Ultrasound mesh localization for interactive systems

• US 9,129,515 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Xiang, Pei, Chan, Kwokleung
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nam V
• Application Number:
  US13/842,295
• Publication Number:
  US 20140269212A1
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.11, 340/566, 340/573.1, 367/127, 367/124, 367/907, 455/41.2, 455/414.2, 455/414.3, 348/56
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/803 using amplitude comparison of signals derived from receiving transducers or transducer systems having differently-oriented directivity characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/24 Position of single direction-finder fixed by determining direction of a plurality of spaced sources of known location
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/30 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/02 using infrasonic, sonic or ultrasonic waves

Abstract

In general, techniques are described for locating a user using an ultrasound mesh. The techniques may be performed by an interactive system comprising one or more processors. The processors may be configured to determine an amplitude of a first ultrasound signal emitted by one or more transducers and received by a microphone. This first ultrasound signal may be of a first frequency. The processors may then determine an amplitude of a second ultrasound signal emitted by the one or more transducers and received by the microphone. The second ultrasound signal may be of a second frequency different from the first frequency. The processors may be further configured to determine a location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based at least on the determined amplitude of the first ultrasound signal and the determined amplitude of the second ultrasound signal.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining an amplitude of a first ultrasound signal emitted by one or more transducers included within or adjacent to a three-dimensional display device and received by a microphone included within or adjacent to three-dimensional viewing glasses, wherein the first ultrasound signal is of a first frequency;

determining an amplitude of a second ultrasound signal emitted by the one or more transducers and received by the microphone, wherein the second ultrasound signal is of a second frequency different from the first frequency;

determining a location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based at least on the determined amplitude of the first ultrasound signal and the determined amplitude of the second ultrasound signal;

selecting one of a plurality of views included within video data that approximates viewing a scene presented by the video data from the determined location of the microphone; and

presenting the selected one of the plurality of views.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers comprises:

determining a ratio of the amplitude of the first ultrasound signal to the amplitude of the second ultrasound signal; and

determining the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based at least on the determined ratio.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining an amplitude of a third ultrasound signal emitted by the one or more transducers and received by the microphone,

wherein determining the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers comprises:

based on the amplitude of the first ultrasound signal and the amplitude of the second ultrasound signal, determining a first vector from the one or more transducers to the microphone;

based on the amplitude of the first ultrasound signal and the amplitude of the third ultrasound signal, determining a second vector from the one or more transducers to the microphone;

based on the amplitude of the second ultrasound signal and the amplitude of the third ultrasound signal, determining a third vector from the one or more transducers of the microphone; and

determining the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based on two or more of the determined first vector, the determined second vector and the determined third vector.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers comprises:

identifying one of the determined first vector, the determined second vector and the determined third vector that identifies a location of the microphone outside of a threshold location derived based on the remaining two of the determined first vector, the determined second vector and the determined third vector;

discarding the identified one of the determined first vector, the determined second vector and the determined third vector that identifies a location of the microphone outside of the threshold location; and

determining the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based on the remaining two of the determined first vector, the determined second vector and the determined third vector.

5. The method of claim 1,

wherein the one or more transducers are included in a first device,

wherein the microphone is included in a second device,

wherein determining the amplitude of the first ultrasound signal comprises receiving, with the first device, the amplitude of the first ultrasound signal from the second device,

wherein determining the amplitude of the second ultrasound signal comprises receiving, with the first device, the amplitude of the second ultrasound signal from the second device, and

wherein determining the location of the microphone comprises determining, with the first device, the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based at least on the determined amplitude of the first ultrasound signal and the determined amplitude of the second ultrasound signal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more transducers are included in a first device,

wherein the microphone is included in a second device,

wherein determining the amplitude of the first ultrasound signal comprises determining, with the second device, the amplitude of the first ultrasound signal,

wherein determining the amplitude of the second ultrasound signal comprises determining, with the second device, the amplitude of the second ultrasound signal, and

wherein determining the location of the microphone comprises determining, with the second device, the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based at least on the determined amplitude of the first ultrasound signal and the determined amplitude of the second ultrasound signal.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the transducers are arranged as an array of transducers.

