Standoff range sense through obstruction radar system

Abstract

A standoff range, sense-through-obstruction radar system is capable of detecting micro-Doppler, or life form signatures, and movements through obstructions at stand-off ranges and displaying the target information over a live video feed of the area under surveillance. The sense-through-obstruction radar system comprises an antenna assembly that includes a horn antenna and a reflector configured to reflect radio frequency (RF) energy to/from the horn antenna. An antenna pointing assembly supports the antenna assembly. The antenna pointing assembly is configured to move the antenna assembly to point the antenna assembly toward an obstruction. A sensor assembly is mounted to the antenna assembly so that the sensor assembly is aligned with the RF beam formed from the RF energy reflected from the reflector to the horn antenna. The sensor assembly is configured to detect the location of the obstruction and to provide information to assist pointing of the antenna assembly toward the obstruction.

1 . A sense-through-obstruction radar system comprising:
 an antenna assembly including a reflector and a horn antenna, the reflector configured to reflect RF energy to the horn antenna;   an antenna pointing assembly supporting the antenna assembly, the antenna pointing assembly configured to move the antenna assembly to point the antenna assembly toward an obstruction; and   a sensor assembly mounted to the antenna assembly so that the sensor assembly is aligned with an RF beam formed from the RF energy reflected from the reflector to the horn antenna, the sensor assembly configured to detect the location of the obstruction to direct pointing of the antenna assembly toward the obstruction by the antenna pointing assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The sense-through-obstruction radar system as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a radar computing device configured to direct movement of the antenna assembly by the antenna pointing assembly responsive to detection of the location of the obstruction by the sensor assembly. 
     
     
         3 . The sense-through-obstruction radar system as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the sensor assembly comprises a camera, the camera configured to capture an image of the obstruction. 
     
     
         4 . The sense-through-obstruction radar system as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the camera comprises an electro-optical camera configured to capture at least one of a photographic image or video of the obstruction. 
     
     
         5 . The standoff range, sense-through-obstruction radar system as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the camera comprises an infrared camera configured to capture an infrared image of the obstruction. 
     
     
         6 . The sense-through-obstruction radar system as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the sensor assembly comprises a range finder, the range finder configured to detect a range from the antenna assembly to the obstruction. 
     
     
         7 . The sense-through-obstruction radar system as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the camera and the range finder are mounted to the antenna assembly adjacent to the horn antenna. 
     
     
         8 . The sense-through-obstruction radar system as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the antenna assembly further comprises at least one support arm configured to support the reflector and the horn antenna in an offset feed arrangement so that the horn antenna is positioned to receive RF energy reflected from the reflector, the support arm supporting the camera and range finder. 
     
     
         9 . The sense-through-obstruction radar system as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the radar director assembly comprises a range finder, the range finder configured to detect a range from the antenna assembly to the obstruction. 
     
     
         10 . The sense-through-obstruction radar system as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the antenna pointing assembly comprises a gimbal configured to control the azimuth and elevation of the antenna assembly. 
     
     
         11 . A method for operating a sense-through-obstruction radar system, comprising:
 transmitting range information to a radar computing device, the radar computing device operable to utilize the range information to configure a timing of a transmit-receive cycle associated with the sense-through-obstruction radar system;   receiving track data corresponding to a filtered range/range-rate pair from the radar computing device; and   causing at least one track box to be superimposed over a real-time image that represents a field of view of the sense-through-obstruction radar system, the at least one track box corresponding to the track data and representing a target detected by the sense-through-obstruction radar system.   
     
     
         12 . The method as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the causing at least one track box to be superimposed over a real-time image comprises causing at least one track box to have a first hue when the target is stationary and a second hue when the target is in motion. 
     
     
         13 . The method as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the causing at least one track box to be superimposed over a real-time image comprises causing at least one track box to be represented as a human avatar. 
     
     
         14 . The method as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the causing at least one track box to be superimposed over a real-time image further comprises causing at least one track box to be represented as a three-dimensional human avatar. 
     
     
         15 . The method as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the first hue comprises red and the second hue comprises green. 
     
     
         16 . A sense-through-obstruction radar system comprising:
 a radar operable to furnish sense-through-obstruction target detection;   a mobile computing device communicatively coupled to the radar, the mobile computing device further including:
 a display device; 
 a memory operable to store one or more modules; and 
 a processing system operable to execute the one or more modules to: 
 transmit range information to a radar computing device that is operable to utilize the range information to configure a timing of a transmit-receive cycle associated with the sense-through-obstruction radar system; 
 receive track data corresponding to a filtered range/range-rate pair from the radar computing device; and cause at least one track box to be superimposed over a real-time image displayed by the display device, the real-time image representing a field of view of the radar, the at least one track box corresponding to the track data and representing a target detected by the radar. 
   
     
     
         17 . The sense-through-obstruction radar system as recited in  claim 16 , further comprising a display module operable to cause the at least one track box to have a first hue when the target is stationary and to have a second hue when the target is in motion. 
     
     
         18 . The sense-through-obstruction radar system as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the module is configured to cause the at least one track box to be represented as a human avatar. 
     
     
         19 . The sense-through-obstruction radar system as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the module is further configured to cause the at least one track box to be represented as a three-dimensional human avatar. 
     
     
         20 . The sense-through-obstruction radar system as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the first hue comprises red and the second hue comprises green.