Method and apparatus for visually determining object location

• US 6,184,789 B1
• Filed: 06/22/1999
• Issued: 02/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fintegraph, LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Silverman, Alexander E., Richley, Edward A., Preas, Bryan T., Weiser, Mark D., Howard, Matthew E.
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US09/337,659
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• Field of Search: 340/568.1, 340/571, 340/572.1, 340/691.1, 340/691.7, 340/505, 340/10.1, 340/825.34, 340/693.1, 340/693.4, 340/825.49, 340/691.2, 340/691.6
• US Class Current: 340/571
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/7032 Transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2201/01 adapted for specific applications or environments
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/16 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10079 the collision being resolved in the spatial domain, e.g. temporary shields for blindfolding the interrogator in specific directions
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/04 Electronic labels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/06 Remotely controlled electronic signs other than labels

Abstract

A method and apparatus for determining the location of an object. An object to be located can be provided with an object locator that includes a display. When the object locator receives a signal indicating that the object associated with the object locator is to be located, the display changes display state to provide a visual indication that the signal has been received. The object locator can be ambient energy-powered, and the display can be a bistable display, such as a rotating element display device.

Claims

1. An object locator comprising:

a display that can provide at least two different display states;

a power source that can receive ambient energy and converts the ambient energy to an available supply of power;

a receiver that can receive a transmitted signal associated with the object locator; and

a controller that can use the supply of power to cause the display to change display states when the receiver receives a signal that corresponds to the object locator.

2. The object locator of claim 1, wherein the display is a multistable display device.

3. The object locator of claim 1, wherein the display is a rotating element display device.

4. The object locator of claim 1, wherein the power source comprises at least one solar cell that produces electrical energy from ambient electromagnetic radiation.

5. The object locator of claim 1, wherein the display switches display states to provide a visual indication that a signal corresponding to the object locator has been received.

6. The object locator of claim 1, wherein the controller analyzes signals received by the receiver to determine if a received signal corresponds to the object locator.

7. The object locator of claim 1, wherein the receiver only receives signals that correspond to the object locator.

8. An object position locator system comprising:

a locating system that determines and transmits a signal corresponding to an object to be located; and

a plurality of object locators, at least one of the object locators capable of receiving the signal transmitted by the locating system, and, in response to the signal, changing a display state of a display in the object locator to provide a visual indication that the signal has been received;

wherein each of the plurality of object locators comprises;

a display that changes display state;

a power source that provides energy to at least drive the display and can convert ambient energy into electrical energy to operate the object locator;

a receiver that receives a signal from the locating system; and

a controller that controls the display to change display states to provide a visual indication that a signal corresponding to the object locator has been received.

9. The object position locator system of claim 8, wherein the display is a bistable display.

10. The object position locator system of claim 8, wherein the display is a rotating element display device.

11. The object position locator system of claim 8, wherein the power source comprises at least one solar cell that converts ambient light to electrical energy.

12. A method for locating an object, comprising:

determining an identity that corresponds to an object to be located;

providing an ambient energy-powered display associated with the object to be located;

transmitting a signal that corresponds to the determined identity; and

receiving a visual indication from a location indicator associated with the object that the transmitted signal has been received, the visual indication providing information regarding the object'"'"'s location.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of receiving a visual indication comprises:

detecting a change in visual appearance of a display associated with the object; and

determining a location of the object based on the detected change in visual appearance.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining a location of the object to be located based on the visual indication; and

controlling a device to move toward the object to be located based on the determined location.

15. An object position locator system comprising:

a locating system that determines and transmits a signal corresponding to an object to be located; and

at least two object locators, associated with different objects, that receive the signal transmitted by the locating system, and, in response to the signal, change a display state of a display in the at least two object locators to provide a visual indication that the signal has been received, with one of the at least two of object locators being in a different display state than other ones of the at least two object locators.

16. The object position locator system of claim 15, wherein the other ones of the at least two object locators are not directly associated with the object to be located, and are changed to a display state that visually points toward the object to be located.

17. The object position locator system of claim 15, wherein the display state of the one of the at least two object locators changes to a first color and the display state of the other ones of the at least two object locators changes to a second color.