Multiple antenna interference rejection in ultra-wideband real time locating systems

• US 9,667,287 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2015
• Issued: 05/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: ZIH Corp. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Richley, Edward A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu, Lihong
• Application Number:
  US14/875,912
• Publication Number:
  US 20160126989A1
• Time in Patent Office: 602 Days
• Field of Search: 375130
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 1/002 adapted to accommodate electronic equipment patients' garments for medical monitoring A41D13/1281; luminous ornaments A41D27/085
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 1/005 with embedded cable or connector
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 1/04 Vests, jerseys, sweaters or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 2600/10 for sport activities
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/30 Mounting radio sets or communication systems
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0025 Tracking the path or location of one or more users, e.g. players of a game
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0028 Tracking the path of an object, e.g. a ball inside a soccer pitch
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0056 for statistical or strategic analysis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/836 Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/54 Transponders, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/00 Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of preceding groups; Controlling or monitoring of exercises, sportive games, training or athletic performances
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0686 Timers, rhythm indicators or pacing apparatus using electric or electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9554 : by using bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10227 : loading programming parameters or programs into the interrogator, e.g. for configuring the interrogator
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10297 : arrangements for handling protocols designed for non-contact record carriers such as RFIDs NFCs, e.g. ISO/IEC 14443 and 18092 cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; network security protocols H04L63/00; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; network protocols for data switching network services H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10306 : ultra wide band
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 : the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/02 : Knowledge representation; Symbolic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 7/01 : Probabilistic graphical models, e.g. probabilistic networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 90/00 : Systems or methods specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial or supervisory purposes, not involving significant data processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/23 : Recognition of whole body movements, e.g. for sport training
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 : using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0038 : Sports
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 : for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/50 : for simulation or modelling of medical disorders
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/1036 : with automatic suppression of narrow band noise or interference, e.g. by using tuneable notch filters H04B1/123 takes precedence; filter circuits H03H
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/7097 : Interference-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/71635 : Transmitter aspects H04B1/7174 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/71637 : Receiver aspects H04B1/7183 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/719 : Interference-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/04 : Processing captured monitoring data, e.g. for logfile generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 : Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer readable media are disclosed for providing interference rejection in ultra-wideband real time locating systems. In one embodiment, an ultra-wideband (UWB) receiver is configured to: receive an interference signal from a source positioned outside a monitored region; receive a composite signal transmitted from a tagged object moving about a playing field within the monitored region, wherein the composite signal comprises a location signal and a component of the interference signal; detect whether the component of the interference signal exceeds a threshold value; and adjust, via a processor, filtering of the composite signal to attenuate the component of the interference signal based on whether the component of the interference signal exceeds the threshold value. Some embodiments provide for filtering of the composite signal using a combiner while others employ a tunable notch filter. Corresponding systems, methods, and computer-readable storage medium are also provided.

Claims

1. A method for providing interference rejection, the method comprising:

receiving an interference signal from a source positioned outside a monitored region;

receiving a composite signal transmitted from a tagged object moving about a playing field within the monitored region, wherein the composite signal comprises a location signal and a component of the interference signal;

detecting whether the component of the interference signal exceeds a threshold value;

adjusting, via a processor, filtering of the composite signal to attenuate the component of the interference signal based on the detecting whether the component of the interference signal exceeds the threshold value;

causing a directional receive antenna to be directed toward the monitored region, the directional receive antenna operable to receive the composite signal;

causing a second sampling antenna to be directed away from the monitored region, the second sampling antenna operable to receive the interference signal;

determining a first ratio of a signal strength of the interference signal to a ultra-wideband signal received by the second sampling antenna;

causing the interference signal and the ultra-wideband signal received by the second sampling antenna to be summed in an instance in which the first ratio is greater than a second ratio of a signal strength of the interference signal to a ultra-wideband signal received by the directional receive antenna; and

combining, using a combiner, the composite signal with the summed interference signal and the ultra-wideband signal to enable cancellation of the interference signal.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein adjusting filtering of the composite signal comprises attenuating the component of the composite signal using a tunable notch filter, a width of the tunable notch filter corresponding to the widest bandwidth allowed for commercial services in the 5.925-7.25 GHz range.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the adjusting filtering of the composite signal comprises attenuating the component of the composite signal using a tunable notch filter.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein adjusting filtering of the composite signal comprises adjusting a variable controlled oscillator to tune the tunable notch filter.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising detecting, using a superheterodyne receiver, whether the component of the interference signal exceeds the threshold value.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the adjusting filtering of the composite signal comprises combining the composite signal and a second component of the interference signal to attenuate the component of the interference signal in the composite signal.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the combining the composite signal and the second component of the interference signal comprises using the combiner configured to:

receive the composite signal from a first antenna;

receive the second component of the interference signal from a second antenna; and

combine the composite signal and the second component of the interference signal to generate an output signal providing attenuation of at least part of the component of the inference signal based at least in part on the second component of the interference signal.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein adjusting filtering of the composite signal comprises attenuating the component of the composite signal using a tunable notch filter, a width of the tunable notch filter corresponding to the widest bandwidth allowed for a selected commercial frequency range.

9. An apparatus for providing interference rejection, the apparatus comprising a processor;

and a non-transitory memory including computer program code, the non-transitory memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus at least to;

receive an interference signal from a source positioned outside a monitored region;

receive a composite signal transmitted from a tagged object moving about a playing field within the monitored region, wherein the composite signal comprises a location signal and a component of the interference signal;

detect whether the component of the interference signal exceeds a threshold value;

adjust filtering of the composite signal to attenuate the component of the interference signal based on the detecting whether the component of the interference signal exceeds the threshold value;

cause a directional receive antenna to be directed toward the monitored region, the directional receive antenna operable to receive the composite signal;

cause a second sampling antenna to be directed away from the monitored region, the second sampling antenna operable to receive the interference signal;

determine a first ratio of a signal strength of the interference signal to a ultra-wideband signal received by the second sampling antenna;

cause the interference signal and the ultra-wideband signal received by the second sampling antenna to be summed in an instance in which the first ratio is greater than a second ratio of a signal strength of the interference signal to a ultra-wideband signal received by the directional receive antenna; and

combine, using a combiner, the composite signal with the summed interference signal and the ultra-wideband signal to enable cancellation of the interference signal.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the non-transitory memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to attenuate the component of the composite signal using a tunable notch filter, a width of the tunable notch filter corresponding to the widest bandwidth allowed for commercial services in the 5.925-7.25 GHz range.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the non-transitory memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to combine the composite signal and a second component of the interference signal to attenuate the component of the interference signal in the composite signal.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the non-transitory memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

receive the composite signal from a first antenna;

receive the second component of the interference signal from a second antenna; and

cause the composite signal and the second component of the interference signal to be combined to generate an output signal providing attenuation of at least part of the component of the inference signal based at least in part on the second component of the interference signal.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the adjusting filtering of the composite signal comprises attenuating the component of the composite signal using a tunable notch filter.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein adjusting filtering of the composite signal comprises adjusting a variable controlled oscillator to tune the tunable notch filter.

15. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising the non-transitory memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

detect, using a superheterodyne receiver, whether the component of the interference signal exceeds the threshold value.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the non-transitory memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to attenuate the component of the composite signal using a tunable notch filter, a width of the tunable notch filter corresponding to the widest bandwidth allowed for a selected commercial frequency range.