Pressure Sensing Based Localization And Tracking System

• US 20100164737A1
• Filed: 11/16/2009
• Published: 07/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Taiwan University (Government of The Republic of China)
• Original Assignee: National Taiwan University (Government of The Republic of China)
• Inventors: Lu, Ching-Hu, Fu, Li-Chen
• Granted Patent: US 8,648,732 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/665
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition

Abstract

A locating and tracking system is provided. The locating and tracking system includes plural pressure sensing modules, each of which includes at least one pressure sensing unit detecting a pressure source and generating a signal; a data processing unit connected with the at least one pressure sensing unit, and processing the signal to generate a module information; a storage unit connected with the data processing unit, and storing the module information and an user information; a communication unit connected with the data processing unit, transmitting the module information, and receiving an outer information; and a power managing unit managing a power needed by the at least one pressure sensing unit, the data processing unit, the storage unit and the communication unit; a bottom board configured on a floor, and bearing the mentioned units; and a top board covering the mentioned units, and transferring the pressure source to the pressure sensing unit.

Claims

1. A locating and tracking system, comprising:

plural pressure sensing modules, each of which includes;

at least one pressure sensing unit detecting a pressure source and generating a signal;

a data processing unit connected with the at least one pressure sensing unit, and processing the signal to generate a module information;

a storage unit connected with the data processing unit, and storing the module information or an user information;

a communication unit connected with the data processing unit, transmitting the module information, and receiving an outer information; and

a power managing unit managing a power needed by the at least one pressure sensing unit, the data processing unit, the storage unit and the communication unit;

a bottom board configured on a floor, and bearing the at least one pressure sensing unit, the data processing unit, the storage unit, the communication unit and the power managing unit; and

a top board covering the at least one pressure sensing unit, the data processing unit, the storage unit, the communication unit and the power managing unit, and transferring the pressure source to the pressure sensing unit.

2. The locating and tracking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the module information includes a sensing data derived from the signal from the at least one pressure sensing unit and an identification (ID) of each of the pressure sensing units.

3. The locating and tracking system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the processing unit determines a location of the pressure source by recognizing the sensing data.

4. The locating and tracking system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the sensing data includes a weight data of the pressure source, and the user information includes a user weight and a user ID.

5. The locating and tracking system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the processing unit recognizes the user ID by comparing the user weight with the weight data.

6. The locating and tracking system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a service providing unit and a remote centralized platform locating and tracking the pressure source according to the module information and driving the service providing unit according to a motion state of the pressure source.

7. The locating and tracking system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the service providing unit is one selected from a group consisting of an actuator, a monitor, an illuminating device and a household appliance.

8. A method for locating and tracking, comprising steps of:

sensing a pressure source to generate a signal related to the pressure source;

comparing the signal with a module information and a user information to identify an ID and a location of an user; and

storing the location of the user.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the pressure source is sensed by plural pressure sensing modules having different quantity of pressure sensing units to provide different detecting resolutions, respectively.

10. The method as claimed in claim 8, further providing a specific service according to the ID and the location of the user.

11. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the signal includes a weight data of the pressure source, the module information includes an ID of a sensor, and the user information includes a weight data and an ID of the user.

12. A pressure sensing module, comprising:

at least one pressure sensing unit detecting a pressure source and generating a signal;

a data processing unit connected with the at least one pressure sensing unit, and processing the signal to generate a module information;

a storage unit connected with the data processing unit, and storing the module information and an user information; and

a communication unit connected with the data processing unit, transmitting the module information, and receiving an outer information.

13. The pressure sensing module as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:

a power managing unit managing a power needed by the at least one pressure sensing unit, the data processing unit, the storage unit and the communication unit;

a bottom board configured on a floor, and bearing the at least one pressure sensing unit, the data processing unit, the storage unit, the communication unit and the power managing unit; and

a top board covering the at least one pressure sensing unit, the data processing unit, the storage unit, the communication unit and the power managing unit, and transferring the pressure source to the pressure sensing unit.

14. The pressure sensing module as claimed in claim 13, wherein the power is one selected from a group consisting of a battery, a DC power and an AC power.

15. The pressure sensing module as claimed in claim 12, wherein the module information includes a sensing data derived from the signal from the at least one pressure sensing unit and an ID of each of the pressure sensing units.

16. The pressure sensing module as claimed in claim 15, wherein the processing unit determines a location of the pressure source by recognizing the sensing data.

17. The pressure sensing module as claimed in claim 15, wherein the sensing data includes a weight data of the pressure source, and the user information includes a user weight and a user ID.

18. The pressure sensing module as claimed in claim 17, wherein the processing unit recognizes the user ID by comparing the user weight with the weight data.

19. The pressure sensing module as claimed in claim 12, wherein the pressure source is one of a human and an object moving on the pressure sensing module.

20. The pressure sensing module as claimed in claim 12, wherein the communication unit is one of a wireless communication device and a wire communication device.