System for monitoring a maritime environment
A system for monitoring a maritime environment comprises a plurality of radio detection and ranging devices configured to perform a synchronous detection of a maritime environment object, to transmit a plurality of sensor signals respectively relating to a location of the maritime environment object over a communication network, and to receive a synchronization signal. Each radio detection and ranging device is configured to synchronize its operation according to the synchronization signal. A synchronization source is configured to generate the synchronization signal for synchronizing operations of radio detection and ranging devices, and to provide the synchronization signal over the communication network to the radio detection and ranging devices. A processing device is configured to receive the plurality of sensor signals from the plurality of radio detection and ranging devices, and to determine the location of the object in the maritime environment upon the basis of the plurality of sensor signals.
1. A system for monitoring a maritime environment, the system comprising:
a plurality of radio detection and ranging devices being configured to perform a synchronous detection of an object in the maritime environment, to transmit a plurality of sensor signals respectively relating to a location of the object in the maritime environment over a communication network, and to receive a synchronization signal, each of the radio detection and ranging devices being configured to synchronize its operation according to the synchronization signal;
a synchronization source being configured to generate the synchronization signal for synchronizing operations of the plurality of radio detection and ranging devices, and to provide the synchronization signal over the communication network to the plurality of radio detection and ranging devices; and
a processing device being configured to receive the plurality of sensor signals from the plurality of radio detection and ranging devices, and to determine the location of the object in the maritime environment upon the basis of the plurality of sensor signals;
wherein the plurality of radio detection and ranging devices comprises a surveillance radio detection and ranging device and a man-over-board radio detection and ranging device;
wherein the surveillance radio detection and ranging device and the man-over- board radio detection and ranging device are arranged to form an outstation or a cluster; and
wherein a first radio detection and ranging device of the plurality of radio detection and ranging devices is configured to provide a first sensor signal, wherein a second radio detection and ranging device of the plurality of radio detection and ranging devices is configured to provide a second sensor signal, and wherein the first radio detection and ranging device or the second radio detection and ranging device is configured to combine the first sensor signal with the second sensor signal.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the radio detection and ranging devices is configured to synchronously generate a transmit signal upon the basis of the synchronization signal, to transmit the transmit signal towards the object in the maritime environment, to receive a reflected signal, the reflected signal forming a reflected version of the transmit signal, and to generate a sensor signal upon the basis of the transmit signal and the reflected signal.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein each of the radio detection and ranging devices is configured to determine a Doppler frequency shift between the transmit signal and the reflected signal, and to generate the sensor signal upon the basis of the determined Doppler frequency shift.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of radio detection and ranging devices is arranged to continuously monitor a predetermined azimuth range and to perform the synchronous detection of the object in the maritime environment within the predetermined azimuth range.
5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the predetermined azimuth range comprises an azimuth range of 360° .
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the synchronization source comprises a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver, a local oscillator, or a combination thereof, for generating the synchronization signal.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the synchronization signal indicates a reference time, a reference frequency, or a reference phase, and wherein each of the radio detection and ranging devices is configured to synchronize its operation with regard to the reference time, the reference frequency, or the reference phase.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processing device is configured to determine a meteorological or oceanographic parameter of the maritime environment upon the basis of the plurality of sensor signals.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the meteorological or oceanographic parameter of the maritime environment comprises an ocean current speed, an ocean current direction, an ocean wave height, an oceanwave period, an ocean wave frequency, an oceanwave direction of propagation, an ocean wave spectrum, a wind speed, or a wind direction.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processing device is configured to combine the plurality of sensor signals using a state estimation filter to determine the location of the object in the maritime environment.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the state estimation filter comprises a Kalman filter or a particle filter.
12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processing device is configured to detect a malfunction of a radio detection and ranging device of the plurality of radio detection and ranging devices upon the basis of the plurality of sensor signals, and to generate an indicator signal indicating the malfunction of the radio detection and ranging device.
13. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of receiving devices being configured to perform a synchronous reception of an electromagnetic signal originating from a further object in the maritime environment, to transmit a plurality of receiving signals respectively relating to a location of the further object in the maritime environment over the communication network, and to receive a further synchronization signal, each of the receiving devices being configured to synchronize its operation according to the further synchronization signal;
wherein the synchronization source is configured to generate the further synchronization signal for synchronizing operations of the plurality of receiving devices, and to provide the further synchronization signal over the communication network to the plurality of receiving devices; and
wherein the processing device is configured to receive the plurality of receiving signals from the plurality of receiving devices, and to determine the location of the further object in the maritime environment upon the basis of the plurality of receiving signals.
14. The system of claim 13 , wherein a first receiving device of the plurality of receiving devices is configured to provide a first receiving signal, wherein a second receiving device of the plurality of receiving devices is configured to provide a second receiving signal, and wherein the processing device is configured to determine a time difference between a reception of the electromagnetic signal by the first receiving device and a reception of the electromagnetic signal by the second receiving device upon the basis of the first receiving signal and the second receiving signal.
15. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a further radio detection and ranging device being configured to perform a detection of the object in the maritime environment, and to transmit a further sensor signal relating to the location of the object in the maritime environment over the communication network;
wherein the processing device is configured to receive the further sensor signal from the further radio detection and ranging device, and to determine the location of the object in the maritime environment upon the basis of the further sensor signal.
16. A method for monitoring a maritime environment, the method comprising:
generating a synchronization signal by a synchronization source for synchronizing operations of a plurality of radio detection and ranging devices;
providing the synchronization signal over a communication network by the synchronization source to the plurality of radio detection and ranging devices;
receiving the synchronization signal by the plurality of radio detection and ranging devices;
synchronizing an operation of each of the radio detection and ranging devices according to the synchronization signal;
performing a synchronous detection of an object in the maritime environment by the plurality of radio detection and ranging devices;
transmitting a plurality of sensor signals respectively relating to a location of the object in the maritime environment over the communication network by the plurality of radio detection and ranging devices;
receiving the plurality of sensor signals from the plurality of radio detection and ranging devices by a processing device; and
determining the location of the object in the maritime environment upon the basis of the plurality of sensor signals by the processing device;
wherein the plurality of radio detection and ranging devices comprises a surveillance radio detection and ranging device and a man-over-board radio detection and ranging device;
wherein the surveillance radio detection and ranging device and the man-over-board radio detection and ranging device are arranged to form an outstation or a cluster; and
wherein a first radio detection and ranging device of the plurality of radio detection and ranging devices is configured to provide a first sensor signal, wherein a second radio detection and ranging device of the plurality of radio detection and ranging devices is configured to provide a second sensor signal, and wherein the first radio detection and ranging device or the second radio detection and ranging device is configured to combine the first sensor signal with the second sensor signal.
17. A system for monitoring a maritime environment, the system comprising:
a plurality of radio detection and ranging devices being configured to perform a synchronous detection of an object in the maritime environment, to transmit a plurality of sensor signals respectively relating to a location of the object in the maritime environment over a communication network, and to receive a synchronization signal, each of the radio detection and ranging devices being configured to synchronize its operation according to the synchronization signal;
a synchronization source being configured to generate the synchronization signal for synchronizing operations of the plurality of radio detection and ranging devices, and to provide the synchronization signal over the communication network to the plurality of radio detection and ranging devices; and
a processing device being configured to receive the plurality of sensor signals from the plurality of radio detection and ranging devices, and to determine the location of the object in the maritime environment upon the basis of the plurality of sensor signals;
wherein a first radio detection and ranging device of the plurality of radio detection and ranging devices is configured to provide a first sensor signal, wherein a second radio detection and ranging device of the plurality of radio detection and ranging devices is configured to provide a second sensor signal, and wherein the first radio detection and ranging device or the second radio detection and ranging device is configured to combine the first sensor signal with the second sensor signal.