Position determining system
First Claim
1. A position determining system comprisingat least one delay means capable of supporting a signal which travels along said delay means;
- first transducer means coupled to said delay means and capable, when activated, of producing a traveling signal having at least one selected frequency, which signal travels along said delay means;
at least one second transducer means coupled to said delay means and responsive to said traveling signal to produce at least one electrical signal having said at least one selected frequency;
amplifier means responsive to said at least one electrical signal and capable of producing an output signal comprising a plurality of signal components of different frequencies, at least one of said signal components having said at least one selected frequency, said at least one electrical signal being arranged to be in phase with the at least one signal component having said at least one selected frequency;
means for supplying said output signal to said first transducer means to activate said first transducer means;
receiver transducer means relatively movable with respect to said delay means and coupled thereto for detecting said traveling signal as it travels past said receiver transducer means;
means for determining the delay of said detected signal as it travels from said first transducer means to said receiver transducer means whereby the position of said receiver transducer means relative to said first transducer means is determined; and
means for substantially reducing reflections of said traveling signal in said delay means.
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Abstract
A positioning determining system using a delay element and driver transducer for producing a traveling wave in the delay element, the presence of a traveling wave being detectable by a receiver transducer for determining the relative positions of the driver and receiving transducers. In accordance with the invention, a driver transducer, the delay element, and a second transducer form a self-excited feedback loop oscillator, the frequency of oscillation of which is determined by the spatial filtering provided by the second transducer so as to generate a traveling wave having a selected wavelength. The system includes automatic frequency selection to compensate for position sensing errors due to changes in the velocity of propagation of elastic waves arising because of temperature effects on the delay medium.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A position determining system comprising
at least one delay means capable of supporting a signal which travels along said delay means; -
first transducer means coupled to said delay means and capable, when activated, of producing a traveling signal having at least one selected frequency, which signal travels along said delay means; at least one second transducer means coupled to said delay means and responsive to said traveling signal to produce at least one electrical signal having said at least one selected frequency; amplifier means responsive to said at least one electrical signal and capable of producing an output signal comprising a plurality of signal components of different frequencies, at least one of said signal components having said at least one selected frequency, said at least one electrical signal being arranged to be in phase with the at least one signal component having said at least one selected frequency; means for supplying said output signal to said first transducer means to activate said first transducer means; receiver transducer means relatively movable with respect to said delay means and coupled thereto for detecting said traveling signal as it travels past said receiver transducer means; means for determining the delay of said detected signal as it travels from said first transducer means to said receiver transducer means whereby the position of said receiver transducer means relative to said first transducer means is determined; and means for substantially reducing reflections of said traveling signal in said delay means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19)
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17. A system for determining the isotropy of a planar member capable of supporting traveling signals therein, said system comprising
first transducer means coupled to said planar member and capable, when activated, of producing an omnidirectional traveling signal having at least one selected frequency which traveling signal travels omnidirectionally in said planar member; -
second transducer means having a periodic configuration coupled to said planar member and responsive to the detection of said omnidirectional traveling signal so as to produce an electrical signal having said at least one selected frequency; amplifier means responsive to the said electrical signal and capable of producing an output signal comprising a plurality of signal components at different frequencies, one of said signal components having said at least one selected frequency, said electrical signal being arranged to be in phase with the one signal component having said at least one selected frequency; means for supplying said output signal to said first transducer means to activate said first transducer means; means responsive to said output signal for measuring the frequency thereof; means for moving at least one of said first and second transducer means relative to the planar surface of said planar member so that said traveling signal traveling between said first and second transducer means travels along a plurality of different paths in said planar member, the frequency of said output signs produced thereby depending on the characteristics of said planar member in the directions of said plurality of different paths, whereby changes in the frequency of said output signals indicate the isotropy of said planar member.
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20. A position determining system comprising
at least one delay means capable of supporting a signal which travels along said delay means; -
first transducer means coupled to said delay means and capable, when activated, of producing a traveling signal having at least one selected frequency, which signal travels along said delay means; at least one second transducer means coupled to said delay means and responsive to said traveling signal to produce at least one electrical signal having said at least one selected frequency; amplifier means responsive to said at least one electrical signal and capable of producing an output signal comprising a plurality of signal components of different frequencies, at least one of said signal components having said at least one selected frequency, said at least one electrical signal being arranged to be in phase with the at least one signal component having said at least one selected frequency; means for supplying said output signal to said first transducer means to activate said first transducer means; said second transducer means being relatively movable with respect to said first transducer means and to said delay means and being capable of detecting the presence or absence of said traveling signal in said delay means as said second transducer moves relative thereto whereby the position of said second transducer means relative to said first transducer means is determined. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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Specification