IP Library Granted Patent US 9,658,320
Granted Patent B2
US 9,658,320 · App. 14/331,220 · Granted May 23, 2017

System and a method for illumination and imaging of an object

Inventor: Frank Gumbmann (Nuremburg, DE)
Assignee: Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG
G01S7/024G01S13/887G01S13/89G01S2013/462
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,658,320
App. No.
14/331,220
Granted
May 23, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention relates to a system for the illumination and imaging of objects with the assistance of electromagnetic radiation, for example, millimeter radiation. Such a system comprises at least one transmitting antenna, at least one receiving antenna, and at least one reflector element. An actively polarizing material layer is present on the reflector element. A processing unit determines an image of the object on the basis of the radiation received from the receiving antenna.

Claims (23)

1. A system for imaging of an object, comprising:

at least one transmitting antenna configured to transmit electromagnetic radiation of a first polarization state for illumination of the object;

at least one receiving antenna configured to receive radiation of a second polarization state reflected from the object;

at least one reflector element configured to one or more of reflect radiation transmitted from the transmitting antenna in a direction towards the object, and reflect radiation reflected from the object in a direction towards the receiving antenna;

an actively polarizing layer disposed on the reflector element configured to transform a radiation component reflected from the reflector element into a polarization state such that the radiation component in the receiving antenna is in the second polarization state; and

a processing unit configured to determine an image of the object based on the radiation received by the receiving antenna.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the actively polarizing layer is active in transforming a linear polarization into an elliptical polarization.

3. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the actively polarizing layer comprises a dielectric.

4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the actively polarizing layer is configured in such a manner that a radiation component reflected singly from the reflector element is detected in the receiving antenna.

5. The system according to claim 4 , wherein the actively polarizing layer is configured such that a superposition comprising the singly reflected radiation component and a twofold reflected radiation component from the reflector element is detected in the receiving antenna.

6. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the transmitting antenna is configured to transmit linear polarized radiation, and the receiving antenna is configured to receive linear polarized radiation.

7. The system according to claim 6 , wherein the reflector element is tilted by an angle of 45° to 135°, with reference to a plane in which one or more of the transmitting antenna the receiving antenna is/are arranged.

8. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the actively polarizing layer comprises one or more of polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate, glass, acrylic glass, and rubber.

9. The system according to claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the actively polarizing layer is smaller than one quarter of a wavelength of the radiation.

10. The system according to claim 1 , wherein a relative permittivity coefficient of the actively polarizing layer is within range of 2 to 4.

11. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising one or more of a plurality of transmitting antennas and a plurality of receiving antennas configured for operation in a mono-static or multi-static configuration.

12. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the processing unit is further configured to provide for one or more of transmitter-end and receiver-end synthetic focusing.

13. A method for imaging an object, comprising:

transmitting electromagnetic radiation of a first polarization state for illumination of the object;

reflecting one or more of radiation transmitted from at least one transmitting antenna to at least one reflector element in a direction towards the object, and radiation reflected from the object in a direction towards at least one receiving antenna, wherein a radiation component reflected from the at least one reflector element is transformed through an actively polarizing layer on the at least one reflector element into a polarization state such that the radiation component in the receiving antenna is in the second polarization state;

receiving radiation of a second polarization state reflected from the object; and

determining an image of the object based on the radiation received by the receiving antenna.

14. The system according to claim 1 , wherein a relative permittivity coefficient of the actively polarizing layer is greater than 5.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 22, 2014
From: GUMBMANN, FRANK, DR.
To: ROHDE & SCHWARZ GMBH & CO. KG
Reel/Frame 033784/0848 →
Priority Claims (2)
DE 10 2013 214 141 · Jul 18, 2013 · national
DE 10 2013 218 555 · Sep 17, 2013 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20150022391A1 · Jan 22, 2015