Short range micro-power impulse radar with high resolution swept range gate with damped transmit and receive cavities

Patent · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1998

OSTI ID:871668

McEwan, Thomas E ^[1]

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1. Livermore, CA

A radar range finder and hidden object locator is based on ultra-wide band radar with a high resolution swept range gate. The device generates an equivalent time amplitude scan with atypical range of 4 inches to 20 feet, and an analog range resolution as limited by a jitter of on the order of 0.01 inches. A differential sampling receiver is employed to effectively eliminate ringing and other aberrations induced in the receiver by the near proximity of the transmit antenna, so a background subtraction is not needed, simplifying the circuitry while improving performance. Uses of the invention include a replacement of ultrasound devices for fluid level sensing, automotive radar, such as cruise control and parking assistance, hidden object location, such as stud and rebar finding. Also, this technology can be used when positioned over a highway lane to collect vehicle count and speed data for traffic control. Techniques are used to reduce clutter in the receive signal, such as decoupling the receive and transmit cavities by placing a space between them, using conductive or radiative damping elements on the cavities, and using terminating plates on the sides of the openings.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• Assignee: Regents of University of California (Oakland, CA)
• Patent Number(s): US 5774091
• OSTI ID: 871668
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/342/
01
20
aberrations
aberrations induced
amplitude
amplitude scan
analog
analog range
antenna
assistance
atypical
automotive
background
background subtraction
band
band radar
based
cavities
circuitry
clutter
collect
conductive
control
count
cruise
damped
damping
data
decoupling
device
device generates
devices
differential
differential sampling
effectively
effectively eliminate
elements
eliminate
eliminate ringing
employed
equivalent
equivalent time
feet
finder
finding
fluid
fluid level
gate
generates
hidden
highway
improving
improving performance
impulse
impulse radar
inches
induced
jitter
lane
level
level sensing
limited
location
locator
micro-power
micro-power impulse
near
near proximity
openings
parking
performance
placing
plates
positioned
proximity
pulse radar
radar
radar range
radiative
range
range finder
range gate
range resolution
rebar
receive
receive signal
receiver
reduce
replacement
resolution
resolution swept
ringing
sampling
sampling receiver
scan
sensing
signal
simplifying
space
speed
speed data
stud
subtraction
swept
swept range
techniques
technology
terminating
time
time amplitude
traffic
transmit
transmit antenna
typical range
ultra-wide
ultra-wide band
ultrasound
vehicle
wide band