Radio-frequency localization techniques and associated systems, devices, and methods

• US 9,797,988 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2016
• Issued: 10/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Humatics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Humatics Corporation
• Inventors: Charvat, Gregory L., Mindell, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): WYCHE, MYRON
• Application Number:
  US15/382,563
• Publication Number:
  US 20170181118A1
• Time in Patent Office: 312 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/02 using radio waves G01S19/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/878 Combination of several spaced transmitters or receivers of known location for determining the position of a transponder or a reflector G01S13/874 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0215 Interference
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0284 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/14 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/6677 for antenna, e.g. antenna included within housing of semiconductor device antennas per se H01Q
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16227 the bump connector connecting to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2216 used in interrogator/reader equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2283 mounted in or on the surface of a semiconductor substrate as a chip-type antenna or integrated with other components into an IC package
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/24 with receiving set
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/247 with frequency mixer, e.g. for direct satellite reception or Doppler radar
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/521 reducing the coupling between adjacent antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/525 between emitting and receiving antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/36 with variable phase-shifters
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/10 Resonant antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0428 radiating a circular polarised wave
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0492 circularly polarised
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/26 with folded element or elements, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of operating wavelength resonant loop antennas H01Q7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/27 Spiral antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 : for interrogation
• 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 56/001 : Synchronization between nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 : locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 : with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination

Abstract

A system comprising a first interrogator device that includes: a first antenna configured to transmit, to a target device, a first radio-frequency (RF) signal having a first center frequency; a second antenna configured to receive, from the target device, a second RF signal having a second center frequency that is a harmonic of the first frequency; and first circuitry configured to obtain, using the first RF signal and the second RF signal, a first mixed RF signal indicative of a first distance between the first interrogator and the target device. The system further comprises at least one processor configured to determine the first distance based, at least in part, on the first mixed RF signal, and determine a location of the target device based, at least in part, on the determined first distance.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a first interrogator device, comprising;

a first antenna configured to transmit, to a target device, a first radio-frequency (RF) signal having a first center frequency;

a second antenna configured to receive, from the target device, a second RF signal having a second center frequency that is a harmonic of the first frequency; and

first circuitry configured to obtain, using the first RF signal and the second RF signal, a first mixed RF signal indicative of a first distance between the first interrogator and the target device, the first circuitry comprising;

first signal transformation circuitry configured to transform the first RF signal to obtain a first transformed RF signal having the second center frequency; and

a first mixer configured to mix the first transformed RF signal having the second center frequency with the second RF signal to obtain the first mixed RF signal indicative of the first distance between the first interrogator and the target device;

a second interrogator device, comprising;

a third antenna configured to transmit, to the target device, a third RF signal having the first center frequency;

a fourth antenna configured to receive, from the target device, a fourth RF signal having the second center frequency; and

second circuitry configured to obtain, using the third RF signal and the fourth RF signal, a second mixed RF signal indicative of a second distance between the second interrogator and the target device, the second circuitry comprising;

second signal transformation circuitry configured to transform the third RF signal to obtain a third transformed RF signal having the second center frequency; and

a second mixer configured to mix the third transformed RF signal having the second center frequency with the fourth RF signal to obtain the second mixed RF signal indicative of the second distance between the second interrogator and the target device; and

at least one processor configured to;

determine the first distance based on the first mixed RF signal;

determine the second distance based on the second mixed RF signal; and

determine a location of the target device using the determined first distance and second distance.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the second center frequency is twice the first center frequency.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first center frequency is in a range of 50-70 GHz and the second center frequency is in a range of 100-140 GHz.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first center frequency is in a range of 4-6 GHz and the second center frequency is in a range of 8-12 GHz.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first RF signal is a microwave RF signal.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first RF signal is a millimeter wave RF signal.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a third interrogator device, comprising;

a fifth antenna configured to transmit, to a target device, a fifth RF signal having the first center frequency;

a sixth antenna configured to receive, from the target device, a sixth RF signal having the second center frequency; and

third circuitry configured to obtain, using the fifth RF signal and the sixth RF signal, a third mixed RF signal indicative of a third distance between the third interrogator device and the target device,

