Method and apparatus for acoustic detection of mines and other buried man-made objects
First Claim
1. An apparatus for remotely detecting land mines in compliant housings buried underground comprising:
- signal generator means for generating a probe signal having a first and a second frequency;
source means for outputting the probe signal;
receiver means for receiving a nonlinear frequency response vibration signal having a third frequency caused by the probe signal vibrating boundaries of a compliant object against a surrounding medium wherein the vibration signal is only generated when the probe signal impacts the compliant object; and
processing means for processing the vibration signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A device which employs an acoustic signal having one or more frequencies for penetrating into ground, water, or sediments and vibrating a compliant buried object is provided. When these acoustic signals encounter an acoustically compliant object such as a mine, the acoustic signals vibrate the compliant object, leading to a vibration of the compliant object against the boundaries of the surrounding medium such as ground sediment, creating a nonlinear distortion of the probing signal including the generation of harmonics and acoustic waves with combination frequencies (nonlinear signals). These nonlinear vibrating signals are received from the surface by a sensor. The amplitude of the measured nonlinear signals indicates the presence of an acoustically compliant object such as a mine.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. An apparatus for remotely detecting land mines in compliant housings buried underground comprising:
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signal generator means for generating a probe signal having a first and a second frequency; source means for outputting the probe signal; receiver means for receiving a nonlinear frequency response vibration signal having a third frequency caused by the probe signal vibrating boundaries of a compliant object against a surrounding medium wherein the vibration signal is only generated when the probe signal impacts the compliant object; and processing means for processing the vibration signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 20, 21)
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8. An apparatus for remotely detecting buried land mines in compliant containers comprising:
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signal generating means for generating signals having first and second frequencies; source means on or above ground for outputting the generated signals; receiver means on or above ground for receiving vibration signals having a third frequency equal to the difference between the first and second frequencies, the vibration signals having a third frequency signal caused by the generated signals vibrating a compliant buried object against a surrounding medium wherein the vibration signals are only generated when the generated signals impact the compliant object; and processing means for processing the vibration signals. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of remotely locating buried land mines in compliant containers comprising the steps of:
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producing a probe signal having at least first and second frequencies; emitting the probe signal from a source; creating a vibration signal by vibrating a compliant object against a surrounding medium by the probe signal to cause a nonlinear vibration signal having a third frequency; receiving the vibration signal caused by bouncing the probe signal on the boundaries of the compliant object against a surrounding medium wherein the vibration signal is only generated when the probe signal impacts the compliant object; and processing the nonlinear vibration signal. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 22)
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Specification