Systems and methods for ultrasonic position and motion detection
First Claim
1. A method for determining positional data of a plurality of objects within a region, comprising:
- transmitting ultrasound, via an ultrasonic transmitter, into a region bounded by a first surface;
receiving, via an ultrasonic receiver, a direct ultrasonic reflection from the plurality of objects within the region;
generating direct, two-dimensional positional data associated with the plurality of objects based on the direct ultrasonic reflection, wherein the direct, two-dimensional positional data of the plurality of objects includes at least a first object and a second object that appear to be overlapping in a first plane such that the first object is at least partially indistinguishable from the second object;
receiving, via the ultrasonic receiver, a rebounded ultrasonic reflection from the plurality of objects, wherein the rebounded ultrasonic reflection comprises ultrasound reflected by the plurality of objects and the first surface, and then received by the ultrasonic receiver, such that the rebounded ultrasonic reflection is reflected by the plurality of objects at an angle relative to the direct ultrasonic reflection;
generating rebounded, two-dimensional positional data using the rebounded ultrasonic reflection of the plurality of objects from the first surface, wherein the rebounded, two-dimensional positional data of the plurality of objects includes the first object and the second objects in a second plane that is at an angle relative to the first plane; and
generating enhanced positional data by combining the two-dimensional positional data in the first plane from the direct ultrasonic reflection and the two-dimensional data in the second plane from the rebounded ultrasonic reflection to distinguish the first object from the second object.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present disclosure provides systems and methods associated with determining position and/or movement information using ultrasound. A system may include one or more ultrasonic transmitters and/or receivers. An ultrasonic transmitter may be configured to transmit ultrasound into a region bounded by one or more surfaces. The ultrasonic receiver may receive direct ultrasonic reflections and/or rebounded ultrasonic reflections from one or more objects within the region. A mapping or positioning system may generate positional data associated with one or more of the object(s) based on the direct ultrasonic reflection(s) and/or the rebounded ultrasonic reflection(s). The mapping or positioning system may generate enhanced positional data by combining the direct positional data and the rebounded positional data.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method for determining positional data of a plurality of objects within a region, comprising:
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transmitting ultrasound, via an ultrasonic transmitter, into a region bounded by a first surface; receiving, via an ultrasonic receiver, a direct ultrasonic reflection from the plurality of objects within the region; generating direct, two-dimensional positional data associated with the plurality of objects based on the direct ultrasonic reflection, wherein the direct, two-dimensional positional data of the plurality of objects includes at least a first object and a second object that appear to be overlapping in a first plane such that the first object is at least partially indistinguishable from the second object; receiving, via the ultrasonic receiver, a rebounded ultrasonic reflection from the plurality of objects, wherein the rebounded ultrasonic reflection comprises ultrasound reflected by the plurality of objects and the first surface, and then received by the ultrasonic receiver, such that the rebounded ultrasonic reflection is reflected by the plurality of objects at an angle relative to the direct ultrasonic reflection; generating rebounded, two-dimensional positional data using the rebounded ultrasonic reflection of the plurality of objects from the first surface, wherein the rebounded, two-dimensional positional data of the plurality of objects includes the first object and the second objects in a second plane that is at an angle relative to the first plane; and generating enhanced positional data by combining the two-dimensional positional data in the first plane from the direct ultrasonic reflection and the two-dimensional data in the second plane from the rebounded ultrasonic reflection to distinguish the first object from the second object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for determining positional data of an object, comprising:
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transmitting ultrasound, via an ultrasonic transmitter, into a region bounded by a first surface; receiving, via an ultrasonic receiver, a direct ultrasonic reflection from an object within the region; generating direct positional data associated with the object based on the direct ultrasonic reflection; receiving, via the ultrasonic receiver, a rebounded ultrasonic reflection from the object, wherein the rebounded ultrasonic reflection comprises ultrasound reflected by the object and the first surface, and then received by the ultrasonic receiver; generating rebounded positional data using the rebounded ultrasonic reflection of the object from the first surface; and generating enhanced positional data by combining the direct positional data and the rebounded positional data transmitting a first ultrasonic pulse that is received as the direct ultrasonic reflection; and transmitting a second ultrasonic pulse that is received as the rebounded ultrasonic reflection. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A system for determining positional data of a plurality of objects within a region, comprising:
