Remote detection of covertly carried metal objects

• US 8,188,862 B1
• Filed: 03/23/2009
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Tam, Daniel, McGee, Jodi, Monges, Aldo
• Primary Examiner(s): Previl, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US12/408,768
• Time in Patent Office: 1,163 Days
• Field of Search: 340/561, 340/5.1, 340/5.2, 340/5.6, 340/5.61, 340/539.1, 340/8.1, 340/568.1, 340/573.4, 340/901, 340/904, 340/10.1, 340/10.5, 340/531, 340/572.7, 340/572.1, 340902-903, 340/539.13
• US Class Current: 340/561
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/12 operating with electromagnetic waves operating with millimetre waves G01V8/005

Abstract

An apparatus for remotely detecting metal objects carried by a person includes an antenna and a signal generator coupled to the antenna operable to cause the antenna to emit a first electromagnetic signal to the person at a frequency that is known to be resonant with the human body. The apparatus further includes a data capture device operable to capture response signal energy received by the antenna, the response signal energy being provided from the person in response to the first electromagnetic signal. Processing circuitry for the apparatus is operable to determine whether the response signal energy is indicative whether or not the person is carrying an appreciable amount of metal, based on reference response templates for persons that are known to be metal-free.

Claims

1. An apparatus for remotely detecting metal objects carried by a person, comprising:

an antenna;

an signal generator coupled to the antenna operable to cause the antenna to emit an electromagnetic signal at a human body self-resonant frequency in the VHF range;

a data capture device operable to capture response signal energy received by the antenna, the response signal energy being provided from the person in response to the first electromagnetic signal; and

processing circuitry operable to determine whether the response signal energy has a change in signal characteristics due to mutual impedance phenomena between the object and the human body that occurs when the person is carrying a metal object, to determine whether or not the person is carrying an appreciable amount of metal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the signal characteristics is signal to noise information from said response signal energy.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry determines whether or not the person is carrying an appreciable amount of metal by comparing the response signal to template information of a person that is not carrying metal.

4. An apparatus for remotely detecting metal objects carried by a person, comprising:

an antenna;

means for capturing response signal energy received by the antenna, the response signal energy being provided from the person at a human body self-resonant frequency in the VHF range, and in response to a first electromagnetic signal in the VHF range making contact with the person at the same said human body self-resonant frequency in the VHF range; and

,

processing means for determining whether the response signal energy has a change in signal characteristics due to mutual impedance phenomena between the object and the body that occurs when the person is carrying a metal object, to determine whether or not the person is carrying an appreciable amount of metal.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the signal characteristic is signal to noise information of the response signal.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the processing means determines whether or not the person is carrying an appreciable amount of metal by comparing the response signal to template information of a person that is not carrying the metal object.

7. A method for remotely detecting metal objects carried by a person, said method comprising the steps of:

A) capturing response signal energy received with an antenna, the response signal energy being provided from the person at a human body self-resonant frequency in the VHF spectrum and in response to a first electromagnetic signal making contact with the person; and

B) determining whether a change in signal characteristics due to mutual impedance phenomena at the self-resonant frequency in the VHF range between the object and the human body, which occurs when the person is carrying a metal object, exists in the response signal energy.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of:

C) emitting the first electromagnetic signal to the person at said human resonant frequency.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said step B) is accomplished by also using signal to noise information signal characteristic of the response signal.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said step B) is accomplished by comparing the response signal to template information of persons not carrying metal.