Method and apparatus for position detection
First Claim
1. A system for determining, in real-time, the spatial position of at least one object, the system comprisingtransmitting means including at least one transmitter coupled to said at least one object for transmitting a modulated electromagnetic radiation signal, said transmitted signal being modulated with a data bitstream including transmitter identification data and having a time-variant waveform including a selected feature,receiving means, including a plurality of receivers disposed at selected known locations, for receiving said transmitted signal and for generating an electrical receive signal representative of said transmitted signal,demodulation means, coupled to said receiving means, for demodulating said electrical receive signal to generate a demodulated electrical signal, andprocessing means, coupled to said demodulation means, for identifying said at least one transmitter and calculating, in response to said demodulated electrical signal, the spatial position of said at least one object with respect to said selected known positions of said receivers, said processing means includingarrival-time means for processing said demodulated electrical signal to generate arrival-time signals, said arrival-time signals being representative of respective arrival times at which said electromagnetic radiation is received at respective receivers,said arrival-time means including means for generating arrival time signals in response to the selected feature in said time-variant waveform, andcalculation means, for processing said arrival-time signals associated with said at least one object and corresponding to respective receivers, to calculate the spatial position of said at least one object with respect to said selected positions of said receivers.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Position detection methods and apparatus include transmitters, coupled to each object to be tracked, for transmitting signals uniquely identifying each transmitter. Receivers disposed at known locations receive the transmitted signals and generate received signals representative of the transmitted signals. Arrival-time elements, responsive to a selected zero-crossing or other event in each received signal, determine the respective arrival time of each transmitted signal at each receiver. A processor calculates differences in arrival times of the transmitted signals at each receiver, and determines the spatial position of each object with respect to the known locations of the receivers.
249 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A system for determining, in real-time, the spatial position of at least one object, the system comprising
transmitting means including at least one transmitter coupled to said at least one object for transmitting a modulated electromagnetic radiation signal, said transmitted signal being modulated with a data bitstream including transmitter identification data and having a time-variant waveform including a selected feature, receiving means, including a plurality of receivers disposed at selected known locations, for receiving said transmitted signal and for generating an electrical receive signal representative of said transmitted signal, demodulation means, coupled to said receiving means, for demodulating said electrical receive signal to generate a demodulated electrical signal, and processing means, coupled to said demodulation means, for identifying said at least one transmitter and calculating, in response to said demodulated electrical signal, the spatial position of said at least one object with respect to said selected known positions of said receivers, said processing means including arrival-time means for processing said demodulated electrical signal to generate arrival-time signals, said arrival-time signals being representative of respective arrival times at which said electromagnetic radiation is received at respective receivers, said arrival-time means including means for generating arrival time signals in response to the selected feature in said time-variant waveform, and calculation means, for processing said arrival-time signals associated with said at least one object and corresponding to respective receivers, to calculate the spatial position of said at least one object with respect to said selected positions of said receivers.
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16. A method for determining, in real-time, the spatial position of at least one object, the method comprising
coupling at least a first transmitter to said at least one object, transmitting with said at least first transmitter an electromagnetic radiation signal modulated with a data bitstream including transmitter identification data and having a time-variant waveform including a selected feature, disposing a plurality of receivers at selected known locations, receiving, using said receivers, said transmitted signal to generate an electrical receive signal representative of said transmitted signal, demodulating said electrical receive signal to generate a demodulated electrical signal, processing, utilizing a processor, said demodulated electrical signal, to identify said at least first transmitter and calculate the spatial position of said at least one object with respect to said selected known positions of said receivers, said step of processing said demodulated electrical signal including the steps of processing said demodulated electrical signal to generate arrival-time signals, said arrival-time signals being representative of respective arrival times at which said electromagnetic radiation is received at respective receivers, said step of processing said demodulated electrical signal including the step of generating arrival time signals in response to the selected feature in said time-variant waveform, and processing said arrival-time signals associated with said at least one object and corresponding to respective receivers, to calculate the spatial position of said at least one object with respect to said selected positions of said receivers.
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31. A system for determining, in real-time, the spatial position of at least one object, the system comprising
strobe means, including at least one Xenon strobe element coupled to said at least one object, for generating at least one energy pulse, receiving means, including a plurality of receivers disposed at selected known locations, for receiving said at least one energy pulse and for generating an electrical receive signal representative of said at least one energy pulse, and processing means, coupled to said receiving means, for calculating, in response to said electrical receive signal, the spatial position of said at least one object with respect to said selected known positions of said receivers, said processing means including arrival-time means for processing said electrical receive signal to generate arrival-time signals, said arrival-time signals being representative of respective arrival times at which said at least one energy pulse is received at respective receivers, and calculation means, for processing said arrival-time signals associated with said at least one object and corresponding to respective receivers, to calculate the spatial position of said at least one object with respect to said selected positions of said receivers.
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32. A system for determining, in real-time, the spatial position of at least one object, the system comprising
strobe means, including at least one rotating laser beam coupled to said at least one object, for generating at least one energy pulse of laser energy modulated with a data bitstream including strobe identification data, receiving means, including a plurality of receivers disposed at selected known locations, for receiving said at least one energy pulse and for generating an electrical receive signal representative of said at least one energy pulse, and processing means, coupled to said receiving means, for identifying the strobe means and calculating, in response to said electrical receive signal, the spatial position of said at least one object with respect to said selected known positions of said receivers, said processing means including arrival-time means for processing said electrical receive signal to generate arrival-time signals, said arrival-time signals being representative of respective arrival times at which said at least one energy pulse is received at respective receivers, and calculation means, for processing said arrival-time signals associated with said at least one object and corresponding to respective receivers, to calculate the spatial position of said at least one object with respect to said selected positions of said receivers.
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33. A system for determining, in real-time, the spatial position of at least one object, the system comprising
strobe means, including at least one strobe element coupled to said at least one object, for generating at least one energy pulse, the strobe means including radio transmitting means for transmitting at least one pulse of radio energy modulated with a data bitstream including strobe identification data and having a time-variant waveform, receiving means, including a plurality of receivers disposed at selected known locations, for receiving said at least one energy pulse and for generating an electrical receive signal representative of said at least one energy pulse, and processing means, coupled to said receiving means, for identifying the strobe means and calculating, in response to said electrical receive signal, the spatial position of said at least one object with respect to said selected known positions of said receivers, said processing means including arrival-time means for processing said electrical receive signals to generate arrival-time signals, said arrival-time signals being representative of respective arrival times at which said at least one energy pulse is received at respective receivers, said arrival-time means including means for generating arrival-time signals in response to a selected event in said time-variant waveform, and calculation means, for processing said arrival-time signals associated with said at least one object and corresponding to respective receivers, to calculate the spatial position of said at least one object with respect to said selected positions of said receivers.
Specification