Position determination by directional broadcast
First Claim
1. A method to determine the position of one or more objects in a single plane comprising the steps of:
- providing a system comprising a multitude of broadcast stations broadcasting via antennas with a length in the order of 1.2 cm, communicating among each other and one or more objects whose positions are to be determined, wherein each of these objects has a transponder, an identifying code, and a means to measure phase shifts of signals;
using the identifying code of each object whose position is to be determined as input in a nearest broadcast station;
broadcasting inside or outside of buildings in a frequency range of 6 GHz from multiple broadcast stations an omni-directional reference signal and directional signals having each a phase shift characterizing their direction;
calculating the directions of said object relative to at least two of said broadcast stations using the phase difference between the reference signal and one of said directional signals measured at the object'"'"'s site;
calculating the position of said object using the directions calculated in previous step; and
displaying position of said object.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and systems to determine the position of objects indoors or in confined areas are disclosed. A multitude of broadcast stations are transmitting an omni-directional reference signal and directional signals having each a phase-shift depending upon their specific direction. The objects whose positions are to be identified have a transponder and a means to measure the phase-shift between the omni-directional reference signal and a directional signal received. The measured time-difference indicating the relative direction to the broadcast station, which has sent the directional signal, is sent back to the broadcast station. The absolute position of the object can be determined by the results of an angular measurement of a second broadcast station. The broadcast stations can communicate amongst each other. A post-processing unit can initiate actions according to the position of an object identified.
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Citations
51 Claims
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1. A method to determine the position of one or more objects in a single plane comprising the steps of:
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providing a system comprising a multitude of broadcast stations broadcasting via antennas with a length in the order of 1.2 cm, communicating among each other and one or more objects whose positions are to be determined, wherein each of these objects has a transponder, an identifying code, and a means to measure phase shifts of signals; using the identifying code of each object whose position is to be determined as input in a nearest broadcast station; broadcasting inside or outside of buildings in a frequency range of 6 GHz from multiple broadcast stations an omni-directional reference signal and directional signals having each a phase shift characterizing their direction; calculating the directions of said object relative to at least two of said broadcast stations using the phase difference between the reference signal and one of said directional signals measured at the object'"'"'s site; calculating the position of said object using the directions calculated in previous step; and displaying position of said object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A system to determine the position of an object in a single plane is comprising:
a multitude of broadcast stations inside or outside of buildings each of them comprising; a transmitter broadcasting in a frequency range of 6 MHZ an omni-directional reference signal and directional signals in different directions wherein each of said directional signals has a specific phase-shift relative to said omni-directional reference signal; a set of antennas with a length in the order of 1.2 cm, and a receiver receiving signals from a transponder of an object whose position is to be determined, wherein said signals are related to an identification and direction from a broadcast station towards said object; and
an object whose position has to be determined comprising;a means to measure the phase difference between said omni-directional reference signal and one or more directional signal received; and a transponder to receive said omni-directional reference signal and a directional signal and to transmit said phase difference back to a broadcast station, which has sent said directional signal. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
Specification