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an ultrasonic transmitter configured to transmit ultrasound into a region bounded by a first surface; an ultrasonic receiver configured to; receive a direct ultrasonic reflection from the plurality of objects within the region, and receive a rebounded ultrasonic reflection from the plurality of objects, wherein the rebounded ultrasonic reflection comprises ultrasound reflected by the plurality of objects and the first surface, and then received by the ultrasonic receiver, such that the rebounded ultrasonic reflection is reflected by the plurality of objects at an angle relative to the direct ultrasonic reflection; and a mapping system configured to; generate direct, two-dimensional positional data associated with the plurality of objects based on the direct ultrasonic reflection, wherein the direct, two-dimensional positional data of the plurality of objects includes at least a first object and a second object that appear to be overlapping in a first plane such that the first object is at least partially indistinguishable from the second object; generate rebounded, two-dimensional positional data using the rebounded ultrasonic reflection of the plurality of objects from the first surface, wherein the rebounded, two-dimensional positional data of the plurality of objects includes the first object and the second objects in a second plane that is at an angle relative to the first plane, and generate enhanced positional data by combining the two-dimensional positional data in the first plane from the direct ultrasonic reflection and the two-dimensional data in the second plane from the rebounded ultrasonic reflection to distinguish the first object from the second object. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A system for determining positional data of an object within a region, comprising:
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an ultrasonic transmitter configured to transmit ultrasound into a region bounded by a first surface; an ultrasonic receiver configured to; receive a direct ultrasonic reflection from an object within the region, and receive a rebounded ultrasonic reflection from the object, wherein the rebounded ultrasonic reflection comprises ultrasound reflected by the object and the first surface, and then received by the ultrasonic receiver; and a mapping system configured to; generate direct positional data associated with the obiect based on the direct ultrasonic reflection, generate rebounded positional data using the rebounded ultrasonic reflection of the object from the first surface, and generate enhanced positional data by combining the direct positional data and the rebounded positional data; wherein the ultrasonic transmitter comprises a first ultrasonic transmitter configured to transmit the ultrasound directly at the object and a second ultrasonic transmitter configured to transmit the ultrasound to be rebounded off the first surface.
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28. A computer-readable medium having instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations for determining positional data of a plurality of objects within a region, the operations comprising:
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transmitting ultrasound, via an ultrasonic transmitter, into a region bounded by a first surface; receiving, via an ultrasonic receiver, a direct ultrasonic reflection from the plurality of objects within the region; generating direct, two-dimensional positional data associated with the plurality of objects based on the direct ultrasonic reflection, wherein the direct, two-dimensional positional data of the plurality of objects includes at least a first object and a second object that appear to be overlapping in a first plane such that the first object is at least partially indistinguishable from the second object; receiving, via the ultrasonic receiver, a rebounded ultrasonic reflection from the plurality of objects, wherein the rebounded ultrasonic reflection comprises ultrasound reflected by the plurality of objects and the first surface, and then received by the ultrasonic receiver, such that the rebounded ultrasonic reflection is reflected by the plurality of objects at an angle relative to the direct ultrasonic reflection; generating rebounded, two-dimensional positional data using the rebounded ultrasonic reflection of the plurality of objects from the first surface, wherein the rebounded, two-dimensional positional data of the plurality of objects includes the first object and the second objects in a second plane that is at an angle relative to the first plane; and generating enhanced positional data by combining the two-dimensional positional data in the first plane from the direct ultrasonic reflection and the two-dimensional data in the second plane from the rebounded ultrasonic reflection to distinguish the first object from the second object.
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Specification