The systems intended for detecting objects of artificial and natural origin are widely used while implementing the remote sensing methods. In this case, such different frequency ranges of sounding signals as radar, acoustic and optical ones are used. This article presents the results of patent analysis of the detection systems for such groups of the International Patent Classification as G01S13, G01S15, G01S17. The analysis has been carried out using the database of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) inventions registered from 2015 to 2019. The aim of the given study was to compare the development trends of the object detection systems using the reflection or reradiation of radio-, acoustic or electromagnetic waves. It is shown that the proposed approach makes it possible to identify the promising (breakthrough) technological directions, as well as to form predictive estimates of their development in the short-term.

In this work, to identify promising areas for the development of electronic systems using reflection or secondary radiation of acoustic waves, a patent analysis method is used based on the formation of time series of US patents and comparison between different technical solutions for the number of patents registered in specific subgroups of the International Patent Classification (IPC), and the dynamics of their issuance in the interval 2010–2019. The use of the IPC allows an effective search and classification of any technical solution, a retrospective analysis, as well as the formation of predictive assessments of the development of technologies, involving open resources of various patent offices. As a result of the study, data were obtained that suggest that all systems using the reflection of acoustic waves have been successfully developing for the past ten years. The most promising among them are systems using reflection of acoustic waves and systems specially designed for special applications. Among systems with reflection of acoustic waves, the most promising systems are systems for determining the location of a target by measuring only range using transmissions of intermittent pulse-modulated signals.

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To identify the promising (breakthrough) trends in the advancement of radio electronic systems with the use of US Patents and Trademark Office database this paper examines the possibilities of patent analysis. This method is based on automatic time series generation of US patents for inventions and subsequent comparison of different technical solutions in specific International Patent Classification subgroups, and in their issuance dynamics for 2007-2017. In particular, the authors analyze several promising trends in the advancement of radio electronic systems using the reflection or secondary radiation of radio waves. The data obtained allow stating that the most promising are systems using the reflection of radio waves and systems adapted for specific applications. According to the authors, the most promising systems, which use the reflection of radio waves, are systems intended solely for measuring distance using transmission of continuous unmodulated waves, amplitude-, frequency- or phase-modulated waves. Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for terrain-avoidance were found to be the most promising among systems for specific applications.