SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ULTRASONIC VELOCITY AND ACCELERATION DETECTION

• US 20150331102A1
• Filed: 05/16/2014
• Published: 11/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Cheatham, Jesse R. III, Hyde, Roderick A., Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Kare, Jordin T., Mundie, Craig J., Myhrvold, Nathan P., Petroski, Robert C., Rudder, Eric D., Tan, Desney S., Tegreene, Clarence T., Whitmer, Charles, Wilson, Andrew, Wing, Jeannette M., Wood, Lowell L. Jr., Wood, Victoria Y.H.
• Granted Patent: US 9,739,883 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/58 Velocity or trajectory determination systems; Sense-of-movement determination systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/878 Combination of several spaced transmitters or receivers of known location for determining the position of a transponder or a reflector G01S13/874 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/003 Bistatic sonar systems; Multistatic sonar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/06 Systems determining the position data of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/46 Indirect determination of position data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/58 Velocity or trajectory determination systems; Sense-of-movement determination systems velocity measurement in imaging systems G01S15/8979
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/74 Systems using reradiation of acoustic waves, e.g. IFF, i.e. identification of friend or foe
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/86 Combinations of sonar systems with lidar systems; Combinations of sonar systems with systems not using wave reflection
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/87 Combinations of sonar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/88 Sonar systems specially adapted for specific applications seismic or acoustic prospecting or detecting G01V1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/08 for measuring distance only indirect measurement G01S17/46; active triangulation systems G01S17/48
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/462 using multipath signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52003 Techniques for enhancing spatial resolution of targets G01S7/52046 takes precedence

Abstract

The present disclosure provides systems and methods associated with determining velocity and/or acceleration information using ultrasound. A system may include one or more ultrasonic transmitters and/or receivers. An ultrasonic transmitter may be configured to transmit ultrasound into a region bounded by one or more surfaces. The ultrasonic receiver may detect a Doppler shift of reflected ultrasound to determine an acceleration and/or velocity associated with an object. The velocity and/or acceleration information may be utilized to modify the state of a gaming system, entertainment system, infotainment system, and/or other device. The velocity and/or acceleration date may be used in combination with a mapping or positioning system that generates positional data associated with the objects.

Claims

1. A method for determining velocity data of an object within a region, comprising:

determining a relative position of an object within a region based on at least one of an ultrasonic reflection and an electromagnetic reflection;

transmitting ultrasound, via an ultrasonic transmitter, into the region;

receiving, via a first ultrasonic receiver, an ultrasonic reflection of the transmitted ultrasound from a site on the object within the region;

detecting a shift of the received ultrasonic reflection relative to the transmitted ultrasound;

calculating, via a processor, a first velocity component associated with the site based on the detected shift of the received ultrasonic reflection; and

modifying the state of an entertainment device based on the relative position of the object and the first velocity component of the site.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a signal from the entertainment device is used to at least partially control the ultrasound transmission.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a signal from the entertainment device is used to identify a time at which to determine the relative position.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the signal identifies a time at which to transmit the ultrasound via the ultrasonic transmitter.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a signal from the entertainment device is used to identify the site on the object at which to calculate the first velocity component.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting electromagnetic energy into the region using an electromagnetic transmitter,

wherein a portion of the transmitted electromagnetic energy is received as the electromagnetic reflection from the object by an electromagnetic receiver.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the first velocity component associated with the site comprises a velocity component along a vector formed by the difference between the vector direction of the transmitted ultrasound arriving at the site and the vector direction of the reflected ultrasound departing from the site.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the transmitted ultrasound and the reflected ultrasound are rebounded from an auxiliary ultrasonic reflector.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the received electromagnetic reflection comprises ambient electromagnetic radiation which is reflected from the object.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating the shift of the received ultrasonic reflection relative to the transmitted ultrasound comprises calculating a frequency shift of the received ultrasonic reflection relative to a frequency of the transmitted ultrasound.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating the shift of the received ultrasonic reflection relative to the transmitted ultrasound comprises calculating a time delay or phase shift of the received ultrasonic reflection relative to a timing or phase of the transmitted ultrasound.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating the shift of the received ultrasonic reflection relative to the transmitted ultrasound comprises calculating a wavelength shift of the received ultrasonic reflection relative to a wavelength of the transmitted ultrasound.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating the first velocity component associated with the site comprises a Doppler velocity calculation in which the first velocity (V_dop) is a function of:

