Ultrasonic tracking and locating system

• US 7,352,652 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2003
• Issued: 04/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonitor Technologies AS
• Original Assignee: Sonitor Technologies AS
• Inventors: Rostad, Svein, Holm, Sverre, Holm, Rune
• Primary Examiner(s): PIHULIC, DANIEL T
• Application Number:
  US10/534,591
• Publication Number:
  US 20060013070A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,582 Days
• Field of Search: 367/128
• US Class Current: 367/128
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/16 using difference in transit time between electrical and acoustic signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0081 Transmission between base stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/18 using ultrasonic, sonic, or infrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/30 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a system for monitoring and position determination of objects and/or living beings within an area, such as, e.g. a room in a building. The system comprises a plurality of electronic units, called identification tags, which are attached to the objects that have to be monitored. Each identification tag has its own identification code (ID code) and is equipped with an ultrasonic transmitter, radio transmitter and radio receiver. The ultrasonic signals are received by one or more master and slave units which calculate transit time differences of ultrasonic pulses. This information together with the identification tags'"'"' ID code, identification of the room in which it is located, and any additional information are transmitted to a central processing unit which calculates the identification tag'"'"'s position and presents it to a user of the system.

Claims

1. An identification tag for use in a system for determining the position of the identification tag, which may be in motion in a room in a building or other areas to be monitored, comprising an ultrasonic transducer connected to a transmitter adapted to transmit ultrasonic signals, together with a radio transmitter and radio receiver connected to an antenna for transmitting radio signals containing the identity of the identification tag, the ultrasonic transducer and radio transmitter being arranged to transmit at preset intervals or in response to the tag being set in motion or exposed to light.

2. An identification tag according to claim 1, comprising a control unit adapted to control the transmission of ultrasonic signals and radio signals.

3. An identification tag according to claim 2, wherein the radio receiver is connected to the control unit and arranged to receive radio messages from other identification tags.

4. An identification tag according to claim 2, wherein the radio receiver is connected to the control unit and arranged to receive radio messages from stationary master units.

5. An identification tag according to claim 2, wherein the radio transmitter is connected to the control unit and adapted to transmit radio messages to stationary master units.

6. An identification tag according claim 2, further comprising a sabotage unit connected to the control unit for detecting any attempt to remove and/or open the identification tag, and wherein after such detection, the control unit is adapted to add such additional information to the radio signal transmitted from the identification tag.

7. A stationary master unit, specially adapted to a system for position determination of objects which may be in motion, comprising:

an ultrasonic transducer for receiving ultrasonic signals in the form of ultrasonic pulses, together with a radio transmitter unit and a radio receiver unit connected to an antenna for transmitting and receiving information from an identification tag according to claim 1,

a receiver unit for detecting ultrasonic pulses transmitted from the identification tag,

signal processing means for receiving and interpreting radio signals, and for executing the following steps for processing the received ultrasonic pulses;

calculating transit time differences for received ultrasonic pulses transmitted from the identification tag,

transmitting to a central processing unit via a network data containing transit time differences for received ultrasonic pulses, an identification of the room in which it is located, and the identification of the identification tag.

8. A system for determining the position of at least one identification tag, comprising:

at least one identification tag according to claim 1,

one or more stationary master units according to claim 7 for detecting transit time differences for the ultrasonic pulses transmitted from the identification tag,

one or more stationary slave units with means for receiving ultrasonic signals in the form of ultrasonic pulses, means for detecting ultrasonic pulses transmitted from the identification tag, means for measuring transit time differences for received ultrasonic pulses, together with means for transmitting this information to stationary master units,

a network interconnecting several stationary slave units and stationary master units,

at least one central processing unit for collecting, interpreting and processing data transmitted from master units,

a network interconnecting several stationary master units with the central processing unit, and

processing means in the central processing unit for determining the position of a transmitter unit.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein the network connection interconnecting stationary slave units and stationary master units is radio-based.

10. A system according to claim 8, wherein the network connection interconnecting stationary slave units and stationary master units is wire-based.

11. A system according to claim 8, wherein the connection between stationary master units and the central processing unit is based on radio waves.

12. A system according to claim 8, wherein the connection between stationary master units and the central processing unit is wire-based.

13. A method for determining the position of one or more objects which may be in motion in a room in a building or other areas, comprising:

a) employing an identification tag according to claim 1 to listen for radio messages,

b) transmitting a radio message from the identification tag with a request for permission to transmit ultrasonic pulses,

c) receiving a radio message from other identification tags if they are simultaneously executing transmission of ultrasonic signals,

d) transmitting an ultrasonic pulse from the identification tag while it simultaneously transmits a radio signal, if it has not received a radio message telling that other identification tags are transmitting,

e) receiving the ultrasonic pulse from the identification tag on one or more stationary master units and stationary slave units, while stationary master units are also simultaneously receiving a radio signal from the identification tag,

f) receiving the radio signal from the identification tag on a stationary master unit,

g) calculating transit time differences for received ultrasonic pulse on stationary master units and slave units,

h) transmitting information on transit time differences from stationary slave units to stationary master units,

i) transmitting information on transit time differences, identification of room and radio signal information received in stationary master units from stationary slave units and identification tag to a central processing unit,

j) calculating the position of the identification tag which transmitted the ultrasonic pulse on the basis of the identification of the identification tag and transit time differences of transmitted ultrasonic pulse from the identification tag, together with knowledge of the position of each individual stationary master unit and stationary slave unit in each room or area.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the radio message to which the identification tag listens contains information concerning which ultrasonic frequency or coding is employed by other identification tags which are currently transmitting ultrasonic pulses.

15. A method according to claim 13, wherein the request in the form of a radio message from the identification tag is transmitted when the identification tag is set in motion.

16. A method according to claim 13, wherein the request in the form of a radio message from the identification tag is transmitted after a preset period.

17. A method according to claim 13, wherein the request in the form of a radio message from the identification tag is transmitted when parts of the identification tag are exposed to light.

18. A method according to claim 13, wherein the frequency or coding of the ultrasonic pulse employed by the identification tag is different to that currently employed by other identification tags.

19. A method according to claim 13, wherein the radio signal transmitted from the identification tag while it simultaneously transmits an ultrasonic pulse contains the identification number and ultrasonic frequency or coding employed by the identification tag.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the radio signal transmitted from the identification tag may further contain additional information, such as that an attempt has been made to remove the tag.

21. A method of determining the position of a tag comprising the step of:

transmitting ultrasonic and radio signals simultaneously from the tag at preset intervals or in response to the tag being set in motion or exposed to light.

22. A method as claimed in claim 21, further comprising the step of:

transmitting a radio message from the tag to another tag prior to performing the step of transmitting ultrasonic and radio signals simultaneously from the first tag.

23. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the step of transmitting ultrasonic and radio signals simultaneously is not performed if the tag first receives an engaged signal from a second tag.

24. A method as claimed in claim 22, further comprising conveying in said radio message information about said ultrasonic and radio signals selected from the group comprising the timing, the ultrasonic frequency and the coding of said signals.

25. A method as claimed in claim 21, further comprising conveying in said radio signals information selected from the group comprising the identity of the tag and the status of the tag.

26. A method as claimed in claim 25, wherein said ultrasonic signals do not convey information about the identity of the tag.

27. A method as claim in claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

sensing that the tag is being tampered with; and

transmitting ultrasonic and radio signals simultaneously from the tag in response to said sensing.

28. An identification tag for use in a system for determining the position of the tag, wherein the tag is arranged to transmit ultrasonic and radio signals simultaneously at preset intervals or in response to being set in motion or exposed to light.

29. An identification tag as claimed in claim 28, wherein the tag is further arranged to transmit a radio message to another identification tag before a proposed simultaneous transmission of ultrasonic and radio signals.

30. An identification tag as claimed in claim 29, wherein the tag is further arranged to transmit ultrasonic and radio signals simultaneously only if it does not first receive an engaged signal from a second tag in response to a radio message from the first tag.

31. An identification tag as claimed in claim 29, wherein said radio message conveys information about the proposed simultaneous transmission of ultrasonic and radio signals selected from the group comprising the timing, the ultrasonic frequency and the coding of the signals.

32. An identification tag as claimed in claim 28, wherein said radio signals convey information selected from the group comprising the identity of the tag and the status of the tag.

33. An identification tag as claimed in claim 32, wherein said ultrasonic signals do not convey information about the identity of the tag.

34. An identification tag as claimed in claim 28 comprising a tamper sensor and being further arranged to transmit ultrasonic and radio signals simultaneously in response to activation of said tamper sensor.