System and method for sensing distance and/or movement

• US 10,564,275 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2018
• Issued: 02/18/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Transrobotics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Transrobotics, Inc.
• Inventors: Al-Alusi, Sayf
• Primary Examiner(s): Barker, Matthew M
• Application Number:
  US16/103,423
• Publication Number:
  US 20180364345A1
• Time in Patent Office: 553 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/284 Electromagnetic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/292 Light , e.g. infrared or ultraviolet
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/08 Systems for measuring distance only indirect measurement G01S13/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/103 particularities of the measurement of the distance G01S13/12, G01S13/14, G01S13/16, G01S13/18 and G01S13/20 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/325 using transmission of coded signals, e.g. P.S.K. signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/36 with phase comparison between the received signal and the contemporaneously transmitted signal
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/867 Combination of radar systems with cameras
• CPC Class Codes: 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
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/88 Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications electromagnetic prospecting or detecting of objects, e.g. near-field detection, G01V3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/32 using transmission of continuous waves, whether amplitude-, frequency-, or phase-modulated, or unmodulated
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/36 with phase comparison between the received signal and the contemporaneously transmitted signal
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/87 Combinations of systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9323 Alternative operation using light waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/03 Details of HF subsystems specially adapted therefor, e.g. common to transmitter and receiver
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/038 Feedthrough nulling circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/352 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/358 using I/Q processing
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/41 using analysis of echo signal for target characterisation; Target signature; Target cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/497 : Means for monitoring or calibrating
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/00 : Antenna arrays or systems arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system H01Q3/00

Abstract

A method (e.g., a method for measuring a separation distance to a target object) includes transmitting an electromagnetic first transmitted signal from a transmitting antenna toward a target object that is a separated from the transmitting antenna by a separation distance. The first transmitted signal includes a first transmit pattern representative of a first sequence of digital bits. The method also includes receiving a first echo of the first transmitted signal that is reflected off the target object, converting the first echo into a first digitized echo signal, and comparing a first receive pattern representative of a second sequence of digital bits to the first digitized echo signal to determine a time of flight of the first transmitted signal and the echo.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

transmitting, via a transmitter, a signal;

receiving, via a receiver, an echo based on the transmitted signal,

wherein the echo includes digital information that is decodable;

decoding the digital information;

masking the decoded digital information;

determining, via a processor, a time of flight of the signal based on the masked digital information; and

performing, via the processor, an action based on the determined time of flight.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the decoding comprises:

down-converting the echo to obtain a baseband signal; and

digitizing the baseband signal to obtain a receive data sequence including the decoded digital information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the determining further comprises:

comparing the receive data sequence as masked with a correlation window to identify a data subset of interest.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital information comprises digital data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiver includes an antenna.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiver includes a photo detector.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiver includes a sonar receiver.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the action is determining a distance to a target object based on the determined time of flight.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the action is at least one of compensating, augmenting, calibrating, and correcting a sensor based on the determined time of flight.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitter, receiver, and processor are each powered by a battery.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the transmitter, receiver, and processor are each part of or are located within a communications device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the masking further comprises:

applying a mask to the decoded digital information to eliminate portions of the decoded digital information.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the masking further comprises:

applying a mask to the decoded digital information to add to portions of the decoded digital information.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the masking further comprises:

applying a mask to the decoded digital information to change portions of the decoded digital information.

15. A system comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit a signal;

a receiver configured to receive an echo based on the transmitted signal,

wherein the echo includes digital information that is decodable;

a processor, operatively coupled to the transmitter and receiver,

wherein the processor is configured to;

decode the digital information,

mask the decoded digital information,

determine a time of flight of the signal based on the masked digital information, and

perform an action based on the determined time of flight.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the digital information comprises digital data.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the receiver includes an antenna.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the receiver includes a photo detector.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the receiver includes a sonar receiver.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the action is determining a distance to a target object based on the determined time of flight.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the action is at least one of compensating, augmenting, calibrating, and correcting a sensor based on the determined time of flight.

22. The system of claim 15, wherein the transmitter, receiver, and processor are each powered by a battery.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the transmitter, receiver, and processor are each part of or are located within a communications device.

24. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to:

down-convert the echo to obtain a baseband signal; and

digitize the baseband signal to obtain a receive data sequence including the decoded digital information.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the processor is further configured to:

compare the receive data sequence as masked with a correlation window to identify a data subset of interest.

26. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to:

apply a mask to the decoded digital information to eliminate portions of the decoded digital information.

27. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to:

apply a mask to the decoded digital information to add to portions of the decoded digital information.

28. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to:

apply a mask to the decoded digital information to change portions of the decoded digital information.

29. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the steps of:

transmitting, via a transmitter, a signal;

receiving, via a receiver, an echo based on the transmitted signal,

wherein the echo includes digital information that is decodable;

decoding the digital information;

masking the decoded digital information;

determining, via a processor, a time of flight of the signal based on the masked digital information; and

performing, via the processor, an action based on the determined time of flight.

30. A method comprising:

generating, via a processor, a signal including digital information that is decodable;

controlling, via the processor, a transmitter to transmit the signal;

controlling, via the processor, a receiver to receive an echo,

wherein the echo is based on the transmitted signal, and

wherein the echo includes the digital information that is decodable;

decoding, via the processor, the digital information;

masking, via the processor, the decoded digital information;

determining, via the processor, a time of flight of the signal based on the masked digital information; and

performing, via the processor, an action based on the determined time of flight.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the decoding comprises:

down-converting, via the processor, the echo to obtain a baseband signal; and

digitizing, via the processor, the baseband signal to obtain a receive data sequence including the decoded digital information.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the determining further comprises:

comparing, via the processor, the receive data sequence as masked with a correlation window to identify a data subset of interest.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein the masking further comprises:

applying, via the processor, a mask to the decoded digital information to eliminate portions of the decoded digital information.

34. The method of claim 30, wherein the masking further comprises:

applying, via the processor, a mask to the decoded digital information to add to portions of the decoded digital information.

35. The method of claim 30, wherein the masking further comprises:

applying, via the processor, a mask to the decoded digital information to change portions of the decoded digital information.