High-precision time of flight measurement systems
AssigneeHumatics Corporation
InventorsDavid A. Mindell, Gregory L. Charvat, Gary A. Cohen, Dana R. Yoerger
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method is disclosed for measuring time of flight to an object. A transmitter transmits an electromagnetic signal and provides a reference signal corresponding to the electromagnetic signal. A receiver receives the electromagnetic signal and provides a response signal corresponding to the received electromagnetic signal. A detection circuit is configured to determine a time of flight between the transmitter and the receiver based upon the reference signal and the response signal.
Claims20
An interrogator device comprising:
- circuitry configured to:
- generate a first radio-frequency (RF) electromagnetic signal and a second RF electromagnetic signal corresponding to the first RF electromagnetic signal,
- transmit the first RF electromagnetic signal wireles sly to a first device,
- receive, in response to transmitting the first RF electromagnetic signal, a third RF electromagnetic signal wirelessly from the first device,
- generate a fourth RF electromagnetic signal using the second and third RF electromagnetic signals,
- generate a fifth RF electromagnetic signal and a sixth RF electromagnetic signal corresponding to the fifth RF electromagnetic signal,
- transmit the fifth RF electromagnetic signal wireles sly to a second device,
- receive, in response to transmitting the fifth RF electromagnetic signal, a seventh RF electromagnetic signal wirelessly from the second device, and
- generate an eighth RF electromagnetic signal using the sixth and seventh RF electromagnetic signals;
- and
- a processor configured to determine a location of the interrogator relative to both the first and second devices using the fourth and eighth RF electromagnetic signals.
An interrogator device comprising:
- circuitry configured to:
- generate a first radio-frequency (RF) electromagnetic signal and a second RF electromagnetic signal corresponding to the first RF electromagnetic signal,
- transmit the first RF electromagnetic signal wireles sly to a first device and a second device,
- receive, in response to transmitting the first RF electromagnetic signal, a third RF electromagnetic signal wirelessly from the first device and a fourth RF electromagnetic signal wireles sly from the second device,
- generate a fifth RF electromagnetic signal using the second and third RF electromagnetic signals,
- generate a sixth RF electromagnetic signal using the second and fourth RF electromagnetic signals;
- and
- a processor configured to determine a location of the interrogator relative to both the first and second devices using the fifth and sixth RF electromagnetic signals.
A method for determining a location of an interrogator relative to both first and second devices, the method comprising:
- generating a first radio-frequency (RF) electromagnetic signal and a second RF electromagnetic signal corresponding to the first RF electromagnetic signal;
- transmitting the first RF electromagnetic signal wirelessly to the first device;
- receiving, in response to transmitting the first RF electromagnetic signal, a third RF electromagnetic signal wireles sly from the first device,
- generating a fourth RF electromagnetic signal using the second and third RF electromagnetic signals;
- generating a fifth RF electromagnetic signal and a sixth RF electromagnetic signal corresponding to the fifth RF electromagnetic signal;
- transmitting the fifth RF electromagnetic signal wirelessly to the second device;
- receiving, in response to transmitting the fifth RF electromagnetic signal, a seventh RF electromagnetic signal wirelessly from the second device;
- generating an eighth RF electromagnetic signal using the sixth and seventh RF electromagnetic signals;
- and
- determining the location of the interrogator relative to both the first and second devices using the fourth and eighth RF electromagnetic signals.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.