MULTI-AXIS MARKER LOCATOR

• US 20130099790A1
• Filed: 10/21/2011
• Published: 04/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Doany, Ziyad H., Parkinson, Timothy A.
• Application Number:
  US13/278,991
• Publication Number:
  US 20130099790A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/326
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 15/00 Tags attached to, or associated with, an object, in order to enable detection of the object record carriers for use with machines having a detectable tag or marker G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/15 specially adapted for use during transport, e.g. by a person, vehicle or boat
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2216 used in interrogator/reader equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/24 Combinations of antenna units polarised in different directions for transmitting or receiving circularly and elliptically polarised waves or waves linearly polarised in any direction circularly polarised patch antennas H01Q9/0428; circularly polarised horns H01Q13/0241; cross-polarised horns H01Q13/0258; polarisation converters H01Q15/242; cross-polarised rear feeds H01Q19/136; crossed polarisation dual antenna H01Q25/001

Abstract

A portable locator for locating an obscured marker. The locator includes a portable locator housing, a first antenna disposed within the housing, a second antenna disposed orthogonally to the antenna within the housing; and a processor. The processor is configured to interact with each of the first and second antennas, such that each of the first and second antennas is configured to transmit and receive signals. The locator may include more than two antennas, and may include multiple sets of antennas.

Claims

1. A portable locator for locating an obscured marker, the locator comprising:

a portable locator housing;

a first antenna disposed within the housing;

a second antenna disposed orthogonally to the antenna within the housing; and

a processor, wherein the processor is configured to interact with each of the first and second antennas, such that at least one of the first and second antennas is configured to transmit and receive signals.

2. The locator of claim 1, further comprising a third antenna, wherein the third antenna is orthogonal to the first antenna and the second antenna.

3. The locator of claim 1, wherein the locator is handheld.

4. The locator of claim 2, wherein the first antenna comprises a coil disposed around a ferrite rod.

5. The locator of claim 4, wherein the second antenna comprises an air coil disposed on a printed circuit board (PCB) or a wire coil.

6. The locator of claim 5, wherein the third antenna comprises a coil disposed around a ferrite rod.

7. The locator of claim 6, wherein the first antenna is disposed on a first side of the PCB and wherein the third antenna is disposed on a second side of the PCB, wherein the first side is opposite the second side.

8. The locator of claim 1, wherein the locator is configured to locate obscured radio frequency identification (RFID) markers.

9. A method of locating obscured markers underground, the method comprising:

(a) providing a portable locator, wherein the locator comprises a first antenna and a second antenna, and wherein the first and second antennas are orthogonal to each other;

(b) transmitting a signal from one of the first or second antennas;

(c) receiving a signal from a marker by at least one of the first and second antennas;

(d) processing the received signals to create a cumulative received signal.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the portable locator further comprises a third antenna, wherein the third antenna is orthogonal to the first antenna and the second antenna.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the locator is handheld.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the received cumulative signal is the root mean square (RMS) of the received signals.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing an indication to a user of a direction of the marker.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing an auditory or a visual indication to a user of the proximity of the marker.

15. A portable locator for locating an obscured marker comprising:

a portable locator housing;

a first set of antennas disposed within the housing, the first set of antennas comprising at least two antennas disposed orthogonally with respect to each other;

a second set of antennas disposed within the housing, the second set of antennas comprising at least two antennas disposed orthogonally with respect to each other;

a processor, wherein the processor is configured to interact with each of the first and second sets of antennas, such that at least one of the first and second sets of antennas is configured to transmit and receive signals.

16. The locator of claim 15, wherein the processor is configured to process signals received by each of the first and second set of antennas from a marker to create a cumulative received.

17. The locator of claim 15, wherein the processor is configured to process signals from each of the first and second set of antennas to estimate a depth of a marker.

18. The locator of claim 15, wherein the locator is configured to locate a RFID marker.

19. The locator of claim 15, wherein the locator is handheld.

20. The locator of claim 15, wherein the first and second set of antennas are physically separated.