Patent ID: 7924214

Claim:
An azimuth detecting apparatus comprising: a transmitter that transmits a continuous wave; a receiver including a plurality of antenna elements that are arranged at predetermined intervals d, each of the antenna elements being configured to generate a signal upon receipt of a reflected continuous wave that is produced by the reflection of the continuous wave by a target; a first signal producer that produces first signals based on the signals generated by the antenna elements of the receiver, the first signals being equivalent to signals generated by a plurality of antenna elements that are arranged at first intervals d 1 , where d 1 is an integral multiple of d; a second signal producer that produces second signals based on the signals generated by the antenna elements of the receiver, the second signals being equivalent to signals generated by a plurality of antenna elements that are arranged at second intervals d 2 , where d 2 is an integral multiple of d and greater than d 1 ; a first azimuth detector that detects, within a first azimuth detection area whose angular range is defined by d 1 , the azimuth of the target based on the first signals produced by the first signal producer; and a second azimuth detector that detects, within a second azimuth detection area whose angular range is defined by d 2 , the azimuth of the target based on the second signals produced by the second signal producer.