ULTRASOUND MESH LOCALIZATION FOR INTERACTIVE SYSTEMS

• US 20140269212A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Xiang, Pei, Chan, Kwokleung
• Granted Patent: US 9,129,515 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 367/197
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/803 using amplitude comparison of signals derived from receiving transducers or transducer systems having differently-oriented directivity characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/24 Position of single direction-finder fixed by determining direction of a plurality of spaced sources of known location
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/30 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/02 using infrasonic, sonic or ultrasonic waves

Abstract

In general, techniques are described for locating a user using an ultrasound mesh. The techniques may be performed by an interactive system comprising one or more processors. The processors may be configured to determine an amplitude of a first ultrasound signal emitted by one or more transducers and received by a microphone. This first ultrasound signal may be of a first frequency. The processors may then determine an amplitude of a second ultrasound signal emitted by the one or more transducers and received by the microphone. The second ultrasound signal may be of a second frequency different from the first frequency. The processors may be further configured to determine a location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based at least on the determined amplitude of the first ultrasound signal and the determined amplitude of the second ultrasound signal.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining an amplitude of a first ultrasound signal emitted by one or more transducers and received by a microphone, wherein the first ultrasound signal is of a first frequency;

determining an amplitude of a second ultrasound signal emitted by the one or more transducers and received by the microphone, wherein the second ultrasound signal is of a second frequency different from the first frequency; and

determining a location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based at least on the determined amplitude of the first ultrasound signal and the determined amplitude of the second ultrasound signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers comprises:

determining a ratio of the amplitude of the first ultrasound signal to the amplitude of the second ultrasound signal; and

determining the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based at least on the determined ratio.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining an amplitude of a third ultrasound signal emitted by the one or more transducers and received by the microphone,

wherein determining the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers comprises:

based on the amplitude of the first ultrasound signal and the amplitude of the second ultrasound signal, determining a first vector from the one or more transducers to the microphone;

based on the amplitude of the first ultrasound signal and the amplitude of the third ultrasound signal, determining a second vector from the one or more transducers to the microphone;

based on the amplitude of the second ultrasound signal and the amplitude of the third ultrasound signal, determining a third vector from the one or more transducers of the microphone; and

determining the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based on two or more of the determined first vector, the determined second vector and the determined third vector.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers comprises:

identifying one of the determined first vector, the determined second vector and the determined third vector that identifies a location of the microphone outside of a threshold location derived based on the remaining two of the determined first vector, the determined second vector and the determined third vector;

discarding the identified one of the determined first vector, the determined second vector and the determined third vector that identifies a location of the microphone outside of the threshold location; and

determining the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based on the remaining two of the determined first vector, the determined second vector and the determined third vector.

5. The method of claim 1,

wherein the one or more transducers are included in a first device,

wherein the microphone is included in a second device,

wherein determining the amplitude of the first ultrasound signal comprises receiving, with the first device, the amplitude of the first ultrasound signal from the second device,

wherein determining the amplitude of the second ultrasound signal comprises receiving, with the first device, the amplitude of the second ultrasound signal from the second device, and

wherein determining the location of the microphone comprises determining, with the first device, the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based at least on the determined amplitude of the first ultrasound signal and the determined amplitude of the second ultrasound signal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more transducers are included in a first device,

wherein the microphone is included in a second device,

wherein determining the amplitude of the first ultrasound signal comprises determining, with the second device, the amplitude of the first ultrasound signal,

wherein determining the amplitude of the second ultrasound signal comprises determining, with the second device, the amplitude of the second ultrasound signal, and

wherein determining the location of the microphone comprises determining, with the second device, the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based at least on the determined amplitude of the first ultrasound signal and the determined amplitude of the second ultrasound signal.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the transducers are arranged as an array of transducers.

8. The method of claim 7,

wherein the array of transducers are arranged such that each of the transducers in the array face the same direction,

wherein the method further comprises:

processing the first ultrasound signal prior to providing the first ultrasound signal to the transducers in the array so as to generate a first directional ultrasound signal that, when emitted by the transducers in the array, appears to be directed in a first direction;

processing the second ultrasound signal prior to providing the second ultrasound signal to the transducers in the array so as to generate a second directional ultrasound signal that, when emitted by the transducers in the array, appears to be directed in a second direction; and

concurrently providing the first and second directional ultrasound signals to the transducers in the array such that the transducers in the array concurrently emit the first and second direction ultrasound signals as the first and second ultrasound signals.

