Electricity: measuring and testing – Of geophysical surface or subsurface in situ – With radiant energy or nonconductive-type transmitter
Reexamination Certificate
2001-07-12
2003-04-15
Strecker, Gerard R. (Department: 2862)
Electricity: measuring and testing
Of geophysical surface or subsurface in situ
With radiant energy or nonconductive-type transmitter
C324S329000, C324S334000, C324S344000, C342S459000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06549012
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to non-invasive methods and systems for probing the earth, and more specifically to radio instruments that can image and detect objects and other anomalies in the ground. Leakage pathways in levee and earth dams is an example of an anomaly that cannot be seen by surface observation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Underground facilities cannot totally disappear from the surface the way modern submarines can beneath the sea. Many reasons exist for finding underground facilities, e.g., law enforcement needs to be able to detect and assess illegal tunnels bored under international borders by drug smugglers. There is generally a lack of primary access to such underground facilities, so methods need to be developed that can collect and recognize the telltale signs.
For many reasons, the worldwide mining industry has developed a standard practice that results in electrical conductors being installed in the adit and passageways of underground industrial developments and facilities. Recent work in developing mine-wide radio system equipment has shown that the electrical conductors form a low attenuation rate network, or waveguide, for electromagnet (EM) wave distribution into and throughout the complex. Leakage pathways through clay bearing soil also form electrical conductors. Deliberate or fortuitous EM-wave generators can induce currents in such conductors. Deliberate EM-wave generators can be deployed to the survey site, while fortuitous ones already illuminate the site with spurious signals.
Much of the relevant background art is documented in the many United States Patents of the present inventor, Larry G. Stolarzyck. Such Patents are listed in Table I, and are incorporated herein by reference.
TABLE I
Patent No.
Issued
Title
US 04577153
03/18/1986
Continuous Wave Medium Frequency
Signal Transmission Survey Procedure For
Imaging Structure In Coal Seams
US 04691166
09/01/1987
Electromagnetic Instruments For Imaging
Structure In Geologic Formations
US 04742305
05/03/1988
Method For Constructing Vertical Images
Of Anomalies In Geological Formations
US 04753484
06/28/1988
Method For Remote Control Of A Coal
Shearer
US 04777652
10/11/1988
Radio Communication Systems For
Underground Mines
US 04879755
11/07/1989
Medium Frequency Mine Communication
System
US 04968978
11/06/1990
Long Range Multiple Point Wireless
Control And Monitoring System
US 04994747
02/19/1991
Method And Apparatus For Detecting
Underground Electrically Conductive
Objects
US 05066917
11/19/1991
Long Feature Vertical Or Horizontal
Electrical Conductor Detection
Methodology Using Phase Coherent
Electromagnetic Instrumentation
US 05072172
12/10/1991
Method And Apparatus For Measuring
The Thickness Of A Layer Of Geologic
Material Using A Microstrip Antenna
US 05087099
02/11/1992
Long Range Multiple Point Wireless
Control And Monitoring System
US 05093929
03/03/1992
Medium Frequency Mine Communication
System
US 05121971
06/16/1992
Method Of Measuring Uncut Coal Rib
Thickness In A Mine
US 05146611
09/08/1992
Mine Communication Cable And Method
For Use
US 05181934
01/26/1993
Method For Automatically Adjusting The
Cutting Drum Position Of A Resource
Cutting Machine
US 05188426
02/23/1993
Method For Controlling The Thickness Of
A Layer Of Material In A Seam
US 05260660
11/09/1993
Method For Calibrating A Downhole
Receiver Used In Electromagnetic
Instrumentation For Detecting An
Underground Conductor
US 05268683
12/07/1993
Method Of Transmitting Data From A
Drillhead
