Echolocation apparatus

• US 10,006,996 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2011
• Issued: 06/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Suvanto, Mikko Veli Aimo
• Primary Examiner(s): Alsomiri, Isam A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ndure, Amie M
• Application Number:
  US14/002,218
• Publication Number:
  US 20130336093A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,661 Days
• Field of Search: 367 99, 367107, 367 89, 367100, 367103, 367 87, 367101, 367105, 367118, 367131, 367159, 367173, 367178, 367 4, 367 7, 367 93, 367 96, 342118, 342124, 342146, 342147, 342 22, 342 70, 381190, 340 101, 340 51, 3406861, 341176, 702150, 702155, 702 55, 707609, 707722, 707769
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/06 Systems determining the position data of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/08 Systems for measuring distance only indirect measurement G01S15/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/87 Combinations of sonar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/521 Constructional features
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/54 with receivers spaced apart

Abstract

An apparatus comprises an echolocation module configured to determine a distance to the object based on the received sound signal reflected from an object. The echolocation module determines surroundings based on the determined distance. A processor is configured to modify one or more attributes of the apparatus based on the determined surroundings.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a sound generator configured to generate a sound signal in an ultrasound range;

an echolocation module configured to receive the sound signal reflected from an object so as to determine a distance;

one or more additional sensors configured to provide an additional sensor information to the echolocation module;

the echolocation module further configured to determine a surrounding information based on the additional sensor information and the sound signal reflected from the object; and

a processor configured to modify behavior or functionality associated with acoustic properties of the apparatus based on the determined surrounding information.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sound generator is configured to operate in a first mode for generating audible sounds and in a second mode for generating ultrasonic sounds;

and

a sound detector configured to detect audible sounds in the first mode and ultrasonic sounds in the second mode.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first and second modes occur at the same time or at different time.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the echolocation module is configured to determine a distance to the object so as to provide the surrounding information based on the received sound signal.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises one or more acoustic transducers configured to send the sound signal towards the object and one or more acoustic transducers configured to receive the sound signal reflected from the object.

6. The apparatus according claim 5, wherein the one or more acoustic transducers are configured to send and receive an ultrasonic signal.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises one or more sensors configured to send information to the echolocation module and the echolocation module operates based on the received sensor information.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the one or more sensors comprises at least one of:

global positioning system sensor;

temperature sensor, power signal sensor, battery signal sensor, acceleration sensor, vibration sensor, brightness sensor, data usage sensor, call usage sensor, compass sensor, gyroscopic sensor, near field communication sensor or any other sensor.

9. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the echolocation module is configured to compare the determined distance information with distance information stored in a memory of the apparatus.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the echolocation module is configured to determine that the determined distance information matches with the stored distance information and retrieve the surrounding information associated with the stored distance information.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a plurality of acoustic transducers for receiving and sending sound signals to a plurality of objects.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus generates an associated notification based on the modified one or more attributes.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the echolocation module receives information from a headset and the headset comprises one or more transducers configured to send an ultrasonic signal to the object.

19. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

generate a continuous ultrasound signal; and

compare a received ultrasound signal from the generated continuous sound signal with a transmitted ultrasound signal from the generated continuous sound signal so as to further determine the surrounding information based on a phase difference between the received ultrasound signal and the transmitted sound signal.

22. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein to modify behavior or functionality associated with acoustic properties of the apparatus based on the determined surrounding information comprises adjusting volume and other associated properties of one or more acoustic transducers.

14. A method comprising:

generating a sound signal in an ultrasound range;

determining a distance based on the sound signal reflected from an object;

providing an additional sensor information;

determining a surrounding information based on the additional sensor information and the sound signal reflected from the object; and

modifying behavior or functionality associated with acoustic properties of an apparatus based on the determined surrounding information.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the method further comprises sending the sound signal towards the object.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein determining the surrounding information comprises determining a distance to the object based on the received sound signal.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein the method further comprises receiving one or more sensor information and determining the surrounding information associated with the received one or more sensor information.

18. The method according to claim 14, wherein modifying the behavior or functionality of the apparatus comprises generating an associated notification.

20. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

generating a continuous ultrasound signal; and

comparing a received ultrasound signal from the generated continuous sound signal with a transmitted ultrasound signal from the generated continuous sound signal so as to further determine the surrounding information based on a phase difference between the received ultrasound signal and the transmitted sound signal.

21. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor and

at least one memory including computer code, the at least one memory and the computer code configured to with the at least one processor cause the apparatus to at least;

generate a sound signal in an ultrasound range;

determine a distance based on the sound signal reflected from an object;

provide an additional sensor information;

determine a surrounding information based on the additional sensor information and the sound signal reflected from the object; and

modify behavior or functionality associated with acoustic properties of the apparatus based on the determined surrounding information.