Apparatus and method for determining a position of a transmitter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10935622-B2
Application number	US-201816059772-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 9, 2018
Priority date	Feb 12, 2016
Publication date	Mar 2, 2021
Grant date	Mar 2, 2021

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus for determining information on a position of a transmitter with an antenna apparatus, a control apparatus and a data processing apparatus. The antenna apparatus includes several different directional characteristics that each relate to an amount of spatially different receive sensitivities of the antenna apparatus. The antenna apparatus includes signal outputs, wherein the directional characteristics are allocated to the signal outputs. The control apparatus connects one signal output of the antenna apparatus to an information reading apparatus and further signal outputs of the antenna apparatus to the data processing apparatus. The information reading apparatus determines data transmitted with the signals from the received signals. The data processing apparatus evaluates received signals with respect to their physical characteristics. Further, the invention relates to a respective method.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Apparatus for determining at least one piece of information on a position of a transmitter,
comprising an antenna apparatus, a control apparatus and a data processing apparatus,
wherein the antenna apparatus comprises several different directivities,
wherein the directivities each relate to an amount of spatially different receive sensitivities of the antenna apparatus,
wherein the antenna apparatus comprises several signal output ports,
wherein the directivities are allocated to the signal output ports,
wherein the control apparatus is configured to connect one signal output port of the antenna apparatus to an information reading apparatus and further signal output ports of the antenna apparatus to the data processing apparatus,
wherein the information reading apparatus is configured to determine data from received signals that are transmitted with the signals and
wherein the data processing apparatus is configured to evaluate received signals with respect to their signal amplitudes and/or phases.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the apparatus comprises the information reading apparatus as a component.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the information reading apparatus is configured to determine both from the received signals the data transmitted with the signals and to evaluate the received signals with respect to their signal amplitudes and/or phases.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the antenna apparatus comprises several antenna elements,
wherein the antenna elements comprise one directivity each, and
wherein the signal output ports are connected to different antenna elements.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the antenna apparatus comprises a feed network and
wherein the feed network effects different directivities of the antenna apparatus.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 ,
wherein the feed network is configured to separate signals received with the antenna apparatus into the individual directivities.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the control apparatus is configured to connect the information reading apparatus alternately to different signal output ports of the antenna apparatus.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the antenna apparatus is configured as multi-beam antenna and
wherein the directivities differ from one another at least with respect to the orientation of the beams.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the directivities partly overlap.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the apparatus comprises a signal source and
wherein the signal source is configured to generate an excitation signal that is radiated by the antenna apparatus.

11. Apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the transmitter is a radio frequency identification transponder.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11 ,
wherein the information reading apparatus is a radio frequency identification reader.

13. Apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the control apparatus is configured to connect the information reading apparatus alternately to different signal output ports of the antenna apparatus and respective further signal output ports of the antenna apparatus to the data processing apparatus.

14. Method for determining at least one piece of information on a position of a transmitter,
receiving signals originating from the transmitter with an antenna apparatus with different directivities each relating to an amount of spatially different receive sensitivities, wherein the antenna apparatus comprises several signal output ports, and wherein the directivities are allocated to the signal output ports,
connecting one signal output port of the antenna apparatus to an information reading apparatus and further signal output ports of the antenna apparatus to the data processing apparatus,
determining data transmitted with the signals the information reading apparatus from the received signal, and
evaluating the other received signals with respect to their signal amplitudes and/or phases and with respect to the information on the position of the transmitter.

15. Apparatus for determining at least one piece of information on a position of a transmitter,
comprising an antenna apparatus, a control apparatus and a data processing apparatus,
wherein the antenna apparatus comprises several different directivities,
wherein the antenna apparatus comprises a feed network,
wherein the feed network effects different directivities of the antenna apparatus and is configured to separate signals received with the antenna apparatus into the individual directivities,
wherein the directivities each relate to an amount of spatially different receive sensitivities of the antenna apparatus,
wherein the antenna apparatus comprises several signal output ports,
wherein the directivities are allocated to the signal output ports,
wherein the control apparatus is configured to connect one signal output port of the antenna apparatus to an information reading apparatus and further signal output ports of the antenna apparatus to the data processing apparatus,
wherein the control apparatus is configured to connect the information reading apparatus alternately to different signal output ports of the antenna apparatus and respective further signal output ports of the antenna apparatus to the data processing apparatus,
wherein the information reading apparatus is configured to determine data from received signals that are transmitted with the signals and
wherein the data processing apparatus is configured to evaluate received signals with respect to their signal amplitudes and/or phases.

Assignees

• Fraunhofer Ges Forschung

Inventors

• Schuehler Mario
• Weisgerber Lars
• Arendt Johannes
• Wansch Rainer
• Milosiu Heinrich
• Oehler Frank

Classifications

• H01Q3/24

  varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching · CPC title

• G01S3/14 Primary

  Systems for determining direction or deviation from predetermined direction {(aerial arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern H01Q3/00; combinations of different interacting aerial units for giving a desired directional characteristic H01Q21/29; aerials or aerial systems providing at least two radiation patterns H01Q25/00)} · CPC title

• H01Q3/40

  with phasing matrix · CPC title

• G01S7/03

  Details of HF subsystems specially adapted therefor, e.g. common to transmitter and receiver · CPC title

• G06K7/10356

  using a plurality of antennas, e.g. configurations including means to resolve interference between the plurality of antennas · CPC title