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Dual antenna systems with variable polarization

  • US 10,608,348 B2
  • Filed: 03/27/2013
  • Issued: 03/31/2020
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2012
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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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.

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