Apparatus for position detection using multiple antennas

• US 8,031,121 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2008
• Issued: 10/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ibrahim, Brima B., Rofougaran, Maryam, Rofougaran, Ahmadreza (Reza), Walley, John, Seshadri, Nambirajan, Karaoguz, Jeyhan
• Primary Examiner(s): Issing; Gregory C
• Application Number:
  US12/128,810
• Publication Number:
  US 20080316103A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,223 Days
• Field of Search: 342/458, 345/158, 463/36, 463/37, 463/39
• US Class Current: 342/458
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/212 using sensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat or leg activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/57 Simulating properties, behaviour or motion of objects in the game world, e.g. computing tyre load in a car race game A63F13/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/573 using trajectories of game objects, e.g. of a golf ball according to the point of impact
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/825 Fostering virtual characters
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1012 involving biosensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat, limb activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1031 using a wireless connection, e.g. Bluetooth, infrared connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/003 Bistatic radar systems; Multistatic radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/426 Scanning radar, e.g. 3D radar G01S13/66 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/723 by using numerical data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/878 Combination of several spaced transmitters or receivers of known location for determining the position of a transponder or a reflector G01S13/874 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/412 based on a comparison between measured values and known or stored values
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

An apparatus includes a transmitter and a receiver device, which includes a receiver section and a processing module. The transmitter transmits a high carrier frequency signal. The receiver section includes first and second antennas that have an antenna radiation relationship for receiving the high carrier frequency signal. A receiver module of the receiver section determines first and second signal properties of the received high carrier frequency signal. The processing module determines a position of the receiver device with respect to the transmitter based on the first and second signal properties and maps the position to a coordinate system.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprises:

a transmitter coupled to transmit a high carrier frequency signal;

a receiver device that includes;

a receiver section that includes;

a first antenna operable to receive the high carrier frequency signal to produce a first received high carrier frequency signal;

a second antenna operable to receive the high carrier frequency signal to produce a second received high carrier frequency signal, wherein the first and second antennas have an antenna radiation relationship;

a receiver module coupled to;

determine first signal properties of the first received high carrier frequency signal; and

determine second signal properties of the second received high carrier frequency signal; and

a processing module coupled to;

determine a position of the receiver device with respect to the transmitter based on the first and second signal properties; and

map the position to a coordinate system;

determine a first distance between the first antenna and the transmitter by;

determining a first receive power of the high carrier frequency signal received via the first antenna;

determining a first path loss between the first antenna and the transmitter based on the first receive power and a transmit power;

determining the first distance based on the first path loss, wherein the first signal properties includes the first receive power and the first path loss;

determining a first phase rotation of the high carrier frequency signal received via the first antenna;

determining a first number of cycles of the high carrier frequency signal received via the first antenna based on the first distance; and

adjusting the first distance based on the first number of cycles and the first phase rotation; and

determine a second distance between the second antenna and the transmitter by;

determining a second receive power of the high carrier frequency signal received via the second antenna;

determining a second path loss between the second antenna and the transmitter based on the second receive power and the transmit power;

determining the second distance based on the second path loss, wherein the second signal properties includes the second receive power and the second path loss;

determining a second phase rotation of the high carrier frequency signal received via the second antenna;

determining a second number of cycles of the high carrier frequency signal received via the second antenna based on the second distance; and

adjusting the second distance based on the second number of cycles and the second phase rotation; and

determine a beam angle of the high carrier frequency signal with respect to the first and second antennas; and

determine the position of the receiver device based on the beam angle and the first and second distances, wherein the first and second signal properties includes the beam angle.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the antenna radiation relationship comprises at least one of:

a spatial diversity relationship;

a polarization relationship; and

a structural relationship.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprises:

the transmitter coupled to transmit a second high carrier frequency signal, wherein the second high carrier frequency signal has a different carrier frequency than the high carrier frequency signal;

the receiver section further includes;

a third antenna operable to receive the second high carrier frequency signal to produce a third received high carrier frequency signal; and

a fourth antenna operable to receive the second high carrier frequency signal to produce a fourth received high carrier frequency signal, wherein the third and fourth antennas have a second antenna radiation relationship;

the receiver module is further coupled to;

determine third signal properties of the third received high carrier frequency signal;

determine fourth signal properties of the fourth received high carrier frequency signal; and

the processing module is further coupled to determine the position of the receiver device with respect to the transmitter based on the first, second, third, and fourth signal properties.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprises:

the receiver section further includes;

a third antenna operable to receive the high carrier frequency signal to produce a third received high carrier frequency signal;

a fourth antenna operable to receive the high carrier frequency signal to produce a fourth received high carrier frequency signal, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth antennas have the antenna radiation relationship;

the receiver module is further coupled to;

determine third signal properties of the third received high carrier frequency signal;

determine fourth signal properties of the fourth received high carrier frequency signal; and

the processing module is further coupled to determine the position of the receiver device with respect to the transmitter based on the first through fourth signal properties.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprises:

a plurality of transmitters coupled to transmit a plurality of the high carrier frequency signals in accordance with a multiplexed protocol, wherein the plurality of transmitters includes the transmitter;

the first antenna operable to receive the plurality of high carrier frequency signals to produce a first plurality of received high carrier frequency signals;

the second antenna operable to receive the plurality of the high carrier frequency signals to produce a second plurality of received high carrier frequency signals;

the receiver module coupled to;

determine a first plurality of signal properties of the first plurality of received high carrier frequency signals; and

determine a second plurality of signal properties of the second plurality of received high carrier frequency signals; and

a processing module coupled to determine the position of the receiver device with respect to the plurality of transmitters based on the first and second pluralities of signal properties.

