Sparse Millimeter Wave Antenna Array for Security Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing active millimeter wave security inspection technologies require a large number of antennas, leading to low utilization and increased complexity, especially at higher frequencies where the antenna spacing and number of required antennas increase significantly, making the systems difficult to design and implement effectively.
Innovation Solution
A sparse multiple transmitting and multiple receiving antenna array arrangement is proposed, where the interval between equivalent phase centers is set to be slightly greater than or equal to half of the wavelength, allowing for a reduced number of antennas and improved data collection speed and utilization, while maintaining image sharpness through appropriate encoding and decoding of signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a large number of antennas are used to improve imaging quality and coverage, then measurement precision and reliability are improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the antenna system into separate transmitting antenna arrays and receiving antenna arrays, with each array having specific sparse configurations. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each array's parameters and reduces the overall system complexity while maintaining imaging quality through coordinated operation of the divided arrays
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different spacing configurations to different regions of the antenna arrays. Specifically, it uses half-wavelength spacing in certain regions and full-wavelength spacing in other regions, optimizing the local antenna density to achieve the required imaging precision while reducing the total number of antennas needed compared to uniform dense configurations
2Device complexity
If antenna spacing is increased to reduce the number of antennas, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision and imaging sharpness deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates an asymmetric antenna configuration where transmitting and receiving arrays have different spacing patterns and orientations. This asymmetric arrangement, combined with specific sparse configurations, allows the system to achieve adequate sampling density for sharp imaging while using fewer total antennas than symmetric uniform configurations would require
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from considering only one-dimensional antenna spacing to utilizing two-dimensional array configurations with specific geometric arrangements. By optimizing the spatial distribution in multiple dimensions and using appropriate encoding/decoding algorithms, the system achieves the required measurement precision with reduced antenna count
3Ease of manufacture
If the number of antennas is reduced to simplify the system, then ease of manufacture and device complexity improve, but data collection speed and utilization decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic switching between different transmitting and receiving antenna elements in a structured sequence. This periodic operation pattern allows the reduced number of antennas to efficiently collect data over time, maintaining effective data collection speed despite the smaller antenna count, while simplifying the overall system compared to having all antennas operating simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs the antenna elements and associated switching mechanisms to serve multiple functions: each antenna can act as both transmitting and receiving element at different time intervals, and the same hardware infrastructure supports both imaging and potential future expansion to other inspection modes, thereby improving data collection efficiency with reduced hardware
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
The sparse antenna array design significantly improves data collection speed and antenna utilization, enables fast scanning and imaging, and reduces hardware complexity, making the system more feasible for high-frequency millimeter wave human body imaging security inspection.
Implementation Method 1
The device first radiates millimeter waves to the human body, and then receives millimeter waves scattered by the human body or suspicious objects through the detector
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~6B
Figure 7A~8B
AI summary
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a sparse multiple transmitting and multiple receiving antenna array arrangement for an active millimeter wave security inspection imaging, a human body security inspection apparatus and a human body security inspection method. The arrangement includes a set of transmitting antennas for transmitting millimeter waves and a set of receiving antennas for receiving millimeter waves reflected by a human body. The transmitting antennas are arranged along a first row. The receiving antennas are arranged along a second row. The first row is parallel to and is spaced apart from the second row. More than two receiving antennas are provided between two adjacent transmitting antennas.