The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 27, 1998
Filed:
Jul. 31, 1997
Mark Francis Harper, Cambridge, GB;
Mecon Limited, , GB;
Abstract
The present invention describes a method and device to use radar to measure vibrations of a target object. The invention employs a radar system in which a signal equivalent to an echo from the object when it is not vibrating is subtracted from the actual returning echo signal before that echo signal is detected by the system's receiver so that the signal then actually received by the receiver consists only of that very much smaller component of the echo which is due to the displacements of the vibrating object from its rest position. This echo component is then amplified, and displacements of the object are determined from the amplified signal. The present invention utilizes long wavelength radar signals that can penetrate the ground to buried pipes and objects and permits detection of the effects of vibration on the reflected signals that are unmeasurable by known means. The present invention allows detection of vibrations of an object without making physical contact with it. Thus, measurement of vibrations, for example, of a water distribution pipe buried below ground may be detected. Such pipes vibrate (to produce a typical 'hissing' sound) when they leak, and the present invention permits detection of leaks by sensing this vibration in the manner described herein.