WO2018056913A1

WO2018056913A1 - A system for detecting and visualizing mines including the plastic ones buried underground by thermal imaging

Info

Publication number: WO2018056913A1
Application number: PCT/TN2016/000003
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mervat Mahmoud Hassan Elsayed HAMAM; Mohamed Khairy Abd Ellatif ELHAYESH
Original assignee: Hamam Mervat Mahmoud Hassan Elsayed
Priority date: 2016-09-26
Filing date: 2016-11-11
Publication date: 2018-03-29
Also published as: EP3516427A1; WO2018056913A8

Abstract

This invention is a means, or, a method for detecting, visualizing, and, imaging mines, and, war scraps such as unexploded bombs, and, missiles, and, which are buried under ground through the use of thermal cameras to image the lands of buried mines, and, war scraps, and, provided that the ground is preheated before the use of highly sensitive thermal cameras, and, thus the heating is done by a suitable heating means, such as the high powered halogen lamps, for few minutes to raise the temperature for 2 to 5 Celsius, or more, where the camera screen would show the underground mines, and, the rest of things buried there, among which are stones, and, metals, up to the thermal qualities of each material, thus the temperature of on the cooling of each material would differ in cooling speed, that may give the camera a chance to differentiate between materials, during imaging, by the different acquisition of the IR emitted during the cooling phase, and, which penetrates the sand, dirt, and, earth covering the mine, or, the buried mass, as if imaged by X-rays, and, depending on the depth of the burying ground, its composition, and, the heating lamp power, and, its elevation from the earth surface, and, the heating time, and, the thermal camera sensitivity, while an auxiliary imaging system, that uses the Sonar technology ( Array ECHO Probe ), to determine the depth of the mine underground, while its base of work depends on using ultrasound technology like the sonar used in medical checks (ECHO ).

Description

The Invention Full Description

- TITLE OF INVENTION : " A System For Detecting, And, visualizing Mines Including The Plastic Ones, Buried Underground By Thermal Imaging " .

- This description includes both the old system (the present in use), the existing deficiencies, and, problems of the old systems in use, the innovative inputs, and, the full description of the invention, and, its modus operandi, as follows:

1 - The Existing Systems in Use :

Mines are made mainly of high explosive materials, that are kept into metallic, wooden, plastic, or, glass hubs, and, such mines are usually buried under ground, whereas some of them are anti personnel, anti vehicle, or, anti armor, and, are distinguished by big size, and, the containment of a large amount of explosives, and, on being stepped over by personnel, vehicles, or, armored vehicles such as tanks, or, APC's, they blow up causing the killing of thousands civilians, militaries, and, animals annually, whereas the number of mines implanted in so many countries, particularly in the third world countries, may exceed 150 million mines, and, where the varieties may reach 100 types of mines (review figure 1/6 ), and, yet detecting the buried landmines, along with war scraps ( bombs, rockets, and, missiles) is carried out by the following methods:

1.1 - Probes ( iron rods with a pointed ends, or, a spear like rod), which are used in sandy, and, earthy, or, dusty grounds, that's in case of lack of detecting devices, and, in a limited ratio of cases, where there's a high risk of the mine to blow up in the probe user.

1.2 - Metal detectors, which is used with mines whose hubs are only metallic mines, and, not with plastic, or, glass mines.

1.3 - Mines sniffing dogs, which are almost killed during the process.

1.4 - Bees, and, rodents (rats, mice, and, Jerboa), whose use is still under research, and, not in use currently, until confirming their capability in that field, a matter that leads to the death of so many individuals working in the career.

1.5 - Mobile radar devices ( carried by the operator ), which emit electromagnetic energy of certain frequency through guided antenna, and, receive the responding waves, and, analyse them to produce a warning (alarm) of probable explosive material, and, where such devices are controlled by the operators, to get the best probability of explosive, mines, or, none in the searched area, and, where such devices are considered the best among so many means of mine detection, yet in case of non sensing the mine, the result would be a blow up, and, death of the operator, and, his colleagues (review figure 2/6 ) .

and, yet after detecting, and, retrieving the mine, it could be blown up owing to its instability, and, burial place. - Problems With The Present System :

Such problems are embodied into that all the aforementioned methods don't give the operator the chance to eye view the buried mine on detecting it, while the only efficient dependable method is currently the mobile radar, mingled with metal detector, which doesn't give an eye spot of the burial location, and, only dependable in reading the mine existence probability, while its problem is that it gives an erroneous reading of imaginative mine, that may lead to digging, or, exploding the spot, and, the wasting of time, effort, and, money in vain. - What's New In The Invention:

Lately, thermal cameras have become a common place in industry, after a long time of use on military field, and satellites only, by the use of IR rays (thermal rays) emitted from bodies, and, it's well known that thermal cameras image the outer crusts, yet in this invention these cameras will be used in imaging the core (under ground) to detect buried objects . (review figure 3/6 )

whereas the novelty is the use of thermal imaging technology to detect under ground mines, after heating the ground by the use of a suitable heating means such as halogen lamps of high power, or, the high power IR lamps, where the ground temperature is raised by 2 to 5 Celsius, or, more, and, thus on letting ( 5 Second ) the ground to cool, imaging begins, by the retrieval of the IR waves, use thermal cameras, thus all the buried objects like stones, metals, or, mines appear on the screen, up to their thermal qualities, represented in:

3.1 - Speed of thermal absorption of the object, at heating .

3.2 - The object capability to store heat during heating. 3.3 - Speed of ray radiation in the form of IR rays on cooling.

3.3 - Sum of heat radiation from the hot objects on cooling.

