# US 2021/0242570 A1 · Radio-frequency localization techniques and associated systems, devices, and methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0242570 A1 - Document ID: US20210242570A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/239,943 - Filed: 2021-04-26 - Published: 2021-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2015-12-17 - Assignees: Humatics Corporation - Applicants: Humatics Corporation - Inventors: Gregory L. Charvat; David A. Mindell - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210242570A1 ## CPC - H01Q 1/2283: {mounted in or on the surface of a semiconductor substrate as a chip-type antenna or integrated with other components into an IC package} - G01S 5/0215: {Interference} - G01S 5/0284: {Relative positioning} - G01S 5/14: Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location - G01S 11/02: using radio waves (G01S19/00 takes precedence) - G01S 13/878: {Combination of several spaced transmitters or receivers of known location for determining the position of a transponder or a reflector (G01S13/874 takes precedence)} - H01Q 1/2216: {used in interrogator/reader equipment} - H01Q 1/24: with receiving set - H01Q 1/247: {with frequency mixer, e.g. for direct satellite reception or Doppler radar} - H01Q 1/38: formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support {(patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142)} - H01Q 1/521: {reducing the coupling between adjacent antennas} - H01Q 1/525: {between emitting and receiving antennas} - H01Q 3/36: with variable phase-shifters - H01Q 5/10: Resonant antennas - H01Q 9/0428: {radiating a circular polarised wave} - H01Q 9/0492: {circularly polarised} - H01Q 9/26: with folded element or elements, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of operating wavelength (resonant loop antennas H01Q7/00) - H01Q 9/27: Spiral antennas - H04B 5/77: for interrogation - H04W 4/023: {using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds} - H04W 56/001: {Synchronization between nodes} - H04W 64/003: {locating network equipment} - H04W 64/006: {with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination} - H10W 44/248: {for antennas} - H10W 90/724: {between a chip and a stacked insulating package substrate, interposer or RDL} - H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72) - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES - H04B: TRANSMISSION - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract A system comprising synchronization circuitry, a first interrogator, and a second interrogator. The first interrogator includes a transmit antenna; a first receive antenna, and circuitry configured to generate, using radio-frequency (RF) signal synthesis information received from the synchronization circuitry, a first RF signal for transmission by the transmit antenna, and generate, using the first RF signal and a second RF signal received from a target device by the first receive antenna, a first mixed RF signal indicative of a distance between the first interrogator and the target device. The second interrogator includes a second receive antenna, and circuitry configured to generate, using the RF signal synthesis information, a third RF signal; and generate, using the third RF signal and a fourth RF signal received from the target device by the second receive antenna, a second mixed RF signal indicative of a distance between the second interrogator and the target device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An interrogator device, comprising: a substrate; a semiconductor die mounted on the first substrate; a transmit antenna on the substrate and shaped to convert a first electric signal to a first radio-frequency (RF) signal for transmission to a target device, the first RF signal having a first center frequency; a receive antenna on the substrate and shaped to convert a second RF signal transmitted from the target device to a second electric signal, the second RF signal having a second center frequency different from the first center frequency; and circuitry integrated with the semiconductor die and configured to: provide the first electric signal to the transmit antenna and to receive the second electric signal from the receive antenna, and generate a third electrical signal indicative of a distance between the interrogator device and the target device based on the first and second electric signals. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the second center frequency is a harmonic of the first center frequency. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The device of claim 2, wherein the second center frequency is approximately twice the first center frequency. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the transmit antenna comprises a patch antenna or a planar spiral antenna. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the transmit antenna comprises a first linearly polarized antenna and a second linearly polarized antenna disposed orthogonally to the first linearly polarized antenna. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor die is flip-chip bonded to the substrate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the device is a packaged device comprising: first level connections formed by flip-chip bonding the semiconductor die to the substrate; second level connections configured to connect the packaged device to a printed circuit board; and a protective encapsulation for at least the semiconductor die. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The device of claim 7, wherein the second level connections comprise a ball grid array formed on the bottom surface of the substrate. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a printed circuit board having at least one conductive layer, and wherein the transmit antenna and the receive antenna are fabricated on the substrate by patterning the at least one conductive layer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the transmit antenna and the receive antenna are isotropic. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the circuitry comprises a frequency mixer configured to generate the third electric signal using the first electric signal and the second electric signal. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the first center frequency is between 50 GHz and 70 GHz. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the second center frequency is between 100 GHz and 140 GHz. ### Claim 14 A method for determining a distance between a target device and an interrogator device, the method comprising: generating a first electric signal using the interrogator device and converting, using a transmit antenna on a substrate of the interrogator device, the first electric signal to a first radio-frequency (RF) signal having a first center frequency for transmission to the target device; in response to converting the first electric signal to a first RF signal, converting, using a receive antenna on the substrate of the interrogator device, a second RF signal transmitted from the target device to a second electric signal having a second center frequency different from the first center frequency; generating, from the first and second electric signals and using signal transformation circuitry integrated with a semiconductor die mounted on the substrate of the interrogator device, a third electric signal; and determining the distance between the target device and the interrogator device using the third electric signal. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the second center frequency is a harmonic of the first center frequency. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the second center frequency is approximately twice the first center frequency. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein generating the third signal comprises: generating a first intermediate signal using a frequency multiplier from the first electric signal; and mixing the first intermediate signal with the second electric signal. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein determining the distance between the target device and the interrogator device comprises digitizing the third electric signal and computing a Fourier transform of the digitized third electric signal. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the first center frequency is between 50 GHz and 70 GHz. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the second center frequency is between 100 GHz and 140 GHz.