Abstract: A passive detection device is disclosed comprising a plurality of antennas, receivers, and a digital beamformer, wherein the antennas and receivers are adapted to receive radiation of millimeter wavelengths from a near field region, to process and digitize it. The beamformer is adapted to process the received information and to generate static image information relating to the region. An indication means is provided to indicate the presence of objects of interest. The beamformer is preferentially adapted to generate information simultaneously in a plurality of planes at different distances from the apparatus. The indication means may comprise an array of pixels along the length of the apparatus to display image information, and may use the multi-planar information to construct images of the region comprising data from a plurality of planes. The invention has utility in security scanning applications such as at airports or other locations where security detection equipment is employed.

Abstract: The invention provides an adaptive sensor array apparatus (100) incorporating a multielement antenna (12) for receiving radiation from a scene (‘S’) and generating signals (e) in response thereto and a processing unit (114) for processing the signals (e) to provide an output signal (y). The unit (114) comprises an adaptive weight computer (136) arranged to generate weighting vectors (w) which are used in the unit (114) to attenuate contributions to the output signal (y) arising from sources of jamming radiation in the scene and transmit contributions to the output signal (y) arising from wanted targets therein. The apparatus (100) incorporates a non-adaptive beamformer unit (132) for preconditioning the signals (e) before they are passed to the computer (136). Preconditioning the signals (e) enhances performance of the apparatus (100) relative to conventional adaptive sensor array apparatus (10).

Abstract: The apparatus includes a solid state, two-dimensional, array (4) of elements or pixels fixedly attachable to the spacecraft or satellite (2) so that the array boresight (5) is aligned with the nominal Celestial Body pointing axis of the spacecraft or satellite (2). The elements or pixels are sensitive to illumination in the visible to near infra-red wavelength range, sense an image of Celestial Body (3) falling thereon and indicate the relative intensity of illumination falling on each element or pixel from the image. Optical means focus the image of Earth onto the array (4) and means for digitally sampling and processing the relative intensity of illumination information indicated by the array (4) operate to produce coordinates of the center (7) of the Celestial Body image on the array (4) whose displacement in two orthogonal axes from the center of the field of view of the array (4) provides an indication of the roll and/or pitch attitude error of the spacecraft or satellite (2).