The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 11, 2000
Filed:
Feb. 25, 1999
John Christopher Reed, Tucson, AZ (US);
Gerald Brand, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Delco Electronics Corp., Kokomo, IN (US);
Abstract
An improved obstacle detection radar system and method of operation in which the detection sensitivity is normalized with respect to target range without significantly increasing system complexity or cost, while at same time improving the system response time. The system consecutively integrates the received radar illumination corresponding to each of several contiguous range bins over different dwell intervals specific to the respective range bins. In particular, the dwell intervals are progressively reduced for the range bins nearest the system antennas, thereby reducing the detection sensitivity in those range bins, and at the same time, reducing the time required to completely scan all of the range bins. As a result, the signal attributable to the side-lobe patterns is inherently attenuated, the sensitivity is more normalized, and system response time is improved. Accordingly, the probability of detection for a given target within the desired detection range is less dependent on its distance from the radar system.