JPH10288660A - Radar video signal processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a radar video signal processing device for suppressing the remainder of cluttering without affecting the traveling target of, for example, aircraft from an MTI(moving target indication) video signal that is outputted from a radar device by utilizing the cluttering characteristics. SOLUTION: A sweep-dividing means 1 divides a radar signal into sweep units (an assembly of signals from 0nM to the maximum detection distance being generated from one transmission pulse) and then outputs them. A scan integration means 3 gathers and integrates radar signals (MTI videos) in the same azimuth in sweep units for the number of scannings and outputs a scan integration signal. A differential means 4 subtracts the scan integration signal from the scan integration means 3 from the radar signal from the sweepdividing means 1, thus obtaining a differential signal where only the clutter extinction remainder constituent is eliminated while retaining the target signal constituent of traveling targets such as aircraft in the radar signal (MTI video).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a radar video signal processing apparatus, and more particularly to tracking a moving target in air traffic control and the like, and suppressing and reducing clutter from a radar video signal output from the radar apparatus for controlling and monitoring. The present invention relates to a radar video signal processing device that performs processing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in order to track, control and monitor a moving target in air traffic control or the like, a radar signal output from a radar device is reflected on the moving target, the reflected radar signal is received, and a moving target instruction is given. (MTI: Moving Targe
There is known a radar video signal processing device that detects a moving target such as an aircraft by suppressing and reducing a reflected signal (clutter) from a reflector other than the moving target from the radar video signal obtained by the t Indicator) processing ( For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open
-113776, JP-A-3-264879, etc.).

[0003] The above-mentioned MTI processing is performed by the MTI method or the MTI method.
CFAR using TD (Moving Target Detector) method and logarithmic amplifier to keep false alarm probability constant
In order to prevent (constant false alarm rate) processing and to prevent the receiver from saturating and making it impossible to detect a target on clutter, STC (sens
use of itivity time control).

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional radar video signal processing apparatus, fixed clutters such as mountains and buildings, weather clutters such as rain clouds, sea clutters due to sea surface reflection, etc., are received by the radio wave propagation environment. Since the level and the spread of distance / azimuth change, clutter cannot be completely suppressed, and clutter disappears (residual clutter) exists in the MTI-processed radar video signal. Is mistaken for the target signal which is the reflection signal of

In a conventional radar video signal processing apparatus, CFAR processing and STC are often used together.
When the system is constructed mainly with clutter suppression, CFA
Since R processing and STC are a kind of attenuator circuit,
Due to these influences, an adverse effect of suppressing even a necessary target signal of an important aircraft or the like has occurred.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above points,
Utilizing clutter characteristics, M output from radar equipment
It is an object of the present invention to provide a radar video signal processing device capable of suppressing remaining clutter from a TI video signal without affecting a moving target such as an aircraft.

[0007]

According to the present invention, as shown in the principle block diagram of FIG. 1, a sweep division means 1, a timing control means 2, a scan integration means 3, a difference means 4 and a synchronization means are provided. This is a configuration including the matching means 5.

The sweep dividing means 1 receives as input signals a radar video signal (also referred to as MTI video), which is an MTI / MTD-processed video signal output from a radar apparatus, and a radar trigger and an angle signal, and receives the radar trigger and the angle signal. The signal is used to divide the radar video signal into sweep units (a set of signals from 0 NM generated by one transmission pulse to the maximum detection distance).

The timing control means 2 receives the radar trigger and the angle signal as input signals, and controls the sweep division by the sweep division means 1 and the timing signal for controlling the scan integration means 3 and the synchronization matching means 5. Output.

The scan integrator 3 receives the same radar video signal, radar trigger, and angle signal as input to the sweep divider 1 as input signals, and performs the same sweep division as the sweep divider 1 and outputs the same signal. Radar video signal obtained by averaging several scans of the azimuth sweep radar video signal (hereinafter referred to as scan integrated signal)
Occurs.

The difference means 4 converts the radar video signal (MTI video) in sweep units output from the sweep division means 1 and the scan integration signal in sweep units output from the scan integration means 3 by a timing control means using an angle signal. 2 to obtain a difference for each same azimuth and output a difference signal.

The synchronizing matching means 5 synchronizes with a radar trigger so as to be displayed at a correct distance so as to be displayed on a display device, and is synchronized with an angle signal so as to be displayed in a correct azimuth so as to be displayed in a correct direction. MTI video).

This radar video signal processing apparatus differs from a radar video signal (MTI video) output from a signal processing apparatus of a radar system by a signal obtained by extracting only a clutter-disappearing remaining signal by scan integration to thereby remove a clutter-disappearing signal. A signal obtained by suppressing only the rest is supplied as a new radar video signal (MTI video) to a display device, an information processing device, and the like.

