SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING AND/OR CONTROLLING THE LOCATION OF OBJECTS

• US 20130293410A1
• Filed: 11/10/2011
• Published: 11/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hieronimi, Christian
• Original Assignee: Hieronimi, Christian
• Inventors: Hieronimi, Christian
• Granted Patent: US 9,322,903 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/190
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/02 using radio waves G01S19/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/74 Systems using reradiation of radio waves, e.g. secondary radar systems; Analogous systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/874 Combination of several systems for attitude determination in general G01C, control of attitude G05D1/49
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0247 Determining attitude

Abstract

A system for determining and/or controlling the location of objects includes a transceiver fixedly arranged on or in the object, and a receiving antenna for receiving signals transmitted by the transceiver. A transmitting antenna transmits signals to the transceiver causing the transceiver to transmit signals. An antenna signal processing device evaluates signals received from the receiving antenna to determine a spatial position and/or location and a predefined identification of the transceiver relative to the receiving antenna, the object and a predefined reference point. A data processing device receives information from the antenna signal processing device about the position, location, and identification of the transceiver. In one aspect, the system is for determining the position and/or location of at least one transceiver relative to an object. In another aspect, the system is for determining and controlling the position and/or location of the object.

Claims

1. A system for determining the position and/or location of at least one transceiver (20) relative to an object (10) comprising:

at least one receiving antenna (51) set up such that signals transmitted by said transceiver (20) are received by said receiving antenna, said transceiver (20) being fixedly arranged in a stationary and location-fixed manner on or in said object (10);

at least one transmitting antenna set up for transmitting signals of at least one frequency band provided for being received by said transceiver (20) and thereby in turn causing the transmission of signals by said transceiver (20);

at least one antenna signal processing device (52) connected to said receiving antenna (51) set up to evaluate said signals received from said receiving antenna to therefrom determine a spatial position and/or location as well as an identification of said transceiver (20) relative to said object (10) and/or at least one predefined reference point; and

at least one data processing device (54) being at least indirectly connected to said antenna signal processing device (52) and receiving information therefrom about said position, location, and/or identification of said transceiver (20);

wherein;

in a memory device (53) connected to said data processing device (54) a data structure is provided comprising at least a partial virtual representation of said object (10); and

wherein said information regarding said position and/or location of said transceiver (20) as well as its identification being stored together or combined with said partial virtual representation of said object (10) in said memory device (53) and there is a definition of a reference system of said partial virtual representation relative to said position and/or location of said transceiver (20).

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one predefined reference point is defined by at least one second stationary and/or locationally fixed transceiver (21) signals of which are received by said receiving antenna (51), wherein said position and/or location of said transceiver (20) is determined relative to said receiving antenna (51) and/or relative to said object (10).

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said receiving antenna (51) is composed of a matrix of a plurality of interacting receiving antennas, where an interaction of said interacting receiving antennas is controlled by another antenna signal processing device and/or said antenna signal processing device (52).

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said data processing device (54) comprises a plurality of interacting data processing devices, where data communication between said plurality of data processing devices is effected by optical, radio or wired data connections.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said memory device (53) is connected to said data processing device (54) and/or said transceiver (20), and data communication between said data processing device (54) and said memory device (53) is effected by optical, radio or wired data connections.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said transmitting antenna is said receiving antenna (51).

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said data processing device (54) is at least indirectly connected to at least one external imaging recording device, where said imaging recording device comprises a video camera, an infrared camera, an X-ray camera or an echo-graph.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein at least one image recorded by said external imaging recording device is stored in said memory device (53) together or in association with said partial virtual representation of said object (10), where said image, prior to its storing, is subjected to image processing including contrast enhancement, segmentation, edge detection, or subtraction.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein said transceiver (20) is equipped with means for detecting physical and/or chemical variables, which are selected from a group consisting of thermal sensors, pressure sensors, humidity sensors, chemical sensors, radiation sensors, and storage means which store measured values detected continuously or at discrete times by said means for detecting physical and/or chemical variables.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein said measured values or information stored in said storage means and/or memory device (53) are then as a data record integrated into said signals transmitted by said transceiver (20) and evaluated by said antenna signal processing device (52) and transmitted to said data processing device (54).

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein said transceiver (20) is an RFID-device (Radio Frequency Identification device).

