Method and apparatus for measuring distance and determining direction in a fluid medium
First Claim
1. A method of determining distance between two locations in a fluid medium, comprising:
- transmitting a first periodic signal from a first device located at a first location within said fluid medium, wherein said first device is capable of transmitting a signal only and is incapable of receiving a signal;
receiving said first periodic signal by a second device located within said fluid medium;
initially synchronizing in time said first periodic signal with a second periodic signal generated by and contained within said second device, wherein said synchronizing occurs when said first and second devices are proximate one another; and
at any time thereafter, determining the distance between said first and second devices by measuring a time difference between said first periodic signal, which continues to be received by said second device, relative to said second periodic signal generated by and contained within said second device, where said time difference is related to the distance between the first and second devices.
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Abstract
The invention provides a method and apparatus for determining the combination of distance and relative direction between two locations in a fluid medium. This is accomplished by transmitting a first periodic signal from a first device located at a first location within the fluid medium, receiving the first periodic signal by two or more receivers displaced about the periphery of the second device, wherein one of the receivers receives the signal before the periodic signal is received by any other receiver, initially synchronizing in time the first periodic signal with a second periodic signal generated by the second device, wherein the synchronizing occurs when the first and second devices are proximate one another, at any time thereafter, determining the distance between the first and second devices by measuring a time difference between the first periodic signal, which continues to be received by the second device, relative to the second periodic signal generated by the second device, where the time difference is related to the distance between the first and second devices; and, determining which of the receivers first received the signal, wherein the determining also aids in determining the relative direction between the first and second devices.
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Citations
41 Claims
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1. A method of determining distance between two locations in a fluid medium, comprising:
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transmitting a first periodic signal from a first device located at a first location within said fluid medium, wherein said first device is capable of transmitting a signal only and is incapable of receiving a signal; receiving said first periodic signal by a second device located within said fluid medium; initially synchronizing in time said first periodic signal with a second periodic signal generated by and contained within said second device, wherein said synchronizing occurs when said first and second devices are proximate one another; and at any time thereafter, determining the distance between said first and second devices by measuring a time difference between said first periodic signal, which continues to be received by said second device, relative to said second periodic signal generated by and contained within said second device, where said time difference is related to the distance between the first and second devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of determining relative direction between two locations in a fluid medium, comprising:
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intermittently transmitting a pulse train from a first device located at a first location within said fluid medium, wherein said fluid device is capable of transmitting a signal only and is incapable of receiving a signal; receiving said pulse train by two or more receivers displaced about the periphery of a second device located within said fluid medium, wherein one of said receivers receives said pulse train before said pulse train is received by any other receiver; and determining which of said receivers first received said pulse train, wherein said determining also aids in determining the relative direction between said first and second devices. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of determining distance and relative direction between two locations in a fluid medium, comprising:
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transmitting a first periodic signal from a first device located at a first location within said fluid medium, wherein said first device is capable of transmitting said first periodic signal only and is incapable of receiving a signal; receiving said first periodic signal by two or more receivers displaced about the periphery of a second device, wherein one of said receivers receives said signal before said periodic signal is received by any other receiver; initially synchronizing in time said first periodic signal with a second periodic signal generated by and contained within said second device, wherein said synchronizing occurs when said first and second devices are proximate one another; at any time thereafter, determining the distance between said first and second devices by measuring a time difference between said first periodic signal, which continues to be received by said second device, relative to said second periodic signal generated by said second device, where said time difference is related to the distance between the first and second devices; and
,determining which of said receivers first received said signal, wherein said determining also aids in determining the relative direction between said first and second devices. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An apparatus for determining distance between two locations in a fluid medium, comprising:
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means for transmitting a first periodic signal from a first device located at a first location within said fluid medium, wherein said first device is capable of transmitting only and is incapable of receiving a signal; means for receiving said first periodic signal by a second device located within said fluid medium; means for initially synchronizing in time said first periodic signal with a second periodic signal generated by and contained within said second device, wherein said synchronizing occurs when said first and second devices are proximate one another; means for determining, at any time thereafter, the distance between said first and second devices by measuring a time difference between said first periodic signal, which continues to be received by said second device, relative to said second periodic signal generated by said second device, where said time difference is related to the distance between the first and second devices. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. An apparatus for determining relative direction between two locations in a fluid medium, comprising:
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means for intermittently transmitting a pulse train from a first device located at a first location within said fluid medium, wherein said first device is capable of transmitting a signal only and is incapable of receiving a signal; means for receiving said pulse train by two or more receivers displaced about the periphery of a second device located within said fluid medium, wherein one of said receivers receives said pulse train before said pulse train is received by any other receiver; and means for determining which of said receivers first received said pulse train, wherein said means for determining also aids in determining the relative direction between said first and second devices. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. An apparatus for determining distance and relative direction between two locations in a fluid medium, comprising:
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means for transmitting a first periodic signal from a first device located at a first location within said fluid medium, wherein said first device is capable of transmitting said first periodic signal only and is incapable of receiving a signal; means for receiving said first periodic signal by two or more receivers displaced about the periphery of said second device, wherein one of said receivers receives said signal before said periodic signal is received by any other receiver; means for initially synchronizing in time said first periodic signal with a second periodic signal generated by and contained within said second device, wherein said synchronizing occurs when said first and second devices are proximate one another; means for determining, at any time thereafter, determining the distance between said first and second devices by measuring a time difference between said first periodic signal, which continues to be received by said second device, relative to said second periodic signal generated by said second device, where said time difference is related to the distance between the first and second devices; and
,means for determining which of said receivers first received said signal, wherein said determining also aids in determining the relative direction between said first and second devices. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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Specification