Tightly Coupled UWB/IMU Pose Estimation System and Method
First Claim
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1. A method for providing six-degree-of-freedom (6DOF) tracking of an object comprising:
- affixing a sensor unit to the object, wherein the sensor unit includes one or more pulse transmitters, each being adapted to transmit a pulse signal, and a plurality of inertial sensors;
receiving, remotely from the object, at each of a plurality of time synchronized pulse receivers, a signal from each of the one or more pulse transmitters to derive a time of arrival for each such sensor;
receiving at a processing location the time of arrival information as well as inertial data from each of the plurality of inertial measurement sensors; and
processing the received time of arrival information and the inertial data via a tightly coupled sensor fusion algorithm to yield an estimate of a position and orientation of the object, wherein the tightly coupled sensor fusion algorithm requires processing of the time of arrival data and the inertial data without first performing a position estimate from the time of arrival data prior to integration with the inertial data, and wherein the inertial data is used to predict the time of arrival data and to eliminate erroneous outliers therein.
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Abstract
A six-degree-of-freedom (6DOF) tracking system adapts aspects of Ultra-Wideband (UWB) measurement and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) inertial measurements within a unique tightly coupled fusion algorithm to accurately and efficiently measure an object'"'"'s position as well as orientation. The principle of operation of the system protects against the negative effects of multipath phenomenon and non-line-of-sight (NLOS) conditions, allowing a more robust position and orientation tracking system.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for providing six-degree-of-freedom (6DOF) tracking of an object comprising:
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affixing a sensor unit to the object, wherein the sensor unit includes one or more pulse transmitters, each being adapted to transmit a pulse signal, and a plurality of inertial sensors; receiving, remotely from the object, at each of a plurality of time synchronized pulse receivers, a signal from each of the one or more pulse transmitters to derive a time of arrival for each such sensor; receiving at a processing location the time of arrival information as well as inertial data from each of the plurality of inertial measurement sensors; and processing the received time of arrival information and the inertial data via a tightly coupled sensor fusion algorithm to yield an estimate of a position and orientation of the object, wherein the tightly coupled sensor fusion algorithm requires processing of the time of arrival data and the inertial data without first performing a position estimate from the time of arrival data prior to integration with the inertial data, and wherein the inertial data is used to predict the time of arrival data and to eliminate erroneous outliers therein. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for providing six-degree-of-freedom (6DOF) tracking of an object comprising:
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affixing a sensor unit to the object, wherein the sensor is associated with a processor local to the object, and the sensor unit includes one or more UWB transmitters, each being adapted to transmit a UWB signal, and a plurality of inertial sensors; receiving a UWB signal at each of a plurality of time synchronized UWB receivers remote from the object from each of the one or more UWB transmitters to derive a time of arrival for each receiver; receiving at the processor inertial data from each of the plurality of inertial sensors; receiving the time of arrival data at the processor; and processing the time of arrival data and the received inertial data at the processor via a tightly coupled sensor fusion algorithm to yield an estimate of a position and orientation of the object, wherein the tightly coupled sensor fusion algorithm requires processing of the time of arrival data and the inertial data without first performing a position estimate from the time of arrival data prior to integration with the inertial data, and wherein the inertial data is used to predict the time of arrival data and to eliminate erroneous outliers therein. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for providing six-degree-of-freedom (6DOF) tracking of a multi-segment jointed object comprising:
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affixing a sensor unit to one or more segments of the object, wherein each sensor unit includes one or more UWB transmitters, each being adapted to transmit a UWB signal, and a plurality of inertial sensors; receiving, remotely from the object, at each of a plurality of time synchronized UWB receivers, a signal from each of the one or more UWB transmitters to derive time of arrival data associated with each UWB receiver; receiving inertial data from the plurality of inertial sensors; and processing the time of arrival data and the inertial data via a tightly coupled sensor fusion algorithm for each segment to yield an estimate of a position and orientation of each segment, wherein the tightly coupled sensor fusion algorithm requires processing of the time of arrival data and the inertial data without first performing a position estimate from the time of arrival data prior to integration with the inertial data, and wherein the inertial data is used to predict the time of arrival data and to eliminate erroneous outliers therein. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification