KR20060020754A - Wireless distance meter system - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a wireless distance measuring system for measuring and managing distances to various target points in real time using frequency signals.

The wireless distance measuring system according to the present invention comprises a plurality of reflectors each having unique identification information and a distance measuring device performing wireless communication, wherein the distance measuring device modulates the target active reflector identification information and the broadband frequency signal. And generates a bit signal by synthesizing the original signal with the reflection signal applied from the active reflector, and calculating distance information on the target with the desired active reflector based on the phase of the bit signal. The active reflector is configured to detect a radio signal applied from the distance measuring device and to wirelessly transmit as a reflection signal by varying a reception frequency when an identification information corresponding to the identification information is received.

In addition, in the present invention, the distance measuring device is installed in three different positions, respectively, and the distance information of the currently measured target is received through wireless communication between the first to third distance measuring devices, and the absolute position of the target is measured. It is characterized by being able to.

Description

Wireless distance meter system

1 is a conceptual diagram of a wireless ranging system according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the functional separation of the internal configuration of the distance measuring apparatus 100 shown in FIG.

3 is a view showing a detailed configuration of the distance measuring unit 150 shown in FIG.

Figure 4 is a block diagram showing the functional separation of the internal configuration of the active reflector 200 shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing functional separation of the internal structure of the amplification control circuit 260 shown in FIG.

6 is a conceptual diagram of a wireless ranging system according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

******* Brief description of the main parts of the drawing *******

100: distance measuring device, 110: key input unit,

120: display unit, 130: data memory,

140: resource information storage unit, 150: distance measuring unit,

160: distance information storage unit, 170: control unit,

200: active reflector.

The present invention relates to a wireless distance measuring system for wirelessly measuring and managing distances to various target points in real time using frequency signals.

Currently, a distance measuring system has been developed and used that can measure a point-to-point distance by a few mm error using a laser.

The distance measuring system measures the distance to the target by injecting a predetermined frequency into the target, and comparing the received and reflected time.

However, laser-based distance measuring systems are not only expensive, but can't be measured if there is rain or dust, or obstacles such as trees, grass, or artificial structures in front of the measuring instrument. There is this. In addition, the contamination of the lens portion of the laser according to the weather change can also affect the distance measurement.

In addition, when using a plurality of radar at the same time to measure the distance to a plurality of targets, the receiver detects a different radar signal may cause a problem causing a measurement distance error of the target.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and by transmitting an object identification signal wirelessly to control an active active reflection device, it is possible to measure distances to various targets, and to realize low cost, Its technical purpose is to provide a wireless distance measurement system that enables less accurate distance measurement under the influence of the surrounding environment.

In addition, there is another technical object to provide a wireless distance measuring system that can determine the absolute or relative movement of the target by measuring the relative phase of the radio frequency signal and its reflected frequency signal.

The wireless distance measuring system according to the present invention for achieving the above object is composed of a plurality of reflectors each having a unique identification information and a distance measuring device for performing wireless communication, the distance measuring device is the target active reflector identification information And modulates the broadband frequency signal and transmits the radio frequency signal, and synthesizes the reflected signal applied from the active reflector and the original signal to generate a bit signal. The active reflector detects a radio signal applied from the distance measuring device, and transmits the radio frequency as a reflected signal by varying the reception frequency when the identification information matching the identification information is received. Characterized in that configured.

That is, according to the present invention as described above, by performing the wireless distance measurement through the broadband frequency modulation, it is possible to manufacture at a lower cost than the radar. In addition, by modulating the identification information of the active reflecting apparatus and transmitting it wirelessly, only the active reflecting apparatus corresponding to the identification information is operated so that the distance of a desired target among the plurality of active reflecting apparatuses can be easily measured. A distance measurement system can be provided. In addition, it is possible to provide a wireless distance measuring system that can easily measure the absolute or relative movement of the target by comparing the phase of the reflected signal and the original signal.

Hereinafter will be described an embodiment according to the present invention.

1 is a conceptual diagram of a wireless ranging system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the wireless distance measuring system according to the present invention is installed on a distance measuring device 100 installed at a reference point at a predetermined position and a target to measure a distance to perform wireless communication with the distance measuring device 100. At least one active reflector 200 (200 _{1 to} 200 _N ) to perform.

