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US4041490A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Measurement system calibrated to be insensitive to temperature variation induced changes in internal phase shifts present in the system

Assignee: Cubic Corp
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Filing: 1976-06-25
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Granted: 1977-08-09
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Expires: 1996-06-25
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Abstract

Abstract A measurement system wherein a given quantity such as distance, is determined by measuring the phase shift between a transmitted signal and a signal received from a transponder in response to the transmitted signal. The system includes a transmitter, a receiver, a digital phasemeter for measuring the phase shift and for providing a count representative thereof, and a calibration system for making the measurement system insensitive to temperature variation induced change in internal phase shifts present in the transmitter and receiver.

Inventors

  • 👤 Richard Edwin Watt

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 03:02
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S13/00; G01S13/02; G01S13/06; G01S13/08; G01S13/32; G01S13/36; G01S13/74; G01S13/82; G01S13/84; G01S7/00; G01S7/02; G01S7/40; G01S7/4052; G01S7/406; G01S7/4069

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim 116 words
A measurement system wherein a given quantity is determined by measuring the phase shift between a transmitted continuous wave signal from a transmitter and a continuous wave signal received by a receiver from a transponder in response to said transmitted signal, comprising said transmitter, said receiver, and a digital phasemeter for measuring said phase shift and for providing a count representative thereof, and including means for presetting the count therein to compensate for internal phase shifts in the measurement system, wherein the improvement comprises a calibration system connected to the transmitter and the receiver for making the measurement system insensitive to temperature variation induced changes in internal phase shifts present in the transmitter and the receiver.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 116 words
A measurement system wherein a given quantity is determined by measuring the phase shift between a transmitted continuous wave signal from a transmitter and a continuous wave signal received by a receiver from a transponder in response to said transmitted signal, comprising said transmitter, said receiver, and a digital phasemeter for measuring said phase shift and for providing a count representative thereof, and including means for presetting the count therein to compensate for internal phase shifts in the measurement system, wherein the improvement comprises a calibration system connected to the transmitter and the receiver for making the measurement system insensitive to temperature variation induced changes in internal phase shifts present in the transmitter and the receiver.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 328 words
A measurement system wherein a given quantity is determined by measuring the phase shift between a transmitted signal from a transmitter and a signal received by a receiver from a transponder in response to said transmitted signal, comprising said transmitter, said receiver, and a digital phasemeter for measuring said phase shift and for providing a count representative thereof, and including means for presetting the count therein to compensate for internal phase shifts in the measurement system, wherein the improvement comprises a calibration system for making the measurement system insensitive to temperature variation induced changes in internal phase shifts present in the transmitter and the receiver, wherein the calibration system comprises switching means for placing the measurement system in a calibration mode wherein a closed path is completed from the transmitter through the switching means to the receiver, and for placing the measurement system in a measurement mode wherein the path from the transmitter to the receiver is via the transponder; and control means for causing the phasemeter to count down when the measurement system is in said calibration mode, said down-count being a number representative of the combined internal phase shifts present in the transmitter, the receiver and the switching means, and for causing the phasemeter to count up when the measurement system is in the measurement mode, said up-count being a number representative of the measured phase shift induced by the given quantity to be determined plus the combined internal phase shifts of the transmitter, the receiver and the transponder; whereby when the phasemeter has been preset to contain a count equal to a number representative of the internal phase shift of the switching means minus a number representative of the internal phase shift of the transponder, and then operated in said calibration mode and said measurement mode, said counts representative of said internal phase shifts are mutually offset, with the remaining count being representative of the phase shift induced by the given quantity to be determined.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 328 words
