Method and apparatus for electronic labeling and localizing
First Claim
1. A system for localizing an end point having an identification code associated therewith, the system comprising:
- an interrogator means for transmitting an identification code signal that includes a representation of the identification code and receiving a tag response signal;
a tag means associated with the end point for receiving the identification code signal and transmitting the tag response signal upon receiving the identification code signal and confirming that the identification code signal includes a representation of the identification code; and
a localizing means for determining a distance between the end point and the interrogator means based on the identification code signal and the tag response signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparata for electronic labeling and localizing an end point and for determining the distance between an interrogator and the end point. In one embodiment, a system is provided that includes an interrogator that transmits an identification code signal that includes a representation of the identification code of the end point to be localized. The interrogator also receives a tag response signal that is transmitted from a tag associated with the end point. The tag transmits the tag response signal upon receiving the identification code signal and confirming that the identification code signal includes a representation of the identification code. The system also includes a localizer, which is hardware, software, or both, that determines the distance between the end point and the interrogator based on the identification code signal and the tag response signal. In one embodiment, the localizer determines the distance based on the time delay between transmitting the identification code signal and receiving the tag response signal. In another alternate embodiment, the localizer determines the distance based on the frequency, or phase, shift between the identification code signal and the tag response signal.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A system for localizing an end point having an identification code associated therewith, the system comprising:
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an interrogator means for transmitting an identification code signal that includes a representation of the identification code and receiving a tag response signal; a tag means associated with the end point for receiving the identification code signal and transmitting the tag response signal upon receiving the identification code signal and confirming that the identification code signal includes a representation of the identification code; and a localizing means for determining a distance between the end point and the interrogator means based on the identification code signal and the tag response signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system for localizing an end point, comprising:
an interrogator having; a signal generator having as an output a carrier signal; a modulator coupled to the signal generator, the modulator selectively modulating the carrier signal with information identifying the end point to create an identification code signal; a transmitter coupled to the modulator, so that the transmitter may transmit the identification code signal; and a receiver; a tag associated with the end point, the tag having; a tag receiver configured to receive the identification code signal; a demodulator coupled to the tag receiver, the demodulator having an output representing the information identifying the end point; a memory device storing a predetermined tag identification code associated with the end point; a comparitor coupled to the demodulator output and the memory device, the comparitor configured to compare the demodulator output to the predetermined tag identification code to determine whether the information matches the predetermined tag identification code; a tag modulator coupled to the comparitor, the tag modulator having as an output the tag response signal when the comparitor determines the information matches the predetermined tag identification code; and a tag transmitter coupled to the tag modulator so that the tag transmitter may transmit the tag response signal; and a localizer coupled to the interrogator, the localizer having; a mixer coupled to the identification code signal and the tag response signal, the mixer having a mixer output; a processor coupled to the mixer, the processor configured to determine the distance from the end point to the interrogator based on the identification code signal and the tag response signal. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for localizing an end point, comprising the steps of:
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(a) transmitting from an interrogator a first signal, the first signal including a component identifying the end point; (b) receiving at the interrogator a second signal from the end point, the second signal comprising a modulated first signal; and (c) comparing the received second signal with the first signal to determine the distance between the end point and interrogator. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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26. An interrogator for localizing an end point, comprising:
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means for transmitting a first signal, the first signal including a component identifying the end point; means for receiving a second signal from the end point, the second signal comprising a modulated first signal; and means for comparing the received second signal with the first signal to determine the distance between the end point and interrogator. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29)
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30. A method for determining distance between an interrogator and an end point, comprising the steps of:
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(a) transmitting from the interrogator a first signal, the first signal having a first frequency substantially linear with respect to time; (b) receiving at the interrogator a second signal from the end point, the second signal having a second frequency substantially linear with respect to time; (c) measuring time between the interrogator transmitting the first signal and receiving the second signal; and (d) determining the distance between the interrogator and the end point based on the measured time, the first frequency, and the second frequency. - View Dependent Claims (31)
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32. A system for localizing an end point, comprising:
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an interrogator having; a signal generator having an output signal having a substantially linear frequency verses time graph; a transmitter coupled to the generator, so that the transmitter may transmit the output signal; and a receiver; a tag associated with the end point, the tag having; a tag receiver configured to receive the output signal; a tag modulator coupled to the tag receiver, and a tag transmitter coupled to the tag modulator so that the tag transmitter may transmit the tag response signal; and a localizer coupled to the interrogator, the localizer having a processor coupled to the mixer, the processor configured to determine the distance from the end point to the interrogator based on the output signal and the tag response signal. - View Dependent Claims (33)
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Specification