DETERMINING RELATIVE POSITIONING INFORMATION

• US 20140025284A1
• Filed: 04/26/2012
• Published: 01/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tahoe Research Limited (f/k/a Learndale Limited) (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Roberts, Richard D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,718,918 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/300
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0023 the element being a sensor, e.g. distance sensor, camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/20 Road profile, i.e. the change in elevation or curvature of a plurality of continuous road segments
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/12 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/16 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/024 in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/16 Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/163 involving continuous checking
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/22 Platooning, i.e. convoy of communicating vehicles

Abstract

Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer-readable media for determining relative positioning information are disclosed. A signal detecting unit configured to be associated with a first vehicle includes one or more signal sensors and one or more processors and is configured to receive one or more signals from one or more signal sources that may be associated with a second vehicle. A set of time values may be determined based on arrival times of the signal(s), and a set of distance expressions may be generated. A set of distance equations may be generated based on the set of time values and the set of distance expressions, and the set of distance equations may be solved to determine one or more positions associated with the first vehicle or the one or more signal sources within a defined coordinate system.

Claims

1-27. -27. (canceled)

28. A method, comprising:

detecting, at a signal detecting unit associated with a first vehicle, one or more signals received from one or more signal sources, the signal detecting unit comprising one or more signal sensors and one or more computer processors;

determining, by the one or more computer processors, a set of time values based on arrival times of the one or more signals;

generating, by the one or more computer processors, a set of distance expressions, wherein each distance expression corresponds to a distance between one of the one or more signal sensors and one of the one or more signal sources;

generating, by the one or more computer processors, a set of distance equations based at least in part on the set of time values and the set of distance expressions; and

solving, by the one or more computer processors, the set of distance equations to determine a first position or a second position, wherein the first position represents a position associated with the first vehicle within a coordinate system defined in relation to the one or more signal sources, and the second position represents a position associated with the one or more signal sources within a coordinate system defined in relation to the first vehicle.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the one or more signal sensors comprise at least three signal sensors positioned on the first vehicle and the one or more signals comprise a signal received by each of the at least three signal sensors from one signal source.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the one or more signals comprise at least three signals received from at least three respective corresponding signal sources.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein the set of time values comprises a difference in the arrival time, at the signal detecting unit, of each of the one or more signals in relation to the arrival time of each of the other one or more signals, and each distance equation represents a difference between one distance expression and one other distance expression.

32. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

outputting, by the one or more computer processors, the first position or the second position to at least one of a user interface or one or more control units of the first vehicle.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the one or more control units are configured to control one or more components of the first vehicle based at least in part on the first position or the second position.

34. The method of claim 28, wherein the set of time values is determined based on phase differences among the one or more signals detected by the signal detecting unit.

35. The method of claim 28, wherein each of the one or more signals is a modulated signal that conveys information relating to a respective corresponding signal source positioned on a second vehicle, the information comprising at least one of an identifier associated with the second vehicle or a spatial coordinate associated with the respective corresponding signal source.

36. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

solving, by the one or more computer processors, the set of distance equations to determine a third position or a fourth position, wherein the third position represents another position associated with the first vehicle within the coordinate system defined in relation to the one or more signal sources, and the fourth position represents another position associated with the one or more signal sources within the coordinate system defined in relation to the first vehicle; and

determining, by the one or more computer processors, an angular deviation between the first vehicle and a second vehicle based at least in part on the first and third positions or based at least in part on the second and fourth positions.

37. A system comprising:

a signal detecting unit associated with a first vehicle, the signal detecting unit comprising one or more signal sensors and one or more computer processors, wherein the signal detecting unit is configured to detect one or more signals received from one or more signal sources, and

wherein the one or more processors are configured to;

determine a set of time values based on arrival times of the one or more signals;

generate a set of distance expressions, wherein each distance expression corresponds to a distance between one of the one or more signal sensors and one of the one or more signal sources;

generate a set of distance equations based at least in part on the set of time values and the set of distance expressions; and

solve the set of distance equations to determine a first position or a second position, wherein the first position represents a position associated with the first vehicle within a coordinate system defined in relation to the one or more signal sources, and the second position represents a position associated with the one or more signal sources within a coordinate system defined in relation to the first vehicle.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the one or more signal sensors comprise at least three signal sensors positioned on the first vehicle and the one or more signals comprise a signal received by each of the at least three signal sensors from one signal source.

39. The system of claim 37, wherein the one or more signals comprise at least three signals received from at least three respective corresponding signal sources.

40. The system of claim 37, wherein the set of time values comprises a difference in the arrival time, at the signal detecting unit, of each of the one or more signals in relation to the arrival time of each of the other one or more signals, and each distance equation represents a difference between one distance expression and one other distance expression.

41. The system of claim 37, wherein the one or more computer processors are further configured to:

output the first position or the second position to at least one of a user interface or one or more control units of the first vehicle.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the one or more control units are configured to control one or more components of the first vehicle based on the first position or the second position.

43. The system of claim 37, wherein the set of time values is determined based on phase differences among the one or more signals detected by the signal detecting unit.

44. The system of claim 37, wherein each of the one or more signals is a modulated signal that conveys information relating to a respective corresponding signal source positioned on a second vehicle, the information comprising at least one of an identifier associated with the second vehicle or a spatial coordinate associated with the respective corresponding signal source.

45. The system of claim 37, wherein the one or more computer processors are further configured to:

solve the set of distance equations to determine a third position or a fourth position, wherein the third position represents another position associated with the first vehicle within the coordinate system defined in relation to the one or more signal sources, and the fourth position represents another position associated with the one or more signal sources within the coordinate system defined in relation to the first vehicle; and

determine an angular deviation between the first vehicle and a second vehicle based at least in part on the first and third positions or based at least in part on the second and fourth positions.

46. One or more computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that responsive to execution by one or more computer processors causes operations to be performed comprising:

detecting, at a signal detecting unit associated with a first vehicle, one or more signals received from one or more signal sources;

determining a set of time values based on arrival times of the one or more signals;

generating a set of distance expressions, wherein each distance expression corresponds to a distance between one of the one or more signal sensors and one of the one or more signal sources;

generating a set of distance equations based at least in part on the set of time values and the set of distance expressions; and

solving the set of distance equations to determine a first position or a second position, wherein the first position represents a position associated with the first vehicle within a coordinate system defined in relation to the one or more signal sources, and the second position represents a position associated with the one or more signal sources within a coordinate system defined in relation to the first vehicle.

47. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 46, wherein the one or more signal sensors comprise at least three signal sensors positioned on the first vehicle and the one or more signals comprise a signal received by each of the at least three signal sensors from one signal source.

48. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 46, wherein the one or more signals comprise at least three signals received from at least three respective corresponding signal sources.

49. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 46, the operations further comprising:

outputting the first position or the second position to at least one of a user interface or one or more control units of the first vehicle.

50. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 46, the operations further comprising:

solving the set of distance equations to determine a third position or a fourth position, wherein the third position represents another position associated with the first vehicle within the coordinate system defined in relation to the one or more signal sources, and the fourth position represents another position associated with the one or more signal sources within the coordinate system defined in relation to the first vehicle; and

determining an angular deviation between the first vehicle and a second vehicle based at least in part on the first and third positions or based at least in part on the second and fourth positions.