Asset location using direction finding features

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11378641-B2
Application number	US-202017007930-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 31, 2020
Priority date	Mar 13, 2018
Publication date	Jul 5, 2022
Grant date	Jul 5, 2022

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatus cause a first wireless device to transmit to a plurality of locator devices, an extended signal including a first segment and second segment. The first segment includes an indication for each of the plurality of locator devices to listen for a change in the extended signal from the first segment to the second segment. The second segment includes an indication for each of the plurality of locator devices to rotate through a plurality of antennas to receive the second segment via the plurality of antennas. Responsive to the transmitting of the extended signal, receiving direction data from each of the plurality of locator devices.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A location method comprising:
by each of a plurality of locator devices, receiving a signal from a first wireless device through a first antenna, of a plurality of antennas, the signal including a first segment and a second segment;
by each of the plurality of locator devices, responsive to detecting a change in the signal from the first segment to the second segment, traversing the plurality of antennas to receive the second segment through each of the plurality of antennas;
by each of the plurality of locator devices, storing a plurality of phase samples, each phase sample associated with the second segment received through one of the plurality of antennas; and
using the plurality of phase samples from each of the plurality of locator devices to calculate direction data associated with the first wireless device, wherein the direction data is configured to identify a direction of the first wireless device relative to a second wireless device.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising using the direction data associated with the first wireless device to enable the second wireless device to locate the first wireless device.

3. The method of claim 1 , comprising receiving the second segment through a second antenna, of the plurality of antennas, of a first locator device and receiving the second segment through a third antenna, of the plurality of antennas, of a second locator device.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first locator device and the second locator device are nodes in a mesh network.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein using the plurality of phase samples to calculate direction data associated with the first wireless device comprises using a Bluetooth angle of departure or angle of arrival algorithm.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising using the direction data to determine distance data associated with the first wireless device.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising wirelessly transmitting data associated with the direction data in response to receiving a request for the direction data from a requesting device.

8. A method comprising:
causing a first wireless device to transmit to a plurality of locator devices, an extended signal including a first segment and a second segment,
wherein the first segment comprises an indication for each of the plurality of locator devices to listen for a change in the extended signal from the first segment to the second segment,
wherein the second segment comprises an indication for each of the plurality of locator devices to rotate through a plurality of antennas to receive the second segment via the plurality of antennas; and
responsive to the transmitting of the extended signal, receiving direction data from each of the plurality of locator devices, wherein the direction data is configured to identify a relative direction of the first wireless device.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein causing the first wireless device to transmit the extended signal comprises causing the first wireless device to transmit a first pattern as the first segment and to transmit a second pattern as the second segment, wherein the first pattern is different from the second pattern.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising, causing the first wireless device to transmit a location request to at least one of the plurality of locator devices.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first wireless device establishes a network connection with each of the plurality of locator devices responsive to the location request.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the causing the first wireless device to transmit the extended signal is responsive to the establishment of the network connection.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the extended signal comprises a multi-directional signal.

14. The method of claim 8 further comprising calculating a distance associated with the first wireless device using the direction data.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising displaying location information, wherein the location information is based on the direction data.

16. A locator system comprising:
a plurality of wireless locators, each including,
multiple antennas configured to detect an extended radio frequency (RF) signal received from a target asset, wherein the extended RF signal includes a first segment and a second segment; and
a location determination module configured to periodically determine direction data associated with the target asset by executing Bluetooth angle-data calculations using phase samples associated with the second segment of the extended RF signal, wherein the direction data is configured to identify a relative direction of the target asset.

17. The locator system of claim 16 , wherein responsive to detecting a change in the extended RF signal from the first segment to the second segment, each wireless locator is configured to traverse the multiple antennas to receive the second segment through each of the multiple antennas.

18. The locator system of claim 17 , wherein each phase sample is associated with the second segment received through one of the multiple antennas.

19. The locator system of claim 16 , wherein the multiple antennas are configured to receive the extended RF signal responsive to establishment of a network connection with the target asset.

20. The locator system of claim 16 , wherein each wireless locator is configured to transmit the periodically determined direction data to a mobile device for use in a display of location data associated with the target asset, wherein the location data includes at least one of a distance, an angle, and a path between the mobile device and the target asset.

Assignees

• Cypress Semiconductor Corp

Inventors

• Hulvey Robert

Classifications

• G01S3/48 Primary

  the waves arriving at the antennas being continuous or intermittent and the phase difference of signals derived therefrom being measured · CPC title

• H04W4/029

  Location-based management or tracking services · CPC title

• H04B7/084

  Equal gain combining, only phase adjustments (antenna beam scanning or forming by phase or amplitude control H01Q3/26, e.g. phased arrays) · CPC title

• H04W4/38

  for collecting sensor information · CPC title

• H04W84/18

  Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks · CPC title