 Here, when the distance measuring device 100 modulates the identification information of the target active reflector 200 into a frequency signal and wirelessly transmits it, and then transmits a broadband frequency modulated signal, the corresponding active reflector 200 corresponds to this. And comparing the phase of the frequency input as a reflected signal from the original frequency (frequency sent to the active reflector) to calculate distance information of the target. In addition, the distance measuring device 100 is configured to calculate the relative distance information of the target based on the phase information of the signal generated by the original frequency and the frequency input as the reflected signal.

In addition, in FIG. 1, the active reflector 200 detects a frequency signal applied from the distance measuring device 100, and when the identification information thereof is received, the active reflector 200 receives a broadband frequency modulated signal received from the distance measuring device 100. It is configured to wirelessly transmit the reflected signal to the distance measuring device (100).

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a functional separation of the internal configuration of the distance measuring device 100 shown in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 2, the distance measuring device 100 includes a key input unit 110 having button keys and various function keys corresponding to a plurality of active reflecting devices, and a display unit 120 for displaying and outputting distance measurement related information. Data memory 130 for temporarily storing various information processed by the controller 170 to be described later, active reflector identification information corresponding to the active reflector button key, and various methods for driving the distance measuring unit 150 Resource information, for example, the resource information storage unit 140, which stores frequency information, wirelessly transmits a signal for distance measurement based on a predetermined control signal, and receives a reflected signal wirelessly received through an antenna to provide distance measurement information. Providing predetermined resource information to the distance measuring unit 150, the distance information storage unit 160 for storing the measurement distance information corresponding to each target, and the distance measuring unit 150, the distance measurement for this A controller 170 which calculates the distance information of the target based on the distance measurement frequency signal applied from the 150 and stores the distance information of the target in the distance information storage unit 160 and displays the output through the display unit 120. It is composed.

The key input unit 110 may include a predetermined number key for selecting the active reflector 200 and various function keys for performing distance measurement and outputting a result.

The distance information storage unit 160 stores target information for each active reflection device identification information and measurement distance information according to a measurement time in a table form.

In addition, the distance measuring unit 150 as shown in Figure 3 based on the control signal applied from the control unit 170 as well as the active reflector identification information corresponding to the target voltage, the frequency for the frequency modulation of the broadband frequency signal Voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) 151 and a first directional coupler 152 for separating the first frequency signal applied from the voltage-controlled oscillator 151 to a predetermined level and outputting them to the first and second output terminals, respectively. ), A first mixer 154 and a first that synthesize a first frequency signal applied from the first directional coupler 152 and a second frequency signal applied from the first local oscillator 153 to transmit a third frequency signal. And a first amplifier 155 for amplifying the third frequency signal applied from the mixer 154 by a predetermined level and outputting the third frequency signal to the first transmission antenna Ant t ₁ . In this case, the frequency variable processing by the first local oscillator 153 and the first mixer 154 performs a second frequency conversion, that is, a first frequency signal applied from the first directional coupler 152 as shown in FIG. The _first-order local oscillator 153 ₁ and the eleventh mixer 154 ₁ are first-converted, and the first-converted frequency signal is converted through the twelfth local oscillator 153 ₂ and the twelfth mixer 154 ₂ . The difference conversion may be configured to output to the first amplifier 155.

In addition, the distance measuring unit 150 is a low noise amplifier (LNA: 156) to reduce the noise level in the reflected frequency signal applied from the first receiving antenna (Ant r ₁ ) and to amplify and output the signal level; Second amplifiers AMP ₂ and 157 for a predetermined level amplification of the first frequency signal applied from the second output terminal of the first directional coupler 152, and the reflected frequency signal applied from the low noise amplifier 156; And a second mixer 158 for synthesizing the first frequency signal applied from the second amplifier 157 and providing the bit signal of the intermediate frequency IF to the controller 170.

4 is a block diagram illustrating a functional separation of the internal configuration of the active reflector 200 shown in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 4, the active reflector 200 constants a third frequency signal received through the second receiving antenna Ant r ₂ from the first transmitting antenna Ant t ₁ of the distance measuring unit 150. A third amplifier for a predetermined level amplification and output of the second directional coupler 210 and the third frequency signal applied from the first output terminal of the second directional coupler 210 separated into levels and output to the first and second output terminals, respectively. The third mixer 240 and the third outputting a fifth frequency signal by combining the third frequency signal applied from the third amplifier 220 and the fourth frequency applied from the second local oscillator 230. The fourth amplifier 250 amplifies the fifth frequency signal applied from the mixer 240 by a predetermined level and outputs it to the second transmission antenna Ant t ₂ , and is applied from the second output terminal of the second directional coupler 210. Detects the third frequency signal to be detected and the detected received signal matches its own identification information If Further included is an amplification control circuit 260 controls to drive the fourth amplifier 250.

