PROXIMITY SENSORS

• US 20110050446A1
• Filed: 08/25/2010
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: G4S Monitoring Technologies Limited (G4S PLC)
• Original Assignee: Guidance IP LLC (Spherix Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hughes, Aled, Anderson, John
• Granted Patent: US 8,629,771 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/686.6
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/04 Systems determining presence of a target based on relative movement of target G01S13/56
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/21 Interference related issues ; Issues related to cross-correlation, spoofing or other methods of denial of service
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0018 Transmission from mobile station to base station

Abstract

A proximity sensor can be used with a device such as a monitoring tag or portable tracking device that relies on GPS signals or other radio-frequency signals. The proximity sensor determines if the signals are being deliberately blocked by an object such as metal foil being placed in proximity to the device. The sensor includes an oscillator, a directional coupler and an antenna. A third port of the directional coupler acts as a coupled port when RF power that has been transmitted by the antenna is reflected back to the antenna by a blocking object. The reflected RF power passes along a main line of the directional coupler and a proportion is coupled to the third port. A detector provides an alert if the magnitude of the power of the transmit signal that is reflected back to the antenna in the form of a receive signal exceeds a threshold.

Claims

1. A proximity sensor for use with a device that relies on the transmission and/or receipt of a main electromagnetic signal that can be blocked by an object being placed in proximity to the device, the proximity sensor comprising:

an oscillator;

an antenna for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic signals;

a directional coupler having a first port and a second port connected together by a main line and a third port and a fourth port connected together by a coupled line, the first port being connected to the oscillator, the second port being connected to the antenna, and the third port being connected to a detector and acting as an isolated port of the directional coupler when a transmit signal is supplied from the oscillator to the antenna along the main line and as a coupled port when a receive signal is supplied from the antenna to the oscillator along the main line;

wherein the oscillator is controlled to provide a transmit signal to the antenna along the main line of the directional coupler and wherein the detector provides an alert indicating the presence of a blocking object if the magnitude of the power of the transmit signal that is reflected back to the antenna in the form of a receive signal exceeds a threshold.

2. The proximity sensor of claim 1, wherein the detector includes a detector diode that converts the power of the receive signal to a dc or ac voltage.

3. The proximity sensor of claim 2, wherein the detector includes a Schmitt trigger circuit that monitors the voltage provided by the detector diode and provides an alert if the voltage exceeds a set threshold.

4. The proximity sensor of claim 1, wherein the transmit signal is a continuous transmit signal.

5. The proximity sensor of claim 1, wherein the transmit signal is a pulsed transmit signal.

6. The proximity sensor of claim 1, wherein the oscillator is controlled to provide a transmit signal continually or at timed intervals.

7. The proximity sensor of claim 1, wherein the oscillator is controlled to provide a transmit signal on detection that the main electromagnetic signal is not being transmitted and/or received.

8. The proximity sensor of claim 1, wherein the antenna is used to transmit and/or receive a main electromagnetic signal.

9. A device that relies on the transmission and/or receipt of a main electromagnetic signal that can be blocked by an objection being placed in proximity to the device, the device incorporating a proximity sensor comprising:

an oscillator;

an antenna for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic signals;

a directional coupler having a first port and a second port connected together by a main line and a third port and a fourth port connected together by a coupled line, the first port being connected to the oscillator, the second port being connected to the antenna, and the third port being connected to a detector and acting as an isolated port of the directional coupler when a transmit signal is supplied from the oscillator to the antenna along the main line and as a coupled port when a receive signal is supplied from the antenna to the oscillator along the main line;

wherein the oscillator is controlled to provide a transmit signal to the antenna along the main line of the directional coupler and wherein the detector provides an alert indicating the presence of a blocking object if the magnitude of the power of the transmit signal that is reflected back to the antenna in the form of a receive signal exceeds a threshold.

10. The device of claim 9, further comprising a primary antenna for transmitting and/or receiving a main electromagnetic signal.

11. The device of claim 9, further comprising a primary antenna for transmitting and/or receiving a main electromagnetic signal that can be blocked by an object being placed in proximity to the device.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the antenna of the proximity sensor is located adjacent to the primary antenna.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the antenna of the proximity sensor is located adjacent to the primary antenna.

14. The device of claim 9, wherein the antenna of the proximity sensor is positioned within the device so that it is spaced away from a body when the device is in use.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the antenna of the proximity sensor is positioned within the device so that it is spaced away from the body by about a quarter wavelength of the transmit signal when the device is in use.

16. The device of claim 9, being a monitoring tag.

17. The device of claim 9, being a portable tracking device.

18. A device that relies on the transmission and/or receipt of a main electromagnetic signal that can be blocked by an objection being placed in proximity to the device, the device incorporating a primary antenna for transmitting and/or receiving the main electromagnetic signal and a proximity sensor comprising:

an oscillator;

an antenna for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic signals located adjacent to the primary antenna;

a directional coupler having a first port and a second port connected together by a main line and a third port and a fourth port connected together by a coupled line, the first port being connected to the oscillator, the second port being connected to the antenna, and the third port being connected to a detector and acting as an isolated port of the directional coupler when a transmit signal is supplied from the oscillator to the antenna along the main line and as a coupled port when a receive signal is supplied from the antenna to the oscillator along the main line;

wherein the oscillator is controlled to provide a transmit signal to the antenna along the main line of the directional coupler and wherein the detector provides an alert indicating the presence of a blocking object if the magnitude of the power of the transmit signal that is reflected back to the antenna in the form of a receive signal exceeds a threshold.

19. A proximity sensor for use with a device that relies on the transmission and/or receipt of a main electromagnetic signal that can be blocked by an object being placed in proximity to the device, the proximity sensor comprising:

an oscillator;

an antenna for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic signals;

a directional coupler having a first port and a second port connected together by a main line and a third port and a fourth port connected together by a coupled line. the first port being connected to the oscillator, the second port being connected to the antenna, and the third port being connected to a detector and acting as an isolated port of the directional coupler when a transmit signal is supplied from the oscillator to the antenna along the main line and as a coupled port when a receive signal is supplied from the antenna to the oscillator along the main line;

wherein the oscillator is controlled to provide a transmit signal to the antenna along the main line of the directional coupler on detection that the main electromagnetic signal is not being transmitted and/or received, and wherein the detector provides an alert indicating the presence of a blocking object if the magnitude of the power of the transmit signal that is reflected back to the antenna in the form of a receive signal exceeds a threshold.