Method and apparatus for ranging finding, orienting, and/or positioning of single and/or multiple devices

• US 9,024,810 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2011
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: XYZ INXYZ Interactive Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: XYZ INXYZ Interactive Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Lohbihler, Andrew H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barker, Matthew M
• Application Number:
  US13/189,878
• Publication Number:
  US 20110279366A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,380 Days
• Field of Search: 342/134, 356/4.07
• US Class Current: 342/134
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/089 Determining the position of the robot with reference to its environment
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/02 using radio waves G01S19/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/06 using intensity measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/12 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/14 using ultrasonic, sonic, or infrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/08 Systems for measuring distance only indirect measurement G01S13/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/10 using transmission of interrupted, pulse modulated waves determination of distance by phase measurement G01S13/32
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/88 Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications electromagnetic prospecting or detecting of objects, e.g. near-field detection, G01V3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/10 using transmission of interrupted, pulse-modulated waves determination of distance by phase measurement G01S15/32
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/10 using transmission of interrupted, pulse-modulated waves determination of distance by phase measurements G01S17/32
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/87 Combinations of systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/466 by Trilateration, i.e. two antennas or two sensors determine separately the distance to a target, whereby with the knowledge of the baseline length, i.e. the distance between the antennas or sensors, the position data of the target is determined
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/468 by Triangulation, i.e. two antennas or two sensors determine separately the bearing, direction or angle to a target, whereby with the knowledge of the baseline length, the position data of the target is determined
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0247 Determining attitude
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0284 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/16 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/163 Determination of attitude using inertial means G01C9/00; control of attitude G05D1/49
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/186 Determination of attitude using inertial means G01C9/00; control of attitude G05D1/49
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/497 Means for monitoring or calibrating
• 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 3/0325 : using a plurality of light emitters or reflectors or a plurality of detectors forming a reference frame from which to derive the orientation of the object, e.g. by triangulation or on the basis of reference deformation in the picked up image
• 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: H01H 13/023 : Light-emitting indicators for multi-layer switches H01H13/83
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/10 : Bases; Stationary contacts mounted thereon
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/88 : Processes specially adapted for manufacture of rectilinearly movable switches having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/06 : Reflector
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/07 : transparent
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/943 : using a plurality of optical emitters or detectors, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/968 : using opto-electronic devices
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/94036 : Multiple detection, i.e. where different switching signals are generated after operation of the user is detected at different time instants at different locations during the actuation movement by two or more sensors of the same or different kinds
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/94063 : with optical detection
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/94108 : making use of reflection
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/94112 : having more than one receiver

Abstract

A method and apparatus for ranging finding of signal transmitting devices is provided. The method of signal reception is digitally based only and does not require receivers that are analog measurement devices. Ranging can be achieved using a single pulse emitting device operating in range spaced relation with a minimum of a single signal transmitter and a single digital receiver and processing circuitry. In general a plurality of transmitting pulsed emitters may be ranged and positioned virtually simultaneously in 3-dimensions (XYZ coordinates) using a configuration of a plurality of digital receivers arranged in any fixed 3-dimensional configuration. Applications may involve at least one single transmitter to receiver design to determine range, or at least one transmitted reflecting signal off from an object to determine range.

Claims

1. A device configured to convey a signal for determining a distance travelled by the signal between the device and a receiver, the device comprising a transmitter configured to transmit a series of pulses having a varying pulse strength that varies across the series of pulses in accordance with a designated pulse strength profile, wherein the series of pulses comprises a series of body pulses, and wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit a train of pulses including a series of preamble pulses having a substantially constant pulse strength, and the series of body pulses, and a signal processor configured to process the body pulses received by the receiver, and to output a value according to a number of said body pulses above a designated threshold value, representative of the distance travelled.

2. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein the pulse strength profile comprises at least one of (i) a progressively increasing pulse strength pattern, and (ii) a progressively decreasing pulse strength pattern.

3. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein the pulse strength profile comprises at least one of (i) a fixed pulse strength pattern of said varying pulse strengths, (ii) a random pulse strength pattern of said varying pulse strengths, and (iii) a varying pulse strength pattern of said varying pulse strengths.

4. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein a carrier frequency of the transmitter is selected from the group comprising:

near infrared, far infrared, visible, ultra-violet, high frequency radio, and ultrasonic.

5. The device as defined in claim 1, further comprising a processor configured to control generation of a signal waveform to be applied to the series of pulses in defining said designated pulse strength profile according to a power function R(x), where x is a pulse number which increases from zero to N, and where R(x) is a power level calculated as a function of the pulse number x to vary between a power level of zero and a maximum power level of N.

6. The device as defined in claim 5, wherein said power function is selected from an incrementing function R(x)=x, and a decrementing function R(x)=N−

x.

7. The device as defined in claim 5, wherein said power function defines an interleaved pattern.

8. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein the preamble pulses define at least one of a unique transmitter identifier and a synchronization code.

9. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein the train of pulses forms a data stream representing a message including the series of preamble pulses having a common carrier frequency, the series of preamble pulses having a pattern corresponding to a predetermined preamble segment of the message, the data stream further including the series of body pulses representative of a body segment of the message, the body pulses including a common carrier frequency with the preamble pulses.

10. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein the device is incorporated into a computer interface selected from the group comprising a mouse, a tilt-joystick, a pointer controller, a six-degree-of-freedom interface, and a gesture interface.

11. A system comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit a signal formed at least in part by a train of pulses including a series of preamble pulses having a substantially constant pulse strength, and a series of body pulses having a pulse strength that varies across said series of body pulses in accordance with a designated pulse strength profile;

a receiver to receive at least a subset of the series of body pulses above a designated threshold value; and

a signal processor operatively coupled to said receiver, said signal processor configured to output a range value according to a number of said body pulses above the designated threshold value, the range value representative of a distance travelled by the train of pulses between said transmitter and said receiver.

12. The system as defined in claim 11, wherein said series of pulses is reflected off an object, the range value representative of a distance travelled by said series between the transmitter, the object, and the receiver.

13. The system as defined in claim 11, further comprising two or more emitters each configured to transmit a respective series of said body pulses, and a respective series of preamble pulses encoding an identifier associated therewith, said signal processor identifying a source of the received pulses from each said associated identifier to output a respective range value for each of said emitters.

14. The system as defined in claim 13, wherein each of said emitters operates from a common transmitting device, said emitters on said transmitting device configured to communicate with said signal processor, the signal processor thereby configured to track, at least in part, at least one of a position and an orientation of the transmitting device from each said respective range value.

15. The system as defined in claim 11, further comprising two or more receivers, said signal processor operatively coupled to each of said receivers and configured to synchronize processing of said received body pulses from each of said receivers to output a respective range value representative of a respective distance travelled by said series of pulses between said transmitter and each of said receivers.

16. A signal processor configured to operatively couple to one or more receivers for processing a transmitted signal received thereby to identify a distance travelled by the transmitted signal, the transmitted signal comprising a train of pulses including a series of body pulses having a transmitted pulse strength that varies across the series in accordance with a designated pulse strength profile, and a series of preamble pulses having a substantially constant pulse strength and encoding a transmitter identifier, the signal processor configured to output a range value according to a number of said body pulses above a designated threshold value, the range value representative of the distance travelled by the transmitted signal.

17. The signal processor as defined in claim 16, wherein the signal processor is further configured to:

identify a signal transmitter for each of a plurality of transmitted signals;

associate a respective range value for each of the transmitted signals; and

calculate, at least in part, at least one of a relative position and orientation of each of said transmitters from each said respective range value.

18. The signal processor as defined in claim 16, wherein the transmitted signal is emitted by a transmitter and received concurrently by two or more receivers, the signal processor being further configured to:

access a synchronization code received in association with the transmitted signal by each of the two or more receivers;

synchronize processing of the concurrently received signals via said synchronization code to output respective range values representative of a distance travelled by the signal to each of said two or more receivers; and

calculate, at least in part, at least one of a position and an orientation of the transmitter as a function of said respective range values.

19. The signal processor as defined in claim 16, the distance travelled comprising a distance travelled by the transmitted signal from a designated transmitter to a reflective object and from the reflective object to the one or more receivers, the signal processor configured to:

access a designated location of the one or more receivers relative to the designated transmitter; and

calculate, at least in part, at least one of a position and an orientation of the reflective object relative to the one or more receivers and designated transmitter based on said range value and said designated location.

20. A method for identifying a distance travelled by a signal between an emitter and a receiver, comprising:

generating a signal formed at least in part by a series of pulses having a pulse strength that varies across said series in accordance with a designated transmission pulse strength profile;

transmitting said signal via the emitter;

receiving, at the receiver, at least a subset of said series of pulses with a pulse strength profile and above a designated pulse strength threshold;

implementing a count associated with the subset of received pulses above the designated pulse strength threshold,

correlating the count with a distance travelled by the signal between the emitter and the receiver.

21. The method as defined in claim 20, wherein said implementing comprises associating a pre-calibrated range value with said count, the range value being representative of said distance.

22. The method as defined in claim 20, wherein said pulse strength profile comprises a patterned pulse strength profile selected from a progressively increasing pattern and a progressively decreasing pattern.

23. The method as defined in claim 20, further comprising:

receiving a respective subset of said series of pulses at each of the receivers;

synchronizing detection of said received pulse strength profile for each of said receivers; and

correlating each said detected pulse strength profile with a respective distance.

24. The method as defined in claim 20, for identifying a distance travelled by the signal from two or more emitters, the method further comprising:

transmitting said signal from each of the emitters along with an respective identification code;

receiving each said respective identification code and a corresponding subset of said series of pulses at the receiver from each of the emitters;

detecting a respective received pulse strength profile for each of said emitters; and

correlating each said detected pulse strength profile with a respective distance.

25. The method as defined in claim 20, wherein the transmitted signal travels from the emitter to the receiver via a reflective object, the method further comprising determining, at least in part, at least one of a position and an orientation of the reflective object as a function of said distance.