Patent · US Active

Method and apparatus for disturbance detection

US8705020B2 · kind B2 · utility

4Cited by
3References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 28, 2011
Grant dateApr 22, 2014
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 18, 2032

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N2201/0886
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A sweep sensor may include a signal source, a propagation medium, and a detector. By transmitting an interrogating signal from the signal source into the propagation medium, detectable disturbances along the medium can physically alter the characteristics of the medium, which may cause a measurable change in the backscattered signal at the detector. Based on the change, it may be possible to locate the geographic origins of the physical disturbances along the propagation medium, or to determine the nature of the disturbances, or both. For example, it is generally possible to estimate the approximate distance between the detector and the disturbance given the time required to obtain the backscattered signal and the velocity of the signal source in the propagation medium. Further, in some embodiments, it is possible to quantify the amount of disturbance.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.