Method and apparatus for performing ultrasonic presence detection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10126406-B2
Application number	US-201514859093-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 18, 2015
Priority date	Dec 2, 2014
Publication date	Nov 13, 2018
Grant date	Nov 13, 2018

Abstract

Disclosed is an apparatus and method for detecting presence of persons or objects within an environment. The apparatus and method may determine a difference in relative position between transmitters having an unknown room position. A transmitter may emit coded signals that may be detected by other transmitters within the room and properties of the coded signal can form a baseline for comparison to new signals after the baseline is established. Through the use of coded signals and relative distance location between transmitters, movement and position of persons or objects within the room may be determined.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for target detection within a room, the method comprising:
determining a difference in relative position between a first transmitter and a second transmitter, wherein one or both of the first transmitter or the second transmitter have an unknown position within the room;
emitting, from one or both of the first transmitter or the second transmitter, a coded signal within the room;
detecting the coded signal, as reflected by a target, at one or both of the first transmitter or the second transmitter;
comparing signal properties of the detected coded signal to a baseline for the room; and
determining, according to a result of comparing the signal properties, and the determined difference in relative position, a position of the target within the room,
wherein the position of the target within the room is independent of a position of the first transmitter within the room, and the position of the target within the room is independent of a position of the second transmitter within the room.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the difference in relative position comprises:
measuring one or both of ultrasound or radio frequencies between the first transmitter and the second transmitter, wherein the first transmitter and the second transmitters are communicatively coupled.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the measuring comprises:
synchronizing an internal clock between the first transmitter or the second transmitter, and
measuring timing of a received ultrasound according to the internal clock.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the coded signal comprises a continuous carrier signal.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the signal properties comprise delay, amplitude, Doppler shift, or any combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the emitting and the detecting are performed by the first transmitter.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein in response to determining the target's position within the room, one or both of a device or a feature of a device is triggered, and
wherein the device is a light bulb, an alarm system, an entertainment system, or any combination thereof.

8. A device for target detection within a room, the device comprising:
memory; and
a processor coupled to the memory and configured to:
determine a difference in relative position between a first transmitter and a second transmitter, wherein the first or second transmitter have an unknown position within the room;
emit, from one or both of the first transmitter or the second transmitter, a coded signal within the room;
detect the coded signal, as reflected by a target, at one or both of the first transmitter or the second transmitter;
compare signal properties of the detected coded signal to a baseline for the room; and
determine, according to a result of comparing the signal properties, and the determined difference in relative position, a position of the target within the room,
wherein the position of the target within the room is independent of a position of the first transmitter within the room, and the position of the target within the room is independent of a position of the second transmitter within the room.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the difference in relative position by executing instructions to:
measure one or both of ultrasound or radio frequencies between the first transmitter and the second transmitter, wherein the first transmitter and the second transmitters are communicatively coupled.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the instructions to measure comprise instructions to:
synchronize an internal clock between the first transmitter or the second transmitter, and
measure timing of a received ultrasound according to the internal clock.

11. The device of claim 8 , wherein the coded signal comprises a continuous carrier signal.

12. The device of claim 8 , wherein the signal properties comprise delay, amplitude, Doppler shift, or any combination thereof.

13. The device of claim 8 , wherein the emitting and the detecting are performed by the first transmitter.

14. The device of claim 8 , wherein in response to determining the target's position within the room one or both of an other device or a feature of the other device is triggered.

15. The device of claim 14 , wherein the other device is light bulb, alarm system, entertainment system, or any combination thereof.

16. A machine readable non-transitory storage medium having stored therein program instructions that are executable by a processor to:
determine a difference in relative position between a first transmitter and a second transmitter, wherein the first or second transmitter have an unknown position within a room;
emit, from one or both of the first transmitter or the second transmitter, a coded signal within the room;
detect the coded signal, as reflected by a target, at one or both of the first transmitter or the second transmitter;
compare signal properties of the detected coded signal to a baseline for the room; and
determine, according to a result of comparing the signal properties, and the determined difference in relative position, a position of the target within the room,
wherein the position of the target within the room is independent of a position of the first transmitter within the room, and the position of the target within the room is independent of a position of the second transmitter within the room.

17. The medium of claim 16 , wherein the instructions to determine the difference in relative position comprise instructions to:
measure one or both of ultrasound or radio frequencies between the first transmitter and the second transmitter, wherein the first transmitter and the second transmitters are communicatively coupled.

18. The medium of claim 17 , wherein the instructions to measure comprise instructions to:
synchronize an internal clock between the first transmitter and the second transmitter, and
measure timing of a received ultrasound according to the internal clock.

19. The medium of claim 16 , wherein the coded signal comprises a continuous carrier signal.

20. The medium of claim 16 , wherein the signal properties comprise delay, amplitude, Doppler shift, or any combination thereof.

21. The medium of claim 16 , wherein the emitting and the detecting are performed by the first transmitter.

22. The medium of claim 16 , wherein in response to determining the target's position within the room, one or both of a device or a feature of a device is triggered, and
wherein the device is a light bulb, an alarm system, an entertainment system, or any combination thereof.

23. An apparatus for target detection within a room, the apparatus comprising:
means for determining a difference in relative position between a first transmitter and a second transmitter, wherein the first or second transmitter have an unknown room position;
means for emitting, from one or both of the first transmitter or the second transmitter, a coded signal within the room;
means for detecting the coded signal, as reflected by a target, at one or both of the first transmitter or the second transmitter;
means for comparing signal properties of the detected coded signal to a baseline for the room; and
means for determining, according to a result of comparing the signal properties, and the determined difference in relative position, a position of the target within the room,
wherein the posit

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Altman Nathan

Classifications

• G01S5/18 Primary

  using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves · CPC title

• G01S15/325

  using transmission of coded signals, e.g. of phase-shift keyed [PSK] signals · CPC title

• G01S7/52004 Primary

  Means for monitoring or calibrating (short-range imaging G01S7/5205) · CPC title

• G01S15/523

  for presence detection (burglar, theft or intruder alarms G08B13/00, e.g. G08B13/16) · CPC title

• G01S15/04

  Systems determining presence of a target · CPC title