Patent ID: 8207885

Claim:
A ground penetrating radar system comprising: an antenna; a variable width pulse generator connected to the antenna; and control circuitry connected to the variable width pulse generator; wherein the variable width pulse generator and antenna combination is operable to generate a plurality of pulses of electromagnetic radiation energy; wherein a first frequency-domain transform of a first pulse of the plurality of pulses exhibits a continuous range of first frequency value contributions with an associated range of first amplitude values over at least an approximately 500 MHz wide frequency band; wherein the associated range of first amplitude values includes at least a first maximum amplitude at approximately a first center electromagnetic radiation frequency value; wherein a second frequency-domain transform of a second pulse of the plurality of pulses exhibits a continuous range of second frequency value contributions with an associated range of second amplitude values over at least an approximately 500 MHz wide frequency band; wherein the associated range of second amplitude values includes at least a second maximum amplitude at approximately a second center electromagnetic radiation frequency value; wherein the first center electromagnetic radiation frequency value is different from the second center electromagnetic radiation frequency value; and wherein the control circuitry is operable to vary at least one of: the first center electromagnetic radiation frequency value and the second center electromagnetic radiation frequency value.