Communications: electrical – Condition responsive indicating system – Specific condition
Reexamination Certificate
1998-05-04
2004-01-06
Tong, Nina (Department: 2632)
Communications: electrical
Condition responsive indicating system
Specific condition
C340S561000, C340S562000, C340S568100, C324S071100, C324S072000, C324S452000, C324S457000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06674366
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the fields of dielectrophoresis phenomena, inanimate material non-uniform surface electric field patterns and spatial gradient patterns caused by naturally-occurring static electrification. More particularly, the invention relates to the hitherto unattainable detection and location of inanimate materials by coupling the non-uniform electric field spatial gradient pattern via dielectrophoresis to a characteristic force and subsequent torque on a high aspect ratio (length/radius) antenna and selective dielectric polarization matching and filtering components in a locating device giving a real-time updated line-of-bearing to the inanimate material maximum surface electric field spatial gradient and hence to the inanimate entity itself, even if an entity is located behind vision-obscuring barriers made of metals, dielectrics, plastics, earth, wood, etc. and/or EMI is present.
The detection of visually obscured entities has many uses in fire-fighting, search and rescue operations, law enforcement operations, military operations, etc. With respect to inanimate entities, such as specific polymers, plastics, and other organic/inorganic materials, additional applications may include transportation security in pre-boarding planes, trains and automobiles, new and old construction industry, law enforcement, military operations, anti-shoplifting protection and other security needs/operations. While prior art devices are known that detect humans, animals and other materials, some by measuring changes in an electrostatic field, none of the operable prior art devices uses the force resulting from the non-uniform electric field squared spatial gradient three-dimensional pattern exhibited uniquely by an entity to indicate the precise location and direction of the subject entity relative to the device's operator.
By using an electrokinetic effect, dielectrophoresis, which induces a force and subsequent resulting torque on an antenna and other component parts of the device, the present invention gives a rapid directional location indication of the subject entity. A meter can also be provided to indicate the direction of strongest non-uniform electric field squared spatial gradient signal strength for those situations where the dielectrophoretic force and subsequent resulting torque, acceleration, vibration or any other measurable quantifiable manifestation of the force is extremely small and difficult to detect.
It should be noted that while the present invention works for many different types of entities, a primary use of the present invention is to locate inanimate entities, irrespective of the presence or absence of obscuring material structures (walls, trees, earthen mounds, etc.), rfi and emi interference signals, adverse weather conditions, and day or night visibility conditions.
Dielectrophoresis describes the force and subsequent torque mechanical behavior of initially neutral mater that is dielectric polarization charged via induction by external spatially non-uniform electric fields. The severity of the spatial non-uniformity of the electric field is measured by the spatial gradient (spatial rate of change) of the electric field. The fundamental operating principle of the dielectrophoresis effect is that the force (or torque) generated always seeks to point in the same direction, toward the maximum local electric field spatial gradient, independent of sign (+/−) or time (AC/DC). See, H. A. Pohl,
Dielectrophoresis
, Cambridge University Press (1978) and H. A. Pohl,
Electrostatics and Applications
, Chapters 14 and 15, A. D. Moore (editor), Interscience Press (1973).
The nature and source of the inanimate entity's (in particular plastics) electric field and its spatial gradient being detected in the dielecrophoresis effect generating the directionally self-correcting force and subsequent torque characteristic of an animate entity line-of-bearing locating device has been discussed in
Static Electrification
, P. Secker, University College North Wales (1976); D. J. Montgomery,
Static Electrification of Solids
, Solid State Physics, 9, 139 (1959); W. R. Harper,
Contact and Frictional Electrification
, Oxford Press (
1967
); R. Cunningham,
Static Electrification
, Physics Encyclopedia, 891 (1974); I. Inculet in
Electrostatics and Applications
, Chapter 5, supra; G. H. Johnson,
Polymer Films Static Electrification
, DuPont (1974 to 1979). The empirical evidence in the case of inanimate materials is quite persuasive that the inanimate objects' naturally-occurring static electrification generates a small ULF (10
−3
Hz to 2 Hz) electric field and spatial gradient pattern.
Static electrification proceeds via naturally-occurring contact charging (static/dynamic) including transfer of electrons, ions, charged chemical species and via the intimate interfacial phenomena triboelectric charging. Static electrification also proceeds via artificially-occurring industrial processes using static charging by corona, flame, electron beam, radiation and induction. Static electrification phenomena occur in industrial and domestic life via highly insulating nonconducting materials such as polymers and plastics.
Naturally-occurring static electrification via wind and water currents causes detection information transfer allowing orientational
avigational abilities and activities of birds, bees and fish. See,
Electromagnetic Bio
-
Information
, F. Popp, et al. (eds.), Urgan Publ. (1979);
Handbook: Biological Effects of Electromagnetic Fields
, C. Pol, CRC Press (1966)
Sensory Biology of Aquatic Animals
, J. Aetma, et al. (eds.), Springer (1988);
Orientation: Sensory Basis
, H. E. Adler, 188, 271 91971). For semi-conducting human bodies, but not for highly insulating plastics, static electrification effects, while nuisances, are short-lasting effects, neutralized by RH, or leaked to the ground. Bulk human decay times are about 10
−3
sec.
The very high electrical resistivity of widely-used plastics as materials-of-construction does not allow the static electrification charges to leak harmlessly to ground. On the contrary, the charges are continuously accumulated at a particular location or on the surface building up very high electrical surface voltages up to tens of kilovolts. The static electrification charges on plastics are very long-lasting, with characteristic times for exponential decay of 10
2
sec. (polyester) to 10
6
sec (Teflon®) (minutes to days). This is generally referred to as sub-ULF (0 to 3 Hz) and ULF (3 to 30 Hz) frequencies. In the ULF and sub-ULF ranges as discussed in D. O. Carpenter,
Biolozical Effects of Electromagnetic Fields
, Academic Press (1994), the electric and magnetic fields are quasi-static, are not strongly coupled as “EM waves,” and EM activity detected in this range have predominantly either electric or magnetic nature. See J. Heirtzler,
Sci. Am
. 205, 3, 128 (1962); S. Mende,
Sci. Am
. 204, 8 (1997); S. Carlson,
Sci. Am
. 239, 5, 98 (1996). The voltage decay time constant depends on the material's inherent electrical resistivity and dielectric constant describing plastics conduction and polarization properties as discussed in
Properties of Polymers
, D. van Krevelen, Elsevier Publ. (1976); A. R. von Hippel,
Dielectrics and Waves
, John Wiley and Sons (1954); and
Dielectric Materials
&
Applications
, A. R. von Hippel, John Wiley (1954). The irregular, pervasive nature of static electrification ensures long-lasting electric field patterns having significant spatial gradients. The voltages, electric fields and electric field spatial gradient decrease as one moves away from the surface of the plastics material. In addition, various surface free/bound-charge electron traps exist on all materials, particularly plastics. See,
Physical Chemistry of Surfaces
, A. W. Adamson, Interscience Publ. (1967);
Excess Electrons in Dielectric Media
, C. Ferradini (ed), CRC Press (1991).
Static electrification effects are further divided into threshold and non-threshold type phe
DKL International, Inc.
Tong Nina
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