9. The method of claim 1,

wherein the microphone is included within or adjacent to three-dimensional viewing glasses,

wherein the one or more transducers are included within or adjacent to a three dimensional display device, and

wherein the method further comprises:

selecting one of a plurality of views included within video data that approximates viewing a scene presented by the video data from a relative location similar to that determined location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers; and

presenting the selected one of the plurality of views.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the microphone comprises one of a plurality of microphones, each of which is associated with a different student;

wherein the method is performed with respect to each of the plurality of microphones so as to determine the location of each of the plurality of microphones relative to the one or more transducers,

wherein the method further comprises;

generating an image that depicts the determined location of each of the microphones as the location of the associated students relative to one another and the one or more transducers and that specifies student information proximate to the location of each of the associated students; and

presenting the generated image.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the student information comprises one or more of a name of the corresponding student, an age of the corresponding student, a gender of the corresponding student, a medical condition of the corresponding student, an allergy of the corresponding student, a ranking of the corresponding student and a grade of the corresponding student.

12. The method of claim 1,

wherein the microphone comprises one of a plurality of microphones, each of which is associated with a different customer,

wherein the one or more transducers comprise two or more transducers placed with respect to a seat in which the different customers are able to sit,

wherein the method is performed with respect to each of the plurality of microphones so as to determine the location of each of the plurality of microphones relative to the one or more transducers, and

wherein the method further comprises:

determining that the different customers have sat in the seat based on the determined location of each of the plurality of microphones; and

presenting an image via a display in response to determining that the different customers have sat in the seat.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the image includes one or more of a personalized greeting, personalized travel information tailored to accommodate profiles of the different customers, a travel upgrade available to the different customers, frequent flyer mile status specific to the different customers, registration information, connecting flight information specific to travel itineraries of the different customers, car rental information specific to the different customers, and a customs form.

14. An interactive system comprising:

one or more processors configured to determine an amplitude of a first ultrasound signal emitted by one or more transducers and received by a microphone, wherein the first ultrasound signal is of a first frequency, determine an amplitude of a second ultrasound signal emitted by the one or more transducers and received by the microphone, wherein the second ultrasound signal is of a second frequency different from the first frequency, and determine a location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based at least on the determined amplitude of the first ultrasound signal and the determined amplitude of the second ultrasound signal.

15. The interactive system of claim 14, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to, when determining a location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers, determine a ratio of the amplitude of the first ultrasound signal to the amplitude of the second ultrasound signal, and determine the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based at least on the determined ratio.

16. The interactive system of claim 14,

wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine an amplitude of a third ultrasound signal emitted by the one or more transducers and received by the microphone,

wherein the one or more processors are further configured to, when determining the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers, based on the amplitude of the first ultrasound signal and the amplitude of the second ultrasound signal, determine a first vector from the one or more transducers to the microphone, based on the amplitude of the first ultrasound signal and the amplitude of the third ultrasound signal, determine a second vector from the one or more transducers to the microphone, based on the amplitude of the second ultrasound signal and the amplitude of the third ultrasound signal, determine a third vector from the one or more transducers of the microphone, and determine the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based on two or more of the determined first vector, the determined second vector and the determined third vector.

17. The interactive system of claim 16, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to, when determining the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers, identify one of the determined first vector, the determined second vector and the determined third vector that identifies a location of the microphone outside of a threshold location derived based on the remaining two of the determined first vector, the determined second vector and the determined third vector, discard the identified one of the determined first vector, the determined second vector and the determined third vector that identifies a location of the microphone outside of the threshold location, and determine the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based on the remaining two of the determined first vector, the determined second vector and the determined third vector.

18. The interactive system of claim 14,

wherein the one or more transducers are included in a first device of the interactive system,

wherein the microphone is included in a second device that interfaces with the interactive system,

wherein the one or more processors are further configured to, when determining the amplitude of the first ultrasound signal, receive the amplitude of the first ultrasound signal from the second device,

wherein the one or more processors are further configured to, when determining the amplitude of the second ultrasound signal, receive the amplitude of the second ultrasound signal from the second device, and

wherein the one or more processors are further configured to, when determining the location of the microphone, determine the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based at least on the determined amplitude of the first ultrasound signal and the determined amplitude of the second ultrasound signal.

