Pulse radar ranging system

1. A pulse radar ranging system, comprising:

transmit pulse generator means for generating transmit pulses at a transmit clock frequency;

sampling pulse generator means for generating sampling pulses at a sampling clock frequency slightly different from the transmit clock frequency;

a signal mixer having a first signal input and a second signal input, the first signal input being coupled to the sampling pulse generator means;

an antenna;

directional coupling means having a first, a second and a third port respectively coupled to the transmit pulse generator means, to the antenna and to the second signal input of the signal mixer; and

signal processing means,

wherein the directional coupling means are configured to convey the transmit pulses to be transmitted via the antenna to a target and to convey echo pulses received by the antenna to the second signal input of the signal mixer,

wherein the signal mixer is configured to generate an intermediate frequency signal by mixing the echo pulses with the sampling pulses,

wherein the signal processing means are configured to evaluate the intermediate frequency signal to determine the target distance,

wherein the directional coupling means include a four-port circulator with an additional fourth port arranged between the first port coupled to the transmit pulse generator means and the second port coupled to the antenna,

wherein a reference line is coupled to the fourth port, the reference line generating reference echo pulses in response to input pulses,

wherein the four-port circulator is configured to split a portion of the transmit pulses as the input pulses to the reference line and to convey the reference echo pulses to the antenna, and

wherein the signal processing means is further configured to determine a reference distance between target echoes generated by the transmit pulses and target echoes generated by the reference echo pulses.

2. A method of providing a distance or level measurement based upon a direct measurement of a running time of microwave pulses, comprising:

generating transmit pulses at a transmit clock frequency;

generating sampling pulses at a sampling clock frequency slightly different from the transmit clock frequency;

conveying the transmit pulses by directional coupling means;

transmitting the transmit pulses via an antenna to a target;

receiving echo pulses by the antenna;

conveying the echo pulses received by the antenna to a second signal input of a signal mixer;

generating an intermediate frequency signal by mixing the echo pulses with the sampling pulses by the signal mixer;

evaluating the intermediate frequency signal to determine a target distance,

generating reference echo pulses by a reference line coupled to a port of a four-port circulator, the reference line generating the reference echo pulses in response to input pulses, wherein a portion of the transmit pulses is split as the input pulses to the reference line by the four-port circulator;

conveying the reference echo pulses to the antenna by the four-port circulator; and

determining a reference distance between target echoes generated by the transmit pulses and target echoes generated by the reference echo pulses.