Method and apparatus for position sensing
First Claim
1. A system for sensing position comprising:
- a transmitting device operable to transmit a radio signal;
at least two receiver units in spaced relation to each other and each operable to receive a different version of the radio signal; and
, an electronic circuit coupled to the receiver units and operable to determine a location of the radio transmitting device in relation to the receiver units based on a comparison between each the different version of the radio signal.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention include one or more wireless transmitting devices and an array of receiver units for receiving wireless communications from the transmitting devices. The transmitter devices and receiver units can be arranged in one, two or three dimensional configurations. Signals are transmitted from the devices for identification and accurate location determination. Spread spectrum techniques can be used, such as DSSS, FHSS, THSS, and pseudo-noise (PN) coding schemes, or combinations thereof. The transmitting devices can generate one or a plurality of data signals that are orthogonal-code modulated, to be decoded by the receiver units and a processor associated therewith. A plurality of transmitter signals can be received, identified, located, and data demodulated substantially simultaneously using embodiments of the invention. The combined use of array processing methods and diversity schemes can be used to reduce the effects of signal multi-path and occlusion.
172 Citations
82 Claims
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1. A system for sensing position comprising:
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a transmitting device operable to transmit a radio signal;
at least two receiver units in spaced relation to each other and each operable to receive a different version of the radio signal; and
,an electronic circuit coupled to the receiver units and operable to determine a location of the radio transmitting device in relation to the receiver units based on a comparison between each the different version of the radio signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A transmitting device operable to transmit a radio signal, the transmitting device for communication with at least two receiver units in spaced relation to each other and each operable to receive a different version of the radio signal in order to determine a position of the transmitting device via an electronic circuit connected to the at least two receiver units.
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31. A receiver unit operable to receive a radio signal transmitted from a transmitting device;
- the receiver unit for placement in spaced relation to another substantially identical receiver unit such that each receiver unit is operable to receive a different version of the radio signal, the receiver unit for connection to an electronic circuit connectable to both of the receiver units, the electronic circuit being operable to determine a location of the radio transmitting device in relation to the receiver units based on a comparison between each the different version of the radio signal.
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32. A method for sensing position comprising:
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receiving a first version of a radio signal from a transmitting device;
receiving a second version of the radio signal; and
,determining a location of the transmitting device based on a comparison of the first version and the second version. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A system for sensing position comprising:
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at least two transmitting devices each operable to transmit an orthogonal CDMA radio signal;
at least two receiver units in spaced relation to each other and each operable to receive a different version of each of the radio signals, the receiver units comprised of an antenna and a receiver element; and
,an electronic circuit coupled to the receiver element and operable to substantially simultaneously determine a location of each of the radio transmitting devices in relation to the receiver units by distinguishing the transmitting devices based on the orthogonality and based on a comparison between each the different version of each respective radio signal. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47)
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48. A radio transmitting system for identifying and locating one or more radio transmitting devices in a radio transmitting area, including:
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a signal propagating medium for conducting signals throughout the radio transmitting range;
at least one of the radio transmitting devices including means for producing a radio transmitting signal and coupling the signal to the propagating medium, the radio transmitting signal comprising a spread spectrum signal;
each radio transmitting signal including a unique code identifying the respective device;
signal receiving means associated with the sensing area and connected to the propagating medium to receive at least one radio transmitting signal from the one or more radio transmitting devices; and
,means for decoding the radio transmitting signal to identify at least one of the radio transmitting devices. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 76)
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75. A radio transmitting system for identifying and locating one or more radio transmitting devices in a radio transmitting range, including:
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a signal propagating medium for conducting-signals throughout the radio transmitting area;
at least one of the radio transmitting devices including means for producing a radio transmitting signal and coupling the signal to the propagating medium, the radio transmitting signal comprising a spread spectrum signal;
each radio transmitting signal including a unique code identifying the respective radio transmitting device;
signal receiving means associated with the radio transmitting area and connected to the propagating medium to receive at least one radio transmitting signals from the one or more radio transmitting devices;
means for decoding the radio transmitting signals to identify the one or more radio transmitting devices; and
,means for determining the position of the one or more radio transmitting devices in the radio transmitting range. - View Dependent Claims (77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82)
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Specification