METHODS AND APPARATUS TO DETECT LOCATION AND ORIENTATION IN AN INDUCTIVE SYSTEM

• US 20100045269A1
• Filed: 05/12/2009
• Published: 02/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Freelinc Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Charles M. Marshall, Jeffrey R. Lafranchise, Vincent Palermo
• Inventors: Marshall, Charles M., Palermo, Vincent, LaFranchise, Jeffrey R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,410,775 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/207.110
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/27 for locating or positioning the transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/727 Identification code transfer arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/737 Characterised by transmission of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. infrared waves
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones

Abstract

A base station (e.g., a central device including a transducer assembly of one or more orthogonal transducers) transmits a magnetic field at a known power level and direction. The magnetic field signal includes data information transmitted from the base station to a movable remote station. The remote station includes a transducer assembly of one or multiple transducer coils to receive the magnetic field generated by the base station. Location and orientation of the remote station (with respect to the base station) are determined based on the magnitude, amplitude, and/or phase of magnetic field signals received on each of the remote station'"'"'s transducers. The remote station may transmit the location and orientation information (e.g., raw measured data or converted data) to the base station using the same coils as used by the remote station to receive the magnetic field generated by the base station.

Claims

1. A method of detecting a position of a first transducer assembly with respect to a second transducer assembly, the method comprising:

at the first transducer assembly, receiving magnetic field signals from the second transducer assembly, the magnetic field signals including communication data; and

based on magnitudes of the magnetic field signals received on the first transducer assembly, identifying a position in space of the first transducer assembly with respect to the second transducer assembly.

2. A method as in claim 1 further comprising:

based on the magnitudes of the magnetic field signals received on at least two uniquely oriented transducers of the first transducer assembly, identifying an orientation of the first transducer assembly with respect to the second transducer assembly.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein the first transducer assembly supports i) receiving data communications from the second transducer assembly, and ii) transmitting data communications to the second transducer assembly.

4. A method as in claim 1, wherein receiving the magnetic field signals includes:

on a first transducer unit of the first transducer assembly dedicated for receiving non-encoded communication signals, receiving a first set of magnetic field signals from the second transducer assembly;

utilizing the first set of magnetic field signals to identify location and an orientation of the first transducer assembly with respect to the second transducer assembly;

on a second transducer unit of the first transducer assembly dedicated for receiving communication signals, receiving a second set of magnetic field signals from the second transducer assembly; and

decoding the second set of magnetic field signals to retrieve data transmitted from the second transducer assembly.

5. A method as in claim 4 further comprising:

from the second transducer assembly, i) transmitting the first set of magnetic field signals based on a first carrier frequency, and ii) transmitting the second set of magnetic field signals based on a second carrier frequency.

6. A method as in claim 1 further comprising:

utilizing a map at the first transducer assembly to identify the position of the first transducer assembly.

7. A method as in claim 1 further comprising:

utilizing an equation at the first transducer assembly to identify the position of the first transducer assembly with respect to the second transducer assembly.

8. A method as in claim 1 further comprising:

at the first transducer assembly, measuring the magnitudes of the magnetic field signals received at the first transducer assembly; and

from the first transducer assembly, transmitting the magnitudes of the magnetic field signals as encoded data to the second transducer assembly.

9. A method as in claim 8 further comprising:

utilizing a map at the second transducer assembly to identify a location and an orientation of the first transducer assembly.

10. A method as in claim 8 further comprising:

utilizing an equation at the second transducer assembly to identify a location and an orientation of the first transducer assembly with respect to the second transducer assembly.

11. A method as in claim 1 further comprising:

tracking a movement of the first transducer assembly with respect to the second transducer assembly over time; and

based on the tracked movement, identifying a velocity associated with the first transducer assembly.

12. A method as in claim 11 further comprising:

initiating an action in response to the identified velocity associated with the first transducer assembly.

13. A method as in claim 1 further comprising:

tracking a movement of the first transducer assembly with respect to the second transducer assembly over time; and

based on the tracked movement, identifying an acceleration associated with the first transducer assembly.

14. A method as in claim 13 further comprising:

initiating an action in response to the identified acceleration associated with the first transducer assembly.

15. A method as in claim 1 further comprising:

detecting an orientation and a location of the second transducer assembly with respect to the first transducer assembly based on steps of;

at the second transducer assembly, receiving magnetic field signals transmitted from the first transducer assembly; and

based on magnitudes of the magnetic field signals received on at least two uniquely oriented transducers of the second transducer assembly, i) identifying a location in space of the second transducer assembly with respect to the first transducer assembly, and ii) identifying an orientation of the second transducer assembly with the first transducer assembly.

16. A method as in claim 1 further comprising:

at a third transducer assembly, receiving the magnetic field signals transmitted from the second transducer assembly; and

based on magnitudes of the magnetic field signals received on at least two uniquely oriented transducers of the third transducer assembly, identifying a relative location of the third transducer assembly with respect to the second transducer assembly.

17. A method as in claim 16 further comprises:

from the second transducer assembly, i) transmitting a first set of magnetic field signals to the first transducer assembly based on a first carrier frequency, and ii) transmitting a second set of magnetic field signals to the third transducer assembly based on a second carrier frequency.

18. A method as in claim 1 further comprising:

positioning the second transducer assembly to have a known orientation at a fixed location; and

attaching the first transducer assembly to a movable object having a random orientation and location with respect to the second transducer assembly.

19. A method as in claim 1, wherein the first transducer assembly and the second transducer assembly may be randomly moved and oriented with respect to each other over time.