Short range position locating system for transponder

• US 6,025,799 A
• Filed: 03/06/1998
• Issued: 02/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mark IV Industries Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mark IV Industries Corporation
• Inventors: Ho, Thua Van, Tiernay, Robert Walter
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAN, DAO LINDA
• Application Number:
  US09/040,251
• Time in Patent Office: 711 Days
• Field of Search: 342/30, 342/51, 342/79, 342/81, 342/373-374, 342/450, 342/457, 455/20, 455/83, 455/13.3, 455/277.1
• US Class Current: 342/374
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/878 Combination of several spaced transmitters or receivers of known location for determining the position of a transponder or a reflector G01S13/874 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/00 Antennas or antenna systems providing at least two radiating patterns arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern H01Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/24 varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/40 with phasing matrix

Abstract

In order to locate a transponder in a roadway there are first and second antenna arrays at spaced locations. Each array is associated with a switching control which causes the array beam to step through a series of beams. The signal developed in each beam is converted to a digital result. The strongest beam from each array may be determined and the location of the transponder at the intersection of the two strongest beams.

Claims

1. Means for locating the position of a transponder on a roadway, comprising:

a first array of antenna elements at a first location adjacent the roadway,

first beam switching control for causing said first array to continually and repetitively step through a first sequence of first beams collectively covering an area of said roadway,

means for detecting the respective amplitudes of received first signals corresponding to said first beams,

means for converting such amplitudes to first digital values,

means for determining from said first digital values a first azimuthal range of directions of said transponder from said first location,

a second array at a second location adjacent said area and spaced from said first location,

second beam switching control for causing said second array to continually and repetitively step through a second sequence of second beams over a common part of said area where they respectively intersect with said first beams,

means for detecting the respective amplitudes corresponding to said second beams,

means for repetitively converting said amplitudes to second digital values,

means for repetitively determining from said second digital values a second range of directions of said transponder from said second location,

thereby repetitively calculating intersections between said first and second range of directions indicative of the then location of said transponder.

2. The means as claimed in claim 1 wherein said transponder emits a pulse of predetermined duration, wherein each said beam switching control creates said sequence of beams during said duration.

4. Means as claimed in claim 1 where said beam switching controls each include a Butler matrix.

5. Means as claimed in claim 2 where said beam switching controls each include a Butler matrix.

7. Means as claimed in claim 1 including a first threshold device for determining the relation of said first digital values to a first threshold and including a second threshold device for determining the relation of said second digital values to a second threshold, said threshold values respectively determining whether there is a transponder in said common part of said area which caused the digital values.

8. Means as claimed in claim 2 including a first threshold device for determining the relation of said first digital values to first threshold and including a second threshold device for determining the relation of said second digital values to a second threshold.

9. Means as claimed in claim 2, including a threshold device for determining from respectively each of the first and second digital values, those indicative of the direction of a transponder, and determining therefrom the location of the last mentioned transponder.

11. Means as claimed in claim 4, including a threshold device for determining from respectively each of the first and second digital values, those indicative of the direction of a transponder.

12. Means as claimed in claim 5, including a threshold device for determining from respectively each of the first and second digital values, those indicative of the direction of a transponder.

18. Means as claimed in claim 1 wherein said transponder will emit a pulse train of predetermined duration, and said first and second arrays are stepped through at least one first sequence and at least one second sequence, during said duration.

19. Means as claimed in claim 2 wherein such transponder will emit a pulse train of predetermined duration, and said first and second arrays are stepped through at least one first sequence and at least one said second sequence, during said duration.

21. Means as claimed in claim 4 wherein such transponder will emit a pulse train of predetermined duration, and said first and second arrays are stepped during said duration.

22. Means as claimed in claim 5 wherein such transponder will emit a pulse train of predetermined duration, and said first and second arrays are stepped during said duration.

24. Means as claimed in claim 7 wherein such transponder will emit a pulse train of predetermined duration, and said first and second arrays are stepped during said duration.

25. Means as claimed in claim 8 wherein such transponder will emit a pulse train of predetermined duration, and said first and second arrays are stepped during said duration.

26. Means as claimed in claim 9 wherein such transponder will emit a pulse train of predetermined duration, and said first and second arrays are stepped during said duration.

3. Means for location of a transponder, including first and second arrays of antenna elements at spaced locations,

means for causing each of said arrays to sequentially switch through a sequence of beams to sweep a common area, to intersect beams from the other array,

means for converting the amplitudes signals respectively received during said respective beams to digital values,

means for determining from said digital values the location of a transponder in said common area.

6. Means as claimed in claim 3 wherein said means for causing uses a Butler matrix for each of said arrays.

10. Means as claimed in claim 3, including a threshold device for determining from respectively each of the first and second digital values, those indicative of the direction of a transponder, and determining therefrom the location of the last mentioned transponder.

13. Means as claimed in claim 6, including a threshold device for determining from respectively each of the first and second digital values, those indicative of the direction of a transponder.

20. Means as claimed in claim 3 wherein such transponder will emit a pulse train of predetermined duration, and said first and second arrays are stepped through at least one first sequence and at least one second sequence, during said duration.

23. Means as claimed in claim 6 wherein such transponder will emit a pulse train of predetermined duration, and said first and second arrays are stepped during said duration.

27. Means as claimed in claim 3 wherein said means for causing, means for converting and means for determining operate continually and repetitively.

28. Means as claimed in claim 3 for determining which of said first and which of said second digital values are above a predetermined threshold and in each case using the values above said threshold for determining most probable direction from said first and second arrays.

14. Method of locating a transponder in a common area of a roadway comprising:

continually sweeping such common area with a first sequence of separate beams from a first array,

continually sweeping such common area with a second sequence of separate beams from a second array,

converting signals corresponding to said first sequence into first digital values,

converting signals corresponding to said second sequence into second digital values,

determining any first digital value indicative of a transponder in a beam,

determining any second digital value indicative of a transponder in a beam,

responsive to finding a first and second digital value indicative of a transponder, giving the approximate location of said last mentioned transponder.

15. Method as claimed in claim 14 including determining from said first digital values a first corresponding direction and from said second digital value a second corresponding direction and from said directions said transponder location.

16. Method as claimed in claim 14 for use with a transponder emitting a pulse train over a predetermined interval,

and completing each of said sweeping steps during said intervals.

17. Method as claimed in claim 15 for use with a transponder emitting a pulse train over a predetermined interval.