Multi-floor and multi-building ultra-wideband (UWB) location device, system, and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10064012-B1
Application number	US-201715460541-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 16, 2017
Priority date	Mar 16, 2017
Publication date	Aug 28, 2018
Grant date	Aug 28, 2018

Abstract

An ultra-wideband (UWB) tracking device, system, and method are provided. The system can include a plurality of anchor transmitters, at least one location device, and a processing system. The anchor transmitters can be arranged in predetermined positions, include a unique identifier, and each transmit an ultra-wide band (UWB) signal including the unique identifier. The location device can receive the UWB signals, and transmit the unique identifiers. The processing system can include a digital map that stores the unique identifiers and the predetermined positions. The processing system can receive the unique identifiers from the location device, and identify a position of the location device based on a comparison of the unique identifiers received and the stored unique identifiers on the digital map.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A location device comprising:
a receiver configured to receive a plurality of ultra-wide band (UWB) signals from a plurality of anchor transmitters;
a distance unit configured to determine a distance to each anchor transmitter using the received plurality of UWB signals;
a position unit configured to analyze said distance to said each anchor transmitter and determine a position in space based on said distance to said each anchor transmitter; and
a user interface configured to notify a user of said determined position in space,
wherein a power level of the ultra-wide band signal is sufficiently low as to not be readily transmitted through walls and floors.

2. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a storage device configured to store at least one anchor transmitter identifier and a predetermined position in space for said each anchor transmitter,
wherein said position unit is further configured to determine said position in space based on said predetermined position in space for each anchor transmitter.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein said received plurality of UWB signals from said plurality of anchor transmitters comprise said anchor transmitter identifier for each anchor transmitter.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein each received UWB signal comprises a predetermined position in space of said corresponding anchor transmitter for each anchor transmitter, and wherein said position unit is configured to determine said position in space based on said received predetermined position in space for each anchor transmitter.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of anchor transmitters comprises at least three anchor transmitters.

6. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a storage device configured to store a map of a position, wherein said position in space is mapped to a position on said map via the user interface.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein said receiver is configured to receive said plurality of UWB signals from said plurality of anchor transmitters inside a building, and wherein said position is inside said building.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein said distance unit is configured to analyze a time of flight (TOF) of said received plurality of UWB signals to determine said distance to each anchor transmitter based on said TOF analyses.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein said position unit is configured to
analyze a first determined position in space at a first time and a second determined position in space at a second time, and
track a path in space based on said first and second determined positions in space.

10. A mobile device, comprising:
the location device of claim 1 ; and
a mobile housing,
wherein said location device is disposed in said mobile housing.

11. A tracking system comprising:
a plurality of anchor transmitters arranged in predetermined positions, wherein each anchor transmitter comprises a unique identifier, wherein said plurality of anchor transmitters are each configured to transmit an ultra-wide band (UWB) signal comprising said unique identifier;
at least one location device configured to receive said UWB signals comprising said unique identifiers, and configured to transmit said unique identifiers; and
a processing system comprising a digital map that stores said unique identifiers and said predetermined positions, wherein said processing system is configured to receive said unique identifiers from said at least one location device, and wherein said processing system is configured to identify a position of said at least one location device based on a comparison of said unique identifiers received by said at least one location device and the stored unique identifiers on said digital map,
wherein a power level of the ultra-wide band signal is sufficiently low as to not be readily transmitted through walls and floors.

12. The tracking system of claim 11 , wherein said processing system further comprises a storage device configured to store a plurality of anchor transmitter identifiers and a predetermined position in space for each anchor transmitter.

13. The tracking system of claim 12 , wherein said processing system is configured to determine a position of said at least one location device in space based on the predetermined position in space for each anchor transmitter.

14. The tracking system of claim 13 , wherein said at least one location device is configured to receive said plurality of UWB signals from said plurality of anchor transmitters inside a building, wherein said plurality of anchor transmitters are disposed inside said building, and wherein said tracked position is inside said building.

15. The tracking system of claim 11 , wherein said plurality of anchor transmitters comprises at least three anchor transmitters.

16. The tracking system of claim 11 , wherein said processing system is configured to analyze a time of flight (TOF) of received said plurality of UWB signals to determine said position of said at least one location device.

17. The tracking system of claim 11 , wherein said at least one location device is configured to transmit to said processing system a time of flight (TOF) of said plurality of UWB signals received by said at least one location device.

18. A method of locating comprising:
arranging a plurality of anchor transmitters in a plurality of predetermined positions, wherein each anchor transmitter comprises a unique identifier;
storing, in a processing system, said each unique identifier and said predetermined position for each anchor transmitter on a digital map stored;
communicatively linking at least one location device to said digital map;
positioning said at least one location device in communicative proximity to said plurality of anchor transmitters;
transmitting low power ultra-wide band (UWB) signals comprising said unique identifier from said plurality of anchor transmitters;
receiving, in said at least one location device, said UWB signals comprising said unique identifiers from at least a portion of said plurality of anchor transmitters;
transmitting said unique identifiers to said processing system via the at least one location device; and
identifying, via said processing system, a position of said at least one location device based on a comparison of said unique identifiers received by said at least one location device and the stored unique identifiers on said digital map,
wherein the low power ultra-wide band signals are not be readily transmitted through walls and floors.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein said identifying said position of said at least one location device comprises using trilateration based on said portion of said plurality of anchor transmitters comprising at least three anchor transmitters.

20. The method of claim 18 , further comprising identifying, via said processing system, a path in space of said at least one location device based on a comparison of said identified position of said at least one location device at predetermined intervals of time.

Assignees

• Us Air Force
• Us Air Force

Inventors

• Boston Jonathan D
• Smith Brandon J

Classifications

• H04W4/33

  for indoor environments, e.g. buildings · CPC title

• G01S1/0423

  Mounting or deployment thereof · CPC title

• G01S1/0428

  Signal details · CPC title

• G01S5/06

  Position of source determined by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements (G01S5/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01S5/14

  Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location · CPC title