System and method for improved location accuracy

• US 9,535,153 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2014
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Gonia, Patrick S., Kolavennu, Soumitri
• Primary Examiner(s): Garcia, Santiago
• Application Number:
  US14/481,045
• Publication Number:
  US 20160069983A1
• Time in Patent Office: 847 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/08 Systems for determining direction or position line
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/10 using amplitude comparison of signals transmitted sequentially from antennas or antenna systems having differently-oriented overlapping directivity characteristics, e.g. equi-signal A-N type
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/14 using amplitude comparison of signals transmitted simultaneously from antennas or antenna systems having differently oriented overlapping directivity-characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/7032 Transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/783 using amplitude comparison of signals derived from static detectors or detector systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0244 Accuracy or reliability of position solution or of measurements contributing thereto
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0247 Determining attitude
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0289 of multiple transceivers, e.g. in ad hoc networks
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/12 by co-ordinating position lines of different shape, e.g. hyperbolic, circular, elliptical or radial
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/16 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves

Abstract

Systems and methods for improved location accuracy are provided. For example, some systems can include a location engine, and a plurality of location anchors. In some embodiments, each of the plurality of location anchors can transmit or receive signals to or from an object for determining an angular orientation of the object with respect to the plurality of location anchors, and based on the angular orientation, the location engine can estimate a location of the object. In some embodiments, each of the plurality of location anchors can transmit first signals to the location engine, the location engine can receive a second signal from an object, based on the first signals and the second signal, the location engine can determine a differential pressure between the plurality of location anchors and the object, and based on the differential pressure, the location engine can estimate an altitude of the object.

Claims

1. A location anchor comprising:

a transceiver;

a programmable processor;

executable control software stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium;

a plurality of directional transmitters or a plurality of directional receivers of electromagnetic radiation; and

a pressure sensor,

wherein the plurality of directional transmitters or the plurality of directional receivers are positioned about a perimeter of the location anchor,

wherein the directional transmitters are configured to transmit first signals to an object at a plurality of identifiable angles or the plurality of directional receivers are configured to receive second signals from the object at a plurality of identifiable angles,

wherein, based on the first signals or based on the second signals, a location engine is configured to determine an angular orientation of the object with respect to the location anchor,

wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit a signal that includes information related to a reading from the pressure sensor to a location engine, and

wherein, based on the signal that includes the information related to the reading from the pressure sensor, the location engine is configured to;

determine a differential pressure between the pressure sensor and a second pressure sensor in the object, and, based on the differential pressure, the location engine is further configured to estimate an altitude of the object.

2. The location anchor of claim 1, wherein the transceiver includes one or more of the plurality of directional transmitters or the plurality of directional receivers.

3. The location anchor of claim 1, wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit, to the location engine, information related to the angular orientation of the object with respect to the location anchor, and wherein, based on the information, the location engine is configured to determine the angular orientation of the object with respect to the location anchor.

4. The location anchor of claim 3, wherein the location engine is configured to use the determined angular orientation of the object with respect to the location anchor to determine a location of the object.

5. The location anchor of claim 1, wherein the location anchor comprises the plurality of directional transmitters, and wherein each directional transmitter of the plurality of directional transmitters is configured to include information unique to a respective identifiable angle in a corresponding first signal of the first signals transmitted from the plurality of directional transmitters to the object.

6. The location anchor of claim 5, wherein the information includes an identifier of the location anchor and a sub-identifier indicative of an angular direction of the respective identifiable angle.

7. The location anchor of claim 1, wherein the location anchor comprises the plurality of directional transmitters, and wherein the plurality of directional transmitters is configured to transmit the first signals responsive to the transceiver receiving a probe request.

8. The location anchor of claim 1, wherein the plurality of directional transmitters is configured to transmit the first signals continuously or at periodic intervals.

9. The location anchor of claim 8, wherein the plurality of directional transmitters is configured to transmit the first signals at each of the plurality of identifiable angles in a time sequence.

10. The location anchor of claim 1, wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit a third signal that includes the angular orientation of the object with respect to the location anchor.

11. A location anchor comprising:

a transceiver;

a programmable processor;

executable control software stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium; and

a pressure sensor,

wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit a signal that includes information related to a reading from the pressure sensor to a location engine,

wherein, based on the signal that includes the information related to the reading from the pressure sensor, the location engine is configured to determine a differential pressure between the pressure sensor and a second pressure sensor in an object,

wherein the location anchor is separate from the object, and

wherein the location engine is configured to determine the differential pressure, and wherein, based on the differential pressure, the location engine is configured to estimate an altitude of the object.

12. The location anchor of claim 11, wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit the signal continuously or at periodic intervals.

13. A system comprising:

a location engine; and

a plurality of location anchors, wherein at least one of the plurality of location anchors comprises a plurality of directional transmitters and a pressure sensor, wherein the plurality of directional transmitters are configured to transmit a plurality of first signals to an object at a plurality of identifiable angles, wherein each directional transmitter of the plurality of directional transmitters is configured to include information unique to the respective identifiable angle in a corresponding first signal of the plurality of first signals transmitted from the plurality of directional transmitters, and wherein the pressure sensor is configured to determine a pressure reading at the at least one of the plurality of location anchors,

wherein the location engine is configured to determine an angular orientation of the object with respect to the at least one location anchor based on the plurality of first signals,

wherein, based on the angular orientation of the object with respect to the at least one location anchor, the location engine is further configured to estimate a location of the object,

wherein the location engine is further configured to determine a differential pressure between the pressure sensor and a second pressure sensor in the object based on the pressure reading, and, based on the differential pressure, the location engine is further configured to estimate an altitude of the object.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the plurality of directional transmitters comprises an LED or a laser diode.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the object is configured to transmit information related to the angular orientation of the object with respect to the at least one of the location anchors to the location engine, and wherein, based on the information, the location engine is configured to determine the estimated location of the object.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the information unique to the respective identifiable angle comprises an identifier of the at least one location anchor and a sub identifier indicative of an angular direction of the respective identifiable angle.

16. A system comprising:

a location engine; and

a plurality of location anchors,

wherein at least some location anchors of the plurality of location anchors are configured to transmit first signals to the location engine,

wherein the location engine is configured to receive a second signal from an object,

wherein, based on the first signals and the second signal, the location engine is configured to determine a differential pressure between the at least some location anchors and the object,

wherein the at least some location anchors and the object are separate, and

wherein, based on the differential pressure, the location engine is configured to estimate an altitude of the object.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the location engine is configured to use the estimated altitude of the object to determine a location of the object in three dimensions.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the location engine is configured to weight the first signals received from the at least some location anchors based on an estimated distance of each respective location anchor from the object.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the first signals comprise a pressure measured by a pressure sensor in a respective location anchor, and wherein the second signal includes a pressure measured by a pressure sensor in the object.