8. The method of claim 7,

wherein the array of transducers are arranged such that each of the transducers in the array face the same direction,

wherein the method further comprises:

processing the first ultrasound signal prior to providing the first ultrasound signal to the transducers in the array so as to generate a first directional ultrasound signal that, when emitted by the transducers in the array, appears to be directed in a first direction;

processing the second ultrasound signal prior to providing the second ultrasound signal to the transducers in the array so as to generate a second directional ultrasound signal that, when emitted by the transducers in the array, appears to be directed in a second direction; and

concurrently providing the first and second directional ultrasound signals to the transducers in the array such that the transducers in the array concurrently emit the first and second direction ultrasound signals as the first and second ultrasound signals.

9. An interactive system comprising:

one or more processors configured to determine an amplitude of a first ultrasound signal emitted by one or more transducers included within or adjacent to a three-dimensional display device and received by a microphone included within or adjacent to three-dimensional viewing glasses, wherein the first ultrasound signal is of a first frequency, determine an amplitude of a second ultrasound signal emitted by the one or more transducers and received by the microphone, wherein the second ultrasound signal is of a second frequency different from the first frequency, determine a location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based at least on the determined amplitude of the first ultrasound signal and the determined amplitude of the second ultrasound signal, select one of a plurality of views included within video data that approximates viewing a scene presented by the video data from the determined location of the microphone; and

a memory configured to store the determined location.

10. The interactive system of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to, when determining a location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers, determine a ratio of the amplitude of the first ultrasound signal to the amplitude of the second ultrasound signal, and determine the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based at least on the determined ratio.

11. The interactive system of claim 9,

wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine an amplitude of a third ultrasound signal emitted by the one or more transducers and received by the microphone,

wherein the one or more processors are further configured to, when determining the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers, based on the amplitude of the first ultrasound signal and the amplitude of the second ultrasound signal, determine a first vector from the one or more transducers to the microphone, based on the amplitude of the first ultrasound signal and the amplitude of the third ultrasound signal, determine a second vector from the one or more transducers to the microphone, based on the amplitude of the second ultrasound signal and the amplitude of the third ultrasound signal, determine a third vector from the one or more transducers of the microphone, and determine the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based on two or more of the determined first vector, the determined second vector and the determined third vector.

12. The interactive system of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to, when determining the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers, identify one of the determined first vector, the determined second vector and the determined third vector that identifies a location of the microphone outside of a threshold location derived based on the remaining two of the determined first vector, the determined second vector and the determined third vector, discard the identified one of the determined first vector, the determined second vector and the determined third vector that identifies a location of the microphone outside of the threshold location, and determine the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based on the remaining two of the determined first vector, the determined second vector and the determined third vector.

13. The interactive system of claim 9,

wherein the one or more transducers are included in a first device of the interactive system,

wherein the microphone is included in a second device that interfaces with the interactive system,

wherein the one or more processors are further configured to, when determining the amplitude of the first ultrasound signal, receive the amplitude of the first ultrasound signal from the second device,

wherein the one or more processors are further configured to, when determining the amplitude of the second ultrasound signal, receive the amplitude of the second ultrasound signal from the second device, and

wherein the one or more processors are further configured to, when determining the location of the microphone, determine the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based at least on the determined amplitude of the first ultrasound signal and the determined amplitude of the second ultrasound signal.

14. The interactive system of claim 9,

wherein the one or more transducers are included in a first device of the interactive system,

wherein the microphone is included in a second device that interfaces with the interactive system,

wherein the second device determines the amplitude of the first ultrasound signal, determines the amplitude of the second ultrasound signal, and determines the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based at least on the determined amplitude of the first ultrasound signal and the determined amplitude of the second ultrasound signal,

wherein the one or more processors are further configured to, when determining the location of the microphone, receive the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers from the second device.

