US 9,182,469 B2Granted

System and method for locating a point in space

AssigneeSagrad, Inc.

InventorAdam Harriman

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Abstract

A method for locating a point in a first region based on receipt of a rf signal from the point. An antenna array is in the first region at a first position rotatable about an axis. A series of phase-array patterns is provided for implementation with the antenna array to provide measures of rf signal strength. Each pattern provides a plurality of reference values as a function of angle. A plurality of the phase-array patterns are used to acquire, in the first region, a plurality of rf signal strength values based on reception of the rf signal. A set of correlation values is determined where each value is a correlation between signal strength reference values and rf signal strength values acquired based on reception of the rf signal from the point. The correlation values identify a direction relative to the first position along which the point is located.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A method for locating a point about a first axis in a first region based on receipt of a radio frequency (rf) signal that emanates from the point, comprising:

providing an antenna array;
providing a series of phase-array patterns for receiving measures of rf signal strength with the antenna array, each pattern characterized varied signal strength responses to the rf signal as a function of angle of pattern rotation, the series comprising a set of patterns each including a null region;
using the antenna array with each phase-array pattern to provide signal strength reference values as a function of pattern angle of rotation;
with the antenna array at the first position, further using the set of phase-array patterns to acquire signal strength responses to the rf signal that emanates from the point as a function of angle of pattern rotation about the first axis wherein, for each in the set of patterns (i) a roll-off in signal strength responses is characteristic of portions of null regions oriented in pointing directions toward the source, and (ii) a portion of each null region exhibits a measurably different change in signal strength response, as a function of pattern angle about the first axis, relative to other changes in signal strength responses as a function of pattern angle about the first axis for other portions of the pattern;
determining a set of correlation values based on correlations between (i) signal strength reference values acquired with patterns at angles of rotation and (ii) the signal strength responses acquired with the antenna array based on reception of the rf signal that emanates from the point;
and
using the correlation values to identify a direction relative to the first position along which the point is located.

4 more elements

A method for determining a pointing direction from antenna array circuitry toward a source positioned at an unknown first location, with the antenna array circuitry positioned at a first receive position above a ground plane, comprising:

providing a set of phase array receive patterns each having varied signal strength response characteristics to the source as a function of pattern angle of rotation about the first receive position, the set comprising a plurality of patterns each including a null region;
receiving from the source signal strength data with the antenna array circuitry using each of the patterns wherein, for each in the plurality of patterns (i) data having a roll-off in signal strength responses are characteristic of portions of null regions oriented in pointing directions toward the source, and (ii) a portion of each null region exhibits a measurably different change in signal strength response as a function of pattern angle about the first receive position relative to other changes in signal strength responses in other portions of the pattern as a function of pattern angle about the first receive position;
making a comparison between the signal strength data from at least the plurality of patterns, including portions of the null regions exhibiting the large changes in signal strength as a function of change in angle, and each member in a group of data sets, wherein each member in the group of data sets comprises signal strength data acquired with at least the plurality of phase array receive patterns at one of a plurality of angle orientations with respect to a known second location;
and
making a first determination of the pointing direction based on the comparison.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/400,206Filed 20 Feb 2012 · us provisional application
Priority: 13 Jul 2011
Published: US 2013/0016011 A117 Jan 2013
Granted: 10 Nov 2015
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

G01S 3/44
Using adjustment of real or effective orientation of directivity characteristic of an antenna or an antenna system to give a desired condition…
H01Q 3/04
Using mechanical movement of antenna or antenna system as a whole: for varying one co-ordinate of the orientation
H01Q 3/26
Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna…
G01S 3/023
Using radio waves: monitoring or calibrating