19. The interactive system of claim 14,

wherein the one or more transducers are included in a first device of the interactive system,

wherein the microphone is included in a second device that interfaces with the interactive system,

wherein the second device determines the amplitude of the first ultrasound signal, determines the amplitude of the second ultrasound signal, and determines the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based at least on the determined amplitude of the first ultrasound signal and the determined amplitude of the second ultrasound signal,

wherein the one or more processors are further configured to, when determining the location of the microphone, receive the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers from the second device.

20. The interactive system of claim 14, wherein the transducers are arranged as an array of transducers.

21. The interactive system of claim 20,

wherein the array of transducers are arranged such that each of the transducers in the array face the same direction,

wherein the one or more processors are further configured to process the first ultrasound signal prior to providing the first ultrasound signal to the transducers in the array so as to generate a first directional ultrasound signal that, when emitted by the transducers in the array, appears to be directed in a first direction, process the second ultrasound signal prior to providing the second ultrasound signal to the transducers in the array so as to generate a second directional ultrasound signal that, when emitted by the transducers in the array, appears to be directed in a second direction, and concurrently provide the first and second directional ultrasound signals to the transducers in the array such that the transducers in the array concurrently emit the first and second direction ultrasound signals as the first and second ultrasound signals.

22. The interactive system of claim 14,

wherein the microphone is included within or adjacent to three-dimensional viewing glasses,

wherein the interactive system is included within a three dimensional display device,

wherein the one or more transducers are included within or adjacent to the three dimensional display device, and

wherein the one or more processors are further configured to select one of a plurality of views included within video data that approximates viewing a scene presented by the video data from a relative location similar to that determined location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers, and present the selected one of the plurality of views.

23. The interactive system of claim 14,

wherein the microphone comprises one of a plurality of microphones, each of which is associated with a different student, and

wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine the location of the plurality of microphones relative to the one or more transducers, generate an image that depicts the determined location of each of the microphones as the location of the associated students relative to one another and the one or more transducers and that specifies student information proximate to the location of each of the associated students, and present the generated image.

24. The interactive system of claim 23, wherein the student information comprises one or more of a name of the corresponding student, an age of the corresponding student, a gender of the corresponding student, a medical condition of the corresponding student, an allergy of the corresponding student, a ranking of the corresponding student and a grade of the corresponding student.

25. The interactive system of claim 14,

wherein the microphone comprises one of a plurality of microphones, each of which is associated with a different customer,

wherein the one or more transducers comprise two or more transducers placed with respect to a seat in which the different customers are able to sit,

wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine a location of the plurality of microphones so relative to the one or more transducers, determine that the different customers have sat in the seat based on the determined location of each of the plurality of microphones, and present an image via a display in response to determining that the different customers have sat in the seat.

26. The interactive system of claim 25, wherein the image includes one or more of a personalized greeting, personalized travel information tailored to accommodate profiles of the different customers, a travel upgrade available to the different customers, frequent flyer mile status specific to the different customers, registration information, connecting flight information specific to travel itineraries of the different customers, car rental information specific to the different customers, and a customs form.

27. An interactive system comprising:

means for determining an amplitude of a first ultrasound signal emitted by one or more transducers and received by a microphone, wherein the first ultrasound signal is of a first frequency;

means for determining an amplitude of a second ultrasound signal emitted by the one or more transducers and received by the microphone, wherein the second ultrasound signal is of a second frequency different from the first frequency; and

means for determining a location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based at least on the determined amplitude of the first ultrasound signal and the determined amplitude of the second ultrasound signal.

28. The interactive system of claim 27, wherein the means for determining a location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers comprises:

means for determining a ratio of the amplitude of the first ultrasound signal to the amplitude of the second ultrasound signal; and

means for determining the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based at least on the determined ratio.

29. The interactive system of claim 27, further comprising means for determining an amplitude of a third ultrasound signal emitted by the one or more transducers and received by the microphone,

wherein the means for determining the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers comprises:

means for, based on the amplitude of the first ultrasound signal and the amplitude of the second ultrasound signal, determining a first vector from the one or more transducers to the microphone;

means for, based on the amplitude of the first ultrasound signal and the amplitude of the third ultrasound signal, determining a second vector from the one or more transducers to the microphone;

means for, based on the amplitude of the second ultrasound signal and the amplitude of the third ultrasound signal, determining a third vector from the one or more transducers of the microphone; and

means for determining the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based on two or more of the determined first vector, the determined second vector and the determined third vector.

