Electric resonance element, detection apparatus and moving vehicle control system

• US 6,518,884 B1
• Filed: 03/29/1999
• Issued: 02/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yoshioka, Toshihiro, Yasui, Keiji, Tanji, Yoshihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUNG T
• Application Number:
  US09/272,776
• Time in Patent Office: 1,415 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.4, 340/572.5, 340/572.7, 340/572.8
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/042 using inductive or magnetic detectors

Abstract

An electric resonance element includes an electric resonator comprising a coil wound around magnetic materials and a capacitor. The electric resonance element is housed in a vessel made of non-magnetic materials. A detection apparatus for detecting the electric resonance element comprises a transmitter for transmitting an electromagnetic wave and a receiver for detecting the echo wave transmitted from the electric resonance element. A moving vehicle is controlled using a system which comprises the electric resonance element buried in a road, and the detection apparatus installed on a vehicle for detecting echo waves transmitted from electric resonance elements. The detection apparatus comprises a transmitter for transmitting an electromagnetic wave specific to the electric resonance element, a receiver that detects the echo wave, and a element or a circuit to suspend the operation of the receiver while the transmitter is on duty.

Claims

1. A detection apparatus for detecting an electric resonance body including an electronic circuit comprising:

a) a transmitter which oscillates a first electromagnetic wave to produce an electric resonance in said electronic circuit,

b) a receiver which uses a heterodyne process based on said first electromagnetic wave to detect a second electromagnetic wave received from said electric resonance body, and

c) a controller for controlling operations of said transmitter and said receiver, said controller at least partially suspending operation of an element or a circuit of said receiver while said transmitter is transmitting said first electromagnetic wave,

said controller suspending transmission of said first electromagnetic wave to avoid interference between said second electromagnetic wave and said first electromagnetic wave and to maintain a receiving period of said second electromagnetic wave, wherein said second electromagnetic wave spontaneously continues according to a circuit constant of said transmitter.

2. The detection apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a discharge resistor, for suspending transmitting output, through which current flows when transmitting stops and receiving starts.

3. The detection apparatus of claim 1, wherein said transmitter transmits a plurality of electromagnetic waves.

4. The detection apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a plurality of tuning capacitors corresponding to electromagnetic waves respectively, and switches for selecting one of said capacitors corresponding to a transmitting frequency of said first electromagnetic wave.

5. The detection apparatus of claim 1, wherein an antenna of the receiving section is shaped in the form of a figure eight.

6. The detection apparatus of claim 1, further comprising

a) a frequency converter for converting the frequency of said second electromagnetic wave generated by said electric resonance body upon receiving the second electromagnetic wave, and

b) a detector for detecting the level of said converted electromagnetic wave.

7. The detection apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a local oscillator for oscillating a) said first electromagnetic wave;

and b) an electromagnetic wave of a certain frequency used for converting the second electromagnetic wave.

8. The detection apparatus of claim 7, wherein said local oscillator includes of a single direct digital synthesizer.

9. The detection apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second electromagnetic waves each change frequency.