Buried utility locator auto-tuning apparatus and methods
AssigneeSeescan, Inc.
InventorsMark S. Olsson, Stephanie M. Bench, Jan Soukup
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Signal generation devices including an auto-tuning electronic circuit module for generating tuned output signals are disclosed. The auto-tuning electronic circuit module may include a tunable resonant electronic circuit element for providing a tuned output signal, including a voltage divider element and a tuning array element and control element.
Claims4
An auto-tuning electronic circuit module for generating tuned output signals, comprising:
- a tunable resonant electronic circuit element for providing a tuned output signal, including a voltage divider element and a tuning array element;
- and
- a tuning array element including a plurality of switched capacitors and associated switches on a circuit branch tapped from between the first and second capacitors of the capacitive voltage divider, where the plurality of capacitors as switched on or off by the switches have capacitance values to increase or decrease the aggregate capacitance during tuning based on the control signal from the control element.
A method for automatically tuning frequency in a utility locating device current signal generator, comprising:
- providing, from a control element, an input signal to a tunable resonant circuit;
- measuring a first signal strength of an output signal from the tunable resonant circuit;
- storing the measured first signal strength in a non-transitory memory element;
- switching on one switched capacitor of a plurality of switched capacitors in the tunable resonant circuit;
- measuring a second, subsequent signal strength of the output signal;
- comparing the stored first measured output signal strength measurement with the second output signal strength measurement;
- and switching another of the switched capacitors responsive to the comparison.
An electronic device, comprising:
- an auto-tuning electronic circuit module for generating tuned output signals, comprising:
- a tunable resonant electronic circuit element for providing a tuned output signal, including a voltage divider element and a tuning array element;
- and
- a control element including a sensing element for measuring output signal strength, an analog to digital converter, a non-transitory memory element, and a processing element for comparing previous output signal strength values stored in the non-transitory memory element to a current signal strength value and providing a corresponding control signal to tune the tunable resonant electronic circuit;
- wherein the voltage divider element comprises a capacitive voltage divider circuit;
- and
- further comprising a dodecahedral antenna node for providing input signals to the auto-tuning electronic circuit module.
A method of using the an electronic device wherein the electronic device comprises an auto-tuning electronic circuit module for generating tuned output signals comprising a tunable resonant electronic circuit element for providing a tuned output signal, including a voltage divider element and a tuning array element;
- a control element including a sensing element for measuring output signal strength, an analog to digital converter, a non-transitory memory element, and a processing element for comparing previous output signal strength values stored in the non-transitory memory element to a current signal strength value and providing a corresponding control signal to tune the tunable resonant electronic circuit;
- wherein the voltage divider element comprises a capacitive voltage divider circuit, the method including:
- receiving, at one or more omnidirectional antenna node, magnetic field signals emitted therefrom;
- providing output signals from the omnidirectional antenna nodes to the auto-tuning electronic circuit module;
- and
- processing the output signals in the electronic device to provide a tuned output signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.