claim 8, wherein the processing system is operable to execute the display module to cause the at least one track box to be represented as a three-dimensional human avatar.

10. The sense-through-obstruction radar system as recited in claim 6, wherein the first hue comprises red and the second hue comprises green.

11. A sense-through-obstruction radar system comprising:

a range finder configured to detect a range to an obstruction and to generate range information describing the range to the obstruction;

a radar operable to furnish sense-through-obstruction target detection, the radar including a radar computing device operable to utilize the range information to configure a timing of a transmit-receive cycle associated with the radar; and

a computing device communicatively coupled to the radar, the computing device operable to transmit the range information to the radar computing device and to receive track data corresponding to a filtered range/range-rate pair from the radar computing device;

wherein the computing device is configured to cause at least one track box to be superimposed over a real-time image displayed by a display device associated with the computing device, the real-time image representing a field of view of the radar, the at least one track box corresponding to the track data and representing a target detected by the radar, wherein the obstruction is between the target and the radar.

12. The sense-through-obstruction radar system as recited in claim 11, wherein the computing device is operable to cause the at least one track box to have a first hue when the target is stationary and to have a second hue when the target is in motion.

13. The sense-through-obstruction radar system as recited in claim 12, wherein the computing device is configured to cause the at least one track box to be represented as a human avatar.

14. The sense-through-obstruction radar system as recited in claim 13, wherein the computing device is further configured to cause the at least one track box to be represented as a three-dimensional human avatar.

15. The sense-through-obstruction radar system as recited in claim 12, wherein the first hue comprises red and the second hue comprises green.