US 05301082
04/05/1994
Current Limiter Circuit
US 05408182
04/18/1995
Facility And Method For The Detection
And Monitoring Of Plumes Below A
Waste Containment Site With Radiowave
Tomography Scattering Methods
US 05474261
12/12/1995
Ice Detection Apparatus For
Transportation Safety
US 05686841
11/11/1997
Apparatus And Method For The Detection
And Measurement Of Liquid Water And
Ice Layers On The Surfaces Of Solid
Materials
US 05769503
06/23/1998
Method And Apparatus For A Rotating
Cutting Drum Or Arm Mounted With
Paired Opposite Circular Polarity
Antennas And Resonant Microstrip
Patch Transceiver
For Measuring Coal, Trona And Potash
Layers Forward, Side And Around A
Continuous Mining Machine
USRE032563
12/15/1987
Continuous Wave Medium Frequency
Signal Transmission Survey Procedure For
Imaging Structure In Coal Seams
USRE033458
11/27/1990
Method For Constructing Vertical Images
Of Anomalies In Geological Formations
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
Briefly, a method embodiment of the present invention finds underground mines, tunnels, shafts and leakage pathways from above ground electronic measurements by assuming they will be built or occur in a particular way and decorated with a variety of standard features. Concrete reinforcing bar, rails, pipes, and wire cables are assumed to coexist. When illuminated by radio waves that penetrate the ground, these conductive metals will reradiate secondary electromagnetic signals that can be observed on the surface. Radio signal measurements collected above ground are combined into pictures and estimates of the scope, orientation, nature, and character of the underground structures. Changes over days, weeks, months, and years can be interpreted as being the result of deterioration, damage, upgrades, expansion, new construction, design changes, etc.
An advantage of the present invention is that a method for imaging underground facilities is provided that can use opportunistic sources of radio illumination.
Another advantage of the present invention is that a system for imaging an underground facility can be dropped in and results can be read in real-time.
A further advantage of the present invention is that a system for imaging an underground facility can be mounted in a car, operated passively, and the results can be read in real-time.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after having read the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment which is illustrated in the various drawing figures.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3351936 (1967-11-01), Feder
patent: 3831173 (1974-08-01), Lerner
patent: 3836960 (1974-09-01), Gehman et al.
patent: 4100481 (1978-07-01), Gournay
patent: 4381544 (1983-04-01), Stamm
patent: 4577153 (1986-03-01), Stolarczyk
patent: 4691166 (1987-09-01), Stolarczyk
patent: 4706031 (1987-11-01), Michiguchi et al.
patent: RE32563 (1987-12-01), Stolarczyk
patent: 4742305 (1988-05-01), Stolarczyk
patent: 4753484 (1988-06-01), Stolarczyk
patent: 4777652 (1988-10-01), Stolarczyk
patent: 4814711 (1989-03-01), Olsen et al.
patent: 4879755 (1989-11-01), Stolarczyk
patent: 4951055 (1990-08-01), Katayama
patent: RE33458 (1990-11-01), Stolarczyk
patent: 4968978 (1990-11-01), Stolarczyk
patent: 4994747 (1991-02-01), Stolarczyk
patent: 5066917 (1991-11-01), Stolarczyk
patent: 5072172 (1991-12-01), Stolarczyk
patent: 5087099 (1992-02-01), Stolarczyk
patent: 5093929 (1992-03-01), Stolarczyk
patent: 5121971 (1992-06-01), Stolarczyk
patent: 5146611 (1992-09-01), Stolarczyk
patent: 5181934 (1993-01-01), Stolarczyk
patent: 5188426 (1993-02-01), Stolarczyk
patent: 5260660 (1993-11-01), Stolarczyk
patent: 5268683 (1993-12-01), Stolarczyk
patent: 5301082 (1994-04-01), Stolarczyk
patent: 5408182 (1995-04-01), Stolarczyk
patent: 5474261 (1995-12-01), Stolarczyk
patent: 5686841 (1997-11-01), Stolarczyk
patent: 5757283 (1998-05-01), Janoska
patent: 5769503 (1998-06-01), Stolarczyk
Main Richard B.
Strecker Gerard R.
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