Concealed weapons detection system

• US 20040214598A1
• Filed: 04/23/2003
• Published: 10/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Parameswaran Rajamma, Ajith Kumar
• Application Number:
  US10/421,053
• Publication Number:
  US 20040214598A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/04 Systems determining presence of a target based on relative movement of target G01S13/56
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/86 Combinations of radar systems with non-radar systems, e.g. sonar, direction finder
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3805 with built-in auxiliary receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/21 Combinations with auxiliary equipment, e.g. with clocks or memoranda pads

Abstract

A combination cellular telephone and metal detector provides an unobtrusive and convenient device for law enforcement and security professionals as well as the general public. The metal detector is preferably a resonance type detector and shares the circuitry of the cellular telephone, such as the antenna, digital signal processor, speaker, display and keypad. The device may communicate with a remote computer to compare a signature of a detected object with signatures of known objects stored in a database.

Claims

1. A concealed weapons detection device, comprising:

an antenna for receiving and transmitting RF communications signals in a first predetermined frequency range, transmitting weapons detection signals in a second predetermined frequency range, and receiving reflected ones of the weapons detection signals;

a RF transceiver coupled to the antenna for filtering and converting the received and transmitted signals;

a digital circuit section coupled to the RF transceiver for providing communications signals to the RF transceiver for RF transmission via the antenna, receiving and processing communications signals from the RF transceiver that have been received via the antenna, for providing weapons detection signals to the RF transceiver for transmission via the antenna, and receiving and processing reflected weapons detection signals from the RF transceiver that have been received via the antenna; and

user interface means connected to the digital circuit section for allowing a user to interface therewith, wherein in a first mode the weapons detection device functions as a personal communications device and in a second mode the weapons detection device functions as a weapons detector.

2. The concealed weapons detection device of claim 1, wherein in the first mode the weapons detection device functions as a cellular telephone.

3. The concealed weapons detection device of claim 1, wherein in the first mode the weapons detection device functions as a two-way radio.

4. The concealed weapons detection device of claim 1, wherein in the second mode the weapons detection device functions as a metal detector.

5. The concealed weapons detection device of claim 4, wherein in the second mode the weapons detection device transmits via the antenna electromagnetic pulses over a range of frequencies within the second predetermined frequency range and receives reflected ones of the electromagnetic pulses.

6. The concealed weapons detection device of claim 1, wherein the RF transceiver further comprises:

an RF receiver coupled to the antenna for converting the RF communications signals and the reflected weapons detection signals received by the antenna to digital signals and providing said digital signals to the digital circuit section;

a transmitter coupled to the antenna for converting the communications signals received from the digital circuit section to RF signals in the first predetermined frequency range, and for converting the weapons detection signals received from the digital circuit section to the weapons detection signals in the second predetermined frequency range; and

a synthesizer connected to the transmitter and the receiver for assisting in converting the communications signals and the weapons detections signals to the first and second predetermined frequency ranges.

7. The concealed weapons detection device of claim 6, wherein the digital circuit section further comprises:

a digital signal processor for receiving and analyzing the digital signals received from the receiver and for generating the communications signals and weapons detection signals provided to the transmitter.

8. The concealed weapons detection device of claim 7, wherein the digital signal processor is connected to a speaker and a microphone for allowing a user to input and receive voice data, wherein the voice data is converted to the communications signals.

9. The concealed weapons detection device of claim 8, wherein the digital signal processor analyzes a digital signature of the received reflected waves to determine the presence of a weapon.

10. The concealed weapons detection device of claim 9, wherein the digital signal processor compares the digital signature of the received reflected waves with pre-stored weapons signatures to determine a type of weapon detected.

11. The concealed weapons detection device of claim 9, wherein the digital signal processor provides the digital signature of the received reflected waves to the RF transceiver for transmission to a remote processor having a database.

12. The concealed weapons detection device of claim 11, wherein the digital signature is transmitted to the remote processor as an SMS message.

13. The concealed weapons detection device of claim 9, wherein the digital circuit section further comprises:

a microcontroller connected to the synthesizer for controlling the operation of the synthesizer.

14. The concealed weapons detection device of claim 13, wherein the user interface is connected to the microcontroller for allowing a user to issue instructions thereto.

15. The concealed weapons detection device of claim 1, wherein a user instructs the device to operate in one of the first and second modes by way of the user interface.

16. The concealed weapons detection device of claim 1, further comprising a directional antenna coupled to the RF transceiver for transmitting the weapons detection signals in the second predetermined frequency range and received the reflected ones of the weapons detection signals.

17. A concealed weapons detection device, comprising:

an electrical power source;

a first circuit, capable of generating an RF communications signal in a first predetermined frequency range, connected to the electrical power source;

a second circuit, capable of generating a high frequency signal in a second predetermined frequency range, operably connected to the electrical power source;

an antenna connected to the first and second circuits for transmitting the RF communications signal and the high frequency signal, and receiving reflections of the high frequency signal caused by the high frequency signal contacting metal objects proximate to the antenna; and

a digital signal processor, connected to the antenna by way of the second circuit, for analyzing the received reflected signal and generating a data signal indicating the presence of a metal object.

18. An improved cellular communication device, the cellular communication device including an antenna for transmitting and receiving RF communication signals, communications electronic circuitry including a digital signal processor (DSP) coupled to the antenna for processing the RF communications signals, and user interface means for allowing a user to input instructions and data and receive data, wherein the improvement comprises:

means for generating weapons detection signals for transmission via the antenna, and wherein the antenna receives reflected ones of the weapons detection signals; and

the DSP being programmed to analyze the received reflected weapons detection signals to determine whether a weapon is proximate to the device.

19. An improved cellular communication device, the cellular communication device including an antenna for transmitting and receiving RF communication signals, communications electronic circuitry including a digital signal processor (DSP) coupled to the antenna for processing the RF communications signals, and user interface means for allowing a user to input instructions and data and receive data, wherein the improvement comprises:

means for generating radar signals for transmission via the antenna, and wherein the antenna receives reflected ones of the radar signals; and

wherein the DSP is programmed to analyze the received reflected radar signals.

20. A method of detecting a concealed weapon, comprising the steps of:

combining circuitry for a resonance type metal detector with circuitry for a personal communication device, wherein the combined circuitry includes an antenna and a digital signal processor (DSP);

in response to a predetermined command, transmitting electromagnetic waves via the antenna and receiving waves reflected by a metal object;

analyzing the received reflected waves with the DSP to determine the presence of a proximate metal object that reflected said waves; and

the DSP generating a signal indicating whether a weapon has been detected.