Laser locating and tracking system for externally activated tags

• US 20060138225A1
• Filed: 02/21/2006
• Published: 06/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Anuj Uday Gujar, Beverly L. Harrison, Edward A. Richley, Kenneth P. Fishkin, Roy Want
• Original Assignee: Anuj Uday Gujar, Beverly L. Harrison, Edward A. Richley, Kenneth P. Fishkin, Roy Want
• Inventors: Want, Roy, Fishkin, Kenneth P., Harrison, Beverly L., Richley, Edward A., Gujar, Anuj Uday
• Granted Patent: US 7,229,017 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/385
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10009 sensing by radiation using wavelengths larger than 0.1 mm, e.g. radio-waves or microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10079 the collision being resolved in the spatial domain, e.g. temporary shields for blindfolding the interrogator in specific directions
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10554 Moving beam scanning

Abstract

A system for identification and tracking of a tag distributed in a room is presented. A laser base station is configured to scan laser beams through a portion of a room. A tag is configured to be reactive to incident laser beams scanned from the laser base station to provide a data signal back to the laser base station. A tag tracking system is configured to receive input derived from the data signal from the laser base station. The tag tracking system stores state records of position and informational content of the tag generated from the input. The tag tracking system determines angular position of the tag with respect to the laser base station based on the position and information content of the tag stored in the state records.

Claims

1. A system for identification and tracking of a tag distributed in a room, comprising:

a laser base station to scan laser beams through a portion of a room;

a tag reactive to incident laser beams scanned from the laser base station to provide a data signal back to the laser base station; and

a tag tracking system to receive input derived from the data signal from the laser base station, the tag tracking system storing state records of position and informational content of the tag generated from the input,

wherein the tag tracking system determines angular position of the tag with respect to the laser base station based on the position and information content of the tag stored in the state records.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the tag is passive.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the tag is active and comprises an internal power supply to power a data broadcast element.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the tag is active and comprises an internal power supply to power an optical data output element.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the tag is active and comprises an internal power supply to power a radio data output element.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the tag is active and comprises an internal power supply to power an acoustic data output element.

7. A system for identification and tracking of a tag distributed in a room, comprising:

at least two laser base stations to scan laser beams through a portion of a room;

a tag reactive to incident laser beams scanned from the at least two laser base stations to provide data signals back to the at least two laser base stations; and

a tag tracking system to receive input derived from the data signals from the at least two laser base stations, the tag tracking system storing state records of position and informational content of the tag generated from the input,

wherein the tag tracking system determines an absolute position of the tag in the room based on the position and information content of the tag stored in the state records.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the tag is passive.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the tag is active and comprises an internal power supply to power a data broadcast element.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the tag is active and comprises an internal power supply to power an optical data output element.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the tag is active and comprises an internal power supply to power a radio data output element.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the tag is active and comprises an internal power supply to power an acoustic data output element.