System and method for person or object position location utilizing impulse radio

• US 6,300,903 B1
• Filed: 12/08/1999
• Issued: 10/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Humatics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Time Domain Corporation (Humatics Corporation)
• Inventors: Richards, James L., Welch, William D. Jr., Kelly, Donald A., Finn, James S., Meigs, David C.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, DAO LINDA
• Application Number:
  US09/456,409
• Time in Patent Office: 671 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.06, 342/450, 342/453, 342/463, 342/457
• US Class Current: 342/450
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S13/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/76 wherein pulse-type signals are transmitted
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/7183 Synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/6908 using time hopping

Abstract

A System and Method for Person or Object Position Location Utilizing Impulse Radio, comprising a plurality of reference impulse radios; an object or person to be tracked having a mobile impulse radio associated therewith; an architecture with an associated positioning algorithm associated with said plurality of impulse radio reference radios and said mobile impulse radio; and display means for displaying the position of the person or object whose position is to be determined.

Claims

1. System for person or object position location utilizing Impulse Radio, comprising:

a plurality of reference impulse radios;

at least one mobile impulse radio in communication with available said plurality of reference impulse radios, said communication providing position information of said mobile impulse radio relative to said plurality of said reference impulse radios,

wherein said plurality of reference impulse radios are transceivers and in duplex communication with each other and said at least one mobile impulse radio is an at least one impulse radio transceiver in duplex communication with said plurality of said reference impulse radios or with another at least one mobile impulse radio.

2. The system for person or object position location utilizing Impulse Radio of claim 1, further comprising a display means, said display means displaying the position of said at least one mobile impulse radio relative to said plurality of said reference impulse radios.

18. The system for person or object position location utilizing Impulse Radio of claim 1, further comprising a Global Positioning System interfaced with said reference impulse radios, wherein differential GPS corrections and precise impulse radio positioning is provided.

3. System for person or object position location utilizing Impulse Radio, comprising:

a plurality of reference impulse radios;

at least one mobile impulse radio in communication with available said plurality of reference impulse radios, said communication providing position information of said mobile impulse radio relative to said plurality of said reference impulse radios,

wherein said plurality of reference impulse radios are transceivers and not in communication with each other and said at least one mobile impulse radio is an at least one impulse radio transceiver in duplex communication with each reference impulse radio available.

4. System for person or object position location utilizing Impulse Radio, comprising:

a plurality of reference impulse radios;

at least one mobile impulse radio in communication with available said plurality of reference impulse radios, said communication providing position information of said mobile impulse radio relative to said plurality of said reference impulse radios,

wherein said plurality of reference impulse radios are impulse radio transceivers in duplex communication with each other and said at least one mobile impulse radio is at least one impulse radio receiver receiving simplex communications from each reference impulse radio available.

5. System for person or object position location utilizing Impulse Radio, comprising:

a plurality of reference impulse radios;

at least one mobile impulse radio in communication with available said plurality of reference impulse radios, said communication providing position information of said mobile impulse radio relative to said plurality of said reference impulse radios,

wherein said plurality of reference impulse radios are impulse radio transceivers in duplex communication with each other and said at least one mobile impulse radio is an at least one impulse radio transmitter transmitting simplex communications to each reference impulse radio available.

6. System for person or object position location utilizing Impulse Radio, comprising:

a plurality of reference impulse radios;

at least one mobile impulse radio in communication with available said plurality of reference impulse radios, said communication providing position information of said mobile impulse radio relative to said plurality of said reference impulse radios,

wherein said plurality of reference impulse radios are impulse radio transceivers in duplex communication with each other and said at least one mobile impulse radio is an at least one impulse radio transceiver transmitting duplex communications to each reference impulse radio available.

7. System for person or object position location utilizing Impulse Radio, comprising:

a plurality of reference impulse radios;

at least one mobile impulse radio in communication with available said plurality of reference impulse radios, said communication providing position information of said mobile impulse radio relative to said plurality of said reference impulse radios,

wherein said plurality of reference impulse radios are impulse radio transceivers in duplex communication with each other and said at least one mobile impulse radio is an at least one impulse radio receiver receiving simplex communications from each reference impulse radio available.

8. System for person or object position location utilizing Impulse Radio, comprising:

a plurality of reference impulse radios;

at least one mobile impulse radio in communication with available said plurality of reference impulse radios, said communication providing position information of said mobile impulse radio relative to said plurality of said reference impulse radios,

wherein said plurality of reference impulse radios are impulse radio transceivers in duplex communication with each other and said at least one mobile impulse radio is at least two impulse radio receivers receiving simplex communications from distinct reference impulse radios.

9. System for person or object position location utilizing Impulse Radio, comprising:

a plurality of reference impulse radios;

at least one mobile impulse radio in communication with available said plurality of reference impulse radios, said communication providing position information of said mobile impulse radio relative to said plurality of said reference impulse radios,

wherein said plurality of reference impulse radios are impulse radio transceivers in duplex communication with each other and said at least one mobile impulse radio is a combination of mobile impulse radio transceivers, transmitters or receivers in simplex or duplex communication with any available said reference impulse radios as their transmission abilities dictate.

10. System for person or object position location utilizing Impulse Radio, comprising:

a plurality of reference impulse radios;

at least one mobile impulse radio in communication with available said plurality of reference impulse radios, said communication providing position information of said mobile impulse radio relative to said plurality of said reference impulse radios,

wherein said plurality of reference impulse radios are impulse radio transceivers in duplex communication with each other and using steerable null antennae and said at least one mobile impulse radio is an at least one impulse radio transceiver transmitting duplex communications to each reference impulse radio available.