Next, the operation of the present invention will be described with reference to the timing chart of FIG. A radar video signal (MTI video), which is an MTI / MTD-processed video signal output from a radar apparatus as shown in FIG. 2A, a radar trigger which is a pulse train having a constant period,
The angle signal is input to the sweep division means 1 and the scan integration means 2, and the radar trigger and the angle signal are also input to the timing control means 2 and the synchronization matching means 5, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 2A, the radar video signal includes not only target signals tg1 and tg2, which are reflection signals from a moving target such as an aircraft, but also an unremoved clutter (remaining clutter) component re. Receiver noise n is included.

The sweep dividing means 1 divides a radar video signal into sweep units (a set of signals from 0 NM generated by one transmission pulse to a maximum detection distance) by a radar trigger and an angle signal. In response to the output instruction, a radar video signal is output as shown in FIG. The sweep division is a processing unit from 0 NM to a maximum detection distance for one transmission. This is a conventional radar video compression system (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-264).
No. 879), MT in a certain distance range.
This is a division method clearly different from the block division that subdivides the I-video.

Since clutter is distributed at random distances in a random spread, it is difficult to process the radar video signal by dividing it by a specific distance unit, and finally, the radar video signal is transmitted to the display device. Since the signal must be supplied in sweep units, even if the signal is divided in the distance range as in the above-described block division, the signal must be eventually synthesized and restored, and thus the above-described block division is not useful.

The output timing of the sweep dividing means 1 is as follows.
This is synchronized with the scan integration signal in the same direction. The scan integrator 3 collects and integrates radar video signals (MTI video) in the same direction for several scans in sweep units (that is, adds radar video signals in sweep units for several scans, and adds the added amplitude by the number of scans). 2) to output a scan integration signal as shown in FIG.

The concept and effect of scan integration by the scan integration means 3 will be described with reference to FIG.

FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C show sweep signals in the same direction at the first scan, the second scan and the third scan (radar video signals in sweep units). As shown in FIGS. 3A to 3C, each sweep signal has a clutter-disappearing remaining component re1 to amplitude v1.
re3, target signal components tg1 to tg3 of amplitude v2, which are reflection signals from the aircraft as the moving target, and receiver noises n1 to n3.

As shown by tg1 to tg3 in FIGS. 3A to 3C, since the aircraft moves at high speed, the position where the target signal component in the sweep signal exists differs for each scan, but the clutter disappears. The remaining components re1 to re3 exist at the same position. Also, the noise n in the sweep signal
Since 1 to n3 change randomly, there is little correlation between scans.

The scan integrator 3 first generates a sum signal shown in FIG. 3D by adding the sweep signals of the same direction for the three scans. This addition signal includes a clutter-elimination remaining component re4 having an amplitude of 3 × v1 by adding clutter-elimination remaining components present at the same position in three scans, a noise n4 having an approximate value of approximately 3 × v3, and Target signal components tg1 to tg1 which have the same amplitude v2 as the sweep signal and exist at different positions from each other
tg3. Since the noise is a random distribution, the amplitude of the noise n4 is strictly between v3 and 3 × v3.

Subsequently, the scan integration means 3 generates a scan integration signal by dividing the addition signal by the number of scan integrations (here, "3"). This scan integration signal has an amplitude of v1 as shown in FIG.
The clutter-disappearing remaining component rea and the amplitude v3
It consists of noise na distributed between / 3 and v3, and target signal components tga, tgb and tgc existing at the same three positions as the addition signal with an amplitude v2 / 3.

As can be seen from FIGS. 3 (a) to 3 (e), as the number of scan integrations increases, the amplitude of the noise and the target signal components is suppressed to around 0V, whereas the remaining components of the clutter disappear. It is clear that the sweep signal can be obtained with the same amplitude as that of the sweep signal. This indicates that the scan signal can be generated by the scan integration means 3 from which the clutter-eliminating component has been extracted by scan integration.

The scan integrating means 3 performs the above processing with 0N
The scan integration signal shown in FIG. 2C is output by performing the sweep in the range of all sweeps from M to the maximum distance. By this scan integration, the radar video signal (MT
The following processing is performed on each signal on I-video).

(1) Since signal components of a high-speed moving object such as an aircraft have different distances on each sweep in the same direction, the amplitude of the integration result is suppressed (see FIG. 3).

(2) Since the remaining part due to the fixed / weather clutter is present at the same distance in each sweep in the same direction, the amplitude is not suppressed and the original signal is output as it is (see FIG. 3).

