Precise positioning using a distributed sensor network
First Claim
1. A method for determining the location and orientation of a transmitter object, the method comprising:
- distributing a plurality of receivers within a space, each of the plurality of receivers being structurally independent from each other and being positioned within the space in a relation with one another that can change each time the plurality of receivers is distributed, each of the plurality of receivers including one or more antennas and electronics for measuring electromagnetic field strength and phase values from the antennas and wirelessly transmitting data, each of the plurality of receivers being in wireless communication with a controller;
receiving the electromagnetic field strength magnitude and phase values within the space from the plurality of receivers;
modeling a set of expected complex electromagnetic strengths corresponding to a currently estimated position and orientation of the transmitter object relative to each of the plurality of receivers, the set of expected electromagnetic field values corresponding to a model of the transmitter object position in relation to the positions and orientation of each of the plurality of receivers; and
estimating parameters related to the transmitter object position based on a residual error between the measured set of complex electromagnetic field values and the set of expected electromagnetic field values.
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Abstract
A method for determining the location and orientation of a transmitter object by measuring a set of complex electromagnetic field magnitude and phase strengths within a space using one or more receivers is provided. The method includes modeling a set of expected complex electromagnetic strengths to estimated position and orientation of the transmitter object. And estimating parameters related to the transmitter object position based on the residual error between the measured set of complex electromagnetic field values and a set of expected electromagnetic field values. Further embodiments include a method as above including a plurality of receivers with known positions within a limited space including the transmitter object. A sensor network including a plurality of receivers to perform the above method is also provided. The receivers may communicate using a wireless channel.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for determining the location and orientation of a transmitter object, the method comprising:
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distributing a plurality of receivers within a space, each of the plurality of receivers being structurally independent from each other and being positioned within the space in a relation with one another that can change each time the plurality of receivers is distributed, each of the plurality of receivers including one or more antennas and electronics for measuring electromagnetic field strength and phase values from the antennas and wirelessly transmitting data, each of the plurality of receivers being in wireless communication with a controller; receiving the electromagnetic field strength magnitude and phase values within the space from the plurality of receivers; modeling a set of expected complex electromagnetic strengths corresponding to a currently estimated position and orientation of the transmitter object relative to each of the plurality of receivers, the set of expected electromagnetic field values corresponding to a model of the transmitter object position in relation to the positions and orientation of each of the plurality of receivers; and estimating parameters related to the transmitter object position based on a residual error between the measured set of complex electromagnetic field values and the set of expected electromagnetic field values. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method for determining the location and orientation of a transmitter object, the method comprising:
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distributing a plurality of receivers within a limited space comprising the transmitter object, the plurality of receivers being structurally independent from all others of the plurality of receivers and located within the space in a relation with one another that can change each time the plurality of receivers is distributed, each of the plurality of receivers including one or more antennas and electronics for measuring electromagnetic field strength and phase values from the antennas and wirelessly transmitting data, each of the plurality of receivers being in wireless communication with a controller; determining receiver position data, the receiver position data indicating the position and orientation of each of the plurality of receivers within the limited space comprising the transmitter object; measuring a set of complex electromagnetic field magnitude and phase strengths with at least one of the plurality of receivers; modeling a set of expected complex electromagnetic strengths at a currently estimated position and orientation of the transmitter object, the set of expected electromagnetic field values corresponding to a model of the transmitter object position in relation to the position and orientation of the at least one of the plurality of receivers; and estimating parameters related to the transmitter object position based on a residual error between the measured set of complex electromagnetic field values and the set of expected electromagnetic field values. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7)
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8. A sensor network comprising a controller and a plurality of receivers;
- the receivers each comprising one or more coil detectors to receive RF signals from an RF source;
the one or more coil detectors for each receiver having mutually orthogonal axes; and
further wherein;the plurality of receivers are structurally independent and distributable within a space in a relation with one another that can change each time the plurality of receivers is distributed, each of the plurality of receivers including electronics for measuring electromagnetic field strength and phase values from the one or more coil detectors and a transmitter for wirelessly transmitting data, the plurality of receivers provide information to the controller to locate the source of the RF signals, the information including position and orientation information of each of the plurality of receivers; and the receivers communicate with the controller and optionally with each other using a wireless channel. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
- the receivers each comprising one or more coil detectors to receive RF signals from an RF source;
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16. A receiver to detect RF signals produced by an RF source at a remote location, the receiver comprising:
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a set of mutually orthogonal coil detectors, the coil detectors forming a local coordinate system; an orientation sensor to determine the orientation of the local coordinate system relative to an external coordinate system; a 3-d position measurement unit to determine the position of the local coordinate system relative to one or more points external to the receiver; and a two-way wireless interface to communicate with other devices in a sensor network formed by the receiver, at least one other structurally independent receiver, and a controller, the controller being structurally detached from the receiver, wherein the receiver and the at least one other structurally independent receiver are distributable within a space of the RF source that can be different each time the receiver and the at least one other structurally independent receiver are distributed. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification