The invention relates to a method of detecting a scatterer in a structure, such as a building structure. The method comprises the steps of transmitting from one or a multiple number of positions exterior to a structure, a wall probing radar signal towards the structure. The method also comprises the step of receiving, at one or a multiple number of positions exterior to the structure, signals that have been reflected by scatterers in the structure. Further, the method comprises the step of filtering, from the received signals, reflection information of a specific scatterer at a specific position. In addition, the method comprises the step of identifying a geometry of the specific scatterer, based on the reflection information. The filtering step comprises applying a phase change algorithm corresponding to a specific scatterer type.

A radar apparatus according to the present disclosure includes: a transmission unit configured to transmit radio waves; a reception unit including a first receiver configured to receive a first reflected radio wave and a second receiver configured to receive a second reflected radio wave, the first reflected radio wave and the second reflected radio wave having different polarization characteristics from each other and being included in reflected radio waves that are the radio waves reflected by a detection target; and a control unit configured to control operations of the transmission unit and the reception unit, and configured to identify the detection target on the basis of the operation of the transmission unit, a first reception level at the first receiver, and a second reception level at the second receiver.

An antenna system for a mobile communications base station and a method of operating a communications network including a base station is described. The antenna system includes an antenna array for beamforming and is configured either as a radar sensor, a communications antenna or a combined radar sensor. A radar image may be used to determine a map of objects in the vicinity of the antenna system and to adapt the beamsteering or beamforming of the antenna system.

A system for testing vehicular radar is described. The system include a free-space polarization adapter (FSPA) configured to alter a first polarization state of electromagnetic waves from a radar device under test (DUT) to a second polarization state, which is different than the first polarization state; and a re-illuminator adapted to receive the electromagnetic waves having the second polarization state from the FSPA.

A hazard warning or weather radar system or method can be utilized to determine a location of ice. The system and method can be used in an aircraft. The aircraft weather radar system can include a radar antenna and an electronic processor. The radar antenna receives radar returns. The processor determines levels of icing conditions and causes the levels to be displayed on an electronic display.

An aircraft ice detection system is configured to determine a condition of a cloud and includes a radar transmitter, a radar receiver, optics and a splitter. The radar transmitter is configured to produce quasi-optical radiation. The optics are configured to direct the quasi-optical radiation from the radar transmitter to the cloud and receive reflected quasi-optical radiation from the cloud. The radar receiver is configured to receive the reflected quasi-optical radiation from the optics and the splitter is configured to direct the reflected quasi-optical radiation from the optics to the radar receiver.

In a general aspect, a radar system includes a vapor cell sensor system and a radio frequency (RF) optic. The vapor cell sensor system includes a vapor cell sensor, and the RF optic is configured to direct an RF field onto the vapor cell sensor. The RF field includes one or more RF pulses that define a radar signal. The radar system also includes a signal processing system configured to perform operations that include generating a digital signal based on a signal from the vapor cell sensor system. The digital signal represents a measured response of the vapor to the RF field over a time period. The operations also include applying a matched filter to the digital signal to generate a filtered signal and processing the filtered signal to determine properties of the RF field sensed by the vapor cell sensor over the time period.

The present invention includes systems and methods for a continuous-wave (CW) radar system for detecting, geolocating, identifying, discriminating between, and mapping ferrous and non-ferrous metals in brackish and saltwater environments. The radar system (e.g., the CW radar system) generates multiple extremely low frequency (ELF) electromagnetic waves simultaneously and uses said waves to detect, locate, and classify objects of interest. These objects include all types of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, as well as changing material boundary layers (e.g., soil to water, sand to mud, rock to organic materials, water to air, etc.). The radar system (e.g., the CW radar system) is operable to detect objects of interest in near real time.

A synthetic aperture radar (SAR) generates concurrent first radar pulses in first frequency channels. The SAR transmits, and receives returns of, the concurrent first radar pulses by first antenna feeds that form first beams in the first frequency channels and that are directed to respective first subswaths of a swath on the Earth separated by subswath gaps. The SAR generates concurrent second radar pulses in second frequency channels. The SAR transmits, and receives returns of, the concurrent second radar pulses by second antenna feeds configured to form second beams in the second frequency channels and that are directed to respective second subswaths of the swath on the Earth and that coincide with the subswath gaps. The SAR processes the returns of the first radar pulses from the first subswaths and the returns of the second radar pulses from the second subswaths to form a SAR image contiguous across the swath.

Apparatus and associated methods relate to detecting cloud conditions from a distance by generating a polarized microwave-frequency electromagnetic pulse and evaluating various reflected wave parameters pertaining to a corresponding cloud-reflected microwave-frequency electromagnetic reflection. Various cloud metrics can be calculated using these collected wave parameters. The microwave-frequency pulses can be scanned over multiple dimensions, using a steered beam arrangement which will lead to the ability to scanning a conical sector of the space in front of the aircraft. These collected multi-dimensional wave parameters can then be used to generate multi-dimensional maps of cloud metrics. Such cloud metrics can include relative velocities of moving cloud conditions in the flight direction, particle density distributions, ice/water ratios, estimates of particle side distributions, etc.