Coherent processing tunnel diode ultra wideband receiver

Claim 3

The system of claim 1 wherein said each of said oscillatory short pulse microwave signal bursts has a one nanosecond or less duration with a nominal band center frequency of 2.5 GHz.

Claim 4

The system of claim 1 wherein said predetermined frequency is 2 GHz and the frequency of said baseband unipolar pulses is 500 MHz.

Claim 5

The system of claim 1 wherein amplified baseband unipolar pulses have a positive peak in the order of 2 volts.

Claim 6

A radar system for detecting a target comprising: transmitter means for sending oscillatory radar signal bursts toward said target; antenna means for receiving reflected oscillatory radar signal bursts from said target; preamplifier means coupled to said antenna means for amplifying said reflected oscillatory radar signal bursts; envelope generator means coupled to said preamplifier means and responsive to said reflected oscillatory radar signal bursts for generating a unipolar pulse for each of said reflected oscillatory radar signal bursts, said envelope generator means including means for maximizing said unipolar pulse; a tunnel diode constant false alarm rate (CFAR) receiver coupled to said envelope generator means for receiving each of said unipolar pulses for greater system sensitivity.

Claim 7

A radar system for detecting a target comprising: transmitter means for sending oscillatory radar signal bursts toward said target; antenna means for receiving reflected oscillatory radar signal bursts from said target; preamplifier means coupled to said antenna means for amplifying said reflected oscillatory radar signal bursts; envelope generator means coupled to said preamplifier means and responsive to said reflected oscillatory radar signal bursts for generating a unipolar pulse for each of said reflected oscillatory radar signal bursts, said envelope generator means including means for maximizing said unipolar pulse; a tunnel diode constant false alarm rate (CFAR) receiver coupled to said envelope generator means for receiving each of said unipolar pulses for greater system sensitivity.

Claim 8

The system of claim 5 wherein each of said oscillatory radar signal bursts has a one nanosecond or less duration with a nominal band center frequency of 2.5 GHz and has a 10 kHz or greater system pulse repetition rate.

Claim 9

A microwave system for detecting a target comprising: a constant false alarm rate receiver (CFAR) includes, clock means for generating a free running cyclical clock signal, timing means coupled to said clock means and responsive to said clock signal for generaling an odd cyclical timing signal representing even cycles, transmitting means having an active state and a disabled state, said transmitting means being coupled to said timing means and responsive to said odd cyclical timing signal for sending out oscillatory short pulse microwave signal bursts having a predetermined duration on odd cycles when in said active state, threshold detecting means generating noise spikes when said transmitting means is in said disabled state during said even cycles, first register means coupled to said timing means and said threshold detecting means and having a first predetermined number of stages for receiving said noise spikes during said first predetermined number of consecutive even cycles and having first means for generating a count of said noise spikes received during said first predetermined number of consecutive even cycles, said threshold detecting means coupled to said first register means for receiving said count, said threshold detecting means including threshold adjusting means for setting said predetermined amplitude so that said count is at a second predetermined number thereby setting a constant bias current; and envelope generator means coupled to said transmitting means for receiving bursts of several cycles of microwave energy having said predetermined duration when said transmitting means is in said active state and generating an amplified baseband unipolar pulse for each of said bursts, said envelope generator means including a tunnel diode responsive to said unipolar pulse for maximizing the sensitivity of said tunnel diode since the net charge through the junction exceeds a prescribed number of picocoulombs, said envelope generator means including means for maximizing said unipolar pulse; said threshold detector means coupled to said envelope generator means for receiving each of said unipolar pulses and generating a signal for said each of said unipolar pulses having an amplitude greater than said constant bias current; second register means, having said predetermined number of stages, coupled to said timing means and said threshold detector means and responsive to said odd cyclical timing signal for receiving said signals during said first predetermined number of said signals is received during said first predetermined number of said odd cycles.

