Apparatus for and method of determining positional information for an object
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for determining positional information for an object, said apparatus comprising:
- means for transmitting a probe signal towards the object;
means for receiving, at a plurality of spaced apart locations, the probe signal as returned by the object; and
detecting means coupled to the receiving means for detecting a relative timing of the returned probe signals as received at the plurality of locations, said relative timing being a timing of the returned probe signal as received at at least one of said plurality of locations relative to a timing of the returned probe signal as received at at least one other of said plurality of locations;
whereby the positional information for the object can be determined from said relative timing.
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Abstract
Apparatus for determining positional information for an object transmits a probe signal towards the object. The probe signal as returned by the object is received at a plurality of spaced apart locations. The relative timing of the returned probe signals as received at the plurality of locations is detected, whereby positional information for the object can be determined. A number of realizations of the invention are disclosed.
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Citations
60 Claims
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1. Apparatus for determining positional information for an object, said apparatus comprising:
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means for transmitting a probe signal towards the object;
means for receiving, at a plurality of spaced apart locations, the probe signal as returned by the object; and
detecting means coupled to the receiving means for detecting a relative timing of the returned probe signals as received at the plurality of locations, said relative timing being a timing of the returned probe signal as received at at least one of said plurality of locations relative to a timing of the returned probe signal as received at at least one other of said plurality of locations;
whereby the positional information for the object can be determined from said relative timing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 23, 47)
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13. A method of determining positional information for an object, said method comprising:
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transmitting a probe signal towards the object;
receiving, at a plurality of spaced apart locations, the probe signal as returned by the object; and
detecting a relative timing of the returned probe signals as received at the plurality of locations, said relative timing being a timing of the returned probe signal as received at at least one of said plurality of locations relative to a timing of the returned probe signal as received at at least one other of said plurality of locations;
whereby the positional information for the object can be determined from said relative timing. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 30, 46, 48)
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24. Apparatus for determining positional information for an object, comprising:
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means for transmitting, at a given transmission time, a probe signal towards the object;
means for generating a detection timing signal at a delay after the transmission time, corresponding to at least one scheduled range for the object;
means for receiving, at a plurality of spaced apart locations, the probe signal as returned by the object; and
detecting means coupled to the receiving means and comprising a plurality of detectors, each one for detecting the return probe signal as received at a respective one of the locations in response to a common detection timing signal;
whereby the positional information for the object can be determined from outputs of the detectors. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 49, 55)
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31. A method of determining positional information for an object, comprising the steps of:
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transmitting, at a given transmission time, a probe signal towards the object;
generating a detection timing signal at a delay after the transmission time, corresponding to at least one selected range for the object;
providing a plurality of detectors, each one detecting the returned probe signal as received at a respective one of the locations in response to a common detection timing signal;
whereby the positional information for the object can be determined from outputs of the detectors. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 50, 59)
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35. A method of determining positional information for an object, comprising:
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transmitting pulsed probe signals towards the object at a selected pulse repetition frequency, a measure of the inverse of said frequency defining a pulse repetition frequency path length for the signals;
receiving the probe signals as returned by the object; and
detecting the returned probe signals, a path length for the signals greater than which the object cannot be detected defining a maximum detectible path length;
the pulse repetition frequency being selected such that the pulse repetition frequency path length is less than the maximum path length; and
whereby the positional information for the object can be determined from the returned probe signal. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. Apparatus for determining the position of an object with respect to plural detectors, said apparatus comprising:
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at least one signal transmitter connected to a signal radiator directed toward said object;
a plurality of signal detectors, each connected to a respective one of plural signal receivers disposed at respective predetermined spaced apart locations and directed to receive transmitted signals returned from said object; and
at least one elapsed time detector connected to said plural signal detectors and measuring relative differences in time between reception of similar returned signals by said plural spaced apart signal detectors. - View Dependent Claims (45)
a position calculator connected to said at least one elapsed time detector to receive said measured relative differences in returned signal detection times and calculate therefrom the position of said object with respect to said detectors.
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51. Apparatus for determining positional information for an object, said apparatus comprising:
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means for transmitting, at a given transmission time, a probe signal towards the object;
means for generating a detection timing signal at a delay after the transmission time, corresponding to at least one selected range for the object;
means for receiving, at a plurality of spaced apart locations, the probe signal as returned by the object; and
detecting means coupled to the retrieving means and comprising a plurality of detectors, each one for detecting, during a period of time corresponding to a measure of a range gate for each receiver, the returned probe signal as received at a respective one of the locations in response to a common detection timing signal. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54)
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56. A method of determining positional information for an object, said method comprising:
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transmitting, at a given transmission time, a probe signal towards the object;
generating a detection timing signal at a delay after the transmission time, corresponding to at least one selected range for the object;
receiving, at a plurality of spaced apart locations, the probe signal as returned by the object; and
providing a plurality of detectors, each one detecting, during a period of time corresponding to a measure of a range gate for each receiver, the returned probe signal as received at a respective one of the locations in response to a common detection timing signal;
whereby positional information for the object can be determined from the outputs of the detectors. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58)
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60. Apparatus for determining positional information for an object, said apparatus comprising:
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at least one probe signal transmitter connected to a probe signal radiator directed towards said object and transmitting, at a given transmission time, a probe signal towards the object;
at least one delay circuit connected to provide a detection timing signal at a delay after the transmission time, corresponding to at least one selected range for the object;
a plurality of spaced apart probe signal receivers connected to receive probe signals at respective spaced-apart locations as returned by the object; and
a plurality of detectors, each connected with a respective receiver and detecting the returned probe signal as received at a respective one of the receiver locations in response to a common detection timing signal.
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Specification