Coordinating devices to estimate distance, relative position, and device attitude

• US 20140004797A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 01/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Net Power & Light, Inc (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Net Power & Light, Inc (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Vonog, Stanislav, Lemmey, Tara, Bykov, Maxim, Surin, Nikolay
• Application Number:
  US13/815,918
• Publication Number:
  US 20140004797A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0247 Determining attitude
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0289 of multiple transceivers, e.g. in ad hoc networks
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/18 using ultrasonic, sonic, or infrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/186 Determination of attitude using inertial means G01C9/00; control of attitude G05D1/49
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/26 at least one of which is mobile

Abstract

The present invention contemplates a variety of improved techniques including methods and apparatus for coordinating a plurality of devices, and more specifically, a method and apparatus for coordinating a plurality of devices to estimate or calculate various distances, relative positions, device attitudes, and other absolute and/or relative kinematic data.

Claims

1-34. -34. (canceled)

35. An apparatus configured to process information gathered by a plurality of devices to determine a spatial model of the plurality of devices within an environment, the apparatus comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit a first transmission into the environment, wherein the first transmission contains a first transmission characteristic associated with the transmitter and location of the first transmission within the environment;

a receiver configured to receive a second transmission from a first device of the plurality of devices, wherein the second transmission includes a second transmission characteristic associated with the first device and the location of the second transmission within the environment;

a processing unit configured to process the first transmission characteristic and the second transmission characteristic to determine a first portion of a spatial model of the plurality of the devices with respect to the location of the first transmission;

wherein the processing unit is configured to process the first transmission characteristic and the second transmission characteristic to determine a second portion of the spatial model of the plurality of the devices with respect to the location of the second transmission; and

wherein the processing unit is configured to process the first portion of the spatial model and the second portion of the spatial model to determine a third portion of the spatial model indicative of locations of at least some of the plurality of devices within the environment.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the first transmission comprises a nonintrusive signal configured to be imperceptible to participants in the environment.

37. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the processing unit is configured to coordinate the transmission of the first transmission and the second transmission.

38. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the data associated with the environment about the location of the first transmission comprises data received from a plurality of sensors configured to sense the environment.

39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein at least one of the plurality of sensors comprises an audio signal sensor.

40. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the first transmission characteristic is associated with the second transmission.

41. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the processing unit is configured to analyze the first portion of the spatial model to determine a relative distance between the first device and a second device.

42. An apparatus configured to process data from a plurality devices to determine a spatial model indicative of the distance of the plurality of devices within an environment, the apparatus comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a first transmission from a first device of the plurality of devices, wherein the first transmission includes a first transmission characteristic associated with a location of the first transmission within the environment and data associated with the environment about the first transmission location;

the receiver configured to receive a second transmission from a second device of the plurality of devices, wherein the second transmission includes a second transmission characteristic associated with a location of the second transmission within the environment and data associated with the environment about the second transmission location;

a processor configured to process the first transmission characteristic with respect to the location of the second transmission to determine a first portion of a spatial model indicative of the relative distance between the first device and the second device;

wherein the processor is configured to process the second transmission characteristic with respect to the location of the first transmission to generate a second portion of the spatial model associated with the relative distance between the first device and the second device; and

wherein the processor is configured to process the first portion of the spatial model and the second portion of the spatial model to determine a third portion of the spatial model indicative of the distance of the first device and second device to each other within the environment.

43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the first transmission comprises a nonintrusive signal configured to be imperceptible to participants in the environment.

44. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the processor coordinates the transmission of the first transmission and the second transmission.

45. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the data associated with the environment about the location of the first transmission comprises data received from a plurality of sensors configured to sense the environment.

46. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein at least one of the plurality sensors comprises an audio signal sensor.

47. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the first transmission characteristic is associated with the second transmission.

48. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the processor is configured to process the first portion of the spatial model and the second portion of the spatial model to determine a relative attitude between the first device and the second device.

49. A system configured to process data from a plurality devices to determine a spatial model indicative of the locations of the plurality of devices within an environment, the system comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a first transmission from a first device, wherein the first transmission includes a first transmission characteristic associated with a location of the first transmission within the environment and data associated with the environment about the first transmission location;

the receiver configured to receive a second transmission from a second device, wherein the second transmission includes a second transmission characteristic associated with a location of the second transmission within the environment and data associated with the environment about the second transmission location;

a processor configured to process the first transmission characteristic with respect to the location of the second transmission to determine a first portion of a spatial model indicative of at least the relative distance between the first device and the second device;

wherein the processor is configured to process the second transmission characteristic with respect to the location of the first transmission to generate a second portion of the spatial model associated with at least the relative distance between the first device and the second device; and

wherein the processor is configured to process the first portion of the spatial model and the second portion of the spatial model to determine a third portion of the spatial model indicative of the relative locations of the first device and second device to each other within the environment.

50. The system of claim 49, wherein the first transmission comprises a nonintrusive signal configured to be imperceptible to participants in the environment.

51. The system of claim 49, wherein the processor is configured to coordinate the transmission of the first transmission and the second transmission.

52. The system of claim 49, wherein the data associated with the environment about the location of the first transmission comprises data received from a plurality of sensors configured to sense the environment with respect to the location of the first transmission.

53. The system of claim 52, wherein at least one of the plurality sensors comprises an audio signal sensor.

54. The system of claim 49, wherein the first transmission characteristic is associated with the second signal transmission.

55. The system of claim 49, wherein the processor is configured to process the first portion of the spatial model and the second portion of the spatial model to determine a relative attitude between the first device and the second device.