Communications: radio wave antennas – Antennas – With coupling network or impedance in the leadin
Reexamination Certificate
2001-06-15
2002-03-19
Phan, Tho G. (Department: 2821)
Communications: radio wave antennas
Antennas
With coupling network or impedance in the leadin
C340S573100, C600S534000, C324S160000, C128S204230
Reexamination Certificate
active
06359597
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention, which has a multi-application usage, generally pertains to a method for non-invasively and remotely sensing of visible and invisible moving bodies or objects, even those hidden in immune barriers and concealed locations.
Detection of movement occurs by tracking any variation in the Radio Frequency (RF) impedance match of a scrutinized media in which the targeted object is located, with a power RF transmitter. (“Media,” in the context of these documents, will mean the environment close to the moving body or object under inspection. “Targeted object” will mean the moving body or object under inspection.)
A stable power Electro-Magnetic (EM) field, at a fixed frequency (High range), is created around the targeted object. By extracting the slight power changes from the resultant forward and reflected powers generated within the transmitting line (coaxial cable, dual parallel wires, or strip lines) that transfers and carries the transmitted EM-energy, any movement of the targeted object within the media can be detected.
By way of example and not of limitation, the method of the present invention comprises usage in the following applications:
1. In the agricultural field by a device for detection of early infestation by red palm weevil and tunnel borers in tree trunks and upper roots. This application is particularly important where the insect larvae secretly and silently consume the tree's core, producing tunnels and hollows that lead to the death of the tree.
Detection of early infestation is vital but extremely difficult, and by the time the evidence of presence of the pest becomes apparent, it is too late to save the tree. Unless the infestation is detected and treated at early stage, the life of the tree is limited to a few months.
Present research indicates that this pest seriously threatens untold millions of palm and fruit trees all over the world and unless this problem is effectively resolved very soon, the likelihood is that all trees in afflicted areas will die within a few years.
2. In the medical field, this method can be implemented in various applications, such as a device for real-time monitoring of the heart's motion (kinetocardiograph). There is no direct contact of device circuits to the human body. Data drawn from this method will add new parameters in the field of medicine for more versatile and comprehensive diagnosis of heart problems.
The principal present-day methods for heart monitoring are:
Electrocardiograph (ECG), which monitors the heart activity by tracking the electrical signals generated by the chemical reaction of the heart muscles. This method employs the use of electrodes directly attached to the patient.
Phonocardiogragh (PCG), which audibly indicates the heart motion. This method involves the use of a microphone placed directly on the patient.
Doppler Cardiograph (DCG) monitors the heart activity using the ultrasound Doppler effect. This method employs the use of an ultrasound probe in contact with the patient's body under specific conditions.
All of the foregoing methods are measuring reactions to the heart's motion, and all require direct contact with the patient by electrodes, etc.
The present invention has the following advantages by monitoring the heart:
In real time.
Directly, without dependence on reaction.
Does not require any direct contact with the patient.
Monitors the motion activity of “all” of the components of the heart.
Additionally, the method can also be used as a device for continuous monitoring of newborn, premature babies, and patients under intensive care. All the present-day methods require direct contact with the patient/baby, either in the form of contact electrodes or pressure sensor mattresses, but they are impractical in the case of premature babies, due to the frequent requirement to move the baby for feeding, cleaning, etc.
The device can also be utilized to give an early alarm, whenever a life-threatening situation arises, such as: Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), by continuous and precise remote monitoring of the movement of vital organs, such as lungs in the breathing process. This will accelerate emergency intensive care.
Since the device is monitoring the organ activity remotely, it does not require attachment of electrodes etc to the body. The data drawn from this device can also be collated for analytical evaluation for diagnostic purposes.
Non-invasively and remotely monitoring of the human vital signs or body movements are necessary in the following additional circumstances:
Where burn patients cannot tolerate the attachment of electrodes directly to the skin surface.
Where disaster victims are trapped and concealed in building debris following building collapse.
Where it is essential to know and react to the condition of aircraft pilots and astronauts when there is a possibility of temporary “black out” due to extreme maneuvers in flight.
3. This method also will be used to detect sudden instability in flow of liquids, for example, blood through tubes in open-heart surgery and dialysis treatment, by non-invasively sensing the flow intensity of the liquid.
This new method will provide a mechanism to monitor and sense the slightest unexpected change in flow process. This will guarantee, for example, not to have any air bubble leakage into blood path, and at the same time protecting it from thrombosis and contamination, since this is done by non-invasive sensing without any direct contact.
4. Another application will be in concealed security systems for protection against thieves and intruders, through sensing body movements in corridors or regions that need protection. The sensors can be hidden underground or inside or in back of the walls, even cement ones, so that they can not be located and disabled by intruders.
5. Automatic access control is also an area where the method will be effectively used, since most existing automatic outdoor control systems are affected by light/darkness, dust, heat, etc.
Another example is monitoring and controlling traffic and traffic signals by sensing vehicle movements in road traffic activity.
From the necessarily limited examples given above, it will be seen that the method has a very wide spectrum of applications.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an established fact that the optimum transfer of EM-energy from an RF transmitter to the load occurs when the output impedance of the transmitter matches the load impedance.
The popular method used to predict the level of match is achieved by sampling the actual values of the forward and the reflected powers generated within the transmission-line that transfers and carries the transmitted EM-energy, these values can be easily picked up by passing the transmitted RF power through a bidirectional coupler. The picked-up power values are represented by the bidirectional coupler in voltage form, so the presented values will be the forward V
F
and reflected V
R
voltages.
The measured V
F
and V
R
voltages are then combined together by special equations (mathematical formulas) to produce a nominal calculated value. This value will reflect in one way or another the real match level.
Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR) is the most common expression to indicate the degree of match:
VSWR=(V
F
+V
R
)/(V
F
−V
R
) (1)
Also there are other widely used expressions, which demonstrate the actual match level. These expressions are the reflection coefficient (&rgr;) and the return loss coefficient, and many more.
When a stable power RF generator is used to transmit EM-energy at a stable load (media), and where the RF generator output impedance and the load impedance have almost identical values, then the resulting level of match will also be stable. When the load (media) or a part of it moves within the transmitted EM-field, then the total resultant characteristic impedance of the load will vary positively or negatively, this move will also vary the match level, according to how the match or mismatch occurs.
The method of the present invention
Christensen O'Connor Johnson & Kindness PLLC
Phan Tho G.
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