US 6,388,629 B1 · Rotating scanning antenna apparatus and method for locating buried objects

Abstract

A ground penetrating antenna apparatus and method are provided for locating underground objects via radar, sonar, or similar methods. The apparatus includes one or more antennas that are rotatably affixed to support extensions that also rotate, but about an axis that is different from each of the antenna axes. The apparatus includes a linear propulsion mechanism, and the support extensions may be coupled to the linear propulsion mechanism via a transmission mechanism. In one embodiment, the supporting extensions rotate at a constant rate and each antenna rotates at that same constant rate but in the opposite direction.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A ground penetrating antenna apparatus, comprising:

an antenna housing;
at least one supporting extension wherein each said supporting extension is rotatably affixed to said antenna housing about a first axis;
at least one antenna, comprising transmit and receive elements, that is rotatably affixed to one of said at least one supporting extension about a second axis different from said first axis;
a linear propulsion mechanism attached to said housing whereby said housing may be moved over the ground;
an impulse generator electrically coupled to each of said one or more transmit elements so as to provide pulses to each said transmit element;
and,
a sampling unit electrically coupled to each of said one or more receive elements so as to receive the output from each said receive element.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

09/703,570Filed 1 Nov 2000

Granted

14 May 2002

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

G01S 13/0209
Systems using reflection of radio waves, e.g. primary radar systems; Analogous systems: systems with very large relative bandwidth, i.e. larger…
H01Q 3/04
Using mechanical movement of antenna or antenna system as a whole: for varying one co-ordinate of the orientation
G01S 7/046
Display arrangements: using an intermediate storage device, e.g. a recording/reproducing device
G01S 13/885
Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications: for ground probing

Rotating scanning antenna apparatus and method for locating buried objects

Life of this patent

Rotating scanning antenna apparatus and method for locating buried objects

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20