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Motion detection apparatus and method

Motion detection apparatus and method description/claims

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/408,461, filed on Apr. 21, 2006, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,342,493, which also claims priority from, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/673,916, filed on Apr. 22, 2005, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.

The present disclosure relates generally to devices, systems, and methods for security systems. More particularly, the present disclosure describes a device, a system, and a method for using implantable sensors to detect moving objects in an area.

A multitude of instances exist wherein it is desirable to implement a monitoring system for a given area. Such an area may be of any size and may include structures, facilities supporting the structures, infrastructures, grounds within a defined perimeter, outer perimeter grounds and structures, roadways, and the like. In many cases, it is desirable to monitor motion.

The typical motion sensor is a rather simple line-of-sight (LOS) sensor that may emit a signal or light beam. When motion in the monitored area reaches a predetermined threshold, the sensor provides an output to a monitor that may, in turn, set off an alarm or summon assistance. Other motion sensors operate on pressure. Some use a perturbation of air pressure as the sensed characteristic, while others use contact pressure as in floor sensors. These typical sensors suffer from several drawbacks. Line-of-sight (LOS) sensors are limited by objects obstructing the line-of-sight (LOS). Furthermore, these sensors are, by necessity, visible within the monitored area and can be defeated. Air pressure sensors are limited by obstructions and may not detect very slight or slow movements. Implanted pressure sensors are limited by a small sensitivity area on which contact must be made and cannot detect general movement in the monitored area. All such sensors suffer from the inability to detect other characteristics of a moving object such as distance to the motion and velocity of the motion.

There is a need for non-line-of-sight motion detectors that can distinguish multiple characteristics of a moving target within a monitored area.

The present disclosure addresses some or all of the drawbacks discussed above by providing an implantable motion detector for detecting moving objects and distinguishing parameters of the object.

In accordance with the present disclosure, a device, a system, and a method for using implantable sensors to detect moving objects in an area are disclosed. In one aspect, a motion-monitoring apparatus at least one antenna fixed within a barrier, the at least one antenna transmitting at least one first radio-frequency signal through the barrier to at least one volume outside the barrier, the at least one first radio-frequency signal reflecting from at least one object in the at least one volume to produce a plurality of second radio-frequency signals, the plurality of second radio-frequency signals being received by the at least one antenna. The motion-monitoring apparatus also comprises at least one sensing circuit sensing the plurality of second radio-frequency signals, the at least one sensing circuit generating a plurality of time-domain output signals. The motion-monitoring apparatus also comprises at least one processor receiving the plurality of time-domain output signals, the at least one processor comparing at least one successive time-domain output signal to at least one previous time-domain output signal to estimate at least one characteristic of the at least one object, the at least one characteristic including a motion of the at least one object. The motion-monitoring apparatus also comprises at least one monitor device remotely disposed from the at least one antenna, the at least one monitor device monitoring the at least one characteristic.

In various aspects, the motion-monitoring apparatus may further comprise having the at least one sensing circuit include at least one ultra-wideband sensing circuit. In these various aspects, the motion-monitoring apparatus may further comprise having the plurality of time-domain output signals generated using a sample-down process. In various aspects, the motion-monitoring apparatus may further comprise having the at least one antenna comprise a single antenna, the motion-monitoring apparatus further comprising at least one controllable switch switching the single antenna between a transmitting mode and a receiving mode. In various aspects, the motion-monitoring apparatus may further comprise having the at least one antenna include a first antenna and a second antenna, the first antenna operating in a transmitting mode, the second antenna operating in a receiving mode. In various aspects, the motion-monitoring apparatus may further comprise having the at least one sensing circuit collocated with the at least one antenna within the barrier. In various aspects, the motion-monitoring apparatus may further comprise having the barrier comprise at least one building member. In these various aspects, the motion-monitoring apparatus may further comprise having the at least one building member comprise at least one of a wall, a floor, and a roof. In various aspects, the motion-monitoring apparatus may further comprise having the barrier comprise at least one in-ground barrier. In these various aspects, the motion-monitoring apparatus may further comprise having the at least one in-ground barrier include at least one of a natural earth ground material, asphalt, concrete, wood, water, drywall, and brick.

In various aspects, the motion-monitoring apparatus may further comprise having the at least one characteristic comprise a plurality of characteristics, the plurality of characteristics further including at least one of a size of the at least one object, a type of the at least one object, a speed of the at least one object, a location of the at least one object, and a direction of movement of the at least one object. In various aspects, the motion-monitoring apparatus may further comprise at least one visual display device providing at least one visual output representative of the at least one characteristic. In various aspects, the motion-monitoring apparatus may further comprise having the at least one sensing circuit include at least one ultra-wideband sensing circuit and having at least one visual display device providing at least one visual output representative of the at least one characteristic. In various aspects, the motion-monitoring apparatus may further comprise having the at least one antenna comprise at least three antenna sets, each of the at least three antenna sets spaced apart from others of the at least three antenna sets, the at least one first radio-frequency signal comprises a plurality of first radio-frequency signals, and each of the at least three antenna sets transmitting a respective one of the plurality of first radio-frequency signals into the at least one volume and receiving a respective one of the plurality of second radio-frequency signals to provide at least one triangulation for estimating the at least one characteristic.