In this case, the frequency variable processing by the second local oscillator 230 and the third mixer 240 performs a second frequency conversion, that is, a third frequency signal applied from the second directional coupler 210 as shown in FIG. First-order conversion through the twenty-first local oscillator 231 and the twenty-first mixer 241, and second-order conversion of the first converted signal through the twenty-second local oscillator 232 and the 22nd mixer 242 It can be configured to output to the amplifier (250). The fourth frequency signal provided by the second local oscillator 230 may be set such that the second frequency signal of the first local oscillator 153 of the distance measuring unit 150 and the frequency band thereof are symmetrical with each other. something to do.

As shown in FIG. 5, the control circuit 260 includes a signal detector 261 for detecting identification information in the third frequency signal applied from the second directional coupler 210, and the active reflector 200. The identification information storage unit 262 and the identification information detected by the signal detector 261 and the identification information stored in the identification information storage unit 262 are stored to store the unique identification information set in FIG. Control to send a power supply control signal, for example, a high level ("1") signal, for controlling the driving of the fourth amplifier 250 based on the comparator 263 and the comparison result information applied from the comparator 263. And a signal generator 264.

Next, the operation of the device having the above configuration will be described.

First, a user installs the distance measuring device 100 at a reference point for distance measurement and installs a plurality of active reflecting devices 200 at a predetermined position of each target. In this case, unique identification information is set in the active reflector 200, and the distance measuring device 100 registers identification information for each active reflector 200 and registers target information for each identification information. Will be.

In the above state, the user selects and inputs an active reflector installed on the target object through the key input unit 110, and the selected active reflector information is applied to the controller 170.

The controller 170 reads identification information corresponding to the active reflector information applied from the key input unit 110 from the resource information storage unit 140, and reads resource information such as frequency information for distance measurement to measure distance. It will be provided to the unit 150. In this case, the identification information may be configured as, for example, 6-bit information. In this case, the identification information for up to 64 active reflection devices may be set. The resource information, for example, the setting of the distance measurement frequency band may be arbitrarily set by the user through the key input unit 110.

Meanwhile, the distance measuring unit 150 modulates the reflector identification information into a first frequency signal based on the active reflector identification information applied from the controller 170, and wirelessly transmits the reflector identification information to generate a wideband frequency signal. That is, the controller 170 provides the voltage controlled oscillator 151 with a control signal for generating the first frequency, for example, a voltage of a predetermined level or a variable voltage, and provides information corresponding to the identification information with the voltage controlled oscillator 151. By providing, the identification information of the desired active reflector 200 through the voltage controlled oscillator 151 is modulated to a first frequency and applied to the first directional coupler 152. The first frequency signal output to the first output terminal of the first directional coupler 152 is converted into a third frequency through the first local oscillator 153 and the first mixer 154 and amplified by the first amplifier 155. After being transmitted to the active reflector 200 through the first transmission antenna (Ant t ₁ ).

In addition, the active reflector 200 amplifies a third frequency signal received through the second receiving antenna Ant r ₂ through a first output terminal of the second directional coupler 210 and then a second local oscillator ( 230 and the third mixer 240 to provide a fifth frequency signal, which is a reflected frequency signal, to the fourth amplifier 250. On the other hand, the third frequency signal output through the second output terminal of the second directional coupler 210 is applied to the amplification control circuit 260, the amplification control circuit 260 is an active reflector in the received third frequency signal If the active reflector identification information received by detecting the identification information coincides with the identification information thereof, the fourth amplifier 250 is applied by applying a high level signal for driving the fourth amplifier 250 to the fourth amplifier 250. The fifth frequency signal applied to) is wirelessly transmitted to the distance measuring apparatus 100 through the second transmission antenna Ant t ₂ . In this case, the amplification control circuit 260 does not transmit a control signal for driving to the fourth amplifier 250 when the received active reflector identification information does not match with the identification information of the active reflector 200. The reflected signal with respect to the third frequency signal received from the, i.e., the fifth frequency signal is not provided to the second transmission antenna Ant t ₂ . In other words, the predetermined reflection frequency signal is wirelessly transmitted only through the active reflector 200 selected by the distance measuring device 100 to return to the distance measuring device 100.

