Ultrasonic locationing system using a doubly symmetrical transmission sequence

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11079469-B2
Application number	US-201715591272-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 10, 2017
Priority date	May 10, 2017
Publication date	Aug 3, 2021
Grant date	Aug 3, 2021

Abstract

A method and apparatus for locating a target in a venue is described. A backend controller activates transmitters in a venue to send burst signals using a double symmetry configuration formed of a plurality of separate transmitter groups. The backend controller activates the transmitters into a second, different configuration for bursting. The resulting location signal information from each configuration is obtained by the backend controller, which then more accurately determines the location of the target in the venue.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A system for locating a target in a venue, the system comprising:
a plurality of ultrasonic transmitters positioned within the venue according to a physical layout, each transmitter in the plurality of ultrasonic transmitters being configured to transmit ultrasonic ranging pulses in the venue for receipt by the target; and
a backend controller, comprising a processor and a memory, the backend controller communicatively coupled to the plurality of ultrasonic transmitters, the backend controller being configured to activate the transmitters in a symmetry mode that comprises a plurality of symmetry transmitter groups, the transmitters in each symmetry transmitter group having a symmetry about a plurality of symmetry lines in the venue,
the backend controller being configured to control each symmetry transmitter group to send a respective ranging pulse during a symmetry mode timeframe,
the backend controller being further configured to receive location signal information during each of the symmetry mode timeframe of the symmetry mode, and
the backend controller being further configured to determine, in response to the location signal information received during the symmetry mode, the location of the target in the venue.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the backend controller is further configured to:
activate the transmitters in a sub-room mode that comprises a plurality of sub-room transmitter groups different than the plurality of symmetry transmitter groups,
the backend controller being configured to control each sub-room transmitter group to send a respective ranging pulse during a sub-room mode timeframe,
the backend controller being further configured to receive location signal information during each of the sub-room mode timeframe, and
the backend controller being further configured to determine, in response to the location signal information received during the symmetry mode and the location signal information received during the sub-room mode, the location of the target in the venue.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the backend controller is configured to receive the location signal information received during the symmetry mode and the location signal information received during the sub-room mode from the target.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the location signal information received during the symmetry mode and the location signal information received during the sub-room mode is timestamp data from the target.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the symmetry mode is a double symmetry mode such that each symmetry transmitter group has symmetry about two orthogonal axes.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the two orthogonal axes are a horizontal axis in the venue and a vertical axis in the venue.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the double symmetry mode is defined by a plurality of repeating geometric cells.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the repeating geometric cells are repeating rectangular shaped cells, square-shaped cells or repeating diamond-shaped cells.

9. A method of locating a target in a venue having a plurality of ultrasonic transmitters positioned within the venue, the method comprising:
activating, using a backend controller communicatively coupled to the plurality of ultrasonic transmitters, the plurality of ultrasonic transmitters in a symmetry mode that comprises a plurality of symmetry transmitter groups, the transmitters in each symmetry transmitter group having a symmetry about a plurality of symmetry lines in the venue,
transmitting, using the plurality of ultrasonic transmitters activated in the symmetry mode, ultrasonic ranging pulses in the venue during a symmetry mode timeframe;
receiving location signal information during each of the symmetry mode timeframe; and
determining, in response to the location signal information received during the symmetry mode, the location of the target in the venue.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
activating, using the backend controller, the transmitters in a sub-room mode that comprises a plurality of sub-room transmitter groups different than the plurality of symmetry transmitter groups;
transmitting, using the plurality of ultrasonic transmitters activated in the sub-room mode, ultrasonic ranging pulses in the venue during a sub-room mode timeframe;
receiving location signal information during each of the sub-room mode timeframe; and
determining, in response to the location signal information received during the symmetry mode and the location signal information received during the sub-room mode, the location of the target in the venue.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
receiving, at the backend controller, the location signal information received during the symmetry mode from the target; and
receiving, at the backend controller, the location signal information received during the sub-room mode from the target.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the location signal information received during the symmetry mode and the location signal information received during the sub-room mode is timestamp data from the target.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the symmetry mode is a double symmetry mode such that each symmetry transmitter group has symmetry about two orthogonal axes.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the two orthogonal axes are a horizontal axis in the venue and a vertical axis in the venue.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the double symmetry mode is defined by a plurality of repeating geometric cells.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the repeating geometric cells are repeating rectangular shaped cells, square-shaped cells or repeating diamond-shaped cells.

17. An ultrasonic locationing system for locating a target in a venue, the system comprising:
a plurality of ultrasonic transmitters positioned within the venue, each transmitter being configured to transmit ultrasonic ranging pulses in the venue for receipt by the target; and
a backend controller, comprising at least one processor and at least one memory, the backend controller communicatively coupled to the plurality of transmitters, the backend controller being configured to actuate the transmitters in different transmitter groups for sending ultrasonic ranging pulses, each transmitter group exhibiting symmetry about one or more symmetry lines in the venue,
the backend controller being further configured to actuate each transmitter group in a sequential order each over a respective timeframe, and
the backend controller being configured to receive location signal information during each of the timeframe and to determine a location of the target in the venue from the received location signal information obtained from the plurality of transmitter groups.

Assignees

• Symbol Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Calvarese Russell
• Lavery Richard J
• Wijethunga Dammika Prasad

Classifications

• G01S1/74

  Details · CPC title

• G01S5/18 Primary

  using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves · CPC title

• G01S1/76

  Systems for determining direction or position line · CPC title

• G01S5/30 Primary

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

• G01S5/0036

  of measured values, i.e. measurement on mobile and position calculation on base station · CPC title