System and method for determining position of radar apparatus based on reflected signals
First Claim
1. A system comprising:
- a transmitter for transmitting signals in a number of directions within a range of directions;
wherein the transmitter comprises a first rotatable antenna;
a receiver for receiving echoes of the signals from any direction in the range;
wherein the receiver comprises a second rotatable antenna, the first antenna being mechanically couplable to the second antenna; and
a processor for processing the received echoes to derive echo data signals indicative of the distance of the system to one or more reflective surfaces and the direction of the one or more reflective surfaces relative to the system;
wherein the processor is arranged to determine the position of the system relative to a starting position from the derived echo data signals indicative of the distance of the system to one or more of the one or more reflective surfaces and the direction of the one or more of the one or more reflective surfaces relative to the system,wherein the circle of rotation of the first rotatable antennae and the circle of rotation of the second ratatable antennae are divided into a same plurality of sectors,wherein the first rotatable antennae sequentially generates a pulse of signals in each of the plurality of sectors,wherein when the system is at a position other than an origin, the origin being a position at which directions and delays of major reflections detected in one rotation of the first antenna and the second antenna are estimated and recorded, the distance of the system to one or more reflective surfaces is calculated using a known direction that has been estimated at the origin.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for determining position of, for example, a robot based on reflected signals comprises a transmitter for transmitting signals in a number of directions within a range of directions and a receiver for receiving echoes of the signals from any direction in the range. The transmitter has a first rotatable antenna and the receiver has a second rotatable antenna which is mechanically couplable to the second antenna. The received echoes are processed by a processor to derive echo data signals indicative of the distance of the system to one or more reflective surfaces and the direction of the reflective surface(s) relative to the system. The processor is arranged to determine the position of the system relative to a starting position from the derived echo data signals indicative of the distance of the system to the reflective surface(s) and the direction of the reflective surface(s) relative to the system.
57 Citations
61 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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a transmitter for transmitting signals in a number of directions within a range of directions; wherein the transmitter comprises a first rotatable antenna; a receiver for receiving echoes of the signals from any direction in the range; wherein the receiver comprises a second rotatable antenna, the first antenna being mechanically couplable to the second antenna; and a processor for processing the received echoes to derive echo data signals indicative of the distance of the system to one or more reflective surfaces and the direction of the one or more reflective surfaces relative to the system; wherein the processor is arranged to determine the position of the system relative to a starting position from the derived echo data signals indicative of the distance of the system to one or more of the one or more reflective surfaces and the direction of the one or more of the one or more reflective surfaces relative to the system, wherein the circle of rotation of the first rotatable antennae and the circle of rotation of the second ratatable antennae are divided into a same plurality of sectors, wherein the first rotatable antennae sequentially generates a pulse of signals in each of the plurality of sectors, wherein when the system is at a position other than an origin, the origin being a position at which directions and delays of major reflections detected in one rotation of the first antenna and the second antenna are estimated and recorded, the distance of the system to one or more reflective surfaces is calculated using a known direction that has been estimated at the origin. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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15. A method for determining the position of a system comprising:
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transmitting signals in a number of directions within a range of directions using a transmitter comprising a first rotatable antenna; receiving echoes of the signals from any direction in the range using a receiver; wherein the receiver comprises a second rotatable antenna, the first antenna being mechanically couplable to the second antenna; and processing the received echoes to derive echo data signals indicative of the distance of the system to one or more reflective surfaces and the direction of the one or more reflective surfaces relative to the system; wherein the step of processing comprises determining the position of the system relative to a starting position from the derived echo data signals indicative of the distance of the system to one or more of the one or more reflective surfaces and the direction of the one or more of the one or more reflective surfaces relative to the system, wherein the circle of rotation of the first rotatable antennae and the circle of rotation of the second ratatable antennae are divided into a same plurality of sectors, wherein the first rotatable antennae sequentially generates a pulse of signals in each of the plurality of sectors, wherein when the system is at a position other than an origin, the origin being a position at which directions and delays of major reflections detected in one rotation of the first antenna and the second antenna are estimated and recorded, the distance of the system to one or more reflective surfaces is calculated using a known direction that has been estimated at the origin. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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Specification