Method for stand off inspection of target in monitored space

• US 8,670,021 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2012
• Issued: 03/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apstec Systems Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Apstec Systems Ltd.
• Inventors: Kuznetsov, Andrey, Gorshkov, Igor, Averyanov, Valery
• Primary Examiner(s): ANYIKIRE, CHIKAODILI E
• Application Number:
  US13/403,256
• Publication Number:
  US 20130022237A1
• Time in Patent Office: 747 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 348/43
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/867 Combination of radar systems with cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/887 for detection of concealed objects, e.g. contraband or weapons
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 2201/05 Recognition of patterns representing particular kinds of hidden objects, e.g. weapons, explosives, drugs

Abstract

This invention addresses remote inspection of target in monitored space. A three dimensional (3D) microwave image of the space is obtained using at least two emitters. The data undergoes coherent processing to obtain maximum intensity of the objects in the area. This image is combined with a 3D video image obtained using two or more video cameras synchronized with the microwave emitters. The images are converted into digital format and transferred into one coordinate system. The distance l is determined between the microwave and the video image. If l<l_o, where l_o is a given threshold, the absence of a concealed dielectric object at the target is indicated. If l>l_o then the presence of cavities is analyzed. If the cavity depth h is greater than the threshold value h_o a concealed dielectric object at the target is ascertained:

$h_0=l_0\frac{\sqrt{\varepsilon }-1}{\surd \varepsilon }$
where ∈ is dielectric permeability of the sought dielectric object.

Claims

1. A method for unveiling hidden dielectric objects in an interrogated area, comprising:

recording a 3D microwave and a 3D optical range images of an interrogated scene at the same time moment, digitizing all images and overlapping them in one common coordinate system;

determining a distance between the 3D microwave and 3D optical images, and concluding the absence of hidden dielectric object where the optical distance is less than a threshold value, the distance being determined via calculating a dielectric permittivity constant ∈

;

further comprising concluding the presence of hidden dielectric objects if cavities are observed in the three-dimensional microwave image, where the distance is more than a threshold value l, and the cavities depth h is greater than a depth threshold

h₀=l₀(∈

^1/2−

1)/∈

^1/2).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein ∈

is about 3.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the hidden objects are explosive materials or components of thereof.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the 3D microwave image is formed by illumination of the scene by microwave radiation and recording the scene image by at least two microwave detectors.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the microwave images are formed by irradiating the area by at least two separate microwave emitters that illuminate the scene from different angles.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein at least two microwave emitters irradiate the area sequentially.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the microwave emitters scan the area thus forming the images.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein at least two microwave emitters have a spectrum consisted of multiple frequencies.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the frequencies are equidistant.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the two microwave emitters have the spectrum up to 30 GHz each.

11. The method of claim 4, wherein the microwave images are formed by irradiating the area by 256 elemental microwave emitters.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the 3D optical image is formed by illumination of the scene by optical radiation and recording the scene image by at least two optical detectors.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein a digital signal processor (DSP) performs a coherent processing, which calculates the 3D image taking into account both amplitude and phase information of electromagnetic fields reflected from the interrogated scene.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the interrogated scene is changing in time, and the 3D microwave and 3D optical range images correspond to the same moment of moving scene.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the method is used to unveil hidden suicide bombs in the crowd of moving people.

16. A system to unveil a hidden dielectric object in an interrogated area, comprising:

at least two microwave (mw) sources and at least one mw receiver forming mw images of the interrogated area;

at least two optical range cameras recording the interrogated area;

a digital signal processor (DSP) receiving the microwave and optical images recorded at the same time and forming a three-dimensional (3D) mw image and a 3D optical image of the interrogated area, both 3D images are transferred into a common coordinate system and overlapped, and wherein a decision on an absence of hidden dielectric object is made after determining an optical distance between the 3D microwave and the 3D optical image, the distance being determined via calculating a dielectric permittivity constant ∈

, and the distance is less than a threshold value, further comprising wherein the presence of hidden dielectric objects is concluded if the distance is more than a threshold value l₀, and cavities are observed in the three-dimensional microwave image in areas, where the distance is more than a threshold value l₀, and the cavities'"'"' depth h is greater than a depth threshold h₀=l₀(∈

^1/2−

1)/(∈

^1/2).

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the mw receiver includes a broadband Vivaldi antenna.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the dielectric object is made of an explosive material or components of thereof.