15. The interactive system of claim 9, wherein the transducers are arranged as an array of transducers.

16. The interactive system of claim 15,

wherein the array of transducers are arranged such that each of the transducers in the array face the same direction,

wherein the one or more processors are further configured to process the first ultrasound signal prior to providing the first ultrasound signal to the transducers in the array so as to generate a first directional ultrasound signal that, when emitted by the transducers in the array, appears to be directed in a first direction, process the second ultrasound signal prior to providing the second ultrasound signal to the transducers in the array so as to generate a second directional ultrasound signal that, when emitted by the transducers in the array, appears to be directed in a second direction, and concurrently provide the first and second directional ultrasound signals to the transducers in the array such that the transducers in the array concurrently emit the first and second direction ultrasound signals as the first and second ultrasound signals.

17. An interactive system comprising:

means for determining an amplitude of a first ultrasound signal emitted by one or more transducers included within or adjacent to a three-dimensional display device and received by a microphone included within or adjacent to three-dimensional viewing glasses, wherein the first ultrasound signal is of a first frequency;

means for determining an amplitude of a second ultrasound signal emitted by the one or more transducers and received by the microphone, wherein the second ultrasound signal is of a second frequency different from the first frequency;

means for determining a location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based at least on the determined amplitude of the first ultrasound signal and the determined amplitude of the second ultrasound signal;

means for selecting one of a plurality of views included within video data that approximates viewing a scene presented by the video data from the determined location of the microphone; and

means for presenting the selected one of the plurality of views.

18. The interactive system of claim 17, wherein the means for determining a location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers comprises:

means for determining a ratio of the amplitude of the first ultrasound signal to the amplitude of the second ultrasound signal; and

means for determining the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based at least on the determined ratio.

19. The interactive system of claim 17, further comprising means for determining an amplitude of a third ultrasound signal emitted by the one or more transducers and received by the microphone,

wherein the means for determining the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers comprises:

means for, based on the amplitude of the first ultrasound signal and the amplitude of the second ultrasound signal, determining a first vector from the one or more transducers to the microphone;

means for, based on the amplitude of the first ultrasound signal and the amplitude of the third ultrasound signal, determining a second vector from the one or more transducers to the microphone;

means for, based on the amplitude of the second ultrasound signal and the amplitude of the third ultrasound signal, determining a third vector from the one or more transducers of the microphone; and

means for determining the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based on two or more of the determined first vector, the determined second vector and the determined third vector.

20. The interactive system of claim 19, wherein the means for determining the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers comprises:

means for identifying one of the determined first vector, the determined second vector and the determined third vector that identifies a location of the microphone outside of a threshold location derived based on the remaining two of the determined first vector, the determined second vector and the determined third vector;

means for discarding the identified one of the determined first vector, the determined second vector and the determined third vector that identifies a location of the microphone outside of the threshold location; and

means for determining the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based on the remaining two of the determined first vector, the determined second vector and the determined third vector.

21. The interactive system of claim 17,

wherein the interactive system is included in a first device,

wherein the microphone is included in a second device that interfaces with the interactive system,

wherein the means for determining the amplitude of the first ultrasound signal comprises means for receiving the amplitude of the first ultrasound signal from the second device,

wherein the means for determining the amplitude of the second ultrasound signal comprises means for receiving the amplitude of the second ultrasound signal from the second device, and

wherein the means for determining the location of the microphone comprises means for determining the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based at least on the determined amplitude of the first ultrasound signal and the determined amplitude of the second ultrasound signal.

