ACOUSTIC AND ULTRASONIC CONCEALED OBJECT DETECTION

• US 20100278008A1
• Filed: 09/18/2008
• Published: 11/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stalix LLC
• Original Assignee: Stalix LLC
• Inventors: Ammar, Danny F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,531,915 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 367/7
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/04 Systems determining presence of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/88 Sonar systems specially adapted for specific applications seismic or acoustic prospecting or detecting G01V1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8904 using synthetic aperture techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8993 Three dimensional imaging systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/521 Constructional features

Abstract

An acoustic/ultrasonic detection system can detect, for example, an object concealed under the clothing of a subject. The system includes a signal generator configured to output an electrical signal. An acoustic/ultrasonic transducer can be configured to convert the electrical signal into an acoustic/ultrasonic signal, transmit the acoustic/ultrasonic signal, receive a reflected acoustic/ultrasonic signal from an object in the target area and convert the reflected acoustic/ultrasonic signal into a received electrical signal. The transducer is at least one of an air-coupled transducer and an electro-magnetic acoustic transducer. The system can also include an acoustic/ultrasonic antenna aperture operatively connected to the transducer and configured to focus the transmitted acoustic/ultrasonic signal to create a narrow beam in the target area, a processor configured to extract object information from the received electrical signal and an object indication device to provide an indication of a detected object based on the extracted object information.

Claims

1. A portable acoustic/ultrasonic detection system for detecting a remote object in a target area, comprising:

a signal generator configured to output an electrical signal;

at least one acoustic/ultrasonic transducer configured to convert the electrical signal into an acoustic/ultrasonic signal, transmit the acoustic/ultrasonic signal, receive a reflected acoustic/ultrasonic signal from an object in the target area and convert the reflected acoustic/ultrasonic signal into a received electrical signal, wherein the transducer is at least one of an air-coupled transducer and an electro-magnetic acoustic transducer;

an acoustic/ultrasonic antenna aperture operatively connected to the transducer and configured to focus the transmitted acoustic/ultrasonic signal to create a narrow beam in the target area;

a processor configured to extract object information from the received electrical signal; and

an object indication means for providing an indication of a detected object based on the extracted object information.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the object is concealed on a subject.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the signal generator is configured to produce signals at frequencies from about 15 KHz to about 500 MHz.

4. The system of claim 1, comprising:

an aiming means to assist in aiming the transmitted acoustic/ultrasonic signal in the target area,

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the aiming means is at least one of a laser and an optical device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the object indication means is at least one of an audible indication and a visual indication.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical signal created by the signal generator is a digital pulse.

8. The system of claim 7, comprising:

a digital-to-analog converter configured to convert the digital pulse into an analog electrical signal.

9. The system of claim 1, comprising:

an analog-to-digital converter configured to convert the received electrical signal into a digital signal.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the acoustic/ultrasonic transducer has a bandwidth of 5 KHz or greater.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the acoustic/ultrasonic antenna aperture is configured to receive an acoustic/ultrasonic signal reflected from an object in the target area.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the acoustic/ultrasonic transducer is configured as a separate acoustic/ultrasonic transmit transducer and an acoustic/ultrasonic receive transducer.

13. An acoustic/ultrasonic detection system for detecting a remote object in a target area, comprising:

a transmitter configured to create an electrical signal;

an acoustic/ultrasonic array comprising at least two acoustic/ultrasonic transducers configured as planar phased arrays and configured to convert the electrical signal into an acoustic/ultrasonic signal and to transmit and receive the acoustic/ultrasonic signal, wherein the transducers are at least one of an air-coupled transducers and an electromagnetic-acoustic transducer;

a receiver configured to convert the received acoustic/ultrasonic signal reflected from an object in the target area into a received electrical signal;

a processing means configured to extract object information from the received electrical signal; and

an object indication means for providing an indication of a detected object based on the extracted object information.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the object is concealed on a subject.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the transmitter is configured to produce pulses at frequencies from about 15 KHz to about 500 MHz.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the processing means is configured to execute at least one of time domain beamforming and frequency domain beamforming.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the object indication means is at least one of an audible indication and a visual indication.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the visual indication is a reconstructed two-dimensional image of the detected object on a display.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the transmitter is a transmit beamformer.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the transmit beamformer is configured to create a digital pulse.