In another aspect, a motion-monitoring system comprises at least one sensor set including at least one antenna fixed within a barrier, the at least one antenna transmitting at least one first radio-frequency signal through the barrier to at least one volume outside the barrier, the at least one first radio-frequency signal reflecting from at least one object in the at least one volume to produce a plurality of second radio-frequency signals, the plurality of second radio-frequency signals being received by the at least one antenna, the at least one sensor set including at least one sensing circuit sensing the plurality of second radio-frequency signals, the at least one sensing circuit generating a plurality of time-domain output signals. The motion-monitoring system also comprises at least one processor receiving the plurality of time-domain output signals, the at least one processor comparing at least one successive time-domain output signal to at least one previous time-domain output signal to at least one of estimate at least one characteristic of the at least one object and distinguish at least one characteristic of the at least one object, the at least one characteristic including a motion of the at least one object. The motion-monitoring system also comprises at least one monitoring station remotely disposed from the at least one sensor set, the at least one monitor station monitoring the at least one characteristic. The motion-monitoring system also comprises at least one visual display device providing at least one visual output representative of the at least one characteristic.

In various aspects, the motion-monitoring system may further comprise having the at least one volume is a plurality of volumes separated from each other, the at least one sensor set comprises a plurality of sensor sets, the at least one first radio-frequency signal comprises a plurality of first radio-frequency signals, the at least one sensing circuit comprises a plurality of sensing circuits, each of the plurality of volumes including a respective one of the plurality of sensor sets, the respective at least one antenna fixed within the respective barrier transmitting the respective one of the plurality of first radio-frequency signals and receiving the respective one of the plurality of second radio-frequency signals, and the respective one of the plurality of sensing circuits generating a plurality of time-domain output signals related to the respective one of the plurality of volumes, the motion-monitoring system further comprising a plurality of communication links, each of the plurality of communication links associated with the respective one of the plurality of sensing circuits for transmitting the respective plurality of time-domain output signals, a hub receiving each of the respective plurality of time-domain output signals, and a central communication link transmitting the respective plurality of time-domain output signals from the hub to the monitoring station. In various aspects, the motion-monitoring system may further comprise having the barrier comprise at least one roadway, the at least one object comprises a plurality of objects, and the at least one monitored characteristic comprises at least one traffic pattern. In these various aspects, the motion-monitoring system may further comprise having the plurality of objects include at least one of a plurality of vehicles and a plurality of pedestrians.

In yet another aspect, a method of motion-monitoring comprises transmitting at least one first radio-frequency signal through a barrier to at least one volume outside the barrier using at least one antenna fixed within the barrier, the at least one first radio-frequency signal reflecting from at least one object in the at least one volume to produce a plurality of second radio-frequency signals. The method of motion-monitoring also comprises receiving the plurality of second radio-frequency signals with the at least one antenna. The method of motion-monitoring also comprises generating a plurality of time-domain output signals using at least one sensing circuit sensing the plurality of second radio-frequency signals. The method of motion-monitoring also comprises comparing at least one successive time-domain output signal to at least one previous time-domain output signal to estimate at least one characteristic of the at least one object using at least one processor receiving the plurality of time-domain output signals, the at least one characteristic including a motion of the at least one object. The method of motion-monitoring also comprises monitoring the at least one characteristic using at least one monitor device remotely disposed from the at least one antenna. In various aspects, the method of motion-monitoring may further comprise having the at least one antenna comprise at least three antenna sets, each of the at least three antenna sets spaced apart from others of the at least three antenna sets, the at least one first radio-frequency signal comprises a plurality of first radio-frequency signals, the method of motion-monitoring further comprising transmitting a respective one of the plurality of first radio-frequency signals into the at least one volume, and receiving a respective one of the plurality of second radio-frequency signals using a respective one of the at least three antenna sets to provide at least one triangulation for estimating the at least one characteristic.

The following figures form part of the present specification and are included to further demonstrate certain aspects of the present claimed subject matter, and should not be used to limit or define the present claimed subject matter. The present claimed subject matter may be better understood by reference to one or more of these drawings in combination with the description of embodiments presented herein. Consequently, a more complete understanding of the present embodiments and further features and advantages thereof may be acquired by referring to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which the leftmost significant digit(s) in the reference numerals denote(s) the first figure in which the respective reference numerals appear, wherein:

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