Raytheon Company

James A Wurzbach

Thomas Edward Wood

Courtney Konopka

Manuel T Silvia

Kalin Spariosu

Steven E Shields

David G Manzi

Lawrence A Schatzmann

Russell R Newcomb

Thomas B Stanford

Eric J Griffin

Bernard Harris

Harold C Gilbert

David F Ciambrone

Robert A McLean

Gregory E Smith

A method, apparatus and system for profiling a material composition of a volume is disclosed. A beam source directs a pulsed beam of electromagnetic energy from into the volume. A plurality of backscattered beams is received at a detector. The plurality of backscattered beams is generated from a plurality of depths within the volume in response to interactions of the directed pulsed beam at the plurality of depths. A processor performs range gating of the plurality of backscattered beams to obtain a depth profile of backscattered intensity within the volume and estimates a material composition at different depths of the volume from the generated depth profile.

System and method for depth profiling by temporal and spatial range gating based on penetrating electromagnetic radiation

Methods and apparatus for an acoustic source for directing acoustic energy to ensonify a container, a first sensor to detect acoustic energy from the acoustic source affected by an object in the container without contacting the container, a second sensor to confirm presence of the object, and a processing module to process the detected acoustic energy from the first and second sensors to identify the object in the container.

Methods and apparatus for non-contact inspection of containers using multiple sensors

A system for generating an acoustic image of an object in a container having a first surface on which a vibration can be measure includes an acoustic source for directing acoustic energy to ensonify the container. The system additionally includes a sensor to detect acoustic energy from the acoustic source affected by the object without contacting the container, wherein the detected acoustic energy is measured at least with respect to the vibration on the first surface. The system further includes a processing module to process the detected acoustic energy from the sensor to generate an acoustic image of the object. A corresponding method is also provided.

Methods and apparatus for using acoustic inspection of containers to image objects

Methods and apparatus for a stand-off interrogation system having an ultra-fast X-ray source (incoherent and/or X-ray laser) with an ultra-short pulse emission to irradiate a target material behind a barrier. In one embodiment, the target material is an explosive material in a container. The composition of the target material is directly determined from the detected elemental differential back-scattering signatures.

Method and apparatus for X-ray laser interrogation

Methods and apparatus for an acoustic source for directing acoustic energy to ensonify a container, a sensor to detect acoustic energy from the acoustic source affected by an object in the container without contacting the container, and a processing module to process the detected acoustic energy from the sensor to identify the object in the container.

Methods and apparatus for acoustic inspection of containers

In accordance with the present invention, a method of processing a signal is described that includes receiving a signal having an encoded digital packet, wherein the digital packet includes packet data and a packet frame, wherein the packet frame includes a common digital signal that is common to each one of a plurality of digital packets. The method further includes sampling a signal associated with the received signal to provide a sampled signal. The method further includes performing a channel characterization by contrasting a signal representative of the sampled signal with a signal representative of the common digital signal. A corresponding system is also described.

Method and system for communication channel characterization

An apparatus for measuring volatile organic compounds in a gas includes a sensor chamber having a housing with a gas inlet, a gas outlet, and a gas flow path from the gas inlet to the gas outlet, a set of baffles within the housing and positioned in the gas flow path, and a set of sensors within the housing and positioned in the gas flow path. Each sensor has an electrically conductive polymer whose electrical properties are dependent upon the presence of specific volatile organic compounds in the gas flow. Desirably, the set of baffles and the set of sensors are cooperatively positioned such that the time for gas to flow from the gas inlet to each of the sensors is substantially the same. The apparatus further includes a pump that removes the gas from the gas outlet of the housing, and an electronic circuit that measures the electrical properties of each of the sensors.

Sensor apparatus for measuring volatile organic compounds

A plurality of sensor units are distributed over an area and communicate via a network with a central monitoring unit. The sensor units include sensor arrays that provide them with raw data in response to the presence of selected compounds in the ambient fluid. The raw sensor data is then processed to compute a local profile, which (a) illustrates a change in the compounds in the fluid from their normal state (change detection) , (b) indicates the presence and total concentration of foreign compounds in the fluid (presence detection), or (c) details the composition and concentrations of defined classes or individual species of compounds in the fluid (composition detection). The local profiles from the individual sensor units are then used to compute a spatial and temporal map for the compounds in the fluid. This map can then be used for a variety of purposes including tracking and predicting the flow of compounds through the area, identifying the source of compounds in the area, monitoring abatement, and controlling industrial processes.

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San Diego, CA, United States of America

James A Wurzbach