Distance measuring apparatus, distance measuring method, reflector, and communication system

• US 7,903,022 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2009
• Issued: 03/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Inventors: Kawai, Takehiro, Saito, Keisuke, Hayama, Kosuke, Ohara, Hideyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza; Thomas H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brainard; Timothy A
• Application Number:
  US12/628,620
• Publication Number:
  US 20100076722A1
• Time in Patent Office: 462 Days
• Field of Search: 342118-147
• US Class Current: 342/127
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/38 wherein more than one modulation frequency is used
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/84 for distance determination by phase measurement
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/27 for locating or positioning the transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation

Abstract

A transmission controller 7B is configured to transmit an R/W request signal for requesting transmission of a tag response signal to a RFID tag 1 twice. At this time, a frequency controller 7A controls a PLL section 5A to transmit the R/W request signal via different carrier frequencies. A phase information acquirer 8A detects a phase change amount of the tag response signal that is transmitted via different carrier frequencies. A distance calculator 8B calculates the distance between the reader/writer 2 and the RFID tag 1 on the basis of the phase change amount.

Claims

1. A distance measuring apparatus, comprising:

a transmitter, configured to transmit first one-frame signals from an antenna via radio waves having three or more different carrier frequencies, each of the first one-frame signals being composed of a request signal and a continuous carrier wave;

a receiver, configured to receive second one-frame signals generated when the first one-frame signals are reflected by a reflector while being modulated, each of the second one-frame signals having a frequency corresponding to a frequency of an associated one of the first one-frame signals;

a phase information acquirer, configured to calculate a phase change amount between the first one-frame signals and the second one-frame signals for each of the carrier frequencies; and

a distance calculator, configured to calculate a distance between the antenna and the reflector by high-resolution spectrum analysis, on the basis of the carrier frequencies and the phase change amount calculated for each of the carrier frequencies.

2. The distance measuring apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the distance calculator is configured to perform a MUSIC (Multiple Signal Classification) method as the high-resolution spectrum analysis, in which the second one-frame signals are used as an input, a MUSIC evaluation function is obtained by using a mode vector as a function of the distance, and the distance is calculated by obtaining peak values of the MUSIC evaluation function.

3. The distance measuring apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein:

the distance calculator is configured to determine the distance as a minimum one of distances corresponding to the peak values.

4. The distance measuring apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the distance calculator is configured to calculate the distance also on the basis of an intensity of each of the second one-frame signals received by the receiver.

5. The distance measuring apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a reception controller, configured to acquire information of a data section included in each of the second one-frame signals, and to output the distance while associating with the information of the data section.

6. The distance measuring apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the distance calculator is configured to determine a direction that the reflector is located on the basis of the second one-phase signals.

7. The distance measuring apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the distance calculator is configured to calculate the distance by analyzing a signal in a preamble section of each of the second one-frame signals.

8. A distance measuring method, comprising:

transmitting first one-frame signals from an antenna via radio waves having three or more different carrier frequencies, each of the first one-frame signals being composed of a request signal and a continuous carrier wave;

receiving second one-frame signals generated when the first one-frame signals are reflected by a reflector while being modulated, each of the second one-frame signals having a frequency corresponding to a frequency of an associated one of the first one-frame signals;

calculating a phase change amount between the first one-frame signals and the second one-frame signals for each of the carrier frequencies; and

calculating a distance between the antenna and the reflector by high-resolution spectrum analysis, on the basis of the carrier frequencies and the phase change amount calculated for each of the carrier frequencies.

9. The distance measuring method as set forth in claim 8, wherein:

the distance is calculated by performing a MUSIC (Multiple Signal Classification) method as the high-resolution spectrum analysis, in which the second one-frame signals are used as an input, a MUSIC evaluation function is obtained by using a mode vector as a function of the distance, and the distance is calculated by obtaining peak values of the MUSIC evaluation function.

10. The distance measuring method as set forth in claim 9, wherein:

the distance is determined as a minimum one of distances corresponding to the peak values.

11. The distance measuring method as set forth in claim 8, wherein:

the distance is calculated also on the basis of an intensity of each of the second one-frame signals received by the receiver.

12. The distance measuring method as set forth in claim 8, further comprising:

acquiring information of a data section included in each of the second one-frame signals; and

outputting the distance while associating with the information of the data section.

13. The distance measuring method as set forth in claim 8, further comprising:

determining a direction that the reflector is located on the basis of the second one-phase signals.

14. The distance measuring method as set forth in claim 8, wherein:

the distance is calculated by analyzing a signal in a preamble section of each of the second one-frame signals.