Organically reactive cell for underground sensing (ORCUS) and system

• US 8,072,367 B1
• Filed: 06/15/2010
• Issued: 12/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Stolar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Stolar Incorporated
• Inventors: Bausov, Igor, Stolarczyk, Gerald, Stolarczyk, Larry G.
• Primary Examiner(s): GREGORY, BERNARR E
• Application Number:
  US12/815,423
• Publication Number:
  US 20110304457A1
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• Field of Search: 342/21, 342/22, 342/27, 342/28, 342/82, 342 89- 91, 342/118, 342128-133, 342/159, 342/175, 342/195, 342/146, 342/147, 343/700.MS
• US Class Current: 342/22
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 27/04 in circuits having distributed constants , e.g. having very long conductors or involving high frequencies
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/56 for presence detection presence detection using near field arrangements G01V3/00, e.g. G01V3/08, G01V3/12; burglar, theft or intruder alarms with electrical actuation G08B13/22 - G08B13/26
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/885 for ground probing prospecting or detecting using electromagnetic waves G01V3/12
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/888 through wall detection

Abstract

A movement detection system includes a microwave antenna able to transmit microwave frequency signals into a space. An electronics controller is connected to the microwave antenna, and is configured to continually measure the impedance of the microwave antenna while it transmits microwave frequency signals into the space. An interpretive device is connected to receive impedance measurements from the electronics controller, and is configured to interpret and report changes in the magnitude and phase angles of individual impedance measurements as the passing of things and their direction through the space.

Claims

1. A movement detection system, comprising:

a microwave antenna able to transmit microwave frequency signals into a space;

a sensor controller connected to the microwave antenna, and configured to continually measure the impedance of the microwave antenna while it transmits said microwave frequency signals into said space; and

an interpretive device connected to receive impedance measurements from the sensor controller, and configured to analyze and report short-term changes in the magnitude and phase angles of individual impedance measurements of the microwave antenna as the passing of things and their respective directions through said space.

2. The movement detection system of claim 1, further comprising:

an oscillator for driving the microwave antenna into resonant operation.

3. The movement detection system of claim 2, wherein the sensor controller controls the oscillator such that the microwave antenna is continually in resonant operation.

4. The movement detection system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one varactor connected to the microwave antenna and useful for fine tuning the resonant frequency of the microwave antenna.

5. A people detection and movement system, comprising:

a resonant microstrip patch antenna (RMPA) for mounting on an outside wall of a tunnel or concrete pipe and faced inward to detect the presence and direction of movement of people inside, wherein the RMPA has a front lobe and a back lobe that react differently to dielectric changes in their fringing and propagating e-fields according to relative direction;

a sensor controller connected to the RMPA to drive the RMPA with a variable frequency, and to measure the impedance and phase (Z_in) of the RMPA while keeping the RMPA at frequency resonance; and

an interpretive device that interprets particular changes in the resonant frequency, impedance, and phase of the RMPA as being the movement of people nearby;

wherein, live objects moving near the RMPA affect the dielectric constant of any intervening wall and surrounding air, and thereby also affect the resonant frequency, impedance, and phase of the RMPA.

6. The people detection and movement system of claim 5, wherein a phase change is indicative of a direction people are moving relative to the RMPA, and a delta frequency and impedance change indicates the mass and proximity of the people to the RMPA.

7. The people detection and movement system of claim 5, further comprising:

a threshold detector to screen out any false positives and movements of small animals;

wherein, an interpretation of changes in resonant frequency, impedance, or phase of Z_in, is output to annunciate people movement and their direction of travel.

8. The people detection and movement system of claim 5, further comprising:

a mounting for the RMPA for covert installation on an outside wall of a tunnel or concrete pipe which faces the RMPA inward to detect the presence and direction of movement of people inside.

9. A method for detecting the movements of living things underground, comprising:

radiating the earth and an underground passageway with a resonant microwave patch antenna (RMPA);

maintaining the frequency of a continuous wave (CW) transmission applied to the RMPA in real-time to match the resonant frequency of the RMPA as it changes with variations in the loading caused by said earth and underground passageway and anything inside said underground passageway;

interpreting a minimum in the instantaneous input impedance of the RMPA as an indication of its being operated at its resonant frequency given how it is loaded; and

announcing the movements of living things underground by analyzing how the instantaneous input impedance of the RMPA changes over time.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

announcing the direction of movement of living things underground by analyzing how the phase angle of the instantaneous input impedance of the RMPA changes over time.