Techniques for raster line alignment in light-based communication

• US 9,621,266 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2014
• Issued: 04/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OSRAM Sylvania Inc. (Ams-Osram AG)
• Original Assignee: OSRAM Sylvania Inc. (Ams-Osram AG)
• Inventors: Breuer, Christian, Aggarwal, Anant, Stout, Barry
• Primary Examiner(s): Payne, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Barua, Pranesh
• Application Number:
  US14/572,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20150104185A1
• Time in Patent Office: 847 Days
• Field of Search: 398118, 398131, 398122, 398123
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 3/08 Use of electric radiation detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/7032 Transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/12 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: G06F 18/23 Clustering techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10004 Still image; Photographic image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20021 Dividing image into blocks, subimages or windows
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/90 Determination of colour characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/0795 Performance monitoring; Measurement of transmission parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/114 Indoor or close-range type systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1149 Arrangements for indoor wireless networking of information
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/116 Visible light communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/501 Structural aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/502 LED transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/516 Details of coding or modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/5563 Digital frequency modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/086 Medium access H04J3/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/10 Arrangements for reducing cross-talk between channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/531 by controlling rolling shutters in CMOS SSIS

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for providing proper raster line alignment of a camera or other light-sensing device of a receiver device relative to a transmitting light-based communication (LCom)-enabled luminaire to establish reliable LCom there between. In accordance with some embodiments, proper alignment can be provided automatically (e.g., by the receiver device and/or other suitable controller). In accordance with some embodiments, proper alignment can be provided by the user. In some instances in which a user is to be involved in the alignment process, the receiver device may be configured, for example, to instruct or otherwise guide the user in the process of properly aligning the receiver device relative to a given transmitting LCom-enabled luminaire.

Claims

1. A computing device comprising:

an image capture device; and

a processor configured to;

assess alignment of a raster line of the image capture device relative to at least one solid-state luminaire transmitting a pulsing light signal encoded with data; and

provide, in response to misalignment between the raster line of the image capture device and the at least one solid-state luminaire, instruction to align the raster line of the image capture device with the at least one solid-state luminaire, wherein the instruction comprises at least one of;

a control signal that causes automatic reorientation of the image capture device to align the raster line thereof with the at least one solid-state luminaire;

a control signal that causes automatic adjustment of a raster setup of the image capture device to align the raster line thereof with the at least one solid-state luminaire;

visual feedback presented by a display to guide a user to reorient the image capture device to manually align the raster line thereof with the at least one solid-state luminaire; and

aural feedback presented by a speaker to guide a user to reorient the image capture device to manually align the raster line thereof with the at least one solid-state luminaire.

2. The computing device of claim 1, wherein to assess the alignment of the raster line of the image capture device relative to the at least one solid-state luminaire, the processor is configured to:

determine a position of the at least one solid-state luminaire within a field of view (FOV) of the image capture device;

determine a geometry of the at least one solid-state luminaire; and

determine a raster direction of the image capture device.

3. The computing device of claim 2, wherein to determine the geometry of the at least one solid-state luminaire, the processor is configured to analyze image data captured by the image capture device and to identify therefrom a longest dimension of the at least one solid-state luminaire by comparing a brightness of the at least one solid-state luminaire to its surrounding environment.

4. The computing device of claim 2, wherein to assess the alignment of the raster line of the image capture device relative to the at least one solid-state luminaire, the processor is further configured to determine an orientation of the at least one solid-state luminaire.

5. A light-based communication system comprising:

the computing device of claim 1; and

the at least one solid-state luminaire.

6. A light-based communication method comprising:

assessing alignment of a raster line of an image capture device relative to at least one solid-state luminaire transmitting a pulsing light signal encoded with data; and

in response to misalignment between the raster line of the image capture device and the at least one solid-state luminaire, providing instruction to align the raster line of the image capture device with the at least one solid-state luminaire, wherein the instruction comprises at least one of;

a control signal that causes automatic reorientation of the image capture device to align the raster line thereof with the at least one solid-state luminaire;

a control signal that causes automatic adjustment of a raster setup of the image capture device to align the raster line thereof with the at least one solid-state luminaire;

visual feedback presented by a display to guide a user to reorient the image capture device to manually align the raster line thereof with the at least one solid-state luminaire; and

aural feedback presented by a speaker to guide a user to reorient the image capture device to manually align the raster line thereof with the at least one solid-state luminaire.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein assessing the alignment of the raster line of the image capture device relative to the at least one solid-state luminaire comprises:

determining a position of the at least one solid-state luminaire within a field of view (FOV) of the image capture device;

determining a geometry of the at least one solid-state luminaire; and

determining a raster direction of the image capture device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein determining the geometry of the at least one solid-state luminaire comprises:

analyzing image data captured by the image capture device; and

identifying therefrom a longest dimension of the at least one solid-state luminaire by comparing a brightness of the at least one solid-state luminaire to its surrounding environment.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein assessing the alignment of the raster line of the image capture device relative to the at least one solid-state luminaire further comprises:

determining an orientation of the at least one solid-state luminaire.

10. A non-transitory computer program product encoded with instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, causes a process to be carried out, the process comprising:

assessing alignment of a raster line of an image capture device relative to at least one solid-state luminaire transmitting a pulsing light signal encoded with data; and

in response to misalignment between the raster line of the image capture device and the at least one solid-state luminaire, providing instruction to align the raster line of the image capture device with the at least one solid-state luminaire, wherein the instruction comprises at least one of;

a control signal that causes automatic reorientation of the image capture device to align the raster line thereof with the at least one solid-state luminaire;

a control signal that causes automatic adjustment of a raster setup of the image capture device to align the raster line thereof with the at least one solid-state luminaire;

visual feedback presented by a display to guide a user to reorient the image capture device to manually align the raster line thereof with the at least one solid-state luminaire; and

aural feedback presented by a speaker to guide a user to reorient the image capture device to manually align the raster line thereof with the at least one solid-state luminaire.

11. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 10, wherein assessing the alignment of the raster line of the image capture device relative to the at least one solid-state luminaire comprises:

determining a position of the at least one solid-state luminaire within a field of view (FOV) of the image capture device;

determining a geometry of the at least one solid-state luminaire; and

determining a raster direction of the image capture device.

12. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 11, wherein determining the geometry of the at least one solid-state luminaire comprises:

analyzing image data captured by the image capture device; and

identifying therefrom a longest dimension of the at least one solid-state luminaire by comparing a brightness of the at least one solid-state luminaire to its surrounding environment.

13. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 11, wherein assessing the alignment of the raster line of the image capture device relative to the at least one solid-state luminaire further comprises:

determining an orientation of the at least one solid-state luminaire.