Dual antenna systems with variable polarization
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A buried utility locating system, comprising:
- an electronic locating receiver for locating a buried utility based on sensing and processing magnetic field signals emitted from the buried utility;
a GPS antenna array including a left hand polarized antenna structure including a left vane and left ramp for receiving a left hand circularly polarized GPS signal and a right hand polarized antenna structure including a right vane and a right ramp for receiving a right hand circularly polarized GPS signal;
a GPS receiver module coupled to GPS antenna array outputs for providing information associated with a position of the electronic locating receiver; and
a transmitting sonde beacon positioned coaxially with a center point of the GPS antenna array;
wherein the sonde beacon transmits a magnetic field signal for detection by the electronic locating receiver and the electronic locating receiver determines a distance from the GPS antenna array to the locator and a distance from the locator to the buried utility and combines the two depth calculations to determine an offset from the GPS antenna position.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Antenna systems for receiving transmitted signals comprising at least a first tuned antenna disposed in a known relationship spatially with a second antenna, with the first tuned antenna electrically connected to the second antenna, are disclosed. The antenna system may be configured to allow the antennas to reliably discriminate between left-hand and right-hand polarized circular signals.
-
Citations
16 Claims
-
1. A buried utility locating system, comprising:
-
an electronic locating receiver for locating a buried utility based on sensing and processing magnetic field signals emitted from the buried utility; a GPS antenna array including a left hand polarized antenna structure including a left vane and left ramp for receiving a left hand circularly polarized GPS signal and a right hand polarized antenna structure including a right vane and a right ramp for receiving a right hand circularly polarized GPS signal;
a GPS receiver module coupled to GPS antenna array outputs for providing information associated with a position of the electronic locating receiver; and
a transmitting sonde beacon positioned coaxially with a center point of the GPS antenna array;wherein the sonde beacon transmits a magnetic field signal for detection by the electronic locating receiver and the electronic locating receiver determines a distance from the GPS antenna array to the locator and a distance from the locator to the buried utility and combines the two depth calculations to determine an offset from the GPS antenna position. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
2. A buried utility locating system, comprising:
-
an electronic locating receiver circuit for locating a buried utility based on sensing and processing magnetic field signals emitted from the buried utility to determine a position of a buried utility; a GPS receiver module; and a GPS antenna coupled to the receiver module; wherein the GPS antenna comprises; an antenna array including multiple conductive antenna elements comprising at least two antennas having antenna elements configured for receiving a right hand circularly polarized GPS signal and a left hand circularly polarized GPS signal; wherein the array of orthogonal antenna conductive antenna elements includes elements disposed at two or more different heights above a ground plane; a supporting element; a standoff conductive element; and a ground plane; and a transmitting sonde beacon positioned coaxially with a common center of the GPS antenna array. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 16)
-
Specification