Radar and method therefor

Claim 2

A radar comprising: a transceiver for transmitting pulses directed to a subsurface area of interest and for receiving a reflected wave from the subsurface area of interest, the pulses have a pulse duration and amplitude constrained by the equation, d 2 |E|e/m≦1 Angstrom, where d is the pulse duration in seconds, E is the pulse amplitude in volts/meter, e equals the charge of an electron in Coulombs, and m equals the mass of an electron in Kg; and a processing device, in communication with the transceiver, for displaying an image of the subsurface area of interest based upon the reflected wave.

Claim 3

The radar of claim 1 , wherein the processing device controls the selection of the pulse duration and amplitude to enhance the image of the subsurface area of interest.

Claim 4

The radar of claim 1 , wherein the processing device identifies the material composition of a plurality of subsurface objects based upon the reflected wave and known properties of the plurality of subsurface objects that vary as a function of the pulse duration and amplitude.

Claim 5

The radar of claim 3 , wherein the known properties include permittivity, permeability, phase shift, and delay.

Claim 6

The radar of claim 3 , wherein the processing device controls the selection of the pulse duration and amplitude to enhance the identification of the material composition of the plurality of subsurface objects.

Claim 7

The radar of claim 1 , wherein the pulses are in the radio-frequency range of the frequency spectrum.

Claim 8

The radar of claim 1 , wherein the pulses are in the laser-frequency range of the frequency spectrum.

Claim 9

The radar of claim 1 , wherein the pulses are coherent electromagnetic radiation.

Claim 10

The radar of claim 1 , wherein the processing device includes: a signal processor for processing the reflected wave; a memory device, in communication with the signal processor, for storing the processed reflected wave and known properties of a plurality of subsurface objects, wherein the known properties of the plurality of subsurface objects vary as a function of the pulse duration and amplitude; a processing unit, in communication with the memory device, for providing an output based upon the stored processed reflected wave and known properties of the plurality of subsurface objects corresponding to the pulse duration and amplitude of the transmitted pulses; and a display device for displaying the output provided by the processing unit, wherein the displayed output identifies the material composition of the plurality of subsurface objects.

Claim 11

The radar of claim 9 , wherein the processing unit dynamically software filters the stored processed reflected wave to provide discrete binning of the stored processed reflected wave, wherein the processing unit individually analyzes the bins in providing the output based upon the stored processed reflected wave and the known properties of the plurality of subsurface objects.

Claim 12

A radar comprising: a transceiver for transmitting pulses of variable pulse duration and amplitude directed to a subsurface area of interest and for receiving a reflected wave from the subsurface area of interest; a processing device, in communication with the transceiver, for identifying the material composition of a plurality of subsurface objects based upon the reflected wave and known properties of the plurality of subsurface objects that vary as a function of the pulse duration and amplitude.

Claim 13

A radar comprising: a transceiver for transmitting pulses of variable pulse duration and amplitude directed to a subsurface area of interest and for receiving a reflected wave from the subsurface area of interest; a processing device, in communication with the transceiver, for identifying the material composition of a plurality of subsurface objects based upon the reflected wave and known properties of the plurality of subsurface objects that vary as a function of the pulse duration and amplitude.

Claim 14

The radar of claim 11 , wherein the pulses have a pulse duration and amplitude constrained by the equation, d 2 |E|e/m≦1 Angstrom, where d is the pulse duration in seconds, E is the pulse amplitude in volts/meter, e equals the charge of an electron in Coulombs, and m equals the mass of an electron in Kg.

Claim 15

The radar of claim 11 , wherein the processing device controls the selection of the pulse duration and amplitude to enhance the identification of the material composition of the plurality of subsurface objects.

Claim 16

The radar of claim 11 , wherein the processing device displays an image of the subsurface area of interest based upon the reflected wave.

Claim 17

The radar of claim 14 , wherein the processing device controls the selection of the pulse duration and amplitude to enhance the image of the subsurface area of interest.

Claim 18

The radar of claim 11 , wherein the pulses are in the radio-frequency range of the frequency spectrum.

Claim 19

The radar of claim 11 , wherein the pulses are in the laser-frequency range of the frequency spectrum.

Claim 20

The radar of claim 11 , wherein the pulses are coherent electromagnetic radiation.

Claim 21

The radar of claim 11 , wherein the known properties include permittivity, permeability, phase shift, and delay.

Claim 22

A radar for exploring a subsurface area of interest, the radar comprising: a transceiver transmitting pulses directed to the subsurface area of interest and receiving a reflected wave from the subsurface area of interest, the pulses have a pulse duration and amplitude constrained by the equation, d 2 |E|e/m≦1 Angstrom, where d is the pulse duration in seconds, E is the pulse amplitude in volts/meter, e equals the charge of an electron in Coulombs, and m equals the mass of an electron in Kg; and a processing device, in communication with the transceiver, providing an output representing an image of the subsurface area of interest based upon the reflected wave.

Claim 23

A radar for exploring a subsurface area of interest, the radar comprising: a transceiver transmitting pulses directed to the subsurface area of interest and receiving a reflected wave from the subsurface area of interest, the pulses have a pulse duration and amplitude constrained by the equation, d 2 |E|e/m≦1 Angstrom, where d is the pulse duration in seconds, E is the pulse amplitude in volts/meter, e equals the charge of an electron in Coulombs, and m equals the mass of an electron in Kg; and a processing device, in communication with the transceiver, providing an output representing an image of the subsurface area of interest based upon the reflected wave.

Claim 24

The radar of claim 20 comprises a display device displaying the output provided by the processing device, wherein the displayed output is an image of the subsurface area of interest.

Claim 25

A radar for exploring a subsurface area of interest that includes a plurality of subsurface objects, the radar comprising: a transceiver transmitting pulses of variable pulse duration and variable amplitude directed to a subsurface area of interest and receiving a reflected wave from the subsurface area of interest; and a processing device, in communication with the transceiver, providing an output representing an identification of the material composition of the plurality of subsurface objects based upon the reflected wave and known properties of the plurality of subsurface objects that vary as a function of the pulse duration and amplitude.

Claim 26

A radar for exploring a subsurface area of interest that includes a plurality of subsurface objects, the radar comprising: a transceiver transmitting pulses of variable pulse duration and variable amplitude directed to a subsurface area of interest and receiving a reflected wave from the subsurface area of interest; and a processing device, in communication with the transceiver, providing an output representing an identification of the material composition of the plurality of subsurface objects based upon the reflected wave and known properties of the plurality of subsurface objects that vary as a function of the pulse duration and amplitude.

Claim 27

The radar of claim 22 comprises a display device displaying the output provided by the processing device, wherein the displayed output identifies the material composition of the plurality of subsurface objects.

Claim 28

The radar of claim 22 , wherein the pulses have a pulse duration and variable amplitude constrained by the equation, d 2 |E|e/m≦1 Angstrom, where d is the pulse duration in seconds, E is the pulse amplitude in volts/meter, e equals the charge of an electron in Coulombs, and m equals the mass of an electron in Kg.

Claim 29

A radar comprising: an impulse generator for generating a sequence of ultra-narrow pulses of variable pulse duration and amplitude, the pulses have a pulse duration and amplitude constrained by the equation, d 2 |E|e/m≦1 Angstrom, where d is the pulse duration in seconds, E is the pulse amplitude in volts/meter, e equals the charge of an electron in Coulombs, and m equals the mass of an electron in Kg; a transmit antenna, in communication with the impulse generator, for transmitting the sequence of ultra-narrow pulses directed to a subsurface area of interest; a receive antenna for receiving a reflected wave from the subsurface area of interest; an impulse receiver, in communication with the receive antenna, for amplifying the reflected wave; a signal processor, in communication with the impulse receiver, for processing the reflected wave; a memory device, in communication with the signal processor, for storing the processed reflected wave and the permittivity, permeability, phase shift, and delay of a plurality of subsurface objects, wherein the permittivity, permeability, phase shift, and delay vary as a function of the pulse duration and amplitude; a processing unit, in communication with the impulse generator, the impulse receiver, and the memory device, for controlling the pulse duration and amplitude of the sequence of ultra-narrow pulses, the transmission of the sequence of ultra-narrow pulses, and the reception of the reflected wave, and for providing an output based upon the stored processed reflected wave and the permittivity, permeability, phase shift, and delay associated with the subsurface objects and corresponding to the pulse duration and amplitude of the sequence of ultra-narrow pulses; and a display device, in communication with the processing unit, for displaying the output provided by the processing unit, wherein the displayed output images the subsurface area of interest and identifies the material composition of the plurality of subsurface objects.

Claim 30

A radar comprising: an impulse generator for generating a sequence of ultra-narrow pulses of variable pulse duration and amplitude, the pulses have a pulse duration and amplitude constrained by the equation, d 2 |E|e/m≦1 Angstrom, where d is the pulse duration in seconds, E is the pulse amplitude in volts/meter, e equals the charge of an electron in Coulombs, and m equals the mass of an electron in Kg; a transmit antenna, in communication with the impulse generator, for transmitting the sequence of ultra-narrow pulses directed to a subsurface area of interest; a receive antenna for receiving a reflected wave from the subsurface area of interest; an impulse receiver, in communication with the receive antenna, for amplifying the reflected wave; a signal processor, in communication with the impulse receiver, for processing the reflected wave; a memory device, in communication with the signal processor, for storing the processed reflected wave and the permittivity, permeability, phase shift, and delay of a plurality of subsurface objects, wherein the permittivity, permeability, phase shift, and delay vary as a function of the pulse duration and amplitude; a processing unit, in communication with the impulse generator, the impulse receiver, and the memory device, for controlling the pulse duration and amplitude of the sequence of ultra-narrow pulses, the transmission of the sequence of ultra-narrow pulses, and the reception of the reflected wave, and for providing an output based upon the stored processed reflected wave and the permittivity, permeability, phase shift, and delay associated with the subsurface objects and corresponding to the pulse duration and amplitude of the sequence of ultra-narrow pulses; and a display device, in communication with the processing unit, for displaying the output provided by the processing unit, wherein the displayed output images the subsurface area of interest and identifies the material composition of the plurality of subsurface objects.

Claim 31

A radar comprising: means for transmitting pulses directed to a subsurface area of interest, the pulses have a pulse duration and amplitude constrained by the equation, d 2 |E|e/m≦1 Angstrom, where d is the pulse duration in seconds, E is the pulse amplitude in volts/meter, e equals the charge of an electron in Coulombs, and m equals the mass of an electron in Kg; means for receiving a reflected wave, from the subsurface area of interest; and means for providing an output representing an image of the subsurface area of interest based upon the reflected wave.

Claim 32

A radar comprising: means for transmitting pulses directed to a subsurface area of interest, the pulses have a pulse duration and amplitude constrained by the equation, d 2 |E|e/m≦1 Angstrom, where d is the pulse duration in seconds, E is the pulse amplitude in volts/meter, e equals the charge of an electron in Coulombs, and m equals the mass of an electron in Kg; means for receiving a reflected wave, from the subsurface area of interest; and means for providing an output representing an image of the subsurface area of interest based upon the reflected wave.

Claim 33

The radar of claim 26 , wherein the means for providing an output comprises means for displaying the output, wherein the displayed output is an image of the subsurface area of interest.

Claim 34

A radar comprising: means for transmitting pulses of variable pulse duration and variable amplitude directed to a subsurface area of interest; means for receiving a reflected wave from the subsurface area of interest; and means for providing an output representing an identification of the material composition of a plurality of subsurface objects based upon the reflected wave and known properties of the plurality of subsurface objects that vary as a function of the pulse duration and amplitude.

Claim 35

A radar comprising: means for transmitting pulses of variable pulse duration and variable amplitude directed to a subsurface area of interest; means for receiving a reflected wave from the subsurface area of interest; and means for providing an output representing an identification of the material composition of a plurality of subsurface objects based upon the reflected wave and known properties of the plurality of subsurface objects that vary as a function of the pulse duration and amplitude.

Claim 36

The radar of claim 28 , wherein the means for providing an output comprises means for displaying the output, wherein the displayed output identifies the material composition of the plurality of subsurface objects.

Claim 37

The radar of claim 28 , wherein the pulses have a pulse duration and amplitude constrained by the equation, d 2 |E|e/m≦1 Angstrom, where d is the pulse duration in seconds, E is the pulse amplitude in volts/meter, e equals the charge of an electron in Coulombs, and m equals the mass of an electron in Kg.

Claim 40

The method of claim 31 further comprises displaying the output, wherein the displayed output is an image of the subsurface area of interest.

Claim 43

The method of claim 33 further comprises displaying the output, wherein the displayed output identifies the material composition of the plurality of subsurface objects.

Claim 44

The method of claim 33 , wherein the pulses have a pulse duration and amplitude constrained by the equation, d 2 |E|e/m≦1 Angstrom, where d is the pulse duration in seconds, E is the pulse amplitude in volts/meter, e equals the charge of an electron in Coulombs, and m equals the mass of an electron in kilograms.