Filing Information

Inventor(s)	Michael David Valentine · Stephen Ray Scholl · Harry Joe Gould ·
Assignee(s)	Valentine Research, Inc. ·  View assignee updates
Attorney/Agent(s)	King & Schickli, PLLC ·
Primary Examiner	Bernarr E. Gregory ·
Application Number	US9425388
Filing date	10/22/1999
Issue date	01/16/2001
Predicted expiration date	10/22/2019
U.S. Classifications	342/20  · 455/315  · 455/313  · 455/314  · 455/227  · 455/344  · 455/345  · 342/89  ·
International Classifications	--
Kind Code	B1
International Classifications	342 98-103 · 342192-197 · 342 20 · 342 27 · 342 89 · 342175 · 4552261 · 455227 · 455228 · 455313 · 455314 · 455315 · 455344 · 455345 ·

Patent Family

Abstract

A novel frequency scheme for a police radar detector enables improved sweeping of the X, K, Ku and Ka radar bands. The novel frequency scheme requires two initial frequency conversions for detection of the X, K and Ka radar bands and a single initial frequency conversion for the Ku radar band with single initial frequency conversion being enabled by disabling the second mixer. During sweeping of the X, K and Ka bands, selectable, i.e., upper or lower, sideband suppression is employed to reduce undesired image sidebands and noise prior to the second frequency conversion. In addition, noise at the second IF frequency is reduced to prevent this noise from feeding through the second mixer into the second IF amplifier. During the Ku band sweep, the second mixer is bypassed and shunting of signals at the second IF frequency is disabled so that these signals enter the second IF amplifier.

Independent Claims | See all claims (22)

1. 1. A police radar detector comprising: an antenna for receiving incoming electromagnetic signals; a first local oscillator generating a first local oscillator signal which is swept through a first range of frequencies to sweep the X, K and Ka radar bands and a second range of frequencies to sweep the Ku radar band; a first mixer coupled to said antenna and said first local oscillator for mixing said incoming electromagnetic signals with said first local oscillator signal to generate first intermediate frequency signals; a second local oscillator for generating a second local oscillator signal; a second mixer coupled to said first mixer for mixing said first intermediate frequency signals with said second local oscillator signal to generate second intermediate frequency signals at a second intermediate frequency; detector circuitry coupled to said second mixer for detecting received electromagnetic signals within the X, Ku, K and Ka radar bands; and signal conditioning and control circuitry for selectively enabling said second local oscillator when said X, K and Ka radar bands are swept and disabling said second local oscillator and bypassing said second mixer when said Ku radar band is swept.
2. 15. A police radar detector comprising: an antenna for receiving incoming electromagnetic signals; a first local oscillator generating a first local oscillator signal which is swept through a range of frequencies to sweep the X, K and Ka radar bands; a first mixer coupled to said antenna and said first local oscillator for mixing said incoming electromagnetic signals with said first local oscillator signal to generate first intermediate frequency signals; a second local oscillator for generating a second local oscillator signal; a second mixer coupled to said first mixer for mixing said first intermediate frequency signals with said second local oscillator signal to generate second intermediate frequency signals at a second intermediate frequency; detector circuitry coupled to said second mixer for detecting received electromagnetic signals within the X, K and Ka bands; sideband suppression circuitry for suppressing an upper sideband signal or a lower sideband signal from said first intermediate frequency signal when said detector is sweeping the X, K and Ka radar bands; and signal conditioning and control circuitry for selectively enabling said sideband suppression circuitry for selectively enabling suppression of said upper sideband or said lower sideband.