However, since the weather clutter moves very slowly, the number of scan integrals is set so that correlation between scans can be obtained. For example, 360 seconds in 10 seconds
For a radar that scans degrees, about 16 scans are appropriate.

Conventionally, video integration and scan correlation processing are also known (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 58-1137).
No. 76), the video integration is a sweep integration (a method of integrating adjacent sweep signals in the same scan), and has a completely different principle from the scan integration of the present invention. In addition, scan correlation is a process that is completely different from scan integration of the present invention because it compares signals between scans and predicts the position of a moving target. For scan integration,
It is necessary to have a function of holding the added sweep signal for several scans. However, in the scan correlation described above, only the sweep integration circuit is used, and the holding function is not required.

The difference means 4 in FIG.
The subtraction operation of subtracting the scan integration signal shown in FIG. 2C output from the scan integration means 3 from the sweep-unit radar video signal shown in FIG. The difference signal shown in d) is output. As a result, only the remaining of fixed / weather clutter is removed from the radar video signal (MTI video).
As shown in (d), a target signal component of a moving target such as an aircraft in a radar video signal (MTI video) is left as it is, and a difference signal is obtained in which only the remaining components of the clutter disappear.

In addition to the radar video signal, a radar trigger (distance reference on display) and an angle signal (azimuth reference on display and azimuth information for displaying the correct azimuth) are also output to the display device. These signals are output by synchronizing and matching means 5 so that the radar video signal can be correctly displayed in the distance / azimuth.

FIG. 2E shows a conceptual output diagram. The synchronization matching means 5 responds to the input radar trigger and angle signal
The radar video signal (difference signal) from the difference means 4 is output as shown in FIG. 2 (e) with the same timing relationship as the timing condition of each input signal in FIG. 2 (a). In this manner, the radar trigger, the angle signal, and the radar video signal shown in FIG.
(E)), the difference signal of FIG. 2 (d), that is, the radar video signal having only the target signal component is output at the timing of FIG. 2 (e).

Since the present invention can play a complementary role to the conventional MTI / MTD processing, it is ideal to mount the present invention in a signal processing device of a radar system. However,
As shown in FIG. 4A, a radar video signal (MTI video) from a signal processing device 6, a radar trigger and an angle signal are transmitted to a display device 9 via a transmission device 7 and a transmission device 8 at present. In such a radar system, the device 10 of the present invention can be inserted between the signal processing device 6 and the transmission device 7 as shown in FIG. As a result, the signal processing performance can be improved without modifying the existing radar system.

In the present invention, it is also effective to externally attach a unit having this function or to incorporate the unit into a transmission device for remotely transmitting a radar video signal or the like. Furthermore,
According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the signal processing performance of an existing radar system, but it can be used without modifying the existing system by inserting a small-scale panel structure. Although FIG. 4B shows five types of circuit board configurations, these can be realized by a single application-specific IC (ASIC).

[0035]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 5 shows a block diagram of one embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment reduces 80 NM / 360 degrees to about 4
This is a radar video signal processing device applied to a radar system that searches in seconds, and includes a sweep divider 11, a timing controller 12, a scan integrator 13, a differentiator 14, and a synchronization matching unit 15.

MTI / MTD output from radar device
A radar video signal (approximately 1.
This shows the case of timing output at 5 ms intervals), radar trigger (output at 1.5 ms intervals), and angle signal (A
(RP and ACP) are shown in FIG. Here, "AR
"P" is a signal output once every four seconds and output when the radar search beam is directed to magnetic north. This is a reference signal of the azimuth, and indicates 0 degree on the radar display screen. Also, "AC
"P" is a signal composed of 4096 pulses generated in 4 seconds. In other words, it is a signal obtained by dividing 360 degrees by 4096. Therefore, 1 ACP is 0.088 (= 360
/ 4096) degrees.

The sweep divider 11 converts the radar video signal (MTI video) into sweep units (1) based on the radar trigger and the angle signal among these input signals shown in FIG.
The signal is divided into 0 NM to 80 NM generated by one transmission pulse), buffered, and synchronized with a scan integration signal in the same direction in accordance with an output instruction from the timing controller 12, as shown in FIG. Outputs radar video signal in sweep units.

The output timing is the same in the same direction (the same A).
This is synchronized with the scan integration signal of 1024 (90 degrees) which is the CP count number. FIG. 6B shows a sweep signal (0 NM to 1024 ACP) of azimuth 1024 ACP (about 90 degrees).
(Up to 80 NM).