A measurement system wherein a given quantity is determined by measuring the phase shift between a transmitted signal from a transmitter and a signal received by a receiver from a transponder in response to said transmitted signal, comprising said transmitter, said receiver, and a digital phasemeter for measuring said phase shift and for providing a count representative thereof, and including means for presetting the count therein to compensate for internal phase shifts in the measurement system, wherein the improvement comprises a calibration system for making the measurement system insensitive to temperature variation induced changes in internal phase shifts present in the transmitter and the receiver, wherein the calibration system comprises switching means for placing the measurement system in a calibration mode wherein a closed path is completed from the transmitter through the switching means to the receiver, and for placing the measurement system in a measurement mode wherein the path from the transmitter to the receiver is via the transponder; and control means for causing the phasemeter to count down when the measurement system is in said calibration mode, said down-count being a number representative of the combined internal phase shifts present in the transmitter, the receiver and the switching means, and for causing the phasemeter to count up when the measurement system is in the measurement mode, said up-count being a number representative of the measured phase shift induced by the given quantity to be determined plus the combined internal phase shifts of the transmitter, the receiver and the transponder; whereby when the phasemeter has been preset to contain a count equal to a number representative of the internal phase shift of the switching means minus a number representative of the internal phase shift of the transponder, and then operated in said calibration mode and said measurement mode, said counts representative of said internal phase shifts are mutually offset, with the remaining count being representative of the phase shift induced by the given quantity to be determined.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 116 words
A distance measurement system wherein a distance is determined by measuring the phase shift between a transmitted continuous wave signal from a transmitter and a continuous wave signal received by a receiver from a transponder in response to said transmitted signal, comprising said transmitter, said receiver, and a digital phasemeter for measuring said phase shift and for providing a count representative thereof, and including means for presetting the count therein to compensate for internal phase shifts in the measurement system, wherein the improvement comprises a calibration system connected to the transmitter and the receiver for making the measurement system insensitive to temperature variation induced changes in internal phase shifts present in the transmitter and the receiver.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 116 words
A distance measurement system wherein a distance is determined by measuring the phase shift between a transmitted continuous wave signal from a transmitter and a continuous wave signal received by a receiver from a transponder in response to said transmitted signal, comprising said transmitter, said receiver, and a digital phasemeter for measuring said phase shift and for providing a count representative thereof, and including means for presetting the count therein to compensate for internal phase shifts in the measurement system, wherein the improvement comprises a calibration system connected to the transmitter and the receiver for making the measurement system insensitive to temperature variation induced changes in internal phase shifts present in the transmitter and the receiver.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 326 words
A distance measurement system wherein a distance is determined by measuring the phase shift between a transmitted signal from a transmitter and a signal received by a receiver from a transponder in response to said transmitted signal, comprising said transmitter, said receiver, and a digital phasemeter for measuring said phase shift and for providing a count representative thereof, and including means for presetting the count therein to compensate for internal phase shifts in the measurement system, wherein the improvement comprises a calibration system for making the measurement system insensitive to temperature variation induced changes in internal phase shifts present in the transmitter and the receiver, wherein the calibration system comprises switching means for placing the measurement system in a calibration mode wherein a closed path is completed from the transmitter through the switching means to the receiver, and for placing the measurement system in a measurement mode wherein the path from the transmitter to the receiver is via the transponder; and control means for causing the phasemeter to count down when the measurement system is in said calibration mode, said down-count being a number representative of the combined internal phase shifts present in the transmitter, the receiver and the switching means, and for causing the phasemeter to count up when the measurement system is in the measurement mode, said up-count being a number representative of the measured phase shift induced by the distance to be determined plus the combined internal phase shifts of the transmitter, the receiver and the transponder; whereby when the phasemeter has been preset to contain a count equal to a number representative of the internal phase shift of the switching means minus a number representative of the internal phase shift of the transponder, and then operated in said calibration mode and said measurement mode, said counts representative of said internal phase shifts are mutually offset, with the remaining count being representative of the phase shift induced by the distance to be determined.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 326 words