Yet, for the different thermal qualities of the objects, consequently, there would be a differentiation in temperature on cooling the hot materials ( objects ) , giving the thermal camera a chance to discriminate materials on imaging, Along with the qualities of IR rays radiation from the heated objects, and, which break through sands, earth, and, dirt . ( review figure 4/6 ) - Detailed Description of The Invention, and, Its Modus Operandi :

4.1 - Invention's composed of a highly sensitive thermal camera ( measures sensitivity < 45 mk ), attached with a high power halogen lamp ( 500-1000W ), or, a high power IR lamp ( 250W ) for heating the ground, and, are carried on a small car moves by a rubber belt (review figure 5/6 ) which is wire/wireless remotely controlled, and, this combination as well could be carried by an unmanned helicopter which is wireless remotely controlled, (review figure 6/6 ).

4.2 -The carrier is guided to the detectable area, or, location by the use of a GPS device to begin heating the ground .

4.3 - The heating lamp (halogen, or, IR) is focused from a height of

1-1.5 m, and, for 5-10 minutes up to the ground quality (sandy, earthy, rocky, or, muddy), and, up to the depth required to search.

4.4 - Shut down the heater for 5-10 seconds to permit cooling, and, rays radiation, and, then begin imaging, thus all the under ground objects will appear on the screen including mines, and, war scraps, including plastic mines, and the image will be similar to X-rays images, while to determine the depths, an auxiliary sonar system could be used like the medical sonar (ECHO).

4.5 - A mobile video camera could be added to the system (DOM) to give the operator an image of the mines, while an ordinary camera is used to help the carrier guide to do his job, and, to detect surface mines, which emerged by the wind action.

4.6 - To receive both the thermal, and, the ordinary images, a cable is used to transfer them between the system vehicle, and, the operator, and, in the case of an aerial carrier, a video emitting device is used to wireless transfer of the image to the operator ( review figure 4/6 ). 4.7 - For the neat detection we should select a highly sensitive thermal camera, and, determine the heating lamp power, the heating time, and, the height of the heating lamp, up to the ground, quality in order to determine the imaging depth.

while more than one lamp could be used for heating the ground, and, as well a group of more than one thermal camera.

N.B. ( The attached figures are 6 figures, complementary to the text, and, should be read ) .

Figure Explanation ( Numerically) - Figure (1/6)

In this figure it shows some types of landmines, whether anti personnel, anti vehicles, anti armors, and, each the model, and, manufacturing country . - Figure (2/6)

Image of two mobile radar devices (Mine detectors). - Figure (3/6)

Types of Thermal Cameras, produced by FLIR company, and, as follows explanation of the numeration:

1 - Handy Mobile Thermal Camera, produced by FLIR company.

2 - Immobile Thermal Camera produced by FLIR company.

3 - Helo; Mobile Thermal Camera.

4 - Movable Thermal Camera fixed on plane, or, vehicles.

5 - Graph of IR (Thermal), visual rays, and, UV rays. - Figure (4/6)

A thermal image of a ground covering two masses, supposedly

mines, and as follows numerical figure outs:

1 - The thermal image is for sandy land.

2 - A piece of timber 4cm below earth in dark color.

3 - a copper piece 4cm below earth in light color. - Figure (5/6)

Appears in the figure a small vehicle equipped with the invention (Mine imaging, and, detecting), and, as follows numerical explanation:

1 - Invention equipped vehicle.

2 - Mobile camera (DOM), to help visualizing the vehicle surroundings.

3 - Moving arm to carry the thermal camera for imaging, and, thermal lighting spots .

4 - GPS antenna to locate the coordinates of imaging spot .

5 - Vehicle controlling ( remote control ) , and, electric feeding cable, and, video images cable, transferring video.

6 - Thermal camera used in earth imaging to detect mines.

7 - Halogen, or, thermal spot lighter, or, otherwise to heat the ground before imaging by thermal camera.

8 - The imaged ground. - Figure (6/6)

Appears a chopper equipped with the invention (buried mine imaging, and, detecting), and, as follows numerical explanation:

1 - Appears a chopper equipped with the invention.

2 - A cable connecting the thermal camera to the chopper.

3 - A mobile camera (DOM) to help visualizing the surrounding.

4 - GPS antenna to locate the coordinates of imaging spot.

5 - The imaged ground

6 - Thermal camera used in earth imaging to detect mines.

Claims

Elements of Novelty - A system to detect, visualizing, and, imaging mines, and, buried war scraps below earth surface, use thermal imaging cameras ( high sensitivities ), after heating the earth required for imaging by a suitable means, like halogen, or, IR lamp . - A system, or, an equipment to detect, and, visualizing, buried landmines, fixed on a vehicle, or a plane, which is composed of a highly sensitive thermal camera, plus a means of earth heating, such as a high power lighting spot, and, thus the system depends on heating the earth, then starts the imaging of what's buried under surface it, after stopping heating, and, while it is left to Temperature down ( thermally radiating ), whereas a helping system could be used to locate the coordinates like GPS devices and, satellites . - A system for detecting, visualizing, and, imaging under earth surface, by highly sensitive thermal cameras, after raising earth temperature through heating it by thermal lighting spots, or, otherwise . - A system for detecting, visualizing, and, imaging mines, and, buried war scraps below earth surface, that works by ultra sonic waves a device (ECHO), Used Array Probe , where its working theory is similar to the medical ultra sonic devices . - A system for detecting, visualizing, and, imaging under earth surface, that works by ultra sonic waves a device (ECHO), Used Array Probe, where its working theory is similar to the medical ultra sonic devices .