60/375, 830 filed on April 29, 2002.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a portable kinematic induction magnetic survey system for geophysical mapping and, more particularly, to such a system using metal detectors to locate and. display in real time sub-surface objects such as unexploded ordnance, land mines, other hazardous material or utility structures.

Traditionally, surveying work flow of this type is characterized by gathering measurements or data on a data collector which is connected to the surveying instrument or sensor. In a remote office, digital information from the data collector is downloaded into a desktop computer for processing and display using software provided by the surveying instrument or sensor vendor. Such surveying systems involve time consuming steps associated with office post- processing and may require a return visit to the surveyed site in the

event there are any problems or inconsistencies with the quality of the data collected. Accordingly, a need has arisen for a geophysical survey system that is not subject to these disadvantages. The new and improved geophysical survey system of the present invention fills this need and provides advantages not. found in prior systems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The geophysical survey system of the present invention performs the data processing and display portions of the work flow in near real-time right on the surveying site as the data is being collected, thereby improving the overall quality of the survey by providing a real-time graphical feedback of the data being collected.

This new and improved system results in the rapid collection of high quality geophysical data geographically referenced to real-world coordinates with real-time or near real-time display and analysis capabilities in the field at the surveying site.

The system of the present invention generally comprises the following components: 1. A sensor system comprising one or more metal detectors and control devices;

2. A portable sensor platform for supporting the metal detectors at a desired height and protecting them from environmental conditions; 3. A geo-reference system for locating a sensor reading relative to the earth; 4. A support vehicle for towing or pushing the sensor platform, supporting the power and control hardware for the sensor system and the geo-reference system, and supporting a computer system and software for controlling the collection of, storing, displaying and analyzing the sensor and position data; and 5. A control unit on the support vehicle for converting analog data from an analog sensor system to digital data to be transmitted to the computer system; and/or for regulating the power supply to the sensor system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the geophysical survey system of the present invention ; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the geophysical survey system of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the interior of the support vehicle for towing or pushing the sensor platform and the control and display apparatus mounted therein; and FIG. 4 is an enlarged schematic view of a real-time display of the recorded geophysical data on the computer-screen in the support vehicle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 illustrates a first embodiment of the present invention wherein a support vehicle 10, such as an eight-wheel drive, amphibious, off-road utility vehicle, tows a wheeled, sensor platform 12, preferably formed of non-metallic materials, having mounted thereon a sensor system 14 comprising one or more metal detectors 16 that are supported at a desired or predetermined distance above the ground. The sensor platform 12 may be of any suitable construction and, in one embodiment, may comprise a vertically extending frame 18 which is connected to the tow connection 20 by a plurality of struts 22 or the like.

The sensor system 14 is electrically connected to suitable or desired control and display apparatus 24 in the support vehicle 10 for collecting, storing and displaying geophysical data in real time as it is being generated by the sensor system 14 when the sensor platform is

being towed over a predetermined area to be surveyed. An antenna 26 for a suitable or desired geo-reference or GPS system may be mounted in any suitable location on the sensor platform 12. The antenna 26 is connected to a GPS receiver (not shown) located in the support vehicle 10. The geo-reference or GPS system serves to locate a sensor reading relative to the earth for real-time display in the support vehicle 10.

Any suitable or known metal detectors 16 may be used in the sensor system 14 of the present invention, such as a time-domain metal detector which detects both ferrous and non-ferrous metals, or a detector that applies the eddy current pulse induction principle for the detection of metal.

FIG. 2 illustrates a second embodiment of the geophysical survey system wherein a support vehicle 110 of any suitable type, such as a large land mine-resistant vehicle has mounted on the front end thereof the wheeled sensor platform 112 on which is mounted a sensor system 114 comprising a plurality of metal detection units 116. The upright metal detection units 116 can be pivoted or moved downwardly so as to be substantially in alignment with the middle or lower metal detection unit for the purposes of covering a larger area of the survey site during the movement of the sensor platform I I2 supporting the metal detection units 116 at a desired or-- predetermined distance above the ground.

The sensor platform 112 has a GPS antenna 126 mounted on legs 117 thereof. The metal detection units 116 and the GPS antenna 126 are connected to control and display apparatus (not shown) and a GPS receiver (not shown) located in the support vehicle 110.

In both of the embodiments shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the support vehicle 10,110 is moved over the survey site so that the metal detectors 16,116 can generate data as to metal objects such as unexploded ordnance, land mines or other objects located beneath the surface of the survey site. The data generated by the metal detectors is collected, stored and displayed by suitable data processing apparatus located within the support vehicle.

Referring to FIG. 3, the interior of the support vehicle 10, 110 may be supplied with a suitable power source 30, such as one or more rechargeable batteries, for supplying power to the metal detectors, GPS system and the control and display apparatus located within the support vehicle. The control and display apparatus may be of any suitable construction and may comprise one or more metal detector control units 32 connected to the metal detectors 16,116 on the sensor platform 12,112, a GPS receiver 34 connected to the GPS antenna 26,126, an oscillator 36 or the like for controlling the metal detector control units 32, and a laptop computer 38 or the like with appropriate software and hardware for controlling the geophysical survey system and displaying the recorded data in real time.

A control unit 40 is connected to the power source 30 and the sensor system 14, 114 for regulating the power supply to the sensor system to ensure a uniform power supply thereto for accurate readings therefrom. The control unit 40 may also be used to convert analog data from an analog sensor system to digital data to be transmitted to the computer 38 for storage and display. The control unit 40 may be of any suitable or known construction and operation.

As shown in FIG. 3, the computer screen 42 displays in real- time a graphical feedback of the data being collected by the metal detectors 16,116 as the sensor platform 12,112 is being moved over the survey site by the support vehicle 10, 110. Because of the GPS system 34, the graphical feedback of the data on the computer screen 42 is displayed with its location relative to the earth.

FIG. 4 illustrates schematically an example of the graphical feedback of the data on the computer screen 42. In this example, the survey site was a road 50 and the data displayed shows a number of areas or anomalies where metal objects 52 of various sizes and shapes were located beneath the road surface. The metal objects or anomalies 52 are displayed relative to the road 50 as well as with respect to earth coordinates 54 generated by the GPS system.

From the foregoing description, it will be readily seen that the geographical survey system of the present invention provides a real-

time graphical feedback of the data being collected at the survey site.

This new and improved system results in the rapid collection of high quality geophysical data, geographically referenced to real-world coordinates, with real-time or near real-time display and analysis capabilities in the field at the survey site.

While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiment, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.