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US 9,640,865 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for forming a remote beam
AssigneeLocata Corporation Pty Ltd
InventorDavid Small
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device and method are provided for forming a beam of a transmit antenna array in the direction of a positioning receiver. Since the beam of the transmit antenna array is formed remotely by the positioning receiver, the received gain of the incoming positioning signal is maximized while signals from other directions are attenuated, thereby mitigating any unwanted effects of multipath. Depending on the number of elements in the transmit antenna array and their physical distribution, the width of the beam can be made finer such that the positioning receiver only requires a simple omni-directional antenna to achieve an accurate positioning solution.
Claims30
An apparatus for forming a beam remotely at a plurality of spatially distributed antenna elements, the apparatus including:
- a positioning-unit device coupled with a plurality of spatially distributed antenna elements, said positioning-unit device configured to generate a positioning signal and switch said antenna elements between first and second states in a predetermined switching sequence that is synchronised with said positioning signal wherein, in said first state, said antenna elements are configured to transmit said positioning signal;
- and
- a physically separate receiver configured to receive said positioning signal transmitted from said antenna elements, said receiver having a processor for:
- generating a reference signal;
- modifying said reference signal in substantial synchronisation with the receipt of the positioning signal from the antenna elements being switched to said first state in said switching sequence;
- mixing the received positioning signal with the modified reference signal to generate a mixed signal;
- and
- summing the mixed signal over a predetermined integration period to generate an accumulated signal that is indicative of the direction and magnitude of a beam formed remotely by said receiver at said antenna elements,
- wherein said switching sequence and its synchronisation with said positioning signal are known to said receiver.
6 more elements
An apparatus for forming a beam remotely at a plurality of spatially distributed antenna elements, the apparatus including:
- a positioning-unit device coupled with a plurality of spatially distributed antenna elements, said positioning-unit device configured to:
- a) switch said antenna elements between first and second states in a predetermined switching sequence wherein, in said first state, said antenna elements are configured to transmit a positioning signal;
- and
- b) synthesise a positioning signal and modify said positioning signal, in substantial synchronisation with said predetermined switching sequence, to generate a modified positioning signal;
- and
- a physically separate receiver configured to receive said modified positioning signal transmitted from said antenna elements, said receiver having a processor for generating a reference signal, mixing the received modified positioning signal with said reference signal to generate a mixed signal and summing the mixed signal over a predetermined period to generate an accumulated signal that is indicative of the direction and magnitude of a beam formed remotely by said receiver at said antenna elements.
3 more elements
A system for forming composite beams between a plurality of spatially distributed transmit antenna elements and a plurality of spatially distributed receive antenna elements, the system including:
- a positioning-unit device coupled with a plurality of spatially distributed transmit antenna elements, said positioning-unit device being configured to generate a positioning signal and switch said transmit antenna elements between first and second states in a first predetermined switching sequence that is synchronised with said positioning signal wherein, in said first state, said transmit antenna elements are configured to transmit said positioning signal;
- and
- a physically separate positioning receiver coupled with a plurality of spatially distributed receive antenna elements, said positioning receiver being configured to switch said receive antenna elements between first and second states in a second predetermined switching sequence wherein, in said first state, said receive antenna elements are configured to receive said positioning signal;
- said positioning receiver having a processor configured to:
- receive, at said receive antenna elements, said positioning signal transmitted from said transmit antenna elements;
- synthesize a reference signal;
- modify said reference signal in substantial synchronisation with the receipt of the positioning signal from the transmit antenna elements being switched to said first state in said first predetermined switching sequence, and in substantial synchronisation with the switching of said receive antenna elements to the first state in said second predetermined switching sequence, to generate a modified reference signal;
- mix the received positioning signal with said modified reference signal to generate a mixed signal;
- and
- sum the mixed signal over a predetermined integration period to generate an accumulated signal that is indicative of the direction and magnitude of a composite beam formed by said positioning receiver between said transmit antenna elements and said receive antenna elements,
- wherein said first predetermined switching sequence and its synchronisation with said positioning signal are known to said positioning receiver.
