People-locating system and method used in stationary environment utilizing ultra wideband technology

• US 20060012474A1
• Filed: 07/14/2004
• Published: 01/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bcom Electronics, Inc. (Action Electronics Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Bcom Electronics, Inc. (Action Electronics Company Limited)
• Inventors: Lee, Yang-Han, Ye, Fun, Lu, Shih-Nan
• Application Number:
  US10/890,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20060012474A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.130
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/0209 Systems with very large relative bandwidth, i.e. larger than 10 %, e.g. baseband, pulse, carrier-free, ultrawideband
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/751 wherein the responder or reflector radiates a coded signal
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2011/02 related to amusement parks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence

Abstract

A people-locating system and method make use of the UWB wireless data transmission technique in a short distance to build a people-locating system in a stationary environment. The system has at least a UWB emitter, a system controller, and at least a UWB node. Each of the UWB emitters has an ID data. The system controller is used to output a control signal. The UWB nodes are connected to the system controller and distributed in the stationary environment, and are used for receiving the control signal and emitting an inquiry signal to the UWB emitters to obtain in turn the ID data emitted by the UWB emitters.

Claims

1. A people-locating system used in a stationary environment and utilizing UWB technology, comprising:

at least a UWB emitter having an ID data, said UWB emitter utilizing the UWB technology for wirelessly emitting said ID data;

a system controller used to output a control signal; and

at least a UWB node connected to said system controller and distributed in said stationary environment, said UWB nodes being used to receive said control signal and emit an inquiry signal to said UWB emitter to obtain in turn said ID data emitted by said UWB emitters.

2. The people-locating system used in a stationary environment utilizing the UWB technology as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said UWB emitters comprises:

a data processing unit for processing digital signals;

a storage unit connected to said data processing unit and used to store said ID data; and

a first UWB communications module connected to said data processing unit and a first antenna, said first UWB communications module receiving a remote inquiry signal via said first antenna and emitting a reply signal.

3. The people-locating system used in a stationary environment utilizing the UWB technology as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said UWB nodes comprises:

a micro control unit for processing of digital signals; and

a second UWB communications module connected to said micro control unit and a second antenna, said second UWB communications module emitting an inquiry signal via said second antenna and receiving a remote reply signal.

4. The people-locating system used in a stationary environment utilizing the UWB technology as claimed in claim 1, wherein said system controller comprises:

a central control unit;

a memory unit connected to said central control unit for storing digital data;

an operational unit connected to said central control unit, said operational unit being used by a user to send a control signal to said central control unit; and

a display unit connected to said central control unit.

5. The people-locating system used in a stationary environment utilizing the UWB technology as claimed in claim 1, wherein said system controller can execute a registration process to register a user data using said UWB emitters and said ID data of said UWB emitters.

6. The people-locating system used in a stationary environment utilizing the UWB technology as claimed in claim 5, wherein said user data is a start time of use, an expenditure type, or an expenditure process.

7. A people-locating method used in a stationary environment utilizing the UWB technology, comprising the steps of:

obtaining an ID data of a lost user set on a UWB emitter;

outputting a control signal by a system controller to at least a UWB node distributed in a stationary environment;

searching for said ID data of said lost user by said UWB nodes;

obtaining said ID data of said lost user by one of said UWB nodes;

transmitting a location signal of said UWB node distributed in said stationary environment and said ID data of said lost user to said system controller; and

informing nearby people to go to a location of said UWB node to search for said lost user.

8. The people-locating method used in a stationary environment utilizing the UWB technology as claimed in claim 7, before said step of obtaining said ID data of said lost user by one of said UWB nodes further comprising the following steps:

dispensing said UWB emitters, each having ID data, to users; and

registering user data by said system controller.

9. The people-locating method used in a stationary environment utilizing the UWB technology as claimed in claim 7, wherein in said step of searching for said ID data of said lost user by said UWB nodes, said system controller requests search aid from a nearby police unit if said ID code is not found.

10. The people-locating method used in a stationary environment utilizing the UWB technology as claimed in claim 7, wherein a digital still camera can be used to take and register a photograph of said user in said step of registering user data by said system controller.