LOCALIZATION APPARATUS

Abstract

The invention relates to a localization apparatus for radio wave-assisted localization of a transponder, the localization apparatus comprising a control device, an evaluation device, a switching device, a first linear antenna array, and a second linear antenna array. The first antenna array and the second antenna array are controllable independently of one another, are arranged cross-wise with respect to one another, and include an angle not equal to zero between them. The control device is additionally adapted to control the switching device to connect the evaluation device alternately to the first antenna array and the second antenna array. The evaluation device is adapted to determine first and second reception angles at which a radio wave signal of the transponder is incident onto one of the first antenna array and the second antenna array when the first and second antenna arrays are connected to the evaluation device, respectively.

Claims

1. A localization apparatus for radio wave-assisted localization of a transponder, the localization apparatus comprising a control device, an evaluation device, a switching device, a first linear antenna array, and a second linear antenna array, wherein (i) the first linear antenna array and the second linear antenna array are configured to be controlled independently of one another; are arranged cross-wise with respect to one another; and include an angle not equal to zero between them: (ii) the control device is adapted to control the switching device to connect the evaluation device alternately to the first linear antenna array and to the second linear antenna array; (iii) the evaluation unit is adapted to determine a first reception angle at which a radio wave signal of the transponder is incident onto the first linear antenna array when the first linear antenna array is connected to the evaluation device; and (iv) the evaluation unit is further adapted to determine a second reception angle at which a radio wave signal of the transponder is incident onto the second linear antenna array when the second linear antenna array is connected to the evaluation device.

2. The localization apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first linear antenna array and the second linear antenna array extend in a common plane.

3. The localization apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first linear antenna array and the second linear antenna array are of like design.

4. The localization apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first linear antenna array and the second linear antenna array are formed by a respective antenna pair.

5. The localization apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first linear antenna array and the second linear antenna array have a common point of intersection that corresponds to a geometrical center of the first linear antenna array and of the second linear antenna array.

6. The localization apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the angle amounts to at least substantially ninety degrees.

7. The localization apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first linear antenna array and the second linear antenna array are fastened to a common carrier.

8. The localization apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the localization apparatus comprises an antenna module having a module housing, wherein the first linear antenna array and the second linear antenna array are together accommodated in the module housing.

9. The localization apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein the control device, the evaluation device and the switching device are accommodated in the module housing.

10. The localization apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the evaluation device is adapted to offset the first reception angle and the second reception angle with respect to one another to determine a direction vector of the transponder.

11. The localization apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the evaluation device is adapted to offset the first reception angle and the second reception angle as well as a piece of information on a predefined plane in which the transponder is located against one another to determine a position of the transponder.

12. The localization apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the transponder is an RFID (radio frequency identification) transponder.

Description

[0018] The invention will be explained only by way of example in the following with reference to the drawings in which:

[0019] FIG. 1A shows a localization apparatus in accordance with the invention;

[0020] FIG. 1B shows a schematic overview of the arrangement of antennas of the localization apparatus of FIG. 1A; and

[0021] FIG. 2 shows a schematic circuit diagram of a localization apparatus.

[0022] A localization apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 1A comprises four like antennas 12 that are arranged on a common square base plate 14. The antennas 12a and 12b form a first linear antenna array and the antennas 12c and 12d form a second linear antenna array, wherein the first antenna array and the second antenna array cross with respect to their linear extent and include an angle 13 of ninety degrees with one another (FIG. 1B). The antennas 12 are thus arranged in a 2×2 matrix configuration, with the respective diagonally oppositely disposed antennas 12 forming a respective antenna pair. The antenna arrays can be controlled independently of one another.

[0023] The base plate 14 has a respective passage 15 at the corners to be able to fasten the localization apparatus 12 using known fastening means such as screws to a desired location, in particular to a room ceiling or building ceiling (not shown) (FIG. 1A). The base plate 14 can furthermore have a hollow space, not shown, for receiving electronics to be able to operate the localization apparatus 10 substantially autonomously. The antennas 12 can be encapsulated and can thus be protected from dirt, moisture and the like. The localization apparatus 10 is designed as a compact antenna module in the embodiment shown such that the localization apparatus 10 can be installed in a space-saving and simple manner.

[0024] The localization apparatus 10 is configured to localize an RFID transponder, not shown. The electronics of the localization apparatus 10 can be designed as shown in FIG. 2 for this purpose. The electronics comprise a control device 16, an evaluation device 18 and a switching device 20. The switching device 20 is coupled to two switches 22a and 22b that are simultaneously switched between a position A and a position B. In the position A shown in FIG. 2, the antennas 12a and 12b are connected to the evaluation device 18 and the antennas 12c and 12d are separate from the evaluation device 18. It is the opposite in the position B, i.e. the antennas 12c and 12d are connected to the evaluation device 18 and the antennas 12a and 12b are separate from the evaluation device 18. The evaluation device 18 is adapted to determine a reception angle at which a radio wave of a transponder (not shown) is incident onto the first or second antenna array.

[0025] An exemplary localization procedure of the transponder takes place as follows: The switches 22a, 22b are first in the position A (FIG. 2). A radio wave is transmitted via one or more antennas 12 to detect the transponder. At the same time, the evaluation device 18 is adapted to determine a first reception angle at which a radio wave transmitted by the transponder is incident onto the first antenna array having the antennas 12a and 12b. The control device 16 then controls the switching device 20 to switch the switches 22a, 22b into the position B. The evaluation device 18 can now determine a second reception angle at which a radio wave transmitted by the transponder is incident onto the second antenna array having the antennas 12c and 12c. Depending on the transmission duration of the transponder, the determination of the two reception angles can take place as part of only one detection procedure (localization apparatus 10 only transmits one radio wave) or of two detection procedures (localization apparatus 10 only transmits a further radio wave as part of the switchover). The determined first and second reception angles can be used by the evaluation device 18 for determining a direction vector of the transponder or can be transmitted directly to a higher-ranking calculation device. If a localization is already being autonomously carried out in the evaluation device 18, a complete localization of the transponder can take place while taking account of a piece of information stored in a memory 24 of the evaluation device 18. The information can in particular comprise a value that indicates the distance between the localization apparatus 10 and a plane in which the transponder is always located.

REFERENCE NUMERAL LIST

[0026] 10 localization apparatus [0027] 12 antenna [0028] 14 base plate [0029] 15 passage [0030] 16 control device [0031] 18 evaluation device [0032] 20 switching device [0033] 22 switch [0034] 24 memory