the calculated shift (Δ

_s), the frequency of the transmitted ultrasound (f₀), an arrival velocity of the ultrasound (V_in), and a departure velocity of the ultrasound (V_out).

29. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting a shift and calculating the first velocity component are performed using a derivation or equivalent equation to the following equation:

33. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, via a second ultrasonic receiver that is physically separated from the first ultrasonic receiver, an ultrasonic reflection from the site;

detecting a shift of the ultrasonic reflection received by the second ultrasonic receiver; and

calculating, via the processor, a second velocity component associated with the site based on the detected shift of the ultrasonic reflection received by the second ultrasonic receiver.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

receiving, via a third ultrasonic receiver that is physically separated from the first ultrasonic receiver, an ultrasonic reflection from the site;

detecting a shift of the ultrasonic reflection received by the third ultrasonic receiver; and

calculating, via the processor, a third velocity component associated with the site based on the detected shift of the ultrasonic reflection received by the third ultrasonic receiver.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

predicting a relative position of the object at a future time based on (1) the determined relative position of the object within the region, (2) the first velocity component associated with the site of the object, (3) the second velocity component associated with the site of the object, and (4) the third velocity component associated with the site of the object.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein the first, second and third ultrasonic receivers are non-collinear with respect to one another.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

predicting a relative position of the object at a future time based on (1) the determined relative position of the object within the region, (2) the first velocity component associated with the site of the object, (3) the second velocity component associated with the site of the object, and (4) the third velocity component associated with the site of the object.

42. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, via the first ultrasonic receiver, a second ultrasonic reflection from the site;

detecting a shift of the second received ultrasonic reflection;

calculating, via the processor, a second velocity component associated with the site based on the detected shift of the second received ultrasonic reflection; and

determining an acceleration component using the first velocity component and second velocity component and a timing difference between the received ultrasonic reflections.

65. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the relative position of the object within the region comprises:

transmitting ultrasound, via the ultrasound transmitter, into the region, wherein the region is bounded by a first surface;

receiving, via an ultrasonic receiver, a direct ultrasonic reflection from the object generating direct positional data associated with the object based on the direct ultrasonic reflection;

receiving a rebounded ultrasonic reflection from the object, wherein the rebounded ultrasonic reflection comprises ultrasound reflected by the object and the first surface prior to being received by the ultrasonic receiver;

generating rebounded positional data using the rebounded ultrasonic reflection of the object from the first surface; and

generating enhanced positional data by combining the direct positional data and the rebounded positional data.

66. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the relative position of the object within the region comprises:

transmitting ultrasound into the region, wherein the region is bounded by a first surface;

receiving a direct ultrasonic reflection from the object generating direct positional data associated with the object based on the direct ultrasonic reflection;

receiving a rebounded ultrasonic reflection from the object, wherein the rebounded ultrasonic reflection comprises ultrasound reflected by the object and the first surface prior to being received;

generating rebounded positional data using the rebounded ultrasonic reflection of the object from the first surface; and

generating enhanced positional data by combining the direct positional data and the rebounded positional data.

72. The method of claim 66, further comprising:

receiving an additional rebounded ultrasonic reflection from the object,

wherein the additional rebounded ultrasonic reflection comprises ultrasound reflected by the object and a second surface bounding the region prior to being received;

generating additional rebounded positional data using the additional rebounded ultrasonic reflection of the object from the second surface; and

supplementing the enhanced positional data with the additional rebounded positional data.

87. The method of claim 66, wherein transmitting the ultrasound comprises:

transmitting a first ultrasonic pulse that is received as the direct ultrasonic reflection; and

transmitting a second ultrasonic pulse that is received as the rebounded ultrasonic reflection.

125. The method of claim 66, wherein generating enhanced positional data by combining the direct positional data and the rebounded positional data comprises:

using the direct positional data and the rebounded positional data to generate at least one of a three-dimensional image of the object, a three-dimensional representation of the object, and a three-dimensional mapping of the object.

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126. A system for determining velocity data of an object within a region, comprising:

a position module configured to determine a relative position of an object within a region;

an ultrasonic transmitter configured to transmit ultrasound into the region;

an ultrasonic receiver configured to receive an ultrasonic reflection of the transmitted ultrasound from a site on the object within the region;

a shift module configured to detect a shift of the ultrasonic reflection received by the ultrasonic receiver relative to the transmitted ultrasound;

a velocity calculation module configured to calculate a first velocity component associated with the site based on the detected shift of the received ultrasonic reflection; and

a modification module configured to modify the state of an entertainment device based on the relative position of the object and the first velocity component of the site.

132. The system of claim 126, wherein a signal from the entertainment device is used to identify the site on the object at which to calculate the first velocity component.

133. The system of claim 126, wherein a signal from the entertainment device is used to identify a time at which to calculate the first velocity component.

134. The system of claim 126, wherein a signal from the entertainment device is used to identify a direction in which to calculate the first velocity component

137. The system of claim 126, wherein the position module is configured to transmit and receive electromagnetic radiation in order to determine a relative position of an object within a region using electromagnetic reflections.

141. The system of claim 126, wherein the position module is configured to receive positional data from an external source.

142. The system of claim 126, wherein the first velocity component associated with the site comprises a velocity component along a vector formed by the difference between the vector direction of the transmitted ultrasound arriving at the site and the vector direction of the reflected ultrasound departing from the site.

148. The system of claim 126, wherein the shift module is configured to calculate a frequency shift of the received ultrasonic reflection relative to a frequency of the transmitted ultrasound.

149. The system of claim 126, wherein the shift module is configured to calculate one of a time delay and a phase shift of the received ultrasonic reflection relative to a timing or phase of the transmitted ultrasound.

150. The system of claim 126, wherein the shift module is configured to calculate a wavelength shift of the received ultrasonic reflection relative to a wavelength of the transmitted ultrasound.

155. The system of claim 126, wherein the state comprises the state of a software program used by the entertainment device.

156. The system of claim 155, wherein the software program comprises an element of a video game.

184. The system of claim 126, wherein the first ultrasonic receiver is configured to:

receive a direct ultrasonic reflection from an object within the region, and

receive a rebounded ultrasonic reflection from the object, wherein the rebounded ultrasonic reflection comprises ultrasound reflected by the object and the first surface, and then received by the ultrasonic receiver; and

a mapping system configured to;

generate direct positional data associated with the object based on the direct ultrasonic reflection,

generate rebounded positional data using the rebounded ultrasonic reflection of the object from the first surface, and

generate enhanced positional data by combining the direct positional data and the rebounded positional data.

214. The system of claim 184, wherein the ultrasonic transmitter is configured to:

transmit a first ultrasonic pulse that is received as the direct ultrasonic reflection; and

transmit a second ultrasonic pulse that is received as the rebounded ultrasonic reflection.

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252. A computer-readable medium having instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations for determining velocity data of an object within a region, the operations comprising:

determining a relative position of an object within a region based on at least one of an ultrasonic reflection and an electromagnetic reflection;

transmitting ultrasound into the region;

receiving an ultrasonic reflection of the transmitted ultrasound from a site on the object within the region;

detecting a shift of the received ultrasonic reflection relative to the transmitted ultrasound;

calculating a first velocity component associated with the site based on the detected shift of the received ultrasonic reflection; and

modifying the state of an entertainment device based on the relative position of the object and the first velocity component of the site.