Augmenting light-based communication receiver positioning

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10178506-B2
Application number	US-201414572211-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 16, 2014
Priority date	Mar 25, 2014
Publication date	Jan 8, 2019
Grant date	Jan 8, 2019

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for augmenting light-based communication (LCom) receiver positioning using, for example, an inertial navigation system (INS). An LCom receiver INS may utilize one or more on-board accelerometers and gyroscopic sensors to calculate, via dead reckoning, the position, orientation, and velocity of the receiver. In this manner, the receiver can calculate its relative position using the INS based on a reference point or location. In some cases, the receiver may also or alternatively determine its location or position using a global positioning system (GPS), Wi-Fi-based positioning system (WPS), or some other suitable positioning system. When no LCom signals are in the FOV of the receiver and/or the link is lost to other positioning systems, the receiver INS may be used to augment the receiver positioning. In some cases, the INS mode may run parallel to other positioning techniques to continuously calculate the relative position of the receiver.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A receiver comprising:
a light sensor configured to detect light-communication based (LCom) signals;
an accelerometer;
a gyroscopic sensor; and
a processor configured to:
decode detected LCom signals from the light sensor to determine the receiver location;
calculate, using locationing data from the accelerometer and gyroscopic sensor, the receiver position relative to a reference location to determine the receiver location; and
prioritize determining the receiver location from either the detected LCom signals from the light sensor or the locationing data from the accelerometer and gyroscopic sensor to conserve memory or power, wherein the prioritizing is based on at least one of an environment of the receiver and a previously determined receiver location.

2. The receiver of claim 1 , wherein the LCom signals are visible light.

3. The receiver of claim 1 , wherein when LCom signals are not detected, the processor is configured to determine the receiver location using the locationing data in conjunction with at least one of a global positioning system (GPS) and a Wi-Fi-based positioning system (WPS).

4. The receiver of claim 3 , wherein when LCom, GPS, and WPS signals are not detected, the processor is configured to determine the receiver location by calculating the receiver position relative to a reference location based on the last LCom, GPS, or WPS signal detected.

5. The receiver of claim 4 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the receiver location based on at least one of an LCom, GPS, and WPS signal when the at least one signal is detected.

6. The receiver of claim 1 , wherein the processor calculates the receiver position in parallel with determining the receiver location using LCom signals to increase location accuracy.

7. The receiver of claim 1 , wherein the processor calculates the receiver position relative to a reference location only when LCom signals are not detected.

8. The receiver of claim 7 , wherein the reference location is based on the last LCom signal detected.

9. The receiver of claim 1 , wherein the accelerometer is used to determine receiver height relative to a reference height.

10. A system comprising the receiver of claim 1 and further comprising a luminaire configured to transmit the LCom signals.

11. A positioning method comprising:
detecting light-based communication (LCom) signals using a light sensor of a receiver, the receiver further including an accelerometer and gyroscopic sensor;
decoding detected LCom signals from the light sensor to determine the receiver location;
calculating, using locationing data from the accelerometer and gyroscopic sensor, the receiver position relative to a reference location to determine the receiver location; and
prioritizing determining the receiver location from either the detected LCom signals from the light sensor or the locationing data from the accelerometer and gyroscopic sensor to conserve memory or power, wherein the prioritizing is based on at least one of an environment of the receiver and a previously determined receiver location.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the LCom signals are visible light.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein when LCom signals are not detected, the method is further configured to determine the receiver location using the locationing data in conjunction with at least one of a global positioning system (GPS) and a Wi-Fi-based positioning system (WPS).

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the decoding and calculating are performed in parallel to determine the receiver location.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the calculating is performed only when LCom signals are not detected and wherein the reference location is based on the last LCom signal detected.

16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising calculating, using the accelerometer, the receiver height relative to a reference height.

17. A non-transitory computer program product encoded with instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, causes a process to be carried out, the process comprising:
detect light-based communication (LCom) signals using a light sensor of a receiver, the receiver further including an accelerometer and gyroscopic sensor;
decode detected LCom signals from the light sensor to determine the receiver location;
calculate, using locationing data from the accelerometer and gyroscopic sensor, the receiver position relative to a reference location to determine the receiver location; and
prioritize determining the receiver location from either the detected LCom signals from the light sensor or the locationing data from the accelerometer and gyroscopic sensor to conserve memory or power, wherein the prioritizing is based on at least one of an environment of the receiver and a previously determined receiver location.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein the LCom signals are visible light.

19. The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein the process is configured to decode detected LCom signals and calculate the receiver position in parallel to determine the receiver location.

20. The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein the process is configured to calculate the receiver position only when LCom signals are not detected and wherein the reference location is based on the last LCom signal detected.

Assignees

• Breuer Christian
• Aggarwal Anant
• Siessegger Bernhard
• Osram Sylvania Inc

Inventors

• Breuer Christian
• Aggarwal Anant
• Siessegger Bernhard

Classifications

• H04W4/026 Primary

  using orientation information, e.g. compass · CPC title

• H04B10/116

  Visible light communication · CPC title