Methods and systems for scheduling the transmission of localization signals and operating self-localizing apparatus

• US 10,440,533 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2018
• Issued: 10/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verity AG
• Original Assignee: Verity Studios AG
• Inventors: Gherardi, Luca, D'Andrea, Raffaello, Hehn, Markus, Waibel, Markus
• Primary Examiner(s): Soe, Kyaw Z
• Application Number:
  US16/167,482
• Publication Number:
  US 20190058977A1
• Time in Patent Office: 351 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/024 of beacon transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/042 Transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/20 using a comparison of transit time of synchronised signals transmitted from non-directional antennas or antenna systems spaced apart, i.e. path-difference systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0284 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0289 of multiple transceivers, e.g. in ad hoc networks
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/14 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/00 Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles B60W60/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/028 using a RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/102 specially adapted for vertical take-off of aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/247 using signals provided by artificial sources external to the vehicle, e.g. navigation beacons
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/652 Take-off delivering or retrieving payloads G05D1/667
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/69 Spread spectrum techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/026 using orientation information, e.g. compass
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/30 Services specially adapted for particular environments, situations or purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Localization systems and methods for transmitting timestampable localization signals from anchors according to one or more transmission schedules. The transmission schedules may be generated and updated to achieve desired positioning performance. For example, one or more anchors may transmit localization signals at a different rate than other anchors, the anchor transmission order can be changed, and the signals can partially overlap. In addition, different transmission parameters may be used to transmit two localization signals at the same time without interference. A self-localizing apparatus is able to receive the localization signals and determine its position. The self-localizing apparatus may have a configurable receiver that can select to receive one of multiple available localization signals. The self-localizing apparatuses may have a pair of receivers able to receive two localization signals at the same time. A bridge anchor may be provided to enable a self-localizing apparatus to seamlessly transition between two localization systems.

Claims

1. A localization system, comprising:

a plurality of positioning anchors configured to wirelessly transmit localization signals capable of being used by self-localizing apparatus within a region to determine position information; and

at least one scheduling unit communicatively coupled to the plurality of positioning anchors, wherein the at least one scheduling unit is configured to;

schedule the transmission of the localization signals according to a first transmission schedule, wherein the first transmission schedule defines a first temporal order for each of the plurality of positioning anchors to transmit the localization signals;

determine when to change from the first transmission schedule to a second transmission schedule, wherein the second transmission schedule defines a second temporal order for each of the plurality of positioning anchors to transmit localization signals, and wherein the second temporal order is different than the first temporal order; and

schedule, in response to a determination to change from the first transmission schedule to the second transmission schedule, the transmission of the localization signals according to the second transmission schedule, thereby changing the positioning performance within the region.

2. The localization system of claim 1, wherein the at least one scheduling unit is configured to determine when to change from the first transmission schedule to a second transmission schedule based on a known location of the self-localizing apparatus.

3. The localization system of claim 2, wherein the at least one scheduling unit is configured to receive the known location of the self-localizing apparatus.

4. The localization system of claim 1, wherein the at least one scheduling unit is configured to determine when to change from the first transmission schedule to a second transmission schedule based on a known motion of the self-localizing apparatus.

5. The localization system of claim 4, wherein the motion is a flight pattern.

6. The localization system of claim 1, wherein the localization signals comprise ultra-wideband (UWB) localization signals, each comprising a preamble code and a payload.

7. The localization system of claim 6, wherein the payload of at least some of the UWB localization signals comprises commands and wherein the at least one scheduling unit is configured to change from the first transmission schedule to the second transmission schedule to optimize the propagation of the commands to at least one of a self-localizing apparatus and the plurality of the anchors.

8. The localization system of claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of positioning anchors comprises a clock, wherein the payload of at least some of the UWB localization signals comprises synchronization data, wherein each of the plurality of positioning anchors is configured to receive the synchronization data from UWB localization signals received from at least one other positioning anchor, and wherein the at least one scheduling unit is configured to change from the first transmission schedule to the second transmission schedule to optimize for the synchronization of the clocks.

9. The localization system of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of positioning anchors comprises a synchronization unit, wherein each synchronization unit is configured to compute a correction for at least one of a clock offset and a clock rate for its respective clock based on the received synchronization data.

10. The localization system of claim 1, wherein the first transmission schedule and the second transmission schedule provide at least one of increased precision, accuracy, and update rate in different portions of the region.

11. The localization system of claim 1, wherein the first transmission schedule and the second transmission schedule each comprise a plurality of time slots, wherein at least one positioning anchor of the plurality of positioning anchors is assigned a different number of time slots in the first transmission schedule and the second transmission schedule.

12. The localization system of claim 1, wherein the first transmission schedule and the second transmission schedule each comprise a plurality of time slots, wherein the at least one scheduling unit comprises a plurality of scheduling units, wherein each of the plurality of schedule units is physically coupled to a respective one of the plurality of positioning anchors, and wherein each of the plurality of scheduling units is configured to schedule the transmission of localization signals for its respective positioning anchor according to the time slots assigned to its respective positioning anchor.

13. The localization system of claim 1, wherein the region comprises a three-dimensional region.

14. A method for transmitting localization signals in a localization system comprising a plurality of positioning anchors, the method comprising:

wirelessly transmitting, using the plurality of positioning anchors, localization signals capable of being used by self-localizing apparatus within a region to determine position information;

scheduling, using at least one scheduling unit communicatively coupled to the plurality of positioning anchors, the transmission of the localization signals according to a first transmission schedule, wherein the first transmission schedule defines a first temporal order for each of the plurality of positioning anchors to transmit the localization signals;

determining, using the at least one scheduling unit, when to change from the first transmission schedule to a second transmission schedule, wherein the second transmission schedule defines a second temporal order for each of the plurality of positioning anchors to transmit localization signals, and wherein the second temporal order is different than the first temporal order; and

scheduling, using the at least one scheduling unit, in response to a determination to change from the first transmission schedule to the second transmission schedule, the transmission of the localization signals according to the second transmission schedule, thereby changing the positioning performance within the region.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the localization signals comprise ultra-wideband (UWB) localization signals, each comprising a preamble code and a payload wherein the payload of at least some of the UWB localization signals comprises commands, the method further comprising:

changing the at least one scheduling unit from the first transmission schedule to the second transmission schedule to optimize the propagation of the commands to at least one of a self-localizing apparatus and the plurality of the anchors.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of positioning anchors comprises a clock, wherein the payload of at least some of the UWB localization signals comprises synchronization data, the method further comprising:

receiving, using each of the plurality of positioning anchors, synchronization data from UWB localization signals received from at least one other positioning anchor; and

changing the at least one scheduling unit from the first transmission schedule to the second transmission schedule to optimize for the synchronization of the clocks.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of positioning anchors comprises a synchronization unit, the method further comprising

computing, using each synchronization unit, a correction for at least one of a clock offset and a clock rate for its respective clock based on the received synchronization data.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the first transmission schedule and the second transmission schedule provide at least one of increased precision, accuracy, and update rate in different portions of the region.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the first transmission schedule and the second transmission schedule each comprise a plurality of time slots, the method further comprising:

assigning a different number of time slots in the first transmission schedule and the second transmission schedule to at least one positioning anchor of the plurality of positioning anchors.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the first transmission schedule and the second transmission schedule each comprise a plurality of time slots, wherein the at least one scheduling unit comprises a plurality of scheduling units, wherein each of the plurality of schedule units is physically coupled to a respective one of the plurality of positioning anchors, the method further comprising:

scheduling, using each of the plurality of scheduling units, the transmission of localization signals for its respective positioning anchor according to the time slots assigned to its respective positioning anchor.