Radar devices for low power applications and bathroom fixtures
First Claim
1. A fluid flow control device comprising:
- an actuator for controlling fluid flow;
an RF transmitter configured and arranged to produce a set of substantially uniformly-spaced pulses of RF energy having an RF frequency to form a sensor field;
a gated RF receiver configured and arranged to receive RF energy reflected by objects within the sensor field; and
a processor coupled to the gated RF receiver for evaluating the reflected RF energy, wherein the processor is coupled to the actuator and is configured and arranged for activating the actuator in response to the reflected RF energy.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A fluid flow device includes an actuator, an RF transmitter, a gated RF receiver, and a processor. The RF transmitter is configured and arranged to produce a plurality of pulses of RF energy spaced apart in time to form a sensor field. The gated RF receiver is configured and arranged to receive RF energy reflected by objects within the sensor field. The processor is coupled to the gated RF receiver for evaluating the reflected RF energy. The processor is also coupled to the actuator and is configured and arranged to activate the actuator in response to the reflected RF energy to control fluid flow. In addition, a new low power radar sensor operates by providing radar pulses that are non-uniformly spaced in time. In operation, a burst of pulses is initiated in the transmitter. Between each burst is a period of rest time in which the transmitter is not transmitting RF energy.
188 Citations
30 Claims
-
1. A fluid flow control device comprising:
-
an actuator for controlling fluid flow;
an RF transmitter configured and arranged to produce a set of substantially uniformly-spaced pulses of RF energy having an RF frequency to form a sensor field;
a gated RF receiver configured and arranged to receive RF energy reflected by objects within the sensor field; and
a processor coupled to the gated RF receiver for evaluating the reflected RF energy, wherein the processor is coupled to the actuator and is configured and arranged for activating the actuator in response to the reflected RF energy. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A method of providing fluid flow in response to a user, comprising:
-
transmitting a pulsed RF signal to form a sensor field, wherein the pulsed RF signal comprises at least one set of substantially uniformly-spaced pulses of RF energy having an RF frequency;
receiving reflections of the RF signal from objects within the sensor field;
making an evaluation of the reflections of the RF signal to determine a characteristic of a user; and
activating an actuator based on the evaluation of the reflections of the RF signal. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
-
-
17. A fixture comprising:
-
a housing;
a valve for controlling fluid flow through the fixture;
an actuator for opening and closing the valve; and
a sensor for activating the actuator, the sensor includes an RF transmitter configured and arranged to produce a set of substantially uniformly-spaced pulses of RF energy having an RF frequency to form a sensor field, a gated RF receiver configured and arranged to receive RF energy reflected by objects within the sensor field, and a processor coupled to the gated RF receiver for evaluating the reflected RF energy, wherein the processor is coupled to the actuator and is configured and arranged for activating the actuator in response to the reflected RF energy. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
-
27. A fluid flow control device comprising:
-
an actuator for controlling fluid flow;
a burst initiator to provide a plurality of bursts at a burst rate and having a burst width that is 5% or less than a time between bursts;
a transmitter pulse generator coupled to the burst initiator to produce, during each burst, a plurality of transmitter pulses at a transmitter pulse rate, each transmitter pulse having a transmitter pulse width;
an RF oscillator coupled to the transmitter pulse generator to provide pulses of RF energy in response to the transmitter pulses;
a transmitter antenna to transmit the pulses of RF energy and form a sensor field;
a gated receiver to receive RF energy that has reflected off objects in the sensor field; and
a processor coupled to the gated RF receiver for evaluating the reflected RF energy, wherein the processor is coupled to the actuator and is configured and arranged for activating the actuator in response to the reflected RF energy.
-
-
28. A method of providing fluid flow in response to a user, comprising:
-
transmitting a pulsed RF signal with an RF frequency at a pulse rate;
receiving reflections of the RF signal from objects within a first sensor field by gating open a receiver after transmission of each pulse of the pulsed RF signal, a range of the first sensor field being determined by a delay time between transmission of each pulse and gating open the receiver;
making an evaluation of the reflections of the RF signal to determine if a user is present;
when a user is detected, receiving reflections of the RF signal from objects within a second sensor field by gating open a receiver after transmission of each pulse of the pulsed RF signal, the second sensor field having a farther range than the first sensor field; and
activating an actuator based on the evaluation of the reflections of the RF signal. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
-
Specification