11. System for person or object position location utilizing Impulse Radio, comprising:

a plurality of reference impulse radios;

at least one mobile impulse radio in communication with available said plurality of reference impulse radios, said communication providing position information of said mobile impulse radio relative to said plurality of said reference impulse radios,

wherein said plurality of reference impulse radios are impulse radio transceivers in duplex communication with each other and said at least one mobile impulse radio is an at least one impulse radio transceiver using steerable null antennae to transmit duplex communications to each reference impulse radio available.

12. System for person or object position location utilizing Impulse Radio, comprising:

a plurality of reference impulse radios;

at least one mobile impulse radio in communication with available said plurality of reference impulse radios, said communication providing position information of said mobile impulse radio relative to said plurality of said reference impulse radios,

wherein said plurality of reference impulse radios are impulse radio transceivers in duplex communication with each other and using difference antennae and said at least one mobile impulse radio is an at least one impulse radio transceiver transmitting duplex communications to each reference impulse radio available.

13. System for person or object position location utilizing Impulse Radio, comprising:

a plurality of reference impulse radios;

at least one mobile impulse radio in communication with available said plurality of reference impulse radios, said communication providing position information of said mobile impulse radio relative to said plurality of said reference impulse radios,

wherein said plurality of reference impulse radios are impulse radio transceivers in duplex communication with each other and said at least one mobile impulse radio is an at least one impulse radio transceiver using difference antennae to transmit duplex communications to each reference impulse radio available.

14. System for person or object position location utilizing Impulse Radio, comprising:

a plurality of reference impulse radios;

at least one mobile impulse radio in communication with available said plurality of reference impulse radios, said communication providing position information of said mobile impulse radio relative to said plurality of said reference impulse radios,

wherein said plurality of reference impulse radios are impulse radio transceivers in duplex communication with each other and using directional antennae and said at least one mobile impulse radio is an at least one impulse radio transceiver transmitting duplex communications to each reference impulse radio available.

15. System for person or object position location utilizing Impulse Radio, comprising:

a plurality of reference impulse radios;

at least one mobile impulse radio in communication with available said plurality of reference impulse radios, said communication providing position information of said mobile impulse radio relative to said plurality of said reference impulse radios,

wherein said plurality of reference impulse radios are impulse radio transceivers in duplex communication with each other and said at least one mobile impulse radio is an at least one impulse radio transceiver using directional antennae to transmit duplex communications to each reference impulse radio available.

16. System for person or object position location utilizing Impulse Radio, comprising:

a plurality of reference impulse radios;

at least one mobile impulse radio in communication with available said plurality of reference impulse radios, said communication providing position information of said mobile impulse radio relative to said plurality of said reference impulse radios,

wherein said plurality of reference impulse radios are impulse radio transceivers in duplex communication with each other and said at least one mobile impulse radio is an at least one impulse radio transceiver transmitting duplex communications to each reference impulse radio available and determining range by measuring signal amplitude in said communications.

17. The system for person or object position location utilizing Impulse Radio of claim 16, wherein said signal amplitude is measured by predetermining an amplitude for a given range and comparing the received amplitude in a table look-up to the predetermined amplitude.

19. A method of person or object location utilizing impulse radio, comprising:

placing a plurality of reference impulse radios in an area wherein the position of an object or person is to be determined;

associating a mobile impulse radio with said person or object whose position is to be determined;

communicating between said mobile impulse radio and said plurality of reference impulse radios, said communication enabling position determination,

wherein one of said reference impulse radios is placed non-coplaner with other reference impulse radios, said placement providing for three dimensional position location.

20. The method of person or object location utilizing impulse radio, of claim 19, wherein said plurality of reference impulse radios are fixed and communicating via wired means.

21. The method of person or object location utilizing impulse radio, of claim 19, wherein said plurality of reference impulse radios are fixed and communicating via impulse radio means.

22. The method of person or object location utilizing impulse radio of claim 19, wherein said plurality of said reference impulse radios are portable and communicating via impulse radio means.

23. The method of person or object location utilizing impulse radio of claim 19, further comprising displaying said position information.

24. The method of person or object location utilizing impulse radio, of claim 23, wherein said display includes a graphical representation of the area wherein location is occurring and wherein said position is depicted on said graphical representation.

25. The method of person or object location utilizing impulse radio, of claim 19, wherein said communication between said mobile impulse radio and said plurality of reference impulse radios includes information relating to the person or object whose location is being determined.

26. The method of person or object location utilizing impulse radio, of claim 19, wherein said communication between said mobile impulse radio and said plurality of reference impulse radios includes information concerning the surroundings of the person or object whose position is being determined.

27. The method of person or object location utilizing impulse radio, of claim 19, further comprising the step of establishing duplex communication among available reference radios.

28. The method of person or object location utilizing impulse radio of claim 19, wherein said communication between said mobile impulse radio and said plurality of reference impulse radios is a simplex transmission from said at least one mobile impulse radio to said impulse radio reference radios.

29. The method of person or object location utilizing impulse radio of claim 19, wherein said communication between said mobile impulse radio and said plurality of reference impulse radios is a simplex transmission from said impulse radio reference radios to said at least one mobile impulse radio.

30. The method of person or object location utilizing impulse radio of claim 19, wherein said communication between said mobile impulse radio and said plurality of reference impulse radios is a duplex transmission from said impulse radio reference radios to said at least one mobile impulse radio.