21. The system of claim 20, comprising:

a digital-to-analog converter configured to convert the digital pulse into the electrical signal.

22. The system of claim 13, wherein the receiver is a receive beamformer and the processing means is a receive beamforming processing means.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the receive beamformer comprises:

an analog-to-digital converter configured to convert the received electrical signal into a digital signal.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the transmit beamformer is configured to scan in at least one of a horizontal direction and a vertical direction.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the receive beamformer is configured to scan in at least one of a horizontal direction and a vertical direction.

26. The system of claim 13, wherein the acoustic/ultrasonic array is configured in an enclosure comprising one or more points of entry and one point of exit for a subject to be screened.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the object indication means is at least one of an audible indication and a visual indication and wherein the visual indication is at least one of a reconstructed two-dimensional and three-dimensional image of the detected object on a display.

28. The system of claim 13, wherein at least one of the acoustic/ultrasonic transducers is configured for movement with respect to a subject in an enclosure to create a synthetic aperture.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the object indication means is at least one of an audible indication and a visual indication and wherein the visual indication is at least one of a reconstructed two-dimensional and three-dimensional image of the detected object on a display.

30. The system of claim 13, wherein the transducers have a bandwidth of 5 KHz or greater.

31. An acoustic/ultrasonic detection system for detecting an object in a target area by simultaneously screening multiple subjects, comprising:

a multi-directional array comprising at least three sensors, wherein each sensor is at least one of an electromagnetic-acoustic transducer or an air-coupled transducer and wherein the array is configured to transmit acoustic/ultrasonic signals into the target area and to receive reflected acoustic/ultrasonic signals reflected from an object in the target area; and

a processor configured generate a three-dimensional image from the reflected acoustic/ultrasonic signals, the three dimensional image being indicative of the object in the target area.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the object is concealed on a subject.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein the sensors are configured to transmit pulses at frequencies from about 15 KHz to about 500 MHz.

34. The system of claim 31, wherein the transducers have a bandwidth of 5 KHz or greater.

35. A method of simultaneously screening multiple subjects for concealed objects, comprising:

transmitting an acoustic/ultrasonic signal into a screening area wherein at least one subject having an associated object is to be screened;

receiving a reflected acoustic/ultrasonic signal from the object when the object is located within the screening area;

processing the reflected acoustic/ultrasonic signal to generate a three-dimensional image of the object; and

displaying the three-dimensional image;

wherein the transmitting and receiving are performed using a multi-dimensional array comprising at least three sensors and wherein the sensors are at least one of an electromagnetic-acoustic transducer or an air-coupled transducer.

36. An acoustic/ultrasonic detection system for detecting an object in a subject'"'"'s shoes, comprising:

a platform on which a subject may stand while wearing shoes to be screened;

at least one acoustic/ultrasonic transducer contained in the platform, the acoustic/ultrasonic transducer configured to transmit acoustic/ultrasonic signals into the subject'"'"'s shoes and receive acoustic/ultrasonic signals from the subject'"'"'s shoes;

a signal processor configured to extract object information from the received acoustic/ultrasonic signals; and

an object indication means for providing an indication of a detected object based on the extracted object information.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the object indication means is at least one of an audible indication and a visual indication.

38. An acoustic/ultrasonic detection system for detecting an object on a subject, comprising:

at least one transmitting acoustic/ultrasonic transducer configured to transmit acoustic/ultrasonic waves that propagate along the subject'"'"'s body, the subject'"'"'s body being in contact with the transmitting acoustic/ultrasonic transducer;

at least one receiving acoustic/ultrasonic transducer configured to receive the transmitted acoustic/ultrasonic waves that propagated along the subject'"'"'s body;

the subject'"'"'s body being in contact with the receiving acoustic/ultrasonic transducer;

a signal processor configured to extract object information from the received acoustic/ultrasonic waves; and

an object indication means for providing an indication of a detected object based on the extracted object information.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the object is concealed on the subject.

40. The system of claim 38, wherein the object indication means is at least one of an audible indication and a visual indication.

41. The system of claim 38, wherein the acoustic/ultrasonic waves are at least one of acousto-ultrasonic waves and Lamb and Shear waves.