Fast Scanning Radar Using Fixed Earth-Referenced Beamforming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional remote sensing systems face challenges in achieving fast updating rates while maintaining long time-on-target and high detection performance across a full 360-degree scan, often requiring multiple antennas or slow scanning speeds, which increase costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a Fast-Scanning Earth-Referenced Beamforming (FERB) system that uses a single antenna array to rapidly scan a large area by forming remote sensor beams at fixed positions relative to an absolute coordinate frame, allowing for continuous sequential beam processing and matching scan speed with dwell period, thereby achieving long time-on-target and high update rates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional radar systems rotate the antenna slowly to provide long illumination time on targets, then detection performance is improved, but scanning speed and update rate deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the 360-degree scan into multiple fixed angular sectors, each with its own dedicated beam. This segmentation allows simultaneous processing of multiple sectors, enabling fast scanning while maintaining sufficient illumination time in each sector through coordinated beam switching and signal integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from mechanical rotation in one dimension to electronic beam steering across multiple angular dimensions. By forming beams at fixed positions relative to an absolute coordinate frame and using sequential beam processing, the system achieves fast scanning without mechanical movement, resolving the contradiction between scanning speed and detection performance.
2Speed
If multiple antennas are distributed across an area of interest to increase update rate, then scanning speed is improved, but system cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes a single antenna array perform multiple functions by forming multiple fixed beams at different angular positions simultaneously. This multi-functionality allows one antenna to replace what would traditionally require multiple distributed antennas, achieving fast update rates while reducing system complexity and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates virtual copies of the antenna's sensing capability in different angular directions through beamforming. By forming multiple fixed beams from a single physical antenna array, the system achieves the effect of having multiple sensing positions without the cost and complexity of physically distributing multiple antennas.
3Measurement precision
If conventional systems use slow scanning to maintain long time-on-target, then detection accuracy is improved, but productivity and update rate deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent ensures continuous useful action by maintaining fixed beams at all angular positions simultaneously through beamforming. As the antenna sequentially illuminates each sector, the corresponding fixed beam continuously processes signals from that sector, ensuring no loss of detection accuracy while enabling fast scanning and high update rates.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary action by pre-forming fixed beams at all required angular positions before scanning begins. This allows the system to immediately process returns from any sector without waiting for mechanical rotation, achieving both high detection accuracy and fast update rates through advance preparation of the sensing capability.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods to provide remote sensing data and/or imagery (e.g., radar and/or other ranging system data, image data, and/or target detection data). A remote sensing system includes a remote sensing assembly including a scanning sensor array, and a coupled logic device. The logic device is configured to receive remote sensor returns from a plurality of remote sensor beams within an illumination zone of the remote sensing assembly, wherein each remote sensor beam is formed using the scanning sensor array and comprises a substantially static orientation relative to an absolute coordinate frame, and generate remote sensor data based, at least in part, on the remote sensor returns and the substantially static orientations of the plurality of remote sensor beams. Subsequent user input and/or the sensor data may be used to adjust operational modes and/or systems of the remote sensing system.