Infrared concealed object detection enhanced with closed-loop control of illumination by.mmw energy

A method for capturing infrared images, comprising:

• storing a first infrared image of a scene from an imaging infrared sensor, the first infrared image identifying an initial temperature distribution within a subject in the scene prior to illumination of the subject with a millimeter wave energy beam;
• illuminating the subject with the millimeter wave energy beam to thereby create an altered temperature distribution within the subject;
• obtaining a second infrared image of the scene from the imaging infrared sensor, the second infrared image identifying the altered temperature distribution within the subject due to the millimeter wave energy beam;
• identifying differences between the first and second infrared images to determine how the millimeter wave energy beam changes the temperature distribution within the subject;
• and
• discontinuing illuminating the subject when a highest temperature change across the subject caused by the millimeter wave energy beam equals or exceeds a predetermined temperature change limit.

A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying a computer program, the computer program comprising computer readable program code for:

• storing a first infrared image of a scene, the first infrared image identifying an initial temperature distribution within a subject in the scene prior to illumination of the subject with a millimeter wave energy beam;
• initiating the illumination of the subject with the millimeter wave energy beam to thereby create an altered temperature distribution within the subject;
• obtaining a second infrared image of the scene, the second infrared image identifying the altered temperature distribution within the subject due to the millimeter wave energy beam;
• identifying differences between the first and second infrared images to determine how the millimeter wave energy beam changes the temperature distribution within the subject;
• and
• discontinuing illuminating the subject when a highest temperature change across the subject caused by the millimeter wave energy beam equals or exceeds a predetermined temperature change limit.