Location and tracking of people with combined use of RF infrascture and dead reckoning modules

• US 20070241965A1
• Filed: 04/17/2006
• Published: 10/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Huseth, Steve, Kolavennu, Soumitri
• Granted Patent: US 7,420,510 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/465
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/876 Combination of several spaced transponders or reflectors of known location for determining the position of a receiver G01S13/874 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations

Abstract

A system for tracking persons and other assets in a structure, having a multi-function tracking tag and a network of fixed RF receivers forming a gateway array. The location of the person being tracked is calculated by a computer using an algorithm that weights each separate signal according to the probability of its accuracy, thus using data with the least error. A preferred algorithm is shown in FIG. 2.

Claims

1. A system for tracking persons and other assets in a structure, comprising:

a multi-function tracking tag for transmitting a RF beacon signal and a dead reckoning sensor, said RF beacon including data from said dead reckoning sensor;

a network of RF transceivers of known location forming a wireless array for receiving signals from said multi-function tracking tag and transmitting said signals; and

a computer gateway for receiving said transmitted signals from said network, said computer being adapted to determine the location of said tag from said transmitted signals using an algorithm that weights the strength of the RF signal and position data of the dead reckoning sensor.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said algorithm is a weighted, multilateration algorithm.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said algorithm is the algorithm of FIG. 2.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said dead reckoning sensor includes at least an altimeter, a magnitometer and an accelerometer.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said dead reckoning senor combines readings from said sensors with an initial starting position to produce a new estimated position.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said dead reckoning sensor transmits uncombined data for processing in said computer gateway.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said dead reckoning sensor transmits a fully integrated location estimate, said estimate being merged into said algorithm by said computer gateway.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said multi-function tracking tag includes a processor for determining said position with said algorithm using said tag'"'"'s dead reckoning data and RF signal strength.

9. The system of claim 1, which includes a plurality of tags each having dead reckoning data and RF signal strength determination for use in said algorithm.

10. A system for tracking persons and other assets in a structure, comprising:

a multi-function tracking tag means for transmitting a RF beacon signal and a dead reckoning sensor means for transmitting location data, said RF beacon signal including data from said dead reckoning sensor means;

a network of RF transceivers means for forming a wireless array for receiving signals from said multi-function tracking tag means and transmitting said signals; and

a computer gateway means for receiving said transmitted signals from said network, said computer gateway means being adapted to determine the location of said tag means from said transmitted signals using an algorithm that weights the strength of the RF signal and position data of the dead reckoning sensor means.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said algorithm is a weighted, multilateration algorithm.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said algorithm is the algorithm of FIG. 2.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein said dead reckoning sensor means includes at least an altimeter, a magnitometer and an accelerometer.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein said dead reckoning senor means combines readings from said sensors with an initial starting position to produce a new estimated position.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein said dead reckoning sensor means transmits uncombined data for processing in said computer gateway means.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein said dead reckoning sensor means transmits a fully integrated location estimate, said estimate being merged into said algorithm by said computer gateway means.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein said multi-function tracking tag means includes processor means for determining said position with said algorithm using said tag means dead reckoning data and RF signal strength.

18. The system of claim 10, which includes a plurality of tag means each having dead reckoning data and RF signal strength determination for use in said algorithm.