Frequency-based surveillance imaging

• US 20060164286A1
• Filed: 01/21/2005
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: L-3 Communications Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Safeview Incorporated (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nikulin, Serge L.
• Application Number:
  US11/041,058
• Publication Number:
  US 20060164286A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/22
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/887 for detection of concealed objects, e.g. contraband or weapons
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/89 for mapping or imaging

Abstract

A subject may be interrogated with electromagnetic radiation for producing image data representative of an image of the subject. First and second image data, produced based on reflectivity in first and second frequency ranges, may be related. In some examples, image data for one picture element may be produced based at least in part on reflectivity of the radiation at a depth selected based at least in part on a depth of another picture element. In some examples, plural images may be produced based on reflectivity at different depths. In some examples, a value of reflectivity may be determined for an intermediate depth between two adjacent depths of image data based at least in part on reflectivity of the radiation for a plurality of spaced-apart depths.

Claims

1. A method of surveilling a subject comprising:

irradiating at least a portion of the subject with electromagnetic radiation in at least first and second different frequency ranges having frequencies that are more than about 100 MHz and less than about 2 THz;

receiving the irradiated electromagnetic radiation reflected from the subject;

producing, from the received electromagnetic radiation, first image data representative of a first image of at least the portion of the subject based at least in part on reflectivity of the electromagnetic radiation in the first frequency range;

producing, from the received electromagnetic radiation, at least second image data representative of at least a second image of at least the portion of the subject based at least in part on reflectivity of the electromagnetic radiation over at least the second frequency range; and

relating at least the first and second image data.

2. The method of claim 1, in which producing first image data and producing at least second image data each includes producing image data corresponding to a three-dimensional holographic first image of at least a portion of the subject.

3. The method of claim 2, in which relating image data includes assigning at least a first color to the first image data and at least a second color to the second image data and combining the first image data with the first color and the second image-data with the second color.

4. The method of claim 1, in which relating image data includes displaying first image data with second image data.

5. The method of claim 1, in which relating image data includes assigning at least a first characteristic to the first image data and at least a second characteristic to the second image data and combining first image data having the first characteristic and second image data having the second characteristic.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising producing third image data representative of a third image of at least the portion of the subject based at least in part on reflectivity of electromagnetic radiation in both the first and second frequency ranges.

7. The method of claim 6, in which combining the first image data and the second image data includes applying the characteristics from the first image data and the second image data to the third image data.

8. The method of claim 7, in which the first and second characteristics are colors.

9. The method of claim 1, in which irradiating the subject with radiation includes irradiating at least a portion of the subject with electromagnetic radiation in at least first and second different frequency ranges from substantially the same position relative to the subject.

10. The method of claim 1, in which irradiating at least a portion of the subject includes irradiating at least a portion of the subject With electromagnetic radiation in at least first and second mutually exclusive frequency ranges.

11. An imaging system comprising:

an interrogating apparatus configured to transmit toward and receive from a subject in a subject position, electromagnetic radiation in at least first and second frequency ranges having frequencies that are more than about 100 MHz and less than about 2 THz, the interrogating apparatus producing an image signal representative of the received radiation; and

a controller adapted to produce from at least a first portion of the image signal image data representative of a first image of at least a portion of the subject based at least in part on reflectivity of the electromagnetic radiation in the first frequency range, to produce from at least a second portion of the image signal, at least second image data representative of at least a second image of at least the portion of the subject based at least in part on reflectivity of the electromagnetic radiation over at least the second frequency range, and to relate the at least first and second image data.

12. The system of claim 11, in which the controller is further adapted to produce the first and second image data corresponding to first and second three-dimensional holographic images of at least the portion of the subject.

13. The system of claim 12, in which the controller is further adapted to assign at least a first color to the first image data and at least a second color to the second image data and to combine the first image data with the first color and the second image data with the second color.

14. The system of claim 11, in which the controller is further adapted to display first image data with second image data.

15. The system of claim 11, in which the controller is further adapted to assign at least a first characteristic to the first image data and at least a second characteristic to the second image data and to combine first image data having the first characteristic and second image data having the second characteristic.

16. The system of claim 15, in which the controller is further adapted to produce third image data representative of a third image of at least the portion of the subject based at least in part on reflectivity of electromagnetic radiation in both the first and second frequency ranges.

17. The system of claim 16, in which the controller is further adapted to apply the characteristics from the first image data and the second image data to the third image data.

18. The system of claim 17, in which the first and second characteristics are colors.

19. The system of claim 11, in which the interrogating apparatus is further configured to irradiate the at least a portion of the subject with electromagnetic radiation in at least first and second different frequency ranges from the same position relative to the subject.

20. The system of claim 11, in which the interrogating apparatus is configured to irradiate the at least a portion of the subject with electromagnetic radiation in at least first and second mutually exclusive frequency ranges.

21. One or more storage media having embodied therein a program of commands adapted to be executed by a computer processor to:

irradiate at least a portion of the subject with electromagnetic radiation in at least first and second different frequency ranges having frequencies that are more than about 100 MHz and less than about 2 THz;

receive the irradiated electromagnetic radiation reflected from the subject;

produce, from the received electromagnetic radiation, first image data representative of a first image of at least the portion of the subject based at least in part on reflectivity of the electromagnetic radiation in the first frequency range;

produce, from the received electromagnetic radiation, at least second image data representative of at least a second image of at least the portion of the subject based at least in part on reflectivity of the electromagnetic radiation over at least the second frequency range; and

relate at least the first and second image data.