Keywords: Guided wave radar level sensors, electronic dipsticks, radar rangefinders and automatic pulse detectors.

Abstract: The pulse center detector (PCD) produces an amplitude-independent center-triggered range output for precision radar rangefinders and TDR systems. Pulse center triggering is accomplished by triggering leading-edge and trailing-edge detectors and summing the outputs to produce a computed center-triggered result. Since the occurrence time of a pulse center does not vary with amplitude, the PCD is amplitude-independent. The PCD overcomes limitations of prior automatic pulse detectors, such as the inherent latency of a constant fraction discriminator (CFD) and the uncertainty of a time-of-peak (TOP) detector. The PCD can be implemented with a single analog component-a comparator-and thus requires appreciably fewer analog components than prior automatic detectors while providing lower jitter.

Applications include radar and TDR tank gauges, radar rangefinders for robotics, and automotive applications.