Thomas Richard Cantwell

US Patent:

D3228312, Dec 31, 1991

Filed:

Apr 4, 1989

Appl. No.:

7/333185

Inventors:

Thomas R. Cantwell - Fountain Valley CA

US Classification:

D21223

US Patent:

50917293, Feb 25, 1992

Filed:

Dec 23, 1988

Appl. No.:

7/300641

Inventors:

Thomas C. Cantwell - Yorba Linda CA
Richard D. Wilmot - Buena Park CA

Assignee:

Hughes Aircraft Company - Los Angeles CA

International Classification:

G01S 1356
G01S 734

US Classification:

342 90

Abstract:

An adaptive pulse signal threshold detector is disclosed wherein detected signals are analyzed to determine the strength of the signals and the system is adapted for increased or decreased sensitivity on the basis of the detected signal strength. The adaptive pulse signal threshold detector subjects the detected signals to three threshold criteria during a signal validity analysis. The adaptive pulse signal threshold detector causes the system to be adaptive in so far as the system responds to detected signal strength to alter the detection criteria. The adaptive pulse signal threshold detector includes a binary detector.

US Patent:

43608116, Nov 23, 1982

Filed:

Oct 20, 1980

Appl. No.:

6/198902

Inventors:

Thomas C. Cantwell - Yorba Linda CA
Richard D. Wilmot - Buena Park CA
Jack R. Ballantyne - Santa Ana CA

Assignee:

Hughes Aircraft Company - Culver City CA

International Classification:

G01S 702

US Classification:

343 7A

Abstract:

A false alarm control processor that receives sampled input radar video data and provides an output signal having a zero mean value. The processor accumulates the sample video for a range sweep of range bins, then stores the value and resets a counter. The stored value is scaled to form an estimate of the mean and subtracted from the input video signals of the following sweep. To prevent the mean from being biased by strong targets, a target exclusion function may be included to prevent accumulation of video from strong targets. However, if the noise or jamming level has increased for more range bins than a target would occupy, the video is then sampled by the accumulator so that the mean is responsive to changes in the level of the noise. Thus, the system provides a constant false alarm rate and accurate azimuth estimation in the azimuth integrator filter as well as allowing the azimuth integrator to operate with a relatively small dynamic range.

US Patent:

43553125, Oct 19, 1982

Filed:

Oct 2, 1980

Appl. No.:

6/193199

Inventors:

Gerald L. Bosi - Fullerton CA
Randolph L. Hack - Fullerton CA
Thomas C. Cantwell - Yorba Linda CA
Richard D. Wilmot - Buena Park CA

Assignee:

Hughes Aircraft Company - Culver City CA

International Classification:

G01S 1370

US Classification:

343 5VQ

Abstract:

A processor for operating on video and azimuth signals from a radar system having an antenna which scans in azimuth. The processor enhances the signal-to-noise ratio of the video signals while imposing thereon a substantially constant azimuth delay error. The processor includes a first circuit for forming and storing a count indicative of the video signal history in each range zone. The processor also includes a second circuit for generating and removing a flag signal indicative of azimuth leading and trailing edges respectively of a target pulse in the video signal. A gating circuit is included to pass video signals, for a given range zone, to an output terminal during the presence of a flag signal associated with the zone.