Compressive millimeter wave imaging

• US 8,263,939 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2009
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Whelan, David Arthur, Delaney, Michael Joseph Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Porta, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Malevic, Djura
• Application Number:
  US12/427,283
• Publication Number:
  US 20100264316A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,239 Days
• Field of Search: 250/358.1
• US Class Current: 250/358.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/062 for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00

Abstract

An apparatus comprising a mirror array having a plurality of mirrors and a control system. The plurality of mirrors is capable of receiving a signal for an image. The control system is capable of controlling a first portion of the plurality of mirrors in the mirror array to direct a first portion of the signal to a detector. The control system is also capable of controlling a second portion of the plurality of mirrors in the mirror array to direct a second portion of the signal away from the detector.

Claims

1. A millimeter wave imaging apparatus comprising:

a mirror array having a plurality of electronically tunable impedance surface mirrors, wherein the plurality of mirrors is capable of receiving a millimeter wave signal, the array comprising a number of diodes disposed such that a change in impedance of a diode directs a millimeter wave signal received at a mirror to a desired direction;

the mirror array further comprising a polymer microtruss, a substrate, a bias board, a number of connectors, and a number of patches connected to the diodes, the diodes are mounted on the number of patches, and the number of connectors are connected to the bias board and the number of patches;

a control system capable of controlling a first portion of the plurality of mirrors on the polymer microtruss in the mirror array to direct a first portion of the millimeter wave signal to a detector, and capable of controlling a second portion of the plurality of mirrors on the polymer microtruss in the mirror array to direct a second portion of the signal away from the detector;

an image processor capable of creating an image using the first portion of the signal detected by the detector; and

a display device in communication with the image processor, wherein the image processor is capable of displaying the image on the display device.

2. The millimeter wave imaging apparatus of claim 1, wherein the millimeter wave signal is a response millimeter wave signal and further comprising:

a transmitter, wherein the transmitter is capable of being controlled by the image processor to transmit the millimeter wave signal to generate the response millimeter wave signal.

3. The millimeter wave imaging apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mirror array, the control system, the image processor, and the display device form a millimeter wave imaging system and further comprising:

a platform, wherein the millimeter wave imaging system is associated with the platform and wherein the platform is selected from one of a vehicle, a portable housing, and a station.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the number of diodes comprise varactor diodes.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the number of varactor diodes are disposed in an alternating pattern.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each mirror in the mirror array is separately controlled by the control system.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control system selects periodically a number of mirrors in the first portion of the plurality of mirrors.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control system selects randomly a number of mirrors in the first portion of the plurality of mirrors.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the polymer microtruss is formed by exposing a polymer solution to ultraviolet light.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the polymer solution comprises thiolene monomer.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the tiolene monomer is mixed with 2,2-dimethoxy-2-phenylacetophenone as a photoinitiator.

12. An apparatus comprising:

a mirror array having a plurality of mirrors, wherein the plurality of mirrors is capable of receiving a signal for an image, the mirror array including a bias board and a number of electrodes;

the mirror array further comprising a polymer microtruss structure, a substrate, a bias board, a number of connectors, and a number of patches connected to the electrodes, the electrodes are mounted on the number of patches, and the number of connectors are connected to the bias board and the number of patches; and

a control system capable of controlling the bias board and the number of electrodes so as to control movement of a first portion of the plurality of mirrors on the polymer microtruss structure in the mirror array to direct a first portion of the signal to a detector and so as to control movement of a second portion of the plurality of mirrors in the polymer microtruss structure in the mirror array to direct a second portion of the signal away from the detector.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the signal is a response signal and further comprising:

a transmitter, wherein the transmitter is capable of transmitting signals to generate the response signal.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising:

a processor unit capable of creating the image using the first portion of the signal detected by the detector.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising:

a display device, wherein the processor unit is capable of displaying the image on the display device.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising:

a storage device; and

program code stored on the storage device, wherein the program code is capable of being executed by the processor unit to analyze the image.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the control system is capable of randomly selecting a number of mirrors in the first portion of the plurality of mirrors in the mirror array.

18. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein a mirror in the plurality of mirrors in the mirror array is controlled by the control system so as to tilt about a number of axes.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the mirror comprises:

the microtruss structure comprising a plurality of elongate polymer waveguides, the polymer waveguides intersecting to form a node; and

a reflective surface formed on the microtruss structure.

20. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the signal has a wavelength from about 1 millimeter to about 10 millimeter and a frequency from about 30 gigahertz to about 300 gigahertz.

21. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the plurality of mirrors and the control system form an imaging system and further comprising:

a platform, wherein the imaging system is associated with the platform.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the platform is selected from one of a mobile platform, a stationary platform, a land-based structure, an aquatic-based structure, a space-based structure, an aircraft, a surface ship, a tank, a personnel carrier, a train, a spacecraft, a space station, a satellite, a submarine, an automobile, a station, and a portable housing.

23. A method for directing a signal, the method comprising:

receiving a signal at a mirror array having a plurality of electronically tunable impedance surface mirrors, the array comprising a number of diodes disposed such that a change in impedance of a diode directs a millimeter wave signal received at a mirror to a desired location, the mirror array further comprising a polymer microtruss, a substrate, a bias board, a number of connectors, and a number of patches connected to the diodes, the diodes are mounted on the number of patches, and the number of connectors are connected to the bias board and the number of patches;

controlling a first portion of the plurality of mirrors in the mirror array on the polymer microtruss to direct a first portion of the signal to a detector; and

controlling a second portion of the plurality of mirrors in the mirror array on the polymer microtruss to direct a second portion of the signal away from the detector,

the controlling the first portion comprising controlling voltage supplied to a bias board so as to control impedance at the number of diodes connected to a number of mirrors in the first portion, and the controlling the second portion comprising controlling voltage supplied to a bias board so as to control impedance at a number of diodes connected to a number of mirrors in the second portion.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

randomly selecting the first portion of the plurality of mirrors from the plurality of mirrors.

25. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

generating an image with the first portion of the signal.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

displaying the image on a display device.

27. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

analyzing the image to identify a number of objects.