2014
U.S. patent number 8,787,619 B2, Del Grande, Nancy Kerr: Title: Temporal, Thermal, Imaging Method For Detecting Subsurface Objects And Voids issued on Jul. 22, 2014, which has 26 Claims, 7 drawing sheets. Abstract: A temporal, thermal, survey method to locate at a given area whether or not there is a subsurface object or void site. The method uses thermal inertia change detection. It locates temporal heat flows from naturally-heated subsurface objects or faulty structures such as corrosion damaged. The added value over earlier methods is the use of empirical methods to specify the optimum times for locating subsurface objects or voids amidst clutter and host materials. Thermal inertia, or thermal effusivity, is the bulk material resistance to temperature change. Surface temperature highs and lows are shifted in time at the subsurface object or void site relative to the undisturbed host material sites. The Dual-band Infra-red Effusivity Computed Tomography (DIRECT℠) method verifies the optimum two times to detect thermal inertia outliers at the subsurface object or void border with undisturbed host materials.
2014
The imaging, data analysis and surveying services embraced by patent Nos. 7,157,714, 8,494,220 and 8,787,619 are offered exclusively by Geo-Temp Corporation under the mark DIRECT, Trademark Registration No. 4,638,515 registered on November 11, 2014 and owned by Geo-Temp Corporation which includes:
Geo-Temp’s DIRECT® imaging service for scanning the terrain using infrared (IR) radiation detectors to locate and identify subsurface objects and voids (such as occur within tunnels, channels, cisterns, sewer lines, pipelines, drains, land mines, caves, munitions, aquifers, and storage units) and for scanning surface and subsurface structures (such as occur within bridge decks and pipelines) using IR radiation detectors to locate and identify abnormal object voids and corrosion.
Geo-Temp’s DIRECT® data analysis service for detecting and analyzing thermal inertia anomaly data to locate and identify subsurface objects and voids and detecting and analyzing thermal inertia anomaly data to locate and identify abnormal object voids resulting from corroded or eroded surface (or subsurface) structures, such as bridge decks and pipelines.
Geo-Temp’s DIRECT® surveying service for scheduling IR detection surveys at optimum times to locate, visibly represent and identify subsurface objects and voids and scheduling IR detection surveys at optimum times to locate, visibly represent and identify abnormal object voids resulting from corroded or eroded surface (or subsurface) structures, such as bridge decks and pipelines.
2013
DIRECT℠ method commercial demonstration was conducted from Dec. 27 to 31, 2013 to locate subsurface objects and voids where earlier geophysical imaging methods produced inconclusive results.
The DIRECT℠ method demonstrated the capability to characterize void types, e.g. tunnel, pipeline, cache, bunker or room, in addition to void depths (e.g. ceiling and floor) and void height-to-depth ratios.
2013
U.S. patent number 8,494,220 B2, Del Grande, Nancy Kerr: Title: “Temporal, Thermal, Imaging Method For Detecting Subsurface Objects And Voids,” issued on Jul. 23, 2013, which has 22 Claims, 7 drawing sheets. For Abstract see: U.S. patent number 8,787,619 B2, Del Grande, Nancy Kerr: Title: Temporal, Thermal, Imaging Method For Detecting Subsurface Objects And Voids issued on Jul. 22, 2014, which has 26 Claims, 7 drawing sheets.
2013
Geo-Temp’s July 2013 government demonstration was paid for by private funds under the principle “small companies must “pay” to “play”. The demonstration raised passive dual-band IR sensing to a new level: temporal thermal tomography, which established a new capability for the war-fighter and the Border Patrol Agent. The deliverable was a clutter-free 3-D visual display marking the location and characterizing the depth and the height of a “blind” below-ground smuggler’s stash hidden amidst either side of two, 120 foot long, intersecting T-shaped roads.
2013
Presentation given on Apr. 30, 2013 “Thermal inertia mapping of below ground objects and voids” at Detection and Sensing of Mines, Explosive Objects, and Obscured Targets XVIII, Paper 8709-18, SPIE Defense, Security + Sensing Conference in Baltimore, MD.
2012
Canadian patent number 2,514,982, Del Grande, Nancy K. issued on Oct. 16, 2012. Title: Thermal Imaging Method To Detect Subsurface Objects. Abstract: "Thermal imaging method to detect subsurface objects". Patent abstract: A thermal imaging method to detect heat flows from naturally-heated subsurface objects. The method uniquely combines precise, emissivity-corrected temperature maps, thermal inertia maps, temperature simulations, and automatic target recognition to display clear, clutter-free, three-dimensional images of contained hollow objects or structures, at depths to 20 times their diameter. Temperature scans are corrected using two different infrared bands. Co-registered object-site temperature scans image daily and seasonal temperature spread differences, which vary inversely as the object's and surrounding host material's thermal inertias. Thermal inertia (resistance to temperature change) is the square root of the product (k r C), for thermal conductivity k, density r and heat capacity C.
2012
Briefed U.S. Government Agencies of Geo-Temp’s DIRECTSM Method (Dual Infrared Effusivity Computed Tomography).
2012
Developed proprietary processing software for detection of buried semi-empty objects, e.g. drug stashes/IEDs and/or tunnels.
2012
Formed an empirical tunnel detection database by correlating 0.1 m to 2 m deep soil thermal gradients with surface temperatures at known object-void sites with 2 m to 15 m floor depths.
2011
Patent application filed on February 01, 2011, “Temporal, Thermal, Imaging Method for Detecting Subsurface Objects and Voids.” For Publication Number and Abstract, see Milestone 2014.
2009
Presentation given on April 14, 2009 “Thermal inertia contrast detection of subsurface structures” at Thermosense XXXI, Paper 7299-42, SPIE Defense, Security + Sensing Conference in Orlando, FL
2007
U.S. Government contract issued for a medium-size project related to subsurface imaging. The Project ran from April 5, 2007 through April 30, 2008.
2007
U.S. patent number 7,157,714 issued on January 2, 2007: "Thermal imaging method to detect subsurface objects". Patent abstract: A thermal imaging method to detect heat flows from naturally-heated subsurface objects. The method uniquely combines precise, emissivity-corrected temperature maps, thermal inertia maps, temperature simulations, and automatic target recognition to display clear, clutter-free, three-dimensional images of contained hollow objects or structures, at depths to 20 times their diameter. Temperature scans are corrected using two different infrared bands. Co-registered object-site temperature scans image daily and seasonal temperature spread differences, which vary inversely as the object's and surrounding host material's thermal inertias.
Thermal inertia (resistance to temperature change) is the square root of the product (k r C), for thermal conductivity k, density r and heat capacity C.
2005
Presentation given at AUVSI's Unmanned Systems Europe 2005 Symposium; Cologne, Germany, Category:Payloads and Missions.
2004
Patent application filed January 30, 2004,"Thermal imaging method to detect subsurface objects," by Nancy K. Del Grande.
Imaged and identified damage within the Temple Area walls in Jerusalem, Israel.
2003
Located and identified a deep archaeological drain at the Temple Area in Jerusalem, Israel. This work was instigated, planned, and interpreted by Nancy K. Del Grande with the assistance of Richard Iorillo at Geo-Temp Corporation (using private funding) in collaboration with Mr. Moshe Caspi at Aeronautics Defense Systems, Ltd. who flew an unmanned aerial infrared vehicle at 3 km above ground level.
Provisional patent application for "Thermal inertia imaging, an unmanned aerial infrared survey method for remotely sensing subsurface objects and structures."
1997
Worked a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with Bales Scientific Incorporated to commercialize corrosion inspection technology.
1995
Patent no. 5,444,241 was issued:"Method for imaging anomalous structural heat flows."
Developed a mobile DBIR laboratory. Mapped bridge delaminations (cracks) at the Grass Valley Creak bridges. Predicted delaminations were confirmed by removing the pavement.
1994
Conducted feasibility tests on asphalt-covered and exposed concrete slabs for the Federal Highway Administration.
1993
Detected 5% metal loss from corrosion in aging aircraft for the Federal Aviation Administration.
1991
Detected buried land mines for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
1981
Mapped deep geothermal aquifers for the Energy, Research & Development Agency.
1977
Patent no. 4,005,289 was issued:"Method for identifying anomalous terrestrial heat flows."