wherein the at least one processor is further configured to;

determine the third distance based on the third mixed RF signal;

determine the location of the target device further based on the third distance.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first:

mixer has a first input, a second input, and an output, and

wherein the first mixer is configured to receive the first RF signal on the first input, the second RF signal on the second input and to output the first mixed RF signal on the output.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising the target device, the target device comprising:

a receive antenna configured to receive a fifth RF signal having the first center frequency;

circuitry configured to generate, using the fifth RF signal, a sixth RF signal having the second center frequency; and

a transmit antenna configured to transmit the sixth RF signal.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising the target device, the target device comprising:

a receive antenna configured to receive RF signals having the first center frequency;

signal transformation circuitry coupled to the receive antenna and configured to;

obtain, from the receive antenna, RF signals having the first center frequency;

transform the RF signals obtained from the receive antenna to obtain transformed RF signals having the second center frequency; and

provide the transformed RF signals to a transmit antenna; and

the transmit antenna configured to transmit the transformed RF signals.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the signal transformation circuitry comprises:

a first amplifier coupled to at least one output of the receive antenna;

a frequency multiplier circuit having at least one input coupled to at least one output of the first amplifier; and

a second amplifier having at least one input coupled to at least one output of the frequency multiplier circuit and at least one output coupled to at least one input of the transmit antenna.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the signal transformation circuitry comprises:

an oscillator; and

a frequency mixer configured to mix the RF signals obtained from the receive antenna with RF signals generated by the oscillator.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the signal transformation circuitry comprises a regenerative circuit.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the signal transformation circuitry comprises a super-regenerative circuit.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the target device comprises a semiconductor die and the signal transformation circuitry is integrated with the semiconductor die.

16. The system of claim 1,

wherein the first interrogator device comprises a first semiconductor die and the first circuitry is integrated with the first semiconductor die;

and

wherein the second interrogator device comprises a second semiconductor die and the second circuitry is integrated with the second semiconductor die.

26. The system of claim 1, wherein the first center frequency is in a range of 50-70 GHz and the second center frequency is in a range of 100-140 GHz.

27. The system of claim 1, wherein the first RF signal is a microwave RF signal.

17. A system, comprising:

a first interrogator device, comprising;

a first antenna;

configured to transmit, to a target device, a first radio-frequency (RF) signal having a first center frequency;

a second antenna configured to receive, from the target device, a second RF signal having a second center frequency that is a harmonic of the first frequency; and

first circuitry configured to obtain, using the first RF signal and the second RF signal, a first mixed RF signal indicative of a first distance for an RF signal between the first interrogator and the target device, the first circuitry comprising;

first signal transformation circuitry comprising at least one frequency multiplier and/or at least one frequency divider, the first signal transformation circuitry configured to transform the first RF signal using the at least one frequency multiplier to obtain a first transformed RF signal having the second center frequency and/or to transform the second RF signal using the at least one frequency divider to obtain a second transformed RF signal having the first center frequency; and

a first mixer configured to obtain the first mixed RF signal either by mixing the first transformed RF signal with the second RF signal or by mixing the second transformed RF signal with the first RF signal;

a second interrogator device, comprising;

a third antenna configured to transmit, to the target device, a third RF signal having the first center frequency;

a fourth antenna configured to receive, from the target device, a fourth RF signal having the second center frequency; and

second circuitry configured to obtain, using the third RF signal and the fourth RF signal, a second mixed RF signal indicative of a second distance between the second interrogator and the target device, the second circuitry comprising;

second signal transformation circuitry comprising at least one frequency multiplier and/or at least one frequency divider, the second transformation circuitry configured to transform the third RF signal using the at least one frequency multiplier to obtain a third transformed RF signal having the second center frequency and/or to transform the fourth RF signal using the at least one frequency divider to obtain a fourth transformed RF signal having the first center frequency; and

a second mixer configured to obtain the second mixed RF signal either by mixing the third transformed RF signal with the fourth RF signal or by mixing the fourth transformed RF signal with the third RF signal; and

at least one processor configured to;

determine the first distance based on the first mixed RF signal;

determine the second distance based on the second mixed RF signal; and

determine a location of the target device using the determined first distance and second distance.

