DEVICE AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING THE DISTANCE AND/OR ORIENTATION OF A MOVEABLE OBJECT

• US 20110122024A1
• Filed: 07/27/2009
• Published: 05/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fraunhofer Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewandten Forsching E.V., Friedrich-Alexander-Universitat Erlangen-Nurnberg
• Original Assignee: Fraunhofer Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewandten Forsching E.V.
• Inventors: Adel, Hans, Eidloth, Andreas, Thielecke, Jörn, Popugaev, Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 8,659,476 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/365
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/146 by comparing linear polarisation components
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/46 using antennas spaced apart and measuring phase or time difference between signals therefrom, i.e. path-difference systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0247 Determining attitude
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/06 Position of source determined by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements G01S5/12 takes precedence

Abstract

A device and method for determining a distance and/or orientation of a movable object includes a transmitter that is located on the object and a receiver. One of the transmitter and the receiver has an antenna having a known polarization plane. The other of the transmitter and the receiver has a counterclockwise circular polarized antenna and a clockwise circular polarized antenna.

Claims

1-12. -12. (canceled)

13. An apparatus for determining at least one of a distance and an orientation of a movable object comprising:

at least one transmitter attached to the object, the at least one transmitter emitting a signal with a defined frequency and having an antenna with a known polarization plane;

at least one receiver having a left-hand circularly polarized antenna and a right-hand circularly polarized antenna; and

an evaluation device being part of the receiver or being connected to the receiver;

wherein the evaluation device determines measured phase values from two received signals of the receiver with which phase values at least one of the distance and the orientation with respect to a preset point can be calculated and wherein a phase-locked coupling or synchronization between the transmitter and the receiver is provided.

14. An apparatus in accordance with claim 13, wherein a reference transmitter or a reference receiver having a known position and orientation and an antenna with a known polarization plane are provided for determining at least one of an absolute distance and an absolute orientation.

15. An apparatus in accordance with claim 13, wherein the emitted signal is a signal modulated onto a carrier with a defined frequency.

16. An apparatus in accordance with claim 13, wherein a transmitter time and a receiver time are synchronized with one another.

17. An apparatus in accordance with claim 13, wherein a plurality of receivers or transmitters having the circularly polarized antennas for forming a multidimensional localization system in space is provided.

18. An apparatus in accordance with claim 13, wherein the circularly polarized antennas are each configured as two crossed linear antennas and a phase shifter.

19. An apparatus in accordance with claim 18, in which the phase shifter is a 90°

phase shifter.

20. An apparatus for determining at least one of a distance and orientation of a movable object comprising:

at least one transmitter having a left-hand circularly polarized antenna and a right-hand circularly polarized antenna via which respective signals having a defined frequency can be emitted;

at least one receiver which is provided at or in the movable object and which has an antenna with a known polarization plane; and

an evaluation device being part of the receiver or being connected to the receiver;

wherein the two emitted signals are configured such that they can be distinguished at the receiver and the evaluation device determines measured phase values from two received signals with which phase values at least one of the distance and the orientation with respect to a preset point can be calculated, and wherein a phase-locked coupling or synchronization between the transmitter and the receiver is provided.

21. An apparatus in accordance with claim 20, wherein a reference transmitter or a reference receiver having a known position and orientation and an antenna with a known polarization plane are provided for determining at least one of an absolute distance and an absolute orientation.

22. An apparatus in accordance with claim 20, wherein the emitted signal is a signal modulated onto a carrier with a defined frequency.

23. An apparatus in accordance with claim 20, wherein the two emitted signals are orthogonal code sequences such as in the CDMA process or are burst-like modulations which alternately utilize a transmission channel such as in the TDMA process or different, but rigidly coupled carrier frequencies.

24. An apparatus in accordance with claim 20, wherein a transmitter time and a receiver time are synchronized with one another.

25. An apparatus in accordance with claim 20, wherein a plurality of receivers or transmitters having the circularly polarized antennas for forming a multidimensional localization system in space is provided.

26. An apparatus in accordance with claim 20, wherein the circularly polarized antennas are each configured as two crossed linear antennas and a phase shifter.

27. An apparatus in accordance with claim 20, in which the phase shifter is a 90°

phase shifter.

29. A method in accordance with claim 27, further comprising determining an absolute distance and an absolute orientation using the signals of a reference transmitter or of a reference receiver with a known position and an antenna with a known polarization plane.

28. A method for determining at least one of a distance and orientation of a movable object, the method comprising:

transmitting a signal with at least one transmitter having an antenna with a known polarization plane to at least one receiver having two circularly polarized antennas, one being left-handed and one being right-handed, the signal having a defined frequency;

determining phasings of the two received signals with respect to a phasing of the transmitter; and

calculating at least one of a distance and an orientation of the movable object relative to a preset point using the phasings of the two received signals;

wherein a phase-locked coupling or synchronization between the transmitter and the receiver is provided.

30. A method for determining at least one of a distance and orientation of a movable object, the method comprising:

transmitting signals with at least one transmitter having a left-hand circularly polarized antenna and a right-hand circularly polarized antenna to a receiver having an antenna with a known polarization plane;

determining phasings of the two received signals with respect to a phasing of the transmitter; and

calculating at least one of a distance and an orientation of the movable object relative to a preset point using the phasings of the two received signals;

wherein signal shapes of the two transmitted signals are selected such that they can be distinguished at the receiver and wherein a phase locked coupling or synchronization between the transmitter and the receiver is provided.

31. A method in accordance with claim 30, further comprising determining an absolute distance and an absolute orientation using the signals of a reference transmitter or of a reference receiver with a known position and an antenna with a known polarization plane.