Electricity: measuring and testing – Of geophysical surface or subsurface in situ – For small object detection or location
Reexamination Certificate
2008-04-15
2008-04-15
Aurora, Reena (Department: 2862)
Electricity: measuring and testing
Of geophysical surface or subsurface in situ
For small object detection or location
C324S067000
Reexamination Certificate
active
07358738
ABSTRACT:
An electronic marker locator with a digital architecture for providing accurate and consistent estimation of the signal strength is presented. The marker locator includes a Digital Phase-Locked Loop (DPLL) structure. The electronic marker locator transmits known and adjustable frequency bursts corresponding to the markers to be located while synchronously capturing the signals returned from the markers. Because of the convergence properties of the DPLL, very consistent measurements of the reflected marker signal field strength are possible, resulting in both an improvement of maximum detection depth and depth accuracy. Further, the analog front-end hardware can be reduced, offering wider resistance to component tolerances, lower calibration and test times, and flexible frequency selectivity.
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Overby Johan D.
Waite James W.
Aurora Reena
Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner L.L.P.
Metrotech Corporation, Inc.
Whittington Kenneth J
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