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US4346382A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Doppler radar for detection and localization of helicopters

Assignee: International Standard Electric Corp
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Filing: 1980-07-10
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Granted: 1982-08-24
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Expires: 2000-07-10
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Abstract

Abstract A monopulse radar system in which circuits are included for specific identification of echoes from helicopters vis-avis other echoes. The identification is based on either the large Doppler spectrum of a helicopter echo or the amplitude modulation thereof, or both. Embodiments are shown which utilize these criteria for identification as well as bearing refinement. The apparatus is effective, even when a helicopter is hidden from the full view of the radar by foliage.

Inventors

  • 👤 Henri J. Bosc
  • 👤 Pierre J. Goyard

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-27 11:43
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S7/00; G01S7/02; G01S7/41; G01S7/415

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim 120 words
A radar system for discrete identification and localization of helicopters comprising: a radar transmitter and antenna system for illuminating a target with electromagnetic energy; a receiver responsive to echo signals from said target resulting from said illumination; and evaluation means responsive to output signals of said receiver for rejecting echo signals not characteristic of helicopter echoes, said evaluation means including circuits for applying the criteria of percentage amplitude modulation, the criterion of spectral width or both of said criteria, said evaluation means acting to reject echo signals having spectral width below a predetermined value, echo signals having a percentage of amplitude modulation below a predetermined value or to reject said echo signals failing to exceed either of said predetermined values.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 120 words
A radar system for discrete identification and localization of helicopters comprising: a radar transmitter and antenna system for illuminating a target with electromagnetic energy; a receiver responsive to echo signals from said target resulting from said illumination; and evaluation means responsive to output signals of said receiver for rejecting echo signals not characteristic of helicopter echoes, said evaluation means including circuits for applying the criteria of percentage amplitude modulation, the criterion of spectral width or both of said criteria, said evaluation means acting to reject echo signals having spectral width below a predetermined value, echo signals having a percentage of amplitude modulation below a predetermined value or to reject said echo signals failing to exceed either of said predetermined values.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 28 words
A radar system according to claim 1 further including means within said transmitter, antenna and receiver for providing monopulse operation and coherent phase-coded transmissions with pulse compression reception.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 49 words
A radar system according to claim 2 in which said evaluation means includes a plurality of surveillance selectors corresponding to a plurality of range bins and delivering an output signal when the spectral width of the received signal applied thereto meets at least one of said evaluation means criteria.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 47 words
Apparatus according to claim 3 further including a measurement selector providing, for each of said range bins, the value of the angular deviation between the instantaneous angular position of the axis of said antenna and a target echo exceeding at least one of said evaluation means criteria.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 64 words
Apparatus according to claim 4 in which said monopulse radar system is defined as including sum and difference channels, Σ and Δ, respectively, and in which said surveillance selectors are defined as including means for delivering an output when the signal in said sum channel exceeds a first threshold value and the signal in said difference channel is less than a second threshold value.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 46 words
Apparatus according to claim 5 in which said surveillance selectors are present in both said sum and difference channels, and said channels each include, in a signal flow series, a Doppler filter, a detector, a low-pass filter and a threshold circuit for setting said threshold values.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 17 words
Apparatus according to claim 6 further including a quotient determining circuit for calculating the value of Δ/Σ.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 74 words
Apparatus according to claim 6 in which each of said surveillance selectors comprise in-phase and quadrature sub-channels for said Σ and Δ channels, in which a modulus computer is connected for determining the absolute value of signal in said Σ and Δ channels, said modulus computer being responsive to said sub-channels in each of said Σ and Δ channels, and including a hi-pass filter between each of said modulus computers and said threshold circuits.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 89 words
Apparatus according to claim 8 in which said measurement selector comprises: a Doppler filter responsive to each of said sub-channels in each of said Σ and Δ channels; a first circuit for computing |Σ+jΔ| from the output signals of said Doppler filters; a second circuit for computing |Σ-jΔ| from the output signals of said Doppler filters; a hi-pass filter at the output of each of said first and second circuits; and quotient computer means receiving the output signals of each of said hi-pass filters for calculating the value ##EQU11##
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 49 words
A radar system according to claim 1 in which said evaluation means includes a plurality of surveillance selectors corresponding to a plurality of range bins and delivering an output signal when the spectral width of the received signal applied thereto meets at least one of said evaluation means criteria.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 65 words
A radar system for discrete identification and localization of helicopters, comprising: a radar transmitter and antenna system for illuminating a target with electromagnetic energy; a receiver responsive to echo signals from said target resulting from said illumination; and means within said receiver for detecting amplitude modulation on said echo signals and for rejecting echo signals, the percentage modulation of which is below a predetermined value.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 65 words
A radar system for discrete identification and localization of helicopters, comprising: a radar transmitter and antenna system for illuminating a target with electromagnetic energy; a receiver responsive to echo signals from said target resulting from said illumination; and means within said receiver for detecting amplitude modulation on said echo signals and for rejecting echo signals, the percentage modulation of which is below a predetermined value.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 66 words
A radar system for discrete identification and localization of helicopters, comprising: a radar transmitter and antenna system for illuminating a target with electromagnetic energy; a receiver responsive to echo signals from said target resulting from said illumination; and means within said receiver for detecting the spectral width of said echoes and for rejecting echo signal, the spectral width of which is less than a predetermined value.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 66 words
A radar system for discrete identification and localization of helicopters, comprising: a radar transmitter and antenna system for illuminating a target with electromagnetic energy; a receiver responsive to echo signals from said target resulting from said illumination; and means within said receiver for detecting the spectral width of said echoes and for rejecting echo signal, the spectral width of which is less than a predetermined value.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 30 words
A radar system according to claims 11 or 12 further including means within said transmitter, antenna and receiver for providing monopulse operation and coherent phase-coded transmissions with pulse compression reception.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4241350A Cited
US4038656A Cited
US4275396A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1985-08-23 1986-02-22 1986-08-24 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1989-08-23 1990-02-22 1990-08-24 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1993-08-23 1994-02-22 1994-08-24 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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