APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DETECTING AND LOCATING HIDDEN OBJECTS
First Claim
1. Apparatus for detecting and locating hidden objects, comprising:
- a symmetrical array of five directional antennas arranged along a common plane with radiation patterns pointing in a same general direction, including a central transmit antenna and a pair of receive antennas at each side of the transmit antenna;
a transmitter that supplies a high-frequency signal to the transmit antenna, whereby the transmit antenna radiates a beam of high-frequency electromagnetic energy, and whereby the pairs of receive antennas receive electromagnetic energy returned by hidden objects;
a phase detector associated with each pair of receive antennas, respectively, for detecting electrical phase differences between receive antenna signals corresponding to the electromagnetic energy received by the associated receive antennas and producing an output dependent upon detected phase differences; and
a circuit that determines when the outputs of the phase detectors represent predetermined phase differences and that operates indicator means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for detecting and locating hidden objects employs a symmetrical array of five directional antennas, including a central transmit antenna and a pair of receive antennas at each side of the transmit antenna, respectively. All of the antennas are pointed in the same general direction toward an object field of interest. The transmit antenna radiates a beam of high-frequency electromagnetic energy, and the receive antennas receive high-frequency electromagnetic energy returned by hidden objects. Each pair of receive antennas has an associated phase detector, the output of which represents the phase difference between receive antenna signals corresponding to the received electromagnetic energy. A circuit determines when the outputs of the phase detectors represent predetermined phase differences and operates indicator devices.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. Apparatus for detecting and locating hidden objects, comprising:
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a symmetrical array of five directional antennas arranged along a common plane with radiation patterns pointing in a same general direction, including a central transmit antenna and a pair of receive antennas at each side of the transmit antenna; a transmitter that supplies a high-frequency signal to the transmit antenna, whereby the transmit antenna radiates a beam of high-frequency electromagnetic energy, and whereby the pairs of receive antennas receive electromagnetic energy returned by hidden objects; a phase detector associated with each pair of receive antennas, respectively, for detecting electrical phase differences between receive antenna signals corresponding to the electromagnetic energy received by the associated receive antennas and producing an output dependent upon detected phase differences; and a circuit that determines when the outputs of the phase detectors represent predetermined phase differences and that operates indicator means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 6, 7, 8)
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4. A method of detecting and locating hidden objects that comprises:
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providing a symmetrical array of five directional antennas arranged along a common plane with radiation patterns pointing in a same general direction, including a central transmit antenna and a pair of receive antennas at each side of the transmit antenna, respectively; transmitting a beam of high-frequency electromagnetic energy from the transmit antenna; receiving at the pairs of receive antennas electromagnetic energy returned by hidden objects; detecting phase differences between electrical signals corresponding to the electromagnetic energy received by the receive antennas of each pair and producing corresponding outputs; and determining when the outputs represent predetermined amounts of phase difference and producing an indication. - View Dependent Claims (5, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification