Doppler mapping radar

Claim 2

A mapping system for use with an object moving relative to the earth comprising means mounted on the object to direct a beam of microwave energy at an area on the earth''s surface and develop from reflected microwave energy a doppler spectrum, means to rotate said object to cause said beam to be scanned over said area, means to develop a signal related to the rotation of said object, means to transmit said doppler spectrum and said signal to a remote station, means at said remote station to receive said doppler spectrum and said signal, and means for resolving and displaying elements of said doppler spectrum along different radii of an indicator, said radii being determined by said signal related to the rotation of said object.

Claim 3

A mapping system for use with a vehicle traveling relatively to a portion of the surface of the earth illuminated by electro-magnetic energy, said system comprising a collecting antenna having a narrow fan-shaped amplitude pattern arranged to collect in the form of strips, energy reflected from said portion of the surface of the earth, means for rotating the antenna pattern about an axis approximately coincident with the velocity vector of the vehicle, means for establishing elements along each strip on the earth''s surface, by virtue of the difference in velocity hence frequency along the strip, said differences in frequency existing as a consequence of the velocity of the vehicle with respect to the area being mapped, means for sequentially sampling the signal amplitude from said elements, means for providing a roll reference signal, and means for displaying the output of said sampling means along different radii of an indicator, said radii being determined by said roll reference signal.

Claim 4

A mapping system for use with a vehicle traveling relatively to a portion of the surface of the earth illuminated by electro-magnetic energy, said system comprising a collecting antenna having a narrow fan-shaped amplitude pattern arranged to collect in the form of strips, energy reflected from said portion of the surface of the earth, means for rotating the antenna pattern about an axis approximately coincident with the velocity vector of the vehicle, means for establishing elements along each strip on the earth''s surface, by virtue of the difference in velocity hence frequency along the strip, said differences in frequency existing as a consequence of the velocity of the vehicle with respect to the area being mapped, means for sequentially sampling the signal amplitude from said elements, means for providing a roll reference signal, and means for displaying the output of said sampling means along different radii of an indicator, said radii being determined by said roll reference signal.

Claim 5

A mapping system as defined in claim 2 in which said means for establishing elements along each strip and said indicator means are at a remote location, said remote location being coupled to said vehicle by means of a link functioning to transmit to the remote location, the doppler spectrum corresponding to the energy collected along a strip on the earth determined by said antenna pattern.

Claim 6

A mapping system as defined in claim 2 in which said means for establishing elements along each strip and said indicator are at a remote location, said remote location being coupled to said vehicle by means of a link functioning to transmit to the remote location, the doppler spectrum corresponding to the energy collected along a strip on the earth determined by said antenna pattern, and the rate of rotation of said pattern.

Claim 7

A mapping system for use with a vehicle traveling relatively to the surface of the earth, said system comprising means to direct a beam of microwave energy over an area on the earth''s surface, a collecting antenna having a narrow fan-shaped amplitude pattern arranged to collect in the form of strips, the doppler spectrum reflected from said area on the earth''s surface, means for rotating the antenna pattern about an axis approximately coincident with the velocity vector of said vehicle, means for establishing elements along each strip on the earth''s surface, by virtue of the difference in velocity hence frequency along the strip, said differences in frequency existing as a consequence of the velocity of the vehicle wiTh respect to the area being mapped, means for sequentially sampling the signal amplitude from said elements, means for providing a roll reference signal, and means for displaying the amplitude of the signal from said elements along different radii of an indicator, said radii being determined by said roll reference signal.

Claim 8

A mapping system for use with a vehicle traveling relatively to the surface of the earth, said system comprising means to direct a beam of microwave energy over an area on the earth''s surface, a collecting antenna having a narrow fan-shaped amplitude pattern arranged to collect in the form of strips, the doppler spectrum reflected from said area on the earth''s surface, means for rotating the antenna pattern about an axis approximately coincident with the velocity vector of said vehicle, means for establishing elements along each strip on the earth''s surface, by virtue of the difference in velocity hence frequency along the strip, said differences in frequency existing as a consequence of the velocity of the vehicle wiTh respect to the area being mapped, means for sequentially sampling the signal amplitude from said elements, means for providing a roll reference signal, and means for displaying the amplitude of the signal from said elements along different radii of an indicator, said radii being determined by said roll reference signal.

Claim 9

A mapping system as defined in claim 5 in which said means for establishing elements along each strip and said indicator means are at a remote location, said remote location being coupled to said vehicle by means of a link functioning to transmit to the remote location, the doppler spectrum corresponding to the energy collected along a strip on the earth determined by said antenna pattern.

Claim 10

A mapping system as defined in claim 5 in which said means for establishing elements along each strip and said indicator means are at a remote location, said remote location being coupled to said vehicle by means of a link functioning to transmit to the remote location, the doppler spectrum corresponding to the energy collected along a strip on the earth determined by said antenna pattern, and the rate of rotation of said pattern.

Claim 11

A mapping system as defined in claim 5 in which said means for establishing elements along each strip comprises a bank of graduated filters to resolve the doppler spectrum into its constituent components, and in which said indicator means comprise sampling circuits to sample the output of said filters simultaneously with the deflection along the radius of an indicator, said indicator means including means for indicating the intensity of the signals from said filters in the form of the brightness of the beam of electrons that describe the radius of the indicator.

Claim 12

A mapping system for use with a vehicle traveling relatively to the surface of the earth, said system comprising means to direct a beam of microwave energy over an area on the earth''s surface, a collecting antenna having a narrow fan-shaped amplitude pattern arranged to collect in the form of strips, energy reflected from said area on the earth''s surface, means for rotating the antenna pattern about an axis approximately coincident with the velocity vector of the vehicle, means to convert the spectrum at antenna frequency to a lower frequency by means of a reference frequency and a non-linear device, means for differentiating elements of said spectrum, said differentiation taking place by virtue of the difference in frequency of said elements of said spectrum corresponding to the difference in vehicle velocity relative to the elements along the strip, means for providing a roll reference signal, and means for displaying the output of said differentiating means along different radii of an indicator, said radii being determined by said roll reference signal.

Claim 13

A mapping system for use with a vehicle traveling relatively to the surface of the earth, said system comprising means to direct a beam of microwave energy over an area on the earth''s surface, a collecting antenna having a narrow fan-shaped amplitude pattern arranged to collect in the form of strips, energy reflected from said area on the earth''s surface, means for rotating the antenna pattern about an axis approximately coincident with the velocity vector of the vehicle, means to convert the spectrum at antenna frequency to a lower frequency by means of a reference frequency and a non-linear device, means for differentiating elements of said spectrum, said differentiation taking place by virtue of the difference in frequency of said elements of said spectrum corresponding to the difference in vehicle velocity relative to the elements along the strip, means for providing a roll reference signal, and means for displaying the output of said differentiating means along different radii of an indicator, said radii being determined by said roll reference signal.

Claim 14

A mapping system for use with a vehicle traveling relatively to a portion of the surface of the earth illuminated by electro-magnetic energy, said system comprising a collecting antenna having a narrow fan-shaped amplitude pattern arranged to collect in the form of strips, energy reflected from said portion of the surface of the earth, means for rotating the antenna pattern about an axis approximately coincident with the velocity vector of the vehicle, means to convert the spectrum at antenna frequency to a lower frequency by means of a reference frequency and a non-linear device, means for differentiating elements of said spectrum, said differentiation taking place by virtue of the difference in frequency of said elements of said spectrum corresponding to the differences in vehicle velocity relative to the elements along the strip, means for providing a roll reference signal, and means for displaying the output of said differentiating means along different radii of an indicator, said radii being determined by said roll reference signal.

Claim 15

A mapping system for use with a vehicle traveling relatively to a portion of the surface of the earth illuminated by electro-magnetic energy, said system comprising a collecting antenna having a narrow fan-shaped amplitude pattern arranged to collect in the form of strips, energy reflected from said portion of the surface of the earth, means for rotating the antenna pattern about an axis approximately coincident with the velocity vector of the vehicle, means to convert the spectrum at antenna frequency to a lower frequency by means of a reference frequency and a non-linear device, means for differentiating elements of said spectrum, said differentiation taking place by virtue of the difference in frequency of said elements of said spectrum corresponding to the differences in vehicle velocity relative to the elements along the strip, means for providing a roll reference signal, and means for displaying the output of said differentiating means along different radii of an indicator, said radii being determined by said roll reference signal.

