Location services using a light fixture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11754661-B2
Application number	US-201916283444-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 22, 2019
Priority date	Feb 22, 2018
Publication date	Sep 12, 2023
Grant date	Sep 12, 2023

Abstract

A system for locating an object in a volume of space can include a first electrical device disposed in the volume of space and having a first antenna and a first controller, where the first controller reduces a first default range of the first antenna to a first effective range. The system can also include an object disposed within the first effective range, where the first controller recognizes a first signal, using the first antenna, that identifies the object in the first effective range.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for locating an object in a volume of space, comprising:
a first electrical device disposed in the volume of space and comprising a first antenna and a first controller, wherein the first controller reduces a first default range of angles at which signals can be received by the first antenna to a first effective range;
an object disposed within the first effective range of angles, wherein the first controller determines a first angle of arrival corresponding to a first signal transmitted by the object and received by the first electrical device, and wherein the first controller recognizes the first signal, using the first antenna, that identifies the object in the first effective range of angles based on the first angle of arrival;
a second electrical device disposed in the volume of space and comprising a second antenna and a second controller, wherein the second controller reduces a second default range of angles of the second antenna to a second effective range of angles,
wherein the object is located within the second default range of angles and outside the second effective range of angles, and
wherein the second controller ignores a second signal, using the second antenna, that identifies the object in the second default range of angles and outside the second effective range of angles.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first effective range of angles and the second effective range of angles fail to overlap, and wherein the first effective range of angles and the second default range of angles overlap.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the object subsequently moves out of the first effective range of angles and within the second effective range of angles, at which time the second controller recognizes a third signal, using the second antenna, that identifies the object in the second effective range of angles, and wherein the first controller ignores a fourth signal, using the first antenna, that identifies the object in the first default range and outside the first effective range of angles.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the object initiates the first signal.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first signal comprises a radio frequency signal transmitted using Bluetooth low energy.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first signal comprises an identification of the object.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electrical device comprises a light fixture.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first controller ignores the first signal that identifies the object outside the first effective range of angles and within the first default range of angles.

9. An electrical device used to locate an object in a volume of space, the electrical device comprising:
a first antenna having a first default range of angles at which signals can be received by the first antenna; and
a controller coupled to the first antenna, wherein the controller reduces the first default range of angles to a first effective range of angles,
wherein the controller determines a first angle of arrival corresponding to a first radio frequency (RF) signal transmitted by the object and received by the first electrical device,
wherein the controller ignores the first RF signal associated with the object that is received from within the first default range of angles but outside the first effective range of angles based on the first angle of arrival,
wherein the controller determines a second angle of arrival corresponding to a second RF signal transmitted by the object and received by the electrical device, and
wherein the controller recognizes the second RF signal associated with the object that is received from within the first effective range of angles based on the first angle of arrival.

10. The electrical device of claim 9 , wherein the controller sends a communication, wherein the communication comprises an identification of the object contained in the second RF signal.

11. The electrical device of claim 9 , further comprising:
a second antenna coupled to the controller and having a second default range of angles, wherein the controller reduces the second default range of angles to a second effective range of angles,
wherein the controller ignores the first RF signal associated with the object that is received from within the second default range of angles but outside the second effective range of angles, and
wherein the controller recognizes the second RF signal associated with the object that is received from within the second effective range of angles, and
wherein the controller sends a communication that includes an identification of the object contained in the second RF signal.

12. The electrical device of claim 11 , wherein the first effective range of angles has a first shape and a first size, and wherein the second effective range of angles has a second shape and a second size.

13. The electrical device of claim 9 , further comprising:
a second antenna coupled to the controller and having a second default range of angles, wherein the controller reduces the second default range of angles to a second effective range of angles,
wherein the controller ignores the first RF signal and the second RF signal associated with the object that are received from within the second default range of angles but outside the second effective range of angles,
wherein the controller fails to send a communication that includes an identification of the object contained in the second RF signal because the second RF signal falls outside the second effective range of angles of the second antenna.

14. The electrical device of claim 9 , wherein the first effective range of angles is continuous.

15. The electrical device of claim 9 , wherein the first effective range of angles comprises multiple zones.

16. The electrical device of claim 9 , wherein the first effective range of angles is based on an angle at which the first RF signal and the second RF signal are received by the first antenna.

17. The electrical device of claim 9 , wherein the first effective range of angles is adjustable by the controller or by a user.

18. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first effective range of angles and the second effective range of angles are arranged concentrically about the first electrical device, and wherein the first effective range of angles and the second effective range of angles are discontinuous.

19. The electrical device of claim 11 , wherein the first effective range of angles and the second effective range of angles are arranged concentrically about the first electrical device, and wherein the first effective range of angles and the second effective range of angles are discontinuous.

Assignees

• Signify Holding Bv

Inventors

• Riley Peyton
• Trask Russell Scott
• Papanna Babu

Classifications

• G01S5/02 Primary

  using radio waves (using satellite radio beacon systems for determining position G01S19/00) · CPC title

• H04W4/80

  Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication · CPC title

• G01S13/08

  Systems for measuring distance only (indirect measurement G01S13/46) · CPC title

• G06V20/64

  Three-dimensional [3D] objects · 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