8 more elements
A method for forming a beam remotely at a plurality of spatially distributed antenna elements coupled with a positioning-unit device, the method including the steps of:
- a) generating, at said positioning-unit device, a positioning signal;
- b) switching, at said positioning-unit device, said spatially distributed antenna elements from a second state to a first state in a predetermined switching sequence that is synchronised with said positioning signal, wherein, in said first state, said antenna elements are configured to transmit said positioning signal;
- c) receiving, at a physically separate receiver, the transmitted positioning signal;
- d) generating, in a correlator of the receiver, a reference signal for correlation with the received positioning signal;
- e) applying, in substantial synchronisation with the receipt of the positioning signal from the antenna elements being switched to said first state in said switching sequence, a predetermined offset to said reference signal to create a modified reference signal;
- f) mixing said received positioning signal with said modified reference signal to create a mixed signal;
- and
- g) accumulating said mixed signal over an integration period to create an accumulated signal that is indicative of the direction and magnitude of a beam formed remotely by said receiver at said antenna elements,
- wherein said switching sequence and its synchronisation with said positioning signal are known to said receiver.
6 more elements
A method for forming composite beams between a plurality of spatially distributed transmit antenna elements coupled with a positioning-unit device and a plurality of spatially distributed receive antenna elements coupled with a positioning receiver that is physically separate from said positioning-unit device, the method including the steps of:
- a) generating, at said positioning-unit device, a positioning signal;
- b) switching, at said positioning-unit device, said spatially distributed transmit antenna elements from a second state to a first state in a first predetermined switching sequence that is synchronised with said positioning signal, wherein, in said first state, said transmit antenna elements are configured to transmit said positioning signal;
- c) switching, at said positioning receiver, said spatially distributed receive antenna elements from a second state to a first state in a second predetermined switching sequence, wherein, in said first state, said receive antenna elements are configured to receive said positioning signal;
- d) receiving, at said positioning receiver, the transmitted positioning signal;
- e) generating, in a correlator of said positioning receiver, a reference signal for correlation with the received positioning signal;
- f) modifying said reference signal in substantial synchronisation with the receipt of the positioning signal from the transmit antenna elements being switched to said first state in said first predetermined switching sequence, and in substantial synchronisation with the switching of said receive antenna elements to the first state in said second predetermined switching sequence, to generate a modified reference signal;
- g) mixing said received positioning signal with said modified reference signal to create a mixed signal;
- and
- h) accumulating said mixed signal over an integration period to create an accumulated signal that is indicative of the direction and magnitude of a composite beam formed by said positioning receiver between said transmit antenna elements and said receive antenna elements,
- wherein said first predetermined switching sequence and its synchronisation with said positioning signal are known to said positioning receiver.
7 more elements
A method for forming a beam remotely at a plurality of spatially distributed antenna elements coupled with a positioning-unit device, the method including the steps of:
- a) synthesising, in said positioning-unit device, a positioning signal;
- b) switching, at said positioning-unit device, said spatially distributed antenna elements from a second state to a first state in a predetermined switching sequence, wherein, in said first state, said antenna elements are configured to transmit said positioning signal;
- c) applying, in substantial synchronisation with the switching of one of said antenna elements to the first state, a predetermined offset to said positioning signal to create a modified positioning signal;
- d) receiving, at a physically separate receiver, said modified positioning signal transmitted by said antenna elements;
- e) generating, in a correlator of the receiver, a reference signal for correlation with the received modified positioning signal;
- f) mixing said received modified positioning signal with said reference signal to create a mixed signal;
- and
- g) accumulating said mixed signal over an integration period to create an accumulated signal that is indicative of the direction and magnitude of a beam formed remotely by said receiver at said antenna elements.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.