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

• US 10,321,286 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2018
• Issued: 06/11/2019
• 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:
  US16/167,484
• Publication Number:
  US 20190058978A1
• Time in Patent Office: 232 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 localization system, comprising:

a plurality of positioning anchors configured to wirelessly transmit localization signals during time slots of a transmission schedule, wherein;

each localization signal comprises a payload; and

the payload for each localization signal identifies at least one positioning anchor of the plurality of positioning anchors configured to transmit a localization signal during at least one future time slot; and

a self-localizing apparatus comprising a receiver, wherein the self-localizing apparatus is configured to;

receive at least some of the localization signals;

extract the payload of the received localization signals;

determine, based on the extracted payload of the received localization signals, which localization signals to receive for determining positioning information of the self-localizing apparatus;

configure the receiver based on the determined localization signals;

receive, using the configured receiver, the determined localization signals; and

determine the positioning information of the self-localizing apparatus based on the received determined localization signals.

2. The localization system of claim 1, wherein the localization signals comprise a first subgroup and a second subgroup, wherein the first subgroup and the second subgroup comprise at least one different transmission characteristic.

3. The localization system of claim 2, wherein the at least one different transmission characteristic comprises at least one of transmission center frequency, transmission frequency bandwidth, preamble code, and preamble modulation scheme.

4. The localization system of claim 2, wherein a localization signal from the first subgroup and a localization signal from the second subgroup are both scheduled for transmission during the same time slot of the transmission schedule.

5. The localization system of claim 1, wherein the self-localizing apparatus is configured to determine which localization signals to receive based on status information.

6. The localization system of claim 5, wherein the status information comprises current position of the self-localizing apparatus.

7. The localization system of claim 5, wherein the status information comprises variance information associated with a localization estimator of the self-localizing apparatus.

8. The localization system of claim 7, wherein the self-localizing apparatus is configured to determine which localization signals to receive to minimize variance associated with the localization estimator.

9. The localization system of claim 1, wherein the payload for each localization signal identifies two positioning anchors of the plurality of positioning anchors configured to transmit localization signals during the same future time slot.

10. The localization system of claim 1, wherein the payload for each localization signal identifies at least one positioning anchor of the plurality of positioning anchors configured to transmit a localization signal during each of at least two future time slots.

11. A localization method comprising:

wirelessly transmitting, using a plurality of positioning anchors, localization signals during time slots of a transmission schedule, wherein

each localization signal comprises a payload; and

the payload for each localization signal identifies at least one positioning anchor of the plurality of positioning anchors configured to transmit a localization signal during at least one future time slot;

receiving, using a self-localizing apparatus, at least some of the localization signals;

extracting, using the self-localizing apparatus, the payload of the received localization signals;

determining, using the self-localizing apparatus, which localization signals to receive for determining positioning information of the self-localizing apparatus based on the extracted payload of the received localization signals;

configuring the receiver of the self-localizing apparatus based on the determined localization signals;

receiving, using the configured receiver, the determined localization signals; and

determining, using the self-localizing apparatus, the positioning information.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the localization signals comprise a first subgroup and a second subgroup, wherein the first subgroup and the second subgroup comprise at least one different transmission characteristic.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one different transmission characteristic comprises at least one of transmission center frequency, transmission frequency bandwidth, preamble code, and preamble modulation scheme.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein a localization signal from the first subgroup and a localization signal from the second subgroup are both scheduled for transmission during the same time slot of the transmission schedule.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining, using the self-localizing apparatus, which localization signals to receive based on status information.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the status information comprises current position of the self-localizing apparatus.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the status information comprises variance information associated with a localization estimator of the self-localizing apparatus.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

determining, using the self-localizing apparatus, which localization signals to receive to minimize variance associated with the localization estimator.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the payload for each localization signal identifies two positioning anchors of the plurality of positioning anchors configured to transmit localization signals during the same future time slot.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the payload for each localization signal identifies at least one positioning anchor of the plurality of positioning anchors configured to transmit a localization signal during each of at least two future time slots.