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Title: Fixed beam radar with dual range light display providing both range and azimuth information
Claims: I claim: 1. In a radar system having transmitter means for generating pulses of radio frequency energy, antenna means for radiating a beam of said energy and for receiving echoes from objects in the path of the radiated beam in a pair of lobes to the left and right of the antenna boresight, and means for converting the received echoes to video signals, the improvement comprising: first and second banks of range indicator devices for providing a display in accordance with the signals received in the left and right beams respectively, each of the indicator devices of said first bank having a paired indicator device in the second bank representing the same range thereas, a clock generator for generating master clock pulses, means for dividing the frequency of said clock pulses to provide trigger pulses for the transmitter, digital counter means for providing an output count in response to said clock pulses, the count of said counter means being initiated in response to said trigger pulses, decoder means responsive to the output of said counter means for producing a sequence of pulses which are time related to the trigger pulses so as to each represent a predetermined radar range, first and second groups of gating means for the range indicator devices in the first and second groups thereof respectively, the gating means in said first and second groups receiving the video signals representing signals received in said left and right beams respectively and each being gated in response to a separate one of the decoder means pulses, and means for coupling a signal in accordance with the output of each of said gating means to an associated one of said indicator devices. 2. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for converting the received echoes includes means for time multiplexing the signals received in said left and right beams, said left and right beam signals appearing in the output of said multiplexing means in the alternative in response to succeeding transmitter trigger pulses, amplifier means for amplifying the output of the multiplexing means and means for demultiplexing the output of the amplifier means to provide separate video signals for the left and right beams, said signals being fed to the first and second banks of indicator devices respectively. 3. The system of claim 1 wherein said indicator devices are indicator lamps, the relative intensities of each of the paired lamps indicating whether the target represented thereby is to the left or right of the antenna boresight. 4. The system of claim 1 wherein said indicator devices are light emitting diodes, the relative intensities of each of the paired diodes indicating whether the target represented thereby is to the left or right of the antenna boresight. 5. The system of claim 1 wherein said means for coupling a signal to an associated one of said indicator devices comprises an amplifier interposed between each of the gating means and its associated indicator device. 6. A radar system comprising: a radar transmitter for transmitting pulses of radio frequency energy, a fixed antenna for radiating the output of said transmitter, means for splitting the power output of said transmitter into two parts, means for separately feeding each of said parts of power to said antenna to cause said antenna to have a single "transmit" beam and a pair of "receive" beams the centerlines of which are to the left and right of the antenna boresight respectively, a receiver coupled to said antenna for receiving radio frequency echoes from objects in the path of said "transmit" beam, display means connected to receive the output of said receiver for providing a display indicating the range of said targets and the azimuth thereof relative to the antenna boresight, said display means comprising first and second banks of indicator devices, there being one of said indicator device on each of said banks for representing each of a plurality of predetermined different brackets of ranges, and clock circuit means for generating trigger pulses for pulsing the transmitter and for generating synchronizing pulses for actuating each of said indicator devices during a time period corresponding to its respective range bracket, said clock circuit means including a clock generator for generating master clock pulses, divider means for dividing the frequency of said clock pulses to produce said trigger pulses, counter circuit means for counting the clock pulses, the count of said counter circuit means being initiated by said trigger pulses, and decoder circuit means responsive to the output of said counter circuit means for generating said synchronizing pulses for sequentially actuating the indicator devices in each of the banks thereof. 7. The system of claim 6 wherein the means for separately feeding each of said parts of power to said antenna comprises a pair of waveguides having power feeds positioned to the left and right of the boresight of the antenna respectively. 8. The system of claim 6 wherein said indicator devices are lamps, the relative intensities of illumination of the corresponding lamps on each of said banks indicating whether the target represented thereby is to the left or right of the antenna boresight. 9. The system of claim 6 wherein said receiver includes means for time multiplexing signals in the left and right "receive" beams, means for amplifying and detecting said multiplexed signals and means for demultiplexing the detected signals to provide separate "left" and "right" video outputs to said display means. Other info: Inventors: Greene, Leonard M. (Chappaqua, NY, US) Application Number: 517164 Filing Date: 1974-10-23 Publication_date: 1976-05-04 Assignee: Safe Flight Instrument Corporation (White Plains, NY) Primary Class(es): 342/136 342/139 Other Classes: US Patent Ref:
Other Refs: Primary Examiner: Hubler, Malcolm F. Assistant Examiner: Attorney: Sokolski; Edward A. |
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