Rotating Light Beam/Distance Meter Based Location Determining System
First Claim
1. A computer implemented method for determining the location of a device, the computer implemented method comprising:
- emitting a light beam from a source to a target in a first area at a first time;
receiving a reflection of the light beam from the target at a second time;
determining a distance from the source to the target using the difference between the second time and the first time;
identifying an angular position of the target using a position of the source when the reflected light beam was received;
determining polar coordinates of the target using the distance from the source to the target and the angular position of the target;
encoding the light beam with at least one of the polar coordinates of the target and an absolute physical location of the source, or an absolute physical location of the target to form an encoded light beam; and
emitting the encoded light beam from the source to the target.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A computer implemented method, system, and computer usable program code are provided for determining the location of a device. A light beam is emitted from a source to a target at a first time. A reflection of the light beam is received from the target at a second time. A distance from the source to the target is determined using the difference between the second time and the first time. An angular position of the target is identified using a position of the source when the reflected light beam was received. Polar coordinates of the target are determined using the distance from the source to the target and the angular position of the target. The light beam is encoded and then emitted from the source to the target. The target does not require power.
18 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A computer implemented method for determining the location of a device, the computer implemented method comprising:
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emitting a light beam from a source to a target in a first area at a first time; receiving a reflection of the light beam from the target at a second time; determining a distance from the source to the target using the difference between the second time and the first time; identifying an angular position of the target using a position of the source when the reflected light beam was received; determining polar coordinates of the target using the distance from the source to the target and the angular position of the target; encoding the light beam with at least one of the polar coordinates of the target and an absolute physical location of the source, or an absolute physical location of the target to form an encoded light beam; and emitting the encoded light beam from the source to the target. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A product locating system, the system comprising:
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a source; a target; a bus system; a communications system connected to the bus system; a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes a set of instructions; and a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the source emits a light beam to a target in a first area at a first time; wherein the target receives a reflection of the light beam at a second time; wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to determine a distance from the source to the target using the difference between the second time and the first time;
identify an angular position of the target using a position of the source when the reflected light beam was received;
determine polar coordinates of the target using the distance from the source to the target and the angular position of the target; and
encoding the light beam with at least one of the polar coordinates of the target and an absolute physical location of the source, or an absolute physical location of the target to form an encoded light beam; andwherein the source emits the encoded light beam to the target. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A computer program product comprising:
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a computer usable medium including computer usable program code for determining the location of a device, the computer program product including; computer usable program code for emitting a light beam from a source to a target in a first area at a first time; computer usable program code for receiving a reflection of the light beam from the target at a second time; computer usable program code for determining a distance from the source to the target using the difference between the second time and the first time; computer usable program code for identifying an angular position of the target using a position of the source when the reflected light beam was received; computer usable program code for determining polar coordinates of the target using the distance from the source to the target and the angular position of the target; computer usable program code for encoding the light beam with at least one of the polar coordinates of the target and an absolute physical location of the source, or an absolute physical location of the target to form an encoded light beam; and computer usable program code for emitting the encoded light beam from the source to the target. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification