Patent · US Expired

Under and above ground, radio frequency driven element, vector display, metal locating system

US6636042B1 · kind B1 · utility

2Cited by
11References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateSep 7, 2001
Grant dateOct 21, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 7, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01V3/12
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A system for locating underground or above ground metal and pipe objects includes a transmitter for generating an RF signal which is applied to the object which acts as a transmitter. An above-ground antenna array receives the RF signal transmitted by the underground object with a commutator for periodically and sequentially receiving signal from each antenna in the array, the commutator frequency modulating the received signal. A FM demodulator then demodulates the signal from the commutator and provides a Doppler effect frequency shift signal. A vector positional display then indicates position of the object based on the Doppler effect frequency shift signal relative to a reference signal.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.