Method of distance measurement

• US 9,341,702 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2015
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lambda:4 Entwicklungen GmbH
• Original Assignee: Lambda:4 Entwicklungen GmbH
• Inventors: Reimann, Rnne
• Primary Examiner(s): LETT, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US14/832,288
• Publication Number:
  US 20160011298A1
• Time in Patent Office: 270 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404, 455/456.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/02 using radio waves G01S19/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/026 using moving transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/10 using Doppler effect
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/84 for distance determination by phase measurement
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/74 Systems using reradiation of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. IFF, i.e. identification of friend or foe
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/143 by vectorial combination of signals derived from differently oriented antennae
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/48 the waves arriving at the antennas being continuous or intermittent and the phase difference of signals derived therefrom being measured
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0247 Determining attitude
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02521 using a radio-map
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/10 Position of receiver fixed by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements , e.g. omega or decca systemsG01S5/12 takes precedence ; beacons and receivers cooperating therewith G01S1/306, G01S1/308
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/35 Details of non-pulse systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/026 using orientation information, e.g. compass
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

A method, device, system and use for determining a distance, location and/or orientation including the at least relative determination of a position of at least one object using at least two active anchors. A first signal is emitted by a first of the two anchors and is received at the object and by a second of said two anchors. A phase measurement is performed at said second anchor and wherein a distance determination with respect to said first anchor is performed and/or the distance from said first anchor to said second anchor is known. A second, particularly electromagnetic, signal is emitted from said second anchor, and information on phase measurement and distance between said first and second anchors is made available to a computation unit and at least one phase measurement respectively of said first and second signal is performed at said object and made available to said computation unit.

Claims

1. A method for distance measurement, the distance measurement being performed on the basis of transmitting, particularly electromagnetic, signals between at least two objects and measurements of phase angles at said at least two objects, wherein from each of said at least two objects several signals are being emitted and analyzed with reference to their phase angle, said signals being at least partially emitted at different frequencies, said method being performed in at least two stages, wherein in a first of the at least two stages at least one measurement with at least two emissions with a frequency difference between frequencies of successive emissions with frequencies that have not been used in this stage, at least not by the emitting object, is performed, said frequency differences being selected from a start-measurement frequency difference range and selection of a measurement-frequency difference range on the basis of such at least one measurement in said first stage, wherein in a second of said at least two stages at least one measurement with at least two emissions with a frequency difference between frequencies of successive emissions with frequencies that have not been used in this stage, at least not by the emitting object, is performed, wherein said frequency differences are selected from the selected measurement-frequency difference range.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the selection of said measurement-frequency difference range is carried out from among at least two measurement-frequency difference ranges.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the selection of said measurement-frequency difference range and/or measurement-frequency difference ranges being optimized and performed on the basis of the difference which was preliminarily determined in the preceding stage or stages or measurement or measurements.

4. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the distance measurement is performed between said at least two objects.

5. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein on the basis of said measurements or first and second stage at least one further selection of a measurement-frequency difference range is performed for the performance of at least one further stage, and at least one further stage is performed, and wherein in said at least one further stage at least one measurement with emissions with a frequency difference between frequencies of successive emissions, particularly of one object, is performed with frequencies which have not yet been used at least in said at least one further stage and at least for emissions from said emitting object, said frequency differences being selected from among the further selected measurement-frequency difference range.

6. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the selection of said measurement frequencies is performed taking into consideration the selected measurement-frequency difference range as well as interference signals and/or transmission channels, such that the clearest and most distinct and/or interference-free transmission of the signals possible is achieved.

7. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the selection of said measurement-frequency difference range is carried out from among measurement-frequency difference ranges, of which one is equal to the start-measurement frequency difference range.

8. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the measurement-frequency difference ranges each comprise exactly one frequency difference respectively.

9. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said start-measurement frequency difference range is selected such that it allows an unambiguous measurement in the largest distance range compared to the other measurement-frequency difference ranges.

10. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said start-measurement frequency difference range allows an unequivocal distance measurement up to a difference of 30 m to 50 km, in particular of 3 km to 5 km, particularly of 4 km.

11. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said measurement-frequency difference ranges are optimized for different distance ranges, particularly at least one measurement-frequency difference range for distances of up to 30-50 m, one for up to 300-500 m and/or one for up to 3 km-5 km.

12. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein, particularly from the at least two objects, at least one interim emission with at least one frequency is performed, which frequency has already been used in a current stage, particularly from the emitting object, and wherein said frequency differences relate to the emissions from before and after the emission with repeated frequency.

13. The method as defined in claim 12, wherein the at least one interim emission is performed at the end of a stage, particularly from said at least two objects, particularly with the frequency used at the beginning of said stage, particularly by the respective object.

14. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein an interim emission is performed after each of a non-interim emission, particularly by said at least two objects, particularly with the frequency used in the beginning of said stage, particularly by the respective object.

15. The method as defined in claim 12, wherein said interim emission is performed at least partially with the frequency first used in the stage of the object, particularly with the frequency first used in the stage and/or with the frequency used immediately before the interim emission from the object, particularly immediately before the interim emission.

16. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein from each object, particularly from all objects, only one signal is emitted at any given time.

17. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein a change of distance or a change of the phase shift respectively is determined on the basis of the change of distance between the objects between the individual transmissions and is taken into consideration in the determination of the difference.

18. A system providing at least two emission and reception means, arranged for performing the method set out in claim 1.

19. Use of the method and/or system as defined in claim 1 to improve a distance measurement and/or determination of a relative speed between two objects.

20. Use of a method as defined in claim 1 in a system for distance determination and/or localization, particularly when a high accuracy is to be achieved over larger distance range.