The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 21, 2025
Filed:
Apr. 23, 2024
Merlin Technology, Inc., Kent, WA (US);
Craig A. Caswell, Mattawa, WA (US);
Scott D. Phillips, Normandy Park, WA (US);
Merlin Technology, Inc., Kent, WA (US);
Abstract
A transmitter for an inground operation includes an antenna and a sensor section for generating sensor data. An antenna driver selectively drives the antenna to emit a locating signal such that the locating signal carries the sensor data. A processor controls the antenna driver to transmit the locating signal during a normal mode and to enter a sleep state that disables at least the sensor section and the antenna driver such that the locating signal is not transmitted responsive to detecting that the transmitter is inactive. The processor can enter a snooze mode from the normal mode by disabling the antenna driver so that the locating signal is not transmitted, without disabling the sensor section, and the snooze mode requires less power than the normal mode but more power than the sleep state.