Patent · US Active

Multipath resolving correlation interferometer direction finding

US7436351B2 · kind B2 · utility

12Cited by
7References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 16, 2008
Grant dateOct 14, 2008
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 16, 2028

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01S3/146
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Apparatus and a method utilizing correlation interferometer direction finding for determining the azimuth and elevation to an aircraft at long range and flying at low altitudes above water with a transmitting radar while resolving multipath signals. The signals from the radar are received both directly and reflected from the surface of the water using horizontally polarized and vertically polarized antenna arrays, are digitized and are stored in separate covariant matrices. Eigenvalues for the eigenvectors of the matrices processed on signal samples recorded on horizontally polarized X arrays are compared to the eigenvalues for the eigenvectors of the covariance matrices processed on signal samples recorded on vertically polarized X arrays. Incident field polarization is associated with the antenna array measurements that yield the strongest eigenvalue. The eigenvector and eigenvalues for the strongest signal are selected and used for subsequent signal processing. An initial global search assuming mirror sea-state reflection conditions using the signal eigenvector having the strongest eigenvalue is performed to yield an approximate elevation α and azimuth β to the aircraft. The app…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.