A distance measurement system wherein a distance is determined by measuring the phase shift between a transmitted signal from a transmitter and a signal received by a receiver from a transponder in response to said transmitted signal, comprising said transmitter, said receiver, and a digital phasemeter for measuring said phase shift and for providing a count representative thereof, and including means for presetting the count therein to compensate for internal phase shifts in the measurement system, wherein the improvement comprises a calibration system for making the measurement system insensitive to temperature variation induced changes in internal phase shifts present in the transmitter and the receiver, wherein the calibration system comprises switching means for placing the measurement system in a calibration mode wherein a closed path is completed from the transmitter through the switching means to the receiver, and for placing the measurement system in a measurement mode wherein the path from the transmitter to the receiver is via the transponder; and control means for causing the phasemeter to count down when the measurement system is in said calibration mode, said down-count being a number representative of the combined internal phase shifts present in the transmitter, the receiver and the switching means, and for causing the phasemeter to count up when the measurement system is in the measurement mode, said up-count being a number representative of the measured phase shift induced by the distance to be determined plus the combined internal phase shifts of the transmitter, the receiver and the transponder; whereby when the phasemeter has been preset to contain a count equal to a number representative of the internal phase shift of the switching means minus a number representative of the internal phase shift of the transponder, and then operated in said calibration mode and said measurement mode, said counts representative of said internal phase shifts are mutually offset, with the remaining count being representative of the phase shift induced by the distance to be determined.
Claim 9
Independent Claim 276 words
A method of calibrating a measurement system wherein a given quantity is determined by using a digital phasemeter for measuring the phase shift between a transmitted signal from a transmitter and a signal received by a receiver from a transponder in response to said transmitted signal, and for providing a count representative of said measured phase shift, said method comprising presetting the count in the phasemeter to compensate for internal phase shifts in the measurement system, wherein the improvement comprises placing the measurement system in a calibration mode wherein a closed path is completed from the transmitter through a switching means to the receiver, and causing the phasemeter to count down a number representative of the combined internal phase shifts present in the transmitter, the receiver and the switching means; and placing the measurement system in a measurement mode wherein the path from the transmitter to the receiver is via the transponder, and causing the phasemeter to count up a number representative of the measured phase shift induced by the given quantity to be determined plus the combined internal phase shifts of the transmitter, the receiver and the transponder; and presetting the phasemeter to contain an initial count equal to a number representative of the internal phase shift of the switching means minus a number representative of the internal phase shift of the transponder; whereby when the phasemeter has been preset to contain said initial count, and then operated in said calibration mode and said measurement mode, said counts representative of said internal phase shifts are mutually offset, with the remaining count being representative of the phase shift induced by the given quantity to be determined.
Claim 10
Independent Claim 276 words
A method of calibrating a measurement system wherein a given quantity is determined by using a digital phasemeter for measuring the phase shift between a transmitted signal from a transmitter and a signal received by a receiver from a transponder in response to said transmitted signal, and for providing a count representative of said measured phase shift, said method comprising presetting the count in the phasemeter to compensate for internal phase shifts in the measurement system, wherein the improvement comprises placing the measurement system in a calibration mode wherein a closed path is completed from the transmitter through a switching means to the receiver, and causing the phasemeter to count down a number representative of the combined internal phase shifts present in the transmitter, the receiver and the switching means; and placing the measurement system in a measurement mode wherein the path from the transmitter to the receiver is via the transponder, and causing the phasemeter to count up a number representative of the measured phase shift induced by the given quantity to be determined plus the combined internal phase shifts of the transmitter, the receiver and the transponder; and presetting the phasemeter to contain an initial count equal to a number representative of the internal phase shift of the switching means minus a number representative of the internal phase shift of the transponder; whereby when the phasemeter has been preset to contain said initial count, and then operated in said calibration mode and said measurement mode, said counts representative of said internal phase shifts are mutually offset, with the remaining count being representative of the phase shift induced by the given quantity to be determined.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1980-08-08 1981-02-07 1981-08-09 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1984-08-08 1985-02-07 1985-08-09 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1988-08-08 1989-02-07 1989-08-09 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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