Claim 16

A mapping system for use with a vehicle traveling relatively to a portion of the surface of the earth illuminated by electro-magnetic energy, said system compRising a collecting antenna having a narrow, fan-shaped amplitude pattern arranged to collect in the form of strips, energy reflected from said portion of the surface of the earth, means for rotating the antenna pattern about an axis approximately coincident with the velocity vector of the vehicle, means to convert the energy which exists over a spectrum at antenna frequency as a consequence of vehicle velocity to a lower frequency by means of a reference frequency and a non-linear device, means for providing roll reference information, a communication link transmitter for transmitting the spectrum and roll reference information to a remote station, receiving means at said remote station incorporating correlation detection and means to obtain the doppler spectrum and roll from said vehicle, means to compare the roll information with a roll reference signal, a bank of velocity filters to segregate the various frequencies of the doppler spectrum, detection means for detecting the signals from individual filters sampling circuits to sample the output from the detectors, means to sequence the sampling circuits and to act as the radial sweep control for the display device, said sequencially sampled circuits being used to control the target intensity, the beam of said display device being swept along the radius thereof starting at the center as the highest frequency filter is sampled, and progressing to the circumference as successive lower frequency filters are sampled.

Claim 17

A mapping system for use with a vehicle traveling relatively to a portion of the surface of the earth illuminated by electro-magnetic energy, said system compRising a collecting antenna having a narrow, fan-shaped amplitude pattern arranged to collect in the form of strips, energy reflected from said portion of the surface of the earth, means for rotating the antenna pattern about an axis approximately coincident with the velocity vector of the vehicle, means to convert the energy which exists over a spectrum at antenna frequency as a consequence of vehicle velocity to a lower frequency by means of a reference frequency and a non-linear device, means for providing roll reference information, a communication link transmitter for transmitting the spectrum and roll reference information to a remote station, receiving means at said remote station incorporating correlation detection and means to obtain the doppler spectrum and roll from said vehicle, means to compare the roll information with a roll reference signal, a bank of velocity filters to segregate the various frequencies of the doppler spectrum, detection means for detecting the signals from individual filters sampling circuits to sample the output from the detectors, means to sequence the sampling circuits and to act as the radial sweep control for the display device, said sequencially sampled circuits being used to control the target intensity, the beam of said display device being swept along the radius thereof starting at the center as the highest frequency filter is sampled, and progressing to the circumference as successive lower frequency filters are sampled.

Claim 20

A mapping system for use in an object moving relative to a portion of the surface of the earth illuminated by electromagnetic energy, comprising means within said object to compare electromagnetic energy received from the illuminating means with energy of said illuminating means reflected by said portion of the earth''s surface, means to extract from said comparing means the doppler frequency spectrum produced by said motion of object relative to said portion of earth''s surface, means to confine for an interval of time said energy collection to that reflected from a selectable area of said portion of earth''s surface, said selectable area being oriented within said portion of earth''s surface so that specific frequency components of said doppler frequency spectrum can be uniquely identified with specific increments of said selectable area, means for varying the orientation of said collecting means to successively collect during successive intervals of time the reflected energy from succession of areas similar in shape to said selectable area, said successive areas lying within said portion of earth''s surface, means to sense the orientation of said collecting means at each said interval of time, means to determine the signal level of each said specific frequency component of said doppler frequency spectrum during each said interval of time, means to relate each said signal level to a corresponding said increment of area for the purpose of creating pictorial information, and means for pictorially depicting said portion of earth''s surface.

Claim 21

A mapping system for use in an object moving relative to a portion of the surface of the earth illuminated by electromagnetic energy, comprising means within said object to compare electromagnetic energy received from the illuminating means with energy of said illuminating means reflected by said portion of the earth''s surface, means to extract from said comparing means the doppler frequency spectrum produced by said motion of object relative to said portion of earth''s surface, means to confine for an interval of time said energy collection to that reflected from a selectable area of said portion of earth''s surface, said selectable area being oriented within said portion of earth''s surface so that specific frequency components of said doppler frequency spectrum can be uniquely identified with specific increments of said selectable area, means for varying the orientation of said collecting means to successively collect during successive intervals of time the reflected energy from succession of areas similar in shape to said selectable area, said successive areas lying within said portion of earth''s surface, means to sense the orientation of said collecting means at each said interval of time, means to determine the signal level of each said specific frequency component of said doppler frequency spectrum during each said interval of time, means to relate each said signal level to a corresponding said increment of area for the purpose of creating pictorial information, and means for pictorially depicting said portion of earth''s surface.

Claim 22

The mapping system as defined in claim 13 in which said illuminating means is contained within said object.

Claim 23

The mapping system as defined in claim 13 including means for determining the relative angular positions between one or more reflecting objects within said portion of the earth''s surface and the intercept of said object''s velocity vector with the earth, and means to generate error signals as a function of said relative angular positions, for the purpose of controlling the trajectory of said object.