System and method for using impulse radio technology to track and monitor vehicles
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for tracking and monitoring at least one vehicle moving on a race track, said method comprising the steps of:
- attaching, to each of the at least one vehicles, an ultra wideband impulse radio unit, determining a position of the at least one vehicle from the interaction between the ultra wideband impulse radio unit attached to the at least one vehicle and at least two of a plurality of reference ultra wideband impulse radio units distributed at known locations throughout the race track;
receiving, at a central station, information relating to the position of the at least one vehicle on the race track;
displaying, at the central station, an overlay of the race track that indicates the position of selected ones of the at least one vehicles on the race track;
coupling a controller to at least one ultra wideband impulse radio unit, wherein each controller interacts with at least one sensor that monitors at least one vehicular parameter of one of the vehicles;
displaying, at the central station, at least one of the monitored vehicular parameters of selected ones of the at least one vehicles;
establishing two-way audio communications between a driver in one of the at least one vehicles and people using the central station;
enabling a person to use a handheld unit capable of displaying the position of selected ones of the at least one vehicles on the race track and further capable of displaying at least one of the monitored vehicular parameters of selected ones of the at least one vehicles; and
establishing two-way audio communications between a driver in one of the vehicles and the person using the handheld unit.
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Abstract
A system, electronic monitor and method are provided that utilize the communication capabilities and positioning capabilities of impulse radio technology to enable people (e.g., mechanics, fans, broadcasters, drivers) to track a position of a vehicle as it moves around a race track and/or to enable people to monitor an engine, transmission system, braking system and other vehicular parameters of the moving vehicle.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for tracking and monitoring at least one vehicle moving on a race track, said method comprising the steps of:
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attaching, to each of the at least one vehicles, an ultra wideband impulse radio unit, determining a position of the at least one vehicle from the interaction between the ultra wideband impulse radio unit attached to the at least one vehicle and at least two of a plurality of reference ultra wideband impulse radio units distributed at known locations throughout the race track;
receiving, at a central station, information relating to the position of the at least one vehicle on the race track;
displaying, at the central station, an overlay of the race track that indicates the position of selected ones of the at least one vehicles on the race track;
coupling a controller to at least one ultra wideband impulse radio unit, wherein each controller interacts with at least one sensor that monitors at least one vehicular parameter of one of the vehicles;
displaying, at the central station, at least one of the monitored vehicular parameters of selected ones of the at least one vehicles;
establishing two-way audio communications between a driver in one of the at least one vehicles and people using the central station;
enabling a person to use a handheld unit capable of displaying the position of selected ones of the at least one vehicles on the race track and further capable of displaying at least one of the monitored vehicular parameters of selected ones of the at least one vehicles; and
establishing two-way audio communications between a driver in one of the vehicles and the person using the handheld unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A system for tracking and monitoring at least one vehicle moving on a race track, said system comprising:
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an ultra wideband impulse radio unit attached to each of the at least one vehicles;
at least two of a plurality of reference ultra wideband impulse radio units distributed at known locations throughout the race track interact with each ultra wideband impulse radio unit to enable the determination of a position of the at least one vehicle;
a central station capable of receiving information relating to the position of the at least one vehicle on the race track;
said central station capable of displaying an overlay of the race track that indicates the position of selected ones of the at least one vehicles on the race track;
a controller coupled to at least one ultra wideband impulse radio unit, wherein each controller interacts with at least one sensor that monitors at least one vehicular parameter of one of the vehicles;
said central station capable of displaying at least one of the monitored vehicular parameters of selected ones of the at least one vehicles;
each ultra wideband impulse radio unit is capable of enabling two-way audio communications between a driver in one of the vehicles and people using the central station;
a plurality of handheld units, each of which is capable of displaying an overlay of the race track that indicates the position of selected ones of the at least one vehicles on the race track and further capable of displaying at least one of the monitored vehicular parameters of selected ones of the at least one vehicles; and
each handheld unit includes an ultra wideband impulse radio unit that can be used to establish two-way audio communications between a driver in one of the vehicles and a person using the handheld unit. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An electronic monitor comprising:
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an ultra wideband impulse radio unit, attached to a vehicle, capable of interacting with at least two of a plurality of reference ultra wideband impulse radio units distributed at known locations throughout a race track to enable the determination of a position of the vehicle on the race track, wherein the position of the vehicle is determined by;
synchronizing the reference ultra wideband impulse radio units;
synchronizing the ultra wideband impulse radio unit to the synchronized reference ultra wideband impulse radio units;
collecting and time-tagging range measurements between the ultra wideband impulse radio unit and at least two of the reference ultra wideband impulse radio units; and
calculating the position of the vehicle carrying the ultra wideband impulse radio unit using the collected and time-tagged range measurements; and
said ultra wideband impulse radio unit capable of transmitting information relating to the position of the vehicle on the race track to a central station capable of displaying an overlay of the race track that indicates the position of the vehicle on the race track;
a controller, coupled to at least one ultra wideband impulse radio unit, capable of interacting with at least one sensor that monitors at least one vehicular parameter of the vehicle;
said central station capable of displaying at least one of the monitored vehicular parameters of the vehicle;
said ultra wideband impulse radio unit is capable of enabling two-way audio communications between a driver in the vehicle and people using the central station; and
said ultra wideband impulse radio unit is further capable of enabling two-way audio communications between a driver in the vehicle and a person using a handheld station, said handheld station capable of displaying an overlay of the race track that indicates the position of the vehicle on the race track and further capable of displaying at least one of the monitored vehicular parameters of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A handheld unit comprising:
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an ultra wideband impulse radio unit;
an interface unit capable of displaying an overlay of a race track that indicates information about a position of the vehicle on the race track;
said interface unit receives the information about the position of the vehicle on the race track from said ultra wideband impulse radio unit which in turn receives the information about the position of the vehicle on the race track from a remote central station, wherein the position of the vehicle is determined by enabling an ultra wideband impulse radio unit within the vehicle to interact with at least two of a plurality of reference ultra wideband impulse radio units distributed at known locations throughout the race track, said position of the vehicle is determined by;
synchronizing the reference ultra wideband impulse radio units;
synchronizing the ultra wideband impulse radio unit to the synchronized reference ultra wideband impulse radio units;
collecting and time-tagging range measurements between the ultra wideband impulse radio unit and at least two of the reference ultra wideband impulse radio units; and
calculating the position of the vehicle carrying the ultra wideband impulse radio unit using the collected and time-tagged range measurements; and
said ultra wideband impulse radio unit capable of transmitting the information relating to the position of the vehicle on the race track to the central station;
said interface unit capable of displaying at least one monitored vehicular parameters of the vehicle, said interface unit receives the information about the at least one monitored vehicular parameters of the vehicle from said ultra wideband impulse radio unit which in turn receives this information from the central station which in turn receives the information from the ultra wideband impulse radio unit within the vehicle which contains a controller that interacts with a plurality of sensors that monitor vehicular parameters of the vehicle; and
said ultra wideband impulse radio unit is further capable of enabling two-way audio communications between a driver in the vehicle and a person using the handheld station. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification