US6965340B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System and method for security inspection using microwave imaging
Assignee: Agilent Technologies Inc
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Filing: 2004-11-24
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Granted: 2005-11-15
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Expires: 2024-11-24
Abstract
Abstract A security inspection system uses microwave radiation to image targets on a human subject or other item. The system includes an array of antenna elements that are programmable with a respective phase delay to direct a beam of microwave illumination toward a target on the human subject or item. The antenna elements are further capable of receiving reflected microwave illumination reflected from the target. A processor is operable to measure an intensity of the reflected microwave illumination to determine a value of a pixel within an image of the human subject or item. Multiple beams can be directed towards the human subject or item to obtain corresponding pixel values for use by the processor in constructing the image.
Inventors
- 👤 Izhak Baharav
- 👤 Robert Taber
- 👤 Gregory Steven Lee
- 👤 John Stephen Kofol
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 12:19
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01Q; H01Q1/00; H01Q1/12; H01Q1/22; H01Q1/2208; H01Q1/2216; G; G01; G01S; G01S13/00; G01S13/88; G01S13/887; G01S13/89; G01V; G01V8/00; G01V8/005; H01Q21/00; H01Q21/06; H01Q21/061; H01Q21/065; H01Q3/00; H01Q3/44; H01Q3/46
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim
97 words
A security inspection system, comprising: a portal through which a human subject is capable of walking; a scanning panel including an array of antenna elements, each of said antenna elements being programmable with a respective phase delay to direct a beam of microwave illumination toward a target on the human subject, said antenna elements being further capable of receiving reflected microwave illumination reflected from the target; and a processor operable to measure an intensity of the reflected microwave illumination to determine a value of a pixel within an image of the human subject constructed by said processor.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
97 words
A security inspection system, comprising: a portal through which a human subject is capable of walking; a scanning panel including an array of antenna elements, each of said antenna elements being programmable with a respective phase delay to direct a beam of microwave illumination toward a target on the human subject, said antenna elements being further capable of receiving reflected microwave illumination reflected from the target; and a processor operable to measure an intensity of the reflected microwave illumination to determine a value of a pixel within an image of the human subject constructed by said processor.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein said array is a reflector antenna array, and wherein said antenna elements are reflecting antenna elements.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
The system of claim 2 , wherein said antenna elements are configured to receive microwave illumination from a microwave source and reflect the microwave illumination based on the respective programmed phase delays to direct the beam of microwave illumination toward the target.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 3 , wherein said microwave source is a transmit microwave antenna.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
The system of claim 4 , wherein said reflector antenna array is further configured to receive the reflected microwave illumination reflected from the target and reflect the reflected microwave illumination towards a receive microwave antenna by programming said reflecting antenna elements in an interleaved pattern.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system of claim 5 , wherein said receive microwave antenna is said transmit microwave antenna.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
44 words
The system of claim 5 , wherein said reflector antenna array includes a first reflector antenna array configured to reflect the microwave illumination towards the target and a second reflector antenna array configured to reflect the reflected microwave illumination towards the receive microwave antenna.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein each of said antenna elements are binary phase-shifted antenna elements.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system of claim 8 , wherein each of said antenna elements includes a non-ideal switching device in electrical signal communication with a patch antenna configured as a function of the impedance of said non-ideal switching device.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein each of said reflecting antenna elements are continuous phase-shifted antenna elements.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 10 , wherein each of said antenna elements is a variable capacitor loaded patch antenna element.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 10 , wherein each of said antenna elements is a variable capacitor loaded patch antenna element.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein said scanning panel includes two or more scanning panels, each for imaging a different portion of the human subject.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 13 , wherein scanning panel includes at least four scanning panels, each for imaging a different quadrant of the human subject.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 13 , wherein said two or more scanning panels are operated simultaneously to obtain two or more pixel values.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein said array is an active transmit/receive array.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
59 words
The system of claim 16 , wherein at least a portion of said antenna elements are symmetrical about a mirror axis thereof and include feed points on either side of said mirror axis capable of creating opposite symmetric field distributions across said respective symmetric antenna element, said opposite symmetric field distributions being binary phase-shifted with respect to one another.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein said scanning panel includes one or more scanning panels capable of simultaneously directing multiple microwave beams of different frequencies towards different targets on the human subject.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein said reflector antenna array includes two or more reflector antenna arrays, each for imaging a different portion of the target.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 19 , wherein said two or more reflector antenna arrays are operated simultaneously to obtain two or more pixel values.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
93 words
A microwave imaging system, comprising: a microwave source for providing microwave illumination; a reflector antenna array including a plurality of antenna elements, each of said antenna elements being programmable with a respective phase delay to reflect the microwave illumination towards a position on a target, said antenna elements being further capable of receiving reflected microwave illumination reflected from the position on the target; and a processor operable to measure an intensity of the reflected microwave illumination to determine a value of a pixel within an image of the target constructed by said processor.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
93 words
A microwave imaging system, comprising: a microwave source for providing microwave illumination; a reflector antenna array including a plurality of antenna elements, each of said antenna elements being programmable with a respective phase delay to reflect the microwave illumination towards a position on a target, said antenna elements being further capable of receiving reflected microwave illumination reflected from the position on the target; and a processor operable to measure an intensity of the reflected microwave illumination to determine a value of a pixel within an image of the target constructed by said processor.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 21 , wherein said microwave source is a transmit microwave antenna.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
52 words
The system of claim 22 , wherein said reflector antenna array is further configured to receive the reflected microwave illumination reflected from the position on the target and reflect the reflected microwave illumination towards a receive microwave antenna based on an additional respective phase delay associated with each of said antenna elements.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system of claim 23 , wherein said receive microwave antenna is said transmit microwave antenna.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
47 words
The system of claim 23 , wherein said reflector antenna array includes a first reflector antenna array configured to reflect the microwave illumination towards the position on the target and a second reflector antenna array configured to reflect the reflected microwave illumination towards the receive microwave antenna.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system of claim 21 , wherein each of said antenna elements are binary phase-shifted antenna elements.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system of claim 26 , wherein each of said antenna elements includes a non-ideal switching device in electrical signal communication with a patch antenna configured as a function of the impedance of said non-ideal switching device.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 21 , wherein each of said reflecting antenna elements are continuous phase-shifted antenna elements.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system of claim 21 , wherein said reflector antenna array is capable of simultaneously reflecting multiple beams of microwave illumination of different frequencies towards different positions on the target.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
105 words
A method for security inspection, comprising: providing a reflector antenna array including a plurality of antenna elements, each of said antenna elements being programmable with a respective phase delay; receiving microwave illumination at the reflector antenna array from a microwave source; reflecting the microwave illumination towards a position on a target based on the phase delay of each of the antenna elements; receiving reflected microwave illumination reflected from the position on the target at the reflector antenna array; measuring an intensity of the reflected microwave illumination to determine a pixel; and constructing an image including multiple pixel values associated with multiple positions on the target.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
105 words
A method for security inspection, comprising: providing a reflector antenna array including a plurality of antenna elements, each of said antenna elements being programmable with a respective phase delay; receiving microwave illumination at the reflector antenna array from a microwave source; reflecting the microwave illumination towards a position on a target based on the phase delay of each of the antenna elements; receiving reflected microwave illumination reflected from the position on the target at the reflector antenna array; measuring an intensity of the reflected microwave illumination to determine a pixel; and constructing an image including multiple pixel values associated with multiple positions on the target.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 30 , wherein said microwave source is a transmit microwave antenna, and further comprising: reflecting the reflected microwave illumination towards a receive microwave antenna based on an additional respective phase delay associated with each of said antenna elements.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 30 , wherein said reflector antenna array includes two or more reflective antenna arrays, each for imaging a different portion of the target, and further comprising: operating said two or more reflector antenna arrays simultaneously to obtain two or more pixel values.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 30 , wherein said reflecting includes simultaneously reflecting multiple microwave beams of different frequencies towards different positions on the target.
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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) | 2008-11-14 | 2009-05-16 | 2009-11-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2012-11-14 | 2013-05-16 | 2013-11-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2016-11-14 | 2017-05-16 | 2017-11-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |