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:
Aug. 10, 2010
Filed:
Jun. 06, 2008
Ken B. Cooper, La Canada, CA (US);
Goutam Chattopadhyay, Pasadena, CA (US);
Peter H. Siegel, La Canada, CA (US);
Robert J. Dengler, Diamond Bar, CA (US);
Erich T. Schlecht, Pasadena, CA (US);
Imran Mehdi, South Pasadena, CA (US);
Anders J. Skalare, Pasadena, CA (US);
Ken B. Cooper, La Canada, CA (US);
Goutam Chattopadhyay, Pasadena, CA (US);
Peter H. Siegel, La Canada, CA (US);
Robert J. Dengler, Diamond Bar, CA (US);
Erich T. Schlecht, Pasadena, CA (US);
Imran Mehdi, South Pasadena, CA (US);
Anders J. Skalare, Pasadena, CA (US);
California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA (US);
Abstract
A three-dimensional imaging radar operating at high frequency e.g., 670 GHz, is disclosed. The active target illumination inherent in radar solves the problem of low signal power and narrow-band detection by using submillimeter heterodyne mixer receivers. A submillimeter imaging radar may use low phase-noise synthesizers and a fast chirper to generate a frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) waveform. Three-dimensional images are generated through range information derived for each pixel scanned over a target. A peak finding algorithm may be used in processing for each pixel to differentiate material layers of the target. Improved focusing is achieved through a compensation signal sampled from a point source calibration target and applied to received signals from active targets prior to FFT-based range compression to extract and display high-resolution target images. Such an imaging radar has particular application in detecting concealed weapons or contraband.