6. An apparatus comprises:

a plurality of transmitters, wherein each of the plurality of transmitters transmits, in accordance with a multiplexing protocol, a first high carrier frequency signal and a second high carrier frequency signal, wherein the first high carrier frequency signal has a different carrier frequency than the second high carrier frequency signal;

a receiver device that includes;

a receiver section that includes;

a first antenna operable to receive a plurality of the first high carrier frequency signals to produce a first plurality of received high carrier frequency signals; and

a second antenna operable to receive a plurality of the second high carrier frequency signals to produce a second plurality of received high carrier frequency signals;

a receiver module coupled to;

determine a first plurality of signal properties of the first plurality of received high carrier frequency signals;

determine a second plurality of signal properties of the second plurality of received high carrier frequency signals; and

a processing module coupled to;

determine a plurality of distances between the receiver device and the plurality of transmitters based on the first and second plurality of signal properties, wherein a distance of the plurality of distances is between the receiver device and one of the plurality of transmitters and is determined based on a corresponding one of the first plurality of signal properties and a corresponding one of the second plurality of signal properties;

determine a position of the receiver device with respect to the plurality of transmitters based on the plurality of distances; and

map the position to a coordinate system.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the processing module is coupled to determine the distance between the receiver device and the one of the plurality of transmitters by:

determining a first receive power of a corresponding one of the plurality of the first high carrier frequency signals received via the first antenna;

determining a first path loss between the first antenna and the corresponding one of the plurality of transmitters based on the first receive power and a first transmit power;

determining a second receive power of a corresponding one of the plurality of the second high carrier frequency signals received via the second antenna;

determining a second path loss between the second antenna and the corresponding one of the plurality of transmitters based on the second receive power and a second transmit power; and

determining the distance based on the first and second path losses.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprises:

each of the plurality of transmitters transmitting, in accordance with the multiplexing protocol, a plurality of high carrier frequency signals, wherein each of the plurality of high carrier frequency signal has a different carrier frequency;

the receiver section includes a plurality of antennas, wherein the plurality of antennas includes the first and second antennas, wherein each of the plurality of antennas receives a corresponding one of the plurality of high carrier frequency signals from each of the plurality of transmitters to produce a plurality of corresponding received high carrier frequency signals;

the receiver module determines corresponding signal properties for each of the plurality of corresponding received high carrier frequency signals to produce a plurality of corresponding signal properties; and

the processing module determines the plurality of distances between the receiver device and the plurality of transmitters based on the plurality of corresponding signal properties.

9. A video game system comprises:

a video game playing object that includes;

a first antenna operable to receive a high carrier frequency signal to produce a first received high carrier frequency signal;

a second antenna operable to receive the high carrier frequency signal to produce a second received high carrier frequency signal, wherein the first and second antennas have an antenna radiation relationship;

a receiver module coupled to;

determine first signal properties of the first received high carrier frequency signal; and

determine second signal properties of the second received high carrier frequency signal; and

a video game console device wirelessly coupled to the video game playing object to;

determine a position of the video game playing object with respect to a source of the high carrier frequency signal based on the first and second signal properties;

map the position to a coordinate system;

determine a first distance between the first antenna and the source by;

determining a first receive power of the high carrier frequency signal received via the first antenna;

determining a first path loss between the first antenna and the source based on the first receive power and a transmit power;

determining the first distance based on the first path loss, wherein the first signal properties includes the first receive power and the first path loss;

determining a first phase rotation of the high carrier frequency signal received via the first antenna;

determining a first number of cycles of the high carrier frequency signal received via the first antenna based on the first distance; and

adjust the first distance based on the first number of cycles and the first phase rotation;

determine a second distance between the second antenna and the source by;

determining a second receive power of the high carrier frequency signal received via the second antenna;

determining a second path loss between the second antenna and the source based on the second receive power and the transmit power; and

determining the second distance based on the second path loss, wherein the second signal properties includes the second receive power and the second path loss;

determining a second phase rotation of the high carrier frequency signal received via the second antenna;

determining a second number of cycles of the high carrier frequency signal received via the second antenna based on the second distance; and

adjust the second distance based on the second number of cycles and the second phase rotation; and

determine a beam angle of the high carrier frequency signal with respect to the first and second antennas; and

determine the position of the video game playing object based on the beam angle and the first and second distances, wherein the first and second signal properties includes the beam angle.

10. The video game system of claim 9 further comprises:

the video game playing object further includes;

a third antenna operable to receive a second high carrier frequency signal to produce a third received high carrier frequency signal, wherein the second high carrier frequency signal has a different carrier frequency than the high carrier frequency signal; and

a fourth antenna operable to receive the second high carrier frequency signal to produce a fourth received high carrier frequency signal, wherein the third and fourth antennas have a second antenna radiation relationship;

the receiver module is further coupled to;

determine third signal properties of the third received high carrier frequency signal; and

determine fourth signal properties of the fourth received high carrier frequency signal; and

the video game console device is further coupled to determine the position of the video game playing object with respect to the source based on the first, second, third, and fourth signal properties.

11. The video game system of claim 9 further comprises:

the video game playing object further includes;

a third antenna operable to receive the high carrier frequency signal to produce a third received high carrier frequency signal; and

a fourth antenna operable to receive the high carrier frequency signal to produce a fourth received high carrier frequency signal, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth antennas have the antenna radiation relationship;

the receiver module is further coupled to;

determine third signal properties of the third received high carrier frequency signal;

determine fourth signal properties of the fourth received high carrier frequency signal; and

the video game console device is further coupled to determine the position of the receiver device with respect to the source based on the first through fourth signal properties.