Method and apparatus for object/material detection

• US 9,223,045 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2012
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Naqvi, Waseem
• Primary Examiner(s): Perungavoor, Sath V
• Assistant Examiner(s): AYNALEM, NATHNAEL B
• Application Number:
  US13/480,027
• Publication Number:
  US 20120300067A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,314 Days
• Field of Search: 348/143, 340/541, 340/567
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/12 operating with electromagnetic waves operating with millimetre waves G01V8/005

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to compare the size of a target from the first sensor information with the size of the target from the second sensor information to determine whether an anomaly exists based upon the size comparison. In one embodiment, the size of the target from the first sensor information is affected by dielectric constants for at least one material of interest associated with the target.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

transmitting and receiving wireless RF signals from transceivers in a mesh communications network sensor field covering an area, the sensor field providing information from a first sensor;

receiving information from a second sensor in the mesh communications network covering at least a portion of the area;

determining a size of a target in the area from the first sensor information from changes in electromagnetic field (EMF) between transceivers caused by the target as the target moves into, out of, or within the sensor field, wherein the size of the target from the first sensor information is affected by dielectric constants for at least one material of interest associated with the target, wherein the changes in the EMF are measured as link quality changes between the transceivers due to the target;

determining a size of the target in the area from the second sensor information; and

comparing the size of the target from the first sensor information with the size of the target from the second sensor information to determine whether an anomaly exists based upon the size comparison.

2. The method according to claim 1, further including generating an alert when the anomaly is detected.

3. The method according, to claim 1, wherein the second sensor includes a video camera.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one material of interest includes an explosive material.

5. The method according to claim 1, further including using RSSI and LQI information to detect the target.

6. The method according to claim 1, further including determining an orientation of the target in relation to at least one of the nodes.

7. The method according to claim 1, further including performing additional inspection of the target upon generation of the alert.

8. The method according to claim 1, further including blocking cell phone signals when the alert is generated.

20. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first sensor comprises a wireless data communication system to receive and transmit data signals within the sensor field, wherein the link quality can be measured as RSSI and LQI for wireless data communication systems.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the area comprises and open, unenclosed area.

9. A system, comprising:

a first sensor comprising a sensor field including at least one wireless transceiver in a mesh communications network to monitor an area;

a second sensor to monitor at least a portion of the area;

a signal processing module coupled to the mesh communications network, the signal processing module including a processor to;

process information from the first sensor to determine a size of a target in the area from the first sensor information from changes in electromagnetic field (EMF) between transceivers caused by the target as the target moves into, out of, or within the sensor field, wherein the size of the target from the first sensor information is affected by dielectric constants for at least one material of interest associated with the target, wherein the changes in the EMF are measured as link quality changes between the transceivers due to the target;

determine a size of the target in the area from the second sensor information; and

compare the size of the target from the first sensor information with the size of the target from the second sensor information to determine whether an anomaly exists based upon the size comparison; and

an alert module to generate an alert upon detection of the anomaly.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the second sensor includes a video camera.

11. The system according to claim 9, wherein the at least one material of interest includes an explosive material.

12. The system according to claim 9, further including using RSSI and LQI information to detect the target.

13. The system according to claim 9, wherein the signal processing module further determines an orientation of the target in relation to at least one of the nodes.

14. The system according to claim 9, further including a cell phone signal blocking module to block cell phone signals when the alert is generated.

15. The system according to claim 9, further including an acoustic sensor to provide information to the signal processing module.

16. The system according to claim 9, wherein the signal processing module tracks the target.

22. The system of claim 9, wherein the area comprises and open, unenclosed area.

17. An article, comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium containing stored instructions that enable a machine to perform;

processing information from wireless signals from transceivers in a mesh communications network sensor field covering an area, the sensor field providing information from a first sensor;

processing information from a second sensor in the mesh communications network covering at least a portion of the area;

determining a size of a target in the area from the first sensor information from based on back-scatter analysis of changes in electromagnetic field (EMF) between transceivers caused by the target as the target moves into, out of, or within the sensor field, wherein the size of the target from the first sensor information is affected by dielectric constants for at least one material of interest associated with the target, wherein the changes in the EMF are measured as link quality changes between the transceivers due to the target;

determining a size of the target in the area from the second sensor information; and

comparing the size of the target from the first sensor information with the size of the target from the second sensor information to determine whether an anomaly exists based upon the size comparison; and

generating an alert upon detection of the anomaly.

18. The article according to claim 17, wherein the at least one material of interest includes an explosive material.

19. The article according to claim 17, wherein the second sensor comprises a video camera.