In addition, the distance measuring device 100 may include a fifth frequency signal applied from the desired active reflector 200 and a first frequency signal applied from the second output terminal of the first directional coupler 152 of the distance measuring device 100. Is synthesized through the second mixer 158 to generate a bit signal having an intermediate frequency IF and provided to the controller 170 as a distance measurement signal.

Meanwhile, the controller 170 of the distance measuring device 100 converts the analog bit signal applied from the distance measuring unit 150 into a digital signal using an A / D conversion module (not shown). The distance information is calculated from the phase of the signal and registered and stored in the distance information storage unit 160. In addition, the control unit 170 may be configured to store the distance information calculated for the target with the measurement time information, so that the change in distance according to the time of the target may be performed.

In addition, the controller 170 displays and outputs the currently measured information through the display unit 120.

Subsequently, the user changes and sets the active reflector identification information corresponding to the target, and wirelessly transmits a frequency signal for distance measurement to the plurality of active reflector 200, and the reflected frequency received from the corresponding active reflector 200. A bit signal is generated based on the signal to calculate and store distance information of the target.

In addition, the control unit 170 of the distance measuring device 100 reads the accumulated distance information for the specific target from the distance information storage unit 160 based on the information applied from the key input unit 110 to display the display unit 120. Display output through In this case, the controller 170 may be configured to convert the measured distance information read by the distance information storage unit 160 into image information such as a graph and to display and output the image through the display unit 120.

Meanwhile, in the present invention, as shown in FIG. 6, the first to third distance measuring devices 310, 320, and 330 which perform wireless communication with each other are installed at reference points at three different positions, and the desired active reflector 200 is provided. After receiving the reflected frequency signal applied from the first to third distance measuring devices (310, 320, 330) in the same way to measure the distance, the reference distance measuring device, for example, the first and second distance measuring device (310) It may be configured to receive absolute distance measurement information for the active reflector through wireless communication with the distance measurement devices 320 and 330 to calculate absolute position information of the target. Here, the calculation method of the absolute position is to apply a triangulation method, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

That is, according to the above embodiment, it is composed of a distance measuring device performing wireless communication with a plurality of active reflectors, and frequency-modulated the active reflector identification information and the broadband signal desired in the distance measuring device, and the active reflecting device is When the identification information is received, the reflected frequency signal of the corresponding frequency signal is wirelessly transmitted to the distance measuring device, and the distance measuring device synthesizes the original frequency signal and the reflected frequency signal received from the active reflecting device. By calculating the distance information of the target on the basis of the phase, it is possible to easily measure the distance to the different target.

In addition, in the present invention, the distance measuring apparatus detects phase information from a bit signal, calculates and accumulates distance information accordingly, thereby measuring relative motion of a target.

In addition, in the present invention, by installing the distance measuring device in each of the three different positions and by calculating the target distance from each distance measuring device it is possible to calculate the absolute position of the target.

On the other hand, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and can be variously modified within the scope not departing from the technical idea of the present invention.

As described above, according to the present invention, by performing wireless distance measurement through wideband frequency modulation, not only can be manufactured at a lower cost than the distance measuring system using radar, but also accurate distance measurement can be performed even in harsh environmental conditions. In addition, by wirelessly modulating the identification information of the active reflector, and by operating the active reflector corresponding to the identification information for this wireless distance measurement that can easily measure the distance of the desired target of the plurality of reflectors To provide a system. In addition, it is possible to provide a wireless distance measuring system that can accurately measure the relative movement of the target by comparing the phase of the reflected signal and the original signal.

Claims (2)

Comprising a plurality of reflectors each having a unique identification information and a distance measuring device for performing wireless communication, The distance measuring device modulates the desired active reflector identification information and the broadband frequency signal and transmits the radio signal. The distance measuring device synthesizes the reflected signal and the original signal applied from the active reflector, generates a bit signal, and then Configured to calculate distance information on a target on which a target active reflector is installed based on a phase, The active reflector is configured to detect a radio signal applied from the distance measuring device and to wirelessly transmit as a reflected signal by varying a reception frequency when identification information matching the identification information thereof is received. The method of claim 1, The distance measuring device is respectively installed in three different positions and configured to perform mutual wireless communication, The first distance measuring device receives the distance information of the target with respect to the currently measured reflection signal from the second to third distance measuring device to calculate the absolute position of the target based on the wireless distance measuring system, characterized in that .

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