Ultra-wideband imaging system

• US 6,919,838 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2002
• Issued: 07/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Holding 81 LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Pulse-Link Incorporated
• Inventors: Santhoff, John H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lobo, Ian J.
• Application Number:
  US10/290,805
• Publication Number:
  US 20030090407A1
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• Field of Search: 342/22, 342/27, 367/7
• US Class Current: 342/22
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/0209 Systems with very large relative bandwidth, i.e. larger than 10 %, e.g. baseband, pulse, carrier-free, ultrawideband
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/89 for mapping or imaging

Abstract

The present invention comprises a scanner or imager that employs a plurality of ultra-wideband (UWB) transmitters that emit a multiplicity of UWB pulses, which are received by a plurality of receivers. An object or person positioned between the UWB transmitters and receivers can be scanned and subsequently imaged in extreme detail, due to the broad spectral content of the UWB pulses. The UWB scanner can be constructed as a stationary or portable device.

Claims

1. A method of scanning an object, the method comprising the steps of:

providing at least two ultra-wideband pulse emitters, and a receiver;

substantially eliminating an ultra-wideband pulse multi-path interference by sequentially emitting at least two ultra-wideband pulses toward the object;

receiving the ultra-wideband pulses;

determining a time differential between a portion of the ultra-wideband pulses that did not pass through the object, and a portion of the ultra-wideband pulses that passed through the object;

determining a density of the object based on the a time differential between the portion of the ultra-wideband pulses that did not pass through the object, and the portion of the ultra-wideband pulses that passed through the object; and

determining a material characteristic of the object based on the density of the object;

wherein the material characteristic is selected from a group consisting of;

a material density, a material composition, a material type and a material shape.

2. A method of scanning an object, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an ultra-wideband pulse emitter, and a receiver;

emitting an ultra-wideband pulse toward the object, with at least a portion of the ultra-wideband pulse passing through the object;

receiving the ultra-wideband pulse, including the portion of the ultra-wideband pulse that passed through the object;

determining a time differential between a portion of the ultra-wideband pulse that did not pass through the object, and a portion of the ultra-wideband pulse that passed through the object;

determining a density of the object based on the a time differential between a portion of the ultra-wideband pulse that did not pass through the object, and the portion of the ultra-wideband pulse that passed through the object; and

determining a material characteristic of the object based on the density of the object;

wherein the material characteristic is selected from a group consisting of;

a material density, a material composition, a material type and a material shape.

3. A system for scanning an object, comprising:

an ultra-wideband pulse emitter, and a receiver;

logic for emitting an ultra-wideband pulse toward an object, with at least a portion of the ultra-wideband pulse passing through the object;

logic for receiving the ultra-wideband pulse, including the portion of the ultra-wideband pulse that passed through the object; and

logic for determining a time differential between a portion of the ultra-wideband pulse that did not pass through the object, and the portion of the ultra-wideband pulse that passed through the object.