Apparatus and method for rapid detection of objects with time domain impulsive signals

• US 6,806,821 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2003
• Issued: 10/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Exelis Incorporated (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc. (ITT, Inc.)
• Inventors: McLemore, Donald P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lobo, Ian J.
• Application Number:
  US10/385,629
• Publication Number:
  US 20040178942A1
• Time in Patent Office: 587 Days
• Field of Search: 342/22, 342/27, 342/60, 342/90, 342/195
• US Class Current: 342/22
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/0209 Systems with very large relative bandwidth, i.e. larger than 10 %, e.g. baseband, pulse, carrier-free, ultrawideband
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/04 Systems determining presence of a target based on relative movement of target G01S13/56
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/18 wherein range gates are used
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/881 for robotics
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/883 for missile homing, autodirectors missile guidance systems F41G7/22
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/886 for alarm systems alarms with electrical actuation G08B13/22
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/888 through wall detection
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/913 for landing purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/933 of aircraft or spacecraft
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/916 Airport surface monitoring [ASDE]
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9325 for inter-vehicle distance regulation, e.g. navigating in platoons
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/282 Transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/285 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/292 Extracting wanted echo-signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/412 based on a comparison between measured values and known or stored values

Abstract

A method and system are disclosed for detecting objects of interest in a target area using ultra wide band (UWB) RF signals. A transmitter and antenna array generate ultra wide band RF impulsive signals that are used to probe a target area that may include an object of interest. An antenna and a signal processor receive return signals from the target area and process the return signal to generate a set of coordinates. The coordinates of the processed return signals are compared to coordinates of known objects in a pre-existing database to determine whether there is a match between the return signal and a known object. When there is an indication of a match, the existence of the known object is displayed to an operator of the system.

Claims

1. A method for detecting objects of interest in a target area using ultra wide band (UWB) RF impulsive signals, comprising the steps of:

a) probing the target area with the ultra wide band RF impulsive signals;

b) receiving return signals from the target area;

c) processing the return signals by decomposing the return signals into time slice feature data;

d) designating coordinates of a known object of interest whose preexisting profile has been stored in a database;

e) determining the probability of detection of a known object of interest based upon the magnitude of a vector which represents the distance between the time slice feature data and the coordinates of a known object of interest having a preexisting profile; and

f) displaying the existence of the known object, when the magnitude of the vector is less than a predetermined amount.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the coordinates of the known objects are stored in a database of signatures.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the object of interest is located behind a wall.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the object of interest is concealed on a person.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the object of interest is obscured by foliage.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the object of interest is detected from a vehicle.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the determining step includes the use of half fourier transforms.

8. An apparatus for detecting objects of interest in a target area using ultra wide band (UWB) RF impulsive signals, comprising the steps of:

a) a transmitter for probing the target area with the ultra wide band RF impulsive signals;

b) a receiver for receiving return signals from the target area;

c) a signal processor for processing the return signals by decomposing the return signals into time slice feature data;

d) means for designating coordinates of a known object of interest whose preexisting profile has been stored in a database;

e) means for determining the probability of detection of a known object of interest based upon the magnitude of a vector which represents the distance between the time slice feature data and the coordinates of a known object of interest having a preexisting profile; and

f) a display for displaying the existence of the known object, when the magnitude of the vector is less than a predetermined amount.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the transmitter includes an antenna.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the receiver includes an antenna.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the receiver and transmitter share a single antenna.

12. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the apparatus is mounted in a ground vehicle.

13. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the apparatus is mounted in an airborne vehicle.

14. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the apparatus is a handheld unit.