Q-track Corporation

Time Domain Corporation

Next-rf, Inc.

Other

Baby Dipper LLC

Alereon, Inc.

Gan Corp.

G-track Corporation

Hans Gregory Schantz

Robert Edward DePierre

David Langford

David J Hall

Scott M Yano

Glenn Wolenec

Jerome Sylvester Gabig

Kazimierz Siwiak

Herbert U Fluhler

Eric Alexander Richards

Barbara McNew Schantz

Alfred Hans Unden

James Lee Richards

Mark Andrew Barnes

David M Dickson

Peter Beucher

Soumya K Nag

Stephen A Werner

Andrew Compston

Patrick Allan McNew

James David Fluhler

Charles G Gilbert

James Matthew Barron

Christopher David Pittman

Clark David Della Silva

Jason Kai Siang Kang

Kazimierez Siwiak

Michael Jason Meares

A narrowband impulse radio system includes a transmitter, transmitting a plurality of harmonic signals, and a receiver, receiving the signals, wherein the signals cooperate in a constructive alignment to yield a narrowband impulse signal of amplitude approximately equal to the sum of the amplitudes of the plurality of harmonic signals. The transmitter or the receiver may employ a plurality of phase shifters to effect the cooperation in the transmitted or received signals, respectively. The harmonic signals cooperate to yield a quasi-DC signal whose pulse rate equals the fundamental harmonic frequency. In a preferred embodiment, the narrowband impulse transmitter further includes a plurality of transmit modules each transmitting one of the plurality of harmonics. The plurality of transmit modules may employ magnetic antennas characterized by a magnetic axis aligned at an angle of approximately 55 degrees relative to a common axis, or in other embodiments, may employ mechanically rotating permanent magnets.

Narrowband impulse radio system and method

The present disclosure pertains to a rotationally triply symmetric three axis magnetic antenna system having substantial isolation among the three axes, including a three axis skew orthogonal magnetic antenna system and device utilizing the antenna system. The antenna system comprising three substantially identical magnetic antenna elements disposed symmetrically about a reference point such that the magnetic axes from the three antenna elements are orthogonal to one another in direction and do not intersect one another. The three antenna elements are positioned in a substantial cross coupling null from one another to minimize cross coupling. The arrangement yields packaging efficiency for compact electronic devices. A 1, 1, diameter embodiment is disclosed. A location system utilizing the antenna system is disclosed. Methods for producing the antenna are disclosed. A moldable triple coil holder for the antenna system is described.

Embedded symmetric multiple axis antenna system with isolation among the multiple axes

A method of near-field electromagnetic ranging and location exploits the long-wavelength, near-field characteristics of low-frequency RF signals like those in the vicinity of the AM broadcast band. These signals are robust against scattering from small objects and only mildly perturbed by the urban landscape including building structures. They are thus amenable to an RF fingerprinting approach exploiting a coarse calibration to capture the behavior of the gradually varying signal characteristics. In embodiments, a method of near-field electromagnetic ranging and location may exploit transmit tags transmitting to an infrastructure of locator-receivers, or locator-receiver tags detecting signals from an infrastructure of fixed transmitter beacons. In still further embodiments, fixed transmitter beacons may be supplemented by uncooperative signals sources including signals-of-opportunity like AM broadcast band signals.

Method of near-field electromagnetic ranging and location

A directive electrically small antenna (DESA) process and method employs multipole synthesis to implement directive electrically small multipole antennas with ultra-wideband (UWB) stable antenna patterns. Although lossy, embodiments have adequate efficiency to work as receive antennas in the high ambient noise environment of the HF band and below. Employing a process dubbed 'antenna regeneration,' energy may be circulated within an antenna by means other than resonance. This enables multiple decade UWB response without the efficiency penalties inherent to traditional resistively-loaded antenna systems. Regenerative antennas can simultaneously achieve the performance of high Q resonant antennas and the bandwidth of resistively loaded antennas.

Directive, electrically-small UWB antenna system and method

A space efficient magnetic antenna is disclosed for use in tracking, positioning and other applications. In a preferred embodiment, a space efficient magnetic antenna system comprises a first magnetic antenna with a first null axis aligned within a predetermined plane and a second magnetic antenna having a second null axis aligned substantially orthogonal to a first null axis. A second magnetic antenna system lies in a minimal coupling orientation with respect to a first magnetic antenna system. Additionally, a first magnetic antenna may further comprise a plurality of interconnected magnetic antenna elements. A space efficient magnetic antenna system may include an RF module. In further embodiments, the antenna system may enclose a substantial majority of the device including the RF module; the RF module may be enclosed substantially or wholly within one or more antennas of the antenna system.

Space efficient magnetic antenna method

A system and method for determining a position of a locus comprising a locator device for disposition at the locus; the locator device configured for receiving an electromagnetic signal from a beacon device, the locator device receiving at a distance from the beacon device within near field range of the electromagnetic signal; the locator device configured for distinguishing at least two characteristics of the electromagnetic signal sensed at the locus; the system employing the at least two characteristics to effect the determining of the position of the locus.

Near field electromagnetic location system and method

The present application describes firefighter location and rescue equipment (FLARE) comprising: a plurality of tag transmitters, a first tag transmitter of said plurality of tag transmitters emitting a first signal, a plurality of locator-receivers receiving said first signal, each of said plurality of locator receivers determining a first set of signal characteristic data for said first signal, a computer compiling said first set of signal characteristic data in a reference database along with an associated path variable, a second tag transmitter of said plurality of tag transmitters emitting a second signal, a plurality of locator-receivers receiving said second signal, each of said plurality of locator receivers determining a second set of signal characteristic data for said second signal, said computer comparing said second set of signal characteristic data to the reference database, said computer displaying said comparison for evaluating the location of said second tag transmitter relative to a path taken by said first tag transmitter.

Firefighter location and rescue equipment employing path comparison of mobile tags

An inexpensive planar antenna fabricated as a plurality of parallel layers of multi turn spiral loops co-located with conductive material at the center of the loops, there being an exclusion zone free of conductive material between the innermost loop and the conductive material at the center. The conductive material may comprise circuit elements, for example batteries, amplifiers, antenna drivers or other functional elements as well as passive elements. In one embodiment, the loop traces may be staggered. In another embodiment, the loop traces are varied in width as a function of position within the loop cross section. In further embodiments, the planar form is integrated with additional orthogonal planar antennas substantially coplanar with the first planar antenna and having axes orthogonal to the first planar antenna and to one another. In further embodiments the exclusion zone is extended by design rules and confining routes in a circuit section. The antenna system may be configured as a three dimensional omnidirectional antenna and is well adapted for small form factor hand held and portable wireless applications.

Planar loop antenna system

An inventory control system and method uses a locating device associated with a mover and identifies an ID tagged asset using an ID reader also associated with the mover. Thus, a single relatively high-cost locating device may be temporarily associated with the asset, enabling precise location of a multitude of assets as a mover traverses an inventory area. The asset location and identification may be associated in a database. The asset location may be refined by using additional measurement devices, for example a forklift height sensor, to determine extension from a locating device. A further embodiment utilizes RFID or barcode technology for the ID tag. The locating device may utilize near-field location technology, signals-of-opportunity, or other RTLS technologies.

Inventory control and method

A multiple phase state near-field electromagnetic location and communication system includes a multiple phase state near-field transmitter, and a near-field locator receiver. The near-field transmitter is capable of operation in at least two states and each of these at least two states generates a state characteristic difference detected at the near-field locator receiver. The state characteristic difference may be employed for location determination, communication or both. The present invention is particularly well-suited for use in conjunction with a near-field electromagnetic ranging system. In further embodiments, a multiple phase state near-field electromagnetic location and communication process includes the steps of determining a transmission state for a near-field quadrature transmitter, transmitting a near-field transmission corresponding to said transmission state, receiving a near-field transmission corresponding to said transmission state, and determining a difference between at least two properties of said near-field transmission where the difference is characteristic of and corresponding to the transmission state.

Multiple phase state near-field electromagnetic system and method for communication and location

A signal-of-opportunity location device (SOLD) that may be situated in a complex radio propagation environment with multiple RF signal obstructions receives RF signals from a distant transmitter. The RF signals from the distant transmitter interact with obstructions in the propagation environment local to the SOLD. The local obstructions perturb the RF signals causing the RF signals to exhibit near field behavior in the complex radio propagation environment. The SOLD receives the locally perturbed signals. The SOLD detects signal characteristics of RF signal components of the received signals and compares these signal characteristics with reference data in a reference data store to determine the current location of the SOLD.

Method and apparatus for determining location using signals-of-opportunity

A bowl includes non-slip means and spoon-assisted food conglomeration means. In a preferred embodiment, the bowl is transparent. Non-slip means may include a weight structure, a non-slip material affixed to the bowl bottom either substantially continuously covering the bottom or substantially discontinuously covering the bottom. Spoon-assisted food conglomeration means may include a sloped bottom, a substantially spoon-shaped locus, a steep rim, or an inward-curving rim. The bowl may further include spillage reduction means. Spillage reduction means may include an abrupt taper terminus, a steep rim, an inward-curving rim, or a chamfered or rounded bowl vertex. Alternatively the bowl may comprise a sloped bottom terminating in a substantially spoon-shaped locus and further comprise non-slip means. In alternate embodiments the bowl may further comprise spillage reduction means or be characterized by a substantial transparent region.

Baby bowl

A system and method for identification and location of an asset by tracking the mover of the asset using a locating device associated with the mover and identifying the asset using an identification reader associated with the mover and a passive identification tag associated with the asset. A single mover may move many assets. An asset is identified; the mover then moves the asset to a destination location, whereupon the mover and asset position are determined. The asset location may then be recorded in memory. The measurement of the destination location may be extended from the location measured by the active location device by using additional measurement devices, for example a forklift height sensor. A further embodiment utilizes RFID or barcode technology for the passive tag and may utilize near field positioning technology for the active location device.

Asset localization identification and movement system and method

The present invention is directed to a small aperture broadband localizing system, comprising one or more systems for ascertaining angle-of-arrival of an electromagnetic signal and a transmit tag. A system for ascertaining angle-of-arrival of an electromagnetic signal further comprises a compact antenna array and an evaluation apparatus, and an electromagnetic signal is preferentially a broadband or ultra-wideband (UWB) signal.

Small aperture broadband localizing system

A calibration system for a position determination system, the calibration system includes, in one embodiment, a calibration transmitter producing a calibration signal, a plurality of calibration receivers for receiving the calibration signal, each of the calibration receivers of the plurality of calibration receivers having a respective known calibration receiver position, and each of the calibration receivers of the plurality of calibration receivers including means for receiving a first signal characteristic of said calibration signal, means for receiving a second signal characteristic of said calibration signal, and a comparison unit for comparing said first signal characteristic and said second signal characteristic of said calibration signal to generate a calibration comparison result. In various embodiments, signal comparisons may be differences between electric and magnetic field phase or may utilize signal amplitude differences. A system utilizing a receiver and multiple transmitter locations is disclosed. Position may be determined using existing wiring.

Growing community of inventors

Huntsville, AL, United States of America

Hans Gregory Schantz