Activating motion detectors

• US 8,410,973 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2010
• Issued: 04/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Harrington, Donald E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Keith, Jack W
• Assistant Examiner(s): BYTHROW, PETER M
• Application Number:
  US12/913,473
• Publication Number:
  US 20110227779A1
• Time in Patent Office: 888 Days
• Field of Search: 342/13, 342/27, 342/28
• US Class Current: 342/28
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/50 Systems of measurement based on relative movement of target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/497 Means for monitoring or calibrating

Abstract

A method and apparatus for activating a motion detector. An electromagnetic signal is transmitted in a form of a beam. The beam is configured to activate the motion detector when the beam encounters the motion detector. The beam is moved to a location in which the motion detector is present such that the motion detector activates.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a transmitter system configured to transmit electromagnetic signals in a form of a beam; and

a controller configured to cause the transmitter system to transmit the beam such that a motion detector is activated when the beam encounters the motion detector, the controller configured to select a number of frequencies for the beam to couple to a number of electrical components in the motion detector and transmit the beam with the number of frequencies such that the beam couples to the number of electrical components in the motion detector in a manner that activates the motion detector when the motion detector device encounters the beam.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the motion detector is a passive motion detector.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transmitter system comprises:

a signal generator configured to generate the electromagnetic signals; and

an antenna system configured to transmit the electromagnetic signals in the form of the beam.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the signal generator comprises:

a radio frequency generator configured to generate the electromagnetic signal in a form of radio frequency signals having a wavelength from about 75 GHz to about 110 GHz.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the antenna system comprises a Gaussian optical antenna.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the beam is a radio frequency beam.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the beam is a substantially collimated radio frequency beam.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a platform, wherein the transmitter system and the controller are associated with the platform.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the platform is selected from one of a moving platform, a stationery platform, a vehicle, a truck, a helicopter, an aircraft, a portable housing, and a building.

10. A method for activating a motion detector, the method comprising:

transmitting an electromagnetic signal in a form of a beam, wherein the beam is configured to activate the motion detector when the beam encounters the motion detector;

moving the beam to a location in which the motion detector is present such that the motion detector activates; and

controlling the transmitting the electromagnetic signal in the form of a beam so as to select a number of frequencies for the beam to couple to a number of electrical components in the motion detector and transmit the beam with the number of frequencies such that the beam couples to the number of electrical components in the motion detector in a manner that activates the motion detector when the motion detector device encounters the beam.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

moving the beam to a number of other locations, wherein a number of other motion detectors in the number of other locations is activated when the beam encounters the number of other motion detectors.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of transmitting the electromagnetic signal in the form of the beam, wherein the beam is configured to activate the motion detector when the beam encounters the motion detector comprises:

generating the electromagnetic signal using a signal generator in a transmitter; and

transmitting the electromagnetic signal as the beam using an antenna system.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

amplifying the electromagnetic signal using an amplifier after generating the electromagnetic signal using the signal generator and before transmitting the electromagnetic signal as the beam using the antenna system.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the signal generator comprises:

a radio frequency generator configured to generate the electromagnetic signal in a form of radio frequency signals having a wavelength from about 75 GHz to about 110 GHz.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the antenna system comprises a Gaussian optical antenna.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the beam is a radio frequency beam.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the beam is a substantially collimated radio frequency beam.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the electromagnetic signals are transmitted in the form of the beam using a transmitter system associated with a platform.

19. The method of claim 10, wherein the platform is selected from one of a moving platform, a stationery platform, a vehicle, a truck, a helicopter, an aircraft, a portable housing, and a building.