30. The interactive system of claim 29, wherein the means for determining the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers comprises:

means for identifying one of the determined first vector, the determined second vector and the determined third vector that identifies a location of the microphone outside of a threshold location derived based on the remaining two of the determined first vector, the determined second vector and the determined third vector;

means for discarding the identified one of the determined first vector, the determined second vector and the determined third vector that identifies a location of the microphone outside of the threshold location; and

means for determining the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based on the remaining two of the determined first vector, the determined second vector and the determined third vector.

31. The interactive system of claim 27,

wherein the interactive system is included in a first device,

wherein the microphone is included in a second device that interfaces with the interactive system,

wherein the means for determining the amplitude of the first ultrasound signal comprises means for receiving the amplitude of the first ultrasound signal from the second device,

wherein the means for determining the amplitude of the second ultrasound signal comprises means for receiving the amplitude of the second ultrasound signal from the second device, and

wherein the means for determining the location of the microphone comprises means for determining the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based at least on the determined amplitude of the first ultrasound signal and the determined amplitude of the second ultrasound signal.

32. The interactive system of claim 27,

wherein the interactive system is included in a first device,

wherein the microphone is included in a second device,

wherein the second device determines the amplitude of the first ultrasound signal, determines the amplitude of the second ultrasound signal, and determines the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based at least on the determined amplitude of the first ultrasound signal and the determined amplitude of the second ultrasound signal,

wherein the means for determining the location of the microphone comprises means for receive the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers from the second device.

33. The interactive system of claim 27, wherein the transducers are arranged as an array of transducers.

34. The interactive system of claim 33,

wherein the array of transducers are arranged such that each of the transducers in the array face the same direction,

wherein the interactive system further comprises:

means for processing the first ultrasound signal prior to providing the first ultrasound signal to the transducers in the array so as to generate a first directional ultrasound signal that, when emitted by the transducers in the array, appears to be directed in a first direction;

means for processing the second ultrasound signal prior to providing the second ultrasound signal to the transducers in the array so as to generate a second directional ultrasound signal that, when emitted by the transducers in the array, appears to be directed in a second direction; and

means for concurrently providing the first and second directional ultrasound signals to the transducers in the array such that the transducers in the array concurrently emit the first and second direction ultrasound signals as the first and second ultrasound signals.

35. The interactive system of claim 27,

wherein the microphone is included within or adjacent to three-dimensional viewing glasses,

wherein the interactive system is included in a three dimensional display device,

wherein the one or more transducers are included within or adjacent to the three dimensional display device, and

wherein the interactive system further comprises:

means for selecting one of a plurality of views included within video data that approximates viewing a scene presented by the video data from a relative location similar to that determined location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers, and

means for presenting the selected one of the plurality of views.

36. The interactive system of claim 27, wherein the microphone comprises one of a plurality of microphones, each of which is associated with a different student;

wherein the means for determining the location comprises means for determining the location of each of the plurality of microphones relative to the one or more transducers,

wherein the interactive system further comprises;

means for generating an image that depicts the determined location of each of the microphones as the location of the associated students relative to one another and the one or more transducers and that specifies student information proximate to the location of each of the associated students; and

means for presenting the generated image.

37. The interactive system of claim 36, wherein the student information comprises one or more of a name of the corresponding student, an age of the corresponding student, a gender of the corresponding student, a medical condition of the corresponding student, an allergy of the corresponding student, a ranking of the corresponding student and a grade of the corresponding student.

38. The interactive system of claim 27,

wherein the microphone comprises one of a plurality of microphones, each of which is associated with a different customer,

wherein the one or more transducers comprise two or more transducers placed with respect to a seat in which the different customers are able to sit,

wherein the means for determining the location comprises means for determining the location of each of the plurality of microphones relative to the one or more transducers, and

wherein the interactive system further comprises:

means for determining that the different customers have sat in the seat based on the determined location of each of the plurality of microphones; and

means for presenting an image via a display in response to determining that the different customers have sat in the seat.

