Advanced object detector

• US 20100079280A1
• Filed: 10/01/2008
• Published: 04/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Robotic Research OPCO LLC
• Original Assignee: Robotic Research LLC
• Inventors: Lacaze, Alberto Daniel, Murphy, Karl Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US12/286,706
• Publication Number:
  US 20100079280A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/540
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/08 operating with magnetic or electric fields produced or modified by objects or geological structures or by detecting devices with electromagnetic waves G01V3/12

Abstract

An advanced object detector, system and method comprising a memory device which contains a library of tailor-made signals and specific object resonances with those signals; an antenna which will act as both the exciter and receiver directing the memory device'"'"'s tailor-made signals towards locations potentially having the objects intended to be detected and receiving resonated signals from said objects being detected which have resonated with said tailor-made signals; said memory device may then interpret and categorize the resonated signal by comparing the resonated signal with the library of specific objects and their resonance'"'"'s with specific tailor-made signals. After identification and categorization the memory device may then respond to the presence of the object, alert another memory device for interaction or allow for human interaction through outputting the object'"'"'s presence on a screen or alerting the human through some other means. In a preferred embodiment, the system can be handheld, mobile or static and can be made with a device that can provide a wide frequency response at frequencies likely to resonate with the weapons intended to be detected. It is to be understood that this invention may detect numerous objects, including but not limited to, piping, conductive, semi-conductive and non-conductive material that have the ability to resonate with specific tailor-made signals.

Claims

1. An object detector comprising:

a memory device which contains a library of tailor-made signals and specific object resonances with said tailor-made signals;

a means for radiating said tailor-made signals towards an object of interest; and

a means for collecting said object of interest'"'"'s resonated signal.

2. The detector in claim 1 in which the memory device can determine the specific object being located by categorizing the object'"'"'s resonated signal through a comparison of the object'"'"'s resonated signal to said library of specific object resonances with said tailor-made signals.

3. The detector in claim 1 in which at least one antenna will act as both the exciter and receiver of said tailor-made signals and said object'"'"'s resonated signal to said tailor-made signals.

4. The detector in claim 1 in which more than one antenna, or an array of antennas will act as both the exciter and receiver of said tailor-made signals and said object'"'"'s resonated signal to said tailor-made signals.

5. The detector of claim 2 further comprising an automatic affirmative signal if an appropriate mach is made between the received resonated signal and the library of object resonances with said tailor-made signals contained within said memory device.

6. The detector of claim 1 wherein said memory device receiving said resonated signals can output information on a screen.

7. The detector of claim 5 wherein said affirmative signal comprises at least one signal selected from the group consisting of audible signals, silent signals, tactile signals, visual signals, mechanical signals, and displayed messages.

8. The detector of claim 2 in which the detector has the ability to respond to the detection of said object.

9. The detector of claim 2 in which the detector can determine the objects location and directionality.

10. The detector of claim 2 in which the detector is a self-contained, hand-held detector.

11. The detector of claim 2 in which the detector in mounted on a vehicle, building or other unit.

12. The detector of claim 2 in which the detector is mounted on a robot for autonomous use.

13. The detector in claim 1 wherein the antenna is a rotating linear array or a rectangular array.

14. A method for detecting an object, said method comprising the steps of:

a) transmitting a tailor-made signal toward an object of interest;

b) said object of interest resonating with said tailor-made signal;

c) collecting a resonated signal that is reflected from the object of interest which has resonated with said tailor-made signal; and

d) categorizing said object based on the object'"'"'s resonance with said tailor-made signals through comparing said resonated signal to a library of specific object resonances with said tailor-made signals.

15. The method in claim 14 additionally comprising an automatic affirmative signal if the object'"'"'s resonated signal is properly matched within a library of object'"'"'s resonances with said tailor-made signals.

16. The method in claim 14 additionally comprising the step of determining the approximate location of the object of interest through the specific resonance of said object being detected and its corresponding match in said library of object resonances with said tailor-made signals.

17. The method in claim 14 additionally comprising the step of determining the approximate directionality of the object being detected through the object'"'"'s specific resonance with said tailor-made signals.

18. The method in claim 14 additionally comprising the step of determining the specific object being located.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of transmitting, collecting and categorizing said object takes place in a self-contained, hand-held detector.

20. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of transmitting, collecting and categorizing said object takes place in a unit that is mounted on a vehicle, robot, building or other unit.

21. The method in claim 14 additionally comprising the step of reacting to said object'"'"'s presence via autonomous robotics, human interaction or some other means of interaction.

22. The method in claim 15 wherein the step of generating a signal comprises generating at least one signal selected from the group consisting of audible signals, silent signals, tactile signals, visual signals, mechanical signals, and displayed messages.

23. An object detector system, comprising:

a. means for storing tailor-made signals and specific object resonances to said tailor-made signals;

b. means for emitting and receiving signals;

c. means for comparing specific object resonances with tailor-made signals to received signals; and

d. means for outputting information.