Constant Current Metal Detector Patent, but what does it all mean?

[Nugget]

I'm not up to speed with this sort of thing, so have a read through the link below and tell me what you guys make of it

A metal detector transmitting, through a transmit coil, a repeating transmit signal cycle, which includes at least one receive period and at least one non-zero transmit coil reactive voltage period; and sensing a current in the transmit coil during at least one receive period to control a magnitude and/or duration of the at least one non-zero transmit coil reactive voltage period such that the average value of the current during at least one receive period of every repeating transmit signal cycle is substantially constant from cycle to cycle, and the current during at least one receive period is substantially independent of the inductance of the transmit coil.

Patent US 20140232408 A1 https://www.google.com/patents/US20...a=X&ei=ujwFVNzMDaL7iwLex4DQCQ&ved=0CDsQ6AEwBA

 

[Guest]

Very interesting Nugget.

I am just curious how you stumbled across this.

Section e sounds familiar to how the coils on the XP DEUS are with a circuit board inside the coil.

On the patent it states:

e) receive electronics connected to the receive coil for processing the received signal during at least one receive period to produce
an indicator output signal, the indicator output signal including a signal indicative of the presence of a metallic target in the soil;

This confirms with what a few of us have been hearing about how the next machine may head in a different direction
and could be a reason why certain coils have already stopped being made by a manufacturer.

With the electronics in the coil it can make way for the machine to be wireless as well but I could not see this written down
anywhere on the patent.

If this is correct these coils could be a bit pricey to buy because a 9" XP coil costs around $530 Australian.

Who knows though until we see more info.

Source: http://xpdeusfan.free.fr/deusinside/

 

[ChrisM]

https://www.google.com/patents/US20...a=X&ei=ujwFVNzMDaL7iwLex4DQCQ&ved=0CDsQ6AEwBA

Im thinking that this is the document you're referring to guys
Interesting times ahead by the looks of this.

 

[Nugget]

I stumbled across it on another forum and wanted to get our members thoughts on it. I suspect there may be another ML machine just around the corner, but who knows.

 

[Nugget]

https://www.google.com/patents/US20...a=X&ei=ujwFVNzMDaL7iwLex4DQCQ&ved=0CDsQ6AEwBA

Im thinking that this is the document you're referring to guys
Interesting times ahead by the looks of this.

Isn't it the same link I posted? :lol:

 

[ChrisM]

your right matt.
Missed it on your post. Delete it if it confuses.
I went off Wolfau's question

 

[Nugget]

It's alright Chris, I thought I might have missed something. Interesting times indeed.

 

[Guest]

Very interesting indeed... I would LOVE to see something 'new' from minelab..

 

[Magilla]

Very interesting indeed... I would LOVE to see something 'new' from minelab..

That would be good but I would rather see something new from one of the manufacturers that I can afford to buy from.

 

[Guest]

Very interesting indeed... I would LOVE to see something 'new' from minelab..

That would be good but I would rather see something new from one of the manufacturers that I can afford to buy from.

I think the next 2 years are going to be very interesting with a plethora of 2nd hand detectors available in the 2nd hand market
place capable of finding tiny bits to the larger deep gold plus a new machine or 2.

 

[loamer]

Patents and Minelab - talk to the developer of the QED detector.

The designer of the QED stopped working on the machine in early 2013 when Minelab sued him to stop further development of the machine

THE COURT ORDERS BY CONSENT THAT:

1. Howard Douglas Rockey, the Prospective Respondent, discover to Minelab Electronics Pty Ltd (ACN 008 208 446), the Prospective Applicant, the following documents:
(a) the current QED detector user manual (or any document or documents that describe how the QED detector can be configured and operated to detect a metallic target);
(b) a circuit diagram of the current QED detector and the complete source code for the micro-controller(s) of the current QED detector;
(c) all note books, laboratory books, and other documents (including circuit boards and schematics for circuit boards) that evidence the development of the current QED detector.

 

[Guest]

This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/621,427, filed Nov. 18, 2009, which is a continuation of international application no. PCT/AU2009/00836, filed Jun. 29, 2009

Don't tell me they've been sitting on this for 5 years

I think the next 2 years are going to be very interesting with a plethora of 2nd hand detectors available in the 2nd hand market place capable of finding tiny bits to the larger deep gold plus a new machine or 2.

Anyone sitting on their hands waiting for a dramatic price drop consider this - through all new releases used Minelab machines have maintained a good resale price. Why - demand & even older models are sought after. Why - the new model always sees a new high price if you want it meaning the older machines can still maintain reasonable resale at a much lower than new price. I don't see this being any different. There will still be a market for GPX series detectors after its release - much the same as there is still a market for older Minelab PI's now.
Edit: there won't be a mass sell off to upgrade either. Some will buy straight away - many of these will keep their current machines, some will adopt a wait & see approach - some will eventually buy, some won't just like people who have opted to keep their GPX4000 or 4500 now rather than get a 5000. Others will just plug on regardless using whatever they have now.

Patents and Minelab - talk to the developer of the QED detector

Can of worms officially opened. :lol:

That would be good but I would rather see something new from one of the manufacturers that I can afford to buy from

Would be good but we keep waiting & Minelab keep beating them to the punch.

Edit:

... but what does it all mean?

More dollars if you want the new flagship & a truckload of old coils that you can't use on the new one.
Hopefully something new, more user friendly, more capable & no issues out of the box.

 

[Homebrewer]

Details of the QED Vs Minelab

As shown on another forum

http://www.sonsivri.to/forum/index.php?topic=53925.0

 

[keen4gold]

A guy always wonders what manufacturers have got cooking behind the scene. It's exciting to finally find out what these developments are.

 

[loamer]

I reckon we leave the QED debate alone. :lol:

 

[Tathradj]

The way I read that is a pulse at a certain frequency is induced in a coil of wire. The pulse "saturates" the medium in a local way and the eddy currents that are reflected back during the pulse transmissions are received by another coil at a different "Potential" and measured in an electronic circuit.
IE; Pulse Induction.
Have I missed something ???

 

[trashmagnet]

g'day
didn't minelab say they were releasing three new machines and the flagship was on a new platform which will be released next year?
there was going to be an entry level p.i. a mid level p.i (sdc2300) and a flagship modal to replace the 5k

I thought they announced this back in may at the dealers conference or the last agm.
I'm getting old and my memory aint what is was so can't recall which meeting they announced it.
regards trashy

 

[stalker]

Maybe the gpx5000 replacement will have better emi scan, iron check. And sdc2300 timings added. and water resistant

 

[Guest]

ML had slated a new 'high end' gold detector for late this year... its pretty late right now!!!

They held this patent back in 2009 not exactly the same but, well, as Woody put it

'Seems like they are attempting to lock up old patents by adding whipped cream .'

 

[Guest]

I read a Codan shareholder report recently that said the new "low cost" model will be released 2nd half of FY15. No mention of a date for the flagship. There'll be a lot of speculation now but my opinion based on that is 12-18 months?

We are also developing a unique metal detecting platform that will position Minelab in the lower end of the price scale, a new market space for Minelab. This consumer product, to be released in the second half FY15, will introduce features, levels of performance and value that haven't previously been seen in this market.