RF Tag Communication Device Direction Detection via Phase Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing radio-frequency tag communication devices have limited accuracy in detecting the direction of radio-frequency tags due to the directivity of reception not necessarily aligning with the tag's location, leading to suboptimal detection capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A radio-frequency tag communication device with a receiver portion comprising multiple antenna elements, a reception-directivity control mechanism, a modulated-component extracting portion, and a direction detecting portion, which controls the phase of received signals to accurately determine the tag's location by analyzing modulated components of the reply signal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the directivity of reception is changed to detect the direction of the radio-frequency tag, then the detection capability is improved, but the accuracy of direction detection is limited because the direction of highest reception directivity does not necessarily align with the tag's actual location
Solution Approach 1:
The received signal is segmented into multiple components: leakage signal, unmodulated noise, and modulated component. By separating and independently processing these components, the system can extract directional information from the modulated component while eliminating interference from other components, thereby improving direction detection accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The modulated-component extracting portion extracts only the modulated component from the received signal, separating it from the leakage signal and noise. This extraction allows the direction detecting portion to analyze purely the tag-modulated signal for accurate direction detection, resolving the contradiction between detection capability and accuracy
2Measurement precision
If multiple antenna elements are used to improve direction detection accuracy, then the measurement precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The modulated-component extracting portion acts as an intermediary that processes the combined signals from multiple antenna elements and outputs only the relevant modulated component. This intermediary simplifies the subsequent direction detection process by providing a pre-processed, interference-free signal, thereby managing device complexity while maintaining high measurement precision
3Device complexity
If the leakage signal is not removed, then the device complexity is reduced, but the signal-to-noise ratio deteriorates and communication distance is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and removes the leakage signal component from the received signal through the modulated-component extracting portion. By taking out the harmful leakage signal, the system improves the signal-to-noise ratio and extends communication distance, while the extraction process itself is implemented through standard signal processing techniques that balance complexity requirements
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables highly accurate detection of the radio-frequency tag's direction, improving the signal-to-noise ratio and extending communication distance while reducing noise influence, allowing for precise localization of the tag.
Implementation Method 1
a receiver antenna device which has a plurality of receiver antenna elements for receiving the reply signal from the radio-frequency tag
Implementation Method 2
a reception-directivity control portion to control a directivity of reception of the receiver portion, by controlling a phase of a received signal which is received by each of the plurality of receiver antenna elements
Implementation Method 3
a modulated-component extracting portion to extract a modulated component of the received signal which is modulated by the radio-frequency tag
Data Source
AI summary
A radio-frequency tag communication device arranged to transmit a transmitted signal toward a radio-frequency tag and to receive a reply signal transmitted from the radio-frequency tag in response to the transmitted signal, for thereby effecting radio communication with the radio-frequency tag, the radio-frequency tag communication device including (a) a receiver portion including a receiver antenna device which has a plurality of receiver antenna elements for receiving the reply signal from the radio-frequency tag, (b) a reception-directivity control portion which controls the directivity of reception of the receiver portion device, by controlling the phase of a received signal which is received by each of the plurality of receiver antenna elements and which may include a leakage signal which is a part of the transmitted signal, (c) a modulated-component extracting portion which extracts a modulated component of the received signal which is modulated by the radio-frequency tag, and (d) a direction detecting portion which detects the direction in which the radio-frequency tag is located, on the basis of the modulated component extracted by the modulated-component extracting portion.