IP Library Granted Patent US 12687609
Granted Patent B2
US 12687609 · App. 18/592,635 · Granted Jul 21, 2026

Radar device and gain adjustment method

Inventors: Yoshifumi Ohnishi (Nishinomiya-City, JP); Koki Yamaguchi (Nishinomiya, JP); Takuya Okimoto (Kakogawa, JP)
Assignee: FURUNO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
G01S7/358
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12687609
App. No.
18/592,635
Granted
Jul 21, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A radar apparatus is provided with: a transmitter for transmitting a transmission signal in which the frequency is changed over time; a receiver for receiving a radio wave returned by the transmission signal being reflected by an object as a reception signal; a frequency convertor for generating an in-phase signal and a quadrature signal based on the reception signal; an amplitude signal generator for generating an in-phase amplitude signal indicating the amplitude of the in-phase signal and a quadrature amplitude signal indicating the amplitude of the quadrature signal; a maximum value selector for selecting the higher level of the in-phase amplitude signal and the quadrature amplitude signal as the maximum value signal; and a gain adjuster for adjusting the gain of the reception signal based on the maximum value signal.

Claims (62)

1 . A radar apparatus comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit a transmission signal having a frequency configured to change over time;

a receiver configured to receive a radio wave reflected by an object as a reception signal; and

processing circuitry configured to:

generate, based on the reception signal, each of an in-phase amplitude signal and a quadrature amplitude signal,

wherein the in-phase amplitude signal and the quadrature amplitude signal are offset in time; and

generate a maximum value signal based on the in-phase amplitude signal and the quadrature amplitude signal

wherein, during a duration of time, the maximum value signal comprises maximum values of each of the in-phase amplitude signal and the quadrature amplitude signal,

wherein, at any moment in time during the duration, the maximum value signal comprises either:

only one of the in-phase amplitude signal or the quadrature amplitude signal that has a largest maximum value, or

either the in-phase amplitude signal or the quadrature amplitude signal when the respective maximum values are equal; and

to adjust the gain of the received signal based on the maximum value signal.

2 . The radar apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a low-pass filter configured to receive the maximum value signal and to output an attenuated maximum value signal, the attenuated maximum value signal having a constant frequency that is equal to or greater than a predetermined cut-off frequency of the low-pass filter,

wherein the processing circuitry is further configured:

to adjust the gain of the received signal based on the attenuated component of the maximum value signal that is output from the low-pass filter.

3 . The radar apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein:

a portion of the processing circuitry comprises an analog circuit.

4 . The radar apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the in-phase amplitude signal and the quadrature amplitude signal correspond to a baseband band.

5 . The radar apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry is further configured:

to digitally convert the in-phase signal and the quadrature signal; and

to convert the in-phase signal and the quadrature signal digitally converted by the A/D convertor into amplitude data indicating a relationship between distance and amplitude.

6 . A gain adjustment method in a radar apparatus comprising:

transmitting a transmission signal having a frequency configured to change over time;

receiving a radio wave reflected by an object as a reception signal;

generating in-phase and quadrature signals based on the reception signal;

generating, based on the reception signal, each of an in-phase amplitude signal and a quadrature amplitude signal,

wherein the in-phase amplitude signal and the quadrature amplitude signal are offset in time; and

generating a maximum value signal based on the in-phase amplitude signal and the quadrature amplitude signal,

wherein, during a duration of time, the maximum value signal comprises maximum values of each of the in-phase amplitude signal and the quadrature amplitude signal,

wherein, at any moment in time during the duration, the maximum value signal comprises either:

only one of the in-phase amplitude signal or the quadrature amplitude signal that has a largest maximum value, or

either the in-phase amplitude signal or the quadrature amplitude signal when the respective maximum values are equal; and

adjusting the gain of the received signal based on the maximum value signal.

7 . The gain adjustment method according to claim 6 , further comprising:

performing a low-pass filtering process on the maximum value signal to generate an attenuated maximum value signal, the attenuated maximum value signal having a constant frequency that is equal to or greater than a predetermined cut-off frequency of the low-pass filter,

wherein the adjusting the gain comprises adjusting the gain of the received signal based on the attenuated component of the maximum value signal.

8 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

transmit a transmission signal having a frequency configured to change over time;

receive a radio wave reflected by an object as a reception signal;

generate, based on the reception signal, each of an in-phase amplitude signal and a quadrature amplitude signal,

wherein the in-phase amplitude signal and the quadrature amplitude signal are offset in time; and

generate a maximum value signal based on the in-phase amplitude signal and the quadrature amplitude signal,

wherein, during a duration of time, the maximum value signal comprises maximum values of each of the in-phase amplitude signal and the quadrature amplitude signal,

wherein, at any moment in time during the duration, the maximum value signal comprises either:

only one of the in-phase amplitude signal or the quadrature amplitude signal that has a largest maximum value, or

either the in-phase amplitude signal or the quadrature amplitude signal when the respective maximum values are equal; and

adjust the gain of the received signal based on the maximum value signal.

9 . The radar apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the in-phase amplitude signal and the quadrature amplitude signal correspond to a baseband band.

10 . The radar apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the in-phase amplitude signal and the quadrature amplitude signal correspond to a baseband band.

11 . The radar apparatus according to claim 2 wherein

the processing circuitry is further configured:

to digitally convert the in-phase signal and the quadrature signal; and

to convert the in-phase signal and the quadrature signal digitally converted by the A/D convertor into amplitude data indicating a relationship between distance and amplitude.

12 . The radar apparatus according to claim 3 wherein

the processing circuitry is further configured:

to digitally convert the in-phase signal and the quadrature signal; and

to convert the in-phase signal and the quadrature signal digitally converted by the A/D convertor into amplitude data indicating a relationship between distance and amplitude.

13 . The radar apparatus according to claim 4 wherein

the processing circuitry is further configured:

to digitally convert the in-phase signal and the quadrature signal; and

to convert the in-phase signal and the quadrature signal digitally converted by the A/D convertor into amplitude data indicating a relationship between distance and amplitude.