Characterizing a cargo container
AssigneeScience Applications International Corporation
InventorsPhillip E. Young, Wayne D. Cornelius, William Leslie Hicks
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Characterizing a cargo container and its contents. A system comprising an emitter to emit radio frequency (RF) energy, a receiver to receive an RF response related to the energy, and a processor operative to compare a plurality of RF responses. A method for characterizing a cargo container and its contents, the method including providing a system as described above, via the system: emitting a RF energy within a container, receiving an RF response of the container and the container contents, emitting a second RF energy within a container, receiving a second RF response of the container and the container contents, and comparing the second RF response with the first RF response.
Claims14
A system for characterizing a cargo container and any contents thereof, the system comprising:
- at least one emitter operative to emit at least a first radio frequency (RF) energy and second RF energy into an interior of the cargo container,
- at least one receiver operative to receive at least:
- a first RF response:
- related to the first RF energy, and
- characteristic of the container and any contents thereof at the time of emission of the first RF energy;
- and
- a second RF response:
- related to the second RF energy, and
- characteristic of the container and any contents thereof at the time of emission of the second RF energy, and
- at least one processor operative to compare a plurality of RF responses.
A system for characterizing a cargo container and any contents thereof, the system comprising:
- means to emit at least a first radio frequency (RF) energy and a second RF energy into an interior of a cargo container,
- means to receive at least:
- a first RF response:
- related to the first RF energy, and
- characteristic of the container and any contents thereof at the time of emission if the first RF energy and
- a second RF response:
- related to the second RF energy, and
- characteristic of the container and any contents thereof at the time of emission if the first RF energy, and
- means to compare a plurality of RF responses.
A method for characterizing a cargo container and any contents thereof, the method comprising:
- providing a system comprising:
- at least one emitter operative to emit at least a first radio frequency (RF) energy and second RF energy,
- at least one receiver operative to receive at least a first RF response related to the first RF energy and a second RF response relate to the second RF energy, and
- at least one processor operative to compare a plurality of RF responses;
- and
- via the system:
- emitting the first RF energy within the container;
- receiving the first RF response of the container and any contents thereof to the first RF energy,
- emitting the second RF energy within the container,
- receiving the second RF response of the container and any contents thereof to the second RF energy, and
- comparing the second RF response with the first RF response.
A method for characterizing a cargo container and any contents thereof, the method comprising:
- providing a system comprising:
- means to emit at least a first radio frequency (RF) energy and a second RF energy,
- means to receive at least a first RF response related to the first RF energy and a second RF response relegated to the second RF energy, and
- means to compare a plurality of RF responses;
- and
- via the system:
- emitting the first RF energy within the container,
- receiving the first RF response of the container and any contents thereof to the first RF energy,
- emitting the second RF energy within the container,
- receiving the second RF response of the container and any contents thereof to the second RF energy, and
- comparing the second RF response with the first RF response.
A method for detecting changes in at least one of the composition and distribution of cargo within a cargo container, the method comprising:
- providing a system comprising:
- at least one emitter operative to emit at least a first radio frequency (RF) energy and second RF energy,
- at least one receiver operative to receive at least a first RF response related to the first RF energy and a second RF response related to the second RF energy, and
- at least one processor operative to compare a plurality of RF response;
- and
- via the system:
- emitting the first RF energy within the container,
- receiving the first RF response of the container and the container contents to the first RF energy,
- emitting the second RF energy within the container,
- receiving the second RF response of the container and the container contents to the second RF energy, and
- comparing the second RF responses with the first RF response.
A method for detecting changes in at least one of the composition and distribution or cargo within a cargo container, the method comprising:
- providing a system comprising:
- means to emit at least a first radio frequency (RF) energy and a second RF energy,
- means to receive at least a first RF response related to the first RF energy and a second RF response related to the second RF energy, and
- means to compare a plurality of RF responses;
- and
- via the system:
- emitting the first RF energy within the container,
- receiving the first RF response of the container and the container contents to the first RF energy,
- emitting the second RF energy within the container,
- receiving the second RF response of the container and the container contents to the second RF energy, and
- comparing the second RF response with the first RF response.
A method for characterizing a cargo container, the method comprising:
- emitting a first RF energy within the container,
- receiving a first RF responses of the container and the container contents to the first RF energy,
- emitting a second RF energy within the container,
- receiving a second RF responses of the container and the container contents to the second RF energy, and
- comparing the second RF response with the first RF response.
A method for characterizing a cargo container the method comprising:
- determining a first radio frequency (RF) resonant response of the interior of the container,
- determining a second RF resonant response of the interior of the container, and
- comparing the second RF response with the first RF response.
A method for detecting changes in at least one of the composition and distribution or cargo within a cargo container, the method comprising;
- determining a first radio frequency (RF) resonant response of the interior of a container,
- determining a second RF resonant response of the interior of a container, and
- comparing the second RF response with the first RF response.
A cargo container comprising:
- at least one emitter antenna:
- located inside the container, and
- operative to transmit radio frequency (RF) energy at frequencies above the lowest resonant frequencies of the empty container;
- and
- at least one receiving antenna;
- located inside the container, and
- operative to receive resonant RF energy at frequencies above the lowest resonant frequencies of the empty container.
A method for detecting changes in at least one of the composition and distribution of cargo within a cargo container, the method comprising:
- providing the cargo container:
- comprising:
- at least one emitter antenna, the emitter antenna:
- located inside the container, and
- operative to transmit radio frequency (RF) energy at frequencies above the lowest resonant frequencies of the empty container;
- and
- at least one receive antenna:
- located inside the container, and
- operative to receive resonant RF energy at frequencies above the lowest resonant frequencies of the empty container;
- and
- wherein a first radio frequency signature is associated with the container and the inspected contents of the container;
- determining a second RF signature of the container and its contents;
- and
- comparing the second RF signature with the first RF signature.
A method for detecting changes in at least one of the composition and distribution of cargo within a cargo container, the container having associated with it a first radio frequency (RF) signature of the container and its inspected contents, the method comprising:
- determining a second RF signature of the container and its contents, and comparing the second RF signature with the first RF signature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.