Distributed localization systems and methods and self-localizing apparatus
First Claim
1. A mobile robot, comprising:
- an antenna;
analog reception electronics operationally coupled to the antenna;
a clock;
digital reception electronics operationally coupled to the analog reception electronics and to the clock, wherein the digital reception electronics are operable to;
time stamp an UWB signal received by the antenna with reference to the clock; and
receive data representative of a global property measured by a sensor at an offboard location, wherein the data representative of the global property measured by the sensor at the offboard location comprises an offboard measurement of atmospheric pressure, and wherein the global property is a property that is measurable at more than one location in a region;
an onboard sensor operable to measure the global property and produce data representative of the global property at an onboard location, wherein the onboard sensor comprises a barometer that measures atmospheric pressure; and
a localization unit operationally coupled to the digital electronics and operable to compute a location of the mobile robot based on the at least one time stamped UWB signal, the data representative of the global property at the onboard location, and the data representative of the global property measured by the sensor at the offboard location.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A self-localizing apparatus uses timestampable signals transmitted by transceivers that are a part of a distributed localization system to compute its position relative to the transceivers. Transceivers and self-localizing apparatuses are arranged for highly accurate timestamping using digital and analog reception and transmission electronics as well as one or more highly accurate clocks, compensation units, localization units, position calibration units, scheduling units, or synchronization units. Transceivers and self-localizing apparatuses are further arranged to allow full scalability in the number of self-localizing apparatuses and to allow robust self-localization with latencies and update rates useful for high performance applications such as autonomous mobile robot control.
66 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A mobile robot, comprising:
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an antenna; analog reception electronics operationally coupled to the antenna; a clock; digital reception electronics operationally coupled to the analog reception electronics and to the clock, wherein the digital reception electronics are operable to; time stamp an UWB signal received by the antenna with reference to the clock; and receive data representative of a global property measured by a sensor at an offboard location, wherein the data representative of the global property measured by the sensor at the offboard location comprises an offboard measurement of atmospheric pressure, and wherein the global property is a property that is measurable at more than one location in a region; an onboard sensor operable to measure the global property and produce data representative of the global property at an onboard location, wherein the onboard sensor comprises a barometer that measures atmospheric pressure; and a localization unit operationally coupled to the digital electronics and operable to compute a location of the mobile robot based on the at least one time stamped UWB signal, the data representative of the global property at the onboard location, and the data representative of the global property measured by the sensor at the offboard location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A mobile robot, comprising:
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an antenna; analog reception electronics operationally coupled to the antenna; a clock; digital reception electronics operationally coupled to the analog reception electronics and to the clock, wherein the digital reception electronics are operable to time stamp an UWB signal received by the antenna with reference to the clock; and an actuator operable to affect a movement of the mobile robot based on; at least one time stamped UWB signal; and a reference signal, wherein the mobile robot is operable to receive two UWB signals within a time window of 10 seconds, wherein the time difference between the time stamps of the two UWB signals is within 3 nanoseconds of the time difference between their reception times at the antenna with reference to the clock.
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16. A mobile robot, comprising:
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an antenna; analog reception electronics operationally coupled to the antenna; a clock; digital reception electronics operationally coupled to the analog reception electronics and to the clock, wherein the digital reception electronics are operable to time stamp an UWB signal received by the antenna with reference to the clock; at least one of a gyroscope, an accelerometer, an odometer, or an encoder; and an actuator operable to affect a movement of the mobile robot based on at least one time stamped UWB signal, a reference signal, and the at least one of the gyroscope, the accelerometer, the odometer, or the encoder to reduce a disturbance to the mobile robot'"'"'s location in less than 1 second.
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17. A mobile robot, comprising:
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an antenna; analog reception electronics operationally coupled to the antenna; a clock; digital reception electronics operationally coupled to the analog reception electronics and to the clock, wherein the digital reception electronics are operable to; time stamp an UWB signal received by the antenna with reference to the clock; and receive data representative of a global property measured by a sensor at an offboard location, wherein the data representative of the global property measured by the sensor at the offboard location comprises an offboard measurement of global positioning system (GPS) signals and wherein the global property is a property that is measurable at more than one location in a region; an onboard sensor operable to measure the global property and produce data representative of the global property at an onboard location, wherein the onboard sensor comprises a GPS receiver that receives the GPS signals; and a localization unit operationally coupled to the digital electronics and operable to compute a location of the mobile robot based on the at least one time stamped UWB signal, the data representative of the global property at the onboard location, and the data representative of the global property measured by the sensor at the offboard location.
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Specification