Claim 10

A microwave system for detecting a target comprising: a constant false alarm rate receiver (CFAR) includes, clock means for generating a free running cyclical clock signal, timing means coupled to said clock means and responsive to said clock signal for generaling an odd cyclical timing signal representing even cycles, transmitting means having an active state and a disabled state, said transmitting means being coupled to said timing means and responsive to said odd cyclical timing signal for sending out oscillatory short pulse microwave signal bursts having a predetermined duration on odd cycles when in said active state, threshold detecting means generating noise spikes when said transmitting means is in said disabled state during said even cycles, first register means coupled to said timing means and said threshold detecting means and having a first predetermined number of stages for receiving said noise spikes during said first predetermined number of consecutive even cycles and having first means for generating a count of said noise spikes received during said first predetermined number of consecutive even cycles, said threshold detecting means coupled to said first register means for receiving said count, said threshold detecting means including threshold adjusting means for setting said predetermined amplitude so that said count is at a second predetermined number thereby setting a constant bias current; and envelope generator means coupled to said transmitting means for receiving bursts of several cycles of microwave energy having said predetermined duration when said transmitting means is in said active state and generating an amplified baseband unipolar pulse for each of said bursts, said envelope generator means including a tunnel diode responsive to said unipolar pulse for maximizing the sensitivity of said tunnel diode since the net charge through the junction exceeds a prescribed number of picocoulombs, said envelope generator means including means for maximizing said unipolar pulse; said threshold detector means coupled to said envelope generator means for receiving each of said unipolar pulses and generating a signal for said each of said unipolar pulses having an amplitude greater than said constant bias current; second register means, having said predetermined number of stages, coupled to said timing means and said threshold detector means and responsive to said odd cyclical timing signal for receiving said signals during said first predetermined number of said signals is received during said first predetermined number of said odd cycles.

Claim 11

The microwave system of claim 7 wherein said first predetermined number is 32, said second predetermined number is 3 or less on an average, and said third predetermined number is arbitrarily set at 27.

Claim 12

A microwave system for detecting a target comprising: means for generating a sequence of oscillatory short pulse microwave signal bursts; antenna means coupled to said generating means, said antenna means including means for transmitting said sequence of oscillatory short pulse microwave signal bursts to a target area and means for amplifying a sequence of reflected oscillatory short pulse microwave signal bursts reflected from said target; envelope generator means coupled to said antenna means for converting said amplified sequence of reflected oscillatory short pulse microwave signal bursts received from said antenna means to a sequence of unipolar pulses, each of said unipolar pulses corresponding to a respective reflected oscillatory short pulse microwave signal burst, said envelope generator means including means for maximizing said unipolar pulse; CFAR means, including tunnel diode means, coupled to said envelope generator means for receiving said sequence of unipolar pulses wherein said each of said unipolar pulses encompasses a greater area than its corresponding oscillatory burst, thereby increasing system sensitivity.

Claim 13

A microwave system for detecting a target comprising: means for generating a sequence of oscillatory short pulse microwave signal bursts; antenna means coupled to said generating means, said antenna means including means for transmitting said sequence of oscillatory short pulse microwave signal bursts to a target area and means for amplifying a sequence of reflected oscillatory short pulse microwave signal bursts reflected from said target; envelope generator means coupled to said antenna means for converting said amplified sequence of reflected oscillatory short pulse microwave signal bursts received from said antenna means to a sequence of unipolar pulses, each of said unipolar pulses corresponding to a respective reflected oscillatory short pulse microwave signal burst, said envelope generator means including means for maximizing said unipolar pulse; CFAR means, including tunnel diode means, coupled to said envelope generator means for receiving said sequence of unipolar pulses wherein said each of said unipolar pulses encompasses a greater area than its corresponding oscillatory burst, thereby increasing system sensitivity.

Claim 14

A microwave communication system, comprising: a CFAR receiver for generating a cyclical timing signal; a microwave transmitter coupled to said CFAR receiver and responsive to said cyclical timing signal for sending information in the form of a sequence of oscillatory short pulse microwave signal bursts; a microwave link coupled to said transmitter for carrying said sequence of oscillatory short pulse microwave signal bursts; an envelope generator coupled to said microwave link for receiving said sequence of oscillatory short pulse microwave signal bursts for conversion to a sequence of unipolar pulses; said CFAR receiver coupled to said envelope generator for receiving said sequence of unipolar pulses and having means for converting said sequence of unipolar pulses to said information, wherein each of said unipolar pulses generates more energy than its corresponding oscillatory burst, thereby increasing system sensitivity.

Claim 15

A microwave communication system, comprising: a CFAR receiver for generating a cyclical timing signal; a microwave transmitter coupled to said CFAR receiver and responsive to said cyclical timing signal for sending information in the form of a sequence of oscillatory short pulse microwave signal bursts; a microwave link coupled to said transmitter for carrying said sequence of oscillatory short pulse microwave signal bursts; an envelope generator coupled to said microwave link for receiving said sequence of oscillatory short pulse microwave signal bursts for conversion to a sequence of unipolar pulses; said CFAR receiver coupled to said envelope generator for receiving said sequence of unipolar pulses and having means for converting said sequence of unipolar pulses to said information, wherein each of said unipolar pulses generates more energy than its corresponding oscillatory burst, thereby increasing system sensitivity.