Method and apparatus for locating items

Abstract

A convenient handheld locator is provided for locating an item in an urban environment in which the locator is programmed to search for and locate specific items, with the detected item being displayed on the locator as to its identity or name, also displaying where the item is relative to the locator, as to position and range.

1 . A method for extending the range of an RFID system which employs a transmitter for transmitting an interrogation beam towards an RFID tag, the RFID tag using a non-linear element including a diode for extracting the energy from the interrogation beam and backscatters a coded signal, comprising the step of biasing the diode with a tag-carried battery, whereby the range of the RFID system is improved over an unbiased diode. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the range improvement through the use of battery biasing the diode is at least 50% over an unbiased diode. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the RFID system includes a transmit antenna and the tag, the tag having a SAW device that has an impulse characteristic which codes the output of the tag, and wherein the SAW device is coupled between the diode and the transmit antenna for the tag. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the diode biasing improves the harmonic response of the diode. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of battery biasing the diode includes utilizing a lithium ion battery. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the battery is a thin film battery. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the battery includes a lithium battery having silicon nano wire anodes. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising increasing the signal-to-noise ratio by frequency sweeping in conjunction with pseudo noise code. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising correcting for frequency and range with a cross ambiguity function. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the cross ambiguity function is given by:
 Φ(τ, f)=|∫ −∞   ∞ s R (t−τ/2)s* T (t+τ/2)e j2πft dt| 2  wherein s.sub.T(t) is the envelope of the transmitted signal, and s.sub.R(t) is a received signal after frequency-down conversion.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising correcting for oscillator shift using a frequency estimation system. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising estimating the proximity of an article using a ranging algorithm. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the transmitter employs a highly directional antenna. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising correlating a received signal with an anticipated signal in order to estimate signal amplitude.