Tracking system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system for tracking a moving person or object comprising:
- a transponder, a plurality of receivers, a controller, a communications link between said receivers and said controller, a moveable tracking device for tracking a person or object, and a communications link between said controller and said tracking device;
said receivers including a transmitter for transmitting an electromagnetic signal and a receiver for receiving an ultrasonic signal;
said transponder being adapted to be attached to a person or object to be tracked and including a sensor for receiving said electromagnetic signal and an ultrasonic transmitter for transmitting an ultrasonic signal in response to the receipt of said electromagnetic signal;
said receivers, controller, and the communications link therebetween acting to calculate the position of said person or object; and
said controller acting to generate a signal for controlling said tracking device to point said device at said transponder, which signal is communicated to said tracking device by said communications link.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A performer tracking system, and an associated method, for tracking movements of at least one performer upon a stage. A plurality of signal transmitters are positioned about the stage and transmit electromagnetic signals. Performers on the stage carry transponders which receive the electromagnetic signals and, responsive thereto, generate coded sound signals. Sound signal receivers positioned together with the signal transmitters receive the sound signals. A controller determines positions of the transponders and, hence, the performers carrying the transponders and causes spotlights to track the performers.
81 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A system for tracking a moving person or object comprising:
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a transponder, a plurality of receivers, a controller, a communications link between said receivers and said controller, a moveable tracking device for tracking a person or object, and a communications link between said controller and said tracking device; said receivers including a transmitter for transmitting an electromagnetic signal and a receiver for receiving an ultrasonic signal; said transponder being adapted to be attached to a person or object to be tracked and including a sensor for receiving said electromagnetic signal and an ultrasonic transmitter for transmitting an ultrasonic signal in response to the receipt of said electromagnetic signal; said receivers, controller, and the communications link therebetween acting to calculate the position of said person or object; and said controller acting to generate a signal for controlling said tracking device to point said device at said transponder, which signal is communicated to said tracking device by said communications link.
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2. A performer tracking system for tracking movements of at least one performer upon a stage, said system comprising:
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a plurality of signal transmitters for generating electromagnetic, transmit signals; at least one transponder carried by the at least one performer upon the stage, said at least one transponder for receiving the transmit signals generated by said plurality of signal transmitters and for generating sound signals responsive to reception of the transmit signals; a plurality of sound signal receivers positioned together with said signal transmitters, said sound signal receivers for receiving the sound signals generated by said at least one transponder; a controller coupled to said signal transmitters and to said sound signal receivers, said controller for determining positions of the at the least transponder carried by the performer and for generating tracking control signals responsive thereto; and at least one tracking device coupled to receive the tracking control signals generated by said controller, said tracking device for tracking the movements of the at least one performer responsive to the positions of the transponder determined by said controller. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for tracking movements of at least one at least one performer upon a stage, each performer carrying a transponder therewith, said method comprising the steps of:
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transmitting a plurality of electromagnetic, transmit signals to the transponder from a plurality of transmitters; generating, by the transponder, sound signals responsive to reception by the transponder of the transmit signals; receiving the sound signals generated by the transponder by a plurality of receivers; determining positions of the transponder and, hence, the performer carrying the transponder responsive to times at which the transmit signals are transmitted and the sound signals are received; and tracking the movements of the at least one performer with a spotlight responsive to the positions of the transponder determined during said step of determining.
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19. A performer tracking system for tracking movements of a plurality of performers upon a stage, said system comprising:
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a plurality of infrared transmitters positioned about the stage, said infrared transmitters for generating infrared signals; a transponder carried by each of the performers upon the stage, said transponders for receiving the infrared signals generated by said infrared transmitters and for generating ultrasonic signals responsive to reception of the infrared signals; a plurality of ultrasonic microphones positioned together with the infrared transmitters, said ultrasonic microphones for receiving the ultrasonic signals generated by said transponders; a controller coupled to said infrared transmitters and to said ultrasonic microphones, said controller for determining positions of the transponders carried by the performers and for generating tracking control signals responsive thereto; and spotlight assemblies coupled to receive the tracking control signals, said spotlight assemblies for tracking the movements of the performers responsive to the positions of the transponders determined by said controller. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. A performer tracking system for tracking movements of at least one performer upon a stage, said system comprising:
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a plurality of fixedly-positioned signal transmitters for transmitting transmit signals towards the at least one performer upon the stage; at least one transponder carried by the at least one performer, said at least one transponder for receiving the transmit signals generated by said plurality of fixedly-positioned signal transmitters and for generating response signals responsive to reception of the transmit signals; a signal receiver for receiving the return signals generated by said at least one transponder; a controller coupled to said signal receiver, said controller for determining positions of the at least one transponder carried by the at least one performer and for generating tracking control signals responsive to the positions of the at least one transponder; and at least one tracking device coupled to receive the tracking control signals generated by said controller, said tracking device for tracking the movements of the at least one performer responsive to the positions of the at least one transponder determined by said controller. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification