Transmitting Unit

• US 20060103567A1
• Filed: 11/14/2005
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saab AB
• Original Assignee: Saab AB
• Inventors: Andersson, Stefan, Nordevall, Lennart
• Granted Patent: US 7,561,039 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/28
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/26 Teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying shooting games A63F9/02; light- or radiation-emitting guns F41A33/02; targets therefor F41J; responders, transponders for radar, sonar, lidar G01S13/767, G01S15/74, G01S17/74
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/16 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/003 for military purposes and tactics

Abstract

A transmitting unit has a transmitter for transmitting signals of coded information about a position close to the unit in a space substantially unreachable by a satellite-based navigating system so as to provide a receiver arranged on a moving object present in said space with this position information for determining the position of the object. The transmitter is adapted to normally be in an inactive non-transmitting state, and the unit further comprises means adapted to detect movement of an object within a space and activate the transmitter to transmit signals only when movement of an object in the space is detected.

Claims

1. A transmitting unit, comprising:

a transmitter (13) arranged to transmit signals of coded information about a position (12, 24, 25, 30-32) close to the unit in a space so as to provide a receiver (22) arranged on a moving object, such as a person, present in said space with position information for determining the position of said object, said transmitter (13) being adapted to normally be in an inactive non-transmitting state; and

means (5, 7, 8) adapted to detect movement of said object within said space and to activate said transmitter to transmit said signals when a movement of said object in said space is detected,

wherein

said detecting means (5, 7, 8) is adapted to detect movement of said object only within a restricted predefined volume (6) of said space; and

said transmitter is activated only as long as movement within said predefined volume is detected.

2. A transmitting unit according to claim 1, wherein said transmitter (13) is adapted to transmit said signals of coded information within a restricted predefined volume (6) of said space.

3. A transmitting unit according to claim 2, wherein said transmitter (13) and said detecting means (5, 7, 8) are matched so that said restricted predefined volumes (6) of transmitting and detection substantially coincide.

4. A transmitting unit according to claim 1, wherein said detecting means (5, 7, 8) comprises a member (7) adapted to detect infrared radiation.

5. A transmitting unit according to claim 4, wherein said detecting member (7) is of pyro-electric type.

6. A transmitting unit according to claim 1, wherein said detecting means comprises a Fresnel lens (5) designed to define said restricted predefined volume (6) of said space for detection by the detecting means.

7. A transmitting unit according to claim 1, wherein said detecting means (7) is adapted to detect movement of said object within a restricted predefined volume of said space in the form of one or more curtain-like volumes (6).

8. A transmitting unit according to claim 1, wherein said detecting means is adapted to detect movement of said object within a restricted predefined volume of said space in the form of one or more pyramid-like or cone-like volumes (6) diverging from a detecting member of said detecting means.

9. A transmitting unit according to claim 1, wherein said detecting means comprises a detecting member (7) able to determine in which direction said object moves within said space.

10. A transmitting unit according to claim 9, further comprising:

a processing device (11) adapted to receive a detection signal from said detecting member (7) and control said transmitter (13) depending on the character of said detection signal for making at least one of the following decisions a) and b) depending upon the detected direction of movement of said object;

a) about which of two or more positions signals of coded information is to be transmitted by the transmitter

b) whether the transmitter shall transmit signals of coded information or not.

11. A transmitting unit according to claim 1, wherein said transmitter (13) is adapted to enter an inactive state after having transmitted a predetermined number of signals of coded information upon said detection of a movement of said object by said detecting means.

12. A transmitting unit according to claim 11, wherein said transmitter comprises a source (14) supplying energy for the generation of said signals of coded information, wherein said energy source is normally in an inactive energy storing state and is adapted to be activated by a detection of a movement of said object by said detecting means (5, 7, 8) for delivering energy for the generation of said signals of coded information.

13. A transmitting unit according to claim 1, wherein said transmitter comprises an arrangement of one or more lenses (17) adapted to form a beam of transmitted signals defining a restricted predefined volume (6) for said transmitting.

14. A transmitting unit according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter (13) is adapted to transmit signals of coded information in the form of pulses of infrared light.

15. A transmitting unit according to claim 1, wherein mechanical means (20) are arranged around said transmitter (13) for shielding it.

16. A transmitting unit according to claim 1, further comprising a processing device (11) adapted to process signals detected by the detecting means and control the transmitting of signals by said transmitter (13), wherein

said processing device comprises a wireless interface (18) for updating of said coded position information and/or a computer program contained therein.

17. A transmitting unit according to claim 1, further comprising a display member (19) adapted to display readable information about said position, such as house, flat and room.

18. A computer program containing computer program code means for making a computer or processor execute processing of signals received by said detecting means in a transmitting unit (1) according to claim 1 in order to determine how to control said transmitter (13) of the transmitting unit.

19. A method of using a transmitting unit, comprising:

providing a transmitting unit according to claim 1;

and

using said transmitting unit in a military exercise of combat in an area including spaces substantially unreachable by a satellite-based navigating system.

20. A positioning system, comprising:

a plurality of transmitting units (1) arranged in a space and each having a transmitter (13) for transmitting signals of coded information about a position (12, 24, 25, 30-32) close to said unit and receivers (22) arranged on movable objects adapted to receive said signals of coded information when present in a said space, wherein

the positioning system comprises at least one transmitting unit according to claim 1.

21. A simulation system for use in a military exercise of combat in an area including spaces substantially unreachable by a satellite-based navigating system, comprising:

a plurality of transmitting units (1) having a first transmitter (13) for transmitting signals of coded information about a position (12, 24, 25, 30-32) close to the unit in a space and receivers (22) arranged on soldiers participating in said exercise and adapted to receive said signals of coded information when present in said space and a second transmitter connected to said receiver for transmitting the position information associated with the respective soldier to a central unit for governing the military exercise, wherein

the simulation system comprises at least one transmitting unit according to claim 1.

22. A simulation system according to claim 21, wherein

the simulation system is adapted for use in a military exercise of combat in buildings;

and

said transmitting units (1) according to claim 1 are adapted to be arranged so as to cover openings (2, 3) into rooms of the building, such as door openings and windows, by a restricted predefined volume (6) of said space for the detection of movement of a soldier.

23. A simulation system according to claim 21, wherein

the simulation system is adapted for use in a military exercise of combat in buildings;

a number of transmitting units (1) according to claim 1 are adapted to be arranged with intervals in an elongated room (4′

), such as a corridor, of a building;

the detecting means of each transmitting unit is adapted to cover substantially the entire width of said room by a restricted predefined volume (6) for detection of movement such that the room is divided into sectors and a soldier may not pass from one sector to the other without crossing said restricted predefined detection volume; and

each said sector being provided with at least one separate position information.

24. A simulation system according to claim 21, wherein at least one transmitting unit according to claim 1 is adapted to be arranged on or close to the outer wall (28) of a building so as to by said detecting means detect movement of a soldier moving close to the outer wall of the building and provide said soldier with a position information by said transmitter of the transmitting unit.