SENSOR AND SENSING METHOD

• US 20120099401A1
• Filed: 06/01/2010
• Published: 04/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: National University Corporation Tokyo Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: National University Corporation Tokyo Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Yamashita, Kaoru
• Application Number:
  US13/381,153
• Publication Number:
  US 20120099401A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 367/118
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/06 Systems determining the position data of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/808 using transducers spaced apart and measuring phase or time difference between signals therefrom, i.e. path-difference systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52003 Techniques for enhancing spatial resolution of targets G01S7/52046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 17/02 Microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/005 for combining the signals of two or more microphones specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407

Abstract

A sensor and sensing method are provided in which a ghost which significantly occurs when only higher frequencies are present can be reduced, and a high directivity which is not obtained when only lower frequencies are present can be obtained. A sensor 100 for detecting a direction of an object to be sensed (target), includes a sensing section 102 configured to sense wave motions having a plurality of frequencies which come from the target 2, an information acquisition section 106 configured to acquire information about incoming directions of the wave motions, and a determination section configured to determine the direction of the target 2. The sensing section 102 senses at least a first wave motion having a first one of the plurality of frequencies and a second wave motion having a second one of the plurality of frequencies. The information acquisition section 106 acquires first information about the incoming direction of the first wave motion and second information about the incoming direction of the second wave motion. The determination section 108 determines the direction of the target 2, based on at least the first information and the second information.

Claims

1. A sensor for detecting a direction of an object to be sensed, comprising:

a sensing section configured to sense wave motions having a plurality of frequencies which come from the object to be sensed;

an information acquisition section configured to acquire information about incoming directions of the wave motions; and

a determination section configured to determine the direction of the object to be sensed, wherein

the sensing section senses at least a first wave motion having a first one of the plurality of frequencies and a second wave motion having a second one of the plurality of frequencies,

the information acquisition section acquires first incoming direction information about the incoming direction of the first wave motion and first false information indicating a direction different from the incoming direction of the first wave motion, and second incoming direction information about the incoming direction of the second wave motion and second false information indicating a direction different from the incoming direction of the second wave motion, where the first false information is different from the second false information, and

the determination section determines the direction of the object to be sensed, based on the arithmetic product of at least first information including the first incoming direction information and the first false information, and second information including the second incoming direction information and the second false information.

4. The sensor of claim 1, wherein

the plurality of frequencies include a plurality of resonant frequencies possessed by the sensing section,

the first frequency corresponds to a first one of the plurality of resonant frequencies, and

the second frequency corresponds to a second one of the plurality of resonant frequencies.

5. The sensor of claim 1, further comprising:

a frequency adjuster configured to adjust a frequency of a wave motion to be sensed by the sensing section from the first frequency to the second frequency.

2. (canceled)

3. (canceled)

6. A sensing method for detecting a direction of an object to be sensed, comprising:

a sensing step of sensing wave motions having a plurality of frequencies which come from the object to be sensed;

an information acquisition step of acquiring information about incoming directions of the wave motions; and

a determination step of determining the direction of the object to be sensed, wherein

the sensing step is performed by sensing at least a first wave motion having a first one of the plurality of frequencies and a second wave motion having a second one of the plurality of frequencies,

the information acquisition step acquires first incoming direction information about the incoming direction of the first wave motion and first false information indicating a direction different from the incoming direction of the first wave motion, and second incoming direction information about the incoming direction of the second wave motion and second false information indicating a direction different from the incoming direction of the second wave motion, where the first false information is different from the second false information, and

the determination step determines the direction of the object to be sensed, based on the arithmetic product of at least first information including the first incoming direction information and the first false information, and second information including the second incoming direction information and the second false information.