Radar system

Abstract

A radar system for continuously displaying target returns on a conventional television receiver. The radar includes a console connected to a rotating scanner unit through conventional slip rings. The scanner unit contains a radar antenna coupled to a receiver and transmitter, and a power supply generating a multitude of high-voltage and circuit supply voltages from AC power. A position transducer measures the rotary position of the scanner unit and triggers the transmitter as the scanner unit rotates. The return signal is thresholded to generate a video data signal, portions of which are sequentially stored in separate memory locations, each corresponding to a respective range. The set of video data in memory thus corresponds to targets within a predetermined range in a single direction. A processing unit then reads the video data, calculates the displayed position of the targets on the television receiver, and reads the display data into a display memory along with cursor, range marker, and alarm ring information. A light pen interfaces with the processing unit to set the positions of the cursor and alarm rings. The display memory thus contains a record of all illuminated points on the display. A cathode-ray tube controller sequentially transfers the data from the display memory into a shift register which generates a serial data stream that is mixed with appropriate vertical and horizontal synchronizing signals. The resulting data stream may be applied to an RF modulator which generates an RF signal that is compatible with conventional television receivers.