The scan integrator 13 has a scan memory, and prepares the same number of memory addresses as the ACP numbers. In this case, a scan memory divided into 4096 ACPs is provided. The scan integrator 13 stores a radar video signal (M) having the same orientation (the same ACP number) in the scan memory.
TI video) are collected for several scans in sweep units, added, and stored in a scan memory. In the case of a radar video signal having a maximum amplitude of 2 V in one sweep and performing 16 scan integrations, the sum of the additions reaches a maximum of 32 V. Therefore, the scan memory has a capacity corresponding to the amplitude information.

The scan integrator 13 receives the input signal shown in FIG. 6A, adds the radar video signals for 16 scans, divides the added radar video signal by 16, and shows the result shown in FIG. 6C. Outputs scan integration signal. At this time, the ARP and the radar trigger are counted in order to count the scan.

The differentiator 14 outputs the sweep video signal from the sweep integrator 13 from the sweep integrator 13 shown in FIG.
A subtraction operation for subtracting the scan integration signal shown in (c) is performed, and a difference signal shown in FIG. 6D is output. As a result, only the disappearance of the fixed / weather clutter is removed from the radar video signal (MTI video), and as shown in FIG. 6D, the target signal of a moving target such as an aircraft in the radar video signal (MTI video) Intact ingredients,
As a result, a difference signal from which only the clutter disappearing residual component is removed is obtained.

The difference signal, that is, the radar video signal having only the target signal component is composed of a radar trigger (distance reference on display) and an angle signal (azimuth reference on display and azimuth information for displaying the correct azimuth on the radar video). ) Is input to the synchronization matching unit 15, where the output timing is adjusted and output so that the radar video signal can be displayed correctly in the distance / azimuth.

That is, as shown in FIG. 6 (e), the synchronization matching means 5 applies the radar video signal (difference signal) from the differentiator 14 to the input radar trigger and angle signal.
Are output with the same timing relationship as the timing condition of each input signal in FIG. As described above, the radar trigger, the angle signal, and the radar video signal shown in FIG. 6A are processed through the respective processes (FIGS. 6B to 6E), and FIG.
, That is, a radar video signal having only the target signal component is output at the timing shown in FIG.

[0044]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Subtracting only clutter-eliminated components by scanning integration from radar video signals with clutter-eliminated radar video signals to remove and suppress only clutter-eliminated components (the amplitude is suppressed to the noise level even if it remains due to the difference) , The radar video signal (MT
I-video) can be used only as moving target information (target signal component) of an aircraft or the like, so that it is possible to eliminate a cause of misidentification in a radar video signal, and therefore, it is inevitably present in conventional radar signal processing technology. It is possible to prevent the remaining clutter disappearing from being mistaken for a moving target such as an aircraft.

Further, according to the present invention, only clutter disappearance is removed and suppressed.
When the FAR and the STC are used to configure the signal processing with emphasis on clutter suppression, it is possible to prevent a target signal of an important aircraft or the like from being suppressed due to their influence.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a principle block diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a timing chart for explaining the operation of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a timing chart for explaining an operation of scan integration in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an example of a conventional radar system and a radar system to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a timing chart for explaining the operation of FIG. 5;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Sweep division means 2 Timing control means 3 Scan integration means 4 Difference means 5 Synchronization matching means 6 Signal processing device 7, 8 Transmission device 9 Display device 10 Invention device 11 Sweep division device 12 Timing controller 13 Scan integrator 14 Difference device 15 Synchronous matching device

Claims (3)

[Claims] A sweep division means for receiving a radar video signal, which is a predetermined processed video signal output from a radar apparatus, a radar trigger and an angle signal as input signals, dividing the sweep signal into sweep units, and outputting a radar video signal; Receiving the radar trigger and the angle signal as input signals;
Timing control means for outputting a timing signal, the radar video signal, a radar trigger, an angle signal and a timing signal are received as input signals, and radar video signals in sweep units in the same direction are added for a plurality of scans,
A scan integrating means for dividing the added amplitude by the number of scans to output a scan integrated signal; a radar video signal from the sweep dividing means and the scan integrated signal are subtracted for each same direction by an angle signal; And a difference means for outputting the signal. 2. Receiving a difference signal from the difference means, a radar trigger and an angle signal input to the sweep division means, and a timing signal from the timing control means as input signals, synchronizing the difference signal with the radar trigger, 2. A radar video signal processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a synchronization matching unit for outputting a display radar video signal synchronized with the angle signal together with the radar trigger and the angle signal in accordance with the timing signal. apparatus. 3. The radar video signal processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said scan integrator sets the number of scans to be added and divided to a value at which a scan correlation can be obtained.