California Institute of Technology

Chevron U.s.a. Inc.

Disney Enterprises, Inc.

Darmindra D Arumugam

Hailing An

Robert Kwan Meng Seah

Daniel D Stancil

Baha Tulu Tanju

Thomas Edward O'Donnell

Joshua D Griffin

Matthew Trotter

David Ricketts

Jack D Bush

An electrically small electroquasistatic antenna having a structure that reduces radiated magnetic fields and maintains suitable radiated electrical fields. The electroquasistatic antenna is a dipole antenna that is electrically short, which presents as a capacitor for use as an electroquasistatic antenna, with one or multiple counterposed inductive elements to resonate the antenna and provide high efficiency while simultaneously canceling the external magnetic fields. The electroquasistatic antenna may be configured for operation as an electroquasistatic exciter or electroquasistatic detector.

Electrically small self-resonant electro-quasistatic exciter and detector with canceled magnetic field

Methods and systems for indoor position sensing are disclosed. The described methods and systems are based on magnetoquasistatic field coupling theory and can be implemented in two- and three-dimensional, long-range, through-the-wall applications, where the transmitting devices are implemented outdoor, the receiving device is implemented indoor, or vice versa. Measurement systems implemented to characterize the disclosed methods are also presented for both two- and three-dimensional applications involving indoor position sensing. Orientation sensing methods and systems are also disclosed.

3D long-range through-the-wall magnetoquasistatic coupling and application to indoor position sensing

Orientation and position sensing methods and devices are disclosed. The described methods and devices are based on implementing magneto-electric-quasi-static fields for position and orientation sensing in lossy-dielectric, conducting, or metallic non-line-of-sight environments, where obstructions or occlusions or nearby objects exists that are lossy in nature and that typically perturb radio or electromagnetic wave signaling. Detailed experimental results highlighting the performance of the disclosed methods are also presented.

Methods and systems for position and orientation sensing in non-line-of-sight environments using combined decoupled quasistatic magnetic and electric fields

Magneto-quasistatic signals may be used to enable under-liquid communication between devices. A magneto-quasistatic signal transmitter of an under-liquid device may transmit a magneto-quasistatic signal conveying communication data through liquid. A magneto-quasistatic signal receiver of another under-liquid device may receive the magneto-quasistatic signal and extract the communication data from the magneto-quasistatic signal. The under-liquid device that received the magneto-quasistatic signal may use the communication data, store the communicate data, and/or relay the communication data (e.g., to another under-liquid device, to an above-liquid device) using another magneto-quasistatic signal.

Under-liquid communication using magneto-quasistatic signals

Magneto-electric quasistatic (MEQS) field may be used to track positions of persons and/or objects inside metallic environments. A magneto-electric quasistatic field generator may generate a magneto-electric quasistatic field inside a metallic environment. A magneto-electric quasistatic field detector inside the metallic environment may detect the magneto-electric quasistatic field and generate output signals conveying characteristics of the magneto-electric quasistatic field. The relative position of the magneto-electric quasistatic field detector with respect to the magneto-electric quasistatic field generator may be determined based on the output signals. The position of the magneto-electric quasistatic field detector/generator and/or the position of a person/object carrying the magneto-electric quasistatic field detector/generator may be tracked using the relative position of the magneto-electric quasistatic field detector with respect to the magneto-electric quasistatic field generator.

Position tracking inside metallic environments using magneto-electric quasistatic fields

A magneto-quasistatic field may be used to align hydrogen of materials within a structure and/or to disrupt the alignment of hydrogen of materials within the structure. Realignment of the hydrogen after the disruption may cause emission of energy from the hydrogen. The characteristic(s) of the energy may be detected and used to generate image(s) of interior portion(s) of the structure.

Imaging inside a structure using magneto quasistatic fields

Range and orientation of a transmitter and a receiver are found by detecting the magnetoquasistatic field couplings between coils at the transmitter and receiver. Sum functions and ratio functions are calculated for each of the unique magnetoquasistatic field couplings between the transmitter and the receiver. The sum and ratio functions are inverted to determine the drift-free range and orientation. Linear and angular velocity and acceleration are calculated by applying a filter to reduce noise, and then taking the corresponding derivatives.

Wireless measurement of linear and angular velocity and acceleration, and position, range, and orientation, via weakly-coupled quasistatic magnetic fields

Subsurface imaging with information of shape, volume, and dielectric properties is achieved with low frequencies and a ramp waveform. The low frequencies have a lower attenuation compared to the penetration losses of radar frequencies. The technique operates at wavelengths which are comparable to the object or void being imaged, and can be applied to detect and image underground aquifers, magma chambers, man-made tunnels and other underground structures.

Sub-surface imaging of dielectric structures and voids via narrowband electromagnetic resonance scattering

Quasistatic through-the-wall non-line-of-sight coupling between a mobile transmitting device located within a metallic enclosure, and a fixed receiving device located outside the enclosure, enables positioning of the transmitting device through the wall of the enclosure and in non-line-of-sight environments. The coupling of the magnetic and electric quasistatic fields occurs through a small aperture in the metallic enclosure, such as the gap normally present in the hatch of industrial metallic enclosures.

Aperture-coupled magnetoelectric quasistatic sensing

Magnetoquasistatic through-the-wall non-line-of-sight coupling between a mobile transmitting device located within a building, or indoor, and a fixed receiving device located outside the building, outdoor, enables positioning of the transmitting device through the wall of the building and in non-line-of-sight environments. Systems based on magnetoquasistatic coupling can separately sense the distance and orientation of the transmitting device accurately even in heavy non-line-sight environments such as steel-reinforced buildings. The approach permits sensing and determination of location and attitude of mobile devices in buildings and can be used to locate rescue workers, first responders, or law enforcement officers inside a building.

Through-the-wall magnetoquasistatic positioning

Methods and systems for non-line-of-sight positioning are disclosed for arbitrarily short to long ranges, where positioning is achieved using a single anchor not requiring tri-/multi-lateration or tri-/multi-angulation. Magnetoquasistatic fields can be used to determine position and orientation of a device in two or three dimensions. Two or three axis coils can be used in receivers and transmitters. The magnetoquasistatic equations are solved in different scenarios, taking into consideration the image signals originating from the interaction between the fields and ground/earth.

Decoupled magnetoquasistatic non-line-of-sight position and orientation sensing for arbitrary distances

Embodiments of the invention broadly contemplate systems, methods, apparatuses and program products that provide position tracking using a simple, low frequency oscillator that is attached to an object to be tracked, and one or more receiving stations that are placed around the area in which the object moves. Embodiments of the invention enable position tracking of the object using light weight equipment which minimally impacts the object's natural state.

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Pasadena, CA, United States of America

Darmindra D Arumugam