Passive detection of unauthorized electronic devices using wafer scale beam forming

摘要

Systems and methods for screening, where a subject walks through or in front of a passive detector (or scanning unit) to be screened for possession of unauthorized electronics devices, provide for detecting and monitoring electronics systems not authorized to be used in secure areas. By focusing a very narrow beam width antenna array, individuals can be screened who may have concealed electronics devices that can pose danger to the surroundings. There is no need for removing clothing or accessories such as a jacket or backpack, for example. The detection system may include a frequency scanned passive receiver that captures a signal from a detected electronics device, measures its strength, and identifies the device or classifies it according to a pre-determined set of categories (e.g., cellular phone, camera, or global positioning system (GPS)).

主权项

1. A system comprising:
a chain of electronic device detector units installed in a building premises, each detector unit including:
a receiver array including a receiver unit and a plurality of antenna elements connected to the receiver unit, wherein the plurality of antenna elements includes a feed network having switches arranged so that a subset of the plurality of antenna elements is selected to communicate a radio frequency (RF) signal to the receiver unit, wherein the subset is selected according to a range of frequencies to be detected;a signal processing unit in communication with the receiver unit configured to identify the RF signal; anda classification unit configured to categorize the identified RF signal and report a result according to a set of pre-determined categories.