Witten Technologies Inc.

Northeastern University

Seknion, Inc.

Ralf Birken

Thorkild Hansen

Michael L Oristaglio

Scott MacIntosh

Ross Deming

Douglas E Miller

Carey M Rappaport

Ming L Wang

Paul Albats, Jr

Macyln Burns

Anthony DeRubeis

Jakob Haldorsen

Dan Busuioc

J Gregory McDaniel

Robert Casadonte

Robert G Green

Ming-Liang Wang

Qifu Zhu

Sara Wadia-Fascetti

The invention provides a compact, high-frequency, transmit and receive millimeter-wave radar sensor device, system, and method of use. The sensor can operate at a variety of distances, speeds, and resolutions depending on the hardware components selected in a given implementation. The hardware and software architecture is generic and can be tailored to required applications.

Conformal and configurable millimeter-wave integrated array radar in a compact package

A roaming sensor system collects data on the condition of roads and bridge decks and identifies and maps defects, including cracks, potholes, debonding, tracking, delamination, surface ice, surface water, and rebar corrosion. Data are collected by a vehicle or a fleet of vehicles driven at normal traffic speeds. The vehicle is outfitted with sensors that collect data using acoustic surface waves, ground penetrating radar, mm wave surface radar, and/or video images. The data are transmitted to a control center for analysis and distribution.

Roaming mobile sensor platform for collecting geo-referenced data and creating thematic maps

Security in inductively coupled communications systems, such as near field communications (NFC), may be improved by restricting signals carrying user data to an authorized data transmission region. Security may be particularly important when the NFC carries financial transaction information or authorization credentials. Scramble signals may be transmitted along with data signals carrying the user data and designed to overshadow the data signals outside of the authorized data transmission region. The scramble signal transceiver may be designed to have a slower decay rate with distance from the transceiver than the data signal. By adjusting the power levels of the scramble signal and the data signal, the authorized data transmission region may be adjusted. Scramble signals may not be required if the data signal strength outside the authorized data transmission region is below the minimum threshold value required by eavesdropping receivers.

Secure inductively-coupled communications systems

Position measurements by a tracking system associated with a survey tool are corrected for tilt. The tracking station typically incorporates some offset from the surface across which a survey is conducted, and the offset will be subject to angular displacement as the tool tilts with respect to its normal orientation. The tracking system records the 3D position of the survey tool, with angular offset errors. In the disclosed examples, an inertial measurement unit (IMU), a dual axis inclinometer or a combination of two single axis inclinometers measures the amount of angular offset. The angular offset data is used to correct the position data, e.g. to reduce or eliminate errors caused by the angular offset, e.g. from vertical. If the tool provides measurement data, e.g. GPR readings, processing of the measurement data from the survey tool uses the corrected position data, e.g. to produce images of sub-surface features or objects.

Method for correcting a 3D location measured by a tracking system assuming a vertical offset

An apparatus and method for combining a survey measurement dataset and a position dataset into a single dataset containing both measurement and position data is disclosed. The survey measurement data may be obtained from a ground penetrating radar, an inductometer, a magnetometer, or an optical camera. Positioning information is collected and merged with the survey information so that the position of the survey tool is known at each data point. Also provided are channel-equalization filters, spiking deconvolution filters, and frame filters that can be used in conjunction with the positioning information to enhance the quality of the images obtained from the data collected by the survey tool.

Method for merging position information with measurements and filtering to obtain high-quality images that are positioned accurately with respect to global coordinates

We describe a system for displaying buried utilities to the operator of an excavator. The display is based on 3D images of the subsurface obtained from advanced locating methods. As the excavator moves, the display changes so that it remains centered on the region near the bucket where the buried pipes are in danger of being broken.

Virtual camera on the bucket of an excavator displaying 3D images of buried pipes

An apparatus and method for locating subsurface objects using an induction array system is presented. The system uses a movable array that contains two or more spatially separated receivers and one or more spatially separated transmitters. The spatial separation permits the array to detect objects at varying depths with a single pass of the device over the surface area under investigation. If multiple transmitters are used, then they may either be operated simultaneously at different frequencies or sequentially at the same frequency. The spacing between receiver and transmitter elements in the induction array may be uniform or non-uniform.

Apparatus and method for locating subsurface objects in conductive soils by measurements of magnetic fields by induced currents with an array of multiple receivers

Growing community of inventors

Somerville, MA, United States of America

Ralf Birken