Method, system and computer program for determining distances and positions

• US 10,006,990 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2013
• Issued: 06/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gerald Jules Rudolf Van Taunay
• Original Assignee: Gerald Jules Rudolf Van Taunay
• Inventors: Van Taunay, Gerald Jules Rudolf
• Primary Examiner(s): Quigley, Kyle R
• Application Number:
  US14/396,453
• Publication Number:
  US 20150153443A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,890 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/0428 Signal details
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/02 using radio waves G01S19/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/06 using intensity measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/12 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/14 using ultrasonic, sonic, or infrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/14 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location

Abstract

In a method and system, a distance between at least one first positioning device, FPD, and an second positioning device, SPD, is determined. At the FPD, a plurality of positioning signals are broadcast, wherein each positioning signal has a predetermined different broadcast power. At the FPD, a plurality of distance indication data signals is broadcast. Each distance indication data signal carries predetermined distance indication data associated with a distance range of a corresponding positioning signal at the predetermined broadcast power. At the SPD, the distance indication data are extracted from each distance indication data signal corresponding to a received positioning signal. At the SPD, a distance between the FPD and the SPD is determined from the distance indication data indicating the smallest distance range among the distance indication data received from the FPD.

Claims

1. A method of determining a distance between at least one first positioning device, FPD, and a second positioning device, SPD, the method comprising:

at the FPD, broadcasting a plurality of positioning signals, each positioning signal having a predetermined different broadcast power;

at the FPD, broadcasting a plurality of distance indication data signals, each distance indication data signal carrying predetermined distance indication data associated with a distance range of a corresponding positioning signal at the predetermined broadcast power; and

at the SPD, extracting the distance indication data from each distance indication data signal corresponding to a received positioning signal, and determining a distance between the FPD and the SPD from the distance indication data indicating the smallest distance range among the distance indication data received from the FPD,

at a determination of the distance between the FPD and the SPD, storing the distance indication data indicating a smallest distance range in the SPD; and

at a subsequent determination of the distance between the FPD and the SPD, comparing the distance indication data indicating the smallest distance range with distance indication data indicating a smallest distance range previously stored in the SPD to determine if the distance indication data indicating the smallest distance range differs or does not differ from distance indication data indicating a smallest distance range previously stored in the SPD, wherein;

if the distance indication data indicating the smallest distance range of the subsequent determination differs from the distance indication data indicating the smallest distance range previously stored, then determining the distance from the distance indication data indicating a smallest distance range of the subsequent determination; and

if the distance indication data indicating the smallest distance range of the subsequent determination does not differ from the distance indication data indicating the smallest distance range previously stored, then determining the distance from an average of a distance range associated with the distance indication data indicating the smallest distance range previously stored and a smaller distance range.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the SPD stores information on each distance range associated with the distance indication data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein comparing the extracted distance indication data with previously stored distance indication data is performed during a predetermined time period and/or for a predetermined number of times.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a position, a direction, a speed, and/or an acceleration taking into account previously stored distance indication data and time.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the positioning signal includes the distance indication data signal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the distance indication data have a value proportional to the associated broadcast power.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of positioning signals having different broadcast power are broadcast sequentially, simultaneously or arbitrarily.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the positioning signal is a radio signal, a light signal, a sound signal, or a magnetic field signal, and the broadcast power is a radio signal power, a light intensity, a sound power, or a magnetic field power or strength, respectively.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the positioning signals and/or distance indication data signals are broadcasted real-time, or with time intervals, or on request.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the SPD stores information on the broadcast distance corresponding to the distance indication data.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the distance between the FPD and the SPD further comprises:

calculating or measuring a position of the SPD between different distance ranges using a sensing device or a sensor, the sensor comprising an accelerometer, a compass sensor and/or a gyroscope.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the FPD switches antennas and/or switches to different kind of antennas such that the distance range of a positioning signal increases according to a linear function in accordance with a linear increase in broadcast power.

13. The method of claim 1 for determining a distance between each one of a plurality of FPDs and an SPD, the method comprising:

at each FPD, broadcasting a plurality of positioning signals, each positioning signal having a predetermined different broadcast power;

at each FPD, broadcasting a plurality of distance indication data signals, each distance indication data signal carrying predetermined identification data identifying the FPD, and further carrying predetermined distance indication data associated with a distance range of a corresponding positioning signal at the predetermined broadcast power, wherein the positioning signals and/or distance indication data signals further carry position data associated with each FPD position;

at the SPD, extracting the identification data and distance indication data from each distance indication data signal corresponding to a received positioning signal, and further extracting the position data from each received positioning signal and/or distance indication data signal to determine each FPD position, and determining a distance between each FPD as identified by its identification data and the SPD from the distance indication data indicating the smallest distance range among the distance indication data received from the respective FPD, and

at the SPD, calculating the SPD position from said FPD positions and said distances between the FPDs and the SPD, and sending the position to an output device.

14. A computer program product comprising a computer readable non-transitory data carrier comprising first computer instructions which, when loaded in a processor of the first positioning device, FPD, and second computer instructions, which when loaded in a processor of the second positioning device, SPD, cause the processors to carry out the method steps of claim 1.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein a position and/or distance can be determined if a positioning device receives a positioning signal and/or distance indication data signal and/or receives different positioning signals and/or distance indication data signals within a certain period.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the positioning signal and/or the distance indication data signal is a modulated signal.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of positioning signals and the plurality of distance indication data signals that are broadcast further carries information and/or identification data that refers to stored information.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the FPD and/or the SPD communicates and processes data comprising position data, distance data, distance value, identification data, sensor data, distance indication codes and/or other information to and/or from another first positioning device, another second positioning device, server and/or a processing device.

19. A computer program product comprising a computer readable non-transitory data carrier comprising first computer instructions which, when loaded in a processor of the first positioning device, FPD, and second computer instructions, which when loaded in a processor of the second positioning device, SPD, cause the processors to carry out the method steps of claim 2.

20. A computer program product comprising a computer readable non-transitory data carrier comprising first computer instructions which, when loaded in a processor of the first positioning device, FPD, and second computer instructions, which when loaded in a processor of the second positioning device, SPD, cause the processors to carry out the method steps of claim 3.

21. A computer program product comprising a computer readable non-transitory data carrier comprising first computer instructions which, when loaded in a processor of the first positioning device, FPD, and second computer instructions, which when loaded in a processor of the second positioning device, SPD, cause the processors to carry out the method steps of claim 15.

22. A computer program product comprising a computer readable non-transitory data carrier comprising first computer instructions which, when loaded in a processor of the first positioning device, FPD, and second computer instructions, which when loaded in a processor of the second positioning device, SPD, cause the processors to carry out the method steps of claim 4.

23. A computer program product comprising a computer readable non-transitory data carrier comprising first computer instructions which, when loaded in a processor of the first positioning device, FPD, and second computer instructions, which when loaded in a processor of the second positioning device, SPD, cause the processors to carry out the method steps of claim 5.

24. A computer program product comprising a computer readable non-transitory data carrier comprising first computer instructions which, when loaded in a processor of the first positioning device, FPD, and second computer instructions, which when loaded in a processor of the second positioning device, SPD, cause the processors to carry out the method steps of claim 16.

25. A computer program product comprising a computer readable non-transitory data carrier comprising first computer instructions which, when loaded in a processor of the first positioning device, FPD, and second computer instructions, which when loaded in a processor of the second positioning device, SPD, cause the processors to carry out the method steps of claim 6.

26. A computer program product comprising a computer readable non-transitory data carrier comprising first computer instructions which, when loaded in a processor of the first positioning device, FPD, and second computer instructions, which when loaded in a processor of the second positioning device, SPD, cause the processors to carry out the method steps of claim 7.

27. A computer program product comprising a computer readable non-transitory data carrier comprising first computer instructions which, when loaded in a processor of the first positioning device, FPD, and second computer instructions, which when loaded in a processor of the second positioning device, SPD, cause the processors to carry out the method steps of claim 8.

28. A computer program product comprising a computer readable non-transitory data carrier comprising first computer instructions which, when loaded in a processor of the first positioning device, FPD, and second computer instructions, which when loaded in a processor of the second positioning device, SPD, cause the processors to carry out the method steps of claim 9.

29. A computer program product comprising a computer readable non-transitory data carrier comprising first computer instructions which, when loaded in a processor of the first positioning device, FPD, and second computer instructions, which when loaded in a processor of the second positioning device, SPD, cause the processors to carry out the method steps of claim 10.

30. A computer program product comprising a computer readable non-transitory data carrier comprising first computer instructions which, when loaded in a processor of the first positioning device, FPD, and second computer instructions, which when loaded in a processor of the second positioning device, SPD, cause the processors to carry out the method steps of claim 17.

31. A computer program product comprising a computer readable non-transitory data carrier comprising first computer instructions which, when loaded in a processor of the first positioning device, FPD, and second computer instructions, which when loaded in a processor of the second positioning device, SPD, cause the processors to carry out the method steps of claim 11.

32. A computer program product comprising a computer readable non-transitory data carrier comprising first computer instructions which, when loaded in a processor of the first positioning device, FPD, and second computer instructions, which when loaded in a processor of the second positioning device, SPD, cause the processors to carry out the method steps of claim 12.

33. A computer program product comprising a computer readable non-transitory data carrier comprising first computer instructions which, when loaded in a processor of the first positioning device, FPD, and second computer instructions, which when loaded in a processor of the second positioning device, SPD, cause the processors to carry out the method steps of claim 18.

34. A computer program product comprising a computer readable non-transitory data carrier comprising first computer instructions which, when loaded in each processor of the plurality of FPDs, and second computer instructions, which when loaded in a processor of the SPD, cause the processors to carry out the method steps of claim 13.

35. The method of claim 1, wherein the distance indication data is a Distance Indication Code.

36. A computer program product comprising a computer readable non-transitory data carrier comprising first computer instructions which, when loaded in a processor of the first positioning device, FPD, and second computer instructions, which when loaded in a processor of the second positioning device, SPD, cause the processors to carry out the method steps of claim 35.

37. A system of determining a distance between at least one first positioning device, FPD, and a second positioning device, SPD, wherein:

the FPD is configured to broadcast a plurality of positioning signals, each positioning signal having a predetermined different broadcast power;

the FPD is further configured to broadcast a plurality of distance indication data signals, each distance indication data signal carrying predetermined distance indication data associated with a distance range of a corresponding positioning signal at the predetermined broadcast power; and

the SPD is configured to;

receive the distance indication data signals,

extract the distance indication data from each distance indication data signal corresponding to a received positioning signal,

determine a distance between the FPD and the SPD from the distance indication data indicating the smallest distance range among the distance indication data received from the FPD,

at a determination of the distance between the FPD and the SPD, store the distance indication data indicating a smallest distance range in a memory; and

at a subsequent determination of the distance between the FPD and the SPD, comparing the distance indication data indicating the smallest distance range with distance indication data indicating a smallest distance range previously stored in the SPD to determine if the distance indication data indicating the smallest distance range differs or does not differ from distance indication data indicating a smallest distance range previously stored in the SPD, wherein;

if the distance indication data indicating the smallest distance range of the subsequent determination differs from the distance indication data indicating the smallest distance range previously stored, then determining the distance from the distance indication data indicating a smallest distance range of the subsequent determination; and

if the distance indication data indicating the smallest distance range of the subsequent determination does not differ from the distance indication data indicating the smallest distance range previously stored, then determining the distance from an average of a distance range associated with the distance indication data indicating the smallest distance range previously stored and a smaller distance range.

38. The system of claim 37 for determining a distance between each one of a plurality of FPDs and a SPD, wherein:

the FPD is configured to broadcast a plurality of positioning signals, each positioning signal having a predetermined different broadcast power;

the FPD further is configured to broadcast a plurality of distance indication data signals, each distance indication data signal carrying predetermined identification data identifying the FPD, and further carrying predetermined distance indication data associated with a distance range of a corresponding positioning signal at the predetermined broadcast power, wherein the positioning signals and/or distance indication data signals further carry position data associated with each FPD position; and

the SPD is configured to extract the identification data and distance indication data from each distance indication data signal corresponding to a received positioning signal, and further to extract the position data from each received positioning signal and/or distance indication data signal to determine each FPD position, and to determine a distance between each FPD as identified by its identification data and the SPD from the distance indication data indicating the smallest distance range among the distance indication data received from the respective FPD, and

the SPD is configured to calculate the SPD position from said FPD positions and said distances between the FPDs and the SPD, and to send the position to an output device.

39. The system of claim 37, wherein the SPD stores information on each distance range associated with the distance indication data.

40. The system of claim 37, wherein at least one of the positioning devices comprises a sensing device or a sensor, the sensor comprising an acceleration sensor, a compass sensor and/or a gyroscope.

41. The system of claim 37, wherein at least one of the positioning devices comprises a switch controlled by a controller to switch antennas and/or switching to a different kind of antenna.

42. The system of claim 37, wherein the FPD and/or the SPD is configured to communicate data to and/or from a processing device.

43. The system of claim 38, wherein the SPD stores information on each distance range associated with the distance indication data.

44. The system of claim 38, wherein at least one of the positioning devices comprises a sensing device or a sensor, the sensor comprising an acceleration sensor, a compass sensor and/or a gyroscope.

45. The system of claim 38, wherein at least one of the positioning devices comprises a switch controlled by a controller to switch antennas and/or switching to a different kind of antenna.

46. The system of claim 38, wherein the plurality of FPDs and/or the SPD is configured to communicate data to and/or from a processing device.

47. The system of claim 37, wherein the FPD, the SPD and/or the processing device stores information on each Distance Indication Code.

48. The system of claim 38, wherein the plurality of FPDs, the SPD and/or the processing device stores information on each Distance Indication Code.