39. The interactive system of claim 38, wherein the image includes one or more of a personalized greeting, personalized travel information tailored to accommodate profiles of the different customers, a travel upgrade available to the different customers, frequent flyer mile status specific to the different customers, registration information, connecting flight information specific to travel itineraries of the different customers, car rental information specific to the different customers, and a customs form.

40. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors of an interactive system to:

determine an amplitude of a first ultrasound signal emitted by one or more transducers and received by a microphone, wherein the first ultrasound signal is of a first frequency;

determine an amplitude of a second ultrasound signal emitted by the one or more transducers and received by the microphone, wherein the second ultrasound signal is of a second frequency different from the first frequency; and

determine a location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based at least on the determined amplitude of the first ultrasound signal and the determined amplitude of the second ultrasound signal.

41. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 40, wherein the instructions further cause, when executed, the one or more processors to, when determining a location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers, determine a ratio of the amplitude of the first ultrasound signal to the amplitude of the second ultrasound signal, and determine the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based at least on the determined ratio.

42. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 40, further comprising instructions that, when executed cause the one or more processors to determine an amplitude of a third ultrasound signal emitted by the one or more transducers and received by the microphone,

wherein the instructions further cause, when executed, the one or more processors to, when determining the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers, based on the amplitude of the first ultrasound signal and the amplitude of the second ultrasound signal, determine a first vector from the one or more transducers to the microphone, based on the amplitude of the first ultrasound signal and the amplitude of the third ultrasound signal, determine a second vector from the one or more transducers to the microphone, based on the amplitude of the second ultrasound signal and the amplitude of the third ultrasound signal, determine a third vector from the one or more transducers of the microphone, and determine the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based on two or more of the determined first vector, the determined second vector and the determined third vector.

43. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 42, wherein the instructions further cause, when executed, the one or more processors to, when determining the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers, identify one of the determined first vector, the determined second vector and the determined third vector that identifies a location of the microphone outside of a threshold location derived based on the remaining two of the determined first vector, the determined second vector and the determined third vector, discard the identified one of the determined first vector, the determined second vector and the determined third vector that identifies a location of the microphone outside of the threshold location, and determine the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based on the remaining two of the determined first vector, the determined second vector and the determined third vector.

44. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 40,

wherein the transducers are arranged as an array of transducers such that each of the transducers in the array face the same direction,

wherein the non-transitory computer readable storage medium has further stored thereon instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to:

process the first ultrasound signal prior to providing the first ultrasound signal to the transducers in the array so as to generate a first directional ultrasound signal that, when emitted by the transducers in the array, appears to be directed in a first direction;

process the second ultrasound signal prior to providing the second ultrasound signal to the transducers in the array so as to generate a second directional ultrasound signal that, when emitted by the transducers in the array, appears to be directed in a second direction; and

concurrently provide the first and second directional ultrasound signals to the transducers in the array such that the transducers in the array concurrently emit the first and second direction ultrasound signals as the first and second ultrasound signals.

45. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 40,

wherein the microphone is included within or adjacent to three-dimensional viewing glasses,

wherein the one or more transducers are included within or adjacent to a three dimensional display device, and

wherein the non-transitory computer readable storage medium has further stored thereon instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to:

select one of a plurality of views included within video data that approximates viewing a scene presented by the video data from a relative location similar to that determined location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers; and

present the selected one of the plurality of views.

46. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 40, wherein the microphone comprises one of a plurality of microphones, each of which is associated with a different student;

wherein the instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to determine the location further comprise instructions that, when executed, to determine the location of each of the plurality of microphones relative to the one or more transducers,

wherein the non-transitory computer readable storage medium has further stored thereon instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to;

generate an image that depicts the determined location of each of the microphones as the location of the associated students relative to one another and the one or more transducers and that specifies student information proximate to the location of each of the associated students; and

present the generated image.

47. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 40,

wherein the microphone comprises one of a plurality of microphones, each of which is associated with a different customer,

wherein the one or more transducers comprise two or more transducers placed with respect to a seat in which the different customers are able to sit,

wherein the instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to determine the location further comprise instructions that, when executed, to determine the location of each of the plurality of microphones relative to the one or more transducers, and

wherein the non-transitory computer readable storage medium has further stored thereon instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to:

determine that the different customers have sat in the seat based on the determined location of each of the plurality of microphones; and

present an image via a display in response to determining that the different customers have sat in the seat.