Rotating scanning antenna apparatus and method for locating buried objects

• US 20020105469A1
• Filed: 02/28/2002
• Published: 08/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Underground Imaging Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Witten Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Hansen, Thorkild, Miller, Douglas E., Evans, Cliff, Oristaglio, Michael L., Haldorsen, Jakob, Dalton, Mark, Burns, Macyln, Albats, Paul Jr., DeRubeis, Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 6,969,844 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/719
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/0209 Systems with very large relative bandwidth, i.e. larger than 10 %, e.g. baseband, pulse, carrier-free, ultrawideband
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/885 for ground probing prospecting or detecting using electromagnetic waves G01V3/12
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/046 using an intermediate storage device, e.g. a recording/reproducing device
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/04 for varying one co-ordinate of the orientation

Abstract

A ground penetrating antenna apparatus and method are provided for locating underground objects via radar, sonar, or similar methods. The apparatus includes one or more antennas that are rotatably affixed to support extensions that also rotate, but about an axis that is different from each of the antenna axes. The apparatus includes a linear propulsion mechanism, and the support extensions may be coupled to the linear propulsion mechanism via a transmission mechanism. In one embodiment, the supporting extensions rotate at a constant rate and each antenna rotates at that same constant rate but in the opposite direction.

Claims

1. A movable sensor apparatus, comprising:

a movable housing;

at least one supporting extension wherein each said supporting extension is rotatably affixed to said housing about a first axis;

at least one sensor that is rotatably affixed to one of said at least one supporting extension about a second axis different from said first axis;

a linear propulsion mechanism attached to said housing whereby said housing may be moved over the ground;

a triggering unit electrically coupled to each of said at least one sensor and capable of separately activating each of said at least one sensor; and

,

a sampling unit electrically coupled to each of said at least one sensor and capable of receiving output from each of said at least one sensor.

2. The movable sensor apparatus of claim 1 wherein said sensor is a magnetometer.

3. The movable sensor apparatus of claim 1 wherein said sensor is an optical camera

4. The movable sensor apparatus of claim 1 wherein said sensor is an electromagnetic induction sensor.

5. The movable sensor apparatus of claim 1 wherein said sensor is a sonar sensor.

6. The movable sensor apparatus of claim 1 wherein each said supporting extension rotates at a constant rate of rotation.

7. The movable sensor apparatus of claim 6 wherein each said sensor rotates at a constant rate of rotation that is equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to said constant rate of rotation of each said supporting extension.

8. The movable sensor apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a position indicator coupled to at least one said supporting extension and said linear propulsion mechanism.

9. The movable sensor apparatus of claim 8 further comprising a data storage device for storing sensor data collected from each of said at least one sensor and position data collected from said position indicator.

11. The movable sensor apparatus of claim 6 wherein said first sensor is a radar sensor and said second sensor is a magnetometer.

12. The movable sensor apparatus of claim 6 wherein said first sensor is a radar sensor and said second sensor is an optical camera.

13. The movable sensor apparatus of claim 6 wherein said first sensor is a radar sensor and said second sensor is an electromagnetic induction sensor.

14. The movable sensor apparatus of claim 6 wherein said first sensor is a radar sensor and said second sensor is a sonar sensor.

15. The movable sensor apparatus of claim 6 wherein said first sensor is a magnetometer and said second sensor is an optical camera.

16. The movable sensor apparatus of claim 6 wherein said first sensor is a magnetometer and said second sensor is an electromagnetic induction sensor.

17. The-movable sensor apparatus of claim 6 wherein said first sensor is a magnetometer and said second sensor is a sonar sensor.

18. The movable sensor apparatus of claim 6 wherein said first sensor is an optical camera and said second sensor is an electromagnetic induction sensor.

19. The movable sensor apparatus of claim 6 wherein said first sensor is an optical camera and said second sensor is a sonar sensor.

20. The movable sensor apparatus of claim 6 wherein said first sensor is an electromagnetic induction sensor and said second sensor is a sonar sensor.

10. A movable sensor apparatus, comprising:

a movable housing;

a first supporting extension rotatably affixed to said housing about a first axis;

a second supporting extension rotatably affixed to said housing about said first axis;

a first sensor that is rotatably affixed to said first supporting extension about a second axis different from said first axis;

a second sensor that is rotatably affixed to said second supporting extension about a third axis different from said first axis and said second axis;

a linear propulsion mechanism attached to said housing whereby said housing may be moved over the ground;

a triggering unit electrically coupled to said first sensor and said second sensor and capable of separately activating said first sensor and said second sensor; and

,

a sampling unit electrically coupled to said first sensor and said second sensor and capable of receiving output from said first sensor and said second sensor.