US Government As Represented by the Secretary of the Army

Dbtag, Inc.

Michael Steer

Michael Leonard Brennan

Daniel Charles Heinz

Adam Melber

Thomas Albert Burst

Wayne D Dettloff

William E Batchelor

Robert A Heaton

Various embodiments are described that relate to a detector. The detector can include a loop functioning at a high frequency that emits a magnetic field. The magnetic field can be retrieved and a comparison can be made between the emitted magnetic field and the retrieved magnetic field. If there is substantially little difference between the emitted and retrieved field, then a determination can be that no object is present. Conversely, if there is a substantial difference between the emitted and retrieved field, then the determination can be that an object is present and thus the object is detected. If the object is present, the returned magnetic field can be further analyzed to determine the type of object that is detected.

Detector

Various embodiments are described that relate to a loop with a constant phase. The loop can function as an antenna and be used in object detection. A current source can be used to power the loop such that the loop produces a magnetic field and electric field. The magnetic field can be powerful enough to detect a dielectric while the electric field is so small that it does not interfere with nearby communication equipment. Thus, detection can occur without disruption of other important devices.

Constant phase

Various embodiments are described that relate to a loop with a constant phase. The loop can function as an antenna and be used in object detection. A current source can be used to power the loop such that the loop produces a magnetic field and an electric field. The magnetic field can be powerful enough to detect a dielectric while the electric field is so small that it does not interfere with nearby communication equipment. Thus, detection can occur without disruption of other important devices.

An array of in-phase current loops are disposed adjacent to one another to define a surface and to define a virtual current loop at a periphery of the surface that produces a same direction virtual current while current in adjacent portions of adjacent current loops flows in opposite directions, to thereby wirelessly project power from the surface. It has been found according to the invention that the array of in-phase current loops that are disposed adjacent to one another to define a surface and to define a virtual current loop at a periphery of the surface that produces a same direction virtual current while current in adjacent portions of adjacent current loops flows in opposite directions, can provide acceptable power to RFID tags, while reducing the risk of violating regulatory constraints. A plurality of arrays of in-phase current loops also may be provided. The multiple arrays of in-phase current loops are disposed adjacent to one another to define a surface. Each array of in-phase current loops may be configured as was described above. N-ary tree traversals, push and pop commands and/or warp commands also may be used to efficiently identify tags.

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Raleigh, NC, United States of America

Michael Steer