SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING POSITIONING INFORMATION VIA MODULATED LIGHT

• US 20090284366A1
• Filed: 05/30/2008
• Published: 11/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Camp, William O. JR., Johnson, Phillip Marc, Haartsen, Jacobus C., Ingram, Norbert Donald
• Granted Patent: US 7,969,297 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/531
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/7034 Mounting or deployment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/7038 Signal details
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2201/025 Indoor pedestrian positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2201/04 Emergencies
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1149 Arrangements for indoor wireless networking of information
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/116 Visible light communication
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/195 the transmission using visible or infrared light

Abstract

Light sources are affixed at appropriate positions in a multilevel structure or in an obstructed environment. The light sources generate modulated light signals, such as controlled light-emitting diodes, which identify the positions of the light sources by their three-dimensional global positioning coordinates and/or equivalent representation that specifies their in situ locations in the environment. Mobile communication devices, upon receiving the light signals, can derive spatial positioning information and transmit such information to a remote location, such as an emergency response system.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a generated light signal from a light source location; and

deriving spatial positioning information from the generated light signal.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the generated light signal is received by a mobile station, and the method further comprises:

displaying the spatial positioning information at the mobile station.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

generating an emergency alert notification at a receiving station; and

transmitting the emergency alert notification with the derived spatial positioning information to an emergency response system.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein a receiving station is in proximity to the light source location, and the spatial positioning information corresponds to three-dimensional global positioning coordinates of the light source location, including latitude, longitude, and altitude.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the generated light signal comprises light modulated to produce an on-off keyed coded signal.

6. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein the light is modulated by applying a pulsed signal to a light-emitting diode.

7. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein the light source location is fixedly stationed at a structure having a plurality of vertical levels, each level corresponding to an associated light source location, and the coded signal represents the level of the structure at which the generated light signal is produced.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, further comprising:

illuminating with the light source an environment of the structure for general purpose lighting.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of receiving comprises applying the generated light signal to a camera at a receiving station.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the generated light signal comprises visible light waves.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a receiving unit configured to receive modulated light signals from at least one light source in proximity thereto; and

a processor coupled to the receiving unit, the processor configured to derive spatial positioning information based on a received light signal.

12. An apparatus as recited in claim 11, further comprising:

a display unit coupled to the processor, the display unit configured to present spatial positioning information to a user.

13. An apparatus as recited in claim 11, further comprising:

a communication interface,

wherein the processor is further configured to generate an emergency alert notification containing the derived spatial positioning information, and the communication interface is configured to transmit the emergency alert notification to an emergency response system.

14. An apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein the apparatus comprises a mobile communication station, the light source is fixedly stationed at a structure having a plurality of vertical levels, each level corresponding to an associated light source, and the derived spatial positioning information identifies the level of the structure at which the light signal is produced.

15. An apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein the derived spatial positioning information corresponds to three-dimensional global positioning coordinates including latitude, longitude, and altitude of a user.

16. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the receiving unit comprises a charge-coupled device of a mobile station camera.

17. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the light source comprises a light-emitting diode.

18. A system comprising:

a light source configured to transmit a modulated light signal; and

a mobile station comprising a receiving unit, configured to receive the modulated light signal, and a processor coupled thereto, the processor configured to derive spatial positioning information from the received modulated light signal.

19. A system according to claim 18, further comprising:

an emergency response system remote from the mobile station,

wherein the mobile station further comprises a transmitter coupled to the processor for wireless communication with the emergency response system, and the processor is further configured to generate an emergency alert notification containing the derived spatial positioning information for signal transmission by the transmitter to the emergency response system.

20. A system according to claim 18, wherein the spatial positioning information corresponds to a floor level of a building to which the light source is affixed, the spatial positioning information also comprising global positioning coordinates.