12. A system for determining and controlling the position and/or location of at least one object (10) comprising:

at least one receiving antenna (51) set up such that signals transmitted by a transceiver (20) are received by means of said receiving antenna, said transceiver (20) being fixedly arranged in a stationary and location-fixed manner on or in said object (10) for determining and/or controlling said position and/or location;

at least one transmitting antenna set up for transmitting signals of at least one frequency band provided for being received by said transceiver (20) and thereby in turn causing the transmission of signals by said transceiver (20);

at least one antenna signal processing device (52) connected to said receiving antenna (51) set up to evaluate signals received from said receiving antenna to therefrom determine a spatial position and/or location as well as a predefined identification of said respective transmitting transceiver (20) relative to said receiving antenna (51) and/or at least one predefined reference point; and

at least one data processing device (54) at least indirectly connected to said antenna signal processing device (52) and receiving information therefrom about said position, location, and/or predefined identification of said transceiver (20);

wherein

in a memory device (53) connected to said data processing device (54) a data structure is provided at least comprising a partial virtual representation of said object (10) and information regarding said position and/or location of said transceiver (20) with said predefined identification, where said position and/or location of said transceiver (20) with said predefined identification defines a reference system of said partial virtual representation; and

wherein

said data processing device (54) based on the information received from said antenna signal processing device (52) about said position and/or location of said transceiver (20), outputs said partial virtual representation of said object (10) at a target position and/or location relative to said receiving antenna (51), and/or said predefined reference point, and/or information by means of which an absolute position and/or location of said object (10) relative to said receiving antenna (51) and/or said predefined reference point is determinable, and/or transformation information representing a deviation of an actual position and/or location of said object from said target position and/or location.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein said data processing device (54) is connected to at least one control device (31) and/or a test facility receiving data or information output from said data processing device (54) and where said data or information received from said data processing device (54) influences a control or test program of said control device (31) or said test facility such that said control or test program is adapted to said actual position and/or location of said object (10).

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein said data processing device (54) performs a test whether there is a deviation of said actual position and/or location of said object (10) from said target position and/or location and returns a result value signaling “

deviation”

or “

no deviation”

.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein said data processing device (54) is connected to a display device, where said partial virtual representation of said object (10) output by said data processing device (54) and/or said partial virtual representation of said object (10) in said target position and/or location, and/or said result value is visually and/or graphically output by said display device.

16. The system according to claim 14, wherein said result value is at least partially output in a form of a color-coded visual output by issuing text result messages, and/or by voice output, by a positioning element, and/or by releasing or blocking at least one interlock when said data processing device (54) as said result value outputs a signal representing “

no deviation”

or “

deviation”

, respectively.

17. The system according to claim 12, wherein said at least one predefined reference point is defined by a second stationary and/or locationally fixed transceiver (21) signals of which are received by said receiving antenna (51), wherein said position and/or location of said transceiver (20) is determined relative to said receiving antenna (51) and/or relative to said object (10).

18. The system according to claim 12, wherein said receiving antenna (51) is composed of a matrix of several interacting receiving antennas, where an interaction of said several interacting receiving antennas is controlled by another antenna signal processing device and/or said antenna signal processing device (52).

19. The system according to claim 12, wherein said data processing device (54) comprises a plurality of interacting data processing devices, where data communication between said plurality of data processing devices is effected by optical, radio or wired data connections.

20. The system according to claim 12, wherein said memory device (53) is connected to said data processing device (54) and/or said transceiver (20), and data communication between said data processing device (54) and said memory device (53) is effected by optical, radio or wired data connections.

21. The system according to claim 12, wherein said transmitting antenna is said receiving antenna (51).

22. The system according to claim 12, wherein said data processing device (54) is at least indirectly connected to at least one external imaging recording device, where said imaging recording device comprises a video camera, an infrared camera, an X-ray camera or an echo-graph.

23. The system according to claim 22, wherein at least one image recorded by said external imaging recording device is stored in said memory device (53) together or in association with said partial virtual representation of said object (10), where said image, prior to its storing, is subjected to image processing including contrast enhancement, segmentation, edge detection, or subtraction.

24. The system according to claim 12, wherein said transceiver (20) is equipped with means for detecting physical and/or chemical variables selected from a group consisting of thermal sensors, pressure sensors, humidity sensors, chemical sensors, radiation sensors, sensors for measuring time, and storage means which store measured values detected continuously or at discrete times by said means for detecting physical and/or chemical variables.

25. The system according to claim 24, wherein said measured values or information stored in said storage means and/or memory device (53) are then as a data record integrated into said signals transmitted by said transceiver (20) and evaluated by said antenna signal processing device (52) and transmitted to said data processing device (54).

26. The system according to claim 12, wherein said transceiver (20) is an RFID-device (Radio Frequency Identification device).