Patents by Inventor Russell Hofer

Russell Hofer has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8659430
    Abstract: A radio frequency signal acquistion and source location system, including a first signal acquisition and source location module comprising an RF transceiver coupled to an antenna, the antenna provided with a electronic steering circuit. The antenna operative to launch an interrogation signal, the interrogation signal steerable by an electronic steering circuit. A processor operatively coupled to the RF transceiver and the electronic steering circuit, the processor provided with a data storage for storing a signal data record for each of at least one response signal(s) received by the RF transceiver(s). The signal data record including a signal identification, a received signal strength indicator and an RF signal direction along which respective signal(s) are received by the antenna, the RF signal direction derived from the electronic steering circuit. A postion logic operative upon the data record(s) derives a three dimensional signal origin location of each response signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: RF Controls, LLC
    Inventors: Graham P. Bloy, Matthew E. Pierce, Russell Hofer
  • Patent number: 8493182
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for phase ranging the distance an RFID tag is from an RFID location system antenna along the interrogation signal beam, based upon the phase readings included in data sets obtained from monitoring reply signals corresponding to interrogation signals at multiple frequencies and a common interrogation signal beam direction; by comparison of measured phase and frequency data sets with theoretical phases calculated with respect to the same frequencies over a range of positions corresponding to a beam extent of the interrogation signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: RF Controls, LLC
    Inventors: Russell Hofer, Graham P. A. Bloy
  • Patent number: 8421631
    Abstract: A radio frequency signal acquisition and source location system, including a first signal acquisition and source location module comprising an RF transceiver coupled to an antenna, the antenna provided with a electronic steering circuit. The antenna operative to launch an interrogation signal, the interrogation signal steerable by an electronic steering circuit. A processor operatively coupled to the RF transceiver and the electronic steering circuit, the processor provided with a data storage for storing a signal data record for each of at least one response signal(s) received by the RF transceiver(s). The signal data record including a signal identification, a received signal strength indicator and an RF signal direction along which respective signal(s) are received by the antenna, the RF signal direction derived from the electronic steering circuit. A position logic operative upon the data record(s) deriving a three dimensional signal origin location of each response signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: RF Controls, LLC
    Inventors: Graham P. Bloy, Matthew E. Pierce, Russell Hofer
  • Patent number: 8159367
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for validating a distance output of a phase ranging RFID location system, based upon the phase readings included in data sets obtained from monitoring reply signals corresponding to interrogation signals at multiple frequencies and a common interrogation signal beam direction; by comparison of measured phase and frequency data sets with theoretical phases calculated with respect to the same frequencies over a range of positions corresponding to a beam extent of the interrogation signal. The distance output validated by comparison with theoretical threshold data processed to generate an extreme values distribution from which a cumulative distribution function is extracted and against which a confidence level is applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: RF Controls, LLC
    Inventors: Russell Hofer, Graham P. A. Bloy
  • Publication number: 20110090062
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for phase ranging the distance an RFID tag is from an RFID location system antenna along the interrogation signal beam, based upon the phase readings included in data sets obtained from monitoring reply signals corresponding to interrogation signals at multiple frequencies and a common interrogation signal beam direction; by comparison of measured phase and frequency data sets with theoretical phases calculated with respect to the same frequencies over a range of positions corresponding to a beam extent of the interrogation signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2009
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Applicant: RF Controls, LLC
    Inventors: Russell Hofer, Graham P. Bloy
  • Publication number: 20110090061
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for validating a distance output of a phase ranging RFID location system, based upon the phase readings included in data sets obtained from monitoring reply signals corresponding to interrogation signals at multiple frequencies and a common interrogation signal beam direction; by comparison of measured phase and frequency data sets with theoretical phases calculated with respect to the same frequencies over a range of positions corresponding to a beam extent of the interrogation signal. The distance output validated by comparison with theoretical threshold data processed to generate an extreme values distribution from which a cumulative distribution function is extracted and against which a confidence level is applied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Applicant: RF CONTROLS, LLC
    Inventors: Russell Hofer, Graham P. Bloy
  • Publication number: 20100225480
    Abstract: A radio frequency signal acquisition and source location system, including a first signal acquisition and source location module comprising an RF transceiver coupled to an antenna, the antenna provided with a electronic steering circuit. The antenna operative to launch an interrogation signal, the interrogation signal steerable by an electronic steering circuit. A processor operatively coupled to the RF transceiver and the electronic steering circuit, the processor provided with a data storage for storing a signal data record for each of at least one response signal(s) received by the RF transceiver(s). The signal data record including a signal identification, a received signal strength indicator and an RF signal direction along which respective signal(s) are received by the antenna, the RF signal direction derived from the electronic steering circuit. A position logic operative upon the data record(s) deriving a three dimensional signal origin location of each response signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: RF CONTROLS, LLC
    Inventors: Graham P. Bloy, Matthew E. Pierce, Russell Hofer