Near field location system and method
First Claim
1. A near field method for determining a location of a transmitter, comprising:
- providing a first magnetic antenna, said first magnetic antenna having a first null axis aligned within a predetermined plane;
providing a second magnetic antenna, said second magnetic antenna having a second null axis aligned substantially orthogonal to said first null axis of said first magnetic antenna and said second null axis aligned within said predetermined plane;
transmitting a signal from said transmitter;
receiving said signal by a receiver within one wavelength from said transmitter;
wherein said signal utilizes said first magnetic antenna and said second magnetic antenna; and
determining said location based on a near field signal property of said signal;
wherein said first magnetic antenna and said second magnetic antenna are used for said transmitting.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Near field signal properties are used to determine a location by utilizing two magnetic antennas arranged so that the null axes are perpendicular and lie in a plane of interest, such as the horizontal plane. The two antennas may be used as transmitting antennas or receiving antennas. The antennas may be driven so as to produce an equivalent of an omnidirectional pattern in the plane of interest by driving the antennas in an orthogonal manner. The orthogonal drive may be time orthogonal or phase orthogonal. A location is determined based on near field response which may include propagation properties, which may include amplitude, phase, relative amplitude, or phase, or other properties. In one embodiment, multiple transmitters are utilized to determine the location of a single receiver. In another embodiment, multiple receivers are utilized to determine the location of a single transmitter. A space efficient magnetic antenna is disclosed.
-
Citations
18 Claims
-
1. A near field method for determining a location of a transmitter, comprising:
-
providing a first magnetic antenna, said first magnetic antenna having a first null axis aligned within a predetermined plane; providing a second magnetic antenna, said second magnetic antenna having a second null axis aligned substantially orthogonal to said first null axis of said first magnetic antenna and said second null axis aligned within said predetermined plane; transmitting a signal from said transmitter; receiving said signal by a receiver within one wavelength from said transmitter; wherein said signal utilizes said first magnetic antenna and said second magnetic antenna; and determining said location based on a near field signal property of said signal; wherein said first magnetic antenna and said second magnetic antenna are used for said transmitting. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A near field method for determining a location, comprising:
-
providing a first magnetic antenna, said first magnetic antenna having a first null axis aligned within a predetermined plane; providing a second magnetic antenna, said second magnetic antenna having a second null axis aligned substantially orthogonal to said first null axis of said first magnetic antenna and said second null axis aligned within said predetermined plane; transmitting a signal from a transmitter; receiving said signal by a receiver within one wavelength from said transmitter; and providing an RF module having at least one characteristic physical dimension, wherein said first magnetic antenna has an electrical null axis at a substantial diagonal angle from said at least one characteristic physical dimension. - View Dependent Claims (10)
-
-
11. A near field method for determining a location, comprising:
-
providing a first magnetic antenna, said first magnetic antenna having a first null axis aligned within a predetermined plane; providing a second magnetic antenna, said second magnetic antenna having a second null axis aligned substantially orthogonal to said first null axis of said first magnetic antenna and said second null axis aligned within said predetermined plane; transmitting a signal from a transmitter; receiving said signal by a receiver within one wavelength from said transmitter; wherein said first magnetic antenna comprises a coil wound around a loopstick axis, said coil having turns lying parallel to a plane, said plane at a substantial diagonal angle from said loopstick axis.
-
-
12. A system for determining a location of a transmitter, comprising:
-
a first magnetic antenna, said magnetic antenna having a first null axis aligned within a predetermined plane; a second magnetic antenna, said second magnetic antenna having a second null axis aligned substantially orthogonal to said first null axis of said first magnetic antenna and said second null axis aligned within said predetermined plane; said transmitter transmitting a signal; a receiver, said receiver receiving said signal within one wavelength from said transmitter; wherein said signal utilizes said first magnetic antenna and said second magnetic antenna; a processor, said processor determining said location based on a near field signal property of said signal; and an electric field antenna associated with said transmitter, said first magnet antenna and said second magnet antenna associated with said receiver; wherein said signal is transmitted utilizing said electric field antenna and said signal is received utilizing said first magnet antenna and said second magnetic antenna.
-
-
13. A system for determining a location, comprising:
-
a first magnetic antenna, said magnetic antenna having a first null axis aligned within a predetermined plane; a second magnetic antenna, said second magnetic antenna having a second null axis aligned substantially orthogonal to said first null axis of said first magnetic antenna and said second null axis aligned within said predetermined plane; a transmitter, said transmitter transmitting a signal; a receiver, said receiver receiving said signal within one wavelength from said transmitter; wherein said signal utilizes said first magnetic antenna and said second magnetic antenna; and a processor, said processor determining said location based on a near field signal property of said signal; said transmitter connected to said first magnetic antenna and said second magnetic antenna to transmit said signal. - View Dependent Claims (14)
-
-
15. A system for determining a location, comprising:
-
a first magnetic antenna, said magnetic antenna having a first null axis aligned within a predetermined plane; a second magnetic antenna, said second magnetic antenna having a second null axis aligned substantially orthogonal to said first null axis of said first magnetic antenna and said second null axis aligned within said predetermined plane; a transmitter, said transmitter transmitting a signal; a receiver, said receiver receiving said signal within one wavelength from said transmitter; wherein said signal utilizes said first magnetic antenna and said second magnetic antenna; a processor, said processor determining said location based on a near field signal property of said signal; and a communication link between said receiver and said processor, said receiver determining a measurement of said near field signal property;
said measurement communicated to said processor over said communication link, said measurement utilized for determining said location.
-
-
16. A near field method for determining a location, comprising:
-
providing a first magnetic antenna, said first magnetic antenna having a first null axis aligned within a predetermined plane; providing a second magnetic antenna, said second magnetic antenna having a second null axis aligned substantially orthogonal to said first null axis of said first magnetic antenna and said second null axis aligned within said predetermined plane; transmitting a signal from a transmitter utilizing an electric field antenna associated with said transmitter; receiving said signal by a receiver utilizing said first magnetic antenna and said second magnetic antenna associated with said receiver, said receiver within one wavelength from said transmitter; and determining said location based on a near field signal property of said signal.
-
-
17. A near field method for determining a location of a receiver, comprising:
-
providing a first magnet antenna, said first magnet antenna having a first null axis aligned within a predetermined plane; providing a second magnet antenna, said second magnet antenna having a second null axis aligned substantially orthogonal to said first null axis of said first magnetic antenna and said second null axis aligned within said predetermined plane; transmitting a signal from a transmitter; receiving said signal by a receiver within one wavelength from said transmitter; wherein said signal utilizes said first magnet antenna and said second magnetic antenna; and determining said location based on a near field signal property of said signal; wherein said first magnetic antenna and said second magnetic antenna are used for said transmitting.
-
-
18. A system for determining a location of a receiver, comprising:
-
a first magnetic antenna, said magnetic antenna having a first null axis aligned within a predetermined plane; a second magnetic antenna, said second magnetic antenna having a second null axis aligned substantially orthogonal to said first null axis of said first magnetic antenna and said second null axis aligned within said predetermined plane; a transmitter, said transmitter transmitting a signal; said receiver receiving said signal within one wavelength from said transmitter; wherein said signal utilizes said first magnetic antenna and said second magnetic antenna; a processor, said processor determining said location based on a near field signal property of said signal; and an electric field antenna associated with said transmitter, said first magnetic antenna and said second magnetic antenna associated with said receiver; wherein said signal is transmitted utilizing said electric field antenna and said signal is received utilizing said magnetic antenna and said second magnetic antenna.
-
Specification