Methods and systems for scheduling the transmission of localization signals and operating self-localizing apparatus

• US 10,111,044 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2016
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verity AG
• Original Assignee: Verity Studios AG
• Inventors: Gherardi, Luca, D'Andrea, Raffaello, Hehn, Markus, Waibel, Markus
• Primary Examiner(s): Jiang, Charles C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Soe, Kyaw Z
• Application Number:
  US15/168,122
• Publication Number:
  US 20160353238A1
• Time in Patent Office: 876 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/024 of beacon transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/042 Transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/20 using a comparison of transit time of synchronised signals transmitted from non-directional antennas or antenna systems spaced apart, i.e. path-difference systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0284 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0289 of multiple transceivers, e.g. in ad hoc networks
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/14 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/00 Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles B60W60/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/028 using a RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/102 specially adapted for vertical take-off of aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/247 using signals provided by artificial sources external to the vehicle, e.g. navigation beacons
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/652 Take-off delivering or retrieving payloads G05D1/667
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/69 Spread spectrum techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/026 using orientation information, e.g. compass
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/30 Services specially adapted for particular environments, situations or purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Localization systems and methods for transmitting timestampable localization signals from anchors according to one or more transmission schedules. The transmission schedules may be generated and updated to achieve desired positioning performance. For example, one or more anchors may transmit localization signals at a different rate than other anchors, the anchor transmission order can be changed, and the signals can partially overlap. In addition, different transmission parameters may be used to transmit two localization signals at the same time without interference. A self-localizing apparatus is able to receive the localization signals and determine its position. The self-localizing apparatus may have a configurable receiver that can select to receive one of multiple available localization signals. The self-localizing apparatuses may have a pair of receivers able to receive two localization signals at the same time. A bridge anchor may be provided to enable a self-localizing apparatus to seamlessly transition between two localization systems.

Claims

1. A system for determining a transmission schedule for a localization system comprising a plurality of positioning anchors configured to wirelessly transmit localization signals that can be used for determining position information within a region, the system comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

receive (a) locations of the plurality of positioning anchors, (b) at least one anchor property of the plurality of positioning anchors, and (c) positioning performance for two zones within the region, wherein the positioning performance indicates different positioning performance for each of the two zones;

determine the transmission schedule for the plurality of anchors based on (a) the locations of the plurality of positioning anchors, (b) the at least one anchor property of the plurality of positioning anchors, and (c) the positioning performance for the two zones, wherein the plurality of positioning anchors are configured to wirelessly transmit the localization signals according to the transmission schedule; and

output the transmission schedule to the plurality of positioning anchors.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the positioning performance for a first of the two zones is greater than the positioning performance for a second of the two zones and wherein the determined transmission schedule is determined to provide greater positioning performance within the first zone.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one anchor property comprises transmission power levels, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine transmission power levels for the transmission schedule, and wherein the transmission schedule indicates the power level each positioning anchor is scheduled to use for transmitting its localization signals.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one anchor property comprises transmission center frequencies, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine transmission center frequencies for the transmission schedule, and wherein the transmission schedule indicates the transmission center frequency each positioning anchor is scheduled to use for transmitting its localization signals.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one anchor property comprises transmission frequency bandwidths, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine transmission frequency bandwidths for the transmission schedule, and wherein the transmission schedule indicates the transmission frequency bandwidth each positioning anchor is scheduled to use for transmitting its localization signals.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one anchor property comprises preamble codes, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine preamble codes for the transmission schedule, and wherein the transmission schedule indicates the preamble code scheduled to be used with each localization signal.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one anchor property comprises preamble modulation schemes, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine the preamble modulation schemes for the transmission schedule, and wherein the transmission schedule indicates the preamble modulation scheme scheduled to be used with each localization signal.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmission schedule comprises a plurality of time slots and wherein the at least one processor is further configured to assign one or more localization signals to each of the plurality of time slots.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine an amount of overlap of the plurality of time slots of the transmission schedule.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine the transmission schedule by determining a temporal order for the plurality of positioning anchors to wirelessly transmit the localization signals.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine the transmission schedule by determining transmission rates for the plurality of positioning anchors to wirelessly transmit the localization signals.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine the transmission schedule by using an optimization algorithm.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine the transmission schedule by minimizing a cost function.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the input is further operable to receive real-time positioning information of self-localizing apparatus within the region and wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine an updated transmission schedule based on the real-time positioning information.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the positioning performance comprises a flight pattern.

3. A system for determining a transmission schedule for a localization system comprising a plurality of positioning anchors configured to wirelessly transmit localization signals that can be used for determining position information within a region, the system comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

receive (a) locations of the plurality of positioning anchors, (b) at least one anchor property of the plurality of positioning anchors, (c) positioning performance within at least one zone within the region;

determine the transmission schedule for the plurality of anchors by;

predicting positioning performance within the at least one zone based on the locations of the plurality of positioning anchors and the at least one anchor property of the plurality of positioning anchors; and

comparing the predicted positioning performance to the positioning performance within the at least one zone; and

output the transmission schedule to the plurality of positioning anchors.

13. A system for determining a transmission schedule for a localization system comprising a plurality of positioning anchors configured to wirelessly transmit localization signals that can be used for determining position information within a region, the system comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

receive (a) locations of the plurality of positioning anchors, (b) at least one anchor property of the plurality of positioning anchors, and (c) positioning performance for at least one zone within the region;

determine the transmission schedule for the plurality of anchors based on (a) the locations of the plurality of positioning anchors, (b) the at least one anchor property of the plurality of positioning anchors, and (c) the positioning performance, wherein;

the transmission schedule comprises a plurality of time slots;

the at least one processor is configured to determine the transmission schedule by assigning more time slots to a first positioning anchor than to a second positioning anchor based on the positioning performance; and

the plurality of positioning anchors are configured to wirelessly transmit the localization signals according to the transmission schedule; and

output the transmission schedule to the plurality of positioning anchors.

18. A method for determining a transmission schedule for a localization system comprising a plurality of positioning anchors configured to wirelessly transmit localization signals that can be used for determining position information within a region, the method comprising:

receiving (a) locations of the plurality of positioning anchors, (b) at least one anchor property of the plurality of positioning anchors, and (c) positioning performance for two zones within the region, wherein the positioning performance indicates different positioning performance for each of the two zones;

determining, using at least one processor, the transmission schedule for the plurality of anchors based on (a) the locations of the plurality of positioning anchors, (b) the at least one anchor property of the plurality of positioning anchors, and (c) the positioning performance for the two zones, wherein the plurality of positioning anchors are configured to wirelessly transmit the localization signals according to the transmission schedule; and

communicating the transmission schedule to the plurality of positioning anchors.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the at least one anchor property comprises transmission power levels, the method further comprising:

determining, using at least one processor, transmission power levels for the transmission schedule, wherein the transmission schedule indicates the power level each positioning anchor is scheduled to use for transmitting its localization signals.

19. A method further for determining a transmission schedule for a localization system comprising a plurality of positioning anchors configured to wirelessly transmit localization signals that can be used for determining position information within a region, the method comprising:

receiving (a) locations of the plurality of positioning anchors, (b) at least one anchor property of the plurality of positioning anchors, and (c) positioning performance within at least one zone within the region,

determining, using at least one processor, the transmission schedule for the plurality of anchors by;

predicting positioning performance within the at least one zone based on the locations of the plurality of positioning anchors and the at least one anchor property of the plurality of positioning anchors;

comparing the predicted positioning performance to the positioning performance within the at least one zone; and

communicating the transmission schedule to the plurality of positioning anchors.