Precision position tracking device

• US 9,110,503 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2013
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Worldviz LLC
• Original Assignee: Worldviz LLC
• Inventors: Beall, Andrew C., Pusch, Matthias
• Primary Examiner(s): FARAGALLA, MICHAEL A
• Application Number:
  US14/073,037
• Publication Number:
  US 20140152550A1
• Time in Patent Office: 650 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/46 Indirect determination of position data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4808 Evaluating distance, position or velocity data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/005 Input arrangements through a video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/52 Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

Embodiment of a lightweight and compact wireless precision position tracking device and a precision position tracking motion capture system are described. Optionally, the wireless precision position tracking device is configured to be worn by a user. The wireless precision position tracking device may be configured to emit optical light from two or more respective markers, where the light from one of the markers is distinguishable from light from another of the markers.

Claims

1. A precision positioning tracking apparatus, comprising:

a head mountable system, comprising;

a housing configured to be worn by a person in a head region;

two or more infrared Light-Emitting Diodes (LED);

a battery;

a position tracking device powered by the battery and positioned at least in part in the housing, the position tracking device configured to;

provide orientation information to a remote device;

cause a first infrared LED in the two or more infrared LEDs to emit a first repetitive pattern of infrared light pulses, wherein the first repetitive pattern of infrared light pulses comprises;

a first combination of light pulses over a first period of time; and

cause a second infrared LED in the two or more infrared LEDs to emit a second repetitive pattern of infrared light pulses, wherein the second repetitive pattern of infrared light pulses comprises;

a second combination of light pulses over a second period of time, and

wherein the second combination of light pulses is distinguishable from the first combination of light pulses,

and

wherein a beginning of each pattern in the first repetitive pattern and the second repetitive pattern occurs at substantially the same time.

2. The precision positioning tracking apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

the remote device, wherein the remote device is configured to;

receive image data from one or more cameras;

detect from the image data two or more distinct patterns of infrared LED light pulses;

identify from the two or more distinct patterns of detected infrared LED light pulses the presence of the first signal pattern and the second signal pattern; and

,

calculate a first orientation of the positioning tracking device based at least in part on the identified presence of the first signal pattern and the second signal pattern.

3. The precision positioning tracking apparatus of claim 2, wherein the image data comprises multiple frames.

4. The precision positioning tracking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the positioning tracking device is configurable to generate eight distinguishable signal patterns.

5. The precision positioning tracking apparatus of claim 1, the precision positioning tracking apparatus further configured to:

receive image data from one or more cameras; and

detect at least one pattern of one or more infrared LED light pulses from the image data.

6. The precision positioning tracking apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one pulse period comprises a distinguishing characteristic with respect to the first repetitive pattern.

7. The precision positioning tracking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first repetitive pattern of infrared light pulses comprise light intensity state transitions.

8. The precision positioning tracking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing is configured to be attached to an eyeglass frame.

9. The precision positioning tracking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the precision position tracking device is configured to provide orientation information corresponding to at least one eye of the person.

10. The precision positioning tracking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the precision position tracking device is configured to provide orientation information corresponding to a head position of the person.

11. A precision positioning tracking apparatus, comprising:

a positioning tracking device, comprising;

two or more infrared Light-Emitting Diodes (LED);

a housing configured to be worn by a person in a head region;

a battery;

a precision position tracking device powered by the battery and positioned at least in part in the housing, the precision position tracking device configured to;

cause a first infrared LED in the two or more LEDs to emit a first pattern of infrared light pulses, wherein the first pattern of infrared light pulses comprises;

a first combination of light pulses over a first period of time; and

cause a second infrared LED in the two or more LEDs to emit a second repetitive pattern of infrared light pulses, wherein the second repetitive signal pattern of infrared light pulses comprises;

a second combination of light pulses over a second period of time, and

wherein the second combination of light pulses is distinguishable from the first combination of light pulses.

12. The precision positioning tracking apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a tracking system, wherein the tracking system is configured to:

receive image data from one or more cameras;

detect from the image data six or more infrared LED light pulses;

identify from the six or more detected infrared LED light pulses the presence of the first signal pattern and the second signal pattern; and

calculate a first position of the precision positioning tracking device based at least in part on the identified presence of the first signal pattern and the second signal pattern.

13. The precision positioning tracking apparatus of claim 12, wherein the image data comprises multiple frames.

14. The precision positioning tracking apparatus of claim 11, wherein the positioning tracking device is configurable to generate eight distinguishable signal patterns.

15. The precision positioning tracking apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a tracking system, wherein the tracking system is configured to:

receive image data from one or more cameras; and

detect at least one pattern of one or more infrared LED light pulses from the image data.

16. The precision positioning tracking apparatus of claim 11, wherein at least one pulse period comprises a distinguishing characteristic of the pattern.

17. The precision positioning tracking apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first pattern of infrared light pulses comprise light intensity state transitions.

18. The precision positioning tracking apparatus of claim 11, wherein the housing is configured to be attached to an eyeglass frame.

19. The precision positioning tracking apparatus of claim 11, wherein the position tracking device is configured to provide orientation information corresponding to at least one eye of the person.

20. The precision positioning tracking apparatus of claim 11, wherein the position tracking device is configured to provide orientation information corresponding to a head position of the person.