Radio location system for precisely tracking objects by RF transceiver tags which randomly and repetitively emit wideband identification signals
US5920287A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 21, 1997 |
| Grant date | Jul 6, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 21, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01S13/825
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An asset management radio location system uses time-of-arrival differentiation for random and repetitive spread spectrum, short duration pulse `blinks` from object-attached tags, to provide a practical, continuous identification of the location of each and every object within an environment of interest, irrespective whether the object is stationary or moving. Correlation-based RF processors determine which signals received by tag transmission readers are first-to-arrive signals as transmitted from any blinking tag, and an object location processor carries out time-of-arrival differentiation of these first-to-arrive transmissions from any blinking tag to determine where the respective object is located within the environment. A low power interrogation wand may be employed to refine the location of an object by a user programmed transmission-response exchange between the wand and the tag associated with the object of interest.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.