Advanced obscured feature detector

• US 8,736,283 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2011
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Franklin Sensors Inc.
• Original Assignee: Franklin Sensors Inc.
• Inventors: Dorrough, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HOAI AN D
• Application Number:
  US13/040,203
• Publication Number:
  US 20110215814A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,181 Days
• Field of Search: 324/663, 324/658, 324/649, 324/600, 324/326, 324/66, 324/67, 333/54, 333/32, 332/86, 336/66
• US Class Current: 324/663
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/22 by investigating capacitance
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/221 by investigating the dielectric properties using microwaves G01N22/00; measuring loss factors or dielectric constants per se G01R27/26
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 27/26 Measuring inductance or capacitance; Measuring quality factor, e.g. by using the resonance method; Measuring loss factor; Measuring dielectric constants ; Measuring impedance or related variables
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 27/2605 Measuring capacitance capacitive sensors G01D5/24
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/08 operating with magnetic or electric fields produced or modified by objects or geological structures or by detecting devices with electromagnetic waves G01V3/12
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/15 specially adapted for use during transport, e.g. by a person, vehicle or boat

Abstract

A surface-conforming obscured feature detector includes a plurality of sensor plates, each having a capacitance that varies based on the dielectric constant of the materials that compose the surrounding objects and the proximity of those objects. A sensing circuit is coupled to the sensor plates 32 to measure the capacitances of the sensor plates. A controller is coupled to the sensing circuit to analyze the capacitances measured by the sensing circuit. One or a plurality of indicators are coupled to the controller, and are selectively activated to identify the location of an obscured feature behind a surface.

Claims

1. An obscured feature detector comprising:

a plurality of sensor plates, each having a capacitance that varies based on;

(a) the proximity of the sensor plate to one or more surrounding objects, and (b) the dielectric constant(s) of the surrounding object(s);

a sensing circuit coupled to the sensor plates, the circuit being configured to measure the capacitances of the sensor plates;

a controller coupled to the sensing circuit, the controller including a processor and memory storing an algorithm configured to analyze the capacitances measured by the sensing circuit; and

one or more indicators coupled to the controller, each indicator capable of toggling between a first state and a second state,

wherein, when the controller detects two or more separated obscured features, the controller is configured to toggle two or more indicators from the first state to the second state simultaneously to identify the locations of the two or more separated obscured features, with one or more indicators in the first state located between the two or more toggled indicators in the second state, wherein the number of indicators in the first state identifies the width of a gap between the separated obscured features.

2. The obscured feature detector of claim 1 wherein the detector is at least approximately seven inches wide.

3. The obscured feature detector of claim 1 wherein the number of sensor plates is 4 or greater.

4. The obscured feature detector of claim 1 wherein each of the sensor plates are substantially the same size.

5. The obscured feature detector of claim 1 wherein the detector is capable of detecting three or more features simultaneously.

6. The obscured feature detector of claim 1 wherein the detector is capable identifying the width of more than one feature.

7. The obscured feature detector of claim 1, further comprising a pattern matching module configured to compare the measured capacitance readings with a plurality of predetermined patterns and determine which predetermined pattern best matches the measured capacitance readings.

8. A method for determining the location of a plurality of separated obscured features behind a surface, the method comprising:

placing an obscured feature detector on the surface, the obscured feature detector having a plurality of sensor plates arranged in an array;

measuring capacitance readings sensed in a plurality of regions, each region corresponding to an area surrounding one or more of the sensor plates;

analyzing the capacitance readings with a controller including a processor and memory storing an algorithm configured to analyze the capacitance readings;

identifying, based upon the measured capacitance readings, the location of the plurality of separated obscured features; and

toggling two or more indicators from a first state to a second state simultaneously to identify the locations of the plurality of separated obscured features, with one or more indicators in the first state located between the two or more toggled indicators in the second state, wherein the number of indicators in the first state identifies the width of a gap between the separated obscured features.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein identifying the location of the plurality of obscured features comprises using a pattern matching module to determine the locations of the plurality of obscured features.