18. The system of claim 17,

wherein the first interrogator device comprises a first semiconductor die and the first circuitry is integrated with the first semiconductor die;

and

wherein the second interrogator device comprises a second semiconductor die and the second circuitry is integrated with the second semiconductor die.

19. A method, comprising:

transmitting, from a first interrogator device to a target device, a first radio-frequency (RF) signal having a first center frequency;

receiving, at the first interrogator device and from the target device, a second RF signal having a second center frequency that is a harmonic of the first frequency;

transmitting, from a second interrogator device to the target device, a third RF signal having the first center frequency;

receiving, at the second interrogator device and from the target device, a fourth RF signal having the second center frequency;

determining a first distance based on the first RF signal and the second RF signal at least in part by;

generating a first mixed RF signal by transforming the first RF signal using at least one frequency multiplier to obtain a first transformed RF signal having the second center frequency and mixing the first transformed RF signal with the first RF signal, or by transforming the second RF signal using at least one frequency divider to obtain a second transformed RF signal having the first center frequency and mixing the second transformed RF signal with the first RF signal; and

determining the first distance using the first mixed RF signal;

determining a second distance based on the third RF signal and the fourth RF signal at least in part by;

generating a second mixed RF signal by transforming the third RF signal using at least one frequency multiplier to obtain a third transformed RF signal having the second center frequency and mixing the third transformed RF signal with the fourth RF signal, or by transforming the fourth RF signal using at least one frequency divider to obtain a fourth transformed RF signal having the first center frequency and mixing the fourth transformed RF signal with the third RF signal; and

determining the second distance using the second mixed RF signal; and

determining a location of the target device using the determined first distance and second distance.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein determining the location of the target device comprises determining a plane in which the target device is located.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

transmitting, from a third interrogator device to the target device, a fifth RF signal having the first center frequency;

receiving, at the third interrogator device and from the target device, a sixth RF signal having the second center frequency;

determining a third distance based on the fifth RF signal and the sixth RF signal, wherein determining the location of the target device comprises determining a 3D location of the target device using the first, second, and third distances.

22. A system, comprising:

a first interrogator device, comprising;

a first antenna configured to transmit, to a target device, a first radio-frequency (RF) signal having a first center frequency;

a second antenna configured to receive, from the target device, a second RF signal having a second center frequency that is a harmonic of the first frequency; and

first circuitry configured to obtain, using the first RF signal and the second RF signal, a first mixed RF signal indicative of a first distance between the first interrogator and the target device;

a second interrogator device, comprising;

a third antenna configured to transmit, to the target device, a third RF signal having the first center frequency;

a fourth antenna configured to receive, from the target device, a fourth RF signal having the second center frequency; and

second circuitry configured to obtain, using the third RF signal and the fourth RF signal, a second mixed RF signal indicative of a second distance between the second interrogator and the target device;

a third interrogator device, comprising;

a fifth antenna configured to transmit, to the target device, a fifth RF signal having the first center frequency;

a sixth antenna configured to receive, from the target device, a sixth RF signal having the second center frequency; and

third circuitry configured to obtain, using the fifth RF signal and the sixth RF signal, a third mixed RF signal indicative of a third distance between the third interrogator and the target device; and

at least one processor configured to;

determine the first distance based on the first mixed RF signal;

determine the second distance based on the second mixed RF signal;

determine the third distance based on the third mixed RF signal; and

determine at least a two-dimensional location of the target device using the determined first distance, second distance, and third distance.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine at least a three-dimensional location of the location of the target device using the determined first distance, second distance, and third distance.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the first interrogator device comprises a first semiconductor die and the first circuitry is integrated with the first semiconductor die.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the first circuitry comprises:

first signal transformation circuitry comprising at least one frequency multiplier and configured to transform the first RF signal to obtain a first transformed RF signal having the second center frequency; and

a first mixer configured to mix the first transformed RF signal having the second center frequency with the second RF signal to obtain the first mixed RF signal indicative of the first distance between the first interrogator and the target device.