Material classification apparatus and method

An apparatus for detecting the substance of an object contained within an enclosure, said apparatus comprising:

• electromagnetic energy transmitter means for transmitting a pulse of electromagnetic energy at a first side of said enclosure;
• first electromagnetic energy receiver means for receiving electromagnetic energy that has been reflected from the object to produce a reflected electromagnetic energy signal;
• second electromagnetic energy receiver means for receiving electromagnetic energy that has been transmitted or refracted through said object to produce a transmitted or refracted electromagnetic energy signal;
• signal processor means connected to said transmitter means and to said first and second receiver means, said signal processor means processing said transmitted pulse of electromagnetic energy, said reflected electromagnetic energy signal, and said refracted or transmitted electromagnetic energy signal to produce an object signature indicative of said object;
• and
• comparator means for comparing said object signature with signatures of known objects to determine the substance of said object.

A method of determining the substance of an object located within an enclosure, the method comprising the steps of:

• applying at least two pulses of electromagnetic or acoustic energy each of known intensities and differing frequencies to a first side of the enclosure and the object in the enclosure;
• detecting at least two pulses of reflected electromagnetic or acoustic energy reflected from a surface of the object to provide reflected electromagnetic or acoustic energy signals;
• detecting at least two pulses of transmitted or refracted electromagnetic or acoustic energy transmitted or refracted through the object to provide transmitted or refracted electromagnetic or acoustic energy signals;
• processing said reflected and transmitted or refracted electromagnetic or acoustic energy signals to produce an object signature, said object signature comprising the electromagnetic or acoustic energy absorption of the substance as a function of frequency;
• and
• comparing the object signature so obtained with signatures of known objects to determine the substance of said object.

A method of determining the substance of an object located within an enclosure, the method comprising the steps of:

• applying electromagnetic energy to a first side of the enclosure and the object in the enclosure;
• detecting the reflected electromagnetic energy reflected from a surface of the object to provide a reflected electromagnetic energy signal;
• detecting the transmitted or refracted electromagnetic energy transmitted or refracted through the object to provide a transmitted or refracted electromagnetic energy signal;
• processing said reflected and transmitted or refracted electromagnetic energy signals to produce an object signature;
• and
• comparing the object signature so obtained with signatures of known objects to determine the substance of said object.