22. The interactive system of claim 17,

wherein the interactive system is included in a first device,

wherein the microphone is included in a second device,

wherein the second device determines the amplitude of the first ultrasound signal, determines the amplitude of the second ultrasound signal, and determines the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based at least on the determined amplitude of the first ultrasound signal and the determined amplitude of the second ultrasound signal,

wherein the means for determining the location of the microphone comprises means for receive the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers from the second device.

23. The interactive system of claim 17, wherein the transducers are arranged as an array of transducers.

24. The interactive system of claim 23,

wherein the array of transducers are arranged such that each of the transducers in the array face the same direction,

wherein the interactive system further comprises:

means for processing the first ultrasound signal prior to providing the first ultrasound signal to the transducers in the array so as to generate a first directional ultrasound signal that, when emitted by the transducers in the array, appears to be directed in a first direction;

means for processing the second ultrasound signal prior to providing the second ultrasound signal to the transducers in the array so as to generate a second directional ultrasound signal that, when emitted by the transducers in the array, appears to be directed in a second direction; and

means for concurrently providing the first and second directional ultrasound signals to the transducers in the array such that the transducers in the array concurrently emit the first and second direction ultrasound signals as the first and second ultrasound signals.

25. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors of an interactive system to:

determine an amplitude of a first ultrasound signal emitted by one or more transducers included within or adjacent to a three-dimensional display device and received by a microphone included within or adjacent to three-dimensional viewing glasses, wherein the first ultrasound signal is of a first frequency;

determine an amplitude of a second ultrasound signal emitted by the one or more transducers and received by the microphone, wherein the second ultrasound signal is of a second frequency different from the first frequency;

determine a location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based at least on the determined amplitude of the first ultrasound signal and the determined amplitude of the second ultrasound signal;

select one of a plurality of views included within video data that approximates viewing a scene presented by the video data from the determined location of the microphone; and

present the selected one of the plurality of views.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein the instructions further cause, when executed, the one or more processors to, when determining a location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers, determine a ratio of the amplitude of the first ultrasound signal to the amplitude of the second ultrasound signal, and determine the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based at least on the determined ratio.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, further comprising instructions that, when executed cause the one or more processors to determine an amplitude of a third ultrasound signal emitted by the one or more transducers and received by the microphone,

wherein the instructions further cause, when executed, the one or more processors to, when determining the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers, based on the amplitude of the first ultrasound signal and the amplitude of the second ultrasound signal, determine a first vector from the one or more transducers to the microphone, based on the amplitude of the first ultrasound signal and the amplitude of the third ultrasound signal, determine a second vector from the one or more transducers to the microphone, based on the amplitude of the second ultrasound signal and the amplitude of the third ultrasound signal, determine a third vector from the one or more transducers of the microphone, and determine the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based on two or more of the determined first vector, the determined second vector and the determined third vector.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 27, wherein the instructions further cause, when executed, the one or more processors to, when determining the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers, identify one of the determined first vector, the determined second vector and the determined third vector that identifies a location of the microphone outside of a threshold location derived based on the remaining two of the determined first vector, the determined second vector and the determined third vector, discard the identified one of the determined first vector, the determined second vector and the determined third vector that identifies a location of the microphone outside of the threshold location, and determine the location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based on the remaining two of the determined first vector, the determined second vector and the determined third vector.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 25,

wherein the transducers are arranged as an array of transducers such that each of the transducers in the array face the same direction,

wherein the non-transitory computer readable storage medium has further stored thereon instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to:

process the first ultrasound signal prior to providing the first ultrasound signal to the transducers in the array so as to generate a first directional ultrasound signal that, when emitted by the transducers in the array, appears to be directed in a first direction;

process the second ultrasound signal prior to providing the second ultrasound signal to the transducers in the array so as to generate a second directional ultrasound signal that, when emitted by the transducers in the array, appears to be directed in a second direction; and

concurrently provide the first and second directional ultrasound signals to the transducers in the array such that the transducers in the array concurrently emit the first and second direction ultrasound signals as the first and second ultrasound signals.