Patent US6366232B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6366232B1
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Method and sensor for detecting foreign bodies in a medium with a radar
Assignee: Hilti AG
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Filing: 1999-10-07
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Granted: 2002-04-02
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Expires: 2019-10-07
Abstract
Abstract A method of detecting foreign bodies in a medium with a radar having a transceiver, and including emitting a radar wave through a wall surface into the medium with the transceiver, detecting a radar signal reflected in the medium, pre-processing the reflected radar signal and subjecting the pre-processed radar signal to evaluation and assessment, determining a characteristic of a foreign body at a stationary position of the transceiver with an algorithm which is based on a pre-processed, digitalized receivable signal, which characteristic permits to recognize differences between a shape of the reflected radar signal and stored comparison values, and conducting a comparison assessment of the shape differences of the reflected signal against predetermined threshold values.
Inventors
- 👤 Stefan Liedtke
- 👤 Stefan Tichy
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 16:34
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01V; G01V3/00; G01V3/12; G01S; G01S13/00; G01S13/02; G01S13/0209; G01S13/88; G01S13/885
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
155 words
A method of detecting foreign bodies in a medium with a radar having a transceiver, the method comprising the steps of emitting a radar wave by a transmitter antenna of the transceiver in different directions and with different frequencies through a wall surface into the medium, with the transceiver occupying a stationary position; detecting a radar signal reflected in the medium with the transceiver; pre-processing and digitizing the reflected radar signal and subjecting the reflected radar signal to evaluation and assessment for determining differences between a shape of the reflected and pre-processed radar signal and stored comparison values corresponding to a reference position of the transceiver with respect to off-positions angles of a foreign body in relation to a central emission direction of the transceiver; and determining a characteristic of the foreign body with an algorithm adapted for processing the pre-processed and digitized reflected radar signal, whereby a position of the foreign body is determined.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
155 words
A method of detecting foreign bodies in a medium with a radar having a transceiver, the method comprising the steps of emitting a radar wave by a transmitter antenna of the transceiver in different directions and with different frequencies through a wall surface into the medium, with the transceiver occupying a stationary position; detecting a radar signal reflected in the medium with the transceiver; pre-processing and digitizing the reflected radar signal and subjecting the reflected radar signal to evaluation and assessment for determining differences between a shape of the reflected and pre-processed radar signal and stored comparison values corresponding to a reference position of the transceiver with respect to off-positions angles of a foreign body in relation to a central emission direction of the transceiver; and determining a characteristic of the foreign body with an algorithm adapted for processing the pre-processed and digitized reflected radar signal, whereby a position of the foreign body is determined.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
68 words
A method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the signal processing includes scanning in a scanning process a plurality of scanning points which timely follow one another in a time domain and which provide spectral power densities, analyzing the spectral power densities against a stored reference spectrum by using a method of a correlation analysis, and comparing an obtained correlation value with a predetermined correlation coefficient.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the radar wave emitting step includes emitting a plurality of radar waves with differently polarized antennas of the transceiver.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as set froth in claim 3 , wherein antenna polarizations are displaced relative to each other by an angle of 90°.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the signal processing is effected with a Welch algorithm.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
64 words
A method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the signal processing for determining the position of the foreign body is effected with an algorithm based on autoregressive model with a transformed presentation in one of z- and s-planes, determination of pole points, and comparison of at least one of attenuation (σ) and frequency (ω) of the pole points with a stored value.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the signal processing is effected with an algorithm based on a Wavelet signal analysis.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
53 words
A method as set forth in claim 1 , including the steps of determining permittivity of the medium, and determining a depth, at which the foreign body is located based on the determination of a reflection layer, use of the obtained permittivity, and analysis of a signal propagation by using a correlation analysis.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method as set forth in claim 1 , comprising the steps of conducting a plurality of scanning processes at a measurement position, and processing the obtained reflection signals, whereby an improved signal/noise ratio is obtained for the reflection signals for which evaluation is conducted.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as set forth in claim 9 , comprising the steps of effecting at least one of depth-dependent amplification, windowing, and filtering of the scanning signals on which signal evaluation is based.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein one of impulse radar and stepped frequency radar is used.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
175 words
A method of detecting foreign bodies in a solid medium selected from a group consisting of concrete, brickwork, gypsum, plaster, and wood with a radar having a transceiver, the method comprising the steps of emitting a radar wave by a transmitter antenna of the transceiver in different directions and with different frequencies through a wall survale into the medium, with the transceiver occupying a stationary position; detecting a radar signal reflected in the medium with the transceiver; pre-processing and digitizing the reflected radar signal and subjecting the reflected radar signal to evaluation and assessment for determining differences between a shape of the reflected and pre-processed radar signal and stored comparison values of pattern signals, the stored comparison values corresponding to a reference position of the transceiver with respect to off-position angles of a foreign body in relation to a central emission direction of the transceiver; and determining a characteristic of the foreign body with an algorithm adapted for processing the pre-processed and digitalized reflected radar signal, whereby a position of the foreign body is determined.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
175 words
A method of detecting foreign bodies in a solid medium selected from a group consisting of concrete, brickwork, gypsum, plaster, and wood with a radar having a transceiver, the method comprising the steps of emitting a radar wave by a transmitter antenna of the transceiver in different directions and with different frequencies through a wall survale into the medium, with the transceiver occupying a stationary position; detecting a radar signal reflected in the medium with the transceiver; pre-processing and digitizing the reflected radar signal and subjecting the reflected radar signal to evaluation and assessment for determining differences between a shape of the reflected and pre-processed radar signal and stored comparison values of pattern signals, the stored comparison values corresponding to a reference position of the transceiver with respect to off-position angles of a foreign body in relation to a central emission direction of the transceiver; and determining a characteristic of the foreign body with an algorithm adapted for processing the pre-processed and digitalized reflected radar signal, whereby a position of the foreign body is determined.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
167 words
A method of detecting foreign bodies in a solid medium with an electromagnetic sensor an operation of which is based on a process including the steps of emitting a radar wave by a transmitter antenna of the transceiver indifferent directions and with different frequencies through a wall surface into the medium, with the transceiver occupying a stationary position; detecting a radar signal reflected in the medium with the transceiver; pre-processing and digitizing the reflected radar signal and subjecting the reflected radar signal to evaluation and assessment for determining differences between a shape of the reflected and pre-processed radar signal and stored comparison values of pattern signals, the stored comparison values corresponding to a reference position of the transceiver with respect to off-positions angles of a foreign body in relation to a central emission direction of the transceiver; and determining a characteristic of the foreign body with an algorithm adapted for processing the pre-processed and digitalized reflected radar signal, whereby a position of the foreign body is determined.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
167 words
A method of detecting foreign bodies in a solid medium with an electromagnetic sensor an operation of which is based on a process including the steps of emitting a radar wave by a transmitter antenna of the transceiver indifferent directions and with different frequencies through a wall surface into the medium, with the transceiver occupying a stationary position; detecting a radar signal reflected in the medium with the transceiver; pre-processing and digitizing the reflected radar signal and subjecting the reflected radar signal to evaluation and assessment for determining differences between a shape of the reflected and pre-processed radar signal and stored comparison values of pattern signals, the stored comparison values corresponding to a reference position of the transceiver with respect to off-positions angles of a foreign body in relation to a central emission direction of the transceiver; and determining a characteristic of the foreign body with an algorithm adapted for processing the pre-processed and digitalized reflected radar signal, whereby a position of the foreign body is determined.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
168 words
A method of detecting foreign bodies in a solid medium with a position sensor an operation of which is based on a process including the steps of emitting a radar wave by a transmitter antenna of the transceiver in different directions and with different frequencies through a wall surface into the medium, with the transceiver occupying a stationary position; detecting a radar signal reflected in the medium with the transceiver; pre-processing and digitizing the reflected radar signal and subjecting the reflected radar signal to evaluation and assessment for determining differences between a shape of the reflected and pre-processed radar signal and stored comparison values of pattern signals, the stored comparison values corresponding to a reference position of the transceiver with respect to off-positions angles of a foreign body in relation to a central emission direction of the transceiver; and determining a characteristic of the foreign body with an algorithm adapted for processing the pre-processed and digitalized reflected radar signal, whereby a position of the foreign body is determined.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
168 words
A method of detecting foreign bodies in a solid medium with a position sensor an operation of which is based on a process including the steps of emitting a radar wave by a transmitter antenna of the transceiver in different directions and with different frequencies through a wall surface into the medium, with the transceiver occupying a stationary position; detecting a radar signal reflected in the medium with the transceiver; pre-processing and digitizing the reflected radar signal and subjecting the reflected radar signal to evaluation and assessment for determining differences between a shape of the reflected and pre-processed radar signal and stored comparison values of pattern signals, the stored comparison values corresponding to a reference position of the transceiver with respect to off-positions angles of a foreign body in relation to a central emission direction of the transceiver; and determining a characteristic of the foreign body with an algorithm adapted for processing the pre-processed and digitalized reflected radar signal, whereby a position of the foreign body is determined.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-04-01 | 2005-10-01 | 2006-04-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-04-01 | 2009-10-01 | 2010-04-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-04-01 | 2013-10-01 | 2014-04-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |