| US 7,548,186 B2 | ||
| Method and apparatus for detection of an electromagnetic signal reflected from and object | ||
| Ralph Mende, Braunschweig (Germany); and Marc Behrens, Königslutter (Germany) | ||
| Assigned to S.M.S. Smart Microwave Sensors GmbH, Braunschweig (Germany) | ||
| Filed on Aug. 15, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/203,439. | ||
| Claims priority of application No. 10 2004 040 015 (DE), filed on Aug. 16, 2004. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2006/0033654 A1, Feb. 16, 2006 | ||
| Int. Cl. G01S 13/48 (2006.01); G01S 13/93 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 342—149 [342/70; 342/157; 342/159; 342/380] | 8 Claims |

| 1. A method comprising the steps of:
transmitting electromagnetic signals by a transmitting antenna,
receiving the transmitted electromagnetic signals reflected by an object by means of at least two essentially identical receiving
antennas,
arranging said receiving antennas in a basic alignment and with a distance (d) from each other,
using receiving antennas which each have a sensitivity characteristic over reception angles showing a maximum for a reception
angle coinciding with the basic alignment, flanks initially falling with increasing reception angle from the basic alignment
from said maximum to a minimum each, then with still increasing reception angle from the basic alignment forming first sidelobes
having increasing sensitivities, said sidelobes being arranged symmetrically to said basic alignment,
for measurement purposes, determining phase differences of the signals being reflected by an object and received by said at
least two receiving antennas, said phase difference being unambiguous within a certain angle interval, said angle interval
depending upon the distance (d) between the receiving antennas,
wherein said distance (d) is chosen so that limits of the unambiguous angle interval intersect the first sidelobes, and wherein
the signals received by the receiving antennas are vectorially added before the phase differences are determined.
|