Directional beacon device

• US 8,144,056 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2010
• Issued: 03/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RF Code Incorporated
• Original Assignee: RF Code Incorporated
• Inventors: Graczyk, Ronald, Primm, Michael, Parvey, Dale, Joy, Ryan, Gaskins, Chris C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bedard, Antoine J
• Application Number:
  US12/688,643
• Publication Number:
  US 20100182201A1
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 342/386, 356/139.01
• US Class Current: 342/386
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/70 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources

Abstract

A beacon device includes a control circuitry, a window, and a plurality of sets of illumination sources. The window includes a prismatic structure forming a ring from a planar perspective. The prismatic structure defines an inside surface and an outside surface from the planar perspective. The plurality of sets of illumination sources are coupled to the control circuitry. Each set of illumination sources includes a first illumination source disposed proximal to the inside surface of the prismatic structure and includes a second illumination source disposed proximal to the outside surface of the prismatic structure. The control circuitry is to illuminate a first set of the plurality of sets of illumination sources to transmit a signal in a first direction.

Claims

1. A beacon device comprising:

a control circuitry;

a first illumination source coupled to the control circuitry and to emit electromagnetic radiation along a first centerline;

a second illumination source coupled to the control circuitry and to emit electromagnetic radiation along a second centerline, the first and second centerlines being parallel;

a first prismatic structure disposed to refract the electromagnetic radiation of the first illumination source in a first direction; and

a second prismatic structure disposed to refract the electromagnetic radiation of the second illumination source in a second direction;

wherein the control circuitry is to initiate transmission of a signal via the first or the second illumination sources, the signal to include an indication of location.

2. The beacon device of claim 1, wherein the indication of location includes a location code.

3. The beacon device of claim 1, wherein the signal includes payload data.

4. The beacon device of claim 1, wherein, when the control circuitry is to initiate transmission of the signal in the first direction, the indication of location includes a first location code, and when the control circuitry is to initiate transmission of the signal in the second direction, the indication of location includes a second location code.

5. The beacon device of claim 1, further comprising a memory to store a pattern code, the control circuitry to selectively initiate transmission of the signal via the first or the second illumination sources based on the pattern code.

6. The beacon device of claim 1, wherein the first and second prismatic structures are associated with a window, the window including an outer surface.

7. The beacon device of claim 6, wherein the outer surface of the window is disposed relative to incident surfaces of the first prismatic structure to form an incident angle relative to a normal vector of the outer surface that is not greater than 45°

.

8. The beacon device of claim 6, wherein the outer surface of the window is disposed relative to incident surfaces of the second prismatic structure to form an incident angle relative to a normal vector of the outer surface that is not greater than 45°

.

9. The beacon device of claim 1, further comprising an infrared receiver coupled to the control circuitry.

10. The beacon device of claim 9, wherein the infrared receiver is to receive a location code of a second beacon device, the indication of location to include the location code, the second beacon device comprising a control circuitry, a first and second illumination sources coupled to the control circuitry, and first and second prismatic structures associated with the first and second illumination sources, respectively.

11. The beacon device of claim 9, wherein the infrared receiver is to receive a signal of a second beacon device, the control circuitry to initiate transmission of the signal timed to avoid collision with the signal of the second beacon device, the second beacon device comprising a control circuitry, a first and second illumination sources coupled to the control circuitry, and first and second prismatic structures associated with the first and second illumination sources, respectively.

12. A beacon device comprising:

a control circuitry;

a window comprising a prismatic structure forming a ring from a planar perspective, the prismatic structure defining an inside surface and an outside surface from the planar perspective;

a plurality of sets of illumination sources coupled to the control circuitry, each set of illumination sources including a first illumination source disposed proximal to the inside surface of the prismatic structure and including a second illumination source disposed proximal to the outside surface of the prismatic structure;

wherein the control circuitry is to illuminate a first set of the plurality of sets of illumination sources to transmit a signal in a first direction.

13. The beacon device of claim 12, wherein the control circuitry is to illuminate a second set of the plurality of sets of illumination sources to transmit the signal in a second direction.

14. The beacon device of claim 13, wherein the control circuitry is to illuminate a third set of the plurality of sets of illumination sources to transmit the signal in a third direction.

15. The beacon device of claim 12, further comprising a memory storing a pattern code, the control circuitry to transmit the signal via a subset of the plurality of sets of illumination sources selected based on the pattern code.

16. The beacon device of claim 12, further comprising a location code, the signal to include the location code.

17. The beacon device of claim 12, further comprising a payload data, the signal to include the payload data.

18. The beacon device of claim 12, wherein the illumination sources comprise infrared illumination sources.

19. The beacon device of claim 12, wherein each set of the plurality of sets of illumination sources further comprises a third illumination source disposed away from the prismatic structure and pointed in a direction associated with the each set.

20. The beacon device of claim 19, wherein the first and second illumination sources extend substantially perpendicular and the third illumination source is substantially parallel.

21. The beacon device of claim 12, further comprising a central set of illumination sources disposed at a location central to the ring formed by the prismatic structure, each illumination source of the central set pointed in a direction substantially perpendicular to the planar perspective.

22. The beacon device of claim 12, wherein the inside surface is substantially flat from a cross-sectional perspective.

23. The beacon device of claim 12, wherein the outside surface is substantially flat from a cross-sectional perspective.

24. The beacon device of claim 12, wherein the inside surface forms a frustoconical shape.

25. The beacon device of claim 12, wherein the outside surface forms a frustoconical shape.

26. The beacon device of claim 12, wherein the window includes an exterior surface, the outside surface disposed at an angle relative to the exterior surface to provide the signal at an incident angle relative to a normal vector of the exterior surface that is not greater than 45°

.

27. The beacon device of claim 12, wherein the window includes an exterior surface, the inside surface disposed at an angle relative to the exterior surface to provide the signal at an incident angle relative to a normal vector of the exterior surface that is not greater than 45°

.

28. A tracking system comprising:

a tracking tag; and

a beacon device to communicate a location to the tracking tag via a signal, the beacon device comprising;

a control circuitry;

a window comprising a prismatic structure forming a ring from a planar perspective, the prismatic structure defining an inside surface and an outside surface from the planar perspective;

a plurality of sets of illumination sources coupled to the control circuitry, each set of illumination sources including a first illumination source disposed proximal to the inside surface of the prismatic structure and including a second illumination source disposed proximal to the outside surface of the prismatic structure;

wherein the control circuitry is to illuminate a first set of the plurality of sets of illumination sources to transmit the signal in a first direction.

29. The tracking system of claim 28, further comprising a central system, the tag to receive the signal and to communicate the location to the central system.