Device and method for orientation and positioning
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system for locating a near infra-red emitter, comprising:
- a plurality of spaced receivers configured to receive one or more near infra-red signals, each of the receivers having an angular position coordinate value, stored in memory, associated with a designated angle of the receiver relative to a reference axis;
each receiver configured to receive at least one locating near infra-red signal from the emitter, the locating signal including, at least in part, a plurality of pulses in at least one train of pulses;
at least one locator processor, in communication with the spaced receivers, the at least one locator processor configured to;
process the at least one near infra-red locating signal received at each receiver in a group of receivers in respective locating signal-receiving positions, to form a pulse count value in relation to a count of pulses above a pulse strength threshold;
form a pulse count profile whose coordinates include the pulse count values and corresponding angular locations; and
attribute a designated angular position coordinate value, corresponding to a maximum pulse count value in the pulse count profile, as a location value representative of at least the heading of the emitter.
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Abstract
Methods and devices for, among other applications, locating an emitter, comprises an array of receivers configured in different angular positions about the array relative to a corresponding array location axis, to receive a signal from the emitter having at least one burst containing a train of pulses, and at least one processor configured to profile pulse count values at each receiver, from one receiver to another in the array in relation to their respective angular positions, to designate a maximum peak angular position associated with a maximum pulse count value, and to attribute the peak angular position to an angular emitter location.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A system for locating a near infra-red emitter, comprising:
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a plurality of spaced receivers configured to receive one or more near infra-red signals, each of the receivers having an angular position coordinate value, stored in memory, associated with a designated angle of the receiver relative to a reference axis; each receiver configured to receive at least one locating near infra-red signal from the emitter, the locating signal including, at least in part, a plurality of pulses in at least one train of pulses; at least one locator processor, in communication with the spaced receivers, the at least one locator processor configured to; process the at least one near infra-red locating signal received at each receiver in a group of receivers in respective locating signal-receiving positions, to form a pulse count value in relation to a count of pulses above a pulse strength threshold; form a pulse count profile whose coordinates include the pulse count values and corresponding angular locations; and attribute a designated angular position coordinate value, corresponding to a maximum pulse count value in the pulse count profile, as a location value representative of at least the heading of the emitter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of interacting a target object with a tracking object, comprising:
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providing a tracking object with an array of spaced receivers to be positioned relative to a tracking location, each of the receivers having an angular position value associated with a designated angle of the receiver relative to a reference axis, and at least one action output to initiate an action in relation to the target object, each receiver configured to receive at least one near infra-red signal; enabling the receivers to receive at least one near infra-red locating signal from an emitter onboard a target object, the locating signal including, at least in part, a plurality of pulses in a train of pulses; assembling pulse count values, each associated with a count of pulses received by those receivers oriented in signal-receiving positions relative to the target object; associating the angular positions of the signal receiving receivers to their corresponding pulse count values to identify an angular position corresponding to a maximum pulse count value, as an angular target location of the target object; and enabling the action output, in relation to the angular target location. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification