Method and system for in-air ultrasonic acoustical detection and characterization
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An object detection system for detecting and identifying targets, including:
- a first module having a plurality of acoustic transmitters configured to generate a concatenated ultrasonic wavetrain including a first waveform configured to illuminate a target moving at a first speed and a second waveform configured to illuminate a target either moving at a second speed substantially slower than the first speed or being stationary, the wavetrain being transmitted in air and in a predetermined direction;
a second module having at least one acoustic receiver configured to receive reflected ultrasonic waves originating from the first module after reflection from a target; and
target identification logic coupled to the second module and configured to generate an output representative of the target.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method are presented for determining the detection and location of persons and objects using ultrasonic acoustic sensors. The system allows detection of stationary and moving persons and other objects, through atmospheric conditions, to a distance of at least 300 feet. The invention further provides for enhanced signal processing through the use of arrays of transmitters and receivers, where one or more transmitter arrays may be oriented substantially perpendicularly to one or more receiver arrays, allowing high directionality and good rejection of reverberations, background noise, clutter and objects not of interest.
72 Citations
27 Claims
-
1. An object detection system for detecting and identifying targets, including:
-
a first module having a plurality of acoustic transmitters configured to generate a concatenated ultrasonic wavetrain including a first waveform configured to illuminate a target moving at a first speed and a second waveform configured to illuminate a target either moving at a second speed substantially slower than the first speed or being stationary, the wavetrain being transmitted in air and in a predetermined direction; a second module having at least one acoustic receiver configured to receive reflected ultrasonic waves originating from the first module after reflection from a target; and target identification logic coupled to the second module and configured to generate an output representative of the target. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. An area detection system including a plurality of object detection systems for detecting and identifying targets, each object detection system including:
-
a first module having a plurality of acoustic transmitters configured to generate a concatenated ultrasonic wavetrain including a first waveform configured to illuminate a target moving at a first speed and a second waveform configured to illuminate a target either moving at a second speed that is substantially slower than the first speed or being stationary, the wavetrain being transmitted in air and in a predetermined direction; a second module having at least one acoustic receiver configured to receive reflected ultrasonic waves originating from the first module after reflection from a target; and target identification logic coupled to the second module and configured to generate an output representative of the target. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. An object detection system including:
-
(a) a first module having a plurality of acoustic transmitters configured to generate a concatenated ultrasonic wavetrain including a first waveform configured to illuminate a target moving at a first speed and a second waveform configured to illuminate a target either moving at a second speed substantially slower than the first speed or being stationary, the wavetrain being transmitted in air and in a predetermined direction; (b) a second module having a plurality of receivers configured to receive reflected ultrasonic waves originating from the first module after reflection from a target; (c) first logic configured to identify targets based upon clusters derived from reflected acoustic waves; (d) second logic configured to minimize energy received at the second module from directions other than a predetermined direction targeted by the transmitter; and (e) third logic configured to generate signals representative of at least one physical characteristic of the target and wherein the acoustic transmitters are positioned in a generally collinear configuration oriented in a first direction; wherein the acoustic receivers are positioned in a generally collinear configuration oriented in a second direction which is substantially perpendicular to the first direction.
-
-
22. A method of acoustically detecting objects, the steps including:
-
generating a concatenated ultrasonic wavetrain including a first waveform configured to illuminate a target moving at a first speed and a second waveform configured to illuminate a target either moving at a second speed that is substantially slower than the first speed or being stationary, the wavetrain being transmitted in air and in a predetermined direction; transmitting the generated ultrasonic wavetrain through air towards a target; receiving ultrasonic waveforms from a set of at least one acoustic receiver configured to receive reflected ultrasonic waves originating from the first module after reflection from the target; and processing ultrasonic waveforms with target identification logic coupled to the at least one acoustic receiver and configured to generate an output representative of the target. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
-
Specification