System and method for detecting dangerous objects and substances

• US 8,823,581 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2007
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Radical Development Holding S.A.
• Original Assignee: Radical Development Holding S.A.
• Inventors: Mostov, Kirill, Liptsen, Kfim
• Primary Examiner(s): GREGORY, BERNARR E
• Application Number:
  US11/951,915
• Publication Number:
  US 20080211711A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,462 Days
• Field of Search: 342/27, 342/28, 342/59, 342 82-103, 342/118, 342125-145, 342/175, 342/176, 342/179, 342188-197, 342361-366, 342/21, 342/22, 342 25 R- 25 F, 342 13- 20, 342 29- 51, 342 52- 55, 342 70- 72, 324/600, 324/629, 324/637, 324/638, 375/316, 375/322, 375/324, 375/328, 375/346, 375/350
• US Class Current: 342/128
• 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: G01S 13/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/025 involving the transmission of linearly polarised waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/412 based on a comparison between measured values and known or stored values
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 8/005 operating with millimetre waves, e.g. measuring the black losey radiation

Abstract

A system and method for detecting dangerous objects and substances are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a method comprises generating a microwave signal that is reflected by a target to render one or more reflected signals. The one or more reflected signals are received at an antenna array. The one or more reflected signals are converted into digital reflected signals. The microwave signal is converted into a digital signal. The digital reflected signals and the digital signal are processed to determine the three dimensional position of the target. The digital reflected signals and the digital signal are processed to identify the target. The digital reflected signals and the digital signal are processed to determine a state of the target; and determine whether the target a dangerous object.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

generating a microwave signal;

transmitting the microwave signal to be reflected by a target to render one or more reflected signals;

receiving the one or more reflected signals at an antenna array;

converting each received reflected signal into a low frequency reflected signal;

converting each low frequency reflected signal into a digital reflected signal to render one or more digital reflected signals;

converting the microwave signal into a low frequency reference signal;

converting the generated reference signal into a digital reference signal;

processing the one or more digital reflected signals and the digital reference signal to determine a three dimensional position of the target; and

processing the one or more digital reflected signals and the digital reference signal to identify the target.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a visual representation of the target using the one or more digital reflected signals and the digital reference signal.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising combining the visual representation of the target with an image of the target obtained from a camera to provide an enhanced target image.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising using a non-linear digital algorithm that improves resolution of the enhanced target image.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a digital representation of the target using the one or more digital reflected signals and the digital reference signal; and

comparing the digital representation of the target with one or more targets stored in a digital library.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the microwave signal has a parallel polarization relative to the receiving antenna array.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the microwave signal has a perpendicular polarization relative to the receiving antenna array.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining said identification of the target by using at least one of radioscopic imaging, detecting known resonance frequencies, measuring signal absorption properties of the target, and observing target psycho-physiological parameters.

9. A system, comprising:

a transmitter in a mobile device including a transmitting antenna, an oscillator, a control circuit of antenna polarization, and a voltage-control circuit oscillator;

one or more receiving radio channel circuitry in the mobile device, the one or more radio channels circuitry including a receiving antenna, a down converter, a low frequency filter;

a digital signal processing module in the mobile device; and

a video display,

wherein the transmitting antenna transmits a microwave signal to be reflected by an object resulting in the object being a scanned object; and

wherein the receiving antenna of the one or more receiving radio channels receives reflected signals from a scanned object.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a video camera capturing a video image of the scanned object, wherein the video display displays the combined image of a microwave image and the video image of the scanned object, wherein the digital signal processing module generates the microwave image is generated using the reflected signals.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein

the transmitter transmits signals at a polarization angle with various polarization using the control circuit of antenna polarization;

the receiving antenna of the one or more receiving radio channels receives the reflected signals reflected from the scanned object on a polarization plane; and

the polarization angle of the transmitter is parallel or orthogonal to the polarization plane of the receiving antenna of the one or more receiving radio channels.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more receiving radio channels performs down conversion, low frequency filtering and analog to digital conversion on the reflected signals received by the receiving antenna.

13. A method, comprising:

generating a microwave signal;

transmitting the microwave signal to be reflected by a target to render one or more reflected signals;

receiving the one or more reflected signals at an antenna array;

converting each received reflected signals into a low frequency reflected signal;

converting each low frequency reflected signal into a digital signal to render one or more digital reflected signals;

converting the microwave signal into a low frequency reference signal;

converting the generated reference signal into a digital reference signal;

processing the one or more digital reflected signals and the digital reference signal to determine a three dimensional position of the target;

processing the one or more digital reflected signals and the digital reference signal to identify the target;

generating a visual representation of the target using the one or more digital reflected signals and the digital reference signal; and

combining the visual representation of the target with an image of the target obtained from a camera to provide an enhanced target image.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising using a non-linear digital algorithm that improves resolution of the enhanced target image.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

generating a digital representation of the target using the one or more digital reflected signals and the digital reference signal; and

comparing the digital representation of the target with one or more targets stored in a digital library.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the microwave signal has a parallel polarization relative to that of the receiving antenna array.

17. the method of claim 13, wherein the microwave signal has a perpendicular polarization relative to that of the receiving antenna array.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining said identification of the target by using at least one of radioscopic imaging, detecting known resonance frequencies, measuring signal absorption properties of the target, and observing target psycho-physiological parameters.