Patent ID: 7656342
Filing Date: 2010-02-02
Classification: E21C,G01S,G01V

Abstract:
1. An earth-penetrating radar for guiding mining machinery, comprising: a software defined radio transceiver with program software to implement a radar transmitter and radar receiver, wherein a software programming enables a switch in operational modes between near-field and far-field signal detection; wherein, said radar transmitter provides for launching pairs of separated and coherent continuous waves in a double-sideband suppressed-carrier modulation through the air; a radar receiving antenna for placement proximate to an air interface with a first layer of material, and having impedance characteristics that depend on a surrounding natural medium adjacent to the antenna and an operating frequency; wherein, said radar receiver includes coherent demodulation for suppressing a first reflection of radio signals emitted by the radar transmitter from an air interface with a first layer of material and received by the radar receiving antenna; a receiver processor for determining any electrical parameters of a natural medium adjacent to the antenna from stored a priori data and impedance measurements of the radar receiving antenna; and a radar processor for calculating the depth of an interface between said first layer of material and a second deeper layer of material, by measuring a signal delay of a second reflection of radio signals emitted by the radar transmitter from said first and second material interface which was received by the radar receiving antenna.