Microwave Imaging Reflector Element for Expanded Illumination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for imaging objects with microwave radiation struggle to expand the illumination of strongly reflecting objects like metal and human tissue without increasing the size of the antenna array, leading to limited visible areas and high costs.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a reflector element with a metallized surface that aligns with the test object to redirect and utilize microwave signals reflected up to three times, allowing for synthetic focusing and reconstruction of a larger image area without enlarging the antenna system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the transmit/receive aperture is enlarged to expand the illuminated area, then the visible area of the test object increases, but the system cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
A reflector element is introduced as an intermediary component between the antenna arrangement and the test object. This reflector redirects microwave signals to illuminate areas that would otherwise require additional antennas, thereby expanding the illuminated area without proportionally increasing the antenna arrangement size or system cost.
2Area of stationary object
If the antenna arrangement size is increased to improve illumination coverage, then the visible area expands, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reflector element serves as a mediating structure that redirects microwave signals. Instead of adding more antennas to expand coverage, the system uses the reflector to redirect signals from existing antennas, thereby expanding the visible area while maintaining simpler antenna arrangement complexity.
3Reliability
If microwave signals are used to image strongly reflecting objects, then detection capability is achieved, but edge area illumination is reduced due to strong reflection
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of directly illuminating the test object and accepting edge area illumination loss due to strong reflection, the system inverts the approach by using a reflector to redirect signals. This allows microwave signals to reach edge areas that would otherwise be poorly illuminated, improving edge area illumination while maintaining detection capability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach significantly expands the illuminated area of the test object, enabling the detection of previously unimaged regions while maintaining cost-effectiveness and reducing computational artifacts.
Implementation Method 1
A reflector element, in each case aligned with the test object, on which the microwave signals are strongly reflected
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~5
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a method and a corresponding device for expanding the illumination of a test object (9), wherein a test object (9) is illuminated using an electromagnetic microwave signal (15) emitted from a transmission antenna (5). The microwave signal (16) which is reflected by said test object (9) is received by at least one reception antenna (6), and an image of said test object (9) is reconstructed by synthetically focussing this reflected microwave signal. According to the invention, at least one reflector element (21) is arranged oriented towards the test object (9), and the microwave signals (15', 16, 16') reflected by said reflector element (21), and by the test object (9), are received in a reception antenna (6) and used, along with the microwave beams from a transmission antenna (5) that are incident on the test object (9) without being reflected by the reflector element (21) and that are received by the reception antenna (6) without being reflected by said reflector element (21), in order to reconstruct the image of the test object (9).